><o6 Chap.6. Oftbe knowledgeofGod andits appofate. Cot. i 3. It is not:only fin, but firft the caufeof it , and fecondly the carafe of punifh- ment. 110". 4. t. t. It is the caufe of fin, for.the Prophet faith, The Lord hath a controverfy with the inhabitants of the Land, for that there was no mercy, and the reafon of that was becaufe there was no true dealing, and the reafon of both was, becaufe there was no knowledge of God, and prefently after he tells them of their deftruftion for it. So the Apoftle, after he hadreckoned up theoffences of the Heathenhe con_ Rom. 3. 173' eludes it was becaufe of their ignoranceof God. a. Ignorance is the taufe of punifhment. The Prophet faith, That the captivity Efay. 1'13' of Babylon was, becaufe the people wanted the knowledge of God. And it is not the caufe of punifhment, but as it is the caufe of fin. The Wifeman asketh this Pro. 14. sr. queftion, Do they not err that imagineevil? there is no fin without error, there- fore the planting of knowledge would be the rooting out of evil. Non erratur, faith St. Augufline, nifi ignorantia, menerr not, but for want of knowledge. There- fore to both there points St. Auguflinebath a pertinent place. ,uia ipfa ignoran- aa Six. :pi oq tia in eis qui intelligere noluerunt fine dubitatione peccatum eft, in eis antem qui non potuerunt pans peccati, ergo in ntri fque non eft juffa excufatio,fedjufia damnatio, becaufe ignorance it felf was a fin without doubt in them that would not underftand, and a punifhment of fin in them that couldnot, therefore in both are condemned, neither juftified. Some there be that argue out of the Alts, and excufe ignorance, alledging that Aßs. 57. ;o. place, That God winked at the timesof ignorance, and fo make it no fin, when it is as they call it invincible. Ignorance excufable is fourfold. I. In Childrenbefore they come toyears of reafon and difcretion. y. In Fools thofe that naturally want theufe of reafon. 3. In thofe that by frcttnefs or difeafe are bereft of the ufe of reafon. Where the means cannotbe had to take it away. But this is not (imply and altogether invincible, for the Lawof nature may teach them. He that hath theLaw of God in his Heart (as every one in Tome meafure hath) if he let hinifelf to leek God, he fhall furely find h'im; for God hath made his mind known to them that are careful to obferve the rules of Nature , habenti dabitur , to thofe that ufe the general light well, God will not be wanting in means of farther know- ledge. There maybeexcufed, but the laft, a tanto, from fo much; but nota toto from all. Theyare not abfolutely without fin. But there two other forts of ignorance utterly inexcufable. r. A(fetiatu ignorantia, affefted ignorance, when it comes to that height, No. laerant intelligere, ut beneagerent, they would not underftand to dowe Il, and it is in them thatknow they are ignorant, and are unwilling tocome out of it, but neCtuntfrbi argumenta, devife argumens to defend their ignorance. They will not know that they are workars of iniquity; this is, cam libentur ignorent , ut liberino percent, Pfaim 14. S. when men are wilfully ignorant , that they may fin the more freely , without check or remorfe, when men (hut their Eyes againft the light, and rejeEl' means of knowledge, Paying as they in lob, departfrom us, for we delire not the know- ledgeof thy ways. St. Augufine faith, ubi nonoft dolsu in inquifitione ibi non eft pee- catum ininvention, where there is no deceit in.enquiry, there is no fin in finding out 3 but many would askhis opinion, andhe would anfwer,dolofequa¡fti, delofeinvenifii, thou foughteft fraudulently, and foundeft accordingly, This it is ineffeft, when a thing is made plain to us, we will not have it plain, and fo we continue in this kind of ignorance. 2. Supina ignominies is the fecond, and that is a cardersand wretchlefs ignorance, and this is the fault of there times: When a man hath exquo difiat, fed non vale difcere, may learn if he will take the pains: but will not. And it is cheifly in them that eitherpropterincuriamfciendi, ordeßdiam difcendi, careleffnefs to know and flothfulnefs to learn, or ob verecandiam querendi, modefty in feeking after know. ledge, will be ignorantRill. Of one of which the whole Land is for the molt part guilty. The
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