Theol. Questionless. For God saith,1 My people perish for want of ⟨p. 348⟩knowledge. Our Lord Jesus saith, that ignorance is the cause of all errors.2 Ye err, saith he, not knowing the Scriptures. The Apostle saith, that ignorance doth alienate us from the life of God:3 For, saith he, the Gentiles were darkened in their cogitation, being strangers from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them. So then it is clear that ignorance is not the Mother of devotion, as the Papists do avouch; but it is the Mother of error, death, and destruction, as the Scripture affirmeth. Our Lord foreseeing the great danger of ignorance (how thereby thousands are carried headlong into hell) doth admonish all men to search the Scriptures, which do testify of him, that so they might get out of the most dangerous gulf of ignorance, wherein multitudes are implunged. Therefore the Noble men of Berea are commended by the holy Ghost,4 because they received the Word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Oh therefore that men would earnestly seek after the knowledge of God in time, and (as the Prophet saith) seek the Lord whilst he may be found, call upon him whilst he is near. Isaiah 55.6.
Theol. Questionlesse. For God saith,1 My people perish for want of ⟨p. 348⟩knowledge. Our Lord Iesus saith, that ignorance is the cause of all errours.2 Ye erre, saith he, not knowing the Scriptures. The Apostle saith, that ignorance doth alienate us from the life of God:3 For, saith he, the Gentiles were darkened in their cogitation, being strangers from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them. So then it is cleere that ignorance is not the Mother of devotion, as the Papists doe avouch; but it is the Mother of errour, death, and destruction, as the Scripture affirmeth. Our Lord foreseeing the great danger of ignorance (how thereby thousands are carried headlong into hell) doth admonish all men to search the Scriptures, which doe testifie of him, that so they might get out of the most dangerous gulfe of ignorance, wherein multitudes are implunged. Therefore the Noble men of Berea are commended by the holy Ghost,4 because they received the Word with all readinesse, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Oh therefore that men would earnestly seeke after the knowledge of God in time, and (as the Prophet saith) seeke the Lord whilest he may be found, call upon him whilest hee is neere. Esay 55.6.
- 1[…]〈…〉
- 2Mat. •2 15.
- 3Ep••• 4 •8.
- 4[…] 17.11.〈…〉 17.11.
