Chapter I
The observation out of the text propounded, That God goes on to purge cor
ruption out of true branches. Bounds set to this discourse about it, ac
cording to the scope of the text. The reasons of the point.
I COME now to the trial of our growth in that other part of sanctification, namely, the mortification of lusts, and purging out of corruptions, which the text also calls for ; Christ here saying not only that they bring forth more
fruit, but that God purgeth them that they may bring forth more fruit. The observation from which words is clearly this, That God chooseth true branches to grow, in a purging out of their corruptions, as in truzfruitfulness.
In the handling of this point, I shall do these four things
I. First, Set the bounds and limits of this discourse about it, according to Christ s intendnient, as here he speaks of it.
II. Secondly, Give some reasons of the point. III. Thirdly, Shew the ways which God useth to carry on the progress in
this work
IV. Fourthly, Give some helps of trial about it.
I. Now for the first, the explication and limiting this point unto Christ s intendnient here, that so I may only so far handle it as the scope of the words will bear, I premise these three things about it :
1. That purging here intended, which is indeed all one with mortification, and emptying out sin out of our hearts and lives, is to be restrained here to the progress of a Christian in that work, and not as taking in with it that
first work of mortification wrought at a man s first conversion ; so as I in tend not now to lay open to you the nature of mortification, and what it is, by way of commonplace, but only intend to speak of growth in it : for of that Christ speaks, because it is such a purging as is after bringing forth some fruit, and whereof the end is to bring forth more fruit. Neither
2. Are we so much to speak of it here as it is a duty to be done by us, though it be so, but as it is a work of God upon us, which he takes care to go through with and perfect in all those who are fruitful ; for he speaks here of it rather as an act of God s he purgeth than as it is to be an act of ours, that we ought to purge ourselves ; though both do go together, as
CHAP. I.] THE TKIAL OF A CHKIRTIAN s GROWTH. 475
in that speech, Bom. viii. 13, We by the Spirit do mortify the deeds of tne
flesh ; so as that which is proper to the point in hand, for the explication of it, as here in this place it is laid down, is not so much to give you motives or means of purging yourselves, as to shew you the ways and courses God takes still one way or other to purge his children by, that they may be more
fruitful. And yet
3. In this work of mortification, considered thus in the progress of it, we
are not mere passives, as at that final perfecting and finishing of it, and carry ing away all sin at death we are, and are at that first habitual beginning of
it, at conversion, but therein we are workers together with God : we being purged from sin as the body is by physic from humours ; though the physic work, yet nature joins with the physic, being quickened and helped by it to
cast out the humours \ for give a dead man physic, and it carries not any humours away. So as those means whereby God purgeth us are not to be
imagined to do it as mere physical agents, like as the priming-hook cuts off branches from a tree, or as when a surgeon cuts out dead flesh ; but these means do it by stirring up our graces, and quickening them, and by setting our thoughts, and faith, and affections a-work, and so God assisting with the
power of Christ s death, he doth purge us daily, by making his word, afflic
tions, and the like, to set our thoughts a-work against sin, and so to cast it
forth. It is certain, that unless our thoughts work upon the means, as well
as the means work upon us, and so do mingle themselves with those means ; that unless faith and Christ s death be mingled in the heart, it purgeth not. And therefore it is said as well that
( we purge ourselves, so 2 Tim. ii. 21, and also 1 John iii. 3, and Rom. viii., that we by the Spirit mortify the deeds of the flesh, as it is said that God purgeth us, which is the thing affirmed here, because God still, in going on to purge us, doth it by stirring up our graces, and useth therein acts of our faith, and love, and many motives and considerations, to stir up our graces so to effect it. Now
II. For the reasons that move God thus to go on to purge corruptions out of his children :
1. Because Jesus Christ hath purchased an eternal divorce between corrup tion and our hearts. He hath bought off all our corruptions, and redeemed us from all iniquity. Titus ii. 14, He gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people ; and God will have the price of Christ s blood out.
2. Because God desires more and more to have delight in us, and to draw
jiigh to us, and therefore he more and more goes on to purge us. For though he loves us at first, when full of corruptions, yet he cannot so much delight in us as he would, nor have that communion with us, no more than a hus band can with a wife who hath an unsavoury breath or a loathsome disease.
They must therefore be purified for his bed, as Esther was for Ahasuerus.
* Draw nigh to God, says James, and he will draw nigh to you, chap. iv.
8, 9 but then you must cleanse your hands, and purify your hearts, as it
follows there ; God else hath no delight to draw nigh to you.
3. He daily purgeth his that they may be fit for use and service ; for un
less he purged them, he could not use them in honourable employments, such
as to suffer or to stand for him, in what concerns his glory ; they would be
unfit for such uses, as a vessel is that is unsecured. Therefore, 2 Tim. ii.
21, If a man purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, that is, he shall be used in honourable employments, and not laid aside, and
* meet for his master s use, as vessels kept clean, when on the sudden the master hath occasion to use them, and to have them served in.
he shall be
476 THE TRIAL OP A CHRISTIAN S GROWTH. [PART II.
4. That as our persons, so that our services may be more and more ac
ceptable ; that our prayers and such performances may savour less of gifts, and pride, and self-love, and carnal desires : so, Mai. iii. 3, 4, it is said, He
shall sit as a purifier of silver j and he shall purify the sons of Levi, as gold
is purified, from their dross, that they may offer to the Lord an offering in
: and then shall their offerings be pleasant to the Lord. The more the heart and hie is purged, the more acceptable your prayers are, and
righteousness
your obedience, and all you do.
CHAP. II.] THE TRIAL OF A CHRISTIAN S GROWTH. 477