Works, Book 1 · Discourse 53
DISCOURSE LIII.
1 Ep. IOHN 2. 3.
Hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his Commandments.
MAN that is born of a woman (saith Iob) is of short continuance and full of trouble: Iob 14. 1.Nay our days are not so few, but they are also as full of sorrow, full of unquietness and discontent; no hour is without, no estate is free; from him that sitteth upon the glorious throne unto him that is beneath in the earth and ashes, from him that is clothed in silk and wears a crown even unto him that is clothed in simple raiment. He that had attained the highest pitch of worldly felicity, King Solomon, Eccles. 2. 9, 10.who was great and encreased above all that were before him in Ierusalem, whose eyes had whatsoever they desired, who withheld not his heart from any joy; yet when he had considered all, he could see no good thing under the Sun, nothing wherein he could find true hearts-content;Vers. 2. 14. but cryed out, Vanity of vanities all is vanity and vexation of Spirit: All things are full of Labour, man cannot utter it. Yea Pleasure it self is linkt with pain and sorrow,Vers. 8. Extrema gaudii semper occupat luctus. In vain then do men take up their rest where they have not long to stay; in vain do they seek for comfort in those things where no true comfort can be found. There is but one thing in the world that can make this miserable life happy unto us, and that is so to demean our selves while we live here, as that we may be assured of the Life to come: This is that will make us not to feel the sorrows and troubles of this life; This is that will make us with ease to swallow the bitter pills of Death it self; when we can say with*Iob 19. 25, 26. Iob, I know (or I am sure) that my Redeemer liveth, and that these eyes shall see him, though worms consume this body of mine.
But the greatest part of men think no such Assurance can be had, and therefore think it but labour lost to seek after it: Others on the contrary are too credulous, assuring themselves of God's savour and of eternal life, without any proof or trial of their Assurance whether it be true or no. That both these sorts of men may see what a dangerous Error they are in, let them peruse but this one Epistle of S. Iohn, and out of the whole Epistle let them consider with me a while the Verse which I have read; let them hear what the Spirit saith by the beloved Apostle of the Lord, By this we do know (or come to be assured) that we know him, if we keep his Commandments.
The first part of these words tells us of an Assurance to be gotten; and lest we might deceive our selves, the other part tells us what that is whereby we come to be assured, and whereby we may prove insallibly whether our Assurance which we have conceived be good or no, viz. If we keep his Commandments. By this we do know (or we are sure; so the former Translation, and it comes all to one) that we know him; if we keep his Commandments.
In the first part of these words all is plain, and there is nothing hard to be understood, but only what is meant by this Knowing of Christ; what manner of Knowledge this should be which is here spoken of. For there are diverse kinds of knowing Christ. Iam. 2. …9.There is a Knowledge which the very Devils have: the Devils (saith S. Iames) believe also and tremble; and in Luke 4. 34. we read that the Devil said unto Christ, I know thee who thou art, the holy one of God; and in verse 41. that other Devils also came out of many whom they possessed, crying out and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God; but Christ rebuked them, and would not suffer them foreign to say that they knew him to be Christ. There is a Knowledge likewise which the wicked may have, but it is like unto the Knowledge which Devils have:1 Iohn 2. 3. For the wicked may know Christ to be the Son of God, they may know he died upon the Cross for the sins of men they may know that he is gone up into Heaven and sitteth at the right hand of his Father in glory everlasting; but, alas! this Knowledge, if they have no more than it, will not profit them at all, it will never stand them in stead, but rather make them more inexcusable at the Day of Iudgment.
But the Knowledge which the Text speaks of, it is the Knowledge of the Faithful, yea it is the Knowledge of Faith, yea it is Faith it self: For this Knowledge of Christ is to know him to be our Christ, to know him to be our Redeemer, to know him to be the Propitiation for our sins as well as for the sins of other men. This you see is Faith it self, and this is the Knowledge here meant; as you may easily see further, if you do but read the words going next before my Text, where our Apostle saith, If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Iesus Christ the righteous: And he is the Propitiation for our sins; and then come the words of my Text, And hereby we know (or we are sure) that we know him; that is, Hereby we know him to be (as was said before) our Advocate, our Propitiation; all this we are sure, we know, he is to us, if that we keep his Commandments.
