A41536:169
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.
As first,1 that our growing in grace is a mystery to be apprehended by faith, rather then by sense; our spiritual life it self is carried along by faith, much more the discerning the increase of it. Yea and it being carried on by contraries, as by falls and desertions, and even by our own opinions of our decrease; therefore it is rather discerned by faith, then sense, for faith is the evidence of things not seen.
As first,1 that our growing in grace is a mysterie to be apprehended by faith, rather then by sense; our spirituall life it selfe is carryed along by faith, much more the discerning the increase of it. Yea and it being carryed on by contraries, as by falls and desertions, and even by our own opinions of our decrease; therefore it is rather discerned by faith, then sense, for faith is the evidence of things not seene.
- 11. Consid.
Secondly,1 the eager desire that many Christians have to have more grace, together with them, their going on to discern more and more their wants, (which in some respect is a growth) these do keep them from thinking that indeed they do grow. There is (as Solomon says) that maketh himself poor, and hath great riches, Prov. 13. 7. because he enlargeth his desires still, therefore still he thinks himself poor. So hungry and greedy Christians, looking still to what they want, and not to what they have, are still complaining and unthankful. If thou wouldst discern thy growth, do not compare the copy with thy writing, but rather thy writing now with thy writing at the first: For this is a sure rule, that the better thou learnest to write, the better copy doth God daily set thee; that is, gives thee to see more strictness in the rule, and so still mayst think that thou wantest as much, and art as far short as at first, if thus thou comparest thy self with nothing but thy sight of the rule it self.