Christ the Way and the Truth and the Life, Chapter 1
CHAP. I. The introduction, with some generall observations from the cohesion.
DOubtlesse it is alwayes usefull, yea necessary, for the children of God, to know the right way of making use of Christ, who is made all things to them which they need, even Wisdome, Righteousnesse, Sanctification, and Redemption▪ 1 Cor. 1: 30. But it is never more necessarie for beleevers to be cleare & distinct in this matter▪ than when Satan by all meanes is seeking to pervert the right wayes of the Lord; and one way or other to lead souls away, and draw them of Christ; knowing that if he prevail here, he hath gained his poynt: and therefore he endeavoureth not only to darken it by error, either more grosse, or more subtile; but also to darken it by mistakes, and prejudices; whence it cometh to passe, that not only Strangers are made to wander out of the way, but oftentimes many of his owne people are walking in the darknesse of ignorance and mistakes, and remaine leane through want of the reall exercise of the Life of faith, which would make them fat & flourishing; because it would make them strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, and to grow up in Christ in all things.
The clearing up then of this truth cannot but be most seasonable now, when Satan is prevailing with many, whom he cannot get tempted to loosenesse and profanitie, to sit downe upon some thing, which is not Christ; and to rest upon something within themselves, distinct from him, both in the matter of Iustification, and Sanctification. This subtile Adversary is now setting some a work, to cry up, by preaching, speaking and printing, a way to heaven, which is not Christ, a kinde of morality, civility and outward holinesse, whereupon the soul is to rest: and this holinesse, not wrought and effectuated through the strength of Iesus, by faith sucking life and furniture from him; but through our owne art and skill; which in effect is nothing but an extract of refined Popery, Socinianisme, and Arminianisme, devised and broached of purpose, to draw the soul off Christ; that he may stand upon his owne legs, and walk by his owne power, and thank himself, at least in part, for the crown, at length.
Further, through the great goodnesse of God, the true way of a soul's justification is admirablie cleared up; and many are, at least theoretically, acquanted therewith; and many also practically, to the quieting of their wakened consciences, and stopping the mouth of their accusers, and obteaning of peace, joy, and the lively hope of the everlasting crowne: yet many a gratious soul professe their unacquantednesse with the solide and thriveing way of usemaking of Christ for grouth in grace and true Sanctification. Therefore some discovery of the truth here cannot but be usefull, seasonable, yea and acceptable unto them: If He, who is the Truth, would give grace to understand, and to unfold this so necessary and alwayes advantagious a Truth; and would help to write of and explaine this Truth, by faith in him, who is here said to be the Truth; then should we have cause to blesse and magnifie his name: But if he▪ because of sin, shall hide himself, and not let out those beames of light, whereby we might discover light, we shall but darken counsell with words without knowledge, and leave the matter as uncleare, as ever. Therefore is it necessarie, there be both in him that writeth, and in such as reade a single dependence on him, who is given for a leader, Esa. 55: 5. and hath promised to bring the blinde by a way, which they knew not, and to lead them in paths that they had not known, and to make darkness, light before them, and crooked things streight▪ Esa. 42: 16. that thus by acting faith on him, we may finde, in so far, the truth of this verified, viz. That he is the Way the Truth, and the Life.
Now for clearing up of this matter, we would know, That our Lord Iesus, from the beginning of this Chapter is laying downe some grounds of consolation, sufficient to comfort his Disciples, against the sad newes of his departure and death; and to encourage them against the feares they had of much evill to befall them, when their Lord & Master should be taken from them▪ Which is a sufficient proof of the tender heart of Iesus▪ who alloweth all his followers strong consolation, against all▪ feares, hazards▪ troubles and perplexities, which they can meet with in their way. He will not leave them comfortlesse; and therefore he layeth downe strong grounds of consolation, to support their drouping and fainting hearts; as loving to see his followers rejoyceing alwayes in the Lord, and Singing in the wayes of Zion; that the world may see, and be convinced of a reality in Christianity, and of the preferablenesse of that life, notwithstanding of all the troubles that attend it, unto any other, how sweet and desireable so ever it may appear to flesh and blood.
