B.C. 1490. not ashamed to Religious ignorance.-The mother of a respectable family said to a lady visitor, in a very incredulous manner, "They say there learn. Ignorance was a man whose name was Jesus, and the people murdered Him, is the greatest of and He came to life again. Do you believe it?" In further infirmities, conversation, it came out that she had been to church three times and when justifled, the chiefest in a life of thirty-five years, and thought herself therefore well of all follies."-informed in religious matters. all Izaak Walton. b He. xiii. 11, 12; Zech. xiii. 1; Jo. xix. 16-18. a Wordsworth. 7—12. (7) priest, etc., this peculiar to this sacrifice and to that for the whole congregation. (8-10) fat, "the best part due to God." (11) skin.. bullock, comp. i. 6, in this case the skin, etc., to be burned. (12) carry.. place," a public burning "There is a sort would convey a deep impression of the greatness of the priest's sin. of ignorance Ignorance of Christ.-During my pastoral calls in a certain strong and gene-place in England, I visited a poor woman in dying circumstances. rous, that in From her appearance I at once perceived that blindness covered nothing in honour and courage her mind; but I could not have imagined her to be so ignorant knowledge; as she really was. She could scarcely answer a single question. and ignorance, I asked her if she loved Christ? "No." If she knew Christ? requires no less "No." If she had ever heard of Christ? "No." If she had knowledge than ever been to the house of God? "No." What a lamentable case knowledge itof ignorance for England, in the nineteenth century! Is this a self."--Montaigne. solitary case, or one only which represents hundreds, if not thousands ?c to which to conceive c J. Bate. sins of ignorance of the people a Le. xxii. 14; 1 Sa. xiv. 33; Ro. iii. 9-12; He. ii. 1. 6 He. ix. 11-14, in 13-17. (13) whole.. ignorance, heedlessly, thoughtlessly. and.. assembly, i.e. the people themselves unconscious at the time that they have sinned. (14) known, by reflection or by consequences. (15) elders, the chiefs of the people, seventy in number. (16) thee .. anointed, see v. 3. (17) priest, etc., sec v. 6. The fate of ignorance.-Now, while I was gazing upon all these things, I turned my head to look back, and saw Ignorance coming X. 10-12; De. ix. 24; 1 Jo.i. 7, ii. 2. up to the river side; but he soon got over, and that without half "Thy ignorance the difficulty which the other two men met with. For it hapunrevealed pened that there was then in that place one Vain Hope, a ferrymysteries is the mother of a man, that with his boat helped him over; so he, as the other, I saving faith, and saw, did ascend the hill to come up to the gate, only he came thy understand-alone; neither did any man meet him with the least encourageing in revealed ment. When he was coming up to the gate, he looked up to the ther of a sacred writing that was above, and then began to knock, supposing knowledge; un- that entrance should have been quickly administered to him; derstand not, but he was asked by the men that looked over the top of the therefore, that thou mayest be- gate, Whence come you, and what would you have? truths is the mo derstanding He lieve, but believe answered, "I have eat and drank in the presence of the King, that thou mayest and He has taught in our streets." Then they asked for His understand; un-certificate, that they might go in and show it to the King; so he the wages of a fumbled in his bosom for one, and found none. Then said they, lively faith, and You have none! but the man answered never a word. So they faith is the re- told the King, but He would not come down to see him, but ward of an humble ignorance." commanded the two shining ones that conducted Christian and Quarles. Hopeful to the city to go out and take Ignorance, and bind him "Ignorance is hand and foot, and have him away. Then they took him up and the night of the carried him through the air to the door that I saw on the side of mind, but a night the hill, and put him in there. Then 1 saw that there was a star."--Confucius. way to hell even from the gates of heaven, as well as from the City of Destruction.c without moon or c J, Bunyan. xxix. 13. (11) food.. Lord, that wh. would be choicest food for man yields most satisfaction as an offering to God. B.C. 1490. b Re. v. 6. c 1 Pe. i. 19. d Boothroyd. We Need of reconciliation.