Chapter X (continued, part 2)
VOL. IIL 2 D
418 THE FOLLY OF RELAPSING. [PSALM LXXXV. 8.
God trusteth so few with much assurance, because they would abuse it. But where true love to God is seated, and much of it implanted, there the love of God and the peace of God doth as kindly and naturally enkindle and in flame and set it a-work, even as arguments suitable to self-love do work upon and stir that principle. For grace is more for God than for ourselves, it being the image of God s holiness, whose holiness consists in this, to aim at himself in all ; and therefore when God s free grace towards a man is re vealed, it raiseth him up to higher strains of love to God and hatred of sin. And therefore it is observable, Ps. li. 12, that David, when he prays for the restoring of the joy of his salvation, he prays not simply for it, or alone, but withal prays for a free spirit, Establish me with thy free spirit ; that is, a spirit of ingenuity, which is kindly, sweetly, and freely wrought upon, Therefore when we have a free spirit wrought in us, then that free love that is in God towards us will work most kindly upon it, and constrain us to love him that loved us first. The love of Christ constrains us, 2 Cor. v.
14, because we thus judge, that if Christ died for all, then they which live should not live unto themselves, but unto him that died for them. St Paul gives the reason why this love of Christ did thus constrain him, because he did thus judge ; that is, this consideration of Christ s love, he having a principle of love in his heart to Christ, he found to be a powerful prevailing reason to persuade him to live to Christ. Having a new judgment, he saw force and strength in the argument. And so shall we if we thus judge ; and it will have this natural consequence as naturally to follow upon it in our hearts, as any reason in any other kind hath, that is brought to enforce any other conclusion. And therefore as the mind is constrained, as it were, to assent to a truth proved by force of reason, that if you grant this, then this or that will follow; so because we judge this reasonable by an argument drawn out of love s topics, that if Christ died for all, who otherwise must them selves have died, that then they should live to him ; this will constrain us to love him, and live to him. Amor Dei est extaticus, nee se sinit esse sui juris.
This text and admonition here gives a just occasion to consider a little of that so often questioned case of conscience concerning relapses of God s chil dren into the same sins and folly again, and whether, after peace spoken, God s people may return again to folly. Some have held that a man after a second repentance could not fall into the same sin again; others, if he did, it excluded him from mercy for time to come. For the comfort of some poor souls, whose case and tentation this may be, I will speak somewhat, though sparingly and with caution.
1. The Scripture nowhere excludeth those from the state of grace, or bars mercy from those that have relapsed into the same sin, especially so long as in regard of the manner of their sinning it be but folly, not wickedness or wilful sinning ; that is, rather proceeding out of error of understanding, and heat and impetuousness of foolish affections, than obstinacy and malice in the will, and with despite of the Spirit of grace/ Heb. x. 29. Yea
2. In Scripture we meet with such passages and promises as may un doubtedly uphold any soul that hath so fallen, after peace received, into the same sin, and preserve him from apprehending himself excluded therefore from mercy and the state of grace. As, Hosea xiv. 4, I will heal their backslidings, I will love them freely. Unless they had fallen after repent ing and former healing, it could not have been called backsliding ; and yet
PSALM LXXXV. 8.] THE FOLLY OF RELAPSING
this lie promises to heal, and withal shews the ground that moves him to it, his loving them freely. For if in anything his free love is shewn to any of his children, and drawn out, it is in healing again such a backsliding soul after recovery and peace given; for the falling into the same sin which hath been repented of and healed, provokes God more than a thousand other acts of sins formerly committed, though of the same kind. And therein also to shew his free love, that he can pardon even the abuse of love itself, he leaves some thus to sin after his love shed abroad in their hearts. Some he shews his free love unto, in keeping them from sinning ; others, in pardon ing them, and giving them repentance. They are but several ways of draw ing it forth ; so that, if in anything, herein his free love is shewn, for if it were not free it would never endure itself to be abused.
( multi
And likewise the sure mercies of David are then shewn, when God plies to pardon; so, Isa. Iv. 3, having mentioned the promise of the sure mercies of David, he promises to multiply to pardon, as it is in the ori ginal, ver. 7 ; which are thus joined, both because the sureness of his cove nant is therein shewn, and because we might haply multiply to sin ; and at least it supposeth the possibility of it again. God likewise runs upon such a supposition in that expression of his to his own people, Jer. iii. 1, 2, They say, If a man put away his wife, and she become another man s, shall not the land be greatly polluted 1 But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the Lord/ He speaks to her as to one who had been his wife, who though she had not been put away by him, but had put away herself, and run away, not once, but often, and that with many lovers; and sometimes in the midst of her whoredoms, had come in and made challenge of his former love, and pleaded his former mercy to her, and yet fallen back again, ver. 4, 5, (where he adds, Wilt thou not from this time cry, My father, and thou art the guide of my youth ? that is, I know, says God, you will come now and cry, as heretofore you have done, and say, Oh, thou art my father and my husband, and confidently still claim an in terest in me upon my former kindness, and yet do as evil as you can, for you cannot do worse than thus to abuse my love,) yet, for all this, at the 1 2th verse, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; for I am married to you/ ver 14. That which he doth thus to a nation, he may do to a particu lar man who is his child. Again 3. There are not altogether examples wanting for this : Examp. 1. We find Samson, a godly man, (whom yet we would scarce have thought such, but that we find his name in the list of those worthies, Heb. xi.,) ensnared with a Philistine woman, against the counsel of his parents, Judg. xiv. 3, who clearly laid open his sin to him. And he was in the event reproved for his folly, for his wife deceived him, told his riddle to his enemies ; which he in the end perceived. And further to reprove him, in the issue she was given away to another, ver. 16, 17, 20. From all which passages of reproof, a holy man, that had his eyes in his head, could not but see his error. And yet again, a long while after this, (twenty years after, Judg. xv. 20,) when certainly ere that he had repented of this his sin, for which his parents before, and after God, so clearly did rebuke him, he went to Gaza, Judg. xvi. 1, and saw a harlot, and went in to her/ and there escaped nar rowly with his life at midnight ; and, ver. 4, after that also it came to pass he fell in love with another, as bad as any of the former, Delilah, who was his ruin. But his returning thus to folly cost him dear, for in the end he was taken as a captive to the Philistines, his enemies, and that through her falsehood ; deprived of his strength he had spent upon these women ;; had his
420 THE FOLLY OF KELAPSING. [PSALM LXXXV. 8. eyes, those betraying lights, put out, that had ensnared him ; and himself made a fool of, to make his enemies sport. So as no child of God can take any great encouragement thus to return to folly for the future by his ex ample ; though comfort they may have therefrom in case they have returned for the time past.
