Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
truth_n	grace_n	jesus_n	law_n	4,649	5	5.3571	4	true

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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

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

into Darkness and the Darkness comprehendeth it not Some are blinded by Satan as he is the God of this World by filling their Minds with Prejudice and their Hearts with the Love of present things that the Light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God cannot shine into them Some would mix with it their own Works Ways and Duties as they belong unto the first Covenant which are eternally irreconcible unto this way of God as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 10. 3 4. Hereby doth Unbelief eternally ruin the Souls of Men they do not they cannot approve of the way of God for saving Sinners proposed in the Gospel as an Effect of Infinite Wisdom and Power which they may safely trust unto in Opposition unto all other ways and means pretending to be useful unto the same End And this will give us Light into the Nature and Actings of saving Faith which we Enquire after 3. THE whole Scripture and all Divine Institutions from the Beginning do testifie in general that this way of God for the saving Sinners is by Commutation Substitution Attonement Satisfaction and Imputation This is the Language of the first Promise and all the Sacrifices of the Law founded thereon This is the Language of the Scripture There is a way whereby Sinners may be saved a way that God hath found out and appointed Now it being the Law wherein Sinners are concerned the Rule of all things between God and them should seem to be by what they can do or suffer with Respect unto that Law No saith the Scripture it cannot be so For by the Deeds of the Law no man living shall be justified in the sight of God Psal. 142. 2. Rom. 3. 20. Gal. 2. 16. Neither shall it be by their Personal Answering of the Penalty of the Law which they have broken For they cannot do so but they must perish eternally For If thou Lord shouldst mark Iniquities O Lord who shall stand Psal. 130. 3. There must therefore be there is another way of a different Nature and Kind from these for the saving of Sinners or there is no due Revelation made of the mind of God in the Scripture But that there is so and what it is is the main Design of it to declare And this is by the Substitution of a Mediator instead of the Sinners that shall be saved who shall both bear the Penalty of the Law which they had incurred and fulfill that Righteousness which they could not attain unto THIS in general is Gods way of saving Sinners whether Men like it or no For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for Sin condemned Sin in the flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us Rom. 8. 3 4. See also Heb. 10. 5 6 7 8 9 10. He made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. HERE Unbelief hath prevailed with many in this latter Age to reject the Glory of God herein But we have vindicated the Truth against them sufficiently elsewhere 4. THERE are sundry things previously required to give us a clear View of the Glory of God in this way of saving Sinners Such are a due Consideration of the Nature of the Fall of our first Parents and of our Apostacy from God thereby I may not stay here to shew the Nature or Aggravations of them Neither can we conceive them aright much less express them I only say that unless we have due Apprehensions of the Dread and Terrour of them of the Invasion made on the Glory of God and the Confusion brought on the Creation by them we can never discern the Reason and Glory of rejecting the Way of Personal Righteousness and the establishing this way of a Mediator for the saving of Sinners A due Sense of our present infinite Distance from God and the Impossibility that there is in our selves of making any Approaches unto him is of the same Consideration so likewise is that of our utter Disability to do any thing that may answer the Law or the Holiness and Righteousness of God therein of our universal Unconformity in our Natures Hearts and their Actings unto the Nature Holiness and Will of God Unless I say we have a sense of these things in our Minds and upon our Consciences we cannot believe aright we cannot comprehend the Glory of this new way of Salvation And whereas Mankind hath had a general Notion though no distinct Apprehension of these things or of some of them many amongst them have apprehended that there is a Necessity of some kind of Satisfaction or Atonement to be made that Sinners may be freed from the Displeasure of God But when God's way of it was proposed unto them it was and is generally rejected because the Carnal Mind is Enmity against God But when these things are fixed on the Soul by sharp and durable Convictions they will enlighten it with due Apprehensions of the Glory and Beauty of God's way of saving Sinners 5. THIS is the Gospel this is the Work of it namely a divine Declaration of the way of God for the saving of Sinners through the Person Mediation Blood Righteousness and Intercession of Christ. This is that which it revealeth declareth proposeth and tendreth unto Sinners there is a way for their Salvation As this is contained in the first Promise so the Truth of every word in the Scripture depends on the Supposition of it Without this there could be no more Entercourse between God and us than is between Him and Devils Again it declares that this way is not by the Law or its Works by the first Covenant or its Conditions by our own Doing or Suffering but it is a new way found out in and proceeding from Infinite Wisdom Love Grace and Goodness namely by the Incarnation of the Eternal Son of God his Susception of the Office of a Mediator doing and suffering in the Discharge of it whatever was needful for the Justification and Salvation of Sinners unto his own eternal Glory See Rom. 3. 23 24 25 26 27. Chap. 8. 3 4. 2 Cor. 5. 19 20 21. c. MOREOVER the Gospel adds that the only way of obtaining an Interest in this Blessed Contrivance of saving Sinners by the Substitution of Christ as the Surety of the Covenant and thereon the Imputation of our sins to him and of his Righteousness unto us is by Faith in him HERE comes in that Trial of Faith which we Enquire after This way of saving Sinners heing proposed offered and tendered unto us in the Gospel true and saving Faith receives it approves of it rests in it renounceth all other Hopes and Expectations reposing its whole Confidence therein FOR it is not proposed unto us meerly as a Notion of Truth to be assented to or denied in which Sense all believe the

