r üi 810 OF SPIRITUAL MINDRDNES$. posed to them, on their believing, which is the first entrance into the heavenly country; -but peace, and joy, and spiritual strength, upon their admission into it, and a progress made in it by faith and obedience. But many, when they have attained so far, as that they have some hopes of pardon and'freedom from the curse, so as to deliver them from their tormenting fears, will endeavor to preserve those hopes, and keep that state ; but will not pass on to a full enjoyment of the precious things of the gospel, by growth in grace and spiritual -affections. But how many of them fall under woful mistakes! For supposing themselves to be in a gospel state, it proves in the issue, that they never entered in- to it. They were not, it may be, far from the king- dom of heaven, in the same sense as it was spoken of himwho never came thither. There is no way to se- curè an interest in the gospel, as to pardon and mercy, safety and deliverance, but by a growth in grace, holi- ness, and 'spirituality, which gives an entrance in the choicest mercies and privileges of it. This folly of men in taking up with their measures, endeavoring only to maintain that state and condition which they hope they have attained, is the great rea- son why their affections do not daily grow up into spirituality, through an assimilation to heavenly things. And a folly it is, attended with innumerable aggrava- tions. As for instance : First. It is contrary and destructive to the genuine and principal property of gospel grace. For it is eve- ry where compared by our Saviour to things which, from small seeds and beginnings, do grow up by a con- tinual increase to large measures, as to a grain of mus- tard seed, a little leaven, and the like. That grace in whose nature it is not to thrive and
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