Owen - Houston-Packer Collection BX9315 .O8 1721

82 cv4 :Declaration of the Glorious MYSTERY divine perfon is the obje& of it. In placing our faith on him, we confider him as God and man in one and the faine perfon. We believe in him be- cahfe he is God; but we believe in him as he is God andman inone perfon. And this confideration of the perfon of Chrift, namely, as he is God and man; in our se-ling offaith on him, is that which renders it peculiar, and limits or determines it unto his perfon ; becaufe he only is fo; the Father is not, nor, the holy fpirit. That faith which bath the perfon ofGod and man for its objet, is peculiarly and diftinetly placedon Chrift. (3.) The motives tinto this-diftind4 tiding of faith on his perfon, are always to be confidered, as thofe alfo which render this faith peculiar. For the things which Chrift hath done for us, which are the motives of our faith in him, were peculiar unto him alone, as in the place before quoted, Gal. ii. 26. Such are all the works of his mediation with all the fruits of them whereof we are made partakers. So God in the firlt command, wherein he requires all faith, love and obedience from the church, enfor- ced it with the confideration of a fignal benefit which it bath received, and therein a type of all fpiritual and eternal mercies, ,Exod. xx. 23. Hence two things are evident which clearly fiate this matter. i.) That faith which we place upon, and the honour which we give thereby unto the perfon of Chrift; is equally placed on, and honour equal- ly given-thereby unto the other perfons of the Father and the holy fpirit, with refpeet unto that nature which is the formal reafon and caufe of ir. But it is peculiarly fixed on Chrift, with tefpeet unto his perfon as God and man, and the motives unto it, in the alts and benefits of his medi- ation. 2) All Of Chrift is confidered and glorified in this 'ailing of faith on him, His divine nature as the formal caufe of it, his divine entire per- fon God and man, as its proper objeit; andthe benefits of his mediation as the efpecial'motives thereunto. This faith in the perfon of Chrift is the fpring and foundation ofour fpiritual life. We live by the faith of the Son of 'God. In-and by the affinas hereof is it preferved, encreafed and ftrengthened. For he is our 0. Col. ü. 4. And all fupplies of itare de- rived fromhim by the aftings of faith in him. We receive theforgivenefs of fins, and an inheritance among them that are fan&ified'by the faith that is in him, Acts xxyi. 18. Hereby do we abide in hint, without which we can -do nothing; John xv. 5. Hereby is our peace with God maintained. For he is our peace, Eplief. ü. 14. And in him we have peace according s to his :promife, John xvi. 33. All ítrength for the mortification of fin, for the conquelt of temptations, all our encreafe andgrowth in grace, de- pend on the conflant aetings-of thisfaith 'inInn. The way and method of this faith is that which we hate defcribed. A dueapprehenftomof the love of Chrift, with the effects of it in his whole mediatory work on our behalf, efpecialiy in his giving lrimfelffor us, and our redemption by his blood, is the great motive thereunto. Theywltofe heartsare not deeply affected herewith, can never believe in'him in a due manner. hfive,faith the apoftle, bythe faith ofthe Son ofGod, who loved nie, and, ave himfelffoi' me. Unlefs a fenfe hereof be firmly implanted in our fouls ÿ unlefs we are deeply - affected with it, our faith in him would be weak 'and wavering, or rather noneat all. The due remem- branceofwhat the bleffed=Lord Jefus bathdone for us, of the ineffable love whichwas the fpring, caufe and fountain ofwhat he fo did, thoughts of the mercy;grace, peace and-glory which he 'bath procured thereby, arethe great andunconquerablemotives tofixoarfaith,'hope; truftand-confidence in him. (a.) His

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