A41536:196
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.
Fourthly,1 it is not always to be measured by accessary graces, as joy, and spiritual ravishment, &c. which tend to the bene esse, the comfort of a Christian: but it is to be estimated rather by those substantial graces, as faith, humility, love, strong and solid affections to what is good. The other may decrease, when these that are more substantial do increase. These sweet blooms may fall off, when fruit comes on; though the gloss wear out, no matter, so the stuff be strong and substantial. Young Christians ⟨p. 51⟩grow like new instruments; they have more varnish then old, but not so sweet a sound. Yea, often the decreasing of those superadded graces are a means of the increase of the other: want of feeling causeth more exercise of faith, as taking away bladders exercise a man to swim: One that hath bladders, and the stream with him, seems to swim as well and as fast as one that hath learned long, and hath more skill and strength, but wanteth these, and swims against the stream, yet not so fast. Spiritual withdrawings cause more humility, more cleaving to God. A man, as the Leper cleansed, haply at the first leaps more, but goes as fast afterward.
Fourthly,1 it is not alwayes to be measured by accessary graces, as joy, and spirituall ravishment, &c. which tend to the bene esse, the comfort of a Christian: but it is to be estimated rather by those substantiall graces, as faith, humility, love, strong and solid affections to what is good. The other may decrease, when these that are more substantiall doe increase. These sweet blooms may fall off, when fruit comes on; though the glosse wear out, no matter, so the stuffe be strong and substantiall. Young Christians ⟨p. 51⟩grow like new instruments; they have more varnish then old, but not so sweet a sound. Yea, often the decreasing of those superadded graces are a means of the encrease of the other: want of feeling causeth more exercise of faith, as taking away bladders exercise a man to swim: One that hath bladders, and the stream with him, seemes to swim as well and as fast as one that hath learned long, and hath more skill and strength, but wanteth these, and swims against the stream, yet not so fast. Spirituall withdrawings cause more humility, more cleaving to God. A man, as the Leper cleansed, haply at the first leaps more, but goes as fast afterward.