A second thing that attends and accompanies that knowledge that accompanies salvation, is holy endeavours,1 to edify others, to instruct others, to enlighten, and inform others in the knowledge of spiritual and heavenly things. Heavenly light cannot be hid under a bushel; you may as easily hinder the Sun from shining, as you may hinder a gracious soul from diffusing, and spreading abroad that knowledge and light that God hath given him. Divine light in the soul is like a light ⟨p. 357⟩in a bright Lantern, that shines forth every way, or like a light in a room, or on a Beacon that gives light to others. A Christian that divinely knows, is like the Lamp in the story, that was always burning and shining, and never went out. So in Gen. 18. 17,2 19. And the Lord said, shall I hide from Abraham, that which I do; for I know him, that he will command his children, and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgement, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham, that which he hath spoken of him. He that communicates his knowledge to others, shall be both of Gods court and council; he shall lye in the bosom of God; he shall know the secrets of God. Prov. 15. 7. The lips of the wise disperse knowledge; but the heart of the foolish doth not so. The Hebrew word that is here rendered disperse, is a metaphor taken from Seedsmen's scattering abroad of their seed in the furrows of the field. Heavenly3 knowledge is very spreading and diffusive, it is like the Sun; the Sun casteth his beams upward and downward, upon good and upon bad, so ⟨p. 358⟩divine light in a gracious soul will break forth, for the advantage and profit of friends, and enemies of those that be in a state of nature, and of those that be in a state of grace. Acts 4. 18, 19, 20. And they called them, and 4commanded them not to speak at all, nor teach in the Name in Jesus. But Peter and John answered, and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto you, more then unto God, judge ye▪ For we cannot but speak the things, that we have seen and heard. The Bee doth store her Hive out of all sorts of flowers for the common benefit; so a heavenly Christian sucks sweetness out of every mercy, and every duty; out of every providence, and out of every ordinance; out of every promise, and out of every privilege, that he may give out the more sweetness to others.
A second thing that attends and accompanies that knowledge that accompanies salvation, is holy endeavors,1 to edifie others, to instruct others, to enlighten, and inform others in the knowledge of spiritual and heavenly things. Heavenly light cannot be hid under a bushel; you may as easily hinder the Sun from shining, as you may hinder a gracious soul from diffusing, and spreading abroad that knowledge and light that God hath given him. Divine light in the soul is like a light ⟨p. 357⟩in a bright Lanthorn, that shines forth every way, or like a light in a room, or on a Beacon that gives light to others. A Christian that divinely knows, is like the Lamp in the story, that was always burning and shining, and never went out. So in Gen. 18. 17,2 19. And the Lord said, shall I hide from Abraham, that which I do; for I know him, that he will command his children, and his houshould after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgement, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham, that which he hath spoken of him. He that communicates his knowledge to others, shall be both of Gods court and council; he shall lye in the bosome of God; he shall know the secrets of God. Prov. 15. 7. The lips of the wise disperse knowledge; but the heart of the foolish doth not so. The Hebrew word that is here rendred disperse, is a metaphor taken from Seedsmens scattering abroad of their seed in the furrows of the field. Heavenly3 knowledge is very spreading and diffusive, it is like the Sun; the Sun casteth his beams upward and downward, upon good and upon bad, so ⟨p. 358⟩divine light in a gracious soul will break forth, for the advantage and profit of friends, and enemies of those that be in a state of nature, and of those that be in a state of grace. Acts 4. 18, 19, 20. And they called them, and 4commanded them not to speak at all, nor teach in the Name in Jesus. But Peter and John answered, and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God, to hearken unto you, more then unto God, judge ye For we cannot but speak the things, that we have seen and heard. The Bee doth store her Hive out of all sorts of flowers for the common benefit; so a heavenly Christian sucks sweetness out of every mercy, and every duty; out of every providence, and out of every ordinance; out of every promise, and out of every priviledge, that he may give out the more sweetness to others.
- 1The way to get more knowledge, is to communicate that we have, according to that, Habenti dabitur.
- 2Thus did Philip of Bethsaida. John 1. 45. Thus did the woman of Samaria, John 4. 28, 29. Thus did the Spouse, Cant. 5. 10. to ult. Thus did that Scraphical Preacher St. Paul, Acts 26. 29.
- 3Augustine accounted nothing his own, that he did not communicate to others.
- 4Opposition is the black angel that dogs the Gospel at the heels. Divine knowledge is like new wine, it must have vent, it is heavenly fire that will break forth. Jer. 5. 14. & 20. 9.
