A golden mine opened, or, The glory of God's rich grace displayed in the…

4thly. That all their Privileges and Attainments, (as Reverend Dr. Owen observes) do consist in certain Operations of the Holy Ghost, under the Dispensation of the Gospel; and therefore not such Persons that never professed it, or had been enlightened thereby.

4thly. That all their Privileges and Attainments, (as Reverend Dr. Owen observes) do consist in certain Operations of the Holy Ghost, under the Dispensation of the Gospel; and therefore not such Persons that never professed it, or had been enlightned thereby.

5thly. And let it be well and for ever observed, that the Apostle mentions not one of those special and distinguishing Marks or Characters of true Believers or Sanctified Christians. As, 1. Here is not a word of the Covenant of Grace into which they had been received, nothing spoken of the Faith of the Operation of God in all those five Attainments they had arrived at. 2. Not a word of their having attained to Union with Christ, or of the Implantation of the Holy Spirit, though they had had some kind of taste thereof. 3. Not a word of Regeneration; he doth not say, It is impossible for such that have been born of God, begotten of the Spirit: No, no, nothing of that. 4 Here is nothing spoken of their being justified, or of Justification unto Life. ⟨p. 323⟩5. Not a word in all their fivefold Attainments of Sanctification by the Spirit; we read not of any effectual Calling they had arrived unto. 6. Nothing is mentioned of their Election, of Adoption, nor of their Love to God or to his poor Saints; none of these things are expressed or assigned unto them, which do all appertain to every true Christian.