Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	believe_v	faith_n	reason_n	7,423	5	5.8303	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A49466	Remedy against trouble in a discourse on John XIV, 1 : wherein something is also briefly attempted for clearing the nature of faith, of justification, of the covenant of grace, assurance, the witness, seal and earnest of the spirit, and preparation for conversion, or the necessity of holiness / by H. Lukin.	Lukin, H. (Henry), 1628-1719.	1694 (1694)	Wing L3481; ESTC R13639	76,819	257

themselves part of the curse as death it self is but a death having lost its sting is now ours for our advantage or gain so are all afflictions 1 Cor. 3.22 Phil 1.21 Gen 49 7. Deut. 33.8 Rom 8.28 2 Cor 4.17 and as Levi's curse was turn'd into a blessing so are our afflictions working together for our good working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory I know some suppose that the merit of Christ being not absolute as I said before the Law was relaxed only so far as was agreed on by God and our Mediator and so we were delivered only from everlasting punishment and not from temporal but afflictions still remain properly punishments But I think the ordinary notion of Protestants about afflictions agrees better with the Scriptures and so proceeding from love they are as the wounds of a friend Rev. 3.19 Prov. 27.6 Psal 141.5 or rather as the smiting of the righteous which is not for wounding but for healing 2. We have all our outward comforts hereby sweetned to us we may eat our bread with joy and drink our wine with a merry heart Eccles 9.7 when God accepts our work There are two things wherein worldly men think they have the advantage of good men that is wisdom and joy But sure those that are wise to salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 have the advantage of the wise men of the world 1 Cor. 2 6. Eccles 2.26 who with all their wisdom come to nought God gives to those that are good in his fight wisdom and knowledge and joy for getting and using riches and comfort in the enjoyment of them God doth not only fill every man's Cup or assign him his measure of the things of this life but he mingles their Cup as he pleases mixing it with Sugar or with Gaul and Wormwood so that every condition and every outward blessing is as God is pleased to make it And there is nothing doth more sweeten these things to us than the sense of God's favour in the pardon of our sins not only as we value gifts according to the mind or good will of the giver but when our sins are pardoned all the blessings of this life are but as the provision which Joseph had sent to his Father for the way till he should come to Aegypt where he should have all the good things of the Land Gen. 45.18 c. whereas the greatest abundance that wicked men have is but as the handful of Meal and Oyl in the Cruse which the Widow and her Son were to eat and die 1 King 14.12 Or like the Tyrant's Feast to which he set the man that envied his greatness and plenty with a great Sword hanging over his head in an horses hair with the point downward which took away all the comfort of his Banquet Israel was not to rejoyce for joy as other People when they had gone a whoring from their God Hos 9.1 So it is not for those to rejoyce that have not their sins pardon'd but are subject to bondage continually through the fear of death Heb. 2.15 3. We have freedom of access to God Rom. 5.2 may come with a filial boldness to him as a Child to a Father to find mercy Heb. 4.16 and obtain grace to help in time of need or for seasonable help when ever we put up our prayers to God the answer comes in when it may be most seasonable as God heard not that is answered not Abraham when he prayed but when Lot was in the greatest danger whom Abraham seemed to have chief respect to in his Prayers Gen. 19.29 When our sins are pardoned God may notwithstanding the strictness of his Justice and the severity of his Law please himself in shewing mercy Mich. 7.18 which he takes so much delight in 4. We have the continual Feast of a good Conscience which will be a rejoycing to us not only in the time of affliction 2 Cor. 1.12 Job 18.14 but in Death it self which is so terrible to others As Christ bids his Disciples lift up their heads because their redemption drew nigh when the hearts of others failed them for looking for the things that were coming upon them Luc. 21.23 28. It is true a good man's Conscience may accuse him as to some particular acts though his sins be pardoned 2 Sam. 24.10 as David's did for numbering the people but there is provision made in such cases that every particular sin shall not break the peace betwixt God and us 1 Joh. 2.1 2. but it is not our Conscience accusing us in reference to some particular acts but in reference to our spiritual state that is so terrible and affrighting Heb. 10.30 when we are kept continually in a fearful expectation of judgement and fiery indignation CHAP. IV. NOW tho this be so great a privilege and happiness to have our sins pardoned if we know it not we cannot take the comfort of it Therefore I will further enquire what assurance we have thereof by Faith There is a great complaint that many if not most of our later Writers and Preachers have deserted the first Reformers in the Doctrine of Faith who commonly