The saints dignity and duty· Together with the danger of ignorance and hardness. /…The saints dignitie and dutie· Together with the danger of ignorance and hardnesse. /…

It is generally conceived, that this is spoken of those that drew near to God even in the Ministry and Priesthood, and were brought up especially for this service; yet notwithstanding, who so blind as they were? and who so ignorant as the Messengers he sent? It was also the Apostles complaint of the Hebrews, that whereas for the time they might have been teachers of others, they had need to be taught again which be the first principles of the Oracles of God, Heb. 5.12. Having so long a while enjoyed the means of grace and salvation, and under the light of the Gospel, and had so many gracious instructions and reproofs, surely they might have been in the highest Form in the School of Christ, they might have been guiders and teachers of others: yet notwithstanding they had need themselves to be taught the very first Rudiments, the very A, B, C. of Religion, they remained ignorant of the first principles of the Oracles of God, and were fitter to be fed with milk, than with strong meat. In the prophecy of Jeremiah, the Lord sendeth the dull and heavy hearted Jews as it were to school to the creatures; The Stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times, and the Turtle, and the Crane, and the Swallow, observe the time ⟨p. 196⟩of their coming; but my people know not the judgement of the Lord, Jer. 8.7. So Isai. 1.3. The Ox knoweth his owner, and the Ass his masters crib, but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. The people of the Jews, Gods own people, enjoyed more means then ever any people besides: They had line upon line, and precept upon precept, Isa. 28 10.13. From the thirteenth year of Josiah, (saith the Prophet Jeremiah) even unto this day (that is, the three and twentieth year) the word of the Lord hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, rising early, and speaking, but ye have not hearkened. And the Lord hath sent unto you all his servants the Prophets, rising early and sending them, but ye have not hearkened nor inclined your ear to hear, Jer. 25.3, 4. They had the means of grace you see, yet they were unprofitable under the means; they had helps for knowledge, yet grew not in knowledge. The point then is clear, That, The People may enjoy the means, and yet remain void of the knowledge of God. No more therefore for the proof thereof.