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
imitation But alas how little do we attain to of this Gospel-Repentance how little do we express mostly of such a temper and frame of spirit Can sin freely but repent very hardly How little doth there appear to God of any kindly workings and breakings of heart before him in the sense of all that we daily commit of sin and transâ—…ion in a way of disobedience and loose walking before the Lord. Why truly I may be bold 〈◊〉 that if so be there were any place for Repentance in Heaven though indeed it is not a â—…ce of Repentance but of joy and everlasting rejoycing Yet if Heaven were a place of Repentance I am perswaded that there are very few of those that some to Heaven that would not â—…ll upon the work and business there and that because they repented so little as they did while they were here on earth if there were any place of repentance there it would go to the hearts of many that they did not take it more deeply into consideration their evil dispositions and sinful conversations while they were in the World And what is the reason that Repentance that blessed Grace is not more largely shared in that it is not more expressed to the life of it why we may with much confidence conclude upon 〈◊〉 that this is one of the special reasons because we 〈◊〉 not more of the knowledge of our Lord and 〈◊〉 Jesus Christ. 〈◊〉 Bâ—…en if Christ oâ—… Lord Jesus were better known and the knowledge of him better digested I know this that there would be more soul meltings and heart-breakings 〈◊〉 kindly manner before God than ever otherwise there â—…like to be Consider what the Prophet speaks iâ—… â—…ech 12. saith he They shall look upon him whom they have piâ—…ed and what then They shall look upon him they shall mind Christ study Christ they shall fix their serious thoughts upon the Lord Jesus Christ and upon him aâ—… one whom they have pierced and what will follow Then shall they mourn over him as one who mourneth for an only Son and be in bitterness as one that is in bitterness for his first-born This will raise up the sorrow this will break the heart When persons come for to know and consider and seriously ponder upon the Lord Jesus Christ consider of his dying and dreadful suffering and woful breakings and bruisings that he was pleased to undergo on the behalf of poor sinners and then their hearts will break within theâ—… What was that which made the Converts in Acts 2. for to fall into such a melting frame and to be pricked at the heart and to mourn and lameâ—… deeply Why Peter had been preâ—…ching to them the Doctrine concerning our Lord Jesus and endeavouring to bring them to the knowledge of him whom they had crucified You have crucified the Prince of Life you have been the murtherers and betrayers of him they were pricked then at the heart and cryed out O men and 〈◊〉 what shall we do O miserable wretches When a soul shall set it self to know and understand the mystery concerning Christ that the Eternal Son of God he that was in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God he that was from all eternity the delight of his Father he that was holy and unblamable knew no sin never was guile found in his mouth the spotless Lamb That he should be hanged as a malefactor that he should be put to the greatest shame and ignominy that could be that he should be under the heat of the wrath of his Father that his precious soul should be in such an agony as that he should be constrained to cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me That he should undergo such breakings and bruisings and woundings that he should sweat drops and clods of blood that his soul should be exceeding sorrowful and heavy unto the very death And yet this blessed Jesus one that never sinned no not so much as in a Thought yet that all this should be undergone by him And when a soul shall come to consider that it self hath been accessary to this horrid murther it self should have a hand in this bloody business that it self should be a party to this prodigious impiety that it self should stabb Christ to the very heart when this comes to be considered when a soul comes to be well improved in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and of his deep and dreadful and dolorous sufferings this must needs give an advance to the Grace of Repentance Why it would argue a heart harder than an Adamant that would not upon such well digested apprehensions as these be in meltings before the Lord upon the consideration of a crucified Christ. This is that which if it were but well known and studied and seriously pondered upon would give an advance I say unto Repentance But the reason why we are no more in the lively practice of Repentance is because we are no more studied in this Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I would this were considered of by us and put to the proof whether you would not find it so in experience that this would make your hearts to break before the Lord. 4. The Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and a kindly growth in it will conduce very much as of Faith and Hope and Repentance so of Love love to God and love to Christ and love one to another The complaint may justly enough be taken up concerning this as concerning the other Graces we are little in one and other and truly it is not to be expected that they should be much advanc'd in Love that are not advanc'd in Faith and Hope and in their Repentance towards God But thus it is alas that Love that should be in us in the flame it is mostly but in the spark we have some little glowings it may be but not those kindly burnings of Love to God and Love to Christ those inlargements of heart that we should make discovery of and what 's the reason Why we may reckon it very much to this that we are not more improved in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ For the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Christ well advanc'd well grown and improved as a most strong and effectual conducement to the growth in Love When the Daughters of Jerusalem had been well instructed concerning the Spouses Beloved when they had had an account of him their hearts were exceedingly taken with him and then they would seek him with her Whither is thy Beloved gone O thou fairest among women Whether is thy Beloved gone that we may seek him with thee Thus it is if so be that we knew more of Christ we would be more in the Love of Christ. Truly the motions of the Will they will answer the sanctified light of the understanding Now where there is but little light and Knowledge 't is not to be expected that
everlasting Covenant which is ordered in all things and sure when it is not penn'd up but hath scope in our understandings when we can take in this mysterie of the new Covenant in the proportions of it this is the business of Faith but it is that which will not be performed to any good purpose unless there be some considarable improvement and growth in Faith and therefore it is that the Apostle doth so earnestly pray on the behalf of the Church of Ephesus in Eph. 1. saith he I cease not to give thanks for you making mention of you in my prayers that the God of 〈◊〉 Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory may give 〈◊〉 yâ—… the spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of blâ—… the eyes of your understandings being inlightned that yâ—… may know what is the hope of his Calling and what the 〈◊〉 of the Glory of his inheritance in the Saints and what is the exeeceding greatness of his power to us ward who beliâ—…e according to the working of his mighty power O how earnest was the Apostle in the behalf or the Ephesians to this purpose and Chap. 3. ver 14. sâ—…th he I bâ—…v my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that he could grant unto you according to the riches of his Glory to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inward man that Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith and saith he that you may be able to comprehend with all Saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge that you might be filled with all the fulness of â—…d Two passages they are of Scripture which are most proper for beleeving souls to be well studied in that part which I read to you out of the first Chapt. and this in the third I say they are of some proper cognisance â—…r men and woman that being brought over to the Faith of the Gospel are studious of approving themselves unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ that they may answer their duty concerning these things that are here made mention of that there might be not only as I said before a weak and dim and dark apprehension of the mysterie of the Gospel the mysterie of Christ the mysterie of the hope of Glory but that there might be a comprehension that the mysterie may stand full and as much as may be compleat in us in all the proportions of it that the Gospel might not be streightned in our understandings Truly friends this is a great matter if you would but set your hearts upon it and seriously weigh and ponder what I drive now Alas how little is there of the mysterie of the Gospel that our hearts have already received how little of it And by this means God is scanted and shortened in the love praise and honour that is due to him and which our hearts would be inlarged to yield up if we were but more careful to answer our duty this way I do profess this morning to you that are partakers of the Faith of Gods Elect that are able to give any account of any saving work upon your hearts and that you have any thing of the Faith of the Gospel in you I do profess here and testifie to you in the Name of the Lord that this doth more neerly concern you for to look unto that these two Scriptures may be better answered by you that you do not please your selves in that streightness of spirit that is in you and discovers it self but that you be so heightned that there be such an inlargement of heart in believing that you may take in the mysterie in the Glories of it or else you will not so duly answer that which is required of you as touching your growth in Faith and Grace Think what you will of it this I am sure is a duty that lyes upon Beleevers to perform that they be of comprehensive spirits and that they labour to work out to a more inlargedness of heart that they may be so inabled to comprehend with all the Saints the height and depth and breadth and length or else you will never be able to give that glory to God and honour to Christ never be so much in admirings of the glorious mysterie of the Gospel as otherwise you would I would you would a little think of this point and for my part I do profess I know nothing that is more proper for a Minister of the Gospel a Dispencer of the Mysteries of God to be more earnest in pressing and urging upon Beleevers than this very thing is But alas how low spirited are most Beleevers Beleevers that it may be have got as much Faith as wil secure them from Hell and bring them to Heaven But as for the mysteries in the glories of it in the dimentions of it in the latitude of it O how uncapable of a due apprehension of it Will you therefore but consider of this this is one thing I it is it is that which doth mainly concern those that have any thing of the Faith of the Gospel in them for to be very solicitous about and studious to be answerable to I leave it with you but know that the great God of Heaven and our Lord Jesus hath laid this burden upon you and me this morning As many of us as are able to give an account of the Faith of the Gospel the Lord Jesus laies this burden upon you this morning that you look to it that there be a comprehensiveness of spirit concerning the mysterie of the Gospel which is Christ in you the hope of Glory And so I let it pass I leave it with you to be studied and pondered upon and as you will answer it to Christ another day Take heed that this particular among the rest be not slightly passed over Again your duty is to grow in Grace and Faith and so will you make it appear that you do grow When you come to have such a Faith as is not only a living Faith but a lively Faith an active stirring Faith within you when you come to have such a Faith as that you do not only live by it but that you live richly by it there 's many a man that lives and gets a livelyhood he hath bread for the day he hath to supply his necessities but he lives at a low poor rate he is not able to rise up to those expences that others are able to bâ—…ar So there are I say many Beleevers they live they gâ—…t bread for the day they get a subsistence by their Faith but they live poorly at a low rate they do not keep a good house they do not spend like rich men There are that are rich in Faith as the Apostle uses the expression in the second Epist. of James that are rich in Faith that 's it that we should press to to such a growth in Faith that we may live like
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
World there are many they will be rich in the World and they decree and resolve upon it that they will be rich I sometimes whether God will or no. They carry the matter as if they would be rich whether God will or no. They would be rich rich in the World and they have no warrant for God hath not required this of any man that they should grow rich in the World He requires they should do their duty and if he will come in with a blessing so they ought to be thankful but he doth not command them to be rich in the World but there are that will be rich and resolve to be rich and so they run themselves into snares and temptations and many hurtful and noysome lusts that drown mens souls in destruction I but here 's the Grace of God to his poor servants His will is that they should be rich in Grace and he doth encourage thereunto by promising that he will prosper you in your way He hath given you such a stock he will give you more provided that you do but your duty and it is his mercy that he hath made it the matter of your duty to grow in Grace 2. And then reckon upon this for your encouragement and the quickening of you in your endeavours this way To be sure grow as much as you can you will never grow too good for God you can never have too much Grace you can never have too much Faith nor Love nor Holiness Godliness knows no bounds You can never have too much of God and Christ and Holiness When the foolish Virgins saw themselves at a loss as touching their oyle and come to the wise to buy of them nay say they spare us there we have none to part withal we will keep what we have gotten lest we should not have enough for us and you And so make account of this that when you have grown as high in Grace as you can you will have no over-pluss you will have none to spare SERM. VIII IT is God's great mercy that there are any in the World which have any Grace in them and that God should make such a pleasant and precious plant to take root and spring up in such a soyl as the soul is so barren of all good and so unapt to receive any good Now as it is God's mercy that any have Grace so it is their duty that have it for to grow in it and this duty you have been over and over charged with But I shall now come to what remains to be spoken concerning this Argument which I shall give a brief account of and then come to what follows in the Text. 2. The further encouragements unto the lively and vigorous prosecution of this matter a strenuous endeavour to grow in Grace the incouragements they are very great and I desire that you may know the force and power and vertue of them in your own hearts 3. If so be that you do indeed make it your business and do endeavour this to grow in Grace and shall do so as you are very like to do it if you endeavour after it you will have this advantage you will not be altogether so apt to be unsetled in your apprehensions concerning your state you will not be so much upon the questioning point