Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BX9315 .O8 1721

each PERSON difiinaly. 279 There be two things in the world, that do pats under this account, the t. is learning or literature; a skill and knowledge of arts, fcien- ces, tongues, with the knowledge of the things that are pal}. The '2. prudence and skill for the management of our felves in reference to others, in civil affairs, for publick good, which is much the fairell flower, within the border of natures garden. Now concerning both thefe, I thall briefly evince. [t.] That they are utterly infufficient for the compafling and obtain- ing of thofe particular ends, whereunto they arc deigned. [a.] That both of them in conjunftion, with their utmoft improve- ment, cannot reach the true general end of wifdom ; both which con- iderations will fet the crown in the iffue upon the head of Jefus Chrift. t. Learning. And, [s.] Begin we with the firft of thefe, and that as to the firft par- ticular. Learning, it felf, if it were all in one man, is not able to compafs the particular end, whereto it is deigned, which writes vanity and vexation upon the forehead thereof. The particular end of literature, tho' not obferved by many, mens eyes being fixed on falfe ends, which compells them in their progrefs aberrare a (cope is none other, but to remove force part of that curie which is cone upon us by fin. Learning is the produft of the foul's ftrugling with the curfe for fin. Adam at his firft creation, was com- pleatly furnished with all that knowledge (excepting only things not then in being, neither in themfelves, not any natural caufes, as that which we now call tongues, and thofe things that are the fubjeft of Rory) as far as it lies in a needful tendency to the utmoft end of man, which we now press after. There was no ftraitnefs, much lefs dark nefs upon his understanding, that should make him fweat for a way to improve, and make out thofe general conceptions of things which he had. For his knowledge of nature, it is manifeft fròm his impofition of fuitable (a) names to all the creatures (the particular reafons of the molt of which to us are loft) wherein from the approbation given of his nomination of things in the fcripture, and the fignificancy of what yet remains evident, it is moil apparent, it was done upon a clear acquaintance with their natures. Hence Plato could obferve that he was molt wife that firft impofed names on things, yea had more than human wisdom. Were the wifeft man living, yea a general col leftion of all the wife men in the world, to make an experiment of their skill and learning, in giving names to all living creatures fuit- able to their natures, and expreffive of their qualities, they would quickly perceive the lofs they have incurred. Adam was made per- fedt, for the whole end of ruling the creatures, and living to God for which he was made ; which, without the knowledge of the nature of the one, and the will of the other, he could not be. All this being loft-by fin, a multiplication of tongues alto being brought in as a curfe for an after rebellion, (b) the : whole deign of learning is hut to ditmtangle the foul frein this iffue of fin. Ignorance, darknefs and blindness is come upon the underftanding; acquaintance with the works (a) 'OIM(tt tuV [ 7áV' ¢TX.9tiç¢nY Ab7.,liGTxTVY fÌVa/, r' x4apf,T45, 1.(4(b TI!á'IiYd¡aN 41YGl ñ át°iaatiar, T10 Stµ.0x0Ti "phut :06¡a:1s7014atiyr.a.mO, Plato inGtaryl,. (b). Gal, x.3,d7t:, f

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