THE truths delivered in the former verses are most truly noble and divine. They are suited to relieve the minds of the Lord's people, in the worst cases which can possibly befall them through the journey of life. These words now before us, stand, as I conceive, in close connection with the former : it is quite pleasing to my own mind to view them thus ; it being full proof that the true knowledge of the doctrine of God the Father and of his Son Jesus Christ, and real fellowship with the Father, and his Son Jesus Christ as our atonement, and the belief that his blood cleanseth its from all sin, are not unfriendly to the real practice of holiness, but are the very means of increasing the same. Free accesses to the Father, in spiritual apprehensions of his being our Father in Christ Jesus, and in gospel views of his being our advocate and propitiation in heaven, are the right means of keeping us from sin ; and also the only way for us to enjoy the peace of God in our consciences, and the love of God in our hearts. So far as these most inestimably precious truths enter into our minds, and in proportion to our minds receiving them, and being brought under the mighty power and authority of the same, we are most blessedly disposed to every good word and work. We must know the truth before we can receive it. We must receive it before we can be influenced by it. We must have the experience of it before we can live in the practice of it. This may well be looked upon as a proper preface to all which remains to be opened and explained, throughout the remainder of this most excellent epistle; in which we have various subjects : and some very singular expressions; such as are best opened in an expository way : an attempt at which will be aimed at. I shall therefore mention them here, only by way of hint. They are such as these, He that is born of God sinneth not. He that committeth sin is of the devil. He that is born of God doth not commit sin. There is a sin unto death. It is the last time. These will be unfolded in their true meaning, as we shall come to them. I only suggest the same to shew the necessity of expounding this epistle: as thereby the true connection of one sentence in it with another agrees, and that the true and right knowledge of the same, is thereby made the more clear and evident. I will here recite the two former verses which preceded our present text, to shew the unity and connection of them. My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous ; And he is the propitiation for our sins : and not for our's only, but also for the sins of the whole world. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. The words of my text, as may be most easily perceived, are a closure of the former: in which the apostle is speaking of himself and others, of the knowledge he and they had, in themselves, of their own knowledge of Christ. They had an inward evidence of this: which they gave also an outward evidence of. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. With a view of opening these words, to the real profit and benefit of the spiritual mind, I will aim to set before you the following particulars.

1. What it is to know Christ: from whence it springs, and how this is evidenced to believers.

2. How believers can say from their own inward knowledge of Christ, in their own souls, and hereby we do know that we know him.

3. The reason why the apostle puts in the word if, and speaks of an outward evidence of our knowing Christ, as he had before of an internal one. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

4. What is comprehended in this, if we keep his commandments. These are the subjects which are now before us, to be opened and explained. May the Lord the Spirit be pleased to shine on his truth, and on the renewed minds of his people, that we may see in his own light the true meaning of the scripture before us, and receive the explanation to our profit and advantage : so be it, 0 Lord. I am

1. To express and set before you, what it is to know Christ : from whence this knowledge comes; and also how this is evidenced to believers : we do know (says our apostle,) that we know him.

