Knowledge

In the beams of heavenly light , a Christian comes to see his own pride , ignorance , unworthiness , conceitedness , and nothingness. That knowledge that swells thee , will undo thee ; that knowledge that puffs thee will sink thee; that knowledge that makes thee delightful in thine own eyes will make thee despicable in God's and good men's eyes . (1Cor . 8:  1-2) "Knowledge puffeth up;" that is notional knowledge , speculative knowledge , knowledge that ripens a man for destruction , and will leave him short of salvation . This knowledge puffs and swells a man and makes himself something when he is nothing ;  "And if any man thinketh that he knoweth anything , he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know " saith the apostle  .  Will not that philosopher rise in judgement against many of our high flown professors , who swell , and look big , and talk big under their notional knowledge , which was very great ; ' This only I know , that I know nothing .'Well! if that knowledge thou hast be that knowledge that accompanies salvation it is a soul humbling and soul abasing knowledge . If it be otherwise then will thy knowledge make thee a prisoner and a slave to  the devil at once .   Thomas Brooks
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