above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us unto him be glory in the Church by Christ Iesus throughout all ages world without end Amen In 1 Tim. 1. we have the Doxologie formed thus Now unto the king eternal immortal invisible the only wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen In the Epistle of Iude we have the Doxologie formed thus Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy To the only wise God our Saviour be glory and majesty dominion and power now and ever Amen And in the Text thus To him that is to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ To him him be glory both now and for ever Amen These are the Scripture Doxologies some of them which I have now referr'd you to And you may observe there is something of variation in words and terms and whereas in the other Doxologies the glory is ascribed and voted up unto God by Jesus Christ in the Churches here the Doxologie is made to refer unto our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and so the Apostle carries it in reference unto Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever Amen You must not think that Peter was more devoted to the promoting of the honour of Christ than of the Father and of the Spirit nor that he doth exclude the Father and the Spirit the eternal Father and the eternal Spirit from out of the bounds of this Doxologie or that he hath not an holy aim at the Glory of the Father and of the Spirit as well as at the Glory of the Lord Jesus the second Person no nothing less than so The truth is no man can honour the Son but in honouring him he honours the Father and the Spirit too no person can give glory to Christ but he must give glory to the Father and to the Spirit too but the wisdom of the Spirit appears in this and his direction that sometimes the Doxologie should in terms be referred unto God Father Son and holy Spirit sometimes it should be so formed as to have a reference unto the second Person considered as Mediator and so in the Text And there may be some reason why the Apostle Peter should refer this Doxologie unto our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ not mentioning in terms the Father or the Spirit and putting it in the ordinary form To God only wise To the great God be glory for ever But thus To him who is our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ be glory now and for ever There may be this apprehension that the Apostle Peter minding and remembring the great disservice that he had done to Christ when he was under his abasing and what dishonour was done to him by his threefold shameful denying of him he would now leave the best Testimony behind him that he could of his devotedness to the exalting of his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ he would leave the best Testimony to all Posterity that he could And so in this Epistle and in this closing Doxologie he makes mention of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ voting and wishing up making this application to him praying this and wishing this and voting this unto him that Glory may be unto him both now and for ever Amen And so you have this more general account concerning these words Where you have some matter To him be glory To him to whom To our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be Glory a Duty or a Vote an Apprecation that is a praying unto him A fit word to be used the sense whereof is as I say an Apprecation a praying up to Christ a praying over to Christ a voting over to Christ To him be glory This is the Apprecation And then there is the Time To him be Glory Now Now let him have Glory now while there is time while time continues and as long as there is any time as long as there is a Now as long as we can say Now why so long let glory be to him To him be glory Now now in this present time and as long as time shall continue as long as there is but a nick of time if there be but a Now of time one now even now and in this present time be glory to him And then For ever not now only but let it be for ever let it be a standing business let there be acknowledgment of honour and glory to Christ Now I and when there shall be no more time even in Eternity let there be an acknowledgment of Glory to Christ Jesus Now and for ever in the Original it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto the day of Eternity Now and unto the day of Eternity to him be Glory to him be Glory now and to him be Glory In diem eternitatis â—…en to the day of Eternity Such a day there 〈◊〉 come and it will be such a day as will swallow up Time that came out of the womb of Eternity before Time was and Time shall be swallowed up of the Eternity that shall follow when Time shall be no more and that shall be a standing and lasting day a day that shall know no night and a day that shall know no limits and bounds but it shall be a lasting day and a day of Eternity Such a day there will be which shall be a dreadful day unto wicked ones that live and die in unbelief and impenitency they shall have a day or rather a night of eternity a black burning night that will never have a dawning morning no never have a dawning morning But then there will be a bright and lightsom Sun-shine day that shall never have a cloud upon it a day of Eternity and in this day of Eternity this work is to be performed and this Glory in this long day of Eternity is appointed and voted up to the Lord Jesus To him be Glory both now and to the day 〈◊〉 Eternity And then we have the confirmation of all Amen O let it be so Amen O so it shall be unto this Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ be Glory for ever Amen O be it so Amen O it shall be so I thus the Apostle shuts up this pretious Doxologie this blessed Epistle which I have treated of so long Now what are we to gather from hence This is the only thing that remains to be done which is to give you an account of this one Point from the Text. That they that are acted by a Gospel Spirit have any saving Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are and will be most strongly devoted to the Glory of Jesus Christ to have Glory given to Jesus Christ. This is the Doctrine and consider of it well Now and for ever and will come in with their vote and say Amen This is the thing that I offer There was never since the Gospel sounded in the World never any
