A41536:58
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. That which they do bring forth,1 is not true fruit, the holy Ghost vouchsafeth it not that name, They are said here, not to bring forth fruit. That speech in Hosea 10. 1. will give clear light to understand this; with the ground of it also; Israel is, there called, an empty Vine, which brings forth fruit to her self. It implies a seeming contradiction, that it should be called an empty Vine, and yet withal to bring forth any fruit. And these bring forth not leaves, good words only, but good works, good actions, and those green, and therefore Jude 12. their fruit is said to wither, as themselves are said to wither here, ver. 6. And as there Israel is said to be an empty Vine, though it hath fruit, so here these are said not to bring forth fruit at all. Now the meaning of both, is one and the same: For a thing is said to be empty, when it wants that which is proper to it, and ought to be in it; as Wells are called empty, when are not full of water, they are full of ayre: for Non datur vacuum. So they are called an empty Vine, and these branches to have no fruit, because not such as ought to grow upon them, such as is proper to the root they ⟨p. 13⟩seem to grow upon. Therefore in Heb. 6. 7. that Epithet is added, [Meet] herbs, or fruit; that is, such as should grow there. So Luke 3. 8. They are to bring forth fruit [worthy] amendment of life, or else they were to be cut down: that is, such as became true repentants, as were answerable, suitable thereunto. As we say a man carries himself worthy of his place, when answerably to to what is required of him in it. That place fore-cited out of Hosea further acquaints us with the true ground, why their fruits (though green, which Chap. 6. 4. is called goodness also, yet) were not to be accounted meet fruit, and so not fruit at all; even because of this, that it brought forth all its fruit, whether good or bad, to it self: That is, those ends that did draw up the sap, and did put it forth in fruit, were drawn but from themselves, they bring them not forth principally to God. and for him. All their prayers, all their affections in holy duties, if they examine the reason of them all, the ends that run in them all, and whence all the motives that do actuate all they do in these, they will find they are taken from themselves: