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
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
in the mean time the heart little with God if any thing at all not raised up to God not set to injoyment of God and of holding communion with the Lord Jesus never come to settle upon this thought why this is Gods means that he hath provided for my improving in Faith and Godliness I do profess for my own part I do not know in all the World what to speak more to the purpose as touching this Agument which is an Argument that doth most neerly concern all that are partakers of the Grace of the Lord Jesus for to look after 10. Your duty is to grow in Grace Now that you may do so I would offer this to your consideration Do but rationally weigh these things that I now offer to you You that have Grace your duty is to grow in Grace That you may do so study Heaven and the Glory that is to be revealed I tell you I look upon it as that that is beyond all controversie that well raised apprehensions of Heaven the Glorious estate there will make us to put spurs to it and set on with diligence and care If we did but know the interpretation of Heaven what Heaven is we get a notion of Heaven but know not what it is what it is to be in Heaven what it is to injoy God in Glory what it is to be with Christ and Angels what it is to be in the possession of those blessed mansions above If we did but study Heaven more certainly it would make us put on with more diligence look about us and set us upon a vigorous performance of Grace and that we may increase in it Consider a little you that have Grace you are entituled to Heaven 't is your inheritance the portion which your Father hath set out for you I but what is this Inheritance It is an inheritance incorruptible undefiled that fadeth not away There is in Heaven the vision of God the most Glorious God There is a Communion an everlasting Communion with God and with the Lamb a following of the Lamb for evermore There is the injoyment of sweetest communion with Christ and with Angels and glorified Saints There is such Glory as eye hath not seen ear hath not heard it cannot enter into the heart of man to conceive It is an amazing thing what the state of Heaven is what the Glory that is there to be injoyed There is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore If so be that a man would but think of this O! is Heaven such a place such a holy pure place is there so much of the Glory of God appearing there This will make a man to argue thus with himself Good Lord what manner of person should I be that I may be fit for to come there that I may be fit to set â—…y foot upon that holy Ground O what manner of person ought I to be how shall I endeavour to be purged and cleansed according to that which the Apostle speaks in the 1 Epist. Joh. 3. saith he He that hath this hope in him he purifies himself as God is pure Such and such a thing is Heaven there is such glory and beauty there such glorious objects to behold and such delights and pleasures to be injoyed what manner of person ought I to be that I may be meet to be partaker of the inheritance of the Saints in light Certainly the thoughts of Heaven being well digested will make us to set on and be a conducement to an advance in Grace and Holiness 11. Lastly your duty is to grow in Grace Suppose you have it in the beginnings of it O bless God for what you have but withal pray that you may have more Prayer doth net obtain the first Grace You do not â—…et the first Grace by prayer for a man cannot pray to speak of prayer according to the proper use of it there 's no man can pray till he have Grace There may be something done in the strength of a common conviction a person that 's convinc'd of his cursed estate and terrified upon the conviction and apprehension he may come to send out some kind of desires O I would it were better with me for all that I see my condition is very bad and sad and naught But a true desire after Grace cannot be till there be something of Grace in truth The first Grace it comes not upon our prayer but to be sure the after Grace is to be fetch'd in in the way and by the means of prayer and therefore we are to ply the Throne of Grace as the Apostle exhorts Let us â—…me boldly to the Throne of Grace Throne of Grace to the God of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find Grace that we may find more Grace Heb. 4. O Lord thou hast stil'd thy self a God of Grace and thou hast made a Covenant of Grace and thou hast ordered out thy Son as a Fountain full of Grace and thou hast made promises of Grace O Lord bestow more Grace O Lord hold not thy hand the Disciples they cry out O Lord increase our Faith the poor man in the Gospel breaks out with tears Lord I believe O Lord help my unbelief Lord I have a little love to thee O let my love increase Lord let my Faith increase Lord let my Holiness be more and more increased Lord let there be more and more You have a promise Open thy mouth wide I will fill it These things now I have suggested to you and have endeavoured to commend them in as pressing a way as I can that so you may perform your duty as touching growth in Grace I would now have spoken something by way of encouraging Arguments only thus at present I would have you to consider what a mercy it is that God will make this the matter of your duty you that are gracious persons upon whom he hath bestowed any Grace what a mercy of God it is that he should make this one of your duties and require this of you as a point of duty that you should grow in Grace as if a great man should say to a poor one that he hath set his love upon Friend I have freely given thee 100 l. as a stock to begin the World now go thy waies and imploy this 100 l. and see what improvement thou canst make of it and I require this of thee that thou do advance in thy estate and if thou needest 100 l. more or three or four hundred pound more come to me and I will supply thee still for I would have thee to grow rich you would think this were a high act of courtesie and kindness if a man should do so Friend I charge you see that you grow rich you have so much in stock and I will supply you still with more and more but only do you look to this that you grow rich Thus God doth in respect of Grace Indeed he doth not deal thus with us as to the