taught that it was a persuasion or confidence of our own Salvation in particular by Christ and that every believer in his first believing was to apply the promise to himself But now it is commonly taught that assurance is not essential to Faith and that Christians may live long in the want of it And this they say doth very much weaken the hands of Christians there being so many graces to be acted so many duties to be performed so many afflictions to be endured which do require Assurance to encourage and enable us thereto And if those that suffered so much in the beginning of the Reformation for the profession of the Truth should have had such a Faith as is now ordinarily taught and not that Assurance and confidence wherein they then pleaded the Essence of Faith they could not have gone so well through their sufferings Again they say by this Doctrine that men may have Faith without Assurance we teach men to rest in such a Faith and to content themselves without Assurance and then to plead their own experience to confirm their Doctrine that Christians may believe sincerely tho they have not Assurance tho against the experience of the People of God both in the Old and New Testament who did ordinarily profess their own Assurance of Salvation Now I will not go about to justify what every particular person may say in heat of Disputation or when they speak of things which they have only dry notions but no experimental knowledge of But for our encouraging persons to allow or indulge themselves in the want of Assurance by saying that there may be true Faith without it we think they have less reason for their complalnt than those have that say we weaken the

hands of Christians by teaching that perfection is not necessary to Salvation nor attainable in this Life because Chistians generally concern themselves more to endeavour after Assurance than after Perfection both as it is more attainable and more necessary to the comfort of their Lives As for the profession of the People of God in Scripture it is not universally true of them for as we meet with instances of many triumphing in the assurance of the love of God and the hope of future glory so we do of some under doubts and terrors and as Moses wished in another case that all the Lord's People were Prophets so I wish that all the Lord's People had Assurance yea I hope that if he call them to like sufferings he will give them like Assurance as his People had under theirs formerly it being his ordinary way to proportion their Consolations to their Sufferings 2 Cor. 1.5 Yea we ordinarliy teach not only that Assurance is attainable without extraordinary Revelation but that it is the Duty as well as the Interest of Christians to endeavour after it Having premised thus much briefly I will now proceed to enquire how far Faith is attended with Assurance and how it may be sometimes without it I will not say there is a direct Act of Faith and a reflex Act I think not the terms so proper but I own what they call the direct Act of Faith is the most proper Act of it and that when a man hath believed or doth believe he may reflect upon it and say with him Mark 6.24 I believe and thence he may infer his Interest in the promise of Salvation and so have Assurance which some call Assurance of Faith and we may call it so as it is inferr'd from our Faith rather than as it is an act of Faith The Scripture speaks of a full assurance of understanding Col. 2.2 which is a clear and certain knowledge of Truths Of a full assurance of hope Heb. 6.11 Heb. 10.22 that is a certain expectation of Salvation Of a full assurance of faith Now. the Assurance which we are now speaking of is indeed rather the Assurance of Hope than the Assurance of Faith tho it is indeed grounded on the Assurance of Faith wherewith we should draw nigh to God not only in particular Acts of Worship but in our first access to him in Conversion as the Prodigal first returned to his Father's House and when he was received into it made his particular Addresses to his Father as he had occasion And this full Assurance is not only such as that of Abraham That what God had promised Rom. 4.21 he was able also to perform Nor as that of Sarah That judged him faithful that had promised Heb. 11.11 So as he will certainly make good his promise according to the true Tenor thereof whether we believe or no he cannot deny himself 2 Tim. 2.12 Rom. 3.3 And if some do not believe their unbelief shall not make the faith of God without effect It shall be fulfilled to others that do believe But there is a further Assurance of Faith even in the first direct Act thereof whereby we do apply the Grace of God to our selves in particular which is not a believing that our Sins are already pardoned or that they shall be pardoned upon our believing that they are so but that they shall be pardoned upon our believing that is upon our addressing our selves to God by Jesus Christ upon our coming to him or casting our selves upon God's free Grace in Christ This is that boldness and access with confidence which we have by the faith of him Ephes 3.12 Heb. 10.19 that boldness which we have to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus Boldly adventuring our selves on God's free Grace in Jesus Christ for Salvation fleeing for refuge to lay hold on the hope that is set before us Heb. 6.18 in the encouragement of the gracious invitation of the Gospel to all those that are weary and heavy laden Matth. 