The Valley of Vision, Sermon 2 – Title page 6
SERMON II.
PSAL. 84.7.
They goe from ſtrength to ſtrength, (untill,) and every one of them appeare before God in Zion.
FROM ſtrength, to ſtrength is the way of the Text, and it muſt be my way of handling it, to lead you along as it were, by ſteps, and paces, till we come to the full underſtanding of it. And indeed ſo it is, that ſome Tranſlators read the words, whereas we read, From ſtrength to ſtrength, they, From Doctrine to Doctrine; they goe from Doctrine, to Doctrine, that is, from Edification to Edification. It very well agrees with the Context, for but two Verſes before, there you have the Pſalmiſt pronouncing a bleſſing to thoſe that dwell in Gods houſe, Bleſſed are they that dwell in thy houſe, and the Houſe of God is Domus Doctrinae, the Houſe of Doctrine, or Edification. So, from ſtrength to ſtrength, is as much as our ſecond Aſſemblie, from Meeting, to Meeting. It is that very Houſe in which we are now met together. Therefore ſeeing I have ſhewed you the firſt Doctrines, conteined in the former part, the quality of the motion, they goe on to ſtrength. You will give me now leave to proceed to the other Doctrines, that follow in the ſecond part, that is, the continuation of the motion; it is, From ſtrength to ſtrength.
And for the underſtanding of that. Firſt, I will let you ſee briefly the nature, and property of the phraſe, what ſignification, and extent it hath; and I cannot doe that better then by paralell places, and there are not many of this nature that I meet with in Scripture. There is one in 2 Cor. 3. We are changed into the Image of God, (ſayth the Apoſtle,) from glory to glory. That is, as St. Auſtin very well Expounds it, from a leſſe glory, to a greater, and ſo to a greater g…ory, & ſo to the fullneſs, which is in Heaven. Or, from glory to glory, that is, from the firſt glory of the Creation, to the ſecond, greater glory of juſtification; from the glory that we have, to the glory that we looke for, from the glory of faith, to the glory of Viſion. That is one place.
Then you have another which is given us by the ſame Apoſtle in Rom. 1. From faith to faith. The righteouſneſſe of God is revealed from faith to faith. That is, eyther as Theophilact very well gloſſeth upon it, from one degree of faith to another; becauſe faith is firſt in Semine, and after grows up to a greater ſtate, from faith, to faith; that is, from the beginning of faith, to the perfection, and accompliſhment of it. Or elſe as St. Auſtin further enlargeth it, from the faith that is of things preſent, to the faith of things to come; or from a leſſe meaſure of faith that the Fathers had under the Law (that alſo beleived in Chriſt) to the greater meaſure communicated to us in the time of the Goſpell; from faith to faith. It is all one with that of the Pſalmiſt, From Generation to Generation; that is, to all Generations. Now from theſe three reduplications we may well underſtand the meaning of the Text. As in one place it is ſaid, We are changed from glory to glory; that is, from all aſcents to glory, till we come to fullneſſe. And in another, the revelation of the knowledge of God, is from faith to faith, that is, through all the degrees of faith, till we come to the pitch. In the third, the name of God is ſaid to be magnified from Generation to Generation, that is, through all generations to the Worlds end. So, here the Saints are ſaid to grow from ſtrength to ſtrength, that is, to paſſe through all degrees of ſtrength, till they come to be perfect men, and as neare as they can attaine in this World, to the pitch, and period of perfection. Here you have the meaning of the word, what it is, From ſtrength to ſtrength. There is ſomething limitted, ſomething unlimitted, to both we muſt have reference, it is definite in the phraſe, it is indefinite in the ſignification. For though there be but two words uſed, they have reference to ſo many thouſands. If any man ask, I have attained ſome ſtrength what ſhall I doe now? Goe further, and yet further. As in our life, from houre to houre, from day, to day, from age, to age: ſo there muſt be a growth from one pitch of perfection to another, till as neare as we can we come to the utmoſt.
But having done with the meaning of the phraſe let us ſee what is the extent, and Doctrinall ſubſtance of the words themſelves; and the Scope of the Pſalmiſt in theſe. For, as I told you before, from ſtrength to ſtrength, is as much as from vertue, to vertue. Or if you joyne both words, from the ſtrength of vertue, to the ſtrength of greater vertue. And vertue is conſiderable one of theſe waye
There is vertue in the Habit,
There is vertue in the Act,
There is vertue in the Degree.
According to theſe three, there are three extents, or latitudes of the word, or rather foure, that will give us now the full ſignification of it.
