to be known concerning Christ that this Word and Mystery which is given of the Father to Christ his ear hath been opened to listen to it most attent upon it according to that expression in Psal. 40. Sacrifice and Offerings thou would'st not Christ's ear was not much attent upon that Sacrifice and offerings thou would'st not But mine ear hast thou opened Thou hast opened mine ear to another Doctrine to another Word which concerns the salvation of souls by a sacrifice that must be offered up by me this mine ear is open to And so you have it in Isa. 50. The Prophet there speaks in the person of Christ he wakeneth morning by morning and saith he he makeneth mine ear to hear as the Learned The Lord God hath opened mine ear and I was not rebellious The Father gives the word delivers it him and the ear of the Son our Mediator is open to him 3. You are to know concerning Christ that this Word and Doctrine which is the subject matter of our Preaching and your Hearing as it is given to Christ by the Father and as his ear is open to it so it comes with all delight and complacency into his heart as you shall find in Psal. 40. First he saith Thou hast opened mine ear and not only so Thou hast bored mine ear and not only so but O Father thy Law is in mine heart and I delight to do thy will O this word that thou hast given me it 's the joy of my heart it 's the rejoycing of my soul that there should be the contrivance of such a word given to me and intrusted with me mine ear hears it as a most melodious sound my heart entertains it O my God thy Law is in my heart O it s the joy and rejoycing of my heart to think that ever thou should'st trust me with such a Doctrine as this 4. Consider that this word the Word and Doctrine of the Father thus given to Christ unto which his ear was opened and to which his heart gave such joyful entertainment to This Word and Doctrine Christ he comes to be commissioned from the Father to Preach and to make it known He hath not only an ear to hear it and a heart to imbrace it but he must have likewise a mouth opened to publish and proclaim it and this he is commissioned to This is to be known concerning our Lord Jesus that he is commissioned of God to make a solomn publication and promulgation of this Word that it may be made known to the World And therefore you have it in Isa. 50. The Lord hath given me not only to hear as the Learned but to speak as the Learned First he hath the ear of the Learned to hearken to it and then it 's exprest that he hath the tongue of the Learned that he may be able to speak a word in season to a weary soul. This is the commission that God hath given him that he should Preach and make this everlasting Gospel this word that comes out of the Father that he should make it known to the World and the truth is Brethren this that I say is of a truth to be known and acknowledged of us That Preaching work the Preaching of the everlasting Gospel and word of Reconciliation it is more Christs work than the work of any man in the World True it is the base beggerly World and the imbased spirits of the people in the World they look upon Preaching-work as a poor low mean service and look upon those that are imployed about it as persons that are little to be regarded And this is the good entertainment that the Ministers of Christ and of the Gospel have ever had in the World Generally they look upon a Preacher and upon a Preachers work as a poor low piece of service the person mean and his imployment little to be regarded I but if matters were well known this would be apprehended that the preaching of the Word is most properly the work of Christ himself He that is the great Mediator He that was in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God took upon him the form of a servant and he was pleased to accept of a commission from his Father to be a Preacher and to preach the everlasting Gospel As soon as he had suffered and was risen again he came and preached to the World as he did to his Disciples before his Resurrection and so likewise before his sufferings He came with commission from the Father to preach the Word which was given him out of the bosome of the Father That Word which is the subject matter of our Preaching and your Hearing it is the word which Jesus Christ is ingaged to preach and publish and make known to the World and I say again it is more Christ's work than it is the work of any man in the World and those that are called out to this service they are called out to the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. 5. And then add this further that this Lord Jesus Christ he hath that interest in the Father which none in all the World hath besides to the purpose of fetching out whatsoever there is of further Mystery and of discovery to be made concerning the Counsel of God the Word the Doctrine the Eternal Counsel which lay hid in the breast and bosome of God from all Eternity that Counsel that Word and Doctrine which hath so much of lustre in it Christ hath this priviledge above all creatures in Heaven and Earth above Angels Saints glorified in Heaven militant on Earth Christ hath this priviledge above them all to fetch out out of the Fathers treasury that which no Angel nor Saint in Heaven or Earth hath the priviledge to meddle withal Christ hath obtained this of the Father he hath this interest in the heart of the Father that he may with boldness come and take out whatsoever there is of secret Counsel in the Fathers bosome that concerns the Church of God to the end of the World He may be bold to come and challenge this as his priviledge Father if there be any secret yet undiscovered to the World I claim the priviledge to be acquainted with it and to have the discovery of it and to make it known unto the World This is the priviledge belongs to Christ. As now to give an Instance in Rev. 5. where you find there mention made of a Book in the right hand of him that sate on the Throne a Book written within and without and on the back-side sealed with seven seals a book full of Mysterie but a closed book nay a sealed book nay sealed with seven seals Hereupon the Proclamation is made with a loud voice by an Angel Who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof Here 's a book full of Mysterie and matters of high concernment to the Church of God to the end of the World Who is worthy
a ghess and at random those that will approve themselves in their holy Profession must see to it that their conversations be well ordered it is he that orders his conversation aright that shall see the salvation of God and much care and diligence is to be used to this purpose that the conversation may be ordered in a due manner that so we may come to have the comfort and joy and peace at last They that walk according to rule Scripture rule and Scripture example they are the persons upon whom there shall be peace and mercy as the Apostle speaks in Gal. 6. It is not for men and women professing Godliness to live as I have sometimes said by rote but to live and walk by rule and by warrantable example And 2ly I offer this to be considered that Jesus Christ is the most absolute pattern for a Christian to conform unto and to take example by him And this duty is incumbent upon all that will approve themselves in Godliness to set their hearts upon this that they may be conformed unto Christ Believers and Saints are predestinated to have a conformity unto the Lord Jesus And the Apostle tells us 1 Ioh. 2. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself so to walk even as Christ walked It is a very weighty Scripture and doth very much concern us to be well studied in He that saith he abideth in Christ or that professeth himself for to belong to Christ and to have a union with Christ an interest in Christ he ought to walk even as he also walked Now consider how strongly it follow upon the premises That therefore it concerns all that will approve themselves in their Conversation to endeavour to be well acquainted with the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ to endeavour an advance in that Knowledge to be as well instructed in the Knowledge of Christ as they can Why Why because it is he who is the Copy after which we are to write the pattern to which we are to conform and how it is likely that any man should answer the Copy write congruously to the Copy which he hath little or no sight and knowledge of work in any sutableness to the pattern which he is in great part a stranger to This then is the business that we should mind and consider of in order to a well regulated Conversation that there be a pursuance in the Knowledge of Jesus Christ and particularly that we know the manner of his Conversationâ—… If so be that we would walk as Christ walked it 's necessary we should know how Christ walked what steps he trod in and the paths wherein he walked And this I shall give you some account of as touching the life and conversation of Christ here upon earth In the general consider thus First of all you are to know and believe That Jesus Christ was in the World though the World knew him not as the Apostle speaks in Ioh. 1. He was in the world The world indeed would not know not take knowledge of him but this is that we are to acknowledge and believe that Jesus Christ was in the World and that he lived and conversed here among the sons of men and he lived such a life as was most exemplary and so continues to be and he hath everlastingly broken the force of such an argument and plea as poor carnal wretches are apt to make in their own behalfs when their vitious corrupt carnal profane lives are tax'd and they themselves are censured for them Men are apt to plead How is it possible that we should live otherwise in the world a wretched world a world that lyes in wickedness There are so many corrupt principles and corrupt examples how can it be that we can live in such a world and live as we ought Why this Plea is fully broken it was broken upon the account of the lives and conversations of other godly ones that have lived from the beginning of the world The world was stark nought in Enoch's dayes in Noah's dayes yet for all that they walk'd with God and they ordered a conversation to the honour of God and approved themselves in the course of their walking The world was very bad in Eliah's time and so in the times of others yet for all that they carried themselves very gratiously in an evil world But this example of our Lord Jesus Christ is that that breaks the force of such an Argument why he was in the world and yet he lived most exactly and congruously to the whole life of God and he hath taught us by his example That it is not so much the place as the principle that we are to mind the principle and the constitution If so be that a person be of a good constitution and well principled he will live well enough in any place A godly person will be godly in heaven among Saints and Angels a godly person that is truly so he will be godly on earth if he be there among profane persons And I think I may say that if it could be that a godly man were in Hell he would shew his godliness there I am bold to speak it that if a child of God were in Hell he would love God there and he would pray there I remember and sometimes upon occasion have spoken to that purpose That Ionah when he was in his own apprehension cast off of God and in the belly of Hell as one in the very belly and bowels of Hell yet there he falls a praying Out of the belly of hell cryed I. A wicked man if he could be in heaven and be there with his own principles he would be a wicked man there and surely for Hell a godly man would be a godly man there Hell changes no natures nor indeed doth heaven upon the matter Heaven doth not change nature Heaven it self considered as a place of glory would not change the nature of a wicked man the change must be made here on earth Thus now having propounded this as a general That our Lord Jesus Christ he did live and converse in the world but what account is there to be given of his life what is there belonging to a well improved Knowledge in the Life and Conversation of Christ To give you a brief account of this First of all in the general The Life and Conversation of Christ it was a Scripture conversation The Lord Jesus who is now in heaven he liv'd in the world he liv'd first and last a Scripture life and this I speak to the confutation of the faces of all such as are apt to slight the Scriptures and make light of them that Jesus Christ while he converst in the world his whole life and conversation was a very Scriptural conversation it was nothing else but a fulfilling of Scripture O Beloved consider of this as a material and momentous thing That the whole life and conversation of Christ was a Scriptural conversation How often do
