a Chriflians Growth. 93 his, either by afflictions or by fins, and híì " !anner in both is fometimes alike ; you (hall fee one who hath attained to a great meafure ofgrace already, and that by aflliElion, and yet never to be out of the fire, but God {-till followeth himwith one afllic`tion or another ; vhereas one of leflle growth and grace, who in that regard hath more need, (hall have fewer afflictions in his courfe And what is the reafon of this difference ? it is not that the grown Chrittian hath fimply more need of afilidion then the o- ther, but becaufe God intends tobring him on yet to a further degree of grace. As refiners offugar taking feigns out of the, fame chat, force thereof they melt but once, and another part.of it they melt and refine againe and againe ; not that that which they refine twice,hath more drofl'e in it,but becaufe they would have it more refined, double refined. And as God deales thus in afflíF}i- ons,fo allo in leaving ofhis people to the flirting of corruptions, which ofall afflictions is the greaten to humble a holy heart.And thus in experience it is found, that he doth fometimes leave a grown Chrinian-to conflict with corruptions more then a weaker Chrif ian; not that he hath more inhim, but becaufe he means tobring on that grown Chriftian to a further degree of humili- ation, he is not humbled as he meanes to have him yet. And whereas God humbleth force men by afllic`tions, he humbleth othersby fins; and nothing humbleth more then fins, for croflès doe but humble by revealing fin, as the caufe ; and nothing will humble a grown Chriflian more then to fee fuch fh3mefull foule corruptions hill [tirring in him,the greaten aggravationofwhich to him will be in this, that after fo long a time, fuch lofts fhould be fo lively in him, to have fuchgrn(le faults in his exercifes after he hath been fo long at fchook, this Thames him_; For a growne Chrittian to be difguifed with a corruption ; and when his haire is growne, to have it (haven off, as Davids, meífengers were a- fhamed of it; fo how Both it Ihame him, and humble him? Thus Hezel¿iah, though he was much humbled by a fickneffe to death, but becaufe he was not humbled enough, and fo far as God meant to bring him : therefore God let loofe Pride on him, and then he further humbleth him{lfe and all 'fiat', as it is x Chron.3 z.26. Upon force men God (hews his free gracein keeping them from {inne; upon others he fpends it in pardoning N them :
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