Chapter VIII
That there is a vast difference between the knowledge of a man unregenerate, and
that which a holy soul hath of spiritual things. It is demonstrated, and the causes of it assigned.
We must search out some greater and more distinguishing difference be tween the knowledge which unregenerate men have of spiritual things and that of the regenerate, than any before mentioned. We must find out such a difference as may make it appear, that though an unregenerate man know never so much, whether speculatively or practically, yet there is a knowledge of both these sorts in one sanctifyingly enlightened, which he utterly wants. We must inquire out that there is a difference even in their speculation of
spiritual things, as well as in the working or practical knowledge, and that a new habit and principle of regeneration must be infused into our understand
ings to produce true knowledge in both kinds.
1. As to the speculative knowledge, that there is a difference, I demonstrate VOL. X. T,
162 AN UNREGENERATE MAN S GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BOOK III.
thus, and withal assign the causes of it. Where there is a different represen tation of the thing to be known, there is a different knowledge of that thing. For example, if a man be represented to us but in his picture, though never
so lively, or if we have a description of his good conditions but by hearsay
only, it is a faint, dead knowledge, and vastly different from what we have when we behold and are acquainted with the man himself, as we all see by
experience. And there is a plain reason of it, for the cause by which we come
to have the knowledge of things is this, that there is a likeness, a similitude, a resemblance, and image of the thing which we know brought to our minds, and imprinted there ; as it is thus in seeing things, so in knowing too. Now,
therefore, as those resemblances, species, and shapes of things formed and drawn in our minds do differ, so must our knowledge also. But the image or resemblance of the man, which my mind takes of him when I see himself and am acquainted with him, is of another kind from that which my mind took of him when I saw but his picture, or heard him described by another, the one being called species propria, his own proper representation, the other
species aliena, a foreign and borrowed one. To apply this, then, to the pur pose in hand ; such and so great a difference is there between a regenerate man s knowing and viewing spiritual things, and an unregenerate man s
knowing them, though he be never so much enlightened, for the images, the
likenesses, the resemblances, the representations of them do differ in this manner before said. For the ideas or images, which in a regenerate man s
understanding be formed and fashioned, are taken, and begotten from the pre
sence, real representation, and sense of the things themselves as really, truly in their native proper being, and spiritual hue, and shape presented to them, as things bodily are to the eyes of your bodies ; which they are not to any
unregenerate man in the world ; but the most enlightened among them have them only by hearsay, or by some exact picture drawn of them. So God in
his holiness and purity was at first known to Job only by what he had heard of it, but afterward by his own sight
: Job xlii. 5, I have heard of
thee by the hearing of the ear ; but now mine eye seeth thee. It was not
a knowledge engendered barely by hearsay, but by God s revealing his face, and the beauty of his holiness to him, which humbled him. God also, in
his fatherly love and kindness in Christ, is only thus known : John vi. 45,
46, It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God.
Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, conaeth unto me. Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father. No man hath seen the Father but he who is of
God, i.e. who is regenerate, and taught by him. And such a real represen tation of those deep thoughts of God in pardoning as a Father, those bowels
of mercy hanging out in him, a natural man never saw as the regenerate do. Thus also Jesus Christ and his righteousness, which is his glory, are repre sented in a real true manner to a believer : 2 Cor. iii. 18, But we all with
open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into
the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. It
is beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, not in a representation taken from a bare picture, but a real image of the person as that in a glass is, and which represents his glory in that manner as no picture can describe it. So
that he is said to reveal himself to a man : John xiv. 21, He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and he that
loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will mani
fest myself to him. And he is also said to dwell in our hearts by faith :
Eph. iii. 17-19, That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye
being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints
CHAP. VIII.] IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT. 163
what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, and to know the love
of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the ful
ness of God. By this means we are truly acquainted with him, and have
real communion with him, as a man hath with his friend. And as to the work of grace, a regenerate man knows it not only by hearsay, as you see the
picture of an herb in some herbal, but he beholds grace growing in the gar den of his own heart. Thus Christ, speaking of grace and regeneration in John iii., expresseth himself: ver. 11, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, we speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen, and ye receive not our witness. We testify (says he) what we know, and have seen, whenaa
