may say Through the Grace of God I can say I am most fearful to sin and to do any thing that 's displeasing to God and when so O especially then when I am least fearful to be punished and plagued for it The less I have of the fear of hell and damnation and the more I have of a holy confidence towards God that I shall be everlastingly saved the more am I fearful with a holy filial fear to do any thing that may be displeasing to my God here 's the well-grown Faith and it argues much feebleness in the Faith of a Christian and it gives occasion to sometimes to question the truth of it When persons upon the apprehension of their justified state they are ready to take liberty to sin You know how the Apostle argues against this Shall we continue in sin because Grace hath abounded God forbid Nay the Faith of a Beleever well improved will fortifie his spirit against such a temptation and against the assaults of the Devil and corruption and say Seeing the Grace of God hath appeared to me and magnified it self upon me in a pardoning way in a renewing way that Grace I reckon upon as that that shall abide upon me and shall ingage it self to perfect all the concerns Justification Sanctification everlasting Salvation this makes a holy fear to flourish in my soul that I may not in any thing carry it unbecomingly and unsutably to such a state This is the well-grown Faith that we should press after Yet further when I press you to a growth in Grace and especially in the Grace of Faith thus you shall be able to judge of it We should endeavour to be of such a growth as that whatsoever Grace is implanted in us and to what degree soever whatsoever our accomplishments are in the renewed state and according to the new creature whatsoever there is of inherent Grace and of gracious abilities yet we can so look upon our inherent Graces and spiritual Abilities as to keep off from placing any confidencee in them but still keep a full relyance upon the Lord Jesus Christ. This is our duty that whatsoever is of Grace inherent in us yet that it be not trusted unto Grace in the soul is but a creature 't is one of the best pieces indeed of all Gods creation that ever were made by him yet it is but a creature and being a creature it is not to be trusted A man must not trust in his trust he must trust with his Faith but he must not trust to his Faith he must not trust to any spiritual strength or abilities that he hath in him but still keep a dependence upon Christ reckon upon Christ as the strength that will be sufficient for him It was the answer that was given to Paul when he was under those sore buffetings saith he Paul My Grace is sufficient for thee Paul's Grace was not sufficient any further than it was made sufficient by Christ's Grace It is not the water in the Cistern that will serve the turn but the water in the Fountain dependance upon the Cistern will be found to be a vain thing the Cistern may be exhausted but the Fountain cannot You know how it was with Adam when he had the Grace of Creation it fail'd him Peter when he was strong in himself you know what his confidence in himself issued in and therefore I say such confidences even in our own Graces are to be accursed the Lord rejects such confidences and so should we We should use our Graces but trust not to them but still keep a dependance upon the Lord Jesus according to the Apostles charge to Timothy Be thou strong in the Grace that is in Christ Iesus And truly this is that that will not be performed but by a well-grown Faith when we can thus do see the Grace of God in us prize it bless him for it imploy it make use of it and yet notwithstanding keep hands off from it from trusting upon it and keep a full dependance upon the Lord Jesus Christ that 's another thing Again grow in Grace grow in Faith 't is your duty and to what purpose to such a purpose that while we do and perform duties with greatest delight as indeed Faith will carry us to that it will make a man delight in the Law of God and in the waies of Holiness and performance of holy duties account it meat and drink to be in the practice of them yet while we are in the performance of duty that even then when we have done to lay them by and say this is not my foundation O Lord I have done thus and thus It may be much in preaching much in prayer much in alms much in acts of mortification much in such and such services I but Lord when I have done all I do profess that I have done nothing to purpose nothing to my justification I so do duties as if I were to be justified by them yet I so trust upon Christ as if I were not to meddle with my duty at all O this is precious Faith and well-improved Faith when we can do service and duty to God and yet when we have done all we can take off from all lay all at the foot of Jesus and say O Lord this shall never be my Righteousness I will endeavour to be as righteous and holy and gracious as I can but Lord when I have done all I can I am resolved to lay all by and will make mention of thy righteousness and of thine only and I am resolved I will never plead any righteousness of my own any duties and services of my performance I will never plead them before thee as my Righteousness I may plead them as evidences as Hezekiah doth Remember Lord how I have walk'd before thee in truth and with a perfect heart but I will never plead them as my righteousness which I will stick to and bear upon them before the tribunal of God no I will throw them all away when they offer themselves to come in upon such an account Alas poor weak Beleevers O how apt are they to keep hands upon their duties and services and when a day of temptation and dissertion and perplexity begins to seize upon them they begin to turn their eyes to what they have been and done I but the Faith of a Beleever when it comes to its due growth will otherwise carry the soul and make it to keep its dependance upon the Lord Jesus Again your duty is to grow in Grace and especially in Faith and such a growth as that while you give attendance upon an Ordinance you can see the authority of God stamp'd upon it and upon the account of that authority which is stamp'd you give the attendance and you reckon upon it as a blessed expedient which God hath provided for your souls advantage and you reckon upon gracious communications from God by it as by such an expedient of his own
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
