4cth Sign. Fourthly, A perfect Christian hath siveet communion ivith Christ, and can go to God ivith holdness, without fear of judgment or terror of his presence. Whereas the weakest are driven to God by fear, others by hope, this man comes to God, being moved by a sweet disposition of love.
5th Sign. Fifthly, A strong Christian is not moved with any change either of prosperity or adversity. Weak brains are soon overturned with strong waters, so weak Christians are soon drunken with prosperity. But a strong Christian, in any prosperity, is pliable and fit for anything. David in the midst of all his royalty saw a greater blessedness than honour and riches : * Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sin, and in
PHILIPPIANS CHAP. Ill, VER. 15. 115
whoso lips is no guile,' Ps/xxxii. 2. In adversity also a sound Christian ■will not shrink, knowing God cannot bo changed, though his estate may alter ; and therefore he ' can want as well as abound,' growing stronger in patience as in other Christian graces. But it is contrary with the weak Christian, for every cross strikes at his heart, and at the foundation of his faith, making him presently doubt of God's love and favour to him.
(jth Sif/u. Sixthly, A f/rown CInistiaii he is experienced to find out Satan'a devices and plots, and can put a difference between the motions of the flesh and the spirit, and therefore knows what corruption to weaken and what grace to strengthen ; whenas a new beginner, for w^ant of practice and experience, sees not these things ; and therefore, ere he is aware, runs into many offences, and looks for no remedy.
7th Sif/n. Seventhly, A u-eU-grounded Christian can ivithstand the hitter blasts and oppositions of this ivorld ; nothing could move Paul, nor separate him from the love of God ; but a weak Christian either is blown away, or at least shaken, with every blast ; as it is in young trees newly planted.
8//i Sirpi. Eighthly, A (/rounded Christian bears with the infirmities he sees i)i others. He pities them, and helps them if he can ; but judges not of them as those that are weak, who for the most part are captious. ' You that are spiritual must restore,' saith the apostle, ' those that are weak, with the spirit of meekness,' Gal. vi. 1. So as it is the weak ones that are scandalised, and as they are soon offended, so do they soon give occasion of offence to others by their ill example. But the grown Chris- tian endeavours to live free from ofience ; in the least things he is watchful against Satan's wiles.
dlh Sif/n. Ninthly, A perfect tnan doth viost of all others see into his jiar- ticular wants, and looks hence after a further degree of grace ; and there- fore the apostle bids such as are perfect to forget things past, not to look on those that are before,* but to see what is yet before to be attained unto, and to press forward thereunto.
10//i Si(/n. Tenthly, A strong Christian is of ability and, endeavour still to beget other Christians. It is the property of a grown creature to beget its like. A weak Christian hath enough to do to look to himself.
There may be many more signs named, but these will suffice. Let us come to the means whereby we may grow to this strength and per- fection.
1. And first of all, we must know there must be an order. We are to grow in fundamental graces in the first place ; for we water not the leaves, but the root, of our plants ; and the graces that are the foundation of all works being gotten and diligently cherished, the works, which are but as leaves, will soon put forth. The main fundamental grace of all is faith, which we are principally to look after.
First, In getting assurance of our salvation. To this end walk holily. For man}' live in sins against conscience, and so can have no assurance of the pardon of their sins ; and how dead and blockish are they ! David, though a man after God's own heart, yet losing the comfortable assurance (by his sinning against conscience) of the pardon of sin, thought God's Holy Spirit had quite forsaken him ; therefore he prays, ' Take not thy Holy Spirit from me,' Ps. li. 11. Therefore labour for assurance of pardon of sin ; for where the soul is wounded with the guilt of sin, it cannot enlarge itself in love, but is possessed with a fearful expectation of judgment. But when the soul is assured of the pardon of its sins, it breeds love to Christ ; * Qu. ' behind ' ?— Ed.
116 EXPOSITION OF
and there it is said of Mary,* * She loved much, for many sins were forgiven her,' Luko vii. 47.
In the next place, wo are to labour for faith in the promises of the for- giveness of sin, and God's goodness to us ; that * he will give grace and glory, and that wo shall want nothing,' Ps. Ixxxiv. 11. This will put courage into us.
And as we are to labour for faith, so aho for love ; which is cherished by meditation of God's mercies and his love to us ; and this will set us on fire in all good works. And so much of this grace as we have in us, with so much strength and intension of spirit shall we endeavour to please God in all things ; and this argument the apostle used to stir up the Corinthians, 1 Cor. vii. 1, ' Having these promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.'