knowledge of the creatures by naturall instinct yea and of God too but had not the least scintillas of the knowledge of Christ Plato by light of nature wrote of God the Creator but could not write a word of Christ the Redeemer and the reason is because wee may see something of God a Creator in the Creature but all the frame of heaven and earth could not bring the least knowledge of Christ a Redeemer But this knowledge came by speciall revelation immediately from God e 1 Col. 1. 26. and therefore is especially to be inquired after 1 Cor. 2. 7. We speake the mystery of God even the hidden wisdome which God ordained before the world to our glory Secondly Reas 2 the knowledge of Christ is the most excellent knowledge because the excellency of all other knowledge is included super-eminently in the knowledge of Christ as the brightnesse and beauty of all the Starres appeare in the Sunne And this appeares in these five respects 1. The excellency of the knowledge of God appeares in the knowledge of Christ 2. The sweetnesse of the word consists in the revelation of Christ 3. The knowledge of all the workes of God are not so excellent as the knowledge of Christ 4. The excellency of man is that he knoweth Christ 5. The excellency of the workes of man are that they proceed from man indued with the knowledge of Christ First I say the sweetnesse and excellency of the knowledge of God himselfe appeares in the knowledge of Christ The light of the knowledge of the glory of God shines in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. And this appeares in three particulars 1. In regard of his person for he is the image of the invisible God the print of 1 Col. 1 15 the face of God is seen in him even the wisdome holinesse goodnesse mercy c. and all the attributes of God did shine in his sonne in a super-eminent manner and that in carne visibili in visible flesh even as the Moone resembles the Sun or as some times the child is the very picture of the Father So that Christ might truly say he that hath seen the sonne hath seen the father because he hath seen the attributes of the father shining in the sonne And hence he is stiled the brightnesse or luster Heb. 1. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his fathers glory and the Character or expresse image of his person g Secondly in regard of the worke of Redempt ion wh in all the attributes of God shine forth more gloriously then ever they would have done if Christ had not redeemed us As the glory of his wisdom to find out such a way to save man by uniting God and man together Rom. 11. 33 which the wit of men and Angels Psa 85. 10. could never have found out The glory of his holinesse and justice against sin that rather then sin shall not go unpunished his owne sonne shall be punished The glory of his mercy goodnesse and Ioh. 3. 16 love that rather then man shall dye his own sonne shall suffer for us he shall dye that we may live he shall be crucified that we may be glorified The glory of his power that he is able to bring life out of death to fetch hony out of the Lions Carkasse and to support mans nature to beare such infinite wrath And hence it is when Christ was borne that the Angels came out of heaven singing and rejoycing saying Now Glory to God on Luke 2. 14 high As if God had never the like glory revealed before no not in the work of the whole CreatioÌ„ certainly if we had stood in innocency we could never have conceived God so just and severe against sin so merciful and loving to let his own son suffer to shew mercy to us c. as now we see he is in our redemption by Iesus Christ 3. But thirdly and especially the sweetnesse of the knowledge of God appeares in the knowledge of Christ in relation to us Because to know God without Christ is to know him our enemy a revenging God a consuming fire which makes us feare and tremble to thinke of God As it is with the Divels and was with Adam after his fall he ran from God as his greatest enemy But to know God in the face of Jesus Christ is sweet and comfortable This is life eternall to know thee the onely true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent And the reason is because now we know God to be our God our mercifull loving gracious and reconciled father which is in heaven that now we can with open face and not like Trayrors with our faces covered behold the glory of the Lord 2 Cor. 3. 18. As Moses could with delight see God passe by in all his Royalty and glory when he was hid in the Rock so Gods attributes shining out of the Rock Christ Jesus are sweet and lovely to us that Rock was Christ For now if I know God to be a wise God that knowes all things that are done on earth the greater is my comfort for then he is the more able to know what I want and to take care of me Is he a holy God The better for me because then he is the more able to sanctify me a Ioh. 1. 16. Is he a just God The better for me for then he must needs pardon me seeing Christ his own sonne hath dyed for me Rom. 8. 33. Is he very mercifull Then he will spare me and take pity upon me b Mal. 3. 17. Psa 130. 34. Psal 103. Is he loving and amiable in his disposition Then he will take pleasure and delight in me Is he strong mighty and powerfull then he is the more able to defend me from my greatest and strongest enemies Rom. 8. 31. Is he a rich God that hath all things in heaven and earth the better for me for then he is the more able to provide for me what ever I stand in need of because God is my God reconciled to me and all that is in God is for me But on the contrary out of Christ the thoughts of God are terrible to us we look upon him as our greatest enemy As the Devils that look upon God out of Christ they beleeve tremble Or as a slâ—ve that looks upon his cruell master or as a foule felon upon a severe Iudge I knew said the evill servant thou wast an hard man And the reason is because all the attributes of God are now against him All this is against me saith Iacob c Gen. 42. 36. Is he a wise God the worse for me for then he is more able to find out my sins and knowes all the wickednesse my heart is privy to d Jer. 17. 9 Is he holy then he must needs hate me that am so filthy e Hab. 1. 13 Is he just the worse for me for then he must needs punish me and
Saviour Psal 81. 11. Israel would none of me 2. Secondly It reproves those that know Christ by speculation but not with affection they know him but they do not love him he dwelleth in their heads but Eph. 3. 17. not in their hearts rooted and grounded in love Now such as love not Christ know not Christ in Gods account 1 John 4. 8. But you will say what not love Iesus Christ my sweet Saviour then it were pity I should live I were worse then a beast as Hazael said what am I a dog Yet certainly there are many that professe they love Christ that do not love Ioh. 5. 42. Col. 1 21. Ioh. 15. 18. him I know you saith our Saviour that you have not the love of God in you Perhaps thou bearest a mercenary love to Christ to love him for his benefits as a wife may love her husband for his riches and not his person or as the fly loves the Apothecaries boxes for sweet ointments or as a Patient his Physician non propter se sed propter sanitatem not for his own sake but for health sake and yet thou mayest bear him no reall or spirituall love How can we say we love Christ whiles our hearts go not with him whiles our thoughts and affections are estranged from him and set more upon the world Anima est ubi amaâ— non ubi animat and other objects For where â—ur treasure is there our heart is also Matth. 6. How can we say we love Christ when we will part with nothing for him suffer nothing for him love is bountifull solus amor nescit difficultates love knowes no difficulties Cant. 8. 6 7. as appears in Jacob and the martyrs what is the reason many poor women and ignorant in comparison died for Christ when great learned men turned against him but this because they had indeed more learning but these had more love as Alice Driver said I drove my fathers plough often yet I can die for Christ as soon as any of you all How can we say we love Christ when we love not his members his children his picture and image whereas we know David loved Mephibosheth for Jonathans sake when we take not part with him but against him when we love his enemies and hate his friends Is this thy kindnesse to thy friend said Absalom to Cuship why wentesâ— thou not with thy friend how can we say we love Christ when we delight not in communion with him have no entercourse of love letters to him and love not his appearing but rather like the harlot wish hee would deferre his comming And lastly to name no more How can we say we love Christ when we do nothing but wilfully and wittingly wrong him and provoke him to anger by our evill works Deut. 31. 29. If you love me keep my Commandements saith our Saviour John 14. 15. Would we say that man loveth us that delights to vex and grieve us that cares not how he wrongs us in our goods and name c. Doth that woman love her husband that doth willingly prostitute her selfe to an adulterer or doth that child love his father that would shoot an arrow at his heart Or would we say that man loveth us that carelesly or wilfully omitteth any thing he knowes we take pleasure and good liking in In a word he that loveth his sins loveth not Christ and he that loveth him not hath no part in him nor doth he know Iesus Christ and him crucified but only by speculation for to them that beleeve he is precious 1 Pet. 2. 7. And against such as love him not the Lord had pronounced Anathema Maran atha let him be acursed till the Lord come to judgement 3. Thirdly and Lastly it reproves those The Sun gives heat as well as light that content themselves with knowledge of speculation without an operative virtuall and practicall knowledge to live according to their knowledge and profession of Christ that their light may shine that men may see it and glorifie God for it Matth. 5. 16. But they desire only to know that they may be known even for Cupiunt cognosceâ—e ut noscantur discourse and vain glory who make no practicall use of their knowledge but live in sins against their knowledg Rom. 1. ult Jude 14. These are like starre-gazers that look upon the starres to gaze only but the Maâ—iner looks upon them to stear his ship and be guided by them to the haven These imprison the truth in unrighteousnesse Rom. 1. 18. Consider two things First What good doth a light under a bushel or a Non eloquia Dei sâ—ire sed secundum haec viverâ— est vera sapientia Chrysost Candle in a dark Lanthorn or gold whiles it remains in the earth never digged out or fire in a flint if it be never struck out Yea who would regard the Sun it selfe any more then a dark cloud if she had great light and yet gave no light if she did never shine to us wherefore are talents given us but to occupy with them Such knowledge is but umbra scientiae a shadow of knowledge like corn on the house top that neither fils the empty belly nor the Mowers sith it makes them neither more holy nor more happy If you know these things blessed are you if you do them saith Christ Joh. 13. 17. A good understanding have all they that do his commandments saith David Psal 111. 10. One apple of the tree of life is better Wardâ— happinesse of Pract. then all the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evill for one day we shall not be judged according to the light we had but the light we gave as those in Matth. 25. were judged not by the talents they received but how they had occupied and wrought with them 2. Secondly Nay the truth is men do a great deale of hurt with speculative knowledge only in two respects 1. They hurt themselves for it makes them sin with a candle in their hands as if a man should have a torch in his hand and yet would walke in the gutters it makes them sin like the divel against knowledge and makes their sins inexcusable Rom. 1. 18. it were better for them never to have known the way of righteousnesse then after they have known it to turn from the holy commandement delivered to them 2 Pet. 2. 21. To him that knoweth to do well and doeth it not to him it is sin saith the Apostle Rom. 2. 1. 2 Jam. 4. ult that is it is sin with a witnesse it is wilfull rebellion and daring God to his face and a kind of sinning against the holy Ghost Act. 7. 51. And if they sinned inexcusably that did go but against the light of nature that they were without excuse Rom. 1. 21. what excuse shall they have that go against the light of the Gospel â—any such have died in despair as Spira who said there was no
not but because he was not justly the High Priest which now was ceased as Calvin Chrysost and Beda CHAP. XXIIII An exhortation to thankfulnesse for Christ revealed in the Gospel IN the last place it is a use of exhortation to stir us up to thankfulnesse to God for the revelation of the Gospel That Christ is preached among us without the knowledge of whom there is no salvation Eccles 11. 7. We rejoice in the light of the Sunne what were the world without it but a dungeon of darknesse but we have much more cause of joy that the Son of righteousnesse doth shine among us with healing in his wings Mal. 4. 2. For consider that 1. First as Christ is given but to few so he is revealed but to few It is a mystery hid from ages and generations though now manifested to us in this Island He hath not Col. 1. 26. dealt so with every nation Psal 147. 20. nay scarce with any nation as with us The most part of the world never heard of Christ who sit in Egyptian darknesse and the shadow of death against whom The wrath of God is revealed from heaven Rom. 1. 18. but no mercy or glad tidings of salvation have ever sounded in their eares The Gospell is hid from their eyes and they are left blindfolded by the god of this world to their eternall destruction 2 Cor. 4. 3. 4. being strangers from the Covenant of promise having no hope and without God in the world Eph. 2. 12. Yea it is not above an hundred and odde years ago since England was in darknesse and a sinke of Idolatry and therein our forefathers lived and died witnesse Queen Maries dayes and before But we live in Goshen We that sate in darkenesse now see great light and to us Matth. 4. 16. that sate in the region and shadow of death is light sprang up yea amongst us Christ is not only revealed but more clearly then ever since the world began O what glorious lights almost in every Congregation are daily set upon the candlesticks how many kings and Princes would have been glad to have seen the things that we see but never saw them In the old law Christ was revealed indeed to a few but darkly as to Adam in that dark promise The seed of the woman shall break the serpents head so Abraham saw my day saith Christ and rejoyced Iohn 8. 56. and Moses saw Christ yea glorious amidst reproaches Heb. 1â— 16. yea all the beleeving Jewes saw the bloud of Christ streaming in their bloody sacrifices and they expected a Saviour by the promised seed but darkly as in shadows and glasses Col. 2. 