a Chriflians Growth. 45 r. For at firfl converfion, the change was f]iecifcall, wholly from want of grace, unto beginnings of grace : but the change in our growth afterwards is but gradual', that is, but addition of more degrees onely, of fomething of the fame kind [{ill : and therefore it Both not fo eminently nffeet theheart, as the change at firft converfion doth. To be tranflated out of a Prifon to a Kingdome, as 7ofeph was, would affenmore, then to have new Kingdomes added to one that is a King already, as e"ilexan. der had. z. Becaufe then the newneffe makes a great impref ion : One that begins anew to Rudy any Art, his growth is fenfible, be- caule every thing he reads is new ; when as afterwards in his reading he meets with the fame thingagaine and againe,and with new notions but now and then, and yet he [ludies, it may be harder,and learns what he knew before more perfel-lly, and adds new to his old. A fourth Confideration to difcern thy growth, there mull be time allowed ; For the time, fayes theApofile, they might have been teach, rs, Heb. 5. 12. implying, they muff have had time to grow up to perfection. Chriflians doe not grow difcernably till after fome fpace. The Sunne goes up higher and higher, but we difcerne not its progreffe, till after an hours motion. Things molt excellent, have the Rowel growth ; bui ruffles grow fait, but they are weaker kind of plants ; herbs, and willows, and alder-trees grow fall, but full of pith ; Oakes more (lowly, yet more folidly, and in the end attain to a greater bulk. Fifthly, confider the growth it felfe; there may be a great difference thereof in feverall men : You heard that every man hath a meafure appointed to which he mull grow, but men are brought to this fulneffe feverall wayes, which makes a difference in their growth. Fir[l, Somehave the advantage of others, at 641 letting out ; God gives them a great flock of grace at fir[l, and that for thefe caufes : T. When there is a prefent ufe of them Fowl was the /all of the Apoftles, borneout oftime, as himfelfcomplaines, as one that was fet to fchoole long after the refl of the Apoflles, and yet came not behind any of them in grace, becaufe God was to ufe him G 4. Confió 5. Confld.
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