The beatitudes

How unprofitable is the luxuriancy of knowledge? he who is only filled with knowledge, is like a glass filled with froth; what a vain, foolish thing is it to have knowledge, and make no spiritual use of it! It is as if a man had several Fountains in his Garden, but never waters his Flowers with them; or as if an Ass should be laden with Provender, but eats not of it. So many a man carries a great deal of knowledge about him, but doth not feed upon the sweetness of it, nor digest his knowledge into practice. To know only to know, is like one that knows certain Countries by the Map, and can discourse of them, but never travelled into them, nor tasted the sweet spices of those Countries. So the Gnostic in Religion hath heard and read much of the beauty of holiness, but never travelled into Religion, nor tasted how good the Lord is; what is it the better to have the Bible in our heads, if not in our hearts? can Notions be Cordials when we come to dye? To conclude this, men cannot properly be denominated Christians from their ⟨p. 638⟩knowledge: you do not call him an Handicraftsman who doth not work in his Trade; let a man be never so skilful, yet you do not call him a Goldsmith who did never refine a vessel, or try gold; though a man hath skill in Chirurgery, yet you do not call him a Chirurgeon who did never lance a wound, or dress a sore: so it is improper to call him a Christian who hath knowledge, but no practice; he knows he should mortify sin, but he doth not, he knows he should show works of mercy, but he doth not; he never yet wrought in the trade of godliness.

How unprofitable is the luxuriancy of knowledge? he who is only fill'd with knowledge, is like a glasse fill'd with froth; what a vain, foolish thing is it to have knowledge, and make no spiritual use of it! It is as if a man had several Fountains in his Garden, but never waters his Flowers with them; or as if an Asse should be laden with Provender, but eats not of it. So many a man carries a great deal of knowledge about him, but doth not feed upon the sweetness of it, nor digest his knowledge into practice. To know only to know, is like one that knows certain Countries by the Map, and can discourse of them, but never travell'd into them, nor tasted the sweet spices of those Countries. So the Gnostick in Religion hath heard and read much of the beauty of holiness, but never travelled into Religion, nor tasted how good the Lord is; what is it the better to have the Bible in our heads, if not in our hearts? can Notions be Cordials when we come to dye? To conclude this, men cannot properly be denominated Christians from their