Of Growth in Grace, Sermon 4
SERM. IV.
LOok to your growth in Faith, that you be not weak in it; and let it appear this way: See to it, that you have such a Faith, so improved, of such a growth, that you may be able at once to appeal from the Law, as a ridged exacter, and yet to apply to the Law, as a gracious, wise, and holy director. When Faith comes to be planted in the soul, it is not therefore planted, that the heart should, upon the coming in of Faith, turn head against the Law: No, not against the Law. Indeed, it was never in the heart of God, that Beleevers, that are brought off from the Law, as a covenant of works, and are dead to it, by the body of Christ, should have their hearts set against it, that they should rise up in opposition to it, and be possest with prejudices against it: No, God forbid it should be so. I speak of the Law, considered as a covenant of works. True it is, the Faith of a Beleever carries him from the Law; so, as not to rest upon it; so, as not to seek righteousness by it; but yet withal, while it doth make an appeal from the Law, as a ridged exactor, and was made, before Grace appeared, to tremble and quake at the consideration of it, as a fiery Law: while he looks upon it as a most severe, and ridged exctor, and quits it, appeals from it; yet, the Faith of a Beleever, duly improved, will own the same Law; as it is a wise, righteous, and holy director. And that Law and Covenant, which out of the hand of Faith was, and would have been a stinging Serpent, as the …od of …ses, when it was out of his hand, a stinging …pent, and such as would make a man to flye from the presence of, in regard of its stinging power: yet, the very same Law in the hand of Faith, as it is a rule of Righteousness, it is a rod in the hand, and of precious use: and this is that wherein the growth of Faith will discover it self; when we can thus jadiciously manage the apprehensions of the Law, so as to appeal from it, and yet to apply to it: To rejoyce in a freedom from it, and from its severity; and yet rejoyce in holding a complyance, and correspondency with it, as it is a gracious, holy rule, that God hath given us to conform unto. And this is another thing which I offer to you, to be judiciously considered of, that you may shew forth the growth of your Faith in this way.
Yet further, grow in Grace, grow in Faith; and how shall it appear?—Thus, grow in Faith, so as, that while you remember former guilts, deep and dreadful guilts, that have been contracted upon you; while, upon review of former cursed carriages and practices; upon review, and upon reflection: you can remember deep contracted guilt upon your consciences, under which, it may be, you labour, as under an unsupportable burden: yet, at that very time, when the remembrance of former dreadful guilt contracted, is reviv'd; yet you can, at the very same time, bear up with a holy confidence towards God, upon the account of that rich and glorious Grace which hath appeared by our Lord Jesus Christ;—while with freedom, and as becomes a Gospel-spirit of ingenuity, you can draw up a charge against your selves, and say, I was a Persecuter, (as Paul speaks) I was a Blasphemer, I was Injurious, I was a notorious Drunkard, I was a prophane, cursed Swearer, I was hellishly vitious; thus and thus I was, and thus and thus I do acknowledge: I remember well how the case stood with me, what a cursed course I took, and how I run on in the rode to hell & destruction, without any fear & controul, & how fast I was ripening sor hell and destruction: I remember this, and yet I can remember it without despondency; I can't remember it without a breaking and bleeding soul, to think that ever I should carry it so towards the Lord; and yet withal, I can bear up in a rejoycing spirit, upon the account of super-abounding Grace. While you can charge your selves so, as it may be none in the World can make the like charge upon you: Yet notwithstanding, you can make a bold challenge, and say with the Apostle, in Rom. 8. who shall lay any thing to my charge? This is an excellent thing, and an argument of a well-improved, and well-grown Faith, when it comes to this: and indeed, it is no other than a Faith of good growth, that will inable to this. Poor weaklings in Faith and Grace, when they come to remember their former cursed carriage; O, how apt to fall under deepest despondencies, and to be possest with horror and astonishment, and to be disputing against themselves, and concerning their estate; and ready to conclude, alas, how is it possible, that ever such a miserable misereant as I, should find Grace to releeve …? favour with God, forgiveness of sins? Surely, this burden will sink my soul; this guilt will press me down to hell, such deep and dreadful guilt; O, such stains upon my conscience, what can fetch them out? what plaister broad enough to cover such sores? what price great enough to say such debts? A poor weakling in Faith, is apt to argue thus, to the sinking, and over-whelming of his spirit. But, it is the Faith that is well-grown, that will inable the soul at this same time, eying guilt, and eying Grace; seeing the Plague, and seeing the plaister; and taking knowlodge of the super abundance of the Grace of Christ above his contracted guilt; for to bear up with a holy confidence, and (as I said before) to charge, and challenge; to charge it self, and yet challenge the accuser, and say, who shall be able to lay any thing unto my charge? I know whom I have beleeved, I know whither I have sled for refuge, I know where I have anchored, I know upon what foundation I have built my hope and confidence upon; here's the well-grown Faith, a Faith which will give the greatest Glory to God: When a man can look upon all the evils that ever were committed by him, with a melting, dissolving soul; yet notwithstanding, bear up with boldness, and say, I, but I know, that not any thing of this, shall ever be laid to my charge; and, I know whom I have believed. Will you but weigh these things, and consider of them, and know, that this is the Faith which we are to press after.