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
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
And it is a duty that is incumbent upon all that are gracious They that are Babes they must grow that so they may come to be strong men They that are strong men they must grow still that they may come to be stronger and stronger that the feeble according to that expression in the 12th of Zechariah may be as David and that David may be as the Angel of God this is that that is required of us Weak Believers they must grow grow strong Believers Strong Believers must labour to grow still grow stronger and stronger in their believing Christians Professors duty is to grow strong in grace and not only so but Ministers the dispensers of the Mysteries of God it s as much their duty as the duty of the Professors to be upon their growth in grace Give diligence saith the Apostle to Timothy 1 Ep. 1. 4. Give attendance to Reading to Exhortation to Doctrine that thy profiting may appear to all But what are the requisites of this growth That I shall speak to in a few words what a growth it must be 1. It must be a perceivable growth It should be so The growth of a Saint in grace it should be a perceivable growth a visible growth a growth that may be perceived and apprehended a Judgment may be made upon it Such a growth the Apostle speaks of in that place I mentioned Give attendance to these and these courses that thy profiting may appear to all Why truly the growth or a Believer in grace we should endeavour that it may be a perceivable growth As a man by observation can say I set such a plant in my Garden or Orchard and I do perceive that within such a time it is grown so much higher and stronger And so for children there is a perceivable growth in them you may observe how they grow in process of time Such a growth we should endeavour after that it may be perceived by others by our selves that we may be able to give an account of it and say as David speaks In the day whereon I did call uprn thee thou didst answer me and thou didst strengthen me with strength in my soul. 2. As a perceivable growth so it should be a proportionable growth If we will approve our selves in this matter our growth in grace it must be a proportionable growth proportionable to time which God affords us What! so long under the Ministry of the Gospel and in the profession of godliness so long standing proportionable to the time of our standing should be our increases Why then we should be of a greater growth than others that are but of a later Plantation The Apostle speaks to that purpose in Heb. 5. For the time saith he you might have been teachers of others you might have come to this to have been fit to feed upon stronger meat But saith he you had need to be taught the very first principles and to be fed nith milk And this he speaks to their shame and in a way of blame And then secondly A proportionable growth there must be in grace proportionable to the means that God hath been pleased to afford Such and such large allowances and not answer them Why it will turn to the shame and reproach of a Professor let him be what he will 〈◊〉 if his improvements do not hold some proportion to his enjoyments If he do not in some measure answer his growth to the time and the means it turns to his dishonour And Thirdly If it be right it must be a fructifying growth a growth with fruit so as still we must grow more and more fruitful fruitful in all the duties of godliness that as we get more in saith more in love increase more in holiness and in spiritual strength so we are the more in spiritual fruitfulness do more for God Would it be to the satisfaction of an Orchard Planter to have a tree that when it was young and of lesser growth bring forth it may be twenty Apples in a year and when it comes to be of seven years growth more to bring forth no more Apples this-will not be to his satisfaction So for a Christian that is but of a younger Plantation to bring forth such and such fruit and then when he hath been seven and seven years longer in the profession of Christianity to viâ—…ld as little nay it may be less fruit to God then he did in his beginning Truly this is not well there must be fruitfulness and a growth in fruitfulness And then it must be a lasting and continuing growth I tell you Brethren think of it how we will the truth is if it be well with us we must grow as long as we are on this side Heaven but that indeed is no place of growth Mark that when once a Saint comes to Heaven he comes to his perfection he comes to have a consistency then he shall be as good as God would have him to be and as good as his heart can desire to be But while we are on this side Heaven there must be growing or else it is not right with us You see I have endeavoured with as much plainness as possibly I can to settle this upon your hearts concerning growth in grace That it is a duty Of what interpretation it is And what a growth it is that God requires Now for the Reasons of it Grow in Grace Why it must needs be so Why Brethren how else will God be glorified by us how can persons that have grace think that they can glorifie God if they do not grow in it I tell you Believers and Saints they are Gods children they are children of Gods begetting they are begotten of an immortal seed through the Word as the Apostle speaks 1 Pet. 1. Why now consider is it for the honour of a Father to have a child begotten by him that proves a very dwarf abides and continues in the same proportion and stature that he was born in there 's no increase either in understanding or in stature or in strength but a poor creature a very Babe so born and so continues Is it for the honour of God to have such kind of children To beget children to himself by Grace and to have them stand at a stay and to have no growth Believers are the planting of the Lord Observe that place in the 61. of Isai. ver 3. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me c. And he hath anointed me To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion to give unto them beauty for ashes the Oyl of Joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness that they might be called Trees of Righteousness The Planting of the Lord that he might be Glorified Mark here they are the planting of the Lord and plants being planted there is such a course taken with them that they may come to grow to bulky-trees That they may be Trees of Righteousness that God may he glorified
appointment you reckon upon it and come to it with such a perswasion O this is Gods appointing and in this way hath he ordered that I should wait upon him and I know his appointments are not in vain therefore I rest not in the Ordinance but look to the God of the Ordinance and I follow after the injoyment of God in his Ordinances 't is nothing to me to have the word preached other Ordinances dispenced they are nothing to me without the injoyment of God I look upon God in them and I expect a blessing from God by them truly this is an argument of a well-grown Faith Alass poor weaklings that we are we come in a formal manner too commonly so and with too much of a carnal frame of spirit too much in a complemental way look upon an Ordinance as if there were no more to be reckoned to it than what of strength and duty and benefit of man can put upon it look to the instrument have not an eye to God O without question Beloved our preaching would be to better purpose and our hearing and praying and our eating and drinking at the Lords Table would be to better purpose and with more fruit and benefit If we could look more to God in an Ordinance and come with such a thought as this O Lord this is the way that thou hast laid out for me to wait upon thee in these are the means that thou hast appointed to do my soul good by and upon this account because they are thy appointments I apply to them and expect benefit and profit by them Now I say when we manage our attendance in such a manner we are then in the fairest way to have the fruit and benefit of them and how will this be but by a well-improved Faith the truth on 't is the strength of Faith and the growth and increase of Faith will very much discover it self this way When we come to appear before God in Ordinances we have such a Faith as carries us to God Why I have been with God this day I have been in the presence of God I look upon these Ordinances as the blessed Symboles of his presence and uppon that account it is that I attend them and expect from them And then again I press you that you would grow in Grace and grow in the Grace of Faith why what growth would you require such a growth as this that your Faith may come to be of such a growth that you may not be staggered concerning the promises of God how cross soever that providences seem to run to them O this is a proof of a well-grown Faith You know that its an ordinary thing with God in the course of his dealings and dispensations when he hath made a promise and put his people upon the hopes and expectation of having it performed to order out so in the course of his providence as if he would quite null his promise the providences seem to speak flat contradiction to the promise It was Abrahams case a promise he had of a son but the providence of God ordered it out that he runs out till he be 100 years old and Sarah was old to so that there was an impossibility as to nature that ever there should be such a thing brought to pass and here was now the temptation Now if Abraham had been but of a weak Faith how apt had he been to be staggering and sorely shaken as touching the promise surely this will never be I bat being of a well-grown Faith as the Apostle testifies of him he considered not his own body nor the deadness of Sarahs womb he staggered not at the promise through unbelief but being strong in Faith he gave Glory to God So the Lord dealt with Joseph but the word of the Lord tries him and while it tries him he trusts upon it the irons enter into his soul and by that providence O what a seening contradiction was there to the promise he that was designed to wear a chain of Gold about his neck must go with chains of Irons about his legs and those irons must enter into his soul. What doth this speak but the vanity of the promise and that it was a thing not to be reckoned upon no account to be made of it and yet notwithstanding he being of a well-improved Faith under all these cross providences that spake contradiction to the