Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BT768 .O9 1654

The influenceofthe OblationofCh. intothe Per( ofSts. CAr.V11. -acceptable to God, being by nature dead in trefpaffes and firmes, which at i 67 prefent (the Scripture affirming it) I take for granted; then aßùredly God doth give his Holy Spirit to theSaints, whereby he workes in them both to will and to do ofhis owne good pleafxre, antecedently to any good thing in Phil. r.13. them, that is well pleating unto him. Every thing that men do, muft either Col. 1.12. be brought forth by the ftrength and Ability oftheir owne naturali facul- eyes, affifted and provoked bymotives andperfwafions fromwithout, or it mutt be ofthe operation ofthe Spirit ofGod: there is not another princi- ple to be fixt on. The firft (at prefent I take for granted) is not the fountaine, of any Spirituali actingwhatfoever: Neither can any Gracious at beeduced John radically from thecorrupt naturals faculty, however affted, or advantaged; Gen.8.21. It mutt be theSpirit then ,that is the foie principali caufeand Author, ofall Job.14.4. the movings ofour foules towards God, that are acceptable to him in Chrift: Mu.r2.33. Now the caufe is certainely beforeel ..efebt; and the Spirit inorder ofNa- ture, is bellowed upon us,anteccdently > to all theGracewhich he worketh in us:whether the Spirit be beftowed on men, on the account ofChrift'sunder- taking for them, none canqueftion, but they muft withal!deny him tobethe Mediator of the new Covenant: The Spirit ofGrace is the principal l Pro- rudethereof ifa. 59. 20,2 r. We are bleffèdwith all cpirituall gelling./ inChrif, Ephef. s. 3. Surely the holy Spirit himfelfe fooften Promifed to usofGod, is a SpiritualiBlefíing: Gods bellowing Faith'on us, is antecedent toour Belie- ving:& this alfo isgiven upon the account ofChrift. Phil.I.29.it is given to its, on the behalfeofChrif,toBelieve on him. Ifthen God for Chrífis fake, antece- dently toany thing that is good,that is not enmityto him,that is not iniquity in men,do beftow on them all thatever is good in them,as to the root &prin. ciple ofit,furely his quarrel]. againft their fins is put toan Iffue.Thence Chrift being faid tomakeReconciliation for thefins oft-he peopleHeb.2. r7.God as one pacifyed and attoned thereupon,isfaid tobe in him,reconciling theworldunto himfelfe 2 Cor. 5. 19. And in the difpenfation ofthe Gofpell, he is (till fet Eph 2. x3,24 forth, asone carrying on that peace, whole foundation is laid in the bloodof his Sonne, by the Attonement ofhis Juflice; and we are Paid to accept, or re- ceive the Attonement Rom. 5. so. We receive it by Faith, it being accepted by him: Thus his death andOblation is faid tobe a Sacrificeofa tweet finelling favour. Eph. 5.2. that wherein God is abundantly delighted, & wherewith his foule isfully fatisfyed; fo that as when he finelt a Tweet favour from theSa- crificeofNoah,he fwarehe would curie the Earth no more:finelling this fweet Gen.8.2r: favour ofthe Oblationof Chrift, on the account of them, for whom it was Offered, he will not execute the Curfeon them, whereof they were guilty., JRoon .17.0. I might alto infift on thofe Teftimónies for the further proofeofthe former Ron6.6. Affertion, where an immediate efficacy for the taking awayoffinne, is afcri- 2cor,5. 21. bed to the death ofChrift: But what hath, been fpoken may at prefent fuf- e ph.5.25.26 fice. Titus 2.14. ThePremifes confidered,, fome Light maybe brought forth, todifcover ß' 14' the various miftakesofinen,about the of%&s oftheDeath ofChrift, as to the Heb 90i4. taking awayoffinne, ifthat were now the matter before us. Some having ,Per.2.24. truly fixed their thoughts on the efficacyofthe deathofChrift, for Abolition HeveLi.9,6. offin,doe give their Lefts and darkneffe leave to make wretched inferences thereupb:as that therefore becaufewe are fo cotnpleatly juftified,& accepted before,&without our believing,orthe confideration ofanything what everin us; that therefore finne is nothing, nor at all tobe accountedof. And though tl ey fay, we muffnot finne, that Gracemayabound, yet toomany by wofull experience have difcovered, what fuch corrupt Conclufions have tended un- to. Othersagain; fixingthemfelves on the neceílityof Obedience , and the concurrence

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=