those things which thou shalt suffer behold the Devil shal cast some of you into prison that ye may be tryed and yee shall have tribulation ten dayes be thou A crown without cares fears coâ—rivals envy end God turns the crown of thorns into a crown of glory Pericula non respicit Martyr coronas respicit Basil faithful unto the death and I will give thee a crown of life Chap. 3. 5. He that overcommeth the same shall be cloathed in white raiment and I will not blot out his name out of the booke of life but I will confesse his name before my Father and before his Angels To him that overcommeth will I grant to sit with me in my Throne as I also overcome and am set down with my Father in his Throne Thus you see these seven choyce things that accompanies salvation But for your further and fuller edification satisfaction confirmation and consolation it will be very necessary that I shew you 1. What Knowledge that is that accompanies Salvation that borders that touches upon salvation 2. What Faith that is that accompanies salvation 3. What Repentance that is that accompanies salvation 4. What Obedience that is that accompanies salvaâ—ion 5. What Love that is that accompanâ—es salvation 6. What Prayer that is that accompanies salvation 7. What Perseverance that is that accompanies salvation I hope when I have fully opened these precious things to you that you will be able to sit down much satisfied and cheated in a holy confidence and blessed assurance of your everlasting wel-being I shall begin with the first and shew you what that Knowledge is that accompanies salvation that comprehends salvation that touches upon salvation and that I shall open in these following particulars First That Knowledge that accompanies salvation is a working Knowledge Knowledge that swims in the head only and sinks not down into tâ—e heart doth no more good then rain int h mâ—ddle reâ—ion or then the Unâ—corns horn iâ— the Unicorns head an operative Knowledge 2 Cor. 11. 6. God who commanded the light to shine out of darknesse hath shined in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ Divine light reaches the heart as well as the head The beames of Divine light shining in upon the soule thorow the glorious face of Christ are very working they warm the heart they affect the heart they new mould the heart Divine knowledge masters the heart it guides the heart it governs the heart it sustains the heart it relieves the heart Rom. 6. 6. We know that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth 1 John 3 6. Whosoever sinneth viz. Customarily habitually delightfully hath not seen him neither known him we should not serve sin Divine knowledge puts a man upon crucifying of sin it keeps a man from being a servant a slave to sin which no other knowledge can do Under all other knowledge men remain servants to their lusts and are taken prisoners by Satan at his will No knowledge lifts a man up above his lusts but that which accompanies salvation The wisest Philosophers and the greatest As Socrates and others Doctors under all their sublime notions and rare speculations have been kept in bondage by their lusts That knowledge that accompanies salvation is operative knowledge 1 John 2. 3 4. And hereby we do know that we know him if we keep his Commandments He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandments is a lier and the He is a lier in a double respect 1. In that he saith he hath that knowledge which he hath not 2. In that he denies that in his works which he affirms in his words truth is not in him By keeping his Commandments they did know that they did know him that is they were assured that they did know him To know that we know is to be assured that we know So in Jam. 3. 17. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisie Verse 13. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge amongst you Let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom Divine knowledge fills a man full of spiritual activity it will make a man work as if he would be saved by his works and yet it will make a man believe that he is saved onely upon the Ephes 2. 8. account of Free-grace That knowledge that is not operative and working will onely serve to light souls to Hell and to double damn all that Matth. 23. 14. have it Secondly That Knowledge that accompanies Salvation is transforming knowledge it is metamorphosing knowledge it is knowledge that transforms that metamorphosies the soul 2 Cor. 3. 18. But we with open face beholding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the glory of the Lord as in a glass are changed into the same image from glory to glory Divine light beating on the heart warms it and betters it it transforms and changes it it moulds and fashions it into the very likeness of Christ The Naturalists observe That the Pearl by the often beating of the Sun beams upon it becomes radiant so the often beating and shining of the Sun of Righteousness with his divine beams upon the Saints causes them to glister and shine in Holiness Righteousness Heavenly-mindedness Humbleness c. Divine light casts a general beauty and glory upon the soul it transforms a man more and more into the glorious Image of Christ Look as the Childe receiveth from A Father stands obliged not onely in point of honor buâ— also by the Law of nature to receive his childe that bears his image so doth Christ to receive those that by divine light have his image stamped upon them his Parents Member for Member Limb for Limb or as the Paper from the Press receiveth Letter for Letter the Wax from the Seal Print for Print or as the Face in the Glass answers to the face of the man or as Indenture answers to Indenture so the beams of Divine Light and Knowledge shining into the soul stamps the lively Image of Christ upon the soul and makes it put on the Lord Jesus and resemble him to the life Notional knowledge may make a man excellent at praising the glorious and worthy acts and vertues of Christ but that transforming knowledge that accompanies salvation will work a man divinely to imitate the glorious acts and vertues of Christ 1 Pet. 2. 9. But ye are a chosen Generation a royal Priesthood an holy Nation a peculiar People that ye should shew forth the praises of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vertues of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light When God causes his Divine light his marvellous light to shine in upon the soul then a
