Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	divine_a	faith_n	revelation_n	2,617	5	10.5414	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A92854	The humbled sinner resolved what he should do to be saved. Or Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ the only way of salvation for sensible sinners. Discovering the quality, object, acts, seat, subject, inseparable concomitants and degrees of justifying faith. The agreement and difference of a strong and weak faith; the difficulty of beleeving, the facility of mistake about it, and the misery of unbelief. The nature of living by faith, and the improvement of it to a full assurance. Wherein several cases are resolved, and objections answered. / By Obadiah Sedgwick, Batchelour in Divinity and late minister of the Gospel in Covent Garden.	Sedgwick, Obadiah, 1600?-1658.	1657 (1657)	Wing S2375; Thomason E900_1; ESTC R203520	234,690	315

respect of particular abilities and exercises yet there is a true nature of faith in the weakest as well as in the strongest There is as true a knowledge of the sinful and miserable condition in our selves and of the blessed condition in Christ in the one as well as in the other There is as true an assent to the word of grace the Gospel of salvation revealed in the one as well as in the other I say as true though perhaps not equal and full There is as true accepting and embracing of Christ to be Lord and Saviour the will doth as truly receive Christ offered though perhaps there be not such a strength of adherence at the first There is so much in the weakest faith as makes up the match 'twixt Christ and the soul nay there is not any thing in the strongest faith which is an effectual ingredient to espouse the soul with Christ but the same also is in the weakest faith Doth strong faith take Christ so doth the weakest doth it acknowledge him the only Saviour so doth the weakest doth it embrace him as its Lord so doth the weakest doth it breed union so doth the weakest doth it make a man a member of Christ and heire of promises so doth the weakest Thus you briefly perceive the habitual unity of all true faith SECT II. SEcondly now a word of the intensive diversities of faith How faith differs from faith I do not mean a true faith from a false but a true faith from true faith As one man truly living may differ from another truly living notwithstanding they agree in the common nature of man and life Or to use the Apostles Simile as one star may differ from another star in glory though all be in the heavens The rounds in Jacobs ladder are not all at the top yet are they every one of them steps to heaven so of faith every faith is not triumphing yet every faith is mounting up to the Lord of life and King of glory The severall and particular habits of faith though they consent in one truth of nature yet they differ in many things First in the strength of the parts and acts As in the eyes of men though the visive faculty be equal in all yet vision or the act of seeing is diverse one sees the colours more clearly then another So is it in faith which is the eye of the soul Though the nature be common and equall yet the act of beleeving is different There are three acts of faith and in respect of all of them there Three acts may be a diversity among believers 1. Knowledge and apprehension this is as it were the ground work of faith for believing is not rooted in ignorance but in light Now every believer hath not so full and distinct a knowledge as another Divine revelations which are the generall objects of faith are not clasped alike by all No nor yet the promises which are the special objects of faith they are not so equally apprehended There are severall promises and in them severall parts and degrees of goodnesse and truth now it is possible for some believers not to be acquainted with all their treasuries they have not been so long acquainted with the word as to know all the good which doth concerne them And that special good which they do apprehend one believer reacheth the large compasse of it more then another All even in Christ is not equally known by all who believe in Christ Hence it is that age and time and communion and study and use of meanes and experience do raise the apprehension and knowledge to farre more degrees and strength then at the first and the believing soul which at first saw things as the man whose eyes were touched by Christ dimly at length riseth by degrees to a more perfect light of the same truthes and to a more full and enlarged apprehension of other truths which he was ignorant of before 2. Assent even in this also may one beleever differ from another I confesse the usual and palpable diversities of faith be most in things as good rather then in things as true Neverthelesse every believer as so assents to all revelations as in particular to those of Christ as true yet the assents in believers may very much not only in the circumstances of the assent but also in the immediate workings of the assent The Judgement is not equally captivated in all or else why do some believers question and scruple more