promise yet he keeps in a humble dependance upon God And while the word of the Lord tried him he trusts the word he did not try the word but he trusted the word and so being of a well-grown Faith he bears up with a holy confidence towards God as touching the things that he had promised And so likewise promises concerning the Church of God and a more blessed injoyment that Saints shall have in the World God hath ingaged himself by promise very much to such a purpose and providence do seem to give the lye to the promise 〈◊〉 things are ordered out as if such things â—…uld never be brought to pass Now a poor â—…ak Beleever he will be apt to give all for naught and to conclude as David did I said in my haste all men are lyars these are but vain words we speak of this and that of a new Ierusalem coming down from Heaven as a Bride made ready for her husband and of the Churchâ—… Glory and beauty and of Babilons downfal and yet Babilon sits as a Queen and saith I shall never see sorrow nor widowhood Now a poor weak Beleever will be ready to give up the account and to say We must never look for these things I but a strong Beleever it bears up the soul in a holy confidence towards God well let God take what course he will I am sure that the womb of the promise shall never be sound to be a miscarrying womb that 's another thing Yet further I press you to growth in Grace particularly to a growth in Faith that you may not upon every occasion be cast into a discomposure of spirit upon every occasion of trouble that you meet withal when there are such providences ordered out as are startling and amazing and astonishing such a Faith you are to press to that when sinners in Zion are afraid and fearfulness surpriseth the hypocrites and likewise when poor weak Beleevers are apt to tremble and quake and at a loss and know not what to do that you may come to say my heart is fixed I trust in God these things move me not this is an argument of a well-grown Faith when we are not upon every occasion of any sudden fears in a discomposure of spirit yet well-grown Faith will bring a fixedness I it 's an argument of a Faith not well improved and not of so good a growth as it should be when we are upon every occasion surprised with fear and horror and astonishment and ready to scatter this way and that way and know not
the grace and blessing of the Gospel the blessing of Salvation and much what the souls acting is upon a selfish account Fain would it be secured as touching its estate and that it should be kept from eternal perishing and this doth very much sway in the heart of a poor weak Beleever that he doth not so much mind the glory of God and the honour of Christ and the exaltation of the grace of the Gospel but fain would he be said as the poor Gaoler when he came to be convinc'd O sirs he comes trembling and quaking before Paul and Sylas O sirs what shall I do to be saved how shall I do to escape the wrath to come Men and Brethren say the people in Acts 2. when they were pricked at their hearts upon the convincement that they lay under concerning Christ and that they had contracted the guilt of his blood upon their consciences O sirs what shall we do I feel a load of guilt upon me and I see a hell before me and I am in danger to sink down into the bottomless lake O sirs what shall I do O pitty pitty a poor soul in danger of being swallowed up in destruction these are the workings of a poor Beleever that 's taken up mainly with solicitousness about his own safety And I say the Lord is pleased to deal very favourably with this poor creature and indeed God doth allow this that his people should be solicitous about their own Salvation Self-love upon such an account doth not fall under Gospel-condemnation But now this is not the advanced Faith the improved Faith this doth not argue so much a well-grown Faith as when a soul comes to this for to pursue life and salvation and to follow after a portion in the Glory that is to come upon what account why upon the account of this By my Salvation God shall be eternally glorified by my being one of his pardoned ones his reconciled ones the Grace of our Lord Jesus shall be exalted by my being delivered from the curse of the Law and from the condemnation of Hell by my being delivered I shall come to stand as a living and a lasting monument of free Love of glorious Grace and this is the rejoycing of my heart to think that I shall escape the vengeance of Hell the wrath to come and everlasting condemnation and so be with the Saints and Angels in Heaven for ever to sound forth the praises of God and to ascribe Honour and Glory and Salvation and Blessing and Dominion and Power to the Lamb that lives for evermore Ah here 's the well-grown Faith when a soul comes to work off as it were from self it looks not so much upon self my Salvation O! what 's my Salvation to the Glory of God why God shall be Glorified in my being eternally saved If I should perish and go to Hell what I should be tormented there is that all Nay God will be dishonoured Hell is a place that knows no love knows no subjection knows no fear of God it 's a place where God is continually blasphemed and shall be to all eternity O I would not come there nor go to Hell upon any tearms not so much because I would not be tortnented there but rather thus I would not perish and damn because I would not have God dishonoured by me I would not be like those damned souls and those damned devils I would not be among them that hate God and will hate him to all eternity and do nothing but curse him and blaspheme him and speak dishonourably