Five Godly and Profitable Sermons, Sermon 2
HOSEA. 4. 6.
My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge: because thou hast reiected knowledge, I will also reiect thee, that thou shalt be no Priest to me; seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
THese words containe a short declaration of the miserable estate of the Church of Israel in the daies of the holy Prophet, when the people they were ignorant, the Priests they were negligent, both were growne monstrously wicked, and all were l…kely to bee out of hand most severely punished.
The partes of this verse are two.
1 The sinne and punishment of the people; their sinne is ignorance, want of knowledge of God, his worship and service; their punishment is destruction, or cutting off; partly by temporall iudgements the Sword, Pestilence, Famine and Captivitie; which for their ignorance with other sinnes should come vponupon them; partly by spirituall and eternal iudgments in their certaine condēnation in Hell fire.
[My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge.]
2 The sinnes and punishment of the Priests who are in the next place particularly questioned as chiefe authors of that ignorance which was among the people: their sinne is, that: They reiected knowledge and forgot the law of their God: The latter clause giues vsus the meaning of the former: The law that was prescribed vntounto the Priests the sonnes of Levi is expressed Deut. 33. 10. [They shall teach Iacob thy iudgements and Israell thy Law] & yet more fully, Ma…. 2. 7. [The Priests lippes should preserue knowledge and they should seeke the law at his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hosts.] This then was the covenant that God had made with the sonnes of Levi; that besides the offering vp of sacrifices for the people; he should provide for the instruction of the people in matters of religion: for which purpose they are enioyned. 1. To hauehave the knowledge of Gods will for themselues, that the law of God might be sought at their mouth and knowledge preserved in their lips. 2. To be readie and carefull to teach the same vntounto the people; so farre as concerned their duty to know and practise. Now at this time these Priests had forgotten▪ i. e. broken the covenant of Levi; and transgressed the commaundement which God of old had given to the Priesthood: being guilty of a double fault.
1. Ignorance that they were not themselues men of knowledge, such as were skilful and learned in the vnderstanding of the law able to informe others: but were as the Pharises and Scribes in after times, Blinde leaders of the blinde.
2. Negligence that they tooke no care in teaching the poore ignorant people according as they were bound by their office: Both these faults are signified vntounto vsus when the Prophet saith [That the Priests had reiected knowledge,] meaning that they were ignorant themselues, and negligent towards others: They had no knowledge for their owne part, or if any, yet they despised to teach it to others. A fault no way to be tolerated in such men: & therefore in the next place you hauehave their punishment; which is conformable to their sinne: They would not doe their dutie, God would discharge them of their office; they reiected knowledge with scorne and loathing of it, (so the word is foreign) God with as much disdaine reiects them from being Priests vntounto him: They had forgotten Gods law, God would likewise forget them and their posteritie, leaving them without reliefe when their deserved shame and misery should come vponthem. Which fell out accordingly at the finall destruction of the kingdome of Israell, when Priests and people fared alike and were all carried away into perpetuall captivitie; where they and their posterity remained ever.
Doct. The words being thus in briefe opened to you, out of them I commend to your observation this generall point of instruction▪ viz.
Ignorance in matters of religion bee it in whomsoeuer is a hatefull and dangerous sinne.
If it bee in people 'tis naught, if in ministers 'tis much worse, in whomsoever it be 'tis a sinne wherewith God is highly displeased and which he wil one day seuerely punish. That the truth of this may appeare vntounto you I shall endeavour to vnfolde vntounto you the Qualitie and Danger of this sinne a little more at large: because as ignorance is a common fault, so men hauehave a common opinion that it is a very small offence, scarce any at all, You will iudge otherwise, If you will duly consider of it in these three respects.
1. The nature of it.
2. The causes of it.
3. The effects of it.
1. For the nature of it you must knowe that ignorance is a foule blemish of mans nature; a want of that perfection which should be in vsus, if matters were now with vsus, as whē God created vsus, we were made after gods Image, and a singular part of that Image was our knowledge, and the most excellent part of our knowledge was the vnderstanding of all divine matters touching God and goodnes, so farre forth as it was needfull for vsus to vnderstand them. Now nature it selfe that hath planted in every one an vnmesurable desire of knowing much, leades vsus also to iudge how incomparable an ornament it is, where it may be attained.
When wee thinke vponupon the infinite knowledge of God, or vponupon that excellent measure of knowledge in the Angels and blessed Saints departed, or in Adam in his innocencie, none is so stupid, and dull as not to admire it in them and to wish for the like in himselfe, so farre as he might be capeable of it. In which case when we looke backe from them to our selues, who can choose, but hang downe his head for very shame and griefe to see God, and these blessed creatures inhabiting in so glorious a brightnes and light somnes whilest himselfe dwels in darkenes compassed about with a blacke night of ignorance, errour, and obscuritie: He seeth as much difference betweene himselfe and them, as between him that travailes by the cleare sunne-shine and one that walkes by a candle. Knowledge is like the sunne in the world, or the eie in a mans face: nothing would be more rufull, and dismall then the world without the light of the sun, nor is any deformity in the face more notable then the want of an eie: And certainely there is nothing more vglie to behold, then that soule which is darkned in its vnderstanding through blindnes and ignorance, being destitute of the knowledge of God, of Christ, of grace, of Religion; the knowledge whereof is both light, and life vntounto the soule.
