of his commandments fhall be flighted: and he that loves his neighbour, will much more love the "House"hold of faith," Well may fuch be true Chriftians, when their faith in Chrift works by love, by the power of this divine power: he that dwells in this love, dwells in God, (if John fay true) for he is LOVE. "And in "this he recommended his love unto us, that he fent "his only-begotten Son,-that whofoever believeth in "him, fhould not perish, but have everlasting life." Alfo, herein did Chrift manifeft his love, in laying down his life for us." "This is my commandment,' faid Chrift," that ye love one another, as I have loved << you: and greater love hath no man than this, that "a man lay down his life for his friends; ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." Indeed he gave his life for the world, and offered up one common facrifice for mankind:" And by this "one offering up of himself, once for all, he hath for ever perfected," that is, quitted and discharged, and taken into favour, "them that are fanctified;" who have received the spirit of grace and fanctification in their hearts; for fuch as refift it, receive not the benefit of that facrifice, but damnation to themselves. This holy offering-up of himself by the eternal fpirit, is a great part of his Meffiahfhip; for therein he hath both confirmed his bleffed meffage of remiffion of fins, and life everlasting, to as many as truly believe in his name, and hath given himself "a propitiation " for all that have finned, and thereby come fhort of "the glory of God:" Infomuch that God is faid, by the apostle Paul, to be "juft, and the juftifier of "him which believeth in Jefus, whom God hath fet "forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his "blood, to declare his righteoufnefs for the remif"fion of fins that are paft, through the forbearance "of God." 1 John iv. 16. * John xv. 12, 13, 14. Rom. iii. 25, 26, 27. G 4 $ Heb. x. Unto W Unto which I fhall join his mediatorship or advocacy, linked together both by the apostle of the Gentiles, and the beloved difciple John: the first in these words;"""For there is one God, and one Mediator "between God and men, the man Chrift Jefus, who gave himself a ransom for all, to be teftified in due "time." The apostle John expreffeth it thus: "My little children, these things write I unto you, "that you fin not; and if any man finneth, we have "an advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrift the righ"teous; he is the propitiation for our fins, and not " for our fins, but also for the fins of the whole "world." So that, to be brief, the Chriftian creed, fo far as it is declaratory, lies eminently in a confeffion of these particulars: of the divine authority of the New, as well as of the Old Teftament writings, and particularly of these great, general, and obvious truths therein expreffed; to wit, Of God and Christ, his miracles, doctrine, death, refurrection, advocateship or mediation, the gift of his light, fpirit or grace of faith, and repentance from dead works ⚫ unto remiffion of fins, keeping his commandments, and lastly, of eternal recompence.'-Lefs, once, than all this, would have done; and it does not fhew the age more Chriftian, but more curious, indeed more infidel, to be fure more captious and froward, that there is this ftir made about external creeds of communion for diftruft of brethren, and incredulity among Chriftians, are no fmall figns of their decay of faith towards God: "From the beginning it was not "fo." But it may be here objected, How shall we know that fuch a declaration of faith is fincere?' I answer, By recurring to that evidence which God 'fhall give us.' They that can try fpirits, under the moft sheep-like clothing, have the most immediate and certain proof; and fuch an one there is, by the favour and relish the fpirit of God gives, to them that have it, of the spirits of men: but let it fuffice, that Christ hath told us," "By their fruits we shall know "them. If any man," fays Chrift, "will come after nature. с me, let him take up his crofs, and follow me:" and in another place he tells us thus: "My sheep "hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow "me;" that is, they are led by my fpirit, they live my life, they obey my doctrine, they are of my own And the apostle Peter affures us, That true faith purifies the heart; and no impurity can flow from a pure heart.' You may know this faith by that way by which Abraham's faith was known to be true, to wit, obedience. "He believed God;" that is, he obeyed God; he fubmitted to the will of God, and relied upon his goodness: as if he had said, and he faid it doubtlefs to himfelf, He that gave me с my fon by a miracle, can work another to fave him: to God all things are poffible.' It is called by the apostle Paul, "The Spirit of faith;" fomething