2 Peter 3:18 (part 2 of 5)

Let our observation be here, how dangerous a presumption it is to be wise without God: this is the way to come short home. How cunningly doe politicke naturians contrive their plottes; as if there was no power to crosse their projects, or revenge their wickednes. They conspire on earth, Psal. 22.4. God laughes in heaven. So farre indeed he gives way to their sinnes, as their sinnes may proves plague to themselves. So he disposeth of wicked men and spirits; Vt dum nolunt implere patefactam, adimplent arcanam Dei voluntatem. Whiles they thinke most to please their owne fancies, they overthrow their owne soules. This way saith the wisedome of allmighty God: Tut, we know a better way, of our selves. There was a King of Arragon, Alfonsus; who because he was a King, and a Philosopher, imperious over his subjects, and expert in they motion of the heavenly bodies, grew to such an height of insolencie, that he blasphemously boasted; That if he had been of councell with God in the making of the heavens, the heavens should have been disposed in a better order than th are. This man would not onely be as wise as God, but wiser than God. There was one among the heathen, that went for wise; who said; That to become rich, he would pray and sacrifice to Hercules: but to be wise, he would doe neither: not a bend of his knee, not a whiffe of smoke, would he afford: For for wisedome, he could helpe himselfe to it well enough, and bee beholden to never a god of them all. Rich, if they would make him well and good; he might perhaps thanke them for it: But of his owne head, he could be wise enough. Nunquid sapientior Daniele? yes, hee will be Sapientior Deo. The Apostle sayes, that every good gift Iames 1.17. Comes downe from the Father of lights. We have some Astrologers, (called judiciall, but indeed without any sound judgement at all) that have found out another derivation for these gifts: De luminibus, and so would have us looke no further. Such a conjunction or aspect of the luminary bodies, such a constellation or horoscope, such a position of planets, produce you these good effects. This is according to their Astrology, not according to our Theology. Not De luminibus, from the hoast of Heaven: but De Patre luminum, from the God of Heaven, from the Lord of hoasts. Those wisards are, of all men, the arrantest fooles: they leave God, to goe for knowledge to the Devill.

Oh the miserable end of wicked Polititians; what became of Achitophel for all his deepe knowledge? He had great witte for the publike, none for his privat selfe: he, could governe a State, not rule his owne passions. What a strange mixture of wisedome and folly doe wee finde in that man? Hee will needes hang himselfe; that was an act of folly: yet first hee will set his house in order; there was an act of wisedome. Who would thinke it possible, but for the truth of this example; that a man should be at once so wise as to put his house in order, and yet so mad as to breake his owne necke with a halter? That he should remember to order his house, that forgot to order himselfe? Yet there are such subtile worldlings, who are carefull to provide their children portions and provide no portion of comfort for their owne soules. They have witte and knowledge, but it lies wholly without therein their riches. They mind the disposing of what they have in their coffers, and forget what they have in their hearts: as Achitophel tooke care for his family, that tooke none for his owne body and soule. Marke the end of these cunning rookes: and if they doe not make away themselves with their owne hands, yet they make way for the fiends of Hell to doe it. He that with the deepest reach contrives his owne sinnefull pleasure, does but study to provide his owne halter. For use.

1. It concernes all Christian states, to exclude such men from their counselltables. Psal. 101.7. That holy king of Israel would admit no Statesman, so farre as hee could discerne, but such as were after his owne heart; and he himselfe was a man after Gods heart. Be he never so politicke, be his wisedome more than any mans: yet if his heart be not right, he will not be faithful. I know that where the brest-plate is nought, yet some use may be made of the head-piece: use, I say, not trust. If men come to councell, and leave the God of wisedome behinde them: there is rather a curse to be feared, than any expectation of a blessing. Gen. 49.6. Into their counsell let not my soule come: nor ever let their counsell come into my soule. Looke for no good of those designes, whereof God was not at the making. If he be locked out of the counsell chamber, errour fills all the roome. Where a politicke head sowes, and a false heart waters, God will give no good encrease. One sparke of religion is worth a whole flame of secular wisedome.

2. It concernes all private men. Carnall knowledge is a Peripateticke, and loves to be walking: wickednesse sets it the bounderies: it shall walke but within such a compasse. A compasse indeede; for Impii in circuitu. Mischiefe it may study, but no goodnesse. There is an earthy knowledge, which lies in bed, and deviseth trickes of lucre, projects of oppression. The ungodly are not without their counsell; but Psal. 1.1. blessed is he that hath not walked in their counsell. What is the event of this counsell, whether taken of their fellowes, or of their pillowes? In the day, they inquire, Psal. 4.6. Who will shew us any good? In the night, Mic. 2.12. They meditate mischiefe on their beds. Hab. 2.10.11. They consult shame to their house: shame, is this all? No, ruine too: for the stones shall cry out of the wall, against them. Is not this a goodly knowledge, that brings with it shame and ruine? Such men have the witte to undoe others, and doe themselves no good. One might be wise in Macedon, and a very foole at Athens: as Paul before his conversion was eminent among the Pharisees, but an Idiot among the Apostles. 1 Cor. 3.19. The wisedome of this world is foolishnesse with God: and a man famous for knowledge in the opinion of the Earth, may be a meere sotte in the judgement of Heaven. ver. 18. He that seemeth to be wise, let him become a foole, that he may be wise. As we must be humble, that we may be exalted; and dead, that we may live; so fooles, that we may be wise. Let us know that we know nothing, till wee know the Gospell: and know that wee know enough, when wee once rightly know Iesus Christ.

3. There is a kinde of knowledge above all these; whether that naturall knowledge, granted to all men; or that artificiall Knowledge, granted to mechanickes: or that politicall Knowledge granted to Statists: there is also a higher, even a Propheticall Knowledge, and this may be granted to reprobates. Such a Knowledge had Balaam in his extasies: scarce ever any of the holiest Prophets had so cleare a Revelation of the Messias to come. The very beast he rode on, had both her eyes and her mouth miraculously opened; so that she could both see an Angell, and expostulate with her Master. 1 King. 13.11. There was such an old Prophet in Bethel; of whom, considering all, a man knowes not well what to thinke. He abode within the aire of Ieroboams Idol, within the noise of his sacrifices, and permitted his sonnes to be present at those Idolatrous services. If hee were a Prophet of God, what did hee in Bethel? Why did hee winke at the sinnes of Ieroboam? What needed a Prophet to come from Iudah, to reprove that sinne which was acted under his nose? Why did he lye, and betray his fellow Prophet to destruction? Did these abominations become a Prophet of God? If hee were not a Prophet of God, ver. 20. ver. 32. ver. 31. how had he true visions? How had he direct messages from God? How did he confirme the Word of that Prophet whom he seduced? Why did he desire, that his owne bones might bee honoured with his sepulcher? Wee may conclude then, that he was a Prophet of God; but a corrupt, resty, vicious one. ver. 26, When the other was slaine by the Lion, he had so much truth as to give a right commentary upon Gods intention in that act: so much hospitality, as to send away his guest, better provided for the ease of his journey than hee came: Though this were but a poore amends; ver. 23. when hee had betrayed the life, and wronged the soule, to cast away some courtesies upon the body. Hee had so much faith and courage, as to fetch his carcasse from the Lyon: so much piety and compassion, as to weepe over him: so much love, as to wish himselfe ioyned in death to that body, which he had hastened to death. There was some goodnesse in him: he was not absolutely wicked. But all this cannot excuse his sinfulnesse: hee was a Seer, yet did not see his owne way.

Such another was Caiaphas: Iohn 11.51. This spake he not of himselfe; but being high Priest that yeere, he prophesied that Iesus should die for that Nation. He spake not himselfe, but God spake through him, as through a trunke; Cajaphas in the meane time never the wiser for it. That old riddle is applicable to him; Of a man and no man, (which was an Eunuch) who with a stone and no stone, (which is the Pumice) killed a bird and no bird, (which is the Batte) upon a tree and no tree, (which is the Fennell:) So Caiaphas was a Prophet, and no Prophet: a Prophet in that particular prediction, otherwise and at other times a Priest onely, not a Prophet. He spake, and he spake not: he spake not of himselfe, and of his owne excogitation; but God spake by him, in a suddaine inspiration. It was not Sermo natus in pectore: it passed out of his mouth, but never came in his heart: the words were his, and not his. That Iesus should die for that Nation, and not for that Nation: for the Iewes principally, but not for the Iewes onely. Thus it pleaseth the wisedome of God, to expresse himselfe even by the tongues of faulty instruments. Yea Satan himselfe sometimes receives notice from God of his future actions: which otherwise that evill Spirit could neither foretell nor foresee. Such, in all likelyhood, was his information concerning the end of Saul: 1 Sam. 28.19. To morrow shalt thou and thy sonnes be with mee. How could Satan tell this? Is the Divell become a Prophet? No. But as he was once a good Angell, so he can still act what he was. Well may lewd men be good Preachers, when Satan himselfe can play the Prophet. What Prophet could speake better words, than this soule spirit in Samuels mantle? Wherefore doest thou aske of mee, ver. 16. seeing the Lord is departed from thee, and is become thine enemie? Samuel himselfe while he was alive, could not have spoken more gravely, more severely, more divinely, than this hellish counterfeit. Good words are no rule, to distinguish a Prophet from a Divell. This kinde of Knowledge is both rare and common: rare, in that it is seldome given to any: common, in that it is indifferently given to the good and bad. Prophecie doth not alwayes presuppose sanctification. Many have had visions from God, that shall never enjoy the vision of God. One beame of holinesse is worth a noon-day of Illumination. Give me grace, what shift soever I make for knowledge.

Wee perceive now that there is a Knowledge common to all conditions of men: there must then bee a Knowledge speciall and peculiar to some, or what distinction have wee? No beame of this is denied to the Saints; they may have it as well as the wicked: but there is a Knowledge denied to the wicked; they cannot have it as well as the Saints. To know not onely the History, but the Mystery of the Gospell: to know God in Christ, Christ in faith, and faith in good workes: to know his sufferings our satisfaction, his merits our righteousnesse; and that wee haue our part in his Redemption: to know that God is reconciled to us, the Law satisfied, our sinnes pardoned, our soules acquitted, and that we are in the favour of the Almighty: to know and feele the sweete peace of conscience, the inexpressible comforts of the holy Ghost: to know that mercie shall keepe us on Earth, and that eternall joyes are prepared for us in Heaven: to Eph. 1.18. Know the riches of the glory of Gods inheritance in the Saints: 3.19. To know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge: This is indeede a Knowledge worth our ambition, worth our seeking. But it is too high for the reach of carnall braines: as David speaketh in another sense, Psal. 139.6. Such Knowledge is too wonderfull for them: it is too high, they cannot attaine unto it: The refulgent Glory of it would strike them blinde. 1 Cor. 2.14. The naturall Man receiveth not the things of GODS Spirit. In the other Knowledges, the Righteous have part with sinners: but in this the sinners have no part with the Righteous. Let me be weake in policy, so I may be wise to salvation. For application.

