Selected quad for the lemma: life_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
life_n	believe_v	faith_n	receive_v	6,064	5	5.4775	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

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

more easy for beleivers then for such as doe not yet beleive to act Faith of Adherence It seems most strange that the Spirit should choose to work a Miracle where is least need and work no Miracle where most should make use of means or instruments for the creating of Faith and yet afterwards work comfort in the same soul immediately miraculously Faith of Adherence is a Creation and giving life Faith of Evidence is onely the motion of that life given For the first the Spirit must enlighten for the last he need onely snuff this Candle of the Lord in Man The worke of assurance is halfe wrought by and in the Faith of Adherence the Soul hath received the prime efficient of it Viz. The Spirit Secondly the Principle or second efficient Faith together thirdly with the matter of comfort Viz. Justification and a right to Heaven There wants nothing for the Soul to be assured of this but the work of his Faith through reason of his Qualification shewed to the Soul in the light of the Spirit Now how fitly doth enlightned Reason and this habit of Faith offer themselves for this blessed work Assurance God hath put an inclination in Reason and Faith towards this work and shall Potentiality never come to act Shall a Miracle be rather wrought to act their proper work without them No assuredly God will not spend his own Omnipotency in such Cases as this who as he maketh nothing in vain so he doth not delight to work a Miracle for that that is more easily Weames done in an ordinary way The Holy Ghost doth make an Exercise of our Reason about our Qualifications in the humbling of our Souls with Godly sorrow then why not also for heavenly Joy Why may not the Spirit as the Spirit of Adoption as well as a Spirit of Bondage work mediately through Qualifications There can be no Godly sorrow but it aims at Sinne is conversant about sin and can there be any Godly solace that springs not from Grace As reason exercised about sin causeth sorrow doth not Reason exercised about Grace work out comfort Let the rule of Contraries judge betwixt us It is the same that ascends and the same that descends the same Spirit that humbles and exalts the change is not in the efficient but the matter or object Sin and Grace But is there not the same reason for our exaltation and comfort from gracious as for our dejection from sinnefull Qualities Have I not as much cause to rejoyce at my recovery as to sorrow and greive at my decay or delay in sickness Why should not the Spirit discover our Grace for matter of rejoycing that discovers our sinne for cause of sorrow But all Reason and Scripture will affirm that that is no godly sorrow Evangelicall repentance that is not the fruit of conviction of sin That sorrow is again 2 Cor. 7. 8. with 13. to be sorrowed for and that repentance to be repented of that with its watery eyes lookes not at sinne whose tears fall not down on sinne For for what must I greive surely for something and for what must I greive with Gospel-sorrow surely for sin so consequently Is not Joy infidelious and also ridiculous that comes not from Reason and as exercised on Grace laughter is the immediate Affection of the reasonable Soul The Holy Ghost doth exercise our Reason about our Qualifications in our Petition then why not in our prayse and rejoycing also they are both parts of the same duty and both affect the same matter I pray for that for which when obtained I am bound to give prayse and I prayse and give thankes for that which is unto me the return of Prayer Now most Evident it is that Col. 1. 9 10 11. Heb. 4. 16. I must pray for Grace and that under the sense of the want of Grace I must addresse my selfe unto the Throne of Grace to finde Grace to help in time of need Therefore I may and must rejoyce in God as I reveiw that Grace the return of my Prayer derived into me from my Head Christ as the Spirit of Prayer doth make use of my reason to see and express my want of Grace and so teach me to pray so the Spirit of Prayse doth make use of my reason to reflect from Grace obtained my thanks unto and my Joy in God and so is my Comforter Lastly the Holy Ghost by reasoning from our Qualifications doth Evidence to us our right and interest in the Supper of the Lord then why not also by the same means our right and interest in Heaven and Happiness If hereby we come to know our propriety and interest in the flesh and blood of Jesus Christ Sacramentall why not hereby also our right and benefit in the flesh and blood of Christ reall and consequently in the fovour of Heaven The consequence is clear for we must put on the wedding Garment we must know our selves to be the freinds of the Master of the Feast before we may enter and venter to his Feast Now what is the matter of our Spirituall Joy yea what the Hellen we so much strive for but even this The Knowledge or Evidence of these conditions Viz. our Union with Christ our interest in Heaven c. So that we must know our interest in Heaven in order to the knowledge of our interest in the Sacrament or in our preparing for it But the Argument is proved from 1 Cor. 11. 28 29. Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eat c. Wherefore examine That he may eat c. of what examine Whether he be worthy i. e. fitly qualified for this Supper i. e. whether he have an interest in the Master of the Feast but whereby must he know this By searching trying and examining himselfe by exerciseing his reason about his Qualifications Viz. Whether hee can come in Faith Love c. But can this Examination prove a means effectuall for this end Yes verily ordained of God for that very purpose Let a man examine himselfe and by the Holy Ghost supposed effectuall and so let him eate having found himself worthily qualified for it by a sober due and rationall examination of himself so let him eate Then examin your selves in the like manner Whether you be in the Faith or no and if by the Evidence of your own Examination of your selves impartially exercised by your reason enlightned by the Spirit of God you can truely conclude you beleive Fear not but rejoyce in the light of this Evidence with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory in beleiving giving thankes unto the Father that hath made you meete not onely to be partakers of the Supper of the Lord Col. 1. 12 13. but of the inheritance of the Saints in Light Thus we have at length ended as we hope this Controversie for the fruit of Righteousnesse is Peace and the effect thereof assurance for ever Isa 32. 17. 18. Cautions about Qualifications But

is here held out to be the object of Faith Faith the prime meanes of our salvation and the Scripture the way rule and guide of Faith The practice of this hath attained an honorable record of the men of Berea the Holy Ghost still testifying that they of Berea were more noble then others even in this for that they would not give credit or Faith to the truths delivered by the Apostles themselves further then they made and found the word of Scripture to be the rule thereof they searching the scriptures daily whether these things were so Acts 18. 11. But the men we speake of while they winde up all Religion and rules of Faith into their unadvised presuming spirit what do they less so heinously obnoxious they are to the way of the spirit of truth then to be wise above that which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is written But besides divine Authority seconded also as might be abundantly instanced if occasion did require with the numerous Testimony of the Spirit of God in Holy men of all ages plaine reason proves it viz. That the Word of God or Scripture is the rule of Faith 1. That is and only is the rule of Faith that is of infallible truth But the Scripture is and only is of infallible truth it being the word and minde of truth Therefore the Scripture undoubtedly is and only is the rule of Faith Truth being the proper immediate object of Faith it must needs be the rule Rectum norma sui obliqui therof i. of that that is to be beleived For truth or what ever is streight and right is the rule and measure both of it selfe and that that is Erronious and crooked The Rule of Faith must be certaine and known for if it be not certaine it is no rule at all And if it be not known it is no rule to us But nothing is more certaine nothing is more known then the Holy Scriptures contained in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles wherefore the sacred Scripture is the rule of Faith most certaine and most safe And for the case in hand it is worth our notice that the Scriptures must needs be better known then the spirit in some cases as namely where it is received where it speaketh plainly and the question is concerning the spirit These are Bellarmines own Reasonings not against us but Libertines relying upon Revelations which as they will serve to condemn the Scripture-blaspheming-Papists out of their own mouthes so also to confute our Anti-scripturists in this particular These things are written notwithstanding that we might have the certainty of that wherein we are instructed and that we might beleeve in Jesus and in beleeving have Life Eternal But how many absurdities and dangerous Danger consequences are the issue of the deniall hereof It followes 1. That the scripture is not the word of God it is all one in effect to say so and to deny it to be the rule of Faith for that that is the Word i. the will sense and truth of God revealed must needs be the rule of Faith And if the scripture be not the rule of Faith it may not be received as the Word of God for as we see God by the eye of reaeson in the World through