Saviour Jesus Christ O it will spirit the soul and make it lively to the uttermost in publishing the praises of the most high God I instance only in Eph. 3. what the Apostle is praying on their behalf That they might be able to comprehend with all Saints the height and depth and breadth and length and know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge so that you may be filled with all the fulness of God And then mark what follows Now saith he unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Iesus thâ—…ughout all ages world without end Amen Paul 〈◊〉 not hold his spirit was so full he was like a vessel that must either have a vent or burst it self O he being upon the meditation of this glorious Mysterie concerning Christ and the Doctrine of Christ why saith he Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly O how his heart was filled with praises and admirings of God upon the account of Christ. And there is one thing more now comes to mind wherein you may see the spirit of a Saint in the proper frame of it when there comes to be a due improvement of the Knowledge of Christ when the Apostle Paul in 1 Tim. 1. had been making mention of the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and comes to express his knowledge and sense of that Grace according to what you have exprest and held forth in that Chapter saith he The Grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with Faith and Love which is in Christ Iesus and so he goes on This is a Faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the World to save sinners of whom I am chief howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to everlasting life Paul had been thus upon the serious meditation of this knowledge concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. Mark you now what his spirit rises up unto in the close of the Chapter Now saith he unto the King eternal having but made mention of Christ and spoken something concerning Christ and given some account of his knowledge of the mystery concerning Christ Mark how he breaks out into this acknowledgment Now unto the King Eternal Immortal Invisible the only wise God be Honour and Glory for ever and ever Amen and this comes in only occasionally in the way of a digression For he intermits the prosecution of the Argument he had in hand and falls upon this by way of a digression as if he should say O I cannot fall upon the mention of our Lord Jesus and of the mystery concerning him I cannot be upon the meditation of that knowledge which is to be had of Christ Jesus our Lord but saith he my heart must be breathing out in a way of praise and blessing of God admiring the riches of his Grace And thus would it be Brethren if we were but set to it to advance in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ O it would inlarge our hearts as unto prayer so unto thanksgiving and blessing of God I add yet further O this knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ it is a knowledge that Christians should endeavour to grow and advance in for it is by great growth in this they will come to be the more happily accomplished for the performing of the service of Preaching and Hearing I joyn these two together Preaching and Hearing of the Word of God And you may consider how a well-improved knowledge of our Lord Jesus would conduce most strongly to the provoking both of ministerial Preaching and likewise of Christian Hearing and attending upon the Doctrine which is to be made known unto us according to the Commandment of the Everlasting God For Preaching work O consider now that the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that knowledge that is to be had of him well advanc'd and improved will contribute exceedingly to the most lively management of this service Alas it 's accounted in the World but a low service and many times with too much lowness of spirit performed by those that profess to be called to the performance of it O but whence is it but from the want of a well-grown knowledge of our Lord and Saviour For consider Brethren this is that that we are to know concerning our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that the Word and Gospel which is the subject matter of our Preaching and your Hearing I joyn these two together Preaching-work and Hearing-work Now the word which is the subject matter of a Ministers Preaching and of a Beeleevers Hearing This word it comes out of the very heart of God out of the blessed bosome of the Eternal God And as a precious token of that love and respect that he bears to his Son he hath given out this word out of his own breast and bosome he hath given it and committed it as a trust unto his Son Will you consider this That this everlasting Gospel this word of Salvation which is the subject matter of our Preaching and your Hearing it is given as a testimony of the Fathers Love it is given to Christ observe that expression in Joh. 17. in the Prayer that our Saviour makes unto his Father saith he ver 8. I have given unto them the words which thou gavest unto me thou gavest the words to me first and then saith Christ I have given these words unto them our Lord professeth before all the World he makes this open profession saith he my Doctrine is not mine 'T is not mine considered as Mediator but it is the Doctrine of my Father which my Father hath given me and which he hath intrusted me with to make known unto the World and to communicate to my Disciples that by them the World may have the Knowledge of him Consider this that God the Father the Great Jehovah He gives this Word this Doctrine unto his Son Jesus Christ. Well this is that that is to be known concerning our Lord Jesus Christ that the Words and Doctrine is that which is given as a gift by the Father unto him and so likewise you have it in Rev. 1. the Revelation of Jesus Christ how came it to be his Consider that it 's resolved thus which God gave unto him to shew unto his Servants which must shortly come to pass and then he sent and signifyed by his Angel unto his servant John I but Christ hath a Revelation who gave it him God gives it him God hath given Christ all the whole plat-form and frame of Doctrine that concerns the Church of God his elect ones and called ones from the beginning unto the end of the World God the Father hath given this to the Son 2. This is that that is
to be known concerning Christ that this Word and Mystery which is given of the Father to Christ his ear hath been opened to listen to it most attent upon it according to that expression in Psal. 40. Sacrifice and Offerings thou would'st not Christ's ear was not much attent upon that Sacrifice and offerings thou would'st not But mine ear hast thou opened Thou hast opened mine ear to another Doctrine to another Word which concerns the salvation of souls by a sacrifice that must be offered up by me this mine ear is open to And so you have it in Isa. 50. The Prophet there speaks in the person of Christ he wakeneth morning by morning and saith he he makeneth mine ear to hear as the Learned The Lord God hath opened mine ear and I was not rebellious The Father gives the word delivers it him and the ear of the Son our Mediator is open to him 3. You are to know concerning Christ that this Word and Doctrine which is the subject matter of our Preaching and your Hearing as it is given to Christ by the Father and as his ear is open to it so it comes with all delight and complacency into his heart as you shall find in Psal. 40. First he saith Thou hast opened mine ear and not only so Thou hast bored mine ear and not only so but O Father thy Law is in mine heart and I delight to do thy will O this word that thou hast given me it 's the joy of my heart it 's the rejoycing of my soul that there should be the contrivance of such a word given to me and intrusted with me mine ear hears it as a most melodious sound my heart entertains it O my God thy Law is in my heart O it s the joy and rejoycing of my heart to think that ever thou should'st trust me with such a Doctrine as this 4. Consider that this word the Word and Doctrine of the Father thus given to Christ unto which his ear was opened and to which his heart gave such joyful entertainment to This Word and Doctrine Christ he comes to be commissioned from the Father to Preach and to make it known He hath not only an ear to hear it and a heart to imbrace it but he must have likewise a mouth opened to publish and proclaim it and this he is commissioned to This is to be known concerning our Lord Jesus that he is commissioned of God to make a solomn publication and promulgation of this Word that it may be made known to the World And therefore you have it in Isa. 50. The Lord hath given me not only to hear as the Learned but to speak as the Learned First he hath the ear of the Learned to hearken to it and then it 's exprest that he hath the tongue of the Learned that he may be able to speak a word in season to a weary soul. This is the commission that God hath given him that he should Preach and make this everlasting Gospel this word that comes out of the Father that he should make it known to the World and the truth is Brethren this that I say is of a truth to be known and acknowledged of us That Preaching work the Preaching of the everlasting Gospel and word of Reconciliation it is more Christs work than the work of any man in the World True it is the base beggerly World and the imbased spirits of the people in the World they look upon Preaching-work as a poor low mean service and look upon those that are imployed about it as persons that are little to be regarded And this is the good entertainment that the Ministers of Christ and of the Gospel have ever had in the World Generally they look upon a Preacher and upon a Preachers work as a poor low piece of service the person mean and his imployment little to be regarded I but if matters were well known this would be apprehended that the preaching of the Word is most properly the work of Christ himself He that is the great Mediator He that was in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God took upon him the form of a servant and he was pleased to accept of a commission from his Father to be a Preacher and to preach the everlasting Gospel As soon as he had suffered and was risen again he came and preached to the World as he did to his Disciples before his Resurrection and so likewise before his sufferings He came with commission from the Father to preach the Word which was given him out of the bosome of the Father That Word which is the subject matter of our Preaching and your Hearing it is the word which Jesus Christ is ingaged to preach and publish and make known to the World and I say again it is more Christ's work than it is the work of any man in the World and those that are called out to this service they are called out to the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. 5. And then add this further that this Lord Jesus Christ he hath that interest in the Father which none in all the World hath besides to the purpose of fetching out whatsoever there is of further Mystery and of discovery to be made concerning the Counsel of God the Word the Doctrine the Eternal Counsel which lay hid in the breast and bosome of God from all Eternity that Counsel that Word and Doctrine which hath so much of lustre in it Christ hath this priviledge above all creatures in Heaven and Earth above Angels Saints glorified in Heaven militant on Earth Christ hath this priviledge above them all to fetch out out of the Fathers treasury that which no Angel nor Saint in Heaven or Earth hath the priviledge to meddle withal Christ hath obtained this of the Father he hath this interest in the heart of the Father that he may with boldness come and take out whatsoever there is of secret Counsel in the Fathers bosome that concerns the Church of God to the end of the World He may be bold to come and challenge this as his priviledge Father if there be any secret yet undiscovered to the World I claim the priviledge to be acquainted with it and to have the discovery of it and to make it known unto the World This is the priviledge belongs to Christ. As now to give an Instance in Rev. 5. where you find there mention made of a Book in the right hand of him that sate on the Throne a Book written within and without and on the back-side sealed with seven seals a book full of Mysterie but a closed book nay a sealed book nay sealed with seven seals Hereupon the Proclamation is made with a loud voice by an Angel Who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof Here 's a book full of Mysterie and matters of high concernment to the Church of God to the end of the World Who is worthy
