A57982:435
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.
and under pretence of exalting Christ and Free-grace, set up the flesh, liberty, licence, looseness on the throne, and make the way to heaven on the other extremity as broad, as to comply with all presumptuous proud ⟨p. 333⟩fleshly men, walking after their lusts, and yet (as they dream) believing in Christ. 2. The soul seeth Christ in all his beauty, excellency, treasures of Free-grace lapped up with the curtain of many precious promises; now the natural man knowing the literal meaning and sense of the promises, seeth in them but words of gold, and things a far off; and in truth, taketh heaven to be a beautiful and golden fancy; and the Gospel-promises, a shower of precious Rubies, Sapphires, Diamonds, fallen out of the clouds only in a night dream; and therefore jeers and scoffs at the day of judgment and at heaven and hell, 2 Pet. 3.1, 2, 3. For can every capacity smell and taste the unsearchable riches of Christ, the fullness of God in the womb of the promises, by meditating on them, and sending them, in their sweetness and heavenly excellency, down to the affections to embrace them? No, it cannot be, that words and sounds, and syllables, can so work upon a natural spirit: If you show not to a buyer precious and rare commodities, and bring them not before the sun, he shall never be taken so with things hidden in your coffers, as to be in love with them, and to sell all he hath and buy them; Preachers cannot, nay, its not in their power to make the natural spirit see the beauty of Christ; Paul Preacheth it, but the Gospel is hidden from the blinded man, 2 Cor. 4.3. If I cannot Communicate light, far less can I infuse love in ⟨p. 334⟩the soul of a lost man. 3. Literal knowledge §3of Christ, is not in the power of natural men; but laying down this ground, that a Pharisee lend eyes and ears to Christ and his miracles;1 The light of the Gospel worketh as a natural agent; for make open windows in a house, whether the indweller will or he will not, the fun shall dart in day light upon the house,