may say Through the Grace of God I can say I am most fearful to sin and to do any thing that 's displeasing to God and when so O especially then when I am least fearful to be punished and plagued for it The less I have of the fear of hell and damnation and the more I have of a holy confidence towards God that I shall be everlastingly saved the more am I fearful with a holy filial fear to do any thing that may be displeasing to my God here 's the well-grown Faith and it argues much feebleness in the Faith of a Christian and it gives occasion to sometimes to question the truth of it When persons upon the apprehension of their justified state they are ready to take liberty to sin You know how the Apostle argues against this Shall we continue in sin because Grace hath abounded God forbid Nay the Faith of a Beleever well improved will fortifie his spirit against such a temptation and against the assaults of the Devil and corruption and say Seeing the Grace of God hath appeared to me and magnified it self upon me in a pardoning way in a renewing way that Grace I reckon upon as that that shall abide upon me and shall ingage it self to perfect all the concerns Justification Sanctification everlasting Salvation this makes a holy fear to flourish in my soul that I may not in any thing carry it unbecomingly and unsutably to such a state This is the well-grown Faith that we should press after Yet further when I press you to a growth in Grace and especially in the Grace of Faith thus you shall be able to judge of it We should endeavour to be of such a growth as that whatsoever Grace is implanted in us and to what degree soever whatsoever our accomplishments are in the renewed state and according to the new creature whatsoever there is of inherent Grace and of gracious abilities yet we can so look upon our inherent Graces and spiritual Abilities as to keep off from placing any confidencee in them but still keep a full relyance upon the Lord Jesus Christ. This is our duty that whatsoever is of Grace inherent in us yet that it be not trusted unto Grace in the soul is but a creature 't is one of the best pieces indeed of all Gods creation that ever were made by him yet it is but a creature and being a creature it is not to be trusted A man must not trust in his trust he must trust with his Faith but he must not trust to his Faith he must not trust to any spiritual strength or abilities that he hath in him but still keep a dependence upon Christ reckon upon Christ as the strength that will be sufficient for him It was the answer that was given to Paul when he was under those sore buffetings saith he Paul My Grace is sufficient for thee Paul's Grace was not sufficient any further than it was made sufficient by Christ's Grace It is not the water in the Cistern that will serve the turn but the water in the Fountain dependance upon the Cistern will be found to be a vain thing the Cistern may be exhausted but the Fountain cannot You know how it was with Adam when he had the Grace of Creation it fail'd him Peter when he was strong in himself you know what his confidence in himself issued in and therefore I say such confidences even in our own Graces are to be accursed the Lord rejects such confidences and so should we We should use our Graces but trust not to them but still keep a dependance upon the Lord Jesus according to the Apostles charge to Timothy Be thou strong in the Grace that is in Christ Iesus And truly this is that that will not be performed but by a well-grown Faith when we can thus do see the Grace of God in us prize it bless him for it imploy it make use of it and yet notwithstanding keep hands off from it from trusting upon it and keep a full dependance upon the Lord Jesus Christ that 's another thing Again grow in Grace grow in Faith 't is your duty and to what purpose to such a purpose that while we do and perform duties with greatest delight as indeed Faith will carry us to that it will make a man delight in the Law of God and in the waies of Holiness and performance of holy duties account it meat and drink to be in the practice of them yet while we are in the performance of duty that even then when we have done to lay them by and say this is not my foundation O Lord I have done thus and thus It may be much in preaching much in prayer much in alms much in acts of mortification much in such and such services I but Lord when I have done all I do profess that I have done nothing to purpose nothing to my justification I so do duties as if I were to be justified by them yet I so trust upon Christ as if I were not to meddle with my duty at all O this is precious Faith and well-improved Faith when we can do service and duty to God and yet when we have done all we can take off from all lay all at the foot of Jesus and say