sin 3. The punishment due to that sinne 1. Concerning the sin and guilt wee must know two things wherein is the answer 1. We must know that to forgive properly wee cannot it cannot be done by us for who can forgive sinnes but God onely it is one of Gods prerogatives to forgive sinnes and no creature can doe the same 2. As the guilt hath a respect to God so it hath a respect to us for as he is injured so are we when a man steales it is not onely a wrong to the Law of God but also a wrong to mee so farre as the sinne doth respect God he pardoneth it and as it concernes mee I forgive him and this is done when the heart is as willingly content to doe all good to a brother as though hee had never sinned against him wee say wee forgive him but wee will not forget him this is not to forgive but when betweene him and mee there is nothing to stop the doing of good this is true forgiving Q. Whether is a man bound to forgive punishment to another as when one hath stollen any thing from us should wee not follow the law on him how farre must a man goe in this case in taking punishment on such an one offending A. A man may nay it may bee so that a man is bound not to forgive it but to punish it and a man should sinne deeply in the neglect of it If a man hath murthered another a man is bound to follow the law on him and to give him the punishment due to the fact Q. How farre may a man goe in this case A. It appeares in these particulars 1. When all things considered a man sees it may doe good then hee is bound to give punishment when there is nothing but a bridewell will doe a servant good give it him when a child is stubborne give him correction and spare him not It is as good as his meate If a wretch belch out his malice if a man can reforme him by punishment give it him who knowes but it may be the best Physicke that hee ever had and to let him goe unpunished in such a case makes a man guilty of his sinne because he might have reformed him by this meanes 2. If this bee a way and meanes to bind a mans hand and to hinder him from the practise of some sinne if a man have a suite of law against him hee is bound to cast him into prison for that keeps him from sinning deepely It is a worke of mercy to take a knife from a mad man so GOD put an opportunity into a mans hands hee is bound to take the Law and it is mercy to him thus to doe 3. When a man cannot otherwise maintaine his owne honour life or some other particular good for the taking off his owne wrong a man is bound in Justice so to doe as thus if one should raise a false report upon a man it is not a worke of Tyranny but a worke of mercy hee ought to right his owne wrong by punishment when it cannot be otherwise maintained we are bound to take this course for why mine owne honour life and estate is to bee preferred before others 4. When this course being Just will maintaine the goodnesse of a mans profession and Gods glory this should bee done when a mans profession lyes at the stake a man is bound to be meale mouthed but to mak those black-mouthed wretchesknown to others that they may not dare to bring a scandall upon the glorious gospell of Christ nor on the professours thereof thus a man must doe and yet forgive a man for all this if his good or mine or the profession of the Gospell may be furthered thereby and thus farre a man may goe in these cases and the like Q. Now wee come to the force of the argument how is this an argument to prevaile with God to forgive us because we forgive others where lies the force of the argument what vertue is there in this A. It lies in three particulars this being a speciall meanes to obteine mercy Lord I forgive others therfore forgive thou mee 1. All the mercy I have is not first in my selfe it is but a river and spring coming from the sea but mercy is first in thy selfe O Lord the fountaine and sea of mercy is in thee Now Lord if I have but some bowells of mercy and some drops of that Ocean of thy mercy and yet can forgive others much more then thou the fountaine of mercy canst forgive me The servants you know fel out and the one pulled the other by the throat saying pay me that thou owest me now when the master heard of it he said a thou wretch dost thou deale thus with him when I dealt so favourably with thee if a sinner must forgive his brother 77. times how much more the God of mercy if hee that had but some mercy received from the fountaine how much more the Lord the fountaine 2. As wee have it not from our selves but from God so also that we have is mixt with a great deale of spleene though some compassion yet mingled with a great deale of envy though some mercy yet mingled with a great deale of cruelty there is a great deale of darkenes with this little star-light but the Lord hath all love without any hatred all mercy without any cruelty there is no hinderance in the Lord to hinder him Now the soule saith Lord if I that have a great deale of malice can forgive my brethren then how much more thou that hast all mercy and no spleene wilt forgive if men humble their foules before thee 3. That mercy that is in us is but little but it is infinit in the Lord what we can doe is but the first fruit a drop a graine a mustard seed but abundant in the Lord the soule saith Lord thou art boundlesse and