236 SANCTIFICATION A time, if they please, give themselves an account how matters go with them, and on what grounds. For if men do indulge unto any predominant lust, if they live in the neglect of any known duty, or the practice of any way of deceit, if they suffer the world to devour the choicest increase of their souls, and formality to eat out the spirit, vigour, and life ofholy duties, or any of these in a remarkable manner, I have nothing to offer unto them to manifest that holiness may thrive in them,' al- though they discern it not: for, undoubtedly, it doth not do so, nor arethey to entertain anyhopes but, that whilst they abide in such a condition, it will decay more and more. Such are to be awaked with violence, like men falling into a deadly lethargy, to be snatched as brands out of the fire, to be warned to recover their first faith and love, 'to repent, and do their first works, lest their end should be darkness and sorrow for evermore. But as unto those who walk with God humbly, and in sincer- ity, there may be sundry reasons given, whence it is that holiness may be thriving in them, and yet not be dis- cernedby them so to be. And therefore, though holiness be wrought within ourselves, and only there, yet there may be seasons wherein sincere humble believers may beobliged to believe the increase and growth of it in them, when they perceive it not, so as to be sensible of it: For, (I.) It being the subject of so many gospel- promises, it is a proper object of faith, or a thing that is to be believed. Thepromises areGod's explanations of the grace of the covenant, both as to its nature, and the manner of its operation. And they do not abound in any concernment of it more than this, that those who are partakers of it shall thrive andgrow thereby. With what limitations they are bounded, and what is required on our part, that we may have them fulfilled towards ús, shallbe afterwards declared. But their accomplish- ment depends on God's faithfulness, and not on our sense of it. Where therefore we do not openly lay anobstruction against it, as in thecase now mentioned, we may, we ought to believe that they are fulfilled to- wards us, although we are not continually sensible there- of. And, (2.) It is our duty to grow and thrive in ho- liness. And what God requires of us, we are to believe that he will help us in, and doth so, whatever be our own present sense and apprehension. And he, who on these grounds can believe the growth of holiness in him- self, though he have no sensible experience thereof, is, PROGRESSIVE WORK. in my judgment, in as good and perhaps, a more safe condition, than he who through the vigorous working of spiritual affections, is most sensible thereof. For it is certain, that such a one doth not, by any wilful ne. glect, or indulgence unto any sin, obstruct the growth of holiness; for he that doth so, cannot believe that it doth thrive in hito, or is carried on, whatever his pré- sumptions may be. And the lifeof faith, whereof this is a part, is every way a safe life. Besides, such a per- son is not in that danger of a vain elation of mind, and carelessness thereon, as others may he. For wherein we live by faith, and not at all by sense, we will be humble, and fear always: Such a one not finding in himself the evidence of what he most desires, will be continually careful that he drive it not further from him. But the reasons of this difficulty are: I. The work itself as hath been before declared at large, is secret and mysterious; and therefore, as in some, I hope in many, there is the reality and essence of holiness, who yet can find nothing of it in themselves, nor perhaps any one else, but only Jesus Christ, who is of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord; so it may, in the same secret manner, thrive as to itsdegrees in them who yet perceive it not. There is not any thing in our whole course that weought to be more awake unto, than a diligent observation of the progress and decays of grace; for, as the knowledge of them is of the same importance unto us with that of our duties and comforts, so they are very hardly and difficultly to be discerned; nor will be so truly for our good and ad- vantage, without our utmost diligence and spiritual wis- dom in their observation. Hence, as we befòre observ- ed, it is compared in the scripture frequently unto the growth of plants and trees, Hos. xiv. 5, 6. Isa. xliv..3, 4. Now, we know that in those of them which are the most thrifty and flourishing, though we may perceive they are grown, yet we cannot discern their growing. And the apostle tells us, that as the outward Haan per- isheth, so the inward man is renewed day by day, 2 Cor. iv. 16. The perishing of the outwardman is by those natural decays, whereby it continually tends untodeath and dissolution. And we know, many of us, how hard- ly these insensible decays are discerned: Unless some great and violent disease befal us, we rather know that we are enfeebled and weakened by age and infirmities, than perceive when or how. So is the inwardman re-
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