Precious faith considered in its nature, working, and growth

Again, If thou wouldst be assured, exercise thy Graces and grow therein. It much conduces to Assurance to render thy Graces as visible as thou canst. Grace, however it always carry a Divine lustre in it, is not so visible when dormant in an habit or principle, as when it is put forth into act and exercise; neither is it so visible in its Initials in the smoking flax or bruised reed, as in its Progresses and statures in Christ. In point of Comfort talents not used are as none, Comforts lie dead in Believers as their Graces do; the holy sire raked up affords no ⟨p. 436⟩light to them: Awake therefore, O Believer, to the use of thy Talents; exercise thy self unto Godliness, that the Divine Life now latent in Principles may show it self in acts; blow up the holy fire in thy bosom, that what was buried under ashes may revive into a flame; Be still a putting forth one Grace or other, melting in repenting tears, or clasping thy Faith about Promises, or kneeling down in obedience to Commands; or inflaming thy Love at Gods, or perfecting Patience under his hand, or drawing out thy Soul in Charity: As the season is, let one Grace or other be still a-budding and bearing holy fruit. Thy Graces thus exercised will become radiant and visible; those which before lay hid like Saul among the stuff, as if they had been upon the common level of nature, will now come forth in their Supernatural statures, and appear as the virtues of God: Thou mayest now discern in thy self that which is more than Humane, a Divine Nature, which sparkles out of thy flesh in holy Operations; Another, an higher Spirit than thy own which follows God fully in holy walking: Thou mayest now sit down under Christs shadow, and reckon thy self in the very borders of Assurance, waiting the good hour, when the irradiating Spirit shall take thee by the hand, and lead thee into the full possession thereof. Moreover, unto the exercise of Grace add growth as a fruit thereof; Grow in Grace, and in the knowledge of Christ, 2 Pet. 3.18. Abound more and more, 1 Thes. 4.1. Let thy ⟨p. 437⟩Motto be Plus ultra, and thy Christian Arms like Josephs, a fruitful bough by a well. Thou hast Faith, but be strong in it, that thou mayest wrestle with God, and not let him go till he bless thee with Assurance; be great in it, that he may condescend to thee, and say, Be it unto thee even as thou wilt.