may say Through the Grace of God I can say I am most fearful to sin and to do any thing that 's displeasing to God and when so O especially then when I am least fearful to be punished and plagued for it The less I have of the fear of hell and damnation and the more I have of a holy confidence towards God that I shall be everlastingly saved the more am I fearful with a holy filial fear to do any thing that may be displeasing to my God here 's the well-grown Faith and it argues much feebleness in the Faith of a Christian and it gives occasion to sometimes to question the truth of it When persons upon the apprehension of their justified state they are ready to take liberty to sin You know how the Apostle argues against this Shall we continue in sin because Grace hath abounded God forbid Nay the Faith of a Beleever well improved will fortifie his spirit against such a temptation and against the assaults of the Devil and corruption and say Seeing the Grace of God hath appeared to me and magnified it self upon me in a pardoning way in a renewing way that Grace I reckon upon as that that shall abide upon me and shall ingage it self to perfect all the concerns Justification Sanctification everlasting Salvation this makes a holy fear to flourish in my soul that I may not in any thing carry it unbecomingly and unsutably to such a state This is the well-grown Faith that we should press after Yet further when I press you to a growth in Grace and especially in the Grace of Faith thus you shall be able to judge of it We should endeavour to be of such a growth as that whatsoever Grace is implanted in us and to what degree soever whatsoever our accomplishments are in the renewed state and according to the new creature whatsoever there is of inherent Grace and of gracious abilities yet we can so look upon our inherent Graces and spiritual Abilities as to keep off from placing any confidencee in them but still keep a full relyance upon the Lord Jesus Christ. This is our duty that whatsoever is of Grace inherent in us yet that it be not trusted unto Grace in the soul is but a creature 't is one of the best pieces indeed of all Gods creation that ever were made by him yet it is but a creature and being a creature it is not to be trusted A man must not trust in his trust he must trust with his Faith but he must not trust to his Faith he must not trust to any spiritual strength or abilities that he hath in him but still keep a dependence upon Christ reckon upon Christ as the strength that will be sufficient for him It was the answer that was given to Paul when he was under those sore buffetings saith he Paul My Grace is sufficient for thee Paul's Grace was not sufficient any further than it was made sufficient by Christ's Grace It is not the water in the Cistern that will serve the turn but the water in the Fountain dependance upon the Cistern will be found to be a vain thing the Cistern may be exhausted but the Fountain cannot You know how it was with Adam when he had the Grace of Creation it fail'd him Peter when he was strong in himself you know what his confidence in himself issued in and therefore I say such confidences even in our own Graces are to be accursed the Lord rejects such confidences and so should we We should use our Graces but trust not to them but still keep a dependance upon the Lord Jesus according to the Apostles charge to Timothy Be thou strong in the Grace that is in Christ Iesus And truly this is that that will not be performed but by a well-grown Faith when we can thus do see the Grace of God in us prize it bless him for it imploy it make use of it and yet notwithstanding keep hands off from it from trusting upon it and keep a full dependance upon the Lord Jesus Christ that 's another thing Again grow in Grace grow in Faith 't is your duty and to what purpose to such a purpose that while we do and perform duties with greatest delight as indeed Faith will carry us to that it will make a man delight in the Law of God and in the waies of Holiness and performance of holy duties account it meat and drink to be in the practice of them yet while we are in the performance of duty that even then when we have done to lay them by and say this is not my foundation O Lord I have done thus and thus It may be much in preaching much in prayer much in alms much in acts of mortification much in such and such services I but Lord when I have done all I do profess that I have done nothing to purpose nothing to my justification I so do duties as if I were to be justified by them yet I so trust upon Christ as if I were not to meddle with my duty at all O this is precious Faith and well-improved Faith when we can do service and duty to God and yet when we have done all we can take off from all lay all at the foot of Jesus and say O Lord this shall never be my Righteousness I will endeavour to be as righteous and holy and gracious as I can but Lord when I have done all I can I am resolved to lay all by and will make mention of thy righteousness and of thine only and I am resolved I will never plead any righteousness of my own any duties and services of my performance I will never plead them before thee as my Righteousness I may plead them as evidences as Hezekiah doth Remember Lord how I have walk'd before thee in truth and with a perfect heart but I will never plead them as my righteousness which I will stick to and bear upon them before the tribunal of God no I will throw them all away when they offer themselves to come in upon such an account Alas poor weak Beleevers O how apt are they to keep hands upon their duties and services and when a day of temptation and dissertion and perplexity begins to seize upon them they begin to turn their eyes to what they have been and done I but the Faith of a Beleever when it comes to its due growth will otherwise carry the soul and make it to keep its dependance upon the Lord Jesus Again your duty is to grow in Grace and especially in Faith and such a growth as that while you give attendance upon an Ordinance you can see the authority of God stamp'd upon it and upon the account of that authority which is stamp'd you give the attendance and you reckon upon it as a blessed expedient which God hath provided for your souls advantage and you reckon upon gracious communications from God by it as by such an expedient of his own
yet the very same Law in the hand of Faith as it is a rule of Righteousness it is a rod in the hand and of precious use and this is that wherein the growth of Faith will discover it self when we can thus jadiciously manage the apprehensions of the Law so as to appeal from it and yet to apply to it To rejoyce in a freedom from it and from its severity and yet rejoyce in holding a complyance and correspondency with it as it is a gracious holy rule that God hath given us to conform unto And this is another thing which I offer to you to be judiciously considered of that you may shew forth the growth of your Faith in this way Yet further grow in Grace grow in Faith and how shall it appear Thus grow in Faith so as that while you remember former guilts deep and dreadful guilts that have been contracted upon you while upon review of former cursed carriages and practices upon review and upon reflection you can remember deep contracted guilt upon your consciences under which it may be you labour as under an unsupportable burden yet at that very time when the remembrance of former dreadful guilt contracted is reviv'd yet you can at the very same time bear up with a holy confidence towards God upon the account of that rich and glorious Grace which hath appeared by our Lord Jesus Christ while with freedom and as becomes a Gospel-spirit of ingenuity you can draw up a charge against your selves and say I was a Persecuter as Paul speaks I was a Blasphemer I was Injurious I was a notorious Drunkard I was a prophane cursed Swearer I was hellishly vitious thus and thus I was and thus and thus I do acknowledge I remember well how the case stood with me what a cursed course I took and how I run on in the rode to hell destruction without any fear controul how fast I was ripening sor hell and destruction I remember this and yet I can remember it without despondency I can't remember it without a breaking and bleeding soul to think that ever I should carry it so towards the Lord and yet withal I can bear up in a rejoycing spirit upon the account of super-abounding Grace While you can charge your selves so as it may be none in the World can make the like charge upon you Yet notwithstanding you can make a bold challenge and say with the Apostle in Rom. 8. who shall lay any thing to my charge This is an excellent thing and an argument of a well-improved and well-grown Faith when it comes to this and indeed it is no other than a Faith of good growth that will inable to this Poor weaklings in Faith and Grace when they come to remember their former cursed carriage O how apt to fall under deepest despondencies and to be possest with horror and astonishment and to be disputing against themselves and concerning their estate and ready to conclude alas how is it possible that ever such a miserable misereant as I should find Grace to releeve 〈◊〉 favour with God forgiveness of sins Surely this burden will sink my soul this guilt will press me down to hell such deep and dreadful guilt O such stains upon my conscience what can fetch them out what plaister broad enough to cover such sores what price great enough to say such debts A poor weakling in Faith is apt to argue thus to the sinking and over-whelming of his spirit But it is the Faith that is well-grown that will inable the soul at this same time eying guilt and eying Grace seeing the Plague and seeing the plaister and taking knowlodge of the super abundance of the Grace of Christ above his contracted guilt for to bear up with a holy confidence and as I said before to charge and challenge to charge it self and yet challenge the accuser and say who shall be able to lay any thing unto my charge I know whom I have beleeved I know whither I have sled for refuge I know where I have anchored I know upon what foundation I have built my hope and confidence upon here 's the well-grown Faith a Faith which will give the greatest Glory to God When a man can look upon all the evils that ever were committed by him with a melting dissolving soul yet notwithstanding bear up with boldness and say I but I know that not any thing of this shall ever be laid to my charge and I know whom I have believed Will you but weigh these things and consider of them and know that this is the Faith which we are to press after And so which follows upon the former such a growth in Faith should we press after as that while we see the corruptions that are in us and sadly complain of the pressures under which we lye and how miserably we are yoked while we do so and see cause to cry out with the Apostle O wretched man that I am by reason of what by reason of a law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind O miserable wretch what darkness is in my understanding what perversness in my will what inordinacy in my affections what a crabbed perverse nature have I O what a rebelling soul is there in me when I would do good evil is present and so the poor soul labours and makes sad complaints and moans in the ears of God yet notwithstanding at the same time can say with the Apostle but though it be thus yet blessed be God I thank God through Jesus Christ though I serve with my flesh the law of sin yet with my spirit I serve the Lord Jesus Christ though there be a rebelling law yet I find another law a law in my mind that makes opposition to that rebelling law and I find principles of Grace and Holiness acting most vigorously in opposition to those principles And though they tugg and wrestle and struggle with me yet I am utterly set against complyance with them and am resolv'd upon this that I will never make any league with them but I 'll do the utmost I can for to ruine them to be the death of them I thank God through Jesus Christ. This is now the Faith that we should press after that we may thus bear up with courage and resolution and while we see our own blemishes yet we can rejoyce to think what a beauty is upon us through Jesus Christ. We can see blemishes and yet we can see perfection of beauty that we are made comely through the comelyness which by Grace is put upon us Then again such a growth in Faith our duty is to press after and to endeavour to as that we may be able to say I am never more fearful to sin against God than when I am least fearful for to be condemned by God O it 's a blessed proof of a well-grown Faith and such a Faith should we endeavour to and a Faith of such a growth that we
'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
I see I am a most plaguie creature Now if you should know no more this is the way to become stark mad and to fall under most dreadful despair as Iudis did and you know what course hetook But now the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is the knnowledg that relieves us concerning the knowledg of sin O I know my plague I but by my knowledge of Christ I come to know my plaister I know my disease but by the knowledge of Christ I come to know my remedy The knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I will tell you what a knowledge it is It is a heart-breaking knowledge a soul-humbling knowledge it is a sin-killing knowledge it is a Grace-quickening knowledge O it is a love-flaming knowledge and it is such a knowledge as will draw out the heart to Christ such a knowledge as will make men willing to do any thing to suffer any thing for the name and sake of the Lord Jesus Christ. O 't is excellent knowledge precious knowledge useful knowledge the most beneficial knowledge The Apostle professeth as I said before that he accounted all things but loss and dung for the excellency of this knowledge The inlargement of these things I cannot give you nor come to Application but only thus Will you but set your hearts to a due consideration of the things that have been spoken Certainly 〈◊〉 â—…ou have but an ear to hear and a heart to unâ—…tand and consider of these things how rationally you are required to grow in knowledge and especially in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ if you do but weigh these things and the account given why we should endeavour such a growth you will be able to conclude what is for you to do not to slight this knowledge but to endeavour after it and that you may know Christ know him in his Name and Nature and Oâ—…ices and know him not only for that 's the thing that I would close up withal with an historical and notional knowledge Peradventure you may say as the Apostle speaks We have all knowledge I it may be so a great deal of knowledge there may be in the head and yet nothing of true saving knowledge in the heart but it is not a notional knowledge but a heart-knowledge an in-working knowledge such a knowledge as is opperative to such purposes as I have hinted to you This is the knowledge that we should pursue and endeavour a growth in SERM. X. I Would add to that which hath been spoken of this to be further considered The knowledge of Christ it is a most excellent knowledge it is such a knowledge as the Angels the Glorious Angels are exceedingly devoted to the inquiring into they are very much set to this that they may come to understand this knowledge concerning Christ. The Apostle Peter in his 1 Epist. Ch. 1. gives you this account concerning them speaking there of the Revel ver 11 12. The spirit did testifie before-hand the sufferings of Christ and the Glory which should follow unto whom it was revealed that not unto themselves but unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you which the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven Which things mark you the Angels desire to look into Do but consider that which things of the Gospel concerning Christ his sufferings and Glory the Angels desire to look into they are very close Students in this knowledge and most strongly set to be acquainted with these mysteries the mysterie of the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ A knowledge therefore that our hearts shoud â—…e very strongly set to increase in and for to get more acquaintance with And this I vvould further say that foâ—…â—…e Apostle Paul vvho vvas a man of excellent parts and of very great knovvledge a man of much learning and vvas as able to make a judgement of knovvledge as any man and for to discern betvveen knovvledge and knovvledge The Apostle Paul he vvas as I hinted before very high in his esteem of this knovvledge and if so be that it had been convenient for him to have boasted truly he vvould have made his boast of his knovvledge in the mysterie of Christ Though I saith he be rude in speech yet not in knovvledge and saith he I vvould have you to knovv my knovvledge in the mysterie of Christ. So in Eph. 3. vvriting that Epistle to them he expresseth himself to this purpose Whereby when you come to read you may understand my knowledge in the mysterie of Christ. Further it is a knovvledge that vve should endeavour to grovv up in it is the most beneficial and profitable knovvledge it is the most beneficial knovvledge in all the World It is a heart-humbling knovvledge It is a sin-killing knovvledge It is a conscience-quieting knovvledge And here I might add sundry other particulars that you might come to knovv hovv to value the knovvledge of Christ and so hovv much it concerns us to endeavour after a grovvth and increase in it It is a svveetning knovvledge it svveetens a mans spirit under all the bitterness that it may meet 〈◊〉 â—…al It svveetens afflictions it svveetens temptations and vvhatsoever may be to the imâ—…ering of a mans spirit O the knovvledge of 〈◊〉 Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ it vvill bring the soul into a condition to relish svveetness in it And then it is a sanctifying knovvledge it 's a knowledge that sanctifies the understanding There is another knowledge which men are apt to be lifted up through the attainment of and lifted up with which is a knowledge that doth rather tend to the corrupting and depraving of the understanding but the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ it doth sanctifie the understanding and perfects the understanding it sanctifies all other knowledge that we may come to attain unto And much might be spoken to that purpose But I add yet further that we may stand the more fully convinced of our duty this way to endeavour a growth in the knowledge of Christ Consider thus Beleevers they are most strongly bound to place their whole trust and confidence in Christ and that in order to their being everlastingly saved Blessed are all they that trust in Christ. It is He I say upon whom a Beleevers trust and confidence is to be placed in the fullest strength of it and other confidences than what are plac'd in any but in Christ God will curse them and confound them Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his arm but blessed is the man whose trust is in Christ. It is Christ whom we are to trust with our lives with our souls with our consciences with our peace with our comforts with our eternal concernments Thus it is it is Christ that we are to trust upon for Righteousness unto Justification and everlasting life It is Christ upon whom we are to place our
