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
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
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
that giveth understanding not only the opening of the Scriptures but also the opening of the heart Luke 24.32.45 and of the understanding is the work of the Spirit till there be an inward operation of the Spirit the outward means is uneffectual It is true Lumen innatum illatum the word of God is like a light and like a candle as was said before but what benefit reap blind men thereby and such are all men till God be pleased to open their eyes by the key of the spirit and anoint them with eye-salve Rev. 3.18 2. By holding in the eyes of mens understandings as it is said of those disciples to whom Christ appeared after his resurrection their eyes were holden that they should not know him Luke 24.26 and afterwards it is said their eyes were opened and they knew him thus when God holds the eyes of mens understanding they cannot discern the mind of God but remain ignorant of his will and counsell Job 17. and so he hides understanding from men so Moses saith of the Israelites the Lord hath not given them eyes to see Deut. 29.4 they had sensitive eyes to see and rational eyes to understand but they wanted spiritual eyes to apprehend and improve what they saw it is God that giveth ability to each part and member power and faculty of the soule and body to execute and exercise their severall actions and operations which if he withdraw the Organs be no more then dead instruments for we can no more see nor understand savingly of our selves then an instrument lying upon a table or hanging by the wall can sound till it be blown and plaid upon Object But it may be said that ignorance is a sin how then can God blind mens eyes or be a cause of ignorance and not be the authour of sinne Answ The first and nearest cause is mans corruption the instigator unto spiritual blindnesse is the devill and God as a just judge blindeth mens eyes Isa 6.10 and hardeneth mens hearts Exod. 9.12 God blindeth the eyes of many men judicially that shut their eyes wilfully against the light they have received Job 24.13 wicked men are said to rebell against the light of these things they are willingly ignorant 2 Pet. 4.3 when men have the means of knowledge and will not know God saith in judgement they shall not know Wicked men are blind and bruitish this blindnesse is from God as a Judge blindnesse and ignorance is in wicked men a sin but so is it not from God but from the devill and their own naughtinesse yet is it the punishment of former sins by which they have brought and increased this blindnesse upon themselves for they were secure despisers of God and his word Rom. 1.28 Quia tum loquebatur perspicuè noluerunt intelligere jam loquitur obscurè Muscul in Mat. 13. Malum ingenium impiorum nunquà m clariùs deprehenditur quam ubi lux veritatis splendere incipit Ib. therefore God most justly punisheth sin with sin giving them up to a Spirit of slumber to a mind void of judgement that perceiveth and understandeth not the things of God Musculus saith It was a just judgement on the Scribes and Pharises because they would not understand when Christ spake clearly therefore to their punishment be speaketh in Parables speaketh obscurely when did the Jewes bewray greater blindnesse then in the times of the Prophets of Christ and his Apostles the evill disposition of wicked men is never more clearly discerned then where the light of the truth begins to shine When Jesus Christ that great light came into the world when he professed himselfe the Messias and would have instructed them in the highest mysteries of the kingdome of heaven then doth their rage and malice the more break out against him the more light they had the more their blindnesse doth appeare It is a great judgement when men have eyes and cannot see with them the wicked Jewes had eyes to see Corticom legis the bark and outside of the Law sed non penetrabant oculi eorum ad medullam but their eyes pierced not to the marrow thereof when God gives men eyes to see and they abuse their light God in judgement blindeth their eyes Qui privati sunt oculis non possunt videndo seduci or casteth such a mist upon their understandings that now they cannot see though they would their eyes are so distempered that the fight they have like the fight of a pur-blind man not only faileth them but deceiveth them making them think they see rightly what they see not their eyes being thus darkned they cannot understand with their hearts The Gospel is the best means to bring us to the true knowledge of God but if Gospel-light be abused God then saith to his Ministers Go Isai 6.10 make the hearts of this people fat shut their eyes that they may not see Reas 1 I come now to confirm the point by reasons Qui per ignorantiam peccat perniciosissimè petcat Ambr. Ignorance is a destroying sin and the chief cause of ruine to a people because it is a mother-sin and the root of many other sins ignorance is a leading sin there is no knowledge of God in the land saith our Prophet in the first verse of this Chapter and see what a troop of sins do follow this blind leader vers 2. swearing lying killing stealing committing adultery and blood toucheth blood therefore he that sins through ignorance sins most perniciously Under the Law the sacrifices offered for the ignorances of the people shewed it to be a great sin the Author to the Hebrews purteth it for all manner of sins whatsoever for having spoken of the ordinary services and sacrifices performed by the ordinary Priests in the first Tabernacle Heb. 9.6 he tells us vers 7. that into the second Tabernacle went only the High-priest once every year and that not without blood which he offered for himself and for the ignorances of the people Shegioth à Shaga per ignorantiam peccare Pagnin where by the consent of Expositors ignorance is put for all sorts of sin and Beza saith that Shegioth which is equivalent with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies as much coming of Shaga which signifies to sin through ignorance as the Learned note I will instance in some particular sins and thereby you will see ignorance to be a mother-sin 1. It is the root of pride De ignorantia venit superbia Bern. in Cantic Ignorance of God and of a mans self puffeth up the heart with pride he that is wise in conceit is a fool in proof the more we know God the more humble shall we be in his presence and the more we know our selves the more vile shall we be in our own eyes when men are proud it is either because they know nothing of God at all or know nothing of him in a saving way not knowing him as they ought to
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
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
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
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
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