Endeavour diligently to perform the great work of believing on Christ, in a right manner, without any delay; and then also continue and increase in your most holy faith ; that so your enjoyment of Christ, union and fellowship with him, and all holiness by him, may be begun, continued and increased in you.

Endeavour diligently to perform the great work of believing on Christ, in a right manner, without any delay; and then also continue and increase in your most holy faith ; that so your enjoyment of Christ, union and fellowship with him, and all holiness by him, may be begun, continued and increased in you.

EXPLICATION.

Having already discovered to you the powerful and effectual means of a holy practice, my remaining work is, to lead you to the actual exercise and improvement ef them, for the immediate attainment of the end. And, I think, it may be clearly perceived by the foregoing Directions, that faith in Christ is the duty with which a holy life is to begin, and by which’ the foundation- of all other holy duties is laid in the soul.

It is before sufficiently proved, that Christ himself, with all endowments necessary to enable us to a holy practice, is received actually into our hearts by faith. This is the uniting grace, whereby the Spirit of God knitteth the knot of mystical marriage between Christ and us, and maketh us branches of that noble vine f members of that body, joined to that excellent head; living stones of that spiritual temple, built upon the precious living corner stone and sure foundation; partakers of the bread and drink that came down from heaven, and giveth life to the world. This is the grace whereby we pass frcm our corrupt natural state, to a new holy; state in Christ; also from death m sin, to the life of righteousness; and whereby we are comforted, that so we may be established in every good word and ‘work.

If we put the question, ” what must we do that we may work the works of God?” Christ resolveth it, that we ” believe on him whom he hath sent,” John vi. 28, 29. He putteth us first upon the work of believing-, which is the work ofGod,by way of eminency, the work of works, because all other good works proceed from it..

The First thing in the present Direction, is, to prit you upon the performance of this great work of believe ing on Christ, and to guide you therein; for, you are to consider distinctly four things contained in it.

1. The frst’is, you are to make it your diligent endeavour to perform the great work of believing on Christ. Many make little conscience of this duty. It is not known by natural light, as many moral duties are, but only by supernatural revelation in the gospel; and it is foolishness to the natural man. These are sometimes terrified with apprehensions of other sins, and will examine themselves concerning .them : and, it may be, will write them down, to help their memories and devotioru But the great sin of not believing on Christ, is seldom thought of in their self-examinations, or registered in the large catalogues of their sins. And tven those who are convinced, that believing on Christ is a duty necessary to salvation, do neglect all diligent, endeavours to perform it: either because they account that it is a motion on the heart which may be easily performed at any time, without any labour or diligent endeavours; or, on the contrary, because they account it as difficult as all the works of the law, and utterly impossible for them to perform by their most diligent endeavours, except the Spirit of God work it in them by his mighty power j and that therefore it is in vain for them to work, until they feel this working of the Spirit in their hearts ; or,because they account it a duty so peculiar to the elect, that it would be presumption for them to endeavour the performance of it, until they know themselves to be elected to eternal life through Christ. I shall urge you to a diligent performance of this duty, notwithstanding these impediments, by the following consideration. It is worthy our best endeavours, as apneareth by thepreciousness, excellency and necessity of it already discovered.

If the light of nature were not darkened in the matters of salvation, it would shew, us, that we cannot of ourselves find out the way of salvation, and ‘would condemn these that despise that revelation of the way of salvation that God hath given us in the gospel, declared in the holy scriptures. The great end of preaching the gospel, is for ” the obedience of faith,” Rom. i. S; that so we may be brought to Christ, and all other obedience. Yea, the great end of all revealed doctrines, in the whole scripture, is, to ” make us wise unto salvation by faith that is in. Christ Jesus,” 2 Tim. hi.. 15. The end of the laiv given by Moses., was for ” righteousness to every one that believeth,” Rom. x. 4; and Christ was that end for righteousness. The moral law itself was revealed, in order to our salvation by believing on Christ; or else the knowledge of it had nothing availed fallen man, that was unable to perform it. Therefore, they that slight the duty of believing, and account

foolishness, do thereby slight, despise and vilify the whole counsel of God revealed in the scripture. The law and the gospel, and Christ himself, are become of none effect to the salvation of such. The only fruit that such a one can attain to, by all the saving doctrines of the scriptures, is only some hypocritical moral duties, and slavish performances, which will be as, filthy rags, in the sight of God,‘in the great day. However, many mind not the sin of unbelief in their self-examinations, and write it hot in their scrolls; yet, let them know, that this is the most pernicious sin of all. All the sins in their scrolls would not prevail in their condemnation; ve.i, they would not prevail in their conversation, were “it not for their unbelief. This one sin prevailing, maketh it impossible for them to please God in any duty whatsoever, Heb. xi. 6. If you will not mind this one & main sin now, God will at last mind you of it with a vengeance: for, ” he that believeth not on the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath, of God abideth on him,” John iii. 37. “The Loi-d Jesus shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, taking vengeance on those that obey not t^e gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ,” 2 Thess. i. 7, p.

