Owen - BS1450 130st 093 1669

Vet .4. Difirencei between Faithand Spiritual Senfe. 303 ExceUency 6-in. its conflant objei}. Thefe it fills the mind with in many and various thoughts, 11 '111 reprefenting him more and more amiable and mere defirable unto the foul. So doth the Spo.ife upon the like occafìon, as you may fee at large, Cant. 5.9, 10, 1 I, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. Being at fume lofs for h s prefence, for he had withdrawn himf:1t; not finding her wont- ed communionand entercourfc with him, fearing that upon her provocation the might forfeit her Intel eft in his Love, the falls upon the Confideration of all his Excellencies, and thereby the more enflames her felt unto delires after his company and enjoyment. And thefedivers things may be thus diffinguifhed and difcerned. RULE VI. Learn tic, diilinguifb between faith and fpiritual fenfe. This D:f renccs Rule the Apoflle gives us, 2 Cor. 5.7. We walk by faith and between not by fight. It is the fight of Glory that is efpecially here in- f,ith and fpiri tended. But faith and fe»fe in any kind are clearly diflin- fencet. ual guifhed. That may be believed, which is not felt. Yea, It is the Will and Command of God, thatfaith thould Band and do its work, where all fenfe fails, Efa. 5o. 10. And it is with fpiritual fenfe in this matter, as it is with natural. Thomas would not believe, unlefs he jaw the objcd of his faith with his Eyes, or felt it with his hand : but, faithour Saviour, blefled are they who believe, and bave not feen; who believe upon the teflimony of God, without thehelp of their own fenfe or reafon. And, if we will believe no more of God, of his Love, of Grace, of our acceptance with him, than we havea fpiritual affecting fenfe of, we (hall be many times at a lofs. Senfible impreflions from Gods Love, arc great fprings ofJoy, but they ate not abfolutely nccetl"ary unto peace; nor unto an evidence that we do be- lieve. We will deal thus with the vileff perfon living. We will believe him whileil we have the certainty of our fenfe to fe cure us. And if we deal fo with God what is there in our fo doing, praifc worthy ? theProphet tells us, what it is to be- lieve,in refpet of providence, Hab. 3. 17. When there is no- Q.$1, 3 thing

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