Selected quad for the lemma: reason_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
reason_n	believe_v	faith_n	revelation_n	2,830	5	9.5573	5	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

him such gracious Thoughts of him as will beget and kindle in it both Love and Hope as Mic. 7. 18 20. Psal. 85. 8. 1 Tim. 1. 15. 4. A Steady Continuance in the Approbation of Gods way of Salvation on the Reason mentioned will lead the Mind into that Exercise of Faith which both declares its Nature and is the Spring of all the saving Benefits which we receive by it Now this is such a Spiritual Light into and Discovery of the Revelation and Declaration made in the Gospel of the Wisdom Love Grace and Mercy of God in Christ Jesus and the way of the Communication of the Effect of them unto Sinners by him as that the Soul finds them suited unto and able for the pardon of its own sins its Righteousness and Salvation so as that it placeth its whole Trust and Confidence for these Ends therein THIS being the very Life of Faith that Act and Exercise of it whereby we are justified and saved and whereby it evidenceth its truth and sincerity against all Temptations I shall insist a little on the Explanation of the Description of it now given And there are three things in it or required unto it 1. A Spiritual Light into and Discovery of the Revelation and Declaration made in the Gospel of the Wisdom Love Grace and Mercy of God in Christ Jesus It is not a meer Assent unto the Truth of the Revelation or the Authority of the Revealer this indeed is supposed and included in it but it adds thereunto a spiritual Discerning Perception and Understanding of the things themselves revealed and declared without which a bare Assent unto the Truth of the Revelation is of no Advantage This is called the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. The Encrease whereof in all Believers the Apostle doth earnestly pray for Eph. 1 16 17 18 19 20. So we discern spiritual Things in a spiritual manner and hence ariseth the full Assurance of Understanding to the Acknowledgement of the Mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ Col. 2. 2. Or a spiritual Sense of the Power Glory and Beauty of the Things contained in this Mystery So to know Christ as to know the Power of his Resurrection and the Fellowship of his Sufferings Phil. 3. 10. FAITH affects the mind with an ineffable Sense Taste Experience and Acknowledgment of the Greatness the Glory the Power the Beauty of the Things revealed and proposed in this way of Salvation The Soul in it is enabled to see and understand that all the things belonging unto it are such as become God his Wisdom Goodness and Love as was before declared And a spiritual Light enabling hereunto is of the Essence of saving Faith unless this be in us we do not we cannot give Glory to God in any Assent unto the Truth And Faith is that Grace which God hath prepared sitted and suited to give unto him the Glory that is his Due in the Work of our Redemption and Salvation 2. UPON this spiritual Light into this Revelation of God and his Glory in this way of saving Sinners the Mind by Faith finds and sees that all things in it are suited unto its own Justification and Salvation in particular and that the Power of God is in them to make them effectual unto that End This is that Act and Work of Faith whereon the whole blessed Event doth depend it will not avail a man to see all sorts of Viands and Provisions if they be no way suited unto his Appetite nor meet for his Nourishment Nor will it be unto a Man's spiritual Advantage to take a View of the Excellency of the Gospel unless he find them suited unto his Condition And this is the hardest Task and Work that Faith hath to go through with FAITH is not an especial Assurance of a Man 's own Justification and Salvation by Christ that it will produce but not until another step or two in its Progress be over but Faith is a satisfactory Perswasion that the way of God proposed in the Gospel is fitted suited and able to save the Soul in particular that doth believe not only that it is a blessed way to save Sinners in general but that it is such a way to save him in particular So is this matter stated by the Apostle 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all Acceptation or Approbation that Christ Jesus came into the World to save sinners whereof I am chief His Faith doth nor abide here nor confine it self unto this that Christ Jesus came into the World to save sinners that this is the holy and blessed way of God for the Salvation of Sinners in general but he puts in for his own particular Interest in that way it is God's way fitted and suited and able to save me who am the chiefest of Sinners AND this as was said is the greatest and the most difficult Work of Faith For we suppose concerning the Person who is to believe 1. THAT he is really and effectually convinced of the Sin of Nature of our Apostasie from God therein the Loss of his Image and the direful Effects that ensue thereon 2. That he hath due Apprehensions of the Holiness and Severity of God of the Sanction and Curse of the Law with a right understanding of the Nature of Sin and its Demerit 3. That he have a full Conviction of his own actual sins with all their Aggravations from their Greatness their Number and all sorts of Circumstances 4. That he hath a Sense of the Guilt of secret or unknown sins which have been multiplied by that continual proneness unto sin which he finds working in him 5. That he seriously consider what it is to appear before the Judgment Seat of God to receive a Sentence for Eternity with all other things of the like nature inseparable from him as a Sinner WHEN it is really thus with any man he shall find it the hardest in the World and clogged with the most Difficulties for him to believe that the way of Salvation proposed unto him is suited fitted and every way able to save him in particular to apprehend it such as none of his Objections can rise up against or stand before But this is that in the second place that the Faith of God's Elect will do It will enable the Soul to discern and satisfie it self that there is in this way of God every thing that is needful unto its own Salvation And this it will do on a spiritual Understanding and due Consideration of 1. The Infiniteness of that Wisdom Love Grace and Mercy which is the Original of Soveraign Cause of the whole way with the ample Declaration and Confirmation made of them in the Gospel 2. Of the unspeakable glorious way and means for the procuring and communicating unto us of all the Effects of that Wisdom Grace and Mercy namely the Incarnation and Mediation of the Son