THIRDLY, I fhall fhew the caufes of this growth.

1. Union with Christ, John xv. 4. "As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine: no more can ye, except ye abide in me." He that is not united to Christ can never grow in grace, more than a branch that does not knit with the stock. But where the Lord takes hold of the foul by his Spirit, and the foul takes hold of Christ by faith, there is an union whereby they become members of Christ, and their growth is secured.

2. Communion with Christ, John vi. 57. eth me, even he fhall live by me."

"He that eat

He is the fountain of the

faints life, who gives it them, and more abundantly. He is the head of influences, by which they are made to increase in grace, as the fap from the root and stock makes the branches to grow. And this communion they have with him,

(1.) In ordinances, public, private, and secret, so that they are made to grow by the fatnefs of his houfe, Pfal. xcii. 13. "Those that be planted in the house of the Lord, fhall flourish in the courts of our God." The word edifies them, If. lv. 10, 11. The facraments strengthen and confirm them, as they did the eunuch, who went on his way rejoicing, Acts viii. 39. Prayer and other holy exercises profit them, to their spiritual increase. But all by the influences of his Spirit in them, If. xliv. 3, 4.

(2.) In providences. Mercies are bleffed to them for this end, Ís. lxvi. 11, 12.; croffes, John xv. 2. "Every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." And often have the people of God grown most under the weight of afflictions. But this alfo is by communion with Chrift in them, Phil. i. 19. "I know that this fhall turn to my falvation-through the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Chrift."

FOURTHLY, I proceed to fhew the difference betwixt true and false growth. As hypocrites may have feeming grace, though not real, fo that feeming grace may. grow, Matth. xiii. 5. There is a twofold difference.

1. True Christian growth is univerfal, Eph. iv. 15. False growth is only in fome particular things. The true Christian grows in all the parts of fpiritual life proportionably; for all the graces of the Spirit are linked together, fo that when one grows, they all grow. Such a difference there is betwixt them as betwixt a well thriving child and a rickety one.

The former grows proportionably in all the parts, the body, legs, arms, &c. The other grows too, but grows not fo; the head grows big, but the body grows not. So the hypocrite may get more knowledge, but no more tenderness, holinefs, &c. He is not outwardly, but inwardly cold, as to the

life of religion.

2. The hypocrite foon comes to a ftand, the Christian goes on to perfection, Luke viii. 14. Phil. iii. 13, 14. They have their measure; and when they have come to that, they ftand like the door on the hinges: but the true Christian is going on, labouring to be holy as God is holy, 1 John iii. 3. "Every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure."

FIFTHLY, I am to fhew, whether true grace grows al

ways.

1. It does not always grow, nor at every particular season. It has its winters and decays, as well as its fpring and growing times, Rev. ii. 4. "I have fomewhat against thee, because thou haft left thy first love." Yet,

2. It never decays utterly, 1 John iii. 9. "Whofoever is born of God,-his feed remaineth in him." The flame of it may go out, but there is always a live-coal left, though under the afhes, which the influences of the Spirit will blow up again. It will not always be winter, Hof. xiv. 7. "They that dwell under his fhadow fhall return, they fhall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine."

3. A Chriftian may be growing, and yet not be fenfible of it. If one judge of his cafe by prefent feeling, he may be mistaken, Mark iv. 27. If one fix his eyes on the fun, or a tree, he cannot perceive the one moving, or the other growing. But compare the tree with what it was fome years ago, the place where the fun now is, with where it was in the morning; fo fhall ye know the remarkable difference. And the very fame difference may be observed in the growth of a Chriftian.

Again, the growth is not to be measured only by the top, but by the root too. If a tree be taking with the ground, and fpreading its roots there, it is furely growing. And though Chriftians may want the confolations and flashes of affections they fometimes had; yet if they be growing in tenderness, humility, felf-denial, &c. it is true Chriftian growth.

Inf. 1. This may caufe fear and trembling to,

1. Apoftates, who inftead of growing are gone back to their former courfes of profanenefs and impiety. Fallen stars were never stars but in appearance, and fearful will be their doom, Heb. x. 38. "If any man draw back, my foul fhall have no pleasure in him."

2. Those who are at a stand in the way of religion. They have come up to a form of godlinefs, and they are like the door on the hinges. They are not ftriving to be forward in mortification.

3. Thofe who are growing worse inftead of growing better. They are like dead trees; fummer and winter is alike to them; they are never the better for all the warnings from the Lord's word or providence: but whatever God fays by providences or ordinances, they go on their own way, adding one finful step to another.

Inf. 2. Improve ordinances for fpiritual growth. O! it is fad to be fitting under means of grace, but never growing. This is the ready way to provoke the Lord to remove ordi

nances.

Inf. 3. Let the least spark of true grace be nourished, for it will grow, If. xlii. 3.

Inf. 4. Laftly, Labour to be growing Chriftians.