17. they saw Christum velatum we revelatum they saw Christ vaild but we revealed their light was but like a candle under a bushel but ours is set on a candlestick They expected a Saviour indeed but 1. such a one that should be a great king upon earth as appears Act. 1. 6. wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdome to Israel Secondly only for themselves but not for the Gentiles as in Eph. 3. 5. 6. Now it is revealed saith the Apostle that the Gentiles should be partakers of his promise in Christ by the Gospell Thirdly with the observation of Moses Law Fourthly and lastly it was igâ—is umbratalis they knew but little of the manner of his birth death and sufferings resurrection and ascension in respect of us 2 Secondly as it is a blessing bestowed but upon a few so it is a great blessing because when the Gospel is revealed where Christ is preached there God dwels with his speciall and gracious presence He walketh in the midst of his golden candlesticks Rev. 2. 1 we may say of such places as Jacob of his brethren where God appeared this is the gate of heaven this is the house of God Gen. 28 17. Here God is made known unto us in Judah is God known and his name is great in Israel Psal 76. 1. for we enjoy neer communion with him which was the happinesse of Adam in paradise and is the happinesse of the Angels and Saints in heaven where God and his presence is all in all Hence Moses prayed when God said my presence shall go with thee and I will give thee rest if thy presence go not with us carry us not hence saith he Exod. 33. â—4 15. Now what a mercy is it to live in Bethel where God dwels and not in Bethaven among Idolaters Yea here is the Pearle of great Price the Lord Jesus Christ revealed to us a Pearle richer then all the mines of gold and silver in both the Indies which if they were in England we would count them great riches yet are not so great riches as is the Gospel In other places may be found the fatnesse of the earth but here is the dew of heaven Here is Manna bread from heaven that is the sweetest bread who cannot but cry Lord evermore give us this bread Here is water out of the rock and that 's the sweetest water who cannot but long with David to drink of the waters of Bethlehem and to be satisfied with these breasts of consolation Here is Paradise as the French Protestants cald one of their Churches and so long as the Gospel is preached among us we live as it were in Paradise and who can but say its good being here yea and here are the glad tydings of salvation preached and what sweeter tidings can Rom. 10. 1 Pet. 1. 21. we hear of yea here is the kingdome of God Matth. 3. because it is the ordinary meanes to bring men to heaven and salvation cald the power of God to salvation Rom. 1. 16. Hence it is that Noahs prayer for Japhets kindnesse was only this God perswade Japhet to dwell in the tents of Shem. And hence it is that David desired to dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of his life and that he so longed for it when he was deprived of it as appears Psal 27. 4 and 42. 1. and 84. 10. 3. Where Christ is revealed and the Gospel Psal 128. 5. Psal 133. ulâ— is preached there we are sure there be some elect to be saved If three grounds be bad yet one of foure will prove good ground the Gospel seldome or never comes but as a blessing to some Hence Paul desired to come among them with the abundance of the blessing of the Gospell of Christ Rom. 15. 29. Indeed the Act. 18. 10. Rom. 10. 17. Gospel is preached to reprobates but it is as the weeds are watered for the flowers sake 4. Where the Gospel is revealed and where Christ is preached usually outward blessings do accompany The Gospel is called Cornu copia the horn of plenty 2 Sam. 6. 11. 12. Iudg. 17. 13. as when the ark was in Obed-edoms house all his house was blest for the Arks sake as Michâ— said now I know the Lord will blesse me seeing I
None but CHRIST Or A Plain and Familiar Treatise of the Knowledge of CHRIST exciting all men to study to know JESUS CHRIST and him crucified with a particular Applicatory and saving Knowledge in diverse Sermons upon 1 Cor. 2. 2. By JOHN WALL B. D. Preacher of the Word of God at Mich. Cornhill LONDON Christ is all in all Col. 3. 11. Nullus animae suavior cibus Lact. lib. 2. c. 3. LONDON Printed for Ralph Smith at the signe of the Bible in Cornhill neer the Royall Exchange 1648. I have perused this ensuing Treatise entituled None but Christ and finding it very usefull for all sorts of Christians especially for weak Beleevers I allow it to be printed OBADIAH SEDGWICK May 12. 1648 To the much honoured and most worthy Sr Herbottle Grimston Baronet J. Wall wisheth all present and future happinesse RIght worshipful Your religious stedfastness in these times of change adhering to your fixed principles and not bending like a reed with every wind as many have done makes your name deservedly honoured of all that know you What you have suffered by false calumniations God hath in a great measure already cleared And I doubt not but in his due time your light shall break forth like the Sun out of a cloud more glorious then ever before How great your love hath been to Godly and Orthodox Ministers your pains and labours to helpe them out of their troubles which in these broken times they have fallen into you have ample testimony Your indefatigable paines as a Member of the Honourable House of Commons the Kingdome cannot but take notice of And SIR How much my selfe am obliged to you for your countenancing of and respect you bare to my Ministry when I lived in Colchester And your continued favour and respect towards me ever since I desire with all humble thankfulness to acknowledge and testify to the world And as a testimony of my gratitude I humbly dedicate this Treatise unto your Patronage SIR I observe in these erroneous licentious distracting and dividing times that men spend their thoughts and studies for the most part in needless questions tending onely to strife and contention but not to edification whereas our Lord Christ hath taught us there is but one thing especially needfull for us to busy our heads about and that is to know Jesus Christ and him crucified and to be able to say with Job I know that my redeemer liveth If it shall please you so far to honour this Treatise as to grace it with your favour and to bestow the perusall of it and if your noble spirit and the Church of God shall thereby be the more inflamed with the love of Christ and longings to inâ—oy him As it hath been my desire and indeavour according to my talent received to set forth the riches and excellencies that are in Christ to draw the heart of his spouse to be sick of love to him I shall desire to give God the glory And this shall be a sufficient refuge against the captiousnesse and carping of the curious the slanders and reproches of the malicious and the sharpest censures of the Criticall From my Study at Mich. Cornhill March 25. 1648. SIR Your Worships in all humble and respective observance JOHN WALL And to the vertuous and most worthy Lady the Lady Mary Grimstone his wife Daughter of the ever honoured grave judicious and religious Judge SIR George Crook now deceased J. Wall wisheth increase of true honour and happinesse I Make bold likewise worthy Lady to joyn you with your dear and much honoured Husband craving your tuition of this Treatist of the knowledge of Christ being the first fruits of my weak indeavours And that you would be pleased to accept of so small a present as a little monument of that great respect I deservedly beare you And although I know Noble Lady your holy and dayly communion with God your humblenesse of mind and tender affections mourning under sin your zealous longing after and delight in the word of God when most sincerely taught your heavenly communication and conversation do render you elect holy and beloved amongst all the Saints that know you and your works praise you in the gates Yet good Madam give me leave I humbly beseech you to stirre up and warn your pure mind that you take heed of loosing your first love and the things that you have done but that your works may be more at the last then at the first that you may shine as the Sun which shineth more and more unto the perfect day that you may grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that he may be your all in all that so you may at last receive your full reward The Lord grant this poore little Treatise of mine may kindle a fire within you to warme your heart with the love of Christ be as a means with the blessing of God upon it to increase your joy and comfort in him to sweeten your dissolution when God shall please to finish the period of your dayes and to fill your heart dayly with more and more longings to be with Christ which is best of all So prayeth From my study at Mich. Cornhill March 25. 1648 MADAM Your Ladyships most humbly devoted JOHN WALL Christian READER IT is the great unhappinesse of our times that the greatest part of men busie themselves most in that which least concernes them whilest some Athenian-like spend their time in hearing and telling newes others mole-like are alwayes rooting and digging in the earth though gold can no more fill their hearts then grace their purses others eagerly pursue the worlds vanities as children do painted butterflies which after all their paines they may misse and if they chance to catch it s but a fly that besmeares their hands others bende all their studies and discourses about controversies tending little to edification and READER Thou shalt find through the neglect of the Printer or those that he betrusted many mistakes in the pointing of this Treatise as also many literall errors which I crave thy patience to passe over without censure and likewise not to be offended with other greater errors thou mayest meet withall but rather thus to amend them ERRATA PAge 8. margin for Scholon read Schoolm p. 19. for o r. â— for weares r. wore p. 33. l. 2. for cold r. called p. 34. for three houres r. six houres p. 37. for Vest r. Dest p. 43. dele first for knowes r knew p. 53 for it heats r. heat p. 55. for stob r. stab p. 59. for er r. ae p. 62. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â— p. 145. for Ps r. Phil. p. 162. for wayes r. wares p. 190. for other any r. any other p. 193. for 3 r. 2. p. â—â—3 for insensus r. infensus p. 242. for the r. her p. 257 l. penult for after r. after him p. 262. l. penult for because r. but p
263 for mihi plausum r. sibi plausum p. 264. r. De Pad p. 270. for fight r light p. 272 for smoakes r. smothers p. 285. for woâ—d r. world p. 306. for Psal 6. r 76. p. 308. r. and as Micha for Ps 123. r. 132. The Contents CHAP. I. THe openining of the words of the Text. pag. 1. Doct. The great lesson that every one ought to study and learn is to know Jesus Christ p. 4. CHAP. II. Of the Incarnation of Christ 1. That Christ is the second pâ—rson and why p. 6. 2. That Christ is the son of God and how he is said to be his son p. 7. 3. That Christ is truely God p. 10. 4. That Christ is truely man p. 11. 5. That Christ is God and man united together p. 15. CHAP. III. A short view of the sufferings of Christ before he suffered upon the crosse p. 17. In eleven particulars In his 1. Conception p. 17. 2. Birth ibid. 3. Circumcision p. 20. 4. Temptation ibid. 5. Private life p 21. 6. Agony ibid. 7. Apprehension and betraying p. 22. 8. Arraignment p. 23. 9. Mocking ibâ—d 10. Scourging p. 25. 11. Condemnation p. 27. CHAP. IV. A relation of the sufferings of Christ upon the Crosse p. 27. First in that Christ dyed for us ibid. Secondly in that Christ did more then barely dye for us in three respects 1. First In that he dyed a shamefull death p. 29. It was shame full in five respects because 1. They made him carry his owne Crosse p. 30. 2. They stript him naked ibid. 3. He was hanged ibid. 4. He was hanged in the midst between two theeves p. 31. 5. He was insulted over in his misery ibid. II. Secondly in that he dyed a bitter and painfull death in two respects p. 32. 1. In what he suffered from men in foure particulars ibid. 1. They gave him Gall and Vinegar to drink ibid. 2. They racked him p 34. 3. They nayled his hands and feet to the Crosse ibid. 4. He continued hanging about six houres ibid. 2. In what he suffered from God even the heavy wrath of God due to us for all our sins p. 35. III. Thirdly In that he dyed for his enemies c. p. 37. CHAP. V. Of the satisfaction of Christ p. 38. 1. That there is salvation in no other p. 38. 2. That there is full perfect salvation in Christ p. 40. CHAP VI. We must study to know Christ with particular application That Christ is our Saviour and that he dyed for us and gave himself for us p. 43. Obj. A man may be saved without this knowledge Answ Affirmatively p. 45. Negatively p. 46. Obj. No man can know Christ to be his in particular with the Answere p. 47. 48. CHAP. VII We must study to know Christ with an affectionate knowledge p. 49. CHAP. VIII We must study to know Christ with a virtuall and operative knowledge p. 54. 1. In Giving us power against the dominion of sinne p. 55. 2. In raising us up to newnes of life p. 57. CHAP. IX Of the sweetnesse and excellency of the knowledge of Christ p 58. 1. Because it hath the most excellent Revelation p. 60. 2. Because the excellency of all other knowledge is supereminently in Christ in five respects p. 61. 1. The excellency of the knowledge of God consisteth in the knowledge of Christ in three respects ibid. In regard of 1. His person ibid. 2. The worke of Redemption p. 62. 3. Our Relation to God p. 63. 2. The excellency of the knowledge of the word of God consists in the knowledge of Christ p. 66 3. The knowledge of Christ is more excellent then all other knowledge whatsoever p. 68. 4. The excellency honour of a man is that he knoweth Jesus Christ p. 70. 5. The excellency of all our workes is from our knowledge of Christ p. 73. CHAP. X. That the knowledge of Christ and him Crucified is the most profitable knowledge p. 75. 1. Reason because Christ gives us better things then the world can help us to p. 76. As the grace of 1. Justification p. 77 78. p. 79. 2. Acceptation 3. Sanctification 4. Adoption 5. Reconciliation 6. Co-operation 7. Corroboration 8. Co-agulation 9. Preservation 10. Consolation 11. Glorification 2 Reason because Christ gives that which contents and satisfieth the soule of man p. 80. 3. Reason because Christ gives more durable riches then the world p. 81. 4. Reason because Christ gives earthly things also into the bargain p. 82. Which appeares in foure particulars 1. Certainty of provision p. 82. 2. Better right p. 85. 3. With our fathers blessing ibid. 4. As pledges of future hopes p. 86. CHAP. XI That the knowledge of Jesus Christ and him crucified is the most comfortable knowledge p. 87. Especially in foure conditions of In time 1. Spirituall distres 88. 2. Greatest persecution p. 89. 3 Greatest afflictions 92 Because they shall worke for our good ibid. A threefold good 1. Temporall 2. Spirituall p. 39. For they 1. Keep the heart tender p 94. 2. Keep us from back-sliding p. 94. 3. Make us fear to sin ibid. 4. Make us grow in holinesse ibid. 3. For our eternall good p. 95. 4. The knowledge of Christ is most comfortable in the houre of death p. 96. Because we are sure to dye 1. Comfortably ibid. 2. Blessedly p. 98. CHAP. XII Use 1. A reproofe of those that know nothing of Jesus Christ as Heathens Turkes Jewes Papists and ignorant persons p 101. Because 1. Their ignorance is inexcusable p. 105. 2. An ignorant heart is an evil heart p. 106 3. All their workes are works of darknesse ibid. 4. They can have no Repentance ibid. 5. They are full of feare p. 107 6. Such have no part in Christ ibid. Qu. What helps are there to get knowledge p. 108 Ans 1. To study a Catechisme ibid. 2. The use of other meanes p. 109 3. To practise what we know ibid. 4. To be much in prayer p 110 CHAP. XIII Vse 2. A reproof of those that study to know all things else save Jesus Christ and him crucified p. 110. Viz. Such as study vanities curiosities arts and sciences c. with the neglect of the study of Christ 111 CHAP. XIV Use 3. A reproofe of three sorts I. A reproofe of those that study to know Christ only by speculation p. 124 1. Because it is unprofitable and vain p. 121 2. Because it is very dangerous and hurtfull p. 123 It is dangerous in three respects 1. Because it breeds bitternesse and vexation p. 123. 2. Because if Christ be not our Saviour he will be our judge p. 124. 3. Because it will aggravate our condemnation p. 125. II. A reproofe of those that know Christ with speculation but not with affection p. 130 III. A reproofe of those that content themselves with a speculative knowledge of Christ but know him not virtually and operatively CHAP. XV. Use 4. An exhortation to be thankfull and contented in every condition if
