Of Growth in Grace, Sermon 10
SERM. X.
I Would add to that which hath been spoken of; this to be further considered.
The knowledge of Christ, it is a most excellent knowledge; it is such a knowledge, as the Angels, the Glorious Angels, are exceedingly devoted to the inquiring into; they are very much set to this, that they may come to understand this knowledge concerning Christ. The Apostle Peter, in his 1 Epist. Ch. 1. gives you this account concerning them; speaking there of the Revel. ver. 11, 12. The spirit did testifie before-hand, the sufferings of Christ, and the Glory which should follow, unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us, they did minister the things which are now reported unto you, by them that have preached the Gospel unto you, which the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven; Which things (mark you,) the Angels desire to look into. Do but consider that, which things of the Gospel concerning Christ, his sufferings, and Glory, the Angels desire to look into; they are very close Students in this knowledge, and most strongly set to be acquainted with these mysteries; the mysterie of the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: A knowledge therefore, that our hearts shoud …e very strongly set to increase in, and for to get more acquaintance with.
And this I vvould further say; that fo… …e Apostle Paul, vvho vvas a man of excellent parts, and of very great knovvledge; a man of much learning; and vvas as able to make a judgement of knovvledge, as any man, and for to discern betvveen knovvledge and knovvledge. The Apostle Paul, he vvas (as I hinted before) very high in his esteem of this knovvledge; and if so be that it had been convenient for him to have boasted, truly, he vvould have made his boast of his knovvledge in the mysterie of Christ: Though I (saith he) be rude in speech, yet not in knovvledge; and (saith he) I vvould have you to knovv my knovvledge in the mysterie of Christ. So in Eph. 3. vvriting that Epistle to them, he expresseth himself to this purpose; Whereby, when you come to read, you may understand my knowledge in the mysterie of Christ.
Further, it is a knovvledge that vve should endeavour to grovv up in; it is the most beneficial and profitable knovvledge: it is the most beneficial knovvledge in all the World;—It is a heart-humbling knovvledge;—It is a sin-killing knovvledge;—It is a conscience-quieting knovvledge.
And here I might add sundry other particulars, that you might come to knovv hovv to value the knovvledge of Christ: and so, hovv much it concerns us to endeavour after a grovvth and increase in it.
It is a svveetning knovvledge; it svveetens a mans spirit under all the bitterness that it may meet … …al:—It svveetens afflictions;—it svveetens temptations, and vvhatsoever may be to the im…ering of a mans spirit. O, the knovvledge of … Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! it vvill bring the▪ soul into a condition to relish svveetness, in it!
And then, it is a sanctifying knovvledge; it's a knowledge that sanctifies the understanding. There is another knowledge which men are apt to be lifted up through the attainment of, and lifted up with; which is a knowledge, that doth rather tend to the corrupting, and depraving of the understanding: but the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, it doth sanctifie the understanding,—and perfects the understanding:—it sanctifies all other knowledge that we may come to attain unto. And much might be spoken to that purpose.
But I add yet further, that we may stand the more fully convinced of our duty this way, to endeavour a growth in the knowledge of Christ; Consider thus; Beleevers, they are most strongly bound to place their whole trust and confidence in Christ; and that in order to their being everlastingly saved: Blessed are all they that trust in Christ. It is He (I say) upon whom a Beleevers trust and confidence is to be placed in the fullest strength of it; and other confidences than what are plac'd in any but in Christ, God will curse them, and confound them: Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm: but, blessed is the man whose trust is in Christ. It is Christ whom we are to trust with our lives,—with our souls,—with our consciences,—with our peace,—with our comforts,—with our eternal concernments: Thus it is,—it is Christ that we are to trust upon for Righteousness unto Justification, and everlasting life.
It is Christ upon whom we are to place our 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 requiries he must comport: truly, he had need to know him well, that he is such a one, as will require nothing but that which is just and righteous, and that which is fit for him to comply withal. Now, the case stands thus between Christ and a Beleever: therefore he had need endeavour to be well-knowing of Christ, what a one he is, that he is most righteous and just in all his requiries, and that he will put us upon no service but what is for his honour, and for our benefit; that so knowing what a one he is, we may be the more free to yield up our selves unto, and without any further dispute, to apply to his counsels and commands.