-Certainly a soul, sensible what the loss of communion with God is, counts it hath not all its errand done when it hath naked peace given it. Should God say, "Soul, Peace does not I am friends with thee; I have ordered thou shalt never go to dwell in outward hell; here is a discharge under My hand that thou shalt never things, but within the soul. be arrested for any debt more; but as for any fellowship with may preserve it Me, or fruition of Me, thou canst expect none; I have done with in the midst of thee, for ever being acquainted no more with thee," certainly the bitterest pain, the soul would take little joy in her peace. Were the fire out as firm and submisto positive torments, yet a hell would be left in the dismal dark-sive. Peace in this ness which the soul would sit under for want of God's presence. life springs from A naughty heart seeks reconciliation without any longing after acquiescence fellowship with God. Like the traitor, if the king will but able things, not pardon and save him from the gallows, he is ready to promise in an exemption him never to trouble him at court: 'tis his own life, not the king's favour, he desires.e 12—17. (12—16) if.. goat, same course pursued as in case of lamb, except as to the rump, see v v. 7-11. (17) perpetual statute, esp. in regard to the fat. if our will remain even in disagree from suffering." -Fénelon. Ezek. xxxiv. 3; a Le. vii. 23-25; De. xii. 16; Ge. The goat a type of the wicked. Thus-I. It is proverbially ix. 4; 1 Sa. xiv. mischievous and licentious; indiscriminate in food; will eat 32, 33. poisonous plants; loves dangerous places; is found in the wilder- "In the Christian ness and desert; yet often approves the food and care, etc., given peace- offering to the sheep. II. Is mingled with the sheep (ill. righteous) like the tares amongst the wheat. "Jerusalem, I would have seen The trees of palm that overhang "The goats that cling along thy cliffs, we are invited and commanded to drink of Christ's blood, as well as to eat of His flesh, The reason is that the blood is the life (Ge. ix. 4; Le. xvii. 14), and that there is no life to us but by feeding on Him who is the Life (Jo. i. 4; III. Will finally be separated from the sheep. The shepherd of xiv. 6, vi. 53-56). the East separates goats from sheep, when he waters his flock; there would be no peace for the sheep if he did not. CHAPTER THE FOURTH. See Wordsworth. b Topics. of the priest a Job x. 6, xiii. 23; Ps. xix. 12, xxxii. 5; Ro. xiv. 23: Job xv. 15; 1 Jo. ii. 1, 2; He. i. 2, 3. 1-6. (1, 2) ignorance," error: ignorance did not absolve sins of fr. guilt. do.. them, i.e. violate the commandments. (3) ignorance priest.. people, "the sins of teachers are the teachers of sins." young bullock, a little larger than a calf. (4) bring, etc.,c see i. 3, 4. (5, 6) take.. blood, note diff. betw. use of the blood now and at other times; comp. vv. 25, 30, 34, with vv. 6, 7, 17, 18. sprinkle.. sanctuary, aco. to some on the floor in front of the vail, while others say on the vail itself. The priest's sin of ignorance.-I. Priests not infallible. II. But when guilty of sin, more culpable than others. III. Under special orders to be holy as bearing the vessels of the Lord. IV. Greatness of their sin suggested by the greatness of their atone-So long as thou ment. b Trapp. He. vii 22-28; Re. i. 5, 6. art ignorant, be B.C. 1490. Religious ignorance.-The mother of a respectable family said not ashamed to to a lady visitor, in a very incredulous manner, "They say there learn. Ignorance was a man whose name was Jesus, and the people murdered Him, is the greatest of and He came to life again. Do you believe it?" In further infirmities, conversation, it came out that she had been to church three times fled, the chiefest in a life of thirty-five years, and thought herself therefore well informed in religious matters. all and when justi of all follies." Izaak Wallon. a Wordsworth. b He. xiii. 11, 12; Zech. xiii. 1, Jo. xix. 16-18. rous, that yields 7—12. (7) priest, etc., this peculiar to this sacrifice and to that for the whole congregation. (8-10) fat, "the best part due to God." (11) skin.. bullock, comp. i. 6, in this case the skin, etc., to be burned. (12) carry.. place,' a public burning "There is a sort would convey a deep impression of the greatness of the priest's sin. of ignorance Ignorance of Christ.-During my pastoral calls in a certain strong and gene-place in England, I visited a poor woman in dying circumstances. nothing in hon- From her appearance I at once perceived that blindness covered our and courage her mind; but I could not have imagined her to be so ignorant to knowledge; as she really was. She could scarcely answer a single question. and ignorance, I asked her if she loved Christ? 66 No." If she knew Christ? which to conceive requires no less "No." If she had ever heard of Christ? "No." If she had knowledge than ever been to the house of God? "No." What a lamentable case knowledge it of ignorance for England, in the nineteenth century! Is this a self."--Montaigne. solitary case, or one only which represents hundreds, if not c J. Bate. sins of ignorance of the people a Le. xxii. 14; 1 Sa. xiv. 33; Ro. iii. 9-12; He. ii. 1. b He. ix. 11-14, x. 10-12; De. ix. 24; 1 Jo. i. 7, ii. 2. "Thy ignorance thousands ?c 13-17. (13) whole.. ignorance, heedlessly, thoughtlessly. and.. assembly, i.e. the people themselves unconscious at the time that they have sinned. (14) known, by reflection or by consequences. (15) elders, the chiefs of the people, seventy in number. (16) thee.. anointed, see v. 3. (17) priest, etc., sec v. 6. The fate of ignorance.