rise up in opposition to the Kingdom of Christ to the spiritual Worship of Christ to a holy reformation and to do all that ever they can to hinder that God and Christ may not be worshipped in the beauties of holiness This is to cry up To him be shame instead of saying To him be glory both now and for ever No but to him be shame and to all his People and let them be the reproach and scorn of the World 2ly And so to close up If so be that we will approve our selves to be acted by a Gospel spirit consider how it must appear it must appear by holy apprecations and votings up of Glory to Christ and to say To him be glory the Father gives him Glory the Father reckons Glory to him the Spirit gives Glory to him The Spirit shall glorifie me he shall take of mine and shew it unto you The Angels give him Glory Worthy is the Lamb that was slain The twenty four Elders and the four Beasts make apprecations of Glory an innumerable number thousands of thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand they say Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to have Glory Now if you be men and women of a Gospel spirit let it appear by having your hearts set to this to give Glory to Christ wish him Glory in having the Government in your own hearts O to thee be Glory sweet Saviour the Glory of thy Kingdom in my own soul wish him that Glory the Glory of his Kingdom inlarged in the World of having that performed which is foretold the Kingdoms of the world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever wish him that Glory make an apprecation vote it up to him shew the spirit of the Gospel by having your hearts most strongly devoted to have Christ exalted in all his offices Priestly Prophetical and Kingly office that he may come to be the glory of the World that he may sway the Scepter according to what is promised This is the great thing that Christians should be set upon I speak not this as if I would cry down Civil Magistrates but that Government which is belonging to Christ and according to what he is anointed of the Father to according to what is purposed to him it is that we are to wish to him all that honour and Glory that the Father hath designed him this is that we should wish to him and say as the Apostle here To him be glory now and for ever And this is that which we are to do not in word and tongue as the Apostle saith O my little children let us not love in word and tongue only but in deed and truth So I say to you my Friends Let it not be in word and tongue only but in heart and reality O let your lips speak it let your lives speak it To him be glory so live so walk and carry your selves as that you may give a real proof and demonstration of it that your hearts may be devoted to have Christ honoured and exalted in the World I 'll conclude all with an itteration of this Doxologie and if ever tantologie though it is no tautologie but if ever there were any place for tautologie here were the properest place for it to be used but it is none I have a pattern for what I shall now perform from the holy Spirit of God in Psal. 136. O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Mark you how many verses you have in that Psalm 26. verses and so many times you have this itteration For his mercy endureth for ever Will you call this tautologie why then the Spirit is guilty of tautologie twenty six times you find it there O give thanks unto the Lord for his mercy endureth for ever he did thus and thus for his mercy endureth for ever he slew great Kings for his mercy endureth for ever he slew famous Kings for his mercy endureth for ever and he remembred us in our low estate for his mercy endureth for ever Here 's my pattern and let me a little follow it and I have done and charge me with tautologie if you can Thus I say then take up the language of the Text which I would do not using the words without the Spirit And thus I say Jesus is the Son of God Now to him be glory for ever Amen Jesus the Saviour of the world To him be glory now and for ever Amen Our Lord Jesus came into the word to seek and to save that which was lost To him be glory now and for ever Amen Jesus who was full of grace and truth Now to him be glory for ever Amen Our Lord Jesus that went about while he was here in the world doing good preaching the Gospel healing all manner of sicknesses and diseases and delivering them that were oppressed of the Devil To him be glory now and for ever Amen Our Lord Jesus who took upon him to satisfie even by death and suffering the Justice of his Father to fulfil the Law and to expiate sin and to purge the Conscience and to deliver from damnation those that were obnoxious to it Now unto him be glory both now and for ever Amen Jesus he is risen again and he is ascended up on high he is set down at the right hand of the Father and there he appears to make intercession for his People Now to him be glory now and for ever Amen This Jesus he improves at the Fathers right hand all the interest that he hath for the good of his People he communicates the Knowledge of the Mysterie of the Will of God and he makes Revelations unto his Church and People of those things that do concern it unto the end of the World and thus he is beneficial to his poor People here on earth he takss care of his Churches and hath a tender respect of all his interest Now unto him be glory both now and for ever Amen This Jesus is now in Heaven in Glory and he longs after the injoyment of all his redeemed ones and he hath undertaken to keep them while they are in the World and to lose not one of them but he will bring them to the enjoyment of himself and he will have them to see and to share in that Glory which he is now possessed of now he is in Heaven O what cause have we to say To him be 〈◊〉 both now and for ever Amen This Jesus who died and rose again and lives at God's right hand and as I said improves all his interest for his People O to this Lord Jesus Christ Be glory both now and for ever Amen And so I have done FINIS ERRATA PAge 39 line 25 for hearing read being p. 41 l. 8 for sayes r. sees p. 49 l. 7 f. contiguity r. contiguity p. 50 l. 31 f. Kod r. Rod p. 52 l. 8 f. can r. cannot p. 56 l. 15 f. trust r. faith p. 62 l. 25 f. firedness r. fixedness p. 65 l. 15 f. less r. let p. 74 l. 30 f. said r. sav'd p. 84 l. 3 f. that r. their l. 18 f. proposition r. opposition p. 90 l. 4 f. and r. as p. 109 l. 27 dele Christ at the beginning of the line p. 112 l. 5 dele the day of p. 116 l. 18 f. seâ—… r. get p. 127 l. 19 20. dele that I might be so discours'd of as p. 130 l. 8 f. faithful r. faithless p. 132 l. 13 f. eradicated r. eradiated p. 152 l. 31 f. in r. l p. 158 l. 16 f. which r. with p. 174 l. 17 f. that 's r. there 's p. 195 l. 23 f. fidelial r. fiducial p 197 l. 3 f. in r. it p. 209 l. 27 f. established r. chastised p. 228 l. 12 f. for r. from p. 234 l. 123 r. things p. 239 l. 28 f. perfect r. present p. 244 l. 27 f. such r. sure p. 250 l. 32 r. no p. 257 l. 30 f. born r. brother p. 28â—… l. 16 f. denoted r. devoted p. 292 l. 32 f. affective r. afflictive
doth in the close of this Epistle give this in charge unto the Saints and Believers that they look to their growth in Grace These things I do subjoyn to the Discourse I maintained the last day Applic. And now I shall come to the Application of all Truly there is a great latitude wherein I might proceed I might have proceeded in the Doctrinal part and so might in the Application and Use making of this point but I shall contract my self as much as I can First of all we may gather from hence That forasmuch as it is a duty charged upon those that have Grace that they do grow in Grace We may infer from the premises that Christians and Believers are not perfect at once they have not their perfection in a moment The womb of Gods decrees and of the promises do not bring forth perfect births that are perfect at once A Nation may be born in a day a Saint may be born in a moment but he is not born a perfect Saint in a moment Believers have not their perfection at once It is otherwise in the second Creation than it was in the first Adam was created a perfect man perfect in righteousness and holiness at the first 't is not so in the second Creation 't is not so in the Regeneration In the first Generation it was thus God makes the womb to travel and bring forth and the births were perfect births 't is not so in the Regeneration Perfect births there are though they are such as shall be brought in due time to their perfection It 's a saying of one No man is perfectly wicked at first so no man is exactly and perfectly godly at once Grace it comes into the soul by Gradatem by degrees now a little and then a little the light of a Saint it 's like the light of the day that breaks out more and more untill it comes unto the perfect day thus it is in Grace But take this withal we speak of Grace as it is inherent Grace as it is a quality implanted in the soul. There is this difference to be put between Justification and Sanctification and so between Adoption and Sanctification Justification perfect in a moment it doth not admit of degrees a man is not more justified at one time than another It 's true a Believer may be more clear in the apprehension of his Justification he may come to have more comfortable assurance of his Justification at one time than another But Justification it is once and together and it is perfect A justified man is as much justified upon the first act of believing and closing with Christ as ever he shall be all his daies though his justification is not so fully manifested And so Adoption a child of God that is to be made partaker of the Adoption he is as truly a child of God at first as in process of time But it is not so as touching Sanctification Sanctification it comes in in a gradual way sanctified a Believer â—…s and is more and more sanctified he is made more holy he is brought to Faith and comes to have his improvement in Faith And so it 's true of all other the inherent Graces they are brought on by degrees 2. I infer thus That if it be the duty of Christians and Believers to grow in Grace this is a duty and according to the will of God Then certainly 't is no duty to grow in sin but rather the contrary we have Gods allowance and his command for it that there be a growth in Grace Why it 's contrary then unto the will and command of God that any person should grow in sin you have no command for that nay there 's no allowance for men to be any thing in sin it is the will of God that we be not sinful it is the express command of God that we do not sin then certainly we must reckon upon it that it is altogether contrary to the will and command of God that persons should grow in sin and yet alas how much is there of such a monstrous hellish growth in the World We may observe how men grow from bad to worse they grow bigger and bigger and more bulky in their wickednesses and prophanenesses from day to day according to what the Apostle fore-tells in the last daies 2. Tim. 3. Evil men and deceivers shall wax worse and worse They are bad enough when they are at the lowest and yet as if it were not sufficient they must be upon their advancings and improvements in wickedness thus it is with many A woful growth to see men shooting up a-pace in wickedness increasing in their ungodliness growing up in pride and prophaneness and coming up to a height in impiety Thus it is but woe be to them who are found to be persons of such a growth that grow in sin that grow most strong to act their impieties and to carry on their mischievous designs and bear up in waies of ungodliness As touching such I say this That they will know in time that their growth is stinted and their measure is determined Grant it that they do fill up the ephah they shall do no more than so 〈◊〉 and when the ephah is once full the talent of lead shall be surely laid upon it to sink it down into everlasting destruction But 3. Consider this It is a duty charged upon us and especially such as are partakers of the Grace of Christ that they grow in Grace Let us now reflect upon our selves especially such of us concerning whom it may be presumed and hoped that the Grace of God is in them Truly it is a great duty and 't is that that God expects the performance of from us and 't is that which I am sent this morning for to deal with you about you that are the sons and daughters of Grace you that are partakers of the Calling of God according to his purpose it is that which lies upon you to bethink your selves concerning this matter 't is a duty clearly lying before you in the Text 't is requir'd of you God hath given it in charge that you grow in Grace You are as much bound to grow in Grace as you are bound to have Grace it is as much requir'd of you that you increase in Faith as that you be in the Faith it is as much requir'd of you that you endeavour perfecting of holiness as that you be partakers of holiness this is your duty and this is that which the Lord doth in his word up and down require at your hands Then consider you that are and may be presumed and hoped for to be the sons and daughters of Grace as I was saying Let me beseech you in the name of the Lord Jesus that you would but bethink your selves and consider Do you perswade your selves in your consciences and have you some good ground to be so perswaded that the Grace of God is in you in the truth of it
appointment you reckon upon it and come to it with such a perswasion O this is Gods appointing and in this way hath he ordered that I should wait upon him and I know his appointments are not in vain therefore I rest not in the Ordinance but look to the God of the Ordinance and I follow after the injoyment of God in his Ordinances 't is nothing to me to have the word preached other Ordinances dispenced they are nothing to me without the injoyment of God I look upon God in them and I expect a blessing from God by them truly this is an argument of a well-grown Faith Alass poor weaklings that we are we come in a formal manner too commonly so and with too much of a carnal frame of spirit too much in a complemental way look upon an Ordinance as if there were no more to be reckoned to it than what of strength and duty and benefit of man can put upon it look to the instrument have not an eye to God O without question Beloved our preaching would be to better purpose and our hearing and praying and our eating and drinking at the Lords Table would be to better purpose and with more fruit and benefit If we could look more to God in an Ordinance and come with such a thought as this O Lord this is the way that thou hast laid out for me to wait upon thee in these are the means that thou hast appointed to do my soul good by and upon this account because they are thy appointments I apply to them and expect benefit and profit by them Now I say when we manage our attendance in such a manner we are then in the fairest way to have the fruit and benefit of them and how will this be but by a well-improved Faith the truth on 't is the strength of Faith and the growth and increase of Faith will very much discover it self this way When we come to appear before God in Ordinances we have such a Faith as carries us to God Why I have been with God this day I have been in the presence of God I look upon these Ordinances as the blessed Symboles of his presence and uppon that account it is that I attend them and expect from them And then again I press you that you would grow in Grace and grow in the Grace of Faith why what growth would you require such a growth as this that your Faith may come to be of such a growth that you may not be staggered concerning the promises of God how cross soever that providences seem to run to them O this is a proof of a well-grown Faith You know that its an ordinary thing with God in the course of his dealings and dispensations when he hath made a promise and put his people upon the hopes and expectation of having it performed to order out so in the course of his providence as if he would quite null his promise the providences seem to speak flat contradiction to the promise It was Abrahams case a promise he had of a son but the providence of God ordered it out that he runs out till he be 100 years old and Sarah was old to so that there was an impossibility as to nature that ever there should be such a thing brought to pass and here was now the temptation Now if Abraham had been but of a weak Faith how apt had he been to be staggering and sorely shaken as touching the promise surely this will never be I bat being of a well-grown Faith as the Apostle testifies of him he considered not his own body nor the deadness of Sarahs womb he staggered not at the promise through unbelief but being strong in Faith he gave Glory to God So the Lord dealt with Joseph but the word of the Lord tries him and while it tries him he trusts upon it the irons enter into his soul and by that providence O what a seening contradiction was there to the promise he that was designed to wear a chain of Gold about his neck must go with chains of Irons about his legs and those irons must enter into his soul. What doth this speak but the vanity of the promise and that it was a thing not to be reckoned upon no account to be made of it and yet notwithstanding he being of a well-improved Faith under all these cross providences that spake contradiction to the promise yet he keeps in a humble dependance upon God And while the word of the Lord tried him he trusts the word he did not try the word but he trusted the word and so being of a well-grown Faith he bears up with a holy confidence towards God as touching the things that he had promised And so likewise promises concerning the Church of God and a more blessed injoyment that Saints shall have in the World God hath ingaged himself by promise very much to such a purpose and providence do seem to give the lye to the promise 〈◊〉 things are ordered out as if such things â—…uld never be brought to pass Now a poor â—…ak Beleever he will be apt to give all for naught and to conclude as David did I said in my haste all men are lyars these are but vain words we speak of this and that of a new Ierusalem coming down from Heaven as a Bride made ready for her husband and of the Churchâ—… Glory and beauty and of Babilons downfal and yet Babilon sits as a Queen and saith I shall never see sorrow nor widowhood Now a poor weak Beleever will be ready to give up the account and to say We must never look for these things I but a strong Beleever it bears up the soul in a holy confidence towards God well let God take what course he will I am sure that the womb of the promise shall never be sound to be a miscarrying womb that 's another thing Yet further I press you to growth in Grace particularly to a growth in Faith that you may not upon every occasion be cast into a discomposure of spirit upon every occasion of trouble that you meet withal when there are such providences ordered out as are startling and amazing and astonishing such a Faith you are to press to that when sinners in Zion are afraid and fearfulness surpriseth the hypocrites and likewise when poor weak Beleevers are apt to tremble and quake and at a loss and know not what to do that you may come to say my heart is fixed I trust in God these things move me not this is an argument of a well-grown Faith when we are not upon every occasion of any sudden fears in a discomposure of spirit yet well-grown Faith will bring a fixedness I it 's an argument of a Faith not well improved and not of so good a growth as it should be when we are upon every occasion surprised with fear and horror and astonishment and ready to scatter this way and that way and know not
what to do I refer to that passage in the 107 Psal. his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord he shall not be moved for any evil tidings when a man can say as the Prophet in the Psalm which is reckoned to Luther because of his making so much use of it God is our refuge and strength a present help in the time of trouble we will not fear though the mountains be troubled and though all things be in a confusion the Lord of Hosts is with us and the God of Jacob is our refuge this is the Faith we should endeavour to and Faith of such a growth we should press after Again such a Faith as in a day of affliction and tribulation we may live I and live cheerly and comfortably I and in a full condition The just shall live by Faith and the just shall live in fulness if so be that Faith be but of a due growth I am come that ye might have life and that you might have it more abundantly and the more we improve in Faith the more abundantly we shall live and at a higher rate Be full in emptiness be rich in poverty be strong in weakness be free under restraint and let the condition be what it will by having a well-grown Faith we shall but seem to be afflicted when others reckon upon it that we are most really afflicted O 't is a notable passage that of the Apostle in 2 Cor. 6. saith he we are as unknown and yet well known as dying and behold we live as chastened and not kill'd as sorrowful yet alwaies rejoycing as poor yet making many rich as having nothing and yet possessing all things I confess it is a most wonderful thing and yet this is that that a well-groâ—… Faith will inable to That when a child of 〈◊〉 in the lowest condition and according to the judgement of others the most really miserable man mark what I say that can be in the World Yet notwithstanding he can give this account I am but as it were thus and thus this is the noble act of Faith Sorrowful O you are a company of sorrowful poor creatures nay saith the Apostle we are but as sorrowful O you are miserably poor and beggerly nay saith he mistake not we are but as poor indeed we are rich you take us to be the most sorrowful and poor miserable creatures in the World we are indeed as such we seem to be so and you take us to be so you take us to be such as have nothing as having nothing and yet saith he we possess all things Why what a wonderful thing is this that the Faith of a Beleever should carry to this and yet this a well-improved Faith will inable to and by this we are to discover that it is a well-grown Faith Saith the Apostle I have learned in every estate therewith to be content I can be full and be hungry I can abound and suffer want Suffer want I saith he I can reckon of a fulness in my want I have all and abound what a blessed thing was this And O how much preciousness is there in the Grace of Faith and such a Faith should we endeavour to attain to and of such a growth that we may bear up with rejoycing hearts in tribulation in all tribulations and in the want of all things make our boast and say with the Prophet in Hab. 3. Though the Figg-tree shall not blossome and the labour of the Olive shall fail no Calves in the stall no Grass in the field nor Corn in the ground no Money in the purse no Bread in the cubbord every Brook is dry and every Prop and Pillar is pluck'd away yet saith he notwithstanding all this I will rejoyee in the Lord I will joy in the God of my Salvation SERM. V. SAints and Beleevers are called Trees of Righteousness The Planting of the Lord that he may be glorified I wish that this word may not only sound in our ears but sink into our hearts are they the planting of the Lord that he may be glorified How is it ever like that God should be glorified by such a plantation if so be that his planted ones stand at a stay and do not make some considerable growth answerable to time and means and opportunities to such a purpose We are therefore to know that it is as much our duty for to grow in Grace as it is to be made partakers of it I have been speaking to you concerning growth in Faith but what was delivered I shall less pass having some further addition to make something yet further this morning to offer out unto your consideration which if the Lord be pleased to accompany with his Grace and the working of his mighty spirit will be beneficial to us to the promoting of this cause that I now am ingaged in You that are Beleevers that have the Faith of Gods Elect your duty is to grow in Faith Now do bat weigh and consider and take heed that a deceived heart do not turn us aside It will appear that there is a growing in Faith when we come to have a large capacity for the entertaining of the Gospel-mysteries when the mysterie of the Gospel and of Godliness comes to stand in its proportion in our hearts and understandings when we have our hearts widened and inlarged to take in the mysterie of the Gospel so as that we have not only some weak low apprehensions of it which a smaller measure of Faith will inable to but when we come to have a comprehensiveness of heart so as that we can expasiate and inlarge our selves in our meditations of the glorious mysterie which by the Gospel is made known unto us When we come to walk as it were in the length and in the breadth of this mysterie we can come to view and surveigh all that glorious workmanship of God which he hath wrought in order to the salvation of poor souls we cannot only darkly apprehend but clearly behold the infinite wisdom and love and Grace that hath appeared to us in the contrivance of this great design concerning the salvation of sinners Truly this will be a clear proof and demonstration of a growth in Faith when our Faith takes in much of God much of Christ much of the mistery that we can discourse of it judiciously and affectionately and solace our selves in the contemplation of it we can with open face behold the glory of God as it shines in the face of Christ we can walk up and down in the length and breadth of the mysterie of the Gospel O this is a blossed proof and will be found to be so of a souls improvement and growth in Faith and in Grace Will you but consider of this when the Gospel and the mysterie of it the mysterie of Election Redemption Justification Reconciliation of a sinner to God the mysterie of Grace as it stands in opposition to the works of the Lâ—… the mysterie of the
with all the Saints what is the height and depth and breadth and length And saith he That you may know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge There is saith he in the Knowledge of Christ heights and depths and breadths and lengths and particularly in the knowledge of his Love and it is such a Love as passeth Knowledge Now do but argue thus Is there such a Mysterie Are there such depths in this Knowledge Tâ—…n certainly we had need to set to it that we do endeavour for to grow up in this Knowledge that we may be as comprehensive of it as possible we can this is our Duty As now to instance in some Particulars The Apostle speaks concerning this Mysterie in Col. 1. speaking there of the Mysterie Which saith he is Christ in you the hope of Glory O Brethren do you know the meaning of this It may be you think you do but I say I am sufficiently warranted to say If any man think he knoweth any thing he knows nothing as he ought Do you know the interpretation of this Christ in you the hope of Glory This is the Mysterie the Apostle calls it so You may be apt to think you can reach the bottom of this Christ and Christ in you and Christ in you the hope of Glory Alas we are apt to put our selves off with a little sip of the Cup we go as it were with the top of the lip and give a touch upon that which would cover head and shoulders and all we might stand under these waters they are so deep Such a word as this it bespeaks our search and disquisition and inquiry and to set in with God O but Lord What 's the meaning of this Christ in you and Christ in you the hope of Glory This bespeaks our endeavour after the Knowledge of Christ. Here I might fall upon sundry other Particulars as this belongs to the Knowledge of Christ according to the Apostles account in Eph. 3. he speaks there of the Mysterie which was kept secret from Ages and Generations And saith he Was not so made known as it is now to his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit What 's this Mysterie That the Gentiles should be fellow-Heirs of the same Body partakers of his Promise in Christ by the Gospel That is a Mysterie and this bespeaks our endeavour after a growth in knowledge even the Knowledge of Christ for this belongs to the Knowledge of Christ. Christ will be considered as mystical Christ he will be made up of Jew and Gentile the middle Wall being broken down a Mysterie hidden from Ages and Generations but it 's made known I but how little a thing is known even of this And then I add withal The Mysterie it was the mysterie concerning the Gentiles that they should come in to be fellow-Heirs It 's the Mysterie with respect to the Iews So the Apostle calls it in Rom. 11. This Mysterie I would not have you ignorant of lest you should be wise in your own conceits that blindness in part is happened to the Iews until the fulness of the Gentiles come in and then all Israel shall be saved Here 's a Mysterie Now these Mysteries bespeak our serious endeavour that we may come to grow in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. And then the Mysterie concerning the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus the Administration of it the delivery of it upon the Administration of it to the Father The Apostle holds forth these Mysteries The Mysterie of the Kingdom the new Heavens and the new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness which belongs to the Knowledge of Jesus Christ. And then the delivering up of the Kingdom to the Father that God may be All in all when Christ hath performed the Administration of the Kingdom Now I say these are Mysteries belonging to the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ which do all of them loudly bespeak our most sedulous endeavours after a growth in this blessed Knowledge And to add no more consider that passage of the Apostle in 1 Tim. 3. the latter end Great is the mysterie of godliness What 's that God was manifest in the flesh iustified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached to the Gentiles believed on in the World received up into Glory Have we comprehended have we attained The Apostle Paul was far from thinking so according to that account of him Nâ—… as if I had already attained or were already perfect What have we got to the bottom of these Mysteries Are we able to fathom the depth of them O how little a thing do we know of these things It was a good saying of one of the Ancients Many things because of the customary mentioning of them they are slighted which if they were but seriously weighed would cause admiration to astonishment God manifested in the flesh Why it 's a Mystery that we may bestow a whole Age of a thousand years in studying and never be able to come to the full understanding of Angels desire to look into these things Now upon these accounts upon the account of the subject matter of the Knowledge of Christ it may well be required of Believers that they do their utmost endeavour that they may grow in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I shall close up for the present only with this one Argument further It is the Saints duty to endeavour a Knowledge in the growth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for otherwise truly we do not answer the provision that God hath made to such a purpose we walk unworthy of the Goodness and Grace of God which hath discovered it self this way in order to such a growth For mark you In the beginning of the World upon the fall of Adam the Gospel it was but whispered Whisper there was something darkly secretly and couchantly if I may so speak was hinted out The seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head here was all the Gospel was given out at first Afterwards there began to be a little more discovery made of it to Abraham Isaac and Iacob Afterwards in Moses time and in Moses days there came to be a little more full explanation afterwards in the times of the Prophets clearer clearer discoveries But in the time of the Gospel when Christ came then the Day star arises nay the Sun of Righteousness breaks out and now we have clearer and clearer discoveries of the Mysterie concerning our Lord Jesus And mark you when Christ goes to Heaven he sends a token of his love to his Church and People a Book of Mysteries of Mysteries concerning the Knowledge of himself and provides this very Book that we might come to be well improved in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Now consider this For as much as the Lord hath in his Wisdom out of his rich bounty hath been pleased thus to provide and to order out that there should be such means and helps for
