Fathers beloved Son in whom he is well pleased trust wholly and onely on his merits which are of infinite value sufficient to justifie thee before God 2 I told you in the second place that Christ is everlasting meat to the soul by his sacred Word this Use still serves to direct us how to labour for him in his Word 1. Hear the word of God with reverence for God will look to him that is of a contrite heart and trembles at his Word Isa 66.2 then we shall serve him acceptably Hebr. 12. last he is a mighty great and terrible God therefore serve him with fear and rejoyce in him with trembling 2. Hear the Word as oft as you can the oftener the better Timothy was injoyned to preach in season and out of season then by good consequence we must hear in season out of season we had need to hear more than we do for we know but in part we beleive but in part we love but in part frequent and conscientious hearing is a good meanes to raise us up to higher perfections in grace and knowledge many say we have preaching enough unless we could follow it better but I say because we follow it so little and our practise of piety is so imperfect therefore we had need hear the Word oftener than we do we had need have it daily sounding in our eares saying to us this is the way walk in it 3. Hear the Word with faith or else it doth you no good Hebr. 4.2 the Word profited not the Israelites because they heard it not with faith why are many living undeâ— precious meanes of grace so wicked in their practise so heathenish and unreformed in their life but because they beleive not the Word did such as live in unclean and beastly lusts beleive the Word saying whoremongers and adulterers God will judge they durst not continue in them did the prophane swearer beleive the Word saying that the flying roul with the curse shall enter into the house of the swearer and consume it he durst not so ordinarily take the Lords name in vain did ungodly persons beleive the Word saying that the wicked shall be turned into hell and all that forget God they durst not be so wicked and leud as they be we loose much benefit by the Word for want of faith therefore hear with faith 4. Pray to God to bless the Word to thee and to make it prosperous to thy soul Is 48.17 I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit which leadeth thee the way that thou shouldest go Paul may plant and Appollos may water but God that must give the increase Desire him often therefore to direct his Messenger to speak to thy necessity and to water the Word spoken to thee with the dew of his Spirit that thou mayest grow fruitfully under it for the holy Spirit is the life of the Word 3. I told you in the third place that Christ is everlasting meat by the Sacrament of his last Supper this Use still serves to direct us how to labour for Christ in that sacred Ordinance 1. Examine thy self about thy knowledge whether thou hast any knowledge of spiritual things or not a blind man cannot judge of colours an ignorant man cannot discern the Lord Jesus in this Ordinance he sees not the divine benefits of this Sacrament for its a great mystery to him and is spiritually discerned you ignorant creatures who have lived in blindness ever since your birth come out of your ignorance content not your selves with your ignorant and blind devotion but come out of that dungeon of darkness suffer not the devil to lead you to hell hoodwinkt least you be there before you be aware ignorance is the road way to eternal misery Christ will come in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God learn therefore in these dayes of knowledge to know God the Father Son and Holy Ghost to know the Covenant of grace and the miserable estate of all by nature and the meanes how to come out of it 2. Examine thy self about faith be sure to come with a lively faith in Christ his bloud Rom. 3.25 to wash thee from sin faith is the hand of the soul to receive Christ John 1.12 But as many as received him to them he gave power to become the Sons of God even to them that beleive on his Name where note that Christ intimates that receiving of him is by beleiving on him so likewise faith is the mouth of the soul to eat Christ and to feed upon him John 6.47 48. c. He that beleiveth on me hath everlasting life I am that bread of life by the coherence of those words with what follows it appears that we must feed upon Christ spiritually by faith therefore come with faith or else you come without your hand and mouth 3. Examine thy self about repentance busie not thy self about the present controversie whether faith or repentance go before as many talkative Pharisees now adayes do insomuch that they dispute faith and repentance quite away but exercise thy self seriously in the practise of true repentance when thou comest to the Lords Table where thou mayst see thy dear Saviour crucified and his bloud shed for thy many and great sins Oh let thy heart bleed for thine abominations these these I say were the nailes that peirct him the Passover was to be eaten with sour hearbs signifying that we must come to the Lords Supper with