Selected quad for the lemma: faith_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
faith_n	apostle_n	justify_v	work_n	31,332	5	6.6689	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01028	A letter first written and sent by Io. Forbes, pastour of the English Church at Middelburgh vnto certen of the companie of marchands adventurers at Stoade, at their earnest desire, for resolving this question: how a Christian man may discerne the testimonie of Gods spirit, from the testimonie of his owne spirit, in witnessing his adoption. And now againe renewed and enlarged by the authour, at the desire of divers good Christians, for the comfort of their troubled co[n]sciences, and published by those of his flocke, to whom he did dedicate it for the publike vse of the Church.	Forbes, John, 1568?-1634.	1616 (1616)	STC 11131; ESTC S118027	27,622	94

so that hee is dead Wherevpon it comes to passe that God therein is so terrible to man that hee cannot abyde him nor heare him but is compelled to runne from him as is cleere by the 12. chapt of the Hebrues verse 19. 20. 21. compared with Exod. chapt 20. verse 18. 19. 20. 21. Thus our former blindnes is turned into bondage and the fruit of blindnes that is securitie is turned in the fruit of bondage which is feare Therefore the ministerie of the Lawe is called the ministerie of death and condempnatiō And in the first act of Gods calling the spirit that speaketh in the Lawe and is given by the ministerie of the Lawe is called the spirit of bondage vnto feare Because the sight and knowledge of our selves and of God which the spirit gives vs by the Lawe workes these effectes And therefore by that name is distinguished from the spirit of Adoption which is given by the Gospell and this will the Apostle signifie to the Galathians when he comparinge the two Testaments to the two by whom Abraham begot Ismael Isaack doeth shewe that the one which is from Mount Sinai doeth beget vnto bondage This being the estate of man both by nature and by the Lawe it is manifest that these effectes of the spirit which witnesse adoption are not in man neither by nature neither by the Lawe But when the free spirit of the Lorde commeth then commeth libertie to the heart And this spirit of the Lord otherwayes called the spirit of promise comes to vs by the preaching of faith and not of the workes of the Lawe as witnesseth the Apostle to the Galathians and the historie of the Actes of the Apostles Nowe then when the man who first by nature was vnder blindnes and next by the Lawe was vnder sinne and death kept in bondage and feare findes him selfe first delivered frō that blindnes and ignorance of minde and next from that bondage of sinne and death and so consequentlie frō his feare which was wrought in him by his bondage then may he knowe that the spirit of adoption grace and libertie hath spoken to his heart and hath taken possession of it because he findes that promise accōplished in him whereof Zacharias speaketh in the Gospell according to Luke to wit that God would grant to vs that we being delivered out of the handes of our enemies should serve him without feare all the dayes of our life in holynes and righteousnes before him For this was the ende of Christes death sayeth the Apostle to the Hebrewes to witt that hee might deliver all them who for feare of death were all their life tyme subiect to bondage Thus therefore the mā who can discerne in his hearte which once was filled with the spirit of bondage vnto feare the ioyfull libertie of the sonnes of God whereby hee that was the bondman and seruant of sinne by the Lawe is now by the Gospell made the free man of Christ the bandes of iniquitie being broken and so freed both from the guiltines and also from the power of sinne being iustified by faith in Iesus Christ and having grace in the superabondance thereof reigning through righteousnes vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord even in the soule wherin sinne in the aboūdance thereof had reigned through vnrighteousnes vnto death this mā I say may easilie discerne the spirit witnessing his adoption by this his libertie from the slauerie of sinne First in his iustification next in his sanctification and so consequentlie from the feare of death following thereon In place whereof succeeds a ioye vnspeakeable glorious the hart iustified reioycing in the hope of the glorie of God For this cause is it that the Apostle Peter willeth vs by ioyning vertue to our faith and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance c. to make our calling and election sure Because our sanctification being the worke of the spirit of adoption is a sure seale of our election And therefore doeth the Apostle Peter give this reason of his threatning and rebuke against Simon Magus to wit that albeit he was baptised yet