Saviour Psal 81. 11. Israel would none of me 2. Secondly It reproves those that know Christ by speculation but not with affection they know him but they do not love him he dwelleth in their heads but Eph. 3. 17. not in their hearts rooted and grounded in love Now such as love not Christ know not Christ in Gods account 1 John 4. 8. But you will say what not love Iesus Christ my sweet Saviour then it were pity I should live I were worse then a beast as Hazael said what am I a dog Yet certainly there are many that professe they love Christ that do not love Ioh. 5. 42. Col. 1 21. Ioh. 15. 18. him I know you saith our Saviour that you have not the love of God in you Perhaps thou bearest a mercenary love to Christ to love him for his benefits as a wife may love her husband for his riches and not his person or as the fly loves the Apothecaries boxes for sweet ointments or as a Patient his Physician non propter se sed propter sanitatem not for his own sake but for health sake and yet thou mayest bear him no reall or spirituall love How can we say we love Christ whiles our hearts go not with him whiles our thoughts and affections are estranged from him and set more upon the world Anima est ubi amaâ— non ubi animat and other objects For where â—ur treasure is there our heart is also Matth. 6. How can we say we love Christ when we will part with nothing for him suffer nothing for him love is bountifull solus amor nescit difficultates love knowes no difficulties Cant. 8. 6 7. as appears in Jacob and the martyrs what is the reason many poor women and ignorant in comparison died for Christ when great learned men turned against him but this because they had indeed more learning but these had more love as Alice Driver said I drove my fathers plough often yet I can die for Christ as soon as any of you all How can we say we love Christ when we love not his members his children his picture and image whereas we know David loved Mephibosheth for Jonathans sake when we take not part with him but against him when we love his enemies and hate his friends Is this thy kindnesse to thy friend said Absalom to Cuship why wentesâ— thou not with thy friend how can we say we love Christ when we delight not in communion with him have no entercourse of love letters to him and love not his appearing but rather like the harlot wish hee would deferre his comming And lastly to name no more How can we say we love Christ when we do nothing but wilfully and wittingly wrong him and provoke him to anger by our evill works Deut. 31. 29. If you love me keep my Commandements saith our Saviour John 14. 15. Would we say that man loveth us that delights to vex and grieve us that cares not how he wrongs us in our goods and name c. Doth that woman love her husband that doth willingly prostitute her selfe to an adulterer or doth that child love his father that would shoot an arrow at his heart Or would we say that man loveth us that carelesly or wilfully omitteth any thing he knowes we take pleasure and good liking in In a word he that loveth his sins loveth not Christ and he that loveth him not hath no part in him nor doth he know Iesus Christ and him crucified but only by speculation for to them that beleeve he is precious 1 Pet. 2. 7. And against such as love him not the Lord had pronounced Anathema Maran atha let him be acursed till the Lord come to judgement 3. Thirdly and Lastly it reproves those The Sun gives heat as well as light that content themselves with knowledge of speculation without an operative virtuall and practicall knowledge to live according to their knowledge and profession of Christ that their light may shine that men may see it and glorifie God for it Matth. 5. 16. But they desire only to know that they may be known even for Cupiunt cognosceâ—e ut noscantur discourse and vain glory who make no practicall use of their knowledge but live in sins against their knowledg Rom. 1. ult Jude 14. These are like starre-gazers that look upon the starres to gaze only but the Maâ—iner looks upon them to stear his ship and be guided by them to the haven These imprison the truth in unrighteousnesse Rom. 1. 18. Consider two things First What good doth a light under a bushel or a Non eloquia Dei sâ—ire sed secundum haec viverâ— est vera sapientia Chrysost Candle in a dark Lanthorn or gold whiles it remains in the earth never digged out or fire in a flint if it be never struck out Yea who would regard the Sun it selfe any more then a dark cloud if she had great light and yet gave no light if she did never shine to us wherefore are talents given us but to occupy with them Such knowledge is but umbra scientiae a shadow of knowledge like corn on the house top that neither fils the empty belly nor the Mowers sith it makes them neither more holy nor more happy If you know these things blessed are you if you do them saith Christ Joh. 13. 17. A good understanding have all they that do his commandments saith David Psal 111. 10. One apple of the tree of life is better Wardâ— happinesse of Pract. then all the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evill for one day we shall not be judged according to the light we had but the light we gave as those in Matth. 25. were judged not by the talents they received but how they had occupied and wrought with them 2. Secondly Nay the truth is men do a great deale of hurt with speculative knowledge only in two respects 1. They hurt themselves for it makes them sin with a candle in their hands as if a man should have a torch in his hand and yet would walke in the gutters it makes them sin like the divel against knowledge and makes their sins inexcusable Rom. 1. 18. it were better for them never to have known the way of righteousnesse then after they have known it to turn from the holy commandement delivered to them 2 Pet. 2. 21. To him that knoweth to do well and doeth it not to him it is sin saith the Apostle Rom. 2. 1. 2 Jam. 4. ult that is it is sin with a witnesse it is wilfull rebellion and daring God to his face and a kind of sinning against the holy Ghost Act. 7. 51. And if they sinned inexcusably that did go but against the light of nature that they were without excuse Rom. 1. 21. what excuse shall they have that go against the light of the Gospel â—any such have died in despair as Spira who said there was no
