Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	believe_v	faith_n	true_a	5,505	5	5.0466	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A33955	A cordiall for a fainting soule, or, Some essayes for the satisfaction of wounded spirits labouring under severall burthens in which severall cases of conscience most ordinary to Christians, especially in the beginning of their conversion, are resolved : being the summe of fourteen sermons, delivered in so many lectures in a private chappell belonging to Chappell-Field-House in Norwich : with a table annexed, conteining the severall cases of conscience which in the following treatise are spoken to directly or collaterally / preached and now published ... by John Collings.	Collinges, John, 1623-1690.	1649 (1649)	Wing C5305; ESTC R24775	174,484	300

not lay my hand upon it c. But Fourthly Christ dying p. 27. saith he Actuall doubtings may be in a soule who hath habituall faith for as he saith they are not opposed as life and death but as cold and heat water may have some cold and some heat in it at the same time Rutherford as life and sicknesse saith Mr. Rutherford sicknesse is neighbour with life Nay fifthly I may say more I thinke Faith and Doubting may be at the same time in the soul though not in the same thing I cannot beleeve this truth and yet doubt the same but I may beleeve this and doubt some other● Yea Sixthly There is no beleever lives but hath had or hath doubtings Abraham Gen. 15. 2 3. David Psal ●16 11. See more p. 17 18 19. ib. The morning dawning of light may be light though there be some darknesse mixed with it Now to prove this position that Faith may consist with Doubtings Christ dying I can say no more then precious Mr. Rutherford hath said p. 27. who proveth it by these five Arguments First because Faith and Doubtings are not contradictories as life and death which mutually deny and expell one another but opposites as sicknesse and health in the same body may be successively Secondly Because Christ when he rebuked doubting yet supposed faith and acknowledged faith though a little faith in his Disciples Mat. 14. 31. Thirdly Because the Disciples prayed Lord increase our faith what needed that they had been at Ela at the highest pitch and note of faith if they had been above all doubtings Fourthly Because Christ prayed for Peter that when Satan winnowed him his faith might not fail it could not faile if every true faith were above all doubtings Fifthly and lastly from the various condition of the Saints of God here sometimes they have a full Moon ●non no Moon-light at all but a dark Eclipse I might adde the constant experience of Gods Saints Who lives and doth not thus sinne against God I appeale to the best experiences of Gods earthly Saints These things I thought good to premise for the right understanding and for the proving of this conclusion Now I will not enter into so large a field as to shew you all the Doubts that Christians may have Mr. Sedgwick hath done a great deale in this work in the Book before quoted but thus much I will doe First I will shew you what doubts and weaknesses and imper●ections may consist with true Faith in a gracious soule in relation to the severall acts of it Secondly I will shew you the differences betwixt those Doubts which often arise in and are consistent with Faith in a gracious soul and those which are damning dispairing doubts of Reprobates And first of the first of these CHAP. 8. What Doubtings and weaknesses in respect of knowledge may consist with true Faith in a gracious soule and how to satisfie the soule in this trouble THough some dispute knowledge to be a● act of Faith yet we say that it is required to the lowest and meanest act of Faith which is assent rather then an act of Faith of it self yet in regard many Christians that strive and labour after knowledge having wanted those meanes that others have had either in regard of hearing the Word or in regard of education have not attained to what they desire walk yet troubled about their condition in respect of their ignorance and because of this are ready to deny the grace of God in the work of true Faith in their soules Give me leave a little to speak something by way of satisfaction to such poor souls you shall heare them complain in this manner Complaint Alas I beleeve I have not yet stept the first step of a Christian. I have not so much as a knowledge of Gods Word I am a poor ignorant soule I know not halfe the mysterious doctrines of salvation can such an ignorant wretch as I be a beleever Besides for what I know I am ready to deny it sometimes I think this is the word and truth of God sometimes again I think it is not I fully beleeve nothing I know nothing I cannot read nor understand when I heare many things in Scripture I know not and for what I know I know nothing as ●ought to know it Here 's the complaint now satisfaction Now to speak a word or two by way of comfort and stay to the soule that labours under this trouble For thy knowing nothing as thou oughtest to know as thou complainest it is happy for thy soule if thou speakest from thy heart that God hath wrought thy heart into so low an opinion of thy self See what the Apostle speaketh 1 Cor. 8. 