Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	ghost_n	holy_a	reason_n	6,112	5	5.0295	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A01028	A letter first written and sent by Io. Forbes, pastour of the English Church at Middelburgh vnto certen of the companie of marchands adventurers at Stoade, at their earnest desire, for resolving this question: how a Christian man may discerne the testimonie of Gods spirit, from the testimonie of his owne spirit, in witnessing his adoption. And now againe renewed and enlarged by the authour, at the desire of divers good Christians, for the comfort of their troubled co[n]sciences, and published by those of his flocke, to whom he did dedicate it for the publike vse of the Church.	Forbes, John, 1568?-1634.	1616 (1616)	STC 11131; ESTC S118027	27,622	94

which is vnderstood libertie is opponed to bondage as the effect of the spirit Next the voyce following heerevpon is manifest in the wordes following whereby wee crye Abba Father Which crye more plainly is saide by the Apostle to the Galathians to bee the crie of the spirit saying and because yee are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirit of his sonne in your harts which cryeth Abba Father And therefore is it that the Apostle to the Romans saieth that the same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God What then is this worke of the spirit in vs that witnesseth Adoption This speciall worke is libertie or freedome accompanied ever with peace boldnes confidence and reioycing This is plaine by these places of scripture First the Apostle to the Corinthians speaking of this first great effect of the spirit saith Now the Lord is the spirit and where the spirit of the Lord is there is libertie and of the peace that accōpanies this libertie the Apostle speakes plainlie to the Ephesians where after he hath shewē that by Christ we are delivered from the Law of commandements hatred that thereby did lye vpon vs and hath spoken of the peace followinge therevpon hee proves this peace by these wordes for through him wee both haue an entrance vnto the Father by one spirit Therefore the same Apostle to the Romans sayeth That being iustified by faith wee have peace towardes God Of this boldnes and confidence the Apostle speakes to the Ephesians saying By whom wee have boldnes and accesse with confidence by faith in him Therefore is it that the Apostle to the Romans sayeth That wee have not receyved the spirit of bondage vnto feare but the spirit that is without feare that is of boldnes and confidence Touching reioycing the Apostle Peter speaketh saying In whom beleeving yee reioyce with ioye vnspeakeable and glorious The same also affirmeth the Apostle to the Rom. saying we reioyce vnder the hope of the glorie of God neither so onely but wee reioyce also in tribulations and he addes the reason because the love of God is shed abroad in our heartes by the holy ghost which is given vnto vs. This I call the speciall working of the spirit for sealing our Adoption because these effectes cannot possiblie bee in vs except the spirit of adoption worke them and therefore whosoever hath them hee hath an vndoubted testimonie of his adoption from the verie spirit of adoption For this libertie and effectes of it are not the worke of a mans owne hart but the work of Gods spirit in the heart making it free causing it to reioyce making it cōfident towards God that this may be cleere we have to consider the estate of man first in ignorāce and blindnes before he knewe either God or him selfe Secondly his estate vnder the Lawe And lastlie his estate vnder grace thorough the Gospell In the two former cases there is nothing in mans heart but blindnes or the spirit of bondage vnto feare yea even in the verie elect before they receyve this spirit of Adoption and grace by the Gospell In man by nature as he is borne there is nothinge but blindnes I say nothing not that I exclude bondage for in both the first two estates of man blindnes and bondage doe accompanie each other but in the first estate blindnes so reigneth that bondage is not perceyved nor felt In the second although blindnes be so farre taken away as man see and feele his bōdage yet it is not so taken away that it hide not from him his libertie and freedome Therefore in the first he is the slave of blindnes and darknesse because the power thereof is predominant in him holding him in ignorāce of God of him selfe of sinne and of true righteousnes Therefore doth the scripture say There is none that vnderstandeth there is none that seeketh God And the Apost to the Ephesians shewing the naturall estate of man declareth that he is without Christ an aliant from the common wealth of Israel a stranger from the covenant of promise without hope and without God in the worlde And