the Mind and Soul of every enlightned Person he can admit of no Proposal of Eternal Things that is inconsistent with it BUT moreover in every such Person there is a Ruling Desire of his own Salvation It is natural unto him as a Creature made for Eternity it is inseparable from him as he is a convinced Sinner And the clearer the Light of any one is in the Nature of this Salvation the more is this Desire heightned and confirmed in him HERE then lieth the Enquiry namely How these two prevalent Desires may be reconciled and satisfied in the same Mind For as we are Sinners there seems to be an Inconsistency between them The Glory of God in his Justice and Holiness requires that Sinners should dye and perish eternally so speaks the Law this is the Language of Conscience and the Voice of all our Fears Wherefore for a Sinner to desire in the first place that God may be glorified is to desire that himself may be damned WHICH of these Desires shall the Sinner cleave unto unto whether of them shall it give the Preheminence shall he cast off all Hopes and Desires of his own Salvation and be content to perish for ever This he cannot do God doth not require it of him he hath given him the contrary in Charge whilst he is in this World Shall he then desire that God may part with and lose his Glory so as that one way or other he may be saved Bring himself unto an Unconcernment what becomes of it This can be no mere in an Enlightned Mind than it can cease to desire its own Salvation But how to reconcile these things in himself a Sinner finds not HERE therefore the Glory of this way represents it self unto the Faith of every Believer It not only brings these Desires into a perfect Consistency and Harmony but maketh them to encrease and promote one another The Desire of Gods Glory encreaseth the Desire of our own Salvation and the Desire of our own Salvation enlargeth and inflameth the Desire of glorifying God therein and thereby These things are brought into a perfect Consistency and mutual Subserviency in the Blood of Christ Rom. 3. 24 25 26. For this way is that which God hath found out in infinite Wisdom to glorify himself in the Salvation of Sinners There is not any thing wherein the Glory of God doth or may consist but in this way is reconciled unto and consistent with the Salvation of the chiefest of Sinners There is no Property of his Nature but is gloriously exalted in and by it An Answer is given in it unto all the Objections of the Law against the Consistency of the Glory of God and the Salvation of Sinners It pleads his Truth in his Threatnings in the Sanction of the Law with the Curse annexed it pleads his Righteousness Holiness and Severity all engaged to destroy Sinners it pleads the Instance of God's dealing with the Angels that sinned and calls in the Witness of Conscience to testifie the Truth of all its Allegations But there is a full and satisfactory Answer given unto this whole Plea of the Law in this way of Salvation God declares in it and by it how he hath provided for the satisfaction of all these things and the Exaltation of his Glory in them as we shall see immediately HERE true Faith will fix it self in all its Distresses Whatever saith the Soul be my State and Condition whatever be my Fears and Perplexities whatever Oppositions I meet withall yet I see in Jesus Christ in the Glass of the Gospel that there is no Inconsistency between the Glory of God and my Salvation that otherwise insuperable Difficulty laid by the Law in the way of my Life and Comfort is utterly removed Whilst Faith keeps this Hold in the Soul with a constant Approbation of this way of Salvation by Christ as that which gives a Consistency unto both its governing Desires that it shall not need forgoe either of them so as to be contented to be damned than God may be glorified as some have spoken or to desire Salvation without a due Regard unto the Glory of God it will be an Anchor to stay the Soul in all its Storms and Distresses Some Benefit which will certainly ensue hereon we may briefly mention 1. THE Soul will be hereby preserved from ruining Despair in all the Distresses that may befall it Despair is nothing but a prevalent Apprehension of mind that the Glory of God and a mans Salvation are inconsistent that God cannot be Just True Holy or Righteous if he in whom that Apprehension is may be saved Such a Person doth conclude that his Salvation is impossible because one way or other it is inconsistent with the Glory of God for nothing else can render it impossible Hence ariseth in the Mind an utter Dislike of God with revengeful Thoughts against him for being what he is This cuts off all Endeavours of Reconciliation yea begets an Abhorrency of all the means of it as those which are weak foolish and insufficient Such are Christ and his Cross unto Men under such Apprehensions they judge them unable to reconcile the Glory of God and their Salvation Then is a Soul in an open Entrance into Hell From this cursed Frame and Ruin the Soul is safely preserved by Faiths maintaining in the Mind and Heart a due Perswasion of the Consistency and Harmony that is between the Glory of God and its own Salvation Whilst this Perswasion is prevalent in it although it cannot attain any Comfortable Assurance of an especial Interest in it yet it cannot but Love Honour Value and Cleave unto this way adoring the Wisdom and Grace of God in it which is an Act an Evidence of saving Faith See Psal. 130. 3 4. Yea 2. IT will preserve the Soul from heartless Dispondencies Many in their Temptations Darknesses Fears Surprizals by Sin although they fall into ruining Desperation yet they fall under such desponding Fears and various Discouragements us keep them off from a vigorous Endeavour after a Recovery And hereon for want of the due Exercise of Grace they grow weaker and darker every day and are in danger to pine away in their sins But where Faith keeps the Soul constant unto the Approbation of Gods way of saving Sinners as that wherein the Glory of God and its own Salvation are not only fully reconciled but made inseparable it will stir up all Graces unto a due Exercise and the diligent Performance of all Duties whereby it may obtain a Refreshing Sense of a personal Interest in it 3. IT will keep the Heart full of Kindness towards God whence Love and gracious Hope will spring It is impossible but that a Soul overwhelmed with a sense of Sin and thereon ●illed with Self-Condemnation but if it hath a View of the Consistency of the Glory of God with its Deliverance and Salvation through a free Contrivance of infinite Wisdom and Grace it must have such Kindness for

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