Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

Reafons matting to the contempt ofvnfruitfoell knowledge. kei, tongues ceafe, cr+ knowledge vanifh away. - But as it is in itfclfe vaine, -fo it is vnto vs vnprofitable; &; Scci 4 when it is fettered from true charitie and. the feare of God : rhat vq t- an sl this the Apoflle plainly affirmeth, that if he bad the gift of fsll knowledge prophecie,and /knew all fecrets and all knowledge,ánd had not loué, is z npro fitable: it were all nothing worth,yea he himfelfwere noth'ing.And 1.Cor.r3.z. another faith, that we do not truly know that which is good, vn- Pjgn eft vera lefeweattainevntoit to this end, that we maypral-fife it; andfcientiaBoni, that he doth vn ra.5tabliemeditateinthelawofggod, which la-nifradhoecom- p prchendatur, vt boureth to retain that in hiememorie, whiclllhe h.ath noprerpafe agatur, &c. Au. to praflefe in his aiions.For this idle knowledge doth notbe- gull. fentèn. get or nourifh in vs the fading graces ofGods Spirit, nor Tom.3. Bernard. f makes vs any whit more firong and vigorous in our fpirituall Cant fé muper eflate, yea rather it impaireth our foules health, and weaker neth our firength in grace : in which refpeól knowledge idlcly fwimming in the braine, is fitly compared to meatflö- ting on the flomacke which is vndigefled ; for as fuch mcate for wantdffit conco6tion doth nöt nourifh vs,but begetteth ill humours and corrupteth thebodie; fo much knowledge negligently caf+ into the floniacke ofthe foule, which is the memorie,if it be not decoó+ed with the heate of charity,and fotransfufed and digefled into the feuerall parts, and as it were the outward limmes of the foule, namely, our manners and a6tions, that fo it felfe maybe made goodby the good things it knoweth, thé life and manners according with it; Thal not that knowledge for want ofdigeflion turne into the corrupt humours of finne, and in (lead of nourifhing vs im- paire our fpirituall health, fvvelling vs with the winde of pride, and gnawing and griping vs with that torturing col- licke of an euill confcience?neither willit helpe forward our iourney towards our heauenly country,but when we mount vp highefl in our owneproud coñceit,thofe waxen wings of knowledge and fpecula ;ion, not enduring the heat of Gods iuftice,will moli faile vs when we moll trufl in them,and let vs fall without hope or helpe into that bottomleffc gulfe of hell & condemnation. And as it little profiteth a man for the running ofa race & gaining ofthe garland,though he plain - lyfee the way, anddifcerne the gole, if he eitheridlcly lie 11,11: a