broken hearts 4. Come with a spiritual appetite to this heavenly feast ones meat doth them most good when they have a good stomack you will receive more comfort and satisfaction when you hunger and thirst after Christ if you desire him earnestly as new born babes desire the breast set thy soul a longing after him turn the stream of thy desires towards him alone then maist thou seek for comfort in wealth wit honours and worldly favour but they will answer it s not in me Oh let thy heart return to Christ as Noahs Dove did to the Ark and then shalt thou find rest and peace yea the Lord will deal bountifull with thee 4. I told you in the fourth place thaâ— Christ is everlasting meat by the saving graces of his holy Spirit this Use still serves to direct us how to labour after spiritual graces and comforts 1. First we must conscionably and constantly frequent the meanes of grace God will be found in his own way we look for a friend in his house we look for fishes in the water for birds in the wood let us seek after Christ and his graces in his Word and Sacraments excellent is that promise Isai 64.5 Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousness those that remember thee in thy wayes Christs Ordinances are his wayes such as rejoyce in these his wayes he will meet them and touch their hearts with his holy Spirit watch daily at wisdoms gates and wait at the posts of his dores then
FOUR SERMONS Publickly delivered at several times in ECCLESFEILD Church in YORKE-SHIRE By IMMANUEL KNUTTON Preacher of GODS Word there Galat 6.17 And as many as walk according to this rule peace be on them and mercy and upon the Israel of God LONDON Printed for George Sawbridge at the Bible on Ludgate-hill 1655. To all true hearted Israelites who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity Immanuel Knutton wisheth all present happiness and future blessedness DEAR CHRISTIANS MY hearts desire is that you may be saved for your sakes I have published these four Sermons to direct and incourage you in the right way to life eternal our soules are of great value and the salvation of them is not easily attained unto all our care and paines for them is little enough for strait is the way to life and few find it If you please to read remember and practise these Sermons I hope with Gods blessing you shall reap much benefit to your soules while you and I live upon earth remember me in your prayers that we may all grow fruitfully in saving grace and may have a joyful meeting in heaven at last which God the Father grant us for his dear Sons sake So prayeth Yours truly in what I am able IMMANUEL KNUTTON from my house in Ecclesfeild SERMON I. Text JOHN 6.27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life IN the former part of this Chapter from the first verse to the fifteenth we have a relation of Christ feeding five thousand men with five loves and two fishes thereupon in the fifteenth verse the people would have made him King from the sixteenth verse to the six and twentieth Christ withdrew himself and walked on the Sea to his Disciples where we see the people in verses 24. and 25. seeking for Jesus not out of a spiritual appetite after the celestial food of their soules but out of a carnal appetite after the transitory food of their bodies Christ who knew their hearts reprehends them for this verse 26. and in this 27. verse exhorts and directs them what food to seek after namely the everlasting food of their souls Labour not for the meat c. in which words are contained two parts 1. A Dehortation Labour not for the one at which perisheth 2. An Exhortation But labour is understood for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life Before I come to the point I must answer an objection Object But Genes 3.19 God there commands Adam to eat his bread in the sweat of his face and in the fourth Commandement it s said Six dayes shalt thou labour Answ I answer it two wayes 1. There is the care of diligence a lawful care joyned with faith and a care of diffidence without faith or having a very weak faith in Gods promise and providence now when God commands us to labour six dayes it s meant with the care of diligence in obedience to his command and in affiance of his promise but in my Text when he saith labour not c. he meanes with the care of diffidence not distrusting Gods promise 2. Here our blessed Saviour speaketh comparatively as if he had said labour not for the meat which perisheth in comparison of the paines you must take for that meat which endureth unto life eternal You must take pains for this outward perishing food but cheifly take your greatest pains for Christ and his heavenly graces labour for this with all your might night and day even to your dying day What that meat is which endureth everlastingly you may see Christ declaring it to you in the next words Which the Son of man shall give unto you for him hath God the Father sealed This enduring food is Christ himself with all his saving graces and comforts Christ here calls himself the Son of man for these reasons 1. He calls himself the Son of man in the