rich men keep a good hoase and maintain a full table that we may feed highly from day to day there is mention of the rich man in the Gospel that was clothed in Purple and fared deliciously every day thus it might have been and yet the man not culpable if he had fared thus with a heavenly mind and had not set his heart upon these things as if they were the only portion for souls to sit down satisfied withal No doubt God doth allow persons that have a larger portion of the World than others have to go better clad and to feed at a higher rate than others do that have not such estate This man it 's said he was clothed in Purple and fared deliciously every day why truly Brethren there are such Beleevers to be found though I think the number of them is very small there are such of whom it may be thus testified and it is an honourable testimony of them that they are clothed in Purple in Scarlet and they fare deliciously every day they go clothed in Princely Robes they are clothed in the Scarlet Robe of Jesus Christ in the Robe of Righteousness which hath been died in his own blood and they walk like Princes Sons and Daughters and they fare deliciously every day they keep a continual feast feed upon the marrow and fatness of the Gospel they rejoyce in hope of the glory of God these are the persons of a well-grown Faith and it is their honour so to be thus they live Thus to bear up in pomp and state to live like Kings children and for to spend largely knowing that their estate will bear them out They have such a Faith in Christ and in the Covenant as will bring in sufficient to defray their expences from day to day that they shall never be at a loss they have that which will make a supply to them this is the Faith and these are the persons that are rich in Faith Now such a growth in Faith is our duty to press after as that we may be able not only to live but that we may live at a high rate feed fully and largely and be feasted upon Christ feasted upon the Promises the blessings of the Covenant feeding upon the hope of the Glory that shall be revealed feeding to the full without any fear of a surfeâ—… This is the well-grown Faith and such a Faith Brethren and Friends we are to press after Such a Faith is not only a conflicting but it is a conquering and a triumphing Faith this is the well grown Faith that they may not only be able to give this account of themselves that they have a Faith which inables them to sight with corruptions and lusts and to grapple with Principalities and Powers but such a Faith as inables them to bear up in a triumphing way and to say In all these things in tribulation in distress in persecution in famine in nakedness as I said in a former Exercise In all these things we are more than Conquerors through him that hath loved us When we can say with the Apostle rejoycingly O blessed be God as in 2 Câ—… 〈◊〉 that maketh us alwaies to triumph in Christ such a Faith we should press after that may inable us to bear up to live at a high rate and to bear up with holy Rejoycings and Triumphings in God Such a Faith as the Apostle speaks of in 1. Pet. 1. having not seen you love him and beleeving you rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of Glory Will you consider of this now as a further addition to all the rest Grow in Faith so grow as that the mysterie of the Gospel may stand in its full proportion that you may be able to comprehend with all the Saints the height and depth and length and breadth that the Gospel-mysterie may not be streightned in your spirits So grow in Faith as that you may live high and may maintain your self in an honourable and creditable manner that you may live like the child of the great King of Heaven and Earth that you may feed upon delicacies every day that you may come to be filled by beleeving with all joy and peace and comfort that you may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of Consolation This is the Faith that we should endeavour a growing in I add yet further you that are partakers of the Faith of the Gospel your duty is to grow in Grace and Faith and so shall it appear that you do when you can bear up with fixed and established and well-setled spirits under the most amazing and stupendious providences that are ordered out and whatsoever difficulties you meet withal whatsoever discouragements there are before you you may be inabled to hold on in your way and not be over-powred by them this is an argument of a well-grown Faith when nothing beats us off Let him kill me saith Iob I 'll trust in him still The woman of Canaan whatsoever discouragements there were seeingly she resolved upon it not to let her hold go not to susfer her suit to fall this is the Faith and of such a proportion that we should press after so to grow in Faith that nothing may drive us from our hold nor make us to fall under discouragements Again your duty is to grow in Faith such a growth in Faith as that you may come to be less selfish and more for God more pure in your aims at the Glory of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ Truly this will evidence a growth in Faith and this is the Faith so evidenced that you should endeavour to grow in It is usual with poor Beleevers in their fâ—…rst setting out upon the way of Faith and beleeving 't is usual with them and truly it is a gracious indulgence of God towards them he bears with them in it It is usual I say with poor weak Beleevers at their first beginning to be mainly solicitous about their own Salvation they stand under convictions of their obnoxiousness unto the wrath of God to the curse of the Law and have some apprehensions of the dreadful condition of the damned in Hell and what it is to be eternally separated from God everlastingly excommunicated from fellowship with him and his people and when they think of these things O! what shall become of me to all eternity what a miserable wretch shall I be if I should live and dye out of the favour of God and not be reconcil'd unto him by his Christ if so be that guilt should lye upon my conscience if so be that the wrath of God should still abide upon me O! what a cursed wretch shall I be to all eternity O! what shall I do that I may escape this curse and condemnation and come to be made partakers of Christ and of the Salvation that is by him This is usually at the first the work of a poor soul beginning now to look out after Christ and pursuing after an interest in
