[1.] By word. You cannot recommend the heavenly life, nor the comforts of entertaining communion with God, as when you have had experience of them in your own souls. David speaketh affectionately, and like a man of experience : Ps. xxxiv. 8, ' Oh, taste and see that the
VER. 10.] SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. 57
Lord is good ; blessed is the roan that trusteth in him.' You may the better invite them to Christ when }7ou yourselves have found benefit by him. A report of a report at second or third hand is no valid testi- mony ; none can speak with such warmth and confidence as those that have felt what they speak : 2 Cor. i. 4, ' Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.' They that speak feelingly and with a sense speak most effectually for Christ.
[2.] In deed and work. You do most honour Christ when you know him, and the power of his resurrection, and by him are converted te God ; for though this power be within us, and be principally ordained for our comfort and satisfaction, yet the effects and fruits of it appear to others; for the new life cannot be altogether hidden, if it be in us in any power, and so maketh up an inducement and invitation to others to hearken after the ways of God, when they see that God is in you of a truth, and the work of his Spirit showeth itself by a holy and heavenly life. This discovereth the power and virtue of Christ to them : 2 Thes. i. 11, 12, 'Wherefore also we pray for you, that God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power : that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God, and the Lord Jesus Christ ; ' 1 Thes. i. 4-7, 1 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God : for our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance ; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sakes. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction with joy in the Holy Ghost : so that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.' You sanctify God in their eyes, and glorify our Redeemer.
Means. It is the Spirit worketh all, as the fruit of electing grace : 1 Thes. i. 4, 5, ' Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God : for our gospel came not to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost/ And also of redeeming grace, for it is the power of Christ's resurrection ; and the apostle telleth us that ' the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe was according to the working of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead,' Eph. i. 19, 20. We have it by the medi- ator, yet we must use the means. Now the great means are three — (1.) Sound belief; (2.) Serious meditation and consideration; (3.) Close application. If we would get this experimental knowledge, there must be —
[1.] A sound belief of the doctrine of the gospel ; for we are told, 1 John v. 10, ' He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself ; ' which is the witness of the Spirit, and water, and blood : 1 Thes. ii. 13, ' Ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.' We cannot feel the power of the truth till we receive the truth. It is the impression of God on the word which begets faith, but his impres- sion upon our hearts serveth to confirm faith. We discern it in the
-58 SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. [SER. VI.
scriptures before we feel it in our hearts, for this experimental know- ledge of Christ is not to begin faith, but to strengthen it and confirm it. We first have a rational proof of the truth of the gospel before we have a sensible proof of it in our own souls. The word must be let into the heart by some means or other before it can discover its effects. There is enough in the truth to discover itself, if the mind be not strangely perverted : 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4, ' If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost ; in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine upon them.' Upon these grounds we believe, and afterwards feel what we do believe.
2. Serious meditation and consideration is necessary. If there be not a sober and impartial consideration of the things believed as neces- sary, they cannot work such a change on the heart and life, but will slide away and be ineffectual. Deep thoughts make truth operative ; musing maketh the fire burn : ' My heart is inditing a good matter ; my tongue is the pen of a ready writer/ Ps. xlv. 1. Men are biassed by contrary affections, and their hearts are hardened by carnal lusts ; therefore till grace softens them we shall be as a stone, or wax that is not softened ; they make no impression upon us. It is the great work of eternal grace to give us attentive and awakening thoughts : Acts xvi. 14, ' Whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things that were spoken by Paul.' Many truths lie by, and are of no use for want of consideration. Serious thoughts of Christ and his salvation work most powerfully with us ; but most men are not at leisure, and have not time to think of God, and Christ, and heavenly things, and never sit alone to bethink themselves, and then how can these things work upon them ? They hear of Christ, his death, and resurrection ; but because things pass lightly away, they feel nothing.