that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Creation and Providence so with the eye of Faith alone in the Holy scriptures as he is there revealed to us by his Prophets and Apostles Thus 2. It robs the Lord of his infinite Glory and injuriously strips the World of the greatest Blessing wherewith ever God in blessing blessed it the scriptures for as to God they are the greatest outward pledge of his admirable favour and as to us the best yea the only ordinary way and meanes of heavenly light life and happiness To refuse the scripture as to the rule of Faith it must of necessity either expose us to the folly of acknowledging unwritten Traditions and to fall professed Papists or worse to the danger of waiting and attending on immediate Revelations and arise to Familisme But since the way of this Errour doth directly lead to the later of these we have a considerable price put into our hand to purchase though short yet seasonable digression touching Revelations of this Quere Qu. Is it not lawfull in these dayes of light to expect Revelations Answ The word Revelation is used in the scripture in the good sense but such Revelations as either take away from or add to the Scriptures and such Revelations as claime to be immediate may not be expected And such are the Revelations we now speake of Such as derogate from i. deny or contradict any part of the scripture is utterly unlawfull and ridiculous and cannot possibly be of the spirit of God For observe When there was but part of the Word express and extant and God shewed at any time by revealing his minde to the Prophets his intention to add an increase and inlargement towards the decreed perfection of the Holy Writ He never argued so much former improvidence or present contradiction to himselfe as by the now reigning spirit of truth to charge the other truth that had been revealed before by the same spirit to be false and Erronious And even as Gods word of six severall daies in that most admirable frame and fabrik of the World doth sing and set forth the praise of the Glory of Divine Wisdome with the sweetest Harmony even so doth the glorious building of scripture though the stones thereof were laid at sundry times by severall instruments and in diverse manners That Land is not surely the Finger of God that endeavours to demolish it yea or to take down a stone thereof But this Errour would remove the very corner stone and with violent hands labours every way to bury the beauty of this building in the ruines thereof denying not only the Word to be the rule of Faith but the triall of Faith at all yea Faith it selfe and Christ himself c. and almost what ever the scriptures affirme unlawfull abominable Revelations For I protest saith our Saviour unto every man that heareth the Words of the Prophesie of this Booke that if any man shall diminish of the Words of the Prophesie of this Booke God shall take away his part out of the Booke of Life and out of the holy City the place you so much boast in and from these things that are written in this Book Rev. 22. 19. That Revelation that adds to the word is as impious unwarrantable also The top stone is laid the work is finished the whole Will and Minde of God is already revealed to us in the scriptures and we may looke for waite for no more Johns writings contemning every thing to be known to the end of the World even till he which testifieth these saith surely I come quickly c. Rev. 22. 20. And yet this Errour will expect more truths yet the scripture being not the rule

need not go beyond the materiall reall Gospel of Christ for one allegorical if this be all you seek to wit a mystery What part of the Gospell of Christ is not deep and mysticall which the Prophets of old counted worthy their inquiry and diligent search and which the intelligent Angells themselves desire to looke into 1. Pet 1. 10 11 12. But in setting my self for the defence or the Gospell that is so mightily struck at by this particular I shall bring some few Arguments for the subversion of this allegoricall way of interpreting the same First Then since that the immediate end and undertaking of the Gospell is for the advancement of Christ both in his Flesh and Spirit together for both our Justification and Sanctification and comfort I desire to be informed whether this way will lead us to an allegory in the former onely or in the later also If in onely one I desire to know the reason of the others exemption But if in the Spirit and Sanctification and comfort as well as in the flesh of Christ and our Justification then my request is what may be the allegory of Sanctification and comfort what is the Spirit of the Spirit But we may be wholly drawn out of this way by the strength of those following Arguments The first is taken from the Author the first and great Preacher of the Gospell to the Sons of men Now we read Heb. 2. 