certain seasons wherein grace must be especially acted as there are certain seasons of the year in Spring you have buds and blossoms in Summer you have fruits green and growing in the Autumn you have the same fruits ripe and ready to be eaten Every thing is beautiful in its season Eccles 3.11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time so every grace is beautifully acted when it is seasonably acted Fifthly He that hath the least measure of grace must not be discouraged but must be acting it still that in the exercise of it it may be increased nay certainly a man that hath but one Talent Mat. 25.15 that is but a little measure of grace and doth act it well he shall have more comfort a great deal than he that hath five Talents and doth not wisely act them Thus you see the first thing opened what is required of a Christian that he may rightly act his grace The second thing for explication is But why must Christians thus be acting of their graces Let me give you these four reasons First The acting of grace will be a certain evidence of the truth of grace there is no more certain evidence of the truth of grace than the acting of grace it may be there are some poor souls that hear me that will be ready to say O what would I give that I might but have a certain and infallible evidence of the truth of grace though it were but as a grain of Mustard-seed that I could but say that I have true faith and true repentance and true love to Jesus Christ had I an assurance that it were in truth what would I give I will tell thee for thy comfort Here is a rule in the Text If thou walk in Jesus Christ that is if thou be acting that little grace thou hast received it is a certain token of the truth of it A painted fire will not warm a man a painted Cow will give no milk a painted Horse will not move a painted Tree will not grow so here a painted Christian a counterfeit Christian a Hypocrite counterfeit grace will never grow a counterfeit Christian is always a dead and barren Christian but if thou art a fruitful Christian it is a token that grace that thou hast is grace in truth as the Apostle speaks 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 8 And besides this giving all diligence add to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledg and to knowledg temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness brotherly-kindness and to brotherly-kindness charity for if these things be in you and abound they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledg of our Lord Jesus Christ when a man is acting of his grace he is adding to his grace add to your faith virtue and to virtue knowledg c. When a man is acting of his grace then he is not barren nor unfruitful when these two go together then may a man be confident that he is a real Christian a Disciple indeed and not a Disciple in name only There are these two special properties of grace the acting of grace and the growth of grace and you have them both in that place 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 8 the activity of grace when a man is not barren nor unfruitful in the knowledg of our Lord Jesus Christ And the growth of grace when a man adds to his faith virtue to virtue knowledg to knowledg temperance to temperance patience c. Compare these two places of Scripture together Gal. 6.15 with Gal. 5.6 In Gal. 6.15 says the Apostle For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but a new Creature compare that with Gal. 5.6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision but faith which worketh by love In the former place namely Gal. 6.15 but a new creature there the Apostle speaks of the habit of grace in the latter namely Gal. 5.6 but faith which worketh by love there he speaks of the activity of grace when the habit of grace is turned into the activity of grace when faith worketh by love that is a token of true graceindeed A second reason is this The more you act your graces the more you shall encrease them Tradesmen know the more they trade with their Stock the more they increase their Stock Grace is like the Windows oyl the more it is poured out the more it is increased 2 Kings 4.6 Nay there is a promise made to that man that doth well use his grace Matth. 25.29 For unto every one that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance which place must be rightly understood our Saviour speaks there of gifts of the same kind and same order otherwise we will run into the Pelagian and Arminian opinion which is That the well-using of the gifts of nature will merit the gifts of grace so the Arminian would have the meaning of the words to be he that well uses the gifts of nature to him shall be given the gifts of grace Our Saviour there â—peaks no such matter but he speaks thus he that hath saving-grace shall have more saving-grace that man that hath saving-grace by well-using of it shall have more saving-grace as a man the more he plays upon an Instrument the more dextrous he grows the more cunning and skilful he will be So here the more you act your graces the more a great deal shall you increase them to him that hath shall be given and he shall have abundance Thirdly A third reason is this Because God hath given grace for that very end that it may be acted If God hath given thee grace it is not that thou shouldst hide it like a Candle under a Bushel nor for thee to put in a dark Lanthorn but that thou shouldst set it upon a Table for the advantage and benefit of others But the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withal 1 Cor. 12.17 And in 1 Pet. 4.10 As every man hath received the gift even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God And why are we said to be Stewards of the manifold grace of God because we should be dispensing them as Stewards that have their Masters goods not to put them in their own purses or to convert them to their own advantage but to be dispensing of them and diffusing them for their Masters advantage we are Stewards of the manifold grace of God look as God gives to some more riches than to others because he would have them to be more rich in good works than others so he gives to some more grace than he gives to others because he would have them diffusive of grace making others rich in grace He gives to some more comforts than he gives to others because he would have them to comfort others with the same comforts wherewith they themselves are comforted of God
now be confirmed and precious Evidences of Eternal Salvation may be now gained and likewise precious Graces and precious Faith and precious Hope and precious Love Humility Repentance and Self-denial these precious Graces may be now procured a precious soul may be saved a precious pardon may be sealed Oh what precious things then are tendred to you in the preaching of the Gospel these opportunities therefore are exceeding precious if Christ be thine now he is thine for ever Oh that you you did but know the price of these things that are tendred to you in the preaching of the Gospel if a condemned prisoner did know how precious the pardon that was brought to him was would he slight it Here is a precious Pardon Grace Mercy Peace all tendred to you in the preaching of the Gospel How infinitely then does it concern us to improve our Gospel-seasons 4. The fourth Lesson by way of inference is this It lets us see the contempt nay the neglect of the Gospel is a very dangerous sin for if the knowledg of Salvation be brought to the soul by the Gospel then certainly he that neglect the Gospel neglects Salvation and Salvation it self shall not save that man that despiseth the remedy yea that neglects Salvation says the Apostle How shall we escape if we neglect so great Salvation Heb. 2.3 As if he had said It is impossible to escape eternal Damnation if we do but neglect this eternal Salvation These are the Lessons from this Doctrine and that 's the first Use of Information The second Use I shall make of this Doctrine it is for Examination If so be the knowledg of eternal Life be brought by the Gospel be discovered and revealed by the Gospel then take occasion to call your selves to an account and see whether this eternal Salvation be so discovered to you that you may be partakers of it otherwise what advantage will it be to you to hear that Life and Immortality is brought to light unless this Light do shine into your souls But may be you will say to me How may we do to know that the Day-spring from on High hath shined into my soul that God hath called me out of darkness into his marvellous Light that he hath discovered the Mysteries of Salvation to me even to me I answer You may know it briefly thus If the Light of Life be revealed to thy Soul then certainly thy knowledg will not be a Notional knowledg only but an Experimental knowledg thou wilt not have a knowledg swimming in thy head only but a soaking and sinking knowledg in thy heart thou wilt not only know Christ but taste Christ thou wilt taste that hidden Manna Rev. 2.17 To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden Manna Thou wilt not only know but taste the bitterness of sin and thou wilt say Jer. 2.19 It is an evìl and bitter thing that I have for saken the Lord and that his fear is not in me A blind man may talk of Colours that never saw them and a hungry man may talk of a full dinner that never tasted it so a carnal man may have a great deal of knowledg in his head and never rellish nor taste it but he that hath the knowledg of Salvation revealed to his soul he hath a Light shining in his heart Jer. 31.34 