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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A41536	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.	Goodwin, Thomas, 1600-1680.	1650 (1650)	Wing G1262; ESTC R10593	96,023	122

they are not usefull and so he may one of much habituall grace Thirdly he acts often according to actuall preparation the habituall preparation lies in habits and is more remote as strings may be good yet out of tune and so not plaid upon Againe fourthly God may leave a Christian of more grace and growth to more stirring of corruptions in case he means yet to bring him to a higher pitch of humiliation and that by sins It is in this his dealing of leaving men to corruptions and the vigorous conflicts with them as it is in his leaving his people sometimes to those other evils of afflictions God humbleth his either by afflictions or by sins and his manner in both is sometimes alike you shall see one who hath attained to a great measure of grace already and that by affliction and yet never to be out of the fire but God still followeth him with one affliction or another whereas one of lesse growth and grace who in that regard hath more need shall have fewer afflictions in his course And what is the reason of this difference it is not that the grown Christian hath simply more need of affliction then the other but because God intends to bring him on yet to a further degree of grace As refiners of sugar taking sugars out of the same chest some thereof they melt but once and another part of it they melt and refine againe and againe not that that which they refine twice hath more drosse in it but because they would have it more refined double refined And as God deales thus in afflictions so also in leaving of his people to the stirring of corruptions which of all afflictions is the greatest to humble a holy heart And thus in experience it is found that he doth sometimes leave a grown Christian to conflict with corruptions more then a weaker Christian not that he hath more in him but because he means to bring on that grown Christian to a further degree of humiliation he is not humbled as he meanes to have him yet And whereas God humbleth some men by afflictions he humbleth others by sins and nothing humbleth more then sins for crosses doe but humble by revealing sin as the cause and nothing will humble a grown Christian more then to see such shamefull foule corruptions still stirring in him the greatest aggravation of which to him will be in this that after so long a time such lusts should be so lively in him to have such grosse faults in his exercises after he hath been so long at schoole this shames him For a growne Christian to be disguised with a corruption and when his haire is growne to have it shaven off as Davids messengers were ashamed of it so how doth it shame him and humble him Thus Hezekiah though he was much humbled by a sicknesse to death but because he was not humbled enough and so far as God meant to bring him therefore God let loose Pride on him and then he further humbleth himselfe and all Israel as it is 2 Chron. 32. 26. Upon some men God shews his free grace in keeping them from sinne upon others he spends it in pardoning them These are but two severall wayes he hath of laying it out And so sometimes he shewes his grace in keeping those of lesse grace and againe in letting those of more to struggle with their lusts and such sicknesses are not to death or to weaken them but for the glory of God and their further growth for this will be the effect and consequent of such stirrings in growne Christians that as their fits of corruptions stirring are great so their humblings will be greater Grace being much in them will shew it selfe that way great fits of sinning have intermingled with them great exercises of repentings and the growth of their grace will shew it selfe in them and appeare in them even as in men that are cheerfull naturally but sometimes oppressed with melancholy when those pressures are over they are most merry their spirits breaking forth being at liberty they shew themselves as much on the contrary in mirth so is it here when grace gets above againe As it is in the body when the spirits are not weak but onely are kept under by humours when they doe once get up they then shew their strength in causing the body to grow the more as in many young men after a sicknesse where strength of nature is and so thereby they become after often the better and more lively but if the naturall spirits be weak it is not so A second limitation is that though one of lesse growth in mortification may sometimes by watchfulnesse keep under his lusts more and act that little grace he hath more then haply he doth who hath yet radically more grace therefore sayes the Apostle Stir up the gift that is in thee To Timothy he speakes it and he exhorts Gal. 5. even young Christians to walke in the spirit that is to have the spirit kept above the flesh so as a man shall have great hand over his corruptions that they breake not forth Now I say that this exhortation doth belong unto and concerneth the youngest Christians For he speakes to all that have spirituall life begun in them ver 25. If we live in the