The firſt is the latitude, or extent of the word in reſpect of the habits of grace. From ſtrength to ſtrength, that is, from one habite of grace, to another habite of grace, that when we have attained the pitch, if it were poſſible, of any grace, we ſhould not content our ſelves with that, there are other graces to be attained. That as a man that will learne perfectly to read, muſt goe through the whole liſt, and Alphabet of Letters, and none are to be excepted: So he that will come to take out the whole leſſon of Chriſtianity, muſt ſet out the whole leſſon, Sentences, and Sillables, the whole quire of grace, and labour to come to a competent meaſure, and perfection of habits in all. When he hath got one, he muſt not reſt there, but goe on from the habit of one grace to another. Becauſe all grace upon occaſion brings glory to God. And a Chriſtian hath need in this World of every grace. And every grace leads alike to the ſame excellency of glory, and the ſame Bleſſing, and Reward is ſtated upon it.
How ever it is true, as Gregory Nazianzen ſayth well, ſome perticular graces, are more proper to ſome perticular eſtates, and ages of men. Repentance is a grace more proper to them that are fallen, and perſeverance is a grace more proper to them that ſtand. A man that is downe cannot be called to perſevere, he is not yet raiſed; but a man that is up, his proper grace, that hath his footing already ſet in Chriſtianity, is to exhort him to perſevere, and to exhort the other to riſe. So Almſ-deeds, it is a grace that is more proper to him that is Rich, and contentation to the Poore. Call to a poore man for Alms, he hath the Alms of Prayer, not of releife, it is not a grace ſo proper.
To carry it further, Modeſtie, and Sobriety, they are graces proper to them that are young; wiſdome and gravity, and diſcretion, are graces proper to them that are in yeares, that are old. Thankfullneſſe is a proper grace for him that abounds in proſperity; and Patience is a proper grace for him that is in adverſity. So Nazienzen ſayth well, there are graces more proper, and peculiar, to certaine conditions of men. But this hinders not, but that every grace is needfull, and neceſſary to all. Becauſe every man, may be ſet in every eſtate; he that ſtands now, may fall; he that hath plentifully, and therefore may give Almes, he may want, and be called to contentation. There is no Chriſtian, but he hath need of every grace, becauſe he may be ſet in every condition, and eſtate; therefore it is not enough to attaine ſome one grace, and to neglect the other, to mortifie ſome one Vice, and fall into another, that ſtands not with the nature of repentance, to attaine to ſome one vertue with the contempt of another, it ſtands not with the ſtate of breathing after perfection. For a man to ſubdue pride, and keep covetouſneſſe, or to ſubdue covetouſneſſe, and keep envie, and malice, each of theſe make him equally abhominable to God. For a man to attaine to the habit of charity, and not to ſtudy the grace of repentance, or to attaine to the grace of repentance, and not to give accompliſhment to it by the works of righteouſneſſe, and obedience, or to attaine to ſome degree of obedience, and to neglect the graces of patience, and meekneſſe, or the reſt, he will not at all come on to many degrees of ſtrength. There muſt be a connexion of all the habites of grace, we muſt glorifie God by Charity, as well as by faith, by repentan… as well as by charity, and by obedience as well as by repentance, and by humbleneſſe of mind, and patience, as well as by obedience.
The graces are all l…cked together, they make up one body, or rather, one ſoule of grace. As the Apoſtle ſpeaks of the myſticall ody of Chriſt. Epheſ. 4. Colloſ. 1. In whom the body fitly compact together, ſo it growes up. As all the ſeverall Members of Chriſt, knit by the ſame faith, make one ſolid m…ſticall body, ſo all the graces together make up one quire. There is one chaine of graces, that are ſo neceſſarily lincked, that as in the parts of the body, take away one, and you deforme the whole; ſo, breake one grace, you mar the whole chaine. Therefore the Scripture calls ever and anon, that we be fruitfull in every good worke; to labour, to pleaſe God in all things we doe. Whatſoever things are juſt; what! Muſt I ſtay there? No, whatſoever things are true, whatſoever things are honeſt, whatſoever things are pure, whatſoever things are lovely. Here is from ſtrength to ſtrength. We muſt goe from juſtice to purity, and from thence to honeſty, and ſo to lovelineſſe, and that is a good decorum in a Chriſtians converſation.
The Apoſtle Peter expreſly tells us of theſe junctures, Add to knowledge temperance, to temperance patience, to patience godlineſſe, to godlineſſe brotherly kindneſſe, to brotherly kindneſſe, love. Here are now the ſeverall paces, and ſteps; theſe are the habits of vertues; it is all one, as if he had ſaid in the words of the Pſalmiſt, Add ſtrength to ſtrength, virtue to virtue, habite to habite. He names them ſeverally, to ſhew, that if it were poſſible to attaine the perfection of ſome one, we muſt not ſtay there, from habite to habite, that is, from ſtrength to ſtrength: That is the firſt latitude.