1. It reprooves them that know much, and will doe a little: that have full braines, and empty hearts: a library of Divinity in their heads, and not so much as the least Catechisme in their Consciences. Nor does this onely touch the coppy-hold of Preachers, but it concernes the capitall Tenure of all Christians. Rom. 2.21. Thou which teachest another, teachest thou not thy selfe? It is no impossible thing: the candle that lights others to see by, sees nothing it selfe. Yeeld that the candle hath no sense; yet may not an ill favoured Painter draw a faire picture? Though himselfe have none of the most pleasing countenances, yet he may counterfeit an amiable face. The praises of vertue may bee extolled and magnified in the mouth, where vertue it selfe cannot get into the heart: Laudatur, non admittitur. The Carpenter may square other mens tymber by the rule, his owne at a venture. The servant may draw wine for all the family, and yet drinke water himselfe. There is no necessity that every one should be good, which teaches it. When an orator, with great store of wisedome, had bitterly declaimed against folly, and somewhat abused his auditors: it was afterwards replied upon him by one of them; Sir, your discourse of folly, may well bee divided into three parts: One part you have declaimed against in all men, one part you have bestowed upon us, and the other part you have kept to your selfe. But when a man shall commend wisedome to all his hearers, and keepe no part of it to himselfe, for his owne exercise, is it not madnesse? This is as if he were set to tell heads, and to number the company, and should forget to reckon himselfe. When an inheritance is to be divided among many children, will any coheire set out the portions of the rest, and forget his owne? We say for temporall things, when a man spends all, or gives away all: It was but his kinde heart: But in the distribution of spirituall things, to leave our selves none, argues not a kinde, but a stupid heart. Heavenly knowledge is not lost by communicating: we may both give all, and keepe all. Lord enable me to give so much as may make others rich in grace, and yet to keepe so much as may make my selfe rich in glory.

2. For us all; Let us keepe our knowledge from ranging: It will hunt counter, if it pursues any other game but salvation. Iohn 4.22. Ye worship ye know not what. That is a wilde and rambling devotion, which knowes not what it worships; whether God or an Idol: as 1 Sam. 28.14. Saul, in stead of Samuel, worshipped the Devill; Stooping with his face to the ground, and bowing himselfe. Knowledge is apt to flie out, unlesse it be kept in coram by goodnesse. Psal. 95.10. It is a people that doe erre in their hearts, for they have not knowne my waies. Soone must they erre, that wander from the waies of God. Many hearbes thaat are wholesome and usefull in the garden, grow wilde in the desart or common field. So there is the wilde Rose, and the wilde Sage, and the wilde Thyme, wilde Succory, and wilde Tansey. These may have some vertue in the Forrest, where they spring naturally; but much more in the garden where they are set carefully. Wise men are called Sages; but our wisedome will grow wilde Sage, if it bee not kept within the garden of grace. Our Roses will wither, our time change colour, our succours be to seeke; all will turne wilde in the wildernesse of sinne. Our knowledge it selfe may so become wilde, and so lose all the vertue. Fire is good and necessary, while it is kept upon the harth within the chimney: it serves to warme our hands, to dresse our meate, indeede for innumerable uses: but let it breake out into the house, and the rage is most violent, the mischiefe unrepairable. If our knowledge have got a gadding humour, a tricke of playing truant; if it will steale out of schoole, to chatte with Satan, and to enquire how the market of the world goes; how flesh and blood may be satisfied, in their appetite, in their addiction, in their curiosity, in their sensuality; it soone becomes wilde, and flies out into rebellion. But keepe it In orbe pietatis, within the lists of godlinesse, and then it is a window to the Arke, an eye to the soule, a guide to the affections, 2 King. 12.2. a Iehoida to Iehoash, to doe right.

There are two daughters of the understanding; Scientia, Conscientia: they must be sisters, both for their names and natures. Con (we know) is ever in composition: so that Conscientia is but Scientia cum alis: a couple of them there must be at lest. Science travells abroad, Conscience keeps home: it is internall and domesticall. Knowledge is the Intelligencer, and brings in newes; whereof conscience determines. It may be sometimes a-sleepe, but is never absent. Nec fugere, nec fugare poteris. It is bred and borne within us, it will live and die with us. When Adam by his sinne had brought ruine upon himselfe, and deaded the powers of his soule to goodnes; this facultie had the most life remaining in it, and was left like Iobs menssengers to bring him newes of the great losse; Iob. 1.15. I alone am escaped to tell thee. This little sparke was left fresh, to shew what great lights were extinguished. The office of knowledge is to informe conscience: the office of conscience is to reforme knowledge, Knowledge is the eye of the soule, and conscience the glasse: (for it is but reflection of the soule upon it selfe) now our eyes cannot see themselves but by the reflection of a glasse: nor doth knowledge rightly know it selfe but by the representation of conscience. In knowing of other things consists the excercise of Science: in knowledge of our selves, the excercise of Conscience. Bern. Cùm alia scit animus, Scientiae dicitur: quum scipsum, Conscientia. All the artes, and trades, and policies, and mysteries we know, are but cyphers: Conscience is the figure; put this to them, and they will amount to something. From hence come so many errours in our life, when one sister leaves the other; when Science will not take conscience with it, walking abroad; nor looke in the glasse of conscience, comming home, I know that Conscience is as Zeno said of a wife: Aut perpetuale refugium, aut perenne tormentum: sometime she will be chiding, but it is because we haue bene rambling. What the Scripture speakes of Dinah, and the Poets fayned of Diana, experience finds true of knowledge. Whiles Dina would be straggling from her fathers house, she was ravished by Shechem. Whiles Diana or Proserpine would be roving from her mothers house, she was rapt away by Pluto. So when Science leaves Conscience her mistresses house, she will be defiled with sinne. Goodnes is the seasoning of knowledge: if humane wisedome be not powdred with Divine grace, it will stinke: that onely can keepe it, and make it keepe. It is not unlike that petitioners sonne in the Gospell, in a maner lunaticke; it will fall into the fire, and into the water too: the Disciples could not cure him, so nothing in nature will helpe this: Onely as Iesus spake there, Mat. 17.17. Bring him hither to mee: so if he will be pleased to speake here of our knowledge, Bring her hither to me; she shall be healed, her sister conscience comforted, and their mother the soule saved.

2. In ordine; some knowledge is more honourable than other; Desiderabilius auro, Psal. 19.10. more to be desired than gold. Gold hath the precedencie of all metalls; more noble than silver; but Gods word is more noble than gold. The Apostles counsell is universally to be embraced, 1 Cor. 12.31. Covet the best gifts. Solomon tooke knowledge and wisedome for the best; and without any leisure of deliberation, fastens upon that: 1 King. 3.9. Give me a wise and understanding heart. That soile could not have borne such fruite alone: if God had not sowne this seed, the desire of knowledge in his heart, Solomon would not so much as have dreamed of it. Yet this choise being made, God likes the suite so well, as if he were beholding to his creature for wishing good to it selfe. So doth he esteeme a good election, that he recompenseth it with advantage. If riches had bene his request, he had never knowne wisedome, nor (it may be) riches, neither: Now he askes the best, and speeds of all. Riches and honour come into the match. Because he asked what he should, he shall receive both what hee asked, and what he asked not. Of that which was promised him sleeping, he found the performance waking: even such an Illumination in all the roomes of his heart, as if God had given him a new soule. We say of temporall things, The best is best cheape: but of spiritualls, the best is most precious: how deare so ever they cost us, they should be most dear unto us. Luke 10.42. Christ doth not dispraise Martha’s hospitalitie, in preferring Maries pietie. Though she had chosen the better part, Yet this doth not deny the other to be good. Many things are necessary to salvation, but the knowledge of the Gospell is the chiefe. g It is necessary antonomaticè, prae caeteris; Simpliciter & propter se, necessitate finis: others in ordine ad finem, & propter ejus consequutionem. Stell. in Luc. 10. As sustenance is necessary to maintaine life; yet physicke and excercise are necessary too in their times and places. Bonum is not excluded by Melius: Mat. 10 42. water out of the tankard shall not lose the reward, but meate out of the cupbord shall find a greater. Mat. 8.22. Let the dead bury their dead, follow thou mee. It is a good worke, Mortuos sepelire: but Evangelium nunciare, better. St. Paul more extolls Evangelizandi, quàm baptizandi functionem: Cor. 1.17. Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the Gospell. The ministerie of the word, is more noble than the ministerie of the boord. Act. 6.2. It is not reason that we should leave the word of God to serve tables: therfore the Apostles chose Deacons to that purpose, and gave themselves to prayer and preaching of the word.

There be some things not worth the knowing, because they are not worth the having. m Set your affection on things above, not on things on earth. Not on earth, for that is the place from whence Christ is risen; Luk. 24.6. He is not heere. It is but a folly to seeke him where we are sure he is not. Psal. 50.10. Not on the mountaines, where the beasts seeke their food: not among the cloudes, whither the fowles of the aire seeme to aspire: not among the starres, that Summum Astrologia, the highest of naturians. But in a higher place, above all these, in heaven. Heaven is a great circle; where there? In the highest place of heaven; at the right hand of God. As nature would have us no moules, so grace would have us eagles, to mount up Luk. 17.37. where the body is. There be upon earth, some things higher in estimation than others; which the world takes for Superna, things above. To be above others in wealth and abundance; the richer, the higher; this is one Supra: To be above others in honour; the nobler, the higher; is another Supra: To exceed the common sort in pleasure, and the varietie of carnall joyes, is a great Supra with them. But alas, all these are inferiora; and (without repentance) will sinke downe to inferna: Those have but base minds that admire them, and but leane soules that are satisfied with them. There is a Supra farre above all these; a glory and immortalitie to be knowne: we are ad altiora geniti, and should have a holy ambition of them. Eph. 3.19. To know the love of Christ, Rev. 13.18. here is wisedome indeed: to know the way of salvation, is the Supra of all knowledge. When we are studying that let us thinke wee are about a high point of wisedome; and that to performe it well, is the wisest action of all our life.

This knowledge does not onely bring grounds for Iudgement, but rules for practice; and gives reasons why we doe things, or leave them undone, It argues thus; I am now about a worke, what will God thinke of it? May I offer it to him? Will he allow it? Will he helpe me forward with it? Will he in the end reward me for it? This is indeed a happy knowledge; as if it had beene rapt up with Paul into Paradise: or if it be not taken up into heaven, yet heaven is let downe into it. As the legend speakes historically (which is only true Symbolically) of S. Christopher; that before he was converted to the faith, he would serve none but the strongest: so this knowledge aimes at none but the highest. He had for his first master a man of great strength and puissance, but a king subdued him: him he forsooke for that king, but finding him to be overcome by a neighbour, he betooke himselfe to that other Pagan conquerour: This conquerour was also tyrannized over by the devill, to whom he was a meere slave, doing all his base commands: This hee could not endure, but entred into service with the devill. For a while he admired the power of his new master, and what a dominion he exercised over the sonnes of men; but in a short space he found out his weaknesse also: so feeble and fearefull was he of a piece of wood, hee durst not passe by the Crosse; but when that stood in his way, he must backe againe. Now that weary servant longed to know what this Crosse meant, and how he might finde out a more potent Lord. It was told him that Christ was the Lord of that Ensigne; and that the Crosse was his Banner. Thither then he flies, and there he found out a most mighty, an almighty Master. So let our knowledge climbe; from strength to strength, from height to height, till it Psal. 84.7. appeare before God in Sion. Let it mount higher than riches in their Treasurie, higher than Princes in their Throne, higher than starres in the Firmament, and fetch all her light and comfort from God in Iesus Christ.

There is a double use to be made of this point. First, despise not the least. Secondly, but seeke the best knowledge.