2. Believing on Christ, is a work that will require di• ligent endeavour and labour for the performance of it. We must ” labour to enter, into that rest,1 lest any man c fall by unbelief,” Heb. iv. 11. “WeThust shew diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end, that we may be followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises,’.’Heb. vi. 11;- 12. It is a work that requireth the exercise of might and power; and therefore we have need to ” be strengthened with might by the Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith,” Eph. iii. 16, 17. I confess, it is easy, pleasant and delicious in its own nature, because it is a motion of the heart, without any cumbersome bodily labour .; and it is a taking Christ and his salvation as our own, which is very comfortable and delightful; and the soul is carried forth in this, by love to Christ and its own happiness, which is an affection that maketh even hard works easy and pleasant: yet it is made difficult to us, by reason of the opposition that it meets with from our own inward corruptions, and from Satan’s temptations.

It’ is no easy matter to receive Christ, as our happiness and free salvation, with true confidence and lively affection, when the guilt of sin lieth heavily upon the conscience, and the wrath of God is manifested by the word and terrible judgments ; especially when we have been long accustomed to seek salvation by the procurement of our own works, and to account the way of salvation by free grace, foolish and pernicious; when our lusts incline us strongly to the things of the flesh and the world; when Satan doth his utmost, by his own suggestions, and by false teachers, and by wordly allurements and terrors, to hinder the sincere performance of this duty.

Many works that are easy in their own nature, prove difficult for us to perform in our circumstances. To forgive our enemies, and to love them as ourselves, is

duty, find it a hard matter to bring their hearts to the performance of it. It is but a motion of the mind, to cast our care upon him for wordly things, and rich men may think they can do it easily; but poor men that have great families, find it a hard matter. Tiiat easy comfortable duty, which Moses exhorted the Israelites to, when Pharaoh, with his chariots and horsemen overtook them at the Red Sea, ” fear ye not; stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you to-day,” Exod. xiv. 13. was not easily performed. The very easiness of some duties makes their performance difficult; as Naaman the Syrian was hardly brought to ivash and be clean, because he thought it to be too slight and easy a remedy for the cure of his leprosy, 2 Kings v. 12, 13. Even in this very case, people are offended at the duty of believing on Christ, as too slight

P

and easy a remedy to cure the leprosy of; the soul; they would have some harder thing enjoined them, to the attainment of so great an end as this everlasting salvation. The performance of all the moral law is not accounted work enough for this end, Matth. xix. 17, 20.

However easy the work of believing seemeth to many, yet common experience hath shewed, that men are more easily brought to the most burdensome, unreasonable, and inhuman observations; as the Jews and Christian Galatians were more easily brought to take upon their necks the yoke of Moses’ law, which none were able to bear, Acts xv. 10. The heathens wtre more easily brought to burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods, Deut. xii. 31. The papists are brought more easily to their vows of chastity and poverty, and obedience to the most rigorous rules of monastic discipline; to macerate and torture their bodies with fastings, scourgings and pilgrimage;’ and to bear all the excessive tyranny of the papal hierarchy, in a multitude of burdensome, superstitious and ridicalous devotions. They that slight the work of faith for its easiness, shew, that they were never yet made sensible of innumerable sins, and the terrible curse of the law and wrath of God that they lie under; and of the darkness and vanity of their minds, the corruption and hardness of their hearts, and their bondage under the power of sin and Satan; and have not been truly humbled; without which they cannot believe in a right manner. Many sound believers have found by experience, that it hath been a very hard matter to bring their hearts to the duty of believing1; it hath cost them vigorous struggles and sharp conflicts with their own corruptions, and Satan’s temptations. It is so difficult a work, that we cannot perform it without the mighty working of the Spirit of God in our hearts, who only can make it to be absolutely easy to us, and doth make it easy, or suffer it to be difficult, according as he pleased to communicate his grace in various degrees unto our souls.

ing, and hearing by the word of God,” Rom. x. 17. And, in the word, he maketh no absolute promise or declaration, that he will work faith in this or that unbelieving heart, or that he will give strength to believe to any one in particular; or begin the work of believing in. Christ; for, faith itself is the first grace whereby we have a particular interest in any saving promise. It is a thing hidden in the secret counsel and purpose of God concerning us, whether he will give us his Spirit and saving faith, until our election be discovered by our believing actually. Therefore, as soon as we know the duty of believing, we are to apply ourselves directly to the vigorous performance of the duty; and, in so doing, we shall find, that the Spirit of Christ hath strengthened us to believe, though we know not certainly, that he will do it beforehand. The Spirit cometh indiscernably upon the elect t&.work faith in them ; like the wind that bloweth where it lists, and none knoweth whence it cometh, and whither it goeth, but only we hear the sound of it, and thereby know it, when it is past and gone, John iii. 8.

