Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

x Reafonsmoiling to the contempt ofvnfruitfullknon, ledge, beans is molt fottifh by nature, and being wilde hash no fmall tinálure ofwit by humane focietie and inatuetion,and being not the af eherfelfe, but her yong colt, hath no in- fob z. crealeofnaturall wit by age and brutifh experience. Vaine man (faith he) uould6ewife, though man borne is like a Wide A e contr. 4.Sed.3. Againe, there is little caufe that we lhould be proud of Thatvnfrnir- this finallkuowledge which wee haue, or that wee fhould fa/know/edge thinke it of any worth or excellencie, being feuered from nopropeandte piety and true obedience, becaufe it is vaine and to no ar- napurpofe. polyf orifthatbevainewhicha ttainethnottohisend ,and if the end of all fcience and knowledge be vfe and praélife then mull it needs follow, that feeing the end ofour know- ledge is not to know, but that we lhould make an holy vie of it, and caufe it to ferue as a fpirituall eye to guide vs in o. bedience, through the whole courfe ofour life and conuer- fàtion; then that knowledge which is idle and fruitleffe, fwimming in the brain e, and onely exercifed in fpeculation, and not in aálion, hash not attained to his end, and is there- fore vaine; and confequently,no man hath caufe to be proud of this knowledge; feeing he that doth excell therein, doth but excell in worthlelfevanity. To this purpofe one faith, Rernard.fuper that fome de/ire knowledge to this end, that they may only know, Cant,ferm.34. and this is filthie curiofitie; and there are fume that defire to knoib, that they may fit their knolbledge out tothefate, opering tofell it for money or pre ferments, and this is di¡honeit gain, to settee eft be- fell as a flaue that which was free -borne : and there are fame . nxm ve logeam who defire to know, that they may be known; and this is foolifh . verawxo/fe. oanitie. Idle knowledge therefore is to be contemned as thing vaine and ofno value; yea fo worchleffeiit is, that the leali will to good, and weaken delireto pleafe God, is much to be preferred before it. And though it were fuppofed, that there were in this knowledge force worth and excellencie; yet the finalleft fparke oftrue charitie and- pietie WereMuch to bee preferred before it : feeing long after this light of worldly knowledge is vanished, the heate of true loue re- rnainech euen for euer : for fo the Apofttefaith, thatloue lath newer fall albay; though that prophecytngs be aboltfhed, or the tourer