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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
father_n	eternal_a	ghost_n	holy_a	29,948	5	5.9119	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85050	Vindiciæ mediorum & mediatoris. or, the present reigning errour arraigned, at the barr of Scripture and reason. Wherein is discovered the falshood and danger of that late borne opinion, that pretends to an immediate enjoyment and call of the Spirit of God, both above and against its owne fffects, [sic] cause, word, ministry, and witness, in all respects. Occasioned by a pamphlet, intituled, The saints travell to the land of Canaan, or a discovery of seventeen false rests, &c. By one R. Wilkinson, a preacher of this errour about Totnes in the West. In the treatise following, the reader shall finde, most of the maine fundamentall doctrinall truths that this age doth controvert, faithfully vindicated, cleared, confirmed. By F. Fullwood, minister of the Gospell at Staple Fitzpane in the county of Somerset.	Fullwood, Francis, d. 1693.	1651 (1651)	Wing F2521; Thomason E1281_1; ESTC R202060	131,348	337

c. Atlas that upholds our Heaven also But I am so well perswaded of the love of all Christians both to their Saviour and themselves that I am perswaded I need not say more in the be half of this Truth or against its Enemies Will not every stone in the spiritual Temple threaten that hand that endeavours to remove the Corner-stone And every one that bears the name of a Christian abhor and detest that wicked Engine that seeks to subvert the very foundation of Christianity O let us fear and tremble to think of laying other foundation then what is laid by the wise Master Builder Jesus Christ that Rock of Ages I apply it not but should an Angel from Heaven preach another Gospel then that which consists Gal. 1. 8. with Acts 20. 21. in repentance towards God and faith towords our Lord Jesus Christ let him be accursed rather then believed But let us sit down and consider a little and we shall hear the most absolutely necessary and immediate consequences and inferences of it discover and cry aloud against the wickedness and danger of this way and Errour which I tremble to mention for 1. It denies Christs Priestly Office for 2. It denieth Christs satisfaction to Divine Justice therefore 3. It denieth our Adoption 4. It denieth our imputative Righteousness 5. It thus puts the soul upon immediate communion with God 6. It confoundeth faith and holiness justification and sanctification All these are not onely immediately necessary inferences from the former principles in themselves but are all of them clearly hinted by the maintainers thereof as he that runs may reade Now as these race out every Letter of our Gospel so of our Names in the Book of Life also for how shall we pay our Debts without a Surety or appear before God without a Propitiation or have communion with him without a Mediator For can dry stubble embrace a consuming fire and Who can dwell with everlasting burning Are not those that walk in the way we are discovering even of all kinde of Professors the most miserable The Turk hath his Mahomet and the Jew beleives in his Messias to come but this strange Generation have cast off all notion of a Mediator as if their hinderance a moat in their eye accounting it their perfection to stand alone their onely full happiness to be taken up into the immediate enjoyment of God O how doth this way smell of Antichrist Popery gross Socinianisme yea it hath set one foot already upon the bank of Heathenisme and I fear it will not rest till it centre in Atheisme These men are gone beyond the Christian Turk or Jew they are about to shake hands with Socrates and Plato and it is much very much to be feared that their end will be to be drowned * The Ranters with some of their fore-runners in Aristotles sea and utterly lost in his * Ens entium universal being O my most dear Saviour who can choose but be zealously affected for him When I seriously think upon that heavenly glory that he was freely pleased to put off for us and in my sad Meditations become a Spectator to that matchless horrible and most inhumane Tragedy that naked Innocence acted or suffered rather upon the Stage of the World for our sakes and sins What contradiction of sinners for sinners he indured What cursings buffettings shames pains and death even from a combination of sin the World Hell and Heaven he received underwent and for no other end in the world but that he must be a Sacrifice Attonement Mediator Advocate and Saviour for us And with an eye of faith behold him maugre all to have spoiled Principalities and Powers and counting it his glory to make a shew of them openly triumphing over them as the Lord of Life and the Captain of our Salvation being made perfectly so by his Sufferings even the Author of eternal salvation to all that obey him Moreover when as I consider all this as the Result Issue Act and Decree of eternal Counsel the most markable pregnant testimony and token of the Fathers everlasting love to the World most remarkable surely