[2] Cordial. Many seem verily to be persuaded that Jesus is the Son of God, but are no way affected with this mystery of grace, nor changed. The devils may give a bare assent to this great gospel truth. Compare Mark v. 7 with Mat. xvi. IG, the confession of the devil with the profession of Peter. The devil owned Jesus to be the Son of the most high God, as well as Peter, the Son of the living God. Austin's observation is very good : Hoc dicehat Feirus, lioc dicehcmt dccmones, Petrus ut Christum amplecteretur, dccmones ut Christus ah Us recederet — Peter said the same thing, and the devil the same thing ; Peter said it that he might embrace Christ, the devils that he might depart from them. It is one thing to be of this opinion that Christ is the Saviour of the world, another to accept and receive him into our hearts.
2. The next thing which I shall observe in faith is a consent to receive Christ as God olfereth him to us in the gospel : John i. 12, ' To as many as received him,' &c. He gave power to become the sons of God to as many as believed on his name.
[1.] It is not a rash consent, but such as is deliberate, serious, and advised. When we assure men that God in the gospel calls them to accept of Christ as their Lord and Saviour, and that they shall be ]iardoned and saved, they are ready to say with all their heart ; but tiiey do not consider what it is to receive Christ, and therefore retract their consent almost as soon as it is given. Therefore Christ directeth us to sit down and count the charges, that we may allow for oppo- sition and temptations, Luke xlv. 28-33. AVhen you have con- sidered his strict laws, made a full allowance for nicident difficulties and temptations, and can resolve, forsaking all others, to cleave to him alone for salvation.
[2.] It must not be a forced and involuntary consent, such as a person maketh when he is frighted into a little religiousness for the present, but would never mind it, nor yield to it, if he were in a state of full liberty. It may be in a distress or pang of conscience ; by all means they must have Christ ; or when sick are afraid to die, or under some great judgments ; as tlie Israelites when tliey heard the thunder- ing on Mount Sinai : ' All that thou hast commanded us, we will do,' Dcut. V. 27. No ; this will not serve the turn : the will must be eilectually inclined to Christ, and to God the Father by him, as our
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ntmost felicity and end. All Christ's people are a willing people, Ps. ex. 3.
[3.] It must be a resolved consent, a fixed, not an ambulatory will, which we take up for a purpose, or at some certain times for a solemn duty or so. No; you must ' cleave to him with full purpose of heart,' Acts xi, 23. Tram])le upon everything that would separate you from him, Phil. iii. 8, 9 ; Rom. viii. 3G, to the end. It must not be a feeble consent, such as is contradicted by every foolish and hurtful lust, but a prevalent consent, such as can maintain itself against difficulties and temptations, and the oppositions of the flesh, and control all other desires and delights.
[4.] It must not be partial, but a total, universal consent ; not only a consent of dependence or trust, to accept of Christ as our Saviour, but a consent of subjection to him as our Lord : Col. ii. 6, ' As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him.' Many would have Christ and his benefits, but they would not yield that he should reign over them : Luke xix. 27, ' Those mine enemies, that would not I should reign over them, bring them hither and slay them before me.' But the true believing implieth a taking of Christ and his yoke : Mat. xi. 29, ' Take my yoke upon you,' &c. Christ and his cross. Mat. xvi. 24, ' If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.' It is accompanied with a resolution to obey his laws and keep his commandments, that we may abide in his love.
3. The third thing in faith is trust, spoken of Eph. i. 13, ' In whom ye trusted, after ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salva- tion.' Trust is a dependence upon Christ for the blessings which he hath procured for us, and promised to us ; and is represented by the metaphors of staying the mind on God : ' Isa. xxvi. 3, ' Thou keepest him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee.' By the staying of the mind is intended its fixedness and stability, when, being satisfied with the promises, we can comfortably wait for the event and issue. The other metaphor is, committing ourselves to God : 2 Tim. i. 12, ' For I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have com- mitted unto him against that day.' When we can trust our all in Christ's hands, knowing that he can give us that righteousness whereby we may stand before God, and have comfortable access to him, and at length give us that eternal life which is our supreme happiness. When you can trust liim for deliverance from the guilt, power, and punishment of sin, and for the beginning, strengthening, and preserv- ing of grace in us to everlasting life, you have obtained a good degree of faith. Only for the further opening of this trust, I must observe to you : —