the more learned sort, and especially more prying wits, and those that are bred up among disputes, are the pronest to. this sin and though it be an odious vice, yet it so befooleth many, that they reckon it confidently among their virtues.

God cannot be known too much, nor can any man be too much in love with the true knowledge of God in Jesus Christ. Without this knowledge the mind is not good, nor can the heart be sanctified, or the man be saved; nor can any man know too much of the will and word of God; nor yet of his works in which he revealeth himself to the world. But the carnal knowledge which is to be denied, is of another nature than the sanctified knowledge of believers. shall show you the difference in certain particular respects.

I

1. This desire to know, which is in the unsanctified, is partly from mere nature and partly from a distempered fancy, which is like a corrupt, enraged appetite, that chooseth that which is unwholesome, and yet is over greedy after it. But the desire after knowledge in the sanctified, is kindled by the love of God, and the love of those holy and heavenly things which they are inquiring after. It is not the love of God that sets ungodly men upon their studies, but a common and carnal desire to know: and this appears in the end, which is next.

2. This carnal knowledge is but to feed, and furnish, and please a carnal fancy; because it is some adding to our understandings, and because it is naturally pleasant to know, and because it brings in some novelty and variety, and because it makes us seem wiser than other men, and furnisheth us with matter of discourse and ostentation, and rids the mind of some troublesome doubts; therefore, even the worst have a mind to know. But this is the knowledge that must be denied: that which must be valued and sought after, is, to know God, that we may love, and reverence, and trust, and admire, and honour him, and enjoy him. To know Christ, that we may have more communion with him : to know the word and works of God, that in them we may know his nature and his will, and knowing his will, may serve him and please him: these must be the ends of Christian knowledge. There is nothing in the world that God hath revealed, but in its place we may be willing to know, so that we stick not in the creature, or sense of the words, or com

mon verities, but use every thing as a book or lookingglass we love not a book so much for the letters, as for the matter which they contain; and we love not a glass for itself, so much as for its use to show us the face which we would see in it: so if we go to the creatures but as a book, in which we may read the mind of God, and see his nature, and as a glass in which his glory doth shine forth, our study and knowledge will be sanctified and divine. And thus, as Paul would know nothing but Christ crucified, so every Christian should be able to say that he would know nothing but God in Christ: for though we know a thousand matters, and that of the lowest nature in themselves, yet as long as we study them not for themselves, but for God, it is not them that we know so much as God in them; and so all is but the knowing of God: even as in our duty, though the works may be many and mean that we are employed in, yet all is but the serving of God, as long as we do them all for him. This is the main difference between an unsanctified scholar, and a servant of God in all their studies: one of them is but recreating his curious fancy or inquisitive mind, and seeking matter of honour and applause, or some way or other studying for himself: but the other is searching after the nature and will of his Creator, and learning how to do his work in that manner as may please and honour him most. So that when they are reading the same books, and studying the same subjects, they are upon quite different works, as having contrary ends in all their studies: the one is content with bare speculation and airy knowledge, which puffeth up; and the other studieth and knoweth practically to feed the holy fire of love in his heart, and to guide, and quicken, and strengthen him for obedience.

3. Moreover, there is a difference commonly in the sub · ject which they most desire to know: for though there is no truth but a wicked man may know, which a true Christian knoweth, and also but few truths but what he may for selfish ends be desirous to know; yet ordinarily a carnal heart is much more forward to study common sciences than divinity, and in divinity to study least the practical part, and to be most in points that exercise the brain, and lie further from the heart; but the sanctified man delighteth most in knowing the mystery of redemption, the riches of grace, the glory which he hopeth for, the nature and will of God, the

way of duty, the temptations that are before him, and his langer by them and the way to escape, with such other useful truths which he must live upon. One feeds upon the air and chaff of words and notions, or common truths; and the other is taken up with the most spiritual, heavenly, and necessary matters: yea, it is not so much the truth, as the matter or thing revealed by it, which the Christian looks after it is not only to understand the meaning of the Scripture, but to find, and love, and enjoy that God, that Christ, that Spirit, that life, which is revealed in those words of Scripture; but the hypocrite sticks most in a grammatical, superficial kind of knowledge.

:

4. Moreover, carnal love of knowledge doth draw the soul from God to the creature: it is self and the creature that is sought after in it, and therefore the more such knowledge, the further from God. This was Adam's temptation and sin, to desire to know good and evil for himself, so that he might have less need to live in an implicit belief of God, and dependance on him, but might be acquainted what was good and evil for himself, that he might trust himself, and live to himself; but spiritual knowledge carrieth us from self.