that God should give his Son most pregnant also in that with him he should give us all things else as the great Promise of the Law blessed Gift of the Gospel the whole sum and substance of divine Oracles Gods whole and onely revealed will and to conclude for the Application and efficacy whereof the holy Ghost himself hath his onely business and that special Embassie and Errand from the Almighty God and the Father and Christ to the sons of men When I reade with wondering eyes this sacred Story and hear with trembling and amazed ears the Tale this Error tels us viz. That Christ is notwithstanding all this but a Type a Shadow that we must not beleive in him that there is no trusting to him depending upon him for eternal happiness that they have found out a nearer way and cut to Heaven then by him that is the Way a Truth for the Truth opposing to Christ the immediate enjoyment of God in the Spirit without him I am and I judge deservedly at a stand what to think of the Abbettors thereof For ah what a rude Affront and Contradiction is this to divine Wisdome Counsel Will and Word at once What an horrid contempt and insufferable slighting of the Fathers everlasting Grace and Love so highly commended in him Yea what an ingratefull indignity undervaluing trampling under foot the Son of God together with a most desperately wicked despite of the Spirit of Grace And to conclude by a direct refusing our own mercies thereby a most bloody and cruell destroying and ruining miraculous Grace preventing us not of our most precious and immortal Souls for ever For of how much soever punishment shall he be thought worthy that hath troden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace Heb. 10. 29. And to add a word more the punishment of such as it will be thus heavy and sore so sure and swift also sure and inevitable for how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Heb. 2. 3. Swift and unexpected for such as shall bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them bring 2 Pet. 2. 1. upon themselves swift destruction But let this be my trust support and comfort together with all those that wait for his appearing that he that is the Lord Jesus Christ which shall be revealed from 2 Thess 1. 8 9 10. Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that obey not his Gospel shall be glorified in his Saints and admired by all us that beleive appearing able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he Heb. 7. 25. ever loveth to make intercession for us Wherefore also we

is none of his But this seems to infer another Argument as subordinate to the main Conclusion taken from the spirit not onely as a Cause but as a necessary effect consequent signe adjunct or companion of Christs interest in us or relation to us he that hath not the spirit is none of Christs but he that hath it then is his his Disciple his member his Brother c. Now how shall we know that we have the spirit By sanctification for if the spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Jesus from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies c. vers 9. 11. And how shall we know that Christ hath relation or interest in us by that inseparable consequent or adjunct of the spirit for if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Lastly and that that brings the Conclusion Argument together is an Argument drawn from the highest and choisest effect of the Fathers love and our Saviours Office the principal causes of our salvation viz. our sonship vers 14. For as many as are led by the spirit of God are the sons of God Or we may interpose between the terms of this truth Christs interest in us then thus those that are led by the spirit of Christ are his and those that are Christs i. his Members Brethren are by adoption the sons of God and then it is most clear that if sons then heirs co-heirs with Christ vers 17. and are for resolution of the case propounded in a state of life These and such like are the Rules by which a mans spirit according to Gods Word examining his condition doth either acquit or condemn if this speak peace viz. that he is a childe of God and an heir of Heaven this is the testimony and answer of a mans own spirit but to make this our testimony clear and demonstrative sure and infallible the spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit c. not onely together with as two diverse Witnesses of the same truth but with i. nor yet onely with the qualification of our spirit the matter of evidence Water and Blood but lastly and especially with i. with our spirit as subordinate in the work through by so with making use of the testimony of our spirit sealing and clearing our rational evidence with the truth and light of his that we are the children of God Nothing can indeed perswade us of our sonship to God but the Spirit of Adoption yet the spirit perswadeth us as rational Creatures viz. as we have heard by inabling us to reason our relation to God by Christs relation and interest in us and that by the having of his spirit and that by its holy effects of mortification of sin and spiritual life which gives occasion to close as we began that If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the spirit ye shall live therefore Examine your selves know ye 2 Cor. 13. 