the hearing of Faith by hearing the Doctrine of Faith the Doctrine of the Gospel the Doctrine concerning the Lord Jesus Christ made known unto you in that way the Spirit came and the Spirit with the Grace of it It is therefore the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ that is the blessed instrumental means whereby there comes to be the first plantation of Grace in the Soul I this that brings men to believe it 's the Gospel men will never believe to the saving of their souls till they come to know Jesus Christ. They will never repent with a Repentance to salvation till they come to know Jesus Christ All the knowledge in the World will never bring over a soul to Faith and Repentance to the Love of God but the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. When men come once to know the Mysterie of the Gospel to know the Grace of God in Christ to know the Mysteries concerning the Salvation and Redemption of the World by the Lord Jesus this will bring them to Faith if any thing will this will bring them to Repentance this is the instrumental means whereby they come to have their hearts warmed with the Love of God The preaching of the Law as a Covenant of Works moral Duties and pressing of them without the line of the Gospel and the Covenant of Grace without reference to that this will but rather provoke and stir up the corruption of a man The Law worketh wrath against a man works wrath in a man it raises up wrath it irritates those cursed corrupt Principles that are in him O this is a Mysterie that we should be well acquainted withal O it is the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospel This is that that breaks the heart and makes the heart to work out after God Never shall we begin to love God nor to love Christ till such time as we come to know the Doctrines of the Gospel concerning our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I would with all my heart that every one of you were but well studied in this Mysterie that now I am speaking to That it is the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ held forth in the Gospel that is the means and instrument to plant Grace to make the first Plantation of it in the Soul As 2ly Know That as it is the means of its first Plantation so it is the means and instrument of its Augmentation I am speaking according to the Doctrine of the Text concerning a growth in Grace and in the Knowledge of Christ. This growth in Grace is brought about by a growth in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus the more we know the more we shall believe the more we shall repent the more we shall love the more holy shall we be as I shall shew you God assisting I think this Point will take up a little more time than other Particulars will but it will be time well spent Now yet further to clear up this That it is the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and the increase in that which doth promote an increase in Grace You shall find in Scripture and truly it is worthy your consideration to my apprehension that the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ it is put for all Grace 'T is a considerable thing that when God will make a promise of all grace he doth epitomise that promise thus I will give them an heart to know me When God comes to make a promise to his People concerning Grace he puts it into this Form I give them an heart to know me O how much is there complicated in that expression I will give them an heart to know me He doth not say an Head to know me Indeed that 's a Gift but Knowledge in the heart is a Grace It is the beginning of Grace and that which contributes to all the Graces an heart to know me To know me with what a kind of Knowledge with a fidelial Knowledge a Knowledge of Trust and an affectionate Knowledge a Knowledge of Love and with a Knowledge of Desire and a Knowledge of Submission I will give them an heart to know me And you shall find likewise to this purpose our Saviour speaks Joh. 17. 3. This is life eternal Why This is life eternal To know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Mark it This is eternal life in the Causes of it this is eternal life in the way and means of it To know thee and to know him whom thou hast sent To know God in Christ this is eternal life Then surely it imports Faith and it imports Love and it imports Holiness for eternal Life doth not come over to a soul but in the way of Believing and in the way of Holiness and in the way of Love and in the way of all the Graces So that I say The Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ it is such a Knowledge as under which is comprehended the Graces of the Spirit And truly this is a consideration of weight in order to this purpose that we may come to be more in our indearings of it and more in our endeavourings after it But now I shall endeavour to make this yet more fully to appear by an induction of Particulars so as that you may stand convinc'd of this that the way to grow in Grace is to grow in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Consider first of all That by growth in this Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we are most happily advantaged for a growth in Faith and Believing it is very considerable and I will commend it to you to be seriously weighed That as Knowledge is put for Faith for justifying Faith according to that remarkableScripture that you have in Isa. 53. where the Lord speaks to this purpose by the Prophet By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many Now do but weigh that passage and observe this expression This is spoken concerning Christ our Lord and Saviour And saith the Prophet By the knowledge of him shall my righteous servant justifie many Why doth the Knowledge of Christ justifie Why the Devils know him and yet they are not justified Carnal Professors they have a Knowledge of him and yet they are not justified I but that is such a kind of Knowledge as that they that have it shall be justified And Christ by the Knowledge of him shall justifie many Now what Knowledge is this Iâ—… must needs be understood of a fiducial Knowledg a Knowledge of Faith such a Knowledge as is a Knowledge of Dependance a Knowledge of Recumbency and Relyance upon the Lord Jesus Christ. There 's no other Knowledge whereby Christ can justifie souls but by such a Knowledge as this And so I say The Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ it is put for Faith and is used to be set forth unto us The faith whereby souls are justified and so
of the earth serve the Lord with fear rejoyce ye with trembling Kiss the Son Kings and Princes and great Men are very apt to forget themselves as if so be that there were none above them as if so be there were none to check and controul them You know how Pharaoh carryed himself Who is the Lord Ah! but there is a Lord above all Lords there is a King above all Kings even the Lord Jesus Christ whom God hath set to be King upon his holy hill of Sion And the right Knowledge of Christ the well improved and advanced Knowledge of Christ it will promote a holy fear and awe and reverence of him and of the great God who hath constituted and appointed him Lord and King I might speak largely to this Particular but I 'll pass it by Thus I have endeavoured to make it appear to you in these Particulars How the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus well improved how it doth contribute to a growth in Grace I would now tell you this further That the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ it is such a Knowledge as is most beneficial to us in respect of Gospel-Duties and Services and doth contribute very much to the lively management of them And therefore it may well be required of Christians and Believers that they grow in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and that upon this very account Because I say that the more we know of our Lord Jesus Christ the more shall we advance in the lively performance of Gospel-worships and Duties and Services which the Lord requires of us Alas Brethren it is that which may well be matter of shame and mourning to think how low we are as in Graces so in gracious Performances and in holy Services What 's the account that is to be given of our daily Services that we perform Sabbath-worships and Duties Alas what kind of Sabbaths do we keep and what kind of Prayers do we perform and offer up to God what kind of Worships are they that we present before the Lord O! if we would but take an account of our selves we might see cause enough to fall a weeping over every Dâ—… we perform When we come to attend the Ministry of the Word and to do our Service to God it appears by mens carriages what a loosness of spirit there is an unfixedness of spirit on God and there is not the breathing after the enjoyments of God in the way of his Ordinances And so for Prayer and other Services What may be the reason of this We may well reckon upon this It is because we are not more advanc'd in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we have not heart-Knowledge so duly improved as it should be concerning our Lord Jesus For Brethren this is 〈◊〉 that we should know concerning Christ That his heart was upon his Work and business and when he prayed he prayed as one that was in Heaven And O what wrestlings of spirit was there on his part with God! He prayed most earnestly and O how intent upon the Duty of Prayer when he had to do that and when he was to Preach O with what intention of soul was that Service performed And when he had the last 〈◊〉 to keep O with desire have I desired to keep this Passâ—… O Father it is meat and drink to 〈◊〉 to do thy Wâ—… Thus it was with Christ Now if we had but a well-digested Knowledge of this it would make us ashamed of our selves and make us put on with more activity and vigour of spirit thinking with our selves what a pattern we have in Christ. And then if we did but consider That Christ is the great High-priest of our holy 〈◊〉 and that he hath ingaged himself on the behalf of his People both to procure their acceptance and to vouâ—…hsafe them assistance Now consider but this And these things we ought to know concerning Jesus our Lord That it is his undertaking to procure acceptance and to give assistance for now he hath all power in his hands The power of the Spirit to give strength to his People to inable them to make their prayers and supplications and to perform their Worships and Services I will strengthen thee I will help thee I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness my Grace is sufficient for thee Thus Christ hath signified concerning himself for the comfort and incouragement of his People And then withal this is to be known concerning our Lord Jesus That he appears in Heaven before his Father to promote their acceptance and to plead their Cause and as the High-priest to present their Services and to sprinkle them with his own blood and to desire the Fathers acceptance of them Now if this were but duly known concerning Christ and we had but a well improved and digested Knowledge concerning this that now I give you an account of O how much would it conduce to the quickning up our hearts to a lively performance of our Services when we shall consider what an example we have in Christ of Duty and Service to God And then that he hath undertaken to afford assistance and to procure acceptance this would make us go on with more life and vigour in the wayes of Godliness And then I would have told you farther That there is all the reason in the world Christians should endeavour a growth in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ Because as this Knowledge well improved conduces to a judiciousness and to a well ordering of the Conscience and to the increase of all the Graces and to the promoting of our Duty so by a well improved Knowledge of our Lord Jesus we shall come to have the more kindly relish of Gospel-priviledges and suck the sweet of them and come to know what there is of comfort and soul-rejoycing to be found in these Priviledges And then this Knowledge well improved O how will it conduce to bear afflictions to the incountering temptations and inable the Soul to the well ordering of a Gospel-conversation to the glory of God SERM. XIV I Shall pass by what was the last Day hinted to you only now suggest some few Particulars more which if we were but acquainted with the Knowledge of we should quit our selves better than we do in this Gospel-worship and service of Prayer As now Did we but know and seriously ponder upon this That Christ himself was very much in this Service that he was a constant practiser to his very Death of this Duty of Prayer If this were but well considered that Christ was very much given to prayer and if he could not have opportunities in the day time he would fetch it out in the night and be in the night season pouring out his soul before his Father Thus it was with Christ he was given to Prayer and his last breathings were breathings in a way of prayer into his Father's bosom And then consider this this is that that
