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B23015 The confirming worke of religion ..., or, The true and infallible way for attaining a confirmed state in religion ... with a short and confirming prospect of the work of the Lord about his church in these last times / by R. Fleming ... Fleming, Robert, 1630-1694. 1685 (1685) Wing F1263A 80,672 168

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then with the out going of their affections 2. That as it s not conceivable how a true and firme assent can be to divine truth but on its known certainty so here is no resolving of the Christians faith on the strongest rationall evidences hereof yet must it still be resolved on the testimony of God made clear evident to them to be such 3. It is sure also the Lord hath not given so large a measure of these grounds and demonstrations of his truth with such redoubled arguments of that kind to be of so small regard as is with most but for some great and universall use hereof to the wholl Church and knew how needfull such assistances to the faith of his people would be whilst they are on the earth 4. That these means which tend most convincingly to found a rationall assurence in the judgment are the proper vehicle of the Spirit of God by which his sealing worke should be both sought and expected nor can I judge how the credite and use hereof should be so small and not on the same ground quite any externall ordinance of the Gospell which without the Spirit of the Lord can never profite nor how we should expect and suite his confirming worke on the soul when these greatest confirming means which he hath given to the Church have no just weight but o how wonderfull a teacher is the holy Ghost when such ordinare means fail and are inaccessable by furnishing his people then with these strongest arguments of love and power who having had but small measures of light yet were not unfaithfull to improve the smallest degree of such a talent 5. Yea so great a thing is it to attain a solid faith of things wholly remott from our sense and so far above the reach and apprehension of nature or to have an absolute relyance on an invisible refuge for our present and eternall state as no common assent can answer when the very rest and quiet of the soul must needs ly in the sure and firme persuasion hereof 6. It is too visible also how little the practicall use of such a mean hath yet been essayed in the Church that all who are members therof might no lesse know the strenth and firmnesse of the foundation of their faith by its own evidence then the generall articles of religion but whilst the most usuall instructing worke lyes almost wholly about the noetick part of Divinity there seems not that serious regard to presse the dianoetick part hereof on mens conscience as if this were to be restricted to a few who are more knowing learned and of an inquisitive spirit about the rationall certainty of the truth and for whom these choise and abundant helps of this kind which are in this age seem more peculiarly directed It s sure that the Christian faith in the first times did remarkably then spread and prevail by these clear evidences hereof to the judgment made effectuall by the spirit of God more then by extraordinare miracles nor knew they otherwise what it was to be Christians but by imbracing the truth with a full assurance of understanding no lesse then of delight and affection But if it be objected it is not the same case now where religion is planted in a nation and hath an uncontrollable publick profession under the support of humane lawes I know no weight this can have except that should be admitt therwith quod nunc nascuntur Christiani sed non fiunt 7. Yea is it not sure tho it seems little understood that the primary grounds and evidences of our faith are not only as to their ●nd demonstrative of the truth and divinity of the Scripture but are upon the matter such demonstrations also which most natively result from the same by infallible consequence and are thus to be accounted not as human but divine arguments given us by the spirit of God 8. I shall but further add how such as doe seriously ponder things will find this demonstration to be not more important then clear that to be a confirmed Christian and a confirmed Protestant are convertible terms and that if these as are under that deplorable bondage and darknesse of popery were but once awaked to see the truth certainty of the Christian faith by its intrinsick and objective evidence and taken off that brutish credulity and dependance on the alone credite of others herein it might be said the strongest ingine to hold up that profession were then broke and should see the doctrine and rule of faith to be of such full and perspicuous evidence from the Scripture as without blasphemy they could not seek from the Lord to give them a plainer rule then what he hath there given READER IT s like you may think strang how these few sheets in the close fall in here after the forgoing part was finished but tho they meet in one designe and interest yet was not this then intended untill the former was done and if it might tend to a solid use and fruit unto any I shall forbear a further Apology herein I may trulie say the weight of the subject hath carryed it some further lenth then was designed when I so much sought to be short as I aim at in any thing of this kind that through my desir● to avoide any unnecessare multiplying of thords I sar● least it may make some things seem a litle dark at the first looke tho I hope not upon any serious perusall of the same Two things I must further crave leave to add 1 that when some succinct view of the great assistances and confirmations of our faith is here offered which these of the lowest capacity of the Church might with that advantage improve as in a few howers by reading it some times over may be so far impressed on their mind and judgment that they could give some clear and judicious account thereof it may be by such but seriously weighed taken to heart of what conceirn the use hereof is 2. That I would humbly judge also it were a most speciall service for the truth in this day to have some short Directory and remembrancer of the great acts of the Lord and monuments of his Providence now under the New Testament in that maner held forth as might most tend to some universall use of all within the Church I confesse my desire pressed me to some smal essay herein with intent to have joyned it to this worke but haveing with much conviction laid this wholly aside as to any further appearence that way so is it with an earnest desire that some more qualifyed might take to heart and under their hand so great a service both for their generation and posterity It is sure the Lord hath designed his people to be tought the greatnesse of his workes as well as the precepts of his word and as no duty is more pressed then this under the Old Testament both as to Publick and Family instruction so are we no lesse accountable i● these last times for this improvement of such as are of known publick and uncontrollable evidence and should be th● care of each age to have that solemne remembrance kept up hereof so as not a few but the very multitude within th● Church might be as a publick Library and Repository of th● same FINIS
