Chap. 24. An Expofttion upon the Beck of J OB. Verf. r 3 56r to know, or becaufe we have wanted all opportunities and helps toget knowledge ; or, fecondly, not knowing may beexpoun- dedofa wilful) affected ignorance ; they knownot, that is, they d&fire not to know : and (o I conceive the meaning of they know nur,is no: that they were limply ignorant,or invincibly ignorant. as theyare who fit in a land of darkneffe, and in the valley ache fhadowofdeath, but that thele rejeeted the land of light, and fo were under an affe&ed ignorance ; They knew not the truch,be- caufe they wouldnot. Againe, We may bePaid not to know that, which we doenot delight in, approveand pra&ice. We know no more to purpofe, Floe noffe viss then we prefently doe, or have a purpofe to do when the feafong, a «} ín or opportunity calls us to it. How much light foever a wicked ioce ags fólenr. manbath,yet he knower not the wages of light,becaufe hedothnot IlludWaredi- rejoyce or delight in the wayesof light, as alto becaufe he doch cimur quad non not fo much as approve the wayes of light ; and ifhe neither de- indamut. light in norapprove of thofe wayes , no mervailejibe walknot in thole wayes, nor (as'tisin the laft claufe of theverfe) abia in thepaths thereof. As ifhe had faid;Suppofe they comefometimes into the ways of light and truth, fuppofe they fometimes doe that which the light direéts them to, yet they abide not in ir. This is a further Charaeter of the difpofition and temper of wicked men, who though poffibly for a fit, or for a turne or two they walke in the wayes of light, yet they abide net in th, paths thereof, And this latter pence oftheir finfullneffe arifeth from the former; why do they not abide in the paths oflight ? even becaufe they know not the wayes thereof; that is,becaufe they doe not approve or delight in the wayes thereof. Whence note. We cannot be conftavt in that which we doe not of Ifa man dochnot know, that is, love and affrtq the wages of light, he will never abide in thepathes of light : what we love, with that we clofe, what we affeá, in that we flick. The reafon why the wicked abide in the paths of fi n,is beeaufe they love and delight in them. All the paths ofwickedneffe, are pathsofplea - fantneffe to the wicked,and therefore theyabidein them.Noman would beat all,much Ids would he be long in a way that hedoth not like. And that's the reafon why wicked men ifever they doe C c c c this a
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