slender vintage which I here offer to you not so much to feed your appetite as to quicken it but where power is wanting I humbly in treat that a sincere affection may make the supply and if by this tender of mine you may receive any little benefit I shall crave this recompense of you That you would be earnest with God in my behalfe to make me faithful and profitable in my function to the end of my dayes The value of Paper-presents is but small and the lesse to be esteemed of by how much this Age of ours hath made the number of Books to be the purgation of distempered braines I beg this favour of you To have this little piece of coine laid up in your closets as an acknowledgement of a greater obligation and if after your many weighty and publique affaires you shall sometimes look into this book I hope you may meet with some passages therein that may yield you some content and further your growth in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ And leaving this Manual with you as a testimony of that respect which your Worships many wayes challenge from me I remain Your Worships in all respective Services to be commanded W. G. TO THE READER THese are dayes that abound in the means of saving knowledge but few partake of it the most like brutes do altogether neglect it others seek after it but not as for Gold and many there be that preferre childish toyes and trifling knowledge before that wisdom that is from above A natural man is apt to affect things more or lesse according to the sense and understanding that he hath of them now a natural man cannot understand the things of the spirit therefore he cannot truly affect them the excellent knowledge of Christ the glorious priviledges of the Gospel are things transcending all created understanding the love of Christ is a love that passeth knowledge Ephs 3.19 saith the Apostle the Peace of God a peace that passeth all understanding Phil. 4.7 communion with God in the Spirit and joy in the Holy Ghost these are things that even the understanding of a spitual man cannot reach unto but a natural man is in darkenesse and altogether blinde towards them Faith is the evidence of things not seen it discovereth to a believing soul things invisible A carnal man wanteth faith therefore when the glorious excellencies of the Gospel are presented before him he wanteth an evidence to discover these things unto him visible things being presented are to be seen with bodily eyes but spiritual and invisible things cannot be seen by those that want the eye of Faith Joh. 9.39 For judgement I am come into the world saith our Saviour that they which see not may see and they that see may be made blind As to the humble soul he sets up a light within enabling it with Moses to see him that is invisible but on the contrary he leaves them in their natural blindnesse who are wise in their own conceits It is the complaint of Solomon Prov. 17.16 Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom seeing he hath no heart to it There is a rich price in hand much means of knowledge by Preaching Expounding Writing Catechising the things of God excellently and clearly set out to us but all this while this price is in the hand of a fool one who though worldly wise yet wanteth the light of the Spirit to direct him to true happinesse and to shew him the worth of Heavenly things and thereupon it followeth that he hath no heart to it A similitude taken from a Man that is going to a Town or City where there is some great Mart or Faire with money in his hand to buy Commodities but for want of judgement he passeth by the most advantagious Commodities being ignorant of the goodnesse and profitablenesse of them and throwes away his money upon toyes and trifles that are of no advantage to him So there is a price put into the hands of the sonnes of men to get Heavenly Wisdom but the carnal worldling remaines a starke foole he cannot see into the excellency of Heavenly things and thereupon hath no heart to them but passeth by them and embraceth a thing of nought instead of them God is to be sought above all and may be found of all that will seek after him and take any paines to know him but the greatest part of the World have not a minde to know him Hos 6.3 and therefore doe not follow on to know him When man will not use those helpes that God hath left him to search after the saving knowledge of God God justly suffereth him to fall into divers opinions and grosse conceits which shut him up in the bottome of a stinking Dungeon where he findeth nothing but ignorance errour and irkesome uncertainties as filthy vermine creeping round about him where the darknesse of ignorance fills the minde the Prince of darkenesse fills the heart The Sepia or Cuttle-fish saith Tertullian Tertull. contr Marcion when he is in danger to be taken casteth about him a black inkie matter wherewith he darkneth the water that the Fishermen cannot see him So many people do seek to compasse themselves with the darke cloudes of ignorance to hide themselves and their wicked practises which would appeare to be very odious should they come to be viewed and surveyed by the light of the Word And for many others that are a little enlightned they professe wisdome but they practise folly and so their knowledge is no better than ignorance But he that hath had experience of the freenesse of Gods grace and the riches of his mercy that hath felt the lively workings of the Spirit of God upon his heart that man hath an experimentall knowledge of God and this is after a sort to eat of the Tree of Life the more acquaintance he hath with God the more he desireth and beggeth acquaintance with him though every hour he give him a fresh taste of his goodnesse yet he ever findeth a new and most pleasant sweetnesse in it the more knowledge a man hath of God the more he knoweth his own duty towards him and he that savingly knoweth God dareth not either neglect his duty or do it decitfully he that hath made proof of Gods goodnesse dareth not make triall of evil he knoweth if he should he should do it to his cost What man can reckon himself a Christian that is ignorant of God without the knowledge of God all that we do is but in a customary or uncertain way hereby we know whom we serve and the great advantages we shall reape by his Service and are sensible of our estate in Grace measuring Gods gracious presence with us or his absence and with-drawings from us and our own strength and weaknesse it is the earnest of our Heavenly Inheritance the first fruites of the Beatifick Vision 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 obscure 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. 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 they are called Gods people 1. Because God had called them to be his peculiar people from all people of the earth Amos 3. ◠and the Lord had entred into covenant with them to become their God c. 2. They had the Word and Sacraments and sacrifices among them and to them were committed the Oracles of God they and they only had the knowledge of the true God among them Rom. 3.2 3. Of them came many holy Prophets and Patriarchs that were men in great favour with the Lord. 4. The Lord wrought many signs wonders and miracles among them 5. They had many visions prophesies dreams and revelations from God 6. The Messiah was promised to descend of that Nation and in particular of the Tribe of Judah These were the priviledges of the people of God which
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 knoweldge is no hinderance of but a help to faith 1 Joh. 4.8 Visus est prima amoris linea Quisquis te cognoscit amat te plus quà m se venit ad te ut gaudeat de re Hinc est Domine ut non tantum diligo quantum debeo quia non plenè cognosco te quia parum cognosco parum diligo as Stephens faith was not any whit lessened but rather helped by his sight 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 be 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 cahibet superbiae 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 know 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 how 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 eye is clear and quick-sighted the body is well guided so where the understanding and reason and judgement is rightly informed there the soule is well ordered otherwise there is nothing but disorder and confusion True knowledg will direct thy choyce to forsake the bad and follow the good to leave earthly things Eccles 9.15 Eccles 10.6 and cleave to heavenly Wisdome is Profitable to direct saith Solomon even as light directeth him in his way the knowledge of God in a saving way will make thee not to place happinesse in pleasing thy humour with the ancient Philosophers but it will make thee content with Paul to give over all to gain Christ Prov. 15.22 true
in token of honour done to them for their wisdom for that cause Pharaoh put a Golden chain about the neck of Joseph and the like did King Belshazzar unto Daniel Dan. 5.29 who was so Renowned for his wisdom that in those dayes none were esteemed wiser than he therefore the Lord upbraideth the Prince of Tyrus Ezek. 28.3 that was pufft up with the conceit of wisdom Behold thou art wiser than Daniel that is thou thinkest thy self wiser than Daniel there is no secret they can hide from thee How amiable was Solomon for his wisdom when the Queen of Sheba came from a far Country to hear it and when she had seen it said 1 Kings 10.8 Happy are thy men happy are these thy servants which stand continually before thee and that hear thy wisdom now those that are filled with heavenly wisdom and knowledge they wear more beautiful and glorious ornaments than all the golden Chains in the World As a clear quick and piercing eye is a great beauty and ornament of the face of man so a clear apprehension a sharpe inspection and a sound judgement in the things of God is the highest and most becoming ornament of a Christian soul 7. Knowledge fits a man for high and eminent Employments the best and wisest men are to be chosen to the highest places thus upon the Tree that Nebuchadnezzar saw the birds are upon the boughes the beasts below at the root that is in a kingdom and common-wealth men of worth and wisdom are to be placed above in Authority to bear Rule and others of meaner reach are to hold meaner places and to be ruled and kept in obedience and subjection for Solomon tells us where and when it is otherwise there is a great confusion Prov. 26.8 As he that bindeth a stone in a sling so is he that gives honour to a fool the ordinary Translation is As he that putteth a stone or ae precious stone in a heap of stones so is he that giveth glory to a fool The vulgar Latine is Sicut qui mittit lapidem in Acervum Mercurii it a qui tribuit honorem insipienti As he that putteth a stone to an heap of Mercury c. Lyra expounds it two wayes and the first methinks very much strained telling us that it 's a metaphor taken from such as cast accompts whereof Mercury was the God among the superstitious Gentiles now as in casting of accomps wherein they anciently used little stones the same stone sometimes lay for a penny and sometime for many pounds and yet the value was the same his place being altered So many times a fool by favour and friendship is exalted and advanced to high place much beyond his desert Another exposition he gives us saying that as he that putteth a stone to an heap of mercury that is to build him a Temple and so set up idolatry so is he that conferreth honour upon a fool He confesseth also that the words in the Original tongue may have another sense thus ut qui mittit lapidem in palmam fundae as he that patteth a stone into the hand of a sling so is he that gives honour to a fool And so reads Junius and Tremellius ut qui applicat lapidem Balistae it a qui praebet stolido honorem and the Hebrew word Margemah coming of Ragam lapidare or lapidibus obruere to strike or kill with stones as Pagnine tells us will bear both and signifieth either an heap of stones or a sling to hurle stones with and taking the words in the last sense Solomons meaning may be this As he that putteth a stone in a sling and hurleth it forceth it upward violently which would and should of it self go downward naturally so he that advanceeth a fool to honour committeth a soloecisme in nature setting him above in authority to rule others whose proper place is to be beneath in subjection to be ruled of others Knowing and understanding men are fittest for places of rule and government therefore Pharaoh advanced Joseph to high honour For asmuch saith he as there is none so discreet and wise as thou art thou shalt be over my house and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled Genes 41.39 40. And now before I give directions to get knowledge I must remove divers objections thrown in my way or rather in their own way by ignorant wretches for many sottish people are apt to frame many objections against their getting of knowledge Object 1. Many poor soules are apt to object and say I am simple and ignorant and am not book-learned I cannot read and I am blockish dull of apprehension and the like how then can I understand the knowledge of the Lord or the mind of God revealed in his Word Resp It is a very bad thing not to be book-learned as you say c. but there are three things in answer to this objection of ignorant men that say they cannot understand 1. Poor soules they say they cannot get this knowledge but the reason is because they will not now that they will not get holy knowledge is evident although they cannot learn the knowledge of God they can learn other things that are evill and vain fast enough My people is foolish they have not known me saith the Lord they are sottish children they have no understanding what altogether voyd of understanding no Ierem. 