the chidren of God And so by consequence wherein stands the chief proof that the word of God is Gods power to our salvation but in the consideration of these our faith is the point that makes the conclusion For without faith its impossible wee can bee or know our selves to bee the children of God But notwithstanding that which makes the infallible determination of being in the faith depends upon the presence of Christ within us without which all conceit of having faith is frivolous and vain The order then of our minds in searching our spirituall estats is this 1. Wee are to try and examine our selves whether wee know our selves to bee of God or no for he is not of God that knowes not himself to bee of God for according to the saying of Iohn he hath given us a mind to know him which is true and wee are in him that is true and wee know that wee are of God Iohn 1. Epi. 5. 19. 20. Secondly wee are to try if wee bee in the faith because wee never can know our selves to bee of God untill the time wee find ourselves to bee in the faith according to the saying of Christ Hee that is of God heareth Gods words ye therefore heare them not because ye are not of God Iohn 8. 47. 3. For confirming our hearts in the knowledge of this 2. Point and so consequently in the full assurance of the first wee are to try if Christ bee in us without which wee can never assuredly know that wee beleeved and so consequently that wee are of God according to the saying of Christ speaking of the work of the spirit in those to whom he gives it at that day shall ye know that I am in my father and you in mee and I in you and againe in his prayer to God for his elect the glory that thou gavest mee I haue given them that they may be one as wee are one I in them and thou in mee that they may bee made perfect in one Iohn 17. 22. 23. And againe I haue declared unto them thy name and will declare it that the loue wherewith thou hast loved mee may be in them and I in them Ibidem 17. 26. For which cause the saincts are called the habitation of God by the spirit Ephesians 2. 22. Whereupon the Apostle concludeth that if any man haue not the spirit of Christ the same is not his Rom. 8. 9. And this dwelling of Christ by his spirit in our hearts is only wrought by faith according to the saying of the Apostle I bow my knees unto the father of our Lord Iesus Christ that he might grant you according to the richnes of his glory that you may bee strengthned by his spirit in the inward man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by saith Ephesians 3. 14. 15 16. 17. By all which it evidently appeares when it is that a man knowes himself indeed to be the child of God and also wherein this knowledge consisteth viz. when he comes to a lively feeling and cleare sight that Christ is in him all other gifts and graces whatsoever being of no valew or force in the least to give any assurance or true knowledge to a mans soule that he is truely and effectually called by the Gospell to the estate of grace and hope of glory for then onely it is that the Gospell becomes the power of God to our salvation when as thereby Christ is formed in us according to the words of the Apostle to the Galatians saying my litle children of whom I trauell in birth againe untill Christ bee formed in you Cap. 4. 19. The same is confirmed by that speech of the Apostle to the Colossiaus wherein he discribes what is the riches of the glorious mistery of the Gospell amongst the gentills saying which riches is Christ in you the hope of glory Cap. 1 27. The use of this is to teach us that in vaine any man contents himselfe with any other thing whatsoever thereby hoping to be saved if he haue not Christ within him and that he himself know it for with out him nothing availes to salvation synce nothing can make a man the child of God but he aloue in so far that faith it self is not the true faith of Gods elect whereby the heart is purified and a sinner justified and saved except that by it Christ be brought in and made to dwell in the heart and that in such evidency that the beleeving man know that he hath Christ within him for its impossible that a man can haue Christ but that he must know that he hath him such is the liuely operation and supernaturall working of Christ in the soule where he is illuminating quickning and transforming everie man who hath him in the spirit of his mind and in pacifying comforting the conscience and in filling and replenishing the soule with the sence of Gods loue and hope of his glorie that never man could ever more clearely discern that hee hath a soule within him by the naturall effects thereof in his bodie then a christian may perceaue Christ to be within him by his proper effects before mentioned Out of this use we gather a second viz. That a man should sett himselfe to gaine Christ rather and aboue all things esteeming all other things but losse and judging all to be but dung for the excellent knowledg sake of Iesus Christ our Lord according as Paul did Philip. 