The Sacred Diary, Section 33
SECT. XXXIII. Of growing in the Knowledg of Chriſt, and in Grace.
LAbour every Day to grow more and more in the Knowledg of Chriſt. Now there are two degrees of the Knowledg of Chriſt.
1. Hiſtorical, or Doctrinal.
2. Experimental, and Effectual.
1. As to the former, it is the knowledg of the Perſon, Natures, Birth, Life, Death, Reſurrection, Aſcenſion, Kingdom, Offices of Chriſt, Prieſtly, Kingly, and Prophetical, as theſe things are laid down in the Hiſtory and Doctrine of the Goſpel. And theſe contain abundance of glorious Myſteries, and wonderful Revelations, which all the Wiſeſt Men under Heaven could never have found out, no nor the holy Angels of Heaven, if the Lord himſelf had not revealed them by his Spirit. Chriſtians muſt grow in the Knowledg of theſe. But an Hiſtorical Knowledg, or a bare Underſtanding of theſe things is not enough, 1 Cor. 13. though a Man had all Knowledg, that is, of this degree, or kind. But,
2. Labour for an inward experimental knowledg of Chriſt, and to encreaſe therein. With St. Paul, count all things but loſs for the excellency of the Knowledg of Chriſt Jeſus; labour daily to know Him, and the power of his Reſurrection, and the fellowſhip of his Sufferings, and to be made conformable to his Death. Our Underſtandings are very weak, and it is but little that we can diſcern at one view; we have but weak and childiſh Capacities in reſpect of Heavenly Things, therefore we muſt endeavour to grow more and more in the Knowledg of Chriſt. Moreover, there is an admirable Depth in the Myſtery of Chriſt, and you can never come to the bottom of it, although ye ſhould be diving into it all your life long.
Look over all the objects of Knowledg, and can ye find a more pleaſing, a more joyous, a more comfortable Object to ſtudy, than the Knowledg of Chriſt, and his Love towards Sinners? What St. Auguſtine ſaid of the Joys of Heaven, Tanta eſt dulcedo; ſo great is the ſweetneſs of it, that if God ſhould let fall one drop of Heaven's Joy into Hell, it would turn Hell into Heaven, it would turn the Lakes of Brimſtone into Rivers of Joy; we may ſay as much of the Knowledg of Chriſt, and of his Love towards us: So great is the ſweetneſs of it, that it can turn an Heart full of the ſorrows of Hell, into an Heart full of the Joys of Heaven.
The more inwardly ye grow acquainted with Chriſt, the more ſhall ye delight in Him, and admire Him. The Queen of Sheba knew Solomon by report, and ſhe admired him ſo far, that ſhe took a long Journey to viſit him; but when ſhe was an Eye-witneſs, and an Ear-witneſs of his Glory and Wiſdom, ſhe admired him much more. So when a Chriſtian hath ſome acquaintance with Chriſt, he admireth and loveth him, but when he groweth more inwardly acquainted with him, he ſeeth much more cauſe to admire and love him. Such is the inward Excellency, Sweetneſs, and Perfection of Chriſt, that the nearer any one approacheth to Him, the more Admirable and Lovely he appeareth. The more ye grow in the Knowledg of Chriſt, the more will your love of the World, of your Selves, of your Sins, wear away, and die in you. If ye find your Souls to increaſe in the Knowledg of Chriſt, ye will find your Beloved ſo far to ſurpaſs all other Lovers, that ye will grow more and more out of love with them. Labour ye daily more and more to partake of the comforts of his Spirit, for Chriſt will ſhine forth brightly in theſe to your Souls. This Comfort is called, The Light of his Countenance, (Pſal. 4.) and therefore as the Light of the Sun ſheweth the Sun unto us, ſo that we ſee it by its own Light: So the Joys and Comforts of Chriſt's Spirit, (which are the Light of his Countenance) do diſcover Chriſt in a clear and excellent manner to Believers. Theſe ſhew Chriſt in his Beauty, and make the Soul to admire him, and cleave unto him. The darkneſs of Hell it ſelf cannot hide Chriſt from you, when he doth thus diſcover himſelf unto you by his own immediate Light.
Labour alſo daily to grow in Grace. Creſeens is a fit name for a Chriſtian, becauſe he ever is, or ought to be in a growing ſtate; Grace having the ſame efficacy upon the Soul, as the Soul hath upon the Body. Whilſt the Body is in a growing condition, the Soul enlargeth the Body in all the parts and dimenſions, that the Members may not only fill more Clothes, but take in more Nouriſhment, and ſo become ſtronger and more ſerviceable. In like manner labour ye, that your inner Man may truly grow up in Chriſt, in all things by the working of the Spirit of Chriſt, as the ſoul of that new Life that is within you, that ye may be meet Inſtruments of Righteouſneſs, to bring forth Fruit unto God. Be ſtill advancing, ſtill aſcending, always going forward unto Perfection, not only in Knowledg, but growing in ſolid Grace; not in external Profeſſion and Formalities, but in all good Works, which are more and better at the latter end than at the firſt. Endeaſour to be ſtill on the thriving hand, that ye may bring forth more fruit in old Age, than at the beginning; that ye wither not, nor decay, but ſtill be fat and flouriſhing: And this may be your comfort, although the outward Man decay, yet your inner Man is renewed day by day. And when ye cannot perform ſo much outward ſervice, as when younger and ſtronger in Body, yet your thriving Soul will glory more and more in your God, even to ſee others to ſtand up in your ſtead, whom by holy Counſel and fervent Prayers, ye may further in the Work of the Lord.
Labour every Day to grow more Spiritual, ſee that your Knowledg become more judicious, your Zeal more diſcreet; your Love more active and ſubſtantial; grow more to God, and leſs to your Selves and the World; ſettle your ſelves more and more in a good Courſe; and although ye ſeem not ſo fair outwardly, yet inwardly labour to be ſound at Heart.