2 In the next place let vsus consider the causes of mans ignorance, and they are two, both very bad according as the effect.
1 The first is Adams sinne from whose fall this naturall corruption and weaknes is derived vntounto vsus. Hee sinned, and we in him: both are punished among other great losses; with the losse of those glorious abilities of our vnderstanding part. It had once a power and large capacity to comprehend all things both naturall & divine: but at this time a very great weakenes and dimnesse of sight is fallen vponupon it in discerning naturall things: and for the knowledge of God and spirituall things it is growne even starke blinde. Hence then is that first bond of ignorance which wee may call naturall and invincible. Naturall, because every sonne of Adam brings it with him into the world by the course of his generation and birth: forasmuch as every one is borne weake-sighted with this infirmity and disabilitie in his vnderstanding. Therefore in infants there is more then ignorantia purae negationis: for being sinnefull, ignorance is a part of their originall corruption, and so tis also, pravae dispositionis, they not only know not by reason of age; but are ill disposed to know by reason of the disability of their sinfull nature. Againe this ignorance is tearmed invincible or vnavoidable, because the naturall man alwaies continues in it, and cannot by his owne strength ever get out of it: but only by the helpe of Gods spirit outwardly affording the the meanes of holy knowledge & inwardly inlightning the minde to vnderstand them aright as the Apostle sheweth. 2. Cor. 3. 18.
2. Our owne sinne viz: wilfull rebellion in neglecting and despising all holy meanes of knowledge: when meanes are not they seek not after them, when they be offered, they refuse them, or vse them with al carelesnesse and disrespect: when men winke against the light, closing vp their eies that it may not shine id their hearts: when they will none of wisdomes instructions,Iob. 21. 14. but stubbornely say to God, depart from vsus, for we desire not the knowledge of thy waies. Hence is that other kinde of ignorance which we call, affected, a fouler fault by farre then the former: when men know nothing and yet scorne to learne anie thing: they will not heare, nor conferre, nor read, nor pray, nor vse any meanes to get knowledge, but are content to sit still in darknes, as the Egyptians were sometimes forced to doe, not stirring one way or other. A miserable condition, but I shall tel you the reason of it: they abide in darknes, because they are loth to see and to be seene. Should they come abroad in the light, their manifold deformities and abominable corruptions would be discovered by the light of the word to their shame and griefe: they should meete with many reproofes of their lewd courses, many perswasions to piety and obedience: all which they can by no meanes endure, it is death to them to heare of their faults, when they are resolved not to amend them: and they will be wilfullie ignorant of that, which being once knowne would often trouble their consciences. This reason of mans wilful affected ignorance, Christ giues, Ioh. 3. 19. 20. [Light came into the world, and men loved darknes rather then light, because their deedes were evill: for every man that evill doth, hates the light, neither commeth to the light lest his deeds should be reproved.] These are the causes of this ignorance, originall corruption disabling vsus to know, actuall stubbornesse and frowardnesse, making vsus vnwilling to know: wherefore ignorance must needes be ill, that hath so ill causes, where the roote is rottennesse, you can looke for no fruit but corruption.
3. Come we in the third place to the effects of it & you shall see it is evill and hurtfull in that regard also. The fruits of ignorance are two. 1. sinne. 2. punishment. 1. sinne. Ignorance is a sinne it selfe and it is a cause of many sinnes: There be mother sinnes and this is one of them, a fruitfull mother not of devotion, as blinde Papists would hauehave vsus belieue, but of iniquitie and impietie. An ignorant man is a wicked man; an ignorant Priest is a wicked Priest, an ignorant people a sinnefull people. Tis plaine by this very chapter. [There is no truth, nor mercy nor knowledge of God in the land] saith the prophet, ver. 1. What followes thence, why this [by swearing and lying, and killing, and stealing and c…mmitting adultery they breake out and blood toucheth blood, vers. 2. Againe, [Israell doth not know, my peopled th not consider,] saith the Prophet Isaiah. Chapt. 1. v. 3. what of that they might yet be devout, and holy might they not? No: read the complaint that followes therevpon, ver. 3. [Ah sinnefull nation, a people laden with iniquitie, a seed of evill doers, children that are corrupters, they hauehave forsaken the Lord, they hauehave provoked the holy one of Israel, they are gone away backward) see the fruits of ignorance whereby men become Apostates from God, wicked in themselues, & corrupters of others: for so it is, they that know no good themselues hauehave yet knowledge enough to teach another to doe evill▪ nor can this bee otherwise: for as much as where the heart is evill the life wilbe wicked. Now an ignorant person is devoide of grace. So saith the Apostle touching the Gentiles, that they were [strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that was in them, because of the blindnesse of their harts, Eph. 4. …8.) that is, they were destitute of all sauing and quickning power of Gods spirit, they had no grace, no faith, no feare; no louelove, no true affection to God or any spirituall goodnes; they had neither care nor desire of that they knew not: whence ver. 19. followes immediatly their lewd liues in that [being without sense (of goodnes) they gaue themselues vntounto wantonnesse, to worke all vncleannes even with greedines.] For what will not a gracelesse ignorant man doe, who knowes not, but he may doe any thing? He is blinde and cannot choose but stumble at every blocke, dash himselfe against every post, tumble into every ditch: he is a ship without a Master that runnes at adventure with any winde, vponupon any rocke or shelfe. It is Christs comparison, Ioh. 12. 