is but foolishnesse 4. Knowledge is the Mother-grace 1. It is the Mother of faith If a man know God he will believe and trust in him They that know thy name will trust in thee Psal 9.10 we have known and believed saith the Apostle 1 John 4.16 Bellarmine saith Whosoever sees the Son and believes in him shall have everlasting life Joh. 6.40 that Faith â—ariseth from ignorance rather then from knowledge because saith he Faith is the evidence of things not seen but I say we first know a thing before we can believe now whereas the Apostle Heb. 11.1 saith Faith is the evidence of things not seen you are to understand that the Apostle doth not there define faith but onely describe it by one of the effects of it because it makes things clear and evident which it never saw as by faith we do believe the creation of the world though we never saw it sight and knowledge is no hinderance of but a help to faith 1 Joh. 4.8 Visus est prima amoris linea Quisquis te cognoscit amat te plus quam se venit ad te ut gaudeat de te Hinc est Domine ut non tantum diligo quantum debeo quia non ptenè cognosco te quia parum cognosco parum diligo as Stephens faith was not any whit lessened but rather helped by his fight of Christ sitting at the right hand of God 2. Knowledge is the root of love he that loveth not knoweth not God saith the Apostle he that knoweth God most loveth him best therefore many men do not love him because they do not know him there he two feet on which we must walk to heaven saith one if ever we mean to come there viz. Faith and Love he that wants faith is lame on the right foot and he that wanteth love is lame on the left foot and both these follow after knowledge A man that knoweth God in Covenant and as an all-sufficient God cannot chuse but love him till a man knoweth Christ in the fulnesse of his perfections as Mediatour he cannot truly love him For as men naturally love the children of their own body so men are apt to dote upon the brats of their own brain and to be in love with their own imaginations till they come to know the Lord naturally man hath an operating fancy to set up somewhat in his understanding and in his heart above and besides God till he comes to a distinct knowledg of God in Christ It is true it is not knowledge that makes a man a good man but love and sanctified affections 1 Cor. 13.1 2. August Soliloqu cap. 1. for though I speak with the tongues of men and Angels and though I have the gift of Prophesie and understand all mysteries and all knowledge c. and have not love I am become as sounding brasse or a tinckling cimball and all this profiteth me nothing the devill and wicked spirits know much and yet have no love to God yet there can be no love to God where the knowledge of God is not 3. Knowledge is the root of obedience as soon as Abraham knew the Lord Gen. 12.1 Sit. 3.3 he obeyed the voyce of the Lord when God called him to get out of his countrey from his kindred and from his Fathers house the foolish and disobedient are put together by the Apostle disobedience springs from folly as obedience springeth from wisdom what is the reason 1 Cor. 2.14 the naturall man scorneth at the things of the spirit and they are foolishnesse to him it is because he cannot perceive the excellency of them Behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom and to depart from evill Job 28.28 Haec irae impetum cohibet sisperbiae tumorem sedat that is understanding After true knowledge followeth obedience of the heart and life the end of learning The Commandement of God is obedience for if the end of all practicall knowledge be obedience then much more the end of the commands of God The knowledge of Christ is the only means to suppresse sin and vice 5. Knowledge is the only way to true happinesse 1. Tim. 2.4 5. it is the will of God that all men should be saved saith the Apostle but how may some say he addeth in the next words and to come unto the knowledge of the truth and it is not only the way to true happinesse but it is true happinesse inchoate John 17.3 this is life eternall to knoâ— thee the only true God and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ saith our Saviour Moses first prayes to God Lord tell me thy name he beggeth acquaintance with God and then saith he afterwards Lord shew me thy glory they that be wise Dan. 12.3 shall shine as the brightnesse of the Fâ—rmament saith Daniel Revel 4.8 there are no ignorant fools in Emmanuels land Glorified creatures are said to be full of eyes within seeing eternal happinesse consisteth in vision they must be full of heavenly light and knowledge Now we know but in part but then shall we know as we are knowne 1 Cor. 13.12 6. Knowledge is very usefull and necessary to the soule 1. To direct and guide a man as God hath put the Sun and Moon in the Firmament to rule the day and the night so he hath put knowledge into the soul to guide and govern men in their practises and to dictate to them what is to be done what is to be avoyded A man without knowledge is like a blind man wanting a guide to direct him if the understanding be clear and good the man is safe but if the understanding be darkened then he falls into the pits of sin and errour Matth. 6.22 The light of the body is the eye saith our Saviour if therefore thine eye be single the whole body shall be full of light but if thine eye be evill thy whole body shall be full of darknesse The meaning is that as the eye is the light and guide of the body so is the understanding the guide of the soule and as the body followeth the fortune of the eye if the eye be single that is clear and good the whole body is full of light and every member will be able to do its proper work as if it had an eye in it but if the eye be evill or blinded then the whole body is full of darknesse that is every member mistaketh in its operations as the eye in the body guideth the feet â—â—w to walk and the hand how to work and every member how to do his part and duty and the whole body to decline and avoyd danger so rectified reason and a single eye will guide our wills and affections teaching them what to chuse and what to refuse and if the judgement be cleared from corrupt principles then the whole soule will be full of light and the whole life of man will be good for as where the
