Excellency of the Knowledg of Jesus Christ, above all humane Learning whatsoever. [ 1304]
THemistocles,* 1.1 though he was ignorant of Musick, yet knew he how to go∣vern a State. And a Believer, though he be ignorant of all other Learn∣ing, yet by the knowledg of Christ onely will be a blessed Man; whereas all the Learning in the World without,* 1.2 will leave a Man miserable: To know the whole Creation, and to be ignorant of the Creator; to know all Histories and Antiquities, and to be unacquainted with our own hearts; to be good Logicians to other purposes, and in the mean time to be cheated by Satan with Paralogisms in the businesse of our own Salvation; To be powerful Orators with Men, and never to prevail with God; To know the Constellations, motions, and influences of Heavenly bodies, and have still unheavenly Souls; To know exactly the Laws of Men, and be ignorant and rebellious against the Lawes of God; To abound with worldly Wisdome, and be destitute of the fear of God, which makes wise to Salvation, is all but a better kind of refined misery; The Devills have much more then all this comes to, and yet are damned. We must study therefore to improve our Learning unto the use and furtherance of Holinesse,* 1.3 to better our minds, to order our affections, to civilize our manners, to reform our lives, to adorn and render our Profession the more amiable, to consecrate all our other endowments as spoyls unto Christ, to lay our Crowns at his feet, and make all other abilities and acquirements Hand-maids unto his glory: When Learning is thus a servant unto Godlinesse, Godlinesse will be an honour unto Learn∣ing.