9 S ERMQNS"atpon. Serm. I i. riches of the afürance of Vnderflandmg, Col. 2. 2. that dependeth on Experience; and inward retire of the Truth, and is wrought by the Holy Ghoft. And therefore the Apedle fpeaketh of the Evidence and Demonftration of the Spirit; e Cor. 2.4. iv áoroJdi e m avt6tuel© -,, Suváfthc s, in the demonfiration of the Spirit, and of `Power. 'Airakd is is a clear convincing Argument, by which the Judgment is retied, it cometh in upon the Soul with evident Confirmation. Il. The next thing in the Nature of Faith, is I have given them the words which thou gavefi me, and they have received them : There is a receiving Chrift, and a receiving the Word. Sometimes the Ad of Faith is terminated on the Perron of Chrift 5 as John I. 12. To as manyas received bins, to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God 5 even to as many as believe ea his Name. Sometimes on the Promifes g to Phew, that as there is no doting with Chrift without the Promife, fo there is no doling with the Promife without Chrift 5 fielt we receive the Word of Chrift, and then Chrift himfelf, and in Chrift Life and Salvation, that is the progrefs of Faith : As ro. 42. Through his Name, whofoever believeth in him fball receive remiiìon of Sins. Obferve. That Faith is 4 receiving the Word of Chrifi. The Notion is elfewhere ufed, Ads a. 41. Then they that gladly received the Word, were baptized. Unbelief, it is a rejecting the Cunfel of the Word, and Faith a receiving it. Unbelief is thus de- fcribed 5 Ads 13.46. Since ye put away the Word of God from you. So, Luke 7. 30. Bat the Pharifèes and Lawyers rebelled the Counfel of God againfi themfelves ; that is, re- faCed the Counfel of God, to their own lofs and ruin. On the contrary, when Corne- lius was converted, it is Paid, Aces r 1. 1. The Apofiles heard that the Gentiles alto bad re- ceived the Word of God. So that we may defcribe Faith with reference to this Ad 5 d Motion in the Heart of Man, , furred up by the Spirit of God to receive the whole Word of God. Let me open it a little. T. Receiving is a relative word, and prefuppofeth an Offer. God offereth on his part, and we receive on ours. As in all Contracts and Covenants between Party and Party 5 one Party offereth fuch an Advantage or Commodity- upon fuch Conditions, the other reeeiveth the Offer, confenteth to. the Conditions, and .expeaeth that the Covenant fhould be made good. So in the Covenant of Grace, Chrift offereth Re- miffion of Sins, and the whole Blefíing of the Gofpel, under the Condition of Faith and Repentance : We are faid to receive this Word, or this Gofpel, when we content to the Conditions; and wait for the accomplilhment of the Bleffrng 5 we are willing to come to tru(t him for the Grace of the Covenant, and to come under the Bond of the Duty of it. 2. In this Receiving, the Soul muff be convinced, that it is the Word of God, and that he will deal with Creatures upon fuch a Covenant. For in this Covenant it is not as it is in other Contrails 5 the Party contracting doth not appear in Perron, but dealeth with us by Officers and Subftitutes. God tendreth his Covenant by the Mini - ftry of Man. Now whofoever would receive it in God's Name, mutt be undoubtedly perfwaded, that they are commiffioned and authorized by God, to tender fuch a Co- venant to us. Therefore the Apofile faith, r Theft, 2. 13. When yg received the Word which ye have beard of so, ye received it not as the Word of e,Wan, but (as it is indeed) the Word of God, which cleat/ally worketh alp in you that believe. A Man that would profit by the Minifiry, mull fettle himfelf in this Perfwafion, that the Doctrines deli- vered in Scripture, have God for their Author. We come in God's Read, to ftrike up a Bargain with you for your Souls ; this bindeth the Ear to Attention,the Mind to Faith, the Heart to Reverence, the Will and Confcience to Obedience. We are to entertain all the Doctrines of the Word, without any fufpence of Judgment and Contradiction. We are to put to our Seal to Chrift's Teftimony : John 3.33. He that bath received bis Teflimony, bath fee to his Seal that God is true. Ufually there is force privy Atheifm in us, we look upon the Gofpel as a Golden Dream, and well deviled Fable. This is properly Aflènt, and thould be roundly laid. Lord, thou wilt not fail thy poor Crea- tures, if they venture their Souls on thy Word ! 3. The whole Word muff be received. In every Covenant there is a Precept as well as a Promife : We marr the very form of it, when we reflex on the Promife, and neglect the Precept. it is great Error in them that think, that receiving of the Word is done, when we apply the Promifes, as if nothing were needful to Salvation, but to fay,
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