3. 8. So as with the same Apostle he may sencibly know the vertue of his resurrection and the fellowship of his afflictions and be made conform to him in his death ibid. ver 10 For as Christ himselfe saith What availeth it a man to win the whole world if he loose his soule Mark 8 36. But certaine it is that everie soule shall perish eternally hereafter which gayneth not Christ in this present life This yealds matter of just reproofe against the most part of men if not all who labour so much for the things of this earth which are but transitorie vanities and helpe nothing to their salvation and make so small account of gayning Christ for the inâ—oying of whom even when they are invited unto him will not forsake the smallest ease proffit or pleasure of this life but make light of him and goe their waies one to his farm another about his marchandize others take the inviters and use them sharply and kill them As Christ himself tels us in the â—arableâ— Mat. 22. 5 6. And â—e were to be wished that these were the worst sort of the dispisers of Christ though these be so bad that they shall never tast of the supper of the great King but there is another sort much more to be lameÌ„red who are lovers of sinfull pleasures more then of God spending the time appointed and sette for the purchase and gayning of Christ in abhominable filthines in chambring and wontonnesse in gluttony and drunckennesse in sport and unlawfull gayming and sinfull
often wanting in the greatest both of knowledge and eloquence and oft yea most times accompanieth the most simple delivery of the truth in men having far lesse measure of the aforesaid gifts And this tryall taken from the power of the word heard must needs force every maÌ„ back to himself to examine himself if he will know how to judge aright of the preacher seeing his hart soul is the subject wherein the vertue efficacy of all preaching is to bee found For he is the most powerfull preacher who most stirrs and mooves the hart of the hearer unto faith and obedience so that a man needs not to go out of himself to looke to anie thing but that that 's in himself whereby to discern whether Christ speak or not in the preacher whom he heareth even as it s not so much colour or tast of the wine or matter of the cup whereout we drink as the felt virtue in our spirits refreshed thereby wherby the valour and vertue of wine is discerned both colour and tast though in a golden cup deceiving us As in matereall temples built of stone the more the windowes be painted the lesse is the light So in the true spirituall Temple of Christ those that are the lights thereof the more their preaching be painted with the intising words of humane wisdom and eloquence the lesse solid light of the knowledge of the glorie of God in the face of Iesus is ministred by them to the harts of their hearers And thus much for the first point sett down by the Apostle Now followes the second vizt Touching those things wherein the Corinthians were to try and examine themselvs which are two First their faith 2. Christs being in them this last being the evidence of the first It is true that the words may be taken two manner of waies For these words If ye be in the faith may be either the condition required in those that shall try themselvs concerning the power of Christ in â—â—e ministry of those who teach â—â—em or then it may be takâ—n for the matter it self wherâ—â— they are to find out the evidence of Christs power in their â—â—achers In what sence soeâ—er we take it it servs for the â—postles purpose and yeelds â—â— great instruction In the â—â—â—st sence it teacheth us that â—hich is most true viz. That â—ntill a man beleeve hee can â—â—ue no right judgment of spiâ—â—tuall things it being faith â—â—â—ely that purifies the heart â—â—om all sinne and filthines â—esides that it remaines sure which the Apostle saith That â—he naturall man comprehends not â—â—e things of the spirit of God for â—â—ey are foolishnes unto him beâ—ause they are spiritually discerned â—ut the spirituall man discerneth all things Now no man can be a spirituall man but he that beleeveth Therefore justly doth the Apostle call faith the evidence of things that are not seen So that before a man can be able to perceave the spiritual power of Christ in anie manâ— preaching he must haue this faith else how can he perceavâ— or apprehend that which is invisible of which nature this power is Hereby we learne that it is no wonder that the Word of the crosse is foolishnes iâ— most part of men yea to all that perish as saith the Apostle For the arme of the Lord therein is not revealed unto them because they beleeve not the report of Gods messengers as saith the Prophet Esa For beleife and knowledg of the power of God in preaching are never seperate for which cause Christ himself giving the reason that â—is disciples loved him sayth â—hat they belieued that the was â—ome out from the father And â—gaine when in his prayer to the â—â—ther he hath set downe divers â—â—asons why he recommended â—hem to the father as that he â—â—d declared his name unto them â—ut they had kept his word that â—â—ey knew that all things which â—â— father had given him was â—â—m the father that he had given â—â—to them the words which the â—â—her had given him that they â—â—d receaved them and that they â—â—ely knew he was come out from â—â— father he subjoynd as the â—â—und and foundation of all â—s their knowledge that they â—â—eued that the father had sent â—â— The use hereof is first to â—â—ch us that faith is the only eie of the soule whereby its ablâ— truely to discerne the nature oâ— all spirituall heavenly things 2. It lets us see the miser able â—â— state condition of all infidels who are utterly deprived of aâ— ability to know or rightly tâ— perceaue the nature of God oâ— Christ of his gospell or hiâ— ministers yea also of themselves in any spirituall thing Lastâ—â— it teacheth us not to stumble â— the base account and contemâ—â— of the Gospell and ministeâ— thereof in the most part â—â— men in this age seeing pooâ— blind wretches being destituâ— of faith are not able to knoâ— these things nor to give aâ— right judgment of them or themselvs this either having or wanting of fayth in men the very cause of all differeâ— judgment of all things in religion and specially of things indifferent as may be perceaved by the Apostles words to the Romans Cap. 14 saying One man beleveth that he may eat al things and another which is weake eateth hearbs againe I know and am perswaded through the Lord Iesus that there is nothing uncleane of it self but to him that judgeth ought uncleane to him it is uncleane and againe hast thou faith haue it with thyself before God blessed is he that condemneth not himself in that which he alloweth but he that doubteth is condemned if he eate because he eateth not of faith and what soeuer is not of faith is sinne in all which words the Apostle attributeth knowledg and full perswasion of the indifferent use of all externall things as meat drink c. unto fayth and ignorance doubting to infidelity or weaknes of faith which giues us a cleare light to discern betwixt man and man in their judgment touching things indifferent in their use where it may be without scandall And abstinence from them where the use is scandalous for undoubtedly true faith where it is giues a man knowledg and full perswasion that ther is no difference betwixt one meate one garment or oneday and another c. in themselvs but where one day one meate one garmeÌ„t c. is esteemd above another or where ther is doubting of their indifferency and equall law fulnes in use as before there must needs be weaknes of faith which is a faith accompanied with much infidelity But leaving this sence of these words notwithstanding that it may be probably taken to be the Apostles meaning wee come to the other sence as being in most mens judgment the true meaning of the Apostle taking the words as a declaration of that wherein they shall try themselues viz. whether they be in the fayth or no according to which
sence the Apostles argument will follow after this manner If ye be in the faith ye must acknowledge the power of Christ in my ministry But by tryall ye shall find that ye are in the faith Therefore if ye try yourselvs ye shall finde the power of Christ in my ministry The confirmation of the second part of this argument viz. That by tryall they shall finde themselvs to be in the faith is to be taken from the last words of this verse which are indifferently to be used for prooving both the parts of tryall that is both that they are in the faith and that Christ is in them after this manner either by tryall you shall finde you are in the faith or that ye are reprobates But we trust ye shall finde ye are not reprobates Therefore we trust that by tryall ye shall finde yourselvs to be in the faith To speak then of this first thing wherein they are to try themselvs we haue two things to be marked in it First what it is whereabout this tryall must be in themselvs viz. faith Secondly what must be tryed concerning this faith viz. Whether they be in it or not Touching the first It s not without great reason that the Apostle setts down no other christian vertue whereby to finde out in themselvs the effectuall power of Christ in his ministry towards them but faith For all other operation of the ministry whatsoever be what it will be if it haue not faith accompanying it doth never prove that ministry to be the power of God unto salvation in those men for as saith the Apostle the Gospell is the power of God unto salvation to every one that beleeveth by which sort of speech the spirit of God will teach us plainely that the ministry of the