The more grace one hath, the more he doth see sin; and the more a man sees his sin, the more his own grace will be hidden from his own eyes. Godly men do oftentimes measure themselves by Metaphors; as sometimes we that are Preachers of the Word, we fall upon a Scripture-metaphor, as where Christ is called a sun, a shield, or bread; and we run the Metaphor off its legs, further then the Holy-ghost did intend: so sometimes we do. So it is with Christians too; they fall upon a Scripture-metaphor, and they run it and themselves off their legs, beyond what the Holy-ghost doth intend. For example, increase of grace in Scripture-phrase is called a growth: now because a Christian cannot find his own spiritual increase answerable to all outward growth, therefore he thinks that he doth not increase in grace: whereas there is a great deal of difference between a spiritual increase, and an outward growth, in many things: As now, a mans body grows, but all the parts of his body do not grow out of his head; but now in our spiritual growth it is so, as you read in Col. 2. 19. And not holding the head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. Why here our spiritual increase in all the members comes from the head: it is not so in our outward growth; all the members of our body do not grow out of our head; but in our spiritual growth it is so. And so many other differences might be ⟨p. 9⟩given. But now because that Christians do not find their spiritual increase every way answerable to an outward growth, therefore they call all into question many times, and say, Oh I do not grow in grace, and so I have no grace at all. Celestial bodies, as the Sun, Moon and Stars, they move apace, and may run hundreds of miles in an hour; yet when you look upon them, they seem to be sixth, and you see no motion: but look now upon your terrestrial bodies, men or beasts, moving before you, you see them move. So now, when a man looks upon his increase in riches, he may perceive that; but when you cast your eyes upon those celestial bodies, Saints, you will think they are sixth, and they move not at all: and so you will think sometimes concerning your selves, that you do not move at all, and yet move, and stir, and increase, and abound more and more. So that I say, first, As a man may have grace, and not know it;
The more grace one hath, the more he doth see sin; and the more a man sees his sin, the more his own grace will be hidden from his own eyes. Godly men do oftentimes measure themselves by Metaphors; as sometimes we that are Preachers of the Word, we fall upon a Scripture-metaphor, as where Christ is call'd a sun, a shield, or bread; and we run the Metaphor off its legs, further then the Holy-ghost did intend: so sometimes we do. So it is with Christians too; they fall upon a Scripture-metaphor, and they run it and themselves off their legs, beyond what the Holy-ghost doth intend. For example, increase of grace in Scripture-phrase is called a growth: now because a Christian cannot finde his own spiritual increase answerable to all outward growth, therefore he thinks that he doth not increase in grace: whereas there is a great deal of difference between a spiritual increase, and an outward growth, in many things: As now, a mans body grows, but all the parts of his body do not grow out of his head; but now in our spiritual growth it is so, as you read in Col. 2. 19. And not holding the head, from which all the body by joynts and bands having nourishment ministred, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. Why here our spiritual increase in all the members comes from the head: it is not so in our outward growth; all the members of our body do not grow out of our head; but in our spiritual growth it is so. And so many other differences might be ⟨p. 9⟩given. But now because that Christians do not finde their spiritual increase every way answerable to an outward growth, therefore they call all into question many times, and say, Oh I do not grow in grace, and so I have no grace at all. Celestial bodies, as the Sun, Moon and Stars, they move apace, and may run hundreds of miles in an hour; yet when you look upon them, they seem to be fixt, and you see no motion: but look now upon your terrestrial bodies, men or beasts, moving before you, you see them move. So now, when a man looks upon his increase in riches, he may perceive that; but when you cast your eyes upon those celestial bodies, Saints, you will think they are fixt, and they move not at all: and so you will think sometimes concerning your selves, that you do not move at all, and yet move, and stir, and increase, and abound more and more. So that I say, first, As a man may have grace, and not know it;