5. not even your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates and the Lord give you the comfort of the witness in your selves with the contest of the spirit to be an infallible assurance of your adoption to God Col. 1. 9. and of the truth of this point and for this cause also godly Reader since the day you heard of me do not I beseech thee cease to pray that with respect both to one and the other I may fight a good fight and finish my course that henceforth I may be comfortably assured with holy Paul that there is laid 2 Tim. 4. 8. up for me a Crown of righteousness which the righteous Judge shall give me at that day c. CHAP. V. Of the knowledge of Christ after the Flesh or in his Mediatorship BEfore we have reconciled the Spirit and its effects our gracious qualities infused by it But this following Chapter will ingage us to atone the same spirit on its Causes behalf the Person of Christ which I may call without offence the cause of the spirit both with regard to its Person and Office First the Person of Christ is the cause of the person of the Spirit by derivation the Spirit being the joynt breath and issue both of the Father and Son Secondly the Person of Christ is the cause of the Office of the Spirit first by merit 1 Pet. 1. 2. Secondly by mission Joh. 14 15 16. cap. Therefore is the holy Ghost in the Gospel so peculiarly stiled the Spirit of Christ Yet this their spirit and the Spirit of God by them so called how ungratefully wicked doth even stab at Christ himself with these two erroneous Points namely 1. That the Person of Christ is but a form type or shadow onely or a bare representation of the Spirit at his coming as the types and shadows of the Law were before of the coming of Christ See false rests in pag. 103 104. 2. That Christ is not to be the object or Medium of Faith i. We are not to believe on Christ as our Mediator and Saviour See the fifteenth false rest The first of these the Seekers own but the last is the very dregs of Socinianisme which affirms that Christ came not among men to procure satisfaction to God but to be an Object of imitation to men No wonder we have had boisterous Times of late while such Devils such Errours as these have been conjuring up Yet how great a wonder it is that such grosness of darkness should call it self light and that to the face of the Sun it self in this our day of Gospel when knowledge abounds amongst us But I shall not so far question my salvation as to receive my Saviour into doubtfull disputings yea doubtless the mention of such Errours as these is sufficient confutation and confusion of them also in all humble ears and godly judgements Yet though there be not the least shadow of Reason that will entertain either the one or the other there is one notable Scripture that seems to some eyes to cast a very favourable glance and countenance to the first of these Errours viz. That the Person of Christ is but a type of the spirit a dispensation Errour and form that is ruined or dissolved by the coming of the spirit The Scripture Scripture countenancing it is the 1 Cor. 5. 16. Yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet henceforth know we him so no more To make this Scripture pass for them the Abbettors of this Errour have stamped upon it this Interpretation viz. That the knowledge of Christ after the flesh was the dispensation of his Person a fleshly dispensation which Paul had formerly been under but since the dispensation of the spirit the dispensation of Christs Person it chiefly meant the Office of his Preisthood is dissolved is dissolved to Paul though I have known Christ after the flesh and

Christ who then shall be saved But Moses it seems must not enter Canaan nay nor * i. Jesus Joshua neither this new Jerusalem Dear Christians Let him that loves not the Lord Jesus be Anathema Maranatha How venomous is the Breath that blasts the mouth from whence it issues How ungratefull the effect that denies its Cause Can that be the ingenuous self-denying Humble Spirit of Christ that defames his Person and nullifies his Office A bad Servant surely that seeks to eclypse the glory of its Master and he that denies the Son is Antichrist O how needfull and seasonable a Caution is that for us viz. Try the spirits But that we may wipe off let us a little The Argument for this Errour examine the usuall gloss and colour which paints and sets off this Errours ugly and deformed face viz. That every new dispensation dissolves the former the spiritual dispensation must therefore put an end to the carnal or fleshly dispensation of Christ the coming of the Spirit which now is must drive away and banish the Person or the use of the Office of the Person of Christ Answ This is the aliquid nihil that would fain be something to mischief our Saviour but how vainly and idlely for 1. Though the dispensation of the means may in part be dissolved as the Figures and Types of the Law were by the coming of a better and higher dispensation of means viz. the Gospel Yet the last end is still aimed at and endeavoured by all viz. the knowledge and honour of the glorious Trinity among the sons of men Matth. 