Gospel that know him not Observe that Scripture 1 Ioh. 16. The time will come when they will excommunicate you cast you out of their Synagogues and they that kill you shall think they do God service in so doing And why because they know neither the Father nor me they know not me nor my Father and therefore they will do these things to you and yet they will think they do God very good service This is the mischief that follows upon the ignorance of Christ. 6. Consider this That sad speech of the Apostle 2 Cor. 14. If our Gospel be hid and Christ who is held forth in the Gospel why then the Gospel is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not 7. I argue thus If it be as our Saviour speaks eternal life to know the true God and him whom he hath sent Jesus Christ our Lord Ioh. 17. why then it follows on the contrary This is eternal death to be ignorant of the true God and of Jesus Christ whom he hath sent 8. And then I add further That this will be the aggravation of the guilt of such persons as minded not the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ never set their hearts to seek after it this will be the aggravation That light did come into the world and yet they love darkness rather than light that there was a blessed beaming out of the light of the Knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ and yet no regard at all unto that Knowledge nor no improvement of those means whereby that knowledge might be attained This will be the condemnation and the aggravating of the guilt and the strengthening of the condemnation 9. I add yet further That such persons as are awanting to the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ especially in a day wherein this Knowledge may be had and attained I say this such persons they lye open to a dreadful stroke of judgment in this world according to that which the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 14. If any man be ignorant let him be ignorant It runs in the same form and frame with that dreadful passage in Rev. 22. Him that is unjust let him be unjust still let him that is filthy be filthy still This is spoken not in an approving way but in a judicial way Let them that are filthy be filthy still And I have had occasion lately to speak upon this Scripture that this Judgment is now in execution amain at this very day That they that have been unjust and formal and hypocritical and would not own the holy wayes of God when they were discovered to them and clearly made known but dote upon their own fancies Judgment is gone out upon them let them be filthy still let them be vain and formal and superstitious and what not and let them so live and so die So in this form the Apostle gives out the Judgment If any man be ignorant one that lives under the means of light and knowledge of our Lord Jesus having a price in his hand to get Knowledge and hath no heart to it doth not care for the commodity hath it not in any due esteem he would rather be acquainted with the mysteries of a Trade than with the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God be more acquainted with the politicks of the World than with the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven and so sets light by this Knowledge that Judgment such are in danger to have it go out against them If any man be ignorant and have a mind to be ignorant and his heart is not touched with the sense of the knowledge of Christ nor his affections doth not move and stir within him after that knowledge that he may come to be made partaker of it If any man be ignorant let him be ignorant let him go on in his blindness let the Devil blindfold him and hood-wink him he will not see he shall not see till he come to see in a judicial way And then I close up this branch of the Discourse thus Think but this and let this be seriously considered of by all that neglect the good knowledge of Christ and do not set their hearts upon it are not carryed out in desire after an advance in it The day will come when they that will not know Christ now care not to be acquainted with him and with the Mysteries of his Kingdom the day will come when Christ will know them I but so as that he will not know them Here 's a paradox but yet it is a truth the day will come when Christ will know them so as never to know them to all eternity he will know them with a knowledge of apprehension in a judicial way he will know them to have been such as cared not to know him he will know them to have been such as never set their hearts upon this good knowledge this excellent beneficial knowledge that they might be partakers of he will know them to be such as have neglected all those blessed means which have been afforded to them that they might come to advance in the Knowledge of Christ I and he will know them so as not to know them and profess unto them Depart from me ye workers of iniquity I never knew you you would not know me you would not know the Mysteries of my Kingdom I do declare here before all the world I never knew you nor I never will I will never know you not to the days of eternity I never did know you I never will know you depart from me ye workers of iniquity Let these things be considered which I have thus spoken with respect unto such as do not mind the Knowledge of Christ. But now 2ly And it may be this may more concern the generality of the Auditory But before I come to that some may be apt to say O but I hope we are without the reach of this lash for we do know we know Christ and we can give an account of Christ many are apt to think thus and to fancy thus with themselves that they are good Proficients in this Knowledge But I say take heed that the light that is in us be not darkness and the knowledge that is in us be not found to be ignorance What knowledge is it It may be a formal notional knowledge as I spake before many they can clatter over a form of words concerning Christ they can say their Belief from one end to the other and not miss a word and this is all their Religion they understand nothing of what they say they have gotten a form of words setled upon their memories but alas they understand nothing of what they say But I shall speak more to that But the second way that this reproof goes and this complaint it looks upon the faces of persons concerning whom there is better hope that they may know and know to some good
