Owen - BS1450 130st 093 1669

168 The Evidence that is actually believeth, he hath the Tejtimony to himfe f; tie hath by experience a real evidence and afíurance of the things tdtified unto, namely that God hath given us eternal life, And that this life is in theSon, v. I2. Let us then a little confider, wherein this evidence confìfteth, and from whence this Affurance arifeth. To this end Come fcw things mull be confidcred : As, I. That there is a great 44nfwerableneß, and Correjpondency between the heart of a Believer, and the truth that he doth believe. As the Nord is in the Gofpel, fo is Grace in the heart ; yea, they are the fame thing varioufly exprefl"ed, Rom. 6. 17. Tou have ebeyed from the heart, as arapsd'bei 7'vrcv d'r1+ax5;s, the form of Doltrine delivered unto you. As our Translation Both not, fo I know not how- in fo few words to express that which is emphaticallyhere infinuated by the Holy Ghoil. The meaning is, that the Doó}rine of the Gofpel begets the form, figure, image, or likeneß of it felt in the hearts of them that believe : So they arecall into the mould of it. As is theone, fo is the other. The principle of Grace in the heart, and that in the Word, are as children of the fame Parent , compleatly relembling and reprefenting one another. Grace is a living Word, and the Word is figured, limned Grace : As is Regene- ration, fo is a Regenerate heart : As is the Doeirineof faith, Co is a Believer. And this gives great Evidence unto, and Affu- rance of the things that are believed. As we have heard, fo we have teen and found it ; fuch a foul can produce the du- plicate ofthe Word, and fo adjufi all things thereby. 2. That theftrff Original Expreffian of DivineTruth is not in the Word, no not as given out from the 'infinite Abyf of Divine Wif dom andVeracity, but it is firft hid, laid up, and expred in the Perfon ofChriff. He is the cipxi7u5.®-, the firfl attern of truth which from him is expread in the Word, and from, and by the Word, impreffed on the hearts ofBclevers; fo that as it hath pleated God that all the treafures of Wifdam and Know- ledge Jhould be in him, dwell in him, have their principal re- fdcnce in him, Col. 2. 3. So the whole Word; is but a Reve- lation of the Truth in Chriji, or an expreffìon of his Imageand likenefs to tjie Sons of men. Thus we are laid to learn the Truth as it is in Jefus, Eph. 4. 21 , It is in Jf firs originalr, and from

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=