Believers Evidences for Eternal Life, Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Evidences, or Signes of our true knowledg of God, and of Jesus Christ, The knowledge of whom is life eternall, John 17. 3.
I.
FIrst, The reall and sincere keeping of I.Gods Commandements, evidenceth that we know God, and Jesus Christ aright. Hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his Commandements. He that saith I know him, and keepeth not his Commandements, is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 1 Ioh. 43, 4. This note is laid down, (1.) Affirmatively, and (2.) Negatively. He that keeps his Commandements knows him; yea, knows that be knows him. He that keeps not hi… Commandements knowes him not, yea, he lies if be saith he knows him. David concluded, He had more knowledge then his enemies, then the Ancients, then his Teachers, and all because he kept Gods Commandements, Psal. 119. 98, 99, 100. They that truly know God cannot choose but keep his Commandements. For they know. (1.) The Authority of God commanding to be supream, Iam. 4. 12. (2.) The holinesse, justnesse and goodnesse of Gods lawes commanded, Rom. 7. 12. (3.) The greatness of Gods rewards in keeping of them, Psal. 19. 11. Deut. 28. 1, to 15. (4.) The seventy of Gods wrath, against the wilfull breakers of them, Deut. 28. 15, to the end.
For clearing the Evidence, consider
1. What is meant by knowledge of God.
2. What by keeping his Commandements.
3. Signes of this keeping Gods Commandements.
I. Knowledge of God and of Christ, is either,
1. Both true and perfect: whereby God is clearly known, thus none know God in this life but Christ the Sonne, Matth. 11. 27. In the life to come all the Elect shall thus know God, 1 Ioh. 3. 2.
2. Nor true nor perfect, (in reference to him that knowes,) but dubious, uncertaine, hypocriticall, and common to Reprobates, which is rather an opinion, then a knowledge of God, 1 Cor. …. 14.
3. True, but …mperfect; whereby all regenerate persons do truly, though weakly, know God in this life, Ier. 31. 34. Iohn 6. 45. 1 Cor. 13. 9. 12.
Here understand the last sort of knowledge.
II. Keeping of Gods Commandements flowes originally from the true knowledge of God, For we so farre act as we affect or love, *Tantum diligimus, quantum cognoscimus.we so farre love as we know. Hence from this threefold knowledge, ariseth a threefold obedience, viz.
1. Both true and perfect: Only by Christ on earth, by Saints and Angels in heaven, Phil. 2. 8. Mat. 6 10.
2. Nor true nor perfect, as the obedience of hypocrites and carnall men; who if they saile not in the matter of obedience, yet they still faile in the ground, manner and end of obedience, Rom. 8. 8. Heb. 11. 6.
3. True and sincere, but imperfect, by Saints on earth, who for matter, ground, manner and end of obedience, are sincere, the bent and maine disposition of their hearts upright and unfeigned, (notwithstanding there be some graduall infirmities and imperfections,) As Zachariah, and Elizabeth walked in all the Commandements of God blamelesse, Luk. 1. 6. Here understand this third sort of keeping Gods Commandements, to be a signe of true knowledge of God.
III. Signes of true keeping Gods Commandments, whence we may know that we truly know God.
1. The Law and Commandements of God are written in the heart of that person that truly keeps them, Ier. 31. 33. Psal. 40. 7, 8. The heart within, answers to the Commandements without; As a Book written answers to his minde that writes it; As the impression on the wax, answers to the character engraven on the Seale, &c.
2. The inward man, viz. the sanctified minde and will, and the fixed disposition of them, delight in the Law and Commandements of God, (though that other law in the members rebell against it,) Rom. 7. 18, 21, 22, 23, 25. How did David delight in Gods laws! Psal 119. 97. Delightfull loving, cordiall obedience is the truest keeping of Gods Commandements. They are farre from keeping Gods Commandements, whose mindes are enmity against Gods Law, Rom. 8. 7.
