The excellency of a gracious spirit Delivered in a treatise upon the 14. of…The excellency of a gracious spirit Deliuered in a treatise upon the 14. of…

It was the great complaint of one Robertus Gallus, a famous man, an opposer of the corruptions of those times in which he lived, which was in the 13. Century: He compared the School-Doctors to one having bread and good wine hanging on both his sides; yet notwithstanding, he was gnawing hungerly on a flint stone. Thus they, leaving the wholesome food in the Scriptures, busied themselves with subtle questions, ⟨p. 218⟩wherein there was no edification, or comfort to the soul; thus their excellent parts did all vanish into nothing. Now if it be so grievous a thing, for parts and learning to be employed about mean and unworthy things, how much more grievous is it, when they are employed against God? Oh, what great cause have we then to pray for these men, whose spirits are raised by natural parts? and how great cause have they themselves to seek God, and to use all means, that their spirits might be likewise raised by grace, that, that great blessing of parts, and learning might be blessed to them, by Gods bestowing upon them this other spirit? Oh consider, what an opprobrious thing it is to you, that God should have more fear, honour, service, from men of lower, far meaner, weaker abilities; That their hearts should close more with the ways of godliness; That their hearts should be more enlarged towards God than yours; That they ⟨p. 219⟩should enjoy more heavenly, spiritual communion with God than you, ¹yea, such communion with God, as you are altogether unacquainted withal; And that at length their souls should be saved, and for ever blessed, when yours shall be cast out as filth, and an everlasting abhorring from the presence of the Lord: What a grievous thing will it be to you, when it shall appear, that your parts shall serve for no other and than to enlarge your souls to be more capable of the wrath of God, than other men? for be you assured, that none are so filled with Gods wrath as knowing men.

It was the great complaint of one Robertus Gallus, a famous man, an opposer of the corruptions of those times in which he lived, which was in the 13. Century: He compared the Schoole-Doctors to one having bread and good wine hanging on both his sides; yet notwithstanding, he was gnawing hungerly on a flintstone. Thus they, leaving the wholesome food in the Scriptures, busied themselves with subtile questions,