A59685:305
The sound believer, or, A treatise of evangelical conversion discovering the work of Christs…The sound beleever, or, A treatise of evangelicall conversion discovering the work of Christs…
The sound believer, or, A treatise of evangelical conversion discovering the work of Christs spirit in reconciling of a sinner to God / by Tho. Shepard ...The sound beleever, or, A treatise of evangelicall conversion discovering the work of Christs spirit in reconciling of a sinner to God / by Tho. Shepard ...
London: printed for R. Dawlman, 1645
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. The happiness of all the Saints consists in two things: First, union to Christ; Secondly, communion with Christ. Faith therefore pitcheth first upon Christ himself, that it may have sure and certain union to him (for our union is not unto any of the benefits flowing to us from Christ; we are not united unto forgiveness of sins, nor peace of conscience, nor holiness, &c. but unto the person of the Son of God himself) and then secondly cometh, for the communication of all the benefits arising only from union; as Paul, Phil. 3.9, 10. esteems ⟨p. 202⟩all things dung and loss, first, to be found in him, that so he might have his righteousness in justification, and feel the power of his death and resurrection in sanctification, &c. in one word, Faith first buys the pearl it self, and then seeks to be enriched by it; it finds the treasure of grace, glory, peace, mercy, favour, reconciliation in Christ, but then buys the field it self, that it may have the treasure also, Mat. 13.44. the Lord Christs great desire is, that all his might be with him to see his glory, John 17.24. and Faith desires first to have him, and be for ever with him, and so to partake of that glory: the Lords great plot is first to perfect the Saints in Christ, Col. 2.10. ye are complete in him; then to make them like to Christ by communicating life, grace, peace, glory from him: Col. 3.3, 4. 1 John 3.1, 2. Faith therefore first quiets it self in him, then seeks for life from him; it comes first for Christ, and then for all the benefits of Christ.
4. The happinesse of all the Saints consists in two things: First, union to Christ; Secondly, communion with Christ. Faith therefore pitcheth first upon Christ himself, that it may have sure and certaine union to him (for our union is not unto any of the benefits flowing to us from Christ; we are not united unto forgivenesse of sinnes, nor peace of conscience, nor holinesse, &c. but unto the person of the Son of God himselfe) and then secondly commeth, for the communication of all the benefits arising onely from union; as Paul,