knew God so far forth as a terrestrial creature could know his Creatour he perfectly knew so much of the will and mind of God as it concerned him to know and was necessary for him he had an inbred knowledge of God but now if our eyes be so blind in natural things what are they in super-natural Ephes 4.18 Ephes 5.8 the understanding of man is darkned through ignorance and blindnesse of the heart saith the Apostle natural men are said to be darknesse and to sit in darknesse not as if the natural faculty of light or seeing were quite extinct by the fall of Adam no there is some inward light still in the understanding of natural men therefore when the Scripture taxeth all people for being a grosse and dull people it is not for that they are altogether void of understanding for they are wise to do evil saith the Prophet Jeremy Jer. 4.22 Luc. 16.8 and our Saviour saith that the children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light they are eagle-eyed in the things of the world and in sinful matters still but to do good they have no knowlodge Man hath by a natural light still the knowledge of God so the Gentiles by the book of the creatures knew God Rom. 1.21 and they had a moral knowledge of God having some moral principles within engraven upon their hearts by which they understand both good and evill but they are deprived of an higher light a spiritual knowledge a divine light lumen fidei the light of faith 1 Joh. 2.8 a supernatural light this is called the true light by the Apostle so that natural or moral light is but a false or dimme light in comparison of that which directeth a man the way to true happinesse and this true light is called in Scripture the light of Christ Ephes 5.14 and the light of life John 8.12 Quest 2 What are the causes of ignorance Answ The first cause is the corruption of mans nature the understanding of man is corrupted and turned away from this light unto blindnesse darknesse errour ignorance unbelief and misbelief Eph. 4.18 the understanding of man is darkened being estranged from the life of God through the ignorance that is in him because of the blindnesse or hardnesse of his heart corruption and pravity hath blinded the eyes of his understanding so that he cannot by reason thereof savingly see the things of God 1 Cor. 2.14 the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit nor can he know them because that corruption on the faculty hath blinded the eye of his understanding turning it away from the chiefest good Acts 17. man doth now but grope and feel after God man is so stupified that though he hear never so often yet understandeth not in a saving way like the people that live near the river Nilus that are made deaf by the fall of the waters of that river for videndo non vident in seeing men do not see Rom. 1.23 intelligendo non intelligunt in understanding they do not understand as evill stomachs turn good nourishment into bad humours so evill men turn the truth of God into a lie The corruption of our natures hath deprived us of all those principles of saving truth that should be in the understanding The Lord looked down from heaven Psal 14.2 to see whether there were any that did understand and seeke God saith David There is no principle of light in a natural man that gives him a supernatural knowledge of God God who commanded light to shine out of darknesse 2 Cor. 46 hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God c. So that till the glorious Son of righteousnesse shine into our hearts the heart hath not one principle of of heavenly light there and is no better then a lump of darknesse Rom. 8.7 The wisdom of the flesh is enmity against God it is as it were at deadly feud with the wisdom of the Spirit for it will yeeld to or grant no more then it can see ground for in natural reason therefore must needs be starke blind in matters of faith An instance of this we have in Nicodenus a Ruler of the Jewes and no doubt a great Rabbi and well skilled in all humane â—earning yet cannot he understand the doctrine of regeneration and though our Saviour had told him of the necessity of it and â—llustrated it by an excellent similitude of the wind blowing where it listeth Joh. 3. and yet saith he how can these things be the reason was because he looked upon it through the thick spectacles of reason and wanted the pure and clear eye of faith Christ spake spiritually and he understood him carnally Another instance you have in the learned Athenians who in Pauls time were as great Scholars as any in the world yet when he preacheth to them the resurrection from the dead a doctrine crossing the principles of natural Philosophy which maintaineth for an Axiome and Maxime