more labouring under the apprehension and the representation of their former sins they would have been made perfect and would have had no more Conscience of sin But saith he every time they come to offer these Sacrifices there is a remembrance of sins Why Why because the knowledge of all this the performance of all this would not answer the exigency of the Conscience and lay a foundation for the Conscience to bottom upon But saith he Christ He comes in and He by one offering of Himself by the shedding of his own blood once He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified and now the Conscience comes to be quiet O this is the knowledge will quiet the Conscience Therefore now judge with your selves whether there be not infinite cause that professors that mind their souls and the peace of their hearts and the comfort of their Consciences whether it doth not infinitely concern them to endeavour an increase and growth in the Knowledge of the Lord Jesus That so when Conscience would be upon stirring and startling and stumbling the soul being well versed in the mysterie and understanding to good purpose what the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ is the soul may be able to relieve it self Well be it what it will let Devils charge and let men charge let them charge to the full I bless God I have the knowledge of Jesus Christ. I understand the mysterie concerning my Lord Jesus I have endeavoured to make a good progression in this knowledge and to accommodate it to my purpose I know who Christ was what a Priest he was and what blood he shed and what a sacrifice he offered and I know that the Infinite Justice of God is not able to make any exception against this sacrifice and blood God hath rescued me well may my Conscience rescue me God is satisfied well may my Conscience be satisfied Well now for my part I know not what in all the World to preach to you that is more material and momentous than these things And these two things that I have laboured about this morning as touching a Christians accomplishment for being wise and judicious and that is by a due improvement in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And likewise concerning the Conscience and how that comes to be rectified and set to rights and to stand a mans Friend in every time of need and that he may sweetly injoy himself and come to have a Rock to repose upon in a storm and tempest how a soul may come to find a rest for it self in all the tossings and turmoylings in the World and that it is the knowledge or improving in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I say these are momentous things and we should well consider of it that of all knowledge there is none that we should endeavour a growth and increase in as the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. SERM. XII I Shall now proceed unto some other things which will yet more fully evidence it to us that it doth very much concern beleeving souls to endeavour a growth in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The third thing according to this order which I propound is That by growth in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we shall be advantaged for a growth in Grace It seems and to me it more than seems to be implyed in the Conjunction of these two Requiries Grow in Grace grow in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It seems to imply thus much as if so be the Apostle should have said Grow in Grace and that you may do so see that you grow in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. They are never like to come to any eminency in Grace and to make any considerable advance 〈◊〉 Grace that make little or no progress in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And they that in uprightness of soul do make it their business to incease and grow in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are the most likely persons for to make the most considerable advantage in the Graces of the Spirit of God There is something in it that the Spirit of God by the ministry of his Apostle Peter should propound these two requiries in this Conjunction one with another Require a growth in Grace and in order thereunto a growth in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Now here first of all I shall speak a little more generally and that but in a touch And then shall endeavour to evince this by giving an account of this in a more particular way You are to know that the first plantation of Grace in the soul it is made in the way and by the means of the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ communicated to the soul through the Spirit there can be no Grace in the heart where there is no Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is the Knowledge of Christ and of the Gospel and of the Gospel-mysteries concerning Christ by the means whereof Grace comes to be planted in the soul. The Prophet in Psal. 19. gives us this account of the Law of the Lord that it is a perfect Law converting the soul. What Law is this understand it of the Law of Grace and Faith Not of the Law of Works and there by Law you are to understand the Doctrine of God concerning Christ held forth in the Gospel in the Scriptures of Prophets and Apostles And he saith that it is the Law of God this Law of Faith this Gospel-Law which is the blessed Instrument of converting the soul. Before Conversion there 's no Grace when Conversion is wrought then Grace takes place in the heart an unconverted person is a graceless person let him be what he will for his moralities and plausible conversation when once Conversion is wrought then Grace comes to be in the soul and this Conversion is not brought about but by the Gospel which holds forth unto us the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Let a man preach moral Duties never so clearly and plainly moral Duties all the Duties of the moral Law considered as it holds forth a Covenant of Works as it holds forth a Duty to God Duty to Man I say let a man preach never so clearly and plainly man's Duty he will never be able to convert the soul that is not the converting Ministry no it is not 't is not the quickning Ministry I remember how the Apostle argues to the Galatians Received ye the Spirit saith he which Spirit is a Spirit of Grace by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith That is the Doctrine of Faith Why saith he you did never receive the Spirit which is a Spirit of Grace by the works of the Law and by the hearing of the Law but you received the Spirit by
