things that is all things essential to salvation A godly man hath the good knowledge of the Lord 2 Chron. 30. 22. he hath sound wisdom Prov. 3. 21. he knows God in Christ to know God out of Christ is to know him an enemy but to know him in Christ is sweet and delicious A gracious soul hath the savour of knowledge 2 Cor. 2. 14. There is a great difference between one that hath read of a Countrey or viewed it in the Map and another who hath lived in the Countrey and tasted the Fruits and Spices of it The knowledge wherewith a godly man is adorned hath these eight rare Ingredients in it 1 It is a grounded Knowledge Col. 1. 27. If ye continue in the Faith grounded It is not a believing as the Church believes but 〈◊〉 Knowledge rests upon a double basis 〈◊〉 Word and Spirit the one is a 〈…〉 other a witness saving Knowledge is not pendulous or doubtful but hath a certainty in it Iohn 6. 69. We believe and are sure thou art that Christ 2 Cor. 5 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being always confident a godly man holds no more then he will dye for The Martyrs were so confirmed in the knowledge of the Truth that they would seal it with their bloud 2. It is an appretiative knowledge The Lapidary is said to know a Jewel who hath skill to value it He knows God who esteems him above the glory of heaven and the comforts of the earth To compare other things with God is to debase Deity as if you should compare the shining of a Gloworm with the Sun 3. The knowledge of a godly man is quickning Psalm 119. 93. I will never forget thy Precepts for with them thou hast quickned me Knowledge in a natural mans head is like a Torch in a dead mans hand True knowledge animates A godly man is like Iohn Baptist a burning and a shining Lamp He doth not only shine by illumination but burn by affection The Spouses knowledge made her sick of love Cant. 2. 5. Perâ—ulsa sum I am wounded with love I am like a Deer that is struck with a Dart my Soul lies a bleeding and nothing can cure me but a sight of him whom my Soul loves 4. Divine Knowledge is appropriating Ioh 19. 25. I know that my Redeemer liveth A Medicine is best when it is applyed this applicative Knowledge is joyful Christ is called a Surety Hebr. 7. 22. O what joy when I am drowned in debt to know that Christ is my Surety Christ is called an Advocate 1 Ioh. 2. 1. The Greek word for Advocate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies a Comforter O what comfort is it when I have a bad Cause to know Christ is my Advocate who never lost any Cause he pleaded Quest. But how shall I know that I make a right application of Christ an Hypocrite may think he applyes when he doth not Balaam though a Sorcerer yet said My God Numb 22. 18. Answ. 1. He who rightly applyes Christ puts these two together Iesus and Lord Phil. 3. 8. Christ Iesus my Lord Many take Christ as a Iesus but refuse him as a Lord. Do you joyn Prince and Saviour Act. 5. 31. Would you as well be ruled by Christs Laws as saved by his Bloud Christ is a Priest upon his Throne Zac. 6. 13. He will never be a Priest to intercede unless your hear be the Throne where he sways his Scepter A true applying of Christ is when we so take him for an Husband that we give up our selves to him as a Lord. 2. He who rightly applyes Christ fetcheth virtue from him The Woman in the Gospel having touched Christ felt virtue coming from him and her fountain of bloud was dried up Mar. 5. 29. This is to apply Christ when we feel a sin mortifying virtue flow from him Naturalists tell us there is an Antipathy between the Diamond and the Loadstone insomuch that if a piece of iron be laid by the Diamond the Diamond will not suffer it to be drawn away by the Loadstone So that knowledge which is applicatory hath an antipathy against sin and will not suffer the heart to be drawn away by it 5. The knowledge of a godly man is transforming 2 Cor. 3. 8. We all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image As a Painter looking upon a face draws a face like it in the Picture So looking upon Christ in the glass of the Gospel we are changed into his similitude We may look upon other objects that are glorious yet not be made glorious by them A deformed face may look upon beauty and yet not be made beautiful a wounded man may look upon a Chyrurgion and yet not be healed but this is the Excellency of Divine Knowledge it gives us such a sight of Christ as makes us partake of his Nature as Moses when he had seen Gods back-parts his face shined some of the Rays and Beams of Gods glory fell upon him 6. The knowledge of a godly man is self-emptying carnal knowledge makes the head giddy with pride 1 Cor. 8. 2. True knowledge brings a man out of love with himself the more he knows the more he blusheth at his own ignorance David a bright Star in Gods Church yet he thought himself rather a Cloud than a Star Psalm 73. 