O Lord this shall never be my Righteousness I will endeavour to be as righteous and holy and gracious as I can but Lord when I have done all I can I am resolved to lay all by and will make mention of thy righteousness and of thine only and I am resolved I will never plead any righteousness of my own any duties and services of my performance I will never plead them before thee as my Righteousness I may plead them as evidences as Hezekiah doth Remember Lord how I have walk'd before thee in truth and with a perfect heart but I will never plead them as my righteousness which I will stick to and bear upon them before the tribunal of God no I will throw them all away when they offer themselves to come in upon such an account Alas poor weak Beleevers O how apt are they to keep hands upon their duties and services and when a day of temptation and dissertion and perplexity begins to seize upon them they begin to turn their eyes to what they have been and done I but the Faith of a Beleever when it comes to its due growth will otherwise carry the soul and make it to keep its dependance upon the Lord Jesus Again your duty is to grow in Grace and especially in Faith and such a growth as that while you give attendance upon an Ordinance you can see the authority of God stamp'd upon it and upon the account of that authority which is stamp'd you give the attendance and you reckon upon it as a blessed expedient which God hath provided for your souls advantage and you reckon upon gracious communications from God by it as by such an expedient of his own
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
World there are many they will be rich in the World and they decree and resolve upon it that they will be rich I sometimes whether God will or no. They carry the matter as if they would be rich whether God will or no. They would be rich rich in the World and they have no warrant for God hath not required this of any man that they should grow rich in the World He requires they should do their duty and if he will come in with a blessing so they ought to be thankful but he doth not command them to be rich in the World but there are that will be rich and resolve to be rich and so they run themselves into snares and temptations and many hurtful and noysome lusts that drown mens souls in destruction I but here 's the Grace of God to his poor servants His will is that they should be rich in Grace and he doth encourage thereunto by promising that he will prosper you in your way He hath given you such a stock he will give you more provided that you do but your duty and it is his mercy that he hath made it the matter of your duty to grow in Grace 2. And then reckon upon this for your encouragement and the quickening of you in your endeavours this way To be sure grow as much as you can you will never grow too good for God you can never have too much Grace you can never have too much Faith nor Love nor Holiness Godliness knows no bounds You can never have too much of God and Christ and Holiness When the foolish Virgins saw themselves at a loss as touching their oyle and come to the wise to buy of them nay say they spare us there we have none to part withal we will keep what we have gotten lest we should not have enough for us and you And so make account of this that when you have grown as high in Grace as you can you will have no over-pluss you will have none to spare SERM. VIII IT is God's great mercy that there are any in the World which have any Grace in them and that God should make such a pleasant and precious plant to take root and spring up in such a soyl as the soul is so barren of all good and so unapt to receive any good Now as it is God's mercy that any have Grace so it is their duty that have it for to grow in it and this duty you have been over and over charged with But I shall now come to what remains to be spoken concerning this Argument which I shall give a brief account of and then come to what follows in the Text. 2. The further encouragements unto the lively and vigorous prosecution of this matter a strenuous endeavour to grow in Grace the incouragements they are very great and I desire that you may know the force and power and vertue of them in your own hearts 3. If so be that you do indeed make it your business and do endeavour this to grow in Grace and shall do so as you are very like to do it if you endeavour after it you will have this advantage you will not be altogether so apt to be unsetled in your apprehensions concerning your state you will not be so much upon the questioning point concerning the truth and reality of the Grace of God in you as many are when you come to be of some considerable growth in Grace when you come to have much Faith and much Love and much Holyness much of the Fear of God you will not be so apt to be questioning the point and fluctuating in your souls concerning your Grace but you will be able to bear up against temptations of that kind and ready to make your confident avouchments and say if you be questioned about your Faith Yea Lord thou knowest I do believe Be questioned about your Love as Peter was Simon lovest thou me Yea Lord thâ—…u knowest I love thee And truly this is a great advantage that will come over to us by improvement in Grace for the truth and soundness of Grace it doth appear by its growth it is a clear demonstration that a plant lives wâ—…n it grows it may live and yet there be no discovery of its growth but when there is a growth there is a plain demonstration that the plant is alive and this benefit will come over by growing in Grace