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

Object. But the reason is, [May I not do as I will with my own]. True: but you must remember ⟨p. 47⟩what it is a reason of; even of the Cause in question, and may not by you be extended to other causes without a warrant: You never read that he equally pardoneth the Believer and the unbeliever, or saveth the Regenerate and unregenerate, and then gives this reason of it, [May I not do as I will with my own]. For this can be no reason for any thing which he hath revealed that he will not do: Prove first that he will do it, and then bring your reasons why; but not before. So that it extendeth not to the case of different Glory upon different degrees of holiness; for this he hath revealed that he will do.

So much (and perhaps too much) to satisfy the doubtful: Now I desire to return to the dull and languishing Christian, and beseech them to remember what a difference there will be between one Saint and another in Glory! And O who would not aspire after the highest measure of Holiness, in hope of a high degree of Glory? Christian, hadst thou not infinitely rather Love God with the greatest Love than with a less? and be beloved again with the greatest of his Love? I mean, by partaking of the greatest effects of it, and the fullest sense of his everlasting favour? Remember this, and sure it will persuade thee to gird up thy loins, and run as for the incorruptible Crown, and press on to the mark for the price of the high Calling, and not to sit down with weak beginnings: especially when the way is so sweet as well as the end: and the greatest Holiness hath here also the greatest spiritual reward; and is attended with the greatest peace and joy (in the ordinary course of Gods dispensations). And when all the knocks and falls ⟨p. 48⟩and cries of Christians in this life, proceed from the childish weakness of their spirits: And almost all the woes and calamities that attend us, our shames, our pains, our contentions, and divisions, and the lamentable difficulty, (that seems an impossibility) of healing them, or preventing more, All is from the corruptions that are the companions of our weakness: And could we but grow up to a Manhood of understanding, humility, meekness, self-denial, and the Love of God in Christ, and of one another, we might then have some hope of the Cure of all. Alas that men that are so sensible of the difference between a weak body and a strong, a sick and a sound, a child and a man, an Idiot and a man of wisdom, though all of them have humane nature; should yet be so little sensible of the great difference between a weak Christian and a strong, a sick and a sound, (comparatively sound) a childish, and a manly wise confirmed Christian! Did you well know the difference, you would show us that you make a greater matter of it.