Faith, in general, is neither more nor less than a conviction in the mind, or a perfuafion that what we hear is true.-If, that which is told us brings not along with it the appearance of truth, we then reject, or difbelieve it; if it be only plausible, or probable, the mind is held in fufpence and doubt concerning it; but, if it brings undoubted evidence, and certain demonftration along with it, the mind is then convinced, or persuaded of its truth, and cannot but believe it; and this perfuafion is faith.

Faith therefore is the evidence of things not feen because it is a conviction, or perfuafion in our own minds, that what we hear is true; altho' we have not seen the things which we believe, only they are reported unto us. If it be merely the word of man which is thus credited, and believed by us, then it is a human faith, or faith in man; but, if it be the word of God, and we believe it as fuch, it is then a divine faith, or faith in GOD. Yet to believe every word that God fpeaks is not juftifying faith, unless that word refpect our falvation, and contains in it a promise of life to the believer; for then, and only then, it is faving faith to believe what GOD fpeaketh. Thus the nature of the testimony, and of the thing teftified, makes a wide difference in the nature of our faith.

Hence

Hence it appears that divine faith is a perfuafion that what God fpeaks in his word is true: on the contrary, unbelief is a not being convinced, or perfuaded, that what God fays is true; for, fpeaking to the enemies of the Gofpel, whose minds were blinded, he faith, Behold, ye defpifers, and wonder, and perif; for I work a work in your days, a work which ye fhall in nowife believe, tho' a man declare it unto you

Again, if the word which we believe plainly import, or express a promife of the speaker; our faith, or a perfuafion of its being true, neceffarily implies and includes a dependance, or trusting on him that speaketh, for the performance of his promife: Therefore to believe, and to truft in GOD, because of the promife of life in CHRIST JESUS, are fynonimous expreffions, denoting one and the fame thing. Thus Abraham believed GOD when he promised that in him, and in his feed, fhould all nations be bleed, which feed was CHRIST: And in thus believing, he glorified GOD as God, because he judged him both able, and faithful, to fulfil his promise.

If

Acts xiii. 41.

If the word spoken is delivered to us by way of a precept or commandment; then believing neceffarily fuppofes, and implies obeying alfo:-In this cafe a man cannot believe at all without obeying, and confequently acknowleging the authority of him that speaketh: Those therefore who believe are faid to obey the Gospel; they purify their fouls in obeying the truth: hence the Gofpel is preached for the obedience of faith among all nations; for this is God's commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jefus Chrift -Thus to believe God's word, or teftimony concerning his Son JESUS; to trust in GoD, or in CHRIST; and to obey the Gofpel, mean exactly one and the fame thing.

In repentance, the foul believes GOD, fpeaking in his law; and juftifies him in condemning, and holding all men guilty, and subject to his wrath, because of fin.-In obeying the Gospel, the Chriftian believeth GOD, and acknowledges him to be both juft, and gracious, in juftifying the ungodly, and faving the finner that believeth in Jesus.

No man then can truly believe what God hath revealed and teftified concerning CHRIST, without trufting

+ Rom. i. 5.

‡ 1 John iii. 23.

trufting in him; nor can any truft in GoD, without obeying his voice; whofe commandment, in the New Teftament is, that we fhould believe on him whom he hath fent, that is, on CHRIST JEsus. When a man, by grace, believeth with the beart unto righteousness, his natural blindness, selfdependance, and rebellion, both of the mind, and of the will, is fubdued and taken away: therefore he faith, I will put my laws into their minds, and in their hearts I will write them; and what is this but the law of faith working by love? Then he adds, and their fins, and their iniquitses, I will remember no

more .

Now in this believing GoD, and on his Son, JESUS CHRIST, the foul is strong or weak in faith, according as his perfuafion, or evidence concerning God's word and teftimony, is more or less made clear and manifeft to the mind and confcience; and confequently his truft in CHRIST is firm and fteadfast, and his obedience lively and chearful, in proportion to the clearness of the persuasion of his mind concerning them.

If the conviction and evidence of its truth be not quite clear, and felf-evident, faith is then weak, and attended with fear and doubting: But if the evidence

Heb. x. 16, 17.

evidence be clear, and full, faith is then strong, and firm; and this is called ftrang faith. Thus Abraham, not being weak in faith, he staggered not, but was ftrong in faith, giving glory to GoD: and this ftrong faith is the fame as affurance of faith, or a certain, undoubted persuasion, that the thing believed, or the word which God hath spoken, is true; for what is affurance, but a being fure or certain? Farther, there is a higher de gree of this certainty, which is mentioned in Scripture, and that is a full affurance; which is, fuch a measure of certainty, as powerfully to bear down, and triumph over all the contradiction and oppofition made against it by carnal reasoning, the fophiftry of the world, or Satan: by this full affurance, like a fhip under full fail, the foul is carried ón, in believing, irresistibly and victoriously, without let, or hindrance. If all the corrupt reafonings, fubtilty, and power of men, or devils oppofed the truth of GOD, which the foul believes with a full affurance, it would not interrupt nor ftop the foul in its courfe of believing, no not for a moment.-And, in proportion to its full affurance, and certainty of the divine teftimony; its truft and confidence in the truth believed, is proportionably full and perfect; and fo alfo is its obedience to him that calleth, juftifieth, and glori

fieth