A28620:2156
The dead saint speaking to saints and sinners living in several treatisesThe dead saint speaking to saints and sinners living in severall treatises
The dead saint speaking to saints and sinners living in several treatises ... : never before published / by Samuel Bolton ...The dead saint speaking to saints and sinners living in severall treatises ... : never before published / by Samuel Bolton ...
London: printed by Robert Ibbitson for Thomas Parkhurst, 1657
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. In times of Temptation; when Satan assaults a man, tells him, that all his Graces are false and counterfeit; that he is an Hypocrite. And presents an Army of confirmations at once, in an instant, and so manages them, that whatever evidences a man can think of to the contrary, they are either taken away, or seemingly ⟨p. 138⟩confuted, as fast as they are thought on.
2. In times of Temptation; when Satan assaults a man, tells him, that all his Graces are false and counterfeit; that hee is an Hypocrite. And presents an Army of confirmations at once, in an instant, and so manages them, that whatever evidences a man can think of to the contrary, they are either taken away, or seemingly ⟨p. 138⟩confuted, as fast as they are thought on.
In this case a man may be ignorant of his Faith and Graces. At such a time, if a man inquire; either the spirit of a man will be silent, and return no answer; Or, if it do return any, it is a disturbed one. If a man reflect back at such a time as this, he shall find nothing, but of Satan's party to return him an answer.
In this case a man may bee ignorant of his Faith and Graces. At such a time, if a man inquire; either the spirit of a man will bee silent, and return no answer; Or, if it do return any, it is a disturbed one. If a man reflect back at such a time as this, hee shall finde nothing, but of Satans party to return him an answer.
3. In time of Desertion; when it may be, our Evidences be hid in the dark; the soul is in a mist, and cannot read its own Faith. The Glass can give no reflex, except the Sun give light: Nor a mans Graces appear to comfort him; except God shine upon them. As the Moon and Stars, so our Graces do shine with a borrowed Light. And unless God do shine secretly into our hearts; irradiate, and give light unto our Graces: though they bee in esse; in being in the heart: yet not in cognosci, in the apprehension they will not appear at all to comfort us.