402 The Danger of all known Sin, both from Vol. I, Fourth Obfervation ; namely, that it is a very great aggravation of Sin, for Men to offendagainft the light of their own Minds. The Apofile here aggra- vates the wickednefs of the Heathen World, that they did not live up to that Knowledge which they had of God, but contradicted it in their Lives, holding the truth of God in unrighteoufnefs. And that he (peaks here of the Heathen, is plain fromhis following Difcourfe, and the Charaûer he gives of thofe Perlons of whom he was fpeaking, who hold the truth of God be unrighteoufnefs ; becaufe that which may be known ofGad ismanifefi in there, for God bath /hewn it unto them; and this he proves, becaufe thofe who were deftitute of Divine Revelation, were not without all knowledge of God, being led by the fight of this vifible World, to the knowledge of an invifible Being and Power that was the Author of it, ver. 20, 21. For the invifible things of him from the Creation of the World are clearly feen, being underjlood by the things which are made, even his Eternal Power and Godhead, fo that they are without excufe ; becaufe that when they knew God, they glorified him not as God. (Hec c fumma dilec`li, none agnofcere, quern ignorare non polfis, faith Tertullian to the Heathen ; " This is the height of " thy fault, not to acknowledge him, whom thou canit not but know, " not to own him, of whom thou canft not be ignorant if thou wouldft ;) neither were thankful ; they did not pay thofe acknowledgments to him which of right were due to the Author of their being, and of all good things; but became vain in their imaginations ; i,uce7c cunav o ' zóç euzcr, they were fool'd with their own Reafonings. This he fpeaks of the Phtlofo- phers, who in thole great Arguments of the Being and Providence of God, the Immortality of the Soul, and the Rewards of another World, had loft the truth by too much fubtilty about it, and had difputed themfelves into doubt and uncertainty about thofe things which were naturally known ;; for nimium alternando veritas amittitur ; " Truth is many times loll by too much Con- " tention and Difpute about it ; and by too eager a purfuit of it. Men many " times outrun it ; and leave it behind ; ver. 2 2. and profeljing themfelves to be " fife, they became Fools. Men never play the fools more, than by endeavou- ring to be over- fubtle and wife; ver. 23. and changed the glory of the incorrupti- ble God, into an Image made like to corruptible Man, and to Birds, four - footed Beafls, and creeping things ; here he fpeaks of the fottifhnefs of their Idolatry, whereby they provoked God to give them up to all manner of lewdnefs and im- purity, ver. 24. wherefore Gad alfo gave them up unto uncleannefs, through the lulls of their own hearts ; and again, ver. a.6. for this Caufe God gave them up to vile affetlions ; and then he innumerates the abominable Lofts and Vices they were guilty of, notwithftanding their Natural acknowledgment of the Divine Juftice, ver. 32. who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit fach things are worthy of death, not only do the fame, but have pleafure in them that do them. By all which it appears that he fpeaks of the Heathen, who of- fended againft the Natural Light of their own Minds, and therefore were without excufe. Quam fibi version* fperare poffunt impietatis fue, qui non ag- nofcunt cultutn ejus, quern prorsùs ignorari ab hominibus fas non ell ? faith LaElantius, " How can they hope for pardon of their impiety, who deny to " worship that God, of whom it is not poffible Mankind thould be whol- " ly ignorant ? So that this is To hold the truth in unrighteoufnefs, injurioufly tofupprefs it, and to hinder the power and efficacy of it upon our Minds and Actions ; for fo the wordxarlxcsv'fometimes lignifies, as well as to hold fall ; and this every Man does, who ads contrary to what he believes and knows ; he offers violence to the light of his ownMind, and does injury to the truth, and keeps that a Prifoner, which would let him free; ye /hall know the truth (lays our Lord) and the truth(hall make you free. And this is one of the higheft aggravations of the Sins of Men, to offend againft Knowledge, and that light which God hath fet up in every Man's Mind. If Men wander and [tumble in the dark, it is not to be wondred at ; many times it is unavoidable, and no care can prevent it: but in the it
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=