And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them saith the Lord that is they shall not need to be taught those experimental truths that are written in their own hearts by the finger of the Spirit of God A man that hath this Life and Immortality brought to light by the Gospel will say You need not tell me that sin is a bitter thing I have tasted the bitterness of it You need not tell me the favour of God is sweet and lovely Oh it is sweeter to me than life it self You need not tell me that Jesus Christ is very Amiable and Beautiful I see him to be so with my eye of faith You need not tell me there is a marvellous power in the death of Christ for the crucifying of sin I do experimentally know it when a man hath this experimental knowledg he will say as the Apostle 1 Tim. 1.13 I was before a Blasphemer and a Persecutor and injurious but I obtained Mercy because I did it ignorantly When a man hath the feeling and experience of spiritual Truths in his own soul then may he be sure that Life and Immortality is brought to light by the Gospel unto him A third Use I shall make of this Doctrine it is of Reproof Two sorts there are that are justly liable to the reproof of this Doctrine First It condemns and crys down that Hellish practice of the whore of Rome and the Popish Clergy who lock up the Scriptures and keep Millions of souls from the knowledg of Gospel from the knowledg of the mysteries of Salvation this is all one as if they should lock them up in the pit of Infernal darkness for if so be Salvation or Eternal Life be brought to light by the Gospel and this Gospel be to them but as a Light in a dark Lanthorn must not they needs inevitably perish Oh cruel bloody Butchers Oh merciless mischievous Soul-destroyers may we say of the Romish Synagogue well may the whore of Rome be said to be drunk with blood because she is drunk not only with the blood of the bodies of Men but with the blood of the Souls of men Oh the tender Mercies of God that hath opened our eyes to see better things and to free us from the bondage and slavery of that Antichristian yoke this is a great mercy to be delivered from the poyson of those serpents and a greater mercy than ever we can be thankful for But take this withal I beseech you Take heed that Popery do not creep in at a back-dore of Toleration let us bless God for that liberty that we have but take heed that you do not hanker after those Popish Doctrines that may poyson the soul and that will provoke God to remove his Candlestick from amongst us A second sort to be reproved are those that grow weary of the Gospel I but may be you will say Are there any so bad in our days as to be weary of the Gospel yea my brethren many there are that are weary of the Truths of it many that are weary of the Profession of it many that are weary of the Power and Practise of it First Many there are that are weary of the Truths of the Gospel that chuse rather to be raking in the stinking puddles of Popery Arminianism Socinianism and other damnable heresies as the Apostle calls them they chuse these rather than the clear fountain of truth revealed in the Gospel Oh these are in a very dangerous condition when men chuse rather to
honour Jesus Christ even as they honour the Father See it exprefly commanded in John 5.23 That all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him Why should they honour the Son as they honour the Father because he is so precious in his person being God and Man united together in one person therefore see that you honour him therefore kiss the Son with a kiss of Reverence of Love and of Obidience lest his anger be kindled against you Secondly Is the Lord Jesus Christ so precious in his Titles as being the Delight of the Father the Fathers Fellow the Judg of the World the Judg of quick and dead O then never give rest to your eyes nor slumber to your eye-lids never rest satisfied with any condition with any portion with any parts priviledges whatsoever here below till you have got an interest in him that is every way so precious get him and get all want him and want all A man that catches at the shadow you know loses the substance but get the substance and you get the shadow with it So long as you look after other things besides Christ you lose him but if you get him you get the shadow of all you get life and peace and comfort and all that your hearts can desire be content to lose all to get him who when you have got you shall be sure never to lose Thirdly Is Jesus Christ so precious in his Offices as King Priest and Prophet then do you labour to be experimentally partakers of all those Offices that you also may be Kings And hath made us to be Kings and Priests to God and his Father Rev. 1.6 Labour to be Kings in Ruling over your own lusts over your own distempers and passions as he said excellently Do but conquer thy self and the world is conquered to thy hand A greater victory it is for a man to conquer himself than to conquer a Kingdom Labour in this sense to be Kings that your iniquities may not have dominion over you but that you may at length get victory over your lusts which fight against your Souls Again labour to be spiritual Priests to offer up spiritual Sacrifices to God acceptable through Jesus Christ and do you labour to be Prophets that is endued with such wisdom and spiritual knowledg that you may be able to admonish and instruct one another This is that which the Apostle speaks of to the great commendation of the Romans in Rom. 15.14 And I my self also am perswaded of you my Brethren that ye also are full of goodness filled with all knowledg able to admonish one another Do you my Brethren labour to be like Jesus Christ in all his Offices Fourthly Is Jesus Christ so precious in his Ordinances O then do you labour to taste the sweetness of every Ordinance taste the sweetness of the Word of God that you may say How sweet is thy Word to my taste yea sweeter than Honey to my mouth Psalm 119.103 Taste the sweetness of Jesus Christ in the precious Ordinance of the Lords Supper that you may say I sate down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste Cant. 2.3 And in Cant. 5. ult His mouth is most sweet His mouth is sweetnesses as the Hebrew phrase carries it and he is altogether lovely He is most sweet fn his Ordinances O say one hours Communion with him is better than all the pleasures of the World one taste of that spiced Wine and of the juice of the Pomgranate spoken of in Cant. 8.2 I would lead thee and bring thee into my mothers house who would instruct me I would cause thee to drink of spiced Wine of the juice of my Pomgranate One draught of that generous Wine that spiced Wine how pleasant and delightful would it be to my Soul Is Jesus Christ so sweet in his Ordinances Oh then labour to taste the sweetness of Jesus Christ in his Ordinances Fifthly Is Jesus Christ so precious in his Prerogatives he is the only Saviour the only Mediator then subject your selves to him and to none but him be subject to him as your only Prince and Saviour and say O Lord our God other Lords besides thee have had Dominion over us but by thee only will we make mention of thy Name Isa 26.13 Lastly Is the Lord Jesus Christ so exceeding precious in the purchase of his blood then do you labour to have an interest in his purchase what is it for you to hear of the purchase of Christs blood if this purchase be not yours if you have not a share and part in it What is Christ if he be not my Christ What is his purchase if it be not my purchase For Example If he hath purchased an Eternal Redemption by his own blood O do you labour every day to get an assurance that you are in the number of his Redeemed ones But how may we know that I answer If you be the Redeemed of Jesus Christ then you will walk in the way of the Redeemed of Christ and that way is called Holy Isa 35.8 And an high-way shall be there and a way and it shall be called the way of holiness the unclean shall not pass over it but it shall be for those the wayfaring men though fools shall not err therein Hath he purchased not only Redemption but the Donation of his Spirit Oh do you beg the Spirit of God that that Gift that great Gift may be bestowed on you according to that Promise a Text I opened to you in many Sermons And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgments and do them Ezek. 36.27 If any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 And do you put the Lord in mind of all those gracious Promises that he hath made I will pour water upon him that is thirsty and floods upon the dry ground I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine off-spring Isa 44.3 Again Hath he purchased such precious Graces to be bestowed upon all his Children upon all those that have an interest in him O then do you labour to be truly gracious not only to have restraining grace but renewing grace not only common grace but sanctifying grace sound faith sincere love unfeigned obedience that you may have the graces of Humility meekness patience that you may have the Image of Jesus Christ stamped upon your Souls that you may receive of his fulness grace for grace that you may in every grace of Christ have a part that by his Wisdom you may be made wise by his Holiness we may be made holy Again Hath he purchased likewise such precious Priviledges for his Children O then do you labour to be made partakers of those precious Priviledges to be united to Christ and to have