3. that it was at first preached by the Lord himself Moses indeed may be the Minister of types and shadowes but when Moses Antitype the Prophets which the Lord shall raise up Acts 3. like unto Moses he shall doubtlesse bring into the World the truth and substance with him The Son himself shall whatever the servant hath done declare his Fathers minde cleerely and plainly according as our Saviour himself assureth Yee are my freinds for all things that I have heard of my Father I Jo. 15. 15. have made known unto you to which we may heare his Disciples and Freinds ecchoing back an answer Loe now speakest Jo. 16. 27. thou plainly and no parable i. no allegory for though the Law was given by Moses yet Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ Joh 1. 17. The second Argument against this Allegoricall way of expounding the Gospell is taken from the matter thereof The mediate sense and substance of the Gospell Viz. The way and meanes of fallen mans recovery This was first revealed in the first promise as man received it in the serpents curse the seed of the Woman shall breake the serpents head So much of this as was preached before was Gospell this is the Epitomy of that Gospell that is now more fully and clearely revealed to the World which is truly the truth and not an allegory But how is Christ to break the serpents head onely in the spirit surely as the seed of the Woman also who is as distinguished from the spirit the way the truth and the life as Joh. 14. Preist Prophet and King plainly and really so He that came to seek and to save that which was lost is the onely saviour but Christ in his person as well as in his spirit came to seek and to save that which was lost therefore he is as in both the onely saviour whose spirit as it is a spirit of Life so his flesh Joh. 6. 55. is meate indeed and his Blood drinke indeed i. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truly and really not allegorically The last is taken from the manner of the delivering of the Gospell to us 1. by our Saviour himself the truth who cannot ly he that eats my Flesh and Joh. 6. 40. 54. drinkes my blood not he that seeks for an allegoricall but metaphoricall meaning in this he that seeth the son and beleeveth on him hath everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day And secondly by Paul c. 1 Cor. 15. at the beginning which may serve for all Brethren saith he I declare unto you the Gospell which I preached unto you which also you have received and wherein you stand by which also you are saved Well now what is this Gospell to end all controversie verse 3. I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures that he was buried and rose again according to the scriptures c. Thus we preached you beleived were saved and the truth beleived is no more an allegory then the end therof salvation but all in plainness of speech not in mysteriousness in the simplicity of the truth not with double meaning and in the demonstration of the spirit notallegorically But I am jealous over you with a godly Jealousy fearing lest by any meanes as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty so your mindes should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ 2 Cor. 11. 2 3. But Caveat Emptor for who ever deals with this opinion is miserably deceived She windes up all Religion to the airy Pinacle of towering speculation and there fairely promiseth the discovery of the glory of Heaven the new Jerusalem but in the end this is all it receives at her hand even to be cast down thence into a troublesome sea of uncertainties fallibilities absurdities and what not this spirit of theirs blowes up a specious amiable bubble but if you once but close with it it immediately desolves and vanishes into a meere and empty nothing lay but once a side the literall sense of the Word of God and let the allegorical passe for Authentical there must needs be admitted and that unavoidably as severall mindes of God as there are various Phansies and different apprehensions of men in the world every ones spirit will coin a new mystery Divinity Quot homines tot sententiae what divisions distractions confusions will follow hereupon we can hardly agree about the literall O how shall we then differ about this mysterious Allegoricall Truth and Gospell Methinks and truly I averr it with a minde unprejudiced there glides a perceivable though silent stream through every channel of this Error into the sea of Rome And especially in the case in hand It will have the Scriptures universally allegoricall so will the Papists and as the Papists descend below Scripture to unwritten traditions so this way ascends above the Scriptures into unwritten mysteries The worst of the Papists have said the Gospell was written not to rule our faith but to be ruled by it calling it a nose of wax a dumbe judge c. And doth not this way of allegorizing Scripture speake aloud all this And blush not to say that the Scripture is fitted to the time and variably understood the sense thereof being one while this and another while that according as it pleaseth the spirit to change its dictates as the Papist according as the Church is pleased to change her judgment that is all the difference and

