's a Mystery which God was pleased to keep secret in his own bosom for many thousands of years some little whispering there was of it upon the fall of Man The seed of the woman shall break the serpents head And what a pittance was here Though infinite mercy appeared in making this little appearance The seed of the woman shall break the serpents head Then afterwards a little more of this but a Mysterie and still a Mysterie and an unsearchable Mysterie a Mysterie which they that are most insighted in will have cause to say Alas how little a thing is known of him and what a depth is here and how scant and short is our line that we are not able to fathom the depth O it is such a Knowledge the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ as that all those Dimensions are most properly reckoned to it heights and depths and breadths and lengths and yet it is a Knowledge that passeth knowledge Such is the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. We had need then to be endeavouring a growth in it and to resolve thus I have not attained nor know nothing as I ought to know I am not yet sufficiently skill'd in this Mysterie If Paul that was such a knowing man were alive at this day he would be still pursuing after this Knowledge the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I but what account is to be given of this Knowledge that we should be so set to endeavour a growth in it Consider besides that that I have now spoken as touching the smallness of that measure attained Consider yet further First of all There is great reason that Christians and Believers should endeavour a growth in this Knowledge First It is the most excellent Knowledge that ever was discovered to the World and you have the Apostles word for it who was able to make a Judgment of Knowledge and Knowledge Phil. 3. 8. O saith he I do here give my Judgment and saith he This is my standing Judgment I am an Hebrew of the Hebrews of the seed of Abraham I am an Israelite of the Tribe of Benjamin as touching the Law a Pharisee And he was a man that could speak with Tongues more than all the Apostles And he was a man of profound Knowledge Though I be rude in speech yet not in knowledge Why he had a vast portion of Knowledge yet when he comes to compare one thing with another For my part saith he I account all things but loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord. All but lâ—…ss and dung such an excellency there is in the knowledge of Christ and truly all other knowledge may well be lookt upon as inconsiderable knowledge and all other Injoyments in the World but even accounted as loss and dung compared with the Knowledge of Christ. Consider the Subject of this Knowledge Christ himself Consider him in his Person The brightness of his Father's Glory the express Image of his Person one that was in the Form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God Consider him yet notwithstanding this account of him as one that hath a transcendent love to his Father love to the World that he was most willing to comply with his Fathers pleasure in taking upon him the nature of Man The Lord to become a Servant the Prince of Life to become subject to Death O the blessed and only Potentate to be made a Curse he that knew no sin becomes willing to be made sin he that was the Lord of all to become a Servant of all What shall I say The consideration of the subject of this Knowledge it commends it to us as the most excellent Knowledge that ever was communicated to the World And then consider but this Lord Jesus Christ as in his Person so in his Qualifications in his Love in his Meekness in his Fatience in his Humility in his Gentleness in his Holiness and Righteousness in every respect Consider him in his Office such a Priest such a Prophet such a King as the World never had the like Consider him in his Actions and Performances consider him in his miraculous Actions in his moral Actions consider him in his military Actions and Performances such a Saviour of such wonderful power And of such Aâ—…chievements and Accomplishments as the like was never heard of in the World that he should rout Hell it self all the Devils in Hell It was a great matter in David to come into the Camp and to get the Victory over a Gyant a Goliah that was yet but a man But for this Captain this noble Souldier to come into the Camp and to ingage against all the powers of Hell and Darkness all the Devils in Hell that were all of them in Arms against him and yet he routs them and makes a spoyl of them and leads them a company of base slaves after him he makes a shew of them openly and triumphed over them in his Cross he gets a Conquest This is the most noble Captain and the most worthy Souldier that ever the World had Consider him I say in those military Performances moral Performances miraculous Performances the wonderful cures that he wrought such a Physitian that the World never had the like could Cure with a look with a word with a touch he could cure Bodies Souls There 's never a Physitian in the World could purge a sin out of a mans Conscience I but Christ can purge the Soul from sin Now Brethren I can at present but name these things and then to come to tell you what an excellent Knowledge the Knowledge of Jesus Christ is As in respect of the subject of it so in respect of the benefit and usefulness of it never any knowledge in the World will profit like unto this knowledge Here I have many things to say but I only at present give you but a little touch of them The Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ O it is the most profitable and useful and beneficial Knowledge Mark by the Law comes the knowledge of sin So the Apostle in Rom. 7. I had not known sin except the Law had said thus and thus I but when a man comes to know his plague and disease what is he the neerer if he doth not know his remedy If you should now be tryed as indeed it is necessary you should if you have not been brought to it If you should be brought to know what vitious natures you have what cursed corruptions made to see what deep and dreadful guilt you have contracted upon you if you should come to have the discovery made as those that God hath a favour to they have such disâ—…overies made to them the spirit of God comes 〈◊〉 as a convincing spirit if you should come to have the knowledge of your sins O now I am made to see and know that I am a vile damned wretch I come to know my sin and I know no more
hope and confidence towards God It is Christ who is the foundation upon whom we are to lay the whole weight of our souls for eternity Now then consider how strongly the Argument will grow up from hence if so be that Believers be so much bound to place their trust in Christ to pitch and fix their confidence upon Christ they had need know him well this will follow upon it I tell you Brethren you had need to know reason will suggest this to you that man well whom you trust your lives withal all your estates and worldly interests withal lest putting your confidence in an unfaithful man or one that will not be responsible to you concerning the trust you place in him you be utterly undone and fall under sad and shameful disappointments Will you trust your selves in case of sickness with one that you never knew or have but little knowledge of do not know whether he have proportionable wisdom and understanding and skill to manage such an undertaking as your health and recovery from some deadly disease amounts unto Nay you will say I will know him well before I will trust him with such a concernment If so be that you have a Suit in Law which your whole Estate depends upon the well issuing of you will endeavour this to know him well whom you trust your Cause with lest it should miscarry by means of his ill management of it this we all will yield unto as a rational thing Why now I pray consider you are bound to trust Christ with your lives with your souls they are wofully diseased and He must be