2. Steady consistency of walk and conversation, 1 Thess. iv. 1. 3. Increasing devotedness to the work of God, 1 Cor. xv. 58. 4. Victory over besetting sin, John iii. 2. vii. 50, 51. xix. 39. 5. Deepened exercises of humility, Job xxvii. 2—6. xl. 4. xlii. 5, 6. 6. Discriminating love for divine things, Phil. i. 9. 7. More spiritual perception of the path of duty, Col.i. 9. III. What are the peculiar hindrances to growth in grace? 1. Self-indulgence, 1 Kings xi. 1—6. v. 11. 3. Want of brotherly love, 1 Cor. iii. 1-4. 4. Allowance of false doctrine, Gal. iii. 3, 4. iv. 9—11. v. 7, 8. Rev. ii. 14, 15. 20. 5. Forgetfulness of early impressions, Rev. ii. 4. 6. Lukewarmness of spirit, Rev. iii. 15. 7. Undue connexion with the world, Hos. vii. 8, 9. 8. Neglect of the throne of grace, Jam. iv. 2. IV. What are the means of growth in grace? 1. Abiding in Christ, John xv. 5. 2. The ministry and ordinances of the gospel, Eph. iv. 11, 12. Col. i. 6. Ps. xcii. 13, 14. 3. Appetite for the word of God, 1 Pet. ii. 2. 4. Watchful and persevering diligence, Heb. vi. 11. Is. xl. 31. 5. Increasing knowledge of the Saviour, 2 Pet. iii. 18. 6. The improvement of affliction, John xv. 2. 7. The outpouring of the Spirit upon the soul, Is. xliv. 3, 4. Hos. xiv. 5-7. 8. Walking in the fear of God, Mal. iv. 2. V. What are the fruits of growth in grace? 1. The glory of God, John xv. 8. Phil. i. 11. 2. The encouragement of his people, Ps. xcii. 14, 15. 3. The stability of our christian profession, 2 Pet. i. 5-10. 1 Thess. iii. 12, 13. 4. The assurance of our hope of glory, 2 Pet. i. 11. What marks do I perceive, upon serious enquiry into my state, of growth in grace? Is there uniformity in my growth? If I can assure my heart before God that some advance has been made, is it accompanied with a deeper consciousness of I my short comings, so that the language of my experience is, "Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect?" XLIX. 2 PETER iii. 18. And in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The knowledge of Christ is the principle of eternal life in the soul, John xvii. 3. It is the supreme desire of the child of God, Phil. iii. 10. That the children of God may attain their Christian stature, Eph. iv. 13. Growth in grace is invariably accompanied by growth in this knowledge, 2 Pet. iii. 18. I. Growth in the knowledge of Jesus Christ implies, Enlarged views of Scripture truth, Eph. i. 18, 19. Col. ii. 2. Heb. vi. 1. Deeper comprehension of the love of Christ, Eph. iii. 18, 19. Continual exercises of dependence on him, Eph. iv. 15. Col. ii. 6, 7. More established faith in the promises, 2 Tim. i. 12. 1 John v. 13. A more practical exhibition of the Gospel, Eph. iv. 20-24. 2 Pet. i. 5-8. II. The means of obtaining growth in knowledge, are, The teaching of the Spirit, Matt. xvi. 16, 17. John xvi. 14, 15. 1 Cor. xii. 3. 1 John ii. 20. v. 20. Consciousness of our low attainments, Phil. iii. 12-15. Perseverance in the ways of God, Hos. vi. 3. John viii. 31, 32. Diligence in secret prayer, Acts x. 30.32. The serious hearing and study of the word, Ps. cxix. 98, 99. 104. 1 Tim. iv. 6. Increased peace of mind, 2 Pet. i. 2. Supply of all needful blessings, 2 Pet. i. 3. Increased usefulness in our appointed sphere, Acts xviii. 26-28. Increased devotedness in the service of iii. 18. O Lord, I thank thee that thou hast in any measure revealed thy Son in me. May increased knowledge of him in his offices and character, bring increased love to him, that he may dwell in my heart, and that I may set him forth to the church, "This is my Beloved, and this is my Friend." L. JOHN xiv. 16. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever. As the Saviour was the promised blessing under the Old Testament dispensation, John v. 39. So the Holy Spirit is the distinguishing blessing of the New Testament covenant, Acts ii. 38, 39. The representative of the Saviour's presence, John xiv. 18. The fruit of his intercession, Acts ii. 33. |