And while poor weaklings in Grace that are of low attainments and are apt to please themselves in their lower measures will be apt to be shaken by every wind of temptation and be put upon the questioning point upon every occasion whether there be any Grace in them yea or no. They that have but a little Faith a little Grace they will be apt ever and anon to be fluctuating in their spirits and doubting within themselves whether there be any thing of God and Christ and Grace in them Well-grown Christians will be able to bear up with a holy confidence that of a truth the Grace of God is in them 4. This incouragement we have to endeavour a growth in Grace God will be the more glorified Christ will be the more magnified the Gospel will be the more credited the more we have of Grace we shall be able to quit our selves honourably in our way of duty in our way of suffering Herein is our Father Glorified that we have much fruit and bring forth much fruit 5. God will glory in such and make his boast of them as he did of Iob Do'st thou not see my servant Iob that there is not a man like him in the earth an upright and a perfect man one that seareth God and escheweth evil The Lord doth make a holy boast of his eminent servant that was so raised up in Grace and Holyness And you know what our Saviour speaks concerning the woman of Canaan O woman great is thy Faith be it unto thee even as thou will Truly there is very much in that to consider of men and women of advanced Faith and Grace O! how Christ doth Glory in them and what is it that he can deny them Be it unto thee even as thâ—…u wilt draw thy requests and I will under-write them I will say amen to them what can God deny a soul that is improved in Grace of all others such are like to have the highest communications from God for this we may well think that God will order out his communications of mercy and comfort to his people according to their capacities the larger the vessel is the more liquor it takes in and accordingly the more shall there be communicated unto it Narrow hearts are like to have but little because they can receive but little they are little in capacity and are like to be accordingly but little in the communication that shall be made unto them 6. This will be our encouragement to endeavour a growth in Grace we shall by this means credit
to be known concerning Christ that this Word and Mystery which is given of the Father to Christ his ear hath been opened to listen to it most attent upon it according to that expression in Psal. 40. Sacrifice and Offerings thou would'st not Christ's ear was not much attent upon that Sacrifice and offerings thou would'st not But mine ear hast thou opened Thou hast opened mine ear to another Doctrine to another Word which concerns the salvation of souls by a sacrifice that must be offered up by me this mine ear is open to And so you have it in Isa. 50. The Prophet there speaks in the person of Christ he wakeneth morning by morning and saith he he makeneth mine ear to hear as the Learned The Lord God hath opened mine ear and I was not rebellious The Father gives the word delivers it him and the ear of the Son our Mediator is open to him 3. You are to know concerning Christ that this Word and Doctrine which is the subject matter of our Preaching and your Hearing as it is given to Christ by the Father and as his ear is open to it so it comes with all delight and complacency into his heart as you shall find in Psal. 40. First he saith Thou hast opened mine ear and not only so Thou hast bored mine ear and not only so but O Father thy Law is in mine heart and I delight to do thy will O this word that thou hast given me it 's the joy of my heart it 's the rejoycing of my soul that there should be the contrivance of such a word given to me and intrusted with me mine ear hears it as a most melodious sound my heart entertains it O my God thy Law is in my heart O it s the joy and rejoycing of my heart to think that ever thou should'st trust me with such a Doctrine as this 4. Consider that this word the Word and Doctrine of the Father thus given to Christ unto which his ear was opened and to which his heart gave such joyful entertainment to This Word and Doctrine Christ he comes to be commissioned from the Father to Preach and to make it known He hath not only an ear to hear it and a heart to imbrace it but he must have likewise a mouth opened to publish and proclaim it and this he is commissioned to This is to be known concerning our Lord Jesus that he is commissioned of God to make a solomn publication and promulgation of this Word that it may be made known to the World And therefore you have it in Isa. 50. The Lord hath given me not only to hear as the Learned but to speak as the Learned First he hath the ear of the Learned to hearken to it and then it 's exprest that he hath the tongue of the Learned that he may be able to speak a word in season to a weary soul. This is the commission that God hath given him that he should Preach and make this everlasting Gospel this word that comes out of the Father that he should make it known to the World and the truth is Brethren this that I say is of a truth to be known and acknowledged of us That Preaching work the Preaching of the everlasting Gospel and word of Reconciliation it is more Christs work than the work of any man in the World True it is the base beggerly World and the imbased spirits of the people in the World they look upon Preaching-work as a poor low mean service and look upon those that are imployed about it as persons that are little to