If therefore Faith be a Knowledge, If to believe in Christ to be know Christ; how then can Faith and Ignorance stand together? how can an ignorant man be a faithful man? or how can he have Faith who knoweth not the things of Faith?
Here is a Lesson to be learned of those that think it needless for a man to busie his head in the knowledge of the things belonging to his Salvation; that think it is enough if they have a good meaning, though they know nothing else. They are proud of their Ignorance, and will say they have as good Souls as the best of them all: but, alas! they know not that Light and Darkness cannot agree together; they know not that to walk in darkness is to walk in the shadow of death; they remember not that Light is come into the world, and that those that love darkness rather than light should be cast into outer darkness, where there is weeping and g…ashing of teeth. What will you answer at the great day of hearing, when Christ will *Luke 13. 27.not know you, because ye knew him no better? Will you say, as some do, That you were not Book-learned, and therefore could not read? Will you say you had no Learning, and therefore hope to be excused? These Fig-leaves will not serve to cover your nakedness withal.
I confess, there are many things which the Learned know, which you are not bound to know; Those who are expert in the Scriptures know many things both concerning God and his Works, which others may be ignorant of without endangering their Souls safety; yea matters of high Controversie, those who are simple are forbidden to meddle withal; for so saith S. Paul, Rom. 14. 1. Him that is weak in the faith receive you, but not to doubtful disputations.
But things which concern our Faith, things which are needful to our Salvation, things which concern our Obedience unto God; these things no man must be ignorant of that regards the safety of his Soul; these things God will require at the hands of every one who shall be saved, whether they be learned or unlearned, whether they be of the wise or of the simple: whosoever knows not Christ and the means to come to Christ; whosoever knows not what it is to have a Redeemer, to have God to be his Father, what it is to be reconciled to God, to have Christ to be his Advocate and Mediatour; whosoever knows not such things as these, must hear that heavy doom of Go ye cursed into everlasting fire.
For want of this knowledge of things needful to be known God had a controversy with his people Israel, Hos. 4. 1. The Lord hath a controversie with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no knowledge of God in the land. For want of this knowledge it was that God saith, Esay 5. 13. My people are gone into captivity, because they wanted knowledge. And our Saviour in Luke 19. 42. wept over Ierusalem, and said, O that thou hadst known the things which belong unto thy peace, &c. As it befel the Iews, so will it fall out with every one of us that knows not the things which belong unto our peace, that is, unto our reconciliation with God in Iesus Christ; God will have a controversie with us, he will send us into everlasting captivity, from whence we shall never return again.
Let me therefore beseech you (Brethren) in the bowels of Iesus Christ, If there be any among you that have not yet gotten this needful knowledge, that do not yet know the things belonging to their peace, that they would now look unto themselves, and use the means which God hath appointed. If you may have the best means, use the best: if not, yet make use of those which God hath given you; despise not the least and weakest means; despise not the bare reading of the Scriptures, for they are the Oracles of God, and God's Spirit may be in the mouth of the reader. Pray therefore unto the Lord that he would give you hearts to understand, that his Word may dwell in you plentifully in all wisdom, that he would open unto you the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, that you may relish the heavenly Manna, and that you may long after the sincere milk of the Gospel; that by this means your ways may prosper, your sorrows may be easie and your comforts may, your lives holy and your deaths comfortable.
