when the mind of man closeth and assenteth and consenteth unto it I meane no more here by faith then an assent though I know it comprehends more then this which is the reason of the mistake of many Divines and of the diversitie of opinions that is among them and so of their contradictions one of another I say the not cleare observing of the use of the word but every one understands the word in his owne sense and so takes up opinions according to his owne mind and so makes contradictions which oftentimes are about matter of words now I say faith comprehends not only the act of the understanding but the act of the will too so as the will doth imbrace and adhere and cleave to those truths which the understanding conceives and not only imbracing meerely by the assent to the truth of it but by closing with the good of it tasting and relishing it as faith in Christ is not only the assenting of a mans mind that Christ is the Saviour but a resultancie of the will on Christ as a Saviour embracing of him and loving esteeming and honouring him as a Saviour the Scripture comprehends both these together and there is a rule for it which the Rabbins give for the opening of the Scripture viz. verba sensus etiam denotant affectus words in the Scripture which seeme too imply matter of understanding only import also matter of affection as in that place Iohn 17.3 This is eternall life to know thee c. It is not bare knowledge the Scripture means there but knowledge joyned with affections And so in the Psalme 1.6 The Lord knoweth the way of the godly c. It is not a bare knowledge only for then there were no more said of them then of the wicked but it is meant of a knowledge peculiar to the godly and therefore it is not a bare knowledge for the way of the wicked shall perish implying hee knowes the one with approbation of and delighting in his wayes and that is the meaning So that now to draw up this there be two things to make up this faith this believing this assent for I go no farther here 1 There is a closing with a Divine truth To Gods truth with a truth of God for faith cannot be extended beyond this branch in this Theologicall sense wee now speake of it is true there is a humane faith which embraceth and looketh on a humane truth but this Divine faith which is necessarie to salvation and the way to happinesse respecteth only divine truths of God 2 It implies not only the materiall object On Gods word which faith lookes on but also the formall respect which induceth a man and that is the testimonie of God so that there is an assenting to a truth of God for a divine testimonies for Gods words sake And now joyne both these together and they will both concurre together in the way to happinesse All the knowledge wee have here in this life is but a knowledge of faith such a knowledge as is founded altogether on the testimonie of those divine truths which God hath revealed unto us and not founded on any evidence or demonstration of Scripture for all the stresse of it lyeth on the stresse of divine revelation Manner Sound for 2 Besides this act there is I told you the manner or the qualification of this Act and that is 1. A Sound knowledge 2. A Sound faith For this is a step likewise towards happinesse a sound knowledge and a sound faith take both together and to circumscribe the soliditie and soundnesse of knowledge and faith I shall comprehend it in these two things 1 Due matter and extension 2 Due manner and intension Matter extension sufficient of necessaries 1. It must have due matter and extension to these things it must extend and reach to all those things that are necessarie to bee knowne and believed and then it is sound knowledge and sound faith when it reacheth to all those things that are necessarie for whatsoever things are not necessary bur accessarie a man may bee ignorant of them yea and a man may erre in them and yet bee not out of the way to salvation nor in any danger simply as concerning some things that are not clearly revealed and of some things too that are clearly revealed as it matters not whether or no we know the forme of Noahs Arke or of Salomons Temple c. But for those things that are necessarie to salvation solid knowledg and beliefe must reach to all those Now there is a double necessity as the Schools doe distinguish 1. Necessitas praecepti 2. Necessitas medii I do not intend so much concerning the former as concerning the later yet something I will speak briefly of either First for necessitas praecepti Necessarie as a precept things necessary in regard that God hath commanded them and a thing may be necessarie to be knowne in a more rigid sense which is such an one as a man cannot possibly attaine to the end without it 2 Necessitate medii necessarie as a meanes Necessary as a meanes the want of which and the deprivation of which will exclude a man from salvation Now there are many things necessitate praecepti which a man is bound to know it admits of a great latitude every man is bound to imploy his wits and parts to get as much as may be to be rich in knowledge especially some men according to the proportion of the place they are in Respectively as the Priests lips shall preserve knowledge and therefore the command lyeth on them to read and to studie to attaine to this as Paul exhorts Timothie and to get a further measure of knowledge then is necessarie for others because they are to be as nurses to feed themselves and others so that there be many things necessary necessitate praecepti to bee knowne but yet a man may be ignorant of many things not necessary to salvation and that I mainly intend knowledge in things that are absolutely necessary to salvation Absolutely Now it is a very hard thing and Divines have been at a long stand about it and much puzled in it how to circumscribe or innumerate how to determine what things and how many are necessary to be knowne to salvation which it a man know not he is out of the way to salvation and not in a possibilitie of salvation I say it is a very hard thing to doe this in particular to goe and point out every one that is necessary to salvation absolutely but I conceive this to bee neither a materiall nor satisfactorie way there be some things which God hath required of absolute necessity to be known as that without faith it is impossible to please God or to come to attaine salvation and I would reduce all to that namely to all those truths of God which if a man know not hee is not able to produce and act a