the Apostle did see that he was in the gale of bitternesse and in the band of iniquitie wherein Simon being still captive could have no assurance of adoption albeit hee had outwardly embraced the Gospell and therefore is said to have beleeved And because this worke is the great worke of Christ in the elect and chief ende of his comming Therefore doeth the Prophet Esaie describe the worke of his comming and effect of the spirit of the Lord in him in these wordes The spirit of the Lorde is vpon mee the Lord hath annointed me that I should preach the Gospell to the poore that I should heale the broken hearted that I should preach deliverie to the captives and receyvinge of sight to the blinde that I should set at libertie them that are brused and that I should preach the acceptable yeare of the Lord to appoint vnto them that murne in Zion and to give vnto them beautie for ashes the oyle of ioye for mourning the garmentes of gladnes for the spirit of heavines that they might be called trees of righteousnes the planting of the Lord. Which Prophesie Christ sheweth to bee fulfilled by him selfe in the Gospell accordinge to Luc. in the which it is manifest that the work of the spirit in preaching the Gospell is to worke knowledge and libertie in making vs trees of righteousnes planted by God and by libertie to worke ioye and gladnes in place of mourning heavines Therefore is it by good reason that the Apostle forbiddes vs to let sinne reigne in our mortall bodies that we should obey it in the lustes therof in respect wee are made free from sinne in Christ and are made the servants of God having our fruit in holines And also biddeth vs reioyce alwayes in the Lord for there is no condempnation to vs that are in Christ seeing we are freed from the lawe of sinne and death by the lawe of the spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus This is then that great effect of the spirit of Adoption in our heartes whereby as by a most sure testimonie wee discerne the spirit sealing our Adoption Because this spirit of adoptiō which is given vs by the preaching of the Gospell takes away both these miseries to witt the blindnes wherein we are by nature next the bondage reveiled by the law and feare caused thereby Havinge thus spoken of the worke of the spirit it followeth that we consider the voyce of the spirit This voyce of the spirit is of two sortes The first is when the spirit within vs speaketh to God for vs. The second is whē the spirit in vs speaketh from God vnto vs. The voice of the spirit to God is when we by the spirit call vpon God as our Father And this voice of the spirit is

therein So that the working and witnessing of the spirit in the wicked is like the smell of an Apothecaris shop which one that passeth by receyveth although hee never carrie anie of these odoriferous things with him But the witnessing of the spirit to the elect is by imparting the thing witnessed to the soule making it reallie to possesse it So that if a man could see the soule of a true child of God he should see ingraven in it mercie peace love righteousnes life ioy and Christ himselfe all the promises of God in Christ being written therein by the spirit according to the covenant of God Conforme to this doth the Apostle speake of the spirits witnessing to the hearts of the Corinthians when hee saieth yee are manifest to bee the Epistle of Christ ministred by vs and written not with inck but with the spirite of the livinge GOD not in Tables of stone but in fleshly tables of the heart Nowe therefore wee come to speake of this witnessinge of the spirit which is proper to the elect And to the ende wee may cleerelie discerne the testimonie of the spirit which witnesseth with our spirits that we are the sonnes of GOD wee must yet more deepelie marke and consider this testimonie The worke of the spirit in assuring vs of Adoption is twoofolde The firste for distinction wee shall call this first writinge of the worde reveyled in our hearts and so makinge vs to beleeve in God as our God and Father in Christ The second is our sealling after we have beleeved That it is so ye may see in the wordes of the Apostle to the Ephesians In whom also sayes he ye have trusted after that yee heard the word of trueth even the Gospell of your salvation wherein also after yee beleeved yee were sealed with the holy spirit of promise Marke first this worke of the spirit in causing vs to beleeve in God by the effectuall revelation of the worde next marke that other worke of the spirit after we have beleeved in sealing vs. The first of these two although it bee felt by vs yet at the first wee can not discerne it to be the worke of the spirit till afterward For before we be made spirituall we can discerne nothing of the spirit because the things of the spirit are spiritually discerned But