4.22 they are wise to doe evill but to do good they have no knowledge now this proceedeth from the evill frame and corruption of their hearts the wisdome of the flesh assisteth them in doing the works of the flesh and in counter-working the working of the Spirit and our Saviour saith Luke 16.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light they are not absolutely more wise and sagacious then the children of light in every respect but wiser in their kind of wisdom and in some respect wiser for the world and for worldly advantages they can order all their outward affaires with much discretion they have strange inventions to hook in a good bargain they observe the fittest times of taking in and putting off commodities to the most advantage they are given to oppression engrossings fraud and cozenage and yet so cunning they are that they keep themselves out of the reach of the Law Now if men would employ their wisdom and diligence in getting spiritual knowledge as they lay out about the world they might not only be wise for the world but wise to salvation also 2. What thought you are simple and unlearned yet God calleth upon such to turn unto him Prov. 1.20.22 23. Wisdom crieth without she uttereth her voyce in the streets c. saying How long ye simple ones will ye love simplicity and the scorners delight in their scorning and fooles hate knowledge turn you at my reproof behold I will poure out
Kings yet he prayeth to God for a wise and an understanding heart 1 Kings 3.9 that he might discern between good and bad David was no Novice in Christs School or mean Proficient in the study or practise of Piety he was surely a man of much knowledge and had many excellent natural parts which doubtlesse he augmented by art being added unto them and improved both by many years study and industry nay which was more he was doubtlesse endowed with a great measure of grace from above for he confesseth and thankfully acknowledgeth that he had more understanding than his teachers and out-stripped all the Ancients Psal 119.99 100. yet even he thus excellently qualified by nature and art yea even as it were perfected by grace still prayeth for direction and instruction in the wayes of God Psal 119.27 33 34 35 36 64 66 73. That we can attain to no perfection of knowledge here in this life many places might easily be produced plainly to prove it to us 1 Cor. 13.9 We know in part and prophesie in part and verse 12. Now we see through a glasse darkly as old men see through spectacles and Bernard saith that here we see per angusta foramina through narrow auger-holes non per aperta ostia and not through opened doors Peter tells us plainly 2 Pet 3.19 Theologia sive scientia intelligentia viatorum inchoata tantum modificata dicitur quoniam hominibus per modum mensuram datur Polan Synt. that his beloved brother Paul had written to the Jewes according to the wisdom given unto him Let us get as much knowledge as we can we may say as Job doth Lo these are parts of his wayes but how little a portion is heard of him and the thunder of his power who can understand Job 26.14 Therefore labour to be filled with the knowledge of God It is said of our Saviour Christ that he was filled with wisdom Luk. 2.40 and the child grew and waxed strong in spirit and was filled with wisdom and the grace of God was with him as he grew in age so he increased in understanding and the other gifts of the mind If any shall say he was wisdom it self Joh. 1.14 and Col. 3. and how then could he be said to increase in wisdom and knowledge I answer There was in him a double wisdom vid. his uncreated wisdom quatenus deus as God and his infused wisdom quatenus homo as man Now to the first there could be no addition or augmentation he being even perfect wisdom it self but in regard of the second he increased in sapientiâ naturali acquisitâ in natural and acquired wisdom in natural wisdom the organs of his body growing apt to exercise it and expresse it and in acquired wisdom getting daily by observation more experience of things and it is most certain as man he was in his infancy ignorant as other children are and grew in knowledge in the same manner they do though in an extraordinary measure the more therefore you encrease in knowledge the more you are like to Christ the store-house of wisdom and knowledg Dan. 22.4 It was prophesied by Daniel concerning the latter days that many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be encreased Direct 5 See that you communicate your knowledge unto others ' The ends of men that desire knowledge and use means to obtain it are divers saith one Some desire knowledge only that they may know which is curiosity some desire knowled that that they may be known which is pride and vanity Some only to make an advantage of their knowledg which is covetousnesse Some again to edifie themselves and to communicate their knowledg and to do good to others and this is true wisdom Bernard Luke 11.33 No man when he hath lighted a candle putteth it in a secret place neither under a bushel but on a candlestick that they which come in may see the light the maning is whomsoever God hath enlightened with knowledge he must not make a Monopoly of it by concealing and keeping it only to himself but impart it to the use and benefit of others 1 Cor. 12.7 thus Paul tells us that the manifestation of the spirit is given to every one to profit withall The Sun and Moon and Starres as they are the greatest lights in themselves so they shine not for themselves but for the benefit of the whole world on whom doth not his light arise Job 25. many men do bear the generall knowledge of God lockt up in their breasts as sealed bags of treasures that be neither told nor opened of little or no use at all As a candle is luminis sui diffusivum communcativum omnibus in domo communicative of its light to all that are in the house so we ought to communicate our knowledge to all with whom we have to do some there are whom worldly profits do keep from this duty these do put this light under a bushell others are hindred by pleasure and vanity Matth. 25.18.24 and these put it under a bed and both are very dangerous Take heed of smoothering your gifts and burying your talents with the unprofitable servant Plato the Philosopher tells us that no man is born for himself and surely such as retire themselves to Monkish Eremetical and Anchorites lives altogether regarding only themselves are reproved of the bruit creatures for Beasts Birds and Bees labour not for themselves alone we find in Scripture this holy disposition in all true converts to teach and instruct others in the ways of godlinesse when Andrew had found Christ he was restless till he had called Simon neither could Philip forbear till he had brought in Nathanael when the woman of Samaria was instructed by Christ she runs into the City and calleth her neighbours when Christ had called Matthew he invited Christ to his house and made him a great Feast and there were saith the Text a great company of Publicans and others Luke 5 29. it is not to be imagined that they came into his house without his leave or that Matthew invited them with any other intent then that they might get that good by Christ which his soul had already reaped Some allegorize hereupon and say that it was a great Feast indeed because the Feast-maker himself was here served in and laboured to bring others unto Christ now with the very reversion of this Feast not only the needy on earth but the very Angels in heaven were made merry Luke 15.7 But I dare not strain it thus farre with Stella It was a great Feast saith Calvin not so much for the multitude of guests as for the variety of cheer which doubtlesse he being of ability would provide to manifest his love and duty by way of thankfulnesse to Christ that had entertained him into his service as the manner is of servants inviting their Masters to this Feast he inviteth many of his old companions labouring
cannot receive good 1. Without knowledge a man cannot receive Jesus Christ God first shineth into the heart with the light of knowledge before Jesus Christ can be received by the hand of faith though Jesus Christ when he was upon earth spake as never man spake his preaching being with power and authority and not like that of the Scribes yet multitudes of his hearers could not receive him till the eyes of their understanding were opened 2. Without knowledge a man cannot receive the Spirit of God John 14.17 our Saviour saith That the world cannot receive the Spirit of truth because it seeth him not neither knoweth him many men make a mock and scorn of the Spirit of God because they do not know him the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse to him neither can he know them 1 Cor. 2.14 because they are spiritually discerned A natural man may hear of spiritual things but cannot be in a capacity of receiving them till he come to understand and to know them They are riddles to a natural man as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive the things that God hath prepared for them that love him he speaks there of the things of the Gospel but saith he God hath revealed them to us by his spirit and we have the mind of Christ vers ult A natural and ignorant man is like a corrupt stomach where no meat will digest or nourish it doth him no good it turneth to no good nutriment so it is with an ignorant soul the spiritual things of God do him no good they digest not in his soul they nourish him not because he is full of darknesse corruption and ignorance 4. Without the knowledge of God we can have no communion and fellowship with him God is light and the ignorant man is darknesse 2 Cor. 6.14 and what communion hath light with darknesse God is light and in him there is no darknesse and while thou art in the dark dungeon of ignorance thou canst not converse with the Father of Lights A natural man is a blind man he cannot see nor discern spiritual things God takes no delight in such blind fools If you delight your selves in ignorance and are unwilling to be taught as many children and servants are how can you have any communion with God that know him not It is true as a judicious Divine observeth Mr. Cotton on John there are many that desire knowledge and cannot attain it and of such saith he God will either accept their desires or give them knowledge but such as please themselves with their ignorance they have no communion with God but are sealed up unto damnation If a man walketh in darkness and saith he hath fellowship with God he is a liar A man can have no communion with God in the spirit nor in his ordinances nor in any thing as his without the knowledge of God for while he liveth in the darknesse of ignorance he is without God in the world 5. Col. 1.13 Without the knowledge of God men are still under the power of Satan the Prince of darknesse They are said to be under the power of darknesse i. e. of ignorance and they that are under the power of darknesse are under the power of this Black Prince the Devil himself is bound in everlasting chains under darknesse and he bindeth