11.28 Rev. 22.18 John 6.37 to those that shall desire really the Water of Life and the promise made to such And in confidence of the gracious promise made to all that come to Jesus Christ that he will in no wise cast them out And tho it is true Ministers in their preaching do often make use of the example of the Lepers that sate at the gate of Samaria 2 Kings 7.3 4. who resolved to go into the Host of the Syrians as the most likely way to save their lives because there was no other course that they could take wherein there was any hopes of it for if they went into the City they should dye there if they continued where they were they should dye So that if there were the least probability of saving their Lives by going to the Syrians this being the only way which did afford them any hopes it was the wisest course they could take So in this case there being Salvation in no other Acts 4.12 Mark 16.16 John 3.18 and Unbelievers being under Condemnation If there were but the least probability of finding mercy through him it would be the safest course that Sinners could take They would certainly perish if they should not believe in Christ and they can but perish if they betake themselves to him But all this is spoken not to discourage the hopes or weaken the confidence of such as flee to Christ for refuge as if it were doubtful whether Christ would shew them mercy or receive them to favour but to meet with the Scruples of Doubting Christians that fear that Christ may reject them tho we do not grant that it may be so while we have his promise that he will not do it Yet suppose such a thing possible it is acknowledged by all that we should take the safest way so that if there were only a possibility much more if there be a probability of Salvation by Christ and no possibility thereof any other way it is certainly the best way for us to betake our selves to him It is in this case as if a Physician should come to a sick Person and tell him his Condition is very dangerous and there is but one Remedy that will save his Life but if he will make use of that he doth not doubt of his recovery The sick Person is apprehensive enough of his danger but he hath not much confidence in this Remedy but doubts whether it will cure him or no. His fears may be such and his Melancholly prevail so far that the Physician can hardly hope to free him from his fears at present but may think it an unanswerable Argument to perswade him to use such a Remedy that if he do not use it there is no way but Death but if he do use it he may live So when Christians are under Temptation and the Power of Melancholly we may more easily prevail with them to venture

of Wrath by Nature subject to the Curse of the Law the Power of Satan and insupportable misery to all Eternity 2. We must believe assuredly that there is no way to be saved without receiving all the saving benefits of Christ his Spirit as well as his Merits Sanctification as well as Remission of Sins by Faith It being as he saith the ruin of many souls that they trust on Christ for the remission of Sins without any regard to Holiness when as these two benefits are inseparably joined in Christ He herein grants more than many will desire of him that men should assuredly believe this in the first Act of Faith 3. We must be fully perswaded of the all-sufficiency of Christ for the Salvation of our selves and all that believe on him 4. We are to be fully perswaded of the truth of the general Free-promise in our own particular case 5. We are to believe assuredly that it is the Will of God that we should believe in Christ and have Eternal Life by him as well as any other Now without the two former of these we shall not mind coming to Christ but shall make light of him without the others we shall have little encouragement to come to him Now if any shall enquire whether these things which are perpatory to our believing or coming to Christ be in our own power or are the effects of God's Grace in us and whether conversion do always follow thereupon I Answer There are some things as much in our own power as any of our natural or moral actions are that may have a tendency to our conversion and therefore the Prophet complains of Israel Hos 5.4 that they did not frame their doings to turn to the Lord. And there is a Sermon in the Morning Exercise Published in the Year 1661. ☜ reputed to be Mr. Greenhills who was a person far from the suspicion of ascribing too much to the power of Nature which resolves the question what persons must and can do towards their own conversion Now it is certain that men may as well go by their Natural power where the word is preached as to places of temptation And there they are within the call of the Gospel and so are as the impotent persons at the Pool of Bethesda Jo. 5.1 c. 1 Cor. 3.5 c. Rom. 10 17 Luk. 8.12 in a nearer capacity of cure if it please God by his Spirit to give increase to what is planted and watered for faith comes by hearing and therefore the Devil endeavours to divert our minds from what we hear lest we should believe and be saved We see further how much it is in man's power to bend his mind to the study of any particular subject we see it plainly not