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
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
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
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
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
Gospel that know him not Observe that Scripture 1 Ioh. 16. The time will come when they will excommunicate you cast you out of their Synagogues and they that kill you shall think they do God service in so doing And why because they know neither the Father nor me they know not me nor my Father and therefore they will do these things to you and yet they will think they do God very good service This is the mischief that follows upon the ignorance of Christ. 6. Consider this That sad speech of the Apostle 2 Cor. 14. If our Gospel be hid and Christ who is held forth in the Gospel why then the Gospel is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not 7. I argue thus If it be as our Saviour speaks eternal life to know the true God and him whom he hath sent Jesus Christ our Lord Ioh. 17. why then it follows on the contrary This is eternal death to be ignorant of the true God and of Jesus Christ whom he hath sent 8. And then I add further That this will be the aggravation of the guilt of such persons as minded not the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ never set their hearts to seek after it this will be the aggravation That light did come into the world and yet they love darkness rather than light that there was a blessed beaming out of the light of the Knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ and yet no regard at all unto that Knowledge nor no improvement of those means whereby that knowledge might be attained This will be the condemnation and the aggravating of the guilt and the strengthening of the condemnation 9. I add yet further That such persons as are awanting to the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ especially in a day wherein this Knowledge may be had and attained I say this such persons they lye open to a dreadful stroke of judgment in this world according to that which the Apostle speaks 1 Cor. 14. If any man be ignorant let him be ignorant It runs in the same form and frame with that dreadful passage in Rev. 22. Him that is unjust let him be unjust still let him that is filthy be filthy still This is spoken not in an approving way but in a judicial way Let them that are filthy be filthy still And I have had occasion lately to speak upon this Scripture that this Judgment is now in execution amain at this very day That they that have been unjust and formal and hypocritical and would not own the holy wayes of God when they were discovered to them and clearly made known but dote upon their own fancies Judgment is gone out upon them let them be filthy still let them be vain and formal and superstitious and what not and let them so live and so die So in this form the Apostle gives out the Judgment If any man be ignorant one that lives under the means of light and knowledge of our Lord Jesus having a price in his hand to get Knowledge and hath no heart to it doth not care for the commodity hath it not in any due esteem he would rather be acquainted with the mysteries of a Trade than with the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God be more acquainted with the politicks of the World than with the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven and so sets light by this Knowledge that Judgment such are in danger to have it go out against them If any man be ignorant and have a mind to be ignorant and his heart is not touched with the sense of the knowledge of Christ nor his affections doth not move and stir within him after that knowledge that he may come to be made partaker of it If any man be ignorant let him be ignorant let him go on in his blindness let the Devil blindfold him and hood-wink him he will not see he shall not see till he come to see in a judicial way And then I close up this branch of the Discourse thus Think but this and let this be seriously considered of by all that neglect the good knowledge of Christ and do not set their hearts upon it are not carryed out in desire after an advance in it The day will come when they that will not know Christ now care not to be acquainted with him and with the Mysteries of his Kingdom the day will come when Christ will know them I but so as that he will not know them Here 's a paradox but yet it is a truth the day will come when Christ will know them so as never to know them to all eternity he will know them with a knowledge of apprehension in a judicial way he will know them to have been such as cared not to know him he will know them to have been such as never set their hearts upon this good knowledge this excellent beneficial knowledge that they might be partakers of he will know them to be such as have neglected all those blessed means which have been afforded to them that they might come to advance in the Knowledge of Christ I and he will know them so as not to know them and profess unto them Depart from me ye workers of iniquity I never knew you you would not know me you would not know the Mysteries of my Kingdom I do declare here before all the world I never knew you nor I never will I will never know you not to the days of eternity I never did know you I never will know you depart from me ye workers of iniquity Let these things be considered which I have thus spoken with respect unto such as do not mind the Knowledge of Christ. But now 2ly And it may be this may more concern the generality of the Auditory But before I come to that some may be apt to say O but I hope we are without the reach of this lash for we do know we know Christ and we can give an account of Christ many are apt to think thus and to fancy thus with themselves that they are good Proficients in this Knowledge But I say take heed that the light that is in us be not darkness and the knowledge that is in us be not found to be ignorance What knowledge is it It may be a formal notional knowledge as I spake before many they can clatter over a form of words concerning Christ they can say their Belief from one end to the other and not miss a word and this is all their Religion they understand nothing of what they say they have gotten a form of words setled upon their memories but alas they understand nothing of what they say But I shall speak more to that But the second way that this reproof goes and this complaint it looks upon the faces of persons concerning whom there is better hope that they may know and know to some good