immortality. Therefore let us not please ourselves with any notions and conceptions of God, how much soever they may be raised and refined, but such as transform the soul into his image, and influence our life and practice, with respect to his worship and the whole of our obedience to him. The end of all gospel revelation is, to declare so much of God as is sufficient to be a bottom of our faith, love, and obedience, such as we are capable to perform in this imperfect state. He will make a far more high and bright discovery of himself, when he calls us to eternal contemplation, admiration, and praise.

It is the root of all true religion. The saving knowledge of God is the root of our happiness. Hence our blessed Lord says, in his prayer to the Father, "This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." It is the root of eternal life; a root that will spring up to the knowledge of God above, which is complete happiness. When this knowledge is planted in the heart, there is a work of grace begun, which will be carried on unto perfection. When we know God savingly, then we shall love him and long for him. Hence our Saviour says to the woman of Samaria, "If thou knewest the gift of God,-thou wouldest have asked of him." 66 They that know his name, will put their trust in him." It is the life of all religion. As it conveys life to the soul at first, and is therefore called "the light of life;" so it cherishes and promotes the spiritual life. It furthers the increase and exercise of all the graces of the Spirit in a gracious soul. Growth in grace is promoted by it. Hence the apostle exhorts us to “ grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." It is fuel to our love, to make it flame the more vehemently. Therefore the apostle prays for the Philippians, that their "love might yet abound more and more in knowledge." Fruitfulness

in every good work depends upon it. Hence they are joined together: "Being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God." And the strength of grace is promoted by it: “ for a man of knowledge increaseth strength." Practical knowledge enlivens and quickens the soul. It engages believers in the pursuit of more conformity and likeness to God: "We all," says the apostle," with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image." Knowledge first begets love, and then love studies to draw the picture of the party beloved. This knowledge promotes humility: for the same light that discovers to the soul the glory and beauty of God, doth also discover to it its own vileness and filthiness. Again, it weans the heart from the world and all things here below. A sight of God's glory and beauty makes all the fancied glory and beauty of other things to disappear in the eye of the soul.

As in the first creation, the first creature that God made was light; so in the new creation, God's first work is the enlightening of the mind with the saving knowledge of himself. This blessing hath also a necessary connection with peace with God, access to him, and communication with him; for till we have 66 an heart to know him," we cannot seek peace with him, nor value and pursue after communion with him.

The saving knowledge of God warms the heart and affections toward God and Christ. This spiritual light cannot be without a spiritual heat. The light that shines in the head, kindles a love to God in the heart. It is said of the two disciples going to Emmaus, "Their eyes were opened, and their hearts burned within them." And the apostle tells us, "He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love." If the want of love to others, much more the want of love to God, is an argument that we do not know him

savingly. Such as know God savingly, have seen him in the light of his own Spirit, and have got such a discovery of his glory, excellency, and beauty, that their souls cannot choose but love him, and delight in him. Well then, what love have you to God? What desires after the enjoyment of him? What delight in your approaches to him? Doth your knowledge of God kindle desires, and holy affections, and heart-breakings for him? Alas, many pretend to know God, but they love other things better than him, and have more ardent desires after the world than ever they had after God. But if your knowledge of God warm your heart, and enliven and quicken your affections after God and Christ, then it is saving.

THE BEING OF GOD.

The being of God is an article both of our reason and of our faith. It is an article of our reason, as it shines forth to us in the creatures; and an article of faith, as it breaks forth upon us in the holy scriptures.

Some of you have, through grace, chosen God for your God and portion. Your hearts are set upon him, and your desires are carried out after him, and your delight is in him. You have taken him for your all, and resolved to seek all your happiness in him, and have counted all things but loss and dung for him. Now, it cannot but yield great satisfaction to you, to take a view of these convincing demonstrations, that reason affords of the being of that God whom your hearts have centered upon. O how refreshing must it be, to see every creature justify you, in your owning, choosing and adoring him!

Let me argue from the creation of Man. Man is the epitome of the world, and contains in himself the

substance of all natures. All the perfections of the several natures in the world are gathered and meet in him. In his soul he partakes of heaven; in his body, of earth. In him is the life of plants, the sense of beasts, and the intellectual nature of angels. Particularly, 1. Consider the fabric of the body. It is formed like an admirable piece of architecture. We are "fearfully and wonderfully made." Man's body is curiously and cunningly wrought, with nerves, veins, arteries; like a piece of embroidery or tapestry. Indeed the artificial structure of the body, the elegancy of all the several parts, the proper situation of them, their proportion one to another, and their fitness and usefulness for their several functions, do loudly proclaim the infinite goodness, power, and wisdom of the Creator, and that none but God could frame it. Add to all this, the great diversity of faces and features among men, without which there could be no government, no commerce, no preservation of property, nor execution of justice. 2. Consider the nature of the soul. The nobleness and excellence thereof, do plainly show that it is of a divine original: for it is spiritual and immortal. The soul is the greatest glory of the lower world. And, as one says, there seems to be no more difference between a soul and an angel, than between a sword in the scabbard, and when it is out of the scabbard. Consider the vastness of its capacity. It is suited to all objects, as the eye is to all colours. Consider also the swiftness of its motion. There is nothing so swift in the whole course of nature. The sun runs round the world in a day; but the soul can run through the world in a moment, and on a sudden think of things that are a thousand miles distant. Certainly such a noble being cannot be the effect of any material cause. Such a spiritual nature must proceed from a higher Spirit than itself, and of a transcendent perfection above it. 3. Consider the

union of both. That such a noble being as the soul should be an inhabitant in such a tabernacle of clay; that a body in itself as vile and dull as earth, and a soul of such a noble and active nature; an earthly body, and an immaterial soul, should be linked together by such a strait union: this must needs be the effect of an infinite power. Who but a God could so closely unite such different substances?

When we consider all this, we must own that there is a God that made us, and not we ourselves. We need go no further than ourselves to behold a God : so that we must flee from ourselves before we can put off the notions of a Deity.

Some men do what they can to smother their fears, while they wallow in sin, and spend their days in carnal mirth: yet there are hidden fears which they cannot altogether extinguish ; and these hidden fears are revived, whether they will or not, when the hand of God is upon them, or when they are alone, or when they are on the confines of eternity. Certainly these things prove the being of God: for they must needs arise from the secret sense of some Supreme Being, who knows and observes, and will call sinners to an account. So that God hath not left himself without a witness in men's own breasts. Yea, every man's conscience is as a thousand witnesses of the being of God.

There are in the soul insatiable desires after happiness, contentment, and satisfaction, which it cannot find in worldly things; for it finds an imperfection in all things here, and is therefore, in the greatest affluence of worldly comforts and enjoyments, still pursuing after something else to content and satisfy it, and can never be at rest. Now, these desires argue that there is in the soul some notion of a perfect Being, that can content and satisfy it. And, indeed, if there were no such Being, the noblest creature in the world would be most miserable. For