We must therefore first begin the work, before we know, that the Spirit doth, or will work in us savingly; and we shall be willing to set upon the work, if we be Christ’s people; for, “thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power,” Psal. ex. 3. It is enough that God discovereth beforehand, in the gospel, what faith is, and the ground we have to believe on Christ for our own salvation; and that- God requireth this duty of us, and will help us in the performance of it, if we apply ourselves heartily thereunto: ” fear not, I command thee; be strong, and of good courage,” Josh. i. 6. “Arise, and be doing; and the Lord will be with thee,” 1 Chron. xxii. 16. Therefore, whoso receiveth this gospel discovery, as the word of God, in hearty love, is taught by the Spirit, and will certainly ” come to Christ by believing,” John vi. 45. Every one that receiveth it not, despiseth God, maketh him a liar, and deserveth justly to perish for his unbelief.

4-. Though the Spirit worketh saving faith only in the elect, and others believe not, because they are not of Christ’s sheep, John x» 26; and, on that account, it is called the ” faith of God’s elect,” 1 Tit. i. 1 ; yet all that hear the gospel, are obliged to the duty of believing, as well as to all the duties of the moral law, and that before they know their election : and they are liable to condemnation for unbelief, as well as for any other sin: f* he that believeth not, is condemned already, because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God,” John iii. 18. The apostle Paul sheweth, that the elect Israelites obtained salvation, and the rest that were not elected, were blinded; and yet even these were ” broken off from the good olive-tree,” because of their unbelief, Rom. xi. 7, 23. We cannot have a certain knowledge of our election to eternal life before we do believe; it is a thing hidden in the unsearchable counsel of God, until it be manifest by our effectual calling, and believing on Christ. The apostle knew the election of the Thessalonians, by Ending the evidence of their faith, that the gospel came to them, not in word only, but also ” in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; and that «they had received the word in much affliction, with joy in the Holy Ghost,’* 1 Thess. i. 4, 5, 6. “We are to see our calling, if we would find out, that God hath chosen us, 1 Cor. i. 26, 27”. Therefore, we must believe on Christ before we know our election, or else we shall never know it, and shall never believe. And it is no presumption for us to trust confidently on Christ, for everlasting life, before we have any good evidence of our election; because God, that cannot lie, hath made a general promise, “that whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed,” without making the least difference amongst them that perform this duty, Rom. x. 11, 12. The promise is as firm, and sure to be fulfilled, as any of God’s decrees and purposes; and therefore it is a good and sufficient ground for our confidence. It is certain, that all that the Father hath given to Christ, by the decree of eternal election, shall come to Christ; and it is as really certain, that ” Christ will in no wise cast out any that cometh to him,” whosoever he be, John vi. 37. And we need not fear, that we shall infringe God’s decree of election* by believing on Christ confidently for our salvation, before we know what God hath decreed con* cerning us; for, if we believe, we shall at last be found among the number of the elect} and, if we refuse to be* lieve, we shall thereby wilfully sort ourselves amongthe reprobates, “that stumble at the word, being disobe* dient, whereunto also they are appointed,” 1 Pet. ii, 8.

I shall add further, that though we have no evidence of our particular election before we believe ; yet we are to trust on Christ assuredly, to make it evident to us, by giving us that salvation which is the peculiar portion of the elect only. All spiritual saving blessings, wherewith God blesseth his people in Christ, are the peculiar portion of them whom ” God hath chosen, in Christ, before the foundation of the world,” Eph. i. 3, 4; yet we must necessarily trust on Christ for those saving blessings, or have none at all. “We are to pray in faith, nothing doubting, that God will “remember us with the favour that he beareth to his people; that we may see the good of his chosen, and glory with his inheritance,” Psal. cvi. 4,5. Therefore we art to trust assuredly on God, that he will deal with us as his chosen people. Thus it appeareth that it is not presumption, but your bounden duty, to apply yourselves to the great work of believing on Christ for salvation, without questioning at all beforehand, whether you are elected or no: ” Secret things belong to God, but those things that are revealed, belong unto us, that we may do them,” Deut. xxix. 29.

The Second thing directed to is, that you shall endeavour for a right manner of performing this duty. This is a point of great concernment, because the want of it will render your faith ineffectual to sanctification and salvation. The great duty of love, which is the end *f the Icnv, and the principal fruit of sanctification, must flow from faith unfeigned, 1 Tim. i. 5. There is a feigned faith, that doth not really receive Christ into the heart, and will not produce love, or any true obedience; such as Simon Magus had, Acts viii. 13, 23; for, notwithstanding his faith, he was in ” the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity;” and such as those Jews had, to whoni Christ would not commit himself, who “did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue,” John ii» 23. and xii. 42; and such as the apostle James speaks of, “what doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can that faith save him? The devils also believe and tremble,” James ii. 14, 19. Take heed, therefore, lest you deceive your own souls with a counterfeit faith, instead of the precious faith of God’s elect.