your Physitian and you are bound to make your application unto him for health and cure Truly you had need to know him it 's your duty to be well acquainted with him that so you may come with the more boldness to place your trust and confidence in Him and to say Well I dare venture my life in his hand I know him well I know his wisdom I know his skill I am so well acquainted with his sufficiency that if I had a thousand lives I would put them all into his hand You are to trust him for your eternal inheritance and for to plead your Cause to answer all the Suits that are to be commenc'd against you by the Devil by your Consciences it is He that must plead your Cause you are bound to this to trust Him with your Cause Now it stands you upon much therefore to know him well and be well improved in your knowledge of Christ forasmuch as you are to commit the cause of your souls to Him Consider further You are bound to place your most intire and intensive love upon Christ this is the bond the Lord sets upon every beleeving soul to love the Lord Jesus in sincerity and to love him with the most intire and intensive love Consider this you are bound to love him above your lives above your souls you are bound to love him more than you love your Father your Mother your Wife your Children your Estates every thing in the World that is most neer and dear unto you this obligation and bond the Gospel puts Beleevers under they are bound I say to love the Lord Jesus with a supream love and to give this account of themselves such as the Prophet doth of himself in Ps. 33. O Lord Whom have I in Heaven but thee and whom is there on earth that I love and desire in comparison of thee This is your duty the duty of a Beleever for to have the strength of his love let out upon Christ. It 's our duty to love him with a Conjugal love love him so as to own him for our Beloved and to refuse all other beloveds in comparison of him this is our duty Now mark you Will not then the Argument flow strongly from hence we have reason then to know him well and labour to improve in the knowledge of him Christ doth not care for a blind love He doth not make much account of the love that is set upon him by those that know him not it is a judicious love that Christ makes account of Now therefore it concerns you to endeavour a growth in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that knowing him well our hearts may break out and burn in love to him and that so he may come to have the strength of our affections let out upon him There 's never a wise woman in the World that will let out her love upon a man that she knows not or hath little knowledge of I will know him well whether he be a proper object for me to place my love upon Now thus the case stands between Christ and a beleeving soul and therefore we had need endeavour an improvement in the knowledge of Christ that so we may come to have our hearts the more free to let out our love upon him and say O I know him I know him so well that no beloved for my purpose besides himself Choose him I will choose him above all the World This was the course that the Daughters of Jerusalem took in Cant. 2. When the Spouse was giving in charge to them concerning her Beloved say they What is thy beloved more than another beloved Why saith she My beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand she speaks as one that had a full knowledge of him and upon that account her heart was so strongly drawn out to him thus it was with her Now in Chap. 6. having obtained the knowledge of her Beloved that he was so choice and precious a one their hearts begin to flame out and to be in love with him O whither is thy Beloved gone O thou fairest among women whither is thy beloved gone that we may seek him with thee for as he is thy Beloved so shall he be our Beloved now we come to know more of him now are our hearts inflamed with the love of him and our desires carried out more strongly after him Again we had need endeavour a growth in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Whereas they are bound to trust in him and to set their love upon him so they are under this obligation for to captivate their judgements to him so as to yield up themselves in all obedience and duty to be at his beck and bidding and to comport with him in all his requiries and to do whatsoever he commands them without disputing his commands this is a Beleevers duty Whatsoever he requires of them without any more ado to follow him resolvedly in every way that he leads them into If any man will be my Disciple let him deny himself and follow me and hearken to my commands such service and duty every beleeving soul stands bound to the performance of Now consider if so be that one will go and bind himself to such a Master whose will he must follow whose commands he must obey and with whose
everlastingly saved But now yet more fully to clear up this That by growth in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus there comes to be a prosperous and happy growth in Faith We will consider first of all What there is belonging unto a well-grown and improved Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and then you will be able clearly if so be that there be any spiritualness of understanding to see how this Knowledge duly improved doth draw out the saith of a Believer and how it doth most happily influence his Faith and is as the pouring out of water upon a Plant or at the root of a Tree which makes the Plant to thrive and grow and prosper and shoot up a main This will appear that this benefit comes over to us by our having the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ advantaged in us Now consider what doth properly belong to a well improved Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is requisite in order to a due improvement and growth in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ First That he be known as touching his Person That he is God blessed for evermore God with God in full equality with the Father and the Spirit and accounts it no robbery to claim such an equality as Great as the Father as Good as the Father as Holy as the Father as Mighty as the Father Thus it is He is God with God And 2ly That he is not only God with God but he is God-Man that he might be both fit to deal with God for Man and with Man for God That 's the first thing that I propound I shall make the accommodation of them by and by and having propounded the things that belong to this well improved Knowledge then I shall come to offer it to your Consideration how the Grace of Faith is most happily influenced by this Knowledge thus improved 2. It belongs to well improved Knowledge for to know that this Christ God-Man is the Son of God the only begotten of the Father by an act of eternal Generation 3. It 's requisite to a well improved Knowledge That souls do know and understand that this Christ God-Man the eternal Son of the Father that he is the Son of his dearest Love and did from all eternity lodge in his blessed bosom that his heart is infinitely set upon him And then 4. It belongs to this Knowledge That souls do understand that this Christ God-Man the eternal Son of the Father the dearly beloved of his Soul is such as he doth take infinite complacency and contentment in he is pleased in him and delighted in him upon this very account because of the willingness which he hath manifested to appear in the behalf of poor Souls This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased he in whom my soul delights 5. It is requisite to a well improved Knowledge of Christ That we understand that by an eternal Decree God hath chosen and appointed and designed this Son God-Man this Beloved this Person so much delighted in That he hath chosen him according to an eternal purpose and Decree for to be the great Mediator between God and Man This is necessary likewise to be known that so there may be a due improvement of