Communion with him in his life and because he lives you may live also I mean the life of Grace and life more abundantly and communion in his Death because he died for sin you may die to sin and communion in his Resurrection because he rose from the Grave you may rise to holiness and newness of life And the like Again Hath he purchased such precious Promises and all those Promises are sealed in his blood 2 Cor. 1.20 For all the promises of God are in him Yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us O then do you labour to be made partakers of those Promises that you may know that you are Heirs of those Promises that you may look upon them as Legacies bequeathed to you by your dear Lord and Master by your Husband Jesus Christ who left these Legacies to you Lastly Hath he purchased a precious Inheritance that is incorruptible and undefiled then I beseech you in the fear of Almighty God that you take heed that it fares not with you as it did with that unbelieving Prince that saw the plenty in Samaria but did not taste of it but died for all that so you to hear of a glorious Inheritance but to come short of it and so be undone to all Eternity according to my Afternoon Text Let us therefore fear lest a promise being left us of entring into his Rest any of you should seem to come short of it Heb. 4.1 Oh hath he purchased this Inheritance and do not you long to be with him where you shall sin no more nor sorrow no more Thus you see what use may be made of the preciousness of Jesus Christ in all these respects as he is precious in his Person in his Titles in his Offices in his Kingly Priestly and Prophetical Offices in his Ordinances in his Prerogatives in the purchases of his Blood those precious Priviledges and Inheritance he hath purchased for us The Lord help us seriously to think on these things and to meditate upon them and to lay them up in our hearts as Cordials against a day wherein we may stand in need of them And so I have done with the first Point of Doctrine That Jesus Christ is infinitely precious in himself The other Doctrine is That the Lord Jesus Christ is exceeding precious to all Believers and is highly prized by them 1 Pet. II. 7. Vnto you therefore which believe he is precious I Made entrance into this Text the last time that we had this solemn occasion of drawing near to God in the use of this precious Ordinance of the Lords Supper I shewed you the Coherence Sense and scope of the words and there were two Points of Doctrine that I drew from them The first was this That Jesus Christ is infinitely precious in himself I now come to the second Doctrine drawn from these words and that is this As Jesus Christ is precious in himself so is he exceeding precious to all Believers and highly prized by them For the proof or setling of this Point before I come to open it to you I shall give you but two Testimonies for the Confirmation of it the one out of the Old Testament the other out of the New that out of the Old Testament is in Cant. 5.9 10 where you shall read the strangers enquiring of the Spouse that is the Church of Christ saying What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved O thou fairest among women What is thy Beloved more than another Beloved that thou dost so charge us The Church makes this answer My Beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand c. My Beloved is white and ruddy Jesus Christ he is white in respect of his Divine Nature Being the brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express Image of his Person Heb. 1.3 And yet he is red in his Humane Nature being of the same substance with the first Adam that was made of red Earth He was white in his Holiness but yet he is red also in that bloody passion which he was contented to undertake for our sakes he was white in his unspotted Innocency but yet he is red withal by the imputation of our sins which are said to be Crimson and Scarlet sins Isa 1.18 Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord though your sins be as Scarlet they shall be as white as Snow though they be red like Crimson they shall be as Wool Thus Jesus Christ is white and ruddy I but says the Church withal He is the chiefest among ten thousand or he is the Standard-bearer among ten thousand as the Hebrew word may be interpreted the Standard-bearer he is higher than the Kings of the Earth therefore called the Standard-bearer Psalm 89.27 Also I will make my first-born higher than the Kings of the Earth He guides and leads his people as being the Captain of their Salvation he leads them as a Standard-bearer leads an Army by his Colours Oh what a high price and value did the Church set upon Jesus Christ here He is white and ruddy the choicest among ten thousand Christ was very precious you see in her eyes The other testimony which I shall give you is in the New Testament Phil. 3.8 Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledg of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ I count all things but loss whatever I esteemed gain before all my outward Priviledges that I stood upon before I count them but as loss but that is not all I count all things says he dung dross and dung or as the Greek phrase there sigsignifies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such things as we cast out to Dogs I account them but as scrapings as skins as parings as nothing worth in comparison of the Lord Jesus Christ If there had been presented to Paul a whole Mountain of Gold and Silver and precious Pearls in comparison of Jesus Christ it would have been but as a heap of dung to him I count all things says he but loss and dung in comparison of Christ Consider but what things they were that he did undervalue in comparison of Christ and consider who did undervalue them Consider what it was that Paul did undervalue all the Priviledges that he had for example He tells you in the 5th and 6th verses Circumcised the eighth day so outwardly in covenant with God bearing the Covenant of God in his flesh this was nothing in his esteem of the stook of Israel of the Tribe of Benjamin an Hebrew of the Hebrews Of the Stock of Abraham this was his Birth-priviledg but this was nothing He was a man of Parts and Learning brought up at the feet of Gamaliel but all his natural parts abilities and endowments all these he esteemed nothing yea he was a man of a civil and unblameable conversation touching the righteousness which is
and Sisters and our own lives certainly that is not the meaning of the words of our Saviour that he would have us to offer violation to the Law of Nature it is not spoken therefore simply but comparatively he that does not love me so much so as to hate all other in comparison of me he that does not prize me before Father Mother Wife Children Brethren House Lands yea life it self and all things that are desirable such a one hath no interest in me and shall have no benefit by me Now because it is an Exhortation of such infinite concernment therefore I shall divide it into three Branches First I shall shew you the manner how you should prize Christ Secondly The Motives which may perswade you to it Thirdly The means that may help you in it First For the manner how you must prize Christ It may be you will say In what manner must we prize Christ In what manner must Christ be precious to us Prize him in your Understandings in your Choice in your Affections and in his Ordinances First In your Understandings desiring to know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2.2 And count all things but dross and dung in comparison of the excellency of the knowledg of Jesus Christ Indeed there is a thousand times more worth and beauty and sweetness and excellency in Jesus Christ than you can know as he said That man that knows Jesus Christ well although he be ignorant of all other things he is the right knowing man If a man had all the learning of both Universities concentred in himself and yet ignorant of Jesus Christ he were but a poor simple Sot Secondly Prize Jesus Christ in your Choice to pitch upon him as the adequate Object satisfying Object of your Souls pitch upon him as the only excellent one As a woman that selects and singles out one man from amongst all the rest upon whom she places all her Affections for her Husband so do you select and chuse out Jesus Christ for your Beloved and say Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none on Earth that I desire in comparison of thee Thirdly Prize Jesus Christ in your Affections love him above all expressions of love labour to be sick of love towards so sweet and precious a Saviour as the Spouse was Cant. 2.5 Stay me with Flaggons Comfort me with Apples for I am sick of love saying as David did in that mournful Elegy which he made for Saul and Jonathan speaking of Jonathan says he Thy love to me was wonderful passing the love of women 2 Sam. 1.26 I am distressed for thee my brother Jonathan very pleasant hast thou been unto me thy love to me was wonderful passing the love of women Then trust in him as the Rock of your Salvation trust to his Wisdom to lead you in his Power to support you trust in his Mercy and Merit to save you Again Do you rejoyce in him to say as the Virgin Mary did My Soul doth magnifie the Lord and my Spirit rejoyceth in God my Saviour And cleave to him as to that Rock that only can deliver you both from the raging Ocean of Gods everlasting displeasure and from the leaking boat of your own graces prize him in your Affections Fourthly Prize him in his Ordinances in his Word Oh how sweet is thy Word O Lord that brings me good tidings of a blessed Redeemer The Word of God is as a Letter sent from a dear and precious Husband to his Wife And prize him in the Sacraments which