Several Works, Work 3 · Part (5 of 6)
Fifthly, As it is from him, and therefore we muſt be in him before we can grow with this ſpiritual growth; ſo this growth in grace is a growing up into him; and good reaſon, if of him and by him be all things, that to him ſhould be all things alſo; if Rivers be from the Sea, they return to the Sea again; there may be Rom. 11. 32.two things in this one expreſſion of growing up into Chriſt who is the head.
Firſt, that we grow up into a nearer fellowſhip and communion with him who is the head; and this is moſt ſure, whether the growth of the members where it is, the faſter do draw more and more yet from the head and other parts where the nouriſhment is prepared, I ſhall not meddle with, but this I am ſure of, the more grace any ſoul receiveth, the more yet he may, it is in order to further fellowſhip and communion with the Lord Jeſus; which is indeed an argument whereby the grace of Chriſt is as highly advanced as by any other whatſoever, that he ſhould therefore increaſe the ſtrength of his poor weak children, that they may draw more ſtrongly from him, and their hearts more enlarged to receive more abundantly from his fulneſs; as a ſtrong child will draw harder and harder ſtill, the arms of the trees as they grow ſtronger and ſtronger, ſo they ſuck more juice from the root ſtill to feed them and carry them on▪ Now I ſay, this is ſweet to the ſoul, and it may be a character alſo of our growth; if we do grow in grace indeed, we ſhall grow up into him, we ſhall find a greater drawing of our hearts after him ſtill, and ſuck more ſtrongly from him: This the firſt.
Secondly, another thing comprehended under this growing up into Chriſt may be this, that all our growth is to his honour, it ends in him, who alone is exalted by it, it is the honour of the head when the members grow and become by the communication of the animal ſpirits, more vigorous and active, and fit for the diſcharge of their ſeveral works, this is the glory of the head; this may be underſtood two waies. Firſt, it is the end of the thing it ſelf, finis operis, the thing doth much advance him, when others behold ſuch a fulneſs of ſtrength and power flowing forth from Jeſus Chriſt upon the members; to ſee the members of a body languid, and weak, and withered, it is not for the honour of the head, ſpecially if generally ſo, though there may be alſo particular cauſes, as obſtructions, and the like, but theſe are not ſo viſible. What an honour is it to Chriſt to ſee a poor ſoul th… now is as weak as water, like the poor man in the Goſpel, Lord help my unbelief, that ere long through the ſupply of grace from Chriſt, is able to ſay, My Lord and my God; to ſee a poor ſoul lie languiſhing under a luſt, and not be able to ſtir, and yet ere long able to triumph over it; to ſee a poor ſoul that ere while was cleaving to the ground and to the duſt, could not get up the heart, and now after a while upon Eagles wings running without wearineſs, and walking without faintneſs, is not this to the honour of Chriſt? But ſecondly, It muſt be ſo intended by us, elſe our growth is not right in the end, our end in deſires of, and Gods end in working; we muſt look to the end, Brethren, we deſire ſtrength againſt this and that corruption, to wax more valiant in this fight, to conquer, to triumph over them; we would have ſuch a meaſure of knowledge, ſuch a meaſure of faith, but what is our end; is Chriſt the end in all this? is it that we may more advance him? Ah that ſoul that indeed groweth into Chriſt, Brethren, groweth downward into the root, can be content to be any thing, to be nothing that his bleſſed Saviour may be advanced; ſo it was with John: Ah ſo with David, if the Lord will lay me aſide, and I 2 Sam. 5. 16, 17.muſt not build him a Temple, but my ſon muſt do it, it is the Lord, why ſhould I not ſubmit? So if Moſes muſt not bring them into Canaan, he is contented. O he would not have Joſhua in another caſe envy for his ſake, he wiſhed all the Lords people were Prophets, God would have the greater glory: when the Lord of…ered to make of him a greater people, O what then wilt thou do to Numb. 11. 29. Exod. 32. 12.thy great name, the enemies will ſay then, that thou broughteſt them out to deſtroy them; he had rather die, and periſh, and be nothing, then God ſhould be diſhonoured. O dear friends, let this be conſidered, if we grow, we grow up into him; I ſay, it may ſerve for a piece of tryal; though delivered in this place, I would have my whole diſcourſe as applicatory as may be.
Sixthly, In a true growth we muſt know, there is an uniformity, as you know one member groweth in the body as well as another if it be a true growth; where ſome of the members receive no nouriſhment, but all the growth is found in the root, this is a diſeaſe, and not the effect of the principle of life within them; as you ſee it in the Rickets, a diſeaſe now ordinarily known by that name; but this uniformity is two-fold.
Firſt, in reſpect of the Church.
And ſecondly, of each particular member thereof, in regard of the graces of the Spirit which are growing in them.
Firſt then, for the Church of Chriſt, there is an uniform growth there, that is to ſay, the Lord Jeſus doth not communicate his ſap, and vigour, and vertue ſo to one, as to ſpend it on him, and leave another without, but every wild Olive grafted into the Olive, either viſible or invſible Church; the viſible there is meant in that place of the Apoſtle, in whom the whole body being, Eph 2. 21.&c. they receive accordingly, either the common influences of the Spirit with the Ordinances, whereby they grow up in that which we call common grace, and one as well as another; there is none ſure but thriveth more or leſs.
Secondly, for the inviſible, there is none ſo grafted but he groweth, he is one Spirit with the Lord, and therefore ſure muſt needs grow that hath a continual ſupply of the Spirit, as the Apoſtle in that forecited place; the Lord Jeſus in his inviſible body, hath no withered arm nor legs, whatever there be in the viſible, whatever dead and drie ſticks may cleave to the viſible Olive, there is none ſo cleaveth to the inviſible; it is impoſſible a ſoul ſhould hold the head, and hold inward communion and fellowſhip with him, and yet not to grow; but this is but for the Church, which thus uniformly groweth, one member as well as another.
Now ſecondly, for particular members, they alſo grow, and that uniformly alſo; grow not in one grace only, or in this grace, or that grace, nor in another, no, but they grow uniformly; that a man ſhould be all faith and no love it is impoſſible, or all love and no knowledge it cannot be, there muſt be an uniformity in growth, if right; that were more like a wen and its growth, then growth of the body; you would not eſteem that a growth, that a man ſhould grow all in the eye, and it ſhould become as big as the body almoſt, ſo that he could ſee wonderfully, but in the mean time the reſt of the parts are as ſmall as when they were born; grow in one grace, and grow in every grace, grow in ſincerity, and grow in humility, grow in faith, and grow in love, & grow in all. A timpany, a growth of one member more then all the reſt is monſtrous, and ſo it would be in grace: Now though through defect or ſuper fluity in natural cauſes, there may be a monſtroſity in a birth or growth, yet it cannot be in reſpect of Chriſt, who doth alike extend his influence to the growth and increaſe of one as well as another grace which he hath begotten in the ſoul; ſo that if a man find he thinketh he groweth in faith, and thinketh he groweth in love, and yet grow not in zeal for the glory of God, groweth not in tenderneſs of heart and plyableneſs to his will, this is not a right growth: Alas, how many of us then do not grow in grace indeed?
Seventhly, Though there be an uniformity in growth, yet we muſt not ſo underſtand it, that every member groweth in the ſame meaſure with another, and yet may grow alſo in its due proportion; and ſo alſo in reſpect of graces, there may be ſomewhat of truth in it: but to ſpeak the more diſtinctly:
Firſt, conſider the members of the Church of Chriſt, and our ſelves, if we be ſuch indeed; though all the members of the Church of Chriſt do grow, yet they do not grow all alike in the ſame meaſure; the Apoſtle ſaith, according to the effectual working in the meaſure of every part; ſo that you ſee each part hath Eph. 4. 16.a meaſure, every member hath not the ſame relation, the ſame office in the body, and ſo doth not require the ſame meaſure of ſtrength, or the ſame quantity or greatneſs. Yea if it have a greater quantity then is meet, it is a burthen and an hindrance, as if the joynt of a finger ſhould grow as much as the joynt of a mans knee, would it not be monſtrous? and yet both joynts grow, but each according to its proportion, ſo that they grow all …que, but not …qualite… ▪ one as well as another, but not one as much as another, uniformiter, and yet difformiter, if every finger were as big as an arm, what an hand would there be, holding no proportion to the body, though the reſt grow, this over-groweth its proportion. It is true, every child of God is not a David nor a Paul, nor is every one called to thoſe great undertakings that they were; the more eminent places in the body of Chriſt we have, the more we muſt look to it that we grow: If a man be a Magiſtrate or a Miniſter, I tell you Brethren, it is not enough that they be as other men in grace; and yet alas then, what diſproportion do ſome of us make in the body of Jeſus Chriſt, that ſtand in that relation to the body; and yet O how do other members over-grow us? Brethren, they are not to be blamed for their growing ſo faſt, but we for our growing no fa… er, nor any more proportionable to our relations; for a Magiſtrate to have no more courage nor zeal then another man, that is not called ſo to put it forth, is unſuitable, and ſo for wiſdom and knowledge; and ſo for Miniſters, are we as arms in the body, and have ſcarce the ſtrength of a little finger? O how can we work for Chriſt, do the works of our conditions? if you ſee ſome eminent, as bleſſed be his name there are eminent, and have their meaſure of growth to their condition, you ſhould be followers of them, follow after as hard as you can; therefore Miniſters ſhould be enſamples to the flock, in faith, in puriry, in holineſs, 1 Tim. 4. 12. an example to believe in word, in converſation, in faith, in purity, &c. But alas, Brethren, may we not rather ſome of us take examples therein, how weak is our faith? yet I ſay, where there are ſuch of eminency, and thou canſt not reach them, yet be not diſcouraged becauſe thou canſt not get ſo much light as the eye hath, be not diſcouraged, it is required there more then in another; nor ſo much ſtrength as an arm, a leg, when thou art it may be but as a little finger, only there may be a proportion; yea I will tell you Brethren, pitty us, pray for us▪ Magiſtrates and Miniſters, for I do verily believe there are none fall ſo much ſhort of our proportion of growth in grace according to our relations as we do: But this is but the firſt.
