A41536:108
The trial of a Christians growth in mortification, purging out corruption, or vivification, bringing…The tryall of a Christians growth in mortification, purging out corruption, or vivification, bringing…
The trial of a Christians growth in mortification, purging out corruption, or vivification, bringing forth more fruit a treatise handling this case, how to discern our growth in grace : affording some helps rightly to judge thereof by resolving some tentations, clearing some mistakes, answering some questions, about spiritual growth : together with other observations upon the Parable of the vine, John 15. 1, 2 verses / by Tho. Goodwin.The tryall of a Christians growth in mortification, purging out corruption, or vivification, bringing forth more fruit a treatise handling this case, how to discerne our growth in grace : affording some helps rightly to judge thereof by resolving some tentations, clearing some mistakes, answering some questions, about spiritual growth : together with other observations upon the Parable of the vine, John 15. 1, 2 verses / by Tho. Goodwin.
London: printed by J.G. for R. Dawlman, 1650
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.
Of encouragement to go on still to bring forth more fruit to God:1 For if you do, God will not cut you off, he will spare you as a man spares his son that serves him; he will not take advantage at every fault to cast one off. It was his own Law, Deut. 20. 19. that such trees as brought forth fruit fit for meat, they should not destroy when they came into an enemies country. Doth God take care of trees? No, it was to teach us, that if we bring forth fruit, he will not destroy us, if it be fruit indeed, fit for meat: Oaks bring forth apples, such as they are, and acorns, but they are not fit for meat; such trees they might cut down: So if thou bring not forth such fruit as is for Gods taste and relish, wherein thou sanctifiest not God and Christ in thy heart, thou mayest and wilt be cut down, but else not; If thou beest betrothed to Christ, and he hath begotten children on thee, fear not a bill of divorce, he will not lightly cast thee off: And it is a good argument to use to him, desire him to spare thee by all the children he hath begotten on thee: Children increase love between man and wife, so between Christ and us.
Of encouragement to goe on still to bring forth more fruit to God:1 For if you doe, God will not cut you off, he will spare you as a man spares his sonne that serves him; he will not take advantage at every fault to cast one off. It was his owne Law, Deut. 20. 19. that such trees as brought forth fruit fit for meat, they should not destroy when they came into an enemies countrey. Doth God take care of trees? No, it was to teach us, that if we bring forth fruit, he will not destroy us, if it be fruit indeed, fit for meat: Oakes bring forth apples, such as they are, and acorns, but they are not fit for meate; such treees they might cut down: So if thou bring not forth such fruit as is for Gods taste and relish, wherein thou sanctifiest not God and Christ in thy heart, thou maiest and wilt be cut downe, but else not; If thou beest betrothed to Christ, and he hath begotten children on thee, feare not a bill of divorce, he will not lightly cast thee off: And it is a good argument to use to him, desire him to spare thee by all the children he hath begotten on thee: Children increase love between man and wife, so between Christ and us.