None but Christ, Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV. A reproof of thoſe that ſtudy to know Chriſt only by ſpeculation.
Vſe 3 IN the third place; If we ought to ſtudy to know Jeſus Chriſt, not only by ſpeculation, but alſo by application, &c. Then it juſtly reproves three ſorts of people.
Firſt, Thoſe that content themſelves with a generall and ſpeculative knowledge, that Chriſt is the Saviour of the world, but know not that he is their Saviour; that he died for ſinners, but know not whither he died for them yea or no, which is the higheſt degree of knowledge that moſt men have attained unto: But let theſe men ſeriouſly weigh theſe two things; Firſt, That generall knowledge of Chriſt by ſpeculation without application is unprofitable and vaine. Secondly, That it is dangerous and hurt full.
Firſt, I ſay it is unprofitable and vain. It is true, it is life eternall to know God, and him whom he hath ſent, Jeſus Chriſt, John 17. 3. But it is not meant of the knowledge of Chriſt by ſpeculation only, which the devils have, and yet it makes them neither more holy, nor more happy; for happineſſe conſiſts not in bonorum cognitione ſed fruitione, that is, in the knowledge of good things, but in the enjoyment of them. A Pearle in the eye doth not enrich a man (by meer gazing upon it) but a Pearl in the hand when we come to injoy it. And why did Paul ſay he counted all things as loſſe for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt? Phil. 3. 8. Surely he meant not for the excellency of the knowledge of Chriſt by bare ſpeculation only, which a man may know and be a divell in his life, but he meanes as after he expounds himſelfe, ſuch a knowledge whereby he may come to winne Chriſt; for ſo he addes, I count all things but as dung, that I may winne Chriſt, and be found in him, not having mine own righteouſneſſe, &c. Alaſſe what profit and benefit got the old world by hearing and knowing there was an Arke, wherein ſome were ſaved, whiles they themſelves were drowned in the waters? And what good did it thoſe Iewes that were ſtung with fiery ſerpents in the wilderneſſe, to know there was a brazen ſerpent ſet up, whereby others were cured, but they themſelves died with the ſting of the fiery ſerpents? What good, what benefit, or comfort is it to me, to heare there is a pardon for other malefactors but not for me, I muſt dy? Or for an hungry man to know there is bread enough, but I ſtarve for hunger? There are clothes, but I am naked? There is water enough in the ſea, but I thirſt, and have not a drop? So (beloved) what doth it profit me to know there is a Saviour for others, but not for me, I ſhall be damned? What good doth a plaiſter if not applyed? It were as goodFor as Moſes Rod, when it was out of his hand turned into a Serpent, ſo doth Chriſt when not taken hold on by the hand of faith. for thee there were no Saviour, if he be not thy Saviour.
2. The knowledge of ſpeculation without application is very dangerous and hurtfull for us, and that in three reſpects.
1. Firſt, Becauſe it breeds bitterneſſe, grief, and vexation to the ſoule. Even the devils themſelves know Chriſt by ſpeculation, but alas this knowledge of Chriſt makes them not rejoyce, but makes them tremble, or roar like the roaring foreign.of the ſea, Iam. 2. 19. Suppoſe ten men in priſon condemned, and a pardon obtained for three or foure of them, but the reſt muſt die; this addes to their ſorrow: So This, even This will fill the ſoul with torment and ſorrow, that thouſands are pardoned and ſaved by Chriſt, but they themſelves are damned; As Spira ſaid, Chriſt is to me a grief and a torment, becauſe I rejected him, I deſpiſed him.
2. Secondly, the knowledg of Chriſt by ſpeculation only, without application m…ſt needs be dangerous; Becauſe if Chriſt be not thy Saviour, he will be thy judge; if thou canſt not call him Lord Ieſus, thou ſhalt call him Lord judge; If thou getteſt not thy part in the blood of the Lamb, thou ſhalt have thy part in the wrath of the Lamb, John 9. 39. For judgement am I come into this world, and therefore not for ſalvation to all, but onelyonly to his elect; Yea it is Chriſt that will give thee thy ſentence of condemnation; There is one will condemne you (ſaith Chriſt) even Moſes in whom you truſt; So there is one will condemne you, even Jeſus in whom you truſt, Iohn 5. 45. I have heard of a lawyer having a bad cauſe of a Clients to plead, yet being a good pleader did keepe him off from ſentence; but the ſame lawyer being made a judge and the ſame cauſe coming before him, he that before pleaded for him, did then condemn him: So ſhall Chriſt which was your lawyer while you lived to plead for you, become then your judge to condemne you. Then ſhall he ſay to them on his left hand, depart from me you curſed; Matth. 25. 31. He even he that ſhed his bloud for you, which you trod under your feet; He that wept for you, that begd reconciliation with you, but you hardened your hearts againſt all tears, expoſtulations, and impetrations, he ſhall ſay depart from me thou▪ curſed; He that once appeared like a lamb, will then appear like a lyon, when thou wilt tremble and fear to look him in the face when all nations ſhall waile Rev. 1. 7. Rev. 6. 15. 16, 17.▪before him; when Kings of the earth, great men, rich men, mighty men ſhall ſay to the rocks and mountaines, fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that ſitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb.
