Selected quad for the lemma: knowledge_n
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A29747
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Christ in believers the hope of glory being the substance of several sermons / preached by John Brown.
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Brown, John, 1610?-1679.
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1694
(1694)
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Wing B5027; ESTC R27231
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99,108
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212
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Inability seated in him through misunderstanding and prejudice against the Mysteries of GOD For it is said of the natural Man 1 Cor. 2 14 That he receiveth not the thing of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him Therefore was the Preaching of Christ crucâ—fied unto the Jews a stumbling block and unto the Greeks foolishness 1 Cor. 1.23.4 Yea the carnal Understanding is enmity against GOD It submits not it self to the Law of GOD neither can it Rom. 8.7 8. so that there is also a pravity and impotency in their will Therefore saith Christ that a corrupt Tree cannot bring sorth good Fruit. Math. 7. The Ethiopiaâ— cannoâ— change his Skin Ier. 13 5. There is an acquired habitual aveâ—ssness through the praviâ—y of our Inclinations By Nature People are so wâ—dded and glewed to their Lusts and Idols which they will not â—orsâ—ks which augments their natural Antipathy against the Gospel so that they are Enemies in their Minds by wicked works Col. 1.21.6 Besides all this the Devil who is the god of this World iâ— working in thâ—m Ephes 2.2 who more especially so blinds the Minds of those who do not believe that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of GOD may not shine unto them 2 Cor. 4.4 This needs no â—uâ—ther evidence being more than manifest by daily experience no preaching will once pick on some yea Christ Himself preached unto many who goâ— no profit thereby The great things of GOD's Law are accounted buâ— a strange thing by some Hos. 8. Many have Eyes and see not Ears and hear not 1 Vse We are hereby called to be established in â—he Faith of this Truth That it is only a Divine Power which can makâ— known unto us and in us the Gospel Truths We by Industry and Education with some ordinary light of the Spirit may win to understand the letter of the Gospel But in respect of the saving Manifestation of this Mystery there is a necessity of a real discriminating special immediate inward and powerful Operation of the Spirit of GOD in the Soul driving away the natural Darkness and received prejudices creating Divine Light in the Mind and Understanding and so forming in the Soul a Spiriâ—ual Patern of the glorious Mysteries of the Gospel For until this enlightning Operation and Revelation of the Spirit come all will be to no purpose 2. Vse So should we have a loathing and aversion of that dreadful Doctrine which says That this Divine Spiritual Enlightning is not needful but alledge that moral perswasion with the outward Revelation is sufficient whereas none who hath any knowledge of his own Heart can be so stupid that he should not see so much of the Darkness of his own Understanding that no less than a Divine Power must be exercised and put forth in order to this his Enlightning And what doth this Opinion else but signally vilifie and palpably deny the Divine Mystery of this Revelation and lamentably blow up the empty Creature with Pride Ambition and a foolish conceit of himself to retain somewhat whereby he may as he â—ancies be the less obliged to GOD and may have ground to thank himself to sacrifice unto his own Net and burn incense unto his own Drag What a ruining and dreadful Enemy is this opinion against the exalting of the Power of GOD's Grace and against Folks carrying therein with subordination and dependency on GOD and against all Prayer unto GOD. 3 Vse However this be only GOD's work and His powerful work nevertheless none ought because of his Impotency and natural Ignorance to account himself therefore discharged exeemed or delivered from guilt For 1 Our natural Impotency is our Sin 2 Besides there is ever real opposing and rejecting of this Light in all such as are come to the years of discretion who hear this Gospel and a wilful contemning of this Light which will abundantly stop the Mouths of every one And this often appears either by their neglecting of the Means or by their negligent and sloathful improving of the same and their not using but misusing of the Light which they