singular number because he came from man onely in regard of his humane nature but we are called the sons of men because we proceed from both parents 2. That so Christ might shew us the great benefit which we have received by his taking our nature upon him 3. That his humane nature might be distinguished from his divine nature 4. That we might acknowledge him to be true man as well as God 5. The true reason is gathered from the Hebrew phrase it is an Hebraisme it is Ben. Adam the Son of man this phrase imports contempt sometimes Job 25.6 yet Christ so called himself So in the verses 35 48 51. Christ shews that he is this durable food I might observe from the former part Doct. That we must not labour for the food that perisheth namely with the care of diffidence But the point that I desire to insist upon is Doct. That we must labour for Christ who is everlasting food This point consisteth of two branches 1. That Christ is everlasting food which appeareth four wayes 1. By the merit and efficacy of his person By his merit and absolute worthiness he hath purchased infinite comfort and happiness for us John 6.55 My flesh is meat indeed and my bloud is drink indeed that is by the merit and efficacy of it Besides the merit of his person there is a spiritual efficacy and vertue flowing from him to nourish true beleivers unto eternal life 2. By his sacred Word is Christ everlasting food Jer. 3.15 And I will give you pastures according to mine heart which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding which phrase implies that the Word of Christ is the food of the soul The same is implied in Amos 8.11 where he threatens them with a famine of hearing the words of the Lord. Job 23.12 I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food and his Word is heavenly nourishment to true beleivers 3. By the Sacrament of his last Supper 1 Corinth 11.24 c. Christ by that blessed Ordinance feeds the hearts of the faithfull 4. By the saving graces and comforts of his holy Spirit Luke 1.53 He hath filled the hungry with good things that is with heavenly graces and spiritual comforts Math. 5.6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled that is with heavenly graces and consolations Reason 1. Because such as feed upon Christ shall never hunger and thirst again John 6.35 And Jesus said unto them I am the bread of life he that cometh to me shall never hunger and he that beleiveth on me shall never thirst There is a double thirst a thirst proceeding from a total want and loss of Christ now this kind of thirst they shall never have that are truly in Christ for John 4.14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting lâ—fe where Christ teacheth that saving grace cannot be totally and finally lost
place in India where the purest gold in all the world was gotten Merchant-ships coming to the foot of the cheifest hill in Ophir waited their opportunity when the Lions and other wild beasts in it were gone to seek for prey then they went a shore and got much pretious gold Now if thou beest at peace with God God will not let thee want if thou canst eat gold thou shalt have it he thinks the gold of Ophir too little for thee thou shalt not want for the Lord Jehovah shall be thy Cator ver 25. Yea the Almighty shall be thy defence and thou shalt have plenty of silver thou needst not fear any danger whilst the Lord is thy defence verse 26. For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty and shalt lift up thy face unto God it s a sweet thing to solace ones soul in God and to bath ones Spirit in the streames of his love such have comfort which is not to be found in the creature verse 27. Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him and he shall hear thee and thou shalt pay thy vowes This is a mercy worthy gold to pray and be heard to unlock heaven gates by the key of prayer and fetch mercies thence verse 28. Thou shalt also decree a thing and it shall be established unto thee and the light shall shine upon thy wayes God will fulfil thy desires and not frustrate thy expectation and the light of his countenance and precious providence shall shine upon thy wayes verse 29. When men are cast down thou shalt say there is lifting up and he shall save the humble person Though good men may be cast down sometime by the hand of violence yet thou by the strength of thy faith having peace with God shalt be assured of rising up again Let these golden priviledges of a Christian incite thee with all earnest care and pains to be inward with God make peace with him though you have little peace with men for this is the ground of your hope and happiness this is that will afford you the greatest security and sweetest contentment in the evill day 2. I told you in the second place that a Christian walks with God by doing all his actions as in Gods sight and presence This Use still serves to exhort us all to walk with God after this manner whatever you take in hand ever set God before your eyes his eyes are alwayes upon you let yours be alwayes upon him this will keep thee from revolting and apostatizing from him Psalm 