rise up in opposition to the Kingdom of Christ to the spiritual Worship of Christ to a holy reformation and to do all that ever they can to hinder that God and Christ may not be worshipped in the beauties of holiness This is to cry up To him be shame instead of saying To him be glory both now and for ever No but to him be shame and to all his People and let them be the reproach and scorn of the World 2ly And so to close up If so be that we will approve our selves to be acted by a Gospel spirit consider how it must appear it must appear by holy apprecations and votings up of Glory to Christ and to say To him be glory the Father gives him Glory the Father reckons Glory to him the Spirit gives Glory to him The Spirit shall glorifie me he shall take of mine and shew it unto you The Angels give him Glory Worthy is the Lamb that was slain The twenty four Elders and the four Beasts make apprecations of Glory an innumerable number thousands of thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand they say Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to have Glory Now if you be men and women of a Gospel spirit let it appear by having your hearts set to this to give Glory to Christ wish him Glory in having the Government in your own hearts O to thee be Glory sweet Saviour the Glory of thy Kingdom in my own soul wish him that Glory the Glory of his Kingdom inlarged in the World of having that performed which is foretold the Kingdoms of the world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever wish him that Glory make an apprecation vote it up to him shew the spirit of the Gospel by having your hearts most strongly devoted to have Christ exalted in all his offices Priestly Prophetical and Kingly office that he may come to be the glory of the World that he may sway the Scepter according to what is promised This is the great thing that Christians should be set upon I speak not this as if I would cry down Civil Magistrates but that Government which is belonging to Christ and according to what he is anointed of the Father to according to what is purposed to him it is that we are to wish to him all that honour and Glory that the Father hath designed him this is that we should wish to him and say as the Apostle here To him be glory now and for ever And this is that which we are to do not in word and tongue as the Apostle saith O my little children let us not love in word and tongue only but in deed and truth So I say to you my Friends Let it not be in word and tongue only but in heart and reality O let your lips speak it let your lives speak it To him be glory so live so walk and carry your selves as that you may give a real proof and demonstration of it that your hearts may be devoted to have Christ honoured and exalted in the World I 'll conclude all with an itteration of this Doxologie and if ever tantologie though it is no tautologie but if ever there were any place for tautologie here were the properest place for it to be used but it is none I have a pattern for what I shall now perform from the holy Spirit of God in Psal. 136. O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Mark you how many verses you have in that Psalm 26. verses and so many times you have this itteration For his mercy endureth for ever Will you call this tautologie why then the Spirit is guilty of tautologie twenty six times you find it there O give thanks unto the Lord for his mercy endureth for ever he did thus and thus for his mercy endureth for ever he slew great Kings for his mercy endureth for ever he slew famous Kings for his mercy endureth for ever and he remembred us in our low estate for his mercy endureth for ever Here 's my pattern and let me a little follow it and I have done and charge me with tautologie if you can Thus I say then take up the language of the Text which I would do not using the words without the Spirit And thus I say Jesus is the Son of God Now to him be glory for ever Amen Jesus the Saviour of the world To him be glory now and for ever Amen Our Lord Jesus came into the word to seek and to save that which was lost To him be glory now and for ever Amen Jesus who was full of grace and truth Now to him be glory for ever Amen Our Lord Jesus that went about while he was here in the world doing good preaching the Gospel healing all manner of sicknesses and diseases and delivering them that were oppressed of the Devil To him be glory now and for ever Amen Our Lord Jesus who took upon him to satisfie even by death and suffering the Justice of his Father to fulfil the Law and to expiate sin and to purge the Conscience and to deliver from damnation those that were obnoxious to it Now unto him be glory both now and for ever Amen Jesus he is risen again and he is ascended up on high he is set down at the right hand of the Father and there he appears to make intercession for his People Now to him be glory now and for ever Amen This Jesus he improves at the Fathers right hand all the interest that he hath for the good of his People he communicates the Knowledge of the Mysterie of the Will of God and he makes Revelations unto his Church and People of those things that do concern it unto the end of the World and thus he is beneficial to his poor People here on earth he takss care of his Churches and hath a tender respect of all his interest Now unto him be glory both now and for ever Amen This Jesus is now in Heaven in Glory and he longs after the injoyment of all his redeemed ones and he hath undertaken to keep them while they are in the World and to lose not one of them but he will bring them to the enjoyment of himself and he will have them to see and to share in that Glory which he is now possessed of