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By Faith the members of Christ's body are united to their spiritual head; Christians are made one with Christ; by this do they experience rest and peace unto their souls; by this have they access unto the Father; and by this do we obtain, through the grace of God, a well-grounded, stable, and enduring hope-a lively hope in the veracity of that Almighty and merciful Being, who is the rewarder of them that diligently seek him. By which hope we are enabled to withstand the attacks and temptations of the devil; by which we are consoled and supported, having a certain expectation of our resurrection to eternal life, of the glorious appearance of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ, and of our gaining ultimate possession of that inheritance in heaven, which has been purchased for all true believers.

§ 7. The fruit by which a lively faith is to be discerned, is Charity. True faith implies stedfast hope, and Charity which includes the love of God and =man. The love of God cannot exist without Faith in him, without belief in his perfections, and reliance on his veracity; so neither can Faith prove its genuineness but by Love, or Charity. He, therefore, who has lively faith in God, will shew forth his love by his good works; he will glorify God not only by keeping those commandments which relate imme. diately to God, but by performing his duty towards his neighbour and himself; such entire obedience, or the endeavour to fulfil it, being the scriptural test of Love to God, and consequently of Christian Faith.

8. It is this Christian Faith combining know. ledge, assent, and confidence with regard to the truths

of the Gospel, as its principles; joyful hope in the promises of God through Christ, as its effect; and Charity, or love to God and man, as its genuine fruit : it is this Faith which constitutes one Condition of the Covenant of Grace. Faith, too, is the condition on which pre-eminently depends not only our first step, but also our subsequent progress in the way which leadeth to everlasting life. It is this condition which forms the characteristic of the New Covenant, as distinguished from the Covenant of Works; and it is proposed throughout the Gospel, as that which is essential to our admission into the Christian Church, to our continuance in the enjoyment of its privileges on earth, and to the attainment of that final glory which is promised, of free Grace, to those, and those only, who fulfil the terms on which they are made partakers of the benefits of Redemption.

Faith is appointed as a condition of the Christian Covenant, not only because it is by this alone we are justified, and made heirs of eternal happiness ; but because it is the only sure foundation of evangelical obedience: and Christ" gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works.” Assent to the truth of the Gospel, and persuasion of the infallibility of its promises, constitute the Faith by which we are primarily justified at Baptism; which precedes good works, and which must afterwards prove itself by them to be a true and lively, not a dead and unproductive faith. Acknowledgment and belief of the Christian Religion, are required on our part to qualify us for the free gift, on the part of God, of Justification, or remission of our sins, and acceptance with him: but this, which is an initiating faith, must be

strengthened and improved by a consistent persevering practice, in order that it may keep us in a state of Justification, that it may become a saving Faith, and entitle us, by promise, through Christ, to the reward of faithful servants.

We are neither justified nor saved by the merit of our obedience or of our faith; but, without obedience, the source of which is Faith, we cannot be finally justified, or saved; though by Faith alone, before obedience or good works can have taken place, we are accounted righteous before God for the sake of Christ. Thus sincere belief alone in those who are of age to be capable of it,-or an engagement for those who are not so,-is the condition of Justification, whereas a constant Faith, working by love, is the condition of Salvation ;-or of that which is the necessary prelude to Salvation, the being justified, or declared at the last day among the number of the righteous, who shall shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Being now, as members of the Christian Church, justified by the blood of Christ, or by faith in his propitiatory sacrifice, we shall be saved at the day of judgment from condemnation and the wrath of God through Christ-through that true and lively Faith which embraces the promises and fulfils the terms of the New Covenant of which Christ is the Mediator,

From Scripture.

SECTION 1.

Heb. xi. 6. But without faith it is impossible to please him for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Acts xxiv. 14. 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. 2 Cor. xiii. 5. Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates. Col. i. 23. If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled; and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister. Rom. iii. 27. Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. Gal. i. 23. But they had heard only, That he which persecuted us in times past, now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed. Gal. iii. 23. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

SECTION 11.

Rom. x. 8-15. inclusive. But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth and in thy heart: that is the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess

with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things.

SECTION III.

Deut. iv. 39. Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord he is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath: there is none else. 2 Pet. i. 8. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. John vi. 69. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God. Col. i. 9. For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Col. ii. 2. That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ. Isaiah liii. 11. He shall see of the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Job xix. 25. Į know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day