28. 19. 2. There is not any really distinct dispensation of the coming of the Son and holy Ghost into the World no more then betwixt the coming of the knowledge of the Father and Son into the World the Father was though darkly known unto his Children as appears in Malachy If Mal. 1. 6. I am your Father where is my honor Before the coming of Christ into the World But this knowledge I suppose of God as a Father in those days was only by vertue of the promise of the Son For how know we how have we God as our Father but by Adoption And how have we this viz. Adoption but through the Son So in like manner before the great and markable descention of the Spirit by our Saviours ascention there was some knowledge and faith of the Son of God which came from the more ordinary presence of the Spirit among us For flesh and blood did not reveal him to us And as we Matth. 11. 27. see not know not the Father aright but in the light and by the help of the Son None knowing the Father but the Son and him to whom the Son shall reveal him So the coming of the Spirit doth more clearly and excellently reveal them both for thus we receive the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Rom. 8. Iohn 16. Father which Spirit also takes off the things of Christ shewing them to us and for this very purpose That we might glorifie him as our Saviour can affirm Father I have glorified thy Name So the glory of the Son is not as the glory of Moses that must be done away by any future glory that excelleth the three Persons of the Godhead are not like the strong man and the stronger as if the Spirit at his entrance as the stronger man should binde both the Father and Son hand and foot and cast them out a doors Though indeed they come gradually into the World yet not successively when the second comes the first with-draws not and with the last they all appear that God may be all even all in all as Father Saviour Sanctifier for acceptance satisfaction and application in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost They are co-equal and co-honorable one in essence will power and in glory also not like to such Lights as eclypse and darken each other but rather as Beams of the same Sun or Lamps of an equal glory and lustre whose Lights do sweetly interweave incorporate and every one gains by other And to say no more in this case the Blood and Spirit of Jesus Christ are like the natural moisture and heat in man both mutual preservers of each other and both most necessary for our Salvation and the heat that eats out and consumes tht natural moisture that spirit that dries up the Blood i. mediation of Christ is false preternatural and Antichristian But to come a little closer Is Truth a Type Christ is Truth and that in distinction 3. Joh. 14. 6. with 16. 17. to the Spirit I am the Truth and I will send the Comforter my Spirit the Spirit of Truth c. Now nihil vero verius nothing is truer then Truth and as Christ therefore cannot be a Type so we may beleive the Truth The dispensation of the Son if so called must last and continue even while the last days iast Heb. 1. 1 2. And glory shall be to God by the Church in Christ Jesus throughout all generations Ephes 3. ult And God shall continue to tender salvation and happiness in Christ unto the World even after their new Jerusalem is built untill the last coming of Jesus Christ and by the Spirit himself For the Spirit and the Bride say Come Rev. 22. 17. and let him that heareth say Come and let him that is athirst come and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely And he that testifieth these things saith Surely I come quickly Amen So come Lord Jesus Rev. 22. 17. 20. Further though Christ must give up his Ministerial Kingdom to his Father yet he shall most certainly retain the glory of a Saviour in his Mediatorship to the days of Eternity We that are Christs Sheep shall be set indeed at the right hand of God but our Fore-runner is there before us who therfore shall be still nearer to God then we and if we shal be at yet he is upon Gods right hand and to which of us yea To which of his Angels shall he say at any time Sit on my right hand c. Heb. 1. 13. Now doth not he sit betwixt us and God to the end that what we receive from God we might receive through him He is our Head and shall be our Head for ever And the glory of Heaven must first have its influence and pass first from God upon our Head and thence flow down upon us Even to the skirts of his Garments And we shall most undoubtedly continue in the presence and favour of God in Heaven untill the day we are able to pay our own Debts to the utmost farthing which will be even for ever and a day in the vertue of the Merits and Mediation of him that is the Mediator betwixt God and man the man Christ Jesus For * Psal 75. 3. He that bears up the Pillars of the Earth is the Rev. 2. 10.

