One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 15
SERMON XV. More Reaſons of the Neceſſity of Divine Knowledge; And the Cauſes of Ignorance,
JOH. 17.3.
And this is Eternal Life to know thee the only true God, and Jeſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent.
THe Doctrine obſerved was, that without the knowledge of God and Chriſt there cannot be any eternal life obtained; The firſt ground or reaſon of this was from thoſe ſeveral duties that are required of us towards God, which without ſome knowledge could never be acceptably performed.
II. From thoſe duties we owe unto Chriſt.The ſecond ground ſhall be from thoſe duties we owe to Chriſt; And herein damnable ignorance will farre ſooner poſſeſſe us then in the former, for there are ſome common notions and dictates about a god, which made Tertullian cry out, O animam naturaliter Chriſtianam; But in reſpect of Chriſt, we have not the leaſt implanted notion about him, ſo that the doctrine of Chriſt is far more ſupernatural then that about God, for the hoti quod ſi Deus is, I diſcovered by natural light, but who he is, and how to be worſhiped this is meerly ſupernatural, but concerning Chriſt both the quod ſit and the quid ſit: That there is a Chriſt, and what he is are both by divine manifeſtation; So that whatſoever we have of Chriſt, it muſt only be by the Revelation of God, and in this reſpect though moſt people may have ſome generall apprehenſions about God, yet about Chriſt they have none at all unleſſe by hearſay: It behoveth us therefore who are called Chriſtians to know what that Chriſt is whom we worſhip, and truſt in for ſalvation, and the great ignorance of Chriſt is preſent death; He is the door, he is the truth, the way, and the life, Joh. 14.6. All that miſſe of him are carried violently to death and deſtruction.
For 1. Where this ignorance of Chriſt is, there cannot be any hiſtorical faith, which is the leaſt degree of faith that can be, and where there is no hiſtorical faith there cannot be any juſtifying, for how can a man truſt in Chriſt for ſalvation, whom he doth not beleeve to be, ſo that hiſtorical, or as ſome call it dogmaticall faith, whereby we beleeve that there was a Chriſt both God and man, is the firſt ſtone that muſt be laid in our Chriſtian building, and without this we have not ſo much as learned the Alphabet of our Religion, yet this is the caſe of thouſands that have no explicit formal faith in this fundamental Point, I grant they have a traditional forme, whereby they ſay they beleeve in Chriſt, but they have no expreſſe faith concerning the perſon and natures of Chriſt; Now that traditional form is not a reaſonable worſhip of God, as the Scripture expreſſeth it, Rom. 12. where we are commanded to give up our ſelves as reaſonable ſacrifices, But here men are as bruit beaſts in reſpect of any expreſſe, formal faith, inſomuch that hundreds of people if they be asked what they beleeve concerning Chriſt, they cannot give any knowing or expreſſe anſwer; Oh how near are ſuch fooliſh and ſtupid perſons to the very brink of hell… and if you ſhould ſay, If it be Faith then it cannot be knowledge, Ʋbi rides, non eſt fides, and by all faith and knowledge are oppoſed, but that is to be handled afterwards, viz. how that Faith doth neceſſarily require knowledge, and yet there is ſome kinde of knowledge that Faith is oppoſite unto, for the preſent we conclude, that where there is not ſome knowledge of Chriſt there cannot be ſo much as a bare hiſtorical faith, They have no faith that have no knowledge, I know whom I have beleeved, ſaith Paul, 2 Tim. 1.12.
