discourse, is so plain, notwithstanding some little difficulties, that did not the nature of the disease resist the clearest remedy, so many good people had never here often read their sin described, as insensibly as if they read it not.

The chapter hath so much difficulty, as will not stand with my intended brevity to open it: I refer you to expositors for that; whether they were the Nicolaitans, or any other sort of heretics that the apostle dealeth with, I determine not. It is plain that they were licentious professors of Christianity, who thought that it was the ignorance of others, that made them judge it unlawful to eat things offered to idols; and that their own greater knowledge set them above that scruple. A mixture of Platonic philosophy with Christianity, made up most of the primitive heretics, and for want of a due digestion of each, too much corrupted many of the Greek doctors of the church. The unlearned sort of Christians, were so much despised by some of the philosophical heretics, that they were not thought worthy of their communion; for as Jude saith, they "separated themselves, being sensual, having not the Spirit," but more affected philosophical fancies: which made Paul warn men to take heed lest any seduced them by vain philosophy; not using the name of philosophy, for that solid knowledge of God's works which is desirable, but for the systems of vain conceits and precepts which the word was then used to signify, as every sect derived them from their masters. And so the apostle taketh knowledge in this text; not for solid knowledge indeed, but for Gnosticism or philosophical presumptions; such as even yet most philosophers are guilty of, who take a multitude of precepts, some useful, some useless, some true, and some false, and all but notionally, or to litthe purpose, and joining these do call them philosophy. And Paul tells them, that opinionative and notional knowledge (were it true, like the devil's faith) is of no such excellency as to cause them to shelter their sins under the confidence and honour of it, and despise unlearned conscientious Christians; for such knowledge by inflation often destroyeth the possessors, or becomes the fuel of the devilish sin of pride, when love buildeth up ourselves and others to salvation. And to conceit that a man is wise because of such knowledge, and so to overvalue his own understanding, is a certain sign that he is destitute of that knowledge

in which true wisdom doth consist; and knoweth nothing with a wise and saving knowledge, as every thing should be known: and indeed a man's excellency is so far from lying in vain philosophical speculations, that the use of all true knowledge is but to bring us up to the love of God, as the highest felicity, to be approved and beloved by God; and those unlearned Christians that have the spirit of sanctification, without your vain philosophy, have knowledge enough to bring them to this love of God, which is a thing that passeth all your knowledge, or rather to be known of God. as his own, and loved by him. For our felicity lieth in receiving from God, and in his loving us more than in our loving him; but both set together, to love God, and so to be loved of him, are the ultimate end and perfection of man; and all knowledge is to be estimated but as it tendeth to this.

This being the plain paraphrase of the text, I shall stay no longer on it, but thence deduce and handle these two observations.

Doct. I. Falsely pretended knowledge is often pernicious to the possessor, and injurious to the church. And overvaluing one's own opinions and notions, is a certain mark of dangerous ignorance.

Doct. II. A man is so far truly wise, as he loveth God, and consequently is approved or loved by him, and as he loveth others to their edification.

I. The first is but the same that Solomon thus expresseth, "Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit; there is more hope of a fool than of him.” (Prov. xxvi. 12.) And Paul elsewhere," Be not wise in your own conceits.” (Rom. xii. 16; xi. 25; and Prov. xxvi. 5. 16.) For it is certain that we are all here in great darkness, and it is but little that the wisest know; and therefore he that thinks he knoweth much, is ignorant both of the things which he thinks he knoweth, and of his ignorance. Therefore "Let no man deceive himself: If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise:" (1 Cor. iii. 18:) To be "wise in this world," is the same with that in the words following, "The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God." And (1 Cor. i. 19-22.) "It is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise," &c. "Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this

world? For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom," &c. So chap. ii. 4-8. "And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words (or probable discourses) of men's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of Power, that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God: Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect; yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world that come to naught: But we speak that wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory (even Christ the wisdom of God, chap. i. 24.) which none of the princes of this world knew."

