But the principal acts of faving faith are, accepting, receiving, and refting upon Christ alone for justification, fanctification and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace'. III. This faith is different in degrees, weak or ftrong; may be often and many ways affailed and weakened, but gets the victory'; growing up in many to the attainment of a full af died in faith, not having received the promifes, but having feen them afar off, and were perfuaded of them, and embraced them, and confeffed that they were ftrangers and pilgrims on the earth. 1 Tim. 4. But godlinefs is profitable unto all things, having promife of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. i John 1, 12. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the fons of God, even to them that believe on his name Acts 16. 31. And they faid, Believe on the Lord Jefus Chrift, and thou shalt be faved and thy houfe. Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Chrift; nevertheicfs I live; yet not I, but Chrift liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me, and gave himself for me. Acts 15. 11. But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jefus Chrift, we fhall be faved even as they. III. k Heb. 5. 13, 14. For every one that ufeth milk, is unfkilful in the word of righteoufnefs; for he is a babe.But ftrong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reafon of use have their fenfes exercifed to difcern both good and evil. Rom. 4. 19, 20. And being not weak in faith, he confidered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadnefs of Sarah's womb: He staggered not at the promife of God through unbelief; but was ftrong in faith, giving glory to God. Mat. 6. 30. Shall be not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith. Mat. 8. 10. When Jefus heard it, he marvelled and faid to them that followed, Verily I fay unto you, I have not found fo great faith, no not in Ifrael. 1 Luke 22. 31, 32. And the Lord faid, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath defired to have you, that he may fift you as wheat:- But I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, ftrengthen thy brethren. Eph. furance through Chrift", who is both the author and finisher of our faith". CHA P. XV. Of Repentance unto Life. RE EPENTANCE unto life is an evangelical grace, the doctrine whereof is to be preached by every minister of the gofpel, as well as that of faith in Chrift". 1 6. 16. Above all, taking the fhield of faith, wherewith ye fhall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. John 5 4, 5. For whatfoever is born of God overcometh the world and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith-Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jefus is the : Son of God? m Heb. 6. II, 12. And we defire that every one of you do fhew the fame diligence to the full affurance of hope unto the end-That ye be not flothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promifes. Heb. Io. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full affurance of faith, having our hearts fprinkled from an evil confci ence, and our bodies washed with pure water. n Heb. 12. 2. Looking unto Jefus, the author and finisher of our faith. Ia Acts II. 18. When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, faying, Then hath God alfo to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. Zach. 2. 10. b Luke 24. 47. And that repentance and remiffion of fins fhould be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerufalem. Mark 1.15. And faying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gofpel. Acts 20. 21. Teftifying both to the Jews, and alfo to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and II. By it a finner, out of the fight and fenfe, not only of the danger, but also of the filthiness and odioufnefs of his fins, as contrary to the holy nature and righteous law of God, and upon the apprehenfion of his mercy in Chrift to fuch as are penitent, fo grieves for and hates his fins, as to turn from them all unto God, purpofing and endeavouring to walk with him, in all the ways of his commandments". faith toward our Lord Jefus Christ. H. c Ezek. 18. 30, 31. Repent and turn yourfelves from all your tranfgreffions; fo iniquity fhall not be your ruin; -Caft away from you all your tranfgreffions whereby ye have tranfgreffed, and make you a new heart and a new fpirit; for why will ye die, O House of Ifrael? Ezek. 36. 31. Then fhall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and fhall lothe yourselves in your own fight, for your iniquities, and for your abominations. Pfalm 51. 4. Against thee, thee only have I finned, and done this evil in thy fight; that thou mightest be juftified when thou fpeakeft, and be clear when thou judgeft. Jer. 31. 18, 19. I have furely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus, Thou haft chaftifed me, and I was chaftifed, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I fhall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God. Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was turned, I fmote upon my thigh; I was afhamed, yea, even confounded, becaufe I did bear the reproach of my youth. 2 Cor. 7. 11. For behold, this felf fame thing that ye forrowed after a godly fort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourfelves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement defire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourfelves to be clear in this matter. See alfo Joel 2. 12, 13. Amos 5. 15. and Pfalm 119, 128. d Pfal 119. 6, 59, 106. Then fhall I not be afhamed, when I have refpect unto all thy commandments. I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy teftimonies.- have fworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments. Luke 1. 6. And they were both righteous be III. Although repentance be not to be rested in as any fatisfaction for fin, or any cause of the pardon thereof, which is the act of God's free grace in Chrift'; yet is it of fuch neceffity to all finners, that none may expect pardon without it. IV. As there is no fin fo fmall but it deferves damnation"; fo there is no fin fo great, that it can bring damnation upon those who truly repent'. fore God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. See alfo 2 Kings 23. 25. Ill e Ezek. 36. 31. 32. Then fhall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and fhall lothe yourselves in your own fight for your iniquities and for your abominations.-Not for your fakes do I this, faith the Lord God; be it known unto you: be afhamed and confounded for your own ways, O houfe of Ifrael. Ezek. 16. 63. That thou mayeft rememher and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more becaufe of thy fhame, when I am pacified toward thee for all thou haft done, faith the Lord God. f Hof. 14, 2, 4. Take with you words, and turn to the Lord; fay unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously; fo will we ren der the calves of our lips. I will heal their backfliding, I will love them freely; for mine anger is turned away from him, Rom. 3. 24. Being juftified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jefus Chrift. Eph. I. 7. g Luke 13. 3, 5. I tell you, nay; but except ye repent, ye fhall all likewile perifh. Acts 17. 30. IV. h Rom, 6, 23. For the wages of fin is death, Mat. 12. 36. But I fay unto you, that every idle word that men fhall fpeak, they fhall give account thereof in the day of judgment. i lfa. 55. 7. Let the wicked forfake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Rom. 8, 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to trem that are in Chrift Jefus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Ifa, 1. 18. Come now and let us reafon together, faith the Lord; V. Men ought not to content themselves with a general repentance, but it is every man's duty to endeavour to repent of his particular fins, particularly. VI. As every man is bound to make private confeflion of his fins to God, praying for the pardon thereof'; upon which, and the forfaking of them, he fhall find mercy": fo he that fcandalizeth his brother, or the church of Chrift, ought to be willing, by a private or public confeffion and forrow for his fin, to declare his repentance to those that are offended"; though your fins be as fcarlet, they fhall be as white as fnow: though they be red like crimfon they shall be as wool, V. k Pfal. 19. 13. Keep back thy fervant alfo from prefumptuous fins, let them not have dominion over me, then fhall I be upright, and I fhall be innocent from the great tranf greffion. Luke 19. 8. And Zaccheus food and faid unto the Lord, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor and if I have taken any thing from any man by falfe accufation, I reftore him fourfold. 1 Tim. 1. 13, 15. Who was before a blafphemer, and a perfecutor, and injurious. But I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. This is a faithful faying and worthy of all acceptation, that Chrift Jefus came into the world, to fave finners, of whom I am chief. VI. Pfal. 32. 5, 6. acknowledged my fin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid; I faid, I will confefs my tranfgreffions unto the Lord; and thou forgaveft the iniquity of my fin. Selah.-For this fhall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayeft be found furely in the floods of great waters, they fhall not come nigh unto him. See alfo Pfal. 51. 4, 5, 7, 9, 14. m Prov. 28. 13. He that covereth his fins fhall not profper: but whofo confeffeth and forfaketh them fhall have mercy. 1 John 1. 9. If we confefs our fins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our fins. n James 5. 16. Confefs your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed: the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. Luke 17. 3. H |