temporaries see but the counterfeit of these things in their hearts. They have but a form of godliness, not the power, 2 Tim. iii. 5, and therefore know not what the real thing means ; and therefore their apprehensions of it must needs be differing from those of a believer, who sees and feels it in
himself. Now, if you would know the reason of this difference in the pro ductive causes :
1. A regenerate man hath the Spirit of God dwelling in him, which a man unregenerate hath not ; that Spirit to whom all things are continually
present, though absent from us ; and, therefore, he dwelling in the man, can
set those things before him. He who calls things that are not, as if they were, can also present to us things absent, and represent them as they are. Nor can he only do this, but also open our eyes and put a principle into us
to behold those things which he placeth bare and naked to our sight. This,
is an art peculiar to himself, which no angel nor creature can imitate. The
devil, indeed, shewed Christ the glory of the world, and fancy in men asleep paints out things to them, but still they represent not the things themselves, but only the pictures of them ; but now the Spirit of God reveals the glory of Christ as in a glass
: 2 Cor. iii. 18, Beholding as in a glass, says he, the glory of the Lord. And it is by the Spirit of the Lord this is done,, for it follows As by the Spirit of the Lord. And so God is said to reveal these things by his Spirit : 1 Cor. ii. 9-12, But, as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the
things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit
: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him ? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God ; that we might know the things that are
freely given to us of God. The things God hath prepared, justification,, adoption, sanctification, glory, all these are prepared from everlasting, which things eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor have they entered into the heart of a man, that is, a natural man, for he opposeth him to us who love
film. Now, his meaning then is, that there is such a revelation, such a
species, form, and image of these things in their minds (who love God, and have them revealed by his Spirit), as their eyes never saw, nor ever came into their minds who are natural men. That is, thespecies propria>, the true
proper images of the things they never received, however they may have them from other men s reports. Their eyes may gee them, as so described, and their ears hear them, as so reported, and they may see them too by the
pictures drawn by the Holy Ghost, and represented by him in the Word of God; for the Holy Ghost in so doing (as in enlightening of temporaries) deceives them not, as a painter doth not who draws the true picture of a man ; yet still the spiritual, living, and real manner of presenting these things to the mind the Holy Ghost vouchsafes to none but unto those who love God, and
164 AN UNREGENERATE MAN*S GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BOOK III.
so are regenerate ; it is to them and them only this favour is conferred. These
things, as to this manner of discovering them, are hid from the wise and
prudent of the world, and revealed only to babes, for to them only it pleaseth the Spirit of God to manifest them : Mat. xi. 25, 26, At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, be cause thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight. 2. A regenerate man hath a new principle of faith infused into him, which one tmregenerate wants ; and by this faith he hath a sight of spiritual things which the other hath not. It is the light of this faith which, as it gives sub
sistence to "things hoped for, Heb. xi. 1, so it elevates and helps out our
sight to see things which are otherwise invisible, which principle the unre-
generate wanting fall short in the sight of them. They, wanting this new
eye, cannot receive the real representation of them, as a sore eye cannot bear
to behold the sun in its glory. It is therefore made a difference between
believers and others, that they are able to behold with open face the glory of the Lord, which others cannot, 2 Cor. iii. 18. And to the same purpose Christ speaks, when he says that the world cannot receive the Spirit: John
xiv. 17, Even the Spirit of truth ; whom the world cannot receive, because
it seeth. him not, neither knoweth him : but ye know him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. He means as to the business of knowledge ; The world (says he)
* cannot receive him, for it seeth him not, neither knoweth him,
1 nor these his effects, nor real representations of spiritual things.
From what hath been discoursed we may make these deductions or in
ferences.
1. Then unregenerate men may truly be said to want the real knowledge of spiritual things, and to want even that true speculative or knowing know
ledge, which is to be had of them. For knowledge of a thing by hearsay, or
by the picture of it, beside that it is often subject to error and miseonceit, since the likeness which our minds frame to themselves from such represen tations proves other than the thing itself is indeed and in truth, when we come to see it ; and hence there are such misconceits and mistakings of the work of grace in unregenerate men s minds. But I say, besides this, if we could suppose the conceptions and thoughts answerable to the description
given, or the picture drawn, yet this knowledge, compared with that which a man hath when he seeth the thing itself, may be said to be no knowledge. In ordinary speech no man saith he knows a man when he hath but heard of him, and hath not seen him, nor is acquainted with him ; so, nor can they be said to know spiritual things who have seen but the pictures or descrip tions of them. For they do not know them spiritually (as the apostle says, 1 Cor. ii. 14), that is, in a manner answerable to their natures, and as they are to be known ; that is, in their native colour, and hue, and proper like
ness, so as to form such conceits in our minds of them as are homogeneal, and proportioned to the things.
