38 The 7ryall of lyr and apart by themfelves : And although purging out offinne is here firft mentioned, yet our growth in fruitfulneffe (hall have . the firft place in the methodof handlingof them ; both becaufe growth in pofitive holineffe, and bringing forth more fruit, is the end and perfectionof the other, and fo chiefly intended ; the other but fubferving unto this, and is accordingly made menti- on of here by Chrift, He parsed( it, [That] it maybring forth morefruit. Now inhandling this firft Head, I (hall doe three things : Firfl, in generali, Phew, That all true branches do grew ingrace andfruitfulne'Fe, and the reafons of it. Secondly, propound Inchconfiderations by way of explicati- on, as may conduce to fatisfie the tentations of fuch Chriftians as difcern not their growth herein. Thirdly, explicate more largely by way of trial!, what it is to bringforthmorefruit, thereby further to helpBeleevers todifcern andjudge aright ofit. My fcope in this difcourfe being not fo much to give meaner or motives unto growth,ashelps to judge of,and try our growth, and prevent fuck miílakes herein, as Chriftians are apt to fall into. Firft, in general), to demonftrate, that all true beleeversdoe growmore or leffe infruitfulne fie. I (hall give both proofes and reafons ofit. For proofs out of Scripture, thofe two places Hefea the ¡4. 5; compared with Pfal. 92. where the holy Ghoft fingleth out the choicefl trees andflowers in the world, on purpofe to expreffe the Saints fruitfulneffe, and their growth therein. As firft, toPhew the fuddenfjiringing upof the new creature;. as it falls out upon fome mens converfions, or upon the Saints recovery againafter falls, hecompares them to the Lillie, Hof. 14.5. whole ftalk, though longhid in the earth, when once it begins to feel the dew, growes up oftentimes in a night. But yet a Lilly is but a cower, and foondecayes. Therefore fecondly, to (hew theirperpetuity, andfability, ta: gether with their growth, theProphet therecompares them to the Cedar, whole wood rots not, proverbially put to expreffe immortality ; Digna Cedro : And which is not onelymoil du. cable.
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