of those Laws and Statutes and Testimonies which were given them they should be acknowledged to be a wise and an understanding People Why Truly they were of high accomplishment as touching their wisdom and understanding and judgment and that upon the account of those Revelations that God did make to them O but how much higher will the advance be of a People in wisdom and understanding and judgment that are well instructed in and acquainted with the Mysteries of Christ and the things that are to be known concerning him Consider now What was the teaching of the Old Testament to the teaching that was to be had under the New Testament the Gospel-teaching when the time came that the Mysterie which had been kept secret from Ages and Generations should be broken open and laid out to the full of it Oh what an advantage was there then for a People to come to good judgment and understanding No Knowledge in all the World I say contributes so much to the purpose of making Men and Women wise and judicious as doth the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. By this Knowledge well improved for I speak of that I speak of the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ considered as well improved when there is a considerable growth and increase in it I speak of this Knowledge in the improvement and increase in it as the most pretious Knowledge most beneficial to such a purpose for to accomplish men and women for being a judicious understanding People of discerning spirits Consider First of all By the means of this Knowledge we shall be the better able to make a judgment of ourselves our persons and conditions and states Alas beloved What woful mistakes are we apt to run upon concerning our conditions God-ward How many are there that think themselves to be something when they are nothing at all judge themselves to be of a right Gospel-spirit when they are nothing so at all How many are there that account themselves to be right in point of Religion and Godliness well accomplisht and that they are such as will pass in account with God for good and sound and upright men right in the Mysterie of the Gospel whom God will reject and protest against and profess of them that he hath no pleasure in them Then on the other hand There are many poor souls that pass a very sad judgment upon themselves and are apt to give themselves for stark naught that they are not to be accounted of with God that have deserved rather to be rejected of him when yet for all that they are in his account no other than noble Vines a holy a right seed as the Prophet Jeremiah useth the expression Now the reason of these mistakes in point of Judgment concerning our selves and Estates it must needs arise eâ—…pecially either from the total want or from a great deficiency in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. For mark you You must know that we are never so well able to judge of the Writing as when we are well knowing of the Copy after which the Writing is to be drawn We can never so well make a Judgment of the fashion of a thing unless we know the due pattern after which it is to be cast they that see the Copy will be the better able to judge of the Writing that is to be drawn after the Copy they that understand the state of the Mold will be the better able to judge of the Vessel whether it be right cast and fashioned sutable to the Mold Now consider thus Our Lord Jesus Christ he is the Copy after which a Believer a Christian is to be drawn up He is the Mold into which a Christian is to be fashioned The Apostle tells us in Rom. 8. That those whom God hath predestinated he hath predestinated to be conformed to the Image of his Son that he might be the first-born among many brethren Thus it is it is the great design of God concerning all his People that he will own that they be conformed and fashioned according to Christ And such as is the constitution of Christ such must be the constitution of a Christian Now when we come to know and to know to good purpose the things that concern Christ when we come to be made able to answer the Mysteries of the Gospel concerning Christ what a Christ he is of what a make and constitution Pray consider well The more we know of this Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the better able shall we be to make a Judgment of our selves and to escape those dangerous mistakes concerning our condition and state which we are apt to run upon when we come to know and to know to some good degree what Christ is what he is for his Nature and Disposition and Qualifications and Constitution and that he is not made after the Law of a carnal Commandment but after the power of an endless Life That he is constituted a Priest after such a manner and so a Prophet a King When we come to know this to some purpose the Constitution of Christ what make he is of how God hath ordered him who is the Pattern and the Copy after which a Christian is to be drawn up the more we understand and know of this the better able shall we be to make a Judgment of our selves and states when we come to compare our selves with our Saviour Jesus Christ when we can find that as in the Print there is letter for letter there is Grace for Grace there is stamp for stamp Impression for Impression when we can find this when we come to know the original Copy and then come to compare our selves with the Copy the Writing that is drawn up in our own hearts when we come to understand what Constitution Christ is of and understand that to some purpose and then come to consider how it is vvith our selves then shall vve be the better able to make a Judgment of our condition and state and to say I knovv that my heart is right I knovv that my state is good I am able to avouch it I can give a Judgment of my self upon this account because I find the conformity to Christ my Head I see there is an ansvvering to the Copy and that I am dravvn up according to the Pattern O Brethren consider vvell of this We are said to be made Kings and Priests unto God our Father Why novv Kings and Priests vve are such as Christ vvho vvas a King and a Priest not after the Lavv as I said before of a carnal Commandment but after the power of an endless Life when we come to find the power of an endless Life in us a sutableness unto Christ when it 's otherwise it is but a pretence As it may be said according to that in Rev. 2. They say they are Iews and are not they are of the Synagogue of Satan and so will many be found
there should be very much heat Did we but know more of Christ First of the loveliness of Christ what an amiable person he is Did we but throughly know what a lovely Christ he is according to the account that 's given of him in the Canticles He is the chiefest of ten thousand altogether lovely Take him all over you will see nothing but loveliness in the Lord Jesus Christ he is lovely for his Name for his Wisdom and Grace all those incomparable excellencies that discover themselves in him consider but of that O he is the most lovely Person that ever was in the World that ever visibly conversed with the sons of men 2. Consider him in his loveliness so in his loveingness I distinguish so his loveliness the loveliness of his Person and the lovingness of his Person the most loving Christ of the most loving disposition that ever was in the World never any to be compared to Christ for Love as full of love to poor souls as ever his heart could hold next to the love that he bare from all Eternity to his Father and to the Spirit who are co-essential and co-equal co-eternal with him next to the love that he bears them his love is set upon the sons of men he takes delight in the habitable parts of the World according to the account that 's given of him in Prov. 8. where Christ is set forth unto us under the term and notion of Wisdom saith he I was my Fathers delight and I came into the habitable parts of the World and my delights were with the sons of men He had his delights from all Eternity with the Father and with the Spirit and yet notwithstanding he was pleased to come out of the bosom of his Father and to take up his delights within the habitable parts of the World and with the sons of men And what a condition did he find them in A company of ill-looking and unlovely creatures as ever eye could behold I saw thee when thou wast in thy blood cast out to the loathing of thy person and yet that time was the time of love I loved thee and I gave a demonstration of it by doing so and so according to what is exprest Eâ—… 16. Why thus it is God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son his only beloved Son God the Son he so loved the world that he gave himself for a wicked damned world a company of wretches that had no love to him yet he loves them and he was out of love to them willing for to lay down his life for them And greater love hath no man as our Saviour speaks in the Gospel than thâ—…t a man lay down his life for his friend For his Friend I but what a love was this then That one should come and lay down his life for those that were Enemies When we were enemies we were reconciled and when we had no strength Christ came and shed his blood and that by the shedding of his blood he might wash away the guilt of his Peoples iniquities What a love was this O well might the Apostle fall upon admirings of it in Eph. 3. he prayes that they might comprehend the heights and depths and lengths and breadths and that they might know the love of Christ which saith he passeth knowledge Weigh these things Brethren and let them not pass away in a slight manner That saith he you might know the heights Why there are heights and depths and breadths and lengths in the love of Christ and it is such a love as passeth knowledge when we have known all we can of it yet it will transcend our knowledge why such a love Christ hath imprest Now consider O the the love of Christ to poor sinners that he should stick at nothing to do for them to suffer for them to forego for them to undergo for them When the business was under consideration concerning the Redemption of the World when it was propounded to him My Son wilt thou undertake for a damned World to save a company of poor souls that are like to perish eternally unless that help come in Wilt thou undertake for them Father I will do it I love them and I will do them all the good I can I but Son If thou wilt undertake their cause thou must bear their guilt thou must undergo their curse thou must be put to shame for them thou must suffer and dye and shed thy blood for them Father I am willing Father I delight to do thy Will thy Law O Father is in my heart Why what a heart-breaking love is this He sticks at nothing he doth not ingage to a dispute with the Father and with the Spirit and say thus Why should I undergo this smart and pain and torment for a company of wretches Let them damn and perish let them reap the fruit of their own evil doings Father what hast thou to object against me I never offended thee Why should I be made an Offering and a Sacrifice for sin Not a word of this but a most willing complyance with the Counsel of God concerning the saving of poor souls and redeeming them from going down into the pit What love was here O admirable love of our Lord Jesus Christ Why now do but consider this then This love of Christ this Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ the loveliness of his Person and the lovingness of his nature and disposition and what an inlarged heart of love as to God so to poor sinners And consider what delight he takes to manifest his Love to us and what longings there are in him that he might have all his People in Heaven that they might know to the full that dear love that he hath born to them from all Eternity Why If these things were better known and digested if we would not only slip and away but dwell upon the Meditation of these things unquestionably it would contribute most largely unto the promoting of love we should not be so dead-hearted unto Christ as we are our fire of love would burn out more unto God unto Christ than ever it 's like to do if so be that we were but more improved in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I commend these things with much confidence to the Consciences of every one of you whether that this Knowledge of our Lord Jesus this blessed Knowledge if it were but more pursued and if we had but more advancement in it whether it would not more improve our Faith improve our Hope improve our Repentance improve our Love to God and the Lord Jesus and of one to another And then again The like we may speak concerning humility and meekness of Spirit for it comes to my thoughts that Proverb of Solomon to make use of it here upon occasion of this account that I give concerning the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Solomon speaks of a gift of Knowledge which prospers which
