N04105:327
The sound believer. A treatise of evangelical conversion. Discovering the work of Christ's spirit,…
The sound believer. A treatise of evangelical conversion. Discovering the work of Christ's spirit, in reconciling of a sinner to God. / By Thomas Shepard, sometime of Emanuel-College in Cambridge, since preacher of God's word in New-England. ; [One line from Matthew]
Boston: printed by Green for D. Henchman, 1742
Title page typeset from the transcription.
THE Sound Believer. › Chapter 1 › Section 5 › Explication 4: IV. The End of Faith.
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.
3. Can any Man have eternal Life, that not only hath not the Benefits flowing from the Son, but that wants the Son himself? I am sure the Apostle expressly affirms it, 1 John 5.12. He that hath the Son hath Life, he that hath not the Son, hath not Life: Faith therefore must come for Christ himself: As in Marriage the Woman consents first to have the Man, and so to have all other Benefits that necessarily follow upon this.
3. Can any Man have eternal Life, that not only hath not the Benefits flowing from the Son, but that wants the Son himself? I am sure the Apostle expresly affirms it, 1 John 5.12. He that hath the Son hath Life, he that hath not the Son, hath not Life: Faith therefore must come for Christ himself: As in Marriage the Woman consents first to have the Man, and so to have all other Benefits that necessarily follow upon this.
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 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,