the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord hath declared the decree Thou art my Son and I have appointed thee He hath decreed him and designed him to such a purpose according to that decree in Isa. 42. Behold saith the Prophet my servant whom I uphold mine elect in whom my soul delighteth He is the chosen of God from all Eternity to such a purpose 6. This is necessary to a well improved Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ That it be known and understood that this Christ God-Man the Son of the Father the Beloved of his Soul the Person that he delights in that he hath made choice of is likewise most fully commissioned by the Father for to perform the Office of a Mediator to all those intents and purposes and in all such wayes wherein he may accomplish that great Design concerning the Redemption and Salvation of poor Souls God hath commissioned him he hath chosen him called him and sent him into the world and sealed him up according to Scripture expression The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me and he hath anointed me to preach good tydings Him hath God the Father sealed As in Ioh. 6. he hath a full commission from God sealed up unto him for such a purpose He is commissioned of God being the great Prophet to teach and instruct his People in the Mysteries of his Will A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you like unto me He is commissioned of God to be a Priest and God hath sworn concerning him according to that in Psal. 110. The Lord hath sworn and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech And then he hath commissioned and sealed him up to be a King The King of his Church to rule in the hearts of his People and to ruine his Enemies This belongs to well improved Knowledge That we come to know and understand that this Jesus Christ God-Man is thus commissioned 7. It belongs to a well improved Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ That as he is thus commissioned sent and sealed of God to all these intents and purposes so likewise he is accomplisht by God every way most compleatly accomplished for to bring about the Design that he is commissioned for The great God hath impowered him and accomplisht him in the most full manner that possibly can be God hath not given him the Spirit by measure the Lord hath given him the fulness of the Spirit he hath given him all fulness It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell Fulness of Wisdom fulness of Grace all fulness of the Spirit he hath all fulness in him 8. We are to Consider That this belongs to a well improved Knowledge that these accomplishments of Christ and this provision that is made in him it is ordered unto Communication he is the great Trustee of Heaven and Earth He ascended on high and he râ—…ived gifts for men Why he received them as their great Trustee God hath committed to him a trust for the benefit and behoof of poor Souls This belongs to a well improved Knowledge in Christ That all the fulness that is in him it is for Communication that poor Souls might be the better for it 9. It belongs to a well improved Knowledge of Christ That there be a due understanding of this that Christ was from the beginning most willing to comply with the Counsel of God concerning him and that it was the joy of his heart to ingage himself in the behalf of poor sinners to make reconciliation to God as their Peace to satisfie the Justice of God he was most willing and it was the delight of his Soul to be put upon
there should be very much heat Did we but know more of Christ First of the loveliness of Christ what an amiable person he is Did we but throughly know what a lovely Christ he is according to the account that 's given of him in the Canticles He is the chiefest of ten thousand altogether lovely Take him all over you will see nothing but loveliness in the Lord Jesus Christ he is lovely for his Name for his Wisdom and Grace all those incomparable excellencies that discover themselves in him consider but of that O he is the most lovely Person that ever was in the World that ever visibly conversed with the sons of men 2. Consider him in his loveliness so in his loveingness I distinguish so his loveliness the loveliness of his Person and the lovingness of his Person the most loving Christ of the most loving disposition that ever was in the World never any to be compared to Christ for Love as full of love to poor souls as ever his heart could hold next to the love that he bare from all Eternity to his Father and to the Spirit who are co-essential and co-equal co-eternal with him next to the love that he bears them his love is set upon the sons of men he takes delight in the habitable parts of the World according to the account that 's given of him in Prov. 8. where Christ is set forth unto us under the term and notion of Wisdom saith he I was my Fathers delight and I came into the habitable parts of the World and my delights were with the sons of men He had his delights from all Eternity with the Father and with the Spirit and yet notwithstanding he was pleased to come out of the bosom of his Father and to take up his delights within the habitable parts of the World and with the sons of men And what a condition did he find them in A company of ill-looking and unlovely creatures as ever eye could behold I saw thee when thou wast in thy blood cast out to the loathing of thy person and yet that time was the time of love I loved thee and I gave a demonstration of it by doing so and so according to what is exprest Eâ—… 16. Why thus it is God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son his only beloved Son God the Son he so loved the world that he gave himself for a wicked damned world a company of wretches that had no love to him yet he loves them and he was out of love to them willing for to lay down his life for them And greater love hath no man as our Saviour speaks in the Gospel than thâ—…t a man lay down his life for his friend For his Friend I but what a love was this then That one should come and lay down his life for those that were Enemies When we were enemies we were reconciled and when we had no strength Christ came and shed his blood and that by the shedding of his blood he might wash away the guilt of his Peoples iniquities What a love was this O well might the Apostle fall upon admirings of it in Eph. 3. he prayes that they might comprehend the heights and depths and lengths and breadths and that they might know the love of Christ which saith he passeth knowledge Weigh these things Brethren and let them not pass away in a slight manner That saith he you might know the heights Why there are heights and depths and breadths and lengths in the love of Christ and it is such a love as passeth knowledge when we have known all we can of it yet it will transcend our knowledge why such a love Christ hath imprest Now consider O the the love of Christ to poor sinners that he should stick at nothing to do for them to suffer for them to forego for them to undergo for them When the business was under consideration concerning the Redemption of the World when it was propounded to him My Son wilt thou undertake for a damned World to save a company of poor souls that are like to perish eternally unless that help come in Wilt thou undertake for them Father I will do it I love them and I will do them all the good I can I but Son If thou wilt undertake their cause thou must bear their guilt thou must undergo their curse thou must be put to shame for them thou must suffer and dye and shed thy blood for them Father I am willing Father I delight to do thy Will thy Law O Father is in my heart Why what a heart-breaking love is this He sticks at nothing he doth not ingage to a dispute with the Father and with the Spirit and say thus Why should I undergo this smart and pain and torment for a company of wretches Let them damn and perish let them reap the fruit of their own evil doings Father what hast thou to object