Mans Active Obedience, Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Of the Christians practice, according to his knowledge of God and his workes.
Queſtion.
SO much touching the knowledge in generall, which is required at the hands of eueryevery one; come now to the practice, and declare what ought to be the practice of eueryevery good Chriſtian?
A. The daily practice of a Chriſtian ought to bee (accordingThe mind being lightned in knowledge, is not to reſt in the ſweetneſſe of contemplation alone, but ioyne practice therewithall. to his knowledge) ſo to labour to glorifie God in all things; not knowing alone what is meete, but doing as he knoweth, that he may be bleſſed in his deed.
Q. How is ſuch practice termed in the Scriptures?
A. It is called the power of godlineſſe: for all that otherwiſe is held but in knowledge onelyonly, as it is floating and ſwimming in the braine may end in bare ſpeech, and reſtIames 1. 5. 2. Tim. 3. 5. in a naked ſhew or forme of godlineſſe; which being idle and weake for want of ſtrength of grace to carry it further, the life for all that may be left vnreformed; as in the2. Tim. 3. 2. 3. 4. examples inſtanced in by the Apoſtle, is manifeſt to bee ſeene: but when practice is ioyned with knowledge, thenIames 1. 4. (as Saint Iames ſpeakes of patience) godlineſſe hath her perfect worke, and powerfully breaketh out to manifeſt it ſelfe as well in the life outwardly, as in the heart within.
Q. What kind of practice doe you meant it to be, which you would hauehave a Christian to ioyne with his knowledge, thereby the better to glorifie God?
A. Both the labour of the mind by holy meditation inwardly had of that that he knoweth; and the trauell of the body in workes and actions outwardly, performed according to the ſame.
Q. How farre muſt this practice be extended?
A. So farre as a mans knowledge doth reach vntounto: for it is but the making vſe of knowledge, which otherwiſe would be fruitleſſe and vnprofitable.
Q. Shew this more particularly in thoſe ſeuerall points of knowledge, which you hauehave ſet downe to be needfull for eueryevery Chriſtian, to hauehave his mind rightly to bee informed in: and firſt, what practice or vſe you would hauehave to be made Rom. 1. 21. Pſal. 89. 7. Pſalm. 68. 35. Pſal. 96. 9. Exod. 15. 11. Iob 11. 7. Pſalm. …6. 8, 10. Iob 9. 4, 5. Pſal. 77. 13. Ezeck. 43. 2. Pſal. 89. 6. Iſaiah 57. 15. Pſal. 8. 1. Iob. 37. 23. & 13. 11. Iob 26. 14. Pſal. 76. 7. Pſal. 66. 5. 7. Pſal. 18. 31. Pſal. 103. 17. Pſal. 103. 8. Exod. 34. 6. Pſal. 86. 15. Pſal. 99 9. Iſai. 41. …4. 29. Deut. 32. 17. Pſal. 97. 7. & 13. 6. Iſaiah 6. 3. Tit. 1. 16. 1. Ti…. 3. 16. 2. Cor. 5. 19. Rom. 9. 5.of that knowledge we are to hauehave of God, that wee know what he is in himſelfe, which is the firſt point that is mentioned.
A. That when wee ſo know God, wee then doe glorifie him as God; trembling before his fearefull Maiestie; wondring at his great Omnipotencie; aſtoniſhed with his infinite Glorie; rauiſhed with his incomparable Excellencie; awed with his dreadfull Power; comforted with his endleſſe LoueLove; cheared with his abounding Mercy; and falling low downe before the throne of his glory (all falſe gods, and lying vanities of the Heathen being vile in our eyes), to ſay, Hee is holy, hee is holy, he is holy, the Lord of Hoſtes, the earth is full of his glory. And as thus in our minds to worſhip him, and with our words to praiſe him; ſo to take heed, that in our deeds we do not deny him.