And then ſecondly; for the graces in every believer; now the meaſure of every grace its growth, as I think, is much more hard to determine, whether all graces do grow according to the proportion of the growth of any one of them; that is to ſay, whether love to God, and zeal to his glory, do grow according to the meaſure of every mans faith, and ſo patience according to the meaſure of his faith; indeed I am at a ſtand here; if that one habit of grace did beget another, faith did beget love, it would be the more clear, becauſe then according to the ſtrength of the cauſes, the effect would be; a ſtrong cauſe, a ſtrong effect, the habits of grace in us being not voluntary agents; but I take it for granted that the efficient cauſe of all grace, one as well as Phil. 1. 19.another, is the ſame Spirit of the Father and the Son; it is the ſupply of the Spirit, as the Apoſtle calls it, whereby we grow in any grace; now the Spirit of God being a moſt free agent, is not tyed up by a neceſſity of nature to work alike upon the ſame heart, to the increaſe of every grace; though he do work to the growth of every grace, yet whether he doth equally work to the increaſe of them all. So that what proportion of grace a Believer hath in one grace, he hath the ſame proportion of ſtrength in another, is doubtful; ſpecially ſince the Lord, who works in us both to will and to do of his own good pleaſure, knoweth what tryals he hath for every one of us, ſome in one kind, ſome in another, ſome greater tryals for their faith, and ſome for their ſelf-denyal, and ſome for their love, may accordingly work; but this is not ſo much material, if we can find we grow in every grace of the Spirit, whether we do grow alike in the meaſure of love, as in the meaſure of faith, or zeal, or ſpiritualneſs; as it will be very hard to judge, conſidering how hard it is to judge of the ſtrength of our habits by their acts, which may accidentally be inter…itted and interrupted, and conſidering whatever knowledge we have at the beſt, of the faculties of our ſouls and their workings, and ſo of the habits of grace in them. So I take it, … is not ſo much conſiderable if we could come to know it, only if we be ſure we grow in all, and that we grow according to the meaſure proportionable to our condition or relation to the body: this the ſeventh.
Eighthly and …ſtly, that I ſhall ſpeak to the opening the nature of this growth in grace; growth here hath no determined … until death, until we come actually to the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect; in nature there is a determinate time for growth in quantity, which is properly growth about thirty years; the cauſes of it, I leave School-men to diſpute, it is not ſo proper for us in this place; in nature there is in this life, yea haply when life is half run up, the maximum quod ſic, as they call it, but not in grace: No, while we have breath, we muſt be growing, the hoary head muſt be found in the way of righteouſneſs, going forward ſtill; the path of the juſt muſt be as the growing light, Prov. 16. 3.ſhining more and more to the perfect day; this we pray for, that his will may be done by us on earth, as the Angels do, with that perfect Eph. 4. 13.plyableneſs, forwardneſs, chearfulneſs that they do it; this we muſt preſs after, to come as near it as we can, even the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulneſs of Chriſt, to a perfect man, which perfection I take not only for a perfection of parts, as in ſome other places, where many are ſaid to walk before the Lord with a perfect heart; as a ſeed is a perfect ſeed though no tree, and a child, a babe, is a perfect child, though not at mans ſtature, perfect; yet this I ſo take in this place, therefore remember this, Brethren, while we are here we are growing, if our growth be right; there may be ſome accidental hinderances, of which afterward, which for a time may hinder, but yet we ſhall afterward grow and never ceaſe: ſit ſtil, ſet up a Herules power, and with a ne plus ultra, there is no ſuch thing in grace, Brethren, until it be ſwallowed up in glory; & therefore the deſires of the Saints that have taſted indeed of this grace of God, they are ſtill kept above what they have received; do but obſerve it, and you ſhall find it ſo. O they would have more ſtill, they are not ſtrong enough to reſiſt temptations, they would have more ſoftneſs and eaſineſs of ſpirit toward God, to echo to every hint of his will, thy face Lord will I ſeek: and this much tends to their growth, even as the appetite after meat and nouriſhment, doth to the growth of the body. O how ſtrong is it in children when they are growing! but of that afterward: haply, you ſee then there is no time limited, no, never until you awake will you be ſatisfied with his likeneſs; remember this Brethren, I doubt many of us forget our ſelves Pſal. 17. 15.here, and think we may loyter and grow lazie when we are come to ſuch a pitch; believe it, if your growth be right, it will be continual, you will go on ſtill, and in old age be fat and flouriſhing, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks; thus it ought to be, and thus God hath promiſed it ſhall be and if it be not, it is for our want of believing, cloſing with it, improving of it for the growth of our Pſal. 92. 14.graces: but ſo much for the opening of the nature of this growth.
For the Arguments, I will not trouble you with many, only ſomething I ſhall ſpeak that way; and the Firſt ſhall be this, Becauſe of Chriſt the Author and Finiſher of our Faith, who works Heb. 12. 2. Phil. 2. 12.in us both to will and to do of his own good pleaſure; his works are perfect, he goeth through-ſtitch with his works, he doth not bring his people into the Wilderneſs and leave them there, but unto Canaan; you ſee, if he create a world, his work is perfect, he leaveth none of his works without the laſt hand and file to poliſh them; therefore when he looks upon them himſelf, he ſaith, they are very good: we may be apt to have over-waining conceits of our own works, and therefore the Orator giveth a prudent advice, to lay aſide our writings for ſeveral years, until the ſtrength of our affection to that which is our own be wrought out, and it may then appear as a ſtrange thing to us, that ſo we may the more impartially judge; but this is a rule ſuited to the weakneſs of poor paſſionate bemiſted creatures, but for the Lord, he is not ſubject to any ſuch thing as paſſions, all things being alike preſent to him from eternity, and therfore cannot be taken with any newneſs of excellency in any thing, therefore what he ſaith is good, is very good; and was it not a perfection of his living creatures that they ſhould grow and multiply, grow in number, and then the young ſubſtance in ſtature to perfection; and will he, think you, be more wanting to the new creature, will he leave it until it have all its due perfections, until every privation be filled up with a perfection? Surely no; muſt there be nothing wanting of perfection where he would make his power and his wiſdom glorious? and will there be any thing wanting, think you, when he cometh to make his grace glorious, as he doth in the work of Redemption? Surely no; no, no, Brethren, whatever God doth, he doth it like a God, if he ruine, he ruines to the utmoſt, ſo as no creature can, even ſoul and body, and that for ever; and if he ſave, he ſaveth to the uttermoſt, from all imperfection and weakneſs in his people; if God be as the dew to Iſrael, he ſhall, he muſt needs grow as the Lilly; this is Heb. 7. 25. Hoſ. 14. 5.ſuch a dew ſo ſweetly diſtilling upon our ſouls; O the gentle ſoft rain upon the mown graſs, maketh it to ſpring again, grow again; ſo a ſoul, though cut down, as I may ſay, very low, ſometimes with a ſharp temptation, yet a refreſhing from the preſence of God, O how it maketh him ſpring up again; grace we uſe to ſay is of a growing nature, and therefore, though like a grain of Muſtard-ſeed, yet it groweth, or as the ſeeds of the Cypreſs-trees, which they ſay are ſo ſmall, as they are hardly diſcernable, Mat. 13, 15.and yet they grow to a great tree; and ſo in that place, thy talent or pound hath gained ten pounds; we our ſelves do not Plut. l. 11. c. 2. cited by Trapp upon Mat. 14.gain it, though we traffick with it, yet it is aſcribed to the grace it ſelf: no, Brethren, nor can his grace in us increaſe it ſelf, for though it be a divine quality, yet it is a creature, though the new creature, and therefore weak, and cannot ſupport it ſelf, much leſs increaſe it ſelf; it would quickly languiſh, and faint, and die, were it not for a continual influence from the Lord Chriſt to ſupply it; were it not for this ſupply of the Spirit, would the members grow think you, could they extend themſelves from one dimenſion to another, if it were not for the nouriſhment they receive? no more can his grace grow without a continual ſupply; as the light, you know how in a moment it vaniſheth, if it be but cut from the influence of the Sun; there is a glorious morning without clouds ariſeth upon us, the whole hemiſphere is full of light; if the Sun ſhould now ſet, would that light grow think you to the perfect day? Surely no; it would be night preſently; now we have a ſwelling ſtream, it fills the Channel, and over floweth its banks, to the inriching of the ground about it, but cut it off from the Fountain, or from the Sea, and what will become of it? ſo that the growth, the continuance of the ſtream is from the fountain; ſo it is in this caſe, though a mans gifts and grace riſe never ſo high, and over-flow at his lips, at his actions, to make others alſo fruitful and to grow, yet if there be not a continual ſupply from the Fountain, would it ſubſiſt, would it not languiſh? therefore this is the comfort, that he is an Author of it, I the Lord, haſt thou not heard, haſt thou not known, Iſa. 40. 28, 29.that I the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth faint not, neither am weary, and therefore though you faint and languiſh, yet I faint not, ſaith the Lord, I will renew your ſtrength therefore, and ye ſhall run and not be weary, though now you cannot lift up your heads; therefore this is the firſt reaſon: It muſt needs be perfect, every good and every perfect gift cometh from the Father of lights, if any be more perfect then another, ſure they are the gifts of his grace, but this is but the firſt.
The ſecond Reaſon may be an auxiliary to the firſt, The Lord will perfect the work of grace he beginneth, and therefore there is ſuch an increaſe, as the Apoſtle calls it, the increaſe of God: Col. 2. 19. Col. 1. 11. Eph. 4. 13.now why is this? becauſe he hath appointed a meaſure of a fulneſs of ſtature to be attained by us, before we be made meet for the inheritance of the Saints in light; a child, while a child, is ſcarce able to mannage an inheritance, he knoweth not what it meaneth; and ſo for a weak Chriſtian; and therefore mark you what our Saviour ſaith, ye muſt be converted and become as little children, elſe you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God; he ſaw ſome Mat. 18. 3.pride, and ſwelling, and ambition of their ſpirits; well, faith our Saviour, this muſt be fetched out of you one way or other, either by love, or by the rod, or both, before you will be fit to enter into glory. O how heavenly and ſweet do the Saints generally grow before the Lord takes them? Brethren, if ſo glorious a building as the temple of God be intended, will every rough ſtone, a rough-hewn-Chriſtian be fit to lay in that building? O no, ſurely thoſe knotty pieces ſhall be plained, and ſmoothed, and polliſhed before they be laid in that glorious Temple in heaven: remember it, I ſay, Brethren, there is a meetneſs for heaven, and though haply many of us care not for it, we would not be too meet for it, leſt we be taken to it before we be willing to part with the world; never fear that, while thou haſt ſuch a heart, it is well if thou be not ſo far from it that thou never come thither, thou needeſt not fear coming thither too ſoon. But there are two cauſes which ſeem to call for a word here to open them.
