Properties, that concerns us everlastingly, his Justice, Mercy, Grace, Patience, Love, Holinefs, and fuch like. Now, hence I gather, That the true Knowledge of God, confifts not in the Comprehenfion of all the Conclufions that are deduced, and Controverfies that are difcuffed anent thefe Things, but rather, in the serious and folid Apprehenfion of God, as he hath Relation to us, and confequently in Order and Reference to the moving of our Hearts, to love, and adore, and reverence him, for he is holden out only, in these Garments that are fit to move and affect our Hearts. A Man may know all these Things, and yet not know God himself; for to know him, cannot be abstracted from loving of him, They that know thy Name will truft in thee, and fo love thee, and fo fear thee; for 'tis impoffible but that this will be the natural Result, if he be but known indeed, because there is no Object more amiable, more dreadful withal, and more eligible and worthy of Choice; and therefore, feeing infinite Beauty and Goodness, and infinite Power and Greatnefs, and infinite Sufficiency and Fulnefs, are combined together with infinite Truth, the Soul that apprehends him indeed, cannot but apprehend him as the most ravishing Object, and the moft reverend too; and, if he do not find his Heart fuitably af fected, it is an evident Demonftration, that he doth not indeed apprehend him but an Idol. The infinite Light, and the infinite Life, are fimply one, and he that truly without a Dream fees the one, cannot but be warmed and moved by the other. So then, by this Account of the Knowledge of God, we have a clear Difcovery that many are deftitute of it, who pretend to it. I fhall only apply it to two Sorts of Perfons, one is, of them who have it only in their Memories, another, of them who have it only in their Minds or Heads. Religion was once the ligitimate Daughter of Judgment and Affection, but now, for the most Part, it is only adopted by Mens Memories, or Fancies; the greatest Part of the People, cannot go beyond the Repetition of the Catechifm or Creed, not that I would have you to know more: But you do not understand that, only ye repete Words, without the fenfible Knowledge of the Meaning of it; fo that, if the fame Matter be disguised with any other Form of Words, you cannot know it, which sheweth, that you have no Familiarity with the Thing itself, but only with the Letters and Syllables that are the Garments of it. And for others that are of greater Capacity, yet alas, it comes not down to the Heart, to the affecting and moulding and forming of it; a little Light fhines into the Mind, but your Hearts are fhut up ftill, and no Window in them: Corrupt Affections keep that Garrison against the Power of the Gofpel, that Light hath no Heat of Love, or Warmnefs of Affection with it, which fheweth that it is not a Ray or Beam of the Sun of Righteousness, which is both beautiful for Light, and beneficial for Influence, on the cold and dead frozen Hearts of Mankind, and by its approaching, makes a Spring-time in the Heart. But all Men pretend to know God, fuch is the Selflove of Mens Hearts, that it makes them blind in judging themfelves; therefore, the Holy Ghost, as he defigns a Chriftian by the Knowledge of God, fo he characterizeth Knowledge by keeping the Commandments; hereby we know, &c. So that Religion is not defined by a Number of Opinions, or by fuch fuch a certain Collection of fuch Articles of Faith, but rather by Practice and Obedience to the known Will of God; for, as I told you, Knowledge is a relative Duty, that is inftrumental to fome Thing elfe, and by any Thing I can fee in Scripture, is not principally intended for itfelf, but rather for Obedience: There are fome Sciences altogether fpeculativè, that reft and are complete in the mere Knowledge of fuch Objects, as some natural Sciences are. But others are practical, that make a further Reference of all Things they cognofce upon, to fome Practice and Operation. Now, perhaps fome may think that the Scripture, or Divinity, is much of it meerly contemplative, in regard of many Myfteries infolded in it, that feem nothing to concern our Practice. I confefs, much of that, that is raised out of the Scriptures, is fuch, and therefore it feems a Deviation and Departure from the great Scope and plain Intent of the Simplicity and Eafiness of the Scriptures, to draw forth with much Induftry and Subtility, many Things of mere Speculation and Notion, dry and faplefs to the Affection, and unedifying to our Practice, and to obtrude thefe upon other