is as a Love token or Ring sent to you from the Beloved of your Souls Oh how should you prize these Ordinances In the Sacrament by an eye of Faith you may see him bleeding and pouring out his Soul an offering for sin in the Sacrament you may see him crying and dying for your sakes in a word esteem one hours communion with him better worth than all the pleasures in the World as that Noble Marquess of Italy did who said He was not worthy of Christ that did not esteem one hours Communion with him better than all the treasures in the World So much for the manner how we must prize Jesus Christ Secondly For the Motives that may perswade you to it and Oh that I knew what Motives might raise up your esteem of this precious Redeemer I will name but these three Will either worth or beauty or excellency or sweetness or Soul-satisfaction win upon your hearts all these are to be found in him He is an All-sufficient-Saviour All-sufficient for Justification his blood can pardon All-sufficient for Sanctification also for his blood can purifie All-sufficient for Redemption his blood can deliver from wrath to come Do but consider how precious this Christ is in himself as I shewed you in the former Doctrine precious in his Person precious in his Titles precious in his Offices being a King Priest and Prophet precious in the purchase of his blood Secondly I beseech you to consider that Jesus Christ is the only desirable good The common vote and voice of the World is this Who will shew us any good Psalm 4.6 But why do you not say Who will shew us Jesus Christ who is indeed the only needful good the All-sufficient good the Soul-satisfying good assure your selves nothing under Heaven can do you good without him nothing under Heaven can be good if you want him what are Riches without Jesus Christ what is Gold and Silver without Jesus Christ but rotten stinking dung what are the most Royal Robes that ever were put on by the greatest Emperour without Jesus Christ what are they but poluted clouts what is the most Princely Palace without Jesus Christ but a Pest-house what is Birth Endowments Education without Jesus Christ but glittering sins So your choicest comforts and accommodations without Jesus Christ they are no better than gilded damnation what are all your outward Blessings without Christ no better than curses And as nothing is good without him so nothing can do you good without him there is no creature in Heaven or Earth that can do you good without Christ neither Men nor Angels if you had all the Angels in Heaven to speak for you they could do you no good without Christ God himself will do you no good without Christ he will not if I may use such an expression truck or trade with you he will not exchange one word in the business of Salvation but by Christ John 14.6 Jesus saith unto him I am the way the truth and the life no man cometh to the Father but by me You cannot have any access to God approach to him to stand up for your lives or the life of your Souls without him who is the life of your lives and the Soul of your Souls Pray tell me therefore Are you contented to perish for ever in your sins Are you contented that the curses and threatnings of the Law those Treasures of wrath that
I do to be saved So that this Text tells you and describes to you the Jaylors carriage when God first struck his heart and gave him a sight of himself and of his sins and in this carriage of the Jaylor there are these three things very observable His Perplexity his Courtesie his Question his Perplexity in verse 29. His Courtesie and Question in verse 30. First His Perplexity He called for a light and sprang in and came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas Secondly His Courtesie the Text says He brought them out Thirdly His Question Sirs What must I do to be saved It is the first of these I principally aim at namely the Jaylors Perplexity Then he called for a light darkness now was a terrour to him because he was a terrour to himself He was a Magor Missabib a terrour round about Jer. 20.3 And he sprang in that is he rush'd hastily into the Prison and like a man distracted knew not what to do nor which way to turn himself he came trembling being stricken with inward horror and terror of Conscience and pray observe it well There is not the stoutest man breathing upon Earth but if God set his Conscience against him like a Dog to fly in his face it will pull him down and lay him flat and fill him with that inward horror and terror and perplexity that he will be more afraid of himself than of all the world besides Thus it was with the Jaylor here when God came nigh him and awakened his conscience he fell down before Paul and Silas God had given him a sight of his sins and of the invisible Majesty of Christ that was in those his precious Servants Paul and Silas whom before he look'd upon as a couple of Rogues and that the Whip and the Stocks were good enough for them but now he reverenceth them and respects them and falls down at their feet Thus you see what his Perplexity was My purpose is not to insist upon every particular but to pitch upon that which is principally held forth in the words observe therefore when God was about to work the great work of saving Faith and sound Conversion in the heart of this Jaylor and by Faith in Jesus Christ to bring him to Salvation what is the first thing that he does First he humbles him and strikes him down and lays him flat he doth awaken and shake his conscience this unbroken Sinner is now amazed and perplexed and astonished and he knows not which way to turn himself So then the observation I would commend to you from the words is this Doct. Sound Humiliation is a necessary Antecedent or Fore-runner to Faith and Salvation Would you have it plainer then take it thus Those whom God intends to make true Believers and Heirs of his Everlasting Kingdom they are first soundly humbled and made sensible of their own dangerous and damnable condition Look as a Timber-tree that a man intends for building first he hews it down and then he fits it and squares it for the building so that Sinner whom God intends to frame for himself and build up by Faith to Salvation God first casts down to the ground and lays him flat and makes him sensible of his own lost and dangerous and damnable estate Look into the Scripture and you shall find that this is Gods Method and Jesus Christs and the Holy Ghosts Method First This is Gods Method and this course he took with our first Parents he arraigned them and past a sentence upon them and pronounced a curse against them before ever he brings them to the knowledg of a Saviour before ever he made that Promise that The seed of the woman should break the Serpents head Remarkable is that Scripture Job 33.21 22 it describes the manner of Gods converting a Sinner verse 14 God speaketh once yea twice yet man perceiveth it not God calls and cryes and knocks and tries this way and that way and the other way to bring the Sinner in to bring him home by Conversion but all will not do what doth he then Read verse 21 22. God humbleth the Sinner to the very dust His flesh is consumed away that it cannot be seen and his bones that were not seen stick out his soul draweth near unto the Grave and his life to the destroyers His meaning is this He is made a very Anatomy and God brings him to the very gates of Hell and what follows Then he is gracious unto him and saith Deliver him from going down to the pit I have found a ransom So this was the Method of Jesus Christ this course he took with St. Paul before he was converted he unhorst him and humbled him and struck him blind and all this while St. Paul must steep himself in sorrow before Ananias comes to him and speak words of comfort Acts 9. Christ would have us weary and heavy laden Matth. 11 weary with the work of sin and heavy laden with the weight of sin before he will give us ease he will have the Soul thirsty before he gives it the water of life Isa 55 Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters that is to be sensible of the want of Christ and the worth of Christ before he gives the Soul to taste of the water of life and he will have the Soul sick of sin before the Physician comes to it The whole have no need of a Physician but they that are sick Matth. 9.12 He will have the Sinner sick of his sin before he will cure him And this is the Holy Ghosts Method too for you shall read the Spirit of God first convinceth of sin before he convinceth of righteousness John 16.8 First The Spirit of God convinceth of sin for humiliation before he convinceth of righteousness for Justification And this hath been the Method of all Master-builders John Baptist he comes levelling of Mountains and casting down proud Sinners before they come to Christ and St. Peter he prick'd his Hearers to the heart before he gave them any hope or comfort by a Saviour Acts 2. He let them blood at the heart before he directed them how to be saved But now because this is a weighty Truth and it may please God to do good to some of you all the days of your lives to know the Method and manner of bringing Jesus Christ and the Soul together for this is all the work we Ministers have to do let me speak to it by way of Explication and shew you three things First What this Humiliation is Secondly Whether the like measure of Humiliation be wrought in all that are brought home to Jesus Christ or no Thirdly Why God is pleased to take this course to fit men for Faith and Salvation thus first to humble them First What this Humiliation is Divines describe a twofold Humiliation 1. A Passive Humiliation 2. An Active Humiliation The Passive humiliation is that whereby God humbles the Sinner in the