then others yea and why else needs there a farther evidence and demonstration to establish some in doctrinall truths if all believers were equally grounded and rooted in the word Yea and why are some good people more apt to errors then others no plausible error can be taught or spread with the speciousnesse of taking reason but presently they are questioning their old truths for new opinions which shews that all assents to divine truths are not alike in all believers Nay and this appeares to be so by the severall instances of diabolicall temptations which in some are of that great force as to make them not only question their particular interests in God and Christ which may befall the highest believer but also to question the first principles of Religion whether there be a God and whether the Scriptures are his Word and whether true or false 3. Reception embracing or consent though it be hearty and sincere in all yet one believer cannot so rest on Christ as another nor doth every one take Christ by the hand alike Like a child who gives out a trembling hand with some shruggings Simile even to his Father so the believer may put forth his hand of faith even to Christ with many feares and shakings O that I may have him that I might receive him that he would be mine that I could lay hold on him O that God would pardon my sinnes saith one yet another raiseth up the soul I will rest on his promise in Christ to pardon all In the measure of degrees Hence you read of that by Christ I have not found so great faith no not in Israel and O woman great is thy faith Abraham strong in faith Paul perswaded c. and Job I know that my c. In a comparative opposition to which you read those phrases O ye of little faith And why didst thou doubt O thou of little faith and of the weak in faith The degrees of faith are many viz. the habitual inclination of the heart toward Christ the actual laying hold on him the strong embracing of him reflection of the act that I know I take him as Lord and Saviour reflection of the object I know that he is my Lord and Saviour then a fulnesse of this reflexive assurance I doubt it not then the reasons of this full assurance which whether it meane the great continuance or the great abundance of the measure of assurance is disputable Againe the longer duration of this full and

the understanding by solid demonstration of infallible principles or else by the undeniable evidence of sense and experience as thus that every natural body hath power to move or that the Moon will suffer an Eclipse or that the fire is naturally apt to ascend and the water to moisten c. These things have both a naturall certainty and truth in themselves and there is an undoubted evidence and certainty in the minde of the person truly knowing them and so certaine and full is the perswasion of the minde about them that there is no scruple of doubt remaining to discuss as any uncertainty whether the things be so or no. Another is opinion which is an inevident evident assent if I may so phrase it My meaning is the understanding doth so assent and yield to the things as that yet it sees some contrary reason to suspect and question whether the thing be so or no for as much as in opinion the grounds are not fully evident to the minde but they are only probable and therefore the assent by opinion is but conjectural As take a man in a case of a scrupulous conscience there is to that man some evidence of argument which doth seem to warrant his action or attempt and yet that argument is not so entirely convincing of his judgment but on the other side there starts up a medium or argument which renders the practice probably sinful whereupon if you come to demand of him May you do such a thing he answers I do not certainly know that is I am not entirely and absolutely resolved of it yet I think I may I think it is lawful and this thinking which is opinion is alwayes accompanied with some fear and suspition so that the minde is like a paire of Scales tottering and tilting to either side Things are partly cleare and partly obscure partly evident and partly inevident and therefore the assent of opinion is alwayes doubtful Another is beliefe which is an assent unto things not from any evidence of the things themselves but only from the relation or testimony of another If I feel the fire to burne my hand I do not call this a believing but a sensitive knowing if Ahimaaz comes and tells David that his Son Absolom is hanged and slaine though this be knowledg in him who saw it yet it is belief in David who did heare and credit the tidings so that to be brief belief differs from knowledge in this that knowledge depends on the evidence of things themselves but belief though the things be certainly true to which it doth assent yet it assents unto them for the testimony or authority of him who relates and reports them Though this be most true That Jesus Christ was borne of the Virgin Mary and that he is the Messias and Saviour yet I beleeve it to be true because God hath given testimony or report thereof in his Word unto me Again Belief differs from opinion in