-Now, while I was gazing upon all these things, I turned my head to look back, and saw Ignorance coming up to the river side; but he soon got over, and that without half the difficulty which the other two men met with. For it hapin unrevealed pened that there was then in that place one Vain Hope, a ferrymysteries is the man, that with his boat helped him over; so he, as the other, I mother of a saving faith, and saw, did ascend the hill to come up to the gate, only he came thy understand-alone; neither did any man meet him with the least encourageing in revealed ment. When he was coming up to the gate, he looked up to the ther of a sacred writing that was above, and then began to knock, supposing knowledge; un- that entrance should have been quickly administered to him; derstand not, but he was asked by the men that looked over the top of the therefore, that thou mayest be- gate, Whence come you, and what would you have? truths is the mo He lieve, but believe answered, "I have eat and drank in the presence of the King, that thou mayest and He has taught in our streets.' Then they asked for His understand; un- certificate, that they might go in and show it to the King; so he the wages of a fumbled in his bosom for one, and found none. Then said they, derstanding is Quarles. lively faith, and You have none! but the man answered never a word. So they faith is the re- told the King, but He would not come down to see him, but ward of an hum-commanded the two shining ones that conducted Christian and ble ignorance."Hopeful to the city to go out and take Ignorance, and bind him Ignorance is hand and foot, and have him away. Then they took him up and the night of the carried him through the air to the door that I saw on the side of mind, but a night the hill, and put him in there. Then 1 saw that there was a star."--Confucius. way to hell even from the gates of heaven, as well as from the City of Destruction.c without moon or c J. Bunyan. lected or refused 18-21. (18) pour.. offering, "to set forth the plenty and B.C. 1490. sufficiency of grace and merit in Christ's death, for many more a Trapp. than are actually saved by it."a (19) fat, see v. 8. (20) did.."Ignorance, offering, i.e. for his own sin-offering. (21) carry.. camp, when voluntary, is criminal, and see v. 12. a man may be Ignorance of one's own heart." After all, I do not hate God. No, properly charged sir; you will not make me believe that. I am a sinner, I know, with that evil and do many wicked things; but, after all, I have a good heart which he neg -I don't hate God." Such was the language of a prosperous to learn how to worldling. He was sincere, but sadly deceived. A few months prevent."-Johnafterwards, that God, who had given him so many good things, son. crossed his path in an unexpected manner. A fearful torrent swept down the valley, and threatened destruction to this man's large flour mill. A crowd were watching it, in momentary expectation of seeing it fall, while the owner, standing in the midst of them, was cursing God to His face, and pouring out the most horrid oaths. He no longer doubted or denied that he hated God. But nothing in that hour of trial came out of his mouth which was not previously in his heart. God's account of the unrenewed heart is true: it is "deceitful above all things," as well as "desperately wicked." He who is wise will believe God's account of the state of his heart by nature, rather than the deceitful heart's account of itself." "The ignorance that knows itself, judges and condemns itself, is not an absolute ignorance; which ignorant of itself."-Montaigne. "Better to be unborn than un to be, it must be taught, for igno- -Plato. 22-26. (22) ruler.. ignorance, even rulers are not infal- sins of lible; do not know all things; are sometimes thoughtless. (23) ignorance come knowledge, by reproofs of conscience, etc. kid.. af the ruler goats, lit. a shaggy he-goat. (24) lay.. goat, see v. 4. (25) a Ro. iv. 7, 8; Job horns offering, in other cases the horns of the altar of xxxiii. 24; 2 Co. incense were sprinkled. (26) fat.. offering, see iii. 9. forgiven," Divine pardon and acceptance the great end sought through sacrifice. The ruler's sin of ignorance.-I. That he should sin from such a cause may well excite surprise, see Is. iii. 23; and Ac. iii. 17. II. That the relative guilt of his sin should be marked by corresponding atonement. Comp. the sacrifice in this case with that of v. 28. 