of the earth serve the Lord with fear rejoyce ye with trembling Kiss the Son Kings and Princes and great Men are very apt to forget themselves as if so be that there were none above them as if so be there were none to check and controul them You know how Pharaoh carryed himself Who is the Lord Ah! but there is a Lord above all Lords there is a King above all Kings even the Lord Jesus Christ whom God hath set to be King upon his holy hill of Sion And the right Knowledge of Christ the well improved and advanced Knowledge of Christ it will promote a holy fear and awe and reverence of him and of the great God who hath constituted and appointed him Lord and King I might speak largely to this Particular but I 'll pass it by Thus I have endeavoured to make it appear to you in these Particulars How the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus well improved how it doth contribute to a growth in Grace I would now tell you this further That the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ it is such a Knowledge as is most beneficial to us in respect of Gospel-Duties and Services and doth contribute very much to the lively management of them And therefore it may well be required of Christians and Believers that they grow in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and that upon this very account Because I say that the more we know of our Lord Jesus Christ the more shall we advance in the lively performance of Gospel-worships and Duties and Services which the Lord requires of us Alas Brethren it is that which may well be matter of shame and mourning to think how low we are as in Graces so in gracious Performances and in holy Services What 's the account that is to be given of our daily Services that we perform Sabbath-worships and Duties Alas what kind of Sabbaths do we keep and what kind of Prayers do we perform and offer up to God what kind of Worships are they that we present before the Lord O! if we would but take an account of our selves we might see cause enough to fall a weeping over every Dâ—… we perform When we come to attend the Ministry of the Word and to do our Service to God it appears by mens carriages what a loosness of spirit there is an unfixedness of spirit on God and there is not the breathing after the enjoyments of God in the way of his Ordinances And so for Prayer and other Services What may be the reason of this We may well reckon upon this It is because we are not more advanc'd in the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ we have not heart-Knowledge so duly improved as it should be concerning our Lord Jesus For Brethren this is 〈◊〉 that we should know concerning Christ That his heart was upon his Work and business and when he prayed he prayed as one that was in Heaven And O what wrestlings of spirit was there on his part with God! He prayed most earnestly and O how intent upon the Duty of Prayer when he had to do that and when he was to Preach O with what intention of soul was that Service performed And when he had the last 〈◊〉 to keep O with desire have I desired to keep this Passâ—… O Father it is meat and drink to 〈◊〉 to do thy Wâ—… Thus it was with Christ Now if we had but a well-digested Knowledge of this it would make us ashamed of our selves and make us put on with more activity and vigour of spirit thinking with our selves what a pattern we have in Christ. And then if we did but consider That Christ is the great High-priest of our holy 〈◊〉 and that he hath ingaged himself on the behalf of his People both to procure their acceptance and to vouâ—…hsafe them assistance Now consider but this And these things we ought to know concerning Jesus our Lord That it is his undertaking to procure acceptance and to give assistance for now he hath all power in his hands The power of the Spirit to give strength to his People to inable them to make their prayers and supplications and to perform their Worships and Services I will strengthen thee I will help thee I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness my Grace is sufficient for thee Thus Christ hath signified concerning himself for the comfort and incouragement of his People And then withal this is to be known concerning our Lord Jesus That he appears in Heaven before his Father to promote their acceptance and to plead their Cause and as the High-priest to present their Services and to sprinkle them with his own blood and to desire the Fathers acceptance of them Now if this were but duly known concerning Christ and we had but a well improved and digested Knowledge concerning this that now I give you an account of O how much would it conduce to the quickning up our hearts to a lively performance of our Services when we shall consider what an example we have in Christ of Duty and Service to God And then that he hath undertaken to afford assistance and to procure acceptance this would make us go on with more life and vigour in the wayes of Godliness And then I would have told you farther That there is all the reason in the world Christians should endeavour a growth