Condition of those that want the Means of Knowledge is plainly expressed by the Apostle Eph. 4.17 18. where he sheweth that the Gentiles walk in the Vanity of their minds having the Vnderstanding darkned being alienated from the Life of God through the Ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their Heart Where you may consider that they are so far from having such knowledge as doth guide them unto Life and Salvation that they are alienated from the Life of God through the Ignorance that is in them 1 Cor. 1.21 It is said that the World by wisdom knew not God They had a kind of Wisdom wherein many of them excelled whereby they knew many Secrets of Nature many Affairs of State and Government c. But all their Wisdom for want of the Word did not teach them the right Knowledg of God in a saving way Consider also that as the Heathens that wanted the Word so the Unregenerate that live under the Ministery of the Word do remain in darkness the Day doth not dawn unto them nor doth the Day-Star arise in their Hearts or elss if the Day do dawn in their Brains it is dark Night in their Hearts if they do get some knowledg of the Gospel and Mysteries of Salvation yet this Light doth not pierce so as to win them to the Love of that Truth and Light which appeareth unto them and to subject their Hearts unto the Power of it Now in the Regenerate the Gospel being revealed to them by the Spirit is as the dawning of the Day and the rising of the Day-Star in their Hearts in comparison of that Night of Blindness which was in themselves before Regeneration and is yet in others that are unregenerate for first the Day dawns in their Understandings and then the Day-Star ariseth in their Hearts then the Night begins to wear away and the Day breaks and dawns upon them then they begin to see what they could not see before and to see that far more clearly and effectually which they saw in some imperfect measure before Now the Spirit having caused the Day to dawn in their Understandings he proceedeth also to enlighten the lower Region and to cause the Day-Star to arise in their Hearts as in the Night time when the Sun is on the other side of the Earth it shineth brightly and enlightneth the Stars as we see yet the Body of the Earth being between the Sun and us maketh it dark here below so when the Spirit enlightens the Understanding of an unregenerate Man with the knowledge of the Gospel even at the same time there is a Body of Death in his heart and a Mass of sinful Corruptions which casts a Shadow and keeps the Heart and Affections in miserable darkness Now as every Coruption is a degree of Darkness so every Grace is a Beam of heavenly Light for God is Light and every Grace is a Part of the Image and Likeness of God and so is Lumen de Lumine Light issuing from the Fountain of Light Consider what St. Paul saith to the faithful Ephesians Ephes 3.8 Ye were sometimes Darkness but now ye are Light in the Lord their present Condition Ye were Darkness dark all over dark Understandings dark Judgments dark Hearts and Affections they had a dark Vail of natural Blindness upon their Judgments a dark Cloud of worldly and fleshly Lusts and Corruptions upon their Hearts but now they are Light in the Lord lightfom Understandings and lightsom Hearts and Affections SECT V. At the Breaking forth of the Light COnsider with thy self that there is a fourfold Light spoken of in Scripture and that God is called Pater Luminum the Father of Lights James 1.17 1. There is Lux materialis a material Light that which God created in the beginning and of which he made the Sun and Moon to be as Fountains and Vessels that with the Beams proceeding from them the World might be illuminated Consider how God was the Father of this in the first place Gen. 1.3 God said let there be Light and there was Light He commanded Light to shine out of Darkness saith the Apostle And it is said Gen. 1.15 He set two Lights in the Firmament of Heaven a greater Light to rule the Day and a lesser Light to rule the Night 2. There is Lux naturalis that which we commonly call the Light of Nature and it is that same knowledg and Conscience that was at first planted in the Mind of Man by which he was made able to distinguish between Good and Evil. Of this also God is the Father it is he that hath created in us Understanding to discern and Conscience to bear witness of Good and Evil. 3. There is Lux supernaturalis or spiritualis that which we commonly call the Light of Grace and from this there arise two Beams 1. That which shines into our Hearts to dispel the darkness of Sin in us of which I have spoken before It is in this sence that the Children of God are