One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 29
SERMON XXIX. Of Divine Knowledge, its Excellency and Rarity; Shewing, That God is truely and properly known onelyonly by the Godly; And wherein their Knowledge of God differs from the Knowledge that others have of him.
JOH. 17.6.
I have manifeſted thy Name unto the men thou gavest me out of the world, &c.
THis ſixth Verſe begins the ſecond main general part of Chriſts Petition, for whereas before he had praied for himſelf, now he begins to pray for his Diſciples, as they were in a peculiar manner given to him, as afterwards he praieth for all beleevers in the generall, ſo that the words are a beginning of Chriſts Petition in a peculiar manner, for the Apostles, for they needed much praier and aſſiſtance who were to undertake ſo great a duty; Theſe were ſet in the forefront of the Battel, Theſe were called to labour in the heat of the day, therefore there is a peculiar praier for them: Now that our Saviours Petition may prevail, he firſt declareth what he had done to them, and 2. Their obedience to him in all things, what he had done to them is partly related in theſe words, I have manifeſted thy Name: wherein firſt obſerve the perſon or efficient cauſe ſpoken of, Chriſt manifeſted Gods Name to his Diſeiples, Therefore he was foreign: Chriſt is not to be conſidered onelyonly as a Mediatour, in which none can imitate him but as a Miniſter or Prophet, The chief Shepherd, Heb. 13.20. as the Scripture cals him, and herein he diſcharged his duty in that he manifeſted and made known God to the world, which lay in ignorance, So that the Miniſters duty is to bring people to know God, but of that in its time. 2. There is the action it ſelf, of this perſon or efficient, I have manifeſted.
There is a twofold manifeſtation,
1. Objective, only in the externall offer and propoſal of the grace of God, not only to beleevers but to all the unbeleeving Jews, but of this manifeſtation Chriſt doth not ſpeak.
2. There is a powerfull effectual manifeſtation, ſuch as begets knowledge of God and obedience unto his Word, and of this Chriſt ſpeaks, and as for the former many have Chriſt and God outwardly manifeſted to them in the preaching of the Goſpel, but they have no eyes to ſee; as the Sunne though it ſhineth never ſo gloriouſly, yet the blinde man receiveth no benefit by it.
3. Here is the Object of this action, Thy Name; By Name is not meant the words or Titles given to God, as Adonai, Elohim, Jehovah, as the Rabbins call God Leohem, the Name; but by Gods Name is meant his nature, his properties, and thoſe relations, eſpecially whereby he becomes a gracious Father through Chriſt to an humbled ſinner.
Laſtly, Here is the Subject to whom Chriſt doth thus manifeſt God, and theſe are deſcribed,
1. By their original and deſcent, Gods gracious good will and pleaſure, Whom thou gaveſt me.
2. From the ſtate or term out of which God then gave them, Out of the world.
I ſhall put Chriſts action and the Subject together at this time; Whereas then we ſee though Chriſt preached God and his properties to all that heard him, yet to none was God manifeſted but to beleevers: From whence we obſerve,
Obſerv. That God is only and properly known by the godly.That God is only truely and properly known by the godly; Let men have never ſuch parts, knowledge, or underſtanding, and that in the Scriptures and Divinity, yet none know God, God is not manifeſted to any but to the godly; This may ſeem Paradoxall and incredible, but yet the Scripture is very clear, at v. 25. The world hath not known thee, but I have known thee, and theſe have known thou haſt ſent me: Hence Joh. 14.21. you may ſee Chriſts manifeſting of himſelf is a priviledge beſtowed only upon thoſe that love God, He that loveth me ſhall be loved of my Father, and I will manifeſt my ſelf to him: This doth ſo affect one of the Diſciples, that out of a ſence of Gods great goodneſſe and grace to them rather then the world, he ſaith, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifeſt thy ſelf to us rather then the world; What are we more then others; The world heard Chriſt preached, They ſaw his Miracles, but Chriſt was not manifeſted to them. Chriſt likewiſe Joh. 8.55. telleth the Phariſees who beleeved the Scriptures, and acknowledged one God Creator of the world, yea, and ſaid, God was their God, that they did not know God; ſo that this truth will ſtand good, that men may have much knowledge in the Scriptures in Religion, and yet no… know God.
