put upon the serious consideration of their dying day and having a dissolution made between soul and body Whence is this but either from the total want or a very great weakness that is in their Faith either their want that they have none at all and then no marvel that the thoughts of Death be terrible to them why they are under the guilt of sin and they must go to Hell when they dye O it 's a sad thing and I would there might be a fixedness of heart upon this it is a sad thing to think of it that there should be nothing but a little breath between a poor creature and eternal destruction and if that be but with-held for a quarter of an hour the soul goes down to eternity if God take away their breath they dye and return to dust and when they dye they dye in a state of guilt and so damn to eternity Now no marvel that such persons cannot indure to meditate such terror And then others that are weak in their Faith and are not comfortably setled in their confidence concerning the Grace of Christ in them and their reconciled state No marvel if they be shaken and perplexed about it when they come to have the thoughts of death Now Faith improved to a good degree will inable a soul to meditate this terror to think of it I with a holy rejoycing and content to think that a day will come that will make a dissolution between the soul and body that so upon that dissolution there may be a more full injoyment of the Lord Jesus according to what the Apostle speaks in Phil. 1. having a desire I desire to depart when a mans Faith will inable the soul to this to look upon death as a thing to be desired not only as that which there is a necessity lying upon the creature to undergo not only so there is a necessity lies upon me it being enacted so that a soul dies out of a necessity he cannot help it if he could help it he would be glad with all his heart to keep off the stroke of death but he dyes out of choice this is the Faith that we should press after and this is that that Faith well improved will inable to meditate this terror and to bear up under the apprehensions of it reckoning upon this That as to live is Christ so to dye it will be gain as the Apostle speaks and therefore he professeth that he has a desire rather to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all And then again there is a terribleness in judgement so it is called in 2 Car. 5. The terror of the Lord the day which is appointed wherein God will judge the World in Righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained even the Lord Jesus And all the Sons and Daughters of Adam that ever were from the beginning of the Creation to the time of that appearing of his shall all be convented and made to stand before his Judgement-seat and we that are here this morning shall all stand before this Judgement and shall give an account to God of our preaching and bearing and how we have carried our selves in the Assemblies and under the dispensations of the Ordinances when there shall be an appearing before the great Judge of all the World Truly this day is a terrible thing and it is called as I said The terror of the Lord. Now I say this is a terror that a Faith-less soul will not be able to meditate he is not able to bear up under the thoughts of it and therefore doth all that it can to drive them away black melancholy thoughts thoughts of death and of judgement Such thoughts as these cannot be indured to set a foot over the threshold nor to come under the roof of the house no we will have nothing to do with such black thoughts And then those that are weak in Faith they are ready to be startled at the apprehensions of this It 's a terror to them to think of a day of Judgement I but I say that a well-improved Faith a Faith that is of a good growth it will inable to meditate this terror and to bring the soul to the free usage and possession of this blessed priviledge that belongs unto Beleevers A person of a well-grown Faith will be able to think of this with joy and gladness be glad to think of the day wherein the Lord Jesus shall appear in flaming fire to render vengeance to them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ A man of a well-grown Faith will be able to meditate this terror and to rejoyce at the thoughts of it It is the day of his gladness therefore to this purpose our Saviour saith when these and these things shall come do you lift up your â—…eads When mens hearts shall fail them with looking after those things that shall come upon the earth and when others shall cry out with Balaam Alas who shall live what will become of us now It is an amazing thing to think when the Heavens shall be raised and the Lord shall appear with his mighty Angels to think what startling there will be and running this way and that way O! what a dreadful day is this I am not able to stand before this Judge of all the World O it 's an amazing thing to think what skreeking and crying there will be on the part of ungodly sinners that are strangers to Christ and Grace But a poor soul that is well improved in Faith and Grace he will be able to bear up with boldness and our Saviour speaks to that purpose when mens hearts shall fail them and grow dead as a stone within them and they shall be fall of astonishment upon the appearing of the Lord Jesus Then lift up your heads with joy the day of your Redemption draweth nigh So that this is another thing that a well-grown Faith will inable to To meditate terror the terror of God The terror of the Law The terror of Death The terror of Judgement O beloved this is the Faith that we should press to and this growth in Faith that you may be inabled to have the free usage of this blessed priviledge and that when others shall be over-whelmed in their spirits you may be able to bear up with comfort You hear of this as that wherein we are to evidence a growth in Faith when we are able to meditate Terror Lastly This I would only say such a Faith we should press to such a growth in Faith and that we may be aâ—… not only to look for but to long after the serious appearing of Christ which follows upon the former O it is not every Faith that will inable to this to be in holy longings after the coming of the Lord Jesus Yâ—…u come behind saith the Apostle in no gift waiting for that coming of Christ waiting for it and hastening to it It is that
