Christ himself, in his susception and discharge of his office. Hereunto he constantly refers all that he did and suffered, with all the benefits redounding unto the church thereby. Hence, as we observed before, sometimes the grace, or love, or especial mercy of God, sometimes his actings in or towards the Lord Christ himself, in sending him, giving him up unto death, and raising him from the dead, are proposed as the object of our faith unto justification. But they are so always with respect unto his obedience and the atonement that he made for sin. Neither are they so altogether absolutely considered, but as proposed in the promises of the gospel. Hence, a sincere assent unto the divine veracity in those promises, is included in this approbation.

What belongs unto the confirmation of this description of faith shall be reduced unto these four heads: 1. The declaration of its contrary, or the nature of privative unbelief upon the proposal of the gospel. For these things do mutually illustrate one another. 2. The declaration of the design and end of God, in and by the gospel. 3. The nature of faith's compliance with that design, or its actings with respect thereunto. 4. The order, method, and way of believing, as declared in the Scripture.

1. The gospel is the revelation or declaration of that way of justification and salvation for sinners by Jesus Christ, which God, in infinite wisdom, love, and grace, hath prepared. And upon a supposition of the reception thereof, it is accompanied with precepts of obedience, and promises of rewards. Therein the righteousness of God, that which he requires, accepts, and approves unto salvation, 'is revealed from faith unto faith;' Rom. i. 17. This is the record of God therein that he hath given unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son ;' 1 John v. 10. So John iii. 14-17. The words of this life; Acts v. 20. all the counsel of God; Acts xx. 27. Wherefore, in the dispensation or preaching of the gospel, this way of salvation is proposed unto sinners, as the great effect of divine wisdom and grace. Unbelief is the rejection, neglect, non-admission, or disapprobation of it, on the terms whereon, and for the ends for which, it is so proposed. The unbelief of the Pharisees, upon the preparatory preaching of John the Baptist, is called the 'rejecting of the counsel of God against themselves,' that is, unto their

own ruin; Luke vii. 30. They would none of my counsel,' is an expression to the same purpose; Prov. i. 30. so is, the neglecting this 'great salvation;' Heb. ii. 3. not giving it that admission which the excellency of it doth require. A disallowing of Christ; the stone ὃν ἀπεδοκίμασαν οἱ οίκοδομouvres, 1 Pet. ii. 7. The builders disapproved of,' as not meet for that place and work whereunto it was designed; Acts iv. 14. This is unbelief; to disapprove of Christ, and the way of salvation by him, as not answering divine wisdom, nor suited unto the end designed. So is it described by the refusing or not receiving of him, all to the same purpose.

What is intended will be more evident, if we consider the proposal of the gospel where it issued in unbelief, in the first preaching of it, and where it continueth still so to do.

1. Most of those who rejected the gospel by their unbelief, did it under this notion, that the way of salvation and blessedness proposed therein, was not a way answering divine goodness and power, such as they might safely confide in and trust unto. This the apostle declares at large, 1 Cor. i. so he expresseth it, ver. 23, 24. We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling-block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.' That which they declared unto them in the preaching of the gospel was, that 'Christ died for our sins, according to the Scripture;' chap. xv. 3. Herein they proposed him as the ordinance of God, as the great effect of his wisdom and power for the salvation of sinners. But as unto those who continued in their unbelief, they rejected it as any such way, esteeming it both weakness and folly. And therefore, he describeth the faith of them that are called, by their approbation of the wisdom and power of God herein. The want of a comprehension of the glory of God in this way of salvation, rejecting it thereon, is that unbelief which ruins the souls of men; 2 Cor. iv. 3, 4.

So is it with all that continue unbelievers under the proposal of the object of faith in the preaching of the gospel. They may give an assent unto the truth of it, so far as it is a mere act of the mind; at least they find not themselves

concerned to reject it. Yea, they may assent unto it with that temporary faith which we described before, and perform many duties of religion thereon. Yet do they manifest, that they are not sincere believers, that they do not believe with the heart unto righteousness, by many things that are irreconcilable unto, and inconsistent with, justifying faith. The inquiry therefore is, wherein the unbelief of such persons on the account whereof they perish, doth consist, and what is the formal nature of it. It is not, as was said, in the want of an assent unto the truths of the doctrine of the gospel; for from such an assent, are they said, in many places of the Scripture to believe, as hath been proved. And this assent may be so firm, and by va-. rious means so radicated in their minds, as that in testimony unto it they may give their bodies to be burned; as men also may do in the confirmation of a false persuasion. Nor is it the want of an especial fiduciary application of the promises of the gospel unto themselves, and the belief of the pardon of their own sins in particular. For this is not proposed unto them in the first preaching of the gospel, as that which they are first to believe; and there may be a believing unto righteousness, where this is not attained; Isa. 1. 10. This will evidence faith not to be true, but it is not formal unbelief. Nor is it the want of obedience unto the precepts of the gospel in duties of holiness and righteousness. For these commands as formally given in and by the gospel, belong only unto them that truly believe, and are justified thereon. That therefore which is required unto evangelical faith, wherein the nature of it doth consist, as it is the foundation of all future obedience, is the heart's approbation of the way of life and salvation by Jesus Christ, proposed unto it as the effect of the infinite wisdom, love, grace, and goodness of God; and as that which is suited unto all the wants and whole design of guilty convinced sinners. This such persons have not, and in the want thereof consists the formal nature of unbelief. For without this, no man is, or can be, influenced by the gospel unto a relinquishment of sin, or encouraged unto obedience, whatever they may do on other grounds and motives that are foreign unto the grace of it. And wherever this cordial sincere approbation of the way of salvation by Jesus Christ, proposed