Firſt, what will you ſay then to perſons, that it may be no ſooner are converted but they dye; what time have they to grow in grace, and to come to this meetneſs of the inheritance of the Saints? Remember what was ſaid before, that growth is not alway in all of the ſame pace: What if God will create one Adam in perfect ſtature the firſt day, and the reſt grow to it by degrees, why may it not be ſo? what if ſome grow as the L…lies, Hoſ. 1…. 5.ſhoot up quickly, much in a night, and others are longer about it; if all muſt grow and come to this fittneſs before he take them; and ſo if the Lord be a whole year turning water into wine in his ordinary way of providence, which is wonderful, and at another time, though not ſo often, do it in a moment; who ſhall ſay to him, what doſt thou? this is as perfect wine, as fit to be drunk, as rich and full of ſpirits as the other; ſo the thief upon the Croſs, he made a large progeſs in a ſhort time; for I tell you, to believe in the Lord Jeſus and confeſs him, and at ſuch a time as that was, was no ſmall power of grace, when himſelf was under the agonies of death, and Chriſt under diſgrace and the ſhame of the Croſs, and crucifying and dying, yea under the diſpleaſure of his Father, crying out, My God my God why haſt thou forſaken Luk. 23. 40, 41.me? when he was forſaken of his Father in a ſort, and forſaken of all men, ye… and of his own Diſciples alſo, none of them then durſt openly …cknowledge him, and crucifying, at that time Peter had denyed him, they all fled from him before, though ſome of them ſtood and looked on, yet if they had been put to it at that time, it is a queſtion what they would have done; therefore our Saviour in tenderneſs towards them, would have them be let go, Ioh. 18. 8.as you have it, when himſelf was taken; now at ſuch a time as this, when heaven and earth, looked black upon our bleſſed Saviour, to own him, to deſpiſe the ſhame of the Croſs at the firſt daſh, and to reprove his fellow that was crucified with him, it was a great meaſure of faith: Ile tell you Brethren, it is like he that wrought that in him, had wrought a like meaſure of love, when he told him, he ſhould this day be with him in Paradiſe: what ſuch a wretch as I, that all my life time have lived ſo wickedly, and now am dying under my guilt; and in one day, at the laſt moment to be tranſlated into a glorious Kingdom? O this could not but ſurely much enlarge his heart in love to the Lord Jeſus, and that is the perfection of the Law: and ſo we ſee ſome Chriſtians that grow more in a monethmonth, in a year or two, then many do in many years; ſome are fooliſh children that ſtick long in the place of breaking forth, ſome make haſte, and run much in Hoſ. 13. 13.a little time, and therefore this hinders not but all ſhould grow to their meaſure appointed of God, before they come to heaven.
And for the children of Believers; how can they come to this pitch, you will ſay, how can they grow …o ſuch a height of growth? for anſwer,
Firſt, It is worth the noting, that even they who deny them the priviledges of the Covenant of grace, which are viſible and outward in the Church of God, yet dare not profeſs, whatever they think to the contrary, but that they are ſaved, or may be ſaved, and profeſs tender thoughts of them; they are not ſuch duri patres infantum, as to exclude them out of the Kingdom; it was the Diſciples fault you know, and ſo it may be good mens now, to hinder them from coming to Chriſt; they thought they were but troubleſom gueſts to him, they were capable of little, and therefore forbad them, but they got a rebuke for their labour; what, ſaith our Saviour, is it not clear enough, even from the old Scripture, for there were no other then written; and they had means to know that they did belong to Chriſt and Luk. 18. 15, 16, 17.the Kingdom, elſe he would not have reproved them, Do you not know to ſuch belongs the Kingdom of God? you might have known and ought to have known, and therefore you deſerve a rebuke for it; and ſo it may be good mens faults now a daies, but yet they dare not exclude them from the Kingdom of glory.
Secondly, It is to be noted, that no unclean thing ſhall ever enter into that place; Children by nature are the children of wrath, poor leprous polluted creatures, and therefore if there be not a pardoning grace and cleanſing mercy for them, how can they enter into glory? and becauſe we cannot apprehend how it ſhould be conveighed, ſhall we therefore deny it? are we not all of us pure receptives in the firſt grace, and are not infants as Pſal. 17.purely receptives as we? Yea, are they not more purely receptives then we? for though it is true, they have the ſame ſeeds of rebellion, the ſame ſpawn, the ſame venomous poyſonous nature with our ſelves, miſerable ſinful off-ſpring, of miſerable ſinful parents; yet according to their own principles, they cannot put it forth into ſuch actual rebellion as we; and do not the acts increaſe and ſtrengthen the habits, and the ſtronger the habits are, the ſtronger the oppoſition is againſt Chriſt, and therefore they are more purely receptive then we are: and therefore,
Thirdly, What hinders but they in as ſhort a time as the thief upon the Croſs, may be brought to as high a degree of grace as he, though in an unſpeakable manner? Was it not more then ordinary that John leaped within the womb at the voice of the mother of the Lord? it was more then ordinary, elſe the mother Luk. 1. 41.would not have wondered at it, though a miracle it were; truly, Brethren, every work of grace is a miracle, and the greater miracle it is, to work upon a deſperate, prophane, hard-hearted ſinner, that hath all his life-time been working wickedneſs with both hands earneſtly; to make ſuch an one in one day fit for heaven and glory, as the thief upon the Croſs, where there is greater oppoſition, is not this a greater miracle then the other? Beſide, let it be conſidered I beſeech you, what our Saviour ſaith, he that receiveth not the Kingdom like as a little Luk. 18. 17.child, cannot enter into it. It may be ſome will ſay, this is nothing, he compareth his Diſciples to Doves and Sheep, &c. and ſo he doth to a little child, this proveth nothing: But let it be conſidered and weighed; and then I leave it to the judgement of impartial perſons; he ſaith not only, you muſt be like children, and like Doves for innocency; he ſaith not, you muſt be like children for humility, and want of envy, for love; no, but ye cannot enter except ye receive the Kingdom as a little child: the compariſon lies in the receiving the Kingdom, as well as in the qualities; ſo that except little children did receive the Kingdom, how can the Diſciples be compared to them in receiving the Kingdom? how can they be, as I may ſay, made the very ſtandard in receiving the Kingdom of God? we muſt receive it as little children receive it; you never find ſuch a like ſpeech of Doves or Sheep, that we muſt receive the Kingdom as Doves or as Sheep, becauſe they are not capable to receive the Kingdom, it was never appointed nor prepared for them: Now if little children be made, as I may ſay, the pattern for humility, ſelf-denyal, which I tell you, Brethren, goeth far in Chriſtianity. O which is the firſt ſtep? humility, the ſecond humility, the third humility, it reacheth to the top of the Ladder; and not only ſo, but the very pattern in receiving the Kingdom of God. Surely then, ſuch children as we allow, as we muſt allow ſome, elſe the compariſon were not true nor rightly framed, they muſt be allowed to be as holy as any others; truly Brethren, me thinks if we conſider how much innocency there is in theſe little ones, which is not in us, O how we have rebelled all our daies, which they never have done; played the hypocrites before the Lord, which they never have done; dealt falſly in his Covenant, which they never have done; have ſuch ſtrong luſts in act and vigour, and ſtrong habits of ſin, pride, and envy, and hatred to oppoſe the workings of grace in us, which they have none of; me thinks it might eaſily be yielded unto, that former ſuppoſition, that many of them are ſaved (and who dare deny it) that they have grace, and a great meaſure, ſo as to be made the ſtandard of receiving the Kingdom; therefore they may quickly come to a great height: but thus much for this reaſon, I am carried further then I had any thought, when I firſt minded it as an Argument.
Thirdly, Another reaſon may be, becauſe the greater our growth is, the more honour he hath from us, and the more ſervices, and we the more comfort; this doth much what concern the growth of ſuch as are of years of underſtanding, for to ſuch I ſpeak; I give it therefore as a reaſon, only of the growth of perſons of underſtanding, though ſome part of it may reach others.
Firſt then, hereby God hath the more ſervice: Alas, what ſervice hath a Father or Mother from a little child when it hangs upon the breaſt? many a weary hand ſhe hath with it in its frowardneſs, but no help at all, but when grown up it will do ſomething; Heb. 12. 12.ſo while a poor Believer is weak and feeble, feeble knees and weak hands, alas can ſcarce ſtand upon their legs, every little wind of temptation or doctrine is ready to blow him over, and Eph. 4. 14.ſtagger him, he ſtands ſcrupling and trembling at every ſtep, and doubting, he cannot ſet a foot before another, but the Father is fain to take him by the hand and teach him to go, as he did Ephraim; this is the great time of Gods taking pains (like a Hoſ. 11. ….tender-hearted mother) with his children, and truly if his bowels were not as a mothers bowels, yea much more infinitely, he would never endure to handle us ſo tenderly in all our weakneſs and loathſomneſs; now when we are grown up into Chriſt, are ſtrong in his might and power, then we are able to do him ſome ſervice, and he expecteth it of us, though the Lord knoweth we often requite him as Ifrael did after all his tenderneſs, he nouriſheth and bringeth up children, feeding us with the bread of heaven, Manna is our daily bread, the Lord Jeſus, he maketh out ſomethng of him to us continually, whereby we grow, and preſſeth the promiſes by his own Spirit, that they may give down their milk and ſweetneſs to us, and when all is done, we rebell againſt him, even to the breaking of his heart, as he ſpeaks after Ezek. 6. 9the manner of men; but this coſts the people of God dear, whoever they be, though it be true the Lord hath no need of our ſervice, we profit not him at all, he can work deliverance for his people and Church, if there were never a Heſter to pray nor mediate to the King, ſome other way he will do it; yet he ordinarily uſeth the ſervice of his people; and alas, that our reward may be the more abundant, our Crowns of grace may be the more weighty, ſo that there is not a ſtep from the very Cradle to the Crown of glory, but all is grace, and growing, until it be ſwallowed up of that fulneſs.