3. Turning from every evillway, for the keeping of Gods Word, Psal. 119. 101.
4. Obeying Gods Commandements Evangelically, for substance and circumstance, as he requires.
For Matter, what he requires, Iohn 1. 5. 14.
For Ground, and root of obedience, 1 Tim. 1. 5.
For Manner, how he requires, Iohn 4. 24.
For end, which we should aime at in all obedience, 1 Cor. 10. 32.
5. Universall unlimited respect to all Gods Commandements; one as well as another, Psal. 119. 6. Iam. 2. 10, 11. As Caleb, Numb. 14. 24. As Zachariah and Elizabeth kept all, Luke 1. 6.
6. Constancy and Perseverance in keeping Gods Commandements, Psal. 1. 2, 3, and 119. 20. I have inclined my heart to do thy statutes alway unto the end, Psal. 119. 112.
II.
Secondly, Not sinning or Deniall, renouncing II.of sinne aright, evidenceth wee know God aright. They that commit sinne, are grossely ignorant of God. Whosoever sinneth, hath not seen him, neither known him, 1 Joh. 3. 6.
This particular of [not sinning] as the property of the regenerate: Together with the distinctive differences betwixt the sinning of the regenerate, and of unregenerate persons, See fully opened, Chap. 2. Evidence 3. pag. 29, to p. 60.
III.
Thirdly, A right entertaining, and III.hearkening to the true Apostolicall doctrine, is a notable evidence of the true knowledge of God in us; as the listening to false Teachers and doctrines rejecting the true, is a signe of ignorance of God, and of a carnall state, They, (viz. Anti-Christian Teachers, v. 3.) are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them: We are of God: He that knoweth God, heareth us; He that is not of God, heareth not us: Hereby know we the Spirit of truth and the spirit of errour, 1 John 4. 5, 6.
Signes of right entertaining and hearkning to true Apostolical doctrine.
1. When we entertaine their doctrine discerningly, distinguishing and discriminating by help of Scriptures, their sound doctrine from all unsound opinions, divers and strange Doctrines of false teachers, Heb. 5. 14. 1 Ioh. 4. 1. Act. 17. 11. Rev. 2. 2.
2. When discerning their doctrine, we entertaine it believingly, the Word being mingled, contempered, or united with faith in the hearers, Heb. 4. 2.
3. When we entertaine it readily, with all readinesse of minde, Act. 17. 11.
4. When we entertaine it reverentially, with awfull trembling at it, as the Word of God, Isa. 66. 2. 1 Thes. 2. 13.
5. When we entertaine it with a singular love, affectionatenesse ond estimation, Gal. 4. 13, 14, 15. contrary is that in 2 Thes. 2. 10, 11.
6. When we entertaine it obedientially; obeying from the heart that forme of doctrine unto which we are delivered, Rom. 6. 17. being conformed, yea, transformed by the doctrine received, yielding prosessed subjection to the Gospel, 2 Cor. 9. 13.
7. When we so receive it as to retaine it firmly, not leaking, or letting it slip, Heb. 2. 1. 1 Thes. 5. 20, 21.
IV.
Finally, Mutuall, Reciprocall, Brotherly IV.love, Evinceth that we know God aright. Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God: and every one that loveth, is borne of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love, 1 John 4. 7, 8.
He must needs know God that truly loves his brother, the childe of God. For 1. He that loves his brother, is borne of God, 1 Iohn 4. 7. and 3. 10, 14. and he that is borne of God, among other graces infused, hath illumination whereby he knowes God. 2. He that loves his brother truly, knowes Gods image in his brother, how lovely it is in him, and therefore loves him, 1 Iohn 5. 1. 3. He that loves his brother, knows Gods Authority in his Command. And this Commandement we have from him, that he who loveth God, love his brother also, 1 Joh. 4. 21.
Signes of true brotherly love, See in Cap. II. p. 168, to 173. and Chap. 8. throughout.