Heaven Opened, Treatise · Chapter 10
CHAP. X. An heart to know the Lord.
2. AN heart to know the Lord, Jer. 24.7. I will give them an heart to know me. The knowledge of God is the firſt excellency of the new heart. As in the old ſo in the new creation (as was ſaid before) the firſt word is, let there bee light. There is not ſo glorious a preheminence of day above night, as of the knowledge, above the ignorance of God. As the Firmament without a Sun, as the body without an eye, ſo is the ſoul without knowledge. What this knowledge of God here promiſed is, will appear, if wee conſider.
Its
Object.
Act.
1. The Object of this Knowledge is, God, not only the Nature, or being of God, manifeſted in his Eſſential Perfections, his Glorious Attributes, his Infiniteneſs, Eternity, Omnipotency, &c. In his Perſonal Relations, the Subſiſtences in the Godhead; but God in Chriſt, God in Covenant; yea, the whole Minde and Will of God, all that which God hath revealed to us, as our Duty, or Happineſſe.
God known in the heart, is the whole Bible opened; The Law opened, the Goſpel opened; Duties, Comforts, Priviledges made manifeſt. Chriſt opened in his Sufferings, in his Satisfaction, in his Spirit, in all the Riches of his Glory; the whole myſtery of Godlineſs revealed; The Heart opened, man made known to himſelf, all the depths of the heart, all the deceits of the heart, all the faculties and powers of the heart; with their motions, operations, inclinations, the rectitude, or obliquities of them. Heaven opened, the Crown, the Kingdome known; everlaſting reſt, glory, honour, immortality, brought to light. Hell opened, ſin known, the devil known, wrath, temptations, the curſe, eternal fire known. All duplicate page duplicate page this, even all that God is, and all that hee hath revealed in his Word and Works, are the object of this Knowledge of God.
2. The Act. To know, is to apprehend, or underſtand God, and the things of God; Jer. 9.24. Let him that glorieth, glory in this, that hee (underſtandeth) and knoweth mee. Epheſ. 3.18,19. That yee may [comprehend] with all Saints, what is the heighth and length, and breadth, and depth. that yee may [know] the love of Chriſt: This apprehenſion of God, doth not barely note our having received ſome natural, or metaphyſical Notions of God, and the Truths that are in him; But farther, it notes:
1. An Approbation of him; an approving or liking the things that are excellent, Phil. 1.9,10. That your love may abound more and more in [knowledge] and in all Judgement, that yee may [approve] the things that are excellent.
2. Appropriation, The knowing of God as a reconciled God; a God, and a God to mee; good, and good to mee; wiſe and wiſe for mee: My Lord and my God: To know God in Chriſt, reconciled through Chriſt; propitious through Chriſt, this is ſaving knowledge. To know, and not poſſeſs, to ſee and not eat, to know an angry God, a wrathful God, a God loſt; to know goodneſs, mercy, loving-kindneſs, compaſſion, alſufficiency, and to have the heart recurre, what is this to thee? this is none of thine; the damned thus know and dye.
3 Affection, As Pſal. 9.10. Thoſe that know thy Name, ſhall truſt in thee; So thoſe that know thy Name, will love thee, and fear thee, and rejoyce in thee, and bleſs thy Name; to know and hate God, to know and contemn God, to know and fly from God, to know and Blaſpheme and curſe God, the Devils thus know and tremble.
But eſpecially that which diſtinguiſhes, this ſaving from common knowledge, is;
Its
Power.
Savour.
1. Its Power, the Knowledge of God is mighty; my preaching was not weak, but mighty, in you, 2 Cor. 13. It hath,
A Transforming,
A Fructifying,
Power.