Next, to proceed from the habites to the acts of vertue, habites are dry, and cold, if they ſhew not themſelves in acts, they may glorify God within, but they cannot without, further then they manifeſt themſelves in action. Therefore the next, from ſtrength to ſtrength, is, from the habite, to the act. Admit a man attaine all the habites of grace named, if thoſe graces be perfect in reſpect of him, they are not in reſpect of God; action is the activity of thoſe graces that glorifies God, and brings the knowledge and improvement of them. St. Auſtin obſerves in one place againſt the Heathens, that Chriſtian virtues far excell the m…rall virtues of the Heathen, even by the very name they are called; ſayth he, you call your virtues habits, we call ours gifts, you aſcribe it to your ſelves, and therefore you call them habits becauſe you have them, but we call them gifts, becauſe we receive them from God, Every good gift is from above. And indeed it was a very good argument that St. Auſtin uſed; yet there is a third word may be taken that is better then both; that is, Practiſe. For whither we conſider them as habits, or gifts, they are not perfect till they come to action. It is not the having, but the husbanding of a grace, that brings glory to God, for a man to have the habit, and not to put it in practiſe, it is all one as a Talent in a Napkin. Therefore the Scripture in ſeverall places, uſeth thoſe two words promiſcuouſly. To him that hath, ſhall be given, and he ſhall have abundance. Having is uſing, for the unfaithfull Servant had a Talent, but he did not uſe it; And then follows, But from him that hath not ſhall be taken that that he hath. How can that be taken away that he hath not? He is ſaid not to have it, becauſe he did not uſe it. It is the ſame, from him that hath not uſed it ſhall be taken away that he hath. So the Scripture runs ſtill. God gives the grace, and he muſt have the glory of his grace, and that is gotten by action. Otherwiſe, as Plinie obſerves well of Phydeus the famous Painter, that had the habite of the Art, above all of his time: ſayth he, that great Art, and skill that Phideus had, it was to no purpoſe, unleſſe he had excerciſed, and practiſed it upon ſome Table. So it is with the graces, and virtues of a Chriſtian, if he apply them not, & accommodate them to uſe, and occaſion, that God may get glory, it is all one, as a Candle under a …uſhell, there is no glory to God, no light to others. What profite is there in gold it ſelfe, that is ſo precious if it be ſtill in the Myne? The Myne may be rich, there may be gold in the Myne, but it is not a Treaſure. It is of uſe when it is out of the Myne, and when it is in the hands of men, and accommodated to uſe, then it brings good to others, and to it ſelfe, it gets luſtre, and glory. So it is with all graces, they are virtues and graces while they are in the Myne, in the habite, in the inner man, before they come to uſe and action, yet they are not profitable. What profite at all is there in faith, if it doe not fructifie? Or in charity, if it doe not work? Or in repentance, if we doe not humble our ſelves? Or in obedience, it cannot be called obedience, for that is full of action, but what is obedience, if there be no excerciſe, and practiſe of obedience? Here is the ſecond latitude, when we have got the habite, we are not come to perfection, there muſt action follow. Knowledge availes not, without practiſe, we muſt goe therfore from ſtrength to ſtrength, from knowledge to practiſe, from poſſeſſion to uſe, from habite to act; that is, from ſtrength to ſtrength.
Beſides this, there is a third, and I will add a fourth, and put them together. Beſides habits, and acts, there is a conſideration of degrees, and multiplying of acts; ſo the third, and fourth conſideration, is from one action of Piety to another; ſtay not in one, or two, or three, but ſtill goe on. That is to be fruitfull, and when we have attained one, or two degrees, if grace stay not, but goe further, that is to climb up. That is the rule the Apoſtle ſets in Phillip. 3. He preſſed forward to the mark. St. Paul got a great maſtery, and conqueſt over Errour, and ſin, and made a great progreſſe in the way of Piety, none ever came nearer perfection, then St. Paul; and at that time, when he wrote, he was ſtill in motion, and action, yet ſtill he did goe forward, ſtep, after ſtep, he was content with no mediocrity, I preſſe towards the mark, I labour for the end of the race. There is the ſame in Heb. 6. he bids them goe on to perfection; there muſt be a proceeding. It is well expreſſed in Revel. 22. He that is holy, let him be holy still, he that is righteous, let him be righteous ſtill. What! ſhall we think it is onelyonly meant of perſeverance, to keep at the ſame ſtay, in the ſame proportion of holineſſe, and righteouſneſſe? That is not it, but it adds the degrees, the multiplied acts, he that is holy, let him be more holy, and he that is righteous, let him be more righteous. Theſe are the degrees of grace, by which we muſt aſcend to Heaven.
If any aſke me how many, and what thoſe Degrees are?