And then I add this further; it is a duty that lies upon Beleevers; as to place their trust in Christ, and to set their love upon Christ, and to yield up themselves in duty and obedience to Christ; so likewise, to incourage themselves to suffering for Christ, let the suffering be what it will; to suffer loss, suffer shame, suffer pain, any thing that Christ doth call them out to the suffering of; they are bound for to comport with him in, and to yield up themselves unto; the bearing of whatsoever burden he laies upon them: If any man will be my Disciple, let him deny himself, and take up his cross: let the Cross be what it will, if it be the Cross of Christ, truly, it must be taken up; this is incumbent upon every Beleever, as his duty; startle at nothing of difficulty, danger, and sufferings, that we may be put upon for the sake of Jesus Christ.
Willing to suffer the spoyling of Goods, the loss of our Estates, to suffer shame for his Name, to suffer death, if he call us to it. Now, consider then, how strongly the Argument will rise from hence: truly, it's to good purpose, that we should endeavour to grow in the knowledge of Christ. Truly, I had need look well to it, whom I suffer for; if so be that I know, that if I will ingage in such a Relation, either as a Wife, or as a Servant, I shall be sure to undergo a great deal of suffering upon the account of the Relation under which I pass: truly, I had need well to know the persons, on whose sake, and behalf, and account, I am like to suffer so much; whether I shall not have cause to be ashamed of my suffering. Now, in this regard, it concerns the Saints and people of God, to endeavour after a well-improved knowledge of Christ; that so, when they come to suffer for his Name, and Truth, and Gospel, and waies, they may bear up with confidence and boldness, and not be ashamed; and say, as the Apostle speaks, (and it's an excellent passage to this purpose) 2 Tim. 1. I suffer these things, (saith he) but I am not ashamed: I suffer as an evil doer, unto bonds, and I undergo these and these reproaches and scorns, for the sake of Christ: I suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; O, I know in whom I have believed, I know who it is for whom I suffer; I suffer on the behalf, and for the sake of such a one, as will make up all to me; I shall never have cause to be ashamed of the shame, and of the pain, and of the reproaches and scorns that I undergo for the sake of Jesus Christ. No, this was that that made the Apostles, in Acts 5. to go away from the Councel rejoycing, that they were accounted worthy to suffer shame for the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And truly Brethren, in these regards now, there is very great reason that B…leevers should study the knowledge of Christ, and labour to be well improved in it;—and that, in regard of their trust,—and of their love,—and of their duty,—and of their suffering, which they are to resolve upon for the sake of Jesus Christ. Alas, it is the madness of the World, that they will put their trust, and place their confidence in those things which they have no knowledge of: they have no knowledge of them, that they will be responsible to them, nor answer their expectation; and so it is the dishonour of men; as it was in the case of the Israelites; they would put their trust and confidence in Egypt, a broken reed; they knew not Egypt, they knew not what disappointments were in Egypt. It is the dishonour of men, that they will pass their love, and place their affections upon those things they know not, do service to those things they know not, be willing to suffer for those they know not: Did men know what vain things, riches, pleasures, worldly interests were, and what little account there is to be made of them; did they but know them within and without, through and through; they would never carry it towards them as they do; never place their trust, and set their hearts so much upon them. And it is that that will be the shame and confusion of worldly minded persons (the Lord give us wisdom to consider of it in time) at last; when they shall come to see what the object is, that they have plac'd their trust, and set their hearts upon. O beast! O mad wretch that I was, that I should go and put my trust in a thing that cannot profit me, that can stand me in no stead! I trusted in my uncertain riches; uncertain they were, and altogether irresponsible to the confidence that I placed in them: I set my love upon this and that; this base and beggerly lust: O, it's base things, and worthy to be hated: I spent my time, and laid out my strength for such and such things; I thought they would be very contentful in the enjoyment: But, alas! I find I have laid out my money for that I see is no bread, and for that will yield me no profit at all. This will be the consutation of the World.
