They that are wise, need more wisdom, and they that are knowing, may improve their knowledge by hearing; They who know many, yea most truths, may yet know more truths; and if any know all truths, they may yet know every truth more. This ⟨p. 497⟩caused the Apostle to profess (2 Pet: 1.12.) I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. As the ignorant ought to hear that they may know, so they who have knowledge, ought to hear, that they may be more knowing; as they that are fools, ought to hear that they may be wise; so they that are wise ought to hear that they may be yet wiser. (Pro: 1.5.) A wise man will hear, and will increase learning. Solomon having said in the former verse, that he spake these Proverbs, To give subtlety to the simple, to the young men knowledge and discretion; lest any should say, if your Proverbs or wise sentences are so plain and easy, that the simple may sound them, and young men comprehend them, then what profit shall wise and learned men get by reading or hearing them? shall not they loose their labour and mis-pend their time in the study of them? No, saith he, the greatest Clerks and ripest wits may gather instruction from them, as well as the simple vulgar, and greener heads. Their depth will not drown a lamb, and they are deep enough to swim a Leviathan. And therefore as a wise man will hear, that is, is willing to hear, that he may increase learning; so let not the wisest think themselves too wise to hear, for they may increase their learning, how learned soever they are. And as the wisest may learn every day, so they that are truly wise, do learn every hearing day, as the same Solomon tells us (Prov: 9.8.) Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser. 1They are the most foolish of all men, who think themselves so wise that they need no more instruction, and so knowing that they need learn no more knowledge. The word of God it is fitted for all sorts and sizes of men, it is for the ignorant, and for the knowing; it is for the foolish, and for the wise; it is milk for babes, and strong meat for men; it is for them that are out of the Church to bring them in; and for those that are within the Church to build them up (Eph: 4.13.)
They that are wise, need more wisdome, and they that are knowing, may improve their knowledge by hearing; They who know many, yea most truths, may yet know more truths; and if any know all truths, they may yet know every truth more. This ⟨p. 497⟩caused the Apostle to professe (2 Pet: 1.12.) I will not be negligent to put you alwayes in remembrance of these things, though ye know them, and be established in the present truth. As the ignorant ought to heare that they may know, so they who have knowledge, ought to heare, that they may be more knowing; as they that are fooles, ought to heare that they may be wise; so they that are wise ought to heare that they may be yet wiser. (Pro: 1.5.) A wise man will heare, and will encrease learning. Solomon having sayd in the former verse, that he spake these Proverbs, To give subtlety to the simple, to the young men knowledge and discretion; lest any should say, if your Proverbs or wise sentences are so plaine and easie, that the simple may sound them, and young men comprehend them, then what profit shall wise and learned men get by reading or hearing them? shall not they loose their labour and mis-pend their time in the study of them? No, saith he, the greatest Clerkes and ripest wits may gather instruction from them, as well as the simple vulgar, and greener heads. Their depth will not drowne a lambe, and they are deep enough to swim a Leviathan. And therefore as a wise man will heare, that is, is willing to heare, that he may encrease learning; so let not the wisest thinke themselves too wise to heare, for they may encrease their learning, how learned soever they are. And as the wisest may learne every day, so they that are truely wise, doe learne every hearing day, as the same Solomon tells us (Prov: 9.8.) Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser. 1They are the most foolish of all men, who thinke themselves so wise that they need no more instruction, and so knowing that they need learn no more knowledge. The word of God it is fitted for all sorts and sizes of men, it is for the ignorant, and for the knowing; it is for the foolish, and for the wise; it is milke for babes, and strong meate for men; it is for them that are out of the Church to bring them in; and for those that are within the Church to build them up (Eph: 4.13.)
- 1Sapientum est velle discere.