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 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 â—nd to know them They are riddles to a natural man as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath â—ot seen nor ear heard nor hath it entred into â—he 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 â—ut saith he God hath revealed them to us â—y his spirit and we have the mind of Christ vers ult A natural and ignorant man is â—ike 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 â—ave 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 noâ— 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 oâ— darknesse They are said to be under the power oâ— darknesse i. e. of ignorance and they thaâ— 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 oâ— 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
â—entence if thou hadst known in this thy day for â—â—s joy doth dilatare cor enlarge the heart and â—ake men eloquent and fluent in speech so â—n the contrary sorrow and grief binds up the â—eart so that sorrowful persons cannot speak â—ut the things which they do conceive and â—oth the tongue of a sad person and of an â—ngry person doth often cleave to their jaws â—or anger see an example of the young man â—n the Comedy see how abruptly he speaks Egone illam quae illum quae non and for grief â— have read of an old man that grievously laâ—enting the untimely death of his hopefull â—onne and being demanded the cause of â—is mourning was not able to expresse himâ—elf but so well as he could utter his mind â—e thus by an abrupt and imperfect speech â—nfolded 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 lequuntur ingentes stupent but great ones doâ— 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 thoâ— 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 oâ— 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 oâ— 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 Psal 49.20 Tit. 1.16 And further many there are 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 breasts do that are led by a natural instinct Jer. 10.14 In scripturâ sacrâ illa ignorari censemur quae cognita 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 confutation 1. It serves to confute and reprove the doctrine and practise of the Church of Rome Ignoratio Mysteriorum Ethnicorum est illorum veneratiâ— Propterea Nocti creduntur mysteria Synesius Sed non ita in coelestibus 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 Abrahum 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
by his birth Nazareth by his education and Capernaum by his habitation and so it is called his own City Matth. 9.1 By the phrase of lifting up to heaven he meaneth that it was much in request in the eyes of the world not only by reason of her great wealth and riches but also because she had the means of knowledge and of salvation having Christ daily conversing with them and preaching to them and by her casting down to hell he meaneth that she should be abased and have her pride pluckt down in regard of her temporal estate which came to passe not long after when it was ruined by the Romans and all such her inhabitants as did reject the preaching of Christ and his messengers sent unto them were condemned and went to Hell eternally Many there are that dream of Anabaptistical revelations and I know not what kind of strange and immediate inspirings despising the publick teaching and ministry of man I know God can teach otherwise but I have no ground to think that he will he that desireth to Iodge among the wise Prov. 5.31 let him prepare his eare to hearken to the instruction of life saith Solomon thou maist never expect a blessing from him who is a teacher of the heart if thou despisest him whom God hath appointed to be a teacher of the Eare as the holy Scripture is the book of wisdome out of which God giveth subtilty to the simple so teaching by his Ministers is the Pipe by which this heavenly wisdom is conveyed to us from the Fountain and no man is assured by the word of God to attain this knowledge but by this course 3. All those that reject prayer which is a seeking of God for a blessing upon the means whereby knowledge might be acquired The Psalmist saith that the Lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men to see if there were any that did understand and seek God Psal 14.3 If thou criest after knowledge and liftest up thy voyce for understanding Prov. 2 3. c. there are many that pray not for knowledge nor for a blessing on the means of knowledg and those are such as despise knowledge Paul speaks of such as despise the Word the Ministery Prayer and the means of knowledge as if their case were desperate and saith 1 Cor. 14.38 if any man be ignorant let him be ignorant as if he should say if any man will despise the means of knowledge and chuse to be still ignorant let him be ignorant to his own perill be it he will run through inner darknesse to utter darknesse I fear brethren that the commonnesse of the word and of preaching hath bred the contempt thereof I read that when Elephants were first brought into Asia and two of them brought and presented to King Antiochus he made great account of them and held them in high esteem calling the one Ajax and the other Achilles but in processe of time growing common in the countrey by reason of their traffick into those places whence they came notwithstanding they were of no lesse use then they were before Nay in all likelihood of more because they were better acquainted with the use of them and knew better how to mannage them yet because they were common they contemned them and called them Lucanian oxen So doubtlesse the word of God in the dayes of our fore-fathers in