sinners with the chains of darknesse the darknesse of ignorance and holds them under his power Acts 26.18 therefore when a sinner is converted unto God he is delivered from the power of Satan being turned from darknesse to light and being made a meet partaker of the inheritance of of the Saints in light he is delivered from the power of darknesse Most men while they are under Satans power they are held with this chain where ever an ignorant man goes he goes like a fettered prisoner with his Keeper at his back let him go to the Congregation to hear the word there Satan either stops his ears or blinds his eys or else choaks and steals away the good seed of the word out of his heart Those that are without the acknowledgment of the truth they are taken captive 2 Tim. 2.26 Eph. 6.12 or taken alive by him in his snare and wicked spirits are said to be the Rulers of the darknesse of this world Oh tremble then thou ignorant wretch to think to whom thou art in bondage 6. While thou art ignorant wanting the knowledge of God thou art in subjection to every base lust Paul speaking of the unregenerate State Tit. 3.3 1 Pet. 1.14 describeth it thus At that time we were foolish and disobedient serving divers lusts and pleasures Fashion not your selves saith Peter according to the former lusts in your ignorance An ignorant man knoweth not what is good and what is evil and often putteth good for evil Isai 5.20 Prov. 14.12 and evil for good putteth darknesse for light and light for darknesse now the will and affections do for the most part follow the understanding in things that are good I say for the most part because the will and affections are sometimes more depraved then the understanding and in evill things the will and affections do altogether follow the understanding now the understanding being darkned and putting evill for good and good for evill how can it be but a cause of divers lusts making the soule to serve divers lusts and pleasures Ambition Pride Passion Drunkennesse Revenge Every sin and lust will command them so long as they are without the true knowledge of God this is a miserable slavery to be led by their lusts if they had eyes to see it one lust hurries them one way and another hurries them another way where there is the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and vertue 2 Pet. 1.3 4. such have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust there is no escaping the pollutions and defilements of sin and lust but by the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 7. Ignorance makes a man like a beast A man without knowledge is like Nebuchadnezzar who had the heart of a beast in the shape of a man an ignorant man hath the head and heart of a beast an ignorant man is a very beast For what difference between a man and a beast A beast hath eyes ears legs as well as a man seeth heareth goeth smelleth tasteth Keckerm Physick 1. as well as a man can do nay many beasts can doe these things better then a man can doe a man then differeth only from a beast in understanding and discourse Therefore saith God to his people Be not as the horse or mule Psal 32.9 Mule nihil sentis Epigram 14.1 that hath no understanding as the Poet calleth an ignorant man a sottish man yea a sottish
my spirit upon you I will make known my words unto you wisdom calleth upon simple ones to leave their simplicity with great affection he seemeth to bewaile mens simplicity and kindly invites them to repentance you have continued too long in your folly and simplicity Gerunt secum noctem suam i.e. non tantum consuetudinem peccandi sed ctiam amorem peccati Aust in Psal 5. it is high time now to think of returning to the wayes of wisdome it is a great weaknesse for a man to be simple but to be in love with simplcity is egregious madnesse it is the worst of evills to be in love with folly hearken therefore to wisdomes call give eare to his reproof and turn in to the Lord Jesus Christ who is this wisdome here meant and he hath promised to poure his spirit upon you and to make known his words unto you and then you shall be filled with all true wisdome and spiritual understanding here then is Gods promise to the simple and unlearned mark what David saith the testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple Psal 19 7. the Lord not only gives wisdome but subtilty to the simple to the young man knowledge Prov. 1.4 and discretion yong men of all other are most rash and heady and very unteachable yet the Lord gives subtilty to the simple and to the young man knowledge and discretion It was written over Pythagoras School-dore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let no man ignorant of Geometry enter but the Lord calleth upon ignorant persons upon babes and little children to come to his Schoole and be instructed in the doctrine of the beginning of Christ the simplest that cometh to the Schoole of Christ learneth wisdom at his very first entrance there the entrance of thy words saith David giveth light Psal 119.140 it giveth understanding to the simple 3. Consider that many simple ones have attained to a great measure of knowledge who more simple then babes and little children yet to such John writeth 1 John 2.13 Basil Epist 75. ad Neocaesan I write unto you babes because you have known the Father It did not a little move our Saviour when they forbad little children to be brought unto him and when the chief Priests and Scribes took it ill that the children cryed out after Christ Hosannah thou Son of Dvid Mat. 21.15 1 Sam. 3.7 he told them it was written Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou perfected praise though young Samuel knew not God when he first called him yet from that time forwards he knew him 2 Chron. 34.3 Josiah began to seek after the God of his Father when he was but young and Paul commendeth Timothy that from a child he had known the holy Scriptures which were able to make him wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 It is the good will and pleasure of our heavenly Father to hide heavenly mysteries from worldly wise men and those that are wise in their own eyes Matth. 11.25 Just Mart. Apol. 2. and to reveal them unto babes and many that have been but children in understanding when they have applyed their hearts to wisdome and enclined their ears their thoughts their desires their affections to wisdome they have attained to a great measure of heavenly knowledge Ruffin Eccles Hist lib. 1. cap. 3. when a Philosopher subtilly disputed against Christ in a great Councell a plain simple man to look to stands up and makes confession of his Faith We believe that Jesus Christ was incarnate c. O Philosopher saith he believest thou this The Philosopher was presently stricken with astonishment and said I could answer the Philosophers with reason but this man speaks so powerfully that I am not able to resist what he saith as it is said of the Libertines that disputed with Stephen Acts 6.10 they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he speake So even babes and simple ones shall rise up in judgement against many men at the last day when they shall appear before the tribunell of Christ even against those that despised instruction and hated knowledge and set at nought holy counsells when as poor simple and ignorant men have attained to abundance of knowledge therefore let not your simplicity keep you off from seeking after knowledge the Lord now calleth loud in your ears O ye simple ones Psal 94.8 understand O ye brutish among the people and ye fools when will ye be wise Wisdom cries O ye simple ones understand wisdom Prov. 8.10 11. and ye fools be ye of an understanding heart receive my lustruction and not silver and knowledg rather then choyce Gold for wisdom is better then rubies and all desirable things are not to be compared to it Object 2 Object Some will be ready further to object and saye We have lived many yeares some 30 some 40 some 50 some 60 yeares without preaching and without the meanes of knowledge and we find we are well enough and that there is no such great danger in ignorance as you would bear us in hand and we hope we shall do well enough for time to come without troubling our selves to get knowledge Resp 1 Resp Dost thou think that because thou hast as yet found no trouble in an ignorant and sinful way for many years past that thou shalt therefore never meet with any trouble at the last alas thou art much mistaken read one place of Scripture and think seriously of it and the Lord set it home on thy heart and then come and tell me what thou thinkest of such flattering and vain delusions of thy poor soul It shall come to passe that that man Deut. 29.19.20 21. when he heareth the words of this curse that he blesseth himself in his heart saying I shall have peace though I walk in the imagination of my heart to adde drunkennesse to thirst the Lord will not spare him but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousie shall smoake against that man and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven Deut. 29.19 20 21. and the Lord shall separate him unto evill out of all the Tribes of Israel according to all the curses of the Covenant that are written in this book of the Law Let ignorant and prophane wretches tremble at this Scripture who have lived in ignorance and prophanenesse for many years and let them take heed of blessing themselves in wayes of sin and ignorance for the Lord will make his anger and his jealousie to smoak against such persons at last Dost thou think thou shalt do well enough in the end thou art mistaken while thou art ignorant of God and his ways thou art a wicked wretch and God hath commanded his Prophets to denounce a woe against thee Isai 10.11 Say to the righteous it shall be well with him then
cloth is soonest stained and the finest wits are most subject to pride for as wormes sooner ingender in tender wood then in knotty and as mothes breed sooner in fine cloth than in course flocks so pride and vain glory do sooner assault a man of excellent parts and great knowledge then one of meaner gifts therefore pride may be said to be indengred of the ashes of all vertues Ministers should in a speciall manner take heed of pride their calling is high their gifts are or should be great and they are apt to grow proud of them and the devill hath great reason to bestirre himself to puffe them up with their knowledge for he knoweth 1. If pride overthrow them they fall not alone but like blazing starres draw tailes after them 2. Errores magni sine magnis ingeniis non nascantur Because it is a meanes to ingender heresie and schismes great errours doe never spring up without great wits and many men who seek not truth but triumph will rather then not be singular not be sound Omnes doctrinae impietatis de superbiae radice proveniunt August Man is lighter then vanity and made of the dust therefore a little wind will blow him high enough and though a man have never so much cause of abasement yet knowledge is apt to puffe and lift a man up more then the other will cast him down A man of great knowledge should not be like the Palm-tree whereof Pliny tells us Plin. nat hist lib. 16. cap 42. that the more weight is laid upon it the higher it riseth but like to the Canes that are full of Sugar the fuller they are the lower they stoop much grace and knowledge should not make a man more high but more humble yet notwithstanding there is a spirituall glorying in the knowledge of God that is lawfull a spirituall heart hath a spirituall glorying in the knowledge of the Lord bred in him by the Spirit of God Jerem. 