SERM. tution;) if they find fome virtuous DifII. pofitions in their Minds, fome Inclinations towards the Leading of a virtuous Life, and have, in any Measure, put those Inclinations into Execution; they presently conclude, that the Work is over, that there is a thorough Change wrought in their Souls, and that they are become the Children of God, and Inheritors of the Kingdom of Heaven. To break off our Sins by Repentance is, indeed, a very good Beginning, the first Step towards a good Life, the Dawning of Grace in our Souls, and the Seed-time of a plentiful Harveft, of which we shall reap the Fruit, if we faint not: But unless we proceed from one Degree of Grace to another, unless we prefs forward to the Mark of the Prize of our high Calling, and add to our Faith Virtue, and abound in every good Work; though we have begun well, yet if we do not persevere, if we do not go forward in the fame Path, we fhall finally miscarry, and our End will be miferable. And therefore, after the Apostle St. Peter, in the former Part of this Epistle, had laid down many excellent Rules for the Government of Men's Lives, and inforced them with several pathetical Exhortations; and, in the last Chapter یہ Chapter of this fecond Epiftle, had pro-SERM. pofed the most powerful Motive, the Confi- II. deration of that great and terrible Day of Judgment, which was, at least, typified by the Deftruction of the Jews; he clofes up all, with this remarkable Memento, But grow in Grace, and in the Knowledge of our Lord Jefus Christ, to whom be Glory both now and for ever. I fhall make the firft Part of this Verfe the Subject of my prefent Difcourfe: But grow in Grace. THE full Import and Meaning of which Words that we may understand, I shall confider, I. WHAT is meant by growing in Grace. III. WHAT Means ought to be made Use IV. By what Signs and Marks we may know, whether we grow in Grace, or not. And, I. WHAT is meant by growing in Grace. And, here, I fhall not trouble you with the many Acceptations of this Word, Grace, H. 3 SERM. Grace, or the different Notions fome Writers have affixed to it; of which I fhall only take Notice of two, because they are the moft remarkable. Grace, therefore, is taken either actively, for that Love and Favour of God, whereby we are accepted in Jefus Chrift; or, paffively, for the feveral Gifts and Graces wrought in us by God's Holy Spirit. Now it is plain, that, in the Text, Grace is taken in the latter Senfe, for, fince the Love and Favour of God towards us is either increased, or diminished, in Proportion to our proceeding, or going backwards in Virtue and Godliness of Living, therefore, the plain Meaning of thefe Words, Grow in Grace, muft be, that it is our Duty fo to cherish the bleffed Influences of God's Holy Spirit, fo to fecond all his Motions, that we may daily improve in virtuous Living, and yield a more exact and uniform Obedience to all the Commands of God; that our Faith may wax ftronger, our Charity be enlarged, our Patience meeker, our Obedience more intire, our Confciences more pure and fincere: Not to endeavour to be juft fo good, as may intitle us to eternal Happinefs, and free us from the Terrors of Hell-Torments, but to make it our Bufinefs to be as good as as we can poffibly be; not to enquire SERM. after the lowest Degree of Grace, but to II. covet and ftrive earnestly after the best Gifts, to examine ourselves daily, to find out our own Faults and Defects, and endeavour to amend them, and to perfevere in fo doing, to the End of our Lives. This is to grow in Grace; and, the more we thus grow in Goodness, the more we fhall grow in God's Favour, and the Light of his Countenance will shine in upon us more brightly, in the Enjoyment of which, our chiefeft Happiness in this World doth confift. But this I fhall further enlarge upon, whilst I confider, II. WHAT are the Reasons why every Profeffor of Christianity ought to be careful to grow in Grace. And they are fuch as thefe: 1. BECAUSE it is the Nature of all true Grace, to grow and increafe. Grace is an active Principle, which informs and inlivens the Soul, and puts it upon Action; he, that has once tafted how good and gracious God is, cannot but defire to drink more plentifully of thefe Rivers of Pleafure, and to recommend himself to the Favour of his munificent Benefactor by a more exact Conformity to his Holy Will. That Man who is good, out of a SERM. right Principle, will ftill endeavour to be II. better; for the fame Motives, which engaged him to enter upon a good Life, will grow ftill more strong and prevalent, and engage him to perfevere in the right Way. The longer we practife the Rules of Virtue, the more fenfible we fhall be of the Deformity of Vice, and, the longer we walk in the Paths of Religion, the more beaten will the Track be; and, as true Grace is in its own Nature prolifi, fo doth it become much more fo, by that fupernatural Affistance, which is continually fhowered down on it from above; to Mat. xiii, him who hath, it shall be given, i. e. he 12 who makes Use of that Grace which God 2. IF we do not grow in Grace, and |