THE MEANS OF GROWTH IN GRACE.

SERMON V.

2 РЕТ. iii. 18.-Grow in grace.

LIFE and growth are exclusively from the Lord. An angel cannot create an insect, or make, without divine cooperation, a blade of grass to spring up from the earth. The Spirit who, at the beginning, moved upon the face of the deep, and converted the chaos into a world, still continues to actuate the system which he hath arranged; to multiply the forms of matter; and to give animation and activity to the different classes of being which rise up before us. Nothing in nature is permitted to remain perfectly idle and useless. The decomposition of one body becomes subservient to the organization of another.

Man, too, is formed for action; and cannot find either improvement or happiness in idleness. All the faculties of his immortal mind, and all the organs of his earthly body indicate that he is appointed for employment. The higher powers of his soul, as well as the more tender sensibilities of the heart, bear "a manifest reference to the career of activity which he has to run; and even his religion itself, is mere delusion when it teaches him to sink into apathy and indolence. "Wo to them that lie at ease in Zion: but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."

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Whatever may come, at last, of the mere professor, it is certain that every truly religious man shall grow up unto perfection. They go from strength to strength; every one of them in Zion appeareth before God. It is the glory of Christianity, to be worthy of its divine Author, and perfectly adapted to the condition of man. The purpose of God is the display of his own glory in the salvation of his people from sin and from misery. That purpose shall certainly be accomplished. I am God, and there is none like me; declaring the end from the beginning-My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure. This purposed salvation, secures the sanctification, the improvement, and perfection of man, as well as his redemption by Jesus Christ. It secures obedience to the commandment, as well as trust in the promise of our Lord. The perfection of the saints is predicted and predestinated; and this is neither more nor less, than to secure by the favour of God the certain improvement of their whole rational and moral character in the willing exercise of all their own faculties, cleansing themselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. In the progress of the Christian life, the grace of God and the duty of man appear together without discord and without strife. The misapprehension of unenlightened men represents them at variance, but true religion exhibits them in perfect harmony. Progress in holiness comes to us from the Holy Spirit; and human boasting is excluded: it is the duty of man; and ignorance, indolence, and negligence, are excluded in its performance. In the love and obedience of believers, there is no collision between the divine influence and the voluntary agency of man. Ye, therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things" Grow in grace."

It is common in Scripture to express all the parts of piety by some one part or principle of true religion; because all the parts are inseparably connected. The whole of personal godliness, is sometimes included in the words wisdom and understanding; at other times, faith, love, the fear of the Lord, &c. denote, in a single expression, the whole economy of the Christian life.

The word grace, in this text, is also employed to denote the whole of personal religion. The cause, in every language, is, by figure, frequently used to signify the effect; and as religion, in any man, is produced and continued by the favour of God, grace is often employed to signify vital godliness. Growth, is progress in religion. The latter part of the verse decides the meaning of the word. To grow in knowledge, is to increase the measure of our information; and, of course, to grow in grace, is to make progress in personal piety. How to make such progress is the chief inquiry of him who would conscientiously submit to the injunction of the inspired writer. The different degrees of gracious attainment, we have endeav

oured in the preceding discourse, to lay before you. The duty of going forward, making increase in godliness, is peremptory; and needs no confirmation. The means of improvement, you behove to know; and it is the object of this discourse to show you wherein they consist.

THE MEANS OF GROWTH IN GRACE

are threefold, Divine ordinances-Rational reflections-and the Spirit's influence.

I shall treat of these in the order in which I have mentioned them, and afterwards offer some concluding remarks. I. The ordinances of the New Testament are means of improvement in religion.

Every creature of God is at the disposal of the Creator, as the clay is in the hands of the potter. He hath established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom ruleth over all. Matter and mind are both governed by him; and have been placed under laws fitted by infinite wisdom for that purpose. To all his rational creatures God has given a law for the direction of their active power in their respective spheres; and fallen man, providentially placed under the light of the gospel, is bound by the divine law to embrace the offer of salvation in a Redeemer, and to observe the statutes predicated upon the revelation of the covenant of grace. Every wise and just legislator predicates his statutes upon the nature and actual condition of the subject. The promulgation of the gospel, places the sinner, to whom its benefits are offered, in a new situation. There, the authority of the divine Lawgiver finds him, and binds him to compliance under pain of aggravated guilt, and corresponding punishment. The ordinances of religion, moreover, like the evangelical message with which they are connected, are appointed of God for the salvation of sinners in Jesus Christ our Lord. They are instituted by our Redeemer as means of applying the purchased blessings to his covenant seed: and they are to be observed by us in order to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ

"The outward and ordinary means, whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption, are his ordinances, especially the word, sacraments, and prayer; all which are made effectual to the elect for salvation."*

1. Divine revelation, by its influence on the understanding, the heart, the will, and the conscience of man, in every condition of life, promotes the Christian's growth in holiness, in comfort, and in usefulness.

The communication of light from on high, is, in the hand of the Holy Spirit, the principal source of our religious improvement. The rational soul cannot, from its very nature, begin or go on, in a course of moral or spiritual reform, either personal or social, without information. Light is necessary in entering upon the path, and in travelling homeward to the place of endless rest. The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. In darkness and in ignorance, there is no faith, no piety, no comfort, no usefulness. Jehovah treats the creature in a way which corresponds with its nature and its destiny. To us, created reasonable creatures, in order to glorify him and enjoy him, he has graciously made a revelation of himself and of his will, adapted to our capacity and our condition. By visions, by dreams, by immediate suggestion from his Spirit; by the words, and the acts, and the writings of inspired men; by angels, and by a voice from heaven; and by his Son Jesus Christ, the image of the invisible God our heavenly Father

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form of sound words, which it is our duty to hold fast. They teach us, that there are means of grace divinely appointed; and they show what are these means. I know that many, who profess belief in the doctrines of our ecclesiastical standards, deny the existence of any means of grace. As this is done under pretence of greater accuracy of expression, I feel it to be my duty to assign my reasons for continuing the use of such phraseology.

Means of grace, are ordinances of God, whereby Christ communicates, to his ransomed people, spiritual life, and growth unto perfection. We say means of grace, not, because God cannot convey his blessing without them; not because God must confer his blessing on man in the use of them: for neither of these is true; but we call them means, because God has appointed them for the specified purpose; he commands us to use them for that purpose; and in his sovereign grace, he makes them answer the purposes intended.

The outward ordinances of religious worship, are appointed for some end; they are therefore means; they are observed for some end; they are therefore, means: they are made effectual to the elect for salvation; they are therefore means of salvation. The salvation itself is of grace; the institution and the benediction of the means are also of divine grace. We, therefore, say, and we say with great propriety, that the ordinances of the New Testament, are means of grace. It corresponds with the common usage to apply the terms in this manner. Mean, from the French moyen, signifies any thing that either leads or is intended to lead to something else. So shall my word be; it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Isa. lv. 11.

hath given us such discoveries of his attributes and his purposes; of our condition, our duties, and our privileges; and of the heavenly inheritance upon which we are about to enter, as may serve to promote our growth in holiness on earth. God, who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake in time past unto the Fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son. Search the Scriptures: For all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect.

You see, then, my brethren, that while you are commanded to grow in grace, you are supplied with means well adapted for that purpose. The Scriptures are profitable for that end; and they are given by inspiration of God in order to be profitable. He tells you what you ought to know, that knowing, you may go forward. The reading and hearing of the word of God; the acquisition of the knowledge of divine truth, in whatever manner, is calculated to strengthen our faith and our hope; to increase our love and our zeal; and, indeed, to make all the children of God more humble and patient; more active and useful; more holy and happy. To this end, too, we have assurance from the testimony of God that the appointed means shall be made effectual. "For as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth: it shall not return to me void."

The importance of religious knowledge, to the growing Christian, is easily demonstrated. A God of infinite wisdom and love has been pleased to reveal its objects to our understanding; and he has revealed them at great expense. He has not only given information to the creature, in a supernatural manner; but he also suspended and counteracted the operation of the laws of nature, in order to make the necessary communication, and to attest the divinity of the source from whence the stream of truth hath issued. Inspiration is supernatural; and miracles attest the doctrines delivered. Angels have left their place before the Father's throne, and have ministered in glad tidings to fallen men. The Redeemer was humbled unto death to illustrate and exemplify the truths which he testified: and, now that he is exalted above the powers of death, he sends the Comforter into the world for the instruction of his disciples. There is another witness to