Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	believe_v	faith_n	object_n	1,927	5	8.5671	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53700	Gospel grounds and evidences of the faith of God's elect shewing : I. The nature of true saving faith, in securing of the spiritual comfort of believers in this life, is of the highest importance, II. The way wherein true faith doth evidence it self in the soul and consciences of believers, unto their supportment and comfort, under all their conflicts with sin, in all their tryals and temptations, III. Faith will evidence it self, by a diligent, constant endeavour to keep it self and all grace in due exercise, in all ordinances of divine worship, private and publick, IV. A peculiar way whereby true faith will evidence it self, by bringing the soul into a state of repentance / by John Owen ...	Owen, John, 1616-1683.	1695 (1695)	Wing O759; ESTC R9544	55,512	98

of God in his Oblation and Intercession 3. Of the great Multitude and Variety of precious Promises engaging the Truth Faithfulness and Power of God for the Communication of Righteousness and Salvation from those Springs by that means I say on the just Consideration of these things with all other Encouragements wherewith they are accompanied the Soul concludes by Faith that there is Salvation for it self in particular to be attained in that way 3. THE last Act of Faith in the order of Nature is the Souls Acquiescency in and trust unto this way of Salvation for its self and its own Eternal Condition with a Renuntiation of all other ways and means for that End And because Jesus Christ in his Person Mediation and Righteousness is the Life and Center of this way as he in whom alone God will glorifie his Wisdom Love Grace and Mercy as he who hath purchased procured and wrought all this Salvation for us whose Righteousness is imputed unto us for our Justification and who in the Discharge of his Office doth actually bestow it upon us he is the proper and immediate Object of Faith in this Act of Trust and Affiance This is that which is called in the Scripture believing in Christ namely the trusting unto him alone for Life and Salvation as the whole of Divine Wisdom and Grace is administred by him unto those Ends. For this we come unto him we receive him we beleive in him we trust him we abide in him with all those other ways whereby our Faith in him is expressed AND this is the second Ground or Reason whereon Faith doth close with embrace and approve of God's way of saving Sinners whereby it will evidence it self unto the Comfort of them in whom it is in the midst of all their Trials and Temptations Thirdly FAITH approves of this way as that which makes the Glory of God in the giving and the Sanction of the Law to be as eminently conspicuous as if it had been perfectly fulfilled by every one of us in our own Persons The Law was a just Representation of the Righteousness and Holiness of God and the End for which it was given was that it might be the means and Instrument of the Eternal Exaltation of his Glory in those holy Properties of his Nature Let no man imagine that God hath laid aside this Law as a thing of no more use or that he will bear a Diminution of that Glory or any part of it which he designed in the giving of it Heaven and Earth shall pass away but no Jot or Little of the Law shall do so No Believer can desire or be pleased with his own Salvation unless the Glory of God designed by the Law be secured He cannot desire that God should forgo any part of his Glory that he might be saved Yea this is that on the Account whereof he principally rejoyceth in his own Salvation namely that it is that wherein God will be absolutely universally and eternally glorified NOW in this way of saving Sinners by Jesus Christ by Mercy Pardon and the Righteousness of at other of all which the Law knows nothing Faith doth see and understand how all that Glory which God designed in the giving of the Law is eternally secured and preserved entire without Eclipse or Diminution The way whereby this is done is declared in the Gospel See Rom. ● 24 25 26. Chap. 8. 2 3 4. Chap. 10. 3 4. Hereby Faith is enabled to answer all the Challenges and Charges of the Law with all its Pleas for the Vindication of divine Justice Truth and Holiness It hath that to offer which gives it the utmost Satisfaction in all its Pleas for God So is this Answer managed Rom. 8. 