Spiritual refining

2. As growth is thus necessary, so it can only be, where there is an inward principle of life pre-existent. Nothing groweth but what hath either a vegetative, sensitive, or rational life in it. Roll a snow-ball up and down, though you make it much bigger, yet it doth not grow, because it is by extra-addition, not by intra-reception. An house made larger and bigger, yet doth not grow, because here is no vital principle within. By this means a civill man, a formal man, a temporary believer, he cannot grow spiritually, because he doth not live spiritually. There may be indeed a growth in knowledge, parts, enlargements, and duties, but this doth not prove a true growth. These sproutings are not from internal union with Christ, but are outwardly in a common way bestowed by Christ upon them. As in a field of corn, the weeds have a better flourishing then in a barren wilderness, yet the husbandman was not at all that cost and charges to have weeds come up, but corn; so Christ died not, or set his Officers in the Church to furnish the wicked with any abilities, but yet living in his Church, they partake of several privileges by him, which yet were not the chief intent of his death: so then, there only is a supernatural growth, where there is a supernatural life, and as you see the picture of a child, it will never come up to be a man, because it is a picture only, there is no life; so in any man, that hath only a form of godliness, not feeling the power of it; he is still upon the same hinges where he was, he goeth on in the circle of duties, prayeth as he did, cometh to Church as he; but if you enquire for increase, Hast thou more faith? more communion and fellowship with God? dost thou partake of more virtue and efficacy from him? herein they are wholly ignorant. Oh that we who desire better times, better trading, better settling, did also desire, better believing, better mortification; but this cannot be unless there be some great work of God within first. As he said to his picture which he would fain have had stood, and it would not, [Greek or Hebrew], there wants something within, life within; so may we say, thou prayest, thou hearest, thou profes•est, but there wants something within; till grace be infused, it cannot in thy conversation be diffused, It must be shed in thy heart before it can be shed abroad in thy life.

2. As growth is thus necessary, so it can only be, where there is an inward principle of life pre-existent. Nothing groweth but what hath either a vegetative, sensitive, or rationall life in it. Rowl a snow-ball up and down, though you make it much bigger, yet it doth not grow, because it is by extra-addition, not by intra-reception. An house made larger and bigger, yet doth not grow, because here is no vitall principle within. By this means a civill man, a formall man, a temporary beleever, he cannot grow spiritually, because he doth not live spiritually. There may be indeed a growth in knowledge, parts, inlargements, and duties, but this doth not prove a true growth. These sproutings are not from internall union with Christ, but are outwardly in a common way bestowed by Christ upon them. As in a field of corn, the weeds have a better flourishing then in a barren wildernesse, yet the husbandman was not at all that cost and charges to have weeds come up, but corn; so Christ died not, or set his Officers in the Church to furnish the wicked with any abilities, but yet living in his Church, they partake of several priviledges by him, which yet were not the chief intent of his death: so then, there only is a supernaturall growth, where there is a supernaturall life, and as you see the picture of a childe, it will never come up to be a man, because it is a picture only, there is no life; so in any man, that hath only a form of godlinesse, not feeling the power of it; he is still upon the same hinges where he was, he goeth on in the circle of duties, prayeth as he did, cometh to Church as he; but if you enquire for encrease, Hast thou more faith? more communion and fellowship with God? dost thou partake of more vertue and efficacy from him? herein they are wholly ignorant. Oh that we who desire better times, better trading, better setling, did also desire, better beleeving, better mortification; but this cannot be unlesse there be some great work of God within first. As he said to his picture which he would fain have had stood, and it would not, , there wants something within, life within; so may we say, thou praiest, thou hearest, thou profesest, but there wants something within; till grace be infused, it cannot in thy conversation be diffused, It must be shed in thy heart before it can be shed abroad in thy life.