Chap.2.Setts Locking unt1 1t'fus. Book. · IV. Parc.4. 785 pture phrafe; growth ofgrace is ufually exprelled by growing p 8 into Chrift, but grow in grace, and in the k.now/cdge ofour L 9rd t ec. 3· 1 ' 'and Si!lviDur 'fefm Chrift. As if to grow in grace without him, were nothing, as indeed it is not. Philofophers, moral .men, find others may grow in vertues, but not in Chrift. Come then, fearch, and try whether we are more rooted in Chrift : when .a you£Jg plant is new fee, the roots are a fmall depth in the earth, one may pull them up with his hand ; but as the tree thooteth up in height, • fo it l.l:rikes the roote deeper and deeper downward, that no force can move it; fo it is with us, we have not for degree fo firme and neare a conjunction with Chrift, at our firft union; but the more we live in him, like good trees fpfeading in the fight ofall men, and bringing forth the fru·its of righ. reoufneffe, the more we come to roote downwards by a more firme faith, and firme confidence. Our union is anfwerable to that which uniteth us; now at the firft, faith is but weak, like .a fmoaking wicke, or a poore bruifed reede, bur whiles faith is drawing the Spirit from Chrift ,the more it exercifeth, the more it is firengthned; even as in babe>, their pow~rs every day, at firft are feeble, but the more they feed and exemfe, by fo much the more they put forth their firength in all their operations : time was, that Peters faith was fo weak, that at the voyce of a Damofel,Prter was £haken, but by walking a while in Chrifi he was fo rooted, that neither threatnings, whippings, imprifonmenr, conventings before great powers,nor any other tiling could £hake him: you may object, if we: are not at firfi rooted in Chrift, a weak faith may be quite overthrown, we may then fall away; true, if we be not routed in any manner; but" this we are at our firft fetting into Chrift by faith ; only this I fpeak of is an higher degree ofrooting,whicb doth not only f11ut out falling away, but very £baking ,and tottering, in a good meafure; furely this is nor the ftate of every beIeever; no, no, it is only the condition offuch, who have long walked in Chrifi, and are grown in grace, holineffe, vivification. · 0 my foul, try now the growth of thy vivification, by thefe few fignes; art thou led on to the exercifeofnew graces, adding grace to grace? doft thou fin de new degrees of the felfe-fame grace? is thy love more hot, thy faith.· more firme ? all thy boughsmore laden and filled with the fruits of righteoufQe£fe? Hhhhb ue , ·
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