of him O I would not go to Hell because of Blasphemies there I would go to Heaven because there is exalting and magnifying and blessing of God there When a soul comes to this to have Faith to be so improved as that he eyes the Glory of God more than his own Salvation and this you are to know that Gods Glory is the ultimate end of all his actions all his purposes and decrees and all his providential dispensations The Glory of God is that which I say is the ultimate end God hath this in design that he may be eternally glorified in the Salvation and damnation both of men and Angels Now that that is Gods utmost end should be our utmost end and the Faith which is of due growth will inable to this to say I would be saved principally that God may be Glorified I would not be damned principally because I would not have God to be dishonoured When self-interest and self-concernment begins to wear off and Gods Glory stand fully in our eye and when we are upon this design that God may be Glorified in our eternal well-being this will be a proof of a well-grown Faith Further your duty is to grow in Faith 't is your duty and thus should you grow to this point and proportion That you by being exercised in Godliness may come to mind the well-fare of others more than ever you did At the first beginning when God first sets in with a soul alas it hath scarce any charity to spare from it self it 's love and charity and care will searce look without doors scarce step over the threshold but altogether solicitous about its own concernments that it may be well with it self I but now when Faith comes to be well improved and to be a well-grown Faith then there comes to be an eving of others What shall I do to be saved Nay what shall I do that my Brother may be saved my Sister saved my Wife my Husband that my Friends and Acquaintance may be saved O! now God hath given me some hope that Hell shall never be my portion that I shall not go down to destruction I but what if my Brother should go to Hell and I go to Heaven what if my Husband should go doâ—… to Eternal Vengeance and I get into Glory O Lord what will become of such a neer relation Alas it is not enough to me now that I am secure as touching my eternal estate and that I have hope towards God that I shall escape the vengeance to come But now I begin to think with my self O such a soul lies in the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity Such a child such a one in neer relation that is wallowing in the blood of his own soul O! what shall become of him what shall I do to be saved what shall I do that my Brethren may be saved and that my Relations may escape the vengeance to come The woman of Samaria when she came to have some comfortable communion with Christ she begins to be solicitous about her neighbours and goes to them and saith O I have met with Jesus and come see a man that hath told me all that ever I did is not this the Christ Truly Brethren a Beleever when he comes to be of a well-improved Faith he would not be alone in his mercy he would not eat his morsels alone he would not go
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
never come to be pleasant to our souls so pleasant as that we could say with the Apostle We account all things but loss and dung for the excellency of the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. May it not without breaking the bounds of charity be thought and judged that there are many yea very many that profess the Name of Christ and would be in account for Godliness that know little or nothing and nothing at all to any purpose concerning the Lord Jesus and are not at all troubled at it that they should be so unacquainted with this Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ And are there not such as are apt to think that they know as much concerning Christ and the Mysteries of his Kingdom as much as need to be known and so there is no cause why they should much trouble themselves with such a busisiness as this for to be solicitous about the knowing of our Lord Jesus Christ. I would speak this Morning in this part of the Discourse to two sorts of persons First of all to such if such there be among us possibly there may be some such though I hope not altogether so many that are strangers unto any true saving Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ peradventure they have some common notions of Christ and can as I said patter over a form of words and say I believe in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord which was conceived by the holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary and suffered under Pontius Pilate and was crucified dead and buried and rose again the third day and ascended into heaven and sits on the right hand of God they can patter over such a form of words but to little or no purpose in the world and upon the matter are as blind as Beetles as Batts see nothing understand nothing to purpose concerning the Mysterie Which is Christ in his People the hope of Glory O that there were not such to be found as setting aside the Name of Christ they have heard of such a name in the World by common fame and report but know no more of Christ than the very Heathens and Pagans and those that never were within the line of Gospel Communication I am verily perswaded that there are such to be found within the territories of this Nation that can give no more account of Christ and of the Mysteries that concern him than the grossest Heathens that ever were in the World excepting common fame of him and report that 's taken up which they can give no good account