Gospell is not Gods power to salvation to those men in whom it neuer begetteth faith so that if any will rightly try himself whether the ministry of men be accompanyed with the power of Christ speaking in them to his salvation he is not to looke so much to any effect thereof in himself as to this vertue of fayth for all other effects may deceaue him as doubtlesse they doe many for experience teacheth that the Gospell and preaching thereof doth work many great effects even in the reprobate as wee see in Herod who feared Iohn the Baptist and heard him gladly and when hee heard him did many things yet in the end he imprisoned him put him to death Likewise even Symon Magus which used witchcraft and had bewitched the people of Samaria a long time by the force of Philips Preaching is said to haue beleeued and to haue beene baptised and to haue continued with Philip wondring at the signes and great miracles which were done by him and also upon the acknowledgment of his sinne in seeking by money to haue power to give the holy ghost by laying on of hands did earnestly entreat the Apostles to pray to the Lord for him yet notwithstanding al this he was euen then in the gall of bitternes baÌ„ds of iniquity for although it be said he beleeued it because he did make professioÌ„ of faith yet had he not this true faith whereof the Apostle here speaks which if he had had he could not haue still remayned in the gall of bitternes bond of iniquity And its manifest by the parable of Christ in the Gospell that the kingdome of heaven is like a draw net cast into the sea that gathereth of all kinde of things But as the Apostle sayth all men haue not faith 2 Thes 3 2. For many are called but few are chosen nether every one that calleth Christ Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heaven Mat. 7 21. It s evident by dayly experience that the Gospell worketh effectually in many to their conviction and in many also to their externall conversion outward profession of the true God and unto obedience in many things in whom notwithstanding it neuer wrought true justifyng faith whereby its evident that there is no tryall sound infallible to any man of Christs saving power by the ministry of the Gospell toward them except that which is taken from faith our devotion zeale holines profession and obedience will miserably deceaue us if wee buyld our trust on them for it is not they but faith alone that makes us the sonnes of God and truely justifieth us yea which is more euen they all are sinnes if faith be not theyr fountain for what soever is not of faith is sinne The use of this is principally to teach us what ought to be the principall scope and chief endeavour both of Pastors in preaching and of people in hearing that is that the one by preaching may work the other by hearing may receaue faith in their hearts without which al other things are nothing seeing ther is nether entry nor accesse nor continuance in grace but by faith alone for as saith the Apostle in Christ Iesus wee haue bouldnes and entrance with confidence by faith in him Ephes 3 12. And againe by him also through faith wee haue had accesse unto this grace wherein wee stand Rom. 5 2. And again for by faith ye stand 2. Cor. 1 24. This doth argue both preaching and hearing of manie to bee vaine fruitles whenas eyther is not chiefly intended to this end of beleeving for if a teacher work not faith by preaching whatsoever hee doe besides shall neuer saue the hearers And if a man by hearing attain not to beeleeving what ever other fruit he receaue shal but encrease his judgment for faith wrought by preaching is the true touchstone whereby both a preacher is tryed to haue Christs power in his ministry and a hearer doth finde the Gospell to bee the power of God to his salvation Now wee come to the next touching their being in this faith It s a common custome of the scriptures when they speake of the saving graces of God or of Iesus Christ in whom wee enjoy them sometimes to require them to be in us and somtimes us in them Concerning Christ the Apostle prayes for the Ephesians that Christ may dwell in their hearts Ephesians 3. 17. And againe to the Corinthians he saith but ye are of God in Christ Iesus and Christ himself in the 15 of Iohn saith to his disciples abide in mee and I in you he that abideth in mee and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit Touching faith the Apostle saith to Tymothy that he desired to see him when he cald to remembrance the unâ—ained faith that was in him which dwelt first in his grandmother Loys and in his mother Eunice which he was assured did dwell in him also And here the Apostle willeth the Corintians to try themselves if they bee in the faith and againe to the Colossians If ye continue grounded and stablished in the faith againe as ye haue received Christ Iesus
