Ignorantia scientifica. A brief essay on mans not knowing his time: the just inferences…

BUT, there is more than this to be said of the matter.

First, IT is from the Pity and Mercy of our Gracious GOD unto the poor Children of Men, that they must not know their Time, nor what is to befall them in their Time.

First, IT is from the Pitty and Mercy of our Gracious GOD unto the poor Children of Men, that they must not know their Time, nor what is to befall them in their Time.

IT may well be ascribed unto the Pity of our GOD, That we do not know our Time; For such a knowledge would very much destroy the comfort of our Time; very much make for us a most uncomfortable Time, Here, Here, most emphatically; He that increaseth Knowledge increaseth Sorrow. It would mightily take away the comfort which we take in any thing under the Sun, if we knew aforehand, When and How we are to take our leave of that comfort. It is reported concerning Elisha, 2 King. VIII. 11, 12. The man of God wept; And Hazael said, Why weepeth my Lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil, that thou wilt do. Thus, If a Man know the evil Time that is to befall himself, or his House, and the Time of the Evil, he would fall a weeping at it; into such a weeping, that he would be able to find little Relish in the gifts of GOD unto him. The Anticipations of Trouble would break the Hearts of Men, if they knew before hand all the Trouble that is to come upon them, and the Time when it will come. Our Lord has told us; Math. VI. 34. Sufficient unto the Day is the evil thereof. It will be soon enough to know the evil, when the Day comes. If we should know the evil before the Day, it would multiply exceedingly, & keep growing & growing, and scalding upon us; we should be more scalded before it falls, than we should be in the Actual Falling of it. It is a most