None but Christ, Chapter 10
CHAP. X. The knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt and him crucified, is the moſt profitable knowledge.
2. NOw followeth the 2 reaſon why we ought to ſtudy to know Ieſus Chriſt and him crucified: becauſe it is the moſt profitable knowledge in the world; Its better to know Chriſt thine, then to know all the riches in London, nay all the kingdomes in the world, thine; As one pearle is better then a great deale of lumber, ſo one Chriſt weighs down all the kingdomes in the world; for what ſhould it profit a man to winne the whole world, (and loſe Chriſt) and loſe his owne ſoule? Matth. 16. 26.
This is the Pearle of great price for which the rich Merchant ſold all that he had, and bought it, and found more joy in this one Pearle alone, then ever he didMat 13. 44 46. foreign. Epheſ. 3. 8. with all that he had without the Pearle; Nay more, Saint Paul tels us, there are unſearchable riches in Chriſt, ſuch as can never be traced or found out, no more then we can find the way of a ſhip in the Sea, or of an Eagle in the ayre: But (as the word ſignifyes in the Original) we are like hunting dogs that have loſt their game, having neither footſtep nor ſent left to purſue. As Gods wayes, ſo the riches of Chriſt are paſt finding out, Rom. 11. 33. He is the one thing needfull, whom obtaining we need no more to make us happy. cLuk. 10. ult.Ipſe unus erit tibi omnia, quia in ipſo, uno bono, bona ſunt omnia, One Chriſt will be to thee inſtead of all things elſe, becauſe in him are all good things to be found.
1. And this appeares in foure reſpects; firſt, becauſe Chriſt will give us better things then the world hath; Alas what do we find in the world, but a bundle of Thornes and vanities dEccleſ. 1. 2.? we feed upon aſhes eIer. 44. 20.(and good enough to feed duſt and aſhes) which was the Serpents curſe, on thy belly thou ſhalt go, and duſt ſhalt thou eat, Gen. …. They are but pits, and broken, empty pits, that can hold no water. fIer. 2. 13.They are but Cabull, dirty Cities, our fathers dunghil, not inheritance, gEſa. 55. 2.windy husks (the Prodigals fare) not ſolid bread (g) a hard ſhell and a dry kernell.foreign bitter. ſweets,
Yea they that find moſt ſweetneſſe in the world, find it like a Bee-hive wherein they have taſted a little hony, but they have been ſtung with a thouſand Bees; For ſo God hath told us before hand; though we have golden dreames of framing a Paradiſe of pleaſures to our ſelves here, yet we ſhal find the gates of Paradiſe ſhut on earth, open onelyonly in heaven. Our Paradiſe is now become a Bochim, a place of Lamentation; for ſo he hath decreed; Curſed is the earth for thy ſake, in ſorrow ſhalt thou eate of it all the dayes of thy life; Thornes, and h Gen. 3. 18, 19.thiſtles ſhall it bring forth unto thee.
But will Chriſt feed us with vanities, vexations? With earth and aſhes? No, no, he will feede us with the dainties of heaven, and will open unto us the treaſures and Iewels that are found in the richeſt Cabinet of God himſelfe, Eph. 1. 3. He will give us Grace and glory, and no good thing will he withold from us if we walke uprightly, Pſal. 84. ult.
Firſt, He will give us the grace of juſtification, Col. 2. 13.a pardon for all our ſins, and deliverance from hell and death, Rom. 8. 1. Reve. 20. 6. He will ſay to us as to the Palſy man, be of good cheare, thy ſinnes are forgiven thee, Matthew 9. verſe 2. and as to weeping Mary, Woman, thy ſinnes are forgiven thee, Luke. 7.
And this alone is a greater bleſſing then all the riches in the world; Bleſſed is that man whoſe iniquities are forgiven. Pſal. 32.
2. He will give us the grace of acceptation; we ſhall be looked upon and accepted as righteous as Chriſt himſelfe was for us; for as he is, ſo are wee in this world, 1. Ioh. 4. 17.i2 Cor. 5. ult. 1 Cor. 1 ult
3. He will give us The grace of ſanctification; Not onelyonly pulling off our chaines of darkneſſe, the devils fetters, kCol. 1. 13but alſo decking us with the Jewels of holineſſe, the Angels glory, by clothing our ſoules with divine inclinations, to be made partakers of the divine nature,…Ezek. 16. 12. Ioh. 1. 16 and our hearts to be made after Gods own heart.
4. The grace of Adoption; of vaſſals and children of the divell to be the ſpouſe, the members of Chriſt, nay the ſonnes of God mIoh. 1. 12which perhaps is that new name ſpoken of, Reve. 2. 17. Now, behold what love the father hath beſtowed upon us that we ſhould be called the ſonnes of God! n1 Ioh 3. 1.thereby intimating that he beares to us the affection and protection of a father to his children.
5. He will give us the grace of reconciliation, whereby God is as good friends with us through Chriſt, as if we had never offended him, Col. 1. 21.
