Of Growth in Grace, Sermon 5
SERM. V.
SAints and Beleevers, are called Trees of Righteousness: The Planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. (I wish that this word may not only sound in our ears, but sink into our hearts; are they the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified? How is it ever like, that God should be glorified by such a plantation, if so be that his planted ones stand at a stay, and do not make some considerable growth, answerable to time, and means, and opportunities to such a purpose. We are therefore to know, that it is as much our duty for to grow in Grace, as it is to be made partakers of it.
I have been speaking to you concerning growth in Faith; but what was delivered, I shall less pass, having some further addition to make: something yet further this morning to offer out unto your consideration; which, if the Lord be pleased to accompany with his Grace, and the working of his mighty spirit, will be beneficial to us, to the promoting of this cause that I now am ingaged in.
You that are Beleevers, that have the Faith of Gods Elect; your duty is to grow in Faith: Now, do bat weigh, and consider, and take heed, that a deceived heart do not turn us aside. It will appear, that there is a growing in Faith, when we come to have a large capacity for the entertaining of the Gospel-mysteries; when the mysterie of the Gospel, and of Godliness, comes to stand in its proportion, in our hearts and understandings; when we have our hearts widened, and inlarged, to take in the mysterie of the Gospel, so as that we have not only some weak, low apprehensions of it, which a smaller measure of Faith will inable to; but, when we come to have a comprehensiveness of heart, so, as that we can expasiate and inlarge our selves in our meditations, of the glorious mysterie, which, by the Gospel, is made known unto us: When we come to walk (as it were) in the length, and in the breadth of this mysterie; we can come to view, and surveigh all that glorious workmanship of God, which he hath wrought, in order to the salvation of poor souls: we cannot only darkly apprehend, but clearly behold the infinite wisdom, and love, and Grace, that hath appeared to us in the contrivance of this great design, concerning the salvation of sinners. Truly, this will be a clear proof, and demonstration of a growth in Faith; when our Faith takes in much of God, much of Christ, much of the mistery; that we can discourse of it judiciously, and affectionately, and solace our selves in the contemplation of it; we can with open face behold the glory of God, as it shines in the face of Christ; we can walk up and down in the length and breadth of the mysterie of the Gospel. O, this is a blossed proof, and will be found to be so, of a souls improvement, and growth in Faith, and in Grace: Will you but consider of this; when the Gospel, and the mysterie of it, the mysterie of Election, Redemption, Justification, Reconciliation of a sinner to God; the mysterie of Grace as it stands in opposition to the works of the L…; the mysterie of the everlasting Covenant, which is ordered in all things, and sure; when it is not penn'd up, but hath scope in our understandings; when we can take in this mysterie of the new Covenant in the proportions of it; this is the business of Faith; but it is that which will not be performed to any good purpose, unless there be some considarable improvement, and growth in Faith; and therefore it is, that the Apostle doth so earnestly pray on the behalf of the Church of Ephesus, in Eph. 1. saith he, I cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, that the God of … Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give … y… the spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the knowledge of bl…; the eyes of your understandings being inlightned, that y… may know what is the hope of his Calling, and what the … of the Glory of his inheritance in the Saints; and what is the exeeceding greatness of his power to us ward, who beli…e according to the working of his mighty power. O, how earnest was the Apostle, in the behalf or the Ephesians, to this purpose, and Chap. 3. ver. 14. s…th he, I b…v my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that he could grant unto you according to the riches of his Glory, to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inward man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith: and saith he) that you may be able to comprehend with all Saints, what is the breadth, and length and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge that you might be filled with all the fulness of …d: Two passages they are of Scripture, which are most proper for beleeving souls to be well studied in: that part which I read to you, out of the first Chapt. and this in the third: I say, they are of some proper cognisance …r men and woman; that being brought over to the Faith of the Gospel, are studious of approving themselves unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; that they may answer their duty concerning these things that are here made mention of; that there might be (not only as I said before) a weak, and dim, and dark apprehension of the mysterie of the Gospel, the mysterie of Christ, the mysterie of the hope of Glory; but, that there might be a comprehension; that the mysterie may stand full, and as much as may be, compleat in us, in all the proportions of it; that the Gospel might not be streightned in our understandings. Truly friends, this is a great matter, if you would but set your hearts upon it, and seriously weigh, and ponder what I drive now. Alas, how little is there of the mysterie of the Gospel, that our hearts have already received? how little of it? And by this means, God is scanted, and shortened in the love, praise, and honour, that is due to him, and which our hearts would be inlarged to yield up, if we were but more careful