Mens Confciences, as Points of Religion. I rather think, that all that is in the Scriptures, either direct ly hath the Practice of God's Will for the Object of it, or is finally intended for that End; either it is a Thing that prefcribeth our Obedience, or else it tends principally to ingage our Affections, and fecure our Obedience; and fo thefe Strains of elevate Difcourfes of God, his Nature, and Properties of his Works, and all the Myfleries infolded in it, are directed towards this End, further than mere knowing of them, to ingage the Heart of a Believer to more Love and Reverence, and Adoration of God, that fo he may be brought more easily and fteadily to a sweet Complyance, and harmonious Agreement to the Will of God, in all his Ways. Nay, to say a little more, there are fundry phyfical or natural Contemplations of the Works of God in Scripture, but all these are divinely confidered, in Reference to the Ravishment of the Heart of Man, with the Wisdom and Power and Goodness of God; and this fhews us the notable Art of Religion, to extract Affection and Obedience to God, out of all natural Contemplations; and thus true Divinity ingraven on the Soul, is a Kind of Mistressfcience, artbitectonica fcientia, that ferves itself. of all other Difciplines, of all other Points of Knowledge, be they never fo remote from Practice, in their proper. Sphere, and never so dry and barren, yet a religious and holy Heart, can apply them to thefe divine Ufes of engaging itfelf further to God, and his Obedience: As the Lord himself teachth us, Who would not fear thee, O King of Nations, Jer. x. And fear ye not me who have placed the Sand, &c. Jer. v. 22. So praife is extracted, Pfal. cv. And Admiration, Verse. 1, 33. So Submiffion and Patience under God's Hand is often preffed in Job; therefore, if we only seek to know thefe Things, that we may know them, that we may dif course on them, we difappoint the great End and Scope of the whole Scriptures; and we debafe and degrade fpiritual Things, as far as Religion exalts natural Things in the fpiritual Ufe; we transform it into a carnal, empty and dead Letter, as Religion, where it is truly, fpiritualizeth earthly and carnal Things, into a holy Ufe, &c. HEART HEART-HUMILIATION: O R; Miscellany SERMONS Preached upon fome choice Texts, at feveral folemn Occafions. ត CHRISTIAN READER, T HIS boly Preacher of the Gospel, bad fo many Convictions upon bis Spirit of the Neceffity of the Duties of Humiliation and Mourning, and of Peoples fecuring the eternal Intereft of their Souls for the Life to come, by flying in to Jefus Chrift for Remission of Sins in bis Blood, that be made thefe the very Scope of bis Sermons in many publick Humiliations, as if it had been the one Thing which he conceived the Lord was calling for in bis Days. A clear Evidence whereof thou shalt find manifefted in thefe following Sermons upon choice Texts, wherein the Author endeavoureth, not only to lay before thee, the Neceffity of thefe Duties of Soul-bumiliation, but also fbeweth thee the Gospel-manner of performing them, the many Souladvantages flowing from the Jerious Exercise of them, and the many Souldeftroying Prejudices following upon the Neglect of them: But above all, thou fbalt find him fo fully fetting forth the Sinfulness of Sin, and the utter Emptiness of Self, as may convince the most pharifaically elated Spirits, and make them cry out with Ezra, Chap. ix. 6, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my Face to thee, my God, for our Iniquities are increased over our Head, and our Trefpafs is grown up unto the Heavens. Here thou mayft read Juch pregnant Demonftrations of the Righteoufnefs and Equity of the Lord's dealing, even in bis severest Punishments inflicted upon the Children of Men, as may filence every Whisperer against Providence, and make them Jay, as Lam. iii. 22. It is of the Lord's Mercies we are not confumed, even because his Compaffions fail not. And lastly, tbou fbalt perceive the inconceivable Fitness and Fulness of Cbrift as a Saviour, and bis never enough to be admired Tenderness and condescending Willingness to accept of bumble, Heart-broken, and Heart-panting Sinners after him, with fuch Plainnefs of Speech demonftrate, as may enable the moft bruised Reed to quench all the fiery Darts of the Devil, whereby be laboureth to affright them from making Application to Jefus for Salvation. Now, that the Lord would make thofe and fuch like Labours of bis faithful Servants useful and advantageous to thy Soul (Christian Reader) is the Prayer of |