The way to distinguish the one from the other, is, byconsidering well what is the right manner of that believing which is effectual to salvation. Hypocrites may perform the same works for the matter, with true saints; but they are defective in the manner of performance, wherein the excellency of the work doth chiefly consist. One great reason why many ” seek to enter in at the. strait gate, and are not able,” Luke xiii. 24. is, because they are ignorant and defective in the right manner of acting this faith whereby we are to enter. Now, I Confess, that God is only able to guide us effectually in the y right way of believing. And we have this great consolation, when we see our own folly and proneness to mistake our way, and if we heartily desire and endeavour to believe on Christ aright, we may confidently trust on Christ to guide us. God hath promised, that “the way-faring men, though fools, shall not err” in the way of holiness ;■ and that ” he will teach sinners” in the way; the meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way,” Psal. xxv. 8, 9; and he commandeth them that seek wisdom, to ask it of “God in faith, nothing doubting,” Jam. i. 5, 6. But, however, we are to know, that God guideth us only to ‘the rule of his word; and we must endeavour to learr>

the tight way of believing out of the word, or else we are not able so much as to trust rightly on God for guidance and direction in this great work.

To help you herein, I have given you before, in this treatise, a description ofsaving faith; and have shewed that it contains txvo acts in it: the one is, believing the truth of the gospel; the other is, believing on Christ as revealed to us, and frevhf promised to us in the gospel, for all his salvation. Now, vour great endeavour must be, to perform both these acts in a right manner; as I shall shew concerning each of them in particular.

In the first place, you are highly concerned to endeavour for a right belief of the truth of the gospel of Christ; that so you may be well furnished, disposed and encouraged to believe on Christ, as revealed and promised in the gospel. , Hereby you are to remove all discomfortable thoughts and objections of Satan, and your own conscience, and to overcome all corrupt inclinations, that hinder a cheerful embracing of Ghrist and his salvation. It is found, by experience, that.when any fail in the second act of faith, the reason of the failing is commonly some defect in this first act. There is some false imagination or other in them, contrary to the belief of the truth of the gospel; which is a strong hold ol sin and Satan, that must be pulled down, before they can receive Christ into their hearts by believing on him. If they knew the name of Christ, as he is discovered in the gospel, and judged aright of the truth and excellency of it, they certainly would not fail to put their trust in him. And we are in great danger of entertaining such false imaginations, and to account many truths of the gospel strange paradoxes, yea, foolish and pernicious, because of our ignorance or self-coriceitedness guilty consciences, corrupt affections, and manifold errors, wherewith our judgments are prepossessed in matters of salvation; and because Satan laboureth to beguile us, as he did Eve, ” through his subtilty,to corrupt our minds from the simplicity” of the gospel Jj» that is in Christ,” 2 Cor. xi. 3. I shall therefore give

many souls, that they trust on Christ for remission of sins, without any regard to holiness ; whereas these two benefits are inseparably joined in Christ, so that none are freed from condemnation by Christ, but those that are enabled to walk holily, that is, u not after the flesh, but after the Spirit,” Rom. viii. 1. It is also the ruin of souls, to seek only remission of sins by faith in Christ, and holiness by our endeavours, according to the terms of the law; whereas we can never live to God in holiness, except we be dead to the law, and live only by Christ living in us by faith. That faith which receiveth not holiness, as well as remission of sins from Christ, will never sanctify us; and therefore it will never bring us to heavenly glory, Heb. xii. 14.

3. You are ta be fully persuaded of the all-sufficiency of Christ for the salvation of yourself and of all that believe on him: and that ” his blood cleanseth from all sin,” 1 John i. 7. Though our sins be never s° great and horrible, and continued in ever so long, yet he is able to deliver from the body of death, and mortify our corruptions, be they never so strong. We find in scripture, that abominable wicked persons have been saved by him; “idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, covetous, drunkards, extortioners,” &c. 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10; sucha» have sinned against the light of nature, as the heathens, and the light of scripture, as the Jews; such as have denied Christ, as Peter, and persecuted and blasphemed him, as Paul. Many, that have fallen into great sins, are ruined for ever, because they do not account the grace of Christ sufficient for their pardon and sanctification; when they think they are gone, and past all hope of recovery; that ” their sins are upon them, and they pine away in them, how shall they live ?” Ezek. xxxiii. 10. This despair works secretly in many souls^ without much trouble and horror, and maketh them careless of their souls and true religion. ” The Devil fills some with horrid, filthy, blasphemous thoughts, on purpose, that they may think their sins too great to be forgiven: though commonly such thoughts, are the least and offered up himself, by the eternal Spirit, as a sacrifice of infinite value, for our salvation; and can create* us anew as easily as he created the world by a word speaking.

