Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	believe_v	faith_n	testimony_n	2,629	5	8.0270	4	true

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

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 Examine your selves whether ye be in the Faith prove your selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be Reprobates 2 Cor. 13. 5 By JOHN OWEN D. D. LONDON Printed by John Astwood for William Marshal at the Bible in Newgate-street where you may be supplyed with most of Dr. Owen's Dr. Beverly's and Mr. Caryl's Works 1695. To the Reader AS Faith is the first vital Act that every true Christian puts forth and the Life which he lives is by the Faith of the Son of God so it is his next and great concern to know that he doth believe and that believing he hath Eternal Life that his Faith is the Faith of God's Elect and of the Operation of God without s●me distinct believing knowledge of which he cannot so comfortably assure his Heart before God concerning his Calling and Election so far as to carry him forth in all the ways of Holiness in doing and suffering the Will of God with necessary Resolution and Chearfulness the doing of which in a right manner according to the Tenor of the Gospel is no small part of spiritual Skill whereunto two things are highly requisite First That he be well acquainted with the Doctrine of Christ and knows how to distinguish the Gospel from the Law and Secondly That he be very Conversant with his own Heart that so by comparing his Faith and the Fruits thereof with the said Doctrine of Christ he may some to see that as he hath received Christ so he walks in him all his reasonings concerning himself being taken up from the Word of God so that what Judgment he passeth upon himself may be a Judgment of Faith and Answer of a good Conscience towards God for all Tryals of Faith must at last be resolved into a Judgment of Faith before which is made the Soul still labours under staggerings and uncertainties The design of this ensuing Treatise is to resolve this great Question Whether the Faith we profess unto be true or no the Resolution of which upon an Impartial Enquiry must needs be very grateful and advantageous to every one that hath but tasted that the Lord is gracious That the late Reverend Learned and Pious Dr. Owen was the Author there needs be no doubt not only because good Assurance is given by such as were entrusted with his Writings but also in that the Stile and Spirit running thro' the other of his Practical Writings is here very manifest and accordingly with them is recommended to the serious perusal of every diligent Enquirer unto the Truth of his Spiritual Estate and Condition Isaac Chauncy Evidences of the Faith of GOD's Elect. THE securing of the Spiritual Comforts of Believers in this Life is a matter of the highest Importance unto the Glory of God and their own Advantage by the Gospel For God is abundantly willing that all the Heirs of Promise should receive strong Consolation and he hath provided ways and means for the Communication of it to them and their Participiation of it is their Principal Interest in this World and is so esteemed by them But their effectual Refreshing Enjoyment of these Comforts is variously opposed by the Power of the Remainders of Sin in Conjunction with other Temptations Hence notwithstanding their Right and Title unto them by the Gospel they are oft-times actually destitute of a Gracious sense of them and consequently of that Relief which they are s●ited to afford in all their Duties Trials and Afflications Now the Root whereon all real Comforts do grow whence they spring and arise is true and saving Faith the Faith of Gods Elect. Wherefore they do ordinarily answer unto and hold proportion with the Evidences which any have of that Faith in themselves at least they cannot be maintained without such Evidences Wherefore that we may be a little useful unto the Establishment or Recovery of that Consolation which God is so abundantly willing that all the Heirs of Promise should enjoy I shall enquire What are the principal Acts and Operations of Faith whereby it will evidence its Truth and Sincerity in the midst of all Temptations and storms that may befall Believers in this World And I shall insist on such alone as will bear the severest Scrutiny by Scripture and Experience And THE Principal Genuine Acting of saving Faith in us inseparable from it yea essential to such acting consists in the Choosing Embracing and Approbation of Gods way of saving Sinners by the Mediation of Jesus Christ relying thereon with a renuntiation of all other ways and means pretending unto the same End of Salvation THIS is that which we are to explain and prove SAVING Faith is our Believing the Record that God hath given us of his Son 1 John 5. 10. And this is the Record that God hath given unto us Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son verse 11. This is the Testimony which God gives that great and sacred Truth which he himself bears witness unto namely That he hath freely prepared Eternal Life for them that believe or provided a way of Salvation for them And what God so prepares he is said to give because of the Certainty of its Communication So Grace was promised and given to the Elect in Christ Jesus before the World began 2 Tim. 1. 9. Tit. 1. 2. And that is so to be communicated unto them in and by the Mediation of his Son Jesus Christ that it is the only way whereby God will give Eternal Life unto any which is therefore wholly in him and by him to be obtained and from him to be received Upon our Acquiescency in this Testimony on our Approbation of this way of saving Sinners or our Refusal of it our Eternal Safety or Ruin doth absolutely depend And it is reasonable that it should be so For in our receiving of this Testimony of God We set to our seal that God is true Joh. 3. 33. We ascribe unto him the Glory of his Truth and therein of all the other Holy Properties of his Nature the most Eminent Duty whereof we are capable in this World And by a Refusal of it what lieth in us we make him a Liar as in this Place v. 10. which is virtually to renounce his Being AND the Solemnity wherewith this Testimony is entred is very remarkable

