this is our duty to endeavour such a growth in Grace as that there may be much of Grace and but little of sin that the house of David may grow stronger and stronger and may appear so to do by the house of Saul its growing every day weaker and weaker Oh Christians so should you labour to grow and to grow to such a degree to such a measure and proportion of Grace that you may be able to say Truly the case stands so with me heretofore it stood thus with me that I could scarce tell how to do a duty and to turn my hand upon any holy duty but now through the Grace of God and his blessing upon the means I have used I am come to that pass now that I can scarce tell now how to commit a sin this is the growth we should press after I can do nothing against the truth I could do little for the truth I can do little or nothing against the truth I had strength to sin and I was very weak to duty weak for prayer and weak for beleeving and weak for conflicting with corruptions I but now Grace is so improved in me that now I am able to do any thing I am able to do all things through Christ and by his Grace in me I cannot sin for my heart as once I could this is the growth that we should press after I such a growth in grace we should endeavour to as that we may be upon all occasions commanded by the Scripture and by Scripture-arguments and reasons and swayed with them whatsoever arguments come to the contrary Truly this is an argument of a soul well improved in Grace and in the things of God when Gods arguments will bear sway with it all other arguments they signifie little or nothing but an argument drawn from the Command of God from the Love of God and from Grace such an argument will prevail I shall sin against God if I neglect this duty if I commit this I shall dishonour Gods I shall offend my Brother I shall wound my Conscience I shall walk unsuitably to the Name that 's call'd upon me to my holy Profession I shall walk unanswerably to the Grace that I am planted under when such arguments as these are of a prevailing power it 's an argument that the Kingdom of God is come with power into our souls when Christs arguments are the swaying and the prevailing arguments with us Thus now I have been driving this business for my own part I profess to you and the Lord help us to consider wisely of it I hope I may say in regard of the Grace of God implanted it doth as much concern me as any one of you that I press on you to a growth in Grace it 's as much my duty as yours and as much your duty as mine and it will be a woful account that we shall give another day if you and I shall appear before the Lord Jesus Christ and shall have this charged upon us you preach'd indeed a growth in Grace and you that were the hearers you heard concerning a growth in Grace but neither Preacher nor Hearer set your selves to answer your duty Now ow shall we give account of this if you will go away with meer notions and rest in this for I tell you there is a great deal of danger that you lye open to in passing over Sermons of this nature making no great matter of them You have heard the Discourse and have been called upon to this purpose Grow in Grace and in the mean time please your selves with this conceit well it matters not it is a mysterious thing we know not what to think of the matter whether there be such a growth as is spoken of we will look to this to see that there be Grace in the truth of it and so put off the matter of growth I tell you that this is dangerous We must as we will approve our selves to God and walk worthy of the provision he hath made to us it is our duty that as we have received Christ Jesus the Lord so to walk in him grow up in him that is the head and increase with the increase of God and hold some proportion to time and means and ordinances and pains that God takes with us and that our profiting may appear unto all men SERM. VII IT is our duty as you have heard to grow in Grace and so to grow that our profiting may appear unto all And it is that which concerns both Preachers and Hearers and all sorts of Professors of Godlyness that they endeavour this that their profiting may appear appear to themselves appear one to another And if you will ask me how we shall make it to appear that we do profit that there is an improvement that we do grow in Grace how shall we make it appear supposing that there is a willingness and the heart is brought to this that it may be made to appear you may without any great difficulty attain to a resolution this way Do not you know how men make it appear that they have more strength of body than others they make it appear by greater activities and by doing more and greater services You know how men make it appear that they are richer than they were that they are increased in their estates why they will if they be ingenious and be not base and sordid and slaves to their injoyments make it appear in a suitableness in their deportment and carriages and expences and layings out they will fare better and they will go better apparelled and they will be more ready to give and they will drive greater trades you know this as well as I and better to you know how men make it appear that they are richer men of more able estates why and do not you know how you may make it appear that you are better men in Christ that you are better in Godlyness that you have more Grace than you had Surely you cannot but reach this apprehension and know how you may make it appear that you are so that you are better in Faith and Godlyness Wicked men they do make it clearly to appear that they are worse than once they were they will act more vigorously for the Devil and in opposition to God and to the waies of Godlyness Wicked men they make it clearly to appear that they do grow worse and worse they are more prophane more proud they discover themselves so to be by rising higher and higher in their impieties and insolencies against God and discovering themselves without shame and any check without any startling at it discovering themselves that they are resolv'd upon it for to go on with a high hand in their evil way Why now cannot you tell you that are the sons and daughters of Grace that have the Grace of God in you the Truth in you and whose duty it is to grow in Grace Cannot you tell how you may
he was well and duly apprehensive of the benefit and comfort and succour and support that would spring up to him from the consideration of a suffering Christ why this is by my conformity to Christ I account all things saith he but loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord. There you have the very point in hand held forth He speaks concerning the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ I account all things but loss and dung for the excellency of this knowledge Why That I might know the fellowship of his sufferings and be made conformable unto his death I tell you Beloved it 's no matter what condition soever a person come into if it be but such a condition as wherein Christ hath been before him only so as wherein Christ hath been as one that hath gone before us and made it a way for us to walk in Indeed the way of his mediation the way of his meritorious sacrificing that 's not a way that ever he walk'd in so as to constitute it a way for his people to walk in they are never able to live in that way But the way wherein Christ hath been before us and the condition which he hath been brought into as a condition in which he would lead his people into this is that that will comfort us in any such condition let the condition be what it will Christ hath been in this condition before us so that now here 's the comfort to a Beleever a Saint in Christ I suffer thus and thus as the Apostle speaks I suffer as an evil doer so did Christ Christ was before me I suffer as an evil doer unto bonds I am persecuted so was Christ my Lord I am reproach'd and scorn'd and revil'd in the World so was my Lord Jesus Christ I am cast into Prison so was my Lord Jesus I am brought to the place of execution Christ was hanged as a malefactor There 's much to support the soul in this condition And then Secondly consider this This is the comfort that slowes out from the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to support in a suffering state Christ suffered nay but more than this we are to consider further that he suffered penal sufferings legal sufferings O this this hath added to the other that we are to know concerning Jesus Christ that he suffered in a legal way His obedience was legal obedience not evangelical obedience as ours should be so his sufferings were legal sufferings why he suffered upon the account of Divine Justice he suffered according to what the strict Justice of God did and could inflict upon him for sin and transgression and here was the bitterness of the cup a thing that would be seriously weighed and considered of by us He suffered for sinners he put himself as it were into the state and condition of a sinner of a malefactor The guilt of the sins of his people was set over to him Thus it was and upon this account you must conceive that there was not that rejoycing on Christ's part in his sufferings as that which sometimes discovers it self even in Beleevers who have rejoyced at the stake and kist the stake and bid it welcome and have been as full of joy and rejoycings as their hearts could hold why there was reason for it It was not so with Christ but he was in an agony and cryes out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Why Brethren there was reason for it Alas Beleevers do not sip one drop of that cup and that 's their mercy and that 's it that gives them comfort upon the consideration of the sufferings of the Lord Jesus because the cup that was tempered unto him to drink of it was a legal cup it was a cup that the hand of Divine Justice temper'd up for him Son thou hast put thy self into the place of sinners and cursed malefactors that have deserved to drink of the wine of my wrath to all eternity I 'll temper a cup for thee forasmuch as thou hast undertaken to appear on their behalf thou shalt have a cup to drink off in their steads and the hand of Justice tempers up this cup. Now one drop of this legal cup would have made all the Nations drunk and have been made to spew and fall to fall down to Hell one drop of this cup of Justice but Christ must drink it up He must make by suffering satisfaction to the Infinite Justice of a provoked Majesty Here 's the business now and alas we are apt to pass over these things slightly and not consider what the greatness of the love of Christ is in undergoing such a task in drinking such a cup But judicious Christians will weigh these things and endeavour to understand concerning what was undergone by Jesus Christ. 'T is an astonishing consideration that it should be thus ordered out concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. Now here 's the comfort to poor beleeving souls under all their sufferings blessed be God I suffer not in a legal way I suffer not from the hand of Divine Justice I suffer not in order to satisfaction that 's done to my hand Here 's my comfort As I am not called out to pay debts with duties I am not called out to pay debts with sufferings Here 's the comfort of a Beleever which flows out from the well-improved knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ that whatsoever his sufferings be they are not satisfactory sufferings they are not sufferings upon a legal account but they are sufferings in a way of fellowship with Christ as one that did suffer but not as a sufferer in order to satisfaction to God's Justice So that now upon the account of the suffering of our Lord Jesus as a legal sufferer and as one that took the cup from the hand of Divine Justice which was tempered up by that hand upon this account the poyson is taken out of sufferings the terror of the bitterness of death is past the bitterness of suffering is taken out the sting of the suffering is plucked out what 's the sting of the suffering The sting of death is sin the sting of a suffering is sin There 's nothing that makes suffering so bitter to a sensible soul an understanding Christian there 's nothing that makes it so bitter as the consideration of guilt I but the guilt is taken away and so the sting is taken out the venom of the suffering is gone The cup may be bitter but it 's a wholsome cup. This is now a second thing to consider whereby you may come to understand how much a well-improved knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ doth contribute to the promoting a Christians comfortable and bold and confident suffering and you will never be able to quit your selves in a suffering day in a suffering state as becomes the Gospel if so be that these considerations concerning Christ be not well digested 3. Yet further Christians are
doth in the close of this Epistle give this in charge unto the Saints and Believers that they look to their growth in Grace These things I do subjoyn to the Discourse I maintained the last day Applic. And now I shall come to the Application of all Truly there is a great latitude wherein I might proceed I might have proceeded in the Doctrinal part and so might in the Application and Use making of this point but I shall contract my self as much as I can First of all we may gather from hence That forasmuch as it is a duty charged upon those that have Grace that they do grow in Grace We may infer from the premises that Christians and Believers are not perfect at once they have not their perfection in a moment The womb of Gods decrees and of the promises do not bring forth perfect births that are perfect at once A Nation may be born in a day a Saint may be born in a moment but he is not born a perfect Saint in a moment Believers have not their perfection at once It is otherwise in the second Creation than it was in the first Adam was created a perfect man perfect in righteousness and holiness at the first 't is not so in the second Creation 't is not so in the Regeneration In the first Generation it was thus God makes the womb to travel and bring forth and the births were perfect births 't is not so in the Regeneration Perfect births there are though they are such as shall be brought in due time to their perfection It 's a saying of one No man is perfectly wicked at first so no man is exactly and perfectly godly at once Grace it comes into the soul by Gradatem by degrees now a little and then a little the light of a Saint it 's like the light of the day that breaks out more and more untill it comes unto the perfect day thus it is in Grace But take this withal we speak of Grace as it is inherent Grace as it is a quality implanted in the soul. There is this difference to be put between Justification and Sanctification and so between Adoption and Sanctification Justification perfect in a moment it doth not admit of degrees a man is not more justified at one time than another It 's true a Believer may be more clear in the apprehension of his Justification he may come to have more comfortable assurance of his Justification at one time than another But Justification it is once and together and it is perfect A justified man is as much justified upon the first act of believing and closing with Christ as ever he shall be all his daies though his justification is not so fully manifested And so Adoption a child of God that is to be made partaker of the Adoption he is as truly a child of God at first as in process of time But it is not so as touching Sanctification Sanctification it comes in in a gradual way sanctified a Believer â—…s and is more and more sanctified he is made more holy he is brought to Faith and comes to have his improvement in Faith And so it 's true of all other the inherent Graces they are brought on by degrees 2. I infer thus That if it be the duty of Christians and Believers to grow in Grace this is a duty and according to the will of God Then certainly 't is no duty to grow in sin but rather the contrary we have Gods allowance and his command for it that there be a growth in Grace Why it 's contrary then unto the will and command of God that any person should grow in sin you have no command for that nay there 's no allowance for men to be any thing in sin it is the will of God that we be not sinful it is the express command of God that we do not sin then certainly we must reckon upon it that it is altogether contrary to the will and command of God that persons should grow in sin and yet alas how much is there of such a monstrous hellish growth in the World We may observe how men grow from bad to worse they grow bigger and bigger and more bulky in their wickednesses and prophanenesses from day to day according to what the Apostle fore-tells in the last daies 2. Tim. 3. Evil men and deceivers shall wax worse and worse They are bad enough when they are at the lowest and yet as if it were not sufficient they must be upon their advancings and improvements in wickedness thus it is with many A woful growth to see men shooting up a-pace in wickedness increasing in their ungodliness growing up in pride and prophaneness and coming up to a height in impiety Thus it is but woe be to them who are found to be persons of such a growth that grow in sin that grow most strong to act their impieties and to carry on their mischievous designs and bear up in waies of ungodliness As touching such I say this That they will know in time that their growth is stinted and their measure is determined Grant it that they do fill up the ephah they shall do no more than so 〈◊〉 and when the ephah is once full the talent of lead shall be surely laid upon it to sink it down into everlasting destruction But 3. Consider this It is a duty charged upon us and especially such as are partakers of the Grace of Christ that they grow in Grace Let us now reflect upon our selves especially such of us concerning whom it may be presumed and hoped that the Grace of God is in them Truly it is a great duty and 't is that that God expects the performance of from us and 't is that which I am sent this morning for to deal with you about you that are the sons and daughters of Grace you that are partakers of the Calling of God according to his purpose it is that which lies upon you to bethink your selves concerning this matter 't is a duty clearly lying before you in the Text 't is requir'd of you God hath given it in charge that you grow in Grace You are as much bound to grow in Grace as you are bound to have Grace it is as much requir'd of you that you increase in Faith as that you be in the Faith it is as much requir'd of you that you endeavour perfecting of holiness as that you be partakers of holiness this is your duty and this is that which the Lord doth in his word up and down require at your hands Then consider you that are and may be presumed and hoped for to be the sons and daughters of Grace as I was saying Let me beseech you in the name of the Lord Jesus that you would but bethink your selves and consider Do you perswade your selves in your consciences and have you some good ground to be so perswaded that the Grace of God is in you in the truth of it
of the earth serve the Lord with fear rejoyce ye with trembling Kiss the Son Kings and Princes and great Men are very apt to forget themselves as if so be that there were none above them as if so be there were none to check and controul them You know how Pharaoh carryed himself Who is the Lord Ah! but there is a Lord above all Lords there is a King above all Kings even the Lord Jesus Christ whom God hath set to be King upon his holy hill of Sion And the right Knowledge of Christ the well improved and advanced Knowledge of Christ it will promote a holy fear and awe and reverence of him and of the great God who hath constituted and appointed him Lord and King I might speak largely to this Particular but I 'll pass it by Thus I have endeavoured to make it appear to you in these Particulars How the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus well improved how it doth contribute to a growth in Grace I would now tell you this further That the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ it is such a Knowledge as is most beneficial to us in respect of gospel-Gospel-Duties and Services and doth contribute very much to the lively management of them And therefore it may well be required of Christians and Believers that they grow in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and that upon this very account Because I say that the more we know of our Lord Jesus Christ the more shall we advance in the lively performance of Gospel-worships and Duties and Services which the Lord requires of us Alas Brethren it is that which may well be matter of shame and mourning to think how low we are as in Graces so in gracious Performances and in holy Services What 's the account that is to be given of our daily Services that we perform Sabbath-worships and Duties Alas what kind of Sabbaths do we keep and what kind of Prayers do we perform and offer up to God what kind of Worships are they that we present before the Lord O! if we would but take an account of our selves we might see cause enough to fall a weeping over every Dâ—… we perform When we come to attend the Ministry of the Word and to do our Service to God it appears by mens carriages what a loosness of spirit there is an unfixedness of spirit on God and there is not the breathing after the enjoyments of God in the way of his Ordinances And so for Prayer and other Services What may be the reason of this We may well reckon upon this It is because we are not more advanc'd in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we have not heart-Knowledge so duly improved as it should be concerning our Lord Jesus For Brethren this is 〈◊〉 that we should know concerning Christ That his heart was upon his Work and business and when he prayed he prayed as one that was in Heaven And O what wrestlings of spirit was there on his part with God! He prayed most earnestly and O how intent upon the Duty of Prayer when he had to do that and when he was to Preach O with what intention of soul was that Service performed And when he had the last 〈◊〉 to keep O with desire have I desired to keep this Passâ—… O Father it is meat and drink to 〈◊〉 to do thy Wâ—… Thus it was with Christ Now if we had but a well-digested Knowledge of this it would make us ashamed of our selves and make us put on with more activity and vigour of spirit thinking with our selves what a pattern we have in Christ. And then if we did but consider That Christ is the great High-priest of our holy 〈◊〉 and that he hath ingaged himself on the behalf of his People both to procure their acceptance and to vouâ—…hsafe them assistance Now consider but this And these things we ought to know concerning Jesus our Lord That it is his undertaking to procure acceptance and to give assistance for now he hath all power in his hands The power of the Spirit to give strength to his People to inable them to make their prayers and supplications and to perform their Worships and Services I will strengthen thee I will help thee I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness my Grace is sufficient for thee Thus Christ hath signified concerning himself for the comfort and incouragement of his People And then withal this is to be known concerning our Lord Jesus That he appears in Heaven before his Father to promote their acceptance and to plead their Cause and as the High-priest to present their Services and to sprinkle them with his own blood and to desire the Fathers acceptance of them Now if this were but duly known concerning Christ and we had but a well improved and digested Knowledge concerning this that now I give you an account of O how much would it conduce to the quickning up our hearts to a lively performance of our Services when we shall consider what an example we have in Christ of Duty and Service to God And then that he hath undertaken to afford assistance and to procure acceptance this would make us go on with more life and vigour in the wayes of Godliness And then I would have told you farther That there is all the reason in the world Christians should endeavour a growth in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ Because as this Knowledge well improved conduces to a judiciousness and to a well ordering of the Conscience and to the increase of all the Graces and to the promoting of our Duty so by a well improved Knowledge of our Lord Jesus we shall come to have the more kindly relish of Gospel-priviledges and suck the sweet of them and come to know what there is of comfort and soul-rejoycing to be found in these Priviledges And then this Knowledge well improved O how will it conduce to bear afflictions to the incountering temptations and inable the Soul to the well ordering of a Gospel-conversation to the glory of God SERM. XIV I Shall pass by what was the last Day hinted to you only now suggest some few Particulars more which if we were but acquainted with the Knowledge of we should quit our selves better than we do in this Gospel-worship and service of Prayer As now Did we but know and seriously ponder upon this That Christ himself was very much in this Service that he was a constant practiser to his very Death of this Duty of Prayer If this were but well considered that Christ was very much given to prayer and if he could not have opportunities in the day time he would fetch it out in the night and be in the night season pouring out his soul before his Father Thus it was with Christ he was given to Prayer and his last breathings were breathings in a way of prayer into his Father's bosom And then consider this this is that that
