A man that hath that experimental knowledge that accompanies salvation, will from his experience tell you, that sin is the greatest evil in the world, for he hath found it so, Rom. vii. ; that Christ is the one thing necessary, for he hath found him so, Ps. xxvii. 4 ; that the favour of God is better than life, for he hath found it so, Ps. Ixiii. 3 ; that par- doning mercy only makes a man happy, for he hath found it so, Ps-. xxxii. 1, 2 ; that a wounded spirit is such a burden that none can bear, for he hath found it so, Prov. xviii. 14 ; that an humble and a broken heart is an acceptable sacrifice to God, for he hath found it so; Ps. li. 17 ; that the promises are precious pearls, for he hath found them so, 2 Peter i 4 ; that the smiles of God will make up the want of any outward mercy, for he hath found it so, Ps. iv. 6, 7 ; that communion with God can only make a heaven in a believer's heart, for he hath found it so, Ps. xlviii. 10 ; that if the Spirit be pleased and obeyed, he will be a com- forter to the soul, for he hath found it so, John xvi. 7 ; but if his motions and laws be slighted and neglected, he will stand far off from the soul, he will vex and gall the soul. Lam. i. 16, Isa. Ixiii, 10, 11. Well ! souls, remember this, that knowledge that is not experimental will never turn to your account, it will only increase your guilt and torment, as it did the Scribes' and Pharisees'. What advantage had the men of the old world, by their knowing that there was an ark, or by their clambering about the ark, when they were shut out and drowned in the flood ! What doth it profit a man to see heaps of jewels and pearls, and moun- tains of gold and silver, when he is moneyless and penniless ? It is rather a torment than a comfort to know that there is a pardon for other malefactors, but none for me ; that there is bread for such and such hungry souLs, but none for me ; that there is water and wine to cheer, comfort, and refresh such and such, but not a sip, a drop, for me ; my bottle is empty, and I may die for thirst, whilst others are drinking at the fountain-head ; that there is houses and clothes to shelter such and such from colds, storms, and tempests, whilst I lie naked with Lazarus at Dives's door, exposed to the misery of all weathers. This kind of knowledge doth rather torment men than comfort them, it does but add fuel to the fire, and make their hell the hotter. The knowledge that devils and apostates have of God, Christ, and the Scriptures, &c., being only notional, is so far from being a comfort to them, that it is ^ What is the scholar's knowledge of the strengtl^, riches, glories, and sweetness o^ far dountries, obtained by maps and books, to their knowledge that daily see and enjoy those things ?
' Surgunt indoeti et caelum rapiunt, et nos cum doctrinis [nosiris, tine corde, ecce ubi volu- tatnur in came et sanguinel detrudimur in Gehennam. — Augustine. [Conf. b. viii. c. 8. — G.]
438 HEAVEN ON EARTH. [ROM. YIII. 32-34.
their greatest torment ; it is a worm that is eternally gnawing them, it makes them ten thousand times more miserable than otherwise they would be.^ They are still a-crying out, Oh that our light, our light were put out ! Oh that our knowledge, our knowledge were extin- guished ! Oh that we might but change rooms, change places with the heathens, with the barbarians, that never knew what we have known ! Oh how happy would damned devils and apostates judge themselves in hell, if they should escape with those dreadful stripes that shall be eternally laid upon the backs of fools ! Remember, reader, that a little heart-knowledge, a little experimental knowledge, is of greater efficacy and worth than the highest notions of the most acutest wits. He doth well that discourses of Christ, but he doth infinitely better that, by experimental knowledge, feeds and lives on Christ. It was not Adam's seeing, but his tasting, of forbidden fruit that made him miserable ; and it is not your seeing of Christ, but your experimental tasting of Christ, that will make you truly happy. As no knowledge will save but what is experimental, so let no knowledge satisfy you but what is experi- mental, Ps. xxxiv, 8.
(4.) The fourth 'property. That knowledge that accompanies salva- tion is a heart-affecting knowledge. It affects the heart with Christ and all spiritual things. Oh, it doth wonderfully endear Christ and the things of Christ to the soul : Cant. ii. 5, ' Stay me with flagons, and comfort me with apples, for I am sick of love.' Oh, saith the spouse, my heart is taken with Christ, it is raised and ravished with his love ; my soul is burning, my soul is beating towards Christ. Oh, none but Christ, none but Christ ! I cannot live in myself, I cannot live in my duties, I cannot live in external privileges, I cannot live in outward mercies, I cannot live in common providences ; I can live only in Christ, who is my life, my love, my joy, my crown, my all in alL^ Oh, the hearing of Christ affects me, the seeing of Christ affects me, the taste of Christ affects me, the glimmerings of Christ affects me ; the more I come to know him in his natures, in his names, in his offices, in his discoveries, in his appearances, in his beauties, the more I find my heart and affections to prize Christ, to run after Christ, to be affected with Christ, and to be wonderfully endeared to Christ, Cant. v. 10. * He is white and ruddy, the chiefest of ten thousand,' Ps. Ixxiii. 25, 26. The knowledge that she had of Christ did so affect and endear her heart to Christ, that she cannot but make use of all her rhetoric to set forth Christ in the most lovely and lively colours. Oal. vi. 14, 'God forbid that I should glory in anything, save in Christ Jesus.' Oh, God forbid that my heart should be affected or taken with anything in comparison of Christ. The more I know him, the more I like him ; the more I know him, the more I love him ; the more I know him, the more I desire him ; the more I know him, the more my heart is knit unto him. His beauty is taking, his love is ravishing, his goodness is drawing, his manifestations are enticing, and his person is enamouring. His lovely looks please me, his pleasant voice delights me, his precious Spirit comforts me, his holy word rules me ; and these things make
' James ii. 19, (p^igirevfi signifies to roar as the sea, and to tremble and shake horribly. * Plusquam mea, pluiquam meoa, plutquam me. — Bernard. CJol. iii. 3, 4. Ignatius cried out Amor meus erucifixus, my love, my love ia crucified, &c.
Rom. VIIL 32-34.] heaven on earth. 439