be regarded And this is the good entertainment that the Ministers of Christ and of the Gospel have ever had in the World Generally they look upon a Preacher and upon a Preachers work as a poor low piece of service the person mean and his imployment little to be regarded I but if matters were well known this would be apprehended that the preaching of the Word is most properly the work of Christ himself He that is the great Mediator He that was in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God took upon him the form of a servant and he was pleased to accept of a commission from his Father to be a Preacher and to preach the everlasting Gospel As soon as he had suffered and was risen again he came and preached to the World as he did to his Disciples before his Resurrection and so likewise before his sufferings He came with commission from the Father to preach the Word which was given him out of the bosome of the Father That Word which is the subject matter of our Preaching and your Hearing it is the word which Jesus Christ is ingaged to preach and publish and make known to the World and I say again it is more Christ's work than it is the work of any man in the World and those that are called out to this service they are called out to the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. 5. And then add this further that this Lord Jesus Christ he hath that interest in the Father which none in all the World hath besides to the purpose of fetching out whatsoever there is of further Mystery and of discovery to be made concerning the Counsel of God the Word the Doctrine the Eternal Counsel which lay hid in the breast and bosome of God from all Eternity that Counsel that Word and Doctrine which hath so much of lustre in it Christ hath this priviledge above all creatures in Heaven and Earth above Angels Saints glorified in Heaven militant on Earth Christ hath this priviledge above them all to fetch out out of the Fathers treasury that which no Angel nor Saint in Heaven or Earth hath the priviledge to meddle withal Christ hath obtained this of the Father he hath this interest in the heart of the Father that he may with boldness come and take out whatsoever there is of secret Counsel in the Fathers bosome that concerns the Church of God to the end of the World He may be bold to come and challenge this as his priviledge Father if there be any secret yet undiscovered to the World I claim the priviledge to be acquainted with it and to have the discovery of it and to make it known unto the World This is the priviledge belongs to Christ. As now to give an Instance in Rev. 5. where you find there mention made of a Book in the right hand of him that sate on the Throne a Book written within and without and on the back-side sealed with seven seals a book full of Mysterie but a closed book nay a sealed book nay sealed with seven seals Hereupon the Proclamation is made with a loud voice by an Angel Who is worthy to open the book and to loose the seals thereof Here 's a book full of Mysterie and matters of high concernment to the Church of God to the end of the World Who is worthy
purpose and yet not know to such a degree as they ought to do and so are culpable as not answering the duty of the Text which requires a growth in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. You may be able to make a Judgment by the things that have been so largely handled in the Doctrinal part of this Text Much hath been spoken according to what my line would reach to concerning the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. And here now is this to consider of whether we be not deserving blame upon this account that though we know something and it may be something to good purpose in the saving knowledge of Christ yet we have not set our hearts to make the advance in this knowledge and that progress and to come to such a measure and degree in knowledge as we ought and might have done according to time and means and truly I think that there is none of us but we may find this cause to complain Ah sweet Saviour how little do I know of thee I remember how that holy Agur doth bemoan himself even upon such a like account Prov. 30. Surely I am more bruitish than any man I have not the understanding of a man I neither learned wisdom nor have the knowledge of the holy Thus he bemoans himself O surely surely we may most complain and say O sweet Saviour how little a matter do I know of thee Some little smatterings there are but alas it 's nothing to what might be known and apprehended concerning thee And what 's the fruit of this That Believers holy Persons such as have the grace of God in truth have not more advance in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Mysteries of his Kingdom what are the consequences and truly the consequences are the evidences that there is not that advance and that growth in this holy Knowledge How sad are the consequences that Christians know no more of God are not more insighted in the Mysteries concerning Christ. 