Spirit let us sayes he walke in the Spirit and then we shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh ver 16. A weake body thouh weake yet if he useth care may keepe himselfe from distempers as much as some man who is strong but grows carelesse and neglects his health But yet though one of lesse grace be thus actually more watchfull ye he may discerne the want of growth by this First that still his lusts rise oftner and that with delight and are apter to catch fire presently although they be smothered as fast as they catch his case then is as if there were an heap of straw in a roome where fire is where sparks fly about still taking fire upon every occasion but he that keeps the straw is carefull still to put it out And secondly in this case they shall find the strength of their corruptions in privative working against grace and distracting and disturbing them deading their hearts in duties and therefore when the Apostle had exhorted such to walk in the spirit so as not to fulfill the lusts marke what follows Yet sayes he the flesh will discover it selfe in lusting against the spirit Take what care you will so as a man shall not be able to doe what he would Gal. 5. 16 17. and the more strong it is the more it will shew it selfe strong in disturbing so as Christians not growne up that are very watchfull over their hearts doe keepe as it were but negative Sabbaths and are therein like unto those watchers and keepers of good rule in great Churches where there are many sleepers they have so much to doe to watch those boyes that sleepe and are idle at

reads is new when as afterwards in his reading he meets with the same thing againe and againe and with new notions but now and then and yet he studies it may be harder and learns what he knew before more perfectly and adds new to his old A fourth Consideration to discern thy growth there must be time allowed For the time sayes the Apostle they might have been teachers Heb. 5. 12. implying they must have had time to grow up to perfection Christians doe not grow discernably till after some space The Sunne goes up higher and higher but we discerne not its progresse till after an hours motion Things most excellent have the slowest growth but rushes grow fast but they are weaker kind of plants herbs and willows and alder-trees grow fast but full of pith Oakes more slowly yet more solidly and in the end attain to a greater bulk Fifthly consider the growth it selfe there may be a great difference thereof in severall men You heard that every man hath a measure appointed to which he must grow but men are brought to this fulnesse severall wayes which makes a difference in their growth First Some have the advantages of others at first setting out God gives them a great stock of grace at first and that for these causes 1. When there is a present use of them Paul was the last of the Apostles borne out of time as himself complaines as one that was set to schoole long after the rest of the Apostles and yet came not behind any of them in grace because God was to use him presently To some God gives five talents to others but two so that he that hath five hath as much given him at first as he that had but two had with all his gains all his life time 2. When a man is converted late as he that came into the Vineyard at the eleventh hour was furnished with abilities to doe as much as the rest for they all received but a penny Secondly in the manner of their growth some have advantage of others 1. Some grow without intermission as that great Apostle and the Colossians who from the first day they heard of the Gospell brought forth fruit Col. 1. 15. Others have rubs and for some time of their lives stand at a stay And thus some doe presently after their first conversion as the Church of Ephesus who fell from her first love Others in old age as the Hebrews who when for the time they might have taught others were so far cast behind that they had need be taught againe the first principles of Religion Measure therefore not so your growth by a piece of your lives but by comparing your whole life together 2. Some die sooner and therefore God fits them for heaven sooner Dorcas dyed rich in good workes Stephen dyed full of the holy Ghost Act. 9. It is with severall Christians as with severall Planets the Moon goes her course in a moneth the Sun in a yeer the rest in many years so as often they that live shortest grow fastest CHAP. III. What it is to bring forth more fruit explicated Negatively by removing many mistakes LEt us now see what it is wherein Christians may be said to grow that so you may be able to discerne what it is to bring forth more fruit And this I will explicate two wayes First negatively what it is not to bring forth more fruit really though in appearance and in shew it be a growth in fruit which occasions many mistakes Secondly positively what it is truly to bring forth more fruit For the first First to grow is not onely or chiefly to grow in gifts or abilities as to preach and pray c. but to encrease in graces in gifts onely so Reprobates may grow yea and so true Beleevers may grow and yet not bring forth more fruit The Corinthians grew fast this way in respect of gifts they were enriched in all utterance and knowledge and came behind in no gift 1 Cor. 1. 