6. The grace of Cooperation, for we are able to doe all things through Chriſt that ſtrengtheneth us. Phil. 4. 13. John 15. 44.
7. The grace of corroboration; for his grace ſhall be ſufficient for us, that no ſin ſhall have dominion over us. Rom. 6. 14. 2 Cor. 12. 9.
8. The grace of coagulation, enabling us to grow in grace till we come to the meaſure of Grace that God hath appointed us to come unto. Eph. 2. 21.
9. The grace of preſervation to continue to the end. 1 Pet. 1. 5. we are kept by his power through faith unto ſalvation; our life is hid with Chriſt in God, Col. 3. 3. ſo as Nothing ſhall ever ſeparate us from his love; for who can pluck us out of the hand of God and of Chriſt? Joh. 10. 28. Rom. 8. ult.
10. The grace of conſolation; for he will ſend the holy Ghoſt (not onelyonly the ſanctifyer but) the comforter to cheare our hearts, as he promiſed us, Joh. 15. 26. which exceeds all other joy and comforts, being unſpeakable and glorious. 1 Pet 1. 8.
11. Laſtly he will give us the grace and gift of glorification; if we know Chriſt is ours, then we know heaven is ours, and all the pleaſures that are in it; That that day we dye, we ſhall be with Chriſt in Paradiſe; for the ſame glory thou haſt given me I have given them, ſaith our Saviour, Joh. 17. 24. and we ſhall ſit together with him in heavenly places. Eph. 2. 6. Other knowledge may bring pleaſure and content, but no other knowledge can bring ſalvation, but onelyonly the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt and him crucified; can the ſonne of Iſhai give you orchards and Gardens? &c. ſaid Sa…l; and can the knowledge of earthly things inrich you with theſe treaſures?
2. Secondly, As Chriſt gives better things then the world hath, ſo more ſatisfying. Theſe earthly things are cald empty pits becauſe they are empty of content; though there may be ſome good in them, yet not the good we expect, that is, content, Becauſe nothing can give content but that that joynes God and the ſoule as friends together, for which end it was created, and without whom the ſoule can finde no content in all things elſe, but flies up and down like a Bee from one flower to another, from one comfort to another, to get more ſweetneſſe; but when once it enjoys God, it ſaith I have enough; as Jacob ſaid, I have enough my ſonne Joſeph is a live; and then is as quiet as a Bee in her hive, a bird in her neaſt, a Beaſt in her den, or the Dove in the Arke, becauſe God is alſufficient: AGen. 17. 1. Bee flyes from one flower to another, becauſe ſhe wants hony enough in that flower, but when ſhe is put into a pot of hony, then ſhee ſeekes no farther: A thirſty man, give him a glaſſe of water, he is not ſatisfied, for ſaith he, this little water is not able to quench my great thirſt; but cary him to a river, and then he ſaith he hath enougth.
Thirdly, Chriſt gives more durable riches then the world hath; Al other things have their time to leave us; Hic acquiruntur, hic amittuntur. Here they are gotten and here they are loſt: The world is like the gardens in France or Italy, where men may eat of the fruits of the garden what they pleaſe, while they are in the Garden, but can cary nothing out, for then the Gardner ſearcheth and emptyeth their pockets; even ſo when death comes ſhe will empty our pockets, that we can carry nothing with us out of the world. Our time is a comming that we muſt bid a ſad farewell to all things here; farewell husband, I ſhall never ſee thy face more; farewell wife, farewell children, friends,Riches have wings; Honours are like a criſtall glaſſe, Quo magis ſplendeſcit citius frangitur; And pleaſures like bubbles of ſope, pleaſant to ſee to, but quickly blown out. Luk, 10. ult Rom. 8. ult riches, honours and pleaſures both ſinfull and lawfull; And perhaps if we be not the better provided, we ſhall bid farwell God, farwell Chriſt, the joyes of heaven and eternall happineſſe; But Chriſt abideth ever; If we know Chriſt ours, we ſhall never bid farwell to Ieſus Chriſt; He is the good part that ſhall be never taken from us; Then we may ſay as Dives ſpake (though brutiſhly) Soule take thine eaſe and be merry, for thou haſt goods laid up for many yeares; yea even to all eternity. Eterna erit exaltatio, que bono latatur aeterno; That joy laſts for ever, whoſe object remaines for ever.
4. But fourthly and laſtly, Chriſt brings with him the bleſſings of this world alſo, Matth. 6. 33. All theſe ſhall be caſt upon you, into the bargaine, as a loafe to the dozen or a little handfull to the meaſure. All things are yours, if you be Chriſts, for Chriſt comes not vacuis manibus, empty1 Cor. 3. 26 handed. And this appeares in foure particulars.
