special grace of faith is reckoned among the fruits of the Spirit; who from hence is called the Spirit of faith. 11. The moving cause of faith is, the free grace of God; Acts xviii. 27. 111. The word and ministers of it are the usual means and instruments of faith; the end of the word being written is, that men might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, John xx. 31. and the word preached is, the word of faith, Rom. x. 8, 17.

V. The effects of it, on the various things which are ascribed unto it in some sense or another, which shew the usefulness and importance of this grace. 1. Several blessings of grace are attributed to it. 1. Justification; hence we read of being, justified by faith, Rom v. 1. not by it, or through it, as a work of righteousness done by men, for then they would be justified and saved by work's contrary to the scriptures. Tit. iii. 5. Nor as a grace of the Spirit of God wrought in men; for that is a part and branch of sanctification, but faith objectively is meant or the object of faith, Christ, who is sometimes called faith, Gal. iii. 23. 2. Adoption, the saints are children of God by faith in Christ Jesus, Gal. iii. 26. 3. The remission of sins; God has set forth Christ to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, for the remission of sins, Rom. iii. 25. 4. Sanctification, purifying their hearts by faith, Act xv. 5. Eternal life and salvation are connected with faith; he that believes in him has everlasting life, John xvii. 3. 11. By faith souls have communion with God, with Christ, and with his people in his word and ordinances. 1. They have access to God, In whom says the apostle, we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him, Eph. iii. 12. 2. The inhabitation of Christ in the hearts of his people; the apostle prayed for the Ephesians that says he, Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, Eph, iii. 17. 3. Believers feed and live upon Christ by faith; I live by the faith of the Son of God, Gal. ii. 20. 4. It is by faith that believers go on com fortably in their christian race; As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him, 2 Cor. v. 7. go on

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believing in him till ye receive the end of your faith, the sal vation of your souls. 5. Faith makes Christ precious to souls; To them that believe he is precious, i Pet. ii. 7. 6. Faith works by love, by love to Christ and by love to his people. 7. It is faith which makes the word useful and the ordinances pleasant and delightful, Heb. iv. 2. it is only when Christ is held forth, and seen in the galleries, and shews himself through the lattices to faith, that the ordinances are amiable and lovely. 11. There are various other useful things ascribed to faith, as the effects of it. 1. It makes not ashamed. It is said, He that believeth shall not make haste, Isai xxviii. 16. Rom. ix. 33. and x. 11. 1 Pet. ii. 6. 2. It fills the soul with joy on hear. ing the word, the good news of salvation by Christ; so the jailor, on hearing the word of salvation preached, rejoiced, believing in God, a sight of Christ by faith will fill a soul with a joy unspeakable and full of glory, 1 Pet. i. 8. hence we read of the joy of faith. 3. It is by faith that saints get the victory over Satan, and the world, and every enemy, 1 John v. 4, 5. 4. It is by faith that saints are kept unto salvation, and are saved by grace through it.

VI. The properties or adjuncts of faith. 1. It is the first and principal grace, it takes the precedence of other graces. 2. It is a grace exceeding precious, it is like precious faith. 3. It is but one; as there is but one Lord to be believed in, and to be subject to, so but one faith. 4. Though faith is called common faith, common to all God's elect, yet every man has his own faith; the just shall live by his faith, and not another's, Heb. ii. 4. The faith of one man is of no service to another in the business of salvation. 5. It is true, real, and unfeigned. 6. It is a grace that cannot be lost; Christ is the Author' and Finisher. 7. It is indeed but imperfect; yet may be increased; Lord, increase our faith. 8. According to the Apostle's account of it, it is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen, Heb. xi. 1. it realizes things, and gives them a subsistance, and makes them appear solid and substantial; it brings distant things near, and future things pre

sent; it makes difficult things plain and easy, and unseen things visible, and gives a certainty to them all.

OF TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN GOD.

