Is a cause of this madness; nay, it is madness it self. Supplicij causa est, suppliciumque sui. How mad are they then, that settling their corrupted souls on the lees of an affected ignorance, imagine it an excusatory mitigation of their sinfulness! But so it befalls them, as it doth the frantic: Hi dementiam, illi ignorantiam suam ignorant: These are ignorant of their own ignorance, as those of their madness., [Greek or Hebrew] & [Greek or Hebrew] are inseparable companions. Wickedness is folly; and ignorance of celestial things is either madness, or the efficient cause, (or rather deficient) whereupon madness ensueth.a All the workers of iniquity have no knowledge. The wicked in the day of their confusion, shall confess, that the madness of their exorbitant courses, and their wildness erring from the way of truth, arose from their ignorance of the way of the Lord.b Therefore have we erred from the way of truth, and the light of righteousness hath not shined upon us, &c. Will you hear their acknowledged reason? For the way of the Lord we have not known. So Wisd. 13.3 from the absent knowledge of the true God, & for want of understanding, and confessing by the works the workmaster, the madness of Idolatry is hatched.c For health, he calleth upon that which is weak: for life, he prayeth to that which is dead: and for a good journey, he asketh of that which cannot set a foot forward. Through this error, they were so mad, as to ascribe, first to stocks and stones, insensible creatures; secondly, to men, dust and ashes; thirdly, to wicked men, the worst of those that had a reasonable soul; fourthly, to Devils, the malicious enemies of God and men, dthat incomparable name of God.
Is a cause of this madnes; nay, it is madnes it selfe. Supplicij causa est, suppliciumque sui. How mad are they then, that settling their corrupted soules on the lees of an affected ignorance, imagine it an excusatory mitigation of their sinnefulnesse! But so it befals them, as it doth the frantike: Hi dementiam, illi ignorantiam suam ignorant: These are ignorant of their owne ignorance, as those of their madnesse., 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 & 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 are inseparable companions. Wickednesse is folly; and ignorance of celestiall things is eyther madnesse, or the efficient cause, (or rather deficient) whereupon madnesse ensueth.a All the workers of iniquity haue no knowledge. The wicked in the day of their confusion, shall confesse, that the madnesse of their exorbitant courses, and their wildnes erring from the way of truth, arose from their ignorance of the way of the Lord.b Therefore haue wee erred from the way of truth, and the light of righteousnese hath not shined vpon vs, &c. Will you heare their acknowledged reason? For the way of the Lord wee haue not knowne. So Wisd. 13.3 from the absent knowledge of the true God, & for want of vnderstanding, and confessing by the workes the workemaster, the madnesse of Idolarry is hatched.c For health, hee calleth vpon that which is weake: for life, hee prayeth to that which is dead: and for a good iourney, hee asketh of that which cannot set a foot forward. Through this errour, they were so mad, as to ascribe, first to stockes and stones, insensible creatures; secondly, to men, dust and ashes; thirdly, to wicked men, the worst of those that had a reasonable soule; fourthly, to Deuils, the malicious enemies of God and men, dthat incomparable name of God.
- aPsal. 14. 4.
- bWisd. 5. 6.
- 3Wisd. 13. 1.
- cVer. 18.
- dWisd. 14. 21.