And thus much I have spoken to those who are ignorant, and please themselves therein. Now let me speak a word or two also to those who covet and desire knowledge, and take delight in the understanding of rare and excellent things. Surely it is a commendable thing to be desirous of knowledge in any thing which may lawfully be known;1 Kings 3. and this desire in Solomon pleased God so well, that because he asked wisdom and knowledge, God gave him riches also, and such honour that there was no King like unto him among the Kings that were before him, neither after him ever came the like. Art thou then desirous of knowledge? wouldst thou know rare and excellent things? wouldst thou know things secret, and foreknow things which are to come? Lo here is a Knowledge the best of all knowledges, the knowledge of Faith, to know Christ to be thy Redeemer. What more secret thing wouldst thou know than to know the Mystery which was hidden from the beginning of the world? What higher knowledge than to know thy name to be written in heaven? What more gainful knowledge than that knowledge that will bring thee a Kingdom whose glory shall never have end? What better knowledge of things to come than to know that thou shalt live in the life to come? If thou knewest the tongues of Men and Angels, if thou knewest all Arts and Sciences, if thou were wiser than Solomon, 1 Kings 4. 33.and couldst discourse of Trees and Herbs, of Beasts, of Fowl, and of Fishes, and yet wantest this Knowledge of Faith; all thy wisdom is folly, and thou art not worthy to wipe the shoes of those who are truly wise indeed. Nevertherefore count thy self wise, before thou art wise in the Lord; never think thou knowest any thing, before thou knowest thou hast a part in Christ Iesus: For Faith is the*Prov. 1. 20. & ch. 9. 1. &c. foreign Sapientiae, (i. e.) Sapientia Sapientiarum, vel Summa Sapientia. Wisdom of wisdoms; he that knows Christ, knows all, though he knows nothing else. So that we may say with Solomon, Prov. 3. 13, &c. Blessed is the man that findeth this wisdom, and getteth this understanding: For the merchandise thereof is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. Length of dayes is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and honour. Her wayes are wayes of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a Tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy is every one that retaineth her.
There is yet a third sort of men to whom this which hath been spoken may give profitable instruction; I mean the nice and dainty hearers of the Word, who grow almost weary of hearing, because the Ministers sing nothing but this old song of Knowing and Believing in Christ; they always beat upon this one point, How men should get Faith, and know Christ to be their Redeemer: But they would have some new things taught them, these common things are tedious, the Minister must teach them something they never knew before: or, if they must have the old things still, their stomachs are so queasie, that they must needs have them drest and set out with delicious words and gay shews of Learning, that so they may go down the better; that is, They would have Gold to be gilded, and find want of knowledge in the noblest piece of Learning in the world.
These men are like unto the Israelites, Vers. 5, 6.Num. 11. who, when God gave them Manna from heaven, and fed them with the food of Angels; after they had a while been used to it, they began to murmure, and said, Our souls loath this Manna; what, nothing but Manna? what, still Manna? every day Manna, Manna? O that we had the flesh-pots of Egypt, our onions and our cucumbers I As if they had said, What though this Manna be an heavenly Manna, we had rather have that which comes from the Earth, so it be rare and geason; we regard not the goodness of the meat, but the variety of fare.
But what befel these dainty-mouthed murmurers? Many they had their wish, they had flesh of the best, the flesh of Quails sent them; but while the*Num. 11. 33. meat was in their mouths, the wrath of the Lord came upon them, and they died; not because it was unlawful for them to eat flesh, but because they made more account of this gros…r food because 'twas rare, then of the Manna which fell from heaven. Take heed therefore, you that are too-too choice in hearing, and had rather hear rare and new things, than profitable things, because you hear them often.
The Knowledg of Christ is this Manna which came from heaven. If the Minister of God feed you with this, it is the best food he can give you. What more soveraign Diet can be unto your souls than that which makes them live for ever? What more pleasing News can you hear than Tidings that God will be at peace with men? This made the very Angels of heaven to sing for joy at the birth of Christ, Glory be to God on high, Luke 2. 14.and peace amongst men. Account not that common which so few men tast of: account not that tedious which the best of you all have need of, and which if you could once but relish the sweetness of, you would think you never had enough of.
I speak not all this as quite disallowing a moderate shew of Learning in Sermons, but because I would have you know that in respect of the Manna it self they are but leeks and cucumbers, the onions and garlick of Egypt.
AND so I come to the next thing I observe out of the First part of my Text, and that is from these words, we are sure, or we know, as in the Greek it is*So in Luke 10. 11. foreign is rendred Be ye sure; and Iob. 6. 69. foreign We are sure. And so a like word foreign is rendred, Iohn 16. 30. Rom. 2. 2. & ch. 15. 29. foreign but it comes all to one, for he that knows he knoweth Christ, is sure he knows; he that knows he hath a thing, is sure he hath it.