therefore speakinge of the vaine conversation of men naturall hee sheweth the causes of it to be this because they have their vnderstanding darkened beeing strangers from the life of God through the ignorāre that is in them And most cleerlie in the fift chapter for ye were once darknes meaning by nature and therefore they who are effectuallie called to grace are in that same place saide to be light in the Lord. And by the Apostle Peter are said to be called of God out of darknes to his marveylous light And to the Thessalonians they that are called are saide to be of the day and of the light And they which are not called are saide to be of the night and of darknes And the Apostle to the Colossians willing to shewe the force of darknes in holding men in bondage expresses their calling by GOD in these wordes who hath drawen vs out vnder the power of darknes So it is manifest that in our estate naturall wherein as saith the Apostle to the Galathians wee knowe not God darknes hath power and dominion over vs in such sorte that we have no libertie of minde nor body to serve God the minde being kept in ignorance of God of righteousnes and of sinne And so consequentlie man in this estate is without feare Not because he is not in danger but because hee seeth not his danger Therefore also may he bee secure because he is senselesse but confident hee can not be because hee hath no knowledge It is true men in this case are commonly most peart in sinne and bolde in wickednesse against GOD because they know neither him nor them selves And therefore oft tymes as foolish flyes they rush vpon the candle or blinde horses doe runne against the wall but bolde and confident in him they can not be who knowes him not in Christ Therefore doth the Apostle declare that the cause why such men give themselves to wantonnesse is because they have no feeling Now in the second estate vnder the Lawe we are further from libertie and the remaynant blessings of the spirit of Adoptiō For albeit that some light arise in the heart by the Lawe as the knowledge of sinne conforme to that of the Apostle I knew not sinne but by the Law yet this light doeth only reveyle to man his bondage but doth not remove nor remedie it because that was impossible to the Lawe in as much as it was weak because of the flesh as saieth the same Apostle Therefore this light of the Lawe although it bee necessarie yet it is comfortlesse For it shewes first to man that he is solde vnder sinne and that no good dwelleth in him Heerevpon it reveiles vnto him that hee is vnder the curse of God and

A LETTER First written and sent by Io. FORBES Pastour of the English Church at MIDDELBVRGH vnto certen of the companie of Marchands Adventurers at STOADE at their earnest desire for resolving this Question How a Christian man may discerne the testimonie of Gods spirit from the testimonie of his owne spirit in witnessing his Adoption And now againe renewed and enlarged by the Authour at the desire of divers good Christians for the comfort of their troubled cōsciences and published by those of his flocke to whom he did dedicate it for the publike vse of the Church Thy Rod and thy Staffe they comfort me Psal 23. 4. AT MIDDELBVRGH Printed by Richard Schilders 1616. To Mr Edw. Bennet Mr. Iohn Turner and Mr Ed. Kay the Authour wisheth increase of all Spirituall blessing in Christ RECEYVE beloved in the Lord a certen Letter which above eight yeeres ago I first did write at the desire of Mr Io. Scharpuls now with God and others of the companie then at Stoade now againe have revewed and somewhat enlarged the same vpon occasion of the trouble of cōscience wherein I did perceyve manie good Christians to bee cast for want of sufficiēt light in the same question which is heere handled desiring to minister some comfort vnto them if it shall please God to blesse this my endeavour in that measure of light which he hath given me vse it and if yee finde any fruit in it impart it to such as have need The spirit of comfort and true peace bee with you to the end Iuli 20. 1616. Yours in the Lord Io. Forbes A short Discourse shewing how a Christian may discerne the testimonie of Gods spirit from the testimonie of his owne spirit in witnessing his Adoption The same spirit beareth witnesse also togither with our spirit that wee are the sonnes of God Rom. 8. 