1. There is no good knowledge, but it comes from the Grace of God, and tends to the glory of God. As Salomon despised not to know the hysop on the wall, no more than the Cedar in Lebanon, so though thy knowledge bee like the Sunne, yet contemne not the least starre. 1 Cor. 22.4. There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit: all light comes from the same Father of lights. Hee that made the Elephant, made the Ant; as well the Flie, as the Eagle: the poorest worme that creepes on the earth, as the most glorious Angell in heaven. Hee that gives us the Kingdome of heaven, and those eternall joyes; gives also every piece of bread we eate, and commands us to acknowledge it. In one and the same prayer, which is the exemplar and precedent of all prayers, he teacheth us to sue for both Regnum tuum, and Panem nostrum. If it were but a little sparke got into the flax, Christ would not quench it. Despise not the meane knowledge of thy brethren, though thy owne soule have a clearer understanding. There may be Divine wisedome in the heart of a man, though it want utterance. Full many have proved holy Martyrs, that never were profound scholars: As that simple woman answered the persecuting Prelate in Queene Maries dayes, when he questioned her about the subtleties of learning: My Lord, I cannot dispute for the truth, but I can dye for the truth. Thou hast a more reaching braine, another may have as honest a heart. Honour the least Grace of God, wheresoever thou finde it. Say the gifts in some Christians be small: yet reverence the Giver for these: and then thy happinesse shall bee like Nathaniels; Iohn 1.50. Thou shalt see greater things than these. Zach. 4.10. Who hath despised the day of small things? The day of small things may beget a day of great and glorious things. They that would not acknowledge God in the greater judgements, were driven to doe it in the lesse. Exo 8.19. This is the finger of God. God is called the Father of lights: Luminum, in the plurall, because of the degrees and diversities of his gifts: otherwise Pater luminis would have served. But we must respect the number, as well as the nature of his gifts; and the severall degrees of this gift, knowledge; which is light indeede, and fitte to come from the Father of lights. 1 Cor. 15.41. There is one light of the Sunne, another of the Moone, and another of the Starres; and among the StarreS, one differeth from another in glory, Though one bee not so bright as another, yet they are good all. Now God made the dimmest starre as well as the Sunne in all his splendor. The humble Days-eye would faine grow, though it cannot shoote up so high as the Marigold. Let us learne to know and glorifie God even in his least workes; as Cesars image is not onely seene in his come of gold, but even upon the poore penny. Blesse him in all, for all.

2. Chuse the best: refuse not knowledge in lower things, but aime at the highest. The serpent is the embleme of wisedome: Pharaohs inchanters wrought wonders, when they turned their rodds into serpents; but Moses his serpent devoured all theirs: all sciences are swallowed up in the knowledge of God. There is no true knowledge, which knowes not Bern. in Cant. 36. Quo or dine, quo studio; quo fine, all things are to be done. For order, Id prius, quod maturius movet ad salutem. For desire, Id ardentius, quod vehementius ad charitatem. For the end; to the edification of others, not ostentation of our selves. That noble queene of the South came farre to learne knowledge: in Solomon shee found the mine, and stored her soule with that invaluable treasure. 1 King. 10.10 ver. 13. She gave him sixescore talents of gold; that was a royall gift of a queene to a king: Solomon gave her whatsoever she asked; and that was a more royall gift of a king to a queene. Hers was temporary riches, his eternall: Hers might comfort the body, his could save the soule: hers arose out of the Earth, his came downe from Heaven: her gift could not make Solomon happy, his gift made the queene of Sheba blessed: She came rich, she went away wise: she came a queene, she went away a Saint. There was not more freedome in her gift, than in her receit: her owne will was the measure of both. She gave what she would, and she received whatsoever she would aske: and surely shee would aske the best. She was not such a truant in the schoole of wisedome, nor had so little profited by Solomon, but that she learned to crave the best. She returnes therefore more richly laden than she came: she gave to Solomon, as a thankefull client of wisedome, Solomon returnes to her as a munificent Patron, according to the liberality of a king. Seeing there is one knowledge higher and better than another, let us chuse the best, the highest.

Give a naturall man his choise of any dignity or honour in this world, and where will he fixe? Would he content himselfe with a meane office, and hold it a credite to bee chosen Churchwarden or Constable? Offices which not a few are proud of. Or would his ambition be no more, than to flie Iustice-height, and be in commission of the peace? Or would would he be pleased with the Majorality of a city, or with some eminent place of judicature on the Bench? Or would the Nobility of a Peere, or to be a Generall of the army, or a Statesman at the Counsell-table satisfie him? Or were it enough for him to marry with a Princesse, the daughter of a king, which David tooke for so great an advancement? Or would he be content with Iosephs place, to ride in the second charret of Egypt, and to be Lord lievetenant over the kingdome? No, but so long as there was a Pharaoh to say, Gen. 41.40. Tantum in solio te major ero, onely in the thrones I will be above thee, he is not pleased. Aut Caesar, aut nihil: the king he must be, or nothing. His aspiring thoughts would never rest, till his head were encompassed with a crowne. O where is our holy ambition of such a spirituall honour? why knowledge is a crowne: Prov. 14.18. The prudent are crowned with knowledge. Not every knowledge; the Gardiners to plant: the Carpenters to frame: the Lawyers to plead: the Sophisters to dispute; these cannot be called crownes. Men may have skill in these, and the like, and yet never deserve the glory of a crowne, much lesse the crowne of glory. It is not the Philosophers knowledge, but the Christians, that is truely a crowne. To know God in Christ, this crownes us. To the crown we would be as neare as possible we can: if we may not bee kings, yet at lest the kings Favourites. When it was phansied that Christ should be a great King upon earth, there was suing straight to be neare his Throne. Mat. 20.21. Not somuch as goodwife Zebedees two sonnes, that smelt of the fisher-boate, but meanes was made for them to bee next the King. Earles are comites Regis, and have their Coronets: so are the Saints, having 1 Iohn 1.3. a fellowship with Christ. Yea they are Reges; Christ hath made us kings to his Father. Rev. 1.6. Not that they may doe what they list: Spirituall kings may not bee lawlesse; for they are facti à Christo, and Reges Deo. One crowne they have, Corona sapientia: another they shall have, Corona gloriae. Why then doe we sticke upon these lower objects, as if the knowledge how to bee rich or potent, were such a worthy matter. They bee but Lutulentae coronae, dirty crownes, that are made of such stuffe: Higher must our knowledge mount, or no crowne is to be had.

There is a sawcy knowledge; when the Astrologer will offer to picke Gods Counsell out of the Starres, and derive his honour upon constellations. That speculation is high enough, too high, but withall too presumptuous: the Astrologer shall never make himselfe a crowne of Starres. There is a wanton knowledge, a fictitious poesie, transported not only from modesty, but from morality: which multiplies the one Deity into the plurality of gods: preferres Pernassus to Mount Olivet: faignes and commends an Elysium, for the Heavenly kingdome: placeth Metamorphosis in stead of miracles: to whom a neat pleasing fable is more delightfull than the true and saving Gospell: and in whose mouth the figments of a petulant braine, are more frequent than the Word of the eternall God. Their soules are taken with a smooth poeme: they use to call it a Rapture, and sticke not to adde the attribute of Divine. But when a Poet courts his Mistresse in a lascivious time, is this a divine Rapture? To defame the reputation of men, of States, of Saints, in railing Satyres; is this a divine Rapture? I censure not the art of Poesie: it is excellent; a Knowledge that may both prodesse, & delectare: I doe not flowt Poets, that they are the best Writers, next to them that write in prose. But it is the loosenesse of luxuriant wits, and spurious fancies, full of the venime of the Serpent, that makes it odious. A higher and nobler Knowledge belongs to Christians: in Psalmes Hymnes and Spirituall songs, to sing the prayses of God Sursum corda, yea and Sursum cerebrae too: thither upwards all. As our bodily eies see not the aire that is next them, nor the fire, nor the spheres, nor stop upon any thing till they come to the starres: So let the eyes of our soules, wisedome and knowledge, see nothing of this world, though it be never so neare us; but passe through all, and only fixe themselves upon the peace, and joy, and glory in heaven. So will the Lord blesse our knowledge, and crowne our heads with a Crowne of honour heere; and then crowne that Crowne with the Head of all, which is Iesus Christ, hereafter.

3. In Efficacia; some knowledge is more effectuall than other. There is a Theoricall, and a Practicall knowledge: the former whereof may bee without the latter, but the latter cannot be without the former. Men may have knowledge, and yet not doe well: but no man can doe well, unlesse he have knowledge. So divers Interpreters by knowledge here understand obedience; Lorin. in loc. the fruits, and effects, and consequents of knowledge, which are good workes. As if the Apostle had said, Grow in grace, and in the workes of grace. It is no newes to have knowledge taken for obedience, or obedience for knowledge. Ier. 22.16. He judged the cause of the poore and needy, was not this to know me, saith the Lord? If they bee two, yet they are such two, as would never be parted, never found asunder: like Mary and Martha, both sisters, and both busie about Christ. Mary listens to his Word, that shee may know what to doe: Martha lookes to her hospitable office, that she may doe what she knowes. Martha prepares to feast him, Mary prepares to bee feasted by him. And those lazy admirers of the Contemplative life, have yet ascribed a greater reward to the Active: as to relieve the poore and comfort them, is better than to say onely, God helpe them. Ezek. 10.8. Every Cherub had the forme of a mans hand under his wing. There is not onely the wing of Knowledge to flie aloft; but the hand of practice, to doe good below. The one doth not crosse, but assist the other: as the hands fetch their direction from the eyes, and the eyes looke to the operation of the hands. As Simeon and Levi were brothers in evill: so Mary and Martha were sisters in good. The union of these two is much commended both in the Scriptures, and by the Fathers.

For the Scriptures: Hos. 6. I desired the Knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. If this were onely a speculative knowledge, Hos. 6.6. certainely then there was more worth in burnt offerings: for what is God the better for our wisdome? He is honoured by our sacrifice. But obedience hath there gotten the Name of Knowledge, and then it is fully expounded. 1 Sam. 15.22. Deut. 4.6. To obey is better than sacrifice. So Deut. 4. Keepe the Commandements of God, and doe them, for this is your wisedome and understanding before God and men. Not a signe of wisedome, nor an effect of wisedome, nor the companion of wisedome; but Ipsa sapientia, wisedome it selfe. There also hath obedience got the Name of Wisedome. So Iam. 3. Iam. 3.13. Who is a wise man among you, and endued with knowledge? Let him shew his workes out of a good conversation with meekenesse. There if they be not sub codem nomine, yet they are in eodem homine: if distinguishable in their nature, yet inseparable in their subject. For that mans good Conversation is wisedome, his good workes wisedome, his meeknesse wisedome, and the discreet shewing or manifestation of all, wisdome, 1 Ioh. 2. He that saith, I know God, and keepeth not his Commandements, is a lier, 1 Ioh. 2.4. and the truth is not in him. There is no terme so odious with us as a lyer: yet David was very round and homely with us, when he saies, Psal. 116.11. All men are liers: without question, all sinners are liers. Some had their Sirnames from Greatnesse; as Alexander the great, Pompey the great, Constantine the great, Charles the great: Others from Pietie, as Metellus Pius, Antonius Pius, Aeneas Pius: The conscionable and obedient Christian takes one Name from Wisdom: He is Vir Sapiens as well as Vir Bonus.