First our Qualifications are changeable in their own nature Secondly and with respect to the givers disposall The first I thinke I may safely gather from these two expressions They shall come to nothing and are given to change the last is as clearly expressed in the later words They may be taken away at the owners disposall Now to the first of these that affirmeth Our gifts and graces are given to change Answ I Answer 1. By Concession that Grace in it self may be said to be changeable that is the gracious holy frame and disposition of the Soul may be spoyled by sin and lost in ruines as is sadly instanced in the unhappy fall of the first holy Man and glorious Angells Yet 2. By Exception to say notwithstanding That the Graces wrought by the Spirit of God in the Members of Christ the second Adam are given to change is an unsavory Arminian Position Let us learn to distinguish there is Naturall Common and Speciall i. e. saving Gospell Grace the Naturall Originall Grace that Image of God in our first Parents and the Grace that is wrought by the common influence of the Spirit of God upon Hypocrites was and is lyable to change and ruine yet that later speciall saving Gospel Grace that is the fruit and blessing of the Spirit and promise of the Gospell is not as the flower that fadeth away though it fadeth it shall never die Is it ever seemingly dead It is but as the Coal that is covered with Ashes buried alive Grace is of an Eternally conquering Immortall Seed Nature and spite of all opposition in the end shall discover it self most certainly effectuall in the Redemption of its Subject the Soul from Hell to Heaven Grace came from Christ and will return to him again but yet not empty it will do its work for which it was sent and carry our Souls to Heaven with it that where he is we may be also that Water that Radicall Moisture Christ gives and deriveth into his Branches is within them as a Well of water springing up into everlasting Life Though it meet with opposition that would keep it down and choak it it will up again and with a most prevalent force at the last overcome all enmity and in high contempt and triumph bubble up it self into life everlasting Jo. 4. 14. This Water shall never be wholly exhaust for the assurance of which the Church is a Fountain and for the more security a Fountain sealed A true Member of Christ shall never be without Grace for Grace while the immeasurable fulnes of the Grace of our Head and the inexhaustible Fountain of the Fathers love be dried up and emptied till the Principle and means die and fail how is it possible that Soul should wholly and finally fall away that is is kept i. e. held up By the power of God through Faith unto Salvation 1. Pet. 1. 5. Yet then our Grace may be a firm Evidence it is not fallible by being thus changeable Object But he that gave it I hope may take it away at his own pleasure This the second Plea Answ I answer that Gods Executive power as to take away that he hath given is to be considered either De Jure or De Facto 1. If we consider it in matter of right then the question is and indeed it is the main question for as it is concluded in matter of Right it must also be yeilded as touching Fact in God that injures none The question is whether God can justly take away that Grace that he himself by the speciall operation of the spirit hath given For the clering whereof we must look upon this Right as it De meritorie incurrit iram Dei licet non effect ve respecteth us and God First then with respect to our unworthinesse or abuse of Grace doubtlesse God as he might have denied us so he may most justly deprive us of it But secondly with respect unto himself if we take it in a sober sense he cannot and that because of his already acceptation of his Sonnes merits and his own voluntary Obligations for us 1. These outward gifts and mercies are given as but Exhypothesi we breaking the condition as we have forfeited so are we lyable to give them up at the owners pleasure and demand But God hath ingaged himself never totally to take away Grace and therefore lawfully without breach of Bond cannot do it Now this Engagement is Reall and Vertuall 1. God hath properly Engaged himself in Bargain with Christ not to recall the gift of Grace from his Christ loved us and gave himself for us that he might Redeem us from our vain conversation to be a holy People even with the price of his life and blood God accepted Justice is satisfied by his stripes we are healed the bargain ended it was then Isai 53. as we may read concluded That by this knowledge or by the acknowledgement of himself he should justifie many Now the price being tendred and received the property of the goods is altered Can God in Justice now for Justice is satisfied reclaim our Grace ours not onely by gift but purchase also 1 Tim. 2. 