Vse 1. This may serve to reprove those, that please themselves in their ignorance, as if ignorance were the mother of devotion, or of any vertue, whereas it is the greatest enemy to vertue, and the mother of all profanenesse, especially if it be voluntary, as Peter shewes, Epist. 2. Chap 3. verse 5 Where he gives a reason of their great wickednesse, because those scoffers of whom he speaks, were willingly ignorant of those things which pertaine unto true godlinesse. 2. To exhort us, to seeke for knowledge, and when wee have gotten it, to apply it also to the increase of vertue. For vertue without knowledge is blinde, and knowledge without vertue is vaine. Doct. 7. Continence or temperance is the perfection of knowledge.
Now by continence and temperance we meane a moderation, whereby all lusts are suppressed that might allure or withdraw us to any thing that is contrary to vertue and knowledge.
Reason 1. Because knowledge tends to such a moderation and governement of the affections. 2. Because knowledge it selfe cannot subsist without this moderation. For unlesse the affections are directed by knowledge, knowledge it selfe is corrupted by the affections: hence it is, that many errours and heresies oftentimes take their rise and beginning from evill manners and affections, Ephes. 4.18. Vse 1. This may serve to reprove those, that are puffed up with knowledge, when in the meane time they shew by their intemperance, that they know nothing yet, as they ought to know, 1 Cor. 8.1, 2. 2. To exhort us, to use all our knowledge to the governement of our affections and manners. Doct. 8. Patience must be joyned with continence to the perfection of vertue.
By patience we meane that grace whereby we continue and persist in well-doing, although we are crossed by many grievous things. Therefore it includes in it patience, constancy, and stablenesse of minde, or Christian fortitude. Continence strengthens vertue against alluring intisements, and patience
