1 74 CAUSES, WAYS, AND MEANS, ETC. [BOOK VL, PART II.
CHAPTER V.
Causes of the ignorance of the mind of God revealed in the Scripture, and of errors about it — What they are, and how they are removed.
The supposition we proceed upon in this discourse is, that God hath revealed his mind and will unto us, as unto all things concerning his worship, with our faith and obedience therein, in the holy Scrip- ture. Thereon do we inquire by what means we may attain the saving knowledge of the mind of God so revealed; and my principal design is, to show what aid and assistance we receive of the Holy Ghost unto that end. To further us in the knowledge hereof, I shall inquire into the causes and reasons of that ignorance and those misapprehensions of the mind of God as revealed which are amongst men, and how our minds are delivered from them.
It may be this part of our discourse might have had a more proper place assigned unto it, after we have given the truth pleaded a more full confirmation; but whereas an objection may arise from the con- sideration of what we shall now insist on against the truth contended for, I thought it not amiss so to obviate it as therewithal farther to illustrate the doctrine itself which we labour in.
All men see, and most men complain of, that ignorance of the mind of God, and those abominable errors, attended with false wor- ship, which abound in the world. How few are there who under- stand and believe the truth aright! What divisions, what scandals, what animosities, what violence, mutual rage, and persecutions, do ensue hereon, among them that are called Christians, is likewise known. Hence some take occasion to countenance themselves in an open declension unto atheism; some, unto a great indifferency in all religion ; some, to advance themselves and destroy others by the ad- vantage of their opinions, according as they are prevalent in some times and places. A brief inquiry into the causes of that darkness and ignorance which is in the world amongst men outwardly owning the doctrine of the gospel, and especially of the errors and heresies which do abound above what they have done in most ages, may be of use to preserve us from those evils. A subject this is that would require much time and diligence unto the handling of it in a due manner; I intend only at present to point at the heads of some few things, the observation whereof may be of use unto the end designed.
Those of the Roman church tell us that the cause hereof is, the obscurity, difficulty, and perplexity of the Scripture. "If men will trust thereunto as their only guide, they are sure to miscarry." Where- fore, the only relief in this matter is, that we give up our souls unto the conduct of their church, which neither can err nor deceive. So,
CHAP. V.] CAUSES OF SPIRITUAL IGNORANCE. 1 75
indeed, said Adam of old, when he was charged with his sin and in- fidelity : " The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat." But whereas it is an evil, yea, the greatest of evils, whose causes we inquire after, it seems in general more rational that we should seek for them in ourselves than in any thing that God hath done ; for he alone is good, and we are evil.
It is granted that God hath given us his word, or the holy Scrip- ture, as a declaration of his mind and will; and, therefore, he hath given it unto us for this very end and purpose, that we may know them and do them. But whereas many men do fail herein, and do not understand aright what is revealed, but fall into pernicious errors and mistakes, unto his dishonour and their own ruin, is it meet to say unto God that this comes to pass from hence, because the reve- lation he hath made of these things is dark, obscure, and intricate? or, "The Scripture which thou hast given us doth deceive us?" Would a due reverence or deferency unto the wisdom, goodness, and love of God unto mankind be preserved therein? " Audax omnia perpeti
Gens humana ruit per vetitum nefas."1
What will not the prejudices and corrupt interests of men carry them out unto ! God will for ever preserve those that are his in* an ab- horrency of that religion, be it what it will, that by any means leads unto an undervaluation of that revelation of himself which, in infinite wisdom and goodness, he hath made unto us.
But is it because there is no reason to be given of this evil from the minds of men themselves that it is thus ascribed unto God? May not as well all the wickednesses that the world is filled withal be ascribed unto him and what he hath done? Doth not each one see a sufficient cause hereof even in himself, if he were not delivered from it by the power of the Spirit and grace of God? Do not other men who fail in the right knowledge of God, especially in any im- portant truth, sufficiently evidence in other things that the root of this matter is in themselves? Alas! how dark are the minds of poor mortals, how full of pride and folly! I shall say with some confi- dence, he who understands not that there is reason enough to charge all the errors, ignorance, and confusions in religion, that are or ever were in the world, without the least censure of obscurity, insufficiency, or intricacy in the Scripture, on the minds of men, and those depraved affections whose prevalency they are obnoxious unto, are themselves profoundly ignorant of the state of all things above and here below.