Monday, April 03, 2006
Knots Untied by John Charles Ryle
"This is a point, again, on which many go wrong. This is the rock on which men struck in the middle ages. Men looked on Thomas Aquinas, and Duns Scotus, and Peter Lombard, and many of their companions as almost inspired. They gave epithets to some of them in token on their admiration. They talked of "the irrefrgable" doctor, "the seraphic" doctor, "the incomparable" doctor- and seemed to think that whatever these doctors said must be true! But what is the most learned of men, if he not be taught by the Holy Ghost? What is the most learned of divines but a mere fallable child of Adam ath his very best?"
Vast knowledge of books and great ignorance of God's truth may go side by side. They have done so, they may do so, and they will do so, in all times. I will engage to say that the two voulumes of Robert M'Cheyne's Memoirs and Sermons have done more positive good to the souls of men than any one folio that Origin or Cyprian ever wrote. I doubt not that one volume of Pilgrim's Progress, written by a man ignorant of Greek or Latin, will prove in the last day to have done more benefit of the world than all the works of the schoolmen put together. Learning is a gift that ought not be dispised. It is a evil day when books are not valued in the Church. But it is amazing to observe yet how little he may know of grace of God. I have no doubt the authorities of Oxford in the last century knew more of Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, than Wesley, Whitefield, Berridge, or Venn. But they knew little of the gospel of Christ. Infallibility is not to be found amoung learned men, but in the Bible. p 385-386
Ryle is still on the mark with this statement. Today the post modern church only wants to deal with emotions and not with learning. They believe that only what is felt is of any value.
Vast knowledge of books and great ignorance of God's truth may go side by side. They have done so, they may do so, and they will do so, in all times. I will engage to say that the two voulumes of Robert M'Cheyne's Memoirs and Sermons have done more positive good to the souls of men than any one folio that Origin or Cyprian ever wrote. I doubt not that one volume of Pilgrim's Progress, written by a man ignorant of Greek or Latin, will prove in the last day to have done more benefit of the world than all the works of the schoolmen put together. Learning is a gift that ought not be dispised. It is a evil day when books are not valued in the Church. But it is amazing to observe yet how little he may know of grace of God. I have no doubt the authorities of Oxford in the last century knew more of Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, than Wesley, Whitefield, Berridge, or Venn. But they knew little of the gospel of Christ. Infallibility is not to be found amoung learned men, but in the Bible. p 385-386
Ryle is still on the mark with this statement. Today the post modern church only wants to deal with emotions and not with learning. They believe that only what is felt is of any value.
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Oh, Johnnie, this is too strange. After I visited your last post I was just thinking I should've included M'Cheyene.
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