Selected quad for the lemma: knowledge_n
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A74623
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A discovery of the new creation. In a sermon preached at the head-quarters at Putney Sept. 29. 1647. By Thomas Collier.
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Collier, Thomas, fl. 1691.
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1647
(1647)
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Wing C5278; Thomason E1187_6; ESTC R208247
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16,137
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44
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from God but by Iesus Christ they come to injoy reconciliation But Secondly They injoy not only peace with God but peace with the Saints it is only the glorious light of this New Creation that will put an end to these divisions amongst Christians it is not Magisteriall power setting up Uniformity but that one Spirit of light and truth that must bring the Saints into this unity I question not but many of you have read what Zephaniah writes Chap. 3. 9. I will turn to the people a pure language and they shall serve me with one consent or with one shoulder This pure language is the language of the spirit and the truth is that nothing else will be able to put an end to these divisions but this spirituall dispensation this new creation of God in the spirits of his people and this is and shall be the glory of this heaven unity and peace amongst Saints see Isa 11. 13. The envy of Ephraim shall depart and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off Ephraim shall not envy Judah neither shall Judah vex Ephraim Whence is it that there is so much envy in the spirits of christians but from their fleshlinesse vexing each other when they should rather be a comfort each to other but this shall depart be gone in this new Creation this kingdome of God it shall be a kingdome of peace not only internall with God with the Saints Isa 66. 12. but Secondly With men and amongst men of the earth this new creation will put an end to all those wars and confusions in the world See Isa 2. 4. When once the Saints mountain comes to be established in the top of all mountains when they shall live in God who is their mountain this light and glory shall go forth so far amongst the wicked as that they shall imbrace peace it will put a period to wars and commotions that are amongst the men of the earth Secondly There is the knowledge not only of their peace with but of their union in God here still lieth the great mysterie of the Gospel the Saints union in the Spirit the knowledge of it is exceeding glorious that this is a truth see Ioh. 17. 21. There is a union of spirits 1 Cor. 6. 17. A union in the power wisdome and glory of the Father but I forbeare the inlarging of these at present 2. The glory of this new Creation consists not only in knowledge but in spirituall injoyment likewise there is the abundance of spirituall injoyment it does not only see and know but it injoyes what it sees it sees liberty and peace and injoyes it and lives in it it sees God in the Spirit and lives in him it not only sees a union but injoyes a union both in spirit wisdome power and glory of the Father thus Saints that live in that abundance of life that is in God Iohn 10. 10. I am come that ye might have life and that ye might have it more abundantly O the abundance of spirituall injoyment of spirituall communion Saints in this heaven injoy hence it is the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 3. 23. All is yours c. And truly friends if all be the Saints when they see it and injoy it it will be enough to fill them with joy unspeakable and full of glory 3. The glory of this new Creation consists not only in being delivered from legall and fleshly actings but likewise lives in the power of heavenly and spirituall actings and that first to God in spirituall prayer and praisings but secondly from God not only in the whole conversation but likewise in acts of righteousnesse and justice unto men but likewise in preachings and praisings all shall be done in the wisdome and power of the Spirit that so grace may be communicated to the hearers This is the third part of the glory of this new Creation and injoyed by those who live in it 4. And finally the glory of this new Creation brings forth joy and gladnesse in the spirits of those who live in it perpetual singing of new songs of praise unto the Lord see Rev. 21. 4. with Isa 25. 7. I shall instance more particularly Rev. 19. 1. where you shall finde after the fall of Babylon which is effected as well within us as without us there was a voice of thunderings saying Hallelujah and ver 6. For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth This is that will minister occasion to souls to sing praises when they can say truly The Lord God omnipotent reigneth that is reigneth over flesh and corruptions and the powers of darknesse are vanquished and subdued Chap. 15. 3. They sing the song of Moses the servant of the Lord but who sung this song those who had gone through this sea of glasse and gotten the victory over spirituall enemies who had gone through this fiery sea and overcome they sing this song of Moses it s called the song of Moses because when Moses could look back and see his enemies dead in the red sea then he could sing so when souls see themselves spiritually delivered all their spirituall enemies lie dead before them then they can sing this is that new song mentioned Rev. 14. 3. That none could learn but those who were redeem'd from the earth it is called a new song in opposition to the old carnall and formall singings of the world it is such a song that none can learn but those who are redeemed from the earth what is that why it is to be delivered from that earthlinesse and fleshlinesse that possesseth souls when once souls are delivered from this earth as they shall in this new heaven then they can sing new songs and not till then see one Scripture in the old Testament amongst many answering this truth Zac. 8. 19. Thus saith the Lord The fast of the fourth moneth and the fast of the fift and the fast of the seventh and the fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladnesse and chearfull feasts therefore love the truth and peace This its true relates to the Jews in the Letter concerning their Babylonish captivity but it principally relates unto our comming forth of mysticall Babylon as its clear in the verses to the end of the Chapter all those dayes of fastings shall be turned into dayes of feastings I remember in the Gospel when the Pharisees queried of Christ what the reason was that Johns disciples fasted and Christs fasted not his answer was the children of the Bridegroom cannot fast so long as the Bridegroom is with them but the time will come when the Bridegroom shall be taken away and then shall they fast beloved it is an argument that the Bridegroom hath been gone from us a long time and that is the cause of those fastings and mournings but when the Bridegroom is come those dayes of fastings and mournings shall be ended and shall be turned into feastings and spirituall praisings This is that Paul mindes in the Primitive