subject to suffer and it 's your duty to suffer as Christians and to bear up with courage and confidence but how shall that be but by the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ For mark you This belongs to the knowledge of our Lord Jesus that the sufferings of his people for his Name and Truth and Gospel those sufferings are by Jesus Christ made their great priviledges When a man suffers as an evil doer as a murtherer or a thief or as a busy-body in other mens matters these kind of sufferings of persons as evil doers when they are indeed deservedly inflicted these sufferings they reflect shame and dishonour upon those that undergo them The two Theeves upon the Cross that were crucified together with Christ and He in the midst of them you have the acknowledgement that one of them makes This man is upon the Cross with us He suffers as we suffer as to the matter of suffering He is hanged and so are we we are here nail'd upon the Cross and so is He I but for all that here 's the difference we indeed are justly here for we suffer the reward of our own evil deeds so that it 's our dishonour to be hanged up upon the Cross but this man is hanged indeed as a malefactor but he hath done nothing worthy of such a death so it 's no dishonour to a Christian it 's a dishonour to an evil doer to suffer when he suffers for his evil deeds but it 's no dishonour to a Christian when he suffers as a Christian and there 's no just cause for his sufferings it 's no dishonour but it 's rather an honour to him saith the Apostle If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed Ashamed he hath no cause in the World why he should be ashamed let men deal how they will with him if he suffer as a Christian though others seek to put him to shame he may despise the shame as our Saviour did He indur'd the Cross but He despised the shame Men would cast shame upon Him I but Christ shames the shame He despiseth the shame He puts the shame to shame Thus did Christ so a Christian he suffering as a Christian for the sake of Christ he hath reason so to do to shame the shame to despise the shame to scorn the shame and the scorns that are cast upon him saith he If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God in that behalf for the spirit of God and of Glory rests upon him And so did the Disciples in Acts 5. it 's said They went away from the Counsel where they had been beaten and reproached They went away rejoycing that they were accounted worthy to suffer shame for the Name of the Lord Jesus so that by Jesus Christ it becomes a matter of priviledge and honour to suffer This Comfort flowes out of the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. And take notice of that remarkable passage in 1 Phil. To you it is given given as a gift To you it is given what is given Not only to believe on his Name but to suffer for his sake To you it is given I one would say a goodly gift indeed to have suffering given us A goodly gift O that 's a wretched spirit to undervalue this gift To you it is given not only to believe is it a priviledge to have it given us to believe to beleeve unto eternal life and salvation I but saith he To you it is given not only to beleeve but also to suffer This is the gift of God which he hath granted unto you as a priviledge that you should be sufferers for Christ and ingaged to appear in his Cause and for his Name in opposition to an evil and an adulterous Generation Again by a well-improved knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall come to understand to the comforting and the imboldening of the hearts that Christ is knowing of all the sufferings that his servants undergo Knowing of them is that all Nay so knowing of them as that he is sensible of them and reckons them his own sufferings He hath a deep sense There is a sympathizing with his people in all their sufferings if the foot on Earth be trod upon the Head in Heaven complains Saul Saul why persecutest thou me who art thou Lord I am Jesus True it is thou canst not reach my person me as the head but thou reachest me in my members Saul Saul why dost thou persecute me And then consider this withal That by a well-improved knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall come to understand that the sufferings of Christ they make way for Glory having conformity to him in suffering we may assure our selves there shall be conformity to him in Glory If we suffer with him we shall also reign with him as the Apostle speaks And the sufferings of this present time is not worthy to be compared with the Glory that shall follow So that now all this being laid together we may well conclude upon it that the knowledge of Jesus Christ is worthy to be endeavoured after and that there may be a growth in it because it doth conduce so much to a comfortable confident couragious and bold suffering on the behalf of Jesus Christ. SERM. XVII EVen as I was reading this Text this Morning I had this Meditation I was thinking how often this Text hath been read in your hearing and sounded in your ears and is it not good for us you and me to consider to what purpose it hath been so often sounded and whether we have made any Improvement in the grace of the Gospel and in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Shall the Scriptures speak to us in vain shall we be as if so be we were hearing of sounding brass and a tinkling symbal But however thus it is and this is our duty to grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I am speaking yet concerning the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and that there ought to be a growth therein and you have heard very largely what convincing Arguments there are why you should labour after a well improved Knowledge of him considering how beneficial this Knowledge is and will be to those that have it I shall now 〈◊〉 to something further that remains and so 〈◊〉 on to the Application of this Point There is very great reason why Christians should endeavour to advance in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and that in order to the promoting of a Gospel Conversation that it may be managed with beauty and with boldness to the credit of the Gospel and the holy Profession which is made of it By a well improved Knowledg of our Lord Jesus Christ great advantage comes over to us for such a purpose First here you are to consider this That a Christian is not to live at
a ghess and at random those that will approve themselves in their holy Profession must see to it that their conversations be well ordered it is he that orders his conversation aright that shall see the salvation of God and much care and diligence is to be used to this purpose that the conversation may be ordered in a due manner that so we may come to have the comfort and joy and peace at last They that walk according to rule Scripture rule and Scripture example they are the persons upon whom there shall be peace and mercy as the Apostle speaks in Gal. 6. It is not for men and women professing Godliness to live as I have sometimes said by rote but to live and walk by rule and by warrantable example And 2ly I offer this to be considered that Jesus Christ is the most absolute pattern for a Christian to conform unto and to take example by him And this duty is incumbent upon all that will approve themselves in Godliness to set their hearts upon this that they may be conformed unto Christ Believers and Saints are predestinated to have a conformity unto the Lord Jesus And the Apostle tells us 1 Ioh. 2. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself so to walk even as Christ walked It is a very weighty Scripture and doth very much concern us to be well studied in He that saith he abideth in Christ or that professeth himself for to belong to Christ and to have a union with Christ an interest in Christ he ought to walk even as he also walked Now consider how strongly it follow upon the premises That therefore it concerns all that will approve themselves in their Conversation to endeavour to be well acquainted with the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ to endeavour an advance in that Knowledge to be as well instructed in the Knowledge of Christ as they can Why Why because it is he who is the Copy after which we are to write the pattern to which we are to conform and how it is likely that any man should answer the Copy write congruously to the Copy which he hath little or no sight and knowledge of work in any sutableness to the pattern which he is in great part a stranger to This then is the business that we should mind and consider of in order to a well regulated Conversation that there be a pursuance in the Knowledge of Jesus Christ and particularly that we know the manner of his Conversationâ—… If so be that we would walk as Christ walked it 's necessary we should know how Christ walked what steps he trod in and the paths wherein he walked And this I shall give you some account of as touching the life and conversation of Christ here upon earth In the general consider thus First of all you are to know and believe That Jesus Christ was in the World though the World knew him not as the Apostle speaks in Ioh. 1. He was in the world The world indeed would not know not take knowledge of him but this is that we are to acknowledge and believe that Jesus Christ was in the World and that he lived and conversed here among the sons of men and he lived such a life as was most exemplary and so continues to be and he hath everlastingly broken the force of such an argument and plea as poor carnal wretches are apt to make in their own behalfs when their vitious corrupt carnal profane lives are tax'd and they themselves are censured for them Men are apt to plead How is it possible that we should live otherwise in the world a wretched world a world that lyes in wickedness There are so many corrupt principles and corrupt examples how can it be that we can live in such a world and live as we ought Why this Plea is fully broken it was broken upon the account of the lives and conversations of other godly ones that have lived from the beginning of the world The world was stark nought in Enoch's dayes in Noah's dayes yet for all that they walk'd with God and they ordered a conversation to the honour of God and approved themselves in the course of their walking The world was very bad in Eliah's time and so in the times of others yet for all that they carried themselves very gratiously in an evil world But this example of our Lord Jesus Christ is that that breaks the force of such an Argument why he was in the world and yet he lived most exactly and congruously to the whole life of God and he hath taught us by his example That it is not so much the place as the principle that we are to mind the principle and the constitution If so be that a person be of a good constitution and well principled he will live well enough in any place A godly person will be godly in heaven among Saints and Angels a godly person that is truly so he will be godly on earth if he be there among profane persons And I think I may say that if it could be that a godly man were in Hell he would shew his godliness there I am bold to speak it that if a child of God were in Hell he would love God there and he would pray there I remember and sometimes upon occasion have spoken to that purpose That Ionah when he was in his own apprehension cast off of God and in the belly of Hell as one in the very belly and bowels of Hell yet there he falls a praying Out of the belly of hell cryed I. A wicked man if he could be in heaven and be there with his own principles he would be a wicked man there and surely for Hell a godly man would be a godly man there Hell changes no natures nor indeed doth heaven upon the matter Heaven doth not change nature Heaven it self considered as a place of glory would not change the nature of a wicked man the change must be made here on earth Thus now having propounded this as a general That our Lord Jesus Christ he did live and converse in the world but what account is there to be given of his life what is there belonging to a well improved Knowledge in the Life and Conversation of Christ To give you a brief account of this First of all in the general The Life and Conversation of Christ it was a Scripture conversation The Lord Jesus who is now in heaven he liv'd in the world he liv'd first and last a Scripture life and this I speak to the confutation of the faces of all such as are apt to slight the Scriptures and make light of them that Jesus Christ while he converst in the world his whole life and conversation was a very Scriptural conversation it was nothing else but a fulfilling of Scripture O Beloved consider of this as a material and momentous thing That the whole life and conversation of Christ was a Scriptural conversation How often do
A TREATISE OF Growth in Grace IN SUNDRY SERMONS Preached by that lately eminent Servant of JESUS CHRIST SAMUEL SLATER late of St. KATHERINES near the TOWER Psal. 92. 12 13 14. The righteous shall flourish like the Palm tree he shall grow like a Cedar in Libanon c. Hosea 14. 5. I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his roots as Lebanon Heb. 13. 7. Remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken unto you the Word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation London Printed for R. Boulter at the Turks Head in Cornhil over againgst the Royal Exchange 1671. To the Reader READER THE Subject of this Book is Growth in Grace a noble Subject yea the most noble for what is more excellent and desirable than Grace and Growth in it Thereby our Election likeness unto God union with Christ inhabitation of the Spirit ripeness and readiness for Glory are clearly evidenced unto us This is therefore the principal Argument wherewith a gracious Soul should be taken and lay out the principallest of its time and strength in getting thereof and growing therein It argues ignobleness of spirit to set any limit or measure to Grace and Holiness shorter than what the Spirit of God it self hath set viz. The measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ whoso doth it blunts the edge of desires and endeavours and will sit down content with one grain of Grace The Reverend laborious and judicious Preacher of these Sermons whose Growth in Grace was well known would have you not only gracious but eminently gracious Cedars not shrubs which will tend to your greater advantage than can be express'd Be pleased therefore to read and seriously consider what is herein tendred unto you and you will find your hearts so warm'd thereby that you will be of the Authors mind concerning the great Duty of growing in Grace which that you may be and so do is the Prayer of him who desires your Perfection SERM. I. 2 Pet. 3. 18. But grow in Grace and in the knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ To him be Glory both now and for ever Amen WHen the Apostle had cautioned the holy persons that he deals withall concerning their stedfastness and stability he subjoyns â—…in the words that I have read a further duty and brings it in with a but importing that it was not enough for them for to keep their stedfastness not sufficient to the discharge of them that they lost no ground that they did not go back that there were not a retrograde motion But they must look onward saith he you must be careful that you do not fall from your stedfastness I but that 's not all you must not only be stedâ—…st and setled in your condition and state but you must be upon your advances you must be careful of this that you grow not only that you do not decay but that you increase not only that you do not abate but that you do advance not only that you hold your own but that you get more and more of the Grace which you are already partaker of A great duty which I would speak something to and the point is clearly and plainly from the Text this Doctr. That they that are called to be partakers of Grace must be careful of this that they grow in Grace They that have Grace have it in the truth of it must not rest in that No they must not but their duty is to grow in Grace Now will you consider a little this burden of duty It is properly to be laid upon the shoulder and back of a Saint It is a duty properly belonging to such as have Grace to perform It were a vain thing for to perswade a man that hath no life in him for to look to his health to the improvement of his strength It is as vain a thing for to perswade a man that 's dead in sins and trespasses that is a stranger to Grace to perswade him to abound in Grace to grow in Grace There must be Generation before there can be Augmentation there must be life before there can be growth And therefore that which is properly to be urged upon such as have no Grace is that they would look about them and so far as may be get in with God Though it 's true it is impossible for any person that is a stranger to Grace to perform any act of Grace in order to the partaking of Grace but we must wait upon God using exhortations and see how the Lord will please to come in and set them home upon the heart But such it 's their duty whether they can do it or no It 's their duty to look out after Grace to have it that so having it they may increase in it But otherwise for increase and growth in Grace that 's not a duty so properly to be charged upon persons that are strangers to it And let such consider with themselves how sad their condition is Such as have no Grace at all how sad their condition is upon this account That they are not in a capacity for to have such a duty imposed and charged upon them But secondly Consider that this duty of growing in Grace It is most properly belonging to them to perform that are already partakers of Grace That have sparks stricken by God their duty is that they nourish and cherish their sparks and do labour to bring it up to a flame Grace it is a seed of Gods casting into the soul and sometimes it is very inconsiderable as to the bulk and magnitude of it but like a grain of Mustard-seed I but it â—…mproveable and it is a duty incumbent upon them that have this Seed cast into them to improve it that it may grow up to a great tree It is a duty It 's most true also that it is a priviledg It is the priviledg of a Saint and Believer that he shall grow They that are planted in the house of the Lord as we had it in the Psalm that we sung they shall flourish in the Courts of our God They shall spring flourish as the Palm-tree grow as the Cedars in Lebanon This is the priviledg this is one branch of the Covenant that God hath made with his people I but you must know that these priviledges they are not granted to us that we should be careless and sloathful but rather to quicken us up to diligence in duty And indeed our duties do lye much in priviledges that which is a priviledg is also a duty As to instance It 's the priviledg of a believer that he shall be kept through the power of God through Faith unto unto Salvation But it is withal the duty of a Believer to keep himself He that is born of God he keepeth himself and the wicked one toucheth him not And Gods keeping of his Saints is by the means of
