Therefore let those that are on the growing hand, ⟨p. 522⟩though they be short of many that are before them, let them not be discouraged with their overlittle beginnings,1 for it is Gods Ordinance & course in this world, to bring his children by little and little through many stations, as they were led in the wilderness from standing to standing, and from place to place, so God brings his children by many standings to Heaven, and it is one part of a Christians meekness, to subject to Gods wisdom in this kind, and not to murmur, that they are not so perfect as they would be, or as they shall be, but rather to magnify the mercy ⟨p. 523⟩of God that there is any change, in such defiled and polluted souls, that he hath vouchsafed any spiritual light of understanding, any love of good things, that the bent of their affections are turned to a contrary course, then they were before, that God hath vouchsafed any beginnings, rather magnify his mercy, then quarrel with his dispensation, that he doth not this all at once, and indeed,2 if we enter into our own hearts, it is our fault that we are not more perfect, but let us labour to be meek, and say, Lord since thou hast ordained that I shall grow from glory to glory, from ⟨p. 524⟩one degree of grace to another, let me have grace to magnify thy mercy, that thou hast given me any goodness, rather then to murmur that I have no more, and be content in the use of means, and endeavour to grow further, though we have not so much as others have:3 Nay we may not be discouraged, because of the weakness of grace, but we may not be discouraged with a seeming interruption in our spiritual growth; God sometimes works by contraries, he makes men grow by their puttings back, and to stand by their falls: sometimes, when God will have a man ⟨p. 525⟩grow, he will suffer him to fall, that by his fall he may grow in a deeper hatred of sin, and in jealousy over his own heart, and a nearer watchfulness over his own ways, that he may grow more in love with God for pardoning of him, and grow more strong in his resolution for the time to come, that he may grow more in humility, none grows so much as those that have their growth stopped for a time: Let none be discouraged when they find a stop;
Therefore let those that are on the growing hand, ⟨p. 522⟩though they bee short of many that are before them, let them not be discouraged with their overlittle beginnings,1 for it is Gods Ordinance & course in this world, to bring his children by little and little through many stations, as they were led in the wildernesse from standing to standing, and from place to place, so God brings his children by many standings to Heaven, and it is one part of a Christians meekenesse, to subject to Gods wisedome in this kinde, and not to murmure, that they are not so perfect as they would be, or as they shall be, but rather to magnifie the mercy ⟨p. 523⟩of God that there is any change, in such defiled and polluted soules, that hee hath vouchsafed any spirituall light of understanding, any love of good things, that the bent of their affections are turned to a contrary course, then they were before, that God hath vouchsafed any beginnings, rather magnifie his mercy, then quarrell with his dispensation, that he doth not this all at once, and indeed,2 if we enter into our owne hearts, it is our fault that wee are not more perfect, but let us labour to be meeke, and say, Lord since thou hast ordained that I shall grow from glory to glory, from ⟨p. 524⟩one degree of grace to another, let me have grace to magnifie thy mercy, that thou hast given me any goodnesse, rather then to murmure that I have no more, and bee content in the use of meanes, and indeavour to grow further, though wee have not so much as others have:3 Nay wee may not be discouraged, because of the weaknesse of grace, but we may not be discouraged with a seeming interruption in our spirituall growth; God sometimes works by contraries, hee makes men grow by their puttings backe, and to stand by their falls: sometimes, when God wil have a man ⟨p. 525⟩grow, hee will suffer him to fall, that by his fall he may grow in a deeper hatred of sinne, and in jealousie over his owne heart, and a nearer watchfulnesse over his owne wayes, that he may grow more in love with God for pardoning of him, and grow more strong in his resolution for the time to come, that he may grow more in humility, none growes so much as those that have their growth stopped for a time: Let none be discouraged when they find a stop;
- 1God leads his by degrees to heaven.
- 2It is our own fault that we are not more perfect.It is our owne fault that we are not more perfect.
- 3Not to be discouraged in seeming interruption of spiritual growth.Not to be discouraged in seeming interruption of spirituall growth.