is to be known concerning our Lord Jesus That he hath had a deep experience of prayer and of the difficulties of it and temptations which the soul is subject to meet withal in the management of prayer all this is known to Christ So far as a holy nature could have personal experience of such difficulties and such temptations so far hath our Lord Jesus in his own person experimented this matter concerning prayer Now the knowledge of this the well digested knowledge of this That Christ was a man of prayer and that he hath had experience of prayer and knows what there is of difficulty in prayer and what sore temptations hang upon prayer and what a desperate enemy the Devil is to prayer he knows all this and he hath a sense upon his heart and a knowledge of all the strugling and wrestling in the hearts and spirits of his praying People here upon earth This is that that is to be known concerning our Lord Jesus Christ he hath a deep sense of all the strugglings and wrestlings of the spirits of his People here on earth and is perfectly knowing of all the opposition which they meet withal in the way of prayer and supplication and how the Devil doth set himself against his Saints and what incounters they meet withal from unbelief and the corruptions that are within how apt to fall under deep discouragement and despondency of spirit He knows all this and to this purpose that he might pity and compassionate his People O this is that which is to be known concerning Jesus Christ in Heaven and even now he is in glory that he hath a sense of all this upon his spirit and is privy to every prayer that his poor humble broken-hearted conflicting people do make up to God and is at Gods right hand ingaged to stand their prayers in stead and to promote the success of them and to take them from their hands as the blessed high-priest of their profession and to perfume them in his golden Sencer with his odours the odours of his intercession This is that that is to be known concerning our Lord Jesus Christ and O how doth this knowledge well digested a soul being well advanced in it how will it find this Knowledge largely contributing to the promoting of this Duty Do but weigh these things in your Consciences whether this 〈◊〉 not be a very great conducement to the more lively managing of our prayers and that we would not trifle with God when we are exercised in such a Service And then again for that noble Gospel-Service and Duty of Praise and Blessing of God The more the soul doth improve and grow in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the more vvill there be of loveliness and activity and inlargedness for the management of that Truly Brethren it is that vvhich vve have all cause to be deeply humbled for That God blessed for ever hath not more large returns for his People of praise and thanks and blessing for all that Grace that he hath made to appear unto them O hovv little is it that is done to purpose in such a service And vvhat 's the reason that vve are not more lively to such a purpose that our hearts are not more inlarged to God in a vvay of blessing and praising and thanksgiving to him We may vvell reckon it to this That vve are not more in the Knovvledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for this Knowledge of Christ our Lord and of the Mysteries concerning him this is the Knowledge that will make the soul to be upon the wing mounting up with all inlargements of thankfulness and praise unto God The more the soul is taken up with the apprehensions of the Mysteries of the Gospel concerning the Lord Jesus the more will it be in admirings of Grace the more will it be in magnifyings of the God of all Grace Consider This Knowledge it is such Wine as will make the lips of them that are asleep to speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that expression which we have in Cant. 7. he spâ—…ks there concerning our Saviour that is soâ—… and 〈◊〉 that it would make the lips of them that are asleep to speak Oh! The Doctrine concerning our Lord Jesus if it were better known it would spirit the soul and make it to be most active to such a purpose You here have an account concerning the Angels There was upon the birth of Christ an heavenly Hoste and they were singing praises unto God Glory be to God on high Upon what account upon the account of Jesus Christ and the knowledge they had of Jesus Christ and of that glorious Mysterie concerning Jesus Christ the Angels were not able to contain themselves The Virgin Mary in Luk. 2. when she comes to have an account of the Mysterie concerning her Lord Jesus Christ and the Grace of God through him How doth she break out with all inlargement My soul doth magnifie the Lord my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour and so all along O what blessing and praising of God was there on the part of a People that were well instructed in the first establishing Apostolical constitutions O what inlargements were there in praising God and magnifying him And why Upon the account of the Knowledge that they had of the glorious Mysterie concerning our Lord Jesus Christ and the account that was given in the primitive Persecutions concerning the Christians That they would be in their early singings and praisings of God This was the account of the Christians under dreadful persecution in the dayes of Trajan the Emperor That they would be early in the morning singing and praising and blessing God And upon what account Upon the account of this great and glorious Mysterie concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. O! this is that that would fill the mouth with Arguments and it would wisely contribâ—…te to the promoting of ability sutable to such Arguments wherein to inlarge in blessing and praising God our hearts would not lye so dead upon us we would be more lively than we are in exalting God magnifying his Name did we but know more of our Lord Jesus of the Mysterie which hath been kept secret from Ages and Generations but because we do but sip of the Cup have a little smattering Knowledge and no well digested Knowledge and not duly improved we come off so poorly as we do O consider the spirit of the Apostle Paul how excellently it discovers it self as in the beginning of his Epistle to the Ephesians Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ blessed be God that hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ In Christ So the Apostle Peter O blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that hath begotten us unto a lively hope of an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away and all by the resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ. Thus the Knowledge of our Lord and
A TREATISE OF Growth in Grace IN SUNDRY SERMONS Preached by that lately eminent Servant of JESUS CHRIST SAMUEL SLATER late of St. KATHERINES near the TOWER Psal. 92. 12 13 14. The righteous shall flourish like the Palm tree he shall grow like a Cedar in Libanon c. Hosea 14. 5. I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his roots as Lebanon Heb. 13. 7. Remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken unto you the Word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation London Printed for R. Boulter at the Turks Head in Cornhil over againgst the Royal Exchange 1671. To the Reader READER THE Subject of this Book is Growth in Grace a noble Subject yea the most noble for what is more excellent and desirable than Grace and Growth in it Thereby our Election likeness unto God union with Christ inhabitation of the Spirit ripeness and readiness for Glory are clearly evidenced unto us This is therefore the principal Argument wherewith a gracious Soul should be taken and lay out the principallest of its time and strength in getting thereof and growing therein It argues ignobleness of spirit to set any limit or measure to Grace and Holiness shorter than what the Spirit of God it self hath set viz. The measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ whoso doth it blunts the edge of desires and endeavours and will sit down content with one grain of Grace The Reverend laborious and judicious Preacher of these Sermons whose Growth in Grace was well known would have you not only gracious but eminently gracious Cedars not shrubs which will tend to your greater advantage than can be express'd Be pleased therefore to read and seriously consider what is herein tendred unto you and you will find your hearts so warm'd thereby that you will be of the Authors mind concerning the great Duty of growing in Grace which that you may be and so do is the Prayer of him who desires your Perfection SERM. I. 2 Pet. 3. 18. But grow in Grace and in the knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ To him be Glory both now and for ever Amen WHen the Apostle had cautioned the holy persons that he deals withall concerning their stedfastness and stability he subjoyns â—…in the words that I have read a further duty and brings it in with a but importing that it was not enough for them for to keep their stedfastness not sufficient to the discharge of them that they lost no ground that they did not go back that there were not a retrograde motion But they must look onward saith he you must be careful that you do not fall from your stedfastness I but that 's not all you must not only be stedâ—…st and setled in your condition and state but you must be upon your advances you must be careful of this that you grow not only that you do not decay but that you increase not only that you do not abate but that you do advance not only that you hold your own but that you get more and more of the Grace which you are already partaker of A great duty which I would speak something to and the point is clearly and plainly from the Text this Doctr. That they that are called to be partakers of Grace must be careful of this that they grow in Grace They that have Grace have it in the truth of it must not rest in that No they must not but their duty is to grow in Grace Now will you consider a little this burden of duty It is properly to be laid upon the shoulder and back of a Saint It is a duty properly belonging to such as have Grace to perform It were a vain thing for to perswade a man that hath no life in him for to look to his health to the improvement of his strength It is as vain a thing for to perswade a man that 's dead in sins and trespasses that is a stranger to Grace to perswade him to abound in Grace to grow in Grace There must be Generation before there can be Augmentation there must be life before there can be growth And therefore that which is properly to be urged upon such as have no Grace is that they would look about them and so far as may be get in with God Though it 's true it is impossible for any person that is a stranger to Grace to perform any act of Grace in order to the partaking of Grace but we must wait upon God using exhortations and see how the Lord will please to come in and set them home upon the heart But such it 's their duty whether they can do it or no It 's their duty to look out after Grace to have it that so having it they may increase in it But otherwise for increase and growth in Grace that 's not a duty so properly to be charged upon persons that are strangers to it And let such consider with themselves how sad their condition is Such as have no Grace at all how sad their condition is upon this account That they are not in a capacity for to have such a duty imposed and charged upon them But secondly Consider that this duty of growing in Grace It is most properly belonging to them to perform that are already partakers of Grace That have sparks stricken by God their duty is that they nourish and cherish their sparks and do labour to bring it up to a flame Grace it is a seed of Gods casting into the soul and sometimes it is very inconsiderable as to the bulk and magnitude of it but like a grain of Mustard-seed I but it â—…mproveable and it is a duty incumbent upon them that have this Seed cast into them to improve it that it may grow up to a great tree It is a duty It 's most true also that it is a priviledg It is the priviledg of a Saint and Believer that he shall grow They that are planted in the house of the Lord as we had it in the Psalm that we sung they shall flourish in the Courts of our God They shall spring flourish as the Palm-tree grow as the Cedars in Lebanon This is the priviledg this is one branch of the Covenant that God hath made with his people I but you must know that these priviledges they are not granted to us that we should be careless and sloathful but rather to quicken us up to diligence in duty And indeed our duties do lye much in priviledges that which is a priviledg is also a duty As to instance It 's the priviledg of a believer that he shall be kept through the power of God through Faith unto unto Salvation But it is withal the duty of a Believer to keep himself He that is born of God he keepeth himself and the wicked one toucheth him not And Gods keeping of his Saints is by the means of
their care and diligence for to keep themselves It is the priviledg of a Believer a Covenant priviledg that he shall not depart from God I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me But it is also the duty of a child of God to do his utmost indeavour and to use his greatest diligence and care that he never do depart from God And by that care of his not to depart from God God doth bring over to him the comfort and benefit of the Covenant-priviledg that he shall not depart from him And truly we cannot reckon upon the comfort and benefit of â—…e priviledg any further than we are careful to answer to our duty God will be true to his promise and he discovers his faithfulness in performing his promise of working up the hearts of his people to a care of doing their duty So far this particular It is the priviledg of a Saint that he shall grow Shall he I but it s his duty to grow God hath made it both a priviledg and a duty and if so be that we shall have the comfort of the priviledg we must make Conscience of performing the duty and make it our business from day to day to be growing in Grace Grow in Grace Truly it is a strange kind of Riddle and I do profess I would be seriously minded in what I speak now speaking to a point that doth very nearly concern all that do pretend to Grace and holiness I say that I am speaking to a point which I think is as misterious one of them as moâ—… that concern practical godliness And I am apt to think there is as little of judiciousness discovered in the part of Godly persons of those that are truly godly as little of judicial observance discovering it self about this thing as about any one thing that concerns practical Godliness Growth in Grace our Consciences are able to witness with us or against us whether we study this matter whether we bestow any serious thoughts about it yea or no whether we understand it and know what belongs to this growth in Grace and are able to give any good account of it I doubt there are many who are right in the main that are at a very great loss concâ—…rning the right understanding of this matter and are not able to give any comfortable account a judicious account concerning themselves and how far they are responsible to God concerning this thing Judg in your selves whether this be not the heighth of your godliness and your utmost reach in your profession You have solicitous thoughts about Grace about the in-being indwelling implantation of Grace in you You may have and must have if you be gracious such solicitous thoughts Exercise your selves with serious considerations to such a purpose My soul is there any grace of God in thee or art thou a stranger to it Is there any saving work upon thee yea or no I know this that every one that hath a saving impress upon his Spirit will be exercising himself to this purpose and labour to understand himself concerning this matter whether he have Grace yea or no. But as to this duty in the Text concerning growth in Grace alas how few are there that busie their heads about it or are able judiciously to manage and perform a search into themselves concerning it or to give a good account about this matâ—…er I shall speak more to that afterwards God assisting Now I give a hint of it and do speak this the rather because it being given us in Commission to preach this Doctrine and to press this duty I speak the rather in this sort that you may come to have more serious thoughts concerning that which I have to assert from this Text and to press upon you as a duty that we are to grow in Grace And to settle this upon your apprehensions That it is as much a duty for persons to increase in Faith as it is for to have Faith 't is as much a duty for to grow in Grace as for to press after Grace though it may be we do not so reckon upon it But I can tell you the same God that hath commanded the one hath commanded the other We are under as strong an obligation that we may grow in Grace as to use our diligence that we may come to be made partakers of Grace It is a duty for those that have Grace to grow in it What 's the meaning of that It s true there is a metaphor in the phrase it s taken from living things that having life so there is a growth Dead things cannot grow straws sticks and stubble these things they are dead things and they cannot grow But there must be a supposition of life where there is a growth Now to grow what is it Why plainly thus when you hear this is a duty that is incumbent upon you to grow in Grace you must not only be good but very good be better and better and endeavour to exceed your selves Good to day better to morrow Gracious this year far more gracious the next year Acquainted with God now more than acquaintance with God in process of time Grow in Grace that you may excell your selves Not only be better than others better than others that have no Grace nay better than others that have Grace that you may go beyond them and know your duty is that you may go beyond your selves that you may be more in Faith more in Repentance more in Love more in holiness more in the fear of God that you may go from strength to strength that you may Mutare vires as the phrase is in the 40. Isai. They that wait upon the Lord they shall renew their strength they shall change their strength they shall go from strength to strength from one strength to another this is to grow in Grace To be as good for God as good for heaven as possibly we can reckoning upon this we can never be too fit for heaven we can never be too holy for the enjoyment of the inheritance that is incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away this is your duty you that are the subjects of grace Such of you as God hath bestowed any grace upon this is your duty to grow in grace And that it is a duty it appears all along in Scripture How often are we called upon to increase with the increase of God to increase more and more to abound and be upon our advancements This is that which the Scripture doth press upon us very much And it 's a duty with respect to Grace Not only with respect to Gifts It 's true indeed such as have the gifts of the Spirit they should endeavour to grow in them as the Apostle speaks that they should abound in knowledg and in utterance and the like Not only in gifts for that 's a duty to grow in gifts in knowledg and in utterance but especially to grow in grace