called the Children of Light and the holy Conversation that they lead is said to be a walking in the Light Now of this also God is the Father it is he that by his Spirit enlightens our Hearts with Grace as I spake before 2. There is a Light that shineth in our hearts to chear us with the assurance of God's Love and Favour Light is sown to the Righteous and joy to the upright in Heart Psal 27.11 Light and Joy are sown together in the same Furrow Of this also God is the Father it is he only that can make us to hear the voice of Joy and Gladness So David prayeth Lord do thou lift up the light of thy Countenance upon me The light of his Countenance is the light of his Favour where the light of his Favour shineth no clouds of Affliction can darken our Joy it will make our Hearts merrier than Corn and Wine 4. There is Lux immortalis or Coelestis we may call it the Light of Glory It is that same Light which God dwells in the Light inaccessible the Light that none can approach unto 1 Tim. 6.16 Yet that Light that God's Children shall one day dwell in also Light we may call it for it is where Darkness never made his Pavilion a Light more glorious than the Sun or Moon For it is where though no Sun shall be yet where no Night shall be The Glory of God lightens that place and the Lamb is the Light of it Rev. 21.23 Now of this Light likewise God is the Father He that Inhabits it he Created it and he hath prepared it to be an Habitation for his Saints that as many as shall be Citizens of the New Jerusalem may rest under the Glory of it The Sun shall be no more thy Light by Day saith the Prophet nor for brightness shall the Moon give light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee the everlasting Light and thy God thy Glory Isa
the greatest things in the World How shall this Day set forth all secrets in the clear Light How shall all Sins not washt away by true Repentance be set before the eye of the World How then shall the Righteousness of the Upright be brought forth after it hath been many years hidden by Slanders and false Accusations How shall all their works of Faith all their labours of Love and all the fruits of the Spirit be laid open and manifested There are no false lights that can have any place at that Day to make bad Wares seem better every thing shall then appear as it is O my Soul how shouldst thou labour in thy most secret places and in thy most secret thoughts to bear in mind the light of that great Day when Christ shall appear as a Day-spring unto the World Will these thoughts which I cherish in my Heart these Affections these Words these Deeds be able to abide the great light of that Day when Christ shall come Are they such as may be presented with boldness before the Face of Christ and offered to the view of the holiest Angels and Saints in Heaven and be brought to the open Light when the Son of Righteousness shall shine in his Strength 3. Consider That Christ's second coming shall be in Power and great Glory Matth. 24.30 The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch-angel and with the Trump of God 1 Thess 4.16 He shall sit on the right Hand of Power and come in the Clouds of Heaven Mat. 26.63 He shall come in the Glory of his Father with his Angels Mat. 16.27 The glory of the Sun Moon and Stars when they shine most gloriously is nothing to this Glory of Christ which at that Day he shall shew forth to the World O my Soul labour now to behold his Beauty and Glory in the Spirit by Faith and by that glimpse raise thy thoughts to consider of that height and brightness of Glory wherein Christ shall shew himself at that Day and how thine Eye and thy Soul shall be filled with a most sweet delight in his perfect Beauty and Glory Could our Hearts be throughly taken up with Christ's Glory at that great Day it would be a means to mortifie our fond desires towards these things wherewith our fleshly Eyes or Hearts are apt to be ensnared It would greatly support us under Afflictions What should not I suffer with patience who look to see the Beauty and Glory of Christ at the last Day Yea to see the glorious Face of Christ turned to me in love might I not pass through Troubles Prisons Famine Nakedness Banishment Fire Sword any thing in hope to behold the Beauty and Glory of Christ and to enjoy the light of his Countenance for ever when he shall come as a Day-spring from on High 4. Consider how Christ at his second coming shall most sweetly refresh all those which â—â—roughout the World belong unto him he shall give them everlasting rest from all their Labours which here they have undergone everlasting peace from all Cares and Conflicts with the World the Flesh