And it is a duty that is incumbent upon all that are gracious They that are Babes they must grow that so they may come to be strong men They that are strong men they must grow still that they may come to be stronger and stronger that the feeble according to that expression in the 12th of Zechariah may be as David and that David may be as the Angel of God this is that that is required of us Weak Believers they must grow grow strong Believers Strong Believers must labour to grow still grow stronger and stronger in their believing Christians Professors duty is to grow strong in grace and not only so but Ministers the dispensers of the Mysteries of God it s as much their duty as the duty of the Professors to be upon their growth in grace Give diligence saith the Apostle to Timothy 1 Ep. 1. 4. Give attendance to Reading to Exhortation to Doctrine that thy profiting may appear to all But what are the requisites of this growth That I shall speak to in a few words what a growth it must be 1. It must be a perceivable growth It should be so The growth of a Saint in grace it should be a perceivable growth a visible growth a growth that may be perceived and apprehended a Judgment may be made upon it Such a growth the Apostle speaks of in that place I mentioned Give attendance to these and these courses that thy profiting may appear to all Why truly the growth or a Believer in grace we should endeavour that it may be a perceivable growth As a man by observation can say I set such a plant in my Garden or Orchard and I do perceive that within such a time it is grown so much higher and stronger And so for children there is a perceivable growth in them you may observe how they grow in process of time Such a growth we should endeavour after that it may be perceived by others by our selves that we may be able to give an account of it and say as David speaks In the day whereon I did call uprn thee thou didst answer me and thou didst strengthen me with strength in my soul. 2. As a perceivable growth so it should be a proportionable growth If we will approve our selves in this matter our growth in grace it must be a proportionable growth proportionable to time which God affords us What! so long under the Ministry of the Gospel and in the profession of godliness so long standing proportionable to the time of our standing should be our increases Why then we should be of a greater growth than others that are but of a later Plantation The Apostle speaks to that purpose in Heb. 5. For the time saith he you might have been teachers of others you might have come to this to have been fit to feed upon stronger meat But saith he you had need to be taught the very first principles and to be fed nith milk And this he speaks to their shame and in a way of blame And then secondly A proportionable growth there must be in grace proportionable to the means that God hath been pleased to afford Such and such large allowances and not answer them Why it will turn to the shame and reproach of a Professor let him be what he will 〈◊〉 if his improvements do not hold some proportion to his enjoyments If he do not in some measure answer his growth to the time and the means it turns to his dishonour And Thirdly If it be right it must be a fructifying growth a growth with fruit so as still we must grow more and more fruitful fruitful in all the duties of godliness that as we get more in saith more in love increase more in holiness and in spiritual strength so we are the more in spiritual fruitfulness do more for God Would it be to the satisfaction of an Orchard Planter to have a tree that when it was young and of lesser growth bring forth it may be twenty Apples in a year and when it comes to be of seven years growth more to bring forth no more Apples this-will not be to his satisfaction So for a Christian that is but of a younger Plantation to bring forth such and such fruit and then when he hath been seven and seven years longer in the profession of Christianity to viâ—…ld as little nay it may be less fruit to God then he did in his beginning Truly this is not well there must be fruitfulness and a growth in fruitfulness And then it must be a lasting and continuing growth I tell you Brethren think of it how we will the truth is if it be well with us we must grow as long as we are on this side Heaven but that indeed is no place of growth Mark that when once a Saint comes to Heaven he comes to his perfection he comes to have a consistency then he shall be as good as God would have him to be and as good as his heart can desire to be But while we are on this side Heaven there must be growing or else it is not right with us You see I have endeavoured with as much plainness as possibly I can to settle this upon your hearts concerning growth in grace That it is a duty Of what interpretation it is And what a growth it is that God requires Now for the Reasons of it Grow in Grace Why it must needs be so Why Brethren how else will God be glorified by us how can persons that have grace think that they can glorifie God if they do not grow in it I tell you Believers and Saints they are Gods children they are children of Gods begetting they are begotten of an immortal seed through the Word as the Apostle speaks 1 Pet. 1. Why now consider is it for the honour of a Father to have a child begotten by him that proves a very dwarf abides and continues in the same proportion and stature that he was born in there 's no increase either in understanding or in stature or in strength but a poor creature a very Babe so born and so continues Is it for the honour of God to have such kind of children To beget children to himself by Grace and to have them stand at a stay and to have no growth Believers are the planting of the Lord Observe that place in the 61. of Isai. ver 3. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me c. And he hath anointed me To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion to give unto them beauty for ashes the Oyl of Joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness that they might be called Trees of Righteousness The Planting of the Lord that he might be Glorified Mark here they are the planting of the Lord and plants being planted there is such a course taken with them that they may come to grow to bulky-trees That they may be Trees of Righteousness that God may he glorified