that à privatione ad habitum nullus est regressus a natural body resolved into it's first elements and matter whereof it was made Acts 17.32 cannot possibly resume the same and live again after death they therefore mock at him thinking him to teach impossibilities and to set abroach some strange Paradox Now as it was with Nicodemus and the Athenians in these two points so it is with all natural men be they never so learned in the mysteries of Religion that are above the reach of carnal reason the light shineth in darknesse and the darknesse comprehendeth it not John 1.5 A second cause of ignorance is the Devill helping forward the corruption of man plunging him every day further and further into sin and casting thick fogs and mists before his eyes If our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are lost 2 Cor. 4.3 4. in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the image of God should shine unto them Two wayes is the corporal sight offended either by injection of exterior dust into it or by interiour humours stopping the optick nerves within So Satan either blindeth the eyes of natural men with the dust of worldly things which he casteth into them or by their own grosse and carnal affections he stoppeth the Conduits of their sight that they shall not have any true knowledge of God likewise Satan bestirreth himself and spareth no pains to blind the eyes of men by endeavouring to keep them from the means of knowledge or to increase in them the darknesse of ignorance and from thence he laboureth to lead them to the darknesse of sin from one sin and errour to another as from one dungeon to another till at last he bring them into his own den the dungeon of utter darknesse The
3. is not Arithmetically but Geometrically more not simply in respect of the gift but comparatively in regard of the mind of the giver and the acceptance of the receiver who measureth the mind not the matter the quality of the giver not the quantity of the gift the Rich men peradventure out of their ambition as well as from their abundance gave much but she out of her penury for meer devotion and pity consecrated her little All to the service of him from whom she acknowledged her self to have received all that she had and for whose sake she shewed her self willing to part with all again doing it from her affection and not from affectation Affectus saepe numero imponit nomen operi Ambros Luk. 1.6 The affection many times imposeth the name on the work An example in this kind we have in Zachary and Elizabeth the Parents of John Baptist of whom it is said they were both just before God and walked in all the commandments of God without reproof not but that God could have reproved them in the rigour of his justice Incedentes 1. viventes Beza versantes Erasmus but because they endeavoured to walk in all the Gommandments of God blamelesse the Lord would not to shew the riches of his mercy and to encourage others to follow their example they walkt in them all they desired no exemption from any or toleration and dispensation for the breach of any but so far forth as God enabled them they endeavoured to keep them all blamelesse or without reproof And to this purpose Augustin saith that peccatores conversi non sunt amplius peccatores not that they have not sin remaining in them for so the best shall have so long as they are in this world but because sin raigneth not in them it shall not be imputed to them Thus the Scripture testifieth of Noah Gen. 6.9 Joh. 1.47 that he was a man perfect in his generation and of Nathanael that he was a true Israelite in whom was found no guile Thus you see that it is not enough that we know what we ought to do but also that we do what we know You know the doome that is passed on that Steward Luk. 12.47 or Servant that knew his Masters will and did it not he should be beaten with many stripes Having attained Heavenly knowledge Direct 2 see â—hou lose it not it is a precious Jewel and ought carefully to be kept and not to be â—ost Keep sound wisdom and discretion Prov. 3.21 is â—he advice of the Wise man the losse of heavenly knowledge is the greatest losse because thereby you lose all those excellent â—hings which the knowledge of God proâ—ureth for you Men that have great parts â—nd much knowledge and afterwards lose â—t may be compared unto those that are â—itty to get money and spend it as fast as â—hey get it being at the years end not a â—eny the better for all they have gotten â—nowledge cannot be gotten without much â—ains and therefore let it not be easily â—ost it will be your shame to lose that carelessly the obtainment whereof hath cost you dear as men that have their eye-sight are very careful to preserve it so we ought as carefully to preserve knowledge which is the eye of the soul The eye of the body is very tender therefore God hath guarded it with lids which close and open most speedily at the pleasure of a man So it is with the eye of the mind and therefore we should much esteem the good that may preserve it and carefully shun the evil that may hurt it You that are Parents will often call upon your children to be good husbands and keep together and not to waste and squander away what you have given them or shall leave them and you that are Christians should often call upon your souls to keep good judgement and knowledge and not to lose it And let me tell thee iâ— thou keepest sound wisdom and discretion it will also keep and preserve thee from many corporall dangers and