nifie that he came from God, and was Sent by him into the world, and was the Sermon Meffias whom they expected. John 3. VIII.

2. Nicodemus describes his Faith in Christ thus, I know that thou art a teacher come from God. John 6. 29. This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath fent, that is, that ye believe me to be fent from God. John 8. 24. For if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your fins, that is, If ye believe not that I am the Meffias, whom you expect and look for. And fo John 13. 19. That ye may believe that I am he. And John 11. 42. That they may believe that thou hast fent me. And John 16.30 By this we believe that thou camest forth from God. And John 17.8. They have believed that thou didst fend

me.

Sometimes the Faith of the Gofpel is expreft by Metaphors equivalent to these expreffions, as by coming to Chrift, and receiving him as the true Meffias, in feveral places; and fometimes by believing that which is the great Argument and Confirmation that Chrift

was

was the true Meffias the Son of God, Volume that is, believing his Refurrection from XII. the dead. Rom. 4. 24. To whom it shall be

imputed for Righteousness, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead. Rom. 10. 9. If thou shalt confefs with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart, that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be faved. Col. 2. 12. Through the faith of the operation of God, who raised him up from the dead. Where Faith is defcrib'd by a belief of the Power whereby Chrift was raised from the dead. And to mention no more, 1 Pet. 1. 21. Who by him do believe in God, that raifed him up from the dead. Now the reason why the Faith of the Gospel is described by the belief of Christ's Refurrection, is, because whoever believes that Christ was raised from the dead, cannot but be fatisfied, that this great Miracle was a fufficient attestation that he was no Impoftor, but that he was what he pretended to be, viz. the Son of God; and confequently that

he ought to be
ed in all things.

believed and obeyAnd thus much may fuffice to have spoken to this Seventh Obfervation.

Eighth Observation; That to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, is truly and properly Sanctifying, and Justifying, and Saving Faith. So the Text tells us, that this Faith gives us life; But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his Name, that is, as I explain'd this Phrase in the opening of the Text, that upon these terms and conditions, ye might be made partakers of all those Blessings and Benefits, which Christ, the Saviour of the World, hath purchased, which are here set forth under the name of Life; it being usual in the Phrase of Scripture to set forth to us those things which are moft excellent and defirable, by Life, which men value above all other things. Now the Principal Benefits which Chrift hath purchased, and which we are said to be made partakers of by believing, are,

1. Regeneration; under which I

include the continuance and pro

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gress

gress of this work, which is Sanctifi

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2. Juftification; by which I cannot find that the Scripture means any more than Pardon or Remiffion of Sins.

3. Eternal Life; and this I think is principally, tho' not folely intended here in the Text, as I have shewn, by comparing the Text with other parallel Texts in the fame Evangelift. John 3. 15. That whosoever believeth in him, Should not perish, but have eternal life. And, ver. 36. He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life. I fay, I think eternal life is here principally intended, tho this suppose the other, Regeneration, and Juftification, before we can attain it, which may alfo - very well be included here in the term Life. My Reasons are these.

:

1. Because I find in Scripture, that Regeneration and Juftification are exprest by the name of Life. Rom. 6. 4. our Regeneration is call'd newness of life, because before we were dead in

fins and trespasses; And Rom. 5. 18.

JuftificaJuftification is call'd Justification of life, because while our fins are unpardon'd, Sermon and weare under the sentence of con- VIIL demnation, we are dead in Law; but being juftified and pardon'd, we are, as it were, restored to life again.

2. Because in the Phrafe of Scripture we are faid to be Regenerate, and Sanctified, and Justified by Faith, as well as saved. 1 John 5.1. He that believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God. Gal. 2. 20. The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the Faith of the Son of God; speaking of the new life of Sanctification. And Col. 2. we are faid to be risen with Christ, that is, born to a new Life, by the Faith of the operation of God, that raised up Jefus from the dead; and to be justified by Faith, in innumerable places. So that it is very probable upon these accounts that the Evangelift here, when he says, that believing you might have life in his name, doth intend to take in Regeneration and Juftification, as well as eternal life, which is the confummation of all the Bleffings of the Gofpel. I come now to the Obfervation, viz.

Q2

That