when we receyve the spirit which is of God then are we able to knowe the things which are given to vs of God Therefore that testimonie whereof the Apostle speaketh to the Rom. which witnesseth with our spirits is to be vnderstood of the seconde worke of the spirit which is our sealing That we may vnderstande this aright we must consider that there is something that cōmeth in in vs betwixt the first worke of the spirit and the second And that is the testimonie of our owne spirit bearing witnes that we are the sonnes of God For when God by his spirit hath imprinted in our heartes the word of promise then begins our hearts to say we are the children of God being perswaded by the spirit secretlie insinuating the worde in our hearts to beleeve beleeving to speak according as it is said I beleved therfore did speak Now it might seeme there needed no more but let vs remember what Christ saith to Peter Simon Simon behold Sathan hath desired to sift you as wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not So wee have need that our heartes be established in that worke of the spirit otherwayes we should bee in danger to make shipwracke of faith of a good conscience which is nothing els but this testimonie of our owne hearts Therefore doth the Church pray in the Psalme Establish O God that which thou hast wrought in vs. And the Apostle after hee hath given thankes vnto God for the Thessalonians effectuall calling he prayes to GOD That hee who had given them this good hope through grace would also establish them in everie word and good worke Therefore is it that our God for stablishing vs in faith in the assurance of our Adoption seales vs by the holy spirit of promise This is manifest out of the former place to the Ephes where he saieth That after they beleeved they were sealed with the holy spirit of promise This same doth the Apostle to the Gallat confirme when hee sheweth that Christ was sent to this ende to redeeme vs That we might receyve the Adoption of the sonnes and then he addeth and because yee are sonnes GOD hath sent foorth the spirit of his sonne into your hearts that crieth Abba Father And that this sealing of vs by sendinge forth the spirit of Adoptiō in our hearts is the meane whereby God establisheth vs it is manifest by the Apostle to the Corinthians For when first hee hath shewed that it is God which establisheth saying It is God which establisheth vs with you in Christ then addeth he the meane whereby God did stablish them saying and hath anointed vs who hath also sealed vs and hath given the earnest of the spirit in our hearts Which three sayings are all one thing in substance Therefore doeth Iohn from this anointing confirme and assure these to whom he did write against the fearing to fall away but saith he The anointing which yee receyved of him dwelleth in you and as it taught you yee shall abide in him And the Apostle to the Corinthians taketh the Argument of his confidence from this that God hath given vs the earnest of the spirit And the same Apostle from this giving of vs the spirit of libertie which crieth Abba Father proveth vs to bee the sonnes of God in that eight chap. to the Romanes Whereby it is plaine that by these three the self-same thing is meant albeit diverslie expressed accordinge to the three sortes of confirmation the one by anointing so were Kings Priestes and Prophetes confirmed in their calling the other by an earnest which is a cōfirmation of the bargaine and of the payement of the full somme and the last by sealing which in all writes contractes and obligations is a confirmation of all therein conteyned and promised Accordinge to which amongst the Persians whatsoever was sealed with the Kinges Ring could not bee changed nor revoked Therefore whomsoever God seales vnto life as his child he is made most sure of eternall life For this cause is it that in the Revelatiō God first will have his childrē sealed before the enemies can have power to execute their malice and of these thus sealed it is that Christ saieth that the gates of hell shall not prevayle against them And that they shall never perish neither shall any plucke them out of his hande Now this same sending foorth of the spirit of Adoption in our hearts is our sealinge Therefore saieth the Apost to the Ephesians ye were sealed with the holy spirit of promise And this same is also