For the Fathers; In Apolog. Nazian. He is the wise man qui pauca de virtúte loquitur; sed propter virtutem multa facit. Sapientia illa clara est, non quae verbis volat, sed quae virtutibus constat. Bern. in Cant. ser. •3 Bernar. Sol non omnes, quibus lucet, etiam calefacit: so wisdome gives men light, to know what they should doe: but does not inflame their affections, to doe what they know. It is one thing to know wealth, another thing to possesse it: Nec divitem facit cognitio, sed possessio. Let mee adde, Nec divitem facit possessio, sed fruitio: usus, non habitus. Isidor. de sum. bon. l. 2 Isidor. It makes to the accumulation, and aggravation of a mans sinnes, Scire quod sequi debeat, & sequi nolle quod sciat. Hug. de vanit. mundi. Hugo. Frustra divina cognitionis abundantia crescit, nisi divinae dilectionis flammam augescat. Aug. de scala Paradisi. Mark. 1.8. Augustine. As God hath given the office and Ministerie of Baptisme to many, but the power of remitting sinnes in Baptisme he keepes to himselfe: So knowledge is a common gift; one man may teach another: but holinesse is a peculiar grace, which hee gives by none but himselfe: There may be a substance without an odour: but there can be no odour without a substance: So there may bee knowledge without good workes, but good workes without knowledge never. A distinction of them we may conceive in our braines, God forbid there should be a division of them in our hearts. This consideration affords us a threefold use.

1. It is our Apostles charge, Chap. 1.5. Adde to your vertue knowledge: my exhortation here must be, Adde to your knowledge vertue. If your wisedome be not operative, it had better not be at all: For we must give account of our knowledge, and that account must bee according to the fruites of our knowledge. As Gregory speakes of the Feast of Resurrection; wee keepe Easter but ill, nisi quod de more celebratur, etiam quoad mores exprimatur: unlesse we expresse the matter of the feast, in the manner and forme of our life. So we shall give but a sorry account of our knowledge, without a Catalogue of good workes: an Inventory, not of our owne counterfeiting, but upon record in heaven. Gen. 1.2. The Spirit moved upon the face of the waters, in the Creation: He did not lie, nor sit, nor stand upon them, but he moved: he instantly fell to worke. Ioh. 5.4. An Angell troubled the waters; not onely looked on them, but moved them. We are no sooner put into the spring of spirituall knowledge, but at once we both perceive our owne fowlenesse, and in that holy Laver begin to wash our soules. As Naaman did not stand to view Iordan, but dipped himselfe seven times in it, to get off his leprosie. Psal. 34.5. They looked, or had an eye to him, and were lightened. Light and heat are inseparable: Stell. in Luc. 16. the nights are hoter in Plenilunio, because then there is more light. If the Lord doth enlighten us with knowledge, he doth also warme us with charitie: and charitie will be doing good workes.

2. The purpose and end of our knowledge must bee directed to goodnesse. Many learne much, that they may be Docti, not Boni; and reputed in Sapientum, non in Sanctorum numero. So some Lawyers study to be cunning in the Lawes; not with an intent to helpe their poore oppressed Clients, but by intricate quirkes, windings, and distortions, to squease their purses. They would be rich by their knowledge, not honest: as their Heires would bee made noble by their riches, not hospitable: and the third generation leaves neither honour, nor honesty, no nor riches behinde them, to their posterity. The Priests and Scribes could plainely have informed Herod concerning Christ; and clearely have expounded the Mic. 5.2. Prophet Micah; that hee was to be a spirituall King, and not to take upon him any earthly Principality: so that Herod needed not to feare the losse of his kingdome by him. Thus might they have kept that Tyrant from bloud, and prevented the murder of so many Innocents. But such was their pride, that they would not. Mat. 23.13. They had the keyes, but they scorned to open the doore. So you have Herod turning over the Bible, searching the Scriptures, examining the Prophets; but to what purpose? Hee sayes, Vt Christum adoraret: but hee lied, for it was Vt Christum devoraret. Know, to bee better, as well as to be wiser. There is no comfort in any knowledge, the scope whereof is not Divine goodnesse.

3. Let no knowledge satisfie us, but that which referres us, prefers us to Christ. There be common gifts, wherein naturall men take their full acquiescence: yet we know, the dispensation of them extends to very Reprobates. Balaam had the gift of Prophecy, yet he loved the wages of iniquity. 1 Sam. 109. Saul had another heart given him: a kingly heart, not an holy heart. Achitophels counsell was oraculous, yet his end desperate. Iudas happily Matth. 10.4. could preach like an Angell: yet in practise, Iohn 6.70. a very Divell. August. in Frag. num. 7. Ex serm. de mirac. 5. pan. Serm. Davidica. Cantica. &c. Tom. 1. Baptisme is a gracious gift of God, yet many after the water of Baptisme, goe to the fire of Hell. Prophecy, an eminent gift: yet Saulinter Prophetas. Faith, necessary: yet The Divels beleeve and tremble. Doe wee not see in the world, a great Statesman, yet a meere Atheist? A deepe Divine, yet too covetous? An expert Lawyer, yet a corrupt Iudge? An experienced Physician, yet a meere Naturian? A rare Scholar, yet a great Drinker?r Chrysostome hath a fearefull saying; Hee that knowes good, and lives in evill, is no better than a Devill in the shape of a man, or no better than a man in the nature of a Devill. These may have good parts, but they are not good men. The Divels know and beleeve, beleeve and tremble: but they can do no good. Let us turne to God with repentance, which the Devils cannot doe: and bee ingraffed to Christ by faith, which the Divels cannot bee: and possesse the Spirit of sanctification which the Divels cannot have. So shall wee both in grace and knowledge, resemble the blessed Angels, and bee Partakers of their glory in the Heavens. As no place can content the Fire, but the uppermost: still it riseth up toward the owne Region: so let no knowledge satisfie us, but the knowledge of Christ. The other Elements, Earth, Water, and Aire, are pleased with lower roomes. There is an Earthy Knowledge; which lives like a moule in the mould, in the warme bowels of wealth; and cries, Let them take higher happinesse, that have a mind to it. Earth will to earth; an earthly desire, to an earthly Center; so they live: till earth be turned into earth; so they die: yet, till earth be turned out of earth, their earthy soules into hellish torments. This is a base and brutish life. There is a knowledge one story higher; a watry knowledge, that seekes onely after pleasure, and the sensuall delights of the flesh. Give it lusty wines, beautifull Strumpets, musicke, and banquets, sport and merriments; this is all it cares to know. Where is the best liquour? Where lyes the handsomest Whore? Where meets the joviall Companion? This is a fluid knowledge, that turnes the bloud into water, the very soule into water, and so runs it into the dead sea. There is a knowledge yet a story higher than this; an airy knowledge, that seeks for nothing but glory. Advance it into the Princes favour, make it an admiration to the vulgar, blow it up with encrease of honor: such empty, airy, windy stuffe will fill this vain bladder. These Elements of our sloth sit quietly in lower rooms: but divine knowledge, like the noble fire, mounts aloft, & finds no rest but in the region of Immortality.

In the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ] All this while wee have beene getting up Iacobs Ladder, and climbing by certaine staires and degrees to the Knowledge of Christ. Now our meditations are come to the toppe; let us view the beauty of Sion, and with our intellectuall eyes behold the Face of Him whom our soule loveth. Psal. 5.2. Thou art fairer than the children of men. First, generally.

1. The Sun and the Sea are the 2 great receptacles; the Sun of light the Sea of waters. For the former; God made the light before the Sun: but when he had made the Sun, he reduced all the dispersed light into this one luminary: not locking it up in that body, as Aeolus the winds in a cave: but so disposing it for the better cōmunication to the world. Christ is the Sun of righteousnes: in him is treasured up all wisdome and knowledge: not under locke and key, for the doore stands continually open to all humble Clients. It is but Iam. 1.5. Aske and have: it cannot come upon easier tearms. Col. 2.3. In Him are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge: not for his own use only: as the Sun hath not light for it self; but for our more convenient participation. Hee is made to us wisdome: 1 Cor. 1.30. to us. In himselfe he is the wisdome of God, not created, but creating all things. But what were this to us, if wee might not partake of his wisedome? If Hee did hoord up his Knowledge, as a Miser doth his corne, or a Philargyrist his coine, wee might still bee poore and beggarly for want of Knowledge. But as Col. 1.19. it pleased the Father that in Him should dwell all fulnesse: Iohn 1.16. so of his fulnesse have we all received. And as wee receive, so we must returne: as our knowledge comes from his Grace, so it must returne to his Glory. Without Christ wee could not attaine to knowledge, and without knowledge wee cannot attaine to Christ. It came from Him, and it must never rest till it come backe unto Him. Grow in this knowledge.

For the other; the Sea is that great cisterne, to receive the confluence of all waters. First, From that large and vast pond, water is derived into all parts of the earth by veines and springs: those springs run into rivers, and those rivers empty themselves againe into the sea. So all good Knowledge flowes from the fulnesse of Christ, and is conveyed to us in certaine pipes and chanells, the ministerie of the word and Sacraments. This living water should returne to the first fountaine, all our knowledge must have recourse unto Christ. Secondly, Rivers run by diverse countryes, and every where doe them good as they goe: and according to those severall coasts, they have severall names: but still they passe along, and keepe their current: They make many grounds fruitfull, but tarry with none of them: to the maine they make a-maine, and there they lose their names. Knowledge is a faire streame, and runs by many artes and mysteries; and does good at all times, in all places, to all persons. According to the severall objects it hath severall names: as knowledge in medicines makes physicians, in the Statutes makes lawyers, in the artes makes scholars: But it stickes in none of these: still doth all good knowledge goe forward, reaching at the Summum bonum, till it be quite swallowed up in the comforts of Iesus Christ. Thirdly, when rivers come neare the sea, the sea sends forth the tyde to meete them, as it were a harbinger to entertaine them. So when our knowledge is heavenly affected, and inflamed with the love of Christ, as the Queene of Sheba was with the wisedome of Solomon; then Christ spreads out his armes to meete us, Luke 15.20. as the Father mette his returning sonne. He prevents us with his favour, and graceth us with an extraordinary honour. Onely this difference there is: the rivers are sweet, the sea is brackish: but our waters are brackish, and this sea is sweet. Other streames lose their fresh and pleasant tast, when they come into the sea: ours never gets any pleasant or wholesome tast, till they come thither. All our knowledge is brinish and unsavoury by nature, and onely obtaineth sweetnesse by flowing into this Ocean of goodnes. O Lord, Psalm. 87.7. all our fresh springs are in thee. We have waters of our owne, but they are bitter: Like the waters of Marah, whereof the Israelites could not drinke; bitter waters. In the fountaines of our hearts are the waters of manifold corpuptions; so harsh that they will not downe with our thirsty consciences: or unwholsome, like the waters of Iericho; they 2 Kings 2.19. make the ground barren. Either all our fruites are wild, or our trees fruitlesse. Yet Christ can sweeten the one, and season the other, and cure all; by giving us the knowledge of his mercie, and the assurance of our owne salvation.