16. BELOVED in the Lord you desired by your Letter at my departure frō Stoad that I would resolve you in that saying of the Apostle to the Rom. chap. 8. The spirit of God beareth witnes with our spirits that we are the sonnes of God How a man may know when that spirit doth beare witnes also with our spirit The occasion moving you to inquire this being ministred by some speech vttered by me in preaching sayinge it was not enough for a man that his own spirit do beare witnes alone First I will shewe you the occasion wherefore I did say so and next I will doe my best to satisfie your question as the Lord hath given me to vnderstand It is most certaine that a mans owne heart being a thing as saith Ieremie Chap. 17. deceitfull above all things will oft times deceyve man him self and yeeld him a false Testimonie of him selfe as also of his actions and estate Is it not said of the Angell of the Church of Laodicea that he said of him self I am ritch increased with goods have need of nothing This doubtles was his owne testimonie of him selfe But what doeth the spirit of God witnes of him Thou art wretched and miserable and poore and blind naked And moreover doth affirme that this Angell did not know he was so Doth not Christ also teach vs in the Gospell that there bee some whose hartes deceyve them making them trust in themselves that they are iust and yet are not and cleares it by the example of the Pharisee giving thankes vnto God That he was not as other men extortioner vniust c. who notwithstanding is accompted of God vniust And to be short in this point the Lord Iesus sheweth vs that many men at his second comming shall be miserably deceived by the foolish testimonie of their own harts some being confident because of the outward fellowship and familiaritie they have had with Christ both in Word Sacraments and therefore pleading thus We have eaten and dronke in thy presence and thou has taught in our streetes shall neverthelesse receyve this answer I tell you I know you not whence you are depart from me Others also vpon the confidence of giftes bestowed vpon them by Christ for the good of his Church pleading with him and saying Lord Lord have we not by thy Name prophecied and by thy Name cast out Divels and by thy Name done many great works shall receyve the same answere Heereby it is evident that the testimonie of a mans owne heart being alone may be deceitfull evē when it is builded vpō profession and outward participation of the holy things of GOD. Yea even when it is builded vpon some rare speciall giftes of the holy ghost which although they bee necessarie for the body or Church in generall yet are not requisit in every member to salvation such as is the gift of Prophecying c. and therefore may both be wanting without preiudice and also had without enioying of salvation Thus have wee reason not to trust our Adoption and certaintie of our salvation to the naked testimonie of our owne hearts least we be found like the foolish Virgines It is true the testimonie of our owne hearts is needfull heerevnto because sayeth the Apostle If our heartes condempne vs God is greater then our heartes and if our hearts condempne vs not then have we boldnes towards God But it must not be alone for so it shal never be sure but having the spirit witnessing with it then it is sure Now yet before I speake of the discerning of the spirites testimonie I must forewarne you of this one thing to wit that there bee many effectes of the spirit in the Saints oft times which at the first the Saintes know not to bee from the spirit and that both in their first calling and after they be called and therefore wee must not measure the working of the spirit in vs by our discerning neyther must we iudge our selves destitute of the spirit albeit wee doe not discerne the effectes wrought in vs to bee from the spirit for the Saints will feele strange effectes wrought in their mindes which they will neither knowe whence they come nor wherevnto they tend This is verified by Iesus Christ him self speaking of the verie working of the spirit in our spirituall birth whereby we are made the children of God comparinge it to the winde The winde saieth he bloweth where it listeth and thou hearest the sound thereof but can not tell whence it commeth nor whether it goeth so is every mā saith Christ that is borne of the spirit This shall not seeme strange to vs if we marke what is saide of the Disciples at Ephesus who were baptized as appeareth by Apollos and yet they confesse to Paul that they had not so much as heard whether there were an H. ghost It may bee also very apparantlie thought that Peter when hee did witnesse of Christ that he was the Christ the Sonne of the living God did not knowe that testimonie to have bene from the spirit of God and therefore Christ