And it is a duty that is incumbent upon all that are gracious They that are Babes they must grow that so they may come to be strong men They that are strong men they must grow still that they may come to be stronger and stronger that the feeble according to that expression in the 12th of Zechariah may be as David and that David may be as the Angel of God this is that that is required of us Weak Believers they must grow grow strong Believers Strong Believers must labour to grow still grow stronger and stronger in their believing Christians Professors duty is to grow strong in grace and not only so but Ministers the dispensers of the Mysteries of God it s as much their duty as the duty of the Professors to be upon their growth in grace Give diligence saith the Apostle to Timothy 1 Ep. 1. 4. Give attendance to Reading to Exhortation to Doctrine that thy profiting may appear to all But what are the requisites of this growth That I shall speak to in a few words what a growth it must be 1. It must be a perceivable growth It should be so The growth of a Saint in grace it should be a perceivable growth a visible growth a growth that may be perceived and apprehended a Judgment may be made upon it Such a growth the Apostle speaks of in that place I mentioned Give attendance to these and these courses that thy profiting may appear to all Why truly the growth or a Believer in grace we should endeavour that it may be a perceivable growth As a man by observation can say I set such a plant in my Garden or Orchard and I do perceive that within such a time it is grown so much higher and stronger And so for children there is a perceivable growth in them you may observe how they grow in process of time Such a growth we should endeavour after that it may be perceived by others by our selves that we may be able to give an account of it and say as David speaks In the day whereon I did call uprn thee thou didst answer me and thou didst strengthen me with strength in my soul. 2. As a perceivable growth so it should be a proportionable growth If we will approve our selves in this matter our growth in grace it must be a proportionable growth proportionable to time which God affords us What! so long under the Ministry of the Gospel and in the profession of godliness so long standing proportionable to the time of our standing should be our increases Why then we should be of a greater growth than others that are but of a later Plantation The Apostle speaks to that purpose in Heb. 5. For the time saith he you might have been teachers of others you might have come to this to have been fit to feed upon stronger meat But saith he you had need to be taught the very first principles and to be fed nith milk And this he speaks to their shame and in a way of blame And then secondly A proportionable growth there must be in grace proportionable to the means that God hath been pleased to afford Such and such large allowances and not answer them Why it will turn to the shame and reproach of a Professor let him be what he will 〈◊〉 if his improvements do not hold some proportion to his enjoyments If he do not in some measure answer his growth to the time and the means it turns to his dishonour And Thirdly If it be right it must be a fructifying growth a growth with fruit so as still we must grow more and more fruitful fruitful in all the duties of godliness that as we get more in saith more in love increase more in holiness and in spiritual strength so we are the more in spiritual fruitfulness do more for God Would it be to the satisfaction of an Orchard Planter to have a tree that when it was young and of lesser growth bring forth it may be twenty Apples in a year and when it comes to be of seven years growth more to bring forth no more Apples this-will not be to his satisfaction So for a Christian that is but of a younger Plantation to bring forth such and such fruit and then when he hath been seven and seven years longer in the profession of Christianity to viâ—…ld as little nay it may be less fruit to God then he did in his beginning Truly this is not well there must be fruitfulness and a growth in fruitfulness And then it must be a lasting and continuing growth I tell you Brethren think of it how we will the truth is if it be well with us we must grow as long as we are on this side Heaven but that indeed is no place of growth Mark that when once a Saint comes to Heaven he comes to his perfection he comes to have a consistency then he shall be as good as God would have him to be and as good as his heart can desire to be But while we are on this side Heaven there must be growing or else it is not right with us You see I have endeavoured with as much plainness as possibly I can to settle this upon your hearts concerning growth in grace That it is a duty Of what interpretation it is And what a growth it is that God requires Now for the Reasons of it Grow in Grace Why it must needs be so Why Brethren how else will God be glorified by us how can persons that have grace think that they can glorifie God if they do not grow in it I tell you Believers and Saints they are Gods children they are children of Gods begetting they are begotten of an immortal seed through the Word as the Apostle speaks 1 Pet. 1. Why now consider is it for the honour of a Father to have a child begotten by him that proves a very dwarf abides and continues in the same proportion and stature that he was born in there 's no increase either in understanding or in stature or in strength but a poor creature a very Babe so born and so continues Is it for the honour of God to have such kind of children To beget children to himself by Grace and to have them stand at a stay and to have no growth Believers are the planting of the Lord Observe that place in the 61. of Isai. ver 3. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me c. And he hath anointed me To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion to give unto them beauty for ashes the Oyl of Joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness that they might be called Trees of Righteousness The Planting of the Lord that he might be Glorified Mark here they are the planting of the Lord and plants being planted there is such a course taken with them that they may come to grow to bulky-trees That they may be Trees of Righteousness that God may he glorified
may say Through the Grace of God I can say I am most fearful to sin and to do any thing that 's displeasing to God and when so O especially then when I am least fearful to be punished and plagued for it The less I have of the fear of hell and damnation and the more I have of a holy confidence towards God that I shall be everlastingly saved the more am I fearful with a holy filial fear to do any thing that may be displeasing to my God here 's the well-grown Faith and it argues much feebleness in the Faith of a Christian and it gives occasion to sometimes to question the truth of it When persons upon the apprehension of their justified state they are ready to take liberty to sin You know how the Apostle argues against this Shall we continue in sin because Grace hath abounded God forbid Nay the Faith of a Beleever well improved will fortifie his spirit against such a temptation and against the assaults of the Devil and corruption and say Seeing the Grace of God hath appeared to me and magnified it self upon me in a pardoning way in a renewing way that Grace I reckon upon as that that shall abide upon me and shall ingage it self to perfect all the concerns Justification Sanctification everlasting Salvation this makes a holy fear to flourish in my soul that I may not in any thing carry it unbecomingly and unsutably to such a state This is the well-grown Faith that we should press after Yet further when I press you to a growth in Grace and especially in the Grace of Faith thus you shall be able to judge of it We should endeavour to be of such a growth as that whatsoever Grace is implanted in us and to what degree soever whatsoever our accomplishments are in the renewed state and according to the new creature whatsoever there is of inherent Grace and of gracious abilities yet we can so look upon our inherent Graces and spiritual Abilities as to keep off from placing any confidencee in them but still keep a full relyance upon the Lord Jesus Christ. This is our duty that whatsoever is of Grace inherent in us yet that it be not trusted unto Grace in the soul is but a creature 't is one of the best pieces indeed of all Gods creation that ever were made by him yet it is but a creature and being a creature it is not to be trusted A man must not trust in his trust he must trust with his Faith but he must not trust to his Faith he must not trust to any spiritual strength or abilities that he hath in him but still keep a dependence upon Christ reckon upon Christ as the strength that will be sufficient for him It was the answer that was given to Paul when he was under those sore buffetings saith he Paul My Grace is sufficient for thee Paul's Grace was not sufficient any further than it was made sufficient by Christ's Grace It is not the water in the Cistern that will serve the turn but the water in the Fountain dependance upon the Cistern will be found to be a vain thing the Cistern may be exhausted but the Fountain cannot You know how it was with Adam when he had the Grace of Creation it fail'd him Peter when he was strong in himself you know what his confidence in himself issued in and therefore I say such confidences even in our own Graces are to be accursed the Lord rejects such confidences and so should we We should use our Graces but trust not to them but still keep a dependance upon the Lord Jesus according to the Apostles charge to Timothy Be thou strong in the Grace that is in Christ Iesus And truly this is that that will not be performed but by a well-grown Faith when we can thus do see the Grace of God in us prize it bless him for it imploy it make use of it and yet notwithstanding keep hands off from it from trusting upon it and keep a full dependance upon the Lord Jesus Christ that 's another thing Again grow in Grace grow in Faith 't is your duty and to what purpose to such a purpose that while we do and perform duties with greatest delight as indeed Faith will carry us to that it will make a man delight in the Law of God and in the waies of Holiness and performance of holy duties account it meat and drink to be in the practice of them yet while we are in the performance of duty that even then when we have done to lay them by and say this is not my foundation O Lord I have done thus and thus It may be much in preaching much in prayer much in alms much in acts of mortification much in such and such services I but Lord when I have done all I do profess that I have done nothing to purpose nothing to my justification I so do duties as if I were to be justified by them yet I so trust upon Christ as if I were not to meddle with my duty at all O this is precious Faith and well-improved Faith when we can do service and duty to God and yet when we have done all we can take off from all lay all at the foot of Jesus and say O Lord this shall never be my Righteousness I will endeavour to be as righteous and holy and gracious as I can but Lord when I have done all I can I am resolved to lay all by and will make mention of thy righteousness and of thine only and I am resolved I will never plead any righteousness of my own any duties and services of my performance I will never plead them before thee as my Righteousness I may plead them as evidences as Hezekiah doth Remember Lord how I have walk'd before thee in truth and with a perfect heart but I will never plead them as my righteousness which I will stick to and bear upon them before the tribunal of God no I will throw them all away when they offer themselves to come in upon such an account Alas poor weak Beleevers O how apt are they to keep hands upon their duties and services and when a day of temptation and dissertion and perplexity begins to seize upon them they begin to turn their eyes to what they have been and done I but the Faith of a Beleever when it comes to its due growth will otherwise carry the soul and make it to keep its dependance upon the Lord Jesus Again your duty is to grow in Grace and especially in Faith and such a growth as that while you give attendance upon an Ordinance you can see the authority of God stamp'd upon it and upon the account of that authority which is stamp'd you give the attendance and you reckon upon it as a blessed expedient which God hath provided for your souls advantage and you reckon upon gracious communications from God by it as by such an expedient of his own
appointment you reckon upon it and come to it with such a perswasion O this is Gods appointing and in this way hath he ordered that I should wait upon him and I know his appointments are not in vain therefore I rest not in the Ordinance but look to the God of the Ordinance and I follow after the injoyment of God in his Ordinances 't is nothing to me to have the word preached other Ordinances dispenced they are nothing to me without the injoyment of God I look upon God in them and I expect a blessing from God by them truly this is an argument of a well-grown Faith Alass poor weaklings that we are we come in a formal manner too commonly so and with too much of a carnal frame of spirit too much in a complemental way look upon an Ordinance as if there were no more to be reckoned to it than what of strength and duty and benefit of man can put upon it look to the instrument have not an eye to God O without question Beloved our preaching would be to better purpose and our hearing and praying and our eating and drinking at the Lords Table would be to better purpose and with more fruit and benefit If we could look more to God in an Ordinance and come with such a thought as this O Lord this is the way that thou hast laid out for me to wait upon thee in these are the means that thou hast appointed to do my soul good by and upon this account because they are thy appointments I apply to them and expect benefit and profit by them Now I say when we manage our attendance in such a manner we are then in the fairest way to have the fruit and benefit of them and how will this be but by a well-improved Faith the truth on 't is the strength of Faith and the growth and increase of Faith will very much discover it self this way When we come to appear before God in Ordinances we have such a Faith as carries us to God Why I have been with God this day I have been in the presence of God I look upon these Ordinances as the blessed Symboles of his presence and uppon that account it is that I attend them and expect from them And then again I press you that you would grow in Grace and grow in the Grace of Faith why what growth would you require such a growth as this that your Faith may come to be of such a growth that you may not be staggered concerning the promises of God how cross soever that providences seem to run to them O this is a proof of a well-grown Faith You know that its an ordinary thing with God in the course of his dealings and dispensations when he hath made a promise and put his people upon the hopes and expectation of having it performed to order out so in the course of his providence as if he would quite null his promise the providences seem to speak flat contradiction to the promise It was Abrahams case a promise he had of a son but the providence of God ordered it out that he runs out till he be 100 years old and Sarah was old to so that there was an impossibility as to nature that ever there should be such a thing brought to pass and here was now the temptation Now if Abraham had been but of a weak Faith how apt had he been to be staggering and sorely shaken as touching the promise surely this will never be I bat being of a well-grown Faith as the Apostle testifies of him he considered not his own body nor the deadness of Sarahs womb he staggered not at the promise through unbelief but being strong in Faith he gave Glory to God So the Lord dealt with Joseph but the word of the Lord tries him and while it tries him he trusts upon it the irons enter into his soul and by that providence O what a seening contradiction was there to the promise he that was designed to wear a chain of Gold about his neck must go with chains of Irons about his legs and those irons must enter into his soul. What doth this speak but the vanity of the promise and that it was a thing not to be reckoned upon no account to be made of it and yet notwithstanding he being of a well-improved Faith under all these cross providences that spake contradiction to the promise yet he keeps in a humble dependance upon God And while the word of the Lord tried him he trusts the word he did not try the word but he trusted the word and so being of a well-grown Faith he bears up with a holy confidence towards God as touching the things that he had promised And so likewise promises concerning the Church of God and a more blessed injoyment that Saints shall have in the World God hath ingaged himself by promise very much to such a purpose and providence do seem to give the lye to the promise 〈◊〉 things are ordered out as if such things â—…uld never be brought to pass Now a poor â—…ak Beleever he will be apt to give all for naught and to conclude as David did I said in my haste all men are lyars these are but vain words we speak of this and that of a new Ierusalem coming down from Heaven as a Bride made ready for her husband and of the Churchâ—… Glory and beauty and of Babilons downfal and yet Babilon sits as a Queen and saith I shall never see sorrow nor widowhood Now a poor weak Beleever will be ready to give up the account and to say We must never look for these things I but a strong Beleever it bears up the soul in a holy confidence towards God well let God take what course he will I am sure that the womb of the promise shall never be sound to be a miscarrying womb that 's another thing Yet further I press you to growth in Grace particularly to a growth in Faith that you may not upon every occasion be cast into a discomposure of spirit upon every occasion of trouble that you meet withal when there are such providences ordered out as are startling and amazing and astonishing such a Faith you are to press to that when sinners in Zion are afraid and fearfulness surpriseth the hypocrites and likewise when poor weak Beleevers are apt to tremble and quake and at a loss and know not what to do that you may come to say my heart is fixed I trust in God these things move me not this is an argument of a well-grown Faith when we are not upon every occasion of any sudden fears in a discomposure of spirit yet well-grown Faith will bring a fixedness I it 's an argument of a Faith not well improved and not of so good a growth as it should be when we are upon every occasion surprised with fear and horror and astonishment and ready to scatter this way and that way and know not
rich men keep a good hoase and maintain a full table that we may feed highly from day to day there is mention of the rich man in the Gospel that was clothed in Purple and fared deliciously every day thus it might have been and yet the man not culpable if he had fared thus with a heavenly mind and had not set his heart upon these things as if they were the only portion for souls to sit down satisfied withal No doubt God doth allow persons that have a larger portion of the World than others have to go better clad and to feed at a higher rate than others do that have not such estate This man it 's said he was clothed in Purple and fared deliciously every day why truly Brethren there are such Beleevers to be found though I think the number of them is very small there are such of whom it may be thus testified and it is an honourable testimony of them that they are clothed in Purple in Scarlet and they fare deliciously every day they go clothed in Princely Robes they are clothed in the Scarlet Robe of Jesus Christ in the Robe of Righteousness which hath been died in his own blood and they walk like Princes Sons and Daughters and they fare deliciously every day they keep a continual feast feed upon the marrow and fatness of the Gospel they rejoyce in hope of the glory of God these are the persons of a well-grown Faith and it is their honour so to be thus they live Thus to bear up in pomp and state to live like Kings children and for to spend largely knowing that their estate will bear them out They have such a Faith in Christ and in the Covenant as will bring in sufficient to defray their expences from day to day that they shall never be at a loss they have that which will make a supply to them this is the Faith and these are the persons that are rich in Faith Now such a growth in Faith is our duty to press after as that we may be able not only to live but that we may live at a high rate feed fully and largely and be feasted upon Christ feasted upon the Promises the blessings of the Covenant feeding upon the hope of the Glory that shall be revealed feeding to the full without any fear of a surfeâ—… This is the well-grown Faith and such a Faith Brethren and Friends we are to press after Such a Faith is not only a conflicting but it is a conquering and a triumphing Faith this is the well grown Faith that they may not only be able to give this account of themselves that they have a Faith which inables them to sight with corruptions and lusts and to grapple with Principalities and Powers but such a Faith as inables them to bear up in a triumphing way and to say In all these things in tribulation in distress in persecution in famine in nakedness as I said in a former Exercise In all these things we are more than Conquerors through him that hath loved us When we can say with the Apostle rejoycingly O blessed be God as in 2 Câ—… 〈◊〉 that maketh us alwaies to triumph in Christ such a Faith we should press after that may inable us to bear up to live at a high rate and to bear up with holy Rejoycings and Triumphings in God Such a Faith as the Apostle speaks of in 1. Pet. 1. having not seen you love him and beleeving you rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of Glory Will you consider of this now as a further addition to all the rest Grow in Faith so grow as that the mysterie of the Gospel may stand in its full proportion that you may be able to comprehend with all the Saints the height and depth and length and breadth that the Gospel-mysterie may not be streightned in your spirits So grow in Faith as that you may live high and may maintain your self in an honourable and creditable manner that you may live like the child of the great King of Heaven and Earth that you may feed upon delicacies every day that you may come to be filled by beleeving with all joy and peace and comfort that you may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of Consolation This is the Faith that we should endeavour a growing in I add yet further you that are partakers of the Faith of the Gospel your duty is to grow in Grace and Faith and so shall it appear that you do when you can bear up with fixed and established and well-setled spirits under the most amazing and stupendious providences that are ordered out and whatsoever difficulties you meet withal whatsoever discouragements there are before you you may be inabled to hold on in your way and not be over-powred by them this is an argument of a well-grown Faith when nothing beats us off Let him kill me saith Iob I 'll trust in him still The woman of Canaan whatsoever discouragements there were seeingly she resolved upon it not to let her hold go not to susfer her suit to fall this is the Faith and of such a proportion that we should press after so to grow in Faith that nothing may drive us from our hold nor make us to fall under discouragements Again your duty is to grow in Faith such a growth in Faith as that you may come to be less selfish and more for God more pure in your aims at the Glory of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ Truly this will evidence a growth in Faith and this is the Faith so evidenced that you should endeavour to grow in It is usual with poor Beleevers in their fâ—…rst setting out upon the way of Faith and beleeving 't is usual with them and truly it is a gracious indulgence of God towards them he bears with them in it It is usual I say with poor weak Beleevers at their first beginning to be mainly solicitous about their own Salvation they stand under convictions of their obnoxiousness unto the wrath of God to the curse of the Law and have some apprehensions of the dreadful condition of the damned in Hell and what it is to be eternally separated from God everlastingly excommunicated from fellowship with him and his people and when they think of these things O! what shall become of me to all eternity what a miserable wretch shall I be if I should live and dye out of the favour of God and not be reconcil'd unto him by his Christ if so be that guilt should lye upon my conscience if so be that the wrath of God should still abide upon me O! what a cursed wretch shall I be to all eternity O! what shall I do that I may escape this curse and condemnation and come to be made partakers of Christ and of the Salvation that is by him This is usually at the first the work of a poor soul beginning now to look out after Christ and pursuing after an interest in