the day he would be sure to take time for it in the night O how much was he in intimate conversings with the Father in the way of prayer 9. The life of Christ it was a self-denying life O most eminent was Christ for this that he was of a self-denying spirit and his life in the whole of it a self-denying life denying himself Father not what I will but what thou wilt 10. The Life of Christ it was a world-despising life when they would come by sorce and make him a King he declines it and withdraws himself and turns his back upon all worldly preferments and injoyments 11. The Life of Christ was a God-pleasing and honouring life He pleased not himself he studied to please his Father and to profit the souls of his people He was for God-pleasing and manprofiting and this was the whole tenor of the Life of Christ. He devoted himself thus that he might be pleasing to God that he might be profitable to man 12. And to add no more though other particulars might be brought in The Life of Christ it was a persevering life He began well he continued well he ended well Paul could say of himself I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the Faith Christ could say it more than any man I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the truth I have kept my way without divertion he held on to the last having honoured God he honoured him to the death having loved God and his people he loved them to the end having ingaged to glorifie God he glorified him to the last His last breath was a holy breathing into the bosome of God This is the account that is to be given of the Lord Jesus Now consider O how profitable and beneficial will this knowledge well improved be unto Beleevers profitable to shame them profitable to provoke their imitation profitable to promote their comfort Profitable to shame them Now when we come to know what a life Christ liv'd what an exemplary life what an even thred he spun what a webb he wove and when we come to consider what our life is what a difference between Christ's life and our life whose life should be set before us as a copy to write after O how will this cause shame of face sorrow of heart I remember the Lord gives a charge to the Prophet Ezek. That he shew the pattern to the house of Israel and wherefore that they may be ashamed why I shew'd you the pattern this morning of the Life of Christ and truly it may well make us ashamed to think Christ lived in the World a Scripture-life but alas how far are we from keeping conformity unto Scriptures in our lives He lived an in-offensive life how offensive are many of us in our conversations and carriages laying stumbling blocks in the way The Life of Christ was a conflicting life what is there in us of conflicting with lusts and corruptions and a sinful World The Life of Christ a convincing life a condemning life convincing of sin condemning of sin such should our conversations be But alas how little is there of conformity to Christ The Life of Christ a praying life a laborious life a fruitful life a God-pleasing life a self-denying life Alas we may look upon the pattern and be ashamed to behold it because of our incongruity to it He that saith he abides in Christ ought himself so to walk even as he walked How many profess to have an abiding in Christ and yet do not comport with his example and conform to the pattern that he hath given us for imitation and so far as we are awanting to this copy so far we dishonour the Name of God and are awanting to the crediting of our holy profession O thus would a well improved knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ be beneficial to us to the humbling and shaming of us to think such was Christ but how unanswerable are we A humble Christ a holy Christ a heavenly Christ a self-denying Christ a sin-hating Christ a world-despising Christ and we express nothing of it And how would this promote to duty and provoke to imitation O so would the knowledge of our Lord Jesus and of his life well-improved provoke our imitation of him and make us set to it with diligence and care Did Christ live thus then surely it concerns me to look better to my life and conversation that I may be able to give a better account of it than otherwise I am like to do And then to promote the comfort of a Christian and make him bear up with boldness in the mid'st of an evil Generation when he is able to plead thus I am and I am tuter'd to it by the walking of Jesus Christ. Now to draw to a close The last thing that I will insist upon as to this Doctrinal part there is an account to be given of the life of Christ in Heaven You have heard of his Life on earth but there is belonging to the knowledge of Christ to consider what his Life in Heaven is For this we are to know and sad were it with Saints and Beleevers if this were not accounted of That he that was in a state of death and he that did rise again He lives and is alive for evermore Now if it were not for this Christians were of all men in the World the most miserable but this our Saviour speaks of himself Rev. 1. 18. I am he that was dead but I am alive and behold I live for evermore Amen I am alive for evermore Amen And this he held forth for the comfort of his people and to let them know he is alive for evermore to this purpose To see to the accomplishing and fulfilling of all that in the Revelation is made known for the benefit and comfort of the Church of God while it is here in its Militant state untill the day come that it shall be together with him ingaged in everlasting Triumphs over Death and Devils and Anti-Christ and World and Sin and all This belongs unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus to know that he lives And what 's his Life in Heaven briefly thus First it is a Life of Glory for he is now entered into Glory and he lives in the fullest possession of all the Glory that the Father and Angels and Glorified Saints can conferr upon him and give unto him He hath all the Glory that Heaven can bestow upon him The Lord Jesus he lives now in Glory and he prayed for this Father I have glorified thee on the Earth now Father glorifie thou me with the Glory which I had with thee from the beginning Jesus Christ is entered into his Glory and he is clothed with it now He is clothed all over with Majesty and Glory He lives in Heaven now a life of Glory and so hath done ever since He was received up into Heaven 2. His
did the woman of Canaan discover when notwithstanding all the discouragements that she had from the Lord Jesus one and another concerning the cause she was then in management of yet notwithstanding she sticks to him O when Christ told her he was not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel and it was not meet to take the childrens bread and cast it to dogs and she might reckon upon her self as a dog why I am come for the benefit of the lost sheep of the house of Israel and thou art a Canaanite and what hast thou to do to make application to me Yet notwithstanding she sticks to him and holds her own and is resolved she will not give over till she hath a blessing Now mark the testimony that Christ gives of her O woman great is thy Faith Now here 's a pattern for us that nothing of discouragement should beat us off but that we might bear up with a holy confidence and wherefore are these things written but that we might write after these Copies But we stick in principles and rest in lower measures and it 's a shame we are not more in advances that we do not answer Scripture-testimonies nor answer Scripture-patterns and examples I might instance to you in the Thessalonian-Church a Scripture that formerly I spent much time about O saith he we are bound to thank God for you Brethren for your Faith it grows exceedingly it is an over-grown Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus now should it be with us But then there is a fourth thing which will take up more time than all the rest We should endeavour such a growth in Faith and that in a practical way as that we may not only answer the degrees of Faith nor the testimonies of Faith and the examples and presidents of Faith but fourthly that we may have such a Faith of such a growth as that we might produce the acts and the effects of it And here sundry particulars there are Such a Faith we should have and of such a growth our Faith should be that we may come to have clear sights and apprehensions of God to say he is an Invisible God and who can behold him and an Infinite Majesty and at an infinite distance and who can injoy him Who why a man of a well-improved Faith may live as if he were in heaven The Saints of God that have had their Faith well improved have given proof of it and have been able to give a justification of it I tell you this that Faith is capable of such an improvement as that he may live in heaven while he is upon earth and be in daily converses with God see him behold him and talk with him as a man would talk with his friend Faith may come to this as 't is said of Moses he saw him that was invisible Enoch by his Faith could walk with God every day as a man with his friend And so a Believer may walk with God and converse with God even in the management of his worldly affairs he may run up to heaven and speak with God and Jesus Christ and have a holy familiarity with God and have sweet thoughts of God O comfortable thoughts the meditation of God! O sweet unto him as the Prophet speaks in the 104 Psal. my meditations of him shall be sweet He is a terrible God I but I can meditate terror The Faith of a Beleever duly improved and being of a light growth it will make him able to meditate terror and to think of the terrible things of God the terrible acts of God the terribleness of Gods Majesty Indeed there is a terribleness in Gods Majesty I but the Faith of a Beleever being duly improved and of a due growth it will be able to meditate terror as the Prophet hath the expression in Isa. 39. and so to injoy sweet communion with God in every daies course it is as if there were no distance but heaven and earth were in a very contiguity and they were just neer close together there is as it were but a wall between heaven and earth O he can be as a man would be with his next neighbour that knock at the wall and your neighbour hears you and you can talk together day and night And so the Faith of a Beleever is capable of such a growth as he may come to enjoy God and sweet communion with God And so of Christ when we make him not only the object of our desires but the object of our claim he is my Jesus and as much mine as any mans in the World We should not only breath out after Christ but that we may bear up with a holy confidence and make a bold claim of interest in him and say I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine I bear upon it I challenge an interest in him and I will dispute the case with any that shall come in in a way of opposition to me He loved sinners He loved the World He loveth me He gave himself for sinners He hath given himself for me He is as much my Christ as any mans in the World This is the well-grown Faith SERM. IV. LOok to your growth in Faith that you be not weak in it and let it appear this way See to it that you have such a Faith so improved of such a growth that you may be able at once to appeal from the Law as a ridged exacter and yet to apply to the Law as a gracious wise and holy director When Faith comes to be planted in the soul it is not therefore planted that the heart should upon the coming in of Faith turn head against the Law No not against the Law Indeed it was never in the heart of God that Beleevers that are brought off from the Law as a covenant of works and are dead to it by the body of Christ should have their hearts set against it that they should rise up in opposition to it and be possest with prejudices against it No God forbid it should be so I speak of the Law considered as a covenant of works True it is the Faith of a Beleever carries him from the Law so as not to rest upon it so as not to seek righteousness by it but yet withal while it doth make an appeal from the Law as a ridged exactor and was made before Grace appeared to tremble and quake at the consideration of it as a fiery Law while he looks upon it as a most severe and ridged exctor and quits it appeals from it yet the Faith of a Beleever duly improved will own the same Law as it is a wise righteous and holy director And that Law and Covenant which out of the hand of Faith was and would have been a stinging Serpent as the â—…od of â—…ses when it was out of his hand a stinging â—…pent and such as would make a man to flye from the presence of in regard of its stinging power