the Lord walk in him rooted and built in him and stablished in the faith In like manner the scripture speakes of loue of patience of hope of holynes of righteousnes and all other christian vertues The reason of this forme of speache in scripture is because of the double use and benefit both of Christ himself and all other spirituall graces in him The first use is of practise the second of preservation For the first these graces are necessarie to be in us to enable us to all christian duties who of ourselvs are not sufficient as of ourselves to doe so much as think any good according to that of Christe speaking of himself without me ye can doe nothing And touching faith it s said of the Apostle That without faith its impossible to please God Heb. 6. So that neither we ourselvs nor anie of our actions can be acceptable to God even although they be the actions commaunded by God unlesse beleeving we doe them by â—aith yea not onely are they not acceptable but it is impossible to us to haue any strength or ability to doe them according to Gods will without faith for that mighty power of God through Christ whereby we are made able to doe all things is not in any but in those that beleeve According to that saying of the Apo. praying for the Ephesians That the eies of their understanding might be enlightened that they might know what is the exceeding greatnes of Gods power towards us that beleeve cap. 1. v. 18 19. And again speaking to the Colossians he saith Wee are buried together with Christ in baptisme in the which we are also raysed together with him through the faith of the effectuall operation of God who hath raysed Christ from the dead cap. 2. ver 12. And therefore Iohn in his first epistle doth attribute our victorie over the whole world onely to our faith saying All that are born of God overcommeth this world and this is the victorie that hath overcome the world even our faith For who is it that overcommeth this world but he that beleeveth that Iesus is the sone of God 1 Ioh. 5. 4. 5. And the Apostle to the Hebrewes chap. 11 attributeth all the strength of all the children of God in doing good and obaying God onely to their faith through which faith as saith the Apostle they subdued kingdomes wrought righteousnes obtayned the â—romise stopped the mouthes of â—yons quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword of weake were made strong waxed valiant in battell turned to flight the â—rmies of the aliants the women â—eceaved their dead raysed to life other also were racked and would not bee delivered that they might â—eceaue a better resurrection and others haue beene tryed by mockings â—nd by scourgings yea meorover by bonds and imprisonment they were stoned they were hewen a sunder they were slaine with the sword they wandred up and downe in sheepes skins and in goats skinnes being destitute afflicted and tormented all which they did endure and suffer onely by faith by which they all obtayned good report It is clear therefore for such practises and all other obedience whatsoeuer it is necessary that a Christian haue faith in him without which he hath no strength eyther to doe oâ— suffer any thing to the glory of God his owne salvation 2. It s expedient that as he must haue faith in him for practice so he must be in the faith for his preservation for as nothing can enable him to doe good but faith so nothing can preserve him from all evill unto salvation but faith onely within the compasse limits whereof except he remaine enclosed he cannot avoyd evill therefore is it that the Apostle chargeth every one in the house of God that no man presume to bee wise aboue that which is meete but that every man bee wise unto sobriety as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith this measure of every mans faith being unto him the onely rule and just measure both of his actions and sufferings seeing whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne for which cause the Apostle defines the life of a Christian to bee the life of faith in the sonne of God Galatians 2. 20. Therefore for the better keeping our selves from all the assaults of sathan wee are commanded to put on as an armour given us from God these Christian vertues truth righteousnes peace hope and aboue all faith whereby wee may be able to quench all the siery darts of the diuell to stand against all his assaults Ephesians 6 10 11. And in another place wee are exhorted by the Apostle as the elect of God holy and belooved to put on the bowells of mercies kindnes humblenes of mind meekenes long-suffering loue c. And finally whatsoeuer wee shall doe in word or deed to doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus which is asmuch as to will us to doe al in faith Colossians 3 12 c. For as God doth not exercise his power in us to the prastise of good but by faith So doth he not imploy his power to keepe us unto salvation but by faith also as is plaine by the words of Peter saying that wee