are the Doers of the will of God shall know more of his will and shall be more assured of what his will is JOHN VII 17. If any man will do his will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self NOW I come to the second Doctrine which is principally and especially held forth in this Text and it is this That he that doth the will of God shall know more of it and shall be more assured of what he knows For the better handling of this weighty Truth uttered by our Lord Jesus Christ it will not be amiss to divide the Doctrine into two Branches or into two Propositions and to speak distinctly to each of them The first Branch of the Doctrine is this He that doth the will of God shall know more of his will The second is this He that doth the will of God shall be more assured of what he knows For the first Proposition or the first Branch of the Doctrine He that doth the will of God shall know more of his will God will reveal himself more fully more clearly to such a Soul as is careful to live up to his light to walk according to the measure of knowledg he hath received this is that our Saviour promiseth in Matth. 13.12 For whosoever hath to him shall be given and he shall have more abundance but whosoever hath not from him shall be taken away even that which he hath Whosoever hath to him shall be given What is the meaning of this That is as learned Pareus well expounds the place He that hath the beginning of saving knowledg and sound Conversion and sincere Faith and Obedience To him shall be given What shall be given There shall be given an encrease of that knowledg an encrease of that faith an encrease of that love an encrease of that obedience Whosoever hath to him shall be given But on the contrary Whosoever hath not from him shall be taken away that he seemeth to have that is from Hypocrites that make a fair shew as if they had grace saving knowledg true repentance and the like from him shall be taken away that he seemeth to have This is an excellent Scripture to prove the perseverance of the Saints they shall encrease in grace but then on the contrary it proves the warping declining and withering condition of Hypocrites they shall grow worse and worse and lose those gifts that they have The Arminians they make a wicked construction and interpretation of this place of Scripture for they say He that hath and well improves his natural parts and abilities he deserves the gift of saving grace This is their Exposition He that well useth the gift of Nature doth deserve of God the gift of saving grace this is a false Exposition and a reasoning against Reason for our Saviours words must be understood thus To him that hath shall be given He that well useth the gifts of Nature true indeed he shall have an encrease of the gifts of Nature for example Aristotle and Plato and the better sort of Heathen well using the gifts of Nature had the gifts of Nature encreased and they grew to be excellent men so far as the light of nature would carry them God gave them an encrease of the gifts of Nature but now he that well useth the gifts of grace to him shall be given he shall have an encrease of those gifts of grace Hitherto tends that excellent passage of the Prophet David Psalm 25.12 What man is he that fearcth the Lord him shall he teach in the way that he shall chuse Mark this Scripture well That man that conscientiously walketh in the fear of the Lord and in obedience to his Commands he shall have more light and more direction from the God of his Salvation God will teach him and God will direct him and God will enable him to walk in a way that is well-pleasing in his sight that God whom he fears will guide and direct him to walk in paths of righteousness So in verse 14 of the same Psalm The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant A marvellous sweet and comfortable Scripture The secret of the Lord that is God will reveal some secret some mysterie of his some mysteries of grace and of the power of grace to those that do fear him and conscientiously practise what they know God will as I may say make them of his Privy-Council they shall be acquainted with some secrets of God that others are not acquainted with and the Prophet here instances in one secret God will shew them his Covenant O what a sweet Promise is that God will shew them the excellency and sweetness of the Covenant of grace that Covenant David speaks of 2 Sam. 23 Although my House be not so with God Alas I have had many failings failings in my Political Relations and failings in my Domestical Relations as a King as a Master as a Father though my House be not so with God though it hath not been ordered as it should be yet he hath made with me a Covenant sure and stedfast and ordered in all things aright Never mortal man was saved by a Covenant of works all that have been and all that shall be saved were and shall be saved by a Covenant of grace Now that man that feareth God God will shew him the Covenant of grace and God will shew that man the unconceivable beauty and sweetness and all-sufficiency that is in Jesus Christ God will shew to such a man the marvellous sweet and secret contentment that is in the power of Godliness God will shew such a man the invaluable comforts of his Spirit the Sweet-meats of Heaven those Soul-ravishing and Soul-satisfying comforts that delight the Soul Psalm 94.19 Thy Comforts delight my Soul God will shew such a man the transcendent excellencies of those glorious hopes that are laid up in Heaven for the Saints in light Thus the secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him Some secrets and mysteries that are not shewn to the World God will reveal to all those that fear his Name that do conscientiously walk before him that live up to their light And what a sweet and precious Promise is that which our Saviour made in John 14.21 He that hath my Commandments and keeps them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self to him Mark that man that loves God and that walks in a way of obedience that lives up to his light that doth the will of God he shall know more of Jesus Christ Jesus Christ will more fully manifest himself unto him I will love him and I will manifest my self unto him he shall have more discoveries of my love To name but one Scripture more 2 Pet. 3.18 But grow in grace and in the knowledg of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ These two go together if you grow in grace certainly you shall grow in knowledg if you grow in obedience certainly your obedience shall encrease your knowledg in the mysteries of God For the Explication of the Doctrine two Queries there are that would be satisfied First How or in what respect our obedience shall encrease our knowledg Secondly How it comes to pass or what reason can be rendred why the obedient Christian shall know more of Gods will For the first How or in what respect our obedience shall encrease our knowledg He that obeys the will of God shall know more of his will How shall he know more I answer The knowledg of an obedient Christian shall be encreased in three respects First In regard of its Subject Secondly In regard of its Object Thirdly In regard of the Manner of it First The knowledg of an obedient Christian shall be encreased in the Subject of it or the Seat of it where it is placed as I may call it now the Seat of knowledg is the mind of man the intellectual part of man his intellectual faculty shall be enlarged by his obedience it shall be made more capable of receiving Heavenly truths than it was before God will enlarge that mans understanding whereas before he was but a Babe in knowledg and understanding now he shall be a grown man whereas before he could not digest Milk now he shall be able to digest strong Meat whereas before he was but faint and feeble in knowledg now he shall be strong like David Zech. 12.8 In that day shall the Lord defend the Inhabitants of Jerusalem and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David Secondly The knowledg of an obedient Christian shall be encreased and enlarged in the Object of it the Object I call those matters or things that are to be known such a one shall know more truths more mysteries of Godliness more of Gods secrets he shall have more manifestations of the Spirit of God revealed to him more discoveries of Truth from day to day it is that which God hath promised Isa 11.9 The Earth shall be full of the knowledg of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea The Prophet speaks of a larger measure of knowledg and further discoveries of truths than was wont to be made Thirdly The knowledg of an obedient Christian shall be encreased in regard of the Manner of knowledg he shall know the Truths of God in a better manner than he was wont to do How is that you will say I answer and shall give you an instance in five particulars First He shall know truths more inwardly Secondly He shall know truths more experimentally Thirdly He shall know truths more transformingly Fourthly He shall know truths more powerfully Fifthly He shall know truths more satisfyingly First An obedient Christian shall know truths more inwardly more feelingly than he was wont to do not only have a bare apprehension but such a knowledg as shall take an impression upon his heart and therefore this inward knowledg is compared to seeing and to tasting and to smelling First It is compared to Seeing Eph. 3.8 9 Vnto me who am less than the least of all