do warble and eccho out their cheerful notes to the praise of the Sun they build they breed they rejoyce many of them come stay returne with this their great Leader and Commander The waters wax warme and temperate there the fishes leap play breed and multiply But the Earth especially decked as a Bride to meet this Bridegroom cloatheth her selfe and all her family in new and divers coloured apparel and with their several New years Gifts present the worlds Benefactor with their Best that he may not come in vain to any of their dwellings Oh that wee were the Creatures Scholers or School-fellowes in this respect to acknowledge the benefits admire the perfections sing out the praises of this Sun of Righteousnesse and with our best Presents of Thankfulnesse and Fruitfulnesse shew we are loath to receive so much grace in vaine CHAP. XVII The likenesse of both in sundry Accidents WE are now come to the last thing wherein the agreement holds betweene these two Suns viz. certaine Accidents whereof 1. one greater 2. many lesse The greatest is that of the Eclipses which these two great Luminaryes are subject to The lessâ—r Luminary the Sun sometimes loseth his light and Lustre and this greater Luminary hath sometimes lost the glory and brightness of his Godhead in his Exinanition and in that self emptying abasement of his Passion The Suns Eclipse is often and ordinary but this was extraordinary preternatural and but once 2. The Sun is never totally Eclipsed in part often His body being so many times bigger then the Moon 's interposed seven thousand times bigger cannot lose all his light So Christ might be in his Person eclipsed to the unbelieving Jewes by his poverty Cross and afflictions whereby he was made lower then the Angels when some others even then saw his glory as the glory of the Only Begotten of God full of Grace and Truth 2. In his Truth by Hereticks and prevailing Errors 3. In his Regal Power when persecuting enemies and Tyrants encroach on his Churches Liberty and his Prerogative breaking his bonds and the Churches hedg But he is never totally eclipsed because his power and grace doth more then seven thousand or ten thousand times exceed all Tyrants power Hereticks Policy persecuters rage and Satans malice 3. Yet was there once never but once a total Eclipse of the Sun extraordinary it was viz. at the time of Christ his Passion Christ never had the light of his Fathers countenance wholly suspended but then in Articulo Passionis when he cryed out Eli-Eli-Lama-sabactani Such an Eclipse never did nor can happen again then did it appear Christ set his Tabernacle in the Sun that was his Chariot or Apostle The Sunnes darknesse then enlightned the world and made the Philosopher cry out Deus naturae patitur aut mundi Machina dissolvitur Either the God of Nature is now suffering or the frame of the world is dissolving then both Suns suffered and were eclipsed together and went down at noon day the Sun of the Lord and that Lord of the Sun 4. The Suns Eclipse is only caused by the interposition of the Moons dark body which hath all her light from the Sun The Sun is then obscured and the new changed Moon never else seen by day then dare shew her self It is the only interposing the Churches dark body of sin and guilt made this Sun obscured She hath no light of her owne but borroweth of him and hee was content to lose all his glory protempore that his Church and every new changed converted soul may appear before God with boldness not otherwise able to abide the tryal of his presence 5. It is a sight sad to behold when the Sun is Eclipsed and it was the saddest day and hour of darknesse that ever was in the world when Christ was put to death 6. The Sun as to us seemeth to lose his light but as to Heaven gives more And Christ never shined more bright in Heaven never gave like satisfaction to God more Joy to Angels Glory to Saints then in his Passion Then did the pleasure of the Lord prosper in his hand He that was before pleased in his Person was now more pleased in his Passion In this only expiatory sacrifice did God smel a savor of rest This was to our Saviour a day of Triumph his Cross was the Trophy of his Victory and success whereon he was lifted up and exalted then was sin death hell swallowed up in Victory The dread of this Crosse triumphed over Hell spoyling all those principalities and thereby leading captivity captive The bloud of this Crosse tryumphed in Heaven Having made peace â—â— the bloud of his Crosse Col. 1. 