to answer our duty this way. I do profess, this morning, to you, that are partakers of the Faith of Gods Elect, that are able to give any account of any saving work upon your hearts, and that you have any thing of the Faith of the Gospel in you: I do profess here, and testifie to you, in the Name of the Lord, that this doth more neerly concern you for to look unto, that these two Scriptures may be better answered by you; that you do not please your selves in that streightness of spirit that is in you, and discovers it self; but, that you be so heightned, that there be such an inlargement of heart in believing, that you may take in the mysterie in the Glories of it, or else you will not so duly answer that which is required of you, as touching your growth in Faith, and Grace: Think what you will of it, this I am sure is a duty that lyes upon Beleevers to perform, that they be of comprehensive spirits, and that they labour to work out to a more inlargedness of heart; that they may be so inabled to comprehend, with all the Saints, the height, and depth, and breadth, and length, or else you will never be able to give that glory to God, and honour to Christ; never be so much in admirings of the glorious mysterie of the Gospel, as otherwise you would. I would you would a little think of this point; and, for my part, I do profess, I know nothing that is more proper for a Minister of the Gospel, a Dispencer of the Mysteries of God, to be more earnest in pressing, and urging upon Beleevers, than this very thing is: But alas, how low spirited are most Beleevers. Beleevers, that it may be have got as much Faith as wil secure them from Hell, and bring them to Heaven: But, as for the mysteries in the glories of it, in the dimentions of it, in the latitude of it; O, how uncapable of a due apprehension of it: Will you therefore but consider of this? this is one thing, I, it is, it is that which doth mainly concern those that have any thing of the Faith of the Gospel in them, for to be very solicitous about, and studious to be answerable to. I leave it with you; but know, that the great God of Heaven, and our Lord Jesus, hath laid this burden upon you and me this morning: As many of us, as are able to give an account of the Faith of the Gospel, the Lord Jesus laies this burden upon you this morning, that you look to it, that there be a comprehensiveness of spirit concerning the mysterie of the Gospel; which is Christ in you, the hope of Glory. And so I let it pass; I leave it with you, to be studied, and pondered upon; and as you will answer it to Christ another day. Take heed, that this particular, among the rest, be not slightly passed over.
Again, your duty is, to grow in Grace and Faith, and so will you make it appear that you do grow. When you come to have such a Faith, as is not only a living Faith, but a lively Faith, an active, stirring Faith within you; when you come to have such a Faith, as that you do not only live by it, but that you live richly by it: there's many a man that lives, and gets a livelyhood; he hath bread for the day, he hath to supply his necessities, but he lives at a low, poor rate; he is not able to rise up to those expences that others are able to b…ar. So there are (I say) many Beleevers; they live, they g…t bread for the day; they get a subsistence by their Faith; but they live poorly, at a low rate, they do not keep a good house, they do not spend like rich men. There are that are rich in Faith, as the Apostle uses the expression, in the second Epist. of James, that are rich in Faith; that's it that we should press to, to such a growth in Faith, that we may live like rich men, keep a good hoase, and maintain a full table; that we may feed highly from day to day: there is mention of the rich man in the Gospel, that was clothed in Purple, and fared deliciously every day: thus it might have been and yet the man not culpable, if he had fared thus with a heavenly mind, and had not set his heart upon these things, as if they were the only portion for souls to sit down satisfied withal. No doubt, God doth allow persons, that have a larger portion of the World than others have, to go better clad, and to feed at a higher rate than others do, that have not such estate. This man, it's said, he was clothed in Purple, and fared deliciously every day: why, truly Brethren, there are such Beleevers to be found, though, I think, the number of them is very small: there are such, of whom it may be thus testified, and it is an honourable testimony of them, that they are clothed in Purple, in Scarlet, and they fare deliciously every day; they go clothed in Princely Robes, they are clothed in the Scarlet Robe of Jesus Christ, in the Robe of Righteousness, which hath been died in his own blood; and they walk like Princes Sons and Daughters, and they fare deliciously every day; they keep a continual feast, feed upon the marrow and fatness of the Gospel; they rejoyce in hope of the glory of God: these are the persons of a well-grown Faith, and it is their honour so to be; thus they live: Thus to bear up in pomp and state, to live like Kings children, and for to spend largely, knowing that their estate will bear them out. They have such a Faith in Christ, and in the Covenant, as will bring in sufficient to defray their expences from day to day, that they shall never be at a loss, they have that which will make a supply to them: this is the Faith, and these are the persons that are rich in Faith. Now, such a growth in Faith, is our duty to press after, as that we may be able, not only to live, but that we may live at a high rate, feed fully, and largely, and be feasted upon Christ, feasted upon the Promises, the blessings of the Covenant; feeding upon the hope of the Glory that shall be revealed, feeding to the full, without any fear of a surfe…: This is the well-grown Faith, and such a Faith, Brethren and Friends, we are to press after.