II. OF PERSEVERANCE IN GRACE.

"Perfeverance in grace is another benefit flowing from, or accompanying juftification."

Here I fhall fhew,

1. What this perfeverance is.

2. How it is to be understood.

3. That the faints fhall perfevere to the end.

4. What are thofe things which make hypocrites fall away, but over the belly of which faints perfevere.

5. The grounds of the perfeverance of the faints.

6. The means of perfeverance.

7. Lastly, Apply.

FIRST, I fhall fhew what this perfeverance is. To perfevere is, to continue and abide in a state into which one is brought. And this perfeverance is a firm and constant continuance in the state of grace, even to the end of one's life, VOL. II. No. 17. O o

Matth. x. 22. Col. i. 23. It is opposed to total apoftafy, and utter falling away from grace. It is continuing and holding on, joined to a good beginning.

SECONDLY, I am to fhew how this perfeverance is to be understood.

1. It is not to be understood of all who profefs Christ. Hypocrites may be feeming faints, and may have feeming grace, which may blaze for a while, and afterwards be quite extinguifhed, totally and finally loft, John vi. 66.There are temporary believers, who continue for a while, but having no root, do wither quite away, Matth. xiii. 21, Mere outfide Chriftians, and Chriftians in the letter, may fo apoftatife, as to lofe all, and never recover.

2. It is to be understood of all real faints, thofe who are endowed with faving grace. Those who, by virtue of regeneration, may call God their Father, as well as the church their mother, fhall abide in his family, and never fall out of it, John viii. 35. Though the counterfeit of utterly loft, yet real grace cannot. We own,

grace may be

(1.) Saints may lofe the evidence of grace, fo that they cannot difcern it in themselves. Thus it may fuffer an eclipfe, If. 1. 10. Sometimes a child of God not only believes, loves, &c. but knows he does fo: but at other times it may be out of his fight, fo as he may apprehend he has none. The jewel may fall by, though it cannot fall away; and the spiritual husband may lock up himself in his chamber from his fpoufe, though he never quite leaves the house.

(2.) Saints may lofe the exercife of grace, Cant. v. 2, Though the holy fire be not quite put out, yet it may cease to flame for a while; though they have fpiritual armour lying by them, they may be fo benumbed with the prevailing of corruption, that they cannot wield it. Wife virgins may flumber and fleep as well as the foolish.

(3.) They may lofe much of the measure of grace they have had. True grace, though it cannot die out, yet is fubject to languishing and decays in the ftrength thereof, Rev. iii. 2. They may lofe much of their love to God, and one another, Rev. ii. 4.; much of their former tenderness, as David's heart fmote him when he cut off the lap of Saul's garment, but afterwards was guilty of murder and adultery; much of their liveliness in duties, Rev. iii. 2. and fo of other graces. But,

[1.] Saints can never lofe grace finally, fo as never to recover it, 1 Pet. i. 5. John vi. 39. No doubt a child of God may ftray away from the Lord, as well as another; but though a fervant may go, and never return to the house, yet a fon will be fought out and brought back again, Pfalm cxix. ult. John xiii. 35. “And the fervant abideth not in the house for ever; but the fon abideth ever." So however far the faints may go wrong, the Lord will recover them,

[2] Saints never lofe grace totally neither; they never lofe it altogether, though for ever fo fhort a while, 1 John iii. 9. Their lamp may burn dim, but it is never quite put out; they may fall back, fall very low, fo as themselves and others may have little hopes of their recovery, but they never fall off, never fall away, Pfal. xxxvii. 24. "Though he fall, he shall not be utterly caft down: for the Lord up, holdeth him with his hand.”

Both thefe hold true of relative grace; that is, there is no falling out of the state of justification, adoption, union with Christ, peace with God, the love of God, &c.; and of inherent grace, faith, love, the fear of God, &c.

THIRDLY, I proceed to fhew that the faints fhall perfe vere to the end. This is evident from,

1. The Lord's own promifes. He has faid it, and will he not do it? John x. 28, 29. Pfalm cxxv. 1. "They that truft in the Lord fhall be as Mount Zion, which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever." It is true they have many enemies that watch to do them mischief, but the Lord has promised to guard them, If. xxvii. 3. "I the Lord do keep it, I will water it every moment; left any hurt it, I will keep it night and day." They may fall into fin, and provoke the Lord to anger against them; but he has promised, that though he lay his hand on them, he will not lift his love off them, Pfalm Íxxxix. 31.-34. Though they may be forfaken, yet it fhall neither be total nor final, If. liv. 7.-10.

2. From the faints confidence of perfeverance and eternal life. How confident was Afaph, Pfalm lxxiii. 24. "Thou fhalt guide me with thy counfel, and afterwards receive me to glory?" If the faints could fall away from grace, how could they rejoice in hope of the glory of God?" Rom. v. 2. How could Paul triumph over death, life, angels, principalities, powers; things prefent and to come, height, depth," &c.? Rom. viii. 38, 39. Confidence in their own