this that opinion is an indifferent probable hazarding and difficultly inclinable assent but in believing the assent is firme certaine and fixed especially where testimony and authority is sufficient Believing as it is restrained to a theological and divine consideration that is in the generall an assent of the soul to the truth and goodnesse of all divine revelations upon divine testimony Here much might be said as for instance First that all divine revelations are the object of belief as supernaturally inspired Secondly that the ground of believing them is Gods own testimony Faith hath sufficient reason to believe all things there to be true in their relation because of his truth and authority who doth say so viz. God himself Thirdly of the generall nature of believing which is an assent unto all spoken by God as most true and credible Secondly particularly of justifying Faith Faith as you well know hath a double aspect one is to the whole revealed Word of God another is to God in Christ or to Jesus Christ I am not now to speak of it as an eye which may see all colours but as an eye fixing it self on some singular and special object viz. on Jesus Christ in respect of whom it is called justifying faith The believing on whom may be thus described CHAP. V. Faith in Christ what described IT is a singular Grace of God whereby the heart and will of a sensible sinner doth take and embrace Jesus Christ in his person and offices and doth wholly or only rest on him for pardon of sin and eternal life There are many things to be opened in this description forasmuch as all the force of true faith cannot at once in a few short words be clearly expressed SECT I. COnsider therefore the spring or fountaine of this faith is at heaven Gods eternall decree is the radicall cause of it so Causa Acts 13. 48 As many as were ordained to eternal life believed And the instrumental cause of it is the Word of God Rom. 10. 17. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God And the immediate and singular cause of it is the Spirit of God Gal. 5. 22. there it is an expresse fruit So Joh. 1. 12. speaking particularly of believing on the Name of Christ he addeth verse 13. men come to this not being borne of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God That the will or heart of man should be brought off from it self and to abhor its own condition and sufficiency and to take Christ as God propounds him to be the only rock upon which I must built my salvation to be the only Lord to whose Law and Will I must resigne up my whole soul and to cleave unto him in a conjugall union and affection This I say ariseth not from naturall principles nor from the wisdome of a mans free will nor from any endeavour or action which can find footing in man himself It is observed that there are two sorts of habits Two sorts of Habits 1. Some which are acquired by the industry of the person and through a right use of a segacious and understanding mind and such may be purchased by practise and use as the Scholar by writing gets the habit of writing and the Apprentise by his wise and honest observation and industry gets into the skill of his trade and calling Now faith is no such quality we can send forth no such singular acts or operations which are able in time to ripen or beget so excellent a Grace in the soul 2. Others are plainly and entirely infused Faith is not water in the Earth which a man may pump out but it is even in the fulnesse or littlenesse of it in the allnesse of it as the drops or showers of raine which come from heaven Though the subject of it be below yet the cause of it is above it is man who doth believe but it is Gods Spirit alone who gives him that faith to believe

to do them Sol. I answer 1. Good works may be so stiled either First materially because they are such things as may do good Secondly formally being sealed with all the circumstances which are required to make them good both for spiritual composition and Divine acceptation Now though wicked men may performe works good materially yel formally they do not for to make a work formally good there must be the concurrence of all circumstances the person must have a good heart and a good ground and a good end and a good Christ c. 2. Though every Beleever cannot actually do every good work yet some good works or other he can do though he cannot give mony yet he can give prayer c. Now think on this ye who have riches and wealth and professe faith on Christ and yet scarce a person a poor distressed person can blesse God for your fruitful faith nay the very doing of a small good work sometimes doth even try all the faith in the soul a man doth many times beleeve he shall surely want and impoverish his estate if he should be rich in good works SECT VII SIxthly true faith doth desire and endeavour after increase Help my unbelif said the unbeleeving father O Lord increase our faith said the Disciples I pray observe a few things 1. That true faith begins in weaknesse Like a childe at the first very tender o● like the light at the first very broken Presumption being a work of fancy