Christian will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preach forth the vertues of Christ in an imitable practise and till then a man under all other knowledge will remain an incarnate Devil When a beam of Divine Light shined from Heaven upon Paul Ah how did it Acts 9. 3 c. Divine light layes upon a man Felix necessitas a happy necessity of obeying God c. change and metomorphise him how did it alter and transform him it made his rebellious soul obedient Acts 9. 6. Lord what wilt thou have me to do God bids him arise and go into the City and it should be told him what he should do and he obeyes the Heavenly vision Chap. 26. 19. Divine light makes this Lion a Lamb this Persecutor a Preacher this Destroyer of the Saints a Builder up of the Saints this Tormentor a Comforter this Monster an Angel this Notorious Blasphemer a very great admirer of God and the actings of his Free-grace as you may see by comparing the nineth and twenty sixt Chapters of the Acts together So when a spark of this Heavenly fire fell upon the heart of Mary Magdalen Luke 7. O what a change what a turn doth it make in her now she loves much and believes much and repents much and weeps much O what a change did Divine light make in Zacheus and in the Jailor Verily if thy light thy knowledge doth not better thee if it doth not change and transform thee if under all thy light and knowledge thou remainest as vile and base as ever thy light thy knowledge thy notions thy speculations will be like to fire not on the Hearth but in the Room that will burn the House and the Inhabitant too it will be like mettle in a blinde horse that serves for nothing but to break the neck of the rider That knowledge that is not a transforming knowledge will torment a man at last more then all the Devils in Hell it will be a Sword to cut him a Rod to lash him a Serpent to bite him a Scorpion to sting him and a Vulture a Worm eternally gnawing him When Tamberlain was in his wars one having found and digged up a great pot of Gold brought it to him Tamberlain asked whether it had his Fathers stamp upon it but when he saw it had the Roman stamp and not his Fathers he would not own it So God at last will own no knowledge but that which leaves the stamp of Christ the print of Christ the image of Christ upon the heart But that which changes and transforms the soul that makes a man a new man another man then what he was before Divine light shined upon him Thirdly That Knowledge that accompanies salvation is experimental Knowledge it is knowledge that springs from a spiritual sense and taste of holy and heavenly things Cant. 1. 2. Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth for thy loves is better then wine The Spouse had experienced the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By loves his plural loves she means all the fruits of his love viz. Righteousness Holiness Joy Peace Assurance c. sweetness of Christs loves his loves sayes she is better then wine Though wine is an excellent creature a useful creature a comfortable and delightful creature a reviving and restorative creature and this draws out her heart and makes her insatiable in longing and very earnest in courting not a kiss but kisses not a little but much of Christ Her knowledge being experimental she is impatient and restless till she was drawn into the nearest and highest communion and fellowship with Christ So in Verse 13. A bundle of myrrhe is my wel-beloved Psal 45. 8. Prov. 7. 17. So Plin. l. 12. c. 15 16 c. unto me he shall lie all night betwixt my brests Myrrhe is marvellous sweet and savory so is my wel-beloved unto me sayes the Spouse I have found Jesus Christ to be marvellous sweet and savory to my soul Myrrhe is bitter Every good man hath in him two men Rom 7. 15 ult Gal. 5. 17. to the taste though it be sweet to the smâ—ll so is my wel-beloved unto me sayes the Spouse I have found him to be bitter and bloody to the old man to the ignoble and worser part of man And I have found him to be sweet and lovely to the New Man to the Regenerate Man to the noble part of man I have found him to be a bitter and a bloody enemy to my sins and at the same time to be a sweet and precious friend unto my soul Myrrhe is of a preserving nature it is hot and dry in the second degree as the Naturalists observe so is my wel-beloved unto me sayes the Spouse O I have found the Lord Jesus Austin thanks God that his heart and the temptation did not meet together preserving my soul from closing with such and such temptations and from falling under the power of such and such corruptions and from fainting under such and such afflictions c. Considerable to the same purpose is that of Phil. 1. 