Selected quad for the lemma: soul_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
soul_n	act_n	believe_v	faith_n	5,216	5	5.8503	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91366	The way step by step to sound and saving conversion, with a clear discovery of the two states, viz: nature, & grace: and how to know in which state one is, and the way to come out of the one into the other. Or, The ready and right path-way for the first Adams posterity to get out of their fallen estate accompanied with sin and misery, into the relation and family of the last Adam, which estate is attended with grace and glory, &c. With many weighty questions answered, and cases of conscience resolved, for the clearing and confirming the truths asserted. / By Robert Purnell.	Purnell, Robert, d. 1666.	1659 (1659)	Wing P4241; Thomason E1800_1; ESTC R209703	66,581	144

and heart doth in some measure exercise these four things 1. It doth look unto him 2. It doth come unto him 3. It doth receive him 4. It doth believe in him and lay hold on him 1. It doth look unto him Isa 45. 22. Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth for I am God and there is none else Zach. 12. 10. And they shall look upon me whom they have peirced and mourn for him as one mourneth for his only sonne The soul looks upon an humbled Christ with an humble heart upon a broken Christ with a broken heart upon a bleeding Christ with a bleeding heart upon a wounded Christ with a wounded heart in a word this is such a look as sends a man away with another heart Psal 34. 5. They looked unto him and were lightened there is no change of the substance of the soul and body nor of the faculties of the soul and body but the qualities of the faculties are clearly changed so that men and women become as children in humility teachableness and beginning the world a new he hath a new heart and a new tongue new inclinations new intentions new desires new content and discontent new delight new anger new courage new fear new hope new thoughts in his heart and new work to do and yet as before there is no change of the substance of soul and body nor of the faculties of the soul but the qualities of the faculties are clearly changed c. 2. The soul doth not only look unto him but it doth come unto him Mat. 11. 28. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest John 6. 37. Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out Some affirm that in the Greek this word hath three negatives thus I will in no wise no wise no wise cast out and if so Let the Reader consider these three things 1. The Lord doth call thee three times in one verse Isa 55. 1. come come come So in Rev. 22. 17. And the Spirit and the Bride say come and let him that heareth come and let him that is athirst come 2. As there are three calls Come come come so there are three sorts of persons invited to come and all couched in the latter words of the 17th verse of Rev. 22. And whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely 1. What person soever he be Jew or Gentil Barbarian or Scythian Acts 10. 34. 35. Then Peter opened his mouth and said of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons but in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him 2. What finner soever he be he despiseth not the weeping Mary the begging Canaanite the intreating Publican the confessing Thief the adultero●s Woman the denying Disciple the persecuting Paul Isa 1. 18. though your sinnes be as scarlet they shall be cleansed c. 3. What time soever a sinner doth come so it be before the sun is set the glasse out and the golden scepter taken in if it be at the eleventh houre or as the Thief upon the Cross at the last gasp it may be thou mayst obtain mercy 4. Lastly he doth assure those that come he will in no wise in no wise in no wise cast of Now lay all these together the Lord calls Come come come the persons that he calls are of three sorts 1 what person soever 2 what sinner soever 3 what time soever he come if he indeed come to me I will in no wise in no wise in no wise cast off 3. So there is not only a looking upon him and a coming to him but there is a receiving of him John 1. 12. but as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God by the habit of faith the soul doth passively receive Christ but by the act of faith the soul doth actively receive Christ In the first the soule is passive but in the second he is active there is a twofold receiving of Christ a passive and an active passive wherein the spirituall principle of grace is ingenerated or infused into the heart or soul and so we are received of Christ before we do receive Christ so that Christ in working the grace of faith receiveth us and by the act of faith we receive him so that Christ taketh the soul before the soul taketh him Now he that hath thus received the Son hath life 1 John 5. 12. he that hath the Son hath life and he that hath not the Son hath not life Collo 2. 6. As ye have therefore received Christ the Lord so walk ye in him He that truely receiveth Christ receiveth him in all his offices as a King Priest and Prophet this receiving of him is not an act of the understanding but an act of the will imbracing him and trusting on him 4. The heart doth believe in him and the soul layes hold on him so that forementioned place John 1. 