The Trial of a Christians Growth in Mortification, Table of contents
A Table of the Contents of this Booke.
The Introduction. THe ſumme and diviſion of the words, and the ſubject of this Diſcourſe. Page 1 Some Obſervations premiſed of this Parable of the Vine:
1. Obſer. How Chriſt is the Vine, and the onelyonly true Vine. 3
2. Obſer. How God the Father is the Husbandman. Declared in five things. 6
3. Obſer. Two ſorts of Branches in the Vine, fruitfull and unfruitfull. 8
An interpretation of thoſe words, [Branches in me that bring not forth fruit.] By three things. 9
Three ſeverall ſorts of Branches that prove unfruitfull. 11
Some differences betweene true Branches and Temporary Branches, grounded on the Text. 12
1. Difference. Temporary Beleevers bring not forth true fruit. And
What it is that makes a good work to be true fruit. ibid.
2. Difference. Temporary Branches bring not forth fruit in Chriſt. 14
What it is to bring forth fruit in Chriſt, explained. 15
This Queſtion, Whether in every act a Chriſtian doth all in Chriſt, by his fetching vertue diſtinctly from him? Reſolved by 3. things. 18
That every Beleever doth five things, which are truly and interpretatively to bring forth fruit in Chriſt. 19
4. Obſer. In the moſt fruitfull Branches there remaine corruptions to be purged out. The reaſons of it. 22
5. Obſer. That yet for their corruptions God takes not ſuch away. 28
6. Obſer. Ʋnfruitfull Branches God in the end cuts off. Foure degrees of Gods cutting them off, founded on the Text. 34
The Tryall of a Chriſtians Growth. PART I. Of GROVVTH in bringing forth more fruit.
CHAP. I. That all true Branches in Chriſt doe grow: Proved,
1. By Scriptures, Reaſons. 38
1. Reaſ. From Chriſts relation to us as an Head, and we his members. And herein,
1. From our conformity to him. 39
2. From his having received all fulneſſe to fill us. 40
3. From our growth making up his fulneſſe, as he is myſtically conſidered one with us. ibid.
2. Reaſ. From God the Father, who
1. Hath appointed every one their meaſure. 41
2. Hath promiſed it. ibid.
3. Hath appointed means for it. ibid.
3. Reaſ. From the Saints themſelves, who cannot be ſaved unleſſe they grow. ibid.
CHAP. II. An explication how the Saints doe grow. Many conſiderations to ſatisfie the tentations of thoſe that diſcern not their growth. 42
1. Conſid. more generall, ſhewing what ſort of Chriſtians this tentation doth uſually befall. ibid.
2. Conſid. more particular, As
1. That growing in grace is a Myſterie rather to be apprehended by faith, then by ſenſe. 44
2. The eager deſire which many have to grow, and attaine to more grace, hinders them from diſcerning their growth. ibid.
3. The progreſſe is not in many ſo diſcernable, as the change at their firſt converſion is, or as their firſt growth. The reaſons of it. ibid.
4. To diſcern of growth there muſt be time allowed. 45
5. There are ſeverall wayes by which men are brought to that meaſure appointed them, in which ſome have the advantage of others. ibid.
1. Some have a greater ſtock of grace given them at firſt: which is done in two caſes. 46
2. In the manner of growing, God puts much difference,
1. Some grow without intermiſſion.
2. Some God ſooner ripens for heaven. ibid.
CHAP. III. What it is to bring forth more fruit, explicated negatively, by removing many miſtakes. 46
1. It is not to grow onelyonly or chiefly in gifts, as abilities to pray, and preach, or in knowledge, but in graces. 47
Three cautions herein. ibid.