Examp. 2. Another example may be that of Jehoshaphat, who committed a great sin in joining with Ahab, that wicked king that sold himself to work wickedness, 2 Chron. xviii. 1-3 ; and he was foretold what would be the success of that confederacy and journey by Micaiah, before he went with him to battle, and after in the battle itself, where he hardly escaped with his life, and by an extraordinary providence at his prayer was delivered, ver.
31, 32 ; and as if that were not sufficient, God sends another prophet to him, chap. xix. 2, who with open mouth reproves him, and discovers to him his sin, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord ? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord : which message to so good a man doubtless was not in vain, but humbled him for that his sin, and wrought repentance in him to avert that wrath. And yet after that great and miraculous deliverance of him and his people, chap, xx., we find him relapsing into the same sin, ver. 35, After this did Jehoshaphat join himseif with Ahaziah, king of Israel, who did very wickedly. And he joined him self with him to make ships to go to Tarshish ; which another prophet in like manner reproveth, and likewise God himself rebuked by the like ill success of that league to the former : the ships were broken, ver. 37. Examp. 3. St Peter, a man who seemed by other of his carriages bold enough, was yet three several times surprised with base fear : once when he tempted Christ not to hazard himself at Jerusalem, where Christ told him that he was to suffer, Matt. xvi. 21-23, l Master, says he, spare thyself; upon which speech Christ calls him Satan, rebuketh him more sharply than at any other time, for which surely there was a more than ordinary cause. St Peter thought that if his Master should suffer at Jerusalem, that himself and the rest should not be safe. That speech, therefore, proceeded from fear ; and therefore Christ doth immediately thereupon call for self-denial and taking up the cross, ver. 24. And this was immediately after peace spoken, ver. 16-18. Christ had never more comfortably given testimony to St Peter and his faith than there. Yet again, after this, Christ had him up into the mount, and transfigured himself, to hearten him against that trial to come, which made him so confident ; yet then he denied him at his ar: when again Christ, immediately upon that, looked back upon him with so sweet a look as broke his heart for this his folly ; and so he returned again, and it cost him many a tear. And Christ, after the resur raignment rection, owned him again more than any of the rest ; bade them that first met him, Go tell Peter. He mentions him by name, and in especial tell him the first news of it. And then also he asked him, * Peter, lovest thou me ? and he said, Lord, thou knowest I love thee : as if he had said, Though I have played the wretch, yet I love thee. Upon this, though he grew more bold, Acts iv. 13, yet, Gal. ii. 11, 12, we find him falling into the grudgings of the same disease, which cast him into another fit : he dissem bled, fearing them of the circumcision. This was a spice of the former sin, though not so gross ; and though the outward acts in these sins were diverse in their occasions, yet they were all acts and buds of the same root of bit terness ; and may as well be called sins of the same kind as the committing differing acts of uncleanness are reckoned falling into the same sin.
4. In the fourth place, if the Scriptures had been utterly silent in examples,
yet reason, consonant to other principles, and grounds of divinity, and of the Scriptures, might persuade the same.
Reason 1. If he may, after the most serious and thorough repentance, fall again into as grievous a sin of another kind, and return ; why not into the same again ] I confess there is some disparity, which might make him more averse, and set him in some more remoteness from the same sin he hath par ticularly repented of than another ; which shall be considered in its place. Yet the difference cannot be supposed such as should make the one possible, and not the other ; all true repentance working the heart to an abominating every sin, as well as any: and therefore, if it were true, it was for that par ticular sin, as sin ; and then it would work the like against all and every sin, according to the measure of the sinfulness. And though it may and doth work a more keen and special hatred against that particular sin a man hath been most stung with, yet still this is but so far as this aggravation (to fall into the same sin again) may cause such a relapse to be more sinful than another sin. And so far, and upon that ground, he is and may be more set and strengthened against it than against another sin. But then, if the sup position fall upon another gross sin, never before committed, the sole and single act of which other circumstances make as heinous even as this reiter ated act of a sin formerly committed can be, then the one is equally as pos sible as the other. But, however, yet still the difference is but in degrees, namely, in that the heart is elongated a degree or so further from that sin formerly committed than any other, which will not therefore so vary the case (as magis and minus do not) that it should be made impossible to fall into the one, and not into the other.
Reason 2. If he may fall into some gross sin, which at first conversion he did above all other humble himself for, and yet that same initial repent ance did not put him into such an impossibility of falling into that sin again ; why then should a renewed act of repentance for the same, or for some other reiterated sin, be supposed to have such virtue in it as to make him shot-free for ever from the same fiery dart again ?
Reason 3. Again, thirdly, let it be considered from whence it should be that a renewed, or indeed any act of true repentance, though never so great and intense, should have such a transcendent, eternal, and invincible virtue in it, and privilege annexed to it ; for how is it that repentance doth strengthen us against sin, but by restoring the decayed frame of grace to a better constitution and greater degree of strength than before, and by rais ing it above a man s lusts, and above that lust more than all other ? As in David, when he prayed, Create in me a clean heart, which, through his sin of uncleanness, was in an especial manner defiled with a proneness to that sin. But yet withal remember, that that new frame of heart and strength gotten by that renewed repentance, and that augmentation and increase of hatred against, and abominating that sin wrought by it, is all but a creature, as grace and every new degree of grace is, and therefore, for preserving us, hath in itself but the power and force of a created habit, which, may be pre vailed against by the sin that is in us ; and can no more, nay, much less, put us into a state of confirmation against any particular sin, than the grace of the angels could of itself confirm them in a state against all sin.
