A57982:394
The trial & triumph of faithThe tryal & triumph of faith
The trial & triumph of faith: or, An exposition of the history of Christs dispossessing of the daughter of the woman of Canaan Delivered in sermons; in which are opened, the victory of faith; the condition of those that are tempted; the excellency of Jesus Christ and free-grace; and some special grounds and principles of libertinism and antinomian errors, discovered by Samuel Rutherfurd, professor of divinity in the University of St. Andrews. Published by authority.The tryal & triumph of faith: or, An exposition of the history of Christs dispossessing of the daughter of the woman of Canaan Delivered in sermons; in which are opened, the victory of faith; the condition of those that are tempted; the excellency of Jesus Christ and free-grace; and some speciall grounds and principles of libertinisme and antinomian errors, discovered by Samuel Rutherfurd, professor of divinity in the University of St. Andrews. Published by authority.
London: printed by John Field, 1652
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.
That such an infinite and desirable love as Christs Love, should come (to borrow that expression) within the sides of thy love and heart, is a wonder; Alas, its a narrow circle and not capacious to contain him and his love, that passeth knowledge, Eph. 3.19. [Greek or Hebrew]. It over passeth and transcendeth far the narrow comprehension of created knowledge either of men or Angels. To seek Grace is desirable; but suppose any person were a Mass, and nothing but composed of pure Grace, and yet want Christ himself, he should be but a broken lamed creature; put a soul in heaven, and let him be hated of Christ (if that were possible) Heaven should be Hell. Imagine devils were standing with their black chains of darkness, ⟨p. 292⟩even up in the Heaven of Heavens, and the Plague of being hated of Christ on their soul, and that they could see him that sitteth on the Throne, and somewhat of the Rays and Beams of that fullness of God that is in Christ; yet should Devils still be Devils, they wanting Christ the heaven of Angels and glorified men. What a flower? What a Rose of love and light must CHRIST be,1 who filleth with smell, light, beauty, the four sides, East and West, South and North of the Heaven of Heavens, and his glory? Suppose in the hour of our last farewell to time, all creatures void of Reason, Heavens, Stars, Light, Air, Earth, Sea, dry Land, Birds, Fishes, Beasts, were in a capacity to love us, and they with Men and Angels, should let out upon us the fullness; yea, the Sea of all their love (as its a sweet thing to be lovely and desirable to many) yet this were nothing to him who is, Cant. 5.16. All desires, or all loves: So Vatablus rendereth it, Christus est totus desideria: He is a Mass of love, and love it self; lovely in the womb, the ancient of days became young for me; lovely in the Cross, even when despised and numbered with thieves; lovely in the grave, lovely at the right hand of God, lovely in his second appearance in glory: yea, all desirable, Cant. 6.10. his countenance white and ruddy, 11. his head, a golden head; his headship and government desirable; his locks bushy and black; his counsels deep, various, unsearchable;