which a well-grown Faith will inable to and such a degree of Faith our duty is to endeavour after that we may be able to say with the Spouse even so come Lord Jesus come quickly And thus I have spoken to you concerning Faith when the Apostle calls upon us to grow in Grace I have prest the duty with respect to this particular Grace of Faith and this know as I said in the beginning of the discourse That truly the growth of other Graces doth very much depend upon the growth of Faith and the reason why we are so low and poor in other Graces it is because our Faith is not better improved and raised up to a higher pitch But yet I would speak something concerning two or three other Graces and so endeavour to fasten this charge of the Apostle upon you Your duty is if you have Grace to grow in Grace do but think of it seriously and study to answer the duty of the Text Grow in Grace Grow in Faith I and know that it is your duty to grow in Love In Love to God in Love to Christ in Love to the Truth in Love to the Saints in Love with Heaven this is that that you should set your hearts unto Have you any thing of the Love of God in you If you know that it 's your duty to improve in that Love as you are taught of God to Love so you are taught of God to increase and abound in Love If there be a spark of Love in you to God you should labour to bless God for that but labour withal that that spark may be blown up into a flame Are you able to say with Peter if the question should be put to you as it was to him Simon Son of Jâ—…nah Lovest thou me You should be thinking with your selves if Christ should put such a question to you such a one Thomas John Brother Sister dost thou love me that you may be able to say without check of conscience Yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee It were very good for every one of us to be putting this question to our own hearts O my soul dost thou love God indeed art thou able to make a bold profession of thy love to God Doth not thy conscience tell thee that thou lyest when thou sayest thou lovest him and his Christ and his Spirit and his waies Dost thou indeed love him If we can say with boldness and without check and controul of conscience Lord thou knowest that I love thee Then I would say this to thee Dost thou love him O labour to love him more and more to love him with a more intire love with a more intensive love Love him with such a love that whatsoever duties he requires of thee thou mayest cheerfully apply to them O Lord I love thee and I so love thee that I think nothing too much to do for thee so love thee as that I think nothing too much to suffer for thee If thou call me to duty O Lord I love thee so dearly that I stick at nothing of duty O Lord I love thee with such an intire and an intensive love that I think nothing too much to suffer for thee such a love we should press to and improve to such a flame that we may be able to say all this is come upon us as the Church speaks in Ps. 44. yet have we not departed from thee noâ—… have we dealt falsely in thy Covenant this is the Love a flaming Love to God to Christ to the Truth to waies of Holyness such a Love as no waters may be able to quench And then thirdly Grow in Grace in what Grace O Christians if so be that you have any Fear of God in you look to it that that fear be a growing Fear I speak now of a holy fear a child-like fear a fear of Reverence a fear that is consistent with love The Fear of God it is a Grace which you should endeavour to grow in that it may be said of you that you Fear God I you fear God above many It 's an excellent testimony that 's given concerning one in the book of Neh. The testimony is given of him that he feared God and he feared God above many Now such a fear that we may go beyond others in their fear others have a fear of God to such or such a degree I but the fear in such a one is far passing the fear of others Such a fear of God we should endeavour to come to that when a temptation comes upon us and it comes with the greatest advantages consider of it and we have the fairest opportunities to commit the sin that we are tempted to such a fear we should endeavour to be possest withal that we may break the force and power of the temptation that it may not in the least fasten upon us Such a fear there was in Ioseph when the temptation was upon him só strong and comes upon him with so much advantage the fear of God was so strong upon his heart that he was inabled to bid defiance to the temptation and to quit himself in an honourable manner Such a Fear of God so improved and grown up to such a degree that when there are difficult duties before us to perform and such duties as we shall be in danger by performing of them to fall into deep and dreadful sufferings Such a Fear as let the danger be what it will that I may expose my self to in case I perform the duty yet the Fear of God is so strong upon my heart as that notwithstanding all the danger the duty shall be done This was the case of Obadiah there was a duty incumbent upon him and which he had opportunity to perform concerning the Prophets of the Lord He takes 100 of them and gets them into a Cave and there he feeds them by 50 in a Cave this was a very difficult and a dangerous duty it was as much as his life amounted to in case that Iezabel should have come to the knowledge of it I but notwithstanding the difficulty and the danger such was the fear of God in him that he was inabled to the performance of this duty and therefore he could speak boldly to Eliah in 1 Kin. 18. I thy Servant fear the Lord and that with such a fear thot when Iezabel slew the Prophets of the Lord I hid 100 of them by 50 in a Cave Such a fear we should labour to be possest withal as that when we are apt to be insnared and inslaved by the fear of men the fear of God may break the force of that fear Solomon tell us In the fear of man there is a snare and how apt are people to be ensnared by it I but now if the Fear of God were but well improved it would break the snare and swallow up the fear of man In the fear of man there is a snare But in the fear of the Lord there
is strong confidence these are two Proverbs that are worthy of our meditation now this is the fear that we should press after As in the case of the three Children that were required upon pain of being cast into a Fiery Furnace they must fall down and worship the Golden Image there was the fear of the King I but there was the fear of God so improved upon their hearts that they would not be inslaved nor insnared by the Kings fear And so the Disciples of our Lord when the charge was given them that they should preach no more in this Name they laboured to put them into a Fear and to over-awe them that they should let their cause fall and appear no more in the Name of Jesus I but mark how their spirits are kept up having the Fear of God strong upon their hearts they were inabled to break the snare and to go on in the way of their duty Such a Fear of God we should labour to be possest withal to grow up to such a degree that dutyes though difficult and dangerous may be performed and sins may be resisted and that the fear of man may be conquered Such a fear we should endeavour to grow in And then as our duty is to grow in the Grace of Faith of Love and of the Fear of God So our duty is to endeavour a growth in Holyness It is a mercy to have the least impress of Holyness upon our spirits I but our duty is to grow in Holyness If we be holy we should endeavour to be more holy according to that in Rev. 22. Leâ—… him that is Righteous be Righteous still let him be more Righteous Let him that is Holy be Holy still Let him be holy and holy and more and more holy and let him labour to better his Holyness and to grow up to a higher degree We are not only to look to the beginning of Holyness but to the progress and to the increases of it according to what the Apostle charges 2 Cor. 7. Having these promises let us cleanse our selves from all pollution of flesh and spirit Is there some filthyness cleansed away I but see that you cleanse your selves from all filthyness of flesh and spirit Is there Holyness begun in you I but see that you perfect Holyness in the Fear of God this is our duty thus to grow in Holyness I and so to be holy even as God is holy according to what the Lord requires not that we can come to such a perfection I but according to the state of a creature we should endeavour to be holy as God is holy As he is holy as a God so we should labour to be holy according to the state and measure of a creature We should endeavour after the highest degree of Holyness Grow in Holyness and to such a pitch of Holyness as that it may be said of us according to what our Saviour speaks of the Spouse Thou art all fair my Love and there is no spot in thee Our duty is to endeavour after such a degree of Holyness as that there may be no blemish but that we may be presented before God at last with exceeding joy Such a Holyness we should endeavour to press after as that we may be sensible of the least measure of corruption where there is but a little Grace corruptions and lusts in the stirrings of them are not so easily perceived But where there is most Grace there is most life and where there is most life there is most spiritual sense and feeling and there are none so sensible of corruption and stirrings of lust as those that have the most Grace in them there are secret motions of sin and corruption which it may be a person that hath but a lower measure and degree of Grace and Faith will not take any great notice of The motions and inward boylings of lusts and corruptions the lust of Uncleanness or of Pride or Covetounsess There 's many a stirring lust that a soul that either is in total want of Grace or hath but Grace in a lower measure or degree takes no great knowledge of I but when there comes to be a growth in Grace to a good degree O then every stirring of lust and corruption will be perceived and the soul will be up against it and endeavour a suppressing of it Such a growth in Grace and Holyness that there may be a sense of every lust and corruption a lust cannot stir in the soul but the soul is upon the back of it and endeavours to use all severity against it Such a growth in Holyness we should endeavour to that we may be most cordially complyant with all the Counsels of God and the more the will of God is manifested and made known to us the more we delight in it the more it is made to appear in the latitude of it and in the strictness of it the more our hearts are upon complyance with it Such a Holyness we should endeavour to press after as that we may be able to say there is a â—…ecret heart rising against every bubling of corruption Such a Holyness we should press after as that we can take the greatest delight in communion with God Such a Holyness as that we can long after Heaven and that because of the Holyness of it Such a degree of Holyness as that we may be able to say we are even weary of living here in this lower World because of the corruptions and lusts and prophaneness and abominable impieties that are committed here O this is the Holyness that we should endeavour to such a degree of Holyness as that we may be made every day more and more suitable to God and fitted to hold communion with the blessed God For this know that the more Holyness the more conformity to God and the more Holyness the more fitness for the most intimate communion with God And thus in these and all other Graces we should endeavour to gorw according to the charge of the Apostle here But grow in Grace I have thus been labouring with you according to my ability and pressing upon you to this purpose a growth in Grace a growth in Faith a growth in Love a growth in the Fear of God a growth in Holyness and so in other Graces which I might insist upon But I shall satisfie my self in having thus dealt with you concerning these particulars And in the General according to the expression of the Text Brethren this is your duty you that are sons and daughters of Grace this is the duty that is incumbent upon you and which is required of you You that lâ—…ave Grace your duty is to grow in Grace and endeavour such a growth in Grace that sin may be almost quite gone out of you thus it is so much as you have of Grace so much there is of a riddance of sin so much as there is a remaining of sin so much there is of the want of Grace Now
them as you can use as strict discipline upon your lusts and corruptions as you can O 't is this that doth do us a great deal of mischief and doth very much prejudice the soul that there is not a more through repenting and breaking off our corruptions and lusts Amnon's lustful love to his Sister Thamar it made him look lean from day to day I allude to it O saith he to him why do'st thou being the Kings Son look lean from day to day O saith he I love my Sister Thamar Why are Christians that are the Kings Sons and Daughters lean from day to day O! there 's something amiss something lyes within some lust and corruption that is not fully subdued This is that that causeth leanness in their faces And then thirdly have not you been directed to this That you would take heed of entertaining conceits of your own perfection that you would take heed of swelling thoughts of what you have already attained so as to fancy to your selves a perfection Keep your hearts in this apprehension as Paul doth I have not yet attained I am not yet perfect I am not so good as I should be and I am not so good as I am resolved to be and thereupon you will by Grace come to this resolve as Paul did I have not yet attain'd I am not yet perfect why then I will forget what is behind and I will reach to that which is before Your duty is to take knowledge of whatsoever Grace you have already received I but so take notice of it to be thankful as that you do not rest in it and say it is enough and I will look after no more But so bless God for what is already bestowed upon you that you still be pressing on for a larger supply and that you may come to be more and more improved in the Grace that is begun Fourthly I would add this in order to your growth that you may do according to your duty you and I that we may grow in Grace Will you but seriously propound this to your selves make it your business and resolve upon it that you will do your utmost to grow in Grace and to be every day better and better Natural growth that comes on whether we mind it or no. The child that 's conceived in the womb it minds not its growth when it s born and in its infancy it minds not its growth I but yet there is a growth and nature carries it on I but it is not so in Grace Growth in Grace must be minded and it must be attained and we must propound it to our selves that we may grow And truly I am perswaded if so be that Christians would but go to work like rational creatures like men that understood themselves in a religiously rational way if so be that they would but go to work as those that do with religious reason weigh and consider that this is their duty to grow and propound it and make it their design and resolve upon it to make a business of it that they may grow in Grace I am very consident of it that there would be better growth You know whether this be propounded by you that you may be better in your Faith and Love and Holyness that you may have more of God and of Christ more of the Kingdom of God more of the power of the Gospel be more in expressing these things Your Consciences can tell you whether you propound these things to your selves whether you can say Truly I am not so good as I would be I would be better and by the Grace of God I will be better I will endeavour to better my condition and to express more of the in-dwelling of Christ in me Undoubtedly if you would but resolve to make it a business it would be better with you than it is 5. If you desire to grow in Grace do but study what Grace is and if you have it what it is in you why is it not a lovely thing Do you know what Grace is a dramn of it is worth a 10000 Worlds O a little Faith a little Love a little of the Grace of God it is more precious than all the pâ—…arls and jewels in the whole World there 's nothing comparable to it Now if you have a little of this precious commodity why should not your hearts be set to this that you may have more of it And truly this would be a good conducement to the raising up of your hearts to an endeavour this way why this Grace is a precious thing a little I have gotten of it and it is so precious that I will not be contented with this little but I will labour to have as much of it as I can more love O more love never never never too much of that Sixthly If you would grow in Grace look to your union with Christ He is the head and you are the members if you are Beleevers Now the body grows by influence from the head Truly our growth it springs up from union with Christ If you abide in me and my words abide in you then it shall be well if so be that you hold the head 'T is an excellent expression you have in 2 Collos. the Apostle useth that expression of holding the head by vertue of which holding the head there comes to be an increasing with all the increase of God When thou art well skilled in this mysterie of holding the head in a dependance upon Christ drawing every day from the Lord Jesus not contenting himself with what he hath received but is still drawing and sucking from Christ the breasts of Christ. He is in the proper way of proficiency and improvement in Grace These are not empty notions no they are the things of the spirit of God the spirit of Wisdom doth suggest them to you and therefore let them be accordingly regarded and heeded by you Seventhly your duty is to grow and to grow in Grace In order to that I will tell you what will be a a good conducement labour to make it sure that you have Grace in the truth of it and be very much in that inquiry into your selves so as that you may be clear in this that you have the true Grace of God in you that it is the true Grace of God wherein you stand This is a good conducement to proficiency and growth in Grace when you come to know that there is a work begun For mark you if so be that a man be about a building and do question whether the foundation be well laid yea or no truly he can never go on so clearly and so dexterously in the carrying on of the building But if so be that he be well perswaded sufficiently satisfied concerning this that the foundation is well laid this will strengthen his hands for to go on in the work If so be that a man be upon a journey and question whether he be in the right