concerning the truth and reality of the Grace of God in you as many are when you come to be of some considerable growth in Grace when you come to have much Faith and much Love and much Holyness much of the Fear of God you will not be so apt to be questioning the point and fluctuating in your souls concerning your Grace but you will be able to bear up against temptations of that kind and ready to make your confident avouchments and say if you be questioned about your Faith Yea Lord thou knowest I do believe Be questioned about your Love as Peter was Simon lovest thou me Yea Lord thâ—…u knowest I love thee And truly this is a great advantage that will come over to us by improvement in Grace for the truth and soundness of Grace it doth appear by its growth it is a clear demonstration that a plant lives wâ—…n it grows it may live and yet there be no discovery of its growth but when there is a growth there is a plain demonstration that the plant is alive and this benefit will come over by growing in Grace And while poor weaklings in Grace that are of low attainments and are apt to please themselves in their lower measures will be apt to be shaken by every wind of temptation and be put upon the questioning point upon every occasion whether there be any Grace in them yea or no. They that have but a little Faith a little Grace they will be apt ever and anon to be fluctuating in their spirits and doubting within themselves whether there be any thing of God and Christ and Grace in them Well-grown Christians will be able to bear up with a holy confidence that of a truth the Grace of God is in them 4. This incouragement we have to endeavour a growth in Grace God will be the more glorified Christ will be the more magnified the Gospel will be the more credited the more we have of Grace we shall be able to quit our selves honourably in our way of duty in our way of suffering Herein is our Father Glorified that we have much fruit and bring forth much fruit 5. God will glory in such and make his boast of them as he did of Iob Do'st thou not see my servant Iob that there is not a man like him in the earth an upright and a perfect man one that seareth God and escheweth evil The Lord doth make a holy boast of his eminent servant that was so raised up in Grace and Holyness And you know what our Saviour speaks concerning the woman of Canaan O woman great is thy Faith be it unto thee even as thou will Truly there is very much in that to consider of men and women of advanced Faith and Grace O! how Christ doth Glory in them and what is it that he can deny them Be it unto thee even as thâ—…u wilt draw thy requests and I will under-write them I will say amen to them what can God deny a soul that is improved in Grace of all others such are like to have the highest communications from God for this we may well think that God will order out his communications of mercy and comfort to his people according to their capacities the larger the vessel is the more liquor it takes in and accordingly the more shall there be communicated unto it Narrow hearts are like to have but little because they can receive but little they are little in capacity and are like to be accordingly but little in the communication that shall be made unto them 6. This will be our encouragement to endeavour a growth in Grace we shall by this means credit
the hearing of Faith by hearing the Doctrine of Faith the Doctrine of the Gospel the Doctrine concerning the Lord Jesus Christ made known unto you in that way the Spirit came and the Spirit with the Grace of it It is therefore the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ that is the blessed instrumental means whereby there comes to be the first plantation of Grace in the Soul I this that brings men to believe it 's the Gospel men will never believe to the saving of their souls till they come to know Jesus Christ. They will never repent with a Repentance to salvation till they come to know Jesus Christ All the knowledge in the World will never bring over a soul to Faith and Repentance to the Love of God but the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. When men come once to know the Mysterie of the Gospel to know the Grace of God in Christ to know the Mysteries concerning the Salvation and Redemption of the World by the Lord Jesus this will bring them to Faith if any thing will this will bring them to Repentance this is the instrumental means whereby they come to have their hearts warmed with the Love of God The preaching of the Law as a Covenant of Works moral Duties and pressing of them without the line of the Gospel and the Covenant of Grace without reference to that this will but rather provoke and stir up the corruption of a man The Law worketh wrath against a man works wrath in a man it raises up wrath it irritates those cursed corrupt Principles that are in him O this is a Mysterie that we should be well acquainted withal O it is the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospel This is that that breaks the heart and makes the heart to work out after God Never shall we begin to love God nor to love Christ till such time as we come to know the Doctrines of the Gospel concerning our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I would with all my heart that every one of you were but well studied in this Mysterie that now I am speaking to That it is the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ held forth in the Gospel that is the means and instrument to plant Grace to make the first Plantation of it in the Soul As 2ly Know That as it is the means of its first Plantation so it is the means and instrument of its Augmentation I am speaking according to the Doctrine of the Text concerning a growth in Grace and in the Knowledge of Christ. This growth in Grace is brought about by a growth in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus the more we know the more we shall believe the more we shall repent the more we shall love the more holy shall we be as I shall shew you God assisting I think this Point will take up a little more time than other Particulars will but it will be time well spent Now yet further to clear up this That it is the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and the increase in that which doth promote an increase in Grace You shall find in Scripture and truly it is worthy your consideration to my apprehension that the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ it is put for all Grace 'T is a considerable thing that when God will make a promise of all grace he doth epitomise that promise thus I will give them an heart to know me When God comes to make a promise to his People concerning Grace he puts it into this Form I give them an heart to know me O how much is there complicated in that expression I will give them an heart to know me He doth not say an Head to know me Indeed that 's a Gift but Knowledge in the heart is a Grace It is the beginning of Grace and that which contributes to all the Graces an heart to know me To know me with what a kind of Knowledge with a fidelial Knowledge a Knowledge of Trust and an affectionate Knowledge a Knowledge of Love and with a Knowledge of Desire and a Knowledge of Submission I will give them an heart to know me And you shall find likewise to this purpose our Saviour speaks Joh. 17. 3. This is life eternal Why This is life eternal To know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Mark it This is eternal life in the Causes of it this is eternal life in the way and means of it To know thee and to know him whom thou hast sent To know God in Christ this is eternal life Then surely it imports Faith and it imports Love and it imports Holiness for eternal Life doth not come over to a soul but in the way of Believing and in the way of Holiness and in the way of Love and in the way of all the Graces So that I say The Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ it is such a Knowledge as under which is comprehended the Graces of the Spirit And truly this is a consideration of weight in order to this purpose that we may come to be more in our indearings of it and more in our endeavourings after it But now I shall endeavour to make this yet more fully to appear by an induction of Particulars so as that you may stand convinc'd of this that the way to grow in Grace is to grow in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Consider first of all That by growth in this Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we are most happily advantaged for a growth in Faith and Believing it is very considerable and I will commend it to you to be seriously weighed That as Knowledge is put for Faith for justifying Faith according to that remarkableScripture that you have in Isa. 53. where the Lord speaks to this purpose by the Prophet By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many Now do but weigh that passage and observe this expression This is spoken concerning Christ our Lord and Saviour And saith the Prophet By the knowledge of him shall my righteous servant justifie many Why doth the Knowledge of Christ justifie Why the Devils know him and yet they are not justified Carnal Professors they have a Knowledge of him and yet they are not justified I but that is such a kind of Knowledge as that they that have it shall be justified And Christ by the Knowledge of him shall justifie many Now what Knowledge is this Iâ—… must needs be understood of a fiducial Knowledg a Knowledge of Faith such a Knowledge as is a Knowledge of Dependance a Knowledge of Recumbency and Relyance upon the Lord Jesus Christ. There 's no other Knowledge whereby Christ can justifie souls but by such a Knowledge as this And so I say The Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ it is put for Faith and is used to be set forth unto us The faith whereby souls are justified and so
poor soul should fly to him and have its recumbency upon him 5. And then again when I consider that this Christ is commissioned by the Father he is sent into this World upon this account that he might save and make reconciliation 6. And then he is every way accomplish'd if he were a deficient Christ there were something to make my spirit to flag but he is most fully accomplish'd all power is given to him he is able to save to the utmost all that come unto God by him 7. And then when I come to consider and ponder that it is meat and drink to Christ to do the will of his Father and he with the greatest content of heart performed this work and made satisfaction to the Justice of God soâ—… poor sinners 8. And then when I come to consider that this Jesus is now in Heaven at Gods Right-hand God the Father hath given him Glory and Honour O what incouragement have I to come to him 9. And then when I consider that all the trust that is committed to him all the treasure that is laid up in him is for the benefit and behoof of poor souls why should not I then be incouraged to let out my heart upon him and to have the strongest confidence that I shall be the better for him I tell you Brethren that all this knowledge doth strongly influence the Faith of a Beleever therefore well may the Apostle require the knowledge of the Lord Jesus in order to a growth in Grace and in particular to a growth in Faith I would only give in that instance in 1 Pet. 1. It 's a Text that doth fully suit our present purpose saith he You by him believe in God that raised him up from the dead and gave him Glory that your Faith and Hope might be in God Pray do but weigh this you believe in God saith he who raised Iesus from the dead and when he had so done he gave him Glory He preferr'd him to the greatest Honour and Dignity set him at his own Right-hand and wherefore this That your Faith in knowing this that he that was your great undertaker here on earth travell'd in the greatness of his strength that he might accomplish the work of Redemption and Salvation This Jesus after he had done his work and suffered what he was to undergo here in the World God did raise him again from the dead and when he had raised him he takes him to Heaven and gives him Glory there sets him at his own Right-hand advances him to the highest top of Honour And wherefore thus That your Faith and Hope might be in God that you might come to him with the fullest confidence and rely upon him Now all this that I have accounted to you concerning a well-improved knowledge in our Lord Jesus Christ it doth exceeding liberally contribute to the promoting of a Beleevers Faith and Grace And because I can proceed no further now if there be any souls that are strangers to Christ and to the Faith of the Gospel will you but drink of these waters O set your hearts that you may drink of this blessed Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and see whether these waters will not warm your hearts and make you to sparkle out in love to Christ in longings after Christ And for you that are called out to the participation of Grace and have the Faith of God begun in you O as ever you desire to grow up in the Faith of the Gospel labour to be well improved in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ O dwell upon the meditation of these Mysteries that I have given you this morning a hint of If ever you desire to be well improved in your Faith it must be by your being well improved in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. SERM. XIII I Shall now proceed to what remains What hath been spoken concerning Faith and how the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ duly improved is to the growth of that The same may be spoken concerning Gospel hope The hope of the Righteous which is called a Tree of Life compared to an Anchor Sure and steadfast entring within the vail whither the forerunner hath entered Now by improving in the knowledge of Jesus Christ Hope will grow up to a goodly stature Hope will come to be as an Anchor fixing very fast so as to keep the ship of the soul safe and secure whatever the storms and tempests are that may arise upon it The more we know of Christ the more shall our Hope be strengthened in us and one special reason why we hope no more with an unshaken hope is because we are not more in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The Apostle in 1 Pet. 1. speaks concerning this blessed Hope that Believers are begotten to and they are begotten to it he tells us by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead The more we are judiciously apprehensive of Christ of the Resurrection of Christ and of the Glory which he is advanc'd unto the more will the hope of a Beleever be strengthened in him And that Scripture which I clos'd with the last day it serves us to this very purpose 1 Pet. 1. It 's said that God the Father hath given Honour and Glory to his Son that our Faith and our Hope might be in God And therefore must needs be inferr'd that the more we know and understand concerning Christ and the Glory that he is now advanc'd unto the more will there be of growth in the hope of a Beleever 3. By growth in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ there will be a growth in godly Repentance Repentance there is such a thing though it 's little known and less practised according to the true Gospel-nature and state of it But such a thing there is as Repentance towards God a precious Grace which God works in the hearts of his people those that he hath a purpose to save It is of necessary participation and it is a Grace of necessary exercise for our Saviour tells us that except we repent we shall all perish there is a necessity of it and yet alas how many are meer strangers to it know nothing of the Grace know nothing of the Practice of it And how many of those that have any sense or share in it yet that are very little in their Repentance have but a very low measure and degree know little of heart-meltings and soul-breakings before God much what strangers unto that sweet frame of spirit by which Ephraim is set forth unto us as a blessed pattern and example in Jer. 31. 18. where we have this account of him Thou hast established â—…e and I was chastised as a Bullock unaccustomed â—…o the yoke Turn thou me and I shall be turned after that I was converted I repented and I smâ—… upon my thigh This was Ephraim's frame and this is upon Record for our
