Grace: the truth and growth and different degrees thereof. The sum and substance of…Grace: the truth and growth and different degrees thereof. The summe and substance of…

The second caution is, Take not those things to be evidences of the truth of grace,¹ which are evidences only of the growth and strength of grace. Weak Converts do involve themselves in a Labyrinth of misery, in judging themselves by those symptoms, which are evidences only of the strength of grace. Thou must not judge thy self whether thou art in the state of grace by this; as whether thou hast ravishing joys and comforts of the Holy Ghost; these are things that God indulgeth to some few, and those of a long standing in the school of Christ. In a School, a scholar must not compare himself with one of the highest Form: if thou wouldest judge of the truth of thy grace, judge by the lowest measure. The reason why hypocrites and low-form Christians do mistake, is this: hypocrites judge they have grace because they have gifts, and weak Christians judge they have no grace because they do not find such measures of grace in them as are in others. We do not use to say, it is not day because it is not noon.—It is unthankfulness to God, and uncharitableness to our selves, to argue a nullity of grace from the weakness of it; & therefore if thou ⟨p. 49⟩canst not say, I see my grace, yet it's well if thou canst say, Blessed be God, I see my sin; If thou canst not say that thou leavest sin, yet it's well if thou canst say, I have a full purpose of heart to do so: if thou canst but cry out for the want of grace, yet comfort thy self, and do not conclude thou hast no grace

The second caution is, Take not those things to be evidences of the truth of grace,¹ which are evidences onely of the growth and strength of grace. Weak Converts do involve themselves in a Labyrinth of misery, in judging themselves by those symptomes, which are evidences only of the strength of grace. Thou must not judge thy self whether thou art in the state of grace by this; as whether thou hast ravishing joyes and comforts of the Holy Ghost; these are things that God indulgeth to some few, and those of a long standing in the school of Christ. In a School, a scholler must not compare himself with one of the highest Form: if thou wouldest judge of the truth of thy grace, judge by the lowest measure. The reason why hypocrites and low-form Christians do mistake, is this: hypocrites judge they have grace because they have gifts, and weak Christians judge they have no grace because they do not finde such measures of grace in them as are in others. We do not use to say, it is not day because it is not noon.—It is unthankfulness to God, and uncharitableness to our selves, to argue a nullity of grace from the weakness of it; & therefore if thou