Further, The Holy Man grows every way; he grows inward; by exercising himself to Godliness his Vital Principles become more strong, his Supernatural Heat is increased; his inner Man is strengthened more than ever it was before: he hath a Divine vigour to overcome corruptions, to repel temptations, to live above earthly things, to perform Heavenly duties, and to endure sufferings. He is strengthened in the inner Man, Ephes. 3.16. and that [Greek or Hebrew], in all Power, Col. 1.11. to do what is decorous to his spiritual Nature: he grows outward; he hath not only the fruits of Righteousness, but he is filled with them, Phil. 1.11. The influences of Grace, and supplies of the Spirit make him to bring forth much fruit, and that with great variety; as occasion serves, all the fruits of the Spirit, Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance, (which the Apostle mentions, Gal. 5.22, & 23.) break forth from him in their spiritual Glory: He is like the Tree planted by the Rivers of Waters, Ps. 1.3. which hath a fruit for every Season; or like Joseph's Fruitful bough by a Well, whose Branches run over the Wall, Gen. 49.22. There is a redundance and exuberance of Holy Fruits, which show that he hath a Divine Spirit, a Well of living Water in him springing, ⟨p. 444⟩up into all Obedience and good Works. He grows upward; by conversing in holy things, he is unearthed and unselved; he converses more than ever in Heaven; the Glory of God is more precious to him; his Intention towards it is more pure than it hath been; he waits and longs to be in that Blessed Region where God is all in all: Every Duty and Good Work looks up more directly than was usual to God the great Centre and End of all things: He grows downwards, I mean in Humility; by conversing with God he comes to have a greater Light than ever; which discovers the Majesty and purity of God, the rectitude and Holiness of the Law, the infirmity and relics of Corruption in the lapsed Nature of Man; and this Discovery makes him very humble and vile in his own Eyes, even his very lapses and falls serve occasionally to this growth:1 Hence St. Austin, treating on those words, All things work together for good to them that love God, Rom. 8. adds, Etiam si deviant & exorbitant, hoc ipsum eis faciat proficere in bonum, quia humiliores redeunt & doctiores;
Further, The Holy Man grows every way; he grows inward; by exercising himself to Godliness his Vital Principles become more strong, his Supernatural Heat is increased; his inner Man is strengthened more than ever it was before: he hath a Divine vigor to overcome corruptions, to repel temptations, to live above earthly things, to perform Heavenly duties, and to endure sufferings. He is strengthened in the inner Man, Ephes. 3.16. and that 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, in all Power, Col. 1.11. to do what is decorous to his spiritual Nature: he grows outward; he hath not only the fruits of Righteousness, but he is filled with them, Phil. 1.11. The influences of Grace, and supplies of the Spirit make him to bring forth much fruit, and that with great variety; as occasion serves, all the fruits of the Spirit, Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance, (which the Apostle mentions, Gal. 5.22, & 23.) break forth from him in their spiritual Glory: He is like the Tree planted by the Rivers of Waters, Ps. 1.3. which hath a fruit for every Season; or like Joseph's Fruitful bough by a Well, whose Branches run over the Wall, Gen. 49.22. There is a redundance and exuberancy of Holy Fruits, which shew that he hath a Divine Spirit, a Well of living Water in him springing, ⟨p. 444⟩up into all Obedience and good Works. He grows upward; by conversing in holy things, he is unearthed and unselved; he converses more than ever in Heaven; the Glory of God is more precious to him; his Intention towards it is more pure than it hath been; he waits and longs to be in that Blessed Region where God is all in all: Every Duty and Good Work looks up more directly than was usual to God the great Center and End of all things: He grows downwards, I mean in Humility; by conversing with God he comes to have a greater Light than ever; which discovers the Majesty and purity of God, the rectitude and Holiness of the Law, the infirmity and reliques of Corruption in the lapsed Nature of Man; and this Discovery makes him very humble and vile in his own Eyes, even his very lapses and falls serve occasionally to this growth:1
- 1De Corr. & Grat. c. 9.
