[5.] The light of faith is an undoubted certain light, but in wicked men it is always mingled with doubting, ignorance, error, and un- belief. It is not convictive, but a loose, wavering opinion, not a settled, grounded persuasion ; they have not * the riches of the assurance of understanding,' Col. ii. 2 ; that dependetli on experience, and inward sense of the truth, and is wrought by the Holy Ghost. And therefore the apostle speaketh of the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit : 1 Cor. ii. 4, iv aiTohei^ei rov iTV€Ufj,aro<; koX hvvdjxeoi^, * in the demon- stration of the Spirit, and of power.' 147ro3ei^i? is a clear, convincing argument, by which the judgment is settled; it cometh in upon the soul with evident confirmation.
Secondly, The next thing in the nature of faith is \rjy\n<i : ' I have given them the words which thou gavest me, and they have received them.' There is a receiving Christ and a receiving the word. Some- times the act of faith is terminated on the person of Christ ; as John i. 12, ' To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to as many as believe on his name.' Sometimes on the promises ; to show that as there is no closing with Christ without the promise, so there is no closing with the promise without -Christ ; first we receive the word of Christ, and then Christ himself, and in Christ life and salvation ; that is the progress of faith : Acts X. 42, ' Through his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.'
Observe that faith is a receiving the word of Christ. The notion is elsewhere used : Acts ii. 41, ' Then they that gladly received the
232 SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII, [Ser. XI.
word were baptized.' Unbelief, it is a rejecting: the counsel of tlie word, and faith a receiving it. Unbelief is thus described : Acts xiii. 46, ' Since ye put away the word of God from you.' So Luke vii. 30, ' But the pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves ; ' that is, refused the counsel of God, to their own loss and ruin. On the contrary, when Cornelius was converted, it is said, Acts xi. 1, ' The apostles heard that the Gentiles also had received the Avord of God.' So that we may describe faith with reference to this act, a motion in the heart of man, stirred up by the Spirit of God, to receive the whole word of God. Let me open it a little.
1. Receiving is a relative word, and supposeth an offer. God ofifereth on his part, and we receive on ours. As in all contracts and covenants between party and party, one party offereth such an advantage or commodity upon such conditions, the other receiveth the offer, con- sentetli to the conditions, and expecteth that the covenant should be made good ; so in the covenant of grace, Christ offereth remission of sins, and the whole blessings of the gospel, under the condition of faith and repentance. We are said to receive this word, or this gospel, when we consent to the conditions, and wait for the accom- plishment of the blessing ; we are willing to come to trust him for the grace of the covenant, and to come under the bond of the duty of it.
2. In this receiving, the soul must be convinced that it is the word of God, and that he will deal with creatures upon such a covenant. For in this covenant it is not as it is in other contracts ; the party contracting doth not appear in person, but dealeth with us by officei's and substitutes. God tendereth his covenant by the ministry of man. Now, whosoever would receive it in God's name, must be undoubtedly persuaded that they are commissioned and authorised by God to tender such a covenant to us. Therefore the apostle saith, 1 Tlies. ii. 13, ' When ye received the word which ye have heard of us, ye received it not as the word of man, but (as it is indeed) the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.' A man that would profit by the ministry must settle himself in tliis persuasion, that the doctrines delivered in scripture have God for their author. We come in God's stead, to strike up a bargain with you for your souls ; this bindeth the ear to attention, the mind to faith, the heart to reverence, the will and conscience to obedience. We are to entertain all the doctrines of the word, without any suspense of judgment and contra- diction. We are to put to our seal to Christ's testimony : John iii.
' 33, ' He that hath received his testimony, hath set to his seal that God is true.' Usually there is some privy atheism in us ; we look upon the gospel as a golden dream, and well-devised fable. This is properly assent, and should be soundly laid. Lord, thou wilt not fail thy poor creatures, if they venture their souls on thy Avord.
3. The whole word must be received. In every covenant there is a precept as well as a promise. We mar the very form of it when Ave reflect on the promise, and neglect the precept. It is great error in them that think that receiving of the word is done Avhen Ave apply the promises, as if nothing Avere needful to salvation but to say, I trust that my sins are forgiven me in Christ. The gospel hath not only