The sound believer. A treatise of evangelical conversion. Discovering the work of Christ's spirit,…

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, John 17.20. I pray for all them that shall believe on me, through their Word. What is the Ground or Means of believing in Christ? It is said here expressly, Their Word: Is it not the Word of Christ, rather than the Word of the Apostles and of their Successors, in the Doctrine they delivered, is it their Word? Truly that which they delivered, was the Word of Christ, and that which is opened from their Doctrine in the Scriptures is the Word of Christ, yet as they open it, and apply it, so 'tis their Word: And this Word is the Ground by which all that Christ prays for, do believe in Christ;