784 Book. IV Part.4. . Looking unto 1efus. Chap. 2 .SeC1:.4 Rev.t.. r9. have laid up for thee, 0 my beloved; the had all manner of fruits which ihe: had rdcrved for Chriil:; new and old: ihe bad young COnVerts,:!nd tHOre fetled profeffours, as fome; Or fbe had new and old graces, as others; ihc added grace to grace, lhe was led on from the exercife of one grace, unto another new grace. As wicked roc:n arc led on from one fin to another, and fo gro~ worfe and worfe, fo godly men arc led from one grace to _ another and fo they incr~!lfe, k,nowing th~t tribulation workfth patience, and p11tience expenence, and expenencc hope, ' 2. We grow when we finde new· degreeiofthefame grace added; as when love grows more fervent, when knowledge abounds, and hath a huger appre~enilo n of fpiritual things; when faith goes on from a mans 'caftmg hmfelfe on Chrift, to fin de fweetneff~ in Chriil:, and fo co plerophory, or full affurance of faith : when godly forrow proceeds frt11D ':"fiOurning for fin, as contrary to Gods holioeffe, to mourne for tt as contrary to him who lo'l'es us. which ufuallv follo.vs afcer affur;:nce · when obedienceenlarg~th its bounds, .imd we abound more ancl'morein the work ofthe Lord. 1 lznow thy works (faid Chrift to the Church ·of T-hyatyr~) I k..now th} work! and the 1aft to be more th.m the firft.. " ' 3. We grow when the fruits and duties we performe grow more ripe, m<;>re fpiritual, and more to the honour of {hrift ; it may be we pray not more, nor longer than fometimes we ufcd; it may be our prayers have not more wit, or memory, than fametimes they bad; yet they ate more favoury, more fpirirual, and more to (hnlls honour than fometimes they were; Now we muft kno\Y that one fuort prayer put up in faith, with a broken heart, and ayming at the honour of (hrift, argues more of growth in grace. than prayers ofada y long, and never fo eloquent, wi,hout the like qualifications. · In every d!ilty we ihould look at their ends, and aymes; for ifwe debafe our felves in the fenfe ofour own vileneffe, and emptineffe, and inability, and if we ayme at Gods honour, and power, and praife, and glory, ft is a good figne of growth ; we call tbis the fpiritual ·part ofduty, when it is from God, and through God, and to God. 4· We grow when we are more rooted in {hrift; fo the Apo· file defc~ibes it, agrowing up unto him in all things. This is Scri- . pture
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