1. A Transforming Power, 2 Cor. 3.18. Wee all with open face, beholding as in a glaſs, the Glory of the Lord, are changed into the ſame Image, Rom. 12.2. Bee yee not conformed to this preſent world, but bee yee transformed, by the renewing of your mindes, [by the renewing of your mindes] the renovation of the minde, both is this change, and works it farther upon the whole ſoul, this new light is the new creature; old things paſs away, all things become new, where the minde is ſavingly enlightned; God known in the ſoul, is God united to the ſoul; Chriſt revealed in the heart, is Chriſt formed upon the heart; there's life in this light, it is no other than the light of life. The Knowledge of God comprehends in it, and is involved in, and Spirits, and animates every grace and duty; as the ſame ſoul, in the eye ſees, in the ear hears, in the palate taſtes; as the ſame juyce which is in the Olive fatneſs, in the Fig-Tree ſweetneſs, in the Oake ſtrength, in the Roſe fragrancy, in the Lillie beauty; So the ſame grace, which in the minde, is light; in the heart, is love, holy deſire, holy fear, holy joy; and one ſays, that as feeling is inſeparable to all the Organs of ſenſe; the eye feels and ſees, the ear feels and hears, the palate feels and taſtes, the noſtrils feel and ſmell; So knowledge is involved in every grace; Faith knows and believes, Charity knows and loves, temperance knows and abſtains, patience knows and ſuffers, humility knows and ſtoops, repentance knows and mourns, obedience knows and does, compaſſion knows and pitties, hope knows and expects, confidence knows and rejoyces; And therefore wee believe, and love, and obey, and hope, and rejoyce, becauſe we know. God gives us this knowledge as the eye of our ſouls, and by that eye, hee enters with all his power and Glory, Epheſ. 3.19. That ye may know the love of Chriſt, which paſſeth knowledge, and bee filled with all the fulneſs of God. Day-light is not that light wee receive by reflection from the Moon and Stars, at ſecond hand; when the Sun is riſen, and come in among us, then it is day; When the Sun of Righteouſneſs is riſen in the heart, there's the light of life; God is, and God dwells in this light, and where God dwells, every unclean thing vaniſhes; can Darkneſs dwell with the Sun? can Death dwell with Life? according to the meaſure of the manifeſtation of God in us, ſo far forth is ſin neceſſarily vaniſhed. Thou art but the carkaſſe of a Chriſtian, the light that is in thee, is darkneſs, the life that is in thee, is death, if thou bee not in the whole man renewed, after the Image of him that Created thee. If Chriſt bee not formed in thy heart, if the Love, the humility, the meekneſſe, the patience, the compaſſion, the holineſs of the Lord Jeſus, be not begotten in thee; whatever thou knoweſt, thou knoweſt nothing as thou oughteſt to know; if thou haſt all knowledge, and haſt not charity; and ſo, if thou haſt all knowledge and haſt not humility, meekneſs, holineſs, thou art nothing; thou art but as ſounding braſs, or a tinkling Cimbal. Doubting Chriſtian, that complaineſt of, and bewaileſt thine ignorance, and feareſt that thou knoweſt not God, look upwards, where his Glory dwells; lift up thine eyes and ſee, or if thou canſt not ſee, lift up thy heart for eyes; Lord, where dwelleſt thou? let mee ſee thy Face, ſhew mee thy Glory, pitty thy blinde, let the eyes of this blinde bee opened, and the tongue of this dumb ſhall bee looſed, and ſpeak forth thy praiſe: Look upward, and if yet thou ſeeſt not thy God, look inward; canſt thou ſee his Face in thy ſoul? canſt thou ſee his Image on thy heart? canſt thou behold in (this) Glaſſe the Glory of the Lord, and finde thy ſelf changed into his Image? Comfort thine heart, how ſhort ſighted ſoever thou ſeemeſt to bee, how dimme ſoever thy Candle burns, how weak ſoever in the Knowledge of God thou complaineſt thou art; thou haſt ſeen God, thou haſt ſeen his Face in peace; God that commanded the light to ſhine out of darkneſs, hath ſhined into thine heart, and given thee the Knowledge of his Glory in the face of Jeſus Chriſt.
