Twenty-Four Sermons, Sermon 1
SERMON I.
April 23. 1695.
MATTHEW XVI. xvii.
And Jeſus anſwered and ſaid unto him, Bleſſed art thou Simon Bar-jona: For Fleſh and Blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in Heaven.
TO underſtand the occaſion of theſe Words, we muſt look back as far as ver. 13. of this Chapter, where our Lord, having a mind to clear and confirm his Diſciples in the Knowledge of himſelf, makes way for it, by the propoſing of ſuch Queſtions, as would draw forth ſuitable Anſwers. Accordingly
1. He asks them, what was the Opinion of others concerning him. Whom do Men ſay, that I the Son of Man am? Chriſt uſually ſtiled himſelf thus, Son of Man, not only as an Expreſſion of his Humility, but to ſhew that he was the promiſed Seed, the Perſon foretold under that Character in the Old Teſtament, Pſal. 8.4.80.17. Dan. 7.13. And perhaps alſo to try the Faith of his Hearers, whether they had an Eye to any more than his Humanity; therefore ſays he here, what does that World which you Converſe with, think of me, what kind of Perſon do they take me to be? The Anſwer is, ver. 14. Some ſay, that thou art John the Baptiſt, ſome Elias, and others Jeremias, or one of the Prophets. Here was a diverſity of Opinions about Chriſt, and none of them right, but all falſe and fabulous, the Products of vain Imagination. That Chriſt was John the Baptiſt, riſen from the Dead, was Herods Opinion, Chap. 14.2. That he was Elias, was the Opinion of many among the Jews, who had a miſtaken Notion that Elias muſt firſt come before the Appearance of Chriſt, Chap. 17.10. And again another ſort of them thought, that he was the Soul of ſome eminent Deceaſed Prophet in a new Body; which was one of the wild Conceits of that dark, erroneous Age.
But 2. Chriſt asks them, what was their own Opinion? ver. 15. Whom ſay ye, that I am? Do you concur with this blind and ignorant World, or have you any better Apprehenſions of me different from theirs? 'Tis meet, that you who are my little Flock, ſhould give me ſome account of your particular Belief; and 'tis alſo meet, that ſeeing you are to Preach me unto others, you ſhould firſt make ſome Confeſſion of me your ſelves. The Anſwer to this, and the Perſon anſwering, we have ver. 16. Which, becauſe it hath an immediate Coherence with the Words now before us, ought to be diſtinctly conſider'd. And
1. We may begin with the leſs conſiderable Part, the Perſon ſpeaking, [Simon Peter anſwered and ſaid.] 'Tis probable, that he ſpake as the Mouth of the Apoſtles, in the Name of all, and that the reſt agreed to this Teſtimony, and believ'd as he ſaid. Not that he had any real Precedency, or Superiority above the reſt (for then, why ſhould they enquire, who was the greateſt, &c. Chap. 18.1.) but becauſe he was one of the firſt call'd to the Apoſtleſhip, and of the more eſteem among them, as he was of ſo long a ſtanding; and becauſe he was of a very warm and forward Spirit, as is evident by many other Paſſages.
2. Here is the Thing ſpoken, which is the main Subject of our Conſideration. [Thou art Chriſt the Son of the Living God.] The ſame good Confeſſion was made once before by Peter, John 6.69. And now repeated, to evidence his firm Eſtabliſhment in this grand Article of Faith. In which our Lord is deſcrib'd two Ways, both by his Office, and his Eſſence.
1. Chriſt is a Name of Office, of the ſame Signification with the Meſſiah, as the Holy Ghoſt himſelf Interprets it. John 1.41. The anointed of the Lord; he to whom the Prophets witneſs't, he that ſhould come into the World; as John 11.27. He whoſe Work and Buſineſs was to be a Saviour, not a Temporal, but an Eternal one, a Saviour from Sin and Wrath, from the drudgery of the Devil, and the Priſon of Hell.