Some knowledge of God may be had ſeveral waies.To open this Conſider, that ſeveral waies we may come to have ſome knowledge of God,
1. By inward light of a natural conſcience, There are imbred notions and dictates about a God, which all the wicked affections and luſts of men cannot wholly obſcure, as the blackeſt clouds cannot quite darken the Sunne; The Apoſtle Rom. 1. ſaith, God hath manifeſted this in them; There is then a natural manifeſtation of God in the conſciences of men, whereby there is an horrour and trembling upon them upon the committing of ſome evil, eſpecially when the ſtroak of death is upon them: Oh the quakings, oh the confuſions that are ſometimes upon men, what will become of them? what ſhall they do? All this cometh from ſome generall knowledge of a God.
2. Men come to ſome knowledge of a God by tradition, education, and hearſay; There being no Nation ſo fierce and barbarous, but have told their Children of a God, and the Socinians who deny any inward light of nature about a God, do make this the only ground of ſuch an apprehenſion, an univerſal tradition that is upon all; Now although this conſent of all Nations be a great Teſtimony, yet the other is not to be excluded: If then all do acknowledge that there is a God, though there be different Religions, different opinions, yet both Heathen, Turk, Jew and Chriſtian agree in this, the more inexcuſable will all wicked men be who live in rebellion and diſobedience to him.
3. We come to know God by the Creatures; All that conſider the world aright muſt needs argue ſome divine hand made it: The Apoſtle Rom. 1. inſtanceth in this alſo: Men by reaſon and ſcience may argue from the effect to the cauſe, we ſee one man did not make himſelf, but he had a Father, and ſo that Father, a Father, and becauſe there cannot be an infinite progreſſe we muſt ſtay at one firſt cauſe, only you muſt know this Knowledge by the world is inſufficient to ſalvation; Therefore it's a pernicious aſſertion of Venator the Remonſtrant, that the Heathens they had the Light as it were of the Starres, The Jews of the Moon, The Chriſtians of the Sunne, and all might be ſaved by their reſpective Lights.
4. God is manifeſted by the Scriptures in a common way of Light, Many men by an Hiſtoricall faith beleeving the Scriptures, muſt alſo beleeve a God, for there is no ſuch clear evidence any way as by that, and thus we may judge of moſt Chriſtians, they know there is a God, they beleeve him to be, becauſe the Word doth ſo fully affirm it.
Laſtly, There is a knowledge of God in a practicall obedient way, ſo to know him as to fear him, to obey his Commandments, to walk humbly before him,Of true ſaving knowledge peculiar to the godly. and to depend upon him, and this is the manifeſtation or knowledge the truly godly only have, and the number of theſe is very few, ſo that if you ſet aſide thoſe who know God only upon a natural conſcience, or by education, or by a general hiſtorical Faith: The reſidue who know him by ſpeciall illumination and ſanctification, are like the gleaning after harveſt, ſo that we may hence conclude that whatſoever parts, learning, underſtanding, men have in Religion, yet till inwardly ſanctified they know not God; They are wholly eſtranged from him, They live without God in the world, Eph. 2. God is not in their thoughts, in their hearts, neither have they any enjoyment of him, Oh that we could make every Auditor ſenſible of this, I live in the world, I know much, I have great acquaintance, but yet am a ſtranger to God.
Now theſe following particulars will plainly diſcover that the godly only do truly know God.Though many have ſome kinde of knowledge of God. yet the godly only do truly know him.
