A body of divinity by Thomas Watson (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read '8. Joy', '9. Growth in grace' and '10. Perseverance'.
Firstly we are taught that the fruit of joy:
(i) is a delightful passion;
(ii) arises from the feeling of some good;
(iii) is supported under present troubles;
(iv) fences the heart against future fear.
The next fruit is growth in grace and Watson answers the questions:
(i) In how many ways may a Christian be said to grow in grace?;
(ii) What is the right manner of a Christian’s growth?;
(iii) Whence is it that true grace cannot but grow?;
(iv) What motives or incentives are there to make us grow in grace?;
(v) How shall we know whether we grow in grace?;
(vi) What shall we do to grow in grace?;
(vii) How may we comfort such as complain they do not grow in grace?
The final fruit is perseverance. Watson makes some clarifications as to what he means by believers persevere. Then gives us the means by which Christians come to persevere, arguments to prove the saint's perseverance and some answers to Arminian objections.
I liked Watson's short and sharp analysis of the difficult text in Hebrews 6:
'The second objection is, It is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have felt the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again to repentance. Heb 6:6.
This place of Scripture has no force in it, for the apostle here speaks of hypocrites; he shows how far they may go, and yet fall away. (1.) They who were once enlightened. Men may have great illuminations, yet fall away. Was not Judas enlightened? (2.) They have been made partakers of the Holy Ghost; the common gifts of the Spirit, not the special grace. (3.) They have tasted the good word of God. Tasting here is opposed to eating: the hypocrite may have a kind of taste of the sweetness of religion, but his taste does not nourish. There is a great deal of difference between one Perseverance that takes a gargle and a cordial: the gargle only washes his mouth - he tastes it, and puts it out again; but a cordial is drunk down, which nourishes and cherishes the spirits. The hypocrite, who has only some smack or taste of religion, as one tastes a gargle, may fall away. (4.) And have felt the powers of the world to come; that is, they may have such apprehensions of the glory of heaven as to be affected with it, and seem to have some joy in the thoughts of it, yet fall away; as in the parable of the stony ground. Matt 13:20. All this is spoken of the hypocrite; but it does not therefore prove that the true believer, who is effectually wrought upon, can fall away. Though comets fall, it does not follow that true stars fall. That this Scripture speaks not of sound believers, is clear from ver 9: ‘But we are persuaded better things of you, and things that accompany salvation.’'
The text is speaking of unbelievers, not true believers.
Next week's reading
Read '1. The death of the righteous' and '2. A believer's privilege at death'.
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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