this knowledge in his disciples as also why the world is destitute of it speaking concerning the spirit saying whom the world cannot receaue because it sees him not neither knowes him but yee know him because he dwelleth with you and shal bee in you Iohn 14 17. This place being conferd with the former two teacheth us 3 speciall things touching the estate of a true Christian The 1 is that they are not ignorant of the things of God nor of any grace or blessing spirituall given them by God in Christ the 2 is That all this knowledge is taught thē by the spirit of God which is given them remaines within them The 3 that both the gift of this spirit and knowledge by him proceedes from this that God hath not left us in the world nor in the estate of servitude bondage but hath taken us out of the world and by reconcyling us to himself in Christ hath made us his friends as Abrahā was The use of this is to convince the doctrine of the papisticall church of falshood whereby they maintaine that a Christian truely called can haue no certaine knowledge whether he bee in the estate of grace or not for if the Apostle urge the Corinthians by this speciall knowledge of their owne being in the faith and of Christs being in them to bee witnesses of the power of Christ in his ministry toward them it must necessarily follow that both they and all others called as they were must haue vndoubted knowledge of themselves that they are in the faith and Christ in them otherwise Christs argument before alleadged could not bee true when he saith that his disciples did know the spirit of truth because he dwelt with them and should be in thē which argumēt teacheth us thus much that the saints cannot bee ignorant of any gift or grace of God which dwelleth with them and is in them so that wee may Iustly concluded that a Papist houlding the former position for a truth must bee both faythles and gracelesse seing if eyther faith or grace were in them they could not be ignorant of them neither can they haue anie evasion by their old argument of the necessitie of some speciall revelation from God For this which we haue said before compared with the words of Iohn doth fully answer them saying If we receive the witnes of men the witnesse of God is greater For this is the witnes of God which he testifieth of his sonne He that beleeveth in that sone of God hath witnes in himselfe By which words we are plainly taught that faith can never be without the testimonie both of those three which beare record in heaven to wit the Father the Word and the Holy-ghost nor of these three witnesses which beare record in earth viz. The spirit the water and the bloud and therefore that it must follow that everie true beleever hath a most undoubted revelation of his salvation and blessed estate in grace and on the contrarie that whosoever hath not this vndoubted warrant is faithles indeed seeing as saith the Apostle whosoever beleeveth in the sonne of God hath this witnes of the Father of the Word and of the Holy ghost which are in heaven of the spirit and of the water and of the blood which are in earth then which there can be no revelation of greater force to confirm the certaintie of ones salvation For if according to Gods owne law at the mouth of two or three witnesses every matter shal be established how much more must a true beleeving christian know the certaintie of his salvation who hath it witnessed vnto him and that within himself by those sixe witnesses before mentioned of which none can lye and this is so much the clearer by that which Iohn in the same place speaketh ver 13 saying these things haue I written unto you who beleeve in the name of the sonne of God that ye may knowe that ye haue eternall life Whereby he utterly annulleth that blind argument of the Papists seing it enforceth thē eyther to confesse that they know they haue eternal life or then plainely to confesse that they beleeue not in the sonne of God for faith and knowledge of salvation are two unseparable adjuncts and ever such knowledge as is not builded upon a doubtfull opinion or conjecture but which is buylt upon the unfallible testimony of the six witnesses mētioned before Wee conclude therefore this point with the confortable use thereof to all true beleeving Christians viz. that they rejoyce always I say againe with the Apostle that they rejoyce always seeing their salvation is sure and that it s given unto them to knowe that it is sure Thus much for the Apostles argument for remooving of all pretence of ignorance Now followes the 2 point of tryall which is whether Christ bee in them or not but it s propounded in another manner then the first for touching faith he willd them to try if they were in it but this last he propounds as a thing which he would haue them undoubtedly to acknowledge and no marveil for the effects are more easie to be known then their causes now Christ he dwells in our hearts by faith and therefore wee can never have a true evidence that we beleeue untill we find that Christ is assuredly within us for this cause wee said before that this 2 point of tryall was the meane to know the former Moreover the Apo. subjoins this point unto his former argument whereby he remooves all pretence of Ignorāce purposely to teach us both whē and wherein it is that a