The knowledge of Christ is wholly and altogether spiritual and supernatural. It is beyond all that nature can possibly attain unto. No unregenerate mind can have the least conception of it. All the knowledge of all contained in the whole and utmost circle of science, cannot convey to the most profoundly learned, the least spiritual conception of the Lord Jesus Christ. Nay, the Bible itself, which is full of Christ, the gospel itself which is the revelation of Christ, the ordinances of it, in the which Christ is evidently set forth as crucified, cannot give us the knowledge of Him. It is the Holy Ghost by his own illumination and revelation, who only can convey to our minds that knowledge of Christ which is life eternal. To know Christ, must, include and contain in the same, the knowledge of who he is--of what he is-of his Person-of his love-of his salvation-of his righteousness, and sacrifice-of his fullness -of his offices-of his interest in us, and of his relation to us. Now whilst the gospel of Christ, and the ordinances of Christ, are blessed means for our increasing in the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour, yet we must know Him, before we can derive the least. real benefit from these ; for our whole spiritual life is contained in the knowledge of Him, and our everlasting life in heaven, will be perfected in our beholding Him. It is the vision of Him in Glory, will be our eternal perfection. Our Lord said to his divine Father, concerning his church, And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent John xvii. 3. Paul prays thus. That I may know him. Phil. iii. 10. He says to Timothy-I know whom I have believed. 2 Epis. i. 12. The knowledge of Christ consists in a spiritual apprehension of Him, formed in the mind, and produced in the understanding-of his Person, from the word, and by the Holy Ghost. Whatsoever conceptions any of us may entertain in our minds, which are not wholly and altogether suitable, and in perfect agreement with the holy scriptures, they are not from the Lord the Holy Spirit; they are, therefore, to be wholly rejected. We receive the knowledge of Christ into our renewed minds, not by having any form wrought up in our imaginations of who He is, or what he is, but by an inexpressible act of the eternal Spirit within us. Who, as he formed the human nature of Christ in the womb of the Virgin ; so he forms the true and supernatural knowledge of the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ in our intellectual faculties and we know Him in his Person to be the true God and eternal life. We know Him to be coequal, coessential, and coeternal in the self-existing Essence with the Father and the Spirit. We know Him to be God-Man-the Head-Mediator-the medium of union and communion between God and us. We know Him in his love, which is the miracle of heaven. We know Him in his incarnation, obedience, and death. We know Him in the glories of his Mediatorial Person, work, offices; and in his union, and relation to his people. It is in the knowledge of Him, we love Him-we worship Him-we trust in Him for our whole salvation. We cleave to Him with full purpose of heart. We renounce all but Him. We triumph in Him alone. Now this is what I profess concerning the knowledge of Christ, that it is a knowledge of his Person-of his love of his righteousness-of his blood-of his priesthood in heaven-of his fullness, such as leads to an entire confidence in Him, and centering in Him.

From whence all this springs, is the next consideration. It is wholly from the Holy Ghost. He is the revealer of Jesus. It is his office to give the true knowledge of Him : this he does by taking of the things of Christ, and shewing the same to the renewed mind as also by bearing his testimony to the same. It is hereby he forms Christ in the understanding, opens the heart to receive Him, lifts up the affections to a fixation on Him, and makes him supremely All in All. It is thus we receive the knowledge of Christ; and in this our whole spiritual life consists. Our faith in Jesus is the fruit hereof. As all comes from the Spirit, who is the revealer and glorifier of .Jesus, so it also springs from, and is agreeable with the revelation made of Christ in the everlasting gospel : which, as it is the outward and declared testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ, and of the Father's everlasting love to us in Him, so it is by it the Holy Spirit is most graciously pleased, to lead us more and more into a spiritual and supernatural acquaintance with the Person, work, ;and salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ. If I could express my mind fully on this subject, I should say, to know Christ. as he is revealed in the scriptures, to receive into our minds, what is set forth in them concerning him, this is to know Christ. We do not want to know any thing of Christ, but what he is pleased to set before us in them. We apprehend Him in them. We see Him in them. We receive Him into our hearts through them. We have communion with Him, as he is testified of by them. If we are favoured with transporting views of Him, it is as the holy Ghost is pleased to elevate our minds, by giving us, under his life-giving influences, fresh apprehensions of Christ's glory, worth, excellency, and perfections.