with Object 1 Knowledge in 1 Generall 2 Speciall of 1 God in his 1 Excellent Nature shining in his 1 Attributes 2 Workes 2 Revealed Will. Covenant which he 1 Commands in the 1 Law Obedience 1 Holinesse 2 Righteousnesse 2 Gospell 1 Faith 2 Repentance 2 Commends by 1 Menaces 2 Promises 2 Divine things 2 Faith Assent 1 To Gods truth 2 On Gods Word 2 Manner Sound for 1 Matter Extension Sufficient of Necessaries 1 Respectively 2 Absolutely 2 Manner 1 Substantiall Penetrative 2 Effectuall Operative 2 Soveraigne feare and love 1 Act. 1 Feare 2 Love 2 Manner 1 Sonne-like 2 Soveraigne 3 Sincere Obedience repentance 1 Act. 1 Repentance 1 Morall Legall 2 Evangelicall 2 Obedience 2 Manner sincere 1 Characters 1 Rise 2 Rule 3 Race 2 Cognizances 1 Vniversality Currant Adequate to the 1 Act eschewing all evill doing all good 2 Rule Decalogue first second Table 3 State in generall Particular Calling 2 Perpetuity constant 2 Generall All these 1 Are required both 1 Absolutely 2 Comparatively 1 Knowledge and Faith 2 Feare and Love 3 Repentance and Obedience 2 Must be regulated by the light and line of the true Religion 1 None but that can teach these 2 These are all that that teacheth 2 These are the way to all happinesse 1 What way 1 Sufficient 1 Effectually 2 Onely 2 Necessary 2 To what happinesse 1 True 1 Inchoate 2 Consummate 2 All. 2 Probation 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Scripture 1 Knowledge Faith Joh. 17.3 2 Feare Love Prov. ◠7 Rom. 8. 3 Repentance Obedience Psal 15. 1 Distinctly 2 Conjunctly 1 Knowledge and faith Ioh. 13.17 2 Knowledge and feare Prov. 9.10 3 Feare and obedience Deut. 3.29 4 Knowledge love obedience 1 Chron. 28.9 2 Conscience 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Happinesse in Gods Favour 2 Gods favour by these 2 Application 1 Confutation 2 Conviction 3 Examination 4 Reprehension 5 Exhortation 1 Particular Get 1 Knowledge 1 What for the 1 Object divine 2 Act. 1 Apprehension 2 Assent 3 Degree 1 Extensively 2 Intensively 3 Proportionally 2 How 1 Preparatives 1 Humility 2 Ingenuity 1 Freedome from 1 Partiality 2 Prejudice 2 Full 1 Estimation 2 Affection 2 Perfectives 1 Conscience 2 Diligence to allow time 1 Imploy parts 2 Improve meanes 1 Publike 2 Private 3 Prudence 3 Wherefore Consider the 1 Thing which is a 1 Speciall ornament 2 Initiall Lineament 3 Perpetuall Regiment 4 Effectuall Instrument 2 Times of 1 Gospell 2 Reforamation 2 Get feare love 1 What for the 1 Object placed on God 2 Act tempered together 3 Degree Soveraigne 2 How in 1 Generall by taking 1 Heed to chase away other 1 Feare 2 Love 2 Care to chafe in these 2 Particular by 1 Constant Application 2 Vigilant Caution 3 Frequent Excitation 4 Pregnant Meditation of 1 Vanity of world 2 Excellency of God 3 Nobility of Man 1 Immortall soule 2 Mortall body 3 Wherefore these 1 Best fruit of knowledge 2 Next root of obedience 3 Only grace of either without which neither 1 Knowledge saving 2 Obedience pleasing 3 Get repentance obedience 1 What for the 1 Act in all parts 1 Thought 2 Word 3 Deed. 2 Manner sincere 1 Intrinsecally in the true 1 Rise from 1 Knowledge Faith 2 Feare Love 2 Rule 3 Race 2 Extrinsecally 1 Vniversall in 1 2 Negative Affirmative 3 Thought Word Deed. 2 Perpetuall 2 How in 1 Particular by 1 Increasing forme 2 Excercising these 1 Knowledge 2 Faith 3 Feare 4 Love 2 Generall 1 Serious consideration whereto take 1 Heed of 1 Carnall 1 Reasonings 2 Feare 3 Sloth 2 Worldly distractions 2 Hint of 1 Outward occasions 2 Inward motions 2 Strong resolution 3 Speedy execution 3 Wherefore these are the 1 Scope of Both. 2 Seale of Truth 3 Scale of all our 1 Owne consolation 2 Neighbours edification 3 Gods glorification 2 Generall Seeke 1 All these 1 How in the due 1 Order 2 Temper 3 Manner 2 Wherefore 1 Each of them in conjunction 1 Beautifies 2 Fortifies 3 Beatifies 2 Neither of them in separation can 1 Subsist in sincerity 2 Support in anxiety 3 Suffice in felicity 2 True Religion 1 Magnifie 2 Certifie 3 Satisfie 3 Happinesse in these 1 What happinesse which is 1 Desirable attaineable 2 Miserable in world 3 Incomparable in God 4 Indubitable in this way 2 Why. 1 Necessity of thing 2 Mortality of man 3 Mutability of times 4 Excellency of gaine 5 Oppurtunity of grace THE RIGHTEOVS MANS PLEA TO TRVE HAPPINESSE SER. 1. Preached in Ten Sermons PSAL. 4.6 There be many that say who will shew us any good Lord life thou up the light of thy countenance upon us WEe have treated formely of the use and benefit of a forme of sound and wholsome words The last time I gave you that forme which I did in a prudentiall way The summe of which consisted of 52. Heads or Particulars partly belonging to the Porch and Frontispice and partly to the Pile and Edifice it selfe There were foure things that I desire to premise in the Frontispice Concerning Happinesse Concerning Religion Concerning the Church Concerning the Scriptures And they are all of generall importance in the first gate and entrance as being the first grand inquiries that will be made as it were in the entry How shall a man attaine to true happinesse That is the very first thought the very first desire of the soule and the very scope and summe of all a mans labours and endeavours and the very scope and summe of Religon And the resolution of that brings in the second That the onely happinesse is how ever men mistake I say the onely way to attaine true happinesse is by the Knowledge Feare and Service of God according to the true Religion And that as I said leads to the second Inquirie which is There be many Religions in the world How shall a man know which is the true Religion Which of all the rest is that that the soule may rest upon And the answer will be That neither the Pagan and Heathenish nor the Iewish nor the Mahumetane but in a word the Christian Religion which is professed in the Church of God that is the true Religion And that brings us to the third which is But there be many pretenders to the Church and a man knowes not which of them is the true Church The resolution will be the Protestant Church That Church that submits its selfe to be regulated by the Scriptures is the true Church and then the fourth will be concerning the Scriptures I am now to beginne and therefore have chosen this portion of Scripture for that purpose concerning the first of these foure viz. Concerning Happinesse Now I will but briefely acquaint you with one thing which I did not doe the last time and so goe on There be as I have said 52. Heads in the whole for I framed it so at the first that if it might be possible I might goe thorough it in the compasse of one yeare There be these
