A57982:440
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.
11. Its no presumption in me to believe in Christ before I know whither I be chosen to salvation or not, for nothing can hinder me in this case to believe, save only presumption as the adversaries say, but it is not presumption, because presumption is when the soul is lifted up, and Towered like an high building, as the word is, Hab. 2.4. And therefore the lifted up man, [Greek or Hebrew] Gnophel, is he that hideth himself in a high Castle;2 as every unbelieving presumptuous soul hath his own Castle, the unbeliever hath either one Ophel, or high Tower or other, either the King, friends, riches or his own wisdom, for his God on which he resteth, beside the God that the Scripture recommendeth to us as our only rock and soul confidence: All men on earth live, and do all moral actions, even when they go on in a wicked life, as slaves of Hell, to work all uncleanness with greediness, upon some ground of faith, though a most false and counterfeit Faith, that they shall prosper by evil doing, and that sin shall make them happy, so Psalm 10.3. The wicked man, [Greek or Hebrew] Praiseth the wicked man, then he must believe that wickedness maketh men praise worthy, and this belief is but presumptuous confiding, and resting on a Tower of his own building: Now to believe in Christ, though the decree of Election be not revealed to me, is no presumption; for I am not obliged, before I believe, to know that I am elected ⟨p. 339⟩to Glory: It being one of Gods secrets not revealed in the Word, but made manifest to me, After I believe, and am sealed unto the day of Redemption: and therefore in a humble resting on Christ, though the soul know not his Election, which is not revealed in the word in that condition there can be no Pride nor presumption; for he is self wise, and presumptuous, who intrudeth into those things that he hath not seen, Col. 2.18. knoweth not that which God hath revealed, and so which he ought to know; now the believer ought not to know, that he is elected to glory; he yet being an unbeliever, so his knowledge cannot deviate from a rule which doth not oblige to conformity therewith as with a Rule; the Pourtract of Caesar doth not err from the sampler, because it is not like a Bull or a Horse, because neither a Bull nor a Horse is the due sampler.