One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 34
SERMON XXXIV. Of Growth in Grace, The Duty, Neceſſity, and Glory of it.
JOH. 17.7.
Now they have known that all things whatſoever thou haſt given me are of thee.
OUR Saviour doth ſtill relate thoſe commendable conſiderations that were in his Diſciples, that thereby God ſhould hear his praier for them; It was not for worldly wicked ſinners but ſuch as knew and obeyed him that he praied for; This is the more to endear them to God.
Now as before he had commended them for their obedience, ſo here for their faith in him as a Mediatour, and this faith is neceſſary to all Chriſtian obedience; For without it a man by his Legal righteouſneſſe becomes a confident preſumer truſting in his works that he doth, or elſe deſpaireth; Seeing it impoſſible that ever he ſhould attain to ſuch a righteouſneſſe that is required: Therefore when we have done all, and got up to the very pinacle of grace, we are in matter of Juſtification to leave our obedience and fly to faith, ſo then we have the diſciples Faith in Chriſt as a Mediatour deſcribed and commended.
1. By one main particular act which doth ſynecdochically contain the whole, They have known; By the next Verſe it appeareth that beleeving and knowing are all one.
2. There is the Object of their faith, which is twofold,
1. All things that the Father had given Chriſt.
2. That they were of him, the ſence is, They knew whatſoever Chriſt had it was given him of the Father, and that he had theſe things from him to be a Mediatour: Here then you ſee what an acceptable thing it is to God to beleeve in Chriſt as ſent by him; The poor humbled ſinner he trembleth and doubteth whether he may come to this Mediatour or no; But you ſee it is a moſt pleaſing thing to God, for which he commends his diſciples as much as their obedience, that they did thus receive him.
In the next place conſider the circumſtance of time when this is affirmed of them, Now they have known, &c. What is the ſence of that? Did they not know and beleeve in Chriſt before? Yes, but he ſpeaks here of their proficiciency and growth; Now they have known and beleeved more aſſuredly then ever; So that it's not ſimply their faith but their growth and encreaſe in faith, that our Sauiour takes notice of; From whence obſerve,
That it's not enough for the people of God to have grace, Doct.but they are to thrive and grow in it;It's not enough for Gods people to have grace but they muſt thrive and grow in it. To be as the Diſciples more aſſuredly beleeving, ſo as if they did not at all beleeve before. Thou art ſo farre to exceed thy ſelf over what thou waſt once, that thou maiſt ſay my faith, my heavenly-mindedneſſe, my love to God was none at all comparatively to what it is now. This is a neceſſary Subject to preach on, when you ſee ſo many withered Trees, ſo many ſick of a conſumption in grace; Alas of how many may you ſay the contrary; They did once beleeve, they were once zealous, but now you may ſay they have none of theſe reſpectively to what they had; God is not ſatisfied with the truth of grace unleſſe there be alſo growth in grace; If thou have received a Talent, and canſt not ſay, Thy five hath gained a ten, there is a fearful curſe againſt thee as an unprofitable Servant, Joh. 15.2. See what quick work God makes, and how it is growth he looks at, Every branch in him that bringeth not forth fruit he taketh away; God loves not ſlothfulneſſe and unprofitableneſſe no more then prophaneſſe; He doth not ſay, If it bring forth poiſonous fruit or wilde grapes, but if it bring forth no good fruit, and if any doth fructifie, then he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit; See here the Husbandmans care is ſtill for more fruit; If thou art no better then thou waſt, if thy faith, thy love have not an encreaſe Gods expectations are not anſwered; Hence Heb 6. thoſe that are babes in Chriſt are ſeverely reproved, and they are to be carried on to perfection; Not to grow is a kinde of barrenneſſe, yea, it's a degree to Apoſtatize; Therefore the Apoſtle in that place threatens ſuch Non proficients with that dreadful ſinne of Apoſtacy, 2 Cor. 7.1. Let us perfect holineſſe in the fear of God; It's not enough to have holineſſe but we are to perfect it, and he that hath any fear of God will thus endeavour, and certainly if the rich man would have more wealth, the great man more greatneſſe, how much rather the godly man, more godlineſſe.