spirituall falls Direct 3 Art thou a man of knowledge see what good thou hast gotten by thy knowledge arâ— thou wise thou must be wise for thy self what ever thou knowest thou must labour to know it for thy good as Eliphaz speakes Job 5. ult A wise man will labour to know thâ— goodnesse of every thing The eye of thâ— body can see any thing but it self but it iâ— the glory of heavenly knowledge which iâ— the eye and beauty of the soul that it sees it self by an admirable reflection upon it self Thus thou shouldest be often thinking with thy self God hath opened the eyes of my understanding he hath shined into my heart giving me the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ he hath given me a more piercing head a more sublime speculation a deeper insight and penetration into divine Mysteries than to many others Oh! what am I the better for it do I find my heart more lifted upwards my affections more raised from the earth and set on heavenly things It is a spice of Atheisme to look at any thing as good in its own nature and not to extract some good out of it and get some good by it How few men do worship God as they know him they can say that God is good and yet never love nor seek him that he is just and powerful yet fear not to offend him that he is wise yet submit they not to his wisdom that he is omniscient and yet they breed and feed wicked thoughts in their hearts they believe there is an hell for sin and sinners and yet go on in the way of sin and that there is laid up a Crown of glory in Heaven for well-doing and yet they follow the multitude to do evil such knowledg as this is no better than Atheism and Infidelity That is the best knowledge that reduceth all duties promises and threatnings to our persons joying affection to light and moving the heart according to things known and out of all draweth actions that serve to expresse that knowledge doing all as in the presence of the glorious Sun of Righteousnesse where this care is sin findeth a bridle and grace a spur They who walk in this light enjoy the unspeakable fruits thereof whilest others are as void of them as they are strangers to the light it self Direct 4 Labour to grow in knowledge according to the advice of the Apostle 2 Pet. 3.18 do not shew your selves children by thinking you know enough already for he that thinks he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing as he ought to know Brethren be not children in understanding but in understanding be men 1 Cor. 14.20 the Apostle commendeth the Corinthians for abounding in knowledge 2 Cor. 8.7 Col. 1.9 and gives thanks for the Colossians upon the like account Solon was wont to say I grow old alwayes learning many things It
our acquaintance with his face in this Life and our Heaven upon Earth And now Reader if thou art in an ignorant estate and one who art willing to be brought to the sense of thy ignorance and blindnesse and so to come to him who is the Light of the World Then say I to thee as Jehu to Jonadab Give me thy hand and thou and I shall quickly accord and thou shalt be a fit and welcome Reader to this poor Treatise and I hope I have written that which shall be both for thy satisfaction and comfort I have here laboured for such plainnesse as might best informe thy judgement and affect thy heart purposely avoyding that unnecessary artificialnesse which might make it like those Spiders webs to which one once compared Logick which are said to be much in workmanship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in profit nothing My hearty desire is if the will of the Lord be so to do a double good with these my poor labours and therefore to write the same things which at first I Preached to my own Congregation it is not grievous I have here for the Common good changed my tongue Solet apertior esse sermo vivus quā scriptus Bernar. into a pen though a dead letter be of lesse effectuall perswasion than a lively voice The scope of this Treatise is to bring men out of darknesse into the true light and to shew them how to walke in the direction of that light That is the best knowledge which is of God the chiefest good a knowledge that suffereth least alteration in the hour of death but onely admitteth of a graduall change advancing to perfection All other knowledge then will vanish away this is the knowledge according to godlinesse whereunto I labour in this small Treatise to stirre thee up that knowing God in a saving way thou mayest live in him and walke in communion with him The knowledge of God in Christ is the pith and marrow of Christian Religion and Profession which whosoever wanteth he is but the shadow of a Christian though he abound with all other knowledge If this that I have now done shall be acceptable to the Church and People of God and be any thing though but Goates haire towards the Lords Sanctuary I shall rejoyce and give God the glory and the Reader may expect a Treatise from me on another Subject in some short time the Lord assisting me In the mean time if thou reape any benefit to thy soul by these my Labours let God have all the glory and me a share in thy prayers I shall conclude with that of Austin who having in his Books of Christian Doctrine propounded the Rule of Christian Faith yet notwithstanding thus concludeth To such as understand not what I write I answer they must not blame me if they conceive not these things as if I shewed them with my finger the Moon or a Starre which they would see being not very clear and if they