----------·----------- Chap. 2.Sect.5. Looking unto :feftU. Book. IV. Parr.V. 901 ] doubt whether there be a Chrifl in heaven, or a Spirit of Chrift in my heart on earth? have I felt him new creating me, opening my. dark! qes, and bringing me from dark!z fffi into his mftrveilom light, andfrom 1 he power of Satan unto C.od, binding the {frong mrm, and cafling him out,and yet /hall I queflion whether-there be a (hrift, , era Spirit of ChriH? hath he made me love the things which I hated, and hate that which I loved? hath hegiven me fuch a tafle c(the powers of the world to come, and poj[efJed me 111ith the hopes of glory with himfeife, andgiven me a treafure, ~tnd portion in God, and Jet my heart where my treafure is, 11nd caufed me in fome mea(ure to h11ve my converfarion in heaven above, andyet fhalll doubt-whether there be a Chrift above, or a Spirit within ? 0 what an impudent lying JPirit is this, thflt would tempt me againft fo much experience? And·thus may a beleeYer argue from the te!limony thatis with1n. I know fome feeming Saints have fallen off into as great blaf-· phemyes as thefe I have named; wirneffe the ~kers, and Ranters, &c, but I may fay of fuch as {ohn did, they went out 'Jehn ~ . t9• from su, but they were not ofus ,for if they had been of su, they would no doubt have continued 'I!Vith us. It is no wonder if Satan prevaile againl.l: thof~ that gave Chrift no d(eper roome but in their phantaGe, and that did never heartily c!ofe wirh him in love•. But for thofe that have the Spirit ofChrift within them, iris not fo with them; if they cannot anfwer the cavil ofSatan, or of any of his infrruments, yet they can hold faft tAe grounds·of faith; Chrifthath a deep roome and intereft in their fpirirs; he is held fafter by the heart than by the head alone; love will hold Chrift, whenreafonalonewouldlet him go; his eare is nayled (as it were) unto· his doore, and becaufe he loveth him he will not leave him: who /ball Jeparate him from the love of Chrift? ./hall Rom. S·H. tribulation, or diftrejfe, or per[ecution, or famine, or nakfdnej[e, or 3 6 • 37 ' peril, or[word, (Mit is written,for thy fakf are 'I!Vt k.jlled all the da' long) nt~.J in all thefe things we are more than conquerors through him that hath loved us. A moderne writer 'brings .in a fyncere heart; paraphrazing (as it were) on this text in this manner; M\ ~axtcr · who.fhallfeparatemefrom theloveof .Chrift? 0 thou malicious 11 • . ~evil,.that dofl hunt me with thy fiery darts! 0 you dull heretreks! tnfidels, blafphemers,that till up my eares with your foolifb !ophi!mes, and trouble me w1th your dtfputes againft. my Lord and .
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