A30128:56
Christian behaviour, or, The fruits of true Christianity showing the ground from whence they…Christian behaviour, or, The fruits of true Christianity shewing the ground from whence they…
Christian behaviour, or, The fruits of true Christianity showing the ground from whence they flow in their godlike order in the duty of relations, as husbands, wives, parents, children, masters, servants &c. : with a word of direction to all backsliders / by John Bunyan.Christian behaviour, or, The fruits of true Christianity shewing the ground from whence they flow in their godlike order in the duty of relations, as husbands, wives, parents, children, masters, servants &c. : with a word of direction to all backsliders / by John Bunyan.
London: printed for F. Smith, 1663
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Secondly, There may be a great mistake in our judging of our own fruitfulness the soul that indeed is candid, and right at heart, is taught by Grace to judge […] self, though fruitful, yet barren upon two accounts; 1. When it compareth it life to the Mercy bestowed upon it: Fo• when a Soul doth indeed consider th• greatness and riches of the Mercy bestowed upon it, then it must needs cr• out, O wretched man that I am! Rom▪ 7. 24. for it seeth it self wonderfully t• fall short of a Conversation becoming one who hath received so great a benefit▪ 2. It may also judge it self barren, because it falleth so far short of that it woul• attain unto; it cannot do the thing tha• it would, Gal. 5. 17. 3. The heart o• a Christian is naturally very barren; upon which, though the Seed of Gra• (that is the fruitfullest of all Seeds) b••sowen, yet the heart is naturally subject ⟨p. 25⟩to bring forth weeds, Mat. 15. 19.
Secondly, There may be a great mistak• in our judging of our own fruitfulness• the soul that indeed is candid, and righ• at heart, is taught by Grace to judge 〈…〉 self, though fruitful, yet barren upo• two accounts; 1. When it compareth it life to the Mercy bestowed upon it: Fo• when a Soul doth indeed consider th• greatness and riches of the Mercy bestowed upon it, then it must needs cr out, O wretched man that I am! Rom 7. 24. for it seeth it self wonderfully t fall short of a Conversation becomin one who hath received so great a benefit 2. It may also judge it self barren, becaus it falleth so far short of that it woul attain unto; it cannot do the thing tha it would,