2. The Son of God is a Name, which reſpects his Eſſence and Being; a Son, not by Adoption and Grace, as the Baptiſt, and Elias, and Jeremy, and the other Prophets were, but a Son by Nature; a Son whoſe Generation is ineffable, for he is infinitely Equal with the Father; for he is true God, as well as Son of God; the Father hath that Title of the Living God, in Oppoſition to falſe Gods, Jer. 10.10. Acts 14.15. And the very ſame Title is likewiſe given to the Son, Heb. 3.12. Jeſus is true Jehovah, and (according to the true Import of that Word) he hath Life in himſelf, as the Father hath, John 5.26. Well; Chriſt's Commendation of this Confeſſion, is ſet down in the Text, Jeſus anſwered and ſaid unto him, &c. Where we may take Notice of three Things.
1. The Name which Chriſt calls this Apoſtle by. Simon Bar-jonai, or Simon, Son of Jona, as the Word ſignifies. Peter was the Name that Chriſt gave to him, ver. 18. As God gave the Name of Iſrael to Jacob, Gen. 32.28. But here Chriſt puts him in Mind of the meanneſs of his Extraction, and of what he was originally; as he does again after his fall, no leſs than three Times over, John 21.15, 16, 17 What change ſoever is made upon us by the Favour and Mercy of God, 'tis good to reflect ſometimes upon our Primitive Vileneſs and Wretchedneſs, to look to the Rock whence we are hewen, and the hole of the Pit, whence we are digged.
2. The Happy State which Chriſt pronounc't him to be in. Bleſſed art thou. Chriſt had Authority to pronounce Perſons bleſſed, for he had Power to make them ſo, Acts 3.26. God having raiſed up his Son Jeſus, ſent him to bleſs you. He can really and effectually do it; what Palak ſaid falſly of Balaam, is true of Chriſt, The Man whom he bleſſes, is bleſſed (Numb. 22.6.) If he bleſſes, we ſhall be bleſſed for ever, as David ſaid to God, 1 Chron. 17.27. Such is the Bleſſedneſs which Chriſt ſpeaks of here; both Perfect and Perpetual, without Defect and without Decay.
3. The Reaſon aſſign'd to back this comfortable Sentence, which refers to the Way and Means of the diſcovery of that Truth which Peter had now confeſt; and this is laid down both Negatively and Affirmatively.
1. Negatively, For Fleſh and Blood hath not revealed it unto Thee. Fleſh and Blood are variouſly taken in Scripture.
1. Sometimes for the humane Nature, conſiſting of Soul and Body; ſo Heb. 2.14.
2. Sometimes for the natural Body, accompanied with its preſent Infirmities, in Oppoſition to a ſpiritual glorified Body. So 1 Cor. 15.50.
3. Sometimes for humane Inſtruction, ſo Gal. 1.16. Paul ſays, that he conferred not with Fleſh and Blood, which is the ſame Thing, with not receiving the Goſpel which he Preacht, of Man, ver. 12.
4. Sometimes for humane Oppoſition, ſo Eph. 6.12. We wreſtle not with Fleſh and Blood, &c. i. e. we have not only to do with perſecuting Men, but raging Devils.
5. Sometimes for natural Reaſon; our own Judgments and Underſtanding. And this I take to be the principal Senſe of the Phraſe here; q. d. Thou doſt not owe this Revelation to thy ſelf, or to any diſcerning Faculty in thee above other Men.
2. Affirmatively, But my Father which is in Heaven. Four Things ſeem to be intimated by this.
1. That there is a myſterious Order in all Divine Operations, according to which God the Father is to be lookt upon as the Fountain. The Father Works, and the Son and Spirit Works conjunctly; there is no Inequality or Subordination among the Perſons, and yet we are led by the Goſpel to Eye the firſt Perſon as the ſpring of all. When our Lord ſpeaks of ſending the Comforter, 'tis from the Father, John 15.26. And when the Spirit of the Son is ſent forth into our Hearts, God is ſaid to do it, which is plainly meant of God the Father, Gal. 4.6.