strength of his Faith duly improved he may cry Victoria even while they are in the fight yet Victory Victory In all these things more than Conquerors This is the Victory so is a well improved Faith and such should the Faith of a Believer be and of such a growth that it should be his Victory I am hampred with lusts corruptions temptations and heavily prest with them and miserably yoked and the poor soul cryes out with the Apostle O wretched man that I am what a tedious wearysome life have I of it I cannot be quiet not a day to an end and yet triumph and say I thank God through Jesus Christ and so sing Victoria this is the Faith These things may seem to be somewhat hard things for Faith and alas poor creatures we are apt to startle at such kind of measures and statures when they are propounded to us thus to press after But this is the account that there is such an improvement to be made of it and such an improvement we should endeavour after and such a growth as we may come to this to have Faith to be our Victory my Faith is my Victory and I see my Victory in every stroke I strike and this is the growth that we should propound to our selves Shall I tell you yet further I am signifying to you that our Faith should be of such a growth as that it may be the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen that it may be the Victory that overcomes the World while the World seems to trample us down under feet with the scorns and reproaches and hard usages of it yet a Believer can say I thank God I have the World more under feet a thousand times than I am under it it seems to trample upon me but I trample upon it The Apostle speaks to that purpose I Glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by which saith he I am crucified to the World I and the World is as much crucified unto me as I am to it for its heart and I can set as light by it as it sets by me I can scorn the scorns and despise the despisings of the World and this our Faith will come to and if we be not a-wanting to our selves I would say this to the weakest Beleever in the Congregation his Faith will and shall come to this To be the evidence of things not seen To be the Victory that overcometh the World Yet further I add this This is the report and testimony that 's given to the Faith of a Beleever By Faith there hath been the subduing of Kingdoms working righteousness obtaining promises quenching violence of fire growing strong out of weakness turning to flight the Armyes of aliens opening of heaven binding up of heaven what not O the mighty things that are testified to be within the power of Faith to be obtained This is the testimony that 's given of Faith Now our Faith should be of such a growth and so improved that we may be able to justifie these testimonies in our own experience By Faith they subdued Kingdoms so the Apostle speaks in Heb. 11. What Kingdoms did Moses and Joshua subdue by Faith A Beleevers Faith should be of such a growth as that it may subdue Kingdoms Truly he that can subdue a kingdom of the Devil within him may be able to subdue all the Kingdoms of the World in a spiritual way Subdue Kingdoms and vanquish Armies saith David Though 10000 should encamp against me in this will I be confident Such a Faith as that it will do wonders work miracles such a Faith as hath a kind of omnipotency in it and can do all things through God in Christ my Faith in Christ is that whereby I am able to do all things Now such a Faith we should labour to grow to as may have such a mighty arm and power as it is able to carry all before it That 's the second thing 3. The Faith of a Beleever it should be of such a growth as that there may be an answering in a practical way unto those eminent examples of persons that have been of a well-grown Faith Consider what patterns there are Abraham he was a man of Faith and what was his Faith what was his pitch and stature and proportion I gave you something of account before but shall further express it Abraham he was a man of such a Faith as that God testified concerning him O Abraham he beleeved God and it was accounted to him for Righteousness When he had all the difficulties and discouragements that could be from resting upon the promise that God had made yet saith the Text He beleeved God God promiseth to him that he should have a son though his body was dead and Sarahs body was dead and according to nature there was no possibility that things should be brought to pass yet Abraham he considers neither one thing nor another but he doth eye the promise hath God said it It shall be done I shall have a son because God hath promised me a son and though I am 100 years old and Sarah 90 years old yet God hath said it there 's death in the body but there 's life in the promise and I rest upon it It 's the promise of a faithful God I will trust his word Abraham beleeved God and staggered not at the promise through unbelief but was strong in Faith giving Glory to God and he becomes the friend of God he would believe any thing that God speaks and he would perform any thing that God did require and so discovered himself in the way of his Faith to be the friend of God Now I say such a Faith was Abrahams and what should hinder but that we should be of such a Faith Surely Brethren this is our duty to be as good as Abraham was what should hinder why have not we as good Gospel as good Ordinances as precious means as ever Abraham had And what should hinder but that we should be of as good a Faith as Abraham was Such a Beleever was he as you heard of startled at nothing that God had promised but he would beleeve him and take him at his word Such a Beleever was Moses that as I told you he could stand up for God and bear up with a holy confidence concerning his Salvation when there was nothing but destruction before his eyes Fear not saith he fear not why there 's nothing but matter of fear before us Stand still why if we stand still our enemies will be upon the back of us and confound us The Egyptians are come out and are pursuing us with all the spight and rage that may be And see the Salvation of God why we can see nothing but destruction before us I but saith Moses Salvation is before your eyes and you may by Faith see and behold it Here was a well-improved Faith and to this pitch should we grow O What a Faith