in respect of his spiritual stature in Christ Despise not O despise not the small things in others if God have given you a larger measure of his Spirit and Grace but rather improve your strength for them that have not come to your pitch if so be that you be stronger than they let them have the benefit of your strength knowing that they have an interest in your Graces and they should have the fruit and benefit of them together with you And then withal such as may be improved in Grace and of a good growth let such yet for all that not rest in that which they have attained but still as Paul professeth concerning himself be forgetting what is behind and reaching out to that which is before pressing towards the mark because whatsoever you have yet you may have more and till you be perfect in Christ you must never cease your endeavours but be still pressing on after larger measures and that you may come to your perfection and to the full stature that you are appointed to in Christ. And then withal reckon upon this as your duty such as are well grown in Grace and Godlyness do not reckon upon it that you will now have freedom from temptations nay rather look for the greater temptations because that God doth usually lay the greatest burthens upon the strongest shoulders Weaker Christians they shall have their temptations proportionable to their strength men of greater strength and abilities in Grace must reckon upon it to be put the harder to it and to have the greater tryals considering that they have received a greater measure of Grace than others have And now Beloved I have done with this point wherein I have been somewhat large and have laid out the best of my endeavour that I might be so discours'd of as that you might come to be the more benefited by what I have had to speak You have heard that they that have Grace it is required of them and charged upon them that they be upon their growth Now remember O remember that this is the charge of God upon you you that are the sons and daughters of Grace that are called of God to the participation of Grace remember that this is your duty and God doth require it of you O now shall all that hath been preached to you from one morning to another pass away Let me but put it to your Consciences now truly I am apt to think that in the carrying on of this Discourse concerning growth in Grace I am apt to think that there are some of you how many I know not But I am apt to think that there are of you that have had some convincement upon your Consciences and that you may have cause to smite upon your hearts and to say O wretch that I am that I should be no better in Grace that my estate in Grace should be so low I am apt to think that you have had some touches upon your spirits upon this account and that withal you have been upon some resolves to set upon the business and to endeavour a growth to a higher degree and that you may be better Christians than you have been I am apt to think that you have had some movings upon your hearts hath it been so and will you let the cause fall again will you please your selves nay dare you please your selves in your lower measure having been convinc'd and awakened and made to apprehend what a blessed thing it is to be upon increases with the increase of God Hearing so much incouragement what incouragement there is to endeavour a growth in Grace dare you let this matter fall down again and your hearts flag within and not set to it with all your might that you might come to be improved Christians I beseech you consider well of it and know that God he takes notice of every message that he sends unto you of every Sermon that he provides to be preached unto you And O that this were but well considered that the Great God and our Lord Jesus Christ they have an eye upon us and observe how we carry our selves after we have heard such a Sermon such a duty God takes notice whether we walk in any suitableness to what is urged and charged upon us I tell you Brethren that God will not be Complemented withal O will we make it a matter of meer complement to come early in a morning and hear a Sermon and when we have heard it go away and when we have had our task set us never set about it Truly give me leave to say this to you you that are Masters and Mistresses you would not very well like a servant if he should only give you the hearing when you come and lay him out his work and say my servant this business I would have done and that business I would have done and your servant is present with you and gives you very patient hearing and doth privately attend to your charge but when you have given your command and laid your charge upon your servant and said I require this of you that you do such a piece of service at such a time this is the work of this day and when they have given you the hearing they go away and never set about their business nay scarce ever think of it after I know you would not like well of such a servant but think him more fit to be turned out of your service for to go and slight all that you require of them and charge upon them in way of duty and service Why can you think in your Consciences that God will take content in such kind of servants that come to attend upon him and to receive his charge and have the signification made to them of their duty as our Saviour saith you call me Lord and Master and you say well for so I am Now you come here and hear the will of your Lord and among other things he requires this of you that you set upon this great work of growth in Grace Now if you come to the Ordinances and hear what his good will and pleasure is concerning Faith and when you go away never regard what your duty is nor what your Master requires of you but you let all alone and rest in your hearing and never go about the work and business that is required of you do you think that God and Christ will be well pleased with this O is it likely that Christ will say to you in the great day of account Well done good and Faithful servant faithful servant faithful servant why this was all thou gavest me the hearing but thou did'st not go about my business I tell you Brethren our Preaching will come in as a witness against you and your hearing will be to your greater condemnation And therefore I beseech you that you would not receive the Grace of God in vain And so I have given now a dispatch unto this part
of the best things Knowledge of the Lord and Saviour and yet notwithstanding persons may perift and perish the more dreadfully And I add that place in Heb. 10. where the Apostle speaks to this purpose saith he If we sin wilfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of Iudgement and fiery Indignation which shall devour the adversaries There may be a receiving of the knowledge of the truth and yet a wilful sinning and so a fearful expectation and nothing but that remaining for them a fearful expectation of Judgement and fiery Indignation Now all this considered Knowledg I and knowledge of the best things it may be had and yet persons under the power of the Devil persons that after their escape from worldly intanglements may be brought again into sorer bondage their latter end worse than their beginning and they may fall under the deep and more dreadful damnation Now the improvement that we are to make of this is only thus O let us take heed of resting in our Knowledge and bearing upon this that we are knowing men and knowing women able to discourse of the things of God and the mysteries of Religion O take heed of this considering what hath been now spoken to you that you may have a great measure of Knowledge and yet be meer strangers unto saving Grace far be it from me to speak a tittle to the disparagement of Knowledge but rather most vigorously to press your pursuance of it and that you endeavour after it as I shall perform to that purpose afterwards know that it is not good that the mind be without knowledge saith Solomon nay the heart cannot be good without Knowledge you cannot believe without Knowledge you cannot pray without Knowledge you cannot live without Knowledge you must have Knowledge or else you will never be sav'd O Ignorance it is of it self a damning sin only thus rest not in your Knowledge rest not in this that you have a light in your head but look to it that you have Grace in your hearts Look to this that you know and know to love and know so as that you may believe and live if you know these things saith our SAVIOUR happy are ye if you do them If you know the truth and know it in truth of heart as the Apostle speaks Since ye know the Grace of God in truth know it to be the truth and know it in the truth of your hearts O this is that that we should mind Truly that you may know for practice and the truth is you know no more to purpose than you know to practice And it is of sad consideration that which I have now to speak unto you it is of sad consideration that that knowledge which men and women attain to of God and Christ and Gospel-mysteries if so be that it be not reduc'd to practice if there be not a due improvement of it if there be a Science and not Conseience a Science and not a Conscience to make use of the knowledge it is of sad consideration that that I have now to say The day will come when all the Knowledge that you have gotten of Christ and of the mysteries of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God that knowledge will turn upon you and it will be to your everlasting torment O tremble at the thought of it This is the torment and will eternally be the torment of the damned in Hell that they had knowledge great measures of knowledge and yet notwithstanding did not improve their knowledge did not reduce it to practice they had light but did not live up to their light they knew the will of God O but they were not conscientiously careful to perform and do the will of God O this this will be the torment the Conscience of a man will be an eternal fury to him and it will everlastingly torment him when it shall tell him Did'st not thou know that Christ was given to save sinners and to save from sin Did'st not thou know that the Grace of God that brings Salvation it did teach to deny all ungodlyness and worldly lusts thou knowest this thou knowest that it was thy duty to live thus and thus to walk with God to deny thy self to cross thy corruptions it was thy duty to study to approve thy self to God and to keep a clear Conscience It was thy duty to own Christ in an hour of temptation did'st not thou know this to be thy duty Conscience will thus charge upon thee and then you shall know it O! how did this torment Iudas on this side Hell before he came there Oh! I know my Master was an innocent person and yet notwithstanding contrary to my knowledge I went and betrayed him into the hands of sinners O how did this torment Esau on this side Hell he knew that the Birth-right and the Blessing were things to be highly valued the temptation comes upon him he was a little pinch'd with hunger and Iacob takes the advantage there was a mysterie of Providence in it of his exigence and gets away his Birth-right from him But when the time comes that the Blessing was gone then Esau knows O this knowledge torments him that he knew the Birth-right what it was and how it ought to be accounted of and yet notwithstanding he past it away for a trifle O Conscience will torment another day when a man shall come to have his knowledge set a work I know that Christ was a precious Christ that Grace it was better than Gold I had conviction upon my Conscience and yet notwithstanding I chose the World rather than Christ I preferred my lusts and corruptions before the Lord Jesus I knew this to be my duty but I made no conscience of performing my duty Well the Lord set these things home upon every one of us and that we may be wise for our souls and take heed of resting in what we know but look to it that we have such a Knowledge as is accompanied with Grace such a Knowledge as is sanctified to us by Grace And this now I speak upon occasion of this Question SERM. IX 2 Pet. 3. 18. And in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. THree things seem to lye in the Text. First that it is God's will and Saints duty As to grow in Grace so to grow in Knowledge 2. That it is the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ which is the special Knowledge wherein Saints and Beleevers ought to grow 3. They that mind growth in Grace must in order thereunto endeavour a growth in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. First of all it is the good will of God and a Saints duty to grow in Knowledge God would have his people to be a knowing people a well-knowing people God doth take no pleasure in a people that pretend to Him and profess his Name
and are yet under a black vail of ignorance they are not a people for His purpose Beleevers they are said to be light you were sometimes darkness but now are ye light in the Lord. The light of a Beleever it should be a growing light he should be like the Sun that shines out more and more unto the perfect day It is not enough to know but it is our duty to follow on to know you have that expression in Hos. 6. Then shall we know if we follow on to know the Lord. It 's not enough to begin to know to set foot upon the way of knowledge but we must travel on in that way follow on to know the Lord. This was that which the Apostle Paul doth earnestly pray for in the behalf of the Church of Collos Chap. 1. ver 9. That they might be filled in the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding and that they might be fruitful and walk in all well-pleasing increasing in the knowledge of God This is the will of God and this is the duty of a Saint and Beleever I speak of growth in Knowledge you will understand it to be meant of Divine Knowledge Religious Knowledge There is a knowledge of humane things a knowledge of Arts and Sciences knowledge and skill in mysteries and trades knowledge in civil affairs a knowledge that concerns worldly negotiations and transactions of affairs in Kingdoms and Nations here below But this though it be a useful knowledge in its kind yet this is not the knowledge that we have now under consideration but it is a Divine Knowledge a Scripture Knowledge a Knowledge of the things of God and that concern Religion and in such Knowledge it is our duty to endeavour a growth And it may very well be required of those that do know that they still know more and more that they that have any Knowledge should endeavour a growth in that Knowledge in general this reason may well pass for it We do know but in part when we know at the most when we have the most of Knowledge yet alas how little is it that we know in comparison of what is to be known I remember there is an expression to such a purpose in Iob how little a matter is known of God and of the things of God Ah! Oh little that truly gracious souls have been and will be apt to be much in sad complaining that they know so little as they do I find the holy man in Prov. 30. complaining there O saith he I have not in me the understanding of man I have not saith he attained the knowledge of the holy So foolish was I saith another and ignorant I was even as a beast before thee Such complaints holy men have powred out before the Lord therefore being we know but in part and it is such an inconsiderable part that we have of knowledge that truly it may well be required of us that we endeavour a growth But I shall offer to you and yet but briefly because I drive at the next things most specially some further considerations which if you do but well and seriously ponder you will see strong reason to indear Knowledge and to endeavour a growth in Knowledge First of all besides the general account that I have given you that we know but in part but now thus more particularly The more that we grow in Knowledge the more shall we resemble God for God is a God of Knowledge that 's the title that is given him in 1 Sam. 2. The Lord is a God of Knowledge and he then accounts his people to be in a due resemblance of him when they come to be a knowing people the Image of God it is consistent in Knowledge as well as in Righteousness and Grace The Apostle speaks concerning the renewing of the mind which is renewed after God in Knowledge and we never come to resemble God as we ought unless we come to be a people well furnished with the Knowledge of God and the things of God 2. I add this further it may well be required that there be a growth in Knowledge because it is a part of the rich treasure which is laid up in Christ for the inrichment of the souls of his redeemed ones The Apostle tells us that in Christ are hid all the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge so that Knowledge is one part of the rich treasure which is hid in Christ and the more we grow in Knowledge the larger share we have in that rich treasure that is in Christ. Reason then there is that there should be an endeavouring of a growth in Knowledge 3. And then add yet further the more we grow in Knowledge the more able shall be to discern of sin and make a judgement upon that How often are those things that are no sins judged to be sins and those things that are sins judged to be none at all And whence is it but through a defectiveness in Knowledge Sometimes and often it comes to pass that tender Consciences for want of due light tender and scrupulous Consciences they are wonderful apt for to make those things to be sins which God and his Law never makes And so sometimes with hypocrites as in our Saviours time O what a matter was it among the Pharises to eat with unwashen hands which was no sin and to drink in unwashen cups and this and that Thus it is sometimes with hypocrites and I might instance in sundry particulars And so in the case of scrupulous Consciences how many are there that are apt to reckon those things to be sins and startle at which indeed are no sins As now many through tenderness of Conscience are fearful to take that liberty in meats and drinks which Christ hath purchased for them How many out of a tenderness and scrupulousness of Conscience though necessity have required it have been afraid to take any bodily refreshing in the day wherein they were to partake of the supper of the Lord before they have eaten at that table afraid lest they should sin against God in taking something for necessary refreshing of the body a sin in their account which is no sin in it self at all So I might instance in sundry particulars So on the contrary How many are there that reckon those to be duties which are very dreadful provocations of the Great Majesty of Heaven Mark what our Saviour speaks in Iob. 16. the begin They shall cast you out of the Synagogues they shall excommunicate you I the time will come when they that kill you will think they do God service so far from looking upon it as a sin to revile reproach excommunicate imprison and kill the Servants of Christ and those that bear and hold forth his name so far from reckoning these things to be sin that they look upon them as good service to God Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan and hast a Devil Why they were so
far from reckoning it to be a sin that they look upon it as a duty Now whence is this but through ignorance Sometimes indeed it is through wilful ignorance but mostly through gross ignorance and our Saviour gives this reason These things shall they do because they know neither the Father nor me they know us not they do not know who are the people of God they will reckon you to be the base spawn of Hell the childern of the Devil though themselves are so yet they will reckon you to be so they reckon upon you to be the scumm and off-scowring of the World Now because they know not me nor my Father therefore they will do these things and they reckon upon it that they do God very good service And this was the case of Paul I verily thought saith he That I ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus saith he I thought it was my duty to cry down the Name of Christ and to cry down the Doctrine of Christ and to cry down the Professors of the Gospel of Christ I verily thought with my self that I ought to do these things I did not look upon these things to be sin saith he I was a Persecuter and a Blasphemer and Injurious I but I did not know that it was persecution and blasphemy and injury I did these things ignorantly saith he it was for want of Knowledge because I was not laid in with Knowledge as I should have been that I did these things So that we had need then to grow in Knowledge for the more we grow in Knowledge the more able shall we be to make a judgement of sin And so on the contrary a judgment of Graces The more we grow in Knowledge the better shall we be to make a judgment of Graces Alas how many are there that through want of Knowledge not being duly informed and improved in their knowledge they do run upon most gross and dangerous mistakes take that to be saving Grace which indeed is nothing so and that to be Holiness which is nothing else but a very shew and resemblance of Holiness that to be love of God and of Christ and faith in God which is nothing so O the dangerous mistakes which poor souls do run upon they do verily think that they do Believe and that they have Repented and that they trust in God and bear a love to Christ and that they bear a love to Godliness they are strong in that perswasion and yet they run upon dangerous mistakes and all because there is a deficiency in their Knowledge They are not so duly improved in knowledge as that they be able to make a judgment of Sin and of Grace And so for Duties We had need to indeavour a growth in Knowledge that so we may be the better able to judge of Duties when they are Duties performed according to God Alas how many think they perform Duties in most acceptable manner to God when they do no other than offer the Sacrifice of fools They think they pray and pray pleasing and hear and hear in a right manner come to the Table of the Lord and think they do excellent good service to Jesus Christ and that which he will accept of when in the mean while they do profane his Name and offer indignity to him they wound him again they Crucifie him they become guilty of his very Body and Blood and yet all the while they think that they quit themselves in a very fair commendable and comely manner and all because of a want of Knowledge they do not understand the mystery of the Gospel and of Godliness and of Gospel-worship they do not understand the way of the Lord therefore in that regard there is great reason that Christians should indeavour a growth in Knowledge 4. I add yet further Well it may be required of Believers that they grow in Knowledge because by their growth in Knowledge they shall be the better able to manage their affections and passions Alas Brethren we may know and it may be do in sad experience what unruly things affections and passions are and how apt like untamed Horses to ride over Hedge and Ditch and to be kept within no due bounds and why this For want of Knowledge because there is not the bridle of Knowledge and Understanding to rein the affections and passions As now to instance Alas how many are there that are inordinate in their Love In their love to Creatures to Children Husbands Wives and all for Want of Knowledge because they do not know the true state of these things and how their love ought to be managed And so for Fear O how apt is our Fear to go beyond its bounds And our Desires how apt are we how irregular and inordinate in them And so in our Zeal Zeal like fire that is very useful while it 's kept in its place but when it comes to break up to the top of the House that threatens firing of all Now all this is for want of the due knowledge of God and Christ and of the state of things about which our affections are exercised and imployed and therefore you shall find this That God doth require in his Word that our affections should be managed with knowledge and judgement I tell you Brethren the best love is a judicious love a love with knowledge and therefore you shall find in 1 Phil. the Apostle praies and requires that their love might abâ—…nd it all knowledge and in all judgement Why it is nothing for a man to have an ignorant blind love an injudicious love God doth not value such a love It is the knowing Love the well created Love the Love that a man can give a reason of the judicious Love that is the Love which God values That your Love may abound in all Knowledge And so likewise Zeal the Apostle speaks concerning his Brethren They have a Zeal of God O they are mighty hot and zealous But saith he Their Zeal is not according to Knowledge And so for Desire Truly by having a well improved Knowledge a Knowledge that is well grown we shall be the better able to manage these affections of Love Zeal Delight Desire Fear and Joy all the Affections they will be the better ordered in case that our Knowledge be well improved And that 's another Reason 5. Again Well may it be required of Christians that they grow in Knowledge because by their growing in Knowledge they shall be the better able for to order their Words Speeches and Discourses O what irregularities are there in the Tongue The Tongue is an unruly evil full of deadly poyson I but from hence it comes very much it 's for want of a well digested knowledge apt we are to sin and offend in wanton speeches lustful lascivious speeches and by language of swearing and the like O the manifold evils that break out from the Tongue And truly much what upon that account because there
