A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

5 Lastly, this Knowledge must be added to Virtue also. The Romists love all blind graces: they commend Caecam fidem, caecam obedientiam; A blind faith, a blind obedience, a blind devotion, whose mother is ignorance. But the Apostle bids us add Knowledge to these: and Virtue it self, lustre it with what gloss of obedience and devotion they can, I say not, Pede claudicat uno, goes halting toward heaven: but Oculis orbatur utrisque; is like a sicled Dove, it would mount to heaven, and hovers upward; but strikes at a tree, and falls; if it want knowledge to direct it. But why should I say, Virtue without Knowledge is blind, when indeed it is not at all. A man may do ⟨p. 122⟩Bonum, good, and not know it: but not Benè well; true virtue is not without knowledge. But as some do ill, and yet think it good: so others do good, and yet think it ill. For the former,^a Whosoever killeth you, will think that he doth God service. For the latter, Josephs mistress meant him a shrewd turn in betraying him to prison, which was Josephs step to promotion. Or as the thief wounded a passenger, and intended to kill him, yet with his stroke cut and let out an ulcer, whereof he was ready to die: neither of these can be called virtue. For good and well must in all actions meet: wicked is not much worse than undiscreet. Knowledge without Virtue, makes a mans Mittimus to hell.^b If ye were blind, you should have no sin: but now you say, we see, therefore your sin remaineth. Like the woman, Luke 15.8. that hath a Candle in her hand: but as the Romish vulgar did read it, in stead of Domum everrit, Domum evertit: so these, in stead of sweeping the house, pull it quite down. So much light abused on earth, so much darkness inflicted in hell. Virtue without Knowledge, is either like^c Laodicea, proud, and knows not whereof; or mad, and knows not what to do. I conclude, Joh. 9.6. Christ made a medicine for the blind mans eyes, of his own spittle, and the earths clay. The first, signifying the knowledge of Christ by his Word, that comes out of his mouth: the other, the knowledge of our selves, who being made of earth, do naturally favour of nothing but clay. Now of both these materials Christ made one lump, tempering them together: so both these knowledges must be so melled together, that they be not severed. To have the Clay, knowledge of our selves;