3. Thirdly, General knowledg without application is hurtfull, becauſe it will aggravate thy condemnation. Wo to him (ſaith Chriſt) by whom the ſonne of man is betrayed; Nay rather, wo be to him by whom the ſon of man is not beleeved in, it had been good for that man he had never been born, yea perhaps that Chriſt had never been born; This is condemnation, John 3. 19that light is come, &c. in three reſpects.
Firſt, it is condemnation inevitable; there is no poſſibility of ſalvation for that man, Mark. 16. 16. He that beleeveth not ſhall be damned. As Spira ſaid, God hath given me diverſe gifts, but denyed me the grace of faith, and theſe are left but to increaſe my condemnation. What hindred the Iewes from entring into Canaan, but unbeleef? And what hinders us from heaven but unbeleef? Heb. 3. 19. God hath but two ſeats to ſit upon, his ſeat of Iuſtice and his ſeat of mercy; If Iuſtice condemn a man, yet mercy may plead for him; but if mercy condemn him there is no help for him; And God hath made but two Covenants, one of the Law, and the other of the Goſpel; If the Law condemn us, we may flie to the Goſpel, but if the Goſpel condemne us, there remains no more ſacrifice for ſin, but he muſt certainly periſh. He that beleeveth not ſaith our Saviour, Iohn 3. 18. he is condemned already, wanting nothing but execution; firſt he is condemned by the ſentence of the word (he ſtands a condemned perſon) Gal. 3. 10. 2. In the Court of mercy Mark. 16. 16. 3. In the Court of his owne conſcience, 1 Joh. 3. 20. 4. He ſhall be as certainly damned, as if he were dam-Ned already. 5. He is every houre in danger and feare of hell and damnation. Nay farther, John 3. ult. The wrath of God abideth on him, it ſticks faſt upon him, ſo as there is no poſſibility of taking it off, till he get into Chriſt, but it ſhall abide upon him for ever.
Secondly, It is condemnation inexcuſable, theſe judge themſelves unworthy of eternall life; As he that delpiſeth his pardon, tears it, or treads it under foot, is unworthy of mercy, (it is worſe then the treaſon,) theſe deſpiſe their own mercy, Jonah 2. 8. and love deſpiſed, of all other injuries, is hardlieſt borne of by God or man; how can thoſe expect God ſhould have mercy on them, that would have no mercy on themſelvs? ſurely they ſhal have judgement without mercy that would ſhew to themſelves no mercy. If the old world had bin drowned and they had had no ark; or the Iews had bin ſtung to death in the wildernes, if there had been no brazen ſerpent, it had bin excuſable; But when God provided an ark to ſave them, and yet they were drowned, becauſe they would not go into it; And when he provided a brazen ſerpent, and yet they were ſtung to death, becauſe they would not look upon it, they were without excuſe; ſo likewiſe i… men had periſhed, and there had been no Saviour ſent to deliver them; they might have pleaded ſome thing more for themſelves, but now their mouths are ſtopped, and are without any ſhadow of excuſe. Thirdly, this is condemnationIndeed Zanch. de Nat. Dei l. 4. c. 4. ſaith Chriſt is a Savior to all men by giving common gifts, reſtraining grace, & moderatur paenas debitas, that is, that all are actuaally ſaved from ſome degree of death by Chriſt, as he thinks: But ſure we are, this ſhall aggravate their torment, & be their great eſt miſery that they rejected Chriſt. intolerable and unutterable, as if no ſins brought damnation upon men in compariſon of unbelief. When God threatens ſevereſt judgement againſt ſinners, it is to give them their portion with unbeleevers Luk. 12. 46. And Paul tels us (Heb. 10. 27. Theſe ſhall have ſorer puniſhment, then thoſe that deſpiſed Moſes law, and yet they died without mercy under two or three witneſſes, becauſe they trode under foot the bloud of God, accounting it as dung and dirt, which is pr…tium lavacr…m and alleviacrum animarum, the price, laver & refreſher of ſoules, they throw his blood in his face, and count it as common bloud, as the bloud of a ſwine, of a theif, or murtherer. Hence the Lord charged his diſciples, that if any to whom he was offered did reject him, they ſhould wipe off the duſt of their feet againſt them, Luke 10. 41.