12. they and they only becomes the Sons of God that doth believe in his name when the Jaylor Acts. 16 30. would know what he must do to be saved the apostles answered him and said Vers. 31. believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved so when the people asked Christ what they should do that they might work the works of God John 6. 28. Jesus answered and said unto them Vers. 29. this is the work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent So 1 John 3. 23. This is his commandment that we should believe in the name of his son Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 1. 12. I know saith the apostle whom I have believed there is the first act of faith of reliance and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have commited to his trust there is the second act of trust When the soul is brought over to assent unto that great truth that Christ is a Saviour and a Mediator it doth rowl and rest it self upon him and so trusteth on Christ for justification and consequently for salvation Psal 37. 5. Commit thy way to the Lord trust also in him Prov. 16. 3. Rowl thy works upon the Lord and thy thoughts shall be established Cast thy burthen upon the Lord Psal 28. 7. The Lord is my strength and my shield my heart trusteth in him The Lord is the Author and Finisher of our faith he doth command us to believe he doth enable us to believe and then commends us for believing so the Lord commends Nathaniel for his faith which was only the faith of his own powerful working so he commends David for his uprightnesse Hezekiah for his perfectness Moses for his meekness Cornelius for his devotion the Publican for his compunction the poor Widdow for her liberality and the woman of Canaan for her faith and importunity all which was only the work of his own grace in them

we behold the downfall of all natural preparations and meritorious dispositions Quere 2. How Vocation conversion repentance regeneration agree or differ For answer to this let me give the Reader Master Baxsters judgement to which I fully assent and consent All these particular expressions saith he are used in Scripture to expresse one and the same work upon the soul onely they have some small difference Viz. The word Vocation is taken for Gods act of Calling and is two-fold First Common when men are brought to an outward profession Secondly Specially when people are savingly converted to Christ this last calling is the same with conversion only this difference Calling hath usually in Scripture a principal respect to the first act on the soul even the act of faith it self or at least the habit of faith is effected in the heart and therewith the seed of all graces in the soul this is that Vocation or special effectual Calling next Consider that Repentance is the same thing as special effectual Calling only this difference the word Vocation doth principally expresse the state to which we are called but the word Repentance doth principally respect our our turning to God from whom we fell and the word Vocation doth as much or more respect our coming to Christ the true and only way to the Father the word Regeneration is more comprehensive than Conversion Repentance and Vocation because there is so great a change that a man is as it were another man 2 Cor. 5. 11. He that is in Christ is a new creature And yet the word Regeneration fignifieth the same thing as Conversion Repentance and Vocation only observing a small difference as before mentioned Quere 3. The way step by step which the Lord in his ordinary dispensation in these Gospel-dayes doth lead a soul as it were by the band out of a state of nature into a state of grace 1. The first step to Conversion is Illumination 2. The second step to accomplish or at least to carry on this work is effectual Vocation which hath many branches 3. The third step to get out of a state of nature into a state of grace out of a state of death into a state of life is to trust or believe in the Lord which hath many branches 4. The fourth step for the compleating and carrying on this work there is usually dropped into the soul and heart the spirit of grace and supplication by which the party goes unto God with confessions and petitions 5. The fifth step to effect and compleat this great work the Lord doth cause the soul secretly to give it selfe up and surrender all the interest that it had in it self to God that made it and Christ that bought it 1. The first step to Conversion is illumination as doth fully appear by these Scriptures Acts. 26. 18. I send thee saith Christ to Paul to open their eyes and to turn them from darknes to light and from the power of Sathan unto God So Psal 119. 130. The entrance of thy word giveth light it giveth understanding unto the simple lob 33. 30. to bring back his soul from the pit to be enlightned with the light of the living Men are not born with this saving light in their hearts as they are born with tongues in their mouthes for the best knowing men under heaven untill born again and converted are in darkness Ephes 5. 8. For ye were sometimes darkness but now are ye light in the Lord being born again 1 Cor. 2. 14. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 2 Cor. 4. 6. For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ This illumination is acompanied with 1 A renewing of the mind Rom. 12. 2. Eph. 4. 23. 2 A conviction of sin and guilt he doth acknowledge himself a lawfull captive 3 There are the seeds or roots of all saving grace infused into the soul at once if the soul be enlightned with a special saving light but the soul doth not presently sensibly exercise thē all the first part of saving grace is illumination the opening of the eyes causeth the opening of the heart 2. The second step to accomplish or at least to carry on this work of conversion is Vocation this effectual vocation is the first or second act of Election saith Master Norton Calling is the first act of Divine mercy in recovering miserable man Doctor Twiss saith effectuall calling is the first mercy c. But let the Reader consider that if these four words Vocation Conversion Repentance Regeneration agree in one and are used in Scripture to expresse the same work upon the soul having but a small difference as hath been proved before then now in speaking to this word Vocation let the Reader take notice that though Conversion Repentance Regeneration be not exprest yet they all are included and contained and if so then Vocation seems to be a second work upon the soul rather than the first Jer. 31. 19. Surely after that I was turned I repented and after that I was instructed I was ashamed yea even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth the way that the Lord doth take for the recovering of a backslider and the conversion of a sinner doth in many thing if not in all go hand in hand together he calls upon the one and so he doth upon the other he enlightens the one to see from whence he is fallen and so he doth the other he gives repentance to the one and so he doth to the other c. There are principally these three things to be considered in this Vocation 1. The principal cause of Vocation is Gods free mercy 2 Tim. 1. 9. Titus 3. 3 4 5. 2. The instrumental cause is the preaching of the Gospel 2 Thes 2. 14. 3. The end of Vocation is Gods glory and the salvation of his elected ones Ephes 2. 1. And you hath he quickened when you were dead in sinnes and trespasses Col. 2. 13. And you that were dead in your sinnes hath he quickned Eph. 1. 12. that we should be to the praise of his glory There be certain steps at first in a souls coming to Christ or preparatory accesses like that we read Psalm 6. 2 4. Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak O Lord heal me for my bones are vexed Return O Lord deliver my soul O save me for thy mercies sake Matt. 9. 20. Bebold a woman diseased though she came not presently to look God fully in the face though she dare not come to touch Christ and lay hold on him yet she was sensible of her own misery and want of mercy she knew there was vertue to come from him and she came as near that as she durst she had a desire to speak but she went

no farther than to speak to her self she saith to her self if I may but touch his garment I shall b●●whole then Christ spake to her though she would not speak to him to overcome her bashfullness he called her daughter and to overcome her unbelief he bid her be of good comfort he had healed her From how little a spark how greata fire from how little a beginning how great a proceeding she desired but the hemm of his garment and had himself See John 3. 2. Nicodemus he came to Jesus by night who was so weak as being either afraid or ashamed to own Christ in the day he cometh to him by night One would have thought that Christ would have said to him Nicodemus is thy desire after me so saint as that thou fearest to come to me in the day time Or am l so unworthy as not to be owned but out of fight Hast thou either so low an esteem of me or bearest thou so little love to me Goe return as thou camest I will not accept of thee in the dark who wouldest not acknowledg me in the light No no Christ hath not one syllable of this he knew that Nicodemus was but a beginner and therefore entertaines him and ins●ructs him in the new birth John 3. 5. Except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God c. Consider there is none effect of election before illumination and effectual vocation the el●●t themselves are said before to be children of wrath as well as others Ephes. 2. 3. Some affirme that in this act of Vocation the seeds or root of faith is wrought in the heart which may be true onely under correction I doe verily think it is not exercised but in part the Soul doth exercise but little more than to give credit to what is written which some call the faith of credence giving credit to what is written which others call the Faith of assent this undoubtedly is wrought in the heart either in the work of Illumination or in estectual Vocation now effectual Vocation or special effectual Calling is attended or accompanied with Viz. 1. The Faith of assent 2. Repentance 3. Conversion 4. Regeneration Now most of these words are used in Scripture to expresse the same work upon the soul as Mr Baxster affirmes or rather as the Scripture teacheth us c. 1. That special effectual Calling is attended or accompanied with the Faith of assent or credence See Mat. 8. 