In prosecution of which designe, he told them vers. 4. that they knew wh…ther He went, and the way also▪ which he was to take, and by which he was to bring them to the Father to the mansions spoken of, and so to life eternall. But Thomas rashly and incredulously (as too usually he did Chap. 11: 16. and 20: 25) venteth himself, and little lesse then contradicteth his Master, saying vers. 5▪ We know not whither thow goest, and how can we know the way? wherein we have an emblem of many a beleever, who may have more grace and knowledge of God and of Christ, than they will be able to see, or acknowledge that they have, what through temptations; inward distempers; sense of their many defects and great ignorance; strong desires of high measures; clearer discoveries of the vastnesse of the object; mistakes about the true nature of grace, despiseing the day of small things; and indistinctnesse as to the actings of grace, or want of understanding and right uptaking of grace, in its various out goings, and actings under various notions, and the like▪
Whereupon Christ, after his usuall manner, taketh occasion to clear up that ground of consolation further unto them; and to let them see the true way of coming to the Father, that thereby they night be helped to see, that they were not such strangers unto the way, as they supposed; and withall he amplifieth; and layeth out the properties and excellencies of this way, as being the true and living way, and the only true and living way; and that in such a manner, as they might both see the way to be perfect, full, saife, saving and satisfying; and also learne their duty, of improving this way alwayes, and in all things, untill they came home at length to the Father: saying I am the Way, the Truth and the Life: no man cometh to the Father but by me.
Christ then, saying, that He not only is the Way to the Father, even the true way; but that he is so the true way, as that he is also Truth it self▪ in the abstract, and so the Living way, that he i… Life itself, in the abstract, g…eth us ground to consider, after what manner it is, that He is the Truth, and the Life, as well as the Way; and that for the clearing up and discovering of His being an absolutely perfect, transcendently excellent, incomparably preferable, and fully satisfying way, usefull to beleevers in all cases, all exigents, all distresses, all difficulties, all tryals, all temptations, all doubts, all perplexities; & in all causes or occasions of distempers, feares, faintings, discouragements &c. which they may meet with in their way to heaven. And this will lead us to cleare up the duty of beleevers, on the other hand, and to shew how they should, in all their various cases and difficulties, make use of Christ, as the only alsufficient Way to the Father, and as Truth and Life in the way, and so we will be led to speak of Christs being to his people all that is requisite for them here in the way, whether for justification or sanctification, and how people are to make use of him, as being all, or as being made of God to us Wisdom, Righteousnesse, Sanctification and Redemption. 1. Cor. 1: 30.
Ere we come to the words in particular, we would look upon them, as having relation to Thomas his words, in the preceeding verse. wherein he did little lesse, then contradict what Christ had said in the 4 vers. and learne severall very comfortable points of doctrine, as.
First.
THat Iesus Christ is very tender of his followers, and will not cast them off, nor upbraide them for every escape, whereby they may provock him to anger and grieve his Spirit; but gently passeth by many of their faileings, when he findeth they are not obstinate in their mistake, nor perverse in their way: for how gently and meekly doth He here passe over Thomas his unhandsome expression, findeing that Thomas spoke here, not out of obstinacy and pertinaciousnesse, but out of ignorance and a mistake. And the reason is because 1 Christ knoweth our infirmitie and weaknesse, and is of a tender heart, and therefore Will not break the bruised reed. Esa. 42. Well knoweth He, that rough and untender handling would crush us, and break us all in pieces. And 2. He is full of bowells of mercy, and can have compassion on them that are out of the way and can be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. Heb. 4: 15. & 5: 2.
Which truth, as, upon the one hand, it should encourage all to choose him for their leader, & give up themselves to Him, who is so tender of his followers; so, upon the other hand, it should rebuke such as are ready to intertaine evill and hard thoughts of Him, as if he were an hard Master, and ill to be followed: and put all from interteaning the least thought of his untendernesse, and want of compassion. But moreover.
Secondly.
WE see, That weaknesses and corruptions breaking out in beleevers, when they are honestly and ingenuously laid open before the Lord, will not scarre Him away: But rather engadge Him the more to helpe and succour. Much of Thomas his weaknesse and corruption appeared in what he said: yet the same being honestly and ingenuously laid open to Christ, not out of a spirit of contradiction, but out of a desire to learne, Christ is so far from thrusting him away, that He rather condescendeth the more, out of love and tendernesse, to instruct him better, and to cleare the way more fully. And that because 1. He knoweth our mould and fashion, how fecklesse and frail we are, and that if he should deal with us according to our folly, we should quickly be destroyed. 2. He is not as Man, hasty, rash, Proud; but gentle, loving, tender and full of compassion. 2. It is his office and proper work to be an instructer to the ignorant, and a helper of our infirmities and weaknesses, a phisitian to binde up and cure our sores & wounds.