Such a Faith is not only a conflicting, but it is a conquering, and a triumphing Faith; this is the well grown Faith; that they may not only be able to give this account of themselves, that they have a Faith which inables them to sight with corruptions, and lusts, and to grapple with Principalities, and Powers; but such a Faith, as inables them to bear up in a triumphing way; and to say, In all these things, in tribulation, in distress, in persecution, in famine, in nakedness, (as I said in a former Exercise:) In all these things, we are more than Conquerors, through him that hath loved us. When we can say, with the Apostle rejoycingly, O, blessed be God, as in 2 C…. …. that maketh us alwaies to triumph in Christ, such a Faith we should press after, that may inable us to bear up, to live at a high rate, and to bear up with holy Rejoycings and Triumphings in God. Such a Faith as the Apostle speaks of, in 1. Pet. 1. having not seen, you love him; and beleeving, you rejoyce with joy unspeakable, and full of Glory. Will you consider of this now, as a further addition to all the rest? Grow in Faith, so grow, as that the mysterie of the Gospel may stand in its full proportion; that you may be able to comprehend, with all the Saints, the height, and depth, and length, and breadth, that the Gospel-mysterie may not be streightned in your spirits.—So grow in Faith, as that you may live high, and may maintain your self in an honourable, and creditable manner; that you may live like the child of the great King of Heaven and Earth; that you may feed upon delicacies every day; that you may come to be filled by beleeving, with all joy, and peace, and comfort; that you may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of Consolation: This is the Faith that we should endeavour a growing in.
I add yet further; you that are partakers of the Faith of the Gospel, your duty is, to grow in Grace and Faith; and so shall it appear that you do, when you can bear up with fixed, and established, and well-setled spirits, under the most amazing, and stupendious providences that are ordered out: and whatsoever difficulties you meet withal; whatsoever discouragements there are before you, you may be inabled to hold on in your way, and not be over-powred by them: this is an argument of a well-grown Faith, when nothing beats us off; Let him kill me, saith Iob, i'll trust in him still. The woman of Canaan, whatsoever discouragements there were seeingly, she resolved upon it, not to let her hold go, not to susfer her suit to fall: this is the Faith, and of such a proportion, that we should press after; so to grow in Faith, that nothing may drive us from our hold, nor make us to fall under discouragements.