of in all the world and so truly such persons may be sent to School to the Devil but that he doth not keep a School for Christ and to teach the Knowledge of Christ but is a desperate enemy to it but otherwise as touching the ability of the Devil and of the damned Spirits truly there are many I many might be sent to School to the Devil to learn of him understand me aright I say as touching his ability for he is notionally and apprehensively and indeed by a necessity he is very much knowing of our Lord Jesus Christ the Devils are We know thee who thou art even the holy one of God This was the profession that the Devils made they did know him when he was in the World and they do know now what he is and what account is to be given of him and that he will appear to their everlasting confusion and condemnation Thus it is these persons are in no condition to grow in the Knowledge of Christ for they have not so much as the first grounds and principles of that Knowledge but rude and raw and altogether unseen in those Mysteries that concern the Lord Jesus Christ It is somewhat strange that persons living in a Land of light and of Gospel-discovery that there should be any found under such gross darkness but it is too true that there are too many in that condition I have read and you have heard it accounted to you it hath been both by my self and by other hands by a learned Divine of an antient man that lived for forty years under a powerful constant Ministry and yet when he came to lye upon his death-bed and was examined concerning his Knowledge truly it would make ones heart to tremble to give the account of God and of Christ and of his Soul and of his final estate I forbear to give you the answers which were made If so be that we should deal with some and it may be some of long standing in the world and take a course to catechize and examine what they know of Jesus Christ of his Person of his Natures of his Offices and Administrations and of his Sufferings and of his present state of Glory it may be we should find an utter inability to give any tollerable account of these things Now will you but consider a little what follows upon this what the Judgment is that is to be made concerning such how sad their condition is that are unacquainted with this Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. First Suppose they have any Knowledge of God either by nature or by common illumination by what way soever if there be not the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ truly whatever they know of God will never turn to their comfort and benefit and advantage but rather prove their torment He that sinneth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God whatsoever Knowledge he may have of him God he hath not and that Knowledge will prove his torment whatsoever a man may know of the infinite Being the glorious Majesty of his infinite Wisdom and Power and God-head whatsoever Knowledge he hath it will be the torment of the Soul at last if so be that there be not a Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2. I offer this to be considered of How can such believe How shall they believe on him of whom they have not heard and whom they have not known And if there be no believing there can be no salvation for he that believeth not shall be damned 3. How can they love him How can they love Christ that know not Christ And what a dreadful sentence is gone out against them that love not the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 16. Them that love not our Lord Iesus Christ let them be Anathema Maranatha accursed The Lord will come 4. How can they repent that know not Christ There can be no true right repentance where there is not the Knowledge of Christ it is the Knowledge of Christ and of God in Christ that brings the heart over to repentance The Soul will never come to repent with a repentance unto life if so be there be not an apprehension of the Grace of God in our Lord Jesus Christ And then consider the danger except we repent we shall be sure to perish 5. How apt are such to rise up in opposition to God to Christ and the wayes of the
rise up in opposition to the Kingdom of Christ to the spiritual Worship of Christ to a holy reformation and to do all that ever they can to hinder that God and Christ may not be worshipped in the beauties of holiness This is to cry up To him be shame instead of saying To him be glory both now and for ever No but to him be shame and to all his People and let them be the reproach and scorn of the World 2ly And so to close up If so be that we will approve our selves to be acted by a Gospel spirit consider how it must appear it must appear by holy apprecations and votings up of Glory to Christ and to say To him be glory the Father gives him Glory the Father reckons Glory to him the Spirit gives Glory to him The Spirit shall glorifie me he shall take of mine and shew it unto you The Angels give him Glory Worthy is the Lamb that was slain The twenty four Elders and the four Beasts make apprecations of Glory an innumerable number thousands of thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand they say Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to have Glory Now if you be men and women of a Gospel spirit let it appear by having your hearts set to this to give Glory to Christ wish him Glory in having the Government in your own hearts O to thee be Glory sweet Saviour the Glory of thy Kingdom in my own soul wish him that Glory the Glory of his Kingdom inlarged in the World of having that performed which is foretold the Kingdoms of the