And as for the impression of that bitterness which, in our repentance for that sin fallen into, was made upon our hearts, that also can be supposed to have but the like force upon our spirits that the impression of joy un speakable and glorious hath upon the heart in those heavenly raptures which believers sometimes enjoy. Yea, and the latter of these will easily be sup-
422 THE FOLLY OF EELAPSING. [PSALM LXXXV. 8. posed to be of the greater efficacy of the two, and both but creatures. Now those ravishing joys are not yet such immortal and everlastingly quickening cordials, that put such spirits into a man as to preserve him from swounds and faintings of spirit for ever ; and though, whilst they abide and are pre sent to the heart, they do then raise it above all things here below, yet when a man hath been a while off from that mount, and hath conversed a while with things here again below, then that lustre wears away, as the glory that shined in Moses s face did, and after a while the sense and present taste of those joys wears out ; and when that is gone, the bare remembrance of them which is left hath not, in their absence, such an infallible, though a great efficacy to preserve his mind in an everlasting disrelishing former de lights, but that he may and often doth fall in love again too much with them ; although indeed whilst the present sense of them did abide upon the heart, it abstracted the mind from all things here below. And hence a man is apt to fall from his first love, Rev. ii., and from that high esteem of spiritual things; as the Galatians, chap. iv. 15, Where is the blessedness
1 ? says St Paul to them. Therefore answerably the remem you spake of brance of the bitterness of any sin felt in our deepest humiliations is much less able to preserve a man, nor is the impression and dint made so lasting, nor the scars and wounds of conscience continuing for ever so fresh, as ever lastingly to preserve and deter us from falling into the same sin again. For both are but creatures, and at best but arguments drawn from sense and experience within ourselves, and have but a human created power which is not always efficacious ; especially seeing God hath ordained us to live by faith more than by sense, for faith is appointed by God to be our more constant keeper, 1 Peter i. 5, We are kept through faith unto salvation, and by it more surely and more constantly than by impressions of joy or sorrow which are made to sense : and yet we are not kept by it of itself, but by the power of God. So then we are kept by the power of God as the principal supporter and guardian, through faith as the instrumental, and by it rather than by sense or any other grace of sorrow or repentance, because faith carries the heart out of itself, and commits itself wholly into the hands of God as a faithful Creator, (who is the strength of Israel, to keep a man from every evil work,) as not being able to secure itself against any sin through the power of any fortification or strength that any other grace or degree of grace hath built, no, not for one moment; and therefore is as de pendent upon God after a fall, and a renewed repentance out of it, yea, and more than before he fell ; and his own woeful experience hath reason to make him so.
The like instance to illustrate the truth of this we may draw from the assurance of faith itself. For even the assurance of faith itself, which is an act properly belonging to that grace, called therefore the assurance of faith, Heb. x. 22, which doth strengthen us as much against doubting, when it is joined with joy unspeakable and glorious, as repentance can do against any other sin ; and whilst it is upon us, in the strength of it a believer is apt to think himself armed and strengthened, and so established as that he shall never question God s love any more, or the pardon of his sins ; and yet, ex perience shews it, that the guilt of sin prevails sometimes again after this, and the same doubts arise and prevail as much as ever. Neither will the re membrance of the former assurance be always of force enough to resist them ; for he may come to question that assurance itself also, and so forget that he was purged from his old sins. And if the guilt of sin prevail in the con science again, against such a renewed and settled act of faith, why may not
PSALM LXXXV. 8.] THE FOLLY or EELAPSING. 423 the power of a lust prevail in the members after a renewed act of repent ance?
Season 4. If it be said that a renewed act of thorough repentance doih keep a man, not by any peculiar virtue in itself alone, but by the power of God concurrent with it; then I demand to see the promise wherein God hath infallibly obliged and engaged his power, upon such a renewed act of repentance, to preserve from falling into that sin of all other for ever, with out which no man in faith can affirm it, and without which there is an it may be, and a supposition of such a possibility as sometime falleth out and is reduced to existence. God indeed hath said, that if we fall he will put under his hand to break that fall, that it shall not ruin us ; but not so to keep us in his hands as we shall be out of danger of falling again. A re newed act of repentance is indeed an ordinance sanctified to preserve a man ; yet but in the same manner that other ordinances are, as prayer, and the word preached, and admonition, &c., with which God doth not always so infallibly co-operate as efficaciously to work always that which they serve to.
5. If there were not such a possibility as might and doth sometimes fall out, then every regenerate man, after such a renewed act of repentance, might secure himself against the committing that gross act again for ever ; but so he can never do against any particular act of sin but that sin against the Holy Ghost. St Paul therefore exhorts, when a brother is fallen into a sin, to restore such a one with the spirit of meekness, upon this conside considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted ; and he lays the ex ration, hortation upon those who are most spiritual: Ye that are spiritual, restore such a one, considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted, Gal. vi. 1 ; so as lie speaks of such as have their hearts raised up to the best frame, through the most deep and serious repentance. And now we will suppose one that hath formerly fallen himself into the same sin which another is fallen into, but not yet restored, but himself is returned by repentance out of it ; for, in deed, such a spiritual man is of all other like to be the meekest bone-setter of a man fallen ; and even such doth St Paul exhort to consider that them selves may for the time to come be also or in like manner tempted, that is, fall as this man fell, and therefore so be tempted as to fall into the same sin again that he was fallen into. And if any man could be secure from the like fall again, he had been out of the reach of this exhortation to this duty upon that ground mentioned, as not capable of it. But the Holy Ghost hath elsewhere, 1 Cor. x. 13, told us, that there is no tentation which is common to man but is incident to befall any man at any time ; and therefore, ver.
12, exhorts him that standeth to take heed lest he fall. Indeed, that temptation which is common to devils with men, the sin of final despair, and against the Holy Ghost, &c., a regenerate .man may, through the grace of Christ, secure himself against; but all such sins as are common to man, from these or any of them, no man, in any state, can, without an extraordi nary revelation, secure himself from the commission of.
Only I add these cautions concerning this case : Caution 1. There are two sorts of corruptions. First, more gross cor ruptions, which St Peter calls ra /^idcf Lara. rov xoc/xou, the defilements of the world, 2 Pet. ii. 20 ; they being the common mire or kennel wherein the un clean swine of this world wallow, and which the Apostle calls such works of the flesh as are manifest, Gal. v. 19, even to the light of nature ; such as are adultery, fornication, drunkenness, &c. and by those two expressions do they distinguish them from a sort of more spiritual and refined lusts. For, secondly, there are corruptions more spiritual, as pride, secret love of the
424 TEE FOLLY OF RELAPSING. [PSALM LXXXV. 8.
Avorld. Now, for those gross corruptions -which are contrary even to com mon honesty, and, to use Job s phrase, are punished by the judges, chap. xxxi. 11, which profane men wallow in, a godly man hath more strength against them, so as it is not so ordinary for him to be entangled again and again with these. For where but moral principles are, these are abstained from, as we see in the Pharisee, I am no adulterer, &c., therefore, where grace is, much more. And some sins are more opposite to the spirit of holiness, and less compatible with grace, as uncleanness, of which St Paul says, God hath not called us to uncleanness, but to holiness, 1 Thess. iv. 7 ; it is in an especial manner there opposed to holiness ; and such as these are works of the flesh, which are manifest, even to nature, to civil men ; and therefore, when they are often fallen into, they do manifest that the heart is but flesh. And although the limits, how seldom or how often, cannot be set concerning relapses into these or any sins, yet, in an ordinary course, it may be said that few godly men fall into such sins again and again. God keeps them from such in an ordinary providence, that scandals should not arise ; they being sins which all the world takes notice of. But those other sins of rash anger, and love of the world, and spiritual pride, &c., these being less mani fest, and sitting more close to our spirits, godly men are more subject unto.
