Of Growth in Grace, Sermon 3
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 'tis 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 thats 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? 'tis 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 thats 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: thats 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, 'tis 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. Its 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. If so be that your Faith be not grown up to such a pitch and proportion; truly, you are not come into the stature that you should attain unto. You have a Faith that looks to promises, and lives upon the expectation that begets a kind of hope in you, that such and such things shall be done: I, but can you say that your Faith is the substance of them, that your Faith is the evidence of them, and the substance? Why, your Faith, it is such a Faith, and of such a growth, and it is so improved unto such a strength, that things that are but in expectation, they are to your Faith, as if so be that they were in actual execution. Your Faith is such a Faith, (I am sure it should be so) that it giv…s a being to things that are not in being: it is the foreign, as the Apostle uses the word; it is the substance, or the subsistence of things that are hoped for. Why, this is to my Faith, as if it were in actual being. As God made a promise to Abraham, that he should have a son, Abraham believes the promise: it was long before that promise was performed: I, but yet Abraham's Faith did give a hearing to this promise; Abraham went on in that confidence, he staggered not at the promise, through unbelief, but his Faith was in that strength, that there was, as if there had been a birth already; his Faith gave a being to the promise. God made a promise to the people, that they should come to the Land of Canaan, and that it should be their inheritance. Now, the Faith of Abraham, Isaack, and Jacob, was the foreign; it gave a being to the promise, and they were, as if they had had it while they liv'd: the actual possession of the promised Land, they, and their seed.
It is the evidence of things that are not seen. I see not, and yet I injoy; I see not, and yet I see. Faith, where it comes to be well improved, it comes to be the evidence of things that are not seen: Things not seen, and yet they are as if they were before mine eyes. Things not seen; Nay, when the contrary is seen, as now, a man hath destruction before his eyes, and yet his Faith makes him to see Salvation; according to that eminent instance in Moses; when they came to the Red-Sea, and there was nothing but death, Fear not, saith he, stand still, and see the salvation of God: See it, why, there was nothing to be seen, but destruction before their eyes; and yet, by Faith, Moses comes to see the Salvation of God. It is the evidence of things that are not seen: O, Brethren, it's a poor Faith, a poor beggerly Faith, (if I may so speak of any degree of Faith;) for Faith, in the lowest degree, is better than all the jewels and diamonds in the World, they are not to be mentioned with it: but, compared with a due improved Faith, truly, it's but a poor beggerly Faith, that depends upon sense. This I would see, as Thomas; what, saith Thomas, you report to me, that Jesus, my Lord and Master, is risen from the dead; but, for my part, unless I may see him, and feel the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe. O, it was an ignoble Faith, a poor beggerly Faith: they will believe no further than they can see. Truly, such persons will hardly believe to the saving of their souls; and our Saviour, he deals with him about it: O, Thomas, Thomas, thou hast seen, and believed; but, I tell thee Thomas, they are the blessed persons that have not seen, and yet believe. Why, it is a noble Faith, for to give a man the evidence of that that he doth not see; and this is the Faith that we should press after. I see nothing that hath a tendency to such or such a mercy, I see nothing, but rather the contrary: as in the case of Ioseph, there's a promise concerning his advancement, he saies nothing that hath any tendency in it, but rather the contrary; he is cast into Prison, and irons enter into his soul; he is brought into a miserable condition, and yet notwithstanding, his Faith was the evidence of things not seen; he could see a Golden-Chain, that afterwards he came to wear; he could see a Golden-chain in a chain of Iron; the iron entred into his soul, and yet the chain of Gold is about his Faith; Faith puts it about the neck, this is the Faith: A Faith of such a growth, that it may evidence to us the things that are not seen. Now, I say, when we can give an account of such a testimony, and come in with the justification of experience, and say, It's thus testified of Faith, and it's a true testimony; for my Faith is so to me; my Faith is the substance of things hoped for, my Faith is the evidence of things that are not seen: God hath made a promise concerning a new heaven, and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness: He hath made a promise of new Ierusalem, that it should come down from heaven, as a Bride made ready for her husband: Now, I see nothing to such a purpose, I see nothing but confusion; and yet for all that, I can see Glory; I can see Glory in all the confusion of the World.
