The life of faith in three parts, the first is a sermon on Heb.…

Direct. 7. Observe that the belief of Christs threatenings of damnation to impenitent unbelievers, is a real part of the Christian saving Faith, and that when ever it is joined with a true love and desire after holiness, it certainly proveth that the Promises also are believed, though the party think that he doth not believe them.

Direct. 7. Observe that the belief of Christs threatnings of damnation to impenitent unbelievers, is a real part of the Christian saving Faith, and that when ever it is joyned with a true love and desire after holiness, it certainly proveth that the Promises also are believed, though the party think that he doth not believe them.

Note here 1. That I do not say, that all belief or fear of Gods threatenings is saving Faith. But 2. That all saving Faith containeth such a belief of the threatenings. 3. And that many times poor Christians, who believe and tremble at the threatenings, do truly believe the Promises, and yet mistake, and verily think that they do not believe them. 4. But their mistake may certainly be manifested, if their Faith do but work by a love and desire after holiness, and the fruition of God.

Note here 1. That I do not say, that all belief or fear of Gods threatnings is saving Faith. But 2. That all saving Faith containeth such a belief of the threatnings. 3. And that many times poor Christians, who believe and tremble at the threatnings, do truly believe the Promises, and yet mistake, and verily think that they do not believe them. 4. But their mistake may certainly be manifested, if their Faith do but work by a love and desire after holiness, and the fruition of God.

For 1. It is evident that the same Gospel which saith, He that believeth shall be saved; doth say, He that believeth not shall be damned. Therefore the same faith believeth both, 2. It is plain that the same formal object of faith, which is Gods Veracity, will bring a man to believe one as well as the other, if he equally know it to be a divine revelation: He that believeth that All that God saith is true: and then believeth that God saith that All true Believers shall be saved; must needs believe that this Promise is true. And he that understandeth that Christ saith, Unbelievers shall be damned; cannot but find also that he saith, True Believers shall be saved. And if he believe the one, because it is the word of Christ; he doth sure believe the other, because it is the word of Christ. 3. Yea it is in many respects harder to believe Gods threatenings, than his promises; partly because sinners are more unwilling that they should be true; and they have more enmity to the threatening, than to the promise; and partly because they commonly feign God to be such as they would have him be,