“Endeavour after suitable affections to whatsoever you know of God in Christ. Let the holiness of God in Christ be the awe of your souls.
Let us not dandle any sin which God so hates, that He would not remit it without the price of the blood of His Son. Tremble at that justice which drank such draughts of precious blood in the punishment of sin, and consider every sin in its utmost demerit.
Admire and bless that wisdom, which made itself so eminent in the untying so many knots, passing over such mountains of difficulties that He might show himself a hater of sin and a lover of His creatures, that He might intwine His mercy and justice in perpetual embraces.
Let us have as strong affections of love and joy, as the devils, by their knowledge of God as discovered in Christ, have of horror and hatred.
We see in that, not only the manifestation, but the satisfaction of His justice; they see the manifestation of it, and the dissatisfaction of it forever with them. They have such a knowledge of God in Christ, as to awaken their consciences; we may have such a knowledge of God in Christ, as to calm our consciences.
Their terrors are as much increased by that discovery, as a believer’s comfort. They behold God in Christ, their implacable and inexorable judge; we may behold God in Christ, a tender and condescending Father.
They know a God in our nature, imparting His own nature to us; and refusing their nature, to leave them to lie in their fallen state forever. The terrible attributes become sweet in Christ to man, and more dreadful to them.
Let the motions of your will, and the affections of your soul, rise according to the elevation of your knowledge of God in Christ, more or less.
To conclude; let us behold His justice, to humble ourselves under it.
Let us behold His pardoning grace, to have recourse to it under pressures of guilt.
Let us sweeten our affections by the sight of His compassions, and have confidence to call upon Him as a Father in our necessities.
Any discovery of God in Christ is an encouragement to a forlorn creature. His perfections smile upon man. Nothing of God looks terrible in Christ to a believer.
The sun is risen, shadows are vanished, God walks upon the battlements of love, justice hath left its sting in a Saviour’s side, the law is disarmed, weapons out of His hand, His bosom open, His bowels yearn, His heart pants, sweetness and love is in all His carriage.
And this is life eternal, to know God believingly in the glories of His mercy and justice in Jesus Christ.”
–Stephen Charnock, “A Discourse on the Knowledge of God in Christ,” The Works of Stephen Charnock, Volume 4 (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1865/2010), 4: 163.
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