in heaven or earth to take this book out of the right hand of him that sits upon the Throne The Proclamation is made and the account is given Thus no man in heaven or earth nor under the earth was able to open the book nor look thereon not so much as to look upon it This goes to the heart of Iohn a great Favourite of Christ a dear Servant of God he for his part is astonisht at it and falls a weeping bitterly That there should be none found worthy to open the book Mark what follows One of the Elders said unto me weep not behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah the root of David hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals thereof and he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sate upon the Throne He came and took the book Here was the priviledge of Christ above Angels and glorified Saints or any in heaven and earth there was such a part of the counsel of God which was hid in his breast bosom that none durst venture upon for to make a search into The Lion of the tribe of Iudah the Lord Jesus the Lamb that was slain he was worthy and so they come with their acclamations afterwards they fall down before the Lamb having Harps and golden Vials and they sing a new song worthy worthy is the Lamb that was slain thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof And then they break out into magnifying and praising of God Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing and the four beasts said Amen and the four and twenty Elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever Why now this is to be known concerning our Lord Jesus Christ he hath this priviledge to take the book out of the hand to go into the bosom of the Father to open the cabinet of the Fathers most secret counsel he hath this priviledge above all creatures in heaven or in earth This is to be known concerning Christ. 6. Yet further This Word and Doctrine which is the subject matter of our preaching and your hearing it is such a Doctrine as Christ is marvellously pleased with the wise judicious publication and preaching of it and with the humble attention upon it and therefore Christ is perfect and he hath promised to be present to the end of the World in his Churches and in his Congregations and with his Ministry and with his under Preachers For as I said before preaching work is principally his Christ is the great Preacher and all that are imployed in the work they are but under him and they do his work principally he is present with them observant of them he hath promised to give his assistance to them and to take knowledge of all discouragements that they meet with as we see in the case of Paul When Paul was upon his preaching vvork he meets vvith very hard usage the Lord appears to him and doth as it were clap him upon the shoulder and saith Be of good cheer Paul Thou hast testified of me here at Ierusalem and in such and such a place I will stand by thee and none shall hurt thee O Christ is present with his servants and he delights to see his work graciously and judiciously managed and to see his People that attend upon him to give heed to his Doctrine The Lord Jesus he takes Knowledge how his work is entertained how it s preached and heard and how people behave themselves under the dispensations of it Why now good now beloved consider this These things are the things that we are to know concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. Now if this were well considered wold it not contribute exceedinly to the promoting of preaching and of hearing work Those that are called out to this ministration O if they had but the well digested Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ would not this spirit them and make them to look to the cause they manage how they manage this trust that is committed to them from Christ and how they deal with this blessed Doctrine that came out of the bosom of the Father and if you did but consider that you come to hear the Word that is given of the Father to Christ which is in the heart of Christ and which he ingages himself to give new life unto and how he takes notice what entertainment his Word hath c. If you did but know this certainly there would be other manner of hearing than ordinarily there is Thus now I have spoken concerning that I shall now go on and let you know That by growing in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Believers they come to be exceedingly advanced As for the other Services that I have been speaking of as Gospel-Duties in Prayer and Praising God in Preaching and Hearing the everlasting Word that came out of the bosom of the Father So by the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we come to be exceedingly advantaged for that great work of mortification and of self-denial To joyn these two together Self-mortifying work Self-denying work Alas Brethren how hardly are we brought to these Services And when we set upon them alas how aukward and how untowardly do we apply to the management of it And why Alas because we are so deficient in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ were there a well improved Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Did you but know what a self-denying person he was and how justly be may require self-denying at the hands of his People If we did but consider that this Jesus Christ he was from Eternity God with God he might have lain warm in the bosom of his Father in the dear and blessed bosom of his Father he might have lain there and delitiated himself and kept out of all the storms and tempests of the World and might have enjoyed himself with sweetest delight in his Fathers bosom O what a self-denying Christ was here That he should come and leave his Father's bosom and be content to expose himself to the difficulties and hardships of the World to undergo storms and tempests Mark what the Apostle speaks in Rom. 15. Let every one of us please his neighbour c. For saith he even Christ pleased not himself He did not set his heart upon pleasing himself but that he might please his God and profit his People here below even Christ saith he pleased not himself O a self-denying Christ and if this were well known it would promote self-denying work in us And then sin-mortifying work O we are hardly brought to it to wound and slay our corruptions and to be ever and non digging down our Walls and ever and anon to be boring in the sides of this or that corruption This is his hard work to us but had we
never come to be pleasant to our souls so pleasant as that we could say with the Apostle We account all things but loss and dung for the excellency of the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. May it not without breaking the bounds of charity be thought and judged that there are many yea very many that profess the Name of Christ and would be in account for Godliness that know little or nothing and nothing at all to any purpose concerning the Lord Jesus and are not at all troubled at it that they should be so unacquainted with this Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ And are there not such as are apt to think that they know as much concerning Christ and the Mysteries of his Kingdom as much as need to be known and so there is no cause why they should much trouble themselves with such a busisiness as this for to be solicitous about the knowing of our Lord Jesus Christ. I would speak this Morning in this part of the Discourse to two sorts of persons First of all to such if such there be among us possibly there may be some such though I hope not altogether so many that are strangers unto any true saving Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ peradventure they have some common notions of Christ and can as I said patter over a form of words and say I believe in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord which was conceived by the holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary and suffered under Pontius Pilate and was crucified dead and buried and rose again the third day and ascended into heaven and sits on the right hand of God they can patter over such a form of words but to little or no purpose in the world and upon the matter are as blind as Beetles as Batts see nothing understand nothing to purpose concerning the Mysterie Which is Christ in his People the hope of Glory O that there were not such to be found as setting aside the Name of Christ they have heard of such a name in the World by common fame and report but know no more of Christ than the very Heathens and Pagans and those that never were within the line of Gospel Communication I am verily perswaded that there are such to be found within the territories of this Nation that can give no more account of Christ and of the Mysteries that concern him than the grossest Heathens that ever were in the World excepting common fame of him and report that 's taken up which they can give no good account of in all the world and so truly such persons may be sent to School to the Devil but that he doth not keep a School for Christ and to teach the Knowledge of Christ but is a desperate enemy to it but otherwise as touching the ability of the Devil and of the damned Spirits truly there are many I many might be sent to School to the Devil to learn of him understand me aright I say as touching his ability for he is notionally and apprehensively and indeed by a necessity he is very much knowing of our Lord Jesus Christ the Devils are We know thee who thou art even the holy one of God This was the profession that the Devils made they did know him when he was in the World and they do know now what he is and