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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44613	The sufficiency of the spirits teaching without humane learning a treatise tending to prove humane learning to be no help to the spirituall understanding of the word of God ... / by Samuel How.	How, Samuel.; Kiffin, William, 1616-1701.	1655 (1655)	Wing H2952; ESTC R24385	44,603	49

made against it As first Object 1 That of Paul in 1 Tim. 3.6 That a Bishop must be no young Scholar lest he being puffed up fall into the condemnation of the Devil Answ The Scholarship Paul means here is the teaching of the Spirit whereby the man is made sound in the Faith for that learning only will make men low in their own eyes as is before declared and he that is unsound in the faith will ever be found the most lofty and puffed up in his own conceit and so be rejected of God as the Devil was though he was in heaven with God yet being puffed up he was rejected of God and so q 2 Pet. 2. cast down to hell to which example Paul here alludes as I conceive and that rightly for a Bishop in the Church is in respect of his spiritual state and place in favour and fellowship with God and that in heaven as the whole book of the Revelation describes the Church to be Now such as by the Church should be chosen to that state being young Scholars that is not soundly taught in the truth by the Spirit he is in great danger the more other learning that he hath so much the more to be puffed up This I believe was the cause of Diotrephes r 3 Ioh. 9.10 pride he wanted this Scholarship and that caused him to seek the preheminence and this whatsoever our great Scholars think of themselves is the cause of the high conceits that they have of themselves and their knowledg and understanding above others that want their learning even this because they be but young Scholars if that in the School of Christ and thence is it they are so puft up with the vain-glory of their fleshly learning that they think that none that are not as themselves are fit to be their fellows and so know not how that they be wretched poor miserable blind and naked though they conceive themselves to be rich and have need of nothing as did the Å¿ Rev. 3.17 Laodiceans and so indeed are fallen into the condemnation of the Devill as being rejected of God for he resists the proud and such as are puft up and gives grace to the t 1 Pet. 5.5 humble and such as are low in their own eyes Now whether these men humanly learned be they that are puft up or low in their own eyes as mean as he that is unlearned I leave to all that have eyes to see and look into it and so to judge whether they are not yet to learn Pauls Scholarship Further I say it is here to be minded that if it should be Humane Learning that is here meant then Paul should teach Timothy for to teach the Church to chuse such Scholars as had more learning then had their Master Christ Jesus Now this some say is blasphemy and threaten me sorely for it Answ I answer them that considering Christ Jesus as God according to the Divine Nature so he is God over all and so gives all things Acts 17.25 and so he is the u Jam. 1.17 giver of every good gift and so Humane Learning and Wisdome are x Ro. 11.37 of him and so much but that men are maliciously bent they might discern that I in this argument had not to deal with him as God but as the Minister of God administring for the good of his body according to that Luke 24.18 * What learning Christ had where he saith The Spirit of the Lord hath Anointed me that I should Minister c. and so in this argument he is by the Apostle set forth as a Man y Act. 2.22 Jesus of Nazareth a man approved of God and such a man so administring I do still affirme and that with great confidence that he was unlearned in this consideration and without the learning that we speak of and so the Tongue of the z Isa 5.1 learned that was said to be given him is a Isa 61.1 interpreted by the same Prophet to be the Spirit of God For saith he The Spirit of the Lord hath Anointed me that I should preach from whence is plain That Christ Jesus was learned of the Father to preach by the Spirit See further of this in the Epistle noted with without Humane Learning and so much is plain to them that can believe the Scriptures from John 7.15 where the Jews admire saying How comes this man to know the Scriptures seeing that he was never learned From whence it is plain that as he was a Man he was unlearned in the letters of the Scriptures though as God he knew all things and by a Divine Power not Humane Learning so much as his own naturall Tongue by letter as in the Synagogue he could take the Book and read Luke 4.17 and this doubtlesse was one cause why the Jews are said to be astonished at the hearing and seeing of him as appeares Matth. 13.54 c. Luke 4.22 so that from all this my affirmation remains true and good that if Humane Learning should be it that is there meant by the Apostle then he was to teach the Servant to be above his Master when as Christ Jesus himself b Mat. 10.5 saith It is enough for the Disciple to be as his Lord and he being destitute of Humane Learning his Disciples may well be without it also without any offence and yet preach the Gospell too Now if notwithstanding all this there be them that will take c Act. 6.11 Stephens accusers place and still accuse me of blasphemy as they did him c. though it may be they may say true words as that I said that Iesus Christ was without Humane Learning and so apply it to him as God when as I spake of him as Man they may there see themselves ranked among the number of them that are called by the Spirit of God False Witnesses as walking in the steps of those envious persons * Chief Priest chief in spilling innocent blood even such as were alwayes the Murtherers and Betrayers of Christ Iesus and his Servants and they that are such may be likened to them that being full of envy d Act. 13.45 spake against those things that were spoken of Paul contrarying them and railing on them Mark it they denied what he taught but disproved it not but spake against it and railed on the person and so left not till they had been a means to expell them out of their Coasts so was he and such like measure is still to be expected to befall such as tread in his steps but it is to be minded that envious ones are the movers of it and so leaving of it I come to another exception which is Object 2 How such as are unlearned will be able to stop the mouths of Gain-sayers seeing the Apostle requires of a e Tit. 1.11 Bishop that he should be able so to do Answ I answer that it is not the Apostles

