A learned and very useful commentary on the whole epistle to the Hebrews wherein every word and particle in the original is explained ... : being the substance of thirty years Wednesdayes lectures at Black-fryers, London / by that holy and learned divine Wiliam Gouge ... : before which is prefixed a narrative of his life and death : whereunto is added two alphabeticall tables ...

§. 111. Of Ignorance aggravating a sin.

THat which is here set down of the Israelites not knowing Gods waies, i•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉 down by way of aggravation: We must therefore here consider in what •…•…∣spect ignorance may be an aggravation. For Christ makes it a matter of exte•…•…∣tion,* 1.1 saying, He that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall 〈◊〉〈◊〉 beaten with few stripes, Luk. 12. 48. Upon this ground Christ thus prayed for 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of the Jews, Father forgive them, for they know not what they do, Luke 23. 34. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Apostle also doth herein extenuate the sinne of the Jews, in that they did it th•…•… ignorance, Act. 3. 17. And Paul sets it down as an occasion of the mercy which 〈◊〉〈◊〉 found, 1 Tim. 1. 13.

To clear the point in hand more fully, it is meet distinctly to set down the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of not knowing.* 1.2

Men may be said not to know, Simply or Relatively.

• 1. Simply, when there is in them a meer want of knowing such and su•…•… thing. This is called Nescience: and it is blamelesse and without sinne in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 cases.
  • 1. When it is of things which cannot be known: as the perfection of 〈◊〉〈◊〉* 1.3 excellencies. Canst thou by searching sinde out God? Canst thou finde 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Almighty unto perfection? Job 11. 7. God dwelleth in the light which no m•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉 approach unto; whom no man hath seen nor can see, 1 Tim. 6. 16. There shall 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 see God and live, Exod. 33. 20.* 1.4
  • 2. When it is of things that are not to be known: as Gods secret co•…•…▪ The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but those things which are •…•…∣ed, belong unto us, Deut. 29. 29. Thus it is said of the day of judgement, O•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉 day and that hour knoweth no man, no not the Angels which are in heaven, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Son, Mark 13. 32.
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  • 3. Of such things as are not meet or fit to be known: in this respect Christ saith to his Disciples, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Fa∣ther hath put in his own power, Act. 1. 7.
• 2. Relatively, men are said not to know, in reference to such knowledge as they might or should have. This is properly called Ignorance.

Ignorance is a privation of knowledge.

Now a privation presupposeth a contrary habit of that which one hath had, or is capable of having. As blindnesse presupposeth sight in him that is blinde; or at least such a subject as was capable of sight. A man that never had sight may be said to be blinde, (Iohn 9. 1.) because he was capable of sight.

Ignorance thus properly taken is simple or wilfull.

Simple ignorance is in two cases.

• 1. When means are not afforded to know what we ought to know. In this* 1.5 respect the Apostle saith of the times wherein the Gentiles wanted means of knowledge, The times of this ignorance God winked at, Act. 17▪ 30▪ This kinde of ignorance is sinfull; and that because God at first gave man ability to know whatsoever was meet for him to know. That men after Adams fall knew not their duty, it was their own fault.
• 2. When means afforded are too slightly used to finde out the true case of a thing. The ignorance which Abimelech had about Sarah to be the wife of A∣braham, was a simple ignorance, because he was deceived by Abrahams speech, (Gen. 20. 5.) yet was it sinfull, in that it was possible for him to have found out the truth of that case, if he had used his utmost endeavour.

Simple ignorance in both the forementioned cases may be either * 1.6 of the Law or of a fact.

The former is the more general, and the more blameable. We say of the Laws of a Land, that every one should know the Law: and that ignorance thereof excuseth no Subject that liveth under that Law. Much more are all bound to know the Law of God: because that Law was first written in mans heart, Rom. 2. 15. Christ saith of the servant that knew not his Masters will, and did commit things contrary thereunto, that he shall be beaten. A Masters will made known, is a Law to his servant; Though one particular servant know it not, yet is he not excused thereby from blame and punishment, Luk. 12. 48.

The later, which is ignorance of a fact, is more special respecting some parti∣cular branches of the Law. As Pauls persecuting Christians. He knew that blasphemy, persecution and oppression in general were sins against the Law: so that there was not ignorance of the Law in him. But to blaspheme the name of Christ, to persecute and oppresse Christians, which were particular facts, he knew not to be sin, for he saith, I verily thought with my self, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Iesus, Act. 26. 9. So as this was ignorance of such and such facts. Christ saith in the like case, They which kill* 1.7 you will think they do God service, Joh. •…•…6. 2.

Simple ignorance in the severall kindes thereof may extenuate sinne,* 1.8 Luke 12. 48.

Wilfull ignorance is in two other cases:

• 1. When means afforded for knowledge are neglected: as the Israelius who enquired not at the Ark, which they had among them, in the dayes of Saul (1 Chron. 13. 3.) too much neglected the means which God afforded, of know∣ing his will. In this respect, the sins which they committed upon ignorance of Gods will, were sins of wilfull ignorance.
• 2. When means afforded are rejected. This is it which Christ thus layeth to the charge of the Jews, How often would I have gathered thy children together, and ye would not, Mat. 23. 37.

In these respects, ignorance may be said to be voluntary:

• 1. Indirectly: when one by reason of pains, or other imployments neglecteth* 1.9 to learn that which might restrain him from sinne. To this tends that reason which Ieroboam rendred to keep the Israelites from going up to the Temple, to

• be instructed there, in the will of God: It is too much for you to go up unto Ier•…•…∣salem, 1 King. 12. 28. To the same purpose tend the excuses which they made that refused to go to the Kings Supper. One pretended his ground which he had bought: the other his yoke of oxen, Luke 14. 18, 19.
• 2. Directly: when one will purposely be ignorant of his duty, for this very end, that he may more freely go on in his sin; as the Jews which gave this an∣swer to the Prophet of the Lord, As for the words that thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee: but we will certainly do whats•…•…∣ver goeth forth out of our own mouth, &c. Ier. 44. 16, 17.

The former of these, is so far from extenuating of sin, as it causeth some ag∣gravation thereof.

The later doth out of measure aggravate the sin.

Ignorance properly taken is a sin. See Chap. 5. v. 2. §. 10.

The ignorance comprized under these words, They have not known my way•…•…, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 wilfull ignorance: and that not only in the indirect kinde: but also in the direct: It was an affected ignorance, most wilfull, and therefore it is here well set down, as a great aggravation. Of their wilfulnesse in sinning against God, See §. 107.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Some igno∣rance extenu∣ateth sin.
• * 1.2

  Ignorantia dicit simplicem scien∣tiae negationem. Ignorantia im∣portat scientiae privationem.
• * 1.3

  Th. Aquin. sum. Theol. pri. 2^d Quaest. 76. Art. 2.
• * 1.4

  Nescience blameless in three cases.
• * 1.5

  Simple igno∣rance.
• * 1.6

  Ignorantia juris vel facti.
• * 1.7

  Wilfull igno∣rance.
• * 1.8

  Ignorantia est 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vel direct•…•…, si•…•…ut cum 〈◊〉〈◊〉 stu•…•…io, •…•… vult n•…•…ire a•…•…∣qua ut liberius pe•…•…t: vel 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ sicut cum aliquis propter 〈◊〉〈◊〉, vel pro∣pter al•…•…s occu∣pationes neglig•…•… a•…•…cre id •…•…r quod •…•… peccato r•…•…tur.
• * 1.9

  T. Aquin. sum. Theo•…•… prim. •…•…. quaest. 76. A•…•… 3