Secondly, He is honoured indeed ſo much the more, Brethren, by our growth, fortes oreantur fortibus: O when his people come to that ſtrength, to bear the Croſs of Jeſus Chriſt, to deny themſelves, to hate their lives for his ſake, which the Diſciples at all times were not ripe for; how doth this honour the Lord Jeſus? O what Spirit is that whereby they are acted, that even their enemies themſelves have been confounded with the conſideration of it, and ſo when they are ſtrong in faith, giving glory to God; a man weak in faith, a child, a babe that ſtaggers at every difficulty, is queſtioning upon every occaſion whether God be with them, as Iſrael, becauſe they had no water; O, ſaid they, Rom. 4. 20. Exod. 17. 7.is, God among us? becauſe there was no water; now this is not to his honour, to have children live in a family together, eat and drink of the beſt, and yet to be alway children, weaklings, as I may ſay, conſumpſit, this is a diſhonour to their Father and Mother; ſo it is in this caſe, what is more choice, Brethren, then the bread from heaven, this wine and milk which is to be had in Jeſus Chriſt, which Believers live upon; and yet if they be weaklings, how doth it diſhonour Jeſus Chriſt? his fleſh is Iohn 6. 55.meat indeed, and his blood drink indeed: but if we come not on with it, it will be hard to perſwade men ſo; but where they ſee us go from ſtrength to ſtrength, that we can do ſingular things Iſa. 55. 7.for Chriſt, in proſperity, in affliction, which others cannot do: O they will be ready to ſay, ſurely that which theſe men feed Mat. 5. 47.upon is rare and excellent diet indeed: Now, Brethren, alas, this glory is nothing to God, it is only that he may be acknowledged among men in the way of his grace, which addeth nothing to him, but to poor creatures it doth, yet it is all he requireth, and he is jealous of it indeed: Now for infants, truly Brethren, though they act little among men, ſpecially while properly infants, that cannot ſpeak for him, thence they have their names Infants; there may be little appearance, yet the very conſideration of this, that the Lord ſhould infuſe grace, yea ſuch rich grace, as you heard, into them, me thinks ſhould take us up ſometimes with more admiration then we are taken up with it; for I ſay, no man dare deny but that they may have grace, and ſome of them have grace, and all of them that die in infancy for ought we know, have: Now how admirable is it? but God hath made it viſible in ſome extraordinary caſes, as in John; is it ſtupendious that the like babe ſhould leap in the womb for joy at the hearing of the report of Jeſus, more then the moſt of Believers likely would have done upon a bare report? Beſide, how many inſtances of little children wrought upon, even as ſoon as they can ſpeak, I ſay, that can make it appear in an admirable manner, and to call God Father at very tender years, yea know him to be their God, and they his, and that they ſhall have a Kingdom prepared for them; me thinks theſe things are enough to convince us; there is no ſuch neceſſity of years, Brethren. And then, is it not the more admirable, is not Chriſt more to be admired? Again, it is much for the comfort of his people, and truly this the Lord hath much in his eye, next to his own glory, which indeed is much magnified by the comfortable walking of his people; the more then a man groweth up in the knowledge of the things freely given of God by the Spirit of Chriſt, the more comfortably he 1 Cor. 2. 12.walks, ſuch are an ornament to their profeſſion, an encouragement and invitation of others to enter upon the ſame waies, when they ſee the faces of the Saints that ſhine, to be anointed with the oyl of gladneſs, and the Kingdom of God in them, to Pſal. 45. 7.conſiſt in righteouſneſs, and joy, and peace, this encourageth others, that otherwiſe would be diſheartened: Now I ſay, the Lord is very tender of his peoples comfort; do but obſerve it, and you ſhall find, Brethren, the blood and Spirit of the Lord Jeſus to run through all the veins of the Scripture, and all for the conſolation of the Saints; theſe things I write to you, that your Rom. 14. 7. 1 Iohn 1. 4.joy might be full, and that through conſolation of the Scripture we might have hope; elſe why are there ſo many promiſes ſo often repeated again and again? how many promiſes of remiſſion of ſins ſet forth in various expreſſions every way, to affect and meet with every mans condition, but that his deſign is the comfort of his people? and wherefore are the examples of the Saints propoſed to us; their falls, their reſtoring again, but for our comfort and hope? ſurely this is the deſign, Brethren; and therefore ſurely, he will carry on his people in the knowledge and underſtanding of them, the cloſing with them, elſe the work is done but imperfectly; for what though the righteouſneſs of God be revealed in the Goſpel from faith to faith, except there be an eye Rom. 1. 17. Eph. 1. 18.opened? and as the light groweth clearer, ſo the eye groweth ſtronger and clearer to behold it: it will be little matter of comfort to the people of God; what is a man the better as to comfort, to have rich means, and knoweth nothing of it at all? and then to grow in grace, in all the graces of the Spirit, Brethren, this doth wonderfully help to the comfort of the Saints: What is the complaint of the moſt of men? O they cannot l…ft up their heads, they cannot carry a cheerful heart; why? O they think they are hypocrites, they are not right with God, or they are in unbelief, they cannot believe in Jeſus Chriſt, they cannot do this or that, or they cannot ſee that there is any thing right in them: Why Brethren, it will not ſatisfie a tender heart, except he ſee and diſcover ſomewhat in himſelf of Gods working; now when it is, ſmall as a Muſtard-ſeed, as a Cypreſs-ſeed, it is ſcarce diſcernable, but as it groweth from ſtrength to ſtrength, at laſt he cometh to ſee it, when ſincerity of h…art doth more ordinarily and ſtrongly prevail againſt the ſly and ſubtile inſinuations of ſin upon the heart. O then the ſoul can ſee that his heart is right with God; and ſo for faith, when it is ſtrong and acts ſtrongly upon the Lord Jeſus, the ſoul doth even feel that it doth believe, and ſo an end is brought to all thoſe ſad complaints; let men of corrupt minds ſay what they will, Brethren, the appearances of grace in the ſoul, is a notable evidence of our being cloathed with the righteouſneſs of Chriſt, when we walk not after the fleſh, but after the Spirit; for a man to pretend to have no condemnation upon him, and yet walk after the fleſh, looſly and vainly, wickedly, Rom. 8. 1, 13.and yet never doubt nor queſtion his condition; I ſay, that man is in a deſperate ſecurity, a lethargy, it is very great odds but he periſheth in it; the Apoſtle ſaith, ſuch ſhall die; and they ſay, they ſhall live; but they will one day know, whether Gods Word or theirs ſhall ſtand▪ Well then, this much furthers their comfort, and this is one of the Lords great deſigns for our good, that we ſhould walk comfortably, and therefore he brings o… that his work; that ſpark in a great deal of green wood, that ſmothers, and ſmokes, and puts out our eyes almoſt with weeping at it, he bloweth it up by his Spirit more and more, and bringeth judgement to victory, victory over our corruptions through the ſtrength of the Spirit, and ſo victory over our doubtings, fears and diſcomforts. O what riches of grace is Mat. 12. 20.here! but thus much for the Arguments of the point.
For the Application then; Firſt, this will ſpeak the ſad condition of two ſorts of perſons, and thoſe are,
Firſt; Such as make a profeſſion of Jeſus Chriſt, and yet grow not, are at a ſtand; we do innovere but not promovere, like a horſe in a mill, go round, and are at night where they were in the morning; they go round in a formal compaſs of duty, but alas, grow not by it at all; look upon many profeſſors, and conſider what they have been, and ſhall you not find they had as much life ſeven years ago as they have now, they are grown in faith nothing, their faith is ſtill as a grain of Muſtard-ſeed, if they have any at all indeed, as they may, its true, and yet not grow for a time; the Apoſtle ſpeaks of ſilly women, that are alway learning and never come to the knowledge of the truth; and 2 Tim. 3. 7.there are ſilly men among us that are alway learning and yet are not come to the knowledge of the truth: Some indeed I pitty much, there is a natural defect in their underſtandings, by mediation whereof all this growth is perfected, and it is ſo great in ſome, that they will hardly ever be able to apprehend much of the wiſdom of God in a myſterie, it is well if they underſtand the main thing, without which there is no life; but theſe are not the perſons I ſpeak of, but ſuch among us have wit and parts enough, can underſtand, and manage, and improve any thing elſe they take in hand, and yet in the matters of their ſouls, they take up their reſt like tyred Jades that will go no further: the Apoſtle reproveth the Hebrews for it ſharply, that when for the time they might have been teachers of others, yet we had need Heb. 5. 12.to be taught our ſelves the firſt principles of the Doctrine of Chriſtianity: truly Brethren, me thinks you that have long known Jeſus Chriſt, and have gray hairs upon your heads, and are found in the way of righteouſneſs, when you ſee young ſtriplings out-grow you, and apprehend much of the myſteries of Chriſt which you do not, this ſhould be a ſhame to you: it is a Prov. 16. 31.ſtrange ſottiſhneſs and ſecurity that ſeizeth upon men, in reſpect of their ſouls: they would think ſhame that a young man of little or no experience ſhould know them, to manage their trade better then themſelves, that are of ſo long ſtanding and experience, but here they are content to be out-ſtript, and content themſelves with any thing; that your grace ſhould be ſo ſmall, as I may ſay, in the ſeed ſtill, ſo ſmall as a ſeed, and ſcarce diſcernable to this day; O what a ſad thing is this! now your ſalvation is nearer then when you believed, and you are as far from being meet for it, as when you believed. O how unfit are we for death, though we have one foot in the grave already ſome of us, and we do not heed this? Surely, if this be a truth, that thoſe who are planted in Chriſt do grow, and thou canſt not find thou groweſt; what canſt thou conclude, but one of theſe two things?
Firſt, that either thou haſt all this while deceived thy ſelf, and thought thou hadſt the root of the matter within thee, and hadſt it not, for if thou hadſt, thou wouldſt have grown: The Kingdom of God will not be alway as a grain of Muſtard-ſeed, and that which is in thee haply appears to be no more; and is not this a ſad condition, Brethren? is it not high time for you to look about you, when you are grown to ſuch years, and never have been planted into Jeſus Chriſt, never made one with him to this day? I ſay, a man that findeth he groweth not at all, he is where he was ſo many years ago, hath cauſe to fear this; and me thinks this ſhould ſtartle us, a company of lazie profeſſors, that never matter whether they improve or no.
Or elſe ſecondly, which is bad enough, that thou haſt ſome ſad diſeaſe upon thee, that hinders thy growth: ſurely ſomewhat is the matter, Brethren, it is not right with you; if you have a child ſtand at a ſtay for two or three-years, while it ſhould grow, you ſee it is a living child, but it groweth not; O ſurely it hath ſome diſeaſe or another, ſome obſtructions hindering the courſe between the head, and heart, and the members, and you fear ſuch a child will not live. O that you would but apply this to your ſouls! ſure you have ſome deſperate diſeaſe upon you, ſome obſtruction or another; it may be the world is gotten between you and the root, and the head, which is Chriſt, and ſo the communication is hindred, you grow not up into him, draw nothing nearer to him at all; doth it never enter into your hearts to conſider this, Brethren, are you not afraid of periſhing in ſuch a condition? I am ſure your condition is ſad, that a growing ſenſible Chriſtian would not be in your caſe for a world; and are you not ſenſible of it? it is ſo much the worſe. O how will you anſwer it, Brethren, conſidering how much influence you have had from on high, the Ordinances, the fat things of his houſe in abundance, the ſincere milk of the word you have had in this place for a long time, more then moſt places have had it, and yet your ſouls have proſpered no more under it; you have had five Talents, and yet it may be many that have had but two, but one, have out-ſtript ſome of you; where you have had five Sermons, five opportunities of grace, many a poor ſoul would have been glad of one, and yet ſuch it may be ſtronger in faith, more in humility, more ſpiritual minded then we are; can you anſwer this at the great day? But thus much for this firſt.
Secondly, It ſheweth us the ſad condition of ſuch, as inſtead of growing in grace, alas they grow worſe and worſe; as the Apoſtle ſaith, evil men and ſeducers grow worſe; and indeed, we 2 Tim. 3. 13.muſt know this, Brethren, we do grow either better or worſe, as haply afterward we ſhall have occaſion to ſpeak to at large; either the houſe of David groweth ſtronger, or the houſe of Saul; either the fleſh or the ſpirit prevails in the hearts of the people of God; there are two ſorts of perſons whoſe condition is under this conſideration.
