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

Oh that mistaken Christians would be rectified in this point! how much would it tend to their holiness and their peace? You think of almost nothing of the life of Faith; but how to believe that you have a special interest in Christ, and shall be saved by him: But you have first another work to do: You must first believe that common Love and Grace before mentioned, John 3.16. 2 Cor. 5.19, 20.14, 15. 1 Tim. 2.6. Heb. 2.9. And you must believe your own interest in this; that is, that God hath by Christ, made to all, and therefore unto you, an act of oblivion, and free deed of gift, that you shall have Christ, and pardon, and eternal life, if you will believingly accept the gift, and will not finally reject it. And the belief of this, even of this common Love and Grace, must first persuade your hearts accordingly to accept the offer, (and then you have a special interest) and withal, at the same time, must kindle in your souls a thankful love to the Lord and fountain of this grace: and if you were so ingenuous as to begin here, and first use your Faith upon the foresaid common gift of Christ, for the kindling of love to God within you, and would account this the work which Faith hath every day to do; you would then find that in the very exciting and exercise of this holy Love, your assurance of your own special interest in Christ, would be sooner and more comfortably brought about, than by searching to find either evidence of pardon before you find your love to God; or to find your love to God, before you have laboured to get and exercise it.

Oh that mistaken Christians would be rectified in this point! how much would it tend to their holiness and their peace? You think of almost nothing of the life of Faith; but how to believe that you have a special interest in Christ, and shall be saved by him: But you have first another work to do: You must first believe that common Love and Grace before mentioned, John 3.16. 2 Cor. 5.19, 20.14, 15.