THE CONFIRMING WORKE OF RELIGION In its necessity and use briefly held forth that each Christian may have a proper ballast of his own of the grounds and reasons of his faith and thus see the greatnesse of that security on which he adventures his eternal state OR The true and infallible way for attaining a confirmed state in Religion from these primary evidences and demonstrations of our faith which the Lord hath himself given so as it may be easy for the meanest in the Church to know the same and be ready to render an account thereof to all that ask With a short and confirming prospect of the work of the Lord about his Church in these last times BY R. FLEMING Minister of the Gospel of Christ At ROTTERDAM Printed by REINIER LEERS M.DC.LXXXV The PREFACE THis small Essay here offered is on the greatest subject can fall under the consideration of mankind and is a study was never more pressingly called for then in these dayes for men to be making peace with God and to have such an assurance of his truth as can fully quiet and support the soul though all sensible props should be brocken and fail Great changes doe surely hasten on this generation and the life of faith is in an other manner like to be put to tryal then since the Churches rise and recovery from Antichristian bondage The storme now visibly grows upon the Churches of Christ though nothing is thus to faint or shake the spirits of any who know their anchor is sure and cast within the vail but the strongest difficulties in following the Lord when overcome yeelds the greatest victory and will be not only matter of joy here but to all eternity in having with patience and hope indured and got well through a throng of temptations and assaults in a resolute adherence to the truth If men think it their wisdome to secure their private interest by dividing it in such a time from the publick cause of the Reformed Church and make light of the greatest truths of God now assaulted of the blood of the Martyrs yea of their own eternal state by any coolnesse or shrinking from the same they will find no temporal motives can ever compense that losse and ruine which inevitably will meet such in the issue yea that these words of Mordecai to Esther Esth 4 13 14. have the same voice and weight in this day What is held forth in the following worke I may with humble confidence say was under some pressure to have such clear evidence and quieting persuasion of divine truth as made it lesse easy to have my own spirit satisfyed herein then possibly it may be to others for if it were not from that blessed assurance of the Lords being God of the revelation of Christ and of the glory to come I should not know what could be conforting or make a rational being desireable Some singulare ingadgments I judge my self also to stand under for putting to my seal to the truth and faithfulnesse of God in his word from many signal confirmations hereof in the course of my pilgrimage if such a poor testimony might be of any weight Let the blessed Lord gratiously accept this small offering to him and for the interest of his truth by so mean an instrument and give some fruit hereof that may abide and be found in the day of Christ I hope the Reader may find by a perusal of the I. Chap. of what serious use and intent the II. is yea that in this day it was not unseasonable or incongruous to the forgoing subject what is held forth in the III. Chapter But oh it is sad and amazing to think how few are under that weight of Religion as once to have a serious inquiry on the grounds and reasons thereof and to accompt the most special assistances to their faith to be the greatest helpers of their joy within time THE True and infallible WAY For attaining a confirmed state in RELIGION c. CHAPTER I. The Primitive Confirmation in the truth of Christianity held forth and cleared in its continued necessity and use to this day in a few Positions THat nothing can have a more sad and threatning aspect on the present state of religion in all the churches of Christ Posit I then that utter estrangment most are under to the true grounds of faith and to those foundamental differences betwixt Christianity every false way which no pretended religion can lay claim to The reasons of the Position are these I. That it is too visibly manifest how no men in the world know so little of their own profession were it of any human art or science as such who bear the name of Christians or are so generally strangers to the truth and firmnesse of the principles therof for maintaining either a due valuation or powerful sense of the same on their soul so that an implicit and traditional profession is the only part and propriety which most can claim in the truth and doctrine they professe II. That so rare also is any such serious worke amonghst men as a personal inquiry and tryal if there be indeed such a thing as an experimental and soul quickning religion in the earth that can bear the expense of the most dismal and afflicting times and hath so great a temporal revenue lying therto as peace with God an immediate communion with him the joy and comforts of the H. Ghost when under such pressours of trouble as are above the support of nature III. That the furthest account why most goe under the name of Christians rather then of any other forme can rise no higher then custome and education that it did bespeak them from their birth and was the religion of their ancestours yea become in that manner naturall to them as the customes and language of their country which are grounds that should determine to the very opposite profession if they were stated under the same circumstances and had the same motives to be Mahumetans since it is sure these can found no other assent then is suitable to the nature and strenth therof IV. That thus it cannot be under debate how the most numerous part of visible professours are so destitute of any defense from internal motives and solid conviction of the truth they professe upon its own evidence as there was never more cause to fear some unusual apostacy from the very visible profession of Christ upon any violent tryal and assault this way when such finds it more easy to render up their religion then to adhere to the same under strongh temptations who yet never knew that substance advantage or certainty herein as could preponderate with the want of all external motives for such a profession That thus one of the highest services of these times Posit II for the publik good of the Church does convincingly lye here to have the faith of assent to the truth and doctrine of Christ in a clear and firme certainty of the