2. That in all the Works of Grace towards loſt Creatures, God acts as the Father of Chriſt, Eph. 1.3. Bleſſed be the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who hath bleſſed us with all ſpiritual Bleſſings in him. Out of Chriſt we can expect only the Curſe of God, as a revenging Judge, but we can expect nothing from him as a Father, in a way of Love and Mercy.
3. Acquaintance with the only begotten Son of God muſt flow from him that begat him. No Man knoweth the Son, but the Father, as no Man knoweth the Father but the Son, Mat. 11.27. Therefore they mutually manifeſt and declare each other, which none elſe is capable of doing. Who ſhould lay open the Secrets of one Man to another, but himſelf? And who ſhould reveal the glorious Perſons in the Godhead, but themſelves? See 1 Cor. 2.11.
4. If therefore we look for Light, we muſt look upwards. As the Sun over our Heads is the viſible Cauſe of natural Illumination, ſo ſpiritual Illumination is from an Infinite Being above the Sun. 'Tis one of the gracious Iſſues which belong to our Father in Heaven. The dark Places of the Earth, unanimouſly ſay, it is not in us. Every good and perfect Gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of Lights. James 1.17. The Words thus open'd, come to this Point.
Obſ. There is a certain Bleſſedneſs annext to the Knowledge of thoſe Truths, which humane Reaſon does not diſcover, but God himſelf. Here
1. Shew, That there are ſome Truths neceſſary to be believ'd, which humane Reaſon neither does nor can diſcover.
2. How ſuch Truths are diſcovered by God.
3. What kind of Knowledge is the Effect of this diſcovery.
4. Wherein lyes the Bleſſedneſs annext to that Knowledge.
5. Why it is ſo.
6. Uſe.
1. To ſhew, That there are ſome Truths neceſſary to be believ'd, which humane Reaſon cannot diſcover. The peculiar Doctrines of the Goſpel are as deep, as the Commands of the Law are broad. But I will confine my ſelf to the inſtance mention'd in the Context, the Godhead of Jeſus Chriſt. Every one is bound to believe this, and every Man that calls himſelf a Chriſtian, profeſſes the Belief of it; without ſuch a Profeſſion, his Chriſtianity is void, and without ſuch a Belief, his Profeſſion is vain. To take upon us the Chriſtian Name, and deny the Deity of Chriſt, is a lying to Men, and an outward acknowledgment of this, where there is not an Hearty Conſent, is lying to God. Now that this is not diſcoverable by humane Reaſon, is no difficult Matter to prove. Let us conſider a little theſe two Things.
1. Reaſon could never have found out this Truth, of the Godhead of Chriſt. The Exiſtence of a God is a natural Impreſſion upon the Minds of Men, and therefore almoſt univerſally own'd; but a Trinity of Perſons in Unity of Eſſence, and ſuch an Order among the Perſons, as makes Jeſus Chriſt the Second determinately, not the Firſt or Third, is one of the great Myſteries of Faith. By thoſe common remainders of Light, which every Man hath, that comes into the World, every Age hath brought forth ſome new Inventions and Diſcoveries of Things that have been truly ingenious and uſeful in their kind, but ſtill they have been Things within the proper Compaſs and ſphaere of Nature. Jeſus Chriſt would have been for ever the unknown God, if Reaſon had been left to make the ſearch. For,
1. How many parts of the World are there, utterly deſtitute of the Knowledge of this Truth! Though the Nations of them that are ſaved walk in the Light of it, yet there are ſeveral other Nations of Men that have natural Sagacity enough, who ſit in groſs Darkneſs as to theſe Things. Multitudes, Multitudes, in the Wilderneſs of the Heathen, whom God hath not yet brought into the Valley of Viſion, that never heard whether there be a Chriſt or no. He that ſhould tell the uncalled Gentiles of ſuch a Perſon, would be a Barbarian to them, though he had learnt to ſpeak in their own Tongue.