ver 7. There are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one The Trinity of Divine Persons acting distinctly in the Unity of the same Divine Nature do give this Testimony And they do so by these distinct Operations whereby they act in this way and work of God's saving Sinners by Jesus Christ which are at large declared in the Gospel And there is added hereunto a Testimony that is immediately applicatory unto the Souls of Believers of this Soveraign Testimony of the Holy Trinity and this is the witness of Grace and all sacred Ordinances There are three that bear witness on Earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood and these three agree in one ver 8. They are not all essentially the same in one and the same Nature as are the Father Word and Holy Ghost yet they all absolutely agree in the same Testimony and they do it by that especial Efficacy which they have on the Souls of Believers to assure them of this Truth In this Record so solemnly so gloriously given and proposed Life and Death are set before us The Receiving and Embracing of this Testimony with an Approbation of the way of Salvation testified unto is that Work of Faith which secures us of Eternal Life On these Terms there is Reconciliation and Agreement made and established between God and Men without which Men must perish for ever SO our Blessed Saviour affirms This is Life eternal that we may know thee Father the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Joh. 17. 3. To know the Father as the only true God to know him as he hath sent Jesus Christ to be the only way and means of the Salvation of Sinners and to know Jesus Christ as sent by him for that end is that Grace and Duty which enstates us in a Right unto Eternal Life and initiates us in the Possession of it And this includes that Choice and Approbation of the way of God for the saving of Sinners whereof we speak BUT these things must be more distinctly opened 1. THE Great fundamental Difference in Religion is concerning the way and means whereby Sinners may be saved From Mens different Apprehensions hereof arise all other Differences about Religion And the first thing that engageth men really into any Concernment in Religion is an Enquiry in their Minds how Sinners may be saved or what they shall do themselves to be saved What shall we do What shall we do to be saved What is the way of Acceptance with God is that Enquiry which gives Men their first Initiation into Religion See Acts 2. 37. of Chap. 16. 30. Micah 6. 6 7 8. THIS Question being once raised in the Conscience an Answer must be returned unto it I will consider saith the Prophet what I shall answer when I am reproved Hab. 2. 1. And there is all the Reason in the World that Men consider well of a Good Answer hereunto without which they must perish for ever For if they cannot answer themselves here how do they hope to answer God hereafter Wherefore without a sufficient Answer always in Readiness unto this Enquiry no Man can have any Hopes of a Blessed Eternity NOW the real Answer which Men return unto themselves is according to the Influence which their Minds are under from one or other of the two Divine Covenants that of Works or that of Grace And these two Covenants taken absolutely are inconsistent and gives Answers in this Case that are directly contradictory to one another So the Apostle declares Rom. 10. 5 6 7 8 9. The one says the man that doth the Works of the Law shall live by them this is the only way whereby you may be saved The other wholly waves this Return and puts it all on Faith in Christ Jesus Hence there is great Difference and great Variety in the Answers which men return to themselves on this Enquiry for their Consciences will neither hear nor speak any thing but what complys with the Covenant whereunto they do belong These things are reconciled only in the Blood of Christ and how the Apostle declared Rom. 8. 3. The greatest part of Convinced Sinners seem to adhere to the Testimony of the Covenant of Works and so perish for ever Nothing will stand us instead in this matter nothing will save us but the Answer of a good Conscience towards God by the Resurection of Jesus Christ. 1 Pet. 3. 21. 2. THE way that God hath prepared for the saving of Sinners is a Fruit and Product of Infinite Wisdom and powerfully Essicacious unto its End As such it is to be received or it is rejected It is not enough that we admit of the Notions of it as declared unless we are sensible of Divine Wisdom and Power in it so as that it may be safely trusted unto Hereon upon the Proposal of it falls out the eternally distinguishing Difference among Men. Some look upon it and embrace it as the Power and Wisdom of God Others really reject it as a thing foolish and weak not meet to be trusted unto hereof the Apostle gives an Account at large 1 Cor. 1. 18 19 20 21 22 23 24. And this is mysterious in Religion the same Divine Truth is by the same way and means at the same time proposed unto sundry Persons all in the same Condition under the same Circumstances all equally concerned in that which is proposed therein Some of them hereon do receive it embrace it approve of it and trust unto it for Life and Salvation others despise it reject it value it not trust not unto it To the one it is the Wisdom of God and the Power of God to the other Weakness and Foolishness as it must of necessity be one or the other it is not capable of a middle State or Consideration It is not a good way unless it be the only way it is not a safe it is not the best way if there be any other for it is eternally inconsistent with any other It is the Wisdom of God or it is down-right Folly And here after all our Disputes we must resort unto eternal Soveraign Grace making a Distinction among them unto whom the Gospel is proposed and the Almighty Power of actual Grace in Curing that Unbelief which blinds the minds of Men that they can see nothing but Folly and Weakness in Gods way of the saving of Sinners And this Unbelief worketh yet in the most of them unto whom this way of God is proposed in the Gospel They receive it not as an Effect of Infinite Wisdom and as powerfully Essicacious unto its proper End Some are profligate in the Service of their Lusts and regard it not unto whom may be applied that of the Prophet Hear ve Despisers and wonder and perish Some are under the Power of Darkness and Ignorance so as that they apprehend not they understand not the Mystery of it For the Light shineth