Christian comes to know himself to bee in the faith and so receaves experiēce of the power of Christ in the ministry of the Gospell to his salvation whereof before wee spake wee will first somewhat consider the order of the Apostles words Wee see that in the first place he puts them to the tryall of their faith as being the evidence of the power of Christ in his ministry toward them to their salvation 2. In this examination he brings them to the acknowledging of themselves as the proper effect of true faith in all true beleevers 3. He brings thē to the acknowledgment of Christs presence in their hearts as the onely true testimony of the first proper matter of the 2. For if any man thinks he beleeves not having Christ within him he is miserably deceaved and if any man think he knowes himself to bee the child of God except he find himself and Christ united by faith pittifully abuseth himself by his owne judgment This order therefore of the Apostles proceeding teacheth us this lesson what way and by what meanes it is that wee come to the knowledge of the mighty power and outstreched arme of God in the ministry of his word to our salvation in the which 3 things are principally to be marked Our faith our selvs and that in our selves which makes us know our selves by faith to bee
examination The 2 is the subject or persons whom he willeth them to try Concerning the action it is not onely a commeÌ„dable but also a most necessary duety to be observed of every man before he pronounce sentence or passe his iudgment upoÌ„ anie thing but speciallie upon the things of God his worship in his ordinances eyther in rejecting or admitting condemming or approoving for hereby wee are preserved not onely from that great sinne of sinistrous and rash judgement but also from that great follie that falleth in many of forsaking that which is for our good and embracing that which is for our hurt and so consequently are kept from doeing wrong both to our selves and others The truth hereof wee may evidently see in these Corinthians who dispised and contemned the blessed ministry of Paul who was the faithfull Apostle of Christ and did reverence and highlie esteeme the deceitfull ministers of Sathan onely because they neglected this examination and tryall and hereof also it coÌ„meth dayly to passe that many fall in that heavie sinne wherewith Christ upbraided the Iewes saying I am come in my fathers name and yee receave me not if another shall come in his owne name him ye will receave Happie therefore are they who follow the direction of the Aposile Io. In not beleeving every spirit but trying the spirits whether they bee of God or not For manie false prophets haue in former ages doe at this preseÌ„t shal hereafter goe out into this world The necessity of this action may yet farther be perceaued by the Apostles doubling of his exhortation saying Prooue yourselvs examine yourselvs whereby he inforceth them to this as a thing of great moment and most necessarie and therefore not to be neglected for it is the custome of the Apostles in things of this nature to use repetition that we may take them more deeply to hart and seriously practise them and surely there is not any one practise more necessarie in a christian then this of tryall and examination the neglecte whereof maketh many not onely to despise God his Gospell his ministers and his salvation all which they could not but highly esteeme of and desire aboue all things if once they would truly try and tast how good they are but also causeth manie in the ignorance of their owne estate either securely and proudly to boast of themselvs as children of grace when there is no grace in them or then in the miserable weaknesse of their owne hearts to deplore their lamentable estate as forlorne and forsaken of God whenas notwithstanding they injoy the solid testimonies of Gods favour towards them for this cause when the Psalmist would perswade men to seek after God and draw neare unto him he exhorteth them to tast and behold how gracious the Lord is whose goodnesse Peter also maketh to be the argument or condition either to perswade or to be required to moove men to desire the sincere milk of the word for questionlesse they that haue tasted and truly felte what is the goodnesse of God manifested by his word cannot but confesse with David that the Word of God is more to be desired than much fine gold sweeter also than the hony and the hony-comb For the very feete of those who publish peace and Preach good things are beautifull to all who haue felt the consolation of theire ministrye the truth whereof may be seene in the Galatians who as saith the Ap. himselfe did not despise the tryall of him which was in his flesh nether abhorred hiÌ„ whenas first he preached the Gospell unto theÌ„ through the infirmity of the flesh but upoÌ„ the falicity which they found in his miniâ—â—ry receaved him as an Angel of â—od yea as Christ Iesus so that if it â—â—d beene possible they would haue â—â—ucked out their eies and haue giâ—en them unto him For which â—ause the same Apostle when â—e willeth the Thessalonians â—ot to dispise prophesying immediatelie addes this exhortation to try all things keepe that â—hich is good as a meane to â—â—ing them to the loue desire â—nd estymatioÌ„ of prophesying â—or