Again, your duty is, to grow in Faith; such a growth in Faith, as that you may come to be less selfish, and more for God; more pure in your aims at the Glory of God, and of the Lord Jesus Christ: Truly, this will evidence a growth in Faith, and this is the Faith so evidenced, that you should endeavour to grow in. It is usual with poor Beleevers, in their f…rst setting out upon the way of Faith, and beleeving, 'tis usual with them; and truly, it is a gracious indulgence of God towards them, he bears with them in it: It is usual (I say) with poor, weak Beleevers, at their first beginning, to be mainly solicitous about their own Salvation; they stand under convictions of their obnoxiousness unto the wrath of God, to the curse of the Law, and have some apprehensions of the dreadful condition of the damned in Hell, and what it is to be eternally separated from God, everlastingly excommunicated from fellowship with him, and his people; and when they think of these things, O! what shall become of me to all eternity? what a miserable wretch shall I be, if I should live and dye out of the favour of God, and not be reconcil'd unto him by his Christ? if so be that guilt should lye upon my conscience; if so be that the wrath of God should still abide upon me; O! what a cursed wretch shall I be to all eternity? O! what shall I do, that I may escape this curse, and condemnation, and come to be made partakers of Christ, and of the Salvation that is by him? This is usually at the first the work of a poor soul, beginning now to look out after Christ, and pursuing after an interest in the grace and blessing of the Gospel; the blessing of Salvation, and much what the souls acting is upon a selfish account: Fain would it be secured, as touching its estate, and that it should be kept from eternal perishing; and this doth very much sway in the heart of a poor, weak Beleever, that he doth not so much mind the glory of God, and the honour of Christ, and the exaltation of the grace of the Gospel: but fain would he be said, as the poor Gaoler, when he came to be convinc'd; O sirs; he comes trembling and quaking before Paul and Sylas; O sirs, what shall I do to be saved? how shall I do to escape the wrath to come? Men and Brethren, say the people, in Acts 2. when they were pricked at their hearts, upon the convincement that they lay under, concerning Christ, and that they had contracted the guilt of his blood upon their consciences; O sirs, what shall we do? I feel a load of guilt upon me, and I see a hell before me, and I am in danger to sink down into the bottomless lake; O sirs, what shall I do? O pitty, pitty a poor soul, in danger of being swallowed up in destruction: these are the workings of a poor Beleever, that's taken up mainly with solicitousness about his own safety. And, I say, the Lord is pleased to deal very favourably with this poor creature: and indeed, God doth allow this, that his people should be solicitous about their own Salvation: Self-love, upon such an account, doth not fall under Gospel-condemnation. But now, this is not the advanced Faith, the improved Faith, this doth not argue so much a well-grown Faith, as when a soul comes to this, for to pursue life and salvation, and to follow after a portion in the Glory that is to come;—upon what account?—why, upon the account of this;—By my Salvation, God shall be eternally glorified, by my being one of his pardoned ones, his reconciled ones; the Grace of our Lord Jesus shall be exalted, by my being delivered from the curse of the Law, and from the condemnation of Hell: by my being delivered, I shall come to stand as a living, and a lasting monument of free Love, of glorious Grace: and this is the rejoycing of my heart, to think, that I shall escape the vengeance of Hell, the wrath to come, and everlasting condemnation, and so be with the Saints and Angels in Heaven for ever, to sound forth the praises of God, and to ascribe Honour, and Glory, and Salvation, and Blessing, and Dominion, and Power, to the Lamb, that lives for evermore: Ah, here's the well-grown Faith; when a soul comes to work off (as it were) from self, it looks not so much upon self; my Salvation, O! what's my Salvation to the Glory of God? why, God shall be Glorified in my being eternally saved. If I should perish, and go to Hell, what! I should be tormented there; is that all?—Nay, God will be dishonoured: Hell is a place that knows no love, knows no subjection, knows no fear of God; it's a place where God is continually blasphemed, and shall be to all eternity. O, I would not come there, nor go to Hell, upon any tearms; not so much, because I would not be tortnented there, but rather thus, I would not perish, and damn, because I would not have God dishonoured by me: I would not be like those damned souls, and those damned devils; I would not be among them that hate God, and will hate him to all eternity, and do nothing but curse him, and blaspheme him, and speak dishonourably of him: O, I would not go to Hell, because of Blasphemies there: I would go to Heaven, because there is exalting, and magnifying, and blessing of God there. When a soul comes to this, to have Faith to be so improved, as that he eyes the Glory of God more than his own Salvation: and this you are to know, that Gods Glory is the ultimate end of all his actions, all his purposes and decrees, and all his providential dispensations. The Glory of God is that, which (I say) is the ultimate end: God hath this in design, that he may be eternally glorified in the Salvation, and damnation both of men and Angels. Now, that that is Gods utmost end, should be our utmost end; and the Faith which is of due growth, will inable to this; to say, I would be saved principally, that God may be Glorified: I would not be damned, principally, because I would not have God to be dishonoured. When self-interest, and self-concernment begins to wear off, and Gods Glory stand fully in our eye; and when we are upon this design, that God may be Glorified in our eternal well-being, this will be a proof of a well-grown Faith.