Mark then from hence, That a man may be sure he shall be saved, he may be sure that the Benefits of Christ's death belong unto him. For to know Christ, I told you, was to know him to be our Redeemer, that is, to have Faith in him or to believe him to be our Christ. If every one therefore that knows him aright and believes in him truly, shall be saved; he that is sure he knows him, he that knows he believes truly in him, this man must needs know also and be assured of his Salvation. But you see the words of my Text do plainly imply that a man may be sure he knows Christ, or else in vain should the Apostle tell us of the means how to get that which was impossible to be gotten. But if the words of my Text be not sufficient to persuade you, then call to mind the firm Assurance of S. Paul, Rom. 8. 38, 39.who was perswaded that neither life nor death, neither principalities nor powers, nor any thing else in the world, could sever him from the love of God. Call to mind again the words of Iob, Iob 19. 25, &c.who saith he was sure that his Redeemer liveth, and that his eyes should see him.
But perhaps you will say that these were extraordinary men, Apostles and Prophets might know so much by special inspiration, but every man must not look for that which they had; All are not Apostles, all are not Prophets, and therefore all must not look to be like unto Apostles and Prophets.
But mark again the words of my Text, We are sure, or we know, that we know him: He says not, I Iohn am or may be sure, or that the other Apostles might be sure; but we know, or we are sure, we know him: that is, I and you both; not I alone who am an Apostle, but all you also to whom I write, who have believed through the preaching of the Apostles and Disciples of the Lord Iesus; we all of us may be sure, or know, we know him, if we keep his Commandments. And surely if this be not so, why doth S. Peter 2 Ep. chap. 1. 10. bid us endeavour to make our calling and election sure? why is the Spirit of God called*Ephes. 1. 14.—the earnest of our inheritance; and ch. 4. 30—sealed unto the day of redemption. the Earnest and Seal of our Salvation? The Seal, we know, confirms and makes a thing sure; and he that hath given earnest, is bound to stand to his bargain: whosoever then doth feel the Spirit of God to be within him, as every one may, and must do before they shall be saved, this man hath God's promise sealed unto him, and God hath given him the Earnest of his Salvation: and certainly God useth not to break covenants, he will not break promise with us, if we keep promise with him; for he is not as the sons of men, that he should be changed; the Lord hath sworn,1 Sam. 15. 29. and it shall not repent him; the counsel of the Lord remains for ever, and his decree from generation to generation.
Wouldest thou then have comfort in thy misery, wouldest thou have joy in all thy sorrows, wouldest thou find rest in the greatest troubles of thy life, wouldest thou entertain Death as a messenger of joy, wouldest thou welcome the Lord Iesus at his coming? O labour then to make thy election sure; never cease till thou hast gotten the seal and earnest of thy Salvation; renounce all kind of peace till thou hast found the peace of conscience; discard all joy till thou feelest the joy of the Holy Ghost. Do this, and there is no calamity so great but thou mayest undergo, no burthen so heavy but thou mayest easily bear it: Do this, and thou shalt live in the fear, dye in the favour, and rise in the power of God the Father, and help to make up the heavenly Confort, singing with the Saints and Angels, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, All glory and honour and praise be ascribed to the Lamb, and to him that sitteth upon the throne for evermore.Rev 5. 13.
But now lest that which hath been spoken concerning Assurance of Salvation might disquiet the weak conscience of some who cannot feel this Assurance in themselves; let them know That this Assurance doth not always continue in like measure, but is often shaken with the assaults of mis-belief, and overcast with clouds of distrust. We know that though the Sun be risen upon the earth, she doth not always shew her self in full brightness, but sometimes is overcast with clouds and shadowed from our sight; and yet she always giveth so much light as thereby we may discern the day from the night: Even so although the Sun of comfortable Assurance be risen in our hearts, yet it doth not always shine forth with brightness, or shew it self in full strength and vigour, but is sometime overcast with fear and distrust; and yet when there is least, there is so much light that a man may discern day from night, and know the children of God from the sons of Darkness. Despair not therefore, though fear sometimes disquiets thee; Distrust not the Lord thy God, though he seems sometimes to hide his Countenance from thee: but when thou feelest a combate in thy soul, pray then and say with the Father of that child in the Gospel,Mark 9. 24. Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief.