now he is in Heaven O what cause have we to say To him be 〈◊〉 both now and for ever Amen This Jesus who died and rose again and lives at God's right hand and as I said improves all his interest for his People O to this Lord Jesus Christ Be glory both now and for ever Amen And so I have done FINIS ERRATA PAge 39 line 25 for hearing read being p. 41 l. 8 for sayes r. sees p. 49 l. 7 f. contiguity r. contiguity p. 50 l. 31 f. Kod r. Rod p. 52 l. 8 f. can r. cannot p. 56 l. 15 f. trust r. faith p. 62 l. 25 f. firedness r. fixedness p. 65 l. 15 f. less r. let p. 74 l. 30 f. said r. sav'd p. 84 l. 3 f. that r. their l. 18 f. proposition r. opposition p. 90 l. 4 f. and r. as p. 109 l. 27 dele Christ at the beginning of the line p. 112 l. 5 dele the day of p. 116 l. 18 f. seâ—… r. get p. 127 l. 19 20. dele that I might be so discours'd of as p. 130 l. 8 f. faithful r. faithless p. 132 l. 13 f. eradicated r. eradiated p. 152 l. 31 f. in r. l p. 158 l. 16 f. which r. with p. 174 l. 17 f. that 's r. there 's p. 195 l. 23 f. fidelial r. fiducial p 197 l. 3 f. in r. it p. 209 l. 27 f. established r. chastised p. 228 l. 12 f. for r. from p. 234 l. 123 r. things p. 239 l. 28 f. perfect r. present p. 244 l. 27 f. such r. sure p. 250 l. 32 r. no p. 257 l. 30 f. born r. brother p. 28â—… l. 16 f. denoted r. devoted p. 292 l. 32 f. affective r. afflictive
to Heaven without company and I tell you that this is an argument of a well-improved Faith When our Faith it goes abroad our solicitousness it is not only for our selves but others when our Charity goes out of doors and we are now projecting and casting about how we may promote others eternal welfare when Paul could say I am perswaded that neither Height nor Depth nor Angels nor Principalities nor Life nor Death nor things present nor things to come shall be able to separate from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus when Paul comes to this Plerophoria when he comes to be thus improved in his Faith saith he in Rom. 9. Brethen I would have you to know that I say the truth in Christ I lye not my Conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost that I have great heavyness and continual sorrow in my heart Why what man Did'st thou not write but just now that thou wast perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers c. should be able to separate from the Love of Christ Jesus our Lord Why Paul will you speak to such a purpose as this then that you have great heaviness and continual sorrow in your heart Why you should be full of joy who should rejoyce in all the World if they do not nor should not that have a confident perswasion that they shall go to Heaven and be eternally blessed with God and live in everlasting communion with him Do you say you have great heaviness and continual sorrow in your heart Why the business of Faith is to fill the soul with joy and peace in beleeving and do you talk of sorrow and heaviness in your heart why what should be the matter O Brethren he had now a well-grown Faith his Faith was improved exceedingly that he was now sure that all was well between God and him he was sure to go to Heaven himself and that nothing should be able to separate And now his heart begins to turn upon his poor Brethren I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart I profess saith he I could set down so far as it might be without sinning against God yea I could be contented to be cut off from the comfortable and rejoycing part of Salvation I could be contented even to be cut off from the comfortable communion not that he would be in a state of guilt and sin and wrath and under the hatred of God But I could be contented saith he to be even cut off from that sweet injoyment that Saints have in their glorified estate for my Brethrens sake according to the flesh Now saith he it 's the sorrow of my heart while I am full of joy and comfort in respect of my own condition I am full of heaviness and continual sorrow there is upon me that my Brethren that are the seed of Abraham that they should be strangers to this Grace and like to be shut out from the Salvation which I am now sure of and then is the Faith of a Beleever a well-grown Faith when it comes to be solicitous of others wellfare And for those that are brought over to Faith but are weaklings in Faith when there is a bearing with their weaknesses and infirmities a studying to please them in all things for their profit and a friendly deportment when there is not a grâ—…ng upon them nor a galling of them by any unbecoming carriage Saith the Apostle in Rom. 15. We that are strong that are strong in Faith ought to bear with the infirmities of the weak and not to please our selves for let let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification for even Christ pleased not himself but as it is written The reproaches of them that reproached thee fall on me We that are strong we that come to have a well-grown Faith we should look with a tender and comâ—… eye and heart upon tender Brethren 〈◊〉 not so much insist upon what will be to the â—…ing of our selves but what will be to the pleaâ—… of our weak Brethren so far as is consistent 〈◊〉 their profit and the edification of our souls 〈◊〉 thus with Christ and it should be thus with 〈◊〉 this will be a proof of our growth in Faith Further our duty is to grow in Grace and to grow in Faith and such a growth should we press after that we may be able for to use and enjoy the World and the good things of it with heavenly minds so as that we come to value our selves not so much by what we are in the World as by what we are in in the Covenant and by what estate we have in the Covenant not to make so much matter of it that we are able