in the gospel doth prevail, it will infallibly produce both repentance and obedience.

If the mind and heart of a convinced sinner (for of such alone we treat) be able spiritually to discern the wisdom, love, and grace of God in this way of salvation, and be under the power of that persuasion, he hath the ground of repentance and obedience which is given by the gospel. The receiving of Christ mentioned in the Scripture, and whereby the nature of faith in its exercise is expressed, I refer unto the latter part of the description given concerning the soul's acquiescency in God, by the way proposed.

Again, some there were at first, and such still continue to be, who rejected not this way absolutely, and in the notion of it, but comparatively, as reduced to practice, and so perished in their unbelief. They judged the way of their own righteousness to be better, as that which might be more safely trusted unto, as more according unto the mind of God and unto his glory. So did the Jews generally, the frame of whose minds the apostle represents, Rom. x. 3, 4. And many of them assented unto the doctrine of the gospel in general as true, howbeit they liked it not in their hearts as the best way of justification and salvation, but sought for them by the works of the law.

Wherefore unbelief, in its formal nature, consists in the want of a spiritual discerning, and approbation of the way of salvation by Jesus Christ, as an effect of the infinite wisdom, goodness, and love of God. For where these are, the soul of a convinced sinner cannot but embrace it, and adhere unto it. Hence also all acquiescency in this way, and trust and confidence in committing the soul unto it, or unto God in it, and by it, without which whatever is pretended of believing, is but a shadow of faith, is impossible unto such persons. For they want the foundation whereon alone they can be built. And the consideration hereof doth sufficiently manifest wherein the nature of true evangelical faith doth consist.

2. The design of God in and by the gospel, with the work and office of faith with respect thereunto, farther confirms the description given of it. That which God designeth herein in the first place, is not the justification and salvation of sinners. His utmost complete end in all his counsels, is

his own glory; he doth all things for himself, nor can he who is infinite do otherwise. But in an especial manner he expresseth this concerning this way of salvation by Jesus Christ.

ousness.

Particularly, he designed herein the glory of his righte'To declare his righteousness;' Rom. iii. 25. Of his love; 'God so loved the world;' John iii. 16. Herein we perceive the love of God, that he laid down his life for us;' 1 John iii. 16. Of his grace; accepted to the praise of the glory of his grace;' Eph. i. 5, 6. Of his wisdom; Christ crucified, the wisdom of God;' 1 Cor. i. 24. Might be known by the church, the manifold wisdom of God;' Eph. iii. 10. Of his power; it is the power of God unto salvation;' Rom. i. 16. Of his faithfulness; Rom. iv. 16. For God designed herein, not only the reparation of all that glory, whose declaration was impeached and obscured by the entrance of sin, but also a farther exaltation and more eminent manifestation of it, as unto the degrees of its exaltation, and some especial instances before concealed; Eph. iii. 9. And all this is called the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,' whereof faith is the beholding; 2 Cor. iv. 6.

3. This being the principal design of God in the way of justification and salvation by Christ proposed in the gospel; that which on our part is required unto a participation of the benefits of it, is the ascription of that glory unto God which he designs so to exalt. The acknowledgment of all these glorious properties of the divine nature, as manifested in the provision and proposition of this way of life, righteousness, and salvation, with an approbation of the way itself as an effect of them, and that which is safely to be trusted unto, is that which is required of us; and this is faith or believing. believing. Being strong in faith, he gave glory to God;' Rom. iv. 22. And this is in the nature of the weakest degree of sincere faith. And no other grace, work, or duty, is suited hereunto, or firstly and directly of that tendency, but only consequentially and in the way of gratitude. And although I cannot wholly assent unto him who affirms that faith in the epistles of Paul, is nothing but, existimatio magnifice sentiens de Dei potentia, justitia, bonitate, et si quid promiserit in eo præstando con