16.18 I have set the Lord alwayes before me because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved as if he had said neither by Satan nor by the world but I shall stand fast against all mine enemies nothing shall draw me away from him if the most would eye God in their wayes they durst not rush into presumptuous sins so oft as they do but because they do think that God sees them not therefore they wax bold to break his Lawes in every way and work be sure to consider Gods omnipresence and his all-seeing eye and it will restrain thee from many slips 3. I told you in the third place that a Christian walks with God by referring all his actions to the glory of God This Use still serves to exhort you all to walk with God after this manner let this glory be dearer to you than your own ends then will you be more firmly united in the bond of peace for then the glorious Spirit of God will tie your hearts together in spiritual unity self-seeking is the greatest cause of most dissentions both in Church and Common-wealth let it be your chiefest study and care how to promote the glory of God and then your particular ends shall sooner be attained 1 Sam. 2.30 Them that honour me I will honour God there promised David endeavoured to honour God so did Hezekiah Josiah Job Joseph Daniel and others and in holy Writ you may find recorded how much God honoured them with blessings spiritual and temporal this is the surest way to eternize your good names and to render your memory blessed by seeking to advance Gods glory 4. I told you in the fourth place that a Christian walks with God by a strict imitation of God according to the rules of his Word This Use still serves to exhort you all to walk with God this way nature teacheth thee to imitate thine earthly parents and hast thou not so much grace as to imitate thy heavenly Father thou hast imitated the sinners of this world too long thou hast wearied thy self to commit iniquity with them what fruit had you in those things whereof you shall be ashamed if you be not already for the end of those things is death read the Word search the Scriptures and they will teach thee what a One God is how holy merciful wise just and perfect let him be thy daily pattern and thou shalt sooner attain unto perfection the less you imitate him the more imperfect you are and the more you imitate him the more perfect you are Ephes 5.1 Be ye therefore followers of God as dear children he will not lead you to any thing hurtful and dangerous to your soules but follow and imitate him as exactly as you can and he will lead you at last into fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore 5. I told you in the fifth place that a Christian walks with God by daily observation of the passages of his providence to him This Use still serves to exhort us all to walk with God this way this is a sign of a wise man so to do Hosea 14.9 Whose is wise and he shall understand these things prudent and he shall know them that is the promises and passages of his providence and love this will much confirm thy faith and comfort thy heart Much water runs by the Mill that the Miller never sees so there are many pretious passages of divine providence which pass by divers that they never take notice of look therefore at God in every mercy and correction look higher than second causes and say within thy self here is a token of my heavenly Fathers love here is a gift from heaven this mercy or this correction comes from my God so did the godly formerly Genes 48 9. Joseph said to Jacob they are my sons whom God hath given me Job 1.21 The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away Learn to say and do therefore as the godly did in Psalm 123. Vnto thee lift I up mine eyes O thou that dwellest in the heavens Let no passage of divine providence go by thee without diligent observation 6. I told you in the sixth place that a Christian walks with God by having his conversation in heaven This Use still serves to exhort you all to walk with God this way thy chiefest treasure is there thy best friends are there why then doest thou set thine heart here upon things beelow God hath given
of heaven gates to unlock them this is a sign of Gods great favour to you when he graciously heares and grants your suits it s a sure sign of an upright heart hating all sin Psalm 66.18 If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me verse 19. But verily God hath heard me therefore he might safely conclude he regarded not iniquity in his heart friends will say to one another you shall prevail with me sooner than others shall I will do more for you than for others doubtless its a sign you are good friends when you find good hearing and granting your prayers so our Saviour cals them friends Iohn 15.14 15. 