2. Hence it also appears, that there is something known by a godly man
concerning spiritual things, which i-s not, nor can be known by any other, nor yet can be expressed by himself to another. And the reason of it is evi dent ; for let a man see the liveliest picture that is, and the best description, and afterward see the man so pictured or described, he then seeth some
thing which he saw not before, and something, too, which could not be pic tured nor expressed ; so that there is a difference, for something remains unknown in the thing which cannot be drawn in the picture ; as something there is fn fire which cannot be painted, viz., the heat; something in the
CHAP. VIII.] IN RESPECT OF SIN AND PUNISHMENT. 165
sun which cannot be delineated, viz. the light and glory of it, which no
colours are bright enough to resemble ; something there is in man which can be represented in no picture, viz. his soul and life ; nay,, something in
his countenance cannot be drawn, viz. some peculiar lively features ; so
that still there is something wanting in the picture which is supplied by the
sight of the thing. Now, then, answerably there is something in God, and
Christ, and in the work of grace, which all the expressions of the tongues of men and angels, all openings of Scriptures do not, and cannot make known, unless the Spirit strike in with his art, and use all these as glasses to repre sent the things to you, as he doth to the saints. The native glory of them
goes beyond expressions, which all fall short of the life ; and yet a man, who hath seen the things, can but use the like expressions, if he would go about to describe them (which expressions, one who hath not seen the
things, may use as well as he), but yet he knows more than he can express. Now, therefore, if it be asked (as often it is), Is there so great a difference between one knowledge and the other ? why
! then express it to us, let us hear distinctly what it is ; what is it you see, which we do not ? what have you apprehensions of, which we are not able to conceive, as well
as you ? To this what answer can a regenerate man make, for he seeth what cannot be painted or described, and therefore to make it known to the other man, he must lend him his eyes, for nothing else will be able to make him see it ; as, for example, there are two talking about a country, whereof the one hath seen a map of it, knows its situation, fashion of things, cus
toms, &c., or hath heard all these described as fully as can be expressed ; the other hath travelled through the country, and seen all its cities, cus
toms, and fashions with his own eyes. If he that never travelled should
say, what is it you know which I know not ? the traveller is able to express nothing to him which he hath not heard, and is able to relate ; but yet that
traveller is very well assured that there is a great deal of difference between
his knowledge and what the other hath, and that he knows something which the other doth not, nor can know, unless he went into the country as he hath done. Thus also a man hath heard a lesson in music, which he may prick out to another, with all the grounds of it, but yet unless he hath heard the tune sung, which another man hath, there is something of which he is
ignorant about the music of it, which that other man knows, which yet he cannot express to him. Thus, likewise in spiritual matters, there is a new name given which none knows but he who receives it, Rev. ii. 1 8 ; that is, there is something in it which he cannot express to another, for if he could, then that other might know as well as he. And thus, too, when the apostle, 1 Cor. ii. 14, 15, speaks of this differing knowledge, the spiritual man,
l discerneth all things, and is discerned of none; that is, what he knows none can enter into the secret of. He knows all that others can, but what he knows further, they cannot, nor can he express.
says he,
3. Hence it comes to pass, that the knowledge which a godly man hath
of spiritual things is an evident, infallible, satisfying knowledge, but it is not
so in others.
(1.) It is evident, because he sees the things themselves, which leaves a
true living likeness of themselves in the mind. Faith, therefore, being the
subsistence of things hoped for, is also the evidence of things not seen, Heb.
xi. 1. The sight, then, of a real true thing leaves an evidence behind it
that it is true. Christ having a real true body appeals to the judgment of the senses to testify that it was so. What though a man s eye may be deceived by apparitions, and in dreams things are so lively painted out in our fancies, that men think they see, and hear, and eat ? yet this prejudiceth not, but
166 AN UNREGENERATE MAN S GUILTINESS BEFORE GOD, [BOOK III.
that a man who eats true meat knows infallibly he is not deceived. Sure I am, says the man born blind (when his eyes were opened), John ix. 25, that whereas I was blind, now I see. Other men may think spiritual things to be true, because of their fine and exact coherence, and the whole
system of them is so fair a story ; but a godly man knows them to be true, and gives a certain infallible assent to the story, whereof he is an eye-wit ness, for he sees the things done and acted in his own heart : 1 John v. 20, And we know the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understand
ing, that we may know him that is true : and we are in him that is true, even
in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life ; 1 John
ii. 3, 4, And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his com mandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his command
ments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him ; and you have (says the
apostle) Christ crucified before your eyes, Gal. iii. 1.
(2.) It is a satisfying knowledge. When a man sees but pictures of
things, or but by hearsay, the mind is not satisfied, but desires to see fur
ther, as the queen of Sheba did, when she heard of Solomon s wisdom, 1 Kings x. 1, 6, 7 ; one who hath seen but the pictures of anatomy is not contented till he sees a real body cut up ; one who sees a country described,
is not satisfied in his knowledge till he hath travelled through it. When a man sees the things, then, and not till then, doth his mind rest satisfied. Though he may desire indeed to see more about them, yet he is satisfied
that this is the true thing itself which he sees and knows, he is assured that
grace can be no other thing than what he sees and feels it to be. And
though he may come to have greater degrees of knowledge, and to see more
into it, yet still he shall find it to be no other thing than what at present he
apprehends it to be. So then he seeth into the farthest end and meaning of the word of truth, which another doth not : 2 Cor. iii. 13, And not as
Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not
stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished.