N01348:58
A treatise I. Of faith. II. Twelve fundamental articles of Christian religion. III. A…
A treatise I. Of faith. II. Twelve fundamental articles of Christian religion. III. A doctrinal conclusion. IV. Questions and answers upon church-government. Taken from written copies long since delivered by the late Reverend Mr. John Cotton, teacher of the First Church in Boston, in New-England.
Boston: printed by Bartholemew Green?, 1713
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
If the Holy Ghost in every good action, do act immediately by natural faculty or affection, to a Supernatural Effect; then in every good action, he turneth the course of my natural faculty or affection against his proper and voluntary bent. For my natural faculty or affection, hath no proper or voluntary bent to spiritual good effects, but lusteth against them, Rom. 8.5. Gal. 5.17. But the Holy Ghost in every good action doth not turn the course of my faculty and affection against their proper & voluntary bent: For then we should not do good actions voluntarily, and then they would be unwelcome, and grievous to us, contrary to 1 Joh. 5.3. and then we should lose our reward, 1 Cor. 9.17.
Obj. But God himself is said to be our Gifts and Graces, and therefore they are nothing but his Spirit in us; as God is said to be our confidence (which is all one with Faith) Psal. 65.5. So he is said to be our hope, Jer. 14.8. Psal. 71.5. our love, or love it self. 1 Joh. 4.16.
A. 1. God is said to be our confidence and hope, because he is the Object of our Faith and Hope; and therefore we are said to put our confidence, or to believe on him,