9. And this I pray that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgeme 〈…〉 The Greek word that is here rendr 〈…〉 â—udgement 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sense The soul hath her senses as well as the body and they must be exercised Heb 5. 14. properly signifies sense not a corporal but a spiritual sense and taste an inward experimental knowledge of holy and heavenly things The Apostle well knew that all notional and speculative knowledge would leave men on this side Heaven and therefore he earnestly prayes that their knowledge might be experimental that being the knowledge that accompanies What is the Schollers knowledge of the strength riches glories and sweetnesses of far Countries obrained by Maps and Books to their knowledge that daily see and enjoy those things salvation that will give a man at last a possession of salvation Verily that knowledge that is onely notional speculative and general that is gathered out of books discourses and other outward advantages is such a knowledge that will make men sit down on this side salvation as it did Judas Demas the Scribes and Pharisees c. Christ will at last shut the doore of hope of help of consolation and salvation upon all those that know much of him notionally but nothing feelingly as you may see in his shutting the door of happinesse against the foolish Virgins Matth. 25. and against Surgunt in docti rapiuâ—t coelum Nos cum doctrinis detrudimur in Geheunam Aus those forward Professors Preachers and workers of Miracles Mat. 7. who had much speculative knowledge but no experimental knowledge who had much outward general knowledge of Christ but no spiritual inward acquaintance with Christ A man that hath that experimental knowledge that accompanies salvation will from his experience tell you That sin is the Rom. 7. greatest evill in the world
and out of every priviledge that he may give out the more sweetness to others Lâ—â—mod 〈◊〉 aâ—â—â—ed we therefore learn that we may touch is a Proverb among the Rabbins And I do therefore lay in and lay up saith the Socrates c. Heathen that I may draw forth a gain and lay out for the good of many This Heathen will rise in judgement against those that monopolize knowledge to themselves that imprison their light within their own brests least others should out-shine and darken them Synesius speaks of some who having Some such there be in these dayes a treasure of rare-abilities in themselves would as soon part with their hearts as with their conceptions Verily such men are far off from that knowledge that accompanies salvation 2 Cor. 6. 10. Gal 4. 19. for that knowledge will make a man willing to spend and be spent for the edification consolation and salvation of others Prov. 10. 21. The lips of the righteous feed many A third thing that attends and accompanies that knowledge that accompanies salvation is holy zeal courage Prov. 28. 1. and resolution for God Divine knowledge makes a man as bold as a Lyon Dan. 11. 32. And such as do wickedly against the Covenant shall be corrupt by flatteries but the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits So Prov. 24. 5. A wise man is strong yea and a man of knowledge increaseth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strength or he strengthneth might in strength 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is in the Hebrew Divine light makes a man full of mettle for God it makes the soul divinely fearless and divinely careless Josh 24. 15. Chuse you whom you will serve I and my houshold will serve the Lord. Come what will on it we will never change our Master nor quit his service Those The heavenly light and knowledge that the Prophets and Apostles had made them very zealous and couragious for their God in the face of all difficulties and deaths as might be shewn in very many Scriptures beams of light that shined in upon Chrysostome did so heat and warm his heart that he stoutly tells Eudoxia the Empress that for her covetousness she would be called a second Jezabel whereupon she sent him a threatning Message To which he returned this Answer go tell her Nil nisi peccatum timeo I fear nothing but sin A Prophetical man in the Ecclesiastical History went to the Pillars a little before an Earthquake and bad them stand fast for they should shortly be shaken Ah Christians there is an Earthquake a coming and therefore as you would stand fast as you would not have any Earthquakes to make your hearts quake get this zeal and courage that attends Divine knowledge and then you shall in the midst of all Earthquakes Psal 125. 1 2. be as Mount Zion that cannot be removed They that write the story of the Travels of the Apostles report That Simon Zelotes Preached here in England Ah England England Epiphanius saith that Eliah sucked fire our of his Mothers Brests there are very few such Eliahs in these days if ever thou needest some Zelotes it is now O how secure how dull how drowsie how sleepy in the midst of dangers art thou For this and other of thy abominations I desire my soul may weep in secret The fourth and last thing that attends Knowledge and Faith are Twins they live and lodge and act together they are two lovers that may be distinguished one from another but they cannot be separated one from another or accompanies that knowledge that accompanies salvation is Faith and confidence in God Psal 9. 10. They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seek thee 2 Tim. 1. 