Q. What vſe are wee to make of that knowledge wee ought to hauehave of God, whereby wee may know what hee is to vsus?
A. Thereby we are occaſioned ſeriouſly to conſider of, and daily to ſeeke better to vnderſtand that great mysterie of godlineſſe, which concerneth the worke of our redemption, that is by Chriſt Ieſus; how God was in Chriſt, reconciling the world to himſelfe: not imputing their treſpaſſes vntounto them; and how Chriſt being God ouer all bleſſed for euer, became alſo man, to ſuffer what was due for mans tranſgreſſion; that being both God and Man, hee might make a perfect ſatisfaction vntounto1. Tim. 2. 5. 6. God for man. And being ſealed and ſent of the Father, to bee the attonement-maker betweene the two partiesIoh. 6. 27. & 5. 30. at variance, who were God and man, hee might firſt get them inſeparably ioyned together in himſelfe. And theſe two Natures to bee ſet at one: and by a happy vnion, to meete together in his owne perſon; and then in the body of his fleſh through death, and by theColoſſ. 1. 20. 21. 22. blood of his Croſſe, to ſet all things at peace in heauen and in earth; ſo reconciling man to God, as he might bee preſented holy and vnblameable, and vnreproueable in his ſight. And thus was hee made vntounto vsus Ieſus; that is, a full and perfect Sauiour, to ſaue vsus from our ſinnes;Mat. 1. 21. Acts 2. 36. Heb. 5. 5, 6. Deut. 18. 18. Luke 4. 18, 21. Matth. 17. 5. Dan. 7. 14. 27. Zach. 9. 9. Luke 1. 32, 33. God hauing for the ſame purpoſe firſt made him Chriſt, that is, annointed him with the holy Ghoſt, and with power to be a Prieſt, Prophet, and King, to purchaſe, publiſh and apply ſaluation for, and vntounto all that ſhould beleeue in his name.
Q. What practice or vſe of the knowledge of the works of God in generall, are we to make?
A. The ſame or like to that which is contained in the Song of Moſes, the ſeruant of the Lord; and in the Song of the Lambe, ſung by thoſe victorious Conquerors, that had the Harpes of God in their hands; the ditty whereofApoc. 15. 3. was this, Great and marueilous are thy workes Lord God Almightie: iuſt and true are thy waies, thou King of Saints! Who is like vntounto thee, O Lord, among the Gods? who isExod. 15. 11. like thee? glorious in holineſſe, fearefull in praiſes, doing wonders! And in conſidering the great workes of God in generall, to ſay with Dauid, the ſweete ſinger of Iſrael; O Lord, how manifold are thy workes, in wiſedomePſal. 104. 24. haſt thou made them all; the earth is full of thy riches? Bleſſed be the Lord God, the God of Iſrael, whoPſal. 72. 18. 19. onelyonly doth wondrous things, and bleſſed be his glorious name for euer, and let the whole earth bee filled with his glorie. Amen and Amen.
Q. Goe on to ſhew the like of the workes of God more particularly, according as you hauehave diſtinguiſhed them. And firſt touching thoſe works which you call the ſecret works of God: what is the practice or vſe we are to make of our knowledge we hauehave, that there be ſuch?
A. Firſt, becauſe they belong not to vsus, but vntounto ye Lord God himſelf alone; that therfore in all reuerence we leaueDeut. 29. 29. them vntounto him, and neuer dare preſume to prie into the Lords ſecrets, nor deſire to vnderſtand aboue that which is meet; but keepe our ſelues within the liſts and boundsRom. 12. 3. which God hath ſet to ranke and raile vsus in this way, vnderunder as great a penalty as euer hee ſet bounds to the children of Iſrael at the giuing of the Law; which they wereExod. 19. 12. 21 not to paſſe, in any deſire they had to gaze and ſee that, which the Lord would not hauehave ſhewed; as in the example of the men of Bethſhemeſh, prying into the Arke,1. Sam. 6. 19. which was not lawfull for them to doe, may appeare: accounting it a point of our beſt wiſedome, and deepeſt knowledge; yea a very learned ignorance, not to know that which the Lord ſeeth not good to reueale: yet ſo, as we alwaies doe honour, in the workes of God, that which we doe not vnderſtand. And when wee perceiue the iudgements of God to be as a great deepe that cannotPſal. 36 6. Eccleſ. 8. 17. and 11. 5. Pſal. 77. 19. be ſounded, his wayes to bee paſt finding out, and that his foot-ſteps cannot be knowne; that we then doe ſtand and wonder at that wee cannot comprehend; and with the Apoſtle cry out, Oh the depth of the richesRom. 11. 33. both of the wiſedome and knowledge of God! how vnſearchable are his iudgements, and his wayes paſt finding out! to the end that God may hauehave the greater honour thereby.
Q. What is the vſe we are to make, and practice of the knowledge we hauehave, that there be other workes of God that are openly manifeſted and reuealed in the world?