I come to shew you how this, concerning the knowledge of Christ, is evidenced to believers. We do know (says John) that we know him. And hereby we do know that we know him. He is hereby speaking of an inward evidence of the same, which they had in themselves. In the course of this epistle, he hath a great deal to do with evidences: some concern our interest in Christ: some have personal respect to ourselves some to others: they are all very good and useful in their place; none of them are designed to take off our eye of faith from Christ: nor to put us on resting our salvation on any grace wrought in us, or produced by the Holy Ghost in our lives and conversations. You need not, therefore, fear, lest I should bring you into bondage; whilst I am, according to the words before me, to open to you the inward evidence here given in my text, how we may know that we are in Christ, and that, also, by what we know inwardly in our own souls, of and concerning Him : And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. It is not the whole of these words, but only this part of them which comes before me under this first head of this discourse, which has been thus expressed.-To set forth and express, what it is to know Christ: from whence this knowledge comes : and also how this knowledge is evidenced to believers. And hereby we do know that we know him. I have set before you what it is to know Christ: also from whence this knowledge comes. I have now to speak concerning this part of the same subject, how this is evidenced to believers, so as that they may say, and hereby we do know that we know him. Most assuredly the true knowledge of the Person, love, and salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ contains the greatest reality. Nothing in heaven can be more certain to saints within the vail, than the knowledge of Christ is to the spiritual mind, by faith. Christ is as really present to faith, as he is to sense in glory. Such as know Christ here in our world, know Him as truly, as he is known in Heaven. They enjoy Him, and have as real fellowship with Him, as any saints in heaven. The reality of this is one and the same: the difference here is none. It is in the degree and fullness of this, lies all the difference ; I know Christ as truly, as I ever shall in heaven ; yet not so fully. I have as real communion with Christ now, as I ever shall; yet not to that fullness and perfection it will be advanced unto in glory. Let this be attended unto: it. is of vast, importance to the spiritual mind. It opens all contained in our text at once; and that with the utmost satisfaction, Christ being made known unto us, we having received Him into our hearts, he is in us : He lives in us : He dwells in us: He enlivens us: He shines within us : He shines upon us: He puts forth his heavenly influences. He gives us a real acquaintance with the virtue and efficacy of his life and death, his blood and righteousness. He holds free and blessed fellowship with us in our own hearts. He admits it,, to have and hold, free, and most blessed fellowship with Him. It. is hereby we have a real, inward, spiritual knowledge of Him: what we thus know of Him, leads us to value Him. We most highly prize Him. In the knowledge which he is pleased to impart to our minds, in inward fellowship with him, in the true apprehensions of his wounds and blood, sacrifice, righteousness and death, we have real fellowship with Him, in the benefits and blessings thereof. In the communications he is pleased to make to us, and in his really imparting the secrets of his mind and will to us, he gives us such undeniable evidences of his love to as, of his delight in us, of the riches of his grace towards us, as constrains us to say, individually for ourselves, and of Him, my beloved is mine, and I am his. And Paul's high prizing of Christ become our's, in our measure and degree. "Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord : for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung;, that I may win Christ, And be found in hum, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith : That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." Phil. iii. 8-11. In such spiritual exercises of the mind as these, there is a real outgoing of the heart after Christ, and some real fellowship with Him. Christ and the believer become very familiar. There is mutual communion with each other. The believer can from his own personal knowledge of Christ, and from his real fellowship with Him, say for himself, I know him 1 He is my food : my drink: I feed with him: I feed on him. I really experience the truth of what he spoke in the days of his flesh : He then said, " I am the living bread which came down from heaven : if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.-Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life ; and' I will raise him up at the last. day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father : so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven :-he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever." John vi. 51. 54-58. All this the Lord Jesus Christ realizes in the believer, and unto him, as he dwells in his heart by faith : and from hence the believer can speak of Him with certainty and confidence, and say, hereby I do know that I know him. Next to the knowledge of Christ, is the knowledge of our personal interest in Him. The one follows on the other, as time fruit and consequent of the same. It is the grand prerogative royal of the Holy Ghost., to reveal Christ-to enthrone Him in the conscience-to crown Him in the heart-to prove to a vessel of mercy that Christ is his. On this follows personal communion between Christ and the believing mind. This in the substance of it, I have been describing: this produces what our text is here speaking of -We do know that we know him which leads me.

2. To shew how believers in Christ may say, from their inward knowledge of Him in their own souls, And hereby we do know that we know him.