2. A Fructifying Power, this Sun-ſhine makes a fruitful ſoil, Coloſ. 1.9,10. my deſire for you, (ſaith the Apoſtle) is, that you may bee filled with the Knowledge of his Will, in all Wiſdome, and Spiritual underſtanding. That yee might walk worthy of the Lord, unto all pleaſing, being fruitful unto every good work, and encreaſing in the Knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious Power, unto all Patience, and long ſuffering, with joyfulneſs; and Phil. 1.11. Being filled with the fruits of Righteouſneſs, which are by Jeſus Chriſt, unto the Glory and praiſe of God. Full of Light, and full of Love, of Faith, of Patience, of Humility, and fruitful in every good work; Mat. 12.35. A good man out of the good treaſure of the heart, bringeth forth good things; an evil man out of the evil treaſure, bringeth forth evil things. A good man hath a good treaſure within him; a treaſure of Heavenly Wiſdome, of Divine Truth; a treaſure of Light; God hath ſhined into his heart; Hee's filled with all the fulneſs of God; And what is laid up within, hee brings forth without; An evil man hath an evil treaſure, Satan hath been filling his heart, Act. 5.3. Why hath Satan filled thine heart? the treaſures of darkneſs are there; a treaſure of luſt and lies; Falſhood and folly are found with him, theſe treaſures of darkneſs within, bring forth darkneſs; dark ſouls, lead dark lives, their way is dark, their deeds are darkneſs; O how fruitful are ſinners in their unfruitful works; filled with all unrighteouſneſs, fornication, wickedneſſe, covetouſneſs, maliciouſneſſe, envy, murther, debate, deceit, malignity, &c. Rom. 1.29,30. Their hearts are full, and thereupon their mouths full, their eyes full, their hands full; mouths full of curſing, eyes full of adultery, hands full of violence, filled with all unrighteouſneſs: O Generation of Vipers, how can yee being evil, (having ſuch hearts) ſpeak good things? all is evil that comes from you, and how can it bee otherwiſe? Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth ſpeaks: And in like manner, O Generation of Believers! How can yee being good, but bring forth good things? Or how can you ſay, or think, there is a treaſure of Grace, a fountain of light within, when no ſtreams ſpring forth? Penury in the life, ſpeaks no great plenty in the heart; the Truths of God within you are the Seed of God, the good ſeed that hee ſows in his fields; where there's good ſeed ſown in good ground, you will expect a fruitful Harveſt; a barren crop, ſpeaks a barren ſoil, or no good ſeed ſown there.
1 John 2.3. Hereby we do know that wee know him, if wee keep his Commandements. We know God; but are you ſure of it, are you not miſtaken? No, wee are not miſtaken, wee know that wee know him: But how do you know it? Why, how are trees known? By their fruits ye ſhall know them. How do yee know that this is indeed the Tree of Knowledge? Why, ſee what fruits are hanging upon it, wee keep the Commandements; Here's Obedience growing, here's Holineſs, and Righteouſneſs, and Mercy; Doubtleſs this is the right Tree, for behold all the Commandements, the two Tables, hanging upon the boughs of it, and not broken, but kept and obſerved: Wee may as well ſay, Obedience is no Obedience, Duty is no Duty, Faith and Love and Humility, and Patience are not what they are, as that the Tree that brings forth this fruit is not the Tree of Knowledge; Wee know that wee know him, becauſe wee keep his Commandements; Yea, and the Tree of Life too, both in one; a Tree of Life to them that lay hold upon her, Prov. 3.18. Where theſe fruits are not found, where are nothing but ſhews, and ſounds, painted fruits; where are nothing but the fruits of unrighteouſneſs, contention, ſtrife, covetouſneſs, ſenſuality, and the like; he's very ignorant indeed, that is not able to ſay, what ever I am ignorant of, this one thing I know, that I know not God. Chriſtian, boaſt not of what thou haſt, but conſider what thou doeſt, try thy head, by thine heart, and thy heart, by thine hand; Judge of thy light by thy love, and thy love by thy life; ſay not that God hath ſhined into thine heart, unleſs thy light ſhine; thy works ſhine before men; The path of the juſt ſhineth, Prov. 4. 'Tis but a forme of Knowledge that brings forth but a forme of Godlineſſe; hee that holdeth the Truth in unrighteouſneſs, hath not the Truth, in truth in him; thou ſayeſt thou knoweſt the Lord, but what ſay thy waies, do theſe ſpeak the ſame things? Action is the beſt Interpreter of the inner man, feel the pulſes of thy heart, what watchfulneſs, what holineſs, hath thy Knowledge brought forth? haſt thou received the ſpirit, who yet walkeſt in the fleſh? what Heaven in thine heart, and nought but Earth in thy hand? Truth in thine heart, and Lies in thy mouth? Holineſs in thy heart, Glory in thine heart, and in thy tongue nothing but filth or froth? What an heart ſo full, and a life ſo empty? how can theſe things bee? Hath the light in thine heart given laws only to thine heart? or doth thine heart ſubmit, whileſt thy tongue rebells, and thou kickeſt with the heel?
Woe to us Chriſtians, that ſinners ſhould be ſo full, and Saints to empty; that they ſhould ſpeak what they have ſeen with their Father, and we ſhould ſpeak no more what wee have ſeen with our Father; that oaths, and lyes, and blaſphemies, and ſcoffs, and curſing, ſhould be ſo rife in theirs; and that truth, and goodneſs, and holineſs, bleſſings and praiſes ſhould be no more in our mouths; that there ſhould be ſo much guile in theirs, and ſo little grace in our lips; that the ſhade ſhould be more fruitful than the Sun; that the good, ſhould be only the barren ground; that their habitations ſhould be ſo full of violence, and oppreſſion, and wantonneſs; and no more mercy, and righteouſneſs, and ſobriety in ours.
