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
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
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
everlasting Covenant which is ordered in all things and sure when it is not penn'd up but hath scope in our understandings when we can take in this mysterie of the new Covenant in the proportions of it this is the business of Faith but it is that which will not be performed to any good purpose unless there be some considarable improvement and growth in Faith and therefore it is that the Apostle doth so earnestly pray on the behalf of the Church of Ephesus in Eph. 1. saith he I cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers that the God of 〈◊〉 Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory may give 〈◊〉 yâ—… the spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of blâ—… the eyes of your understandings being inlightned that yâ—… may know what is the hope of his Calling and what the 〈◊〉 of the Glory of his inheritance in the Saints and what is the exeeceding greatness of his power to us ward who beliâ—…e according to the working of his mighty power O how earnest was the Apostle in the behalf or the Ephesians to this purpose and Chap. 3. ver 14. sâ—…th he I bâ—…v my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that he could grant unto you according to the riches of his Glory to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inward man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith and saith he that you may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that you might be filled with all the fulness of â—…d Two passages they are of Scripture which are most proper for beleeving souls to be well studied in that part which I read to you out of the first Chapt. and this in the third I say they are of some proper cognisance â—…r men and woman that being brought over to the Faith of the Gospel are studious of approving themselves unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that they may answer their duty concerning these things that are here made mention of that there might be not only as I said before a weak and dim and dark apprehension of the mysterie of the Gospel the mysterie of Christ the mysterie of the hope of Glory but that there might be a comprehension that the mysterie may stand full and as much as may be compleat in us in all the proportions of it that the Gospel might not be streightned in our understandings Truly friends this is a great matter if you would but set your hearts upon it and seriously weigh and ponder what I drive now Alas how little is there of the mysterie of the Gospel that our hearts have already received how little of it And by this means God is scanted and shortened in the love praise and honour that is due to him and which our hearts would be inlarged to yield up if we were but more careful to answer our duty this way I do profess this morning to you that are partakers of the Faith of Gods Elect that are able to give any account of any saving work upon your hearts and that you have any thing of the Faith of the Gospel in you I do profess here and testifie to you in the Name of the Lord that this doth more neerly concern you for to look unto that these two Scriptures may be better answered by you that you do not please your selves in that streightness of spirit that is in you and discovers it self but that you be so heightned that there be such an inlargement of heart in believing that you may take in the mysterie in the Glories of it or else you will not so duly answer that which is required of you as touching your growth in Faith and Grace Think what you will of it this I am sure is a duty that lyes upon Beleevers to perform that they be of comprehensive spirits and that they labour to work out to a more inlargedness of heart that they may be so inabled to comprehend with all the Saints the height and depth and breadth and length or else you will never be able to give that glory to God and honour to Christ never be so much in admirings of the glorious mysterie of the Gospel as otherwise you would I would you would a little think of this point and for my part I do profess I know nothing that is more proper for a Minister of the Gospel a Dispencer of the Mysteries of God to be more earnest in pressing and urging upon Beleevers than this very thing is But alas how low spirited are most Beleevers Beleevers that it may be have got as much Faith as wil secure them from Hell and bring them to Heaven But as for the mysteries in the glories of it in the dimentions of it in the latitude of it O how uncapable of a due apprehension of it Will you therefore but consider of this this is one thing I it is it is that which doth mainly concern those that have any thing of the Faith of the Gospel in them for to be very solicitous about and studious to be answerable to I leave it with you but know that the great God of Heaven and our Lord Jesus hath laid this burden upon you and me this morning As many of us as are able to give an account of the Faith of the Gospel the Lord Jesus laies this burden upon you this morning that you look to it that there be a comprehensiveness of spirit concerning the mysterie of the Gospel which is Christ in you the hope of Glory And so I let it pass I leave it with you to be studied and pondered upon and as you will answer it to Christ another day Take heed that this particular among the rest be not slightly passed over Again your duty is to grow in Grace and Faith and so will you make it appear that you do grow When you come to have such a Faith as is not only a living Faith but a lively Faith an active stirring Faith within you when you come to have such a Faith as that you do not only live by it but that you live richly by it there 's many a man that lives and gets a livelyhood he hath bread for the day he hath to supply his necessities but he lives at a low poor rate he is not able to rise up to those expences that others are able to bâ—…ar So there are I say many Beleevers they live they gâ—…t bread for the day they get a subsistence by their Faith but they live poorly at a low rate they do not keep a good house they do not spend like rich men There are that are rich in Faith as the Apostle uses the expression in the second Epist. of James that are rich in Faith that 's it that we should press to to such a growth in Faith that we may live like