there should be very much heat Did we but know more of Christ First of the loveliness of Christ what an amiable person he is Did we but throughly know what a lovely Christ he is according to the account that 's given of him in the Canticles He is the chiefest of ten thousand altogether lovely Take him all over you will see nothing but loveliness in the Lord Jesus Christ he is lovely for his Name for his Wisdom and Grace all those incomparable excellencies that discover themselves in him consider but of that O he is the most lovely Person that ever was in the World that ever visibly conversed with the sons of men 2. Consider him in his loveliness so in his loveingness I distinguish so his loveliness the loveliness of his Person and the lovingness of his Person the most loving Christ of the most loving disposition that ever was in the World never any to be compared to Christ for Love as full of love to poor souls as ever his heart could hold next to the love that he bare from all Eternity to his Father and to the Spirit who are co-essential and co-equal co-eternal with him next to the love that he bears them his love is set upon the sons of men he takes delight in the habitable parts of the World according to the account that 's given of him in Prov. 8. where Christ is set forth unto us under the term and notion of Wisdom saith he I was my Fathers delight and I came into the habitable parts of the World and my delights were with the sons of men He had his delights from all Eternity with the Father and with the Spirit and yet notwithstanding he was pleased to come out of the bosom of his Father and to take up his delights within the habitable parts of the World and with the sons of men And what a condition did he find them in A company of ill-looking and unlovely creatures as ever eye could behold I saw thee when thou wast in thy blood cast out to the loathing of thy person and yet that time was the time of love I loved thee and I gave a demonstration of it by doing so and so according to what is exprest Eâ—… 16. Why thus it is God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son his only beloved Son God the Son he so loved the world that he gave himself for a wicked damned world a company of wretches that had no love to him yet he loves them and he was out of love to them willing for to lay down his life for them And greater love hath no man as our Saviour speaks in the Gospel than thâ—…t a man lay down his life for his friend For his Friend I but what a love was this then That one should come and lay down his life for those that were Enemies When we were enemies we were reconciled and when we had no strength Christ came and shed his blood and that by the shedding of his blood he might wash away the guilt of his Peoples iniquities What a love was this O well might the Apostle fall upon admirings of it in Eph. 3. he prayes that they might comprehend the heights and depths and lengths and breadths and that they might know the love of Christ which saith he passeth knowledge Weigh these things Brethren and let them not pass away in a slight manner That saith he you might know the heights Why there are heights and depths and breadths and lengths in the love of Christ and it is such a love as passeth knowledge when we have known all we can of it yet it will transcend our knowledge why such a love Christ hath imprest Now consider O the the love of Christ to poor sinners that he should stick at nothing to do for them to suffer for them to forego for them to undergo for them When the business was under consideration concerning the Redemption of the World when it was propounded to him My Son wilt thou undertake for a damned World to save a company of poor souls that are like to perish eternally unless that help come in Wilt thou undertake for them Father I will do it I love them and I will do them all the good I can I but Son If thou wilt undertake their cause thou must bear their guilt thou must undergo their curse thou must be put to shame for them thou must suffer and dye and shed thy blood for them Father I am willing Father I delight to do thy Will thy Law O Father is in my heart Why what a heart-breaking love is this He sticks at nothing he doth not ingage to a dispute with the Father and with the Spirit and say thus Why should I undergo this smart and pain and torment for a company of wretches Let them damn and perish let them reap the fruit of their own evil doings Father what hast thou to object against me I never offended thee Why should I be made an Offering and a Sacrifice for sin Not a word of this but a most willing complyance with the Counsel of God concerning the saving of poor souls and redeeming them from going down into the pit What love was here O admirable love of our Lord Jesus Christ Why now do but consider this then This love of Christ this Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ the loveliness of his Person and the lovingness of his nature and disposition and what an inlarged heart of love as to God so to poor sinners And consider what delight he takes to manifest his Love to us and what longings there are in him that he might have all his People in Heaven that they might know to the full that dear love that he hath born to them from all Eternity Why If these things were better known and digested if we would not only slip and away but dwell upon the Meditation of these things unquestionably it would contribute most largely unto the promoting of love we should not be so dead-hearted unto Christ as we are our fire of love would burn out more unto God unto Christ than ever it 's like to do if so be that we were but more improved in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I commend these things with much confidence to the Consciences of every one of you whether that this Knowledge of our Lord Jesus this blessed Knowledge if it were but more pursued and if we had but more advancement in it whether it would not more improve our Faith improve our Hope improve our Repentance improve our Love to God and the Lord Jesus and of one to another And then again The like we may speak concerning humility and meekness of Spirit for it comes to my thoughts that Proverb of Solomon to make use of it here upon occasion of this account that I give concerning the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Solomon speaks of a gift of Knowledge which prospers which
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
their care and diligence for to keep themselves It is the priviledg of a Believer a Covenant priviledg that he shall not depart from God I will put my fear into their hearts that they shall not depart from me But it is also the duty of a child of God to do his utmost indeavour and to use his greatest diligence and care that he never do depart from God And by that care of his not to depart from God God doth bring over to him the comfort and benefit of the Covenant-priviledg that he shall not depart from him And truly we cannot reckon upon the comfort and benefit of â—…e priviledg any further than we are careful to answer to our duty God will be true to his promise and he discovers his faithfulness in performing his promise of working up the hearts of his people to a care of doing their duty So far this particular It is the priviledg of a Saint that he shall grow Shall he I but it s his duty to grow God hath made it both a priviledg and a duty and if so be that we shall have the comfort of the priviledg we must make Conscience of performing the duty and make it our business from day to day to be growing in Grace Grow in Grace Truly it is a strange kind of Riddle and I do profess I would be seriously minded in what I speak now speaking to a point that doth very nearly concern all that do pretend to Grace and holiness I say that I am speaking to a point which I think is as misterious one of them as moâ—… that concern practical godliness And I am apt to think there is as little of judiciousness discovered in the part of Godly persons of those that are truly godly as little of judicial observance discovering it self about this thing as about any one thing that concerns practical Godliness Growth in Grace our Consciences are able to witness with us or against us whether we study this matter whether we bestow any serious thoughts about it yea or no whether we understand it and know what belongs to this growth in Grace and are able to give any good account of it I doubt there are many who are right in the main that are at a very great loss concâ—…rning the right understanding of this matter and are not able to give any comfortable account a judicious account concerning themselves and how far they are responsible to God concerning this thing Judg in your selves whether this be not the heighth of your godliness and your utmost reach in your profession You have solicitous thoughts about Grace about the in-being indwelling implantation of Grace in you You may have and must have if you be gracious such solicitous thoughts Exercise your selves with serious considerations to such a purpose My soul is there any grace of God in thee or art thou a stranger to it Is there any saving work upon thee yea or no I know this that every one that hath a saving impress upon his Spirit will be exercising himself to this purpose and labour to understand himself concerning this matter whether he have Grace yea or no. But as to this duty in the Text concerning growth in Grace alas how few are there that busie their heads about it or are able judiciously to manage and perform a search into themselves concerning it or to give a good account about this matâ—…er I shall speak more to that afterwards God assisting Now I give a hint of it and do speak this the rather because it being given us in Commission to preach this Doctrine and to press this duty I speak the rather in this sort that you may come to have more serious thoughts concerning that which I have to assert from this Text and to press upon you as a duty that we are to grow in Grace And to settle this upon your apprehensions That it is as much a duty for persons to increase in Faith as it is for to have Faith 't is as much a duty for to grow in Grace as for to press after Grace though it may be we do not so reckon upon it But I can tell you the same God that hath commanded the one hath commanded the other We are under as strong an obligation that we may grow in Grace as to use our diligence that we may come to be made partakers of Grace It is a duty for those that have Grace to grow in it What 's the meaning of that It s true there is a metaphor in the phrase it s taken from living things that having life so there is a growth Dead things cannot grow straws sticks and stubble these things they are dead things and they cannot grow But there must be a supposition of life where there is a growth Now to grow what is it Why plainly thus when you hear this is a duty that is incumbent upon you to grow in Grace you must not only be good but very good be better and better and endeavour to exceed your selves Good to day better to morrow Gracious this year far more gracious the next year Acquainted with God now more than acquaintance with God in process of time Grow in Grace that you may excell your selves Not only be better than others better than others that have no Grace nay better than others that have Grace that you may go beyond them and know your duty is that you may go beyond your selves that you may be more in Faith more in Repentance more in Love more in holiness more in the fear of God that you may go from strength to strength that you may Mutare vires as the phrase is in the 40. Isai. They that wait upon the Lord they shall renew their strength they shall change their strength they shall go from strength to strength from one strength to another this is to grow in Grace To be as good for God as good for heaven as possibly we can reckoning upon this we can never be too fit for heaven we can never be too holy for the enjoyment of the inheritance that is incorruptible undefiled and that fadeth not away this is your duty you that are the subjects of grace Such of you as God hath bestowed any grace upon this is your duty to grow in grace And that it is a duty it appears all along in Scripture How often are we called upon to increase with the increase of God to increase more and more to abound and be upon our advancements This is that which the Scripture doth press upon us very much And it 's a duty with respect to Grace Not only with respect to Gifts It 's true indeed such as have the gifts of the Spirit they should endeavour to grow in them as the Apostle speaks that they should abound in knowledg and in utterance and the like Not only in gifts for that 's a duty to grow in gifts in knowledg and in utterance but especially to grow in grace
That God may have the honour of his Plantation and say This Plant I set in my Vineyard It was little and slender and small at the first Plantation but see how it s grown grown up to a bulky Tree This is his glory this is the glory of the Planter to see his Plant growing up and becoming bulky a Tree of Righteousness What honour is it to God to have a Professor planted and continuing a poor slender twig and nothing of strength or stature 2. Our Duty is to grow to grow in Grace Why Brethâ—…en Grace is not worthily dealt withal nor do we answer the purpose of God in bestowing it upon us if we do not grow in it Why it s given as a stock to Trade withal Five Talents given to one to what purpose That he might imploy them and improve them that he might grow in his state and so two Talants And it was to the prais and honour of the servants that they were able to give an account of their Improvement Grace is given as a stock to trade withall and it is such a stock as is Improvable to most blessed purposes Grace hath an aptitude to grow and we deal unworthily wiâ—…h the Grace of God Faith is vesy apt to grow Love Holiness every Grace very apt to grow And if we keep this Grace and do not advance in it we walk most unworthily of it 3. And then consider further That this is the very scope and purpose of the Ordinances which God hath appointed in his Church One of the main Intents and purposes of God in setting up a Ministry in the Church is Not only that people might be planted and brought over to Grace but that they might grow and increase unto a goodly stature Observe that passage in Ephes. 4. The Apostle gives us a clear account to this purpose He gave some Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledg of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. This is the scope of the Ministry Judg now what a strange apprehension that is which some have had and it may be have still That now they are above Ordinances They are come to such a pitch as they need give no more attendance to the Ordinances when as this is the very scope of them Till we come to the fulness of the stature So that I say this is one special end of God in giving the Ordinances that Grace being wrought it might be improved and that there might be an increase and an advance in it And Brethren what shall we think that God hath provided that there should be Precept upon Precept Line upon Line Sermon after Sermon Sabbath after Sabbath Ordinance after Ordinance in the succession of them and all to this purpose that his people might hold their own only and stand at a stay and not be a jot the better 4. And then let us consider thus with our selves Truly the times are such and it may be will appear to be more and more such that as touching converting work truly we see little of that as if God had upon the matter his number Nothing to what hath formerly discovered it self in the way of the Gospel and Gospel Ministry Alass what should we do with the Ministry if while there is little or nothing of converting work there be nothing of increasing work what should we do Preaching You will say it may be you are converted to God and brought over to Faith and Grace Well if you will rest in this condition and look no further and press no higher and not endeavour after increase what should we continue Preaching and for what purpose should God continue his servants and Ministry and Ordinances to a people if they will not mind their growth And what encouragement can we have to attend this service if we Preach and Preach and Preach and still you continue what you were 5. And then withal we have a Head a glorious Head our Lord Jesus Christ and our duty is to grow that we may come to hold some proportion to the Head to come to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. 