[1.] That this trust respects all Christ's offices, which are, prophet, priest, and king. You trust him as a prophet when you give up yourselves as his disciples to the conduct of his word and Spirit, being persuaded that he will infallibly teach you the way to true happiness : John vi. 68, 69, ' Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life ; and we believe and are sure that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.' This trust is our remedy against all false
352 THE SIXTEENTH SERMON. [JoilN III. 16.
religions; for what should draw us from the true and chief doctor of the church ? You trust him as a i)rie.st, when you believe the value of his merit and sacrilice, and comfort yourselves with his gracious promises and covenant, and come to God with more boldness and hope of mercy upon the account of his intercession, especially in your great extremities, Heb. iv. 14-10. Therefore we may pray confidently, and make an open and free discovery of our wants and requests to God, who will relieve us, and do what is best for us in a fit season, when we most want it and least expect it. We must trust him as a king, when we become his subjects, and are persuaded that he will govern us in truth and righteousness, in order to our salvation, and defend us by his mighty power till he hath brought us to glory and blessedness : 2 Tim. iv. 18, ' The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and preserve me to his heavenly kingdom.'
['2.] That this trust is practical, and is not to be determined by our confidence so much as obedience and resolution to take the way which God hath prescribed, that we may obtain the blessings which he hath promised to us. This consideration is necessary, })artly because God or Christ will be trusted no farther than he hath obliged himself, and so far we may depend upon him. Now' Christ hath only obliged him- self to be ' the author of eternal salvation to those that obey him,' Ileb. V. 9. Partly because this obedience is difficult, self-denial is required, Mat. xvi. 24, ' Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself,' &c. A surer note of our faith than a confidence or a presumption that we shall fare well enough though we indulge the ease and desires of the flesh, and gratify our interest in ihe world ; and therefore, faith being an obediential confidence, doth confute these vain con- ceits. ]\Iany think they may the more boldly venture on sin, the more they believe, or seem to believe, the grace of God in Christ. Others think all their business is to get a victory over their consciences, and tliough they do not deny their lusts, yet if they can be strongly persuaded that God wmII be merciful to them in Christ, they shall not l)erish but obtain everlasting life. No ; we must obey, we must deny ourselves, or else we do not trust Christ to bring us to heaven in his own ways and methods, but trust to some vain conceits of our own.
II. How this is to be understood, ' that whosoever believelh,' since many other things are requiretl of us, as repentance, mortification of sin, self-denial, new obedience or holiness!^ Luke xiii. 5, 'Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.' J\lortification": Horn. viii. 13, ' If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die ; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.' Self-denial : Luke xiv. 2G, ' If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disci])le.' New obedience or holiness : Heb. xii. 14, ' Follow peace with all men, and holiness, withf)ut which no man shall see the Lord.' I answer — All truths are not delivered in one place, and therefore a solitary faith will not bring us to heaven, but that which is seconded with other things. But more distinctly : —
1. Faith is not required to exclude other things that are connexed with it by the ordination of God. For every one that believeth Christ, believeth the whole gospel to be true. Except against one part and you
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may except against all the rest. Now it is evident in the gospel that without regeneration, repentance, and holiness, no man can be saved and see God ; therefore every one that believeth in Christ must trust him to obtain it in the way that he hath appointed and promised to give it.
2. Faith is not required to exclude other things that are included in the nature of it, or flow as genuine effects from such a cause. A purpose of obedience is included in the nature of faith, and actual obedience is the fruit of it. Every one tliat believeth Christ receiveth him in all his offices ; therefore a purpose of obedience is included in. the nature of it ; and if faith be sincere, universal obedience in self- denial, mortification, and our duty to God and men, will naturally be derived from it. Therefore, as he that is to entertain a king makes reckoning of his train, and that he will not come alone, so every one of whom faith in Jesus Christ is required must reckon that his faith must be evidenced to be sincere by the fruits of it.