Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	faith_n	word_n	write_a	3,171	5	10.6412	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A80090	Christian-experiences from Scripture evidences under this variety, or several heads: viz. 1. Comfort for believers against their fears and dismayings. 2. Comfort for believers from their spiritual incomes. 3. Mans fruitlesness without saving faith, being a parallel between the belief of most, and the belief of devils. 4. Councel unto saints as sojourners and strangers. 5. Mans folly in determining by present evens [sic] or state of things. By Richard Coler, preacher of the word at Broughton in Hampshire.	Coler, Richard.	1652 (1652)	Wing C5062; Thomason E1331_2; ESTC R209105	103,933	255

break And know assuredly that without spiritual hope thy soul will everlastingly perish 2. Though the devils do believe yet they can have no repentance But man in his false faith may be said to have some sort of repentance Faith sometimes as it is taken for knowledge may check the conscience A common professor may have flashings and sorrowings as Judas had who was a profest disciple of Christ But this sort of repentance profits no more then his faith which onely makes a gilded outside like the powder in the pan of the musket it often fires but will not go off So they that have common faith may often fire but never go off to mortification because all their faith is but the fruits of the flesh but not the fruits of the spirit But now this sort of repentance the devil cannot have but he is seared and hardened though James tells you he doth believe it is possible for man to finde repentance but the devil cannot 3. The difference between the common faith of professors and the faith of devils 2 Thes 2. 11. is in this man may believe a strong delusion in a lye that is in the devil the father of lyes How many are there in the world that hold the truth in unrighteousness makes no question to have happiness without holiness make no question to be saved but makes no conscience What a strong delusion is this that while the devil believes things certainly and man believes the devil tempts to make him miserable and yields unto all his corruptions and yet makes no doubt to be happy Thus for the disparity betwixt the common faith of men and the faith of devils Secondly take also a word wherein the belief of men and devils hath a kinde of likeness and agreement 1. The Devils beleive Gods soveraignty as well as most men God is powerful infinite able saith the common professor this will the devil acknowledge too man believes that God is unity so doth the Devil thus the text is express Thou believest that there is one God this harmony of faith have the Devils They believe this and tremble 2. Man believes the Scriptures to be the word of God that is thou art a common professor and thou assentest unto this that God is true and that the Scriptures are the written word of God and all those several passages therein contained as of the Creation Redemption from Adam to Noah from Noah to David from David to Christ from Christ to the several transactions of the Apostles yea thou believest this very text to be a truth Why all this and much more may it be said that the Devils do believe that they do believe the history of the word and something of the mystery of it may clearly be gathered from his tempting of Christ Matthew 4. 6. 3. Grant that thou doest believe that Jesus Christ dyed to save sinners the Devil believes this too because he seeks the destruction of souls And saith the Apostle 1 John 3. 8. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil It seems the Devil made close work with the hearts of men that none but Christ could save the devil believing mends his pace to destroy Grant therefore that thou hast not onely a historical faith but also a temporary faith thou followest the times wherein thou livest in believing according to the Doctrine and Custom may be thou risest high in thy notion and professest the highest and choicest things yet know thou stil mayest not be said to believe more then what the devil may be said to believe for without question he follows the fashion and suits himself to the faith of the times in all ages he tempts under the Law as under the Gospel and as the time grows shorter and his kingdom weaker so the Devil is more strong and more subtil this may be cleared from that of Rev. 12. 12. The Devil is come down unto you having great wrath that is in the days of the Gospel more especially at the end of the world the Devil bestirs himself having great wrath and what is the reason because he knows he hath but a short time the devil knows that happiness and a crown of glory is laid up for the Saints and that judgement and torment is for himself and for all his servants upon this knowledge he rages most in the last times Thus much for the third thing to be opened before I speak to the last suffer something by way of Use and Application CHAP. VI. Containing something by way of Application from the first branch in the Doctrine IF it be so that the belief of most men is no better then the belief of the damned then let us fall to serious examination of every one of our own hearts what our faith and profession is This is matter of great concerment and the most subject to self-cousenage Men will believe no further then most believe and most believe no otherwise then the Devils believe Search and examine what faith you have for this is a truth from Scripture That the Devils do profess as well as men and that most mens belief is not better then the Devils Say then to your own hearts as the Disciples to Christ Mat. 26. 23. when Christ told the Disciples that one of them should betray him they presently put the question saying Master Is it I So say of a truth most mens profession is no better then what the Devils have and what is mine amongst the multitude of Professors Give unto the Lord a ground of that hope that is in you for he cals for it by vertue of this truth Come in thou Creature for I have given you rain from heaven and fruitful seasons Come speak thou common Professor Thou makest thy boast of God saying thou dost believe but know so do the Devils thou fearest with a slavish fear so do the Devils thou boastest of historical and temporary faith but if thou findest no more thou wilt fall short of heaven and happiness Thou art as yet but as those foolish Virgins Mat. 25. that thought to be saved by profession for they went under the notion of Believers and it is very probable they had historical and common faith for they had lamps but they had not oyl they had not the fruits of the Spirit and therefore could have no entrance Examine therefore what thy faith is for most go for Virgins that have a name to live by common profession but an evil and an adulterous generation are such that have not the signs and seals of the righteousness of faith which is only by Christ Jesus our Lord. 2. You that content your selves with this common belief of men know your Companions What though thou hast gotten ten thousand Notions yet if thou wantest the fruits of the Spirit of Grace which is saving Faith within thy heart thou art yet but in thy unregenerate estate and thou sittest but in