32 33 34. AND this is the first way whereby the Faith of Gods Elect doth evidence it self in the minds and Consciences of them that do believe in the midst of all their Contests with Sin their Trials and Temptations to their Relief and Comfort namely the closing with and Approbation of Gods way of saving Sinners by Jesus Christ on the Grounds and Reasons which have been declared The Second Evidence of the Faith of God's Elect. THE second way whereby true Faith doth evidence it self in the Souls and Consciences of Beleivers unto their Supportment and Comfort under all their Conflicts with sin in all their Trials and Temptations is by a constant Approbation of the Revelation of the Will of God in the Scripture concerning our Holiness and the Obedience unto himself which he requireth of us This Faith will never forgo whatever Trials it may undergo whatever Darkness the mind may fall into This it will abide by in all Extremities And that it may appear to be a peculiar Effect or work of saving Faith some things are to be premised and considered 1. THERE is in all men by Nature a Light enabling them to judge of the Difference that is between what is morally good and what is evil especially in things of more than ordinary Importance This Light is not attained or acquired by us we are not taught it we do not learn it It is born with us and inseparable from us It prevents Consideration and Reflection working naturally and in a sort necessarily in the first Actings of our Souls AND the discerning Power of this Light as to the Moral Nature of Mens Actions is accompanied inseparably with a Judgment that they make concerning themselves as unto what they do of the one kind or other and that with respect unto the superiour Judgment of God about the same things This the Apostle expresly ascribes unto the Gentiles who had not the Law Rom. 2. 14 15. The Gentiles which have not the Law do by Nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves which shew the Work of the Law written in their Hearts their Consciences also bearing Witness and their Thoughts the mean while accusing or excusing one another This is a most exact Description of a natural Conscience in both the Powers of it it discerns that good and evil which is commanded and forbidden in the Law and it passeth an acquiting or condemning Judgment and Sentence according to what Men have done WHEREFORE this Approbation of Duties in things moral is common unto all Men. The Light whereby it is guided may be variously improved as it was in some of the Gentiles And it may bestisled in some until it seem to be quite extinguished until they become like the Beasts that perish And where the discerning power of this Light remains yet through a continual Practice of sin and obduracy therein the judging power of it as unto all its Efficacy may be lost So the Apostle declares concerning them who are judicially hardened and given up unto sin Rom. 1. 32. These knowing the Judgment of God that they which commit such things are worthy of Death not only do the same but have pleasure in them that do them

a renewed Sense of the Pardon of the sins in his Youth Psal. 25. 7. 2. THE Soul sees in them a representation of the Grace Patience and pardoning Mercy of God Thus and thus was it with me God might justly have cast me off for ever he might have cut me off in the midst of these sins so as that I should have had no leisure to have cried for Mercy and perhaps some of them were Sins long continued in O the infinite Patience of God that spared me the infinite Grace and Mercy of God that forgave unto me these provoking Iniquities This Frame is expressed Psal. 103. 3 4. 3. THE Soul sees herein the efficacy of the Mediation and Blood of Christ 1 Joh. 2. 2. Whence is it that I have deliverance from the Guilt of these sins that way was made for the advancing of Grace in the Pardon of them Whence is it that my Soul and Conscience are purged from the stain and filth of them Here the whole Glory of the Love and Grace of Christ in his Mediation with the Worth of the Attonement that he made and the Ransom that he paid with the Efficacy of his Blood to purge us from all our sins is represented unto the Mind of the Believer So out of the Eater comes forth Meat and hereby a Reconciliation is made between the deepest Humiliation and a refreshing Sense of the Love of God and Peace with him THIS therefore a Soul which is engaged into the Paths of Repentance will constantly apply it self unto And it is Faith alone whereunto we are beholding for the Views of these things in sin in no other Light will they be seen therein Their Aspect in any other is horrid and terrifying suited only to sill the Soul with Dread and Horror and Thoughts of Flying from God But this View of them is suited to stir up all Graces unto an holy Exercise 3. HEREON Godly Sorrow will ensue this indeed is the very Life and Soul of Repentance so the Apostle declares it 2 Cor. 7. 