into a compendious mould so as it might have gone along with the other time prevented me and now I shall resolve not to inlarge it but to deliver it in the same compasse and with the same brevitie I then intended partly because I finde some weakenesse which makes me not altogether fit to inlarge much and partly because what ever may seeme to be defective or short in this place there will be sufficient opportunity in the next Point to bring it in wherein wee shall treate of the possitive part of happinesse wherein it lies indeede if it doe not lie in these worldly things to make us happie 2. Application 2. There be but three things in generall which I intend to inferre by way of Vse and Application out of the consideration of this divine Truth The first shall be for Instruction The second for Reproofe The third for Exhortation which are indeede the most generall heads which may helpe to regulate and guide our practise to which all Application tends 1. Instruction 1. For Instruction briefely to touch upon that for that is not the thing that I intend 1. It may convince the errour of worldly Philosophers Wee may here receive a good principle by which we may convince all the erronious conceits which men are ready to fasten upon and which doe fasten upon men many times ere they are aware wee may see here the broad and wide errour of all Philosophicall fancies concerning happinesse Convince the errour of worldly Philosophers Augustine reckons up no lesse than 288. severall opinions of severall learned Philosophers that placed happinesse one in one thing and another in another thing every one being different and opposing one another every one contradicting what others had said and being confident of his owne But as the Apostle speaks of the Romanos in the like cause Rom 1.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. The conceit of their owne wisedome and their ambition made them fooles i. e. even befooled them and they grew infatuate And indeed this is a point that it is not to be expected that the conceit of naturall reason or the naturall light of a man should ever be able to guide a man steadily to No marvell that they did speake like blinde men like drunken men and runne in a labyrinth in a misse maze and were not able to get out of it having not the lanthorne of the light of divine revelation to lead them out It is not worth the while to speake particularly of them I shall content my selfe onely with a briefe touch of them We see all the opinions of Philosophers all their knowledge cleane out of the way yea and the wisedome of all naturall men is too shallow by farre and all naturall abilities to come to shew steadily wherein true happinesse lies If nature could have done it then the learnedst wits and wisedome might happily have found it out But they could not they groped in the darke as the Sodomites when they were strucken with blindnesse groped to find Lots doore so they groped to see if by any meanes they might finde out happinesse but they had not light enough to doe it In the second place to mention that which is not so farre out of the way wee will not meddle here now with Philosophers Godly professors 2. It may convince the errour of godly Professors and of those that pretend to Christianitie and have more than naturall men being alienated from them in their principles yet even among them will appeare a great deale of the reliques of that wound by that blow which our nature received by our fall In this I shall bring the application nearer to our selves Wee may see here our blindnesse in this by the experience of all Christians and in some degree of the best sort too Who is there that doth not place too much in these worldly things that hath not too high an esteeme and makes too precious account of them and doth not retaine many times in his minde and nourish too some secret thoughts at least that there is some extraordinary vertue in those things to make a man happy There be many caracters that doe evidently discover the reliques of this disease that it is not fully cured even where grace begun his worke But I shall better touch on this afterward and shall therefore passe it now 2. Correct our judgements concerning the happinesse of Others It may rectifie our judgements concerning the happinesse first of others secondly of our selves 1. Of others We may learne to judge what is true happinesse and who are the happy men And if we will doe this aright wee must not doe it Populari trutina not weigh it in the ballance of the world but come to the ballance of the Sanctuary and weigh things there by which it will appeare evidently as out of this truth that wee have named and treated on who are happy and who not We should not thinke those the happy men that have either the excellency or the confluence of these worldly things As when I see a man suppose one that hath a very great estate and hath plenty of all in this world Suppose he hath with that many perfections of body as beautie and strength Suppose hee with all this hath many excellencies of minde that hee is pregnant in understanding and admirable in many such abilities We are ready as Samuel was in the cause of David wee are ready to mistake the true happy man and to set the crowne of happinesse upon the wrong head as he was ready to powre out the Oyle upon Eliah the eldest sonne and a goodly man and least of all though upon poore little David that was an out cast and abroad in the field as a Shepheard and this man Eliah was a Gentleman a Gallant home with his Father and hee keeping his Fathers sheepe but God placed the crowne upon him though as I said Samuel was ready to mistake And we are ready to doe so in this cause that wee now speake of But now this point will and should helpe to rectifie and guide our hands aright in placing of the crowne of happinesse and it teacheth us not to measure by worldly things not to count those the happy men that are the darlings of Fortune that are lulled asleepe in the lap of the world and are dandled there and have all plenty and abundance of worldly things Our owne happinesse 2. This may rectifie our judgements concerning our owne happinesse in this the deceit is more dangerous As this will helpe us to judge of others so of our selves wee should not therefore if wee will be true to this Point and doe remember it well be in danger to blesse our selves and sooth up our selves as though wee were in estate of happinesse when things goe smoothly with us I besech you to remember this present point and keepe the truth of it in your minds that it may be a charme
