A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

In the knowledge of our LORD JESUS CHRIST. It is saving knowledge that takes away barrenness, and makes us fruitful in the works of obedience.^e Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? We expect this of the earth that hath only nature: and shall not God expect it of us, who have sense to govern nature, reason to govern sense, grace to govern reason, JESUS CHRIST to govern all? The knowledge of our blessed Saviour is sweet and public: now after this confessed sweetness, how bitter would that question be, if I should dispute whether this knowledge be truly in us or not? We say, we know him: but^f Hereby we know that we know him, if we keep his Commandments. And now the question grows bitterer and bitterer; from Worm-wood to Gall. Let us appeal from mens lips to their lives: he that obeys him not, knows him not, 1 Cor. 2.8. If the Princes of this world had known, they would not have crucified the LORD of Glory. If we know him, we will not again crucify our blessed Saviour; and take upon us their office, whom we so condemn; Judas his to betray him, Pilates to condemn him, the soldiers to crucify him, Heb. 10.29. ⟨p. 172⟩If he that despised Moses Law, died without mercy; what punishment is he worthy of, that treads under foot the Son of God? Profane Christians are worse than the Jews: they threw CHRIST down, but did not tread upon him: these tread under feet that sacred blood. When the Jew wounded him, out came blood: when the Gentile wounded him, out came blood and water: when the Christian shall wound him, out will come blood and fire. Paul calls Christ That Rock: when Moses smote the rock, out came water: if we strike it, out will come bloody water: not to purge us, but to judge us; at that day when we shall see him whom we have pierced. We attain that now by the Spirit of the Gospel, which we could not by the letter of the Law. The Apostle calls that a killing letter; so it was mortua, dead: and mortifera, deadly: for sin was by the Law, and death by sin. But if faith do not give us Christ, we are still under the Law; and if our obedience do not testify our faith, the Law was not more deadly than is the Gospel to us: for it enhanceth our condemnation,