Doubt Because I meet with so many afflictions p. 253 CHAP. XXIII Use 7. An exhortation to the ministers of the Gospell especially to preach Jesus Christ to the people p. 2â—6 1. Because the preaching of Christ is most profitable for the people p. 257 2. Because it is most comfortable to the people ibid. 3. Because it is the readiest way to bring the people to repentance ibid. 4. Because it brings greatest comfort to the ministers to bring men to Christ p. 259 5. Because it is most profitable to the Ministers to preach Christ p. 260 Object Is it not lawfull then to preach the Law which is answered p. 261 Negatively Positively A second exhortation to Ministers of the Gospell to preach Christ in such a manner as the people may best come to the saving knowledge of Christ which consists in nine particulars p. 265 1. To preach Christ plainly and perspicuously p. 265 Five helps to preach Christ plainly 1. A competent measure of learning p. 27â— 2. To be mighty in the Scriptures p. 273 3. Be much in meditation p. 274 4. Be much in Catechising or handling the fundamentall points of religion p. 275 5. Study to know the state of the flock p. 275 2. To preach Christ painfully p. 276 3. To preach Christ profitably p. 281 4. To preach Christ faithfully p. 283 5. To preach Christ zealously p. 284 6. To preach Christ lovingly p. 286. 7. To preach Christ wisely p. 288 8. To preach Christ sincerely p. 290 9. To preach Christ exemplarily p. 293 CHAP. XXIIII Use 8. An exhortation to thankefulnesse for Christ revealed in the Gospell 1. Because Christ is revealed but to a few p. 330 2. Because the Revelation of Christ is so great a blessing p. 305 3. Because where Christ is preached there some Elect are to be saved p. 307 4. Because usually outward blessings do accompany the Gospel p. 308 1 COR. 2. 2. I desired to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified CHAP. I. The opening of the words and the Doctrine gathered and explained I Desired c. Saint Paul having preached plainly among the learned Corinthians and not with the inticing words of mans wisdome or excellency of speech as verse the first a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in wisdom of woâ—ds 1 Cor. 1. 17. Pom. patica eloquentia Hier. Ostentatione grandiloquentiae Pareus Facundiâ— dicendi Theod. They began to slight him as unlearned and his preaching as good honest dry matter but in this verse he gives the reason You saith he preach your selves but I preach Jesus Christ you preach for ostentation to get applause from men but I preach for edification to bring soules to Christ And hence it is that you preach with puffâ—d up eloquence high flowne phrasts and â—welling words of vanity but I preach in the plaine evidence of the spirit because I desired to know nothing among you c. In the words there are three parts first the object of Pauls desire Jesus Christ and him crucified 2. The act to know Jesus Christ and him crucified 3. Pauls desiâ—e and resolution I determined to know nothing among you but Jesus Christ and him crucifiâ—d I desired 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eximium duxi so Pet. Martyr and Calvin reads it that is I esteemed no other knowledge excellent nor my selfe worthy estimation for any other knowledge b Non â—o nomine praestantâ— me duxi Pet. Mar. To know nothing but Jesus Christ Not that Paul contemned all other knowledg and humane learning in Arts and Sciences wherein himselfe was so accomplisht being the great Doctor of the Gentiles and could speak tongues more then they all but so farre as it stood in competition opposition or comparison of the knowledge of Christ and winning soules unto him Among you Even you though otherwise learned Corinthians yet you have not sufficiently learned Christ And him crucified That is suffering upon the Crosse and dying for us As if he should say I know preaching of Christ crucified is to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishnesse but to us that are saved the power of God and wisdome of God 1 Cor. 1. 18. As if he should have said all knowledge is excellent of all knowledge the knowledge of Christ is more excellent of all knowledge of Christ the knowledge of Christ crucified is most excelleÌ„t most sweet most comfortable God forbid saith S. Paul that I should rejoyce in any thing but in the Crosse of Christ why in the Crosse of Christ rather then in his Crown in Christ crucified rather then glorified Certainly 1. because it argues greater love in Christ to be crucified then to be glorified for us 2. Because though hee makes application as glorified yet he made satisfaction as crucified Thus you have seen the meaning of the words from whence diverse conclusions might be gathered yet I will insist onely upon one which I conceive cheifly intended by the holy Ghost Doct. The great lesson which every one ought especially to study and learne is to know Jesus Christ and him crucified This indeed seemes an old lesson yet it alwayes brings forth new fruit c Semper novuÌ„ sit quod semper reficit animum Nec unquam patietnr veterascere quod semper nos facit fructificare who can be weary of preaching or learning Christ Dulce nomen Christi sweet is the name of Christ at least to every Christian that hath his part in him Secondly it seemes a plaine lesson which every body almost knowes already fit to be taught children whom we aske what is Jesus Christ But it is such a lesson as would beseeme the greatest Angel in heaven still to learne and indeed which the very Angels still desire to study and look into 1 Pet. 2. 12. and are studying to this day It was the desire and study of Paul still to know Christ Phil. 3. 10. That I may know him Did not Paul know Christ already yes surely farre better then we yet he would faine know him better and see more into the love of Christ which is so unspeakable as if the holy Ghost wanted words to expresse it John 3. 16. God so loved the world so how so that no heart can conceive nor songue can utter It is beyond expression In Ephes 3. 18. 19. It was Pauls prayer for the Ephesians that they might comprehend with all Saints the height length breadth and depth of the love of Christ all which dimensions set forth unto us the wonderfull greatnesse of his love The height for it reacheth as high as heaven the depth for it goes downe as low as hell the hreadth for it extends to all the world the length for it continueth to all eternity d Bullin in â—oc And to know the love of Christ yet it passeth knowledge e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 super eminentem charitatem Hier. Aug. Theod. Erasm As if he should say we may study this lesson all our lives
and yet never perfectly learn it strive and indeavor to know it wee may but we shall never fully know it nor fathom the bottome of it Exuperat omnem scientiam Theophil And what was Peters last exhortation to the Saints to whom he wrote but that they should grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ As if this were the chiefe lesson they were to learn according to my text I desired to know nothing among you c. Wherein two things are to be considered 1. What knowledg of Christ it is that is to be studied of us 2. Why the knowledge of Christ and him crucified is specially to be studied of us For the first we are to study to know Christ with a fourfold knowledge with the knowledg of 1. Speculation or Contemplation 2. Particular application 3. Love and affection 4. Vertuall operation 1. With the knowledge of Speculation in three particulars viz. to know Christ in his 1. Incarnation 2. Crucifixion 3. Satisfaction CHAP. II. Teacheth us to study to know Christ in his Incarnation FIrst we must study to know Christ in his Incarnation That he is God and man joyned together that God and man might be joyned together that by sinne were separated one from another Wherein five things are to be learned of us 1. That he is the second Person in the Trinity who was the wisdome of the Father To teach us that the divine nature is not essentially but personally not simply but Relatively in relation to the second Person incarnated f Non essentia Deâ— absolutè considerata sed persona filii erat incarnata Buchan loc com Non essentia sed persona deitatis est incarnata Wolleb for else the Father and holy Ghost muâ—t be incarnated as wel as the Sonne which was the error of the Sabellians Anno Christi 257. who denied the three distinct persons and said they were but three names and so by consequence were compelled to say the Father and H. G. were incarnate and died for our sins as well as the Sonne 2. That he is the Son of God g Psal 2. 7. John 1 14. Not by creation as the Anâ—els and Adam were not by adoption as the Saints are but his naturall son by eternall generation as he was God being of the same substance and nature that his Father is as children are of the same substance with their Parents cald indeed the Father of Eternity Es 9. 6. but that was respectu essentiae non subsistentiae in regard of his essence not subsistence The manner is unspeakable incomprehensible for who can declare his generation In naturall generation the Father is 1. before the Sonne 2. the Son inferior to the Father 3. receiving his substance from the Father but in this generation the Father is not before the Sonne who was eternally his sonne or else there should be a time when God was without a Sonne and himselfe not a Father 2. Nor is he inferior to the Father for he is no more beholding to God to be his Father then the Father to him to be Essentia non generatnec generatur Scholoâ— his sonne 3. nor did he receive his Substance but his Sonship from the Father who is unbegotten in respect of his essence as having his essence of himselfe begotten only in respect of his personality for he hath his personall subsistence from the Father begotten as Son not as God Perk. on Creed learned Buchan saith Aliud est esse paâ—ris aliud esse filii aliud esse spiritus sancti that is as they are persons or subsistences but not as absolutely God for so their essence is the same But this mistery is deep and such as is fitter for the study of Angels then men Divines have set it forth by divers similitudes whereby I have thought they have rather darkened then illustrated it and therefore I spare to mention them And further as our Lord Christ is man he is the son of God but not by creation nor adoption nor eternall generation but by hypostaticall union namely by prerogative of his personall union contrary to the Feliciani that called Christ in his humane nature the adopted sonne of God And thus the Son of God became the son of man that the sons of men might be John 1. 12. Gal. 3. 5 6. Mat. 3 17. Iohn 1. 14. made the sonnes of God I go to your father and my father Ioh. 20. 17. And what greater love could the father shew unto us then to give his deare Son his beloved Son his only begotten son for us Joh. 3. 16. Herein appeared Abrahams love that he offered his only sonne Isaac whom he loved Gen. 22. There was one had foure sons who in a famine being sore oppressed with hunger the Parents resolved to sell one for relief But then they considered the eldest was the first of their strength therfore loth to sell him the second was the very picture of the father the third was like the mother the fourth and the youngest was the childe of their old age their Benjamin the dearly beloved of them both and therfore they were resolved not to part with any of them and so would rather suffer themselves to perish then to part with any of their children Another had two sons both were condemned to dye yet upon mediation the father was offered to have one spared But he could not find in his heart which to chuse to live so to leave the other to the stroak of death They both were so dear to him and so they both died so dear are children to their Parents Can a mother saith God forget her child yet God seems to forget his only son that lay in the bosome of the father and was his delight from all eternity that he might remember Prov. 3. 30 us deliver us from death and make us the adopted sons of God Thirdly that Iesus Christ is God The mighty God i Es 9. 6. who thought it no robbery to be equall with God k Psal 2. 6. Rev. 18. Mat. 8. 10. Col. 1. 15. 16. contrary to the heresie of the Samosetanians Servetus Ebionites Cerinthians Nestorians Turks Jews Arrians and all other Hereticks that deny the Deity of Christ but to him is attributed eternity l omnisciency omnipresence creation and providence which are only attributed to God Beside the works and miracles which our Lord Christ wrought when he was upon the earth declared him to be the mighty God m Joh. 5 36 10. 25. 37. 38. Now Christ must needs be God not only to support the humane nature to beare the wrath of God from sinking under it which else had ground him to powder As the altar of wood was covered with brasse that the fire might not consume it Exod. 27. 2. But also to give worth to his sufferings and to make them of infinite value because they were the sufferings of God n Acts 20. 28. Heb. 9.
