Exposition of John 17

DOCTRINE. There are a certain company of men whom God the father in a special manner gives to Jesus Christ.

Some have this privilege above the rest of lost mankind, that God the Father gives them to his son Christ: and gives them to him in a special manner, as I shown you even now, not to be his servants only, but his members too. He bestows them upon Christ to be his own peculiar people. And this is clearly intimated in that profession of our Savior, John 6.39. this is my Fathers will, saith he, that of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing. The thing admitted there is clear by this, that some are given him by his Father, and given him so that they are not to be lost. And consequently, in another way then Judas was, who was bestowed on Christ as you have heard, and yet he was the son of Perdition. So, in the 37. verse he hath the same. Expression, where he speaks of all those whom his Father gives him. And on this ground it is that Jesus Christ lays claim to such viz. by virtue of donation from his Father: Here am I, and the children which thou hast given me. Thine they were saith Jesus Christ, John 17.6. Mark that Expression, Thine they were, as who should says, Now they are thine no longer. They have been thine, I must acknowledge, but now the property in some respect is altered, they are no longer thine, but mine. Why, which way came you by them? might the Father say. The Son replies, by thy own free gift. Thine they were, and thou gavest them to me.

So that you see there are a company of men whom God the Father gives to Jesus Christ.

And further yet, They are a certain company of men: they are just thus many, not a person more or less, That he should give eternal life to as many as God hath given him, so that the number of them is precisely and exactly known to God: he knows how many there be of them to a man. He hath determined absolutely, and unalterably with himself, that Christ shall have such a number, so many millions, or the like. And he hath also peremptorily resolved, that such particular and individual persons known to him from everlasting, shall make up the number. Whom he fore-knew, them did he predestinate, saith the Apostle, Rom. 8.29. Those very men and no others. And hence our savior speaks of such as if he knew them everyone by name. I pray for them. I pray not for the world, but for them whom thou hast given me, John 17.9. So that our Savior Christ distinguishes, you see, he knows who are his own by free donation of his Father, and for them he prays. He knows who are not given up to him, but continue in the world & of the world, and for them he prays not.

The point is plain you see, and needs no further confirmation. There are a certain company of men, &c.

[Reason.] If you desire to know the reason why God the Father gives them to his Son Christ, it is very manifest: because else he could not have them. He could have none to be his own peculiar people, he could have none to be his members unless he had them by donation from the Father; For you must know that primitively and originally all the world, and all the people in it, are the Fathers. Jesus Christ as he is man, and as he is Mediator and Redeemer, hath not right to one person, unless it be devolved over to him from the Father. Indeed he made the world as he is God, or God the Father made it by him, as the Scripture-phrase is: but as the Mediator of the Church he is not the Creator of the world. Creation is most properly the act of God the Father, as Redemption of the Son, and consequently all the world are primitively God the Fathers. His they are, for he made them. It is the greatest reason in the world that he that makes a thing should own it too, that it should be his that made it. That he that gives a thing being, should have a title to it, while it hath a being, unless he voluntarily and freely make it over to another. But how shall Christ as he is a Mediator have a people then to be his members, and to make up the Church a body for him, if all originally be the Fathers? Why truly either he must create new people, and that as man he cannot do: as God incarnate and manifested in the flesh he is not come to do: or else he must have some considerable number, that are already made, from God the Father. And thus the Father is content to yield to him; rather then he should want a company of men to be his members, he will spare him some of his, and others he will keep for other purposes to execute his wrath, and manifest the glory of his Justice on. God will prepare a body of him, and bestow a body on him, of those that appertain to him: Which is perhaps in part the sense of that Expression of our Savior, Heb. 10.5, When he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, but a body hast thou prepared me, not only a Natural but a Mystical body.

Well then, you see, my brethren, how the matter comes about; Christ must have some to be a body and to be a people to him, or wherefore did he take our flesh upon him, why did he come into the world? As man and Mediator he hath none originally of his own. And therefore God the Father gives him some. There are a people for thee, saith the Father, thou shalt have such and such, and such, I give them freely to thee that thou mayest give Eternal life to them. So many thou shalt have among the Jews: and if that be not sufficient, thou shalt have as many more as thou wilt ask among the Gentiles, Psal 2.7. Ask of me and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance. And hence our Savior speaking of his people acknowledgeth they were his Fathers first, and that they came to him by his gift. Thine they were; They were thine, though the case be altered now, for thine are mine, as you may see, John 17.10.

Now is it so, my brethren, that there is a certain company of men, [Use 1] &c. Then in the first place here is matter of astonishment, that God the Father should bestow upon his Son such a gift as this: that he should have no better thing to give him then a Company of poor wretched lost creatures, That Jesus Christ should accept of such a gift as this is: truly, my brethren, there is so much wonder in it, that it is able to amaze the man that thinks upon it. Why, who are we, that God the Father should think us fit to be made over by a deed of gift to Jesus Christ? What worth is there in us that we should be so much as thought upon for such a purpose? As if Christ stood in need of us, as if we might be an addition and advantage to him any way. Whence is it that our Savior should receive us at his Fathers hands? that he should have the least regard to such poor inconsiderable stuff as we are, so far as to accept of us? hath he not got a great purchase?

And yet the Father seems to value us so far that Jesus Christ is fain so ask us too, before he have us: Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thy own possession, otherwise I will not. And Christ is very well content to stoop to this, to beg us a special boon of God the Father, to become a Suitor to him, that he may have such and such to be his people. Good Father give me such a man or such a woman: I reckon not of others: take them who will for me: but these I am desirous of, and therefore I beseech thee to bestow them on me. And having gotten us, he seems to glory in us, and to be so tender of us, as if we were some rich purchase, as if we were of very great use to him, as you may see in this Chapter all along. Sometimes he shows the Father what a high esteem he hath of those whom he hath given him: how carefully he teacheth them, and showeth them all his Fathers name, how tenderly he keeps them, how dearly he affects them, and how his heart is set upon them. Sometimes he begs his Father for them to preserve them, to sanctify them, to make the world know that he loveth them, even as he loveth Jesus Christ himself, to make them one among themselves, and one with him; to bring them to the same place where Christ is, as if he could not live in Heaven without them. Ah, my beloved, did we follow on this mercy, as far as we could reach it in our thoughts, we should at length (finding no end or bottom in it) cry out as the Apostle, Oh the depth of the riches &c.

Are there a certain company of men whom God the Father gives to Jesus [Use 2] Christ? then surely they that have the happiness to be of this selected company, are in a very good case. It is impossible that they should perish, and that upon a double ground. For,

[ 1] First, If God the Father give them to his Son Christ, you may be sure that Christ will have them; the gift of God the Father shall not be in vain to him, he will not lose his end in this business. If he give them to his Son, he will see his Son shall have them. If he bestow them upon Christ to be his members, he will see they shall, in his appointed time, be joined to him, and nothing in the world shall keep them off from him. It may be many of them who belong to Christ, in the eternal Counsel and decree of God, are yet without; but God will surely bring them in, in his season. Let them be as averse from Christ and from his ways as it is possible for men to be: let them stand never so far off, the Father who hath given them to Christ, will certainly take care that they shall come in to him, or else his gift were nothing worth. And this is that which Christ himself takes notice of, John 6.37. all that the Father giveth to me, shall come to me. Let them be never so unwilling of themselves by nature, let them be never so entangled in the snare of Satan, so mightily withheld by him, yet however they shall come. But what if Christ should not receive them when they come? then they may perish notwithstanding. Yes, if the Father give them, and cause them thereupon to come, Christ will certainly receive them, All that the Father giveth me shall come to me. And what follows? And him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.

[ 2] Secondly, If God the Father give them to his Son Christ, as you may be confident that Christ will have them, so may you depend upon it that he will keep them when he hath them. What do you think that Christ will lose that which his Father gives him? That he will not be chary of us for his sake that bestowed us on him? We would not lose the gift of a friend, especially if he be dear to us: and much less would we lose a Fathers gift: we would keep such a thing with all care, especially if he bestow it on us with this Condition that we keep it for his sake; If he tells us that his will and pleasure is we should not lose it, we will be very wary how we part with it. Now God hath given us to Christ on these terms, as he himself acknowledges, John 6.39. This is the Fathers will, saith he, That of all which he hath given me, I should lose nothing. And he came down into this Lower world, to do the will of him that sent him, as he professeth very often; and therefore certainly he will be careful of this special charge of his, he will observe it very strictly. He will be infinitely wary that he lose not any of his Fathers things which he hath given him to keep. So that if we be given to the Lord Christ, however of ourselves we are apt to fall away, we may resolve that he will have us, and keep as unto life eternal.

DOCTRINE. That Jesus Christ as Mediator hath power to give eternal life to such and all such as are bestowed upon him by his Father, but he hath no power at all to give this life to any other.

The point holds forth both the extent, and limitation of the authority of Jesus Christ, in this respect. The former is expressly mentioned, the latter is apparently insinuated in my text.

First you have here expressly mentioned the extent of the authority [ 1] of Jesus Christ as Mediator of the Church: It is that he may give Eternal life to as many as God hath given him. Be they as many as they will, be they more, or be they less, he hath power to quicken them, to raise them from the death of sin to the life of grace and glory. This he can do de facto, as he is God, and this he may do de jure, as he is God and man, as he is Mediator, to as many as are bestowed upon him by his Father.

And then we have apparently suggested too, the limitation of the authority of Jesus Christ in this respect: For when it is affirmed here that Christ hath power to give Eternal life to as many as God hath given him, it is implied that he can give it to no more. There are the bounds of his authority, the restraint of his Commission; So far it reaches, and no further. I shall endeavor to evince and clear them both in order.

First Jesus Christ as Mediator, hath power to give eternal life to such, [ 1] to all such as are bestowed upon him by his Father. He hath received commission from his Father, to forgive their sins and heal their natures, and to become the Prince of Life to them, by giving them the life of Justification, and the life of Sanctification, and the life of Glorification. He came into the world for this end as you may see, Joh. 10.10. I am come that they might have life. They, Who? why, his sheep, as he explains it, both before and after. I am the door of the sheep. I am come that they may have life: and at the 27 ^th . verse, My sheep hear my voice, and I give unto them Eternal life. But how comes Christ by these sheep? Why by his Fathers own gift. And therefore it is added in the very next words, My Father which gave them me, is greater then all. So that it is as if our Savior Christ had said, I am come down into the world to give life to the sheep my Father hath bestowed upon me. To all them, and no others. The Father loves the Son, saith John the Baptist, and hath given all things into his hand, John 3.35. You must conceive it, all things of one sort he hath bestowed upon him, so that he hath put them into his hand, to honor them, to keep them, and preserve them, all his elect and chosen people. For all things of another sort, he hath (as the Apostle speaks) put under his feet, to shame them, and to ruin, and destroy them. But what doth Jesus Christ with those his Father gives him in the former way? Why he bestows eternal life upon them, as it is added in the following words, He that believeth on the Son, (as they do all, and only they whom God the Father gives him, as before) hath everlasting life.

This shall suffice in brief for confirmation of the former member of the point, That Jesus Christ hath power to give eternal life to all such as are bestowed upon him by his Father. The second follows; He hath no power at all to give this life to any other. It is not in the power of Jesus Christ as Mediator to save a man who is not given him by his Father. If he have not bequeathed them over to the Lord Christ, it is beyond the reach of his authority as Mediator to infuse this life into them. The execution of his power in this regard, you see, is confined to such only. As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many, and but as many as God hath given him. Thou shall call his name Jesus saith the Angel unto Joseph, Mat. 1.21. for he shall save his people from their sins. Those whom his Father gives him for a people by Election those he is designed to save, and no others. Our Savior Christ, as he is man is not to choose whom he will quicken to the life of Grace and Glory, (For if he had been free in this regard, there is no doubt he would have pitched upon his own Country-men, his own Allies, his own Kindred before others; whereas, as the Evangelist observes, he came to his own, among them he began his Ministry, and his own received him not ) but he must take such as his Father chooses, and gives him to be quickened by him. Those whom his Father gives him, only those and all those, he must keep and raise up and give them everlasting life, as you may see, John 6.39.40.

So that you see as Mediator Christ hath no power to give Eternal life to any but those who are bestowed upon him by his Father.

[Reason.] And it must needs be so, because as Mediator he is sent out by the Father; he is the Fathers Minister, the Fathers Servant: so he calls him, Isa. 42.1. Behold my servant whom I uphold. And servants are to do their Masters will, and not their own. No doubt the will of Jesus Christ as he was man, would have carried him to save those whom his Father and himself as God had appointed to destruction. But he must stood in this to the will of him that sent him; he must be satisfied with those his Father hath appointed for him to become a people to him. It is to be considered that the Father having called him Servant, speaks of him so as one that would in everything be ordered by him, Mat. 12.18. which is indeed a Parallel of that in Isa. 42.1. Behold my servant whom I have chosen (speaking of our Savior Christ) he shall show judgment to the Gentiles, he shall not strive, nor cry, neither shall any hear his voice in the street. A bruised read shall he not break, and smoking flax he shall not quench. This and this he shall do, and this he shall not do, saith God the Father; he is my servant, and I will order him at my pleasure: And so our Savior Christ himself professeth upon all occasions, that he will be obedient to his Father, and that he can do nothing otherwise then he will have him. And hence it is that he can quicken none but those that are bestowed upon him by his Father to be quickened by him.

