a Chriflians Growth. In thehandling of this point, I !halt doe thefe foure things : Firft, fet thebounds and limits of this Difcourfe about it, ac- cording to Çhritis intendment, as here he fpeaks of it. Secondly, give foure reafons of the point. Thirdly, Phew the wayes which God ufeth to carry on the progreffe in this work. Fourthly,give foure helps of lryall about it. Now for the firfl, the explicationand limiting this point unto Chrifts intendment here, that fo I may onely fo far handle it as the fcope of the words will beare, I premifc thefe three things about it. I. That purringhere intended, (which is indeed all one with Mortification, and emptying out fin out dour hearts and lives) is tobe retrained here to the progreffe ofa Chriflian in that work, and notas taking in with it that firfi Work, of mortification wrought at a mans fitti converfion fo as I intend not now t9 lay open to you the nature ofmortification, and what it is, by way ofCommonplace, but onely intend to fpeak of Growth&tit : for ofthat Chrift fpeaks, becaufe it is fuch a purging, as is after bringingforthTomefruit, and whereof the end is to bring forth more fruit. Neither 2. are we fo mach to fpeak of it here, as it is a duty to be done by ru, (though it be fo) but as it is a work of GQd uponus, which he takes care to goe through with, and perfeCt in all thofe who are fruitful! : for he fpeaks here ofit rather as an atl ofGods, Hepurgeth, then as it is tobe an ate ofours, that we ought topurge our (elves ; though both doe goe together, as in that fpeech, Rom. 8. We by the Spirit doe mortifie the deedsofthe flefh ; fo as that which is proper to the point in hand, for the ex- plication of it, (as here in this place it is laiddowne) is not fo much to giveyou motives or meanes ofpurging your felves, as to fhe1 you the wayes and court-is Cod takesffill one way or other to purge hid children 6y, that they may be more fruitfull. And yet 3. in this work of Mortification, confidered thus in the progreffeof ir, weare not meerpafves, (as at thatfindl per- fetingand finifhingof it, and carrying away all fin at deathAtte are, andare at that firft habitual! beginningofit, at converfion) but therein weareworkers together withGod : (Webeing purged Iz from
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