244 Growth in Grace. State HI. . I lfl~, li1ark iv. 27. The feedfpring1 andgrow! up, he knrr.netb not how. Should one fix his eye ever fo fledfatlly on the fun running his race, or on a growing tree; , he would · not perceive th~ fun moving, or the tree growing : but, if. he compare· the tree as it now is, with what ir was forn~ · years ·ago; and confider lhe place in th e heavens , wlH;re · . t! ie fun was in the morn1ng, he will certa)nfy perceive the nee has grown, and d1e fun has moved. In 1il.e manntr may the Chri.Hian _know, whether he .be in a growing or dedil1·· ing irate, by comparing his prefent with hi s former condi· tion. (2.) ChriGians may h1il1ake their cafe, by me~fu ring their growth by the advances of th e top only, not of the root, Though a man be not . growing taller, he ma y he growing fironger. If a tree be taking with the ground, fixi ng itfdf in rhe earth, and f.preading out its roots; it is cer– tai·nly growiRg, althoo.gh it be nothing taller than formerl-y. So,, albeit a Chriftian mav want the fweet confolations and · ~-afhes of affetlionwhich f~metimes he has had ; yet ifhe be growing in humility. felf~denial, and feflfe of n_e~dy depen· dence on Jefus Chriil:, he is a growing Chriflian, H r;_(. xi-v". S. I will he fU the dew unto ljrael, /;e !hall cafl.forth hi.1 r()ot J tU Lebanon. · . ' ~efi. But. do .hypocrite! grow at ali? And ~(Jo, ho,.Ji1- /ha11 we dijlinguijh betwixt theirgrowth, and true Chr()fl;;. angrow;h ? .dnf. T0 the firH part of th.e ({Ueflion, hypo– cri tes do gro •.v, The tares have their growth, as well as– the wheat ; and the feed that }ell among th~rm did J;nring "lip , Lut.;:e viii. 7. only it did br/ng nofn~it to perjdlion-, ver:. I 4· Yc:a, a true Chrifiian may have a falfe growth. Ya1:1es a--ud John feemed to grow in the grace of holy z.eal~ -when their fpirits grew fo bot in the caufe of Chrift, that' 1 they wo~ld have fired whole villages, for not rece iv_ing their ~ord and MaH:er, LuJe ix. 54· They )aid, Lord, wi /t th~u that ewe co?tzmand_;fre to come do'Wn_from hea ven, J a, confum~_ them, evm aJ Ejia1 did ? But it was ind eed · no ·fuch thi ng; and t6erefore he turned and ...r;ebukcd thenr, ver 55. andfa~d, Ye know not w hat mc:itner of)}"'iirit_yfl . are- of. To t he fecond part of the q-ueftion , it is al{(w_~r~~' · ... I lh~t th,re is a peculiar beauty in true Chrifliangf. .(~-~ i:H-._ r~inguifhirg it from all f.alfe growth : it is umverfa- . . ' ,. J a-~:,~.::pro1,oniona-b!e . !t is a. 3-ra'tui.ng up to him~_ .. ~! ;f\. . ~ . . 7f!lf~h( _1:
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