It is attained to, not by the light of nature, nor by the help of carnal reason, nor by the law of Moses, but by the Gospel of the grace of God, as a means; and the efficient cause of it is Father, Son, and Spirit; the Father reveals Christ in his saints; the Son gives them an understanding to know him; and the Spirit is a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; and this knowledge is very excellent: a spiritual knowledge of Christ is more excellent than a general and notional one, or than a knowledge of Christ after the flesh; and the knowledge of Christ under the Gospel dispensation, though the same in nature, is more excellent than that which was under the legal dispensation, by promises, prophecies, and the ceremonial law, in degree, extensiveness, and clearness; but the most excellent knowledge of Christ is that of the saints in heaven; yea, even there is an excellency in what the saints have here on earth, and a superior one to all other knowledge, if the author and original of it is considered: it is not of ourselves, nor by the assistance of men; it is not in the book of nature, nor in the schools of the philosophers; it is not of earth, nor earthly, but it comes from afar, from above, from heaven, from God the Father of lights; it is a free grace gift, a distinguishing one, and is very comprehensive, unspeakable, and unchangeable: and as to the object of it, it is Christ, the chiefest among ten thousands; who made the heavens, earth, and seas, and all that in them are, the sun, moon, and stars, men and beasts, birds and fishes, fossils, minerals, vegetables, and everything in nature; and therefore the knowledge of him must be superior to the knowledge of everything else; and, which adds to its excellency, it makes Christ precious, engages faith and confidence in him, influences the life and conversation, humbles the soul, and creates in it true pleasure and satisfaction; when all other knowledge fills with self-love, pride, and vanity, and increases sorrow; whereas this is not only useful in life, but supports, as under afflictions, so in the views of death and eternity; through it grace is received now, and by it glory hereafter; for it is the beginning, earnest, and pledge of eternal life.
Ἀντικυρεῦσι δὲ εἰσὶ μὲν ἀνδριάντες ἐν τῇ ἀγορᾷ χαλκοῖ, ἔστι δέ σφισιν ἐπὶ τῷ λιμένι Ποσειδῶνος οὐ μέγα ἱερόν, λογάσιν ᾠκοδομημένον λίθοις: κεκονίαται δὲ τὰ ἐντός. τὸ δὲ ἄγαλμα ὀρθὸν χαλκοῦ πεποιημένον, βέβηκε δὲ ἐπὶ δελφῖνι τῷ ἑτέρῳ τῶν ποδῶν: κατὰ τοῦτο δὲ ἔχει καὶ τὴν χεῖρα ἐπὶ τῷ μηρῷ, ἐν δὲ τῇ ἑτέρᾳ χειρὶ τρίαινά ἐστιν αὐτῷ. τοῦ γυμνασίου δὲ ἐν ᾧ καὶ τὰ λουτρά σφισι πεποίηται, τούτου πέραν ἄλλο γυμνάσιόν ἐστιν ἀρχαῖον: ἀνδριὰς δὲ ἕστηκεν ἐν αὐτῷ χαλκοῦς: φησὶ δ' ἐπ' αὐτῷ τὸ ἐπίγραμμα Ξενόδαμον παγκρατιαστὴν Ἀντικυρέα ἐν ἀνδράσιν Ὀλυμπικὴν ἀνῃρῆσθαι νίκην. εἰ δὲ ἀληθεύει τὸ ἐπίγραμμα, Ὀλυμπιάδι τῇ πρώτῃ μετὰ δέκα καὶ διακοσίας φαίνοιτο ἂν τὸν κότινον ὁ Ξενόδαμος εἰληφώς: αὕτη δὲ ἐν τοῖς Ἠλείων γράμμασι παρεῖται μόνη πασῶν ἡ Ὀλυμπιάς. ἔστι δὲ ὑπὲρ τὴν ἀγορὰν ἐν φρέατι ὕδατος πηγή: σκέπη δὲ ἀπὸ ἡλίου τῷ φρέατι ὄροφός τε καὶ ἀνέχοντες τὸν ὄροφον κίονες. ἔστι δὲ οὐ πολὺ ἀνωτέρω τοῦ φρέατος λίθοις τοῖς ἐπιτυχοῦσιν ᾠκοδομημένον μνῆμα: ταφῆναι δέ φασιν ἐνταῦθα τοὺς Ἰφίτου παῖδας, τὸν μὲν ἀνασωθέντα ἐξ Ἰλίου καὶ ἀποθανόντα ἐν τῇ οἰκείᾳ, Σχεδίῳ δὲ ἐν μὲν γῇ τῇ Τρῳάδι τὴν τελευτὴν συμβῆναι λέγουσιν, ἀχθῆναι δὲ οἴκαδε καὶ τούτου τὰ ὀστᾶ. τῆς πόλεως δὲ ἐν δεξιᾷ δύο μάλιστα προελθόντι ἀπ' αὐτῆς σταδίους, πέτρα τέ ἐστιν ὑψηλὴ--μοῖρα ὄρους ἡ πέτρα--καὶ ἱερὸν ἐπ' αὐτῆς πεποιημένον ἐστὶν Ἀρτέμιδος: ἔργων τῶν Πραξιτέλους, δᾷδα ἔχουσα τῇ δεξιᾷ καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν ὤμων φαρέτραν, παρὰ δὲ αὐτὴν κύων ἐν ἀριστερᾷ: μέγεθος δὲ ὑπὲρ τὴν μεγίστην γυναῖκα τὸ ἄγαλμα.