put upon the serious consideration of their dying day and having a dissolution made between soul and body Whence is this but either from the total want or a very great weakness that is in their Faith either their want that they have none at all and then no marvel that the thoughts of Death be terrible to them why they are under the guilt of sin and they must go to Hell when they dye O it 's a sad thing and I would there might be a fixedness of heart upon this it is a sad thing to think of it that there should be nothing but a little breath between a poor creature and eternal destruction and if that be but with-held for a quarter of an hour the soul goes down to eternity if God take away their breath they dye and return to dust and when they dye they dye in a state of guilt and so damn to eternity Now no marvel that such persons cannot indure to meditate such terror And then others that are weak in their Faith and are not comfortably setled in their confidence concerning the Grace of Christ in them and their reconciled state No marvel if they be shaken and perplexed about it when they come to have the thoughts of death Now Faith improved to a good degree will inable a soul to meditate this terror to think of it I with a holy rejoycing and content to think that a day will come that will make a dissolution between the soul and body that so upon that dissolution there may be a more full injoyment of the Lord Jesus according to what the Apostle speaks in Phil. 1. having a desire I desire to depart when a mans Faith will inable the soul to this to look upon death as a thing to be desired not only as that which there is a necessity lying upon the creature to undergo not only so there is a necessity lies upon me it being enacted so that a soul dies out of a necessity he cannot help it if he could help it he would be glad with all his heart to keep off the stroke of death but he dyes out of choice this is the Faith that we should press after and this is that that Faith well improved will inable to meditate this terror and to bear up under the apprehensions of it reckoning upon this That as to live is Christ so to dye it will be gain as the Apostle speaks and therefore he professeth that he has a desire rather to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all And then again there is a terribleness in judgement so it is called in 2 Car. 5. The terror of the Lord the day which is appointed wherein God will judge the World in Righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained even the Lord Jesus And all the Sons and Daughters of Adam that ever were from the beginning of the Creation to the time of that appearing of his shall all be convented and made to stand before his Judgement-seat and we that are here this morning shall all stand before this Judgement and shall give an account to God of our preaching and bearing and how we have carried our selves in the Assemblies and under the dispensations of the Ordinances when there shall be an appearing before the great Judge of all the World Truly this day is a terrible thing and it is called as I said The terror of the Lord. Now I say this is a terror that a Faith-less soul will not be able to meditate he is not able to bear up under the thoughts of it and therefore doth all that it can to drive them away black melancholy thoughts thoughts of death and of judgement Such thoughts as these cannot be indured to set a foot over the threshold nor to come under the roof of the house no we will have nothing to do with such black thoughts And then those that are weak in Faith they are ready to be startled at the apprehensions of this It 's a terror to them to think of a day of Judgement I but I say that a well-improved Faith a Faith that is of a good growth it will inable to meditate this terror and to bring the soul to the free usage and possession of this blessed priviledge that belongs unto Beleevers A person of a well-grown Faith will be able to think of this with joy and gladness be glad to think of the day wherein the Lord Jesus shall appear in flaming fire to render vengeance to them that know not God and obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ A man of a well-grown Faith will be able to meditate this terror and to rejoyce at the thoughts of it It is the day of his gladness therefore to this purpose our Saviour saith when these and these things shall come do you lift up your â—…eads When mens hearts shall fail them with looking after those things that shall come upon the earth and when others shall cry out with Balaam Alas who shall live what will become of us now It is an amazing thing to think when the Heavens shall be raised and the Lord shall appear with his mighty Angels to think what startling there will be and running this way and that way O! what a dreadful day is this I am not able to stand before this Judge of all the World O it 's an amazing thing to think what skreeking and crying there will be on the part of ungodly sinners that are strangers to Christ and Grace But a poor soul that is well improved in Faith and Grace he will be able to bear up with boldness and our Saviour speaks to that purpose when mens hearts shall fail them and grow dead as a stone within them and they shall be fall of astonishment upon the appearing of the Lord Jesus Then lift up your heads with joy the day of your Redemption draweth nigh So that this is another thing that a well-grown Faith will inable to To meditate terror the terror of God The terror of the Law The terror of Death The terror of Judgement O beloved this is the Faith that we should press to and this growth in Faith that you may be inabled to have the free usage of this blessed priviledge and that when others shall be over-whelmed in their spirits you may be able to bear up with comfort You hear of this as that wherein we are to evidence a growth in Faith when we are able to meditate Terror Lastly This I would only say such a Faith we should press to such a growth in Faith and that we may be aâ—… not only to look for but to long after the serious appearing of Christ which follows upon the former O it is not every Faith that will inable to this to be in holy longings after the coming of the Lord Jesus Yâ—…u come behind saith the Apostle in no gift waiting for that coming of Christ waiting for it and hastening to it It is that
