apprehension appointed as sheep for slaughter yet Goâ— promiseth to feed them Those who fe 〈…〉 God most may have most fear of Hell aâ—â— though they fear and fly sin they fear theâ— shall never fly damnation They have sometimes failing of eye and faintings of hearâ— rottenness in their bones yet is God thâ— God of their Salvation When the wickeâ— who make a mock at sin and sing Peace Pea 〈…〉 to themselves in life shall at death cry out Despair despair The trembling Believe who cryes Fear fear in his life shall sin 〈…〉 Hope hope in his death There is alw 〈…〉 least fear of their damnation who feaâ— damnation most and sin more the cause oâ— it A thousand times better fear withouâ— danger then security without safety 2 This secures the state of such pooâ— Believers who have only this grace of fe 〈…〉 in them without the perception of any other at present I may say to all those 〈…〉 after another as Absolom to every Israelite that came neer him yet without falsehood and flattery See thy matter is good To thee this Promise belongs believe urge pray wait for it it wil not ly the vision of it is for an appointed time if it tarry do thou also tarry The Sun shall rise upon thee one day and thou shalt see the desire of thy heart Yea the day-break is past already where this holy fear is wrought it is the gray and dark morning foregoing a fair day The Lord delighteth that is is more then ordinary pleased in such as fear him saith the Psalmist And next to the holy Angel in Heaven the humble Saint on earth is the fittest Mansion for the High and Lofty one who will dwel with him that is of a contrite heart and trembleth at his word Object But I have so many fears Answ. The more is thy security Vis in timore securus esse securit atem time Fear nothing but security and thou hast best security against fear 2 Thy fears are Religious fears thou fearest evil with fear of abhorrence God with fear of Reverence dreadst his displeasure art tender of his dishonour obeyest his Word â—uest for his favour fear not only thus fear still and thou art safe 3 Christ his method is to kill and make alive wound and heal as Joseph he speaks roughly at the first he cut down Saul at one blow to make him a chosen Vessel hee darts hell into the conscience He comes with fire and soap into his Temple and who may abide the day of his coming His eyes are as a flame of fire in his hand a fan in his mouth a two edged sword There are two notable dayes of the Lords coming the two saddest dayes of all others 1. To the godly here who in the first appearing of Christ in their Conversion are in bitternesse when they see him whom they have pierced and they mourne because of him as with the mourning for an only Son a sad unforced unfained renewed long lasting and heart breaking mourning 2. The other day is more sad when Christ shall come in the clouds then shall all Tribes wail because of him The wicked that never mourned here penitentially shall mourn despairingly But where the first mourning is past the first woe is past and the last mourning is prevented The way to Heaven lyes by Hells Suburbs and to Salvation by Shenâ—h and Bozez nothing but steep and sharp Rocks on the one side and the other The whirlewind earthquake fire then the still voice to Elias The horror of great darknesse the smoaking furnace the Lamp of fire then the Covenant to Abraham The Fullers soap Refiners fire the burning Oven then the Sun of Righteousnesse The Lord hath no readier way then to expel fear by fear hellish by heavenly therefore he takes so much paines with his people by Mount Sinai terors to drive this nayle of holy fear deep into their hearts The Lord is come to prove you that his fear may be in you fear not Therefore is the true fear of God oft prescribed as the onely remedy against all hurtful feares Fear not but fear 1 Sam 12. 20. 24. Exod 20. 20. Isai. 8. 12 13. Mat. 10. 28. Notes of this holy fear are 1. It must be a fear of Devotion Act. 2. 5. This makes truly devout puts upon the exercise of all duties of Holinesse Cornelius his fear A devout man one that feared God with all his house gave much Almes and prayed alway 2 Of diligence Work out your salvation with fear and trembling Not fear of negligence as the evil servant feared and hid the Talent Lots fear who feared and fled to the Mountains that he might escape Moses fear who was afraid fell downe fasted prayed besought God would not be put off with any denyal 3 Of dependance on God in the use of Meanes Noahs fear He by faith was moved to fear and thereupon prepared his Ark. True faith increaseth lesseneth not religious fear fear confirmes not infirmes faith Such as fear God and hope in his mercy are joyned 4. Of obedience That fear the Lord and obey the voice of his servant This is the feare of the servant not a servile fear The good servant must obey his Master with fear and trembling 5 Or Love the fiâ—â—al fear who feare the Lord and his goodnesse Hoseâ— 3. 5. 6. A sin-resisting fear Jobs fear Ioh 1 1. 7 A heart-sanctifying fear Isa. 8. 12. 3 This informs us that God is pleased to take notice of every grace even the least and lowest and every gracious inclination in any of his Servants To fear his Name is no great matter yet these have a promise To think on his Name lesse yet set down in a Book of remembrance God seâ—s down how many good thoughts a poore soul hath had As Evil thoughts in wicked men are taken notice of they are the first fruits of the evil heart Mat. 15. 19. So good thoughtâ—â—â—e they which ly uppermost and best discover a good heart A desire is a small matter especially of the poor man yet God regards the desire of the poor And calls a good desire the greatest kindnesse The desire of a man is his kindnesse A Tear makes no great noise yet hath a voice God hath heard the voice of my weeping It is no pleasant water yet God bottles it up A groan is a poor thing yet is the best part of a Prayer sometimes Rom. 8 26. A sigh is less yet Psalm 12. 5. God is awakened and raised up by it A look is less then all these yet this regarded Jonah 2. 4 Breathing yet less yet Lam. 3. 56 the Church could speak of no more Panting is less then breathing when one is spent foâ— lack of breath yet this is all the godly can sometimes boast of Psal. 42. 1. The description of a godly man is oft-times made from his least quod
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