greater sinners then those that perish greater sinners are in heaven then some in hell Alas what are we may we say as Mephibosheth said to David that the Lord should look upon such dead dogges as we are to dye pro vermiculis vernaculis for bondslaves for base wormes compounded of slime and dust and the Devils poyson a lyon for a dog the Kings sonne for a traytor a man for a worme nay for some Snake or Serpent that had stung his friend to death Yea and when he died not for Angels but passed by those vessels of gold and embraced us vessels of clay CHAP. V. We must study to know Christ in his Satisfaction ANd thus we have heard how we are to study to know Christ in his crucifixion It followes thirdly and lastly We must study to know Christ in his satisfaction in two particulars 1. That there is no other name under heaven whereby we can be saved but onely by the name of Jesus Christ Not by Saints Angels our merits or Opera nostra sunt dona dei per pauca multis malis per mixta Aug. Quisquiâ— enumerat merita sua quid enumerat nisi mertia tua Aug. good works Alas what could we merit that were ungodly sinners enemies Or what good thing could we doe to inherit eternall life If wee could scourge out rivers of bloud out fast Moses and Elias glaze our eyes with teares naile them to heaven with devotion weep a sea of tears yea of bloud Should we pray never so much yea weare out our knees in prayer read never so much the Word of God and other good books heare never so many sermons refraine from all grosse sins build Hospitals give all our goods to the poore and our bodies to be burned yet can we not make God satisfaction thereby or obtain salvation Mich. 6. 8. 1 Cor. 13. 1. 2 Nay Though we should attaine to never so great a degree of repentance and sanctity of life yet could we not obtain salvation thereby nay our perfect holinesse in heaven is not the meritorious cause of our salvation there but the righteousnesse of Christ much lesse a Christians graces here on earth which made Paul desire with the loss of al his own righteousnesse to be found in Christ Not having Phil. 1. 9. 6. Tutius est c. â—ell his own righteousnesse but that which is in him by faith It s true Christians may look to their graces as evidences of their part in Christ and salvation and the clearer they are the greater will be their comfort but not as causes They may likewise make use of duties as meanes to bring them to Christ and salvation but not to be saved by them As the Dove made use of her wings to fly to the Ark but trusted not in her wings but in the Arke Suppose those that were stung with fiery serpents had used any other remedies or medicines to cure the poyson besides looking upon the brazen serpent had they not been of no value Or as those that in the time of Noahs flood trusted to their own houses the highest trees or mountains or any other thing besides the Ark were they not all drowned so must they all perish that expect salvation by any other name but only by the name of Iesus Christ whether Turks Iews Pagans Papists ignorant and civill persons among our selves or whoever 2. As we are to believe there is no salvation out of Christ so we are to know that Christ is a sufficient Saviour to save Heb. 7. 25. perfectly those that come to him and trust in him from these two grounds First because he hath perfectly fulfilled the law for us whereby we stand as 1 Joh. 4. 17. 2 Cor. 5. 21. Rom. 5 19. righteous in the sight of God as Christ was for us and God accepteth of us as if we had fulfilled the law in our owne persons And secondly because he hath fully satisfied the wrath of God for all our sins and pacified him towards us as if we had never sinned or as if we our selves had suffered for them in hell for ever Col. 2. 14. blotting out the hand-writing of ordinances against us so as now nothing can be read against us And this appeares by his resurrection Ascension and sitting at the right hand of God in his glory triumphing over all his enemies which were not for satisfaction but to make application of our redemption for testification of the sufficiency of his satisfaction Hence saith Paul it is Christ that died yea Rather that is risen Rom. 8. 34. again thereby shewing the sufficiency of his death that God is satisfied and all is finished Nay certainly Christ hath satisfied God more abundantly for us then if we our selves had gone to hell for ever for we had been but alwaies satisfying and God had not been fully satisfied but in Christ he is fully and for ever satisfied so as now we may plead pardon not only from mercy but from righteousnesse and justice it self Rom. 1. 17. and Rom. 3. 15. 16. So then we must conclude that Christs satispassion is our satisfaction as Luther pleaseth to call it for by Christ crucified we are justified and if the least of his sufferings were meriti infiniti of infinite Non moriendo Greg. Sine Christi adventu Athanas Minima Christi poena So Cypr. and Bern. merit so that God could have saved us without Christ as Athan. or with Christ not dying for us as Greg. or with the least degree of his sufferings as Cypr. yet I am sure all his sufferings were meriti definiti determined of God and now we are sure all is finished CHAP. VI. We must study to know Christ with Application ANd thus I have finished the first particular mentioned namely how we ought to know Christ by speculation viz. to know him in his incarnation 2. In his crucifixion 3. In his satisfaction which though it be the lowest forme of knowledge yet many remain ignorant of it and without this knowledge we cannot attain to the higher forme of knowledge of application 2. And so we proceed to the second particular we must study to know Christ with the knowledge of application not only to know Christ as a Saviour but that he is my Saviour stood in my room bare my sins suffered the wrath of God for me wherby God is as wel pleased with me as if I had suffered for them in my own person in hell eternally To be able to say with Job a Iob. 19. 25. I know that my Redeemer liveth and with Thomas b Ioh. 20. 28. my Lord and my God and with Paul c Gal. 2. 20. he loved me and gave himselfe for me and with Simeon mine eyes have seen thy salvation d Luk. 2. 30. First This is the sweetest knowledge The sunne is sweetest when it shines out and not when hid in a cloud so God is sweetest when he lifts up
of his understanding It is said of Christ he knew no sinne k 2 Cor. 5. 21. because he did no sinne So here we are required to study to know Christ not with bare speculation but practically and operatively Phil. 3. 10. That I may know him and the power of his resurrection that is that we may finde the operation of that power in our souls which Christ shewed in raising himselfe from the dead And this appears in 2. particulars First whereby he gives us power against the love and dominion of sinne to feele vertue and strength from Christ to crucifie our sinnes that crucified our Saviour They that are Christs saith Paul have crucified the flesh with the lusts thereof l Gal. 5. 24. And if we know Christ to be ours we know that our old man is crucified with him that the body of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sinne m Rom. 6. 6. 1 Cor. 15. 31. Eph. 4. 21. And truly there is nothing more powerfull to mortifie sinne then the knowledge and meditation of the sufferings of Christ If one should kill our father would we hug and embrace him as our friend let him eate at our table and not rather hate and detest the very sight of him and seek to be revenged of him If a Snake should sting thy dearly beloved spouse to death wouldst thou preserve it alive warme it at the fire hug it in thy bosome and not rather stob it with a thousand wounds And were not our sinnes the causes and instruments of Christs death Were not they the whips that scourged him the nayles the cords the speares the thornes that wounded him and fetcht his heart bloud from him And can we love our sinnes that kild our Saviour Can a spouse love her husband and her heart embrace an adulterer We complaine of the sinne of Judas and of the Jewes and seeme to hate them and spit at the mention of them and can we love our Judas sins that set them all on work and put Christ to death And certainly he knowes nothing of Iesus Christ savingly as the truth is in Jesus that hath not put off the old man which is corrupt according to deceitfull lusts n Eph. 4. 21. 22. Though not totally yet abating the love and power of them daily as a man wounded mortally daily weakens Or as a tree cut at the root daily withers by little and little or as a dead man in the grave daily rots stinks and wasts for so saith Saint Paul by our rejoycing in Christ I die daily o 1 Cor. 15. 31. There were five Monkes that were studying what was the best meanes to mortifie sinne One said to meditate of death the second to meditate of judgement the third to meditate of the joyes of heaven the fourth to meditate of the torments of hell the fifth to meditate of the love and sufferings of Christ And indeed this is the strongest motive of all Camer reports that Solomon had Camer a glasse wherein if a worme were put and one prickt it so that the bloud issued it would break the glasse I am sure if any thing the bloud of Christ will break our hearts As they say the bloud of a Goat will dissolve the Adamant Secondly wee must study to know the power of his resurrection in raising us up to newnesse of life changing our natures creating in us new hearts and making us new creatures p Eph. 4. 21. 23. 24. That we may be able to say with Paul I live yet q Gal. 2. 20. Col. 3 1. 2. Phil. 3. 10. not I but Christ lives in me that we are risen with Christ seeking and setting our affections on the things above and not on earth having felt the spirit of Christ in our hearts like a loadstone drawing our hearts to heaven whither he is ascended Or as the Sunne drawes up the â—â—pours from the earth that whereas before we were like mouls alwayes moving in the earth now we are like the Eagles soaring up to heaven being clothed with the Sunne and having the Moone under our feet CHAP. IX That the knowledge of Jesus Christ and him crucified is the sweetest and most excellent knowledge ANd thus I have finished the first particular viz. What knowledge of Christ is to be studied of us consisting of foure particulars namely The knowledge of 1. Speculation 2. Application 3. Affection 4. Operation 2. Now followeth the second particular Why wee ought especially to study to know Iesus Christ and him crucified And that for these three reasons Because it is the most 1. Excellent Knowledg in the world 2. Profitable Knowledg in the world 3. Comfortable Knowledg in the world First the knowledge of Christ is the most excellent knowledge I count all things as losse not onely for the gaining of Christ but for the excellencie of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord saith Saint Paul a and yet to gaine Christ is much Phli 3. 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more then to know him Nay more In him are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Colos 2. 3. Now treasures we know are abundance of precious Thesauri sunt Divitiae congregater Aq. things So Chrys Aquin. Theoph. In Christ there is all rich and precious knowledge a fountaine of riches Oh the depth of the riches of the wisdome and knowledge of Christ Rom. 11. 33. Nay further In him are All treasures He that knoweth Christ hath all profitable knowledge so that he need know nothing else to make him happy And contrarily Si quishaberet librum ubi esset tota scientia non quaereret nisi ut sciret illum librum sic nos non oportet amplius quaerere nisi Christum Aquin in Col. 2. 3. if he know all things else and knowes not Christ he hath no rich or precious knowledge no treasures of knowledge but empty and unprofitable knowledge 3. Nay yet more All treasures are HID in him As men do hide and lay up their treasures from the sight and knowledge of men so there is such a vast sea of treasures and riches in the knowledge of Christ as men cannot apprehend And that in two respects 1. propter debilitatem intellectus as a candle is not seen of the blind so our understandings are not able to discerne them 1 Cor. 2. 14. And secondly propter velamen oppositum as a candle in a dark Lanthorne for they are not fully revealed As Aquin. Hence saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 9. Eye hath Rom. 8. 18. Nos habemus non limpidos sed lippos occulos Acquin 1 Cor. 2. 10. not seene the riches that are to be found in Christ any further then they are revealed by the spirit of Christ d Reas 1. Now the reason why the knowledge of Christ and him Crucified is so excellent Is because it hath a more excellent and higher revelation then the knowledge of all other things Adam had
saw Christ in Lazarus and not in Dives Iob 34. 19 Act. 10. 34. Gal. 6. 3. Mal 3. 17. Tamberlaine in his wars one having found a great pot of gold digd up as I remember he brought it to Tamberlain who asked whether it had his fathers stamp but when he saw it had the Roman stampe he would not own it So God will own none but those that have the stamp of Christ and his image upon them But he will own the poorest and meanest of his servants that have Christ shining in them as his Iewels as the apple of his eye to whom he sends his holy Angels to attend upon them For in heaven their Angels behold the face of my father which is in heaven Matth. 18. 10. And as God respects nothing in any man but Iesus Christ so likewise the Saints of God have esteemed of men only as they have seen Christ in them So David professeth that all his delight was in the Saints that were on earth in whom Christ appeared Psalme 16. 2 3. And Saint Paul tels us he regarded no man after the flesh or in fleshly respects as they were wise learned rich honourable 2 Cor. 5. 16. No not Christ himselfe that is as he was a Iew borne of their natition or so as to expect great things from him on earth as the Iewes did but only spiritually Nay he would not so much as write a letter or Epistle to the greatest Monarchs in the world that were not in Christ but to the poore Saints in Corinth Ephesus Galatia c. And to Philemon Indeed he wrote to one Lady but she was an Elect Lady the Master for a poore servant Onesimus sake Mr. Fox when a great Lord and wicked met him in London in the streets and askt him how do you Mr. Fox he said little Do you not know me said the great Lord No not I said Master Fox I am such a one said he Sir I desire said Master Fox to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified Policarpus at a certaine time meeting with Marcion the Heretick he said unto him do you not know me Yea said Policarpus I know thee to be Primogenitum Diaboli the first begotten child of the divell Euseb Indeed naturall men are ready to despise a Christian though Christ shines in him never so gloriously if he be poore and admire the rich Jam. 2. As Aigalond King of the Moores when he came to the King of France to be baptized and saw a great many poore tatterd people at his dore asked what they were It was answered these are the servants of Jesus Christ he went back in a fury and discontent and said he would never serve such a Master that could keep his servants no better But Ingo King of the Veneeds contrarily at a great feast to shew his love to Christs Saints set his Pagan Nobles in his Hall and certaine poore Christians with himselfe in his Parlour 5. Fiftly the excellency of all our works is from our knowledge of Christ which though never so excellent in themselves as Prayer Preaching Almes c. God regards them not they stand for nothing they are but Cyphers till Christ be joyned with them They are at best but umbrae virtutum shadowes of vertues nay splendida peccata faire and shining sins beautifull abominations Absque Christo omnis uirtus in vitio est Luther in a man out of Christ Like as the Phoenix gathers sweet odoriferous sticks in Arabia together and then blowes them with her wings and burnes her selfe with them just so we burn our selves with our own good workes be they never so sweet and good if separated from Iesus Christ It is Christ and Christ alone that sweetens and perfumes all our prayers hearing almes and all our duties and makes them acceptable As Apothecaries Rev. 8. 3. sweeten all their Confections and Cordials with Muske and Sugar The Persians had certaine trees that bare poysoned fruit and they by stealth had planted abundance of them among the Turkes hoping thereby to poyson them but with the change of the soile the fruit changed its quality and instead of poyson became wholsome food So our workes that were poyson before are sweet and good when they proceed from a man planted into Christ Seest thou not how Faith wrought with his workes saith Saint James Jam. 2. 