[2.] These things are most useful and profitable : John xvii. 3, ' And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.' Curious knowledge bringeth more pain than pleasure, but profitable knowledge should be most prized by us ; as to know how to be reconciled to God, what is pleasing to him, or to conquer sin, and escape damnation, and obtain eternal life ; these are the matters about which we should most busy ourselves, and employ our understandings ; for what doth more deeply concern us than these things ?
Use 1. Is of reproof to divers sorts of persons who live in ignorance, or countenance ignorance upon several pretences.
1. That it belongeth not to them to dig in the mines of knowledge ; they leave that to clerks and men of learning ; as if it were not a common duty lying upon private christians, as well as those whose office doth particularly engage them to study the scriptures : Heb. viii. 11, ' They shall all know me, from the least to the greatest.' All need to learn how to be saved ; and therefore, if you know not how to live unto God, how to conquer sin, and how to escape damnation, what will become of you ? The apostle saith, 2 Cor. iv. 3, ' If our gospel be hid, it is hid to those that are lost.' A man in ignorance is never like to
VOL. XIX. 2 B
386 SERMONS UrON EPHESIANS V. [SeR. XXI.
hit his way, nor can he know wliether he he in or out, whether he has escaped his o^reat danger, or shall be accepted in the judgment. While you are ignorant, the devil may cheat you, and do what he lists with you.
2. Others have a little genei-al and traditional knowledge of the religion commonly professed among us, and talk of it by rote after others, but generally look no further than the outside of it ; they neither know the reasons npon which the certainty of this religion is grounded, nor the tenor of it, what it doth require at their liauds, especially as to the practical and vital truths, that do more nearly con- cern the vigour and power of godliness, as the work and power of the Holy Ghost in regenerating and converting men to God, or the life of faith, or the difference between the state of sin and grace. As Nicodemus : John iii. 4, ' How can a man be born again when he is old ? Can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born ? ' These scorn to be taxed of ignorance, though they know little but certain rituals and externals of the religion commonly practised among us. Therefore press them to more acquaintance with religion and the life of faith and holiness, they scorn you, and all that you can offer in that kind ; for it is ever true, that carnal men savour not the things of the Spirit, but they are carnal under a christian or pagan profession.
3. Some confine their knowledge to a few obvious truths, and for other things they leave it to preachers more accurately to search after the mind of God, and content themselves to see with other men's eyes. But if knowledge be to be confined to a few truths, why hath God given men so copious and large a rule, and revealed so many things as helps to our faith and practice ? It is a kind of censuring the scripture, as if the greatest part of these sacred writings were not necessary. Certainly it is a matter of great skill to be a thorough christian. Our knowledge should cost us pains, as well as our obedience. A little slight superficial knowledge will not fully subdue the heart to God. Though some truths are fundamental, yet every piece and parcel of truth hath its use and place ; and the knowledge of it is not only for delight, but safety. Many say that fundamentals are but few ; believe them, and live well, and you shall be saved. True, yet the accessory truths do much conduce, both to the belief of fundamentals, and to quicken our practice of necessary duties. He were a foolish builder that should only be careful to lay a good foundation, and never mind roof or windows, lights or doors ; no, nor should be able to discern the coming of those that should untile the house, or let in such a continual dropping as would at length founder the building, and bring- it to ruin. Besides, though it be not absolutely necessary to salvation that a christian should know every truth, yet he must never do any- thing against the truth, and he should not be willingly ignorant of any truth. To be willingly ignorant of lesser things may be damnable : 2' Peter iii. 5, ' For this they are willingly ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old.' Now men are willingly ignorant, not only when they refuse the truth when it is plainly cleared up to them, out of a wilful obstinacy, but also when they will not use- the means out of laziness and sloth. Crassa negllgentia dolus esL