Further, your duty is, to grow in Faith; 'tis your duty; and thus should you grow, to this point, and proportion; That you, by being exercised in Godliness, may come to mind the well-fare of others more than ever you did. At the first beginning, when God first sets in with a soul; alas, it hath scarce any charity to spare from it self: it's love, and charity, and care, will searce look without doors, scarce step over the threshold; but altogether solicitous about its own concernments, that it may be well with it self: I, but now, when Faith comes to be well improved, and to be a well-grown Faith, then there comes to be an eving of others; What shall I do to be saved? Nay, what shall I do, that my Brother may be saved? my Sister saved? my Wife? my Husband? that my Friends and Acquaintance may be saved? O! now God hath given me some hope, that Hell shall never be my portion, that I shall not go down to destruction: I, but what if my Brother should go to Hell, and I go to Heaven? what if my Husband should go do… to Eternal Vengeance, and I get into Glory? O Lord, what will become of such a neer relation? Alas, it is not enough to me now, that I am secure, as touching my eternal estate, and that I have hope towards God, that I shall escape the vengeance to come: But now, I begin to think with my self; O, such a soul lies in the gall of bitterness, and in the bonds of iniquity: Such a child, such a one in neer relation, that is wallowing in the blood of his own soul: O! what shall become of him? what shall I do to be saved? what shall I do, that my Brethren may be saved; and that my Relations may escape the vengeance to come? The woman of Samaria, when she came to have some comfortable communion with Christ, she begins to be solicitous about her neighbours, and goes to them, and saith, O, I have met with Jesus, and, come, see a man that hath told me all that ever I did; is not this the Christ? Truly Brethren, a Beleever, when he comes to be of a well-improved Faith, he would not be alone in his mercy, he would not eat his morsels alone, he would not go to Heaven without company: and I tell you, that this is an argument of a well-improved Faith. When our Faith it goes abroad, our solicitousness, it is not only for our selves, but others; when our Charity goes out of doors, and we are now projecting, and casting about how we may promote others eternal welfare: when Paul could say, I am perswaded, that neither Height, nor Depth, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Life, nor Death, nor things present, nor things to come, shall be able to separate from the Love of God, which is in Christ Jesus: when Paul comes to this Plerophoria, when he comes to be thus improved in his Faith; saith he, in Rom. 9. Brethen, I would have you to know, that I say the truth in Christ, I lye not, my Conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, that I have great heavyness, and continual sorrow in my heart:—Why, what man! Did'st thou not write but just now, that thou wast perswaded, that neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers, &c. should be able to separate from the Love of Christ Jesus our Lord: Why, Paul, will you speak to such a purpose as this then, that you have great heaviness, and continual sorrow in your heart? Why, you should be full of joy: who should rejoyce in all the World, if they do not, nor should not, that have a confident perswasion that they shall go to Heaven, and be eternally blessed with God, and live in everlasting communion with him? Do you say you have great heaviness, and continual sorrow in your heart? Why, the business of Faith, is to fill the soul with joy and peace in beleeving; and, do you talk of sorrow and heaviness in your heart?—why, what should be the matter?—O, Brethren, he had now a well-grown Faith, his Faith was improved exceedingly, that he was now sure that all was well between God and him; he was sure to go to Heaven himself, and that nothing should be able to separate. And now his heart begins to turn upon his poor Brethren; I have great heaviness, and continual sorrow in my heart. I profess, saith he, I could set down, so far as it might be without sinning against God; yea, I could be contented, to be cut off from the comfortable and rejoycing part of Salvation; I could be contented, even to be cut off from the comfortable communion, not, that he would be in a state of guilt and sin, and wrath, and under the hatred of God: But, I could be contented, saith he, to be even cut off from that sweet injoyment that Saints have in their glorified estate, for my Brethrens sake, according to the flesh. Now, saith he, it's the sorrow of my heart, while I am full of joy and comfort, in respect of my own condition; I am full of heaviness, and continual sorrow there is upon me; that my Brethren, that are the seed of Abraham, that they should be strangers to this Grace, and like to be shut out from the Salvation which I am now sure of; and then is the Faith of a Beleever, a well-grown Faith, when it comes to be solicitous of others wellfare.