what account is to be given of him and that he will appear to their everlasting confusion and condemnation Thus it is these persons are in no condition to grow in the Knowledge of Christ for they have not so much as the first grounds and principles of that Knowledge but rude and raw and altogether unseen in those Mysteries that concern the Lord Jesus Christ It is somewhat strange that persons living in a Land of light and of Gospel-discovery that there should be any found under such gross darkness but it is too true that there are too many in that condition I have read and you have heard it accounted to you it hath been both by my self and by other hands by a learned Divine of an antient man that lived for forty years under a powerful constant Ministry and yet when he came to lye upon his death-bed and was examined concerning his Knowledge truly it would make ones heart to tremble to give the account of God and of Christ and of his Soul and of his final estate I forbear to give you the answers which were made If so be that we should deal with some and it may be some of long standing in the world and take a course to catechize and examine what they know of Jesus Christ of his Person of his Natures of his Offices and Administrations and of his Sufferings and of his present state of Glory it may be we should find an utter inability to give any tollerable account of these things Now will you but consider a little what follows upon this what the Judgment is that is to be made concerning such how sad their condition is that are unacquainted with this Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. First Suppose they have any Knowledge of God either by nature or by common illumination by what way soever if there be not the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ truly whatever they know of God will never turn to their comfort and benefit and advantage but rather prove their torment He that sinneth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God whatsoever Knowledge he may have of him God he hath not and that Knowledge will prove his torment whatsoever a man may know of the infinite Being the glorious Majesty of his infinite Wisdom and Power and God-head whatsoever Knowledge he hath it will be the torment of the Soul at last if so be that there be not a Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2. I offer this to be considered of How can such believe How shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard and whom they have not known And if there be no believing there can be no salvation for he that believeth not shall be damned 3. How can they love him How can they love Christ that know not Christ And what a dreadful sentence is gone out against them that love not the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 16. Them that love not our Lord Iesus Christ let them be Anathema Maranatha accursed The Lord will come 4. How can they repent that know not Christ There can be no true right repentance where there is not the Knowledge of Christ it is the Knowledge of Christ and of God in Christ that brings the heart over to repentance The Soul will never come to repent with a repentance unto life if so be there be not an apprehension of the Grace of God in our Lord Jesus Christ And then consider the danger except we repent we shall be sure to perish 5. How apt are such to rise up in opposition to God to Christ and the wayes of the
charge We have no conscience of sin though we make conscience of sinning yet we have no conscience to charge against us O this would be our fruit of the well advanced and improved knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. These things Brethren would be considered of by us and to close up this part of the Discourse I have only this to say That if so be that any of us do think in our consciences that we deserve to come under this lash of reproof and that this Complaint may be justly taken up against us That we have not so minded as we ought the knowledge of Christ and have not set our endeavours as we should that we may come to grow in this knowledge Then to close up all for I would willingly give a dispatch to this part of the Text I would only speak a few words in a way of Exhortation and I would thus perswade in the Name of the Lord That as it is the duty of the Text so it may be the matter of your practice for to grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And here you must consider that this knowledge as also the Grace that God gives so the knowledge that you may have and are to have of Christ it comes not in all at once Shall I express my self thus if it may not be too low for the Argument The Lord in managing of his Trade with his People he doth not deal by whole-sale but rather by retale he doth parcel out and give by parcels dispences by parcels now a little and then a little now a little Grace then a little more now a little light and then a little further improvement The Sun it gives not out its full light at once so Christ and therefore it is that there is a growth in Grace and a growth in Knowledge and in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus So then reckon upon it we are but in the way and so we know but in part and prophesie but in part and we are not comprehensaries we come not to the full of that which is to be known press on and after and increase in the Knowledge of Christ. I need no other Arguments than vvhat have been already presented to you in the Doctrinal part It is the most excellent Knovvledge It is the most beneficial Knovvledge in all respects according to vvhat hath been accounted to you Novv there are but these three things vvhich I shall dispatch in fevv vvords First I vvould have you to consider vvhat knovvledge of the Lord Jesus Christ it is that you are to grovv in not a notional knovvledge not so much in that so as you should rest in a bare notional knovvledge and a form of knovvledge but you must knovv this That the Knovvledge of our Lord Jesus vvhich you are to endeavour a grovvth in it is a spiritual Knowledge an inward spiritual Knowledge a heart Knowledge it is not a knowledge of Christ after the flesh no not in that sense which the Apostle may mean in the second of the Corinthians We have known Christ after the flesh that is they knew him and they knew him so as to see him with their bodily eyes 't is not this Knowledge of Christ though if you have this spiritual Knowledge you will in due time have this knowledge and sight of him but now we know Christ no more so as he saith there Though we have known Christ after the flesh as he was known to the Disciples when he was here in the state of humiliation and conversant in the World We have known Christ after the flesh but henceforth know we him so no more Nor is it any carnal Knowledge but to increase in the Knowledge of Christ according to the Mysterie which is Christ in you the hope of Glory You should labour to increase in the Knowledge of him which answers his Constitution who was made a Priest Prophet and King not after the Law of a carnal Commandment but after the power of an endless life as in Heb. 7. You are to endeavour increase in the Knowledge of Christ which is a confiding knowledge and a conforming Knovvledge such a knovvledge of him as is a fiducial knovvledge such a knovvledge as that by knovving him to come to be more and more inabled to rest and rely upon him that you can say I knovv so much of the Lord Jesus that I can sit dovvn and look no further I have enough I have the desire of my heart here I can boldly trust here I can fix and stay vvithout any misgivings I know this foundation is strong enough to bear up the whole weight of my soul. And then you are to indeavour to grow in that Knowledge which is a conforming knowledge that knowledge by which you come to be molded into a conformity to the Lord Jesus so as what you know of his Wisdom and Meekness and Patience and Humility and Heavenly mindedness you know him in these things so as that you come to grow up into conformity to him This is the Knowledge or else your light will be darkness and your knowledge will be found to be ignorance And then I press upon you that you would endeavour to grow in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now what especially of the Knowledge of Christ would you have us to grow in I 'll only mention two things briefly First That you would labour to grow more and more in the Knowledge of the infinite fulness and sufficiency and power of our Lord Jesus Christ that you may know what a powerful Christ he is what an able Christ he is how able to do exceeding abundantly above all you ask or think I reremember it was the blessing of Judah that his hand should be sufficient for him Deut. 33. Christ is the head of Judah he is the Lord of Judah's Tribe and to be sure this blessing rests upon his head his hand shall be sufficient for him to remove Mountains to break gates of brass to cut in sunder bars of iron he is able to do all that concerns his Church and every Saint that belongs to him and that the Father hath given him he is present to go through his work and he will not leave any part nor parcel of it undone O this is pretious knowledge which we should endeavour to advance in that we may come to be more full in the apprehensions of the fulness of sufficiency of the power of our Lord Jesus that whatsoever work lyes upon his hand to perform he will be found all-sufficient to accomplish and bring to pass he is sufficient to present all that the Father hath given him without spot and blame before the presence of his Glory with exceeding joy and though there be the power of Devils and World and Corruption that may labour for to wrest a soul out of the hands of Christ why saith he None shall be ever able to pluck them out of my hands And then