6. Heb. 3. 6. Christ is our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ransome and the Mediatour of that bargaine of Grace also even to see it performed and kept Secondly as God properly Engaged Jer. 32. 40. by bargain not to take away Grace so by Promise also Hath not God promised Deut. 26. 18. and most solemnly Covenanted That he will put his feare into our hearts and to what end and effect Even that we should be kept thereby from falling away that we shall not depart ftom him For the gifts of God are without repentance yea let this add to our great comfort That he will not onely Isai 42. 3. not breake the bruised Reed not onely not quench the smoking flax but bring forth Judgement into Victory being confident of this very thing That he Phil. 1. 6. which hath begun a good work in us will perform or finish it to the day of Jesus Christ for shall not God be as good as his Word Let God be True and every man a lyar 2. There is likewise a Vertuall Engagement whereby God is bound never to withdraw his Spirit and Grace from his which is an addition of strength to the Engagement of Promise to hold God to his Word The Spirit and Grace is not onely the token of Gods love but a Pledge to supply Christs absence and our security for our Beloveds return Joh. 14. with 16. Our Seal whereby we are sealed and made Ephes 4. 10. Ephes 2. 13. 14. sure to the day of Redemption yea and the earnest of our Inheritance Is not the man bound to stand to his bargain that hath given Earnest he must either have the one or lose the other Now think yee is the precious Faith and Spirit of God so vile in Gods eyes that he will lose

whether Christ be in them is by a self-searching examination not by a waiting for the immediate invisible shining of the Spirit for its own discovery and evidence Arg. 3 A reflecting upon and reasoning from Grace for Evidence of our true enjoyment of God is but a judgeing of Gods presence by his working what absurdity or but a knowing of the Cause by the Effect and is this a strange thing I would fain know what hinders but that the Spirit may give us to see himself in his own work when as we behold the Creation and Providence of God this is that that may be known of God So the new Creation and Government within us is that that may be known of the Spirit Arg. 4 Since God is too wise a Work-man to make more work then needs why may not he make use of the Reason of man so easie and open and ready a way in this particular Case of Evidence as well as in those particulars following wherein I shall argue The Holy Ghost doth exercise the reason of man to evidence to him this state of Nature then why may he not by the same faculty Evidence to man his state of Grace These are in themselves proper contraries and both equally Relative unto man the one the depravation the other the recovery and reparation of his Nature yet we finde the first foot-steps of God for the Evidence of sinne in our first Parents trod in such a path God comes towards them to finde out and convince them of their sinne and Rebellion in eating c. How By a reasonable expostulation And hath the Spirit of Christ any other way then this according to the Gospell The Truth is my witnesse the Spirit at his comming this glorious dispensation of the Spirit shall convince the World of sinne John 16. 8. the Spirit may discover sinne long enough and I never see it unlesse it be with the eye of Reason and shew me Grace long enough and I never be comforted unlesse I see it with the same eye He shewes us the things of Christ but must not we see them too John 16. 14. else how shall we glorifie him God may accuse but he cannot convince us of sin without the enlightning of our own Reason and therefore that his ancient People might be convinced of their sinne and that he did not accuse them without a cause Come now let us reason together saith the Lord Isa 1. 18. Therefore to conclude as the Reprobate shall not be cast into Hell untill they be fully convinced of their sin by most cleare and invincible Evidence having all their Objections answered their mouths quite stopped when they have read their Debts in the Book that are in their own judgement sufficient to cast them into the Eternall Dungeon Matth. 25. 45. c. So if any of the Saints want the knowledge of the ground of Assurance while they are in the World they shall it seems with their reason enlightned by Christ at that day know it before they enter into his Kingdome Matth. 25. 