12. For the which cause I also suffer these things nevertheless I am not ashamed for I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day I shall not inlarge upon this Branch because I shall speak at large concerning Faith in the next particular And thus I have shewed you from the Scriptures what that Knowledge is that accompanies Salvation Now the second thing I am to shew you is What that Faith is that accompanies Salvation I have formerly shewed you that Faith doth accompany salvation but now I shall shew you what Faith that is that doth accompany Salvation and that I shall do by Divine assistance thus First That Faith that accompanies Fides est interdum id quod credimus interdum id quo credimus Aug. Salvation that comprehends Salvation that will possess a man of Salvation is know first by the objects about which it is exercised and secondly by the properties of it First By the objects about which it is exercised Now the objects of Faith are these First The person of Christ is the Christ as Redeemer is the mediate object of Faith and God is the ultimate for we believe in God through Christ Rom 6. 11. 1 Pet. 1. 21. 2 Cor. 3. 4. object of Faith it is Christ in the Promises that Faith deals with The Promise is but the Shell Christ is the Kernel the Promise is but the Casket Christ is the Jewel in it the Promise is but the field Christ is the Treasure that is hid in that field the promise is a Ring of Gold and Christ is the Pearl in that Ring and upon this sparkling shining Pearl Faith delights Faiths Mâ—rto is Nolo benedictionem tuam sed te most to look Cant. 3. 4. It was but a little that I passed from them but I found him whom my soul loveth I held him and I would not let him go until I had brought him into my Mothers house and into the chamber of her that conceived me So in Cant. 7. 5. The King is held Not but that the Father is also the object of Believers faith Iohn 14. 1. Isa 63. 15 16. with many other Scriptures but Christ is the object held forth by the Father for our faith to close with in respect of our justification and salvation God is objectum ultimum fidei the ultimate or highest object of Faith and Christ objectum mediaeum the mediate object thereof in the Galleries Faith hath two hands and with both she layes earnest and fast hold on King Jesus Christs beauty and glory is very taking and drawing Faith cannot see it but it will lay hold on it Christ is the principal object about which Faith is exercised for the obtaining of Righteousness and Everlasting Happiness Acts 16. 30 31. And the Jailor said Sirs what must I do to be saved And they said believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Christ is in a world of Scriptures held forth to be the object about which Faith is most conversant and the more Faith is exercised upon the
heap never so much fuel upon a fire it would not quench it but kindle it the more so nothing can satisfie the desires of a Saint but a full celestial enjoyment of God brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for God even for the living God When shall I come and appear before the presence of God So in that Psal 63. 1 2. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty Land where no water is To see thy power and thy glory so as I have seen thee in the Sanctuary In these words you have Davids strong earnest and vehement desires here you have desire upon desire here you have the very flower and vigor of his spirit the strength and sinews of his soul the prime and top of his enflamed affections all strongly working after a fuller enjoyment of God Look as the espoused Maid longs for the marriage day the Apprentice for his freedom the Captive for his ransom the condemned man for his pardon the Traveller for his Inn and the Mariner for his Haven so doth a soul that hath met with God in his Ordinances long to meet with God in Heaven It is It is not drops but swimming in the Ocean that will satisfie a soul that hath looked into paradise not a drop it is not a lap and away a sip and away that will suffice such a soul No. This soul will never be quiet till it sees God face to face till it be quiet in the bosom of God The more a Saint tastes of God in an Ordinance the more are his desires raised and whetted and the more are his teeth set on edge for more and more of God Plutarch faith That Plutarch in vita Camilli when once the Gauls had tasted of the sweet Wine that was made of the Grapes of Italy nothing would satisfie them but Italy Italy So a soul A full enjoyment of God is the most sparkling Diamond in the Ring of Glory that hath tasted of the sweetness and goodness of God in Ordinances nothing will satisfie it but more of that goodness and sweetness a little mercy may save the soul but it must be a great deal of mercy that must satisfie the soul The least glimps of Gods countenance may be a staff to support the soul and a cordial to cherish and comfort the soul and an ark to secure the soul and a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night to guide the soul but it must be much very much of God that must be enough to satisfie the soul The fifth and last Reason Why the Reas 5 Lord is graciously pleased to give his people some sense of his love and some assurance of his favor in Ordinances is That they may have wherewithal to silence and stop the mouths of wicked and ungodly men whose words are Mal. 3. 