2. The Notions of ſome of the Learned Heathens which look a little this way, were both borrow'd and deprav'd. What was true in them, was not their own, but learnt by Tradition from the Jews, who were inſtructed out of the Law; all the reſt was wretchedly corrupt, and diſhonourable to Chriſt, and injurious to Religion. Therefore the Apoſtle gives that Caution, Col. 2.8. Beware leſt any Man ſpoil you through Philoſophy and vain Deceit, &c. And therefore he paſſes that Cenſure, Rom. 1.22. Profeſſing themſelves to be wiſe, they become Fools.
3. Thoſe Signatures and Prints of this Truth which ſome fancy to be upon the viſible Creation, are too obſcure to Collect ſo great a Doctrine from. There may be ſome little dim reſemblances of a Trinity in ſome of the Works of God, but as they are too weak to confirm our Faith of it by, ſo we may ſafely conclude, that no Man in the World, would ever have ſpelt a Trinity out of them, if he had not heard of it before. But as Knowledge is eaſie to him that underſtandeth, Prov. 14 6. So we fancy many Evidences of thoſe Things, of which we are convinc'd already.
2. Reaſon cannot find out this Truth to Perfection, though the Scripture hath brought it to Light; now it is reveal'd to us another Way, Reaſon is puzzled with it. For
1. Things of an Infinite Nature muſt needs be Eternal Riddles to Finites Minds God would not be God, if Men or Angels could comprehend him; he muſt ceaſe to be what he is, if we could fully know what he is. Uncreated Excellency and Glory cannot be taken in to ſuch ſhallow and ſcanty Thoughts. We can underſtand the Relation which is between Creatures like our ſelves, we can explain it, and give a ſatisfactory Account of it one to another; but how the Divine Perſons, our Everlaſting Creators (as the Spirit ſometimes expreſſes it) are mutually related, is not to be perfectly unfolded. How the ſame Perſon ſhould be Man and yet God, how the ſame God ſhould be a Son, and yet never begin to be, will be matter of endleſs Admiration.
2. Reaſon Objects ſo many Difficulties againſt this Truth, of the Sonſhip of Jeſus Chriſt, as make us very ſlow in receiving it. The manner of it is ſo inexplicable, that therefore the thing it ſelf ſeems to be incredible; for naturally we affect to be ſatisfied how every thing is, which we allow to be. The carnal Mind is Enmity in this Caſe, and inſtead of promoting, oppoſes, therefore the Apoſtle ſpeaks of caſting down Imaginations, or Reaſonings (foreign) by the Miniſtry of the Goſpel, 2 Cor. 10.5. As there is a natural Popery, ſo a natural Socinianiſm, which exalts it ſelf againſt the Knowledge of God and Chriſt.
3. The Faith of theſe Things which is wrought in us, is not built upon the Evidence of Reaſon, but the Authority of God. There is indeed a Reaſon of Faith; it is reaſonable that we ſhould believe whatſoever God reveals, and 'tis reaſonable we ſhould be aſſur'd, that this or that is his Revelation; ſo far Reaſon is ſubſervient to Faith in the general; but to believe a particular Truth becauſe it may be retionally demonſtrated, is not the Faith of the Goſpel; we are to believe, becauſe it is Divinely Revealed; this is Faith. Otherwiſe in believing, we do not ſet our Seal to the Truth of God, but the Reaſon of the Thing. So that if it were poſſible to bring other Proofs as well as Scriptural of the Deity of our Lord Jeſus (which it is not, for it is a Matter of pure Revelation) yet the Faith of a Chriſtian, as ſuch, could not reſt upon them.
2. How are ſuch Truths as theſe diſcovered to us by God. In ſhort, it is the ſpecial Work of the Spirit to reveal Chriſt to us, to direct our Minds into the Knowledge of his Perſon, and to take of his Things and to ſpread them before us with convincing Light. Eye hath not ſeen, &c. The Things which God hath prepared, &c. But God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit, for the Spirit ſearcheth all Things, &c. 1 Cor. 2.9, 10. But as to the Way and Manner of this Revelation of Divine Things by the Spirit of God, I would offer theſe Particulars.