have c. 4 Vse Notwithstanding this be GOD's work yet we should not cast off the Means for hereby it pleases the Lord to convey Life and to come with that Light and enlighten when and where He will For it pleâ—sed God by the foolishness of preaching to save 1 Cor. 1.21 And Faith comeâ—h by hearing Rom. 10.17 And however the Means in themselves can do nothing yet being ordained by Him as it is our duty so we may have peace in waiting on the â—ree and glorious King where He Commands us to wait and our waiting will sharpen our desires and longings after that blessed Light yea when we are disappointed and cut off in our expectations even this must serve for the further humbling and abasing of our selves and to make us the more earnestly cry out unto Him who is the Fountain of Light that He who has caused the Light to shine out of Darkness would shine in our Hearts in giving us the Light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Cor 4 6. Our attendance on the Means should be constant because we know not when He may come It is good to sow by all Waters and to sow Morning and Evening and in our Duâ—â—es alone to eye Him knowing that all must come from Him And albeit there may many Discouâ—agements arise to cause us give it over partly from without Saâ—an crying It is in vain to wait any longer and partly from within our Hearts looking on it as a desperat work yet this consideration that this Enlightning is GOD 's working may encourage and set us foreward again For GOD is a Soveraign King free to come when He will so is He gracious and merciful and can and will pass over many Enormities and much opposition yea â—urther for quieting of our Hearts under all Objections whatsomever this may sufficâ— He is GOD Almighâ—y and unresistible in His workings He shall work and who shall hinder it 2 dly Moreover we should learn from hence that GOD maketh known this Glorious Mystery to whom He wiâ—l most freely without Hyre or Price it is an Act of His wonderful free Gâ—ace He would make known c. not by reason of any deserving or worth in us or by vertue of any pliabliness or readiness in those to whom â—his is made known or of any necessary connexion betwixt the preparation in them and His Work But meerly from His free Grace and good Pleasure for He is found of them that sought Him not Isa. 65.1 Therefore it is through Faith that we are saved and Faith is not from our selves It is the Gift of God Ephes 2.8 And not by the works which we have done but accordâ—ng to His Mercy we are saved T it 3.5 1. Vse For Instruction and this should learn us 1. To admire this wonderâ—ul and
wonderful Love and free Grace of GOD who hath sought after the Gentiles in Clemency and Mercy who had been so long debarred And establâ—shed usiâ—â— the Faith of the great things promsed unto â—ut in â—he Word now 〈…〉 to see the old Prophesies and 〈…〉 were 〈…〉 als◠〈…〉 〈…〉 our unâ—o 〈…〉 pâ—ay for them upon 〈…〉 gâ—ven on their accâ—un◠〈◊〉 the Lord in due time will accomplâ—sh Aâ—d besides it should make us lay to Heart ouâ— Duty in managing aright tâ—â— Priâ—iledge in the thankful acknowledgâ—ment of the Lord 's undeserved Love herein and by hearty embracing and welcoming this Offer and to walk worthy oâ— the same in all holy Conversation to the Glory of GOD. Quâ—st But providing it be asked Wheâ—her all the Gentiles see the Glory and know the Richer of the Glory of this Mystery I Answer No For all have not the pâ—eaching of the Gâ—spel among â—hem If it be â—urther asked If all thâ—se to whom thiâ— Gospel is preached see â—hâ—s Glory I Answer No. But only the Saints among the Gentiles as appâ—arâ— from Vers 26 This is made manifest to the Saints Where we see that it is aâ—â—ne â—he Sainâ—s who have obtained Gâ—ace to beliâ—ve this Gâ—spel and not every one who hears iâ— preached who dâ—scern the Riches of the Glory of this Mystery which is in the Gospel For 1. Unto some he preaching of the glad Tydings of the Gospel is the savor of Death unto Death 2 Cor. 2.16 And unto their corrupâ—ed and prejudicated Understanding it savours as a dead Carion wherein their Souls hath no pleasure yea it is as Dâ—ath so that their rejecting of the Gospel and their averseness from it proves their Death and 〈◊〉 2. Unto some it is but foolishness as it was unto the Greeks 1 Cor. 1.23 And matter of Mocking and Derision as the Doctrine of the Resurrection was unto these of Athens Act. 17.32 Many have no better opâ—nion of the Ambassadours of Christ who are sent to preach the Gospel 〈◊〉 Festâ—s of Paul Act. 26.24 And of the Believers of the Gospel than the Pharisees had of the Multitude Ioh. 7 49.3 Unto some Christ is a Rock of Offence and the preaching of the Gospel of Christ is a stumbling Block unto them even as unto the Iews who stumbled at the stumbling Stone and rock of Offence 1 Cor. 1. â—3 Rom 9.32 33. Even as Christ Himself was for the fall of many so the preaching of the Gosâ—el is the occasion of the ruine of many 4. Many will not hear the Gospel with Faith and therefore it cannot profiâ— them Not being mixed with Faith in thâ—m that heard it Heb. 4.2 Neither will they receive it in Love nor receive the Love of the Trâ—â—h 2 Thess. 