Directions for weak distempered Christians, to grow up to a confirmed state of grace…

For your assistance in this, I shall further show you wherein your confirmation and growth consisteth in its several parts, both as it is subjected or exercised in your understandings, your wills and affections, and your conversations.

FOr your assistance in this, I shall further shew you wherein your confirmation and growth consisteth in its several parts, both as it is subjected or exercised in your understandings, your wills and affections, and your conversations.

I. As holiness is in the understanding, it is commonly in Scripture called, light and knowledge, as comprehending the several parts. And the confirmation and growth of this must consist in these seven following parts.

I. As holiness is in the understanding, it is commonly in Scripture called, light and knowledg, as comprehending the several parts. And the confirmation and growth of this must consist in these seven following parts.

1. It is ordinary with new Converted Christians, to see the great essential truths of the Christian profession, with a great imperfection as to the evidences that discover them. Either they see but some of the solid evidence, overlooking much more than they see; or more usually they receive the truth it self upon some low insufficient evidence at first, and then proceed to a kind of mixture, taking it upon some evidences that are valid and sufficient, and joining some that are invalid, with them. But you must grow beyond this infancy of understanding: when you see greater and sounder evidences ⟨p. 92⟩for the truth than you did before; and when you see more of these solid evidences, and leave not out so many as you did; and when you lay smaller stress upon the smaller evidences, and none upon those that are invalid and indeed no evidences, then are your understandings more confirmed in the truth, and this is a principal part of their growth. So we find the Samaritans of Sychar,