this nation when the light of Gods truth first brake out of that grosse darknesse of Popery it was highly esteemed and the godly Ministery and Preachers of the word were valued as precious jewels but now it is just an hundred years that we have had the Gospel among us this very year 1658. therefore it is as odious and loathsome as it is common but did men know the worth of it they would not despise the means of knowledge Repr 3 This may reprove such as go about to hinder and discourage others from getting knowledge such as will not enter into the Kingdom of heaven themselves nor suffer others how many sottish and wicked Parents will discourage their children from reading the Scriptures and frequenting Sermons they will not get knowledge themselves nor suffer their children how many Masters will not allow their servants one hour in a week to hear a Lecture but cry to them as Pharaoh to the Israelites when they spake of going out to serve the Lord ye are idle ye are idle and so encrease their tasks many ignorant Masters are well contented with ignorant servants with an ignorant family like themselves wicked wretches that are wholly led by the Prince of darknesse do labour to hinder others from attaining the light of saving knowledge Thus when Sergius Paulus a prudent man called for Paul and Barnabas defiring to be instructed by them in the knowledge of Christ Elymas the sorcerer withstood them seeking to turn away the Deputy from the faith Acts 13.8 and for this the hand of God was upon him the Lord smote him with corporal who laboured to keep others in spiritual blindnesse verse 11. and after the stubborn Jews had rejected the word the Apostles turne from them to the Gentiles yet then the Jews stirred up devout and honourable women and the chief men of the City and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas and expelled them out of their coasts verse 50. and for this very cause the Apostle saith 1 Thess 2.16 they filled up their sins and the wrath of God comes upon them to the uttermost Vse 3 If ignorance be the chief cause of a peoples destruction then suffer the word of exbortation Let us all labour after knowledge that we may be men of knowledge Prov. 10 14. wise men will lay up knowledge saith Solomon or store it up as the covetous man layes or storeth up his bags of silver and gold Wisdom is the principal thing Prov. 4.7 therefore get wisdom and with all thy getting get understanding many men spend so much of their time about getting of the world that they can find little or no time to get wisdom and knowledge they see the want of riches as they think but they see not the want of spiritual knowledge Diogenes had a pretty answer to some that askt him why Philosophers rather followed rich men then rich men Philosophers why that is no marvaile at all said he for Philosophers know that they want rich mens wealth but rich men will not acknowledge that they want Philosophers wisdome Job 11 11 Most men hate the imputation of ignorance vain man would be wise so pleasing a thing is knowledge to reasonable creatures not too much degenerated and though men run a course tending to ignorance and errour yet they hate the imputation of ignorance as a thing very reproachfull and yet some such monsters there are that care not to acquire any more knowledge then is necessary to the keeping up of a poor sottish and halfe-brutish kind of life and for God
is but foolishnesse 4. Knowledge is the Mother-grace 1. It is the Mother of faith If a man know God he will believe and trust in him They that know thy name will trust in thee Psal 9.10 we have known and believed saith the Apostle 1 John 4.16 Bellarmine saith Whosoever sees the Son and believes in him shall have everlasting life Joh. 6.40 that Faith â—ariseth from ignorance rather then from knowledge because saith he Faith is the evidence of things not seen but I say we first know a thing before we can believe now whereas the Apostle Heb. 11.1 saith Faith is the evidence of things not seen you are to understand that the Apostle doth not there define faith but onely describe it by one of the effects of it because it makes things clear and evident which it never saw as by faith we do believe the creation of the world though we never saw it sight and knowledge is no hinderance of but a help to faith 1 Joh. 4.8 Visus est prima amoris linea Quisquis te cognoscit amat te plus quam se venit ad te ut gaudeat de te Hinc est Domine ut non tantum diligo quantum debeo quia non ptenè cognosco te quia parum cognosco parum diligo as Stephens faith was not any whit lessened but rather helped by his fight of Christ sitting at the right hand of God 2. Knowledge is the root of love he that loveth not knoweth not God saith the Apostle he that knoweth God most loveth him best therefore many men do not love him because they do not know him there he two feet on which we must walk to heaven saith one if ever we mean to come there viz. Faith and Love he that wants faith is lame on the right foot and he that wanteth love is lame on the left foot and both these follow after knowledge A man that knoweth God in Covenant and as an all-sufficient God cannot chuse but love him till a man knoweth Christ in the fulnesse of his perfections as Mediatour he cannot truly love him For as men naturally love the children of their own body so men are apt to dote upon the brats of their own brain and to be in love with their own imaginations till they come to know the Lord naturally man hath an operating fancy to set up somewhat in his understanding and in his heart above and besides God till he comes to a distinct knowledg of God in Christ It is true it is not knowledge that makes a man a good man but love and