Spirit of Christ in their hearts b; and this is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the word c: by which also, and by the administration of the sacraments, and prayer, it is increased and ftrengthened d. II. By this faith, a Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is revealed in the word, for the authority of God himself speak. ing thereine; and acteth differently upon that which each parti 2 Cor. iv. 13. We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken: we also believe, and therefore fpeak. Eph. i. 17. That the God of our Lord Jesus Chrift, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and rever lation in the knowledge of him. v. 18. The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the faints, v. 19. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power. Eph. ii. 8. For by grace are ye saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God. c Rom. x. 14. How then shall they call on him of whom they have not believed? and how thall they believe in him of whom they have nut heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? v. 17. So then, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. d 1 Pet. ii. 2. As new born babes defire the fincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. Acts xx. 32. And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. Rom. iv. 11. And he received the 4 cular fign of circumcifion, a seal of the righteousness of the faith, which he had yet being uncircumcifed; that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcifed; that righteousness might be imputed unto them alfo. Luke xvii. 5. And the apostles faid unto the Lord, Increase our faith. Rom. i. 16. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Chrift: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth, to the Jew first., and also to the Greek. v. 17. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. II. e John iv. 42. And faid unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy faying; for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Chrift, the Saviour of the world. • Theff. ii. 13. For this cause alfo thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but (as it is in truth) the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. I John v. 10. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God, hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. Acts xxiv. 14. But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, fo worship 1 cular passage thereof containeth; yielding obedience to the commands f, trembling at the threatnings g, and embracing the promises of God for this life and that which is to come h. But the principal acts of saving faith are, accepting, receiving, and resting upon Christ alone for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace i. III. This faith is different in degrees, weak or strong k; may be often and many ways affailed and weakned, but gets the victory; growing up in many to the attainment of a full affur worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets. Rom. xvi. 26. But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith. g Ifa. lxvi. 2. For all those things hath mine hands made, and all those things have been, faith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite fpirit, and trembleth at my word. h Heb. xi. 13. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen theni afar off, and were perfuaded of them, and embraced them, and confeffed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 1 Tim. iv. 8. For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promife of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. i john i. 12. But as many as re. ceived him, to them gave he power. to become the fons of God, even to them that believe on his name. Acts xvi. 31. And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. Gal. ii. 20. I am crucified with Chrift: Nevertheless I live; yet not 1, but Chrift : liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Acts xv. II. But we believe that thro' the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be saved even as they. III. k Heb. v. 13. For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. v. 14. But ftrong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their fenfes exercised to difcern both good and evil. Rom. iv. 19. 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 deadness of Sarah's womb. v. 20. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. Mat. vi. 30. Wherefore if God so clothe the grafs of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Mat. viii. 10. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and faid to them that followed, Ve-rily I lay unto you, I have not found so great faith, no not in Ifrael, / Luke xxii. 31. And the Lord faid, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath defired to have you, that he may lift you as wheat; v. 32. But I affurance through Chrift m, who is both the author and finifher of our faith n. R CHAP. XV. Of Repentance unto Life. EPENTANCE unto life is an evangelical grace a, the doctrine whereof is to be preached by every minister of the gospel, as well as that of faith in Christ b. H. By it a finner, out of the fight and fenfe, not only of the danger, but alfo of the filthiness and odiousness of his fins, as contrary to the holy nature and righteous law of God; and upon the apprehenfion of his mercy in Christ to such as are penitent; so grieves for, and hates his fins, as to turn from them have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not; and when thou art convert ed, strengthen thy brethren. Eph. vi. 16. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench the fiery darts of the wicked. 