he knew that tryall and â—roofe would make dispisers â—o change their mind and â—ighlie to esteeme that which â—hey dispised before and this â—s the 1. Vse of the doubling of â—his exhortatioÌ„ The 2 use is to â—ew the Apostles assured confidence touching the certainty of that which he had affirmed of the mighty power of Christ in his ministry towards then when so earnestlie and instantly he urgeth them to the tryaâ— thereof in themselves referring the examination of the truâ— thereof to the same persons whâ— did seeke it in him For aâ—â— though the spirit of the propheâ— bee subject to the prophets yet noâ— withstanding the tryall whethâ—â— the spirits bee of God and whethâ—â— they speake in the evidency â— the spirit and power of God â— not is pertinent and belongeâ— in speciall maÌ„ner to the heareâ—â— whose feeling experience is thâ— most certaine testimony anâ— most infallible proofe of Chriâ—â— speaking in those ministeâ—â— whom they heare And therefore a Pastor may then moâ—â— justly boast of the power oâ— Christan his ministry when hâ— dare make his hearers his judges and refer himself to their tryall â—hich teacheth us also another â—â—sson to condemn that vaine â—rogancy foolish pride which â—ossesseth the harts of manie in â—â—ghly esteeming and vainely â—orying of their owne miniâ—â—â—y whenas the vertue valew â—ereof hath no testimony â—â—om the sence and experience â—f the hearers but from the â—ind conceyt of the teachers themselves For the Lord Iesus â—oth arme his messengers with â—e power and vertue of his â—â—irit from aboue not so much â—or their owne sake as for their â—earers in whom God will haue their ministry mighty powerâ—â—ll to cast down all strong houlds â—nd every high thing that is exalâ—â—d in their imaginations against â—he knowledge of God and to â—ubdue all their thoughts intents of their minds to the obedience Christ wee conclude therefoâ—â— this use with this warning to a preachers that seeing as theâ— are ministers the honour anâ— credit of their ministry coÌ„sisteâ— most in the power of God in â— towards others they doe nâ—â— glory nor boast of themselves iâ— respect of their ministry but according as the evidence of thâ— power thereof may be truelâ— testified by the conscience oâ— their hearers esteeming nothing eyther of their eloquence oâ— gifts of preaching how greaâ— soeuer they be in themselves wheÌ„ as they are without eyther force or power towards otherâ— seeing as sayth the Apostle Thâ— kingdome of God is not in woâ—â— but in power and therefore â—â— threatneth those false teacheâ— puft up at Corinth that when hâ— should come to try them he would take notice not of their words but of their power And this shall appeare more evidently by that 2 point which in this tryall is to bee observed who are the persons whom he willeth
without marking or once considering whether they haue put on this faith as a garment to walk in and as an armour to fight in that they may see themselves in it cloathed both as their garment and adorning them and as an armour defending them for its manyfest by the doctrine of Iames that many boast they haue faith who yet doe not walke in it nor use it as a shield against sin and sathan therefore wee are never to esteeme the ministry of the Gospell to bee the power of God to our salvation for any light or perswation it worketh in our hearts inwardly excepte likewise it make us put on that light to walke in it as the children of light and arme us with it to fight against the prince of darknes and all his works For scripture and experience teach us that manie haue the lighte of the knowledg and truth of God within them boasting of it in words who yet in their deeds deny it doing as the Apo. speaks of the gentils who held and detained the truth in unrighteousnes and supprest it in their hearts because when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankfull Rom. 1. 18. 21. And thus much for the first point of the tryall we should now speake of the second but that the Apostle doth stay us with an argument preventing an objection before he specifieth the second point of tryall which is the mean to know the former for they might haue said how shall we be able to know these things which thou willest us to try either that which goeth before viz. Whether we be in the faith or that which followeth viz. whether Christ be in us The Apostle to take away this pretence of ignorance and so to enforce them to acknowledg by this tryall of themselvs the power of Christ in his ministry towards them doth use this argument You must eyther by tryall perceave these things in your-selvs being christians or then ye knowe not your selves but its absurd that you Christians should not know your selves therefore you may easily try these things in your selves Of argument wee haue no more set downe but the second part yet so as in the manner of speech he leadeth us to the collection and gathering of the rest the words being these know ye not your selves as if he would say this wherein I will you to examine your selves cannot be hid from you if ye know your selves which knowledge of themselves he inforceth upō them by this his interrogation which implyeth as much as that it was not only a shame to thē but also an impossible thing not to know themselvs