Firſt, Such as have profeſt the name of Jeſus Chriſt, and yet alas, though they were green for a while, now their leaf is fallen, their light is gone out, they are fallen from their place of ſtanding among the Saints in appearance; never was there an age more fruitful in ſuch barrenneſs then this is; alas, like a Fir-tree ſhaken with the wind, they loſe their fruit, yea, are turned up by the roots, and now are become as a dry ſtick, fit for nothing but to burn, the latter end of ſuch men is worſe then their beginning, Mat. 12. 45. Iude 12.they are trees twice dead; not only dead by nature, but have loſt their profeſſion, which was a viſible life, whereby they did appear to men to be alive; and is there any hope of ſuch a tree living again? truly, Brethren, very little; I have oberved it, and I wiſh I could look upon it with a more trembling heart, that ſuch men as theſe grow worſe, fall off and decline, they are the ſaddeſt, hard-hearted, deſperate, prophane wretches afterward; or the moſt beſotted worldlings, and ſeldom are they recovered. I know not whether I may ſpeak to any ſuch at this time, I hope the beſt things of you; if there be any ſuch, let me tell thee, thou art in a more dangerous condition then thoſe that never knew God to this day.
Secondly, Such as never yet had appearance of being planted into Jeſus Chriſt, and ſo no growth in them, but are yet in their Iſa. 55. 11.naturals; know this day, you are growing worſe and worſe, the Goſpel doth not return in vain, you are worſe every day then other, every Sermon then other; the Goſpel is a ſavour of death to death to you; as there is nothing doth condemn ſinners like to Iohn 3. 19.the Goſpel rejected, ſo nothing doth harden ſinners more then the Goſpel, and thoſe precious promiſes which men give the hearing to, day by day, but alas that is all. Iſaiah, the moſt Evangelical Prophet, he cometh with a make you the ears of this Iſa. 6. 10.people heavy, that hearing they might hear and not perceive. If the Son be not kiſſed when he is offered to ſinners, but they turn their Pſalm 2.backs upon him, he will be angry; if the more worthy perſon be ſuitor, and be denyed and ſlighted, and the heel lift up againſt him, will not this provoke him think you? ſurely it will: therefore God doth uſually give up ſuch to a reprobate mind, yea even for Rom. 1. 28.deſpiſing the light of nature, much more the Goſpel, and giveth them up to hardneſs of heart; you ſhall ordinarily ſee where the Goſpel cometh at the firſt among a people, it works more mightily then afterward; at firſt, though men are prophane, yet they have not had the Sun-ſhine to harden the Clay into a Brick; the Word of God, this Goſpel and means of growth, it is as fire, the coals of love, and either they do melt, or elſe burn ſinners into ſtones and bricks, and ſear their conſciences that they are even paſt feeling, hence it is we have ſo many deſperately wicked perſons among us. O how ſad a condition is this Brethren, to be growing worſe and worſe under the greateſt mercy and love that the Lord manifeſteth to any! Sinners, in good earneſt, do you think it is the way to heaven to grow worſe, and worſe, or the way to the Chambers of death? Thou knoweſt thy ſelf to be a more deſperate prophane wretch then formerly, making no conſcience of that which heretofore thy ſoul it may be hath trembled at, now it goeth down without regret, or elſe if not in open prophaneneſs, if thou melteſt away in ſecret wickedneſs, that no eye takes notice of, and art worſe and worſe, what will the end of theſe things be? the Saints that grow, they grow up into the likeneſs, and image, and glory of Chriſt, they grow up into him; and thou groweſt up into the likeneſs of the Devil, up int…im; What will become of you? O that ſinners would but lay theſe things to heart: if heretofore thou waſt overtaken with a ſin, it may be it was ſome trouble to thee; now thou wilt work the works of the Devil, thy will is ingaged, and ſo much the more haynous the ſin is; what can you expect, Brethren? O that God would open ſinners eyes, that they might but ſee whether they are going, what they are doing, and they could but conſider what bitterneſs this will be in the latter end, to grow worſe and worſe.
The next Ʋſe ſhall be then, Brethren, to take an account of Ʋſe 3.our ſelves, whether we grow or go backward yea or no; this is not the work of every day, Brethren, for it will hardly be diſcernable, if we daily ſhould put our ſelves to the tryal, we ſhould do nothing elſe, it would eat up that time, and thoſe endeavours to grow, which ought to be laid out upon it, that ſo it may afterward appear; a man that ſhould ſpend every day in caſting up his whole Books, to ſee how he groweth in his eſtate, would h…nder himſelf of thoſe endeavours to thrive that muſt be uſed, elſe he cannot thrive; beſides, this growth is not the work of a day uſually, though ſometimes it may be ſo; but of moneths, or a year, or ſo; if a man ſhould ſit by his tree, or ſet his eye upon his child to behold his motion or growth, he would loſe his labour, it is better ſeen afterward, as in another place afterward ſhall be ſpoken; beſides, if we ſhould daily judge of our growth and try it, alas what inconſtant judgements ſhould we make of our condition; for ſome daies we are up, and ſome daies down; it may be ſome daies under the power of a temptation, and other daies ſet at liberty from them; ſometimes the Merchant maketh a loſing bargain, ſometimes a winning; ſometimes his caſh cometh in, and ſometimes he is all in disburſments; therefore he muſt not, he cannot judge of his eſtate, whether he proſper or thrive by this or that day, but after a while he ſhould look to it, caſt up his Books, ſee how it ſtandeth. Brethren, it is impoſſible to perſwade a Merchant, except he be Bankrupt, and knoweth it is ſo, and therefore hath no mind to look upon his miſery, elſe I ſay, you cannot perſwade a Merchant but he will take his ſet times for peruſing his Books, caſting up his accounts, and not let it run too long neither, for fear of the worſt, and if any ſhould adviſe him to the contrary, he would take him to be his enemy, ſuſpect him for one that would undo him; and yet alas, how eaſie are we to believe Satan and the world, when they ſhuffle us off from this work of caſting up the accounts of our ſouls? I think we may all of us, or the moſt of us, plead guilty here; have we our times, Brethren, we ſet apart for this work of ſelf-ſearching and tryal? not an hour in a monethmonth, or many moneths; when we come to the Lords Supper, an hour in a quarter, or a day in a year, yea, do you ever perform this duty at all? truly, it is an ill ſign when we are ſo backward to ſearch; the Lord perſwade you to the duty: you heard before how ſad a thing it is to be at a ſtand, not to grow; and beſide, how canſt thou be thankful if thou take not notice of it? he loſeth his glory, and that will neither be for our advantage nor comfort.
And here I hope it may not be beſide the Text, to ſpeak of growth, under that other ordinary Simile, of growing like trees or plants; in Scripture, nothing more ordinary, then that where Believers are compared to trees of righteouſneſs, and branches in Chriſt the Vine; and what is included in this compariſon here, as to the growth in quantity, increaſe in quality, and goodneſs and ſwiftneſs of it, I hope I ſhall meet with in the other.
Firſt then, look whether you grow more into the root, you 2 King. 19. 30.grow downward, for if a tree grow not in the root proportionably, you know it will be top-heavy, and every blaſt is ready to over-turn it; that ſoul groweth to purpoſe, that groweth then in the root more; now what is this root but the Covenant of Mat. 3. 10.grace, as you have heard? when God would cut a people down by the root, he would diſ-covenant them; now the Lord Jeſus is the main of the Covenant, and therefore called the Covenant he and his Spirit are the great promiſes of the Covenant; Chriſ… 1 Cor. 1. 30.as he is tendered for righteouſneſs, for holineſs, for redemption, and all. Now there are three graces ſpecially which reſpect the root Jeſus Chriſt, whereby we may be ſaid to grow in the root, and therefore let us labour to ſearch and try our ſelves by them.
The firſt is Faith, Brethren, whereby indeed we are planted into him, and as that grows, ſo we are ſaid to grow in the root; time was when our faith was but as a grain of Muſtard-ſeed, but now hath it deeper rooting, faſter hold of Chriſt; do we now embrace him more cloſely then we did? time hath been it may be, when we have underſtood little of the Covenant of grace, and ſo conſequently could give but an aſſent to what we underſtood of it, and an anſwerable conſent; but doſt thou now underſtand it more, to give a firmer aſſent to the truth of the thing? wherein the Lord hath promiſed to give his Son, and with him remiſſion Iſa. 43. 25. Ier. 31. 34.of ſins, that he will remember them no more, and blot out their iniquities; thou aſſenteſt to this truth now more then thou didſt before. O the bloodineſs of thy guilt was that which diſmayed thee, the horridneſs, the filthyneſs, the multitude, the aggravations of thy ſins; now thou ſeeſt and conſenteſt to the truth of it, that God will ſwallow up all, they ſhall be (though ſcarlet) as white as ſnow; though the time was, the ſight of thy ſins did as much amaze thee, as the ſight of the Egyptians did the Iſraelites, O thou knoweſt not what to do; now thou canſt look upon them as ſwallowed up in the red Sea of the blood of Jeſus Chriſt. O a Sea of mercy, a red Sea of precious redeeming blood! what will it not ſwallow up? doſt thou find it? O obſerve, Brethren, how you grow in your aſſent to it; and ſo for mortification, ſubduing iniquities, becauſe thou haſt been preſt and peſtered with thy luſts, thou haſt been ready to …ay, all men are lyars, in thy haſte: O notwithſtanding this Covenant of grace, I find my corruptions ſtrong and lively: but now thou doſt not upon this account queſtion the Covenant, but aſſenteſt to it, and Mica. 7.cloſeſt with it, conſent as well as aſſent, and ſo waiteſt upon God for the fulfilling of it until his time; he that believeth, maketh not haſte; though he make it not to grow, yet this is all thy ſalvation, here thou hangeſt thy hopes, and off this thou wilt not be beaten, though heretofore thou haſt found, alas, thou couldſt hardly faſten upon it at all, do you find this? Bretheen, ſee in what degrees: if we grow not here, we grow not at all to any purpoſe.
