Looking unto Jesus a view of the everlasting gospel, or, the souls eying of…

6. What is the condition of this covenant? I answer, the condition of the covenant of grace is faith, and only faith; to this purpose it is said of Abraham, he believed in the Lord, and he counted it to him for righteousness. This text is often alleged by the Apostles;¹ the word believed imports, that he thought the Word of God to be sure, certain, stable, and constant; it is such a belief as is opposed to fainting, as it is said of Jacob when he heard the report of his sons that Joseph was alive, his heart fainted, because he believed not; but when he believed, his heart revived; and David saith of himself, I had fainted, ⟨p. 68⟩unless I had believed. So that it is a lively motion of the heart, assenting unto, and trusting in God,² and in the word of God as firm and constant. This was the very condition of the covenant which God required of Abraham; q. d. Abraham, dost thou believe that such a Messiah shall be sent into the world? art thou able to believe? yes, I believe Lord, said Abraham; well saith God, I will put thee to the trial; I will give thee a Son, though thou art as a dead man, and Sarah as a dead woman; yet I will promise thee a son, art thou able to believe? again, thou seest the land of Canaan, thou hast not one foot in it, yet I will give thee this land in the length and breadth of it for thy possession, art thou able to believe this? you will say, what are these to the condition of the covenant, which is only to believe in God, and to believe in Jesus Christ? O yes, 1. These were shadows of the great promise, Christ; and therefore that act of faith, whereby Abraham believed that he should have a son, and that his Children should possess the land of Canaan was likewise a branch, a shadow, a pledge of that main act of faith whereby he believed the promised seed, in whom himself & all the Nations of the earth should be blessed. But 2. Let this be remembered that Abraham did not only believe the temporal promises, but every promise; as I will be thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward; now who is our shield but Christ; and who is our reward but Christ? but especially he believed the promise of the seed, and who is the head of the seed but Christ? yea, he believed in that promised seed in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed; and who was that but Christ?