against me I never offended thee Why should I be made an Offering and a Sacrifice for sin Not a word of this but a most willing complyance with the Counsel of God concerning the saving of poor souls and redeeming them from going down into the pit What love was here O admirable love of our Lord Jesus Christ Why now do but consider this then This love of Christ this Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ the loveliness of his Person and the lovingness of his nature and disposition and what an inlarged heart of love as to God so to poor sinners And consider what delight he takes to manifest his Love to us and what longings there are in him that he might have all his People in Heaven that they might know to the full that dear love that he hath born to them from all Eternity Why If these things were better known and digested if we would not only slip and away but dwell upon the Meditation of these things unquestionably it would contribute most largely unto the promoting of love we should not be so dead-hearted unto Christ as we are our fire of love would burn out more unto God unto Christ than ever it 's like to do if so be that we were but more improved in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I commend these things with much confidence to the Consciences of every one of you whether that this Knowledge of our Lord Jesus this blessed Knowledge if it were but more pursued and if we had but more advancement in it whether it would not more improve our Faith improve our Hope improve our Repentance improve our Love to God and the Lord Jesus and of one to another And then again The like we may speak concerning humility and meekness of Spirit for it comes to my thoughts that Proverb of Solomon to make use of it here upon occasion of this account that I give concerning the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Solomon speaks of a gift of Knowledge which prospers which
creatures these ill-looking deformed people yet notwithstanding I will set my love upon them I will love them freely I will adopt them for my children and they shall be mine and I will estate them in great and large Possessions I will own them I will not be ashamed of them to be called their Father and to call them my children A wonderful thing it is to consider of the priviledge of Adoption I but now by the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ when it comes to be a well grown Knowledge when we come to know that that is to be known concerning Jesus Christ this will exceedingly advance the comfort of this priviledge of Adoption As will appear thus First of all We are to consider that a Believers Adoption it 's founded in Christ and the foundation of it it is laid in the Blood and Death and Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We are said to be the Sons of God by faith in Jesus Christ as the Apostle speaks 'T is by faith in Jesus that we come to have this Adoption and we are to know that all that are the adopted of God they are a generation that springs out of the very blood and bowels of Jesus Christ. Methinks it is worthy observing that which we have in Isa. 53. compared with Isa. 54. In the 53. you have an account in a Prophetical way of the sufferings of Christ and of his blood sheding It pleased the Father to bruise him v. 10. He hath put him to grief Well what follows upon this He shall see the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied Now mark you what 's this travel Observe what follows in Chap. 54. Sing O barren thou that didst not bear break forth into singing and cry aloud thou that didst not travel with child for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married Wife saith the Lord Enlarge the place of thy tent and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations spare not lengthen thy cords and strengthen thy stakes for thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles And thus the Prophet goes on Here now upon the Sacrifice Sufferings of our Lord Jesus there comes to spring up a numerous Issue which springs up out of his blood he shall see his seed and be satisfied there shall be a seed that shall be raised up out of his very blood and bowels And so likewise in Psal. 22. the Prophet having in the former part set forth unto us the sufferings of Christ he gives us in the close of the Psalm an account of the fruit that springs up out of these sufferings Saith he A seed shall serve him it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation they shall come and declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born that he hath done this He hath brought about a seed he hath raised up out of his own blood and bowels a seed that shall be accounted to the Lord for a Generation O this is the benefit that comes by Christ. And mark you this By the right Knowledge of our Lord Jesus we have this comfort concerning Adoption That as he pleads on the behalf of his People their Justification and maintains them in that so he pleads their Adoption and his blood it is that keeps them fast to God so as they shall never be unchilded again And then again This is that that we are to know concerning our Lord Jesus Christ That it is he that gives them this priviledge of Adoption and puts them into the actual possession of it as in that 1 Ioh. 12. As many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God He gave them the priviledge to become the Sons of God and to enjoy this priviledge Why this is that we are to know concerning our Lord Jesus And with all consider this O this is that which makes the comfort of Adoption to spring out to â—…low forth to the refreshing of the souls of the Saints to think that their Adoption it is such a priviledge as that upon the account thereof as they come for to be Children to the Father so they come to be Brethren to Christ. For mark you Christ himself is a Son saith the Apostle Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God Here 's love indeed and it appears so to us because by being made the Sons of God we come to be in a condition like unto Christ For what is he He is the Son of the Father he is the begotten of the Father the only begotten in regard as he is second person and the first begotten in respect of his Mediatorship as he is God-Man The first born the first begotten the only begotten as he is the second Person but the first begotten and the first born as he is Mediator as the Prophet speaks in the Psalms Thou art my Son This day have I begotten thee You are to understand that of Christ as Mediator and especially as raised up in the day of his Resurrection from the dead This day have I begotten thee begotten thee by an act of mighty power raising thee up and so he becomes the first-born among many Brethren Here 's the comfort of the priviledge of Adoption which we come to be partakers of by a well improved Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ Here 's the comfort of our Adoption that by means hereof we come into a Brotherhood with Christ. Beleevers O what a dignifying priviledge is this that they come to have a Brotherhood with Jesus Christ As they have a filiation in reference to God so they come to have a Brotherhood with Jesus Christ so that he is born to them and they are Brethren to him according to Psal. 22. we sung this Morning I will declare thy Name unto my Brethren speaking of his People and redeemed ones and he is pleased so to reckon upon all his People they are his Brethren Go and tell my Brethren After his Resurrection he expresseth himself to this purpose Go and tell my Brethren that I go before them And O this is that that doth advance the Priviledge and give them comfort of the priviledge of Adoption to souls to think that they come into a Brotherhood with Christ Jesus And as it is said in the Text I spoke to the other day That God is not ashamed to be called the God of his People God is not ashamed to be called their God and their Father and to call his People his Children So it is said of Christ and 't is a very considerable thing that which the Apostle holds forth in his Epistle to the Hebrews saith he Both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren Mark this this is the testimony concerning Jesus Christ
