A53700:208
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.
Evidence 4: The Fourth Evidence of the Faith of God's Elect.
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.
4. ANOTHER thing that belongs to this state, is outward Observances becoming it; such are Abstinence unto the due Mortification of the Flesh; not in such things or ways as are hurtful unto Nature, and really obstructive of greater Duties: There have been great Mistakes in this matter, most men have fallen into Extremes about it, as is usual with the most in like Cases; they did retain in the Papacy, from the Beginning of the Apostasy of the Church, from the Rule of the Scripture, an Opinion of the Necessity of Mortification unto a Penitent State; but they mistook the Nature of it, and placed it for the most part in that which the Apostle calls the Doctrine of Devils, when he foretold Believers of that Hypocritical Apostasy, 1 Tim. 4. 1, 2, 3. Forbidding to marry, engaging one sort of men by Vows against the use of that Ordinance of God for all men, and enjoining Abstinence from Meats in various Laws and Rules, under pretence of great Austerity, was the Substance of their Mortification: Hereunto they added Habits, ⟨p. 89⟩Fasting, Disciplines, Rough Garments, and the like, pretended self-macerations innumerable. But the Vanity of this Hypocrisy hath been long since detected, but therewithal most men are fallen into the other Extreme: Men do generally judge that they are at their full Liberty in and for the Use of the things esteemed Refreshments of Nature; yea, they judge themselves not to be obliged unto any Retrenchment, in Garments, Diet, with the free use of all things in themselves lawful, when they are under the greatest necessity of Godly Sorrow, and express Repentance. But there is here a no less pernicious Mistake than in the former Excess, and it is that which our Lord Jesus Christ gives us in Charge to watch against, Luk. 22. 34, 35, 36.
4. ANOTHER thing that belongs to this state, is outward Observances becoming it; such are Abstinence unto the due Mortification of the Flesh; not in such things or ways as are hurtful unto Nature, and really obstructive of greater Duties: There have been great Mistakes in this matter, most men have fallen into Extreams about it, as is usual with the most in like Cases; they did retain in the Papacy, from the Beginning of the Apostacy of the Church, from the Rule of the Scripture, an Opinion of the Necessity of Mortification unto a Penitent State; but they mistook the Nature of it, and placed it for the most part in that which the Apostle calls the Doctrine of Devils, when he foretold Believers of that Hypocritical Apostacy,