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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.
HERE then lieth the Enquiry, namely, How these two prevalent Desires may be reconciled and satisfied in the same Mind? For, as we are Sinners, there seems to be an Inconsistency between ⟨p. 20⟩them: The Glory of God in his Justice and Holiness, requires that Sinners should dye and perish eternally; so speaks the Law, this is the Language of Conscience, and the Voice of all our Fears: Wherefore, for a Sinner to desire in the first place, that God may be glorified, is to desire that himself may be damned.
WHICH of these Desires shall the Sinner cleave unto, unto whether of them shall it give the Preeminence? shall he cast off all Hopes and Desires of his own Salvation, and be content to perish for ever? This he cannot do, God doth not require it of him; he hath given him the contrary in Charge, whilst he is in this World. Shall he then desire that God may part with and lose his Glory, so as that one way or other he may be saved? Bring himself unto an Unconcernment, what becomes of it? This can be no mere in an Enlightened Mind, than it can cease to desire its own Salvation. But how to reconcile these things in himself a Sinner finds not.
WHICH of these Desires shall the Sinner cleave unto, unto whether of them shall it give the Preheminence? shall he cast off all Hopes and Desires of his own Salvation, and be content to perish for ever? This he cannot do, God doth not require it of him; he hath given him the contrary in Charge, whilst he is in this World. Shall he then desire that God may part with and lose his Glory, so as that one way or other he may be saved? Bring himself unto an Unconcernment, what becomes of it? This can be no mere in an Enlightned Mind, than it can cease to desire its own Salvation. But how to reconcile these things in himself a Sinner finds not.