Cha P . . 6 Ofthe knowledge ofGod Arid itsoppofts. Com.i r} TheApoftle faith as much , knowledge puffeth up. That therefore our knowledge t Cdr. May be right, we muft pluck from us our Peacocks Feathers , the gifts of Nature, 9. 4, asStrength,Wifdom, Riches, Birth,&'. Andnot be proud or rejoyce in them ; but as God by the Prophet fpeakcth. Let himthat glorieth, glory in this, that he un- derftandeth and knoweth me, Hac tota fcientia hotninia magna bet (aitpit Au of m ) fcire, quia nihil ipfe eft per fe , fr quoniam quicquid eft , Peal. 70. This is the chief knowledge of Man, to know that of himfelf he is nothing ; and that whatfoever he is, it is of, and for God. And this is the ufe we muff makeofour Knowledge: 2. The fecond is, the necef'ity of this knowkdge. It is not the excellency of this knowledge that altogether worketh upon the defires of all Men ; and the hearts of many are fodull and heavy, that they defire not to be excellent ; a mean degree of perfeftion contents them in it. But when we come to perceive that neceffitas incnmbit, there lies a necefffty upon us to get it, aferrea ratio that (}Tongand forcible perfwalon; and ftriketh to theheart : for the Law is DoEtrina agendorum, and noAction can be without moving, no motionwithout the will , no will without defire , and no de- fire without knowledge of that we defire. So that, take away knowledge, and take away all ; and then nothing íhall be done. It cannot be denyed , but that evil Men are inaction , they are practical enough , bur their knowledge being deprived ofthe true end and Objefh, we muft alto con- fers, that they tnuft needserr and fall upon falfe ends and ways, , wandring in by . paths, and never attain to the rightend; but they walk in darknefs,and fo they mils of the end for which they came into the World. Rom. re.14. The Apoftle faith, that without hearing therecan be no knowledge : for hearing is called the fenfe of difcipline, and without knowledge there's no belief, without Faith there canbeno love, and without love there's no obehience. And therefore in as much as Faith , Love , and Obedience are neceffary , it follows that it is neceffary to have Knowledge as the ground of all Venues whatfoever. There is in all there Verrues inchoation in this life , and a confutatmation in the life to come. The Schoolmen call thema hrft and fecond perfeftia or partio partikm & graduum ; and therefore the knowledge we attain to in this life , is but a pralibatio , a R...5.6. taft of that blet%dknowledge we Ihall have in the other. And as the Adoftle makes two Refurreftions, the firft and the fecond; and faith,that bleffed is he that hath his part in the fire[; for he fhali have it olio in the [aft. So there are two degrees of know.. ledge, the firth isfides, Faith, thefecond trifle dei, or vita &terna, the beatifical Vifion ; and bided is he that hathhis part in the f,rft, for he (hall havehis par[ in the fecond, the beatifical Vifion of God. And as in the fecond Refurrectionnone fhallhave part , but they which have part in the firft ; fo none canhave their portion in the fecond knowledge, but they that had in the firth. Luke; 10.45. Awitnefs Without exception of this , is our Saviour. Martha troubled her felf about many things (and nodoubt neceffary to the honourable entertaining of Chill) yet we know that Chrift faid anum neceffarinm, there was one thing neceffary , and .Mary had chofen it , to fit down at Chrifhs Feet and learn his will. So that it this be only neceffary , and without it there'snogetting to the end , then have we done with the firft part , wherein we fee the ufo and neceflity of this know- ledge. 3.1f the knowledge be foneceffary, by what means that[ we attain to it ? In know- ledge there is a teacher and a learner, wemuff eitherfind it of our (elves, or learn it Jes:,o.s4. from. others. For our own abilities the Prophet hath told uslong finte what they are. Every Man is brutifh (or a Beaft) in his knowledge,ifhe have none to direct him but his ownnatúral parts,he thall attain nomore knowledge than the brute beafts. Thewife-man faith , that we arc all vain byNature. Weare vain in our imaginati- Ecdef9 9. OM, faith the Apoftle. And according toholy rob , we utter but vain,knowledge , Rom.1. 31.. therefore havingno hope to learn the trueknowledge of our felves , and being as Job. i s. far from learning it from other natural Men like our felves,we muff lock after another 1 Sams. 3, teacher , that hath,dceper knowledge than we have, And Who thatis we (hall find in the Book of Samuel, Denafcientiarum Dominus, The Lord is a God of knowledge, 1o0e6.45. it is he only that can teach us; and as he is able , fo is he willing too. Our Saviour tells us that it is 'written in the Prophets , and they fhallbe all taught ofGcd , for
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