13 14. stout against the Lord who say it is in vain to serve God and what profit is there in keeping his Statutes and Ordinances and in walking mournfully before the Lord of Hosts Now the The Saints by the gracious Experiences that they have of the sweet breathings of God upon them in Ordinances are able to confute muzzle halter or button up the mouths of vain and wicked men who say unto the Lord Depart from us for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways Lord causes his face to shine upon his people in Ordinances that they may stand up and bear him witness before the wicked world that he is no hard Master that he reaps not where he sows not In Ordinances he kisses them and there he gives them his love and makes known his goodness and glory that his Children may from their own experiences be able to confute all the lies and clamors of wicked men against God and his ways And blessed be God that hath not left himself without witness but hath many thousands that can stand up before all the What is the Almighty that we shouâ—d serve him and what profit should we have if we pray unto him Job 21. 14 15. world and declare That they have seen the beauty and glory of God in his Sanctuary that they have met with those joys and comforts in the ways of God that do as far surpass all other joys and comforts as light does darkness as Heaven does Hell That they have met with such heart meltings such heart humblings such heart revivings such heart cheerings as they never met with before in all their days Ah say these Souls One day in his Courts is better then a thousand years elswhere O! we had rather with Moses loose all and be whipped and stripped of all then lose the sweet enjoyments of God in Ordinances O! in them God hath been Light and Life a Joy and a Crown to our Souls God is tender of his own glory and of his Childrens comfort and therefore he gives them such choice aspects and such sweet visits in Ordinances that they may have Arguments at hand to stop the mouths of sinners and to declare from their own experience that all the ways of God are ways of pleasantness Prov 3. 17. Psal 65. 11. and that all his paths drops fatness And thus much for the Reasons Why God lifts up the light of his countenance upon his people in Ordinances before I pass to the next particular it will be necessary that I lay down these Cautions to prevent weak Saints from stumbling and doubting who have not yet found the Lord giving out his favors and making known his Grace and Love in such a sensible way to their souls in breaking the Bread of Life as others have found Now the first Caution I shall lay Caut. 1. down is this That even Believers may sometimes come and go from this Ordinance without that comfort that assurance that joy that refreshment that others have and may meet with And this may arise partly from their 2 Chro. 30. 19 20. 1 Cor. 11. 20. to ult unpreparedness and unfitness to meet with God in the Ordinance and partly from their playing and dallying with some bosom sin or else it may arise from their not stirring up themselves to lay hold on God as the Prophet Isaiah complains There is none Isa 64. 7. that calleth upon thy name that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee or else it may arise from the Spirits standing at Sam. 1. 16. a distance from the Soul it may be O soul that thou hast set the Comforter the Spirit a mourning and therefore it is that he refuses to comfort thee and to be a sealing and witnessing spirit unto thee Thou hast grieved him with thy sins and he will now vex thee by his silence thou hast thrown his Cordials against the Psal 77. 2. wall thou hast trampled his Manna under thy feet and therefore it is that he
it doth not make all the things of Christ to be very precious in thy eyes it will at last make thee the more vile in Christs eyes A little knowledge that divinely affects the heart is infinitely better then a world of that swimming knowledge that swims in the head but never sinks down into the heart to the bettering to the warming and to the affecting of it Therefore strive not so much to know as to have thy heart affected with what thou knowest For heart-affecting knowledge is the onely knowledge that accompanies salvation that will possess thee of salvation Fifthly That Knowledge that accompanies 2 Cor. 5. 16. Divine knowledge made the Apostle easily overlook all the world as a man doth easily over-look other things that looks to finde a Jewel a Peal of price c. Salvation is a world delpising a world crucifying and a world contemning knowledge it makes a man have low poor mean thoughts of the world it makes a man slight it and trample upon it as a thing of no value That Divine light that accompanies salvation makes a man to look upon the world as mixt as mutable as momentary it makes a man look upon the world as a lier as a deceiver as a flatâ—erer as a murderer and as a witch that hath bewitched the souls of thousands to their eternal overthrow by her golden offers and proffers Divine knowledge put Paul upon trampling upon all the bravery and glory of the world Phil. 3. 4 to 9. I shall onely transcribe the seventh and eighth verses and leave you to turn to the rest But what things were gain to me those I counted loss for Christ Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord For whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dicuntur quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 micae quae canibus projiciuntur dogs dung or dogs meat course and contemptible that I may win Christ Divine knowledge raises his heart so high above the World that he looks upon it with an eye of scorn and disdain and makes him count it as an excrement yea as the very worst of excrements as dogs dung as dogs meat Of the like import is that of Heb. 10. 34. For ye had compassion of me in my bonds and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that ye have in Heaven a better and an enduring substance Divine knowledge will make a man rejoyce when his enemies makes a bonfire of his goods This man hath bills of exchange under Gods own hand to receive a pound for every penny a million for every mite that he looses for him And Matth. 