bottomlesse in mercy how much more wilt thou forgive true Lord the talents debts whereby wee are engaged unto thee are many great but yet if wee poore creatures that have but from the fountaine that wee have is mingled with a great deale of malice and that but a drop and yet can forgive how much more thou that hast all first from thy selfe and purely without all mixture of envy and in an infinite abundance how much more canst thou forgive whom thou wilt therfore Lord forgive us for we forgive others Q. How ought the soule to bee framed in the putting up of this petition A. It appeares in foure particulars 1. The soule must see and acknowledge it selfe guilty of those sinnes that appeare in his life wee must see our selves stand in need of forgivenesse now wee cannot doe this till we see our selves faulty he that owes nothing what need hee crave forgivenesse so forgivenesse of sinnes implies that we are guilty thereof and liable to the punishment due to sinne They that confesse sin and forsake it shall
the Law of sin and death saith Paul Sinne makes Lawes but we entreate the Lord that hee would prevent corruption that he would assist us in temptations ordinarily and extraordinarily that hee would discover the enemy before hee come that hee would entrench about us vouchsafe us armour and weapons to resist give us dominion over our enemies and if we bee overcome that he would rescue and recover us out of them all this is the summe of this petitioÌ„ Now wee come to the frame of heart that wee should bring before God that so wee may bee fit to receive the good wee sue for from his hands Q. First wherein doth this appeare A. The frame of heart and disposition of soule that best beseemes us in the putting up of this petition appeares principally in foure things 1. When wee truly desire that the Lord would not let us bee drawne asâ—â—â—â—â— or lead into temptation we must labour to auoid all such occasions as may be too strong for us or prevaile over us In vaine wee desire to be delivered from evill when wee rush into evill as if a man should take pitch into his hands and desire not to bee defiled or put fire into his bosome and pray not to be burnt this is a slighting of Gods mercy and provoking of him to wrath rather then a begging of favour Wee would count it a madnes for a man to cast himselfe into the sea and then desire to bee saved to make our selves sicke that God may make us whole againe it is nothing else but as wee may say so to make God worke thus to run into evill and then to pray the Lord hee would deliver us from evill it is a provoking mocking of the Lord the wise mans rule is here memorable Prov. 23.2 3. If a man bee given to his appetite Let him put a knife to his throate if thou lovest the wine looke not upon it if a man be given to his appetite it is in vaine to pray against it yet cate but put thy knife to thy throate absteine therefrom please not thy appetite The promise and the providence of God goe together Psal 90. hee will succour and relieve us but it must bee in the way of his providence hee that goes out of the way and craves Gods assistance shall never have it but hales on evill to himselfe Matth. 18. Our Saviour speaking of offences saith If thy hand cause thee to offeÌ„d cut it off and if thy eye cause thee to offend plucke it out that is were thy sinnes as deare to thee as thy right hand in regard of profit or thy right eye in regard of pleasure cut them off pluck them out fling them away rather then bee foiled by them In vaine wee crave the assistance of the Lord and in the meane time lay blocks before us It is meere presumption No marvell then if many times the Lord leaves a man because hee strives not after that hee prayes for It is enough to cause the Lord to curse us when wee doe not avoid the occasions of evill hee that will not fall into the pit let him not come neere the brinke of it hee that will not be snared by evil let him shunne and avoid all the occasions of evill 2. If wee bee weake of our selves and cannot prevern the occasions of evil yet bee carefull to seeke all such meanes as may be succourable and holpefull to us if wee cannot help out these wil surprize us Let us seeke the meanes to succour us in our need the sicke man that craves succour of the Lord must use the meanes the Lord hath appointed happily thou findest temptations pressing on in thy calling thou canst not avoid it the more the occasions are the more seeke for meanes that may fortifie thee hee that will bee healed let him seeke the Physician hee that is out of the way and would bee set in the right way let him enquire it out and not sit still and say Lord have mercy upon mee but seeke It was that which Ioshua did Jos 7. he called yet the Lord did not help him but said Why dost thou so Israel hath sinned looke out the execrable thing Israel hath sinned looke to that It is in vaine to pray that the enemy may not prevaile if wee labour not to roote him out of the Camp doe that throughly and then the overthrow of thine enemies will be easy to thee 3. When we have found the meanes labour to bee content to bee ordered by all the meanes and helps that God hath been pleased to ordaine for our good It is a madnesse to crave as Balaam Oh that I might dye c. and yet see the way and