The Fountain of Life Opened

Thirdly, The knowledge of Christ is profound and large: all §3other Sciences are but Shallows; this, a boundless, bottomless Ocean: no creature hath a line long enough to fathom the depth of it: there is height, length, depth, and breadth ascribed to it, Eph. 3.14. yea,¹ it passeth knowledge: there is a manifold wisdom of God in Christ, Eph. 3.10. It is of many sorts and forms, of many folds and plights: it is indeed simple, pure and unmixed with any thing but it self, yet it is manifold in degrees, kinds and Administrations: though something of Christ be unfolded in one age, and something in an other, yet eternity if self cannot fully unfold him. I see something (said Luther) which blessed Austin saw not, and those that come after me, will see that which I see not: it is in the studying of Christ, as in the planting of a new discovered Country; at first men sit down by the ⟨p. 6⟩Sea side, upon the skirts and borders of the Land; and there they dwell, but by degrees they search farther, and farther into the heart of the Country: ah, the best of us are yet, but upon the borders of this vast Continent.

1. 1[Greek or Hebrew] multi formis sapientia dei. Caryll in J•b 11.6.〈non-Latin alphabet〉 multi formis sapientia dei. Caryll in J•b 11.6.

Fourthly, The study of Jesus Christ is the most noble Subject, that ever a soul spent it self upon: those that rack, and torture their brains upon other studies, like Children, weary themselves at a low game: the Eagle plays at the Sun it self, the Angels study this Doctrine, and stoop down, to look into this deep abyss: what are the Truths discovered in Christ? but the very secrets that from eternity lay hid in the bosom of God,