None but Christ, Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. That the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt and him crucified is the ſweeteſt and moſt excellent knowledge.
ANd thus I have finiſhed the firſt particular, viz. What knowledge of Chriſt is to be ſtudied of us, conſiſting of foure particulars, namely,
The knowledge of
1. Speculation.
2. Application.
3. Affection.
4. Operation.
2. Now followeth the ſecond particular; Why wee ought eſpecially to ſtudy to know Ieſus Chriſt and him crucified. And that for theſe three reaſons.
Becauſe it is the moſt
1. Excellent. Knowledg in the world.
2. Profitable. Knowledg in the world.
3. Comfortable Knowledg in the world.
Firſt, the knowledge of Chriſt is the moſt excellent knowledge. I count all things as loſſe, not onelyonly for the gaining of Chriſt, but for the excellencie of the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt my Lord, ſaith Saint Paul, (a) and yet to gaine Chriſt is muchPhli. 3. 8. foreign. more then to know him. Nay, more, In him are hid all the treaſures of wiſdome and knowledge, Coloſ. 2. 3. Now treaſures we know are abundance of preciousTheſauri ſunt Divitiae congregater Aq. things, (So Chryſ. Aquin. Theoph.) In Chriſt there is all rich and precious knowledge, a fountaine of riches; Oh the depth of the riches of the wiſdome and knowledge of Chriſt, Rom. 11. 33.
Nay further, In him are All treaſures. He that knoweth Chriſt hath all profitable knowledge, ſo that he need know nothing elſe to make him happy; And contrarilySi quishaberet librum ubi eſſet tota ſcientia non quaereret niſi ut ſciret illum librum ſic, & nos non oportet amplius quaerere niſi Chriſtum Aquin. in Col. 2. 3. if he know all things elſe, and knowes not Chriſt, he hath no rich or precious knowledge, no treaſures of knowledge, but empty and unprofitable knowledge.
3. Nay yet more] All treaſures are HID in him; As men do hide and lay up their treaſures from the ſight and knowledge of men, ſo there is ſuch a vaſt ſea of treaſures and riches in the knowledge of Chriſt, as men cannot apprehend, And that in two reſpects. 1. propter debilitatem intellectus, as a candle is not ſeen of the blind, ſo our underſtandings are not able to diſcerne them: 1 Cor. 2. 14. And ſecondly, propter velamen oppoſitum, as a candle in a dark Lanthorne, for they are not fully revealed (As Aquin.) Hence ſaith the Apoſtle. 1 Cor. 2. 9. Eye hathRom. 8. 18. Nos habemus non limpidos, ſed lippos occulos, Acquin. 1 Cor. 2. 10. not ſeene the riches that are to be found in Chriſt, any further then they are revealed by the ſpirit of Chriſt. (d)
Reaſ. 1. Now the reaſon why the knowledge of Chriſt and him Crucified is ſo excellent; Is, becauſe it hath a more excellent, and higher revelation then the knowledge of all other things; Adam had knowledge of the creatures by naturall inſtinct, yea and of God too; but had not the leaſt ſcintillas of the knowledge of Chriſt. Plato by light of nature wrote of God the Creator, but could not write a word of Chriſt the Redeemer; and the reaſon is, becauſe wee may ſee ſomething of God a Creator in the Creature, but all the frame of heaven and earth could not bring the leaſt knowledge of Chriſt a Redeemer: But this knowledge came by ſpeciall revelation immediately from God e1 Col. 1. 26.and therefore is eſpecially to be inquired after, 1 Cor. 2. 7. We ſpeake the myſtery of God, even the hidden wiſdome which God ordained before the world to our glory.
Secondly, Reaſ. 2 the knowledge of Chriſt is the moſt excellent knowledge, becauſe the excellency of all other knowledge is included ſuper-eminently in the knowledge of Chriſt; as the brightneſſe and beauty of all the Starres appeare in the Sunne.
And this appeares in theſe five reſpects.