Vindiciae mediorum mediatoris OR THE PRESENT Reigning Errour Arraigned at the Barr of Scripture and Reason WHEREIN IS DISCOVERED the Falshood and Danger of that late borne Opinion that pretends to an immediate enjoyment and Call of the Spirit of God both above and against its owne Fffects Cause Word Ministry and Witness in all respects OCCASIONED BY A PAMPHLET intituled The Saints travell to the Land of Canaan or a Discovery of Seventeen false Rests c. By one R. Wilkinson a Preacher of this Errour about Totnes in the West IN THE TREATISE FOLLOWING the Reader shall finde most of the maine Fundamentall Doctrinall Truths that this Age doth controvert faithfully vindicated cleared confirmed By F. FULLWOOD Minister of the Gospell at Staple Fitzpane in the County of Somerset Jer. 6. 16. Thus saith the Lord Stand ye in the wayes and see and aske for the old way which is the good way and walk therein and yee shall finde rest for your soules but they sayd We will not walk therein London Printed by Tho Roycroft and are to be sold by Jo Ridley at the Castle in Fleet-street by Ram Alley 1651. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPfull and truely Vertuous THE LADY MARY FAREWELL MADAM THE A. B. C. of the Infants language is Dad and Mam that thus the first fruits of their lipps might acknowledge their Parents And since most happy Providence hath brought me forth into so neer a relation to your Ladiship to offer you this the first fruit of my labour in this kind seemes but my dutifull acknowledgement of you Madam I am most fully confident that your advantage gained by the dew of Heaven upon your Church Family and Closet meanes of knowledge with the so many yeares influence of the most Learned and gracious your head and late deceased Husband the fruit of all these made yet more sollid by your exceeding great though by you esteemed light afflictions especially in these late Troubles have bred within you an utter dislike to the receiving weighty Truths into light and doubtfull Disputations 1. Yet may you please to behold that spirit allayd by the Charme of the Word that moves their Disturbance 2. Moreover you may easily call to your remembrance that God by the shaking of the House did once more strongly establish the Faith of his Saints and doth not the Plant take deeper root by too weak endeavours to pluck it up And why may not Truth be more deeply rooted more firmely established in our hearts by the malicious yet weak hand of Errour though it put to all its strength to shake and supplant it At the first though but a superficiall view I may guesse a Castle to be strong but when upon a doubt I examine and upon examination finde the foundation sure the Walls imbatterable and prove it well supplyed with Men Meat Ammunition Ordnance and whatever else is requisite for to keep it invincible then I may with how much more confidence judge and report it a strong Castle Thus upon a superficiall receit of Truth we may happily discerne it to be stronger then Errour but when urged by Errours impetious motion we examine the Truth When wee have walked about Truth and gone round about her and told the Towers thereof Psal 48. 12. 13. when we have marked well her Bulwarks and considered her Palaces and have seen with our eyes the greatnesse of its strength and the strength Heb. 2. 3. of its foundation Viz. Christ and his Apostles How may we then glory in our strength How well fortified how safe and secure may we boast our selves to be in this our invincible Castle Psal 48. 11. with 13. Truth With how much more courage shall we be able to repell malignant Errour in all its assaults And say Let mount Sion rejoyce and the Daughters of Judah be glad and tell it in triumph 1. Esdras 4. 38. 40. Nil tam certum quam quod ex dubio certum unto the Generations following that as for Truth it endureth and is alwayes strong it liveth and conquereth for ever and ever she is the strength Kingdome power and maiesty of all ages Blessed be the God of Truth 3. It is empty Chaff not sound Corne that is carryed away with the winde and they are rotten Trees which a storme overthrows But the Sons and Daughters of Truth are sound and stedfast though the raine discend the Floods come and the Winds blow against them they shall not fall because they are founded upon a Rock And Madam I doubt not but that the God of Truth will preserve you rooted and grounded in Truth to the end that when all the Gusts of Errour have done their utmost spite against you you will be found to stand The Devil may thus but winnow out your Chaff but as for your Wheat that cannot be tossed up and down with every winde of Doctrine 4. Yea you will become more fit and serviceable for your Masters use by winnowing The fire burnes hottest when the weather is cold and the Candle shines brightest when the ayre is dark nature teaching these inanimate Creatures to rejoyce as it were in danger and to tryumph over oppression and I make no question but by the like heavenly Antiperistasin the chilnesse and darknesse of Errour will brighten and heighten both your light and heat your knowledge and zeale even unto all the riches of full assurance of understanding Col. 2. 