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of them that do well! May the Mace, the SER M. Emblem of the Regal Power, remind him how much the Crown is interested in the Office he bears! May the Chain always have the folid and effential Jewel of Truth appendent to it! May the Chair ever be seated under the Influence of that Omniprefent Allfeeing GOD, whofe Glory is feated on the Throne on high! And may the enfuing and every fucceeding Election prefent one to it, as wife and understanding, as well known among your Tribes for his Abilities of all Kinds, for the Fear of GOD, for the Love of Truth; for Hatred of Covetousness, Bribery and Corruption, for Fidelity to his Prince, for doing Juftice to the Subject, and for the acquiring of Reputation and Honour to himself, as He, who now fills it, has always been....

ེ་

02

SERMON

SERMON VI.

St. JOHN's Teft of knowing Chrift, and being born of him.

Preached against the Methodists.

ER M.
VI.

I JOHN ii. 3.

Hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his Commandments.

T

HESE Words (together with great Part of the Epistle from whence they are taken) are levelled by the Apostle against the Sect of the Nicolaitans,whose Deeds and Doctrines Christ, (in the Epiftles which he orders the fame Apostle to write to the Churches of Ephefus and Pergamus, Rev. ii. 6, 15.) declares that he hates. A Sect which (from whomsoever they received their Name) were certainly a moft filthy and abominable one. They boafted, it seems, of I don't know what Knowledge and Love they had, beyond other, Men, of GOD and of

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Christ: And in this Knowledge they placed SER M. the whole of Religion, without bearing any Regard or Efteem to a holy, religious or moral Life. But arrogantly confiding in their supposed profound Knowledge of Myfteries and Secrets, which they pretended were revealed peculiarly to them; they affumed the Title of GOD's Elect, his Favourites and Sons; and looking upon themselves as above all Law, and exempt from all Rules, they called their Lewdneffes and Debaucheries Holy Communions; and whatever Lafcivioufnefs or Impurities they should commit, they were fure nothing would be imputed to them as Sin *.

To prevent fuch hellish Doctrines and Prac

tices from spreading in the Church, the Apostle fets himself through this whole Epistle to represent GOD in his true Nature. And after a fhort Introduction, thus he begins; This is the Meffage [or this is the Declaration] which we have heard of him, (i. e. from Christ) and declare [again] unto you, that GOD is Light (i. e. pure as the Light) and in him is no Darkness (no Impurity) at all, Ch.i. 5. If we say that we have Fellowship with

* Clem. Alex. Strom. 2. p. 401. and Strom. 3. p. 436. and Epiphan. Hæref. 25.

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SER M. him, and walk in Darkness [or Uncleanness] we lie and do not the Truth, ver. 6. If we fay that we have no Sin, we deceive ourselves, and the Truth is not in us, ver. 8. He that faith, I know him, and keepeth not his Commandments, is a Liar himself, Ch. ii. 4. and maketh GOD a Liar too, Ch. i. 10. i. e, he directly giveth GOD the Lie. For he that committeth Sin, is not of GOD, but of the Devil, Ch. iii. 8. And therefore whatever Knowledge fuch a one may vaunt of Chrift, it is evident that he really knows him not. For whofoever finneth, hath not feen him, neither known him, ver. 6. Hereby (faith he) i. e. Hereby ONLY we do know that we know him, if we keep his Commandments. By this we may be affured that we indeed know Christ, and that he does and will know us: We are fure that we have his Spirit to affift us here, Ch. iv. 12, 13. and we are sure that he will receive us to himself hereafter, John xiv. 3.

But that we may fully underfstand the Words, and duly improve them, I shall explain and discourse of them in the Manner following,

I. FIRST, I shall fhew what the Apostle intends by knowing Chrift.

II. SE

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II. SECONDLY, I fhall enquire, what SER M. Means he directs to, for the attaining such Knowledge.

I. FIRST, I must shew what the Apostle intends by knowing Chrift. For there are various and different Manners of knowing him mentioned in Scripture. There is a Knowledge of him, which even the Devils have: I know thee who thou art (faith one of them) the Holy One of GOD, Luke iv. 34. Others also came out of many which they had poffeffed, crying out, and faying, Thou art Chrift the Son of GOD, ver. 41. But our Saviour rebuked them, and would not suffer them to speak, because they knew he was Chrift. They knew him not as a Saviour, but as a Judge; and therefore our Lord would receive none of their Confeffion, because it proceeded not from Choice but Neceffity. Instead of reviving their Hopes, his Appearance amongst them but increased their Despair: They had nothing to expect from him but Indignation and Wrath: And therefore their knowing him could not but throw them into Horror and Confufion.

A difmal Confequence this of knowing him! Though the Knowledge, which Men that are wicked have of him, is attended with no bet0 4

ter.