A41536:147
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.
First, if no more but that there might be a conformity of the head and members, it was meet we the members should grow, for we are predestinated to be conformable to the Image of his Son, Rom. 8. Now Christ did grow in wisdom, Luke 1. ult. and 2. 40. and 42. and therefore so must we.
First, if no more but that there might be a conformity of the head and members, it was meet we the members should grow, for we are predestinated to be conformable to the Image of his Sonne, Rom. 8. Now Christ did grow in wisdome, Luke 1. ult. and 2. 40. and 42. and therefore so must we.
Now we are empty creatures, at his first taking of us, Joh. 10. 10. I came, says Christ, that they might have life, (and not only so much as will keep body and soul together, as we say, but) that they might have it more abundantly. Why is grace called life, and of lives the most excellent, but because it containeth all the essential properties of life in it? Now the main properties of life are to move and grow. The Stars they have a moving life, but they grow not; the Sun increaseth not, for all its tumbling up and down, as snow-balls do: Plants they have a growing life, but they move not out of their place; but in Grace there is both. It is an active thing, and it is a growing thing also; and because the more it is acted the more it grows, therefore its growth is expressed by its motion.