which is vnderstood libertie is opponed to bondage as the effect of the spirit Next the voyce following heerevpon is manifest in the wordes following whereby wee crye Abba Father Which crye more plainly is saide by the Apostle to the Galathians to bee the crie of the spirit saying and because yee are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne in your harts which cryeth Abba Father And therefore is it that the Apostle to the Romans saieth that the same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God What then is this worke of the spirit in vs that witnesseth Adoption This speciall worke is libertie or freedome accompanied ever with peace boldnes confidence and reioycing This is plaine by these places of scripture First the Apostle to the Corinthians speaking of this first great effect of the spirit saith Now the Lord is the spirit and where the spirit of the Lord is there is libertie and of the peace that accōpanies this libertie the Apostle speakes plainlie to the Ephesians where after he hath shewē that by Christ we are delivered from the Law of commandements hatred that thereby did lye vpon vs and hath spoken of the peace followinge therevpon hee proves this peace by these wordes for through him wee both haue an entrance vnto the Father by one spirit Therefore the same Apostle to the Romans sayeth That being iustified by faith wee have peace towardes God Of this boldnes and confidence the Apostle speakes to the Ephesians saying By whom wee have boldnes and accesse with confidence by faith in him Therefore is it that the Apostle to the Romans sayeth That wee have not receyved the spirit of bondage vnto feare but the spirit that is without feare that is of boldnes and confidence Touching reioycing the Apostle Peter speaketh saying In whom beleeving yee reioyce with ioye vnspeakeable and glorious The same also affirmeth the Apostle to the Rom. saying we reioyce vnder the hope of the glorie of God neither so onely but wee reioyce also in tribulations and he addes the reason because the love of God is shed abroad in our heartes by the holy ghost which is given vnto vs. This I call the speciall working of the spirit for sealing our Adoption because these effectes cannot possiblie bee in vs except the spirit of adoption worke them and therefore whosoever hath them hee hath an vndoubted testimonie of his adoption from the verie spirit of adoption For this libertie and effectes of it are not the worke of a mans owne hart but the work of Gods spirit in the heart making it free causing it to reioyce making it cōfident towards God that this may be cleere we have to consider the estate of man first in ignorāce and blindnes before he knewe either God or him selfe Secondly his estate vnder the Lawe And lastlie his estate vnder grace thorough the Gospell In the two former cases there is nothing in mans heart but blindnes or the spirit of bondage vnto feare yea even in the verie elect before they receyve this spirit of Adoption and grace by the Gospell In man by nature as he is borne there is nothinge but blindnes I say nothing not that I exclude bondage for in both the first two estates of man blindnes and bondage doe accompanie each other but in the first estate blindnes so reigneth that bondage is not perceyved nor felt In the second although blindnes be so farre taken away as man see and feele his bōdage yet it is not so taken away that it hide not from him his libertie and freedome Therefore in the first he is the slave of blindnes and darknesse because the power thereof is predominant in him holding him in ignorāce of God of him selfe of sinne and of true righteousnes Therefore doth the scripture say There is none that vnderstandeth there is none that seeketh God And the Apost to the Ephesians shewing the naturall estate of man declareth that he is without Christ an aliant from the common wealth of Israel a stranger from the covenant of promise without hope and without God in the worlde And therefore speakinge of the vaine conversation of men naturall hee sheweth the causes of it to be this because they have their vnderstanding darkened beeing strangers from the life of God through the ignorāre that is in them And most cleerlie in the fift chapter for ye were once darknes meaning by nature and therefore they who are effectuallie called to grace are in that same place saide to be light in the Lord. And by the Apostle Peter are said to be called of God out of darknes to his marveylous light And to the Thessalonians they that are called are saide to be of the day and of the light And they which are not called are saide to be of the night and of darknes And the Apostle to the Colossians willing to shewe the force of darknes in holding men in bondage expresses their calling by GOD in these wordes who hath drawen vs out vnder the power of darknes So it is manifest that in our estate naturall wherein as saith the Apostle to the Galathians wee knowe not God darknes hath power and dominion over vs in such sorte that we have no libertie of minde nor body to serve God the minde being kept in ignorance of God of righteousnes and of sinne And so consequentlie man in this estate is without feare Not because he is not in danger but because hee seeth not his danger Therefore also may he bee