318 The Faith of Particular ·, .. ·· -.~~- · and confidence is what our reformers called aiTiitinc~ and defcribed faith by. • ' · Qbjefl. I. Since it is not trpe of all, w:ho hear .the gofpe1, : 'That they /hall be fi:zved; there ca'nnot he, in _ the cafe of every one of them, a grmmd on which th}s particular trufi may be wJrrantably I founded. Anfw. All and every one of them, notwithfiancl.ing that, have a lolid ground for it, even for trufiing on Chrifi and his righteoufnefs for their own falvation in particular. And thfit is the record and teftimony · of God in His gofpd, That ' whofoever believeth in him, lhall not perifh, but have everlaHing life,' John iii. 16. The truefenfe ofwhich,as appears from what's , faid, is, that whofoever lhall have -this tru£1: and con– fidence in Chrifi, .lhall not be difappointed, but !hall certainly be faved. Here then is the faithfulnefs of God in his word, for the foundation of this faith of particular trufi : and true faith is always built on· that foundation. 'Tis certain, indeed, that in the event, many to whom the gofpel comes, will not be faved: but then, 'tis as certain, that thefe who will not be ·faved, will not believe neither ,; that is, they will not come up to this particular tru.fl ancl confidence we have defcribed from the word, Ifa. liii. I. ' Who hath believed our ·report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord reve~led ?' Howbeit, at this rate, they have a firm ground of particular confidence. . If they will not belie\'e, for all that ; their ruin is of themfelves, ' they'll perilh without excufe : and their unbelief will be the great ground of their condemnatio.n. Jefus Chrifi, with his .tighteoufnefs and falvation, is fo far made theirs,by the Father's appointment anp .his own offer ; that they may lawful.ly and warrantably truft on him as their Saviour, each one for his own falva· tion . If they :will not believe it, or not tru.fl: on him accordingly; they do, by their unbelief and dif– t rufi di(honour the Father and his Son, and mofi jufi ~ ly..perilh. · ObjeC1 ~
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