Caution 2. Yet, secondly, we must again distinguish (1.) There are the inward lustings to those outward acts now, though grace weakeneth the very lustings within, yet takes them not wholly away spirit that is in us, that is, in us saints, says St James, lusteth to envy; and as to envy, so to all other sins. And (2.) Secondly, there are the outward gross acts of such sins ; and therein the weakness of sin in a regenerate man and strength of grace shews itself most in preserving from them. For, as c to will is present with me, says St
to will what is good, yet how to perform it I am not able, Rom. vii. 18 : so, on the contrary, to lust the heart may be ready, and lust may soon
Paul, rise up in rebellion, but when it should come to the act there is a weakness discovered ; they come to the birth, and want strength often to bring forth ; the contrary lusting and prevailing of grace being then seen and discovering itself. That it fareth with a regenerate man in this case often as with a man that is deadly wounded, who riseth up to strike his enemy, and thinks to run him through, but sinks down again, media conatu, when his sword is at his enemy s breast, through a deficiency of spirits. Or as a man in a palsy, or the gout, who thinks he is able to walk till he comes to try, and then he finds a weakness which makes him fall back again. Thus, even when the whole forces of lusts are mustered up, yet the weapons fall out of their hands. Humours, in a healthful constitution, may stir and boake* in the stomach, when yet they come not up, nor prevail unto vomiting. In that place afore named, Gal. v., the Apostle seems not to deny but that in the most regenerate lustings may arise ; for the flesh, says he, lusteth against the spirit, ver.
17; but yet. as for outward acts, he tells them, ver. 16, that if ye walk in the spirit, that is, in the prevalency of the spirit, keeping up a holy frame of heart above the flesh, that then ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh : for that frame of heart so kept up will hinder the outward fulfilling of the lust, which is never done till flesh and corruption is actually raised above the spirit, and gets more voices to carry it ; till the spirit be under-hatches and the flesh above, and so steers the helm. Otherwise the lusting of the spirit against the flesh will hinder the outward doing and fulfilling of a lust.
For the reason he gives, ver. 17, so as you cannot do what you would/ * Ketch. ED.
implies, that not only lustings, which arise without consent, may bo in such a man, but further, much of the will may be won to consent to them, to like them ; when yet there is not strength enough to carry it on to the outward act, you cannot do what you would. And what those works of the flesh are, which are manifest works of the flesh, and which Christians, whilst they walk in the spirit, fulfil not, he mentions and reckons up in the following words. And this is the more ordinary frame of a Christian s heart; for, ver. 24, says he, They that are Christ s have crucified the affections and lusts, that is, so far as not to fulfil them. Caution 3. He may more easily fall into a gross sin of another kind than into the same after special repentance for it, and peace spoken in the pardon of it. Because true repentance especially fortifies the heart against that sin which a man hath most repented him of; and sincerity lies more in watch ing over that sin than any other ; so, says David, Ps. xviii., I was upright, and kept myself from mine iniquity, that especial sin which was eminently his sin. A man s arm that hath been broke will, if well set, rather break in some other place than where it was broke at first. Hence sometimes it falls out that that which was a godly man s bosom-sin before conversion continues not to be so after ; but another steps up in the room of it, by reason that he then endeavoureth to wash out that great stain most, and spendeth the most of the fuller s soap to purge himself from it, and so becomes ever after most watchful over it, and sets in this, his weakest place, the strongest garrison, and a watch, to prevent the enemy. And as an act of some pre sumptuous sin, though it inclines the heart more to all sin than before, yet especially to commit that kind of sin again rather than any other ; so, on the contrary, is it in a sound and solemn repentance for some especial sin, and in the endeavouring to mortify some especial member of the body of sin, (to mortify which, not only in the bulk and general, but also par ticularly and apart in the several members of it, the Holy Ghost exhorts, Col. iii. 5,) though thereby the whole habit of the body of sin is purged and weakened, yet that particular sin which we aim especially to have mortified, is, through God s blessing, more subdued than any other. We see idolatry was the sin which the people of Israel relapsed into again and again ; yet when they were once thoroughly humbled by the captivity for it, they never returned to it, of all sins else, not to this day : so as it may be said, as was foretold haply in another case, Ezek. xvi. 43, Thou shalt not commit this lewdness, of all thy abominations. Jonah, though he would haply never run away from God again after his jail delivery out of the whale s belly, yet, immediately after peace spoken to his heart, he Mis into a sin of another kind, into a passion of extreme anger and peevishness, and quarrelling against God.
And the reason of this especial tenderness to fall into the same sin is, because the conscience looks upon a relapse into that sin to be more heinous than into any other sin of another kind, because of that aggravation of it which thereby would stain and dye it ; and although a sin of another kind shews the variety of corruption more, yet this is more against the power and work of repentance itself, which was particularly exercised about that sin ; and also breaks and dissolveth all bands of a man s vows, covenants, prayers, &c., made against it in particular, and so is made more grievous. And this we may see in Ezra s humbling himself for that great sin of the people, in joining themselves in marriage with the people of the land, when he did set himself to humble himself for them, together with those that feared God, chap. ix. 4. "What a hideous apprehension of the heinousness of that sin, if
426 THE FOLLY OF EELAPSING. [PsALM LXXXV. 8. they should again fall into it, did that day s repentance raise his heart up unto ? as appears, ver. 14, Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with them, wouldest thou not destroy us till thou hadst con sumed us, and till there was no escaping? Into which sin yet the people did again fall, after they had repented of it with a solemn confession and promise of amendment, which is recorded chap. x. 11, 12, &c. ; yet they re turned to it again the second time, as we find in Malachi, who lived the last of the prophets, and after this prayer of Ezra. For, chap. ii. 11, the prophet says, An abomination is committed in Jerusalem, for Judah hath married the daughter of a strange god; and then follows the aggravation, ver. 13, This ye have done again, that is, the second time, and in that respect are challenged to deal treacherously, and that also in respect they had repented of it the first time, * covering the altar with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, as Malachi there speaks, so as God regardeth not your offerings any more. And therefore, also, Ps. Ixxviii. 40, How oft did they, saith he, as aggravating their sins, by murmuring provoke the Lord? and, Num. xiv.