to give an account of such and such an estate in Land and Houses and worldly Possessions but to valew our selves upon this accout that we are able for to make out an estate in the Covenant and that all our outward enjoyments are held by a Covenant and that 's it that gives us the comfort of our enjoyments Such an estate I have I but blessed be God I have it by a spiritual title Christ is mine and I am Christs and so all things become mine I have a spiritual title and I hold all by virtue of a Covenant in Christ. I would not valew the World I would not value my outward condition my riches if they be thousands and ten thousands in the World I should look upon them but as a beggerly portion if I had them not upon a spiritual account and upon the account of an interest in Christ O God that hath given me Christ he hath given me with him all these things When a man can look upon his estate be it never so large and copious to look upon it as that which his heart would be dead to if it were not that he could look upon these things that he doth injoy as upon a Covenant Conveyance And when a soul comes to this to use the World with a heavenly mind manage the affairs of the World I but with dependance upon God When a man in the way of his Calling and management of his affairs here below goes on with diligence and care I but with a humble dependance upon God and while he doth his duty he can trust God with the success Let the times be hard and trading dead and little in-comes no matter I 'll open my shop and I 'll attend the providence of God and whether little or much come in I am not solicitous about that I am resolved upon this I will do my duty and wait upon God and I know it must be his blessing must be the portion for me to live upon And it is not the in-come of the World that I set my heart so much upon but I 'll do my duty and leave the success to God There are two or three things more but for the present only
put upon the serious consideration of their dying day and having a dissolution made between soul and body Whence is this but either from the total want or a very great weakness that is in their Faith either their want that they have none at all and then no marvel that the thoughts of Death be terrible to them why they are under the guilt of sin and they must go to Hell when they dye O it 's a sad thing and I would there might be a fixedness of heart upon this it is a sad thing to think of it that there should be nothing but a little breath between a poor creature and eternal destruction and if that be but with-held for a quarter of an hour the soul goes down to eternity if God take away their breath they dye and return to dust and when they dye they dye in a state of guilt and so damn to eternity Now no marvel that such persons cannot indure to meditate such terror And then others that are weak in their Faith and are not comfortably setled in their confidence concerning the Grace of Christ in them and their reconciled state No marvel if they be shaken and perplexed about it when they come to have the thoughts of death Now Faith improved to a good degree will inable a soul to meditate this terror to think of it I with a holy rejoycing and content to think that a day will come that will make a dissolution between the soul and body that so upon that dissolution there may be a more full injoyment of the Lord Jesus according to what the Apostle speaks in Phil. 1. having a desire I desire to depart when a mans Faith will inable the soul to this to look upon death as a thing to be desired not only as that which there is a necessity lying upon the creature to undergo not only so there is a necessity lies upon me it being enacted so that a soul dies out of a necessity he cannot help it if he could help it he would be glad with all his heart to keep off the stroke of death but he dyes out of choice this is the Faith that we should press after and this is that that Faith well improved will inable to meditate this terror and to bear up under the apprehensions of it reckoning upon this That as to live is Christ so to dye it will be gain as the Apostle speaks and therefore he professeth that he has a desire rather to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all And then again there is a terribleness in judgement so it is called in 2 Car. 5. The terror of the Lord the day which is appointed wherein God will judge the World in Righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained even the Lord Jesus And all the Sons and Daughters of Adam that ever were from the beginning of the Creation to the time of that appearing of his shall all be convented and made to stand before his Judgement-seat and we that are here this morning shall all stand before this Judgement and shall give an account to God of our preaching and bearing and how we have carried our selves in the Assemblies and under the dispensations of the Ordinances when there shall be an appearing before the great Judge of all the World Truly this day is a terrible thing and it is called as I said The terror of the Lord. Now I say this is a terror that a Faith-less soul will not be able to meditate he is not able to bear up under the thoughts of it and therefore doth all that it can to drive them away black melancholy thoughts thoughts of death and of judgement Such thoughts as these cannot be indured to set a foot over the threshold nor to come under the roof of the house no we will have nothing to do with such black thoughts And then those that are weak in Faith they are ready to be startled at the apprehensions of this It 's a terror to them to think of a day of Judgement I but I say that a well-improved Faith a Faith that is of a good growth