2. Ignorance that ariseth from negligence ; that is, when men have means and do not improve them. This is sad, and increaseth the sin, when you have the gospel, and do not suffer it to shine in upon your souls : John xv. 22, ' If I had not spoken unto them, they had not had sin ;' that is, not so much sin. The great aggravation of sin is from the advantages and opportunities you have to do better. All your privileges do but heighten your offence if you neglect to improve them. If you have but the witness of sense and reason, you are left without
430 A PRACTICAL EXPOSITION UPON [IsA. LIIL 11.
excuse ; how much more when you have the word and Spirit. Christ often threateneth heavier judgments to those places that were privy and conscious to his mighty works, and more glorious discoveries, and the testimonies of his Godhead. Look, as it will be a great vexation to the men of the world at the last day, that the saints' Saviour will he their judge; so the gospel, the word of salvation, will become a killing word to them that have it preached, and yet do not benefit by it. There are divers degrees of this negligent ignorance, which I shall name.
[1.] When men have not any proportionable measures of knowledge to their means, — men that have sat a long time under the word, and yet their foolish heart is darkened within them, and they know little of the mysteries of salvation, and scarce get rid of their natural thoughts and apprehensions of God ; this is sad, and yet this may in some measure befall the people of God : John xiv. 9, ' Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip ?' Have you had so many conferences and sermons, and are yet to seek ? Heb. v. 12, ' When for the time ye ought to be teachers of others, ye have need that one should teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God.' After all the pains taken watli them, men must still be kept to their milk and first rudiments, and still we must be forced to press you from things odious to mere nature. And when we should go up to spiritual evils, unbelief, resting in duties, want of making the most of Christ, want of communion and commerce with him ; we find that we must deal with you about drunkenness, and surfeiting, and excess in sensual things, you being in the lowest form of godliness, scarce brought to a seemly pitch of morality, so that sublime discoveries do but amuse you or harden you, and are certainly lost upon you. When the apostle could not by all his endeavours bring them off from their ceremonies, he sadly complaineth. Gal. iv. 10, 11, 'Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.' All the choice discoveries of Christ were to no purpose. If they were at that pass, oh, what a sad thing it was that notwithstanding all the pains the apostle had taken with them, they would still stick at a ceremony, when there is so small a profici- ency, that we can scarce bring them to the low things of Christianity.
[2.] When men have some knowledge with the means, but it is flashy and superficial. Men do not know God as they ought to know him, as the apostle's word is. All their knowledge ends in specula- tion ; their lives do not answer it : Titus i. 16, ' They profess that they know God, but in works they deny him.' Superficial and slender knowledge will not reach the heart, and go down as low as the con- versation. Some are like toads, that have a jewel in their heads, when their whole bodies are poison ; like the devil, that taketh Christ to the top of the pinnacle, that he might throw him down again. Some men have light in their understandings, when their conversations are foul and defiled. Oh, consider, mere knowledge will not profit when you know only to aggravate your wickedness. Quid ^wodest, &o. What will it profit to be dignified with learning and knowledge, and to perish at last ? The name of the evil angels is haLfiovia, because of their knowledge ; they are intellectual natures. The good angels
ISA. LIII. 11.] THE FIFTY-THIRD CHAPTER OF ISAIAH. 431
know tlie will of God, and do it : Ps. ciii. 20, * They do his command- ments, hearkening to the voice of his word.' Christ leadeth us to heaven for a pattern of duty : ' Thy Avill be done on earth as it is in heaven.' You shall find the saints of God drawing out their knowledge into practice, as David prayeth for it upon this ground : Ps. cxix. 34, ' Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law.' That was his end, to know so as he might be guided in his way: Ps. cxix. 11, ' Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.' He had laid up some principles that he might argue from them, and draw them out to every case ; and upon every temptation might bring out these truths, and enforce them upon his heart. It is true, sometimes the people of God may be too backward, and too often cherish an empty knowledge and naked apprehension, which the apostle calleth a being ' barren and unfruitful in the knowledge of Christ,' 2 Peter i. 8. They know his plenty, but do not make use of it ; his comforts, but are not refreshed by them ; his will, but do not do it. This is a being barren and unfruitful ; but it should not be so. Therefore, bewail that your affections are not heated, your conversations bettered and amended by what you know.