choice Bed of Spices. ward; he is by contrary winds compelled to put into di- vers Harbours, and to make fome flay by the way there, either to shift off Ronny weather, or to take in freili water,1 or to flop a leak, or to get fome frefh provifions ; and yet all this while we truly fay, he is going on in his way in his voyage, becanfe his fetled purpofe and conflant refolution is to make to his Port, his Haven whither he is bound, and al: thefe feeming lets thall help forward his voyage. It is fo in fpiritual things, for our very growth in grace confills much in fincere defires, in fixed refolutions, and in faithful endea- vours to grow in grace. Ariftotle makes it the mark of a good man, that he fludieth how he may grow better than he afri got. fillet.1 r. P c.i i.Seneca J. 2. is, not contenting himfelf with any degree or meafure of lc:biz/7. f 3. goodnefs. And another Heathen obferves,that the earnefl de- ;. fire of what men Would have, maketh them forgetful of what they have. I forget what's pail (faith the Apottle) and pet's on to what is before. Their eye is more upon what the) want, than upon what they have. It is with good Chritlians in this cafe, as it is with rich world, ings ; that like men in a 1 race, have their eye on thofe' that be before them, not on thofe that come after them, they are ever eying thofe that feem to out-flrip and out-go them in wealth, and think they have nothing, and that they are but poor men, fo long as they come fhort of Inch and fach, who are rich and great in the world : And fo- it is with Many precious Chritlians, they have ftill their eye fiat uron thofe whofe examples they either read of, or whofe coarfes and graces they are,eye- ovitneffes of; and hereupon they think that they have nc grace, or elfe that they make no progrefs in grace,, at leaft worth long fpeaking of, fo a as they come behind and fall thorn , . of fuch and fuch, who are very etninen-, or moll eminent in grace and holinefs ; and upon this account it is, ,that they b . . make fuch,fore complaints of their fpiritual wants, and of their flow progrefs in grace and holinefq, and that they can \ hardly perceive but that they fland flill at a flay. Now mark, (thee fad complaints of theirs, and their ferious defires to Grow in arace . 7 . is ifu.re and infallible evidence of the taut to . of grace in ';hem; yea it is a fare argument that they love B b grace
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=