above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Iesus throughout all ages world without end Amen In 1 Tim. 1. we have the Doxologie formed thus Now unto the king eternal immortal invisible the only wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen In the Epistle of Iude we have the Doxologie formed thus Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy To the only wise God our Saviour be glory and majesty dominion and power now and ever Amen And in the Text thus To him that is to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ To him him be glory both now and for ever Amen These are the Scripture Doxologies some of them which I have now referr'd you to And you may observe there is something of variation in words and terms and whereas in the other Doxologies the glory is ascribed and voted up unto God by Jesus Christ in the Churches here the Doxologie is made to refer unto our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and so the Apostle carries it in reference unto Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever Amen You must not think that Peter was more devoted to the promoting of the honour of Christ than of the Father and of the Spirit nor that he doth exclude the Father and the Spirit the eternal Father and the eternal Spirit from out of the bounds of this Doxologie or that he hath not an holy aim at the Glory of the Father and of the Spirit as well as at the Glory of the Lord Jesus the second Person no nothing less than so The truth is no man can honour the Son but in honouring him he honours the Father and the Spirit too no person can give glory to Christ but he must give glory to the Father and to the Spirit too but the wisdom of the Spirit appears in this and his direction that sometimes the Doxologie should in terms be referred unto God Father Son and holy Spirit sometimes it should be so formed as to have a reference unto the second Person considered as Mediator and so in the Text And there may be some reason why the Apostle Peter should refer this Doxologie unto our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ not mentioning in terms the Father or the Spirit and putting it in the ordinary form To God only wise To the great God be glory for ever But thus To him who is our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ be glory now and for ever There may be this apprehension that the Apostle Peter minding and remembring the great disservice that he had done to Christ when he was under his abasing and what dishonour was done to him by his threefold shameful denying of him he would now leave the best Testimony behind him that he could of his devotedness to the exalting of his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ he would leave the best Testimony to all Posterity that he could And so in this Epistle and in this closing Doxologie he makes mention of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ voting and wishing up making this application to him praying this and wishing this and voting this unto him that Glory may be unto him both now and for ever Amen And so you have this more general account concerning these words Where you have some matter To him be glory To him to whom To our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be Glory a Duty or a Vote an Apprecation that is a praying unto him A fit word to be used the sense whereof is as I say an Apprecation a praying up to Christ a praying over to Christ a voting over to Christ To him be glory This is the Apprecation And then there is the Time To him be Glory Now Now let him have Glory now while there is time while time continues and as long as there is any time as long as there is a Now as long as we can say Now why so long let glory be to him To him be glory Now now in this present time and as long as time shall continue as long as there is but a nick of time if there be but a Now of time one now even now and in this present time be glory to him And then For ever not now only but let it be for ever let it be a standing business let there be acknowledgment of honour and glory to Christ Now I and when there shall be no more time even in Eternity let there be an acknowledgment of Glory to Christ Jesus Now and for ever in the Original it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto the day of Eternity Now and unto the day of Eternity to him be Glory to him be Glory now and to him be Glory In diem eternitatis â—…en to the day of Eternity Such a day there 〈◊〉 come and it will be such a day as will swallow up Time that came out of the womb of Eternity before Time was and Time shall be swallowed up of the Eternity that shall follow when Time shall be no more and that shall be a standing and lasting day a day that shall know no night and a day that shall know no limits and bounds but it shall be a lasting day and a day of Eternity Such a day there will be which shall be a dreadful day unto wicked ones that live and die in unbelief and impenitency they shall have a day or rather a night of eternity a black burning night that will never have a dawning morning no never have a dawning morning But then there will be a bright and lightsom Sun-shine day that shall never have a cloud upon it a day of Eternity and in this day of Eternity this work is to be performed and this Glory in this long day of Eternity is appointed and voted up to the Lord Jesus To him be Glory both now and to the day 〈◊〉 Eternity And then we have the confirmation of all Amen O let it be so Amen O so it shall be unto this Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ be Glory for ever Amen O be it so Amen O it shall be so I thus the Apostle shuts up this pretious Doxologie this blessed Epistle which I have treated of so long Now what are we to gather from hence This is the only thing that remains to be done which is to give you an account of this one Point from the Text. That they that are acted by a Gospel Spirit have any saving Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are and will be most strongly devoted to the Glory of Jesus Christ to have Glory given to Jesus Christ. This is the Doctrine and consider of it well Now and for ever and will come in with their vote and say Amen This is the thing that I offer There was never since the Gospel sounded in the World never any
of God the Lamb that was slain it s a name that he delights to be known by the Lamb upon Mount Sion worthy is the Lamb that was slain And because a Lamb slain because he was pleased to become an Offering and a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour and would undertake to redeem a People unto God by his Blood worthy therefore to have this acknowledgment made to him O worthy worthy is the Lamb that was slain Here now I have a large field to walk in but that I would contract my self and dispatch the Point The Lord Jesus Christ worthy Consider first of all who he is for his Person why he is the brightness of his Father's glory the express image of his person worthy therefore to have Glory given to him 2. What is he for his Name Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God everlasting Father Prince of Peace the Lord our righteousness King of Kings Lord of Lords the blessed and only Potentate the Prince of the Kings of the earth his Name is as an oyntment poured forth Well may it be said To him be glory now and for ever 3. Consider his Qualifications The only begotten of the Father full of Grace Then if full of Grace worthy to be full of Glory Grace leads in Glory and Glory doth most properly follow Grace Who should have Glory but they that have Grace Why none have so much Grace as Christ he was as full of Grace as ever he could hold Now where should Glory rest but upon him that is full of Grace Therefore worthily is it said To him be Glory 4. Then again Consider this Jesus this Lord Jesus Why he suffer'd he suffer'd for sin The just for the unjust that he might bring us to God He suffered and by suffering made satisfaction to infinite Justice he hath expiated the sins of his People provided for the purging of their Consciences he hath made way by his own Blood for an entrance into the Holiest Now is there not reason to say To him be glory both now and for ever Mark what our Saviour speaks after his Resurrection saith he Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer And what then And afterwards to enter into his glory It behoved him first to suffer and then to enter into Glory and he hath entred into Glory and it is our duty for to follow him with loudest acclamations and to say yea yea To him be glory now and for ever Amen 5. And then again Christ is most worthy to have these acclamations and such Doxologies a voting up and applecation of Glory to him Why Because all the Glory that ever any Saint on earth shall have or Saint in heaven doth possess all that Glory comes over to thereby the Lord Jesus Christ. Whatsoever Glory any soul here shall be partaker of or hereafter in the Kingdom of Glory they are to reckon themselves beholding to Christ for it it comes over to them by his means Worthy then is this apprecation to be made to him and that every soul that hath any hopes of Glory should say Now unto him be glory both now and for ever Amen So that these things being duly weighed which indeed are of proper cognizance for men and women professing godliness and professing to be acted by a Gospel spirit What is there that should more properly sound in an Assembly of People that attend to the Gospel What can more properly sound than this That unto the King of Sion the Lamb that was slain to him that is the King of the Princes of the earth to him that is set upon the Throne with his Father to him that hath overcome Principalities and Powers hath made a shew of them openly to him that hath vanquished Devils and enemies and hath brought Life and Immortality to light to him that is now entred into the Holiest once for all and appears in the heavens before God to plead the Cause of his Peoples souls What is there more proper in a Congregation of Saints to sound out than this To him be glory now and for ever Amen Now in a word for Application Are they acted by a Gospel spirit that design nothing less than the Glory of Christ that instead of making apprecations and voting up Glory to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ do what in them lyes to cast all the shame and dishonour and contempt upon him they can Is this the spirit of the Gospel It 's the spirit of the Devil That man be he who he will let them be never so high in the World let them be Kings and Princes and Potentatesâ—… whatsoever names and titles they are known by whatsoever dignities and honours they are advanc'd unto whatsoever breadth they carry in the World whatsoever they are for worldly respects that are set to cast contempt upon Christ and to turn reproach and dishonour upon him are so far from being acted by the spirit of the Gospel that they do walk in the very spirit of the Devil and it will appear so But are there any such are there such as walk in such a spirit There were so of old O people be apt to think that they were worthy to be spit in the face Why what did they that cryed out Not this man but Barrabas Let this Jesus be crucified let him be hanged let him be hanged for a Malefactor do him all the shame they can They did so they buffetted him they spit upon him they smote him with their fists they knock'd him upon the head they put him into a fools coat they would make him their laughing-stock Thus they did What was this spirit Why is this spirit quite worn out of the World Nay the Lord be merciful to us there is a desperate spirit of opposition to Christ among whom among the Antichristian party O that it were not to be found among persons that would be accounted godly and stand for the honour of Christ and make apprecations to him And they can patter it over in forms of words O Glory to Jesus Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the holy Ghost they can patter over such words in their mouths and in the mean time they carry swords in their hearts against Christ and their Conversations speak nothing but dishonour to Christ shame him in his Name shame him in holding out that shame him in making Profession of him And why because they live thus unchristian-like walk most unsutably to the Gospel walk most unworthy of their holy Profession are these men and women acted by a Gospel spirit that pretend to the Name of Christ that express nothing but that which is quite contrary to Christ they would be accounted Christian People and to have been baptized into Christ's Name and in the mean time they make it their business every day to cast dishonour upon Christ walking cross to him and quite contrary to the glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. For men and women to