which a well-grown Faith will inable to and such a degree of Faith our duty is to endeavour after that we may be able to say with the Spouse even so come Lord Jesus come quickly And thus I have spoken to you concerning Faith when the Apostle calls upon us to grow in Grace I have prest the duty with respect to this particular Grace of Faith and this know as I said in the beginning of the discourse That truly the growth of other Graces doth very much depend upon the growth of Faith and the reason why we are so low and poor in other Graces it is because our Faith is not better improved and raised up to a higher pitch But yet I would speak something concerning two or three other Graces and so endeavour to fasten this charge of the Apostle upon you Your duty is if you have Grace to grow in Grace do but think of it seriously and study to answer the duty of the Text Grow in Grace Grow in Faith I and know that it is your duty to grow in Love In Love to God in Love to Christ in Love to the Truth in Love to the Saints in Love with Heaven this is that that you should set your hearts unto Have you any thing of the Love of God in you If you know that it 's your duty to improve in that Love as you are taught of God to Love so you are taught of God to increase and abound in Love If there be a spark of Love in you to God you should labour to bless God for that but labour withal that that spark may be blown up into a flame Are you able to say with Peter if the question should be put to you as it was to him Simon Son of Jâ—…nah Lovest thou me You should be thinking with your selves if Christ should put such a question to you such a one Thomas John Brother Sister dost thou love me that you may be able to say without check of conscience Yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee It were very good for every one of us to be putting this question to our own hearts O my soul dost thou love God indeed art thou able to make a bold profession of thy love to God Doth not thy conscience tell thee that thou lyest when thou sayest thou lovest him and his Christ and his Spirit and his waies Dost thou indeed love him If we can say with boldness and without check and controul of conscience Lord thou knowest that I love thee Then I would say this to thee Dost thou love him O labour to love him more and more to love him with a more intire love with a more intensive love Love him with such a love that whatsoever duties he requires of thee thou mayest cheerfully apply to them O Lord I love thee and I so love thee that I think nothing too much to do for thee so love thee as that I think nothing too much to suffer for thee If thou call me to duty O Lord I love thee so dearly that I stick at nothing of duty O Lord I love thee with such an intire and an intensive love that I think nothing too much to suffer for thee such a love we should press to and improve to such a flame that we may be able to say all this is come upon us as the Church speaks in Ps. 44. yet have we not departed from thee noâ—… have we dealt falsely in thy Covenant this is the Love a flaming Love to God to Christ to the Truth to waies of Holyness such a Love as no waters may be able to quench And then thirdly Grow in Grace in what Grace O Christians if so be that you have any Fear of God in you look to it that that fear be a growing Fear I speak now of a holy fear a child-like fear a fear of Reverence a fear that is consistent with love The Fear of God it is a Grace which you should endeavour to grow in that it may be said of you that you Fear God I you fear God above many It 's an excellent testimony that 's given concerning one in the book of Neh. The testimony is given of him that he feared God and he feared God above many Now such a fear that we may go beyond others in their fear others have a fear of God to such or such a degree I but the fear in such a one is far passing the fear of others Such a fear of God we should endeavour to come to that when a temptation comes upon us and it comes with the greatest advantages consider of it and we have the fairest opportunities to commit the sin that we are tempted to such a fear we should endeavour to be possest withal that we may break the force and power of the temptation that it may not in the least fasten upon us Such a fear there was in Ioseph when the temptation was upon him só strong and comes upon him with so much advantage the fear of God was so strong upon his heart that he was inabled to bid defiance to the temptation and to quit himself in an honourable manner Such a Fear of God so improved and grown up to such a degree that when there are difficult duties before us to perform and such duties as we shall be in danger by performing of them to fall into deep and dreadful sufferings Such a Fear as let the danger be what it will that I may expose my self to in case I perform the duty yet the Fear of God is so strong upon my heart as that notwithstanding all the danger the duty shall be done This was the case of Obadiah there was a duty incumbent upon him and which he had opportunity to perform concerning the Prophets of the Lord He takes 100 of them and gets them into a Cave and there he feeds them by 50 in a Cave this was a very difficult and a dangerous duty it was as much as his life amounted to in case that Iezabel should have come to the knowledge of it I but notwithstanding the difficulty and the danger such was the fear of God in him that he was inabled to the performance of this duty and therefore he could speak boldly to Eliah in 1 Kin. 18. I thy Servant fear the Lord and that with such a fear thot when Iezabel slew the Prophets of the Lord I hid 100 of them by 50 in a Cave Such a fear we should labour to be possest withal as that when we are apt to be insnared and inslaved by the fear of men the fear of God may break the force of that fear Solomon tell us In the fear of man there is a snare and how apt are people to be ensnared by it I but now if the Fear of God were but well improved it would break the snare and swallow up the fear of man In the fear of man there is a snare But in the fear of the Lord there
them as you can use as strict discipline upon your lusts and corruptions as you can O 't is this that doth do us a great deal of mischief and doth very much prejudice the soul that there is not a more through repenting and breaking off our corruptions and lusts Amnon's lustful love to his Sister Thamar it made him look lean from day to day I allude to it O saith he to him why do'st thou being the Kings Son look lean from day to day O saith he I love my Sister Thamar Why are Christians that are the Kings Sons and Daughters lean from day to day O! there 's something amiss something lyes within some lust and corruption that is not fully subdued This is that that causeth leanness in their faces And then thirdly have not you been directed to this That you would take heed of entertaining conceits of your own perfection that you would take heed of swelling thoughts of what you have already attained so as to fancy to your selves a perfection Keep your hearts in this apprehension as Paul doth I have not yet attained I am not yet perfect I am not so good as I should be and I am not so good as I am resolved to be and thereupon you will by Grace come to this resolve as Paul did I have not yet attain'd I am not yet perfect why then I will forget what is behind and I will reach to that which is before Your duty is to take knowledge of whatsoever Grace you have already received I but so take notice of it to be thankful as that you do not rest in it and say it is enough and I will look after no more But so bless God for what is already bestowed upon you that you still be pressing