Religion & morality > Human nature in its four-fold state ... in several practical discourses

Head II. Growth in Grace. 337
the Way, the 'truth, and the Life ? The falling
Dew ihall afl'oon make its Way, through the flinty
Rock; as Influences of Grace Ihall come from God
to Sinners, any other Way, but through him, whom
the Father hath conftituted the Head of Influences,
Col. i. 19. For it pleafed the Father, that in him
Jhould all Fulnefs dwell: And Chap. ii. j9. And not
bolding the Head, from which all the Body by Joints
and Bands, having Nounjhment minifired and knit
together, increafeth with the Increafe of God. Hence
lee, how it comes to pafs, that many fall away,
from their feemingSanctification, and never recover:
It is becaufe they are not truly Branches knit to the
true Vine. Mean while, others recover fr m their
Decays; becaufe of their Union with the Life-gi¬
ving Stock, by the quickning Spirit, x John ii. 19.
They went out from us, but they were not of us ;
for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have
continued with us.
A fifth Benefit is Growth in Grace. Having
Nourifhnient minifired, they increafe with the In-
creafe of God, Col. ii 19. The^Righteous Jhall
flourifh like the Balm-tree : He {hall grow like a
Cedar in Lebanon, PfaL xcii. 12.. Grace is of a
growing Nature: In the Way to Zion they go from
Strength to Strength. Though the holy Man be at
firft a little Child in Grace, yet at length he be¬
comes a young Man, a Father, 1 John ii. 13.
Though he does but creep in the Way to Heaven
fometimes ; yet afterwards he walks, .he runs, he
mounts up with Wings as Eagles, Ifa. xl. 31. If a
Branch grafted into a Stock never grows, it is a
plain Evidence q£'its not having knit with the
Stock.
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