CHAPTER XLVI – 6. Wisdom and learning to be denied
any thing be more honourable than to be the children of the heavenly Father? And if you be such, you must "love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you;" Matt. 5:44. What a case are those men's understandings in, that think it their honour to revenge themselves when God hath so forbidden it? Rom. 12:19.
CHAPTER XLVI
Wisdom and Learning to be Denied 6. ANOTHER piece of vainglory to be denied, is in the reputation of wisdom and learning. The things themselves are very excellent, and to be desired and much sought after, but not for our own honour, but the service and honour of the Lord; and the greater is the worth of the thing, the greater is the temptation to vainglory in them that have it, and the harder it is to deny themselves herein. This part of selfdenial consisteth not in a contempt of learning or wisdom, nor a neglect of it, for this were a sin; but in a neglect of self, that would make an advantage of it for its own carnal exaltation, and in a contempt of the honour and vainglory which may redound by it to ourselves, further than such honour is serviceable to God. O how sinful and miserable a life do abundance of learned men live in the world! Their whole life is but one continued vice, and that a sin of a most heinous nature, even the exercise of pride and self-seeking, when yet they take themselves for saints, because they are not such as are accounted scandalous sinners in the world. They sacrifice their precious time and studies to their pride and fancies, and not to God.
Too many hours and years are spent to gain the reputation of being learned men; too many disputations are managed; yea (odious