imitation But alas how little do we attain to of this Gospel-Repentance how little do we express mostly of such a temper and frame of spirit Can sin freely but repent very hardly How little doth there appear to God of any kindly workings and breakings of heart before him in the sense of all that we daily commit of sin and transâ—…ion in a way of disobedience and loose walking before the Lord. Why truly I may be bold 〈◊〉 that if so be there were any place for Repentance in Heaven though indeed it is not a â—…ce of Repentance but of joy and everlasting rejoycing Yet if Heaven were a place of Repentance I am perswaded that there are very few of those that some to Heaven that would not â—…ll upon the work and business there and that because they repented so little as they did while they were here on earth if there were any place of repentance there it would go to the hearts of many that they did not take it more deeply into consideration their evil dispositions and sinful conversations while they were in the World And what is the reason that Repentance that blessed Grace is not more largely shared in that it is not more expressed to the life of it why we may with much confidence conclude upon 〈◊〉 that this is one of the special reasons because we 〈◊〉 not more of the knowledge of our Lord and 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ. 〈◊〉 Bâ—…en if Christ oâ—… Lord Jesus were better known and the knowledge of him better digested I know this that there would be more soul meltings and heart-breakings 〈◊〉 kindly manner before God than ever otherwise there â—…like to be Consider what the Prophet speaks iâ—… â—…ech 12. saith he They shall look upon him whom they have piâ—…ed and what then They shall look upon him they shall mind Christ study Christ they shall fix their serious thoughts upon the Lord Jesus Christ and upon him aâ—… one whom they have pierced and what will follow Then shall they mourn over him as one who mourneth for an only Son and be in bitterness as one that is in bitterness for his first-born This will raise up the sorrow this will break the heart When persons come for to know and consider and seriously ponder upon the Lord Jesus Christ consider of his dying and dreadful suffering and woful breakings and bruisings that he was pleased to undergo on the behalf of poor sinners and then their hearts will break within theâ—… What was that which made the Converts in Acts 2. for to fall into such a melting frame and to be pricked at the heart and to mourn and lameâ—… deeply Why Peter had been preâ—…ching to them the Doctrine concerning our Lord Jesus and endeavouring to bring them to the knowledge of him whom they had crucified You have crucified the Prince of Life you have been the murtherers and betrayers of him they were pricked then at the heart and cryed out O men and 〈◊〉 what shall we do O miserable wretches When a soul shall set it self to know and understand the mystery concerning Christ that the Eternal Son of God he that was in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God he that was from all eternity the delight of his Father he that was holy and unblamable knew no sin never was guile found in his mouth the spotless Lamb That he should be hanged as a malefactor that he should be put to the greatest shame and ignominy that could be that he should be under the heat of the wrath of his Father that his precious soul should be in such an agony as that he should be constrained to cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me That he should undergo such breakings and bruisings and woundings that he should sweat drops and clods of blood that his soul should be exceeding sorrowful and heavy unto the very death And yet this blessed Jesus one that never sinned no not so much as in a Thought yet that all this should be undergone by him And when a soul shall come to consider that it self hath been accessary to this horrid murther it self should have a hand in this bloody business that it self should be a party to this prodigious impiety that it self should stabb Christ to the very heart when this comes to be considered when a soul comes to be well improved in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his deep and dreadful and dolorous sufferings this must needs give an advance to the Grace of Repentance Why it would argue a heart harder than an Adamant that would not upon such well digested apprehensions as these be in meltings before the Lord upon the consideration of a crucified Christ. This is that which if it were but well known and studied and seriously pondered upon would give an advance I say unto Repentance But the reason why we are no more in the lively practice of Repentance is because we are no more studied in this Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I would this were considered of by us and put to the proof whether you would not find it so in experience that this would make your hearts to break before the Lord. 4. The Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and a kindly growth in it will conduce very much as of Faith and Hope and Repentance so of Love love to God and love to Christ and love one to another The complaint may justly enough be taken up concerning this as concerning the other Graces we are little in one and other and truly it is not to be expected that they should be much advanc'd in Love that are not advanc'd in Faith and Hope and in their Repentance towards God But thus it is alas that Love that should be in us in the flame it is mostly but in the spark we have some little glowings it may be but not those kindly burnings of Love to God and Love to Christ those inlargements of heart that we should make discovery of and what 's the reason Why we may reckon it very much to this that we are not more improved in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ For the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Christ well advanc'd well grown and improved as a most strong and effectual conducement to the growth in Love When the Daughters of Jerusalem had been well instructed concerning the Spouses Beloved when they had had an account of him their hearts were exceedingly taken with him and then they would seek him with her Whither is thy Beloved gone O thou fairest among women Whether is thy Beloved gone that we may seek him with thee Thus it is if so be that we knew more of Christ we would be more in the Love of Christ. Truly the motions of the Will they will answer the sanctified light of the understanding Now where there is but little light and Knowledge 't is not to be expected that
in heaven or earth to take this book out of the right hand of him that sits upon the Throne The Proclamation is made and the account is given Thus no man in heaven or earth nor under the earth was able to open the book nor look thereon not so much as to look upon it This goes to the heart of Iohn a great Favourite of Christ a dear Servant of God he for his part is astonisht at it and falls a weeping bitterly That there should be none found worthy to open the book Mark what follows One of the Elders said unto me weep not behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah the root of David hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals thereof and he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sate upon the Throne He came and took the book Here was the priviledge of Christ above Angels and glorified Saints or any in heaven and earth there was such a part of the counsel of God which was hid in his breast bosom that none durst venture upon for to make a search into The Lion of the tribe of Iudah the Lord Jesus the Lamb that was slain he was worthy and so they come with their acclamations afterwards they fall down before the Lamb having Harps and golden Vials and they sing a new song worthy worthy is the Lamb that was slain thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof And then they break out into magnifying and praising of God Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing and the four beasts said Amen and the four and twenty Elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever Why now this is to be known concerning our Lord Jesus Christ he hath this priviledge to take the book out of the hand to go into the bosom of the Father to open the cabinet of the Fathers most secret counsel he hath this priviledge above all creatures in heaven or in earth This is to be known concerning Christ. 6. Yet further This Word and Doctrine which is the subject matter of our preaching and your hearing it is such a Doctrine as Christ is marvellously pleased with the wise judicious publication and preaching of it and with the humble attention upon it and therefore Christ is perfect and he hath promised to be present to the end of the World in his Churches and in his Congregations and with his Ministry and with his under Preachers For as I said before preaching work is principally his Christ is the great Preacher and all that are imployed in the work they are but under him and they do his work principally he is present with them observant of them he hath promised to give his assistance to them and to take knowledge of all discouragements that they meet with as we see in the case of Paul When Paul was upon his preaching vvork he meets vvith very hard usage the Lord appears to him and doth as it were clap him upon the shoulder and saith Be of good cheer Paul Thou hast testified of me here at Ierusalem and in such and such a place I will stand by thee and none shall hurt thee O Christ is present with his servants and he delights to see his work graciously and judiciously managed and to see his People that attend upon him to give heed to his Doctrine The Lord Jesus he takes Knowledge how his work is entertained how it s preached and heard and how people behave themselves under the dispensations of it Why now good now beloved consider this These things are the things that we are to know concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. Now if this were well considered wold it not contribute exceedinly to the promoting of preaching and of hearing work Those that are called out to this ministration O if they had but the well digested Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ would not this spirit them and make them to look to the cause they manage how they manage this trust that is committed to them from Christ and how they deal with this blessed Doctrine that came out of the bosom of the Father and if you did but consider that you come to hear the Word that is given of the Father to Christ which is in the heart of Christ and which he ingages himself to give new life unto and how he takes notice what entertainment his Word hath c. If you did but know this certainly there would be other manner of hearing than