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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
head_n	body_n	member_n	mystical_a	10,421	5	11.0632	5	true

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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

rootes as Lebanon that is grow inwardly in habituall grace in the heart and then outwardly spread forth their branches and so grow in the outward profession of Gods wayes and truth and externall holinesse in their lives Neither fifthly is it a growth meerly in bulk but also in fruitfulnesse and therefore he compares them to the Olive and the Vine so in that place of Hosea which are of all trees the fruitfullest and most usefull to God and man Judg. 9. 9 13. But yet sixtly trees have a flourishing time of it but for some while during which although they may be thus green and fruitfull yet in their age they wither and rot and their leaves fall off and their fruit decayes The holy Ghost therefore as preventing this exception to fall out in the Saints growth he addes Psal 92. They bring forth fruit still in their old age When nature begins to decay yet grace renewes its strength which if it be wondred at and how grace should grow and multiply the soile of our hearts being a stepmother to it From me sayes Christ is thy fruit found ver 8. of that 14. of Hosea It is God that gives this increase and I will be as the dew to Israel ver 5. The reasons why Christians doe thus grow are drawn First from Christ his being our Head and we his members Now although clothes though never so gorgeous grow not yet members doe This similitude the Apostle useth in two places to expresse the growth of the Saints Ephes 4. 15 16. and Col. 2. 19. where he saith Christ is a head from whom the whole body grows up to him in all things Now the consequence of this reason will many wayes appear First if no more but that there might be a conformity of the head and members it was meet we the members should grow for we are predestinated to be conformable to the Image of his Sonne Rom. 8. Now Christ did grow in wisdome Luke 1. ult and 2. 40. and 42. and therefore so must we But secondly as he is our Head he hath received all fulnesse to that every end that we might grow even to fill all in all Ephes 1. ult Now we are empty creatures at his first taking of us Joh. 10. 10. I came sayes Christ that they might have life and not only so much as will keep body and soul together as we say but that they might have it more abundantly Why is grace called life and of lives the most excellent but because it containeth all the essentiall properties of life in it Now the main properties of life are to move and grow The Stars they have a moving life but they grow not the Sun increaseth not for all its tumbling up and down as snow-balls doe Plants they have a growing life but they move not out of their place but in Grace there is both It is an active thing and it is a growing thing also and because the more it is acted the more it grows therefore its growth is expressed by its motion Yea thirdly as his fulnesse is for our growth so our growth makes up his fulnesse even the fulnesse of Christ mysticall though Christ personall is full without us therefore the stature that every Christian growes up to is called Ephes 4. 13. The stature of the fulnesse of Christ In like speech to this Eph. 1. 23. it is said that his body is his fulnesse and Eph. 4. 13. the growth of these members is said to be the fulnesse of Christ so that as Christ should be an head without a body if he had no members and his body a lame body if he wanted any of those his members so it would be found a disproportioned body as it were if any of these members should not grow to that stature God hath appointed them So that as there will be plenitudito partium a fulnesse of parts no member lacking so also plenitudo graduum no degree of growth wanting in any part that so Christ who filleth all in all may be fully full And as there would be a deformity if any one should not grow as to have a withered member were a dishonour ●o the head so to have any one grow in immensum to too great a stature would breed as great a deformity on the other side therefore he addes that every member hath its measure The hand grows according to the proportion of a hand and so the rest and so in the 13. ver he hath it that there is a measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ that every one attains to The second reason is taken from God the Father Who first hath appointed as who shall be members so also what growth each of these members shall attaine to therefore it is called an increasing with the increase of God Col. 2. 19. Other parents appoint not what stature their children shall attaine to but the Lord doth that when they meet in heaven there may be a proportion in the body as all Christs members were written in Gods book so the growth of them also Secondly he hath promised that they shall grow therefore it is said Psal 92. They so all bring forth fruit in their age to shew the Lord is faithfull which respecteth his promise for faithfulnesse is the fulfilling a promise Thirdly God the Father hath accordingly appointed meanes to that end principally that they might grow As first Eph. 4. it is said he hath given gifts unto men not that they may be converted only but also to build them up for the edifying of the body of Christ he speaks as if that were one maine end Therefore the Word is not onely compared to seed that begets men but to milke also that so babes may grow and to strong meat that men may grow and thus that all sorts of Christians may grow So also Sacraments their principall end is growth and not to convert but to encrease as meat puts not life in but is ordained for growth where life is already 2. He gives his Spirit which works growth in the hearts of his people and by him they have a nutritive power conveyed from Christ For it might be said though there be never so much nourishment if they have no power to concoct it still they cannot grow therefore the Apostle says that there is an effectuall working to the measure of every part Eph. 4. 16. the same power working in us which raised up Jesus Christ from death to life Eph. 1. 19. The last reason is taken from the Saints themselves they could not otherwise enter into heaven which I take from that place Except ye be converted and become as little children ye cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven He speaks this to his Disciples who were converted before but saith Christ unlesse ye grow there being a farther measure appointed you of my Father you cannot enter into heaven There is therefore as great a necessity to grow as to be borne

