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Download PDF - Free Methodist Church

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KNOWLEDGE.No degree of speculative knowledgeof things of religion, is anycertain sign of true piety. Whateverclear notions a man may haveof the attributes of God, and doctrinesof the Trinity, the natnre ofthe two covenants, the economy ofthe persons of the Trinity, and thepart which each person has in theaffair of man's redemption; if hecan discourse ever so excellently ofChrist, and the way of salvation byhim, and the admirable methods ofdivine wisdom, and the harmony ofthe various attributes of God in thatway; if he can talk ever so clearlyand exactly of the method of thejustification of the sinner, and ofthe nature of conversion, and theoperation of the Spirit of God in applyingthe redemption of Christ;gi^ving good distinctions, happilysol^ving difficulties and answeringobjections, in a manner tendinggreatly to the enUghtening of theignorant, to the edification oi thechurch of God, and the convictionof gainsayers, and the great increaseof light in the world; if he hasmore knowledge of this sort thanhundreds of true saints of an ordinaryeducation, and most divines,yet all is no certain evidence of auydegree of saving grace in the breast.KNOWLEDGE; 37kind of knowledge, from that speculativeunderstanding which thede^vil has to so great a degree. It•will also be aUowed, that the spiritual,saving knowledge of God anddivine things, greatly promotesspeculative knowledge, as it engagesthe mind in its search into things ofthis kind, and -much assists to a distinctunderstanding of them; 'sothat, other things being eqnal, theytbat have spiritual kuowledge, aremuch more likely than others tohave a good doctrinal acquaintancewith things of religion, but yet suchacquaintance may be no distinguishingcharacteristic of true saints.—Edioards.•• WHO SPAHINGLY SOWETH."One wept tbat his harvest was small.With little of fruit or of grain ;While his neighbor, with barns ranningo'er,Still followed the fall freighted wain." How much didst thon BOW ? " I said" Friend."" A handful of wheat less ormore. "" And didst tbou expect broad acres wouldbendTo thy sickle from auch scanty store t"Who sparingly soweth, mast lookFor little of fruit or of grain ;'Tis only the bountiful sower can reapIt is true, the Scripture oftenspeaks of knowledge of divine A bountifulharvest again.things, as what is peculiar to true A lesson, I said, to thee. Soul,saints; as in John, xvii, 3—"This For harvest time soon will be here ;is life etemal, that they might know Sow with bountifal hand lest thoa weepthee, the only tme God, and Jesns at last,Christ, whom thou hast sent." " No When the Lord of the harvest drawsman knoweth the Son but the Father; neither knoweth any man the— -Wateh lower.near,Father save the Son, and he towhomsoever the Son will reveal —"Whoso trusteth in the Lord,hun,"—Matt, xi, 27. "They that happy is he. Ye that keep theknow thy name •will put their trnst law, happy are ye. If ye bein thee."—Ps. ix, 10. "I connt aU reproached for the name of Christ,things but loss, for the exceUency of happy are ye. Behold ! we conntthe knowledge of Christ Jeaus, my them happy which endure.' K yeLord."—Phil, ui, 8. But then we know these things, happy are ye ifmust understand it is a different | ye do them.

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