7. and yet he tells them that they were babes and carnall Chap. 3. 2 3. And therefore in the 12. Chap. after he had spoken of gifts and endeavouring to excell therein as they did he tells them that indeed they were things to be desired and therefore exhorts them to covet the best gifts but yet sayes he I shew unto you a more excellent way in the last ver of that 12. Chapter And what was that It followes in the 13. Chap. even true grace charity love to God and love of our brethren A dram of that is sayes he worth a pound of the best fruit of gifts And so his discourse Chap. 13. doth begin ver 1. Though I speak with tongues of men and Angels yet if I have not charity c. Gifts are given for the good of others to edifie them especially 1 Cor. 12. 7. but Graces as love faith and humility these are given to save a mans own soul and therefore therein is the true growth Yet as concerning this I will propound a Caution or two Indeed growth in gifts together with growth in Sanctification running along with it will increase our account for God will crown his own gifts in us if as they come from Christ so they be used in him and for him in our intentions but otherwise they puffe up and hinder They serve indeed to set out and garnish the fruit and to help forward the exercise of graces they are good fruit dishes to set the fruit forth But if grace grow not with them we bring not forth much fruit for at best they are but blossomes not fruit Again men are indeed to indeavour to grow in these gifts of memory and instructing others and conferences c. As was said to Timothy Let thy profiting appear to all 1 Tim. 4. 15. and to the Corinthians Covet the best gift especially whilst you are young yet we are not simply thereby to take an estimate of our growth Though this let me withall adde that often by increasing in grace a man increaseth in gifts and for want of increasing in grace gifts also doe decay The Talents being used faithfully were doubled and unfaithfully were lessened And this consideration may help to answer some doubts and objections which some Christians have about their growth as because they cannot pray so well as others nor doe so much service to the Saints as some doe therefore they bring forth lesse fruit Thou mayest bring more fruit for all that if thou walkest humbly in thy calling and prayest more fervently though lesse notionally or eloqùently By how much the more we are humble prize our selves lesse by them and use them in Christ and for Christ seeing they come all from him the more we are contented to want them and not envie others that have them so much the more fruit we bring forth even in the want of such gifts Againe decay in gifts as in old age doth not alwayes hinder men

weaknesse it is out of inordinacie and of such a frame are young Christians hearts like new lute strings which when they are wound up high are still a falling ever and anon whereas strings setled long on an instrument will stand long and not slip downe Seventhly a man may be said to grow and bring forth more fruit when although the difficulties of doing duties become greater and his means lesse yet he continues to doe them and this though it may be he doth no more then he did before For a tree to bring forth much fruit in cold weather or standing in the shade is more then in summer or when it stands in the sun I know thy work thy labour and thy patience Rev. 2. 13. When a man though he doe fewer works yet with much labour having it may be now a body growne weake or holds out in the profession of the wayes of God with more scoffes and hazarding more in a place where Satans throne is this makes a little done for Christ a great deale So when a man thrives with a little trading with small means of grace and yet exceedeth those that have more to pray and to continue to doe so though the streame is against us and gales cease to pray and to continue to pray when we heare no answers but the contrary It is noted of Daniel that he did the Kings businesse after he had been sick Dan. 8. 27. and so he prayed you know when he ventured his life for it when we have lesse straw to make the same number of brick with lesse wages lesse encouragements and yet doe as much work with chearfulnesse 8. When a man though he doth lesse for the outward bulk yet grows more wise and faithfull to lay out all his opportunities and abilities to the best advantage this is to bring forth more fruit Thus Moses who at first began to heare himselfe all causes both small and great but in the end he gave over the lesser causes to others and reserved the hearing of the greater to himselfe Exod. 18. 10. yet still he continued to doe more and laid himselfe out to the greater advantage His former course would in the end have killed him Thou wilt wear away like a leafe saith Jethro to him So the Apostle who strived to preach the Gospell where Christ had not been knowne Rom. 15. 