2. Where groſſe Ignorance is, if there cannot be hiſtorical Faith about Chriſt, much leſſe can there be ſaving and juſtifying Faith, a fiducial relying and reſting of the ſoul upon him as the Mediatour appointed by God: The Scripture doth often ſpeak that we are juſtified by faith, Rom. 5.1. that we have remiſſion of ſinnes through Faith in Chriſts bloud, Rom. 3.25. So that Juſtification and Faith are inſeparably joyned together, but where ignorance of Chriſt is, there cannot be any of this ſaving faith, for can any man truſt in that which he doth not know of; yea, though ſuch ignorant men ſay they truſt in Chriſt, yet becauſe they know not Chriſt, theſe are but traditional and cuſtomary words; They ſpeak falſly and ſay they do not know what; Philoſophers ſay there is actio hominis, and actio humana, an humane action is that which comes expreſly or impliedly from reaſon, but actio hominis is that which is done by a man, but not as a man, as the moving of the foot or lifting up a ſtraw which came from the imagination meerly, So truly we may ſay, there is actio Chriſtiani, and actio Chriſtiani, a Chriſtian action is that which comes from knowledge and faith, either directly or indirectly, but that is an action of one that is a Chriſtian in name and profeſſion only, that doth ſuch actions as others doe, but not from any knowledge or faith within, only from cuſtome and meer tradition; if then knowledge be in all the hiſtoricall and juſtifying acts of Faith, where ſhall the ſtupid and ignorant man appear?
3. The groſſe ignorant man cannot admire, bleſſe, and praiſe God for Jeſus Chriſt the Medtatour; This is evident, he that knoweth not the nature, office, and uſe of Chriſt, what he was, and why he came into the world, what was that which he did for us, it's impoſſible he ſhould ever be affected with the love of God, or with the love of Chriſt, This made the Apoſtle pray that they might know the breadth and depth of the love of God through Chriſt, Eph. 3. For without this knowledge all Gods love and Chriſts love is diſregarded; We reade of Pauls divine raptures, and holy extaſies, becauſe of Chriſt, I deſire to know nothing but Jeſus Chriſt and him crucified, 2 Cor. 2.2. It is impoſſible in a lively manner to know this divine truth of God the Fathers love in ſending his only begotten Sonne to die for us, and not break out in heavenly praiſes and admirations, but the blinde ignorant man ſeeth nothing of this admirable myſtery; As he ſaid, it fell out ill with Artificers, when ignorant men judged of their works; Thus certainly God loſeth much of his glory-Chriſt much of his honour, when ignorant men only ſpeak of this Doctrine, As Chriſt Joh. 4. ſaid to the woman of Samaria, If thou hadſt known who it is ſpeaketh to thee, thou wouldeſt have asked for the water of Life; So here, if thou hadſt known what is in this love of God and Chriſt, if thy heart did meditate and ſtudy on it, thou wouldſt be more affected and enlarged in thy affections to Chriſt.
4. Where groſſe Ignorance is of Christ, there cannot be any improving of him for all theſe bleſſed effects to which he is appointed by God. Chriſt is of God unto us wiſedom, righteouſneſſe, and ſanctification, 1 Cor. 1. Of his Fulneſſe we all receive grace for grace, Joh. 3. But the ignorant and unwiſe man cannot make any advantage of this, The ignorant man knoweth not the vertue and good uſe may be made of ſuch herbs as grow in the field, but the wiſe Artiſt doth, Solomon asketh, Why is a price put into the hands of a Fool, ſeeing he knoweth not how to make uſe of it? If the man in the Parable that found a Pearl had not known it to be a Pearl, he would not have ſold all to have bought it; So then let there be never ſo much fulneſſe and ſufficiency in Chriſt, yet he is a Fountain ſealed up, and a garden encloſed to the ignorant man, and this muſt neceſſarily exclude ſuch from heaven, becauſe in Chriſt is all our ſalvation, whatſoever conduceth to our happineſſe is bound up in him, now the ignorant man not knowing this treaſure muſt needs periſh in his ſinnes.
5. Where a man is ignorant of Chriſt, he muſt needs be in a damnable condition, becauſe thereby he is alſo ignorant of himſelf, he knoweth not his own ſinfulneſſe and miſery, and ſo cannot deſire a remedy: Theſe two are neceſſarily known together, or unknown, Chriſt the Phyſician, and ſinne a deſperate diſeaſe; Chriſt a Saviour, and the ſinner that is loſt; But the ignorant man not knowing the one muſt neceſſarily have the other hid from his eyes: Can there be any hope of that mans cure who knoweth not and feels not his diſeaſe? Thy Ignorance of Chriſt argueth thou art alſo ignorant of thy ſelf, for didſt thou know thy own poverty and guilt, nothing could hold thee till thou mightſt get ſome intereſt in Chriſt, pain of body will make a man cry out for eaſe, but pain of ſoul through ſinne, much more; Thus you ſee the ignorant man is in the plain way to hell.