with all the Saints what is the height and depth and breadth and length And saith he That you may know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge There is saith he in the Knowledge of Christ heights and depths and breadths and lengths and particularly in the knowledge of his Love and it is such a Love as passeth Knowledge Now do but argue thus Is there such a Mysterie Are there such depths in this Knowledge Tâ—…n certainly we had need to set to it that we do endeavour for to grow up in this Knowledge that we may be as comprehensive of it as possible we can this is our Duty As now to instance in some Particulars The Apostle speaks concerning this Mysterie in Col. 1. speaking there of the Mysterie Which saith he is Christ in you the hope of Glory O Brethren do you know the meaning of this It may be you think you do but I say I am sufficiently warranted to say If any man think he knoweth any thing he knows nothing as he ought Do you know the interpretation of this Christ in you the hope of Glory This is the Mysterie the Apostle calls it so You may be apt to think you can reach the bottom of this Christ and Christ in you and Christ in you the hope of Glory Alas we are apt to put our selves off with a little sip of the Cup we go as it were with the top of the lip and give a touch upon that which would cover head and shoulders and all we might stand under these waters they are so deep Such a word as this it bespeaks our search and disquisition and inquiry and to set in with God O but Lord What 's the meaning of this Christ in you and Christ in you the hope of Glory This bespeaks our endeavour after the Knowledge of Christ. Here I might fall upon sundry other Particulars as this belongs to the Knowledge of Christ according to the Apostles account in Eph. 3. he speaks there of the Mysterie which was kept secret from Ages and Generations And saith he Was not so made known as it is now to his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit What 's this Mysterie That the Gentiles should be fellow-Heirs of the same Body partakers of his Promise in Christ by the Gospel That is a Mysterie and this bespeaks our endeavour after a growth in knowledge even the Knowledge of Christ for this belongs to the Knowledge of Christ. Christ will be considered as mystical Christ he will be made up of Jew and Gentile the middle Wall being broken down a Mysterie hidden from Ages and Generations but it 's made known I but how little a thing is known even of this And then I add withal The Mysterie it was the mysterie concerning the Gentiles that they should come in to be fellow-Heirs It 's the Mysterie with respect to the Iews So the Apostle calls it in Rom. 11. This Mysterie I would not have you ignorant of lest you should be wise in your own conceits that blindness in part is happened to the Iews until the fulness of the Gentiles come in and then all Israel shall be saved Here 's a Mysterie Now these Mysteries bespeak our serious endeavour that we may come to grow in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. And then the Mysterie concerning the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus the Administration of it the delivery of it upon the Administration of it to the Father The Apostle holds forth these Mysteries The Mysterie of the Kingdom the new Heavens and the new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness which belongs to the Knowledge of Jesus Christ. And then the delivering up of the Kingdom to the Father that God may be All in all when Christ hath performed the Administration of the Kingdom Now I say these are Mysteries belonging to the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ which do all of them loudly bespeak our most sedulous endeavours after a growth in this blessed Knowledge And to add no more consider that passage of the Apostle in 1 Tim. 3. the latter end Great is the mysterie of godliness What 's that God was manifest in the flesh iustified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached to the Gentiles believed on in the World received up into Glory Have we comprehended have we attained The Apostle Paul was far from thinking so according to that account of him Nâ—… as if I had already attained or were already perfect What have we got to the bottom of these Mysteries Are we able to fathom the depth of them O how little a thing do we know of these things It was a good saying of one of the Ancients Many things because of the customary mentioning of them they are slighted which if they were but seriously weighed would cause admiration to astonishment God manifested in the flesh Why it 's a Mystery that we may bestow a whole Age of a thousand years in studying and never be able to come to the full understanding of Angels desire to look into these things Now upon these accounts upon the account of the subject matter of the Knowledge of Christ it may well be required of Believers that they do their utmost endeavour that they may grow in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I shall close up for the present only with this one Argument further It is the Saints duty to endeavour a Knowledge in the growth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for otherwise truly we do not answer the provision that God hath made to such a purpose we walk unworthy of the Goodness and Grace of God which hath discovered it self this way in order to such a growth For mark you In the beginning of the World upon the fall of Adam the Gospel it was but whispered Whisper there was something darkly secretly and couchantly if I may so speak was hinted out The seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head here was all the Gospel was given out at first Afterwards there began to be a little more discovery made of it to Abraham Isaac and Iacob Afterwards in Moses time and in Moses days there came to be a little more full explanation afterwards in the times of the Prophets clearer clearer discoveries But in the time of the Gospel when Christ came then the Day star arises nay the Sun of Righteousness breaks out and now we have clearer and clearer discoveries of the Mysterie concerning our Lord Jesus And mark you when Christ goes to Heaven he sends a token of his love to his Church and People a Book of Mysteries of Mysteries concerning the Knowledge of himself and provides this very Book that we might come to be well improved in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Now consider this For as much as the Lord hath in his Wisdom out of his rich bounty hath been pleased thus to provide and to order out that there should be such means and helps for