so insinuateth the conclusiō to wit that therefore they behooved to know these things where in he willd them to try themselves In this forme of the Apostles proceeding wee haue first to learne what backwardnes and untowardnes lurks in our nature stil in that wee are loath to acknowledge any thing whereby wee ourselvs may be convinced except confession bee wrested from us by forcible and unresistable argument wee being still inclind to use all sort of pretences to excuse and amongst the rest ignorance rather then by simple acknowledgment of the known truth to condemne our selves in any thing This vice did evidently appeare in Cain when God inquired where his brother Abell was who although he knew perfectly he had kild him yet used a shifting answere to the Lord first pretending ignorance and then bringing in an argument to convince God of unrighteousnes in requiring such a-thing at his hand in that he said he was not his brothers keeper the like wee see also in Saul when he was accused by Samuell for sparing Agag the King of Ameleck in strongly affirming he had performed the will of the Lord notwithstanding that he knew that the preserving of Agag aliue and reserving of the best of the spoile was direct contrary to the direction of the Lord whereby he was commanded to smite Ameleck and to destroy all that pertained unto them but to stay both man and woman both infant and suckling both oxe and sheepe both Camell and asse 1. Samuel 15. The same also is cleerly to bee marked in Annanias and Saphira Acts. 5. And this same infirmity appeareth here in the Corinthians although not in the same manner nor measure of inquity In Cain Saul Ananias and Saphira it proceeded from profane and unsanctified hearts filled with malice pride and coveteousnes but in the Corinthians as in other Godly men it falleth through infirmity and negligence but never of obstinate malice or contempt yet still to bee acknowledged a great weakenes having always mixt with it some selfloue of our selvs which makes us rather to dissemble a knowne truth then to disgrace our selvs in any sort but leaving this wee come to thosethings which principally are to be marked in this argument of the Apostle which yealds us two things to our consideration the first is that a Christian who is caled out of darknes to the marvelous light of God hath amongst all others this great blessing that his eies are open to know himself which no man can doe till he be effectually called of God and haue receaved the spirit of truth whereby he is made able to discerne all things this knowledge of our selvs was known to bee a great vertue amongst the very heathen and was propounded to be followed as a singular vertue by the philosophers but never any of thēselves could ever attaine to it it being the speciall prerogative of those who are taught by the truth of God revealed in his word to haue this grace to know themselves according to that saying of Iohn wee know that wee are of God this whole world lyeth in wickednesse Iohn 1 Epist 5 19. And therefore is it that the same Apostle sayth concerning the elect that the annointing which they haue receaved of the father dwelleth in them and that they need not that any man teach them but as the same annointing teacheth them of all things and it is true and not lying The 2. thing which hereby wee learne is this That the calling of God to the knowledg of his truth giues to men in the knowledg of themselves the sight and knowledge of all graces that are given them of God according to that saying of the Apostle speaking of the unsearchablenes of the things which God hath prepared for them that loue him but saith he God hath reveyled them unto us by his spirit for wee haue not receaud the spirit of the world but the spirit which is of God that wee might know the things that are given us of God 1 Corint 2 10 12. Therefore is it that Christ calles his disciples no more servaunts but friends because as he saith the servant knoweth not what his master doth but vnto them he had made known all things which he heard of his father Iohn 15 15. And in another place hee shewes the reason of
the chidren of God And so by consequence wherein stands the chief proof that the word of God is Gods power to our salvation but in the consideration of these our faith is the point that makes the conclusion For without faith its impossible wee can bee or know our selves to bee the children of God But notwithstanding that which makes the infallible determination of being in the faith depends upon the presence of Christ within us without which all conceit of having faith is frivolous and vain The order then of our minds in searching our spirituall estats is this 1. Wee are to try and examine our selves whether wee know our selves to bee of God or no for he is not of God that knowes not himself to bee of God for according to the saying of Iohn he hath given us a mind to know him which is true and wee are in him that is true and wee know that wee are of God Iohn 1. Epi. 5. 19. 20. Secondly wee are to try if wee bee in the faith because wee never can know our selves to bee of God untill the time wee find ourselves to bee in the faith according to the saying of Christ Hee that is of God heareth Gods words ye therefore heare them not because ye are not of God Iohn 8. 