and all this Science or knowledge is falsly said to be of use in the Gospell prophane and vain bablings are far better names for them and oppositions according to Pauls teaching and he saith of himself I think I have the Spirit of God and so indeed he had without doubt and so our ground remains good that we are compleat in Christ Jesus Reason 4 Another consideration confirming this conclusion is from the Apostles i 1 Cor. 3.18 advise Let no man deceive himself and that in the true way of attaining wisdome he declares what it is in these words That such a one is to become a fool that he may be wise and how is that but by knowing that indeed there is nothing in all mans wisdome to be any whit helpfull but hurtfull to him in attaining and comprehending the wisdome of God in Christ Now what is more foolish to a man then to know that there is nothing that all the wits of man can reach unto that can benefit him and if nothing then not the thing in question but that it must needs be that we must be fools to it and what is the true mark of a fool but to be ignorant and without knowledge therefore we call them fools in the world and so is it here The best way for a man to deceive himself is to know nothing of this Learning nor any other fleshly excellency that so he may learn true wisdome and the Apostle doth methinks sufficiently confirme this advice of his against all exceptions The Lord knows saith he that the thoughts of m●● be vain Men think highly of their own conceits this way ye● if no man will take this his counsell for wisdome in this kinde yet the Lord concludes the truth of it and he knows the thoughts of men to be vaine that thinke Humane Learning some help but let them thinke what they will the Lord is against them in it for hee knows that it is sure that they are deceived for his thoughts be not as mans thoughts Reason 5 Now another cause that confirmes mee in this Conclusion is because that wheresoever the Apostle honours the Spirits teaching and preferres it usually he at the same time casts contempt upon this learning as is to be seen in many places k 1 Cor. 1.17.18 Christ saith he sent me to preach the Gospell not with the wisdome of words lest I should make the crosse of Christ or the Gospel of Christ of none effect where we see that for good reason he rejects the very wisdome of words in preaching of the Gospel and that is lest if he should have done otherwise he should have made it of no effect because he was to declare the sincere word without the least mingling as if he should say such manner of preaching is a foolish preaching but it is so onely to them that perish but to such as are saved it is the power of God without what man expects and therefore he l 2 Cor. 11. ● 2 3. saith againe he was jealous over them with a godly jealousie for he had prepared them a pure Virgin for Christ but saith he I fear that as the Serpent beguiled Eve but how through his subtiltie so your min●s should be corrupt that is putrified and infected from the sinceritie that is in Christ This we see was Pauls feare that while he was absent their minds should be withdrawn from the foolishness of the Gospel and the simplicitie sinceritie and truth thereof and this they should be withdrawn from by the subtiltie of Satan that old Serpent in his instruments the false Teachers this he feares because of their fleshlinesse that was in them which was ready to yeeld to their wiles by reason of their subtiltie that way for by faire words and flatteries they deceived the m Ro. 16.18 hearts of the simple and with this their craftinesse they lie in wait to n Eph. 4.14 deceive thus contemptuously doth Paul speake of those things in opposition to the true learning as is further to be seen in many places of which I will name one more and that from the Apostle Peter in his second Epistle Chap. 1. Verse 16. For we saith he followed not deceiveable Fables when we opened unto you the power and coming of our Lord Iesus Now such names as these are doth the Apostle chuse to cast on mans excellencies as in divers other o 1 Tim. 1.4 and 4.7 Tit. 3.9 places which declare what contempt is cast on such learning in opposition to the Spirit of God Reason 6 Now one thing more which I conceive observeable for the proof of this point in hand is drawn from the 2 Cor. 2.10 The spirit searches the deep things of God and verse 14. The spiritual man discerns all things if then the spirit searcheth the deep things of God and that discerns all things what need we more And with this agrees the Apostle John saying And ye need not that any man teach you save as that Anointing teacheth you p 1 Iohn 2.27 Then I conclude That we need not that any man teach us not the Master nor any of his followers for the Disciples of Jesus Christ do learn as the truth is in him and of him and they have received the Spirit of God that they might know the things of God therefore we may well be without any mans learning and have no need of it and so the point is clear and plain That such as are taught by Gods Spirit without that learning do truly understand the Word I judge it necessary also to be understood of the Reader what I do understand by Humane Wisdome as well as Humane Learning by Humane Wisdome I do understand whatsoever appears excellent in mans understanding as he is left without Gods Spirits teaching this the more excellent it is to him that is carnall so much the worse it is therefore it is said of such by the Apostle That when as they professed themselves to be wise then they became fools Rom. 1.21 Mat. 6.23 And saith our Saviour If the light which is in this which I mind to be meant of mens understanding and wisdome be darknesse how great is that darknesse So that by mans wisdome I understand whatsoever seems excellent to him with which he would honour God withall that he is not the Author of as eloquence and fair speeches and any thing in tha● way such as the Greeks sought after as men do now adays this I do the rather differ from Humane Learning 1 Cor. 1.22 because i● seems to me that the Scripture differenceth them Acts 22. and the difference rightly understood may prevent just exception● and give light to the right understanding of the whole matter● for this wisdome is made by the Apostle Rom. 6.7 and that rightly to be enmity to the Spirit of God and impossible to submit to it it i● so contrary Now follows to be answered such Objections as are