Against Those Who Are Ignorant of Things Necessary to Salvation

AVG. de grat. & Lib. arb. Cap. 3. NO man must runne to the darkenes of ignorance, that in them hee may seeke an excuse. For one thing it is not to haue knowne, & another thing to haue refused to knowe. For the will is reprehended in him of whom it is said, he would not vnderstande, that he might doe wel. Yea that very ignorance which is not of those who wil not know, but of those who simply doe not know, doth excuse no man so that he shall not burne with the euerlasting fire, if therefore hee did not beleeue, because he neuer heard what he might beleeue: but perhappes that he may burne more tolerably. For not without cause was it said: Powre out thy anger vpon the nations, which haue not knowen thee. And that which the Apostle saieth: When he shall come in flame of fire, to giue reuenge vpon those which know not God.

Because thou hast reiected knowledge: I also will reiect thee. OSE. 4, 6.

They said vnto God: Departe from vs, we will not haue the knowledge of thy waies. IOB. 21, 14.

If any man know not, he shall not bee knowne. 1. COR. 14, 38.

Be ye not made as the horse and mule, in whome there is no vnderstanding. PSAL. 31, 9.

Cease not my sonne to heare doctrine, neither bee thou ignorant of the speaches of knowledge. PRO. 19, 27

We must not thinke that ignorance will be a sufficient excuse: for there will come a time, when euen for our ignorance we shal be punished, when not so much as our ignorance shall obtaine pardon. CHRYS. ho. 26. in ep. ad Rom.