Selected quad for the lemma: law_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
law_n	common_a	nature_n	reason_n	4,591	5	4.8578	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A68795	The case and cure of a deserted soule, or, A treatise concerning the nature, kindes, degrees, symptomes, causes, cure of, and mistakes about spirituall desertions by Jos. Symonds ...	Symonds, Joseph.	1639 (1639)	STC 23590.5; ESTC S3132	246,703	610

seene nor eare heard nor c. 1 Cor. 2.9 The Gospel is divided into Doctrine The Gospel is divided into History The Gospel is divided into Prophesie 1. The Doctrine hath in it somewhat that is evident and easily falling in with reason for there are things in it appertaining to naturall Philosophie as elements men beasts trees c. to Ethicks as all the morall rules and vertues to Oeconomicks precepts for ordering of families to Politicks lawes for Cities and Common wealths These a naturall understanding can deale with But there are other things of more high nature which are called Supernaturall as the Trinity Incarnation Resurrection c. these are above reason 2. The History this is of things past and have no evidence to sense for what can the eye see of Paradise the Flood the Arke c. nor to reason by any thing in themselves how should reason conclude that such things have beene but that they are related and revealed 3. The Prophefie this is of things to come and so to come as that a man cannot see them as a Philosopher may see the effects in their Causes for they come within such a course nor can any creature by reason conclude their futurity but as their being depends upon Gods Will so their manifestation that they will come is only by Gods Word Hence it is that nature being so unapt to receive things upon trust and desiring to see all hold to rules of sense and reason is very hardly brought to beleeve the Gospell Because of this unbeleevingnesse wee need a divine assistance which is the working of faith and witnessing unto faith or to the beleever the truth of the Gospell there are many witnesses of the Gospel therefore it is frequently called the Testimony there is a cloud of Witnesses miracles Heb. 2.4 the Ministers and Apostles and Prophets among them especially Acts 10.43 c. 26.16 c. 5.32 the Saints Esay 43.10 but the Holy Ghost is the head of this Grand jury Heb. 10.15 1 Ioh. 5.6 he comes with his testimony and setleth the heart in assurance of the Gospell that it may finde firme ground and sure footing so long as faith is wavering comfort will be unstable the house cannot be strong if the foundation be weake the Gospell is the foundation and if that bee laid firme the whole fabricke of peace will stand strongly able to beare out all stormes and tempests The second question is concerning themselves Their interest and their interest in the Gospell For though a man know clearly what that faith and holinesse is which gives him a reall title to the promise yet he may be unable to know his faith to be that faith There bee many things which make true faith often hardly discernable 1. Great imperfection it is hard to know certainly when 1 plant is newly put up above ground what it is a low faith hath but little evidence there is a light in every grace to shew it selfe but as it is with some starres they are so small that they are scarce seene so a man may have faith and yet not be able to say positively and peremptorily that hee doth beleeve 2. The similitude of false faith and true a man may know in generall what is requisite to the nature of gold yet when he comes to apply his rules he may bee puzzeled because art can exactly imitate nature yea so as that a famous Painter was deceived by a flye which though it was artificiall yet he thought was naturall 3. The conscience is not alwaies a competent Iudge because it may be clouded with feares and jealousies 4. Satan often doth so snarle this question that the soule is not able to extricate it selfe Wee need therefore the helpe of the Spirit whose Office it is to be our Comforter And as conscience in its Court is witnesse advocate and Iudge n Ipse accusator Iudex Carnifex vermis remordens Quintil. l. 5 Instit so is the Spirit he is a Witnesse giving evidence concerning the fact that this is done i. e. that the man doth beleeve he is an Advocate to plead the lquity of his Cause and that by the law of grace he should live he is the Iudge by pronouncing sentence applying the Law of grace in a judicial way and saith the soule shall live But all are comprized in the testimony for it is a testimony clearing and determining the Case That there is such a testimony (o) S.S. donat animae pignus salutis scilicet test imoniū quod silius Dei sis of the Spirit as doth evidence the ●yuth and sincerity of grace and consequently a personall interest in the promise appeares farther by these Arguments 1. Ber. Serm. 2. in Pent. Argumēts proving this testimony The spirit of bondage and the Spirit of adoption are opposed each to other Rom. 8.15 Now the thing wherein they are opposed is their proper working the one causing feare the other peace Looke then into the worke of the spirit of bondage and you will finde 〈◊〉 doth not onely enlighten the soule to know and apprehend in generall wrath against sin and to apprehend what sin i● but it evidenceth to a man particularly that his waies are waies of sin and conse quently works a kind of plerophorie of hell a dreadfull expectation of wrath upon himselfe so that a man comes to conclude upon conviction I am the man who have transgressed and I am the man which except salvation come to me in Christ shall be damned And as the spirit of bondage thus joyneth in the sentence of condemnation by stirring up clearing fixing and strengthening the conscience in like manner the Spirit of adoption worketh with Conscience in the sentence of absolution reconciliation and adoption 2. If the Spirit be a Comforter which will not be questioned it must witnesse the truth of our beleeving and by that our interest in the promise because till this be done till a man bee assure● that his faith is saving hee cannot bee satisfied in this question which now troubleth him whether hee shall be● saved or whether mercy be his portion There are three maine steps to comfort 1. Salvation comes through Christ in the free promise but here it yeelds 〈◊〉 other comfort but this it may bee mi●● if I receive it 2. The heart goeth 〈◊〉 to take hold of salvation this is a farther step to comfort and here the foundation is laid but yet though this bee sufficient to life and salvation in the end yet it is not sufficient to peace and consolation at present a man cannot bee satisfied till hee attaine a third thing which is this a knowledge that hee hath rightly and savingly received salvation 3. If the knowledge of the true definition of faith and holinesse were sufficient to give assurance to him that truly beleeves that he doth truly beleeve then none that are so qualified and doe reflect carefully upon themselves can be uncertaine or doubtfull whether their faith

