A41536:197
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.
Fifthly,1 it is not increasing in outward professing, and a seeming forward, but especially in inward and substantial godliness; the other is but as increasing in leaves; but in growth, there must be a bringing forth more fruit. When the root strikes not deeper downward, and farther into the earth, but spreads much upward in the branches, this is not a true growth; though look where there is more rooting, there will be more spreading also above ground. Growth, it lies not in this, That men should think of me above what I am indeed, 2 Cor. 12. 6. Many at first grow into so great a profession, as they cannot fill up, and grow up to all their days; make bigger clothes then they can grow to fill: As they say of Elephants, that the skin is as big at first, as ever after, and all their life time their flesh grows but up to fill their skin up. True growth begins at the vitals, the heart, the liver, the blood gets soundness and vigour, and so the whole man outwardly; this heart Godliness is the thing you must judge by.
Fifthly,1 it is not increasing in outward professing, and a seeming forward, but especially in inward and substantiall godlinesse; the other is but as increasing in leaves; but in growth, there must be a bringing forth more fruit. When the root strikes not deeper downward, and farther into the earth, but spreads much upward in the branches, this is not a true growth; though look where there is more rooting, there will be more spreading also above ground. Growth, it lies not in this, That men should thinke of me above what I am indeed, 2 Cor. 12. 6. Many at first grow into so great a profession, as they cannot fill up, and grow up to all their dayes; make bigger cloathes then they can grow to fill: As they say of Elephants, that the skinne is as big at first, as ever after, and all their life time their flesh growes but up to fill their skinne up. True growth begins at the vitalls, the heart, the liver, the bloud gets soundnesse and vigour, and so the whole man outwardly; this heart Godlinesse is the thing you must judge by.
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