4. Ycu are to be fully persuaded of the truth of the general free promise, in your ozvn particular case, that if you believe on Christ sincerely, you shall have everlasting life, as well as any other in the world, without performing any condition of works to procure an i?iterest in Christ, for che promise is universal; “whosoever believeth on him, shall not be ashamed,” Rom. ix. 33. without any exception. And, if God exclude you not, you must not exclude yourselves; but rather conclude peremptorily, that how vile, wicked and unworthy soever you be, yet, if you come, you shall be accepted as well as any others in the world. You are to believe that great article in the creed, the remission of sins, in your own case-, when you are principally concerned, or else it will little profit you, to believe it in the case of Others. This is that which hinders many broken wounded spirits from coming to the great physician, when they are convinced of the abominable filthiness of .their own hearts, and that they are dead in sin, without the least spark of true grace and holiness in them. They think that it is in vain, for such as they are, to trust on Christ for salvation; and that Christ will never save such as they are. Why so? they can be but lost creatures at worst; and Christ came to seek and save those that are lost. If they that are dead in sin, cannot be saved, then all must despair and perish; for none have any spiritual life, until they receive it by believing on Christ. • .< VC— ■

Some think themselves to be worse than others, and that none have such wiGked hearts as they ; and though others be accepted, yet they shall be rejected! But they should know, that ” Christ came to save the chief of sinners,” 1 Tim. i. l $t And that the design of God is to ” shew the exceeding riches of grace’* in b’ur salvation, Eph. ii, 7. which is most glorified by pardon

man to be called, they said unto him, ” be of good comfort, rise ; he calleth thee,‘1 Mark x. 49. A command of Christ made Peter to walk upon the water, Mut. xiv. 29. And here we are not to meddle with God’s secret of predestination; or the purpose of his will, to give the grace of faith to some rather than to others; but only with his revealed will, in his gracious invitations and commands, by which we are required to believe On Christ. This will of God is confirmed by his oath; ” as I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way, and live j turn ye, turn.y*;from y:ouT evil ways; for, why will ye die, O house;of Israel;?” Ezek. xxxiii. 11. Christ testifieth, that ” he would often have gathered the children of Jerusalem, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and they would not,” Mat. xxiii. 37. And the apostle Paul testifieth, that God u will have all men to-be saved,” &c. 1 Tim. ii. 4. You are to reject and abandon all thoughts that are contrary to this persuasop. What if few be saved? thy salvation will .not make the number too • great; for few will .follow thee in the duty of believing. \Vhat if the wrath of God be revealed from heaven against thee in many terrible judgments; and the word, and t;hine own .conscience condemn thee, and Christ seem to reckon .thee no better than & dog, as he did the “wpman of .Canaan,” Mat. xv. 16» Thou art to make a good interpretation of all these things, that the end of them is, to drive thee to Christ, as this was the end of the curses of the law, and all the terrible dispensations of d^em, Bom. x. 4. If a prophet, or an angel fromheaven were sent of God, on purpose to declare, .that the sentence of everlastingdamnation is declared against thee; it Would be thy duty to believe, that God sent him to give thee timely warning, for this very end, that thou mightest believe, and turn to God by faith and repentance. Jeremiah prophesied against the Jews, that God would ” pluck them up, pull ihem down, and destroy them for their sins;” yet he himself taught them,

“if they turned from their evil ways, God would repent him of the evil,” Jer. xviii. 7, 8, 11. Jonah preached nothing but certain destruction to Nineveh, to be executed upon them within forty days, chap. iii. 4; yet the intent of that terrible message was, that those heathenish people might escape destruction by repentance.

The most absolute and peremptory denunciations of divine vengeance against us, while we are in this world, must be always understood with a secret reserve of salvation for us, upon our faith and repentance. And we are to account, that the reason why God doth so terribly denounce his judgments against vis by his word, is, that we may escape them, by flying for refuge to his free mercy in Christ. Take heed of fostering any such thoughts, that God hath absolutely decreed to shew no saving mercy to you, or that you have already committed the unpardonable sin; or, that it is in vain for you to attempt the work of believing, because God will not help you in it. , If such thoughts prevail in your hearts, they will do you more hurt than the most blasphemous thoughts that terrify you, pr any the grossest abominations that ever you were guilty of, because they obstruct your believing on Christ for salvation. The Spirit and the bride say, come. Christ saith, “whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely,” Rev. xxii. 17. Therefore, we are to abandon all thoughts that hinder our coming to Christ, as very sinful and pernicious, arising in us from our own corruptions, and Satan’s delusions, and utterly opposite to the mind of Christ, and teachings of his Spirit.

