Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	according_a	faith_n	scripture_n	1,902	5	5.6869	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A53731	A treatise of the dominion of sin and grace wherein sin's reign is discovered, in whom it is, and in whom it is not : how the law supports it, how grace delivers from it, by setting up its dominion the heart / by John Owen ...	Owen, John, 1616-1683.	1688 (1688)	Wing O812; ESTC R3626	60,758	151

A TREATISE OF THE DOMINION OF Sin and Grace Wherein Sin 's Reign is discovered in whom it is and in whom it is not How the Law supports it How Grace delivers from it by setting up its Dominion in the Heart Rom. vi 14. For Sin shall not have Dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but under Grace By the late Pious and Learned Minister of the Gospel John Owen D. D. LONDON Printed by J. L. for William Marshal at the Bible in Newgate-street 1688. TO THE SERIOUS READER ONE of the great Gospel Enquiries that a Christian ought to be most critical and curious in resolving to himself upon the most impartial Examination of his own Heart concerning his spiritual State and standing in Grace is Whether he be in the Faith or no which doubt can be resolved but Two ways either by Faith it self closing with its true Objects as offered in the Gospel in its direct act and so it evidenceth it self being the Evidence of things not seen as all the natural Senses Evidence themselves by their own Acts upon their proper Objects For he that sees the Sun hath Argument enough to himself That he is not blind but hath a seeing Eye and Faith therefore is frequently represented to us by seeing as John vi 40. and elsewhere which Evidence is according to the degrees of Faith weaker or stronger and hence carries lesser or greater assurances with it but such as are of the highest and best nature giving the greatest Glory to the Grace and Truth of God and the firmest stay to the Soul in the greatest Storms of Temptation being as an Anchor fastened within the Vail sure and stedfast Or else additionally that our joy may be full and for further confirmation especially in such Cases wherein our Faith seems to fail us and we are like Thomas God hath out of his abundant Grace in the Gospel provided Arguments for us to raise from spiritual sence to judge of our State and Standing by But this requires the teachings of the Spirit and thence a Spirit of discerning Experience of and insight into our own Hearts and ways with senses exercised by reason of use that these Grounds and Arguments may be matter of Comfort and Establishment unto us I call these latter Evidences subordinate ones and additional to that of Faith of great use by way of Establishment and Confirmation unto Believers provided they be not abused to sole resting and reliance upon them to the great prejudice of our Life of Faith for we live by Faith so must all repenting Sinners when they have attained to the highest pitch of Holiness in this Life and not by Sense no not spiritual Sense it 's a good Hand-Maid to Faith but no good Mistress to it MOREOVER Trials of this nature are often of a marvellous awakening and convincing nature unto poor secure Sinners formal and hypocritical Professors for many of them hold true with great demonstration in the Negative 1 Joh. iij. 14. He that loveth not his Brother abideth in Death And v. 10. In this the Children of God and the Children of the Devil are manifest whosoever doth not Righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his Brother Now these Tests come upon an unregenerate Man as clear and strong Convictions of his undone Estate when by Gospel Light shining into his dark Heart it Evidently appears that there is a Total Absence of such eminent Graces that are inseparable from a Child of God but when a poor broken-hearted self-condemning Sinner comes to try himself by these Tests especially under great Temptation he chargeth all that he finds in himself for Hypocrisy Formality and Sin sits altogether in darkness in respect of those sparks of internal Light and is fain at last when he hath broken all his Flints and worn out all his Steel in compassing himself about with sparks of his own kindling to turn unto Christ by Faith as a Prisoner of Hope believing in Hope against Hope and from him to fetch by a direct act of Faith as from the Sun of Righteousness all his Light of Life and Comfort and then he will be able to light all his small Tapers yea all inferiour Arguments of his good Estate will flow in with much enlargement and increase of Consolation As Streams of living Water flowing forth of the Fountain set open for Sin and for Vncleanness into the Belly of the true Believing Sinner receiving by Faith of the fulness of Christ through the Spirit abundantly supplying him with Rivers of true substantial living Graces and Consolations being filled with the Fruits of Righteousness to the Praise and Glory of Christ. NOW among disquisitions of this latter Nature and Use this is none of the least Whether we are under the Dominion of Sin or no Either we are or are not if we are our State is most certainly dangerous for such are under the Law and the Law hath concluded all under Wrath. If we are not under Sin 's Dominion we are in a blessed and happy Estate being under Grace for these two Dominions divide the World and every Son and Daughter of Adam is under one or the other and none can be under both at the same time Now our being under Grace can be no way better Evidenced than by our being in Christ by Faith for he that is so is a new Creature is passed from Death to Life will still be mortifying Sin the strong Man in Sin 's Dominion being cast out and therefore Faith is said to be our Victory through the supply of all Grace received from Jesus Christ. Indeed it calls for no small spiritual Skill and Understanding to pass aright judgment in these Matters Undoubtedly many are deceived in taking wrong Measures to search out these deep things of God taking them to belong to the mere Faculties and Endowments of a natural Man not considering that they are of the Spirits Revelation only And hence it is that many poor Creatures in a Bondage State under the Law and therefore under Sin 's Dominion do work like Slaves in the Dunghil of their own Hearts to find out some natural Religion or moral Goodness in themselves to recommend them unto God but such recommendation must be under the Law it cannot be under Grace and therefore such are under the Dominion of Sin infallibly as the Israelites were which followed after the Law of Righteousness but attained not unto the Law of Righteousness Wherefore because they sought it not by Faith but as it were by the works of the Law for they stumbled at that stumbling Stone Rom. ix 32. And it is greatly to be bewailed that many Professors that sit under the means of Grace are so tender of their secure and palliated Consciences that they cannot indure that the Rays of true Gospel Light should shine directly into their Hearts being contented with a name only that they do live they are loath to come to any narrow search or