5. Carnal knowledge would break God's bounds, and would needs know that which God hath not revealed, and pry into the secrets of heaven: with a presumptuous immodesty they would reach to that which is above man, while they are wilfully or negligently ignorant of that which should heal them of their brutishness. They are so shallow that they comprehend not any one of the smallest creatures of God, and yet they have arrogant, proud conceits, that must be satisfied about the highest mysteries: and though, through their own unpreparedness and ignorance, they know not that which else they might know, and cannot see the strength of a reason which the wise can see, yet will they sooner quarrel with the light than with their eyes, and suspect the reasons and words of God rather than their purblind minds. But spiritual knowledge is modest, and humble, and obedient, and presumeth not to climb any higher than the ladder, lest he lose more by such a step too high, than he got by all his labour hitherto; and find himself all in pieces at the bottom, while he would needs climb above the top. He finds work enough in what God hath com

manded him to study in his word, and therefore hath no leisure to look after things that God hath hid from him: it is for the use of knowledge that he would know, and therefore he hath no great mind of that which is useless; and he knows that God is the best judge of that, and therefore he takes that to be best for him which is prescribed him.

6. Carnal students are apt to learn in the ways which their interests and fancies lead them to, but holy students learn of God in his prescribed way; that is, 1. In his church, which is his school. 2. And in and by his holy Scripture, which is the book he sets us to learn. And 3. By his ministers, whom he commandeth to teach us. 4. And in obedience to his Spirit, that must make all effectual. And 5. In fervent prayer to God for that Spirit and a blessing. This is God's way in which he will bring men to saving knowledge.

7. Also, carnal students observe not (commonly) God's order in their learning; but they begin at that which suiteth best with their carnal interest or disposition, as being least against it; and they catch here and there a little, and make what they list of it, and force it to their carnal sense, and to speak for that which their minds are most affected to. But the sanctified student begins at the bottom, and first seeks to know the essentials of religion, and points that life lieth most upon; and so he proceeds in order, and takes the lesson which God and his teachers set him, and takes up truths as they lie in order of necessity and use.

8. And in the manner also the difference is great. The carnal student searcheth presumptuously, self-conceitedly, and unreverently, and speaks of holy things accordingly, and censureth them when he should censure himself and actions by them, and bendeth the words of God to his own carnal interest and will. But the spiritual student searcheth meekly with fear and reverence, with self-suspicion and consciousness of his exceeding darkness, and with a willingness and resolution to submit to the light for conviction and for the guidance of his conversation.

And now you see what carnal studies are, remember that to avoid them is part of your self-denial. Restrain your ranging fantasies and understanding, as you would do a ranging appetite. If you have a mind that would fain reach

higher than God hath given you light in Scripture, or a mind that must needs be satisfied of the reasons of all God's ways, and murmureth if any of its doubts be unresolved, remember that this is self that must be denied; and if any be wise in his own eyes, he must become a fool, that he may be wise (1 Cor. iii. 18.), and as little children must you come to the school of Christ, if you will indeed be his disciples. And remember that this intellectual voluptuousness, licentiousness, and presumption of carnal minds, is a higher, and in some respects greater and more dangerous vice, than brutish sensuality. And you may cheat and undo your souls in a civil course of carnal, selfish studies, as well as in a course of more gross and sensual voluptuousness.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

Factious Desire of the Success of our own Opinions and Parties, as such, &c.

16. ANOTHER selfish interest to be denied, is, the factious desire of the success of any odd opinions which we have espoused, and of the increase and prosperity of any dividing party in the church which we have addicted ourselves unto.

It exceedingly delighteth a carnal mind, that his judgment should be admired, and he should be taken as the light of the country round about him; and therefore when he hath hatched any opinion of his own, or espoused any whereby his singularity may be manifested, or by which his selfish interest may be promoted, he is as careful to promote these opinions, and the party that holdeth with him, as a covetous man is to promote his gain. There is indeed as much of self in many men's heresies and church-divisons, as any sensualist hath in his way. And hence it is that a zeal for selfish opinions is easily got and easily maintained; when zeal for the saving truths of God is hardly kindled, and hardly kept alive. Yea, multitudes in the world do make the very truth to be the matter of their carnal interest in it; while they some way get a seeming peculiar interest, and promote it but as an opinion of their own, or of their party, and use it for selfish, carnal ends. And hence it is that many that are called orthodox, can easily get and keep