A57982:532
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.
Be it unto thee] Faith obtaineth the most excellent favours, refined mercies,1 and these are immediate favours, acts of immediate Omnipotency: Christ sent an immediate Post to the Devil, though in a remote place, (its an act of immediate creation) and Satan must be gone, no creature here interveneth; Its Christs [Greek or Hebrew], his Omnipotent (be it so) that doth the turn; its not Faith, its not a good Angel, expelling an evil one, nor one Devil beating another, nor the Disciples helping the woman, though they also did cast out Devils. The more immediate mercies be, the more love-expressions of God in them; the first roses, the first trees and plants that Gods own immediate art produced, and in which nature could not share, are the perfectest creatures, the rest of the creatures after the fall, come not near in goodness & beauty to Gods first sampler, which are (as it were) the first Essays of Omnipotency: the greatest mercies are most immediate, ⟨p. 434⟩these be sweet favours that come (as it were) hot and new, immediately from God himself: See it in all the excellent things that God giveth us, especial in these four. 1. In Christ: 2. Grace: 3. Glory: 4. Comfort. Christ is Gods highest love gift: Now Christ the mediator, was given without any Medium, or any intervening Mediator. God out of the mere bottom of Free love giveth Christ: The Lord Christ was not given by so much as request, or counsel of Men or Angels: Christ, Heb. 1.3. by himself purged our sins, 1 Tim. 2.6. He gave himself a ransom for all; 1 Pet. 2.24. Who his own self bare our sins, in his own body on the tree: he satisfied and payed in his own person: It was not a deputed work. God the Lord of life in proper person Redeemed us: Christs love to us was not deputy love, he loved us not by a Vicar: Christ is given freely, as a Redeemer is more essentially a gift of Free grace (to speak so) then the grace of faith which is given to those who hear & are humbled for sin. And Christ given to die for sinners, is a more immediate and pure gift of Grace then remission of sins and eternal life, which are given to us upon condition of Faith, whereas a Redeemer is given to die for us without any condition, thought, desire, any sweating or endeavour in man or Angel. 2. So is Grace given out of Grace, saving Grace is made out of nothing, not out of the potency of the matter.