Saints is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the Vnsearchable Riches of Christ and to make all men see not only know but see what is the fellowship of the mysterie which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God who Created all things by Jesus Chuist The Italian Translation renders it that all men may see what was the dispensation of the Mysterie which was hid from the beginning of the World which God was pleased to hide in himself from the beginning of the World that all men may see I quote that Scripture to prove that inward Knowledg is compared to Seeing and Seeing is more than a bare Report according to that of Job Job 42.15 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee I abhor my self in dust and ashes Secondly This inward Knowledg is compared to Tasting 1 Pet. 2.3 If so be that ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious Tasting is more than Knowing and Tasting is more than Seeing If all the Orators in the World should describe what the sweetness of Honey is they could not do it so well as a man that tasts it Now the Soul comes to tast the sweetness that is in Jesus Christ Notional knowledg is one thing and Tasting knowledg is another thing they have a feeling experimental knowledg in their own hearts That is another Thirdly This inward Knowledg is compared not only to Seeing and Tasting but it is compared to Smelling also Isa 11.3 And the Spirit of the Lord shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord So the words are read but the Hebrew phrase carries it thus and so it is in the Margin of your Bibles The Spirit of the Lord shall make him of quick scent or smell in the fear of the Lord That is a man that is once taught by the Spirit of God that is taught of God as our Saviour useth the Phrase such a man shall scent and smell and savour and breathe out nothing but holiness As our Saviour it is said of him All thy garments smell of Myrrh and Aloes and Cassia Psalm 45.8 And because of the savour of thy good Ointments thy Name is as Ointment poured forth Cant. 1.3 Look as the Ointment that was poured on our Saviours head left such a scent or smell behind it that the whole house was filled with the savour of it John 12.3 So is it in this case a man that hath once received the Spirit of God and is taught by the Spirit of God such a man shall have such a sweet savour of the knowledg of God that it shall be able to diffuse it self to others 2 Cor. 2.14 The Apostle Saint Paul blesseth God for this that he caused them to triumph in Christ and made manifest the savour of his knowledg by them in every place And our Latin word for Wisdom Sapientia it hath its derivation from this it is a savoury Knowledg So that this inward Knowledg is more than bare apprehension it is you see compared to Seeing Touching and to Smelling Secondly He shall know truths more experimentally than he did before and this is that you read of John 4.42 It is the speech of the Samaritans to the woman that had left her Water-pot and went into the City of Samaria and declared to them of the City what she had heard and seen concerning Christ Now say they we believe not for thy sayings for we have heard him our selves and know that this indeed is the Christ the Saviour of the world And thus likewise did the Disciples make a Confession of Christ John 6.69 And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the Son of the living God
Thirdly An obedient Christian shall know truths more transformingly that is he shall be transformed into the very Image of those truths that he knows 2 Cor. 3. ult But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord That is we are changed from one degree of grace unto another by the Spirit of God That is an excellent knowledg that is a transforming knowledg that makes a Christian have a heart framed into the Word of God that is cast into the Mould of the Doctrine of the Word of God made like unto it as Lead that is melted and cast into a Mould is of the shape of the Mould Rom. 6.17 But ye have obeyed from the heart that form of Doctrine which was delivered you or into which ye were delivered or cast Fourthly An obedient Christian shall know truths more powerfully than he did before that those truths which he knows shall over-awe his heart that he dare do nothing against the truth but for the truth 2 Cor. 13.8 For we can do nothing against the truth but for the truth Acts 4.20 We cannot but speak the things which we have heard and seen It was an excellent speech of Saint Hierom I can die for the truth but I cannot deny the truth nor be silent whereas another man it may be he can oppose the truth and the ways of truth though he knows he ought not to do it it may be another man can break his Vows and Covenants and Promises and Protestations although he knows the sin of Covenant-breaking is a grievous sin and shall be severely punished as appears by that remarkable Scripture Ezek. 17.15 16 Where it is testified of Zedekiah that after he had made a Covenant with Nebuchadnezzar he rebelled against him and saith God Shall he prosper he that doth such things as these are shall he prolong his days He hath broken his Covenant saith God shall he be delivered As I live saith the Lord he shall die in that Land for his Covenant-breaking So I say a man may have so much knowledg that he knows such and such things are sin and he may know the Judgment of God that they that do such things are worthy of death yet they do it and take pleasure in them that do it For example They know that Whoredom is a sin and a damnable sin that carries thousands to Hell Stollen waters are sweet and bread eaten in secret is pleasant but he knoweth not that the dead are there and that her Guests are in the depths of Hell Prov. 9.17 18. Those works of darkness are pleasant for a while but the Devils banquet shall have the Devils shot Though a wicked man knows that whoredom is a sin yet his knowledg is so weak that it hath no powerful influence upon his heart and life but now an obedient Christian he shall know truths so powerfully that they shall have an awe upon his Soul Thus was it with the Prophet David Psalm 119.161 Princes have persecuted me without a cause but my heart stands in awe of thy Word That is the fourth an obedient Christian knows truths more powerfully Fifthly He that doth the will of God for the manner of his Knowledg shall know truths more satisfyingly to oversway all Objections that are made against him and all discouragements that he meets with in the way of holiness Saint Paul tells us how it was with him in this regard Gal. 1.15 16 When it pleased God to reveal Jesus Christ in me That phrase in me is very remarkable A man may have Jesus Christ revealed to him and yet not revealed in him but when God revealed Christ in me immediately I consulted not with flesh and blood but this Knowledg did preponder and out-weigh all Objections that could be made against it Another man that hath but a weak and feeble knowledg it may be he takes check at the ways of holiness and what says he If I walk in a strict way and am circumspect and careful in ordering my conversation I shall be scorned and opposed and contemned and these his Objections prevails with him A man now on the other side that is taught of God is able to answer all these Objections and to pass through good report and ill report This is the first thing for Explication Secondly By way of Explication it may be demanded But how comes it to pass that obedient Christians shall know more than others For answer to this I shall give you these four Reasons for it First Because God hath promised the Holy Ghost to them that obey him Acts 5.31 32 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins and we are his witnesses of these things and so is also the Holy Ghost whom God hath given to them that obey him You must understand it aright God doth not promise the Holy Ghost for our obedience but in a way of obedience now if God give his Spirit to them that obey him then they shall have more knowledg they shall know more of his will for the Spirit of God is a Spirit of light and opens our understanding The Spirit of God is a teaching Spirit and they that are taught by the Spirit of God shall certainly come to Jesus Christ John 6.45 All thy children shall be taught of God every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me Isa 54.13 And the Spirit of God is a leading Spirit The Spirit will lead you into all Truth the Spirit will not only take you by the hand but lead you in the way that you should walk in As you lead your children when you teach them to go so the Spirit will lead you into all truth that man to whom the Spirit of God is given must certainly needs know more of the Mystery of Salvation Secondly A second Reason is this Because God hath made many Promises to the obedient how many precious Promises have you in that one Scripture Deut. 28 If thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voyce of the Lord thy God to observe and to do all his Commandements then the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all the Nations of the Earth and all these blessings shall come upon thee blessed shalt thou be in the City and in the Field and in the fruit of thy body and the fruit of thy ground and an the fruit of thy Cattel and thy Kine and the Flocks of thy Sheep and blessed shall be thy basket and thy store blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in and when thou goest out c. There are blessings of all sorts promised and among others this is one for saith our Saviour To him that hath shall be given and it is twice repeated in one Evangelist in Matth. 13.12 and Matth. 25.29
