A41331:649
The real Christian, or, A treatise of effectual calling wherein the work of God…
The real Christian, or, A treatise of effectual calling wherein the work of God is drawing the soul to Christ ... : to which is added, in the epistle to the reader, a few words concerning Socinianism ... / by Giles Firmin ...The real Christian, or, A treatise of effectual calling wherein the work of God is drawing the soul to Christ ... : to which is added, in the epistle to the reader, a few words concerning Socinianisme ... / by Giles Firmin ...
London: printed for Dorman Newman, 1670
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Fourthly, This faith is directly cross to flesh and blood; God hath his ends directly, not implicitly, in giving his Christ; His Servant is exalted, extolled very high, Isai. 52.13. Man being emptied of himself, Christ is received by this faith: the Soul goeth out of it self, and fetcheth wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption from him, 1 Cor. 1.30. This Soul glorieth in Christ, in rich Grace, now God hath his ends; man is debased, Christ and free Grace are exalted. By saying, Christ is mine, my comfort is exalted, but not the ends of God directly, though implicitly they are, if it be true what the Soul saith, because this act of faith, which directly exalts him, went before it.
Fourthly, This faith is directly cross to flesh and blood; God hath his ends directly, not implicitely, in giving his Christ; His Servant is exalted, extolled very high, Isai. 52.13. Man being emptied of himself, Christ is received by this faith: the Soul goeth out of it self, and fetcheth wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, redemption from him, 1 Cor. 1.30. This Soul glorieth in Christ, in rich Grace, now God hath his ends; man is debased, Christ and free Grace are exalted. By saying, Christ is mine, my comfort is exalted, but not the ends of God directly, though implicitely they are, if it be true what the Soul saith, because this act of faith, which directly exalts him, went before it.
Fifthly, No other definition hath been yet given, wherein the saving nature of faith in Christ hath been truly opened; 1not the general assent to Gospel-truths. Soto thus states the Question: Fides Catholica, Christianae familiae necessaria, utpote qua Christiani censemur, non est specialis illa quam indubitato credit quisque, ac constituit sibi remitti peccata propter Christum, & esse in gratia Dei; sed illa potius persuasio Divina atque assensus, quem debemus, praestamusque Deo; omnium in genere, quae ab ipso sunt Ecclesiae revelata, per Christum, per-quae ejus Prophetas, Evangelistas & Apostolos: inter quae & promissiones ipsae divinae connumarantur. Neither of these are true; the latter is deficient: and, as I said, because it troubles not our Christians,