have not eyes to see my finger much lesse a Starre they must not be offended at me if they see it not So they who reading these things cannot yet see the things which in the Scripture are darke and abscure let them cease to blame me and rather pray to the Lord to give them eye-sight for I may point with my finger but cannot give them eyes to see the things that I point to Now that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ Eph. 1.17 18. the Father of Glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdome and revelation in the knowledge of him the eyes of your understanding being opened that you may know what is the hope of his Calling and what the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints I shall not cease to pray and rest Thine in the Lord. W. G. Errata IN Epist-Dedicat line 13. read there l. penult r. may page 13. l. 1. r. he p. 47. marg r. ut facundi p. 48. l. 1. dele 2. p. 49. l. 4. r. hearts p. 77. l 29. r. slight p. 80. marg r. Tit. p. 81. d. ◠p. 91. l. 26. r. servants p. 98. l. 15. r. she p. 104. l 8 r. the. p. 106. l. 1. r. my l. 8. r. dye p. 111. l. 8. r. Hilkiah p. 115. l. 7. r. will be p. 127. l. 9. r. Lalius p. 151. l. 9. r. croffe l. 11. r. wickednesses p. 156. l. 6. r. knowing p. 172. marg r. Samuelis educatione p. 187. l. 26. r. sins Some few literals more there be but so obvious the Reader may passe them over without prejudice or correct them at his pleasure THE ARRAIGNMENT OF IGNORANCE From Hos 4.6 My people are destroyed for lack of Knowledge IN the three foregoing Chapters were typical Prophesies in this fourth and in the following Chapters are plain Oracles and predictions not covered with Types This Chapter is a sharp Sermon to the ten Tribes the beginning whereof consisteth 1 In a citation of them to Gods tribunal Hear ye the Word of the Lord ye children of Israel for the Lord hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the Land v. 1. as if he should say Seeing ye set at nought and lightly esteem all the admonitions of the Prophets I cite you by Gods appointment to his tribunal to hear the controversie which he hath with you and most of the inhabitants of the land 2. In an accusation of them for their sins he accuseth them for their sins against their Neighbour and against God 1. He chargeth them with their sins against their Neighbour which he sets down in two things want of Truth want of Mercy There is no truth nor mercy in the land ver 1. Righteousnesse is there understood for truth by a Synecdoche There is no truth that is there is no righteousnesse and justice in the land and by mercy is understood bountifulnesse and liberality to those that are in misery this also was not to be found in the land though there were many objects of mercy yet there were none that would put on bowels of mercy 2. He chargeth them with their sins against God and the first and leading sin is their Ignorance of God there is no knowledge of God in the Land in this sixth verse the Prophet aggravateth this sin of theirs shewing that ignorance is the cause of their destruction My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge In the words there are three things to be observed 1. The persons of whom the Lord speaks his own people not strangers but his people that were in covenant with him not of his elect people neither but of those that were his people in outward profession My people whether it be referred to God or to the Prophet some make a question but whether that affix meus be referred to God or to the Prophet an opposition is here and elswhere made to other people that were not Gods people and had not the Prophets for their Monitors This word my signifies propriety
equivalent with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies as much coming of Shaga which signifies to sin through ignorance as the Learned note I will instance in some particular sins and thereby you will see ignorance to be a mother-sin 1. It is the root of pride De ignorantia venit superbia Bern. in Cantic Ignorance of God and of a mans self puffeth up the heart with pride he that is wise in conceit is a fool in proof the more we know God the more humble shall we be in his presence and the more we know our selves the more vile shall we be in our own eyes when men are proud it is either because they know nothing of God at all or know nothing of him in a saving way not knowing him as they ought to know the more ignorant a man is of God the more doth pride prevail upon him now Ignorance being the root of pride it must be the chief cause of destruction to a people for pride goes before destruction saith the wise man Proverbs 16.18 2 Ignorance is the cause of Rebellion against God to this purpose the Lord complains of his people I have nourisht and brought up children and they have rebelled against me and the reason of their rebellion against God is their ignorance of him the Oxe Isai 1.2 3. saith he knoweth his owner and the asse his Masters crib but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider Thus when Moses cometh with a message from God to Pharaoh thus saith the Lord Let my people go that they may serve me Pharaoh said Who is the Lord Exod. 5.2 that I should obey his voice c. I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel go Ignorance is the root of disobedience this sin was that which brought swift destruction upon Pharaoh and his people 1 Pet. 1.14 15. when Peter would have men like obedient children he bids them not fashion themselves according to the former lusts of their Ignorance 3. Ignorance is the root of persecution 1. It makes men persecute Christ himself when Christ called to Saul from heaven as he was persecuting and making havock of the Church Saul Saul why persecutest thou me like one wholly ignorant of Christ he said Who art thou Lord Acts 9.5 the Lord answered I am Jesus whom thou persecutest It is said by the Apostles Act. 2.17 1 Cor. 2.8 that none of the Princes of this world knew Christ for had they known they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory Object But it may be said from Matth. 