To him that hath shall be given he that well useth his Talent shall have more Talents given to him Thirdly Because God doth love to reward his Servants Just as a Master deals with his Factor beyond the Seas when he sees that he deals faithfully with him in smaller matters he intrusts him with more of his Estate so when God sees us faithful in a little he trusts us with more when he sees us to use one talent well he will give us five talents to trade with Fourthly Because the more grace is acted the more it grows and is encreased Remarkable is that Scripture Heb. 5. ult But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil By reason of use have their spiritual senses exercised Use legs as we say and have legs the more a man sets about this Heavenly Employment of acting of grace the more grace he shall have in his heart Now for the Application of this Point and first by way of Instruction it serves to let you see what is the reason of that truth which carnal men will hardly helieve That Godly men are the only wise men and that wicked men though they are never so knowing are errant fools this is a truth plainly set down in this Scripture The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom Prov. 9.10 None are wise but those that fear the Lord none are prudent in Gods account but those that are obedient those that practise what they know practical Christians are the only prudent Christians in Gods account Remarkable is that Scripture Deut. 4.5 6 Behold I have taught you Statutes and Judgments even as the Lord my God commanded me that ye should do so in the Land whither ye go to possess Keep therefore and do them for this is your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the Nations that shall hear these Statutes and say Surely this great Nation is a wise and understanding People But now on the contrary wicked men let them have never so much knowledg let them have as much knowledg as the wicked Angels who are knowing Spirits the Devils are intelligent Spirits if he do not put his knowledg into practise if he be a wicked man he is in Gods account an errant fool he is but a very Sot He is in darkness and walketh in darkness and knoweth not whither he goeth because darkness hath blinded his eyes 1 John 2.11 The second Use it is by way of Exhortation and let it be a powerful perswasion to every one here present and Oh that I could leave this Exhortation warm upon your hearts Oh that I could put you upon the practise of what you have heard I beseech you as ever you desire that Jesus Christ should take you by the hand and kiss you with the kisses of his mouth and manifest his love to you as ever you desire that Jesus Christ should make fuller discoveries of himself to you labour to practise what you know live up to your light do not foster or favour any known sin nor bauk nor decline any known Duty but live up to your light Now that I may press you to it consider First We live in times of Libertinism and loosness wherein many hold the truth in unrighteousness The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against them that imprison the Truth that sin against the light of their knowledg and Conscience that blow out the Candle lest it should discover truth to them Light is come into the world but men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil John 3.19 And this is the condemnation to them with a witness who shut the light out of their Souls The wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness Rom. 1.18 Let me set on this Consideration with this Motive First Consider how little it is that we know of God The very best of Gods Saints and Servants how little do they know of him To use Jobs phrase Job 26. ult How little a portion is heard of him What a little knowledg is it that the most knowing men have There is a thousand times more excellency and sulness and sweetness and Soul-satisfaction and beauty and all sufficiency in God in the Lord Jesus Christ than ever yet was known or discovered How little a portion do we know of God! The greatest part of our knowledg is the least part of our ignorance we are ignorant of a thousand times more than we know There are unsearchable riches in Jesus Christ as the Apostle calls them Ephes 3.8 There is a thousand times more riches in Christ than ever was discovered Mines of Wisdom and Knowledg that you were never yet acquainted with now if you would know more practise what you do know Secondly Consider the more you know of God the nearer do you come to Heaven for the fulness of the Saints happiness in Heaven will be this when they shall see God as he is and know him as he is 1 John 3.2 Beloved now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Heaven consists in the Beatifical Vision of God a sight of God seeing of him as he is in Heaven David gives you a glimpse of Heaven in one Verse Psalm 17. ult As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness Heaven consists in the Vision of God in conformity to God and in satisfaction in God this is Heaven Vision of God I will behold thy face in righteousness Conformity to God When I awake with thy likeness Satisfaction in God I shall be satisfied then our Knowledg will be perfected Thirdly Consider that this experimental Knowledg that springs from Obedience will make you sound and solid Christians that you shall not take up Religion upon trust but you shall know upon what grounds you believe upon what grounds you have the hope of eternal happiness you shall not have your Religion upon trust or Tradition you shall have a certain evidence of your interest in Jesus Christ and your hope of Eternal happiness you shall be able to read your names written in Heaven On the contrary take away that experimental Knowledg that springs from Obedience and a man may be a Turk upon the same ground that he is a Christian because he takes his Religion upon trust Take away this experimental Knowledg a man may be of any Religion as well as a Christian O get this Knowledg that springs from Obedience then you will know upon what grounds you take up Religion and your hopes of Heaven and happiness will be upon good grounds Fourthly Consider God looks upon all your Knowledg as nothing worth unless
may meet with some knots in Religion fome knotty Disputations he may meet with some Objections that he doth not know how to answer as Saint Austin said That original sin was propagated to the Soul I know it certainly but how it is propagated I cannot tell A man may meet with some Objections that he cannot answer however he will not be overswayed so as to forsake the Truth because he cannot answer some Objections Thirdly When I speak of this full assurance of understanding or knowledg in the mysteries of our Salvation this Caution likewise must be remembred That though it is true that God doth bestow it upon those that do his will yet it is not gained only by doing the will of God but it is gained especially by the gift of the Spirit of God When Saint Peter made that excellent confession of Christ when our Saviour asked his Disciples But whom say ye that I am he answered and said Thou art Christ the Son of the living God Matth. 16.15 16 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Bar Jona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven It is the Spirit of God that leads us into all Truth Fourthly When I speak of a certainty of Knowledg you must remember that it is not a common gift of the Spirit of God but it is a saving gift of the Spirit of God for so saith our Saviour Matth. 13.11 12 13 To you it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven but to others it is not given for whosoever hath to him shall be given and he shall have more abundance but whosoever hath not from him shall be taken away even that he hath therefore speak I to them in Parables because they seeing see not and hearing they heart not neither do they understand This same certainty of Knowledg therefore is not attained by any natural qualification it is not a Knowledg that can be gotten or learned in Natures School it is not gotten by Art or Industry or reading of Books neither is it gotten by Tradition The Gentiles had a Natural knowledg of God Rom. 1.21 Because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God They knew God by a Natural light but it is a Knowledg that is revealed by the Spirit of God and therefore the Spirit of God is called the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledg of him Ephes 1.17 Fifthly Take this Caution this assurance of Knowledg is gradual that is it hath different degrees in some it is more and in some it is less some are but Babes in Christ others there are that are strong men some are weak in the Faith Rom. 14.1 Others are rooted in Christ and built up in him and stablished in the Faith Col. 2.7 This certainty of understanding at the first is but very weak as the Disciples of Christ in the great Point of the Resurrection at the first they were not clear in their knowledg of it Luke 24.21 We trusted that it had been him which should have redeemed Israel beside all this to day is the third day since these things were done so that now our hope is almost at an end in the great business of our Saviours Resurrection they were not cleat at the first A man that hath this certainty of Knowledg may have but a weak beginning at the first and yet notwithstanding it will encrease more and more like the morning light that shines more and more to the perfect day