R. 1 Firſt, Becauſe though men have this ſpeculative knowledge, yet they do not love him, and delight in him above all things; It's Gods command that we ſhould love him with all our heart, our minds and ſtrength, yea, above Father, Mother, life, and every thing that is dear, Inſomuch that the Scripture ſaith, Whoſoever loveth the world the love of the Father is not in him, 1 Joh. 2.15. Now whence is it that we love theſe poor empty comforts more then God, Is it not becauſe we do not know God? Had we clear manifeſtations of the goodneſſe, excellency, and fulneſſe that is in God, our whole heart would be raviſhed with him. As it is with the glorified Saints in heaven, they have an immediate viſion of God, They behold him in this glorious beauty, and hence it is that they cannot ſinne, The underſtanding ſeeth ſuch infinite perfection in God, that they abhorre all things that would divert from him; As the eye dazled with the Beam-light of the Sun, cannot behold any thing elſe; As he that hath eaten honey findeth all things elſe unſavoury: As the Saints in heaven do thus, ſo the Saints on earth do in part, and in ſome good meaſure, They beholding the Image of God, 2 Cor. 4. are transformed into the ſame Image; The more we know God as revealed in the word, the more our hearts pant after him, as you ſee David often manifeſting the breaking of his heart after God; Well then by this you ſee that few know God, if they did, how could they leave the Ocean for a drop, how could they part with God for every fading creature? thy luſts, thy ſins are more then God in thy thoughts and affections; Oh pray for a knowledge of God in Chriſt; The blinde man doth not admire the glory of the Sunne, becauſe he cannot ſee it, ignoti nulla cupido.
R. 2 2. No wicked man though never ſo great a Scholar knoweth God if he doe not fear him, if he ſtands not in an holy awe and reverence of him, who would not fear thee, Iſa. 10. O thou King of Nations, for to thee it appertaineth, and ſanctifie the Lord God, let him be your dread: Our Saviour likewiſe, Fear not them that can kill the body, Mat. 10.28. but I tell you whom you ſhall fear, &c. You ſee then that if we did rightly know God, how pure and juſt he is, how full of wrath and vengeance againſt impenitent ſinners, we would cry out with Joſeph upon every temptation, How can I do this and ſinne againſt God? I cannot, I dare not; Thus Paul, Knowing the terrour of the Lord we perſwade men, 2 Cor. 5.11. Did men know the greatneſſe and the terrour of God, the power and Majeſty he is cloathed with, That no ſinner though never ſo great can ſtand before him any more then the ſtubble before the fire, That he can immediatly raiſe helliſh torments in thy conſcience, That he can bid thee go out of this Church, a trembling Cain, a deſpairing Judas, Did (I ſay) People know this God to be ſo great, how could they riot it in all exceſſe as they do? as our Saviour told the Woman, Joh. 4. If thou hadſt known who it is that asked water of thee, thou wouldſt have given him, Had you or did you know that the God whom you offend all the day long, is ſo great and terrible in Majeſty, it would have been a ſtop to all thy bold impieties, but men know not God.
R. 3 3. Only the godly know God becauſe they only are carefull to obey his Commandments, and to walk in the way he requireth; 1 Joh. 2. If we ſay we know him, and keep not his Commandments, we are lyars, and abide not in the Truth: Their knowledge of God and a carefull obedience to his commands cannot be ſeparated; The Apoſtle ſaith, all others are but lyars and hypocrites; Doſt thou boaſt of knowledge and yet break his Sabbath, wallow in the luſts of the fleſh, Thou art a lyar, thou doſt not know God; Hence it followeth in my Text, I have manifeſted thy Name to my Diſciples, and they have kept thy Word; Oh then never talk of thy knowledge, never ſpeak of what thou readeſt, or what thou underſtandeſt, unleſſe alſo thy obedience to Gods will be as manifeſt, ſo that when we ſee any prophane, wicked man indued with great parts, you may ſay, Lo, there is ſuch an one, though he knoweth all Points in Religion; though he knoweth every Chapter in the Bible, yet he knoweth nothing of God, for whereas God ſaith, Be not drunk with wine, &c. and Wo be to thoſe that are ſtrong to drink, yet every week if not every day he is drunk; Though God ſaith, Swear not at all, yet ſome cannot ſpeak without an Oath ſcarce, Oh that theſe things might enter into you; If you know God you would obey him, you would ſay, I dare not, I muſt not do this or that, God whom I know and ſerve commands the contrary; Therefore the Prophet Hoſea when he ſpeaketh of much wickedneſſe in a Land, ſwearing, and whoring, and injuſtice, he ſaith, There is no Knowledge of God in the Land, Hoſ. 4.1.