2. Our bringing forth more fruit is not to be meaſured by the ſucceſſe of our gifts, the fruits of our doings, but by the Doings themſelves. 48
3. It is not ſimply to be eſtimated by the largeneſſe or ſmalneſſe of our opportunities of doing good, (which may vary) but by an heart to doe good. 50
4. It is not alwayes to be meaſured by acceſſary graces, as joy, ſpirituall raviſhments, &c. ibid.
5. It is not be meaſured by encreaſing in profeſſion, and ſeeming forwardneſſe, but by inward and ſubſtantiall godlineſſe. 51
6. How in the largneſſe of the affections to good, there may be a decreaſe: And how young Chriſtians may have more large affections; which yet are not ſo genuine and ſpirituall. ibid.
7. We muſt not meaſure our growth, by our growing in ſome kind or ſort of duties, but in the univerſall extent of godlineſſe, and in duties both of our generall and particular callings. 53
How young Chriſtians abound more often in holy duties for a time, and the neceſſity of this for their condition. ibid.
CHAP. IV. What it is to bring forth more fruit, explicated poſitively: Wherein many direct tryals of ſuch a growth are given. 55
1. Tryall. If we goe on to the exerciſe of new graves. ibid.
2. Tryall. If we find new degrees of the ſame grace added. 56
3. Tryall. If fruits and duties grow more ripe and ſpirituall, though not more in bulk. 57
What it is that gives a ſpirituall reliſh to this fruit.
4. Tryall. If the heart grows more rooted into Chriſt. 58
5. Tryall. If we learne more to bring forth fruit in reaſon. 59
6. Tryall. If we grow more conſtant and eaven in a holy courſe. ibid.
7. Tryall. If though our difficulties and oppoſitions be more, and means leſſe, yet we continue to bring forth as well as when our meanes were more, and difficulties leſſe. ibid.
8. Tryall. If though we doe leſſe, yet we grow more wiſe, and faithfull to lay out our abilities, and improve our opportunities to the greater advantages for Gods glory and the good of others. 60
The Tryall of a Chriſtians Growth. PART II. Of Growth in purging our corruption.
CHAP. I. The Obſervation out of the Text propounded, that God goes on to purge out our corruptions. Bounds ſet to the Diſcourſe about it.
The reaſons of the point. 64
CHAP. II. The wayes God uſeth to purge out corruption out of his children, with the means by which he cauſeth them to grow to a further meaſure therein. 65
1. Occaſionall. ibid.
2. Inſtrumentall. 66
3. Examples. 67
4. Inward workings, which conſiſts in five things. ibid.
CAAP. III. The Tryall of Growth in Mortification.
1. By negative ſignes, or ſuch as argue much corruption remaining unpurged out. As 71
1. If a man doth magnifie and ſet a high price upon worldly and carnall excellencies and pleaſures. ibid.
2. If our minds be carryed out to ſuperfluities, and more than needs, and are diſcontented with our owne condition. 73
3. If our minds be ſo glewed to any thing, that we know not how to part with it. ibid.
4. If our hearts be diſtempered under variety of conditions, and are very inordinate in them all, whether they be proſperous, or adverſe. 74
5. The more carnall confidence we have in the creatures; and our ſpirits being up held by them. 75
6. The more full of envyings and heart-burnings againſt others, as to get the credit from them, &c. ibid.
7. The leſſe able we are to bear reproofs for the breaking forth of our luſts. 76
8. The more quick and ſpeedy the tentation is in prevailing upon the heart. 77
9. The more power our luſts have to diſturb us in holy duties. ibid.
10. If the bare recalling former ſins committed, prove a new ſnare to entice the heart. 87
CHAP. IV.
