C A P.XVII. The firnilitude in the Parable further confidered. 440 natureofthefeed that isTowne in it, andGodgiving to every feedits orone body, of what temperfo ever the ground is, where it isfown: in like manner that Faith, whichfpringsfrom the famefeed ofthe Gofpell muff needs beofone and thefame nature and kind,though thisfeedbefowne in the hearts ofnever fadifering a con.- .fïitution andframe ; the temper ofthe heart, be it what it will be, not beingable fpecifically to alter either the Gofpellor the natural'fruit iffeing from it: And a a. blade or eareofwheate, though it be blafledbefore the Harveji, is not hereby pro -. ved not to have beena true blade oreareofwheate before it was blaied, in like manner the witheringor decayofany mansfaith, bywhat meuves or occafion foe - ver, before hisdeath, doth notprove it to have beena falfe, counterfeit,orHypo- 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 extentof that particular, wherein their nature,as fuck, doth confift. Theintendment ofChrift in this Parable, is tomanifeft that ma- ny heare theword in vaine, and bring forth no fruit ofit at all : of thefeone fort iscompared to llonyground, that brings forth ablade, but nofruit : no fruit, is nofpirit, though there be a blade, or no blade,thedifference between the ones receiving offeed , and the others manifefted by our Saviour in this Parable, is in this, that one bringsforthfruit, and the other doth not: farther, thefeed ofwheate , or the like brings forth its fruit in a naturali way ; and therefore whatever it brings forth, followesin fome meafure the nature of the feed, but that feedof the Go fpell, brings forth its fruit ina morali way,and therefore may haveeffets of fundry natures; that which the feedofWheat brings forth is wheat, but that which the Gofpell brings forth is not. Gofpell, but Faith,betides what thewheate brings forth, ifit come not, nor ever will to bewheate in theeare, it is but graffè, and not ofthe fame nature, and kind . with that' which is wheate atually, though virtually - and originally there be the natureofwheate in the roote,. yet aefually wheat is not in the blade, that hath not, nor ever will have Bare. Ifthe feedofwheatebe 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 ofa diffèrent nature, from that which is brought forth toperfetion, by the feed of wheate in good ground. .Againe Faith isbrought forthby the feed of the Gofpell,when the Promifes andEx- hortations ofthe Gofpell beingpreacht untomen, 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 fpecificallydifferent, may be brought forth by the fame feed ofthe Gofpell, feeing to fome it is a favour of life unto life, and to fome a favour ofdeath untodeath, needes not much proving. Some receive theWord, and . turne it intowantonneffe, fome are raft into themouldof it, and are tanfla- ted into the fame image; ifthe temper ofthe heart, as is Paid, isnot able fpe- cifically to alter theGofpell: but that there may not fruit of various kinds, beborne in the heart that affents toit, that receives it in the upper cruftand /kin ofit, is the queftion. Neither is it a blade occafionally withering before theHarveft, but a flight receivingofthefeed, fo as that it can never bring forth fruit that is intimated. Infúmme,thiswhole Difcourfe is agreat piece of Sophiftry, incomparing naturali& moral/ caufes in the producing oftheir ef- feets, a thing not intended in the Parable,and whereabout he that will bufie himfelfe,jungat valpes,&mulgeat hircos;this is that whichourSaviour teacheth usin the finiilitude offedfownintheffonyground:The Word ispreachedunto fome men, who areaffefred with it fora feafon, affent unto it, but not corn- ingup toa cordial! dole with it, after a while wither . away : and fuchas thefe
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=