19 27 to ult this makes him to rejoyce and to trample upon all the glory of this world as one did upon the Philosophers Crown It was heavenly knowledge that made Moses to disdain and Heb. 11. 24 25 26. Greek Grown a great one scorn the pomp and pleasures the bravery and glory the riches and advantages of Egypt and Ethiopia too as some Writers observe So when a beam of divine light had shined upon Zacheus O how doth it work him to Luke 19. 2 to 10. part with the world to cast off the world to slight it and trample upon it as a thing of naught And Zacheus Many Turks and Heathens will rise in judgement against those Professors that act not as Zacheus did stood and said unto the Lord Behold Lord the half of my goods I give to the poor and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation I restore him fourfold And Jesus said unto him This day is Salvation come to this house for so much as he also is the son of Abraham Before the Candle of the Lord was set up in Zacheus soul he dearly loved the world he highly prized the world he eagerly pursued after the world he would have it right or wrong his heart was set upon it he was resolved to gather riches though it was out of others ruines I but when once he was divinely enlightned he throws off the world he easily parts with it he sets very light by it he looks with an eye of disdain upon it His knowledge lifts him up above the smiles of the world and above the frowns of the world the world is no longer a snare a bait a temptation to him he knows that it is more to be a son of Abraham that is to be taken into covenant with Abraham to Rom 4. 12 16. 9 1. tread in the steps of Abrahams faith as children tread in the steps of their fathers and to lie and rest in the bosom of Abraham as sons do in their fathers bosoms then to be rich great and honorable in the world And this made him shake hands with the world Isa 30. 22. Hos 14. 8. and say to it as he to his Idols Get you hence for what have I more to do with you Verily that light that knowledge will never lead thee to Heaven it will never possess thee of salvation that 1 John 2. 15. Jam. 4. 4. leaves thee under the power of the world that leaves thee in league and friendship with the world If thy knowledge doth not put the world under thy feet it will never put a crown of glory upon thy head The Church hath the Moon under her feet Revel 12. 1. that is cloathed with the Sun and that hath a Crown upon her Head Ah knowing Souls knowing Souls do not deceive your selves verily if you are cloathed with the comeliness and righteousness of the Sun which is Jesus Christ and have a crown of victory and glory upon your heads You will have the Moon under your feet you will tread and trample upon the trash of this world all the riches glories and braveries of this world will be under your feet in respect of your non-subjection to it and your holy contempt of it If thy knowledge doth not inable thee to set thy feet upon those things that most set their hearts thou art undone for ever thy knowledge will be so far from lifting thee up to Heaven that it will cast thee the lower into Hell Therefore let no knowledge satisfie thee but that which lifts thee above the world but that which weans thee from the world but that which makes the world a foot-stool This knowledge this light will at last lead thee into Everlasting Light Sixthly That Knowledge that accompanies salvation is Soul-abasing soul-humbling knowledge it makes a man very very little and low in his own eyes as you may see in the most knowing Apostle Ephes 3. 8. Unto me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Comparative made of a Superlative who am less then the least of all Saints is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of
Christ Pauls great light makes him very little though he was the greatest Apostle yet he looks upon himself a◠less then the least of all Saints Of all the Evangelists John was most sharp-sighted John in the Hebrew signifies The grace of God This Barbarian said the Philosopher hath comprised more in three lines then we have done in all our volumnious discourses Matth. 11. 9 10 11. Christ wonderfully extols John Sayes Christ he is a Prophet yea and more then a Prophet yea a greater is not born of women But the greatest wonder of all is that John is so low in his own eyes most Eagle-eyed he had the clearest sight of Christ he lay most in the bosom of Christ he knew most of the minde of Christ he had the fullest manifestations and revelations of Christ and yet O how little how low is John in his own eyes John 1. 26 27. John answered them saying I baptize with water but there standeth one among you whom ye know not He it is who coming after me is preferred before me whose shooes latchet I am not worthy to unloose In this phrase John alludes to the custom of the Hebrews those among them which were more noble then others had Boyes who carried their shooes and untied them when they laid them by O sayes John I am a poor weak worthless Creature I am not worthy to be admitted to the meanest to the lowest service under Christ I am not worthy to carry his shooes to unloose his shooes After Peter had been in the Mount and instructed and enlightned by Christ he cryes out Depart from me O Lord for I am a sinful man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A man a sinner a very mixture and compound of dirt and sin of vileness and baseness as you may see in comparing Matth. 17. 1 2 3 4. with Luke 5. 8. Abraham under Gen. 18. 