It is not that he hath not power as he is God to quicken whom he will, as his own Expression is, John 5.21. In this respect he is equal to his Father. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them, so the Son quickeneth whom he will. It's act that he hath not in himself enough of merit, or enough of Spirit to raise up all the people in the world, to the life of grace and glory. It is not that his grace is not sufficient to subdue and overcome the greatest obstinacy and rebellion in the hearts and wills of men, the most extreme indisposition: though they be as dry tones, yet he can gather them together, and make them to stand up and live: but it is because as Mediator he is a servant to the Father, and must do his Fathers will, and he will have him give this life to none but those whom he makes over to him by a deed of gift to be his members, whom he elects in him, as the Expression is, Eph. 1.4. Our Savior puts all this together, in that place so often cited, John 6.37, 38. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and I will raise them up, and give them everlasting life, as afterwards, all them, and only them. And why so? For I came down from heaven not to do my own will, but the will of him that sent me: My own will, as I am man, would carry me to give life to a greater number, but I am come to do my Fathers will, and not my own. And therefore I must be content with those whom he is pleased to allot to me, to quicken them, and make them living members of my body mystical, and no others. And this for clearing of the observation. Proceed we to the Application, according to the branches of the point in order.

Is it so, that Jesus Christ hath power to give eternal life to all that are [Use 1] bestowed upon him by his Father? This then may serve to comfort us, at least to keep our hearts from sinking with reference to those who yet are dead in trespasses and sins. It may be some of them are near us in the flesh, they are our parents, or they are our Children, or they are our kindred and acquaintance: they are it may be in our beds, and in our bosoms, and when we look on such dead souls, our bowels even turn within us, we pity them, and melt upon them. They have been in their graves so long, and Christ hath called so long upon them in the preaching of the Gospel, and yet they come not forth to this day. There have so many powerful and effectual means been used in vain, that we are out of hope of them, and this even breaks our very hearts with sorrow. Why my beloved, it may be they belong to Jesus Christ in the eternal Counsel and decree of God; they are bestowed upon him by the Father in election, though yet they are not given to him by real union, and incorporation. And if they appertain to Jesus Christ, though they be never so untoward and indisposed and averse, depend upon it, he hath power to give Eternal life to them; I say to everyone of you, my brethren, that hath such a wife, or such a husband, or such a child, or such a friend, as Christ to Martha, when he had told her that he was the resurrection and the life, that he could raise up any man, though he were dead, and make him live, John 11.26. Believest thou this? It may be you will say, as she: Alas, my Brother, or my Father, or my Child hath been dead so many days, so many years, he hath laid buried in his grave of sin a long while, so that by this time he stinketh. Why yet believe that Jesus Christ can raise him up, and make him live the life of grace and glory. He hath received power to give eternal life to all that are bestowed upon him. If they belong to that number, be they as dead as it is possible for men to be, and as averse from being quickened, the power of Jesus Christ shall master them, and overcome them, and raise them up out of their graves of sin: that you shall say with admiration, See what Jesus Christ can do upon a poor dead Creature! And therefore when you look upon such souls as those, and seem to have the question put you that the Prophet had, when he saw the dry bones, Ezek. 37.3. Can these dead souls live? do you give the same answer, O Lord God thou knowest. If they belong to Jesus Christ, he hath power enough to raise them, and he will surely do it in his own time.

[Use 2] Is it so that Jesus Christ hath power to give eternal life to all that, &c. This then should teach us two things. First, Not to be lifted up upon the contemplation of our high condition; and Secondly, Not to be cast down upon the contemplation of our low condition in the world. You see the men who are to have this life from Christ, are not described to be of such a quality, of such a station or condition, but only to be given to him by the Father. So that let them be what they will, in all considerations and respects besides, if God have given them to Christ, they shall assuredly have life from him. He hath received power for this End, that he should give, &c. So that it matters not in this respect whether we be high, or low, rich or poor, bond or free, we are not any whit the nearer to the life of Christ, my brethren, for the one, nor any whit the further from it for the other.

[ 1] Be not lifted up upon the contemplation of your high Condition in the world. Admit that you be wealthy, admit that you be noble, learned, honorable, and the like, admit that you be any way advanced, and raised above your brethren, you have no cause at all to swell with these prerogatives, or to be proud of these things. Indeed they have their use and worth, and therefore are not utterly to be contemned; but yet we must withal consider that be their excellency what it will, they are of no avail at all, to bring us to the life of grace and glory. In that which is the point of highest consequence, matter of life and death, yea of eternal life and death, they will not steed us in the least degree; and therefore certainly there is no cause at all why they should be so magnified, and admired as they are. If outward wealth and pomp, or dignity did further us: if outward baseness did hinder us in this business, how is it that the base things of this world and things that are despised are chosen? and that the poor in purse as well as spirit, do receive the word of life? when yet not many mighty, not many noble in the world are called, 1 Cor. 1.25. If outward wisdom, learning, policy did further, or weakness or unlearnedness did hinder us in point of having life from Christ, how is it that the weak and foolish things are chosen many times, and that the Law of God gives understanding to the simple, that the unlearned rise, and take the kingdom as it were by force, that is, with earnestness and with affection: when yet not many wise, not many learned men are called? Why are we so exalted upon these outward privileges and preferments in the world? What is it that you stand upon? What, that which will promote or further you to life Eternal? Alas they are of no avail in this respect. All these prerogatives with which men swell even till they burst again, are such as they may carry with them into Hell.

Let us not be cast down upon the contemplation of our low condition in the world. You that are simple, poor and mean, that have not any outward thing to glory in, no wealth, no parts, no honor, or preferment any way: be not dejected and disheartened; for as external privileges and advancements are of no avail to further you, so outward means and abasure is of no avail to hinder you from receiving life from Christ. He gives it to as many as God hath given him, let them be of what condition or estate they will. There is no other thing required in this respect, but that they be bestowed upon him by the Father. And he bestows upon him poor and weak men many times: yea, most times. And therefore be not out of heart; for hadst thou all the wealth and honor in the world, thou wert not any whit the nearer to this life of Christ, nor art thou any whit the further from it by thy low condition: That will be no impediment, but that he may give thee life; the life of grace in this world, and the life of glory in the world to come.

Is it so, that Jesus Christ hath no authority to give Eternal life to any but those who are bestowed upon him by his Father? They are mistaken then, who [Use 3] hold that he came into the world to give life to all men. He came as you have heard to do his Fathers will, and this is his Fathers will, that he should give Eternal life to as many as he hath given him, and not to a man more. This he hath given him authority and power to do: further then this his Commission doth not reach. So that it is not in the power of Jesus Christ to quicken all and save all, it is apparent that he cannot do it. Indeed as God he can do all things but those that are impossible; Either absolutely being such as are not to be done; or else impossible upon condition, by reason of a contrary Decree, by which he hath confined-himself. But as man and Mediator, he can do no more then God will have him, he can save no more then God hath given him, and put into his hands to save. And therefore you shall find it in his story, that as man he was extremely troubled at the unbelief and hardness of the people's hearts. He wept over Jerusalem with many tears: Why, you will say, perhaps what needed this? he might have wrought upon them, and put the life of Grace into them. No my Beloved, he could not work on many of them; he could not raise them to the life of Grace, they were not given him by his Father, and yet as man he pitied and lamented their condition, as we should do in such a case, he being in all things like unto us, sin only excepted. And this methinks should melt the hearts of Reprobates themselves to Christ, and make them to relent towards him. Alas, he pities you, and mourns over you, his very bowels yearn towards you, He delights not in your ruin and destruction; No, it is troublesome and grievous to him. But why then doth he not relieve and help us, you will say? Why, if you be not given him by the Father, it is not in his power to do it. Its said indeed that he gives life unto the world, as it is in his own expression, John 6.33. But that is but in opposition to the Jews; not to the Jews alone, but to the world, to men of all conditions, and of all Nations in the world. But to the world in general he doth not, nay, he cannot give it. So that the fault is not in him, if any of you perish, and that you have not life from him; you see he is confined and bound up by his Father to a certain number, to give this life, but to as many as the Father gives him.

DOCTRINE. That Life Eternal, or the life of Grace which is Eternal, is begun in holy Knowledge.

Christ gives Eternal life to us at least in the beginning of it, when (as the Prophet of his Church) he teaches us, and causes us to know his Father and himself. When he makes known his Fathers Name, and his own Name to us, he causes us to pass from death to life. In him was life (saith the Evangelist, ) 1 John 4. and the life was the light of men.

This Life communicated to the sons of men, was the Light of saving knowledge which he made to shine into them. He gave them life, in that he gave them light and knowledge, who were before in darkness, and so by Consequence in the shadow of death, as the Scripture phrase is. And hence saith the Apostle, Awake and rise up from the dead, and Christ shall give thee Light, Eph. 5.14. Indeed, as long as we are ignorant and in the dark, we are all dead men, we know not what the life of God means: And therefore the Apostle speaking of the Gentiles, saith, That they were strangers from the life of God. They live the life of men indeed, but they were strangers from the life of God, the life of Grace, by reason of the Ignorance and blindness that was in them, Eph. 4 18. The Grace of God is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, saith the Apostle, 2 Tim. 1.10. who hath abolished death. But how hath he done this? by bringing life and Immortality to light; as it is added in the next words, by bringing life and ••• ortality. The latter as I take it, is the Explication of the former. q. d. by bringing such a Life as is immortal, as is above the power of Death, as the life of Grace is; By bringing this to men, by shining on them with the bright and glorious light and luster of the Gospel: I might be very copious here, but this may satisfy to clear the Point, That life Eternal, &c.

And this appeareth further divers ways.

It will appear that life Eternal, or the life of Grace which is Eternal, is [ 1] begun in holy knowledge, if we consider what it is that is the great Impediment of Life, and what it is that holds men, and detains men in a state of Death. It is apparently their want of knowledge, the ignorance and error that is in them. How came sin, and with it death into the world, but by cozenage and deceit? The woman being deceived was in the transgression; as the Apostle Paul speaks, 1 Tim. 2.14. She fell into it by a mere cheat. And how are men continued in this state of sin and death? They are corrupt according to deceitful lusts, Eph. 4, 22. Look as their lusts deceive them more or less, so are they more or less corrupt. And therefore they that sit in darkness, are said to fit in the shadow of death. And which way then shall life Eternal be begun in men, but by dispelling this darkness by the light of holy Knowledge, and by translating men out of the power of darkness, as the Expression is, Col. 1.14. Out of ignorance and darkness which hath such a power upon them to hold them under sin and death, and to keep them still in a condition of estrangement from the life of God, as the Apostle Paul insinuates in the cited place, Eph. 4.18. If it be ignorance that keeps men from the life of Grace, then surely it is holy Knowledge that begins it, and that brings men to it.

It will appear that the life Eternal, or the life of Grace which is Eternal, [ 2] is begun in holy Knowledge, if you consider who it is that is the principal Efficient of it, and the way which he works it. The Principal Efficient of this Life is Jesus Christ, and therefore he is called our Life very often in the Scripture. And he is said to give it in the words which I have finished, that he should give Eternal life. And which way doth he give it to his people, but by working knowledge in them? And therefore it is added in my Text, This is Eternal life (this is the life which he gives) to know thee the true God. Indeed he gives it to us as a Prophet; he purchases and gets it for us I acknowledge, as a Priest, by his Invaluable satisfaction. But he begets and works it in us, by his effectual Teaching and instruction as a Prophet: And therefore he is said to speak in life to his people, John 6.63. The words that I speak unto you, they are Life. To show us that he quickens us in a way of Information; for to what End doth speaking tend, but to make us understand? Thou hast the words of eternal life, saith Peter to our Savior Christ, John 6.68. That is, the words that work life; and which way can they work it, but by conveying knowledge to the mind of him that hears them? So that you see that Jesus Christ is the Efficient Cause of the life of Grace in his people, by teaching them, by working saving knowledge in them, by turning them from darkness to light. He gets it for them as a Priest, He gives it to them as a King, He works it in them as a Prophet.

It will appear that life Eternal is begun in holy Knowledge, Because [ 3] the Instrumental means of Life is the means of knowledge to. Yea, it is the means of Life, in that it is the means of Knowledge. The Instrumental means of Life you know (my Brethren) is the Gospel. And therefore it is called the word of Life, Phil. 2.16. holding forth the word of Life, that is the Gospel & the Ministry of life, 2 Cor. 3.7. in opposition to the Law, which is the Ministry of death and condemnation. And which way doth the Gospel work life, but by instilling knowledge into men, by making them to understand that which they never knew before, that they are naturally dead in trespasses and sins, that they are in a state of death and condemnation, that there is life enough in Jesus Christ, that he is ready to dispense and give it out to all that come to him for it? And so convincing them that it is necessary for them to go to him that they may have Life; Till they come to know this there is no life of Grace in them. And it is by Gospel-Teaching that this life is infused into them.

It will appear unto you that the life of Grace is begun in holy Knowledge, [ 4] if you consider with what part the Lord begins, when he puts this Life into us. He begins not with the members, he begins not with the will, but he begins with the mind and understanding, by Illuminating that, and by endewing that with saving knowledge; And therefore we are said to be transformed, or to be changed from the state or life of nature to the state or life of Grace, by the renewing of the mind, Rom. 12.2. No doubt the will and members are renewed too, for the change is universal. But there the work begins my Brethren, in the mind and understanding, we are renewed first in the spirit of the mind, Eph. 4.23. and from that it goes on to the inferior faculties, and to the outward conversation. And consequently it begins in knowledge, of which the mind is capable, which is the proper object of it. And therefore saith our Savior, sanctify them with thy Truth, Renew them, make them holy, work the life of Grace in them by revealing Truth to them.