Secondly, And that which is indeed included in the former, is that of ſelf-denyal; if any man will be my Diſciple, he muſt deny …lat. 16. 24.himſelf and take up his Croſs; Deny himſelf; all that is deſirable in himſelf, all that he lookt upon as conducible to ſalvation, whether his works, or gifts, or duties, his priviledges, or whatever; It is true, we had a root of our own in Adam, but that worm of ſin hath ſmitten the root, and it is withered, and it is but rottenneſs, and therefore there is no growth to be expected from it but what will be rotten: Now Chriſt alone in the Covenant of grace is the root, and the more we grow off our own root, the more we grow into him, as the root: Now conſider this, Brethren, it may be the time hath been thou haſt builded much of thy hopes and comforts upon what thou haſt had in thy ſelf. O if thou couldſt but do this, and that thou couldſt be quiet and take comfort in thy condition: now, though thou do more or do leſs, whatever thou art enabled to do through him, doſt thou find that thou canſt bleſs him for it, and yet go out of all, and be as though we had never done any thing, counting all but as menſtruous cloaths, and yet not the leſs, but the more encouraged, that our own righteouſneſs is not the bottom, becauſe then it could not be ſure, but we have ſuch a root as never withers, even Jeſus Chriſt. Alas, how far ſhort are we in this? though we have ſeen it many times, when we would be ſtanding upon our own bottom, that we cannot ſtand upon a thing that ſtands not under us, but ſinketh, only upon the Rock Jeſus Chriſt, yet we have not learned this many of us I doubt: this hinders our growth much; as if a veſſel be indeed afloat, yet ſo ſhallow, keepeth ſo near the ſide of the ſhore, as that it ever and anon ſtrikes upon the ground, it can make no conſiderable progreſs, and is in danger of ſmiting beſide: ſo it is in this caſe; well, conſider then, this hath been our caſe, we could not launch out into the deep, perfectly truſt to that grace revealed in Chriſt, we muſt have one foot upon the ground, we muſt feel ſomething of our own under us, or elſe we could not be quiet; is it thus with thee now? that thou ar… more come off this, thou canſt now though thou ſee nothing in thy ſelf, yea when there is moſt appearing in thee, yet wave all, come clearly off it, and alone caſt thy ſelf upon the waters, commit thy ſelf to the deep, where no bottom is to be felt; this is growing in the root indeed.
Thirdly, In humility; this is another which indeed doth follow upon the other, and muſt needs do ſo, for nothing emptyeth more then faith, nothing layeth the ſoul lower, and indeed this is the proſpering grace of the ſoul; that ſoul that is lifted up, as the Prophet ſaith, is not right within him: Learn of me, ſaith our Hab 2. 4. Mat. 11. 29.Saviour, for I am meek and lowly: O when the ſoul is thus low, then it is hungry, and thirſty, and poor in Spirit; and then it ſucks from the Lord Jeſus, then a taſte of his love is ſweet to the ſoul, then the Spirit being ready to yield to God in every thing, to do all his will, God is ready to yield to the ſoul in every thing that he requireth agreeable to his will; how do we grow in humility, Brethren? examine this, it is the firſt, and ſecond, and third, and every ſtep of Jacobs Ladder; doſt thou find, that whereas thou waſt wont to over-look and undervalue in compariſon of thy ſelf; now rather thou thinkeſt in good earneſt, that every one fearing God is better then thy ſelf, becauſe of the vileneſs of thine own heart, thou ſeeſt; before thou couldſt not bear a reproof, but if thou didſt not turn and all to rent him that reproved thee, though with never ſo much mildneſs, yet thou wouldſt ſnarl, and quarrel, and be ready to caſt as much as that came to, into his own teeth that reproved thee; now if thou be reproved, thou haſt nothing to ſay, but feareſt thy heart, it may be too true of thee, now it is welcome, thou loveſt them that reprove thee ſo much the more; Brethren, it may be heretofore you would be apt to complain of your ſelves, and of your own vileneſs, and make ſad mone, and yet if another ſpeak but an ill word of you, yea, if they ſpeak no more of you then you deſerve, you could not bear it; now if they ſpeak ill of you, art thou ready to lay thy hand upon thy mouth, ſure the Lord hath bid them ſpeak evil, and there is cauſe enough for it, and they 2 Sam. 16. 10.cannot ſay worſe of me then I am. O here is a growth in humility; before thou wert ready to envy every one that had more gifts, or more grace, more of the hearts of Gods people then thy ſelf; now thou art ready to ſay with Moſes, envieſt thou for my ſake? thou canſt ſweetly ſubmit to his diſpoſal of thee: the Numb. 11. 29. Exod. 32. 1.leaſt thou haſt is more then thou deſerveſt. O this is that which obtains much of the Lord, when thy heart is in ſuch a frame, it is fit to receive; ſo Jacob, he was leſs then the leaſt of his mercies, it was an argument wherewith he pleaded with the Lord; thou art content to be any thing, though in never ſo mean a degree of ſervice to him, ſo be he will be but thy Father and own thee; if thou mayſt not be with him in the transfiguration upon the mount, if thou mayſt be but a Diſciple, if thou mayſt not get within the cloud with Moſes, nor be a Benjamin; yet if Mat. 17.thou mayſt be a Son and a Subject, though no Favourite, this is that thou art contented with. O here is a growth! Brethren, ſearch and try, are we come to this pitch, or how far are we gone herein? is it better with us then it hath been in this reſpect?
But then ſecondly, we muſt try whether we grow upward yea or no, as well as downward; and this I ſhall conſider according to the chief faculties of the ſoul, the mind and the will, and ſpeak ſomewhat to each of them.
And firſt for the mind, the underſtanding. 1. Do you find, Brethren, that you grow and increaſe in the knowledge of his will, that the darkneſs that is upon your hearts naturally, doth vaniſh by any degrees? do you find the vail doth wear thinner that was upon your hearts, that you begin to behold the Lord Jeſus with a more open face then before? time was when you were babes in underſtanding; are you new men and women, or are you paſt the ſtate of babes? Alas, I doubt if the treaſuries of our hearts were laid open, we ſhould find them very empty of this heavenly knowledge, how few can bring out of their treaſuries both new and old? This will appear in theſe two things Eph… 4. 14.ſpecially.
Firſt, if you be apt to be toſſed up and down with every wind of Doctrine, and are not-ſtabliſhed in the preſent truth, but your minds are floating, and hovering, and ready to ſettle upon any thing that is preſented to you, though contrary to what you have received, it is a ſign that you are but children in underſtanding; how eaſie is it to deceive children, to put upon them Counters inſtead of Gold, to make them part with the one for the other? and how eaſie is it to lead captive ſilly-women, as the Apoſtle 2▪ Tim. 3 6.calls them that are ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth; a weak eye that cannot diſcern between Heb. 5. 14.things that differ, hath not his ſenſes exerciſed to diſcern: it is very eaſie to put one thing upon them for another; truly Brethren, theſe times have the name for times of great light, and greater knowledge then there was before, and I do believe that knowledge ſhall encreaſe by going too and fro; but yet for all that, mens eyes are very weak, they cannot diſcern between light and darkneſs, but put darkneſs for light; for what is the ground of all errour, is it not the ignorance of the Scripture and the power of God? and was there ever any times more fruitful in errour then theſe are? Alas Brethren, what ſtrangers are many of us to the very principles of Religion, if examined, in them that pretend to ſuch high diſcoveries and revelations of Chriſt in our times, ſuch have need of milk, and not of ſtrong meat; the wiſdom of God in a myſterie is a riddle to them; the Heb. 12. 5.Apoſtle ſpake it to them that were perfect, that is to ſay, grown men and women, in oppoſition to babes: Well then, look to it, if you find your ſelves eaſie to be ſhaken, to turn with every wind of Doctrine like a weather-cock, it argues you are but children, but babes; you may perſwade a child to any thing, to be of twenty minds in an hour, becauſe alas, he hath no ſound well-grounded knowledge of any thing, you may perſwade him to part with his meat, his drink, for a toy, or by ſome pretended loathſomneſs in it that is not, and ſo it is with poor, weak, ignorant ſouls; how do we ſee many cheated out of Ordinances, out of duties, out of cloſe walkings with God, as things of no moment, by the cunning craftineſs of them who lie in wait to deceive. It is a ſad thing to ſee perſons that ſhould be of greater knowledge then ordinary, that in things ſo much controverted, as they are now a daies, can in a few daies time be ſo toſt with a wind of Doctrine, as to take up a ſtrange, a contrary practiſe; this eaſineſs to forgo our principles, argues we are childiſh and weak.
Secondly, Are we grown in underſtanding? you will find it by this; thou wilt not be ſo ready, ſo eaſie to take offence as heretofore thou haſt been: alas, before men are acquainted with the waies of God at all, you ſee they are offended at every thing they ſee; the Jews were offended with the meanneſs of Jeſus Chriſt, his deſcent, that he was the Carpenters Son, he was not like to be the Meſſias; alas, it was the weakneſs of their underſtanding, they did not conſider thoſe Scriptures, where it is ſaid there ſhould be no beauty in him that we ſhould deſire him; and that Mat. 13. 15.he ſhould come meek and lowly, riding upon an Aſs: and ſo they were offended at his Doctrine, when he told them, they muſt eat his fleſh, and drink his blood, they could not conceive of it; and many of his Diſciples went backward and walked with Zech. 9. 9. Iohn 6. 66.him no more. And ſo ſinners, O they ſtumble at every thing in the people of God, when they conſider them, and pry into them, and find they miſs it, and fall in their duties, they are prejudiced ſtrongly againſt the waies of God upon this ſcore; alas it is ignorance, they know not that they have a corrupt principle within, whereby they are laid open to ſin, when luſt and temptation meeteth, except the Lord do wonderfully keep them; they expect they ſhould be as the Angels in heaven, altogether ſpotleſs and pure, even while they are upon the earth, and therefore they are offended. And ſo a weak child of God, that is newly come on to grace; alas, every little thing in the way they ſtumble at, for this offending is nothing elſe but ſtumbling upon a thing, ſo as to hurt themſelves by it, either by being drawn to ſin thereby, being encouraged to ſin thereby, or elſe by being grieved at it without cauſe; you know a child cannot get over that which a man maketh nothing of, but he ſtumbleth and falleth: ſo the Apoſtle, where he diſcuſſeth of the uſe of indifferent things, ſaith he, All 1 Cor. 8. 7.men have not this knowledge, that an Idol is nothing, and therefore if ſome weak ones, ſee a Brother that is ſtrong eat of that which was offered to an Idol, which he knoweth to be lawful for him to do, he is offended at it: this argues weakneſs: now have we found it ſo, that we have been apt to take offence at any thing, at every thing in others almoſt? and now we can bear; it argues we ſee more clearly the grounds of ſuch actions; but thus much for this.
Secondly, Another part of this growth upward, I place in the will, which is indeed the main, the commanding faculty of the ſoul, and indeed wherein the main of faith doth lie, and of other graces, as of tender-heartedneſs, and the like: doſt thou find then that heretofore thy will was more unſettled and wavering, being as I may ſay, halting between two, thou waſt not able to come up ſo fully, to ſuch a reſolution for God and for Chriſt, as to trample all under-foot for them; thou wouldſt have them, but either hadſt ſome reſervation, in ſuch a caſe thou wouldſt be ſaved; now thy reſolution breaks through all whatſoever, this is growth indeed.
