The divine life in three treatises

Doct. The Knowledge of the only true God, and of Jesus Christ the Mediator, is the Life of Grace, and the necessary way to the life of Glory.

Doct. THe Knowledge of the only true God, and of Jesus Christ the Mediator, is the Life of Grace, and the necessary way to the life of Glory.

As James distinguisheth between such a dead faith as Devils and wicked men had, and such a living and working faith as was proper to the justified; so must we here of the Knowledge of God. Many profess that they know God, but in works they deny him, being abominable and disobedient, and to every good work reprobate, Tit. 1. 16. There is a form of knowledge which the unbelievers had, Rom. 2. 22. and a knowledge which puffeth up, and is void of Love, which hypocrites have, 1 Cor. 8. 1. & 13. But no man (spiritually) knoweth the things of God, but by the spirit. And they that rightly know his name, will put their trust in him, Psal. 9 10. Thus he giveth the regenerate a heart to know him, Jer. 24. 7. and the new creature is renewed in knowledge, Col. 3. 10. And vengeance shall be poured out on them that know not God, 2 Thes. 1. 8.

This saving Knowledge of God which is Eternal Life, containeth and implieth in it all these acts. 1. The understandings apprehension of God according to the necessary articles of faith. 2. A Belief of the truth of these articles: that God is, and is such as he is therein described. 3. An high estimation of God accordingly. 4. A Volition, complacency or Love to him as God, the chiefest Good. 5. A Desiring after him. 6. A Choosing him, with the rejection of all competitors. 7. A Consent that he be our God, and a giving up our selves to him as his people. 8. An intending him as our Ultimate End in the use of means, in the course of our Conversations. 9. A seeking him in the choice and use of means. 10. An obeying him as our Sovereign