in the w^ay I have indicated, shall enter upon his investigations,
CHAP. XLI.] HUMILITY ESSENTIAL TO PROGRESS. 77
Moses, liad done the same thing ; for of him it is written that he was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians.-^ And to none of all these w^ould heathen superstition (especially in those times when, kicking against the yoke of Christ, it was persecuting the Christians) have ever furnished branches of knowledge it held useful, if it had suspected they were about to turn them to the use of worshipping the One God, and thereby overturning the vain worship of idols. But they gave their gold and their silver and their garments to the people of God, as they were going out of Egypt, not knowing how the things they gave would be turned to the service of Christ. For what w^as done at the time of the exodus was no doubt a type prefiguring what happens now. And this I say without prejudice to any other interpretation that may be as good, or better.
CHAr. XLI.— What kind of sjnrit is requiredfor the study of Holy Scripture.
62. But wdien the student of the Holy Scriptures, prepared in the w^ay I have indicated, shall enter upon his investigations, let him constantly meditate upon that saying of the apostle's,
" Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth."^ For so he will feel that, whatever may be the riches he brings with him out of Egypt, yet unless he has kept the passover, he cannot be safe. Now Christ is our passover sacrificed for us,^ and there is nothing the sacrifice of Christ more clearly teaches us than the call which He himself addresses to those whom He sees toiling in Egypt under Pharaoh : " Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me ; for I am meek and lowly in heart : and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."* To whom is it light but to the meek and lowly in heart, whom knowdedge doth not puff up, but charity edifieth ? Let them remember, then, that those who celebrated the passover at that time in type and shadow, wdien they were ordered to mark their door-posts wdth the blood of the lamb, used hyssop to mark them with.^ Now this is a meek and lowly herb, and yet nothing is stronger and more penetrating than its roots ; that being rooted and grounded
» Acts vii. 22. ' 1 Cor. viil. 1. 3 j Cor. v. 7.
Matt. xi. 28-30. ^ Ex. xii. 22.