1. The excellency of the knowledge of God appeares in the knowledge of Chriſt. 2. The ſweetneſſe of the word conſiſts in the revelation of Chriſt. 3. The knowledge of all the workes of God are not ſo excellent as the knowledge of Chriſt. 4. The excellency of man is that he knoweth Chriſt. 5. The excellency of the workes of man are, that they proceed from man indued with the knowledge of Chriſt.
Firſt I ſay, the ſweetneſſe and excellency of the knowledge of God himſelfe appeares in the knowledge of Chriſt.
The light of the knowledge of the glory of God ſhines in the face of Jeſus Chriſt, 2 Cor. 4. 6.
And this appeares in three particulars.
1. In regard of his perſon: for he is the image of the inviſible God, the print of1 Col. 1, 15 the face of God is ſeen in him, even the wiſdome, holineſſe, goodneſſe, mercy, &c. and all the attributes of God did ſhine in his ſonne in a ſuper-eminent manner, (and that in carne viſibili, in viſible fleſh) even as the Moone reſembles the Sun, or as ſome times the child is the very picture of the Father; So that Chriſt might truly ſay, he that hath ſeen the ſonne hath ſeen the father, becauſe he hath ſeen the attributes of the father ſhining in the ſonne. And hence he is ſtiled the brightneſſe or luſterHeb. 1. 3. foreign of his fathers glory, and the Character or expreſſe image of his perſon. (g)
Secondly, in regard of the worke of Redempt ion, wh in all the attributes of God ſhine forth more gloriouſly then ever they would have done if Chriſt had not redeemed us: As the glory of his wiſdom to find out ſuch a way to ſave man by uniting God and man together, Rom. 11. 33, which the wit of men and AngelsPſa. 85. 10. could never have found out: The glory of his holineſſe and juſtice againſt ſin, that rather then ſin ſhall not go unpuniſhed, his owne ſonne ſhall be puniſhed. The glory of his mercy, goodneſſe andIoh. 3. 16 love, that rather then man ſhall dye, his own ſonne ſhall ſuffer for us; he ſhall dye that we may live: he ſhall be crucified that we may be glorified. The glory of his power, that he is able to bring life out of death, to fetch hony out of the Lions Carkaſſe, and to ſupport mans nature to beare ſuch infinite wrath. And hence it is when Chriſt was borne, that the Angels came out of heaven, ſinging, and rejoycing, ſaying, Now Glory to God on Luke 2. 14high. As if God had never the like glory revealed before, no not in the work of the whole Creatiō, & certainly if we had ſtood in innocency we could never have conceived God, ſo juſt and ſevere againſt ſin, ſo merciful and loving to let his own ſon ſuffer to ſhew mercy to us, &c. as now we ſee he is in our redemption by Ieſus Chriſt.
3. But thirdly, and eſpecially the ſweetneſſe of the knowledge of God appeares in the knowledge of Chriſt in relation to us: Becauſe to know God without Chriſt, is to know him our enemy, a revenging God, a conſuming fire which makes us feare and tremble to thinke of God; As it is with the Divels, and was with Adam after his fall, he ran from God, as his greateſt enemy.
But to know God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt is ſweet and comfortable. This is life eternall to know thee the onelyonly true God and Jeſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent. And the reaſon is, becauſe now we know God, to be our God, our mercifull, loving, gracious, and reconciled father which is in heaven; that now we can with open face, and not like Trayrors, with our faces covered, behold the glory of the Lord, 2 Cor. 3. 18.
As Moſes could with delight ſee God paſſe by in all his Royalty and glory when he was hid in the Rock; ſo Gods attributes ſhining out of the Rock Chriſt Jeſus, are ſweet and lovely to us (that Rock was Chriſt.)
For now, if I know God to be a wiſe God that knowes all things that are done on earth, the greater is my comfort, for then he is the more able to know what I want, and to take care of me.
Is he a holy God? The better for me, becauſe then he is the more able to ſanctify me.aIoh. 1. 16.
Is he a juſt God? The better for me, for then he muſt needs pardon me, ſeeing Chriſt his own ſonne hath dyed for me, Rom. 8. 33.
Is he very mercifull? Then he will ſpare me, and take pity upon me.bMal. 3. 17. Pſa. 130. 34. Pſal. 103.
