2 COR. 13. 5.
THere remain more advantages, which will accrew to a Christian, that besides a general notion-knowledge hath a practical and experimental discovery of grace in his heart.
First, He will enjoy the sweetness and benefit of the Ordinances, which men of parts1 and gifts only do not. How many are there who in our Church-administrations are like old Barzillai that had lost his taste and hearing, and so cared not for Davids feasts and musick? David, Psa. 19. preferreth Gods Word in sweetnesse above the honey and honey-comb, Psal. 84. is spent in admiring the loveliness and beauty of Gods Ordinances: Now (alas) a man without the experimental work of grace upon his soul, can no more be affected with these, then a blinde man with colours, Cant. 1. 4. Because of thy ointment poured forth, therefore the virgins love thee; Christ in his Ordinances doth as Mary, Open a box of ointment, which diffeseth a spiritual savour in Church-Assemblies to the godly, and this only the experimental Christian feels. Chrysostom sometimes in his Sermons speaking of the more hidden and choice principles of the Christian Religion, useth this phrase, Sciunt initiati quid dico, Those that are initiated or admitted into our mysteries know what I mean. Thus also may the Ministers of God, preaching either of the bitterness of sinne, the sadness of spiritual desertions, or the fulness of Christ, the sweetness of his fellowship and communion, say, The practised, exercised Christian knoweth what I mean; formal customary Christians are strangers unto that vertue and efficacy which is communicated in spiritual Ordinances. Cant. 4. 12. The Church is compared to a garden shut up, a fountain sealed, which is to be understood not only in respect of the defence and protection God vouchsafeth his Church, that none can destroy her; but also, because strangers and wicked men are not able to drink of her delicacies, or smell of her sweetness. A spiritual Sermon is a Fountain sealed up, the spiritual administration of a Sacrament, is a Garden inclosed; formal notional Christians understand not, or perceive the full sweetness thereof. There were many people in a throng and croud about our Saviour, but the infirm woman onely, felt efficacy come from him: so many may attend the Ordinances, frequent the Assemblies, but some few only finde the inward power of Christ derived unto their souls: As therefore Thomas, though upon an ill ground, said, He would not believe Christ to be risen, unlesse he saw his wounds, and put his fingers into them: So neither do thou believe thy estate to be good and sound, unlesse thou mayest see and feel the efficacy of Christ in his Ordinances upon thee. Austin speaks2 experimentally of this fatness and sweetness in Gods Ordinances, Aliquando intromittis me Domine in affectum multum inusitntum introrsus, ad nescio quam dulcedinem, quae si perficiatur in me, nescio quid erit, quod vita ista non erit.
Secondly, By this practical knowledge and exercise thou wilt be taken off from3 all needlesse and vain disputations in matters of Religion, and wilt be more solicitous at home in thy own heart. In former times when the people of God were busie about the touch stone and trial of grace in themselves, they did not launch out into such deep and unprofitable Questions, but now of late since believers have busied themselves in disputes and controversies, and new opinions, this practical knowledge of grace is much neglected, you shall finde men sooner disputing about faith then living by faith, talking of heavenly-mindednesse then being so indeed. Thus the trees in Gods garden sprout up into suckers and barren boughs, and bear little fruit upon them, 1 Tim. 6. 4. The Apostle doth excellently describe such a temper, he cals it Doting about Questions, or as it is in the Greek, Sick and languishing; Even as much fretting and vexation consumeth the flesh of the body, so do proud and vain affectations of new opinions pine away the soul. What is this but to think that a stone may become bread, and a serpent fish? As it is a Ministers duty to preach only those things that are profitable, The sower went out to sow good seed, not poison, or empty chaff; so it is also required of private Christians, that they do think, conferre of, and study those things only that may edifie and practically build up their souls. I would not hereby discourage an indeavour in Christians to grow in knowledge. The Apostle reproveth some for being babes, and that he could not speak unto them as spiritual but as carnal, only they must know, that faith hath efficacious purifying acts as well as knowing acts, and therefore our increase must be equal both quoad notitiam, and efficaciam, in respect of knowledge and efficacy also. A Christian may grow either Quoad amplitudinem scientiae or efficaciam scientiae, the inlargement of his knowledge both in respect of the matter, he may know more things then he did, as also in the manner, more clearly, evidently and firmly then he did, or else in the efficacy of his knowledg, though he do not more things then he did, yet he knoweth them more practically, they have a greater influence upon his heart and affections, they move and inflame him more then ever they did; now though the former way of increase be necessary and pleasing to God, yet this is much more. Take heed then that we be not like Pharaohs lean Kine, that devour many Questions, but yet are as starved and ill-favoured as before. When one came with a curious Question to our Saviour, asking him, Whether many should be saved? How pertinently doth our Saviour answer him, Strive to enter in at the strait gate. This therefore discovers the necessity of importunate pressing and urging practical knowledge upon people in these dayes, Ubi malunt homines disputare quàm vivere, they had rather argue then live. As little boyes in sport strive who shall strike most sparks out of their iron, not intending to kindle thereby for their use, so do Christians strive who shall strike out the most subtil and finest spun notions, not intending the profit of their souls therein.