A41637:541
Christian directions, showing how to walk with God all the day long drawn up…Christian directions, shewing how to walk with God all the day long drawn up…
Christian directions, showing how to walk with God all the day long drawn up for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of Sepulchres parish / by Tho. Gouge ...Christian directions, shewing how to walk with God all the day long drawn up for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of Sepulchres parish / by Tho. Gouge ...
London: printed by R. Ibbitson and M. Wright, 1661
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.
A. Most Divines do hold forth the fruits and effects of faith, as the only signs thereof, and means whereby men should try and examine their faith; but the truth is, the fruits of a saving faith in many Christians are often times so weak▪ that if they should examine their faith only by them, they would be apt to question the truth thereof, yea to conclude against themselves that they have no true faith at all, therefore I shall briefly show thee the Antecedents of Faith, by declaring the ordinary method o• Gods Spirit in working true faith in the soul, which is this,
A. Most Divines doe hold forth the frui•s and effects of faith, as the only signs thereof, and means whereby men should try and examine their faith; but the truth is, the fruits of a saving faith in many Christians are often times so weak▪ that if they should examine their faith only by them, they would bee apt to question the truth thereof, yea to conclude against themselves that they have no true faith at all, therefore I shall briefly shew thee the Antecedents of Faith, by declaring the ordinary method o• Gods Spirit in working true faith in the soul, which is this,
1 God by his Spirit in the Ministry of the Word, doth awaken a mans Conscience, and maketh him to see and discern, as, his manifold sins and transgressions, so, his misery by them, in regard of the dreadful punishments due unto him for the same. This method the Lord observed in those three thousand Converts mentioned, Acts. 2. 37. Examine therefore whether thou hast by the Ministry or the Word been convinced of thy Sins, and of thy miserable condition thereby; how thou art liable to the Wrath of God, to all Judgements and Plagues here, and to Eternal Death and Condemnation hereafter; for till thou beest convinced of thy sins and misery, thou canst see no need, nor want of Jesus Christ. Hence the Law is said to be our School-master, to bring us to Christ, because it doth discover, as our sins, and our misery by reason of them; so our need of Christ.