Who would not then willingly give up themselves to such a teacher, that will not thrust them to the door, nor give them up to themselves, alwayes when their corruptions would provoke Him thereunto? And what a madnesse is this in many, to stand aback from Christ, because of their infirmities; and to scarre at Him, because of their weaknesse, when the more corruption we finde the more should we run to him? and it is soon enough to depart from Christ, when he thrusts us away; & sayeth, he will have no more to doe with us: yea he will allow us to stay, after we are, as it were, thrice thrust away: only let us take heed, that we approve not ourselves in our evils, that we hide them not, as unwilling to part with them, that we obstinatly maintaine them not, nor ourselves in them: but that we lie open before him, and deal with him, with honesty, ingenuity and plainnesse.
Thirdly.
WE see further, That ignorance ingenuously acknowledged and laid open before Christ puts the soul in a faire way to get more instruction. Thomas having candidely, according as he thought, in the simplicity of his heart, professed his ignorance, is in a faire way now to get instruction: for this is Christs work to instruct the ignorant, to open the eyes of the blinde.
Why then are we so foolish, as to conceale our ignorance from him, and to hide our case and condition from him: and why doth not this commend Christ's School to us so much the more? why do we not carry as ingenuous schollars, really desireous to learn…? But.
Fourthly.
WE may learne. That our ill condition, and distempers put into Christs hand will have remarkable ou…gates, and an advantagious issue; seeing Christ taketh occasion here from Thomas his laying open his condition, not without some mixture of corruption, to cleare up the truth, more fully and plainely, than it was before: for hereby 1. Christ giveth an open declaration of the glory of his power, mercy, goodnesse, wisdome &c. 2. He hath occasion to give a proof of his divine art, and glorious skill of healing diseased souls, and of making brocken bones stronger than ever they were 3. Thus he effectually accomplisheth his noble designes, and perfecteth his work, in a way tending to abase Man, by discovering his infirmities, and failings; and to glorifie Himself in his goodnesse and love. 4 Thus he triumpheth more over Satan, and in a more remarkable and glorious manner destroyeth his works. 5. Thus he declareth how wonderfully he can make all things work together for good to his chosen ones, that love him, and follow him. 6 Yea thus he engadgeth souls to wonder more at his divine wisdome and power; to despaire lesse in time comeing, when cases would seem hard; to acknowledge his great and wonderfull grace, and his infinite power and wisdome, that can bring death out of life; and also to be more sensible of the mercy, and thankfull for it.
O beleever; what matter of joy is here? how happy art thou, that hath given up thy self to him! Thy worst condition can turne to thy advantage. He can make thy ignorance, vented with a mixture of corruption, turne to the increase of thy knowledge. Blesse him for this; and with joy and satisfaction, abide thou under his tutory & at his school. And withall be not discouraged▪ be thy …ase of ignorance and corruption what it will▪ lay it out before him with sincerity and singlenesse of heart, and then thou mayest glory in thine infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest on thee 2 Cor. 12: 9. for thou shalt see, in due time, what advantage infinite love and wisdome can bring to thy soul thereby.
May not this be a strong motive to induce strangers to give up themselves to him, who will sweetly take occasion at their failings, and short comeings, to helpe them forward in the way? and what excuse can they have, who sit the call of the gospell, and say in effect they will not goe to Christ because their case is not good. And oh that beleevers were not sometimes led away with this errour of scarring at Christ, because of Infirmities seen and discovered!
Fiftly.
IT is remarkeable, that, as the disciples did ofttimes vent much of their carnall conceptions of the kingdome of Christ, as apprehending it to be some carnall, outward, pompous, stately, and, upon that account, desireable condition; so there might be much of this carnall apprehension, lurking under this acknowledgment and question of Thomas: And the Lord, who knew their thoughts, doth here wisely draw them off those notions▪ and … them about another study: To tell us, That it is …est and most usefull and profitable for us, to be much taken up in the study & sear… of necessary and fundamentall truths and particularly, of the way to the father, for 1. Here is the substantiall food of the soul: other notions are but vaine, and oftentimes they make the case of the soul worse; but the study of this is alwayes edifying. 2 The right understanding of this, & other fundamentall truthes, will not puff up, but keep the soul humble, and will make the soul active and diligent in duty. 3 The fruite of this study is profitable, and lasting. 4 And the right uptaking of these truthes will discover the vanity of other sciences, falsly so called, and the folly of spending our time about other things. 5 The right understanding of this fundamentall▪ will helpe us to understand other truthes the better. 6 A mistake in this and such like fundamentals, or the ignorance of them, is more dangerous, then the ignorance of or a mistake in other things.