in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ Because as this Knowledge well improved conduces to a judiciousness and to a well ordering of the Conscience and to the increase of all the Graces and to the promoting of our Duty so by a well improved Knowledge of our Lord Jesus we shall come to have the more kindly relish of Gospel-priviledges and suck the sweet of them and come to know what there is of comfort and soul-rejoycing to be found in these Priviledges And then this Knowledge well improved O how will it conduce to bear afflictions to the incountering temptations and inable the Soul to the well ordering of a Gospel-conversation to the glory of God SERM. XIV I Shall pass by what was the last Day hinted to you only now suggest some few Particulars more which if we were but acquainted with the Knowledge of we should quit our selves better than we do in this Gospel-worship and service of Prayer As now Did we but know and seriously ponder upon this That Christ himself was very much in this Service that he was a constant practiser to his very Death of this Duty of Prayer If this were but well considered that Christ was very much given to prayer and if he could not have opportunities in the day time he would fetch it out in the night and be in the night season pouring out his soul before his Father Thus it was with Christ he was given to Prayer and his last breathings were breathings in a way of prayer into his Father's bosom And then consider this this is that that
A TREATISE OF Growth in Grace IN SUNDRY SERMONS Preached by that lately eminent Servant of JESUS CHRIST SAMUEL SLATER late of St. KATHERINES near the TOWER Psal. 92. 12 13 14. The righteous shall flourish like the Palm tree he shall grow like a Cedar in Libanon c. Hosea 14. 5. I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall grow as the Lilly and cast forth his roots as Lebanon Heb. 13. 7. Remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken unto you the Word of God whose faith follow considering the end of their conversation London Printed for R. Boulter at the Turks Head in Cornhil over againgst the Royal Exchange 1671. To the Reader READER THE Subject of this Book is Growth in Grace a noble Subject yea the most noble for what is more excellent and desirable than Grace and Growth in it Thereby our Election likeness unto God union with Christ inhabitation of the Spirit ripeness and readiness for Glory are clearly evidenced unto us This is therefore the principal Argument wherewith a gracious Soul should be taken and lay out the principallest of its time and strength in getting thereof and growing therein It argues ignobleness of spirit to set any limit or measure to Grace and Holiness shorter than what the Spirit of God it self hath set viz. The measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ whoso doth it blunts the edge of desires and endeavours and will sit down content with one grain of Grace The Reverend laborious and judicious Preacher of these Sermons whose Growth in Grace was well known would have you not only gracious but eminently gracious Cedars not shrubs which will tend to your greater advantage than can be express'd Be pleased therefore to read and seriously consider what is herein tendred unto you and you will find your hearts so warm'd thereby that you will be of the Authors mind concerning the great Duty of growing in Grace which that you may be and so do is the Prayer of him who desires your Perfection SERM. I. 2 Pet. 3. 18. But grow in Grace and in the knowledg of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ To him be Glory both now and for ever Amen WHen the Apostle had cautioned the holy persons that he deals withall concerning their stedfastness and stability he subjoyns â—…in the words that I have read a further duty and brings it in with a but importing that it was not enough for them for to keep their stedfastness not sufficient to the discharge of them that they lost no ground that they did not go back that there were not a retrograde motion But they must look onward saith he you must be careful that you do not fall from your stedfastness I but that 's not all you must not only be stedâ—…st and setled in your condition and state but you must be upon your advances you must be careful of this that you grow not only that you do not decay but that you increase not only that you do not abate but that you do advance not only that you hold your own but that you get more and more of the Grace which you are already partaker of A great duty which I would speak something to and the point is clearly and plainly from the Text this Doctr. That they that are called to be partakers of Grace must be careful of this that they grow in Grace They that have Grace have it in the truth of it must not rest in that No they must not but their duty is to grow in Grace Now will you consider a little this burden of duty It is properly to be laid upon the shoulder and back of a Saint It is a duty properly belonging to such as have Grace to perform It were a vain thing for to perswade a man that hath no life in him for to