and borne with its strength and perfection it is fully assured and utterly confident at first But Jacobs ladder hath many steps 2. That though it hath weaknesse yet it hath life as the spark of fire though it be little yet it is hot and though the childe be weak yet it can suck even the weakest faith in Christ will be much about Christ it will be weeping at his grave or washing of his feet or looking on his person 3. There are yet many degrees wanting to faith either thou canst not be perswaded or not fully perswaded or not constantly p●rswaded 4. If the faith be true and living it will bend after a rising and that First in respect of its acts of receiving trusting perswading Secondly in respect of its object It would yet apprehend more and feel more of the communion and vertues of Christ All the preaching in the world doth not increase a false and presumptuous faith nor doth the administration of the Sacraments adde thereto But the living they grow and he must have more faith who hath any Paul would apprehend even as he is apprehended The soule which hath true faith would have yet more victorious ●ieldings more stedfast embracings more confident restings c. like the childe which sucks and thrives SECT VIII SEventhly true faith in Christ and a mournful heart for sinne go together Zach. 12. 10. They shall look upon me whom they have pierced and shall mourne for him as one mourneth for his only sonne There are two things which faith will fetch up in the soule one is love to Christ another is sorrow for sinne There may be a terror without faith the conscience may be crackt and wounded but till faith comes there is no sorrow the soul is not altered nor melted that which melts the soul is kindnesse and mercy and that which 〈◊〉 them is faith if thou doest cast an eye of Faith on Chris● that eye will have some tears for forced sinning against Christ You shall finde in Scripture that true beleevers are characterized by this That they be mourners in Sion and they return with weepings and supplications and they poure out waters before the Lord and unbeleeving persons are described by hearts of Adamant of rocks of stone by hardned by unsensible by irrelenting hearts The text saith that when Christ looked on Peter he went out and wept bitterly there is a piercing vertue in a gracious look from Christ. The soule which hath been long humbling it selfe and much in seeking for mercy and a good look from heaven It is when any gracious manifestation of favour darts down even resolved into tears never did the child weep more soberly upon his reconciliation to his loving father then the beleeving Christian doth mourn in sober sadnesse when his faith gets to see God reconciled to him in Christ he reades his pardon with teares of joy There are two parts of sorrow One is essential which consists in a strong displeasure of the will against the soul for sinning against a good God Another is contingent which consists in those dreary te●res flowing into the eyes now this is contingent for when the heart is many times filled with teares like Davids bottle yet it may so fall out that the eyes may be silent in such expressions c. CHAP. XIV Singular comfort for all true Beleevers IF to beleeve in Jesus Christ be the only Vse 3 way to be saved then here is singular comfort to all true beleevers What Solomon spake of wisdome that I say of faith her Prov. 3. 17 18. wayes are wayes of pleasantnesse and all her paths are peace She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her and happy is every one that reteineth her If this be a happy thing to have the Lord to be our God and David judged it to be a superlative happinesse If this be a blessed thing not to be offended at Christ O how sweetly and greatly blessed is the condition of a beleeving soul which hath God to be its God Christ to be its husband and heaven to be its portion Faith and Christ why they are the ring and the diamond they are the way and the life the soul cannot have such a prize as Christ nor such a hand as faith such a match as Christ nor such a grace to contract it as faith Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seene thy salvation said Simeon He may cheerfully lay down his body in the dust who hath by faith given up his soule to Christ But to descend to some di●●inct particulars of comfort to the soule which beleeves truly in the Lord Jesus Christ observe SECT I. FIrst this is one comfort in the Text that they are in the way to heaven Naturally we are out of our way as soone as we enter into the world as soone as they be borne they go aside said David and the way of peace they have not known and nothing sets us in the right way but faith for Christ is the way and it is faith which find●s a Christ It was not Philips natural eye but his spiritual faith which spied the Messias Christ is the wa● to heaven and saith is the way to Christ Salvation it is the great object of ●he greatest desire and indeed I know no more excellently desi●able thing then God in a glorious union with whom is the perfection of our salvation Now if thou be a true beleever thou art in the way