secure because he is senselesse but confident hee can not be because hee hath no knowledge It is true men in this case are commonly most peart in sinne and bolde in wickednesse against GOD because they know neither him nor them selves And therefore oft tymes as foolish flyes they rush vpon the candle or blinde horses doe runne against the wall but bolde and confident in him they can not be who knowes him not in Christ Therefore doth the Apostle declare that the cause why such men give themselves to wantonnesse is because they have no feeling Now in the second estate vnder the Lawe we are further from libertie and the remaynant blessings of the spirit of Adoptiō For albeit that some light arise in the heart by the Lawe as the knowledge of sinne conforme to that of the Apostle I knew not sinne but by the Law yet this light doeth only reveyle to man his bondage but doth not remove nor remedie it because that was impossible to the Lawe in as much as it was weak because of the flesh as saieth the same Apostle Therefore this light of the Lawe although it bee necessarie yet it is comfortlesse For it shewes first to man that he is solde vnder sinne and that no good dwelleth in him Heerevpon it reveiles vnto him that hee is vnder the curse of God and

you all things Secondly God is said to speake vnto vs by his spirit when hee confirmeth to vs the thinge which he hath spoken and of this wee have also spoken in generall And of this kinde of voyce speaketh the Apostle in that place to the Romanes sayinge The same spirit heareth witnesse with our spirit that wee are the sonnes of God Of this confirmation the same Apostle speaketh to the Corinht whē he saieth As the testimonie of Iesus Christ was confirmed in you Which wordes shewe the cleere evidence of that two fould testimonie of the spirit whereof wee did speake before The one when God writeth his word in our hearts which heere is vnderstood by the testimonie of Christ The other when he seales that which hee hath spoken and in speaking hath written in our heartes and that is here vnderstood by the cōfirming of the testimonie of Iesus in vs. And for this work of cōfirmation the spirit is called the earnest seale of God And as God by his spirit sealeth and confirmeth all the promises in Christ and also all what hee himselfe hath wrought in vs according to the promise So among other things he specially cōfirmeth our Adoption whē the spirit beareth witnesse to vs that we are the sonnes of God After that first he hath effectuallie called vs by teaching vs and working faith in our hearts and also hath made our hearts now beleeving speake to vs that we are sonnes Thirdly God is said to speake vnto vs by his spirit whē he comforted vs in our troubles removing by his spirit the anguish and grief of our hearts restoring vs to our wonted ioyes in him again Of which voyce of the spirit David speaketh whē he prayeth Make me heare ioy and gladnesse And a●aine Restore me to the ioye of thy salvation and establish mee with thy free spirit For this worke the spirit is called the Comforter Nowe wee come to the last point which is the principal thing which yee demaund and that is Howe wee shall discerne this Testimonie of the Lords spirit from the testimonie of our owne spirit And this is to bee done eyther in the time of peace or trouble although it is more difficile in prosperitie to distinguish them There is two voyces of the spirit as we have saide which both witnesse our Adoption The first when the spirit in vs speakes to God This testimonie of the spirit is discerned three wayes The first thing whereby we discerne it is the great heavines of heart and sorrowe which the conscience of sinne breedeth in vs whē as saith the Prophet God having poured vpon vs the spirit of grace and cōpassion Wee looke vppon him whom we have pea●sed and lament for him as men mourne for their onely begotten sonne and are sorrie for him as men are for their first begotten childe Of this nature was the mourning of Peter after his deniall when as sayeth the holy scripture hee went out and weeped bitterlie and because this is a sure ●oken of saving grace therefore they that mourne are compted blessed This mourning hath alwayes ioyned with it an hunger thirst for righteousnes For ther can be no true mourning for sinne where there is no desire of righteousnes And because this is the proper effect of the spirit of grace in all and everie one of those who receyve him Therefore doeth the Lord by his Prophet declare what shall be the worke of the spirit of grace and compassion in that day whē God shall poure him out vpon his children sayinge Then shall there bee great mourning at Ierusalem like as the lamentation of Adadrimmon in the valey of Megiddon c. In which place mourning is attributed to everie familie to everie state and everie person