mercy for him because he denyed the truth against his conscience If we sin wilfully saith the Apostle after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remains no more sacrifice for sinne but a certain fearfull looking for of Judgement Heb. 10. 26. who pities a man when you tell him this is poyson yet he will drink it or that such an house is infected yet he will go in to it He that increaseth this knowledge increaseth his owne sorrow 2. They hurt others like the Unicorns horne which though a precious horne Like a sword in a mad mans hand yet so long as it is on a beasts head is dangerous and hurtfull They lay a stumbling block before the weak prove like false lights on shore which lead ships on sands and rocks to split them A Gentlewoman turned Atheist because she lived under a great Doctor that preached excellently was very learned but lived very licentiously And no wonder for we are ready to walk by example more then precept and ignorance thinkes why should it feare when knowledge dares venture Now all these are truly said by the Apostle not to know Jesus Christ he that saith he knowes him and keeps not his commandements is a lyar and â—â—e truth is â— Ioh. 2. 4. not in him As it was said of Eli's sonnes they knew not the Lord because they were sonnes of Belial and lived in rebellion against the Lord 1 Sam. 2. 12. CHAP. XV It sheweth forth how thankful and contented those ought to be that know Jesus Christ and him crucified savingly HItherto we have reproved three sorts of people some that know nothing of Jesus Christ others that study to know all things but Jesus Christ and a third sort that content themselves with a bare speculative knowledge of Christ without application Now in the fourth place seeing the knowledge of Christ is so excellent profitable and comfortable It teacheth us the happy condition of all those that know Jesus Christ savingly viz. with knowledge of application affection and operation O how should they with the wise merchant having found this Pearle of great price rejoyce though they had nothing else left to rejoyce in How would those men rejoyce that should find a Cabinet of richest pearls and Iewels or a great spoil Much more should they rejoyce in this Pearl in comparison of which all other Pearls and Iewels are not worth the mentioning Christ being a Iewel of more worth then both the Indies Thus did the Eunuch when he had found Christ then he went on his way rejoycing Act. 8. 39. whom though you see not yet you love saith Peter and beleeving you rejoyce with joy unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1. 8. The Virgin Mary rejoyced more that Christ was her Saviour then that she was his mother Luke 1. 47. My spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour And that in these six considerations 1. First Because he is the greatest gift that O Thesauris omnibus opulentior noticia Christi God can give or we can receive John 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his only sonne this is more then if he had given us all the world for God hath but one sonne and can make no more sonnes but God can make more worlds at his pleasure this gift is God himselfe and God can give us no greater gift then himselfe we may say as one said to Caesar when he gave him a great reward this is too great a gift said he for me to receive yea but it is not too great a gift for me to give said Caesar 2. Secondly He is the richest gift for Christ is all in all if he hath given us Christ he will with him give us all things else Rom. 8. 32. He is that one thing needfull that brings all things as I have treated at large before Yea he is Gratiae non sunt agendae pro luna nisi nocte tantum That gift of God John 4. 10. Surely God have given us more gifts then one True but as one sun is more worth then all the starres so that gift excels them all according to the Proverbe we blesse not God for the starres when the sun shines for when the sunne shines the starres appear not 3. Thirdly because he is the choycest gift that God hath Other gifts he gives Promiscuously to good and bad so as no man knoweth love or hatred by any thing that is before him Eccles 9. 1. Judas had the bag and Dives fared deliciously every day when Lazarus would have been glad of his crumbes But God never gives this gift to any but whom he loves with his dearest speciall and eternall love Suppose a Prince should woe some great Lady and had a Jewel worth a million It may be he would scatter pieces of silver or give some slighty tokens of favour upon the servants but his rich Iewel That he gives to his spouse This Iewel is Christ Abraham may give Ismael a bottle of milk but Isaac had the inheritance Herein is love in that he hath given us his only sonne saith St. Iohn 1 Iohn 4. 9. Alas herein is love that we are out of hell not roaring with the damned that we are freed from the collick and stone strangury and other tormenting diseases that we have bread to eat when others have none Ask the hungry and he will tell thee that bread is sweet As I read in these late Germane warres of a Girle about nine years of age that asked her mother saying good mother let me kill you Child said she why wouldst thou kill me O said she let me either kill you or do you kill me for I am very hungry and they say mans flesh is very sweet But we are nor fed with mans flesh we feed upon the flesh of beasts and of birds of the aire and fish in the sea and the best of his creatures we never were yet brought to say mans flesh is very sweet Herein is love that we have water to drinke yea the blood of the grape when others drink wormwood and gall nay mingle their drinke with weeping and blood Lament 3. 19 20. Herein is love that we are not consumed with sword pestilence and famine even in these sad times when so many have been utterly ruined maimed wounded slain that when poor Protestants in Ireland were stript stark naked in winter frosts and so were driven before them to execution with instruments of death yet then we had clothes to put on our houses to dwell in our beds to lie on the fire to warme us the creatures to comfort us and we are still fed with the finest of the wheat our table is richly spread our cup runs over and God daily loadeth us with his benefits c. No no herein is no love comparatively though we are lesse then the least of Gods mercies but in this that he hath given us Iesus Christ that he hath given us the Iewel It is true it