Prov. 4.18 So that a man will at last come to be grounded and stablished in the truth he will be stedfast and unmovable abounding in the work of the Lord 1 Cor. 15. ult He will be stablished in Christ and grow in grace and in the knowledg of our Lord and Savour Jesus Christ 2 Pet. 3. ult Secondly Let me give you some Distinctions of Knowledg that you may be the better able to find it out Knowledg you must know is twofold there is a Natural and a Supernatural Knowledg First Natural Knowledg which is ingraven in the Soul of man by Nature as the Gentiles by Nature knew God Rom. 1.21 That is a Natural knowledg that is gotten by Art and Industry as the knowledg of Astronomy is and the like Secondly Supernatural Knowledg that is revealed by the Spirit of God Now the Supernatural Knowledg is twofold First It is either common Or secondly It is saving There is a common Supernatural Knowledg that is common to the Reprobates as well as to the Elect for Reprobates who sin the sin against the Holy Ghost they are enlightned with a Supernatural light Every thing that is Supernatural is not Spiritual the Devils they have a Supernatural light and yet it is not a spiritual nor sanctifying light and therefore they that sin the sin against the Holy Ghost have common light which is Supernatural the Text saith They have received the knowledg of the truth Heb. 10.26 Secondly There is a saving Supernatural light viz. that which is infused into the Souls of the Regenerate by the saving work of Gods holy Spirit Now this supernatural saving light that is again twofold First It is either mediate that is that which is acquired by means as Reading Hearing and Praying waiting upon God in the use of his Ordinances according as God told Saint Paul in the preaching of the Word Mens eyes should be opened and they should be turned from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God Acts 26.18 Secondly Or else it is immediate and this is that light which is darted into the Soul without the use of means Saint Paul for example he was enlightned miraculously by a Revelation from Heaven Acts 9. And so in the Conversion of the Jaylor how wonderfully was he enlightned on a sudden Acts 16. And the Conversion of the Thief on the Cross it was done immediately by the Spirit of God Now when I am speaking of this certainty of Knowledg I speak not of a Natural but of a Spiritual Knowledg neither do I speak of a common Supernatural Knowledg but of the sanctifying and saving gift of the Spirit of God neither do I speak of the immediate without the means but I speak of the mediate in the use of means therefore to come to the third thing that is to give you the Description of this certain and assured Knowledg and the Description is this Certainty of Spiritual Knowledg it is a saving work of the Spirit of God whereby a Believer receives satisfying light and doth give up his understanding resolvedly to those Truths that are revealed to him There are these five things to be noted in this Description First I say it is a saving work of the Spirit of God It is not the knowledg of Devils the Devils have a Supernatural Knowledg neither is it the knowledg of Hypocrites such a knowledg as they that sin the sin against
heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Job 42.5 6. Secondly This Knowledg is a reflective knowledg it makes a man turn in upon his own heart it makes a man to be wise for himself Prov. 9.12 If thou be wise thou shalt be wise for thy self There is many a man that knoweth how to teach others but yet he cannot teach himself Job 5.27 Lo this we have searched it so it is hear it and know thou it for thy good In the Hebrew it is Hear and know it for thy self Thirdly This assured Knowledg is an experimental knowledg for it will make a man read some Sculpture or ingraving of the Spirit of God upon his own heart that his heart will be Christs Epistle written not with Ink but with the Spirit of the living God 2 Cor. 3.3 The truth is my Brethren and I would have you to remember it that all the truths of God to a carnal and unregenerate man are Mysteries No man for example knows what Repentance is but the repenting Sinner no man knows what Faith is but the true Believer no man knows what Regeneration is but he that is regenerate no man knows what Union with Christ is but he that is united to Christ no man knows what it is to have Communion with Christ in his Life and Death and Resurrection and Graces and Comforts but he that hath felt them in his own heart no man knows it savingly until he knows it experimentally A sick man doth better know what his disease is than all the Physicians in the World because he feels it A blind man may talk of Colours that never saw them A hungry man may talk of a rich Banquet that he never tasted of But now this is sure knowledg it is an experimental knowledg Fourthly It is a heart-warming knowledg other knowledg a notional knowledg is but like the light of the Moon it enlightens indeed in a dark night but it doth not warm But now this assured Knowledg is like the light of the Sun it doth not only enlighten you but it heats and warms your hearts it will make you in love with Jesus Christ and to long for more Communion with him in Grace here and in Glory hereafter Thirdly You may know this certainty of Knowledg by the Effects of it and I shall name but these two First This assured Knowledg will make you to hold fast the Name of God notwithstanding all the opposition that you meet with it will make you stick to the Truths of God Psalm 119.31 I have stuck unto thy Testimonies O Lord put me not to shame In Rev. 2.13 God speaks to the Church of Pergamus Thou holdest fast my Name and hast not denyed my Faith even in those days where Antipas was my faithful Martyr who was slain among you where Satan dwelleth Thou hast kept my Name there in the midst of opposition Secondly It will make a man run any hazard rather than part with the Truth See the courage of Saint Paul Acts 20.24 The Holy Ghost witnesseth in every City saying Bonds and afflictions abide me but none of these things move me neither count I my life dear unto my self so I may finish my course with joy The truth is a little light if it be spiritual will make a man to resist temptations that the allurements of the Flesh and the World and the Devil shall not biass him and carry him away On the contrary a great light if it be not spiritual will yield to every temptation and hence it is that sometimes you see a man of weak parts stand out in an hour of temptation and tryal when a man of strong and great parts if he wants this spiritual Light falls fouly and fearfully A man that hath once got this assured knowledg of the Truth he will say I will lay down my life rather than I will part with the truth another man that hath not received this Light how will he shift and shuffle and temporize and part with the truth and swim with every stream and sail with every wind How will he be a double-minded man in all his ways and will be carried about with every wind of Doctrine Vse 3. Now to shut up all with this one word of Exhortation I beseech you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ that you would labour for this full assurance of Understanding that you would be rooted and setled and established in the truth get a setled understanding Now to press you to this let me use but these two Motives The first is this The truth is there is no proper Knowledg where this certainty is wanting it is at the best else but matter of conjecture See an instance in Saint Paul before he had this spiritual Light in Acts 26.9 I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things against Jesus of Nazareth It was but his thought and conjecture whereas when a man hath once gotten this certainty of Knowledg then he understands the Scriptures indeed Luke 24.45 Then opened he their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures And you may observe in the Parable of the Sower and the four Grounds three whereof were naught and one good of the three first it is not said that they received the Word with understanding but only the fourth Ground heard the Word and received it with understanding Matth. 13.23 A second Motive is this it will be of singular use to you in erroneous and backsliding times it will be of singular advantage to your poor Souls when you shall have that Knowledg that you can discern Truth from Error and Gold from Copper and Food from Poyson Our Saviour here in the Text speaks of it as the Priviledg of a Believer or obedient Christian that he shall be able to discern true Doctrine from false Certainly in such times as we live in wherein the Name of God is so much blasphemed and the Truth is eclipsed and the Sun of the Gospel is so much darkned by those fogs and mists of Error it is a singular Priviledg for a man to have a setled knowledg in the Truth that he may not be carried about with every wind of Doctrine But it may be you will say What course must we take to get this certainty of knowledg I shall tell you that in three words First If ever you desire to have this full assurance of Knowledg you must resolve to walk humbly with your God Psalm 25.9 The meek will be guide in Judgment and the humble will he teach his way Secondly Strive to be growing Christians That is an excellent Scripture Hosea 6.3 Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord. Thirdly If you would get this full assurance of Understanding I cannot give you a better direction than the Text gives you which our Saviour here prescribes you do but the Will of God that is