And so, (which follows upon the former) such a growth in Faith should we press after, as that, while we see the corruptions that are in us, and sadly complain of the pressures under which we lye, and how miserably we are yoked while we do so; and see cause to cry out with the Apostle, O wretched man that I am;—by reason of what?—by reason of a law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind: O miserable wretch! what darkness is in my understanding? what perversness in my will? what inordinacy in my affections? what a crabbed, perverse nature have I? O, what a rebelling soul is there in me? when I would do good, evil is present; and so the poor soul labours, and makes sad complaints and moans in the ears of God: yet notwithstanding, at the same time, can say, with the Apostle; but, though it be thus, yet, blessed be God, I thank God, through Jesus Christ, though I serve, with my flesh, the law of sin; yet, with my spirit, I serve the Lord Jesus Christ: though there be a rebelling law, yet I find another law, a law in my mind, that makes opposition to that rebelling law; and I find principles of Grace and Holiness, acting most vigorously in opposition to those principles: And, though they tugg, and wrestle, and struggle with me, yet I am utterly set against complyance with them, and am resolv'd upon this, that I will never make any league with them; but i'll do the utmost I can for to ruine them, to be the death of them: I thank God, through Jesus Christ. This is now the Faith that we should press after; that we may thus bear up with courage and resolution; and while we see our own blemishes, yet we can rejoyce, to think what a beauty is upon us, through Jesus Christ. We can see blemishes, and yet we can see perfection of beauty, that we are made comely, through the comelyness which by Grace is put upon us.
Then again, such a growth in Faith our duty is to press after, and to endeavour to, as that we may be able to say, I am never more fearful to sin against God, than when I am least fearful for to be condemned by God. O, it's a blessed proof of a well-grown Faith; and such a Faith should we endeavour to; and a Faith of such a growth, that we may say, Through the Grace of God, I can say, I am most fearful to sin, and to do any thing that's displeasing to God;—and when so,—O, especially then, when I am least fearful to be punished, and plagued for it. The less I have of the fear of hell and damnation, and the more I have of a holy confidence towards God, that I shall be everlastingly saved; the more am I fearful with a holy, filial fear, to do any thing that may be displeasing to my God; here's the well-grown Faith; and it argues much feebleness in the Faith of a Christian, and it gives occasion to, sometimes to question the truth of it: When persons, upon the apprehension of their justified state, they are ready to take liberty to sin. You know how the Apostle argues against this; Shall we continue in sin, because Grace hath abounded? God forbid. Nay, the Faith of a Beleever well improved, will fortifie his spirit against such a temptation, and against the assaults of the Devil and corruption, and say, Seeing the Grace of God hath appeared to me, and magnified it self upon me in a pardoning way, in a renewing way; that Grace I reckon upon, as that that shall abide upon me, and shall ingage it self to perfect all the concerns, Justification, Sanctification, everlasting Salvation: this makes a holy fear to flourish in my soul, that I may not in any thing carry it unbecomingly, and unsutably to such a state. This is the well-grown Faith that we should press after.