are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 1 Ep. 1 5. Thus faith is both the power of God within us to strengthen us to all goodnes and the armour of God upon us to keepe and couer us from all evill For which cause as wee must abide in Christ and Christ must abide in us unto salvation So must wee also abide in faith and faith in us since Christ is neither in us nor wee in him nor liue wee in him nor he in us neither keepeth hee us nor wee him except by faith aloue Now the reason why the Apostle doth not will us to â—ry if faith be in us but rather if wee bee in the faith is not because both bee not necessary or that the one can possibly bee without the other seeing the union betwixt us and the graces of God in Christ is like to our communion with Christ himself for as he is in us and we are in him so are wee in his graces and gifts and they are in us even as he is in the father and the father in him but the cause moouing the Apostle to speak so is this because our finding of our selves in the faith is the most cleare evidence of the power of Christ in the ministry to our salvation for then it is effectuall when not onely it doth work faith in our hearts but also doth make us walke in it so that as in our knowledge will or affection inwardly even so in our deeds externally we manifest this faith Not going in any thing beyoÌ„d the measure of that faith which God hath given us and to speake the truth it is a wofull error in many Christians to satisfie themselvs with a conceyt that they beleeue
without marking or once considering whether they haue put on this faith as a garment to walk in and as an armour to fight in that they may see themselves in it cloathed both as their garment and adorning them and as an armour defending them for its manyfest by the doctrine of Iames that many boast they haue faith who yet doe not walke in it nor use it as a shield against sin and sathan therefore wee are never to esteeme the ministry of the Gospell to bee the power of God to our salvation for any light or perswation it worketh in our hearts inwardly excepte likewise it make us put on that light to walke in it as the children of light and arme us with it to fight against the prince of darknes and all his works For scripture and experience teach us that manie haue the lighte of the knowledg and truth of God within them boasting of it in words who yet in their deeds deny it doing as the Apo. speaks of the gentils who held and detained the truth in unrighteousnes and supprest it in their hearts because when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankfull Rom. 1. 18. 21. And thus much for the first point of the tryall we should now speake of the second but that the Apostle doth stay us with an argument preventing an objection before he specifieth the second point of tryall which is the mean to know the former for they might haue said how shall we be able to know these things which thou willest us to try either that which goeth before viz. Whether we be in the faith or that which followeth viz. whether Christ be in us The Apostle to take away this pretence of ignorance and so to enforce them to acknowledg by this tryall of themselvs the power of Christ in his ministry towards them doth use this argument You must eyther by tryall perceave these things in your-selvs being christians or then ye knowe not your selves but its absurd that you Christians should not know your selves therefore you may easily try these things in your selves Of argument wee haue no more set downe but the second part yet so as in the manner of speech he leadeth us to the collection and gathering of the rest the words being these know ye not your selves as if he would say this wherein I will you to examine your selves cannot be hid from you if ye know your selves which knowledge of themselves he inforceth upō them by this his interrogation which implyeth as much as that it was not only a shame to thē but also an impossible thing not to know themselvs so insinuateth the conclusiō to wit that therefore they behooved to know these things where in he willd them to try themselves In this forme of the Apostles proceeding wee haue first to learne what backwardnes and untowardnes lurks in our nature stil in that wee are loath to acknowledge any thing whereby wee ourselvs may be convinced except confession bee wrested from us by forcible and unresistable argument wee being still inclind to use all sort of pretences to excuse and amongst the rest ignorance rather then by simple acknowledgment of the known truth to condemne our selves in any thing This vice did evidently appeare in Cain when God inquired where his brother Abell was who although he knew perfectly he had kild him yet used a shifting answere to the Lord first pretending ignorance and then bringing in an argument to convince God of unrighteousnes in requiring such a-thing at his hand in