9.23 24. of this the Prophet Jeremy speaks Let not the wise man glory in his wisdome let not the strong man glory in his strength let not the rich man glory in his riches but let him that gloryeth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth me that I am the Lord. When a man knoweth the Lord to be his God and portion and himself to be the Lords then may he glory in this excellent knowledge all other glorying is but vain Augustine writing upon the fourth Petition of the Lords Prayer August in Orat. Dominic tells us that the greatest Emperour in the world is a very begger in regard of God and we know that beggers must be no braggers wee are but Stewards and Stewards must not be stately we must not say of knowledge and the rest of our talents as the Atheists of their tongues Psal 12.4 that they be our own and that wee will use them or rather abuse them as we list what ever any body saith to the contrary this is a false plea and a flat Non-sequitur for we are but entrusted with them and must one day bee accountable for them wee must not therefore use them at our owne pleasure but according to our Masters appointment 3. Is thy spirit the candle of the Lord dost thou know God and his wayes then take heed of apostasy and back-sliding It is better not to have known the way of righteousnesse then after they have knowne to depart from the holy Commandement given unto them 2 Pet. 2.21 See that thy goodnesse be not as a morning cloud or early dew that soon passeth away It is not enough for a souldier to have skill to use his weapons and to make a faire flourish and gallant bravado and then runne away but he must double and treble his activity till he hath foiled his foe and possessed himselfe of the field It is not enough for a Saylour to be expert in the Art of Navigation to weigh his Anchors hoyse up his Sayles and go gallantly out but his skill appeares most in coming safe home againe So it is not enough to have some knowledge of Christ and to come to him Matth. 4.28 But we must abide in him John 8.31 and his word must abide in us then we shall be his disciples indeed In a word we must work till night in Gods Vineyard if we will have our penny for that 's not paid in the Morning but at Even Matth. 20.8 He that endureth to the end shall be saved Matth. 24.13 we must be faithfull to the death if we will have the Crowne of life Revel 2.10 Some enlightened persons are very forward professours at first Psal 70.57 but tire at last like the Asses of Armenia that go apace in the morning but grow dull before noon recoyling like a bad piece or deceitfull bow or like the foolish Galathians Gal. 3.3 beginning in the spirit and ending in the flesh It must not be with knowing Christians in the profession and practice of Religion as it was wont to be in the Jewes banquets to set forth their best wine first as our Saviour tells us John 2.10 whosoever are thus are no better then hypocrites and their motion forced and violent for that is still swift at first and slow at last A good Christian is best at last like the Church of Thyatira to whose commendation our Saviour Christ saith that he knew her works that they were moe at the last then at the first whosoever is not ever good and best at last was never truly good They that have been once enlightened and have tasted of the gifts of Gods Spirit Heb. 6.5 6. if they once fall away it is impossible or very difficult for them to be renewed againe by repentance FINIS
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 be 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 so 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. 4.6 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 Nicodemus a Ruler of the Jewes and no doubt a great Rabbi and well skilled in all humane learning yet cannot he understand the doctrine of regeneration and though our Saviour had told him of the necessity of it and illustrated 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. â—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 third cause is God himself and that in divers respects 1. When denieth men the means of knowledge as 1. The Word and outward Ministery Psal 19.8 thus they are said to sit in darknesse that are without the word Psal 1.9.105 and the means of knowledge the Commandment of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes the word is a lamp or candle to my feet and a light to my paths saith David and the Ministers of the word are called the light of the world Matth. 5.14 therefore where God denieth a people these outward lights the means of knowledge that people must needs fit in the dark dungeon of ignorance 2. By denying or not giving in the inward light of the Spirit Job 32.3 it is the inspiration of the Almighty
abrupt and imperfect speech unfolded it Filius unicus habilis adolescens ingenio pollens c. leaving out the verb which should have made all known and this is usuall as the Philosopher long since hath observed Light cares do speak Curae leves loquuntur ingentes stupent but great ones do stupify and astonish So here when our Saviour saith if thou even thou hadst known c. somewhat must be supplyed O daughter Sion and Jerusalem if thou knewest as well as I do what a wofull case thou standest in thou wouldest weep as well as I or if thou knewest who I were and what I offer thee thou wouldest willingly receive me and not wilfully and obstinately reject me yea thou wouldest obey my doctrine and so prevent thine own destruction And have not we as much cause to lament the great ignorance that is among our people at this day notwithstanding all the plentiful meanes that God hath vouchsafed unto us how many of our people are in the dark dungeon of ignorance and yet perceive it not True it is there is much weaknesse of understanding and dulnesse of apprehension in the best but multitudes of our people have not a mind to know the Lord Heb. 6.1 as it is 1 John 5.20 they do not follow on to know the Lord many know not the grounds of Religion and are ignorant of the doctrine of the beginning of Christ many of people mind nothing but the honours riches and pleasures of the world and these they follow after with all their might but they have no saving knowledge of God and living and dying without understanding become like the bruit beasts that perish And further many there are Psal 49.20 Tit. 1.16 that do professe they know God when in their works they do deny him this is a practical ignorance of such Jude speaks in what they know naturally Jude 10. as bruit beasts in those things they corrupt themselves their knowledge seemeth to be according to a natural light therefore they are said to know naturally but they act more like bruit beasts then like rational men and so in their actions do crosse their knowledge Though man hath more sublime rules of instruction then the light of nature to walk by and in this regard attaineth to higher and more transcendent knowledge then bruit beasts do that are led by a natural instinct Jer. 10.14 In scripturâ sacrâ illa ignorari censemur quae cognitae nullum nobis usum attulerunt quomodo dicimus illa non audire quibus non obedimus Sanctius yet he may be said to know even as a beast or to have but a bestial kind of knowledge as the Prophet speaks of such in his dayes man is bruitish in his knowledge when a mans knowledge ariseth ex principiis scientificis from certain principles and his actions are according to ignorance this is to be bruitish in knowledge I shall conclude this use with the words of the Apostle to the Corinthians awake to righteousnesse and sin not or awake righteously as the Greek hath it with all your might labour after righteousnesse 1 Cor. 15.34 for some have not the knowledge of God I speak this to your shame and may not this be spoken to the shame of most people and congregations that after such clear revelation of the mind of God in Scripture and such plentifull preaching of the word among them yet men should be so grossely ignorant of God and his truth many that for time and means they have had might have been teachers of others and yet themselves have need to be taught the first rudiments of Religion Vse 2 The second use is a use of consutation 1. It serves to confute and reprove the doctrine and practise of the Church of Rome Ignoratio Mysteriorum Ethnicorum est illorum veneratic Propterea Nocti creduntur mysteria Synesius Sed non ita in caelestibus mysteriis bearing the poor people in hand that ignorance is the mother of devotion and therefore perswade them that it is enough to have fidem implicitam an implicite faith and to believe as the Church believeth therefore they barre them from the use of the Scriptures either not suffering them to read them at all or at least with the Popes spectacles so that they may find nothing there but what he will have there in which dealing they tread up and down the steps of Herod who being an Idumean by birth yet having usurped upon the Kingdom of Jury and intruded himself into that place by colloguing with Augustus the Roman Emperour scraped together all the Genealogies of the Jewes from Abraham and burnt them lest any thing might there be found that might convince him of strange blood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vid. Causab exercit ib cap. 43. p. 550. and so in time prejudice himself or his posterity in the succession of that Crown and Kingdom so the Papists wheresoever their furies have prevailed have either burnt the holy Bibles in whole or mangled them in part putting in and puting out at their pleasures as hath best fitted their purposes not suffering the people to have them in their Mother-tongue lest by them as by a candle they might discover their bad dealings whereby they betray their cause and bewray the badnesse thereof to the world Non inter nos audiantur haec verba ego dico aut tu dicis sed sic dicit Dominus in Scripturis August John 5.39 because they will not abide the light and suffer the Scriptures to decide their doubts contrary to the practise of the ancient Fathers in the Primitive Church Augustine being to dispute with Petilian the Donatist saith thus let there not be heard among us these words I say this or thou sayest this but thus saith the Lord in the Scriptures Much stir do the Papists make to prove the people ought not to have the Scriptures in a known tongue and so not knowledge When we object to them that command of our Saviour Search the Scriptures and justly complain of their spirit contrary to Christs Dureus denies this to be spoken to all Christians for saith he How should the ignorant and unlearned search them we answer if Christ only had then spoken to the learned his exception had been just but Christ then preached to the whole people of the Jewes and if to all the Jewes then the same exhortation doth concern all Christians and both Jewes and Gentiles by the Scriptures must have the knowledge of Christ and of Eternal life therefore all must search the Scriptures Acts 17.11 When we urge that the Bereans searched the Scriptures whether those things were so Bellarmine answereth that was because they doubted whether he was an Apostle or no. But I answer the matter is not why they searched the Scriptures but that they did search them and are commended for it by the Holy Ghost that they compared his doctrine with the doctrine of the Prophets
lights to others therefore are they called the light of the world they are to give the knowledg of salvation to Gods people Mat. 5.14 Luke 1.77 as Zachary prophesied of John Baptist by giving of knowledge is not meant infusing of knowledge for this is proper to God alone but to give notice or make to understand so they are said to give knowledge instrumentalitèr organicè as they are said to give faith 1 Cor. 1.5 and to confirm men in the faith Acts 14.22 he that will draw disciples to Christ and prepare their hearts for him he must be acquainted with the Scriptures and able out of them to instruct his people in the knowledge of salvation Job 33.23 Ministers are Gods Embassadours and therefore must be able to treat of the affaires of the holy state they must be able to publish the secrets of the Gospel Isa 50.4 Eph. 6.19 they must have the tongue of the learned to know how to minister a word in season to a wearied soule his lips must preserve or be a store-house of knowledge and Elihu saith such a messenger or interpreter is but one of a thousand and Paul saith quis ad haec idoneus who is sufficient for these things not quisquis but quis Therefore the Holy Ghost at the Feast of Pentecost fell upon the Apostles in fiery cloven tongues Acts 2.3 In linguis in omni genere linguarum foecundi essent to furnish them with zeale and knowledge to instruct all Nations in tongues that they might be eloquent in all manner of tongues and in fiery tongues that they might be inflamed with zeal if Christ had only given his Apostles cloven tongues and not fiery tongues also then should they have been full of knowledge but voyd of zeale if fiery tongues only and not cloven they should have abounded with zeale but not according to knowledge Vt fervêr discretionem erigat discretio fervorem regat Bern. serm 23. in Cant. Pecoris ignorantia est pasteris ignominia Hieron but Christ who knew what was best in every respect sent down the spirit both in fiery and cloven tongues that they might have the tongue of the learned and shew themselves men of God perfectly instructed to every good work that their zeal might raise their discretion and discretion govern their zeal One saith that Luthers zeal and courage with Melancton's discretion joyned with Calvin's eloquence would make an excellent preacher Every Minister must be willing and able to teach for the ignorance of the flock is the reproach of the Pastor if it be his fault especially A Minister is to teach like a man of knowledge his mouth must speak of wisdom Psal 49.