Yet further, when I press you to a growth in Grace, and especially, in the Grace of Faith; thus you shall be able to judge of it. We should endeavour to be of such a growth, as that, whatsoever Grace is implanted in us, and to what degree soever; whatsoever our accomplishments are in the renewed state, and according to the new creature, whatsoever there is of inherent Grace, and of gracious abilities; yet we can so look upon our inherent Graces, and spiritual Abilities, as to keep off from placing any confidencee in them, but still keep a full relyance upon the Lord Jesus Christ. This is our duty, that whatsoever is of Grace inherent in us, yet, that it be not trusted unto, Grace in the soul, is but a creature; 'tis one of the best pieces indeed of all Gods creation that ever were made by him; yet it is but a creature, and being a creature, it is not to be trusted: A man must not trust in his trust; he must trust with his Faith, but he must not trust to his Faith: he must not trust to any spiritual strength or abilities that he hath in him, but still keep a dependence upon Christ: reckon upon Christ, as the strength that will be sufficient for him. It was the answer that was given to Paul, when he was under those sore buffetings; saith he, Paul, My Grace is sufficient for thee. Paul's Grace was not sufficient any further, than it was made sufficient by Christ's Grace. It is not the water in the Cistern, that will serve the turn, but the water in the Fountain: dependance upon the Cistern, will be found to be a vain thing; the Cistern may be exhausted, but the Fountain cannot. You know how it was with Adam, when he had the Grace of Creation, it fail'd him. Peter, when he was strong in himself, you know what his confidence in himself issued in; and therefore, I say, such confidences, even in our own Graces, are to be accursed: the Lord rejects such confidences, and so should we. We should use our Graces, but trust not to them, but still keep a dependance upon the Lord Jesus; according to the Apostles charge to Timothy, Be thou strong in the Grace that is in Christ Iesus: And truly, this is that that will not be performed, but by a well-grown Faith: when we can thus do, see the Grace of God in us, prize it, bless him for it; imploy it, make use of it, and yet notwithstanding, keep hands off from it, from trusting upon it; and keep a full dependance upon the Lord Jesus Christ; that's another thing.
Again, grow in Grace, grow in Faith, 'tis your duty;—and to what purpose? to such a purpose, that while we do, and perform duties with greatest delight, as indeed, Faith will carry us to that; it will make a man delight in the Law of God, and in the waies of Holiness, and performance of holy duties, account it meat and drink to be in the practice of them; yet, while we are in the performance of duty, that even then, when we have done, to lay them by, and say, this is not my foundation, O Lord, I have done thus and thus. It may be, much in preaching, much in prayer, much in alms, much in acts of mortification, much in such and such services: I, but Lord, when I have done all; I do profess, that I have done nothing to purpose, nothing to my justification; I so do duties as if I were to be justified by them; yet I so trust upon Christ, as if I were not to meddle with my duty at all: O, this is precious Faith, and well-improved Faith, when we can do service and duty to God; and yet, when we have done all, we can take off from all, lay all at the foot of Jesus, and say, O Lord, this shall never be my Righteousness; I will endeavour to be as righteous, and holy, and gracious as I can; but, Lord, when I have done all I can, I am resolved to lay all by, and will make mention of thy righteousness, and of thine only; and, I am resolved, I will never plead any righteousness of my own, any duties and services of my performance, I will never plead them before thee, as my Righteousness; I may plead them as evidences, as Hezekiah doth; Remember Lord, how I have walk'd before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart; but I will never plead them as my righteousness, which I will stick to, and bear upon them before the tribunal of God; no, I will throw them all away, when they offer themselves to come in upon such an account. Alas poor, weak Beleevers! O, how apt are they to keep hands upon their duties and services; and when a day of temptation, and dissertion, and perplexity begins to seize upon them, they begin to turn their eyes to what they have been, and done: I, but the Faith of a Beleever, when it comes to its due growth, will otherwise carry the soul, and make it to keep its dependance upon the Lord Jesus.