mourne for him that is because they have offended him So likewise David Against thee thee only have I sinned Though no question he was grieved that he had sinned against Bath-sheha and Vriab yet specially and chiefly because he had sinned against God So Joseph Gen. 39. 9. how shall I do this wickednesse and so sin against God So Peter went out and wept bitterly but it was when Christ Luke 22. 65. looked upon him with an eye sparkling full of love as if his eye had said what dost thou not know me Peter am not I worth the owning c. Some report this sin so affected him that every night the cock crew he fell on his face and wept for his sin and prayed Lyra Clem. alex. So Mary in the Pharisees house when there was a feast and they sate merry at the table with musick and joy she got under table and turned her eyes once beams of sinfull Ille verè dolet qui sine teste dolet lusts and pleasures into rivers of tears and mourning wherewith she washt the feet of Christ and her hair her ornament and net to catch wanton lovers withall is now become a towel to wipe the feet of Christ withall yea some report that she lived 30. years a penitent in France And the reason why she wept so much you see it was because she loved so much it was her love to Christ produced those lovely tears So the Prodigall lamented that he had offended his loving father saying father I have sinned against heaven and before thee c. and that grieves me most that I have offended thee Now the reason why this is a certain sign of our part in Christ is because corruption and the naturall unregenerate part cannot hate sin but grace and the spirit of God which is contrary to it The flesh lusteth against â—he spirit a Gal. 5. 17. so contrarily the spirit of God in us cannot love sin but must loath it and grieve for it grieve not the holy spirit of God by which you are sealed to the day of redemption saith Paul Eph. 4. 30. Signe 5 The fifth sign that we have our part in Christ is if we be poor in spirit and hunger and thirst after righteousnesse Matth. 5. 6. Not after comfort pardon of sinne or salvation onely as Balaam did and those in John 6. that cryed Lord evermore give us this bread that we may never hunger more c. but after righteousnesse to have more power against sin and more grace to love God and Christ and his Saints more and do God better service when it is not so much after happinesse as holinesse not so much after the reward as after the work not only to be glorified of God but to glorifie God Ob that my wayes saith David were so directed in thy sight that I might keep thy statutes Now these desires are signes of thy Psal 119. 5. faith in Christ 1. because they are wrought by the spirit of God Est a Deo ut bene velimus ac ut valeamus Aug. that is it is God that worketh in us to will and to do It is the Phil. 2. 13 Spirit of God that stirs up in us sighs and groanings Rom. 8. 26. they cannot come from our own spirits but are supernaturall desires If iron move upward contrary to its nature surely some loadstone hath been there desire of grace is grace because grace is seated in the desire yet desire of meat is not meat because meat is not seated in the desire Hence the new born babe de sires the milk of the word to grow thereby because he hath tasted how good the Lord it 1 Pet. 2. 3. 2. Secondly Si non ad voluntatem tamen ad salutem Aug. because these are pronounced blessed and promised by God to be satisfied that is with such a measure as God sees meet for them Matth. 5. 6. 3. Thirdly because desire of grace is accepted as if we had what we do desire 2 Cor. 8. 12. If there be a willing mind it is accepted according to that we have and not that we have not As it appears in the widdows two mites who in Christs account cast in more then they all because her affection was larger then theirs so Abraham is said to have offered his sonne because he 〈◊〉 willing to do it and David to have built God an house because he was willing to have done it To will is present saith Paul but to do good I have no power On the contrary a naturall man his desires are earthly voluptuous ambitious who will shew us any good Psal 4. 6. or if he desires spiritual things Ii is in a carnal manner out of self-love because he is loth to be miserable and usually his desires are suddain inconstant and lazy not setled and painfull CHAP. XVIII The sixt signe of the saving knowledge of Christ namely love Signe 6 THe sixt signe of assurance that Christ is ours is love faith worketh by love Gal. 5. 6. a and that consists in five particulars 1. If we love God As it is an instinct of nature for child en to love the parents that begat them with a heavenly holy love for his holinesse for the excellency of his nature and as looking upon him as a reconciled father that dearly loves us so that the thoughts of God are sweâ—â—â—nd precious to us b 1 Iohn 5. 1. Rom. 8. 28. whereas naturallâ— we bear no love to God we love not the thoughts of him nor look we upon him as loving us or if we do love him it is only mercenarious and meretricious love Vtimur deo ut fruamur mundo as a woman that loves her husband not for his person but for his riches so we love God only for his benefits naturally not but that it is lawfull to love God for his benefits as Mary loved much because much was forgiven her but not chiefly and only for his benefits but also for the excellency of his nature 2. If we love Christ with a conjugal love with the love of a spouse even as our best beloved loving nothing in heaven or earth in comparison of him c Psal 73. 25. To you that believe be is precious 1 Pet. 2. 7. as he was to Paul Phil. 3. 8. I count all as losse and dung in comparison of Christ so Moses I esteem the rebuke of Christ greater riches c. Heb. 11. 25. 3. If we love the Saints and members of Christ d 1 Iohn 3. 14. This mark stayes by us when many others cannot be discerned is most certain for we cannot love grace in another mans heart except there were grace in our own hearts Gen. 3. 15. 2 Cor. 6. 14. Only it hath these qualifications 1. First it is a spirituall love to love e Col. 1. 8. them in the name of righteous men for the image of Christ appearing in them and in no other by-respects