our Improvement in the knowledge of Christ truly we walk unworthy of this provision if we do not put on with all industriousness to such a purpose that we may grow in the Knowledge of God Let me but express my self thus If so be you have a Vessel moving upon the waters if the water be shallow and it be a low water the Vessel is ready to touch upon the ground but if so be the water grow higher and higher and the Tyde comes in and springs up then the Vessel rises higher and higher So should it be with the souls of Believers being that God hath made a stream come in more strongly and the Tyde to rise higher as he hath done in the course of holy Scripture truly the endeavour of a Christian should be sutable to such provision he should endeavour to be upon his Improvements and to grow in the Knowledge of Christ. These things being thus accounted to you in order to your convincement that we should endeavour a growth in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour I should now come to tell you what this Knowledge is for the nature of it I must tell you this That truly there are many have the Knowledge of Christ and are grown up to a great measure of it and yet for all that their Knowledge will be their confutation at last I must tell you this That howsoever we may be apt to lift up our selves in high conceits of our Knowledge yet the very Devils are exceeding much in their Knowledge of Christ We know thee who thou art The holy one of God I tell you There 's never a Devil that 's now under the chains of darkness but they can speak most learnedly concerning the Lord Jesus concerning his Person concerning his Nature concerning his Office And how many learned men are there that are able to discourse concerning Christ concerning his Incarnation and concerning his Death and Resurrection and Ascension and this and that and are able to inlarge themselves this way and yet they do many of them go down with their Knowledge to Hell Therefore it is necessary for us to be well instructed in this Point that we may know what this Knowledge is I would have spoken something to it only thus It is not a notional Knowledge Take heed of a notional historical Knowledge a Knowledge that you attain unto meerly by common report and by a common eradiation of the Understanding but look to it that it be a Heart-knowledge a cordial Knowledge a practical Knowledge such a Knowledge as is a transforming Knowledge For the truth on 't is If any man think he knows any thing of Christ he knows nothing as he ought to know if his Knowledge don't transform him This is the ruine of souls They know much of Christ they are able to discourse of the Doctrine of Justification and Sanctification and of Adoption and other Mysteries of the Gospel and all lies floating in the brain and that 's nothing of its effectual operation upon the heart and conscience of a sinner This is that that I would a little further speak to you about that so we may not mistake our selves and go with a Knowledge that lies dead upon our hands and so come to fall under the deep and most dreadful ruine SERM. XI I Was speaking concerning this Knowledge for the kind of it Now I would strengthen this cause I have in hand concerning the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I would strengthen the cause what I could and I shall do my best endeavour that you may be as fully convinc'd as may be How much it concerns Believers and Saints to grow in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Besides all that hath been already spoken to the purpose which indeed doth carry very convincing light with it and is beyond all gain-saying There is besides all that hath been already spoken some things further to be held forth unto you whereby you may yet stand more fully convinc'd of it That the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus is a Knowledge that we should vigorously endeavour a growth and Improvement in As now to instance Having spoken the last time of things that concern us in reference to Christ so I shall now further communicate those things to you that concern this matter in reference to our selves If so be we be but that we profess to be if we be such as have the faith of the Gospel and are planted under the hopes of the Gospel truly it doth very much concern us in respect of our selves to endeavour vigorously a growth in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and that in these several respects which I would intreat you seriously to weigh and consider As First Our Duty is to endeavour a growth in th Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. First That we may be men and women of more able Judgments be more Judicious and able to manage our Judgment of things 2. That we may have the more benefit and comfort of our Consciences and with respect to our consciences our duty is to endeavour a growth in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 3. With respect unto Gospel-grace and that there may be an increase in it 4. With respect unto Gospel-priviledges and Benefits and Comforts 5. With respect to Gospel-duties 6. With respect unto a Gospel-conversation In the general these things I now do further offer to your consideration and shall endeavour to give some insight into them and what they do import that so if the Lord will please to prosper my endeavours among you that you may come to set on more strenuously with strength and endeavour after a growth in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Consider first It is required of us such as profess Godliness and the Faith of the Gospel that they be a wise judicious and understanding People Be not saith the Apostle unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is 'T is that which hath been earnestly prayed for So David Thy hands have made me and fashioned me give me understanding How earnest was Solomon in that behalf that he would give him a wise and an understanding heart How earnest was Paul with God on the behalf of the Church of the Ephesians That their understandings might be enlightned God would have his People to be like himself he is a judicious God a God of Judgment and he would have his People to be an understanding and judicious People of discerning spirits able to make a right Judgment of persons and persons of things and things This is the Will of God Now consider There is no Knowledge in all the World that contributes so much to this that we may come to be a wise understanding and judicious People as the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ doth I remember what Moses speaks in Deut. 4. That they should be acknowledged upon the account