will not walke in it Ier. 42. They said to the Prophet enquire at the word of the Lord and what ever hee commandeth we wil do but when they heard and knew it they would not obey the same In vaine it is to crave the pardon of sinne when we looke not to the promise to desire sinne to bee subdued yet cannot abide the meanes that should doe it When a man saith I will not be counselled but will have my proud heart and will walke in mine owne wayes how can such a one say deliver me from this proud heart when he wil not let counsell take place when a man is in horror of heart when conscience flyes in his face it is in vaine to whine then and yet wilt not thou bee ruled by the word of God but doe as vaine as ever as loose as ever as idle as ever thou beggest one thing dost practise another thing so long let us never put up this petition 4. We must rely on the Lord for a blessing on all a successe in all so use the meanes as if there were no promise to help and yet so depend upon God for all as if the meanes could doe nothing observe all thy occasions say counsell and advice is good but the Lord must set them on man lives not by bread onely but by the blessing of God in the meanes goe to the spirit of the Lord and see there a greater power then in all meanes 2 Kings 2. If thou canst see mee taken up then shalt thou have my spirit doubled upon thee If thou seest the God that takes mee up then hee wil give thee his Spirit looke to God above all meanes and hee that is thus disposed that man prayes aright to bee delivered For thine is the Kingdome We have done with the six petitions three concerning God his name Kingdome will three concerning our selves coÌ„cerning things of this life of a better Justification Sanctification wee come now to the conclusion and in it consider two things 1. The thanksgiving 2. The conclusion of faith in the word Amen In the thanksgiving is included both a reason of the petition as also a forme of thanksgiving as who should say wee doe not presume wee can doe
any thing but that thou wouldest work in us what thou requirest of us for thine is the Kingdome It is not in our power to doe what wee should or what thou requirest but the Kingdome is thine all comes from thee O Lord and let all the glory of all bee returned to thee againe doe wee hallow thy name and pray for thy Kingdome to come and thy will to be done why it is thou Lord that must give the power we beg all from him and it is included in the word for we have no power to doe any thing so that this is the ground whereby wee beg all from him and returne all to him Q. What is here ment by Kingdome A. 1. The word Kingdome discovers all the right authority of God to give all things we want thou Lord hast the disposing of all things we have no authoritie or propriety that is in us thine is the Kingdome thou hast all power to doe what thou wilt The master doth what hee will in his family and the King rules in his realme so doth the Lord rule in the heart of his 2. The Lord hath not onely authority to doe what he will but full and aboundant sufficiency to dispose of all according to his will and pleasure Kings may want power to doe what they would and the sonnes of Zerviah may bee too strong for David but as the Lord hath title to al so his arme is large enough his ability sufficient enough to doe all so that the soule saith to doe all thou hast right to al and sufficiency to doe all There is much infirmity in us but none at all in thee And the Glory The glory of a thing we know appeares in two things 1. In the excellency of it 2. In the beauty and splendour of its excellency this sets forth the glory of things as who should say if any beauty excellency or glory bee in the creature it is thine O Lord for thine is the Kingdome the power and the glory Thine Q. What doth this word thine imply A. It implies three particulars 1. That all authority sufficiency and excellency is first in God all is his possession and propriety any thing we have or enjoy is but what wee have of him it is but a glimpse and reflexion of the glory of God it is all first in God and he leases it out God is the roote of all our being and wel-being 2. As all power and sufficieÌ„cie is in him originally so all comes from him whatsoever is in the creature comes from God all â—re but tenants and Lesâ—ees of that they have from the Lord who is the great possessor of heaven and earth 3. It implyes that wee should acknowledge all belonging to him give every man his due whose is this honour and power the Lords let him have it then and this is to put off all ability and sufficiency from our selves and to acknowledge all to come from him As though the soule should say Is there any thing in me Lord it is because thou givest it Thou givest us hearts to pray and it is thou that hearest us when we pray It is all free mercy all abilities are from thee therefore Lord take all the glory for all is thine Thus the soule disclaimes it selfe For ever and ever c. That is ever lasting power is in thee which differs from all other power all mans power is from God but the kingdome of God his power and glory is for ever and ever We cannot pray alwayes our abilities fayl and our hearts faint but thy power endures for ever the good things of this life meate drinke cloth