(2.) That the loss of it is part of that curse which was inflicted on us for sin. Whatever we come short in of the state of the first man in innocency, whether in loss of good or addition of evil, it is all of the curse for sin. Besides, that blindness, ignorance, darkness, deadncss, which is everywhere ascribed to us in the state of nature, doth fully comprise that also whereof we speak.
On these two considerations it is most apparent that learning can no way of itself attain the end it aimeth at. For, —
[1.] That light which by it is discovered (which, the Lord knows, is very little, weak, obscure, imperfect, uncertain, conjectural, for a great part only enabling men to quarrel with and oppose one another, to the reproach of reason, yet I say, that which is attained by it) is not in the least measure by it spiritualized, or brought into that order of living to God, and with God, wherein at first it lay. This is wholly beyond its reach. As to this end, the apostle assures us that the utmost issue that men come to, is darkness and folly, Rom. i. 21, 22. Who knows not the profound inquiries, the subtile disputations, the acute reasonings, the admirable discoveries of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, and others ? What, as to the purpose in hand, did they attain by all their studies and endeavours? 'E/xoopdv&7}6av, says the apostle, — " They became fools." He that, by general consent, bears the croion of reputation for wisdom from them all, with whom to have lived was counted an inestimable happiness,' died like a fool, sacri- ficing a cock to ^sculapius. And another [apostle assures us], that Jesus Christ alone is " the true Light," that lighteth us, John i. 9. And there is not any that hath any true light, but what is imme- diately from him. After all the learning of men, if they have nothing else, they are still natural men, and perceive not the things of God. Their light is still but darkness; and how great is that darkness! It is the Lord Jesus alone who is anointed to open the eyes of the blind. Men cannot sphitualize a notion, nor lay it in any order to the glori-
E( bi ri; ruv xo<rr,i \ipiif/.ivtJ)i uiipiXifiuiTi^ui Tin 2uxfaTiv; ffuvi-yiv-ri), lictTm lya Tor
aiSja a^iofiaKa^iyTLTCirc •jsu'iX.u. — Xeiiopli. apol. pro Socrat. ad fiucni.
VOL. II. ,S
114 OF COMMUNION WITH THE SON JESUS CHRIST.
fying of God. After all their endeavours, they are still blind and dark, yea, darkness itself, knowing nothing as they should. I know how the men of these attainments are apt to say, " Are we blind also?" with great contempt of others; but God hath blasted all their pride :^ " Where," saith he, " is the wise? where is the scribe," etc., 1 Cor i. 20. I shall not add what Paul hath farther cautioned us, to the seeming condemning of philosophy as being fitted to make spoil of souls; nor what ^Tertullian with some other of the ancients have spoken of it; being very confident that it was the abuse, and not the true use and advantage of it, that they opposed. But, —
[2.] The darkness and igno7xi7ice that it strives to remove, being come upon us as a curse, it is not in the least measure, as it is a curse, able to remove it or take it away. He that hath attained to the greatest height of literature, yet if he hath nothing else, — if he have not Christ, — is as much under the curse of blindness, ignorance, stupidity, dulness, as the poorest, silliest soul in the world. The curse is only removed in him who was made a curse for us. Every thing that is penal is taken away only by him on whom all our sins did meet in a way of punishment; yea, upon this account. The mo7'e abilities the mind is furnished withal, the more it closes with the curse, and strengthens itself to act its enmity against God. All that it receives doth but • help it to set up high thoughts and imagina- tions against the Lord Christ. So that this knowledge comes short of what in particular it is designed unto ; and therefore cannot be that solid wisdom we are inquiring after.
There be sundry other things whereby it were easy to blur the countenance of this wisdom ; and, from its intricacy, difficulty, uncer- tainty, unsatisfactoriness, — betraying its followers into that which they
' " O Sapiontia superba irridens Christum cnicifixiim !" — Auf^ust. Exjios. in Joh.Trac. 2, de cap. 1.
' " IIa>reses a pliilosophiii subornaiitur. Inde iEones, et fornifo ncscio quit!, triiiitas lioininis apud Valentiiuim, Platonicus f'liorat; iiido ftfarcioiiis Deus inelior de ti'anqiiillitate, a Stoicis vcuorat. Et iit aiiima iuterire dicatiir, ab Epicureis observatur, et ut cainis restitutio iiegetur, de uiia omniiun pliiiosophoruin scholu
s\iinitur: Quid c-rgo Athenis ot Ilierosolyniis ? quid Academias et Eccle-
sia^ ? quid basicticis et Christianis ? Nostra institutio de portieu Salonionis est. Nobis curiositate opus uon est post .Tesum Ciiristum; ucc inquisitione post evau- goliuin. Cuui credimus, niliil dcsiderauius ultra credere. Hoc euiin priiis credi- mus, non esse quod ultra credere debeanius." — Tertul. de Pia^script. ad ILiMot. [cap. vii.]
— — ETliori'Ti^ iKccvu; Ik tuv ^poiifi>ift'i\iu>i to, tuv ^iXoiroipuv v/iuv iktiXsyKTcci 'rqayfaara <jrv.(rrti uyvoia; koci aTartu ifaAvTa vrXn^n. x. r. X. — Just. Mart, ad CJl'lUC. Coliort [c. xi.] Moi/vDv ifio] (piXov iiTKi Xoycov kXios, t'li; iruyiaytipecv ' AvToXin rf, duiri; ti, xa) 'EXXaS«f lu^o; Arrival, Toil iTi ^oXX' \fi.oyvi(ra. -roXvy ^oovav, aWa xat ai/ToU)