sanctified affections 1 Cor. 13.1 2. August Soliloqu cap. 1. for though I speak with the tongues of men and Angels and though I have the gift of Prophesie and understand all mysteries and all knowledge c. and have not love I am become as sounding brasse or a tinckling cimball and all this profiteth me nothing the devill and wicked spirits know much and yet have no love to God yet there can be no love to God where the knowledge of God is not 3. Knowledge is the root of obedience as soon as Abraham knew the Lord Gen. 12.1 Sit. 3.3 he obeyed the voyce of the Lord when God called him to get out of his countrey from his kindred and from his Fathers house the foolish and disobedient are put together by the Apostle disobedience springs from folly as obedience springeth from wisdom what is the reason 1 Cor. 2.14 the naturall man scorneth at the things of the spirit and they are foolishnesse to him it is because he cannot perceive the excellency of them Behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdom and to depart from evill Job 28.28 Haec irae impetum cohibet sisperbiae tumorem sedat that is understanding After true knowledge followeth obedience of the heart and life the end of learning The Commandement of God is obedience for if the end of all practicall knowledge be obedience then much more the end of the commands of God The knowledge of Christ is the only means to suppresse sin and vice 5. Knowledge is the only way to true happinesse 1. Tim. 2.4 5. it is the will of God that all men should be saved saith the Apostle but how may some say he addeth in the next words and to come unto the knowledge of the truth and it is not only the way to true happinesse but it is true happinesse inchoate John 17.3 this is life eternall to knoâ— thee the only true God and whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ saith our Saviour Moses first prayes to God Lord tell me thy name he beggeth acquaintance with God and then saith he afterwards Lord shew me thy glory they that be wise Dan. 12.3 shall shine as the brightnesse of the Fâ—rmament saith Daniel Revel 4.8 there are no ignorant fools in Emmanuels land Glorified creatures are said to be full of eyes within seeing eternal happinesse consisteth in vision they must be full of heavenly light and knowledge Now we know but in part but then shall we know as we are knowne 1 Cor. 13.12 6. Knowledge is very usefull and necessary to the soule 1. To direct and guide a man as God hath put the Sun and Moon in the Firmament to rule the day and the night so he hath put knowledge into the soul to guide and govern men in their practises and to dictate to them what is to be done what is to be avoyded A man without knowledge is like a blind man wanting a guide to direct him if the understanding be clear and good the man is safe but if the understanding be darkened then he falls into the pits of sin and errour Matth. 6.22 The light of the body is the eye saith our Saviour if therefore thine eye be single the whole body shall be full of light but if thine eye be evill thy whole body shall be full of darknesse The meaning is that as the eye is the light and guide of the body so is the understanding the guide of the soule and as the body followeth the fortune of the eye if the eye be single that is clear and good the whole body is full of light and every member will be able to do its proper work as if it had an eye in it but if the eye be evill or blinded then the whole body is full of darknesse that is every member mistaketh in its operations as the eye in the body guideth the feet â—â—w to walk and the hand how to work and every member how to do his part and duty and the whole body to decline and avoyd danger so rectified reason and a single eye will guide our wills and affections teaching them what to chuse and what to refuse and if the judgement be cleared from corrupt principles then the whole soule will be full of light and the whole life of man will be good for as where the
benefit by his death if you abide in ignorance this is the condemnation That light came into the world and men love darknesse rather then light men that are in love with darknesse and ignorance shall be condemned If you shall yet say further that the Apostle saith that God would have all men to be saved 1 Tim. 2.4 then take in the next word following And come to the knowledge of the truth so that all those that will not come to the knowledge of the truth there is no hope of their salvation I may say that God wills not their salvation that never come to the knowledge of the truth But yet they hope Christ will not condemne them for their ignorance To that purpose consider what the Apostle saith 2 Thes 1.7 8. That the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God let every man then take heed of this sin of ignorance for it is a most dangerous sin Object 8 Many there are that if you tell them of the danger of ignorance will be ready to object and say yet further What became of all our fore-fathers they lived and dyed in igrance and yet we hope they are saved and it were a great breach of charity yea great inhumanity for us to think the contrary Resp We are not to trouble our heads What became of our forefathers but we are to look what God now requires at our hand let us leave them to the Lord to whom they stand or fall and let us to whom God hath vouchfafed greater light and more meanes of knowledge look to it that we walk as children of the light Cypr. lib. 2. Epist 3. Cyprian speaks well to this purpose If my Predecessors saith he either by ignorance or by simplicitie have not kept and holden that which our Lord hath taught them by his example and authority Doctor Sanders Serm in Gen. 20.6 the mercy of the Lord