c. sometimes are gone but yet thy power endures for ever to succour us When our abilities fayle yet there is eternall power in thee to renew them Amen The word Amen implyes three things 1. The terme of asseveration and it discovers the truth of a thing 2. A wish Oh saith the soule that it might be 3. The voyce of a confident faith It is so it is done Lord. All these three are implyed but this last here mainely intended These things wee have prayed for beleeving according to thy will that they are verily done As also there is a secret looking after the Petition wheÌ„ it is put up the soule pursues his prayers now saith the soule they speed now the Lord grants my Petitions As a man that shoots an arrow he lookes after it So the soule saith Oh that the Lord would speed it So when the petitions are sent to Heaven the heart followes the blow and lookes after them it sends his Amen Oh that it might be so and then faith saith It is done undoubtedly as true as the Lord is faithfull it must needs be done The word Amen strikes the match thorow The soule wisheth Oh that it might be done saith Faith it is done already Prayer is as the key when a man wants provision he goes to the treasury and fetcheth it So Prayer fetcheth comfort peace and assurance c. and Amen turnes the key It is mine saith the soule Prayer is as a golden Key FINIS AN EXPOSITION OF THE PRINCIPLES OF RELIGION BY THO HOOKER LONDON Printed for R. DAWLMAN 1645. AN EXPOSITION OF THE Principles of Religion The first Principle There is one God Creator and Governour of all things distinguished into three Persons Father Son and holy Ghost Here we must consider three things 1. That there is a God 2. His Works 3. That he is distinct Quest WHat is the reason that there is a God Answ 1. Because in every thing there is a first cause that is infinitenesse and power which cannot not be attributed to any creature 2. In regard that all things were made for man man for an end which end must needs be God Q. But can we conceive of God as he is A. No because of the great distance between him and us for when a man looketh upon the Sun he cannot possibly endure it because that is so glorious and his eyes so feeble Q. How may we conceive of God Ans 1. Cast downe thy selfe before him confessing thy unfitnesse to draw nigh him 2. Look how he is set forth in his Word as a gracious glorious eternall being without any mixture of infirmity or disability Man hath with power weaknesse with mercy cruelty God hath not so 3. Goe into the world and view the height of its glory and then conclude If the Creature be thus excellent what must the Creator be Q. What is God A. A Spirit that hath life and being of himselfe Q. What is a Spirit A. It is the finest and subtilest subsistence that can be Q. Why had God rather be a Spirit then a Creature Ans 1. Because that is the most pure and excellent essence 2. There is a great difference between God and us wee have a fleshly part he is all spirituall we borrow our being but God hath life of himselfe and gives being to every
notice of Gods Fatherly providence to provide what may bee sutable to our occasions God hath all in store all the beasts of the field are mine hee is the God of all comfort hee provideth for the ravens and causeth the Lillies of the field to grow if God care for these how much more for you Matth. 6. hath the Lord a care for oxen hee that feedeth ravens clotheth lilies will much more provide for his Saints Who then would not have such a guardian as the father provides for the son so God layes up for all his let us walke then in his wayes and commit our selves to his care for all things 4. This must teach us an awfulnesse to come before him whatawe should bee in our hearts that come before an heavenly Father Our Father That is the terme of relation and consists in two things 1. The sence of the words 2. The motives For the sence of the words three things are implied 1. A proprietie and interest wee have in speciall not as one friend to another or one neighbour to another or the like but he is our Father as we say it our land c. So when we say our Father we imply aspeciall claime to God all that compassion and mercy in God is mine as Nabal said it is my meate the word my implies a possession like the gods of the heathens and as Iob saith My Redeemer liveth Deut. 32.31 their rocke is not as our rocke 2. This laying claime to God implies a Cōmunity to all the houshold of God as the Sunne is every mans so God is every mans that is faithfull 3. It notes a bond of society between the faithfull children of the same father this is the meaning of the word our as the members agree with the head so they are helpfull so is God helpfull to all his faithfull ones Motives 3. Now the motives wherby the soule may bee furnished to call on God are three 1. A chearefull readinesse to repaire unto the Lord and why we have an interest in him hee is our father the interest a childe hath in his father stirs him to come readily to his father hee craves not of a strāger as 2. Kings 4.19 When the child cryed they bad carry him to his mother if any thing befalls the child he saith I will tell my father and complaine to my father and the like So aske the child who will provide for him he saith my father so it is here with our