only in mens chusing in general the study of Law Physick or Divinity but those that addict themselves to the study of Divinity chuse any particular point thereof to treat on And they who give not the least ground of hope that there is any saving work upon their own souls will press upon others such things as the consideration of may incline and dispose them to believing Ezek. 18.14 28. Psal 119.59 Rom. 2 23. and men have the same natural power to teach themselves which they have to teach others But all this will not reach to conversion any farther than God is pleased to give to every one I will now shew you what God doth towards the conversion of sinners or which may have a tendency thereto Some things he doth by his Providence which he makes many times subservient to his Grace Acts 17.26 He that determines the bounds of mens habitation casts them into such places where they may hear the Gospel preached plainly seriously by such as persuade men 2 Cor. 5.11 as knowing the terror of the Lord. And he may exercise them under some affliction which may be as a ground-rain soaking to the roots and softning the clods and turning them to mold that the seed that hath been long buried may spring up of that which persons have a long time before heard and never thought of after when some humbling affliction befalls them they bethink themselves 1 Kings 8.47 and repent But such works fall short many times of true Conversion Hos 6.4 Gen. 20.6 Jo. 16.8 and this goodness proves but as the morning cloud or early dew which passes away God doth something further by his common grace restraining men from much evil I confess I think our Saviour where he speaks of the Spirit 's reproving or convincing the World understands the World of such whom he chose his Disciples out of and distinguishes them from but I think it is not intended of any inward working of the Spirit upon their hearts but of those Miracles which he wrought which confirmed the truth of Christ's Resurrection and of his Doctrine By such means as I have now mentioned men may be brought near the Kingdom of Heaven but never enter into it Mark 12.34 See Cassander's consultation p. 45. But those preparations which Salvation doth follow upon are as the soberer Papists acknowledge wrought by Gods Grace and Spirit He enlightens the mind so as we have a more clear sight of Heavenly things and other apprehensions of them than before we had when it pleases God to reveal his Son in us Gal. 1.16 Isa 53.2 Cant 5.10 Jo. 6.44 45. he that before had no form nor comeliness in our eyes nor any beauty that we should desire him is now the chief of Ten thousands in our account and altogether lovely God draws us to Christ by teaching tho I do not think that all the efficacy of God's Grace consists in propounding things to the understanding or in enlightening the understanding to conceive aright of them But by a secret touch of his Spirit he so effectually inclines our hearts to him 1 Kings 8.57 Phil. 2.20 that we do in a sort naturally mind spiritual things that is freely without constraint This of the Spirit 's enlightning the mind is not a peculiar notion of Enthusiasts but the commonly received Doctrine of sober Protestants So Bishop Pierson on the Article of the Holy Ghost in his Exposition of the Creed tells us The work of the Spirit is double external and general or internal and particular By the former he reveals the will of God to the whole Church by the latter he illuminates the understanding of particular believers that they may receive the truth the Holy Ghost working in us an assent to that which is by the word propounded Again God doth by his Spirit convince us spiritually of our state and condition and the word Eph. 6.17 Heb. 4.12 Acts 2.37 which is the sword of the Spirit and sharper than any two-edged Sword piercing to the dividing asunder betwixt the Soul and the Spirit the joynts and the marrow pricking sinners at the heart so as it shall be as a Sword in their bones

cautious of charging every one with rebelling against the light Job 24.13 Tit. 3.11 or as being condemned of himself that hath means which we think sufficient to convince him We can hardly imagine what influence the course of mens studies the company that they converse with their prejudices and interest have upon their judgments Who knows the power of Interest A gift blinds the wise Exod. 23.8 Prov. 18.16 and perverts the words of the righteous It is more to blind the eyes than to pervert the Will or sway the Affections But it first commends a man to the favour of another and then it determines his mind to the study or consideration of such things as do unawares beguile him into a good opinion of his Cause so as he pronounces sentence in favour of him So Interest sways mens studies and chuses their company and these insensibly determine their judgments Again it should not seem strange to us if we do not see all men rise up to some Learned men which we think have so clearly demonstrated things that nothing can be further objected against them nor any further doubt made of them For there are many that are not easily determined in their judgements by the Writings of Learned men while they consider that such persons may be and often are influenced by their Interest and Affections which do easily beguiie their judgments to say what