Again, consider, Secondly, This is the testimony thats given of Faith: I, this is t…e victory that overcomes the World, even your Faith. The Apostle gives this testimony of Faith; 1 Epist. of Ioh. 5. he useth these words, This is the victory, saith he, that overcometh the World, even your Faith. Why, now consider, what growth it is that we should press after in believing; our duty is, to grow in Grace, in the Grace of Faith; and to grow to such a point and proportion, that our Faith may be our victory: our Faith, why, you will say, it is our conflict: we have a conflicting Faith: I, bu… your Faith is your victory; and your Faith should be so improved, as that you may be able to give this account of it; my Faith is my victory, and I am more than a Conqueror; as the Apostle saith in Rom. 8. saith he, What shall separate, tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword? Why, saith he, In all these things, he doth not say, after all these things, but, in all these things; in persecution, in tribulation, in distress, in famine, in nakedness, what, in sword! yea, in all these things, we are more than Conquerors. This is a marvellous thing, but yet, this is the testimony that's given of Faith: and this is that which the Faith of a Believer, if it be duly improved, will spring up to, to make the believing soul more than a Conqueror: and, in all these things, this is the victory.—The victory; why, before the battel be done, before the fight be finished, and ended? yet, notwithstanding, that's a victory that a believing soul may, by the strength of his Faith duly improved, he may cry, Victoria, even while they are in the fight; yet. Victory, Victory: In all these things, more than Conquerors. This is the Victory: so is a well improved Faith; and such should the Faith of a Believer be, and of such a growth, that it should be his Victory. I am hampred with lusts, corruptions, temptations, and heavily prest with them, and miserably yoked; and the poor soul cryes out with the Apostle; O wretched man that I am; what a tedious, wearysome life have I of it? I cannot be quiet not a day to an end, and yet triumph, and say, I thank God, through Jesus Christ; and so sing, Victoria: this is the Faith. These things may seem to be somewhat hard things for Faith: and alas, poor creatures, we are apt to startle at such kind of measures, and statures, when they are propounded to us thus to press after. But this is the account, that there is such an improvement to be made of it, and such an improvement▪ we should endeavour after, and such a growth, as we may come to this: to have Faith to be our Victory; my Faith is my Victory, and I see my Victory in every stroke I strike; and this is the growth that we should propound to our selves.
Shall I tell you yet further? I am signifying to you, that our Faith should be of such a growth, as that it may be, the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen; that it may be the Victory that overcomes the World; while the World seems to trample us down under feet, with the scorns, and reproaches, and hard usages of it; yet, a Believer can say, I thank God, I have the World more under feet a thousand times, than I am under it: it seems to trample upon me, but I trample upon it: The Apostle speaks to that purpose; I Glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ; by which, saith he, I am crucified to the World: I, and the World is as much crucified unto me, as I am to it, for its heart; and I can set as light by it, as it sets by me: I can scorn the scorns, and despise the despisings of the World; and this our Faith will come to; and if we be not a-wanting to our selves, I would say this to the weakest Beleever in the Congregation; his Faith will, and shall come to this, To be the evidence of things not seen, To be the Victory that overcometh the World.
Yet further, I add this, This is the report and testimony that's given to the Faith of a Beleever: By Faith, there hath been the subduing of Kingdoms, working righteousness, obtaining promises, quenching violence of fire, growing strong out of weakness, turning to flight the Armyes of aliens, opening of heaven, binding up of heaven; what not? O, the mighty things that are testified to be within the power of Faith, to be obtained! This is the testimony that's given of Faith. Now, our Faith should be of such a growth, and so improved, that we may be able to justifie these testimonies in our own experience.
By Faith, they subdued Kingdoms, so the Apostle speaks, in Heb. 11. What Kingdoms did Moses and Joshua subdue by Faith? A Beleevers Faith should be of such a growth, as that it may subdue Kingdoms. Truly, he that can subdue a kingdom of the Devil within him, may be able to subdue all the Kingdoms of the World in a spiritual way.
Subdue Kingdoms, and vanquish Armies; saith David, Though 10000 should encamp against me, in this will I be confident. Such a Faith as that, it will do wonders, work miracles; such a Faith, as hath a kind of omnipotency in it, and can do all things through God in Christ: my Faith in Christ is that, whereby I am able to do all things: Now, such a Faith we should labour to grow to, as may have such a mighty arm and power, as it is able to carry all before it. That's the second thing.
3. The Faith of a Beleever, it should be of such a growth, as that there may be an answering in a practical way, unto those eminent examples of persons that have been of a well-grown Faith. Consider what patterns there are.
Abraham, he was a man of Faith; and what was his Faith? what was his pitch, and stature, and proportion? I gave you something of account before, but shall further express it. Abraham, he was a man of such a Faith, as that God testified concerning him: O, Abraham, he beleeved God, and it was accounted to him for Righteousness. When he had all the difficulties and discouragements that could be from resting upon the promise that God had made; yet, saith the Text, He beleeved God. God promiseth to him, that he should have a son, though his body was dead, and Sarahs body was dead; and, according to nature, there was no possibility that things should be brought to pass: yet Abraham, he considers neither one thing nor another, but he doth eye the promise; hath God said it? It shall be done, I shall have a son, because God hath promised me a son: and, though I am 100 years old, and Sarah 90 years old, yet, God hath said it: there's death in the body, but there's life in the promise, and I rest upon it. It's the promise of a faithful God, I will trust his word. Abraham beleeved God, and staggered not at the promise through unbelief, but was strong in Faith, giving Glory to God; and he becomes the friend of God; he would believe any thing that God speaks; and he would perform any thing that God did require; and so discovered himself in the way of his Faith, to be the friend of God. Now, I say, such a Faith was Abrahams; and what should hinder, but that we should be of such a Faith; Surely, Brethren, this is our duty, to be as good as Abraham was: what should hinder? why, have not we as good Gospel, as good Ordinances, as precious means as ever Abraham had? And, what should hinder, but that we should be of as good a Faith as Abraham was? Such a Beleever was he, as you heard of, startled at nothing that God had promised; but he would beleeve him, and take him at his word.