this thing This belongs to a well improved Knowledge to understand that Christ had no reluctancy of spirit when this matter was propounded to him and when the matter was in debate Christ came in with no Negatives made no Objections but answered thus O my Father 't is thy Will 't is my joy it pleaseth thee to design me to such a purpose O my Father thy will be done my heart delights in it Thou hast prepared me a body O I come into the World with that body and I delight to do thy Will Though I fore-apprehend all the sorrow all the smart all the shame all the sufferings all the burden all those pressures that I must undergo in the managing of this great and glorious work and service yet I stick at nothing O Father it 's meat and drink to me I go about this work and service with as much content and complacency of soul as ever a hungry man went to eat his meat And then 10. It belongs to a well improved Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ That we know and understand that according to this Design of God and sutably to his accomplishments and sutably to his willing ingaging of himself he hath laid out himself to the utmost in a way of doing in a way of suffering in a way of doing fulfilling all righteousness in an active way in the course of his life and conversing here in the world In a way of suffering by the offering up of himself a Sacrifice unto God he hath made an Attonement he hath satisfied infinite Justice he hath pacified infinite Wrath he hath paid the Debt to the utmost farthing That now the Justice of God doth make Declaration that it is fully satisfied in what hath been performed by the Lord Jesus Christ. This is belonging to a well improved Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour That now which Christ said upon the Cross It is finished God from Heaven declares in the Gospel O I have full satisfaction I have nothing to object against those poor Souls that my Son hath ingaged for I have a full payment to the very utmost farthing 11. It belongs to a well improved Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that we understand this That having performed all that Justice could require in a way of doing or in a way of suffering That he rose from the dead ascended into Heaven and that God hath given him preferment that God hath given him the highest preferment upon his obedience and satisfaction to his Justice and upon the performance of this great Work and Service that he was designed unto God hath advanced him to the highest top of Honour he hath given him a name above every name he hath set him at his own right Hand above all Principalities and Powers 12. It belongs to the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ That we know how Jesus Christ thus advanc'd on High and thus raised up to a top of preferment how he doth improve that preferment He is now in Heaven he is at God's right Hand he is in fullest Glory How doth he improve this Glory and Honour that is conferred upon him Improve it He sets his heart upon this that there may be an Improvement of all the interest that he hath in God all that Glory and Power and Majesty and Dominion that he is now invested withal he sets his heart upon this that he may improve this for the benefit and behoof of his People here upon Earth He makes it his continual work and business to be negotiating with God for poor Souls for whom he hath shed his blood and on whose behalf he hath made satisfaction to infinite Justice he doth continually appear in Heaven before God to make intercession for them Now do but lay all this together and here 's the well improved Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ which I have endeavoured thus to knit up together in this compass and to set out before you And here 's the great Mysterie of the Gospel lying in these things which I have held out this morning Now the next thing to do is this To let you see how all this Knowledge of ouâ—… Lord Jesus Christ in every part and parcel of it doth draw out the heart and soul of a Beleever and doth most happily influence it so that all this Knowledge is as a fatning water that doth nourish a Plant Faith being planted in the soul and this water of Gospel-Knowledge concerning our Lord Jesus being thus poured upon it why as a fatning water it makes the plant of Faith to grow and shoot up amain There is never an experienced Christian that knows what believing means and is upon the exercise of Faith and hath set his heart upon this that he may make an Improvement of his Faith there is never an experienced Beleever but is able to set to his Seal Oh in this Knowledge thus wrought out and thus spread forth before me in this Knowledge my Faith lives and thrives and prospers and swims up and down with all delight as the Fish in the water You may easily apprehend now how a Believers Faith will grow and increase and receive strength and nourishment and shoot up amain upon the due consideration of these things that I have suggested 1. As now When a poor Beleever shall think thus with himself Why do I hesitate Why have I a fluctuating heart why is not my heart setled and fixt and come to be full of confidence in God Why I consider thus That that Jesus which is the object of my Faith he is God over all blessed for ever would I have a more able Saviour than a God It is not an Angel that I am commanded to place my trust in no it is God blessed for ever he that was God with God from all Eternity as great as God as good as God Why should I flag in my spirit why should I faint why should I have any miss-givings Have not I a God to trust upon 2. And then He is God I He is God-man where can I promise my self pitty bowels compassion if not from a man a man that is in union with God and in union with God to this purpose that he might be accomplish'd that he might be every way most compassionate and suitable to such an undertaking 3. And then again This Jesus is the Son the Son of the Father where can I place my trust and confidence so freely as upon the King of Heaven's Son He is the Son of the Father nay he is his dearly Beloved Son the Father loves him delights in him he delights to hear his Prayer he pleased him in all things 4. Nay why should not I be strong in my Faith in Christ forasmuch as this Jesus this Son this beloved Son this delightful Son is the person that the Great God hath chosen and design'd to such a purpose and it is the will of God that every