Yet further, That we may stand the more fully convinc'd of this as our Duty, to endeavour a growth in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: The very Knowledge it self, or the subject matter of this Knowledge doth exceeding strongly and loudly bespeak a Believers endeavour this way. The subject matter of this Knowledge I told you before, That Christ is the subject matter; and that speaks the excellency of the Knowledge.—But now, besides, The subject matter of this Knowledge duly weighed and considered, it doth bespeak a Believers endeavours after the Improvement of this Knowledge. For consider,—The Knowledge of Christ, it is Knowledge in a Mysterie; and the Mysterie concerning Christ, it is such a Mysterie, as hath heights, and depths, and breadths, and lengths; it hath all dimensions: I, and beyond comprehension. That Scripture, which in the carrying on of this Discours…, I may have occasion to give you a more full account of than now I can; but I hint at it now upon the account that I am speaking: In Eph 3. The Apostle prays, That they might comprehend with all the Saints, what is the height, and depth, and breadth, and length: And, saith he, That you may know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge. There is, saith he, in the Knowledge of Christ, heights, and depths, and breadths, and lengths, and particularly in the knowledge of his Love; and it is such a Love as passeth Knowledge. Now, do but argue thus: Is there such a Mysterie? Are there such depths in this Knowledge? T…n certainly we had need to set to it, that we do endeavour for to grow up in this Knowledge, that we may be as comprehensive of it as possible we can; this is our Duty: As now to instance in some Particulars.
The Apostle speaks concerning this Mysterie, in Col. 1. speaking there of the Mysterie; Which (saith he) is Christ in you, the hope of Glory. O, Brethren, do you know the meaning of this? It may be you think you do; but I say (I am sufficiently warranted to say) If any man think he knoweth any thing, he knows nothing as he ought. Do you know the interpretation of this, Christ in you, the hope of Glory? This is the Mysterie; the Apostle calls it so: You may be apt to think you can reach the bottom of this; Christ, and Christ in you; and Christ in you, the hope of Glory. Alas, we are apt to put our selves off with a little sip of the Cup; we go as it were with the top of the lip, and give a touch upon that which would cover head and shoulders and all; we might stand under these waters they are so deep: Such a word as this, it bespeaks our search, and disquisition, and inquiry, and to set in with God. O, but Lord, What's the meaning of this, Christ in you, and Christ in you the hope of Glory? This bespeaks our endeavour after the Knowledge of Christ.
Here I might fall upon sundry other Particulars, as this belongs to the Knowledge of Christ, according to the Apostles account, in Eph. 3. he speaks there of the Mysterie which was kept secret from Ages and Generations: And, saith he, Was not so made known as it is now to his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit.—What's this Mysterie? That the Gentiles should be fellow-Heirs of the same Body, partakers of his Promise in Christ by the Gospel: That is a Mysterie; and this bespeaks our endeavour after a growth in knowledge, even the Knowledge of Christ; for this belongs to the Knowledge of Christ. Christ will be considered as mystical Christ; he will be made up of Jew and Gentile, the middle Wall being broken down; a Mysterie hidden from Ages and Generations; but it's made known: I, but how little a thing is known, even of this?
And then I add withal, The Mysterie; it was the mysterie concerning the Gentiles, that they should come in to be fellow-Heirs.
It's the Mysterie, with respect to the Iews: So the Apostle calls it, in Rom. 11. This Mysterie I would not have you ignorant of, lest you should be wise in your own conceits, that blindness in part is happened to the Iews, until the fulness of the Gentiles come in, and then all Israel shall be saved: Here's a Mysterie. Now, these Mysteries bespeak our serious endeavour, that we may come to grow in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And then the Mysterie concerning the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus;—the Administration of it;—the delivery of it, upon the Administration of it, to the Father. The Apostle holds forth these Mysteries:
The Mysterie of the Kingdom; the new Heavens, and the new Earth, wherein dwelleth Righteousness, which belongs to the Knowledge of Jesus Christ.
And then the delivering up of the Kingdom to the Father, that God may be All in all, when Christ hath performed the Administration of the Kingdom. Now, I say, these are Mysteries belonging to the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, which do all of them loudly bespeak our most sedulous endeavours after a growth in this blessed Knowledge.