How many waies the graces of Gods people are to grow & thriveTo open this let us conſider how many waies the graces of Gods people are to grow and thrive,
And firſt In reſpect of their degrees and meaſure, The weak faith is to grow a ſtrong faith, their ſtrong faith a ſtronger, and thus of their love of God; Therefore love is required with all the ſoul and all the might;I. In reſpect of degrees and meaſure. Mat. 22. The duty of growth in grace is required of the higheſt Gyant as well as the loweſt dwarf in grace, Phil 3. See how Paul ſtretcheth out himſelf to run as if he were but a new beginner; There is not in the growth of grace as in nature a term or ſtint, then they go no further; No, but as they ſay of the Crocodile he groweth as long as he liveth, and when he ceaſeth to grow, he ceaſeth to live; Thus it is in the work of grace, There is a neceſſity of growing while any Chriſtian life is in thee; Thy grace may be made better and more confirmed grace; That man knoweth not what godlineſſe is, that can ſay, Soul, take thy eaſe, thou haſt godlineſſe enough, No, they cry out, Their leanneſſe, their poverty, they are climbing up the hill, but cannot get to the top; Let then the man that feareth God ſtudy the improvement of his graces; Oh ſay, There is a greater meaſure and further degrees yet to be had, I am aſhamed to ſee how ſhort I come of what …ought to be; I ſtagger and reel through doubts and unbelief, My heart is divided between God and the creature; Oh how often is my heart even as cold as a ſtone: There are no burning affections, … hot zeal, I ſee a better way; Oh that I could attain unto it.
II. Depth and rooting.Secondly, Their growth ought to be in depth and rooting of their graces; As the Apoſtle ſpeaks of the dimenſions of Gods love, it hath a depth, and a breath, Eph. 1. Thus the love of the godly and all their graces have their ſpirituall dimenſions, and as before we ſpake of their growth in height, ſo now of growth downwards, in a better ſetl…ng and deeper radicating of their holineſſe within them; Our Saviour ſpeaks of a fooliſh builder, who did not dig deep enough, nor build on a rock, Mat. 7.26. and the three ſort of hearers did all miſcarry upon this Point; There was not root rnough; What makes the backſliding Demas, the apoſtate Judas, but neglect of rooting? Oh then look every day that thy Repentance root it ſelf more in the heart, That thy faith be more deeply implanted in thee, otherwiſe when a temptation or ſtorm ariſeth, thou wilt be plucked up by the roots, and certainly we may ſee this is the root of all evil to profeſſors; They meaſure their graces by the boughs and branches thereof, not by the rooting; whereas we ſee in all trees the deeper the rooting is the better they are enabled to ſpread abroad, ſear then leſt thy graces be not got to the bottome of thy heart, fear leſt ſomething lie cloſer and deeper in thy heart then grace doth.
Thirdly, They may grow in the extenſion and kindes of all graces;III. In the extenſion and kinde of all graces. It's the Apoſtle bids them adde vertue to temperance, and ſo chains graces together, 1 Pet. 1. The people of God they ſometimes are careful to avoid ſuch and ſuch ſins, but then there are others either that they are not convinced of or do not attend unto, and there they ſail frequently, but the god…y man is to grow in extenſion, he is to avoid one ſinne as well as another; He is to perform one duty as well as another; Oh then remember the work of grace is an exact and circumſpect thing; There go many things to make a man godly, we may leave out many neceſſary ingredients and then marre the whole box of ointment; David praied to be cleanſed from ſecret ſins, Pſa. 19.13. ſuch as he did not underſtand to be ſins; Oh it's happy when the godly are thus growing that they leave off many fooliſh cuſtomes they once practiſed; That they ſet upon many duties they once wholly omitted; Theſe diſciples how hardly were they drawn off from many doctrines that they had been brought up in.