Woe to us, that we know ſo much to ſo little purpoſe; that we ſhould be buſhels to hide, and not rather candleſticks to hold forth the candle of the Lord, he hath lighted up in us! Oh how many dark ſouls, might our candle lead on to the Sun. The light that is in Iſrael, might do much to the turning Egypt into a Goſhen; ſpeak, Chriſtians, ſpeak what you have ſeen, and teſtifie what you have believed; bring forth out of your treaſure; pitty the blinde world; or at leaſt be more helpful one to another. Inſtruct as you have been inſtructed; convince as you have been convinced; comfort as you have been comforted of God. Out-vie ſinners, let not their mouths be ſo full of curſing, as yours of bleſſing; whileſt theirs are ſo full of blaſphemies, let it be ſaid of you as of your Lord, full of grace are their lips. Good words are not wind, you may reckon them not amongſt the leaves, but the fruit. Whileſt you are ſpeaking of the things of God, you are therein doing the will of God. I confeſs the Proverb is true, The greateſt talkers are not alwaies the greateſt doers. But 'tis true alſo, he is ſeldome a great doer, that hath nothing to ſay. There is a ſpeaking which is our doing. There is a ſpeaking in a way of boaſting, to magnifie and ſet up our ſelves; beware of that; and there is a ſpeaking to the uſe of edifying, to build up our brethren. When we are thus ſpeaking to inſtruct, to convince, to awaken, and whet on our own, and others ſpirits to our work; wee are then in doing our work. Speak Chriſtians, and ſpeak often the things that you know; onelyonly let me adde, let your lives ſpeak alſo, and not onelyonly your lips. If you would not bee vain-talkers, bee all tongue, let your lips ſpeak, and your hands ſpeak, and your feet ſpeak, let your works and your ways ſpeak, the wonderful things of God. Bring forth what you have received; hee that's all inſide, and hee that's all outſide, are equally nothing. The one is a ſhadow without ſubſtance; the others ſubſtance is but a ſhadow. The one is a deceiver, the other a deceived ſoul. The one boaſts himſelf, the other thinks himſelf ſomething, but neither is any thing.
Chriſtians, bee full of good fruits, and you will make full proof that your wiſdome is from above. If yee know theſe things, happy are yee if yee do them.
Weakling Chriſtian, that knoweſt but little of God, and calleſt that little nothing; whileſt thou doubteſt the light hath not ſhined into thee, doſt thou walk in that little light thou haſt? doſt thou ſhine as a light in the world? doſt thou know how to be holy, and humble, and harmleſs, and honeſt? doſt thou live under the power of thoſe truths thou knoweſt? doſt thou fear the Lord, and obey the voice of his ſervants? truſt in the Lord, and ſtay thy ſelf on thy God; thou art a childe of light, though through thy trembling heart, thou walkeſt in darkneſs. Having not ſeen thou loveſt, and believing thou ſhalt rejoyce with joy unſpeakable and full of glory.
2. Its favour. 2 Cor. 2.14. And maketh manifeſt the ſavour of his knowledge, by us in every place. The Knowledge of God is ſweet-ſented; it caſts forth a fragrancy, where it comes. It hath a gratefulneſs to the heart, leaves ſweet impreſſious on the ſenſes of the Saints. They taſte that the Lord is gracious. As their breathings go up as ſweet incenſe, ſo his beams come down with like ſweetneſs to them. As 'twas ſaid of Chriſt, ſo of God: Cant. 1.3. The Name of the Lord is an ointment poured forth. Why what is his Name? Exod. 34.6. This is his Name. The Lord, the Lord God, merciful, and gracious, long-ſuffering, and abundant in goodneſs and truth; keeping mercy for thouſands, forgiving iniquity, tranſgreſſion, and ſin. Oh what a bundle of myrrhe, what a garden of ſpices, is here encloſed? what a ſweet ſmelling ſavour doth it ſend forth to them who have their ſenſes exerciſed to diſcern both good and evil?
