1 ~ . . 296 · · . •. T!Ji Fgit!J of · · .. / is dire~ed unto them_. And ~hus men n~9~lieving God, m ·the record gtven of hts Son, T,;r.tl he is with all his falvation offered to them, do make him a liar, I John v. 10. ' · But where faving faith is a working, the wdrd of · ~he g.ofpel ·offer i·s, by the holy Spirit, applied to the foul iri particular, with power, as the word of the Lord himfclf, and not of men; whereby the man is ·. • affured, that it is the voice of Chrifl, and to hiJ;n, in ·.particular : whereupon he applies it t_o himfelfby be· ~ievin?, ~ ThefT: i. 5· ' For ~ur ~ofpel cam.e not unto you m ;word only, btlt alfo tn power, and·m the J!oly Ghofi, and in.Jnuch affurance.' Chap. ii. IJ. ' The.. word of God which ye heard ofus, ye receiv-, ed it not as the_word of men, but (as it is i11 trqth) · the word of God, which effectually worketh alfo in · you that believe.' This is altogether neceffary; in· fomu.ch, that without it, there can be ,no receiving .of Chrifi, forafmuch as otherwife, the foul can fee no folid ground and foundation of faith for itfelf: for 'ti~ · evident, there can be no r~ceiving arigpt, where the finner do~h not believe the offer to .him in particular. j\nd here 'begins the application of fair4; . an applicati- .on tenqing to union \vith Chri!l:. . . Wherefore, if you would unite with Chrifi, and , fo enter into the C'ovenant ofgrace, fifi yourfelves be– ·fore the Lord, as conq,ernn'd finp.ers, under the curfe ofthe law : and hear and .believe the worJ of his go~ . pel, as ' directed to you, condemned· and cur.fed fin– ners, in particular. -So will it .come unto you, as..the rifing fun, to one fitting in dar~nefs, and in the fha– dow of death ; or.,_ as the offer of a pardon, to one under fcntence ,of death. And let not your heart rnif– ,give you, by upbelief; but firmly believe. the offer ', to be made by Chrijl himfelfunto you, as it is invery deed, Ifa. lv. 3· 'Hear, and your fouls fhalllive; and I will make an ctverlafring'covenant with yo~1 .' But 7
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