Fourthly,IV. In the means and Inſtruments of their graces. They are to grow not only in their graces but in the means and inſtrument of their graces; Thus praier, hearing the Word, theſe are the means of growing in grace, Receive the ingrafted Word of God that ye may grow thereby; They are to pray better, to hear better, to ſanctifie the Sabbaths more ſpiritually, never think of growing in grace, if thou art not more carefull in the uſe of them, for upon theſe depend thy ſpirituall encreaſe, as upon good digeſtion bodily growth; Wonder not then at thy leanneſſe and barrenneſſe if thou art not better in performing of duties; Here begins the conſumption; Hence are thy languiſhings and decays, Heb. 10. The Apoſtle ſpeaking of thoſe who willingly ſin by a …otal Apoſtacy, laieth the foundation of this in that they forſook the Aſſemblies; The way then to keep up the life and encreaſe of grace is to keep up duties in their power and vigour, formality and cuſtomarineſſe in them will make thee quickly like a withered branch; but oh the deep wounds and blows that even the godly get in their conſciences hereby; They pray no more fervently, They hear no more affectionately, and accordingly in their lives they are ſo many dry bones.
Fifthly, The people of God may grow by exciting and ſtirring up others to grow;V. By exciting others to grow And indeed it's a ſpecial means to quicken our ſelves by quickning up others, 2 Theſ. 1.3. They are commended in that their faith did grow exceedingly, which was not only true in the parts of their faith, but that alſo it did diffuſe it ſelf to others; They brought on many others alſo to beleeve, Eph. 2.21. The godly are ſaid to grow up to an holy Temple, that implieth, they do not only grow ſingly in themſelves but in an united manner; As live coals laid together grow hotter by one another, ſo that this growth of grace reſpects the Church of God as a community, as a Society, grace groweth by heavenly and holy communion; As the members of the body grow by a mutual aſſiſtance and a member ſeparated from the body cannot grow, ſo it's here; There is no ſuch admirable ſpeedy way of growth as when the people of God ſpeak often and exhort one another, when they provoke one another, and certainly herein lieth a great fault; The ſheep of God are ſcattered from one another what by difference of opinions, and what by carnall ſuſpicions, that thereby they cannot ſay, I have been an helper to ſuch a mans faith, to ſuch a mans repentance; Thy tongue hath not been a Tree of life, as it ſhould be; Thy light did not ſo ſhine, that others might glorifie God for thee; Oh then let the people of God put themſelves on this way of growth.
VI. In ſolidity and fortitude.Sixthly, The people of God are to grow in the ſolidity and fortitude of their graces, That thereby they may overcome ſuch temptations which the babes of Chriſt cannot; This ſolidity is ſeen in two things: 1. The ſoundneſſe of their Judgement. 2. The fortitude and heavenly hardſhip of their hearts: The ſoundneſſe of judgement, This is a ſpecial matter, for we ſee Rom. 14. and Act. 15. what ſad rents and diſſentions the weak judgements of ſome brethren made in the Church, inſomuch that the Apoſtle giveth many directions therein; Thoſe that are new Converts and have felt the power and guilt of ſin, and the ſweetneſſe of Gods favour have many times ſtrong affections, but weak judgemens and upon ſuch the devil with his heretical inſtruments doth commonly prevail; A… at firſt he began with Eve to beguil her, and by her to ſeduce her husband: Oh then let the Children of God look to themſelves in the day of their eſpouſals to Chriſt, when all is honey and raviſhment; It's hard for them to conſolidate and ſettle their judgements; Hence the Apoſtle blameth thoſe that were children, and had not their ſences exerciſed to diſcern between good and evil, Heb 5.14. Oh then account it an eſpecial matter in Religion, to grow in a ſound minde, to be more ſolid in judgement; This will make thee diſcern between good and evil, between what is of God and what is of the devil: 2. In fortitude of ſpirit; The Apoſtle 2 Tim. 2.3. bids Timothy endure hardſhip as a Souldier of Chriſt, and in the Revelation c. 3. The promiſe is made to him that overcometh, and our Saviour ſaith, Bleſſed is he that endureth to the end, Mat. 26. many begin in the Spirit, and end in the fleſh; Oh it's an admirable matter to grow hardy in Religion, to be able to endure ſcoffs, reproaches, and the loſſe of all dear comforts, as the Apoſtle ſaid, You have not yet reſiſted to bloud, Heb. 12.4. The people of God are to account all conflicts and encounters light till they come to bloud it ſelf, and even then to remember that he who would have his life ſhall loſe it; Our Saviour did train up his Diſciples at the very beginning in this hard ſervice; Hence it is that Chriſtianity is compared to a warfare, to running in a race, to fighting not only with fleſh and bloud but even Prinoipalities in high places, ſo that thou art not to expect a Bed of Roſes in the way to heaven.