27. all his light and knowledge acknowledges himself to be but dust and ashes Jacob under all his knowledge Gen. 32. 10. acknowledges himself to be less then the least of all mercies David under Psal 22. 2. 73 22. all his knowledge acknowledges him self to be a worm and no man he acknowledges himself to be foolish and ignorant and as a beast before the Lord. Job under all his knowledge Job 42 1 2 3 4 5. acknowledges that he hath much reason to abhor himself in dust and ashes Agur was very good and his knowledge very great and yet under all his knowledge O how doth he villifie yea nullifie himself Surely saith he I am more bruitish then any man and Prov. 30. 1 2 3 4. have not the understanding of a man I neither learned wisdom nor have the knowledge of the holy The Evangelical Prophet Isaiah under all his knowledge Isa 6. 1. to 8 c. and visions which were very great and glorious acknowledges himself to be a man of unclean lips and to dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips Divine and heavenly knowledge brings a man The light that the Moon borrows from the Sun discovers her own spots and makes them the more conspicuous Isa 6. near to God it gives a man the clearest and the fullest fight of God and the nearer any man comes to God and the clearer visions he hath of God the more low and humble will that man lie before God None so humble as they that have nearest communion with God The Angels that are near unto him cover their faces with their wings in token of humility Divine knowledge makes a man look inwards it anatomizes a man to himself it is a glass that shews a man the spots of his own soul and this makes him little and low in his own eies In the beams of this heavenly When a beam of Divine light had shined upon Augustine he cryed out Teneo in memoria scribo in charta sed non habeo i◠vita Gal. 6 3. Many in these days are like the Chineses who use to say That they onely did see with two eyes all others but with one light a Christian comes to see his own pride ignorance impatience unworthiness conceitedness worthlesness frowardness and nothingness That knowledge that swells thee will undo thee that knowledge that puffs thee will sink thee that knowledge that makes thee delightful in thy own eyes will make thee despicable in God and good mens eyes 1 Cor. 8. 1 2. Knowledge puffeth up that is Notional knowledge Speculative knowledge Knowledge that ripens a man for destruction that will leave him short of salvation this knowledge puffs and swells a man and makes him think himself something when he is nothing And if any man thinketh that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know saith the Apostle Will not that Philosopher rise in judgement against many of our high-flown Professors who swell who look big and talk big under their notional knowledge who said under all his knowledge which was very great Hoc tantum scio quod nihil scio This onely do I know that I know nothing Well if that knowledge thou hast be that knowledge that accompanies salvation it is a soul humbling and a soule abasing knowledge if it bee otherwise then will thy knowledge make thee both a Prisoner and a Slave to the Devill at once Seventhly That Knowledge that accompanies salvation is an appropriating knowledge a knowledge that appropriates and applies spiritual and heavenly benefits to a mans own particular soul As you may see in Job my Job 19 25. and 16. 19. Redeemer lives and my witnesse is in Heaven and my record is on high So David the Lord is my portion in Psal Psal 16. 5. 18. 2. he useth this word of propriety eight times together The Lord is my rock and my fortresse and my deliverer my God my strength in whom I will trust my buckler and the horn of my salvation and my high Tower So the Spouse my Beloved is mine and I am Cant. 2. 16. John 20. 28. his So Thomas My Lord and my God So Paul I am crucified with Christ neverthelesse This is the pith and power of heavenly knowledge to appropriate Christ to a mans selfe I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who hath loved me and gave himself for me Applicatory knowledge is the sweetest knowledge it revives the heart it chears the spirits it rejoyces the soul it makes a man go singing to duties and go singing to his grave and singing to Heaven Whereas others Those that have a blemish in their eie think the Skie to be ever cloudy and nothing is more common to weak spirits then to be criticizing and contending c. though gracious that want this applicatory knowledge have their hearts full of fears and their lives full of sorrows and so go sighing and mourning
to Heaven But lest any precious soule should turn this Truth into a sword to cut and wound himselfe let me desire him to remember that every Beleever that hath such knowledge that accompanies salvation hath not It is commonly said of knowledge non habet inimicum praeter ignorantem that it hath not a greater enemy then ignorance c. this applicatory knowledge that makes so much for the souls consolation and that doth accompany some mens salvation I say not all mens salvation if thou findest thy knowledge to be such a knowledge as is before described in the six former particulars though thou hast not attained to this applicatory knowledge yet hast thou attained to that knowledge that accompanies salvation and that will my soule for thine give thee a possession of salvation This applicatory knowledge that accompanies salvation is onely to bee found in such eminent Saints that are high in their communion with God and that have attained some considerable assurance of their interest in God Many mens salvation