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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	seed_n	sow_v	word_n	3,227	5	5.0642	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A15504	Some helpes to faith Shewing the necessitie, grounds, kinds, degrees, signes of it. Clearing diuerse doubts, answering obiections, made by the soule in temptation. By Iohn Wilson, preacher of Gods word in Gilford.	Wilson, John, d. 1630.	1625 (1625)	STC 25769; ESTC S103081	44,436	242

receiueth Christ vnto vnion with the beleeuer Iohn 6.56 2. Cor. 13.5 Ephes. 5.30 it receiues in Christ the gift of righteousnesse vnto iustification of life Rom. 5.1.17 reconciliation and safety from wrath for euer Rom. 5.9 adoption to bee children of God and coheires with Christ Rom. 8. 16 17. the holy Ghost vnto a new creation vnto leading by counsell motion strength warning incouragement suppressing crucifying causing to dye the corrupt nature lessening the force and fruits of it Rom. 6.3 6. Ephes. 1.13 Gal. 5.24 and vnto entrance to God in prayer the Spirit makes request for the Saints according to the will of God Rom. 8.27 Secondly It workes towards God according to the strength and measure of it a quiet state of conscience agreement of the new nature with Gods law vnto delight in it consecration of our selues to God with loue to bee his seruants confession of truth to his glorie and commending of our soules into his hands 2 Tim. 1.12 Thirdly To the beleeuer according to the degree of it it workes quiet dependance on God for prouision and protection content and comfort in God in any condition patience vnder Gods hand with delight in him Psal. 73.25 26. Fourthly Towards faithfull brethren coniunction of soules and communion of gifts spirituall and temporall with a brotherly kindnesse and loue edifying the body towards all men loue humanitie iustice equity mercy and goodnesse euen to enemies Fiftly against the deuill resistance standing victory by the power of the Lords might Eph. 6.16 Thirdly For parts of nature temporary faith hath but two which the spirit workes knowledge and appobation vnto some ioy in the word receiued faith properly so called hath both them an other as an essential degree aboue the other which distinguisheth it from the other in kinde as sense distinguisheth the life of beasts from that of plants that haue vegetatiue life but not sensitiue and reason the life of men from that of beasts which haue sense common with man but not reason And this part of faith which so formally essentially differenceth it is application or appropriation of Christ and the promise of mercie in him which is called receiuing of Christ and drinking his flesh and blood putting him on by this Christ dwels and liueth in the beleeuer ioyning him so to the Lord that he is one spirit with him For want of this the temporizer is an vnbeleeuer in respect of true faith a hidden infidel such as Christ would not commit himself vnto Ioh. 2.24 Yet they are said to beleeue by reason of some materialls of faith 2. for similitude in a chearefull profession of that Gospell 3. In regard of some subiection to the word which open infidels cast away yet differs from faith properly so called as hypocritical from sincere dead from liuely generall from speciall ineffectuall from effectuall and transitory from abiding Obiection II. The things reuealed are sweete to them they tast the word to be good receiue it with ioy that seemes to implie application Answere By the light of God in their minde they see the kingdome of Christ to bee glorious heauenly and aboue this world which many thought but earthly they see their state for whom it is prepared to bee full of happinesse Gods loue and good will therein of great admiration they perceiue a possibility of obtaining this happinesse which knowledge for the time delights them Secondly They perceiue sinne to be full of miserable vexation know and feare a painefull sting in death and hearing of a free and full deliuerance from these euils by Christ they in some sort for a time submit themselues to the Gospell forsake them which are wrapped in error cease concerning act many grosse sinnes and do many things commanded and so are receiued in the charity of the Church as members by which vanishing taste temporary and partiall reformation with some common graces with the estimation of the Godly they conceiue a rowling opinion that they shall bee saued which for a while pleaseth them but is onely as the commotion of affections in a dreame Thirdly The spirit of God makes no preswasion of Gods loue to them nor euer giues life to the seed which in sowing fel in such ground It is saide to spring vp as corne in stonie ground or sowen among thornes that choke it but it neuer is brought forward to that which God works in them whom he calls of his purpose They are said onely to seeme to haue Hence it is that they doe not so much setledly as purpose desire indeuour to get that faith which is proper to the elect 2. or striue of conscience of the commandements against doubts and feares to giue glory to God by beleeuing 3. they are not iealous of the deceiuablenesse of their heart they try not their state with loue to be true and to know they are of the truth It is with them as with a man admitted into a rome where a table is furnished with delicates for some chosen guests to see tast of them who is able to discerne the goodnesse of the things set forth the good-will of the houshoulder to them that are bidden for whom they are prouided yet receiues them not so as they for whome they were intended The true belieuer tasts the loue of God to him as a chosen guest in the delicats prouided for him by that taste is carried in desire to grow vp more in the grace that reioyceth him praiseth Christ for that rest and sweetnesse he finds in in him and comes with indeuour more and more to him giuing himselfe to him as truely happie in him his faith conquers when the temporizers is ouercome and he goeth back after Sathan Obiection III True faith giues a knowledge of Gods loue to him to whome it is giuen to beleeue 1 Ioh. 4.16 wee haue knowne and beleeued the loue of God towards vs. I finde not that knowledge of Gods speciall loue to me can I haue faith and see none Answere There may be faith in the soule that takes not notice of it God hides himselfe from them to whom he is a Sauiour Christ told Thomas with the rest of the Disciples that they knew whether he went and the way to come to him in their death yet he said we know not whether thou goest and how should wee know the way Christs words were true they knew not their owne knowledge So he promiseth when hee giueth his spirit more plentifully they shall know by the effectuall working of it in them that hee is in them and they in him Iohn 14.20 Implying that yet they knew not that as they should know it by experiment of faith Faith may be implicite in respect of cleare knowledge of Gods fauour euen after many yeeres soberly spent in Gods seruice Secondly Faith is for a time but in seed not able to quiet the heart in knowledge of Gods loue yet the reigne of