more near and inward, than any external articles and declarations of faith: that from whence all true confeffions and good works came; which made the apostle Paul thus to fay, We give thanks to God always "for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, "remembering, without ceafing, your work of faith." It was this true faith, that brings forth works of righteoufnefs, by which "Abel offered to God, Enoch was tranflated, Noah was faved." It is faid of him, "that he became the heir of the righteoufnefs which "is by faith." By this faith Abraham left his own country, and obeyed the voice of God. "By faith "Mofes was preserved from his childhood; and when "he came to years, refused to be called the fon of "Pharoah's daughter; by faith he forfook Egypt, and "paffed the Red Sea. By faith the walls of Jericho "fell down, and Rahab was faved. By faith Gideon, "Barak, Sampfon, Jephtha, David, Samuel, and the d y Mat. xvi. 24. a Acts xv. 9. di Thef. i. 2, 3. b Rom. iv. "prophets, "prophets, fubdued kingdoms, wrought righteouf"nefs, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the "edge of the fword;" with much more too large to be uttered here. This is that faith, which the apoftle James magnifies against all false faiths: "Faith," fays he, "if it «has not works, is dead. A man may fay, thou haft faith, and I have works; fhew me thy faith without "thy works, and I will fhew thee my faith by my "works." And as if he had foreseen the pother made by the men of creeds and articles, he fpeaks on this wife, "Thou believeft that there is one God; "thou doft well; the devils alfo believe and tremble. "But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith with"out works is dead? Was not Abraham, our father, justified by works, when he had offered Ifaac his fon upon the altar? Seeft thou how faith wrought with "his works? And by works was faith made perfect."And he was called the friend of God." Very notable and informing is that expreffion of his, "The devils "alfo believe and tremble;" and as if he had faid, The devil believes, as well as you; and trembles too, which is more.' This fhows there is a faith that is not the true faith, and that not with relation to the matters believed, but the fpirit of the mind in believing for the devils believe the truth literally; but their faith works not by love, no more than their knowledge by obedience, and therefore it does them no good, and is not the true faith. O that Christendom would lay this very one thing to heart! But I must proceed. The exhortation of the apoftle Peter is a farther and plain difcrimination of true faith: "And befides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, and "to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to pa • Heb. xi. f James ii. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. "tience << tience godlinefs, and to godlinefs brotherly-kind"nefs, and to brotherly-kindness charity. For if "these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye fhall neither be barren nor unfruitful "in the knowledge of our Lord Jefus Chrift. But " he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot fee "far off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from "his old fins :" as if he had faid, they have forgot where they begun, that think they can be Christians without a life of holinefs. I will feal up these scripture teftimonies of faith, with that account which is given us by the apostle John," For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh "the world, even our faith. Who is he that over"cometh the world, but he that believeth that Jefus "is the Son of God?" So that the belief in the Son of God must have this evidence to prove it a true belief in God's account, that by it men are born of God and overcome the world: wherefore their faith is falfe whom the world overcomes: "I am not of this world," faith Chrift Jefus; neither can that faith be, that is rightly called the faith of the Son of God. i There are three paffages left upon record by this beloved difciple of Jefus, of great weight and importance to us: when he had difcourfed of the propitiation and advocateship of Chrift, he does immediately add ; " And hereby do we know that we know him, "if we keep his commandments. He that faith I "know him, and keepeth not his commandments, " is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whofo "keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God "perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. "He that faith, he abideth in him, ought himself also "fo to walk, even as he walked." The second paffage, very pertinent to this matter, is in the next chapter;'"My little children, let us i John xiv. 17. John v. 4, 5· k * 1 John ii. 3, 4, 5, 6. 11 John iii, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. << not |