To be ignorant of sin or Christ argues impurity of heart.(...) Ignorance is Satan’s stronghold (Act 26:18). The devils are bound in chains of darkness (Jude 6). So are all ignorant people. Impossible it is that an ignorant heart should be holy. It is knowledge that makes the heart good: “That the soul be without knowledge, it is not good” (Pro 19:2). For any to say that though their mind is ignorant, yet their heart is good, they may as well say that though they are blind, yet their eyes are good.
In the Law, when the plague of leprosy was in a man’s head, the priest was to pronounce him unclean. This is the case of an ignorant man. The leprosy is in his head: “He is unclean.” That heart cannot be very pure which is a dungeon. Grace cannot reign where ignorance reigns. An ignorant man can have no love to God: “He cannot love that which he does not know.” He can have no faith: knowledge must usher in faith (Psa 9:10). He cannot worship God aright (Joh 4:22). Though he may worship the true God—yet in a wrong manner. Ignorance is the root of sin. Blindness leads to lasciviousness (Eph 4:18-19; Pro 7:23). Ignorance is the mother of pride (Rev 3:17). It is the cause of error (2Ti 3:7), and, which is worse, a willful ignorance: “It is one thing to be ignorant; it is another thing to be unwilling to know.” Many are in love with ignorance: they hug their disease (Job 21:14; 2Pe 3:5). Ignorant minds are impure. There is no going to heaven in the dark!
A sincere heart is willing to come under a trial. “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts” (Psa 139:23). That metal is to be suspected which men are afraid to bring to the touchstone. A sound heart likes the touchstone of the Word; it is for a searching ministry. Hypocrites fly from the light of truth; they fly from that light which would reveal their sin. They hate that physic [medicine]
of the Word that, meeting with their ill humors [evil inclinations] begins to make them sick and troubles their conscience. A gracious soul loves that preaching best which makes a heart- anatomy.
A sincere heart is a suspicious heart. The hypocrite suspects others of sin but has charitable thoughts of himself! The sincere Christian has charitable thoughts of others and suspects himself of sin. He calls himself often to account: “O my soul, have you any evidences for heaven? Is there no flaw in your evidences? You may mistake common grace for saving grace. Weeds in the cornfields look like flowers. The foolish virgins’ lamps looked as if they had oil in them. O my soul, is it not so with you?” The man of sincere soul, being ever jealous, plays the critic upon himself and so traverses things in the court of conscience as if he were presently to be cited to God’s bar. This is to be pure in heart.
He prizes a pure heart above gifts. Gifts do not at all commend us in God’s eye. A pure heart is the jewel! “O woman, great is thy faith” (Mat 15:28). It was not her rhetorical language Christ was taken with, but her faith. Hypocrites have had rare gifts: Saul had the spirit of prophecy; Judas, no doubt, could make an elegant oration. Hypocrites have come into God’s church loaded with the Egyptian gold of human learning. There may be illumination without sanctification. A small diamond is better than a great deal of brass. A little grace excels the most flourishing abilities.
Now if the outgoings of your soul are after holiness, you desire a pure heart rather than an eloquent tongue. You have the oil of the Spirit poured on you, and you shall be crowned with a glorious sight of God.
of the Word that, meeting with their ill humors [evil inclinations] begins to make them sick and troubles their conscience. A gracious soul loves that preaching best which makes a heart- anatomy.
A sincere heart is a suspicious heart. The hypocrite suspects others of sin but has charitable thoughts of himself! The sincere Christian has charitable thoughts of others and suspects himself of sin. He calls himself often to account: “O my soul, have you any evidences for heaven? Is there no flaw in your evidences? You may mistake common grace for saving grace. Weeds in the cornfields look like flowers. The foolish virgins’ lamps looked as if they had oil in them. O my soul, is it not so with you?” The man of sincere soul, being ever jealous, plays the critic upon himself and so traverses things in the court of conscience as if he were presently to be cited to God’s bar. This is to be pure in heart.
He prizes a pure heart above gifts. Gifts do not at all commend us in God’s eye. A pure heart is the jewel! “O woman, great is thy faith” (Mat 15:28). It was not her rhetorical language Christ was taken with, but her faith. Hypocrites have had rare gifts: Saul had the spirit of prophecy; Judas, no doubt, could make an elegant oration. Hypocrites have come into God’s church loaded with the Egyptian gold of human learning. There may be illumination without sanctification. A small diamond is better than a great deal of brass. A little grace excels the most flourishing abilities.
Now if the outgoings of your soul are after holiness, you desire a pure heart rather than an eloquent tongue. You have the oil of the Spirit poured on you, and you shall be crowned with a glorious sight of God.
[all bold and italics mine]
Thomas Watson
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God bless!!