God There is a fresh living way that is marvellous easy and open Whosoever seekes shall find whosoever knocks it shall be opened unto him therefore what ever our injury bee wee should not complaine to the world but poure forth your prayers to our Father who will bee sure to heare us 2. As there should be a cheary readines to come to the Lord so there should bee a spirituall boldnesse to challenge what may be needfull at his hands Among strangers wee are strange but among friends wee are bold wee have a right and title to these things and wee may bee bold with our owne Thus David challengeth God as thou art faithfull deliver mee I am thy servant If a servant want food or rayment he goes to his master so saith David I am thy servant therfore give mee understanding that I may live when they bragged of Paul and Apollos saith hee all is yours This should comfort our hearts let us claime our portion hee is our father and will give it us Therefore be humbled in regard of your weakenesse and unworthinesse but confident in regard of his mercy walke cheerefully in regard of the Lord in every condition If I should see the child doubt of my readinesse I should much wōder Care not saith Christ Matth. 6. It is your owne hee is our Father and all that is in him is ours 3. This stirres up our hearts to have a fellow-feeling of our brethrens misery in our prayers therefore God cuts off all encroaching of our selves Our as if hee should say Is there never a Ioseph in prison Never a Daniel in the Lyons den remember pray for them if one suffer all suffers wee are reall members of one body wee should mourne with them that mourne and weep with them that weep it is said Isay 58. Put up a prayer for the remnant Oh that wee had a fellowfeeling of others troubles Paul begs the Ephesians to pray for me also and hee entreates the Romans to wrestle for him by prayer to God Rom. 15.30 Which art in heaven c. Here 1. Wee are to open the sense of the word heaven 2. The motives to move the heart thereto Q. Whether is God more in heaven then in any other place A. No God in regard of his essence is in all places alike hee is wholly every where The Godhead is altogether indivisible Things of quantity fill a roome but God is euery way indivisible as hee is unchangeable so is hee a simple being Psal 139.8 If I goe to hell thou art there saith David God is in the same māner every where If God bee immensible then all of him is every where but it is so therefore hee is altogether in every place all creatures have their being from God hee is in them and beyond them hee is excluded out of no place included in no place Q If all of God bee in every place why then is hee said to bee in heaven onely A. 1. Because God would manifest the glory of his power more in heaven then in earth not because we see him not here Acts 17. We grope after him indeed but you know the royalty of a King appeares most in Parliament so the excellency of God appeares most in heaven 2. There are three heavens The heavens where the birds are the heaven where the stars are and the highest heaven Now the third heaven is meant here for God hath reserved this place as the chaire of state for himselfe the heavens saith David are the Lords no uncleane thing can come there The Angells sinned upon the earth and all the visible heavens are defiled by man the Sunne is abused the aire polluted all these creatures that serve man are by man defiled but the highest heaven was never defiled because it is the chamber of God who leaseth out these to man This is the speciall reason why God is said to bee in heaven Q. What motives have wee to prepare our hearts to prayer which is the scope of the preface A. They are specially three It teacheth us to take notice of the purity of God Motives 1. to prepare the heart to prayer what ought to bee the frame of our spirits when wee appeare before him hee cannot abide sluggish prayers from an impure heart heavenly dispositiōs best suite with Gods holinesse the sanctity of our affections ought to answer Gods purity Kings we know as they will be entertained so their entertainement must be that
wee can forgive others on a right ground 1. Because all the mercy we have wee receive from him 2. All wee have is but a drop in comparison of that Ocean which is in God 3. Our mercy is mixed with cruelty and many oppositions but God is all compassion Q. What is the scope of the sixth Petition A. Sanctification Q. What doth temptation properly signifie A. A proving of grace so God tempted Abraham and proved his love Here by temptation is meant a solicitation to commit evill Q. Why not tentation of triall A. Because we ought rather to pray against this then against that Q. What doe you meane by deliver Ans 1. That God would give us a fore-sight of sinne 2. That God would give us power that we be not thereby overtaken 3 That God would recover us being falne and fortifie us against sinne for time to come Q. What doe you meane by lead Ans 1. That God would let us have no occasion of evill Secondly if occasions be offered that he would so assist and strengthen that they prevaile not against us Q. How hath God a hand in the sinnes of men A. Whatsoever may be said in the Law and Word of God may be said of God now the Law may be said to have an hand