on for a larger supply and that you may come to be more and more improved in the Grace that is begun Fourthly I would add this in order to your growth that you may do according to your duty you and I that we may grow in Grace Will you but seriously propound this to your selves make it your business and resolve upon it that you will do your utmost to grow in Grace and to be every day better and better Natural growth that comes on whether we mind it or no. The child that 's conceived in the womb it minds not its growth when it s born and in its infancy it minds not its growth I but yet there is a growth and nature carries it on I but it is not so in Grace Growth in Grace must be minded and it must be attained and we must propound it to our selves that we may grow And truly I am perswaded if so be that Christians would but go to work like rational creatures like men that understood themselves in a religiously rational way if so be that they would but go to work as those that do with religious reason weigh and consider that this is their duty to grow and propound it and make it their design and resolve upon it to make a business of it that they may grow in Grace I am very consident of it that there would be better growth You know whether this be propounded by you that you may be better in your Faith and Love and Holyness that you may have more of God and of Christ more of the Kingdom of God more of the power of the Gospel be more in expressing these things Your Consciences can tell you whether you propound these things to your selves whether you can say Truly I am not so good as I would be I would be better and by the Grace of God I will be better I will endeavour to better my condition and to express more of the in-dwelling of Christ in me Undoubtedly if you would but resolve to make it a business it would be better with you than it is 5. If you desire to grow in Grace do but study what Grace is and if you have it what it is in you why is it not a lovely thing Do you know what Grace is a dramn of it is worth a 10000 Worlds O a little Faith a little Love a little of the Grace of God it is more precious than all the pâ—…arls and jewels in the whole World there 's nothing comparable to it Now if you have a little of this precious commodity why should not your hearts be set to this that you may have more of it And truly this would be a good conducement to the raising up of your hearts to an endeavour this way why this Grace is a precious thing a little I have gotten of it and it is so precious that I will not be contented with this little but I will labour to have as much of it as I can more love O more love never never never too much of that Sixthly If you would grow in Grace look to your union with Christ He is the head and you are the members if you are Beleevers Now the body grows by influence from the head Truly our growth it springs up from union with Christ If you abide in me and my words abide in you then it shall be well if so be that you hold the head 'T is an excellent expression you have in 2 Collos. the Apostle useth that expression of holding the head by vertue of which holding the head there comes to be an increasing with all the increase of God When thou art well skilled in this mysterie of holding the head in a dependance upon Christ drawing every day from the Lord Jesus not contenting himself with what he hath received but is still drawing and sucking from Christ the breasts of Christ. He is in the proper way of proficiency and improvement in Grace These are not empty notions no they are the things of the spirit of God the spirit of Wisdom doth suggest them to you and therefore let them be accordingly regarded and heeded by you Seventhly your duty is to grow and to grow in Grace In order to that I will tell you what will be a a good conducement labour to make it sure that you have Grace in the truth of it and be very much in that inquiry into your selves so as that you may be clear in this that you have the true Grace of God in you that it is the true Grace of God wherein you stand This is a good conducement to proficiency and growth in Grace when you come to know that there is a work begun For mark you if so be that a man be about a building and do question whether the foundation be well laid yea or no truly he can never go on so clearly and so dexterously in the carrying on of the building But if so be that he be well perswaded sufficiently satisfied concerning this that the foundation is well laid this will strengthen his hands for to go on in the work If so be that a man be upon a journey and question whether he be in the right
World there are many they will be rich in the World and they decree and resolve upon it that they will be rich I sometimes whether God will or no. They carry the matter as if they would be rich whether God will or no. They would be rich rich in the World and they have no warrant for God hath not required this of any man that they should grow rich in the World He requires they should do their duty and if he will come in with a blessing so they ought to be thankful but he doth not command them to be rich in the World but there are that will be rich and resolve to be rich and so they run themselves into snares and temptations and many hurtful and noysome lusts that drown mens souls in destruction I but here 's the Grace of God to his poor servants His will is that they should be rich in Grace and he doth encourage thereunto by promising that he will prosper you in your way He hath given you such a stock he will give you more provided that you do but your duty and it is his mercy that he hath made it the matter of your duty to grow in Grace 2. And then reckon upon this for your encouragement and the quickening of you in your endeavours this way To be sure grow as much as you can you will never grow too good for God you can never have too much Grace you can never have too much Faith nor Love nor Holiness Godliness knows no bounds You can never have too much of God and Christ and Holiness When the foolish Virgins saw themselves at a loss as touching their oyle and come to the wise to buy of them nay say they spare us there we have none to part withal we will keep what we have gotten lest we should not have enough for us and you And so make account of this that when you have grown as high in Grace as you can you will have no over-pluss you will have none to spare SERM. VIII IT is God's great mercy that there are any in the World which have any Grace in them and that God should make such a pleasant and precious plant to take root and spring up in such a soyl as the soul is so barren of all good and so unapt to receive any good Now as it is God's mercy that any have Grace so it is their duty that have it for to grow in it and this duty you have been over and over charged with But I shall now come to what remains to be spoken concerning this Argument which I shall give a brief account of and then come to what follows in the Text. 2. The further encouragements unto the lively and vigorous prosecution of this matter a strenuous endeavour to grow in Grace the incouragements they are very great and I desire that you may know the force and power and vertue of them in your own hearts 3. If so be that you do indeed make it your business and do endeavour this to grow in Grace and shall do so as you are very like to do it if you endeavour after it you will have this advantage you will not be altogether so apt to be unsetled in your apprehensions concerning your state you will not be so much upon the questioning point concerning the truth and reality of the Grace of God in you as many are when you come to be of some considerable growth in Grace when you come to have much Faith and much Love and much Holyness much of the Fear of God you will not be so apt to be questioning the point and fluctuating in your souls concerning your Grace but you will be able to bear up against temptations of that kind and