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men's affections may be exceedingly taken with the word of promise, preached, or considered ; so that there is no con- cluding of believing to lie in any such thing. When affec- tions go before believing, they are little worth ; but when they follow it, they are exceeding acceptable and precious in the sight of God.
(4.) It is not solely * fiducia,' a trust, affiance, or confi- dence. There is a twofold fiducial trust : one whereby we trust in Christ for the forgiveness of sin, which you may call adherence. It is such a cleaving to Christ, as that we trust in him for the forgiveness of sins, and acceptation with God. And so much as we trust, so much we adhere, and no more. There is also a trust, that our sins are forgiven us, we trust, or rest upon it. Now it cannot be, that either of these should be faith entirely, and that the whole of it should be included in them. There is something more in believing, than in trusting ; and something more in trusting, than is absolutely necessary to preserve the entire notion of believing. For we may believe that, wherein we do not trust. But yet this I grant, that where there is believing in Christ, there will be trusting in him more or less. And when faith is increased to some good height, strength, and steadfastness, it is mainly taken up in trust and confidence ; John xiv. 1. So to believe, as to free our hearts from trouble and disquietment upon any account whatever, is to trust properly. And that doubting, and staggering, and fear, which in Scripture we find condemned as opposite to faith, are indeed directly opposite to this fiduciary reposing our souls on Christ. So the apostle describes his faith, or be- lieving, 2 Tim. i. 12. So to believe, as to be 'persuaded that God is able to keep what we commit to him,' is to put our trust in him.
(5.) Having spoken thus much of these particulars, waving all the arbitrary determinations of the schools, and exactness of words as to philosophical rules and terras ; I shall give you such a general description of faith, or be- lieving, as may answer in some measure the proper and me- taphorical expressions of it in the Scriptures ; where it is termed, looking or seeing, hearing, tasting, resting, rolling ourselves, flying for refuge, trusting, and the like.
[1.] There must be what I spake of in the first place, an
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assent to the whole truth of the promises of God, upon this ground and bottom, that he is able and faithful to accom- plish them. This certainly is in, if it be not all, our ' re- ceiving the testimony, or witness of God;' John iii. 33. Sarah, of whom we spake before, received ' the testimony of God.' How did she do it? She 'judged him faithful who had promised;' Heb. xi. 11. This God proposes to us in the first place. * Eternal life is promised by God who can- not lie ;' Tit. i. 2. that is, who is so faithful, as that it is utterly impossible he should deceive any. So Heb. vi. 17, 18. ' Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath : that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong con- solation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.' The design of God is, that we may receive encouragement in our ' flying for refuge to the hope set be- fore us ;' that is, in believing. What doth he propose to this end ? Why his own faithfulness and immutability, on the ac- count of the engag-ement of his word and oath. Abraham's faith spoken of, Rom. iv. compriseth this ; yea is commended from it, ver. 21.
The Scripture indeed mentions sundry properties of God, on the credit whereof, if I may so speak, our souls are to assent to the truth of his promises, and to acquiesce therein. Two especially are usually named.
1st. His power: 'he is able.' So Rom. iv. 21. chap, xi. 23.
2dly. His faithfulness : as in the places before mentioned, and sundry others.
The sum is, that on the account of God's faithfulness and power, this we are to do, if we will believe, we are to assent to the truth of his promises, and the certainty of their accomplishment. If this be not done, it is in vain to go forward. Let then those, who intend any advantage by what shall afterward be spoken, stay here a little and con- sider, how they have laid this foundation. Many there are, who never come to any stability all their days, and yet are never able to fix on any certain cause of their shaking and staggering : the foundation was laid disorderly. This first closing with the faithfulness and power of God in the pro-
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mises, was never distinctly acted over in and by their souls^. And if the foundation be weak, let the building be never so glorious, it will totter, if not fall. Look then to this beginning of your confidence, that this fail you not. And when all other holds fail this will support you from utter sinking, if at any time you are reduced to that condition that you have nothing else.