21.38 that they did know who Christ was when they saw the Son they said among themselves This is the heir come let us kill him and let us seize on his inheritance and they caught him and cast him out of the vineyard and slew him in this place it is evident that they did know him and in the other place that they did not know him for they would not have crucified him if they had known him how shall these places be reconciled Resp They did know him in regard of the reality of the thing but they had not an effectual knowledge able to change their minds and affections that were set to crucifie the Lord of Glory thus people that have the means of knowledge may be said to be ignorant First In regard they may have a general knowledge and yet be ignorant in the particular application of what they know Secondly in regard they may have a particular knowledge and yet be ignorant in regard of an effectual knowledge and this kinde of ignorance is a destroying sin a man may know what is to be done and in particular that such a thing is to be done and yet this knowledge is uneffectual if it change not the will and affections to yield obedience and so it is no better then ignorance 1 Joh. 2.4 1 Sam. 2.12 He that saith he knoweth God and keepeth not his commandements is a lyar the sons of Eli were sons of Belial and it is said of them They knew not the Lord though they were the Priests of the Lord whose lips should preserve knowledge Malachi 2.7 And as ignorance makes men persecute Christ himself so it makes them persecutors of the faithful messengers and members of Christ Ignorant men love not their teachers that be eyes to guide them seers to go before though they stand in danger of their own lives to save theirs and if the seers were once out of the way into what errour would not the blinde multitude suddenly fall were there no faithfull Ministers to lead them or speak to the people from God they could not chuse but fall to every sinne against God our Saviour tells his Disciples a little before his departure out of this world If they have persecuted me they will also persecute you Joh. 15.21 but all these things they will do unto you for my names sake the reason followeth because they know not him that sent me and he tells them further that they should put them out of the Synagogues yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doth God service and gives the reason of it These things will they do unto you because they have not known the Father nor me John 16.2 3. Psal 14.4 Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge who eat up my people as bread the Prophet Hosea sheweth Psal 74.20 where there is no knowledge of God in the land there is no truth nor mercy in the land the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty that is of cruell men men that have no true knowledge of God among them are ready to act ay manner of cruelty against the people of God 4. Ignorance is the cause of Idolatry the Prophet Isaiah shewing the dotage of idolaters he sets it down thus Isai 44.17.18 he falleth down to his graven image and worshippeth it and prayeth unto it and saith deliver me for thou art my God then he sheweth the root of it to be their blockish ignorance they have not known nor understood Ignorance of the true God makes men adore any fantasticall deity Ignorant men like bruit beasts are ready to run into any sin and danger Reas 2 Because ignorance is the breach of Gods Commandments and especially the first Commandment mandment he that is ignorant of God is so farre from worshipping God as he ought to be worshipped that he is an enemy to God an ignorant man walkes in darknesse and he that goes in the dark is apt to stumble at every stone and fall into every ditch he that knowes not the way to life must needs walk in the way that goes down to the chambers of death he that is ignorant of him who is the Way will soon wander in a wildernesse where there is no way where there is no plain and beaten path an ignorant man runs out of Gods way viz. the way of his
this running after Sermons and reading and studying of the Scriptures if we can but say our Belief and the Lords Prayer and the ten Commandements we know as much as we need to know and as much as all the preachers of the world can tell us and we know and are told that if we can but love God with all our hearts and our neighbours as our selves it is enough and this we are instructed in and what need we to know any more Resp If a man should speak of any Art or Science in the world and should discourse of the great skill and long experience that is requisite to make a man a proficient in this or that Science and another man that standeth by should say tush it is nothing but to go and do such a thing would not such a person be an object of derision to those that should hear him for it is not unknown though this or that be the summe of every Art and Trade yet in