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

Though I have often and more largely spoken of these duties in other Treatises, I must not here totally omit them, where I speak of that Faith in God, which essentially consisteth in them. It is a narrow, and foolish, and pernicious conceit of Faith, which thinketh it hath no object but promises ⟨p. 176⟩and pardon; and that it hath nothing to do with God as our Sovereign Governor: And it is too large a description of faith, which maketh actual and formal obedience to be a part of it: As Marriage is not conjugal fidelity and duty, but it is a Covenant which obligeth to it; and as the Oath of Allegiance is not a formal obedience to the Laws, but it is a covenanting to obey them; and as the hiring or covenant of a servant, is not doing service, but it is an entering into an obligation and state of service: So Faith and our first Christianity, is not strictly formal obedience to him that we believe in, as such: But it is an entering of our selves by covenant into an obligation and state of future obedience. Faith hath Gods precepts for its objects as truly as his promises: But his own Relation as our King or Ruler is its primary object, before his precepts, Hos. 13.10. Psal. 2.6. & 5.2. & 10.16. & 24.7, 8, 10. & 47.6, 7. & 89.18. & 149.2. Rev. 15.3. 1 Timoth. 1.17. Luke 19.27.

Though I have often and more largely spoken of these duties in other Treatises, I must not here totally omit them, where I speak of that Faith in God, which essentially consisteth in them. It is a narrow, and foolish, and pernicious conceit of Faith, which thinketh it hath no object but promises