Sermon
VIII.

SERMON VIII,

Of the Christian Faith, which

Sanctifies, Justifies, and Saves.

The Second Sermon on this Text.

JOHN XX. 31.
But these are written, that ye might
believe that Jefus is the Christ, the
Son of God; and that believing ye.
might have life through his Name.

I

N my former Discourse

upon

there words, I propos'd Eight Obfervations from them, Six of which I have already dispatch’d, designing to Difcourse of the remaining two more at large I proceed therefore to the

Seventh

Volume

Seventh Observation which I laid XII.

down, viz. That to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, is truly and properly Christian Faith. This is the description which is here given of Christian Faith.

In Prosecution of this, I shall do these two things.

First, Shew you what is included in Believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

Secondly, Prove that this is truly and properly Christian Faith.

First, What is included in believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God? It signifies a firm and effectual perswasion that Jesus, that is, the Person the History of whose life and death is related in the Gospel, is the Chrift, that is, the true Meffias, promised and prophesied of in the Old Testament to be the Saviour of the World; and that he is the Son of God, that is, the only begotten of the Father, who was sent by him into the World, and took our Nature upon him, that he

Sermon
might purchase eternal Happiness for
us, and instruct us, and go before us

VIII.
in the way to it. So that Faith is a
firm and 'effectual perswasion of, or
áffent to the whole Gospel. Faith
fignifies Christian Religion, which
comprehends an assent to the Do-
&trines of the Gospel, and a suitable
Life and Conversation.

I say a firm persuasion of this; for in the Phrase of the New Testament, none are accounted true believers, or said to have a true Faith in Chrift, who do not firmly continue in this perswafion; and the owning and Profession of it, notwithstanding all the Sufferings and Persecutions it might expose them to. 'And an effectual Perswasion, for none are said truly to believe in Christ, who do not shew forth the proper and genuine Effects of this Faith, who do not live as they believe, and conform their Lives to that Doctrine, to the Truth whereof they profess an af

sent.

Volume

And frence it is that true Christians, XII.

that is, those who did fashion their Lives according to the Gospel, are called believers, and the sum of all Christianity is usually contained in this word believing, which is the great Principle of a Christian life; as in the Old Testament all Religion is exprest by the Faith of God, so in the New, by Faith in Chrift.

Now whosoever doth firmly and effectually entertain this Truth, that that Jesu,whom the Gospel declares to us, is the true Meffias, and Saviour of the World, and the very Son of God, fent by him into the World for this purpose, that he might by his Do&rine instruct, and by the Example of his Life go before us in the way to eternal Happiness, and by the Merit and Satisiaction of his Death and Sufferings appeale and reconcile God to men, and purchase for them the Pardon of their fins, and eternal Life, upon the conditions of Faith and Repentance, and fincere Obedience ; I day, wliofoever dotlı firmlyand effectually entertain thefe Truths, will con

sequently

sequently endeavour to obey the Pre-
cepts of his Doctrine, and to imitate Sermon
the Example of his life; and will ex. VIII.
pect Salvation, that is, the Pardon of
his sins, and eternal Life from no 0-
ther; because he is verily perswaded
he is a Teacher, and a Saviour sent
from God, that his Doctrine is true,
and his Satisfaction available, and
that the Rewards which he hath pro-
mised to those who believe and obey
him, and the Punishments which he
hath threatned to the unbelievers and
disobedient, shall all certainly be ful-
filled and accomplish’d. All this is
included in believing that Jesus is the
Christ, the Son of God. So Christian
Faith, or the Faith of the Gospel,
contains plainly in it these particu-
lars.

1. An assent of the Understanding to this Truth, That Jesus Christ the Son of God, was a Person Commission'd from Heaven, and imployed by God to bring men to eternal Happiness. And this Fundamental is necessary to all the Subsequent Acts of Faith, and that upon which they depend,

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