Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BT300 .O9 1679

of Sacred Ti'uth. rupted. And I do freelyconfefs, that all which we believe concerning theHoly-Trinity, the eternal Counfels of God, the Efficacy ofthe Mediation ofChrifr, his SatisfaCtion and Me– rit, the way which we owne of the SanCtification, J ufri:fica– tionand Salvation ofthe Church, are to be efl:eemed Fables as the Socinianscontend, if what we celieve concerning the Perfon of Chrifi, be fo alfo. l. Hence it is that the Knowledge and Profeilion of the Truth with many is fo fruitlefs, inefficacious and ufelefs. It is not known,it is not underfiood nor telieved in its Relation un– to Chrifi, on which account alone it cdrweys eitlwr Light or Power to the foul. Men profefs they know the Truth, but they know it not in its proper Order, io. its Harmony and ufe. Itleads them not to Chrifr, it brings not Chrifr unto them, and fo is lifelefs and ufelefs. Hence ofttimes none are more efl:ranged ·from rhelifeofGod, than fuch as have much notional Knowledge ofthe doCtrines of the Scripture. For they are all of them ufelefs and fubject to be abufed, if they are not improved to form Chrifr in the foul ; and transform the whole Perfon into his likenefs and Image. This they will , not effeCt where 'their Relation unto him is not underfiood, where they are not received and learned as a Revelation of him withthe Myfl:eryofthe Will and WifdomofGodin him. For whereas he is _ our life, and in our living unto God we do not fomuchliveas he liveth in us, and the life which we lead in the flefh is by the Faith' of him, fo that we have nei– ther principle.nor power of fpirituallife but in, by and from him, whatever Knowledge we have of the T ruth,if it do not effeCt an Vnion between him and our fouls, it will be lifelefs · in us, and unprofitable unto us. It is learning, the iruth as it is inJefuJ'which alonereneweth the ImageofGodin us, F.ph.- 4· 2 r, 2 2, 2 3, 24- Where it is otherwife, where men have Notions :ofEvangelical Truths but know not Chrifl: in them, M 2 what-

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=