35. [He that walketh, in the darke knoweth not whether he goeth] and so is an ignorant man, he travels in the night: hee cannot see his way before him, he misseth at every turning, hee must leape hedge and ditch, and yet stil the farther he goeth, the more he wanders. No good worke he takes in hand but hee failes strangely in the performance, in everie course of his life hee goeth astraie through his great folly, and before he is aware runnes vponupon a thousand snares and temptations, the Divel hath set for to take him. You see then ignorance is an occasion of manie sinnes: but in particular let me giuegive you warning of two speciall faults that ignorant men vsually runne into. 1 Inconstancie in religion whether it be in opinion or practise, for when men take vponupon them the profession of religion believing; and practising many things, but are not able to giuegive an account of their faith, nor tell any sound reason why, vponupon what grounds, to what end they do such and such things: can it be expected, but that if these bee strongly sett vponupon and put to it indeed, they will be drawne without much adoe to change their minds? We knowe what the Apostle speaks of those silly women, who were alwayes learning, and yet neuer came to the knowledge of the truth: they were the fittest to become a prey vntounto false teachers and deceavers▪ who creeping into their houses & hearts, by cunning insinuations deluded them, and led them captiue to any erroneous opinion or practise. 2. Tim. 3. 6. 7. Among vsus, my brethren, in these times wee hauehave to blame men as well as women for this fault. The intolerable ignorance of most is sufficient witnesse to all the worlde, that there are not a few whose religion is yet to choose, and for ought they knowe to the contrary, another may be as good as that which they professe for the present, they be Protestants in shew, but they knowe as little what belongs to true religion as they doe of Popery: They bee no more able to distinguish betweene true religion and false, then an infant betweene the right hand and the left. And therefore if at any time a Priest, or Iesuit, or other cunning Papist set vponupon them, they are straight way puzzled and staggered: they hauehave nothing to answere in defence of their religion, but you shall see them presently fetch't ouer with fine words, and halfe perswaded to be of another opinion: yea did not ciuill respects & temporall incōveniences beate them off from poperie more thē the knowledge or hatred of such errors as papists maintaine, there is nothing could keepe them in that case from revolting vntounto their side.
It is a needfull point, my brethren, to be thought on by vsus, & that seriously, especially in these evill daies, wherin Satan and his complices doe on all hands assault the Church of God, seeking to swallow her vp. Our brethren abroad are in sore affliction, yet they forsake not their God, lets pitty them, and pray for them, that they may continue faithfull even to the death, for our selues at home, God he knows we are as sinfull a people and hauehave deserued as sharp a triall as our neighbour: let vsus pray still for the life and safetie of our King, the peace of our Church, the welfare of our state, and let each one looke to his owne particular walking in the light, whilst we hauehave the light getting knowledg and wisedome, & faith, & zeale, that we may stād fast in the profession of Gods true religiō, whatsoeuer danger may betide vsus. This of the first fault of ignorāt men▪ The second followes.
2 Securitie or senslesnesse in regard of sinne or punishmēt An ignorant person knowes not what it is to sinne, and therefore dares commit it, hee apprehends not what punishments belonge to sinne, and therfore he makes no scruple of them: hee sees no danger before it comes: & so he feares it not: when punishment comes vponupon him he knowes not why or from whome it comes, tis with him as with Ephraim, Hos. 7. 9. [Strangers hauehave devoured his strength and he knowes it not: yea gray haires are here & there vponupon him, yet he knowes not] many markes of Gods anger are vponupon him, yet he knowes & apprehends not by whome, or wherefore he is smitten. You shall hauehave many a man pine away in his estate, vnblest and vnthriuing in all his businesses crost with vngratious and disobedient Children, vext with evill servants and vnfaithfull, troubled with an vnquiet & discontented familie, tormented with vniust suites in law, slandered in his good name by false reports raised of him, yea disquieted in his soule with griefes and feares: yet mark this man in all his vexations, & you see him sensible of nothing; but present paines: he thinkes of nothing lesse then of Gods hand and his owne sinne in all this: God smites him for his covetousnesse, vncleanesse, prophanesse, vnbeliefe, Atheisme; with the like notorious sinnes he liues in: but the ignorant wretch never considers of this, nor doth he any iot the more either turne to God that punisheth him, or from his sinnes for which he is punished: he toiles & moiles, rides and runnes vp and downe, tries now this way, then that, entreates one, bribes another, after all complaints of his hard fortune and ill successe in all his affaires. And yet see in the middle of all this trouble he sinnes as much as euer he did, he sweares, he drinkes, and consens his neighbour as much as euer, he is as irreligeous as he was before, not any dutie of religion performed by himselfe or with his familie more then at another time? No; he keeps his old wont & ventures on still in his evill courses, hoping that times may change & matters amend one day. If he can but make any shift to escape the present smart; that is all that he lookes after. Thus is the condition of many soules, who doe evill, and are plagued yet doe evill still: because they be besotted, & hauehave not the wisedome to see their sinne, or feare their punishment.