ordinarily there is Thus now I have spoken concerning that I shall now go on and let you know That by growing in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Believers they come to be exceedingly advanced As for the other Services that I have been speaking of as Gospel-Duties in Prayer and Praising God in Preaching and Hearing the everlasting Word that came out of the bosom of the Father So by the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we come to be exceedingly advantaged for that great work of mortification and of self-denial To joyn these two together Self-mortifying work Self-denying work Alas Brethren how hardly are we brought to these Services And when we set upon them alas how aukward and how untowardly do we apply to the management of it And why Alas because we are so deficient in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ were there a well improved Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Did you but know what a self-denying person he was and how justly be may require self-denying at the hands of his People If we did but consider that this Jesus Christ he was from Eternity God with God he might have lain warm in the bosom of his Father in the dear and blessed bosom of his Father he might have lain there and delitiated himself and kept out of all the storms and tempests of the World and might have enjoyed himself with sweetest delight in his Fathers bosom O what a self-denying Christ was here That he should come and leave his Father's bosom and be content to expose himself to the difficulties and hardships of the World to undergo storms and tempests Mark what the Apostle speaks in Rom. 15. Let every one of us please his neighbour c. For saith he even Christ pleased not himself He did not set his heart upon pleasing himself but that he might please his God and profit his People here below even Christ saith he pleased not himself O a self-denying Christ and if this were well known it would promote self-denying work in us And then sin-mortifying work O we are hardly brought to it to wound and slay our corruptions and to be ever and non digging down our Walls and ever and anon to be boring in the sides of this or that corruption This is his hard work to us but had we
out of their Religion and make a very mock of Godliness and upbraid the Servants of God with their hopes and expectations Now upon this account it is most rational that the Apostle should thus give in charge That Professors look to their growth in Grace that they may be able being well improved in the Grace that is bestowed upon them they may be enabled to bear up against all the scorns and scoffs and derisions that they may meet withal from men of prophane spirits lest otherwise through want or weakness in Grace they bedasht out of countenance and so either desert their cause or act unworthily in the management of it that 's a second thing Truly it s a great tryal the tryal of mocking and scoffing When men shall meet with such kind of dealing at the hands of prophane wretches when they shall flout and jeer at them for their profession and for the hopes that they bear upon truly its a great tryal and it requires a considerable strength of Grace to be able to bear up under such a tryal Well may the Apostle therefore charge this upon Christians and Believers that they look to their growth in Grace because there are last times and because there will come scoffers in those last times 3. Consider this withall That these scoffers they are such as shall walk after their own lusts And Lusts they are violent where they have their predominancy and carry on in a very sharp impetuous manner and if so be there be not a considerable improvement in Grace an advance in Grace Professors if they be but weaklings will not be well able to stand before the violence of ungodly men that are under the power of their own lusts 4. Consider That in these last dayes there shall be scoffers walking after their own Lusts that shall ingage to a dispute against that great Promise of the coming of the Lord Jesus That Promise which is one of the main foundations whereupon Believers have to bottome and found their hope and confidence towards God Ho disputes there are against the promise of the coming of the Lord Jesus and there will be an endeavouring to invalidate the promise and to shake the hope and the faith and confidence of Believers concerning this promise of his coming Now upon this account in the next place It is most rational that the Apostle should press upon Believers a care of growth in Grace that so they may be able in the strength of that Grace which they have received and which is well improved in them to hear up against all the shakings and that they may be able for to break the force of whatsoever Argument may be urged against this blessed promise 5. The Apostle gives us an account concerning most stupendious providences stupendious and amazing providences that should be ordered out For saith he The Heavens shall pass away with a noise the Elements shall melt with fervent heat and the Earth with the works therein shall be burn'd up Now upon this account it is most properly chargeable upon Believers that they look to their Grace and to their growth in Grace that being corroborated and well strengthened in the Grace which they have received they may be inabled to bear up under the most astonishing and stupendious providences that when others shall say as Balaam speaks Alas who shall live when God doth this who shall live why a Believer a Saint of God being well grown having his Grace well improved may be able to say I doubt it not but by the help of the Grace of God in Christ I shall be able to bear up and lift up my head with joy and stand with boldness before God when others may fall under deepest despondences and be under the power of astonishment upon the account of such stupendious providences 6. I add That the Apostle gives an account concerning a promise which shall be assuredly performed in due time of having new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness And forasmuch as there is such a promise which is of surest accomplishment truly it is very requisite that Believers that were planted under the hope and expectation of having such a promise performed that they should look unto their growth in Grace that they come to be so improved in their Faith and Godliness that they may carry a suitableness unto such a time and such a state as that That they may be able for to bear up under the contemplation of the Glory that shall shine forth from these new heavens and this new earth wherein dwelleth Righteousnes You must think that a little small inconsiderable portion of Grace will not be so answerable unto such a time and such a state as God hath by promise ingaged himself for to advance his people to so that in that respect the Apostle doth most fitly press this growth in Grace 7. God though he have made promises of his coming and his coming to make a new heaven and a new earth wherein Righteousness shall dwell yet notwithstanding he hath put a long date upon these promises and it will be long before such time as these promises shall have their accomplishment Why God is not slack concerning his promise but yet for all that he takes a long date and so it appears for it is now about 1600 years since this Epistle was written and these things communicated to the Churches and Saints for the benefit of their souls Now in this regard well might the Apostle require on the part of Believers and Saints a growth in Grace that they may be inabled patiently to wait upon God and to run through all the varieties of providences which should be ordered out upon them and undergo all the difficulties and hardships which they were or are to be put upon in order to the injoyment of the promises which God hath made which will not well be done without a considerable growth in Grace so that let that be considered of that this growth in Grace it is most properly chargeable upon Believers upon this account that God is pleased for to take a long day and to hold his people long in expectation of the accomplishment of the promises that he hath made And then 8. I add this That as in all times there have been so there will be in these latter times such as shall have their errors dangerous errors errors that are proper for wicked men Errors of the wicked by means of which errors the Saints may be brought into great danger of falling from their own steadfastness according to what the Apostle doth also express towards the latter end of this Chapter and as I have discours'd largely upon There will be errors of the wicked which will indanger the Saints as to their steadfastness and upon this account the Apostle doth most fitly injoyn this duty of growth in Grace So that now these 8 things being duly weighed and considered of we may clearly see how properly the Apostle
If so be that your Faith be not grown up to such a pitch and proportion truly you are not come into the stature that you should attain unto You have a Faith that looks to promises and lives upon the expectation that begets a kind of hope in you that such and such things shall be done I but can you say that your Faith is the substance of them that your Faith is the evidence of them and the substance Why your Faith it is such a Faith and of such a growth and it is so improved unto such a strength that things that are but in expectation they are to your Faith as if so be that they were in actual execution Your Faith is such a Faith I am sure it should be so that it givâ—…s a being to things that are not in being it is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Apostle uses the word it is the substance or the subsistence of things that are hoped for Why this is to my Faith as if it were in actual being As God made a promise to Abraham that he should have a son Abraham believes the promise it was long before that promise was performed I but yet Abraham's Faith did give a hearing to this promise Abraham went on in that confidence he staggered not at the promise through unbelief but his Faith was in that strength that there was as if there had been a birth already his Faith gave a being to the promise God made a promise to the people that they should come to the Land of Canaan and that it should be their inheritance Now the Faith of Abraham Isaack and Jacob was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it gave a being to the promise and they were as if they had had it while they liv'd the actual possession of the promised Land they and their seed It is the evidence of things that are not seen I see not and yet I injoy I see not and yet I see Faith where it comes to be well improved it comes to be the evidence of things that are not seen Things not seen and yet they are as if they were before mine eyes Things not seen Nay when the contrary is seen as now a man hath destruction before his eyes and yet his Faith makes him to see Salvation according to that eminent instance in Moses when they came to the Red-Sea and there was nothing but death Fear not saith he stand still and see the salvation of God See it why there was nothing to be seen but destruction before their eyes and yet by Faith Moses comes to see the Salvation of God It is the evidence of things that are not seen O Brethren it 's a poor Faith a poor beggerly Faith if I may so speak of any degree of Faith for Faith in the lowest degree is better than all the jewels and diamonds in the World they are not to be mentioned with it but compared with a due improved Faith truly it 's but a poor beggerly Faith that depends upon sense This I would see as Thomas what saith Thomas you report to me that Jesus my Lord and Master is risen from the dead but for my part unless I may see him and feel the print of the nails and put my hand into his side I will not believe O it was an ignoble Faith a poor beggerly Faith they will believe no further than they can see Truly such persons will hardly believe to the saving of their souls and our Saviour he deals with him about it O Thomas Thomas thou hast seen