The Iews rebellion, idolatry, and other ſins, were ſometimes plagued of God, by Ammonites, Philiſtines, Edomites, and others, and they were carried captive 70 years, but when once they rejected Chriſt. wiſhing his bloud upon them and upon their children, then they were rejected of God totally, and ſo have continued ſixteen hundred years together. In Matth. 11. 24. God threatens it ſhall be eaſier for Sodom in the day of judgement, then for thoſe that refuſe Chriſt; you know Sodoms ſin and judgement, that fire came down from heaven and burnt them to aſhes, and now they ſuffer the vengeance of eternall fire; But it ſeemes the rejecting Chriſt is a greater ſin then Sodomy in Gods account, and ſhall have greater torments. Turks and Pagans that never heard of Chriſt, ſhall ſport in hell, in compariſon of theſe. The Devils themſelves are not guilty of this ſinne, of deſpiſing mercy offered, and the blood of a Saviour, and therefore in this reſpect mans ſin may bee ſaid to exceed the devils.
Object. But you will ſay who rejects Chriſt, or deſires not to have his part in him?
I anſwer, It is true; none abſolutely refuſe Chriſt, but upon the hard conditions (as they conceive) upon which he is offered, the plucking out their right eyes, parting with their deareſt luſts; As Adam preferred the forbidden fruit before Paradiſe, as Eſau preferred his pottage before his birth-right, or as a dung hill cock prefers a barley-corn before a Iewel; And thus they are truly ſaid to deſpiſe and reject Chriſt, as the yong man in the Goſpel did, that preferd the world before his Saviour, Pſal. 81. 11. Iſrael would none of me.
2. Secondly, It reproves thoſe that know Chriſt by ſpeculation, but not with affection; they know him, but they do not love him; he dwelleth in their heads, butEph. 3. 17. not in their hearts, rooted and grounded in love. Now ſuch as love not Chriſt, know not Chriſt in Gods account, 1 John 4. 8.
But you will ſay, what not love Ieſus Chriſt my ſweet Saviour? then it were pity I ſhould live; I were worſe then a beaſt, (as Hazael ſaid, what am I a dog?)
Yet certainly there are many that profeſſe they love Chriſt, that do not loveIoh. 5. 42. Col. 1 21. Ioh. 15. 18. him; I know you ſaith our Saviour, that you have not the love of God in you. Perhaps thou beareſt a mercenary love to Chriſt, to love him for his benefits, as a wife may love her husband for his riches, and not his perſon, or as the fly loves the Apothecaries boxes for ſweet ointments, or as a Patient his Phyſician, non propter ſe ſed propter ſanitatem, not for his own ſake, but for health ſake, and yet thou mayeſt bear him no reall or ſpirituall love. How can we ſay we love Chriſt, whiles our hearts go not with him, whiles our thoughts and affections are eſtranged from him, and ſet more upon the worldAnima eſt ubi ama… non ubi animat. and other objects? For where …ur treaſure is, there our heart is alſo. Matth. 6. How can we ſay we love Chriſt, when we will part with nothing for him, ſuffer nothing for him? love is bountifull; ſolus amor neſcit difficultates, love knowes no difficulties, Cant. 8. 6, 7. as appears in Jacob and the martyrs; what is the reaſon, many poor women and ignorant (in compariſon) died for Chriſt, when great learned men turned againſt him? but this, becauſe they had indeed more learning, but theſe had more love; as Alice Driver ſaid, I drove my fathers plough often, yet I can die for Chriſt as ſoon as any of you all. How can we ſay we love Chriſt, when we love not his members, his children, his picture and image? (whereas we know David loved Mephiboſheth for Jonathans ſake) when we take not part with him but againſt him? when we love his enemies and hate his friends? Is this thy kindneſſe to thy friend? ſaid Abſalom to Cuſhip; why wenteſ… thou not with thy friend? how can we ſay we love Chriſt, when we delight not in communion with him (have no entercourſe of love letters to him) and love not his appearing, but rather like the harlot wiſh hee would deferre his comming? And laſtly to name no more, How can we ſay we love Chriſt, when we do nothing but wilfully and wittingly wrong him and provoke him to anger by our evill works? Deut. 31. 29. If you love me, keep my Commandements ſaith our Saviour John 14. 15. Would we ſay that man loveth us, that delights to vex and grieve us? that cares not how he wrongs us in our goods and name? &c. Doth that woman love her husband that doth willingly proſtitute her ſelfe to an adulterer? or doth that child love his father that would ſhoot an arrow at his heart? Or would we ſay that man loveth us, that careleſly or wilfully omitteth any thing, he knowes we take pleaſure and good liking in?