2. and to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ For this most blessed end I presume good Madam to put this small Treatise into your hand and now I beseech the Lord God of the holy Prophets that he would be your light in the reading hereof and by all meanes make your Path as the shining light that shineth more and Pro. 4. 18. more unto the perfect day This is the prayer of Madam Your obedient Son And most humble Servant In the Truths of the Gospell F FULLWOOD TO The Reverend Pastour and his Pious Flock AT TOTNES in Devon ss And in them to all the Faithfull and Pious Ministers and People especially in the West of ENGLAND Truth and Grace I Would you knew most dearly beloved how great conflict I have for you though very many of you have not yet seen my face in the flesh REVEREND SIR I Need not mind you of what our Savior once preacht and our sad and daily experience repeateth that there shal arise false Christs and false Prophets who if that it were possible should even deceive the very Elect and your dwelling is neer where Satans Seat is and where his Ministers shine Mat. 24. 24. as Angels of light Now though I doubt not in the least but that your self are so strongly rooted and built up in the faith of the Gospel that the gates of Hel shal never be able to prevail against you yet must I needs sympathize with you in that troble of heart that must needs

in the Sense we speak of may not alwayes be true or false but the words true or false may be Ambiguous For 1. Qualifications may be said to be true or false 1. With respect to the Cause and Principle as Effects 2. With relation to their End as means because 3. They may be true or false with regard to our knowledge Now according to the first Interpretation gracious qualities cannot be false and therefore not either true or false for they are true effects of the Spirit of Truth and if that be his Sense his Argument is guilty of contradictory qualities he before having frequently granted them all to be truely wrought by the speciall operation of the Spirit and still denying them as to be Evidences of the true Enjoyment of God Page 22. line 22. Page 21. line 14. But if we conceive true or false in the later Constructions namely by our ignorance of the Truth thereof they may be false means with respect to this End Viz. The Evidence of the true Enjoyment of God I answer that as I have already so hereafter in their place shall more cleerly free them from this Romane scruple from being false i. e. fallible Evidences of the true Enjoyment of God Object If it be Objected that wicked men and Hypocrites have the same qualifications it is a needlesse thing For Answ Such men have the Spirit as much and more truely then Grace as it works upon such mens hearts with its common Effects and motions If this then hinders our infallible Judgement of the Truth of Grace how will ye judge of the Truth of your Spirit Object It is as little worth to affirm that Hypocrites may thinke their Grace to be true as well as the Godly For Answ Truth being seated in the understanding hath its answerable light and it doth not hinder the Godly mans assurance of the truth of his Grace because wicked men flatter and deceive themselves with a fals opinion of theirs not so because the Mad-man thinks he is a sober man cannot the man that is sober indeed be assured thereof The Childe accounts his Counter gold and so is mistaken therefore cannot the Father know his Gold to be Gold Men in the dark may err and no wonder but the Candle of David is Enlightned the Disciples of Christ have a light within them a light that manifests evil from good truth from Errour even that Anointing that teacheth them all things But to conclude a wicked man may as well and more easily mistake in his judgement of his Spirit if Judge thereof and not by its effects then of his Grace this being more visible descernable as corporall the other more subtill and indescernable as Spirituall The fourth and last Argument Object The last Objection against Qualifications lyes in experience the Abbettors of this way have found by experience that such Evidences as these are as a rotten wall to those that trust and lean thereon Answ It is most clear they lean too much upon their own phansied Experience But I shall onely put their Experiences in one scale and the many thousand Counter Experiences of Holy men of all Ages that have abundantly testified for such Qualifications as bearing invincible Truth of Evidence in the other scale leaving them to be poysed by indifferent Judgements Yea are not many Experiences of this very kind left recorded in Scripture on purpose for our clear instruction and strong consolation in this Case and that not onely in the old but new Testament also even of such as had attained Gospell perfection Our Pattern Christ Jesus takes great boldnesse to himself in Prayer to Heaven that he had glorified his Fathers Name and if you aske Holy Pauls advice and experience in this kinde you may hear his answer 2 Cor. 1. 