1. Whence it comes to pass That we advance no more in faith for undoubtedly if we grow more in Knowledge we should grow more in Faith Did we but more clearly apprehend and understand the Mysteries of the Gospel concerning our Lord Jesus what a curious cast there is in the business of salvation by Jesus Christ did we but more clearly understand and apprehend and know the continuance of that Mysterie it would most largely contribute to the promoting of a Beleevers faith and the unbelief would fall flat down on its face before this Knowledge if so be it were but duly improved 2. Again This is the consequence We love the Lord Jesus with a poor inconsiderable degree of love Why Because we know but little little of his excellencies little of that pretiousness that is inhim and as our knowledge is so will our love be much knowledge much love little knowledge little love Surely if we had but more through acquaintance with Christ we should come to have our hearts more fired with the love of Christ our hearts would burn within us if so be that we had but more intimate acquaintance with him and had but a more clear understanding of the Mysteries of the Gospel 3. And so for Desire O if so be there were but that advance in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus our desires would sparkle and flame out most strongly after this desirable Christ. When the Spouse had informed the Daughters of Ierusalem what a choice one what an incomparable one he was then they cry out O thou fairest among Women tell us whither thy Beloved is gone that we may seek him with thee 4. Whence is it that there is so much straightheartedness to the pretious priviledges of the Gospel that we do not prize them more that we do not set our hearts more upon them That great priviledge of Justification of Adoption of access to God of acceptance with God and that God should not be ashamed to be called our God to which I spake the last day Whence is it that we be not taken more with holy admirings of these great and glorious priviledges but because we are not more insighted in the Mysterie of the Gospel concerning Christ. Whence is it that we do not make more account of Justification forgiveness of sins which is a most pretious mercy We do not know Christ as we should and what it cost him to bring over to us the forgiveness of our sins 5. Whence is it that we are so apt to be tampering with that accursed thing with sin that we are so apt to be upon complyance with it and upon gratifications of it and of the lusts of it We know not Christ did we know Christ what he suffered that he might satisfie the Justice of God for the sins of his People what soul-conflicts he had and how he was pressed under the burden of the wrath of God that he might deliver his People from the everlasting Curse and Condemnation it would make us fear and tremble and take heed how ever we deal with that accursed thing and throw away that bloody knife that cut the very throat and stabb'd the very heart of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. 6. Whence is it that we are so apt to be meddling with the World and apt to have our hearts set upon these beggerly vanities here below Whence is it but because we know not our Lord Jesus Christ as we ought to know Did we but know what a pretious Christ he was we would set light by the World and account nothing of it in comparison of the Lord Jesus 7. Whence is it that poor souls are so apt to be tossed with every wind of Temptation and to be unsetled upon every occasion as touching their peace and inward comfort but because they are very short in the knowledge of the Mysterie concerning our Lord Jesus Christ and the riches of Grace that discovers it self in him As let the guile be what it can be that may be represented to the Conscience the Conscience may yet upon the true knowledge and apprehension of the Grace of God in our Lord Jesus bear up with boldness and make a challenge unto men and devils and say Who shall lay any thing unto our charge when we know that concerning Christ concerning his Death concerning the merit of his Sacrifice concerning his Acceptance with the Father concerning his pleading in the behalf of his People at his Father's right hand We have that knowledge of the Lord Jesus that we bear up with glorious confidence and with blessed boldness and we are not afraid to look men and devils in the face we know who it is that is once for all entred into the holy place that is not made with hands and appears before God in heaven representing the merit of his Sacrifice and for our parts we now can triumph with a holy boldness and say Who shall lay any thing to our
doth in the close of this Epistle give this in charge unto the Saints and Believers that they look to their growth in Grace These things I do subjoyn to the Discourse I maintained the last day Applic. And now I shall come to the Application of all Truly there is a great latitude wherein I might proceed I might have proceeded in the Doctrinal part and so might in the Application and Use making of this point but I shall contract my self as much as I can First of all we may gather from hence That forasmuch as it is a duty charged upon those that have Grace that they do grow in Grace We may infer from the premises that Christians and Believers are not perfect at once they have not their perfection in a moment The womb of Gods decrees and of the promises do not bring forth perfect births that are perfect at once A Nation may be born in a day a Saint may be born in a moment but he is not born a perfect Saint in a moment Believers have not their perfection at once It is otherwise in the second Creation than it was in the first Adam was created a perfect man perfect in righteousness and holiness at the first 't is not so in the second Creation 't is not so in the Regeneration In the first Generation it was thus God makes the womb to travel and bring forth and the births were perfect births 't is not so in the Regeneration Perfect births there are though they are such as shall be brought in due time to their perfection It 's a saying of one No man is perfectly wicked