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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

will be eternally glorified because it is suited unto and answers all the Perfections of his Nature is that which every way becomes him it will have wherewith to relieve it self in all its Trials For this is Faith this is saving Faith which will not fail us that Faith which works in the Soul a gracious Perswasion of the Excellency of this way by a sight of the Glory of the Wisdom Power Grace and Love and Goodness of God in it so as to be satisfied with it as the best the only way of coming unto God with a Renunciation of all other ways and means unto that End will at all times evidence its Nature and Sincerity AND this is that which gives the Soul Rest and Satisfaction as unto its Entrance into Glory upon it Departure out of this World It is a great thing to apprehend in a due manner that a Poor Soul that hath been Guilty of many Sins leaving the Body it may be under great Pain Distress and Anguish it may be by outward Violence should be immediately admitted and received into the Glorious Presence of God with all the holy Attendants of his Throne there to enjoy Rest and Blessedness for evermore But here also Faith discerns and approves of this great of this ineffable divine Opperation as that which becomes the infinite Greatness of that Wisdom and Grace which first designed it the glorious Efficacy of the Mediation of Christ and the Excellency of the Sanctification of the Holy Spirit without any Expectation from any thing in it self as a Cause meritorious of an Admission into this Glory Neither did ever any man know what it is or desire it in a due manner who looked for any Desert of it in himself or conceived any Proportion between it and what he is or hath done in this World Hence some of those who have not this Faith have invented another State after Men are gone out of this world to make them meet for Heaven which they call Purgatory For on what Grounds a man should expect an Entrance into Glory on his Departure out of this World they understand not LET them who are exercised with Temptations and Dejections bring their Faith unto this Trial. And this is the Case in various Degrees of us all First then Examine strictly by the Word whether this be a true Description of the Nature and Acting of saving Faith Sundry things are supposed or asserted in it as 1. That the way of saving Sinners by Jesus Christ is the principal Effect of Divine Wisdom Power Goodness Love and Grace 2. That the Design of the Gospel is to manifest declare and testify that so it is and so to make known the Glory of God therein 3. That saving Faith is that Act Duty and Work of the Soul whereby we receive the Record of God concerning these things do ascribe the Glory of them all unto him as discovering it in the way of Life proposed unto us 4. That hereon it proceeds unto a Renunciation of all other Ways Means Hopes Reliefs in Opposition unto this way or in Conjunction with it as unto Acceptance with God in Life and Salvation I say in the first place Examine these things strictly by the Word and if they appear to be as they are Sacred Evangelical Fundamental Truths be not moved from them be not shaken in them by any Temptation whatever AND in the next place bring your Faith to the Trial on these Principles What do you judge concerning Gods way of saving Sinners by Jesus Christ as proposed in the Gospel are you satisfied in it that it is such as becomes God and answers all the glorious Attributes of his Nature Would you have any other way proposed in the room of it Can you will you commit the eternal Welfare of your Souls unto the Grace and Faithfulness of God in this way so as that you have no Desire to be saved any other way Doth the Glory of God in any measure shine forth unto you in the Face of Jesus Christ Do you find a secret Joy in your Hearts upon the Satisfaction you take in the proposal of this way unto you by the Gospel Do you in all your Fears and Temptations in all Approaches of Death renounce all other Reserves and Reliefs and betake your whole Confidence unto this way alone and the Representation of God made therein Herein lies that Faith and its Exercise which will be an Anchor unto your Souls in all their Trials AND this is the first and principal Ground or Reason whereon Faith divine and saving doth accept Embrace and Approve of the way of Gods saving Sinners by Jesus Christ namely because it is such as doth become him and every way answer unto all the holy Properties of his Nature which are manifested and glorified therein And where Faith doth approve of it on this Ground and Reason it doth evidence it self to be truly Evangelical unto the Supportment and Comfort of them in whom it is Secondly IT doth so approve of this way as that which it finds suited unto the whole Design and all the Desires of an Enlightned Soul So when our Lord Jesus Christ compares the Kingdom of God which is this way of Salvation unto a Treasure and a precious Pearl he affirms that those who found them had great Joy and the highest Satisfaction as having attained that which suited their Desires and gave Rest unto their Minds A Soul Enlightned with the Knowledge of the Truth and made sensible of its own Condition by Spiritual Conviction hath two predominant Desires and Aims whereby it is wholly regulated the one is that God may be glorified and the other that it self may be eternally saved Nor can it forgoe either of these Desires nor are they separable in any Enlightned Soul It can never cease in either of these Desires and that to the highest Degree The whole World cannot dispossess an Enlightned Mind of either of them Profligate Sinners have no Concernment in the former no nor yet those who are under Legal Convictions if they have therewithal received no Spiritual Light They would be saved but for the Glory of God therein he may look to that himself they are not concerned in it For that which they mean by Salvation is nothing but a freedom from eternal Misery this they would have whether God be or no of what is Salvation truly they have no Desire BUT the first Beam of spiritual Light and Grace enstates an indefatigable Desire of the Glory of God in the Minds and Souls of them in whom it is Without this the Soul knows not how to desire its own Salvation I may say it would not be saved in a way wherein God should not be glorified For without that whatever its state should be it would not be that which we call Salvation the Exaltation of the Glory of God belongs essentially thereunto it consists in the beholding and Enjoyment of that Glory This Desire therefore is immovably fixed in