2. Thus generally: Now this Knowledge is so sweet, that if we have once tasted it, we will exceedingly thirst after it. Eccles. 1.8. The eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the eare with hearing, nor the heart with knowing: we are never content, 1 Cor. 13.12. till we see face to face, and know as we are knowne. As nothing could quiet Absolon, but 2 Sam. 14.32. seeing the face of the King: so we long to know how we may know Christ. And but reason; for there be many that meete him, and yet doe not know him, some that seeke him, and yet are ignorant of him when they see him. Iohn 20.14. Iesus stood by Mary, she saw him, and yet she knew him not. The two Disciples were walking and talking with him; yet Luke 24.16. their eyes were holden that they should not know him. Gen. 42.8. Ioseph had done much for his brethren, yet they knew him not. Christ at his Resurrection was so changed, that they knew him not: Quis iste, Esay 63.1. who is this that commeth Edom? They might have some reasons why it should not be Hee. First, Christ was put to death, put into the grave, and a great stone upon him, but three dayes since: this man (wee see) is alive and alives like. Secondly, Christs apparell was shared among the souldiers, and he was left naked: this man hath on glorious apparell. Thirdly, Christ was wrapped in linnen, and so layd in the earth: so that if he appeare, it must be in white: this man comes quite in another colour all in red. So many disputes we still make about his presence: Not onely about his reall presence in the Sacrament, wherof there be large volumes of controversies: But also about his spirituall presence in our hearts, wherein there is a world of doubts. If some unusuall crosses disturbe our peace, or trouble our affections, presently there breakes out a voice, mixt with murmuring and despaire, God hath forsaken us. No talke of his presence of his absence we complaine: our cowardly spirits give him gone quite: yet non longe abest, Act. 17.27. he is not farre from every one of us. Act. 12.8. The Angell went before Peter, though he saw him not: and Christ is within us, even whiles we feele him not. Gen. 28.16. The Lord is in this place, and I knew it not. Iacob saw him, both asleepe, and awake: some are awake, and doe not perceive him: others sleepe, and doe not dreame of him. Iob. 9.11. He goeth by me, and I see him not. He is nearer us many times than we thinke him: even close by us, though we be not aware of it. And indeed when is he more neere us, than in our afflictions? Ero tecum in tribulationibus: is his promise. If at other times he remove, yet then he will not faile us. Then commonly we seeke him, and he is soone found. Nunquam ab eis abest, a quibus quaeritur. August. Esa. 65.1. He is found of them that seeke him not: but of them that seeke him, never but found. Psal. 9.10. Thou Lord, hast not forsaken them that seeke thee. Thus Christ may meete us, as he did Saul in the way to Damascus: or accompany us, as he did the two Disciples to Emmaus: or stand by us, as he did by Mary in the garden: and yet we not know him. Yea, he may be before us, within us, and yet we not know him. To know him therfore is our desire, and how to know him is our demand. Two wayes is he knowne heere: Per charitatem, Perfidem.

1. By love: I cannot say which is first; love or knowledge: whether we first love him and so come to know him: or first know him, and so come to love him. But this I dare say, we doe not know him, unlesse we love him: as in reason, we cannot love him, unlesse we know him. And this I dare say, that the more wee know him, the better we love him: and the more wee love him, the better wee know him. I deny not, but there may be a knowledge without love. Did you never know any so cunning in the story of the Gospell, that they could tell you the manner of Christs life and death, from point to point: and yet have no more love of Christ in them, than there is fire in a fish-pond? The seate of knowledge is the head: of love, the heart. The Sunne may shine cleare in a frosty day: yet for all his light, it may be bitter cold, and Iob. 38.30. the face of the deepe frozen. Our eyes may see, when our bones shake. The beames of knowledge may fill our heads, and yet winter lye cold at our hearts; till they bee even dead with uncharitablenesse. If Christ were beloved so farre, and so well as hee is knowne, it would be a merry world in Christendome. The Divell would have little to doe: wee should goe to Heaven in troupes. But it is not so happy: the knowledge of Christ, and the love of Christ, have both one Father, but they have not both one Mother: they come not both from the same venter. God is the Father of them both: from him all good gifts are derived: he gives both love and knowledge. But the difference is on the mothers side: the mother of love is Grace: the mother of knowledge, Nature. God so created the soule, that it should have an understanding capable of knowledge: which is still bettered by study and experience. So though it proceeds à Deo patre, yet per naturam matrem. The Divell did not lose his knowledge, when he lost his innocency: nor did man by his fall lose his understanding: those faculties were depraved and corrupted, not abolished. So that by nature, especially improved with arte, there is in the reason of man, a capacity of much knowledge. Thus they may know Christ, in knowing the History of Christ; what he did, what hee suffered, of whom, and for whom, without loving him. But the love of Christ, is the daughter of grace, and so royall both by Fathers and Mothers side. Many a wise Statesman is beholding to a farre lesse wise (but much more loved) favourite, to helpe him to the speech of the king. Love is Christs favourite, alwaies in his gracious presence: knowledge is not so; but must be faine to waite at the doore, and thanke love for having admission. Love then is that friend at Court, which helpes us to the sight of the Prince: by love wee come to know the Lord Iesus.

Desire we therefore to know Christ? This is the way: Let us love him. 1 Ioh 4.7. Every one that loveth, knoweth God, saith saint Iohn. We cannot put it into convertible termes; ver. 16. Every one that knoweth, loveth God; yea more: God dwelleth in him that loveth; and he that loveth, dwelleth in God. Now God cannot dwell in us, but we must know our inhabitant: we cannot dwell in God, but we must know our Land-lord. Maries best knowledge of Christ, was her love: she did not know him when shee saw him, but still she loved him. Luk. 7.47. Many sinnes are forgiven her, for shee loved much. Not because shee knew much, but because shee loved much. Love does not waite upon knowledge for a reason of loving, but knowledge waites upon love for a meanes of knowing. Love stands not upon a quare, why should I love him? what good shall I have by him? Such a mercenary basenesse cannot enter into the noble brest of charity. Let knowledge examine that, and knowledge shall finde, that if the whole Heaven were turned to a booke, and all the Angels deputed writers, they could not set downe all the good Christ hath done us. But charity loves, because it is beloved: it is his Dilexit me, that sets mee on fire: our love is inflamed by his: His love to us is infinite: it is not onely a Iohn 15.13. Majorem nemo habet, but a Majorem nemo concepit. Saint Paul chargeth us to Eph. 3.19. Know this love: yet withall, in the very same place, hee tells us that it passeth knowledge. Though we cannot know it, secundum ejus mensuram, according to the immensity of the thing: yet we may, secundum modulum nostrum, according to our capacity. We cannot tell whether we love him first, and then know him: or know him first, and then love him. Certainely, regenerate love, and regenerate knowledge, were infused both at once: we can assigne no Prius or Posterius to them. But what doubt so ever there is of the priority, the meliority is cleare: for 1 Cor. 13.13. the greatest of these is charity. Love is greater than faith, therefore certainely greater than knowledge. Let us then know Christ, that wee may love him: and never thinke to finde him in our heads, unlesse we first finde him in our hearts.

2. By Faith: Qui credit, intelligit; as some render the words of the Prophet. This is the wedding-ring, wherewith we are married to Christ: now the husband cannot be unknowne to his Spouse. Luk. 1.45. Blessed is she that beleeved: and that by good consequence: For cognitio per fidem, inchoatio cognitionis per visum. Faith below, is a beame of that beatificall vision above. Credere est faelicitas viae, sicut videre est faelicitas patriae. The former beginnes our happinesse, the other consummates it. We live by faith, not by sight. Faith could not give us this life without Christ, nor will Christ give it vs without faith. Gal. 2.20. He liveth in us, we live in him: both by faith. He can neither live in us, nor we in him, but we must needs know him. Faith is a taste of the joyes of Heaven, sight the fruition: wee may know the sweetnesse and delicacie of the feast, by a little taste. From the seede comes the tree, from the tree the fruites, and of the fruites pleasant foode. Faith is the seede, that springs up into holinesse the tree, which yeelds the fruites of good works, which please the palate of the King of kings. Meliora sunt vbera tua vino: there is great difference betwixt the milke which children sucke from their mothers brests, and wine. Cant. 7. When we drinke wine, wee know the colour of it; whether it bee white or red, or browne; we can distinguish it: But the Infant cannot tell what colour the milke is of which it suckes. All humane knowledge is like wine, whereof we judge by experience: as if the Philosopher tell us, that the least starre exceeds the Earth in quantity, or that nihil vacuum in natura; without plaine reason or demonstration we will not beleeve it: and when we have demonstration, our beleefe ceaseth; for then we know it. But when the Christian tells us of a Trinity in unity, and unity in Trinity; that Christ is God and Man, yet but one Person; shall we suspend our perswasion till he prove it by naturall reason? we shall then live and die infidels, than which we had better have lived and died beasts. Secular propositions are left to the taste of our reason: divine mysteries are to bee digested by faith. Of the other we may dispute like men, this wee 1 Pet. 2.2. must receive like babes. That is for the exercise of wit, this for the trial of faith. There is use of arguments, here is nothing but a promise. In that we are scholars, in this Christians.

Faith is a representative glasse, which shewes me Christ; and what he did on Earth, and what he does now in Heaven. What hee did and suffered on Earth: Faith goes along with him all his journey, from the cradle to the crosse. It sees him doing good, and suffering evill. It sees him in such an agony under the weight of sinne, that the burden makes him even sweat blood. Never was garden so watered before: Adam might moisten the ground with the sweate of his browes, but now it is wetted with a sweat of blood. His passion beganne with blood and sweat, and with water and blood it ended. It sees him betrayed with a kisse: Luk. 7.45. collaterally hee had upbraided Simon, for not entertaining him with a kisse: from Iudas he hath it: that traitor kissed him to death. It sees him scourged, and that by his command; who with one breath pronounced him innocent; and yet condemned him to the lash. It sees him spitte upon, and scorned: the glory of all was spitte upon, the honour of all scorned, and the life of all crucified. He was whipped like a beggar, crucified like a malefactor: in all his sufferings, besides paine, there was infamy. Hee cured the blinde man with spittle, with spittle his owne eyes were blinded. It sees him not onely defiled with excrements, but buffetted with blowes. That face which the Prophets and Fathers so wished to see, is thus abused. It sees him crowned with thornes: a crown for mockery, thornes for sharpe infamy. The first Adams sinne brought forth thornes on the Earth, and now it is the second Adams turne to weare them. It sees him nailed to the crosse, forsaken of God and Men. For Men; there was not a Reuben, to say, Let us spare him, for he is our brother. For God hee might say of his Fathers absence, as Mary did when she missed him in the Sepulcher, Abstulerunt Dominum, they have taken away the Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. For God; he gave leave to all his enemies, as to the winds, vires effundite vestras. All this faith sees; nor does it leave him in the grave, where wee use to relinquish our friends: but watcheth his rising farre better than the souldiers did his sleeping. Yea, it followes him up into Heaven, and sees him set at the right hand of his Father in glory; there continually interceding for us. Nor is this onely by way of imagination: for all that read his story, may have such an apprehension. But my faith sees all this done for mine owne soule: thus he died for my sinnes, thus he rose againe for my justification.

To the unbeleever all this truth is but a dreame. If thou hast not faith; Non tibi natus est Christus, non tibi crucifixus, non tibi surrexit, nec pro te intercedit. Faith is the sight, and the light, and the eye of our soules; whereby wee can read our owne names in the Booke of Life. It makes us not onely acquainted with God, but familiar: so like him, that it transformes us into his Image, into holinesse. As a droppe of water infused into a cuppe of wine, looseth its owne nature, and is changed into wine both in colour and taste. The metall cast into the fire, puts off the owne forme, and becomes fire. The aire enlightned by the Sunne, becomes light; and seemes rather Ipsum lu men, quam illuminatum: So faith transformes us into the likenesse of God. Of all the Virgins presented to Ahasuerus, none was so pleasing as Esther. Esth. 2.4. Let the maiden that pleaseth the king, be Queene in stead of Vashti. When that decree was published, what strife, what emulation (may we thinke) was among the Persian Damosels; that either were, or thought themselves faire? Every one hopes to be a queen: but so incomparable was the beauty of that Iewesse, that shee is not onely taken into the Persian court, as one of the selected Virgines; but hath the most honourable place in the Seraglio allotted to her. The other virgins passe their probation unregarded: when Esthers turne came, though shee brought the same face and demeanour that nature had cast upon her, no eye sees her without admiration. The king is so delighted with her beauty, that contemning all the other vulgar formes, his choices is fully fixed upon her. Our Heavenly King is pleased with all our graces: hot zeale, and coole patience pleaseth him: chearefull thankefulnesse, and weeping repentance pleaseth him: Charity in the height, and humility in the dust pleaseth him. But none of them are welcome to him without faith, as nothing can please him without Christ. There is none that dares venture into his presence, without faith: She is that Esther to which God holds out his golden Scepter. Adorne thy soule with this grace; Psal. 45.11. So shall the King greatly desire thy beauty. Christ loved all his Disciples well; onely Iohn leaned on his bosome: Faith resteth in the bosome of Christ, and Christ resteth in the bosome of faith: it were strange therefore if she should not know. 1 Iohn 2.3. Hereby we know that we know him, if we keepe his commandements.. Keepe them; who is able? Though we cannot keepe them all, yet there is one we can: 1 Iohn 3.23. This is his commandement, that we should beleeve on his Sonne Iesus Christ: This is light added to light, an assurance upon an assurance: we know him, and we know that wee know him, if our faith be stedfast in him.