III. Becauſe groſſe Ignorance is immediatly oppoſite to the means that bring the ſoul to God and Chriſt.Thirdly, Groſſe Ignorance muſt needs be damnable, becauſe it's immediatly oppoſite to the ſanctified and appointed means that bring to God and Christ, viz. the Miniſtery: The Preaching of the Word is inſtituted by God to bring us to underſtanding and faith about theſe things; Therefore they are called the Light and Guides; But where there is groſſe Ignorance there commonly the Preaching of the Word hath leaſt effect and fruit, as the Sunne-beams doe no good to the blinde man, For ſeeing the Word of God is a morall Inſtrument, and though potent by the power of God, yet it doth by argument convince and perſwade, where men are bruitiſh like beaſts, what improbability is there of doing good? Indeed the Word doth give eyes to the blinde, and underſtanding to the ſimple, where God uſeth it efficaciouſly, for nothing can reſiſt it then becauſe it takes away the actual obſtinacy, yet the Ignorance of men is that which of it ſelf would make all Preaching to drop like the water upon the rock, where no fruit can grow; For what doth the ignorant man underſtand? what can he remember? what can he meditate upon when he is gone hence? Take a knowing though prophane man in his life, yet we have ſomething to work upon, we ſpeak to wiſe men that will judge what we ſay, but to the blinde man day and night is all one, Preaching and no Preaching; To the deaf man Thunder and a ſtill voice is all one: Conſider then leſt thy ignorance doth not damn thee, in that all the means and inſtituted waies of God become altogether unprofitable unto thee, That makes all preaching in vain: I ſhall not further enlarge on this.
Here is an Objection will preſently be made,Obj. Doth not ignorance quite abſolve a man from guilt? Is he not to be pitied rather then blamed? I …t doth not excuſe a toto, yet a tanto, He doth not ſinne ſo much as knowing men do, which doth greatly encourage and comfort them.
We may anſwer this by that known diſtinction, of an Ignorance merae negationis and pravae diſpoſitionis: It's true meer negative Ignorance doth excuſe;Anſw. The Heathens and Pagans that never heard of Chriſt, though they have other ſins they are damned for, yet the meer ignorance of Chriſt who was never revealed to them, doth not condemn them, Infidelitas negativa non damnat, but then there is an affected and wilfull Ignorance, this doth not excuſe but accuſe and aggravate, and ſuch is the Ignorance of all thoſe that live under the means of grace, and where the Name of Chriſt is preached; It's thy wilful and wicked diſpoſition in thee that makes thee thus blinde; You ſay, as thoſe in Job, let the knowledge of the moſt High depart from you, Job 21.14. Seeing you will not ſee, and hearing you will not hear, Therefore your condemnation is the greater. It's diſputed among Caſu…ſts, whether God may not have mercy upon natural fools, that cannot know any thing of God or Chriſt becauſe of a natural incapacity; But thou art a voluntary fool, and doſt wilfully deprive thy ſelf of all knowledge, and how then ſhall God be gracious unto thee? In the next place you may ſay, If the eſtate of an ignorant perſon be thus dangerous, how comes it about that there are ſo many ignorant perſons? Why cannot all ſay with the Apoſtle, We know that we know? 2 Cor. 8.1. There are ſome outward cauſes or inward cauſes, or cauſes from the ignorant man himſelf, or in reſpect of others.