little after God 1 If wee looke upon worldly men Seek not God Esteeme him not as the only happinesse we shall easily see this how farre they are from seeking God as the only happinesse from esteeming God and loving God as the only happines insomuch that they cannot be perswaded to think that there is or can be any great happines in him you shall hardly beat them out of it but that it were better to have so much gaine such a revenew by the yeare then to have God for their friend they will hardly be beaten out of these principals and therefore it is no marvaile no wonder if they turne an ace with God and be bold with sinne to like violation of their peace with God to purchase that thing which they count more precious then God and to turne their backs on God to get that which they count their happinesse as suppose they think that gold or any such thing be the only way to make them happie then farewell God hoc primum repetunt opus hoc postremum omittunt they are all for this and therefore I say it is no wonder that these worldly men who never tasted the sweetnesse of God doe thus 2. But this is the griefe of heart and the greatnesse of the sinne Of godly men that Know it that those that are Gods servants that know the excellencie that is in God and doe pretend to it and professe that they believe that God is their only happinesse Professe to believe it and that it consists in their communion and fellowship with him yet when all comes to all they are so farre carried away with the course of the world Yet neglect it that neglecting God they seeke after gew-gawes and toies and place so much happinesse in them and make so little after God though they professe otherwise and though they know otherwise It is not my jewell in my bosome or my curling or crisping my haire that makes me a happie woman nor is it any of these gew-gawes or toies happily will they say that makes me happie But yet alasse when all comes to all they goe as gaudie and as fantasticke as any others and make so much of it and are as readie and as foolish to run to the same excesse of riot as though God were not their ornament and their happinesse If they did believe this and remember this that their happinesse and excellencie lay all in God though they might make use of other things in a sober and a modest and exemplary way such as were fit to give an example to the world of extraordinarie pietie and sobrietie in this course and with this caution I say though they might make use of any sober and modest way yet they would not goe so vainly and fondly and gaudily and place so much happinesse in these things did they believe this that their happinesse lay in God and surely it argueth that they have not that high esteeme of God and that they repose so much confidence in him as in their only happinesse they would not els be so fond of so foolish things for it is a thing incompatible with a minde that is fully possessed with the excellency of God which if we had it would make us looke a squint on all other things even the best things and much more on things of an inferiour nature yet I say this follie of many professors that they place so much in these poore things and it is a thing to be bewailed 3 But to come to that which I aime at most Exhortation to the weake and which is indeed the principall viz. the matter of exhortation That we would every one of us seeing the maine of our happinesse lieth in God and so much of it that he alone can make us happie if we can but get him and enjoy him and walke in a sweet and holy communion with him that will make us happie though we have nothing else in the world though we be cut off from all other things then I shall intreat to make way by certaine steps and degrees to what I aime at and 1 That all Christians would understand this truth Vnderstand it I know there are many other things in Religion necessary to be knowne but I only mention these steps which otherwise I am not to dwell on but to arise higher and ascend by these Many men I know count many things in Religion and many things that are delivered and so this to be but Paradoxes and the conceits of mens braine the fancies of some contemplative persons that live retired and doe not know what belongs to the world and truly for my own part I will never decline the imputation of being subject to such weaknesse if men will so terme it as there is no man but hath his failings and his errours But yet if this be truth of God and in his Word then I suppose we are out of any danger of being questioned for fantasticke or foolish or paradoxall conceits delivering that which wee have received from God and I would desire every one but to consider and take notice of this truth not as the fancies of a man but as a truth that is divine and as the Word of God that God alone can make a man happie though a man have nothing else understand this and take notice of and thinke on this truth Believe it 2 Believe it bring your hearts to assent and adhere unto it Doe not stand out in distinctions or in staggerings with this truth or speaking against it or finding some evasions or declinations to avoid it but receive this truth and embrace it by a firme and stedfast faith It is not to be expected though this good Word of God bee for my good might serve for a good end viz. to presse the endevouring many things in my practise yet I say it is not expected that it should do this except it be imbraced by faith believe this therefore that is the second step I would desire every one to bring their hearts to this truth and believe this and receive it as a realitie Ponder it 3 Ponder on it and consider it and meditate upon it to chew it up and downe in their mouths and in their minds Many truths there be that have a swimming motion in our heads but there is no decoction of this truth and we are not the better for them because we doe not ruminate on them and chew them that we doe not turne them into nutriment As you know it is with meat which a man would put into his bellie if it be not prepared some way as boyled or roasted or some such fitting it will not turne to nutriment but rather turne to diseases in the stomack And so it is oftentimes that many truths that a man understands to be truths for want of ruminating and chewing they doe not turne to spiritual nutriment to breed any good spirits any good blood