2. The Leper did assent to the power of Christ that he was able to clense him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean surely Vocation is accompanied with a bare naked assent to every truth revealed by God 2. It is accompanied with Repentance which conteineth two things The first is a hearty sorrow that ever he sinned The second is a turning from that sinne to God or there is a turning from a state of sinne and misery unto God our only remedy this Repentance is wrought by the Ministry both of Law and Gospel the thunders of the Law terrifie and the dews of the Gospel mollifie there is nothing breaks the heart more than mercy nothing melts a man more than the mercies of God which he hath abused the consideration of this opens all the springs in thee the soul is not able to stand stubborn under it 2 Cor. 7. 9 10 11. 3. This special effectual Calling is accompanyed with Conversion which is a work of the Spirit of Christ in a sensible lost undone sinner by the Doctrine of Christ by which he effectually changeth the minde heart and life from the creature to God in Christ the parts of this Conversion are these three First it is a change of the minde Secondly of the heart Thirdly of the life c. In the moment of Conversion God works that blessed work which shall never be undone In a word that is wrought in an instant which shall remain for ever 4. This effectual Calling is accompanied with Regeneration which doth make so great a change that a man is as it were an other man so that this word Regeneration is more comprehensive than Conversion Repentance or Vocation 2 Cor. 5. 17. He that is in Christ is a new creature old things are past away behold all things are become new Mark every man that is in Christ that is thus converted every true Christian then is a new creature not in substance but in quality all things are become new a true converted man he hath new love new desires new sorrow new delight new resolution and a new conversion Vocation Conversion and Regeneration is wrought in an instant God in saying live makes the soul to live as it is in the first so it shall be in the second Resurrection in a moment in the twinkling of an eye whiles God speaks the word the dead shall rise 1 Cor. 15. 52 c. 3. The next step to get out of a state of death into a state of life is to trust or believe in the Lord. I know there be many that doth make this the first step to salvation which I hear them say but not prove sure I am no man can have grace without knowledge for who can hate sinne till he knoweth it and the evil of it and who can love God or believe in him till he know him to be merciful able and faithfull who can do the duty that he understandeth not or go the way to heaven that he is ignorant of so that illumination must needs be the first step but withall it is granted that the Spirit of God either in Illumination or Vocation doth cause the first act of faith in the heart and by that act a habit is effected and therewith the seed of all graces For the habit of faith saith Master Norton seemeth not to be infused alone before the other habits of saving grace The universal frame of saving grace is infused into the soul at once as one general habit so that the infusion of life into the heart or soul hath its being all at once and is uncapable of division into parts and so the habit of faith seemeth not to be infused alone before or after the other saving graces so that I am not speaking of what comes into the soul first but what the soul doth put forth and act first in order to its coming out of a state of nature into a state of grace Two things are here of an absolute necessity to our salvation the one is to believe unfainedly that Christ is the Redeemer of the world and that there is no other way of salvation but by him Acts 4. 12. Iohn 14. 6. Iohn 10. 1 7 8 9. The second is to accept of him as he is offered to us in the Gospel and so faith instates a soul in the possession of heaven whilst the body remains on the earth Now in this third step of trusting in God or believing in him the soul

both unable and unwilling to help himself out of this miserable estate 20 21 There is a fourfold Change and but one saving Change 1. a Moral 2. a Partial 3. a Formal 4. a Spiritual Change 16 to 26 The preparations and qualifications that we are to find in our selves before we lay hold on Christ and the promises 26 27 How Conversion Regeneration Vocation and Repentance agree or differ 28 29 Of the way step by step wherein the Lord doth lead a Soul out of a state of Nature into a state of Grace 29 1. The first step to Conversion is Illumination 29 30 2. The second step is Vocation which is accompanyed with 1. The Faith of Assent 2. Repentance 3. Conversion 4. Regeneration 35 36 37 3. The third step to Conversion is to trust or believe which is accompanied with 1. A looking unto him 2. A comming unto him 3. A receiving of him 4. Laying hold on him 37 to 43 4. The next step for the carrying on and compleating this blessed work there is dropped into the Soul the Spirit of prayer which causeth the Soul chiefly to pray for these three things 1. For more Illumination 2. For pardoning Mercy 3. For purging Mercy 45 46 5. The fifth and last step that I shall name