494 / 504
C
A
P.XVII.
The
firnilitude in
the Parable further
confidered.
440 nature
of
the
feed that
isTowne
in
it,
and
God
giving
to every
feed
its
orone body,
of
what
temperfo ever the
ground is,
where
it
isfown: in
like
manner
that Faith,
which
fprings
from
the fame
feed of
the
Gofpell muff needs be
of
one
and
the
fame
nature and kind,
though
thisfeed
be
fowne
in
the hearts
of
never
fa
difering
a
con.
-
.fïitution
andframe ;
the temper
of
the
heart,
be
it
what
it
will
be,
not being
able
fpecifically
to
alter either
the
Gofpell
or the
natural'
fruit
iffeing
from it:
And
a
a.
blade
or eare
ofwheate,
though
it
be
blafled
before the
Harveji, is not
hereby pro
-.
ved not
to
have
been
a
true blade or
eare
of
wheate before
it
was
blaied,
in like
manner the withering
or
decay
of
any
mans
faith,
by
what
meuves or
occafion
foe -
ver,
before his
death, doth notprove
it
to
have
been
a
falfe, counterfeit,
or
Hypo
-
criticall Faith,
or
a
Faith
of
any
other
kind, than
that
which
is
true, reali, and
permanent untothe end.
.
Anf.
r.
It
hath
been formerly obferved ,
thatßmilitudes are not
argu-
mentative, beyond
the extent
of
that
particular,
wherein
their
nature,as
fuck,
doth
confift.
Theintendment
of
Chrift
in this
Parable,
is
to
manifeft
that
ma-
ny
heare the
word
in
vaine, and
bring forth
no
fruit
of
it
at all
:
of
thefe
one
fort
is
compared
to
llonyground,
that
brings
forth
a
blade,
but
no
fruit
:
no
fruit,
is
no
fpirit, though there
be
a
blade,
or no
blade,the
difference
between
the
ones
receiving
of
feed
, and
the
others
manifefted by
our Saviour
in
this
Parable,
is
in
this,
that
one
brings
forth
fruit,
and the other doth not: farther,
thefeed
of
wheate
,
or the
like brings
forth
its
fruit
in a
naturali
way
;
and
therefore whatever it brings
forth,
followes
in
fome
meafure
the nature
of
the
feed,
but
that
feed
of the
Go
fpell, brings forth its
fruit
in
a morali
way,and
therefore may have
effets
of
fundry natures;
that
which
the feed
ofWheat
brings forth
is
wheat,
but that
which
the
Gofpell
brings forth
is
not.
Gofpell,
but
Faith,
betides
what
the
wheate brings
forth,
if
it
come not,
nor ever
will
to
be
wheate
in
the
eare,
it
is
but
graffè, and
not
of
the
fame
nature,
and kind
.
with that'
which
is
wheate
atually,
though virtually
-
and originally
there
be the nature
ofwheate
in
the roote,. yet
aefually
wheat
is
not
in
the blade,
that
hath not, nor ever
will
have
Bare.
If
the
feed
ofwheate
be
fo
corrupted
in
the
foyle
where
it
is
fowne,
that
it cannot bring
forth fruit, that
which
it
doth bring forth,
what ever
it
be
,
is
of
a
diffèrent
nature,
from
that
which
is
brought forth to
perfetion,
by the
feed
of
wheate
in
good
ground.
.Againe
Faith
is
brought forth
by
the
feed
of the
Gofpell,when the
Promifes and
Ex-
hortations
ofthe
Gofpell being
preacht unto
men,
do
prevaile on
them: to
fygive
affent
unto the
truth
ofit:
that
every
fuch
effe&
wrought,
is
true jufti-
ing
Faith,
giving
union
with
Jefus Chrift,
Mr
Goodwin
cannot prove,,
that
effets
fpecifically
different, may be
brought forth
by
the
fame
feed
of
the
Gofpell,
feeing
to
fome
it
is a
favour
of
life
unto life, and
to
fome a
favour
ofdeath unto
death,
needes
not
much proving.
Some
receive
theWord,
and
.
turne
it
into
wantonneffe,
fome
are
raft into the
mould
of
it,
and are tanfla-
ted
into the
fame
image;
if
the temper
of
the
heart,
as is Paid,
is
not
able fpe-
cifically
to alter the
Gofpell:
but that
there
may not fruit
of
various kinds,
be
borne
in
the heart that
affents
to
it, that
receives
it
in
the upper cruftand
/kin
of
it,
is
the queftion. Neither
is
it
a
blade
occafionally
withering before
the
Harveft, but
a
flight receiving
of
the
feed,
fo
as
that it
can
never bring
forth fruit that
is
intimated.
In
fúmme,thiswhole Difcourfe
is
a
great
piece
of
Sophiftry,
in
comparing naturali&
moral/ caufes
in
the producing
of
their ef-
feets, a
thing not
intended
in
the Parable,
and whereabout he
that
will
bufie
himfelfe,jungat
valpes,
&mulgeat
hircos
;this
is
that
which
ourSaviour teacheth
usin
the
finiilitude
off
ed
fowninthe
ffonyground
:The Word
is
preached
unto
fome men, who are
affefred
with
it
for
a
feafon, affent
unto it, but not
corn-
ingup
to
a cordial!
dole
with it,
after
a
while
wither
.
away
:
and
fuch
as
thefe