Thirdly and lastly, there are certain seasons and opportunities, 1wherein a man is called to exercise such and such a grace; now is the time, when we must be strong to put that grace in practice. Sometimes there is a season of using the grace of patience, sometimes of love sometimes of temperance, sometimes one grace, sometimes ⟨p. 216⟩another: whensoever these seasons and opportunities come; now put forth these graces, and let them have their perfect work, every grace in his season. That is the time now when a man is to stir up his strength in those opportunities and turnings of a mans life. Such things fall out every day; now one grace is to be used, and then another: now be careful to stir them up, as we see, 2 Pet. 1. 5. when a man hath one grace, saith the Apostle, let 2him add one to another: Therefore give all diligence thereto, join virtue with faith, and with faith knowledge, and with knowledge, temperance, with temperance, patience, with patience godliness, with godliness, brotherly kindness, with brotherly kindness, love. That is, suppose, saith the Apostle, thou hast faith, perhaps there i• need of more then that, there comes seasons when thou art to do good works, to add works to thy faith, therefore remember in such a case to join virtue to it: for virtue is taken here for action, a readiness in a man to perform, to bring that faith into use. But when you are set on work, perhaps it may be a difficult case to know what a man in discretion should do in this ambiguous case: therefore add knowledge and prudence, to guide and direct you in that you do; but when you have gotten prudence, and know what is to be done, then add to knowledge, temperance. It may be a man may know well enough what to do, but he is drawn aside with some pleasure and lust; for it is usual for a man to know, but because he is biassed the wrong way with some inordinate affection, he performs not that […] knows, therefore saith the Apostle, now is the season to add temperance to knowledge, to abstain from those things. And besides, as pleasures are a means on the one side to keep him from the practise of what he knows, so there are likewise some dangers and difficulties, somewhat that a man is to suffer. When a good action is to be done, a men shall find many crosses and oppositions, somewhat he must part with:
Thirdly and lastly, there are certain seasons and opportunities, 1wherein a man is called to exercise such and such a grace; now is the time, when we must be strong to put that grace in practice. Sometimes there is a season of using the grace of patience, sometimes of love sometimes of temperance, sometimes one grace, sometimes ⟨p. 216⟩another: whensoever these seasons and opportunities come; now put forth these graces, and let them have their perfect work, every grace in his season. That is the time now when a man is to stir up his strength in those opportunities and turnings of a mans life. Such things fall out every day; now one grace is to be used, and then another: now be careful to stir them up, as we see, 2 Pet. 1. 5. when a man hath one grace, saith the Apostle, let 2him add one to another: Therefore give all diligence thereto, join vertue with faith, and with faith knowledge, and with knowledge, temperance, with temperance, patience, with patience godliness, with godliness, brotherly kindness, with brotherly kindness, love. That is, suppose, saith the Apostle, thou hast faith, perhaps there i• need of more then that, there comes seasons when thou art to do good works, to add works to thy faith, therefore remember in such a case to join vertue to it: for vertue is taken here for action, a readiness in a man to perform, to bring that faith into use. But when you are set on work, perhaps it may be a difficult case to know what a man in discretion should do in this ambiguous case: therefore add knowledge and prudence, to guide and direct you in that you do; but when you have gotten prudence, and know what is to be done, then add to knowledge, temperance. It may be a man may know well enough what to do, but he is drawn aside with some pleasure and lust; for it is usual for a man to know, but because he is byassed the wrong way with some inordinate affection, he performs not that 〈…〉 knows, therefore saith the Apostle, now is the season to add temperance to knowledge, to abstain from those things. And besides, as pleasures are a means on the one side to keep him from the practise of what he knows, so there are likewise some dangers and difficulties, somewhat that a man is to suffer. When a good action is to be done, a men shall find many crosses and oppositions, somewhat he must part with:
- 13. In the seasons of using several graces.
- 22 Pet. 1. 5.