By this time wee know the way how to know Christ, by Charity and Faith: But now here followes another quaere: How shall we know whether wee have this Faith and Charity or not? A little would bee said to satisfie us in this point.

1. Faith hath a ready way of knowledge. Iam. 2.18. Shew mee thy faith by thy workes. There can bee no stronger or more evident argument than demonstration. The tree is knowne by the fruites; is an infallible rule. Whiles we are in health, the naturall heate within us turnes all our nourishment into good blood, and makes us active and able for the prosecution of our affairs: So if we be in the faith, or have the faith in us; all accidents shall be turned by it in materiam virtutis. Rom. 8.28. Cooperantur in bonum, yea and cooperantur in bonitatem: as all things shall worke together to our good, so to our goodnesse. Wealth shall be the instrument of our mercy, poverty the cause of our humiliation: Health shall minister chearefulnesse to our labours, and sickenesse exercise our patience. Man is borne to worke and labor: Si ad hoc natus, quanto magis renatus? Thou sayest, thou beleevest: Fac quod dicis, & hoc est fides: as saint Augustine gives the etymoligie of faith. The roote of a tree is a ragged and jagged thing; no shape, no comelinesse, no proportion in it: and therefore keepes in the Earth, as if it would not be seene: Yet all the beauty that is in the tree; the straightnesse of the bulke and body, the spreading fairenesse of the branches, the glory of the leaves and flowers, the commodity of the fruites; proceede from the roote: by that it subsisteth. So faith seemes to be but a sorry grace, a vertue of no regard: Devotion is acceptable, for it honours God: Charity is noble, for it does good to men: Holinesse is the Image of Heaven, therefore beauteous: Thankefulnesse is the tune of Angels, therefore melodious: But ad quid fides? What is faith good for? Yes, it is good for every good purpose: the foundation and roote of all those graces: All the prayers made by devotion, all the good workes done by charity, all the actuall expressions of holinesse, all the praises sounded forth by thankefulnesse, come from the roote of faith: that is the life of them all. As Iam. 2.16. Faith without workes is dead: so indeede workes without faith are dead. To have no good workes, is the argument of a dead faith: as to have no breath, is the signe of a dead body: but this argument is à consequente. But to have no faith, is an argument of dead works; an argument à Praecedente, or absentia causae: as that body must needs bee dead, which hath no soule. Faith doth animate workes, as the body lives by the soule: Doubtlesse, faith hath saved some, without workes: but I never read that works hath saved any, without faith.

Bernard compares Christian religion to a vine; whereof faith is the roote, vertues the branches, good workes the grapes, and devotion the wine. Thy faith then is knowne by thy workes. Psal. 119.68. Thou art good, and doest good, O Lord; saith the Psalmist. If we be good, we will doe good certainely: Faith can no more bee idle, than it can be incredulous. By faith we know our God, and by workes we know our faith. Aug. de spir. & Lit. Noli intelligere ut credas, sed crede ut intelligas. That man is most welcome to God, Qui non plus attulit argumenti, sed fidei. By way of apologue, conceive a strife betweene foure faculties, which of them should bring a man nearest to God: Majesty, Strength, Knowledge and Faith. Knowledge pretends that she is the eye of the Soule, and to finde out the way is her proper office: she forbids all other to undertake it, or to arrogate that honour, for it is her right. Strength justles knowledge out of the way, and comes in like a Sampson, or an Alexander, with a viam vel inveniam, vel faciam: as if shee were the champion, or guard of the soule, to bring her into the presence. Majesty challengeth this priviledge from them both; as if that royall dignity belonged to her onely: kings are gods on Earth, and nearest in place to the God of Heaven. Fortitude pleads that shee is the eldest daughter of God, the Image of his Power: No lesse doth knowledge, that she is the Image of his Wisedome. And the same doth Majesty say, that she is the Image of his Glory. Every one claimes superiority: but they all despise poore Faith, and doe not so much as say, Cant. 3.8. Wee have a little sister, what shall we doe for her, in the day when she shall be spoken for? But let us tarry, and heare what the King himselfe sayes; Numb. 16.5. The Lord will shew whom hee hath chosen. They all waite at the doore of the Presence, as the courtiers did upon the call of Ahasuerus. None but Esther is admitted: Faith hath the honour of the first call: shee enters, and brings in the rest: all please in faith. 1 Cor. 1.26. Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. Knowledge is not in this favour, for not many wise are called: nor Strength, for not many mighty are called: nor Majesty, for not many Noble are called. Before, they had faith in no regard: alas, what can she doe? Nay, what can she not doe? She can strengthen the weake, illuminate the blinde, animate the dead, comfort the sorrowfull, crowne the patient, justifie sinners, save soules, and give them an inheritance among the Angels. Aug. de verb. Dom. Quid non? Attingit in accessa, deprehendit ignota; comprehendit immania, apprehendit novissima, and is a bed for Infinitenesse to lie on. There is a kinde of omnipotency in faith: What is there that God can doe, Bern. and faith cannot doe? Strength is weake, compared with faith: what strength of man can remove mountaines? Faith can, and that with a word. Celsitude of honour is a meere dwarfe to faith: that can but command mortalls, Faith is attended by Angels. Wisedome is but folly to faith: that knowes there is a God of comfort, this enjoyes all the comforts of God.

2. Charity hath meanes to bee knowne too. Although the fervour of love cannot be expressed; for Tepidè amat, qui potest exprimere quantum amat: yet love will finde waies to declare it selfe. Cant. 8.6. Love is strong as death. What is stronger than death? It devoures all: and when it hath eaten up all, it will eate up it selfe; for death it selfe shall die: yet Christs love to us was stronger. The effect of death is to separate the soule from the body: and such was the extremity of Christs love. Hee spared not Himselfe, that his Father might spare us: his Love evermore shewed it selfe in doing good. Hee did empty Himselfe, but it was to fill us: Hee did goe out of Himselfe, but it was to dwell in us: Hee died Himselfe once, but it was that we might live for ever. If such a spring of love be in us, the waters of beneficence will be flowing from us. It can doe Christ no good, but He hath his Minimos to whom it may. Christe tuos; tua, te, gratis accepimus à te: Ergo meos, mea, me, meritò nunc exigis à me. Dying men often send tokens of remembrance to their friends: the best tokens of love that wee can leave behinde us, 1 Ioh. 3.17. is mercie to the poore. If a man professes love to mee, and will doe mee no good; I will request no more of his love, than that he doe me no harme. Vnus amor, but duplex objectum. The love wherewith we love God for Himselfe, and man, his Image, for his sake, is but one: as there bee two eyes, yet but one visuall faculty. But the triall of our love to God, is doing good to man. The Lord hath taught us to make clothes; not onely to clothe our selves, but to clothe Him in his poore and naked members. Hee hath taught us to build houses; not onely to house our selves, but to house Him in erecting Churches to his glory: Taught us to make shippes; not onely to transport our selves, but to transport Him, in his holy Gospell, to Unbeleevers: Taught us to make bread, and to dresse meate; not onely to feed our selves, but to feed Him in his necessitous servants. There is no Dives among us, but thinkes scorne to be charged with the want of love: what not love God? But aske his conscience the next question; What good hast thou done for his sake? Nay, he can remember none of that: no goodnesse hath come from him all his life long. Perhaps once, at an extraordinary collection, the Church-Wardens skrewed a groat from him: but hee was sorry for it two dayes after, and pinched his familie and his owne belly the whole weeke following. Such men doe not honour Christ, and therefore doe not love Him: they doe not love Him, and therefore to their comfort they shall never know Him.

Not to suffer this high, sweet, and excellent Point of Knowing Christ to passe without some usefull Application. Five particular Duties it will require of us.

1. Let us desire this knowledge: they are in a faire way of finding, that set themselves to seeke. When God intends to open the fountaine of Grace, and to give us the water of life, he first prepares us with a holy thirst. If a man bee so created, saith Saint Augustine, ut per id quod in eo praecellit, attingat illud quod concta praecellit; that by his heart, the best thing he ha’s, hee may finde Christ, the best thing that is: then with neglect of these lower sciences, Ipse quaeratur, ubi nobis secura sunt omnia: ipse cernatur, ubi nobis certa sunt omnia: ipse diligatur, ubi nobis recta sunt omnia. There is a promise of obtaining, like a sparke from Heaven, to kindle in our cold hearts this flame of desire. Matth. 7.7. Seeke and you shall finde. Bernard. serm. 24. Facilius est coelum & terram transire, quàm ut sic quaerens non inveniat, sic petens non accipiat, & sic pulsanti non aperiatur. There bee some things which wee may desire, and yet want: but if we want desire, there is no hope of any good. Desire to the soule, is like the winde to the shippe, that keepes it in motion. If desire failes, if the winde bee downe, presently the sayles flagge, our soules are becalmed. If thou wouldst fill thy purse with gold out of a bounteous Treasury, thou doest not onely open the mouth to receive it, but extend the plates and folds of it: Extendis sinum, & extendendo facis capaciorem. Sic Deus differendo extendit desiderium, & desiderando extendit animam, & extendendo facit capaciorem Sui. There is a desire of worldly things, which is not Sen. ad Albin. matrem. ca. 11. Sitis, sed morbus: nec ex inopia oritur, sed ex aestuatione: Give it never so much wealth, Non finis erit cupiditatis, sed gradus. But the regulated and sanctified desire of the soule; as it comes from a better cause, and aimes at an higher end; so it is of a nobler temper. It faine would know Christ, that it might love Him: and love Him, that it might enjoy Him, and by that fruition be satisfied with Him. Psal. 21.2. Thou hast given him his hearts desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lippes. The hearts desire first, then the request of the lips: the affection of the one, the expression of the other: both are satisfied. Petite & dabitur, Speake and speed: that satisfies the lippes: Ave & habe, wish and have; that satisfies the heart. Psal. 81.10. Open thy Mouth, yea, enlarge thine heart never so wide, and Christ will fill it. This satisfies David, and makes him sing there, Selah; which is their Diapason. Prov. 13.12. When the desire commeth, it is a tree of life: Gen. 2.9. the Tree of life was in the middest of the Garden; the very Center of Paradise: so doth it joy the heart. Seeke Christ then in thy desires, and seeke Him whiles He may be found. Greg. de 27. ca••• Iam non videtur Dominus, & prope est: in Iudicio videbitur, & prope non erit: After a strange manner in that last appearance; Et videri potest, & inveniri non potest. We make much of an early flower, the first that springs in our garden: so let us cherish this desire, the first flower of grace.

