Let men desire knowledge of God, as Solomon did, but not desire knowledge as Eve did. For these aspiring wits fall again like Babel, and run into doubts, while they seek for resolutions. As the Jews when they hard the Apostle preach, burnt their curious books, and had no more delight to study such toys, so as men come to the truth, they are content to leave these fancies, and say with Paul, I know nothing but Christ crucified, Curious questions and vain speculations are like a plume of feathers, which some will give any thing for, and some will give nothing for. Paul rebuked them which troubled their heads about Genealogies, how would he reprove men and women of our days, if he did see how they busy their heads about vain questions, tracing upon the pinnacles where they may fall, while they might walk upon the pavement without danger? Some have a great deal more desire to learn where hell is, than to know any way how they may escape it: to hear what God did purpose before the world began, rather than to learn what he will do when the world is ended: to understand whether they shall know one another in heaven, than to know whether they belong to heaven: this rock hath made many shipwrecks that men search mysteries before they know principles, ⟨p. 998⟩like the Bethshanites which were not content to see the Ark, but they must pry into it and finger it: commonly the simplest men busy their head, about the highest matters, so that they meet with a rough & crabbed question, like a knob in the tree, & while they hack and hew at it with their own wits, to make it plain, their saw sticks fast in the cleft, and cannot get out again, at last in wrath they become like male contents with God, as though the Scripture were not perfect, & either fall into despair, or into contempt of all. Therefore it is good to leave off learning, where God hath left off teaching: for they which have an ear where God hath no tongue, hearken not unto God, but to the tempter, as Eve did to the serpent. This is the rule whereby a man may know whether his wisdom stand right: as a covetous man is needy in the middest of his riches, so a proud man is ignorant in the middest of his knowledge. Now, if our wisdom were examined by these properties, I fear, as the Angel said, Thou hast examined them which called themselves Apostles, 1and found them liars:
Let men desire knowledge of God, as Salomon did, but not desire knowledge as Eue did. For these aspiring wits fall againe like Babell, and run into doubts, while they seek for resolutions. As the Iewes when they hard the Apostle preach, burnt their curious bookes, and had no more delighte to studie such toyes, so as men come to the truth, they are content to leaue these fancies, and say with Paule, I knowe nothing but Christ crucified, Curious questions and vaine speculations are like a plume of fethers, which some will giue any thing for, and some will giue nothing for. Paule rebuked them which troubled their heades about Genealogies, howe would he reproue men and women of our daies, if he did se how they busie their heads about vaine questions, tracing vpon the pinacles where they may fal, while they might walke vpon the pauement without daunger? Some haue a great deale more desire to learne where hell is, than to knowe any way how they may escape it: to heare what God did purpose before the world beganne, rather than to learne what hee will doe when the worlde is ended: to vnderstand whether they shall know one another in heauen, than to know whether they belong to heauen: this rocke hath made many shipwracks that mē search misteries before they know principles, ⟨p. 998⟩like the Bethshanites which were not content to see the Arke, but they must prie into it and finger it: commonly the simplest men busie their head, about the highest matters, so that they meet with a rough & crabbed question, like a knob in the tree, & while they hacke and hewe at it with their owne wits, to make it plaine, their saw sticks fast in the clift, and cannot get out againe, at last in wrath they become like male contents with God, as though the Scripture were not perfect, & either fall into despaire, or into contempt of all. Therefore it is good to leaue off learning, where God hath left off teaching: for they which haue an eare where God hath no tongue, hearkē not vnto God, but to the tempter, as Eue did to the serpent. This is the rule whereby a man may know whether his wisedome stand right: as a couetous man is needy in the middest of his riches, so a proud man is ignorant in the middest of his knowledge. Now, if our wisedome were examined by these properties, I feare, as the Angell saide, Thou hast examined them which called themselues Apostles, 1and found them liars:
- 1Reve. 3.Reue. 3.
