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of these things together: The Creation; The Fall; The Law; The State of the Jews; The Immortality of the Soul; The Neceffity of a Satisfaction for Sin if pardoned; The Types and Sacrifices; The Prophecies; The Rejection of the Jews; The Calling of the Gentiles; The Progrefs of the Gofpel to the new difcovered parts of the World fucceffively as difcovered; that a due collection being made of all these and other Confiderations, it will appear that the Doctrine of Christ Jefus, and him crucified, is that which makes the difpenfation of God towards the Children of Men to be all of a piece, and one thing in order to another, Chrift the Mediator, in whom God hath gathered together all things in one, Ephef. 1. 10. made it as one Syftem, Body, Fabrick. 8. Belides the undeniable Prophecies, there bears Witnefs to this Truth, the fecret powerful Witnefs of the Spirit of God convincing the Soul of the Truth of Chrift, beyond all the Moral perswasions in the World, beyond the conviction of demonftration, to believe, to reft upon, to affert it, even unto the lofs of life and all things.

2. As in the certainty, fo in the Plainnefs and Eafinefs of the Truth. The moft excellent Subjects of other knowledge have long windings, before a man can come at them, and are of that difficulty and abftrufenefs, that as every brain is not fit to undertake the acquiring of it, so much pains, labour, induftry, advertency, affiduity is required in the best of judgments, to attain but a competent meafure of it: Witnefs the ftudies of Arithmetick, Geometry Natural Philofophy, Metaphyficks, &c. wherein great la. bour hath been taken to our hands, to make the paffage more eafie, and yet ftill are full of difficulty. But in this knowledge it is otherwife as it is a knowledge fitted for an univerfal use, the bringing of Mankind to God, fo it is fitted with an univerfal Fitnefs and Convenience for that use, easie, plain and familiar. The poor receive the Gospel, Matth. 11.5. And indeed the plainnefs of the Doctrine was that which made the wife World ftumble at it, and thence it was, that it was hid from the wife and prudent, Matth. 11. 25. Who like Naaman with the Prophet could

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not be contented to be healed without fome great Oftentation; nor were contented to think any thing could be the Wisdom of God, and the Power of God, unless it were fomewhat that were abftrufe, and at leaft conformable to that Wisdom they had, and were troubled to think that that Wisdom or Doctrine, that must be of fo great Ufe and End, fhould fall under the capacity of a Fisherman, a maker of Tents, a Carpenter. But thus it pleafed God to chufe a Doctrine of an eafie acquifition; 1. That no flesh fhould glory in his fight, 1 Cor. 1. 29. 2. That the way to Salvation being a common thing propounded to all Mankind, might be difficult to none. Believe and thy fins be forgiven. Believe, and thou shalt be faved. Believe, and thou shalt be raised up to Glory, John 6. 40. This is the Will of him that fent me, that every one that feeth the Son and believeth on bim, may have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.

3. As in the Certainty and Plainnels, fo in the Sublimity and Loftinels of the Subject. And hence it is that Metaphyficks is reckoned the most noble knowledge, becaufe converfant with and about the nobleft Subject, Substance confidered in abstracto from Corporeity, and particular adherents falling under other Sciences. But the Subject of this knowledge is of the higheft confideration, Almighty God; The difpenfation of his Counfel touching Man in reference to the everlasting condition of Mankind; The true measure of Juft and Unjuft; The pure Will of God; the Son of God and his miraculous Incarnation, Death, Refurrection and Afcenfion; The great covenant between the Eternal God and fallen Man made, fealed and confirmed in Chrift his great transaction with the Father in their Eternal Counfel; and fince his Afcenfion, in his continual Interceffion for Man; The means of the discharge and fatisfaction of the breach of the Law of God; The ftate of the Soul after death in bleffednefs or mifery: Thefe and many of these are the fubject of that knowledge that is revealed in the knowledge of Chrift, fuch as their very matter fpeaks them to be of a moft high Nature: The great tranfactions of the counsel and adminiftration of the mighty King of Heaven

in his Kingdom over the Children of Men: fuch as never fell under the discovery, or fo much as the difquifition of the wifeft Philofophers; and fuch as the very Angels of Heaven defire to look down into, 1 Pet. 1. 12. And behold with admiration that manifold Wifdom of God, which is revealed unto us, poor worms, in Chrift Jefus.