That Queſtion cannot be reſolved by any, who can tell the duſt of Jacob? I will not ſay as it is in one place of Scripture, you may as well number the duſt of the earth, for there is nothing of Earth in grace, but I ſay as God ſaid to Jacob, See if thou canſt tell the Starrs in the skie; we may as eaſily number the Stars of Heaven, as number the degrees of the aſcents of grace, that carries up to it. For if they be not ſo great, and ſo many, the degrees of grace; yet thus far, who can tell the ſteps of Jacobs Ladder? There is a Ladder ſpirituall, better then that that he ſaw, the ſeverall ſteps that lead to Heaven, it is as hard to number them as the ſteps of that. It is true, ſome of the Fathers have gone about for our better direction, to give us an account of ſome numbers of degrees. St. Gregory in one or two places names fifteene degrees of aſcent to perfection, in the ſcale of perfection, anſwerable to the fifteene degrees that carryed up to the Sanctuary. But they are far more, therefore Johannes Climachus doubles the number, he makes the degrees thirty, but infinitly ſhort: for there are a greater number of graces, and virtues, and there are twiſe as many degrees of every grace. St. Bernard reckons ſeaven degrees of humility, that is but one grace of the quire, what doe you think are the multitudes of degrees of the reſt? And the degrees that he names, are the degrees that he conceives have been attained, who can tell the degrees that have not been attained? Therefore ſtay this queſtion, the degrees are not to be numbred, but goe on, it is an indefinite, as I told you.
But what encouragement is there? If there be no period that is an endleſſe work, and that that is endleſſe affords no comfort.
No, it is not endleſſe as Statius ſaith of an Old man that was buſie in planting, when one aſked the reaſon why Old men ſhould plant, they plant Trees in the earth, whither themſelves are going, they are never like to eat of the fruit: And who plants a Vineyard and doth not eat of the fruit of it? O but ſayth he, they doe good for ſucceſſion, they plant Trees that may profit another age. So, a Chriſtian, admit he doe not come to the top, to the higheſt degree in this World, we plant grace that may bring us to another age, that may bring comfort, and glory in Heaven. We doe not look to reap the fruit of our labours here, admit the pitch of all, be not attained to here, it is reſerved for Heaven; here we dig, that there we may reap the fruit. But God of purpoſe hath ſet perfection out of our reach, that we may ſtill be proficients, and goe on forward, and labour after it.
It is not with the growth of the mind, as it is with the body; in the growth of the body there is a peculiar ſtature ſet, a height, and pitch of every Creature, there is no Creature that is capable of growth, but hath a pitch. In the life of man there are thoſe three ſtates of growing, keeping, and looſing. Firſt, we grow till we come to a pitch, and then we doe not preſently decline, but there is a time to keep that we have got; that expired, we come to decline, and loſe. So it is in all Creatures, plants, and living Creatures, and man, there is a ſtature ſet. OnelyOnly the Naturaliſts obſerve, that the Crokadile hath no pitch; they ſay of that, it growes as long as it lives: therefore ſome of them come to an incredible magnitude; but all other Creatures have a ſtature ſet. It is not ſo in the growth of the mind, there is no ſtature, or period, but when a man hath gotten the greateſt fullneſſe as he conceives, there is ſtill ſome peice of work to doe, there is an Ʋltra, ſomthing to be added further. When he hath gotten never ſo much knowledge, there is ſomwhat of learning, and knowledge that is not perfect till he come to Heaven, when he hath the higheſt pitch. As we know in part, ſo faith is in part, it is weake faith, the ſtrongeſt faith it is capable of ſome addition, and increaſe. There is an Ʋltra in faith, and repentance, and obedience, and every grace, if there be an Ultra of excellency, there mnſt be of growth; if there be an excellency of ſomwhat that we have not, we muſt advance to that that we have not. There was no Apoſtle, or Prophet (and they were the Creatures that came neareſt the perfection of grace in the World) that ever attained to ſuch a pitch, but ſtill they would climb higher, and come further; and they each of them had their Ʋltra. As Gregory Nicene ſayth well, every man hath ſomthing that he may yet amend, and repaire his decays; there is ſomwhat more to be gotten.
Here is the iſſue of the Point, ſince there be no perticular degree we can ſet to our ſelves, the Scripture calls on us ſtill to grow, and goe forward, and climb higher, from ſtrength to ſtrength, from one act of righteouſneſſe to another, and ſo to another; here is from ſtrength to ſtrength. Here is the laſt latitude.