is accompanied with an applicatory knowledge but all mens salvation is not accompanied with an applicatory knowledge of a mans particular interest in Christ and those blessed favors and benefits that comes by him thy Soule may bee safe and thy salvation may bee sure though thou hast not attained unto this appropriating knowledge but thy life cannot A man doth not attain to health by reading Galen or Hippocrates his Aphorisms but by the practical application of them 〈◊〉 move his diseases You know how to apply it be comfortable without this appropriating knowledge Therefore if thou hast it not labor for it as for life it is a pearle of price and if thou findest it it will make thy soul amends for all thy digging seeking working sweating weeping c. Eightly and lastly that Knowledge that accompanies salvation is accompanied and attended with these things First that Knowledge that accompanies salvation is attended with holy indeavors and with heavenly desires thirstings and pantings after a further knowledge of God after clearer visions of God Prov. 15. 14. The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knowledge but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishnesse The Hebrew word that is here rendred seeketh â—ebakkesh is in pihil and signifâ—es an earnest and diligent seeking to seek as an hungry man seeks for meat or as a covetous man for gold the more he hath the more he desires or as a condemned man seeks for his pardon or as the diseased man seeks for his cure The word in the Text is from a root 〈…〉 ash that signifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to seek studiously laboriously industriously to seek by sâ—ing praying enquiring and walking up and downe that we may find what we seek So in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Prov. 18. 15. The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge and the eare of Seeketh as men do for hid treasure c. the wise seeketh knowledge A man that divinely knows will set his heart and his ear his inward and outward man to know more and more Divine knowledge is marvellous sweet pleasing comforting satisfying refreshing strengthening and supporting and soules that have found the sweetnesse and usefulness of it cannot but look and long breath and pant after more and more of it The new-born 1 Pet. 2. 2 3. Babe doth not more naturally and more earnestly long for the brests then a soul that hath tasted that the Lord is gracious doth long for further and further tastes of God David under all Psal 119. 18 19. his knowledge cryes out I am a stranger in the Land hide not thy Commandments from me Open mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of thy Law Job under all his knowledge Job 34. 32. which was very great cryes out That which I see not teach thou me if I have done iniquity I will do no more A second thing that attends and accompanies that knowledge that accompanies salvation is holy endeavors The way to get more knowledge is to communicate that we have according to that Habenti dabitur to edifie others to instruct others to enlighten and inform others in the knowledge of spiritual and heavenly things Heavenly light cannot be hid under a bushel you may as easily hinder the Sun from shining as you may hinder a gracious soul from diffusing and spreading abroad that knowledge and light that God hath given him Divine light in the soul is like a light in a bright Lanthorn that shines forth every way or like a light in a room or on a Beacon that gives light to others A Christian that divinely knows is like the Lamp in the story that was always burning and shining and never went out So in Gen. 18. 17 Thus did Philip of Bethsaida John 1. 45. Thus did the woman of Samaria John 4. 28 29. Thus did the Spouse Cant. 5. 10. to ult Thus did that Scraphical Preacher St. Paul Acts 26. 29. 19. And the Lord said shall I hide from Abraham that which I do for I know him that he will command his children and his houshould after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to do justice and judgement that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him He that communicates his knowledge to others shall be both of Gods court and council he shall lye in the bosome of God he shall know the secrets of God Prov. 15. 7. The lips of the wise disperse knowledge but the heart of the foolish doth not so The Hebrew word that is here rendred disperse is a metaphor taken from Seedsmens scattering abroad of their seed in the furrows of the field Heavenly Augustine accounted nothing his own that he did not communicate to others knowledge is very spreading and diffusive it is like the Sun the Sun casteth his beams upward and downward upon good and upon bad so divine light in a gracious soul will break forth for the advantage and profit of friends and enemies of those that be in a state of nature and of those that be in a state of grace Acts 4. 18 19 20. And they called them and Opposition is the black angel that dogs the Gospel at the heels Divine knowledge is like new wine it must have vent it is heavenly fire that will break forth Jer. 5. 14. 20. 9. commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the Name in Jesus But Peter and John answered and said unto them Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more then unto God judge ye For we cannot but speak the things that we have seen and heard The Bee doth store her Hive out of all sorts of flowers for the common benefit so a heavenly Christian sucks sweetness out of every mercy and every duty out of every providence and out of every ordinance out of every promise