§. Sect. 4 That if we de∣sire to grow in grace, we must carefully vse the meanes which may further vs in it, and what these meanes are.
Now if we would attaine to this Christian growth, wee must vse all good meanes which may further vs in it: for in vaine hee professeth his great desire to be rich, who neglecteth all good husbandry and meanes of thriuing; or to grow in strength and stature, who will not vse food and clothing, which are the ordinary meanes to attaine vnto them. Yea, if wee desire spirituall growth in grace and goodnesse, we must take more then vsuall paines, seeing as to the augmenting of the body, there is required more meat, and better concoction, then for the preseruing of it in that stature and strength vnto which it hath already attained; so vnto our growth in grace, and increasing of our spirituall stature, it is necessary that we more diligently vse the meanes, and receiue the food of our soules in greater quantity, and with better stomackes, then onely to hold (as wee say) life and soule together, and to preserue our graces in their bare being and present plight. Now the meanes of increasing in grace, and procee∣ding in the practice of all Christian duties, are the same by which they had their first beginnings; as the carefull and conscionable hearing of the Word preached; for we must, like new-borne babes, desire the sincere milke of the Word, (which is also the seed of our Regeneration and new∣birth) if euer wee meane to grow vp thereby. So also the reading of the Word, and vse of the Sacraments, meditation, holy conferences, of which wee haue spoken in part, and shall say more in the following dis∣course. But aboue all, inuocation and prayer, desiring God, who is the Authour of our spirituall birth and being, and also of our pre∣seruation and growth in godlinesse, that hee will perfect his good worke which he hath begun in vs, sanctifie vs throughout in our soules and bodies, and bring vs from one degree to another, till at last wee come to a perfect man in Christ; whereof we haue the holy Apostles in many places as fit precedents and examples, who by their feruent prayers craue at Gods hands this growth in grace for themselues and others. Fi∣nally, if we would be good proficients in Gods seruice, wee must often thinke of the worthinesse and excellency of our heauenly Master, who is the chiefe Goodnesse, and infinite in all perfection, and therefore, aboue all, deserueth our best paines and diligence; of his inestimable loue to∣wards vs shining in our Creation, Preseruation, and that great worke of our Redemption, by the death of his deare and onely Sonne; for who would not loue him, that hath so loued vs, and labour to approoue it by striuing to serue him daily in more perfection? Of the Passion and suffer∣ings of Christ, which will make vs thinke that we can neuer doe too much for him, who hath done and suffered so much for vs. Of the perfection which the Law requireth, vnder the penalty of a fearfull curse, and of the gracious promises, and sweet incouragements of the Gospell, belonging