Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

7t eafona mowing to the contempt of worldly learning. 95 good Grammarians, and to haue the knowledge of all tongues and languages if there be no congruitie betweene I.Cor.t;.1. Gods law,,and their life and manners, and hauing their heads full fraught with this learned skill, their hearts bee emptie of loue and charitie? What benefit haue they by theirenquifite skill in Arithmetike, whereby they are able to numbernumbers numberleffe,ifthey want skill to num- ber their daies,that they may applie their hearts to,true w if- dome ? What though like good Geometricians they could meafure all the parts of the earth, and take the height, and demonfirate the bigues of all the (farms of heaven; if they haue nomea tinein their pallions, appetites, and earthly de- fires? What though like cunning Afironomers and Afro - logians,rhey knew the number of the flarres, with all their morions,the conf#ellations,afpeéls, and influences of there celefiiall bodies, and could neerely geffe at future contin- gents,and things to come; if their hearts and affediions re- mainefafined to the earth,when their eies are lift vp to hea- uen,fo as they can neuerraitethem on high with any fpirii wall and holy meditation ? What though like cunning Mw fitians,theyybe skilful! in all the moods,chords, and propor- tions; if they cannot accord the iarring difcords of their ownepaflions,nor make that fweete harmonie in Gods hea- ring,by caufing their heart tongue and hand to accord and agree together,in a holy and vpright profeilion and praéiife ofgodlineffe and righteoufneffe ? What will'it helpe sk ilfull Philofophers, though they were able to vnbowell the fe- crets of nature, to know the caufes and yeeld the rcafon of all things, which curioltie her felfe could inquire; if they be ignorant ofthe great Creator,and of themfelues,neither knowing the corruption of their narure, nor the meanes how to bee freed from it? What will it profit them if like skilful! Hifiorians,they can relate what bath been done in all countries,in all ages, ifthey be not well acquainted v ith the hiflorie of the Bible,and the Gofpell of lefiis Chrifl,nor know what he bath done for their faluation ? What though like cunning Lawyers they be learned in the lawes of men, if they bee ignorant in the law of God, and lawleffe and i(- cenciou