1. It is not in the neglect and diſuſe of outward Means. God will not countenance our Contempt of what is required and appointed by himſelf. He hath commanded us privately to ſearch the Scriptures which teſtifie of Chriſt, and to attend the Publick Preaching of Chriſt in Worſhipping Aſſemblies; and ſo in and by the Word, as a fit vehicle of ſpiritual Light, he is pleas'd to convey the Knowledge of himſelf, and of his Son. The Scriptures and Ordinances cannot enlighten us without the Spirit, and ordinarily the Spirit does it not without them, Miniſters are ſtiled Inſtructors in Chriſt, 1 Cor. 4.15. And they are ſo by Vertue of the Inſtitution of Chriſt, and the Spirit of Chriſt imploys and make uſe of them to ſerve the Purpoſes and Ends of his own Grace.
Obj. Does not the Holy Ghoſt ſay, They ſhall not teach every Man his Neighbour, and his Brother, ſaying, Know the Lord, &c. Heb. 8.11. And you need not that any Man teach you, 1 John 2.27.
Anſ. 1. 'Tis moſt evident, that theſe Places do not intend the advancing of immediate Illumination, in defiance to inſtituted Means; the teaching of God are not to be oppos'd to the teachings of Men; for even in the New Teſtament the teachings of Men are often mention'd as ſubordinate to the teachings of God. He that heareth you, ſays Chriſt to his Apoſtles, heareth me, Luke 10.16. And though Men are Ambaſſadors for Chriſt, it is as though God did beſeech you by them, 2 Cor. 5.20.
2. The ſence of theſe Places therefore muſt be, that the Effuſion of the Spirit under the Goſpel would be ſo plentiful, not as to exclude humane Teaching, or render it unneceſſary, but ſo as vaſtly to exceed and out-do it, that in compariſon it ſhould be as no Teaching; for Believers that are taught of God, though they deſpiſe not external Miniſtrations, yet may ſay to their Miniſters, as the Samaritans to the Woman, John 4.42. Now we believe, not becauſe of thy ſaying, for we have heard him our ſelves, and know that this is indeed the Chriſt, &c.
2. Though it be in the uſe of outward Means, yet 'tis an internal diſcovery; there is an Application not only of Words to the Eye, or Ear, but of Conviction to the Mind. God who commanded the Light to ſhine out of Darkneſs, hath ſhined in our Hearts, &c. 2 Cor. 4.6. So Paul ſays of himſelf, with reſpect to the Time of his Converſion; When it pleaſed God to reveal his Son in me, Gal. 1.15, 16. This inward Revelation is of a perfectly different kind from the bare revealing of Chriſt to us in the Letter of the Goſpel, though it be the ſame Chriſt, who is reveal'd both to us, and in us; for in the Work of Faith God inſpires the Soul with new Perceptions of Divine Objects, ſo that there is communicated and imprinted another Senſe and ſight of thoſe very Things, of which we had formerly heard. The Spirit ſecretly ſuggeſts that which we never knew, concerning that which we did ſleightly and ſuperficially know. All the great Tranſactions of God which accompany Salvation, are within us, unſeen and unknown to any but our ſelves. 'Tis the inward Man which is transform'd and renewed in Knowledge; and the Spirit who does all this for us, is ſaid to be dwelling in us.