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he must warn and teach in all wisdom Col. 1.28 knowledge and much wisdom is requisite to a Minister 1. In the choyce of a fit matter a Minister must teach non inepta futilia not with philosophical speculations Jerem. 23.28 lying legends and frierly fables for what is Chaffe to the wheat saith the Lord his doctrine must be like fire full of light to dispell the darknesse of ignorance by enlightening the minds of his hearers with the saving knowledge of Gods truth and full of heat to enflame their affections with the zeal of Gods glory the word of God must onely be taught by him nec aliud 1 Tim. 3. nec aliter he must teach no other doctrine If we were to deal with the Heathen we might use humane testimony to convince them as Paul doth Acts 17 28. Titus 1.12 but yet sparingly The main scope of the ministery is to preach sound doctrine Scripturararum mamillas dum duriùs presserunt sanguinem pro lacte biberunt August and for this much knowledge is requisite for the right opening of the Scriptures that they may not mingle gold and drosse wheat and chaffe together of which dealing an Ancient saith of hereticks the harder they suckt and drew the breasts of the Scriptures the more they drunk down blood instead of milk 2. In respect of the manner of his preaching knowledga is requisite for 1. A Minister is not rashly to run upon the handling of holy things without deliberation and due premeditation and preparation his heart must be first enditing of a good matter before his tongue can be the Pen of a ready writer whether in Sermons Psal 45. disputations or the like A grave Divine said Deering Lect. 27. in Hebr. it were better men had neither tongues in their heads nor parts in their bodies then so boldly and busily many times to employ them in rash reasoning about Election Predestination and the sin against the Holy Ghost without serious confideration and mature deliberation and the second part of Arch-Bishop Cranmer's Preface before the Church-Bible is for the most part spent in reproving such persons so also the 37. injunction apointed to be publiquely read in Queen Elizabeths time for want of this wisdom and discretion men many times wrangle about what they understand not like two men meeting together the one would be of Doctor Martins and the other of Doctor Luthers opinion who were both one and the same 2. As the scope of the ministery is to preach the word purely Coeci Coecorum duces Matth. 14. so to apply it powerfully to the consciences of men therefore he must not be like Pope Bonifaces Priests no Clerks nor as our Saviour speaks of some that are blind leaders of the blind a Minister must sometimes be a Boanerges a son of thunder in denouncing the dreadful threatnings of the law against obstinate sinners and sometimes a Barnabas a son of consolation in pronouncing the sweet and comfortable promises of the Gospel to the broken hearted penitent he must be able likewise by sound doctrine both to exhort and convince gainsayers Tit. 19. Mark 12.34 he must be able to resolve doubts and to answer questions therefore our Saviour commended the Scribe for answering wisely or discreetly he must likewise deliver the word with authority and gravity now to all these purposes wisdom and much knowledge is requisite in a Minister of the word 3. Ministers are to teach manifestly and evidently God gave Pastors and Teachers to the edifying of the Church and to further it in the knowledge of God now how shall the hearer get knowledg when the Preacher teacheth obscurely he that prophesieth speaketh unto men 1 Cor. 14. the main work of the Teacher must be the profit of the hearer Jer. 3.15 I will give you Pastors after my own heart which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding what knowledge can a people reap if they are taught obscurely we read that when the Levites read in the book of the Law they caused the people to understand the Law Nehem. 8.7 8. and the people stood in their place so they read in the book of the Law of God distinctly and gave the sense and
be ignorant yet we mean well our heart is as good as the best and we hope that God will accept of our good meanings and intentions But how can men mean well when they know not how to do well Psal 51.6 then is the heart good when a man can say as David Lord thou hast taught or made me to know wisdom in the hidden part Prov. 2.10 or in the secret of my heart when this wisdome entreth into thy heart and knowledge is pleasant to thy soul as Salomon speaketh when thy heart is taught of God then it is good A man may have a good nature a good disposition good natural wisdome and knowledge but this is hateful to God if spiritual knowledge be wanting Rom. 8.7 the wisdome of the flesh is enmity to God and it is that which keeps a man off from yielding subjection to the Law of God A man cannot be good in any relation without knowledge A man cannot be a good husband without knowledge Peter exhorts husbands to dwell with their wives 1 Pet 3.7 according to knowledge Knowledge is required of all husbands and of all men before they be husbands because as soon as they have wives they are charged to shew their knowledge Husbands must set up the worship of God and the exercises of piety in their dwellings by instructing their wives and children in the things of God Josh 24.15 Deut. 6.7 and by talking and discoursing of Gods Word upon all occasions as also by praying together Jer. 10.25 Eph. 6 4. that so they may keep off the curse of God from them which shall fall upon them that know him not and the families that call not upon his Name A man cannot be a good Parent without knowledg Parents are required to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord how canst thou instruct thy children while thou thy self art ignorant of God and his word a man cannot be a good Master nor a good Christian without knowledge God who commanded light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts 2 Cor. 4.6 to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God c. saith the Apostle the first thing that God created in the world was light and the first thing he creates in the soul of the new creature is spiritual light and knowledge so then unlesse we have the light of heavenly knowledge in our hearts we cannot be good 2. Without knowledge we cannot do good Psal 36.3 Desiuit adhibere intelligentiam ad benè faciendum Junius Cadallehaskil lehetio Hebr. Noluit intelligere ut benè ageret Hieron David makes it an indelible Character of a wicked man to refuse knowledge he hath left off to understand and to do good Geneva he ceaseth to use his understanding to do well Junius he would not understand that he might do well saith Hierom upon Psal 36.3 under the. Law God rejected the blind sacrifices shewing how he contemneth blindnesse and ignorance in all those that will serve him Malach. 1.8 A good intention cannot make a good action if knowledge be wanting it is but a blind offering though done in obedience to Gods command As it is will-worship when things are done which are not commanded and men think by them to do God good service so likewise when men do Gods commands for sinister respects not knowing the force and ground of the command 1. Without knowledge a man cannot repent how can a man turn from sin unlesse he know the nature and danger of sin how can he turn to the Lord Hos 8.3 unlesse he know him When Israel turneth to the Lord he shall cry to the Lord My God we know thee saith the Prophet Hosea If you urge an ignorant man to turn from his sin and turn to the Lord he will answer as Pharaoh Who is the Lord I know not the Lord neither will I let my beloved lusts go how can a man repent till his conscience be touched and how can conscience accuse him without knowledge Knowledge is the effect of a good conscience and a good conscience like an haughty spirit scorneth to lie in the hovel of ignorance 2. A man cannot pray to the Lord without knowledge Ignoti nulla cupido Rom. 3.10 Joh. 4.10 3 Cor. 14.15 Alsted Theolog. Catechet there is none that understandeth that seeketh after God saith the Apostle If thou knewest saith Christ to the woman of Samaria thou wouldst have asked c. A man may say a prayer or read a prayer without true knowledge and the Lord regard them not but he cannot pray with the heart nor pray spiritually without true knowledge that prayer is right which is done in the spirit and with understanding Scientèr or at qui novit quem orat quid pro quo 3. VVithout knowledge a man cannot praise God for any mercy Psal 17.7 Sing ye praises with understanding saith the Psalmist therefore the Saints do honour God most with their praises and confessions because they know more of God and his goodnesse then others and can report higher things of him VVicked and ignorant men speak of God onely by hear-say but they that know him by intimate acquaintance and experience as the Queen of Sheba knew more of Salomons wisdome by his mouth then by his fame he that hath the most inward communion with God is able to render the more abundant praises to him 4. VVithout knowledge a man cannot be zealous for God and his glory there is a blind zeal like that of Popish votaries Phil. 3.61 there may be a zeal of God where there is no knowledge of God as the Apostle Paul speaks of himself before his conversion that he persecuted the Church out of zeal the like he speaks of his Countrey-men the Jews that they have a zeal of God Rom. 10.2 Zelus absque scientia quà vehementiùs irruit eò graviùs corruit Bernard but not according to knowledge It is good saith the Apostle alwayes to be zealously affected in a good matter Gal. 4.18 Now wisdome and knowledge are good guides to zeal to keep it within compasse that it run not out into fury in all pious actions let zeal be your spur but let knowledge and wisdome be your guide 5. A man cannot truly worship God without knowledge we must know him before we can worship him how can we reverence him whom we do not know we know what we worship Acts 17.23 saith our Saviour but as for all ignorant persons like the Samaritans they worship they know not what and if they do him any outward service they ignorantly worship the true God like the Athenians that set up an Altar to the unknown God this makes many persons to come into Gods presence and carry themselves so irreverently as they do because they do not know him Such as our knowledge is such is our worship of God 3. Without knowledge a man
