A41536:209
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.
Thirdly,1 when the fruits and duties we perform grow more ripe, more spiritual though less juicy; that is, less affectionate: and though they grow not in bigness, nor in number, that is, we pray not more, nor longer; yet they grow more savoury, more spiritual, more compact and solid. It is not simply the multitude of performances argue growth: When one is sick, and his body is decayed, he may be less in duties; but it is the spiritualness, the holiness of them: One short Prayer put up in faith, with a broken heart, is in Gods eye more fruit then a long one, or a whole day spent in fasting; even in the same sense that the widows mite, is said to be more then they all cast in, Luk. 21. 3. Young Christians perform more duties at first, and oftener, then after; as young stomachs eat more and oftener. As in nothing Sermons, so in performing duties, some will note more words, but not more matter, because with less understanding; young Christians perform more duties, and withal spoil more duties; young Carpenters make many chips: But the more spiritual your performances grow, the more fruit there is to be esteemed that there is in them. It is not the bigness of the fruit, or juiciness of them, for then crabs were better then apples, but the relish it is that gives the commendation: And it is the end you have therein, that puts this relish into them: when your ⟨p. 58⟩ends are raised more to aim at God, and to sanctify him more, and to debase your selves in a sense of your own vileness, and emptiness, and unability; and when your obedience proceeds more out of thankfulness, and less out of the constraint of conscience. As the greatest growth of wicked men is in spiritual wickedness, (in which the Pharisees grew, and sinners against the holy Ghost do grow, when yet it may be they leave more gross evils) so the greatest growth of grace is in spiritual holiness, in sanctifying God much in the heart, and worshipping him in spirit and truth.
Thirdly,1 when the fruits and duties we performe grow more ripe, more spirituall though lesse juycie; that is, lesse affectionate: and though they grow not in bignesse, nor in number, that is, we pray not more, nor longer; yet they grow more savoury, more spirituall, more compact and solid. It is not simply the multitude of performances argue growth: When one is sick, and his body is decayed, he may be lesse in duties; but it is the spiritualnesse, the holinesse of them: One short Prayer put up in faith, with a broken heart, is in Gods eye more fruit then a long one, or a whole day spent in fasting; even in the same sense that the widows mite, is said to be more then they all cast in,