The Name of the Lord is a precious ointment, and the knowledge of God, is this ointment poured forth. Where God is known in the ſoul, there his ſweet ſavour is ſhed abroad. The thoughts of God are pretious, the wayes of God are pleaſant to them, that underſtand them. His fruit was ſweet unto my taſte. O the ineffable pleaſures of Religion! the carnal world count it a jejune and inſipid thing; they cannot taſte; and no wonder, for they do not ſee the things of God, nor can they, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned. Let God be ſavingly known, and then you will find what the ſavour of his Knowledge is. This light is ſweet, it is a pleaſant thing to behold this Sun. O my ſoul, let thy walks, let thy dwellings bee in this garden of the Lord; let the Sun ſhine, and the ſmell of his ſpices ſhall flow forth unto thee. O my Lord, ſhed abroad thy ſweet ointments, let the ſmell of thy garments refreſh my ſoul. Let mee taſte and ſee, let me ſee, and I ſhall taſte, that the Lord is gracious.
Vaniſh all yee carnal pleaſures, and ſenſual delights; theſe roſe-buds rot, the flowers of your gardens wither, dead Flyes are in all your ointments; the light of the Lord hath ſhined all your glories into darkneſs. The waters of the Sanctuary have made all your waters brackiſh; there remains no pleaſure in them.
Hee that hath known the Lord, hath more or leſs according to the meaſure of his knowledge, received in the reliſh and ſweetneſs of it; and what hee hath received in, hee ſends forth before men; he hath received, and hee is a ſweet ſavour. As the Preachers, ſo the Practitioners of piety, are a ſweet ſavour of Chriſt unto God, and hand down the ſweetneſs of God unto men. They are of ſavoury lips, and of ſavoury lives; the ſavour of their graces is ſhed abroad in the Churches of Chriſt. Carnal hearts ſend forth a ſtench, inſtead of a ſweet ſmell; they are all rottenneſs, the ſavour of a ſepulchre is all they have. Their waies ſtink, their words ſtink, their very breath ſmells of a rotten heart. Yea, the very beſt they have, their pleaſures ſtink, their garments, their gallantry, their powders, and perfumes, and ſweet odours ſtink, of their proud, and vain, and ſenſual hearts. But O what a ſent do their ulcers, and their excrements, their oathes, and their curſes, and their ſcoffs, and their lyes ſend forth? Sinners, learn to know the Lord, and this will quickly change your ſavour. And you that know any thing of God, think not that your knowledge is ſaving till your ſouls have received in, and your waies do ſend forth the ſavour of his Knowledge.
The laſt of theſe, the ſavour of this Knowledge, the pleaſure that it brings in to the ſoul, though taken alone, it is but of uncertain ſignification; there may bee ſome pleaſure and joy ariſe from the common Knowledge of God; and ſometimes but little taſte, where there is the truth of Religion. But taken in conjunction with the former, where is found both the power, and the ſavour, the evidence of its ſoundneſs will be more full. Find all together, this transforming, this fructifying, this ſavoury Knowledge, and you may reſt ſatisfied, that this is the ſaving Knowledge of God. And of this is the promiſe, I will give them an heart to know me.
Oh! how much need have wee, ſtill to wait, and beg, for the accompliſhment of this Promiſe, how little ſound Knowledge is there found among us? Some are weak in Knowledge; who have been long taught of God, and yet are not taught of God; God hath been teaching them, but they have not learned of him; They have had a good Maſter, but have been ill Schollars; weak men, ſo wee call a man of low underſtanding, a weak man. Oh! how many weak Souls are there, even among profeſſing Chriſtians? who, though for their time, they might have been teachers of others, had yet need bee taught, the firſt Principles of the Oracles of God. Some men have not knowledge of God, I ſpeak this to their ſhame, 1 Cor. 15.