but a well improved Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ to know that sin and corruption it is one of the great enemies that he came into the World to encounter withâ—…l and to set it under his fear and he was manifested upon this account according to that of the Apostle in 1 Joh. 5. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil He was nail'd upon the Cross that he might have our old man crucified with him Why if we had but a well digested Knowledge of these things concerning our Lord Jesus it would facilitate the business and make us set upon it with activity and inlargement of soul. And so for that great Gospel-Service of resisting the Devil That 's another great work that 's required of Believers Now if we had but a well improved Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ O how would it conduce to the lively management of that great service and make us not to be afraid to look all the powers of darkness in the face Did we but know that our Lord Jesus hath conquered the Devil the Prince of the World he hath led him after as a slave he hath the Devil in a chain and all the powers of darkness at command therefore upon the knowledge of this how resolute may a Christian be to make opposition to the Prince and powers of darkness knowing that the Lord Jesus hath spoyled Principalities and Powers And then for that great Gospel-Service of yielding up in the subjection to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ which is the thing that the world doth so much stick at and make opposition to and say We will not have this man to rule over us No let us rather break his bonds asunder and cast away his cords from us Oh but Brethren this well improved Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ it would facilitate this great Service and make the heart free to come up to it willing to give its neck to Christ and to subject to his yoke and Government When we shall come to know this concerning Christ That God the Father hath anointed him and set him as King upon his holy hill of Sion and that there 's a Kingdom appointed to him and the day will come when in despight of Princes and Powers and Rulers and all the mighty ones in the World though they combine themselves together yet God will give the Kingdom to his Son The time will come when the Kingdoms of the World shall become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever This is that that is to be known concerning our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord shall rule and reign and all his enemies shall be made his footstool Now if this were well digested it would make the heart to be free to yield up it self to him O this is the King that I would yield subjection to but not in a way of rejecting of Kings and Governours O but Christ is my King and God hath set him at his right hand and all his enemies shall be made his footstool Now I say the well digested knowledge of these things would contribute exceedingly to every Gospel-Duty O how would this Knowledge of Christ be as oyle to the wheels to make them run most swiftly and speedily in the wayes of God There are other things that I would have spoken to to which I would fain have given a dispatch Though indeed we are bucketting-up out of a full Fountain the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ O it 's the pretious Knowledge that our souls should be delighted to be acquainted with O how will it conduce to help in suffering and resisting of temptations and afford comfort in all our priviledges As Justification That 's one of the great priviledges of the Gospel Now alas we lose much of the comfort of it by reason of our not being throughly acquainted with the Mysterie concerning our Lord Jesus Christ because we have not a well improved Knowledge of Christ. O did a soul but know this That its Justification did depend upon the Justification of Christ if he be justified you shall be such to be justified and if he be not justified you will never be justified your Justification will come to nothing Now the Knowledge of this concerning our Lord Jesus Christ that he is perfectly justified and according to a legal Justification Here 's the comfort of it That Christ is justified with a legal justification God according to the strictness of his Justice hath given up a Justification of his Son according to that expression Isa. 50. It is God that justifieth me And God justifies Christ with a legal Justification and gives him a full acquittance and gives this account of him That he hath fulfilled all righteousness Now Believers Justification which is of Grace depends upon Christ's Justification which is according to the Law or of his having a Justification according to the Law upon the account of his fulfilling of all righteousness Now if the soul comes to know this That Christ is fully justified with a legal Justification O how will this make a Believer to say with triumphing of soul I know whom I have believed I have believed on him who is justified with a legal Justification SERM. XV. HAving in the close of the last Argument begun to speak concerning Gospel-priviledges and how much our growth in the Knowledge of Christ will promote the comfort of those Priviledges I shall now proceed a little further with you in that Argument in making it more fully clear to you That as ever we desire to suck the sweet of Gospel-Priviledges to have our souls refreshed with them as with breasts of consolation that we may find them to be as streams from Lebanon as wine that 's able to make the lips of them that are asleep to speak It concerns us exceedingly for to endeavour and advance in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall never be able so fully justly to value the Priviledges of the Gospel nor so kindly to relish the comforts of these Priviledges if we do not well understand the Mysterie concerning growth in Grace and be well improved in the Knowledge of Christ. I toucht a little upon that great benefit that comes over to us of Justification That great Priviledge indeed such a benefit as is beyond all valuation O that we would but make it our work and business to search into it to labor that we may understand it what is the proper interpretation of the Justification of a sinner the Scriptures speak of it and they invite us to be well studied in it for a sinner a guilty sinner chargeable with a world of wickedness lyable to a hell of wrath and vengeance deserving to be everlastingly cursed of God and to be cast under everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power A poor guilty soul that