and believed but I tell thee Thomas they are the blessed persons that have not seen and yet believe Why it is a noble Faith for to give a man the evidence of that that he doth not see and this is the Faith that we should press after I see nothing that hath a tendency to such or such a mercy I see nothing but rather the contrary as in the case of Ioseph there 's a promise concerning his advancement he saies nothing that hath any tendency in it but rather the contrary he is cast into Prison and irons enter into his soul he is brought into a miserable condition and yet notwithstanding his Faith was the evidence of things not seen he could see a Golden-Chain that afterwards he came to wear he could see a Golden-chain in a chain of Iron the iron entred into his soul and yet the chain of Gold is about his Faith Faith puts it about the neck this is the Faith A Faith of such a growth that it may evidence to us the things that are not seen Now I say when we can give an account of such a testimony and come in with the justification of experience and say It 's thus testified of Faith and it 's a true testimony for my Faith is so to me my Faith is the substance of things hoped for my Faith is the evidence of things that are not seen God hath made a promise concerning a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness He hath made a promise of new Ierusalem that it should come down from heaven as a Bride made ready for her husband Now I see nothing to such a purpose I see nothing but confusion and yet for all that I can see Glory I can see Glory in all the confusion of the World Again consider Secondly This is the testimony that 's given of Faith I this is tâ—…e victory that overcomes the World even your Faith The Apostle gives this testimony of Faith 1 Epist. of Ioh. 5. he useth these words This is the victory saith he that overcometh the World even your Faith Why now consider what growth it is that we should press after in believing our duty is to grow in Grace in the Grace of Faith and to grow to such a point and proportion that our Faith may be our victory our Faith why you will say it is our conflict we have a conflicting Faith I buâ—… your Faith is your victory and your Faith should be so improved as that you may be able to give this account of it my Faith is my victory and I am more than a Conqueror as the Apostle saith in Rom. 8. saith he What shall separate tribulation distress persecution famine nakedness peril sword Why saith he In all these things he doth not say after all these things but in all these things in persecution in tribulation in distress in famine in nakedness what in sword yea in all these things we are more than Conquerors This is a marvellous thing but yet this is the testimony that 's given of Faith and this is that which the Faith of a Believer if it be duly improved will spring up to to make the believing soul more than a Conqueror and in all these things this is the victory The victory why before the battel be done before the fight be finished and ended yet notwithstanding that 's a victory that a believing soul may by the
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
hope and confidence towards God It is Christ who is the foundation upon whom we are to lay the whole weight of our souls for eternity Now then consider how strongly the Argument will grow up from hence if so be that Believers be so much bound to place their trust in Christ to pitch and fix their confidence upon Christ they had need know him well this will follow upon it I tell you Brethren you had need to know reason will suggest this to you that man well whom you trust your lives withal all your estates and worldly interests withal lest putting your confidence in an unfaithful man or one that will not be responsible to you concerning the trust you place in him you be utterly undone and fall under sad and shameful disappointments Will you trust your selves in case of sickness with one that you never knew or have but little knowledge of do not know whether he have proportionable wisdom and understanding and skill to manage such an undertaking as your health and recovery from some deadly disease amounts unto Nay you will say I will know him well before I will trust him with such a concernment If so be that you have a Suit in Law which your whole Estate depends upon the well issuing of you will endeavour this to know him well whom you trust your Cause with lest it should miscarry by means of his ill management of it this we all will yield unto as a rational thing Why now I pray consider you are bound to trust Christ with your lives with your souls they are wofully diseased and He must be your Physitian and you are bound to make your application unto him for health and cure Truly you had need to know him it 's your duty to be well acquainted with him that so you may come with the more boldness to place your trust and confidence in Him and to say Well I dare venture my life in his hand I know him well I know his wisdom I know his skill I am so well acquainted with his sufficiency that if I had a thousand lives I would put them all into his hand You are to trust him for your eternal inheritance and for to plead your Cause to answer all the Suits that are to be commenc'd against you by the Devil by your Consciences it is He that must plead your Cause you are bound to this to trust Him with your Cause Now it stands you upon much therefore to know him well and be well improved in your knowledge of Christ forasmuch as you are to commit the cause of your souls to Him Consider further You are bound to place your most intire and intensive love upon Christ this is the bond the Lord sets upon every beleeving soul to love the Lord Jesus in sincerity and to love him with the most intire and intensive love Consider this you are bound to love him above your lives above your souls you are bound to love him more than you love your Father your Mother your Wife your Children your Estates every thing in the World that is most neer and dear unto you this obligation and bond the Gospel puts Beleevers under they are bound I say to love the Lord Jesus with a supream love and to give this account of themselves such as the Prophet doth of himself in Ps. 33. O Lord Whom have I in Heaven but thee and whom is there on earth that I love and desire in comparison of thee This is your duty the duty of a Beleever for to have the strength of his love let out upon Christ. It 's our duty to love him with a Conjugal love love him so as to own him for our Beloved and to refuse all other beloveds in comparison of him this is our duty Now mark you Will not then the Argument flow strongly from hence we have reason then to know him well and labour to improve in the knowledge of him Christ doth not care for a blind love He doth not make much account of the love that is set upon him by those that know him not it is a judicious love that Christ makes account of Now therefore it concerns you to endeavour a growth in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that knowing him well our hearts may break out and burn in love to him and that so he may come to have the strength of our affections let out upon him There 's never a wise woman in the World that will let out her love upon a man that she knows not or hath little knowledge of I will know him well whether he be a proper object for me to place my love upon Now thus the case stands between Christ and a beleeving soul and therefore we had need endeavour an improvement in the knowledge of Christ that so we may come to have our hearts the more free to let out our love upon him and say O I know him I know him so well that no beloved for my purpose besides himself Choose him I will choose him above all the World This was the course that the Daughters of Jerusalem took in Cant. 2. When the Spouse was giving in charge to them concerning her Beloved say they What is thy beloved more than another beloved Why saith she My beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand she speaks as one that had a full knowledge of him and upon that account her heart was so strongly drawn out to him thus it was with her Now in Chap. 6. having obtained the knowledge of her Beloved that he was so choice and precious a one their hearts begin to flame out and to be in love with him O whither is thy Beloved gone O thou fairest among women whither is thy beloved gone that we may seek him with thee for as he is thy Beloved so shall he be our Beloved now we come to know more of him now are our hearts inflamed with the love of him and our desires carried out more strongly after him Again we had need endeavour a growth in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Whereas they are bound to trust in him and to set their love upon him so they are under this obligation for to captivate their judgements to him so as to yield up themselves in all obedience and duty to be at his beck and bidding and to comport with him in all his requiries and to do whatsoever he commands them without disputing his commands this is a Beleevers duty Whatsoever he requires of them without any more ado to follow him resolvedly in every way that he leads them into If any man will be my Disciple let him deny himself and follow me and hearken to my commands such service and duty every beleeving soul stands bound to the performance of Now consider if so be that one will go and bind himself to such a Master whose will he must follow whose commands he must obey and with whose
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
to be so that do not correspond to Christ and do not answer Christ as the Pattern This is that therefore that we are to know and consider That it is necessary that Believers and Saints should be well acquainted with the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ because by that Knowledge we are to regulate our Judgments concerning our own persons And so the Church as in Rev. 2. before-mentioned And so again The like is to be said concerning Doctrines and concerning Worships concerning the Doctrines that are held forth and concerning the Worships that are performed Why Brethren there are many Doctrines preach'd in the World that are no better than chaff to the Wheat and no other than dross to the Gold What is the chaff to the wheat as the Prophet Ieremiah speaks And what is the dross to the Gold Now how should we judge but by the help of the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ The more we improve in that Knowledge the better able shall we be to make a Judgment of Doctrines And so likewise of Worships Such Worships as shall have acceptance vvith God Why they must be Worships that are according to Christ and the more vve improve in the Knovvledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the more able shall vve be to make a Judgment of these things O! Christ he is a spiritual Christ Though we have known him saith the Apostle after the flesh yet henceforth know we him so no more He was made after the power of an endless Life and not after the Law of a carnal Commandment and his Worship is drawn up not after the Law of a carnal Commandment but after the power of an endless Life sutable to himself O consider of this and take heed of carnal hearts and of carnal Services that hold no correspondency with our Lord Jesus Christ so that upon this account you may see and stand convinc'd of it That it concerns us very much to endeavour a growth and increase in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ because by the means of that Knowledge we are inabled to make a Judgment of Churches and their Constitutions we are inabled to make a Judgment of Doctrines and of Worships which are to be performed 〈◊〉 Yet further The Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ is a Knowledge that Christians and Believers should endeavour a growth in and that as with respect unto their Judgments that they may come to be well accomplisht and to become a judicious People So likewise 2ly In regard of their Conscience Conscience truly it is a great word and I wish that the