1. Experience giveth us a more intimate knowledge of things. While we know things by hearsay, we know them only by guess and imagina- tion ; but when we know them by experience, we know them in truth ; as he that readeth of the sweetness of honey may guess at it, but he that hath tasted of honey better knoweth what it is : Col. i. 6, ' Since the day that ye knew the grace of God in truth ; ' that is, knew it indeed, and by sensible experience. Our understandings are much advanced by knowing the same truths more experimentally than we did before; it is a more satisfactory manner of knowledge. A man that has travelled through a country knows it better than he that knoweth it only by a map. When we have tasted of the sweetness of the promise, and pardon of sin, and peace with God, and hopes of glory ; when we have lived awhile in communion with Christ, or the love of his people, or walked with God in a heavenly conversation, it is another thing than it was before.
2. Experience giveth a greater confirmation of the truth. Optima
VER. 10.] SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. 53
demonstratio est a sensibus — Sense giveth us the most sure and in- fallible knowledge of things. A man needeth no reason to convince him that fire is hot who hath been scorched, or that weather is cold who feeleth it in his fingers ; so when the promises of God are made good to us, and verified in our experience, we see that there is more than letters and syllables : Ps. xviii. 30, ' The word of the Lord is a tried word ; he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.' So when the fruits and effects of the gospel are accomplished in us, and we have the impression and stamp of it upon our own hearts, it is past contra- diction but that this is true : 1 Cor. i. 6, ' Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you.' It was confirmed among them by miracles, but within them by the gifts and graces of the Spirit : John viii. 32, ' Then shall ye know the truth, and the truth shall make you free ; ' John xvii. 17, ' Sanctify them through thy truth ; thy word is truth.' When God hath blessed his word to free us from the bondage of sin and to cleanse and sanctify our hearts, that we may live in love to God, and all purity and holiness to his glory, you find it to be a powerful word, a word which God hath owned, by accompanying it by his Spirit. So 1 Thes. i. 5, ' For our gospel came not to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in ranch assurance.' That doctrine is certainly owned by God, and blessed to the conviction, conversion, and salvation of many souls, and therefore our assent is stronger. You cannot persuade men against their own sense. They that have felt the power of the Spirit inclining them to God and heavenly things have found the admirable effects which bare specula- tion could not discover to them in order to faith, certainty, and close adherence ; their hearts are confirmed.
3. Experience giveth us greater excitement to the love of Christ and his ways ; for though love be built upon the proper reasons of love, yet it is increased by experience. The proper reasons of love are necessity, excellency, and propriety ; yet experience addeth a force to all these. And therefore it is said, Phil. i. 9, ' This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in all knowledge and judgment.' The word, ev aladrjcrci, signifieth spiritual sense or experimental know- ledge. This doth increase the love of Christ in us : the more we feel the necessity of Christ, and know his usefulness and excellency in binding up our broken hearts, and subduing our carnal affections, the more shall we love him, as being appointed a saviour for us, to relieve our necessities, and procure blessings for us. When Christ doth heal our diseases, remove our anguish, sanctify our natures, give us the promised help in temptations, relieve us in our distresses, and bridle our corruptions, then we know that he is ours ; and so far as propriety conduceth to increase love, we have the more reason to love him. Now that is a notable enforcement : Gal. ii. 20, ' I live by the faith of the Son of God, who hath loved me, and gave himself for me ; ' 1 John iv. 19, ' We love him, because he loved us first.' We may know the truth of the gospel by other means, but we cannot know that it be- longeth to us by any other means. The grace of the gospel remaineth where it was, in the hands of Christ, and the conditional offers of the gospel, till it be applied and brought into our hearts, and we are in part put in possession of it by the Spirit of sanctification ; and when this is done, we know our interest, and so our sanctifier becometh our
54 SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. [SER. VI.