20. When a man forbeares lesser things to lay out all for the Churches advantage lesse ventures himselfe in a smaller course unlesse particularly called to it not out of fearfulnesse but faithfulnesse and will lay all the stock on it in a greater Young Christians are as young Fencers they strike hand over head downe right blowes whereas if they would consider their brother or a wicked man whom they would reprove as skilfull fencers do and at an advantage hit them a good blow is it not much better when a man watcheth in all things as he exhorts Timothy 2 Tim. 4. 5. and serves the season as some reade it Rom. 12. 11. that is waits for the best advantages of doing good both which may stand with fervencie of spirit and enduring afflictions for so the next words are in both those places A man is no lesse liberall that studies how to lay out his money to most charitable uses though he gives lesse to fewer particulars We live in a wicked world and godly men cannot do what they would as wicked men also cannot When therefore a man looks about him and studies to improve himselfe to the utmost advantage for God in his place to lay out his credit his parts and all for God as a faithfull Factor in the best wares though he deales in fewer particulars he may notwithstanding bring forth more fruit And thus much for matter of Tryall about the first thing positive growth in fruitfulnesse THE TRYALL OF A CHRISTIANS GROWTH THE SECOND PART Of Growth in MORTIFICATION or Gods purging out Corruption He purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit CHAP. I. The Observation out of the Text propounded That God goes on to purge corruptions out of true branches Bounds set to this discourse about it according to the scope of the Text The reasons of the point I Come now to the Tryall of our Growth in that other part of Sanctification namely the Mortification of lusts and purging out of corruptions which the Text also cals for Christ here saying not onely that they bring forth more fruit but that God purgeth them that they may bring forth more fruit The Observation from which words is clearly this That God chuseth true branches to grow in a purging out of their corruptions as in true fruitfulnesse In the handling of this point I shall doe these foure things First set the bounds and limits of this Discourse about it according to Christs intendment as here he speaks of it Secondly give some reasons of the point Thirdly shew the wayes which God useth to carry on the progresse in this work Fourthly give some helps of Tryall about it Now for the first the explication and limiting this point unto Christs intendment here that so I may onely so far handle it as the scope of the words will beare I premise these three things about it 1. That purging here intended which is indeed all one with Mortification and emptying out sin out of our hearts and lives is to be restrained here to the progresse of a Christian in that work and not as taking in with it that first work of mortification wrought at a mans first conversion so as I intend not now to lay open to you the nature of mortification and what it is by way of Common place but onely intend to speak of Growth in it for of that Christ speaks because it is such a purging as is after bringing forth some fruit and whereof the end is to bring forth more fruit Neither 2. are we so much to speak of it here as it is a duty to be done by us though it be so but as it is a work of God upon us which he takes care to goe through with and perfect in all those who are fruitfull for he speaks here of it rather as an act of Gods He purgeth then as it is to be an act of ours that we ought to purge our selves though both doe goe together as in that speech Rom. 8. We by the Spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the flesh so as that which is proper to the point in hand for the explication of it as here in this place it is laid downe is not so much to give you motives or meanes of purging your selves as to shew you the wayes and courses God takes still one way or other to purge his children by that they may be more fruitfull And yet 3. in this work of Mortification considered thus in the progresse of it we are not meer passives as at that finall perfecting and finishing of it and carrying away all sin at death

THE TRYALL OF A CHRISTIANS GROWTH IN Mortification OR Purging out Corruption Vivification OR 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 Spirituall Growth Together with some Observations upon the Parable of the Vine John 15. 1 2. verses By THO GOODWIN B. D. 2 COR. 7. 1. Let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God LONDON Printed by J. G. for R. Dawlman 1650. TO THE READER THis following Treatise The Tryall of a Christians Growth was formerly printed during the time of my absence out of my native Country and by reason thereof had many imperfections and incongruities both in style and matter which now being againe through the good hand of God upon me returned I have endeavoured to amend So as partly through some alteration in the method and frame of it partly by cutting off some redundancies I have reduced it to some better shape and neerer proportion to its fellowes The scope and way of handling this subject Growth is not Doctrinall so much nor yet Hortatory as either perswading to or discoursing of a Christians growth in generall concerning which much hath been already written by others But the more proper aime of this is to resolve A Case