2 Pet. 3. 13. Isa 66. 22. Querie Wherein doth the glory of this new heaven consist more then ordinary Answ First in the abundance of knowledge Isa 11. 9. The knowledge of God shall cover the face of the earth as the waters cover the sea you may reade from ver 6. That the Lion and the Lamb c. shall lie down together I shall declare by the way what I understand to be the truth intended not that I limit it from any farther truth that any may see in it 1. There are all these things within us in that old Creation the Lion and the Woolf c. which opposes and prevents the Saints joy and spirituall enjoyment of God now these shall be so over-powred by the glorious appearances of light that they shall no more hurt or destroy the Saints peace in their holy mountain their enjoyment of God in the Spirit which is the Saints mountain for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of God the glorious appearings of light in the spirits of Christians will so cover that earth which is within them that they shall be in a great measure freed from those corruptions those distractions which formerly were prevalent in them 2. God will take away the nature of wicked men that although they remain Wolves Lions and brutes still yet they shall not hurt nor destroy in all the holy mountain of God that is the Church and that through the abundance of light that shall be communicated even unto naturall men for the earth that is earthly men must give glory to the God of heaven so Hab. 2. 14. The knowledge of the Lord shall cover the face of the earth as the waters cover the sea for the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God there shall not be only the knowledge of God that there is a God but the knowledge of his glory shall be much more abundantly manifested And the truth is that herein lyeth one principall part of the glory of this new Creation in the knowledge of God As ignorance is the grand cause of so much corruption so many mistakes in the things of God for alwaies the will and affection follows the understanding whether inlightned or blinded so it is the knowledg of God the breakings forth of light in the spirit that delivers souls from that corruption and darknesse This truth Paul manifests in his prayer for the Ephesians Chap. 1. 17 18. in his desire for himself Phil. 3. 10. That I might know him c. Querie Wherein shall the knowledge of the Saints increase Answ Amongst many I shall instance in these particulars following First In the knowledge of the mysterie of God and that as he is in them for God is a mysterie Col. 2. 2. And it is by the appearance of God in us we come to know God who is a mysterie The truth is that we have had and still have low and carnall thoughts of God judging him to be a God afar off and not a God nigh at hand this is that Antichrist which denies Christ to be come in the flesh this is that mysterie of which we are exceeding ignorant God manifest in the flesh 1 Tim. 3 16. we have had very narrow apprehensions of Christ and the manifestation of the glory of Christ limitting it to that one man when the truth is that Christ and all the Saints makes up but one Christ 1 Cor. 12. 12. And God as truly manifests himself in the flesh of all his as he did in Christ although the measure of that manifestation is different This is a mysterie which God is revealing in the spirits of his people and is indeed the glory of this new Creation this being in some measure manifested in the spirits of christians produceth in the second place Secondly A knowledge of their spirituall liberty in Christ 1. Spirituall liberty and justification from all spirituall enemies sin law condemnation whatever opposes the souls peace in this new heaven it s all done away Ioh. 8. 36. If the Son shal make you free then you are free indeed Saints shall now come to see that they are free indeed by Christ Acts 13. 39 By him all that beleeve are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Gal. 5. 1. Thus Saints shall know their liberty and stand fast in it too For the Inhabitant shall not say I am sick they that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity Isai 33. last That is they shall live in the knowledge of their liberty from sin although formerly through ignorance we have not so much looked after it This hath been accounted the highest measure of Christianity to see our selves justified to injoy the full assurance of justification by Christ a desire of Faith was a high measure of Faith and well if the soul get assurance while it hath a beeing in this body and thus many a pretious soul hath lived low under legall bondage through ignorance whereas justification from sin by Christ is the first step in Christianity and that which gives us the denomination of children 1 Iohn 2. 11 12. I write unto you little children because your sins are forgiven you for his names sake Persons injoying the forgivenesse of sin are but little children babes in the school of Christ Now this liberty from sin is that the Saints shall live fully in the knowledge of it as likewise in the knowledge of their liberty from legall bondage and so from legall actings Rom. 1. 2. which I passe in this place 2. In the knowledge of their liberty from men 1 Corinthians 7. 23. Ye are bought with a price be ye not the servants of men That is not to be subject to men in the things of God in matters of conscience that belongs only to God himself it is his proper peculiar right to rule in the spirits of his people although its true that there hath been and still is through ignorance a principle in man not only to usurp authority to rule in and over the conscience of others but a principle in us also out of conscience to submit to man in such cases now God is discovering and likewise delivering his people from this spirituall bondage unto men in the things of God and that from the knowledge of their liberty in the spirit 3. There is a liberty in knowledge 1 Ioh. 2. 20. Ye have an Vnction from the holy one and ye know all things that is all things that the Spirit makes known They are not tyed to other mens approbation but walk in that light the Spirit makes known in them see 1 Cor. 2. 15. Secondly The glory of this new Creation consists in the Saints knowledge of their peace and union with God First Peace and that first peace with God this is injoyed by faith Ephes 2. 13. Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith we have peace with God Every man naturally is at a distance