AND thus I come unto the second part of my Text, which contains the Means whereby we come to this Certainty of knowing Christ and this Assurance of Salvation; and that is, By keeping God's Commandments; for saith my Text, Hereby we know that we do know him, if we keep his Commandments. To know Christ (I told you) is to believe in him, to be assured we know him is to be assured our Faith is a right and a true Faith; which Faith whosoever knoweth he hath, cannot chuse but know certainly he shall be saved: But hereby (saith my Text) may we know that we know Christ aright, and believe in him truly and savingly, if that we keep his Commandments.
From whence I observeObservat. 1. First, That though it be true, That whatsoever good thing we have cometh from God, and that it is his Holy Spirit that worketh all heavenly graces in our hearts; yet he doth it not immediately, without means, but by blessing those helps and motives to us which he hath ordained for us to attain such graces and such favours by.
For it is true, That Assurance of Salvation is the work of God's Spirit; and yet S. Iohn saith here, That it is the keeping of God's Commandments whereby we are assured we know Christ to be our Redeemer: that is, The Spirit of God by this keeping of the Commandments and by obedience to the will of God doth assure us, as by an argument or evidence, that our Faith is a true Faith, a living Faith; and that therefore we may assure our selves that the Spirit of God dwelleth in us, and that we shall enjoy a Crown with Saints and Angels in the life to come. So likewise Faith is the work of the Spirit of God;Rom. 10. 17. and yet S. Paul saith, that Faith cometh by hearing, and how should men believe unless they hear the Word preached? It is God that saveth us, and Christ who purchased eternal life for us; and yet the use of the Sacraments must be as means to bring us to this happiness. So saith Christ, Every one that believeth and is baptized,Mark 16. 16. shall be saved; and S. Peter, 1 Ep. 3. 21. calleth Baptism the figure whereby we are saved.
And throughout the Scripture we shall find that God bestows his blessings and favours by the use of means, and to those who use the means which he hath appointed. If Abimelech will have God to heal him and to forgive his sin, he must have Abraham to pray unto God for him: so saith the Text, Gen. 20. 7. Restore the man his wife; for he is a Prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live. So if Iob's friends will have God to forgive their sin in censuring Iob so uncharitably, they must use the means which God commanded them, Iob 42. 8. Take unto you (saith God) seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Iob, and offer for your selves a burnt-offering; and my servant Iob shall pray for you, and I will accept him. If Cornelius will have the will of God revealed to him, he must send to Ioppa for Peter to preach unto him, Acts 10. 5. If Naaman the Syrian will have the God of Israel to heal him of his Leprosie, he must use the means commanded, to wash himself seven times in the River Iordan, 2 Kings 5. 10, 14. Again, Though God had promised Iacob that he would be with him, that he would do him good, when he was to return unto the land of Canaan; and though Iacob depended only upon God to deliver him from the fury of his brother Esau; yet he knew that God would require of him the using of the means,Gen. 3…. and therefore he sent a Present to his brother, and when he came unto him, he used all humble and submiss behaviour toward him. Lastly, Though Hezekiah in his sickness had received a Sign and a Promise from God that he should recover, I have heard thy prayer, (saith the Lord, 2 Kings 20. 5.) I have seen thy tears: behold I will heal thee, on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the Lord; yet for all this he did not neglect the means, for according to the counsel of the Prophet Esay, he took a lump of figs (saith the Text, ver. 7.) and laid it upon the boil, and he recovered. Thus then you see the manner how God bestows his graces and favours upon the sons of men: He is the chief and principal worker in all things which are done, and yet he worketh not without the means, for so he should always do Miracles; (for Miracles are nothing else but the works of God without and against the ordinary means) but he worketh by blessing of the means to those who have and use them.