look to his health to the improvement of his strength It is as vain a thing for to perswade a man that 's dead in sins and trespasses that is a stranger to Grace to perswade him to abound in Grace to grow in Grace There must be Generation before there can be Augmentation there must be life before there can be growth And therefore that which is properly to be urged upon such as have no Grace is that they would look about them and so far as may be get in with God Though it 's true it is impossible for any person that is a stranger to Grace to perform any act of Grace in order to the partaking of Grace but we must wait upon God using exhortations and see how the Lord will please to come in and set them home upon the heart But such it 's their duty whether they can do it or no It 's their duty to look out after Grace to have it that so having it they may increase in it But otherwise for increase and growth in Grace that 's not a duty so properly to be charged upon persons that are strangers to it And let such consider with themselves how sad their condition is Such as have no Grace at all how sad their condition is upon this account That they are not in a capacity for to have such a duty imposed and charged upon them But secondly Consider that this duty of growing in Grace It is most properly belonging to them to perform that are already partakers of Grace That have sparks stricken by God their duty is that they nourish and cherish their sparks and do labour to bring it up to a flame Grace it is a seed of Gods casting into the soul and sometimes it is very inconsiderable as to the bulk and magnitude of it but like a grain of Mustard-seed I but it â—…mproveable and it is a duty incumbent upon them that have this Seed cast into them to improve it that it may grow up to a great tree It is a duty It 's most true also that it is a priviledg It is the priviledg of a Saint and Believer that he shall grow They that are planted in the house of the Lord as we had it in the Psalm that we sung they shall flourish in the Courts of our God They shall spring flourish as the Palm-tree grow as the Cedars in Lebanon This is the priviledg this is one branch of the Covenant that God hath made with his people I but you must know that these priviledges they are not granted to us that we should be careless and sloathful but rather to quicken us up to diligence in duty And indeed our duties do lye much in priviledges that which is a priviledg is also a duty As to instance It 's the priviledg of a believer that he shall be kept through the power of God through Faith unto unto Salvation But it is withal the duty of a Believer to keep himself He that is born of God he keepeth himself and the wicked one toucheth him not And Gods keeping of his Saints is by the means of
this is our duty to endeavour such a growth in Grace as that there may be much of Grace and but little of sin that the house of David may grow stronger and stronger and may appear so to do by the house of Saul its growing every day weaker and weaker Oh Christians so should you labour to grow and to grow to such a degree to such a measure and proportion of Grace that you may be able to say Truly the case stands so with me heretofore it stood thus with me that I could scarce tell how to do a duty and to turn my hand upon any holy duty but now through the Grace of God and his blessing upon the means I have used I am come to that pass now that I can scarce tell now how to commit a sin this is the growth we should press after I can do nothing against the truth I could do little for the truth I can do little or nothing against the truth I had strength to sin and I was very weak to duty weak for prayer and weak for beleeving and weak for conflicting with corruptions I but now Grace is so improved in me that now I am able to do any thing I am able to do all things through Christ and by his Grace in me I cannot sin for my heart as once I could this is the growth that we should press after I such a growth in grace we should endeavour to as that we may be upon all occasions commanded by the Scripture and by Scripture-arguments and reasons and swayed with them whatsoever arguments come to the contrary Truly this is an argument of a soul well improved in Grace and in the things of God when Gods arguments will bear sway with it all other arguments they signifie little or nothing but an argument drawn from the Command of God from the Love of God and from Grace such an argument will prevail I shall sin against God if I neglect this duty if I commit this I shall dishonour Gods I shall offend my Brother I shall wound my Conscience I shall walk unsuitably to the Name that 's call'd upon me to my holy Profession I shall walk unanswerably to the Grace that I am planted under when such arguments as these are of a prevailing power it 's an argument that the Kingdom of God is come with power into our souls when Christs arguments are the swaying and the prevailing arguments with us Thus now I have been driving this business for my own part I profess to you and the Lord help us to consider wisely