37. to 40. The Holy Ghost maketh use of the reason of Man for his Conversion then why not also for his Consolation Is it not the same Object that doth convert Man to and comfort him in God On the one hand Hell and on the other hand Heaven and is it not the same Light that doth discover the same Object though for these divers Ends doth it not then require the same Organ the same Faculty Reason enlightned is the eye whereby we apprehend the terrour of Hell Law Justice c. with the glory of Heaven Grace and Happinesse and are changed in our thoughts and wayes and surely also whereby we apprehend the same Objects and our selves as freed from the one kind and interessed in the other and are ravished with joy unspeakable and glorious God is the Primum movens and he must first move our Primum mobile before the inferiour Orbes will turn towards him the will having its immediate Light and Evidence not from the Spirit of God but the mind the Candle of the Lord if the understanding be darkned it walks in darkness and seeth no light the heart is blinded but if this Candle be inlightned by the Spirit of God it is subservient not onely to the will but consequently to the whole Man in its turning from Sin and Nature to God and Grace Now the same light that doth convert the minde by Reflection doth comfort and refresh the heart The Holy Ghost doth work by our reason in the Creation of Faith then why not also for Hope and Assurance God hath provided a Saviour for Sinners the way of their Salvatian by him is beleiving in him Now that God might work up the Souls of sinners to beleive and be saved he hath ordained a Ministery hath put into its hand a word of Reconciliation to shew them the necessity and worth of a Saviour by convincing them of Sin and Righteousnesse offering them a Saviour and Life and Heaven with him will they but beleive beseeching in Christs stead that through him they would be reconciled to God and saved and all this is that he might not force but win Men to the Faith that Faith might come by Reason and in the day of Gods Power his Psal 110. People might be a willing People as we will not beleive so we cannot be assured but by Reason they are both Acts of the same Faith And now what should priviledge the reflex Act of Faith more then its direct from being beholding to Reason I know not The Scriptures say He that believeth shall be saved my reason being inlightned inabled to see the truth and stableness of the Proposition is effectually perswaded to close with this offer and to beleive But now I beleive cannot the same faculty of reason inlightned and assisted by the same Spirit reflect Consolation herefrom He that beleives shall be saved but I believe therefore I am sure I shall be saved this is the Joy of my Salvation What hinders but that the same reason that upon the perswasion of the truth of the Gospell caused me to beleive may upon the assurance of the truth of my Faith together with the veiw of the Glory of Salvation cause me to rejoyce because I did not doubt But he that beleiveth shall be saved therefore I beleived so for that I am assured I beleive I am assured of salvation and therefore am at rest What more neede of the immediate shining of the Spirit in us for Faith of Evidence then for Faith of Adherence as I reason about misery for the work of the first so I reason about happiness for the Act of the second that is the greatest difference Yea insomuch as we having assurance in Adam and not Faith Faith is the more difficult work Secondly insomuch as it being more difficult to attain to any habit then to Act from that habite when attained to act Faith of Evidence is far

before we conclude this Chapter we shall subjoyne these necessary cautious as a Qualification to Qualifications First let the Reader take a speciall difference in order to the deciding of the present question betwixt Assurance and Comfort For as assurance is the effect of Righteousness so Joy and Comfort are effects of Assurance and as they are divers in themselves so are they differently obtained by us Even as the Habit and the Act of the Habit. For when I would confirm my Brother in a by him doubted Truth as I fetch all the Arguments from Scripture and Reason to prove it to him even so must I deal with my doubting Conscience to bring it unto an assured knowledge of the truth of my State of Grace and Title to Heaven This as the obtaining of a Habit requires some time with a serious deliberate Exercise of Reason but as when we have gotten a habit there is nothing more ready and easie then to Act therefrom so Spirituall Comfort is the most proper and immediate Effluvium and effect of Assurance obtained Though we come very hardly to the assured knowledge of our state of Grace yet we passe most easily from that assured knowledge c. to joy unspeakable as the reflection of the Sun doth naturally recoile by or from its direct Act so that as it is necessary that there be some glance from the Exercise of beleiving reason upon Pardon Grace God Heaven c. For every Passion must have its Object for the begetting of Spirituall Joy from Assurance so doth it immediately and upon a sudden flash take life from thence as when a Candle is lighted light immediately springs all over the house yet this Joy is