and the Devil freedom from all Troubles deliverance from all Persecutions when many millions of Souls shall throng about him and appear in his sight being such as have believed him and cleaved to him in sincerity Some of them having been sawn asunder burnt to ashes some slain with the Sword some kept in Bonds and Irons some mocked some scourged some driven out of House and Home and spoiled of their Goods tossed to and fro persecuted from City to City some destitute afflicted tormented for his Name-sake he shall sweetly ease and refresh them as a Day-spring when they shall appear before him And for those of his Saints that have been burdened with much Sickness painful Diseases with Poverty and outward Wants not having whereon to lay their Heads nor wherewith to fill their Bellies to them shall he give to drink of the full River of his Pleasures yea he himself shall be their Refreshment and they shall so fully enjoy him that they shall need nothing which may make them truly and perfectly happy 5. Consider That Christ as a Day-spring at his second coming shall Cure all the Sicknesses both of the Souls and Bodies of his He shall deliver the very brute Creatures from the Bondage of Corruption Rom. 8.19 For the earnest expectation of the Creature waiteth for the manifestation of the Sons of God for the Creature it self was made subject unto Vanity c. Ver. 21. The Creature it self also shall be delivered from the bondage of Corruption into the glorious Liberty of the Sons of God For we know that the whole Creation groaneth and travelleth in pain until now Where you see that the whole World is sick and diseased by reason of the Sin of Man it is pained and groaneth as a Woman in Travel longing for the time of Deliverance and that is the time of Christ's coming when this Day-spring shall appear from on high An universal Corruption and as it were Contagion hath overspread and seized upon the whole body of Nature and all the Limbs the whole World and all its parts and all the Creatures in it and that by reason of the Sin of Man Now Christ's coming shall refine all the Creation and shall set up a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness The Beasts Birds Fishes the Corn the Fruit of the Vine c. shall no longer be abused to Gluttony Drunkenness and Epicurism and to be as Fuel to cherish the flame of unclean Lusts The wedg of Gold or bag of Silver shall no longer be defiled so as to be made an Idol to the dishonour of its Maker to carry away the Heart from him Other Metals and Minerals shall be no longer defiled so as to be turned into Instruments of Death and Cruelty and to be stained with Innocent Blood Other Creatures shall not be abused so as to set forth the Pride of Vain Men and Women Christ shall heal the Sickness and Corruptions of the World and free it from the bondage of Corruption his coming shall heal the World much more shall it heal all the Infirmities of his Members At the last Day the Lord at his coming will heal the Sick and Diseased give sight to the Blind strength to the Lame and Weak hearing to the Deaf beauty to the Deformed yea he shall cure them of Death and Mortality it self Death shall no more hang about them nor have to do with them Much more shall his second coming bring perfect and perpetual health to their Souls Sin shall then be fully Cured and the Soul shall be made altogether sound and no Sin shall pain the Soul with the remembrance of it nor afflict it with fear of Punishment And sence of Guiltiness shall be taken away as if Man had continued as holy as the Angels and had always kept his first Estate 6. Consider That
1.7 to note the place whence they return and go St. Bernard hath a Meditation upon it That God is as the Sea and we should be as the Rivers All Blessings come from God as Rivers from the Sea and as Rivers to the Sea so we should return our praises to him Indeed that is as much as we can do and so much we should do This Act as one noteth consisteth in three things 1. In the Memory which representeth to the understanding the benefit received and this Understanding considers the Hand that gives them and to whom and how and by what ways and means and in what measure Thereupon an affectionate acknowledgment is made in the Will which not able to continue idle spreads it self into outward Acts to testifie the fervour of its affection Now to practise this well it is requisite that we should make and keep a Catalogue of all the Benefits of God Bless God especially for the benefits of Creation Preservation Redemption Vocation and for all other secret Benefits particularly received 1. For the benefits of Creation consider what thou wast