Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

92 Ofworldly learning. corruption, and Co hurtfull and pernicious to thole who let their hearts on thcm,that they iuftly delerue to be hated and reie6ted.Now it followeth,that according to myorder pro- pounded, I adde Ionic thing of the gifts and ornaments of the mind, namely, the gifts of humane learning, and offci- ence and knowledge, which the world abufeth as occafions and grounds ofdangerous tentations. And firft I will fpeake briefly of humane learning; confiting principally in the knowledge, memorie and skilfull vie ofarts and languages; the which is in it owne nature good, as being an excellent gift ofGod, whereby the mind of man is adorned, and his naturall gifts and faculties much improued, polifhed and perfedled; fo as it is a quellion difputable, whether nature, or this art and learning are of greater vie and efficacie, for the direéting and perfedling offuch humane affaires, as are ofgreatefl excellencie. By it the harfhnes and roughneffe of nature is mollified and mitigated,barbarifine banifhed, ci- uilitie preferued and increafed, all things which tend to the well-being and bettering ofhumane focietie perfeéted, and in a word, hereby the rough fallow grounds of our hearts are as it were ploughed vp, and fitted and prepared to re- ceiue the feeds ofdiuine knowledgc.In it owne stature ther- fore, humane learning is not only good but very excellent, and is not contemned and hatedby any, but thofe who are rude and ignorant, yea it ought in this fenfe to be efleemed and fought after as a pearle ofprice,which is much to be pre- ferred before all the treafures and honors of the world; as being a fingular ornament ofthe mind, which mien in the iudgement ofGods Spirit maketh hisfaithfull feruants more praife- worthie; for thus the holy Ghofi commendeth Mo- Aßs7.2:, fes for his excellent learning,faying, that he wad learned inall the wif dome of the e.Egyptians, among whom learning in Afts 18.24. thofe dales chiefelyflourifhed; and a.9pollos,whom he alto 4.Seíi.2. prBuettfweconfiderofthisl arninglastisinvs,thenisitto That tepidly i 2t- be efleemed among thingsindifferent, the whichaccording methcnib onto as they are vied by the partie that hath them,are either good vs, when it is when theyare well vied, or euiU when thcy are.abufed, and aboled. the