most reall sollid and substantiall Secondly it is not at all required especially from such as are already perswaded to Assurance upon good grounds that every Act of their Spirituall Joy should be the issue of their immediate Conception of Grace as if a Christian might never take Spirituall Comfort to himself but as from the reflexion of reason upon his Graces We many times rejoyce in our God and Saviour and by Faith that is the substance of things hoped for even bathe our Souls in those rivers of pleasure c. and that from Assurance already made and not now questioned the Spirit of God doth assure us by shewing us our own things and thus giving us matter of Joy doth comfort us mediately but he doth also shew us the things of Christ and John 16. thus is more immediately and properly our Comforter for we have received the Spirit of God that makes us know the things that are freely given to us of God To conclude as when I have sufficiently proved my Doctrine it would be but a needless perplexity and folly to turn back for the renewing of the proof of my Doctrine for every Vse that I make thereof so for a Saint upon every occasion of Spirituall rejoycing to go so far about as to the triall of the grounds of Assurance as it would be a sign of over much suspicion and infidelity so a grosse in that an ungratefull abuse of Assurance Lastly our reason most diligently exercised even upon the best of our Qualifications can give us but a dark indistinct and uncertain Evidence without the light and helpe of the Spirit of God as our eyes cannot give vs an exact distinct knowledge of colours without the light of the Sun by a candle Now the understanding of a man is the Candle of the Lord Prov. 20. 27. CHAP. IV. Of the immediate witnesse of the Spirit HAving done my Endeavour assisted I hope by the Spirit of God for the clearing of our Evidences we now proceed to lay hold on the other branch springing from the same roote which hath been before delivered in these words Viz. The Spirit of God doth manifest Errour his Presence to the Soul by his own immediate light Arg. 1 The first Reason that endeavours the maintenance of this and is every where hinted by the disturber of the false rests is the Spirits sufficiency to discover himself immediately to us Answ But he ought to know that from a sufficiency to an efficiency is no good arguing the death of that person that was God as well as Man being infinitely meritorious then how falls it out that all Men yea and Devils themselves are not saved 2. From the power to the Act gives no good Argument because the power of God is sufficiently able to destroy the World and all therein therefore will he must he doe it Can the spirit discover himself to the Soul immediately that therefore he will use no means in this work is a pure non sequitur yet this Assertion is built especially when illustrated with that that followes Viz. Arg. 2 The Spirit is a Sunne Page 60. line 17. Now the Sunne doth manifest it selfe unto the World in its owne Light therefore the Spirit in like manner to our hearts Answ It is said that Christ shall come as a theife c. therefore as a theif comes to do that that is sinnefull must Christ also Such it the absurdity of the precedent Argument for comparisons run not on foure feet 2. But secondly this comparison holds at least thus far First the Sunne doth manifest it selfe in its owne Light so doth the Spirit again the Sunne doth convey his Light whereby we see other Objects and himselfe through a Medium Viz. the Aire so the spirit through our Graces Moreover the Sunne requires an Eye of Sense in us whereby we must see and use his light c. so the Spirit an Eye of Reason Lastly we feel as some will have it the heat and comfort of the Sunne by reflection onely and thus by reflection we grant we have the sweet and comfort of this our Spirituall Sunne the Holy Ghost 3. But thirdly the Sun and the Spirit must in somewhat be unlike else not alike and this indeed may be received for full solution The Sunne is a necessary but the Spirit is a free Agent the Sunne must shine and shew it selfe but the Spirit blowes where it listeth therefore some have it and some have it not and others have it and know it not while the Sunne must alwayes and alwayes one way discover himselfe the Spirit is not bound by this means nor yet by that much lesse immediatly to shew himself to us Arg. 3 It hath been objected to me in discourse By one whom I judge both very knowing and Godly that Christ is our Husband and that therefore it should seem more answerable to that relation to tell us he loves us with his owne mouth and immediately then to leave his Spouse to construe his love from his tokens onely Answ For satisfaction hereunto I answer Suppose we that Christ is our Husband and that therefore it seems more fit that he himself declare his Love to us immediately What is it that must Judge of this Meetenesse our Phancy or Faith We