before thou wast Created even no more than very nothing and that from the very beginning thou wast nothing and that nothing could not make it self any thing Now he that drew this great Universe out of the Chaos and Darkness of nothing to the light of Being and Life it pleased him out of his meer Grace to shew upon thee his Almighty Power to bring thee to a being and make thee something And as St. Augustine saith not every somewhat not a Stone not a Bird not a Toad not a Serpent but even a Man one of the most noble Creatures in the World he made thee as a little Miracle of Nature with the adornments of so many pieces well compacted together to bear in thine aspect the Beams of his own Majesty He framed this thy Body and beautified it in all parts both with Members and Senses and that with such curious Art and wonderful Providence that every one of them if they be well considered is of it self a great Wonder and a great Benefit This Job humbly and thankfully acknowledgeth Thine Hands have made me and fashioned me together round about c. Job 10.8 9 10 11. Remember I beseech thee that thou hast made me as the Clay c. Hast thou not poured me out as Milk and crudled me like Cheese Thou hast clothed me with Skin and Flesh and hast fenced me with Bones and Sinews c. Our making and natural constitution are to be reckoned among the great Benefits received from God I will praise thee saith David for I am fearfully and wonderfully made The greatest wonders of Man's Creation are unseen God hath packt many Rarities Mysteries Wonders in Man's Chest All the vital Instruments and Wheels whereby the watch of our Life is in perpetual motion from the first Hour to the last are locked up in a curious internal Cabinet where God himself prepared the Pulleys hung on the Weights and wound up the Chime by the Hand of his Infinite Power without opening of any part As a learned Anatomist of ours hath elegantly instructed us in the Preface to his sixth Book Consider what usefulness and commodiousness Beauty and Convenience do meet together in every part What Beauty is stampt on the Face What majesty in the Eye What strength is put into the Arms and Back What activity into the Hands What Musick and Melody is in the Tongue Nothing in this whole Fabrick could be well left out or better placed either for Ornament or for Use But the excellency of Man consisteth in his Soul And as Man was the principal part of the Creation so the Soul is the principal part of Man God by a Divine Breathing communicated this fountain of Life which heavenly form without noise or delay diffused it self entire into the Body remaining nevertheless whole in every part The frame of the Body is an exquisite frame but the frame of the Soul the faculties and powers motions and operations of the Soul are far more exquisite The Inhabitant is more noble than the House and the Jewel than the Cabinet And so great is the capacity of the Soul that all the things of the World put together are not able to satisfie it Besides there is no ability no perfection in any Creature here below but that a Man hath the same in him in a higher and far greater perfection and by the capacity of his Soul he is able to attain unto it whereby it is manifest that God by giving us this thing alone viz. our Soul hath given us therewith at once all things together The consideration hereof should ever make thee thankful to thy most Gracious and Bountiful Lord for this surpassing great Benefit 2. Be thankful to him for thy Preservation and the Benefits thereof Consider that God hath not only created thee in so great Glory and Dignity but it is He also that preserveth thee for thou art not able to live one moment nor to move one step without him Consider also how he hath created all things in the World for thy use and service yea he hath appointted the very Angels in Heaven to be thy guard and defence They are all Officers in this great House and Family of God unto whom is committed the defence and safeguard of Men. Here consider the particular favours received from God in your Birth Nourishment Education Instruction in gifts of Soul and Body in Means and Conveniences in Health Strength Life Sustenance and all other Temporal Helps and Succours in Friends Allies Kindred in thy Calling Profession and estate of Life in a continued Protection in deliverance from so many Dangers and freedom from manifold Miseries into which thou seest others to fall every Day and thou thy self mightst also have fallen into the same had not Almighty God of his great Mercy preserved thee In guiding thee through the degrees of Ages wherein every one in his own particular may acknowledg infinite