1. Firſt, we ſhall have certainty of proviſion. We may ſay with David; the Lord is my Shepheard, I ſhall not want; for God hath ſaid it, I will never leave thee nor for ſake thee. Pſal. 23. 1.Heb. 13. 5. Hath he given us Chriſt, and will be not with him give us all things elſe? Rom. 8. 32. What can God deny us that is good for us, that hath not denyed to give his ſon for us? Will a man give us the Garden and not the flowers? The Land, and not the trees? and will God give us heaven and deny us earth? Are not two Sparrowes ſold for a farthing, and yet your father provideth for them? Wil God take care for Sparrowes, and young Ravens, &c, and not for thee, O thou of little Faith? Will a man take care to feed his cattle in the field, horſe in the Stable, Swine in the Sty, and not for his wife and children that ſit at his own Table?
We are ready to ſay, eſpecially the poorer ſort, as Iſaac ſaid to Abraham; Here is wood, but where is the Sacrifice? Here are mouths, but where is the meat? But let us anſwer our ſoules as Abraham did his ſon; O my ſon God wil provide.
Or perhaps we will ſay as the Diſciples ſaid to Chriſt; Here are a few loafes and two little fiſhes, but alas what is that among ſo many? And yet you know with the bleſſing of Chriſt it ſerved them all The Prodigal could ſay, if once I could get home into my fathers houſe, there is bread enough.
When Hagar looked into her bottle. and ſaw that empty, ſhe fell a weeping; but when ſhee ſaw the fountaine or well of water, then ſhee was ſatisfyed, for then ſhe knew ſhe could fill her bottle againe; So regard not ſo much though thy bottle be empty, remember the Well is ful. I have been young ſaith David, and now am old, yet I never ſaw the righteous forſaken, nor their ſeed though begging their bread (as Broughton reads it) Pſal. 37. 15.
Though perhaps we may want what we deſire, yet we ſhal never want what God ſees beſt and fitteſt for us to do him ſervice withal.
Alwayes, the greateſt eſtate is not fitteſt for us; as a great ſhooe fits not a little foot, nor a great ſaile a little ſhip, nor a great ring a little finger, which though it have more Gold in it, yet a leſſer were better and fitter for us. Bellarmine in his Catechiſm hath an excellent expreſſion; ſupopſe ſaith he, a King having many children of ſeverall ages, ſhould apparel them in cloth of gold: Now he that is 16 yeers old hath more gold in his robe then the child that is but five or ſix yeere old; yet the child would rather have his own garment then his elder brothers, becauſe ſaith he it is fitter for me: So if thou haſt that eſtate that is fitteſt for thee, ſurely that is beſt for thee.
2. Secondly, As we ſhall have certainty of Proviſion, ſo we ſhall have it with better right; as comming to us not onelyonly by providence, but from the Covenant of Grace, and ſtreaming to us through the bloud of Chriſt: Wicked men have a pr… videntiall right as Creatures, as appeares Acts 5. 4. Was it not thine own while it was with thee? But the Saints receive them as the Spouſe, and members of Chriſt who is heyre of all. Now a man were better have courſer fare, weare meaner cloathes, &c. when they are paid for, then richer, and be in the books, and his cloathes not paid for.
3. Thirdly, we ſhall have our bleſſingsDeut. 28. bleſſed and ſweetned with our Fathers love; which doubles their ſweetnes, like as ſweet water ſprinkled upon ſweet flowers makes every flower ſmel the ſweeter, or as wine ſweetned with ſugar makes it more pleaſant: Whereas all out of Chriſt have them with our fathers curſe, Mal. 2. I will curſe their bleſſings, yea I have curſed them already. So Rom, 11. 9. Let their table be their ſnare, a trap and a ſtumbling block, &c. And ſo they become like ſweet flowers poyſoned, the ſweeter the more dangerous: Hence wicked men out of Chriſt, may injoy all good, and yet injoy no good at all; Nay the more they abound in bleſſings, the more their curſes abound.
Suppoſe a Father ſhould give a ſmall portion to his child, but withal ſaith; Son, take this portion, its but little, but thou haſt it with my love, and I pray God bleſſe it to thee; And to another he gives a greater portion, (or perhaps he puls it from him, as the Prodigall did from his father) but withall ſaith; Take it and choak with it, let it be accurſed to thee. Now there is great difference between a gift received with our fathers bleſſing, and with his Curſe. God give me a little with my fathers bleſſing, rather then a great deale with my fathers Curſe; better is a little with the feare of the Lord, then greatreaſures and trouble therewith, ſaith Solomon, Prov. 15. 16.
4. Fourthly and laſtly; Theſe are given in hand as pledges of our future hopes; Take theſe for preſent, but greater things are laid up for thee hereafter; Pſal. 31. 19 How great are the things thou haſt laid up for them that fear thee? He that knowes Chriſt to be his, may ſay I have theſe and heaven too, I have theſe and Chriſt too, theſe are not my portion, that is to come.
But theſe are the wicked mans portion, Pſal. 17. 14. They have their portion in this life, there is all, they muſt expect no more; they may ſay, I have houſe and land, riches, honours, and pleaſures; but I have no part in Chriſt or Heaven: with Dives, I am merry now, but to night I may be in hell with him. Now what joy hath a condemned man in the ſociety of all his friends, in daintieſt fare, in all delights and pleaſures, whiles he wanteth his pardon, every houre expecting execution?