90 SERMONS upon 3. Oblerve ; ../Imeng the Things which the Father gave to the Son, one of the chiefef! is the Doflrine of theGefel. Let us look upon it as a Gift, the Father gave it, the Son gave it; here is a double Gift; it was a Gift from the Father to Chrift, and from Chrift the ApoRles 5 I have given them the Word which thou gavel me, Next to Chrift, the Gofpel is the greatelt Benefit which God hath given to Men : He that defpifeth the Gofpel, defpifeth the very bounty of God, and Men cannot endure to have their Love and Bounty defpifed. As when David Pent a courteous Meffage to Nabal, and he was refufed, he threatned to cut of from Nabal every one that With againfi the Wail. Take heed you defpife not God's fpectal Gifts. The preaching of the Word, it was Chria's largets in the day of his Royalty. Ephef4. 8,z t. When he afeended up on high, he gave ferve, Apofiles; and fame, Prophets ; and fame, Evangelifis; and _lime, Pafiors and Teachers : As Princes, when crowned, have their Royal Donatives. Thole that grudg at the Miniftry, and count it a burden, they do in effe£t upbraid.Chrift with his Gift, as if it were not worth the giving. Thofe that labour in the Minif ry, are his efpecial Gift to us. They are but fottilh Swine, that trample fuch Pearls under Feet. We fhould think of them, as the fpecial Favours of Chrift. I do not (peak attic Perfons, but the Calling. This Difpofition (heweth no love to Chria. Secoddly, The next Thing is the Nature of Faith. There are two Things fpoken of in the Text, yvZen and XÑ41s, they have received them, and have içnäwn freely, I. I begin with the latter, in order of Words, _as firfi in order of Nature, 'yveanxe iexa.9iis, they. have known frely. The word cdoSbl, which fignifieth truly, Purely, is ufed to exclude that literal hittorical Knowledg, which may be in carnal Men. I. Obferve. Faith cannot be without Knowledg. It is not a blind Af3ent ; Rom. to, 54. Haw (hall they believe in him of whom they have not heard ? We mud know what Chrift is, before we can trui him with our Souls. 2 Tim. I. 12. 1 know whom I have believed; we mutt fee the Stay and Prop before we lean upon it, otherwife we (hall neither be fatisfied in our felves, nor be able to plead with Satan, nor anfwer Doubts Of Confcience. He that is impleaded in Court, and doth not know the Privileges of the Law, how (hall he be able to purge himfelf? Fears are in the Dark. The blind Man fpoke Reafon in that Conference between Chrift and him, when Chrift asked him, Deli thou believe on the San of Gad ? He anfwered and faid, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? John g. 35, 36. We mutt know what God is : 'Till we have a diltind Knowledg of the Nature of God, and the Tenor of the Covenant, we (ball be full of Scruples. Well then; VP I. it difcovereth the wretched Condition of Ignorant Perlons. We are not fo fenfible of the Danger of Ignorance as we ihould be; God will render Vengeance to them that know net God, and that obey not the Gofpel, 2 Their. a, 8. Poor Wretches, they live finfully, and die fotti(hly ! they live finfully, they are under no aw of Con- fcience, becaufe they have no Knowledg : and when they come to die, they die fix - ti(hly ; like Men that leap over a deep Gulph blindfold, they know not where their Feet thall light. In their Life-time, at bell, they live but by guefs, and Come devout Aims; and when they come to die, they die by guefs, in a doubtful uncertain way. Z)fe 2. To prefs ChtiRians to gain more diflinll Knowledg, if you would fettle your Souls in a certainty of Salvation. God may lay trouble of Confcience upon a knowing Perfon; but ufually Perfons Ignorant, are full of Scruples, which vanilla before the Light, as Mitts do before the Sun. 2. Obferve; They know Amts. In the Knowledg of Faith, there is an undoubted cer. tain Light. It dependeth upon two things that cannot deceive us, the Revelation of the Word, and the Illumination of the Spirit. The Knowledg of Faith is left than the Light of Glory for Clearnefs, but equal for Certainty ; it hath as much affucance from God's Word, though not Co much evidence as arifeth from Enjoyment. 3. Obferve; They know, à)`iShl, Sr, ay Weed. Every.kfed.gf KCnowleq'g is root r- rough for Faith, but a true found Knowfedg. There is a Form of Knowledg, as well as a
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