That worldly lbifedmneandpolicieis tobecontemned. 83 fore our Saviour Chrifi (peaking generallyofÿ world,faith, lohn174%. thatit didnot knowGod hisFather;&his holyApofIle tefii- 6eth,that when Chrifi the SonofGod carne into the world, the lborld newhim not : fo that it is impoffible for a meere Iohn .to. worldling to attaine to the knowledge ofGod, and ofhis Sonne Chrift, or ofthe worke of redemption and faluation wrought by him : whereofit is,that when Teteracknowled- ged Chrifi tobe the Sonne ofGod, our Sauiour telleth him, thatflej7, andbloodhad notreijeiled it voto him, but his Father which is in heaven. To which purpofe the Apofile alto faith, thatfeeinQtheworldbywi fdameknewnotGod, in thewifdome of r.Cor.r.2a. Cjod, itpleafed Godby thefoolifbnefeofpreaching toPave them, thatbeleeae. Whereby it appeareth, that worldly wifedome helpeth not to the knowledge offpirituall things; nor at all furthereth the faluation of our foules : but ferueth onely worldlings (like the Ofirich wings) to this vfe, tohaflen their fpeed,and make them to outrunothers vpon the earth, and in earthly things; butcannot helpe them to flie towards heauen,by the fpirituall knowledgeofGod and our Sauiour Chrifl. The reafon why worldlings by their worldlywifedome 4.Set`f.t4.. cannot vaderfland the things ofGod, is, becaufe this fpiri- The reafon why tuall knowledge is hid from them, as appeareth by that worldly [nth thankfgiuing ofour Sauiour Chrifl : Igine thee thar&,es Dfa- not the things ther,Lordofheauenandearth,becenfe then haft hid theft things ofGod. from thewif,andmen ofvnderîianding,and hart revealed them Matth.r vntobabes. And this reafon our Sauiourrendreth why hee fpake toworldlings in parables, and tohis Difciples plainly, Becaufe to theft it was given to k.now the f creis ofthe 4inQdome Matth.r3.rr. ofheouen, but ro thorn it woenstoitien. And this hapnethvnto them by the 'tuft iudgementbfGod, that they fhould thus be given over to their ovine blindncffe : firfi in regardoftheir pride, which caufeth them to withdraw themfelues from God, and to (hut their eyes againfi the light ofhis reuealcd will, preferring farr!e before it, their owne wifedome and deepe policie, vpon which can nothing followbut palpable darknes ; for as when the face ofthe Moone looketh dire6ly vpon the Sunne, from whom the borroweth her brightnes, G z Else
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=