194 Of Believing in jets Chri fi. SE RM. was firft publifhed to them, but of the pro - V II. feffed difciples of Chrift ; not of them who ""' ") had not known the truth, as the infpired au- thor fpeaketh in this very epiftle, but of them who had known it, and believed, and obeyed it; children, young men, and fathers, all the degrees and fizes of growth and proficiency in knowledge and in grace, of them who were born of God, and had by their faith overcome the world, and overcome the evil one. And it is farther plain, from a multi- tude of paffages in the epiftles, that faith is an altive principle of religion ; from it charity and virtue, in a great degree, derive their force and efficacy, in which therefore Chrif- tians fhould conftantly endeavour to build up themfelves, and to have it daily more and more ftrengthened, that they may be prepar- ed for every good work, and may grow up to perfeftion. From all thefe confiderations, it would feem that the belt and moft confiftent way of explaining the fcripture account of faith, as it is our duty, the commandment of God to us, and of fo great virtue and efficacy to the acceptance of men with God, the moft con - fiftent way, I fay, feemeth to be, that it is not an at of the underftanding only, if it may be called fo, but of the will and affections, as including
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