yet the very same Law in the hand of Faith as it is a rule of Righteousness it is a rod in the hand and of precious use and this is that wherein the growth of Faith will discover it self when we can thus jadiciously manage the apprehensions of the Law so as to appeal from it and yet to apply to it To rejoyce in a freedom from it and from its severity and yet rejoyce in holding a complyance and correspondency with it as it is a gracious holy rule that God hath given us to conform unto And this is another thing which I offer to you to be judiciously considered of that you may shew forth the growth of your Faith in this way Yet further grow in Grace grow in Faith and how shall it appear Thus grow in Faith so as that while you remember former guilts deep and dreadful guilts that have been contracted upon you while upon review of former cursed carriages and practices upon review and upon reflection you can remember deep contracted guilt upon your consciences under which it may be you labour as under an unsupportable burden yet at that very time when the remembrance of former dreadful guilt contracted is reviv'd yet you can at the very same time bear up with a holy confidence towards God upon the account of that rich and glorious Grace which hath appeared by our Lord Jesus Christ while with freedom and as becomes a Gospel-spirit of ingenuity you can draw up a charge against your selves and say I was a Persecuter as Paul speaks I was a Blasphemer I was Injurious I was a notorious Drunkard I was a prophane cursed Swearer I was hellishly vitious thus and thus I was and thus and thus I do acknowledge I remember well how the case stood with me what a cursed course I took and how I run on in the rode to hell destruction without any fear controul how fast I was ripening sor hell and destruction I remember this and yet I can remember it without despondency I can't remember it without a breaking and bleeding soul to think that ever I should carry it so towards the Lord and yet withal I can bear up in a rejoycing spirit upon the account of super-abounding Grace While you can charge your selves so as it may be none in the World can make the like charge upon you Yet notwithstanding you can make a bold challenge and say with the Apostle in Rom. 8. who shall lay any thing to my charge This is an excellent thing and an argument of a well-improved and well-grown Faith when it comes to this and indeed it is no other than a Faith of good growth that will inable to this Poor weaklings in Faith and Grace when they come to remember their former cursed carriage O how apt to fall under deepest despondencies and to be possest with horror and astonishment and to be disputing against themselves and concerning their estate and ready to conclude alas how is it possible that ever such a miserable misereant as I should find Grace to releeve 〈◊〉 favour with God forgiveness of sins Surely this burden will sink my soul this guilt will press me down to hell such deep and dreadful guilt O such stains upon my conscience what can fetch them out what plaister broad enough to cover such sores what price great enough to say such debts A poor weakling in Faith is apt to argue thus to the sinking and over-whelming of his spirit But it is the Faith that is well-grown that will inable the soul at this same time eying guilt and eying Grace seeing the Plague and seeing the plaister and taking knowlodge of the super abundance of the Grace of Christ above his contracted guilt for to bear up with a holy confidence and as I said before to charge and challenge to charge it self and yet challenge the accuser and say who shall be able to lay any thing unto my charge I know whom I have beleeved I know whither I have sled for refuge I know where I have anchored I know upon what foundation I have built my hope and confidence upon here 's the well-grown Faith a Faith which will give the greatest Glory to God When a man can look upon all the evils that ever were committed by him with a melting dissolving soul yet notwithstanding bear up with boldness and say I but I know that not any thing of this shall ever be laid to my charge and I know whom I have believed Will you but weigh these things and consider of them and know that this is the Faith which we are to press after And so which follows upon the former such a growth in Faith should we press after as that while we see the corruptions that are in us and sadly complain of the pressures under which we lye and how miserably we are yoked while we do so and see cause to cry out with the Apostle O wretched man that I am by reason of what by reason of a law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind O miserable wretch what darkness is in my understanding what perversness in my will what inordinacy in my affections what a crabbed perverse nature have I O what a rebelling soul is there in me when I would do good evil is present and so the poor soul labours and makes sad complaints and moans in the ears of God yet notwithstanding at the same time can say with the Apostle but though it be thus yet blessed be God I thank God through Jesus Christ though I serve with my flesh the law of sin yet with my spirit I serve the Lord Jesus Christ though there be a rebelling law yet I find another law a law in my mind that makes opposition to that rebelling law and I find principles of Grace and Holiness acting most vigorously in opposition to those principles And though they tugg and wrestle and struggle with me yet I am utterly set against complyance with them and am resolv'd upon this that I will never make any league with them but I 'll do the utmost I can for to ruine them to be the death of them I thank God through Jesus Christ. This is now the Faith that we should press after that we may thus bear up with courage and resolution and while we see our own blemishes yet we can rejoyce to think what a beauty is upon us through Jesus Christ. We can see blemishes and yet we can see perfection of beauty that we are made comely through the comelyness which by Grace is put upon us Then again such a growth in Faith our duty is to press after and to endeavour to as that we may be able to say I am never more fearful to sin against God than when I am least fearful for to be condemned by God O it 's a blessed proof of a well-grown Faith and such a Faith should we endeavour to and a Faith of such a growth that we