But indeed it is a Doctrine we are not much acquainted with; in the Theorie we are, for we can hardly be ignorant of it: but in excerciſe, to look for growth, or to care to advance to theſe pitches of ſtrength, few men look after it. The growth of Chriſtians in the World is very ſmall, ſhall we not think it an injury done to theſe times, and to this age of the Church? Though ſomthing may be pleaded, put thoſe pleas, and ſee whither it be not an evident thing now in the latter times of the world, the charity, and zeale of men are cold, and ſmall, and there is little care to Grow from strength to ſtrength.
Firſt, one plea that may be alledged, is this, ſurely there is a great pitch, and ſtature of vertue, and grace, among men now, becauſe they equalize the ſtature of former times.
No, that is not ſo, as Jacob ſaid to Pharaoh, I have not attained to the age of my Fathers. In theſe declining times of the Church, we doe not attaine to the ſtature of our Fathers. There are not thoſe Maſculine heroick Saints, there is not the faith of Abraham, nor the patience of Job, nor the humbleneſſe of mind of Paul, nor the repentance of David.
I will not urge it there, it may be you think that you are not to expect to come ſo high, to come to their ſtaſtature, they were Giants, men of great ſtature.
Nay, we have not attained the ſtature of inferiour Saints, that have beene but a little before us; there is leſſe conſcience by farr, and leſſe uprightneſſe, and integrity, and leſſe juſtice, and more love of our ſelves, and more love of the World by farr, then in the age that is but in our memory.
Whereas Hiſtorians make a great queſtion concerning the ſtature of men, and it is diſputed both wayes, whither the ſtature of men now, be not leſſe then in former times; though ſomething be ſaid both wayes, yet it is the generall Opinion of the Ancients, Plinie, and Angelius, and he quotes Homer that in his time the ſtature of men was not ſo great as in former times. Be it ſo, or no, concerning the corporall ſtature, I am ſure it is ſo concerning our ſpirituall ſtature; we come far ſhort of that ſtrength, and luſtre of piety, we doe not bring ſo much glory to God, though our meanes be better then any time of the Church, we doe not come neer any degree of them; we are dwarfs in grace, in reſpect of them, we come far ſhort. That plea will not ſerve, and that is not greatly materiall.
But, though we attaine not the ſtature of others, yet we have a competent ſtature of our ſelves.
Not ſo neither, men doe not looke to ſtature, they doe not delight to excell; if they get a little formallity, and ſemblance of ſome grace, to be accounted ſuch, and ſuch in the World, this is the greateſt pitch that men look after; here is the Worlds perfection, as Lucetius ſayth of Diaphantes, he was ſo little a man, that he ſaith he was borne of Attoms. Such is our ſtature, that we may juſtly think that we are made of Attoms. Yet that may be celeſtiall, as Publius ſayd of the Family of the Lentuli, every Generation was leſſe, till at laſt they came to Decreſcit genus Chriſtianorum. VVe decline, the World is not ſo old, as the Church ſeems to be, and Piety is as decrepit as the corporall ſtrength of moſt men. There are great ſhews of ſtature ſometimes, and of zeale, but as Plinie ſaid of Publius Emmeus, he was a little man, and he ſet up for himſelfe a great Statue. So, we ſet up great Statues, and Trophees, but our ſtature is ſmall, like Zacheus, there is little faith, little piety, we are of ſuch low ſtature that we can hardly reach to the ſight of Chriſt. Therefore that will not ſerve, we have hardly any competence of ſtature in our ſelves, ſo ſhort are we of thoſe that are gone before. But in the third place, our meanes of growth are not ſo great, if men have not convenient nouriſhment, and thoſe opportunities that may further ſtature, it cannot be expected. Nay, that will not ſerve neyther, our meanes of growth are many; there is far more Preaching of the word now, then hath been in former times. VVe have our weekly repaire at leaſt to the Houſe of God, our monethly repaire to the Table of the Lord, in both theſe there is ſpirituall refection, and opportunity of ſtrength. We come often, Six or Seaven times in the Yeare, to the one, and may come often in the Weeke to the other. VVere our condition ſo with our bodies, we would think that we were in a deſperate eſtate, that we ſhould feed hard, and have plenty of nouriſhment, and great opportunities, and Cordialls, and the like, and yet no ſtrength, nor growth, certainly we would conclude that that man were in a Conſumption. It is ſo with us, we have opportunity, and meanes to thrive, and yet as I ſaid before, we are Dwarfs to them that were before us, and yet we ſtand upon their Shoulders. A Dwarfe that ſtands upon a Giants ſhoulders, may ſee further then the Giant can, we ſtand upon their Shoulders, and yet we ſee not halfe ſo far as they; notwithſtanding all the meanes of grace, we come to nothing in growth and perfection.
But laſtly, though our nouriſhment be plentifull, our temper, and conſtitution is not ſo good; God hath not given it to us, as he did to them.