2. You shall abide in the love of God Iohn 15.10 If ye keep my commandements ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers commdements and abide in his love what greater happiness can you desire in this world you need not fear the malice and fury of devils and wicked men you need not fear famine sword pestilence poverty nor death it self whilest you abide in the love of God his loving kindness will be better to you than life for in his love is life yea it is better than wine his love will make every thing work together for your good it will sweeten crosses and want to you what if you loose your outward estate your liberty your favour with the world yea your bodily life for Christ yet your continuing in Gods love will make amends for all it will repair your losses renew your comforts establish your hearts in grace and promote you to glory you cannot be in a better condition than to abide in the love of God 3. Christ will present you glorious to God Ephes 5.26 27. That he might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish as if he had said that he might sanctifie and cleanse it by his holy Spirit working in us by his Word and by his Sacrament of baptisme as the meanes thereof that he might present it to himself a glorious Church c. Christ presents his Church to God at three several times The first time was when he was upon the cross 1 Peter 2.24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree c. for he died for all the elect and the Lord said upon him the iniquities of them all the merit of his bloud then shed and the power of his death extends to all the elect from the beginning of the world to the end of it and God looks upon them washt with that bloud and reconciled to himself by his death The second time is from his death to the end of the world now he is interceding in heaven Rom. 8.34 Who also maketh intercession for us Christ is our intercessour four wayes 1. By appearing for us in the sight of God Hebr. 9.24 he is gone before us to prepare a place for us John 14.2 and Hebr. 6.20 Whether the fore-runner is for us entred even Jesus c. 2. By the force of his sacrifice once offered to make full satisfaction to Gods justice Hebr. 10 12 14. Christ presents his merits as a publick satisfaction for the debt of sin and as a publike price for the purchase of glory for the justice of God was not to be intreated or pacified without a satisfaction and therefore where Christ is called an Advocate he is called a propitiation too 1 Iohn 2.1 2. because he intercedes for us in the right and vertue of the price which he payed for the Lord spared not his Son Rom. 8.32 but dealt in the full rigour of his justice with him 3. By his constant will that for the merit of that sacrifice God would be pacified to wards the elect Hebr. 10.10 Iohn 17.24 4. By the assent and agreement of the Father resting in this will of his Son for us Iohn 11.42 Math. 17.5 The third time is at the day of judgement when he will say Behold I and the children which thou hast given me then the dead in Christ shall rise first then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord then Christ will say to his true Members Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world then shall true Christians have boldness in the day of judgement 1 Iohn 4.17 because as he is so are we in this world that is our hearts tell us that we desire to be every way conformable to his will labouring towards that holiness and perfection which it in him we are as Christ was in this world when by the mortification of our sins we represent Christ dying for us and by true brotherly love we come as neer to him as we can 3. I told you in the third place that Christ washeth us with his precious bloud This Use still serves to comfort all that be so washed these blessed priviledges belong to you First it s a sure sign that Jesus Christ hath loved you Revel 1.5 Vnto him that hath loved us and washed us in his own bloud If he had not loved thee he would not have washt thee this is thy great honour and comfort to be beloved of him it is a true proverb he is rich whom God loves and poor who God hates the love of Christ is better than wine it s the ground of all other comforts thou needest not fear the malice of devils and wicked men for the love of Christ can do more for thee than their malice can do against thee devils are mighty wicked men are mighty and sinnes are mighty but Christ is Almighty for he is God over all blessed for ever neither can any thing separate thee from his love Romans 8. last 2. A second priviledge is thou art a spiritual King and a Priest Revel 1.6 And hath made us Kings and Priests unto God and his Father that is as he redeemed us by his bloud so he hath regenerated us by his Spirit 1 Iohn 5.6 and made us Kings to rule over the devil the world and the flesh and priests to offer up to God the personal sacrifice of our selves Rom. 12.1 the verbal sacrifice of praise and reall sacrifice of almes Hebr. 13.15 16. what though thy outward estate be mean and low thou art nothing set by yet thou art honourable because thou art precious in Gods sight Eccles 10.7 I have seen servants upon horses and Princes walking as servants upon the earth yet they are Princes still for the righteous though he be low and contemned is better than his rich neighbour that is wicked and leud though the world look upon thee with scorn and hatred yet God and his glorious