A55752:590
Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…
Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity and duty of Gods children by the late Reverend and Faithful Minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston ...Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity and duty of Gods children by the late Reverend and Faithfull Minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston ...
London: printed by J.T., 1658
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.
As for example, take the grace of faith, I do not say that it heals all infidelity and doubting, but it overcomes it, so that it hath the mastery and prevalency over it; faith is predominant above infidelity. For it is a rule that the School-men have, and a true one; faith doth not ⟨p. 194⟩exclude all doubting, but faith overcomes doubting: that is the nature of it, though it be assaulted with doubtings, yet it overcomes them; and as it is the nature of faith, so of every saving grace, it is prevalent and powerful. So is the grace of knowledge, it comes with a full evidence and demonstration of the Spirit, and brings every thought into subjection to it: though it suffers ignorance, and some other errors it may be to remain, yet it overcomes ignorance.
As for example, take the grace of faith, I do not say that it heals all infidelity and doubting, but it overcomes it, so that it hath the mastery and prevalency over it; faith is predominant above infidelity. For it is a rule that the School-men have, and a true one; faith doth not ⟨p. 194⟩exclude all doubting, but faith overcomes doubting: that is the nature of it, though it be assaulted with doubttings, yet it overcomes them; and as it is the nature of faith, so of every saving grace, it is prevalent and powerful. So is the grace of knowledge, it comes with a full evidence and demonstration of the Spirit, and brings every thought into subjection to it: though it suffers ignorance, and some other errors it may be to remain, yet it overcomes ignorance.
And so spiritual love, it brings under, and eats up, and swallows all other loves: and spiritual fear brings under all other fears. True desire subjugates all other inordinate desires; whereas on the contrary, when grace is not true, you shall have a kind of faith, and a kind of knowledge, and some good purposes and desires, and some fear of God: but these, though they be in the heart, they are not commanding and prevailing objects that bring the heart into subjection, they lie there glowing as a coal in the dark, but they do not overcome the darkness, but still their foolish heart is full of darkness, as the Scripture saith,