SOME HELPES TO FAITH Shewing the Necessitie grounds kinds degrees signes of it Clearing diuerse doubts answering obiections made by the Soule in temptation By IOHN WILSON Preacher of Gods word in Gilford PHILIP 1.25.26 For your furtherance and ioy of faith that you may more abundantly reioyce in Iesus Christ. LONDON Printed by I. L. for Robert Mylbourne and are to be sold at his Shop at the great South doore of Pauls 1625. TO THE TRVELY NOBLE LADY THE LADY LETTICE Countesse of Leicester Mercie and Grace in this life Saluation with eternall glory in the World to come Good Madam VNthankfulnesse is a great defiler of conscience both as it is a great sinne against iustice and as it prouokes wrath whereby such persons are deliuered vp to vile affections And though thankefulnesse cannot stay in the instrument but goeth by it to the author yet it is due to such by whose hands God conueyes his benefits It hath pleased that blessed God to stirre vp your Ladiship for my good first in calling mee to be a Minister to your Honourable familie how weake soeuer yet not without some fruit by his blessing whose power is seene in weakenesse where how I was cared for my conscience doth witnesse secondly in your opportunity preferring publike good so were your words giuing me a free and comfortable entrance into this charge wherein I now labour according to my measure And from that time I haue beene followed with kindnesse from that house but that specially refresheth mee to remember that for the worke of my Ministerie your Honour willed mee to count you as my mother I am bold thus in particular to propound you for Gods Honour as an example especially to Patrons And finding my selfe so much bound I haue long thought how besides my prayers I might by some paper testimonie shew my selfe thankefull to your Ladiship and resolued at last to write these notes faire and send them for the helpe of your faith and comfort in witnesse of the continuing of my true care for your soules good Hereunto I was the rather inclined for that I vnderstood some to haue found helpe through the mercie of God to the quieting of their conscience by the reading of them when they were in shorter notes of a Sermon In the meane time diuerse friendes called vpon mee for some thing to the Presse from which the knowledge of mine owne wants hath hitherto kept me yet debating it thus If the matter be profitable first it is not likely to bee hurt that way but more vsefull then by writing secondly more fit to some for reading and to conuey bookes to friends more commodious then Copies in writing Here I stucke at this that good books for this helpe bee not scant but then I thought againe that acquaintance being a helpe to make them knowne all come not to one hand thi●dly my desire to leaue testimonie of my faith on whom I hold and how fourthly that God hath glory of diuersitie of gifts which manifest the spirit giuen to profit withall fiftly that my selfe owe to them that haue so aduentured themselues It yelded not without feare I confesse yet commending it to God for his blessing and to the loue of my deare friends to further it it is now out of my hands Good Madam vse it among other helpes I once left a little thing with you to helpe you in examination of your title to Heauen this may a little further that as being I thinke fuller to that purpose Calling made sure is a great comfort and aduantage for a Christian many giue testimonie to you you haue giuen good example in your constant respect of Gods ordinances glorifie God more with the fruites of your faith and loue call for the inspirations of the spirit to be carried earnestly after him hee purchased a people to be iealous of good workes looke into the felicitie of Gods chosen dayly bee still making it sure in your owne conscience the end of this life puts Gods people in possession of endlesse life The highest in the earth haue but terme of life in their present things how great so euer and dying out of Christ are without end miserable Blessed are they that so trust in Christ as to haue the Lord for their God that is to bee knowen in experience by the spirit of Christ destroying the dominion of sinne and lading vs so as that in the course of our life we are with God though foyled for our humbling in many temptations The God of life preserue your life of his good pleasure for the good of many that praising God for you may by their prayers further your grace heere with the exercise of it the Lord bee with you your Honourable sister with hers all that belong to you and guide your hearts into the loue of God and to looke for his Sonne the blessed hope from heauen Your Honors in all dutie and humble obseruance Iohn Wilson SOME HELPS TO FAITH Shewing the necessitie grounds kinds degrees signes of it clearing diuerse doubts answering obiections made by the soule in temptation Luke 1.20 Because thou beleeuest not my words c. THE holy Euangelist set to deliuer the storie of Christ from his beginning concerning his humanitie puts first a narration of his forerunner how he did rise as he that would speake of the day light beginnes at the day starre wherein hee mentioneth the promise of his miraculous conception and the ioy of his father and other friends 2. the doubting of the promise by Zacharie with the reason of it age making it impossible by course of nature Which is aggrauated by the minister Gabriel and by the matter promised glad tidings 2. threatened with punishment of dumbnesse as a penall signe set out by the time till the fulfilling of the promise the cause not beleeuing the words of such a messenger as he knew was sent of God For Zacharies doubt appeares not to be about the qualitie of the Angel whether he were true or false If he had onely doubted whence the reuelation came it would not haue beene so blamed for Gideon did so and desired a signe whereby he might know it was an Angel of God that speake to him Iudg. 6.17.21 But looking to the order of nature so as he considered not the power of God as Abraham did in a like case hee gaue not such glory to God a to rest on his word and power Obseruation I. From his punishment for this cause that hee beleeued not the word of God sent by his messenger we may gather how prouoking a sinne it is not to beleeue God promising His fault was but in one part of Gods word admiting some doubt about thee fulfilling of the promise 1. It was a particular act of vnbeleefe no habite 2. not full but of infirmitie among many faithfull services yet because he staggered at the promise knowing that God had spoken he shall speake no words of his owne till God haue fulfilled his Sara