any thing of a future reward hereafter something might be spoke to alleviate their present Misery But the Wages of Sin is Death eternal Death under the wrath of the great God is all they are to look for The End of the Dominion of Sin is to give them up unto the Curse of the Law and Power of the Devil for evermore Fourthly IT keeps Men off from the Participation of all real Good here and hereafter What Men under the Power of Sin do enjoy will quickly appear to be as a thing of nought In the mean time they have not the least taste of the Love of God which alone takes out the Poison of their Enjoyments They have not the least view of the Glory of Christ without which they live in perpetual darkness like those who never behold the light nor Sun. They have no Experience of the sweetness and excellency of the gracious Influences of Life and Strength and Comfort from the Holy Ghost nor of that satisfaction and reward which is in holy Obedience nor shall ever come to the Enjoyment of God. All these things and sundry others of the like sort might be insisted on and inlarged to manifest the greatness of the Mercy and Privilege which is in a Freedom from the Dominion of Sin as it is here proposed by the Apostle But the principal design I intended is accomplished and I do but touch on these things I shall add One Observation more and with it put a Close to this Discourse Ob. 2. IT is the great Interest of a Soul conflicting with the Power of Sin to secure it self against its Dominion that it is not under its Dominion not to have the Cause hang dubious in the Mind To clear the truth hereof we may observe the things that follow 1. THE Conflict with Sin making continual Repentance and Mortification absolutely necessary will continue in us whilst we are in this World. Pretences of Perfection here are contrary to the Scriptures contrary to the universal Experience of all Believers and contrary to the Sense and Conscience of them by whom they are pleaded as they make it evident every day We pray against it strive against it groan for deliverance from it and that by the Grace of Christ healing our Nature not without success Howbeit this success extends not unto its absolute Abolition whilst we are in this World. It will abide in us until the union of the Soul and Body wherein it hath incorporated it self be dissolved This is our Lot and Portion this is the consequent of our Apostasie from God and the Depravation of our nature thereby YOU will say then Whereto serves the Gospel and the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in this Case if it be not able to give us deliverance herein I answer it doth give us a Fourfold Relief which amounts virtually to a constant deliverance though Sin will abide in us whilst we are in this World. 1. IT is so ordered that the continuance of Sin in us shall be the Ground Reason and Occasion of the exercise of all Grace and putting a lustre on our Obedience Some excellent Graces as Repentance and Mortification could have no exercise if it were otherwise And whilst we are in this World there is a beauty in them that is an over-balance for the Evil of the Remainders of Sin And the difficulty which is hereby put on our Obedience calling continually for the exercise and improvement of all Grace renders it the more valuable Herein lies the Spring of Humility and self-Resignation to the Will of God. This makes us love and long for the Enjoyment of Christ putting an excellency on his Mediation whence the Apostle on the consideration of it falls into that Ejaculation I thank God through Jesus Christ my Lord Rom. vij 25. This sweetens unto us our future Rest and Reward Wherefore the continuance of us in this state and condition in this World a state of spiritual Warfare is best for us and highly suited unto divine Wisdom considering the Office and Care of our Lord Jesus Christ for our Relief Let us not complain or repine or faint but go on with Christian Fortitude unto the End and we shall have success For 2. THERE are by the Grace of Christ such supplies and aids of spiritual Strength granted unto Believers that Sin shall never proceed further in them than is useful and needful for the exercise of their Graces It shall never have its Will upon them nor Dominion over them as we have before declared 3. THERE is Mercy administred in and by the Gospel for the Pardon of all that is Evil in it self or in any of its effects There is no Condemnation unto them that are in Christ Jesus Pardoning Mercy according to the Tenor of the Covenant doth always disarm this Sin in Believers of its condemning Power So that notwithstanding the utmost endeavours of it being justified by Faith they have Peace with God. 4. THERE is a season when by the Grace of Christ it shall be utterly abolished namely at Death when the course of our Obedience is finished Wherefore to affirm that this Sin and consequently a conflict with it doth abide in Believers whilst they are in this World is no disparagement unto the Grace of Christ which gives such a blessed deliverance from it Secondly THERE is a double Conflict with and against Sin. The One is in those that are unregenerate consisting in the Rebellion of Light and Conscience against the Rule of Sin in many particular Instances For although Sin be enthroned in the Will and Affections yet the knowledge of good and evil in the Mind excited by the hopes and fears of things eternal will make head against it as unto the performance of sundry duties and abstinence from Sin. This conflict may be where Sin is in the Throne and may deceive themselves supposing it may be from the Rule of Grace when it is only from the Rebellion of Light and the charge of a Conscience yet unseared But there is a conflict with Sin where Grace hath the Rule and is Enthroned For although Grace have the Sovereignty in the Mind and Heart yet the remainders of Sin especially in the corrupt Affections will be continually rebelling against it Now this we say is the Interest of all namely to enquire of what sort and kind that conflict with Sin is which is in them if it be of the first sort they may yet be under the Dominion of Sin if of the latter they are freed from it Wherefore whilst the mind is dubious in this Case and undetermined many evil consequences it will be perplexed withal I shall name some of them 1. SUCH a soul can have no solid Peace because it hath not satisfaction what state it doth belong unto 2. IT cannot receive refreshment by Gospel Consolations in any condition for its just fears of the Dominion of Sin will defeat them all 3. IT will be dead and formal in all its