[ 5] It is apparent that the life of Grace begins in Knowledge, because all other grace is brought into the soul by it, and therefore this must be the first Grace. The first I mean in order, and in course of nature, not of time. As long as there is no knowledge, there is no grace at all, and so no Life in such a person. But when knowledge once comes in, I speak of sanctified Knowledge, it brings all saving Grace with it; This is the prime work of Grace and the Foundation of the rest. The New man is renewed in Knowledge, Col. 3.10. why so it is in Faith, and Love, and other graces. But it is first renewed in knowledge, there is the rise & the original of all. And even as in the first, the old Creation, the Lord began with natural Light, Gen, 1.3. so in the second or the New Creation, he begins with spiritual Light, with super-natural and saving Knowledge; and gives us other graces by this means. To which effect is the Apostles prayer, 2 Pet. 1.2, 3. Grace be multiplied upon you through the knowledge of God: and after more expressly to our purpose, As he hath given us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him. So that we have this Life, the life of holiness and grace, through knowledge; without it we have no Grace, but with it all Grace. It is the seed from whence all other graces grow; it is the means by which they are begotten in the soul. Holy Knowledge will bring forth heavenly Affections and desires. If a man know God, and know Christ, his will shall close with him, and his affections shall be carried out to him: it will effectually restrain a man from sin and reform the Conversation. They shall not hurt, neither destroy in all my holy Mountain saith the Lord, Isa. 11.9. And why so? for the earth shall be full of the Knowledge of the Lord. If you have been taught by him, as the Truth is in Jesus, why then you will put off the old man. It will draw a man to practice and obedience, if it be sound and saving Knowledge; as holy David intimates in that request of his, Psalm 119.34. Give me understanding, saith he, And what then? why, I shall keep thy Law, yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. So that you see, all holiness and Grace is brought into the soul by Knowledge: and therefore certainly the life of Grace begins in it.

[Use 1] Now is it so, that life Eternal, or the life of Grace which is Eternal, is begun in holy Knowledge? This then may serve to teach us in the first place, how to value Knowledge, and what account and estimate to put upon it. Why truly, as we value life, yea everlasting Life, so we ought to value Knowledge at the very same rate: For this is life Eternal to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent. We all of us do make a very great account even of our temporary Lives, which yet when all is done must perish and decay, and come ro nothing; we are ready to Redeem them, if there be no other way, with the loss of all things else. Though yet even then when all is done, we know we can enjoy them but a few years, and are not certain to enjoy them one hour. How is it then that we despise and undervalue holy Knowledge in which Eternal life consists, which if we can attain, we have Eternal life abiding in us, a life which is above the power of death and dissolution: Alas, how miserably is it slighted by the greater part of men, yea by the greater part of Christians! Christians I mean, in name and in profession. Though it be offered them, they will not take it, but say in effect to God, Depart from us, for we will not have the knowledge of thy ways. When light is tendered them, they even shut their eyes against it that they may not see. So that it may be said of such, as God complains of some in Israel: their eyes have they closed, lest they should see with their eyes, and understand with their hearts, and be converted, and be healed. And the Apostle Peters charge must needs fall home upon them, they are willfully ignorant. They enjoy the means of Knowledge, but they will not wait upon them, they take no care at all to profit by them. They need not to ascend up into heaven to bring Christ down from above, nor to descend into the deep, to bring up Christ again from the dead, as the Apostle speaks, Rom. 10.6. that they may be acquainted with him; the word is nigh them, as it is added there in that place. The Word that manifesteth and revealeth God and Christ, is nigh to them. They need not to go far to hear it, and to hear of God in it. But many will not spend an hour, they will not step without their doors to meet with God, and to be acquainted with him: as if the Knowledge of the Lord were worth nothing, as if it were of no value; Ah, my Beloved, do you know what it is that you despise, and set at naught in this fashion? Is life worth anything? Is life Eternal worth anything? Why in contemning Knowledge, you contemn no less then this; for this, as you have heard, is life Eternal. And how deservedly may you be left to perish in Eternal Death, who put the means of knowiedge from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of Eternal life!

Is it so, that life Eternal, or the life of Grace, which is Eternal, is begun [Use 2] in holy Knowledge? See here the sad Condition and estate of those who are ignorant of God, have no acquaintance with him, who know him not the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent. They are absolutely dead, the life of holiness and Grace is not yet begun in them; They have not yet the least Degree, the least spark of this life: No they are strangers to the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, in the place so often cited. They are so far from being quickened to this life of Grace, that they are mere strangers to it. They know not what this kind of life means; And are there not a multitude of such among us, who are almost as ignorant of God and Christ as the very beasts that perish? Who besides some common names and notions of God, and of a Jesus and Savior, and the like, which it may be they can talk a little of, because they hear them every day, know nothing of the one, or of the other: Examine them and sift them well, and you shall find that they have nothing but a form of words at utmost, of which they can give no more account then if they were some strange Language. And are not these men in a sad case? Truly my Brethren, they are but walking Ghosts, and gastly shadows, they have no true life in them, no not so much as the beginning of it, for life Eternal is begun in Knowledge.

I know it is a Common fancy, that if a man profess the true Religion, if he have been baptized, and come to the Assemblies, and hear and pray as others do, he is in a good Condition; but be assured of this, if he be ignorant of God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent, he is no better then a dead man. It is a cooling word my Brethren, and that which one would think should astonish and amaze you; Suppose a Messenger should come to any of you from them that have the power of life and death, and with a serious and composed look should tell him that he is a dead man, how would it strike him to the heart? how would his color come and go? how would the powers of his soul tremble? Now we are Messengers dispatched from him who hath the Keys of Hell and Death, to tell you who are ignorant of God and Christ, that you are in a state of death and condemnation, and that you are in danger every hour of being cast into the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second Death. It may be you will take no notice of it, but chase away the meditation of it from your thoughts. You will (as many do) delude yourselves with this conceit, that though you die in this condition, yet God notwithstanding will be merciful to you. But as you tender the salvation of your precious souls, I beseech you to observe that God's own Word is peremptory and express for this. That none that is devoid of knowledge, and continues so, shall have any share in the mercy of God, or in the glory of the world to come. Oh continue thy loving kindness to them that know thee, (to them and none but them,) saith David, Psalm 36.10. It is a people of no understanding, saith the Prophet of the Jews, Isa. 27.11. And what follows? Therefore he that made them will not have mercy upon them. It is the common apprehension of the vulgar sort that he that made them cannot choose but save them too. No, saith the Prophet there, if they be grossly ignorant, Then God that made them will have no mercy upon them. They have not known my ways, saith God, unto whom I swore in my wrath, that they should never enter into my rest. The time is coming when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire, rendering vengeance unto them that know not God. And therefore I beseech you do not slight it, but lay it seriously to heart, while yet the pardon may be gotten, while the condemnatory sentence which the Law hath put against you, may be yet revoked.

[Use. 3] Is it so, that life Eternal is begun in holy Knowledge? You see then what you are to do, and what course you are to take, if you would live Eternally. Originally we are all dead men, we are in a condition and a state of death. And if you yet continue as you came into the world, this is surely your case. Now my Beloved, are you sensible of this? would you come out of this condition? do you desire to live, and live forever? Labor after holy Knowledge; And this is life eternal, to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent. Though this as I have shown you, be not all that goes to life Eternal, yet this is the beginning of it; and therefore if you mean to live Eternally, this is the first thing that you are to do, this is the first step that you are to make. Till saving knowledge be attained in some degree, the soul continues in a state of death; as soon as this comes once into the soul, Eternal life comes in with it. The Exhortation of the Wise man seems to go far, Prov. 2 4. Seek for knowledge as for silver, and search for her as for hidden treasure. But we must go a great deal further, seek for it as for life, yea as for Eternal Life; Struggle for knowledge as it were for life and death.

But you will ask me, which way shall we come to know God, and know Christ? To this I answer, that you cannot know him by innate and in-bred light, by any self-ability, let it be what it will, it is incompetent and insufficient to reveal God to you: though much of him be manifested in the Book of the Creation, his Wisdom, his eternal power and God-head, and though there be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 something to be known of God as the Apostle speaks, by studying in this Book, you cannot know him savingly by this means. No, neither can you know him so by studying in the Book of Scriptures neither, though there he be revealed more fully then he is in the book of Creatures, unless some other help go with it; Nay more then so, you cannot know him fully and completely any way by any means in this life. As he is in himself, he is not to be known of any but himself. And hence t •• Scripture tells us, that no man hath seen God at any time, John 1.18. It is very full you see, no man at any time But though he doth not, yet he may. No, saith the Apostle Paul, 1 Tim. 6.16. He dwells in light that no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen, nor can see. Indeed we see him darkly here, as the Apostle speaks, 1 Cor. 13.12. And therefore this is called the seeing of the back-parts of the Lord. As when we see the back-parts of a man, we know him but by guess only, we know him not so perfectly and distinctly as when we come to see his face. Such a sight of God is that which we attain in this life. And however it may seem by some expression in the Scripture, that God hath fully manifested and made known himself to some here, as to Jacob, Gen. 32.30. and to Moses, Num. 12.8. To him will I speak (saith God) by vision, not in darkness, and he shall see the similitude of God. This must be understood comparatively of the Lord's more clear and full revealing of himself to Jacob, and to Moses, then to other men. But as for perfect light and knowledge of the Lord, my Brethren, this was not imparted, neither to Jacob, nor to Moses. Thou shalt not see my face, saith God to Moses, Exod. 33.10. That is, the fullness of my glory: for none shall see my face and live.

But which way may we come to know him, so far as he is to be known in this life?

Truly there is but one way of coming to the knowledge of him, and [ 1] this way is Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time, saith the Evangelist, John. 1.18. What then, is he not to be seen, not to be known at all, by any means? Yes, though he be not to be seen or known immediately in himself, yet mediately in and by the Son he may be known; for he hath manifested and revealed him to us. No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. And therefore when our Savior was Incarnate, it is said, that God was manifested in the flesh, 1 Tim. 3.16. In which respect it is, that when Philip was so earnest to have the Father shewn him, our Savior bids him to behold himself, and addeth presently, he that hath seen me, hath seen the Father also. Indeed it was the business of our Savior Christ into this Lower world, to bring God down to us, that we might be acquainted with him: And therefore if you do indeed desire to know him, go to Christ, and use his help in this business. If you ever see God, and have that knowledge of him, which is life Eternal, you must have light from Jesus Christ to see him by. I am the light of the world, saith he, John 8.12. without me there is no light in all the world, none but that which comes from me, and which I am the Fountain of. He that follows me shall have the light of Life, that is the light which is life. And therefore if you would have this light follow Jesus Christ for it, and follow him three ways, or in the use especially of three Means: follow him in a Gospel-Ordinance, a Gospel grace, a Gospel-duty.

[ 1] Follow him in the Gospel-ordinance of preaching; there it is that Christ shines, that he gives out the light, by which he shows his Father to his people. Its true indeed that Moses shown him in the Law as a Judge and an Avenger. But it is Jesus Christ that shows him in the Gospel as a Father and a Savior. He is not manifest in a saving way anywhere but in the Gospel. The Knowledge of him as he is discovered there, and none but that is life eternal. And therefore wait on that discovery, if you mean to live forever; where there is any Gospel-preaching, say Christ shows his Father there, and follow him, that so you may have life by this means. I say as Solomon, Prov. 4.13. Take fast hold of Instruction, keep her, for she is thy life.

[ 2] Follow him in a Gospel-grace, and that is faith; by this it is that we come to see God, and know God; as by it we believe the Revelations and Discoveries that are made of God, which other men may read and hear, and yet because they have no faith to give belief and credit to them, they get no sight, no knowledge of the Lord by them. It is by faith that we see him who is invisible, as the expression is, Heb. 11.27. There are some things that must be first believed before they can be fully understood: if you believe them not, you can never understand them. And hence saith the Apostle in the third ver. of the fore-cited Chapter, by saith we understand the world to be created by the word of God. A man would think he would have said, by faith we credit and believe it, and not by faith we understand it. But the Creation is a thing that is above Philosophy: and therefore is not to be fully understood, unless it be believed first. It is our faith that helps us to the perfect Knowledge of it, and so by faith we see and know God, because by faith we give assent to the discoveries that are made of God in Scripture; and having once believed them, we come to see and understand the nature of the Lord in them. We see the Lord in his All-mightiness, his All-sufficiency, his Omni-presence, &c. which a man that hath not faith can never do: we bring him near us, by believing his Immensity, and that he filleth all places, (as he is said to do in Scripture) we look upon him now as just by us, and so we have a clear and distinct sight of him.

[ 3] Follow Christ in a Gospel-duty, and that is Prayer; beseech him to reveal God to you, make your address to him as Philip doth, John 14.9. Shew us the Father: we cannot see him of ourselves, Lord show him to thy poor servants. If Christ withdraw himself and step away, go after him, follow him, and you shall have the light of Life. If he stop his ears against you, cry the louder, as the Direction is, Prov. 2.3. Cry after Knowledge, lift up your voice for Understanding: and what then? Then shall you understand the fear of the Lord, and find the Knowledge of God.