This knowlede must arise from their real communion with the Lord Jesus Christ. No one can want real and undeniable proof and evidence in his own soul, of his knowing Christ, of his interest in Him, that Christ is in him the hope of glory, who is living on Him, and making continual use of Him. To live in Christ, is to have the mind continually exercised on Him : and those supernatural faculties, wrought in our souls in regeneration to be so engaged on the Lord Jesus, as that thereby we have a real enjoyment of Him, and communion with Him. In this consists the greatest secret of Christianity. The mind being inwardly and spiritually exercised on the Lord Jesus Christ., carries its own evidence with it, and enables all true believers to say, And hereby we do know that we know him. Living in believing views and apprehensions of the love of the Holy Trinity to us in Christ Jesus, influences the spiritual mind with the love of the Three in Jehovah to us. What we have the inward conceptions of, draws out our love, and fixes our affections on the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Father in him : all which is from the in-dwelIing of the Holy Ghost in us; where from, speaking in an open, experimental confession of the same, we may truly say, And hereby we do know that we know Him. We who have all inward, intuitive knowledge of Him, have also an inward communion with him : an inward and spiritual relish of his goodness. We know what it is to have our hearts and affections sweetly refreshed and perfumed with the savour and fragrancy of his Name, Person, sacrifice and salvation. We therefore speak of and from our hearts concerning Him, when we say, And hereby we do know that we know him. The whole substance of which amounts to this: we are favoured with a spiritual and supernatural knowledge of the Person and salvation of Christ : we know Him to be our advocate and propitiation ; we have communion with Him. The truth of all which is so realized in our own minds, by the indwelling and testimony of the Holy Ghost, that we have the fullest assurance of all this in our own minds. We cannot be more fully assured of the same than we are: it is certified beyond all contradiction unto us. We know that we are Christ's-that we are his-that we are partakers of Christ-that he is in us-that we are in Him-that we really know him ; because he dwells in our hearts. He is high in our esteem ; we cannot live without Him; we cannot be happy; No; not for one single moment, but as we are engaged in the contemplations of Him : When we speak of Him it is from our hearts; yea, it is with the whole of our hearts; it is also from what we know of Him there. We received the true knowledge of Him, and his great salvation into our minds, that He might dwell in our hearts by faith. The whole is from a spiritual perception of Him, formed in our renewed understanding of Him from the word of the Gospel, which hath so captivated our minds, and ravished our spirits, that he, in the whole of what He is, and in every part and particular of what we know of Him, is our object, our subject, our center, and our' circumference, our one supreme and everlasting All. John therefore says, in his own person and that of others, And hereby we do know that we know him. It is here-from we do profess the same ; the ground work of this is in our own souls: it is from thence we thus speak it is to confirm you in the reality of this, we thus confidently address you the truth of which you may rely upon. And the inward views, conceptions, and apprehensions formed in our minds of Christ, we find to be altogether agreeable with the revelation made of Him in the sacred scriptures, and which have been wrought in us by the Holy Spirit, agreeably with the same ; and hereby we know and are fully persuaded that we do know Him. We are fully persuaded all the powers of nature could never have produced that knowledge of Christ which we are possessed of; nor that enjoyment of Him, which we have in our hearts; nor that communication of his grace to us, which we have received, and do enjoy in Him ; and which we find ourselves the subjects of : nor that communion with Christ which we enjoy : nor that conformity to his holy image and example, in our lives, and conversations : therefore, as we do not question the truth of our knowledge of Him, so we would attribute all we are, as it respects grace and holiness unto Him. Saying, And hereby we do know him, if we keep his commandments. And it is what we know of Him, enhances our value and esteem of Him. It causes us to trample on all beside. We have Him dwelling in our hearts: what he gives us to know of Him in personal communion with Him, into the which He is pleased to admit us, this gives us great boldness in our speaking for Him: we say no more of Him, nor concerning Him, beyond what he hath really taught us: we do know Him : we are fully assured of this : we know Him in the secrets of our own souls. There is no outward object, nor subject more really known, and enjoyed, than this, in ourselves who have the knowledge and enjoyment of the Person, and salvation of Jesus Christ the Son of God. We also know the blessed fruits and effects which this knowledge of Jesus producth in us. It seems necessary here to say, that it is the true knowledge of Christ, produces faith in him, love to him, and hope in him. The true knowledge of Him, leads into communion with Him: on this follows walking in Him, with Him, and before Him unto all well pleasing. These are all connected with each other, and follow one the other. Our knowledge of Christ is the sole foundation of our faith in Him, which is always commensurate with our knowledge of Him. Our communion with Christ's altogether depends on the influx of the Holy Ghost. It is in proportion to his taking of the things of Christ and shew, the same unto us. It is He who opens the renewed minds of the beloved of God in Christ Jesus, to such apprehensions of Him, and the Father's love in Him, as swallow up, at. seasons, the whole of our spiritual faculties in fellowship with the Lord. I will afresh remind you of the words of my text, that it may be seen how far on I have proceeded in them. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. It was at the first proposed, to set forth in the two former particulars, what it is to know Christ: from whence this knowledge springs : and how this is evidenced. This was our first particular. Then secondly, how believers can say from their own knowledge of Christ, and hereby we do know that we know him. These distinct particulars have been treated of, and that to the best of my poor ability. I never aimed yet to be a great preacher. It never became me.