it will inable to meditate this terror and to bring the soul to the free usage and possession of this blessed priviledge that belongs unto Beleevers A person of a well-grown Faith will be able to think of this with joy and gladness be glad to think of the day wherein the Lord Jesus shall appear in flaming fire to render vengeance to them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ A man of a well-grown Faith will be able to meditate this terror and to rejoyce at the thoughts of it It is the day of his gladness therefore to this purpose our Saviour saith when these and these things shall come do you lift up your â—…eads When mens hearts shall fail them with looking after those things that shall come upon the earth and when others shall cry out with Balaam Alas who shall live what will become of us now It is an amazing thing to think when the Heavens shall be raised and the Lord shall appear with his mighty Angels to think what startling there will be and running this way and that way O! what a dreadful day is this I am not able to stand before this Judge of all the World O it 's an amazing thing to think what skreeking and crying there will be on the part of ungodly sinners that are strangers to Christ and Grace But a poor soul that is well improved in Faith and Grace he will be able to bear up with boldness and our Saviour speaks to that purpose when mens hearts shall fail them and grow dead as a stone within them and they shall be fall of astonishment upon the appearing of the Lord Jesus Then lift up your heads with joy the day of your Redemption draweth nigh So that this is another thing that a well-grown Faith will inable to To meditate terror the terror of God The terror of the Law The terror of Death The terror of Judgement O beloved this is the Faith that we should press to and this growth in Faith that you may be inabled to have the free usage of this blessed priviledge and that when others shall be over-whelmed in their spirits you may be able to bear up with comfort You hear of this as that wherein we are to evidence a growth in Faith when we are able to meditate Terror Lastly This I would only say such a Faith we should press to such a growth in Faith and that we may be aâ—… not only to look for but to long after the serious appearing of Christ which follows upon the former O it is not every Faith that will inable to this to be in holy longings after the coming of the Lord Jesus Yâ—…u come behind saith the Apostle in no gift waiting for that coming of Christ waiting for it and hastening to it It is that
's a Mystery which God was pleased to keep secret in his own bosom for many thousands of years some little whispering there was of it upon the fall of Man The seed of the woman shall break the serpents head And what a pittance was here Though infinite mercy appeared in making this little appearance The seed of the woman shall break the serpents head Then afterwards a little more of this but a Mysterie and still a Mysterie and an unsearchable Mysterie a Mysterie which they that are most insighted in will have cause to say Alas how little a thing is known of him and what a depth is here and how scant and short is our line that we are not able to fathom the depth O it is such a Knowledge the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ as that all those Dimensions are most properly reckoned to it heights and depths and breadths and lengths and yet it is a Knowledge that passeth knowledge Such is the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. We had need then to be endeavouring a growth in it and to resolve thus I have not attained nor know nothing as I ought to know I am not yet sufficiently skill'd in this Mysterie If Paul that was such a knowing man were alive at this day he would be still pursuing after this Knowledge the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I but what account is to be given of this Knowledge that we should be so set to endeavour a growth in it Consider besides that that I have now spoken as touching the smallness of that measure attained Consider yet further First of all There is great reason that Christians and Believers should endeavour a growth in this Knowledge First It is the most excellent Knowledge that ever was discovered to the World and you have the Apostles word for it who was able to make a Judgment of Knowledge and Knowledge Phil. 3. 8. O saith he I do here give my Judgment and saith he This is my standing Judgment I am an Hebrew of the Hebrews of the seed of Abraham I am an Israelite of the Tribe of Benjamin as touching the Law a Pharisee And he was a man that could speak with Tongues more than all the Apostles And he was a man of profound Knowledge Though I be rude in speech yet not in knowledge Why he had a vast portion of Knowledge yet when he comes to compare one thing with another For my part saith he I account all things but loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord. All but lâ—…ss and dung such an excellency there is in the knowledge of Christ and truly all other knowledge may well be lookt upon as inconsiderable knowledge and all other Injoyments in the World but even accounted as loss and dung compared with the Knowledge of Christ. Consider the Subject of this Knowledge Christ himself Consider him in his Person The brightness of his Father's Glory the express Image of his Person one that was in the Form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God Consider him yet notwithstanding this account of him as one that hath a transcendent love to his Father love to the World that he was most willing to comply with his Fathers pleasure in taking upon him the nature of Man The Lord to become