A53700:143
Gospel grounds and evidences of the faith of God's elect showingGospel grounds and evidences of the faith of God's elect shewing
Gospel grounds and evidences of the faith of God's elect showing : 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 trials 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 public, IV. A peculiar way whereby true faith will evidence it self, by bringing the soul into a state of repentance / by John Owen ...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 ...
London: printed by John Astwood for William Marshal, 1695
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
CARNAL Boldness in the want of these things ruins the Souls of Men, rendering all their Duties of Worship unacceptable unto God, and unprofitable unto themselves.
CARNAL Boldness in the want of these things ruins the Souls of Men, rendring all their Duties of Worship unacceptable unto God, and unprofitable unto themselves.
AFFECT your Hearts with a due sense of Unsuitableness ⟨p. 63⟩of our best Duties unto his Holiness and Majesty, and of his infinite Condescension in the Acceptance of them. Suppose there is in any of our Duties the best and the most lively Exercise of Grace that we can attain unto, the most Fervency in Prayer, with the most diligent Attendance of our minds, the most Humility and contrite Trembling in hearing the Word, the most devout Affection of our Minds in other parts of Worship; alas! what is all this to God, how little doth it answer his infinite Holiness! See Job 4. 18, 19. Chap. 15. 15, 16. Our Goodness extends not unto him, Psal. 16. There are no measures, there is no proportion between the Holiness of God and our best Duties. There is Iniquity in our holy things, they have need of Mercy and Pardon, of Cleansing and Justification by the Blood of Christ no less than our Persons: And an infinite Condescension it is in God to take any notice of us or them. Yea, it is that which we must live in all holy Admiration of, all our days.
NOW if it be thus with our best Duties, in our best Frames, what an Outrage of Sloth and Negligence is it, if we bring the Carcass of Duties unto God, for want of stirring up Faith unto its due Exercise in them! how great is this folly, how unspeakable is the Guilt of this Negligence! Let us therefore keep a sense hereof upon our Hearts, that we may always stir up our selves unto our best in Duties of Religious Worship. For,