A41536:172
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.
1. For at first conversion, the change was specific, wholly from want of grace, unto beginnings of grace: but the change in our growth afterwards is but gradual, that is, but addition of more degrees only, of something of the same kind still: and therefore it doth not so eminently affect the heart, as the change at first conversion doth. To be translated out of a Prison to a Kingdom, as Joseph was, would affect more, then to have new Kingdoms added to one that is a King already, as Alexander had.
1. For at first conversion, the change was specificall, wholly from want of grace, unto beginnings of grace: but the change in our growth afterwards is but graduall, that is, but addition of more degrees onely, of something of the same kind still: and therefore it doth not so eminently affect the heart, as the change at first conversion doth. To be translated out of a Prison to a Kingdome, as Joseph was, would affect more, then to have new Kingdomes added to one that is a King already, as Alexander had.
2. Because then the newness makes a great impression: One that begins anew to study any Art, his growth is sensible, because every thing he reads is new; when as afterwards in his reading he meets with the same thing again and again, and with new notions but now and then, and yet he studies, it may be harder, and learns what he knew before more perfectly, and adds new to his old.
2. Because then the newnesse makes a great impression: One that begins anew to study any Art, his growth is sensible, because every thing he reads is new; when as afterwards in his reading he meets with the same thing againe and againe, and with new notions but now and then, and yet he studies, it may be harder, and learns what he knew before more perfectly, and adds new to his old.
A fourth Consideration to discern thy growth,