240 3, ,Keafen. Pauls Conierfion. grow ftrong in Chrift, but hee will grow upon force ledgrnents of his owne, hee will reti upon fomething of his owne : but when hee is truely humbled, and fo cut offand ingrafted into Chrift, hee will grow peremptory in the profeffian of Chrift, depend wholly upon Chrift for grace and falvation and every thing elfe ; hee will apply ftrong refolutions unto himfelfe to doe good ; he will not forfake ChriII and loofe the fweetnrf e that he bath in Chrift,for all the profits,pleafures, and delights in the world : and hence bee will draw fuck vertue from Chrift that will make him withftand all lofi'es,and crofl'es,reproches,and dif- grace that bee (hall meete withal!, that will feede to disjoynt him from Chrift ; but this vertue none can draw from Chrift till he be humbled;you will not grow thong til you be humbled:for felt weak - neffe to good, is the way to ftrengthen grace. The third reafon is this, till a man be humbled, hee fowes his feed amongft thornes, bee fowes a- mongft his lufts, that chokes and dearoyes what- ever good dutie he doth performe; you know men will not low their feed among thornes, becaufe as the place is unfruitfull,fo it is trnfeafonable;men would be accounted unwife men in doing fo : fo it is with men that are not humbled, they fbw many, holy actions amongft their lulls , and therefore it is that they remaine poore in grace; till a manbee truely humbled, firme is not mortified , and eve- ry unmortified lull is a thorn: to every feede of grace in the heart, hinders the growth of it,burde- neth
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=