And what ground can we have to entertain such unbelieving thoughts? Hath God made us of his privycouncil, that we should be able to know that God hath decreed us to damnation, before it be manifest by our final unbelief and impenitence? As for the unpardonable sin, it consisteth ’* in renouncing- the way of salvation by Christ with the whole heart,, after we have attained to the knowledge of it, and are convinced of the truth of it by the gospel.” It is a sin that the christis” Hebrews would have been guilty of, if they had revolted from Christianity to the religion of the unbelieving Jews, that accounted Christ to be an impostor, and were most rancorous persecutors of him and his ways, Heb. vi. 4, 5. They that have committed that sin, coninue implacable, malicious enemies to Christ and his ways, to the end, without any repentance. Therefore, if you can but n,nd, that you desire seriously to get an’ interest in Christ, and to be better christians than you are; i£ you be troubled and grieved, that your hearts and lives are so wicked, and that you want faith, love and true obedience; yea, if your hearts be not maliciously bent to persecute the gospel, and prefer atheism, licentiousness, or any false religion1 before it; you have no cause to suspect yourselves to be guiky.bf this unpardonable sin. • •> ’. .- 1

‘s6. Add to all these, a full persuasion’ of the incomparable glorious’excellency of Christ, and of theiwy ofsd- vation by him. You are to esteem the enjoyment of .Christ as the only salvation and true happiness,-and such a happiness as hath in it unsearchable riches and glory, and will make our cup to run over with exceeding abundance of peace, and joy, and glory, to all eter,nity. “We must ” account all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus our Lord?* &c. Phil. iii. 8. Such & persuasion as this, will allure and incline your wills and affections to choose and embrace Christ as the chief good, and never to rest satisfied without the enjoyment of him; and to reject every thing that stahds in competition with him, or the enjoyment of him. Christ is precious in the esteem of all true believers, 1 Pet. ii. T. Their high esteem of his incomparable preciousness and excellency, induceth them to sell all, that they may ” buy this pearl ofgre^t price,” Mat. xiii. 46. This maketh them to say,” Lord, evermore give us this bread, that cometh down from heaven, and giveth life to the world. Lord, to w^0**1 shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life,” John vi, 33, 34, 68. “Because of the savour of his good happiness by our own wisdom, strength and works of righteousness, or any fleshly, worldly confidences whatever. We must be as dead people to ail other confidences, and account them to be loss fo/ Christ, according to the example of the blessed apostle, Phil. iii. 3, 7, 8. We must not be grieved, that ‘.re have nothing to trust upon, besides Christ, for our salvation ; but ra- , ther we are to rejoice, that we need nothing else, and that we have a sure foundation to rely upon, incomparably better than any other that can be imagined. And we must resolve to cast the burden of O’ • souls wholly on Christ, and to seek s.alvation no other way, whatso- ■ ever becomes of us.

If the cripple lay not the whole weight of his body upon a strong staff, but part of it-upon a rotten one, he is like to receive a fall. If the swimmer will not commit his body wholly to the water to bear him up, but catch at weeds, or struggle to feel out ground, he may sink to the bottom. Christ will be all our salvation, or nothing. If we seek to be saved any other way, as the Galatians did, by ” circumcision, Christ will profit us nothing,” Gal. v. 2.

You are also to receive Christ, merely as a free gift, given to the chief of sinners, resolving that you will not perform any conditions, to procure yourselves a right and title to him; but that you will come to him as a lost sinner, an ungodly creature, trusting on him that justifieth the ungodhj: and that vou will buy him without money, and xvHhoitt any price whatsoever, Rom. iv. 5. Isa. lv. s?. IiOok not on your faith or love, or any good qualifications in yourselves, as the grounds of your trusting in Christ, .but only to the free grace and loving kindness of God in Christ: “How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God ! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings,” Psal. xxxvi. 7. For, if you make your faith, love, or good qualifications, to be your first and principal loinv dation, and you build Christ upon them, instead of building all upon Christ,’ you invert the order of th?

^pel, and Christ will profit you nothing.

Another thing to be observed diligently, is, that you must come to Christ lor a neiu holy heart and life, and all things necessary thereunto, as well as for deliverance from the wrath of Go J, and the torments of hell. You must also come to him with an ardent love and affection to him, and esteem him better than ten thousand worlds, and the only excellent portion, loathing and abhorring yourself as a vile, sinful and miserable creature, and accounting all tilings dung in comparison of his excellency; that you may be able to say, from the bottom of your heart, “whom have I in heaven but thee I and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee,” Psal. lxxiii. 25.

Lastly, you must endeavour to draw near with ” full assurance of faith,” B>. b. x. 22; trusting on Christ confidently for your sum particular salvation-, upon the account of that general promise, that ” whosoever believeth on Christ shall not be ashamed,” Rom. ix. 33. You must then check yourselves for all doubtings, fears, staggerings, concerning your own salvation by Christ, saying with the Psalmist, ” why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me :” &c. Psa. xlii. 11.