dismounted and throwne beside his confidence and fighting on his knees overcomes his enemy Pride is such a wild Beast and such an enemy to Grace that God leaves the Canaanite within us to learn us war that it should not rise up against us to destroy us As the wise Physician leaves his Patient to conflict with a lesse distemper to break the force of a mortal Disease Object But I have had stronger and more stirring desires formerly I am cold and flat to what I was is not this a decay Answ 1 There are at first legal stirrings raised from the Lawes terrors and heightned by the quicknesse and sharpnesse of strong convictions which gall and wound the conscience such a one is as on a Rack he roars cryes out takes on he hath drops of Gods wrath falling on him which puts him into a flame as one in a feaver who cryes out Drink drink This is a diseased not right thirst And there are Evangelical stirrings and desires begotten by the Spirit raised by the Gospel cherished by the Promise These are not so loud turbulent make not like noise but argue more grace The former said Give me ease I am sick I am damned give me a pardon or I dye This saith Give me grace let me have Christ let me be renewed or I dy There was more of selfe-love in those first desires more of love to God in these 2 Hast thou not 1. Bemoyled and bemired thy selfe with the world We cannnot both prize Christ and Mammon grow in Grace and Wealth The stomack that feeds on coals and ashes and such trash must needs forsake his meat 2 Or hath not spiritual pride given thee a fall Thou seest not that need of dependance on God use of Ordinances frequency of Duties but art in conceit above all Take away the wood the fire goes out 3 Happly thou hast obtained thy desire Why should the Sponse seek fear be so solicitous when she hath found her Beloved as when she mist him Shall the children of the Bride-chamber mourn when the Bridegroom is with them Say to thy soul Now return to thy rest The Flouds stop their course when come to the Sea The stone rests when at the center Hope deferred makes heart sicl desire obtained is a tree of life A poor man condemned to dy falls down intreats weeps cryes out for his life it is granted he kisseth the pardon blesseth the Prince thanketh his friends he leaps joyes praiseth God A Month after this man is not so full of joy or grief or care yet his life is as dear to him as ever it was 4 Thou hast more work to do then thou couldest apprehend Thy desires are divided into many streames which then were confined to one object Then thou more earnestly thirstedst after knowledge prayedst more for pardon now more for a broken heart Increase of Faith power against this Lust skil to manage this calling that business and to look to the whole charge of God and the whole Armour of a Christian. One work in hand goes on faster but when wee must use the Sword and Trowel fight and build this Church work goes slowly an end Object 3. But my desires are not uniform equal sometimes up sometimes down I know not what to think on it Resp. This may bee and yet all well 1 This may come from the different actings and assistance of the Spirit which is a free Agent as the wind blowes sometimes higher then the Ship moves faster The Spirit is not as fire or other natural Agents which alway act to the utmost of their activity fire burns as much as it can at all times The Spirit not so but as it pleaseth When the Spirit moved the wheels they moved when it stood they stood When the Spirit of God came upon Samson he was more then a man when the Spirit departed he became like another man 2 Faith acts differently and the Affections are raised or abated according to the actings of Faith The more faith is acted in the perswasion of the love of God the more thou lovest prayest obeyest c. 3 Thy mind is better prepared by spiritual Meditation therefore thou art more affected at another time thou hast slackned thy thoughts and thou art more dull 4 Is not thy body or mind distempered with melancholy This makes thee as blind Samson to the Philistins sport for Satan Luther was wont to call the melancholy head the Divels bath where he could cool and refresh himselfe There are two sights which above all other please Satan 1. To see a wicked man merry 2. A godly man sad He reckons himselfe sure of both when he seeth them thus Object But I find those corruptions in my heart which I never suspected what a sad growth is this Answ. As the day lengthens the cold strengthens When thou wast alive without the Law and thy sins thou wast dead really when sin revives thou art alive As sin reigned unto death so grace by righteousness reigneth to eternal life There may be these two opposite Kings in one Kingdome reigning sin or raging rather and Grace reigning death and life reigning sin and death reigne in thy apprehension Grace and life in Gods intention Where sin aboundeth most Grace aboundeth the more in one sense that is Grace is seen and set out the more to pardon so much sin So in another sense it is as true where Grace abounds most sin abounds the more in making opposition so new so great so strange against Grace Doubtlesse the greatest Scholers have the greatest Doubts and Objections which they cannot answer and the highest Saints have the sorest temptations The more the Spirit lusteth against the flesh the more the flesh lusteth against the Spirit But what doth thy resisting of sin lamenting for it watching and praying against it signifie but that thou art fighting the Lords battles and thou must never think of putting off thy harnesse till death There is no triumphant Church on earth all the Saints are militant We must not look to see the Egyptians drowned till we are on the other side the red sea It is enough if the Lord keep a distance between them and us here that they may not come so neer as to overcome us though in continual sight to terrifie us Sin hath received his deaths wound by Christ his death and the Law of the spirit of life in Jesus Christ but in the grave it is not on the Crosse it is but it is long a dying as if it had nine lives as we say the legs and armes of it are broken it can never come downe it is fast nayled to rule over thee dying it is not dead but shortly what is now dying thou shall see dead and what now thou seest on the Cross thou shalt see in his grave when sin and death and hell shal be cast into the lake of fire All swallowed up in victory Lastly This and all the other
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
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