_)_ 0 7 3 c~ T'he Parable of the --- not, Ilai. 6. 9· which is the Stare of a Church 1\·hich barb bcf:n long rraintd up under good mea~s: Arid hence we Dull fee many n:en of ~rear .learning have been able eo wme Volumes of rhe Myll:ery of Chrill, ana yet m f eeing t~ever f-. 5. There may be in a falfe hem a ltrange knowledge of Chrill: without Scripcures, which may ravifh a mans deluded hem firangely, which is ufually rhe lirfl: Temptation of t~.e Virgin-Churches, that are of much knowledge,,and linlc love, z Cor. 1 I.z,3,4. Wherein Satan dorhnot feck eo pull away men eo forfake the Gofrel, but from the limplicity of the Gofpel, Repmt, andbeleror, and /le faved, For faith he, S11tan iJ traHsfqymeJ. i11to an Angtl of light : And hence we have h~rd chat fome hav~ heard voi~es, f?me have feen the very blood of ~briH ~roppmg on rhem, and hts wounds m hts lide, fome ha~e feen a great hghr futning m rhe Chamber, fome wonderfully a!feC\ed Wtth thetr dreams, fomc in orcar diHrefs have had inward wicncfs, ThJ fins are f•rgi".ltn ; and hc11ce fuch lib~ry and joy thar d1ey are re.1dy to leap up and down the Chamber : 0 adulterous oeneration 1 This is naturaL and ufual with men, they would fain fee Jefus, and"have him prefent rogh·c tbem peace; and hence Papills have his Image; and hence ChriH gives the Sacramem to fuew himfelf as familiarly as can be. Hence ThomM would not belecve,tudefs he might pm his finger in his fide, and the Lord tendred him, yet pronounced then• blejfod, thl!t have nut foen, and J<t beleeved, Job. 20. ~9. So I fay ~contra, Wo t? them that have no other n:anifefied Chriit, but fuch a one. Lt rtle do you th1nk 1vhat wrong you do ro Chnit, for you do a~ much as in you lies Eclipfe all his glory at the .laH day, as the wicked by tlelr fins i Eclipfc his glory at this d~y. 2 Thej. I. Io. He jh111l be dmired in ~tll that heleev<. 1 Why? Becaufe our Te{limony was beleeved; That Faith wilich clofeth with and fees Chrill:in a Tellimony,is that whereby jefus fuall be admired at the w~rlds lend. c l I That the f~ving knowledge of jefus Cbrill is this, Whereby the foul beina t nc · 4 " fenlible of his Ignorance of Jefus, beholds fuch a glory in Chrills perfon a~ :that hee!leems him in all his glory, as hisptefent, greaceit, and on.Jy good.' I wiU rake this in pieces. \ 1 I. I fay that fou! 1':hich h.uh truly_ and favin~!Y feen the Lord Jefus, bath been made fenhble of hts tgnorance of htm ; I fee htm not, I have heard of him, and 1 read of him, and taken his Name int9 my mouth, and profelfed him; and I belleeve ethers fee him, and ble'!fed are their eye~, butl fee him nor, John 9· z6, 37, 39· For iud!fment am I ct~~neinto this -/J,and look as all tbeincreafeof the \ , knowledge of Chrill: comes in by this door, fo the ~eginning of it , and therefore rbofe thatha,·e beencall down and heard of Chrifl a Saviour, but never felt their ign~ance of him befere they have apprehended him, t~r light is darknefs, ( and their knowledge full of delulion and idolatrous. z. It beholds a glory in ChriHs perfon,for before tbe Lord reveals his Son oo j any, lo:>kwhat hewasro tile Jews he isro every man, lj~ti. 53·"• 3· Heu rejeCI- ' edmul Jefpifod "f men, nothing fo mean as Chrill, every vanity preferred above him, and men can do no other, becaufe they fee not his glory and beluty, I Cor.z. 8. If tkJ IMd 1:..11/)-, &c. Therefore the Lord reveals his hidden glory to t~m, fuch as never enrred into their hearts before, or into the minds of other men , which though others may calk of, yet they cannot fee it in that manner as they do ; it is cal.led therefore miiT'fleiUmlight which he doch reveal, when the foul lmh been viewing its own lhame and filth, when all thegrafs and glory is withered, l{.ti. ·40· 6. rhea the glory of Cliri!Hsrevealed ; One every way fo fit and fuir~ble to rile m, according to all their wants and woes , by fome Setmon or otner, which when tbe foul dorh fee, it ufually fills tbe head, and heart, and eyes with te1rs. Oh that I have deCpifed him fo glorious 1 .Atfs 2. 36, 37. 2 Cor. 4· Is. 6. If the foul fuouldnot feelicsignor<tnce ofhim,itwoutd never e!leem the light
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