ready to make your confident avouchments and say if you be questioned about your Faith Yea Lord thou knowest I do believe Be questioned about your Love as Peter was Simon lovest thou me Yea Lord thâ—…u knowest I love thee And truly this is a great advantage that will come over to us by improvement in Grace for the truth and soundness of Grace it doth appear by its growth it is a clear demonstration that a plant lives wâ—…n it grows it may live and yet there be no discovery of its growth but when there is a growth there is a plain demonstration that the plant is alive and this benefit will come over by growing in Grace And while poor weaklings in Grace that are of low attainments and are apt to please themselves in their lower measures will be apt to be shaken by every wind of temptation and be put upon the questioning point upon every occasion whether there be any Grace in them yea or no. They that have but a little Faith a little Grace they will be apt ever and anon to be fluctuating in their spirits and doubting within themselves whether there be any thing of God and Christ and Grace in them Well-grown Christians will be able to bear up with a holy confidence that of a truth the Grace of God is in them 4. This incouragement we have to endeavour a growth in Grace God will be the more glorified Christ will be the more magnified the Gospel will be the more credited the more we have of Grace we shall be able to quit our selves honourably in our way of duty in our way of suffering Herein is our Father Glorified that we have much fruit and bring forth much fruit 5. God will glory in such and make his boast of them as he did of Iob Do'st thou not see my servant Iob that there is not a man like him in the earth an upright and a perfect man one that seareth God and escheweth evil The Lord doth make a holy boast of his eminent servant that was so raised up in Grace and Holyness And you know what our Saviour speaks concerning the woman of Canaan O woman great is thy Faith be it unto thee even as thou will Truly there is very much in that to consider of men and women of advanced Faith and Grace O! how Christ doth Glory in them and what is it that he can deny them Be it unto thee even as thâ—…u wilt draw thy requests and I will under-write them I will say amen to them what can God deny a soul that is improved in Grace of all others such are like to have the highest communications from God for this we may well think that God will order out his communications of mercy and comfort to his people according to their capacities the larger the vessel is the more liquor it takes in and accordingly the more shall there be communicated unto it Narrow hearts are like to have but little because they can receive but little they are little in capacity and are like to be accordingly but little in the communication that shall be made unto them 6. This will be our encouragement to endeavour a growth in Grace we shall by this means credit
imitation But alas how little do we attain to of this Gospel-Repentance how little do we express mostly of such a temper and frame of spirit Can sin freely but repent very hardly How little doth there appear to God of any kindly workings and breakings of heart before him in the sense of all that we daily commit of sin and transâ—…ion in a way of disobedience and loose walking before the Lord. Why truly I may be bold 〈◊〉 that if so be there were any place for Repentance in Heaven though indeed it is not a â—…ce of Repentance but of joy and everlasting rejoycing Yet if Heaven were a place of Repentance I am perswaded that there are very few of those that some to Heaven that would not â—…ll upon the work and business there and that because they repented so little as they did while they were here on earth if there were any place of repentance there it would go to the hearts of many that they did not take it more deeply into consideration their evil dispositions and sinful conversations while they were in the World And what is the reason that Repentance that blessed Grace is not more largely shared in that it is not more expressed to the life of it why we may with much confidence conclude upon 〈◊〉 that this is one of the special reasons because we 〈◊〉 not more of the knowledge of our Lord and 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ. 〈◊〉 Bâ—…en if Christ oâ—… Lord Jesus were better known and the knowledge of him better digested I know this that there would be more soul meltings and heart-breakings 〈◊〉 kindly manner before God than ever otherwise there â—…like to be Consider what the Prophet speaks iâ—… â—…ech 12. saith he They shall look upon him whom they have piâ—…ed and what then They shall look upon him they shall mind Christ study Christ they shall fix their serious thoughts upon the Lord Jesus Christ and upon him aâ—… one whom they have pierced and what will follow Then shall they mourn over him as one who mourneth for an only Son and be in bitterness as one that is in bitterness for his first-born This will raise up the sorrow this will break the heart When persons come for to know and consider and seriously ponder upon the Lord Jesus Christ consider of his dying and dreadful suffering and woful breakings and bruisings that he was pleased to undergo on the behalf of poor sinners and then their hearts will break within theâ—… What was that which made the Converts in Acts 2. for to fall into such a melting frame and to be pricked at the heart and to mourn and lameâ—… deeply Why Peter had been preâ—…ching to them the Doctrine concerning our Lord Jesus and endeavouring to bring them to the knowledge of him whom they had crucified You have crucified the Prince of Life you have been the murtherers and betrayers of him they were pricked then at the heart and cryed out O men and 〈◊〉 what shall we do O miserable wretches When a soul shall set it self to know and understand the mystery concerning Christ that the Eternal Son of God he that was in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God he that was from all eternity the delight of his Father he that was holy and unblamable knew no sin never was guile found in his mouth the spotless Lamb That he should be hanged as a malefactor that he should be put to the greatest shame and ignominy that could be that he should be under the heat of the wrath of his Father that his precious soul should be in such an agony as that he should be constrained to cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me That he should undergo such breakings and bruisings and woundings that he should sweat drops and clods of blood that his soul should be exceeding sorrowful and heavy unto the very death And yet this blessed Jesus one that never sinned no not so much as in a Thought yet that all this should be undergone by him And when a soul shall come to consider that it self hath been accessary to this horrid murther it self should have a hand in this bloody business that it self should be a party to this prodigious impiety that it self should stabb Christ to the very heart when this comes to be considered when a soul comes to be well improved in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his deep and dreadful and dolorous sufferings this must needs give an advance to the Grace of Repentance Why it would argue a heart harder than an Adamant that would not upon such well digested apprehensions as these be in meltings before the Lord upon the consideration of a crucified Christ. This is that which if it were but well known and studied and seriously pondered upon would give an advance I say unto Repentance But the reason why we are no more in the lively practice of Repentance is because we are no more studied in this Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I would this were considered of by us and put to the proof whether you would not find it so in experience that this would make your hearts to break before the Lord. 4. The Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and