An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

SERM. II.

Learning an excellent gift of God, though through the corruption of man, 'tis often made an Engine to promote the Kingdom of the Devil, yet by the Grace of God 'tis very useful in his Church.

Learning an excellent gift of God, though through the corruption of man, 'tis often made an Engine to promote the Kingdome of the Devil, yet by the Grace of God 'tis very usefull in his Church.

2 COR. 1. 1. Paul an Apostle, &c.

WE have considered Paul as a great sinner, yet made an Apostle, of dung made a pearl. Let us now take notice of him, as a learned man, and so made use of by God for the Ministry of the Gospel. That ¹Paul was endowed with much learning, was so evident to Festus, that he told him, Much learning had made him mad. And the Lycaonians called him Mercury, Acts 14. He was for a while educated at Tarsus, where he was born, and it is recorded by Strabo, as Lapide citeth him; That the Tarsenses were so wholly given to literature, that they did excel Athens and Alexandria. And that he had perused humane Authors, appeareth in that three times he allegeth Greek Poets. Now besides this, he went also to Jerusalem, and there was brought up at Gamaliel's feet, an eminent Doctor amongst the Jews. And if there were nothing else but his Epistles he wrote, this would abundantly declare the rare and admirable wisdom he was endowed with. Insomuch that Chrysostom 3. Hom. upon 1 Corinth. speaks of a Dispute between a Christian and a Grecian; Whether Paul was not to be preferred before Plato? though Chrysostom condemneth the Christians argument as ridiculous and absurd. Indeed the Apostle speaketh