other engaged, we feldom do any thing to purpofe in any business. In fine, a man that feels fome pain, and fears fome danger, may defer and neglect his going to the physician; but one that is under intolerable pain, must take some one way or other for his relief, and will stick at nothing fo he may obtain it. It is much with these finners, who have fome fenfe of fin, but are ftrangers to this diftinct, deep and preffing apprehenfion of their fin and mifery, which faith comprehends and implies in its nature, as it is with one who has fome fore in his leg: he knows where the pain is, he feels fome smart of the pain; but it is not fuch a fmart as difables him entirely from walking or converfing with others: he goes indeed uneasily with it; ay, but he goes ftill, and it may be fometimes he gets rid of the thoughts of it, and therefore can make a fhift to live in that condition. If one tell him, that it will turn to a gangrene and prove mortal; he flatters himself that poffibly it may cure of its own accord, or by the ufe of fome domeftic remedies; and therefore he will rather stay ftill in that condition, than go to a physician who cures by cutting off. Juft fo is it with half awakened finners: they never come the length of believing, because their fenfe of their fin is not fo deep, as to make them in earnest think of the phyfician. They hope to get their wound cured at home, by fome eafier remedy, than the cutting off the right hand or foot, and plucking out the eye. But where the fenfe juft now spoken of is found, fuch an one will be fatisfied with none of those things. This fenfe is not only prefuppofed to faith's first actings; but moreover, it continues in fome measure in the foul as long as we live here

by

Part II. by faith, and is the spring of all the after actings of faith. But paffing this, this believing implies,

2. Some knowlege of Chrift Jefus. Hence it is that we find faith called knowlege,, by the prophet Ifa. liii. 11. He shall fee of the travel of his foul, and fhall be fatisfied. By his knowlege fhall my righteous fervant justify many; for he Shall bear their iniquities. By his knowlege, that is, by faith in him, shall my righteous fervant justify many now this knowlege is evidently requifite. From all that formerly has been hinted, in the opening up of the fcriptures we infifted on, not one of them but speaks this needful. And here there must three things be known in reference to Jefus Chrift.

(1.) The excellency of his perfon. This is that which faith fixes its eye upon firft. It is him we primarily receive; it is to him we look, we flee, we run; it is on him we lean, we stay ourselves, and roll over our burdens; therefore his person must be known. We must know that he is God and man in one perfon, God manifefted in, the flesh. Now that this knowlege of the perfon of Chrift is a neceffary ingredient in faith, not only appears from the confideration juft now laid down, but allo from this, that otherwise we can know nothing of his usefulness to us; fince all that has its rife from the glorious conftitution of his perfon. It is from this that he is one able to fave loft finners: therefore of neceffity this must be known.

(2.) Believing implies the knowlege of Chrift's fulness to fave. There is no faith without this. It is the knowlege of fufficiency alone that can induce to reliance: and if there be not in Chrift a fulness of all these things that are requifite in order to the effectuating the falvation of finners, then is he no meet, no fuitable perfon, to be believed on.

There

Therefore of neceffity he must be known, as the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and of truth. And this, as was faid before, flows from the conftitution of his perfon, which therefore must be known in order to our acquaintance with this. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among ft us; and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and of truth. 'Tis from the union of the two natures into one, the Word's tabernacling in fleth, that this glorious fulness of grace and of truth flows. (3.) Believing implies the knowlege of Chrift's fuitableness to the finner's condition. There may be fulness and fufficiency where there is not fuitablenefs. The city of refuge, tho' its gates had been fhut, and the ways to it impaffable, would yet have been fufficient to have preferved such as fhould get within it: But in this cafe, a finner, the man-flayer, could have no relief from it, there being no way of the communication of that fufficiency to him, no way for him to have that fecurity communicate to him. Juft fo it is here, Chrift cloth'd in human nature is indeed, and could not but have been fufficient to do all that was requifite in order to our eternal falvation: But in order to finners accepting of him, it must be understood, that there is a way of conveyance, whereby all this fulness may be called ours. We must know him, not only as full, but as he has affumed the exercife of his threefold office, whereby all the benefits he has purchased are made over unto us, and do in very deed become ours. But we proceed to a

3d thing implied in believing. This duty not only implies the fenfe of fin, and the knowlege of Christ just now infifted upon, but moreover it

R

implies

implies fome knowlege of the gospel offer of Chrift. This is abfolutely neceffary in order to our acceptance of Chrift. It was not enough to fet the manflayer a running to the city of refuge, that he knew there was a city that had gates open, and was fufficient to preferve him; but moreover he must know, that it was defign'd for that purpofe, that he had warrant to enter in at these open gates, and fo to expect protection. And here there are two things muft of neceffity be known.

(1.) That Chrift and all his benefits are indeed offered in the gofpel to poor finners, and that freely. Hence it is that our Catechifm doth thus qualify the object of faving faith, while it defcribes faith in Chrift to be a faving grace whereby we receive and rest upon him as he is offered to us in the gospel.

If

(2.) As we must know that he is offered to us, fo we must understand what the terms are wherein he is offered. That he is offered freely, doth not hinder his being offered upon terms. one offers another a fum of money, if he will receive it; he may be faid to offer it upon terms, and yet to offer it freely; and juft fuch are the Gospel terms upon which the Lord Chrift is offered; whoever will take him and use him, shall have him. But to be a little more particular, here we may learn what these terms are, from that of the Apostle, Phil. iii. 3. For we are the circumci fion which worship God in the fpirit, and rejoice in Chrift Jefus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Thefe are the perfons who have an intereft in Chrift, who come up to thefe terms: And the knowledge of them is neceffarily implied in believing. We must know that upon thefe and no other terms may we be faved. (1.) We must

know

know that all confidence in the flesh is intirely to be abandoned. There must be no expectation of relief or falvation, from any external privilege, or any performance of duties. We must know

that our own prayers and tears can be of no value in this matter. (2.) We must know that we are only to rejoice in Chrift Jefus. What is here called rejoicing is elsewhere called glorying. That he that glorieth may glory in the Lord. And here 'tis opposed to a having confidence in the flesh; which fays plainly that this rejoicing in Christ Jefus is placing all our confidence and comfort in him alone. (3.) We must worship God in the fpirit. In the ftrength of that fpirit which Chrift did purchase for, and beftows on fuch as do believe on him. We must ferve God in the way of his own appointment. Upon thefe terms is Chrift offered in the gospel: And these must be known. The knowlege of them is undoubtedly implied in faith, as well as the knowlege of fin and of Chrift formerly infifted upon. This leads me to the

4th Thing implied in believing, and that is, the heart's clofing with the gofpel terms just now mentioned. This is the principal thing, without which there can be no faith, no believing: For, if we should speak strictly, this is faith, and all the other things mentioned are only pre-requifites; yet they are fuch as are not only pre-fuppofed to the first actings of faith, but muft alfo accompany it, in fome measure, as long as it continues in the foul, that is, as long as believers are on earth. this acceptance of Chrift upon the gospel terms takes in three things.

Now

(1.) A renunciation of all other things. Hence it is that believers are faid to have no confidence in the flesh, that is, they have no expectation of