Thus much of the first effect of ignorance viz sinne, the second followes.
2. Punishment: [my people perish] which is partly in this life, partly in that which is to come. In this life God often plagues them, and puts them to shame. This was one cause of the captiuitie of the Iewes as it is Esay. 5. 13. [therefore my people is gone into captiuiy, because they had no knowledge]
They seldome escape here: but hereafter they are sure to smart for it. Ignorance is the highway to hell: and ignorant men, though they cannot choose but wander, yet they cannot goe so farre wide as to misse hell. It is the Apostles sentence 2. Thess. 1. 8. Christ shall shew himselfe [in flaming fire, rendring vengeance vntounto them who doe not know God▪ &c.] God will be strange to them in that day, who are now strangers vntounto him. He will not know them then, who will none of his acquaintance now: they say to him, depart from vsus we will not know thee, he shall then say to them, depart frō me, I know you not, they that know not Gods waies, shall never enter into his rest, they liue and die without his feare & out of his fauour. Those that are blind will certainly fall into the ditch, as it is Math. 15. 14. except God doe in time open their eies, to see the danger and preuent it.
These things thus explained, before we come to make application of the point; it will not be amisse in our passage, to touch briefly vponupon two questions needfull to be resolved. The first is.
1 Whether ignorance of a mans dutie, doe in any sort excuse his not doing of it?
To this I answere in briefe: Ignorance in those things we are bound to know doth not excuse a fault committed by reason of it. The reason is manifest, because one sinne cannot excuse another. Now in this case it is first a sinne not to know our duty, because we were bound to know it: and then it is a sinne not to doe our duty, because we also ought to hauehave done it. And though wee are so farre from being excused, that we are in a double fault, and deserue double blame, for being ignorant & disobedient; neverthelesse this must be observed; that a sinne committed through simple ignorance is not so great a fault as that which is committed through wilfull ignorance or against knowledge. He that sinnes against his knowledge is a notorious and presumptuous offender and deserues severest punishment according to that of Christ. Luk. 12. 47. [That servant that knew his masters will and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes] and also that of S. Iames c. 4. 16. 17. [To him that knoweth how to doe well, and doth it not, to him it is sinne] with a witnesse, a great sinne greatly to be punished. Againe he that sinnes out of willfull ignorance, because carelesly and stubbornly he neglects & contemnes all meanes of knowledg that are afforded him, this mans fault is not a iot lessened but aggrauated by his ignorance, nor, hath he any excuse in the world for his ill doing, who might if it had pleased him hauehave knowē the way how to hauehave done better. But now he that sinnes out of simple ignorāce, where there is no froward, scornefull, careles neglect of meanes of knowledg, this mans sinne is somewhat lesse then the others, yet tis a sinne still. This is manifest by that of our saviour Luke. 12. 48. [he that knew it not, yet did commit things worthy of stripes, he shall be beaten with few stripes] he shallbe beaten though he did it out of pure ignorance, yet but with few stripes, & that because he did it ignorantly. Soe Paul some what excuseth his pesecution of the Church, because 'twas done out of an ignorāt zeale: but yet foral that he accoūts of himselfe as he was, even at that time a very great sinner. (I was saith he a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and an oppressor: but I was receiued to merciemercy because I did it ignorātly through vnbeliefe) 1. Tim. 13. And in like sort doth the Apostle Peter somewhat qualifie that great sinne of crucifying Christ the Lord of life: wherevnto the commō people and many of the rulers ignorantly consented, being misled and ill advised by the priests, Pharisees, & other malitious enemies of Christ. [And now, brethren, I know that through ignorance yee did it, as did also your gouernours] saith Peter to the Iewes. Acts. 3. 17. Soe much also our Saviour implies in that speech of his to the Pharises, who proudly arrogated to themselues all knowledg (If yee were blind yee should not hauehave sinne) had they indeed been simple and ignorant, their sinne in persecuting Christ, & opposing the Gospell, had been much lesse hainous. (But now yee say, we see, therefore your sinne remaineth) vnexcusable, vnpardonable whilst against their knowledge, they malitiously despise and his doctrine. Iohn. 9. 41. This of the first question; the opening whereof confutes the sillinesse of many ignorant mē who think verily because they hauehave no knowledg, that God will hold them excused for their good meaning sake.
The second question is.
