SO SECOND SERMON knew not wherefore," Acts xix. 32. they do not under- stand the things they promise. As if a man should set his hand and seal to an obligation, and not know the contents or condition of it. Such are all ignorant christians, who have often renewed their covenant of new obedience and faith in Christ, and yet know not what the faith of Christ is, or what is the purity and spirituality of that law which they have sworn unto. As the apostle saith of the Jews, " If they had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory," we may say of many of these, if they knew the purity and holiness of those things which they have vowed to keep, they either would not have entered into covenant with God at all, or would be more conscientious and vigilant in their observation of it. It is a sign of a man desperately careless, to run daily into debt, and never so much as remember or consider what he owes. If there were no other obligation to tie men unto the knowledge of God's will, this alone were sufficient, that they have undertaken to serve him, and therefore by their own covenants are bound to know him. For surely many men who have promised repentance from their dead works, if they did indeed consider what that repentance is, and unto what a strict and narrow way of walking it doth confine them, would go nigh, if they durst, to plead an error in the contract, and to profess that they liad not thought their obligation had engaged them unto so severe and rigid a service, and so would repent of their repentance. But in this case, ignorance of what a man ought to know, cannot avoid the covenant which he is bound to make, and having made, to keep ; but his covenant doth exceed- ingly aggravate his ignorance. Also some make many fair promises of obedience, but it is on the rack, and in the furnace, or as children under
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