1888That the Earth may be a Planet.
more generally profeſt, ſhould notwithſtand-
ing be ſo much miſtaken in ſo obvious a mat-
ter: Why then may we not think that thoſe
Primitive Saints, who were the Pen-Men of
Scripture, and eminent above others in their
time for Holineſs and Knowledge, might yet
be utterly Ignorant of many Philoſophical
Truths, which are commonly known in theſe
days? ’Tis probable, that the Holy Ghoſt
did inform them only with the knowledge
of thoſe things whereof they were to be the
Pen-Men, and that they were not better
skilled in points of Philoſophy than others.
There were indeed ſome of them who were
ſupernaturally indowed with human Learn-
ing; yet this was, becauſe they might there-
by be fitted for ſome particular ends, which
all the reſt were not appointed unto: Thus
Solomon was ſtrangely gifted with all kind of
knowledge, in a great meaſure, becauſe he
was to teach us by his own experience the
11Eccl. 1. 18. extreme Vanity of it, that we might not ſo
ſettle our deſires upon it, as if it were able
to yield us contentment. So too the Apoſtles
were extraordinarily inſpir’d with the
knowledge of Languages, becauſe they were
to preach unto all Nations. But it will not
hence follow, that therefore the other Holy
Pen-Men were greater Scholars than others.
’Tis likely that Job had as much human
Learning as moſt of them, becauſe his Book
i, more eſpecially remarkable for lofty ex-
preſſions, and diſcourſes of Nature; and
yet ’tis not likely that he was
ing be ſo much miſtaken in ſo obvious a mat-
ter: Why then may we not think that thoſe
Primitive Saints, who were the Pen-Men of
Scripture, and eminent above others in their
time for Holineſs and Knowledge, might yet
be utterly Ignorant of many Philoſophical
Truths, which are commonly known in theſe
days? ’Tis probable, that the Holy Ghoſt
did inform them only with the knowledge
of thoſe things whereof they were to be the
Pen-Men, and that they were not better
skilled in points of Philoſophy than others.
There were indeed ſome of them who were
ſupernaturally indowed with human Learn-
ing; yet this was, becauſe they might there-
by be fitted for ſome particular ends, which
all the reſt were not appointed unto: Thus
Solomon was ſtrangely gifted with all kind of
knowledge, in a great meaſure, becauſe he
was to teach us by his own experience the
11Eccl. 1. 18. extreme Vanity of it, that we might not ſo
ſettle our deſires upon it, as if it were able
to yield us contentment. So too the Apoſtles
were extraordinarily inſpir’d with the
knowledge of Languages, becauſe they were
to preach unto all Nations. But it will not
hence follow, that therefore the other Holy
Pen-Men were greater Scholars than others.
’Tis likely that Job had as much human
Learning as moſt of them, becauſe his Book
i, more eſpecially remarkable for lofty ex-
preſſions, and diſcourſes of Nature; and
yet ’tis not likely that he was
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