The works of William Bridge, sometime fellow of Emmanuel College in Cambridge, now preacher…The vvorks of William Bridge, sometime fellow of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, now preacher…

First. Take the life of plants and herbs, or of flowers, and what is the Essential property of the Vegetative life? It is to grow; no sooner hath a thing the Vegetative life, but it does grow. All plants, and herbs, and flowers, they grow, and trees they grow, because they have this Vegetative life. And so the Saints do, they grow in grace. It's said of them in the 84. Psalm, They go from strength to strength. It is an Hebraism, and it notes Augmentation; From, To, notes Augmentation. And the like Hebraisms ye have in the New-Testament. In Rom. 1.27. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed, from faith to faith. It notes the augmentation of faith. And so in 2 Cor. 3. ult. But we all with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory. It notes an augmentation of glory. And so, They go from strength to strength. That is, they grow in strength; it notes, an augmentation of their strength. But suppose they do want the Means, and want the Ordinances, do they grow then? Yes. It is that which is said in the same Psalm; Though they walk through the valley of Baca, and be in a dry place, where no water is; yet they go on from strength to strength. And, we ALL with open face beholding as in a glass, the mirror of the Lord, are changed from glory to glory. Not some, but all; all believers, and all the godly, they do grow in grace. And this ye know, is the difference between a Painted child, and a Living child, Take a living child, and though he be but little, and very weak, yet he grows bigger. But now, a child that is painted ⟨p. 6⟩upon a wall, a painted child grows not: and if a man come to ye and say, What's the reason that this child does not grow? two or three years agone he was as big as now he is? you will easily answer, because he is but a painted child, he is not a living child; if he were a living child he would grow. Now the Saints and people of God, they grow in grace, and therefore they are living children: they are living children, and therefore they grow in grace.

First. Take the life of plants and herbs, or of flowers, and what is the Essential property of the Vegetative life? It is to grow; no sooner hath a thing the Vegetative life, but it does grow. All plants, and herbs, and flowers, they grow, and trees they grow, because they have this Vegetative life. And so the Saints do, they grow in grace. It's said of them in the 84. Psalm, They go from strength to strength. It is an Hebraisme, and it notes Augmentation; From, To, notes Augmentation. And the like Hebraismes ye have in the New-Testament. In