we know Iesus Christ savingly p. 136. 1. Because Christ is the greatest gift that God hath to give or that we can receive p. 138 2. Because Christ is the richest gift p. 138 3. Because Christ is the choycest gift ibid. 4. Because Christ is the rarest gift p. 141 5. Because Christ is the sweetest gift p. 143 6. Because Christ is the freest gift p. ibid. CHAP. XVI Use 5. An exhortation to all to study the knowledge of Christ savingly p. 146 1. Because we want nothing more then Christ p. 147 2. Because God is ready and willing to give Christ to those that seek him ibid Helpes ormeanes to attain to the saving knowledge of Christ p. 149 1. To see the worth of Christ ibid. 2. To see thy need of Christ and misery without him p. 150 3. To be sick with thy sins p. 153 4. To be sick for Christ p. 154 5. To be willing to part withall for Christ p. 155 6. To seek Christ with prayers and tears p. 156 CHAP. XVII Use 6. A Vse of examination whether we know Christ Jesus savingly p. 157 Because 1. Our hearts are deceitfull p. 158 2. The danger of this deceit p. 158 3. Satan will try it p. 159 4. The benefit of tryall is very great Whether we be deceived p. 159. not deceived ibid. Foure generall rules to preserve us from being deceived p. 159. 1. To be willing to know the truth concerning our spirituall condition p. 161. 2. To judge our selves by the right rule that is by a promise in thy word p. 162. 3. To get aright understanding of that rule or promise p. 166. 4. To rest upon that promise and not be beaten off from it p. 167. Eleven signes or markes whereby a man may know Christ is his in particular p. 167. The first signe 1. If it were wrought and is confirmed by the word preached 169 The second sign 2. If the heart were ever prepared for the receiving of Christ p. 170 The 3d sign 3. From the right operations of faith in the heart which are foure 1. It is little at the first p. 173 2. It increaseth daily 174 3. It opposeth infidelity ib. 4. It beleeves temporall promises p. 175 The 4th signe 4. Repentance for sin p 176 The 5th signe 5. Poverty of spirit p. 179 CHAP XVIII The sixth signe of the saving knowledge of Christ is love p. 181 I. Love to God ib. II. Love to Christ p. 182 III. If we love the Saints 3. wayes ibid. 1. With a spirituall love p. 183. 2. With an universall love ibid. 3. With a speciall love which consisteth in four particulars 1. In an high esteem of them p. 184 2. In a readinesse to help them ibid. 3. In delighting in their company ib. 4. In sympathizing with them p. 187. IV. If we love the word of God with a sincere love p. 188. V. If we love the wicked with a love of pity p. 189. CHAP. XIX The seventh signe of the saving knowledge of Christ namely the spirit of prayer p. 192. The spirit of prayer consists of two particulars 1. The heart is excited to be often with God in prayer p. 193. 2. The heart is inabled to pray spiritually That is 1. To pray in faith p. 195. 2. To pray fervently p. 196. 3. To pray with spirituall desires p. 197. CHAP XX. The eighth signe of the saving knowledge of Christ is universall obedience p. 198. The ninth signe is selfe-denyall p. 201. The tenth signe when the utmost end of all our actions is supernaturall CAAP. XXI The eleventh signe is the witnesse of the spirit p. 207. 1. The spirit perswades thy conscience thou art a child of God ibid. 2 The spirit fils the soule with ravishing joy p. 208. How to know it is the witnesse of the spirit and not a delusion 1. This witnesse is usually sent when the soule is mourning for sin p. 208. 2. It witnesseth always according to the word p. 209 3. It fils the heart with love and thankfulnesse ibid. 4. The spirit bears witnesse with our spirits that it is not a delusion ibid. CHAP. XXII An assoyling of some doubts and scruples whereby a true beleever doth question whether Christ is his or no. p. 211. The first doubt because I know not the time of my conversion p. 212. The second doubt because I know not whether I were ever sufficiently prepared to receive Christ p. 213. The third doubt because I am molested with so many temptations and doubts p. 215. The fourth doubt because my faith failes me p. 216. The fifth doubt because I want assurance and comfort p. 217. The sixth doubt because I have such strong lusts still remaining p. 220. The seventh doubt because I have relapsed unto my old sins ibid. Object Yea but old sins relapsed into are not pardoned before actuall repentance p. 22â— Answer they are pardoned to a beleever before actual repentance ibid. 1. Because after faith there is no place or time for condemnation p. 222. 2. He is still regenerated p. 224. 3. He is still a beleever and penitent person in habit at least p. 224. 4. He is still a member of Christ ibid. 5. He is still an adopted child p. 225. 6. Then actuall repentance is required necessarily for the pardon of the smallest sinnes ibid. 7. Then a beleever shall certainly live so long after agrosse sin till he doth actually repent p. 226. 8. Why is not actuall faith also necessary before actuall pardon p. 227. 9. Then a beleever may feare at that time to be damned ibid. 10. The opinion of many learned Divines p. 230. The Objections answered 1. Object from Rom. 3. 15. answered p. 231. 2. Object from Matth. 10. 28. ibid. 3. Object from 1. Cor. 6. 9. 10. 11. ibid. 4. Object A lapsed beleever hath not lost his right to but fitnesse for heaven answered p. 232. 5. Object Sin must be committed before it can be pardoned answered p. 233. 7. Object What need we then feare our sins or ask pardon for them answered p. 234. 8. Object The qualification required for pardon is repentance answered p. 235. 9. Object Then David might joy in God as his God whilst he lay in his sin answered p. 236. 10. Object from Jer. 3. I will forgive their iniquities therefore they were not pardoned before answered p. 237. 8. Doubt Because I feare I am an hypocrite p. 238. 9. Doubt Because I have hardnesse of heart p. 239. 10. Doubt Because I have such Atheisticall and blasphemous thoughts p. 240. 11. Doubt Because I profit not by hearing the word preached p. 241. 12. Doubt From the little measure of grace received p. 243. 13. Doubt Because I have no gift of prayer p. 245 1. Because I cannot pray but in a forme p. 246 2. Because I pray not in faith p. 247 3. Because God doth not hear my prayers ibid. 14. Doubt I do not grow in grace p 248 15. Doubt The Saints do not love me p. 251 16.