subject to suffer and it 's your duty to suffer as Christians and to bear up with courage and confidence but how shall that be but by the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ For mark you This belongs to the knowledge of our Lord Jesus that the sufferings of his people for his Name and Truth and Gospel those sufferings are by Jesus Christ made their great priviledges When a man suffers as an evil doer as a murtherer or a thief or as a busy-body in other mens matters these kind of sufferings of persons as evil doers when they are indeed deservedly inflicted these sufferings they reflect shame and dishonour upon those that undergo them The two Theeves upon the Cross that were crucified together with Christ and He in the midst of them you have the acknowledgement that one of them makes This man is upon the Cross with us He suffers as we suffer as to the matter of suffering He is hanged and so are we we are here nail'd upon the Cross and so is He I but for all that here 's the difference we indeed are justly here for we suffer the reward of our own evil deeds so that it 's our dishonour to be hanged up upon the Cross but this man is hanged indeed as a malefactor but he hath done nothing worthy of such a death so it 's no dishonour to a Christian it 's a dishonour to an evil doer to suffer when he suffers for his evil deeds but it 's no dishonour to a Christian when he suffers as a Christian and there 's no just cause for his sufferings it 's no dishonour but it 's rather an honour to him saith the Apostle If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed Ashamed he hath no cause in the World why he should be ashamed let men deal how they will with him if he suffer as a Christian though others seek to put him to shame he may despise the shame as our Saviour did He indur'd the Cross but He despised the shame Men would cast shame upon Him I but Christ shames the shame He despiseth the shame He puts the shame to shame Thus did Christ so a Christian he suffering as a Christian for the sake of Christ he hath reason so to do to shame the shame to despise the shame to scorn the shame and the scorns that are cast upon him saith he If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God in that behalf for the spirit of God and of Glory rests upon him And so did the Disciples in Acts 5. it 's said They went away from the Counsel where they had been beaten and reproached They went away rejoycing that they were accounted worthy to suffer shame for the Name of the Lord Jesus so that by Jesus Christ it becomes a matter of priviledge and honour to suffer This Comfort flowes out of the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. And take notice of that remarkable passage in 1 Phil. To you it is given given as a gift To you it is given what is given Not only to believe on his Name but to suffer for his sake To you it is given I one would say a goodly gift indeed to have suffering given us A goodly gift O that 's a wretched spirit to undervalue this gift To you it is given not only to believe is it a priviledge to have it given us to believe to beleeve unto eternal life and salvation I but saith he To you it is given not only to beleeve but also to suffer This is the gift of God which he hath granted unto you as a priviledge that you should be sufferers for Christ and ingaged to appear in his Cause and for his Name in opposition to an evil and an adulterous Generation Again by a well-improved knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall come to understand to the comforting and the imboldening of the hearts that Christ is knowing of all the sufferings that his servants undergo Knowing of them is that all Nay so knowing of them as that he is sensible of them and reckons them his own sufferings He hath a deep sense There is a sympathizing with his people in all their sufferings if the foot on Earth be trod upon the Head in Heaven complains Saul Saul why persecutest thou me who art thou Lord I am Jesus True it is thou canst not reach my person me as the head but thou reachest me in my members Saul Saul why dost thou persecute me And then consider this withal That by a well-improved knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall come to understand that the sufferings of Christ they make way for Glory having conformity to him in suffering we may assure our selves there shall be conformity to him in Glory If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him as the Apostle speaks And the sufferings of this present time is not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall follow So that now all this being laid together we may well conclude upon it that the knowledge of Jesus Christ is worthy to be endeavoured after and that there may be a growth in it because it doth conduce so much to a comfortable confident couragious and bold suffering on the behalf of Jesus Christ. SERM. XVII EVen as I was reading this Text this Morning I had this Meditation I was thinking how often this Text hath been read in your hearing and sounded in your ears and is it not good for us you and me to consider to what purpose it hath been so often sounded and whether we have made any Improvement in the grace of the Gospel and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Shall the Scriptures speak to us in vain shall we be as if so be we were hearing of sounding brass and a tinkling symbal But however thus it is and this is our duty to grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I am speaking yet concerning the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and that there ought to be a growth therein and you have heard very largely what convincing Arguments there are why you should labour after a well improved Knowledge of him considering how beneficial this Knowledge is and will be to those that have it I shall now 〈◊〉 to something further that remains and so 〈◊〉 on to the Application of this Point There is very great reason why Christians should endeavour to advance in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and that in order to the promoting of a Gospel Conversation that it may be managed with beauty and with boldness to the credit of the Gospel and the holy Profession which is made of it By a well improved Knowledg of our Lord Jesus Christ great advantage comes over to us for such a purpose First here you are to consider this That a Christian is not to live at
