Patience and its perfect work under sudden & sore trialsPatience and its perfect work under sudden & sore tryals

Answer, This expression, to say, such and such a Christian, [Lacks] such or such a Grace, is not uncouth, nor unusual in the Scriptures; when he, (or they) have wanted the EXERCISE ⟨p. 147⟩of it. For though Christians do receive the Principles of all Graces, as 2 Pet. 1. 3. yet they may neglect to stir up all graces, or may have been disused to the exercise of some. Why else, and to what end doth the Apostle in the same place stir them up to add Grace to Grace, as in verse 5. And in those cases, a Christian may be said, yea charged to lack that Grace or Graces, which he wants the exercise of. For so in the same Chapter, ver. 9. speaking of a Dozed negligent professor, though true, he useth this very language of him, He that lacks these things (as I have elsewhere opened that Scripture); For Idem est non esse, et non uti: 'Tis all one for a thing not to be, and not to be used, when the being of a thing is wholly ordained for use and operation: Now such a thing is Grace; and such a thing if not used, is as if it were ⟨p. 148⟩not. And the opposition that is between adding Grace to Grace, v. 5. (that is the exercise of one Grace after another) & the lacking Grace, in that v. 9. evidently shows, that phrase to be so understood, not of the utter want of the Grace, but of the exercise.

Answer, This expression, to say, such and such a Christian, [Lacks] such or such a Grace, is not uncouth, nor unusual in the Scriptures; when he, (or they) have wanted the EXERCISE ⟨p. 147⟩of it. For though Christians doe receive the Principles of all Graces, as 2 Pet. 1. 3. yet they may neglect to stir up all graces, or may have been disused to the exercise of some. Why else, and to what end doth the Apostle in the same place stir them up to add Grace to Grace, as in verse 5. And in those cases, a Christian may be said, yea charged to lack that Grace or Graces, which he wants the exercise of. For so in the same Chapter, ver. 9. speaking of a Dozed negligent professor, though true, he useth this very language of him, He that lacks these things (as I have elswhere opened that Scripture); For Idem est non esse, et non uti: 'Tis all one for a thing not to be, and not to be used, when the being of a thing is wholly ordained for use and operation: Now such a thing is Grace; and such a thing if not used, is as if it were