Here is therefore a Lesson worthy to be learned of those who, when you tell them of the perverseness and corruption of their hearts, and exhort them to seek to be at peace with God, to amend their lives, to eschew evil and do the works of righteousness; answer presently, That all the thoughts of man's heart are by nature evil, and that of our selves we are not able so much as to think one good thought, much less to do any good deed; we have no free will in these things, but are dead in sin; we cannot turn to God, unless he turns us first unto him; we cannot mend, unless God first amend us; we cannot believe, unless he give us Faith; we cannot of our selves do any good, untill it pleaseth God to enable us:2 Pet. 3. 16. And after this manner (as S. Peter saith) those who are unskilful and unstable wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction. But do you not know also, that it is God that giveth us our daily bread, that he giveth us meat to eat and cloaths to put on? and yet which of you all will not use the means to get these things, because else you cannot look that God should give you his blessing? Do you not know, when you are sick of a bodily disease, that if you be healed, God must heal you, God must restore you to your former health? and yet which of you all will not seek unto the Physician, and use all means that can be gotten? Do you not know, when you are in danger, that God must deliver you? and yet would you not laugh at him that in such a case should sit still and say, God help me, and never stir his finger to help himself? Are you thus wise in these outward things, and will you not be as wise in things spiritual? It is needful you should use the means to obtain God's blessing in things concerning your Body, and is it needless in things concerning the good of your Soul?
It is true indeed that of your selves you are not able to turn from your evil ways unto the Lord your God; but you are able, I hope, to use the means whereby God's Spirit works the conversion of the heart. This Sun the Lord makes to shine both upon the evil and the good; this Rain he showres down upon the just and unjust. What though thou canst not believe of thy self? yet thou canst use the means of believing. What though thou canst not of thy self will or do the thing which is good? yet mayest thou use the means whereby God gives the grace of willing and doing good. Wouldest thou then have God to enable thee with the grace and power of his Spirit? use the means wherein the Spirit of God is lively and mighty in operation, Heb. 4. 12.sharper than any two-edged sword, and entreth through even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit: Meditate continually in the Law of God, be diligent to hear the Word both read and preached, attend to Exhortation, to Instruction: and as Ioab said unto his army going against the Aramites, 2 Sam. 10. 12.Be strong, and let us be valiant for our people and for the cities of our God, and let the Lord do that which is good in his eyes; so say thou unto thine own Soul, I will firmly resolve, and with all the power I have endeavour to use the means appointed by our God, and let the Lord do that which is good in his eyes. Nay then fear not, thou shalt see the salvation of the Lord: he will give thee a new heart, and put a new spirit within thee; he will take away thy heart of stone, and give thee an heart of flesh, that thou mayest walk in his statutes and keep his Commandments; and thou shalt be one of his people, and he will be thy God.
Observe in the second place, That a true and unfeigned Faith in Christ (which is the knowing him here mentioned) brings forth obedience to his Commandments. Observat. 2.Christ, we must know, is not only a Priest to reconcile us, but also a King to be obeyed by us.Christ must be received whole, not only as a Priest, but as a King. These two, as they are inseparable in him, [a Priest, but a Kingly Priest; a King, but a Priestly King;] so must the acknowledgment of them be in his servants. Whosoever therefore receives him as a Priest for atonement of his sin, must also submit unto him with loyal obedience as a King. We can never truly acknowledge him the one, but we must also yield him the other. For Christ will not be divided by us; we must, if we will have him, take him whole; otherwise we have no share in him at all. This is that Faith we say justifies, and no other but such a Faith as this, which adheres unto Christ Iesus both as a Priest and as our Lord and King. And therefore do our Adversaries most unworthily and wrongfully charge us, That we condemn Good works, or hold a man may be in Christ or in the state of grace, though his life be never so wicked; because we hold, as S. Paul does, we are justified by Faith, and not by the works of the Law, Gal. 2. 16.
Observe,Observat. 3. thirdly, That the Act of Faith which justifies is the Receiving or Knowing of Christ; not (as some erroneously conceive) an Assurance or Knowing we know him. For Assurance of being justified is no way a Cause or Instrument, but a Consequent of Iustification. A man must be first justified before he can know or be assured he is justified. For this Assurance or Certification you may see in my Text comes in the third place, not in the first; wherein you may observe these three things to have this order, 1. Knowing or owning Christ, which is Faith: 2. Keeping his Commandments, which is the Fruit and evidence of a true Faith: then in the third place comes Assurance, For by this we are sure we do know him, if we keep his Commandments. The Object must be before it can be known; the Sun must be risen before she can be seen: So hath every one his interest in Christ before he can know he hath it. Nay he may have it long before, before he knows he hath it: For it is not only a consequent, but a separable consequent, neither presently gotten, and often interrupted. For though it be necessary the Sun should be risen before she can be seen; yet she may be long up before we see her, and often clouded after she hath shined. This I observe for the comfort of those who are troubled in mind and tempted to despair, because they see not the light of God's countenance shining in their hearts.