THIS being so near akin to faith, if not a part, yet at least a fruit of it, deserves next to be considered,

I. What confidence signifies, and the sense in which it is sometimes taken, and to be treated of here. 1. It is sometimes used for a profession of religion, taken up in the name and strength of Christ; hence it is advised not to cast it away, Heb. i. 6, 14. 11. It sometimes signifies that alacrity in which men engage in any branch of religious service; Many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds, are much more bold to speak the word without fear, Phil. i. 14. II. Sometimes confidence with respect to God in prayer is designed. In whom, that is, in Christ, we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him, Eph, iii. 12. ■v. Trust or confidence in God may be considered, as it has a connection with the grace of faith; faith is sometimes expressed by it; Such trust, or confidence have we through Christ to God-ward, 2 Cor. iii. 4. It seems to be faith greatly strengthened; a strong exercise of it: such as in 2 Tim. i. 2. I know whom I have believed or trusted: it deserves a distinct consideration. Particularly,

II. The objects of it.

First, Negatively; what are not the objects of it. 1. Idols; trust in which, and in things belonging to them, may be called idolatrous confidence. So the Gentiles gloried in their temples; as in the temple of Diana, at Ephesus, and of Idols in other places. 2. Men; trust in whom may be called human confidence. This was the sin of the Israelites, that they trus ted in the shadow of Egypt, Isai. xxx 2, 3. Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God: in some cases the most intimate friends are not to be confided in for secrecy; Trust ye not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide, Mic. vii. 5. 3. Self

is another object not to be trusted in; trust in which may be called self confidence; as when men trust in their wealth, and make gold their hope; He that trusteth in his riches shall fall, Prov. xi. 18. Nor should a man trust in his wisdom; lean not to thine own undestanding, Prov. iii. 5. nor in his strength, nor in his own heart, he that trusts in it is a fool, Prov. xxviii. Nor should men trust in their own works of righteousness; such a man's trust is no other than a spider's web.

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Second, Positively, the true and proper objects of trust and confidence are Jehovah, Father, Son, and Spirit. 1. Jehovah the Father: the saints may be confident of his love to them, and of the continuance of it; of his faithfulness in the fulfilment of his promises. Of his grace to supply all their wants; and of his power to keep and preserve them to eternal glory. 11. Jehovah the Son: trust is to be put in the salvation of Christ, or in him for salvation; in his righteousness; in the fulness of grace in him; in his power to help them in the exercise of every grace, and in the performance of every duty; to bear the cross of Christ, to fight his battles, and to persevere in faith and holiness to the end. 111. Jehovah the Spirit; For the carrying on and finishing his own work of grace in the hearts of his people,is expressed by confidence of it.

III. The encouragement there is to trust in the Lord, and that for all things and at all times.

First, There is encouragement to trust in God for all things. 1. All things are of him; all good things in nature, Acts xvii. 25. Rom. xi. 36. And in grace, 2 Cor. v. 18. 2. All good things are promised by God to his people; the covenant of grace is ordered in all things, and is full of exceeding great and precious promises. 3. God keeps back no good things he has promised: No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly, Psal. lxxxiv. 11, 12. 4. God gives all things freely to his people, without any regard to any merit or desert of theirs, Rom. viii. 32. 5. He gives all things plenteousty; so that the saint, with Jacob, can say, I have enough. There is abundant encouragement to trust in the Lord for all

things. 1. For things temporal, the outward mercies of life. For food, Psal. xxxvii. 3. for raiment, Gen. xxviii. 20, 21. Matt. vi. 30. for the preservation of life, Psal. cxxii. 5, 8. For these things may believers pray to God with an holy confidence, believing they shall have the petitions they ask of him. They may be encouraged by the experience of themselves and others. Good old Jacob in his dying moments expressed, in very strong language, his experience of the divine goodness throughout the whole of his life; The God which fed me all my life long unto this day, Gen. xlviii. 15, 16. 1. There is great encouragement to trust in the Lord for spiritual things; Christ has them all in his hands for his people, and will give them all things pertaining to life and godliness. III. There is encouragement to trust in the Lord for eternal things; for God has chosen his in Christ to the enjoyment of them he has made promises of eternal things to his people; he has prepared and provided everlasting happiness for them; has called them to his kingdom and glory; and whom he calls he glorifies, 1 Thess. v. 24. 1 John v. 11.

Secondly, There is encouragement to trust in the Lord al ways; Trust in him at all times, ye people, Psal lxii. 8. In times of darkness and desertion, Isai. 1. 10. in times of temptation, and of adversity, Zeph. iii. 12. and in the hour of death, God will be with them, and his fod and staff shall comfort them.

Thirdly, What that is in the Lord which gives encouragement to trust in him. 1. He is El-Shaddai, God all-sufficient. 2. He is Jehovah, the rock of ages, the everlasting strength of those that put their trust in him; Trust ye in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength, Isai. xxvi. 4. 3. The loving kindness, grace, mercy, and pity of God, give great encouragement to trust in him; How excellent is thy loving kindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings, Psal. xxxvi. 7. 4. His truth and faithfulness in his covenant and promises, strongly induce to trust in him; he will not suffer