every Science there are some particular mysteries which are not so quickly learnt and put in practice which a man must understand before he can be an ingenious Artist if he have not skill in such a mystery his labour will be without successe as his undertaking was rash and inconsiderate so in the businesse of Religion we must be acquainted with the mysteries of godlinesse there are profunda Dei Spiritus the deep things of God and of the Spirit and though to love God with all our heart and to love our neighbour as our selves be the summe of the moral precepts yet it is necessary that we have a more particular knowledge then the knowledge of these generals that we know the particular branches of the mystery of godlinesse without which we shall neither love God with all the heart nor our neighbour as we ought if thou wilt learn a trade thou must first understand the rules and principles of it and every particular branch belonging to every mystery so if thou wilt have any understanding in the mystery of Christ thou must be acquainted with the rules and grounds of spiritual understanding 2 Pet. 1.8 so thou shalt neither be barren nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of Christ Object 6 Some are ready further to object that God is not easily known the Scripture tells us that no man hath seen God at any time John 1.18 and no man hath seen him nor can see him and God is often said in Scripture to hide his face how then can he be known by such poor creatures as we are Resp We cannot know Gods Essence here in respect of the manner of his being thus no man hath seen him at any time or can see him for when Moses desired God to shew him the fulnesse of his glorious Majesty God tels him the granting his request would be very hurtful to him Exod. 33.10 for saith he there shall no man see me and live the weaknesse of mans fraile nature cannot bear the infinite glory of the divine presence but is swallowed up with the transcendent lustre of the heavenly Majesty even as we see the sight of the eye to be dazzeled with the brightnesse of the Sunne shining in his strength or a Chrystall glasse to be broken in pieces with the strong operation of the fire but yet there is much of God that may be seen and known as the Lord tels Moses Exod. 33.22 I will put thee saith he in the cleft of a rock and I will cover thee with my hand when I passe by after I will take away my hand and thou shalt see my back-parts but my face shall not be seen where God speaks to us of himself as of a man having face and back shewing us hereby that it is impossible for any man in this mortality to know the nature and being of the most high We know God here but in part like the sight of a man in transitu as he passeth along by us whose face we discern not whose back-parts onely we do behold the more exact knowledge of him is reserved for that time 1 Joh 3.2 when being changed into his likenesse we shall see him as he is even face to face but yet much of God may be seen and known in this life which he calleth his back parts his wisdom goodnesse mercy grace his long-suffering his faithfulnesse and truth his slownesse to anger being provoked daily by the sins of men his readinesse to pardon iniquity transgression and sin these back-parts of Jehovah are clearly revealed in the word And when God is said in Scripture to hide his face from his people it is not that we should not see him but that we should the more earnestly seek after him the Lord is willing to be known unto any that have a mind to know him God takes no delight in hiding himself from us but is willing to open and manifest himself to us God stands not upon State as some great Princes do that seldom shew themselves but think their presence and converse lesseneth their respect the more we know man the more we shall understand his errours and imperfections as well as his excellencies but the more we know God the more we shall â—dmire him none admire him so much as the holy Angels that see most of him Matth. 18.10 that alwayes behold the face of our Father which is â—n heaven therefore the Lord hides not himself as though he were unwilling to be known but he desireth to be known by us â—e bids us seek his face therefore if we do â—ot know the Lord the cause is not in God but in our selves that we are not willing to know him nor desirous of his acquaintance Object 7 Ignorant persons are ready further to object and say What though we be ignorant yet God is a mercifull God and his mercie is over all his works and therefore we hope to find mercy from God notwithstanding he that made us will surely save us Resp Let such poor souls see what the Prophet Isaias saith to them Isai 27.11 It is a people of no understanding therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them and he that formed them will shew them no favour if thou art ignorant under the means of knowledge thou art wilfully ignorant therefore he that made thee will not save thee c. God will not be mercifull to men because they are ignorant what then will he do to them Prov. 30.31 you may read it at large Prov. 1. For that they hated knowledge and did not chuse the feare of the Lord they would none of my counsell they despised all my reproof therefore shall they eat the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices But they are ready farther to say Christ dyed and we hope to have some benefit by the death of Jesus Christ for he came into the world to save sinners I answer No. You are like to have no