And to add no more, consider that passage of the Apostle, in 1 Tim. 3. the latter end, Great is the mysterie of godliness:—What's that? God was manifest in the flesh, iustified in the Spirit, seen of Angels, preached to the Gentiles, believed on in the World, received up into Glory. Have we comprehended? have we attained? The Apostle Paul was far from thinking so, according to that account of him; N… as if I had already attained, or were already perfect. What, have we got to the bottom of these Mysteries? Are we able to fathom the depth of them? O, how little a thing do we know of these things. It was a good saying of one of the Ancients; Many things, because of the customary mentioning of them, they are slighted, which if they were but seriously weighed would cause admiration to astonishment. God manifested in the flesh: Why, it's a Mystery that we may bestow a whole Age of a thousand years in studying, and never be able to come to the full understanding of: Angels desire to look into these things. Now, upon these accounts, upon the account of the subject matter of the Knowledge of Christ, it may well be required of Believers, that they do their utmost endeavour, that they may grow in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
I shall close up for the present only with this one Argument further: It is the Saints duty to endeavour a Knowledge in the growth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; for otherwise, truly, we do not answer the provision that God hath made to such a purpose; we walk unworthy of the Goodness and Grace of God which hath discovered it self this way, in order to such a growth. For, mark you; In the beginning of the World, upon the fall of Adam, the Gospel it was but whispered: Whisper, there was something darkly, secretly, and couchantly (if I may so speak) was hinted out; The seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head; here was all the Gospel was given out at first: Afterwards there began to be a little more discovery made of it to Abraham, Isaac and Iacob:—Afterwards in Moses time, and in Moses days, there came to be a little more full explanation:—afterwards in the times of the Prophets, clearer & clearer discoveries.—But in the time of the Gospel, when Christ came, then the Day star arises, nay, the Sun of Righteousness breaks out, and now we have clearer and clearer discoveries of the Mysterie concerning our Lord Jesus.—And mark you, when Christ goes to Heaven, he sends a token of his love to his Church and People, a Book of Mysteries, of Mysteries concerning the Knowledge of himself; and provides this very Book, that we might come to be well improved in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.—Now, consider this; For as much as the Lord hath in his Wisdom, out of his rich bounty hath been pleased thus to provide and to order out, that there should be such means and helps for our Improvement in the knowledge of Christ; truly we walk unworthy of this provision, if we do not put on with all industriousness, to such a purpose, that we may grow in the Knowledge of God. Let me but express my self thus; If so be you have a Vessel moving upon the waters, if the water be shallow, and it be a low water, the Vessel is ready to touch upon the ground; but if so be the water grow higher and higher, and the Tyde comes in and springs up, then the Vessel rises higher and higher: So should it be with the souls of Believers, being that God hath made a stream come in more strongly, and the Tyde to rise higher (as he hath done) in the course of holy Scripture; truly the endeavour of a Christian should be sutable to such provision, he should endeavour to be upon his Improvements, and to grow in the Knowledge of Christ. These things being thus accounted to you, in order to your convincement, that we should endeavour a growth in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour.
I should now come to tell you, what this Knowledge is, for the nature of it: I must tell you this, That truly there are many have the Knowledge of Christ, and are grown up to a great measure of it; and yet for all that, their Knowledge will be their confutation at last.
I must tell you this, That howsoever we may be apt to lift up our selves in high conceits of our Knowledge, yet the very Devils are exceeding much in their Knowledge of Christ: We know thee, who thou art, The holy one of God. I tell you, There's never a Devil that's now under the chains of darkness, but they can speak most learnedly concerning the Lord Jesus, concerning his Person,—concerning his Nature,—concerning his Office: And how many learned men are there that are able to discourse concerning Christ, concerning his Incarnation, and concerning his Death, and Resurrection, and Ascension, and this and that, and are able to inlarge themselves this way, and yet they do (many of them) go down with their Knowledge to Hell: Therefore it is necessary for us to be well instructed in this Point, that we may know what this Knowledge is.—I would have spoken something to it; only thus:
It is not a notional Knowledge: Take heed of a notional historical Knowledge, a Knowledge that you attain unto meerly by common report, and by a common eradiation of the Understanding; but look to it, that it be a Heart-knowledge, a cordial Knowledge,—a practical Knowledge,—such a Knowledge as is a transforming Knowledge: For the truth on't is, If any man think he knows any thing of Christ, he knows nothing as he ought to know, if his Knowledge don't transform him. This is the ruine of souls, They know much of Christ, they are able to discourse of the Doctrine of Justification, and Sanctification, and of Adoption, and other Mysteries of the Gospel, and all lies floating in the brain, and that's nothing of its effectual operation upon the heart and conscience of a sinner. This is that that I would a little further speak to you about, that so we may not mistake our selves, and go with a Knowledge that lies dead upon our hands, and so come to fall under the deep and most dreadful ruine.