20. And thâ— Merit of his Crosse triumphed in the Church which ever since hath taken up those Angelical Hymnes Glory to God on high on eartâ— peace good will towards men Salvation 〈◊〉 ascribed to the Lamb that was slaine and glory to the Sun that was obscured This wâ—â— the day wherein ouâ— great High Priest weâ— in his richest Robes into the Holy of Holies with his own bloud but bearing all oâ—â— Names in his brest and all our iniquities oâ— his shoulder and hath made an everlastinâ— attonement or expiation and the greatest Holy day the world ever saw 7. The Sun eclipsed hath the same lighâ— in it self is only hid from us for a while bâ—â— recovers it self presently and shines again 〈◊〉 gloriously as before There may be misâ— and darkness interposing between us and God between Christ and the Father none between the Sun and the earth the Moon between the Sun and heaven no Moon to interpose And changes there may seeme to bâ— between us and God between Christ and the Father all is well Satan might bruise his heel Herod Iews Pilate might reproach condemne crucifie bury set a guard about the Sepulcher But if it be said Who shall bind the influences of the Pleiades with what bonds of death 〈◊〉 〈…〉 t then possible to hold the Prince of life prisoner 8. Some great Scholers have said The Suns Eclipse bodes much ill to this lower world and that the sad effects thereof are such that the world is the worse for it seven years after ere it recover it self The truth whereof I 'l not dispute but certaine I am the sad effects of this Eclipse upon the Land of Iudea where it was most visible are not yet â—â—ased but for this One thousand six hundred yeares it hath felt the miseries which followed on their Crucifying the Lord of Glory 9. Lastly The Suns Eclipse is said to Prognostick great changes downfal of Kingdomes and deaths of Tyrants c. Sure I am that this Eclipse did not foretel as a Prognostick but produce as the immediate cause the greatest changes in heaven and earth Then was Satan ruined this Eclipse was his bane When the Vyal of Gods wrath was poured on this Sun and hee had cryed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is finished
flash as the fire of Thorns but joyes maintained with joyes joy leading to joy a standing boundless joy an ending endless Joy whereas the wicked mans joy is brewed with sorrow compassed with it tends to it and ends in it but hath it self no end 8. Unmixt others muddy impure mixt with sin guilt gripes of conscience and when ready to run over cooled with the hand-writing upon the wall the remembrance of his sin the apprehension of Gods wrath But Spiritual joy is the purest thing in the world as the light of the Sun light without darkness as his warmth pure without smell or smoak 9. Permanent never eclipsed not by any disease or danger threatning death 2 Cor. 1. 12. not any distress 2 Cor. 16. 10. as sorrowing but alway rejoicing John 16. 22. Your joy shall no man take from you They must needs swim in Joy whom Christ holds up by the chin And as Josephs bow so the Christians joy must needs abide in strength when hee hath such a wall at his back and such a well at his foot At this Beer-la-hai-roi Hagar may fill her empty bottle as oft as she will and thirst no more 3. This directs what to do when wee complaine wee cannot profit and do not thrive The heart yeilds not the sin decayes not Go to Christ desire to be under the direct beames of the Sunne Trees thrive not in the shady side Cry Blow O North wind and breath O South wind distil O raine and look out thou Sun upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow out Let my Beloved come into his Garden and eat his pleasant fruits Hast thou a heart that will not yeild under Judgments his Love can melt it The Manna dissolved by the Suns gentle heat that was hardned and dryed in the Oven or boiling pot Whom the furnace of Judgments burn and the Oven heated with wrath doth bake and harden the melting love of Christ doth mollifie The last and â—orest Vyal upon sin which ends the mystery of iniquity and finisheth Satans Kingdom is poured from the Sunne The brightnesse of Christs appearing is the destruction of Antichrist and is that which alone distroyes the works of the Divel in the heart Cry out therefore with the Church Oh that thou wouldst rent the Heavens and come and make this Mountaine melt and this rock flow at thy presence as when the melting fire burneth the fire causeth the waters to boyle As thou didst of old at Mount Sinai when thou didst terrible things that wee looked not for Is my heart harder then the rock higher then Mount Sinai break this Rock cast down this Mountain Though I have had my part of Terroâ—s and been brayed with the pestle of afflictions though I have not wanted for light yet my heart yeilds not my heart freezeth in the shade in midst of noon day light as in the depth of Winter There is one thing only remains and the work is done Shine out thou Sun of Righteousnesse and with the warme beams of thy favour melt those Rocks of Ice and bring downe these Mountaines of snow Thou causest thy Spirit and warmer breath to blow and the waters flow Psal. 147. 