6. And then consider That this Life is not the time of perfection God requires we be perfect Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect Are we come to perfection then indeed we may discharge our selves of the Duty but till we come to be perfect truly we had need be pressing on and be still upon our growth SERM. II. I Shall now proceed further in this Argument concerning growth in Grace And before I come to make use of this point I think it very requisite to give you some account of the Reasons which this Chapter besides what might be drawn up from the whole Epistle which I have spent so much time upon The Reasons that it holds forth unto you and with respect unto which the Apostle doth give this in charge and thus require of Professors that they grow in Grace And if the things be but well weighed truly we shall find that there are very pressing Reasons and Arguments to be drawn from this very Chapter to promote this cause and to quicken Professors to diligence and care that they may answer this though that is laid upon them And be pleased now to take a brief account of some of the particulars which lye before us in the Chapter 1. First of all The Apostle speaks of the last dayes ver 4. He intimates to us that there are dayes which shall be the terminating dayes of time Dayes which shall put an end by their expiration to time And so it shall come to pass that time shall be no more there are the last dayes And forasmuch as this charge that is given here To grow in Grace doth in a special manner refer to such times and dayes which shall be the last dayes the concluding dayes Truly there is very great reason that Professors that are reserved for these last dayes should look well to their growth Alass if so be that the Corn be not of a considerable growth if the Harvest is near at hand when the growing time comes to beat an end what hope is there to be had concerning it If so be that Professors that have the last dayes coming upon them shall not be found to be in a growing condition and be careful to answer their duty this way how will they be able to comport with these last dayes 2. The Apostle intimates to us That in these last dayes there shall come scoffers You must understand that these things refer to these latter ages and this latter time of the world that we are fallen into There shall come scoffers that shall do what they can to scoff others
that God hath kindled a spark that God hath made a plantation that he hath made some impress upon your spirits are you so perswaded Will you then consider with your selves that this duty lies upon your hand it is incumbent upon you you are charged with it that you grow that you do not rest in this that you have a spark but that you improve it to a flame that it be not only a plantation but that it be an augmentation this is the will of God this is that that is required of you The Father that hath begotten you by Grace and begotten you to Grace hath begotten you not that you should alwaies be babes in Grace no he hath not he would have you to be upon your growth and increase and that you may increase with all the increase of God this is your duty and you cannot deny it you must acknowledge it the text doth charge it upon you besides many other Scriptures that you grow in Grace I but is it so can you give a good account of it Nay consider whether your consciences have not this to blame you for and to use very sharp discipline upon you in regard in that of a truth you do not much intend this matter you do not much mind growth in Grace Truly I am very apt to think that there are many professors of the Gospel who it may be and we may comfortably hope they are sound in the main have the root of the matter in them and yet entertain very little thoughts of the matter concerning their growth The great business that they ingage themselves unto is this that they may labour to make as sure work as they can that there be the truth of Grace in their hearts that there be the root of the matter that there be a spark from Heaven struck into them and that is all Consider now whether that be not justly chargeable upon us if we can but make it out that there is a change wrought that there is something of the Grace of God in us that there is a quickening power that hath been put forth upon us that we are passed from death to life that we are not wholly under the power of darkness but that we have got an escape from under that black regiment under which we were held before and which we belong'd unto if we can but make this out we are apt to think that all is well enough if so be that we can but find that we have a Faith though it be but as a grain of mustard-seed if we have but a Faith of adherence that we can but hang upon Christ for life and salvation we are apt to please our selves in that condition and not driving on for increasing and improvements in the Grace that we have Truly Brethren this is a matter that would be seriously weighed and I speak now of a growth in Grace many may be found that are studious of a growth in gifts very much set to this to make advances in their knowledge in their parts and abilities that they may be accomplished for such and such services and for discourses and maintain controversies and disputes according as immergent occasions may ingage them But as for this growth in Grace O consider whether this be not chargeable upon us that we do not so much mind that nor do not commune with our own hearts and enter into a serious search with our selves O my soul how is it with thee Thou pretendest to be brought over to Christ and to have a plantation into Christ and thou reckon'st upon so long standing in Christianity thou hast been so long in Faith and brought over to Holiness O but my soul what progress hast thou made what advances are there what increases are there what account canst thou give this way O do we thus commune with our own hearts What am I better this year than I was the last I have lived so long under such and such precious powerful and plentiful means God gives me the showers and dews from Heaven from Sabbath to Sabbath distilling and dropping down upon me I have precept upon precept and line upon line but where 's my growth what am I the better how do I credit the means and ordinances that I do attend upon by my prosiciency Truly Brethren consider well of it it is a serious matter and that that we should be very solicitous about and so as persons that may be able to give a good account of our selves I tell you that it is an argument of a low spirit a spirit not so well becoming a Saint in Christ one of the called of God according to his purpose for to be contented as I have had occasion sometimes to speak with Ruben's blessing I allude to that passage of Moses concerning Reuben in the 33 Deut. Let Reuben live and not dye as if he should say It was a judgement indeed upon him that he should not excell because he had gone up to his Fathers couch he should have been the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power but he miscarried and prejudiced himself with respect to his advancement but yet that blessing he hath That he shall live and not die And so many it may be They can be content to set down with Reuben's blessing so they can but live and may not dye and damn If they can but make it out that they have so much Grace as will secure them from eternal perishing that they shall not go down to hell that they are passed from death to life and shall never come into condemnation If they can but make it out that there is something of the Grace of God in them though it be never so small so as that they shall not be put upon the left hand in the great day this is all they look after A low spirit unbecoming a Saint of God unbecoming the Gospel of Grace which we are called unto the fellowship of which doth so strictly and solemnly charge upon us that we be upon our improvement O Brethren as if so be that this were a spirit becoming a Saint of God! To look no further than this that there be a securing from hell and from eternal perishing whereas we should set our hearts upon this that we may not only have so much Grace as may distinguish us from the World and by which we may make it appear that we are not of the World but we should labour according to the spirit of the Gospel to be so advanced in Grace that we may be the honour of God and that we may carry on the cause of Godliness in an honourable and in a crediting way We should labour after so much Faith and so much Love and so much Holiness and so much of the Fear of God that we may go on strenuously and that we may be found to praise and honour and credit the cause of the Gospel and may not shame the ordinances that
we attend upon and are admitted to the participation of O Brethren this is a thing altogether unbecoming the spirit of a Saint When men are at this point if they have but enough to keep life and soul together if they have but bread to eat and clothes to put on though the fare be mean and the clothing be course yet if they have but enough of that but so much I say as will keep life and soul together they can be content Indeed such a spirit in respect of the World is to be approved on When we can be contented with a lower portion here in the World this is commendable in respect of a worldly state here But as to a state of Grace and Holiness it is that which is no way to be approved of that persons that have something of the Grace of God in them should rest contented in their lower measures Truly this is that which we have cause to be deeply humbled for O! how many to their shame may it be spoken are indeed the shame of the Gospel and of the Ordinances that it should be said of them quite contrary to that which our Saviour speaks concerning the Woman of Canaan O Woman great is thy Faith Truly Brethren it may be said of many of us O man O woman Great is thy unbelief Great is thy faith nay Great is thy unbelief Great is thy holiness nay truly thy holiness is very little thy love it s very low This is that we have cause to be deeply humbled for that we are not more in our improvements and advances of Faith and Godliness sutable to the command that is here given that we grow in Grace And yet further this is that which I would say It were not altogether so much to be lamented if this were all though there is cause enough of being humbled and abased before God upon this account that we are not more upon our advancement But alass how much sadder is it when we shall find persons upon their declining and decaying instead of growing in Grace truly it may be feared concerning such that they are rather upon their decayings in Grace not the men and women that once they were for love to God for zeal for God delight in Ordinances breathings after Christ delighting in Communion of Saints close walking with God O these retrograde motions these backward motions that 's the meaning of the word these drawings back and declinings O these are to be deeply laid to heart When this shall be said concerning one that seem'd to be full of light and love and zeal and resolution for God that he shall come to be upon his abatements and not look like the person that he seemed once to be When the account rises up concerning a Soul according to that in the Parable of the unjust Steward He takes an account How much owest thou fourscore put down fifty When there comes to be such a falling in the account when we cannot make out such a state as once we could when there is Ephesus-like a falling off a decaying in our first Love a cooling in our zeal for God O Brethren this is not to answer the duty of the Text The Text requires growing in Grace O how shall we be able to stand before this charge when Conscience shall witness to us that we are rather upon our declining Truly these things would be seriously thought of especially in such a day wherein we had never more need to look to our condition and state God-ward not knowing what times we may fall into what tryals we may be put to O we had need to look to it and according to the charge that was given to Ephesus to Repent do our first works to recover our selves and labour not only to hold our own but to be upon our improvements And therefore that 's the main thing I would drive at and which I would conclude this Discourse withal I would deal with you in a way of perswasion and exhortation and press it with as much earnestness as I could that as many of you that are the sons and daughters of Grace that can give any good account of the truth of the Grace of God that is in you that there is the true Grace of God in you and that it is the true Grace of God wherein you stand that you would conscientiously apply to your duty and remember that this is the charge that God hath laid upon you that you grow in Grace and that you be still endeavouring this that you be better and better that 's the interpretation that I gave of the Text and of the duty That you be still upon your advancings if you have Faith and Love and Holiness and the fear of God and Meekness and if you have any thing of Godliness that you would labour to have more of it that you may not be alwaies weaklings in Grace Oh this is that that we should set our hearts upon And doth not the very thing it self invite you to it Why Brethren can you have too much of God can you have too much of Christ can you have too much of Faith and Holiness you may have too much of the World but you can never have too much of God and Grace till you come to such a pitch of godliness that you need not make any further advances It was otherwise with Paul and he gives another account of himself though alas how far short are we of him and of that Faith and Grace that was attained by him Yet he professes though he was not behind the chiefest Apostles yet he saith this concerning himself that he did not account himself to have attained but he forgets what is behind and he reaches to that which is before and presses towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus I said before I say again you can never be too good for God you can never be too good for Christ you can never be too ripe for Heaven when you come to the issue and close of all you will find that you have no more than needs must the wise Virgins they found that they had nothing of their oyle to spare when the foolish Virgins came to them O let us buy of you and be supplied by you no say they lest we be at a loss for our selves When you have gotten as much Faith and Grace and spiritual strength and holiness by the means and ordinances that you do attend you will find all little enough And therefore O this is that should make us set on with diligence and care that we may answer the duty of the Text and be upon our Increasings and Growth in Grace SERM. III. THere must not only be life but growth in Christianity and this is the burden which the Text laies upon us That we grow in Grace Now letting pass the things that were insisted upon shall we buckle to this as our business at present My