and yet never perfectly learn it strive and indeavor to know it wee may but we shall never fully know it nor fathom the bottome of it Exuperat omnem scientiam Theophil And what was Peters last exhortation to the Saints to whom he wrote but that they should grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ As if this were the chiefe lesson they were to learn according to my text I desired to know nothing among you c. Wherein two things are to be considered 1. What knowledg of Christ it is that is to be studied of us 2. Why the knowledge of Christ and him crucified is specially to be studied of us For the first we are to study to know Christ with a fourfold knowledge with the knowledg of 1. Speculation or Contemplation 2. Particular application 3. Love and affection 4. Vertuall operation 1. With the knowledge of Speculation in three particulars viz. to know Christ in his 1. Incarnation 2. Crucifixion 3. Satisfaction CHAP. II. Teacheth us to study to know Christ in his Incarnation FIrst we must study to know Christ in his Incarnation That he is God and man joyned together that God and man might be joyned together that by sinne were separated one from another Wherein five things are to be learned of us 1. That he is the second Person in the Trinity who was the wisdome of the Father To teach us that the divine nature is not essentially but personally not simply but Relatively in relation to the second Person incarnated f Non essentia Deâ— absolutè considerata sed persona filii erat incarnata Buchan loc com Non essentia sed persona deitatis est incarnata Wolleb for else the Father and holy Ghost muâ—t be incarnated as wel as the Sonne which was the error of the Sabellians Anno Christi 257. who denied the three distinct persons and said they were but three names and so by consequence were compelled to say the Father and H. G. were incarnate and died for our sins as well as the Sonne 2. That he is the Son of God g Psal 2. 7. John 1 14. Not by creation as the Anâ—els and Adam were not by adoption as the Saints are but his naturall son by eternall generation as he was God being of the same substance and nature that his Father is as children are of the same substance with their Parents cald indeed the Father of Eternity Es 9. 6. but that was respectu essentiae non subsistentiae in regard of his essence not subsistence The manner is unspeakable incomprehensible for who can declare his generation In naturall generation the Father is 1. before the Sonne 2. the Son inferior to the Father 3. receiving his substance from the Father but in this generation the Father is not before the Sonne who was eternally his sonne or else there should be a time when God was without a Sonne and himselfe not a Father 2. Nor is he inferior to the Father for he is no more beholding to God to be his Father then the Father to him to be Essentia non generatnec generatur Scholoâ— his sonne 3. nor did he receive his Substance but his Sonship from the Father who is unbegotten in respect of his essence as having his essence of himselfe begotten only in respect of his personality for he hath his personall subsistence from the Father begotten as Son not as God Perk. on Creed learned Buchan saith Aliud est esse paâ—ris aliud esse filii aliud esse spiritus sancti that is as they are persons or subsistences but not as absolutely God for so their essence is the same But this mistery is deep and such as is fitter for the study of Angels then men Divines have set it forth by divers similitudes whereby I have thought they have rather darkened then illustrated it and therefore I spare to mention them And further as our Lord Christ is man he is the son of God but not by creation nor adoption nor eternall generation but by hypostaticall union namely by prerogative of his personall union contrary to the Feliciani that called Christ in his humane nature the adopted sonne of God And thus the Son of God became the son of man that the sons of men might be John 1. 12. Gal. 3. 5 6. Mat. 3 17. Iohn 1. 14. made the sonnes of God I go to your father and my father Ioh. 20. 17. And what greater love could the father shew unto us then to give his deare Son his beloved Son his only begotten son for us Joh. 3. 16. Herein appeared Abrahams love that he offered his only sonne Isaac whom he loved Gen. 22. There was one had foure sons who in a famine being sore oppressed with hunger the Parents resolved to sell one for relief But then they considered the eldest was the first of their strength therfore loth to sell him the second was the very picture of the father the third was like the mother the fourth and the youngest was the childe of their old age their Benjamin the dearly beloved of them both and therfore they were resolved not to part with any of them and so would rather suffer themselves to perish then to part with any of their children Another had two sons both were condemned to dye yet upon mediation the father was offered to have one spared But he could not find in his heart which to chuse to live so to leave the other to the stroak of death They both were so dear to him and so they both died so dear are children to their Parents Can a mother saith God forget her child yet God seems to forget his only son that lay in the bosome of the father and was his delight from all eternity that he might remember Prov. 3. 30 us deliver us from death and make us the adopted sons of God Thirdly that Iesus Christ is God The mighty God i Es 9. 6. who thought it no robbery to be equall with God k Psal 2. 6. Rev. 18. Mat. 8. 10. Col. 1. 15. 16. contrary to the heresie of the Samosetanians Servetus Ebionites Cerinthians Nestorians Turks Jews Arrians and all other Hereticks that deny the Deity of Christ but to him is attributed eternity l omnisciency omnipresence creation and providence which are only attributed to God Beside the works and miracles which our Lord Christ wrought when he was upon the earth declared him to be the mighty God m Joh. 5 36 10. 25. 37. 38. Now Christ must needs be God not only to support the humane nature to beare the wrath of God from sinking under it which else had ground him to powder As the altar of wood was covered with brasse that the fire might not consume it Exod. 27. 2. But also to give worth to his sufferings and to make them of infinite value because they were the sufferings of God n Acts 20. 28. Heb. 9.