22, God reckons up and mentions the times of their sinning, how often they had thus sinned, as an aggravation of them ; they have tempted me these ten times.
Caution 4. He may fall into the same sin again and again, until he hath recovered himself and his peace fully by a thorough repentance, but yet seldom after. Lot committed incest two nights together ; but the orifice of his lust was not yet stopped by repentance, the wound was not closed, and so bled again afresh ; but when it is healed once, and the heart made perfect with God, and divorced from that sin, and entered into communion with God again, then though it may fall out, yet a man more hardly returns. A woman that is gone from her husband may play the whore a long while with him she ran away withal, till her husband fetches her again: but to run often away, after receiving again, is intolerable. That is not so ordinary in God s child.
Caution 5. Though we can hardly set limits to say when, or when not, this shall fall out from the degrees of men s repentings, as that if they have such or such a degree of repentance, then they fall no more, yet we may further consider a difference of their returnings to God and repentings, and of God s speaking peace (1.) Of their repentings. Some are more imperfect, and but, as it were, thawings of the mind a little, by means of a little sunshine of God s love : some are more thorough and deep, that recover a man, and put him into a sound and healthful estate. As, for example, a man in an ague hath well days, yet his fits return, and it may be they leave him for a month or so, and yet they take him again, as at spring and autumn ; which is because all this while his body is not thoroughly recovered to a state of health : so is it with a man s heart, in respect of Ms lusts ; though he may have many well days, wherein he may eat his meat, and receive sweetness in the word and ordinances, yet at times his distempers and aguish fits return, he being aguish still. But in the end, after the peace of God hath more thoroughly estab lished his heart, he attains to some settled, constant victory over it ; and when it doth not prevail to victory, such aguish fits end usually in consump tions, in which long agues often end. As in temporaries, in whom, sin over coming God s striving with them, it eats all good beginnings out ; but if they belong to God, then usually that aguish distemper is, in the end, by a more thorough repentance, so healed as that they attain to more victory and security against it than any other sin : that as in those other kind of
LXXXV. 8.] THE FOLLY OF RELAPSING. 427 tentations, it often falls out that that which a man doubted of most he comes in the end to be most assured of, and to doubt no more ; so also here a man becomes most freed from that sin he was long exercised with of all others. So also (2.) For God s dealings with his, there is much difference therein to be found. There are some kinds of speaking peace by God, and meltings of the heart of his people, which yet are not of that force as to overcome, but wherein God doth but, as it were, strive with them ; which strivings do ever and anon work their hearts to a repentance, and that true and serious ; which yet is not so deep and thorough, nor so healing the heart at the bot tom, as it should. For God sometimes useth more imperfect kind of striv ings, even with his own children, about some particular sin they are to leave, which do not so fully at first prevail and overcome in them ; which God doth, to let them see the running issue of their natures, how grace would run out at it, (as the Apostle speaks, Heb. ii 1,) and overcome grace in them, if he should let it alone : and so lets out upon his child, after many years, some lust which had been long down, which puts him to it exceedingly, so that he is in hazard to be undone, and is put into fears of it ; and yet God visiteth his spirit by fits, and, per intervalla. at tim.es strives with him. And though he falls, yet he puts under his hand, and gives him well days, and some comfortable visitations; yet such as are not deep enough to work him fully off from it. For as God strives with wicked men, so he sometimes strives with his own also ; which may seem to be the true meaning of that speech, Gen. vi., where, having mentioned the sin of his own children, ver.
2, that the sons of God took to them wives of that wicked seed of Cain, he f My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is but says, flesh. He means not this of all mankind, for he says, lie also is but flesh. Now, with what other creatures doth he join them in this comparison but with others of the sons of men ? So as the meaning is, I see my children, that they also are corrupt and degenerate, as well as the rest of mankind, and my Spirit hath striven with them. In which striving God lets them see how, if he did not in the end shew forth his free love to the full, in the res cuing of them and healing their backsliding, they would be undone. So as, in the end, through his grace, which is sufficient, they obtain the greatest conquest over that lust of any other ; when the heart is once thoroughly awakened, and settled in a thorough peace. And as those doubts they were most troubled with once which though they had at times some light against, yet by fits did still arise are yet in the end so overcome as they arise no more, but they enjoy the greatest freedom from them ; so is it often herein. And these strivings to not overcoming I resemble to the thawings of the ice in a great frost, as when in the daytime the sun shines, and in the sun shine it thaweth a little, but yet so as at night, or in the shade, it freezeth; when sometimes also the weather begins to change for a night, and yet falls: so here there is not such a thorough shedding abroad the a-freezing again love of God in the heart as should make a thorough general thaw, to the purpose, as we say; and so, when the heat of that is withdrawn, it freezeth again ; but in the end there comes a more thorough and general thaw and change, that carries all away, melts the heart, and so alters the temper and constitution of the weather, as I may so speak, as it freezeth no more. And such a thawing of his heart had David when Nathan came to him, and not before ; though it may be he had those lesser relentings often before.
But let those that are in such a case take heed they be not hardened through the deceitfulness of sin ; and of all the times that pass over you in
428 THE FOLLY OF RELAPSING. [PSALM LXXXV. 8. your lives, these are the most climacterial and critical, and most dangerous. For God will not always strive, but if thou beest his child, if such thawings will not do it, he will use some great afflictions, in the end to divorce the heart and thy sin; his love will one way or other overcome thee, and in the end prevail. As when Israel went on stubbornly in the way of his heart, says God, I have seen his ways, and will heal him and guide him, Isa. Ivii. 18 ; and the Lord may so heal thee as those lusts, of all other, shall not in that gross manner break forth any more. And in those times when God dealeth thus with him, a man will after say, that in such passages of his life he had more free love spent on him than in all his lifetime, before or after ; and when he is freed and healed, he will be more thankful and fearful than ever before, or than otherwise he would have been, and so get ground by his stumblings. If any of you, being now in such a conflict as this, in such a vicissitude and chance of war, if yet thou findest a constant fight against thy sin, and that those breakings and meltings of thy heart by God do win ground of it, and that the comforts and hope which at times are vouchsafed do strengthen and stablish thy heart in well-doing, as 2 Thess. ii. 17, and make thee more fearful every time thou risest than ever, so as to look upon another fit, if it should come, (which, knowing the deceitiulness of the heart, thou fearest,) as the fit of some great sickness, lest it should return again ; esteeming it as the greatest cross that can befall thee, which thou wouldest buy off with thy blood ; and bleedest most of all to think that thou hast so unconstant a heart, which as it hath abused God s love formerly, so thou fearest will do so again ; if thus thou go on to fight it out, the love of God will in the end overcome in thee. But if thou findest that those encourage ments from God do, through thy corruption, (which turns God s grace into wantonness,) nourish thy lusts, and make thee less fearful against the next time, and thy heart harder and secure, and to slight sin more, because thou hast been so oft visited from on high, and pardoned; thy case is dangerous, and may prove desperate.