endeavour shall be to drive home this Exhortation and to fasten it as a nail in a sure place If you will but give due regard unto that which shall be charged upon you and urged in the name of the Lord Is so be that you will but labour to stand convinced of this as your duty and upon convincement set up the conscientious practice of it undoubtedly this labour this morning will not be in vain And that the thing which shall be spoken and pressed upon you may be the more succesful I would beseech you to consider what a lovely duty it is to endeavour a growth in Grace what a becoming thing it is for men and women that are called to the fellowship of the Gospel and to the participation of the Grace of the Gospel to be most vigorous in endeavouring this that they may be upon their growth We love to see our children grow the husband-man loves to see his corn spring up and grow men in the course of their trading they set their hearts upon this that they may grow upon their estates more big and bulky Why is there any thing in this World wherein a growth is more lovely to see than Grace and Holiness is What a sad thing is it to see poor creatures take a great deal of pains and are frequent in their attendance upon the Gospel and the Ordinances of it there 's not an opportunity that they can well take hold of but they do yet to see them in a kind of withering state lean pale and ill-favoured in a languishing condition and little or nothing appearing of any proficiency of any spiritual growth Indeed it is a thing that would be laid to heart by professors that they are not able to give a better account of their improvements in Grace and Holiness that there should be so much Preaching such frequent hearing Sermons they are eaten up and 't is well if so if they be eaten and one would think well digested and yet still leanness appears one corruption or other eats out the strength of all and keeps poor creatures under Truly this is a sad consideration that we should hear Sermon after Sermon and injoy Ordinance after Ordinance and yet come to look upon professors even concerning whom there may be a well-grounded confidence that the heart is right in the main and yet still in a kind of withering condition lean poor and bare little more as I may so speak than skin and bone Truly this is that that should be laid to heart And alas Brethren do but think seriously to what purpose is it to attend the Ordinances and not to be bettered by them you would think it a sad condition for a person to feed every day feed to the full with large provision varieties set before him to partake of and yet after all his full feedings there is nothing of strength and fatness and growth and increase no bettering by their provisions Surely surely this should set close upon our hearts to think thus Lord why is it thus with me I hear many a Sermon and attend Christ in Ordinances have many blessed opportunities for spiritual advantage and yet I have got little or nothing others see it not I can give no account of it it may be as much kept at an under by my pride by my passion by one corruption or other as apt to be over-powered by every temptation as if I did not give any attendance upon God in any of his Ordinances This meditation I desire may settle upon our hearts and that we would be communing with our selves about this matter as Rebecca said upon occasion of the strugling in her womb If it be so why am I thus If it be so that there is such allowance given such a provision made in so ample a manner if it be so Lord why am I thus why am I not more in Faith why am I not more in love to thee O Christ and waies of Holiness why am I not more in spiritual strength why am I not able to give a better account what do I make hearing the end of hearing and duty the end of duty and do I rest in Ordinances Are not the Ordinances given to profit withal and to improve by This is proper for us if we will deal truly in the matters of God and concernments of our souls this indeed is proper work for you and me to be upon the daily performance of This I speak now in more general manner and to this purpose that you might give the more due regard unto the things that I am further to communicate to you concerning growth in Grace which is the Duty of the Text. Now this is that which I have to press upon you That you would reckon upon it as a duty and accordingly with Conscience and care apply it Set your hearts upon this that you may grow Grow in Grace I think as I said before it will be the properest course that I can take for to speak to some particulars and I will speak especially to the main Grace the Captain-Grace the Leading-Grace and that 's the Grace of Faith Think thus that when you are called upon to grow in Grace to be sure this is the mind and meaning of God and of his Spirit that you should grow in Faith that you should set your hearts to this that having Faith you may increase in it This is your duty even a duty incumbent upon every one that hath any thing of true saving Faith in him to do his utmost that he may come to have a growth in that Faith O that this might be considered of by you that are Believers Have you Faith 't is good for to make an inquiry and to search into your selves whether you have Faith ye or no. Have you look to the growth of it it is a child of Gods begetting and it is a child that 's committed to your trust to see to the nourishing of it that it be well nursed by you Hath God given you Faith in the spark your duty is to look to it that it be improved to a flame Is it a seed that God hath sown in your hearts suppose it be but as a grain of Mustard-seed it is a duty that lies upon you to look well to it that this little grain this seed that is sown be attended and that there be an improvement of it This is your duty that having Faith you increase in Faith that there be a due improvement of it that you may come to be not only Babes in Faith but strong men in Faith this is that which I say is our duty and this I would press upon you Grow in Grace Grow in the Grace of Faith And this I would have you to consider that all other growth in the other Graces they have a dependance upon this growth in Faith If Faith be in well-liking other Graces will be in a good condition Truly I think it is mostly thus
that the Christian is as his Faith is If his Faith be in good plight his other Graces will be so too If there be a flourishing Faith there will be a flaming Love and there will be an abounding and an increase in other Graces Faith it hath an influence upon all other the Graces of the Spirit Grow in that and grow in all Now if you ask But how would you have us to grow or to what pitch and proportion would you have us to arrive You perswade us to a growth in Faith what growth is it that you press us to Will you now but a little weigh these things that I have to communicate I tell you thus your growth in Faith if so be that you will answer your duty it must first be a growth practically answering to the degrees of Faith that you come up to the degrees of Faith and to as high a degree of Faith as you can 2. That in a practical way you may answer the testimonies that are given of Faith 3. That in a practical way you may answer the eminent and signal examples and patterns of Faith 4. That in a practical way you may perform the acts and express the fruits and effects of Faith all this in a practical way And then shall you answer the duty and approve your selves to be such as are persons of a well grown Faith First of all when I perswade you to grow in Grace in the Grace of Faith interpret thus That every believing soul is to look unto and to press after such a growth as that there may be an attainment of Faith and of Faith in the degrees of it Thus we distinguish of a weak Faith and of a strong Faith We distinguish of a Faith of Adherence and of a Faith of Evidence and Assurance We speak of Believers some that are poor in Faith others that are rich in Faith according to the Apostles expression in James The poor of this world rich in Faith We distinguish of a living Faith and of a lively Faith We distinguish of a combating Faith and of a conquering Faith Of a conflicting Faith and of a triumphing Faith such distinctions there are Now our duty is to press after such a growth that we may be in the advancing and come up to the highest degree that we can attain unto Our Saviour complained of the Disciples O ye of little Faith Importing thus much that their duty was for to be much in Faith and to have a great Faith a well grown Faith such a Faith as the Woman of Canaan of whom I shall speak O woman great is thy Faith There are that are poor in Faith they have but a poor degree and measure of Faith but even as much of it as will keep life and soul together as I may so speak all that they can do is but to keep in life I but now our duty is to look after an inrichment in Faith that we may live like rich men live at a high rate that we may spend and spend very largely This is our duty That we have a lively Faith a Faith so improved as that its quick and active and nimble and can put on vigorously in the wayes of Grace and holiness this is our duty To grow from one degree to another to be stronger and stronger to proceed from Faith of Adherence unto Faith of Assurance Not only to have the Faith of Recumbency that we can hang upon Christ and roul our selves upon him for Salvation but that we may come to have a Faith of Confidence that we may not only be perswaded of the truth of Promises but that we may be perswaded of our personal interest and propriety in Promises And that we are not only perswaded of the truth of them but of our title to them that we may not only be able to say that This is a faithful saying that Jesus Christ came into the World to save sinners but that we may be able by Faith to say I and this Jesus came to save me as much as any other sinners in the World That we may not be only able to say He loved his People and gave himself for his people but we may be able by a well-improved Faith to say yea he loved me and he gave himself for me Thus could Paul say such was Pauls Faith A Faith of Assurance when we cannot only reflect with fears and difficulties but we can trample upon them and triumph over them and say with the Apostle I am perswaded that neither heighth nor depth nor length nor Principalities nor Powers nor things present nor things to come shall be able to separate me from the love of God that is in Christ. Such a growth we should have that we may come to bear up with a holy confidence towards God that we may be able to say I know whom I have believed and I know that my Redeemer liveth We know that if this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God a house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens This is the Faith that we should press after a Faith of such a size as this of such a proportion as this and not rest contented with this That we can hang upon Christ though its a great Mercy to have the least degree of Faith yet this we should be pressing to that we may come to a holy confidence towards God This is our duty and that that we should endeavour to that we may come to be of such a grown Faith that 's the first thing 2. Our duty is to grow in Faith and to be of such a growth in Faith as that we may answer the high and honourable and glorious testimonies that are given of Faith that we may be able to give in our Justification of such testimonies and say thus and thus is Faith testified of 't is a true testimony I am able to prove it I am able to speak it out of my own person and from my own experience It s our blessed Sayiours speech Wisdome is justified of her children If we will approve our selves to be the children of Wisdome we should look after this in a special manner that we may be able to justifie the sayings of Wisdome Now what are the sayings of Wisdome concerning Faith the testimonies that are given of it Mark the Apostle in the 11th chapter of his Epistle to the Hebrews he tells us That Faith is the substance of things hoped for it is the evidence of things that are not seen Is this a true testimony It may be you will say you believe this that this is a truth concerning Faith I but what of that Is it a truth in you Is your Faith such a Faith Are you able to subscribe to this and to say yea blessed be God I can speak this from my own experience and say Faith is to me the substance of things that are hoped for Faith is in me the evidence of things that are not seen
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
way or no he hath begun the journey and he is doubting whether he be in the right way yea or no this will put him to a puzzel and make him to be fluctuating and hesitating had I best go on I doubt whether I be in the right way yea or no this will cause slackness of his motion but if he be sure that he is in the way this will be much to the incouraging of him to make a further progress So if I find and am sure that this be the right way that I have Grace in the truth of it this will cause us to labour after the growth in Grace Eighthly You are to be upon the Faithful and diligent exercise of what you have The reason why we have no more Faith is because we are not more upon the exercise of that Faith which we have We speak of trusting in God Alas how few are there of us that do any thing to purpose in the exercise of our trust and beleeving exercising Faith upon Christ and upon the Covenant of God in Christ concerning pardon of sin sanctification why for want of exercising what Grace we have already received wâ—… improve no more the promise is a faithful promise and God will be true to it He that hath to him shall be given He that hath what 's that he that hath and useth for we must needs understand it in that sense He speaks of the man that had the Talent and had imployed it had gain'd five talents he had imployed his talent saith Christ give him the other talent for to him that hath that is that hath and doth use and imploy what he hath to him shall be given If we would now but set our selves seriously and consideringly upon this business and exercise and imploy what Grace God hath given we may be confident of it that God will come in with the inlargeings of his spirit Ninthly Our duty is in order to growth in Grace to be constant in our attendance upon such means which God hath appointed for such a purpose Word and Ministry and other Gospel-ordinances as we lye fair for the injoyment of them Truly these means are provided for this very purpose that Christians may grow God hath set up a ministry in the World not only to bring persons that were strangers to Grace to the participation of it but that being brought to partake of Grace they may come to be increased in Grace Christ ascended up on high and gave gifts unto men for the perfecting of the Saints as well as for the planting of the Saints and this is our duty when we have sound the power of the Gospel upon our hearts to bring us from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God When we have found the efficacy of the ordinances to begin Grace our duty is to attend them still that that Grace being begun may by the same means be increased unto the day of perfection This is the will of God and we may be confident of this that when Christians come to Gods means propounding Gods ends mark what I say and accordingly wisely judiciously and conscientiously applying to the means to such ends and purposes they may be confident of it that God will come in with a blessing for God doth delight to crown his own means to prosper his own prescriptions he loves to see his meat that he gives his children to prove their nourishment their physick to promote their health God loves to see his means that he provides for the good of souls to see them succesful