2. The Tryall of Mortification by poſitive ſignes, which argue a good degree of that work in the heart: As
1. The more inſight a man hath into ſpirituall corruptions, ioyned with a conflict againſt them. 79
2. The more we grow up to a readineſſe, willingneſſe, freeneſſe, and cheerfulneſſe of heart to deny our ſelves. 80
3. The more ſtable, …eaven, and conſtant we are in well doing, and the more durable an holy frame of heart in us is. 81
4. The mnre ſpirituall taſte and reliſh of the ſpirituall part of the Word we have. 82
5. The more aſhamed we grow of former carriages, and ſenſible of former weakneſſes. ibid.
6. The weaker we find our luſts to be in the time of tentation. ibid.
7. The more ability we have to abſtaine from occaſions and opportunities of ſatisfying our luſts. 84
8. If we linger not after the objects of our luſts, when they are abſent, but are weaned from them. ibid.
CHAP. V. Some Cautions to prevent miſ-judging by falſe rules. As alſo This Caſe reſolved, Whether Growth in Grace may be judged by the ordinary prevailing of corruption, or the ordinary acting of mans grace. 85
1. Caution. That men are not to eſtimate their progreſſe in grace, by having overcome ſuch luſts as their natures are not ſo prone unto: but that a judgment hereof is to be made from the decay of the boſome ſin. ibid.
2. Caution. We are not to judge by extraordinary aſſiſtances, nor extraordinary temptations. 86
This Caution explicated by three things. 87
This Queſtion reſolved, Whether we may certainly judge of the degrees of our mortification to luſts, by the ordinary riſings and prevailings of them, or by the ordinary acting and exerciſe of our graces. 88
Anſwered affirmatively. ibid.
An Objection, That the Spirit is a voluntary Agent, who may act a leſſe degree of grace more then a greater.
Anſwered. 90
1. That yet the holy Ghoſt ordinarily aſſiſts according to the proportion of grace given. ibid.
2. That the acting of grace encreaſeth the habits more and ſo it comes all to one. 91
Two limitations herein.
1. That God for ſome time of a mans life may leave a ſtrong Chriſtian to greater corruption then a weake, and act a weak Chriſtians grace more. ibid.
God may have four ends in ſuch a diſpenſation. ibid.
2. Limitation. If a weak Chriſtian be more watchfull over his luſts for a time, then a ſtronger Chriſtian: yet his weakneſſe is diſcovered by two things. 94
CHAP. VI. Five Cautions more added to the two former, to prevent ſuch miſ-judging.
3. Caut. To take into conſideration our ſeverall occaſions to draw out corruptions, and means to draw forth graces. 96
4. Caut. To conſider the naturall temper of a mans owne ſpirit; whether it be quick and active, or ſlow. ibid.
5. To conſider what force reſtraining grace hath in us, which often makes mortification ſeeme greater then it is. 97
6. Not to judge from our preſent liſtleſneſſe to ſin; which may ariſe from other cauſes beſides true mortification; and ſo may make that ſeeme to be much more at ſome times then in truth it is. 99
The difference betweene liſtleſneſſe to ſinne, and true mortification, in two things. 101
7. Not to judge of the meaſure of mortification ſimply by the ſharpneſſe and edge of our affections againſt ſin, but by our inward ſtrength againſt it.
A diſcovery how that edge of affection againſt ſin may deceive us, and how a young Chriſtian may have a quicker ſtirring againſt ſin, when he hath leſſe ſtrength. 102
The Tryall of a Chriſtians Growth. PART III. Reſolving ſome Queſtions about Growth in Mortification, Vivification.
1. About Growth in Mortification, two Queſtions:
1. Whether every new degree of Mortification be alwayes univerſall, extending it ſelfe to every ſin. 104
Anſwer affirmative, and that for three reaſons. 105
An Objection anſwered. 106
2. Queſt. Whether in the endeavours of a beleever to mortifie ſome one particular luſt, that luſt becomes not more mortified then others.
Anſwered. 107
2. About Growth in Vivification three Queſtions:
1. Queſt. Whether every new degree of Grace runs through all the faculties.
Anſwered affirmatively. 108
2. Queſt. Whether one grace may not grow more then another.
Anſwered by two Propoſitions. ibid.
3. Queſt. (Concerning the manner of this Growth)
Whether it be a deeper radicating the ſame grace in the heart, or by a new addition.
Anſwered. 109
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Goodwin, The Trial of a Christians Growth in Mortification (1650)