18. 4. Comfort to them that have Christ near to them They are like those Countries near the Line they shall have a perpetual Spring no Autumn A constant Summer no Winter in their year but a renewed and successive harvest These shall never want Grace sufficient and peace necessary Their tree casteth not leaf nor loseth fruit Christ will be both Sun and Shield he will go with you in trouble In the fire go with you and be a Sheild to keep you from burning in the water be a Sun to warm you and keep you from shaking So he was to Jacob Sun by day burnt him not and frost by night starved him not The Lord will create upon every dwelling place in Mount Sion and upon her Assemblies a cloud and smoak by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night for upon all the glory shall be a defence and there shall be a Tabernacle in the day time for a shadow from the heat and for a place of Refuge and for a covert from storm and from rain When the worldlings heart is cold in his belly as Nabal who became as cold as a stone and when like old David thy native heat is decaied so far that no cloathes nor fire can keep thee warm Christ the Shunamite shall lye in thy bosom and cheer thy heart that thou shalt say for joy Aha I am warm the world is well amended with me The Winter is past the rain is over and gone the Flowers appear on the earth the singing of Birds is heard in the air and the voice of the Turtle soundeth and the Spring is come CHAP. XIIII The Suns Regency ANother Property of the Sun is his Regeâ—cy herein a shadow of Christ and his Regal Office The Lord gave the Sun to rule by day 1 His Rule is Monarchical The Sun hath no Peer but is an absolute Monarch So is Christ the sole King and Lawgiver in his Church who will admit of no Compartners in his Government 2. His Dominion is the largest Christ and the Sun no third both the universal Monarchs of the World whose Dominion is without bounds from Sea to Sea and from East to West 3. The Suns Dominion is the most ancient we read of began before mans The Suns the fourth day mans not till the sixth Christ is the everlasting Father who had a Kingdom in Heaven before there was man on Earth Our ancient Families are but of yester day to him The Princes of Zoan are Fools the Counsellors of Pharaoh are brutish How say ye to Pharaoh I am the son of the Wise the son of ancient Kings Egypt above other Nations had ever gloried in her Antiquity 4. For Duration both shall continue to the worlds end These two Monarchs have out lasted all others have seen the fatal dissolutions of royal Families and the Translation of all other Monarchies And both shall determine together when the Sun resigneth his then shall Christ also resigne his Kingdome into the Fathers hands 5. For Power the greatest Potentates Other Kings and Commanders are only titular many times these have uncontroulable commands The Sun hath power over all Creatures the earth aire seas it raiseth stormes and doth allay them gives Law to day and night the worlds first subdividers to winter and summer le ts in both frost and snow by his withdrawing and by his looking out dissolves them The Sun of Righteousnesse hath like but greater power hath all nations times seasons in his dispose He hath for the nations an Iron rod for Antichrist his Vyals and for his Church sharp storms sometimes he permits hereticks le ts lose persecutors and at his pleasure bindeth them up The Dragon he let loose three hundred years the Beast one thousand two
which is a continual dropping and causeth continual disquiet and wrangling To the other sin is in the Throne or in quiet possession as Master in the house The Amalakites and Israelites are together in the Valley fighting sometime the one somtimes the other prevailing God left the Canaanites to try his people and to learne them War He would not destroy them totally that the wild Beasts should not rise up against his people Better a thorn in the flesh and a Messenger of Satan buffetting thee to keep thee humble then a revelation and a rapture into heaven to puff thee up 6 Sin mourned under never damnes but gloried in ever damnes Oh wretched man that I am saith the godly soul. Pain could never make Paul cry Oh nor miserable that I am who shall deliver this body from death But Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver this soul from this body of death He that could glory in