is not knowledge to regulate the Tongue so as that we may come to understand what is fit Language for us to speak 6. Well may it be required that we indeavour a growth in Knowledge for the more Christians grow in knowledge the more fit will they be for to judge of Gods providential Dispensations Alas how often do we misinterpret God and his dealings and pass very hard and sharp censures upon them we are apt to do so and to deal very dishonourably with God concerning his dealings and Dispensations And why It is for want of Knowledge It is a people that do err in their heart they were ever and anon quarrelling with God according to that passage that you have in Psal. 45. Forty years long was I grieved with this Generation they tempted me proved me and saw my works and they were censuring me for this and that because I brought them out of Egypt and carried them into the Wilderness And saith he It is a people that do err in their heart And the reason is this They have not known my wayes It is through ignorance and for want of a due Information concerning me that they run upon these dangerous wayes And this was Job's case though other wayes a knowing man yet not altogether so compleated in his Knowledge as he should have been But the Lord comes upon him and expestulates the case with him Who is that that darkneth counsel by words without knowledge Words I words hard words censorious passages drop from his mouth I but they are words without knowledge That 's another thing we shall be better able to judge of Providences though they be very mysterious when we come to be well improved in our Knowledge concerning God whose wayes are in the Sea and whose paths are in the great deeps and by knowing aright concerning God we shall be the beâ—… able to make a judgment of his Dispensations 7. Well may it be required of Christians and Believers that they grow in Knowledge because that by growing in knowledge they shall be the better able for to manage all those Places and Conditions and Relations which they are planted under As now Those that are Fathers Mothers Masters Servants Husbands Wives there is very much lyes upon them to do each in their place station and relation that they may beautifie them and have the blessing of God upon them in those Relations under which they are planted There is very much lyes upon us and I beseech you consider well of it I say that much of the power of Godliness it lyes in the well managing of our particular Places and Relations when men are godly as Husbands as Wives as Masters as Servants as Parents as Children much of Godliness doth lye in the well managing of these Relations And when we are conscientiously careful to fill up these Relations truly we then beautifie them and we adorn our holy Profession I but how shall this come to pass unless that we be a People of a well improved Knowledge Alas if we do not know our Duties in our Places what belongs to me as a Husband as a Wife as a Father as a Child as a Master if I have not a well improved Knowledge concerning my Duty in my Relation I shall never be able to perform it Truly thus it is and therefore you shall find that the Apostle in 1 Pet. 3. he requires this on the Husbands part That he should dwell with the Wife as a man of Knowledge that he may know how to go in and out before his Yoke-fellow and before his Family And so a Wife a Woman of Knowledge that she may carry her self towards her Husband in a becoming manner and towards her Family-A Master a man of Knowledge that he may understand wâ—… is his Duty as a Master and carry it accordingly A Servant a man of Knowledge a woman of Knowledge And so a Father a Child they should labour after the knowledge of their Duties in their Places and Relations that accordingly they may carry themselves So that now lay all these several Particulars that I have propounded to you together and truly you cannot but stand convinc'd surely of this That it is God's will and it is Saints Duty and well may it be required of them as their Duty that they endeavour to indear Knowledge and endeavour a growth in their Knowledge I Brethren that is it which firstly I have been sent to communicate unto you That your Duty is to grow in Knowledge upon all these accounts upon the account that you know but in part and it 's but a little part And then the more you grow in Knowledge the more you have of the Image of God The more you grow in Knowledge the more will you have of that rich Treasure that 's laid up in Jesus Christ. And then the more you grow in Knowledge the more fit will you be to make a Judgment of sins what are sins and what are not sins The more able will you be to make a Judgment of Graces what are such and what are not The more able will you be to judge of Duties what are Duties and when duly managed The more able will you be to manage your passions and affections which for want of Knowledge are many times inordinate and exorbitant The more able will you be to rule your tongues and speeches The more able will you be to make a Judgment of the Providences of God and to carry it becomingly under them The more able will you be to manage those Places and Relations under which you are planted Now do but weigh these things well and you will see reason to seek out for Knowledge that if you know yet you had need to follow on to know more and more But that 's not all I propound 2ly That as it is a Duty incumbent upon a Christian to endeavour a growth in Knowledge so especially in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Oh this is the growth this is the Knowledge which is especially to be endeared and a growth wherein is in special manner to be endeavoured Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ however it be in respect of other knowledge yet that Knowledge you had need look to that you may be Profiâ—…ionts in Why First of all that I may convince you now of this If it be the good will of God that you may come under the power of an effectual convincement as to this That this Knowledge you are to endeavour a growth in I may very fitly make use of that which I gave in the former Doctrine I told you that we know but in part O Brethren we know Christ but in part as we know little of God as touching his infinite glorious Essence and Being O we know but little of Christ O 't is a Mysterie The Knowledge of Christ is a Mysterie Oh 't is a hidden Mysterie it was kept hid from Ages and Generations Oh it
requiries he must comport truly he had need to know him well that he is such a one as will require nothing but that which is just and righteous and that which is fit for him to comply withal Now the case stands thus between Christ and a Beleever therefore he had need endeavour to be well-knowing of Christ what a one he is that he is most righteous and just in all his requiries and that he will put us upon no service but what is for his honour and for our benefit that so knowing what a one he is we may be the more free to yield up our selves unto and without any further dispute to apply to his counsels and commands And then I add this further it is a duty that lies upon Beleevers as to place their trust in Christ and to set their love upon Christ and to yield up themselves in duty and obedience to Christ so likewise to incourage themselves to suffering for Christ let the suffering be what it will to suffer loss suffer shame suffer pain any thing that Christ doth call them out to the suffering of they are bound for to comport with him in and to yield up themselves unto the bearing of whatsoever burden he laies upon them If any man will be my Disciple let him deny himself and take up his cross let the Cross be what it will if it be the Cross of Christ truly it must be taken up this is incumbent upon every Beleever as his duty startle at nothing of difficulty danger and sufferings that we may be put upon for the sake of Jesus Christ. Willing to suffer the spoyling of Goods the loss of our Estates to suffer shame for his Name to suffer death if he call us to it Now consider then how strongly the Argument will rise from hence truly it 's to good purpose that we should endeavour to grow in the knowledge of Christ. Truly I had need look well to it whom I suffer for if so be that I know that if I will ingage in such a Relation either as a Wife or as a Servant I shall be sure to undergo a great deal of suffering upon the account of the Relation under which I pass truly I had need well to know the persons on whose sake and behalf and account I am like to suffer so much whether I shall not have cause to be ashamed of my suffering Now in this regard it concerns the Saints and people of God to endeavour after a well-improved knowledge of Christ that so when they come to suffer for his Name and Truth and Gospel and waies they may bear up with confidence and boldness and not be ashamed and say as the Apostle speaks and it 's an excellent passage to this purpose 2 Tim. 1. I suffer these things saith he but I am not ashamed I suffer as an evil doer unto bonds and I undergo these and these reproaches and scorns for the sake of Christ I suffer these things but I am not ashamed O I know in whom I have believed I know who it is for whom I suffer I suffer on the behalf and for the sake of such a one as will make up all to me I shall never have cause to be ashamed of the shame and of the pain and of the reproaches and scorns that I undergo for the sake of Jesus Christ. No this was that that made the Apostles in Acts 5. to go away from the Councel rejoycing that they were accounted worthy to suffer shame for the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And truly Brethren in these regards now there is very great reason that Bâ—…leevers should study the knowledge of Christ and labour to be well improved in it and that in regard of their trust and of their love and of their duty and of their suffering which they are to resolve upon for the sake of Jesus Christ. Alas it is the madness of the World that they will put their trust and place their confidence in those things which they have no knowledge of they have no knowledge of them that they will be responsible to them nor answer their expectation and so it is the dishonour of men as it was in the case of the Israelites they would put their trust and confidence in Egypt a broken reed they knew not Egypt they knew not what disappointments were in Egypt It is the dishonour of men that they will pass their love and place their affections upon those things they know not do service to those things they know not be willing to suffer for those they know not Did men know what vain things riches pleasures worldly interests were and what little account there is to be made of them did they but know them within and without through and through they would never carry it towards them as they do never place their trust and set their hearts so much upon them And it is that that will be the shame and confusion of worldly minded persons the Lord give us wisdom to consider of it in time at last when they shall come to see what the object is that they have plac'd their trust and set their hearts upon O beast O mad wretch that I was that I should go and put my trust in a thing that cannot profit me that can stand me in no stead I trusted in my uncertain riches uncertain they were and altogether irresponsible to the confidence that I placed in them I set my love upon this and that this base and beggerly lust O it 's base things and worthy to be hated I spent my time and laid out my strength for such and such things I thought they would be very contentful in the enjoyment But alas I find I have laid out my money for that I see is no bread and for that will yield me no profit at all This will be the consutation of the World Yet further That we may stand the more fully convinc'd of this as our Duty to endeavour a growth in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ The very Knowledge it self or the subject matter of this Knowledge doth exceeding strongly and loudly bespeak a Believers endeavour this way The subject matter of this Knowledge I told you before That Christ is the subject matter and that speaks the excellency of the Knowledge But now besides The subject matter of this Knowledge duly weighed and considered it doth bespeak a Believers endeavours after the Improvement of this Knowledge For consider The Knowledge of Christ it is Knowledge in a Mysterie and the Mysterie concerning Christ it is such a Mysterie as hath heights and depths and breadths and lengths it hath all dimensions I and beyond comprehension That Scripture which in the carrying on of this Discoursâ—… I may have occasion to give you a more full account of than now I can but I hint at it now upon the account that I am speaking In Eph 3. The Apostle prays That they might comprehend
with all the Saints what is the height and depth and breadth and length And saith he That you may know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge There is saith he in the Knowledge of Christ heights and depths and breadths and lengths and particularly in the knowledge of his Love and it is such a Love as passeth Knowledge Now do but argue thus Is there such a Mysterie Are there such depths in this Knowledge Tâ—…n certainly we had need to set to it that we do endeavour for to grow up in this Knowledge that we may be as comprehensive of it as possible we can this is our Duty As now to instance in some Particulars The Apostle speaks concerning this Mysterie in Col. 1. speaking there of the Mysterie Which saith he is Christ in you the hope of Glory O Brethren do you know the meaning of this It may be you think you do but I say I am sufficiently warranted to say If any man think he knoweth any thing he knows nothing as he ought Do you know the interpretation of this Christ in you the hope of Glory This is the Mysterie the Apostle calls it so You may be apt to think you can reach the bottom of this Christ and Christ in you and Christ in you the hope of Glory Alas we are apt to put our selves off with a little sip of the Cup we go as it were with the top of the lip and give a touch upon that which would cover head and shoulders and all we might stand under these waters they are so deep Such a word as this it bespeaks our search and disquisition and inquiry and to set in with God O but Lord What 's the meaning of this Christ in you and Christ in you the hope of Glory This bespeaks our endeavour after the Knowledge of Christ. Here I might fall upon sundry other Particulars as this belongs to the Knowledge of Christ according to the Apostles account in Eph. 3. he speaks there of the Mysterie which was kept secret from Ages and Generations And saith he Was not so made known as it is now to his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit What 's this Mysterie That the Gentiles should be fellow-Heirs of the same Body partakers of his Promise in Christ by the Gospel That is a Mysterie and this bespeaks our endeavour after a growth in knowledge even the Knowledge of Christ for this belongs to the Knowledge of Christ. Christ will be considered as mystical Christ he will be made up of Jew and Gentile the middle Wall being broken down a Mysterie hidden from Ages and Generations but it 's made known I but how little a thing is known even of this And then I add withal The Mysterie it was the mysterie concerning the Gentiles that they should come in to be fellow-Heirs It 's the Mysterie with respect to the Iews So the Apostle calls it in Rom. 11. This Mysterie I would not have you ignorant of lest you should be wise in your own conceits that blindness in part is happened to the Iews until the fulness of the Gentiles come in and then all Israel shall be saved Here 's a Mysterie Now these Mysteries bespeak our serious endeavour that we may come to grow in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. And then the Mysterie concerning the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus the Administration of it the delivery of it upon the Administration of it to the Father The Apostle holds forth these Mysteries The Mysterie of the Kingdom the new Heavens and the new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness which belongs to the Knowledge of Jesus Christ. And then the delivering up of the Kingdom to the Father that God may be All in all when Christ hath performed the Administration of the Kingdom Now I say these are Mysteries belonging to the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ which do all of them loudly bespeak our most sedulous endeavours after a growth in this blessed Knowledge And to add no more consider that passage of the Apostle in 1 Tim. 3. the latter end Great is the mysterie of godliness What 's that God was manifest in the flesh iustified in the Spirit seen of Angels preached to the Gentiles believed on in the World received up into Glory Have we comprehended have we attained The Apostle Paul was far from thinking so according to that account of him Nâ—… as if I had already attained or were already perfect What have we got to the bottom of these Mysteries Are we able to fathom the depth of them O how little a thing do we know of these things It was a good saying of one of the Ancients Many things because of the customary mentioning of them they are slighted which if they were but seriously weighed would cause admiration to astonishment God manifested in the flesh Why it 's a Mystery that we may bestow a whole Age of a thousand years in studying and never be able to come to the full understanding of Angels desire to look into these things Now upon these accounts upon the account of the subject matter of the Knowledge of Christ it may well be required of Believers that they do their utmost endeavour that they may grow in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I shall close up for the present only with this one Argument further It is the Saints duty to endeavour a Knowledge in the growth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for otherwise truly we do not answer the provision that God hath made to such a purpose we walk unworthy of the Goodness and Grace of God which hath discovered it self this way in order to such a growth For mark you In the beginning of the World upon the fall of Adam the Gospel it was but whispered Whisper there was something darkly secretly and couchantly if I may so speak was hinted out The seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head here was all the Gospel was given out at first Afterwards there began to be a little more discovery made of it to Abraham Isaac and Iacob Afterwards in Moses time and in Moses days there came to be a little more full explanation afterwards in the times of the Prophets clearer clearer discoveries But in the time of the Gospel when Christ came then the Day star arises nay the Sun of Righteousness breaks out and now we have clearer and clearer discoveries of the Mysterie concerning our Lord Jesus And mark you when Christ goes to Heaven he sends a token of his love to his Church and People a Book of Mysteries of Mysteries concerning the Knowledge of himself and provides this very Book that we might come to be well improved in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Now consider this For as much as the Lord hath in his Wisdom out of his rich bounty hath been pleased thus to provide and to order out that there should be such means and helps for