The Third thing contained in this Direction, is, the avoiding- all delay, in the. performance of this ■ great work of believing in Christ. Until we have performed it, we continue under the power of sin and Satan, and under the wrath of God ; and there <is/nothiog between hell and us, besides the breath of our nostrils. ‘It is dangerous for Lot to linger in Sodom, lest fire and brimstone come down from heaven upon him. The manslayer must fly with all haste to the city of refuge, “lest the avenger of blood pursue him, while his heart is hot, and slay him,” Deut. xix. 5, 6. We should “make hfiste, and not delay, to keep God’s commandments,” Psal. c,xix. 60; and “flee for refuge to the hope set before us,” Hefe. vi. 18. And God eamitfandeth us to flee thus by faith, withoofc.wluch it is impossible to please God in other duties. rTiiei work’ is of such a nature, that it may be performed as soon as you hear the gospel. As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me, Psal. xviii. 44. “As soon as Zion,travailed, she brought forth her children,” isa. lxvi. 8. • . .

We have many examples of those that received the word by faith at the first hearing of it. Three diousand were added to the church, on the very same day wherein Peter first published the gospel in Jerusalem, Acts ii. 42. Many Jews and Gtmtiles were converted at the first hearing of„the apostle Paul at And-, och, Acts xiii. 48. The jailer and all his household believed, and were baptized, the same night wherein Paul first preached to them, Acts xvi. 33, 34. The gospel came at first to the Thessalonians, ” not in word only,-but in power, and in the Holy Ghost,” 1 Thess. i. 5, (i. 11 God open the hearts of his people to attend diligently, they may be instructed in the knowledge of the gospel by one brief sermon sufficiently, to begin the practice of saving fakh. And, when they know their duty, God reqjuireth immediate performance, without allowing us the least respite in the state of unbelief. .

When Satan cannot prevail with people to reject the duty of believing wholty, his next attempt for the ruin of their souls, is to prevail with them at least to delay and shift off the performance of it, from time to time, by several false reasonings .and imaginations which he putteth into the ur minds. The most ignorant and sen-r sual are easily prevailed with to defer this duty, un$ they take their fill of the pleasures, profits and honours ef this world, and are summoned to preparfc for another world, by infirmities, age, sickness ; praying and hoping, that a large time of repentance will be. grfanted unto them before they die. But such delays shew, that they are really unwilling to repent and believe, until they are forced by necessity; and that they prefer the pleasures, profit and honours of the world above God, and Christ, and their own souls. Thus they unfit themselves more and more fbr this great duty, by their customary walking/ in’Sin, and by. misspending the precioustuary. But, let them know, that this is not the right waiting on God required in the scripture. It is rather disobedience to God, and to the means of his appointment, who requires that we should be ” doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving ourselves,” Jam. i. 22; and that we should come in to the ” spiritual feast,” Luke xiv. 23; and not only stand at the doorV or sit under the droppings of the house of God, lest Christ repute us no better than eve-droppers. That holy waiting on the Lord, commended to us in scripture, is ever accompanied with believing and hoping in the Lord, and invariably dependeth thereon: ^ I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodneSs bfthe Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord,” Psal. xxvii. 13, 14. “It. is good that a man should both hope, arid .-quietly wait lor the salvation of the Lord,” Lam. in. 26. v—uraK any evil of sin, such as these despairing thoughts are, that good may come of it: neither should we expect to he worse before we be better, when. we may and ought to be better presently, by believing on Christ.

What is it that these deluded ones wait for, before they perform the duty of believing? Is it for mere knowledge of the gospel? The way to increase thy knowledge, as well as thy other talents, is, to make use of what thou hast received already. Believe .heartily on Christ for all thy salvation, i according to that little knowledge of the gospel which thou hast, and thou wilt have an interest in the promise of knowledge, contained in the new covenant; ” they shall all know me, from the Jeast to the greatest of them, saith. the Lord,” Jeir. xxxi. 34. Is it for the appointed time. of thy conversion, that thou waitest? Then thou w-aitest, as those impotent folk, who lay at the pool of Bethesda, waiting for the season when the angel will come down and move the water. Know then, that if thou enterest into Christ, now by faith, thou wilt find in him waters of lift;, andthe Spirit moving’them for the healing and the qvickenring of thy soul, God hath appointed, by his word, that the present time shall be the time of thy conversion a as the Holy Ghost saith,” to-day, if thou wilt hear hi* voice, harden not thy heart,” Heb. iii. 7,8. And thou

