Selected quad for the lemma: heart_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
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A66762
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The modern states-man. By G.W. Esq
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Wither, George, 1588-1667.
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1653
(1653)
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Wing W3172; ESTC R218029
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60,150
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275
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his drifts what but learning hath set his understanding above theirs and enabled him to talk at a rate his ignorant followers onely can admire Behold then you misled wretches what a Guide you have got who when all his Sophistry and abuse of his own reason and learning all his Logick and Syllogisms are unable to overthrow reason and learning goes about by his queries to undermine them who when all his impudency dares not affirm and all his ability cannot prove endeavors by way off doubt to instill his poison upon hopes that you will swallow take for granted whatever drops from him what is it you admire in this Fellow is it his railing against learning in others doth he not make use of it himself he disputes Syllogistically he is frequent in division abounds in subtill and sophistical distinctions talks hard words rattles out Latine nay there is not one Arrow in his quiver but is feathered with feathers plucked from learnings wing nor is he able to speak or write or you to read or understand one syllable word or sentence against Learning but by its assistance Could you have read could you have wrote could you have understood one word had you not been taught why these are degrees of learning awake and behold the cheat which would make you enemies even to that image of God which is imprinted on you level you with Brutes nay make you such you see it is reason that distinguisheth a man from a Beast it is learning that improves reason be not afraid of being rational this Caytiff would deprive you of your humanity that he might the easier destroy your Christianity rob you of your reason to bob you of your religion For if he be not a very Jesuite yet is he the likest one that ever I met with if the tree may be judged by the fruits his acts will a loud proclaim him a notorious juggler and first behold how he cheats you in stating the question for it is not whether by the help of humane learning a man may attain a saving knowledge to himself whether he can save his own soul but whether he may not attain to such a knowledge as may enable him to hold out the way of Salvation unto others and that a man may do this not only too too frequent examples do make out but the Apostle himself tells us in the 1 Cor. 9. 27. But I keep under my body and keep it in subjection lest that by any means when I have preached unto others I my self should be a cast away a man may preach to others and yet be himself a cast away for this wretch dares not affirm that the Apostle inspired by the Spirit of God would suppose an impossibility and the example of Iudas clearly shewes that a man may have an outward call to teach and yet be a reprobate was not he one of the twelve that was sent to preach the Kingdome of God and to heal the sick Luk. 9. 1 2. also the Apostle in the 2 Tim. 3. 5. speaks of some having a form of Godliness creeping into houses leading captive silly women laden with infirmities These Hypocrites by the help of learning and parts could pray as devoutly talk as holily wrest the Scriptures as dexterously cogging the dy making the word speak what they list craftily applying it having all the arts and methodes of consenage even as he himself yet were they not taught of God it is cleer therfore that learning and parts perse ex propria natura can understand and so apprehend the mystery of the Gospel as to hold it out so to others that the hearers cannot discern by the teaching an Hypocrite from a true Believer notwithstanding all his Positions You may behold also how finely the holy text is wrested by him to no purpose in his following Arguments for unless he prove that a man by the help of learning cannot attain to such a Knowledge as to be able to make an outward profession he proves nothing And that this Sophistry is malicious not ignorant his answering two objections will fully clear Object 1. That though humane learning be an enemy to the law of God while it is in an unsanctified heart yet when the heart is truly turned to God then it becomes a sanctifyed instrument and a good hundmaid to Theology Solution To this he answers That though the heart be truly sanctified in which humane learning doth inhere as in its subject yet doth it not follow that learning it self is no more than sin can be said to be sanctified though the heart of a sinful man may be truly said to be sanctifyed for acquired learning of it self and of its own nature is nothing else but sin and therefore remains so still and cannot be truly nor properly said to be sanctifyed no more than sin But if by being sanctified they mean that the providential wisdome of God doth order it or make use of it for the good of his people I oppose it not so that it be understood that that good flowes not from the nature of acquired knowledge it self but from the wisdome and goodness of the Spirit of God who maketh all things work together for the benefit of those that love him who are called according to his purpose and so no more can properly in this respect be predicated of it than of sin it self which in that case though not as an entity for non entia ad modum entium concipiuntur is said also to work for the good of Gods Saints First to this we say that the habit of sin is destroyed there is a mortification of sin as well as a vivification of grace as Rom. 6. 2. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein and Ephes. 2. 1. You hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins Now the habit of learning is not in the least diminished much less destroyed Secondly That the whole man with all his endowments is sanctified as 1 Thes. 5. 23 24. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ Faithful is he that calleth you who also will do it Now then either learning must be sanctified or something remains unsanctified Thirdly That acquired learning of it self and of its own nature is not sin for sin is a transgression of the Law 1 Iohn 3. 4. verse For sin is the transgression of the Law {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Now what Law forbiddeth learning where is it written Thou shalt not be learned and sure were learning either in it self sin or left unsanctified in a sanctified heart we should not find the â—â—â—stle Paul giving thanks for it in 1 Cor. 14. 18. I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all and the holy Ghost describing Apollos leaves him upon record to be an eloquent man {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}