2 What measure of holy knowledg is required of each one?
For answere herevnto, you must put a difference between mens Abilities, and gifts of nature or grace: & also between mens callings and diverse imployments. For the first, al men are not alike qualified with inward abilities; There is not the same fastnesse of memorie, quicknesse of apprehension, soundnesse of iudgmēt in one, that is in another, nor hauehave all the like benefit of outward helps in their education, for the perfecting of such good parts, as nature hath lent thē. Now God deales equally, where he bestows much there he looks for much againe; where he giues little, there he requires but little. He that naturally is slow of witt, dull of conceipte, short of memorie, weake in iudgment, such a one would bee pittied and louingly helped forward so farre in knowledg as his weaknesse will giuegive leaue. And men shall doe ill to lay heauie burdens on those, to whome God hath giuen but weake shoulders to beare them. But when men can shew witt enough in other matters, and hauehave all abilities of minde to serue their turne in inferior imployments, to apprehend, discourse, plott and contrriue matters as they list, and yet the same men, be dunses in all religious knowledge, they are inexcu…able, and must answere for their vnthankfulnesse, & misimployment of that talent, he hath giuen vntounto them. Thus there is a difference in regard of mens abilities: there is also a difference in respect of mens diverse callings. God doth not require the same measure of honour or knowledg of a lay man, which he doth of a minister, of a plaine man, & of a scholler, of a privat person▪ and of a publike gouernour. Here the rule is That God requires of every one so much knowledge, that he may know how in his place to carrie himselfe in all wisedome and vnblameablenesse. He may not come short, nor yet goe beyond his bounds, but duly considering what belonges to his place, he must studie to be throughly informed thereof, moreouer this must be obserued in generall touching all men, of whatsoever calling or gift: that no man can attaine to any such degree of knowledge, that he should therewith rest himselfe cōtented, & seeke no farther; the wisest know but in part, & they may know more perfection is to be sought for, but it wil neuer be had in this life, & therefore mē must be stil striuing in the knowledg of God: schollers must studie still, Ministers preach, people must heare still, all must grow richer in this treasure of spirituall wisedome. In a word no man must cease learning, till God giuegive ouer teaching. And know this that the man, who bewailes his ignorance, & daily searches after knowledge, in the vse of good meanes, he shall gaine this advantage, first the little knowledg which he hath shall doe him much good, & then in due time, his stock shall encrease according to that promise [to him that hath (& vseth it well) shall be giuen (more) & he shall hauehave abundance] Let thus much suffice to be spokē for the vnfolding of the nature of this sinne, Come wee in the last place to make application of all vntounto our owne vse.
1 The first vse shall be for reprehension of ignorant persons, whose fault is here declared to be great, and their condition miserable: which notwithstanding, there are in the world many patrons of this sin, who both in opinion and practise defend this sinne and approue it. I shall name vntounto you two sorts of them.
1 Papists, who make a direct profession of this shamefull sinne: with them the best way for a man to doe his duty is not to know it at all: and no devotion is comparable to that which is blind, nor any service like that which is beastly, and vnreasonable. Let an ignorant Catholike that canne reade never a letter, nor vnderstand scarce a fillable in the Creede, Lords prayer, Ten commandements, or other part of his catechisme, let him yet hold fast by his ghostly fathers sleaue, doe as he bids him, come to Church, and heare Latine service, reade latine prayers, doe he knows not what, yea any thing the Priest commands him, and then they'le warrāt him cocksure, from falling into the ditch, be he neuer so blind. Let Paul finde fault with zeale without knowledge. Rom. 10▪ 2. 3. Tis no matter what he saith, the'ile contradict him to his teeth, and tell vsus as they teach their people, that ignorance is the best mother of true Catholike devotion. In which impudencie some hauehave gone so farre of late daies, as to erect a new order of Friers, whose very rule, & profession was ignorance of all things except Christ, and the virgin Mary. It is not possible that all things, should hauehave come to this passe amongst them, were there not knaverie in the businesse. But the truth is this, Poperie is one great part of the kingdome of darknesse, and for the support hereof, it was needfull to shutte out the light, for feare of discovering their secret abominatiōs. If their deeds were good why doe they hate the light? If their opinions were sound, why are they afraid of Scripture? 'Tis selfe guiltinesse breeds those feares and iealousies, and that Atheisticall slander of Gods word, that the Scriptures are obscure, that the reading of the bible will make men hereticks. In short, the best construction we can make of their practises in this kinde is, that they mistrust Poperie would downe, if people had but knowledge to see their villanies & errors: they see the credite of Priests & Fr…ers would downe, who now be the only admired oracles of knowledge among their ignorant people, & which is more, those slow bellies, and evill beasts, see 'twould cost them much paines, and toile to bring their people to knowledge, after so long neglect of that course, wherefore they sit still, grow lazie and fat, whilst their people is well enough content to be vntaught, & so to perish in their Ignorance, Idolatry, and Superstition.