Nay, our ſtomacks are as ſharp, and as great. I will make it plaine in other things; here we are forward, and zealous of growing in worldly things, there we have appetite enough, but miſplaced: VVho puts a pitch, or period to his ambitious thoughts? They would grow ſtill in honour, and preferment. Ambition many times looks after honour, and never looks behind it. Men complaine then, that they are not Elephants, and Co…h's, their ſtature is nothing. In Worldly things they … be Colloſſa's. The covetous man for Riches hath Appetite enough, he would grow on from Riches to Riches, there are no bounds that he ſets …o himſelfe. As he in Plato, he was called Grando, becauſe he would have every thing great; he would have a great Hat, and great Shoes, and great Garments; ſo we would have every thing great but grace, there any pittance contents us, any modicum is enough; nay, it may be too much. In other things we are inſatiable, in plenty; in grace, and vertue we are inſenſible, in w…nt: Poverty doth not pinch us in grace, and plenty doth not ſatisfie us in worldly things, therefore it is plaine, we doe not want Appetite, if we had the ſame Appetite to grace, as we have to the VVorld, there would be growth. But the true reaſon is, we care not for growing; we ſet not our minds on it, if we did, we would doe thoſe things that men that labour after stature doe. Men that would be of high ſtature, they feed hard, and oft, and take meaſure of their ſtature how they grow, and if a man find after convenient nouriſhment, that he doth not batten, he thinks there is ſome impediment, and labours to remove it. We ſhould doe ſo with our ſouls, if we did take meaſure, and ſee how we have profited ſince the laſt Sermon, or ſince the laſt yeare, or the laſt receiving of the Myſteries, then we would find ſince our ſpirituall growth is ſo little, that there is ſome diſtemper, our meat goes through us, it ſtayes not with us, it doth not turne to ſpirituall nouriſhment.
If we did take account of our ſtature it might be had, it is not harder in grace, nay, it is eaſier; for we cannot add a Cubit to our corporall man, but we may add more in our ſpirituall. But it is careleſſneſſe, here is the true reaſon.
Here is ground for Exhortation, where there is defect, there is ground for Exhortation; let this be it, make it the work, the good, and benefit of this dayes ſervice, lay up this reſolution to look after growth in ſtrength. An Exhortation a man would think might be ſpared; as the Oratour well obſerves in another caſe. There are ſomethings beyond Exhortation, they need it not, things that are by the inſtinct of nature, that men doe of themſelves, who needs to be Exhorted to be willing to live long, or to be ſtrong, and in Health? Every man naturally enclines to it, every man is willing to have a comely ſtature: therefore it is a wonder that we ſhould ſtand in need of theſe Exhortations in point of grace, yet we are ſo dead, and lumpiſh, and inſenſible, that Exhortations will not work upon us. Let this be the Exhortation, that we may remember this one, and it is a duty that conteins all; becauſe I cannot ſtand on it, there are but theſe two motives that I will uſe.
It is neceſſary for us to grow; neceſſary in regard of it ſelfe, and neceſſary in regard of God.
In regard of God, he hath given us all things that lead to perfection, and growth, he would have us walk in the practiſe of every grace, to bring forth fruit in the practiſe of every virtue, he would have us yeild obedience to the Commands he gives, thoſe many Commands in the Book of God, that ſhould make us produce theſe ſeverall graces, and come to theſe ſeverall degrees. VVe had need to grow, when we look upon the work we have to doe in the VVorld, that God will call us to account for, after.
Then it is neceſſary alſo, in regard of the ſtate, and pitch that God hath ſet us. Take it in it ſelfe, or comparatively.
In it ſelfe, it is the ſtate of perfection, we are called to be perfect, to labour after perfection: Now how ſhould a a man labour to grow, that hath the ſtate of perfection ſet him? It is true, our perfection here is in proficiency, and acknowledging our imperfection, and advancing to perfection: But this is the greateſt perfection, becauſe this is an inducement to grow, perfection is ſet, that is far from us.
Then comparatively, the ſtature that is ſet us is the ſtate of Angells, and of Heaven, we pray to doe Gods will, as the Angells, and Saints in Heaven. If we pray we muſt practiſe, and labour to doe it. O! How had he need to grow that muſt come to the perfection of Angells? How high muſt he grow, that muſt grow as high as Heaven? The Poets when they would ſet things high, they doe it by an Hyperbole, as high as Heaven. So every one of us, as in our affections, and deſires of virtue, muſt grow as high as Heaven, or elſe we ſhall never come there. This ſhould not diſcourage us, a low ſtature may reach Heaven, if we cannot come to it, it will come to us, in every grace there is ſomwhat of Heaven.
