The power of every sanctifying grace must be manifest in the life of a Christian. 1This was it whereunto he exhorted before, saying,a Let us in all things grow up, &c. There he useth a Metaphor taken from the members of a natural body, implying that spiritual graces are to the spirit, as fleshly members to a body; now if the body grow in some parts only, and not in every part proportionably, (as if it⟨p. 27⟩ should grow all in the head, and not answerably in the legs, or all in the shoulders, and not at all in the thighs) it would be but a monstrous body: or if it abound with noisome humours, which make it swell in some parts, those humours will be so far from preserving the body, that they will rather impair the health, and shorten the life of it. So if a Christian shall be hot in faith, and cold in love; or have great knowledge, and show little obedience: or be full of devotion, and empty of discretion, surely he is a monstrous Christian: the want of some graces make the other to be of no use. Such professors are a shame and dishonour to others; they are full of noisome and distempered humours, which will destroy that show of spiritual life which they seem to have. Fitly may they be compared tob Nebuchadnezzars Image, whose head was of gold, but his feet of iron and clay: what was the end of that Image? the feet thereof were smitten, and so all broken together. Such is like to be the end of all monstrous Christians.
The power of euery sanctifying grace must be manifest in the life of a Christian. 1This was it whereunto he exhorted before, saying,a Let vs in all things grow vp, &c. There he vseth a Metaphor taken from the members of a naturall body, implying that spirituall graces are to the spirit, as fleshly members to a body; now if the body grow in some parts only, and not in euery part proportionably, (as if it⟨p. 27⟩ should grow all in the head, and not answerably in the legs, or all in the shoulders, and not at all in the thighes) it would bee but a monstrous body: or if it abound with noisome humors, which make it swel in some parts, those humors wil be so far from preseruing the body, that they will rather impaire the health, and shorten the life of it. So if a Christian shall be hot in faith, and cold in loue; or haue great knowledge, and shew little obedience: or bee full of deuotion, and empty of discretion, surely hee is a monstrous Christian: the want of some graces make the other to bee of no vse. Such professors are a shame and dishonor to others; they are full of noysome and distempered humors, which will destroy that shew of spirituall life which they seeme to haue. Fitly may they be compared tob Nebuchadnezzars Image, whose head was of gold, but his feet of yron and clay: what was the end of that Image? the feet therof were smitten, and so all broken together. Such is like to be the end of al monstrous Christians.
- 1Doct. 6. Every grace to be manifested.Doct. 6. Euery grace to be manifested.
- aEphes. 4. 15. expounded.
- bDan. 2. 32. &c.