9 10 11. And it comprizeth all that is spoken in the Scripture about a broken Heart and a contrite Spirit which expresseth it self by Sighs Tears Mourning yea watering our Beds with Tears and the like David giveth so great an Instance in himself hereof and that so frequently repeated as that we need no other Exemplification of it I shall not at large insist upon it but only shew 1. What it doth respect And 2. Wherein it doth consist 3. How Faith works it in the Soul 1. What it doth respect And it hath a twofold Object 1. SUCH past sins as by reason of their own Nature or their Aggravations have left the greatest Impressions on Conscience It respects indeed in general all past and known Sins that can be called to remembrance but usually in the course of Mens Lives there have been some sins whose Wounds on various Accounts have been most deep and sensible these are the especial Objects of this Godly Sorrow so was it with David in the whole Course of his Life after his great fall he still bewailed his Miscarriage therein The like respect he had unto the other sins of his Youth and none have been so preserved but they may fix on some such Provocation as may be a just Cause of this Sorrow all their days 2. IT respects the daily Incursions of Infirmities in Failings Negligences in our Frames or Actions such as the best are subject to these are a matter of continual Sorrow and Mourning to a gracious Soul that is engaged in this Duty and way of Repentance 2. WHEREIN it doth consist and the things following do concur therein 1. SELF-JUDGING this is the Ground and Spring of all Godly Sorrow and thereon of Repentance turning away the Displeasure of God 1 Cor. 11. 31. This the Soul doth continually with reference unto the Sins mentioned it passeth Sentence on it self every day This cannot be done without Grief and Sorrow for although the Soul finds it a necessary Duty and is thereon well pleased with it and yet all such Self-reflection are like Afflictions not joyous but grievous 2. THE immediate Effect hereof is constant Humiliation He that so judgeth himself knows what frame of Mind and Spirit becomes him thereon This takes away the Ground from all Pride Elation of Mind Self-pleasing where this Self-judging is constant they can have no place This is that Frame of Mind which God approves so highly and hath made such Promises unto the Humble are every where proposed as the especial Object of his own Care his Respect is to them that are of a broken Heart and of a contrite Spirit And this will grow on no other Root No man by his utmost Diligence on any Argument or Consideration shall be able to bring himself into that humble frame wherein God is delighted unless he lay the Foundation of it in continual Self-judging on the Account of former and present sins Men may put on a Fashion Frame and Garb of Humility but really humble they are not where this is wanting Pride is in the Throne in the Heart though Humility be in the Countenance and Deportment And herein doth this godly Sorrow much consist 3. THERE is in it a real Trouble and Disquietment of Mind for Sorrow is an Afflictive Passion it is contrary to that Compose which the Mind would constantly be at Howbeit this Trouble is not such as is opposed unto spiritual Peace and Refreshment for it is an Effect of Faith and Faith will produce nothing that is really inconsistent with Peace with God or that shall impeach it but it is opposite unto other Comforts It is a Trouble that all earthly things cannot take off and remove This Trouble of his mind in his Sorrow for Sin David on all Occasions expresseth unto God and sometimes it riseth to a great and dreadful Height as it is expressed Psal. 88. throughout Hereby the Soul is sometimes overwhelmed yet so as to relieve it self by pouring out its Complaint before the Lord Psal. 102. 1. 4. THIS inward Frame of Trouble Mourning and Contriteness will express it self on all just Occasions by the outward Signs of Sighs Tears and mournful Complaints Psal. 31. 10. So David continually mentions his Tears on the like Account and Peter on the review of his Sin wept bitterly as Mary washed the Feet of Christ with her Tears as we should all do a Soul filled with Sorrow will run over and express its inward Frame by these outward signs I speak not of those Self-whole jolly Professors which these days abound with but such as Faith engageth in this Duty will on all Occasions abound in these things I fear there is amongst us too great a Pretence that Mens natural Tempers and Constitutions are incompliant with these things Where God makes the Heart soft and godly Sorrow doth not only sometimes visit it but dwell in it it will not be wholly wanting in these Expressions of it and what