A53678:526
A continuation of the exposition of the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the…
A continuation of the exposition of the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Hebrews viz, on the sixth, seventh, eight, ninth, and tenth chapters : wherein together with the explication of the text and context, the priesthood of Christ ... are declared, explained and confirmed : as also, the pleas of the Jews for the continuance and perpetuity of their legal worship, with the doctrine of the principal writers of the Socinians about these things, are examined and disproved / by J. Owen ...
London: printed for Nathaniel Ponder, 1680
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.
1. It is a fruit of the Spirit of Holiness, of the Spirit of Christ, Gal. 5. 22. It is no more of our selves than Faith is, it is the Gift of God. Natural Affections are in-laid in the constitution of our Beings. Carnal Affections are grown inseparable from our nature as corrupted. Both excited by various Objects, Relations, Occasions, and Interest, do exert themselves in many outward effects of Love. But this Love hath no root in our selves until it be planted in us by the Holy Ghost. And as it is so, it is the principal part of the Renovation of our natures into the Image of God, who is Love. This Love is of God; And every one that loveth is born of God, 1 Joh. 4. 7. You are taught of God to love one another.
2. It is an effect of Faith. Faith worketh by Love, Gal. 5. 6. Hence as we observed before, Love to the Saints is so frequently added unto Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, as the effect and pledge of it. And although it proceeds in general from Faith as it respects the Commands and Promises of God, yet it derives immediately from Faith as acted on the Lord Jesus Christ. For he being the Head of the whole mystical Body, it is Faith in him that acts it self by Love towards all the Members. Holding him the Head by Faith, the whole Body edifies it self in Love, Ephes. 4. ⟨p. 103⟩15, 18. And the more sincere, active and firm our Faith in Christ is, the more abundant will our Love be towards all his Saints. For Faith in Christ doth first excite Love unto him, from whom, as it were, it descends unto all that it finds of him in any others. And our Love of the Saints, is but the Love of Christ represented and exhibited unto us in them. The Papists tell us that Love or Charity is the form or life of Faith, without which it is dead. It is so far true, that according to the Apostle James, where it is not, there Faith is dead. Not that it is the life of Faith, but that Faith wherever it is living will work by Love. Faith therefore is the life, the quickening, animating principle of Love, and not on the contrary. And that Love which proceedeth not from, which is not the effect of, which is not enlivened by Faith, is not that which the Gospel requireth.