The Arraignment of Pride, Chapter 18
CHAP. 18. Of Pride of Wit.
PRide of wit, is when a man is pufft up with his knowledge, quickneſs of apprehenſion, depth of judgement. As the fineſt cloth is ſooneſt ſtained, ſo the rareſt wits are moſt ſubject to Pride: as moths do ſooner breed in fine cloth then in courſe, ſo Pride and vainglory do ſoon ſurprize a man of the quickeſt wits: a good and modeſt wit is better then a great wit; Errores magni ſiac magnis ingeni is non naſcuntur. Auguſt. That men ſhould not be proud of wit, or natural parts, Chemnitius proveth from the example of Tacianus, who by the teſtimonies of Clemens. Alexandrinus and Euſebius, was a man of great parts, yet fell into great hereſies, and groſs abſurdities. Vid. Chemnit. Harm. 1. part. … 2. p. 7, 8.for often-time a great wit is the ſpring of great evils, and the greateſt errours uſually ariſe out of the greateſt wits; thence Tertullian called the Philoſophers (the great wits of the world) Haereticorum Patriarchas, the chief Fathers of Hereticks. When men of great wit and parts appear for an errour, the repute of their ingenuity and parts draws many after them, and doth much miſchief; and ſuch men do moſt miſuſe their wit, and abuſe it to licentionſneſs. The Grammarian buſieth his brains about the Concordances and regiments of Nouns, Verbs and quantities of Syllables, and will not for any thing make a Soloeciſme in ſpeech, but will not ſtick to make a thouſand in his actions; the Rhetoritian diſcourſeth copiouſly, the Logitian diſputeth ſubtilly; the Arithmetitian is cunning in numbers and diviſions, but he will ſcarce impart a penny to the poor; for then if it come to matters of practice in life, he is better skilled in addition, and multiplication, then in ſubſtraction and diviſion; he will uſe Zeno his Rhetorick, and open his hand wide to get riches; and then his Logick, ſhut it again to keep them, when he hath them. About theſe things many men beat their wits: But its better to have a true knowledge of a mans ſelf, then the courſe, ſcituation, and operations of the ſtars and planets, then the vertues of herbs and plants, then the diverſities of humours, and complexions, and conſtitutions, then the natures of beaſts or whatever Philoſophy rational, moral or natural can afford to man; for what booteth it the Geometritian or Coſmographer to be able to meaſure the compaſs of the earth, or take the height of the moon, when with all his art he cannot meet out the length of his own life, though but a ſpan long, nor take the meaſure of himſelf and his own deceitful heart? if we look not into our ſelves, we cannot know our ſelves; and if we take a ſtrict view of our ſelves, we cannot be proud. That witty men are apt to abuſe their wits, Auſtin ſhews in an Epiſtle of his to Licentius a young Noble man that was very witty, one that had been ſometime his ſcholar; a witty Poem of his coming to the hands of Auſtin (who perceived he had wickedly abuſed his wit therein) he writes to him in this manner: I have read this Poem of thine, and I know not with what verſes to lament and mourn over it, becauſe I ſee a pregnant wit in every line, Auguſt 39. Epiſt. ad Licent.but ſuch a one as I cannot dedicate to God: then he exhorts him, Da te Domino meo, &c. Give thy ſelf to my Lord, who hath given thee this excellent wit; if thou hadſt found a golden cup, wouldſt thou not have given it to ſome publick uſe? God hath given thee a golden wit, Pliny ſaith of C. Caeſar Dictatour that he was a man of a prompt and ready wit, as nimble and active as the very fire; that he ordinarily indited letters to four Secretaries or Clarks at once, and was wont to write, read, and to give audience to ſuitors, and hear their cauſes all at one inſtant. Plin. nat. hiſt. lib. 7. cap. 25.thy underſtanding is a golden cup, and wilt thou let thy luſts drink out of it, or wilt thou drink thy ſelf to the devil in it? know thou, that Satan ſeeks to make thy wit an ornament to him, and thy parts the credit of his court and cauſe. Boaſt not of the acuteneſs of thy wit; for it is not the acuteneſs of wit, but the goodneſs, equability, ſolidity and conſtancy thereof that is beſt to be commended: a quick wit is but as a ſlender web, if it be light, frothy, and inconſtant. Some there are that glory of the depth and ſubtilty of their wit, glorying of their trains for their foes, and tricks for themſelves and their friends, how by their wits they have fet off others, and ſet up themſelves, yea even what they have gained by their ſinful devices, theſe are like brazenfaced harlots: this is a wicked emulation to ſtrive who ſhall be worſt. This fault had ſometime overtaken Auſtin before his converſion, but he confeſſeth and bewaileth it bitterly; we muſt beware of it, for it is a fearful thing to be wilful and witty in wickedneſs; Jer. 4.22.of ſuch the Prophet ſpeaks, They are wiſe to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge. Such as theſe are all worldly Polititians and cunning Machiavilians, that think themſelves wiſer then Moſes, and Daniel, David or Solomon, yea peradventure then God himſelf; for they will prefer their own wits before his revealed will in his Word, and their own plots and projects, ſtratagems and devices, before his precepts and preſcriptions, ſtatutes and directions: ſuch a fellow was Achitophel, 2 Sam. 17.23.who out of pride, and for anger that his counſel was not followed, went and made his will, and then hanged himſelf: ſuch another was the King of Tyrus, of whoſe Pride and fall you may read, Ezek. 28. from 1. ad 10. ſuch another was Herod Agrippa, of whoſe pride and fall we read, Act. 12.22, 23. for being content to accept the peoples flattering acclamation of his vain-glorious declamation, for which they accounted him a God and no man, his miſerable end preſently enſuing, proved him a miſerable man and not god. The wiſdom of the fleſh, ſaith the Apoſtle, is enmity with God; Rom. 8.7. foreign, M…ton adjuncti.whatever mans corrupt wit and carnal wiſdom enclineth to, delighteth in, or exerciſeth it ſelf about, is directly contrary and oppoſite unto God, and very enmity it ſelf againſt him.