All I ever aimed at was, simple truth, so far as the glory of Christ, and the good of his people may be promoted. And now I am going on fast in the journey of life, being in the seventy-second year of it, what I only aim at, is truth is truth; or, in other words, the truth as it is in Jesus. To give the true statement of my text, this now, and at all times, is my one aim: as thereby, the Holy Ghost working with the same, it may clearly appear what is contained therein. I am for truth without mixture. I do not conceive any thing we can, or may be bold to add to the word of inspiration but must spoil it. Having therefore been carried through the two former particulars, as hath been mentioned, I come to my next which is,

3. To shew and set forth the reason why the apostle puts in the word if; and speaks of the outward evidence, which follows on the former internal evidence of our knowing Christ. And hereby we do know him, if we keep his commandments.

The reason of the If, as I conceive, is this-it is used by way of distinguishing, and discriminating of one person from another-one professor of Christ from another. The churches of the saints were in the apostle's time, thus far what they are in, our time-they were made up both of such as were the subjects of a, new and supernatural birth in their minds, so as that they were new creatures in Christ Jesus; and also of those, who were led to confess the truths of the everlasting gospel, and profess and submit to the ordinances thereof, yet they were not born again of the Spirit : the latter were, therefore, but merely nominal professors. This is most awfully the case, with respect to the visible churches of Christ, of every denomination throughout our land : more professors than possessors. The persons in the churches of Christ in the apostle's days, were all received by one and the same mean into the fellowship of the church. They professed faith in Christ : they were then baptized : then they became members: then they were admitted to the table of the Lord; and had a right to all the immunities and privileges of a church state. When so received and acknowledged, they could not be easily dismissed: therefore, when the apostles wrote to the churches, as they included the whole bulk of them, as those they wrote unto, hence, as I apprehend, at times they use certain words such as the If before us, to give an item that they were in doubt of some of them. This is the reason of the If here: you have it in the first chapter of this epistle five times we have the If again in the first verse of this very chapter, If any man, or any one of us, who have fellowship with the Father, and the Son, who are cleansed from all sin by the blood of Jesus Christ in the sight of God, sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: so in this text now before us, And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. It seems our apostle took up these words of Christ himself; who said to him and the other ten apostles who were with their Lord, when he gave out that most excellent sermon contained in the 15th and l6th chapters of John's gospel, (in the which the Lord says,) " Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you:-If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love ; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love." xv. 3. 9, 10. Judas the traitor was not present when all this was pronounced. Such as then did know Christ, and such also as did in the apostle's time, did not know Him by keeping his commandments. Those who said, And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments, did by no means intend to convey the least idea, that their keeping his commandments was that which brought them to the knowledge of Him, or into communion with Him. If not, it may be asked, what is the design, or what is designed by the If here? I answer, to prove the reality of their knowledge. The inward evidence which they had in their own souls of Christ, his love, and salvation, of his love for them, of his interest in them, of his dwelling in them, of his delight and rejoicing in and over them to do them good, made all essential difference between them, and others. So that such as were altogether indifferent respecting their walk and conversation, by the same to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all thinks, and thereby to give an outward evidence to others of the reality of their having an inward knowledge of Jesus, of their knowing and possessing Him as their chief and most supreme portion and inheritance, could not be looked on by real saints, in a comfortable point of view. This epistle abounds with many inward and outward evidences of grace : by the which it may be known, whether we belong to Christ, or not. Our text is the very first, with which our apostle begins this subject. Hence we have the If here : to distinguish between one professor of the Lord Jesus Christ, and another. The one knows Christ inwardly, and spiritually : the other does not. The one hath communion with the Lord Jesus Christ in what he knows of, and concerning Him the other knows nothing of Christ but externally, and therefore cannot have the least fellowship with Him. I hope all this is clear and plain unto you. The word If is not always used in a way of doubting. The apostle says, If there be any consolation in Christ : there can be no If here : He is everlasting consolation. It reminds me of Mr. Romaine's opening this word If in the 9th verse of the 8th of the Romans. But ye are not in the, flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. He said, there was no If in the business: we either had the Spirit of Christ, or we had not. he therefore said it should be read thus. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, insomuch, or inasmuch as the Spirit of Christ dwells in you. I think this to be a very complete explication of the word If, in the text before us, and in divers passages of the scriptures in the which it is used, as it is here. And hereby we do know that we know him, if, or insomuch, or inasmuch as we keep his commandments. I am come to my last particular, which is to set forth,