12. This is our rejoycing even the Testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and Godly sincerity we have our Conversation in the world Yet then we may affirm what this Errour denies that Qualifications wrought by the Spirit are good and sure Evidences of our enjoyment of God Arguments to prove the Affirmative that Qualifications may be used as Evidences Having pulled downe and laid Errour desolate we shall now attempt to build up Truth and render it strong and glorious upon the Grounds following Arg. 1 The first Argument is taken from that of S. Peter 2 Ephes 1. 10. where the Apostle doth exhort us To give all diligence to make our Calling and Election sure now how shall we make our Election sure but by our Calling for we are called according to his purpose Rom. 8. 28. And how shall we make Vers 5. our Calling sure but by the worke of Calling and the effects thereof but by adding unto Faith Vertue c. Now if ye doe these things you shall never fall do you fear your falling away is this your desire to make your Calling and Election sure This is the way add to Faith Vertue c. and if you doe these things you shall never fall c. Arg. 2 You must give us leave to make use of our Reason Whom God hath joyned together let no man put asunder the Spirit of God and our Reason these two make up a truely enlightned and reformed judgement a sound minde Then 1. While the Scripture hath plainly laid down this Proposition He that beleiveth shall be saved If I can assume I beleive why may not blood be my witnesse and my Faith a blessed Evidence of salvation to me 2. If the Word of God witnesseth the deceitfulnesse of our heart in being apt to perswade us that we beleive when our Faith is dead doth not the Law of Reason as well as of Scripture command Examine your selves whether you be in the Faith prove your owne selves But how Therefore 3. While the Scripture declares that Faith works by love purifieth the heart c. As it thus affords a Rule for triall so by measuring our selves by this Rule if we can truely finde That we are such as love God Christ our Brethren our Enemies c. and that our hearts are 1 Joh. 2. 3. cap. 3. 19. 21. Ver. 14. cap. 2. 3. purifying in the Refiners fire doth it not incourage yea command to conclude That we are past from Death to Life because we love c. And to strengthen in our Souls that blessed hope while we purifie our selves as he is pure and so for any other true Grace I close up this with that invincible Scripture that hath already been hinted and if truely weighed might end this Controversie 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your selves whether you be in the Faith prove your own selves know ye not even your own selves that Jesus Christ is in you unlesse you be Reprobates i. e. unapproved whence 1. the ordinary rule for the triall of our Faith of which it is a shame for Professors to be ignorant is the being of Christ in the Soul 2. The ordinary way for Professors to finde

10. And partly hereafter by leaving them utterly without excuse otherwise happily this might have been the Plea of ungodly men then How should we beleeve except we had heard But they having heard the word being in their mouths yea even and in their hearts and yet they beleeved not their mouths are stopped they being judged by the Gospell Had not I come saith our Saviour and spoke unto them they had had no sin i. in comparison but now have they no cloke for their sin John 15. 22. 2. And in order to the glory of grace on the Vessells of honour the commands of God upon them have a twofold end also one in this World for their obedience i. to give them power by the very command to obey the same it being the power of God i. having the power of the spirit of God along with it to make it successefully command us to obedience Thus the Word of Christ is spirit and life and he having the words of eternall life while he calleth upon us Awake thou that sleepest he doth awaken us and while he commandeth Lazarus come forth the dead John 11. 43. John 5. doe heare the voice of the Son of God and those that heare doe live And as one end of Gods commands to his Children here is for their obedience so the other end both here and hereafter is for a reward of their obedience Godlinesse being profitable for all things and having both the promise of this life and Matth. 