in the sins of men As when counsell and admonition comes the heart swells immediately as when a thing is put into a channell or any other place the water increaseth hugely not because there is any water put into it but by opposition Q. What doe you mean by evill A. There is no kinde of evill worse then the evill of sinne and punishment here is specially meant the evill of sinne and also punishment so farre as it may hinder us in the wayes of godlinesse Q. Why do you say deliver us A. Here wee desire that God would provide meanes for others good and make us instruments to deliver them 1 In watching over their conversation 2 In telling them of that which is amisse 3 To follow it and never leave till wee have convinced them of it Q. What is meant by Kingdome A. The right ruling over his servants By power is meant an ability and sufficiency to governe And by Glorie is meant 1 The worship of God 2 The shining of Gods glory Q. Why doe you say Thy A. All this is in God Secondly all that men have in the world is from God therefore they must render all to his glory Q. What is Amen A. The voyce and word of faith Q. What is here implyed A. Two things 1 An earnest desire of what wee beg as a man when his friend goeth beyond sea faith The Lord be with you 2 A repose of our selves upon God that he would grant our requests who hath promised whatever we aske in Christs Name wee shall have it The sixt Principle All men shall rise with their bodies to judgement the godly shall inherit the kingdome of Heaven but reprobates and unbeleevers shall bee cast into hell fire with the Devill and his angels Qu WHat are we to observe out of this Principle A. Two things 1. The judgement 2. The reward of every man In the judgement we must observe two things First the preparation to this judgement that is the resurrection 2. The judgement it selfe Q. What is resurrection A. It is the re-uniting and knitting the soule and body together that were separated by death Q. Why is it necessary that there must be a resurrection A. There are two grounds one is taken from the justice another from the mercy of God Wicked men they have the happinesse of this life and therefore they must have misery in the life to come else God were not just Againe the godly are here in misery and they that should be most respected have the worst entertainment therefore they must have a happinesse in heaven So the Author to the Heb. saith God is just that he should not forget their labour of love And the Apostle to the Thessal It is a righteous thing to render peace to you it were unjust if they did not see some good dayes Abraham tels Dives Son remember thou in thy life time receivedst thy pleasure and Lazarus paines therefore now he is comforted and thou art tormented It was the speech of Master Greenham that wicked men have some good in them therefore God gives them outward things but they have an infinite evill therefore they must perish eternally Secondly Gods mercy hath promised heaven to his servants therefore there must be a Resurrection heaven is not here There be two sorts of men that shall be judged First those that dye Secondly those that live when Christ shall come Q. How doe the godly rise againe A. By Christs Resurrection because Christ was dead and they are his members Christ being their Surety and whatsoever he doth he doth it not for himselfe but for them Q. How shall it be with the godly when Christ shall come A. They shall be freed from all sinne and weaknesse of body Q. Shall the same bodies arise A. Yea the same God shall gather together all the elect He that is able to make all things of nothing is able to raise men and gather them out of the dust for it is lesser to repaire a thing of the matter that it is made of then to make a thing of nothing Q. But is there no change in regard of substance A. Onely this The qualities conditions of the body shall be altered the body shall be incorruptible immortall whereas here we are subject to death and diseases Secondly the body shall bee spirituall that is there shall be no dependance upon any outward comforts Here we must use meat and drink for preservation of our lives but there shall be no need of them The Sadduces told Christ Such an one had seven brethren and they all married one woman one after another now say they In the Resurrection whose shall this wife be and Christ said to them Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures for in heaven they neither eate nor drinke marrie nor give in marriage but are as the Angels they need no meat nor apparel So the godly shall be there 3. All imperfections and weaknesses shall then be taken away If a man dyes sick he shall be whole when he rises againe If a man be lame or if he were born blind or if one dyed being a child all these shall be taken away then Object But it seemes it shall not be the same body for if a man shall have every limbe and be perfect in every part how can these things stand together Ans There is nothing added to the substance of the body but only changed and increased it is in the nature of many things to increase when as nothing is added unto them As may be observed in an Onyon take a great Onyon and hang it up in the house and it will grow bigger and bigger what is the cause of it not because