A55306:86
Precious faith considered in its nature, working, and growth
Precious faith considered in its nature, working, and growth by Edward Polhill ...
London: printed for Thomas Cockerill, 1675
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.
How did Valdesso run into Familism and Antinomianism? And what else did Saltmarsh, in his book called Sparkles of Glory; making as if Christ were but a mystical figurative man, and God in the flesh were only God in his Saints? Oh mystery of iniquity! whither ⟨p. 64⟩will not this extra-scriptural spirit go? what errors will it not broach? what sacred foundations of truth will it not demolish? how little Gospel or divine rule will it leave to Christians? Leave it then O Enthusiast, or else thou canst not follow the spirit of truth. Thus much by way of question to the Enthusiasts.
How did Valdesso run into Familism and Antinomianism? And what else did Saltmarsh, in his book called Sparkles of Glory; making as if Christ were but a mystical sigurative man, and God in the flesh were only God in his Saints? Oh mystery of iniquity! whither ⟨p. 64⟩will not this extra-scriptural spirit go? what errors will it not broach? what sacred foundations of truth will it not demolish? how little Gospel or divine rule will it leave to Christians? Leave it then O Enthusiast, or else thou canst not follow the spirit of truth. Thus much by way of question to the Enthusiasts.
Secondly, I shall in a word say somewhat to their Allegations: they say, That the Scriptures are but the Christians Alphabet, and for beginners only. But let us remember, the spirit which is in believers in an ordinary way, was in the Penmen of Scripture in an extraordinary; I was in the spirit, saith St. John, Rev. 1.10. he saith not, the spirit was in me, but I was in the spirit, as a vessel in the sea, every way surrounded and overruled by it. And who can believe that the spirit in its ordinary way should exceed it self in its extraordinary; that in believers it should utter high mysteries, which in Prophets and Apostles gave out only an Alphabet? If it be no more, I dare say, no man, no not the most perfect Disciple of God on earth ever throughly understood his Alphabet, no mans knowledge ever dived into the bottom of Scripture, no mans holiness was ever parallel to its precepts, nor no mans faith ever traced the unsearchable riches of grace there unto the uttermost, and shall we say, it is only an Alphabet for beginners? Is it not the wisdom of God in a mystery? is it not able to make the man of God perfect? hath St. Paul milk only and not strong meat? was St. Peter to seed the lambs only, and not to feed them into sheep,