25. ult also of the life that is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. Thus we have largely shewed and cleered that we need not deny the commands of the Word as they look towards wicked unregenerate men for want of an end or as vaine and fruitlesse though they in themselves have not power to obey them Obj. 2. But there is one branch of this Dilemma yet above us Viz. The commands are needlesse to the regenerate they having the Law within them what need of a Law without They having the spirit what need of the letter But we shall now endeavour to match it with these Answers Answ 1. There is in the best of Gods Children that live in the World even in Paul himselfe nature as well as grace flesh as well as spirit A Law in their members warring against the Law of their mindes and leading them captive to the Law of sin And now to answer this there is need of Kom 7. a Law without to stirr up and assist the Law within against that too often prevailing party of wickednesse in them 2. As the commands were at first made use of for the beginning and begetting of grace so afterwards they serve for the preservation motion and increase thereof Read onely for each of these one Text as Heb. 3. 12 13. and Revel 2. 5. and lastly 1 Pet. 2. 1 2. 3. Outward or commands without us doe onely give occasion to manifest that grace that is within the heart to the eyes of the World of which is produced two notable effects First the Law that we obey being knowne and beleeved by others as well as our selves to be the Law of God thus our light so shineth before Mat. 5. men that they seeing our good works glorifie our Father which is in heaven Secondly and thus the World becometh reproved and condemned by us We doing all things i. that are commanded us without murmurings or reasonings that we may be blamelesse and pure and the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a wicked and crooked Nation among whom we shine as lights in the World holding forth the Word of life Philip. 2. 14 15 16. But for that we were so large upon the The affirmative proved preceding particular we shall onely by a few breife hints of things argue out to the Reader the affirmative part Viz. That it is not needlesse for God to lay outward commands upon such as are already regenerate and conclude this Chapter Then 1. Christ his Disciples heretofore had need of commands and a Law without Matth. 5. 16. Joh. 15. 17. c. and why not now also 2. They that had the spirit of Christ heretofore even that anoynting within that should teach all things had yet need of and use for commands in the letter 1 Ioh. 2. 27 28. and why not now also 3. Those that are perfect with the perfection of the Gospell have use for such commands Phil. 3. 15 16. and why not we 4. Yea Adam in innocency that with the perfection the Law it self requireth was perfect upright had need and occasion for the Law without him and what then can priviledge us Lastly and 5. Jesus Christ himself received words and commands from his Father Ioh. 17. 8. have we more of the spirit and Law within us then Christs Disciples Apostles are we more perfect and holy then they then Adam then Jesus Christ himselfe let us then claime freedome and priviledg from the commands of the Word but not otherwise for notwithstanding what is yet objected against it the Word is profitable in its commands not vaine for such as are unregenerate not needlesse or useless for the regenerate themselves CHAP. XII Of the Scriptures as usefull in their promises for comfort THat this way might sufficiently vent its spleen and enmity against the holy Scriptures it having already most desperately endeavoured to abase and falsifie the soverainty and truth of the great God by rejecting his Doctrine and denying his commands therein it sets it selfe here to deject our Comforts by weakning and sleighting the Promises of God contained there also It plainly telling us that no promises whether they be sought or cast in Errour are to be a rest unto any Heart You may read this position in p. 73. of the false rests with its explication and meaning in the foot of p. 68. where he defines the twelfth false rest to be viz a closing with and drawing comfort from the promises expressed It s meaning in the letter of the Scripture Arg. All his argument against the comfort of the Promises so far as I can gather is taken from the abuse thereof And that with respect to the principle of application and the extent thereof 1. The abuse of the promises is argued first from the Principle that usually moveth thereto viz. Necessity Because we many times are driven for comfort to a promise by the sensile want of those things that are offered therein Answ But doth our being driven to promises by necessity make the comfort we have thence weak or vain Vanity of vanities When men are pricked to the heart and out of a sense of their sin and misery cry out as we read what shall we doe why then doth the ministry of the Spirit presently tender unto such some special promise Yea and prick them to the heart in order Acts 2. Acts 16. thereunto even that a promise of salvation by beleeving in Christ through the meanes