2. And if any man think that hee knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know it But now for thy reall ignorance that thou so much complainest of I shall propound a few considerations which wil shew thee how much ignorance may consist with true faith in the soule and then conclude all with a caution or two For the first First consider Thou mayest be ignorant in many points of Religion which are fundamentall in some sense and yet have faith true faith I think when we speak of fundamentals we ought to distinguish some fundamentalls are absolutely necessary our salvation stands upon them as to beleeve That Iesus Christ came into the world to save sinners that he became man a Iesus a full Savior that he dyed for us that we might live that there is no salvation in any other but in him and that in him there is a fulnesse of salvation c. These now are those pillars upon which our salvation stands and the knowledge of which is alwayes supposed to true justifying faith none can be ignorant in these and beleeve For how shall they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard which was the Apostles question but now there are other doctrines which are ordinarily called fundamentalls because they are such as Christians learn even in the beginning of their conversion such as are first taught and laid for a foundation to build other truths upon the doctrine of the imposition of hands resurrection of the dead c. are reckoned up by the Apostle for fundamentalls Heb. 6. 1 2. Now for these it is very possible that a Christian may be ignorant of them and yet have a true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ The Doctrine of the Trinity of the persons viz. That in the Deity there are three distinct manners of being three distinct subsistences distinguished each from other by their severall properties This is without question a fundamentall point of the second sort such as is usually taught Christians as a piece of the foundation of Religion yet I do verily beleeve that a Christian may beleeve and be in the state of grace and yet not be instructed fully but be ignorant in this Suppose a Minister should go preach to Heathens

act of it 109 Assent in the first and lowest act of faith What it is Ib. What manner of assent is an act of faith p. 110 1. It must be stedfast 2. Impartiall 3. Cleare p. 110 111 What manner of assent wicked wretches give to Gods Word p. 112 It is a ravish'd assent of their will p. 113 The second act of faith is Reliance this is the justifying act p. 115 Six words which Master Ball hath noted in Scripture setting out the worke of justifying faith p. 116 The third act of faith is Full Perswasion and Assurance What it is p. 117 This is not necessary but comfortable Ib. This is not that which justifieth but fides justificati Ib. What is good and speciall justifying faith p. 118 How farre perswasion comes into justifying faith 1. There is a difference betwixt a perswasion and a full perswasion Ib. 2. There is a difference betwixt a perswasion relating to the present and a perswasion relating to the future 5 Conclusions from the premises to comfort a soule under this trouble Ib. SERM. VII CHAP. VII HOw to satisfie such Christians as conceit their faith is false because they have many doubts and weaknesses Faith is of so good a nature that it will consist in a gracious heart with many doubts and weaknesses p. 121 122 5 Conclusions of Master Sedgewicks concerning doubts in a gracious soule p. 123 5 Arguments of Master Rutherfords to prove that faith may consist with doubtings p. 124 125 CHAP. VIII VVHat doubtings and weaknesses in respect of Knowledge may consist in a truly beleeving soule with true faith The complaint stated p. 126 It is happy for the soule to complain it knowes nothing Ib. Six conclusions shewing what ignorance may be in a true believing soule p. 126 127 128 c. 1. An ignorance in some points of Religion which in some sense may be called fundamentals p. 127 A distinction of fundamentals p. 127 128 What fundamentals are necessary to be knowne and without which can be no faith p. 127 128 The conclusion proved p. 128 129 130 2 Conc. A Believer may have true faith and yet be ignorant in many circumstantiall points of Religion p. 130 The conclusion proved p. 130 131 3 Conc. A Christian may have true faith and yet be ignorant in the History of the Bible p. 131 4 Conc. A Christian may have true faith and yet be ignorant of the meaning of many places in Scripture p. 131 5. A Christian may be so farre ignorant in those fundamentals that are necessary to be knowne that he cannot make them out and yet be a true believer p. 132 6. A Christian may be so farre ignorant in substantialls that hee cannot make them good upon dispute and yet have true faith p. 133 2 Cautions to be mixed with the premised Conclusions Ib. 1 He must not be content with this Ignorance Ib. 2 Hee must not deny nor revile the truth which he doth not as yet know p. 133 134 135 SERM. VIII