Is it so that life Eternal, &c. If then you desire to save men from Eternal [Use 4] death, to bring men to Eternal Life, instill the Knowledge of the Lord into them? It may be you have Children, it may be you have Friends or servants, whom you look upon as dead, they have no life of grace in them: well, Would you have them quickened? Would you have them live forever? Do what you can, by all the means that you can think upon to make them know God. Instruct them, bring them to the means of grace; examine them how they thrive and profit by them. Oh do not see them sink away to hell, and die forever, for want of any help that you can yield them, of any pains that you can bestow upon them. Have compassion upon them, save them with fear, pulling them out of the fire, out of the fire of hell by this means. Oh pity such a Child, or such a Friend, or such a servant as you see Ignorant of God, let your bowels earn upon him, Ah poor dead soul! And if you can be Instrumental to instill the Knowledge of the Lord into him, you shall do a great work, you shall save a soul from death, yea from Eternal death you shall bring it to Eternal life.

DOCTRINE. The Knowledge which is life Eternal, in which Eternal life consists, is the Knowledge both of God and Christ too, not of the former only, but the latter also.

You see my Brethren, both of them are jointly made the Object of it in my Text. So that the Knowledge which neglecteth either of them, is in-sufficient to salvation. If it stay and rest on God, and go not on to Jesus Christ, it will never reach home. This only, this is life Eternal, to know God and Jesus Christ, not divided, but together.

[ 1] First, it is true, that it is absolutely necessary to Eternal life to know God; The ignorant of him are made the Objects of a dreadful Imprecation. Ier. 10.25. Yea, more then so, the ignorant among the heathen who were deprived of the means (though not of all, yet) of the saving Knowledge of him: and yet as you may see the Prophet prays, Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not. Indeed, the men that have their understandings darkened by reason of their ignorance of God, whether they have means or none, are alienated from the life of God, Ephes. 4.18. They do not live the life of Grace in this world, nor shall they live the life of Glory in the world to come. And the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels, rendering vengeance unto them that know not God, 2 Thes. 1.7. So that without the knowledge of him, there is no escaping everlasting wrath and vengeance. There is no possibility of coming to enjoy him, unless we be acquainted with him. Nec cum potes aut amare quem nescias, aut habere quem non amaveris: thou canst not love him whom thou knowest not, nor have him whom thou lovest not.

Nay, let me go a little further, that Knowledge of the Lord, and only that, is life Eternal, which bringeth forth obedience to him. You may see this evident in both the parts of godliness, both in eschewing evil, and in doing good. As for the first, hear what the Lord himself saith, Job 28.28. The fear of the Lord, that is Wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding. To know him so to fear him, to fear to disobey him and to sin against him: this only is the right Knowledge. As for the other part of godliness, which consists in doing good, see that of the Prophet David, Psalm 111.10. A good understanding have they that do his Commandments. They only understand and know the Lord effectually and savingly, that obey the will of God. Others may have understanding, but it is no good understanding. That alone is good and right, which makes a man to do his Commandments: and this the Lord himself observes of the knowledge of Josiah, Ier. 22.16. He judged the cause of the poor and needy, was not this to know me saith the Lord? q.d. This was knowledge to the purpose, this was true and real knowledge of the Lord, which made him strict and careful in the practice of his duty. And therefore because this is life Eternal, God hath bound himself by Covenant to give them whom he means to save, such a knowledge of himself. His Covenant is to give them Understanding; see the abridgement of it, Ier. 31.34. They shall all know me, saith God there. But how shall they know God? Why, they shall know him so as to serve him and obey him. And therefore it is said before, I will put my Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts. They shall not have it only in their minds to know it, but in their hearts to practice and obey it, And so they shall all know me. So that you see the Knowledge which is saving, in which Eternal life consists, hath God for the object of it.

Secondly, but though it have him for the Object of it, it hath him [ 2] not for the sole and only Object: if our knowledge go no further it will never reach home; it will never bring us up to Life and Glory. The Knowledge which is life Eternal (you have heard) in which Eternal life consists, is the knowledge both of God and Christ too. Not of the former only, but of the latter also. To know God without Christ, is not to know him savingly, as I shall show you more at large hereafter. And therefore the Apostle Peter presses those whose salvation he desires, that they would grow in the knowledge of the Savior Jesus Christ, 2 Pet. 3.18. And the Apostle Paul desireth God in behalf of the Ephesians, that he would give them the spirit of wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of him, that is, of Christ Jesus. Indeed, this is the great thing that we must desire to know, if we mean to live forever. And therefore Christ is made sometimes the only Object of a Christians knowledge, as if there were no other knowledge necessary to that great End. When Christ ascended up on high, he gave gifts unto men, saith the Apostle, Eph. 4.8. and what was the intent and aim of those gifts? Why, to bring men to the knowledge of the Son of God. God is not mentioned there, but the Son of God only. And the Apostle Paul taught the Corinthians nothing else but Christ, and yet his aim was that they might be saved. I determined to know nothing among you, saith he, 1 Cor. 2.2. that is, I resolved so to manage and carry the course of my Ministry, as if I knew nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified. And in the same respect it is, that he prefers the knowledge of Christ before all other things, yea before all other knowledge, as being of the greatest use, Phil. 3.8. He doth not only say that it is good, but that it is Excellent, beyond compare there is an excellency in it. Yea doubtless; I esteem all things but loss for the excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: yea life itself but loss, (for that you see is not excepted) in regard of that Knowledge which bringeth us to life Eternal. And hence it was, that though he spake with Tongues more then they all, though he abounded and excelled in all sorts of Learning, yet he gloried in nothing but in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, Gal. 6.4. as intimating that especially to be considerable in the main business, to make him everlastingly and truly happy.

But why is not the knowledge of the only true God sufficient of itself to life Eternal, unless we also know Jesus Christ whom he hath sent? Let us see the reasons of it.

[Reason 1] If we know God and not Christ, we know him but as a Creator, and a common Savior, a Preserver, not as a Sanctifier or Redeemer. We know him but in such a way, (and very short of such a measure) as Adam did in the state of Innocency. And which way should we come to life Eternal by such a knowledge as this is? If we look that God should save us upon this account, that he hath made us, we are upon a wrong ground. Indeed, did we continue in the state in which he made us, he would be sure to save us too. Could we serve him and obey him so absolutely and exactly as Adam could and did, while he remained in his first Integrity, I must acknowledge then it were enough to life Eternal to know him too in such a way as Adam did in that state; there were no other knowledge of him necessary to make us everlastingly and truly happy. But we are lost you know in the Creation, there we are dead and gone, and theretore it is necessary now to know the Lord under another Notion, if we mean to live forever, viz. as a Repairer of the ruins of decayed and lost man-kind; as a healer of the Natures, and a Forgiver of the sins of his people. And thus we cannot know him out of Christ, and so by Consequence, unless we know Christ too. The old and the first frame and Fabric of salvation was over-thrown and over-turned by the fall. And if we mean to build it up again, we must begin upon another ground, a new Foundation; God was the only Object of Fundamental knowledge then. Christ is at the least the next and the mediate Object of fundamental knowledge now. You know my Brethren, that confession of the Apostle Peter, Mat. 16.16. Thou art Christ the Son of God, is made by Jesus Christ himself, the Rock on which the Church is founded. And other Foundation no man can lay, saith the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians, Eph. 1.3, 11. that is, no other sound and solid Foundation then that which is said, which is Jesus Christ. Its true, the same Apostle elsewhere speaks of the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, Eph. 2.20. That is the Foundation which the Prophets and Apostles laid, not making them the matter of it, but the layers of it; for so you must conceive his meaning in that Text, You are built on the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles, that is, on the fundamental Doctrine which the Prophets and Apostles teach, of which foundation Jesus Christ himself, although he be not all, yet he is the chief Corner-stone. The Knowledge of God was the chief point in Adams foundation. The knowledge of Christ is the chief point in our foundation. Christ was not there at all as Mediator, but here he is in the first and chief place. There are other Cornerstones that rest upon him, but he, and he alone is the chief Corner-stone on which all the rest are set, and who supporteth all the building. And therefore he that fails of knowing him, must needs fail of life Eternal.

Secondly, the Knowledge of God is not enough to life Eternal, unless [Reason 2] we know Christ too. Because unless we know Christ, we know not God as Reconciled unto us. We know him only on the terms that he was with us when we fell, and that is upon terms of enmity and opposition. As long as we remain as Adam left us, un repaired and un-renewed, we are enemies to God, God is an enemy to us. And if we know him out of Christ, either we know him not aright, or else we know him on such terms as these are; Christ is the only Mediator between God and man. He came down into the World, to take up all the breaches and the differences between his Father and his people, and to make peace by the blood of his Cross. And how should Christ make peace for us, unless we know him, unless we be acquainted with him? unless we put our matter into his hands. So that if we know Christ, we may know God as a friend, in, and by, and through Christ. We may look upon him then as Reconciled to us, as pacified and appeased towards us. But if we know not Christ at all, we cannot know God otherwise then as an Enemy, and as a Judge, and an Avenger: and whether such a knowledge of him can be life Eternal, judge you?

Thirdly, Knowledge of God is not enough to life Eternal, unless [Reason 3] we know Christ too; because unless we know Christ, and know him in and through Christ, we know him without Interest; we know him, but as none of ours. We parted with the Lord in Adam, we lost him there, and all the right we had in him; and which way comes he to be ours again? but by a new, a second Covenant which he makes, the former being broken and dissolved. I entered into Covenant with thee, and thou becamest mine, saith the Lord to his people, Ezech. 16.8. And is not Christ the Foundation of the Covenant? Is it not made with him in Christ? Is not the condition of the Covenant, Faith in Christ? Mark what the Apostle saith, Gal. 3.16. The Covenant was not made to seeds, as many, but to seed, as one; that is, to Christ in aggregato, comprizing all his members with him. It was not made immediately to us; no, it was made immediately to Christ our Head, and in and through him to us his members. So that the Lord is not in Covenant with us, he is not ours, we have no Title to him but in Christ. And hence the Interest of Christ in God is made the rise and ground of ours, I ascend to my God and your God, saith Jesus Christ to his Disciples, John 20.17. First mine, and then yours. God is our Master but in Christ; He is his first and chief servant, and we are his servants in him. God is our Father, but in Christ; he is his first begotten Son, and we are his sons in him. So that if we know Christ, there is a possibility that we may know the Lord as our God. But if we know not Christ at all, how can we know God in him? We may know him as a God, as Adam did between the fall and the renewing of the Covenant, but such a one as we shall fly from, and as we can by no means close withal, because we look upon him now as none of ours, as one in whom we have no Interest at all. And certainly Eternal life cannot consist in such a Knowledge of the Lord as this is.

Fourthly, Knowledge of God is not enough to life Eternal, unless we [Reason 4] know Christ too; because unless we know Christ, as we know God without Interest, so we know him without Faith; I mean without saving faith, if we know God without Christ; we may believe in God without Christ: we may believe in him as he is Omnipotent, and All-mighty, and Eternal, and the like. But such a faith as this will never justify us in the present. Life, nor save us in the life to come. Even Turks, and Jews, and Arians boast of faith in God, you know; and yet because they appehend not Jesus Christ, they catch at nothing but a shadow; and miserably lose their own souls. He that denies, and so by consequence believes not in the Son, can never have the Father, as you may see 1 John 2.28. But he that hath the Son, hath the Father also. Well then, if we will so believe in God as to come to life Eternal, we must believe in him through Christ. Such trust have we through Christ in God, saith the Apostle, 2 Cor. 3.4. And this we cannot do unless we know not God only, but Jesus Christ whom he hath sent. For distinct explicit Knowledge is absolutely necessary to the being of Faith: and perfect Ignorance in any point whatever it be, destroys all faith in that particular. And hence is the Apostles question, How shall they believe in him, of whom they have not heard? and consequently whom they have not known. So that if we know not Christ, we cannot believe in him, we cannot believe in God with a justifying faith. And he that believes not is condemned already: such a person is in a state of death and condemnation. But if we know both God and Christ too, and so as to believe in God through Christ; Eternal life consists in this Knowledge. This is life Eternal, to know the only true God, &c.

[Use 1] Now is it so, my Brethren, that the Knowledge which is life Eternal, in which Eternal life consisteth, is the Knowledge both of God and Christ too?

Then in the first place, we may here behold the dangerous estate of Heathen Nations, who know not Jesus Christ, nor can they any way (in the condition they are in) attain to this Knowledge. How should they come to life Eternal, if this be life Eternal, to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent? Its true, that even they have means to know God, as the Apostle shows and proves, Rom. 1.19, 20. That which may be known (conceive it, that which may be naturally known) of God, is manifest in them, that is the Heathen, for God hath even shown it to them. For the Invisible things of him, from the Creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things which he hath made, even his eternal power and God-head. So that there is an Image and Resemblance of him stamped upon the Creatures: there are apparent Characters and foot-steps, and Impressions of the God-head, of his Power, and of his Wisdom set upon the things that he hath made, which may be looked upon by every eye. How doth his Glory shine and glister in the Rare and admirable structure of the World, the glorious frame of Heaven and Earth? And hence it is that David saith, the Heavens declare the glory of God, and the Firmament showeth his handy-work, Psalm 19.1. Indeed, he tells us afterwards, the Law of the Lord is perfect: the Word of God, and that alone is a perfect, a complete and perfect help to bring us to the knowledge of God; but yet there is some declaration of him in the Creatures; the Heavens declare the glory of God; And the means the Heathens have, the creatures Catechize them and instruct them in the Knowledge of God, as Job shows, Job 12.7, Ask now the beasts and they shall teach thee, the fowls of the heavens and they shall tell thee, or speak to the earth and it shall teach thee, and the fishes of the Sea shall declare to thee; who knoweth not in all these, that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? and therefore the Apostle tells us, that even they the heathen know God as you may see, Rom. 1.21.