47. 3. For confirming our hearts in the knowledge of this 2. Point and so consequently in the full assurance of the first wee are to try if Christ bee in us without which wee can never assuredly know that wee beleeved and so consequently that wee are of God according to the saying of Christ speaking of the work of the spirit in those to whom he gives it at that day shall ye know that I am in my father and you in mee and I in you and againe in his prayer to God for his elect the glory that thou gavest mee I haue given them that they may be one as wee are one I in them and thou in mee that they may bee made perfect in one Iohn 17. 22. 23. And againe I haue declared unto them thy name and will declare it that the loue wherewith thou hast loved mee may be in them and I in them Ibidem 17. 26. For which cause the saincts are called the habitation of God by the spirit Ephesians 2. 22. Whereupon the Apostle concludeth that if any man haue not the spirit of Christ the same is not his Rom. 8. 9. And this dwelling of Christ by his spirit in our hearts is only wrought by faith according to the saying of the Apostle I bow my knees unto the father of our Lord Iesus Christ that he might grant you according to the richnes of his glory that you may bee strengthned by his spirit in the inward man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by saith Ephesians 3. 14. 15 16. 17. By all which it evidently appeares when it is that a man knowes himself indeed to be the child of God and also wherein this knowledge consisteth viz. when he comes to a lively feeling and cleare sight that Christ is in him all other gifts and graces whatsoever being of no valew or force in the least to give any assurance or true knowledge to a mans soule that he is truely and effectually called by the Gospell to the estate of grace and hope of glory for then onely it is that the Gospell becomes the power of God to our salvation when as thereby Christ is formed in us according to the words of the Apostle to the Galatians saying my litle children of whom I trauell in birth againe untill Christ bee formed in you Cap. 4. 19. The same is confirmed by that speech of the Apostle to the Colossiaus wherein he discribes what is the riches of the glorious mistery of the Gospell amongst the gentills saying which riches is Christ in you the hope of glory Cap. 1 27. The use of this is to teach us that in vaine any man contents himselfe with any other thing whatsoever thereby hoping to be saved if he haue not Christ within him and that he himself know it for with out him nothing availes to salvation synce nothing can make a man the child of God but he aloue in so far that faith it self is not the true faith of Gods elect whereby the heart is purified and a sinner justified and saved except that by it Christ be brought in and made to dwell in the heart and that in such evidency that the beleeving man know that he hath Christ within him for its impossible that a man can haue Christ but that he must know that he hath him such is the liuely operation and supernaturall working of Christ in the soule where he is illuminating quickning and transforming everie man who hath him in the spirit of his mind and in pacifying comforting the conscience and in filling and replenishing the soule with the sence of Gods loue and hope of his glorie that never man could ever more clearely discern that hee hath a soule within him by the naturall effects thereof in his bodie then a christian may perceaue Christ to be within him by his proper effects before mentioned Out of this use we gather a second viz. That a man should sett himselfe to gaine Christ rather and aboue all things esteeming all other things but losse and judging all to be but dung for the excellent knowledg sake of Iesus Christ our Lord according as Paul did Philip. 3. 8. So as with the same Apostle he may sencibly know the vertue of his resurrection and the fellowship of his afflictions and be made conform to him in his death ibid. ver 10 For as Christ himselfe saith What availeth it a man to win the whole world if he loose his soule Mark 8 36. But certaine it is that everie soule shall perish eternally hereafter which gayneth not Christ in this present life This yealds matter of just reproofe against the most part of men if not all who labour so much for the things of this earth which are but transitorie vanities and helpe nothing to their salvation and make so small account of gayning Christ for the inâ—oying of whom even when they are invited unto him will not forsake the smallest ease proffit or pleasure of this life but make light of him and goe their waies one to his farm another about his marchandize others take the inviters and use them sharply and kill them As Christ himself tels us in the â—arableâ— Mat. 22. 5 6. And â—e were to be wished that these were the worst sort of the dispisers of Christ though these be so bad that they shall never tast of the supper of the great King but there is another sort much more to be lameÌ„red who are lovers of sinfull pleasures more then of God spending the time appointed and sette for the purchase and gayning of Christ in abhominable filthines in chambring and wontonnesse in gluttony and drunckennesse in sport and unlawfull gayming and sinfull