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TO THE READER.

READER,

UPON the review of this book, written long ago, I find, 1. That it is a subject as necessary now as ever; experience telling us that the disease is so far from being cured, that it is become our public shame and danger, and if the wonderful mercy of God prevent it not, is likely to be the speedy confusion and ruin of the land. 2. As to the manner of this writing, I find the effects of the failing of my memory, in the often repeating of the same things, with little diversification: but I will not for that cast it away; considering, 1. That perhaps often repeating may make the matter the better remembered; and if it do the work intended, no matter though the Author be not applauded. 2. And men may think justly that what is often repeated dropped not from the Author inconsiderately, nor is taken by him to be small and useless; but is that digested Truth which he would most inculcate. 3. And those who blame their weakness who accuse the Church Liturgy of too much repetition, I suppose will not be much offended with it in our writings, while the dulness and forgetfulness of many readers maketh it needful.

R. B.

August 3, 1689.

KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE

COMPARED.

PART I.

OF FALSELY PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE.

1 CORINTHIANS viii. 2, 3.

And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. But if any man love God, the same is known of Him.

CHAP. I.

The Scope and Text opened; what Philosophy or worldly Wisdom Paul depresseth; and why.

THE calamitous divisions of the Churches of Christ, and the miscarriages and contentions of too many particular brethren, having been sad upon my thoughts above forty years, by this time, without imputation of hastiness and rash judging, I may take leave to tell the world, what I have discovered to be the principal cause, which is falsely PRETENDED KNOWLEDGE, or IGNORANCE of IGNORANCE, or a proud unhumbled understanding, confident that it knoweth that which it knoweth not. And consequently what must be the cure, if our calamity be here curable, viz. To know as much as we can; but withal to know how little we know, and to take on us to know no more than we do know, nor to be certain of our uncertainties.

The text which I have chosen to be the ground of my

a Had I been supposed to have written this book to hide my sloth and ignorance, men would not have neglected my "Methodus Theologiæ, and Catholic Theology," through mere sloth, and saying, that it is too high and hard for them.

discourse, is so plain, notwithstanding some little difficulties, that did not the nature of the disease resist the clearest remedy, so many good people had never here often read their sin described, as insensibly as if they read it not.

The chapter hath so much difficulty, as will not stand with my intended brevity to open it: I refer you to expositors for that; whether they were the Nicolaitans, or any other sort of heretics that the apostle dealeth with, I determine not. It is plain that they were licentious professors of Christianity, who thought that it was the ignorance of others, that made them judge it unlawful to eat things offered to idols; and that their own greater knowledge set them above that scruple. A mixture of Platonic philosophy with Christianity, made up most fof the primitive heretics, and for want of a due digestion of each, too much corrupted many of the Greek doctors of the church. The unlearned sort of Christians, were so much despised by some of the philosophical heretics, that they were not thought worthy of their communion; for as Jude saith, they "separated themselves, being sensual, having not the Spirit," but more affected philosophical fancies: which made Paul warn men to take heed lest any seduced them by vain philosophy; not using the name of philosophy, for that solid knowledge of God's works which is desirable, but for the systems of vain conceits and precepts which the word was then used to signify, as every sect derived them from their masters. And so the apostle taketh knowledge in this text; not for solid knowledge indeed, but for Gnosticism or philosophical presumptions; such as even yet most philosophers are guilty of, who take a multitude of precepts, some useful, some useless, some true, and some false, and all but notionally, or to little purpose, and joining these do call them philosophy. And Paul tells them, that opinionative and notional knowledge (were it true, like the devil's faith) is of no such excellency as to cause them to shelter their sins under the confidence and honour of it, and despise unlearned conscientious Christians; for such knowledge by inflation often destroyeth the possessors, or becomes the fuel of the devilish sin of pride, when love buildeth up ourselves, and others to salvation. And to conceit that a man is wise because of such knowledge, and so to overvalue his own understanding, is a certain sign that he is destitute of that knowledge

in which true wisdom doth consist; and knoweth nothing with a wise and saving knowledge, as every thing should be known: and indeed a man's excellency is so far from lying in vain philosophical speculations, that the use of all true knowledge is but to bring us up to the love of God, as the highest felicity, to be approved and beloved by God; and those unlearned Christians that have the spirit of sanctification, without your vain philosophy, have knowledge enough to bring them to this love of God, which is a thing that passeth all your knowledge, or rather to be known of God as his own, and loved by him. For our felicity lieth in receiving from God, and in his loving us more than in our loving him; but both set together, to love God, and so to be loved of him, are the ultimate end and perfection of man; and all knowledge is to be estimated but as it tendeth to this.

This being the plain paraphrase of the text, I shall stay no longer on it, but thence deduce and handle these two observations.

Doct. I. Falsely pretended knowledge is often pernicious to the possessor, and injurious to the church. And overvaluing one's own opinions and notions, is a certain mark of dangerous ignorance.

Doct. II. A man is so far truly wise, as he loveth God, and consequently is approved or loved by him, and as he loveth others to their edification.

I. The first is but the same that Solomon thus expresseth, "Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit; there is more hope of a fool than of him." (Prov. xxvi. 12.) And Paul elsewhere, "Be not wise in your own conceits." (Rom. xii. 16; xi. 25; and Prov. xxvi. 5. 16.) For it is certain that we are all here in great darkness, and it is but little that the wisest know; and therefore he that thinks he knoweth much, is ignorant both of the things which he thinks he knoweth, and of his ignorance. Therefore "Let no man deceive himself: If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise:" (1 Cor. iii. 18:) To be "wise in this world," is the same with that in the words following, "The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God." And (1 Cor. i. 19-22.) "It is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise," &c. "Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this

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