Some think a Minister hath no great need of Learning, because he is to speak to the unlearned. But as, Hebr. 5.11. We have many things to say, and hard to be uttered; seeing you are dull of hearing. For, when for the time ye ought to be Teachers, you had need be taught again the first Principles of the Oracles of God; and had need of milk, and not of strong meat. So, 1 Cor. 2.6. We speak wisdom among them that are perfect. Such is our unhappy exigent: if we preach learnedly, they think us mad: as Festus told Paul, Act. 26.24. Thou art beside thy self, much learning doth make thee mad. We seem mad, but only to those that are mad. As David seemed a foole, Sed Regi Achish, to King Achish, that was a fool. To common simplicity, Divinity seems a kind of heresy; and Ministers a kind of Conjurers. It is with Learning as it is with Language: let it be strange, be sure it will be ridiculous. Hos. 8.12. I have written to them the great things of my Law, but they were counted a strange thing. Art hath no other enemy, to speak of, but Ignorance. Licinius can make a decree against Learning, though he want so much learning as will serve to write his own name, and to subscribe to it. But not to torment him here, that is tormented enough elsewhere; we have too many ignorant censurers of Learning: they cannot understand us, they can with-stand us. No wonder! for who can distinguish right from wrong, that hath not either a Rule in his hand, or some notion of a rule in his head. Judicare quis sit sapiens, vel maxime videtur esse sapientis, Tull. To judge who is a wise man, is only the office of a wise man. But Mat. 11.19. Wisdom is justified of her children. If it were not for this justification at home, poor Wisdom would speed ill. Either the Temporal Law would non-suit her for want of evidence: or the Ecclesiastical would excommunicate her for want of compurgators. Such fortune hath Wisdom among barren and unblest understandings; that the common opinion of learning is no more but this: It it a pretty shift for a younger brother to live by. This entertainment gives the world to her and her hand-maids, which hath most need of her and all her hand-maids. But, 1 Cor. 2.14. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. He knows them not; there is a denial of the Act:
Some thinke a Minister hath no great need of Learning, because he is to speake to the unlearned. But as, Hebr. 5.11. We have many things to say, and hard to be uttered; seeing you are dull of hearing. For, when for the time ye ought to be Teachers, you had need be taught againe the first Principles of the Oracles of God; and had need of milke, and not of strong meate. So, 1 Cor. 2.6. We speake wisedome among them that are perfect. Such is our unhappy exigent: if we preach learnedly, they thinke us mad: as Festus told Paul, Act. 26.24. Thou art beside thy selfe, much learning doth make thee mad. We seeme mad, but onely to those that are mad. As David seemed a foole, Sed Regi Achish, to King Achish, that was a foole. To common simplicity, Divinity seemes a kind of heresie; and Ministers a kind of Conjurers. It is with Learning as it is with Language: let it be strange, be sure it will be ridiculous. Hos. 8.12. I have written to them the great things of my Law, but they were counted a strange thing. Art hath no other enemy, to speake of, but Ignorance. Licinius can make a decree against Learning, though he want so much learning as will serve to write his owne name, and to subscribe to it. But not to torment him here, that is tormented enough elsewhere; we have too many ignorant censurers of Learning: they cannot understand us, they can with-stand us. No wonder! for who can distinguish right from wrong, that hath not either a Rule in his hand, or some notion of a rule in his head. Iudicare quis sit sapiens, vel maxime videtur esse sapientis, Tull. To judge who is a wise man, is only the office of a wise man. But Mat. 11.19. Wisedome is justified of her children. If it were not for this justification at home, poore Wisdome would speed ill. Either the Temporall Law would non-suit her for want of evidence: or the Ecclesiasticall would excommunicate her for want of compurgatours. Such fortune hath Wisdome among barren and unblest understandings; that the common opinion of learning is no more but this: It it a pretty shift for a younger brother to live by. This entertainment gives the world to her and her hand-maids, which hath most need of her and all her hand-maids. But, 1 Cor. 2.14. The naturall man receiveth not the things of the Spirit, neither can hee know them, because they are spiritually discerned. He knowes them not; there is a deniall of the Act:
