church, that whoever will lay afide all thoughts of faving themselves by the covenant of works, or inherent righteoufnefs, and will agree heartily to be faved by Chrift Jefus, they fhall be reftored to a better condition than formerly man was in, and fhall be faved. So then, to clofe with God's device of faving finners by Chrift Jefus is to quit and forego all thoughts of help of falvation by our own righteoufnefs, and to agree unto this way which God hath found out; it is to value and highly esteem of Chrift Jefus as the treasure fufficient to enrich poor man, and with the heart to believe this record, that there is life enough in him for men; it is to please this invention, and to acquiefce in it as the only way to true happiness; it is to point towards this mediator, as God holdeth him out in the gofpel, with defire to lay the ftrefs of our whole ftate on him. This is that which is called faith or believing, the "receiving of Chrift," or" believing on his name." This is that believing on the Lord Jefus Chrift," commanded unto the jailor for his fafety; this agreeth to all the defcriptions of juftifying faith in the fcripture. This doth anfwer the type of looking to the brazen ferpent lifted up in the wil derness," and this is fuppofed in all thefe ordinary actings of faith to which promifes are annexed in the fcripture; and will be found in all who have got the new heart from God, and it will be found in none else, As to the Second thing, viz. That this is the neceffary duty of all fuch who would be in favor with God, and fecure their fouls; it appeareth thus: 1ft. This clofing with God's device, or believing in Chrift, is commanded every where in Scripture by the Lord as the condition of the new covenant, giving title and right unto all the spiritual bleffings of the fame; for it is, upon the matter, the receiving of Chrift. This is commanded, whilft God bids men come and buy," that is, impropriate all, by clofing with that device; The weary are commanded to come unto him thus for their reft, "This is his commandment, that we fhould believe on the name of his Son Jefus Chrift ;" this is enough to prove it a duty incumbent. But further, it is such a duty as only giveth title and right to a fonfhip: for only they who receive him are privileged to be fons, "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the fons of God, even to them that beeve on his name." 2dly. It appeareth to be the neceffary duty of all thus. -No less than this doth give a meeting unto God, offering himself to be our God in Chrift; and no lefs than this doth answer our profeffion, as we are in covenant with him, as members of his vifible church. The Lord offereth to be our God in Chrift; if we do not clofe with the offer, laying afide all thoughts of other ways by which we may attain to happinefs, we give no meeting to him. He faith, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed; hear ye him :" If we clofe not with the offer, we give no answer unto God. Moreover, we are all baptifed in the name of the Lord Jefus Chrift, for the remiffion of fins," now, unless we clofe with Chrift as faid is, we falfify that profeffion; therefore, fince this is the thing which doth anfwer God's offer in the gofpel, and maketh good our profeffion as members of his church, it is a neceffary duty lying upon us. . 3dly. Whatfoever a man hath elfe, if he do not thus clofe with God's device concerning Chrift Jefus, and do not receive him, it doth not avail, either as to the accepting of his perfon, or of his performances, or as to the faving of his foul. Men are accepted only in Chrift the Beloved, Abel and his offering are accepted by faith; "Without faith it is impoffible to please God ;" and "He that believeth not is condemned already, and shall not fee life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." For want of this no external title doth avail: "the children of the kingdom are caft out,' if this be wanting. The people of Ifrael are like other Heathens, in regard of a gracelefs ftate, lying open to the wrath of God; "Behold, the days come, faith the Lord, that I will punifh all them which are circumcifed with the uncircumcifed, Egypt, and Judah, and Edom: for all these nations are uncircumcifed, and all the houfe of Ifrael are uncircumcifed in the heart." If men do not believe that he who was flain at Jerufalem, who was called Chrift Jefus, and witneffed unto by the prophets, and declared to be the Son of God by many mighty works; I fay, if men do not believe that he is the way, and close not with him as the only way, they fhall die in their fins; "I faid therefore "unto you, that ye fhall die in your fins; for if ye believe not that I am he, ye fhall die in your fins." We fay then, it is a moft neceffary duty thus to close with Chrift Jefus, as the bleffed relief appointed for finners. Every one who is come to years of understanding, and heareth this gofpel, is obliged to take to heart his own loft condition, and God's gracious offer of peace and falvation through Chrift Jefus, and fpeedily to flee from the wrath to come, by accepting and closing with this offer, heartily acquiefcing therein as a fatisfying way for faving of poor finners. And, that all may be the more encouraged to fet about this duty, when they hear him praying them to be reconciled unto him, let them remember, that peace and falvation is offered to the people in univerfal terms, to all without exception; "If any man will," he fhall be welcome; If any thirst, although after that which will never profit, yet they fhall be welcome here, on the condition forefaid; All are "commanded to believe." This is his commandment, that we fhould believe on the name of his Son Jefus Chrift." The promises are to all who are externally called by the gospel. God excludes none, if they do not exclude them felves; "The promife is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God fhall call." So that if So that if any have a mind for the thing, they may come forward, "he will in no wife caft them out," being able to fave to the uttermoft them who come to God through him ;" and thefe who have long delayed to take this matter to heart had now the more need to look to it, left what belongs to their peace be hid from their eyes. But all these words will not take effect with people, until "God pour out his fpirit from on high," to caufe men to approach unto God in Chriit; yet we muft ftill prefs men's duty upon them, and obteft and charge them by the appearing of the Lord Jefus Chrift, and their reckoning to him in that day, that they give the Lord no reft, until he fend out that "fpirit, which he will give to them who afk it," and caufe them to know what belongs unto their peace, and bring them up to their duty. SECTION 11. What is previously required of thofe that would believe on Chrift Fefus. WE come now to fpeak of the Third thing, viz. what is previously required of thofe who are to perform this duty. Men muft not rafhly, inconfiderately, and ignorantly rufh in upon this matter, faying, they please that device of faving finners by Chrift, and will acquiefce and rest on him for fafety. Often men do deceive themselves here, and do imagine that they have done the thing. We fhall therefore hold out fome things prerequired in a person who is to clofe with Chrift Jefus ; which although we offer not as pofitive qualifications, fitting a man for Chrift that way, "Come-without money, and without price;" yet they are fuch things, as without them a man cannot knowingly and cordially perform the duty of believing on Chrift Jefus. Befide the common principles which are to be fuppofed in those who live under gospel ordinances: as the knowledge that men have immortal fouls; that foul and body will be united again at the laft day; that there is a heaven and hell, one of which will be the everlasting lot of all men; that the Old and New Teftament is the true word of God, and the rule of faith and manners; that every man is by nature void of the grace of God, and is an enemy unto God, and an heir of condemnation j that reconciliation is only by the Mediator Chrift Jefus; that faith unites unto him, and is the condition of the new covenant; that holinefs is the fruit of true faith, and is to be ftudied, as that without which no man fhall fee God; I fay befide these things, the knowledge of which is neceffary, it is required of him who would believe on Christ Jefus, first, That he take to heart his natural condition and here he must know fome things, and alfo be very serious about them; I fay, he muft know fome things; as, : ift. That as he was born a rebel and outlaw unto God, so he hath by many actual tranfgreffions disobliged God, and ratified the forfeiture of his favor: yea, a man fhould know many particular inftances of his rebellion on all hands; as that he is a liar, Sabbath-breaker, blafphemer, or the like; as Paul fpeaketh very particularly of himself afterwards. 2dly, The man muft know that the wrath of God denounced in fcripture is ftanding in force against thofe very fins whereof he is guilty, and fo, confequently, he is the party undoubtedly against whom God who cannot lie, hath denounced war. A man muft know, that when the fcripture faith, "Curfed is he that offereth a corrupt thing unto God," it fpeaketh againft him for his fuperficial fervice performed unto God with the outward man, when his heart was far off. When the word faith, "The Lord will not hold him guiltlefs that taketh his name in vain," the man muft know it fpeaketh againft himfelf, who bath often carelessly profaned that dreadful "Name, before which all knees fhould bow," and "which his enemies do take in vain." When the word faith, "Curfed is he that doth the work of the Lord negligently," the man must know that it fpeaks against himfelf, who hath irreverently, with much wandering of heart, and drowlinefs, heard the word preached; and without fenfe, faith, or underftanding, hath often prayed before him. When the word faith, "Woe be unto him that giveth his neighbor drink, and |