In a word, he that loveth his ſins, loveth not Chriſt▪ and he that loveth him not, hath no part in him, nor doth he know Ieſus Chriſt and him crucified, but only by ſpeculation, for to them that beleeve he is precious, 1 Pet. 2. 7. And againſt ſuch as love him not, the Lord had pronounced Anathema Maran atha, let him be acurſed till the Lord come to judgement.
3. Thirdly and Laſtly, it reproves thoſeThe Sun gives heat as well as light. that content themſelves with knowledge of ſpeculation, without an operative, virtuall and practicall knowledge; to live according to their knowledge and profeſſion of Chriſt, that their light may ſhine that men may ſee it, and glorifie God for it, Matth. 5. 16. But they deſire only to know that they may be known, even forCupiunt cognoſce…e ut noſcantur. diſcourſe and vain glory; who make no practicall uſe of their knowledge, but live in ſins againſt their knowledg, Rom. 1. ult. Jude 14. Theſe are like ſtarregazers, that look upon the ſtarres to gaze only, but the Ma…iner looks upon them to ſtear his ſhip, and be guided by them to the haven; Theſe impriſon the truth in unrighteouſneſſe, Rom. 1. 18.
Conſider two things; Firſt, What good doth a light under a buſhel? or aNon eloquia Dei ſ…ire, ſed ſecundum haec viver… eſt vera ſapientia. Chryſoſt. Candle in a dark Lanthorn? or gold whiles it remains in the earth never digged out? or fire in a flint if it be never ſtruck out? Yea who would regard the Sun it ſelfe any more, then a dark cloud, if ſhe had great light, and yet gave no light, if ſhe did never ſhine to us? wherefore are talents given us, but to occupy with them? Such knowledge is but umbra ſcientiae, a ſhadow of knowledge, like corn on the houſe top, that neither fils the empty belly, nor the Mowers ſith: it makes them neither more holy nor more happy. If you know theſe things, bleſſed are you if you do them, ſaith Chriſt, Joh. 13. 17. A good underſtanding have all they that do his commandments, ſaith David, Pſal. 111. 10. One apple of the tree of life, is betterWard… happineſſe of Pract. then all the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evill; for one day, we ſhall not be judged according to the light we had, but the light we gave; as thoſe in Matth. 25. were judged not by the talents they received, but how they had occupied and wrought with them.
2. Secondly, Nay the truth is, men do a great deale of hurt, with ſpeculative knowledge only, in two reſpects.
1. They hurt themſelves; for it makes them ſin with a candle in their hands, as if a man ſhould have a torch in his hand, and yet would walke in the gutters; it makes them ſin like the divel againſt knowledge, and makes their ſins inexcuſable;Rom. 1. 18. it were better for them never to have known the way of righteouſneſſe, then after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandement delivered to them, 2 Pet. 2. 21. To him that knoweth to do well, and doeth it not, to him it is ſin, ſaith the Apoſtle,Rom. 2. 1. 2 Jam. 4. ult. that is, it is ſin with a witneſſe; it is wilfull rebellion, and daring God to his face, and a kind of ſinning againſt the holy Ghoſt. Act. 7. 51. And if they ſinned inexcuſably, that did go but againſt the light of nature, that they were without excuſe, Rom. 1. 21. what excuſe ſhall they have that go againſt the light of the Goſpel? …any ſuch have died in deſpair; as Spira, who ſaid there was no mercy for him, becauſe he denyed the truth againſt his conſcience. If we ſin wilfully (ſaith the Apoſtle) after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remains no more ſacrifice for ſinne, but a certain fearfull looking for of Judgement, Heb. 10. 26. who pities a man, when you tell him this is poyſon, yet he will drink it? or that ſuch an houſe is infected, yet he will go in to it? He that increaſeth this knowledge, increaſeth his owne ſorrow.
2. They hurt others; like the Unicorns horne, which though a precious horne,Like a ſword in a mad mans hand. yet ſo long as it is on a beaſts head, is dangerous and hurtfull. They lay a ſtumbling block before the weak, & prove like falſe lights on ſhore, which lead ſhips on ſands and rocks to ſplit them. A Gentlewoman turned Atheiſt, becauſe ſhe lived under a great Doctor that preached excellently, was very learned, but lived very licentiouſly: And no wonder; for we are ready to walk by example, more then precept; and ignorance thinkes why ſhould it feare, when knowledge dares venture? Now all theſe are truly ſaid by the Apoſtle not to know Jeſus Chriſt; he that ſaith he knowes him, and keeps not his commandements, is a lyar, and …e truth is … Ioh. 2. 4.not in him; As it was ſaid of Eli's ſonnes, they knew not the Lord, becauſe they were ſonnes of Belial, and lived in rebellion againſt the Lord, 1 Sam. 2. 12.