[2.] To know signifieth to consider. This is also necessary, be- cause all knowledge is improved by consideration, without which it is but as ignorance or oblivion at the best, till consideration doth awaken it. Certainly it can have no efficacy upon us, breed no delight and hope in us. A transient view doth not acquaint us with things as serious meditation ; the truth lieth by unimproved ; as a man that passeth us by occasionally knoweth us not so much as he that doth intimately converse with us. Therefore, if we would improve our knowledge, excite the soul to its act of faith and choice, there must be consideration. We are bid to consider the Lord Jesus, Heb. iii. 1 ; to give heed to the gospel, Heb. ii. 1, to consider its worth and certainty. The schoolmen have a distinction, certitudo cognitionis seu specidationis, and certitudo adhcesionis ; the former lieth only in a clearness of the mind, the last in its power upon the affec- tions and the will. The object rightly propounded produceth the former from the understanding, not expecting the consent of the will ; the latter followeth imperium et consensum voluntatis, the command and consent of the will. The former ariseth from the evidence of the tiling ; the latter from the worth, weight, and greatness of the thing, the gospel truth. Of this latter sort we read, 1 Tim. i. 15, ' This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief ; ' and there- fore must not only be apprehended, but seriously considered by us, that we may adhere to it with all our hearts. Though illumination is helped by contemplation, yet much more the latter, where firm adherence is expected. Men may apprehend the truth of things, when corrupt
120 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SER. CLXX.
affections and a perverse will keep them from closing with tliem ; but when a man so knows a thing as to consider it both his duty and inte- rest to close wTith the goodness and truth of it, then doth he rightly know it.
[3.] To know signifieth assent and firm believing ; as John xvii. 8, ' They have known surely, dXrjOw, that I came out from thee.' So Acts ii. 3G, ' Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, aacfiaXm, that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye crucified both Lord and Christ ; ' to know it so as they might safely build upon it. This is mainly necessary, considering the many temptations and assaults that we shall meet with to shake us ; this assent must be very strong, well rooted and built upon sure ground. And because it doth not consist in puncto, it must be always growing, Mark ix. 24, ' Lord,
1 believe ; help thou my unbelief ; ' till it grow up to the certainty of the thing on which it is built. There is an objective certainty in things that is beyond that subjective certainty in persons about them ; but because it is built on divine revelation, or God's testimonies, we should still increase in it.
2. Whence we know it, there is the difficulty. The doubt will not lie here, whether God's testimonies be of everlasting verity, but how we shall know them to be God's testimonies. For it is per se notitm, that God is true, that he cannot lie, or give a false testimony : 1 John v. 9, ' If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater.' But how doth it appear this is God's testimony ? for that word that is propounded to be believed as such, cannot be perceived easily, neither is it known of itself to the understanding, neither is it demonstrable by evident reasons as to make infallible conclusions. The word's giving testimony of itself doth not solve it ; indeed one part may give testi- mony to another, and one revelation be confirmed by another, as the New Testament giveth witness to the Old, and confirmeth its autho- rity ; but how shall we know that to be God's testimony ? I answer, we have it —
[1.] Partly from the self-evidencing light of the scriptures them- selves ; they have passed God's hand, and have his signature upon them, as all his works make out their author. There are characters of his wisdom, power, goodness, and holiness impressed upon them :
2 Cor. iv. 2-4, ' By manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God : but if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost : in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.' The gospel being the result of God's wisdom, and suited to the heart of man, for whose use it was calculated, it hath something in itself to commend it to our consciences. It cannot be imagined that the hand of God should pass upon anything, and there should be nothing of his character left on it to show it came from God. Look upon any fly or gnat, any flower of the field or pile of grass, and you may see some impressions to discover the author of them. So certainly if God shall set himself to write a book, or set forth a frame of doctrine to do man good, surely he hath discovered his wisdom and holiness and grace therein, and that in plain and legible characters, that, if