a Servant the Prince of Life to become subject to Death O the blessed and only Potentate to be made a Curse he that knew no sin becomes willing to be made sin he that was the Lord of all to become a Servant of all What shall I say The consideration of the subject of this Knowledge it commends it to us as the most excellent Knowledge that ever was communicated to the World And then consider but this Lord Jesus Christ as in his Person so in his Qualifications in his Love in his Meekness in his Fatience in his Humility in his Gentleness in his Holiness and Righteousness in every respect Consider him in his Office such a Priest such a Prophet such a King as the World never had the like Consider him in his Actions and Performances consider him in his miraculous Actions in his moral Actions consider him in his military Actions and Performances such a Saviour of such wonderful power And of such Aâ—…chievements and Accomplishments as the like was never heard of in the World that he should rout Hell it self all the Devils in Hell It was a great matter in David to come into the Camp and to get the Victory over a Gyant a Goliah that was yet but a man But for this Captain this noble Souldier to come into the Camp and to ingage against all the powers of Hell and Darkness all the Devils in Hell that were all of them in Arms against him and yet he routs them and makes a spoyl of them and leads them a company of base slaves after him he makes a shew of them openly and triumphed over them in his Cross he gets a Conquest This is the most noble Captain and the most worthy Souldier that ever the World had Consider him I say in those military Performances moral Performances miraculous Performances the wonderful cures that he wrought such a Physitian that the World never had the like could Cure with a look with a word with a touch he could cure Bodies Souls There 's never a Physitian in the World could purge a sin out of a mans Conscience I but Christ can purge the Soul from sin Now Brethren I can at present but name these things and then to come to tell you what an excellent Knowledge the Knowledge of Jesus Christ is As in respect of the subject of it so in respect of the benefit and usefulness of it never any knowledge in the World will profit like unto this knowledge Here I have many things to say but I only at present give you but a little touch of them The Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ O it is the most profitable and useful and beneficial Knowledge Mark by the Law comes the knowledge of sin So the Apostle in Rom. 7. I had not known sin except the Law had said thus and thus I but when a man comes to know his plague and disease what is he the neerer if he doth not know his remedy If you should now be tryed as indeed it is necessary you should if you have not been brought to it If you should be brought to know what vitious natures you have what cursed corruptions made to see what deep and dreadful guilt you have contracted upon you if you should come to have the discovery made as those that God hath a favour to they have such disâ—…overies made to them the spirit of God comes 〈◊〉 as a convincing spirit if you should come to have the knowledge of your sins O now I am made to see and know that I am a vile damned wretch I come to know my sin and I know no more
he was well and duly apprehensive of the benefit and comfort and succour and support that would spring up to him from the consideration of a suffering Christ why this is by my conformity to Christ I account all things saith he but loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord. There you have the very point in hand held forth He speaks concerning the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ I account all things but loss and dung for the excellency of this knowledge Why That I might know the fellowship of his sufferings and be made conformable unto his death I tell you Beloved it 's no matter what condition soever a person come into if it be but such a condition as wherein Christ hath been before him only so as wherein Christ hath been as one that hath gone before us and made it a way for us to walk in Indeed the way of his mediation the way of his meritorious sacrificing that 's not a way that ever he walk'd in so as to constitute it a way for his people to walk in they are never able to live in that way But the way wherein Christ hath been before us and the condition which he hath been brought into as a condition in which he would lead his people into this is that that will comfort us in any such condition let the condition be what it will Christ hath been in this condition before us so that now here 's the comfort to a Beleever a Saint in Christ I suffer thus and thus as the Apostle speaks I suffer as an evil doer so did Christ Christ was before me I suffer as an evil doer unto bonds I am persecuted so was Christ my Lord I am reproach'd and scorn'd and revil'd in the World so was my Lord Jesus Christ I am cast into Prison so was my Lord Jesus I am brought to the place of execution Christ was hanged as a malefactor There 's much to support the soul in this condition And then Secondly consider this This is the comfort that slowes out from the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to support in a suffering state Christ suffered nay but more than this we are to consider further that he suffered penal sufferings legal sufferings O this this hath added to the other that we are to know concerning Jesus Christ that he suffered in a legal way His obedience was legal obedience not evangelical obedience as ours should be so his sufferings were legal sufferings why he suffered upon the account of Divine Justice he suffered