gives the increase which other Husbandmen cannot doe Paul my plant and Apollos may water but God onely gives the increase 1 Cor. 3. 7. Though Christ merited yet the Father decreed every mans measure of fruitfulnesse 4. He is the most diligent Husbandman that ever was for he knowes and daily views and takes notice of every branch and of all their fruit for sayes the Text Every branch that brings not forth fruit he takes away c. therefore knowes who beareth fruit and doth not He knowes their persons who are his and who are not 2 Tim. 2. 19. not so much as one man could come in without a wedding garment but he spies him out 5. The most carefull he is daily to purge his Vine so says the second verse And of all possessions saith Cato Nulla possessio majorem operam requirit Vineyards need as much care and more then any other The Corne when it is sowne comes up and growes alone and ripeneth and comes to perfection the Husbandman sleeping and waking he knowes not how saith Christ But Vines must be drest supported sheltred pruned well-nigh every day And of all trees God hath most care of his Vines and regards them more then all the rest in the world Is to honour the Father in all the workes tending to our salvation as much as we honour the Son If Christ be the Vine his Father meanes to be the Husbandman and indeed it may teach us to honour all the three Persons in every work that is saving for in all they bear a distinct office the Father hath not onely a hand in Election but also in Sanctification concerning which this Parable was made If Christ be the roote that affords us sap whence all fruit buds the Father is the Husbandman that watereth the Vine gives the increase purgeth the branches and is the root of that life which Christ affords to us and then the Spirit also comes in to have a work and influence herein also for he is the sap though not here mentioned yet which is implyed which lies hid in this Parable of the Vine and appeares in all the fruits that are brought forth therefore called Gal. 5. Fruits of the Spirit None of the three Persons will be left out in any relation or in any work that is for our salvation That ever three so great Persons should have a joynt care of our salvation and sanctification and we our selves neglect it That they should be so carefull we so negligent and unfruitfull If they doe all so much for us what should not we endeavour to do for our selves Be carefull of your words thoughts wayes affections desires all which are the fruits of your soules for God takes notice of all he walkes in this his garden every day and spies out how many raw unripe indigested performances as Prayers c. hang on such or such a branch what gum of pride what leaves what luxuriant sprigs what are rotten boughs and which are sound and goes up and down with his pruning knife in his hand and cuts and slashes where he sees things amisse he turnes up all your leaves sees what fruit is under and deals with men accordingly When the Church is in any distresse or misery goe to him that is the Husbandman such is the usuall condition of this his Vine spread over the face of the earth Complain as they Psal 80. 12. Why hast thou broken down her hedges so as all they which passe by doe pluck her the boare out of the wood doth waste it Complain to him that the hogs are in his Vineyard and doe much havock and spoile therein and tell him that he is the Husbandman who should take care for it So they go on to pray Returne we beseech thee O God of Hosts looke downe from heaven behold and visit this Vine and the Vineyard which thy right hand hath planted v. 14 15. 3. Obs Two sorts of branches in this Vine fruitfull and unfruitfull and the difference between temporary and true Beleevers as they are laid downe in the Text. We see this Vine hath branches of two sorts fruitfull and unfruitfull which is the third thing to be observed And herein our Saviour followeth the similitude for experience shews the like in Vines And writers of Vines observe it and accordingly distinguish the branches of Vines into Pampinarios which bring forth naught but leaves and Fructuarios which bring forth fruit The unfruitfull they are such as make profession of being in Christ to themselves and others and receive some greennesse from him but no true fruit for their profession they are branches for their emptinesse unfruitfull ones The onely question is How such as prove unfruitfull are said to be branches and to be in Christ Every branch in me c. Many comparisons there are of Christ as he stands in various relations to his Church whereof some serve to expresse one thing concerning him some another That of a Vine here presents him onely as he was to spread himselfe into a visible Church on earth in the profession of him and so considered he may have many branches that are unfruitfull That other of An head over all the family in heaven and earth which imports his relation onely to that invisible company of his Church mysticall which together make up that generall assembly spoken of in Heb. 12. which are his fulnesse Eph. 1. ult And agreeable to this meaning in comparing himselfe to a Vine in this large and common relation of a root to both sorts of Professors true and false is that other expression also whereby he sets forth his Fathers office when he calls him not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Vine-dresser or a tiller of a Vineyard in a strict sense as Luke 13. 7. but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were at large the Husbandman As thereby denoting out not simply and alone that peculiar care that he hath to true beleevers onely that are branches of this Vine though including it but withall importing that common care and providence which he beares to others of his creatures and this because some of these branches of this Vine are to him but as others out of the Church and of no more reckoning with him The Fathers relation herein answering to and in a proportion running parallel along with that which Christ beares towards them Those that Christ is head unto those he is a Father unto Those whom Christ is but as a Vine unto Christ he is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Husbandman unto whose office is seene as well in cutting off such branches as in pruning and dressing of those other These unfruitful ones are not in Christs account reckoned as true branches here For in the 5. verse he calls those Disciples of his that were there and then present with him when now Judas was gone forth afore as appears Chap. 13. 30. them onely The branches and therefore repeats it there again I am