2. When we know Christ, let us acknowledge him. So Iunius renders γνώσει, In agnitione. If it be not the principall, it must needs be an infallible consequent of true Knowledge: Cognitio agnitionem parit, agnitio cognitionem perficit. Rom. 10.9. If thou confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus, and shalt beleeve in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. We had need to looke to it, when as our salvation lyes upon it. There be foure sorts of men: Some beleeve and confesse not, some confesse and beleeve not, some doe neither, and the best doe both. First, Some neither beleeve nor confesse Christ: neither tongue nor heart shall be given to him that made both. Atheists in this are short of the very devills, for they beleeve and confesse too: Mat. 23.15. The proselytes of the Pharisees proved twofold more the children of hell than their masters. But that men should be twofold more the children of hell than devills, is most prodigious. Yet doubtlesse, if the devills had had a Redeemer, they would have beleeved and confessed also. Secondly, Some beleeve and confesse not: such are timorous Christians: So Peter had it within him, but out of him it could not be gotten, that Christ was his Lord. As Saint Iohn speakes of 1. Ioh. 4.8. Love, so we may say of faith; Perfect faith casteth out feare. Mat. 8.26. Why are ye fearfull, O ye of little faith? It fares with confession, in this case, as with a vapour: which heate would faine expell, and cold resists the expulsion of it. So faith in the heart, like a kindly heate, labours to send forth the acknowledgment of Christ, and feare stands at the doore of the lippes to keepe it in. Thirdly, Some confesse and beleeve not: such are hypocrites. The heart of the former cannot get the tongue forwards, but in these the tongue runnes without the heart. The other have more goodnes than they shew: these shew more goodnes than they have. Their shop is continually open, but their ware is nought. The former like Ioseph of Arimathea, Nicodemus, and many more, were Christs Disciples, but durst not openly confesse him Ioh. 19.38. for feare of the Iewes, These openly confesse him, but are none of his Disciples. Fourthly, True Christians both beleeve and confesse: their heart is the spring, which being wound up by the hand of grace, sets all the wheeles of their affections a going; and those cause the clocke to strike, the tongue to speake, and sound forth the praises of Christ. If we know him then, let us acknowledge him: and that both in regard of the honour if we doe; and of the danger if we doe not. Luk. 12.8.9. He that denyeth me before men, shall be denyed before the Angels of God: there is the danger. But whosoever confesseth me before men, him will I confesse before the Angels of God: there is the honour. Many a one knowes Christ, but does not rightly acknowledge him; Chrys. Hom. 19. in Matth. c. 7. sicut servus Dominum, sicut factura factorem: Such a man Christ knowes, but he will not acknowledge, quasi factor facturam, quasi Dominus servum. But how small a thing it is for us to acknowledge him before Atheists, tyrants, persecutors; in regard of his acknowledgment and owning of us before the glorious God and his holy Angels?

3. If we know Christ, let us live like him, and Rom. 8.29. be conformed to his Image. That is the effect of Gods knowing us, let the same be the effect of our knowing him. Ioh. 10.4. I know mine, and I am knowne of mine. Cognosco meos; that is our securitie Cognoscor a meis; that fetheth in our dutie. 1. Cor. 2.8. If the Princes of the world had knowne him, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. Our sinnes are a continuall crucifying of Christ: and if we did truely know him, we would abhorre thus to recrucifie him. Col. 4.5. If we weare the livery of that most holy Lord, and lead an unholy life, what is this but to shame our Master? 2. Tim. 3.5. Some have a forme of godlynes, but deny the power thereof. Such men may be reputed Saints on earth, but they have no part among the Saints in heaven. They have a rule to discerne of life or death in a sicke man: If they looke upon his eyes, and find them so cleare as to returne the image of their owne eyes, they conclude that he shall scape: but if there be no reflection, they make it a signe of death. Our understanding and knowledge are the eyes of our soules: upon which when God lookes, and finds the representation of his owne Image, which is holynesse and righteousnesse, there is life: but if that be wanting, we are dead. Quid prodest Deum noscere, & sine Deo vivere? The Romish Schoolmen spoile many a faire piece of trueth by cutting it out into distinctions: but profane and licentious livers have one distinction worse then all the rest: For they so distinguish, that they extinguish the law of their Maker. It is commanded from above, that as every one professeth, so he should practise: as he seeth, so he should judge, as he readeth, so he should understand: That according as he knoweth, so he should instruct: as he hath, so he should give: as he thinketh, so he should speake: as he beleeveth, so he should acknowledge: as he loveth, so he should embrace: and in a word, do to all men, as he would have all men to deale with him. This plaine just, and most sacred law is thus eluded by sinners: they affirme that all these things are done ad cundē finem, though not ad cundē modum, or ad idem praescriptum: For there be some that professe, and some that practise: some that teach, and some that learne: some that beleeve, and some that confesse: some that love, and some that give: So they pretend that all these duties are performed severally, which are required joyntly, and in composition: done of diverse men, that should be done of every man. But cursed are they that put those things asunder, which God hath joyned together. Shall the magistrate, if hee rules well; or the Minister, if hee preach well; or the housholder, if he lookes to his familie, thinke that hee hath done all his dutie? Nay, shall wee thinke it one mans worke to beleeve, and anothers to doe? One mans office to professe, and anothers to practise? Is one onely charged with patience, and another with temperance, and a third with charitie? Am I onely bidden to teach, and you to heare, and none of us all to doe? What would become of religion, if way were given to such a distinction? No, but every man is charged with every good worke: all holy duties are required of all men: and God will have no respect to him, that hath not respect to all his commandements. 1. King. 18.21. How long will ye halt betweene two opinions? Yea, how long will ye halt betweene two practises? If we know Christ, we will imitate him: for that infinite goodnes cannot but draw all wise hearts after him. Christ did not onely Act. 1.1. teach, but doe: our tongues run, but our hands are lame: we can talke well, but doing well is an arte we are yet to learne. But alas, benè loqui, & male vivere, nihil aliud est quam se sua voce damdare. The physician that keepes an ill dyet, loseth his credite: if he undertake to cure others of the dropsy, and be hydropicall himselfe, Chrys. in Mat. 7. Hom. 17. testimonium imperitiae suae in corpore suo portat. For it cannot be but supposed, that he would, if he could, soonest of all heale himselfe. Mat. 7.22. Lord we have prophesied in thy Name: very well, I grant it: you taught others, that sinne would bring to destruction and vengeance: out of your owne mouth take your sentence. Christ was without sinne: to live like him, this shall be your knowledge.

4. Let us rejoyce in this honour, that we know him. Ier. 9.24. Let him that rejoyceth, rejoyce in this, that he knoweth mee, saith the Lord. This is a knowledge, which whosoever seeketh, is wise; whosoever getteth, is rich; whosoever keepeth, is strong; and whosoever enjoyeth, is for ever blessed. Luk. 10.21 Iesus rejoyced in Spirit, and said, Father I thanke thee, that thou hast revealed these things unto babes. That his Fathers bounty had given us this knowledge, Christ himselfe rejoyced for us; and shall not we rejoyce for our selves? Saint Paul was a profound scholar, and had aboundance of humane learning in him: yet in comparison of the knowledge of Christ, he is very homely with it all. Phil. 3.8. Detrimentum & sterquilinium, are the best termes he gives it: so was he enamoured and transported with the love of Christ. It was a true and just reprehension, wherewith the high-Priest snibbed the Councell, as they were set to condemne Christ; and a great deale better than he meant it: Iohn 11.49. Ye know nothing at all. He spake right, for if we know not the Lord Iesus, we know nothing at all: our knowledge is nothing, or nothing worth. This brings knowledge out of the hall, into the parlour; strippes it of the old rags, and puts upon it a robe of honour and immortalitie. Wee may say of secular knowledge, as Antigonus did of his garment; O nobilem, magis quam faelicem pannum! But of divine knowledge, O faelicem, magis quam nobilem vestem! The world dis-respects it: to the Iewes it appeares 1 Cor. 1.23. madnesse, foolishnesse to the Gentiles. The politician takes it to bee a comely ornament, the gallant useth it for a complement, the worldling admits it for table-talke; as if all discourse of piety were but a pretty recreation after businesse. Cor. 1.24. But to them that are called; it is the power of God, and the wisedome of God. This knowledge of Christ is our life and comfort: which the Lord ingraffe in them that want it, and increase in them that have it: till from the contemplation of him in grace below, wee be taken up to see him in his glory above.

Grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ.] Nature rejoyceth in a mediocrity, and is afflicted with extremes: As the sight is pleased with a greene colour, which is color medius inter album & nigrum. Too much light is no lesse offensive to our eyes, than meere darkenesse. Excessive diet is no lesse pernicious than famine; and more die of repletion, than of emptinesse. Idlenesse fills the body with foule diseases, as over-laboriousnesse wasteth the spirits: Both are extremes; moderate exercise is the meane betweene them. In the passions of the minde there be dangerous extremes. Very feare and cowardlinesse kills some, and some perish in a bold over-venturousnesse. There be some that weepe out their soules at their eyes; whose heart is eaten up with sorrowes: as our weekly bills tell us of those that die of griefe. 2 Cor. 7.10. Worldly sorrow causeth death. Others have died of joy: and scarce given leave to the beholders to weepe for them, whom they have seene die laughing. Dionysius the Tyrant fell from a high fortune; even from the royall Throne to a wretched condition; from a king to a beggar. Yet the sorrow of losing his crowne did not kill him: But he died of joy, and that so poore a joy, as to bee applauded and commended of the people at a Theater, that he was a good Poet: of this extreme hee died. Ioy is our best antidote against death: yet even that can kill: the best cordiall hath beene deadly poyson. Thus nature is content with a mediocretie. So a competence of earthly things is the best estate in this world: if wee could know when wee are well. Prov. 30.8. Give me neither riches nor poverty. Poverty may precipitatr us to base and desperate shifts: and riches may puffe us up with pride and vaine-glory. Mat. 6.11. Give us this day our dayly bread: We are never so happily fed, as when we waite upon God for our daily bread: and are therewith content, as Sea-men with their allowance. In our actions there is a golden meane; and wee may either neglect, or overdoe them. To besiege our patience, the Divell hath a stupidity, as well as impatience. Against our devotion, he raiseth diffidence on the one side, and over-boldnes on the other. In Iustices way, there lies rigour and partiality: For Charity, a prodigall and a pinching hand. Thus for the satisfaction of nature, for the felicity of estate, for order and rule to the actions of our body, and passions of our minde, without question, mediocrity is the best.

But for the grace of God, for the knowledge of Christ, no meane must content us, here. In these we must still be growing, like fruitfull trees: and never thinke our selves high enough, till we are in Heaven. The state of that soule is doubtfull, that can satisfie it selfe with a small measure of holinesse. Virtus in medio: but then we must understand what that Medium is. It is not in the midst betwixt two degrees, but betwixt two kindes. As liberality is in medio, betweene gripulousnesse and profusenesse: which both are severall kindes and contraries. So humility is in medio, betwixt pride and a base dejection: And faith is in medio, betwixt presumption and despaire. Here vertue is betweene two extremes: but wee cannot properly assigne it a place betweene two degrees; because both are the degrees of vertue. As betweene a weake faith, and a full assurance; both which are degrees of goodnesse: Or betweene the love of the Saints, the love of our selves, and the love of God; all which are degrees of charity. In other things a mediocritie will serve well enough, best of all: but not in righteousnesse, not in grace: No competencie to be talked of here: as much measure of this, as possibly we can, and all little enough. He is an Esan, that saies in respect of spirituall things, Gen. 33.9. I have enough my brother. Not a childe in Gods family leaves off growing in grace, till he bee growne up into glory. Let us grow therefore in the knowledge of our Saviour, as wee would die in the assurance of salvation.