according to what the strict Justice of God did and could inflict upon him for sin and transgression and here was the bitterness of the cup a thing that would be seriously weighed and considered of by us He suffered for sinners he put himself as it were into the state and condition of a sinner of a malefactor The guilt of the sins of his people was set over to him Thus it was and upon this account you must conceive that there was not that rejoycing on Christ's part in his sufferings as that which sometimes discovers it self even in Beleevers who have rejoyced at the stake and kist the stake and bid it welcome and have been as full of joy and rejoycings as their hearts could hold why there was reason for it It was not so with Christ but he was in an agony and cryes out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Why Brethren there was reason for it Alas Beleevers do not sip one drop of that cup and that 's their mercy and that 's it that gives them comfort upon the consideration of the sufferings of the Lord Jesus because the cup that was tempered unto him to drink of it was a legal cup it was a cup that the hand of Divine Justice temper'd up for him Son thou hast put thy self into the place of sinners and cursed malefactors that have deserved to drink of the wine of my wrath to all eternity I 'll temper a cup for thee forasmuch as thou hast undertaken to appear on their behalf thou shalt have a cup to drink off in their steads and the hand of Justice tempers up this cup. Now one drop of this legal cup would have made all the Nations drunk and have been made to spew and fall to fall down to Hell one drop of this cup of Justice but Christ must drink it up He must make by suffering satisfaction to the Infinite Justice of a provoked Majesty Here 's the business now and alas we are apt to pass over these things slightly and not consider what the greatness of the love of Christ is in undergoing such a task in drinking such a cup But judicious Christians will weigh these things and endeavour to understand concerning what was undergone by Jesus Christ. 'T is an astonishing consideration that it should be thus ordered out concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. Now here 's the comfort to poor beleeving souls under all their sufferings blessed be God I suffer not in a legal way I suffer not from the hand of Divine Justice I suffer not in order to satisfaction that 's done to my hand Here 's my comfort As I am not called out to pay debts with duties I am not called out to pay debts with sufferings Here 's the comfort of a Beleever which flows out from the well-improved knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ that whatsoever his sufferings be they are not satisfactory sufferings they are not sufferings upon a legal account but they are sufferings in a way of fellowship with Christ as one that did suffer but not as a sufferer in order to satisfaction to God's Justice So that now upon the account of the suffering of our Lord Jesus as a legal sufferer and as one that took the cup from the hand of Divine Justice which was tempered up by that hand upon this account the poyson is taken out of sufferings the terror of the bitterness of death is past the bitterness of suffering is taken out the sting of the suffering is plucked out what 's the sting of the suffering The sting of death is sin the sting of a suffering is sin There 's nothing that makes suffering so bitter to a sensible soul an understanding Christian there 's nothing that makes it so bitter as the consideration of guilt I but the guilt is taken away and so the sting is taken out the venom of the suffering is gone The cup may be bitter but it 's a wholsome cup. This is now a second thing to consider whereby you may come to understand how much a well-improved knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ doth contribute to the promoting a Christians comfortable and bold and confident suffering and you will never be able to quit your selves in a suffering day in a suffering state as becomes the Gospel if so be that these considerations concerning Christ be not well digested 3. Yet further Christians are
the day he would be sure to take time for it in the night O how much was he in intimate conversings with the Father in the way of prayer 9. The life of Christ it was a self-denying life O most eminent was Christ for this that he was of a self-denying spirit and his life in the whole of it a self-denying life denying himself Father not what I will but what thou wilt 10. The Life of Christ it was a world-despising life when they would come by sorce and make him a King he declines it and withdraws himself and turns his back upon all worldly preferments and injoyments 11. The Life of Christ was a God-pleasing and honouring life He pleased not himself he studied to please his Father and to profit the souls of his people He was for God-pleasing and manprofiting and this was the whole tenor of the Life of Christ. He devoted himself thus that he might be pleasing to God that he might be profitable to man 12. And to add no more though other particulars might be brought in The Life of Christ it was a persevering life He began well he continued well he ended well Paul could say of himself I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the Faith Christ could say it more than any man I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the truth I have kept my way without divertion he held on to the last having honoured God he honoured him to the death having loved God and his people he loved them to the end having ingaged to glorifie God he glorified him to the last His last breath was a holy breathing into the