66 v. 21. we "There are two The possibility of ignorance in the most constant hearers.Samuel Wesley visited one of his parishioners as he was upon his to which we dying bed-a man who had never missed going to church in tend; and the forty years. "Thomas, where do you think your soul will go ?" pursuit of knowledge is but a "Soul! soul!" said Thomas. "Yes, sir," said Mr. Wesley, "do course between you not know what your soul is ? " 'Ay, surely," said Thomas, two ignorances, "why, it is a little bone in the back that lives longer than the as human life is body.' "So much," says John Wesley, who related it on the only a travelling authority of Dr. Lupton, who had it from his father, "had grave."-Sir Wm. Thomas learned from hearing sermons, and exceedingly good Hamilton. sermons, for forty years." from grave to b J. B. Wakeley. 27-31. (27) one.. people,a lit. any one of the people of the sins of land; except the high priest or a ruler. (28) kid goats, ignorance ordinary sacrifice except poverty prevented, see vv. 11, 12. of a common female, comp. ruler's offering, v. 23. (29-31) sweet savour, person see i. 9. .. The people's sins of ignorance.-I. Whence they arise. From-1. Ignorance of Divine law; 2. Imperfect instruction; 3. Blunted sensibility. II. How they are to be regarded. 1. Ignorance not a Prov. xx. 9; 1 Jo. iii. 4, i. 8-10 He. ix. 22. B.C. 1490. all human know ledge, and the deeper we penetrate the nearer we arrive unto it. For what do we to be pleaded as an excuse; 2. Blame not to be laid on the teacher; 3. The guilt to be promptly and honestly acknowledged; 4. Guard to be adopted for the future. The destructiveness of ignorance.-That ignorance is destructive of virtue, is proved by facts as well as arguments. Search the records of heathenism, and let them testify, that when men "did truly know, or not like to retain God in their knowledge, He gave them over to a what can we reprobate mind. They were filled with all unrighteousness, forniclearly affirm, of any one of those cation, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, important things murder, debate, deceit, malignity." Search the records even of upon which all the Christian Church; let them testify that when the simple Our reasonings must of necessity worship and the noble doctrines of Christ were corrupted by the be built, time superstitions of Jews and Pagans; when truth, clear as the day and space, life and luminous as a sunbeam, was exchanged for mummery and and death, mat- mystery, holy absurdities and sanctified nonsense; when the mind was narrowed up by human creeds, and its exercises "The wisdom of restrained by legal penalties; when bishops could not write, and the ignorant priests scarcely read-then the light which God had once kindled sembles the in-up in His Church was extinguished; a darkness which might be stinct of animals: felt spread over the whole body; and with the destruction of it is diffuse 1 but knowledge came also the destruction of virtue. Piety was disin a very narrow placed by superstition; bigotry and furious zeal were erected on sphere, but within the circle it the ruins of meekness and charity; passions, fierce as hell, and acts with vigour, insatiable as the grave, were kindled up in the human breast; uniformity, and and priests and people wallowed in the sink of the grossest success."-Gold- corruption. ter and mind?" -Colton. somewhat smith. b R. Watson. the sinoffering re a Jo. i. 29; Gal. i. 4; He. ix. 26-28. requires know 32-35. (32) lamb," one of the common people might offer a sheep or a goat, the goat preferred. female, of less value than the male. (33) where.. offering, i.e. in the customary place. (34, 35) see vv. 30, 31. Ignorance of religion.-Ignorance of the price of pearls makes “It is impossible the idiot slight them. Ignorance of the worth of diamonds to make people makes the fool choose a pebble before them. Ignorance of the understand their satisfaction learning affords-that makes the peasant despise ignorance, for it and laugh at it; and we very ordinarily see how men tread and ledge to perceive trample on those plants which are the greatest restoratives, beit; and therefore cause they know not the virtue of them and the same may he that can per: justly be affirmed of religion, the reason why men meddle no not."-J. Taylor. more with it is because they are not acquainted with the pleasantness of it." Iceive it hath it b A. Horneck. CHAPTER THE FIFTH. 1—6. (1) hear.. swearing,a i.e. has proposed to him the form of adjuration: is put on his oath. if.. it, i.e. if he repress evidence: a contumacious witness. then.. iniquity, i.e. suffer the penalty due to his sin: sinful silence. (2) touch. thing, i.e. the dead body of a clean animal, or the living or dead body of an unclean animal. if.. him, i.e. if he has done so unconsciously. he.. guilty, as much so as if he knew. (3) touch.. man, see xi. to xv. (4) swear,d etc., rash oaths, as in case of Jephthah, or David, that he would kill Nabal. (5) confess," "at the same time laying his hands on the head of the victim, in token of his faith in the great atoning sacrifice."ƒ (6) lamb.. offering, which bore vicariously the sins of the offerer. |