§. 3. Another sort among us that are Ignorant of the things of God, are sensual Gentlemen, and Scholars, 1that have so much breeding as to understand the words, and speak somewhat better than the ruder sort, but indeed never knew the nature, truth and goodness of the things they speak of: They are many of them as ignorant of the nature of faith, and sanctification, and the workings of the Holy Ghost in planting the Image of God upon the soul, and of the Saints communion with God, and the nature of a holy life, as if they had never heard or believed, that there is such a thing as any of these in being. Nicodemus is a lively instance in this case: A Ruler in Israel and a Pharisee, and yet knew not what it was to be born again. And the pride of these Gallants maketh their ignorance much harder to be cured, than other mens: because it hindereth them from knowing and confessing it. If any one would convince them of it, they say with scorn, as the Pharisees to Christ, John 9. 40. Are we blind also? Yea, they are ready to insult over the Children of the Light, that are wise to salvation, because they differ from the loose or hypocritical Opinions of these Gentlemen, in some matters of Gods Worship; of which their Worships are as competent Judges, as the Pharisees of the doctrine of Christ, or as Nicodemus of Regeneration, or as Simon Magus, or Julian, or Porphyry of the gifts of the Holy Ghost. These Honourable miserable men, will bear no contradiction or reproof: Who dare be so unmannerly, disobedient, or bold, as to tell them that they are out of the way to Heaven, and strangers to it, (that I say not, Enemies); and to presume to stop them in the way to Hell, or to hinder them from damning themselves, and as many others as they can? They think this talk of Christ, and grace, and life eternal, if it be but serious, (and not like their own, in form, or levity, or scorn) is but the troublesome preciseness of hypocritical humorous, cracked-brained fellows: And say of the godly, as the Pharisees, John 7. 47, 48, 49. Are ye also deceived? Have any of the Rulers, or of the Pharisees believed on him? but this people who knoweth not the Law are cursed.
§. 3. Another sort among us that are Ignorant of the things of God, are sensual Gentlemen, and Schollars, 1that have so much breeding as to understand the words, and speak somewhat better than the ruder sort, but indeed never knew the nature, truth and goodness of the things they speak of: They are many of them as ignorant of the nature of faith, and sanctification, and the workings of the Holy Ghost in planting the Image of God upon the soul, and of the Saints communion with God, and the nature of a holy life, as if they had never heard or believed, that there is such a thing as any of these in being. Nicodemus is a lively instance in this case: A Ruler in Israel and a Pharisee, and yet knew not what it was to be born again. And the pride of these Gallants maketh their ignorance much harder to be cured, than other mens: because it hindereth them from knowing and confessing it. If any one would convince them of it, they say with scorn, as the Pharisees to Christ, Iohn 9. 40. Are we blind also? Yea, they are ready to insult over the Children of the Light, that are wise to salvation, because they differ from the loose or hypocritical Opinions of these Gentlemen, in some matters of Gods Worship; of which their Worships are as competent Judges, as the Pharisees of the doctrine of Christ, or as Nicodemus of Regeneration, or as Simon Magus, or Iulian, or Porphiry of the gifts of the Holy Ghost. These Honourable miserable men, will bear no contradiction or reproof: Who dare be so unmannerly, disobedient, or bold, as to tell them that they are out of the way to Heaven, and strangers to it, (that I say not, Enemies); and to presume to stop them in the way to Hell, or to hinder them from damning themselves, and as many others as they can? They think this talk of Christ, and grace, and life eternal, if it be but serious, (and not like their own, in form, or levity, or scorn) is but the troublesome preciseness of hypocritical humorous, crackt-brained fellows: And say of the godly, as the Pharisees, John 7. 47, 48, 49. Are ye also deceived? Have any of the Rulers, or of the Pharisees believed on him? but this people who knoweth not the Law are cursed.