vertues and medicinable uses thereof which the Apothecary knoweth knowledge is a necessary precedent to a reverent and high estimation of God and his word for to know the excellency of any thing is a good preparative to a due esteem thereof 10. Ignorance is an inlet into all errours It is a fruitfull mother of errour Praeteritae veniam dabit ignorautia culpae Ovid. Epist 19. An ignorant man is apt to be carried away 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with vain and empty words The Papists who would perswade the people they may be ignorant and a little or no knowledge is required of them give great occasion to us to suspect as if they meant to make a prey of them by seducing them with grosse errours for then saith Chrysostome thieves go to stealing when they have first put out the candle and in dark shops men use to utter their base and refuse wares It was ignorance of the doctrine of regenertion and of the Scriptures that made Nicodemus conceive that carnally that our Saviour spake spiritually Joh. 3.3 4. It was ignorance of the Scriptures that made the Sadduces make a mock and scoffe at the resurrection and afterwards to propound their question about a woman that had many Husbands Whose wife she should be in the resurrection Matth. 22.23 our Saviour tells them that ignorance was the cause of this their errour ye erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God verse 29. An ignorant man is a prey for every impostour and deceiver as Sampson was for the Philistines when his eyes were out Psal 95.10 If the blind lead the blind both fall into the ditch together It is a people saith God that do erre in their hearts and the reason is given they have not known my wayes An ignorant man is the very map of change and like children tossed to and fro with every wind of doctrine being not well grounded an ignorant man like a child is apt to be taken with every new fangle soon growing weary of every thing The most learned are subject to errour for at the best they know but in part and do frequently erre because not wholly sanctified knowledg then is most necessary that we may be able to try doctrines that are brought to us Prov. 28.11 and to discern the spirits whether they be of God or no the rich man is wise in his own conceit but the poor that hath understanding can try him saith Solomon Lastly An ignorant man is every moment liable to Gods wrath and vengeance They have not known my wayes saith the Lord therefore I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest Psal 95. ult Powre out thy wrath upon the Heathen Jer. 10.25 that have not known thee c. saith the Prophet Jeremy the like hath David Psalm 79.6 Put all those together and you may clearly see the danger of the sin of ignorance that we may be stirred up to labour after the true knowledg of God in Jesus Christ The case of ignorant men then is much to be pitied lamented for if their case be to be lamented who through corporall blindnesse run into innumerable mischiefs and at last fall into a deep gulf without hope of recovery much more are they to be pitied who through spirituall blindnesse plunge themselves into far greater evills for the present and at last fall into the pit of everlasting destruction without recovery Do you not pitty blind men when you see them go out of the way or stumble at every block or fall into every pit or ditch or be misled by every false guide or exposed to the injury of every vile and malicious person how much more then should we sadly lament the case of those who are ignorant lying under the punishment of spiritual blindnesse which is greater then bodily blindnesse beyond all comparison and much more desperate 2 The second thing by way of motive to this duty of getting knowledge is the great worth Prov. 4.7 Phil. 3.8 benefit and excellency of knowledge Get wisdom saith Solomon for wisdom is the principal thing we read of the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord. And here consider 1. Knowledg is the principal thing wherein the image of God consisteth Col. 3.10 the new man is said to be renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him it is not our substance that is Gods image but true knowledge knowledge makes a man like unto God this the Devill knew well enough when he tempted our first Parents to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evill Gen. 3.5 telling them that God knew that in the day they eat thereof their eyes should be opened and they should be as Gods knowing good and evill Ignorance makes a man like the bruit beasts that perish but knowledge is the renewing of the image of God upon the soule Pythagoras engraved in a stone with his own hand these words setting it before his Academy He that knoweth not in his measure what be ought to know scil in divine things is but a beast among men he that knoweth what is simply needfull and no more is a man among men but he that knoweth according to the helps vouchsafed him of God what may well be known and so far as to direct himself and others aright in the way to true happinesse Exod. 4. is a God among men Thus the Lord tells Moses he should be to his brother Aaron instead of God 2. Knowledge is a most enriching thing Col. 2.2 3. Vnicum bonum scientia unicum malum ignorantia we read of the riches of the full assurance of understanding and of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge this makes a man rich to God there is one that is dives sibi rich to himself there is another that is dives Deo rich unto God he that hath onely outward treasures is rich to himself but he that hath the treasures of wisdom and knowledge is rich in God God never chargeth us to be rich in worldly things but to be rich in knowledg Col. 1.6 to be filled with the knowledg of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding where this treasure is wanting the soule is beggerly and bankrupt base in Gods sight as he saith of the Church of Laodicea Rev. 3.17 Thou sayest thou art rich and encreased with goods and hast need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked A blind and ignorant soul August Serm. 16 in Marth is a poor miserable and beggerly soul When thou buyest a Farm thou buyest a good one saith a Father when thou marriest a wife thou chusest a good one when thou desirect children thou desirest good ones and when thou hast all these riches thou art but poor inter tot dona amongst so many gifts and malus inter tot bona evill among so many good things
knowledge guideth the tongue understanding is a well-spring of life to him that hath it the heart of the wise teacheth his mouth and addeth learning to his lips that is as if he had said whereas a fooles heart is upon the tip of his tongue to vent and utter whatever he knoweth at all adventures a wise mans tongue is ordered and guided by his heart to keep and observe a decorum both in speech and silence And concerning actions Solomon bringeth in wisdom speaking thus in her own person saying Prov. 8.19 20. My fruit is better then Gold yea then fine Gold and my revenue then choyce Silver and then addeth a reason saying I lead in the way of righteousnesse and in the midst of the paths of judgement Now on the other side if thine eye be evill thy whole body is full of darknesse as a man that hath an ill sight a pearl in his eye or is pur-blind is oftentimes nay evermore deceived in his choyce and misseth his mark So he that hath his understanding darkned and dazzeled wanteth a right judgement to guide him in the worship and service of God the corruption of his own heart and proud flesh the sleights and suggestions of Satan and the evill examples of others with whom he liveth being as Gregory Nazianzen saith interposed between the eye of his mind and the light of the Gospel as a thick cloud or the shadow of the body of the earth between our eyes and the light of the Sun Now where this evill eye is there is nothing but darknesse and the fruits of it amazednesse horrour and confusion where understanding is wanting the whole life must be nothing but disorder knowledge in the soule is as a King in his Realm the head to the body the eye in the head a Pilot in a ship yea in a word as the Sun to the world now what truer mirrour of misery then a Realme without a King or Governour or whose King is a child not so much in years as in discretion as Rehoboam was and what can that body do that hath an head blind without eyes or that is still distempered fit for nothing but sleep what can be expected to become of a ship whose Pilot and guide is still stark drunk neither knowing nor caring how to guide her at Sea nor bring her to shore and what greater darknesse is there in the greater world then when the Sun the eye thereof hath run his race and is gone to rest untill his rising again as great disorder discomfort and confusion is there in a man without knowledge and spitituall understanding nay farre greater unlesse Jesus Christ the Sonne of Righteousnesse arise in it and shine upon it by the beames of his grace and favour 2. Knowledge is usefull to strengthen a man a knowing man is a strong man Eccles 7.19 a fool is a weak man wisdome strengthneth the wise more then ten mighty men that are in the City saith Solomon it will more support and strengthen a man then many great friends in Court or City it will strengthen a man in great straits Friends may faile a man and oftentimes do faile him but true wisdome doth not faile a man in the greatest straits it leadeth a man through the greatest difficulties and supports him under them to this purpose the Apostle prayeth that the Colossians might be filled with the knowledge of Gods will Colos 1.9 10 11. in all wisdome and spirituall understanding and increase in the knowledge of God that they might be strengthned with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulnesse Wisdome strengthens us rightly to use our spiritual armour both defensive and offensive as it is best for us and appointed to us When a great King besieged a little City and built great bulwarks against it there was found in it a poore wise man and he by his wisdome delivered the City then said I wisdom is better then strength Eccles 9.14 15 16. and verse 18. he addeth Wisdome is better then weapons of warre the Devill is like this great King that cometh against and besiegeth the little City of the soule buildeth great bulwarks against it but a poor Christian by wisdom delivereth his soule a man that knoweth his own weaknesse and wants that knoweth the necessity of grace that knoweth Jesus Christ to be the Fountain of wisdome and strength he goeth out of himselfe to Jesus Christ making use of the vertue of his death and resurrection to overcome all temptations unto sin 3. Knowledge doth exceedingly encourage a man and hearten him against all discouragements when a man knoweth God knoweth his service and knoweth what God requireth at his hands this doth exceedingly encourage a man upon the performance of his duty Paul saith 2 Tim. 1.12 I am not ashamed of my sufferings for the preaching of the Gospel and giveth this reason for I know whom I have believed and he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day When a man knoweth the will of God and walketh according to the light he hath received when a man knoweth the promises and his own interest in them this doth mightily encourage a man under sufferings when once we have gotten understanding of Christ and the Promises and Priviledges by him the heart is full of courage he knoweth then let God cast him into what state or condition he will that it shall go well with him this will make a man couragious in death it self What though I die yet saith he with Job Job 19.25 I know that my Redeemer liveth and in that he liveth he liveth for my good he is my life Col. 3.4 who is the life My life is bound up in him who is the Fountain of Life and because he liveth I shall live also Joh. 14.19 4. Knowledge is sweet and comfortable Eccles 11.7 light is sweet and it is a comfortable thing for a man with his eyes to behold the light of the Sun So when an ignorant soul is enlightened with the true knowledge of God and his wayes this is very comfortable What a comfort is it to come out of the dark dungeon of ignorance into Gods marvelous light the light of knowledge raiseth a drooping spirit Ignorance of God and of his Word ignorance of our selves also is the cause of much trouble of spirit when we are ignorant of our own estate and of our grounds of comfort It is the great design of the Devil to blind our eyes in soul-troubles that we may not see the Well of Comfort that runneth by us as poor Hagar that was ready to perish for thirst had not eyes to see the Fountain by her Now true knowledge leades the soul to the Promises to the waters of Comfort to the breasts of Consolation where he may suck and be abundantly satisfied Psalm 97.11 Light is sowen for the righteous and joy for the upright