or at meat or in bed have beene forced to lay by all and to go to prayer or c. 2. Satan Satan puts men upon more as hee is sometimes an Angell of darknesse withholding men from good or drawing to evill so hee is sometimes as an angell of light exciting unto good For 1. It is his principle and constant rule as much as hee can to saile with the winde and to row with the tyde to joyne himselfe to the tempers and spirits of men in their owne way and if hee finde principles and dispositions not altogether so fit for his turne i● hee cannot change them hee will rather use them as he findes them the● crosse them So he found in the Iewis a great zeale for the Law of Moses and he makes this use of it to set them against the Gospel Saul also was one that made conscience as it seemeth of seeking God before he went to battle and hereupon Samuel not comming according to expectation Satan puts him to offer sacrifice himselfe and did it with that impetuousnesse and importunity that though Saul knew it was not his office yet the case standing as it did He forced himselfe and offered the burnt offering 1 Sam. 13.12 2 Satan hath in this way a great end he brings men by it into great straits what have the Iews lost by that misguided zeale and religious disposition and by this he wearieth and tyreth out the spirits of men in their way and breeds in them a dislike and wearinesse in religion riding the soule as it were out of breath so we have knowne many very forward and active for a time but now as wearied men they are laid down to rest and their life is gone By this also he works ill effects on others who by the rigorous courses of men religious looke upon religion as a tyrant who is able to summe up his treacheres what a plot was that which hee had at Corinth His device was to get advantage upon them 2 Cor. 2.11 and how he seeth a zeale in the Church against the offender and a mournfull spirit in the poore man and now he drives on the Chariot and works in the zealous spirit of the Church that they may hold on in a severe way against him that so He might be swallowed up of overmuch sorow 2 Cor. 2.7 Quest How a man may know when he is pressed to good that it is by Satan Answ Answ It is a sign Satan puts on to good The print of his foot will bee found where he hath been and though he put upon good yet it is ever in an ill way as for instance he may be discerned 1 When he divides piety from mercy When piety and mercy are separated and carieth the soule on without care of the body when God comes he comes with much goodnesse and as Iacob drave softly as the children and cattle were able Gen. 33.14 so he will not so put on the soul as to destroy the body grace and the law are for the perfection of nature not destruction the religion that Satan deviseth is hard and cruell how did the Priests of Baal cut and launce themselves even till the blood poured out 1 Kings 18.28 The Jewes learned of God to sacrifice beasts but of Satan to sacrifice their children They burned their sons and their daughters in the fire which I commanded them not neither came it into my heart Jer. 7.31 rather then his servants shall be oppressed he will lose his right I will have mercy and not sacrifice Mat. 12.7 Yet we must not presse this rule of mercy too far to an immoderate indulgence unto nature the soule must not be too much loser by the body nor God for man nor must this be extended to the base favouring and sparing of our selves in times of persecution For he that so saves himselfe shall lose himselfe Luke 9.24 If you send your servant upon businesse of great concernment and he fall sick and so do not what you expected you excuse him but if hee say as the sluggard Prov. 20.4 the winde blew and the ayre was stormy and wet and cold you will not take this well So when you cannot do him service through disproportion of your strength to your work he will beare with you but what ever it costs you from men and devils when you know his will as you are able you must obey 2 When he divides betwixt piety and charity When piety and charity separated as when the Jewes devoted so much to pious uses that they left nothing for their friends no not for their parents but when their father and father in necessity asked reliefe they said It is a gift by whatsoever thou maist be profited by me Mat. 15.5 that is to say that which thou askest for thy supply is given to another use and I have nothing for thee Again when men walk in such a way of religion that they provide not for their families which is so far from Christianity that the Apostle saith He is worse than an Infidel that provideth not for his family 1 Tim. 5.8 Again when servants bestow that time with God which belongs to man God never demands of you that which is not yours he never requires you to rob your masters to pay him 3 When without order and reason When without order as when you are put upon one duty in the season of another as when your calling refreshing occasions truly and necessarily call you one way and yet conscience driveth another or when you are hearing to be put upon reading Again when you are put upon extraordinary duties without extraordinary occasion or when put upon such actions as belong not to your place as Saul to offer sacrifice Vzziah to burne incense Let this suffice for the first way of answering the question The second way of answering is by Proposition 2 Answ to the main Quest by propositiō 1. Proposition There are bounds of duties of godlinesse Godliness hath bounds for the law is full of reason now reason requires no action without limits if it bid a man eat give labour c. it together with the matter includes the measure if a master bid his servant goe and say not whither and how far how can the servant obey whē he knoweth not his masters minde if I would have an house built or a garment made except I appoint the bounds and measure how can the artificer fit my desire Now there are bounds for extension of actions Now there are bounds for limitation of actions The bounds of extension shew how far you are to goe First for extension And I will in generall lay downe three rules to finde this out how much you must doe 1 Ability and opportunity Ability and opportunity Where much is given much is required and to whom men have given much of him they aske more Luke 12.48 Where God soweth much he will reap much that may be