he was well and duly apprehensive of the benefit and comfort and succour and support that would spring up to him from the consideration of a suffering Christ why this is by my conformity to Christ I account all things saith he but loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord. There you have the very point in hand held forth He speaks concerning the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ I account all things but loss and dung for the excellency of this knowledge Why That I might know the fellowship of his sufferings and be made conformable unto his death I tell you Beloved it 's no matter what condition soever a person come into if it be but such a condition as wherein Christ hath been before him only so as wherein Christ hath been as one that hath gone before us and made it a way for us to walk in Indeed the way of his mediation the way of his meritorious sacrificing that 's not a way that ever he walk'd in so as to constitute it a way for his people to walk in they are never able to live in that way But the way wherein Christ hath been before us and the condition which he hath been brought into as a condition in which he would lead his people into this is that that will comfort us in any such condition let the condition be what it will Christ hath been in this condition before us so that now here 's the comfort to a Beleever a Saint in Christ I suffer thus and thus as the Apostle speaks I suffer as an evil doer so did Christ Christ was before me I suffer as an evil doer unto bonds I am persecuted so was Christ my Lord I am reproach'd and scorn'd and revil'd in the World so was my Lord Jesus Christ I am cast into Prison so was my Lord Jesus I am brought to the place of execution Christ was hanged as a malefactor There 's much to support the soul in this condition And then Secondly consider this This is the comfort that slowes out from the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to support in a suffering state Christ suffered nay but more than this we are to consider further that he suffered penal sufferings legal sufferings O this this hath added to the other that we are to know concerning Jesus Christ that he suffered in a legal way His obedience was legal obedience not evangelical obedience as ours should be so his sufferings were legal sufferings why he suffered upon the account of Divine Justice he suffered according to what the strict Justice of God did and could inflict upon him for sin and transgression and here was the bitterness of the cup a thing that would be seriously weighed and considered of by us He suffered for sinners he put himself as it were into the state and condition of a sinner of a malefactor The guilt of the sins of his people was set over to him Thus it was and upon this account you must conceive that there was not that rejoycing on Christ's part in his sufferings as that which sometimes discovers it self even in Beleevers who have rejoyced at the stake and kist the stake and bid it welcome and have been as full of joy and rejoycings as their hearts could hold why there was reason for it It was not so with Christ but he was in an agony and cryes out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Why Brethren there was reason for it Alas Beleevers do not sip one drop of that cup and that 's their mercy and that 's it that gives them comfort upon the consideration of the sufferings of the Lord Jesus because the cup that was tempered unto him to drink of it was a legal cup it was a cup that the hand of Divine Justice temper'd up for him Son thou hast put thy self into the place of sinners and cursed malefactors that have deserved to drink of the wine of my wrath to all eternity I 'll temper a cup for thee forasmuch as thou hast undertaken to appear on their behalf thou shalt have a cup to drink off in their steads and the hand of Justice tempers up this cup. Now one drop of this legal cup would have made all the Nations drunk and have been made to spew and fall to fall down to Hell one drop of this cup of Justice but Christ must drink it up He must make by suffering satisfaction to the Infinite Justice of a provoked Majesty Here 's the business now and alas we are apt to pass over these things slightly and not consider what the greatness of the love of Christ is in undergoing such a task in drinking such a cup But judicious Christians will weigh these things and endeavour to understand concerning what was undergone by Jesus Christ. 'T is an astonishing consideration that it should be thus ordered out concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. Now here 's the comfort to poor beleeving souls under all their sufferings blessed be God I suffer not in a legal way I suffer not from the hand of Divine Justice I suffer not in order to satisfaction that 's done to my hand Here 's my comfort As I am not called out to pay debts with duties I am not called out to pay debts with sufferings Here 's the comfort of a Beleever which flows out from the well-improved knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ that whatsoever his sufferings be they are not satisfactory sufferings they are not sufferings upon a legal account but they are sufferings in a way of fellowship with Christ as one that did suffer but not as a sufferer in order to satisfaction to God's Justice So that now upon the account of the suffering of our Lord Jesus as a legal sufferer and as one that took the cup from the hand of Divine Justice which was tempered up by that hand upon this account the poyson is taken out of sufferings the terror of the bitterness of death is past the bitterness of suffering is taken out the sting of the suffering is plucked out what 's the sting of the suffering The sting of death is sin the sting of a suffering is sin There 's nothing that makes suffering so bitter to a sensible soul an understanding Christian there 's nothing that makes it so bitter as the consideration of guilt I but the guilt is taken away and so the sting is taken out the venom of the suffering is gone The cup may be bitter but it 's a wholsome cup. This is now a second thing to consider whereby you may come to understand how much a well-improved knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ doth contribute to the promoting a Christians comfortable and bold and confident suffering and you will never be able to quit your selves in a suffering day in a suffering state as becomes the Gospel if so be that these considerations concerning Christ be not well digested 3. Yet further Christians are