one Son without sin but no son without punishment One Sonne sine corruptione but no sonne sine correptione 12. Lastly Christ was crucified in his condēnatiō in that they condemned him Ioh. 19 6. Luk. 13. 24 to death 1. acknowledging him innocent saying I am innocent of the bloud of this just man and then condemning the innocent because he stood in our stead that were nocent and to teach us that we are all by nature condemned men before the Lord till we get our pardon by Christ And lastly that by him we might escape the sentence of eternall condemnation for there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Rom. 8. 1. CHAP. IV. The sufferings of Christ at and upon the Crosse HAving finished the sufferings of Christ in his life we now come to his suffering in his death on the Crosse in these words And him crucified For greater love saith Christ hath no man then this that a man lay downe his life for his freinds John 15. 13. If as the Jewes dream he had come as a great Monarch had trod on nothing but Crownes and Scepters and the necks of Kings and had had the Potentates of the earth to attend his traine it had beene great love to us Yea it had beene some love if he had onely pitied us in our misery and wept for us as David did for Absalom Or if he had pleaded for us and spake a good word for us as Jonathan did for David Or if he had sent an Angel for us Or if himselfe had suffered disgrace reproaches Cant. 2 5. opprobryes c. But greater love he could not show then to dye for us skin for skin and all that a man hath will be give to save his life yet Christs life was not too dear for us the spouse indeed was sick of love but Christ exceeded her for he died for love This is our Pellican that hath nourished and fed us with his bloud Many mothers can endure crying of their children and bearing them with paine that would hardly dye for them but the love of Christ passed the love of women for he dyed for us Yea greater love had Christ towards us then barely to dye for us in three respects 1. A man may dye for another Codrus for the Athenians Curtius to preserve Rome if perhaps it be an honourable death to get renoune after his death as some of the heathens have done 2. If it be an easie death 3. If it be for a dearly beloved freind to whom he hath been much ingaged Scarcely for a righteous man will one dye saith Paul that is that hath lived justly Yet for a good man that hath beene very beneficiall to him peradventure one would even dare to dye and Rom. 5. 8. yet it is but a peradventure neither But first Christ died not an honourable death the people applauding him as they did sometimes the Martyrs But the shamefull death of the Crosse Heb. 12. 2. He endured the Crosse and despised the shame Now dishonour and shame to a noble spirit is as bitter as death it selfe And surely if to live with infamy be worse then death what is it then to dye with infamy It was shamefull in five respects 1. In that they made him carry his owne Crosse or gallowes whereupon he was hanged as when malefactors go with halters about their necks to execution 2. It was shamefull in that he was 1 Ioh. 19. 23. stript naked to the scorne of Angels and men even he that covers the heavens with starres the earth with flowers the beasts with skins and men with raiment even he was stript naked so farre as modesty would permit say some and clothed Rev. 3. 17. 18. onely with his own innocency To teach us we are naked of all righteousnesse and deserve to be stript naked of all comforts earthly and spirituall And that he might cloath us with the robes of his righteousnesse 3. It was shmeful in that he was hang'd a death meet for theeves murtherers and execrable sinners we count it a death too base for noble bloud although they turn traytors and therefore they have liberty to exchange the gallowes for the block To see a King hang'd what a shamefull suffering were it but for God to be hang'd on a gallowes much more The Turks mock us at this day with our crucified God and some of the heathens said they would not beleeve in a hang'd God But the greater his sufferings were the greater was his love and our misery who deserved to hang in hell for ever 4. It was shamefull in that he was hanged with two theeves and in the midst as the Prince of theeves and murtherers and as the greatest malefactor Esay 53. 12. He was numbred among the transgressour◠His good name was as deare to him as ours to us Now which of us especially being innocent could be content to be esteemed as murtherers adulterers theeves or the like Yet perhaps this might figure out the last judgement when repentant sinners shall be set on the right hand and the reprobates on the left as one observeth * the one sort to be saved Sir John Heyward knight the other to be condemned 5. It was shamefull because he was insulted over in his misery as Sampson was mocked by the Philistines at his death he saved others said they but cannot save himselfe Come drwne from the Crosse and wee will beleeve in thee All that see me laugh me Psal 22. 7. to scorne they shoot out the lip c. Secondly as Christ died not an honorable death so he suffered not an easie but a most bitter and painfull death he was Phil. 2. Heb. 12. 2. obedient to death even to the death of the Crosse he endured the Crosse This appeares even in what he suffered from men in his body which yet was lesse then what many Martyrs suffered being rouled naked in a barrel of nailes racked burned c. First before he was laid upon the Crosse They gave him gall and vinegar to drink as Matthew reads it Matthew 27. 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or wine mingled with mirh as Mark reads it Mark 15. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one explaines the other That is wine as sharp as vinegar and imbittered with mirh like gall but not gall it selfe as Beza Or rather I think it was mingled with both gall and mirh as Gerard. Some indeed think this no part of his sufferings and that it was not to torment him but ut mors ejus esset celerior so Calvin And Beza thinks the good women brought the wine to chear him and that it was Vinum dulce sweete Calvin in Ioc. Baroni Annal. An. no Christi 34. c. 84. Bera in Ioc. Prov. 31. 6. wine a kind of Nectar and so thinks Baronius according to that of Solomon Prov. 31. 6. Give wine to him that is of a heavy heart But this cannot be for it is not likely
