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and controversies of learned men; to skill the arts of expressing our mind, and imparting our conceptions with advantage, so as to instruct or persuade others; these are works indeed, which will exercise and strain our faculties (our reason, our fancy, our memory) in painful study.

The knowledge of such things is not innate to us, it doth not of itself spring up in our minds; it is not any ways incident by chance, or infused by grace (except rarely by miracle); common observation doth not produce it; it cannot be purchased at any rate, except by that for which it was said of old "the Gods sell all things," that is for pains; without which, the best wit and greatest capacity may not render a man learned, as the best soil will not yield good fruit or grain, if they be not planted or sown therein.

Consider, if you please, what a scholar Solomon was: beside his skill in

politics, which was his principal faculty and profession, whereby he did with admirable dexterity and prudence manage the affairs of that great kingdom, "judging his people, and discerning what was good and bad;" accurately dispensing justice; settling his country in a most flourishing state of peace, order, plenty, and wealth; largely extending his territory; so that his wisdom of this kind was famous over the earth; beside, I say, this civil wisdom, he had an exquisite skill in natural philosophy and medicine; for " He spake of trees," or plants," from the cedar that is in Lebanon, even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes."

He was well versed in the mathematics; for it is said, "Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east-country, and all the wisdom of Egypt;" the wisdom of which nations.

did consist in those sciences. And of his mechanic skill, he left for a monument the most glorious structure that ever stood on earth.

He was very skilful in poetry and music; for he did himself " compose above a thousand songs;" whereof one yet extant declareth the loftiness of his fancy, the richness of his vein, and the elegancy of his style.

He had great ability and rhetoric; according to that in Wisdom, "God granted me to speak as I would ;" and that in Ecclesiastes, "The Preacher sought to find out acceptable words;" a great instance of which faculty we have in that admirable prayer of his composure at the dedication of the Temple.

He did wonderfully excel in ethics; concerning which he "spake three thousand proverbs," or moral aphorisms; and "moreover," saith Ecclesiastes, "because the Preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave

good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs;" the which did contain a great variety of notable observations and useful directions for common life, couched in pithy expressions.

As for theology, as the study of that was the chief study to which he exhorteth others, (as to the "head," or principal part" of wisdom,") so, questionless, he was himself most conversant therein; for proof whereof he did leave so many excellent theorems and precepts of divinity to us.

In fine, there is no sort of knowledge, to which he did not apply his study; witness himself in those words, "I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven."

Such a Scholar was he; and such if we have a noble ambition to be, we must use the course he did; which was first in his heart to prefer wisdom before all worldly things; then to pray to God for

it, or for his blessing in our quest of it; then to use the means of attaining it, diligent searching and hard study; for that this was his method he telleth us;

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“I,” saith he, “applied my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things."

Such considerations shew the necessity of industry for a Scholar. But,

3. The worth, and excellency, and great utility, together with the pleasantness of its vocation, deserving the highest industry, do superadd much obligation thereto.

We are much bound to be diligent out of ingenuity, and in gratitude to God, who by his gracious providence hath assigned to us a calling so worthy, an employment so comfortable, a way of life no less commodious, beneficial, and delightful to ourselves, than serviceable to God, and useful for the world.

If we had our option and choice, what calling would we desire before this of any

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