of that he had spoken in the former verses from the 12. verse and goes on to speak of it and exhort to it Thus in like manner Gal. 5. 24. it is called crucifying the flesh with the lusts not one lust but the flesh the whole bundle the cluster of them all and in that it is called crucifying it implys it also for of all deaths that did work upon every part it did stretch every nerve sinew and veyn and put all the parts to paine and this going on to mortifie sinne is called Rom. 6. The destroying of the body of sinne of the whole body It is not the consumption of one member of the lungs or liver c. but it is is consumptio totius a consumption of the whole body of sinne so as every new degree of mortification is the consuming of the whole And therefore also Colos 3. where in like manner he exhorts to his growth therein he exhorts to mortifie earthly members every member And the reasons hereof are because First true mortification strikes at the root and so causeth every branch to wither For all sinfull dispositions are rooted in one namely in love of pleasure more then of God and all true imortification deads a man to the pleasure of sinne by bringing the heart more into communion and into love with God and therefore the deading to any sinne must needs be generall and universall to every sinne It is as the dying of the heart which causeth all the members to die with it for that is the difference betweene restraining Grace which cuts off but branches and so lops the tree but true mortification strikes every blow at the root Secondly every new degree of true mortification purgeth out a sinne as it is sinne and works against it under that consideration and if against it as sinne then the same power that works out any sinne works against every sinne in the heart also Now that every new degree works against a sinne as it is sinne is plain by this because if it be purged out upon any other respect it is not mortification Thirdly the Spirit and the virtue that comes from Christ which are the efficient causes of this purging out a sinne doe also work against every sinne when they work against any one and they have a contrarietie to every lust they search into every veyne and draw from all parts Physitians may give elective purges as they call them which will purge out one humour and not another but Christs physick works generally it takes away all sorts of distempers And whereas the Objection against this may be that then all lusts will come to be equally mortified I answer No for all lusts were never equally alive in a man some are stronger some weaker by custome through disposition of body and spirit and therefore though mortification extends it selfe to all yet there being an inequality in the life and growth of these sinnes in us hence some remaine still more some lesse mortified as when a floud of water is left to flow into a field where many hils are of differing height though the water overflows all equally yet some are more above water then others because they were higher before of themselves And hence it is that some sinnes when the power of grace comes may be in a manner wholly subdued namely those which proceed out of the abundance of naughtinesse in the heart as swearing malice against the truth and these the children of God are usually wholly freed from and they seeme wholly dead being as the excrements of other members and being as the nailes and the haire they are wholly pared off as was the manner to a Proselyte woman the power of Grace takes them away though other members continue vigorous And therefore of swearing Christ sayes What is more then Yea yea and Nay nay is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of a profarie heart As when a man is a dying some members are stiffe and cold and cleane dead long afore as the feet whilst others continue to have some life and heat in them so in the mortification of a Christian some lusts that are more remote are wholly stiffe and starke when others retaine much life in them The second Question is Whether when I apply Christ and the Promise with the vertue of Christ for the mortification of some one particular lust or other and doe use those right means as Prayer Fasting c. for the speciall mortification of some one lust Whether that lust thereby doth not become more mortified then other lusts doe I answer Yes yet so as in a proportion this work of mortification it runs through all the rest for as in washing out the great stains of a cloth the lesser stains are washt out also with the same labour so it is here Therefore the Apostle in all his exhortations to mortification both Eph. 4. and Gal. 5. and Col. 3. though he exhorts to the putting off the old man the whole body of sinne yet instances in particular sins because a man is particularly to endeavour the mortification of particulars as it were apart and yet because in getting them mortified the whole body of sinne is destroyed therefore he mentions both the whole body and particular members thereof apart as the object of mortification And to that end also doth God exercise his children first with one lust then with another that they may make tryall of the vertue of Christs death upon every one And therefore Christ bids us to pull out an eye and cut off an hand if they offend us for mortification is to be by us directed against particular members yet so as withall in a proportion all the rest receive a farther degree of destruction For as a particular act of sin be it uncleannnesse or the like when committed doth increase a disposition to every sinne yet so as it leaves a present greater disposition to that particular sin then any other and increaseth it most in potentia proxima though all the rest in potentia remota so in every act of mortification though the common stock be increased yet the particular lust we aimed at hath a greater share in the mortification endeavoured as in ministring physick to cure the head the whole body is often purged yet so as the head the party affected is yet chiefly purged and more then the rest CHAP. II. Three Questions resolved concerning Positive Growth OTher Questions there are concerning that other part of our growth namely in positive graces and the fruits thereof As first whether every new degree of grace runs through all the faculties I answer Yes For as every new degree of light in the ayre runnes through the whole Hemisphere when the Sunne shines clearer and clearer to the perfect day which is Solomons comparison in the Proverbs so every new degree of grace runs through and is diffused through the whole man And therefore also 1 Thes 5. 23. when the