An expository comment, doctrinal, controversial, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…An expository comment, doctrinal, controversal, and practical upon the whole first chapter to the…

Hence in the second place, This real Saintship is always growing, and ought ¹to be more and more proficient continually. It is an high delusion to dream of such a perfection, that they are above Ordinances, that they are of so full a stature in grace, that one cubit cannot be added to them. This is to let the Devil get thee up to the pinnacle of the Temple, and then to throw thee headlong into hell; yet such sad delusions have been on some, that coming to the Sacrament, they have said, They have had as perfect love as Christ himself. But this is against the continual current of the Scripture, which presseth to grow in grace, to bring forth more fruit. And 1 Cor. 7. to perfect holiness in the fear of God. Paul himself, though a Giant, to us Dwarfs, yet Phil. 3. Accounted not himself to have apprehended, but forgot what was behind, and pressed forward to the mark. Cloppenburge a learned man thinketh, That even Christ himself did feed and nourish his soul by meditating on Gods Word, and that in the use of the Sacraments, his faith was more confirmed, for to go through that work of redemption for us. This may seem hard to affirm of Christ, who had the Spirit without measure. But it is very true of every Saint on Earth, though never so exalted and enabled by grace, that he needeth the Ordinances, that he is to perfect and fill up that vacuity and emptiness, which is in him; so that he may say with Ignatius, when going to be sacrificed for the truth, Nune incipio esse Christianus; I do even now begin to be a Christian; to be a Saint, I am but a babe yet, I am but a beginner yet.

Hence in the second place, This real Saintship is alwayes growing, and ought ¹to be more and more proficient continually. It is an high delusion to dream of such a perfection, that they are above Ordinances, that they are of so full a stature in grace, that one cubit cannot be added to them. This is to let the Devil get thee up to the pinacle of the Temple, and then to throw thee headlong into hell; yet such sad delusions have been on some, that coming to the Sacrament, they have said, They have had as perfect love as Christ himself. But this is against the continual current of the Scripture, which presseth to grow in grace, to bring forth more fruit. And