world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever wish him that Glory make an apprecation vote it up to him shew the spirit of the Gospel by having your hearts most strongly devoted to have Christ exalted in all his offices Priestly Prophetical and Kingly office that he may come to be the glory of the World that he may sway the Scepter according to what is promised This is the great thing that Christians should be set upon I speak not this as if I would cry down Civil Magistrates but that Government which is belonging to Christ and according to what he is anointed of the Father to according to what is purposed to him it is that we are to wish to him all that honour and Glory that the Father hath designed him this is that we should wish to him and say as the Apostle here To him be glory now and for ever And this is that which we are to do not in word and tongue as the Apostle saith O my little children let us not love in word and tongue only but in deed and truth So I say to you my Friends Let it not be in word and tongue only but in heart and reality O let your lips speak it let your lives speak it To him be glory so live so walk and carry your selves as that you may give a real proof and demonstration of it that your hearts may be devoted to have Christ honoured and exalted in the World I 'll conclude all with an itteration of this Doxologie and if ever tantologie though it is no tautologie but if ever there were any place for tautologie here were the properest place for it to be used but it is none I have a pattern for what I shall now perform from the holy Spirit of God in Psal. 136. O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Mark you how many verses you have in that Psalm 26. verses and so many times you have this itteration For his mercy endureth for ever Will you call this tautologie why then the Spirit is guilty of tautologie twenty six times you find it there O give thanks unto the Lord for his mercy endureth for ever he did thus and thus for his mercy endureth for ever he slew great Kings for his mercy endureth for ever he slew famous Kings for his mercy endureth for ever and he remembred us in our low estate for his mercy endureth for ever Here 's my pattern and let me a little follow it and I have done and charge me with tautologie if you can Thus I say then take up the language of the Text which I would do not using the words without the Spirit And thus I say Jesus is the Son of God Now to him be glory for ever Amen Jesus the Saviour of the world To him be glory now and for ever Amen Our Lord Jesus came into the word to seek and to save that which was lost To him be glory now and for ever Amen Jesus who was full of grace and truth Now to him be glory for ever Amen Our Lord Jesus that went about while he was here in the world doing good preaching the Gospel healing all manner of sicknesses and diseases and delivering them that were oppressed of the Devil To him be glory now and for ever Amen Our Lord Jesus who took upon him to satisfie even by death and suffering the Justice of his Father to fulfil the Law and to expiate sin and to purge the Conscience and to deliver from damnation those that were obnoxious to it Now unto him be glory both now and for ever Amen Jesus he is risen again and he is ascended up on high he is set down at the right hand of the Father and there he appears to make intercession for his People Now to him be glory now and for ever Amen This Jesus he improves at the Fathers right hand all the interest that he hath for the good of his People he communicates the Knowledge of the Mysterie of the Will of God and he makes Revelations unto his Church and People of those things that do concern it unto the end of the World and thus he is beneficial to his poor People here on earth he takss care of his Churches and hath a tender respect of all his interest Now unto him be glory both now and for ever Amen This Jesus is now in Heaven in Glory and he longs after the injoyment of all his redeemed ones and he hath undertaken to keep them while they are in the World and to lose not one of them but he will bring them to the enjoyment of himself and he will have them to see and to share in that Glory which he is now possessed of now he is in Heaven O what cause have we to say To him be 〈◊〉 both now and for ever Amen This Jesus who died and rose again and lives at God's right hand and as I said improves all his interest for his People O to this Lord Jesus Christ Be glory both now and for ever Amen And so I have done FINIS ERRATA PAge 39 line 25 for hearing read being p. 41 l. 8 for sayes r. sees p. 49 l. 7 f. contiguity r. contiguity p. 50 l. 31 f. Kod r. Rod p. 52 l. 8 f. can r. cannot p. 56 l. 15 f. trust r. faith p. 62 l. 25 f. firedness r. fixedness p. 65 l. 15 f. less r. let p. 74 l. 30 f. said r. sav'd p. 84 l. 3 f. that r. their l. 18 f. proposition r. opposition p. 90 l. 4 f. and r. as p. 109 l. 27 dele Christ at the beginning of the line p. 112 l. 5 dele the day of p. 116 l. 18 f. seâ—… r. get p. 127 l. 19 20. dele that I might be so discours'd of as p. 130 l. 8 f. faithful r. faithless p. 132 l. 13 f. eradicated r. eradiated p. 152 l. 31 f. in r. l p. 158 l. 16 f. which r. with p. 174 l. 17 f. that 's r. there 's p. 195 l. 23 f. fidelial r. fiducial p 197 l. 3 f. in r. it p. 209 l. 27 f. established r. chastised p. 228 l. 12 f. for r. from p. 234 l. 123 r. things p. 239 l. 28 f. perfect r. present p. 244 l. 27 f. such r. sure p. 250 l. 32 r. no p. 257 l. 30 f. born r. brother p. 28â—… l. 16 f. denoted r. devoted p. 292 l. 32 f. affective r. afflictive