The next thing I observe briefly is, that
THE church's riches. 517
Doct. 5. This fjrace must be known.
Saitli the apostle here, ' You know the gi'ace of our Lord Jesus Christ.' A man may know his riches, ho may know his interest in Christ. The apostle useth it here as an argument to persuade them to good -works. That that is used as an argument must he known before the thing can be persuaded. A thing cannot be made light by that which is darker than itself. But the apostle here useth this as an argument, ' You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,' so that these truths are taken for granted, that all grace comes by the poverty of Christ. And then, that we may know ourselves to be interested in it, that Christ's poverty was for us. A man that is a true Christian may know his share and interest in the grace of Christ, or else how should he be persuaded by this as an argument if he know it not ? Or how shall he be comfortable except he know that he hath interest in Christ ? It may be known out of the Scriptures, as a histoiy, that Christ is gracious for matter of fact. The devils know it as well as we ; and Judas knew it. But he speaks here of a knowledge with interest. You know it by experience ; ' the Spirit witnesseth to your spirits ' 80 much, that Christ gave himself for you. I know the grace of Christ as mine, as belonging to me, as if there were no man in the world besides. And as this knowledge is with interest, so it stirs up to do.* All other knowledge but knowledge with interest may stand with desperation ; and what good will it do to know in general that Christ came to save sinners, and yet go to hell for ail that ? It is the knowledge that applies Christ in particular that saves a man ; that knowledge that determines the general to my own person. Therefore we must labour lor this. Christ was poor for me ; 'he loved me and gave himself /or mc,' Gal. ii. 20. The love and free grace of Christ, it may and it ought to be known. ' We ought to give all diligence to make our calling and election sure,' 2 Peter i. 10. It may be known, but it cannot be known without a great deal of diligence and self-denial. This knowledge is a super-added grace. It is one thing to be a sound Christian, and another thing to Imow it. A man cannot know it by reflection, but he must first be good in exercise ; he must find grace working, he must give all diligence to make his calling and election sure to him. It may be sure in itself, but it cannot be sure to him without diligence. Therefore those that know their estate in grace, they are fruit- ful, growing, careful, watchful Christians.
It is no wonder that in these secure times, if we ask many whether they know themselves to be in the state of grace upon sound grounds, they wish well, and they have many doubtings. There are many that have the seeds and the work of grace in them, but the times are so secure, that they know it not. Usually it is made known to us in the worst times, either in the time of aifiiction, and temptation, and trial, or after, when we have ' fought the good fight,' 1 Tim. vi. 12, and overcome om- corruptions. *To him that overcometh will I give of the hidden manna,' Rev. ii. 17 ; that is, he shall have a sweet sense of Christ to be manna, to be bread of life to him, to him that conflicts and gets the victory over his corruptions. The reason why many feel not that sweet comfort from the ' grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,' it is because either they do not conflict with their base cor- ruptions, or if they do strive, they get but a little ground of them.
And let us take heed of that cold and injurious conceit,! as if it were a thing not to be known whether we belong to Christ or no. What ! Do
* The word here is ' due.' Qu. ' do ' or ' duty '? — G. "J" That is, ' conception,' idea, = opinion. — G.
618 THE church's riches.
wo think that Christ would come in the flesh and become poor, nay, become a cnrse I'or us, and that he is now in licaven for us, and all that we should doubt whether we be in his love or no, and that we should not labour to lind our portion in that love ? What a wrong is this to the gi'ace of Christ. Is not all his dealing towards us that we might be joyful in ourselves, and thankful and fruitful to him ; and how can this be without some knowledge that our state is good ? How can we live well and die comfortabl}' without it ? Therefore let us make it the main scope and aim of our endeavour. Oh, the happiness of that Christian that is good, and Imo\YS himself to be so ! "What in this world can fall very uncomfortably to such a man ? Nothing in the world can take down his courage much ; whereas another man that doubts of this can never be comfortable in any condition : he cannot be joyful and thankful in prosperity ; he cannot bo comfortable in adversity, for he knows not from what ground this comes, whether it be in love to him or no.