of it I hope I may say in regard of the Grace of God implanted it doth as much concern me as any one of you that I press on you to a growth in Grace it 's as much my duty as yours and as much your duty as mine and it will be a woful account that we shall give another day if you and I shall appear before the Lord Jesus Christ and shall have this charged upon us you preach'd indeed a growth in Grace and you that were the hearers you heard concerning a growth in Grace but neither Preacher nor Hearer set your selves to answer your duty Now ow shall we give account of this if you will go away with meer notions and rest in this for I tell you there is a great deal of danger that you lye open to in passing over Sermons of this nature making no great matter of them You have heard the Discourse and have been called upon to this purpose Grow in Grace and in the mean time please your selves with this conceit well it matters not it is a mysterious thing we know not what to think of the matter whether there be such a growth as is spoken of we will look to this to see that there be Grace in the truth of it and so put off the matter of growth I tell you that this is dangerous We must as we will approve our selves to God and walk worthy of the provision he hath made to us it is our duty that as we have received Christ Jesus the Lord so to walk in him grow up in him that is the head and increase with the increase of God and hold some proportion to time and means and ordinances and pains that God takes with us and that our profiting may appear unto all men SERM. VII IT is our duty as you have heard to grow in Grace and so to grow that our profiting may appear unto all And it is that which concerns both Preachers and Hearers and all sorts of Professors of Godlyness that they endeavour this that their profiting may appear appear to themselves appear one to another And if you will ask me how we shall make it to appear that we do profit that there is an improvement that we do grow in Grace how shall we make it appear supposing that there is a willingness and the heart is brought to this that it may be made to appear you may without any great difficulty attain to a resolution this way Do not you know how men make it appear that they have more strength of body than others they make it appear by greater activities and by doing more and greater services You know how men make it appear that they are richer than they were that they are increased in their estates why they will if they be ingenious and be not base and sordid and slaves to their injoyments make it appear in a suitableness in their deportment and carriages and expences and layings out they will fare better and they will go better apparelled and they will be more ready to give and they will drive greater trades you know this as well as I and better to you know how men make it appear that they are richer men of more able estates why and do not you know how you may make it appear that you are better men in Christ that you are better in Godlyness that you have more Grace than you had Surely you cannot but reach this apprehension and know how you may make it appear that you are so that you are better in Faith and Godlyness Wicked men they do make it clearly to appear that they are worse than once they were they will act more vigorously for the Devil and in opposition to God and to the waies of Godlyness Wicked men they make it clearly to appear that they do grow worse and worse they are more prophane more proud they discover themselves so to be by rising higher and higher in their impieties and insolencies against God and discovering themselves without shame and any check without any startling at it discovering themselves that they are resolv'd upon it for to go on with a high hand in their evil way Why now cannot you tell you that are the sons and daughters of Grace that have the Grace of God in you the Truth in you and whose duty it is to grow in Grace Cannot you tell how you may
in the mean time the heart little with God if any thing at all not raised up to God not set to injoyment of God and of holding communion with the Lord Jesus never come to settle upon this thought why this is Gods means that he hath provided for my improving in Faith and Godliness I do profess for my own part I do not know in all the World what to speak more to the purpose as touching this Agument which is an Argument that doth most neerly concern all that are partakers of the Grace of the Lord Jesus for to look after 10. Your duty is to grow in Grace Now that you may do so I would offer this to your consideration Do but rationally weigh these things that I now offer to you You that have Grace your duty is to grow in Grace That you may do so study Heaven and the Glory that is to be revealed I tell you I look upon it as that that is beyond all controversie that well raised apprehensions of Heaven the Glorious estate there will make us to put spurs to it and set on with diligence and care If we did but know the interpretation of Heaven what Heaven is we get a notion of Heaven but know not what it