Reafons matting to thecontempt ofworldly learning. 97 the firft rudiments a becaufe the more heknoweth, the more Hoc vnumfelt, he feethhis want of knowledge; and the highefi degreeof me nhi1fcire. learning in thisflare ofimperfeaion, cóGlleth in theknow- Socrates. ledge of a mans ownc ignorance. And therefore the Wife manfaith, that he that increafeth knolbledgeincreafethgriefe, Atfanequi ad. becaufehedoth not receiuefomuch pleafare by that which bee dúfcientiam hashfound out, as[orrery forthat untowhich he is not able toat- adder dolo em, taine;leke veto thofewho beingyet a thtril,arepulledfr-6 the wa- vslúpt nonpl ters,or that cannot hold in theirhands that which theythink they quoa inuenit co haue;or likeunto theft whoare enlightenedwith the brightnes of accipiat,quans the lightning;which lightprefently leaning them, they remarne moron s es co inmoregroffedarknefJe thenbefore ,And thisvanitieofhumane ueda¡jiqui ronpotuu. Na- learning isthe caufewhy theSaints ofGod have fo conceal- zianzen.Ayo_ ned ir; for hauing attained to the knowledgeof God and loges. r. hiswill, ofour Sauiour Chriff, and the worke of faluation wrought by him, they haue in comparifonofthis excellent knowledge, accounted the otherbale andofno worth. An examplewhereofwe haue in Paul, who being indued witha great meafure ofthishumane learning, contemneth it, pro- felling that he carednet.to know anything, faue lefusChri l r.Cor.a.z. andhim crucified. As allo in the Ephefians, who beingcon_ uerted to the faith, and indued with forcemeafure offauing knowledge, brought theirbooties, out ofwhich theyhadlearned Alts 19.19. their curiosu arts, and burned thembefore all men, the price whereofamounted tofiftie thoufandpiecesoffluer. Laftly, the vnprofitableneffe ofworldly learning hereby 4,Set7<5, appeareth, in that it furtherethnot our faluation, nor bring- Worldly tear_ ethvsneerervntoGod,neitherinthislifebygrace, nor by ninghelpeth vs glorie in the life to come: for it helpeth not at all to inrichvs "I"t to theataai- with anyofGods fanótifying and fauing graces, but excel- fptit /the 7ods rater< ling all others in this kind oflearning, wemay be as mifera- blie poore in thofe ineflimable treafùres as the moll limple idiots.And this theexamples offormer timesSc ofour owne daies doe plainly manilla : for whomore learned then the Ægyptians,andwho moregroffe idolaters?Whomore 'can- ned then Pharaohs inchanters, and aflrologians, and who more diuellifhforcerers? who more learned then the Scribes andPhariles,andwho moregrace]effe and wicked ? Finally, H who
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