Oh if this were teaching us all, in humility, to be much in the study of such fundamentall necessary truthes, as this is: and to guaird against a piece of vanity in affecting knowledge, the effect of which, is nothing but a puffing of u… up with pride & conceite.
Sixtly.
WE may here take notice of what may serve to discover Thomas his mistake, and what is the ground of Christ's assertion vers. 4. which Thomas doth little lesse than contradict vers 5. viz. That such as had any acquantance with Christ, did, according to the measure of their knowledge of him, both know heaven, and the way to it, whence we see those truthes.
1 Persons may have some reall acquantance with Christ, and yet be, for a time, very indistinct in their notions about him, and apprehensions of him: They may know Christ, in some measure; and yet look upon themselves as great strangers to the knowledge of heaven, and be oft complaineing of their ignorance of the right way to heaven.
2. Where there is the least measure of true acquantance with Christ, with love to him, and a desire to know more of him, Christ will take notice thereof, though it be covered over with a heap of mistakes, and accompanyed with much ignorance, weaknesse, and indistinctnesse. He seeth not as man seeth: which is good newes to some, that are weak in knowledge, and unable to give any good account of any knowledge they have, yet one thing they can say, That he who knoweth all things, knoweth that they love him.
3. Various are the dispensations of Gods grace unto his owne: to some he giveth a greater, to others a lesser measure of knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; And to one & the same person, more at one time than at another: Various are his manifestations and outlettings of grace and love. Small beginnings may come to much at length. Thomas, and the rest of the disciples, had but little cleare and distinct apprehensions of the way of Salvation through Iesus Christ▪ and yet ere all was done, they attained to such a measure of understanding in the mysteries of God, as that we are said to be built upon the foundation of the Apostles; Christ Iesus being the chief corn…r stone Ephes. 2: 20. This should teach the best much sobriety, and not to judge of all by themselves; or to think, that Gods way with them must be a standart or a rule, whereby to judge of all the rest▪ as if his way of dealing were one and the same with all.
4 The knowledge of Christ is all; know him and we know heaven, and the way to it: for upon this ground doth Christ make good, what he had said, touching their knowing whither he went, & the way: and answereth the objection that Thomas did propose, viz, Because he was the way &c and they being acquant with him (which here is presupposed) were not ignorant of the place, whither he was going; nor of the way leading thither. The knowledge then of Iesus Christ is a true and full compend of all saveing knowledge. Hence It is life eternall to know him Ioh. 17: 3. They that know him, know the Father Ioh. 14: 9. & 8: 19. They that see him▪ see the Father also Iohn. 14: 9. He is in the Father, and the Father in him, Iohn. 14: 10, 11▪ & 10: 38. & 17. 21. And so knowing him, they know heaven: for what is heaven else▪ but the presence, and glorious manifestations of the Father: for when Christ speaks of his going to heaven, he sayeth, he was going to the Father. So knowing him, they knew the way, both how Christ was to goe to heaven, as our Cautioner, Head & Atturnay; and how we must follow.
Let then a Man have never so much knowledge, & be acquanted with the mysteries of all artes & sciences: & with the deepths of nature, and intrigues of States, and all the theorie of Religion; if he be unacquanted with Iesus Christ, he knoweth nothing as he ought to know.
And upon the other hand, let a poor soul, that is honest, and hath some knowledge of and acquantance with him, be satisfied, though it cannot discourse, nor dispute, nor speak to cases of consciences, as some others. If we know him, it matters not, though we be ignorant of many things, and thereby become lesse esteemed of by others. Here is the true teste, by which we may take a right …stimate of our owne or of others knowledge: The true rule to try knowledge by, is not fine notions, clear and distinct expressions: but heart acquantance with him, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge Col. 2: 3.
O sad! that we are not more taken up in this study, which would be a compendious way for us to know all? Why spend we our money for that which is not bread, and our labour for that which will not profite us? Why waste we our time and spirits, in learning this science, and that art, when alas, after we, with much labour and toyl, have attained to the youdmost pitch there, we are never one white the nearer heaven and happinesse? yea it were well, if we were not further off? Oh! if we were wise at length, and could think more on this one thing necessary▪ and could be stirred up to lear…e more of him, and to make this the subject of all our study, and labour▪