22. It was Faith made Abrahams workes accepted which else had not been regarded CHAP. X. The knowledge of Jesus Christ and him crucified is the most profitable knowledge 2. NOw followeth the 2 reason why we ought to study to know Iesus Christ and him crucified because it is the most profitable knowledge in the world It s better to know Christ thine then to know all the riches in London nay all the kingdomes in the world thine As one pearle is better then a great deale of lumber so one Christ weighs down all the kingdomes in the world for what should it profit a man to winne the whole world and lose Christ and lose his owne soule Matth. 16. 26. This is the Pearle of great price for which the rich Merchant sold all that he had and bought it and found more joy in this one Pearle alone then ever he did Mat 13. 44 46. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 3. 8. with all that he had without the Pearle Nay more Saint Paul tels us there are unsearchable riches in Christ such as can never be traced or found out no more then we can find the way of a ship in the Sea or of an Eagle in the ayre But as the word signifyes in the Original we are like hunting dogs that have lost their game having neither footstep nor sent left to pursue As Gods wayes so the riches of Christ are past finding out Rom. 11. 33. He is the one thing needfull whom obtaining we need no more to make us happy c Luk. 10. ult Ipse unus erit tibi omnia quia in ipso uno bono bona sunt omnia One Christ will be to thee instead of all things else because in him are all good things to be found 1. And this appeares in foure respects first because Christ will give us better things then the world hath Alas what do we find in the world but a bundle of Thornes and vanities d Eccles 1. 2. we feed upon ashes e Ier. 44. 20. and good enough to feed dust and ashes which was the Serpents curse on thy belly thou shalt go and dust shalt thou eat Gen. ◠They are but pits and broken empty pits that can hold no water f Ier. 2. 13. They are but Cabull dirty Cities our fathers dunghil not inheritance g Esa 55. 2. windy husks the Prodigals fare not solid bread g a hard shell and a dry kernell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bitter sweets Yea they that find most sweetnesse in the world find it like a Bee-hive wherein they have tasted a little hony
but they have been stung with a thousand Bees For so God hath told us before hand though we have golden dreames of framing a Paradise of pleasures to our selves here yet we shal find the gates of Paradise shut on earth open onely in heaven Our Paradise is now become a Bochim a place of Lamentation for so he hath decreed Cursed is the earth for thy sake in sorrow shalt thou eate of it all the dayes of thy life Thornes and h Gen. 3. 18 19. thistles shall it bring forth unto thee But will Christ feed us with vanities vexations With earth and ashes No no he will feede us with the dainties of heaven and will open unto us the treasures and Iewels that are found in the richest Cabinet of God himselfe Eph. 1. 3. He will give us Grace and glory and no good thing will he withold from us if we walke uprightly Psal 84. ult First He will give us the grace of justification Col. 2. 13. a pardon for all our sins and deliverance from hell and death Rom. 8. 1. Reve. 20. 6. He will say to us as to the Palsy man be of good cheare thy sinnes are forgiven thee Matthew 9. verse 2. and as to weeping Mary Woman thy sinnes are forgiven thee Luke 7. And this alone is a greater blessing then all the riches in the world Blessed is that man whose iniquities are forgiven Psal 32. 2. He will give us the grace of acceptation we shall be looked upon and accepted as righteous as Christ himselfe was for us for as he is so are wee in this world 1. Ioh. 4. 17. i 2 Cor. 5. ult 1 Cor. 1 ult 3. He will give us The grace of sanctification Not onely pulling off our chaines of darknesse the devils fetters k Col. 1. 13 but also decking us with the Jewels of holinesse the Angels glory by clothing our soules with divine inclinations to be made partakers of the divine nature â—Ezek 16. 12. Ioh. 1. 16 and our hearts to be made after Gods own heart 4. The grace of Adoption of vassals and children of the divell to be the spouse the members of Christ nay the sonnes of God m Ioh. 1. 12 which perhaps is that new name spoken of Reve. 2. 17. Now behold what love the father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the sonnes of God! n 1 Ioh 3. 1. thereby intimating that he beares to us the affection and protection of a father to his children 5. He will give us the grace of reconciliation whereby God is as good friends with us through Christ as if we had never offended him Col. 1. 21. 6. The grace of Cooperation for we are able to doe all things through Christ that strengtheneth us Phil. 4. 13. John 15. 44. 7. The grace of corroboration for his grace shall be sufficient for us that no sin shall have dominion over us Rom. 6. 14. 2 Cor. 12. 9. 8. The grace of coagulation enabling us to grow in grace till we come to the measure of Grace that God hath appointed us to come unto Eph. 2. 21. 9. The grace of preservation to continue to the end 1 Pet. 1. 5. we are kept by his power through faith unto salvation our life is hid with Christ in God Col. 3. 3. so as Nothing shall ever separate us from his love for who can pluck us out of the hand of God and of Christ Joh. 10. 28. Rom. 8. ult 10. The grace of consolation for he will send the holy Ghost not onely the sanctifyer but the comforter to cheare our hearts as he promised us Joh. 15. 26. which exceeds all other joy and comforts being unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet 1. 8. 11. Lastly he will give us the grace and gift of glorification if we know Christ is ours then we know heaven is ours and all the pleasures that are in it That that day we dye we shall be with Christ in Paradise for the same glory thou hast given me I have given them saith our Saviour Joh. 17. 24. and we shall sit together with him in heavenly places Eph. 2. 6. Other knowledge may bring pleasure and content but no other knowledge can bring salvation but onely the knowledge of Jesus Christ and him crucified can the sonne of Ishai give you orchards and Gardens c. said Saâ—l and can the knowledge of earthly things inrich you with these treasures 2. Secondly As Christ gives better things then the world hath so more satisfying These earthly things are cald empty pits because they are empty of content though there may be some good in them yet not the good we expect that is content Because nothing can give content but that that joynes God and the soule as friends together for which end it was created and without whom the soule can finde no content in all things else but flies up and down like a Bee from one flower to another from one comfort to another to get more sweetnesse but when once it enjoys God it saith I have enough as Jacob said I have enough my sonne Joseph is a live and then is as quiet as a Bee in her hive a bird in her neast a Beast in her den or the Dove in the Arke because God is alsufficient A Gen. 17. 1. Bee flyes from one flower to another because she wants hony enough in that flower but when she is put into a pot of hony then shee seekes no farther A thirsty man give him a glasse of water he is not satisfied for saith he this little water is not able to quench my great thirst but cary him to a river and then he saith he hath enougth Thirdly Christ gives more durable riches then the world hath Al other things have their time to leave us Hic acquiruntur hic amittuntur Here they are gotten and here they are lost The world is like the gardens in France or Italy where men may eat of the fruits of the garden what they please while they are in the Garden but can cary nothing out for then the Gardner searcheth and emptyeth their pockets even so when death comes she will empty our pockets that we can carry nothing with us out of the world Our time is a comming that we must bid a sad farewell to all things here farewell husband I shall never see thy face more farewell wife farewell children friends Riches have wings Honours are like a cristall glasse Quo magis splendescit citius frangitur And pleasures like bubbles of sope pleasant to see to but quickly blown out Luk 10. ult Rom. 8. ult riches honours and pleasures both sinfull and lawfull And perhaps if we be not the better provided we shall bid farwell God farwell Christ the joyes of heaven and eternall happinesse But Christ abideth ever If we know Christ ours we shall never bid farwell to Iesus Christ He is the good part that shall be never taken from us Then we may
say as Dives spake though brutishly Soule take thine ease and be merry for thou hast goods laid up for many yeares yea even to all eternity Eterna erit exaltatio que bono latatur aeterno That joy lasts for ever whose object remaines for ever 4. But fourthly and lastly Christ brings with him the blessings of this world also Matth. 6. 33. All these shall be cast upon you into the bargaine as a loafe to the dozen or a little handfull to the measure All things are yours if you be Christs for Christ comes not vacuis manibus empty 1 Cor. 3. 26 handed And this appeares in foure particulars 1. First we shall have certainty of provision We may say with David the Lord is my Shepheard I shall not want for God hath said it I will never leave thee nor for sake thee Psal 23. 1. Heb. 13. 5. Hath he given us Christ and will be not with him give us all things else Rom. 8. 32. What can God deny us that is good for us that hath not denyed to give his son for us Will a man give us the Garden and not the flowers The Land and not the trees and will God give us heaven and deny us earth Are not two Sparrowes sold for a farthing and yet your father provideth for them Wil God take care for Sparrowes and young Ravens c and not for thee O thou of little Faith Will a man take care to feed his cattle in the field horse in the Stable Swine in the Sty and not for his wife and children that sit at his own Table We are ready to say especially the poorer sort as Isaac said to Abraham Here is wood but where is the Sacrifice Here are mouths but where is the meat But let us answer our soules as Abraham did his son O my son God wil provide Or perhaps we will say as the Disciples said to Christ Here are a few loafes and two little fishes but alas what is that among so many And yet you know with the blessing of Christ it served them all The Prodigal could say if once I could get home into my fathers house there is bread enough When Hagar looked into her bottle and saw that empty she fell a weeping but when shee saw the fountaine or well of water then shee was satisfyed for then she knew she could fill her bottle againe So regard not so much though thy bottle be empty remember the Well is ful I have been young saith David and now am old yet I never saw the righteous forsaken nor their seed though begging their bread as Broughton reads it Psal 37. 15. Though perhaps we may want what we desire yet we shal never want what God sees best and fittest for us to do him service withal Alwayes the greatest estate is not fittest for us as a great shooe fits not a little foot nor a great saile a little ship nor a great ring a little finger which though it have more Gold in it yet a lesser were better and fitter for us Bellarmine in his Catechism hath an excellent expression supopse saith he a King having many children of severall ages should apparel them in cloth of gold Now he that is 16 yeers old hath more gold in his robe then the child that is but five or six yeere old yet the child would rather have his own garment then his elder brothers because saith he it is fitter for me So if thou hast that estate that is fittest for thee surely that is best for thee 2. Secondly As we shall have certainty of Provision so we shall have it with better right as comming to us not onely by providence but from the Covenant of Grace and streaming to us through the bloud of Christ Wicked men have a prâ—videntiall right as Creatures as appeares Acts 5. 4. Was it not thine own while it was with thee But the Saints receive them as the Spouse and members of Christ who is heyre of all Now a man were better have courser fare weare meaner cloathes c. when they are paid for then richer and be in the books and his cloathes not paid for 3. Thirdly we shall have our blessings Deut. 28. blessed and sweetned with our Fathers love which doubles their sweetnes like as sweet water sprinkled upon sweet flowers makes every flower smel the sweeter or as wine sweetned with sugar makes it more pleasant Whereas all out of Christ have them with our fathers curse Mal. 2. I will curse their blessings yea I have cursed them already So Rom 11. 9. Let their table be their snare a trap and a stumbling block c. And so they become like sweet flowers poysoned the sweeter the more dangerous Hence wicked men out of Christ may injoy all good and yet injoy no good at all Nay the more they abound in blessings the more their curses abound Suppose a Father should give a small portion to his child but withal saith Son take this portion it s but little but thou hast it with my love and I pray God blesse it to thee And to another he gives a greater portion or perhaps he puls it from him as the Prodigall did from his father but withall saith Take it and choak with it let it be accursed to thee Now there is great difference between a gift received with our fathers blessing and with his Curse God give me a little with my fathers blessing rather then a great deale with my fathers Curse better is a little with the feare of the Lord then greatreasures and trouble therewith saith Solomon Prov. 15. 16. 4. Fourthly and lastly These are given in hand as pledges of our future hopes Take these for present but greater things are laid up for thee hereafter Psal 31. 19 How great are the things thou hast laid up for them that fear thee He that knowes Christ to be his may say I have these and heaven too I have these and Christ too these are not my portion that is to come But these are the wicked mans portion Psal 17. 14. They have their portion in this life there is all they must expect no more they may say I have house and land riches honours and pleasures but I have no part in Christ or Heaven with Dives I am merry now but to night I may be in hell with him Now what joy hath a condemned man in the society of all his friends in daintiest fare in all delights and pleasures whiles he wanteth his pardon every houre expecting execution CHAP. XI That the knowledge of Jesus Christ and him crucified is the most comfortable knowledge 3. NOw followeth the third and last reason why we ought to study to know Jesus Christ and him crucified Because it is the most comfortable knowledge in the world In other things He that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow But the more a man knowes of Christ and his part in him the greater is his joy A poor godly man