But now they have no means to know Christ, and this is life Eternal to know both, both God and Christ too. So that in this respect they are cut off from life Eternal, which is a very sad case. This Knowledge is not written in the Creature-book, and they have not the Scripture-book, and how then should they come to it? Its true that God is written in the Creature-book as I shown you even now, but not a word of Christ there. Not a word I mean as Man and Mediator of the Church; as he is Christ whom God hath sent. He did not make the World as man, and so by Consequence as Man he is not represented in the Book of the Creation; God is written in the heart, but not a word of Christ there. The Law is written in the heart by nature, but there are no Impressions of the Gospel, which is the Word of Christ, as the Apostles phrase is, Col. 3.16. And hence it is, that all the Nations that dwell upon the face of the earth have groped after God, and found him too, as you may see, Acts 17.27. All people have acknowledged him. Let a man run from East to West, from North to South: let him ransack all Ages, and where he findeth any men, there he shall find some Worship, or Religion, by which they all acknowledge that there is a God. And though they differ in the manner of their Worship, they all agree in this, that there is a Deity that must be Worshipped. Within these hundred years you know my Brethren, there have been many Nations discovered, and many are discovered still, which were unknown in former Ages. Among them many have been found to live without Law, King, house, going naked, and wandering in the open field, yet none without some species of Religion, and some notice of a God, which shows us evidently, that it is not so natural a thing in man to love Society, to cover and to clothe himself against the injuries of weather (which yet is very natural) as to acknowledge God.

But now my Brethren, among which of all these Nations who never had the book of Scriptures, shall you find any notice of a Christ, any inkling of a Savior or Redeemer? No, no, there is no hint of that among them, they have no glimpse, no crevice to give them any light of Jesus Christ. And how then can they come to life Eternal, since it consisteth in the knowledge both of God and Christ too? not of the former only, but the latter also. And therefore we have cause to pity them and bleed over them, and to importune God for them, that the Gospel may be preached where Christ as yet hath not been so much as named: that to the people that are yet in darkness there may shine a great light. That as they have some intimations of a God, they may know Christ too, and so may come to live forever; for this is life Eternal, &c.

Is it so my Brethren, that the knowledge which is life Eternal, &c. is the [Use 2] Knowledge both of God and Christ too? Then let the Ministers, and the Ambassadors of Jesus Christ be hence advised, as they desire to save themselves and them that hear them, to bring their Hearers to Eternal life, so to instruct them and to bring them on-ward in the Knowledge not of God alone but of Jesus Christ too. Let it be their special labor and endeavor to acquaint them with the things of Jesus Christ, and to implant his Knowledge in their hearts, which is as I have shown so necessary to salvation. Paul was a very good Preacher, and see what was the special subject of his Ministry, Col. 1.26, 27. saith the Apostle there, the riches of the Glory of this Mystery, viz. the Gospel is Christ in you the hope of glory, whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. Out of Christ we can never make them perfect and accomplished to salvation; the knowledge of the Father will not serve the turn, and therefore we preach Christ to them, that in and through him they may be perfect. And though the same Apostle did so excel in knowledge, that he durst without vain glory, compare with the very chiefest Apostles, as you may see, 2 Cor. 11.5, 6. Though I be rude in speech, saith he, yet not in knowledge, but we have been thoroughly made manifest to you in all things, q. d. There was no point of knowledge in Religion needful for you to be instructed in, no difficult and thorny case of Conscience, that any of you had occasion to propound to me, but I was able fully and clearly to resolve you in; yea though he had received such abundance of Revelation from the Lord, that he was in great danger to be exalted above reason, as he himself acknowledges, 1 Cor. 12.7. yet he professes notwithstanding that he made no account of all his other Learning in comparison of this, to know Jesus Christ and him crucified. This was the whole scope and drift of his Ministry, 2 Cor. 2.2. This was the high point of Learning that he gloried in. This was the Knowledge that he labored in his preaching to bring the Corinthians to. And this he did advisedly, and upon mature Judgment; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 I determined, saith he, it was my settled and advised resolution before I preached to you, that this should be the highest point of Knowledge, that I would profess myself to be acquainted with, and to have skill in, and which I would in the whole course of my Ministry endeavor to instill into you. I determined to know nothing among you, not a title of anything, but Jesus Christ and him crucified. Oh that we were all of the Apostle Paul's mind! Oh that all Ministers and Preachers of the Gospel would do as this Apostle did: that they would not so much affect the knowledge of nice & intricate and curious speculations, and busy their own and other men's heads with unprofitable controversies with opposition of Science falsely so called, as the Apostle speaks, 1 Tim. 6.11. That they would not make this their glory to excel others in secular Learning, and in such points of knowledge as are vain as to the main and great business: but rather bend themselves to study this point better, and to strive to bring themselves and others to this skill, to know Jesus Christ and him crucified. This were the way indeed to make them happy everlastingly, for this is eternal life, &c.

[Use 3] Is it so my Brethren, that the Knowledge which is life Eternal, in which, &c. Then be you all entreated, and prevailed withal my Brethren, to labor after this Knowledge. Not to content yourselves with this, that you have some degrees of the Knowledge of God, unless withal you know Christ too. Let this be your main Endeavor, to get an insight into those things which concern him, that you may know God in him: That you may look upon him through Christ, and so may see him as he is in Christ to his people. We preach not ourselves, but the Lord Jesus Christ, saith the Apostle, 2 Cor. 4.5. It is Christ that we preach. What then might some man say, do you not preach God too? Yes, saith the Apostle there, we preach God, but we preach him in Christ: for God hath shined into our hearts, to give the light of the Knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ, as it is added in the next words. So then my Brethren, we must have the light of the Knowledge of God, but it must be in the face of Christ. It must not shine immediately upon us, as it comes from God, for then it will overcome us: but it must shine upon us by Reflection on the face of Christ Jesus. If we would see God we must look on Jesus Christ, and we shall see God in him; and hence our Savior said to Philip, when he entreated him to show him the Father, he that hath seen me hath seen the Father also: If we would know God, we must seek to know Christ, and we shall know God in him. And therefore let us set ourselves to this business, to know God, and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent, yea, to know God in Jesus Christ: and to this I shall persuade with some Motives.

First, till you know God in Jesus Christ, you can have no assurance [ 1] of any blessing from God, either spiritual or temporal; that anything comes to you in a Covenant-way, for all the Promises of God are made in Christ. They are the Promises of God indeed, as they are called, 2 Cor. 1.20. but they are made in Jesus Christ, they are in him Yea, and in him Amen, as it is added there in that place. So that if you know God and not Christ, you know him not as making any promise to you. You may know him as a threatner, this he doth with reference to Christ; but you can never know him as a Promiser, at least not as a Promiser to you in special. You have no Promise of the Lord for anything, no Promise of the Lord will reach to you, to profit you, as long as you know not Christ the means of Conveyance. Look over all the book of God, consider all the precious Promises contained in it, from the beginning of it to the End; and this resolve, if you know not God, you have no right to in any one of them, nor shall you ever (if you so continue) be a whit the better from them: God hath made Jesus Christ his Steward, he hath put all things into his hand, as we may see, Mat. 11.27. All things are delivered unto me of my Father, saith our Savior; so that they come not to us but through him, they go all through his hands. God hath made him heir of all things, as the Apostle speaks, Heb. 1.2. So that you see my Brethren, all is his, and Consequently we can have nothing but from and by, and through him.

Till you know God in Jesus Christ, the Blessings which you have from [ 2] God, you have them not in love and mercy: So that indeed you can find no true and kindly relish in them. For this is that which sweetens all the Blessings of the Lord, when a man can say as Jacob of his Children, Gen. 33.5 These are the Children which God hath graciously given thy servant. As David being rescued out of danger, The Lord delivered me, saith he, because he delighted in me, 2 Sam. 22.20. Then are his Blessings and Deliverances sweet indeed, when we can relish love in them, when we can look upon them as the fruits of mercy. Alas, we know God poureth out his Blessings abundantly on many men, not in love, but in displeasure; He gave them their desire, saith the Psalmist of the Jews that perished in the Wilderness: but while the meat was in their mouths, the wrath of God went out against them, and slew the fattest of them, Psalm 78.31. they had the Blessing, but they had it with a curse. The Lord did curse their blessings to them, and so he doth to all that know him not in Jesus Christ, who is his first Beloved, and in whom he loves others. Christ is the only Way of Intercourse between God and our souls. He is the Way from God to us; He is the Channel and the Pipe in which the stream of God's love runs down to us. So that there is not one drop of Love from God to any soul, but it is conveyed and carried to it in, and by, and through Christ. Out of Christ we have no Love, and consequently nothing in Love.

[ 3] Till you know God in Jesus Christ, as he gives nothing in Love to you, so he takes nothing in Love from you. Do what you will, or what you can, he is never pleased with you. He accepts of no Duties, no service you perform to him. This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, Matth. 3.17. Observe it well, for it is very notable; He doth not say with whom I am well pleased, but in whom I am well pleased. In whom I am well pleased with all, with whom I am well pleased, with all that are in him, and with no man out of him. If you know God in Christ, you may know him as a God well pleased with you, otherwise you cannot. He hath made us accepted in the Beloved, saith the Apostle, Eph. 1.6. First Christ is the Beloved of the Father, and then we are beloved and accepted in him.

[ 4] Till you know God in Jesus Christ, you know him not as one that pardons and forgives you, but as one that charges all your sins upon you. In him we have Redemption through his blood, saith the Apostle, even the forgiveness of our sins, Eph. 1.7. We have not pardon but in him. Him hath the Lord set forth as a propitiation through faith in his blood, saith the Apostle, Rom. 3.25. God hath made him the Mercy-seat, the seat of Mercy, from which Mercy is dispensed. And whereas formerly the Mercy-seat under the Law was placed within the Vail, and so was hidden both from the people and the Priests; the High Priest only had access to it, and that but once a year neither. The Lord hath now set forth this Mercy-seat to the view of all men, that all may have access to it. And as the High Priest came not to the Mercy-seat without blood, Levite. 16.14. even so may no man hope to have mercy from the Lord in the forgiveness of his sins, but through the blood of Jesus Christ; if he know not God in him, he can expect no pardoning mercies from him.

[ 5] Till you know God in Jesus Christ, you cannot come to God with any boldness, or with any confidence. No man cometh to the Father but by me, saith Jesus Christ, John 14.6. He must make our way to God. In him, saith the Apostle, we have boldness, and access with confidence; Ephes: 3.12. so that we can hold up our heads with courage, and lift up our faces to him, as the expression is, Job 22.26. But if we know not Jesus Christ, how can we be but flat and faint in our approaches to the throne of Grace? It is in his name that we must desire the blessings that we seek for at the hands of God; and whatsoever we ask the Father in his name, he will give it us, John 16.23. It is in his name that we must return the praise for blessings that we have received, giving thanks to God the Father by him, Col. 3.17. If we draw blessings down from God, we must do it through Christ. If we send praises up to God, we must do it through Christ. If we have no acquaintance with the Lord Christ, how shall we come to God with prayers? how shall we come to God with praises? with what heart or encouragement shall we draw nigh to God, either to get from him, or to bring to him?

Till you know God in Jesus Christ, you can have no assurance to enjoy [ 6] him, neither in this life, nor in that which is to come. By nature we are all afar off, we are without God in the world, as the Apostle speaks, Ephes. 2.12. But now in Jesus Christ they who were far of, are made nigh through his blood, as it is added there in that place; yea, they are made one with God, as Jesus Christ himself insinuates, John 17.21. I pray for them, that they may all be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, so that they also may be one in us. Well then, you see my Brethren, we are near to God in this world, but it is in Christ. We shall be nearer to him in the world to come, and that shall be in Christ too. We shall enter into the holiest, into heaven, into the place where God is, whereof the holiest in the Temple was a figure, but that shall be by the blood of Jesus, as the Apostle shows, Heb. 10.14. So that if we know not Christ, we may know God at a distance, as one that we shall never be partakers of. He and we must keep asunder: But if we know him in Christ, we know him then as one who is our own, and whom we shall enjoy forever.

DOCTRINE. That God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is true God, and the only true God; there is no other true God, but he only.

That our God is the true God, is plentifully taught in Scripture. Reason will carry us to a God, but such an one as is unknown, who he is we cannot tell. And so it did the great Philosophers at Athens, which was an University, who therefore had an Altar with this Inscription, To the unknown God; as you may see Acts 17.23. But Scripture carries us to this God, who is indeed the true God; he is not so in show and in pretence alone, but he is so in deed and truth. And this is that which he affirmeth of himself, and confirmeth many ways; in that memorable place, Isa. 45.20, &c. And therefore the Evangelist doth set the finger of an hand against him as it were to point him out, in this respect, 1 John 5.20. We know, saith he, that the Son of God is come, and he hath given us understanding that we may know him that is true, (true in himself and in his nature, and true in his discovery and revelation of himself) and we are in him that is true, this is the true God. q.d. Take notice of him, and observe him well, this is the true God.

