so in matters of practice in Divinity many men commonly are so fastened unto the present goods which they enjoy, and so full with them that they either have no room, or no leisure, or rather indeed no power, nor will to lift up their minds from the streams unto the Fountain, or by a holy logic to resolve them into the death of Christ from whence if they issue not, they are but fallacies, and sophistical good things, and what ever happiness we expect in or from them, will prove a non sequitur at the last. Remember, and know CHRIST indeed, such men may, and do in some sort, sometimes to dishonour him, at best but to discourse of him. But as the Philosopher speaks of intemperate men, who ⟨p. 167⟩sin, not out of a full purpose uncontrolled swing of vicious resolutions, but with checks of judgement and reluctancy of reason, that they are buta half vicious (which yet is indeed but an half-truth.) So certainly they, who though they do not quite forget Christ, or cast him behind their back, do yet remember him only with a speculative contemplation of the nature and general efficacy of his death, without particular application of it unto their own persons and practices, have but a half and halting knowledge of him. Certainly a mere School-man who is able exactly to dispute of Christ and his passion, is as far from the length, and breadth, and depth, and height of Christ crucified, from the requisite dimensions of a Christian, as a mere Surveyor or Architect, who hath only the practise of measuring land or timber, is from the learning of a Geometrician. For as Mathematics, being a speculative Science cannot possibly be comprised in the narrow compass of a practical Art; so neither can the knowledge of Christ, being a saving and practic knowledge be complete, when it floats only in the discourses of a speculative brain. And therefore Christ at the last day will say unto many men who thought themselves great Clerks, and of his near acquaintance, even such as did preach him and do wonders ⟨p. 168⟩in his name, that he neverb knew them, and that is an argument, that they likewise never knew him neither. For as no man can see the Sun, but by the benefit of that light which from the Sun shineth on him:
so in matters of practice in Divinity many men commonly are so fastned unto the present goods which they enjoy, and so full with them that they either have noe roome, or noe leisure, or rather indeed no power, nor will to lift up their minds from the streames unto the Fountaine, or by a holy logick to resolve them into the death of Christ from whence if they issue not, they are but fallacies, and sophisticall good things, and what ever happines we expect in or from them, will prove a non sequitur at the last. Remember, and know CHRIST indeed, such men may, and do in some sort, sometimes to dishonor him, at best but to discourse of him. But as the Phylosopher speakes of intemperate men, who ⟨p. 167⟩sin, not out of a full purpose uncontroled swinge of vitious resolutions, but with checks of judgement and reluctancy of reason, that they are buta halfe vitious (which yet is indeed but an halfe-truth.) So certainly they, who though they doe not quite forget Christ, or cast him behinde their backe, doe yet remember him onely with a speculative contemplation of the nature and generall efficacy of his death, without particular application of it unto their owne persons and practices, have but a halfe and halting knowledge of him. Certainely a meere Schoole-man who is able exactly to dispute of Christ and his passion, is as farre from the length, and breadth, and depth, and heigth of Christ crucified, from the requisite dimensions of a Christian, as a meere Surveiour or Architect, who hath onely the practise of measuring land or timber, is from the learning of a Geometrician. For as Mathematicks, being a speculative Science cannot possibly bee compris'd in the narrow compasse of a practicall Art; so neither can the knowledge of Christ, being a saving and practick knowledge be compleat, when it floats only in the discourses of a speculative braine. And therefore Christ at the last day will say unto many men who thought themselves great Clerks, and of his neere acquaintance, even such as did preach him and doe wonders ⟨p. 168⟩in his name, that hee neverb knew them, and that is an argument, that they likewise never knew him neither. For as no man can see the Sunne, but by the benefit of that light which from the Sunne shineth on him:
- a[Greek or Hebrew]. Ar. Eth. l. 7. c. 10〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Ar. Eth. l. 7. c. 10
- bMath. 7. 22. 23.