they can and can say almost what they please Simon Churmay at Paris 1201. As one that had made a Learned Discourse about the Trinity for which he was much commended and admired said he had much confirmed and advanced the truth of Christ but if he were minded to deal crosly he knew how with stronger Reasons and Arguments to confute the same And a very Learned man known to many that are yet living told one who related it to me that he could write a Book as big as Suarez his Metaphysicks to prove a Deity and then write another as big to refute it These things considered would incline us to more mutual forbearance and Charity Many that we look upon as erroneous if we did rightly understand them might perhaps be found to be of our mind and to think the same things with our selves Others that do err yet as one said will not be Hereticks that is will not persist in their error if they be convinced of it which it is not so easy a matter as many imagine to be as Augustin said to the Manichees They rage against you that know not with how great labour the truth is found out and with how great difficulty errors are avoided God hath left many things in his word clear and plain wherein most Christians do consent but other things for the exercise of our diligence and mutual forbearance in this state of Imperfection wherein we see but in part THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. THE Introduction and Explication of the words CHAP. II. What 't is to believe in God and Christ why we are to believe in Christ as well as in God That Faith is the most Effectual Remedy against Troubles because 't is the means of obtaining Pardon CHAP. III. What pardon of sin is How 't is obtained by Faith Reasons why Justification and Salvation are suspended on believing The benefit of pardon of sin CHAP. IV. What Assurance we have of pardon of sin by Faith how far Faith is attended with Assurance and how it may be sometimes without it How Assuranc is lost Objections against getting and maintaining it by marks answer'd Why so rare a thing now Not easy to be had nor impossible Of the Immediate Testimony of the Spirit The Spirits witnessing with or to our spirits what Of the sealing and earnest of the Spirit CHAP. V. General Observations to help men in the trial of their spiritual State Harder for some to know it than for others Men may at some times seem better or worse than they are respect must be had to natural temper and to men's Circumstances CHAP. VI. How Christians that are sincere may be known from others tho they have their sinful infirmities CHAP. VII Some Characters whereby to know our spiritual state CHAP. VIII Faith an Effectual Remedy against Troubles because thereby we have the Comfort and Benefit of the Promises How we have it by Faith CHAP. IX Faith an Effectual Remedy against Troubles because it gives us a view of the future state CHAP. X. What is required in order to believing Nothing that may commend us to Christ for his acceptance Nothing to make the Grace of God effectual yet something is necessary and what is so Whether Preparations are in our our own power What God doth towards Conversion Of being rightly and sufficiently and long enough humbled CHAP. XI Of the necessity of Holiness on many accounts ERRATA PAg. 2. l. 12. for as r. us p 23. l. 1. blot out the 2 d. and p 42. for pleaded r. placed p. 73. l 8. blot out and. p. 77. l. 25. for and r. so p. 83. l. 28. r. Doctis p. 89. l. 29. r Politian p. 94. l 25. blot out he p. 117. l. 4. for extasy r. excess p. 119. l. 12. r. nearer l. 28. for helps r. hope p. 125. l. 16. for were r. are There are some other literal faults which the Reader may easily see to be the mistake of the Printer Books Printed for and Sold by Thomas Cockerill at the Three Legs in the Poultrey near Stocks Market A Seasonable Discourse wherein is examined what is lawful during the Confusions and Revolutions of Government Stitch. Geography Rectified or a Description of the World in all its Kingdoms Provinces Countries Islands Cities Towns Seas Rivers Bayes Capes Names Inhabitants Scituations Histories Customs Commodities Government Illustrated with about 80 Maps Third Edition By Robert Morden Quarto Instructions about Heart-Work what is to be done on God's part and on ours for the cure and keeping of the Heart c. by that Eminent Gospel-Minister Mr. Richard Allcyn With a Preface by Dr. Annesley Second Edition Octavo The Evidence of things not seen Or divers Spiritual and Philosophical Discourses concerning the state of Holy Men after Death By that eminently Learned Divine Moses Amyraldus Translated out of the French Tongue by a Minister of the Church of England Octav. A Succinct and Seasonable Discourse of the Occasions Causes Natures Rise Growth and Remedies of Mental Errors To which is added 1. An Answer to Mr. Cary against Infant Baptism 2. An Answer to some Antinomian Errors 3. A Sermon about Union By John Flavel Octavo A Discourse of Christian Religion in sundry points Preached at the Merchants Lecture By Tho. Cole Octavo A Discourse concerning Liturgies by the late Learned Divine Mr. Dav. Clerkson Octav. A Discourse concerning trouble of Mind and the disease of Melancholly in three parts written for the use of such as are or have been exercised by the same by Tim. Rogers M. A. who was long afflicted with