But there is a higher pitch then Heaven ſet us, The increaſe of God, and The ſtature of Chriſt. How high muſt men grow that muſt grow (according to our proportion, to the ſimilitude of God, Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect, be mercifull as your Heavenly Father is mercifull.) How ſhould a man grow, that will grow to be mercifull as God is? VVe cannot come to that pitch, yet we may in ſimilitude, though not in equallity, though not in his proportion, yet in ours, we may come to be perfect men, according to the meaſure of the ſtature of Chriſt. You know what an infinite height of wiſdome there was in the ſtature of Chriſt, as man▪ In him is all the fullneſſe of wiſdome, and the treaſures of knowledge, full of grace and truth, all grace was full, and perfect. Therefore as Chriſt had the moſt abſolute pitch and ſtature that is poſſible for Angells to conceive; ſo Chriſtians that make the myſticall ſtature of Chriſt, muſt labour to grow to a high pitch, that they may not ſeeme unworthy Members of ſo glorious, and excellent a body. It is neceſſary therefore that we grow, and a great deale of need, becauſe of theſe pitches that are ſet us.
Then, it is not onelyonly a neceſſary, but an honourable thing. It is obſerved of the Ancients for corporall ſtature, and it is a good Opinion of them, Homer alway brought in his Heroes, his worthies, he preſented them in tall, high ſtature. Hector, and Ʋliſſes, and Agamemnon, theſe that were Prin…es, men of renoune, he made them come in tall ſtature. Plinie ſayth that tall ſtature uſed to be a portment fit for Princes. Therefore Augustus is commended for that, and Cornelius for the ſame, and Procopius concerning Bereſebius. And the Scripture gives the ſame commendation of Joſeph, Gen. 39. Joſeph was a goodly perſon. And Saul was higher then all the people, from the Shoulders upward. And Herodotus obſerves, that the Ethiopians uſe to chooſe their Kings of the higheſt ſtature. And in Plutarch it is obſerved, that the Lacedemonians ſet a Mulct upon one, becauſe he had married a little wife, becauſe they thought it would be a diſparagement of the Princes that ſhould be brought forth. If they had ſo good reſpect to the ſtature of the outward man, how goodly is it to be ſo ſpiritually to God. For corporall ſtature ſometimes is not an Ornament; for if the mind be not anſwerable it is rather a diſgrace; and it may be beyond thoſe proportions that are required in Decency of ſtature. But we cannot exceed in the ſpirituall, no meaſure can exceed. Therefore if it be a thing ſo honourable, and ſo lovely, with men, and of God, he that is ſo, comes neare the ſimilitude of Chriſt, and of God, and is neareſt the ſtate of Tryumphants, and moſt out of the millitant ſtate, he is moſt in Heaven, and hath moſt of God in him. Then I will ſhut up this point with the Exhortation of St. Jerome, in one of his Epiſtles, that we all take care, as we grow in dayes, and yeares, ſo to grow in the knowledge of God, in grace, and virtue, in the ſtrength of virtue that it may be ſaid of us, as Paul ſaith of the Theſſalonians, that their faith did grow exceedingly, and their love one towards another abounded. That is to grow from ſtrength to ſtrength.
I have done with that.
There is a peice behind, another generall part, almoſt halfe the Text; but it will not now beare a generall handling. It is the reſt of all, it takes away the objection, From ſtrength to ſtrength, but when ſhall we reſt? When we appeare before God in Zion. There is the time of remuneration, and reſt.
There are three paſſages remarkable, I will but mention them.
The glorious place, Zion.
And a glorious preſence there, They appeare before God in Zion.
And then Every one of them appeare.
I will but touch them breifly, for there is a double ſignification of all theſe three.
Firſt, Zion hath a double ſignification in Scripture.
There is Zion in the Mount,
There is Zion in the Valley,
Though the low Zion be called Mount Zion in Scripture, it is but a Valley to Heaven: but there is ſpirituall Zion, that is miſticall, that in the proper ordinary acception, ſignifies the Houſe of God below: but in a more ſublime acception, the Church of God above, the place of bliſs. The Lamb upon Mount Zion. Revel. 14. & Heb. 12. We are come to an innumerable company of Angels, to the Church of the firſt borne in Heaven, to Mount Zion. Mount Zion is taken for Heaven it ſelfe.
Then anſwerable to theſe two acceptions of Zion; there is a double appearing before God mentioned.
The appearing before God in glory. And the appearing in the Courts of his preſence, in the Houſe of his worſhip below. The appearing before God in the Mount of Viſion, when we ſhall ſee Face to face, when we ſhall ſee as we are ſeene; and know as we are knowne. And the appearing before God in the Valley of Viſion, the Valley of tears, the Church below. That ſo oft as we preſent holy performances, more eſpecially when we come into his Courts, and enter into the Gates of his preſence. The Church of God is the Chamber of his preſence, there we make our appearing. St. Paul tells us of our appearing before God, in the Mount of viſion above; not onelyonly in that place, We ſhall all apeare before the judgement ſeat of Chriſt; but in Colloſ. 3. When Chriſt who is our life ſhall appeare, we ſhall appeare with him in glory. The fruition of glory is called our appearing before God in glory.