Caution 6. Though he may return, yet not presently : Luke v. 39, He that hath tasted old wine, cloth not straightway drink and desire new not whilst the love of God, and the taste and relish of it, is fresh in his mouth. When the impression is worn out indeed, and begins to be forgotten, then haply he may return.
Use. To conclude with the use of this point: If it be folly to run into the same sin, though we repent of it afterwards, then what folly is it in them that utterly fall away, and after they have been enlightened, and tasted of the good word of God, then fall again to the pleasures of sin, and never repent of them ? as many do that come and try a little what is in re ligion and the ways of God, and then return again to their vomits, and never return to piety again. Foolish souls, who hath bewitched you ? Are ye so foolish that, having begun in the Spirit, ye end in the flesh V as Gal iil 3.
Folly indeed, to spend the harvest of your time in seeking God, and then to leave him when you are about to take leave of the pleasures of sin ! Alas, poor souls ! whither will ye go ? Do you ever think to have such a God again 1 Thou hast the words of eternal life, said the disciples to Christ ; and as Saul said to his servants, to keep them from falling away unto David, Can the son of Jesse give you vineyards, and make you captains of thou sands ? 1 Sam. xxii. 7 : so, Can the world give you that peace that I can give you? (may Christ say to you :) yea, and heaven besides hereafter? Is the devil, with all the wages of sin you post after, able to make you amends ? You thereby dishonour God in returning to sin, and bring an evil report
PSALM LXXXV. 8.] THE FOLLY OF EELAPSING. 429 upon the good land, and discredit your master in changing your service ; but withal you befool yourselves most, you return to folly. For even that which you think to gain the world s good word and opinion by, even that you lose ; for though they make a spoil of you, and triumph in such, and glory in their flesh a while, yet they never inwardly think well of such a one, nor truly love him. A backslider is like lukewarm water, having been once heated, which good men spue out, and evil men regard not ; for what use can, indeed, be made of it 1 Like salt that hath lost its savour, it is good for nothing but the dunghill. Like one that hath been married, but lives divorced, she is undone for her marriage ever after. Such is the condi tion of those that fall away. You who have but turned unto folly, and are not grown to a despising and despiting God s ways, Keturn, Shulamite, return. And you that have peace and communion with God, take heed you do not lose him; you will never have such a God again.
THE TEIAL OF A CHRISTIAN S GROWTH
MORTIFICATION, OR PURGING OUT CORRUPTION;
AND
VIVIFICATION, OE BEINGING FOETH MOEE FBUIT:
A TREATISE
HANDLING THIS CASE,
HOW TO DISCERN OUR GROWTH IN GRACE: AFFORDING SOME HELPS RIGHTLY TO JUDGE THEREOF,
RESOLVING SOME TENTATIONS, CLEAEING SOME MISTAKES, ANSWERING
SOME QUESTIONS, ABOUT SPIRITUAL GROWTH.
TOGETHER WITH
SOME OBSERVATIONS UPON THE PARABLE OF THE VINE, JOHN XV. 1, 2.
LET US CLEANSE OURSELVES FROM ALL FILTHINESS OF FLESH AND SPIRIT, PERFECTING HOLINESS IN THE FEAR OF GOD. 2 COR. vii 1.
TO THE READER
THIS following treatise, The Trial of a Christian s Growth, was formerly printed during the time of my absence out of my native country, and by reason thereof had many imperfections and incongruities both in style and matter ; which, now being again (through the good hand of God upon me) returned, I have endeavoured to amend : so as, partly through some altera tion in the method and frame of it, partly by cutting off some redundancies, I have reduced it to some better shape, and nearer proportion to its fellows.
The scope and way of handling this subject, growth, is not doctrinal so much, nor yet hortatory, as either persuading to, or discoursing of a Chris tian s growth in general, concerning which much hath been already written by others; but the more proper aim of this is to resolve a case of conscience, (like as those two other preceding tractates of mine have done,) namely this, How to discern our groivth, and to answer more usual temptations about it. And so these three treatises being of like sort and kind, and properly belong ing to that part of theology which we call case-divinity, I have therefore, in this new edition of the whole, ordered to put them together, (which is all the alteration I have made,) although in their first and single publishingsome other came between.
If in the performance this falls short of many more raised experiments of growth which are found in such as the apostle John calls fathers, elderly Christians, who with Enoch have walked long with God j yet I have hoped that you that are young men, (as he also styles the middle sort of Christians,) that you may find many things helpful to your right understanding and judging of your growth, and which may free you from many mistakes in misjudging thereof, and so consequently of many tentations about it, which that age of believers are more peculiarly incident unto. I dare not say, I write these things to you, fathers ; I never presumed it in my thoughts. I myself wrote and preached it when I was but young in years, and for the time far younger in grace and experience. And I dare not (if the great Apostle, 2 Cor. x. 14, would not) stretch myself beyond that measure which God hath distributed
VOL. III. 2 E
THE TRIAL OF A CHRISTIAN S GROWTH. to me : a measure which yet may reach you that are young men, though more eminent grown Christians are gone far beyond the line of it.
The God of grace and peace grant us and all his children spirits endea vouring to speak the truth in love in these dividing times, thatwe may grow up into him in all things, who is the head, even Christ/ Eph. iv. 15.
THO. GOODWIN.
April 26, 1643.
THE TEIAL OF A CHKISTIAN S GBOWTE
INTRODUCTION.
SOME OBSERVATIONS PREMISED UPON THIS PARABLE OF THE VINE :
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away : and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. JOHN XV. 1, 2.