that knowes Christ is his hath more joy in his heart and lives a more comfortable life then the greatest rich man that hath all abundance great mannors is rich in gold and silver but knows not that he hath any part or portion in Iesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. 8. After you beleeved you Psal 4. 7. Psal 66. 3. rejoyced with joy unspeakable and glorious yea such a man carries heaven about him and the joyes of it for the Kingdome of heaven is righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. and this appeares especially in foure conditions 1. In time of spirituall distresse when our sinnes are gone over our heads like mountaines milstones too heavy for us to bear Come to me saith Christ though thy heart be never so heavy and I will ease Matth. 11. 28. thee when all other things will be bitter and miserable comforters to thee A sword shall pierce through thy soule saith Simeon to Mary that the thoughts of many hearts may be opened that is may be eased as a sore when it is opened it is eased Luke 1. 35 When I was scorched with the heat of Gods anger I sate under thy shadow saith the spouse Cant. 2. 3. with great delight Like as Ionas Gourd or a tree with broad leaves shadowes from the heat of the sunne so doth Christ from the heat of Gods hottest displeasure when he seemeth most angry with us 2. The knowledge of Christ is most comfortable in time of greatest persecution imprisonment banishment c. like as the Unicornes horns sweetens all poysoned waters for then we know he will be our God to comfort us in all our tribulation 2 Cor. 1. 4. The three children we know were in the fire but unto them it was no fire because Christ was with them in the fire And Daniell was in the lions denn among the lions But to him they were no lions but as so many lambes insteed of lions because Christ was with him in the den of lions Paul and Silas were whipt indeed but it was with Rosemary branches because Nihil sentit crux in nervo quaÌ„ do animus est in Caelo they found more pleasure then pain more â—oy then sorrow Yea and they were in prison too but it was sweeter to them then a parlour where at midnight they Sung psalmes for joy because Christ was with them in the prison The holy martyrs amidst the flames of fire clapt their hands for joy because Christ was with them in the fire Methinks said one I tread upon pearles when he trod upon â—ott burning coles And I feele no more paine then if I lay in a bed of Doune and yet he lay in flames of fire According as the Lord hath promised he Phil. 4. 13. Ier. 30. 11. Psal 103. 13. will lay no more upon us then he will enable us to beare 1. Cor. 10. 13. 3. The saving knowledge of Christ is most comfortable in our greatest affliction sicknesses losses crosses disgraces for likly as our afflictions abound our comforts abound much more as the stars shine brightest in the darkest night This comforted the Church in her Captivity when she walked in garments rouled in blood Yet saith she Vnto us a Child is born Esa 9. 6. Alas but cold comfort a man would think for her to remember a Christ to come 6 or 700 yeeres after especially in respect of her present misery Yet this was their greatest stay comfort for while Christ came not so long they were sure they could not totally be rooted out because God had promised the scepter should not depart from Iudah till Gen. 49. 10. Shiloh that is till Christ should come And indeed they were never totally ruined till Christ came And also because by Christ all temporall punishments are sweetened and made comfortable unto us What comforted Iob amidst all his heavy and grievious afflictions but this Yet I know my redeemer liveth c. yea even this alone supported Habbackkuck in the time of his own and the Churches misery Hab. 3. 17. 18. Though the figtree shall not blossome nor shall fruit be in the vines the laboure of the Olive shall faile the feild shall yeeld no meat the flock shall be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stals yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation And the reason is because if we know Christ savingly we are sure of two things 1. First that whatsoever befals us it Rev. 3. 19. 2 Sam. 7. 14. shall come in his love to us For we are chastened that we might not be condemned And is it not mercy and love to be but whipt or branded when a man should be hanged To be but chastened when he should be damned And secondly we are sure that it shall do us good Rom. 8. 28. All things shall co-work together with God for our good though we are not sure of prosperity nay we know not what afflictions we may meet withall nor what cup we shall drink yet we are sure of this that Goodnesse and mercy shall follow us all the dayes of our lives Ps 23. 6. If we be poore it shall be good poverty If sick it shall be a good sicknesse If in disgrace and reproch it shall be good disgrace c. Blessed is he whom thou chastisest and teachest saith David God will turn all our water into wine And like Sampsons riddle Out of the eater shall come meate and out of the strong shall come sweetnesse even lion-like afflictions that would seeme to tear us in pieces and devour us will bring hony and sweetnesse to us As the Israelites that were forty yeeres going through a wildernesse full of troubles when they might have gone it in 40 dayes but God tels them the reason was That he might humble them and prove them Deut. 8. 16 and doe them good in the latter end As indeed he did So likewise Ioseph tels his brethern You intended evill against me but the Lord turned it to good Genes 50. 20. Question But you will say what good shall afflictions work for us Ans I Answer somtimes they shal work temporall good for us in this life Ioseph had his time to be under a cloud and was thirteen yeeres in prison by false accusation but God in due time remembred him and caused his sunne to break out of a cloud as God hath promised Psal 37. 5 6. Commit thy way to the Lord trust in him and he shall bring it to passe and he shall bring forth thy righteousnesse as the light and thy judgement as at noon-day Who for 13. yeeres imprisonment raigned four scoure yeeres like a King in Egipt David you know had seaven yeeres banishment yet it ended in a glorious raigne of 40. yeeres continuance Ruth a while like a servant may gleane among the sheaves but ere long she is mistris of all those fields wherin she
promised that neither life nor death shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ our Lord Rom. 8. ult 2. And secondly If thou knowest Christ to be thine thou art sure to dye a blessed death Reve. 14. 13. Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord. c. because that day and houre thou diest that day thou art sure thy soule shall be with Christ in paradise for to all that know Christ savingly death is but the harbenger to bring their Cyprian soules to Christ Ejus est timere mortem qui ad Christum nolit ire saith a father let him fear death that is loth to go to Christ do not thou feare that desirest to be dissolved and to be with Christ Death to thee is but as thy fathers horse to cary thee to thy fathers house or like Iosephs Chariot ratling with its wheeles ready to carry old Iacob to his son Ioseph so is death ready to carry thee to thy Saviour Iesus Alas our misery lies in our life morimur dum non morimur not in our death therein lies all our happynesse for we shall not die but live still onely we shall exchange the place of our living instead of Egypt to live in Canaan instead of earth to live in heaven Now are wee afraid to live No life is sweet then feare we not to die for that brings the sweetest and most happy life and will make an exchange of a life of misery for a life of glory Indeed to them that know not Christ O how bitter is death It must needes sting them like a serpent because they go from all their hapinesse to all their misery Death of it selfe is bitter but herein lies the sting and strength of death to all out of Christ in that it is entailed to eternall death they may say as once Elisha did 2 Kings 6. 32. Behold the murtherer death is come to take away mine head And is not the sound of his Masters feet even of the divel and hell behind him mori non metuo said one sed damnari metuo I feare not to die but I feare to be damned When Saul was told by Samuel as he took him to be to morrow thou shalt be with me therefore what else but in heaven yet the newes pleased him not his conscience preached otherwise to him but Saul fell all along on the earth and was sore afraid and there was no strength in him 1 Sam. 28. 20. so Belshazzar did read the hand writing before Daniel read it and trembled for his conscience told him there could come no good newes from heaven to such a wretch as he was And verily herein lyes the sad condition of all men that know not Iesus Christ savingly That though they may make themselves merry and be pleasant in their lives yet death makes them miserable they shall lye down in sorrow Esa 50. 11. And though now Christ seemes like a roote out of a dry ground having nothing in him why they should desire him Esa 53. 2. for though he hath made rich promises yet not of such things as they care or desire to be rich in and with such hard conditions too as seem unreasonable even the parting with their dearest lusts yet at death what would men give for assurance that Christ were theirs Would they not prefer this knowledge before all earthly blessings As Severus said if I had a thousand worlds I would now give them all to be found in Christ As crock-back Richard the third in his distresse cryed a Kingdome for a hors O then they will cry a Kingdome for a Saviour CHAP. XII A Reproofe of those that know nothing of Iesus Christ Vse 1 IF this be so that we ought to study to know nothing but Iesus Christ and him crucified then they are justly to be reproved that know nothing of Iesus Christ and him crucified There are five sorts of them who know nothing or very little of Iesus Christ and him crucified First the heathens who are the greatest part of the world and of whom there are milions of milions at this day who want the meanes of knowledge and can never attaine salvation for if our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that perish 2 Cor. 4. 3. And they are without hope Eph. 2. 12. Qui cuiquam salutem promittit sine Christo nescio utrum ipse salutem habere potest in Christo Aug. Acts 17. 31 Ir is true some conceive it is a sinne in Heathens to want habituall knowledge of Christ because it was in Adam in innocency and it had beene his duty so to have acted if God had commanded him as now he doth command all men Therefore habituall knowledge of Christ seems still to be required even of heathens Yea and actuall applicatory knowledge of all to whom Christ is revealed because the want is their sinne for which they shall be damned John 16. 9. Mark 16. 16. But where the Gospel is not revealed as among the Heathens there it seemes not a sinne for we are not bound to act that which God never revealed to Adam nor since There is Lex interna id est internus Deiconceptus and externa or revelata Now Gods secret will is not our Law but his will revealed Leges factae instituuntur cum promulgantur Rayner Panth. Some indeed think the moralized heathens that walked by the light of nature were saved as Chrys Clemens Alexand. Erasmus Casauhon and others but Christ tels us the contrary Act. 4. 12. Though in comparison of us that have the meanes they are said to have no sin Ioh. 15. 22. I grant whether it be a sin or no in the Heathens not to know Christ to whom he was never revealed is a question But of this I am sure if their negative infidelity be no sin being ignorantia privationis or negativa yet their positive fidelity is odious in that they trust to dumb Idols to the stock of a tree c. when as the light of nature tels them that they themselves are better then that they trust in by whichlight of nature they shall be judged Rom. 2. 12. yea light of nature tels them a living creature is better then the picture as a lamb in the field or a bird flying in the aire c. are better then a picture of them And yet saith one si accepto spiritu occurrerent ut monstra haberentur 2. The Turks that acknowledge God a father yet deny Christ a Redeemer though they heare of Christ yet despise him reject abuse him and his members and prefer their Mahomet before him whose sin is greater because their own religion is so absurd fleshly and filthy and his rewards all fleshly fitter for swine then men 3. The poore scatter'ed Iewes of whom and for whom Christ especially came to them still Christ is a mystery they acknowledge Moses law and the Prophets but reject Christ as an impostor looke for a saviour to come
Ministers would what they can set upon this work Catechising teacheth the first principles and fundamentals in religion and maketh Heb. 6. 1. 5. 12. grounded Christians and would preserve them from Schismes errors and heresyes and every wind of doctrine with which now so many are blowne away for want of being wel grounded as a ship without Anchor is tossed hither thither with the winds Eph. 4. 14. But a sure foundation will make a firme building as the house that was built upon a rock the raine fell the floods came the winds blew but it fell not because it was founded upon a rock Mat. 7. 24. 2. let them use the meanes of hearing reading conference with other Christians asking them questions c. Let us 2 Tim. 3. 16. Iohn 5. 39. go said the people to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach us his wayes c. Esa 2. 3. Onely come with an humble and teachable heart If any seeme to be wise let 1 Cor. 8. 2. him be a foole that he may be wise 1 Cor. 3. 18. 3. Practise what you know already for if any will do my will he shall know whether Prov. 24. 13 14. Rom. 1. 18. 21. 28. it be of God or no. John 7. 17. But on the contrary God will take away the knowledge we have if we imprison the truth in unrighteousnesse as Masters blow out the candle when the servants play with it Rom. 1. 18. 21. 18. 4. Be much in Prayer for Christ is our Prophet and if we seeke it of him he will teach us so much as is necessary to salvation I councel thee to buy of me Eye-salve Iob 32. 8. 1 Cor. 2. 10. If thou cryest after knowledge and liftest up thy voyce for understanding saith Solomon If thou seekest for her as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasures then shalt thou understand the feare of the Lord Ioh. 34. 32 and finde the knowledge of the Lord Prov. 2. 3 4 5. Therefore pray with Job Lord what I see not teach thou me and as David often Teach me thy statutes as the naturally blind cried Lord Jesus that I may receive my sight The word is like a Dial that will not shew thee how the day goeth till the Sun shines upon it So though there be a spirit in man yet it is the inspiration of the Almighty that giveth understanding CHAP. XIII A reproof of those that study to know all things else save Jesus Christ and him crucified Vse 2 IN the second place If we ought to study to know nothing save Iesus Christ and him crucified Then it justly reproves those that study to know nothing of Iesus Christ but study all other things save the knowledg of Christ Some study the knowledge of the creatures and of the things of the world like Mouls always grovling in the earth to have skill in corne cattle land c. Others befoole themselves in the studying of vanities the soule spending her self to catch at shadows and leting go substance as those heathens Rom. 1. 21. They became vaine in their imaginations That is spending their time and taking great paines in studying such things the knowledge whereof is no wayes profitable to themselves or others like the Spider that with her intrals weaves a curious web yet good for nothing but to be swept downe Or like unto foolish children that sweat and toyle and heat themselves to catch Butterflyes Or as the Israelites did weary themselves to gather stubble in stead of straw or as Jeat that gathers drosse and refuse things to it selfe but le ts go all precious things Or as the Loadstone that drawes Iron to it but le ts go Gold and Silver And thus they sow the wind and reap the whirlewind I remember a story I have read of Alexander the Great when one was presented before him that could do famous exploits who said he could throw a Pease at a farre distance upon the point of a Needle But instead of a reward or countenance given him from that noble warrier he had a check from him what said he dost thou spend thy precious time in throwing Pease upon the point of a needle And surely all study after vain knowledge is but as throwing Pease upon the point of a needle and shall receive from God a check rather then a reward Queri non debet qd solvi non potest Me lius est dubitare de occultis quam litigare de in certis Aug Quaesupra nos nihil ad nos Socrat. Quae sunt oculta non sunt scrutand◠quae manifesta non sunt negligenda Presp Others spend their time in studying to know things hidden from them and that concerns them not Thus the disciple enquired when Christ would restore the Kingdome of Israel Acts 1. It is not for you saith our Saviour to know the times and seasons c. So Peter John 31. 21. Master what shall this man do c What if I will that be tarry till I come what is that to thee c Est aliqua docta ignorantia Aug. There is a learned ignorance Secret things belong to God but revealed to us and to our children Others spend their time in studying foolish questions genealogyes and curiosities the knowledge whereof may gender strife but are usually unprofitable and vaine Tit. 3. 9. 2 Tim. 2. 23. Thus the Athenians had books of curious arts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It s thought they were books of Necromancy yet good for nothing but for the fire Acts 19. 19. though they prised them at five Myriads or 50000. peeces of silver which if they were but the Roman pennies some have computed to come to about eight hundred pounds And thus the Schoolmen have wasted a great deale of precious time in very vaine and unprofitable questions Picking strawes in Divinity Bish Hall as a Reverend godly and learned Bishop speaketh And at the best they are Quantum mali facit nimia subtilitas Senec. * Nor can they agree in their rules of Art some say Plato wanted order Aristot was dark Pliny wanted method and Seneca was lime without sand Corn. Agrip. de vanit Scient but Questiunculis lascivientes waxing wanton with vaine and curious questions as saith another Others they spend their time in studying Arts and Sciences but study not to know Jesus Christ Scientes in omnibus nisi in quibus vera constat sapientia that is studying to know all things but onely those wherein lies all true good and happinesse First * The Grammarian he will tell you he studyes about letters and words how to speake every word aright but forgets to study how to live aright And yet alas words are but sounds and spoken according to the custome of the people and not alwayes according to rules of Art 2 Secondly the Rhetorician he will tell you he studyes to speake his words in print Perpolitè elegantèr Ornatè adorning them
