Reafcnsmowing vs to thecontempt ofworldly kynowfedge. at i mit any (inne, when heeTeeth thofe, who arc indeed with knowledge make no confcience ofit, becaufe bee thinketh with himfelf, that none is fodefperate to leap into the gulph ofperdition wittinglyand willingly; and that if there were any danger in that hedoth, he would not vpon knowledge, and,as it were, on fetpurpofe run into it. Finally,he finneth again(lhimfelfe ,inmaking his condemnation moreinf},and his fault more vnexcufable; for if the finnesof the Gentiles Rom .r.zo. becamevnexcufabie, becaufe they were committed again(ì the light ofnature ; then how much more are their finnes without excufe,who haue much more perfe6l knowledgeof Gods will,as it is reuealed in the holy Scriptures? And thus doth this vain &idleknowlcdge hurt thole that §.Set7.8. haue it in this life: in the life to come,chcy (hail find it much ¡'.-fitfll morepernicious,Firfl,becaufeit Thal increafè their bitsofac- knewledaein- counr,whenat Gods great audit.they (hal glue a beckoning, ere ónine a how theyhaue vfedand imploied that rich talent of know- ttetn of r ledge,whichGod vouchfafed tolend vnto them ; howmuch iudtment. theyhaue excelled thofe, who wartedoftheirgreat meafttre, in true obedience,how much by it they haue glorifiedGod, edified their brethren, and reformed their owne liues and conuerfations : for according to the meafure ofGodsgifts muff our accounts be,and he that bath receiued the greate( portion,andbath either vnprofitablieburied ir, or abufed it vntoCnne,the greater and more fcarefull !hallhis condem- nationbe.And this is the lal}and greate(l euil which our vn- fruitfull knowledgewill bringvnto vs,namely,that as it ag. grauateth our finne, foalto it will increafe ou: puni(hment; foras our Sauiour faith, theferasant that knoweth his ma.fiers Luke rz.gy, will andaoth it not,fiiall be beatenwithmanyflripes. And hence it is, that he threatneth moreheauiecondemnation against Tyre and Sidon, then againfi Sodom&Gomorrah;becaufe the light ofthe Gofpel, and confirmed byadmira- blemiracles,did muchmore clearelyThine vnto them, then Mar. i,.ii.z. vnto the other: and the Apofile Peter of irmeth,that it had binbetter for them (againfi whom he inueigheth)not tohaue bnowne the mayofrighteoufne fe, thenafter they halmknomneit, to turnefromthe holy commandementgiaen vnto them. Seeing
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