we attend upon and are admitted to the participation of O Brethren this is a thing altogether unbecoming the spirit of a Saint When men are at this point if they have but enough to keep life and soul together if they have but bread to eat and clothes to put on though the fare be mean and the clothing be course yet if they have but enough of that but so much I say as will keep life and soul together they can be content Indeed such a spirit in respect of the World is to be approved on When we can be contented with a lower portion here in the World this is commendable in respect of a worldly state here But as to a state of Grace and Holiness it is that which is no way to be approved of that persons that have something of the Grace of God in them should rest contented in their lower measures Truly this is that which we have cause to be deeply humbled for O! how many to their shame may it be spoken are indeed the shame of the Gospel and of the Ordinances that it should be said of them quite contrary to that which our Saviour speaks concerning the Woman of Canaan O Woman great is thy Faith Truly Brethren it may be said of many of us O man O woman Great is thy unbelief Great is thy faith nay Great is thy unbelief Great is thy holiness nay truly thy holiness is very little thy love it s very low This is that we have cause to be deeply humbled for that we are not more in our improvements and advances of Faith and Godliness sutable to the command that is here given that we grow in Grace And yet further this is that which I would say It were not altogether so much to be lamented if this were all though there is cause enough of being humbled and abased before God upon this account that we are not more upon our advancement But alass how much sadder is it when we shall find persons upon their declining and decaying instead of growing in Grace truly it may be feared concerning such that they are rather upon their decayings in Grace not the men and women that once they were for love to God for zeal for God delight in Ordinances breathings after Christ delighting in Communion of Saints close walking with God O these retrograde motions these backward motions that 's the meaning of the word these drawings back and declinings O these are to be deeply laid to heart When this shall be said concerning one that seem'd to be full of light and love and zeal and resolution for God that he shall come to be upon his abatements and not look like the person that he seemed once to be When the account rises up concerning a Soul according to that in the Parable of the unjust Steward He takes an account How much owest thou fourscore put down fifty When there comes to be such a falling in the account when we cannot make out such a state as once we could when there is Ephesus-like a falling off a decaying in our first Love a cooling in our zeal for God O Brethren this is not to answer the duty of the Text The Text requires growing in Grace O how shall we be able to stand before this charge when Conscience shall witness to us that we are rather upon our declining Truly these things would be seriously thought of especially in such a day wherein we had never more need to look to our condition and state God-ward not knowing what times we may fall into what tryals we may be put to O we had need to look to it and according to the charge that was given to Ephesus to Repent do our first works to recover our selves and labour not only to hold our own but to be upon our improvements And therefore that 's the main thing I would drive at and which I would conclude this Discourse withal I would deal with you in a way of perswasion and exhortation and press it with as much earnestness as I could that as many of you that are the sons and daughters of Grace that can give any good account of the truth of the Grace of God that is in you that there is the true Grace of God in you and that it is the true Grace of God wherein you stand that you would conscientiously apply to your duty and remember that this is the charge that God hath laid upon you that you grow in Grace and that you be still endeavouring this that you be better and better that 's the interpretation that I gave of the Text and of the duty That you be still upon your advancings if you have Faith and Love and Holiness and the fear of God and Meekness and if you have any thing of Godliness that you would labour to have more of it that you may not be alwaies weaklings in Grace Oh this is that that we should set our hearts upon And doth not the very thing it self invite you to it Why Brethren can you have too much of God can you have too much of Christ can you have too much of Faith and Holiness you may have too much of the World but you can never have too much of God and Grace till you come to such a pitch of godliness that you need not make any further advances It was otherwise with Paul and he gives another account of himself though alas how far short are we of him and of that Faith and Grace that was attained by him Yet he professes though he was not behind the chiefest Apostles yet he saith this concerning himself that he did not account himself to have attained but he forgets what is behind and he reaches to that which is before and presses towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus I said before I say again you can never be too good for God you can never be too good for Christ you can never be too ripe for Heaven when you come to the issue and close of all you will find that you have no more than needs must the wise Virgins they found that they had nothing of their oyle to spare when the foolish Virgins came to them O let us buy of you and be supplied by you no say they lest we be at a loss for our selves When you have gotten as much Faith and Grace and spiritual strength and holiness by the means and ordinances that you do attend you will find all little enough And therefore O this is that should make us set on with diligence and care that we may answer the duty of the Text and be upon our Increasings and Growth in Grace SERM. III. THere must not only be life but growth in Christianity and this is the burden which the Text laies upon us That we grow in Grace Now letting pass the things that were insisted upon shall we buckle to this as our business at present My
appointment you reckon upon it and come to it with such a perswasion O this is Gods appointing and in this way hath he ordered that I should wait upon him and I know his appointments are not in vain therefore I rest not in the Ordinance but look to the God of the Ordinance and I follow after the injoyment of God in his Ordinances 't is nothing to me to have the word preached other Ordinances dispenced they are nothing to me without the injoyment of God I look upon God in them and I expect a blessing from God by them truly this is an argument of a well-grown Faith Alass poor weaklings that we are we come in a formal manner too commonly so and with too much of a carnal frame of spirit too much in a complemental way look upon an Ordinance as if there were no more to be reckoned to it than what of strength and duty and benefit of man can put upon it look to the instrument have not an eye to God O without question Beloved our preaching would be to better purpose and our hearing and praying and our eating and drinking at the Lords Table would be to better purpose and with more fruit and benefit If we could look more to God in an Ordinance and come with such a thought as this O Lord this is the way that thou hast laid out for me to wait upon thee in these are the means that thou hast appointed to do my soul good by and upon this account because they are thy appointments I apply to them and expect benefit and profit by them Now I say when we manage our attendance in such a manner we are then in the fairest way to have the fruit and benefit of them and how will this be but by a well-improved Faith the truth on 't is the strength of Faith and the growth and increase of Faith will very much discover it self this way When we come to appear before God in Ordinances we have such a Faith as carries us to God Why I have been with God this day I have been in the presence of God I look upon these Ordinances as the blessed Symboles of his presence and uppon that account it is that I attend them and expect from them And then again I press you that you would grow in Grace and grow in the Grace of Faith why what growth would you require such a growth as this that your Faith may come to be of such a growth that you may not be staggered concerning the promises of God how cross soever that providences seem to run to them O this is a proof of a well-grown Faith You know that its an ordinary thing with God in the course of his dealings and dispensations when he hath made a promise and put his people upon the hopes and expectation of having it performed to order out so in the course of his providence as if he would quite null his promise the providences seem to speak flat contradiction to the promise It was Abrahams case a promise he had of a son but the providence of God ordered it out that he runs out till he be 100 years old and Sarah was old to so that there was an impossibility as to nature that ever there should be such a thing brought to pass and here was now the temptation Now if Abraham had been but of a weak Faith how apt had he been to be staggering and sorely shaken as touching the promise surely this will never be I bat being of a well-grown Faith as the Apostle testifies of him he considered not his own body nor the deadness of Sarahs womb he staggered not at the promise through unbelief but being strong in Faith he gave Glory to God So the Lord dealt with Joseph but the word of the Lord tries him and while it tries him he trusts upon it the irons enter into his soul and by that providence O what a seening contradiction was there to the promise he that was designed to wear a chain of Gold about his neck must go with chains of Irons about his legs and those irons must enter into his soul. What doth this speak but the vanity of the promise and that it was a thing not to be reckoned upon no account to be made of it and yet notwithstanding he being of a well-improved Faith under all these cross providences that spake contradiction to the promise yet he keeps in a humble dependance upon God And while the word of the Lord tried him he trusts the word he did not try the word but he trusted the word and so being of a well-grown Faith he bears up with a holy confidence towards God as touching the things that he had promised And so likewise promises concerning the Church of God and a more blessed injoyment that Saints shall have in the World God hath ingaged himself by promise very much to such a purpose and providence do seem to give the lye to the promise 〈◊〉 things are ordered out as if such things â—…uld never be brought to pass Now a poor â—…ak Beleever he will be apt to give all for naught and to conclude as David did I said in my haste all men are lyars these are but vain words we speak of this and that of a new Ierusalem coming down from Heaven as a Bride made ready for her husband and of the Churchâ—… Glory and beauty and of Babilons downfal and yet Babilon sits as a Queen and saith I shall never see sorrow nor widowhood Now a poor weak Beleever will be ready to give up the account and to say We must never look for these things I but a strong Beleever it bears up the soul in a holy confidence towards God well let God take what course he will I am sure that the womb of the promise shall never be sound to be a miscarrying womb that 's another thing Yet further I press you to growth in Grace particularly to a growth in Faith that you may not upon every occasion be cast into a discomposure of spirit upon every occasion of trouble that you meet withal when there are such providences ordered out as are startling and amazing and astonishing such a Faith you are to press to that when sinners in Zion are afraid and fearfulness surpriseth the hypocrites and likewise when poor weak Beleevers are apt to tremble and quake and at a loss and know not what to do that you may come to say my heart is fixed I trust in God these things move me not this is an argument of a well-grown Faith when we are not upon every occasion of any sudden fears in a discomposure of spirit yet well-grown Faith will bring a fixedness I it 's an argument of a Faith not well improved and not of so good a growth as it should be when we are upon every occasion surprised with fear and horror and astonishment and ready to scatter this way and that way and know not
weigh what hath been said and consider that I have been speaking to you to this purpose that you that are the Sons and Daughters of Faith look to it that there be a growth in Faith And such a growth as that the mysterie of the everlasting Gospel stand fast in you that you may be able to comprehend with all the Saints the height and depth and length and breadth That you may grow up to such a Faith no that you may not only live by it but live at a high rate that you may not only live by it but live honourably that you may fare deliciously every day Such a Faith as is not only a conflicting but a conquering and triumphing Faith Such a Faith as brings you off more from self and makes you seek God more his Glory more Such a Faith as makes you to be studious not only of your own eternal wellfare but of the well-fare of others Such a Faith as makes you to value your selves not according to your worldly injoyments but that you value what you injoy according to a Covenant of Grace and your self according to that account And this way truly you may give good proof that you are persons that answer the duty in the Text which the Apostle requires That we grow in Grace SERM. VI. I Shall only add a Particular or two about Growth in Faith Your duty is to endeavour to such a growth in Faith that you may be able to meditate Terror It is one thing for to be possest with terror to be apprehensive of terror and to be amazed and astonished through terror upon us another thing to be able to make terror the matter of our meditation One thing for to be apprehensive of that which is matter of terror and to be affrighted with it and ready to sink under the apprehensions of it another thing for to have not only the apprehensions but to have the heart bearing up with a holy confidence without being in the least discomposure to have a fixedness of soul a setledness of heart and not to be startled and to be ready to run this way and that way and even to be at our wits ends not knowing in the World what course to take Now this is one of the great priviledges which belongs to Beleevers and to the Saints of God to be able to meditate terror you have the expression in Isa. 33. 