And as he is the true God, so in the second place he is the only true God. There are other false gods, there is no other true God, but him only. I am God, saith the Lord, Isa. 45.22. and there is no God else besides me, a just God and a Savior, there is none beside me. It is repeated twice for the better confirmation: And therefore Jeremy in this respect sets him in opposition to all other gods; Ier. 10.8, 9. They are altogether brutish, saith the Prophet, the stock is a vain doctrine. Silver spread into plates, and Gold from Ophir, blew and purple is their clothing, they are the work of cunning men, but the Lord is the true God. The Prophet speaks it there exclusively, he is, and none but he; they are not, he is. The Holy Ghost affirms of Idols universally, without exception, that they are nothing in the world, 1 Cor. 8.4. nothing of that Idolaters conceit; they are not Numina indeed. And therefore it is added in that place, there is no other God but one. And howsoever they are often called God's in Scripture, yet this is spoken according to the apprehensions and conceits of sottish men, because they think them to be so; and therefore this their God-head is recalled again in other places, and they are styled false gods; and as a false man is no man, so a false god is no god. I speak not of a false man in his words and in his actions, (for such an one may be a man) but of a false man in his nature. Even as a painted man hath not the nature of a man, and so by consequence is no man. So Idols painted, or engraven gods, have nothing of the true and living God in them, and so by consequence are no gods as the Apostle shows, Gal. 4 8. Howbeit when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them who by nature are no gods. And hence an Idol is sometimes called a lie in Scripture, as Ier. 10.11. his molten image is falsehood or a lie, because it hath not that divinity which it pretendeth to, & which it is supposed to have by those that worship and adore it. And because it doth not yield that succor which it seems to promise. You know what God affirmeth of the Idols of the Jews, that they are no gods, Ier. 5.7. My people have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods. An oath is taken there by a Synecdoche for all the parts of holy worship, as it is often in the holy Scripture, so that the sense and meaning is, q. d. My people have forsaken me the true God, and worshipped them that are no gods.

So that the point is plain you see, our God is the true God, and the only true God. Now the Scripture proves it further yet, by Reason, and Uses, and Arguments in this present case; it will not be unprofitable if I hint them briefly to you.

It appears that our God is the only true God, because he, and he only [Reason 1] hath his being of himself: He was before all things, when there was nothing in the world besides him, and consequently could not have his being of another. Before the mountains were brought forth, before the earth or world was made, from everlasting to everlasting, he is God, Psal. 90.2. he is the Lord, the first and the last, Isa. 41.1. whereas the heathen gods are new, and have their being of another, and so indeed are no gods. You know how David reasons, They are not gods, saith he, and why so? they are the works of men's hands, Psalm 115.4. And Hosea to the same purpose, Hos. 8.6. The workman made it, therefore it is not God. Indeed it is so far from being God, that it is scarce a creature, it is nothing in the world. Or if it be a creature, it is of their own making. The workman made it, therefore it is not God.

It appears that our God is the only true God, because he only is the [Reason 2] living God: It is the Prophets argument, Ier. 10.10. The Lord is the true God. But how doth this appear? Why he is the living God, as it is added in the next words. Other gods are dead gods, they have tongues and cannot speak, they have feet but cannot walk: And hence is the Apostles Exhortation, to turn from such dead vanities as these unto the living God.

[Reason 3] It appears, that our God is the only true God, as by his being and his life, so by his operations and effects. As it appears by what he is, so it appears by what he doth. Among the gods there is none like thee, saith David, Psalm 86.8. how doth he prove this? neither are there any works like thy works. And therefore the true God upbraids the heathen gods in this respect, Isa. 41.24. Behold you are of nothing, and your work of nothing; that is, you are not able to do anything, you can do neither good nor evil, as it is said in that place. Not to speak of the creation of the heaven and the earth, which is attributed to God in opposition to all other gods. What can the gods of heathen or of professed Christians, who make their honor or their wealth their gods, what can they do to save a man in the time of his distress? Riches deliver not in the day of death. So that as the Prophet saith to the Idolaters of his time, Isa. 45.20. Ye pray unto a God that cannot save. So we may say to these Idolaters of our times, ye trust in gods that cannot save: no, this is proper to the true God. There is no God besides me, saith the Lord, a just God and a Savior; and therefore addeth presently, Look unto me and be you saved, for I am God, and there is none else.

[Reason 4] It appears, that our God is the only true God, by the duration of his being; as he is the first, so he is the last, Isa. 41.4. he holds out when all fail. For other gods they perish, Ier. 10.11. Idols perish, riches perish; honors, friends, all perish; but God endures to all eternity. As he is from everlasting, so he is to everlasting, Psal. 90.2. All other things are subject to decay and dissolution, but he abides for evermore. They do all perish, saith the Psalmist, Psalm 102.26. but thou shalt endure forever. They all wax old, &c. but thou art the same, &c.

[Use 1] Now is it so, that our God is the true God? Then let this serve in the first place to quicken us, and stir us up to strengthen and confirm our faith in this particular, and to endeavor to believe more fully and distinctly that our God is God indeed; and verily the best among us have need of confirmation here, for we are very apt to waver, and to have doubtful thoughts about it. And they that are most free from these, have yet defects and imperfections in their faith, of this as well as other parts of truth. They have not yet attained to such a pitch, but they must be adding to it, and endeavor to get on to further measures and degrees. And therefore let it be our labor and endeavor to increase our faith in this particular, and to grow up by full assurance of this fundamental truth, that our God is the true God.

And to this I shall persuade and stir you up with some motives.

[ 1] The more undoubtedly and firmly we believe that our God is the true God, the more we will look to him, the more we will walk with him, and consequently we will converse the less among the creatures. For hence it is because we have some doubts and haesitations in our faith, of this particular, that we have so great an eye upon the creature in our ways: that we approve ourselves to men, and seek the approbation and applause of men, that we are afraid of men, afraid of Creatures, but are not afraid of God. Whence is it my beloved, but because we are not absolutely satisfied at all times, that our God is indeed the true God, but have thoughts arising in us, or cast into us, tending at least towards some scruple in this business: and have not always arguments at hand to put the matter out of all question, and to suppress such thoughts as these as soon as they begin to stir in us? Who art thou, that thou shouldst be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man that shall be made as grass: And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched out the Heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth? Esa. 51.12, 13. By which the Prophet intimates that we should never be transported so with sinful fears of men and creatures as we are, but that the great Creator is set by; either he is not in our thoughts, or which is worse, he is not in our faith. And when we come to this my Brethren, to have some scruples in ourselves, whether there be a God at all, or if there be, whether ours which we have chosen, be the right and true God, it is impossible but we should (so far as those doubts prevail upon us) go out from him, and apply ourselves to those things which are obvious to the sense, which we see and know to be.

The more undoubtedly and firmly we believe that our God is the true [ 2] God, the more perfectly and fully we shall serve him and obey him; the more we shall trust in him, the more we shall seek to him, the more we shall strive to please him; according to the strengthening or weakening of our faith in this particular, will be the measure of our service and obedience to him, of our reliance and dependence on him. For even as if a man believe there is no God at all, he will not serve him, he will not roll himself upon him whom he thinketh not to be. So if he believe it weakly, and with many haesitations that there is a God, or that the God which he hath chosen is the true God, he will fear him, and he will trust him very weakly and remissly. He will be on and off, and up and down, according to the ebbings and the flowings of his faith. But if we have a strong and an unshaken confidence that our God is God indeed, then we will set ourselves to serve him fully and without halting. Then we will trust him perfectly, we will apply ourselves to please him, in all our ways and all our actions.

But you will ask me then, how shall we do to put this matter out of all question, that our God is the true God, and what means shall we use to satisfy ourselves, and to confirm our faith in this particular, because it is a Point of such concernment, and hath such influence in our lives? I shall give you some Directions.

First, Endeavor to the utmost of your power, to give complete and [ 1] full assent and credit to the Scripture, admit not any doubt in that particular. One main thing that the Scripture doth, is to give testimony to the God whom we worship; and if we can but say that this witness is true, there is an end of this business. So far as we believe the Scripture, we cannot but believe (without any hesitation) that our God is the true God. If we be satisfied of the one, we cannot possibly have any scruple of the other. And therefore we should spend our thoughts upon such meditations as will settle us in this. We should consider with ourselves the strange Consent of Scripture-writers living in so many Ages; the strange accomplishment of Scripture-Prophesies, the strange effect of Scripture-admonitions, exhortations, threatenings. Though it be carried in a low and easy style, how it commands us, and prevaileth more upon us then all the Eloquence of men and Angels could ever do, were it united altogether. Especially we should observe (we that are God's I mean, (for to such I now speak) what admirable operation it hath had upon our own hearts; how it hath pierced in, and made a separation between our very joints and marrow. how it hath even told us all that ever we have done; how it hath cast us down with sorrow inconceivable, and then raised us up again with joy unspeakable and glorious; how it hath altered and changed us, and turned us clear about, and made us to renounce our profits, pleasures and delights, our wills, our reasons and desires, yea to deny ourselves, that we might walk by this Rule. Such things as these methinks, should mightily confirm us in the truth of this, that the Scripture is the very Word of God. And then this cannot choose but follow out of all dispute, that our God is the true God.

[ 2] Secondly, Examine all pretenders to the Godhead, and see if any of them have so good a Plea, so good a Title to the Deity as the God whom we worship. This I suppose is out of question with you, that there is a God; this is apparent by the current and the joint-consent of men in all times and in all places. For this is not a thing that hath been taught by this or that sect, or held by this or that people. But all sects, how much soever they have differed in all other things, have held this; and all Nations, how wide soever each from other in place or manners, have taught this. But now the thing we are upon; is, who this God is; whether ours or any other? And truly my Beloved, if this be once admitted, that there is a God, our God will carry it from any other that hath laid any claim to it. As for the Idols of the Heathen, stocks and stones, I know you will not think it worthy your consideration, whether any of them were the true God. And for the gods which the Barbarians worshipped, the Sun, the Moon, the very beasts themselves of every sort, they are no great pretenders neither; we need no more then ordinary reason to convince us that these can be no God's. For to say truth, they are below men. The Roman gods are more considerable then the other, and yet they were but men, as Jupiter, and Saturn, and the like: Yea, to say truth, they were vile and wicked men, addicted to the grossest vices, and such as led most profane and lewd lives: Yea, they were mortal men, and therefore certainly they were not God's. And hence their very Worshippers would show you in one place a Temple, and in another place a Sepulcher erected to the same God, which is a most apparent Contradiction. And truly if a man consider, who have pretended to the Godhead besides our God, and what poor things they were, it will exceedingly establish and confirm him in this business.

You cannot think that if there be a God, as that is granted of all hands, he is concealed from the world till this time. And truly for the other gods that have been worshipped, if you will but examine them, you will apparently discover them to have deluded and deceived the world: so that you may exceedingly confirm your faith in this respect by an induction of particulars. This god and that god cannot be the true God, and so along in all the rest: And therefore our God is undoubtedly the true God. And you shall find the Lord to have such poor Competitors, that you will certainly cry out at last, as being fully satisfied, The Lord is God, the Lord is God.

Be sure to sift this business to the full, when you set yourselves about [ 3] it, and not to leave it undetermined in your own thoughts. Never give over till you be resolved, and till you be established in the present truth. It is the fault of many men (yea I believe of many good men) that when some thoughts of Atheism are cast in, and when they have some doubts arising in their hearts, whether the Lord be God or no, (as this the very best may have) they do not altogether scatter them before they leave them, but leave the business as it were in medio, in suspense; they pass to other thoughts, and do not fully satisfy themselves in this particular, whereas a man should never rest while there is any cloud upon his faith, any scruple in his conscience.

Ah, my Beloved, will you be slight in such a matter as this is, of such infinite concernment? whether the God which you have chosen be the right or no? How can you but be slight accordingly in all the duties of his service? And therefore do not give it over till you be resolved. Think with yourselves, I must determine either on or off, either one way or the other. And if you be necessitated to resolve, our God will carry it from all the rest. They that have taken other gods, have taken them upon trust, they have received them from the custom of the places in which they have been born and bred. And most that worship our God, take him but in such a way as this is. But if you sift the business well, you will find cause to stick to him whom you have chosen. The more you prove him and examine him, the better you will like him. And therefore I beseech you, do not halt in this business, but come to some determination and decision: Do as Elijah counsels Israel; Be no longer unresolved: If Baal be God, then follow him; but if the Lord be God, then follow him. Rest not in opinion here, but sift it to the full. Bring yourselves to this disjunction: If any other god be true, why then there is no other way, but I must worship him, and serve him. But if our God be the right, then I must stick close to him. If you be at this hand, that you will absolutely satisfy yourselves before you leave, before you give the business over, (as this you are bound to do) you will not leave it any longer in suspense, nor suffer any doubtful thoughts within you unexamined (for then they will return again on all occasions) you will find that this will strengthen faith exceedingly in this particular. Our God will certainly be gainer, and have very great advantage by coming on the test with any other.

[ 4] Fourthly and lastly, set all the Grace, and all the strength you have on work in prayer, that God himself would satisfy you fully, and confirm your faith in this particular, That he would leave no doubt within you concerning such a principle as this is; which is the very Basis of Religion, the foundation that supports the Fabric of it, and beareth up the weight of all the building. A man will never come to God by faith, or by repentance, or obedience, unless he first believe that God is, Heb. 11.6. And therefore struggle with the Lord about it; if faith begin to waver, or to fail in any measure, say, as the Disciples did, O Lord, increase our faith, Lord strengthen us, Lord do not suffer us to shake in this fundamental truth; for this doth shake all with it. A man may get a common, an acquired faith, by arguments, and reasons, and the like; it may be brought into a man by custom; but that will never satisfy a man completely, constantly, unless he have infused faith, and that is the immediate gift of God himself. If he will show himself to any man, then he shall see, and know, and be assured, that he is the true God. But if he will hide himself, he can but only grope after him.

