GROWTH IN GRACE

My Dear Joseph:

YOUR progress in the divine life, is a subject which lies near my heart; and while I congratulate you on your introduction to the sacred enclosure, which the great Lord of the vineyard has directed me to cultivate, I am anxious that you should GROW IN GRACE, so as to become an ornament to the garden, and bring forth fruit to the glory of God.

The real Christian is the workmanship of God, but not like a statute, which is turned out of the workman’s hand, and continues precisely in the same state from the time it is set up, until it is removed: he is made alive to God, and wherever there is life there will be growth, though not always in the same proportion: it is therefore of some consequence to know wherein the Christian’s growth consists, and how it is promoted, that we should not be deceived in ourselves, nor stand like posts in the Lord’s vineyard, instead of trees of righteousness. On your behalf, my dear Joseph, I enter fully into the Psalmist’s prayer, “That our sons may be as plants grown up in their youth.”

In pursuing this subject let us not mistake improvement in nature for growth in grace, this is a common error, and has brought much distress into the minds of weak believers, who have been led to suppose, that growth in grace consists in the improvement of old corrupt principles, or diminishing the malignity of depraved passions; whereas, these will remain the same in their nature as long as we are in this body, only they are subjugated, and crucified, by the power of that principle which lives and thrives in the soul, the growth of which is the subject of this letter.

This growth is described by the Holy Spirit in the different states of babes, young men, and fathers, conveying the ideas of increasing strength, capacity, and stature; these, I think, are the most correct ideas we can form of growth of grace. When the child of God is born from above, or when grace first takes possession of the heart, it is certainly very weak, and we consider such an one as “a babe” in Christ: he knows but little of the doctrines of grace, and still less of the conflict between grace and nature; he can cry but he cannot talk—he can feel but he cannot describe his feelings—he can feed but he cannot take strong meat—he is alive but helpless and feeble —in a word, he has just entered a new world, in which he has every thing to learn, and can do nothing for himself. But when this babe obtains the sincere milk of the word, he grows thereby, and becomes “strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”

Growth in grace never makes a man strong in himself, it does not increase his vain conceit, nor augment his self-confidence, but just the reverse; every degree of spiritual strength he gains, convinces him more and more of his own helplessness and insignificance; so that when the child of God is “strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man,” he is most conscious of his own weakness, and becomes experimentally acquainted with the apostolic paradox, “when I am weak, then am I strong.” “Strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might,” yet exclaiming with the psalmist, “I am as a man that hath no strength” —”Not sufficient of himself to think any thing as of himself, but his sufficiency is of God”—Conscious of the truth stated by Christ, “without me ye can do nothing,” and answering to it as Paul did, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me”—in a word, the Christian’s growth is the daily fulfilment of our Lord’s promise, “My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

Moreover, as the child grows, his capacity expands, so that the advanced Christian looks back upon his past experience, and says, “when I was a child I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man I put away childish things.” The first lispings of a heaven-born soul are truly child-like, but as he grows he speaks more plainly the language of spirituality—his understanding is at first like the twilight of the morning, but as he grows it brightens to perfect day—his thoughts are at first contracted and confused respecting the things of God, but as he grows they expand, and compass the extensive range of gospel truth.

The first interview I had with you, my dear Joseph, compared with our subsequent intercourse, affords a striking illustration of this subject. It was indeed as difficult to make out what you meant, as it is to understand the first prattling of a little child, and I could only listen with paternal attention to finish the sentence you could but half utter; as the fond father catches with delight the first articulate sound of his infant’s voice. But since that period, we have conversed freely on divine things, and entered considerably into the glories of the gospel scheme; and I trust our future communion will unfold more of the deep things of God to your soul, so that “the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of his inheritance in the saints.”

The more your spiritual capacity enlarges the clearer will be your views of the grand doctrines of the gospel, and the more extensive your enjoyment of the riches of grace; hence the importance of the apostolic injunction, “Be not children in understanding;” hence also the fervour of his prayer for the disciples of Christ at Colosse, “that they might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, that they might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.” Thus, may my dear young friend grow until he knows the “love of Christ which passeth knowledge, and is filled with all the fulness of God.” Eph. 3:19.

Growth in grace may be further considered, as an addition to the stature of the new man, who is said to “grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ;” now growing up into him, must include growing out of self; and I think, all that can be said of growth in grace, is included in this one idea, a growing out of self into Christ; or, to use the language of scripture, “ye have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man.” The growing Christian is daily discovering more of the depths of depravity in his own heart, and consequently is increasingly disposed to renounce all confidence in the flesh; he is likewise advancing in acquaintance with the full, free and finished salvation of the gospel, and rejoices in Christ Jesus—he thinks less of the fluctuating frames of his mind, and more of the covenant love of his God and Father—his hatred to sin becomes increasingly evident, while his union with Christ the friend of sinners, banishes his slavish fears—he is out of his element when his carnal heart cleaves to the dust, and he sighs, yea, trusts for the promised influence of the Holy Ghost, to increase his spirituality, and engage his whole soul with God. In short, the growing Christian is described as “following hard after God.” “Pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus,” and having his conversation in heaven, looking for the Saviour.

To promote this growth, Jehovah has appointed the means of grace, and we generally find they are the most thriving Christians, who are most diligent in the use of these means, both in private and in public; and I think that those poor lukewarm souls, who content themselves with going to the house of God once or twice in seven days, must have forgotten that, “the Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.” Psalm 87:2.

Afflictions and trials are also frequently employed by God, to promote the spiritual growth of his saints: by these, he digs about their roots, and lops off their superfluous branches, then, watering them with showers of divine influence, and causing the Sun of righteousness to shine upon them, he produces the fruits of the Spirit.

Whatever means he may use for the perfecting of the saints, the work must go on, “till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”

That you, my dear Joseph, may grow very fast in acquaintance, with yourself, and with Christ, bringing forth much fruit to his glory, is the prayer of

Your affectionate pastor and friend,

Planted in Zion’s garden, sacred spot,
Inclosed with walls of everlasting love,
Oh! may I grow in grace; he daily prun’d
By his unerring hand, who ever loves
The plants of grace, and trees of righteousness
In Jesus rooted deeply—growing up
In him—till perfected in growth of grace,
The Husbandman transplants my soul to heaven.
There, in a milder clime, and purer air
To live, and thrive, a fragrant EVERGREEN.
Till then, oh! may I grow beneath his care,
Watered at root with showers of heavenly grace
And prove more fruitful every day I live.
Sheltered from blasting winds of heresy.
And wintry blights of pharisaic pride,
My soul would grow beneath the genial rays
Of heaven’s bright Sun—The Sun of righteousness.

Past be the winter of my carnal state;
Cold, dreary, barren, death-like scenes;
Hail, heavenly spring! the early life of grace,
Which puts forth buds and blossoms of desire,
Supplied with sap from Christ my living root.
Come Summer’s growth, which sets the blossoms firm,

In fruits of righteousness, by Jesus Christ,
To glorify the heavenly husbandman,—
Enrich the Church—repay the laborers toil.
Soon the Autumnal gathering time shall come:
Oh! may my soul be ripe for glory found,
And, when the barren fig-trees are cut down
As fuel for the everlasting flame,
May I in Jesus’ garner find a place.

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