A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many useful questions and cases of conscience are…A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many usefull questions and cases of conscience are…

Fifthly, without a trial by marks, we cannot distinguish between a well grounded and an ill grounded assurance, between a true and a false peace, between the consolation of the Spirit of God, and a delusion. How many times doth a soul take Satan for Samuel; and how shall the soul in such a case be undeceived without a trial by marks? But it may be objected that this remedy may prove, and doth often prove no remedy; for may not Satan deceive the soul in the way of marks, as well as without it? Can he not deceive the ⟨p. 249⟩soul syllogistically by false reasonings, as well as positively by false suggestions? I answer, no doubt he can, and often doth, yet the mistaking of marks may be rectified in the Children of God: Wisdom is justified of her children; but the rejecting and slighting of all marks cannot be rectified, but is a certain and unavoidable snare to the soul. If marks of grace become snares to the Reprobate, that proves nothing against the use of marks. The word of God is a snare and a gin to the Reprobate, that they may go and fall backward, and be broken and snared and taken: yet the word is in it self the power of God to salvation. So, the way of marks is a sure and safe way in it self, and to every well informed conscience: When any conscience through error or presumption mistakes the mark, that is the fault of the person, not of the way of marks, and the personal error may be helped by personal light and Information, if the party will receive it. Whereas to make no trial by marks, and to trust an inward testimony, under the notion of the holy Ghosts testimony, when it is without the least evidence of any true gracious mark, this way (of its own nature, and intrinsically, or in it self is) a deluding and ensnaring of the conscience.

Fifthly, without a tryall by markes, wee cannot distinguish between a well grounded and an ill grounded assurance, between a true and a false peace, between the consolation of the Spirit of God, and a delusion. How many times doth a soule take Sathan for Samuell; and how shall the soul in such a case be undeceived without a tryall by markes? But it may bee objected that this remedy may prove, and doth often prove no remedy; for may not Sathan deceive the soule in the way of markes, as well as without it? Can hee not deceive the ⟨p. 249⟩soule syllogistically by false reasonings, as well as positively by false suggestions? I answer, no doubt he can, and often doth, yet the mistaking of marks may be rectified in the Children of God: Wisdome is justified of her children; but the rejecting and slighting of all markes cannot bee rectified, but is a certain and unavoidable snare to the soule. If marks of grace become snares to the Reprobate, that proves nothing against the use of markes. The word of God is a snare and a gin to the Reprobate, that they may goe and fall backward, and bee broken and snared and taken: yet the word is in it self the power of God to salvation. So, the way of markes is a sure and safe way in it selfe, and to every well informed conscience: When any conscience through errour or presumption mistakes the marke, that is the fault of the person, not of the way of markes, and the personall errour may be helped by personall light and Information, if the partie wil receave it. Whereas to make no tryall by markes, and to trust an inward testimony, under the notion of the holy Ghosts testimony, when it is without the least evidence of any true gracious marke, this way (of its own nature, and intrinsecally, or in it self is) a deluding and insnaring of the conscience.