a ghess and at random those that will approve themselves in their holy Profession must see to it that their conversations be well ordered it is he that orders his conversation aright that shall see the salvation of God and much care and diligence is to be used to this purpose that the conversation may be ordered in a due manner that so we may come to have the comfort and joy and peace at last They that walk according to rule Scripture rule and Scripture example they are the persons upon whom there shall be peace and mercy as the Apostle speaks in Gal. 6. It is not for men and women professing Godliness to live as I have sometimes said by rote but to live and walk by rule and by warrantable example And 2ly I offer this to be considered that Jesus Christ is the most absolute pattern for a Christian to conform unto and to take example by him And this duty is incumbent upon all that will approve themselves in Godliness to set their hearts upon this that they may be conformed unto Christ Believers and Saints are predestinated to have a conformity unto the Lord Jesus And the Apostle tells us 1 Ioh. 2. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself so to walk even as Christ walked It is a very weighty Scripture and doth very much concern us to be well studied in He that saith he abideth in Christ or that professeth himself for to belong to Christ and to have a union with Christ an interest in Christ he ought to walk even as he also walked Now consider how strongly it follow upon the premises That therefore it concerns all that will approve themselves in their Conversation to endeavour to be well acquainted with the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ to endeavour an advance in that Knowledge to be as well instructed in the Knowledge of Christ as they can Why Why because it is he who is the Copy after which we are to write the pattern to which we are to conform and how it is likely that any man should answer the Copy write congruously to the Copy which he hath little or no sight and knowledge of work in any sutableness to the pattern which he is in great part a stranger to This then is the business that we should mind and consider of in order to a well regulated Conversation that there be a pursuance in the Knowledge of Jesus Christ and particularly that we know the manner of his Conversationâ—… If so be that we would walk as Christ walked it 's necessary we should know how Christ walked what steps he trod in and the paths wherein he walked And this I shall give you some account of as touching the life and conversation of Christ here upon earth In the general consider thus First of all you are to know and believe That Jesus Christ was in the World though the World knew him not as the Apostle speaks in Ioh. 1. He was in the world The world indeed would not know not take knowledge of him but this is that we are to acknowledge and believe that Jesus Christ was in the World and that he lived and conversed here among the sons of men and he lived such a life as was most exemplary and so continues to be and he hath everlastingly broken the force of such an argument and plea as poor carnal wretches are apt to make in their own behalfs when their vitious corrupt carnal profane lives are tax'd and they themselves are censured for them Men are apt to plead How is it possible that we should live otherwise in the world a wretched world a world that lyes in wickedness There are so many corrupt principles and corrupt examples how can it be that we can live in such a world and live as we ought Why this Plea is fully broken it was broken upon the account of the lives and conversations of other godly ones that have lived from the beginning of the world The world was stark nought in Enoch's dayes in Noah's dayes yet for all that they walk'd with God and they ordered a conversation to the honour of God and approved themselves in the course of their walking The world was very bad in Eliah's time and so in the times of others yet for all that they carried themselves very gratiously in an evil world But this example of our Lord Jesus Christ is that that breaks the force of such an Argument why he was in the world and yet he lived most exactly and congruously to the whole life of God and he hath taught us by his example That it is not so much the place as the principle that we are to mind the principle and the constitution If so be that a person be of a good constitution and well principled he will live well enough in any place A godly person will be godly in heaven among Saints and Angels a godly person that is truly so he will be godly on earth if he be there among profane persons And I think I may say that if it could be that a godly man were in Hell he would shew his godliness there I am bold to speak it that if a child of God were in Hell he would love God there and he would pray there I remember and sometimes upon occasion have spoken to that purpose That Ionah when he was in his own apprehension cast off of God and in the belly of Hell as one in the very belly and bowels of Hell yet there he falls a praying Out of the belly of hell cryed I. A wicked man if he could be in heaven and be there with his own principles he would be a wicked man there and surely for Hell a godly man would be a godly man there Hell changes no natures nor indeed doth heaven upon the matter Heaven doth not change nature Heaven it self considered as a place of glory would not change the nature of a wicked man the change must be made here on earth Thus now having propounded this as a general That our Lord Jesus Christ he did live and converse in the world but what account is there to be given of his life what is there belonging to a well improved Knowledge in the Life and Conversation of Christ To give you a brief account of this First of all in the general The Life and Conversation of Christ it was a Scripture conversation The Lord Jesus who is now in heaven he liv'd in the world he liv'd first and last a Scripture life and this I speak to the confutation of the faces of all such as are apt to slight the Scriptures and make light of them that Jesus Christ while he converst in the world his whole life and conversation was a very Scriptural conversation it was nothing else but a fulfilling of Scripture O Beloved consider of this as a material and momentous thing That the whole life and conversation of Christ was a Scriptural conversation How often do