minde and in their heart will I write them therefore it is that Moses speakinge of the estate of the chosen children of God vnder grace saith that this cōmandement which I command thee this day meaning thereby the worde of the Father is not hid from thee neither is it farre from thee it is not in the heaven that thou shouldest say who shall goe vp for vs to heaven and bring it vs and cause vs to heare it that we may do it neither is it beyond the sea that thou shouldest say who shall goe over the sea for vs and bring it vs and cause vs to heare it that wee may doe it but the word is very neare vnto thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart for to doe it The Apostle expounds the same to the Rom. and shewes that this is the word of the Father which they did preach For this is the promise of God to his Church vnder the Gospell by the mouth of his Prophet All thy children shal be taught of the Lord and this is the Lords teaching evē the writing of his word in the hart by his spirit Of the first sort of this speciall receyving the word you may read in Iohn it is said of the Iewes many beleeved in Christ yet these same doth Christ declare to be the servants of sinne childrē of the divel murtherers and in the 37. verse he shewes why they were such because his word had no place in thē therefore doth he warn thē in the 31. ver that if they did cōtinue in his word they were verily his discipl teaching thereby that it is not the receyving of his word simplie that maketh vs disciples but the abydiug in it which none can doe that hath it not written in their heart by the spirit Of the second sorte of the speciall receyving the word you may read in the 17. chap. of Iohn in the wordes of Christ concerning his Disciples I have given them the wordes which thou gavest mee they have receyved them c. Of both these sortes of receyving the spirites testimonie you may read in the Gospell of Saint Math. in the Parable of the Sower the one is like the ground which receyveth seed but yeeldeth no fruit againe the other is like the ground which receiveth the seed and bringeth forth fruit in aboundance because God the Father is the Husbande man thereof as Christ sayeth in the 15. chapter of Iohn But you may aske how I can call this sorte of witnessinge which is fruitlesse to be the spirits testimonie Remēber I pray you what the Apostle saieth to the Corinthians No man can call Iesus Lord but by the H. ghost Whereby it is plaine that there is no possibilitie in man of receyving or acknowledging any part of that mysterie of godlynes without the spirits working And yet albeit this be the worke of the spirit yet doth it not prove him in whom it is to be the childe of God For Christ saieth plainly Not every one that call me Lord Lorde shall enter into the kingdome of heaven And because this same effect in the verie reprobate is the work of the spirit for the naturall man can not perceyve the things of the spirit therefore are the very reprobate thus illuminate after this maner said to have bene made partakers of the H. ghost not that ever that spirit of Adoptiō which God sendes foorth in the heartes of his sonnes to seale them vnto the day of redemption was ever sent into their hearts But because even that light tast of heavēly things whiche they received was by the working of the H. ghost although he never did give thē ful possession of them by imprinting them in their harts sealing thē in their soules For that which Christ saith to his discip whē he promiseth to send thē the spirit of truth remayneth still true that the world can not receive him because it seeth him not neither knoweth him therfore wee may iustly say that they who receive this tast of Christ of the good word of god do not discern the spirit to worke these thinges because they neither see him nor know him neither cā they receive him but are like vnto natural men who albeit they have their being life moving in God yet still remain without God in this world But it may thē be demanded how it is that they are said to bee made partakers of the H. ghost and what difference is there betwixt them the elect in the participatiō of the spirit To vnderstand this we must remember that ther must be a certain participatiō of the spirit whersoever any effect of the spirit is foūd in whatsoever measure or maner But we are to mark a differēce both of measure maner For as a mā that hath an excellent piece of wine to sel wil give to al that com so much as is sufficiēt to make thē knowe the tast of it yet he giveth not to every one such a quātitie as is sufficiēt to bring nourishment refreshment to their bodyes spirits And as a phisicion that hath prepared a comfortable potiō for the health of a beloved patient he will give to others a little of it to make them apprehende the taste of it but not so as to have anie strength to make anie operation in their stomacke for that quantitie hee gives onely to the patient for whose health it is prepared Nowe they who tasted of this wine or potion can discerne the goodnesse of it albeit they never did drinke it nor ever be partakers of the refreshing power of it So is it with the Lorde in his dispensation he vseth sometimes onely to give a naked sight and knowledge of Christ and his mercie in him to men