and that apart by them selves to shewe that it is a common effect wrought by the spirit in all Gods children that vnfainedly The second thing whereby we discerne this testimonie of the spirit is the earnest longing with vehement grones and sighes in our selves for to be with Christ Of this voyce of the spirit the Apostle speaketh when he sayeth Wee also who have the first fruite of the spirit even wee sigh in our selves wayting for the adoption And in an other place to the same effect hee sayeth That wee sigh desiring to bee clothed vpon with our house which is from heaven For certainly the naturall disposition of a man can never bring forth this stronge desire of heaven neither yet could the renewed heart beeing yet burdened with infirmitie and love of this life have so strong a desire of removing from it of it selfe if the spirit did not worke it and therefore the Apostle attributes these sighes for righteousnes heaven to the spirit and doth shewe vs that the spirit in these cryes and sighes helpeth our infirmities Thirdly this testimonie of the spirit is discerned by the cōfident requestes and petitions it maketh to God in vs in the full assurance of faith without doubting when with boldnes wee drawe neare vnto the Throne of grace crying vpon God Abba Father and in all things making our petitions manifest to God as sayeth the Apostle For this confident boldnes of the heart towardes God still accompanied with reverence and feare cannot be in the heart except the spirit did worke it For the boldnes of a blind heart wanteth both assurance of Gods love and reverence of his maiestie But leaving this wee come to the discerning of the other voyce which more properly is called the testimonie of the spirit speciallie in that place to the Romans And that is when God in vs speaketh by his spirit vnto vs. This testimonie is to be discerned from the testimonie of our hearte three manner of wayes First in our first beleevinge Secondly after wee have beleeved Thirdly in the eclipses of our faith and in our troubles In our first beleeving wee may discerne the testimonie of Gods spirit from our owne touchinge our Adoption because our first beleeving is ever by the testimonie of the spirit and not by the testimonie of our owne heart For our heart can never beare witnes to vs that wee are the sonnes of God vntill first our heartes have beleeved that wee are his sonnes and this our hearts can not do except the spirit have first wrought this faith by the worde in our hearts Therefore my first beliefe and assurace of my Adoption is alwayes the testimonie of the spirit of God and my owne hearts testimonie must still followe vpon this so that in mans hearte the voyce that maketh it first cōceyve Gods love and beleeve it is the spirits testimonie which when the heart of man hath receyved then it speaketh For till it beleeve it can not speake according as it is written I have beleeved and therefore I have spoken Thus then is this testimonie first discerned when I discerne the voyce of the spirit which I beleeve from

the voyce of my spirit now beleving and bearing witnes to me of that which first the spirit of God did witnes to it Secondlie after we have beleeved wee may also discerne the testimonie of Gods spirit from the testimonie of our owne spirit by a plaine contrarie order For in the former the spirites testimonie did goe before the testimonie of our spirit but heere it followeth after it and is the confirmation of it So that when after wee have beleeved the spirit speakinge the word vnto vs and after that beleeving wee have spoken with our owne spirit if then wee heare a new voyce cōfirming that which we beleeved and which our spirit did speake that cōfirming sealing and stablishing voyce is the testimonie of Gods spirit Thus wee must learne to discerne betwixt our beleeving and the confirmation of our belief and so shal wee know the testimonie of Gods spirit from the testimonie of our owne spirit Therefore still the holie Scriptures of God distinguish betwixt the worke of God in making vs receyve the testimonie of his spirit and his worke in confirming in vs that testimonie nowe receyved And also teacheth vs to knowe the testimonie of our own spirit which commeth in betwixt these two to bee different from them both Accordinge to this working of God the Saincts pray Stablish O God that which thou hast wrought in vs. To speake more plainly of this point there is a three folde voyce in the heart that hath the testimonie of Iesus confirmed in it The first is the voyce of God by his spirit in the worde speaking vnto our hearts and perswading them to beleeve that the promise belongeth vnto vs. The second voyce is the voyce of our hearts receyving the word wherby it speaketh that which the spirit hath perswaded and this in effect is nothing but the very