37 SERMONS í.rpt7n Ser>YI. gi 3. knowGod is your excellency abové other Men. Jer. 9. 23, 24. Let not the wife Man glory in his Wifdom, neither let the mighty Mdn glory in his Might, let tot the rich Man glory in his Riches. Bid let him that glarieth, glory in this, that he undertaeedeth and know - eth me, that I am the Lord, &c. As if he had faid, If you will needs glory, it is not wh'óis molt Wealthy, nor molt Mighty, no moil Wife, but who hath the greaten Knowledg of God in Chrift. Above all, know God in Chrift, that is molt comforta- ble. Horribile eft de Dee' extra Chriftum cogitare 5 It is an horrible thing to think of God Out of Chrift. God in Chrift is the "greaten Mercy the World was ever acquainted with'; this is a Speculation fit for Angels. r Pet. r. r 2. Which things the Angels delre to hook into. Eph.3.so. To the intent that nowanto the Principalities and Powers in Heavenly Places, might be known by the Church the manifold Wifdom of God. And therefore much More fhould it be the ftudy of Saints. But do not reft in a naked Contemplation; there is a Form of Knowledg, Rom.2.2o. as well as a Form of Godlinefe, 2 Tidt.3.5. which is nothing elfe but an Artificial Speculation, a naked Model of Truth in the Brain, which, as the Winter -Sun, (hines, but warms not. But what is true Knowledg ? How (hall we difcover it ? I Anfwer 5 r. It mutt be a ferions prudent Knowledg, &c. [See on Per.8.] I now come to fpeak to the Illuftration of this Qualification of Saving Knowledg. It is illunrated; I. By its Öppofte, the affefled and obftinate Ignorance of the World. The World hath not known thee. Il. By its efficient and exemplary Caufe. But I have known thee. I. The fire Illuftration, is from the Oppofite Ignorance and Obftinacy of the World. The World bath not known thee. Why is this alledged ? I Anfwer ; Partly, to Phew the Reafon why they thould. be otherwife dealt withal than the blind World. As if he had faid, By thy, righteous and wife Connitution, thou haft appointed different Recompenses to Men of different State's; but now They have known thee, but the World bath not known thee. Partly, to commend their acknowledgment of Chrift, the World neither knowing nor believing, .ea, rather hating and perfecuting thee. In the Original there [is >ra tho] fo that nei- ther ' .;;red by Fears nor Snares ; the Rulers and grèat Men were against the acknow- lE2?,1 , > 6: Chill, the Multitude blind and obninate 5 yet the Difciples knew him, and cí, .d him as the Meffiah, or one fent of God. r. Obferve ; That it is exceeding praife worthy to own Chrifl, when other, dìfown him, and refeci him ; to own him in the midff of the World's biindnefr and rkadnefr againfl him. Now he is publickly received among the Nations, it is no great matter to own him now ; as thofe that followed Chrift in his Lifetime for the Loaves, foh.6.26. when Ho- nours, and Conveniences, and Interens, 1'áók that way. But to own him then, when the Powers Of the World, the Heads and Rulers of the Church are against him, when the Stone is refufed by the Builders, this is Praife - worthy. Now the Reafóns'are two. It is a fign God bath a great Love to them, and it is a fign of their great Love to God ; of his choice, and their fincerity. There are two things hinder us from the fight of Truth, Prejudices and Interens ; now it is a fign of the fpecial Dire ion of God's Spirit, when we can oVerkiok Prejudices; and it is a fign of our unfeigned Zeal, when we can deny Interens. 1. It is an Argument of God's Love to us. This looketh like Ele&ion. Mat. 24. 24.. If it were 'pe ble they ¡ball deceive the very Elea. There are force Favorites whom God taketh into his fpecial Care, that he may thew their his Counfel, and lead them into all Truth. in Times, when Error is fo countenanced, and appeareth with a plan- fible Face, it is a matter of great skill to find Out the Truth. There are Come choice -Ones to whom God manifefs himfelf, when others are left to perifh in their own ways. So it is laid, Pfal. 25. 14. The Secret of the Lord is with them that fear' him. By the Se- cret of the Lord, is not meant the Counfels of his Providence, they are revealed but to a few, tó the Prophets; this is a Promife cómnion to all that fear hits, therefore by it is intended the Counfels of the Word ; thofe that are his Favourites, that lie in his BoCom, they (hall know his Secrets; as the Difciples, when they would know any thing of Chrift, pointed to the Difciple 'whom Nits loved. John 13. 23, 24. Now there
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