A man of a weak reſolution for Chriſt, alas if a temptation come, to deny him the allurements of the world, he forſakes him with Demas, and imbraceth the preſent world, or the frowns of the world, he draweth ba…k to perdition; or elſe is foiled with 2 Tim. 4. 10.Peter, or at leaſt much abated in his zeal, groweth to a more indifferency Heb. 10. Col. 6. 12. Gal. 2. 12.of Spirit, would joyn Chriſt and Moſes together with the temporizing Jews, to keep themſelves from being perſecuted; and as Peter himſelf afterward, alas his reſolution was not yet ſo ſtrong as afterward for fear of the Jews, he did forbear to walk with the Gentiles as before he had done, and ſo was an offence to them. Ah dear friends, it may be ſome of us can tell the time when for fear of men we have ſadly miſcarried, is it better with us now? have we now more courage? have we for fear of ſhame come to Chriſt with Nicodemus by night? and now are we not Ioh. 7. 50.aſhamed of Chriſt nor of his Goſpel? As the Apoſtle, he was not aſhamed of it, though it were perſecuted, and though his meanneſs of ſpeech were deſpiſed, his preaching in a ſuitable manner to the ſubject, which is a great part of a Preachers duty, he was not aſhamed: Well then, now conſider, doth the Lord give thee ſuch boldneſs, ſuch courage, ſuch reſolution of heart, as to hold faſt the Word of his patience, the ſuffering-truth? it may be we may be tryed in this point; if we be not grown we ſhall miſcarry as heretofore we have done. Alas Brethren, a little touch with a finger, a little blaſt will blow a c…d over and over, but if we be grown, we ſhall find greater reſolutions againſt ſin, to avoid the occaſions of it; do you find, Brethren, O the yielding frame of your hearts to ſin, to weakneſs, every day it is weaker then heretofore, and done away, that now you can peremptorily deny a luſt, deny a temptation? O you may not do this and ſin againſt God! then we are grown in the will indeed: and the more ſtrong we grow in theſe reſolutions, the more we grow in this reſpect; but if we cannot ceaſe to ſin, Brethren, we are where we were; it may be we may be ſometimes affected a little with our ſins upon a flaſh or pang, but have no power nor 2 Pet. 2. 14.ſtrength to reſiſt our wills, our wills are as weak as water to any thing that is good, and againſt ſin; we grow not, Brethren.
Again, as thus downward and upward, ſo ſee how we grow in fruitfulneſs; we have ſpoken at large to that ſubject, that we muſt bring forth fruits, or elſe we cannot eſcape the Axe; now I ſpeak of the meaſure of the growth therein; a young tree of the firſt year, cannot be expected to bear ſo much, as when better grown; no more a young Chriſtian: here I would only mind you of two things.
Firſt, that we bring forth more fruit, that is, that we do more for God then we have done, and for his people, and for our own ſouls; it may be thou haſt heretofore, but now and then prayed to God, doſt thou now do it more often? it may be three times a day with Daniel and David: It may be heretofore thou gaveſt but little to the relief of the poor Saints and others in diſtreſs; doſt thou now give more and more, proportionable to thy eſtate, as the Lord hath bleſſed thee? for that is the proportion which 1 Cor. 16. 4.the Apoſtle maketh; and ſo where heretofore thou didſt ſpeak but now and then a ſavory word, now doſt thou grow in that? is thy communication much more ſeaſoned and ſavoury? is it all ſavoury, tending to miniſter grace to the hearers? heretofore thou hadſt it may be ſcarce a thought of God in a day; now he is the object of the workings of thy ſoul, the thoughts of him are pleaſant to thee, this is an high condition, it argues thou haſt grown, thou art in a growing condtition; but this is not all, Brethren.
Secondly, Is that more fruit you bring forth, better then it was before? is it more mellow then formerly? or if thou bring forth no more in number, is it more in weight? for God takes not our ſervices by number but by weight; and it is a ſottiſhneſs of the poor blind Papiſts, to think that God is pleaſed with their much ſpeaking, with pattering over ſo many Avy Maries and Pater Noſters, or principles of the Doctrine of Chriſt. I wiſh our practiſes be not too like theirs; It may be heretofore thou couldeſt not enlarge thy ſelf in prayer, and now thou canſt; and thou thinkeſt thou art much grown, it may be in bulk, but not in goodneſs; are thy prayers now more, the breathings of the Spirit of Chriſt within thee, and leſs of thine own Spirit? O how much ſtrange fire mingled with our ſacrifices, and ſtrange incenſe, ſtrange zeal, even our own paſſions, inſtead of a zeal for God! Now Brethren, is our zeal and fire more pure, coming down from heaven, even from the Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt, warming our hearts? Look to this, do we find that we grow more ſpiritual in duties, in prayer, do we act our faith more ſtrongly, wreſtle with God in ſpirit more then in words? children are apt to be taken with bables and pictures, and flowers in the corn, and we w…th ſweet and quaint expreſſions; but now have we learned to worſhip him more in ſpirit and in truth; to know that the great work of our duties lie in the frame of our hearts toward God, in prayer, in preaching, in hearing of the Word? It is childiſhneſs, Brethren, for one never to be well, or to place ſo much in it to be alway upon the lap and dandled; do we find that now we would rather be made ſerviceable to him, and do it with more pure hearts, more pure ends, not for our ſelves, but for his glory, we ask not gifts, parts, Iam. 4. 3.grace, to ſpend it upon our luſts as heretofore; not …or our own peace, that we might take our ends, but that we might be fitter inſtruments in his hands for his glory, not for our own praiſe and honour among men. O look to this, I tell you there is nothing ſticks cloſer to us then this; now doth this ſowrneſs, crabbidneſs of our fruits wear away by degrees; is it better with us in theſe reſpects then before? this is a ſign of growth indeed.
I will add but one more, and that ſhall be this; Doſt thou …ind that thou groweſt by the oppoſition thou meeteſt with in the work of grace, either from without or from within, or any way whatſoever?
Firſt, I ſay, from oppoſition without, grace will grow and gather ſtrength, and this either from men or from the Lood; from men, when they oppoſe the way of God wherein we walk, we muſt look to it that we grow ſo much the ſtronger, for that is the nature of grace, Brethren; as when Paul preached the faith which once he had deſtroyed, and the people were amazed, ſaith the Acts 9. 22.Text, and they ſpake of him as a changling, is not this he that waſted them that called upon his name in Jeruſalem? but Saul waxed ſo much the ſtronger, and confounded the Jews that dwelled at Damaſeus, proving that this was the Chriſt. As the fire, they ſay, is hotter by antiperiſtaſis, in coldeſt weather; the Palm-trees they grow like as you heard in the proof, that raiſeth it ſelf up under a weight of oppoſition. Well, look to this Brethren, I do not Pſal. 9 …mean an Iſh…elitiſh ſpirit, that is againſt every one, and every mans hand againſt it; and that a man ſhould out of a croſs, crooked diſpoſition, do any thing, or vex and gall perſons that oppoſe them; but grace will then be ſtirred up as the fire by the wind, that bloweth it this way and that way, it is in vain to blow it out, to offer it, for it increaſeth the flame; there is no reſiſting that Spirit, whereby the Saints a…ted; look to it, is it thus with us, or do we find that oppoſition from men doth cool us, diſcourage us, diſhearten us, ſo that we dare not own the Lord Jeſus and his truth and way? Truly, it is to be feared it is not right with us.
Secondly, From the Lord, there is ſome oppoſition ſometimes, he wreſtleth with us; Jacobs wreſtling with God implyeth ſome Exod. 32.oppoſition of God, as I may ſay, he wreſtled with him, let me go, ſaith he, this ſtirreth him up ſo much the more earneſtly to lay hold upon him, when the Lord would take his leave of him; and you ſee the poor man in the Goſpel, when he was rebuked for crying after Jeſus Chriſt, he cryed ſo much the more earneſtly; and Mat. 20. 31.ſo our Saviour when he was in that great agony, or ſtriving under the diſpleaſure of his Father, ſaith the Text, he prayed ſo much the more earneſtly. So the Lord doth ſometimes hang back Luk. 22. 44.or hide his face, that he might draw out more and more his peoples hearts toward him, as a Fiſher draweth away his bait to make the fiſh follow it the more eagerly. Well, conſider this now, do we thus grow, even by oppoſition? if the Lord ſay to us we are dogs, not fit for childrens bread, can we conclude the worſt againſt our ſelves, and yet gather upon him for the crums at the leaſt?
But then there is oppoſition from our ſelves, from within, and that is from the rebelling of our luſts, they riſe and ſwell, and many times over-bear us, we are foiled; do we grow by this? this may ſeem ſomewhat ſtrange, that the acting of ſin ſhould tend to the encreaſing of grace, for that we muſt know, that it is not proper; for every act of ſin properly doth ſtrengthen the habits of ſin, and the ſtronger ſin is in the ſoul, the weaker grace is like to be; as the more the water cools, the leſs heat there is remaining in it; but it is by accident, as water caſt upon a coalfire, at preſent it ſeemeth to put it out, but afterward it burns ſo much the hotter and fiercer. So grace takes occaſion hereby to ſtir up it ſelf ſo much the more, to ſet it ſelf ſo much the more in oppoſition to it; it maketh a child of God ſo much the more humble, ſo much the more watchful and full of prayer, if it be right with them, and neither ſin nor Satan gets by this at all. So if Peter be toſt in that ſieve of vanity, that temptation, and fall; O how it humbles him; and how afterward it fetcheth him off his own bottom! how valiant he grew for Jeſus Chriſt? And Hezekiah his pride in the buſineſs of the King of Babylon, how it tended to humble him ſo much the more; do we find it thus? doth ſin increaſe our grace, increaſe even by our falls? do we get ground of them yea or no? if not, it is not well with us. And thus much ſhall ſerve for the tryal.
The next Ʋſe then will be for Exhortation to us all. If we find that we have none of this, we grow not at all, we are a company of poor formal profeſſors, we are at a ſtand for proficiency, we know not what it means; I ſhould adviſe all ſuch, Brethren, to look to their ſtanding, their being in Chriſt; it may be you have been deceived all this while, and except you be in him, except the Sun of righteouſneſs be riſen upon you, it is in vain to put you on to grow, as to the event, though not as to the diſcharge of our duty. A rotten root will not carry the branches on to any increaſe, they may be at a ſtand a while, but they will wither and rot, and periſh as well as the root; look to your foundation, Brethren, me thinks I ſhould not need to preſs this upon you, you know for the notion as well as it can be told you, that except you be in him, you can bring forth no fruit, much leſs can you increaſe in fruitfulneſs. If you do not ſhut your eyes, Brethren, & wink with them, as they in the Goſpel did, they ſtopped their eyes leſt they ſhould Iſa. 6. 10. Mat. 13. 15.ſee with them; the Sun of righteouſneſs is ready to ariſe upon you, are you willing to have it ſo? would you have him to ariſe upon you? would you be made one with him? would you be found in him as the root, the head from whence righteouſneſs and holineſs proceedeth? deceive not your ſelves, Brethren, Chriſt offers himſelf to you all, every one that will may come and take him for his head, for his root, and ſo grow up in him; if thou wert willing, then what is the reaſon thou art not in him? well, ſurely then thou art not willing, (whatever thou pretendeſt) he would gather thee under his wings, as a Hen the Chickens, where they grow apace from the heat they are cheriſhed with; but ye would not, ye would not; look to this in the firſt place.