A. We are to remember (as Elihu ſpeaketh to Iob), that wee doe magnifie his workes which men doe behold. And ſeeing the reuealed workes of God are thingsIob 36. 24. that doe belong to vsus, and to our children for euer; thatDeut. 29. 29. Deut. 6. 7. 20. Pſal. 78. 5. 6. 7. we therefore doe both labour and learne to know them our ſelues; and that wee likewiſe doe teach them to ourThe Lords workes (like the curtaines of Salomon) hauehave their beautie within; we had neede hold our eyes neare them, and put our heads (as it were) within them, to conſider them aright. Expoſ. in Pſal. children, and ſhew to the generation to come, the praiſes of the Lord; his ſtrength, and his wonderfull workes that he hath done, that they may make them knowne to their children; and the children which yet are not borne may ariſe and declare them to their children, that all may ſet their hope in God, and not forget the workes which he hath wrought. The workes of God (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) are honourable and glorious, to be ſought out of all them that hauehave pleaſure therein: they are as ſcaling ladders, that are ſet vp for vsus eueryevery where to climbe vp by them, the better to ſee God: and as bookes opened▪ in which we may learne better to know them; the dumb111. 3. Pſal. 111. 2. 3. Pſal. 28. 5. Iob 12. 7. 8. 9. beaſts, if they be asked, will teach man; the fowles of the heauen will tell him; the earth will ſhew him; and the fiſhes of the ſea will declare vntounto him, that the mighty God hath made them all.
Q. Touching the worke of the Creation, which is the firſt worke of this kind wrought by God in the beginning: what vſe and practice are we to make of the knowledge thereof?
A. That ſeeing it is the Lord that hath made vsus, andPſal. 100. 3. Rom. 11. 36. not we our ſelues; and that of him, through him, and for him, both we, and all things elſe hauehave had our being; we therefore endeauour by our ſelues, and by all things elſe, to bring glory to his name; that ſo the Lord mayPſal. 104. 31. reioyce in his workes: Often praying that prayer of Dauid, Thy hands (O God) hauehave made mee and faſhionedPſal. 119. 73. me; giuegive me vnderſtanding therefore that I may learne thy Commandements. Beſides, when we looke vponupon the heauens, the worke of Gods fingers, the Moone and thePſal. 8. 3. ſtarres which he hath ordained; and know, that by the word of the Lord the heauens were made, and all the hoſt of them by the breath of his mouth. When wee behold how the Lord hath ſowen and garniſhed the heauensPſal 33. 6. with ſtarres aboue, and gloriouſly couered the earth with flowers, fruits, and all liuing creatures here below;Iob 26. 13. we who are ſet in this world (as vponupon a ſtage) to behold theſe things, and admire the eternall power and Godhead, the goodneſſe, and greatneſſe, and wiſedome that is infinite, of him that did ſo make them; which Paul ſaith to be the inuiſible things of him, but by the creationRom. 1. 20. are cleerely to bee ſeene. And that as thoſe that are aſtoniſhed with this his worke full of wonders, wee doe crie out with the Pſalmiſt, to the praiſe of him that hath done them: O Lord, how excellent is thy name in all thePſal. 8. …. earth! among the gods there is none like thee, O Lord, there is none that can doe like thy workes.Pſal. 86. 8.
Q. What vſe may be made of the knowledge of the worke of the redemption of mankind, and of the reſtoring of all things by the Meſſias and Sauiour of the world?
A. Thereby as the manifold wiſedome of God is manifeſted and made knowne to Angels, and to men: ſo the exceeding greatneſſe of the power of Gods might,Epheſ. 3. 10. Luk. 1. 49. …1. 69. and riches of his grace and goodneſſe, eſpecially to mankind, is cleerly reuealed, and ought freely to be acknowledged:Epheſ. 1. 19. Epheſ. 2. 7. that was able and willing, not onelyonly to make all things good out of nothing in the firſt Creation; but to reſtore that which was now become euill, and therefore worſe then nothing, to a better perfection then it euer had in the firſt beginning: a worke of greater difficulty then was the former. God, to make the firſt world, ſpake the word, and it was made; he commanded, and itPſal. 33. 9. ſtood faſt: but the ſame Lord, to reſtore the ſecond, ſpake many things, did maruellous things, and ſuffered vnworthy things, euen things moſt heauie and grieuous. In regard whereof (this being done eſpecially for mans ſaluation) we may cry out with the Pſalmiſt, Lord, whatPſal. 144. 3. is man that thou takeſt ſuch knowledge of him, and the ſonne of man that thou makeſt ſuch account of him? and (as Iob ſpeaketh) that thou ſhouldeſt thus magnifie him,Iob 7. 17. and thus ſet thine heart vponupon him? and in reſpect of the Lord cry out, How great is his goodneſſe, and how great is the beautie of his workes towards vsus! Oh happie the redeemed! who is like vntounto them? a people that are thus ſaued of the Lord▪
The knowledge alſo of our redemption ſhould be as a double bond vntounto vsus to bind vsus in duty vntounto him, that1. Cor. 6. 19. 20 Luk. 1. 74. 75. Tit. 2. 14. hath ſo loued and ſaued vsus by ſo great a deliuerance, to ſerue him in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe all the dayes of our liues: who hauing been our Creator, is alſo become hereby our Recreator; that hath twice giuen vsus our liues, once out of nothing, and the ſecond time out of wofull deſtruction and moſt deadly damnation.
