Ans. Walk accurately and heavenly ; God gives it after a long and close walk- ing with him. 1. Observe your hours; set time every day a])art for God. 2. Mourn for sin : mourning is the seed (as Basil saith) out of which the flower of spi- ritual joy grows, Isa. Ivii. 18., " I'll rest(;re comfort to his mourners." 3. Keep the book of conscience fair written : do not by presumptuous sins blur your evidences: a
ence with him ; by a close walking with God, we get these bunches of grapes by the way, which are an earnest of future happiness.
Quest. 7. Hoiv shall wc comfort them that watitjOy ?
Am. Such as walk in close communion with God have more than others.
1. Initial joy, joy in semine, — in the seed, Ps. xcvii. 11., " Light (a metaphor for joy) is sown for the righteous." Grace in the heart is a seed of joy ; though a Christian wants the sun, he hath a daystar in his heart.
2. A believer hath real, though not roy- al comforts ; he hath, as Aquiuiis saith, gmidiinn in Deo, though not a J)eo, — ;joy ' in God,' though not ' from God.' Joy in God is the delight and complacency the soul takes in God, Ps civ. 31., " I will be glad in the Lord." He that is truly graci- ous, is so far joyful as to take comfort in God ; though he cannot say, God rejoiceth in him, yet he can say, lie rejoiceth in God.
3. He hath supj)orting. though iu)t trans- porting comforts; he hath so much, that keeps him from sinking, Ps. cxxxviii. 3., " Thou strengthenedst me with strength in uiy soul." If a Christian hath not (iod's arm to embrace him, yet to uphold him : thus .a Christian, who walks with God, hath something that be.ars up his heart fi"om sinking, and it is but waiting a wliile, and he is sure of those joys which are unspeak- able, aiul fidl of glory.
Use \st. Then see that religion is no me- lancholy thing ; it brings joy ; the fruit of the Spirit is joy, — Mutnfiir non tolitur. A poor Christian that feeds on bread and wa- ter may have piner joy than the greatest monarch ; though he fares liard, he feeds high ; he hath a table spread from heaven, good conscience is the ark where God puts — angels' food, —hidden manna; he hath
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OF GROWTH IN GRACE.
sometimes those sweet raptures of joy, as a cause of jubilation of spirit, 2 Cor. xii. 3., he liath tliat which is better felt than can be expressed.
Use 2. If God gives his people such joy in this life : O then what glorious joy will he give them in heaven ! Mat. xxv. 21., " Enter thou into the joy of thy Lord," Here joy begins to enter into us, there we shall enter into joy ; God keeps his best wine till last. Pleliogabalus bathed himself in sweet perfumed waters : what joy when
the soul shall for ever bathe itself in the pure and pleasant fountain of God's love ? What joy to see the orient briglitness of Christ's face, and have the kisses of those lips which drop sweet smelling myrrh ? LcBtabitur sponsa in amplexibus Domini, Aug. O ! if a cluster of grapes here be so sweet, what will tlie full vintage be? How may tliis set us all a longing for that place where sorrow cannot live, and where joy cannot die !
OF GROWTH IN GRACE. 2 Pet. iii. 18. But grow in grace.
THE fourth fruit. Growth of grace. True grace is progressive, — of a spreading, growing nature. It is with grace as with the light : first, there is the crepusculum, or daybreak, then it shines brighter to the full meridian. A good Christian is like the crocodile, quamdiu vivet crescit, — he hath never done growing. The saints are not only compared to stars for their light, but to trees for their growth, Isa. Ixi. 3., Hos. xiv. 5. A good Christian is not like Hezekiah's smi that went backward, nor Joshua's sun that stood still, but is always advancing in holiness, and increasing with the increase of God, Col. ii. 16. Now to amplify and illustrate this :
Quest. 1. Huw many ivays may a Chris- tian he said to grow in grace ?
Ans, 1. He grows vigore, — in the exer- cise of grace ; his lamp is burning and shining, therefore we read of a lively hope, 1 Pet. i. 3. Here is the activity of grace ; the church prays for the blowing of the Spirit, that her spices might flow forth, (^ant. iv. 16.
A. 2. A Christian gi-ows gradi/, — in the degree of grace ; he goes from strength to strength, Ps. Ixxxiv. 7. viz. from one de- gree of grace to anotlier. A saint goes from ' faith to faith,' Rom. i. 17., and his love abounds more and more, Phil. i. 6. Here is growing in the degree.
Quest. 2. Wiat is the right manner of a Christian's "roivth ?
Ans. 1. The right manner of growth, is to grow less in one's own eyes, Ps. xxii. 6., " I am a worm and no man." The si^ht of corruption and ignorance makes a Chris- tian grow into a dislike of himself, he doth vanish in his own eyes. Job abhor- red himself in the dust, ch. xlii. 6. This is good, to grow out of conceit with one's self.