Seasonable truths in evil-times in several sermons / lately preached in and about London

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 oth•r 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.

But secondly, It may argue more grace, to do the same work afterwards. Pray consider this: I say, it may sometimes argue more grace to do the same work afterwards. As for example: suppose a man be an old man, or an old woman, when this person was young he prayed it may be an hour or two hours in a day; now he is grown old, and his body is infirm and weak, to do the same thing now, argues more grace now then before: and therefore if you look into