It is true that the same God gives the encrease, that gives the knowledge: yet we must labour both for the knowledge, and for the encrease.

1. For the knowledge: Hee that would come to the rich Mine, must digge and throw away the base and barren earth that hides it. Ierom. glos. in Prov. 2. There must be a deposition of all worldly desires, before wee can bee fitted for the disquisition of Heavenly knowledge. Every one that fights, does not overcome: but no man can overcome, unlesse he fights. Chrys. in mat. 7. Hom. 18. All that heare the word of Divine wisedome, doe not presently understand it: but none can understand it, unlesse they heare it. Faith comes by hearing; and what wisedome doth excell it? Doubt joyned with sober and modest questions, is the ready way to knowledge. Not every wrangling interrogatory; as the lawyers question was, Luk. 10.25. What shall I doe to inherite eternall Life? He asked, not to gaine himselfe any knowledge, but with a vaine hope that Christ would bewray some ignorance: Therefore, Vocat Magistrum, ut irrideret Magisterium. 1 King. 22.15 So Ahab questioned Micaiah. Shall we goe up to Ramoth Gilead to battell, or forbeare? Not for satisfaction of himselfe, but of Iehosaphat. There are not a few that trouble a Divine at the table with many questions; Non ut sciant, sed tantum ut quaerant. Qui aliud in ore, aliud in corde habent: Deut. 22.11. Linum & lanam texunt.

But there bee holy and wholsome questions: the minde that never doubts, shall learne nothing: the minde that alwaies doubts, shall never profit by learning. 1 Tim. 3.16. Without controversie, great is the mysterie of godlinesse! The mystery of godlinesse should be without controversie; yet what a world of controversies hath risen about it. Indeed the arguing points of controversie, pro & contra, is like the whetting of a knife: which wee move too and againe, backward and forward; this gets it an edge, and makes it sharpe: so the other makes the Truth appeare bright and manifest: Nihil tam certum, quàm quod ex dubio certum. Our doubts onely stirre us up to seeke the truth: our resolutions settle us in the truth we have found. There were no pleasure in resolutions, if wee had not beene formerly troubled with doubts: There were nothing but disquietnesse and discomfort in doubts, if it was not for the hope of resolution. It is not safe to suffer doubts to dwell long in the heart: there may bee good use of them as passengers, they are dangerous as Inmates. The treasure of much instruction had beene lock’d up, and enriched none but the owner, if the doore had not beene opened by the key of question. Luk. 2.46. Christ sate amongst the Doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. He, who as God, gave them all the wisedome they had, as man hearkens to the wisedome he had given them. He, who sate in their hearts, as the Author of all knowledge, sits in their Schooles, as an humble Disciple. When hee had heard, he askes: and after that, he answers. Those very questions were instructions: thereby he meant to teach, more than to learne. First hee heares, then he askes: much more doth it concerne us to be hearers, ere we be teachers. He gathers that heares: he spends that teaches: If wee spend ere we gather, wee shall soone prove bankerouts. 1 King. 10.1. The queene of Sheba came to Solomon, to prove him with hard questions. She that was such a faithfull lover of knowledge, could not want great Scholars at home: them she had apposed with her enigmaticall quaere’s, but still she was unsatisfied. Now she betakes herselfe to Solomon, that Oracle of God: to him she empties her heart of doubts, and fills it with resolutions. Shee had her desire, and that was no small pittance. When wee come to a rich treasure, we will carry away what we can. This potent queene, as she came farre for knowledge, so surely she would not depart without her full lode. She knew that she could not every day meete with a Solomon: and therefore makes the best use of her time, and so divine a Teacher. Let it be so with us; doubting, that we may aske; and asking, that we may learne; and learning, that wee may practise. It is a good thing to doubt, better to bee resolved. There is much wisedome in moving a question well, though there bee more in assoiling it. Wee have no patent of life; therefore let us not neglect the opportunity of furnishing our soules with the knowledge of Christ. To what end doe we frequent Gods house, and give his Word the hearing, if wee keepe our hearts still in ignorance or uncertaintie? O let not this blessed light shine in vaine upon our soules.

2. The growth is in the next place requirable. 1 Pet. 2.2. Desire the milke of the Gospell, that you may grow thereby. Children grow by their milke; and when they are weaned from their dugges, they Heb 15.14. grow by stronger meate. Whether by milke, or meate, still wee must be growing. Luk. 13.19. That small mustard seede groweth to a great tree. The wisest that are, were not so at first: they were not borne wise. 1 Cor. 13.11. When I was a childe, I spake as a childe, I understood as a childe. Saint Paul himselfe was once a childe: why should we despaire of getting knowledge, when wee see those now to bee wise men, whom wee once remember to have beene little Children. It is a happy thing to beginne well: the entrance is ever the hardest. Ierom. The first liquour seasons the vessell for a long time after. Lam. 3.27. It is good for a man to beare Gods yoke even from his infancy. It is but a politicke tricke of the Divell to discourage early holinesse: he that goes out betimes in the morning, is more like to dispatch his journey, than he that lingers till the day be spent. Luk. 2.46. Christ even in his childehood frequented the Temple: while children of that age were playing in the streets, he was found in Gods house: not to gaze on the glorious building, or golden candlestickes, but to heare the Doctors. In all his examples hee meant our instruction: this pious act of his minority, intended to lead our first yeeres into a timely devotion. Having begunne well, let us continue: 2 Tim 31.5 Timothy from a childe knew the holy Scriptures: yet Saint Paul chargeth him to 1 Tim. 4.13. give attendance to reading. We must not looke to be perfect at once: non nascimur senes. Wee may be hopefull sprigges at our planting, we cannot bee tall trees without growing. But the Spring shewes what we may hope for in Summer: and if the proofe of the latter doe not answere the hope of the former, there is a fault somewhere. Our most blessed Saviour submitted himselfe to this condition of nature: hee would Luk. 2.52. grow by degrees. If his perfection had at first shewed it selfe without warning to the world, it might have beene entertained with more wonder, than beleefe: now he gives them a taste, and prepares their faith with a fore-expectation. If the Sunne in the morning should rise in his full strength and glory, hee would dazzle our eyes: But having the day-starre to goe before him, and the lively colours of the dawning day to publish his approch; the eye is comforted, not hurt by his appearance. Before he was called to the publike function of a teacher, he contents himselfe to be a diligent hearer: He askes questions, that could have taught the greatest Rabbins divine mysteries. Yet so did his wisedome conceale it selfe, that withall it would be knowne to be there. O that our yong students would fixe their eyes upon Christ in his nonage; and behold him in the lowly sphere of the auditors; not in the eminent Pulpits of the Doctors. He that could have taught the Angells, listens to the voice of mortalls. We have those that will needs runne as soone as they can goe; and dare venture upon some mysticall probleme, before they have learnt their Catechisme. The wiser Athenians were of another minde; for the more they knew, the lesse opinion they had of their owne knowledge: Insomuch that they fell from that honourable name of Philosophi, given them in the beginning, downe to Idiotae: contenting themselves with the title of meere Idiots.

And indeede the more knowledge wee have, the more wee feele the want of it: and where there is a conceit of sufficiency, wee may have a shrewd mistrust of emptinesse. There is a base and ignoble knowledge, whose object is onely wealth and honour. Not that but I would have Christians, together with the simplicity of the Dove, to get so much of the wisedome of the Serpent, as to keepe themselves from being coozened. But ista non oportet discere, sed didicisse. No matter for encreasing this knowledge: it will grow fast enough. There is a more base and brutish knowledge, which is cunning onely in the satisfying our sensuall desires. But as one said of rimers; hee is a foole that cannot make a ballad, and hee is a more foole that does make a ballad. So is hee no wise man that knowes not how to feede his owne carnall appetite; but he is more unwise and wicked too, that does feede it. This is a knowledge that would bee unlearned: These sciences grow in us too fast: and if these weedes bee not rooted up, they will hinder the growth of that knowledge which can onely save us. But in the knowledge of Christ let us still bee growing: Let every judgement wee see, make us wiser in the feare of God: and every mercy wee feele, wiser in the love of God: and let us depart from every Sermon, wiser in the Grace of God than wee came. This is to grow in the knowledge of Christ: and as hee Esa. 53.11. By his knowledge doth justifie many, so wee by our knowledge shall get assurance, that wee are justified by him? To make some profitable use of all this to our selves.

1. It teacheth us to content our hearts with no common measure of saving knowledge, but to labour for a fulnesse. And indeede it were a shame for us, that have so long and often brought our vessels to the living Fountaine of GODS Word, if they should not bee full. Let us, Colossians 1.9. Bee filled with the knowledge of his Will, in all wisedome and spirituall understanding. Doe wee live in the Sunne-shine, and yet remaine in darkenesse? If wee were not glutted with this holy foode, how could wee finde any rellish in worldly fruites? But Hee that is full, despiseth an honey-combe. And what are wee full of? An opinion of knowledge, like bladders with winde, or some vessells with barme. There is a great deale of windy, barmy, frothy curiosities that fill us: but in respect of any noble, precious, and soveraigne liquour, wee are emptie caskes. And wee have all the properties of emptye vessells.

Vessells are made to keepe good and usefull moysture: For want of which repletion, they sucke in Aire, which will soone corrupt and putrifie. Our hearts are caskes for the water of Life; If that precious liquour doe not fill them, vanity will: and what is vanity, but emptinesse.

Empty vessells are deceitfull: men come thinking to draw some good out of them, and there is no good in them. 2. Pet. 2.17. Fontes sine aqua. Such houses we have in England, which in just derision we call Mocke-beggars. The poore come to their gates for releefe, and there is neither food nor charitie at home. Emptynes is the furniture of all the roomes. Nay, doe we not find full pockets, and empty hearts? Rich churles as dry as kexes; out of whom no prayers or teares of widowes and orphans can wring one droppell of comfort?

Empty vessells will never sincke to the bottome: cast them upon the waters, and they swimme on the toppe; such is the lightnes of their bodies. The word of Grace, the Gospell, is compared to a Reu. 22.1. River, and that of the water of life: our common hearts are like empty vessells throwne into this comfortable streame: but not one drop of water gets into them. They lie swimming on the face of the waters, and so let in some swimming notions into their braines: but down to the bottome they dive not, whereby they might be filled with saving knowledge.

Empty vessells make alwayes the lowdest sound: the lesse vertue, the greater report. Deepe rivers passe away in silence: profound knowledge sayes little: But what a murmur and bubbling, yea somtimes what a roaring doe they make in the shallowes? The full vessell gives you a soft answere, but sound liquour. Samson slew a Lyon, but he made no words of it: the greatest talkers are the least doers. As when a Rabbi, little learned, and lesse modest, usurped all the discourse at table; one much admiring him, asked his friend in private, whether he did not take such a man for great scholar: to whom he plainely answered, For ought I know he may be learned, but I never heard learning make such a noise, Religion is much heard of in our words, but it is little seene in our workes. We have busy tongues, but lazy hands: and this argues but vaine hearts: we may bee still empty vessells. When a modest man gave thankes to God with a submisse and low voice, and impudent criticall gallant found fault with him that hee said grace no lowder: but hee gave him a bitter replye: Make mee but a foole, and I shall speake as lowd as you; but that will marre the grace quite. By their unseasonable noise, men are knowne for empty vessells.