and this I called before a generall perswasion of the spirit when men are made to know Christ in generall but without all sense of feelinge of him Somtimes the spirit comes nearer and touches the heart with Christ and with the powers of the world to come even so farre as the heart receiveth a tast of the love of God of the mercies of God in Christ in such sorte that they receive the word incontinentlie with ioy as saith Christ The spirit havinge in that measure testified the worde to them as is sufficient to make them to taste the sweetnes of it albeeit hee never fill their heart with it nor imprint it in their mindes that they may finde the power of it vnto life The last degree of the spirites witnessinge is when not onely he touches the lippes with grace to make the tast of it felt but when hee poures in the love of God and all the graces reveyled in the worde and shedds them abroad in the heart as saith the Apostle to the Romans and so makes the heart to enioy receyve and possesse the promise by printing it

so that hee is dead Wherevpon it comes to passe that God therein is so terrible to man that hee cannot abyde him nor heare him but is compelled to runne from him as is cleere by the 12. chapt of the Hebrues verse 19. 20. 21. compared with Exod. chapt 20. verse 18. 19. 20. 21. Thus our former blindnes is turned into bondage and the fruit of blindnes that is securitie is turned in the fruit of bondage which is feare Therefore the ministerie of the Lawe is called the ministerie of death and condempnatiō And in the first act of Gods calling the spirit that speaketh in the Lawe and is given by the ministerie of the Lawe is called the spirit of bondage vnto feare Because the sight and knowledge of our selves and of God which the spirit gives vs by the Lawe workes these effectes And therefore by that name is distinguished from the spirit of Adoption which is given by the Gospell and this will the Apostle signifie to the Galathians when he comparinge the two Testaments to the two by whom Abraham begot Ismael Isaack doeth shewe that the one which is from Mount Sinai doeth beget vnto bondage This being the estate of man both by nature and by the Lawe it is manifest that these effectes of the spirit which witnesse adoption are not in man neither by nature neither by the Lawe But when the free spirit of the Lorde commeth then commeth libertie to the heart And this spirit of the Lord otherwayes called the spirit of promise comes to vs by the preaching of faith and not of the workes of the Lawe as witnesseth the Apostle to the Galathians and the historie of the Actes of the Apostles Nowe then when the man who first by nature was vnder blindnes and next by the Lawe was vnder sinne and death kept in bondage and feare findes him selfe first delivered frō that blindnes and ignorance of minde and next from that bondage of sinne and death and so consequentlie frō his feare which was wrought in him by his bondage then may he knowe that the spirit of adoption grace and libertie hath spoken to his heart and hath taken possession of it because he findes that promise accōplished in him whereof Zacharias speaketh in the Gospell according to Luke to wit that God would grant to vs that we being delivered out of the handes of our enemies should serve him without feare all the dayes of our life in holynes and righteousnes before him For this was the ende of Christes death sayeth the Apostle to the Hebrewes to witt that hee might deliver all them who for feare of death were all their life tyme subiect to bondage Thus therefore the mā who can discerne in his hearte which once was filled with the spirit of bondage vnto feare the ioyfull libertie of the sonnes of God whereby hee that was the bondman and seruant of sinne by the Lawe is now by the Gospell made the free man of Christ the bandes of iniquitie being broken and so freed both from the guiltines and also from the power of sinne being iustified by faith in Iesus Christ and having grace in the superabondance thereof reigning through righteousnes vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord even in the soule wherin sinne in the aboūdance thereof had reigned through vnrighteousnes vnto death this mā I say may easilie discerne the spirit witnessing his adoption by this his libertie from the slauerie of sinne First in his iustification next in his sanctification and so consequentlie from the feare of death following thereon In place whereof succeeds a ioye vnspeakeable glorious the hart iustified reioycing in the hope of the glorie of God For this cause is it that the Apostle Peter willeth vs by ioyning vertue to our faith and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance c. to make our calling and election sure Because our sanctification being the worke of the spirit