Secondly, you that are alive through grace, and have this union with Chriſt, and yet it may be find you grow little, or haply can ſcarce ſee that you have grown; now will you be exhorted in the name of Jeſus Chriſt, in the Apoſtles words, Grow in 2 Pet. 3. 18.grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; Labour to improve, to come on, to be fat and flouriſhing, content not your ſelves to be babes in Chriſt, no nor young men, but grow up to be Fathers. The proſecution of this Uſe, the general Exhortation, I ſhall firſt lay you down ſome particulars, wherein among others ſpecially we are to labour to grow, becauſe haply if we reſt in generals, each hearer hath not his skill to bring it to particulars. Secondly, the motives to enforce it. And thirdly, ſome general helps to growth, and then come to ſome other Exhortations.
Firſt then for the firſt, wherein ſpecially we are to look to our growth; and firſt in knowledge: we muſt …ook to it that we grow in the firſt place; as the Apoſtle hath it in that forecited place, Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: 2 Pet. 3. 18.Knowledge is not here put by way of contradiſtinct. from grace, as if it were no grace, but as being that ſpecial grace which doth ſo much promote and further the growth of all grace: beſide, the Papiſts tell us, ignorance is the mother of devotion, and that faith is better defined by ignorance then by knowledge, but the Holy-Ghoſt cals faith knowledge, by his knowldege ſhall my righteous ſervant juſtifie many, that is faith ſure; and this is life eternal, to know thee the only true God; now do but obſerve it; they boaſt themſelves Iſa. 53. Iohn 17. 3.ſo much of Peter, and how little they own him in this point; for ſaith he, grow in grace, and in the knowledge of the Lord▪ Jeſus Chriſt, the knowledge of a crucified Chriſt: Now ſaith the Papiſts, this is the way to errour and ſchiſm, and ignorance is the mother of devotion; juſt as the Jews made their boaſt of Moſes, and our Saviour confuteth them by Moſes whom they ſo much boaſted of, there is one who accuſeth you, even Moſes, in Iohn 5. 45.whom you truſt, for if ye had believed Moſes, ye had believed me, for he wrote of me. So there will be one that will accuſe them in this point of knowledge, even Peter, in whom they truſt. So the Apoſtle, that ye may grow up in him, ſpeaking the truth in love; the Eph. 4. 15.ſpeaking the truth in love, is the way to grow up in Chriſt; and ſo the receiving the truth, and the receiving of it in love; a well-qualified knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt and him crucified; and therefore the Apoſtle deſired to know nothing among them but this, if they knew Chriſt and him crucified, this knowledge would 1 Cor. 2. 2.produce whatever elſe is requiſite for them, not by its own power, but the Spirit of grace carrying it on. And ſo the Apoſtle to the Coloſſians, increaſing in knowledge, or the acknowledgment of God, and ſtrengthened with all might according to his glorious power, to all Col. 1. 10, 11.patience and long-ſuffering with joy. So the wiſe man himſelf tells us, a wiſe man is ſtrong, yea a man of underſtanding increaſeth Prov. 24. 5.ſtrength: Why, but you will ſay, may there not be much knowledge and yet little grace, and therefore is this too neceſſary to grow in knowledge? I anſwer, It is true, there may be much knowledge where there is little grace, as in many an hypocrite; 1 Cor. 8. 7.and many know much, but they know nothing as they ought to know it; but yet however there cannot be grace without knowledge, a compe…t conſiderable knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt and him crucified; Fuel may be where there is no fire, but the fire will not burn nor continue if there be no fuel; knowledge, is as I may ſay, the very oyl, the very fuel wherein the flame of the Spirit liveth in the ſoul, do but obſerve it, grace and truth came by Jeſus Chriſt, grace and truth, therefore grace aboundeth John 1. 17.now in the time of the Goſpel; he came that they might live, and live more abundantly, becauſe he came to reveal the truth in a more clear, full manner then before; when the vail is taken away, ſaith the Apoſtle, that was upon the face, then beholding Chriſt 2 Cor. 3. 18.with open face, we are changed into his image from glory to glory: and truly there is all the reaſon that can be for it, for whereby grace is begotten, by the ſame means it muſt needs be preſerved and increaſed: Now it is by the knowledge of the truth that we are begotten to God, therefore the Spirit is promiſed to be ſent forth to convince the world of ſin, and of righteouſneſs, and John 16.of judgement. And ſo ſaith the Apoſtle James, he hath begotten us again of his own will by his word of truth, and therefore by this means grace is kept alive, by our keeping this knowledge; and increaſed by the increaſing of this knowledge; Sanctifie them Iohn 8. 32.with thy truth, thy word is truth, ſaith our Saviour, concerning his Diſciples; ye ſhall know the truth, and the truth ſhall make you free; he ſpeaks here of a further progreſs, for they were his Diſciples already, only he promiſeth them further freedom and liberty from ſin, and this through the knowledge of the truth; how do men that are not right eſcape the pollutions of the world, but through the knowledge of the truth? as it is in that place, the 2 Pet. 2. 20.knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt: and how come they to wallow in their vomit again, to return to wallow in the mire, but by impriſoning and ſmothering the truth? the principles they have received put out the light, and then they may do what they pleaſe: the truth is, Brethren, all grace is conveyed through the underſtanding of men and women, becauſe the Lord works upon us as reaſonable creatures, and therefore propoſeth things to the underſtanding, that it may Judge of them, aſſent to the truth of them, and judge the goodneſs of them, and then propound them to the will to receive them, to cloſe with them, they Pſal. 9. 10.that know thy name will truſt in thee; the great reaſon wherefore poor ſinners are ſtrangers from the life of God is becauſe of their ignorance, as the Apoſtle ſaith, therefore the heathen call not upon Eph. 4. 18.God, becauſe they know him not; and therefore ſo many of us call Pſal. 79. 6.not upon him as we ought, becauſe we know him not; either we neglect it, or elſe do it in a ſlight ſlubbering manne…t is becauſe we know not God, what a God he is, ſearching the hearts, great and glorious, and jealous: what is the reaſon that poor creatures truſt not more perfectly to the grace that is revealed, but becauſe the eyes of their underſtandings are no more opened to behold the unſearchable riches of the grace which is in Jeſus Chriſt, which is able to ſwallow up all their mountainous ſins, waſh out their ſpots, though never ſo deep; pay their debts, though never Eph. 1. 18.ſo deeply charged: if poor ſinners did but know this, they would truſt more perfectly; what is the reaſon we are ſo familiar with ſin, and make no more of it? it is becauſe we know little or nothing of it in compariſon: Ah poor creatures, thoſe that crucified Luk. 22. 34.Chriſt knew not what they did, elſe they would not have done it; and poor ſinners now that ſtand it out in this their day, and ſlight the offers of grace, alas you know not what you do, elſe you would not do it; therefore if you would grow in any grace, all graces, in faith, in love, in any thing elſe, you muſt labour to grow in knowledge. O Brethren, if we had but a clear underſtanding of the dimenſions of the love of God, the freeneſs and fulneſs of it, that he ſhould ſet his love upon ſuch vile, filthy, polluted wretches, ſuch as had no comlineſs, but loathſomneſs upon us, and to bring us ſo near to himſelf, to be one with him, to be one Spirit, and live and reign for ever with him as Children, as a Spouſe: if the ſoul did but know this, O how would it love … Lord Jeſus again! would men be proud, if they knew this as they ought to know it? O no: therefore look that you grow in this: there were never more wayes and means to come to the knowledge of Chriſt, and him cr…cified, then now, if we be not wanting to our ſelves ſhamefully: we cannot conclude ignorance of theſe things: this is the way to grow. A man of underſtanding increaſeth knowledge: learn Prov. 1. 5.of any body.
Secondly, Labour to grow in faith; the Diſciples were ſenſible of this defect, therefore they prayed, that he would increaſe their faith; Faith hath a wonderful influence upon the ſoul in reſpect of all the Graces of the Spirit; Be it unto thee even as thou wilt: Luke 17. 5.Mat. 15. 28. ſa…h our Saviour to the Woman of Canaan; if we were but ſtrong in Faith, if women would have their Wils, this is the way; and if men would have their Wils, this is the way, to labour to be ſtrong in Faith; Faith is that whereby the union and communion with Chriſt is maintained; it is that whereby the ſoul cleaveth to him, and therefore according to the ſtrength or weakneſs of that Will, the growth in other reſpects be alſo; a ſtrong Faith draweth ſtrongly from him: all the nouriſhment is from him, and the ſuppl…es of the Spirit whereby it is digeſted, is from him; Now a ſtrong Faith draweth theſe from the Lord Jeſus more abundantly to the ſoul then a weak Faith: this is that whereby we ſuck the milk out of the breaſts of conſolation, the Promiſes; we feed upon Chriſt, Eat his fleſh, which is meat indeed, and drink his blood, which is drink indeed, no nouriſhment like to it; we do by Faith partake Ioh. 6. 15.of the fatneſs of the Olive, and therefore accordingly grow in other Graces; One ſaith of it, that it is Faith that virtually is all Graces, becauſe Faith fetcheth in the ſupplies of Chriſt to enable to all whatſoever; therefore it is that we are patient in tribulation, becauſe we believe; and impatiency, it proceedeth from the want of Faith; he that believeth, maketh not haſte; hence it is that we turn aſide from following the Lord, that there is ſo much unevenneſs in our walking; we cannot walk uprightly with God, becauſe of the weakneſs of Faith; if a man did believe God to be al-ſufficient, to have all fulneſs of good in him, and a full defence from evil, to be a Son and a ſhield, would men for a little credit, a little honour to avoid a little trouble in the fleſh, turn aſide from followin…he Lord? ſurely they would not. How often doth our Saviour rebuke his Diſciples for the littleneſs of their Faith? they had Faith, but it was very little; How long ſhall I be with you? how long ſhall I ſuffer you? ſaith he in one place, where they could not caſt out the Devil: And will not God take care of you much more then of Sparrows? O ye of little Faith! had they ſo much of his preſence with them, teaching them, and yet were but of little faith? Faith may grow objectively, when more is revealed.Our Saviour was diſpleaſed with it, he knew they could never do much to honour him while their Faith was weak: as now in the Goſpel, and more difficult caſes, as Num. 11. &c.