all infirmities and distresses could not glory but mourne under sin 7. Sin resisted though it over-power the soul and prevail at present leading into captivity damns not I find a Law in my members warring against the law of my mind and leading me into captivity into the law of sin Samson was a Captive to the Philistims but his heart was the same he hated them as much waited and prayed for new strength to be revenged and dyed in the quarrel The Christian Combat is like that of Joab a hard charge the battle before and behind and we herein in the same distress that the old Britaines when the Romans had drawen oway their Forces to protect them against the Picts they sent to Aetius the Prefect crying out The barbarous enemy beats us to the Sea and the Sea beats us back to the enemy between these two kinds of deaths we are either murthered or drowned The Christian is often in like extremities the fear pit and snare are before him the Lion Bear and Serpent He no sooner escapes the fear of the worlds pollution but he falls into the snare of Satans Temptation and if he escape that he fals into the pit of bosome corruption Between these two he is like to be either murdered or drowned Or as Amos hath it He that flyeth from the devouring Lion the worlds raging persecution meets with a more savage Bear Satans devouring Temptation and flying both is in his own house bitten by the Serpent in the wall Between Corruption and Temptation he is hard put to it oft foiled and captived yet fetcht off safe at last Here is nothing but death before him yet death without damnation One while he saith sin betrayed and deceived me and thereby slew me another time saith sin revived temptation revived and I dyed Yet all this dying is but the dying to sin and the death of sin not that death in sin 8 Where sin is as death it brings not death It is mortuum not mortiferum Where sin lives the soul must dye If Agag be spared Saul shall not be spared Who shall deliver mee from the body of this death I may add a few other Notes from other Scriptures 1 Sin whereby the heart is broken hinders not Salvation but sin whereby the heart is hardned Pharaoh and Magus had hearts hardned by sin Peters was broken with his 2 Sin fallen into when one is overtaken damns not sin continued in is that which damns David fel Saul and Jeroboam lay in their sin 3 Sins of infirmity and inadvertency damne not such was Noahs Sins of deliberation destroy Salvation There was a City of Refuge for him that slew a man unwittingly and a pardon of course but wilful Murder had no benefit of Sanctuary Christ will be no City of Refuge to him whose presumption of pardon is his provocation to sin 4 Sin against resolution destroyes not Salvation Such was Peters denyal of his Master into which he fell through too much fear sin resolved upon damnes Such was Judas his betraying his Master which he had long plotted and had watched for an opportunity to effect 5 Sin confessed and discovered is ever covered and remitted sin covered and concealed shall be proclaimed on the house top He that hideth his sin shall not prosper Hee that confesseth and forsaketh findeth mercy 6 Sin repented of never damns sin not repented of ever damns Take the two thieves for an example the one dyed in the presence of a Saviour his impenitency made him uncapable of Salvation the other though in the same condemnation saved by meanes of his true though late repentance But upon this occasion of this rare indeed sole example of the Thief on the Crosse we may use that Proverb Many talk of Robin Hood who never shot in his bow so many speak of the Thief on the Crosse who do nothing like him He confessed Christ among enemies these deny revile him among his friends He believed in him prayed to him relyed on him these do none of these How much grace did appear in that man in so little a time 1. Zeal for God he rebuked the profane Thief 2. Charity to man whom he would reclaime Dost not thou yet fear God being in this condemnation as if he should say Cast not away thy soul there is yet hope or possibility of Salvation 3. His repentanee manifested in that self-condemning and God justifying expression We suffer justly 4. His Faith in Christ whom he justified when the world condemned him He hath done nothing amiss 5. His Prayer of faith Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kigdom Verily there was not found so much faith in all Israel no not among all the Apostles who forsook him and fled I may call his faith a faith of Miracles as well as his Conversion a miraculous Conversion 7 Sin forsaken never sin not forsaken ever damns When Manasseh and the Prodigal returned they found the gate of Mercy