4. What is comprehended in this part of our text, If we keep his commandments.

There can be no communion where there is no union. There can be no fruit where there is no root. Where there is no true knowledge of Christ, there can be no real faith in Christ: so that no one but a real believer in Jesus, can bring forth fruit to the praise and glory of God. The apostle throughout the whole of this epistle, does not call for fruit from any one of us. But he insists on this: that those whom Christ died for, are in the Lord's time renewed in the spirit of their minds by the Holy Ghost; who produces in them, such real graces, fruits, and effects, of their new, spiritual, and supernatural birth, as fully prove to themselves, and also outwardly and visibly to others, that they have been with Jesus-that Christ is in them-that they live in Him-that they live on Him that they live for Him-that they live unto Him. As saith the apostle, I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith, of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. This is a most blessed life. It contains the whole sum total of a real Christian. The words of my text are but an appendix to it. And hereby we do know that we know him, if, or insomuch as we keep, his commandments. The words most. certainly imply this-that such as do know Christ, truly, inwardly, and spiritually, are concerned to give outward evidence of this to others : especially to those they are connected with in a church state : yea, to give in their whole conduct and conversation with others, realizing evidence hereof. This in the words before us, is expressed, by keeping the commandments of Christ: I thus word it, Christ being He who is immediately and positively referred to and expressed ; the apostle having in the former verses spoken of Him, as the advocate and propitiation of his Church : and he speaks of Him here, as inwardly and personally known by his saints: with whom they were personally and particularly acquainted; the knowledge of whom so dwelt in their minds, and engaged their spiritual faculties, as filled them with divine content. Hence they could say, And hereby we do know that we know him., if we keep his commandments. We have, say they, an inward evidence in our own minds, that we know, and have the true gospel apprehensions of Christ in our souls : it most blessedly operates within us; we bless the Lord for it; we would and desire to give an outward evidence of this, by keeping his commandments, to prove hereby, to all with whom we are concerned, that we have been with Jesus. By Christ's commandments here, I should not confine it to Baptism and the Lord's Supper, but to all included in the terms, as extending itself to all the precepts which our Lord hath expressed his holy will by in his word. I should be for taking in all which concerns the whole life of faith, and practical Christianity, and this as branched out into its various particulars. I shall not attempt this, here : it will in the substance of it, be more or less expressed in pursuing the explanation of this Epistle. I would therefore conclude this present sermon thus-that the true knowledge of Christ is altogether practical ; such as know, and have communion with Him, will keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. May the Lord grant we may be found of the same blessed and happy number, walking in all the commandments, and ordinances of the Lord blameless. May the Lord bless what hath been delivered unto you at this time, so far as agreeable with his most holy word. Amen.