ceives CHRIST as a Prophet, to open the blind eyes, and to enlighten the understanding; muft alfo receive him as a Prieft, to purge his confcience from fin; and as a King, to fubdue his iniquities, to rule, and reign over him: If any man receive not CHRIST thus, he fincerely and heartily receives him not at all; and confequently is difaffected to him, and hath no faith in him: for Chrift cannot be divided.

First indeed CHRIST opens the eyes of the mind, and enlightens the understandings of his people, to know him to be the Son of GOD, the Saviour of loft finners, and that he is the only way unto the Father: but CHRIST doth not merely enlighten the understanding, which is but one faculty only, without making a farther discovery of himself, with power on the will, and the heart also: for true faith is not feated in the head, or understanding alone: because bardnefs of heart, and rebellion in the will, are confiftent with much illumination, and knowledge concerning CHRIST. Therefore he proceeds to fubdue the will, as it is written, thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power; and from thence to the heart, for be purifies their hearts by faith: and having poffeffed himself of the heart (which is the fource and center of all joy or grief, torment or felicity,) he

Pfal. cx. 3.

+ Acts xv. 9.

he sakes up his refidence, and dwells there.-And now the foul, but not before, is a partaker of the faith of God's Elect; for with the heart man belie veth unto righteousness.

M

When a perfon thus believes, it appears that CHRIST is truly received and welcomed by him as one worthy of all acceptation, in all his offices of Prophet, Prieft, and King. He not only believes the report concerning CHRIST as a faithful faying, but receives him alfo into his heart as worthy of the highest love and efteem: hence arifes an undiffembled truft, and confidence in him.

To fuppofe that a perfon may truft in CHRIST with the understanding, which is the faculty of light and knowledge only, is (I humbly conceive) a manifeft abfurdity: but to trust in the Lord with all one's heart, which is the feat and fountain of love and affection, is both rational, and fcriptural. For he no where faith, CHRIST dwelleth in the understanding by faith; but he faith exprefly, with the heart man believeth+: And again, Chrift dwelleth in our hearts by faith Thus in believing the mind is not only enlightened, but the rebellious will is fubdued, and the heart alfo puri

Prov. iii. 5. † Rom. x. 10. ↑ Eph. iii. 17.

7

fied: Therefore true faith, which poffeffeth the heart, worketh by love.

Moreover the foul of man, whofe carnal mind is enmity against GOD, cannot be brought into the obedience of CHRIST, nor prevailed with to follow him, except the heart be first changed, and purified; for where the heart is not engaged, there can be no love, nor fincerity. David therefore, when fpeaking of the bleffedness of a believer, faith; blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whofe fpirit there is no guile.

Hence it is clear that every one who believeth that Jefus is the Chrift is born of God.None but a new creature can thus believe; because none but a regenerated perfon can truly know that Jesus is the Son of GOD: yet 'tis certain that love is not here feparated from the knowledge of CHRIST in thus believing on him; for the Apoftle immediately adds, every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him alfo that is begotten of him; plainly importing that love is effential to true faith, and that. he himself includes it in the paffage before us: Again he afferts, that every one who is born of God overcometh the world; and, in the next verse, he tells

us

us who they are, even they who believe that Jefus is the Son of God *.

Now it is not the bare knowledge, but rather the love of CHRIST that effectually perfuades, and enables the foul to overcome the world. Faith indeed is fometimes diftinguifhed from the love of its object; but it then means fuch a bare conviction, light or knowledge only, as a natural man may receive, or attain to without faving converfion; as may be seen in 1 Corin. Chap. 13. Hence he faith, if I had all faith, or had all knowledge, and had not love, it would profit me nothing. Those perfons then greatly err, who fuppofe that faith in CHRIST is a bare believing the Divine report or teftimony, or a mere knowledge of CHRIST, without love: for none can believe God's teftimony concerning his Son JESUS CHRIST, without loving him; becaufe love is the fource and principle of all obedience; which love is in the heart, altho' it enters by the way of knowledge and understanding.

Nothing then is conceived to be Gospel faith but that which receiveth CHRIST, or the truth, in the love thereof; whereby it is diftinguifhed from a temporary, or dead faith. Therefore to love CHRIST, the object of our faith and dependance,

1 John v. 5.

is

-It is

is as effential to faith, as to know him. allowed, and hath been already observed, that no man can truly or rationally love CHRIST that doth not know him: but if knowledge be feparated from love, when it is confidered as faving knowledge, it not only contradicts the Scripture, but the prepares way for all hypocrify, and licentioufnefs.

When true faith is fpoken of in Scripture, as the knowledge of CHRIST, it is not to be underftood of knowledge barely: But knowledge, in thofe paffages where it means true faith in JESUS CHRIST, imports fuch a knowledge of his glorious power and grace as neceffarily engages and determines the foul to cleave unto him. A difcovery of his glory, love, and excellency in the heart, cannot fail to change the heart, and draw it after him: For the love of Christ conftraineth us +: All knowledge without this is vain, even as all faith, if it hath not love, is dead, being alone.-Knowledge, faith the Apoftlé, (that is, bare knowledge, abftracted from love) puffeth up, but charity, or love edifieth: Therefore he adds, If any man love God, the fame is known of him.