our Improvement in the knowledge of Christ truly we walk unworthy of this provision if we do not put on with all industriousness to such a purpose that we may grow in the Knowledge of God Let me but express my self thus If so be you have a Vessel moving upon the waters if the water be shallow and it be a low water the Vessel is ready to touch upon the ground but if so be the water grow higher and higher and the Tyde comes in and springs up then the Vessel rises higher and higher So should it be with the souls of Believers being that God hath made a stream come in more strongly and the Tyde to rise higher as he hath done in the course of holy Scripture truly the endeavour of a Christian should be sutable to such provision he should endeavour to be upon his Improvements and to grow in the Knowledge of Christ. These things being thus accounted to you in order to your convincement that we should endeavour a growth in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour I should now come to tell you what this Knowledge is for the nature of it I must tell you this That truly there are many have the Knowledge of Christ and are grown up to a great measure of it and yet for all that their Knowledge will be their confutation at last I must tell you this That howsoever we may be apt to lift up our selves in high conceits of our Knowledge yet the very Devils are exceeding much in their Knowledge of Christ We know thee who thou art The holy one of God I tell you There 's never a Devil that 's now under the chains of darkness but they can speak most learnedly concerning the Lord Jesus concerning his Person concerning his Nature concerning his Office And how many learned men are there that are able to discourse concerning Christ concerning his Incarnation and concerning his Death and Resurrection and Ascension and this and that and are able to inlarge themselves this way and yet they do many of them go down with their Knowledge to Hell Therefore it is necessary for us to be well instructed in this Point that we may know what this Knowledge is I would have spoken something to it only thus It is not a notional Knowledge Take heed of a notional historical Knowledge a Knowledge that you attain unto meerly by common report and by a common eradiation of the Understanding but look to it that it be a Heart-knowledge a cordial Knowledge a practical Knowledge such a Knowledge as is a transforming Knowledge For the truth on 't is If any man think he knows any thing of Christ he knows nothing as he ought to know if his Knowledge don't transform him This is the ruine of souls They know much of Christ they are able to discourse of the Doctrine of Justification and Sanctification and of Adoption and other Mysteries of the Gospel and all lies floating in the brain and that 's nothing of its effectual operation upon the heart and conscience of a sinner This is that that I would a little further speak to you about that so we may not mistake our selves and go with a Knowledge that lies dead upon our hands and so come to fall under the deep and most dreadful ruine SERM. XI I Was speaking concerning this Knowledge for the kind of it Now I would strengthen this cause I have in hand concerning the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I would strengthen the cause what I could and I shall do my best endeavour that you may be as fully convinc'd as may be How much it concerns Believers and Saints to grow in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Besides all that hath been already spoken to the purpose which indeed doth carry very convincing light with it and is beyond all gain-saying There is besides all that hath been already spoken some things further to be held forth unto you whereby you may yet stand more fully convinc'd of it That the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus is a Knowledge that we should vigorously endeavour a growth and Improvement in As now to instance Having spoken the last time of things that concern us in reference to Christ so I shall now further communicate those things to you that concern this matter in reference to our selves If so be we be but that we profess to be if we be such as have the faith of the Gospel and are planted under the hopes of the Gospel truly it doth very much concern us in respect of our selves to endeavour vigorously a growth in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and that in these several respects which I would intreat you seriously to weigh and consider As First Our Duty is to endeavour a growth in th Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. First That we may be men and women of more able Judgments be more Judicious and able to manage our Judgment of things 2. That we may have the more benefit and comfort of our Consciences and with respect to our consciences our duty is to endeavour a growth in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 3. With respect unto Gospel-grace and that there may be an increase in it 4. With respect unto Gospel-priviledges and Benefits and Comforts 5. With respect to gospel-Gospel-duties 6. With respect unto a Gospel-conversation In the general these things I now do further offer to your consideration and shall endeavour to give some insight into them and what they do import that so if the Lord will please to prosper my endeavours among you that you may come to set on more strenuously with strength and endeavour after a growth in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Consider first It is required of us such as profess Godliness and the Faith of the Gospel that they be a wise judicious and understanding People Be not saith the Apostle unwise but understanding what the will of the Lord is 'T is that which hath been earnestly prayed for So David Thy hands have made me and fashioned me give me understanding How earnest was Solomon in that behalf that he would give him a wise and an understanding heart How earnest was Paul with God on the behalf of the Church of the Ephesians That their understandings might be enlightned God would have his People to be like himself he is a judicious God a God of Judgment and he would have his People to be an understanding and judicious People of discerning spirits able to make a right Judgment of persons and persons of things and things This is the Will of God Now consider There is no Knowledge in all the World that contributes so much to this that we may come to be a wise understanding and judicious People as the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ doth I remember what Moses speaks in Deut. 4. That they should be acknowledged upon the account
is to be known concerning our Lord Jesus That he hath had a deep experience of prayer and of the difficulties of it and temptations which the soul is subject to meet withal in the management of prayer all this is known to Christ So far as a holy nature could have personal experience of such difficulties and such temptations so far hath our Lord Jesus in his own person experimented this matter concerning prayer Now the knowledge of this the well digested knowledge of this That Christ was a man of prayer and that he hath had experience of prayer and knows what there is of difficulty in prayer and what sore temptations hang upon prayer and what a desperate enemy the Devil is to prayer he knows all this and he hath a sense upon his heart and a knowledge of all the strugling and wrestling in the hearts and spirits of his praying People here upon earth This is that that is to be known concerning our Lord Jesus Christ he hath a deep sense of all the strugglings and wrestlings of the spirits of his People here on earth and is perfectly knowing of all the opposition which they meet withal in the way of prayer and supplication and how the Devil doth set himself against his Saints and what incounters they meet withal from unbelief and the corruptions that are within how apt to fall under deep discouragement and despondency of spirit He knows all this and to this purpose that he might pity and compassionate his People O this is that which is to be known concerning Jesus Christ in Heaven and even now he is in glory that he hath a sense of all this upon his spirit and is privy to every prayer that his poor humble broken-hearted conflicting people do make up to God and is at Gods right hand ingaged to stand their prayers in stead and to promote the success of them and to take them from their hands as the blessed high-priest of their profession and to perfume them in his golden Sencer with his odours the odours of his intercession This is that that is to be known concerning our Lord Jesus Christ and O how doth this knowledge well digested a soul being well advanced in it how will it find this Knowledge largely contributing to the promoting of this Duty Do but weigh these things in your Consciences whether this 〈◊〉 not be a very great conducement to the more lively managing of our prayers and that we would not trifle with God when we are exercised in such a Service And then again for that noble Gospel-Service and Duty of Praise and Blessing of God The more the soul doth improve and grow in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the more vvill there be of loveliness and activity and inlargedness for the management of that Truly Brethren it is that vvhich vve have all cause to be deeply humbled for That God blessed for ever hath not more large returns for his People of praise and thanks and blessing for all that Grace that he hath made to appear unto them O hovv little is it that is done to purpose in such a service And vvhat 's the reason that vve are not more lively to such a purpose that our hearts are not more inlarged to God in a vvay of blessing and praising and thanksgiving to him We may vvell reckon it to this That vve are not more in the Knovvledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for this Knowledge of Christ our Lord and of the Mysteries concerning him this is the Knowledge that will make the soul to be upon the wing mounting up with all inlargements of thankfulness and praise unto God The more the soul is taken up with the apprehensions of the Mysteries of the Gospel concerning the Lord Jesus the more will it be in admirings of Grace the more will it be in magnifyings of the God of all Grace Consider This Knowledge it is such Wine as will make the lips of them that are asleep to speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that expression which we have in Cant. 7. he spâ—…ks there concerning our Saviour that is soâ—… and 〈◊〉 that it would make the lips of them that are asleep to speak Oh! The Doctrine concerning our Lord Jesus if it were better known it would spirit the soul and make it to be most active to such a purpose You here have an account concerning the Angels There was upon the birth of Christ an heavenly Hoste and they were singing praises unto God Glory be to God on high Upon what account upon the account of Jesus Christ and the knowledge they had of Jesus Christ and of that glorious Mysterie concerning Jesus Christ the Angels were not able to contain themselves The Virgin Mary in Luk. 2. when she comes to have an account of the Mysterie concerning her Lord Jesus Christ and the Grace of God through him How doth she break out with all inlargement My soul doth magnifie the Lord my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour and so all along O what blessing and praising of God was there on the part of a People that were well instructed in the first establishing Apostolical constitutions O what inlargements were there in praising God and magnifying him And why Upon the account of the Knowledge that they had of the glorious Mysterie concerning our Lord Jesus Christ and the account that was given in the primitive Persecutions concerning the Christians That they would be in their early singings and praisings of God This was the account of the Christians under dreadful persecution in the dayes of Trajan the Emperor That they would be early in the morning singing and praising and blessing God And upon what account Upon the account of this great and glorious Mysterie concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. O! this is that that would fill the mouth with Arguments and it would wisely contribâ—…te to the promoting of ability sutable to such Arguments wherein to inlarge in blessing and praising God our hearts would not lye so dead upon us we would be more lively than we are in exalting God magnifying his Name did we but know more of our Lord Jesus of the Mysterie which hath been kept secret from Ages and Generations but because we do but sip of the Cup have a little smattering Knowledge and no well digested Knowledge and not duly improved we come off so poorly as we do O consider the spirit of the Apostle Paul how excellently it discovers it self as in the beginning of his Epistle to the Ephesians Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ blessed be God that hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ In Christ So the Apostle Peter O blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Iesus Christ that hath begotten us unto a lively hope of an inheritance incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away and all by the resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ. Thus the Knowledge of our Lord and
in heaven or earth to take this book out of the right hand of him that sits upon the Throne The Proclamation is made and the account is given Thus no man in heaven or earth nor under the earth was able to open the book nor look thereon not so much as to look upon it This goes to the heart of Iohn a great Favourite of Christ a dear Servant of God he for his part is astonisht at it and falls a weeping bitterly That there should be none found worthy to open the book Mark what follows One of the Elders said unto me weep not behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah the root of David hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals thereof and he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sate upon the Throne He came and took the book Here was the priviledge of Christ above Angels and glorified Saints or any in heaven and earth there was such a part of the counsel of God which was hid in his breast bosom that none durst venture upon for to make a search into The Lion of the tribe of Iudah the Lord Jesus the Lamb that was slain he was worthy and so they come with their acclamations afterwards they fall down before the Lamb having Harps and golden Vials and they sing a new song worthy worthy is the Lamb that was slain thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof And then they break out into magnifying and praising of God Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing and the four beasts said Amen and the four and twenty Elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever Why now this is to be known concerning our Lord Jesus Christ he hath this priviledge to take the book out of the hand to go into the bosom of the Father to open the cabinet of the Fathers most secret counsel he hath this priviledge above all creatures in heaven or in earth This is to be known concerning Christ. 6. Yet further This Word and Doctrine which is the subject matter of our preaching and your hearing it is such a Doctrine as Christ is marvellously pleased with the wise judicious publication and preaching of it and with the humble attention upon it and therefore Christ is perfect and he hath promised to be present to the end of the World in his Churches and in his Congregations and with his Ministry and with his under Preachers For as I said before preaching work is principally his Christ is the great Preacher and all that are imployed in the work they are but under him and they do his work principally he is present with them observant of them he hath promised to give his assistance to them and to take knowledge of all discouragements that they meet with as we see in the case of Paul When Paul was upon his preaching vvork he meets vvith very hard usage the Lord appears to him and doth as it were clap him upon the shoulder and saith Be of good cheer Paul Thou hast testified of me here at Ierusalem and in such and such a place I will stand by thee and none shall hurt thee O Christ is present with his servants and he delights to see his work graciously and judiciously managed and to see his People that attend upon him to give heed to his Doctrine The Lord Jesus he takes Knowledge how his work is entertained how it s preached and heard and how people behave themselves under the dispensations of it Why now good now beloved consider this These things are the things that we are to know concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. Now if this were well considered wold it not contribute exceedinly to the promoting of preaching and of hearing work Those that are called out to this ministration O if they had but the well digested Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ would not this spirit them and make them to look to the cause they manage how they manage this trust that is committed to them from Christ and how they deal with this blessed Doctrine that came out of the bosom of the Father and if you did but consider that you come to hear the Word that is given of the Father to Christ which is in the heart of Christ and which he ingages himself to give new life unto and how he takes notice what entertainment his Word hath c. If you did but know this certainly there would be other manner of hearing than ordinarily there is Thus now I have spoken concerning that I shall now go on and let you know That by growing in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Believers they come to be exceedingly advanced As for the other Services that I have been speaking of as gospel-Gospel-Duties in Prayer and Praising God in Preaching and Hearing the everlasting Word that came out of the bosom of the Father So by the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we come to be exceedingly advantaged for that great work of mortification and of self-denial To joyn these two together Self-mortifying work Self-denying work Alas Brethren how hardly are we brought to these Services And when we set upon them alas how aukward and how untowardly do we apply to the management of it And why Alas because we are so deficient in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ were there a well improved Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Did you but know what a self-denying person he was and how justly be may require self-denying at the hands of his People If we did but consider that this Jesus Christ he was from Eternity God with God he might have lain warm in the bosom of his Father in the dear and blessed bosom of his Father he might have lain there and delitiated himself and kept out of all the storms and tempests of the World and might have enjoyed himself with sweetest delight in his Fathers bosom O what a self-denying Christ was here That he should come and leave his Father's bosom and be content to expose himself to the difficulties and hardships of the World to undergo storms and tempests Mark what the Apostle speaks in Rom. 15. Let every one of us please his neighbour c. For saith he even Christ pleased not himself He did not set his heart upon pleasing himself but that he might please his God and profit his People here below even Christ saith he pleased not himself O a self-denying Christ and if this were well known it would promote self-denying work in us And then sin-mortifying work O we are hardly brought to it to wound and slay our corruptions and to be ever and non digging down our Walls and ever and anon to be boring in the sides of this or that corruption This is his hard work to us but had we
the day he would be sure to take time for it in the night O how much was he in intimate conversings with the Father in the way of prayer 9. The life of Christ it was a self-denying life O most eminent was Christ for this that he was of a self-denying spirit and his life in the whole of it a self-denying life denying himself Father not what I will but what thou wilt 10. The Life of Christ it was a world-despising life when they would come by sorce and make him a King he declines it and withdraws himself and turns his back upon all worldly preferments and injoyments 11. The Life of Christ was a God-pleasing and honouring life He pleased not himself he studied to please his Father and to profit the souls of his people He was for God-pleasing and manprofiting and this was the whole tenor of the Life of Christ. He devoted himself thus that he might be pleasing to God that he might be profitable to man 12. And to add no more though other particulars might be brought in The Life of Christ it was a persevering life He began well he continued well he ended well Paul could say of himself I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the Faith Christ could say it more than any man I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the truth I have kept my way without divertion he held on to the last having honoured God he honoured him to the death having loved God and his people he loved them to the end having ingaged to glorifie God he glorified him to the last His last breath was a holy breathing into the bosome of God This is the account that is to be given of the Lord Jesus Now consider O how profitable and beneficial will this knowledge well improved be unto Beleevers profitable to shame them profitable to provoke their imitation profitable to promote their comfort Profitable to shame them Now when we come to know what a life Christ liv'd what an exemplary life what an even thred he spun what a webb he wove and when we come to consider what our life is what a difference between Christ's life and our life whose life should be set before us as a copy to write after O how will this cause shame of face sorrow of heart I remember the Lord gives a charge to the Prophet Ezek. That he shew the pattern to the house of Israel and wherefore that they may be ashamed why I shew'd you the pattern this morning of the Life of Christ and truly it may well make us ashamed to think Christ lived in the World a Scripture-life but alas how far are we from keeping conformity unto Scriptures in our lives He lived an in-offensive life how offensive are many of us in our conversations and carriages laying stumbling blocks in the way The Life of Christ was a conflicting life what is there in us of conflicting with lusts and corruptions and a sinful World The Life of Christ a convincing life a condemning life convincing of sin condemning of sin such should our conversations be But alas how little is there of conformity to Christ The Life of Christ a praying life a laborious life a fruitful life a God-pleasing life a self-denying life Alas we may look upon the pattern and be ashamed to behold it because of our incongruity to it He that saith he abides in Christ ought himself so to walk even as he walked How many profess to have an abiding in Christ and yet do not comport with his example and conform to the pattern that he hath given us for imitation and so far as we are awanting to this copy so far we dishonour the Name of God and are awanting to the crediting of our holy profession O thus would a well improved knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ be beneficial to us to the humbling and shaming of us to think such was Christ but how unanswerable are we A humble Christ a holy Christ a heavenly Christ a self-denying Christ a sin-hating Christ a world-despising Christ and we express nothing of it And how would this promote to duty and provoke to imitation O so would the knowledge of our Lord Jesus and of his life well-improved provoke our imitation of him and make us set to it with diligence and care Did Christ live thus then surely it concerns me to look better to my life and conversation that I may be able to give a better account of it than otherwise I am like to do And then to promote the comfort of a Christian and make him bear up with boldness in the mid'st of an evil Generation when he is able to plead thus I am and I am tuter'd to it by the walking of Jesus Christ. Now to draw to a close The last thing that I will insist upon as to this Doctrinal part there is an account to be given of the life of Christ in Heaven You have heard of his Life on earth but there is belonging to the knowledge of Christ to consider what his Life in Heaven is For this we are to know and sad were it with Saints and Beleevers if this were not accounted of That he that was in a state of death and he that did rise again He lives and is alive for evermore Now if it were not for this Christians were of all men in the World the most miserable but this our Saviour speaks of himself Rev. 1. 18. I am he that was dead but I am alive and behold I live for evermore Amen I am alive for evermore Amen And this he held forth for the comfort of his people and to let them know he is alive for evermore to this purpose To see to the accomplishing and fulfilling of all that in the Revelation is made known for the benefit and comfort of the Church of God while it is here in its Militant state untill the day come that it shall be together with him ingaged in everlasting Triumphs over Death and Devils and Anti-Christ and World and Sin and all This belongs unto the knowledge of our Lord Jesus to know that he lives And what 's his Life in Heaven briefly thus First it is a Life of Glory for he is now entered into Glory and he lives in the fullest possession of all the Glory that the Father and Angels and Glorified Saints can conferr upon him and give unto him He hath all the Glory that Heaven can bestow upon him The Lord Jesus he lives now in Glory and he prayed for this Father I have glorified thee on the Earth now Father glorifie thou me with the Glory which I had with thee from the beginning Jesus Christ is entered into his Glory and he is clothed with it now He is clothed all over with Majesty and Glory He lives in Heaven now a life of Glory and so hath done ever since He was received up into Heaven 2. His