wisdom and yet he saith Surely I am more brutish than any man c. It were very well if there were as many knowing men in the World as there are professors of wisdom and knowledge the wiser any man is the more he understandeth his want of true wisdom and knowledge he doth not boast of it but more and more breaths after it if thou wilt be wise do not think thy self to be so Object 1 Oh! but I am accounted and esteemed by others to be a wise and knowing man Resp It is not thy tongue nor the voices of others that have made thee wise but the thing it self do not rest upon the vulgar opinion concerning thy self the common people do use to account wise men to be mad men and mad men to be wise taking false things for true and true for false there is nothing more remote from vertue and from the truth many times than the opinion of the vulgar people are very apt to rely upon other mens opinions concerning themselves Wilt thou know whether thou art wise turn thine eyes backward remember how often thou hast gone astray how often thy feet have stumbled quot dolenda quot pudenda quot paenitenda commiseris how many things thou hast committed that are to be lamented that thou art to be ashamed of that thou hast cause to repeut of and then call thy self a wise man if thou darest Object 2 But I have gotten much knowledge and am able to discourse knowingly and wisely and therefore I know that I am wise Resp It is one thing to speak wisely it is another thing to live wisely Aluid est sapienter loqui aliud sapienter vivere It is one thing to be accounted another thing to be a truly wise man The Romans do pronounce Lolius and Cato for wise men and Grecia when it flourished is said to have had seven wise men now these men did not assume this title to themselves but possessed it being given to them by the erring people and there was but one Epicurus that was wise in his own judgement and he was the veriest fool of all and those wise men before mentioned 1 Cor. 1.21 notwithstanding all their wisdom were ignorant of God for so saith the Apostle the world by wisdom knew not God Direct 2 Labour to find out the cause of thy ignorance It is not enough to find out a Disease but also to find out the cause thereof is most requisite examine thy self how thou camest to be thus spiritually blind the blind man in the Gospel could tell that he was borne blind This I know saith he Joh. 9. that once I was blind enquire then being once sensible of thy blindnesse why thou dost continue in thy blindnesse Surely the main cause is because thou hast not all this while gone to the Physitian for eye-salve to cure thy blindnesse Jesus Christ is the great Physitian of Souls and he would have cured thy blindnesse if thou wouldest have gone unto him Direct 3 Go to Jesus Christ and beg of him this eye-salve Revel 3.18 Nisi sit intus Spiritus qui doceat nil valet doctoris lingua August Cathedram in Coelis habet qui corda docet Hominis est monere sed solius Dei corda movere Macarius beg of him that he will annoint thine eyes with eye-salve that thou mayest see Physitians say this eye-salve is an ointment to purge away all filth and fluxes and ophthalmies out of the eyes that they may clearly see pray to him to make the scales of ignorance fall from thine eyes buy of him this eye-salve as he adviseth Laodicea by buying we can understand nothing but begging for what price can we pay to procure this rich purchase Seeing therefore we are in our selves either stone-blind the light of grace being quite extinguished or at the least blear-eyed the light of nature being eclipsed and obscured so that we cannot know the things that behoove us and belong to our peace Have we not then great reason to sue to Jesus Christ the Heavenly Chirurgeon for the true eye-salve viz. the enlightning of his Spirit and therefore it is called an Vnction from the Holy One 1 Joh. 2.20 whereby we know all things If your eyes are annointed with this eye-salve your knowledge will be more clear than other mens you will see most clearly into Divine Mysteries like a man that seeth at noon-day your knowledge of God likewise will be more sure and more experimental you will see the creatures emptinesse Christs fulnesse sins misery and graces excellency you will know how Christ was formed in you and how you have conceived him in your heart you will know the powerful and influential workings of the Spirit upon your souls Gal 4.19 You will then have such a distinct knowledge of Gods Promises Job 32.8 as to be able with comfort to apply them to your own so Is The inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding then shall the eyes of the blind see out of darknesse Esay 29.18 The blind world walkes in the darke shadow of death and is not acquainted with this Heavenly light Psal 119.18 Pray to the Lord with David Lord open mine eyes that I may see the wâ—nderous things out of thy Law pray as Paul doth for the Colossians that your knowledge may abound in al wasdom Col. 1.9 pray to God likewise to open the Scriptures to you as well as your understandings for the Gospel is a Mystery which hath been hid from Ages and Generations but is now made manifest to his Saints saith the Apostle It is sacrum secretum as Lyra a holy secret or sublime arcanum as Calvin Rom. 16.25 Ephes 1.9 Eph. â— 9 Col. 2.2 3. 1 Tim. 3.16 1. In which places it is said sometime to be hidden in God because it was kept close in his secret purpose and eternal counsell 2. Sometimes hidden in Christ because he was the Store-house in which was laid up all the Treasures of wisdom and knowledg all those Treasures that concerned our eternal happinesse and salvation Col. 2.3 as also because he was the meritorious cause of it 3. Sometimes hidden in the Word because that is the Fountain wherein it is contained whence the knowledge thereof is derived and conveyed to us 4. Hidden from the Gentiles for the space of many hundreds of years and before their illumination by the light of the Gospel and all the while they served dumb Idols Eph. 4.17 18. and had not the glorious Sun of Righteousnesse shining to them 5. Mysterium hoc duplex 1. de mittendo Christo in genere 2. de vocatone gentium in specie quid his praeclarius Zanch. Hidden from the Jews themselves comparatively and respectively because it was revealed to them but under shadows types and figures darkly and dimly the Promises and Prophesies were not so easie to be understood as now they be Pray then to the Lord to open your
at all places at all times what ceremonial concerning the Jews till the coming of Christ and what judicial free either to be observed or let alone according to the discretion of every Law-giver and the state of his Countrey whereto he gives or makes Laws in the knowledge of all these the 5 Books of Moses will furnish thee Secondly if thou art not of such an aspiring spirit but canst as well be contented to wear a rugge gown as a velver Jacket and dost esteem more thy mind then thy body and therefore thou hast set up thy rest to be a Philosopher then do but say what part thou art addicted to and there it 's ready for thee if moral Philosophy read the book of the Proverbs if natural Philosophy read the book of Ecclesiastes and some Chapters of Job if the Metaphy sicks read the book of the Canticles or if thou wilt be an Antiquary there thou mayest find what was done as soon as any thing was done the age of the world the time of the flood the destruction of Sodom the time of the Israelites going down to Egypt and coming up again their being carried into Babylon the time of their abode there and coming back again or if you defire to see the Acts of good and bad Kings the diversity of Gods dealing with them the books of the Kings and Chronicles will give you full satisfaction in a word if you will make but the Law of God contained in the Scriptures the Looking-glasse of your lives you should be throughly furnished both how to speak and how to live therefore for the obtaining of all kind of most excellent knowledge it is most necessary to read the holy Scriptures this made David wifer then his Teachers wiser then the Ancients old men are presumed to be the wifest and wiser then his enemies Object Oh but some will object and say the Scriptures wherein is contained the knowledege of God and Christ are in may places very difficult and hard to be understood Which men that are unlearned and unstable 2 Pet. 3.38 are apt to wrest to their own destruction We are ignorant and cannot understand them Resp Let no man object his simplicity as if that thereby he were uncapable of knowing the Mysteries of Gods Kingdom Mat. 11.25 our Saviour tells us that he hideth these things from the subtill and openeth them to the simple 2. Let not the seeming difficulty of the Scriptures keep thee from reading and studying them you have heard it gives wisdom to the simple and David tells us further the Commandement of the Lord is pure Psal 19.9 enlightening the eyes he doth not say it blindeth them that read it and could see before it enlighteneth them that were blind before Some say of the Beryl a certain pretious stone that it hath an especiall vertue to preserve the eye-sight whether this be so or no I know not but this I am sure that the word of God is both a light to our eyes and to our feet yea though we fit in darknesse and in in the shadow of death yet it will give us both spiritual light and life Greg. in Ezek. 47. guiding our feet into the way of peace Gregory tells us that the Scriptures are in some places so deep that an Elephant may swim and in other places so shallow as a Lamb may wade and Austin tells us in some places it is plain and easie that the simple might love it and in others hard and obscure lest the subtill might loath it Quae aliis lociso bscuré ambiguè traduntur in aliis planè perspicuè explicantur Basil some places are hard and difficult to exercise the learned and others are easie to allure the unlearned to the study of them and Basil saith that those things which in some places are obscurely and doubtfully delivered are in other places plainly and pespicuously explained All things needful and necessary to be known to salvation are so revealed as they may be understood in the Scriptures or if there be any hardnesse it is either in the hearts of the readers John 8.47 or hearers rather then either in the words or matter of Scripture And Chrysostom tells us that it 's very probable that therefore the Scriptures were penned by Publicans Fsher-men Tent-makers Shepherds and Neat herds to the end that Artificers Housholders Plough-men Widowes Boyes and Girles and unlearned women might read and understand them 3. It is a duty commanded by God that thou shouldest study the Scriptures Col. 1.9 and be filled with the knowledge of Gods will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding as it is vanity to enquire into what God hath not revealed so it is great unthankfulnesse tot to study the Scriptures Rom. 15.4 which were written for our learning as Paul saith Object But our adversaries and the enemies of Scripture will tell us that Hereticks abuse the Scripture Resp If any do abuse the Scriptures the fault is in themselves not in the Scripture there is nothing but wholesome food unlesse thou spider-like by ill apprehension or mis-application turn it into poison and what if hereticks do abuse the Scriptures must Christians therefore be afraid to meddle with them because wine and strong drink are abused by some must they therefore be used by none because the Sun sometime hurteth sore eyes shall none have liberty to look upon it Direct 5 Be diligent in hearing the word preacht wait at wisdomes gates by hearing the word preacht we are prepared for the knowledge of God Encline your eares to hear and your hearts to understand be swift to hear as James speaks it is the property of a wise man to hear a wise man will hear and encrease learning Prov. 1.5 the Queen of Sheba came a great way to hear the wisdome of Solomon and yet many now a dayes will not go from their houses to hear the wisdom of a wiser then Solomon What shall we say to such as think themselves wise enough already Prov. 26.12 they know as much as their Minister can teach them Solomon saith there is more hope of a fool of a simple fool then of such proud fooles let them not be offended to be so stiled for Gods Dictionary affords them no better titles there is a great necessity of hearing the word preacht we must first hear before we come to see Psal 48.8 Sanet itaque auditus oeulum qui turbatus est ut serenus videat quem turbatus non potuit Bern. Cant. Serm. 48. As we have heard so we have seen saith the Prophet We lost much of our knowledge by not hearkening to the Lord and we must recover it again by obedient hearing of it by hearing we learn how to help our eye-sight that the eye being made clear it may see the Lord whom it cannot see so long as it is troubled Gregory Nyssen hath this observation saying that Moses of set purpose caused the