passages of the Divine Providence How should the consideration hereof together with the Circumstances of each Benefit make thee to cry out with the Prophet David Who am I O Lord God and what is my House that thou hast brought me hitherto 2 Sam. 7.18 3. Be exceeding thankful for thy Redemption We are all by Nature in miserable bondage to Sin and Satan and we have all sold our selves for nought Isa 52.3 and by this felling our selves to Sin and Satan we have put our selves out of our own into their Dominion and during that estate abide wholly to be disposed at their pleasure They are now become our Lords and no drudgery must we refuse be it never so irksome or burdensome whereabout they shall list to employ us Now how should all God's Redeemed Ones ascribe Honour and Glory to their God acknowledging the infinite Love and abundant Grace of God in procuring Redemption for poor Bond-slaves Captives Prisoners that he
when Health is gone The want of Health and vigour of Spirits must needs be a great disadvantage where-ever it lighteth yet where Grace is and ruleth the Heart is lifted up to God the Soul breaths after him and his bodily Infirmities are an help to Mortification to Patience to the neglect of Worldly Things and a provocation to long for his Salvation as old Jacob did upon his Death-bed David attained to the best temper and measure of Spiritual Health when he was most overlaid with Bodily Sickness 2. To Health we may joyn Bodily Strength which is a great help to Spiritual Assaults which work more upon Weakness Age c. than upon others in whom Nature sanctified can afford more helps to the inner Man assaulted by Frowardness Timerousness or the like as one well noteth Young Men have more strength than others over-worn by Age and if they have the Word of God abiding in them they are strong indeed to overcome the evil one Many Men out of their strength of Body might spare more time from their sleep to spend in Religious Duties which others of weaker and feebler Bodies cannot spare who if they should miss of sufficient refreshment in this kind would be unfit for any holy performance Many occasions also may the strong take in travel for the doing of many good Services which cannot be so well performed by the weaker sort Yea such Men may wrestle the more earnestly with God in Prayer and in performing other holy Exercises may be the more vehement which weak Bodies are unable to perform But it is sad to see wicked Men notwithstanding their bodily weakness to be never the weaker Servants of Sin The Adulterer rolls over his sin in his Heart though disabled by his own Wickedness as well as by Age from the actual committing of that Sin he is a filthy person still as in his greatest bodily vigour and a greater teacher and provoker of others to the same Wickedness So Witches and other envious Persons Malice in them supplieth the defects of natural abilities or want of power or opportunity And rather than fail they summon in Satan to assist them in their hellish designs So others in time of their Weakness grow more cross and froward to all about them and being more impatient do murmur against God and are ready to Curse and Blaspheme because they have not Health Limbs Strength as well as others These are not unlike the Vassals of Antichrist justly suffering extraordinary Plagues for their voluntary Slavery That gnawed their Tongues for pain and blasphemed the God of Heaven because of their pains and their sores and repented not of their deeds Rev. 16.10 11. But the weakest Body must labour to be strong in Spirit that the power of God's Spirit may be manifested in its Weakness whilst the inner Man is renewed day by day though the outward Man decayeth 3. Youth also is an advantage in the Service of God Young Men have more abilities and helps than Old Persons their Wits being fresh their Affections lively all the powers of Nature are then in their prime and God requireth more of them in regard of outward performances Let young Men now remember their Creator in the days of their Youth and the prime of their Days while the evil days come not The days of Old-age are evil Days but thou must serve God in thy best Days give him not the dregs of thy time let him have the principal and choicest of thine Age think thy best days not good enough The Years will approach wherein thou wilt say I have no pleasure in them Dost thou think God will delight and take pleasure in that Age of thine if thou then begin to serve him when as thou thy self canst find no pleasure in it The Lord is to be served with gladness of Heart for the abundance of all things and wilt thou hope to serve him and be accepted of him if thou