18. There it 's held forth unto us as a Saints and Beleevers priviledge that hearts shall meditate terror And it is not every Faith that will bring a Saint into the actual possession of free usage of this priviledge I would you would labour to have a fixed heart now upon what I speak and be in a due composure I say this It is not every degree of Faith that will bring the soul into the actual and free possession and usage of this priviledge that I now speak of For to make that which is matter of terror and amazement that which is apt to sink and swallow up the hearts and spirits of others to make it the matter of our joyful and comfortable meditation 't is not every Faith every degree of Faith 'T is true indeed every Faith in the lowest degree hath a tendency to it every Faith doth more or less make proposition to a carnal and slavish fear But it is found in experience that where Faith is but low and weak it is apt to be over-top'd and over-powred by base carnal slavish fear it is found in common experience But it must be a well-improved Faith a Faith well grown that inables the soul to bear up boldly and resolutely when there is matter of fear before it The Prophet speaks in Psal. 112. concerning the righteous man That he hath his heart fixed he is so advanced in his Faith as that he is come to a fixedness his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. And then it follows He shall not be afraid for any evil tydings that that is matter of terror and astonishment to others he can with a sweet composure of spirit meditate of muse upon and be in the thoughts of this is a great matter and a lovely priviledge and that which we should set our hearts upon Such a Faith of such a growth we should endeavour after that we may be able to meditate terror There is a terribleness in God in his Name The Lord is of terrible Majesty Terribleness in his presence when that Proclamation was made in Isa. 6. Holy holy holy Lord God of Hosts the Prophet cryes out now Woe is me When there was a Proclamation of God upon Mount Synai in thunder and lightning When there was that dreadful voice O the people cry out let us hear no more the voice of God left we die Now a well-improved Faith will be able for to meditate of this terror I and to dwell with that God in holy meditation and to converse with that God that is of such terrible Majesty Who shall dwell with devouring fire who shall dwell with everlasting burnings that is as terrible as devouring fire as dreadful as everlasting burning who shall dwell with him who shall be able to bear up at the thoughts of him why a soul that is well improved in his Faith will be inabled so to do Such a Faith of such a growth we should endeavour after as that we may be able thus to meditate the terror of God not be affraid of him True it is it is a duty that is incumbent upon us to have our hearts in a holy awe but withal to bear up in a holy boldness and not to be swallowed up with fear upon the manifestations of the terribleness of God So there is a terribleness in the Law in the Covenant of works that God made and which he made a dreadful discovery of upon Siâ—…ai A fiery Law it is and so called in Deut. 33. It 's a terrible Law that flashes fire and vengeance in the face of an ungodly sinner of a guilty wretch I but now the Faith of a Beleever well improved will inable him for to meditate with sweet composure of spirit upon this terrible Law and with a rejoycing spirit think of the ridgedness and sevear requiries of it knowing that it hath taken sanctuary at a Covenant which is full of mercy and comfort and doth sweetly revive and succour the soul under the dreadfullest representations that can be made to it of its own guilt There is a terribleness in Death and it is called the King of Terrors And how many are there that are not able to bear the thoughts of it not able to stand before the thoughts of their dying I how many are there poor creatures that when the thoughts of Death do but arise in them they are ready to be swallowed up of it and they do all that ever they can to fortifie themselves against those thoughts as 't is a common thing for persons to do they cannot indure to be
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
more labouring under the apprehension and the representation of their former sins they would have been made perfect and would have had no more Conscience of sin But saith he every time they come to offer these Sacrifices there is a remembrance of sins Why Why because the knowledge of all this the performance of all this would not answer the exigency of the Conscience and lay a foundation for the Conscience to bottom upon But saith he Christ He comes in and He by one offering of Himself by the shedding of his own blood once He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified and now the Conscience comes to be quiet O this is the knowledge will quiet the Conscience Therefore now judge with your selves whether there be not infinite cause that professors that mind their souls and the peace of their hearts and the comfort of their Consciences whether it doth not infinitely concern them to endeavour an increase and growth in the Knowledge of the Lord Jesus That so when Conscience would be upon stirring and startling and stumbling the soul being well versed in the mysterie and understanding to good purpose what the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ is the soul may be able to relieve it self Well be it what it will let Devils charge and let men charge let them charge to the full I bless God I have the knowledge of Jesus Christ. I understand the mysterie concerning my Lord Jesus I have endeavoured to make a good progression in this knowledge and to accommodate it to my purpose I know who Christ was what a Priest he was and what blood he shed and what a sacrifice he offered and I know that the Infinite Justice of God is not able to make any exception against this sacrifice and blood God hath rescued me well may my Conscience rescue me God is satisfied well may my Conscience be satisfied Well now for my part I know not what in all the World to preach to you that is more material and momentous than these things And these two things that I have laboured about this morning as touching a Christians accomplishment for being wise and judicious and that is by a due improvement in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And likewise concerning the Conscience and how that comes to be rectified and set to rights and to stand a mans Friend in every time of need and that he may sweetly injoy himself and come to have a Rock to repose upon in a storm and tempest how a soul may come to find a rest for it self in all the tossings and turmoylings in the World and that it is the knowledge or improving in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I say these are momentous things and we should well consider of it that of all knowledge there is none that we should endeavour a growth and increase in as the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. SERM. XII I Shall now proceed unto some other things which will yet more fully evidence it to us that it doth very much concern beleeving souls to endeavour a growth in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The third thing according to this order which I propound is That by growth in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we shall be advantaged for a growth in Grace It seems and to me it more than seems to be implyed in the Conjunction of these two Requiries Grow in Grace grow in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It seems to imply thus much as if so be the Apostle should have said Grow in Grace and that you may do so see that you grow in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. They are never like to come to any eminency in Grace and to make any considerable advance 〈◊〉 Grace that make little or no progress in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And they that in uprightness of soul do make it their business to incease and grow in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are the most likely persons for to make the most considerable advantage in the Graces of the Spirit of God There is something in it that the Spirit of God by the ministry of his Apostle Peter should propound these two requiries in this Conjunction one with another Require a growth in Grace and in order thereunto a growth in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Now here first of all I shall speak a little more generally and that but in a touch And then shall endeavour to evince this by giving an account of this in a more particular way You are to know that the first plantation of Grace in the soul it is made in the way and by the means of the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ communicated to the soul through the Spirit there can be no Grace in the heart where there is no Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. It is the Knowledge of Christ and of the Gospel and of the Gospel-mysteries concerning Christ by the means whereof Grace comes to be planted in the soul. The Prophet in Psal. 19. gives us this account of the Law of the Lord that it is a perfect Law converting the soul. What Law is this understand it of the Law of Grace and Faith Not of the Law of Works and there by Law you are to understand the Doctrine of God concerning Christ held forth in the Gospel in the Scriptures of Prophets and Apostles And he saith that it is the Law of God this Law of Faith this Gospel-Law which is the blessed Instrument of converting the soul. Before Conversion there 's no Grace when Conversion is wrought then Grace takes place in the heart an unconverted person is a graceless person let him be what he will for his moralities and plausible conversation when once Conversion is wrought then Grace comes to be in the soul and this Conversion is not brought about but by the Gospel which holds forth unto us the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Let a man preach moral Duties never so clearly and plainly moral Duties all the Duties of the moral Law considered as it holds forth a Covenant of Works as it holds forth a Duty to God Duty to Man I say let a man preach never so clearly and plainly man's Duty he will never be able to convert the soul that is not the converting Ministry no it is not 't is not the quickning Ministry I remember how the Apostle argues to the Galatians Received ye the Spirit saith he which Spirit is a Spirit of Grace by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith That is the Doctrine of Faith Why saith he you did never receive the Spirit which is a Spirit of Grace by the works of the Law and by the hearing of the Law but you received the Spirit by
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
poor soul should fly to him and have its recumbency upon him 5. And then again when I consider that this Christ is commissioned by the Father he is sent into this World upon this account that he might save and make reconciliation 6. And then he is every way accomplish'd if he were a deficient Christ there were something to make my spirit to flag but he is most fully accomplish'd all power is given to him he is able to save to the utmost all that come unto God by him 7. And then when I come to consider and ponder that it is meat and drink to Christ to do the will of his Father and he with the greatest content of heart performed this work and made satisfaction to the Justice of God soâ—… poor sinners 8. And then when I come to consider that this Jesus is now in Heaven at Gods Right-hand God the Father hath given him Glory and Honour O what incouragement have I to come to him 9. And then when I consider that all the trust that is committed to him all the treasure that is laid up in him is for the benefit and behoof of poor souls why should not I then be incouraged to let out my heart upon him and to have the strongest confidence that I shall be the better for him I tell you Brethren that all this knowledge doth strongly influence the Faith of a Beleever therefore well may the Apostle require the knowledge of the Lord Jesus in order to a growth in Grace and in particular to a growth in Faith I would only give in that instance in 1 Pet. 1. It 's a Text that doth fully suit our present purpose saith he You by him believe in God that raised him up from the dead and gave him Glory that your Faith and Hope might be in God Pray do but weigh this you believe in God saith he who raised Iesus from the dead and when he had so done he gave him Glory He preferr'd him to the greatest Honour and Dignity set him at his own Right-hand and wherefore this That your Faith in knowing this that he that was your great undertaker here on earth travell'd in the greatness of his strength that he might accomplish the work of Redemption and Salvation This Jesus after he had done his work and suffered what he was to undergo here in the World God did raise him again from the dead and when he had raised him he takes him to Heaven and gives him Glory there sets him at his own Right-hand advances him to the highest top of Honour And wherefore thus That your Faith and Hope might be in God that you might come to him with the fullest confidence and rely upon him Now all this that I have accounted to you concerning a well-improved knowledge in our Lord Jesus Christ it doth exceeding liberally contribute to the promoting of a Beleevers Faith and Grace And because I can proceed no further now if there be any souls that are strangers to Christ and to the Faith of the Gospel will you but drink of these waters O set your hearts that you may drink of this blessed Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and see whether these waters will not warm your hearts and make you to sparkle out in love to Christ in longings after Christ And for you that are called out to the participation of Grace and have the Faith of God begun in you O as ever you desire to grow up in the Faith of the Gospel labour to be well improved in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ O dwell upon the meditation of these Mysteries that I have given you this morning a hint of If ever you desire to be well improved in your Faith it must be by your being well improved in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. SERM. XIII I Shall now proceed to what remains What hath been spoken concerning Faith and how the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ duly improved is to the growth of that The same may be spoken concerning Gospel hope The hope of the Righteous which is called a Tree of Life compared to an Anchor Sure and steadfast entring within the vail whither the forerunner hath entered Now by improving in the knowledge of Jesus Christ Hope will grow up to a goodly stature Hope will come to be as an Anchor fixing very fast so as to keep the ship of the soul safe and secure whatever the storms and tempests are that may arise upon it The more we know of Christ the more shall our Hope be strengthened in us and one special reason why we hope no more with an unshaken hope is because we are not more in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The Apostle in 1 Pet. 1. speaks concerning this blessed Hope that Believers are begotten to and they are begotten to it he tells us by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead The more we are judiciously apprehensive of Christ of the Resurrection of Christ and of the Glory which he is advanc'd unto the more will the hope of a Beleever be strengthened in him And that Scripture which I clos'd with the last day it serves us to this very purpose 1 Pet. 1. It 's said that God the Father hath given Honour and Glory to his Son that our Faith and our Hope might be in God And therefore must needs be inferr'd that the more we know and understand concerning Christ and the Glory that he is now advanc'd unto the more will there be of growth in the hope of a Beleever 3. By growth in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ there will be a growth in godly Repentance Repentance there is such a thing though it 's little known and less practised according to the true Gospel-nature and state of it But such a thing there is as Repentance towards God a precious Grace which God works in the hearts of his people those that he hath a purpose to save It is of necessary participation and it is a Grace of necessary exercise for our Saviour tells us that except we repent we shall all perish there is a necessity of it and yet alas how many are meer strangers to it know nothing of the Grace know nothing of the Practice of it And how many of those that have any sense or share in it yet that are very little in their Repentance have but a very low measure and degree know little of heart-meltings and soul-breakings before God much what strangers unto that sweet frame of spirit by which Ephraim is set forth unto us as a blessed pattern and example in Jer. 31. 18. where we have this account of him Thou hast established â—…e and I was chastised as a Bullock unaccustomed â—…o the yoke Turn thou me and I shall be turned after that I was converted I repented and I smâ—… upon my thigh This was Ephraim's frame and this is upon Record for our