of adoption is a sure seale of our election And therefore doeth the Apostle Peter give this reason of his threatning and rebuke against Simon Magus to wit that albeit he was baptised yet the Apostle did see that he was in the gale of bitternesse and in the band of iniquitie wherein Simon being still captive could have no assurance of adoption albeit hee had outwardly embraced the Gospell and therefore is said to have beleeved And because this worke is the great worke of Christ in the elect and chief ende of his comming Therefore doeth the Prophet Esaie describe the worke of his comming and effect of the spirit of the Lord in him in these wordes The spirit of the Lorde is vpon mee the Lord hath annointed me that I should preach the Gospell to the poore that I should heale the broken hearted that I should preach deliverie to the captives and receyvinge of sight to the blinde that I should set at libertie them that are brused and that I should preach the acceptable yeare of the Lord to appoint vnto them that murne in Zion and to give vnto them beautie for ashes the oyle of ioye for mourning the garmentes of gladnes for the spirit of heavines that they might be called trees of righteousnes the planting of the Lord. Which Prophesie Christ sheweth to bee fulfilled by him selfe in the Gospell accordinge to Luc. in the which it is manifest that the work of the spirit in preaching the Gospell is to worke knowledge and libertie in making vs trees of righteousnes planted by God and by libertie to worke ioye and gladnes in place of mourning heavines Therefore is it by good reason that the Apostle forbiddes vs to let sinne reigne in our mortall bodies that we should obey it in the lustes therof in respect wee are made free from sinne in Christ and are made the servants of God having our fruit in holines And also biddeth vs reioyce alwayes in the Lord for there is no condempnation to vs that are in Christ seeing we are freed from the lawe of sinne and death by the lawe of the spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus This is then that great effect of the spirit of Adoption in our heartes whereby as by a most sure testimonie wee discerne the spirit sealing our Adoption Because this spirit of adoptiō which is given vs by the preaching of the Gospell takes away both these miseries to witt the blindnes wherein we are by nature next the bondage reveiled by the law and feare caused thereby Havinge thus spoken of the worke of the spirit it followeth that we consider the voyce of the spirit This voyce of the spirit is of two sortes The first is when the spirit within vs speaketh to God for vs. The second is whē the spirit in vs speaketh from God vnto vs. The voice of the spirit to God is when we by the spirit call vpon God as our Father And this voice of the spirit is

have example in David and Iob. And this discerning of the spirits testimonie is two folde one is by the voyce of the spirit in vs vnto God when our hearts speake the contrarie The other is by the voyce of the spirit vnto vs whē our own hearts saith otherwayes Of the first David is an example who in his prosperitie saide hee should never bee moved Yet when God did hyde his face his heart fayled him and he saide in his haste I am cast out of thy sight and yet hee presently addeth these wordes neverthelesse thou heardest the voyce of my prayer Heere wee may perceyve Davids owne heart saying hee was cast out of Gods sight but yet the spirit of GOD maketh request vnto God for him and maketh him pray to God in faith as not reiected of God and the Lord did heare him This him selfe sheweth plainlie in an other place when he sayeth I beleeved and therefore I spake but I was sore troubled I saide in my haste All men are liers At this time David compassed with the snares of death holden by the griefes of the grave finding trouble and heavines declares the estate of his owne heart that it said that all men are liers and therefore he gathers this conclusion that albeit his owne heart did say that Gods promise should not bee accomplished yet doubtlesse he behoved to have faith because he prayed For except hee had beleeved he had not spoken And what can bee more cleere to let vs see Gods spirit bearing witnesse that God hath not forsaken vs when our owne hearts say the contrarie Then when by witnessing this the spirit causeth vs against the distrust of our owne hearts to pray to God evē above hope yet vnder hope trusting in the Lord as did Abraham If we examine our selves what hath bene the estate of our hearts in the like or at least in our greatest temptations wee shall finde that many tymes when our harts hath spoken no comfort vnto vs yet the spirit of God hath drawen sighes and cries to God out of our hearts which also our God hath heard most graciouslie These