í 3 4. Of Knowledge. SERM. and diligent purfuit of it. He would have V. us above all things folicitous to acquire the t-"")knowledge of the holy; to regard the riches, honours, and every kind of fenfible enjoy- ment, as but trifles in comparifon. He re- prefents wifdom as the principal thing; its inftrudions are right ; they have an innate beauty and refitude, a tranfcendant worth which commands the approbation and re- fpe t of every attentive intelligent being; there is a dignity in them which whenever we turn our thoughts to it, ftrikes the mind with veneration and efteem. Other things which poffefs the affeaions of carnal and worldly men when fet againft it, appear to be of no worth at all. The merchandize of flyer, the gain of gold, and the price of rubies, or indeed whatever we can defire in this world, is but low and mean, does not fill the capacity of the foul, nor fatisfy its large de- fires, and is but of a periíhing nature and mo- mentary duration. When men are got tho- roughly into this way of thinking (and a fe- rious attention will not fail of bringing them to it) and when the love of wifdom is the ruling affetion in the foul, thofe things which to fordid, earthly and fenfual fpirits, appear myfterious, will become familiar ; or what others ./f
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=