2.10 And thereforâ— saâ—â—â—oe 〈◊〉 â—hemselves unto thâ— Righteousness of God held out unto them therein Rom. 10.3 They will not suffer the Word of Instruction to get any room in their Souls but they receive this Grace of GOD in vain and through unbelief they reject it they will not obey this form of Doctrine nor yeild themselves Servants thereunto 5. The GOD of this World hath so blinded the Minds of them which believe not that the Light of the glorious Gospel of of Christ who is the Image of GOD cannot shine unto them So that they can discern nothing of the Glory of the same 2 Cor 4.4 And some blinded by a Judgement from GOD are therefore no Co-partners of this Revelation Math. 11.25.6 Some see a glance some daâ—k half glimmerings of this Glory but discern not the glory of this Mystery they get some sight which may occasion some litle work and operation in them nevertheless they continwe strangers unto the true spiritual Glory thereof For 1 They may see so much therein as may engage them to a profession of the same for a time in a fair day when iâ— is accompanied with no persecution But â—ven as the stony ground having no deepnesâ— of Earth wheâ— persecution comes they immediatly forsake the Gospel and turn their back upon it Math. 13. 2 They may readily see so much in it as makes them willingâ—â— to part with somewhat but not that inâ—â— which will make them willing to forsake 〈◊〉 for Christ The cares of the World doth not only choak all again but creats a mist in their Eyes which totally cloudeth and darkneth this Glory 3 They may see that which may inwardly affect them as Agrippa to be almost Christians Act. 26. and no more 4 They may readily have some general knowledge of the Letter and out-side thereof and may be great Doctors and learned Preachers and nevertheless wholly strangers unto the Power and Life of the same 5 Yea they may attain some resemblance thereof and as it were some glorious sparklings such as the Apostle speaks of Heb 6.4 5. But alone unto True Believers the Lord maketh known and manifesteth this Glory and maketh them to see the Riches of the Glory of this Mystery These see it to whom He discovereth those Secreets which are kept hid from the wise of the World They sâ—e it who see that Glory which changeth the Soul so that thereby they are changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Cor. 3.18 But what is that sight they get which others are Strangers unto Ans. 1. They see a special necessary good which deeply affecteth the Heart Others only win at some Conceptions that goeth no further than the Head 2. They see something directly applicable unto to their case and condition and is very sutâ—able unto them whereâ—â— others look on these things aâ— more the concernment oâ— others than themselves 3. They see the good is coâ—pleat all-sufficient necessary and satisfying which is held out in this Gospel and therefore they seek not after more proviâ—ing they obtain that they judge their Lot is faâ—len unto them in pleasant places and that tâ—ey have goodly Heritage 4. They see somewhat of that Soul-ravishing profound Counsel of Redemption wherein all the Persons of the Triâ—ity are engaged to carry on and perfâ—ct the same and â—â—ey see herein such Glory that it makes them long for Heaven that they might obtain a more broad and wide look oâ— that divine mysterious on-carrying of the waâ— of Salvaâ—ion wherein so much of GOD and of His glorious Attributâ—â— in such a lofty way doth appear 5. Th◠〈…〉 that therein 〈◊〉 reache◠〈…〉 Soul aâ—d makeâ—h them that 〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 and soul giving their 〈…〉 as beâ—ng alâ—ogether pâ—ecious 〈◊〉 Soul satisfying 6. They see that which makes them 〈◊〉 willing and 〈…〉 all and â—â—ll every thing 〈…〉 once they 〈…〉 invaluable 〈◊〉 7. They seâ— that Light which hath that powâ—â— and force therein that bringeth under their irregular love to the World and all other Vanities together with the strong Corruptions that molest them 1 Vse It needs then be no strange business that there are so â—ew that highly esteem of this