Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A40653
|
The cause and cure of a vvounded conscience by Tho. Fuller ...
|
Fuller, Thomas, 1608-1661.
|
1647
(1647)
|
Wing F2414; ESTC R1315
|
44,277
|
188
|
hard shift to finde some one or two of these signes but not all of them in my heart Phil. As I will not bow to flatter any so I will fall down as farre as truth will give me leave to reach comfort to the humble to whom it is due Know to thy further consolation that where some of these signes truly are there are more yea all of them though not so visible and conspicuous but in a dimmer and darker degree When we behold Violets and Prim-Roses fairely to flourish we conclude the dead of the winter is past though as yet no Roses or July-flowers appeare which long after lye hid in their leaves or lurke in their rootes but in due time will discover themselves If some of these signes be above ground in thy sight others are under ground in thy heart and though the former started first the other will follow in order It being plaine that thou art passed from death unto life by this hopefull and happy spring of some signes in thy heart X. Dialogue Answers to the objection of a wounded Conscience drawne from the feeblenesse of his faith Tim. BUt faith is that which must apply Christ unto us whilest alas the hand of my faith hath not only the shaking but the dead Palsy it can neither hold nor feele any thing Phil. If thou canst not hold God doe but touch him and he shall hold thee and put feeling into thee Saint Paul saith * If that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus It is not Pauls apprehending of Christ but Christ apprehending of Paul doth the deed Tim. But I am sure my faith is not sound because it is not attended with assurance of salvation For I doubt not to say despaire thereof Whereas Divines hold that the Essence of saving faith consists in a certainty to be saved Phil. Such deliver both a false and dangerous doctrine as the carelesse mother * killed her little infant for she over-laid it So this opinion would presse many weak faiths to death by laying a greater weight upon them then they can bear or God doth impose whereas to be assured of salvation is not a part of every true faith but onely an effect of some strong faiths and that also not alwayes but at some times Tim. Is not certainty of salvation a part of every true faith Phil. No verily much lesse is it the life and formality of faith which consisteth onely in a recumbency on God in Christ with Jobs resolution * Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Such an adherence without an assurance is sufficient by Gods mercy to save thy soule Those that say that none have a sincere faith without a certainty of salvation may with as much truth maintaine that none are the Kings loyall Subjects but such as are his Favourites Tim. Is then assurance of salvation a peculiar personall favour indulged by God onely to some particular persons Phil. Yes verily Though the salvation of all Gods servants be sure in it selfe yet is onely assured to the apprehensions of some select people and that at some times For it is too fine fare for the best man to feed on every day Tim. May they that have this assurance afterwards lose it Phil. Undoubtedly they may God first is gracious to give it them they for a time carefull to keep it then negligently lose it then sorrowfully seeke it God again is bountifull to restore it they happy to recover it for a while diligent to retaine it then againe foolish to forfeit it and so the same changes in ones life time often over and over againe Tim. But some will say If I may be infallibly saved without this Assurance I will never endeavour to attaine it Phil. I would have covered my flowers if I had suspected such spiders would have suckt them One may goe to heaven without this Assurance as certainly but not so cheerfully and therefore prudence to obtaine our owne comfort piety to obey Gods Command obligeth us all to give diligence to make our calling and election sure both in it selfe and in our apprehension XI Dialogue God alone can satisfie all objections of a wounded Conscience Tim. BUt Sir these your Answers are no whit satisfactorie unto me Phil. An Answer may be satisfactorie to the Objection both in it selfe and in the judgement of all unprejudiced Hearers and yet not satisfactorie to the Objecter and that in two cases First when he is possâ—…ssed with the spirit of peevishnesse and perversnesse It is lost labour to seeke to feed and fill those who have a greedy Horseleach of cavilling in their heart crying Give give Tim. What is the second case Phil. When the bitternesse of his soule is so great and grievous that he is like the * Israelites in Egypt which hearkned not to Moses for anguish of spirit and for cruel Bondage Now as those who have meat before them and will not eate deserve to starve without pitty so such are much to be bemoaned who through some impediment in their mouth throat or stomach cannot chaw swallow or digest comfort presented unto them Tim. Such is my condition what then is to be done unto me Phil. I must change my precepts to thee into prayers for thee that â—…od would * Satisfie thee early with his mercy that thou mayest rejoyce Ministers may endeavour it in vaine whilest they quell one scruple they start another whilst they fill one corner of a wounded Conscience with comfort another is emptie Only God can so satisfie the soule that each chink and cranny therein shall be filled with spirituall joy Tim. What is the difference betwixt Gods and mans speaking Peace to a troubled spirit Phil. Man can neither make him to whom he speakes to heare what he saith or beleeve what he heares God speakes with authority and doth both His words give hearing to the deafe and Faith to the Infidell When not the Mother of Christ but Christ himselfe shall salute a sicke soule with Peace be unto thee it will leap for joy as John the babe sprang though imprisoned in the darke womb of his Mother Thus the offender is not comforted though many of the spectatours and under-officers tell him he shall be pardoned untill he heares the same from the mouth of the Judge himselfe who hath power and place to forgive him and then his heart reviveth with comfort Tim. God send me such comfort meane time I am thankfull unto you for the answers you have given me Phil. All that I wil adde is this The Lacedemonians had a law that if a bad man or one disesteemed of the people chanced to give good counsell he was to stand by and another against whose person the people had no prejudice was to speake over the same words which the former had uttered I am most sensible to my selfe of my owne badnesse and how justly I am subject to exception Only my