there is more danger often in the Physician then in the disease as it was said of Adrian Medicorum turba Principem perdiderunt they kild their king with a multitude of physicians Or as Cato said of them quòd plures occiderent quam sanareâ—t they would kill more than they would cure Or as he that was askt how he came to live so old answered Nunquam usus sum medico I never went to Physician Yet this we know except God be the Physician they are Physicians of no value and nothing can cure the diseases of the soule but the knowledge of Christ and him crucified 11. The lawyer he will tel you he studies to know the lawes of the Land and not the lawes of heaven the lawes of men but not the lawes of God and is often more skild in Law then Gospel many having little or no knowledge of Iesus Christ and him crucified and so dye with what they have gotten by the law because God knowes they have got nothing many of them by the Gospell 12. Lastly the Theologian he will tell you he studyes Verba dei dicere not facere to say and do not and so turnes Pharisee by making his words blush when his deeds reprove them Yea how often do we Ministers preach the knowledge of Christ to others when we know him not our selves savingly while we preach to others we our selves may become reprobates But the truth is he knowes nothing that knowes not Christ and that he hath his part in him or if he do yet frustra novit omnia he knoweth nothing as he ought to know I intend not by this discourse to condemne the studying of arts and sciences which are good in their degree and of great use but when men study these with the neglect and slighting of the knowledge of Christ Were it not solly to slight the light of the sunne and prefer the light of the moon and starres before it Alasse other sciences are at the best but Cornel. Agrip de van Hominum opiniones veritatis imagines opinions of men and shadowes of truth but Christus est ipsa veritas Christ is the way the truth and the life without the knowledge of whom there is no salvation CHAP. XIV A reproof of those that study to know Christ only by speculation Vse 3 IN the third place If we ought to study to know Jesus Christ not only by speculation but also by application c. Then it justly reproves three sorts of people First Those that content themselves with a generall and speculative knowledge that Christ is the Saviour of the world but know not that he is their Saviour that he died for sinners but know not whither he died for them yea or no which is the highest degree of knowledge that most men have attained unto But let these men seriously weigh these two things First That generall knowledge of Christ by speculation without application is unprofitable and vaine Secondly That it is dangerous and hurt full First I say it is unprofitable and vain It is true it is life eternall to know God and him whom he hath sent Jesus Christ John 17. 3. But it is not meant of the knowledge of Christ by speculation only which the devils have and yet it makes them neither more holy nor more happy for happinesse consists not in bonorum cognitione sed fruitione that is in the knowledge of good things but in the enjoyment of them A Pearle in the eye doth not enrich a man by meer gazing upon it but a Pearl in the hand when we come to injoy it And why did Paul say he counted all things as losse for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Phil. 3. 8. Surely he meant not for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ by bare speculation only which a man may know and be a divell in his life but he meanes as after he expounds himselfe such a knowledge whereby he may come to winne Christ for so he addes I count all things but as dung that I may winne Christ and be found in him not having mine own righteousnesse c. Alasse what profit and benefit got the old world by hearing and knowing there was an Arke wherein some were saved whiles they themselves were drowned in the waters And what good did it those Iewes that were stung with fiery serpents in the wildernesse to know there was a brazen serpent set up whereby others were cured but they themselves died with the sting of the fiery serpents What good what benefit or comfort is it to me to heare there is a pardon for other malefactors but not for me I must dy Or for an hungry man to know there is bread enough but I starve for hunger There are clothes but I am naked There is water enough in the sea but I thirst and have not a drop So beloved what doth it profit me to know there is a Saviour for others but not for me I shall be damned What good doth a plaister if not applyed It were as good For as Moses Rod when it was out of his hand turned into a Serpent so doth Christ when not taken hold on by the hand of faith for thee there were no Saviour if he be not thy Saviour 2. The knowledge of speculation without application is very dangerous and hurtfull for us and that in three respects 1. First Because it breeds bitternesse grief and vexation to the soule Even the devils themselves know Christ by speculation but alas this knowledge of Christ makes them not rejoyce but makes them tremble or roar like the roaring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the sea Iam. 2. 19. Suppose ten men in prison condemned and a pardon obtained for three or foure of them but the rest must die this addes to their sorrow So This even This will fill the soul with torment and sorrow that thousands are pardoned and saved by Christ but they themselves are damned As Spira said Christ is to me a grief and a torment because I rejected him I despised him 2. Secondly the knowledg of Christ by speculation only without application mâ—st needs be dangerous Because if Christ be not thy Saviour he will be thy judge if thou canst not call him Lord Iesus thou shalt call him Lord judge If thou gettest not thy part in the blood of the Lamb thou shalt have thy part in the wrath of the Lamb John 9. 39. For judgement am I come into this world and therefore not for salvation to all but onely to his elect Yea it is Christ that will give thee thy sentence of condemnation There is one will condemne you saith Christ even Moses in whom you trust So there is one will condemne you even Jesus in whom you trust Iohn 5. 45. I have heard of a lawyer having a bad cause of a Clients to plead yet being a good pleader did keepe him off from sentence but the same lawyer being made a judge and the
mercy for him because he denyed the truth against his conscience If we sin wilfully saith the Apostle after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remains no more sacrifice for sinne but a certain fearfull looking for of Judgement Heb. 10. 26. who pities a man when you tell him this is poyson yet he will drink it or that such an house is infected yet he will go in to it He that increaseth this knowledge increaseth his owne sorrow 2. They hurt others like the Unicorns horne which though a precious horne Like a sword in a mad mans hand yet so long as it is on a beasts head is dangerous and hurtfull They lay a stumbling block before the weak prove like false lights on shore which lead ships on sands and rocks to split them A Gentlewoman turned Atheist because she lived under a great Doctor that preached excellently was very learned but lived very licentiously And no wonder for we are ready to walk by example more then precept and ignorance thinkes why should it feare when knowledge dares venture Now all these are truly said by the Apostle not to know Jesus Christ he that saith he knowes him and keeps not his commandements is a lyar and â—â—e truth is â— Ioh. 2. 4. not in him As it was said of Eli's sonnes they knew not the Lord because they were sonnes of Belial and lived in rebellion against the Lord 1 Sam. 2. 12. CHAP. XV It sheweth forth how thankful and contented those ought to be that know Jesus Christ and him crucified savingly HItherto we have reproved three sorts of people some that know nothing of Jesus Christ others that study to know all things but Jesus Christ and a third sort that content themselves with a bare speculative knowledge of Christ without application Now in the fourth place seeing the knowledge of Christ is so excellent profitable and comfortable It teacheth us the happy condition of all those that know Jesus Christ savingly viz. with knowledge of application affection and operation O how should they with the wise merchant having found this Pearle of great price rejoyce though they had nothing else left to rejoyce in How would those men rejoyce that should find a Cabinet of richest pearls and Iewels or a great spoil Much more should they rejoyce in this Pearl in comparison of which all other Pearls and Iewels are not worth the mentioning Christ being a Iewel of more worth then both the Indies Thus did the Eunuch when he had found Christ then he went on his way rejoycing Act. 8. 39. whom though you see not yet you love saith Peter and beleeving you rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1. 8. The Virgin Mary rejoyced more that Christ was her Saviour then that she was his mother Luke 1. 47. My spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour And that in these six considerations 1. First Because he is the greatest gift that O Thesauris omnibus opulentior noticia Christi God can give or we can receive John 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his only sonne this is more then if he had given us all the world for God hath but one sonne and can make no more sonnes but God can make more worlds at his pleasure this gift is God himselfe and God can give us no greater gift then himselfe we may say as one said to Caesar when he gave him a great reward this is too great a gift said he for me to receive yea but it is not too great a gift for me to give said Caesar 2. Secondly He is the richest gift for Christ is all in all if he hath given us Christ he will with him give us all things else Rom. 8. 32. He is that one thing needfull that brings all things as I have treated at large before Yea he is Gratiae non sunt agendae pro luna nisi nocte tantum That gift of God John 4. 10. Surely God have given us more gifts then one True but as one sun is more worth then all the starres so that gift excels them all according to the Proverbe we blesse not God for the starres when the sun shines for when the sunne shines the starres appear not 3. Thirdly because he is the choycest gift that God hath Other gifts he gives Promiscuously to good and bad so as no man knoweth love or hatred by any thing that is before him Eccles 9. 1. Judas had the bag and Dives fared deliciously every day when Lazarus would have been glad of his crumbes But God never gives this gift to any but whom he loves with his dearest speciall and eternall love Suppose a Prince should woe some great Lady and had a Jewel worth a million It may be he would scatter pieces of silver or give some slighty tokens of favour upon the servants but his rich Iewel That he gives to his spouse This Iewel is Christ Abraham may give Ismael a bottle of milk but Isaac had the inheritance Herein is love in that he hath given us his only sonne saith St. Iohn 1 Iohn 4. 9. Alas herein is love that we are out of hell not roaring with the damned that we are freed from the collick and stone strangury and other tormenting diseases that we have bread to eat when others have none Ask the hungry and he will tell thee that bread is sweet As I read in these late Germane warres of a Girle about nine years of age that asked her mother saying good mother let me kill you Child said she why wouldst thou kill me O said she let me either kill you or do you kill me for I am very hungry and they say mans flesh is very sweet But we are nor fed with mans flesh we feed upon the flesh of beasts and of birds of the aire and fish in the sea and the best of his creatures we never were yet brought to say mans flesh is very sweet Herein is love that we have water to drinke yea the blood of the grape when others drink wormwood and gall nay mingle their drinke with weeping and blood Lament 3. 19 20. Herein is love that we are not consumed with sword pestilence and famine even in these sad times when so many have been utterly ruined maimed wounded slain that when poor Protestants in Ireland were stript stark naked in winter frosts and so were driven before them to execution with instruments of death yet then we had clothes to put on our houses to dwell in our beds to lie on the fire to warme us the creatures to comfort us and we are still fed with the finest of the wheat our table is richly spread our cup runs over and God daily loadeth us with his benefits c. No no herein is no love comparatively though we are lesse then the least of Gods mercies but in this that he hath given us Iesus Christ that he hath given us the Iewel It is true it
that it answered all things perhaps speaking according to the opinion of the world but I am sure it is true of Christ that he answers all things CHAP. XVI An exhortation to all to study the knowledge of Jesus Christ THe fifth use is a use of exhortation seeing the knowledg of Christ is most excellent most profitable and most comfortable it should stir us up above all things in the world to study take pains to know Iesus Christ savingly and bewail our study of other things with the neglect of Christ This is our great work to give all diligence to make our calling and election sure that is make Christ sure Omnia siperdas 2 Pet. 1. 10. animam Christum servare memento whatever we loose be sure we loose not our soules we loose not Christ one soul is worth all the world and one Christ is worth a 1000. soules therefore let this be our greatest care to enquire with the Acts 16 3. Iailor Sirs what shall I do to be saved what course shall I take to come to know that Christ is my Saviour To excite us thereto let us seriously ponder in our hearts these two things First What do we more stand in need of or can do us more good then Iesus Christ is it â—â—â—es honours pleasures or any thing the world hath or can help us unto Secondly how ready and willing is God to give Christ God is as willing to give Christ as we can be willing to receive him upon the termes he hath offered him which appears in that â—e cals upon us to receive him 1. By Acclamation Preach the Gospel to every creature Matth. 16. 16. 1 Iohn 3. 19. And let whosoever will take of the water of life Rev. 22. 17. 2. By Exhortations and persuasive arguments Turne you turn you why will you die Ezek. 33. Come unto me all you that are weary c. Matth. 11. 28. 3. By Impetrations and intreatyes I pray be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5. 20. 4. By Injunction and oommand say not I dare not beleeve for it s your duty I command you to beleeve 1 Iohn 3. 23. This is his commandment c. 5. By Comminations and threatnings If you will not receive Christ it will lie heavy upon you Matth. 11. 21. Wo be to thee Chorazin wo be to thee Bethsaida c. 6. By Patheticall lamentation As when he wept over Ierusalem and said Oh that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace Luke 19. 42. Oh that my people hâ—â— harkened to me Psal 81. 13. 7. By Continuation he continues perswading again and again yea a 1000. times Behold I stand at the door and knock Rev. 3. 10. O Ierusalem how often would I have gathered thee and thou wouldst not Matth. 