Choice Grounds and Principles of our Christian Religion, Treatise · Question 3
Que. 3. What doth that truth teach vsus?
Answ. What wee are to know, and beleeue concerning God; and what to know, and beleeue, concerning our selues, Ier. 9.23, 24. Io. 17.3. Col. 2.13, 14, 15.
ALthough very high, and exquisite is the true knowledge, & very many the points and principall branches of our Christian Religion, wherein, eueryevery one that looketh to be saued by the Death of Christ, ought soundly to bee grounded, and established: yet may they all be comprehended, and knit vp in these two: to know God, and to know our selues. Insomuch, that if we know God truely, and as he ought to be knowne: and on the other side know our selues, as wee ought to know our selues: then hauehave we attained to an excellent measure of true Christian knowledge: whereas contrariwise, if wee be without this knowledge of God, and of our selues, what shew soeuer we make in the world, and what opinion soeuer we hauehave of our selues: yet can wee hauehave no true peace of conscience, nor sound ioy in the holy Ghost: wee can hauehave no assurance that wee are right Christians, but euen strangers from the Couenant of Grace, who hauehave no inheritance among the Saints. But if any, at the hearing of this, be ready to imagine that this is an easie knowledge, and may soone be attained: let not such deceiue themselues, but seriously consider, and vnderstand, that whereas our Christian Religion is said to consist in the true knowledge of God, and of our selues: the meaning is not, that it is sufficient for a Christian man to know, that there is a God; but (as the Prophet Ieremy saith, he must know, and vnderstand, that the Lord is God: that hee sheweth mercy; and how, for what cause, and to whom hee sheweth mercy: that hee worketh righteousnesse, and executeth iudgement: and how, and for what cause, he doth these things in the earth. We must know him to be our onelyonly True God and Iesus Christ whom hee hath sent, to be our alone Sauiour, and Redeemer. Again, concerning our selues, it is not inough to know, that wee are creatures created by God, but wee must know, how, by what meanes, and so what end we were created, in what estate wee remaine, and in what estate we shall continue, in respect of saluation, before God. It is not then so easie a matter to hauehave this knowledge in substance and truth, as many are apt to thinke, the whole summe of true wisedome, and godlinesse, beeing comprehended in it. We that are the Ministers, and preachers of the Gospell, apply all our study about this knowledge, and yet are neuer able to attaine the height, and fulnesse of it.1. Cor 13.9. When we hauehave done all we can, yet wee still know but in part, and prophesie but in part: And therfore how farre the common and generall multitude, which little, or neuer study vponupon she matter, and little profit by that which is taught them: how farre (I say) they must of necessity be, from a full, and sufficient measure of vnderstanding herein, eueryevery mans conscience cannot but assure him. When wee thinke vponupon God, we see, that infinite are the things, which may sooner be sought, and inquired, concerning the knowledge of him, then either found out, or plainely expounded. For which cause, we must neuer speake, nor thinke of him, without great reuerence, and Religion. And to the end we may doe so, wee must alwayes consider on the one side, how great, and vnsearchable his Maiesty is; and what worship, feare, and seruice is due vntounto him. And on the other side, how vile, and abiect our owne estate and condition is; how weake, or rather how corrupt, and peruerse iudgement we are, especially in those things that do concerne diuine and spirituall vnderstanding. For this is the right way to true Christian wisedome, and knowledge. And these two parts of it are so linked and knit together with a mutuall knot, that which of them goeth before, or ingendreth the other, it is a hard matter to discusse. Reason 1 For whosoeuer knoweth not God, he cannot possibly know himselfe; And whosoeuer knoweth not himselfe, hee cannot possibly know God. And such a one, as is ignorant both of the knowledge of God, and of himselfe, he is ignorant of all happinesse, that may any way concerne himselfe; his estate is most miserable, what shew so euer to the contrary, he may carry in the world, to bleare the eyes of men.
Againe, as eueryevery one is by the knowledge Reason 2 of himselfe, and his owne misery, not onelyonly pricked forward to seeke God, but led, as it were, by the hand, to finde him out: so is it also certaine, that a man neuer commeth to the knowledge of himselfe, vnlesse hee hath first beheld the face of God, and from the beholding thereof, doe descend to the consideration of himselfe. For such is the pride, that is naturally planted in vsus, that wee alwayes thinke our selues to bee righteous, wise, and holy inough, vntill such time, as wee be manifestly conuinced of our owne vnrighteousnesse, filthinesse, and vncleanenesse: the which is done, not by looking vponupon our selues onelyonly; but vponupon the purity also, and holinesse that is in God, which is the rule, whereby this iudgement is to be tryed. For in as much as we are naturally inclined to hypocrisie, a certaine vaine resemblance of righteousnes doth sufficiently content vsus, in stead of true righteousnes indeed. So long as we looke no further then the earth, we wonderfully please, and sweetly flatter our selues, in our owne wisedome, power, & strength; but if wee once begin to raise vp our thoughts to God, and to consider what a one he is, and how exact is the perfection of his righteousnes, wisedome, & power, after the rule whereof we ought to be framed: then, that which before did please vsus in our selues with a false pretence of righteousnes, shall become loathsome vntounto vsus, as very hainous wickednesse: that which did maruellously deceiue vsus vnderunder the colour of wisedome, shall then stinke before vsus as extreme folly: that which did beare the face of strength, shall be proued to be most miserable weakenesse: So slenderly doth that which is good in our eyes, answere in proportion, the excellent purenesse that is in God.
Much more might be added to amplifie this: but we shal hauehave occasion to consider further of it, in the next point. In the meane season, you may see by this already deliuered, how rightly the summe of Christian Religion, is said to consist in the knowledge of God, and of our selues.
For as the true knowledge of God doth rightly bring sauing health; and as the same aboundantly sufficeth to sanctification, and saluation to all faithfull Christians: And againe, as without this knowledge, all other knowledge is nothing worth. It being euen eternall life, as Christ himselfe affirmeth, thus to know God: euen so ye knowledge of our selues, and of our owne miseries, is necessarie to the obtaining of inestimable comfort and consolation. And as to bee ignorant of God, is a damnable ignorance: so also not to know our owne wretchednesse, is a blindnesse most miserable.
Let vsus therefore bee zealous in prayer continually vntounto God, Vse. that through his grace, wee may attaine to the true knowledge of both these points: And let vsus willingly suffer our selues to be instructed in them, by the diligent hearing of the Word of God preached, by reading the Scriptures, with such godly and learned Expositions, as are made thereof: as also by often conference with the Minister, and such others as may be able to informe and helpe vsus. For if wee know not our owne misery, and the greatnesse thereof, wee cannot know the greatnesse of Gods mercy, neither can we desire him to deliuer vsus from the greatnesse of our sinnes. And if we doe not desire deliuerance from our wretchednesse, it is not possible that we should obtaine it, because God hath promised it, onelyonly to them that seeke it: As Mat. 7.Math. 7.7. Aske, and it shall be giuen you; Seeke, and ye shall finde; Knocke, and it shall be opened vntounto you. Also before chap. 5.Chap. 5.6. Blessed are they, that hunger and thirst after righteousnes; for they shall bee satisfied. And againe, chapter 11.Cha. 11.28. Come vntounto mee, all ye that are weary, and laden, and I will ease you.