a kindly growth in it will conduce very much as of Faith and Hope and Repentance so of Love love to God and love to Christ and love one to another The complaint may justly enough be taken up concerning this as concerning the other Graces we are little in one and other and truly it is not to be expected that they should be much advanc'd in Love that are not advanc'd in Faith and Hope and in their Repentance towards God But thus it is alas that Love that should be in us in the flame it is mostly but in the spark we have some little glowings it may be but not those kindly burnings of Love to God and Love to Christ those inlargements of heart that we should make discovery of and what 's the reason Why we may reckon it very much to this that we are not more improved in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ For the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Christ well advanc'd well grown and improved as a most strong and effectual conducement to the growth in Love When the Daughters of Jerusalem had been well instructed concerning the Spouses Beloved when they had had an account of him their hearts were exceedingly taken with him and then they would seek him with her Whither is thy Beloved gone O thou fairest among women Whether is thy Beloved gone that we may seek him with thee Thus it is if so be that we knew more of Christ we would be more in the Love of Christ. Truly the motions of the Will they will answer the sanctified light of the understanding Now where there is but little light and Knowledge 't is not to be expected that
2ly That you would know the singular eminency of the love of Christ which is a love that passes knowledge And the Apostle presses this upon us in Eph. 3. saith he I bow my knees c. that you may be able to comprehend with all Saints the heights and depths and breadths and lengths And what do these dimensions refer to Why saith he That you may know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge that you may know it in the height of it in the depths in the breadths in the lengths of it O saith he this is the Knowledge that I would have you increase and grow in that so you may come to be filled with all the fulness of God O this love is such a love as we can never know enough of That Christ hath such love to his Father as to comply with his designs concerning a sinful World and that he should bear such love to a company of vile wretches ugly defiled loathsom creatures that he would not stick at the laying down of his Life and shedding his Blood to save them from eternal vengeance O saith the Apostle study this that you may comprehend the height and depth and length and breadth of the love of Christ which passes Knowledge and then shall you come to be filled with all the fulness of God I have only this one thing further But what shall we do to grow in the Knowledge of Christ First When you have improved well To him that hath shall be given Labour to be more humble If you be of meek and humble frames of heart and do not swell with notions truly Christ will delight to communicate more of his Knowledge to you And then love him more If you would love him more you should know him more as knowledge will help to increase love so love to Christ upon what we do know will contribute to the promoting of our Knowledge And then what you do know make use of it practice it and labour to keep in an obediential frame If any man will do his will he shall know c. And then you must pray for this Knowledge that the Lord would open the eyes of your understanding I am a stranger in the earth O hide not thy Commandments from me And then the whole Scriptures they testifie of Christ and if you would know much of Christ be much in the study of the Scriptures There are two Scriptures which I would not in the least to take you off from the searching into others have persons to be well studied in to desire to advance in the Knowledge of Christ There is first the Song of Solomon and the Book of the Revelations The Song of Solomon The studying of that Book will much promote your knowledge in the love of Christ when you shall come to see what a spirit breaths in that blessed Book that Song of Songs what a spirit of love doth breath there you will come to know the love of Christ how dear he is over his Spouse over his Children over all that are given to him O how he delights in them and to hold converse with them and how he can over-look their spots and blemishes and look upon them as fair and having no spot in them It is admirable to consider what endeavours there are on the part of Christ over his beloved Spouse that Book well studied will promote your Knowledge in the love of Christ. And then the Book of the Revelations it is a Scripture that is given us for pretious purposes and being well studied it will contribute much to the advancing in the knowledge of Christ of his Glory and Power and Greatness There we come to have discoveries made to us of what Enemies he hath and what Victories he shall get and what triumphs he shall maintain and what glory shall be setled upon him and what injoyments there shall be between him and the Bride in due time and we shall come to understand more fully what blessed days Sun-shine days days of light and liberty of joy and comfort when tears shall be wiped away from the eyes of his poor mourners here on earth and they shall come to Zion with everlasting joy and sorrow and mourning shall flee away And so I have done with this Knowledge Now the Lord make you wise to consider and give us hearts to set to it that we may answer our duty according to the charge in the Text. SERM. XIX 2 PET. 3. 18. To him be Glory both now and for ever Amen HAving spent several years in the handling of this Chapter and having in the former Exercise been driving at this That there may be a growing in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I am now to issue all that hath been spoken according to what the Text now guides me to in a Doxologie that is in an honourable acknowledgment of the Lord Jesus Christ as a Person unto whom Glory is most righteously to be ascribed Thus the words signifie to us according to the sound of them To him be glory both now and for ever Amen Words of pretious import words of common use It were much to be wished both for Ministers and Christians that are upon the frequent usage of them that it may be very carefully lookt unto that while we keep a form of words and hold up a form of words and make use of them in ordinary course we be not awanting to that which is imported in them and lose not the Spirit while we hold forth the Letter To him be Glory both now and for ever Amen And there is infinite cause that when these words sound in our ears we should be most free to say our Amen unto them a sweet close of a sacred and saving piece of Scripture And truly it is well becoming men and women professing godliness for to be most cordial unto the uttering and expressing of this language the language of the Text. 'T is a becoming close for every Sermon that 's Preacht for every Prayer that is made for every Duty performed for every Mercy that 's received and for all that 's testified of God and Christ to issue all thus Now unto him be glory both now and for ever Amen We have the Letter the great matter is to look to it that we lose not the Spirit that we be not as I said in the usage of a form and in the mean time be strangers to the Power There is some difference as to words and phrase and form of expression between this Doxologie and some others that we meet withal in holy Writ The Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Romans he forms the Doxologie thus Chap. 16. 25. To him that is of power to establish you according to my Gospel and the preaching of Iesus Christ. To God only wise be glory through Iesus Christ for ever Amen In Eph. 3. we have the Doxologie formed thus Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly