a Chrifians Growth. mourned over himwhichonce they hadpierced : not onely that we mournethat we fhould offend a God bath fo much mercy in him,but out of a fenfe of it to us, which many cannot finde : fo when our motives to hate finne growmore railed, more fpiritu- all, thefe areadditions of the fame degree. So in Prayer, when we finde our prayers to grow more fpirituall, as in that part of Prayer, Confefïon, when more fpirituall conuptions are put into our confeffions ; and fo in like manner , flronger grounds of faith put into deprecation, and petitions for pardon ; more en- largednelfe to thankfulneffe ; more zeale to pray for the Churches ; when we go on to pray withall prayer more, as the Apolale fpeaks, Ephef. 6. t 8. Or in obedience, when we abound more andmore in the work of the Lord, as Rev. 2.9. it is Paid of that Church, that their daft works Were more then the' rfl ; fo as the boughes are laden, andwe are filled with thefruits ofrighteouf. neffe, Phil. r. Thirdly, when the fruits and duties we performe grow more 3. Tipall.. ripe, more fpirituall though leffe juycie ; that is, leffe affec`lio- nate : and though theygrow not in bigneffe, nor in numb( r, that is, we praynot more, nor longer ; yet they grow more favoury, more fpirituall, mOre compaa and folid. It is not limply the multitude of performances argue growth : When one is lick, . and his body is decayed, he may be leffe in duties ; but it is the fpiritualneffe, the holinefl'e of them : One fhort Prayer put up in faith,, with a broken heart, is in Gods eye morefruit then a long one, or a whole day fpent in falling ; even in the fame fenfe that the widoWs mite, is faid to be more then they allraft in, Luk 21. 3. Young Chriflians performe more duties at firfl , and oftner, then after; as young flomachs Bate more and oftner. As innoting Sermons, fo in performing duties, fome will note more words, but not more matter, becaufe with leffe underfland- ing; young Chrillians performe more duties, and withal( fpoile more duties ; young Carpenters make many chips : But the more fpirituall your performances grow, the more fruit there is to bee[leemed that there is in them. It is not the bigneffe of the fruit, or juycineffe of them, for then crabs were better then ap. ples,but the relifh it is that gives the commendation: And it is the endyouhave therein,_ that puts this relifh into them : when your H 3. ends.
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