poisonous weed may grow as much as the hysop, or rosemary; the poppy in the field, as the corn: the crab, as the pearmain : but the one hath a harsh, sour taste; the other mellows as it grows. A hypocrite may grow in outward dimensions as much as a child of God, he may pray as much, profess as much; but he grows only in magnitude, he brings forth sour grapes, his duties are leavened with pride; the other ripens as he grows; he grows in love, humility, faith, which do mellow and sweeten his duties, and make them come off with a better relish. The believer grows as a flower; he casts a fragrancy and perfume.

3. A true Christian grows in strength; he grows still more rooted and settled.* The more the tree grows, the more it speads its root in the earth, Col. ii. 7. A Christian, who is a plant of the heavenly Jerusalem, the longer he grows, the more he incorporates into Christ, and sucks spiritual juice and sap

*It is the privilege of a believer to grow in grace, and it should be his continual prayer to God, that he may be daily receiving out of that fulness treasured up in Christ, a fresh supply of mercy and grace, to help in time of need. Christians are called trees of righteousness in the word of God, and if planted in the Church, by our heavenly father's right hand planting, it will be our earnest desire to be made abundantly fruitful in every good word and work, and thus we shall be growing up into his image and likeness, until he is pleased to remove us from the garden of his grace below, to that paradise of pleasure at his right, hand above.

from him; he is a dwarf in regard of humility, but a giant in regard of strength. He is strong to do duties, to bear burdens, and to resist temptations.

4. He grows vigorous in the exercise of his grace, he hath not only oil in his lamps, but his lamps are burning and shining. Grace is active and dexterous. Christ's vine do flourish; (Cant. vi. 11.) hence we read of a lively hope, (1 Pet. i. 3.) and a fervent love, (1 Pet. i. 22.) here is the activity of grace. Indeed, sometimes grace is as a sleepy habit in the soul, like sap in the vine, not exerting its vigour; which may be occasioned through spiritual sloth, or by reason of falling into some sin; but this is only for a while the spring of grace will come, the flowers will appear, and the fig-tree put forth her green figs. The fresh gales of the Spirit do sweetly revive and refocillate grace. The Church of Christ, whose heart was a garden, and her graces as precious spices, prays for the heavenly breathings of the Spirit, that her sacred spices might flow out, Cant. iv. 16.

5. A true Christian grows both in the kind and in the degree of grace. To his spiritual living he gets an augmentation: he adds to faith, virtue; to virtue, knowledge; to knowledge, temperance, &c. 2 Pet. i. 5, 6. Here is grace growing in the kind; and he goes on from faith to faith; (Rom. i. 17.) there is grace growing in the degree. We are bound to give thanks to God for you,

brethren, because your faith groweth exceedingly, (2 Thess. i. 3.) it increaseth over and above. And the apostle speaks of those spiritual plants which were laden with Gospel fruit, Phil. i. 11. A Christian is compared to the vine-an emblem of fruitfulness -he must bear full clusters: we are bid to perfect that which is lacking in our faith, 1 Thess. iii. 10. A Christian must never be so old as to be past bearing; he brings forth fruit in his old age, Psal. xcii. 14. An hea ven-born plant is ever growing: he never thinks he grows enough; he is not content unless he add every day one cubit to his spiritual stature. We must not he content just with so much grace as will keep life and soul together; a drachm or two must not suffice, but we must be still encreasing with the encrease of God, Col. ii. 19. We had need renew our strength as the eagle, Isai. xl. 31. Our sins are renewed, our wants are renewed, our temptations are renewed, and shall not our strength be renewed? Oh, be not content with the first appearance of grace! grace in its infancy and minority. You look for degrees of glory; be you Christians of degrees. Though a believer should be contented with a morsel in his estate, yet not with a morsel in religion. A Christian of the right breed labours still to excel himself, and come near unto that holiness in God, who is the original, the pattern, and antitype, of all holiness.

CHAP. XIII.

USE 4.

Shwoing how a Christian may know whether he hath learned this divine Art.

THUS having laid down these three Cautions, I proceed in the next place to a Use of Trial. 4. How may a Christian know that he hath learned this lesson of contentment? I shall lay down some characters by which you shall know it

1. A contented spirit is a silent spirit. He hath not one word to say against God. I was dumb, or silent, because thou, Lord, didst it, Psal. xxxix. 2. Contentment silenceth all dispute-He sitteth alone, and keepeth silence, Lam. iii. 28. There is a sinful silence, when God is dishonoured, his truth wounded, and men hold their peace: this silence is a loud sin; and there is an holy silence, when the soul sits down quiet and content with its condition. When Samuel tells Eli that heavy message from God, that he would judge his house, and that the iniquity of his family should not be purged away with sacrifice for ever, (1 Sam. iii. 13.) doth Eli murmur or dispute? No; he hath not one word to say against God-It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth him good, verse 18. A discontented

spirit saith, as Pharaoh-" Who is the Lord? Why should I suffer all this? Why should I be brought into this low condition? Who is the Lord? But a gracious heart saith, as Eli-"It is the Lord; let him do what he will with me." When Nadab and Abiḥu, the sons of Aaron, had offered up strange fire, and fire went from the Lord, and devoured them, (Lev. x. 1.) is Aaron now in a passion of discontent? No; Aaron held his peace, verse 3. A contented spirit is never angry, unless with himself, for having hard thoughts of God. When Jonah said, I do well to be ungry; this was not a contented spirit, it did not become a prophet.

2. A contented spirit is a cheerful spirit. Contentment is something more than patience; for patience denotes only submission, contentment denotes cheerfulness. A contented Christian is more than passive; he doth not only bear the cross, but take up the cross, Matt. xvi. 24. He looks upon God as a wise God; and, whatever he doth, it is in order to a cure hence the contented Christian is cheerful; and, with the apostle, takes pleasure in infirmities, distresses, &c. 2 Cor. xii. 10. He doth not only submit to God's dealings, but rejoice in them; he doth not only say—“ "Just is the Lord in all that is befallen me;" but "Good is the Lord." This is to be contented. A sullen melancholy is hateful. It is said, God loves a cheerful giver,