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

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

Beauty and Approbation of this Holiness as that which nothing can produce but sincere and saving Faith Secondly FAITH approves of this way of Holiness and Obedience as that which gives that Rectitude and Perfection unto our Nature whereof it is capable in this World It is the only Rule and Measure of them and whatever is contrary thereunto is perverse crooked vile and base Some Men think that their Nature is capable of no other Perfection but what consists in the Satisfaction of their Lusts they know no other Blessedness nothing that is suitable to their Desires but the Swinge of Nature in the Pursuit of its corrupt Lusts and Pleasures So are they described by the Apostle Eph. 4. 19. The Business of their Lives is to make Provision for the flesh to fulfill it in the Lusts thereof They walk in the Lusts of the flesh fulfilling so far as they are able the Desires of the Flesh and of the Mind Ephes. 2. 3. They neither know nor understand what an Hell of Confusion Disorder and base Degeneracy from their Original Constitution their Minds are filled withall this Perfection is nothing but the next Disposition unto Hell and it doth manifest its own vileness unto every one who hath the least Ray of Spiritual Light SOME among the Heathen placed the Rectitude of Nature in Moral Virtues and Operations according unto them and this was the utmost that natural Light could could ever rise up unto But the Uncortainty and Weakness hereof are discovered by the Light of the Gospel IT is Faith alone that discovers what is good for us in us and unto us whilst we are in this World It is in the Renovation of the Image of God in us in the Change and Transformation of our Nature into his Likeness in acting from a gracious Principle of a Divine Life in Duties and Operations suited thereunto in the participation of the Divine Nature by the Promises that the Good the Perfection the Order the present Blessedness of our Nature do consist HEREBY are the Faculties of our Souls exalted elevated and enabled to act primigenial Powers with respect unto God and our Enjoyment of him which is our utmost End and Blessedness Hereby are our Affections placed on their proper Objects such as they were created meet for and in closing wherewith their Satisfaction Order and Rest doth consist namely God and his Goodness or God as revealed in Jesus Christ by the Gospel hereby all the Powers of our Souls are brought into a blessed Frame and Harmony in all their Operations whatever is dark perverse unquiet vise and base being cast out of them but these things must be a little more distinctly explained 1. THERE is in this Gospel-Holiness as the Spring and Principle of it a spiritual saving Light enabling the Mind and Understanding to know God in Christ and to discern spiritual things in a spiritual saving manner for herein God shines into our Hearts to give us the Knowledge of his Glory in the Face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. Without this in some Degree whatever pretence there may be or Appearance of Holiness in any there is nothing in them of what is really so and thereon accepted with God Blind Devotion that is an Inclination of Mind unto Religious Duties destitute of this Light will put Men on a Multiplication of Duties especially such as are of their own Invention in a shew of Wisdom in Will-worship Humility and neglecting of the Body as the Apostle speaks Col. 1. 23. wherein there is nothing of Gospel-Holiness THE new man is renewed in Knowledge after the Image of him that created him Col. 3. 10. That this saving Light and Knowledge is the Spring and Principle of all real Evangelical Holiness and Obedience the Apostle declares in that Description which he gives us of the whole of it both in its Beginning and Progress Col. 1. 9 10 11. We desire that you may be filled with the Knowledge of his Will in all Wisdom and spiritual Understanding That you might walk worthy of the Lord in all pleasing being fruitful in every good Work and encreasing in the Knowledge of God strengthned with all might according to his glorious Power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness It is a blessed Account that is here given us of that Gospel-Holiness which we enquire after in its Nature Original Spring Progress Fruits and Effects And a serious Consideration of it as here proposed a View of it in the Light of Faith will evidence how distant and different it is from those Schemes of Moral Virtues which some would substitute in its room it hath a Glory in it which no unenlightned Mind can behold or comprehend the foundation of it is laid in the Knowledge of the Will of God in all Wisdom and Spiritual-Understanding this is that spiritual saving Light whereof we 〈◊〉 the Encrease hereof is prayed for in Believers by the Apostle Ephes. 1. 17 18. Even that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory would give unto you the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of him the Eyes of your Understanding being enlightned that you may know what is the Hope of his Calling and what is the Riches of the Glory of his Inheritance in the Saints which here is called encreasing in the Knowledge of God ver 10. The singular Glory of this saving Light in its Original its Causes Use and Effects is most illustriously here declared and this Light is in every true Believer and is the only immediate Spring of all Gospel-Holiness and Obedience For The new man is renewed in Knowledge after the Image of him that created him Col. 3. 10. THIS Light this Wisdom this spiritual Understanding thus communicated unto Believers is the Rectitude and Perfection of their Minds in this VVorld It is that which gives them Order and Peace and Power enabling them to act all their Faculties in a due manner with respect unto their Being and End It is that which gives Beauty and Glory to the inward man and which constitutes a Believer an Inhabitant of the Kingdom of Light whereby we are delivered from the Power of Darkness and translated into the Kingdom of the Son of God's Love Col. 1. 13. Or out of Darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2. 9. THAT which is contrary hereunto is that Ignorance Darkness Blindness and Vanity which the Scripture declares to be in the Minds of all unregenerate Persons and they are really so where they are not cured by the glorious working of the Power and Grace of God before-mentioned NOW Faith discerneth these things as the spiritual man discerneth all things 1 Cor. 2. 15. It sees the Beauty of this heavenly Light and judgeth that it is that which giveth Order and Rectitude unto the Mind as also that which is contrary unto it is vile base horrid and to be ashamed of As for those who love Darkness more than Light because their Deeds are