Again, your duty is to grow in Grace, and especially in Faith; and such a growth, as that while you give attendance upon an Ordinance, you can see the authority of God stamp'd upon it; and upon the account of that authority which is stamp'd, you give the attendance, and you reckon upon it as a blessed expedient which God hath provided for your souls advantage; and you reckon upon gracious communications from God by it, as by such an expedient of his own appointment; you reckon upon it, and come to it with such a perswasion; O, this is Gods appointing, and in this way hath he ordered that I should wait upon him, and I know his appointments are not in vain; therefore I rest not in the Ordinance, but look to the God of the Ordinance; and I follow after the injoyment of God in his Ordinances: 'tis nothing to me to have the word preached, other Ordinances dispenced, they are nothing to me, without the injoyment of God: I look upon God in them, and I expect a blessing from God by them: truly, this is an argument of a well-grown Faith. Alass poor weaklings that we are, we come in a formal manner, (too commonly so) and with too much of a carnal frame of spirit, too much in a complemental way, look upon an Ordinance as if there were no more to be reckoned to it, than what of strength, and duty, and benefit of man can put upon it, look to the instrument, & have not an eye to God: O, without question, Beloved, our preaching would be to better purpose, and our hearing and praying, and our eating and drinking at the Lords Table, would be to better purpose, and with more fruit and benefit. If we could look more to God in an Ordinance, and come with such a thought as this, O Lord, this is the way that thou hast laid out for me to wait upon thee in, these are the means that thou hast appointed to do my soul good by, and upon this account, because they are thy appointments; I apply to them, and expect benefit and profit by them. Now, I say, when we manage our attendance in such a manner, we are then in the fairest way to have the fruit and benefit of them: and how will this be, but by a well-improved Faith? & the truth on't is, the strength of Faith, and the growth and increase of Faith, will very much discover it self this way. When we come to appear before God in Ordinances, we have such a Faith as carries us to God. Why, I have been with God this day, I have been in the presence of God, I look upon these Ordinances as the blessed Symboles of his presence, and uppon that account it is, that I attend them, and expect from them.
And then again, I press you, that you would grow in Grace, and grow in the Grace of Faith:—why, what growth would you require?—such a growth as this; that your Faith may come to be of such a growth, that you may not be staggered concerning the promises of God, how cross soever that providences seem to run to them: O, this is a proof of a well-grown Faith. You know, that its an ordinary thing with God, in the course of his dealings and dispensations, when he hath made a promise, and put his people upon the hopes, and expectation of having it performed, to order out so in the course of his providence, as if he would quite null his promise: the providences seem to speak flat contradiction to the promise. It was Abrahams case; a promise he had of a son, but the providence of God ordered it out, that he runs out till he be 100 years old, and Sarah was old to; so that there was an impossibility, as to nature, that ever there should be such a thing brought to pass; and here was now the temptation: Now, if Abraham had been but of a weak Faith, how apt had he been to be staggering, and sorely shaken, as touching the promise; surely, this will never be; I, bat being of a well-grown Faith, as the Apostle testifies of him, he considered not his own body, nor the deadness of Sarahs womb; he staggered not at the promise through unbelief, but being strong in Faith, he gave Glory to God.—So the Lord dealt with Joseph; but the word of the Lord tries him, and while it tries him, he trusts upon it: the irons enter into his soul, and by that providence: O, what a seening contradiction was there to the promise? he that was designed to wear a chain of Gold about his neck, must go with chains of Irons about his legs, and those irons must enter into his soul. What doth this speak, but the vanity of the promise, and that it was a thing not to be reckoned upon, no account to be made of it? and yet notwithstanding, he being of a well-improved Faith, under all these cross providences, that spake contradiction to the promise; yet he keeps in a humble dependance upon God. And while the word of the Lord tried him, he trusts the word; he did not try the word, but he trusted the word, and so being of a well-grown Faith, he bears up with a holy confidence towards God, as touching the things that he had promised.
And so likewise, promises concerning the Church of God, and a more blessed injoyment that Saints shall have in the World; God hath ingaged himself by promise very much to such a purpose; and providence: do seem to give the lye to the promise; … things are ordered out, as if such things …uld never be brought to pass: Now, a poor, …ak Beleever, he will be apt to give all for naught, and to conclude, as David did, I said in my haste, all men are lyars; these are but vain words: we speak of this and that, of a new Ierusalem coming down from Heaven, as a Bride made ready for her husband, and of the Church… Glory and beauty, and of Babilons downfal; and yet Babilon sits as a Queen, and saith, I shall never see sorrow nor widowhood: Now, a poor, weak Beleever, will be ready to give up the account, and to say, We must never look for these things; I, but a strong Beleever, it bears up the soul in a holy confidence towards God: well, let God take what course he will, I am sure that the womb of the promise shall never be sound to be a miscarrying womb; that's another thing.