is strong confidence these are two Proverbs that are worthy of our meditation now this is the fear that we should press after As in the case of the three Children that were required upon pain of being cast into a Fiery Furnace they must fall down and worship the Golden Image there was the fear of the King I but there was the fear of God so improved upon their hearts that they would not be inslaved nor insnared by the Kings fear And so the Disciples of our Lord when the charge was given them that they should preach no more in this Name they laboured to put them into a Fear and to over-awe them that they should let their cause fall and appear no more in the Name of Jesus I but mark how their spirits are kept up having the Fear of God strong upon their hearts they were inabled to break the snare and to go on in the way of their duty Such a Fear of God we should labour to be possest withal to grow up to such a degree that dutyes though difficult and dangerous may be performed and sins may be resisted and that the fear of man may be conquered Such a fear we should endeavour to grow in And then as our duty is to grow in the Grace of Faith of Love and of the Fear of God So our duty is to endeavour a growth in Holyness It is a mercy to have the least impress of Holyness upon our spirits I but our duty is to grow in Holyness If we be holy we should endeavour to be more holy according to that in Rev. 22. Leâ—… him that is Righteous be Righteous still let him be more Righteous Let him that is Holy be Holy still Let him be holy and holy and more and more holy and let him labour to better his Holyness and to grow up to a higher degree We are not only to look to the beginning of Holyness but to the progress and to the increases of it according to what the Apostle charges 2 Cor. 7. Having these promises let us cleanse our selves from all pollution of flesh and spirit Is there some filthyness cleansed away I but see that you cleanse your selves from all filthyness of flesh and spirit Is there Holyness begun in you I but see that you perfect Holyness in the Fear of God this is our duty thus to grow in Holyness I and so to be holy even as God is holy according to what the Lord requires not that we can come to such a perfection I but according to the state of a creature we should endeavour to be holy as God is holy As he is holy as a God so we should labour to be holy according to the state and measure of a creature We should endeavour after the highest degree of Holyness Grow in Holyness and to such a pitch of Holyness as that it may be said of us according to what our Saviour speaks of the Spouse Thou art all fair my Love and there is no spot in thee Our duty is to endeavour after such a degree of Holyness as that there may be no blemish but that we may be presented before God at last with exceeding joy Such a Holyness we should endeavour to press after as that we may be sensible of the least measure of corruption where there is but a little Grace corruptions and lusts in the stirrings of them are not so easily perceived But where there is most Grace there is most life and where there is most life there is most spiritual sense and feeling and there are none so sensible of corruption and stirrings of lust as those that have the most Grace in them there are secret motions of sin and corruption which it may be a person that hath but a lower measure and degree of Grace and Faith will not take any great notice of The motions and inward boylings of lusts and corruptions the lust of Uncleanness or of Pride or Covetounsess There 's many a stirring lust that a soul that either is in total want of Grace or hath but Grace in a lower measure or degree takes no great knowledge of I but when there comes to be a growth in Grace to a good degree O then every stirring of lust and corruption will be perceived and the soul will be up against it and endeavour a suppressing of it Such a growth in Grace and Holyness that there may be a sense of every lust and corruption a lust cannot stir in the soul but the soul is upon the back of it and endeavours to use all severity against it Such a growth in Holyness we should endeavour to that we may be most cordially complyant with all the Counsels of God and the more the will of God is manifested and made known to us the more we delight in it the more it is made to appear in the latitude of it and in the strictness of it the more our hearts are upon complyance with it Such a Holyness we should endeavour to press after as that we may be able to say there is a â—…ecret heart rising against every bubling of corruption Such a Holyness we should press after as that we can take the greatest delight in communion with God Such a Holyness as that we can long after Heaven and that because of the Holyness of it Such a degree of Holyness as that we may be able to say we are even weary of living here in this lower World because of the corruptions and lusts and prophaneness and abominable impieties that are committed here O this is the Holyness that we should endeavour to such a degree of Holyness as that we may be made every day more and more suitable to God and fitted to hold communion with the blessed God For this know that the more Holyness the more conformity to God and the more Holyness the more fitness for the most intimate communion with God And thus in these and all other Graces we should endeavour to gorw according to the charge of the Apostle here But grow in Grace I have thus been labouring with you according to my ability and pressing upon you to this purpose a growth in Grace a growth in Faith a growth in Love a growth in the Fear of God a growth in Holyness and so in other Graces which I might insist upon But I shall satisfie my self in having thus dealt with you concerning these particulars And in the General according to the expression of the Text Brethren this is your duty you that are sons and daughters of Grace this is the duty that is incumbent upon you and which is required of you You that lâ—…ave Grace your duty is to grow in Grace and endeavour such a growth in Grace that sin may be almost quite gone out of you thus it is so much as you have of Grace so much there is of a riddance of sin so much as there is a remaining of sin so much there is of the want of Grace Now
