took our Nature upon him, that he I fay a firm perfwafion of this; for in the Phrafe of the New Teftament, none are accounted true believers, or faid to have a true Faith in Chrift, who do not firmly continue in this perfwafion; and the owning and Profeffion of it, notwithstanding all the Sufferings and Perfecutions it might expose them to. And an effectual Perfwafion, for none are faid truly to believe in Chrift, who do not fhew 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 profefs an af fent. Sermon VIII. XII. Volume And hence it is that true Chriftians, that is, thofe who did fafhion their Lives according to the Gofpel, are called believers, and the fum of all Chriftianity is ufually contained in this word believing, which is the great Principle of a Chriftian life; as in the Old Testament all Religion is expreft by the Faith of God, fo in the New, by Faith in Chrift. Now whofoever doth firmly and effectually entertain this Truth, that that Jefus, whom the Gofpel 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 Doarine inftruct, and by the Example of his Life go before us in the way to eternal Happiness, and by the Merit and Satisfaction of his Death and Sufferings appeafe and reconcile God to men, and purchafe for them the Pardon of their fins, and eternal Life, upon the conditions of Faith and Repentance, and fincere Obedience ; I fay,whofoever dotli firmly and effectually entertain thefe Truths, will confequently fequently endeavour to obey the Precepts of his Doctrine, and to imitate Sermon VIII. the Example of his Life; and will expect Salvation, that is, the Pardon of his fins, and eternal Life from no other; becaufe he is verily perfwaded he is a Teacher, and a Saviour fent from God, that his Doctrine is true, and his Satisfaction available, and that the Rewards which he hath promised to those who believe and obey him, and the Punishments which he hath threatned to the unbelievers and difobedient, fhall all certainly be fulfilled and accomplish'd. All this is included in believing that Jefus is the Christ, the Son of God. So Chriftian Faith, or the Faith of the Gofpel, contains plainly in it thefe particu lars. 1. An affent of the Understanding to this Truth, That Jefus Chrift the Son of God, was a Perfon Commiffion'd from Heaven, and imployed by God to bring men to eternal Happinefs. And this Fundamental is neceffary to all the Subfequent Acts of Faith, and that upon which they depend. 2. An P 4 Volume 2. An affent of the Understanding to the Truth of all thofe things which this Perfon delivered to the World. So that if he tells us, that his Death hath made expiation for the fins of men, upon the conditions of Faith and Repentance and Obedience, and that God by him doth command the World to do fuch and fuch things, and in cafe of Obedience will confer fuch and fuch Rewards upon men, but in case of Difobedience will 'inflict fuch Punishments upon them; we are to believe all this to be true because the Person who acquainted us with these things, was fent by God, and imploy'd from Heaven upon this Meffage. 3. And confequently, a relying and depending upon him, and no other, for the conferring of these Benefits, and making good thefe Promifes to 4. Obedience to all his Laws and Commands; because believing them to be from God, we cannot but affent to them as good, and as laying an Obli Sermon gation upon us to yield Obedience to them: and if we do not Obey them, we are prefumed to Disbelieve them; for VIII. if we did truly and heartily believe them to be the Commands of God, we would obey them. Now that Obedience of heart and life to the Precepts and Commands of the Gospel, as well as an Aflent of the understanding to the Truth of the Gospel Revelation, and a trusting and relying upon the Merits of Chrift,is included in the Scripture notion of Faith, will evidently appear to any that will confider thefe texts. Rom. 1. 5. By whom we have received grace and Apostleship for obedience to the Faith among all nations for his Name; where the belief of the Gospel is called the obedience of Faith. Rom. 10. 16. But they have not all obeyed the Gofpel: for Efaias faith, Lord, who hath believed our report? But if Faith do not include Obedience, how could he prove that there were fome that did not obey the Gofpel, because Ifaiah faid, there were fome that did not believe it? And fo likewife by comparing, 1 Tim. 4. 10. where he is faid to be the Saviour of them that believe, |