might pardon them but saith he we cannot hope for the like having better meanes of instruction then they had And a learned Divine of ours hath well observed a vast difference between their estate and thine between thine ignorance and theirs they had but a small enjoyment of the light of Gods word hid from them under two bushells under the bushell of a Tyrannous Popish Clergy that if any man should be able to understand the books he should not have them and under the bushel of an unknown tongue that if any one should chance to get the books he might not understand them whereas to thee the light is holden forth it is set on a table and on a candlestick the books are open the language is plaine easie and familiar they had eyes but saw not because the light was kept from them and the land was dark about them as the darknesse of Egypt but thou livest as in a Goshen where the light incompasseth thee in on all sides where there are burning and shining lights in every corner of the Land therefore thy blindnesse is greater and more inexcusable for who so blind as he that will not see They wanted the light thou shunest the light they lived in darknesse thou delighest in darkenesse their ignorance was simple thine is wilful and affected therefore though the times of their ignorance God winked at yet thou hast no ground to presume that God will wink at thee who rejectest the counsel of God against thine own soul thus he Many things saith Austin were tollerable amongst them which now are not because saith he many things are tolerated in the darknesse and dawning which are not in the day when the Sun is up Act. 17.30 The time of this ignorance God winked at but now God calls upon every man every where to repent Quest You will say then What shall we do to get knowledge Resp 1 If you would attain to the true knowledge of God Harpaste nescit esse caecam subinde paedegogum suum rogat ut migret ait domum esse tenebrosam Seneca Epist 51. ad Lucium labour to discover and finde out your ignorance and be sensible of it when a man is sick the Physitian laboureth first to find out and to discover the Disease before he can give any directions for the cure thereof So in this spiritual Disease you must first discover and find out your ignorance The state of one spiritually blind is much worse than of one naturally blind for he that is bodily blind will commonly be led by some body his servant wife dog c. but the spiritually blind is commonly misled by the world the flesh and the devil 1. The bodily blind will have a seeing guide but the spiritually blind followeth his own lusts which be blind guides like Ahab's false Prophets and Rehoboam's young Counsellors and so both fall into the ditch and danger as Math. 15.14 2. The bodily blind will acknowledge his want of fight Genes 27.21 and desire to supply it by some other sense as Isaac did but the spiritually blind will not be perswaded but that they see purely and perfectly Thus the Pharisees Joh. 9.40 41. when Christ told them that for judgement he was come into this world that they which see not might see and that they which see might be made blind they said unto him Rev. 3 17. What are we blind also So Christ tells Laodicea Multi ad sapientiam pervenissent nisi se put assent jam pervenisse Seneca That she was blind but yet she knew not that she was so 3. The bodily blind account it a great happinesse to see but the spiritually blind despise the Seers Have we not great reason then to labour to be sensible of this our spiritual blindnesse Many men saith an Heathen In ipsis sanctis Scripturis multo nesciam plura quaâ—â— sciam August Epist 119. might have attained to much wisdom had they not thought themselves to have had wisdom enough already As those men will never come to the Physitian to be healed of any malady which think not themselves to be sick so there are no people more unapt to be taught and to be eulightned by God unto salvation than those which think they understand and know as much as any can teach them and that they see of themselves when they are altogether ignorant and overwhelmed in darknesse The first Lesson a good Christian that would attain heavenly wisdom should learn is 1 Cor. 3.18 Initium scientiae est scire quod nescias Fulgent lib. Mytholog To deny his own wisdom If any man will be wise saith the Apostle let him become a fool that he may be wise a man must become a fool in respect of his own wisdom and become a fool for Christs sake and the more-of the true wisdom a man hath the more he is sensible of his ignorance thus Agur cries out Surely I am more brutish than any man Prov. 30.2 3.
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 rendat 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 as well as a Tree of Knowledge and as one saith well 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 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 tongue 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. Naae 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 saith Ambrose Grave est peccatum non scivisse quod facias gravius non fecisse quod scias Ambr. de offic lib. 2.20 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 intention Frustrà est potentia quae nunquam producitur in actum Scientia contemplativa practica contemplativa quae docet ies sibi subjectas scire tantum contemplari cujus finis est ipsa cognitio haec sufficit in Mefaphysicis Physicis Mathematicis altera practica seu activa dicitur quae non sâ—lùm dâ—cet scire sed agere operari aliquid eorum quae cagnoscimus hujus finis est actio haec requiritur in disciplinis Ethicis Oeconomicis Politicis Perter Physic lib. 1. cap. 5. August 83. Quest 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