CHAP. IX VVHat doubts and weaknesses may consist with true faith in a gracious soule in respect to assent The Complaint stated p. 136 5 Considerations to comfort the soule in severall complaints concerning the weaknesse of its assent p. 136 137 138 c. 1. A true believer may think he doth not assent to the truth of God when indeed he doth p. 137 Our assent is to be judged by our Actions p. 138 139 140 2. A Christian may be a true believer and yet sometimes doubt or indeed rather be tempted to doubt whether the word of God be the word of God or no. p. 140 141 Four notes by which we may know whether our Atheisticall thoughts against the truth of the Scriptures be temptations or no. p. 141 142 143 1 If they be they are ordinarily but disputations and not determinations p. 141 2. If they be but temptations thou strivest against them p. 142 3. If they be but temptations they will not dwell with thee Ib 4. If they be but temptations thou leadest not thy life according to them while thou art under them p. 143 144 3. Conc. A Christian may be a true believer and yet not for the present assent to some particular truth in the word of God p. 144 From what causes such a deficiency in assent may arise viz. 1. Ignorance 2. Weaknesse p. 144 145 146 4. Conc. A Christian that is a true believer may possibly not assent to the true meaning of this or that place of Scripture yea possibly close with a false interpretation of it p. 146 147 148 Every Misbeliever is not an Unbeliever p. 147 148 5. Conc. A Christian may truly believe and truly and clearly assent unto the truth of God though he cannot in all things give a clear evidence for his assent p. 148 149 A Truth is two wayes clear to a Christ First To the eye of his Reason Secondly To the eye of his Faith p. 148 149 Many truths of God are not clear to the Christians eye of Reason all are cleare to his eye of faith p. 149 A Difference of Evidences out of Master Ball. p. 148 149 150 The conclusion of the case with a repetition of the conclusions and an addition of two cautions p. 150 151 152 153 SERM. IX CHAP. X. COncerning those doubts and weaknesses which may consist with true faith in a gracious soule in respect to the justifying act of faith viz. Reliance The Complaint stated of such as conceive their faith and reliance is not true because they cannot think they rely or doe not as they conceive constantly rely or cannot find an equall reliance upon all the promises p. 156 Severall conclusions and considerations to comfort the soule under such scruples p. 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 1. Consid A Christian may truly and wholly rely on Jesus Christ and yet not believe he fully and truly relies p 157 158 2. Consid A Christian may have true faith and truly rely upon Jesus Christ and really think he doth not truly rest and rely p. 159 3. Consid Thou mayest question and doubt thy Reliance and yet truly rely Disputing argues a weaknesse not a nullity of the act p. 160 161 Causes assigned of such conceits in Christians against the truth of their reliances and of such disputes in their spirits concerning it p. 162 c. 1. Cause The remaines of naturall blindnesse p. 162 2. Cause The Devils temptations p. 163 3. Cause The misgiving and suspitious nature of Christians Ib. 4. Cause Mists of Melancholy clouding the soules eye p. 164 5. Cause A Christians wilfulnesse refusing to take any evidence of the truth of faith but from sense Ib. 4. Consid Thou mayest at all times truly rely and yet not at all times with equall confidence rely p. 165 166 5. Consid Thou mayest not so fully and equally rely upon some promises at all times as upon other and yet truly rely upon all p. 167 It is hard

and preach what need men in naturall condition have of Jesus Christ what a wofull condition they are in without him what a readinesse there is in Christ to save them and upon this presse faith doe you think it is not possible that some soule may be startled and run out of it self and rest truly upon Christ and yet not be for the present so well instructed as to give you an account of the Trinity of persons And yet without question it is a truth and a fundamentall truth too Acts 19. v. 2. Paul came to Ephesus and found certain men that were Disciples v. 1. He asks them if they had received the Holy Ghost they ingenuously confest that they were so farre from receiving the gifts of the Holy Ghost that they had not so much as heard whether there was an Holy Ghost or no I know most of expositors construe it of the gifts of the holy Ghost but for my part I cannot subscribe to their opinion but think the latter clause hath more then the former and that there is an emphasis in their answer and so Ioh. 20. v. 9. we find the Disciples of Christ ignorant in the point of Christs Resurrection from the dead and Christ chides his Disciples for their ignorance in this point The Disciples were ignorant concerning the Father Ioh. 14. 