way soever it turns Truly so is this gift of Knowledge wâ—…re it 's given of special Grace when it is not a notional Knowledge but a heart-Knowledge for such a Knowledge I speak of such a Knowledge as the Covenant of God's Grace makes a conveyance of For alas I and others may preach a great deal of light into your heads and you may come to have the notions of these things and be never the nearer but we speak of a heart-Knowledge of God in Christ Jesus according to what the Covenant makes conveyance of as I said And I say thus That where there is heart knowledge given it is such a gift as prospers which way soever it turns O the blessed benefit that comes over by the heart-knowledge of our Lord Jesus especially when there comes to be a due improvement of it as in the other respects so in respect of meekness humility of spirit Alas meekness and humility it 's a lovely Grace but where doth it appear we are lofty and are far from a disposition that way which should discover it self What 's the reason Because of a defect in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For thus Had we but more of the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus there would not be that frowardness and perversness and unto wardness and swelling of heart that commonly discovers it self if we had but a well improved and a well digested Knowledge of our Lord Jesus For consider What is there to â—…e known of Christ Why he is another manner of Christ than we take him to be than we know him to be or have a mind to know we do not know what a Christ he is he is another manner of Christ than you think he was He was not a proud Christ he was not a lofty spirited Christ he was meek and gentle and lovely and of a most humble frame of a most graciously condescending spirit Learn of me saith he Mat 11. I am meek and lowly And he gave most convincing proof and demonstration of it all along in his course and conversation in the World Did we but know this and had but a more through knowledge of what a kind of Christ he is it would conduce to the meeking and humbling of our hearts and spirits and make us to argue thus What a meek and humble Christ and I a proud swelling-hearted Wretch why how will this consist with my Profession I profess the Name of the Lord Jesus and discover little or nothing of the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Surely Brethren this would conduce much to the meekning and humbling of our hearts And so for Patience That 's another Grace which we should not only have but have it in the increases and the improvements of it and yet how littlâ—… discovers it self how proud and passionate and waspish and froward are we What 's the reason of this Because we know no more of Christ we have not this heart-knowledge of Christ to such a degree as we should press after Did we but know what a patient Christ he is O! when he was reviled he reviled not again and when he was reproached he bore it patiently and he was led as a Lamb before the Shearer dumb and opened not his mouth Why did we but advance more in the hearty knowledge of our Lord Jesus it would conduce very much to the working of our hearts to patience and to a good degree of Patience This Knowledge of our Lord Jesus it would influence the Grace of Patience that we should be more conformable to Christ. And the Apostle in Heb. 12. he propounds this very consideration in order thereunto saith he Let us â—…n with patience the race that is set before us And that we may do so Let us look unto Iesus the Author and finisher of our Faith who for the joy that was set before him indured the Cross despised the shame He indured the contradiction of sinners against him Lest saith he you be wearied and faint in your minds Look to this Jesus know the temper of his Spirit and what a patient Christ he was and what a heavenly Spirit he discovered And so I say That the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus would contribute most strongly to such a purpose 7. And so for Heavenly-mindedness What 's the reason that we are so apt to dote upon the World and upon these lying and vexing vanities here below Why because we know no more of Christ If we were but more advanced in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we should be â—…ch helped against earthly-mindedness and improve more in a heavenly frame of heart and live above the World Why do not you know what a Christ he was what a heavenly Spirit he had how he lived in the World as a stranger He set not his heart upon this and that pleasure and profit but minded his business and he had an eye to the glory that was to be revealed and so he made it his great design that he might improve his time and honour his Father And he was at length able to give this account Ioh. 17. Father I have glorified thee on the earth I have finished the work thou gavest me to do And now further Glorifie me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was Father I have liv'd in the World not so much by choice as upon the account of Duty and my heart is with thee and my longing's after Heaven Father glorifie me with thy self and bring me to thy Glory and thus Christ's heart was carried out Now had we but a well improved Knowledge of this it would contribute much to the promoting of a heavenly mind in us and make us to think with our selves Do I know this to have been the gracious frame and spirit of my Lord Jesus whom I make a Profession of And doth it not concern me to endeavour conformity to him that I may express the like heavenly-mindedness that Jesus Christ did I might yet speak of other Graces As 8. Fear and Reverence of God It 's a precious Grace which receives much increase by a well improved Knowledge of Jesus Christ. Let me but give an instance of that in Psal. 2. where there is an account given of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ That God the Father hath set his Son upon his holy hill of Sion That he hath given the Heathen for his inheritance the utmost parts of the earth for his possession That he hath given him a rod of iron with which he will break in pieces his rebellious enemies like a Potters vessel This is the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This Knowledge when persons come to be well advanced in and there comes to be a due improvement of it will contribute very largely to the promoting of a holy Fear and Reverence of God according to that which follows Be wise now therefore O ye Kings be instructed ye Iudges
Saviour Jesus Christ O it will spirit the soul and make it lively to the uttermost in publishing the praises of the most high God I instance only in Eph. 3. what the Apostle is praying on their behalf That they might be able to comprehend with all Saints the height and depth and breadth and length and know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge so that you may be filled with all the fulness of God And then mark what follows Now saith he unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Iesus thâ—…ughout all ages world without end Amen Paul 〈◊〉 not hold his spirit was so full he was like a vessel that must either have a vent or burst it self O he being upon the meditation of this glorious Mysterie concerning Christ and the Doctrine of Christ why saith he Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly O how his heart was filled with praises and admirings of God upon the account of Christ. And there is one thing more now comes to mind wherein you may see the spirit of a Saint in the proper frame of it when there comes to be a due improvement of the Knowledge of Christ when the Apostle Paul in 1 Tim. 1. had been making mention of the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and comes to express his knowledge and sense of that Grace according to what you have exprest and held forth in that Chapter saith he The Grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with Faith and Love which is in Christ Iesus and so he goes on This is a Faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the World to save sinners of whom I am chief howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to everlasting life Paul had been thus upon the serious meditation of this knowledge concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. Mark you now what his spirit rises up unto in the close of the Chapter Now saith he unto the King eternal having but made mention of Christ and spoken something concerning Christ and given some account of his knowledge of the mystery concerning Christ Mark how he breaks out into this acknowledgment Now unto the King Eternal Immortal Invisible the only wise God be Honour and Glory for ever and ever Amen and this comes in only occasionally in the way of a digression For he intermits the prosecution of the Argument he had in hand and falls upon this by way of a digression as if he should say O I cannot fall upon the mention of our Lord Jesus and of the mystery concerning him I cannot be upon the meditation of that knowledge which is to be had of Christ Jesus our Lord but saith he my heart must be breathing out in a way of praise and blessing of God admiring the riches of his Grace And thus would it be Brethren if we were but set to it to advance in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ O it would inlarge our hearts as unto prayer so unto thanksgiving and blessing of God I add yet further O this knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ it is a knowledge that Christians should endeavour to grow and advance in for it is by great growth in this they will come to be the more happily accomplished for the performing of the service of Preaching and Hearing I joyn these two together Preaching and Hearing of the Word of God And you may consider how a well-improved knowledge of our Lord Jesus would conduce most strongly to the provoking both of ministerial Preaching and likewise of Christian Hearing and attending upon the Doctrine which is to be made known unto us according to the Commandment of the Everlasting God For Preaching work O consider now that the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that knowledge that is to be had of him well advanc'd and improved will contribute exceedingly to the most lively management of this service Alas it 's accounted in the World but a low service and many times with too much lowness of spirit performed by those that profess to be called to the performance of it O but whence is it but from the want of a well-grown knowledge of our Lord and Saviour For consider Brethren this is that that we are to know concerning our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that the Word and Gospel which is the subject matter of our Preaching and your Hearing I joyn these two together Preaching-work and Hearing-work Now the word which is the subject matter of a Ministers Preaching and of a Beeleevers Hearing This word it comes out of the very heart of God out of the blessed bosome of the Eternal God And as a precious token of that love and respect that he bears to his Son he hath given out this word out of his own breast and bosome he hath given it and committed it as a trust unto his Son Will you consider this That this everlasting Gospel this word of Salvation which is the subject matter of our Preaching and your Hearing it is given as a testimony of the Fathers Love it is given to Christ observe that expression in Joh. 17. in the Prayer that our Saviour makes unto his Father saith he ver 8. I have given unto them the words which thou gavest unto me thou gavest the words to me first and then saith Christ I have given these words unto them our Lord professeth before all the World he makes this open profession saith he my Doctrine is not mine 'T is not mine considered as Mediator but it is the Doctrine of my Father which my Father hath given me and which he hath intrusted me with to make known unto the World and to communicate to my Disciples that by them the World may have the Knowledge of him Consider this that God the Father the Great Jehovah He gives this Word this Doctrine unto his Son Jesus Christ. Well this is that that is to be known concerning our Lord Jesus Christ that the Words and Doctrine is that which is given as a gift by the Father unto him and so likewise you have it in Rev. 1. the Revelation of Jesus Christ how came it to be his Consider that it 's resolved thus which God gave unto him to shew unto his Servants which must shortly come to pass and then he sent and signifyed by his Angel unto his servant John I but Christ hath a Revelation who gave it him God gives it him God hath given Christ all the whole plat-form and frame of Doctrine that concerns the Church of God his elect ones and called ones from the beginning unto the end of the World God the Father hath given this to the Son 2. This is that that is
to be known concerning Christ that this Word and Mystery which is given of the Father to Christ his ear hath been opened to listen to it most attent upon it according to that expression in Psal. 40. Sacrifice and Offerings thou would'st not Christ's ear was not much attent upon that Sacrifice and offerings thou would'st not But mine ear hast thou opened Thou hast opened mine ear to another Doctrine to another Word which concerns the salvation of souls by a sacrifice that must be offered up by me this mine ear is open to And so you have it in Isa. 50. The Prophet there speaks in the person of Christ he wakeneth morning by morning and saith he he makeneth mine ear to hear as the Learned The Lord God hath opened mine ear and I was not rebellious The Father gives the word delivers it him and the ear of the Son our Mediator is open to him 3. You are to know concerning Christ that this Word and Doctrine which is the subject matter of our Preaching and your Hearing as it is given to Christ by the Father and as his ear is open to it so it comes with all delight and complacency into his heart as you shall find in Psal. 40. First he saith Thou hast opened mine ear and not only so Thou hast bored mine ear and not only so but O Father thy Law is in mine heart and I delight to do thy will O this word that thou hast given me it 's the joy of my heart it 's the rejoycing of my soul that there should be the contrivance of such a word given to me and intrusted with me mine ear hears it as a most melodious sound my heart entertains it O my God thy Law is in my heart O it s the joy and rejoycing of my heart to think that ever thou should'st trust me with such a Doctrine as this 4. Consider that this word the Word and Doctrine of the Father thus given to Christ unto which his ear was opened and to which his heart gave such joyful entertainment to This Word and Doctrine Christ he comes to be commissioned from the Father to Preach and to make it known He hath not only an ear to hear it and a heart to imbrace it but he must have likewise a mouth opened to publish and proclaim it and this he is commissioned to This is to be known concerning our Lord Jesus that he is commissioned of God to make a solomn publication and promulgation of this Word that it may be made known to the World And therefore you have it in Isa. 50. The Lord hath given me not only to hear as the Learned but to speak as the Learned First he hath the ear of the Learned to hearken to it and then it 's exprest that he hath the tongue of the Learned that he may be able to speak a word in season to a weary soul. This is the commission that God hath given him that he should Preach and make this everlasting Gospel this word that comes out of the Father that he should make it known to the World and the truth is Brethren this that I say is of a truth to be known and acknowledged of us That Preaching work the Preaching of the everlasting Gospel and word of Reconciliation it is more Christs work than the work of any man in the World True it is the base beggerly World and the imbased spirits of the people in the World they look upon Preaching-work as a poor low mean service and look upon those that are imployed about it as persons that are little to be regarded And this is the good entertainment that the Ministers of Christ and of the Gospel have ever had in the World Generally they look upon a Preacher and upon a Preachers work as a poor low piece of service the person mean and his imployment little to be regarded I but if matters were well known this would be apprehended that the preaching of the Word is most properly the work of Christ himself He that is the great Mediator He that was in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God took upon him the form of a servant and he was pleased to accept of a commission from his Father to be a Preacher and to preach the everlasting Gospel As soon as he had suffered and was risen again he came and preached to the World as he did to his Disciples before his Resurrection and so likewise before his sufferings He came with commission from the Father to preach the Word which was given him out of the bosome of the Father That Word which is the subject matter of our Preaching and your Hearing it is the word which Jesus Christ is ingaged to preach and publish and make known to the World and I say again it is more Christ's work than it is the work of any man in the World and those that are called out to this service they are called out to the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. 5. And then add this further that this Lord Jesus Christ he hath that interest in the Father which none in all the World hath besides to the purpose of fetching out whatsoever there is of further Mystery and of discovery to be made concerning the Counsel of God the Word the Doctrine the Eternal Counsel which lay hid in the breast and bosome of God from all Eternity that Counsel that Word and Doctrine which hath so much of lustre in it Christ hath this priviledge above all creatures in Heaven and Earth above Angels Saints glorified in Heaven militant on Earth Christ hath this priviledge above them all to fetch out out of the Fathers treasury that which no Angel nor Saint in Heaven or Earth hath the priviledge to meddle withal Christ hath obtained this of the Father he hath this interest in the heart of the Father that he may with boldness come and take out whatsoever there is of secret Counsel in the Fathers bosome that concerns the Church of God to the end of the World He may be bold to come and challenge this as his priviledge Father if there be any secret yet undiscovered to the World I claim the priviledge to be acquainted with it and to have the discovery of it and to make it known unto the World This is the priviledge belongs to Christ. As now to give an Instance in Rev. 5. where you find there mention made of a Book in the right hand of him that sate on the Throne a Book written within and without and on the back-side sealed with seven seals a book full of Mysterie but a closed book nay a sealed book nay sealed with seven seals Hereupon the Proclamation is made with a loud voice by an Angel Who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof Here 's a book full of Mysterie and matters of high concernment to the Church of God to the end of the World Who is worthy