Is he loving and amiable in his diſpoſition? Then he will take pleaſure and delight in me.
Is he ſtrong, mighty and powerfull? then he is the more able to defend me from my greateſt and ſtrongeſt enemies. Rom. 8. 31.
Is he a rich God, that hath all things in heaven and earth? the better for me, for then he is the more able to provide for me what ever I ſtand in need of, becauſe God is my God reconciled to me, and all that is in God is for me.
But on the contrary, out of Chriſt the thoughts of God are terrible to us, we look upon him as our greateſt enemy; As the Devils that look upon God out of Chriſt, they beleeve & tremble; Or as a ſl…ve that looks upon his cruell maſter, or as a foule felon upon a ſevere Iudge: I knew ſaid the evill ſervant, thou waſt an hard man. And the reaſon is, becauſe all the attributes of God are now againſt him. All this is againſt me, ſaith Iacob.cGen. 42. 36.
Is he a wiſe God? the worſe for me, for then he is more able to find out my ſins, and knowes all the wickedneſſe my heart is privy to.dJer. 17. 9
Is he holy? then he muſt needs hate, me, that am ſo filthyeHab. 1. 13
Is he juſt? the worſe for me, for then he muſt needs puniſh me, and be revenged on me for my ſins.
Is he an almighty powerfull God? then how eaſie is it for him at his pleaſure to break me in pieces, to grind me to powder, and to conſume me in his wrath, who am in his hands but as a veſſell of clay in the hands of the potter, as chaffe before the wind, or as ſtubble before the fire?
Is he full of love, mercy and pity? O that's my greateſt miſery, becauſe I mayLuk. 13. 28 ſee it extended to others, but I ſhall never taſte a drop of his mercy; as Dives could not have a drop of water to coole his tongue.
So that we ſee, it were good for ſuch a man that there were no God, or that he had never known him, and might never ſee his face, if he knowes him not in Chriſt.
2 Secondly the ſweetneſſe of the knowledge of the word of God conſiſts in this, that Ieſus Chriſt is revealed in it; for elſe it were the moſt dreadfull book to us that ever was opened, like Ezekiels roule, that was written within and without nothing but mourning, lamentation, and woe; Or like Ʋriahs letter: containing the ſentence of our own condemnation.
The morall law, the very image of God, and likeneſſe of his nature, which is ſo holy, righteous, juſt, and good: yet it ſeems like Draco's lawes, that were written with blood, even a law of death, terror, and condemnation, gGal. 3. 10any further then it is a ſchoolemaſter to drive us to Chriſt.
The ceremoniall law as Circumciſion, Paſſeover, water out of the rock, the brazen ſerpent, cities of refuge, tabernacle, waſhings, ſacrifices, offerings. What ſweetneſſe or goodneſſe was in them any further, then they did typify Chriſt? Alas, they were but as dry ſhels, Chriſt was the kernell: they were but as ſo many glaſſes, but Chriſt was the faire face that was ſeen in them; they were but as ſhadows, but the body was Chriſt, Col. 2. 17.
And the Goſpel, the New Teſtament is nothing elſe but Chriſt in every leafe, and how to walke in him; As Count Anholt that Princely Preacher was wont to ſay, The Scriptures (eſpecially the Goſpel) they were but the ſwathling bands of the child Ieſus.
And certainly, if the word be the field, Chriſt is all the treaſure that is hid in thatD. Stough. ton. field; Or as a worthy and famous divine once of this City ſaid, If all the word of God be like a ring of Gold, yet Chriſt is the Pearle in that Ring of Gold.
3. Thirdly, the knowledge of Chriſt is ſweeter and more excellent then the knowledge of all creatures, and things that God hath created in heaven or earth; indeed all knowledge is excellent, even of the meaneſt creatures; which all men and women naturally affect, as we ſee in Eve that would adventure the loſſe of Paradiſe to gaine more knowledge, Gen. 3. 6. Even the plough-man learnes to plough and ſow his ground by inſtinct from God, Eſaiah 28. 26.
And what paines do men ſtill take to get knowledge of the creatures? as the Aſtronomers, Philoſophers, Geographers, &c? Yea, how do we admire the learning of the heathens? the wiſdome of Solomon, that could diſcourſe from the Cedar to the ſhrub? And a man of excellent▪ parts and deep learning, how is he honoured of all men?
But alas, what is all his knowledge and learning without the knowledge of Chriſt? It is but of the creature; He can tel you the nature of a Starre, of a bird, of a beaſt, fiſhes, &c. He can diſcourſe of Countries and nations, &c. when perhaps a poore milke-maid can tell what Chriſt is better then he; & is it not better to know what Chriſt is, then to know what a ſtar, a tree, a fiſh, a bird, or a beaſt is, or any other creature?
Nay; ſuppoſe the knowledge of the creature may lead thee to the knowledge of God, as indeed it doth: For the inviſible things of God are ſeen by the Creation of the world, even his eternall power and God head, Rō, 1. 18 Yea, what is al the world created, but God explained? (as learnedly Cuſan: Mundus univerſus eſt D…us explioatu…:) Every creature having as it were upon it the print of his finger, the ſtep of his foot, and the marke of his hand. The ſame ſpot of ground brings forth a thouſand ſeverall kinds of flowers, which ſhewes there is a God? Even a fly, what a great noyſe makesQu…ibet …erba Deum, Cic. that little creature.? All the world cannot make one of them. Yea Pliny conſidering and viewing the gnat, and the butterfly, the muſick of the one, and the curious painting of the other, confeſt that there was a God; Much more by viewing the glorious heavens beſpangled with ſo many ſtars as ſo many Pearles or mountaines of Gold, the mighty earth to hang upon nothing, the vaſt Ocean that reſtleſſe monſter with perpetuall agitation, who can but ſay, this is digitus dei the finger, the hand of God? For Quibus machinis? quae ferramenta ſaid the heathens? What engines, what Iron tooles &c. could be made uſe of, in the framing this goodly ſtructure? Surely none; Neither yet could they come alone, neither could men make them, no more then birds or beaſts could make ſtately buildings in a glorious City.
But alas, if they ſhould bring thee to the knowledge of God, yet they can never bring thee to the knowledge of Chriſt: and then the knowledge even of God himſelfe will be uncomfortable.
So that we may truly ſay with Calvin; All knowledge makes us but fooles and mad men till we have learned Chriſt. And he that ſhall preferre the knowledgeEſt inſania praeter Chriſtum quicquam ſcire. Calv. on Col. 2. 3. of the creatures before the knowledge of Chriſt, prefers trifles before treaſures, quiſquilias theſauro praefert (as Daven. on Col. 2. 3.)
4. Fourthly, the greateſt excellency and honour of any man, is this, that he knoweth Jeſus Chriſt; this is more then all wiſdome, beauty, riches, learning, noble birth, or whatſoever other accoutrements.
Thus ſaith the Lord; let not the wiſe man glory in his wiſdome, nor the ſtrong man glory in his ſtrength, nor the rich man glory in his riches, but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he underſtandeth and knoweth me. Jer 9. 23, 24 intimating, that the knowledge of God in Chriſt, is our greateſt glory. And certainly God regards a man no more then he ſeeth Chriſt in him: Chriſt (with God) is all and in all, Col. 3. 11: That is, God hath no reſpect to a man for any thing elſe, either the more, or the leſſe to regard him, becauſe he is a Iew of the ſtock of Abraham, or that he is a Gentile, whether learned as were the Grecians, or unlearned as were the Barbarians, or Scythians (Barbarorun… Barbariſſimi) whether poor bondſlaves and ſervants, or maſters, all is one to God, onelyonly he lookes at a man as he ſees him in Chriſt; as he preferred poor Lazarus before rich Dives, becauſe he ſaw Chriſt in Lazarus, and not in Dives; Iob 34. 19 Act. 10. 34. Gal. 6. 3. Mal 3. 17.Tamberlaine in his wars, one having found a great pot of gold digd up (as I remember.) he brought it to Tamberlain, who asked whether it had his fathers ſtamp? but when he ſaw it had the Roman ſtampe, he would not own it: So God will own none, but thoſe that have the ſtamp of Chriſt and his image upon them: But he will own the pooreſt and meaneſt of his ſervants, that have Chriſt ſhining in them, as his Iewels, as the apple of his eye, to whom he ſends his holy Angels to attend upon them. For in heaven their Angels behold the face of my father which is in heaven, Matth. 18. 10.