saving faith so that he may rightly and cordially lay hold on the Lord Iesus christ all articles of knowledge without which this cannot bee done absolutely these and these alone no other things are absolutely necessary to bee knowne under pain of damnation and losse of salvation nothing I say but those truths which alone if I do know I may be enabled and put in a competent state to produce a reall act of faith in Christ if I do know that I am salvabilis if I have so much knowledge as to light me to Christ as the starre did the Wisemen so much knowledge as this that will sufficiently and safely lead me to Christ so that I may be really united to and incorporated in Christ so much knowledge is absolutely necessarie and who ever hath or hath not is or is not in a way to and a state of salvation there is no knowledge but this absolutely necessary necessitate medii to grow and increase in many things as in regard of our place and the like is necessarie to bee known necessitate praecepti but not absolutely necessarie as chose principalls are that doe belong to the covenant of God in Christ and doe leade and inable a man to the exercising of a lively act of faith in Christ Then knowledge is sound and so faith when it reacheth in regard of the matter and extension to all those things that are necessarie and wants nothing that is necessarie but reacheth and comprehends all that is necessary to salvation Secondly Manner intension knowledge may be conceived to be solid in regard of the intension and manner of knowledge now I will expresse that briefly in two things It must be 1. Substantiall penetrative 2. Operative effectuall First it is a substantiall knowledge Substantiall penetrative that is a solid knowledge a man may have a superficiall knowledge of some divine truths which is so farre from sinking into the heart that it doth not soake into the braine but only swimes on it a man may have a little darke and obscure glimmering of things but they cannot sinke in deeply nor are solid whereby hee may apprehend and comprehend the depth of them Now such a knowledge as that is a man may have and it may bee no way beneficiall to him doe him no good nor be any way usefull to him towards the way to happinesse and salvation such a fleetie swimming knowledge a man may have but 't is not solid unlesse it bee substantiall Effectuall operative Secondly as it is substantiall so it is effectuall and if this be defective I cannot conceive it to bee solid for as for my owne part I could never comprehend that which Divines have gone about to be able to put a characteristicall difference in the nature Of knowledge that a man may bee able to say such a knowledge is and such a knowledge is not a saving knowledge but only as I use to expresse it in this similitude which seemes very fit in the sunne the Sunn is the most glorious bodie which is in the heavens but the Moone hath the next degree to the Sunn in appearance yet according to the rules of art many starres exceed the sunne in magnitude but the Moone hath only the advantage of neerenesse to the earth which doth make it appeare so great but yet though the Sun be the more glorious light and the Moone somewhat a faint and weake light which a man may behold whereas hee cannot the Sunne yet this light of the Moone hath this peculiar propertie which he doth more than the Sunne I speake by way of supposition the reciprocall ebbing and flowing of the Sea depends on the change of the Moone and the Moone which is the weaker light hath a peculiar propertie in regard of its influence on those bodies that are humid so as that all watry bodies here below depend more on the light of the Moone then on the light of the Sunne Now to apply the comparison for I stand not much to confirme or deny much the philosophicall distinctions There may be as excellent light which may not be saving for I cannot difference it in light a wicked man may be a great Rabbine and understand Divine things with a glorious eye like the Sunne and there is no characteristicall difference in it but it is the influence of it on those lower bodies as the Moone hath the greater influence though it be the weaker light So knowledge let it be what it will if it be good and saving it hath an influence on the soule There may bee a great deale of knowledge which is not vitall and practicall which carrieth not the heart and affections along with it and they that have it have not saving knowledge but they that have the least degree of knowledge so it bee such as hath an influence to draw the heart and affections along with it to love God and obey God though it bee I say in a lesser degree and a weaker light yet it is indeed solid and saving knowledge such a knowledge as that which I can say it is a substantiall and a penetrative knowledge that it doth not swim in the braine but that it doth comprehend those things not only slabber them over but it is officiall and operative and that indeed is the most characteristicall and intrinsecall difference and it is that which is indeed saving knowledge whether it bee in a greater or lesser measure so it be operative and effectuall on the affections and actions of men this is the first thing in the explication and belongs to the first branch viz. of understanding which comprehends knowledge and beliefe Now the second followes as there must bee solid knowledge and beliefe Soveraigne feare and love so there must bee soveraigne feare and love of God which depends on the former for then I know knowledge hath done his worke savingly when it hath raised up and wrought on the heart and affections and among other affections to speake only of those two which are indeed the masters of all our affections and which in regard of the relation betweene us and God are most predominant and which are most frequently used and named in Scripture though I doe not exclude any other for if the heart bee won it is impossible but all the rest of the affections must wait and give attendance on that The Act. 1 Consider the Act there must be feare of God and love of God our knowledge must work so farre as to bring us to a holy feare Feare Love and a holy love of God not in that sense in which it is sometimes taken not properly a flying away from some evill which is eminent and which we are in danger of But it is an intentionall feare that holy awe and reverent respect we beare towards God in regard of the inward excellencie and greatnesse and majestie of God that a man stands in awe of and feares the name of the great
