a Chriftians Growth. 2 were there for us,thus ofdenying our felves ? Chrif1 indeed had an infinite deale ofglory to laydowne, not fo we : unlefFe there be afelfe in us, to folicite us, and anotherfelfe to deny thofe foli- citations, wee fhould have no occafionsof felf-denyall, or the exercife of any fuch grace. Therefore Adam was not capable of any fuch grace, becaufe he had no corruption to feduce him. And therefore a little grace in us,denying a great deale of corruption, is in that refpea, (for fo much as is ofit) more acceptable then his obedience. Though we have leffe grace, yet in this refpec`l: of a higher kind in the exercifes of it. To be meek and charitable to thofe who fall into fin, as know- ingcorruption is not fully yet purged out of thy felfe. This is the Apoftles admonition upon this ground, Gal. 6.1. Ifaman be overtaken in afault, (he (peaks indefinitely, that any man may) if it be but an overtaking, not a finningwilfully, and obftinately, but afalling by occafion, through rafhneffe, fuddenneffe, and vio- lence oftemptation, &c. yewhich are ffiirituall, reflorefucha man with the /Jirit of meekneffe, confidering thy felfe, left thou alfo be tempted. He would have every than be meek in his cenfure, and in his reproofeof fuch an one, and reftore him, and put him in joint againe,4s the word lignifies ; for Rill he may be united to Chrift, as alone out of joynt is to the body, though for the time rendred thereby unufefull ; and do this, fayeshe, with tender- neffe and pity, with the fpirit ofmeekneffe, which a man will not doe, unleile he be fenuble of his owne frailty, and fubje6lion to corruption ; unleffe he reflex on himfelfe, and that ferioufly too : [cojidering] faith the Apofile there, as implying more then a flight thought, (I may chance to fall alto) but the feeing andweighing what matter of falling there is in thine own heart, ifGod but leave thee to thy felfe a little then; this works a #irit of meekneffe towards fuch an one : For meekneffe and pity, is moli kindly, when we are fenfible of the like in our felves, and make it our owne cafe. And this he fpeakes to the moltfj'irituZll Chriflians, not to thofe who are as yet but ad carnal!, (as he fpeakethof the Corinthians) Chriflians newly converted, who (finding the it corruptions at the firft flounded with that firti blow ofmortification given them, and though but in part killed, yet wholly in a manner for a while laid afleep, and havingnot as Yet) i Vfe. I.
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