open to entertain them Cast away your Transgressions and you shall not be cast away Electio aut dilectio peccati reprobatio peccatoris It is that Reprobate sin that reprobates soules But sin reprobated and rejected the soul is elected and beloved But to return from this Digression we shal proceed to a fourth Point CHAP. XXI That Christ shall certainly and timely arise upon all such as fear his Name TO you that fear my name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise Having spoken of Christ apart that he is the Sun of Righteousness and of the godly apart that they are such as fear his Name We will now bring them together and they are best when together Christ and they that fear his Name Doct. What ever the present condition and apprehension of such as fear Gods Name may be there shall be a day when Christ shall rise upon them They shall come out of the cold shade into the warm Sun and out of all their darkness into his marvellous light To the upright ariseth light in darkness
are subject to Relapses and new fits of Stone and of the Plague subject to many stoppings haltings and that which the Prophets câ—l backslidings These wil Christ heal as well as the former These are the five ordinary Diseases of the Godly but there are three extraordinary which befal some not all but Christ wil cure them too 1. To be sick of love A sad Disease if I may call it a Disease but a safe Disease Morbus vitalis as Luther called a Godly Ministers sicknesse Many complain of it none dye of it There be two sicknesses that are the sicknesses only of Saints 1. To be sick of love to Christ. This is no Disease but the best Constitution 2 To be sick of sin that sin revives and we dye Such are safe they shal find Gods savour sweeter then life who find sin to them more bitter then death But there are two Diseases opposite to these which are killing 1 To be Love sick to the Creature Amnons sickness cost him his life love of the world earths sickness kills all to be carnal minded is death 2 To be sin sick not of it but for it Ahabs Amnons Absaloms Hamans Disease This Hells sicknesse and the Damned have no worse 2. There is a worse Disease then that former to be Serpent stung Satan-bitten Hellbeaten buffeted wounded with fiery darts terrified with Satans rage and fowle accusations and more vexed with his ugly and odious representations accusing God to us as he did to our Parents solliciting to the perpetrating of most abhorred acts as he did our Saviour injecting blasphemous thoughts disputing and arguing thee into distrust darknesse disuse of means solitarinesse despondency yea to utter despair Yet thus are the Israel of God stung with fiery Serpents and by the brasen Serpent cured Christ came to dissolve the works of Satan and healeth those who were oppressed by the divel 3 A worse Disease then both those is to be stricken of God to have his face hid from us and his indigration lying on the soul his fierce wrath going over us and his â—errâ—rs cutting us off How doth the soul take on when this scorching Sun and scalding East wind beats upon the naked soul The poyson of these arrowes drink up the spirits Who knoweth the terror of the Lord or the Power of his wrath None can expresse it not the Damned that feel it none can conceive it but they who have lyen under it The rack Stone Gout Child birth paines nothing to this The wounded spirit who can bear Iob speaking of this said if his grief were weighed and put in the ballances it would be heavier then the sands of the Sea therefore my words are swallowed up he had not words to express it for the arrowes of the Almighty are within me the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit The terrors of God set themselves in aray against me Iob had patience to bear much Job had not patience enough to bear this but cryed out This is the saddest Disease in the world and is next door to hell yet Christ recovereth these also These three last Diseases are Opprobria Medicorum Theologorum not opprobria Christi Christ giveth ease and cureth all these Reas. 1. He is the great Physician whose curing vertue and Office is set out by those many Resemblances in Scripture 1. He is the Brasen Serpent upon which they that were stung with fiery Serpents were to look and were cured 2. He the Samaritan who when the Priest Aaron with all his Sacrfices and the Levite Moses with all Legal works of Righteousnesse passed by and looked upon unable to help took pity on the wounded Traveller bound up his wounds and took care for his cure and undertaketh to defray all charges 3. He the Tree of Life whose fruit is our meat to feed to everlasting life whose leaves our Medicine to prevent