in heaven or earth to take this book out of the right hand of him that sits upon the Throne The Proclamation is made and the account is given Thus no man in heaven or earth nor under the earth was able to open the book nor look thereon not so much as to look upon it This goes to the heart of Iohn a great Favourite of Christ a dear Servant of God he for his part is astonisht at it and falls a weeping bitterly That there should be none found worthy to open the book Mark what follows One of the Elders said unto me weep not behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah the root of David hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals thereof and he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sate upon the Throne He came and took the book Here was the priviledge of Christ above Angels and glorified Saints or any in heaven and earth there was such a part of the counsel of God which was hid in his breast bosom that none durst venture upon for to make a search into The Lion of the tribe of Iudah the Lord Jesus the Lamb that was slain he was worthy and so they come with their acclamations afterwards they fall down before the Lamb having Harps and golden Vials and they sing a new song worthy worthy is the Lamb that was slain thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof And then they break out into magnifying and praising of God Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing and the four beasts said Amen and the four and twenty Elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever Why now this is to be known concerning our Lord Jesus Christ he hath this priviledge to take the book out of the hand to go into the bosom of the Father to open the cabinet of the Fathers most secret counsel he hath this priviledge above all creatures in heaven or in earth This is to be known concerning Christ. 6. Yet further This Word and Doctrine which is the subject matter of our preaching and your hearing it is such a Doctrine as Christ is marvellously pleased with the wise judicious publication and preaching of it and with the humble attention upon it and therefore Christ is perfect and he hath promised to be present to the end of the World in his Churches and in his Congregations and with his Ministry and with his under Preachers For as I said before preaching work is principally his Christ is the great Preacher and all that are imployed in the work they are but under him and they do his work principally he is present with them observant of them he hath promised to give his assistance to them and to take knowledge of all discouragements that they meet with as we see in the case of Paul When Paul was upon his preaching vvork he meets vvith very hard usage the Lord appears to him and doth as it were clap him upon the shoulder and saith Be of good cheer Paul Thou hast testified of me here at Ierusalem and in such and such a place I will stand by thee and none shall hurt thee O Christ is present with his servants and he delights to see his work graciously and judiciously managed and to see his People that attend upon him to give heed to his Doctrine The Lord Jesus he takes Knowledge how his work is entertained how it s preached and heard and how people behave themselves under the dispensations of it Why now good now beloved consider this These things are the things that we are to know concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. Now if this were well considered wold it not contribute exceedinly to the promoting of preaching and of hearing work Those that are called out to this ministration O if they had but the well digested Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ would not this spirit them and make them to look to the cause they manage how they manage this trust that is committed to them from Christ and how they deal with this blessed Doctrine that came out of the bosom of the Father and if you did but consider that you come to hear the Word that is given of the Father to Christ which is in the heart of Christ and which he ingages himself to give new life unto and how he takes notice what entertainment his Word hath c. If you did but know this certainly there would be other manner of hearing than ordinarily there is Thus now I have spoken concerning that I shall now go on and let you know That by growing in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Believers they come to be exceedingly advanced As for the other Services that I have been speaking of as Gospel-Duties in Prayer and Praising God in Preaching and Hearing the everlasting Word that came out of the bosom of the Father So by the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we come to be exceedingly advantaged for that great work of mortification and of self-denial To joyn these two together Self-mortifying work Self-denying work Alas Brethren how hardly are we brought to these Services And when we set upon them alas how aukward and how untowardly do we apply to the management of it And why Alas because we are so deficient in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ were there a well improved Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Did you but know what a self-denying person he was and how justly be may require self-denying at the hands of his People If we did but consider that this Jesus Christ he was from Eternity God with God he might have lain warm in the bosom of his Father in the dear and blessed bosom of his Father he might have lain there and delitiated himself and kept out of all the storms and tempests of the World and might have enjoyed himself with sweetest delight in his Fathers bosom O what a self-denying Christ was here That he should come and leave his Father's bosom and be content to expose himself to the difficulties and hardships of the World to undergo storms and tempests Mark what the Apostle speaks in Rom. 15. Let every one of us please his neighbour c. For saith he even Christ pleased not himself He did not set his heart upon pleasing himself but that he might please his God and profit his People here below even Christ saith he pleased not himself O a self-denying Christ and if this were well known it would promote self-denying work in us And then sin-mortifying work O we are hardly brought to it to wound and slay our corruptions and to be ever and non digging down our Walls and ever and anon to be boring in the sides of this or that corruption This is his hard work to us but had we
person that heard and knew this joyful sound but they would have a tongue to say Now unto him be glory both now and for ever Amen Those references which I made before to the Doxologie in the Epistle to the Romans Ephesians Timothy Jude and other places which might have been referr'd unto they are all a sufficient proof of this Doctrine that I have now delivered unto you That such a spirit doth act in all those that know the Lord Jesus Christ to any purpose that this is the proper spirit and genous of the Gospel and of a Gospel spirit for to have Honour and Glory and Dominion and Majesty given up to Christ. Paul was most lively to this discovery as appears by those Scriptures when he comes to fall upon the mentioning of Christ he would make a diversion of purpose leaving the prosecution of his cause that he might give up honour to the Lord Jesus Christ as in 1 Tim. 1. saith he speaking before I was such and such a Persecutor and a Blasphemer and the chiefest of sinners Howbeit saith he for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a pattern to them which hereafter should believe on him to eternal life Now mark you the diversion out of the pregnancy of his Gospel spirit he leaves the Argument he was driving and breaks forth upon this Doxologie as if he should say O I have mentioned Jesus Christ Now to the King eternal immortal invisible the only wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen He cannot mention him without a Doxologie O unto this only wise God this Lord Jesus Christ be glory for ever and ever Amen Now there is infinite cause and reason why there should be such an apprecation understand the word Appreâ—…ation a praying to Christ. I have said already it is the spirit of the Gospel and they that are acted by that spirit will be most pregnant this way they cannot hold The Disciples â—…id We cannot but speak the things that concern the honour of God and the Glory of Christ we are not able to hold our peace and when the Disciples were rebuked and the Children for crying Hosanna c. Why saith Christ if they should hold their peace the very stones would speak they must be crying out Glory to God Honour to Christ. This was that which was prophesied in Psal. 72. where you have that that concerns Christ v. 15. He shall 〈◊〉 tâ—… sole of the poor and needy from deceit and violence and pretious shall their blood be in his sight he shall live and to him shall be given of the gold of Sheba Typically understand it according to the time of Solomon who should be very much inriched with offerings but understand it in the Mystery of Christ To him shall be given of the gold of Sheba â—…e gold of Praise and honour and Glory Prayer also shall be made for him continually and daily shall he be praised Understand this of Christ in the Mystery Prayer also shall be made for him continually What Prayer Doth Christ in heaven need the prayers of his People Understand They shall be continually praying up his Glory an apprecation of Glory to Jesus O let him be glorified O let him be exalted O let his Name be magnified Prayer shall continually be made for him that his Name may be lifted up in the World that his Kingdom may be inlarged that his Throne may be established that upon his head the Crown may flourish It was the manner of old to vote up and to make apprecation Let the King live for ever why O King O Jesus live for ever O Jesus be thou glorified for ever O Jesus let thy throne flourish O Jesus let thy Crown flourish upon thy head why this is the apprecation And as I was saying there is infinite cause why it should be thus and that this language should sound in every mouth where there is any touch upon the heart To him be glory now and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amen First This is that which doth most fully comport with God the Father's design concerning his Son For mark you Christ having 〈◊〉 the Father by his most voluntary and 〈◊〉 subjâ—…â—…o him in the service of the 〈◊〉 and in 〈◊〉 oâ—… the saving of souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Father in this great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saving 〈◊〉 world why the Father now sets hiâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to glorifie him and that 's the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God to have the Name of his Son Jesus Christ lifted up that Christ may be glorified and God the Father and God the Spirit do not account themselves honoured and glorified if the Lord Jesus â—…ist be not glorified So that I say in that regard â—…s most righteous that it should be thus that there should be an apprecation and a wishing and voting up of Honour and Glory to Christ because it is that wherein we do most fully comport with the design of the great God concerning his Son our Lord Jesus Christ he having humbled himself and becoming obedient unto the death of the Cross God hath exalted him and given him a Name which is above every name and he will have Honour and Glory given to Christ. 2ly Consider this Christ is most worthy of it in respect of himself he is most worthy to have an apprecation made of Glory to him and that every breathing soul should breath out after this manner and say To him be glory now and for ever Amen Worthy of it O most worthy of it that every thing that hath breath should give Glory to him Do but consider that passage in Rev. 5. 11 12. I heard the voice of many Angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands Do but weigh this think with your selves what a vote here was The voice of many Angels and the beasts and the elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands and what 's theâ—…r voâ—…e Saying with a loud voice WORTHY IS THE LAMB THAT WAS SLAIN to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing and every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the Sea and all that are in them heard I saying Blessing honour glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throné and unto the Lamb for ever and ever Mark what a spirit here is Here 's the vote of Angels and Saints in the fullest conjunction Nemine contra dicente not one contradicting voting up Blessing and Honour and Glory and Power to him that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb for ever and ever He is worthy worthy is the Lamb. Upon what account worthy Worthy because the Lamb yea I say worthy is the Lamb because he is the Lamb the Lamb
of God the Lamb that was slain it s a name that he delights to be known by the Lamb upon Mount Sion worthy is the Lamb that was slain And because a Lamb slain because he was pleased to become an Offering and a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour and would undertake to redeem a People unto God by his Blood worthy therefore to have this acknowledgment made to him O worthy worthy is the Lamb that was slain Here now I have a large field to walk in but that I would contract my self and dispatch the Point The Lord Jesus Christ worthy Consider first of all who he is for his Person why he is the brightness of his Father's glory the express image of his person worthy therefore to have Glory given to him 2. What is he for his Name Wonderful Counsellor the mighty God everlasting Father Prince of Peace the Lord our righteousness King of Kings Lord of Lords the blessed and only Potentate the Prince of the Kings of the earth his Name is as an oyntment poured forth Well may it be said To him be glory now and for ever 3. Consider his Qualifications The only begotten of the Father full of Grace Then if full of Grace worthy to be full of Glory Grace leads in Glory and Glory doth most properly follow Grace Who should have Glory but they that have Grace Why none have so much Grace as Christ he was as full of Grace as ever he could hold Now where should Glory rest but upon him that is full of Grace Therefore worthily is it said To him be Glory 4. Then again Consider this Jesus this Lord Jesus Why he suffer'd he suffer'd for sin The just for the unjust that he might bring us to God He suffered and by suffering made satisfaction to infinite Justice he hath expiated the sins of his People provided for the purging of their Consciences he hath made way by his own Blood for an entrance into the Holiest Now is there not reason to say To him be glory both now and for ever Mark what our Saviour speaks after his Resurrection saith he Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer And what then And afterwards to enter into his glory It behoved him first to suffer and then to enter into Glory and he hath entred into Glory and it is our duty for to follow him with loudest acclamations and to say yea yea To him be glory now and for ever Amen 5. And then again Christ is most worthy to have these acclamations and such Doxologies a voting up and applecation of Glory to him Why Because all the Glory that ever any Saint on earth shall have or Saint in heaven doth possess all that Glory comes over to thereby the Lord Jesus Christ. Whatsoever Glory any soul here shall be partaker of or hereafter in the Kingdom of Glory they are to reckon themselves beholding to Christ for it it comes over to them by his means Worthy then is this apprecation to be made to him and that every soul that hath any hopes of Glory should say Now unto him be glory both now and for ever Amen So that these things being duly weighed