Such a Beleever was Moses, that (as I told you) he could stand up for God, and bear up with a holy confidence concerning his Salvation, when there was nothing but destruction before his eyes: Fear not, saith he, fear not; why? there's nothing but matter of fear before us. Stand still, why? if we stand still, our enemies will be upon the back of us, and confound us: The Egyptians are come out, and are pursuing us with all the spight and rage that may be, And see the Salvation of God; why, we can see nothing but destruction before us: I, but saith Moses, Salvation is before your eyes, and you may, by Faith, see, and behold it. Here was a well-improved Faith, and to this pitch should we grow.
O, What a Faith did the woman of Canaan discover? when, notwithstanding all the discouragements that she had from the Lord Jesus, one and another, concerning the cause she was then in management of; yet, notwithstanding, she sticks to him. O, when Christ told her he was not sent, but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel; and it was not meet to take the childrens bread, and cast it to dogs; and she might reckon upon her self, as a dog: why, I am come for the benefit of the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and thou art a Canaanite; and what hast thou to do to make application to me? Yet, notwithstanding, she sticks to him, and holds her own, and is resolved she will not give over till she hath a blessing.—Now, mark the testimony that Christ gives of her; O woman, great is thy Faith. Now, here's a pattern for us, that nothing of discouragement should beat us off, but that we might bear up with a holy confidence: and, wherefore are these things written? but, that we might write after these Copies. But we stick in principles, and rest in lower measures; and it's a shame we are not more in advances, that we do not answer Scripture-testimonies, nor answer Scripture-patterns and examples.
I might instance to you in the Thessalonian-Church, a Scripture that formerly I spent much time about; O, saith he, we are bound to thank God for you, Brethren; for your Faith, it grows exceedingly; it is an over-grown Faith, foreign. Thus now should it be with us.
But then there is a fourth thing, which will take up more time than all the rest. We should endeavour such a growth in Faith, and that in a practical way, as that we may not only answer the degrees of Faith, nor the testimonies of Faith, and the examples and presidents of Faith; but fourthly, that we may have such a Faith of such a growth, as that we might produce the acts, and the effects of it. And here sundry particulars there are.
Such a Faith we should have, and of such a growth our Faith should be, that we may come to have clear sights and apprehensions of God: to say, he is an Invisible God and who can behold him? and an Infinite Majesty, and at an infinite distance, and who can injoy him?—Who?—why, a man of a well-improved Faith, may live, as if he were in heaven. The Saints of God, that have had their Faith well improved, have given proof of it, and have been able to give a justification of it. I tell you this, that Faith is capable of such an improvement, as that he may live in heaven while he is upon earth, and be in daily converses with God; see him, behold him, and talk with him, as a man would talk with his friend: Faith may come to this; as 'tis said of Moses, he saw him that was invisible. Enoch, by his Faith, could walk with God every day, as a man with his friend. And so a Believer may walk with God, and converse with God, even in the management of his worldly affairs; he may run up to heaven, and speak with God, and Jesus Christ, and have a holy familiarity with God, and have sweet thoughts of God. O, comfortable thoughts, the meditation of God! O, sweet unto him, as the Prophet speaks in the 104 Psal. my meditations of him shall be sweet. He is a terrible God, I, but I can meditate terror. The Faith of a Beleever duly improved, and being of a light growth; it will make him able to meditate terror, and to think of the terrible things of God, the terrible acts of God, the terribleness of Gods Majesty: Indeed, there is a terribleness in Gods Majesty; I, but the Faith of a Beleever, being duly improved, and of a due growth; it will be able to meditate terror, as the Prophet hath the expression, in Isa. 39. and so to injoy sweet communion with God in every daies course: it is, as if there were no distance, but heaven and earth were in a very contiguity, and they were just neer, close together; there is, as it were, but a wall between heaven and earth. O, he can be, as a man would be with his next neighbour, that, knock at the wall, and your neighbour hears you, and you can talk together day and night. And so, the Faith of a Beleever is capable of such a growth, as he may come to enjoy God, and sweet communion with God.
And so, of Christ; when we make him not only the object of our desires, but the object of our claim: he is my Jesus, and as much mine, as any mans in the World. We should not only breath out after Christ, but that we may bear up with a holy confidence, and make a bold claim of interest in him, and say, I am my beloveds, and my beloved is mine. I bear upon it, I challenge an interest in him; and I will dispute the case with any that shall come in in a way of opposition to me. He loved sinners, He loved the World, He loveth me. He gave himself for sinners, He hath given himself for me; He is as much my Christ as any mans in the World. This is the well-grown Faith.