bosome of God This is the account that is to be given of the Lord Jesus Now consider O how profitable and beneficial will this knowledge well improved be unto Beleevers profitable to shame them profitable to provoke their imitation profitable to promote their comfort Profitable to shame them Now when we come to know what a life Christ liv'd what an exemplary life what an even thred he spun what a webb he wove and when we come to consider what our life is what a difference between Christ's life and our life whose life should be set before us as a copy to write after O how will this cause shame of face sorrow of heart I remember the Lord gives a charge to the Prophet Ezek. That he shew the pattern to the house of Israel and wherefore that they may be ashamed why I shew'd you the pattern this morning of the Life of Christ and truly it may well make us ashamed to think Christ lived in the World a Scripture-life but alas how far are we from keeping conformity unto Scriptures in our lives He lived an in-offensive life how offensive are many of us in our conversations and carriages laying stumbling blocks in the way The Life of Christ was a conflicting life what is there in us of conflicting with lusts and corruptions and a sinful World The Life of Christ a convincing life a condemning life convincing of sin condemning of sin such should our conversations be But alas how little is there of conformity to Christ The Life of Christ a praying life a laborious life a fruitful life a God-pleasing life a self-denying life Alas we may look upon the pattern and be ashamed to behold it because of our incongruity to it He that saith he abides in Christ ought himself so to walk even as he walked How many profess to have an abiding in Christ and yet do not comport with his example and conform to the pattern that he hath given us for imitation and so far as we are awanting to this copy so far we dishonour the Name of God and are awanting to the crediting of our holy profession O thus would a well improved knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ be beneficial to us to the humbling and shaming of us to think such was Christ but how unanswerable are we A humble Christ a holy Christ a heavenly Christ a self-denying Christ a sin-hating Christ a world-despising Christ and we express nothing of it And how would this promote to duty and provoke to imitation O so would the knowledge of our Lord Jesus and of his life well-improved provoke our imitation of him and make us set to it with diligence and care Did Christ live thus then surely it concerns me to look better to my life and conversation that I may be able to give a better account of it than otherwise I am like to do And then to promote the comfort of a Christian and make him bear up with boldness in the mid'st of an evil Generation when he is able to plead thus I am and I am tuter'd to it by the walking of Jesus Christ. Now to draw to a close The last thing that I will insist upon as to this Doctrinal part there is an account to be given of the life of Christ in Heaven You have heard of his Life on earth but there is belonging to the knowledge of Christ to consider what his Life in Heaven is For this we are to know and sad were it with Saints and Beleevers if this were not accounted of That he that was in a state of death and he that did rise again He lives and is alive for evermore Now if it were not for this Christians were of all men in the World the most miserable but this our Saviour speaks of himself Rev. 1. 18. I am he that was dead but I am alive and behold I live for evermore Amen I am alive for evermore Amen And this he held forth for the comfort of his people and to let them know he is alive for evermore to this purpose To see to the accomplishing and fulfilling of all that in the Revelation is made known for the benefit and comfort of the Church of God while it is here in its Militant state untill the day come that it shall be together with him ingaged in everlasting Triumphs over Death and Devils and Anti-Christ and World and Sin and all This belongs unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus to know that he lives And what 's his Life in Heaven briefly thus First it is a Life of Glory for he is now entered into Glory and he lives in the fullest possession of all the Glory that the Father and Angels and Glorified Saints can conferr upon him and give unto him He hath all the Glory that Heaven can bestow upon him The Lord Jesus he lives now in Glory and he prayed for this Father I have glorified thee on the Earth now Father glorifie thou me with the Glory which I had with thee from the beginning Jesus Christ is entered into his Glory and he is clothed with it now He is clothed all over with Majesty and Glory He lives in Heaven now a life of Glory and so hath done ever since He was received up into Heaven 2. His
