Marshall - BT765 M37 1788

78 The Gofpel- Myflery Dire , IV. they are carried forth, by that faith, according to the meafure of its ftrength or weaknefs, to love God heartily, becaufe God hath loved them firft, i John iv. 19. to praife him, to pray unto him in the name of Chrift, Eph._v. zo. John xvi. 26, 27. to be patient with chearfulnefs, under all aflicîions giving thanks to the Father, that hath called them to his heavenly inheritance, Col. 1. r i, 12. to love all the children of God, out of love to their heavenly Father, r John v. r. to walk as Chrift walked, r John ii. 6. and to give themfelves up to live to Chrift in all things, as con- ftrained by his love in dying for them, 2 Cor. v. 14. We have a cloud of witneffes concerning the excel- lent works that were produced by faith, Heb. xi. And though truiling on Chrift be accounted fuch a flight and contemptible thing, yet I know no work of obedience, which it is not able to produce. And note the excellentmanner of working by faith. By it we live and aá in all good works, aspeople in Chrift, as railed above ourfelves and our natural Rate, by partakingof him and his falvation ; and we do all in his name, and on his account. This is the practice of that myfterious manner of living to God in holi- nefs, which is peculiar to the Chriftian religion, wherein we live ; "and yet not we, but Chrift liveth " in us," Gal.ii. 2o. And who can imagine any other way but this for fuch a practice, while Chrift and his falvation are known to us only by the gofpel ? The explanation that I have made of the nature and office of true faith, and of its aptitude for its of- fice, is fufficient to evidence, that it is a moft holy faith, as it is called, Jude, ver. 20. and that fuch a trufting on Chrift, as I have defcribed, in its own nature, cannot have any tendency to licentioufnefs, but only to holinefs ; and that it rootethand ground- eth us in holinefs, more than the mere accepting of any terms of falvation, and confenting to have Chrift for our Lord, can do ; and is more powerful to fe- cure an holypraaice, than any of thole refolutions

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