The sum and division of the words, and subject of this discourse. A FAIR and fruitful parable this is, spread forth into many branches, in which, under the pleasant shadow of a vine, (upon occasion they had but newly been real partakers of his blood in the fruit of the vine,) Christ ele gantly sets forth himself in his relation to his visible church, and the estate of his apostles, and in them of all visible professors to the end of the world ; shewing withal, under that similitude, what his Father meant to do with Judas, now gone out to betray him, as with all other unfruitful branches lik$ unto him ; even cut them off, and throw them into the fire : but, on the contrary, encouraging them, and all other fruitful branches, that they should still continue to abide in him, with promise that they should yet bring forth more fruit.
The parable hath three parts
1. A vine here is, of all the fairest, ver. 1.
2. A husbandman, of all the carefulest.
3. The end of planting this vine, fruitfulness.
1. First, this vine, as all vines else, hath two sorts of branches : (1.) Such as, though green, bring forth no true fruit, nought but leaves.
(2.) Such as bring forth fruit, ver. 2.
2. The husbandman hath answerably offices of two sorts towards them both : atgeiv, xa Qaigeiv, which is a witty paranomasia, amputare et putare, to lop and cut off. First, clean to cut off those that are utterly unfruitful, which thereupon are * cast out, do wither, and are gathered and cast into the fire; so ver. 2, 6. And thus now he meant to deal with Judas. But, secondly, to purge and but lop off the luxuriancies and too much runnings out of the fruitful branches into springs, which they are subject to.
3. Thirdly, his end in all is, that fruit, and more fruit, might be brought forth. This is his end of planting this vine, this is the end of purging these
436 THE TRIAL OF A CHRISTIAN S GROWTH. [INTROD. branches of it, which he being frustrated of in those other is the cause why he takes them clean away.
And to exhort these unto fruitfulness was one mam end of Christ s using this parable, and unto this tends all in the following verses, either as means or motives unto fruitfulness.
First, as means (I.) He assures them of their being in the state of grace, ver. 6. Assi ance is a means of fruitfulness.
(2 ) He speaks of purging them by his word in the same verse, Ye an clean through the word I have spoken to you. This is a means he forth (3.) He inculcates into them the sense of their own inability to do any thing without him, ver. 5.
(4 ) Therefore to abide in him, and suck from him, ver. b.
< shall also
< word abide in them, by which himself
(o ) And to let his abide in them, and by which they may still be purged, and so be fruitful.
The motives are (1.) If not, they know their doom; to the fire with them, ver. b.
(2.) If they do, their prayers shall be granted, ver. 7.
(3.) Hereby his Father is glorified, ver. 8.
(4 ) They shall shew themselves his disciples, ver. 8.
(5.) They shall continue in his love, who loves them as dearly as his Father doth him, ver. 9, 10. And so you have the sum of all this parable. The principal subject I aim at in this scripture is this main case of con science, which useth to be the exercise and inquisition of many good souls, How a Christian may discern Us growth, both in purging out corruptions and increase of grace, and the fruits of it.
Therefore whatever other spreading fruitful observations grow upon t stock, and this vine affords many, we will but shortly, and as men in haste, view and take notice of, but as in our way to that other which I principally intend, and only so far stay upon the observation of them as the bare open ing this similitude here used cloth give sap and vigour to them.
First observation How Christ is a vine, and only the true vine, First, Christ, he is a vine. To explain this : First, Adam indeed was a vine, planted in paradise, to bear all mankind upon, but he turned a wile one : he proved not the true vine. God planted him (to allude to that, Jer. ii. 21) a noble vine, a holy and right seed, but he degenerated, and so < grapes of Sodom, have all engrafted on him, and so bring forth nothing but as Isaiah speaks.
But, secondly, God the Father having many branches of chosen ones, that grew by nature on this cursed stock of Adam, whom yet, as ver. 16, he had ordained to bring forth fruit, that is, to spring and spread forth in the eartl in all ao-es, and then to be transplanted unto heaven, the paradise appointee for them, the earth being but the nursery of them for a while, hence there fore he did appoint his own Son to be a new root, as into whom he meant to transplant them, and ordained him to be that bulk, and body, and chief branch, which they all should grow out of, who is therefore called the Koot of David, &c., Rev. xxii. 16, and that righteous Branch, Jer. xxm. o. Whom therefore, thirdly, he planted as a root here on earth with us, and clothed with a human nature, a weak and mean bark and body, and a rind and outside such as ours is, that so both root and branches might be o
INTROD.] THE TRIAL OF A CHRISTIAN S GROWTH
same nature, and liomogeneal. Which nature of ours in him he likewise 4 filled with his Spirit; as with juice and sap, without all measure, that so he might fructify and grow into all those branches appointed to be in him by communicating the same Spirit to them.
And, fourthly, although he was of himself the fairest cedar that ever the earth bare, yet in relation to those multitudes of branches he was to bear, chooseth to be a vine, which is of all trees the lowest, the weakest, and of the meanest bark and outside of any other ; only, because of all others it is the plentifulest of branches, and runs out and spreads its bulk in branches, and those, of all branches else of any other trees, the fruitfulest, it is there fore Called the fruitful vine, Ps. cxxviii. 3. And for that reason only doth he single out this comparison as suiting with his scope, shewing therein his love j that as he condescended to the lowest condition for our salvation, so to the meanest resemblances for our instruction, yet so as withal he tells us that no vine nor all the vines on earth were worthy herein to be compared, nor to be so much as resemblances of him.
For he, and he alone, is the true vine ; that is the second observation. For take those choicest excellencies in a vine, for which the comparison here is made, as, more particularly, that of fruitfulness either in boughs or fruit, and it is but a shadow of that which is in him. As God only is / am that I am, and all things else have but the shadow of being, so Christ alone hath only all the excellencies in him in the true real nature of all things to which he is compared. So in like manner he is said to be bread indeed/ John vi. 55, and, ver. 32, the true bread from heaven. Manna, and all other meat, and all that sweetness which is in meat, is and was but a sha dow to that which he affords. He excels and exceeds all things he is com pared to in what they have, and they are but shadows to him, Heb. x. 1.
First, therefore, never any vine so fruitful. All our fruit is found in him, Hos. xii. 8. ( If you abide in me, you shall bring forth much fruit. He hath juice to supply you with every grace, to fill you with all the fruits of righteousness ; which if the branches want, it is for want of faith in them selves to draw from him, not want of sap in him.