purpose and yet not know to such a degree as they ought to do and so are culpable as not answering the duty of the Text which requires a growth in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. You may be able to make a Judgment by the things that have been so largely handled in the Doctrinal part of this Text Much hath been spoken according to what my line would reach to concerning the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. And here now is this to consider of whether we be not deserving blame upon this account that though we know something and it may be something to good purpose in the saving knowledge of Christ yet we have not set our hearts to make the advance in this knowledge and that progress and to come to such a measure and degree in knowledge as we ought and might have done according to time and means and truly I think that there is none of us but we may find this cause to complain Ah sweet Saviour how little do I know of thee I remember how that holy Agur doth bemoan himself even upon such a like account Prov. 30. Surely I am more bruitish than any man I have not the understanding of a man I neither learned wisdom nor have the knowledge of the holy Thus he bemoans himself O surely surely we may most complain and say O sweet Saviour how little a matter do I know of thee Some little smatterings there are but alas it 's nothing to what might be known and apprehended concerning thee And what 's the fruit of this That Believers holy Persons such as have the grace of God in truth have not more advance in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Mysteries of his Kingdom what are the consequences and truly the consequences are the evidences that there is not that advance and that growth in this holy Knowledge How sad are the consequences that Christians know no more of God are not more insighted in the Mysteries concerning Christ. 1. Whence it comes to pass That we advance no more in faith for undoubtedly if we grow more in Knowledge we should grow more in Faith Did we but more clearly apprehend and understand the Mysteries of the Gospel concerning our Lord Jesus what a curious cast there is in the business of salvation by Jesus Christ did we but more clearly understand and apprehend and know the continuance of that Mysterie it would most largely contribute to the promoting of a Beleevers faith and the unbelief would fall flat down on its face before this Knowledge if so be it were but duly improved 2. Again This is the consequence We love the Lord Jesus with a poor inconsiderable degree of love Why Because we know but little little of his excellencies little of that pretiousness that is inhim and as our knowledge is so will our love be much knowledge much love little knowledge little love Surely if we had but more through acquaintance with Christ we should come to have our hearts more fired with the love of Christ our hearts would burn within us if so be that we had but more intimate acquaintance with him and had but a more clear understanding of the Mysteries of the Gospel 3. And so for Desire O if so be there were but that advance in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus our desires would sparkle and flame out most strongly after this desirable Christ. When the Spouse had informed the Daughters of Ierusalem what a choice one what an incomparable one he was then they cry out O thou fairest among Women tell us whither thy Beloved is gone that we may seek him with thee 4. Whence is it that there is so much straightheartedness to the pretious priviledges of the Gospel that we do not prize them more that we do not set our hearts more upon them That great priviledge of Justification of Adoption of access to God of acceptance with God and that God should not be ashamed to be called our God to which I spake the last day Whence is it that we be not taken more with holy admirings of these great and glorious priviledges but because we are not more insighted in the Mysterie of the Gospel concerning Christ. Whence is it that we do not make more account of Justification forgiveness of sins which is a most pretious mercy We do not know Christ as we should and what it cost him to bring over to us the forgiveness of our sins 5. Whence is it that we are so apt to be tampering with that accursed thing with sin that we are so apt to be upon complyance with it and upon gratifications of it and of the lusts of it We know not Christ did we know Christ what he suffered that he might satisfie the Justice of God for the sins of his People what soul-conflicts he had and how he was pressed under the burden of the wrath of God that he might deliver his People from the everlasting Curse and Condemnation it would make us fear and tremble and take heed how ever we deal with that accursed thing and throw away that bloody knife that cut the very throat and stabb'd the very heart of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 6. Whence is it that we are so apt to be meddling with the World and apt to have our hearts set upon these beggerly vanities here below Whence is it but because we know not our Lord Jesus Christ as we ought to know Did we but know what a pretious Christ he was we would set light by the World and account nothing of it in comparison of the Lord Jesus 7. Whence is it that poor souls are so apt to be tossed with every wind of Temptation and to be unsetled upon every occasion as touching their peace and inward comfort but because they are very short in the knowledge of the Mysterie concerning our Lord Jesus Christ and the riches of Grace that discovers it self in him As let the guile be what it can be that may be represented to the Conscience the Conscience may yet upon the true knowledge and apprehension of the Grace of God in our Lord Jesus bear up with boldness and make a challenge unto men and devils and say Who shall lay any thing unto our charge when we know that concerning Christ concerning his Death concerning the merit of his Sacrifice concerning his Acceptance with the Father concerning his pleading in the behalf of his People at his Father's right hand We have that knowledge of the Lord Jesus that we bear up with glorious confidence and with blessed boldness and we are not afraid to look men and devils in the face we know who it is that is once for all entred into the holy place that is not made with hands and appears before God in heaven representing the merit of his Sacrifice and for our parts we now can triumph with a holy boldness and say Who shall lay any thing to our