begin not till then when thou thy self shall take contentment in nothing when Old Age shall take away the joy of thine Heart and comfort of thy Life Yet must the Aged labour to excel in a settled Constancy in Gravity in holy Examples in ripeness of every Grace and holy Affection But the Younger sort must do more than the Aged can do in regard of the exercises of Religion and that in many respects 4. So also in respect of outward Estate and therein in regard of Wealth Honour the Lord with thy Substance and with the first-fruits of thine Increase Prov. 3.9 St. Paul bids Timothy Charge them that be rich in this World c. that they do good that they be rich in good Works ready to distribute willing to communicate laying up in store for themselves a good Foundation against the time to come Where ye see the Lord requireth an open Hand and Heart in them who are enriched with outward Blessings Every one is to lay by him as the Lord hath enabled him There be many things here required of the Rich which the Poor cannot do as to maintain the preaching of the Gospel where Means are wanting to relieve the Poor and Needy to strive against the danger and deceitfulness of Riches in the possessing and enjoying these outward things to be as if you possessed them not being as ready to leave all for Christ as they that have least and to be ready according to your portion of Wealth to set forth the Glory of Christ to make Riches the fuel of your Graces and the instruments of your Duty towards God and Man To have the House full of Riches and the Heart full of Grace this is an happy Conjunction and causeth matter of great admiration It is an evidence of much Grace when a Man is very holy in the midst of abundance of outward Riches As Pineda speaks of Job That the holiness of Job Exingentibus Jobi divitiis valdè locupletatur ejus sanctitas Pineda was enriched by his great Riches But usually Riches do impoverish the Soul and devour all care of Heaven they make Men to forget God yea to kick and spurn against him as it is said of Jesurun They are often made the Bellows of Pride the fuel of Luxury and Wantonness the instrument of Revenge and cause their owners to contemn despise and oppress their poor Brethren and to make no other use of them but to satisfie their Lusts and clog their Souls fastening them to the things below 5. Hereunto we may add Respect and Esteem from the World wherein some Men have a greater part than others and if they would rightly use it a greater advantage to glorifie God and so accordingly the Lord requireth more at their hands than can well be performed by others First of all Some have favour with great Men So Nehemiah had with the Persian King and he might be bold to speak for Jerusalem the City of the Lord when it lay desolate and so he did An ordinary Israelite had not
There if it will be let it be like a Gibeonite to an Israelite a Drudg a Slave not a Sarah but an Hagar a Servant not a Mistress let not Sin lose ground in one place and gain in another Mortifie your earthly Members Col. 3.5 or Affections Draw mortifying Vertue daily from the Death of Christ and that will have its influence upon the whole Old Man within you although perhaps ye employ it more especially against some particular members of the body of Sin As when Christ cursed the Fig-tree in more special reference to the Branches that bear no Fruit the whole Tree immediately withered This mortifying Vertue will not only tame and bring under all Sin in you that it cannot domineer and rage as formerly it did but it will receive its mortal Wound languish and consume away more and more Nullis medicabilis herbis as being past all recovery and hasten not only to a Dissolution but also as it were to a total Annihilation SECT XXXIII Of growing in the Knowledg of Christ and in Grace LAbour every Day to grow more and more in the Knowledg of Christ Now there are two degrees of the Knowledg of Christ 1. Historical or Doctrinal 2. Experimental and Effectual 1. As to the former it is the knowledg of the Person Natures Birth Life Death Resurrection Ascension Kingdom Offices of Christ Priestly Kingly and Prophetical as these things are laid down in the History and Doctrine of the Gospel And these contain abundance of glorious Mysteries and wonderful Revelations which all the Wisest Men under Heaven could never have found out no nor the holy Angels of Heaven if the Lord himself had not revealed them by his Spirit Christians must grow in the Knowledg of these But an Historical Knowledg or a bare Understanding of these things is not enough 1 Cor. 13. though a Man had all Knowledg that is of this degree or kind But 2. Labour for an