Endeavor Diligently to Perform the Great Work of Believing On Christ, In a Right Manner, Without Any Delay, and Then Also to Continue and Increase In Your Most Holy Faith: That So Your Enjoyment of him, Union and Fellowship With Him, and All Holiness By Him, May Be Begun, Continued, and Increased In You

Faith in Christ is the duty with which a holy life is to begin, and by which the foundation of all other holy duties is laid in the soul. It is before sufficiently proved1 that Christ himself, with all endowments necessary to enable us to an holy practise, is received actually into our hearts by faith. This is the uniting grace, whereby the Spirit of God knitteth the knot of mystical marriage between Christ and us, and maketh us branches of that noble vine; members of that body,

1 Preceding parts of the work deal with Christian duty under the law, the endowments and qualifications necessary to perform them, which are gained through union with Christ and fellowship with him, through faith and the gospel. Sanctification comes after union, justification, and the gift of the Holy Spirit. The comforts of the gospel enable performance of duty under law, and assurance of faith is also a necessity.

joined to that excellent head; living stones of that spiritual temple, built upon the precious living corner-stone and sure foundation; partakers of the bread and drink that came down from heaven and giveth life to the world. This is the grace whereby we pass from our corrupt natural state to a new holy state in Christ, also from death in sin to the life of righteousness; and whereby we are comforted, that so we may be established in every good word and work. If we put the question, "What must we do that we may work the works of God?" Christ resolveth it, that we "believe on him whom he hath sent" (John 6:28, 29). He putteth us first upon the work of believing, which is the work by God, by way of eminency, the work of works, because all other good works proceed from it.

The first thing in the present direction, is to put you upon the performance of this great work of believing on Christ, and to guide you therein, for you are to consider distinctly four things contained in it.

1. The first is, you are to make it your diligent endeavor to perform the great work of believing on Christ. Many make little conscience of this duty. It is not known by natural light, as many moral duties are, but only by supernatural revelation in the gospel, and it is foolishness to the natural man.

These are sometimes terrified with apprehensions of other sins, and will examine themselves concerning them and, it may be, will write them down to help their memories and devotion. But the great sin of not believing on Christ is seldom thought of in their selfexaminations or registered in the large catalogs of their sins. And even those who are convinced that believing on Christ is a duty necessary to salvation, do neglect all diligent endeavors to perform it; either because they account that it is a motion of the heart which may be easily performed at any time, without any labor or diligent endeavors; or, on the contrary, because they account it as difficult as all the works of the law, and utterly impossible for them to perform by their most diligent endeavors, except the Spirit of God work it in them by his mighty power; and that therefore it is in vain for them to work, until they feel this working of the Spirit in their hearts or because they account it a duty so peculiar to the elect that it would be presumption for them to endeavor the performance of it until they know themselves to be elected to eternal life through Christ. I shall urge you to diligent performance of this duty, notwithstanding all these impediments, by the following consideration. It is worthy of our best endeavors, as appeareth by the precious

ness, excellency, and necessity of it already discovered.

If the light of nature were not darkened in the matters of salvation, it would show us that we can not of ourselves find out the way of salvation, and would condemn those that despise that revelation of the way of salvation that God hath given us in the gospel, declared in the Holy Scriptures. The great end of preaching the gospel is for the obedience of faith (Rom 1:5), that so we may be brought to Christ and all other obedience. Yea, the great end of all revealed doctrines in the whole Scripture is, to "make us wise unto salvation by faith that is in Christ Jesus" (2 Tim. 3:15). The "end of the law given by Moses was for righteousness to every one that believeth" (Rom. 10:4), and Christ was that end for righteousness. The moral law itself was revealed in order to our salvation by believing on Christ; or else the knowledge of it had nothing availed fallen man, that was unable to perform it. Therefore they that slight the duty of believing, and account it foolishness, do thereby slight, despise, and vilify the whole counsel of God revealed in the Scripture. The law and the gospel and Christ himself are become of none effect to the salvation of such. The only fruit that such an one can attain to by all the saving doctrines

of the Scripture is only some hypocritical moral duties and slavish performances, which will be as filthy rags in the sight of God in the great day. However, many mind not the sin of unbelief in their self-examinations, and write it not in their scrolls: yet let them know that this is the most pernicious sin of all. All the sins in their scrolls would not prevail to their condemnation; yea, they would not prevail in their conversation, were it not for their unbelief. This one sin prevailing maketh it impossible for them to please God in any duty whatsoever (Heb. 11:6). If you will not mind this one main sin now, God will at last mind you of it with a vengeance: for "he that believeth not on the Son, shall not see life: but the wrath of God abideth on him" (John 3:36). The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven in flaming fire, taking vengeance on those that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ (2. Thess. 1:7, 8).

2. Believing on Christ is a work that will require diligent endeavor and labor for the performance of it. We must labor to enter into that rest, lest any man fall by unbelief (Heb. 4:11). "We must show diligence to the full assurance of hope to the end, that we may be followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises" (Heb.