right hand in the possession of all that honour and glory which heaven it self can confer upon him And thus now I have travelled with you and I confess it hath been somewhat a long journey that I have travelled in the handling of this Point in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus and how much it concerns Beleevers to endeavour a growth and increase in it considering how every way the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus will be beneficial to them to the promoting of grace inabling to suffer fitting for Duty and for the promoting of a holy Conversation and the like Now all that hath been spoken doth issue in this That the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ is a Knowledge that our hearts should be exceedingly set upon Now for the Improvement of this by way of Use I shall make short work of that but O that you would but weigh and consider what hath been spoken in so many Sermons that I have preached to you upon this Doctrine and for the Application I shall be brief in that Now I would beseech you consider with your selves you with whom I have to deal will you but consider with your selves whether I have been in this matter that I have performed performing a proper Service or whether I have not in your account been imployed in a needless work whether your hearts will not suggest such a thing to you You have been preaching to us concerning the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ what have you told us that we knew not before and you press upon us that we should endeavour a growth in in this Knowledge and be upon our improvements but alas what are we the further advanced in this Knowledge So that now if so be that I should come to act and perform the part of a reprover possibly there may be such a spirit found that you will think what have you told us we knew that Christ took upon him the nature of man and he came into the world and liv'd and died here and was crucified and buried and rose again and ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God every common nominal Christian can chatter over these things and think with themselves what needs all this ado about a growth and increase in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. O but Brethren I would say to you as the Apostle speaks in a like case 1 Cor. 8. I know well enough that you have all knowledge I and your knowledge makes you conceited it puffs you up But if any man think he knows any thing he knows nothing as he ought to know It were good for you and me to look well to it that our light be not found to be darkness that our knowledge be not found to be ignorance This I would have said that there are clear demonstrations and convincing Arguments that some know nothing as they ought to know others that do know they are not so improved in their knowledge as they ought to be I tell you this look to it for of a truth your being so defective in the faith of the Gospel your being so apt to fluctuate and be turmoyl'd in your consciences your being so uneven in your walking your being so low spirited as you are your small measures of faith and love and hope and confidence and boldness towards God and your aptness to be startled at every providence and to be foyled by every temptation these and such like â—…s do loudly speak it out that of a truth you â—…t know Christ as you ought to know him I speak to one and other of us we shall find and be able to evidence it the conscience will be convinc'd of it That we know not as we ought to know we have not made that advance in the Knowledge of Christ as we should have done because it is thus and thus with us we have no more love to Christ did you know Christ as you ought you would never dote upon the world as you do nor be so inslav'd to your corruptions as you are did you know Christ as you ought to know you would live more honourably and more to the credit of the Gospel than you do There are many many things that will evidence it to us that we do not know Christ as vve ought to knovv SERM. XVIII HOw Righteous yea how Gracious this Requirie is That believing souls should grow in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ hath been abundantly demonstrated and made to appear unto you Wisdom is justified of her children if we be Wisdom's children it will appear and so it must by our justification of Wisdoms sayings and giving in our justification we come under the strongest obligation for to carry it in a sutableness unto what we profess to be Now taking it for granted that we do acknowledge this to be a truth that it is our duty to grow in the Knowledge of Christ as that which is the most excellent and the most beneficial Knowledge this Knowledge which as you heard the last day will conduce very much to the well regulating of a Christians conversation when it comes to be known to purpose what a life Christ himself did live while he was in the World what a life Christ lives now he is in Heaven which two things were accounted to you at large in several particulars That which now remains to be done is to make application of all that hath been said and so to press on after the improving of this Doctrine Something in the very close of the last Exercise was spoken to you May I now without any check from within appear among you this Morning as a reprover for God and in the behalf of God and in the behalf of Christ and not be accounted needlesly and causlesly to pick a quarrel I remember what David said to his quarrelsom Brother upon occasion of his coming unto the Camp when he was inquiring what would be done to the man that should slay the Philistine He replies to his quarrelling Brother What have I done is there not a cause So if so be there should be any inward secret quarrel at what shall be spoken in way of reproof and blame I would speak as David did and say Is there not a cause The Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is unquestionably and undeniably pretious Knowledge excellent Knowledge profitable and beneficial Knowledge but is it prized is it pursued will our Consciences bear us witness that we are upon our endeavours after it that we may advance and improve in it and that we may answer the duty of this Text which makes this charge upon us that we grow in Grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus If our hearts condemn us God is greater than our hearts and he knows all things Is there not a Conscience within us that can witness against us that this pretious Knowledge it was never very pretious unto us This Knowledge did
purpose and yet not know to such a degree as they ought to do and so are culpable as not answering the duty of the Text which requires a growth in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. You may be able to make a Judgment by the things that have been so largely handled in the Doctrinal part of this Text Much hath been spoken according to what my line would reach to concerning the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. And here now is this to consider of whether we be not deserving blame upon this account that though we know something and it may be something to good purpose in the saving knowledge of Christ yet we have not set our hearts to make the advance in this knowledge and that progress and to come to such a measure and degree in knowledge as we ought and might have done according to time and means and truly I think that there is none of us but we may find this cause to complain Ah sweet Saviour how little do I know of thee I remember how that holy Agur doth bemoan himself even upon such a like account Prov. 30. Surely I am more bruitish than any man I have not the understanding of a man I neither learned wisdom nor have the knowledge of the holy Thus he bemoans himself O surely surely we may most complain and say O sweet Saviour how little a matter do I know of thee Some little smatterings there are but alas it 's nothing to what might be known and apprehended concerning thee And what 's the fruit of this That Believers holy Persons such as have the grace of God in truth have not more advance in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Mysteries of his Kingdom what are the consequences and truly the consequences are the evidences that there is not that advance and that growth in this holy Knowledge How sad are the consequences that Christians know no more of God are not more insighted in the Mysteries concerning Christ. 1. Whence it comes to pass That we advance no more in faith for undoubtedly if we grow more in Knowledge we should grow more in Faith Did we but more clearly apprehend and understand the Mysteries of the Gospel concerning our Lord Jesus what a curious cast there is in the business of salvation by Jesus Christ did we but more clearly understand and apprehend and know the continuance of that Mysterie it would most largely contribute to the promoting of a Beleevers faith and the unbelief would fall flat down on its face before this Knowledge if so be it were but duly improved 2. Again This is the consequence We love the Lord Jesus with a poor inconsiderable degree of love Why Because we know but little little of his excellencies little of that pretiousness that is inhim and as our knowledge is so will our love be much knowledge much love little knowledge little love Surely if we had but more through acquaintance with Christ we should come to have our hearts more fired with the love of Christ our hearts would burn within us if so be that we had but more intimate acquaintance with him and had but a more clear understanding of the Mysteries of the Gospel 3. And so for Desire O if so be there were but that advance in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus our desires would sparkle and flame out most strongly after this desirable Christ. When the Spouse had informed the Daughters of Ierusalem what a choice one what an incomparable one he was then they cry out O thou fairest among Women tell us whither thy Beloved is gone that we may seek him with thee 4. Whence is it that there is so much straightheartedness to the pretious priviledges of the Gospel that we do not prize them more that we do not set our hearts more upon them That great priviledge of Justification of Adoption of access to God of acceptance with God and that God should not be ashamed to be called our God to which I spake the last day Whence is it that we be not taken more with holy admirings of these great and glorious priviledges but because we are not more insighted in the Mysterie of the Gospel concerning Christ. Whence is it that we do not make more account of Justification forgiveness of sins which is a most pretious mercy We do not know Christ as we should and what it cost him to bring over to us the forgiveness of our sins 5. Whence is it that we are so apt to be tampering with that accursed thing with sin that we are so apt to be upon complyance with it and upon gratifications of it and of the lusts of it We know not Christ did we know Christ what he suffered that he might satisfie the Justice of God for the sins of his People what soul-conflicts he had and how he was pressed under the burden of the wrath of God that he might deliver his People from the everlasting Curse and Condemnation it would make us fear and tremble and take heed how ever we deal with that accursed thing and throw away that bloody knife that cut the very throat and stabb'd the very heart of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 6. Whence is it that we are so apt to be meddling with the World and apt to have our hearts set upon these beggerly vanities here below Whence is it but because we know not our Lord Jesus Christ as we ought to know Did we but know what a pretious Christ he was we would set light by the World and account nothing of it in comparison of the Lord Jesus 7. Whence is it that poor souls are so apt to be tossed with every wind of Temptation and to be unsetled upon every occasion as touching their peace and inward comfort but because they are very short in the knowledge of the Mysterie concerning our Lord Jesus Christ and the riches of Grace that discovers it self in him As let the guile be what it can be that may be represented to the Conscience the Conscience may yet upon the true knowledge and apprehension of the Grace of God in our Lord Jesus bear up with boldness and make a challenge unto men and devils and say Who shall lay any thing unto our charge when we know that concerning Christ concerning his Death concerning the merit of his Sacrifice concerning his Acceptance with the Father concerning his pleading in the behalf of his People at his Father's right hand We have that knowledge of the Lord Jesus that we bear up with glorious confidence and with blessed boldness and we are not afraid to look men and devils in the face we know who it is that is once for all entred into the holy place that is not made with hands and appears before God in heaven representing the merit of his Sacrifice and for our parts we now can triumph with a holy boldness and say Who shall lay any thing to our
charge We have no conscience of sin though we make conscience of sinning yet we have no conscience to charge against us O this would be our fruit of the well advanced and improved knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. These things Brethren would be considered of by us and to close up this part of the Discourse I have only this to say That if so be that any of us do think in our consciences that we deserve to come under this lash of reproof and that this Complaint may be justly taken up against us That we have not so minded as we ought the knowledge of Christ and have not set our endeavours as we should that we may come to grow in this knowledge Then to close up all for I would willingly give a dispatch to this part of the Text I would only speak a few words in a way of Exhortation and I would thus perswade in the Name of the Lord That as it is the duty of the Text so it may be the matter of your practice for to grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And here you must consider that this knowledge as also the Grace that God gives so the knowledge that you may have and are to have of Christ it comes not in all at once Shall I express my self thus if it may not be too low for the Argument The Lord in managing of his Trade with his People he doth not deal by whole-sale but rather by retale he doth parcel out and give by parcels dispences by parcels now a little and then a little now a little Grace then a little more now a little light and then a little further improvement The Sun it gives not out its full light at once so Christ and therefore it is that there is a growth in Grace and a growth in Knowledge and in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus So then reckon upon it we are but in the way and so we know but in part and prophesie but in part and we are not comprehensaries we come not to the full of that which is to be known press on and after and increase in the Knowledge of Christ. I need no other Arguments than vvhat have been already presented to you in the Doctrinal part It is the most excellent Knovvledge It is the most beneficial Knovvledge in all respects according to vvhat hath been accounted to you Novv there are but these three things vvhich I shall dispatch in fevv vvords First I vvould have you to consider vvhat knovvledge of the Lord Jesus Christ it is that you are to grovv in not a notional knovvledge not so much in that so as you should rest in a bare notional knovvledge and a form of knovvledge but you must knovv this That the Knovvledge of our Lord Jesus vvhich you are to endeavour a grovvth in it is a spiritual Knowledge an inward spiritual Knowledge a heart Knowledge it is not a knowledge of Christ after the flesh no not in that sense which the Apostle may mean in the second of the Corinthians We have known Christ after the flesh that is they knew him and they knew him so as to see him with their bodily eyes 't is not this Knowledge of Christ though if you have this spiritual Knowledge you will in due time have this knowledge and sight of him but now we know Christ no more so as he saith there Though we have known Christ after the flesh as he was known to the Disciples when he was here in the state of humiliation and conversant in the World We have known Christ after the flesh but henceforth know we him so no more Nor is it any carnal Knowledge but to increase in the Knowledge of Christ according to the Mysterie which is Christ in you the hope of Glory You should labour to increase in the Knowledge of him which answers his Constitution who was made a Priest Prophet and King not after the Law of a carnal Commandment but after the power of an endless life as in Heb. 7. You are to endeavour increase in the Knowledge of Christ which is a confiding knowledge and a conforming Knovvledge such a knovvledge of him as is a fiducial knovvledge such a knovvledge as that by knovving him to come to be more and more inabled to rest and rely upon him that you can say I knovv so much of the Lord Jesus that I can sit dovvn and look no further I have enough I have the desire of my heart here I can boldly trust here I can fix and stay vvithout any misgivings I know this foundation is strong enough to bear up the whole weight of my soul. And then you are to indeavour to grow in that Knowledge which is a conforming knowledge that knowledge by which you come to be molded into a conformity to the Lord Jesus so as what you know of his Wisdom and Meekness and Patience and Humility and Heavenly mindedness you know him in these things so as that you come to grow up into conformity to him This is the Knowledge or else your light will be darkness and your knowledge will be found to be ignorance And then I press upon you that you would endeavour to grow in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now what especially of the Knowledge of Christ would you have us to grow in I 'll only mention two things briefly First That you would labour to grow more and more in the Knowledge of the infinite fulness and sufficiency and power of our Lord Jesus Christ that you may know what a powerful Christ he is what an able Christ he is how able to do exceeding abundantly above all you ask or think I reremember it was the blessing of Judah that his hand should be sufficient for him Deut. 33. Christ is the head of Judah he is the Lord of Judah's Tribe and to be sure this blessing rests upon his head his hand shall be sufficient for him to remove Mountains to break gates of brass to cut in sunder bars of iron he is able to do all that concerns his Church and every Saint that belongs to him and that the Father hath given him he is present to go through his work and he will not leave any part nor parcel of it undone O this is pretious knowledge which we should endeavour to advance in that we may come to be more full in the apprehensions of the fulness of sufficiency of the power of our Lord Jesus that whatsoever work lyes upon his hand to perform he will be found all-sufficient to accomplish and bring to pass he is sufficient to present all that the Father hath given him without spot and blame before the presence of his Glory with exceeding joy and though there be the power of Devils and World and Corruption that may labour for to wrest a soul out of the hands of Christ why saith he None shall be ever able to pluck them out of my hands And then