N04105:368
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 5: V. The special Ground 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.
But if that be the Reason of the Phrase, we may affirm our Justification to be as well by Love, and Sanctification, and holy Obedience, as by Faith, because these are wrought in a justified Person also.
But if that be the Reason of the Phrase, we may affirm our Justification to be as well by Love, and Sanctification, and holy Obedience, as by Faith, because these are wro't in a justified Person also.
2. Then no Man's Ministry, nor the Doctrine delivered by the faithful Ministers of Christ from out of the Scriptures, can be any Ground of Faith, for before Faith no Minister of Christ can say to any Man in particular, or any Men in general, that they are already justified, and reconciled, and therefore believe it; but to deny that Doctrine which is opened out of the Scriptures by the Ministers of Christ, to be the Ground of Faith, is expressly cross to the Testimony of Scriptures, and the End of the Ministry, and the Messengers of Christ, who have the Keys of Office given to them, that what they bind on Earth, is bound in Heaven; what they loose on Earth, is loosed in Heaven; whose Sins they remit, they are forgiven, whose Sins they retain, they are retained, Matth. 16.16. John 20.23. Most excellent for this Purpose is the Apostle's Dispute, Rom. 10. You need not go up to ⟨p. 173⟩Heaven, nor down to Hell, to fetch Christ himself to tell you whether you shall be justified and saved, ver. 6, 7. for the Word is nigh them, ver. 8. that opens Christ's Heart unto thy Heart: But what Word might some say is this? Is it not the internal Word of the Spirit only? The Apostle answers, It is that Word which we preach: Hereby you shall know whether you shall live or no; but what is that Word Paul preached? Is it not an absolute Testimony that all your Sins are already pardoned by Christ, and therefore believe it? No, but if thou believest with thine Heart that God raised up Christ from the Dead, thou shalt be saved, ver. 9, 11, 12. What can be more full? Yet consider that one Place more,