some few wayes Two things in generall I shall onely speake Preparatives which are as two preparatives for all things and then I shall add two or three of the maine helps that are perfective in this kind if we would attain to knowledge sound knowledge and above all and especially in divine things that which we confine our speech unto There are two preparatives that are exceeding advantagious this way to fit the soule to stand in a good posture to make it capacious of this divine knowledge 1 A humble spirit Humility humility is a very fit quality to make the soule of a man capable of getting knowledge for as it was the saying of the Moralist which is of more large extent but yet holds a truth here there is nothing hinders growth in knowledge more then a humour and swelling of pride when a man is proud in his owne opinion in conceit and apprehension of his owne wisdome he is uncapable of learning any thing he le ts slip the meanes and opportunities which otherwise he might have onely upon a vaine conceit that he is wise enough already And therefore as they use to observe the ground on which the Peacocke useth to sit is ordinarily noted to be even by that occasion made exceeding barren I am sure it is so here the Peacocke being an Embleme of pride And there is a double reason for it why he is made uncapable of knowledge There is a morall reason of it 1 He doth by his priding of himselfe alienate God from him nay and provoke God so that God hath no delight to communicate himselfe to him for God despiseth the proud and giveth grace and knowledge to the humble and the secrets of the Lord are with those that feare him he will communicate himselfe to the humble spirit and he will withdraw himselfe from the proud spirit he sils the humble spirit with knowledge but those that are wise in their owne conceits he sends them away empty 2 There is a naturall cause of it it hinders a man from using any means or from profiting by any meanes it hinders a man from receiving any thing that is dropt into him a proud man is a naturall barre or hinderance to his owne knowledge or from receiving any knowledge and therefore as I have sometime noted in another case which is appliable here you know in a dish there is an inside of it which is hollow and an outside which is convex now if you would powre any thing in it you must not powre it on the outside which is convex for that convex superficies by reason of its convexity can hold nothing but all runs over But if you powre any thing in the inside it will hold just according to its proportion as you can powre in the humble spirit is like the concave and hollow of the dish that is empty by reason of his humility and so is capacious of any thing which God in the use of the meanes shall be pleased to powre in it it hath emptinesse and can hold it but now the proud spirit is like the convex superficies and every thing is but spilt that is powred on it for there is no hollownesse no concave no capaciousnesse to hold it And as it is in the familiar similitude of the mountaines and the valleyes the raine fals on the mountaines and makes it nothing fruitfull because all the raine by reason of the proclivity and the height of the mountaine slips and slides down from the mountaine and the mountaine shelves it off as it were from its selfe and not onely casts off the raine but it selfe also at least the best of it selfe with the raine and so much more fattens the lower grounds so that the valleyes have not onely the fruitfulnesse that comes by the raine but also that which comes by the soile which fals on them from the hils by the raine And truly it is the valley the lowly spirit that is made capable of any thing but the lofty spirit drives all from it selfe and so makes it selfe uncapable to receive any thing and unfit to attaine any thing And therefore if we would get knowledge attaine to this first step in the ladder that reacheth to happinesse we must take heed of pride the proud lofty spirit is not in the way to attaine knowledge nor in any way to profit by the meanes which might be good for that purpose but the humble spirit that findes an emptinesse in it selfe an hungering and thirsting after knowledge such a spirit is fittest to gaine by all advantages and all opportunities and so consequently to attaine to knowledge So that this is the first qualification to attaine knowledge humility Ingenuity of spirit 2 Another preparative is ingenuity of spirit that is an excellent preparing qualification to attaine knowledge and profiting by the meanes of knowledge A man that is of an ingenuous spirit will interpret what I meane by that though at the first those that are not learned understand it not yet that all may I comprehend in it these two things 1 A man must be free from partiality and prejudice 2 And a man must be full of an estimacie and good opinion and good affection toward knowledge And such ingenuity of spirit prepares a man exceedingly for thriving by the meanes of knowledge and so for attaining the thing it selfe Freedome from partiality and prejudice 1 For the former freedome from prejudice and partiality that is necessary for if a man be partially-minded it will hinder him in profiting by the meanes of knowledge as for example such partiality whereby one esteemes of men and so that he disesteeme all others perhaps this man may get a little by that man whom he doth esteeme but loose a great deale for it by reason of his partiality and why because he cannot alway heare one he therefore never comes to heare any other and if he doth his partiality choakes the benefit And so for prejudice to come with a prejudicate opinion to the hearing of any man or the reading of any thing to have the mind possessed and anticipated with prejudice it will hinder a man from attaining to that knowledge which otherwise he might gaine by that man or that thing As if a man now have a fault in his eyes it will hinder him from seeing any thing which is before his eyes or suppose they be muffled or hudwinked although he hath a power of seeing yet being hudwinkt he cannot see A man blindfolds himselfe with prejudice from seeing that which he might see And therefore if we would get knowledge and thrive by those meanes that tend that way a man should lay this preparation of an ingenuous spirit being free from prejudice gold is gold where ever you finde it and truth is truth from whomsoever I take it If a blinde man give me gold it is gold and where ever I finde it although in the dunghill yet the pearle hath his price still and