of Conscience like as those two other preceding Tractates of mine have done namely this How to discern our growth and to answer more usuall temptations about it And so these three Treatises being of like sort and kinde and properly belonging to that part of Theologie which we call Case Divinity I have therefore in this new Edition of the whole ordered to put them together which is all the alteration I have made although in their first and single publishing some other came between If in the performance this falls short of many more raised experiments of Growth which are found in such as the Apostle John calls Fathers elderly Christians who with Enoch have walked long with God yet I have hoped that you that are young men as he also styles the middle sort of Christians that you may finde many things helpfull to your right understanding and judging of your growth and which may free you from many mistakes in mis-judging thereof and so consequently of many tentations about it which that Age of Beleevers are more peculiarly incident unto I dare not say I write these things to you Fathers I never presumed it in my thoughts I my selfe wrote and preached it when I was but young in years and for the time far younger in grace and experience And I dare not if the great Apostle would not stretch my selfe beyond that measure which God hath distributed to me A measure which yet may reach you that are young men though more eminent grown Christians are gone far beyond the line of it The God of grace and peace grant us and all his children spirits endeavouring to speak the truth in love in these dividing times that we may grow up into him in all things who is the Head even Christ April 26. 1643. Tho Goodwin THE TRYALL OF A CHRISTIANS GROWTH AN INTRODVCTION Some OBSERVATIONS premised upon this Parable of the VINE JOHN 15. 1 2. I am the true Vine and my Father is the Husbandman Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away and every branch that beareth fruit he purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit The summe and division of the words and subject of this Discourse A Faire and fruitfull Parable this is spread forth into many Branches In which under the pleasant shadow of a Vine upon occasion they had but newly been reall partakers of his blood in the fruit of the Vine Christ elegantly sets forth himself in his relation to his visible Church and the estate of his Apostles and in them of all visible Professors to the end of the world Shewing withall under that similitude what his Father meant to doe with Judas now gone out to betray him as with all other unfruitfull branches like unto him even cut them off and throw them into the fire But on the contrary encouraging them and all other fruitfull branches that they should still continue to abide in him with promise that they should yet bring forth more fruit The Parable hath three Parts 1. A Vine here is of all the fairest ver 1. 2. A Husbandman of all the carefullest 3. The end of planting this Vine fruitfulnesse First this Vine as all Vines else hath two sorts of branches 1. Such as though greene bring forth no true fruit nought but leaves 2. Such as bring forth fruit ver 2. The Husbandman hath answerably offices of two sorts towards them both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a witty Paranomasia Amputare Putare to Lop and Cut off First clean to cut off those that are utterly unfruitfull which thereupon are cast out doe wither and are gathered and cast into the fire So ver 2. 6. And thus now he meant to deale with Judas But 2. to Purge and but lop off the luxuriancies and too much runnings out of the fruitfull branches into springs which they are subject to Thirdly his end in all is that fruit and more fruit might be brought forth This is his end of planting this Vine this is the end of purging these branches of it which he being frustrated of in those other is the cause why he takes them cleane away And to exhort these unto fruitfulnesse was one main end of Christs using this Parable and unto this tends all in the following verses either as meanes or motives unto fruitfulnesse First as meanes 1. He assures them of their being in the state of grace verse 3. Assurance is a means of fruitfulnesse He speaks of Purging them by his word in the same verse Ye are cleane through the word I have spoken to you This is a means he further useth 3. He inculcates into them the sense of their owne inability to doe any thing without him ver 5. 4. Therefore to abide in him and suck from him ver 5. 5. And to let his Word abide in them by which himselfe shall also abide in them and by which they may still be purged and so be fruitfull The motives are 1. If not they know their doome to the fire with them ver 6. 2. If they doe their prayers shall be granted ver 7. 3. Hereby his Fathers is glorified ver 8. 4. They shall shew themselves his Disciples ver 8. 5. They shall continue in his love who loves them as dearly as his father doth him ver 9 10. And so you have the summe of all this Parable The principall subject I aime at in this Scripture is this maine case of Conscience which useth to be the exercise and inquisition of many good souls How a Christian may discerne his growth