Argum. 4 4. The godly man only knoweth God becauſe he only hath theſe gracious effects of Gods grace upon his heart, he plainly feeleth God working in him; The wicked man knoweth God by the creatures and his works abroad but the godly knoweth him by the new creature and works of grace upon his heart, and this is the moſt excellent knowledge, when he knoweth God by the regeneration and ſanctification of his nature, by his heavenly and gracious quicknings to holy duties, and againſt ſinne; If in regard of out naturall life, we live, and move, and have our being in God, how much more in our ſupernatural life? Thoſe know God indeed that feel thoſe divine workings upon their ſouls; As Job before when God had humbled him ſaid, I have heard of thee by the ear, but now my eye ſeeth thee, Job 42.5. So ſaith the godly, I have heard many Sermons of God but I never felt him till now, or as the Queen of Sheba who had heard much of the fame of Solomon, but when ſhe came to be an eye-witneſſe of it, then ſhe was aſtoniſhed and judged all her former apprehenſions nothing; Thus it is with the truly ſanctified, though you tell him what good parts, what Scripture underſtanding, what abilities in duties he had, Oh ſaith he, all that time I did not know God, I never knew him till theſe inward workings were upon me, I ſpoke of him as a man will do of ſome ſtrange Countrey he had often heard of but never ſaw.
Argum. 5 5. The true godly man only knoweth God, becauſe he only hath communion and fellowſhip with him, he only is admitted into Gods preſence; All wicked men though never ſo knowing are at a great diſtance from God, They know not the light of his countenance, what it is to have the aſſurance of his favour, what to have thoſe experimental ſweetneſſes of heart which flow from the enjoying of him, Therefore its added in that of Joh. 18. I will manifeſt my ſelf to him and come and ſup with him; that is, God will give us a joyfull chearfull familiar fellowſhip with himſelf, he will make known himſelf, as Joſeph did at laſt to his brethren, God draweth nigh to them, and they to God, and this indeed is a choice way of knowing of God, when we know what it is to have his love ſhed in our hearts, when we hear God ſpeaking peace to us, when it's not duties nor any religious performance, but God himſelf that the heart partakes of; Thus the Pſalmiſt inviteth to taſte and ſee how good God is, Pſa. 34.8. Oh haſt thou ever had this taſting and ſeeing? then thou knoweſt God comfortably; Now the ground of all this, is, becauſe obedience, love, and fear are the end of all knowledge, therefore that knowledge which doth not obtain its end, is no knowledge, and hence the Scripture ſaith, If ye know theſe things happy are ye if ye do them, Joh. 13.17. and generally the Scripture deſcribeth wicked men by this, that they know not God, as Paul ſaid of the Jews, If they had known Chriſt to be the God of glory, they would never have crucified him, 1 Cor. 2.5. Thus, did men know God as they ought, they could not think, and ſpeak or live as they do.
Ʋſe, Reſt not in any kinde of knowledge about God till it hath theſe effects on thee;Ʋſe. Never judge thy ſelf to know any thing of Religion till it hath thus transformed thee, till it be the acknowledgement of truth after godlineſſe, but alas where are the perſons, where is the Family, where are the people that know God? The ungodlineſs they live in, proclaim they know no ſuch divine Majeſty; Oh conſider that God knoweth not thee likewiſe, with a knowledge of approbation, of omniſcience he doth, and that will be thy confuſion, but not of complacency; at the day of judgement he will ſay, Depart I know you not; Oh that we were ſuch of whom it may be ſaid, Their obedience, their pure and holy life, their delight and acquaintance with God manifeſts they know God, and then you will not die with ſuch terrour, with ſuch fear, I go to him I have known, I go not to an unknown God.