cries are testimonies of the spirit witnessing to vs that wee are the sonnes of God when as they proceed from vs our hearts saying the contrarie Of the second kinde of the spirits voyce in speaking from God vnto vs wee have likewise example in David when his owne heart said vnto God Why hast thou forgotten me Behold an other voyce speakinge vnto his heart in that same tyme Why art thou vexed O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within mee O put thy trust in God for I will yet give him thankes he is my helpe and my God Heere the heart speaking no comfort but being wholy discouraged and cast downe the spirit of God in that same heart speaketh to the heart and comforteth it with this that God was his God Nowe that these consolations are the worke and testimonie of Gods spirit it appeareth by that reason which David giveth when hee boasteth in strong cōfidence that although hee should walke through the valey of the shadowe of death yet would hee feare none evill saying For thou art with mee thy rod and thy staffe they comfort mee By these wordes declaring that the experiēce he had of the comfort which Gods spirit did minister vnto him in his most desperate troubles past even then when his owne spirit did faile him was the ground of al his cōfidence against all future trialls Wee have an example also of this in Iob. Who when his owne heart reasoned that God had hid his face from him and taken him for his enemie yet hee saith Although hee slaye mee yet will I trust in him hee shal be my salvation Heere two different speeces in one heart the one from the spirit of Iob the other from the spirit of the Lord in Iob. The one perswading that God was his salvation when the other saide God had hid his face from him Thus if wee would cleerlie discerne the testimonie of Gods spirit from the testimonie of our owne spirit let vs beholde our selves when God tryeth vs rather then when he maketh our mountaine to stande stronge or when hee doeth wrestle with vs himselfe as he did with Iacob and in seeminge to fight against vs yet doeth sustaine vs by his owne strength in vs when our strength faileth vs. Thus I have as distinctlie as I could and therefore somewhat more largelie then an epistle perhaps requireth given you such satisfaction to your question as it hath pleased the Lorde to grant me light If you finde any comfort thereby you shall thank God for it And what is wanting in it for your full satisfaction in this matter the Lord shall supplie it by his owne spirit or by that sufficiencie of grace which hee hath given vnto others his servants whō he shall raise vp to write more fullie of this matter for the edification of his Saints in this and all other thinges I pray the Lord to give you and vs all his everlasting peace through Christ IESVS our Saviour reveyling more and more the mysterie of godlinesse in your hearts and makinge you abound in all knowledge with faith feeling and ioy of the holy Ghost The grace of the Lord IESVS bee with you and all the Brethren AMEN Io. Forbes Reve. 3. 17 Luke 18. Luc. 13. 22 Mat. 7. 22. 1 Ioh. 3. 20 Io. 3. 8. Acts. 19. 2 Mat. 16. 16 Galat 4. 6. Rom. 8. 10 1 Ioh. 3. 24. Psal 19. Psal 79. Esa 8. Ioh. 5. 39. Iam. 2. 19. Ier. 31. Heb. 8. Hebr. 8. 9. Ioh. 5. 38. Ioh. 6. 45. Deut. 30. 12. Rom. 10. 68. Esay 54. 13. Ioh. 8. 30. Ioh 17. 8. Mat. 13. 18. 1 Cor. 12. 3. Mat. 7. 21. 1 Cor. 2. 14. Heb. 6. 4. Ioh. 14. 17 Act. 17. 28 Ephe. 2. 12. Math. 13. 20. Rom. 5. 5. Eph. 1. 13. Eph. 1. 13. 1 Cor. 2. Psal 116. 10. 1 Cor. 4. 13. Luc. 22. 31. Psal 68. 28. Gal. 4. 6. 2 Cor. 1. 21. 1 Ioh. 2. 27. 2 Cor. 5. 5. Rom 8. 15 16. Dan. 6. ● Revel 7. 3 Ma. 16. 18 Ioh. 10. 28 Ioel 2. 28. Act. 2. 17. 1 Ioh. 2. 2. Io. 14. 2 Cor. 5. 5 Rom. 8. 16. Rō 8. 33. Deut. 27. 21. Gal. 3. 10. Iam. 2. 10. Rom. 8. 9. Rom. 8. 15 Gal. 4. 6. 2. Cor. 3. 17. Eph. 2. 13. Eph. 2. 18 Rom. 5. 1. Eph. 3. 12 1 Pet. 1. 8. Rom. 5. 2. Rom. 3. 11 Eph. 2. 12. Ep. 4. 8. Cha. 5. 8. 1. Pet. 2. 9. 1. Thes 5. 5. Colos 1. 13. Gal. 4. 8. Eph. 4. 19. Rom. 7. 7 Rom. 8. 3. Rō 7. 14. Gal. 3. 10. Rō 7. 10. 2 Cor. 3. Rom. 8. 15 Gal. 4. 24. Gal. 3. 2. and 14. Act. 10. 44. Luk. 1. 74 Heb. 2. 15 Heb. 2. 15 Rom. 5. 1. and 21. Pet. 1. 8. Rom. 5. 2. 2 Pet. 1. 10 Esa 61. 1. Luk. 4. 18. Rom. 6. 12 Phil. 4. 4. Rom. 8. 1. 2. Rom. 8. 26 Rom. 8. 23 Zacha. 12. 10. Eph. 2 18. Rom. 8. 16. 1 Cor. 2 1● Rom. 8. 27. Ephe. 6. 18. Gal. 4. 6. Rom. 8. 15 2 Cor. 3. 17. Ioel. 2. 32. Rom. 10. 13. Rom. 10. 1. Cor. 1. 2 2. Tim. 2. ● 19. 2. Tim. 2. 22. Esay 30. 21. Hos 2. 14 Psal 51. 8. Io. 14. 26. Rō 8. 15. 1. Cor. 1. 6 Psal 51. 8. 12. Zach. 12. 10. Math. 26. 75. Math. 5. 4 Zach. 12. 11. Rom. 8. 23 2. Cor. 5. 2 Rom. 8. 26 Phil. 4. 6. Psal 116. 10. 2. Cor. 4. 13. Psal 68. 28 Heb. 10. Act. 5. 41. Psal 73. 25. Psal 90. 14. 15. 2 Cor. 1. 9 Psal 31. 2. Psal 116. 10. Psal 42. Psal 23.