My fourth Observation,Observat. 4. and the chief in the Text, is this, That he that walks in the ways of God, and makes conscience to keep his Commandments, may hereby in…allibly know he knows Christ, that his Faith is a true Faith, and that he shall be saved everlastingly. This is the main and principal Scope of the Text, and so plainly therein expressed, that it needs no other confirmation. But the Reason is plain; For Good works are the fruits of Faith, and a Godly conversation is the work of God's holy Spirit. Whomsoever Christ accepts as a Servant, he gives the token of his Spirit, the Grace which enlivens and quickens the Heart and Will to his Service in a new and reformed conversation. Even as the heat of the Fire warmeth whatsoever comes near unto it; so the Spirit of Christ kindles this Grace in every Heart that Faith links unto him: the Fruit whereof is that infallible Livery whereby every one that wears it may know himself to be his Servant.
A Tree is known by its fruit, the workman is known by his work; whosoever them shews these works, and brings forth these fruits, hath an infallible argument that the Spirit of God, the earnest of his Salvation, dwells in his heart; that his Faith is a true and saving Faith; that his believing is no presumption, no false conceit, no delusion of the Devil, but the true and certain motion of God's own Spirit. The rising of the Sun is known by the shining beams, the Fire is known by its burning, the Life of the Body is known by its moving: Even so certainly is the presence of God's Spirit known by the shining light of an holy conversation; even so certainly the purging Fire of Grace is known by the burning Zeal against sin, and a servent desire to keep God's Commandments; even so certainly the Life and liveliness of Faith is known by the good motions of the Heart, by the bestirring of all the powers both of Soul and Body, to do whatsoever God wills us to be doing as soon as we once know he would have us do it. He that hath this Evidence, hath a bulwark against Despair, and may dare the Devil to his face: He that hath this, hath the Broad Seal of Eternal life, and such a man shall live for ever.
But on the contrary, He that walks not in the ways of Obedience to God's Commandments; whatsoever conceit he hath of God's favour toward him, without all doubt he knows not Christ to be his Redeemer, he hath not nor cannot have any Assurance of Salvation; for how should a man be assured of that which is not? His Hope is Presumption, his Faith is nothing but Security, his Comfort (if he feels any) a mere imagination: His Hope, his Faith, his Comfort are all delusions of the Devil. For if we say (saith our Apostle chap. 1. ver. 6.) that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we are lyars, yea and the Devil, the Father of lies, is in us.
Here therefore is a good Caveat for us all.Heb. 12. 14. Let us not deceive our selves; without Holiness no man shall see God. Beware of Presumption, for Presumption sends more to Hell than Desperation. Let us never think we have Faith to be saved by, or acknowledge Christ throughly, till we may see and know it by keeping his Commandments. For hereby we know that we know him, &c.
But you may say, Alas! this is an hard saying: If none have true Faith or know Christ aright but those who keep the Law of God, who then can be saved? For what man is he who hath such a Faith? For there is no man living which sins not; and who can say his Heart is clean? the best of us all hath need to pray unto God daily and hourly, Lord, forgive our trespasses.
1. I answer, It is true, that an absolute and perfect Obedience to the Law of God is not attainable in this life: For the best that are, though not in a current and constant course, yet ever and anon offend, both in doing what they ought not, and omitting what they should do; yea some mixture of infirmity and imperfections will cleave unto the face of the fairest action. So incompatible is an uninterrupted and unstained purity with this unglorified state of mortality.
2. All this is true and cannot be denied; For our Apostle himself saith chap. 1. 8. If we say we have no sin, we deceive our selves, and there is no truth in us. But the same Apostle in chap. 3. 8. of this Epistle saith also, That he which commits sin, is of the Devil. There is therefore some measure of holiness and obedience, and that more than ordinary, required of those who are the Sons of God. That ours may be such, we must know the requisites thereof are three, To be Cordial, Resolved, and Vniversal.