2 Protestants amongst whom we hauehave a number which are papists in their practises, what ever they be in their opinions. Among vsus many there be that hauehave left off to vnderstand and doe good as it is psal, 36. 3. men of ill liues, of ignorant minds, that out of carelesnesse or contempt profit not one iot, either in knowledg or obediēce of the Gospel. This is a raigning sinne that spreads farre and wide ouer all quarters of the land, a killing sin that …laies thousands of soules, which fall daily into the pit & snare, before they are aware that evill is toward them. 'Tis the grand factor for hell and that, wherin the divil hath ever laboured by deepest polices to keepe men from knowledge; either that they might not hauehave the meanes, or not profit by thē, when they had them. What shall we say, my brethren, to the lamentable ignorāce amongst people: shall we excuse it? 'tis not possible. For I demand in the Apostles wo…ds. Rom. 10. 18. [hauehave they not all heard the Gospell? noe doubt the sound thereof hath gone through all the land…, and the words thereof vntounto the end of the earth] All meanes of knowledg hauehave been plentiful amongst vsus, Preaching, Catechizing, Printing, and all these for a long time, sixtie yeares and vpwarde, so that one would thinke now all might know the Lord from the greatest to the meanest: and if ever in any, now in our country mightbe fulfilled that of Habakkuk c. 2. 14 (the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glorie of the Lord, as the waters couer the sea) If in any particular place meanes hauehave beene scant, and the people hauehave had but little instructiō, ill may they thriue with their idlenes, by whose negligence Gods people hauehave perished for lack of knowledg. And if any such heare mee, let them be entreated in the bowels of Christ Iesus, to hauehave more pittie and compassion on the poore soules, which goe astray, as sheepe which hauehave no sheepheard. But, my brethren, you must know, that this excuse will not serue the turne, neither if ministers wil not teach, we need not learne; No▪ if they will not, seeke where thou maist, and doe not thou throw away thy selfe, because another is careles of thy safety. But of all what excuse will they hauehave, who hauehave beene borne and bread vp in parishes that hauehave had preaching almost time out of mind. Here one woulde thinke in regard of time & meanes, men might be teachers rather then learners: but 'tis nothing so. Here also shall you meete with hundreds that had need be taught their very A. B. C. in matters of religion: 'tis no marvaile to see children or young mē ignorant, when you shall hauehave old men 50. 60. yea 80 years old, whose gray haires shew that they hauehave had time enough to learne more witt, yet in case to be set to schoole againe for their admirable simplcitie in the knowledg of religion. They'le scorne to be questioned, but doe but get them in a good moode and talke with them about religion, aske them the meaning of the articles of faith, of the petitions in the Lords prayer, or of other cōmon points in Catechisme, and marke their answers, you shall see them so shuffle and fumble, speake halfe words, and halfe sentences, so hack and hew at it, that you may almost sweare they speake they know not what of matters out of their elemēt: though they be the wisest and craftiest headed men in a parish, take them in other matters; yet in these things, you would thinke verily they were borne starke naturals and Idiots: they will sometimes shape you such strange, absurd, and vnexpected answers to your questions that when a man cannot choose but pitty them, he hath much a doe to forbeare laughing at them. Let me tell a story that I hauehave heard from a reverend man out of the pulpit, a place where none should dare to tell a lie; of an old man aboue sixty, who liued and died in a parish, where there had beene preaching almost all his time, & for the greatest part twice on the Lordes day, besides at extraordinarie times. This man was a constant hearer as any might be, & seemed forward in the louelove of the word; on his death bed being questioned by a minister, touching his faith and hope in God: you will wonder to heare what answere he made: being demanded, what he thought of God, he answeres that he was a good old man: & what of Christ, that he was a towardly young youth: and of his soule, that it was a great bone in his bodie, & what should become of his soule after he was dead, that if he had done wel he should bee put into a pleasant greene meddow. These answeres astonished those that were present to thinke how it were possible, for a man of good vnderstanding, and one that in his daies, had heard by the least two or three thousand sermons, yet on his death bed in serious manner thus to deliuer his opinion in such maine points of religion, which infants and sucklings should not be ignorant of. But, my brethren, be assured this man is not alone, there be many hundreds in his case, who come to Church and heare much, happily a hundred sermons and a halfe in a yeare: yet at yeares end, are as much the better for al, as the pillers of the Church against which they leane, or the pewes wherein they sit. A matter greatly to be lamented, and sharpely reproued, that wise men, politicke men, graue men, great men, rich men, men that carrie the name of Christians, should yet be such very children in all godly knowledg. Wherefore in the next place let this be for exhortation.
Ʋse 2 1 To Ministers, that they would be carefull to teach the people: if people perish for want of knowledge, shall ministers escape who are negligent in teaching? Be sure of it, both smart togither, they for their ignorance, these for their negligence: such ministers hauehave their doome in my text [because thou hast reiected knowledge, I will also reiect thee.] The people shal indeed perish in their sins, but their bloud &c: whose office it was to instruct, admonish, reproue, entreate, and by al meanes to turne the people from their evil waies. Oh that such men would be pleased to consider, that the best service they can doe, the greatest honour they can attaine vntounto, is to be faithfull labourers in Gods vineyard! What an honour and happinesse is it to a man, to be made a common blessing vntounto all men round about him, to be eies to the blind, legs to the lame, a mouth to the dumbe, a staffe to the feeble, a physitian to the sick, a counsellour in hard cases, a watchmā in danger, a captaine in conflicts, so much and much more is a minister vntounto his people, if he doe his duty as he ought. And vnworthy they are of that office, who scorne to take the paines that belongs to it, or thinke it an easie, or small matter to saue a soule from death. But happily I speake to them that heare me not: wherefore the next exhortation is.