Of the other David ſpeaks, when he complaines, O when ſhall I come, and appeare before God! It is the Speech of an Exile. David was a baniſhed man from the Houſe of God, he had not free acceſſe to repaire thither, therefore that made his great complaint, When ſhall I appeare? That is, when ſhall I enter into thy preſence, and tread in thy …ourts? It is worthy our conſideration, that we come to the Church eſpecially to appeare before God; we ſhould take this conſideration, to make us come with reverence, and preparedneſſe, becauſe we come into a glorious preſence. It ſhould make us take heed how we behave our ſelves here, in theſe places of Divine ſervice, becauſe we are in the preſence of God. If we be conv…rſant in Prayer, we appeare in a ſpeciall manner before God; fall low before his Foot-ſtoole. If we heare the word of God, we appeare before his preſence. When we come to heare the word read, or Preached, we are at the foot of the Mount, as the People received the Law. When we repaire to the Table of the Lord, we come in a ſpeciall manner into Gods preſence, we appeare before him, becauſe Chriſt is preſent there, he gives himſelfe for food, and God is preſent, for he accepts us in Chriſt. Therefore if we ſo fit our ſelves to come into the preſence of a man that is better then our ſelves, that we may come with ſobriety, and acceptation; how ſhould we fit our ſelves to come before God, in theſe inferiour places of our appearing? It is true, we are alway preſent to him, and he to us; but his eye, though it be alwayes upon us, ours is not alwayes upon him; but then our eyes are directed to him, when we come into his Courts; it is called therefore appearing before God.
Laſtly, there is the illation that knits both together, in thoſe two words, Every one. That is, then every one.
There is one word that is a word of connexion, and Then, what time? Then, when we are growne to ſtature, when we have gotten from one degree of ſtrength to another. We muſt not offer to come into Gods preſence unleſſe we bring the Wedding Garment, ſome ſtature, this cloathing of Vertue, and grace. When we come to appeare before him, there will be an account taken of each mans ſtrength, how he hath profitted by each of theſe ſeverall Ordinances of grace: God will look that we give account of our proficiency, by all the meanes of Salvation. When we come to the Houſe of God, and to the Table of the Lord, we ſhould bethink our ſelves, what ſtrength we bring, what ſtature we come with. Much more when we appeare before God in Heaven; there ſhall be no appearing before God in Heaven, unleſſe there there be a perfection of competency. Heaven is made for the perfect. Paul dares not think of Heaven, till he have finiſhed his courſe; and Chriſt calls to God to glorifie him, when he had done his work. I have done the work that thou gaveſt me to doe, glorifie thy Son. We muſt not look to appeare before God in glory, unleſſe we goe through theſe degrees of grace, then we ſhall appeare before God, when we are come from ſtrength to ſtrength.
Then, there is a word of diſtribution, it is not all of them, but every one. The univerſall collective would have done it: Paul ſayth, We ſhall all appeare before the judgement ſeat of Chriſt. But it is more emphaticall, Every one, each man in the whole, and each one for himſelfe. Every one comes, and appeares before God. In theſe Courts of his Houſe, though it be in a Crowd, God obſerves every mans carriage, and proficiency: God takes ſpeciall notice when there are thouſands, as if there were but one, but all here are preſent before God. Much more when we come into his preſence of glory, then every one ſhall appeare, God will take account of every one, what Oyle he hath in his Lamp, what improvement he hath made of his Tallents. Then there ſhall be notice of each mans ſtate, and meaſure, of every mans height, what growth he is come to, and according to his ſtature, ſhall be his reward, and Crowne. The higher ſtature, the higher meaſure of glory; to him that hath gained five Talents ſhall be given five Citties; to him that hath gained two, two Citties; to him that hath gone through many degrees of vertue, and ſtrength, and hath glorified God by an habituall practiſe of piety, there ſhall be a high reward, to them that have gone From ſtrength to ſtrength, there ſhall be an addition of glory to glory.
THE Vigilant Servant. DELIVERED IN TVVO SERMONS, BY That Learned, & reverend Divine RICHARD HOLSWORTH, Doctor in Divinity, ſomtimes Vice-Chancellour of Cambridge; Maſter of Emmanuel Colledge, and late Preacher at PETERS POORE in LONDON.
2 Chron. 20.12.
We know not what to doe, but our eyes are upon thee.
LONDON, Printed by M. Simmons in Alderſ-gate-ſtreete. 1650.