[Use 2] Is it so, that our God is the true God? and are you satisfied of this? do you know him to be so? then serve and glorify him as the true God. Let him have that worship, and that honor, and obedience which the sovereignty of a God calls for. If he be not the true God, then take your liberty, and walk according to your own lusts, and according to your own pleasures; abridge yourselves of nothing to which the bias of your nature carries you, take no pains in holy duties, hear no more, pray no more. But if he be indeed the true God, and you dare not to deny it, then live and walk as if you did believe him to be so. Stifle not these principles which you cannot contradict nor lay aside. Take heed of doing as the Gentiles did, Rom. 1.19, &c. they liked not to retain God in their knowledge; they had him there, but they liked not to retain him, because he was a trouble to them; fain they would put him out again: The apprehension of a God called upon them for some duty, and was a curb and a restraint from some evils. And therefore they were weary of such thoughts as these, and sought to chase them from their meditations: To say truth, they did not like them, and therefore would be rid of them: They knew God, (that they were not able to avoid) but yet they glorified him not as God. And truly this is just the case of many Christians: They do not serve, they do not glorify and worship God according to their knowledge of him. They walk not answerably to their principles, and to their light in this particular. They yield him to be God, and yet they do not trust in him, they do not live to him, they do not love, they do not fear him, and the like. They live without God in the world, and they do just as they would do, if there were no God at all.

Now I beseech you, my Beloved, do but consider the extreme danger of such a course as this is. It is the ready way to be delivered up to strong delusions, and to vile affections, as you may see those Gentiles were in the very same case. Because when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, therefore God gave them up to strong delusions in their intellectual parts, that they were vain in their imaginations, and their foolish hearts were darkened; to vile affections in their sensual part, that they committed all uncleanness, and burned in their filthy lusts; their hearts were like an Oven heated by the Baker, they were set on fire of hell.

And hath it not been thus with many men in our days? they know God in a speculative and discoursive way at least; they were convinced that he was the true God, but they lived not according to their principles in this respect, they abated of their strictness and devotion, neglected duties which they had been wont exactly to perform, forsook the Ordinances and the Worship of the Lord, despised the Word of God, glorified him not as God, took carnal liberty against their knowledge, and against their conscience. And now how vain are they become in their imaginations? how foolish in their fancies, and opinions, and conceits? How hath God sent on many of them strong delusions to believe lies, that they might all be damned that believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness! They knew the truth, but they had pleasure in unrighteousness. They took delight in some unrighteous way or other, some secret way of wickedness or other, and now they are delivered and believe lies. It is a lie and a delusion, but it is a strong delusion, so that you cannot stir them from it. Do what you can, and bring what arguments you will, it is in vain, the deceit is strong upon them.

And some are also given up to vile affections, and to those burning lusts, which the Apostle speaks of in the cited places. This is the formidable judgment of the Lord on those who know God, and do not walk according to their knowledge. And therefore as we own the true God, let us serve, and let us worship him as such a one, let us live and act for him, let us be taken up with him, let us make this our work to please him, let us in everything so carry and demean ourselves, as they should do who have the Lord for their God.

DOCTRINE. That Jesus Christ is God's Apostle, he is a Messenger sent forth from God.

So is his own expression of himself to his Father in my Text, This is Eternal Life to know thee the only true God, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent; or whom thou hast made thy Apostle. And therefore it is usual with him, when he hath occasion to make mention of his Father, to call him nothing else but him that sent him. He that receiveth me, saith Christ, receiveth him that sent me; and you know who that is, Luke 9.48. so to his own Apostles and Disciples, It is my meat and drink to do the will of him that sent me; or that hath made me his Apostle. And having done his will and business in the world, and dispatched the errand he employed him in, I go my way, saith he, to him that sent me, John 16.5. And God upon the other side, speaking of Jesus Christ, uses to call him, Him whom he hath sent, his Angel and his Messenger; you may see that place for instance, Mal. 3.1. there are two Messengers in that text; the first is John the Baptist, the Messenger of Christ, Behold I send my Messenger that shall prepare my way before me; the next is Christ himself, the Messenger of God, The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come, even the Messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in.

I might load you with quotations, but I shall add no more for confirmation of the point, that Jesus Christ is God's Apostle, he is a Messenger, &c. Indeed it needs not proof so much as Explication.

Now that you may the better understand the drift and the intention of it, there are some Queries to be answered. First whence it is that Jesus Christ is sent, the terminus a quo, of this mission. Then in the next place whether he is sent, the terminus ad quem. Thirdly what errand and what business he is sent about. Fourthly how he is qualified for the delivery of this errand, and the dispatch of this business.

[ 1] As for the first of these, the terminus a quo, whence it is that Christ is sent.

To this I answer, he is sent from the bosom of the Father, as that is the expression, John 1.18. he comes out of the Ivory Palace, Psalm 45.8. In plainer terms, my Brethren, he is sent from heaven; and therefore he is called the Lord from heaven, 1 Cor. 15.47. Not the Lord in heaven only, but the Lord from heaven too, and that not only with relation to his second, but also to his first coming. No man hath ascended up to heaven, saith our Savior Christ himself, John 3.13. but he that came down from heaven. And who is that? even the Son of man who is in heaven▪ So then when he was incarnate, he came down from heaven in a sense, for of this our Savior speaks in that place. And to this speech of Christ it is that the Apostle Paul alludeth, when speaking of our Savior Christ's Ascension, Eph. 4.8 he addeth presently by way of Explication, Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth. He that descended, is the same also that ascended, far above all heavens, that he might fill all things. So then, descend he did at first from heaven, as after he ascended up again to heaven.

But you will ask me, How could Christ be sent from heaven? [Object.] and how could he descend from heaven? It could not be with relation to his manhood, for so when he came down, he had never been in heaven, his body had not been there. A man would think it could not be with relation to his Godhead, for that is everywhere, it filleth heaven and earth, as the Prophets phrase is. The infiniteness and immensity of the divinity admits not motion, it cannot stir from place to place, because it is in all places: and so there is no other place into which it may remove. Well then, the Essence of the Godhead is immovable, neither is that the meaning when the Scripture saith that Christ descended, that he was sent down from heaven. And that of Christ in the forecited place is very notable to this purpose, John 3.13. No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the son of man which is in heaven. He was then come down from heaven, he was then upon the earth, when he spake these words, and yet he addeth, he was then in heaven too, even the son of man who is in heaven. He speaks not of his manhood, or his human nature, that was not come down from heaven, for it had never been there at that time. And therefore he intends it manifestly of his Godhead in which he was come down from heaven, and yet he was in heaven too at the very same time.

But how was he come down, if he were there? that is the great scruple.

Not really, but in regard of declaration: [Answ.] He seemed to descend from heaven when he took our nature on him, assumed a despicable and a low condition, and walked up and down upon the earth like other men. It looked as if he had forsaken heaven, and was come down to dwell with men, as John 1.14. The word▪ saith he, was made flesh and dwelt amongst us. For there the Godhead is in Scripture said to be, where it appears, where it is manifested and declared to be. And therefore seeing Christ appeared in the flesh, and was God manifested in the flesh, who was till then in heaven, and did not show himself on earth, in such a manner and in such a way, he is said to have descended, to be sent down from heaven to earth: And so as Bernard speaks acutely, Non venit qui aberat, sed apparuit qui latebat. He came not who was absent, but appeared who was hid.

[ 2] And this prevents the answer to the second Query, whither it was that Christ was sent, what was the terminus ad quem of this Mission? His Father sent him down (in the sense before expressed) into this lower world. And hence he calls himself, him whom the Father sanctified, and sent into the world, John 10.36. And the Apostle Paul accordingly affirms, that he descended into the lower parts of the earth, Ephes. 4.9. That is as Beza and some others understand it, he took up his abode and residence upon the earth, which is the lowest of the elements, the lowest part of this world.

[ 3] The great enquiry is, What errand and what business Jesus Christ is sent into the world about? with reference to which he is styled in my Text, Jesus Christ whom God hath sent.

And this to say it in a word, my Brethren, he was sent to be a Mediator and a Reconciler between God and man, to make up all the breaches and all the differences between his Father and his people. So that you see he was dispatched upon a sweet errand. And here he had a double business, and a double work to do; To make Peace, and to preach Peace.

First he was sent to make Peace, to do and suffer all that was necessary to compose the business between God and man: To satisfy his Father, and to pacify his Father, and so to make him friends with his people. And therefore God is said by him to reconcile even all things to himself, all things reconcilable, Col. 1.20. And he is said in the very same verse to have made peace by the blood of his Cross. This is the errand that he came upon. In this respect he is styled our peace, the Author and procurer of it. And he is called, the Messenger, the Angel of the Covenant, Mal. 3.1. to show us that the Message that his Father sent him in, was to bring men into a Covenant and agreement with himself. And this he did while he took all the matter of the Controversy between him and them out of the way, paid all the debts of his people, cancelled all the bonds and bills that were against them, and nailed them to his Cross in the view of men and Angels, Col. 2.14. That all the world might know, that all the matters in debate between God and them were ended, and that he had no more against them. And when he had done this, he cried out, Consummatum est, The business which my Father sent me in, and which I came into the world about, is finished.

Secondly, he was sent to preach Peace; As to procure and purchase it, so to reveal and publish it to his people. And truly if he had not done the latter, the former would have been to no purpose. And hence the Father hath dispatched him down into the world to do both; as to make Peace as a Priest, so to preach Peace as a Prophet. To let his people know there is a Peace obtained, or else how should it profit them if they should never hear of it? God hath anointed me to preach, saith Christ himself, Luke 4.17. To preach what? To preach the Gospel, which is the doctrine of atonement, to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, as it is added there in that place. Indeed he was appointed and designed to be the great Prophet, the great Preacher and Revealer of the will of God to men. And therefore the Apostle tells us, That God who in former times spake to the Fathers by the Prophets, hath in the last days spoken to us by the Son. He was designed you see to be the Fathers spokes-man to the world, to tell them what his mind is, to preach the Gospel, the word of reconciliation to them. This was a great part of the errand which his Father sent him in, and therefore he is said to speak by him. And Christ himself acknowledges in this respect, My doctrine is not mine, saith he, but his that sent me, John 6.0. And when he had dispatched this part of his Embassy too, he told his Father, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do: And what was that work? you have it in verse 6. I have revealed thy name, saith he, unto the men which thou hast given me out of the world. I have made known thy mercy to the Church, how ready and inclinable thou art to pardon them, and to be at peace with them. And now I have done this, the business thou hast sent me in is ended. I have no more to do in this world. And thus you see what business and what errand Christ is sent about.

Now for the last thing, how he is qualified for the dispatch of this business, [ 4] and the delivery of this errand, you must know that he is fully qualified every way. And you will easily conceive that God would never send his Son into the world, upon a business which he could not manage, and which he was not able to go through withal. And therefore as he hath sent forth his Son, so he hath qualified him absolutely for the business he hath sent him in, both with authority and with ability.

He hath qualified him with authority, as his Ambassadors and Messengers [ 1] must have, or else they are not capable of meddling with the affairs and the negotiations of their master. And therefore God hath furnished Jesus Christ with powers, with ample and complete authority for the Embassage he hath sent him in. All power is given to him without any limitation. You see he hath a large Commission, and consequently what he doth, concerning what he hath received in Commission, is as valid and effectual to all intents and purposes, as if God the Father did it. He hath not only set his seal to Christ's Commission, but he hath sealed Christ himself, Him hath God the Father sealed, John 6.27. So that he came into the world with the stamp, and with the seal of God upon him, that all men might receive him, as sent forth from him.

As God hath qualified him with authority, so he hath qualified him [ 2] with ability, for the effecting of the business, and the delivery of the errand which he sent him in. He hath made him fully able to go through with it, and to that end hath furnished him with a fullness of Merit, and a fullness of Spirit. A fullness of Merit to make Peace, and a fullness of Spirit to preach Peace.

First as God hath sent him, so he hath furnished him with a fullness of Merit to make Peace. Made him able to the utmost, to satisfy his justice, and to obtain his pardon for his people. For he is God as well as man, in him dwelleth the fullness of the Godhead bodily. God, that his Merits might be valuable for us. Man, that his merits might be applicable to us.

Secondly, as he hath furnished him with a fullness of Merit to make Peace, so of Spirit to preach Peace. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, saith our Savior, Luke 4.18. and by this Spirit he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel; as it is added there in that place. As he hath sent and appointed me to preach, so anointed me to preach. And therefore grace is said to be poured into the lips of Jesus Christ, Psal. 45.2. so that he spake as never man did, John 7.46. That some were astonied at his doctrine, and all men bore him witness, and wondered, Luke 4.22.

DOCTRINE. Who ever will be glorified with God in heaven, must glorify him first on Earth.

Our Savior Christ himself you see can have it on no other terms: And therefore he desires it only upon this account: saith he to God the Father, I have glorified thee on Earth, and now O Father, glorify me with thyself in heaven. According to his first desire in his beginning of his prayer, Father, glorify thy Son, q. d. I should not look for any glory from thee, unless I had brought glory to thee: I should be far from any expectation that thou shouldst glorify me with thyself in heaven, unless I were assured in myself, that I had glorified thee here upon the earth. But seeing I have done the former, I pray thee Father, do the latter: since I have glorified thee, let me be glorified by thee. And as it was with Christ the Head, so it must be in some degree with all the Members. No glory to be had in heaven, till they have glorified God on earth. Its true, they merit not the glory they receive from God, by that which they bring to God, as Christ did: but yet the one is not to be attained without the other. They that bring God no glory in the present world, shall have no glory from him in the world to come. The Lord indeed will render glory to every man that worketh good, and so glorifieth him; as the Apostle shows, Rom. 2.10. But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, and so dishonor God in their lives and conversations, he will render nothing else but shame, and ignominy, and confusion. They shall be raised to everlasting contempt, Dan. 12.2. and be made spectacles of shame to men and Angels.