Firſt, Many are therefore ſo ignorant in matters of Religion, The cauſes of Ignorance.becauſe they underſtand not the damnable eſtate this ignorance puts them into; So that the ignorance of their dangers makes them alſo ignorant of the remedy; As Auſtin ſaid of Original ſinne, It was peccatum cauſa peccati, and poena peccati, 1. Internal.the ſame is true of Ignorance; It's a ſinne in its own nature, becauſe contrary to that command of God, which doth ſo often require that we ſhould know him, and then it's a cauſe of ſinne, yea, of all ſinne; It's becauſe men do not know God, that therefore they are ſo bold to tranſgreſſe his Laws. Laſtly, It's the puniſhment of ſinne for all that black darkneſſe and confuſion we are in, is, becauſe of our revolt from God, Ignorance then keeping man off from the true underſtanding of his miſery, makes him the more ſecure and content in it: If thou didſt know what curſes hang over thy head, If thou didſt know what a gulf is between God and thee, In what utter darkneſſe thou art in here, which will be rewarded with utter darkneſſe hereafter, thou wouldſt have no reſt within thy ſelf.
2. Another cauſe of Ignorance is Slothfulneſſe and negligence; They ſtrive not, they pray not for knowledge, whereas this cannot be obtained without praier and diligence: Then ſhall ye know if ye follow on to know the Lord, Hoſ. 6.3. and Solomon bids us ſeek after it more then for gold, or the richeſt treaſures, Pro. 2.3. & 8.10. to love it as thy Siſter or Mother, many people complain they are ignorant, God help them, for they have little knowledge, and where is the fault all this while? Is it not thy negligence, thy ſlothfulneſſe? May we not produce many inſtances of thoſe who have been very ignorant and ſtupid, yet by praier and hearty endeavour have obtained to a competent meaſure of knowledge: for humane knowledge ſhall there be ſo much labour taken, ſudavit & alſit, ſaid the Poet, and for Chriſtian knowledge wherein is our happineſſe and eternel life, ſhall we not be as induſtrious? Why doſt thou not rather cry out of thy ſelf every night? I goe to bed, and yet have got no knowledge: I underſtand ſuch and ſuch things in the world, but nothing at all about God and Chriſt; Thus the ſluggards Field is full of briars and weeds; At the day of judgement when God will call for an account of every day and hour, thou wilt bewail thy folly, that time was not more redeemed to get knowledge.
3. Earthly and worldly affections; Theſe do ſo immoderately poſſeſſe the whole man that they regard nothing elſe; Why is it that men, ordinary plain men get ſo much skill and craft in worldly affairs, they know the beſt way for improving every worldy advantage? It is becauſe their heart is ſet upon it, They minde and regard this thing, They riſe with the thoughts of it and ſo goe to bed; If their hearts were thus affectionate towards God and Chriſt, they would be as labourious for heavenly knowledge; They would know how to improve Chriſt, To make the beſt advantage of the means of grace, They would not let any truth go till they did fully underſtand it, but the Scripture complaineth men are wiſe to do evil, but to do good they have no underſtanding: Theſe Moles that live and delight onelyonly in the earth they muſt needs be blinde; Theſe are internal cauſes.
External are twofold, 1. A negligent, ignorant, and careleſſe Miniſtry; For ſeeing the Miniſtry is appointed to be a light,2. External. to be a guide, if that be not light, then all the people muſt be darkneſſe; If they are not ſalt the people have no ſeaſoning; An Idol-Shepherd makes Idol-ſheep; This God often complaineth of, and Chriſt alſo, when he ſaith, The blinde leade the blinde, Mat. 15.14. and that ſome took away the Key of knowledge.
And 2. Negligence of Parents and Maſters, All Governours who have Inferiours under them, they are to teach the principles of knowledge, Parents are often required to do it, and truly hence is the Original of all Ignorance, even the rudeneſſe and wicked orders that are in Families: There is no praying, no catechizing, no inſtructing, and when theſe are Nurſeries of blindeneſſe and impiety, what good can be expected, Oh that Parents and Maſters would remember how much God requireth of them in this particular; It was the commendation God gave Abraham, that he would teach his Family, and make them worſhip him, Gen. 17. I ſhall no longer inſiſt about this Point, but come to the application, for men will hear and hear, and never ſet about the work.