2 To people, that they would take notice in themselues of this foule sinne to amend it. Some men are ignorant of this like men in the dark, thinking themselues faire, because they see not their owne deformities; Come now then into the light; looke on thy selfe, see what an ignorant wretch thou art, bewaile it, repent of it, amend it. Be ashamed in your selues, of that which you are ashamed of, when any man takes notice of it, blush at your ignorance, and heare what the spirit of God saith to you, Pro. …. 22. (How long ye simple ones will ye louelove simplicitie &c.) If a man cal you fooles and simple persons, you'le be angry with him, now God calls you so, be angry with your selues, be ashamed of your selues that God should stil call you simple, scornful, foolish, because ignorant, disobedient men. Say now in thine owne heart, how foolish, how brutish hauehave I beene? how like a beast, nay how much worse thē a beast hauehave I liued? The oxe knoweth his owner, the asse his masters crib, but I hauehave not knowne or considered ought; surely I hauehave not in mee the vnderstanding of man: what folly and simplicitie is this in me, to know any thing, but what I should know, God and his goodnesse, my selfe and my dutie? How many sermons hauehave I heard in vaine? how often hauehave I discouraged my minister making him weepe and sigh in secret to see so little fruit of his ministerie. Ignorant I was when he first came to the parish, & now after many yeares am ignorant still. I see young men yea little Children can giuegive a better reason, yea answer more soundly to points of Catechisme thē I can. Think thus with thy selfe, and then grow into resolution to take a new course, begin to doe that which is never too late to be done, to know God, and which waies thou maist worship and obey him, resolue to take all opportunities, to spare as many houres as thou canst for the purchasing of this heavenly wisedome. And least that here also thou shouldst plead ignorance: that thou wouldst get knowledge if thou knewest which way, hearken a little to some directions. The meanes whereby knowledge will be gotten are these.
1 Hearing the word of God preached: this is the chiefe meanes wherevnto you must giuegive all diligent heede, God hath appointed it for this end, to the instruction of the ignorant, and it goes accompanied with his speciall blessings to that purpose. Wherefore sit not at home, lie not a bed, when thou shouldst be at Church: Come and come often, especially on the Lords day, and in the weeke too when occasion serues; spare an houre for a sermon as wel as two for a play, or a feast, idle chatting, or doing nothing. When thou comest to Church, come with a mind to learne, set thy selfe in good earnest to heede the Preacher, marke what doctrine he delivers, how he proues, how he applies it. Keepe the point he speakes of in thy memorie as he goes along, and if thou be short witted, helpe thy selfe with thy pen; gaze not, sleep not, talke not, thinke not of this and that businesse, fixe thy eies vponupon the Preacher, and thy thoughts vponupon his words, and be sure so to carrie the matter that something may bee gotten by an houres discourse. But there is another thing to be thought on in the second place and that is.
2 Meditation, a duty every way necessary after hearing: men thinke they hauehave done enough, if they sit out the sermon and hearken attentiuely whilst the preacher is in speaking: but as soone as the preacher hath done, they hauehave done too: they neither thinke, nor speake more of it, every man sortes himselfe with his friend and companion, and then in Church or Church-yard, or as they goe home, an hundred idle questions be asked and answered about this man, and that, this busines, and that, this bargaine, or that, but not a worde touching any thing they heard at Church: so that by the time they come home, the soules of the aire hauehave picked vp all the seede, that laye scattered, and carelesly vncovered, the Sermon is quite fled and gone from their minds. Come to them and clappe them on the shoulders, and saie now for a wager where was the Preachers text, what remember you of the points hee discoursed of; they can tell you no more what hee saide, then the man in the moone. My brethren, I beseech you take notice of this fault, and thinke of it, as that maine cause, why there is soe much preaching and hearing, and yet People doe still remaine as ignorant, as wicked as euer. Here's the cause, the Preacher doth his part, they wil not do theirs, they heare the Sermon at Church and there they leaue it, but never carrie home any thing to make it their owne by often meditating on it. Wherfore remember henceforth that a Sermon is but halfe heard, that is only heard from the preachers mouth. The greatest part is yet behinde to be performed by thy selfe at home. Goe home then, thinke of it as thou art in the way, thinke of it when thou art in thine house: take time to recall things to minde, do it with thy familie, do it with thy selfe; in thy closet, vponupon thy bed, say such a sin was reproved to day, am I, hauehave I bene guiltie of it? Such a dutie was vrged vponupon me, doe I practise it or no? such a grace was commended vntounto me, hauehave I such a grace? such a rule was prescribed me, doe I follow it or not? If men would be perswaded to make triall of this course, thus to digest what they heare, they should finde (as others hauehave done) a plentifull increase of sauing knowledge in a shorte time, whereas now they thriue not a iot, by their daily hearing many yeares together.
3. Conference with those that are able to giuegive vsus resolution in difficult cases: or with those that desire it from vsus, A point wherein men are generally defectiue. Obserue all the discourse of men when they meete together, not the hundred parte is touching religion: you shall hauehave a table sometimes furnished with as choice men as meates, men of learning, iudgment, and experience in all kinds, able much to benefit others that are present, by seasonable and fitting discourse. Yet tis strange to see two or three howers eaten vp, and nothing spoken to any purpose, for which a man may say when he is gone, that he hath bene the better for their company. As for ordinarie meetings, 'tis so that it is scarce good manners, to moue a question of divinitie, for feare of marring all the mirth, if you doe, you are like to answer your selfe to your owne question, they are presently mute as fishes, and hauehave not a word to say. A great dinn there was before and much chat: but such a question is like a stone hurld in among a companie of frogs, that make a fowle noise, but vponupon the fall thereof they are straight as still as may be. This is a fault, but not the greatest in this kinde: we will not restraine conference to tables; there be other places, that are happily more fit, the ministers house, the learned mans studie, hither people should resort to enquire and be resolued in points of knowledge, and practises that doe concerne them. But how long shall a Minister sit in his studie, before any of his parish wil trouble him about any such matters. Lawyers & Phisitians are thronged with clients and patients at all houres, day and night, for aduise about matters of body and estate: but who knockes at the ministers doores calling for his helpe for their soules; Sr tell me how shall I vnderstand such a place of Scripture, make me to conceiue such a point of Diuinitie, advise me how shall I get such a grace, avoyde such a sinne; such a temptation; what were I best to doe in such a case of conscience. Ministers I am sure complaine much of the backwardnesse of people in this point, not that they louelove to be sought to, or look for a fee, but because they seeke their peoples good, and would gladly take all opportunities, to encrease knowledge in them, whose ignorance they cannot but pittie and commiserate. Wherfore my brethren, learne a point of wisdome, to take notice of all doubts, and when in reading or hearing thou meetest with any thing thou vnderstā lest not, keepe it in minde till thou mayst hauehave a fit occasion to get a resolution. Where ever thou commest be not ashamed to minister occasion of good discourses, that others may be the better for thee, and thou for them before yee part.
