Direr IV: d San57. ccatiòn. that believeth on the Son of God, path the Son, r: and everlafting life that is in him, t John v> 12v t3. John iii. 36. He that heareth Chriff's word,' and believeth on him that fent Chrift, hath ever - 'c tailing life, and is pffed from death unto life,'L John v. 24, There texts exprefs dearly fuch a faith as I have defcribed. Therefore the efficiency or o- peration of faith, in order to the enjoyment of Chrift and his fulnefs, cannot be the procurement of a bare right or title to this enjoyment; but rather it mutt be an entrance into it, and taking poff flion of it. 6' We have accefs and entrance by faith into that " grace of Chrift wherein we ftand," Rorïi. V. 2. Secßndly, The Scripture plainly afcribeth this of felt to faith, that by it we receive Chrift, put hint on, are rooted and grounded in him ; and alfo that we receive the Spirit, remiflion of fns,.and an inheri- tance among them which are fanff ified, John i. 12. Gal. iii. 26, 27. Col. ii. 6, -7. Gal. iii. 14. As xxvi, 18. And the Scripture ills ftrateth this receiving by the fimilitude of eating and drinking; " he that be- " lieveth on Chrift, drinketh the living water of his Spirit, John vii. 37, 33, 39. Chrift is the bread of 't life; his flesh is meat indeed, and his blood is 64 drink indeed.' And the way to eat and drink it, is to believe in Chrift; and, by fo doing, we dwell in Chrift, and Chrift in us, and have everlafting life, Johnvi. 35, 47, 48+ 54, 55, g6. How can it he taught More clearly, that we receive Chrift himfelf proper- ly into our fouls by faith, as we do receive food in- to our bodies by eating and drinking; and that Chrift. is as truly united to us thereby, as our food, when we eat or drink it ? So that faith cannot be a condi- tion to procure a mere right or title to Chrift, no more than eating or drinking procureth a mere tight or title to our food ; but it is rather an inftru- orient to receive it, as the mouth that cateth and drinketh the food. irdly, Chrift, with all his falvation, is freely X
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=