A Practical Commentary on the Epistle of Jude

8ly, The infallible signs of growth in Grace are three. When we grow more spiritual, more solid, more humble.

8ly, The infallible signes of growth in Grace are three. When we grow more spirituall, more solid, more humble.

1. More spiritual, the growth of wicked men is in spiritual wickedness less debauched, but more malicious; so will our growth in grace be discerned by our spirituality in our aims, when our ends are more elevated to Gods glory, &c. In our grounds and principles, as when we resist sin out of love to God: and as 'tis contrary to his purity and holiness, and when we are carried out against inward corruptions, such as the world doth not take notice off; not only against sins, but lusts and thoughts, for that argueth more light and more love, so when we regard the spirituality of duties, serving the Lord in the spirit: so when we relish the more spiritual part of the Word, plain and solid preaching, rather then such as is garish and full of the pomp of words, 1 Cor. 2. 6. We speak wisdom among those that are perfect, the trappings of an ordinance are baits to take the more carnal sort of hearers; ^*Plutarch in his Treatise of growth in moral virtue, ⟨p. 125⟩wherein are many notable things applicable to growth in Grace; saith, that a man that hath made some progress in virtue is like a Physician, that coming into a Garden he doth not consider flowers for their beauty as gallants do, but for their use and virtue in medicine; So he doth not consider speech for its fineness but fitness and seasonableness to present use; the same holdeth good also in growth in grace, the more we grow the more we regard the spiritual part of the Word and such as is of a practical use and concernment.

1. More spirituall, the growth of wicked men is in spirituall wickedness less debauched, but more malicious; so will our growth in grace be discerned by our spirituality in our aimes, when our ends are more elevated to Gods glory, &c. In our grounds and principles, as when we resist sin out of love to God: and as 'tis contrary to his purity and holiness, and when we are carried out against inward corruptions, such as the world doth not take notice off; not onely against sins, but lusts and thoughts, for that argueth more light and more love, so when we regard the spirituality of duties, serving the Lord in the spirit: so when we rellish the more spirituall part of the Word, plain and solid preaching, rather then such as is garish and full of the pomp of words,