N04105:375
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.
O take heed therefore of receiving any Testimony from Word or Spirit without the Meaning of it, without knowing the Person thus and thus qualified, to whom it belongs; otherwise Satan will hurry you head-long to a World of Delusions; and you shall find the Word of God appointed to ⟨p. 176⟩direct you, (through' your Mis-application of it) the Word of Satan, to deceive and damn you: Do not think that this is building Faith upon Works; but to believe, that they that believe in Christ are justified, reconciled, and saved, is building Faith upon God's Promise; yea, and his free Promise too; For, saith the Apostle, It is of Faith, that it might be of Grace, Rom. 4.16. It is believing to have the End by the Means, not the End without the Mean of Faith. It is true, we may see God's Favour and Love to us in the Cause as well as in the Effects of Sanctification; but what is that Cause? The meritorious Cause is Christ's Righteousness, and the instrumental Cause of applying this, is our Faith; so that as we are justified by Faith, so seeing this, we may say assuredly with Paul, Being justified by Faith, we have Peace with God, Rom. 5.1. It is true, we cannot see our Justification by Faith, nor the Work of Faith, without the shining of the Spirit into our Hearts; but the Question is not, whether the Spirit helps us to see our justified Estate, but by what Means; by what Proposition in the Word we come to see it; which we may say is not by any such absolute Testimony: Thou art justified already, and therefore believe; but if thou believe and come to Christ, here is then Pardon of Sin, Peace with God, yea, all the Blessings of Christ ready for thee, which God intends to give and never to take away, if thou thankfully receive what God freely offers, and as it were lays down at thy Feet. The Call of Christ therefore is the Ground by which we first believe; and that you may be confirmed farther herein, do but consider the Glory and Excellency of this Ground.
O take heed therefore of receiving any Testimony from Word or Spirit without the Meaning of it, without knowing the Person thus and thus qualified, to whom it belongs; otherwise Satan will hurry you head-long to a World of Delusions; and you shall find the Word of God appointed to ⟨p. 176⟩