done by us; and we want to know what they are, in order that we may commence the performance of them." It must here be observed, that they use, throughout their reply, the very same word as Jesus had used when he bade them " labour*? Our blessed Lord, still using the same word, says, " This is the work of God," (that is, this is the thing which God enjoins you to do, in order to a participation of the blessings which I am come to bestow), that ye be- lieve on Him whom he hath sent."
In opening these words, I will shew,
I. What is that work which God more particularly requires of us —
It is, that we believe in his Son Jesus Christ.
Let us, however, distinctly notice what kind of a work this is —
[It is not a mere assent to the truth of his Messiahship, but an humble affiance in him as the Saviour of the world. We must feel our need of him We must see the suitable- ness and sufficiency of his salvation We must actually
go to him as the appointed Saviour, and seek acceptance with
God through Him alone We must renounce every
other hope and make him " all our salvation and all
our desire" ]
And let us bear in mind, that this is " the work of
God"—
[It is a work. True, indeed, it is often in the Scriptures opposed to works; as when it is said, " A man is not justified by the works of the Law, but by the faith of Jesus Christb : still, however, it is a work, and a great work too, and such a work as none but God himself can enable us to perform. Only bear in mind the foregoing description of it, and you will see, that, in order to the exercise of it, there must be the deepest prostration of soul before God, and a going-forth of the whole soul to him in a way of humble and grateful affiance. And who is sufficient for the performance of it? Verily, " it is the gift of God," and of God only c : it is his grace, and his grace alone, that can ever form it in the sould. It is his work also, not merely because he alone can work it in us, but be- cause it is that which he requires of every living man. When
a ver. 27. epyafctrde. b Gal. ii. 16.
c Eph. ii. 8. d Acts xviii. 27. Phil. i. 29.