Why say the Scribes that Elias must first come So likewise Nicodemus saith How can these things be Joh. 3.9 So the Eunuch to Philip Of whom speaks the Prophet this of himself or of another Act. 8.34 When you read and hear the word and study and meditate upon it and yet remain ignorant in many points have recourse then to your Minister and Gods Messenger whose mouth the Prophet tells you must preserve knowledge you must seek the Law at his mouth This Austin tells us was one cause Vt diligentiam praestemus inquirendi potiùs quam temeritatem affirmandi August why some things in the Scriptures were so hard that we may rather shew diligence of enquiring than rashnesse of affirming Pythagoras saith that those were the best of his Schollers and the greatest Proficients in knowledge that were the most inquisitive and askt the most questions Yet such is the sottishnesse of many people that they will remain grossely ignorant in many things rather than they will ask questions to betray their ignorance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heracl Sick persons are not ashamed to tell the Physitian what their Disease is neither is it good to hide ignorance but to bring it forth that it may be healed saith Heraclitus when John Baptist's disciples were infected with envy and repined at Christ that he should out-strip and excell their Master with the people as is evident by the complaint they make Joh. 3.26 where they come unto him saying Rabbi or Master He that was with thee beyond Jordan to whom thou barest witness and baptizedst behold now he baptizeth more than thou and all men come unto him Hereby the holy Baptist perceiving them to be infected with ignorance and infidelity he sends them to school to Christ to correct their ignorance that they might hear the words of his wisdom to correct their incredulity they might see his Works of wonder therefore two of his disciples are sent to Christ with this question Luk. 7.19 Art thou he that should come or shall we waite for another Some think that John Baptist moveth this doubt on the behalf of himself but this could not be for first John Baptist could not be so incredulous but believe what was testified by God the Father from Heaven at his Baptism Mat. 3.17 This is my well beloved son in whom I am well pleased Yea he testified of him before he baptized him and had born this testimony That he was not worthy to carry his shooes after him Mat. 3.11 Joh. 1.29 and again Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world Now John Baptist could not doubt of Christ and give such large testimony of him nor was John inconstant and unsetled like a reed shaken with the wind as our Saviour testifieth of him Thus Elisha knew and was assured that his Master Elias was taken up into Heaven and yet for the satisfaction of the children of the Prophets in that point he is at last contented 2 Kings 2.17 that they shall send fifty men to seek him by the space of three dayes in the mountains So John Baptist knowing his disciples to be too much infected with the leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees by reason of their too much familiarity and correspondency that they had one with the other he sendeth them therefore to Christ to be better instructed and that they might be satisfied both concerning his person that he was true man their eyes telling them that he had the dimensions and natural properties of a true humane body and true God too working such wonders as could not be done without the finger of God and also for his office that he was a most absolute Physitian both of body and soul yea the very Messiah and Saviour of the World Thus the Publicans the Souldiers and the People come to John Baptist and say to him Master what shall we do Luk. 3.10 12 14. being ignorant they come with a desire to learn of him and here they ask a profitable question they ask not what God did before he made the World what Pharaohs Daughter or the Queen of Sheba's names were whether Solomon was saved or not whether Jonas were ever at Nineveh before he went thither to preach whether ever the Virgin Mary had any more children than Christ but they go plainly to the point to enquire about a matter needful for them to know What shall we do to avoid the wrath and enjoy the favour of God Thus you see it is our duty not to conceale Etiamsi senes magis decet docere quam discere magis tamen decet discere quam ignorare Gregor but to discover our ignorance To this purpose one of the Ancients hath a good saying Albeit it becometh old men rather to be teachers than learners yet it is more comely for them to learn than to be ignorant If a Minister be well seen in Physick or in the Law his house shall be frequented and made oraculum civitatis but for Divinity few will trouble him which sheweth that men have more care of their bodies and goods than of their souls Let me entreate you to frequent much the company of those that are godly-wise Prov. 13.20 such as have the true knowledge of God and Christ in them he that walketh with wise men shall be wise saith Solomon but a companion of fools shall be destroyed The Queen of Sheba pronounced Solomons servants happy which continually stood before him to hear his wisdom though wisdom be condemned by the foolish world for madnesse Math. 11.19 yet wisdom is justified or commended of her children Associate thy self with the godly-wise and thou also shalt become more wise Direct 8 If thou hast any small measure of knowledge be thankful for that little I will blesse the Lord who hath given me counsel Psal 16.7 saith David if thou hast received any glimpse of the saving knowledge of God in Christ then blesse the Lord who hath given thee counsell and made thee to understand aright he that is thankful for a little shall have more It is just with God to suffer their understandings to be darkened who are not thankful for the light It is charged upon the Heathens that when they knew God Rom. 1.21 they glorified him not as God neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened Unthankfulnesse for light received makes way for darknesse blindnesse and ignorance Direct 9 Labour to be humble and poor in spirit he hath promised to teach the humble Psal 25.9 Prov. 11.2 Jam. 4.8 Luk. 1.53 with the lowly there is wisdome God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble he fills the hungry with good things Pride keeps a man farre from God and makes him unfit to come near him that which brings a man near is humility without humility it may be said to us as Didimus said to proud Alexander that
we want vessels to receive Gods gifts and graces Hoc est humilitatis miraculam ut elatio deorsum humilitas sursum tendat Aug. de Civit. 4. Dei lib. 1. cap. 13. for as full vessels will hold no more liquor so a soul stuffed with pride and vain glory cannot receive in nor hold Gods gifts graces the proud shut their windows and will not receive in the light of saving knowledge God is not so prodigal of his grace as to cast it in upon those that are not willing to entertain it heavenly mysteries are hid from the prudent but revealed unto babes This is a wonder of humility saith Augustine that pride tends downward humility upwards the more true knowledge a man hath the more he is sensible of his want of knowledge and that which he hath is nothing to what he wants Quest Now peradventure some may step in and ask me what shall we do with our knowledge having attained to a competent measure thereof Resp I shall shew you what is to be done with it Direct 1 As you know what to do so now you must do what you know put in practice what you know In Paradise there was a Tree of Life Rom. 2.20 Aliud est habere legem Dei in corde Aliud habere cor in lege legem in corde habent qui veritatem sciunt cor in lege habent qui veritatem diligunt as well as a Tree of Knowledge and as one saith well One apple of the Tree of Life is worth twenty of the Tree of Knowledge We read in Scripture that there is a form of Knowledge as well a form of godlinesse A form of knowledge is nothing else but an Idaea of truth floating in the brain that hath no influence on the heart or life like a Winters Sun which shines but warms not knowledge is as the eyes to direct us practice as the hands and feet to perform that direction knowledge alone is as the eyes without feet and hands and practice without a solid knowledge is as strong legs and nimble hands in a blind man light and life are best together if naked knowledge be sufficient 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then the Devill is a most perfect creature who hath one name from the greatnesse of his knowledg all men in the world do come short of him in the knowledge of good and evill he knoweth good but not to love and seek it he knoweth evill but not to hate and flee from it his actions and affections are set close unto his knowledge as Devils are called understanding spirits Eph. 6. â—2 so also they are stiled spiritual wickednesse his serpentine subtilty hath purchased him the name of an intelligent spirit but his wickednesse calls him Sathan an enemy to God It is said of the Cherubins that there were hands under their wings Ezek. 1.8 The word Cherubin signifies light intimating where there is the light of knowledge there should be hands to put that light into practice The Egyptians in their Hieroglyphicks painted a tongus and an hand under it to shew that knowledge and speech is good when that which is known and spoken John 13.17 is put in practice If you know these things sayes our Saviour happy are you if you do them It is nothing for one to have the Trumpet at his lips as Gideons souldiers who hath not the Torch in his hand saith a Father Greg. Nax the voyce of Athanasius was a thunder-clap and his life a lightning flash saith he because words never thunder well if examples enlighten not True wisdome is a prudence of works not of words saith Cyprian He that knoweth to do good and doth it not to him it is sin It is a great sin not to know what thou doest Jam. 4.17 a greater not to do what thou knowest Grave est peccatum non scivisse quod facias gravius non fecisse quod scias Ambr. de offic lib. 2.20 saith Ambrose for as one saith at the last day we shall not be demanded Quid legimus sed quid egimus nec modo quid diximus sed quomodo viximus what we have read but what we have done nor so much what we have spoken as how we have lived Bernard Knowledge and practice must go together for else as the saying is true amongst the Philosophers that power is to none effect which is never produced into act So it is as true in Divinity that it is a vain and idle antention Frustrà est potentia quae nunquam preducitur in actum Scientia contemplativa practica contemplativa quae docet res sibi subjectas scire tantum contemplari enjus finis est ipsa cognitio hac sufficit in Metaphysicis Physicis Mathematicis altera practica seu activa dicitur quae non solùm dicet scire sed agere operari aliquid corum quae cagnoscimus hujus finis est actio haec requiritur in disciplinis Ethicis Oeconomicis Politicis Porter Physic lib. 1. cap. 5. August 83. Quaest that is never put in execution The end of knowing Gods will is to do it There is say the Philosophers contemplative and practical knowledg contemplative or speculative is that which teacheth a man to understand things in their own nature and only to contemplate whose end is bare knowledge and this is sufficient in Metaphysicks Physicks and Mathematicks Practical or active knowledge is that which not only teacheth a man to know but to do the things which he knowes the end of this knowledge is action and this is required in Disciplines Ethicks Oeconomicks Politicks and Religion consisteth not in a bare naked profession but in action and practice all the bells of Aarons garments ring out a loud peal of practice and it is the common tenent of all the Fathers that Religion consisteth not so much in the fine faire leaves of knowledge profession and good words as in the sound and savoury fruits of practice and good works Yea even some of the Heathen have taught this truth for Aristotle affirmeth that felicity or happinesse consisteth not in the Theory or Knowledge but in the practice of vertue a man that hath knowledge without practice is like a man that carrieth a Lanthorn behind him to give light to others but breaks his own shins or like Noabs Carpenters Lyraglos in Jac. 1.22 that made an Ark to save others but were drowned themselves Lyra observeth that as that Physick is vain that doth not purge the bad humours and procure the health of the body so that knowledg is no better that makâ—â— no amendment upon the soule Aristotle in his Ethicks saith that such as content themselves with the naked knowledge of moral vertue and go no farther caring not to practice it are not unlike to such as consult with and ask the advice of Phyficians concerning their bodily diseases but care not for having them administer or apply any thing to