interpretation of it were better known The interpretation of Conscience I tell you Brethren That every man and woman hath a Conscience within them and this Conscience is either his cordial Friend or it will be his dreadful Enemy it will either be a Friend or a Fury either his best Friend on earth or his greatest Enemy on earth Conscience will be a Friend if it be right but God is a greater Friend Conscience will be an Enemy I but God is a greater Enemy If our heart condemn us faith the Apostle God is greater than our heart and he knows all things But on earth there is not a greater Friend nor is there a greater Enemy than a man's Conscience I tell you this That your Consciences when you come to know them and to be acquainted with them and when they come to be awakened and set on work your Consciences will either create a Heaven within you or else they will create a Hell within you Truly Conscience will do thus It will either make your life to be a Heaven or else it will make it to be a Hell I 'le give you two Instances and I think that more remarkable Instances cannot be given To instance in Paul and Iudas There was never man I think in the World that was able to speak more from experience concerning his Conscience and how it befriended him than Paul was never man better studied in Conscience never man more befriended by Conscience and he knew the benefit of it and was exceedingly rejoyced in it And there was never man that was more terrified by his Conscience I think than Iudas was and no man more able to speak to the terror of his Conscience than he was Paul makes his boast of his Conscience This is our rejoycing The testimony of our Conscience And Men and brethren I have lived in all good Conscience And still upon every occasion My Conscience bears me witness O this Conscience of Paul it sung within his bosom like a bird of Paradise O this good Conscience of Paul notwithstanding all the troubles and persecutions he meets with his Conscience befriends him and doth keep him up in heart and he is cheered with it under all the troubles and disquietments that he meets with in this World Thus it was with him as to his Conscience And as for Iudas his Conscience was a Fury within him when he came to be awakened and had the guilt of blood upon him O how Conscience rages it creates a Hell within him and he is in Hell before he comes there as many are and will be when God comes to awake their Consciences Now thus it was with Iudas and he was so hurried and agaster'd and amazed and afrighted that he was a Magor-missabib a terror to himself Thus it was with Iudas and that by reason of his awakened Conscience labouring under the guilt of his iniquities and impieties that he had committed Well this is Conscience the best friend on Earth or the greatest and dreadfullest enemy on Earth A man had better have all the World against him than have his Conscience against him and if all the World be against a man yet if his Conscience be for him if his Conscience will befriend him it will inable him to bear up with comfort notwithstanding I but now consider that it is by the well-improvement of the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ it is by the well-improvement of that knowledge and by endeavouring an advance and a growth and increase in that this is the thing that I drive at it is by this means and upon this account that the Conscience comes to be set to rights and is inabled to do the part of a dear and cordial Friend which it will never do upon other tearms I 'll tell you what your Consciences will never do the part of a friend to you to any purpose but rather storm against you and make you to become as Magor-missabibs terrors to your selves unless you be well instructed in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ. Men and women may daub with their Consciences and sooth up themselves and lay their Conscience upon a pillow when it 's sick and distemper'd and ill at ease and would be breaking out men may take this and that course to still their Conscience for
everlastingly saved But now yet more fully to clear up this That by growth in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus there comes to be a prosperous and happy growth in Faith We will consider first of all What there is belonging unto a well-grown and improved Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and then you will be able clearly if so be that there be any spiritualness of understanding to see how this Knowledge duly improved doth draw out the saith of a Believer and how it doth most happily influence his Faith and is as the pouring out of water upon a Plant or at the root of a Tree which makes the Plant to thrive and grow and prosper and shoot up a main This will appear that this benefit comes over to us by our having the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ advantaged in us Now consider what doth properly belong to a well improved Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is requisite in order to a due improvement and growth in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ First That he be known as touching his Person That he is God blessed for evermore God with God in full equality with the Father and the Spirit and accounts it no robbery to claim such an equality as Great as the Father as Good as the Father as Holy as the Father as Mighty as the Father Thus it is He is God with God And 2ly That he is not only God with God but he is God-Man that he might be both fit to deal with God for Man and with Man for God That 's the first thing that I propound I shall make the accommodation of them by and by and having propounded the things that belong to this well improved Knowledge then I shall come to offer it to your Consideration how the Grace of Faith is most happily influenced by this Knowledge thus improved 2. It belongs to well improved Knowledge for to know that this Christ God-Man is the Son of God the only begotten of the Father by an act of eternal Generation 3. It 's requisite to a well improved Knowledge That souls do know and understand that this Christ God-Man the eternal Son of the Father that he is the Son of his dearest Love and did from all eternity lodge in his blessed bosom that his heart is infinitely set upon him And then 4. It belongs to this Knowledge That souls do understand that this Christ God-Man the eternal Son of the Father the dearly beloved of his Soul is such as he doth take infinite complacency and contentment in he is pleased in him and delighted in him upon this very account because of the willingness which he hath manifested to appear in the behalf of poor Souls This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased he in whom my soul delights 5. It is requisite to a well improved Knowledge of Christ That we understand that by an eternal Decree God hath chosen and appointed and designed this Son God-Man this Beloved this Person so much delighted in That he hath chosen him according to an eternal purpose and Decree for to be the great Mediator between God and Man This is necessary likewise to be known that so there may be a due improvement of the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord hath declared the decree Thou art my Son and I have appointed thee He hath decreed him and designed him to such a purpose according to that decree in Isa. 42. Behold saith the Prophet my servant whom I uphold mine elect in whom my soul delighteth He is the chosen of God from all Eternity to such a purpose 6. This is necessary to a well improved Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ That it be known and understood that this Christ God-Man the Son of the Father the Beloved of his Soul the Person that he delights in that he hath made choice of is likewise most fully commissioned by the Father for to perform the Office of a Mediator to all those intents and purposes and in all such wayes wherein he may accomplish that great Design concerning the Redemption and Salvation of poor Souls God hath commissioned him he hath chosen him called him and sent him into the world and sealed him up according to Scripture expression The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me and he hath anointed me to preach good tydings Him hath God the Father sealed As in Ioh. 6. he hath a full commission from God sealed up unto him for such a purpose He is commissioned of God being the great Prophet to teach and instruct his People in the Mysteries of his Will A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you like unto me He is commissioned of God to be a Priest and God hath sworn concerning him according to that in Psal. 110. The Lord hath sworn and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech And then he hath commissioned and sealed him up to be a King The King of his Church to rule in the hearts of his People and to ruine his Enemies This belongs to well improved Knowledge That we come to know and understand that this Jesus Christ God-Man is thus commissioned 7. It belongs to a well improved Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ That as he is thus commissioned sent and sealed of God to all these intents and purposes so likewise he is accomplisht by God every way most compleatly accomplished for to bring about the Design that he is commissioned for The great God hath impowered him and accomplisht him in the most full manner that possibly can be God hath not given him the Spirit by measure the Lord hath given him the fulness of the Spirit he hath given him all fulness It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Fulness of Wisdom fulness of Grace all fulness of the Spirit he hath all fulness in him 8. We are to Consider That this belongs to a well improved Knowledge that these accomplishments of Christ and this provision that is made in him it is ordered unto Communication he is the great Trustee of Heaven and Earth He ascended on high and he râ—…ived gifts for men Why he received them as their great Trustee God hath committed to him a trust for the benefit and behoof of poor Souls This belongs to a well improved Knowledge in Christ That all the fulness that is in him it is for Communication that poor Souls might be the better for it 9. It belongs to a well improved Knowledge of Christ That there be a due understanding of this that Christ was from the beginning most willing to comply with the Counsel of God concerning him and that it was the joy of his heart to ingage himself in the behalf of poor sinners to make reconciliation to God as their Peace to satisfie the Justice of God he was most willing and it was the delight of his Soul to be put upon