scann them their master will you were as good scanne your lives as God for God will scan you before he admit you into heaven and happinesse you were as good therefore to trie your selves for I say God will say friend how camest thou in here what right or title hast thou to this place of heaven without thy wedding garment except you bring these things that God requires there will be no admittance and though you outbrave and outface the Ministers yet when the Lord of the feast comes hee will trie I beseech you therefore be so wise as to trie your selves Trie your selves by your knowledge trie your selves by your affections trie your selvs by your actions if you find it is not so with you as I have said doe not I beseech you loose the realitie of heaven for a fancie do not let goe the realitie while you hugg the shaddow as the Dogge in the Fable who did let goe the bone in his mouth to catch at the shaddow hee saw in the water take heed I say you doe not loose the realitie while you catch at your fancies and relie on them but this is not that which I intend Are these things I have spoken of the way to happinesse 4. Vse Reprehension Then it is a just reproofe that meets with every one more or lesse why doe not we prosecute this way more earnestly then and why are wee sluggish in this way is it not the way of happinesse why doe we not labour and endeavour after knowledge why doe not wee labour to raise and elevate our affections to a high pitch towards God Why doe not wee strive to abound in the worke of the Lord and make our calling and election sure by adding one grace to another one action of obedience to another to scale heaven climing up from one round of the Ladder to another and so be going upward still O that wee should bee so sluggish and slow in these things that make so for our happinesse that are indeed as wee have prooved the way of happinesse when on the contrary side wee are laborious enough and too much after these things that are not for our happinesse tend not to it Tanquam hac sit nostri medicina doloris Wee hunt after worldly things as though they would make us happie but alas wee are to consider that there is no happinesse in them this is the way of happinesse why doe not wee then make haste to enter this way and speedily prosecute this way it is the great folly of those that are negligent The eighth Sermon SER. VIII PSALME IV.VI. There be many that say who will shew us any good Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us WE are still on the point of happines and wee are upon the last thing in that point viz. the way unto it The point that you may remember it was this Doctrine Thus sound knowledge and faith joyned with soveraigne feare and love and both these crowned with syncere repentance and obedience guided by the line and light of the true religion is the only way to true happinesse Wee have passed through the explication of the point and the last time we came so farre as the application Exhortation and in that to the matter of exhortation which by reason of the time wee could not then prosecute wee come now unto it There is a double branch of the exhortation according to which I desire to goe Particular First in relation to every one of these particulars in the point to perswade men to labour to get every one of them viz. 1. Sound knowledge 2. Soveraigne affections 3. Syncere obedience Secondly I shall say something in the generall with relation to all of them and to the true Religion which is the mother and the mistresse that must teach us all these for they are not to be had any other where nor no other Schoole can teach us these at least as they will be available To begin then with the particulars and first of the first Get knowledge 1 Concerning knowledge and faith There bee two things in which I shall prosecute that exhortation in which I shall stirre and raise men up to endeavour after knowledge and that sound knowledge What for the 1 Give me leave to circumscribe what manner of knowledge I would have you set up for your marke and aime which you know I did touch in the explication and will therefore but briefly touch here in the prosecution of it 2 I shall suggest some meanes in the use of which wee may come to attaine this knowledge 2 I will propound some considerations that may whet us on unto it But all very briefe 1 For the first therefore what kind of knowledge should a man aime at the getting of now I shall circumscribe that in these three particulars 1 Your knowledge in regard of the object Object Divine must be divine a divine knowledge knowledge of God knowledge of Christ knowledge of the mysteries of grace and of the covenant betweene God and man those essentiall things that God hath signified unto us in his covenant for our guidance to happinesse the knowledge of these things especially I know there is no knowledge in the world but is precious even the knowledg of the meanest things the knowledge even of the basest things may be of very good use But what is all the knowledge in the world to the knowledge of God that made the world and of Christ that redeemed the world That is the knowledge which doth immediately conduce toward our attaining of happinesse and salvation Men may swell themselves in vaine conceits of other kinde of literature and looke big and scornfull upon this divine knowledge but yet one drachm of this one graine of this is worth more then all the knowledge in the world and therefore remember this that we may not mistake our scope and aime I doe not interdict any other knowledge subordinate in its place and ranck but I set this in the highest place and highest rancke the divine knowledge of God and those things that concerne our happinesse in God And this is the scope of the exhortation in regard of this that we would be contented to take a little paines from other things to get this divine knowledge at least not to squander away all our precious time and parts busily in the pursuit of other things that will doe us no good but take it from them and bestow our selves our times and our wits for the pursuing of divine knowledge which is the most precious of all Act. 2 In regard of the act all that I will put you in mind of in regard of that is that it is not a bare knowledge that I am now recommending unto you Apprehension which consists in the apprehension of divine things but a knowledge joyned with faith mixed and tempered with faith that the understanding may not only