faith of the heart now actually working in vs. Whereas the first was the worke of the spirit working this faith in vs so that in this first act we are patients in the other we are agentes in the first we are spoken too by the spirit of God in the seconde our owne heartes speaketh in vs. The third voice is the voyce of Gods spirit following the voyce of our hearts ratifying it and this is nothing els but the confirmation of our faith So wee may see that the Lord performeth twoo workes in vs for our comfort the first is the working of faith beliefe the other is the confirmation of the faith which he him selfe did work But before his last work our hearts having faith wrought in them doe worke by it or wee with our hearts worke and this is nothing but beleeving with the heart or the hearts beleevinge Wherevpon followeth the sealing of vs in that which it beleeveth that is in the testimonie which the beleeving heart giveth of him in whom it is Thirdlie we discerne this testimonie of the spirit in our trouble when we find any cōfort or peace wrought in our hearts when they are troubled or anie ioye vpon the assurance of Gods love If wee finde a quiet calmnesse of minde with patience meeknes and reioycing in tribulation vpon anie sight or knowledge of our Adoption all these are the vndoubted testimonies of the spirit who shedding abroad the love of God in our hearts maketh vs to reioyce in affliction as the Apost speaketh of the Hebrues and ye suffered with gladnes the spoyling of your goods knowing in your selves that yee have in heaven a better and an enduring substance And touching the Apostles it is saide They departed reioycing that they were compted worthie to suffer for his Name That this ioy is the work of the spirit vpon the testimonie of Gods love is manifest by the Apost to the Romans where shewing the cause why we reioyce in afflictions sayth Because of the love of God which is shed abroad in our heartes by the holy spirit which is given vs. According to this grounde it is that the Saints are brought in wayting what God will speake to them in trouble as namely in the Psalme 85. vers 8. I will hearken what the Lord will say concerning mee for hee shall speake peace vnto his people and to his saints And the Prophet Habacuk in like manner is brought in saying thus I will stande vpon my watch and set mee vpon the Towre and will looke and see what hee will say vnto mee Thus whē God speaketh peace to the Saincts in affliction and quieteth their thoughtes and maketh them heare ioye and gladnes that is the testimonie of the spirit of the Lord who is our onely Comforter For as sayeth the Prophet David My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart And therefore Moses prayeth O satisfie vs with thy mercie so shall wee reioyce and be glad all our dayes comfort vs againe c. We may hold it for a most certaine trueth that our patient enduring of grievous trialls ioyfully the constant peace of God in our hearts in the tyme when wee endure the enimitie of the world the cōsolations wherewith we are comforted in all our afflictions are vndoubted testimonies of our Adoption proceeding all from Gods spirit But all this is most cleerlie discerned when the testimonie of Gods spirit and the testimonie of our spirit are seperate the one frō the other when they are found to speake one against the other and to give two contrarie testimonies For while these two goe together and are not severed or disagreeing it is oft tymes hard to discerne the one from the other But if we can finde them seperate so that the one faile vs and the other vphold vs then may they cleerly bee discerned And this commeth to passe eyther when God vpon the carnall presumption of our hearts suffereth vs to fall in some dangerous triall or then when God him selfe seemeth to become our enemie so that the heart hath to wrestle with GOD him selfe vnder the sense of his wrath all former feeling of his mercie then ceasing Of the first wee have example in Peter whose heart saide vnto him that no danger could make him forsake Christ the Lorde to make him know that this was not the testimonie of Gods spirit but a carnall confidence of his owne heart suffered him to be tried and in the triall to fall and so to finde it was but his owne carnall heart that did beare witnes to him God oft tymes for this cause tryeth his owne children to make them discerne betwixt the confidence and assurance which their owne hearts giveth them and that confidence and comfort which the spirit of God worketh in them that they may not trust in them selves or in their owne hearts but in the living God This the Apostle witnesseth to the Corinthians saying He maekth vs to receyve the sentence of death in our selves because we should not trust in our selves but in God which raiseth the dead Of the second wee