Selected quad for the lemma: saint_n
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A34389
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Conversion exemplified in the instance of a gracious gentlewoman now in glory / written from her own mouth and appointment, by her dearest friend ...
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1669
(1669)
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Wing C5981; ESTC R21188
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30,026
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78
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leave it That which I intend to conclude withal as to my living at Whitehol is the change of my practice in Church-matters The form I was bred under was Episcopal against which I had none other mind than all persons have against that wherein they are educated and of the contrary to which they understand nothing Tht Society I couversed with at my first coming to London was Presbyterians That which I closed with after I came to Westminster was Congregational or Independent for so they have of late been distinguished The srâ—â—l mind of man being through ignorance mutable it is no easie thing to attain to stability nor can it be till Truth fixes it I think those fall under the deserved character of wavering minded men who go forward in the wayes of truth and then return back again that retreat is dishonourable For it was not Pauls errour to change his practice upon Conversion though I have heard that the Turks charge him with a crime in it and to be sure the Jews did But with the bewitched Galatians to begin in the spirit and to seek perfection by the works of the Law is dangerous Apostacy To pass from Episcopacy to Presbytery thence to Independency and then for outward advantage to return back again yea though they went but the first step will certainly merit no better name than Time-serving But not to be too ready in condemning others that which I have to do is to assign the reason of mine own practice It is little of the spirit of discerning I pretend to yet if I have any of the Spirit of Christ and hope of eternal Happiness I must not quit all claim to it From that little of it which I have I do profess I have been acquainted with very Holy Men of all the fore-named different Perswasions and have not been a little scandalized at the behaviour of some of them towards their dissenting Brethren who have little practised that Gospel Grace Forbearance as clearly commanded in the Word as any other dutie It is no new or strange thing that there should be found the effâ—cts of enmity between the Seed of the Woman and the seed of the Serpent But that Christ should be devided is neither lawful comfortable nor comely And now to the reason why I sate down with Independants in spiritual Communion it was Because I found them agreeing with the other two in all fundamental Doctrines belonging to Salvation and at least as I think exercising the power of those principles more in practice I observed that in their Doctrine they separated betwixt the precious and the vile betwixt regenerate and unregenerate by the same rules and notes of distinction Even some Episcopal men did so as Vsher and Reynolds with some few more and the Presbyterians generally went that way but then in practice they call them holy whom in Doctrine they pronounce Prophane admitting them to those Gospel-institutions which are the peculiar priviledges of the Saints And to justifie what they do they setch presidents from Corinth and other Churches in the Apostles times nay they travel further even to the old Church of the Jews to shew how corrupt a Church may be and yet retain the essence of a Church when such a simple woman as I am apt to think their time would be better spent in purging out the old leaven that the body might be a new lump 1 Cor. 5. 7. This at an adventure made me cleave to them in whom I sourd most of that spirit which from the beginning of my Conversion had acted and comforted me And let it suffice that I can say no more for my self herein because I am not able to try hard Arguments or untie knotty Controversies plenty of which I am told the differences betwixt them have afforded Nay I must consess I yet understand not what those things are that give them their different denominations though I have heard it in debates often so little impression did it leave upon me This only I find that Episcopecy in its last restitution comeâ— attended with such prophaness as the very fight of it hath made me rejoyce in the hopes of being delivered by death from beholding those judgements which I fear will fall upon soâ—â— of my dearest relations for being too near those things And now upon the sad consideration of what is herein written Oh! you my unregenerate unacquaintance and such of my relations as are in that condition let me address some Questions Tell me honestly what think you of this story The Narrative I have made of God's dealing with me I solemnly profess to be in every tittle true but not by much all that which might have been said I have caused it to be written in that which I account my last sickness with none other intent but to give God the glory of his dealing with me and bring you to happiness the like way Now can you think that this great work was from Satan It is true Satan tempted and troubled me in my childhood but I was brought to Christ by it Did Satan intend that think you And hath Christ in requital of Satans kindness therein returned me back as a present to him Judge I pray you in your most retired thoughts for I appeal to your Consciences from your wild discourses wherein out of your natural enmity to Conversion you call it Phrenzy and to a holy conversation which gaines no better title from you than Phanatism or which is worse Sedition and Rebellion and â—he words wherein it is held out Cantâ—â—g I was known to you from my youth and I appeal to that knowledge yet without vain glory was not my whole carriage as free from offence as the generality of youth is if not more free and gaining How comes it then that sin should be made thus burthensome to me when you seem to bear it so lightly My Soul hath oft mourned for you in secret God knows and I was encouraged thereto because for some God heard me and delivered them out of their desperate state Original sin hath dreadfully desaced the Principles of Truth and darkened the Beams of Light that once were in mans heart yet not so totally but that I dare appeal to the remnants of them in you whether you do not think this that hath been said is the work of God bringing home a lost creature and leading a blind sinner in the streight way to Life to which your selves are strangers for to such I speak knowing assuredly that the generation of the Just do eccho to all that I have saidâ— And that I was raised from the dead by that Power which Christ himself was raised Ephes 1. 19 20. and am kept by no less Power to this very day And if so then as Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar Let my counsel accepted of you Break off your sins by Repentance your unbelief by Faith your superstition ignorance and prophaness by Purity Integrity and a sound understanding of the Wayes of God in his Worship You little think how oâ—t I have sought God for you herein wherein if I obtain answer I shall at length meet yoâ— as coheirs of the Rest purchased by Christ However the election of God shall stand and he knoweth who are his And let what I have herein declared remain upon record as a witness of what God hath done for some and particularly for me against those who in despite of all kindes of teaching whether by word or example do violently pursue their lusts to their eternal and most just destruction FINIS