96 ff The Tryall of CHAP. VI. Five Cautions more topreventfahmil judgings, AThird 'Caucion to prevent mil judging ; if a man will not tie nail}akcn in judging his growth in Mortification comps. rat.v_ly with others, or with himfrlfe, he mull confider his oc. 'eaá î r and opportunities to draw him out, thus : A man when he I ,d more corruption, yet leffe occafions and provocations to inne, may have corruption leffe Hirring in him, then when he is more grown up in grace, if his temptations were then greater : The fame tree Handing in the fhade, wherealfo the raine comes not to it, when tranfplanted, where both fanne and raine fall upon it, may be more fruitful] then formerly. David, when un- der afllidlions in the wilderneffe,and wanting opportunities, how Hri& was he, and kept himfelfe,frombù iniquity ? but when he came to the delicacies of a Kingdome, though he was grown up Hill more and more in grace, yet how did he fall ? As to aggravate the finne of not growing more, the proportion of meanes every one hath had is to be confìdered ; and for one who hath had much meanes to growmuch, for him is leffe, then one who hath leiTe meanes : So in the furring or declining of finne, opportunities and occafions are alfo to be confìdered ; as if a man be tranfplanted outrofa full condition into an empty, if then many of his lulls doe not fir fo much as afore, no wonder. Even as if a man when call into a fweat by reafon ofmultitude ofcloathes, it is no marvaile, if when cloathes are taken off, he fweat leffe. A fourth thing to be confidered, to keepe us from mifrakes herein, is, that he whole fpirit is naturally active, his lu(ls,,though weaker then another mans whole fpirit is flower, may be yet more quick and apt to break forthmore then his. Peter was ofa bold fpirit, and fo fpake often rafhly, and vented corruption more then the other Di fciples, in fo much as he once provoked Chrifl to call him Satan , not that he had lefíe grace , but a more aetive fpirit; yea he might have more grace, and leffe of corruption furred in him, onely a more forward naturali fpirit, that was apt toput it felfe forth. As an angry mans whole fpirit is
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