22. 7. The knowledge of a godly man is growing Col. 1. 10. Encreasing in the knowledge of God True knowledge is like the light of the morning which encreaseth in the Horizon till it comes to the full Meridian So sweet is Spiritual Knowledge that the more a Saint knows the more thirsty he is of knowledge 't is called the Riches of Knowledge 1 Cor. 1. 5. the more riches a man hath the more still he desires though S. Paul knew Christ yet he would know him more Phil. 3. 10. that I may know him and the power of his Resurrection 8. The knowledge of a godly man is practick Iohn 10. 4. The Sheep follow him for they know his voice Though God requires knowledge more than burnt-offering Hos. 6. 6 yet it is a knowledge accompanied with obedience True knowledge doth not only mend a Christians sight but mends his pace 'T is a reproach to a Christian to live in a contradiction to his knowledge to know he should be strict and holy yet to live loosly Not to obey is all one as not to know 1 Sam. 2. 12. The Sons of Eli knew not the Lord they could not but know for they taught others the knowledge of the Lord yet they are said not to know because they did not obey when Knowledge and Practise like Castor and Pollux appear together then they presage much happiness Use 1. Let us try our selves by this Character 1. Are they godly who are still in the Region of darkness Pro. 19. 2. That the Soul be without knowledge it is not
my Throne A Throne denotes Honor sitting denotes rest 7. Walking with God is the most safe walking Walking in the ways of sin is like walking upon the edge of a River The sinner treads upon the banks of the bottomless Pit and if Death gives him a jogg he tumbles in but it is safe going in Gods way Pro. 3. 23. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely He walks safe who walks with a Guard he that walks with God shall have Gods Spirit to guard him from sin and Gods Angels to guard him from danger Psal. 91. 11. 8. Walking with God will make death sweet It was Augustus his wish that he might have an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a quiet easie death without much pain If any thing make our Pillow easie at death it will be this that we have walked with God in our Generation Do we think walking with God can do us any hurt Did we ever hear any cry out upon their Death-bed that they have been too holy that they have prayed too much or walked with God too much No that which hath cut them to the heart hath been this that they have walked no more closely with God they have wrung their hands and torn their hair to think that they have been so bewitched with the pleasures of the World Close walking with God will make our Enemy Death to be at peace with us King Ahashuerus when he could not sleep called for the Book of Records and read in it Esther 6. 1. So when the violence of sickness causeth sleep to depart from our eyes and we can call for Conscience that Book of Records and find written in it such a day we humbled our souls by fasting such a day our hearts melted in prayer such a day we had sweet communion with God what a reviving will this be How may we look death in the face with comfort and say Lord now take us up to thee in Heaven where we have so often been by affection let us now be by fruition 9 Walking with God is the best way to know the minde of God friends who walk together impart their secrets one to another Psa. 25. 14. The secrets of the Lord is with them that fear him Noah walked with God and the Lord revealed a great secret to him of destroying the Old World and saving him in the Ark. Abraham walked with God Gen. 24. 40. and God made him one of his Privy-council Gen. 18. 17. Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do God doth sometimes sweetly unbosome himself to the soul in Prayer and in the holy Supper as Christ made himself known to the Disciples in the breaking of bread Luk. 24. 35 10 They who walk with God shall never be wholly left of God the Lord may retire himself for a time to make his people cry after him the more but he will not quite leave them Isa. 54. 8. I hid my face for a moment but with everlasting kindeness will I have mercy on thee God will not cast off any of his old acquaintance he will not part with one that hath born him company Enoch walked with God and he was not for God took him Gen. 5. 24. He took him up to heaven as the Arabick renders it Enoch was lodged in the bosome of divine Love Quest. How may we do to walk with God Answ. 1 Get out of the old road of sin hee that would walk in a pleasant meadow must turn out of the road The way of sin is full of Travellers there are so many travelling in this road that hell though it be of a great circumference is fain to enlarge it self and make room for them Isa. 5. 