is this the Lord doth cause the Soul secretly to give it self up and surrender all the supposed interest that it had in its self to God that made him and Christ that bought him 49 50 Of Grace-begetting and Soul-converting Ordinances which are 1. Hearing the word preached 2. Reading the Scriptures 3. Frequent and e●●nest prayer 51 to 54 2 Dwell much upon Grace-breeding and Soul-converting promises 54 to 57 3. Frequent the company of Grace-begetting and Soul-converting companions 57 58 59 4. Call to mind and meditate upon Grace-begetting considerations viz. 1. Consider what Christ hath done for us 2. Consider how God hath dealt with other sinners 3. Consider what relation thou hast to him 4. Consider what engagements you have from God 59 to 62 5. Consider in whose name you come before him ibid. 5. Means to gather and treasure up a stock of Grace-begetting and Soul-converting experiences 62 63 64 65 Of the means to be used that is more especially appointed for the confirming sealing and assuring the Soul of Salvation In the use of means take these four cautions 1. Be sure they be means of Gods own appointment 2. It is not the means alone but Gods blessing upon the means that doth help us 3. His Blessing is not dispenced so much according to the means as according to the uprightness of the heart in the use of them 4. Yet we are to wait upon God in the use of means as it is Gods way of Conveyance c. 65 to 73 The want of Conversion is not in God but in our selves 73 74 75 76. Some of the principal hinderances of Conversion 1. Ignorance of our own misery and Gods mercy 2. Men think it to be either a needless or an easie work 3. A total neglect or careless use of means 4. Mens not considering the joyes of Heaven and the torments of Hell 5. False conceits of themselves 6. Too deep a familiarity with bad company 7. Ignorance of the grounds and princ●ples of the Christian Religion 8. And last hinderance is delay 76 to 81 Of the sad condition of all that are not converted 81 Of the privileges and benefits of all that are converted 82 83 1. They are Chists Servants 2. They are his Friends 3. His Brethren 4. His Jewels 5. His Sons and Daughters 6. His Bride and Spouse 7. They are Co-heirs with Christ ibid. The tryals of Conversion by which a man may know whether he be converted yea or no. 83 84 1. He that is converted doth desire the word and means of Grace 2. He is willing to be made willing to do whatsoever the Lord doth cōmand him 3. He is brought unto an unfeigned hatred of the whole body of Sin 4. His greatest conflict is against in ward pollution 5. He mourns for the sins of of others and the want of more grace in himself 6. He doth delight to be speaking of those things which his heart hath taken in in the work of Conversion 7. He doth begin to keep a watch over his own heart 8. He makes Conscience of keeping every known Command 9. He is willing to put himself upon the tryal 10. He hath his Soul renewed in its faculties and vertues 85 86 Cerrain Objections answered which some out of weaknesse and others out of prejudice may be apt to make against the foregoing Discourse 100 The Objections or Queries that are clearly answered are as followeeh Q. IF a people or a person refuse to imbrace the Doctrine and practise the Discipline of the true Religion whether they are not to be forced to receive the one and practise the other yea or no 100 Q. Whether liberty of Conscience be as some say a cursed tolleration or of Divine institution yea or no 101 Q. What is or ought to be the ground of Communion and Fellowship in the Church of Christ 102 Q. Whether there be any preparatory work required of men and women before Conversion and is so what it is ibid. Q. Whether there be not a free will remaining in all the posterity of Adam yea or no 103 Q. Whether Adam by his fall did totally lose every good thing that there was in him yea or no ibid. Q. How came the sin of Adam being but one to become the sin of so many yea of all mankind 104 Q. How could Christ being but one make satisfaction for the sins of so many ibid. Q. What are we to understand by election and reprobation which so many contend about 105 Q. Whether Election be the cause of Salvation and Reprobation the cause of Damnation yea or no 106 Q. Whether Christ hath dyed and tasted death for every man yea or no ibid. Q. How can they have hope to believe whom God hath decreed shall not believe 107 Q. Why doth the most just and righteous God command all men to believe and promise salvation to them that doe believe and threaten damnation to all that doe not seeing it is not in man● power to believe 108 Q. Whether there be not a Light in every man which if improved and walkt up to would lead us to the Gate of Heaven if not into Heaven yea or no 109 Q. How doth it plainly appear that our Acceptation and Salvation is only of Grace and nothing else 111 Q. If Salvation be only of Grace without works in what respect are good works necessary 111 to 116 Q. How shall a man be able to do what is required seeing he is not sufficient of himself so much as to think a good thought 116 119 Q. What is or who is the Object of Faith 120 121 Q. What encouragements or grounds are there to provoke or perswade a people to believe in God 122 124 Q.