Consider can you think so dishonourably of God of the most blessed God that he should provide a Ministry continue it in the World continue his people in their attendance upon it what meerly that they might keep on in a formalizing course and be never the better Or can we think so dishonourably of God as that he would go and tye us to hear and attend the Ministry of his Gospel and Grace and withhold his blessing while we do conscienciously and judiciously apply our selves to such means Can we think so dishonourably of God as that he will suspend his working Ah Brethren the Lord delights to meet them with his blessing that remember him in his waies Do but think of that passage in Isa. 64. and look that Text full in the face and hear what it speaks to you Thou meetest him that rejoyceth and worketh righteousness those that remember thee in thy waies mark it Thou meetest them to what purpose why to prosper them to command thy blessing upon them I undoubtedly if we did but propound this to our selves when we come to attend the Ordinances think thus with our selves why God hath set up this Ministry in the World that his peoples souls might prosper that they might thrive that they might grow rich that they might improve in Knowledge and Faith and Holyness and Love and the like God hath given this that there might be the perfecting of the Saints the perfecting of my Soul I go to this means I attend this Ministry and I will attend in expectation of a blessing of God upon it I will wait upon God and I will expect his blessing and reckon upon it that I shall be the better for these means 't is God's means and he loves to be found in his own way and to bless and prosper his own appointments Oh this is that would conduce exceeding much to proficiency in Faith and Godlyness if we would but go this way to work But I tell you Friends our formality spoyls us it 's a most lamentable thing to consider what formalizing spirits many of us have Will you but mind this that I say I would I might not have that occasion that sometimes we have in the way of our preaching to speak to such a purpose people come together and profess to pray as that 's one part of our publick ministry yet how many are there of you that scarce ever close with one petition in a whole prayer your eyes are wandering and thoughts are roving Do not your consciences tell you that of a truth you make nothing of this duty but you can gaze and wander and look this way and that way and discover to others an unfixed heart and that you mind not the business that you are transacting What 's this but formalizing as if we came to set out a prayer and not to bear a part in prayer And so for hearing with what a formalizing spirit are we many times we can hear as if we were not at all concerned in any thing that 's spoken never considering of the ordinances in reference to God as that that hath the stamp of his Authority upon it O this if the Lord be not the more merciful it will be the ruine of our souls This Plague Formality We have got a course of going to Church as you use to say and keep on a course and go in account for prosessors but
in the mean time the heart little with God if any thing at all not raised up to God not set to injoyment of God and of holding communion with the Lord Jesus never come to settle upon this thought why this is Gods means that he hath provided for my improving in Faith and Godliness I do profess for my own part I do not know in all the World what to speak more to the purpose as touching this Agument which is an Argument that doth most neerly concern all that are partakers of the Grace of the Lord Jesus for to look after 10. Your duty is to grow in Grace Now that you may do so I would offer this to your consideration Do but rationally weigh these things that I now offer to you You that have Grace your duty is to grow in Grace That you may do so study Heaven and the Glory that is to be revealed I tell you I look upon it as that that is beyond all controversie that well raised apprehensions of Heaven the Glorious estate there will make us to put spurs to it and set on with diligence and care If we did but know the interpretation of Heaven what Heaven is we get a notion of Heaven but know not what it is what it is to be in Heaven what it is to injoy God in Glory what it is to be with Christ and Angels what it is to be in the possession of those blessed mansions above If we did but study Heaven more certainly it would make us put on with more diligence look about us and set us upon a vigorous performance of Grace and that we may increase in it Consider a little you that have Grace you are entituled to Heaven 't is your inheritance the portion which your Father hath set out for you I but what is this Inheritance It is an inheritance incorruptible undefiled that fadeth not away There is in Heaven the vision of God the most Glorious God There is a Communion an everlasting Communion with God and with the Lamb a following of the Lamb for evermore There is the injoyment of sweetest communion with Christ and with Angels and glorified Saints There is such Glory as eye hath not seen ear hath not heard it cannot enter into the heart of man to conceive It is an amazing thing what the state of Heaven is what the Glory that is there to be injoyed There is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore If so be that a man would but think of this O! is Heaven such a place such a holy pure place is there so much of the Glory of God appearing there This will make a man to argue thus with himself Good Lord what manner of person should I be that I may be fit for to come there that I may be fit to set â—…y foot upon that holy Ground O what manner of person ought I to be how shall I endeavour to be purged and cleansed according to that which the Apostle speaks in the 1 Epist. Joh. 3. saith he He that hath this hope in him he purifies himself as God is pure Such and such a thing is Heaven there is such glory and beauty there such glorious objects to behold and such delights and pleasures to be injoyed what manner of person ought I to be that I may be meet to be partaker of the inheritance of the Saints in light Certainly the thoughts of Heaven being well digested will make us to set on and be a conducement to an advance in Grace and Holiness 11. Lastly your duty is to grow in Grace Suppose you have it in the beginnings of it O bless God for what you have but withal pray that you may have more Prayer doth net obtain the first Grace You do not â—…et the first Grace by prayer for a man cannot pray to speak of prayer according to the proper use of it there 's no man can pray till he have Grace There may be something done in the strength of a common conviction a person that 's convinc'd of his cursed estate and terrified upon the conviction and apprehension he may come to send out some kind of desires O I would it were better with me for all that I see my condition is very bad and sad and naught But a true desire after Grace cannot be till there be something of Grace in truth The first Grace it comes not upon our prayer but to be sure the after Grace is to be fetch'd in in the way and by the means of prayer and therefore we are to ply the Throne of Grace as the Apostle exhorts Let us â—…me boldly to the Throne of Grace Throne of Grace to the God of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find Grace that we may find more Grace Heb. 4. O Lord thou hast stil'd thy self a God of Grace and thou hast made a Covenant of Grace and thou hast ordered out thy Son as a Fountain full of Grace and thou hast made promises of Grace O Lord bestow more Grace O Lord hold not thy hand the Disciples they cry out O Lord increase our Faith the poor man in the Gospel breaks out with tears Lord I believe O Lord help my unbelief Lord I have a little love to thee O let my love increase Lord let my Faith increase Lord let my Holiness be more and more increased Lord let there be more and more You have a promise Open thy mouth wide I will fill it These things now I have suggested to you and have endeavoured to commend them in as pressing a way as I can that so you may perform your duty as touching growth in Grace I would now have spoken something by way of encouraging Arguments only thus at present I would have you to consider what a mercy it is that God will make this the matter of your duty you that are gracious persons upon whom he hath bestowed any Grace what a mercy of God it is that he should make this one of your duties and require this of you as a point of duty that you should grow in Grace as if a great man should say to a poor one that he hath set his love upon Friend I have freely given thee 100 l. as a stock to begin the World now go thy waies and imploy this 100 l. and see what improvement thou canst make of it and I require this of thee that thou do advance in thy estate and if thou needest 100 l. more or three or four hundred pound more come to me and I will supply thee still for I would have thee to grow rich you would think this were a high act of courtesie and kindness if a man should do so Friend I charge you see that you grow rich you have so much in stock and I will supply you still with more and more but only do you look to this that you grow rich Thus God doth in respect of Grace Indeed he doth not deal thus with us as to the
the Gospel credit the Ordinances encourage the Ministry and strengthen the hands of those that are faithful in their work whose ambition should be to see those that wait upon God in the way of Ministry to be improving and thriving and growing Heaven-ward O how much is it to the honour of the Gospel and to the credit of the Ministry and encouragement of the servants of Christ when they can see those that wait upon God in their way to be upon an improvement It 's the comfort of a Nurse to see the child thrive and prosper it 's the comfort of a Minister to see the people that wait upon his Ministry to be increased with the increase of God better'd by every Sermon better'd by every Ordinance that is dispenc'd unto them Surely if Paul were on earth and had to deal with such kind of persons that were good proficients he would glory in them and make his boast of them so he doth of the Thessalonians in the 2 Epist. 1 Chap. where having spoken of them of their Faith and Charity we glory in you saith he in the Churches of Christ. 7. Consider thus for incouragement for an endeavouring after a growth in Grace such persons are not so likely to be startled and affrighted and unsetled upon occasion of amazing terrifying and astonishing providences and when there are frowns in the face of providences which others are not well able to behold improved souls such as are well underlaid with Grace and are of a considerable growth they are of all others the most likely to bear up with courage and confidence and holy resolution and to out-face all difficulties and dangers and to say as the three Children O King we are not careful to answer thee in this matter When poor weaklings are apt to flye before an enemy and to shrink at the sight of a trouble and to have their hearts desponding and fall down within them well improved souls that are advanc'd in Grace they are likely to bear up with courage and confidence and to behave themselves as Caleb did when others of the searchers were sent to see the Land their hearts begin to fail them at the sons of Anack Come saith Ioshua let not us fear them they are bread for us we shall feed upon them they shall do us no hurt their strength is departed from them and the Lord is with us to work out salvation for us Such a man is one that God would glory in that will not startel at troubles when they fasten on him but bears up with resolution of spirit and such are like to do so that are well improved in Grace as Caleb was 8. Consider this that if you do grow and increase you are likely when you come to dye to dye with the greatest comfort and joy and boldness towards God Truly we may well think that those that have the greatest Faith and the greatest Love and the greatest measure of Holyness they are like to dye with the greatest comfort and triumph I do not say that it is alwaies so God may and doth it 's like sometimes for ends and purposes best known to himself suffer some of his most eminent Saints for to dye and pass away not altogether with that splendor and with those clear apprehensions of his Love sometimes he is pleased so to order out for holy purposes But we may well think that in all probability they that have gotten the most Grace are like to have the greatest comfort in the day of death and according to their sowing so shall their reaping be they having sown plentifully when the Harvest comes truly they shall be sure to reap plentifully 9. Consider this That whereas it 's said that Christ in the day of Judgement will come to be admired in all them that do believe Surely he will be most of all admired in them that have been most in their beleeving of him he will be most admired in them that have done most in their advances and improvements in Faith and Godlyness And truly these things being duly considered they may be well reckoned upon as so many incentives and provocations to this duty which we are charged withal in the Text that we do endeavour to grow in Grace And if there be any that are able to give any good account of their improvement and increasing through the blessing of God upon them if any of you can find that you have been made to increase and that there is a growth in Grace you may know it and your duty is to make a thankful acknowledgement of it As David doth in Psal. 138. In the day when I cried thou answered'st me and strengthened'st me with strength in my soul. Truly we should be willing and free to acknowledge the incomes of God and the increases of God in us and how the Lord is pleased for to bring us on from a lower measure to a higher and to give us an advance in Faith and Godlyness Truly we should take knowledge of it and be free to make acknowledgement of it to the glory and praise of Him that is the giver of all And for such of you as are above that are of a higher stature than others of your Brethren that are better grown Christians more improved in Knowledge in Faith in Holyness in Love in Godlyness and Grace to such of you I have only this to say First of all consider that all you have is of free donation your first Grace and your second Grace the first degrees and the after-degrees they are all of Grace and therefore your duty is to attribute nothing to your selves but to give the Glory of all to God By the Grace of God I am that I am saith Paul If so be that I have more Faith than my Brother more Grace more Knowledge more Holyness I have no reason to boast of it I have much reason to bless God for it but not to boast for what have I that I have not received I have received the first Grace and my endeavours have been used put forth to such a purpose yet it is not so much to be reckoned to my endeavour as to the blessing of God upon my endeavours and so God in all is to be glorified in all and for all for the first Grace and for the after Grace for the beginnings of Grace and for the increases of Grace O the God of Grace is to be magnified and we are to carry it very humbly to take heed of any proud swellings of heart because you may come to be above your Brethren taller than they by head and shoulders do not over-look weaker Brethren but carry it humbly and tenderly towards them as the Apostle saith We that are strong ought to bear with the infirmities of the weak this is a becoming thing for a well-grown Saint to carry it with all meekness and tenderness and in all lowlyness of mind towards those that are his inferiors and short of him
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