4. As the matters are wonderful high, and fublime, fo they are of most fingular Ufe to be known. There be many pieces of Learning in the World that are converfant about high Subjects; as, that part of Natural Philosophy concerning the Heaven and the Soul; the Metaphyficks; the abftrufer parts of the Mathematicks that are not in order to Practice. But as it may fall out that the knowledge of the Subject is unacceffible in any certainty, fo if it were never fo exactly known, it goes no farther; and when it is known there's an end, and no more ufe of it. Whereas many times Subjects of an inferior nature are more useful in their knowledge; as practical Mathematicks, Mechanicks, Moral Philofophy, Policy; but then they are of inferiour Nature, more useful but perchance less noble. But here is the previlege of the knowledge of Chrift Jefus that as it is of Eminence and Height, fo it is of Use and Convenience, and that in the higheft measure; as it is a Pearl for Beauty, fo it is for Value. This knowledge is a kind of Catholicon, of univerfal use and convenience. In reference to this Life: Am I in Want, in Contempt, in Prison, in Banifhment, in Sickness, in Death? This Knowledge gives me Contentedness, Patience, Chearfulnefs, Refignation of my felf to his Will, who hath fealed my Peace with him, and favour from him, in the Great Covenant of his Son; and I can live upon this, though I were ready to ftarve; when I am affured that if it be for my Good and the Glory of his Name, I fhall be delivered; if not, I can be contented, fo my Jewel, the peace of God and my own Conscience, by the Blood of Chrift be safe. Am I in Wealth, Honour, Power, Greatness, Efteem in the World? This knowledge teacheth me Humility, as knowing from whom I received it: Fidelity, as knowing to whom I muft account for it; Watchfulness,

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as knowing the Honour of my Lord is concerned in fome measure in my carriage; and that the higher the employment is, the more obnoxious I am to temptation from without, from them that watch for my halting, and from within, by a deceitful heart: And in all it teacheth me not to over value it; nor to value my felf the more by it or for it; because the knowledge of Chrift Jefus prefents me with a continual Object of a higher value, the price of the high calling of God in Chrift: It teacheth me to look upon the glory of the World as ruft, in comparison of the Glory that excelleth, and the greatest of Men as Worms, in comparison of the great God. And as thus in reference to the temporal condition of my life, this knowledge of Chrift is of fingular ufe, and makes a man a better Philofopher than the beft of Morals in reference thereunto. So it guides me in the management of all Relations: 1. To God; it prefents him unto me in that representation that is right, full of Majefty, yet full of love which teacheth me Reverence,and yet Acceis with Boldnefs, Love and Obedience. 2. To Man; Juftice, giving every man his due, for fo the Knowledge of Chrift teacheth me ; Do as ye would be done by; Mercy to forgive; Compaffion, to pity; Liberality, to relieve; Sobriety, in the ufe of creatures, and yet comfort in the enjoying of them; a right ufe of the World, and yet a contempt of it; in comparison of my hope. It makes death not terrible, because a moft fure paffage to Life: Here I find a way to get all my Sins pardoned, whereas without this, all the world cannot contrive a Satisfaction for one; I find a way to obtain fuch a Righteoufnefs as is valuable with God, and perfect before him, even the Righteoufne's of God in Chrift. And here I find, the means, and only means, to avoid the wrath to come, the terror of the judgment of the great day, everlafting life unto all Eternity, with the Bleffed God, and our ord Jefus Chrift, and all the Bleffed Angels, and the Spirits of juft men made perfect. Thus this knowledge is ufeful for this life,and that which is to come, and that in the highest degree; which all other Knowledge come fhort of, and attains not to any one of the leaft of thefe ends.

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5. In

to that Life, in a Year, in a Week, in a Day, in an Hou in an unthought Moment, before a Man hath Opportun ty to confider, to bethink himself, or to repent; and the the Door of Life and Happiness is fhut. Again, there ar a fort of Men that confider this great Propofal, and chuf the Fear of Almighty God, and with it Eternal Life, and are content to deny themselves in things unlawful, to o bey Almighty God, to keep his Favour, to walk humbly with him, to accept of the tender of Life and Salvation upon the Terms propounded by Almighty God: And in the practice of this Fear they enjoy his Favour, and Prefence, and Love; and after this Life spent, whether it be long or fhort, and whether their Death be lingring or fudden, are fure the next moment after death to enjoy an immortal Life of glory and happiness. Judge then which of thefe is the truly wife Man, whether this be not a Truth beyond difpute: The Fear of God that is Wifdom, and to depart from evil is Understanding.

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Of the Knowledge of Chrift Crucified.

1 Cor. ii. 2. For I determined not to know any thing among you, fave Jefus Chrift, and bim Crucified.

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S the Understanding is the highest Faculty of the reafonable Creature, becaufe upon it depends the Regularity of the Motions or Actings of the Will and Affections: So Knowledge is the propereft and nobleft Act or Habit of that Faculty, and without which it is without its proper end and employment, and the whole Man without a due guidance and direction; Hof. 4. 6. My people perifh for want of knowledge.

And as Knowledge is the proper business of that great Faculty, fo the Value of that Knowledge, or employment of the Understanding, is diverfified according to the Subject about which it is exercifed: For though all Know

ledge

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