that he said he was not his brothers keeper the like wee see also in Saul when he was accused by Samuell for sparing Agag the King of Ameleck in strongly affirming he had performed the will of the Lord notwithstanding that he knew that the preserving of Agag aliue and reserving of the best of the spoile was direct contrary to the direction of the Lord whereby he was commanded to smite Ameleck and to destroy all that pertained unto them but to stay both man and woman both infant and suckling both oxe and sheepe both Camell and asse 1. Samuel 15. The same also is cleerly to bee marked in Annanias and Saphira Acts. 5. And this same infirmity appeareth here in the Corinthians although not in the same manner nor measure of inquity In Cain Saul Ananias and Saphira it proceeded from profane and unsanctified hearts filled with malice pride and coveteousnes but in the Corinthians as in other Godly men it falleth through infirmity and negligence but never of obstinate malice or contempt yet still to bee acknowledged a great weakenes having always mixt with it some selfloue of our selvs which makes us rather to dissemble a knowne truth then to disgrace our selvs in any sort but leaving this wee come to thosethings which principally are to be marked in this argument of the Apostle which yealds us two things to our consideration the first is that a Christian who is caled out of darknes to the marvelous light of God hath amongst all others this great blessing that his eies are open to know himself which no man can doe till he be effectually called of God and haue receaved the spirit of truth whereby he is made able to discerne all things this knowledge of our selvs was known to bee a great vertue amongst the very heathen and was propounded to be followed as a singular vertue by the philosophers but never any of thēselves could ever attaine to it it being the speciall prerogative of those who are taught by the truth of God revealed in his word to haue this grace to know themselves according to that saying of Iohn wee know that wee are of God this whole world lyeth in wickednesse Iohn 1 Epist 5 19. And therefore is it that the same Apostle sayth concerning the elect that the annointing which they haue receaved of the father dwelleth in them and that they need not that any man teach them but as the same annointing teacheth them of all things and it is true and not lying The 2. thing which hereby wee learne is this That the calling of God to the knowledg of his truth giues to men in the knowledg of themselves the sight and knowledge of all graces that are given them of God according to that saying of the Apostle speaking of the unsearchablenes of the things which God hath prepared for them that loue him but saith he God hath reveyled them unto us by his spirit for wee haue not receaud the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that wee might know the things that are given us of God 1 Corint 2 10 12. Therefore is it that Christ calles his disciples no more servaunts but friends because as he saith the servant knoweth not what his master doth but vnto them he had made known all things which he heard of his father Iohn 15 15. And in another place hee shewes the reason of
this knowledge in his disciples as also why the world is destitute of it speaking concerning the spirit saying whom the world cannot receaue because it sees him not neither knowes him but yee know him because he dwelleth with you and shal bee in you Iohn 14 17. This place being conferd with the former two teacheth us 3 speciall things touching the estate of a true Christian The 1 is that they are not ignorant of the things of God nor of any grace or blessing spirituall given them by God in Christ the 2 is That all this knowledge is taught thē by the spirit of God which is given them remaines within them The 3 that both the gift of this spirit and knowledge by him proceedes from this that God hath not left us in the world nor in the estate of servitude bondage but hath taken us out of the world and by reconcyling us to himself in Christ hath made us his friends as Abrahā was The use of this is to convince the doctrine of the papisticall church of falshood whereby they maintaine that a Christian truely called can haue no certaine knowledge whether he bee in the estate of grace or not for if the Apostle urge the Corinthians by this speciall knowledge of their owne being in the faith and of Christs being in them to bee witnesses of the power of Christ in his ministry toward them it must necessarily follow that both they and all others called as they were must haue vndoubted knowledge of themselves that they are in the faith and Christ in them otherwise Christs argument before alleadged could not bee true when he saith that his disciples did know the spirit of truth because he dwelt with them and should be in thē which argumēt teacheth us thus much that the