Precious faith considered in its nature, working, and growth

The next fruit of Faith is Sanctification, which makes the Soul meet for Heaven; Justification and Adoption give a title to that blessed Inheritance, but Sanctification makes ready for it. No sooner doth a man believe, but the rivers of living water, the sanctifying Spirit with its Graces slow in the heart; and the reason is evident, Faith is the Souls Union with Christ, who hath the Spirit above measure in trust, to pour it out upon every part of his Mystical Body; in this day of Espousals the water is turned into wine, Nature elevated into Grace. There are, as I have before noted, two parts of Sanctification, Mortification and Vivification. I shall speak to both as fruits of Faith.

THe next fruit of Faith is Sanctification, which makes the Soul meet for Heaven; Justification and Adoption give a title to that blessed Inheritance, but Sanctification makes ready for it. No sooner doth a man believe, but the rivers of living water, the sanctifying Spirit with its Graces slow in the heart; and the reason is evident, Faith is the Souls Union with Christ, who hath the Spirit above measure in trust, to pour it out upon every part of his Mystical Body; in this day of Espousals the water is turned into wine, Nature elevated into Grace. There are, as I have before noted, two parts of Sanctification, Mortification and Vivification. I shall speak to both as fruits of Faith.

First, Mortification is a fruit of Faith, indeed none but a Believer is in a posture to reach it. Could a man which yet never falls out, improve his Reason and Will to the utmost, he could not truly mortify Sin: Reason and Will improved might in some measure triumph over the gross inordinations in the lower faculties, but they would ever spare the corruptions ⟨p. 251⟩in themselves as their own flesh; like politic Princes, who keep down mutinies among the common People, but lay the reins down to their own personal vices: It would fare with such an one, as it doth with frozen waters, which though broken in one place, will freeze in another; should he break and dissolve his sensual Sins, he would freeze in spiritual; and if his eyes were open, he would see that it is desperate pride and presumption to attempt Mortification in any other way than that of Faith, which brings a general thaw upon the heart, melting it into a compliance with the Divine Pleasure, and tracing the method of the Gospel, derives a power and spirit from Christ for the work. Mortification must be done through the Spirit,