their neighbours euery kinde of way, and therefore the Prophet addes to very good purpose that this inestimable gift flowes from the kno••ledge of God. Thus then it behoues that all flesh be humbled, and that mē learne to put themselues into the protection and safegard of God, and to maintaine brotherly kindnes betweene thēselues when they know that he is the father of them all. For although many which are not yet renued by the spirit of Christ may haue some appearance of hu∣manitie, yet is it very certaine that they are caried away therein with the loue of them∣selues, because all haue this naturallie so rooted in them, that they will alwaies seeke their owne profit rather then the profit of an other, and therefore thinke they are put in this world only to serue their owne turne and not their neighbours: yea, they would haue all the world at their commaund if it were possible, which Plato also wisely con∣sidered.
From hence proceed deceits, periuries, thefts, robberies, & an infinit other such like wickednesses. There is no fit remedie then to tame this vnbridled lust but the knowledge of God only. Now we see how the Prophet doth againe establish the dominion of Christ in the faith and doctrine of the Gospel, it be∣ing the meanes (indeed) without which he doth not ordinarilie gather vs to himselfe: for thereby he illuminates our vnderstan∣dings to manifest vnto vs the heauenly life, which is nothing else (as himselfe witnesseth) but to know him to be the only true God, and him whom he hath sent, Iesus Christ, Iohn 17.3.
Moreouer, the abundance of knowledge is here closely compared to that small taste which God gaue to the ancient people vnder the law. And albeit the Iewes were kept vnder such childish rudiments, yet vnto vs hath the perfect light of the heauenlie wisdome shined by the meanes of the Gospel, as Ieremiah also foretold, They shall not euery one teach his neighbour, nor euery one his brother, saying, Know the Lord, for they shall all know me, saith the Lord, from the least vnto the grea∣test, Ier. 31.34. If so be yt this fulnes of know∣ledge then haue taken possession in our vn∣derstandings, it will purge and cleanse them frō all maliciousnes. This place also informes vs what maner of Church there is in the Pa∣pacie, where the light of holy doctrine being smothered, yea almost cleane extinct, their whole religion is, to be blindfolded in a bru∣tish ignorance.
Now if it so fall out that we haue not a perfect knowledge at the first dash, yet we must endeuor day by day to profit more and more, 2. Pet. 3.18. and that in such wise, that the fruit thereof may issue from this roote. Whence it appeares that the greater part haue profited but very meanly in the schoole of Christ, when so many cosenages, extorti∣ons, and violences haue their full swinge on all sides.