3. The Spirit Works freely in making this diſcovery. Though we are tyed to uſe the Means, he is not oblig'd to work by them always, upon every one that does enjoy them. He divides his Gifts and Graces to this and that Perſon, ſeverally as he will, 1 Cor. 12.11. He is compar'd to the Wind which bloweth where it liſteth, John 3.8. 'Tis not in vain, that the Spirit and the Wind have the ſame Name in the Original Languages of the Scriptures, and in that extraordinary pouring out of the Spirit, Acts 2.2. There came a ſound from Heaven, as of a ruſhing mighty Wind, which fill'd the Houſe; becauſe as the Wind is not at the command of any Creature, with reference to its moving or ceaſing, blowing one way or another, ſo the Spirit of God is a free Agent in all his Operations; he is under no neceſſity of enlightning thoſe whom he does enlighten; he does it for one, and not for another, in the hearing of the ſame Word, to ſhew that he Acts with the higheſt Liberty, Mat. 13.11. It is given to you to know the Myſteries, &c. but to them it is not given.
4. The Spirit Works effectually in theſe Diſcoveries. He makes dead Letters to become lively Oracles. There is an Excellency of Power which goes along with the Word, when he cauſes it to be receiv'd. According to his working, which worketh in me mightily, Col. 1.29. The thick ſcales of Ignorance and Infidelity (like thoſe of the Leviathan, Job 41.17.) ſtick ſo cloſe, that it muſt be a ſtrong Hand which removes and ſeparates them from our Underſtandings. There never was any ſaving Revelation of Goſpel-Truths, to any Sinner in the World from the very beginning of it, without a Revelation of the Arm of the Lord, Iſa. 53.1. But whereſoever this Arm of God is revealed, the Report of the Goſpel is both underſtood and believ'd. This Omnipotent cauſe never fails of producing its intended Effect. So Chriſt expreſly ſays, John 6.45. Every Man that hath heard, and learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Every Man without one Exception.
5. The Spirit Works in this Caſe, ſuitably to the Nature of our Faculties; he does not deſtroy or force them, but enlarge and improve them. He does not put out the Eye of our Minds, but open it. Our fooliſh Hearts are naturally darkned, and he does not impoſe upon them, but clear them. Every Believer can teſtifie this to the Honour of Chriſt, that his ſight hath not been taken away, but reſtor'd; as he boldly ſaid to the Phariſees, John 9.25. One thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I ſee. We were blind before, and thought that we ſaw; now we really ſee, and know that we were blind. The Underſtanding of a Man is the workmanſhip of God, and he does not overthrow that, when he makes us new Creatures. The Demonſtration of the Spirit is ſuch as we cannot reſiſt, and yet it offers no Violence to us The Judgment is truly convinc't, and we can ſay, We know whom we have believed, 2 Tim. 1.12.
6. The Spirit in diſcovering of ſuch Truths, Works alone, and by himſelf. There is no Conjunction or proper Co-operation of ſecond Cauſes with him. It is here, as it was with thoſe, in Mat 20.34. Jeſus touched their Eyes, and immediately they receiv'd ſight. 'Tis the touch of Chriſts Hand only which recovers us from ſpiritual blindneſs. Nature contributes nothing to the efficacious workings of Grace; and therefore 'tis obſerv'd, that many of the Holy Women whom our Lord deſcended from, were barren, to ſhew, that they Conceiv'd not by the ſtrength of their own Womb, but by vertue of the Promiſe: As Sarah, Rebeckah, Rachel, &c. So we are Light in the Lord, Eph. 5.8. But we do not help towards the creating of it in our ſelves. We are meerly Paſſive in the firſt Reception of Divine Light, as the Eye of the Body is truly Paſſive in the taking in of natural Light. All Light is brought into the Eye; ſo it ſprings in from Heaven into the Mind, which is no better than a very Dungeon of it ſelf.
3. What kind of Knowledge is that which is the Effect and Fruit of this diſcovery of ſaving Truth by God to the Soul. This is the rather to be inſiſted on a little, becauſe it may be of great Advantage to us in the Trial of our State, that we may make a right Judgment of our ſelves, whether under the Conduct of Fleſh and Blood, or of the Father.