have some apprehension of those things in the tenour of them Assent but in their connexion so that the heart may close with them in giving full assent to the truth of them apprehend the realitie of them to bee such indeed as have a ground and subsistence for it is one thing to apprehend the promise of eternall life and to know what the happinesse is to be in conjunction with God to have a glorified bodie and a glorified soule farre beyond that excellencie that is here but it is an other thing to apprehend that these things are really promised shall be really performed by God and so to set a mans soule to the truth of God by faith that these are not only meere words but such as indeed shall be exhibited to all Gods servants many apprehend these things and understand what is meant by them but yet they have a root of atheisme in their hearts so that they thinke they are but devised things to keepe men in awe and that there is no realitie in them to have no subsistence it is therefore a knowledge of apprehension joyned with a full assent of faith resting on the truth of the things promised but in this place I shall use the word no further 3 In regard of the maine of all Degree viz. in regard of the degree or manner I desire every one to bee industrious after knowledge divine knowledge especially and carefull to joyne assent of faith to their knowledge to mix and temper them together and lastly to aime at a soundnesse of knowledge and a soundnesse of believing that they be solid and not superficiall that they have not meerely flashings or glimmerings of light like lightning which doth not guid a man in the way but rather leadeth a man out of the way Many men may have a flash of knowledge and assent but this is not bottommed nor grounded it is not solid Here you must remember these three things wherein I shall comprehend all that I aime at in this substantiall and solid knowledge which I exhort every one to endeavour after 1 That it be so extensively 2 That it be so intensively 3 That it be proportionably 1 To have it extensively substantiall and solid not some catchings and snatchings at some things in religion Extensively here to get a scrap and there to get a scrap and in the other place another scrap still scraping at a little like a garment made up of patches but we must labour to know the whole will of God and all things necessary at least that are absolutely necessary to salvation to be ignorant in none of them in regard of the neare connexion and that necessary influence that they must have in the forming and fashioning of a right and faithfull receiving of God in Christ which will not be without such a solid knowledge as is apprehensive of all that is necessary Intensively 2 It must be intensively solid and substantiall not onely to know and give assent to all those things that are necessary not meerly catching at one act or some peeces of it but to joyne to this a penetration of knowledge not onely to have it swimming in the braine but that it penetrate and sink into the understanding and make a deep impression there A man may have sometimes a swimming notion in the braine floating aloft on the top which never penetrates nor enters in a man which I desire we would most aime at not to content our selves with a meere swimming notion to licke on the outside as it were as it is in the fable of the Fox when the Crane invited the Fox to the feast he provided gruell for him in a narrow mouthed vessell so that he himselfe could put in his long bill and suck it out but the Fox could not put in his head but was faine to licke the outside c. I would not have men to content themselves with the outside to have a little superficiall notion but the solidity of knowledge consists in this that a man have a reall notion and apprehension which doth enter into his minde and penetrate it throughly makes a deep impression that it be received there and such an impression as may put a tincture on the heart and affections too for indeed that is never a perfect dye of knowledge doth not redound and overflow to the affections and draw them leave a tincture on them and therein indeed is the Crisis of knowledge when it is saving and solid namely then when it is penetrating when it so farre fils the understanding and enters so deeply into it that there is a resultance to overflow from it on the affections to inflame and draw them that will give the through dye which is in graine which will never out but truly save 3 Let every one endeavour after a proportioble knowledge Proportionably proportionable to his parts and meanes proportionable to the place in which God hath set him and proportionable to the oportunities that God hath given him where God bestowes much he requires much a lesser measure of knowledge may be saving where God affords a lesser measure of light In times of superstition and darknesse without all doubt many did get to heaven with a very weake light yet it was such that made an impression on their hearts but farre short of that glitteringnesse of light that is in our times therefore we should for this is one branch of the exhortation labour every one to make his knowledge go hand in hand in an equipage with the meanes that he enjoyes with the opportunities he hath afforded him by God and with the parts he hath to make him capable they that have more means let not them content themselves to have so much as some have had that lived in times of darknesse they that have parts and better understanding let them not content themselves to have so much as a poore ignoramus hath it is not sufficient for them though the thing it selfe be sufficient to salvation and so is not necessary absolutely yet God requires more of them because he hath given more to them God exacts more at their hands because they have received more at his hands God requires that they should keepe proportion How shall wee attaine to it 2 This being premised now let me add concerning the other thing viz. How shall we attaine to this knowledge suppose we be willing and desirous of it as nothing indeed is more desireable then knowledge to be a knowing creature a rationall creature an understanding creature it is pabulum anima the food of the soule a soule that is a reasonable soule is as much nourished and refreshed with reasonable things with knowledge and other intellectuals as the body that is a body is nourished with corporeall sustinance but suppose now we desire this how shall we attaine it This is a large compasse to go through the full of it I shall therefore point out briefly