Yet further, I press you to growth in Grace, particularly to a growth in Faith, that you may not, upon every occasion, be cast into a discomposure of spirit, upon every occasion of trouble that you meet withal: when there are such providences ordered out, as are startling, and amazing, and astonishing; such a Faith you are to press to: that when sinners in Zion are afraid, and fearfulness surpriseth the hypocrites;—and likewise, when poor, weak Beleevers are apt to tremble and quake, and at a loss, and know not what to do; that you may come to say, my heart is fixed, I trust in God, these things move me not: this is an argument of a well-grown Faith; when we are not upon every occasion of any sudden fears, in a discomposure of spirit, yet well-grown Faith will bring a fixedness. I, it's an argument of a Faith not well improved, and not of so good a growth as it should be, when we are upon, every occasion, surprised with fear, and horror, and astonishment, and ready to scatter this way and that way, and know not what to do. I refer to that passage in the 107 Psal. his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord, he shall not be moved for any evil tidings; when a man can say, as the Prophet in the Psalm, which is reckoned to Luther, because of his making so much use of it: God is our refuge and strength, a present help in the time of trouble; we will not fear, though the mountains be troubled, and though all things be in a confusion; the Lord of Hosts is with us, and the God of Jacob is our refuge: this is the Faith we should endeavour to, and Faith of such a growth, we should press after.
Again, such a Faith, as in a day of affliction and tribulation, we may live; I, and live cheerly and comfortably, I, and in a full condition. The just shall live by Faith, and the just shall live in fulness, if so be that Faith be but of a due growth. I am come, that ye might have life, and that you might have it more abundantly: and the more we improve in Faith, the more abundantly we shall live, and at a higher rate. Be full in emptiness,—be rich in poverty,—be strong in weakness,—be free under restraint; and let the condition be what it will, by having a well-grown Faith, we shall but seem to be afflicted; when others reckon upon it that we are most really afflicted. O, 'tis a notable passage, that of the Apostle, in 2 Cor. 6. saith he, we are as unknown, and yet well known;—as dying, and behold we live;—as chastened, and not kill'd;—as sorrowful, yet alwaies rejoycing;—as poor, yet making many rich;—as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. I confess, it is a most wonderful thing, and yet this is that that a well-gro… Faith will inable to. That when a child of … in the lowest condition, and, according to the judgement of others, the most really miserable man (mark what I say) that can be in the World: Yet notwithstanding, he can give this account, I am but, as it were, thus and thus: this is the noble act of Faith. Sorrowful, O, you are a company of sorrowful, poor creatures; nay, saith the Apostle, we are but, as sorrowful: O, you are miserably poor, and beggerly; nay, saith he, mistake not, we are but, as poor: indeed, we are rich: you take us to be the most sorrowful, and poor miserable creatures in the World; we are indeed as such, we seem to be so, and you take us to be so, you take us to be such as have nothing, as having nothing, and yet, saith he, we possess all things. Why, what a wonderful thing is this, that the Faith of a Beleever should carry to this? and yet this a well-improved Faith will inable to; and by this we are to discover, that it is a well-grown Faith. Saith the Apostle, I have learned in every estate, therewith to be content; I can be full, and be hungry; I can abound, and suffer want: Suffer want! I, saith he, I can reckon of a fulness in my want! I have all, and abound: what a blessed thing was this? And O, how much preciousness is there in the Grace of Faith! and such a Faith should we endeavour to attain to, and of such a growth, that we may bear up with rejoycing hearts in tribulation; in all tribulations, and in the want of all things, make our boast, and say, with the Prophet, in Hab. 3. Though the Figg-tree shall not blossome, and the labour of the Olive shall fail, no Calves in the stall, no Grass in the field, nor Corn in the ground, no Money in the purse, no Bread in the cubbord, every Brook is dry, and every Prop and Pillar is pluck'd away; yet, saith he, notwithstanding all this, I will rejoyee in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my Salvation.