poor soul should fly to him and have its recumbency upon him 5. And then again when I consider that this Christ is commissioned by the Father he is sent into this World upon this account that he might save and make reconciliation 6. And then he is every way accomplish'd if he were a deficient Christ there were something to make my spirit to flag but he is most fully accomplish'd all power is given to him he is able to save to the utmost all that come unto God by him 7. And then when I come to consider and ponder that it is meat and drink to Christ to do the will of his Father and he with the greatest content of heart performed this work and made satisfaction to the Justice of God soâ—… poor sinners 8. And then when I come to consider that this Jesus is now in Heaven at Gods Right-hand God the Father hath given him Glory and Honour O what incouragement have I to come to him 9. And then when I consider that all the trust that is committed to him all the treasure that is laid up in him is for the benefit and behoof of poor souls why should not I then be incouraged to let out my heart upon him and to have the strongest confidence that I shall be the better for him I tell you Brethren that all this knowledge doth strongly influence the Faith of a Beleever therefore well may the Apostle require the knowledge of the Lord Jesus in order to a growth in Grace and in particular to a growth in Faith I would only give in that instance in 1 Pet. 1. It 's a Text that doth fully suit our present purpose saith he You by him believe in God that raised him up from the dead and gave him Glory that your Faith and Hope might be in God Pray do but weigh this you believe in God saith he who raised Iesus from the dead and when he had so done he gave him Glory He preferr'd him to the greatest Honour and Dignity set him at his own Right-hand and wherefore this That your Faith in knowing this that he that was your great undertaker here on earth travell'd in the greatness of his strength that he might accomplish the work of Redemption and Salvation This Jesus after he had done his work and suffered what he was to undergo here in the World God did raise him again from the dead and when he had raised him he takes him to Heaven and gives him Glory there sets him at his own Right-hand advances him to the highest top of Honour And wherefore thus That your Faith and Hope might be in God that you might come to him with the fullest confidence and rely upon him Now all this that I have accounted to you concerning a well-improved knowledge in our Lord Jesus Christ it doth exceeding liberally contribute to the promoting of a Beleevers Faith and Grace And because I can proceed no further now if there be any souls that are strangers to Christ and to the Faith of the Gospel will you but drink of these waters O set your hearts that you may drink of this blessed Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and see whether these waters will not warm your hearts and make you to sparkle out in love to Christ in longings after Christ And for you that are called out to the participation of Grace and have the Faith of God begun in you O as ever you desire to grow up in the Faith of the Gospel labour to be well improved in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ O dwell upon the meditation of these Mysteries that I have given you this morning a hint of If ever you desire to be well improved in your Faith it must be by your being well improved in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. SERM. XIII I Shall now proceed to what remains What hath been spoken concerning Faith and how the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ duly improved is to the growth of that The same may be spoken concerning Gospel hope The hope of the Righteous which is called a Tree of Life compared to an Anchor Sure and steadfast entring within the vail whither the forerunner hath entered Now by improving in the knowledge of Jesus Christ Hope will grow up to a goodly stature Hope will come to be as an Anchor fixing very fast so as to keep the ship of the soul safe and secure whatever the storms and tempests are that may arise upon it The more we know of Christ the more shall our Hope be strengthened in us and one special reason why we hope no more with an unshaken hope is because we are not more in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The Apostle in 1 Pet. 1. speaks concerning this blessed Hope that Believers are begotten to and they are begotten to it he tells us by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead The more we are judiciously apprehensive of Christ of the Resurrection of Christ and of the Glory which he is advanc'd unto the more will the hope of a Beleever be strengthened in him And that Scripture which I clos'd with the last day it serves us to this very purpose 1 Pet. 1. It 's said that God the Father hath given Honour and Glory to his Son that our Faith and our Hope might be in God And therefore must needs be inferr'd that the more we know and understand concerning Christ and the Glory that he is now advanc'd unto the more will there be of growth in the hope of a Beleever 3. By growth in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ there will be a growth in godly Repentance Repentance there is such a thing though it 's little known and less practised according to the true Gospel-nature and state of it But such a thing there is as Repentance towards God a precious Grace which God works in the hearts of his people those that he hath a purpose to save It is of necessary participation and it is a Grace of necessary exercise for our Saviour tells us that except we repent we shall all perish there is a necessity of it and yet alas how many are meer strangers to it know nothing of the Grace know nothing of the Practice of it And how many of those that have any sense or share in it yet that are very little in their Repentance have but a very low measure and degree know little of heart-meltings and soul-breakings before God much what strangers unto that sweet frame of spirit by which Ephraim is set forth unto us as a blessed pattern and example in Jer. 31. 18. where we have this account of him Thou hast established â—…e and I was chastised as a Bullock unaccustomed â—…o the yoke Turn thou me and I shall be turned after that I was converted I repented and I smâ—… upon my thigh This was Ephraim's frame and this is upon Record for our
way soever it turns Truly so is this gift of Knowledge wâ—…re it 's given of special Grace when it is not a notional Knowledge but a heart-Knowledge for such a Knowledge I speak of such a Knowledge as the Covenant of God's Grace makes a conveyance of For alas I and others may preach a great deal of light into your heads and you may come to have the notions of these things and be never the nearer but we speak of a heart-Knowledge of God in Christ Jesus according to what the Covenant makes conveyance of as I said And I say thus That where there is heart knowledge given it is such a gift as prospers which way soever it turns O the blessed benefit that comes over by the heart-knowledge of our Lord Jesus especially when there comes to be a due improvement of it as in the other respects so in respect of meekness humility of spirit Alas meekness and humility it 's a lovely Grace but where doth it appear we are lofty and are far from a disposition that way which should discover it self What 's the reason Because of a defect in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For thus Had we but more of the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus there would not be that frowardness and perversness and unto wardness and swelling of heart that commonly discovers it self if we had but a well improved and a well digested Knowledge of our Lord Jesus For consider What is there to â—…e known of Christ Why he is another manner of Christ than we take him to be than we know him to be or have a mind to know we do not know what a Christ he is he is another manner of Christ than you think he was He was not a proud Christ he was not a lofty spirited Christ he was meek and gentle and lovely and of a most humble frame of a most graciously condescending spirit Learn of me saith he Mat 11. I am meek and lowly And he gave most convincing proof and demonstration of it all along in his course and conversation in the World Did we but know this and had but a more through knowledge of what a kind of Christ he is it would conduce to the meeking and humbling of our hearts and spirits and make us to argue thus What a meek and humble Christ and I a proud swelling-hearted Wretch why how will this consist with my Profession I profess the Name of the Lord Jesus and discover little or nothing of the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Surely Brethren this would conduce much to the meekning and humbling of our hearts And so for Patience That 's another Grace which we should not only have but have it in the increases and the improvements of it and yet how littlâ—… discovers it self how proud and passionate and waspish and froward are we What 's the reason of this Because we know no more of Christ we have not this heart-knowledge of Christ to such a degree as we should press after Did we but know what a patient Christ he is O! when he was reviled he reviled not again and when he was reproached he bore it patiently and he was led as a Lamb before the Shearer dumb and opened not his mouth Why did we but advance more in the hearty knowledge of our Lord Jesus it would conduce very much to the working of our hearts to patience and to a good degree of Patience This Knowledge of our Lord Jesus it would influence the Grace of Patience that we should be more conformable to Christ. And the Apostle in Heb. 12. he propounds this very consideration in order thereunto saith he Let us â—…n with patience the race that is set before us And that we may do so Let us look unto Iesus the Author and finisher of our Faith who for the joy that was set before him indured the Cross despised the shame He indured the contradiction of sinners against him Lest saith he you be wearied and faint in your minds Look to this Jesus know the temper of his Spirit and what a patient Christ he was and what a heavenly Spirit he discovered And so I say That the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus would contribute most strongly to such a purpose 7. And so for Heavenly-mindedness What 's the reason that we are so apt to dote upon the World and upon these lying and vexing vanities here below Why because we know no more of Christ If we were but more advanced in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we should be â—…ch helped against earthly-mindedness and improve more in a heavenly frame of heart and live above the World Why do not you know what a Christ he was what a heavenly Spirit he had how he lived in the World as a stranger He set not his heart upon this and that pleasure and profit but minded his business and he had an eye to the glory that was to be revealed and so he made it his great design that he might improve his time and honour his Father And he was at length able to give this account Ioh. 17. Father I have glorified thee on the earth I have finished the work thou gavest me to do And now further Glorifie me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was Father I have liv'd in the World not so much by choice as upon the account of Duty and my heart is with thee and my longing's after Heaven Father glorifie me with thy self and bring me to thy Glory and thus Christ's heart was carried out Now had we but a well improved Knowledge of this it would contribute much to the promoting of a heavenly mind in us and make us to think with our selves Do I know this to have been the gracious frame and spirit of my Lord Jesus whom I make a Profession of And doth it not concern me to endeavour conformity to him that I may express the like heavenly-mindedness that Jesus Christ did I might yet speak of other Graces As 8. Fear and Reverence of God It 's a precious Grace which receives much increase by a well improved Knowledge of Jesus Christ. Let me but give an instance of that in Psal. 2. where there is an account given of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ That God the Father hath set his Son upon his holy hill of Sion That he hath given the Heathen for his inheritance the utmost parts of the earth for his possession That he hath given him a rod of iron with which he will break in pieces his rebellious enemies like a Potters vessel This is the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This Knowledge when persons come to be well advanced in and there comes to be a due improvement of it will contribute very largely to the promoting of a holy Fear and Reverence of God according to that which follows Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Iudges