14. This way of sin seems pleasant but the end is damnable I have saith the Harlot perfumed my bed with Mirrhe Aloes and Cinamon Prov. 7. 17. See how with one sweet the Cinamon there were two bitters Myrrhe and Aloes for that little sweet in sin at present there will be a far greater proportion of bitterness afterwards Therefore get out of these briars you cannot walk with God and sin 2 Cor. 6. 14. What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness 2 If you would walk with God get acquaintance with him Iob 22. 21. Acquaint now thy self with him Know God in his attributes and promises strangers do not walk together 3 Get all differences removed Amos 3. 3. Can two walk together except they are agreed This agreement and reconciliation is made by faith Rom. 3. 25. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood When once we are friends then we shall be called up to the Mount as Moses and have this dignity conferred on us to bee the favourites of heaven and to walk with God 4 If you would walk with God get a liking to the vvaies of God They are adorned vvith beauty Prov. 4. 18. svveetned vvith pleasure Prov. 3. 17. fenced vvith truth Rev. 15. 3. accompanied vvith Life Acts 2. 28. lengthned with eternity Hab. 3. 6. be enamoured with the way of Religion and you will soon walk in it 5 If you would walk with God take hold of his arm such as walk in their own strength will soon grow weary and tire Psal. 71. 16. I will go in the strength of the Lord God We cannot walk with God without God let us press him with his promise Isa. 36. 27. I will cause you to walk in my statutes If God take us by the hand then we shall walk and not faint Isa. 40. 31. SECT XXIV 24 He who is godly labours to be an instrument of making others godly he is not content to go to heaven alone but would bring others thither Spiders work only for themselves but Bees work for others A godly man is both a Diamond and a Load-stone a Diamond for the sparkling lustre of grace and a Load-stone for his attractiveness he is ever drawing others to the embracing of Piety Living things have a propagating virtue where Religion lives in the heart there will be an endeavour to propagate the life of grace in those we converse with Philemon v. 10. My son Onesimus whom I have begotten in my bonds Though God be the fountain of grace yet the Saints are pipes to transmit living streams to others This thirsty endeavour after the conversion of souls proceeds 1 From the nature of Godliness it is like fire which assimilates and turns every thing into its own nature where there is the fire of grace in the heart it will endeavour to inflame others grace is an holy leaven which will be seasoning and leavening others with divine principles Paul would fain have converted Agrippa how did he court him with Rhetorick Act. 26. 27. King Agrippa beleevest thou the Prophets I know that thou beleevest his Zeal and Eloquence had almost captivated the King ver 28. Then Agrippa said unto Paul almost thou perswadest me to be a Christian. 2 A godly man attempts the
Father and Mother Psa. 45. 10. Forget also thine own people and thy Fathers house So there must be a leaving of our former sins a breaking off the old league with hell before wee can bee united to Christ Hos. 14. 8. Ephraim shall say what have I to do any more with Idols or as it is in the Hebrew with sorrows Those sins which before were looked upon as lovers now they are sorrows there must be a divorce before an union The end of our conjugal union with Christ is twofold 1 Co-habitation this is one end of marriage to live together Ephes. 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts it is not enough to give Christ a few complemental visits in his ordinances hypocrites may do so but there must be a mutual associating we must dwell upon the thoughts of Christ 1 Iohn 3. 24. he that dwelleth in God married persons should not live asunder 2 Fructification Rom. 7. 4. That ye should 〈◊〉 married to another even to him who is raised from the dead that we should bring forth fruit unto God the Spouse brings forth the fruits of the spirit love joy peace long-suffering gentleness Gal. 5. 22. Barrenness is a shame in Christs spouse This marriage-union with Christ is the most noble and excellent union 1 Christ unites himself to many in other marriages there is but a person taken but here millions are taken alas else poor souls might cry out Christ hath married himself to such an ones person but what is that to me I am left out no Christ marries himself to thousands 't is casta polygamia an holy and chaste polygamy multitudes of persons doth not defile this marriage-bed no poor sinner but bringing an humble beleeving heart may be married to Christ. 