prayer Daniel three times a day prayed in his closet when he was in danger of his life Nazianzen reports of his sister Gorgonis that her knees seemed to cleave to the earth by her often praying and Gregory of his Aunt Trucilla her elbow was as hard as a horn by often leaning upon a desk when she prayed Eusebius reports of James that his knees were as hard as Camels knees bereaved of sense by often praying And one reportes of Ioachim the father of the Virgin Mary that he would often say Cibus potus mihi erit oratio Prayer is my meat and drink whereas naturall men have no ability or gift of prayer they cannot pray many a wise man that can speak eloquently yea before a king yet is not able to speak five wise words to God in prayer whereas many a poore simple man that is scarce able to speak five wise words to a man especially if he be some great man yet can speak to God by prayer even to admiration To say we have no gift of prayer is to say we have not received the spirit of grace for the spirit of grace and supplication are put together Zach. 12. 10. Nor that we have received the spirit of Adoption for that would make us cry Abâ—a father Rom. 8. 15. It may be such cannot pray eloquently nor so as their words will well hang together yet they can weep sigh and groan which are the strongest prayers Rom 8. 26. 27. Others there are that have no list to this duty they cry what a wearinesse is it Mal. 1. 13 and never pray for conscience sake out of love to the duty but only out of custome for fashion sake or in distresse as the Mariners in the ship with Ionah when they were in a storme Jonah 1. 5. then they cryed every man to his god but yet he delighteth not himselfe in the Almighty he will not alwayes call upon God as Iob speaks of the hypocrite Iob. 27. 10. Now these and such like are so farre from having any faith in Christ that they may rather be called Atheists who think there is no God nor do they beleeve his providence The fool hath said in his heart there is no God saith the Prophet David Psal 14. 1. hence it followes v. 4. He calleth not upon the Lord. 2. Secondly by the spirit of prayer the heart is not only excited and enabled to pray but to pray spiritually to make a spirituall prayer as the Apostle exhorts that we pray with all manner of prayer and supplication in the spirit a Eph. 6. 18. and to pray in the Holy-Ghost b Jude 20. and the Apostle Paul tels us the spirit helpeth our infirmities though we know not what nor how to ask yet the spirit makes intercession for us with groanings c. c Rom. 8. 25 26. which assistance of the spirit consists not in orderly invention or composure of words and eloquent phrases for some godly people may want this and it is but a common gift and the common not the speciall help of the spirit promised in Rom. 8. 27. But the spirit of prayer consists in three things First in enabling us to pray in faith with a childlike spirit that can go to God as a father and not as to a stranger d Rom. 8. 15. Esa 63. 16. Lords prayer Wicked men pray but they have not the spirit of prayer because they pray not in faith but shoot their arrows at randome never regarding nor looking after them Now these are but bold narratious or orations not humble petitions It is true a man in Christ may have risings of infidelity but they are overcome by faith 2. Secondly The spirit of prayer consists in enabling us to pray fervently the spirit helpes us saith the Apostle to c Rom. 8. 26. pray with sighs and gronings which cannot be expressed the affections are as it were set on fire by the Holy-Ghost Thus Hannah poured out her soul before the Lord 1 Sam. 1. 15. So Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and wept sore Esa 38. 1. and Jacob wrestled with God in prayer Gen. 32. 24. Wherefore cryest thou to me saith God to Moses Exod. 14. 15. and Abraham strove with God from fifty to ten Gen. 18. 23. especially our Lord Christ who prayed with strong crying and tears Invention may make us speak but Non semper opus est clamore quia deus suspiria audit Non vox sed votum non musica c. the spirit will make us cry which yet consists not so much in strength of words as of affections naturall men may have externall elocution but want inward affection they are dead and cold prayers they usually pray as though they cared not whether God heard them or no like cold Suitors that care not whether they Ludit deum qui ore petit quod corde negligit speed or no they want the aspiration of the spirit to pronounce Shibboleth Caut. Not that a Christian is alwayes alike in prayer but as the spirit pleaseth to help with his adjuvant cooperating grace without me ye can do nothing the spirit must inspirare or we cannot exspirare The wind must blow that the spices may flow Cant. 4. 16. we are like a ship at sea if the wind blow it goes amain or else it creeps upon the ground sometimes like Pharaohs chariots onr wheeles are taken off and we drive heavily and sometimes like Josephs chariots we drive chearfully 3. Thirdly and lastly to pray with the spirit is to pray with spirituall desires when we pray for spirituall things or for temporall blessings with spirituall affections and spirituall ends to honour God by them as Christs petitions were John 17. and as we are taught in the Lords prayer A naturall man may be very earnest in his prayer yet it is not a spirituall prayer because his desires have only reference to self-self-love and naturall ends but not to God and his glory They have not cryed unto me with their hearts when they howled upon their beds saith the Prophet e Hos 7. 14. where the Prophet esteems of their prayers no better then howlings like the howlings of Baals Priests who cryed aloud O Baal hear us and they cut themselves till the blood gushed out upon them f 1 King 18. 28. Therefore such prayers God sometimes sends away with a mock rather then an answer Prov. 1. 28. 29. when distresse and anguish shall come upon you then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but they shall not find me CHAP. XX. The eighth ninth and tenth Sign of the saving knowledge of Christ Sign 8 THe eighth sign that we have attained to the saving knowledge of Christ is universall obedience when we make conscience of all our wayes and have respect to all Gods commandements which consisteth in a setled resolution and indeavour against all sin and a setled purpose