I see I am a most plaguie creature Now if you should know no more this is the way to become stark mad and to fall under most dreadful despair as Iudis did and you know what course hetook But now the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is the knnowledg that relieves us concerning the knowledg of sin O I know my plague I but by my knowledge of Christ I come to know my plaister I know my disease but by the knowledge of Christ I come to know my remedy The knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I will tell you what a knowledge it is It is a heart-breaking knowledge a soul-humbling knowledge it is a sin-killing knowledge it is a Grace-quickening knowledge O it is a love-flaming knowledge and it is such a knowledge as will draw out the heart to Christ such a knowledge as will make men willing to do any thing to suffer any thing for the name and sake of the Lord Jesus Christ. O 't is excellent knowledge precious knowledge useful knowledge the most beneficial knowledge The Apostle professeth as I said before that he accounted all things but loss and dung for the excellency of this knowledge The inlargement of these things I cannot give you nor come to Application but only thus Will you but set your hearts to a due consideration of the things that have been spoken Certainly 〈◊〉 â—…ou have but an ear to hear and a heart to unâ—…tand and consider of these things how rationally you are required to grow in knowledge and especially in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ if you do but weigh these things and the account given why we should endeavour such a growth you will be able to conclude what is for you to do not to slight this knowledge but to endeavour after it and that you may know Christ know him in his Name and Nature and Oâ—…ices and know him not only for that 's the thing that I would close up withal with an historical and notional knowledge Peradventure you may say as the Apostle speaks We have all knowledge I it may be so a great deal of knowledge there may be in the head and yet nothing of true saving knowledge in the heart but it is not a notional knowledge but a heart-knowledge an in-working knowledge such a knowledge as is opperative to such purposes as I have hinted to you This is the knowledge that we should pursue and endeavour a growth in SERM. X. I Would add to that which hath been spoken of this to be further considered The knowledge of Christ it is a most excellent knowledge it is such a knowledge as the Angels the Glorious Angels are exceedingly devoted to the inquiring into they are very much set to this that they may come to understand this knowledge concerning Christ. The Apostle Peter in his 1 Epist. Ch. 1. gives you this account concerning them speaking there of the Revel ver 11 12. The spirit did testifie before-hand the sufferings of Christ and the Glory which should follow unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you which the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven Which things mark you the Angels desire to look into Do but consider that which things of the Gospel concerning Christ his sufferings and Glory the Angels desire to look into they are very close Students in this knowledge and most strongly set to be acquainted with these mysteries the mysterie of the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ A knowledge therefore that our hearts shoud â—…e very strongly set to increase in and for to get more acquaintance with And this I vvould further say that foâ—…â—…e Apostle Paul vvho vvas a man of excellent parts and of very great knovvledge a man of much learning and vvas as able to make a judgement of knovvledge as any man and for to discern betvveen knovvledge and knovvledge The Apostle Paul he vvas as I hinted before very high in his esteem of this knovvledge and if so be that it had been convenient for him to have boasted truly he vvould have made his boast of his knovvledge in the mysterie of Christ Though I saith he be rude in speech yet not in knovvledge and saith he I vvould have you to knovv my knovvledge in the mysterie of Christ. So in Eph. 3. vvriting that Epistle to them he expresseth himself to this purpose Whereby when you come to read you may understand my knowledge in the mysterie of Christ. Further it is a knovvledge that vve should endeavour to grovv up in it is the most beneficial and profitable knovvledge it is the most beneficial knovvledge in all the World It is a heart-humbling knovvledge It is a sin-killing knovvledge It is a conscience-quieting knovvledge And here I might add sundry other particulars that you might come to knovv hovv to value the knovvledge of Christ and so hovv much it concerns us to endeavour after a grovvth and increase in it It is a svveetning knovvledge it svveetens a mans spirit under all the bitterness that it may meet 〈◊〉 â—…al It svveetens afflictions it svveetens temptations and vvhatsoever may be to the imâ—…ering of a mans spirit O the knovvledge of 〈◊〉 Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ it vvill bring the soul into a condition to relish svveetness in it And then it is a sanctifying knovvledge it 's a knowledge that sanctifies the understanding There is another knowledge which men are apt to be lifted up through the attainment of and lifted up with which is a knowledge that doth rather tend to the corrupting and depraving of the understanding but the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ it doth sanctifie the understanding and perfects the understanding it sanctifies all other knowledge that we may come to attain unto And much might be spoken to that purpose But I add yet further that we may stand the more fully convinced of our duty this way to endeavour a growth in the knowledge of Christ Consider thus Beleevers they are most strongly bound to place their whole trust and confidence in Christ and that in order to their being everlastingly saved Blessed are all they that trust in Christ. It is He I say upon whom a Beleevers trust and confidence is to be placed in the fullest strength of it and other confidences than what are plac'd in any but in Christ God will curse them and confound them Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm but blessed is the man whose trust is in Christ. It is Christ whom we are to trust with our lives with our souls with our consciences with our peace with our comforts with our eternal concernments Thus it is it is Christ that we are to trust upon for Righteousness unto Justification and everlasting life It is Christ upon whom we are to place our
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
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
