Of Communion with God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

Begin we with the First of these, and that as to the First particular. §. 22 Learning it self, if it were all in one man, is not able to compass the particular end whereto it is designed, which writes vanity and vexation upon the forehead thereof.

Begin we with the First of these, and that as to the First particular. §. 22 Learning it selfe, if it were all in one man, is not able to compasse the particular end whereto it is designed, which writes vanity and vexation upon the forehead thereof.

The particular end of Literature, (though not observed by many, mens eyes being fixed on false ends, which compels them in their progress aberrare a scopo is none other, but to remove some part of that curse which is come upon us by sin. Learning, is the product of the Souls struggling with the curse for sin. Adam at his first Creation, was completely furnished with all that knowledge (excepting only things not then in being, neither in themselves, nor any natural causes, as that which we now call tongues, and those things that are the Subject of story) as far as it lies in a needful tendency to the utmost end of man, which we now press after. There was no straitness, much less darkness upon his understanding, that should make him sweat for a way to improve, & make out those general conception of things which he had. For his knowledge of Nature, it is manifest from his imposition of suitable ^pnames to all the Creatures (the particular Reasons of the most of which to us are lost) wherein from the Approbation given of his nomination of things in the Scripture, and the significancy of what yet remains evident, it is most apparent, it was done upon a clear acquaintance with their natures. Hence Plato could observe that he was most wise that first imposed names on things, yea had more than humane wisdom. Were the wisest man living, yea a ⟨p. 126⟩General collection of all the Wise men in the world, to make an Experiment of their skill and learning, in giving names to all living creatures suitable to their natures, and expressive of their qualities, they would quickly perceive the loss they have incurred. Adam was made perfect, for the whole end of ruling the Creatures, and living to God for which he was made; which, without the knowledge of the nature of the one, and the will of the other, he could not be. All this being lost by sin, a multiplication of tongues also being brought in as a curse for an after Rebellion, the whole design of Learning is but to disentangle