be no Lord he will be no Saviour for therefore he died and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of quick and dead Rom. 14. 9. Sign 10 The tenth signe of a man that knowes Christ savingly is when the utmost end of all his actions is supernaturall even to yield obedience unto God commanding them and the advancing of his glory as a faithfull servant aimes at his masters profit when whatsoever he does it is to the glory of God when he lives not to himselfe but to him that died for him and rose again when he is more grieved at Gods dishonour then his own and is content to be abased that God may be glorified for now the will is elevated above nature to look at a higher principle then it selfe even the glory of God Thus did Ioseph it is not in me saith he but God shall give Pharaoh an answer a Gen. 41. 16. so Daniel there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets but as for me this secret is not revealed to me for any wisedome that I have more then others c. b Dan. 2. 28. 30. And the disciples when they healed the lame man told them why look you so earnestly upon us as though by our own power and holinesse we had made this man walk the God of Abraham c. c Act. 3. 12. And lastly to name no more Saint Paul tels them d 1 Thes 2. 4. 6. we speak not as pleasing men but God which tryeth our hearts v. 6. Nor of men sought we glory nor of you nor yet of others And hence it is that our Lord Christ makes it a mark of a righteous man e Ioh. 7. 18. he that seeketh the glory of him that sent him the same is true and there is no unrighteousnesse in him And this is made a mark of a vessell of honour by Paul f 2. Tim. 2. 20. Nihil agit ultrà sphaeram activitatis suae He is a vessell sanctified for his masters use And the reason is because nothing can move above its principle the stream can rise no higher then the fountain nor can nature go beyond nature as water cannot heat except fire be in it Caut. Not but that some risings of self remaines in the best as in David when he numbred the people and the disciples when they reasoned which of them should be greatest but they are lamented and repented off and mourned under as their greatest burthen as did Hezekiah who humbled himselfe because his heart was lifted up 2 Chron. 32. 25. Contrarily a naturall man makes a god of himselfe hath no higher end in all his actions then himselfe his own ease credit happinesse c. As God complaineth Israel is an empty vine yet he bringeth forth fruit to himselfe Hos 10. 1. and our Lord Christ of the Pharisees All their workes they do is to be seen of men g Matth. 23. 5. They may say of all their best actions though never so specious as Nebuchadnezzar said of his Babel is not this great Babel that I have built for the honour of my name So all they do is for the honour of their name like windmils which go because the wind blowes or like marigolds that open because the Sun shines upon them Now these their hearts are not upright in them Hab. 2. â—4 but like false servants that sell their masters wares well but then purloyn and rob them of the gaines He that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his own glory c. John 7. 18. and such cannot have part in Christ John 5. 44. How can you beleeve that seek honour one of another And it is a mark of those that were counterfeit beleevers they loved the praise of men more then the praise of God Iohn 12. 43. CHAP. XXI The eleventh signe of the saving knowledge of Christ is the witnesse of the Spirit THe eleventh and last sign I shall mention is the witnesse of the spirit Rom. 8. 16. The spirit beares witnesse with our spirits that we are the children of God Some make this the only mark to prove our interest in Christ and deny all signs from the fruits of the spirit but this were to deny the fruit grown upon the tree to be a signe that the tree is alive but our Saviour tels us a tree is known by the fruit and the Lord hath left them in Scripture as infallible markes and therefore to deny them were to impute folly or unfaithfulnesse to God himselfe which were the greatest Blasphemy Yet we exclude not the witnesse of the spirit as a certain evidence of our part in Christ a 1 Ioh. 5. 6. Eph 4. 13. Eph. 4. 30. Which consists in two particulars 1. First The spirit perswades my conscience I am the child of God Rom. 8. 16. A witnesse is for manifestation and confirmation 1 Cor. 2. 12. 1 Cor. 2. 12. As it were a secret voice speaking to our hearts and saying as Christ to the leper be of good chear thy sins are forgiven thee b Matth. 9. 2. 2. Secondly in an inward ravishiâ—g joy and comfort which the spirit workes and leaves with this assurance which is that hidden Mannah which that man that feels it in himselfe cannot expresse to others c Rev. 2. 17. which is called the Lords Supping with us d Rev. 3. 20. and his chearing us as with flagons of wine e Cant. 2. 5. and hence the spirit is called the Holy Ghost the comforter for he fils the heart sometimes by this testimony with such joyes is unspeakable the soule for the time being with Paul in his rapture rather in heaven then on earth though here he hath but a taste yet the fulnesse thereof are the joyes of heaven it selfe 1. For the Kingdome of heaven is righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy-Ghost Rom. 14. 1. Quest How shall I know that it is not a delusion Answ I answer this voice God sends usually when the soule is mourning and full of heavinesse as we give wiâ—e to them that are of a heavy heart Blessed are f Iohn 16. 20. they that mourne for they shall be comforted Matth. 5. 44. And likely either when they are waiting upon God in his ordinances to find Christ as Mary waited at the sepulchre to see him Or wrestling with God in prayer c. as Cornel. Acts 10. 31. Dan. 9. 31. But as for dreams visions and Enthusiasmes though Jacob Gen. 28. when he slept saw a vision of Angels and was comforted and diverse others yet God seldome now speakes by visions but by his word and spirit Heb. 1. 1. and therefore visions are to be usually little regarded 2. The spirit witnesseth alwayes according to the word and that by discovering the promises in the word to our consciences perswading us that they belong to us a 1 Iohn 3. 14. Matth. 5. 3. It fils his heart with love and thankfulnesse to God and makes him