right hand in the possession of all that honour and glory which heaven it self can confer upon him And thus now I have travelled with you and I confess it hath been somewhat a long journey that I have travelled in the handling of this Point in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus and how much it concerns Beleevers to endeavour a growth and increase in it considering how every way the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus will be beneficial to them to the promoting of grace inabling to suffer fitting for Duty and for the promoting of a holy Conversation and the like Now all that hath been spoken doth issue in this That the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ is a Knowledge that our hearts should be exceedingly set upon Now for the Improvement of this by way of Use I shall make short work of that but O that you would but weigh and consider what hath been spoken in so many Sermons that I have preached to you upon this Doctrine and for the Application I shall be brief in that Now I would beseech you consider with your selves you with whom I have to deal will you but consider with your selves whether I have been in this matter that I have performed performing a proper Service or whether I have not in your account been imployed in a needless work whether your hearts will not suggest such a thing to you You have been preaching to us concerning the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ what have you told us that we knew not before and you press upon us that we should endeavour a growth in in this Knowledge and be upon our improvements but alas what are we the further advanced in this Knowledge So that now if so be that I should come to act and perform the part of a reprover possibly there may be such a spirit found that you will think what have you told us we knew that Christ took upon him the nature of man and he came into the world and liv'd and died here and was crucified and buried and rose again and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God every common nominal Christian can chatter over these things and think with themselves what needs all this ado about a growth and increase in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. O but Brethren I would say to you as the Apostle speaks in a like case 1 Cor. 8. I know well enough that you have all knowledge I and your knowledge makes you conceited it puffs you up But if any man think he knows any thing he knows nothing as he ought to know It were good for you and me to look well to it that our light be not found to be darkness that our knowledge be not found to be ignorance This I would have said that there are clear demonstrations and convincing Arguments that some know nothing as they ought to know others that do know they are not so improved in their knowledge as they ought to be I tell you this look to it for of a truth your being so defective in the faith of the Gospel your being so apt to fluctuate and be turmoyl'd in your consciences your being so uneven in your walking your being so low spirited as you are your small measures of faith and love and hope and confidence and boldness towards God and your aptness to be startled at every providence and to be foyled by every temptation these and such like â—…s do loudly speak it out that of a truth you â—…t know Christ as you ought to know him I speak to one and other of us we shall find and be able to evidence it the conscience will be convinc'd of it That we know not as we ought to know we have not made that advance in the Knowledge of Christ as we should have done because it is thus and thus with us we have no more love to Christ did you know Christ as you ought you would never dote upon the world as you do nor be so inslav'd to your corruptions as you are did you know Christ as you ought to know you would live more honourably and more to the credit of the Gospel than you do There are many many things that will evidence it to us that we do not know Christ as vve ought to knovv SERM. XVIII HOw Righteous yea how Gracious this Requirie is That believing souls should grow in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ hath been abundantly demonstrated and made to appear unto you Wisdom is justified of her children if we be Wisdom's children it will appear and so it must by our justification of Wisdoms sayings and giving in our justification we come under the strongest obligation for to carry it in a sutableness unto what we profess to be Now taking it for granted that we do acknowledge this to be a truth that it is our duty to grow in the Knowledge of Christ as that which is the most excellent and the most beneficial Knowledge this Knowledge which as you heard the last day will conduce very much to the well regulating of a Christians conversation when it comes to be known to purpose what a life Christ himself did live while he was in the World what a life Christ lives now he is in Heaven which two things were accounted to you at large in several particulars That which now remains to be done is to make application of all that hath been said and so to press on after the improving of this Doctrine Something in the very close of the last Exercise was spoken to you May I now without any check from within appear among you this Morning as a reprover for God and in the behalf of God and in the behalf of Christ and not be accounted needlesly and causlesly to pick a quarrel I remember what David said to his quarrelsom Brother upon occasion of his coming unto the Camp when he was inquiring what would be done to the man that should slay the Philistine He replies to his quarrelling Brother What have I done is there not a cause So if so be there should be any inward secret quarrel at what shall be spoken in way of reproof and blame I would speak as David did and say Is there not a cause The Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is unquestionably and undeniably pretious Knowledge excellent Knowledge profitable and beneficial Knowledge but is it prized is it pursued will our Consciences bear us witness that we are upon our endeavours after it that we may advance and improve in it and that we may answer the duty of this Text which makes this charge upon us that we grow in Grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus If our hearts condemn us God is greater than our hearts and he knows all things Is there not a Conscience within us that can witness against us that this pretious Knowledge it was never very pretious unto us This Knowledge did