Laſtly, ſeeing we are bought with ſo great a price, weAuguſt. are not to make our ſelues ſo vile, and ſo little worth, as to ſell our ſelues for a morſell of bread, or a piece of ſiluer,Ezech. 13. 19. Heb. 12. 16. to become ſlaues vntounto Satan, and ſeruants vntounto ſinne.
Q. There is yet another worke of God, his daily gouerning, ordering, and diſpoſing all things by his prouidence: what vſe may the knowledge thereof be put vntounto by vsus?
A. This may glad the hearts of all creatures in generall,Mat. 28. 18. Ioh. 5. 17. 22. Epheſ. 1. 20. 21. 22. but eſpecially of the redeemed: to know that the Lord that ſaued them is the ruler of the world; who ſitting in heauen doth whatſoeuer hee will; that his is the Pſal. 1 15. 3. Pſal. 22. 8. Ezech. 33. 11. Iob 7. 20. Pſal. 36. 6.power, and his is the might, and that the kingdome and the dominion is his: who as hee hath made all things, and giuen them life and being; ſo doth hee not delight in, nor deſire the death of any; but is ſaid to be the preſeruer of men: yea, vouchſafeth to let it be knowne to all, that it is he that ſaueth both man and beaſt. For this cauſe thePſal. 97. 1. and 98. 7. 8. 9. Pſalmiſt willeth all the earth to be glad of it: yea not ſo much but the inſenſible creatures are called vponupon to bee affected with it: the ſea is willed to roare, the flouds to clap their hands, and the hilles to be ioyfull together. For ſince the Lord is king, all may reckon vponupon it, that hee will iudge the world with righteouſneſſe, and the people with equity. This alſo may put courage and boldneſſe into the heartsPſal. 27. 1. of all Gods faithfull ſeruants, not to feare what all their enemies together, the greateſt, mightieſt, and proudeſt enemies that they hauehave are able to doe againſt them: no not what Satan himſelfe, the very prince of darkneſſe, nor all the power of hell can doe againſt them, ſince all theſe hauehave no power at all, but as it is giuen them; and ſoIoh. 19. 11. giuen them, as it is limited according to the good pleaſure of his will: at his word they are ſent forth, at his word they are called in againe; hee ruleth ouer their greateſt rage, and maketh their maddeſt furic to turne to his ownePſal. 76. 10. praiſe: without him none of them all can lift vp hand or foot in all the world, but through the greatneſſe of his power they are all made ſubiect vntounto him, and for the glory of his Maieſty they all tremble and feare before him:Pſal. 66. 3. if he will giuegive quietneſſe, none of them all can make trouble; yea, ſuch is the Soueraignty and ſuperiour commandIob 34. 29. …e hath ouer them, as that for the ſafety of Gods people, out of the hands of them all, eueryevery faithfull ſeruant of God may come and pray before him; as doth the Church in the Pſalme, Thou art my king, O God, command deliuerances Pſal. 44. 4.for Iacob.
The knowledge alſo of this may quiet our mindes in the greateſt ſtirres that may happen in the world, and the moſt diſordered confuſions that can be ſeene to fall out among men; and cauſe vsus with patience, and in ſilence, to ſit vsus downe, waiting till wee hauehave ſeene the iſſue of them, and what may be the end which God (who ruleth by his power for euer, and ſtilleth the noiſe of the ſeas, the Pſal. 66. 7. and 65. 7.noyſe of their waues, and the tumult of the people) will bring vntounto them: who in his infinite wiſedome knoweth well how to make all things beautifull in time; yea out of the fowleſt facts, the vileſt and ſhamefulleſt deeds that are done by men: ſo doth the Lords worke appeare beautifull to his ſeruants, and the beautie of the Lord doth ſo ſhine out vntounto them, as they are not onelyonly made glad in ſeeing his workes, but to triumph in the workes of hisPſal. 92. 4. hands, which they ſee him to hauehave wrought before them.
Laſtly, the knowledge of this, that the Lord who is high aboue all nations, doth yet humble himſelfe to behold, to care for▪ and to order the things that are done in Pſal. 113. 3. 5. 6.heauen and … this ſhould cauſe vsus to feare before the Lord, in whoſe hands are our liues, and in whoſe ſight are all our wayes; ſo to reſt in, and be well contented with whatſoeuer in our whole life time, in any ſort ſhall happen, as knowing that it is his hand that dothIob 1. 21. guide eueryevery thing.