The Fourth thing in the direction is, that we should continue and increase in the most holy faith. And that we may, we must not think that when we have once attained to the grace of saving faith, and thereby are begotten anew in Christ, our names are up in heaven, and therefore we may be careless i but, as long as we continue in this life, ,wc must endeavour to ” ceotinue in the frith, grounded and settled, not moved away from the hope; of , thq gospel,” Col. i. 23. and to “hold, the beginn^g,o^ … and rejoicing’:of ihope^ stediast unto the end,” lleb. iii. 6,14. and to “.build Up ourselves in our most holy faith,” JufieEQ. “abounding therein with thanksgiving,” C»l.ii»(?,v /Though we receive Christ freely , by faith, yet we are. but “babes in Christ,” 1 Cor. iii^L; j And we mustj not account^ that we ” have already .attained,” or -” arej already perfect,‘Phil, iii. 12, 13. but,>ye must strive, to be’ more, rooted and built up in him, until “we eonie unto.a perfect mail,’ runtpthe measure of tine stature, of the fulness of, Christ,'''.Eph»iiv. 13< . jen!—., olr^nhistpVir* itts

If the new nature be really, in us by regeneration, it will have an appetite, to.‘its pwn continuanoa.‘and inr crease, until it come to perfection, f as the new bom babe,” 1 ^Peu iJ.‘S.-’ And we a,re\ not only to -receive Christ, and a new holy nature, by faish? but alsoitdJbrei and Walk by it^and to “resist the devil*” and tol?q’nench all his fiery darts by it;” and also ” grow in graoeV-^and to ” perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord/’ fon ^wce are kept by the mighty power ef Qod, through faith, unto salvation,” 1 Pet. i. 5. As all Our christian, warfare is “the good fight of faith,” 1 Tim. vi. 13. ail spiritual life and holiness continue, grow, or decay ifr us, according as faith continued), groweth, or decayeth in vigour; but, when this faith beginneth to sink by fears and doubtings, the man himself beginneth to sink together with it, Matth. xiv. 29, 31. Faith is like the hand of Moses; “while it is held up, Israel prevails; when it is let down, Amalek prevails,” Exod. xvii. 11. This continuance and growth in faith, will require our labour and industry as well at the beginning, though we are to ascribe the glory of all to the grace of God in Christ, who is the finisher, as well as the author of it, Heb. xii. 2.

The church meeteth with great difficulties in her marching- through the wilderness of this world to the heavenly Canaan, as well as in her first deliverance from Egyptian bondage; yea, we often meet with greater difficulties in going to perfection, than we did in the beginning of the good work: the wisdom and mercy of God so ordering it, that we should be exercised with the sharpest dispensations of providence, and the fiercest assaults of our own corruptions, and Satan’s temptations, after we have grace given us to stand in the evil day. You must therefore endeavour to continue and. go on in the same right manner, as I have taught you to begin this great work of believing in Christ, that your faith may be of the same nature, from the i beginning to the end, though it increase in degrees: for our faith is imperfect, and joined with much unbelief in this world; and we have need to pray still, “Lord, I believe: help thou mine unbelief,” Mark xi. 24. and , therefore we have need to strive for more faith, that we may receive Christ in greater perfection. If you find that your faith hath produced good works, you should thereby increase your confidence in Christ, for salvation by his mere grace. But take heed of changing the nature of your faith, from trusting on your own works, according to the popish doctrine, “that our first justification is by grace and faith only, but our second justification is only by works.” Beware also of trusting on faith itself, as a work of righteousness, instead of trusting on Christ by faith. If you do not find that your believing in such a right manner as I have described, doth rcallv produce such fruits of holiness as

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you desire, you ought not to diminish, but rather to increase your confidence in Christ; knowing that the weakness of your faith hindereth its fruitfillness: and the greater your confidence is, concerning the love 6f God to you in Christ, the greater will be your love to his service. If you fall into any gross sin, after the work is begun in you, as David and Peter did, think not that you must cast away your confidence, and expect nothing but wrath from God and Christ, and that you must refuse to be comforted by the grace of Christ, at least for some time; for thus you would be more loeaJt and prone to fall into other sins: but rather strive to believe more confidently, that you have “an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;” and that “he is the propitiation for our sins,” 1 John ii.‘l, 2. And let not the guilt of sin stay at all upon your conscience, but wash it away with all speed, in the fountain of Christ’s blood, which is opened for us, that it mny be ready for our use on all occasions; that so you may be humbled for j our sins in a gospel-way, and may hate your own sinfulness, and be sorry for it with godly sorrow, out of love to God. Peter might have been ruined forever for denying Christ, as Judas was by betraying him., if Peter’s faith had not been upheld by the prayer of Christ, Luke xi. 31, 32.

If a cloud be cast over all your qualifications, so that yen can see no grace r.i all in yourselves, yet still trust on Him thai jitstifieth the ungodly, and came to seek and to -save than that are lost. If God seem to deal with you as an enemy, by bringing on you some horrible affiiction, as he did upon Job, beware of condemning your faith, and its fruits, as if they were not acceptable to God; but rather say with holy Job, “though lie slav me, yet will 1 trust in him; but I will maintain mine own ways before him,” Job xiii. 15. Strive to keep and increase faith by faith, that is, by acting t> faith frequently, by trusting on God to keep and increase it; being “confident, that he which hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of “tanis Christ.*’ Phil. i. (5.