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…

So in times of peace, presumption eeks out faith, and makes it seem a great deal, which in times of desertion and trial, falls off; and then though the believing party be less, yet more sincere. When the fire is first kindled, there is more smoke, even as much as fills the house; but after the flame comes, that contracts all into a narrow compass, and hath more heat in it: So it is in young Christians, their affections, (which Christ compares to the smoking flax) their joy in duties, their sorrow for sin, their love of God is more, but exceeding carnal; the flame after, though less, grows purer, and less mixed with vapours of corrupt self-love.

So in times of peace, presumption eeks out faith, and makes it seeme a great deale, which in times of desertion and tryal, falls off; and then though the beleeving partie be lesse, yet more sincere. When the fire is first kindled, there is more smoke, even as much as fils the house; but after the flame comes, that contracts all into a narrow compasse, and hath more heat in it: So it is in young Christians, their affections, (which Christ compares to the smoaking flax) their joy in duties, their sorrow for sinne, their love of God is more, but exceeding carnal; the flame after, though lesse, growes purer, and lesse mixt with vapours of corrupt self-love.

Seventhly we must not measure our bringing forth more fruit by one some kind or sort of duties,¹ but by our growth in godliness, in the universal extent and latitude of it, as it takes in and comprehendeth the duties of both callings, general and particular, and all the duties of a Christian. Thus it may be when grown up we are less in some sort of duties, then we were when we were young Christians: Haply we were more then in praying, in fasting, and reading, and meditating, yea spent the most (if not the whole) of our time in these; But because now we spend less time in these, we must not say therefore that we are fallen, or decayed: for there are many other duties to be done besides these, which haply then we neglected, but now make conscience of. So that take all sorts of duties in the latitude of them, and we may be grown more, and do bring forth more fruit. Perhaps we bring forth less fruit of some one kind then afore, but if we be filled with all variety of fruits of the first and second table of our general and particular callings, this is to bring forth more fruit. Men at their first conversion are necessitated often for to spend their whole time in such duties wherein they immediately draw nigh to God: Paul then spent three whole days in fasting and prayer: And then we allow them to do it, because their estates require it; they want assurance, and establishment, they see grace to be that one thing necessary, and therefore we give them leave to neglect all things for it; they are new married to Christ, and therefore they are not to be pressed to war the first year, (as I may so allude) as for young married persons it was provided in Leviticus; and parents and masters are to give allowance to such, then in their travel of their new birth to lye in, and not to be cruel to them, in denying them more time then ordinary. So also when they are in desertion, (which is a time of sickness, and in sickness you allow your servants time from their work) as the Church, when she wanted her Beloved,