4 Priuate reading of the Scriptures, and other bookes tending to Godly instructions. A course if duelie obserued that would bring a great deale of knowledge, especially in this our age, where the presse is as fruitfull in good bookes as the pulpit is of good Sermons. No booke of Scripture but you hauehave the exposition of some learned man vponupon it, no point of divinity, but you shall finde it largely & plainly handled in some treatise or other. A great blessing to this age, if men would be wise to make vse of it, but the trueth is, men hauehave as little regard of printing as they hauehave of preaching. Looke to the ordinarie sort of people; they doe not reade scarce one Chapter of the bible in a weeke, I may say in a yeare, so ignorant, that they can hardly finde the booke whence the preacher takes his text, or how to distinguish betweene Apocrypha and Canonicall Scripture. How many are there of good sort & fashion that hauehave read much, and many great volumes, which yet cannot say at eighty years old, that in al their life they hauehave read ov…r the Bible. A booke that is none of the biggest, but is of all the best. What can we pretend for this monstrous negligence? canst thou not reade? blame thy freinds and parents for the time thou wast a Childe; since that blame thy owne folly. Any one may learne to reade, that hath wit to learne any thing. But thou hast no money to buy bookes: what? hast thou mony to spend in a taverne, to play away at Cardes & Dice, to buy lace and needlesse superfluities of apparell, and hast thou not monie to buy a Bible; or any other good Booke? for shame say not so. But I hauehave no time to read; for any thing else time enough, to doe nothing, to lie a bed till noone, to sit two or three houres at dinner or supper, to goe to such a friend and there spend halfe a day, to such a freind and there spend another, to doe any chare that comes in extraordinarily. Away with those excuses; 'tis certaine, my brethren, there is no calling be it of never so much employment, but of twenty foure hours, they may if they list spare two at the least for religious imployments: yea more if they bee wise and thriftie of their time. But I cannot buy all bookes, nor read all; nor would any man hauehave thee doe so: but buy some, read some, canst thou not tell which are best and most profitable? then aske counsell of the skilfull, that are able to advise thee. But learning is a hard matter, and 'tis not for plaine folke to vnderstand the Bible. No; is it not? Then God is too blame that hath written a word for the instruction of all, which yet none but schollers should vnderstand: but know this is nothing but an excuse for thy slothfulnes, learning is hard, because thou art vnwilling to learn: otherwise the spirit of God hath testified that knowledge is plaine, and easie to him that will vnderstand. And doe but trie, taking but that paines in the studie of religion, which thou doest in many needlesse imployments: and experience shall tell thee, that wisedome is to be found of all that doe seeke her. And yet my brethren because the well is deepe, and you may plead, that you hauehave not wherewith to draw: let mee tell you in the last place of one meanes more to get knowledge, which blesseth all the forenamed helpes, and that is.
5 Prayers vntounto God, that he would giuegive thee an vnderstanding heart, to know the mysteries of salvation, that he would open thine eies, to see the wonders of his law. That light which is in thee must come downe from the father of lights, and vnlesse still thou meane to sit in darknesse, thou must hauehave recourse vntounto God, praying him that he would shine into thy hart to giuegive thee the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ. And remember this that he who seeks for the knowledge of matters of religion, by the strength of his owne wit and other naturall parts, without humble and faithfull supplications for Gods assistance in this behalfe; such a man is in danger to be misled into manie erroneous and hereticall opinions: for if in any thing, much more in the matters of religion is that most true: he that is a scholler vntounto his owne reason, hath certainelie a foole to his master. Wherefore we are to put on an humble and sober minde, intreating his direction, & submitting our reason to his wisedome.
Now my brethren doe these things and prosper, hauehave an eare open to heare the word, a heart readie to meditate on it, a tongue seasonablie to talke of it, an eie diligent to read it, and with all these ioine heartie praier, that thou maiest vnderstand it aright; and then be thriving and succesfull in holie knowledge: though thy tallent be as yet but small; yet follow this course, and after a verie little paines and patience, thou shalt see for certaine, that this traffique will returne thee ten for one, even a large increase of all spirituall knowledge. The gaine whereof shall bring much glorie, to that thy heavenlie master that set thee on worke, and to thee his good and faithfull servant, a bountifull rewarde for thy labour.
FINIS.