And for those that are brought over to Faith, but are weaklings in Faith; when there is a bearing with their weaknesses, and infirmities, a studying to please them in all things, for their profit, and a friendly deportment; when there is not a gr…ng upon them, nor a galling of them by any unbecoming carriage: Saith the Apostle, in Rom. 15. We that are strong, that are strong in Faith, ought to bear with the infirmities of the weak, and not to please our selves: for, let let every one of us please his neighbour, for his good to edification: for even Christ pleased not himself, but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee, fall on me. We that are strong; we that come to have a well-grown Faith, we should look with a tender, and com… eye, and heart, upon tender Brethren, … not so much insist upon what will be to the …ing of our selves, but what will be to the plea… of our weak Brethren, so far as is consistent … their profit, and the edification of our souls. … thus with Christ, and it should be thus with … this will be a proof of our growth in Faith.
Further, our duty is, to grow in Grace, and to grow in Faith; and such a growth should we press after, that we may be able for to use, and enjoy the World, and the good things of it, with heavenly minds; so, as that we come to value our selves, not so much by what we are in the World, as by what we are in in the Covenant, and by what estate we have in the Covenant: not to make so much matter of it, that we are able to give an account of such and such an estate in Land, and Houses, and worldly Possessions; but to valew our selves upon this accout, that we are able for to make out an estate in the Covenant, and that all our outward enjoyments are held by a Covenant; and that's it that gives us the comfort of our enjoyments: Such an estate I have, I, but, blessed be God, I have it by a spiritual title; Christ is mine, and I am Christs, and so all things become mine; I have a spiritual title, and I hold all by virtue of a Covenant in Christ. I would not valew the World; I would not value my outward condition, my riches; if they be thousands, and ten thousands in the World, I should look upon them but as a beggerly portion, if I had them not upon a spiritual account, and upon the account of an interest in Christ: O, God that hath given me Christ, he hath given me with him, all these things. When a man can look upon his estate, be it never so large and copious; to look upon it, as that which his heart would be dead to: if it were not, that he could look upon these things that he doth injoy, as upon a Covenant Conveyance.
And when a soul comes to this, to use the World with a heavenly mind, manage the affairs of the World; I, but with dependance upon God: When a man in the way of his Calling, and management of his affairs here below, goes on with diligence and care; I, but with a humble dependance upon God: and, while he doth his duty, he can trust God with the success. Let the times be hard, and trading dead, and little in-comes, no matter, i'll open my shop, and i'll attend the providence of God; and whether little or much come in, I am not solicitous about that; I am resolved upon this, I will do my duty, and wait upon God; and I know, it must be his blessing must be the portion for me to live upon: And it is not the in-come of the World, that I set my heart so much upon; but i'll do my duty, and leave the success to God.——There are two or three things more, but, for the present, only weigh what hath been said; and consider, that I have been speaking to you to this purpose; that you, that are the Sons and Daughters of Faith, look to it, that there be a growth in Faith:——And, such a growth, as that the mysterie of the everlasting Gospel stand fast in you, that you may be able to comprehend with all the Saints, the height, and depth, and length, and breadth:——That you may grow up to such a Faith; no, that you may not only live by it, but live at a high rate; that you may not only live by it, but live honourably, that you may fare deliciously every day.——Such a Faith, as is not only a conflicting, but a conquering, and triumphing Faith.——Such a Faith, as brings you off more from self, and makes you seek God more, his Glory more.——Such a Faith, as makes you to be studious, not only of your own eternal wellfare, but of the well-fare of others.——Such a Faith, as makes you to value your selves, not according to your worldly injoyments; but that you value what you injoy, according to a Covenant of Grace, and your self according to that account. And this way truly, you may give good proof, that you are persons that answer the duty in the Text, which the Apostle requires; That we grow in Grace.—