at first so no man is exactly and perfectly godly at once Grace it comes into the soul by Gradatem by degrees now a little and then a little the light of a Saint it 's like the light of the day that breaks out more and more untill it comes unto the perfect day thus it is in Grace But take this withal we speak of Grace as it is inherent Grace as it is a quality implanted in the soul. There is this difference to be put between Justification and Sanctification and so between Adoption and Sanctification Justification perfect in a moment it doth not admit of degrees a man is not more justified at one time than another It 's true a Believer may be more clear in the apprehension of his Justification he may come to have more comfortable assurance of his Justification at one time than another But Justification it is once and together and it is perfect A justified man is as much justified upon the first act of believing and closing with Christ as ever he shall be all his daies though his justification is not so fully manifested And so Adoption a child of God that is to be made partaker of the Adoption he is as truly a child of God at first as in process of time But it is not so as touching Sanctification Sanctification it comes in in a gradual way sanctified a Believer â—…s and is more and more sanctified he is made more holy he is brought to Faith and comes to have his improvement in Faith And so it 's true of all other the inherent Graces they are brought on by degrees 2. I infer thus That if it be the duty of Christians and Believers to grow in Grace this is a duty and according to the will of God Then certainly 't is no duty to grow in sin but rather the contrary we have Gods allowance and his command for it that there be a growth in Grace Why it 's contrary then unto the will and command of God that any person should grow in sin you have no command for that nay there 's no allowance for men to be any thing in sin it is the will of God that we be not sinful it is the express command of God that we do not sin then certainly we must reckon upon it that it is altogether contrary to the will and command of God that persons should grow in sin and yet alas how much is there of such a monstrous hellish growth in the World We may observe how men grow from bad to worse they grow bigger and bigger and more bulky in their wickednesses and prophanenesses from day to day according to what the Apostle fore-tells in the last daies 2. Tim. 3. Evil men and deceivers shall wax worse and worse They are bad enough when they are at the lowest and yet as if it were not sufficient they must be upon their advancings and improvements in wickedness thus it is with many A woful growth to see men shooting up a-pace in wickedness increasing in their ungodliness growing up in pride and prophaneness and coming up to a height in impiety Thus it is but woe be to them who are found to be persons of such a growth that grow in sin that grow most strong to act their impieties and to carry on their mischievous designs and bear up in waies of ungodliness As touching such I say this That they will know in time that their growth is stinted and their measure is determined Grant it that they do fill up the ephah they shall do no more than so 〈◊〉 and when the ephah is once full the talent of lead shall be surely laid upon it to sink it down into everlasting destruction But 3. Consider this It is a duty charged upon us and especially such as are partakers of the Grace of Christ that they grow in Grace Let us now reflect upon our selves especially such of us concerning whom it may be presumed and hoped that the Grace of God is in them Truly it is a great duty and 't is that that God expects the performance of from us and 't is that which I am sent this morning for to deal with you about you that are the sons and daughters of Grace you that are partakers of the Calling of God according to his purpose it is that which lies upon you to bethink your selves concerning this matter 't is a duty clearly lying before you in the Text 't is requir'd of you God hath given it in charge that you grow in Grace You are as much bound to grow in Grace as you are bound to have Grace it is as much requir'd of you that you increase in Faith as that you be in the Faith it is as much requir'd of you that you endeavour perfecting of holiness as that you be partakers of holiness this is your duty and this is that which the Lord doth in his word up and down require at your hands Then consider you that are and may be presumed and hoped for to be the sons and daughters of Grace as I was saying Let me beseech you in the name of the Lord Jesus that you would but bethink your selves and consider Do you perswade your selves in your consciences and have you some good ground to be so perswaded that the Grace of God is in you in the truth of it