saints cannot bee ignorant of any gift or grace of God which dwelleth with them and is in them so that wee may Iustly concluded that a Papist houlding the former position for a truth must bee both faythles and gracelesse seing if eyther faith or grace were in them they could not be ignorant of them neither can they haue anie evasion by their old argument of the necessitie of some speciall revelation from God For this which we haue said before compared with the words of Iohn doth fully answer them saying If we receive the witnes of men the witnesse of God is greater For this is the witnes of God which he testifieth of his sonne He that beleeveth in that sone of God hath witnes in himselfe By which words we are plainly taught that faith can never be without the testimonie both of those three which beare record in heaven to wit the Father the Word and the Holy-ghost nor of these three witnesses which beare record in earth viz. The spirit the water and the bloud and therefore that it must follow that everie true beleever hath a most undoubted revelation of his salvation and blessed estate in grace and on the contrarie that whosoever hath not this vndoubted warrant is faithles indeed seeing as saith the Apostle whosoever beleeveth in the sonne of God hath this witnes of the Father of the Word and of the Holy ghost which are in heaven of the spirit and of the water and of the blood which are in earth then which there can be no revelation of greater force to confirm the certaintie of ones salvation For if according to Gods owne law at the mouth of two or three witnesses every matter shal be established how much more must a true beleeving christian know the certaintie of his salvation who hath it witnessed vnto him and that within himself by those sixe witnesses before mentioned of which none can lye and this is so much the clearer by that which Iohn in the same place speaketh ver 13 saying these things haue I written unto you who beleeve in the name of the sonne of God that ye may knowe that ye haue eternall life Whereby he utterly annulleth that blind argument of the Papists seing it enforceth thē eyther to confesse that they know they haue eternal life or then plainely to confesse that they beleeue not in the sonne of God for faith and knowledge of salvation are two unseparable adjuncts and ever such knowledge as is not builded upon a doubtfull opinion or conjecture but which is buylt upon the unfallible testimony of the six witnesses mētioned before Wee conclude therefore this point with the confortable use thereof to all true beleeving Christians viz. that they rejoyce always I say againe with the Apostle that they rejoyce always seeing their salvation is sure and that it s given unto them to knowe that it is sure Thus much for the Apostles argument for remooving of all pretence of ignorance Now followes the 2 point of tryall which is whether Christ bee in them or not but it s propounded in another manner then the first for touching faith he willd them to try if they were in it but this last he propounds as a thing which he would haue them undoubtedly to acknowledge and no marveil for the effects are more easie to be known then their causes now Christ he dwells in our hearts by faith and therefore wee can never have a true evidence that we beleeue untill we find that Christ is assuredly within us for this cause wee said before that this 2 point of tryall was the meane to know the former Moreover the Apo. subjoins this point unto his former argument whereby he remooves all pretence of Ignorāce purposely to teach us both whē and wherein it is that a Christian comes to know himself to bee in the faith and so receaves experiēce of the power of Christ in the ministry of the Gospell to his salvation whereof before wee spake wee will first somewhat consider the order of the Apostles words Wee see that in the first place he puts them to the tryall of their faith as being the evidence of the power of Christ in his ministry toward them to their salvation 2. In this examination he brings them to the acknowledging of themselves as the proper effect of true faith in all true beleevers 3. He brings thē to the acknowledgment of Christs presence in their hearts as the onely true testimony of the first proper matter of the 2. For if any man thinks he beleeves not having Christ within him he is miserably deceaved and if any man think he knowes himself to bee the child of God except he find himself and Christ united by faith pittifully abuseth himself by his owne judgment This order therefore of the Apostles proceeding teacheth us this lesson what way and by what meanes it is that wee come to the knowledge of the mighty power and outstreched arme of God in the ministry of his word to our salvation in the which 3 things are principally to be marked Our faith our selvs and that in our selves which makes us know our selves by faith to bee