In all this, note-1. That there is a wisdom which Paul placeth Christianity itself in:-2. That this is to know God in Christ objectively, and to be taught of God by Christ and his Spirit efficiently.-3. That there is a wisdom which Paul comparatively vilifieth.-4. This is called the "wisdom of this world" (or age).-5. That most plainly he meaneth by it, that which then was called learning and philosophy; which the Greeks did value, and by which they judged of the Gospel; which comprehended the methods of all the sects, Epicureans, Academics, Peripatetics and Stoics; but not their true morals, but their physics, and logic, and metaphysics; which Laertius and others tell us how variously they held.-6. That Paul doth not absolutely prohibit such studies, nor yet despise any true knowledge.-7. But he vilifieth this philosophy on these accounts. (1.) Because it was the exercise of a poor, low, insufficient light: they did but grope after God in the dark, as Acts xvii. 27. (2.) Because it was mostly taken up with inferior things, of small concernment comparatively: as things corporeal are good in themselves, and when sanctified and made subservient to things spiritual; so the knowledge of physics is to be esteemed: but as things corporeal yet are objectively the snare and ruin of those that perish, and therefore the world to be renounced and crucified, as it is our temptation, an enemy, or competitor with Christ; just so it must be with natural philosophy. (3.) Because it was greatly overvalued by the world, as if it had been the only wisdom,

when indeed it is of itself but an indifferent thing, or fit but to make a by-recreation of, till it be made to serve to higher ends; even as riches, honour and pleasure are overvalued by worldlings, as if they were the only felicity; when in themselves they are but more indifferent things, and prove beneficial or hurtful as they are used. Therefore Paul was to take down the pernicious esteem of this kind of philosophy, as preachers now must take down men's esteem of worldly things, however they are the works and gifts of God. And as Christ would by his actual poverty and sufferings, and not by words only, take down the esteem of worldly wealth and pride; so Paul by neglecting and forbearing the use of artificial logic, physics and metaphysics, would depress their rate. (4.) Because that there was abundance of falsehood mixed with the truth which the philosophers held; as their multitude of different sects fully proves. (5.) Because the artificial, organical part was made so operous, as that it drowned real learning instead of promoting it; and became but like a game at chess, a device rather to exercise vain, proud wits by, than to find out useful truth. As to this day when logic and metaphysics seem much cultivated and reformed, yet the variety of methods, the number of notions, the precariousness of much, the uncertainty of some things, the falsehood of many, maketh them as fit for boys to play with in the schools, and to be a wood into which a sophister may run, to hide his errors, as to be a means of detecting them. And therefore a knavish cheater will often bind strictest to the pedantic part of the rules of disputation, that when he cannot defend his matter, he may quarrel with your form and artifice, and lose time by questioning you about mood and figure. (6.) Because by these operous diversions the minds of men were so forestalled or taken up, as that they had not leisure to study great and necessary saving truth: and if men must be untaught in the doctrines of life, till they had first learned their logic, physics, and metaphysics, how few would have been saved! When at this day so many come from our Universities after several years' study, raw smatterers in these, and half-witted scholars, whose learning is fitter to trouble than to edify: and if Scripture had been written in the terms and method of Aristotle, how few would have been the better for them! But great good must be common.

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And as Paul on all these accounts sets light by this philosophy, so he calls it, the wisdom of this world :—1. Because this world was its chief object:-2. And the creatures were its only light:-3. And it led but few to any higher than worldly ends:-4. And it was that which worldly men, that were strangers to heavenly light and holiness, did then most magnify and use.

Yet as Christ, when he said how hard it was for a rich man to be saved, did not make riches absolutely unlawful, nor tó have no goodness nor usefulness at all; but teacheth men, if they are wise, not to overvalue them, and to be too eager for them; so is Paul to be interpreted about philosophy, or the wisdom of this world. (For it is not only craftiness for worldly ends that he so calls.)

And as God, when he denieth his servants riches and worldly fulness, doth it not because he taketh it to be too good for them, but because it is not good enough, and therefore he will give them better; even the heavenly riches, and honour and delights: even so when Paul comparatively vilifieth philosophy, it is not as being really a wisdom too high for Christians, but too low; nor doth he depress reason, or extol ignorance; but would lead men to the truest learning, the highest knowledge and improvement of reason, the only wisdom, from trifling, pedantic, unprofitable notions, and ludicrous loss of time and studies.

It is not therefore for want of wisdom that the Scripture is not written according to the philosophers' art. Though Erasmus overvalued his grammaticisms, it was not for want of learning in philosophy, that he so much despised the philosophical schoolmen! so that speaking of the Bishop of London, who maligned Dr. Colet, and was a subtle Scotist, he saith of such; That he had known some of them whom he would not call knaves, but he never knew one of them whom he could call a Christian.' Vid. Mr. Smith's Life of Dr. Colet, by Erasmus. A smart charge: I suppose he meant it of them, rather as Scotists than as bishops.

And therefore the apostle aptly joineth both together, (1 Cor. i. 26,) "Not many wise men after the the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called;" seeming to equal worldly wealth and greatness, with worldly wisdom or philosophy, as to the interest of religion and salvation. And the foolish wits that think he spake against learning, be