of God the Lamb that was slain it s a name that he delights to be known by the Lamb upon Mount Sion worthy is the Lamb that was slain And because a Lamb slain because he was pleased to become an Offering and a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour and would undertake to redeem a People unto God by his Blood worthy therefore to have this acknowledgment made to him O worthy worthy is the Lamb that was slain Here now I have a large field to walk in but that I would contract my self and dispatch the Point The Lord Jesus Christ worthy Consider first of all who he is for his Person why he is the brightness of his Father's glory the express image of his person worthy therefore to have Glory given to him 2. What is he for his Name Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God everlasting Father Prince of Peace the Lord our righteousness King of Kings Lord of Lords the blessed and only Potentate the Prince of the Kings of the earth his Name is as an oyntment poured forth Well may it be said To him be glory now and for ever 3. Consider his Qualifications The only begotten of the Father full of Grace Then if full of Grace worthy to be full of Glory Grace leads in Glory and Glory doth most properly follow Grace Who should have Glory but they that have Grace Why none have so much Grace as Christ he was as full of Grace as ever he could hold Now where should Glory rest but upon him that is full of Grace Therefore worthily is it said To him be Glory 4. Then again Consider this Jesus this Lord Jesus Why he suffer'd he suffer'd for sin The just for the unjust that he might bring us to God He suffered and by suffering made satisfaction to infinite Justice he hath expiated the sins of his People provided for the purging of their Consciences he hath made way by his own Blood for an entrance into the Holiest Now is there not reason to say To him be glory both now and for ever Mark what our Saviour speaks after his Resurrection saith he Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer And what then And afterwards to enter into his glory It behoved him first to suffer and then to enter into Glory and he hath entred into Glory and it is our duty for to follow him with loudest acclamations and to say yea yea To him be glory now and for ever Amen 5. And then again Christ is most worthy to have these acclamations and such Doxologies a voting up and applecation of Glory to him Why Because all the Glory that ever any Saint on earth shall have or Saint in heaven doth possess all that Glory comes over to thereby the Lord Jesus Christ. Whatsoever Glory any soul here shall be partaker of or hereafter in the Kingdom of Glory they are to reckon themselves beholding to Christ for it it comes over to them by his means Worthy then is this apprecation to be made to him and that every soul that hath any hopes of Glory should say Now unto him be glory both now and for ever Amen So that these things being duly weighed which indeed are of proper cognizance for men and women professing godliness and professing to be acted by a Gospel spirit What is there that should more properly sound in an Assembly of People that attend to the Gospel What can more properly sound than this That unto the King of Sion the Lamb that was slain to him that is the King of the Princes of the earth to him that is set upon the Throne with his Father to him that hath overcome Principalities and Powers hath made a shew of them openly to him that hath vanquished Devils and enemies and hath brought Life and Immortality to light to him that is now entred into the Holiest once for all and appears in the heavens before God to plead the Cause of his Peoples souls What is there more proper in a Congregation of Saints to sound out than this To him be glory now and for ever Amen Now in a word for Application Are they acted by a Gospel spirit that design nothing less than the Glory of Christ that instead of making apprecations and voting up Glory to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ do what in them lyes to cast all the shame and dishonour and contempt upon him they can Is this the spirit of the Gospel It 's the spirit of the Devil That man be he who he will let them be never so high in the World let them be Kings and Princes and Potentatesâ—… whatsoever names and titles they are known by whatsoever dignities and honours they are advanc'd unto whatsoever breadth they carry in the World whatsoever they are for worldly respects that are set to cast contempt upon Christ and to turn reproach and dishonour upon him are so far from being acted by the spirit of the Gospel that they do walk in the very spirit of the Devil and it will appear so But are there any such are there such as walk in such a spirit There were so of old O people be apt to think that they were worthy to be spit in the face Why what did they that cryed out Not this man but Barrabas Let this Jesus be crucified let him be hanged let him be hanged for a Malefactor do him all the shame they can They did so they buffetted him they spit upon him they smote him with their fists they knock'd him upon the head they put him into a fools coat they would make him their laughing-stock Thus they did What was this spirit Why is this spirit quite worn out of the World Nay the Lord be merciful to us there is a desperate spirit of opposition to Christ among whom among the Antichristian party O that it were not to be found among persons that would be accounted godly and stand for the honour of Christ and make apprecations to him And they can patter it over in forms of words O Glory to Jesus Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the holy Ghost they can patter over such words in their mouths and in the mean time they carry swords in their hearts against Christ and their Conversations speak nothing but dishonour to Christ shame him in his Name shame him in holding out that shame him in making Profession of him And why because they live thus unchristian-like walk most unsutably to the Gospel walk most unworthy of their holy Profession are these men and women acted by a Gospel spirit that pretend to the Name of Christ that express nothing but that which is quite contrary to Christ they would be accounted Christian People and to have been baptized into Christ's Name and in the mean time they make it their business every day to cast dishonour upon Christ walking cross to him and quite contrary to the glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. For men and women to
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