Secondly, This he is at all times, hath been in all ages, thus flourishing ; this root never withers, is never dry or empty of sap ; it is never winter with Christ. Every branch, saith the 2d verse, that is, every one that hath borne fruit in any age, beareth all its fruit in him; branches in him fear no drought, Jer. xvii. 8.
Thirdly, For largeness of spreading, no such vine as this. He, as the Psalmist says, Ps. Ixxx. 11, 12, sends out his boughs unto the sea, and his branches to the rivers; all the earth is, or hath been, or shall be, filled with them.
Use Is to persuade us to take Christ alone, and make him our all in all, because in him all excellencies are supereminently found. All creatures are not enough to serve for comparisons to set him forth, and when they do in part, for some particular thing that is the excellentest in them, yet therein they are but shadows, Heb. x. 1. He only is the truth, he is the true light, John i. 9. The Baptist, Moses, and all lights else were but as twilight, but a shadow. So he is ; he hath really the sweet l the true bread, the true vine ; ness, the comfort, the excellencies of them all. The like may be said of all those relations he hath taken on him ; so he only is a true father and hus band, &c., and the love and sweetness in all other fathers and husbands are but a shadow to what is in him.
438 THE TRIAL OF A CHRISTIAN S GROWTH. [IXTROD.
Second observation How the Father is the husbandman. As Christ is thus a vine, so his Father is the husbandman, and as strange a husbandman as Christ a vine. For First, He is the very root of the vine itself, which no husbandman is to any vine ; therefore he that is the vine calls the husbandman his Father, My Father is the husbandman. This vine springs out of his bosom by eternal generation, for this is the derivation of our offspring, chap. xiv. 20, I am in my Father, and you in me. And, chap. v. 26, The Father, he hath life original in himself, and gives it to the Son, and the Son to us, and thence spring living fruits, the fruits of righteousness.
Secondly, He is the engraffer and implanter of all the branches into this vine. Isa. Ix. 21, he calls them his righteous people, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands. Other husbandmen do but expect what branches their vines will of themselves bring forth, but God appoints who, and how many shall be the branches, and gives them unto, and engraffs them into his Son.
Thirdly, He appoints what fruit and what store of fruit these branches shall bring forth, and accordingly gives the increase, which other husband men cannot do : Paul may plant, and Apollos may water, but God only gives the increase, 1 Cor. iii. G. Though Christ merited, yet the Father de creed every man s measure of fruitfulncss.
Fourthly, He is the most diligent husbandman that ever was, for he knows, and daily views, and takes notice of every branch, and of all their fruit for, says the text, Every branch that brings not forth fruit, he takes away, &c., therefore knows who beareth fruit, and who doth not. He knows their persons, who are his, and who are not, 2 Tim. ii. 19; not so much as one man could come in without a wedding garment, but he spies him out.
Fifthly, The most careful he is daily to purge his vine ; so says the 2d verse. And of all possessions, saith Cato, nulla possessio majorem operam requirit ; vineyards need as much care, and more, than any other. The corn, when it is sown, comes up, and grows alone, and ripeneth, and comes to perfection, the husbandman sleeping and waking, he knows not how, saith Christ ; but vines must be dressed, supported, sheltered, pruned, well-nigh every day.
And of all trees God hath most care of his vines, and regards them more than all the rest in the world.
Use 1 Is to honour the Father in all the works tending to our salvation, as much as we honour the Son. If Christ be the vine, his Father means to be the husbandman and indeed it may teach us to honour all the three Persons in every work that is saving, for in all they bear a distinct office ; the Father hath not only a hand in election, but also in sanctification, concern ing which this parable was made. If Christ be the root that affords us sap, whence all fruit buds, the Father is the husbandman that watereth the vine, gives the increase, purgeth the branches, and is the root of that life which Christ affords to us ; and then the Spirit also comes in to have a work and influence herein also : for he is the sap, though not here mentioned, yet which is implied, which lies hid in this parable of the vine, and appears in all the fruits that are brought forth, therefore called, Gal. v., fruits of the Spirit. None of the three Persons will be left out in any relation, or in any work, that is for our salvation. That ever three so great Persons should have a joint care of our salvation and sanctification, and we ourselves neglect it !
That they should be so careful, we so negligent and unfruitful ! If they do all so much for us, what should not we endeavour to do for ourselves ! Use 2. Be careful of your words, thoughts, ways, affections, desires, all which are the fruits of your souls ; for God takes notice of all, he walks in this his garden every day, and spies out how many raw, unripe, indigested performances, as prayers, &c., hang on such or such a branch, what gum of pride, what leaves, what luxuriant sprigs, what are rotten boughs and which are sound, and goes up and down with his pruning-knife in his hand, and cuts and slashes where he sees things amiss ; he turns up all your leaves, sees what fruit is under, and deals with men accordingly.
Use 3. When the church is in any distress or misery, go to him that is the husbandman ; such is the usual condition of this his vine, spread over the face of the earth. Complain as they, Ps. Ixxx. 12, Why hast thou broken down her hedges, so as all they which pass by do pluck her ? the boar out of the wood doth waste it. Complain to him that the hogs are in his vineyard, and do much havoc and spoil therein ; and tell him that he is the husbandman who should take care for it. So they go on to pray, Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts : look down from heaven, behold and visit this vine, and the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, ver. H, 15.
Third observation Tivo sorts of branches in this vine, fruitful and unfruit ful : and the difference between temporary and true believers, as they are laid down in the text. We see this vine hath branches of two sorts, fruitful and unfruitful, which is the third thing to be observed.
And herein our Saviour followeth the similitude ; for experience shews the like in vines. And writers of vines observe it, and accordingly distinguish the branches of vines into pampinarios, which bring forth nought but leaves, and fructuarios, which bring forth fruit.
The unfruitful, they are such as make profession of being in Christ to themselves and others, and receive some greenness from him, but no true fruit. For their profession they are branches; for their emptiness, unfruitful ones.
Quest. The only question is, How such as prove unfruitful are said to be branches, and to be in Christ ; Every branch in me, &c. Ans. 1. Many comparisons there are of Christ, as he stands in various re lations to his church ; whereof some serve to express one thing concerning him, some another. That of a vine here presents him only as he was to spread himself into a visible church on earth, in the profession of him ; and so considered, he may have many branches that are unfruitful. That other, of a head over all the family in heaven and earth, imports his relation only to that invisible company of his church mystical, which together make up that general assembly spoken of in Heb. xii., which are his fulness, Eph. i. 23. And agreeable to this meaning in comparing himself to a vine, in