Others are men of Knowledge, but of weak Knowledge; who know much, but to little purpoſe, their great Knowledge hath little power in them; their Luſts are too ſtrong for their Light, Iſa. 8.11. I ſpake unto thee with a ſtrong hand, and inſtructed thee; If God have ſpoken to theſe men, yet his hand hath not inſtructed them; the nail hath not been ſtruck deep enough, it dwells in the head onelyonly, it hath not reached their heart, they have an eye, but far enough from having an heart to know the Lord: their Knowledge doth not lead them on to Religion, but muſt ſerve them inſtead of Religion, it is all the Religion they have, to know what it is; 'tis made to ſerve, and not ſuffer'd to guide, and govern; to ſerve their turns, to ſerve their intereſt, to ſerve their pride and their covetouſneſs; Their Knowledge of God makes them Devils, it helps them to play the Hypocrites, to bee Deceivers of others, yea and of their own ſouls: It will ſeek them out acceptable words, put prayers into their mouths, praiſes into their lips, ſpirituallize their language, furniſh them with ſavoury diſcourſes; carry them plauſibly through Duties; wherein, though God hath the Name, though Souls have the Name, yet are they all but ſacrifices to their Luſts; The Knowledge of God humbleth, but this Knowledge puffeth up, and lifteth up; puffeth them …p in their own, and lifteth them up in others thoughts; and when it hath done this, it hath done them all the ſervice they have for it to do, unleſſe it may bee, they have ſome worſe work for it; To make rents and diviſions in the Church of Chriſt, to maintain diſputes, to cavel, and quarrel, to divide, and make parties, to make twenty Religions out of one, till at length they make that one to bee none. Whileſt the Apoſtle ſaies, ſome men have not the Knowledge of God: I ſpeak this to your ſhame; I may ſay alſo, ſome men have the Knowledge of God, I ſpeak this to their ſhame. What, the Knovvledge of God, and no more Humility? the Knowledge of God and no more Charity? I ſpeak this to your ſhame. Have the Faith of Chriſt in reſpect of perſons? have the Knowledge of God in reſpect of Parties? Know God and yet divide and ſcatter, and confound them that are of God? yea, and contend, and quarrel about ſuch ſmall differences, as ſomtimes is ſeen; here is God and not there; with us and not with you; when it may bee a little Charity would tell you, for the main, hee may bee with both; and ſo much uncharitableneſs makes it a queſtion, whether with either? The more ſuch men pretend to the Knowledge of God, the greater their ſhame.
Friends, beware you bee not undone, either by your Ignorance, or your Knowledge. Love not darkneſs, and call not darkneſs light; call not that the Knowledge of God which is not; miſ-uſe not that which is; haſt thou no Knowledge? What, and ſuch a Promiſe before thee? I will give them an heart to know mee; they ſhall all know me! What, and ſuch a Goſpel before thee, the work whereof, is to open blinde eyes, and to turn from darkneſſe to light? open thy mouth ſinner, and God will open thine eyes; ask, and thou ſhalt have, ſeek, and thou ſhalt finde; See, wink not at the light, that ſhines round about thee; Love not darkneſs, if thou love not death; This is Eternal Life to know thee. What then is ignorance? there's death in thine heart, if there bee no light in thine eye.
Haſt thou Knowledge? bee thankful, and bee humble; bee not high minded, but fear; prize it, but do not abuſe it. Haſt thou received the Knowledge of the Truth? Live under the Power of the Truth, thou Knoweſt; reſign up thy ſelf to it, to its transforming Power; give it leave to work, and to change thee into its own Image. Let this new light make thee a new man, to its governing Power; let it teach thee, and rule thee; let it teach as one that hath Authority, let it Rule, till it hath put all thine Enemies under thy feet; till every thought, imagination, every high thing be made low, and brought into captivity to Chriſt. Let not the light of the Lord, help thee to do the Devil's Work; Let it not bee fodder for thy fleſh, leſt it bee fuel for thy flames; Let it not repent thy God nor thee, that ever thou hadſt ſuch a talent committed to thee; Let it neither be loſs to God, nor the eternal loſs of thine own ſoul: Hee that hath appeared on earth in beams of light, will bee revealed from Heaven in flames of fire, rendering vengeance to all that [Know God] and obey not the Goſpel of Chriſt: Woe to thoſe that neither know nor obey, but Oh! what to thoſe that obey not, though they Know?
Chriſtians, know the Lord, but know and fear, know and ſerve, know and honour thy God; Know God, and know thy ſelf, thy ſinne, and thy miſery, thy dangers, and thy temptations; Know and mourn, know and bee aſhamed, know and fear, and watch, and fight, and overcome. Know God, and know his Will, thy duty, and thy way, thy priviledges and opportunities, thy Race, and thy Crown. Know and do, and run, and ſuffer, and wait, and hope, and rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God. Know God, but God in Chriſt; God reconciled; pardoning, abſolving, accepting, through him. Know, and believe, accept, adventure upon, reſign, commit thy ſelf to him. Know thy God, and behold him, look upon thy God; in his power, in his wiſdome, in his holineſs, in his goodneſs, in his loving-kindneſs, in his mercy. Behold him in his Word, in his Works, in his Providence, in his Saints, in thy Soul, in his Son; Set him before thine eyes, look upon thy God, and never leave looking, till thou art changed into his Image, and ſatisfied with his Viſage; and when thou art brought up to this, then hee hath done for thee, what he hath ſaid: I will give them an heart to know mee.