's a Mystery which God was pleased to keep secret in his own bosom for many thousands of years some little whispering there was of it upon the fall of Man The seed of the woman shall break the serpents head And what a pittance was here Though infinite mercy appeared in making this little appearance The seed of the woman shall break the serpents head Then afterwards a little more of this but a Mysterie and still a Mysterie and an unsearchable Mysterie a Mysterie which they that are most insighted in will have cause to say Alas how little a thing is known of him and what a depth is here and how scant and short is our line that we are not able to fathom the depth O it is such a Knowledge the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ as that all those Dimensions are most properly reckoned to it heights and depths and breadths and lengths and yet it is a Knowledge that passeth knowledge Such is the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. We had need then to be endeavouring a growth in it and to resolve thus I have not attained nor know nothing as I ought to know I am not yet sufficiently skill'd in this Mysterie If Paul that was such a knowing man were alive at this day he would be still pursuing after this Knowledge the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I but what account is to be given of this Knowledge that we should be so set to endeavour a growth in it Consider besides that that I have now spoken as touching the smallness of that measure attained Consider yet further First of all There is great reason that Christians and Believers should endeavour a growth in this Knowledge First It is the most excellent Knowledge that ever was discovered to the World and you have the Apostles word for it who was able to make a Judgment of Knowledge and Knowledge Phil. 3. 8. O saith he I do here give my Judgment and saith he This is my standing Judgment I am an Hebrew of the Hebrews of the seed of Abraham I am an Israelite of the Tribe of Benjamin as touching the Law a Pharisee And he was a man that could speak with Tongues more than all the Apostles And he was a man of profound Knowledge Though I be rude in speech yet not in knowledge Why he had a vast portion of Knowledge yet when he comes to compare one thing with another For my part saith he I account all things but loss and dung for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord. All but lâ—…ss and dung such an excellency there is in the knowledge of Christ and truly all other knowledge may well be lookt upon as inconsiderable knowledge and all other Injoyments in the World but even accounted as loss and dung compared with the Knowledge of Christ. Consider the Subject of this Knowledge Christ himself Consider him in his Person The brightness of his Father's Glory the express Image of his Person one that was in the Form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God Consider him yet notwithstanding this account of him as one that hath a transcendent love to his Father love to the World that he was most willing to comply with his Fathers pleasure in taking upon him the nature of Man The Lord to become a Servant the Prince of Life to become subject to Death O the blessed and only Potentate to be made a Curse he that knew no sin becomes willing to be made sin he that was the Lord of all to become a Servant of all What shall I say The consideration of the subject of this Knowledge it commends it to us as the most excellent Knowledge that ever was communicated to the World And then consider but this Lord Jesus Christ as in his Person so in his Qualifications in his Love in his Meekness in his Fatience in his Humility in his Gentleness in his Holiness and Righteousness in every respect Consider him in his Office such a Priest such a Prophet such a King as the World never had the like Consider him in his Actions and Performances consider him in his miraculous Actions in his moral Actions consider him in his military Actions and Performances such a Saviour of such wonderful power And of such Aâ—…chievements and Accomplishments as the like was never heard of in the World that he should rout Hell it self all the Devils in Hell It was a great matter in David to come into the Camp and to get the Victory over a Gyant a Goliah that was yet but a man But for this Captain this noble Souldier to come into the Camp and to ingage against all the powers of Hell and Darkness all the Devils in Hell that were all of them in Arms against him and yet he routs them and makes a spoyl of them and leads them a company of base slaves after him he makes a shew of them openly and triumphed over them in his Cross he gets a Conquest This is the most noble Captain and the most worthy Souldier that ever the World had Consider him I say in those military Performances moral Performances miraculous Performances the wonderful cures that he wrought such a Physitian that the World never had the like could Cure with a look with a word with a touch he could cure Bodies Souls There 's never a Physitian in the World could purge a sin out of a mans Conscience I but Christ can purge the Soul from sin Now Brethren I can at present but name these things and then to come to tell you what an excellent Knowledge the Knowledge of Jesus Christ is As in respect of the subject of it so in respect of the benefit and usefulness of it never any knowledge in the World will profit like unto this knowledge Here I have many things to say but I only at present give you but a little touch of them The Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ O it is the most profitable and useful and beneficial Knowledge Mark by the Law comes the knowledge of sin So the Apostle in Rom. 7. I had not known sin except the Law had said thus and thus I but when a man comes to know his plague and disease what is he the neerer if he doth not know his remedy If you should now be tryed as indeed it is necessary you should if you have not been brought to it If you should be brought to know what vitious natures you have what cursed corruptions made to see what deep and dreadful guilt you have contracted upon you if you should come to have the discovery made as those that God hath a favour to they have such disâ—…overies made to them the spirit of God comes 〈◊〉 as a convincing spirit if you should come to have the knowledge of your sins O now I am made to see and know that I am a vile damned wretch I come to know my sin and I know no more
hope and confidence towards God It is Christ who is the foundation upon whom we are to lay the whole weight of our souls for eternity Now then consider how strongly the Argument will grow up from hence if so be that Believers be so much bound to place their trust in Christ to pitch and fix their confidence upon Christ they had need know him well this will follow upon it I tell you Brethren you had need to know reason will suggest this to you that man well whom you trust your lives withal all your estates and worldly interests withal lest putting your confidence in an unfaithful man or one that will not be responsible to you concerning the trust you place in him you be utterly undone and fall under sad and shameful disappointments Will you trust your selves in case of sickness with one that you never knew or have but little knowledge of do not know whether he have proportionable wisdom and understanding and skill to manage such an undertaking as your health and recovery from some deadly disease amounts unto Nay you will say I will know him well before I will trust him with such a concernment If so be that you have a Suit in Law which your whole Estate depends upon the well issuing of you will endeavour this to know him well whom you trust your Cause with lest it should miscarry by means of his ill management of it this we all will yield unto as a rational thing Why now I pray consider you are bound to trust Christ with your lives with your souls they are wofully diseased and He must be your Physitian and you are bound to make your application unto him for health and cure Truly you had need to know him it 's your duty to be well acquainted with him that so you may come with the more boldness to place your trust and confidence in Him and to say Well I dare venture my life in his hand I know him well I know his wisdom I know his skill I am so well acquainted with his sufficiency that if I had a thousand lives I would put them all into his hand You are to trust him for your eternal inheritance and for to plead your Cause to answer all the Suits that are to be commenc'd against you by the Devil by your Consciences it is He that must plead your Cause you are bound to this to trust Him with your Cause Now it stands you upon much therefore to know him well and be well improved in your knowledge of Christ forasmuch as you are to commit the cause of your souls to Him Consider further You are bound to place your most intire and intensive love upon Christ this is the bond the Lord sets upon every beleeving soul to love the Lord Jesus in sincerity and to love him with the most intire and intensive love Consider this you are bound to love him above your lives above your souls you are bound to love him more than you love your Father your Mother your Wife your Children your Estates every thing in the World that is most neer and dear unto you this obligation and bond the Gospel puts Beleevers under they are bound I say to love the Lord Jesus with a supream love and to give this account of themselves such as the Prophet doth of himself in Ps. 33. O Lord Whom have I in Heaven but thee and whom is there on earth that I love and desire in comparison of thee This is your duty the duty of a Beleever for to have the strength of his love let out upon Christ. It 's our duty to love him with a Conjugal love love him so as to own him for our Beloved and to refuse all other beloveds in comparison of him this is our duty Now mark you Will not then the Argument flow strongly from hence we have reason then to know him well and labour to improve in the knowledge of him Christ doth not care for a blind love He doth not make much account of the love that is set upon him by those that know him not it is a judicious love that Christ makes account of Now therefore it concerns you to endeavour a growth in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that knowing him well our hearts may break out and burn in love to him and that so he may come to have the strength of our affections let out upon him There 's never a wise woman in the World that will let out her love upon a man that she knows not or hath little knowledge of I will know him well whether he be a proper object for me to place my love upon Now thus the case stands between Christ and a beleeving soul and therefore we had need endeavour an improvement in the knowledge of Christ that so we may come to have our hearts the more free to let out our love upon him and say O I know him I know him so well that no beloved for my purpose besides himself Choose him I will choose him above all the World This was the course that the Daughters of Jerusalem took in Cant. 2. When the Spouse was giving in charge to them concerning her Beloved say they What is thy beloved more than another beloved Why saith she My beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand she speaks as one that had a full knowledge of him and upon that account her heart was so strongly drawn out to him thus it was with her Now in Chap. 6. having obtained the knowledge of her Beloved that he was so choice and precious a one their hearts begin to flame out and to be in love with him O whither is thy Beloved gone O thou fairest among women whither is thy beloved gone that we may seek him with thee for as he is thy Beloved so shall he be our Beloved now we come to know more of him now are our hearts inflamed with the love of him and our desires carried out more strongly after him Again we had need endeavour a growth in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Whereas they are bound to trust in him and to set their love upon him so they are under this obligation for to captivate their judgements to him so as to yield up themselves in all obedience and duty to be at his beck and bidding and to comport with him in all his requiries and to do whatsoever he commands them without disputing his commands this is a Beleevers duty Whatsoever he requires of them without any more ado to follow him resolvedly in every way that he leads them into If any man will be my Disciple let him deny himself and follow me and hearken to my commands such service and duty every beleeving soul stands bound to the performance of Now consider if so be that one will go and bind himself to such a Master whose will he must follow whose commands he must obey and with whose
Saviour Jesus Christ O it will spirit the soul and make it lively to the uttermost in publishing the praises of the most high God I instance only in Eph. 3. what the Apostle is praying on their behalf That they might be able to comprehend with all Saints the height and depth and breadth and length and know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge so that you may be filled with all the fulness of God And then mark what follows Now saith he unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Iesus thâ—…ughout all ages world without end Amen Paul 〈◊〉 not hold his spirit was so full he was like a vessel that must either have a vent or burst it self O he being upon the meditation of this glorious Mysterie concerning Christ and the Doctrine of Christ why saith he Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly O how his heart was filled with praises and admirings of God upon the account of Christ. And there is one thing more now comes to mind wherein you may see the spirit of a Saint in the proper frame of it when there comes to be a due improvement of the Knowledge of Christ when the Apostle Paul in 1 Tim. 1. had been making mention of the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and comes to express his knowledge and sense of that Grace according to what you have exprest and held forth in that Chapter saith he The Grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with Faith and Love which is in Christ Iesus and so he goes on This is a Faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Iesus Christ came into the World to save sinners of whom I am chief howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy that in me first Iesus Christ might shew forth all long suffering for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to everlasting life Paul had been thus upon the serious meditation of this knowledge concerning our Lord Jesus Christ. Mark you now what his spirit rises up unto in the close of the Chapter Now saith he unto the King eternal having but made mention of Christ and spoken something concerning Christ and given some account of his knowledge of the mystery concerning Christ Mark how he breaks out into this acknowledgment Now unto the King Eternal Immortal Invisible the only wise God be Honour and Glory for ever and ever Amen and this comes in only occasionally in the way of a digression For he intermits the prosecution of the Argument he had in hand and falls upon this by way of a digression as if he should say O I cannot fall upon the mention of our Lord Jesus and of the mystery concerning him I cannot be upon the meditation of that knowledge which is to be had of Christ Jesus our Lord but saith he my heart must be breathing out in a way of praise and blessing of God admiring the riches of his Grace And thus would it be Brethren if we were but set to it to advance in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ O it would inlarge our hearts as unto prayer so unto thanksgiving and blessing of God I add yet further O this knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ it is a knowledge that Christians should endeavour to grow and advance in for it is by great growth in this they will come to be the more happily accomplished for the