which indeed are of proper cognizance for men and women professing godliness and professing to be acted by a Gospel spirit What is there that should more properly sound in an Assembly of People that attend to the Gospel What can more properly sound than this That unto the King of Sion the Lamb that was slain to him that is the King of the Princes of the earth to him that is set upon the Throne with his Father to him that hath overcome Principalities and Powers hath made a shew of them openly to him that hath vanquished Devils and enemies and hath brought Life and Immortality to light to him that is now entred into the Holiest once for all and appears in the heavens before God to plead the Cause of his Peoples souls What is there more proper in a Congregation of Saints to sound out than this To him be glory now and for ever Amen Now in a word for Application Are they acted by a Gospel spirit that design nothing less than the Glory of Christ that instead of making apprecations and voting up Glory to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ do what in them lyes to cast all the shame and dishonour and contempt upon him they can Is this the spirit of the Gospel It 's the spirit of the Devil That man be he who he will let them be never so high in the World let them be Kings and Princes and Potentatesâ—… whatsoever names and titles they are known by whatsoever dignities and honours they are advanc'd unto whatsoever breadth they carry in the World whatsoever they are for worldly respects that are set to cast contempt upon Christ and to turn reproach and dishonour upon him are so far from being acted by the spirit of the Gospel that they do walk in the very spirit of the Devil and it will appear so But are there any such are there such as walk in such a spirit There were so of old O people be apt to think that they were worthy to be spit in the face Why what did they that cryed out Not this man but Barrabas Let this Jesus be crucified let him be hanged let him be hanged for a Malefactor do him all the shame they can They did so they buffetted him they spit upon him they smote him with their fists they knock'd him upon the head they put him into a fools coat they would make him their laughing-stock Thus they did What was this spirit Why is this spirit quite worn out of the World Nay the Lord be merciful to us there is a desperate spirit of opposition to Christ among whom among the Antichristian party O that it were not to be found among persons that would be accounted godly and stand for the honour of Christ and make apprecations to him And they can patter it over in forms of words O Glory to Jesus Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the holy Ghost they can patter over such words in their mouths and in the mean time they carry swords in their hearts against Christ and their Conversations speak nothing but dishonour to Christ shame him in his Name shame him in holding out that shame him in making Profession of him And why because they live thus unchristian-like walk most unsutably to the Gospel walk most unworthy of their holy Profession are these men and women acted by a Gospel spirit that pretend to the Name of Christ that express nothing but that which is quite contrary to Christ they would be accounted Christian People and to have been baptized into Christ's Name and in the mean time they make it their business every day to cast dishonour upon Christ walking cross to him and quite contrary to the glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. For men and women to
rise up in opposition to the Kingdom of Christ to the spiritual Worship of Christ to a holy reformation and to do all that ever they can to hinder that God and Christ may not be worshipped in the beauties of holiness This is to cry up To him be shame instead of saying To him be glory both now and for ever No but to him be shame and to all his People and let them be the reproach and scorn of the World 2ly And so to close up If so be that we will approve our selves to be acted by a Gospel spirit consider how it must appear it must appear by holy apprecations and votings up of Glory to Christ and to say To him be glory the Father gives him Glory the Father reckons Glory to him the Spirit gives Glory to him The Spirit shall glorifie me he shall take of mine and shew it unto you The Angels give him Glory Worthy is the Lamb that was slain The twenty four Elders and the four Beasts make apprecations of Glory an innumerable number thousands of thousands and ten thousand times ten thousand they say Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to have Glory Now if you be men and women of a Gospel spirit let it appear by having your hearts set to this to give Glory to Christ wish him Glory in having the Government in your own hearts O to thee be Glory sweet Saviour the Glory of thy Kingdom in my own soul wish him that Glory the Glory of his Kingdom inlarged in the World of having that performed which is foretold the Kingdoms of the world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign for ever and ever wish him that Glory make an apprecation vote it up to him shew the spirit of the Gospel by having your hearts most strongly devoted to have Christ exalted in all his offices Priestly Prophetical and Kingly office that he may come to be the glory of the World that he may sway the Scepter according to what is promised This is the great thing that Christians should be set upon I speak not this as if I would cry down Civil Magistrates but that Government which is belonging to Christ and according to what he is anointed of the Father to according to what is purposed to him it is that we are to wish to him all that honour and Glory that the Father hath designed him this is that we should wish to him and say as the Apostle here To him be glory now and for ever And this is that which we are to do not in word and tongue as the Apostle saith O my little children let us not love in word and tongue only but in deed and truth So I say to you my Friends Let it not be in word and tongue only but in heart and reality O let your lips speak it let your lives speak it To him be glory so live so walk and carry your selves as that you may give a real proof and demonstration of it that your hearts may be devoted to have Christ honoured and exalted in the World I 'll conclude all with an itteration of this Doxologie and if ever tantologie though it is no tautologie but if ever there were any place for tautologie here were the properest place for it to be used but it is none I have a pattern for what I shall now perform from the holy Spirit of God in Psal. 136. O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth for ever Mark you how many verses you have in that Psalm 26. verses and so many times you have this itteration For his mercy endureth for ever Will you call this tautologie why then the Spirit is guilty of tautologie twenty six times you find it there O give thanks unto the Lord for his mercy endureth for ever he did thus and thus for his mercy endureth for ever he slew great Kings for his mercy endureth for ever he slew famous Kings for his mercy endureth for ever and he remembred us in our low estate for his mercy endureth for ever Here 's my pattern and let me a little follow it and I have done and charge me with tautologie if you can Thus I say then take up the language of the Text which I would do not using the words without the Spirit And thus I say Jesus is the Son of God Now to him be glory for ever Amen Jesus the Saviour of the world To him be glory now and for ever Amen Our Lord Jesus came into the word to seek and to save that which was lost To him be glory now and for ever Amen Jesus who was full of grace and truth Now to him be glory for ever Amen Our Lord Jesus that went about while he was here in the world doing good preaching the Gospel healing all manner of sicknesses and diseases and delivering them that were oppressed of the Devil To him be glory now and for ever Amen Our Lord Jesus who took upon him to satisfie even by death and suffering the Justice of his Father to fulfil the Law and to expiate sin and to purge the Conscience and to deliver from damnation those that were obnoxious to it Now unto him be glory both now and for ever Amen Jesus he is risen again and he is ascended up on high he is set down at the right hand of the Father and there he appears to make intercession for his People Now to him be glory now and for ever Amen This Jesus he improves at the Fathers right hand all the interest that he hath for the good of his People he communicates the Knowledge of the Mysterie of the Will of God and he makes Revelations unto his Church and People of those things that do concern it unto the end of the World and thus he is beneficial to his poor People here on earth he takss care of his Churches and hath a tender respect of all his interest Now unto him be glory both now and for ever Amen This Jesus is now in Heaven in Glory and he longs after the injoyment of all his redeemed ones and he hath undertaken to keep them while they are in the World and to lose not one of them but he will bring them to the enjoyment of himself and he will have them to see and to share in that Glory which he is now possessed of now he is in Heaven O what cause have we to say To him be 〈◊〉 both now and for ever Amen This Jesus who died and rose again and lives at God's right hand and as I said improves all his interest for his People O to this Lord Jesus Christ Be glory both now and for ever Amen And so I have done FINIS ERRATA PAge 39 line 25 for hearing read being p. 41 l. 8 for sayes r. sees p. 49 l. 7 f. contiguity r. contiguity p. 50 l. 31 f. Kod r. Rod p. 52 l. 8 f. can r. cannot p. 56 l. 15 f. trust r. faith p. 62 l. 25 f. firedness r. fixedness p. 65 l. 15 f. less r. let p. 74 l. 30 f. said r. sav'd p. 84 l. 3 f. that r. their l. 18 f. proposition r. opposition p. 90 l. 4 f. and r. as p. 109 l. 27 dele Christ at the beginning of the line p. 112 l. 5 dele the day of p. 116 l. 18 f. seâ—… r. get p. 127 l. 19 20. dele that I might be so discours'd of as p. 130 l. 8 f. faithful r. faithless p. 132 l. 13 f. eradicated r. eradiated p. 152 l. 31 f. in r. l p. 158 l. 16 f. which r. with p. 174 l. 17 f. that 's r. there 's p. 195 l. 23 f. fidelial r. fiducial p 197 l. 3 f. in r. it p. 209 l. 27 f. established r. chastised p. 228 l. 12 f. for r. from p. 234 l. 123 r. things p. 239 l. 28 f. perfect r. present p. 244 l. 27 f. such r. sure p. 250 l. 32 r. no p. 257 l. 30 f. born r. brother p. 28â—… l. 16 f. denoted r. devoted p. 292 l. 32 f. affective r. afflictive
make it appear that you do grow in Grace you should shew your growth manifest it to others and to your selves by being more active for God and for Godlyness speak more for God plead more for the cause of God be more spiritual in your discourses when you meet one with another that others may find that certainly there is a good stock of Grace within because there is such large expence without When you shall come to be more in holy discourses one with another and labouring to help one another heaven-ward and be communicating one with another in order to the furtherance of one another in the waies of Godlyness strengthen the hands one of another in God When you shall come to make it appear that you have more courage and boldness and resolution for waies of Holyness when you are more fruitful in the duties of Godlyness and frequent in them Thus you should endeavour to make it appear that you are persons that of a truth do grow in Grace that you may give occasion one to another to say with rejoycing hearts now blessed be God that such a one comes on a-pace shoots up a-main grows up to a goodly stature this is that that we should set our hearts unto What can I speak that is more proper for to be spoken to those that are called to the participation of the Grace of the Gospel O let not these words which I have spoken to this purpose let them not pass away as if so be that we were discoursing of a very fable Ah consider that I am speaking about growth in Grace and about the making of this growth visibly to appear that it may appear to God appear to others appear to our selves that our Consciences may be able for to witness with us that of a truth there is a growth This is your duty and this is my business this morning in part thus to press upon you not doubting but that I speak to such as have received the Grace of God in truth Consider that this Text doth charge it upon you that you look to your growth And thus you have according to the Apostles Counsel and Expression you have and no more than needs precept upon precept and line upon line here a little and there a little and I have done thus I am dropping and di stilling in you and working as I can but the Lord work and transmit it from your ears to your hearts this word which doth speak to you that you grow in Grace and that you manifest a growth If so be that you ask me now I but what course shall we take what may we do in order to this I would you were well ripened by virtue of that which hath been already performed in managing of this argument I would to God that your hearts and minds were well ripened for the giving in of some directions to such a purpose And I wish with all my heart that you and I had but our hearts brought to this to make a conscientious improvement of what we do already know for I cannot but think concerning many of you that have been long hearers of Sermons and professors of the Gospel of Gods Grace that you having heard often concerning growth in Grace that you are able to say why such an expedient hath been over and over time after time propounded to me I have had such a direction and such a direction I cannot but be perswaded that you are able to suggest to your selves what course is to be taken in order to spiritual growth but all the matter is this to make improvement of what we know and to look to it that we do not suffer our knowledge to lye dead upon our hands but that which is the mischief of all and doth us the greatest spoyl in Religion is this That when we hear Sermons and have Gods directions given and Wisdoms Counsels concerning a course to be taken for our souls good when we come to hear these things we let them lye dead upon our hands and never set our selves to make a business of it but resolve our Religion and Godlyness into a meer formality or mostly do and do not set our selves in good earnest about the business that God calls for at our hands Let me ask you now these Questions being that I am to give you some directions how you may come to grow in Grace Did you never hear that this hath been an expedient that hath been propounded a means prescribed that you should take heed of worldly intanglements of setting your hearts upon the World of loving the World and the things of the World Did you never hear that this hath been a means propounded to you I am perswaded that you have been taught to know that if you would grow in Grace you must take heed of setting your heart upon the World of loving the World and the things of the World I but consider now what will your Consciences answer Have I been careful to walk according to this direction have I set my heart upon this in order to growth in Grace for to keep as loose as I can use it but not set my heart upon it Truly this is a proper thing for to look to Alas Brethren if you have not known it to purpose labour to know it that the World is a great enemy both to the plantation the World I mean when the heart comes to close with it and with the things of it it is a very great enemy both to the plantation and likewise to the augmentation of Grace It hinders Grace from taking root and it hinders Grace after 't is rooted from springing up 'T is a very great enemy to increase and growth in Grace And this know It is a very hard matter to find a man that grows very rich in the World that the same man doth grow very rich in Grace It is possible so to be but I profess I do think it is a very rare thing to find that a man that grows exceeding rich in the World and is very eagerly set to advance in his worldly state that that man though he may have Grace in truth yet it 's rare to find such a man to grow up to any considerable pitch of Grace and Godlyness Therefore let that be considered And then secondly Will you but do this If there be but a desire to grow in Grace as I am sure there is cause for it will you but set your hearts to this take heed there be not any secret corresponding with and favouring of any thing that is sensual and naught Take heed of any lust not only of a willing allowance but of any favour any friendly respect unto it for truly this is a great enemy to growth in Grace Take heed of favouring your self in any corruption whether it be Pride or Covetousness or Self-love or Uncleanness or a passionate spirit take heed of bearing the least favour to these but be as severe against
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