Which also the more Serious to this Day do acknowledge, even all such who satisfy themselves not with the Superficies of Religion, and use it not as a Cover or Art. Yea, all those who apply themselves effectually to Christianity, and are not satisfied until they have found its effectual Work upon their Hearts, redeeming them from Sin, do feel that no Knowledge effectually prevails to the producing of this, but that which proceeds from the warm Influence of God’s Spirit upon the Heart, and from the comfortable Shining of his Light upon their Understanding.Dr. Smith of Cambridge, concerning Book-Divinity.And therefore to this Purpose a modern Author, viz. Dr. Smith of Cambridge, in his Select Discourses, saith well; “To seek our Divinity merely in Books and Writings, is to seek the Living among the Dead. We do but in vain many Times seek God in these, where his Truth is too often not so much Enshrined as Entombed. Intra te quære Deum, Seek God within thine own Soul: He is best discerned [Greek: noera epaphê: νοερα επαφη] (as Plotinus phrased it) by an Intellectual Touch of him. We must see with our Eyes, and hear with our Ears, and our Hands must handle the Word of Life (to express it in St. John’s Words) [Greek: hoti tês psychês aisthêsis: ὁτι της ψυχης αισθησις], &c. The Soul itself hath its Sense, as well as the Body. And therefore, David, when he would teach us to know what the Divine Goodness is, calls not for Speculation, but Sensation: Taste, and see how good the Lord is. That is not the best and truest Knowledge of God, which is wrought out by the Labour and Sweat of the Brain, but that which is kindled within us, by an heavenly Warmth in our Hearts. And again: There is a Knowing of the Truth, as it is in Jesus, as it is in a Christ-like Nature; as it is in that sweet, mild, humble, and loving Spirit of Jesus, which spreads itself, like a Morning Sun, upon the Souls of good Men, full of Light and Life. It profits little to know Christ himself after the Flesh; but he gives his Spirit to good Men, that searcheth the deep things of God. And again: It is but a thin airy Knowledge, that is got by mere Speculation, which is ushered in by Syllogisms and Demonstrations; but that which springs forth from true Goodness, is [Greek: theioteron ti pasês hypodeixeôs: θειοτερον τι πασης ὑποδειξεως] (as Origen speaketh) It brings such a Divine Light into the Soul, as is more clear and convincing than any Demonstration.”
§. III.
By Revelation is the true Knowledge of God.If those therefore who have all the other Means of Knowledge, and are sufficiently Learned therein, whether it be the Letter of the Scripture, the Traditions of Churches, or the Works of Creation and Providence, whence they are able to deduce strong and undeniable Arguments (which may be true in themselves) are not yet to be esteemed Christians, according to the certain and infallible Definition above-mentioned; and if the inward and immediate Revelation of God’s Spirit in the Heart, in such as have been altogether ignorant of some, and but very little skilled in others, of these Means of attaining Knowledge, hath brought them to Salvation; then it will necessarily and evidently follow, that Inward and Immediate Revelation is the only sure and certain Way to attain the true and saving Knowledge of God.
But the first is true: Therefore the last.
Now as this Argument doth very strongly conclude for this Way of Knowledge, and against such as deny it; so in this Respect it is the more to be regarded, as the Propositions, from which it is deduced, are so clear, that our very Adversaries cannot deny them. For as to the first, it is acknowledged, that many Learned Men may be, and have been, damned. And as to the second, who will deny but many illiterate Men may be, and are, saved? Abel, Seth, Noah, &c. instanced.Nor dare any affirm, that none come to the Knowledge of God and Salvation by the inward Revelation of the Spirit, without these other outward Means; unless they be also so bold as to exclude Abel, Seth, Noah, Abraham, Job, and all the holy Patriarchs from true Knowledge and Salvation.
§. IV.
The Sum then of what is said amounts to this, That where the true Inward Knowledge of God is, through the Revelation of his Spirit, there is all; neither is there an absolute Necessity of any other. But where the best, highest, and most profound Knowledge is, without this there is nothing, as to the obtaining the great End of Salvation. This Truth is very effectually confirmed by the first Part of the Proposition itself, which in few Words comprehendeth divers unquestionable Arguments, which I shall in brief subsume.
I.First, That there is no Knowledge of the Father but by the Son.
II.Secondly, That there is no Knowledge of the Son, but by the Spirit.