VeR. 17.] SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. 381
actions and practices, and to guide ns in our respective duties to God and man. The two great diseases of our understandings are ignorance and folly ; ignorance, because we know not our proper remedy ; and folly, because we know not how to apply it.
[1.] There is a cold and naked knowledge of divine things, called by the apostle, ' A form of knowledge,' Rom. ii. 20 ; which is threefold —
(1.) A grammatical and memorative knowledge, such as children have, that are taught to speak of divine mysteries by rote, such as God, Christ, heaven, hell, sin, righteousness. These rather rehearse the words than they can be said to know and believe the things spoken by them ; they say after others, but do not believe or mind the things wherein they are instructed : Luke i. 4, ' That thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed.'
(2.) Another degree above this is dogmatical and opinionative knowledge, when men's memories are not only planted with the seeds of knowledge, but they exercise a kind of conscience and judgment about these things, so far as to form their opinions to the orthodoxy of the times they live in ; but yet ' wisdom entereth not into the heart,' Prov. ii. 10. This maketh men disputers of this world, rather than serious practisers of godliness. They have a religion to talk of, but not to live by. It may be they can more accurately discourse of divine things than a serious christian ; as a vintner may have his cellar better stored than a nobleman, but he hath it for sale, not for use.
(3.) There is yet a further degree of speculative knowledge ; that is, when men have some kind of touch upon the heart, but it is too slender and insufficient to settle the power of religion in their hearts, or to maintain it against the opposition of lusts within or temptations without. So some are enlightened, and taste the good word: Heb. vi. 4, 5, ' For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and are made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come.' And they may escape the pollutions of the world ' through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,' 2 Peter ii. 20. It is hard to conceive how such practical and impor- tant truths should be understood or considered without some touch upon the heart, which may affect men in part, and produce some par- tial reformation.
[2.] There is a practical and saving knowledge, when we know God so as to love, serve, and obey him. This is not only knowledge, but wisdom, such a knowledge as is ' able to make us wise to salvation,' 2 Tim. iii. 15 ; such a knowledge as ordereth means to their proper end, which is the glory of God and the salvation of our souls. This knowledge which teacheth us to walk circumspectly, and that reneweth the heart, is our wisdom : Col. iii. 10, ' And have put on the new man, ■which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created him;' Jer. xxii. 16, 'He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well with him : was not this to know me, saith the Lord ? ' All other knowledge to this is but learned folly rather than true wisdom.
7. This wisdom is sometimes spoken of as a gift, and sometimes as a duty ; it is both.
382 SERMONS UPON EPHESIANS V. [SeR. XXL
[1.] This wisdom is spoken of as a gift : Jer. xxiv. 7, ' I will give tliem a heart to know me, that I am the Lord, and they shall be my l)eople, and I will be their God ; for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.' It is God's resolved gift to the elect : Isa. xxxii. 4, ' The heart also of the rash shall understand knowledge.' It is God alone that can make such as were heady and inconsiderate to- be better advised, and to understand his will. This is spoken of as a gift of God.
[2.] In many other places it is spoken of as a duty : Prov. iv. 7, * Wisdom is the principal thing, therefore get wisdom, and with all thy getting get understanding.' With respect to this double notion we are sometimes bidden to pray, and ' cry and lift up our voice for under- standing,' Prov. ii, 3 ; and again, ver. 4, ' To seek for her as for silver, and search for her as for hid treasures.' This must be our constant and earnest request to God. And then we must use all holy means, and take all occasions of getting and increasing this wisdom. God giveth it, and we must labour for it ; for God will never give it to the lazy soul. And we must labour for it as men that dig in the mines for treasure ; it lieth not on the surface, nor is it a few general and obvious trutlis, which will give us this holy wisdom and understanding. It doth not belong to preachers only to dig in the mines of knowledge, but all christians ; they should not content themselves to see with other men's eyes, but judge for themselves. It is a matter of much skill to be a thorough christian.