is what it is to be in Heaven what it is to injoy God in Glory what it is to be with Christ and Angels what it is to be in the possession of those blessed mansions above If we did but study Heaven more certainly it would make us put on with more diligence look about us and set us upon a vigorous performance of Grace and that we may increase in it Consider a little you that have Grace you are entituled to Heaven 't is your inheritance the portion which your Father hath set out for you I but what is this Inheritance It is an inheritance incorruptible undefiled that fadeth not away There is in Heaven the vision of God the most Glorious God There is a Communion an everlasting Communion with God and with the Lamb a following of the Lamb for evermore There is the injoyment of sweetest communion with Christ and with Angels and glorified Saints There is such Glory as eye hath not seen ear hath not heard it cannot enter into the heart of man to conceive It is an amazing thing what the state of Heaven is what the Glory that is there to be injoyed There is fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore If so be that a man would but think of this O! is Heaven such a place such a holy pure place is there so much of the Glory of God appearing there This will make a man to argue thus with himself Good Lord what manner of person should I be that I may be fit for to come there that I may be fit to set â—…y foot upon that holy Ground O what manner of person ought I to be how shall I endeavour to be purged and cleansed according to that which the Apostle speaks in the 1 Epist. Joh. 3. saith he He that hath this hope in him he purifies himself as God is pure Such and such a thing is Heaven there is such glory and beauty there such glorious objects to behold and such delights and pleasures to be injoyed what manner of person ought I to be that I may be meet to be partaker of the inheritance of the Saints in light Certainly the thoughts of Heaven being well digested will make us to set on and be a conducement to an advance in Grace and Holiness 11. Lastly your duty is to grow in Grace Suppose you have it in the beginnings of it O bless God for what you have but withal pray that you may have more Prayer doth net obtain the first Grace You do not â—…et the first Grace by prayer for a man cannot pray to speak of prayer according to the proper use of it there 's no man can pray till he have Grace There may be something done in the strength of a common conviction a person that 's convinc'd of his cursed estate and terrified upon the conviction and apprehension he may come to send out some kind of desires O I would it were better with me for all that I see my condition is very bad and sad and naught But a true desire after Grace cannot be till there be something of Grace in truth The first Grace it comes not upon our prayer but to be sure the after Grace is to be fetch'd in in the way and by the means of prayer and therefore we are to ply the Throne of Grace as the Apostle exhorts Let us â—…me boldly to the Throne of Grace Throne of Grace to the God of Grace that we may obtain mercy and find Grace that we may find more Grace Heb. 4. O Lord thou hast stil'd thy self a God of Grace and thou hast made a Covenant of Grace and thou hast ordered out thy Son as a Fountain full of Grace and thou hast made promises of Grace O Lord bestow more Grace O Lord hold not thy hand the Disciples they cry out O Lord increase our Faith the poor man in the Gospel breaks out with tears Lord I believe O Lord help my unbelief Lord I have a little love to thee O let my love increase Lord let my Faith increase Lord let my Holiness be more and more increased Lord let there be more and more You have a promise Open thy mouth wide I will fill it These things now I have suggested to you and have endeavoured to commend them in as pressing a way as I can that so you may perform your duty as touching growth in Grace I would now have spoken something by way of encouraging Arguments only thus at present I would have you to consider what a mercy it is that God will make this the matter of your duty you that are gracious persons upon whom he hath bestowed any Grace what a mercy of God it is that he should make this one of your duties and require this of you as a point of duty that you should grow in Grace as if a great man should say to a poor one that he hath set his love upon Friend I have freely given thee 100 l. as a stock to begin the World now go thy waies and imploy this 100 l. and see what improvement thou canst make of it and I require this of thee that thou do advance in thy estate and if thou needest 100 l. more or three or four hundred pound more come to me and I will supply thee still for I would have thee to grow rich you would think this were a high act of courtesie and kindness if a man should do so Friend I charge you see that you grow rich you have so much in stock and I will supply you still with more and more but only do you look to this that you grow rich Thus God doth in respect of Grace Indeed he doth not deal thus with us as to the