And as God reſpects nothing in any man but Ieſus Chriſt: ſo likewiſe the Saints of God have eſteemed of men only as they have ſeen Chriſt in them. So David profeſſeth that all his delight was in the Saints that were on earth, in whom Chriſt appeared, Pſalme. 16. 2, 3.
And Saint Paul tels us he regarded no man after the fleſh, (or in fleſhly reſpects) as they were wiſe, learned, rich, honourable, 2 Cor. 5. 16. No not Chriſt himſelfe; that is, as he was a Iew borne of their natition, or ſo as to expect great things from him on earth, as the Iewes did, but only ſpiritually: Nay he would not ſo much as write a letter or Epiſtle to the greateſt Monarchs in the world that were not in Chriſt, but to the poore Saints in Corinth, Epheſus, Galatia, &c. And to Philemon Indeed he wrote to one Lady, but ſhe was an Elect Lady.the Maſter, for a poore ſervant Oneſimus ſake.
Mr. Fox, when a great Lord, and wicked met him in London in the ſtreets, and askt him how do you Mr. Fox? he ſaid little. Do you not know me ſaid the great Lord? No not I ſaid Maſter Fox. I am ſuch a one ſaid he; Sir, I deſire (ſaid Maſter Fox) to know nothing but Jeſus Chriſt and him crucified.
Policarpus at a certaine time meeting with Marcion the Heretick, he ſaid unto him, do you not know me? Yea ſaid Policarpus, I know thee to be Primogenitum Diaboli, the firſt begotten child of the divell. Euſeb.
Indeed, naturall men are ready to deſpiſe a Chriſtian, though Chriſt ſhines in him never ſo gloriouſly, if he be poore, and admire the rich, Jam. 2. As Aigalond King of the Moores, when he came to the King of France to be baptized, and ſaw a great many poore tatterd people at his dore, aſked what they were; It was anſwered, theſe are the ſervants of Jeſus Chriſt; he went back in a fury and diſcontent, and ſaid he would never ſerve ſuch a Maſter that could keep his ſervants no better. But Ingo King of the Ʋeneeds (contrarily) at a great feaſt, to ſhew his love to Chriſts Saints, ſet his Pagan Nobles in his Hall, and certaine poore Chriſtians with himſelfe in his Parlour.
5. Fiftly, the excellency of all our works is from our knowledge of Chriſt; which though never ſo excellent in themſelves as Prayer, Preaching, Almes, &c. God regards them not, they ſtand for nothing, they are but Cyphers, till Chriſt be joyned with them. They are at beſt but umbrae virtutum, ſhadowes of vertues, nay ſplendida peccata faire and ſhining ſins, beautifull abominationsAbſque Chriſto, omnis uirtus in vitio eſt. Luther in a man out of Chriſt: Like as the Phoenix gathers ſweet odoriferous ſticks in Arabia together, and then blowes them with her wings, and burnes her ſelfe with them; juſt ſo we burn our ſelves with our own good workes, be they never ſo ſweet and good, if ſeparated from Ieſus Chriſt.
It is Chriſt, and Chriſt alone that ſweetens and perfumes all our prayers, hearing, almes, and all our duties, and makes them acceptable, As ApothecariesRev. 8. 3. ſweeten all their Confections and Cordials with Muske and Sugar.
The Perſians had certaine trees that bare poyſoned fruit, and they by ſtealth had planted abundance of them among the Turkes, hoping thereby to poyſon them: but with the change of the ſoile, the fruit changed its quality, and inſtead of poyſon became wholſome food. So our workes that were poyſon before, are ſweet and good when they proceed from a man planted into Chriſt: Seeſt thou not how Faith wrought with his workes? ſaith Saint James, Jam. 2. 22. It was Faith made Abrahams workes accepted, which elſe had not been regarded.