A child of light walking in darknessA childe of light vvalking in darknesse

But more particularly:¹ Carnal reason is the most desperate enemy to faith of all other principles in man. For until faith be wrought, it is the most supreme principle; but then faith deposeth & subjecteth it, & afterwards doth often contradict it, yea excludes it, as unskilful in its matters, from being of its counsel. And so deep and desperate is this enmity against faith, that look what is the most especial work and business of faith (which is to alter our estates before God, and put us into a state of justification and to assure us of it) therein, it shows a more peculiar enmity against faith, by opposing ⟨p. 36⟩it in that work of it more then in any other. This enmity shows it self both before and after faith is wrought, and the one illustrates the other. For as before faith was wrought carnal reason shows its opposition, by using the utmost of its strength to persuade a man of the goodness of his estate though without faith; thereby to prevent the entrance of faith and our seeking after it at all as not needful to change our estates or to justify us, and thus would keep it wholly out. And therefore in the first working of faith, the holy Ghost brings faith in by force of open arms, as a Conqueror casting down all those strong holds and reasonings, ²(as the word is, 2 Cor. 10. 4.) which carnal reason had been long a building and a-fortifying, and so erecteth faith a throne upon the mines of them all. Thus in like manner after faith is thus wrought, all that carnal reason which is left unsubdued, doth out of a further revenge of such an overthrow, and with a greater degree of enmity oppose faith still, only it diverts the war, now mustering up new forces, and turneth all the great Ordnance a clean contrary way, namely to persuade a man by all the objections it can raise, of the badness of his estate now, as before of the goodness of it: Hereby to blaspheme the great work of faith in justifying of us: And also, because that next to justifying us, the office and errand of faith is to settle in our hearts peace with God, and a persuasion of our being in his favour, as Rom. 5. 1. Therefore doth carnal reason bend the utmost of its power and Acumen to persuade upon all occasions, by all the most specious and seeming arguments it can start and suggest,