performing of the service of Preaching and Hearing I joyn these two together Preaching and Hearing of the Word of God And you may consider how a well-improved knowledge of our Lord Jesus would conduce most strongly to the provoking both of ministerial Preaching and likewise of Christian Hearing and attending upon the Doctrine which is to be made known unto us according to the Commandment of the Everlasting God For Preaching work O consider now that the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that knowledge that is to be had of him well advanc'd and improved will contribute exceedingly to the most lively management of this service Alas it 's accounted in the World but a low service and many times with too much lowness of spirit performed by those that profess to be called to the performance of it O but whence is it but from the want of a well-grown knowledge of our Lord and Saviour For consider Brethren this is that that we are to know concerning our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that the Word and Gospel which is the subject matter of our Preaching and your Hearing I joyn these two together Preaching-work and Hearing-work Now the word which is the subject matter of a Ministers Preaching and of a Beeleevers Hearing This word it comes out of the very heart of God out of the blessed bosome of the Eternal God And as a precious token of that love and respect that he bears to his Son he hath given out this word out of his own breast and bosome he hath given it and committed it as a trust unto his Son Will you consider this That this everlasting Gospel this word of Salvation which is the subject matter of our Preaching and your Hearing it is given as a testimony of the Fathers Love it is given to Christ observe that expression in Joh. 17. in the Prayer that our Saviour makes unto his Father saith he ver 8. I have given unto them the words which thou gavest unto me thou gavest the words to me first and then saith Christ I have given these words unto them our Lord professeth before all the World he makes this open profession saith he my Doctrine is not mine 'T is not mine considered as Mediator but it is the Doctrine of my Father which my Father hath given me and which he hath intrusted me with to make known unto the World and to communicate to my Disciples that by them the World may have the Knowledge of him Consider this that God the Father the Great Jehovah He gives this Word this Doctrine unto his Son Jesus Christ. Well this is that that is to be known concerning our Lord Jesus Christ that the Words and Doctrine is that which is given as a gift by the Father unto him and so likewise you have it in Rev. 1. the Revelation of Jesus Christ how came it to be his Consider that it 's resolved thus which God gave unto him to shew unto his Servants which must shortly come to pass and then he sent and signifyed by his Angel unto his servant John I but Christ hath a Revelation who gave it him God gives it him God hath given Christ all the whole plat-form and frame of Doctrine that concerns the Church of God his elect ones and called ones from the beginning unto the end of the World God the Father hath given this to the Son 2. This is that that is
creatures these ill-looking deformed people yet notwithstanding I will set my love upon them I will love them freely I will adopt them for my children and they shall be mine and I will estate them in great and large Possessions I will own them I will not be ashamed of them to be called their Father and to call them my children A wonderful thing it is to consider of the priviledge of Adoption I but now by the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ when it comes to be a well grown Knowledge when we come to know that that is to be known concerning Jesus Christ this will exceedingly advance the comfort of this priviledge of Adoption As will appear thus First of all We are to consider that a Believers Adoption it 's founded in Christ and the foundation of it it is laid in the Blood and Death and Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We are said to be the Sons of God by faith in Jesus Christ as the Apostle speaks 'T is by faith in Jesus that we come to have this Adoption and we are to know that all that are the adopted of God they are a generation that springs out of the very blood and bowels of Jesus Christ. Methinks it is worthy observing that which we have in Isa. 53. compared with Isa. 54. In the 53. you have an account in a Prophetical way of the sufferings of Christ and of his blood sheding It pleased the Father to bruise him v. 10. He hath put him to grief Well what follows upon this He shall see the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied Now mark you what 's this travel Observe what follows in Chap. 54. Sing O barren thou that didst not bear break forth into singing and cry aloud thou that didst not travel with child for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married Wife saith the Lord Enlarge the place of thy tent and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations spare not lengthen thy cords and strengthen thy stakes for thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles And thus the Prophet goes on Here now upon the Sacrifice Sufferings of our Lord Jesus there comes to spring up a numerous Issue which springs up out of his blood he shall see his seed and be satisfied there shall be a seed that shall be raised up out of his very blood and bowels And so likewise in Psal. 22. the Prophet having in the former part set forth unto us the sufferings of Christ he gives us in the close of the Psalm an account of the fruit that springs up out of these sufferings Saith he A seed shall serve him it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation they shall come and declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born that he hath done this He hath brought about a seed he hath raised up out of his own blood and bowels a seed that shall be accounted to the Lord for a Generation O this is the benefit that comes by Christ. And mark you this By the right Knowledge of our Lord Jesus we have this comfort concerning Adoption That as he pleads on the behalf of his People their Justification and maintains them in that so he pleads their Adoption and his blood it is that keeps them fast to God so as they shall never be unchilded again And then again This is that that we are to know concerning our Lord Jesus Christ That it is he that gives them this priviledge of Adoption and puts them into the actual possession of it as in that 1 Ioh. 12. As many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God He gave them the priviledge to become the Sons of God and to enjoy this priviledge Why this is that we are to know concerning our Lord Jesus And with all consider this O this is that which makes the comfort of Adoption to spring out to â—…low forth to the refreshing of the souls of the Saints to think that their Adoption it is such a priviledge as that upon the account thereof as they come for to be Children to the Father so they come to be Brethren to Christ. For mark you Christ himself is a Son saith the Apostle Behold what manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God Here 's love indeed and it appears so to us because by being made the Sons of God we come to be in a condition like unto Christ For what is he He is the Son of the Father he is the begotten of the Father the only begotten in regard as he is second person and the first begotten in respect of his Mediatorship as he is God-Man The first born the first begotten the only begotten as he is the second Person but the first begotten and the first born as he is Mediator as the Prophet speaks in the Psalms Thou art my Son This day have I begotten thee You are to understand that of Christ as Mediator and especially as raised up in the day of his Resurrection from the dead This day have I begotten thee begotten thee by an act of mighty power raising thee up and so he becomes the first-born among many Brethren Here 's the comfort of the priviledge of Adoption which we come to be partakers of by a well improved Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ Here 's the comfort of our Adoption that by means hereof we come into a Brotherhood with Christ. Beleevers O what a dignifying priviledge is this that they come to have a Brotherhood with Jesus Christ As they have a filiation in reference to God so they come to have a Brotherhood with Jesus Christ so that he is born to them and they are Brethren to him according to Psal. 22. we sung this Morning I will declare thy Name unto my Brethren speaking of his People and redeemed ones and he is pleased so to reckon upon all his People they are his Brethren Go and tell my Brethren After his Resurrection he expresseth himself to this purpose Go and tell my Brethren that I go before them And O this is that that doth advance the Priviledge and give them comfort of the priviledge of Adoption to souls to think that they come into a Brotherhood with Christ Jesus And as it is said in the Text I spoke to the other day That God is not ashamed to be called the God of his People God is not ashamed to be called their God and their Father and to call his People his Children So it is said of Christ and 't is a very considerable thing that which the Apostle holds forth in his Epistle to the Hebrews saith he Both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren Mark this this is the testimony concerning Jesus Christ
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
2ly That you would know the singular eminency of the love of Christ which is a love that passes knowledge And the Apostle presses this upon us in Eph. 3. saith he I bow my knees c. that you may be able to comprehend with all Saints the heights and depths and breadths and lengths And what do these dimensions refer to Why saith he That you may know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge that you may know it in the height of it in the depths in the breadths in the lengths of it O saith he this is the Knowledge that I would have you increase and grow in that so you may come to be filled with all the fulness of God O this love is such a love as we can never know enough of That Christ hath such love to his Father as to comply with his designs concerning a sinful World and that he should bear such love to a company of vile wretches ugly defiled loathsom creatures that he would not stick at the laying down of his Life and shedding his Blood to save them from eternal vengeance O saith the Apostle study this that you may comprehend the height and depth and length and breadth of the love of Christ which passes Knowledge and then shall you come to be filled with all the fulness of God I have only this one thing further But what shall we do to grow in the Knowledge of Christ First When you have improved well To him that hath shall be given Labour to be more humble If you be of meek and humble frames of heart and do not swell with notions truly Christ will delight to communicate more of his Knowledge to you And then love him more If you would love him more you should know him more as knowledge will help to increase love so love to Christ upon what we do know will contribute to the promoting of our Knowledge And then what you do know make use of it practice it and labour to keep in an obediential frame If any man will do his will he shall know c. And then you must pray for this Knowledge that the Lord would open the eyes of your understanding I am a stranger in the earth O hide not thy Commandments from me And then the whole Scriptures they testifie of Christ and if you would know much of Christ be much in the study of the Scriptures There are two Scriptures which I would not in the least to take you off from the searching into others have persons to be well studied in to desire to advance in the Knowledge of Christ There is first the Song of Solomon and the Book of the Revelations The Song of Solomon The studying of that Book will much promote your knowledge in the love of Christ when you shall come to see what a spirit breaths in that blessed Book that Song of Songs what a spirit of love doth breath there you will come to know the love of Christ how dear he is over his Spouse over his Children over all that are given to him O how he delights in them and to hold converse with them and how he can over-look their spots and blemishes and look upon them as fair and having no spot in them It is admirable to consider what endeavours there are on the part of Christ over his beloved Spouse that Book well studied will promote your Knowledge in the love of Christ. And then the Book of the Revelations it is a Scripture that is given us for pretious purposes and being well studied it will contribute much to the advancing in the knowledge of Christ of his Glory and Power and Greatness There we come to have discoveries made to us of what Enemies he hath and what Victories he shall get and what triumphs he shall maintain and what glory shall be setled upon him and what injoyments there shall be between him and the Bride in due time and we shall come to understand more fully what blessed days Sun-shine days days of light and liberty of joy and comfort when tears shall be wiped away from the eyes of his poor mourners here on earth and they shall come to Zion with everlasting joy and sorrow and mourning shall flee away And so I have done with this Knowledge Now the Lord make you wise to consider and give us hearts to set to it that we may answer our duty according to the charge in the Text. SERM. XIX 2 PET. 3. 18. To him be Glory both now and for ever Amen HAving spent several years in the handling of this Chapter and having in the former Exercise been driving at this That there may be a growing in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I am now to issue all that hath been spoken according to what the Text now guides me to in a Doxologie that is in an honourable acknowledgment of the Lord Jesus Christ as a Person unto whom Glory is most righteously to be ascribed Thus the words signifie to us according to the sound of them To him be glory both now and for ever Amen Words of pretious import words of common use It were much to be wished both for Ministers and Christians that are upon the frequent usage of them that it may be very carefully lookt unto that while we keep a form of words and hold up a form of words and make use of them in ordinary course we be not awanting to that which is imported in them and lose not the Spirit while we hold forth the Letter To him be Glory both now and for ever Amen And there is infinite cause that when these words sound in our ears we should be most free to say our Amen unto them a sweet close of a sacred and saving piece of Scripture And truly it is well becoming men and women professing godliness for to be most cordial unto the uttering and expressing of this language the language of the Text. 'T is a becoming close for every Sermon that 's Preacht for every Prayer that is made for every Duty performed for every Mercy that 's received and for all that 's testified of God and Christ to issue all thus Now unto him be glory both now and for ever Amen We have the Letter the great matter is to look to it that we lose not the Spirit that we be not as I said in the usage of a form and in the mean time be strangers to the Power There is some difference as to words and phrase and form of expression between this Doxologie and some others that we meet withal in holy Writ The Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Romans he forms the Doxologie thus Chap. 16. 25. To him that is of power to establish you according to my Gospel and the preaching of Iesus Christ. To God only wise be glory through Iesus Christ for ever Amen In Eph. 3. we have the Doxologie formed thus Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly