Casuistical morning-exercises the fourth volume /

2. Practise what you know, tho it be never so little, improve what helps you have, though they be never so few, […] your Graces will grow more than you are aware of:^(d) So is the Kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground, and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up he knoweth not how. Those that receive the good Seed of the Word into good honest hearts, (or the Word hath made 'em so,) it hath an insensible efficacy, which produceth a gradual increase of Grace, even beyond observation: But you complain that you see no such thing: in some respect I may say, The less you take notice of your own Graces, the better; provided you do not belly the Spirit of God in overlooking, and denying what he hath ⟨p. 21⟩wrought. Things necessary to Salvation are but few, and plain, easy to be (through Grace) sufficiently understood and practised; though there is not any thing so inconsiderable, but may exercise the greatest Parts and Learning attainable in this life; yet there is not any thing necessary to be known, but Jesus Christ, who is our Prophet to teach us, will both give Instruction, and Capacity to receive it, to all his willing Disciples; and Christ will require an Account for no more Talents than he gives.

2. Practise what you know, tho it be never so little, improve what helps you have, thô they be never so few, 〈…〉 your Graces will grow more than you are aware of:^(d) So is the Kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground, and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up he knoweth not how. Those that receive the good Seed of the Word into good honest hearts, (or the Word hath made 'em so,) it hath an insensible efficacy, which produceth a gradual increase of Grace, even beyond observation: But you complain that you see no such thing: in some respect I may say, The less you take notice of your own Graces, the better; provided you do not bely the Spirit of God in overlooking, and denying what he hath ⟨p. 21⟩wrought. Things necessary to Salvation are but few, and plain, easie to be (thrô Grace) sufficiently understood and practised; thô there is not any thing so inconsiderable, but may exercise the greatest Parts and Learning attainable in this life; yet there is not any thing necessary to be known, but Jesus Christ, who is our Prophet to teach us, will both give Instruction, and Capacity to receive it, to all his willing Disciples; and Christ will require an Account for no more Talents than he gives.