1. It must be Cordial, that is, Conscionable and Sincere: it must be internal, proceeding from the Heart, not external only, in the appearance of the outward work.Matth. 21. 19. God looks for fruit, and not for leaves; therefore the Fig-tree in the Gospel which had nothing but leaves,Psal. 119. 2. we know, was accursed. But blessed are they (saith David) that keep his Testimonies, and seek him with their whole heart. For true Faith not only restrains the actions of the outward man, (for that Humane laws and other respects may do) but it purifies the Heart also from the reigning allowance of any lust or lewd course of sin. There is abhorring as well as abstaining, loathing as well as leaving; for else a chained Lion, though he abstain from devouring, hath his Lionish nature still.
2. It must be Resolved, that is, out of a full and setled purpose to conform our selves to the Law of God; That howsoever we often fail in the execution, yet this Root may still keep life within us. For good actions which come only by fits and occasions, are no part of true Obedience: nor where such a Resolution is, are failings and slips more a sign of a disobedient child, than the missing of a mark argues he that shot never aimed to hit it; but only is a sign either of weakness, want of skill, or good heed, or some impediment.
3. It must be Vniversal; I say not absolute and perfect, for no man can keep the Law of God absolutely and perfectly; yet it must be Vniversal, that is, to one Commandment as well as to another. True Obedience knows no exception, no reservation, nor can any such stand with a true Faith and allegiance to Christ our Lord.
First therefore there must no darling, no bosome sin, no Herodias, be cherished: such a dead fly as this will marre the whole box of ointment: For how should he take himself for a faithful servant of Christ, who still holds correspondence with his Arch-enemy the Devil? It were treason in an earthly subject to do it, how serviceable soever he might otherwise be unto his Prince. One breach in the walls of a City exposeth it to the surprise of the Enemy; one leak in a Ship neglected will sink it at last into the bottom of the Sea; the stab of a Pen-knife to the Heart will as well speed a man as twenty Rapiers run through him: If thou hedge thy close as high as the middle region of the Air in all other places, and leave but one gap, all thy grass will be gone: If the Fowler catch the Bird either by the head or the foot or the wing, she is sure his own. So in the present case, If Satan keep possession but by one reigning sin, it will be thine everlasting ruine. If thou live and die with allowance and delight in any one known sin, without resolution to part with it; thou art none of Christ's servants, thou as yet carriest the Devil's brand, he hath thereby markt thee out for his own.
Secondly, An Vniversal obedience submits not only to Prohibitions of not doing evil, but puts in practice the Injunctions of doing good. Many think they keep the Commandments well, so they do nothing which they forbid: But the not doing good is a sin as well as the doing of evil. Dives fries in Hell, not for robbing, but for not relieving Lazarus. The unprofitable servant was cast into outer darkness, not for spending, but for not bestowing his Master's talent. The five foolish Virgins were shut out of doors, not for wasting, but for not having oil in their Lamps. And the wicked shall be condemned at the last day,Matth. 25. not for reaving the meat from the hungry, but for not seeding their poor brethren; not for stripping the naked out of his cloaths, but for not cloathing him. It will not be enough for thee that thou bringest forth no bad fruit,Matth. 3. 10. but thou must bring forth good fruit. Every Tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be hewen down and cast into the fire. What if thou steal not from thy brother? yet if thou open not thy hand to help and succour him, thou art a Robber. What if thou dost neither lie nor swear? yet if thou makest not thy mouth a glorious organ, and thy tongue a trumpet to sound forth and proclaim the love and mercy of God, thou art a deep and a round offender. What if no man can condemn thee for any evil? yet unless God and thine own conscience shall commend thee for some good thou hast done, thou art far from any Assurance of Faith, or Knowing thou knowest Christ to be thy Redeemer.
The End of the First Book.
THE SECOND BOOK OF THE WORKS OF The Pious and Profoundly-Learned Ioseph Mede, B. D. SOMETIME Fellow of CHRIST'S Colledge in CAMBRIDGE
CONTAINING SEVERAL DISCOURSES AND TREATISES OF CHURCHES, AND The Worship of God therein.
Horat. de Arte Poet.
—Fuit haec Sapientia quondam,
Publica privatis secernere, sacra profanis.
Corrected and Enlarged according to the Author's own Manuscripts.