found in his own righteousness but in Christs righteousness all the rest he accounts as dung 10. He that is born again or truly converted hath his soul renewed in its faculti●s and vertues when the Lord made man in his own image Gen. 1. 26 27. Gen. 9. 6. which image of God in man consisteth not in any bodily shape but in the nature of the soul as it is a spiritual and immortal substance indued with three faculties Understanding Will and Memory as the Deitie hath three Father Sonne and Holy Ghost this image of God in man by his fall was defaced which by regeneration is again restored and renewed 1. In its faculties 2. In its senses 3 In its vertues 1. In its faculties 1. Understanding 2. Will. 3. Memory 1. The Understanding that by the fall was darkened is now again by regeneration ●nlightened Ephes 5. 8. Compared with Ephes 1. 18. 2. The Will that was inthralled is now renewed by which it doth choose the good and reject the evil 3. The Memory that since the fall of Man would forget the good that it should have reteyned and retein the evill that it should forget is now restored so as to treasure up spiritual things and let slip carnal things The Conscience which is Gods Deputy in man that did cease to do his Office being seared with an hot Iron 1 Tim. 4. 2. is now awakened and sits as Judge overall your Actions accusing in one thing excusing in another now if Conscience he not a Bridle it will be a Whip if it be not a Curb i● will be a Scourge if you will not hear the Warnings you shall feel the Lashes if it doth not restrain from Sin by admonition it will put u● to pain in sin by Contrition The Senses also they come to be exercised Heb. 5. 14. to discern both good and evil the Sense of Hearing is frequently exercised in hearing the joyfull sound and the Sense of Seeing is exercised in beholding the wonderfull works of God and the Sense of Smelling is exercised smelling a sweet savour in Christ and all his wayes and so for the rest of the Senses they are ever now and then exercised about spiritual things The Vertues of the Soul or graces of the Spirit they begin also to be employ●d about matters of great concernment viz. Faith endeavours to believe and lay hold on God for what he hath promised Hope anchors upon the promise and waits with patience for a supply of all its wants Love is exerci●●d in loving of God his Ordinances and People and sometimes in doing good to his enemies Prudence i● a ver●●● whereby we foresee how things ar● to be done in respect of time place and m●nner and what will be the event of each b●siness which is undertaken prudence in our hearts to guide our thoughts and in our mouths to order our speeches it is prudence in the evils of sin to choose none and in the evils of punishment to choose the lesser 2 Sam. 24. 12. Another Vertue which begins to be exercised is Temperance which moderates our desires and brings the Appetite under a rule of reason then Constancy or Perseverance is another Vertue whereby a man is resolved to persevere to the end in the knowledge profession and worship of God Justice is another Vertue which giveth every man his due it binds us to give due to God to our Parents and Kindred and to exercise Verity and Equity in all that we do lo what a wonderfull change is here yet notwithstanding all this the Soul is the same after conversion as it was before and so it shall be after the resurrection the same there being the same faculties only thus changed the Soul is renewed and restored to its primitive institution and so its purity and blessednesse is or shall be greater than ever it was before c. Thus the Regenerate doth partake of another begetting of another birth of another nature that a man should be the same and not the same the same man for Body yet as different in quality as if another soul did dwell in the same body he of a lyon i● become a lamb of a wolfe a sheep of a Saul a Paul of a persecuter a friend of the persecuted here is a blessed change indeed Wouldst thou know whether thou art regenerated art thou one whom God hath enlightned art thou one whom he hath called art thou one who art washed purged renewed sanctyfied examine thy heart throughly deceits lie low and false evidence is the fruit of a slight search Art thou one whose heart is taken with Christ when God delights in us thereupon we come to delight in him God knows us and thereupon we come to know him John 10. 14. God apprehends us and thereupon we come to apprehend him he chuseth us and thereupon we chuse him he loves us and therefore we love him 1 John 4. 19. his heart is taken with us and thereupon we come to be taken with him take thy evidences from the carriage of thy spirit neither at the best nor at the worst but the middle way which is most thy frame for if thou look upon thy self at the worst thou mayst be discouraged if at the best thou mayst be deceived neither judg of thy self by particular actions but look upon the universal frame and ben● of thy spirit art thou heavy laden with the weight of thy offences dost thou groan under the yoak and tyrannie of manifold temptations Come unto me saith Christ I will refresh the Mat. 11. 28. Doest thou thirst after the wayes of grace loe I am the living spring saith Christ Come drinks h●r● is my blood that was shed for many for the remission of sinnes are the wounds of thy transgressions so deep that they ●annot be searched or so old that they corrupt and pur●fie loe here is the good Samaritan that will either eind them up or powr in oyle and wine are there any seeds of true life began is there any motion of repentance in thy soul will thy pulse of remorse heat a little hast thou but a touch of sorrow a spark of contrition a grain of faith a drop of self denyal surely he that hath began this good work will finish it Philip. 1. 6. Surely he will more and more inform thy mind conform thy will reform thy life and tran●form the whole man into the likeness of the heavenly patterne a man that is born again may be weak in respect of life in whom the spirit breath● though feintly whose pulse beats but feebly whose heart pants after Christ but weakly in whom Christ who is the wisdome of the father shines though through many clouds very dimly who indeed re●●ives Christ and his free g●●●● though with a shaking hand who hopes that Christ will not cast him off though not sure he will take him up he hath a desire to fear the name of the Lord h● hath a willing mind 2 Cor. 8. 12 and this is