that God hath kindled a spark that God hath made a plantation that he hath made some impress upon your spirits are you so perswaded Will you then consider with your selves that this duty lies upon your hand it is incumbent upon you you are charged with it that you grow that you do not rest in this that you have a spark but that you improve it to a flame that it be not only a plantation but that it be an augmentation this is the will of God this is that that is required of you The Father that hath begotten you by Grace and begotten you to Grace hath begotten you not that you should alwaies be babes in Grace no he hath not he would have you to be upon your growth and increase and that you may increase with all the increase of God this is your duty and you cannot deny it you must acknowledge it the text doth charge it upon you besides many other Scriptures that you grow in Grace I but is it so can you give a good account of it Nay consider whether your consciences have not this to blame you for and to use very sharp discipline upon you in regard in that of a truth you do not much intend this matter you do not much mind growth in Grace Truly I am very apt to think that there are many professors of the Gospel who it may be and we may comfortably hope they are sound in the main have the root of the matter in them and yet entertain very little thoughts of the matter concerning their growth The great business that they ingage themselves unto is this that they may labour to make as sure work as they can that there be the truth of Grace in their hearts that there be the root of the matter that there be a spark from Heaven struck into them and that is all Consider now whether that be not justly chargeable upon us if we can but make it out that there is a change wrought that there is something of the Grace of God in us that there is a quickening power that hath been put forth upon us that we are passed from death to life that we are not wholly under the power of darkness but that we have got an escape from under that black regiment under which we were held before and which we belong'd unto if we can but make this out we are apt to think that all is well enough if so be that we can but find that we have a Faith though it be but as a grain of mustard-seed if we have but a Faith of adherence that we can but hang upon Christ for life and salvation we are apt to please our selves in that condition and not driving on for increasing and improvements in the Grace that we have Truly Brethren this is a matter that would be seriously weighed and I speak now of a growth in Grace many may be found that are studious of a growth in gifts very much set to this to make advances in their knowledge in their parts and abilities that they may be accomplished for such and such services and for discourses and maintain controversies and disputes according as immergent occasions may ingage them But as for this growth in Grace O consider whether this be not chargeable upon us that we do not so much mind that nor do not commune with our own hearts and enter into a serious search with our selves O my soul how is it with thee Thou pretendest to be brought over to Christ and to have a plantation into Christ and thou reckon'st upon so long standing in Christianity thou hast been so long in Faith and brought over to Holiness O but my soul what progress hast thou made what advances are there what increases are there what account canst thou give this way O do we thus commune with our own hearts What am I better this year than I was the last I have lived so long under such and such precious powerful and plentiful means God gives me the showers and dews from Heaven from Sabbath to Sabbath distilling and dropping down upon me I have precept upon precept and line upon line but where 's my growth what am I the better how do I credit the means and ordinances that I do attend upon by my prosiciency Truly Brethren consider well of it it is a serious matter and that that we should be very solicitous about and so as persons that may be able to give a good account of our selves I tell you that it is an argument of a low spirit a spirit not so well becoming a Saint in Christ one of the called of God according to his purpose for to be contented as I have had occasion sometimes to speak with Ruben's blessing I allude to that passage of Moses concerning Reuben in the 33 Deut. Let Reuben live and not dye as if he should say It was a judgement indeed upon him that he should not excell because he had gone up to his Fathers couch he should have been the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power but he miscarried and prejudiced himself with respect to his advancement but yet that blessing he hath That he shall live and not die And so many it may be They can be content to set down with Reuben's blessing so they can but live and may not dye and damn If they can but make it out that they have so much Grace as will secure them from eternal perishing that they shall not go down to hell that they are passed from death to life and shall never come into condemnation If they can but make it out that there is something of the Grace of God in them though it be never so small so as that they shall not be put upon the left hand in the great day this is all they look after A low spirit unbecoming a Saint of God unbecoming the Gospel of Grace which we are called unto the fellowship of which doth so strictly and solemnly charge upon us that we be upon our improvement O Brethren as if so be that this were a spirit becoming a Saint of God! To look no further than this that there be a securing from hell and from eternal perishing whereas we should set our hearts upon this that we may not only have so much Grace as may distinguish us from the World and by which we may make it appear that we are not of the World but we should labour according to the spirit of the Gospel to be so advanced in Grace that we may be the honour of God and that we may carry on the cause of Godliness in an honourable and in a crediting way We should labour after so much Faith and so much Love and so much Holiness and so much of the Fear of God that we may go on strenuously and that we may be found to praise and honour and credit the cause of the Gospel and may not shame the ordinances that