the hearing of Faith by hearing the Doctrine of Faith the Doctrine of the Gospel the Doctrine concerning the Lord Jesus Christ made known unto you in that way the Spirit came and the Spirit with the Grace of it It is therefore the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ that is the blessed instrumental means whereby there comes to be the first plantation of Grace in the Soul I this that brings men to believe it 's the Gospel men will never believe to the saving of their souls till they come to know Jesus Christ. They will never repent with a Repentance to salvation till they come to know Jesus Christ All the knowledge in the World will never bring over a soul to Faith and Repentance to the Love of God but the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. When men come once to know the Mysterie of the Gospel to know the Grace of God in Christ to know the Mysteries concerning the Salvation and Redemption of the World by the Lord Jesus this will bring them to Faith if any thing will this will bring them to Repentance this is the instrumental means whereby they come to have their hearts warmed with the Love of God The preaching of the Law as a Covenant of Works moral Duties and pressing of them without the line of the Gospel and the Covenant of Grace without reference to that this will but rather provoke and stir up the corruption of a man The Law worketh wrath against a man works wrath in a man it raises up wrath it irritates those cursed corrupt Principles that are in him O this is a Mysterie that we should be well acquainted withal O it is the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospel This is that that breaks the heart and makes the heart to work out after God Never shall we begin to love God nor to love Christ till such time as we come to know the Doctrines of the Gospel concerning our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I would with all my heart that every one of you were but well studied in this Mysterie that now I am speaking to That it is the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ held forth in the Gospel that is the means and instrument to plant Grace to make the first Plantation of it in the Soul As 2ly Know That as it is the means of its first Plantation so it is the means and instrument of its Augmentation I am speaking according to the Doctrine of the Text concerning a growth in Grace and in the Knowledge of Christ. This growth in Grace is brought about by a growth in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus the more we know the more we shall believe the more we shall repent the more we shall love the more holy shall we be as I shall shew you God assisting I think this Point will take up a little more time than other Particulars will but it will be time well spent Now yet further to clear up this That it is the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and the increase in that which doth promote an increase in Grace You shall find in Scripture and truly it is worthy your consideration to my apprehension that the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ it is put for all Grace 'T is a considerable thing that when God will make a promise of all grace he doth epitomise that promise thus I will give them an heart to know me When God comes to make a promise to his People concerning Grace he puts it into this Form I give them an heart to know me O how much is there complicated in that expression I will give them an heart to know me He doth not say an Head to know me Indeed that 's a Gift but Knowledge in the heart is a Grace It is the beginning of Grace and that which contributes to all the Graces an heart to know me To know me with what a kind of Knowledge with a fidelial Knowledge a Knowledge of Trust and an affectionate Knowledge a Knowledge of Love and with a Knowledge of Desire and a Knowledge of Submission I will give them an heart to know me And you shall find likewise to this purpose our Saviour speaks Joh. 17. 3. This is life eternal Why This is life eternal To know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Mark it This is eternal life in the Causes of it this is eternal life in the way and means of it To know thee and to know him whom thou hast sent To know God in Christ this is eternal life Then surely it imports Faith and it imports Love and it imports Holiness for eternal Life doth not come over to a soul but in the way of Believing and in the way of Holiness and in the way of Love and in the way of all the Graces So that I say The Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ it is such a Knowledge as under which is comprehended the Graces of the Spirit And truly this is a consideration of weight in order to this purpose that we may come to be more in our indearings of it and more in our endeavourings after it But now I shall endeavour to make this yet more fully to appear by an induction of Particulars so as that you may stand convinc'd of this that the way to grow in Grace is to grow in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Consider first of all That by growth in this Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we are most happily advantaged for a growth in Faith and Believing it is very considerable and I will commend it to you to be seriously weighed That as Knowledge is put for Faith for justifying Faith according to that remarkableScripture that you have in Isa. 53. where the Lord speaks to this purpose by the Prophet By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many Now do but weigh that passage and observe this expression This is spoken concerning Christ our Lord and Saviour And saith the Prophet By the knowledge of him shall my righteous servant justifie many Why doth the Knowledge of Christ justifie Why the Devils know him and yet they are not justified Carnal Professors they have a Knowledge of him and yet they are not justified I but that is such a kind of Knowledge as that they that have it shall be justified And Christ by the Knowledge of him shall justifie many Now what Knowledge is this Iâ—… must needs be understood of a fiducial Knowledg a Knowledge of Faith such a Knowledge as is a Knowledge of Dependance a Knowledge of Recumbency and Relyance upon the Lord Jesus Christ. There 's no other Knowledge whereby Christ can justifie souls but by such a Knowledge as this And so I say The Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ it is put for Faith and is used to be set forth unto us The faith whereby souls are justified and so