A29372:28
Seasonable truths in evil-times in several sermons / lately preached in and about London
Seasonable truths in evil-times in several sermons / lately preached in and about London by William Bridge, late preacher of the word of God at Yarmouth.Seasonable truths in evil-times in several sermons / lately preached in and about London by Willam Bridge, late preacher of the word of God at Yarmouth.
London: printed for Nath. Crouch, 1668
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
so 'tis possible for a man to increase in grace, and not perceive it.
Object. Oh but I fear that I do not increase and abound more and more; for I do nothing now more for God then what I have done before, will some say. I pray now, and I did pray before; I hear the Word, and I did hear before; I read the Scripture in private, and I did read before; I examine mine own heart, and I did so before: I find no addition at all made to my spiritual condition; what I did before, that I do now; and therefore I fear that I am not grown in grace, and therefore that I never had any grace at all: for where there is truth, there will be growth.
Answ. First, for answer to this, you must know that growth in grace doth not always consist in ⟨p. 10⟩doing of other works for the kind, but in doing the same works over and over again better then before: As now, when one learns to write, when a man hath attained to a great perfection in Writing, he doth not make other letters then he made at first; he makes the same letters that he did, only he makes them better, and sets them closer. So now, in your growth and increase in grace, you must not think that you shall make other letters, or do other duties, but shall do the same duties now, and exercise the same grace now, as before; only you will set your duties and graces closer together, and you will do the work better then you did before.
Answ. First, for answer to this, you must know that growth in grace doth not always consist in ⟨p. 10⟩doing of other works for the kinde, but in doing the same works over and over again better then before: As now, when one learns to write, when a man hath attained to a great perfection in Writing, he doth not make other letters then he made at first; he makes the same letters that he did, onely he makes them better, and sets them closer. So now, in your growth and increase in grace, you must not think that you shall make othr letters, or do other duties, but shall do the same duties now, and exercise the same grace now, as before; onely you will set your duties and graces closer together, and you will do the work better then you did before.