8. Lord shew us the Father and it sufficeth us Luk. 24. v. 5. The very Apostles were ignorant in the point of Christs Kingdome and rule and dreamt of Christs restoring the temporall Kingdome to Israel Act. 1. v. 6. This is the case of many a poor Christian it may be it cannot read or it hath not lived where there hath been any faithfull powerfull soule-enlightning preaching but when Gods time comes he brings the soule to heare and it doth possibly heare of its poor naturall undone condition and that there is none other name by which the Christian may be saved but onely the Name of Jesus yet this now being the work of Gods Spirit the spirit carries on its own work and creates faith in the soule brings the soule to trust and rely on Iesus Christ There may be divers fundamentall points that the soule all this while hath not heard a word concerning as how many yeare sometimes doth a Minister preach and not directly meddle with the Doctrine of the Trinity c How many weeks and not preach the Doctrine of the Resurrection But here is now the condition of such a Christian after the Spirit of God hath enlightned him and convinced him c. the poor soule that regarded not instruction before now begins perhaps to learn to read pray now he heareth the Word more enquireth concerning God more c. and every day discovers more truth then other to which the soul by nature was blinded then begins Satans work the soule reflects upon it self and begins to say now Wo is me I have my work still to begin I have made my self beleeve I have been a beleever so long and alas I have been a poor blind ignorant wretch blind to the truths of Iesus Christ c. how could I beleeve while I knew so little Yes Christian thou mayest be a Scholler though thou beest but in thy Accidence there are some truths which are the Credenda ad salutem the very foundation upon which salvation standeth Now true faith is not consistent without these I cannot rest upon Christ and Christ onely for salvation and yet not know that there is a Christ nor what this Christ is how proportionate a Saviour for me without question the knowledge of the Doctrine of faith in Iesus Christ the Son of God and the Saviour of man what he is what he hath done what need we have of him what a fulnesse there is in him what a sufficiencie of salvation for every soule that beleeveth c. is so much knowledge as is absolutely necessary and without which no soule can be saved yet this must not be understood without some caution as I shall shew you anon for though it be truth such a blind soule may be enlightned so far as truely to beleeve yet if so it will deny no truth but labour and thirst after the knowledge of every truth A man may be a Grecian and yet not know every word in the Greek tongue no not every Radix Beleevers shall not bee saved by their Book Secondly A Beleever may be ignorant in many circumstanciall points of Religion and yet be a true Beleever this is clear from many examples in Scripture Peter himself did not know he might eat those birds and beasts Acts 11. which to the Iewes were unclean The beleeving Romanes did not know their liberty in point of holy-dayes Rom. 14. and eating of meats first offered to Idolls Gal. 4. which maketh the Apostle take a great deale of paines for setting Rules to strong Christians how to carry themselves in relation to their weak brethren Gal. 5. whose consciences were stumbled at their eating both in the 24. Chap. of his Epistle to the Romanes and also in his Epistle to the Corinthians he harps upon the same string again The Churches of Galatia and Colosse were ignorant about the point of Christian liberty The indulgent Master will not throw away the childs Exercise for want of a Comma Christ rejects not the Christians Faith because it is not fringed with a knowledge in every circumstantiall in Religion I call no truth circumstantiall as by a slighting and neglective terme for it is a beame of God but as comparatively though they be truths to be known embraced loved practised yet they touch not the vitals of salvation as I may say They are not necessary to be known ad esse to make a true beleever Thirdly a Christian may be ignorant in the History of the Bible and yet have true justifying faith Every Scholler is not a Chronologer nor an Historian no more is every beleever I may know what Christ was though I know not what Moses and Aaron were I may know which way Christ took to bring my soule out of darknesse into marvellous light though I do not know which way Moses took to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt I may know there is but one King of Kings though I do not know how many Kings there were of Israel and Iudah The Disciples did not know all the Prophets had spoken Luk. 24. 25. Fourthly a Christian may be a true beleever and yet not know the meaning of many places in Scripture God would never have appointed expounders of the Law if every Christian qua Christian were to have been a generall Commentator That Well is deep and every one hath not a Bucket to draw There are that tell us that ●e Spirit reveales the meaning of Scripture to the beleever and would thence evince that whoso hath the Spirit must needs bee fit to unty every knot and unriddle every mystery of Scripture but every one that hath