Grounds and motives.Now the grounds and motives why the people of God are not to be contented with the foundation and principles of grace, but ſtill to proceed in it.
1. Becauſe God accounts non-improvement an unprofitableneſſe, He that hid his talent though he did not imbezill it, yet is called an unprofitable ſervant, Mat. 25.30. and he is to be caſt into utter darkneſſe; Oh this is terrible to conſider, that God is not only angry with thy ſins, with thy prophaneſs, but thy barrenneſſe, thy impotent graces, That thou art not got to a higher form: Is not the Father angry with his childe though he diligently go to School, if he thrive not, and be alwaies in the ſame Leſſon, Shall he be at all that coſt for no more, and thus ſhall God ſo patiently bear with thee? give thee all opportunities and means of grace, and yet thou move on the ſame hinge; Oh ye that are the Children of God, you would fain have comfort, you would have aſſurance, How can it be when there is no growth? Is not God angry for thoſe weak graces, that ſtill thou art a babe? Did he not tell the Church Rev. 2. he had ſomething againſt her, becauſe her works were not perfect, were not filled up? Oh here were many empty holes, oh what godly man may not tremble at this, who hath not much emptineſſe that needs to be filled up?
2. The end of the Ministry to the godly is for their growth and encreaſe, Eph. 4.15. 1 Pet. 2.2. Alas, we preach not to thee for thy converſion, we come not to perſwade thee to come out of Egipt, that is done already; Now then conſider why hath God appointed a Miniſtry and daily preaching, and that even to the godly as well as others; Is it not to encreaſe thy ſpiritual life and heat? Is it not to be a goad in thy ſide to prick thee forward; You cannot give a good account of any Sermon unleſſe it hath made thee grow; Every Sabbath day will be a dreadful witneſſe againſt thee unleſſe it make thee grow; Thy work is not to have grace but to grow in it, and for this end we preach, and you hear.
3. The end of all Gods afflictions and chaſtiſements upon thee are to make thee grow, Joh. 15. He purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit; Thou wondreſt why Gods hand is ſo ſore and continuing upon thee: Thou ſaieſt what is the ſin? and oh that I could finde it out; Is not thy ſlothfulneſſe, thy unprofitableneſſe, an apparent ſinne? Doth not God plainly aim at this to have thy heart more heavenly, thy affections more quickned and enlivened, Is not this fire to get out thy droſſe? Hence in heaven there ſhall be no Miniſtry, no afflictions, becauſe the godly are then come to the full meaſure of their graces.
4. We are to grow becauſe of the excellency and preciouſneſſe that is in grace: The more we eat of this honey we cannot but deſire to have more of it; If thou haſt known what an excellent comfortable thing it is to walk holily; Oh how unſatified will thy heart be to have ſtill more and more of it, ſo that it's a diſhonour to God and his way when thou art negligent and ſlothful, what evil haſt thou found? What hurt is there in godlineſſe? What diſtaſte doth it give thee? Oh what a ſhame is it that the rich man ſhall deſire more wealth, ſtill he hath not enough, but as riches encreaſe, his affections encreaſe, when yet they are not able to make happy in a ſolid manner; and that thy heart ſhould be thus narrow and empty towards God!
Ʋſe, The wofull eſtate of thoſe who in ſtead of growing more holy,Ʋſe. grow more wicked and ungodly; They adde ſin to ſin daily, once they had ſome tremblings, ſome terrours of conſcience, but now they are paſt all feeling, Theſe grow as the calves of the Stall grow, to deſtruction and damnation; and this is the caſe of many that live under the Miniſtry, they grow more blinde, more obſtinate, more wicked, This is a dreadful ſpeech, Let him that is wicked be wicked ſtill, yea more wicked.