A57982:436
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.
yet its as unpossible for the natural spirit, or the Preacher to remove that covering, as to remove a Mountain, it being as heavy as a Mountain: And therefore there be three bad signs in a natural spirit: 1. His light, which is but literal, is a burden to him, it but vexeth him to know Christ, and if a beam of light fall in on the apple of the eye of a natural conscience, its a throne between the bone and the flesh, the man shall not sleep, and yet he is not sick. I doubt if either Ahithophel, or Judas wakened with their light could sleep. 2. Though a promise should dispute and argue Christ in at the door of the natural mans soul, as the Gospel by way of arguing may do much, Joh. 7.28. Joh. 12.37. Heb. 11.1. The word of the Gospel being a rational, convincing Syllogism, as Christ saith, Joh. 15.24. But now ⟨p. 335⟩they have both seen, and hated both me and my Father. Yet men may see the principles and the conclusion, and hate and practically suspend the assent from the conclusion. 3. Conversion is feared as a great danger by natural men, lest §3the promises put them on the pain and the main mill of godliness. For men do flee nothing but that which they apprehend as evil, dangerous, and so the true object of fear. Now when Faelix and Agrippa were both upon the wheels, I cannot say that Conversion formally was begun; yet materially it was, the one trembled, and so was afraid, and fled, and did put Paul away till another time; then he saw the danger of Grace, Act. 24. vers. 25, 26. The other saith, he was half a Christian; (but it was the poorest half) and he arose and went aside, Act. 26.28.30.31. The natural spirit may be convinced by the promises, and have the pap in his mouth, but dare not milk out the sap and sweetness of the promises,