1. That Knowledge which proceeds from the ſpecial inward Revelation of Divine Things, is a more aſſuring Knowledge than any other. The end of Luke's Writing his Goſpel to Theophilus, was, That he might know the certainty of thoſe things, wherein he had been inſtructed; Luke 1.4. This Effect the Spirit of God hath by his enlightning Operation beyond all humane Inſtructions whatſoever; we are made to know the certainty of things, and more fully perſuaded of the great reality of what is ſpiritual. They are no longer doubtful, diſputable Opinions with us, but we come to ſuch a firm Concluſion about them, that we can venture our Eternity upon them. The Scripture hints this in many Places, John 17.8. They have known ſurely that I came out from thee. So the Apoſtle ſpeaks of the Rich and full Aſſurance of Ʋnderſtanding, in the acknowledgment of the Myſtery of God, &c. Col. 2.2. And again, Our Goſpel came not unto you in Word only, but alſo in Power, and in the Holy Ghoſt, and in much Aſſurance; ſo that there is no haeſitation or wavering concerning it, 1 Theſſ. 1.5.
2. That Knowledge which proceeds from ſuch a Cauſe, is more affecting than any other. The Heart is influenced to greater Love and Joy, and Admiration by what it believes and knows. As the mind receives more ſolid Satisfaction with reſpect to thoſe Truths, ſo thoſe Truths are more ſweet and delightful, more raviſhing and tranſporting to the Soul. Paul ſpeaks like a Man in an Extaſie, with more than ordinary Zeal and Fervour; Phil. 3.8. Yea, doubtleſs, I count all things but loſs for the excellency of the Knowledge of Chriſt Jeſus my Lord. His magnifying of the Excellency of this Knowledge, ſprung from his deep Senſe of the Excellency of the Object: He ſaw ſo much worth in Chriſt, that he would part with ten Thouſand Worlds, if he had them, for his ſake. The Doctrine of Chriſt's God-head, Incarnation, Satisfaction, &c. when they are only taken into the Head as common Notions, are but dry Meat, but when they are impreſt by the Holy Ghoſt, we can feed upon them with Pleaſure. The Things of God being ſo reveal'd, that we taſte the ſavour of them.
3. That Knowledge which is communicated by the Spirit, is always joyn'd with Experience. The Apprehenſions which other Men have by common reaſoning of ſpiritual Things, are like thoſe of a blind Man, when he hears a Diſcourſe concerning Light, which are very dark and imperfect in Compariſon of his that hath Eyes to ſee the Sun. There is a vaſt difference between a Knowledge of Chriſt by Report and Hearſay (as one calls it) and a Knowledge of Acquaintance, which is gotten and improv'd by Communion with him. As the Queen of Sheba was not told one half in her own Land of the greatneſs of Solomons Wiſdom, which ſhe afterwards ſaw, and yet what ſhe was told, ſeem'd incredible to her, 2 Chron. 9.6. So Believers find ſo much in Chriſt, when they come to him, as does not only juſtifie the Report which Miniſters gave to be very true, but abundantly exceed it. We cannot tell you, what they feel whom Chriſt is formed in, and who live every Day by the Faith of him. Where there is no ſpiritual Senſe, the Mind is yet carnal.
4. That Knowledge which the Spirit produces, does always iſſue in Obedience. The Knowledge which Men attain unto by any other Ways, is barren and unprofitable; as it does not reach the Heart, ſo it is of no uſe in the ordering of the Converſation. But ſaving Knowledge governs the Life, and regulates the Practice; ſo as clearly to exemplifie that Connection which God hath made between the Truths to be believed, and to be performed. When Paul prays for his Coloſſians, That they might be filled with the Knowledge of God's Will, in all Wiſdom and ſpiritual Ʋnderſtanding, he does not ſtop there, but ſhews whither this tends, That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleaſing, &c. Col. 1.9, 10. He that is truly nouriſht up in the words of Faith and good Doctrine will evidence it by fruitfulneſs in good Works, 1 John 2.3. Hereby we do know that we know him (Jeſus Chriſt) if we keep his Commandments. They have not learned Chriſt as they ought, that do not live to him; for if we be acquainted with his Perſon, we ſhall ſubmit to his Rule.