to see him Be but acquainted with thy own heart and without question thou mayest feel him in such temptations that is common to man Christ indeed brought Satan by his death into a narrower compass then he was before For Ephes 2. 2. we were all children of wrath as well as others but now this devourer cannot devour Christs saints and servants though he seeks it continually And ask the saints and they will tell you they are sensible of the wiles of Satan but desire from their hearts no familiarity no questionings for that brings complainings no reasonings for fear of overcomings not any temptation without the Lords sustainings But that the Devil is an Angelical creature that hath both power and policy consider but these Scriptures First That the Devil is an Angelical creature observe but 2 Cor. 11. 14. And no marvel for Satan himself is transformed Isa 27. 1 into an Angel of light And then that he is powerful the Text tells you He can transform himself And you need not doubt but the devil is a notable Polititian a subtile deceiver for he is call'd An Accuser of the brethren seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5. 8. But to put you out of doubt there is not onely a devil but devils in the plural there is not onely a company but a kingdom of damned spirits not onely that Leviathan Lucifer the great but he hath a multitude of Emissaries and therefore let us daily and continually the devils do surround us take heed they do not possess us he is very vigilant to enter to come without sending for and inquiring after And usually he brings a multitude as one sin so one devil hardly comes or goes alone We are many take their own confession Mark 5. 9. And we had all need to watch for a daughter of Abraham may be bound by Satan as Mary was Luke 13. 16. How was Job vexed Paul buffeted And if you that are so curious on suchin quiries would know why there is such a multitude of spirits and places let me but ask you what did God make you for I know you must needs say To serve him and therefore know for thy disobedience incorrigibleness and inquiries was the devil thrown down and if thou thus followest his motions and temptations thou wilt without question have part with him and his Angels in torments everlasting therefore be not a destroyer and a tormentor of thy self Be not wicked nor wilful be not over wise nor over curious for by such spiculation the devil became a devil Jude v. 6. For the Angels which kept not their first station but left their own habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgement of the great day It seems the devil became a devil by prying into things that were too high for him which cannot be commended in us creatures when so condemned in Angels David keeps within his sphaere and so let us He would not exercise himself in things that were too high and why should we for this is the fruits of such enquiries the evil angels were Angels of light but now of darkness hell and torment God for their presumptious speculation threw them out of heaven and the devil by his subtily threw thee out of Paradise Take heed that for obeying this devil the Lord throw thee not into hell Verily thou wilt not come thence until thou hast paid the utmost farthing Matth. 5 26. which to do is altogether impossible Luke 16. 26. thus much for the first consideration CHAP. III. Proving that the Devil doth believe 2. AS there is a Devil so the Devils do believe The tempting spirits that daily do surround us have an historical faith yea and more too a miraculous faith What means those expressions of casting out devils by the Prince of devils Mat. 12. 27. They believe that God is the onely Soveraign Omniscient Powerful Infinite and also they believe their own damnation certain upon this ground they spight and spleen and envy Gods Elect 1 Pet. 5. 8. Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the devil as a roaring lyon walketh about seeking whom he may devour What a combination of devils have we still seeking and assaulting spighting and spleening the saints and servants of God and therefore gives the Apostle unto us this councel Be ye sober and vigilant Resist stedfast in the faith Watch over your selves for the devil watches for your souls he seeks how he may devour It is manifest that the devil owned the Scripture to Christ that some now adays fear not to deny Matth. 4. 6. If thou be the Son of God cast thy self down Scriptum est for it is written Psal 91. 11. He shall give his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways The devil in this quotation owns both God the Father and Christ the Son And this he alleages learnedly and readily though very fallaciously leaving out that that made against himself for it was written He should not tempt the Lord his God and supposes that which in another passage he takes for granted Mat. 8. 29. And they cryed out and said What have we to do with thee Jesus thou Son of God art thou come to torment us before the time Mark the devils believe so much that he doth not onely reckon Gods judgements and torments but he casts up the time too though the devil wil be tempting at all times yet counts not to be tormented before his time And if you would know the ground of this Why the devil doth believe I shall answer in a word Because he may accuse such enquirers that are not true believers at the last day The devil is called The Accuser of the Brethren Rev. 12. 12. therefore Rejoyce ye heavens and ye that dwell in them wo to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea for the devil is come down unto you for he knoweth his time is but short And what saith the 10 Verse For the Accuser of the Brethren is cast down which accused them before our God day and night And if he be thus bold with Saints what will he not cast in against common Professors You may read how bold he was with Job but surely he will be more bold Job 1. 2. against pretenders to truth and faith at the last day before the judgement-seat of God so that I may very well reverse that saying of Christ to wicked men Think you that the Law and God and conscience will onely accuse you there is one even the devil he will accuse you I cannot say in whom you trust but to whom you practice whose faith your faith are parallels thou believest there is one God thou art not without a fellow though a common professor The devils do believe and tremble Methinks I hear a moral common professor who hath the faith of the state or of the Parish stand at Gods tribunal pleading as they in Matth. 7. 22. Lord Lord have