1 John v. 4. For whatloerer is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. v. 5. Who is he that over cometh the world, but he that believeth that jefus is the Son of God? Heb. vi. 1 1. And we defire that every one of you do shew the fame diligence, to the full afsurance of hope unto the end: v. 12. That ye be not flothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience in herit the promises. Heb. x. 22, Let us draw near with a true heart, in full affurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil confcience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Col, ii. 2. That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full affurance of under standing, to the ackowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Chrift. n Heb. xii. 2. Looking unto Jefus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is fet down at the right hand of the throne of God. I. a Zech. xii. 10. And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerufalem, the fpirit of grace and of fupplications. and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only fon, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first born. Acts xi. 18. When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God. saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance untolife. b Luke xxiv. 47. And that repentance and remission of fins should be preached in his name, among all nations, beginning at Jerufalem. Mark i. 15. And faying, the time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye and believe the gospel. Acts xx. 21. Testifying both to the Jews, and alfo to the Greeks, repentance toward God, F2 and 1 them all unto God c, propofing and endeavouring to walk with him in all the ways of his commandments d. III. Although repentance be not to be rested in, as any fatisfaction for in, or any cause of the pardon thereof e, which is the act of God's free grace in Christ f, yet it is of fuch neceffity to all finners, that none may expect pardon without it g. and faith toward our Lord Jesus Chrift. II. c Ezek. xviii. 30. Therefore I will judge you, O house of Ifrael, every one according to his ways, faith the Lord God: repent, and turn yourselves from all your tranfgreffions; so iniquity shall not be your tuin. v. 31. Cast away from you your tranfgreffions, whereby ye have tranfgrefled, and make you a new heart and a new fpirit; for why will ye die, O house of Ifrael. Ezek. xxvi. 31. Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own fight, for your iniquities, and for your abominations. Ifa, xxx. 22. Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven image of filver, and the ornament of thy molten images of gold; thou shalt cast them away as a menftruous cloth: thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence. Pfal. li. 4. Against thee, thee only have I finned, and done this evil in thy fight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakeft, and be clear when thou judgest. Jer. xxxi. 18, I have furely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus, Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God, v. 19. Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: 1 was ashamed, yea, even confound ed, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. Joel ii. 12. Therefore "now, faith the Lord, Turn ye faction even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning. v. 13. And rent your heart and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, flow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil. Amos 7. 15. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgnment in the gate: it may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Jofeph. Pfal. cxix. 128. Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way. vii, 11. For behold, this self-fame thing that ye forrowed after agodly fort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement defire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! in all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter. 2 Cor. d Pfal. cxix. 6. Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect un to all thy commandments. v. 59. 1 thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy teftimonies. v. 106. I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments. Luke i. 9, And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinarces of the Lord blameless. 2 Kings xxiii. 15. And like unto hiniwas there no king before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his foul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Mofes; neither IV. As there is no sin so small, but it deferves damnation b; fo there is no fin fo great, that it can bring damnation upon those who truly repent i. neither after him arose there any like him. • Ill.e Ezek. xxxvi. 31. Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own fight, for your iniquities and for your abominations. v. 32. Not for your fakes do 1 this, faith the Lord God, be it known unto you: be ashamed and confounded for your own ways, O house of Ifrael. Ezek, xvi. 61. Then shalt thou remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when chou shalt receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy younger: and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant. v. 62. And I will establish my covenant with thee, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord. v. 63. That thou mayest remember and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more, because of thy shame, when I am pacified towards thee for all that thou halt done, faith the Lord God. Hofea xiv. 2. Take with you words, and turn to the Lord, fay -unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips. v. 4. I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. Rom. iii. 24. Being juftified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ jetus. Eph. i. 7. In whom we have redemption thro' his blood. the forgivenness of fins, according to the riches of his grace. V. Men V. g Luke xiii, 3. 1 tell you, Nay : but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. v. 5. I tell you, Nay: but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Acts xvii. 30. And the times of this ignorance cod winked at; but now commanderh all men every where to repent. 31. Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness, by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. IV. h Rom. vi. 23. For the wages of fin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jefus Chrift our Lord. Rom. v. 12. Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by fin; and fo death passed upon all men, for that all have finned. Mat. xii. 36. But I fay unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judg ment. i Ifa. lv. 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. viii. 1. There is therefore now no condemnation to them who are in Chrift Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Ifa.i. 16. Wash ye, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes, cease to do evil. F3 v. 18. |