- 1Cum qu•m paenitet p•c•asse pene innoce•s est: Maxima p•rgationum pars est volunta ja poe•i•entia d•licto•um. Scal. Thes. p. 74•. Fa•ilius iis ignos itur q•i non pe•severa•e sed ab •r•ato se rev•care mo•i•ntur; est enim h•r a••m peccare, sed belluin•m i• error pers•verare. Cicero in Vat. Even Aristotle could say, that he that believed as he ought of the Gods, should think as well of himself, as Alexander that commandeth so many men. Plutarch. de Tranquil. Anim. p. 155. Nullus suavior▪ animo cibus est, quam cognitio ut•itatis. Lactant. Instit. l. 1. c. 1. It is a marvellous and doleful case to think how ignorant some people live, even to old age, under constant and excellent Teaching. Some learn neither words nor sense, but hear as it they heard not: Some learn words, and know the sense no more than if they had learnt but a tongue unknown: And will repeat their Creed and Catechism, when they know not what it is that they say. A worthy Minister of Helvetia told me, that their people are very constant at their Sermons, and yet most of them grossly ignorant of the things which they most frequently hear. It is almost incredible what ignorance some Ministers report that they have found in some of the eldest of their auditors. Nay, when I have examined some that have professed strictness in Religion, above the common sort of people, I have found some ignorant of some of the fundamentals of the Christian faith. And I remember what an ancient Bishop about twelve hundred years ago saith, Maximus Taurinensis in his Homilies, that when he had long preached to his people, even on an evening after one of his Sermons, he heard a cry or noise among the people, and hearkening what it was, they were by their outcry helping to deliver the Moon, that was in labour and wanted help. His words are [Quis non moleste ferat sic vos esse vestrae salutis immemores, ut etiam coelo teste peccetis? Nam cum ante dies plerosque cum cupiditate pulsaverim, ipsa die circiter vesperam tanta vociferatio populi extitit, ut irreligiositas ejus penetraret ad coelum. Quod cum requirerim quid sibi clamor hic velit? dixerunt mihi quod Laboranti Lunae vestra vociferatio subveniret; & defectum ejus suis clamoris adjuvaret: Risi equidem & miratus sum vanitatem, quod quasi devoti Christiani Deo erebatis auxilium. Claabatis enim ne acentibus vobis elementum. tanquam infirmus enim & imbecillis, nisi vestis adjuvaretur vocibus, no posst, luminaria defendere quae creavit.] It is cited also by Papiriu Massonus in vita Hilarii Papae, ol. 67. Therefore Popery is suitable to the children of darkness, and unsuitable to the children of light, because it greatly befriendeth ignorancé, hindering the people from reading the holy Scriptures, and quieting them with the opiate of an easy implicit faith, in believing as the Roman Church believeth, though they know not what it believeth, or mistake and think it believeth, that which it doth not: Ockam. lib. de Sa ram. Altar. cap. 1. citeth Innocent. Extra. de sum. Trin. to prove the great benefit and efficacy of implicit faith, that it would prove an error to be no sin: In tantum, inquit, valet fides iplicita, ut dicunt aliqui, ut si aliquis eam habet, quod scilicet credit quicquid Ecclesia credit, si false opinatur, ratione naturali motus, quia pater est vel prior filio, vel quod tres prjonae sint tes s ab invicem distantes, non est haeeticus, nec peccat; dmmodo hunc errorem non defendat, & hoc ipsum credit, quia credit Ecclesiam sic credee, & suam opinionem fidei Ecclesiae supponit. Quia licet sic male opintur, non tamen est illa fides sua, immo fides sua est fides Ecclesiae. This implicit faith, being nothing but to believe that the Church erreth not, is not an Implicit faith in God (to believe that all that God revealeth is true) which all men have that believe in God, as rational an excuse for ignorance and error, as a belief in the Church of ome? This is too short and easy a faith to be effectual to the true ends of faith. Si igitur tantae sit efficaciae fides implca, ut excuset ignoranter erratem cica illa quae in Scriptura Canonica sunt expressa, multo magis excusait ignoranter opinatem aliqid quod nec in Scripua Canonica reperitu expressum. Okam ibid.