everlasting death 4. He the good Shepheard who taketh care of the whole flock of God Seeking that which was lost bringing again that which was driven away binding up that which was broken and strengthening that which was sick And lastly He the Sun Phoebus God of Physick The Sun is the universal Physician of the inferior world curing the Diseases and Distempers of the year earth aire and creatures The vernal Sun dryeth up the Ayrie Distillations driveth away the earths cold healeth barrenness cureth Rheumes Catarrhs Agues and other cold diseases in mans body How many graves doth our Autumn Sun departing dig And how many new births and resurrections doth the March and May Sun produce Christ is this Sun to the soul. Reas. 2. The Commission given him by the Father upon this his undertaking enableth and obligeth him to this Charge The Commission was sealed Isa. 61. 1 2. and openly read Luke 4. 18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor to heal the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the Captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty them that are bruised As therefore the Disciples substituted and subcommissioned by him to do some part of this work Ministerially were enabled and assisted to heal all Diseases cleanse Lepers raise dead cast out Divels much more Christ who received the Original commission from the hands of his Father Reas. 3. His own disposition inclines him as much as his Office or Commission betrusts him He is the compassionate Samaritan the merciful High Priest How often is it said in the Gospel He was moved with compassion and healed the sick Hee took our sicknesses and bare our infirmities Bare them in his body by his Passion bare them in his soul by compassion Bajulavit Bare them as a Porter the burden which was too heavy for us to bear Christ is in his Office and Element when among languishing souls where should the Physician be but among the sick Christs Church is the Pool the proper Receptacle and Rendezvous of impotent persons Christs Church is an Hospital Nosocomion the Spittle or Colledg for the Diseased Moses Law excluded the Leprous out of the Camp Gehazi went out from Elisha's presence Uzziah was driven out of the Temple when the Leprosie appeared but Christ bringeth them into the Camp into the Church David banished the blind and lame out of his City Christ sendeth for the lame blind and halt and setteth them at his table Quest. What doth this healing imply Resp. 1. That Christ will ease the grief heal the sore as Physicians or Chiturgians do in bodily Diseases 2. Purge out the peccant humors and draw out the corruption 3 When one is healed the decumbent is revived cheered raised up so those whom Christ doth heal shall say now I am not sick the Lord hath forgiven my iniquity 4 When one is healed he hath strength in the weak part and use of the disabled part he can labor
the same that in Malachi I will heal their back-slidings first ver 4. then growth 4 The means of all this I will be as the Dew ver 5 or as the Sun here There is a threefold growth or three remarkable growing times to the Christian two of which are manifest and sensible to all the third is to some lesse perceptible 1 The first growth is at his conversion which is a strange and supernatural growth a growth per saltum a translation from darknesse to light from death to life from a stone to flesh from a thorn to a fir-tree a bryar to a vine or a branch of a wild Olive to a grafted bough in a right Olive This is the greatest change in the world far greater then that from Grace to Glory at death Grace and Glory differ but gradually as the morning light and noon day But Nature and Grace do toto Coelo differre as much as light and darkness 2 The other sensible growth is at death when from an imperfect he grows to a perfect Saint from a militant to a triumphant This is a mighty shoot and growth per saltum then the feeble shall be as David yeâ— as an Angel who in one moment was creatâ— and made perfect in Grace and Glory There was not one feeble person among all the Tribes of Israel when they came out of Egypt there was while dwelling there So there shall be no feeble Saint go to Heaven but they shall be perfect when carryed hence by the Angels of God though they complain of feebleness here There shall not be thence an infant of dayes nor an old man that hath not filled his dayes for the child shall dy an hundred years old As there is in all dying or departed persons a great shooting in their stature observed so is there in the soul much more The least Infant shoots in the instant of Dissolution to that perfect knowledg of God and such a measure of grace as is not attainable