A41331:697
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.
But this self-love, in closing with Christ, according to the Gospel, for my salvation, though I cannot tell whether I aim at the glory of Gods Grace Above it, is not cross to a Command of God.
Ergo, This self-love is not destructive to my Soul.
The Major is plain. It is Disobedience to a Command which only destroys the Soul, crossing of the preceptive Will of God, when self sets up something against God; that good which I choose and seek for my self, and God stand Opposites. Thus self-love setting up something against God, placeth it self Above God in his Command.
The Major is plain. It is Disobedience to a Command which only destroyes the Soul, crossing of the preceptive Will of God, when self sets up something against God; that good which I chuse and seek for my self, and God stand Opposites. Thus self-love setting up something against God, placeth it self Above God in his Command.
The Minor: But mans salvation, and the glory of Gods Grace, cannot be made Opposites; this is plain, for no man can possibly seek the exalting of Gods Grace, but he must seek his own salvation: So that there lies an absolute necessity that I must thus love my self, as to seek my own salvation, else there is an impossibility of my serving this end, the exalting the glory of Grace. Hence this word, Above, the setting up or loving any thing above God, hath place only there in Scripture, where the thing set up, or loved by my self, may stand in opposition to God; then self-love proves destructive indeed. But where doth Mr. Rogers find this Command in Scripture, that though the Soul doth so seek its own salvation, as it willingly embraceth Christ upon his own terms, yet that in believing and closing with him, it sets up the glory of Gods Grace above its salvation, and so self-love, not obeying, but crossing this Command, ruins the Soul eternally? Let any man observe the Prophets, Christ and his Apostles, how they preached, and see through the whole Scripture, if this were not their way