2 In this holy marriage is a nearer conjunction than can be in any other in other marriages two make one flesh but Christ and the beleever make one spirit 1 Cor. 6. 17. He that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit now as the soul is more excellent than the body and admits of far greater joy so this spiritual union brings in more astonishing delights and ravishments than any other marriage-relation is capable of the joy that flows from the mystical union is unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1. 8. 3 This union with Christ never ceaseth Foelices ter amplius quos irrupta tenet copula Other marriages are soon at an end Death cuts asunder the marriage-knot but this conjugal union is eternal thou that art once Christs spouse shalt never be a widdow more Hos. 2. 19. I will betroth thee unto me for ever to speak properly our marriage with Christ begins where other marriages end at death In this life is but the contract the Iews had a time set between their espousals and marriage sometimes a year or more in this life is but the affiancing and contract promises are made on both sides and love passeth secretly between Christ and the soul he gives some smiles of his face and the soul sends up her sighs and drops tears of love But all this is but a praevious work and something tending to the marriage the glorious compleating and solemnizing of the Nuptials is reserved for heaven there is the marriage-supper of the Lamb Rev. 19. 9. and the Bed of glory perfumed with love where the souls of the elect shall be perpetually solacing themselves 1 Thes. 4. 17. then shall we ever be with the Lord so that death doth but begin our marriage with Christ. Use 1 If Christ be the head of the body Mystical Ephes. 1. 22. then this Doctrine doth behead the Pope that man of sin who usurps this prerogative to be Ecclesiae caput the head of the Church and so would defile Christs marriage-bed what blasphemy is this two heads is monstrous Christ is head as he is husband there is no vice-husband no deputy in his room The Pope is the Beast in the Revelation to make him head of the Church what were this but to set the head of a Beast upon the body of a Man Use 2 Is there such a conjugal union let us try whether we are united to Christ. 1 Have we chosen Christ to set our love upon and is this choice founded upon knowledge 2 Have we consented to the match 't is not enough that Christ is willing to have us but are we willing to have him God doth not so force salvation upon us as that wee shall have Christ whether wee will or no we must consent to have him many approve of Christ but do not give their consent and this consent must be 1 Pure and genuine we consent to have him for his own worth and excellency Psa. 45. 2. Thou art fairer than the Children of men 2 It must be a present consent 2 Cor. 6. 2. now is the accepted time if we put Christ off with delayes and excuses perhaps he will come no more he will leave off wooing his spirit shall no longer strive and then poor finner what wilt thou do when Gods wooing ends thy woes begin 3 Have we taken Christ faith is vinculum unionis the bond of the union Christ is joyned to us by his spirit and we are joyned to him by faith Faith tyes the marriage-knot 4 Have we given up our selves to Christ thus the spouse in the Text I am his as if she had said all I have is for the use and service of Christ have we made a surrender have wee given up our name and will to Christ when the Devil solicites by a temptation do we say we are not our own we are Christs our tongues are his wee must not defile them with oathes our bodies ar◠his temple we must not pollute them with sin if it be thus it is a sign the Holy ghos◠hath wrought this blessed union between Christ and us Use 3. Is there this Mystical Union then from hence we may draw many Inferences 1. See the dignity of all true believers they are joyned in Marriage with Christ there is not only assimilation but union they are not only like Christ but one with Christ This honor have all the Saints A King marrying a Beggar by virtue of the union she is ennobled and made of the Bloud-Royal 〈◊〉 wicked men are united to the Prince of darkness and he settles Hell upon them for their Jointure So the godly are divinely united to Christ who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19. 16. By virtue of this Sacred Union the Saints are dignified above the Angels Christ is their Lord but not their Husband 2. See how happily all the Saints are married they are united to Christ who is the best Husband Cant. 5. 10. The chief of ten thousand Christ is a Husband that cannot be parallel'd 1. For tender care 2. For ardent affection 1. For tender care The Spouse cannot be so tender of her own soul and credit as Christ is