life is a life of Power all Power is given to him he hath the keys of Hell of Life of Death he hath the keys of Heaven and Hell all power is committed to him and he is invested with it So that the life of Christ is a life of Power he liv'd here in the world under weakness as touching his humanity but he lives now as the Apostle speaks though he was crucified through weakness yet he lives by the power of God 2 Cor. 13. 3. And then his life is a life of Peace he had much trouble in the World but all his trouble is over and he is entered into everlasting Peace 4. The life of Christ in Heaven it is a life of Rest. 5. It is a life of Joy and Rejoycing O Christ is at Gods right hand and at the right hand of God there is fulness of joy and pleasure for evermore as the Prophet speaks in Psal. 16. 6. The life of Christ it is a Kingly life he lives in the state of a King and God hath given him a Name above every name King of Kings and Lord of Lords I and know this 7. This life of Christ it is a life of Knowledge and Observation Christ in Heaven lives an observing life he observes all the actions and transactions that are here below he knows all the workings in the Nations and Kings of the World he knows all the oppositions that are made against him by the powers here below he knows the state of all the Churches and all the carriages of his Churches and People as in the Revelations he orders to all the Churches it should be signified I know thy Works and what thy condition and state is Christ lives a life of Observation 8. And he lives a life of Compassion too O that 's a comfortable consideration that the Lord Jesus in Heaven he lives a life of Compassion he hath not left his bowels of compassion here behind him but he is as merciful a High-Priest now as ever he was he was good in the world he is as full of bowels and of tender love to his poor Church and People now he is in Heaven as he was when he was upon Earth all his glory in Heaven shall never make him forget his poor suffering Members here on earth Saul Saul Why persecutest thou me 9. The life of Christ in Heaven it is a life of Satisfaction And yet withal 10. It is a life of Expectation he hath fullest satisfaction in respect of his Father and of his injoyments at the right hand of God he hath sweetest satisfaction concerning all the travel that he did undergo while he was conversant here in the World according to that Isa. 53. So doth Christ he now in Heaven looks over all his travel he considers all the cost and charge that he was at to redeem the World and he thinks not one peny too much that he hath paid to speak with a holy Reverence not one peny of all the payment too much to be laid down to purchase a People to purchase an Inheritance he doth not think that there was one drop of his Blood too much to be shed that he might redeem a People to himself and bring them to the possession of an eternal Inheritance And yet notwithstanding the life of Christ in Heaven is a life of Expectation not that his expectation is any way affective to him doth any way impead the sweetness and comfort of the life that he now lives in Glory but it is a life of joyful Expectation He lives in this double Expectation First till all his enemies be made his foot-stool He lives in this Expectation expecting the coming of that time when all his Saints that he hath redeemed from the World and purchased with his Blood be in his hand and brought to Glory Now this is no disquieting expectation but a most joyful expection that Christ lives in to see the utter downfal of all his enemies and to have them under his feet And according to that which you in Heb. 10. 13. saith he speaking concerning the Priests in the old Testament This man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever sate down on the right hand of God There 's his life from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his foot-stool for by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified This is now one part of Christ's Expectation which he is upon in Heaven That all his enemies be they who they will never so many never so mighty he lives in the expectation of their downfal and being brought under his feet and of this expectation he shall not be disappointed in the least no not in the least The life of Expectation which Christ doth now live in Heaven it is such a life as wherein he hath a most sweet enjoyment he knows he shall be answered in this Expectation of his And so likewise his expectation of having all his people that he hath purchased with his blood given into his actual possession He prayed for this in his last prayer Father I will that all those which thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may see my glory and share with me in that glory which is to be had in heaven This was his supplication and sutable is his expectation That the time shall come when he shall have all his Saints in his hand and not one of them wanting Now this is the Knowledge that we are to have of the life of Christ in heaven a life of Glory a life of Power a life of Peace a life of Rest a life of Joy and Rejoycing a Kingly life a life of Observation and a life of Satisfaction and a life of Expectation such is the life that Christ lives Now O how worthy is this Knowledge to be pursued and that every Believer should labour to be well improved in the Knowledge of this life of Christ in Heaven both for his greatest incouragement and comfort to think that that Jesus who died now lives and lives for evermore in Heaven That he is now in power he that was crucified through weakness he lives through the power of God Why this Jesus he lives now in the fullest injoyment of all that happiness that can he conferred upon him and in the expectation of having all his enemies subdued and all his People brought over to him that he and they may solace themselves eternally in the vision and fruition of God and of one another O what a comfort is this now for to know and consider of It was the joy of the heart of Iacob and made the old mans heart to leap within him and to revive again to hear that his son Ioseph was alive and in honour in Pharaoh's Court. O how much more joyful will it be to the rejoycing of the heart of a child of God that hath set his love upon Christ to think that his Jesus is in heaven at God's
person that heard and knew this joyful sound but they would have a tongue to say Now unto him be glory both now and for ever Amen Those references which I made before to the Doxologie in the Epistle to the Romans Ephesians Timothy Jude and other places which might have been referr'd unto they are all a sufficient proof of this Doctrine that I have now delivered unto you That such a spirit doth act in all those that know the Lord Jesus Christ to any purpose that this is the proper spirit and genous of the Gospel and of a Gospel spirit for to have Honour and Glory and Dominion and Majesty given up to Christ. Paul was most lively to this discovery as appears by those Scriptures when he comes to fall upon the mentioning of Christ he would make a diversion of purpose leaving the prosecution of his cause that he might give up honour to the Lord Jesus Christ as in 1 Tim. 1. saith he speaking before I was such and such a Persecutor and a Blasphemer and the chiefest of sinners Howbeit saith he for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a pattern to them which hereafter should believe on him to eternal life Now mark you the diversion out of the pregnancy of his Gospel spirit he leaves the Argument he was driving and breaks forth upon this Doxologie as if he should say O I have mentioned Jesus Christ Now to the King eternal immortal invisible the only wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen He cannot mention him without a Doxologie O unto this only wise God this Lord Jesus Christ be glory for ever and ever Amen Now there is infinite cause and reason why there should be such an apprecation understand the word Appreâ—…ation a praying to Christ. I have said already it is the spirit of the Gospel and they that are acted by that spirit will be most pregnant this way they cannot hold The Disciples â—…id We cannot but speak the things that concern the honour of God and the Glory of Christ we are not able to hold our peace and when the Disciples were rebuked and the Children for crying Hosanna c. Why saith Christ if they should hold their peace the very stones would speak they must be crying out Glory to God Honour to Christ. This was that which was prophesied in Psal. 72. where you have that that concerns Christ v. 15. He shall 〈◊〉 tâ—… sole of the poor and needy from deceit and violence and pretious shall their blood be in his sight he shall live and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba Typically understand it according to the time of Solomon who should be very much inriched with offerings but understand it in the Mystery of Christ To him shall be given of the gold of Sheba â—…e gold of Praise and honour and Glory Prayer also shall be made for him continually and daily shall he be praised Understand this of Christ in the Mystery Prayer also shall be made for him continually What Prayer Doth Christ in heaven need the prayers of his People Understand They shall be continually praying up his Glory an apprecation of Glory to Jesus O let him be glorified O let him be exalted O let his Name be magnified Prayer shall continually be made for him that his Name may be lifted up in the World that his Kingdom may be inlarged that his Throne may be established that upon his head the Crown may flourish It was the manner of old to vote up and to make apprecation Let the King live for ever why O King O Jesus live for ever O Jesus be thou glorified for ever O Jesus let thy throne flourish O Jesus let thy Crown flourish upon thy head why this is the apprecation And as I was saying there is infinite cause why it should be thus and that this language should sound in every mouth where there is any touch upon the heart To him be glory now and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amen First This is that which doth most fully comport with God the Father's design concerning his Son For mark you Christ having 〈◊〉 the Father by his most voluntary and 〈◊〉 subjâ—…â—…o him in the service of the 〈◊〉 and in 〈◊〉 oâ—… the saving of souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father in this great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saving 〈◊〉 world why the Father now sets hiâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to glorifie him and that 's the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God to have the Name of his Son Jesus Christ lifted up that Christ may be glorified and God the Father and God the Spirit do not account themselves honoured and glorified if the Lord Jesus â—…ist be not glorified So that I say in that regard â—…s most righteous that it should be thus that there should be an apprecation and a wishing and voting up of Honour and Glory to Christ because it is that wherein we do most fully comport with the design of the great God concerning his Son our Lord Jesus Christ he having humbled himself and becoming obedient unto the death of the Cross God hath exalted him and given him a Name which is above every name and he will have Honour and Glory given to Christ. 2ly Consider this Christ is most worthy of it in respect of himself he is most worthy to have an apprecation made of Glory to him and that every breathing soul should breath out after this manner and say To him be glory now and for ever Amen Worthy of it O most worthy of it that every thing that hath breath should give Glory to him Do but consider that passage in Rev. 5. 11 12. I heard the voice of many Angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands Do but weigh this think with your selves what a vote here was The voice of many Angels and the beasts and the elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands and what 's theâ—…r voâ—…e Saying with a loud voice WORTHY IS THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing and every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the Sea and all that are in them heard I saying Blessing honour glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throné and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Mark what a spirit here is Here 's the vote of Angels and Saints in the fullest conjunction Nemine contra dicente not one contradicting voting up Blessing and Honour and Glory and Power to him that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever He is worthy worthy is the Lamb. Upon what account worthy Worthy because the Lamb yea I say worthy is the Lamb because he is the Lamb the Lamb