[Reas. 1] And the ground is evident, because so is the everlasting Counsel and Decree of God, which is not to be altered or reversed. Those whom he chooses for himself, whom he predestinateth to be glorified with him in the world to come: those he predestinateth also to bring glory to him in this present world. As he predestinateth such to the inheritance above, who is abundantly, and out of measure glorious, so he predestinates them also, that they should be to the praise of his glory, as the Apostle shows you, Eph. 1.11, 12. That he may manifest the riches of his glory in the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory: so that you see, as he prepares them unto glory, as he appoints them to be glorified themselves, so he prepares them, and appoints them to bring glory to himself, Rom. 9.23. To show forth the praises of him that hath called them to his Kingdom and glory: 1 Pet. 2.9. Thy people shall be all righteous, (saith the Lord of his Church) Isa. 60.21. The branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. Not only that they may be glorified, but that I may be glorified too. And if this be the purpose and decree of God, will he not see it executed and fulfilled in all respects: as well with reference to his glory, as with reference to theirs? shall his Counsel be accomplished in the one, and not in the other? do you imagine that the Lord will be put off in such a fashion, that he will be disappointed of his end and of his purpose in such a business as this is? No, no, assuredly if he predestinate men, that they may be to the praise of his glory, as well as that they may be glorified by him: to his praise, and to his glory they shall be. And if they be not so at all, it is apparent they are not predestinated by him, and consequently they shall have no glory from him.

Now is it so, my Brethren, that whoever will be glorified with God [Use 1] in heaven, must glorify him first on earth: This then may serve to show the vanity of their conceit and apprehension, who look for glory in the world to come, and yet they bring the Lord no glory here. It is the miserable folly and delusion of the greater part of men, there is not one of us almost, but thinks that God will glorify him with himself hereafter. He is an extraordinary man that doth not feed himself with this fancy. And yet those very persons, many of them who are strong in this opinion, take no care to honor God in any of their ways, nor to bring him any glory: why, my beloved, how can you think now to be glorified with him? Jesus Christ, his own Son, the darling of his own bosom, could not have glory with him upon these terms. He did not once so much as look for it. Had he not glorified his Father here in this world, he would not have expected that he should have glorified him with himself in heaven; ye see he seeks it, and desires it only upon this account. And what now, do you think to speed better with the Father, then Jesus Christ, his own Son? do you imagine that you shall have glory from him, though you bring no glory to him? when Christ himself did not, could not obtain it upon such terms as these are; do you look in this regard to be preferred before Christ? to have the better of God himself? Ah my beloved do not gull your souls with this delusion.

I beseech you think upon it; you, who by your lewd and vicious conversations dishonor God continually: you who lie in wickedness, and wallow in uncleanness, whose lives are full of nothing but profaneness, who are conscious to yourselves that God hath not a whit of glory brought him by you, unless ungodliness and sin will do it: To whom a man may truly say, as the Apostle doth to some, Rom. 2.24. The name of God is blasphemed by your means: do you expect that God should glorify you with himself in heaven, when you have done nothing else but dishonored him on earth? believe it, he will be so far from this, that seeing he hath not been glorified by you, he will be glorified upon you. He made you for his glory, and glory he will have, either one way or another; he will not lose a farthing by you. And if he be not glorified by your holy conversation, he will be glorified in your damnation, and eternal ruin. And all the honor that you lose him here, he will fetch it out again, and have his penny-worths upon you in the world to come. There you must lie and burn, and there is no deliverance thence till you have paid the utmost farthing.

Is it so, that whosoever will be glorified, &c. you then my Brethren, [Use 2] that have thoughts aspiring to the glory of the world to come, and that desire to be partakers of it there, you see the course you are to take; you must make this your work and business, how you may glorify the Lord here, how you may set him up, and show him in his beauty, and his luster to the world. And though you can make no addition to him in himself, yet let this be your endeavor all your days, to bring in some accruments to his honor among men, that they may honor him the more by your means: that so when you come to die, you may bespeak him, as our Savior doth, when he was ready to be offered up. We have glorified thee on earth, and now O Father, glorify us with thyself.

Now there are two ways especially, in which you may bring glory to the Lord; either in a way of vocal declaration, or in a way of real representation: And both these ways you must endeavor to bring glory to him here, if you desire to have glory from him hereafter.

[ 1] First, Glorify him in a way of vocal declaration; let your tongues be the Trumpeters of his glory, while you are speaking upon all occasions, of things that tend to the advancement of the honor and the praise of God. Any thing that you conceive will set him up, and raise him in the thoughts of those whom you discourse withal, be sure that you insist upon it, and enlarge it to the utmost; let the name, and let the attributes, and let the works of God lose nothing by your means. Glorify him, as Christ did by manifesting and by making known his name to men, by telling what he is, and what he doth, by setting forth his power, and mercy, and the like, that such as hear may magnify him, and admire him. Study God-exalting speeches, and expressions, and discourses, and enure your tongues to them, that you may have them ready upon all occasions, when there is any opportunity, for God's honor.

[ 2] Secondly, Glorify him also in a way of real representation; and here let him be glorified in what you are, and what you do.

1. Let God be glorified in what you are; let his glory shine upon you by reflection, according to the Prophets Exhortation, Isa. 60.1. Arise, and shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. Be you the monuments of his praise, the emblems of his love, and of his mercy, the standing pillars on which his goodness is engraven, to be read and seen of men. Do you show forth the praises, or as we find it rendered in the margent, the virtues of him that hath called you, 1 Pet. 2.9. That everyone that looks upon you, & observes you, may see the goodness, and the grace, and holiness of God in you. That they may say, if there be so much in the stream, what is there in the spring and in the fountain? If there be so much in the beam, what is there in the Sun of righteousness himself? If there be so much virtue in them that are called, what is there then in him that hath called them? This makes much for God's praise, and so indeed in showing forth the virtue, we show forth the praise and the glory of him that hath called us. He hath made me (saith the Church) a polished shaft, a choice, a special, and a polished piece of work, and said unto me, thou art my servant, in whom I will be glorified. When God makes such curious pieces, and hangs them forth in the view of all the world, he is glorified in them.

2. Let God be glorified, as in what you are, so in the second place, in what you do, yea, in everything you do. Let this be the utmost aim of all your actions. Your acts of nature, as eating, or drinking, or the like, let these be done with reference to God's glory; as the Apostle Paul exhorts to eat and drink to the glory of God, 1 Cor. 10.31. Your civil actions, your trading, dealing, and commercing in the world, your buying, selling, giving, lending, your care and labor in your calling, let these have the same end; You see the rule is universal in the fore-alleged Text, whatsoever else you do. Your holy and religious duties, let those have this aspect and aim, that you may glorify the Lord, and not yourselves in them. That when men see your good works, your frequent hearing, praying, fasting, bounty to the poor Saints, they may glorify not you the doers of them, but your Father which is in heaven. And in a word, (my Brethren) no action is exempt from this direction. And hence saith the Apostle, 1 Pet. 4.11. If any speak, let him speak as the Oracles of God: if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth, that God in all things may be glorified, through Jesus Christ.

What then, it may be you will interpose and ask, [Object.] may a man aim at nothing else but God's glory? may he propound no other end in anything he undertakes? may he have no respect to others, to himself? this is a hard saying, who can hear it?

The rule (as you have heard) is universal: [Answ.] but that you may the better understand the meaning of it, & that your conscience may not be entangled, you must know, that other ends may be propounded in our actions, in a way either of subordination, or else of opposition to the glory of God.

A man may aim at nothing else, no other end, in opposition to his glory: all such must of necessity be laid aside. But other ends may be intended in subordination to it; they may be looked upon as far as they may be subservient to this, which ought to be the ultimate, the utmost end of all our actions. A man in his endeavors and painful labors in his calling, may aim at the increase of his Estate: Not that he may be lifted up above his brethren, not that he may consume it on his Lusts, or make it fuel to maintain his pride, or his intemperance, or the like. These may not be his ends, because they stand in opposition to the great and utmost end; but that God may be honored, while he is not burdensome by his remissness and his negligence, (but rather hath to give to him that needeth.) And while he makes provision for his family, and those that have dependence on him: which he that provideth not for, is worse then an Infidel. Thus we must make the very duties of our callings pay tribute to the honor of our God, who keeps his servants, not as poor men do, for need; but as rich and great men do, for their magnificence, and state, and glory. And as the hatchet serves to make the pin, the pin to hold the timber, the timber to receive the tyle, and all refers to this supreme and utmost end, to build the house: we may aim at divers ends, but all of them must be subservient, and helping onward to this utmost end, the glory of God.

DOCTRINE. That Jesus Christ was ordered by his Father, in the work he did in this world.

The task which his Father set him, the work which his Father gave him, that he did. As he was Man and Mediator, he did not do things of his own head (if I may reverently express it so) no his eye was on his Father for direction. He looked to have his Warrant and Authority for what he did. His Father gave him works before he did them. And this is that which he professes very often, that he came down from heaven, not to do his own will, but the will of him that sent him, John 6.38. not to do his own works, but the works of him that sent him. Yea, more then so, he tells us plainly, that a necessity in this respect is laid upon him. I must work the works of him that sent me, John 9.4. And hence he calls the works he did, and which he was employed about, his Fathers works, John 10.37. And is content that all the credit which he had or looked to have among the people, should be put to this issue, If I do not my Fathers works, saith he, believe me not. So that the works he did, you see, were his Fathers, not his own. No doubt they were in this respect his own, that he was the immediate agent of them. But in another way they were his Fathers, in that he was the orderer and disposer of them. His they were, as being done by his direction, and by his command. That Text is full and home to this purpose, and parallel to this which I am handling, John 5.36. The works which the Father gave me, the same works I do. These very works and no other.

So that you see, my Brethren, Jesus Christ was ordered, &c.

To open this a little further, the works of Jesus Christ, as he was Man and Mediator, were principally and especially of two sorts. Either of satisfaction, or of application. His works of satisfaction, by which he fully and completely answered the Justice of his Father for the sins of all the world, if you respect the Merit and the Value of these works of his. His works of application, by which this satisfaction came to be applied, and so accordingly to be effectual to such particular and individual men. Now in both these works of his, he was ordered by his Father, as I shall show you briefly and in order.

First he was ordered by his Father in his works of satisfaction; Those [ 1] which he did to satisfy his Justice, and to pacify his anger, and so accordingly to reconcile him to his people. Now these works of satisfaction may be reduced especially to two heads: For they were either works of active, or else they were works of passive obedience. And I will show you that his Father ordered him in both these.

1. Jesus Christ was ordered by his Father in his works of active obedience. He did them by his Fathers rule, and in subjection to his Fathers Law. For though, if you look downwards, he gave Law to others, and therefore he is called the Law-giver; yet on the other side, if you look upwards, he received Law from God the Father. And therefore the Apostle saith that he was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , under the Law, Gal. 4.4. That is, as some translations read it, subject to the Law. Subject to the Ceremonial Law, and therefore circumcised. Subject to the Moral Law, and therefore conversant in all the works and duties of holiness to God, and of righteousness to man. And this not only as a Man, but as a Mediator and a Surety in our stead. He sanctified himself, and lived holily, and consequently in obedience to the Law and will of God for our sakes. What the Law could not do in us, it did in Christ, as the Apostle Paul intimates, Rom. 8.3. It could not make us perfectly obedient, but it made Christ so. It could not be fulfilled in us, but it was fulfilled in Christ, and by Christ, in our stead, and for our sakes.

He lived exactly by his Fathers Rule and Law in everything; his works were always regulated by his Fathers will, and therefore he is said to do them in his Fathers name, John 10.25. that is, by his authority, and according to his pleasure and command. It is my meat and drink, saith he, when he was so intent upon the business of saving the poor woman of Samaria, to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work; John 4.34.

2. Jesus Christ was ordered by his Father, as in his works of active, so in his works of passive obedience: He did what he would have him do in both these. And therefore when he was about to suffer, and when the nature which he had assumed was averse, he came at length to this Conclusion, not my will, but thine be done: Mat. 26.39. Father, if it be possible, saith he, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. Here it is evident, he did his Fathers will, and not his own. And therefore it is said, He became obedient to the death, even the death of the Cross, Phil. 2.8. To show that he submitted to it, in obedience to the Father; And therefore when the Article of death was come, which was the complement of his passive obedience, he cried out, It is finished — The work which I have undertaken, and which the Father imposed upon me, is accomplished and dispatched. Just as he tells the Father in my Text, when he was about to suffer; I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. In this respect is that expression of our Savior, John 16.10. The Spirit (saith he) will convince the world of righteousness, that is, full and perfect righteousness wrought out by me for all my people. And why so? because, saith he, I go to my Father, and ye see me no more. If I had not performed the work of my obedience absolutely and completely; if I had not done enough to satisfy the justice of my Father for the sins of all my Members, and so to justify them, and to make them fully righteous, you should be sure to see me again. If I had not done, and suffered all that I was appointed and designed to do before my going up to God the Father, he would be sure to send me down again among you; But now, because I go and stay with him; because I go to my Father, and you see me no more; you may be confident that all is well, that I have ended all the business that my Father hath ordered me to finish and dispatch in this world.

So that you see, my brethren, Christ was ordered by his Father in his works of satisfaction: whether they were works of active, or whether they were works of passive obedience.