inward experimental knowledg of Christ and to encrease therein With St. Paul count all things but loss for the excellency of the Knowledg of Christ Jesus labour daily to know Him and the power of his Resurrection and the fellowship of his Sufferings and to be made conformable to his Death Our Understandings are very weak and it is but little that we can discern at one view we have but weak and childish Capacities in respect of Heavenly Things therefore we must endeavour to grow more and more in the Knowledg of Christ Moreover there is an admirable Depth in the Mystery of Christ and you can never come to the bottom of it although ye should be diving into it all your life long Look over all the objects of Knowledg and can ye find a more pleasing a more joyous a more comfortable Object to study than the Knowledg of Christ and his Love towards Sinners What St. Augustine said of the Joys of Heaven Tanta est dulcedo so great is the sweetness of it that if God should let fall one drop of Heaven's Joy into Hell it would turn Hell into Heaven it would turn the Lakes of Brimstone into Rivers of Joy we may say as much of the Knowledg of Christ and of his Love towards us So great is the sweetness of it that it can turn an Heart full of the sorrows of Hell into an Heart full of the Joys of Heaven The more inwardly ye grow acquainted with Christ the more shall ye delight in Him and admire Him The Queen of Sheba knew Solomon by report and she admired him so far that she took a long Journey to visit him but when she was an Eye-witness and an Ear-witness of his Glory and Wisdom she admired him much more So when a Christian hath some acquaintance with Christ he admireth and loveth him but when he groweth more inwardly acquainted with him he seeth much more cause to admire and love him Such is the inward Excellency Sweetness and Perfection of Christ that the nearer any one approacheth to Him the more Admirable and Lovely he appeareth The more ye grow in the Knowledg of Christ the more will your love of the World of your Selves of your Sins wear away and die in you If ye find your Souls to increase in the Knowledg of Christ ye will find your Beloved so far to surpass all other Lovers that ye will grow more and more out of love with them Labour ye daily more and more to partake of the comforts of his Spirit for Christ will shine forth brightly in these to your Souls This Comfort is called The Light of his Countenance Psal 4. and therefore as the Light of the Sun sheweth the Sun unto us so that we see it by its own Light So the Joys and Comforts of Christ's Spirit which are the Light of his Countenance do discover Christ in a clear and excellent manner to Believers These shew Christ in his Beauty and make the Soul to admire him and cleave unto him The darkness of Hell it self cannot hide Christ from you when he doth thus discover himself unto you by his own immediate Light Labour also daily to grow in Grace Creseens is a fit name for a Christian because he ever is or ought to be in a growing state Grace having the same efficacy upon the Soul as the Soul hath upon the Body Whilst the Body is in a growing condition the Soul enlargeth the Body in all the parts and dimensions that the Members may not only fill more Clothes but take in more Nourishment and so become stronger and more serviceable In like manner labour ye that your inner Man may truly grow up in Christ in all things by the working of the Spirit of Christ as the soul of that new Life that is within you that ye may be meet Instruments of Righteousness to bring forth Fruit unto God Be still advancing still ascending always going forward unto Perfection not only in Knowledg but growing in solid Grace not in external Profession and Formalities but in all good Works which are more and better at the latter end than at the first Endeasour to be still on the thriving hand that ye may bring forth more fruit in old Age than at the beginning that ye wither not nor decay but still be fat and flourishing And this may be your comfort although the outward Man decay yet your inner Man is renewed day by day And when ye cannot perform so much outward service as when younger and stronger in Body yet your thriving Soul will glory more and more in your God even to see others to stand up in your stead whom by holy Counsel and fervent Prayers ye may further in the Work of the Lord. Labour every Day to grow more Spiritual see that your Knowledg become more judicious your Zeal more discreet your Love more active and substantial grow more to God and less to your Selves and the World settle your selves more and more in a good Course and although ye seem not so fair