Ʋſe.Let it therefore be a Uſe of importunate Exhortation to follow you as cloſely as that Widow did the Judge, that if nothing elſe importunity might prevail with you, Let the ignorant pray that they may receive their ſight, Let them not give over day and night thoſe means that may help them, What though thou canſt ſay, I am no thief, no adulterer, no unclean perſon, yet if ignorant, thou art upon the brink of hell, and ſo you that are Parents and Maſters, bring up your Inferiors in the true knowledge and fear of God; It's ſaid of Conſtantine, who was truly great in this, that he would have his whole Court gathered together, and the Scriptures read to them, with Inſtructions from it to them; What you ſee me do at the Church, that let the Maſter of the Family do at home, ſaid Auſtin; Let your Families be Chriſts School; Thou wouldſt not have a Servant that knoweth not how to do his proper emploiment, much leſſe then ſhouldſt thou have one that knoweth not his Chriſtianity; Now there are many pregnant arguments to enforce this duty.
Motives.1. The neceſſity of a competent knowledge, This is eternall life; You cannot expect heaven, There is no way for thy ſalvation whileſt thou art in this dark night, ſo that this is the one thing neceſſary, Be like Mary to chooſe the better part; Martha was ſhewing much love in entertaining of Chriſt, yet becauſe Mary was wholly buſie in hearing of Chriſt, and learning from him; Therefore ſhe choſe the better part: Oh then thou that art more carefull to know God and Chriſt then to get any worldly mercy, thou chooſeſt the better part; This undoeth you, you are not poſſeſſed with the neceſſity of it, you will not beleeve this text of Scripture, you hope to do well enough for all this, though the Word ſaith, He that made them will not ſave them, Iſa. 11.
2. Be ſtirred up hereunto, becauſe there cannot be any godlineſſe, any true holineſſe in thee, till this knowledge be in thee. Epheſ. 4. Thoſe that are to have the Image of God reſtored in them by righteouſneſſe and true holineſſe, they are to be renewed in the ſpirit of their minde: As God created light at firſt in the world, ſo he doth in the new creature; hence they are called light in the Lord, Epheſ. 5.8. and converſion is a tranſlation from a ſtate of darkneſſe into light. Oh what a goad ſhould this be in thy ſide to get knowledge. There cannot be any grace, not the leaſt degree of holineſſe, till God renue my minde: Though all that have knowledge are not renued, yet none are renued with out knowledge; and men are ſaid to eſcape the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Goſpel, 2 Pet. 2.20.
3. Conſider what pains men take to get humane knowledge; theſe will condemn Chriſtians at the laſt day. There is no Art or Science can be obtained without much ſtudy and daily conſumption of the body, and men have not thought it too much to impair the health of their body by perfecting their minde, and yet how much uncertainty was there in that knowledge did not one of the wiſeſt ſay, This only he knew that he knew nothing, ſo confuſed and unſatisfied were they in their ſtudies: But this knowledge is certain, and that which will greatly quiet and ſatisfie the heart, Fides non tantum eſt apprehenſiva, ſed quietativa.
4. Conſider how bitterly and wofully thou wilt cry out of all thy negligence and abuſe of the means of knowledge hereafter: as Prov. 1. God often called and you would not hear; Wiſdom daily invited you, How long will ye paſſe by O ye ſimple ones and void of underſtanding: When thou ſhalt fall into hell, that is like thy ſoul, utter darkneſſe, and there remember, The time was when Manna fell and I might have gathered it: There was a time to have gotten knowledge and underſtanding, but I deſperately refuſed it, and now I am ſuffering the juſt puniſhment of my ignorance! This muſt perpetually torment thee. Its made an heavy curſe in Job, chap. 36.12. when a man ſhall dye without knowledge. Therefore it's not only a ſinne but a curſe, becauſe you would not ſee, God gives you up to a blinde eye, and this is the more terrible under the Goſpel, when a promiſe of plentifull knowledge is ſpoken of by the Prophets.