here that he is as David and the tallest Christian comes to such a heighth that he is as an Angel of God 3. Between these two great and so remarkable growths there is a third which is to some more and to some especially at some times lesse perceptible and discernable and is fourfold in grace comfort experience acceptablenesse 1. In Grace and that 1. For the number and kind He that at first conversion had but a little godly sorrow now that seed hath brought forth seven fold What carefulnesse hath it wrought what clearing what indignation what fear what vehement desire what zeal what revenge How doth this little grain of Mustard seed multiply So that ye come behind in no gift waiting for the appearing of Christ. Here is a kindly shoot 2. In the measure of Graces His knowledge was dim and confused now is more clear distinct and certain before notional now practical and affectionate he before had dosires now endeavours good thoughts now good words and deeds longings before now labourings In his Repentance more fear of hell now more hatred of sin before more fears now more hopes before lesse love of God because of more fear now lesse servile fear because of more love before faith was historical now experimental of adherence now of assurance 3 In the strength of grace As the Calfe in the stall to an Oxe to beare the yoak from milk to strong meat from a babe to a strong young man who hath overcome the wicked one and from a strong young man to a solid experienced old father who hath known the Father He holds on his way and becomes stronger and stronger He was wont as a weak child to stumble fall now he hath more care and strength and falls not He stumbles at no command being strong in obedience staggers at no promise being strong in faith 4 In the actings and exercise of Grace which is a great growth towards perfection when acts grow to habits and habits are daily exercised The life of grace is exercise To live by faith to act it upon all emergencies to exercise conscience in all undertakings to devise liberal things The valiant man increaseth in strength when he is still about some notable acts to exercise his valour first to encounter a Bear then a Lion thâ—n a Philistin then not to fear an Hoste He growes not the great Scholer who hoards up much Learning but hee who brings out of his Treasure things new and old He not the rich man who hath much laid up in bags and chests but hath much laid out in good works Habits of Grace imply Truth exercise growth that denominates a Saint this one perfect Jesus Christ in his Infancy grew in grace waxed strong in spirit and filled with wisdom there you have the habits of Grace but when he came to growne age and to the work of his Ministry and Suffering he was then put much more upon the exercise of all Grace therefore he is said to be made perfect through sufferings And the Apostle calls them perfect or of full age who by reason of use or through an habit have their senses exercised to discern good and evil 5 In more fruitfulness and usefulnesse Psalm 92. To bear more fruit in age and to have their last exceed the first as Thyatira had You are full of goodnesse said the Apostle able to admonish one another Your faith groweth exceedingly and your love aboundeth Exhort and ediâ—ie one another as ye also do These are great commendations and a great progress in Grace when one becomes of a publick spirit and more useful Salute Tryphoena and Tryphosa who labour in the Lord and Persis who laboured much in the Lord. When the growth of a Minister and his profiting doth appear when a private Christian growes so eminent and useful that he may of an old growne Disciple be fit to be set apart for the publick Ministry as in the Primitive times they did this is a good growth But when they who have had the Time for Teachers have not the parts and proficiencie of good Learners it deserves reproof shews a poor growth 2 There is a growth in comforts when the Mourners in Sion have outgrown their old garments of mourning and have new white rayment of praise as Mordecai for sackcloth a Princes Robes for ashes beauty for drops of tears oyl of joy for spirit of heavinesse garments of praise Then shall they be called Trees of Righteousnesse the planting of the Lord. Hannahs growth from affliction to mourning from mourning to praying from praying to quiet waiting from waiting to believing from believing to obtaining from obtaining to rejoicing This an excellent growth when one hath taken all those degrees and gone through those five formes in the School of Christ beginning at Tribulation the first and lowest form and then coming into the next forme of Patience then into the higher of