but deserving to be divorced for their adulteriâ—… Citizens of Heaven but yet outlawed so that they can recover no right and receive no benefit till their out-lawry be reversed Tim. Where doth God in Scripture injoyne this second Repentance on his owne Children Phil. In severall places He threatneth the * Church of Ephesus the best of the seaven wich removing the Candlesticke from them except they repent and Christ telleth his own disciples true converts before but then guilty of Ambitious thoughts that * except yee be converted yee shall not enter into the Kingdome of Heaven Here is conversion after conversion being a solemne turning from some particular sinne in relation to which it is not absurd to say that there is justification after justification the latter as following in time so flowing from the former VII Dialogue Onely Christ is to be applyed to Soules truly contrite Tim. BUt suppose the Person in the Ministers apprehension heartily humbled for sinne what then is to be done Phil. No Corrosives all Cordialls no Vineger all Oyle no Law all Gospell must be presented unto him Here blessed the lippes yea beautifull the feet of him that bringeth the tidings of peace As * Elisha when reviving the Sonne of the Shunamite laid his mouâ—…h to the mouth of the Child So the gaping orifice of Christs wounds must spiritually by preaching be put close to the mouth of the wounds of a conscience happy that skilfull Architect that can shew the sick man that the * Head stone of his sprituall building must be laid with shouts crying Grace grace Tim. Which doe you count the Head-stone of the Building that which is first or last laid Phil. The foundation is the Head-stone in honour the top-stone is the Head-stone in height The former the Head-stone in strength the latter in stature It seemeth that Gods spirit of set purpose made use of a doubtfull word to shew that the whole fabricke of our salvation whether as founded or as finished is the only worke of Gods grace alone Christ is the Alpha and Omega thereof not excluding all the letters in the Alphabet interposed Tim. How must the minister preach Christ to an afflicted conscience Phil. He must crucifie him before his eyes lively setting him forth naked to cloath him wounded to cure him dying to save him He is to expound and explaine unto him the dignity of his person pretiousnesse of his blood plenteousnesse of his mercy in all those loving relations wherein the Scripture presents him A kind Father to a prodicall Child a carefull Hen to a scatter'd Chicken a good Shepherd that bringeth his lost Sheep back on his shoulders Tim. Spare me one question why doth he not drive the sheepe before him especially seeing it was lively enough to lose it selfe Phil. First because though it had wildnesse too much to goe astray it had not wisedome enough to goe right Secondly because probably the â—…lly sheep had tired it selfe with wandring Habbabuk 2. 13. the people shall wearie themselves for very vanity and therefore the kind shepheard brings it home on his owne shoulders Tim. Pardon my interruption and proceed how Christ is to be held forth Phil. The latitude and extent of his love his invitation without exception are powerfully to be prest every one that thiâ—…teth all ye that are heavy laden whosoever beleeveth and the many promises of mercy are effectually to be tendered unto him Tim. Where are those promises in Scripture Phil. Or rather where are they not for they are harder to be mist then to bee met with Open the Bible as he * drew his bow in Battle at adventurâ—…s If thou lightest on an Historicall place behold Precedents if on a Doctrinall Promises of comfort For the larter observe these particulars Gen. 3. 15. Exo. 33. 6. Isa. 40. 1. Isa. 54. 11. Mat. 11. 28. Mat. 12. 20. 1 Cor. 10. 13. Heb. 13 5. c. Tim. Are these more principall places of consolation then any other in the Bible Phil. I know there is no choosing where all things are choicest Whosoever shall select some Pearles out of such a heap shall leave behind as precious as any he takes both in his owne and others judgement yea which is more the same man at severall times may in his apprehension preferre severall promises as best formerly most affected with one place for the present more delighted with another and afterwards conceiving comfort therein not so cleare choose other places as more pregnant and pertinent to his purpose Thus God orders it that divers men and perchance the same man at different times make use of all his promises gleaning and gathering comfort not only in one furrow Land or furlong but as it s scattered clean through the whole field of the Scripture Tim. Must Ministers have varieâ—…y of severall comfortable promises Phil. Yes surely such Masters of the Assembly being to enter and fasten consolation in an afflicted soule need have many nailes provided aforehand that if some for the present chance to drive untowardly as splitting going awrie turning crooked or blunt they may have others in the roome thereof Tim. But grant Christ held out never so plainly prest never so powerfully yet all is in vaine except God inwardly with his spirit perswade the wounded Conscience to beleeve the Truth of what he saith Phil. This is an undoubted Truth for one may lay the Bread of Life on their trencher and cannot force them to feede on it One may bring them downe to the spring of life but cannot make them drinke of the waters thereof and therefore in the cure of a wounded Conscience God is all in all only the touch of his hand can * heal this Kings Evill I kill and make alive I wound and I heale neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand VIII Dialogue Answers to the objections of a wounded Conscience drawne from the grievousnesse of his sinnes Tim. GIve me leave now Sir to personate represent a wounded Conscience and to alledge and inforce such principall objections wherewith generally they are grieved Phil. With all my heart and God blesse my endeavours in answering them Tim. But first I would be satisfied how it comes to passe that men in a wounded Conscience have their parts so presently improved The Jewes did question concerning our Saviour * How knoweth this man letters being never learned But here the doubt and difficulty is greater How come simple people so subtile on a sudden to oppose with that advantage and vehemency that it would puzzle a good and grave Divine to answer them Phil. Two Reasons may be rendred thereof 1. Because a man in a disteâ—…per is stronger then when he is in his perfect health What Sampsons are some in the fit of a Feaver Then their spirits being intended by the violence of their disease push with all their power So is it in the agony of a distressed soule every string thereof