Serm.3. 368 SERMONS itpoia means enough to be better ; and iho it be blind in the things of God, yet the Lord is clear. Ifa. 5. 4. What could I have dose more for my Vineyard than I have done ? in point of External Adminiftration. The Lord loveth to be clear when be judgeth., Pfal. 5i. 4. compared with Rom. 3.26. In all Debates he loveth the Vi&ory. Ifa. 65. 2. 1 have JI,read out my Hands all the day unto a rebellious' People, which walker, in a way which was not good, after their own Thoughts. None goeth to Hell for want. of warning : Mat. 23.37. 0 Jerufalem, Jerufalem, thou that killefl the Prophets, and fionefl them that are font unto thee ; how often would I have gathered thy Children together, as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings, but ye would not ? 2. They have not done their part. They daily with Means, fcorn Wifdom : their Weaknefs is wilful, and their Blindnefs affected. The Things of God muff be fpirìtually difcerned, but they are folly to them : t Cot. 2. 54. For the natural 21an re- ceiveth not the Things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolifbnefs unto him ; neither can he know them, becaufe they are #iritually difcerned. There is not only an Impotency, but a Scorn : there is a pofitive Enmity, as well as an Incapacity. John 3. 1 g. This is the Condemnation, that Light is come into the World, and Men loved Darknefs rather than Light,becaufe their Deeds were Evil. Man is in love with his own Mifery; when we fhould hate Sins, we hate the Light that dilcovereth them : an Ignorant People love a Sot - tifh Miniftry ; the Faithful Witneffes are the World's Torment ; Rev. ii. to. Thefe two Prophets tormented them that dwelt on the Earth. The World would fain lie down upon the Bed of gafe, and fleep. Light is troublefome to fore Eyes. Ignorant Priefts are the People's Idols ; the Blind lead the Blind; and they both fall into the Ditch. They do not only err in their Minds, but err in their Hearts; the one is fad, the other cvorfe. It is Evil that we do not know, it is doubly Evil that we_ delire not to know : Job 21. 14. Therefore they fay unto God, Depart from us, for me defre not'the knowledg of thy ways. Spiritual Blindnefs is worfethan Bodily. When Elymas was ftriken blind, he defred fomebody to lead hint by the Hand, A&s 1.3. I1. We count it our Happinefs to have fit Guides ; but in Spiritual Blindnefs it is quite otherwife; we cannot endure a faithful Guide. The Prophets prophefy Lies, and the People love to have it fo. Blind Peo- ple are all for blind Guides. Z)fe t. Let it fet God clear. He loveth to have it fo. When he cometh to Judg- ment, the Books ¡hall be opened, Rev. 20. Ia. We are apt to quarrel his Juftice, for leaving fo great a part of the World in the dark. Remember !leis aforehand with Means, and they love the frate they are in : God leaveth no Man without a fufficient Convi &ion and Witnefs of himfelf. Vfe a. Let fottifh Men know that God is not all Mercy, and all Hony. Ufually our Delires transform God into that fhape which we fancy. A Libertine would have God all Mercy, and all Patience, becaufe he delires him to be fo. Affe&ions make Opini- ons. Pfal. 50,21. Thou ahoughtefl that I was altogether fuch an one as thy felf. But be not deceived ; to the blind World God will be fevere, but juft. Ifa. 27.11. It is a People of no underfianding ; therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them, mill fliew them no favour. Ignorance is fatal and deadly to the Hea- thens. 2 Theff. r. 8. In flaming Fire, taking Vengeance on them that know not God,and that obey not the Gofpel of our Lord fefus Chrifl. We pity them,and fay, Poor ignorant Crea- tures ! We hate a Drunkard, bur we pity an Ignorant Man : But God is very angry with them, becaufe he knoweth the wickednefs of their Hearts, how many Means they have withflood, and how much. Light they have abufed. God doth not meafure Sins by the foulnefs of the A&, but by the unkindnefs and ingratitude of it : The Blind and the Lame are equally an abomination to the Lord : to want Knowledg, is as bad as to want Obedience, it will be no excufe. Objeel. Ay, but they have good meanings, and Purely God will not deal in Juftice and rigor with them : we are ignorant, but our Heart is good. Anfw. Prob. 19. 2 I. Without Knowledg the Heart is' not -good. Ignorance is fo far from being theMother of Devotion, as the Papifts fay, that it is the great hindrance of it. Simple Credulity may be moreawful and fcrupulous, as Men in the Night have many Fears: but God loveth rational Service, not blind Obedience, I Chron. 28. 9. Aid thou, SOlomon my Son, know thou the God of thy Father, and ferve him with a per - fea Heart, and a willing Mind. Worfhip without Knowledg, is but a blind Guefs, and loofe Aim, as Chrift reproveth the Samaritan: for wor¡hipping they knew not what, John
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