23. 37. 8. By inward motions and excitations of his spirit striving Acts 7. 51. with our spirits to perswade us to come unto him My spirit saith God shall not alwayes strive with man Gen. 6. 3. We know the Prodigals father met him halfe way when he returned to shew how ready Christ is to embrace those that come to him and sure if Christ knocks at our door that we might open if we knock at his door he will open and if God gave Christ when we never begd him he will not deny him to those that ask him Open to me my sister my love my dove my undefiled for my head is filled with Cant. 5. 2. dew and my locks with the drops of the night saith our blessed Saviour to his spouse Quest But you will say how should a man come to attain to the knowledge of Iesus Christ with application Answ I answer briefly and plainly for the help of the ignorant and young beginners First labour to see the worth and excellency that is in Christ â—f thou knewest that gift of John 4. 10. Ignoti nulla Cupido Voluntas sequiturdictamen intellectus God thou wouldst have asked you see because she knew it not she asked not our affections are kindled according as our understandings apprehend The eye affects the heart beauty draws affection Hence the Lord Christ sets forth himselfe in all his robes of glory in the Canticles to this end that the spouse might be the more ravished with his love and to win her affection to him Because of the savour of thy good ointments poured forth therefore the virgins love thee Cant. 1. 3. yea hence it is that the whole book of the Canticles is so bespangled with the praises of Christ as the firmament with starres but especially in Cant. 5. 9. to the end And what 's the reason why men set so light by Iesus Christ is it not because they see nothing in him why they should desire him Es 52. 3. But the excellency of Christ hath been at large handled before in the ninth tenth and eleventh chapter to which I refer the Reader Secondly labor to see thy need of Christ that without him thou art most wretched and miserable a Rev. 3. 17 yea more miserable then any creature that ever God made except the divels which appears in five particulars 1. Consider seriously the multitude of sinnes thou art guilty of even more then the haires of thy head or the sands on the sea-shore or the starres in the heavens which are innumerable Innumerable evils saith David hath campassed me they are more then the haires of my head therefore my heart faileth me b Ps 40. 12 2. And yet alas one of thy sinnes were enough to sink thee into hell for ever c Gal. 3. 10. Consider also the foulnesse and greatnesse of thy sins which will one day stare upon thee as so many divels thy Atheisme and blasphemy thy pride hypocrisie vain glory thy oaths and perjury filthinesse and uncleannesse coveteousnesse deceit oppression malice envy and a world of wickednesse Mine iniquities saith David are gone over my head like a heavy but then they are too heavy for me d Ps 38. 4â— 3. Consider them likewise with their aggravating circumstances many of them committed with deliberation and wilfulnesse against thy knowledge and conscience the motions of the holy spirit against thine own vowes covenants and resolutions thy reiterated relapses like the dog returning to his former vomit which he had cast up or the washed sow to her wallowing in her former mire Thy continuing in thy sins 20. 30. 40. 50. years till perhaps thy glasse be halfe run or almost out and all this time hath been spent in serving the divel thy lusts and the world and in enmity to God and his righteousnesse 4. Because we are ready to say Alas we are all sinners who can say non peccavi Consider thy sins thy spots are not the spots of Gods c Deut. 32. 5. people for they sin but they hate their sins mourn under them are weary of them but thou lovest them takest pleasure in them and art loath to forsake
to take part with us in our sufferings for sometimes God comforts us that by our experience we might be the better able to comfort others 2 Cor. 1. 4. 2. Secondly Remember what thou Psal 77. 11. 12. wert and whether thou didst never believe Christ to be thine and whether there be no signe of saving grace still remaining in thee as mourning under sin love to the brethren c. and then though thou hast a 1000. doubts thou canst not answer yet thou art sure to be saved for that cannot be a dead tree that hath fruit growing upon it 3. Thirdly if thou canst not believe Christ is thine yet resolve to love and obey him say thus whether he will save me or no I will love and serve him as well as I can I will walk in his wayes and not sin against him And this will reflect comfort upon us of its owne accord for how could I love God if he did not first love me Our affections of love to God saith a Reverend Divine are but reflections Dr. Sibs on Psal 42. of Gods love to us If cold bodies have heat it is a signe some fire has warmed them or the Sunne hath shined upon them 4. Fourthly Resolve what ever become of thee to die beleeving as Job did though he kill me saith he I will put my trust in him and as Joab did who would die with his hands holding upon the altar and as Ester resolved in another case upon Christ will I trust if I perish I perish CHAP. XXIII An exhortation to the ministers of the Gospell especially to preach Iesus Christ to the people IN the next place Vse 7 seeing Paul desired to know learne and teach nothing among the Corinthians but Jesus Christ and him crucified let it be an exhortation to all the minsters of the Gospell to follow the example of Saint Paul in two respects First to preach nothing to our people in comparison of Iesus Christ and him crucified Secondly to preach in such a manner as men may come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ First I say to preach Iesus Christ especially to the people wo be to me saith Paul if I preach not the Gospell and again my little children of whom I travell in birth till Christ be formed in you Gal. 4. 19. It was the prayer of Luther at his death thee ô Christ have I known thee have I loved thee have I taught thee have I trusted and now into thy hands do I commend my spirit O the more of Christ in a sermon the sweeter is our preaching and our greatest ornament is that we can set forth the honour of Christ Saint Augustine professed of Cicero he was much delighted in his eloquence but he soon grew weary quianomen Christi non erat ibi because the name of Christ was not to be found there 1. And it must needs be so first because the preaching of Christ is most profitable for the people alas what can we inrich them withall in comparison of Christ the knowledge of whom can only make them happy This is life eternall to know thee the only true God and him whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ thus we shall save their soules from death hell and damnation and hide a multitude of sins Jam. 5. ult 2. It is most welcome and comfortable as it is sweeter to bring a pardon to condemned men then to read their sentence of condemnation for so we shall bee their ministeriall saviours whereas else we shall be but their tormentors 3. It is the readiest way to break the Eph. 3. 17 18. heart as the Traitor flyeth at the pursuit after with hew and cry but the kings proclamation of pardon that brings him in we know by the law is the ministration of death like Hagar that saw her bottle empty Gal. 2 16. Gal. 3. 10. nothing but death before her eyes but no fountaine to fill it again The law is like a glasse wherein we see our spots but no water to wash them out as Paul said when the commandement came sin revived but I died But the Gospel is like the Laver in Exod. 38. 8. which was made of the womens looking glasses whereby they might both see their faces and also wash out their spots for it was both a glasse and a laver and this typified Christ If any man sin we have an advocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous 1 Iohn 2. 1. And certainly if any thing its mercy melts the heart Adam ran away from God when he heard the terrible voice of God in the garden saying I heard thy voice in the garden and I was afraid and I hid my selfe But when he spake to them with a milder voice then they came in Gen. 3. 9 10. In Eliahs vision the Lord was not in the whirlewiud nor in the earth-quake but in the still voice as you may read at large 1 Kings 19. 11. 23. c. I have heard a story of a Gentlewoman condemned to die for killing three of her children many godly ministers seeing her hardened as they thought in her sinne much pressed her with her grievous sin and the dreadfulnesse of her condition but all nothing moved her but rather she grew more obstinate but at last another Reverend Divine hearing of it comes to her preaching to her the unspeakeable mercies of God in Christ c. and that there was mercy for her notwithstanding her great sin if her heart were touched with griefe for what she had done c. what mercy for me said she O that 's impossible c. But expressing further how God delighteth in mercy that mercy pleaseth him that where sin hath abounded their grace and mercy with God abounds much more or to that effect she presently fell a weeping wringing her hands crying for mercy c. and died most comfortably as it was related having had the mercy of God abundantly revealed to her before her death 4. What greater joy can a minister have then to bring men to Christ to be able to say here am I and the children thou hast given me are not you our hope our joy and crown of rejoycing in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming yea are our glory and our joy saith Paul 1 Thes 2. 19. 20. But on the contrary what comfort will this be to us when we lie a dying to say I studied to fill the houre but not a soule I have wonne to Christ 5. Fifthly and lastly the preaching of Christ is most profitable for our selves for they that winne soules to God shall shine as the starres in the firmament and Gal. 6 8. 1 Cor. 15. ult receive a Prophets reward yea we shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 5. 4. every soule wonne to God is as a new pearle added to our crowne Matth. 24 45. 46. O what a heavy account shall that man have to give that must give
an account for losse Qui ludit in Cathedra legebit in Gehenna Bishop Hall Ier. 48. 10. of soules either through idlenesse and negligence in his preaching or not preaching Christ savingly to his people if one soule be worth a world then the losse of one soule is a greater losse then the losse of the whole world all blood cryes aloud Cain could not endure to heare the voice of his brothers blood but none to the blood of soules Ezek. 33. 8. for that death is to all eternity in hell fire Quest But one main question must here be answered before I leave this point seeing ministers must preach Iesus Christ and the Gospel whether then is it lawfull for the ministers of the Gospel to preach the law yea or no I answer negatively none ought to be legall preachers that is to preach salvation by keeping of the law so farre we are all Antinomians and for my own part I know none but Papists or popishly minded that are preachers of salvation by keeping of the law for we know and teach that we are not under the law that is under the Covenant of salvation by keeping of the law but under grace Rom. 6. 14. Col. 2. 14. Secondly I answer positively that the law must be preached as a rule of obedience for so God requires as perfect and personall obedience in us beleevers as he did in Adam in innocency though we cannot performe it nor are we bound thereto upon condition of life for else the defect were no sin as Matth. 22. 37. 38. God requires us to love him with all our heart c. which though we cannot performe yet God requires it still in us that believe and it is our sin if we faile therein and hence it is that the law was promulgated to the Iewes two thousand years after the Gospel was preached to Adam and foure hundred and thirty years asrer it was preached to Abraham and thus Christ himselfe Matth. 5 17. 19. Matth. 3. 8. Col. 3. 5. 12. Iohn-Baptist and the Apostles preached the law 2. Secondly the law must still be preached as a meanes to discover sin and convince men of their misery out of Christ as a Schoolemaster to drive us to Gal 3. 23. Christ which is Gods ordinary way to prepare us to the receiving of Christ for as the Brazen serpent was set up so Ioh. 3. 14. was Christ set up but that was only for those that were stung so is Christ only for those that are stung with their sins hence you see the promise of salvation by Christ is to those that are weary heavy-laden sick broken-hearted c. teaching us that legall humiliation at least is a preparation required ordinarily to the receiving of Christ by faith And thus God dealt with Adam first he began 1 King 19. 11. 12. with a terrible voice and then with a milder and with Elias who had three legall preparations before God appeared in mercy to him so likewise Paul the Iailor and those in Acts 2. 37. c. had the law preached to them before the Gospel The good Samaritan poured oyle and wine because it was into wounds we preach the law that we might preach the Gospel And certainly that will prove at last the best preaching that drives men to Christ and he the best preacher Non qui aures tetigerit sed qui cor pupigerit not that tickles the eare but that breaks the heart to seek after Christ Mens hearts are generally so hardened and secure that the word had need to come like a hammer a fire or sword to wound and melt stony hearts we had not need in these times be the sugar and hony but the salt of the world we have more need of the voice of the Turtle then the voice of the Nightingale to make men mourne rather then to rejoyce As Hierome wrote to Nepotian Hier. ad Nepot Bern. ser 59. Cant. when thou preachest Non clamores populi sed gemitus suscitentur lachrimae auditorum sint laudes tuae Libenter vocem audio saith Bernard non qui mihi plausum sed qui mihi planctum movet It s reported of Vincentius Ferer who preaching in England Scotland France Spain c. everywhere preached Repent Repent for the Kingdome of God is at hand and there followed almost every where delictorum paenitentia morum reformatio omnium contritio cessabant Blasphemiae Coren lap in lam p. 426. aleae ludi c. that is men repented of their sins reformed their wayes left off their blasphemies diâ—ings c. who converted thousands as is reported It is also reported of one Aâ—tonius Padua who so moved the people with preaching the law that they smote their breasts in the streets and with sighs and tears cryed out misericordia domine misericordia mercy Lord mercy c as they did Acts 2. 37. Sirs what must we do to be saved Ramiz said if you would know a good preacher inspice pâ—pulum mark the people whether their hearts be set on fire or upon laughter if thou seest them merry applauding the sermon with O quam doctus eloquens c. O what a learned eloquent man is this scito concionem infructuosam esse know saith he it is an unprofitable sermon sin vides tristes percussos meditantes c. but if thou seest them sad silent deeply musing c. then it profits them And daily experience showes us the only way to bring men to Christ is to break their hearts and make them sick and stung with their sins and then they will more eagerly embrace Iesus Christ a Physitian to their soules Now follows the second part of the exhortation viz. that ministers do not only preach the Gospel but that they preach it in such a manner as the people may best come to the saving knowledge of Iesus Christ as Paul did in this text 1 Cor. 1. 17. 1 Cor. 2 1â— 3. 4. Non Rhetoricè sed Apostolicé It s the foolishnesse of preaching that saves soules though not foolish preaching as Rams hornes blew down Jerichoes wals when golden trumpets could not have done it Moses serpent of brasse cured when Aarons Calfe of gold brought death who did not only preach Iesus Christ to them but in such a manner as that he might not make the Crosse of Christ of none effect And Paul prayes that we may make the Gospel of Christ manifest as we ought to speak Col. 4. 4. which consists in nine particulars First that we preach Christ plainly and perspicuously to the understanding of the meanest Non quantâ— eloquentia sed evidentia saith Aug. so that if the people used to call ossum a bone he would call it so too Melius est ut not reprehendant grammatici quam ut non intelligâ—nt populi Aug. on Psal 138. we are to be stars and lights to give light not clouds to darken the light as do pâ—inted glasse-windows in Churches the Gospel of Christ is