First, In the general, to entertain the gospel with a sound and lively faitli.
172 THE LIFE OF FAITH.
1. Without it there is no sin to be conquered. The first sin was unbehef: Gen. iii. 1, 'Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden ? ' and still unbelief is the cause of transgressing, for the flesh is importunate to be pleased, and the temptations of the world will huny us to evil: Heb. iii. 12, 'Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.' The flesh is fed with the baits of sense, but the spirit is encouraged and strengthened by the supports of faith.
2. Without it no grace can be thoroughly exercised : Heb. xi. 6, * Without faith it is impossible to please God.' All graces are set a- work by faith ; repentance : Jonah iii. 5, ' The people of Nineveh be- lieved God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth.' To believe the truth of God's word when it is spoken is the ready way to make it effectual. Their repentance was no more than legal, but it was as good as their faith was. All is quiet in the soul, no news of repentance, nor noise of any complaining against sin, till faith sets the conscience a- work ; so there is no prizing of Christ without faith. He and all his graces lie by as a neglected thing till we believe : 1 Peter ii. 7, ' To them that believe he is precious.' When faith represents him in his loveliness to the soul, then the affections are stirred..
3. No worship can be seriously performed without it. For prayer : Ps. Ixv. 2, ' 0 thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.' When we believe him to be a God hearing prayer, then we come cheei- fully into his presence. ISo for hearing the word, it is tliis bindeth the ear to hear: Acts x. 33, ' We are all here present before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God ; ' and it bindeth the heart to reverence : Isa. Ixvi. 2, ' To him will I look, who is of a humble and contrite heai-t, and trembleth at my word.'
4. Without it no acts of justice and mercy can be well done: Acts xxiv. 14-16, ' But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and the prophets ; and have hope towards God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and of the unjust. And here- in do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence to- ward God and toward men.'
But how shall we do to get this faith ?
[1.] Beg it of God, it is his gift : Ei)h. ii. 8, ' By grace ye are saved, through faitii ; and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God.' He must open the eyes of our minds: Eph. i. 17, 18, 'That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him ; the eyes of your undei'standings 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 saints.'
[2.] Study the grounds of faith. Many truths revealed in scripture are agreeable to the light of nature, and known by it ; as that there is one God, the first cause of all things, of infinite i)ower, wisdom, and goodness ; that it is reasonable that he should be worshipped and served, and that according to his will ; that we have faulted with him, and have rebelled ag:ainst his will declared in his law. and so are ob-
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noxious to his wrath and displeasure ; that reasonable ci-catuies have immortal souls, and die not as the brute beasts ; that true happiness is not found in those things wherein men ordinarily seek it, namely, in things grateful to the animal life ; all these things, and such like, nature teacheth. The business of the christian religion must needs lie in three things.
(1.) In declaring to us more fully the nature, will, and worship of God.
(2.) In finding out a remedy for the fall, or expiating the faults and sins of men, which is done by the incarnation, death, and resur- rection of Christ.
(3.) In propounding a fit happiness for an immortal soul. Now think with yourselves with what congruity and evidence these things are done in the gospel ; here are prophecies to usher in this doctrme, miracles to confirm it, valuable testimony to recommend it to us ; and how agreeable all these are to the nature of God and our necessities.
[3.] Attend upon the means whereby faith is wrought, as the min- istry of the word : 1 Cor. iii. 5, ' Who is Paul, and who is ApoUos, but ministers by whom j'e believed? ' There is some consideration or other given out to beget or strengthen our faith, for God is not wanting to his ordinances, and we go on by degrees in believing, the sincere soul still finding more evidence in the word continually, and moi-e experi- ence in his own heart: John v. 10, ' He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself.'