from that covenant mercy. But if faith in the Son, as fuch, viz. as the Father's equal, and as the fupreme God, is not made neceffary by the christian covenant, to our juftification and falvation, then our mistaking in this cannot be a bar to our juftification and falvation: because whatsoever is néceffary to that end is declared to be fo in that covenant; therefore whatsoever is not declared to be fo in that covenant, the want of it can be no bar to our justification and falvation. Moreover, I fay farther, that whofoever makes any thing neceffary to the justification and falvation of a finner, which the christian covenant hath not made fo, makes an alteration in, and an addition to that covenant, which Chrift is the alone mediator of; and makes the way to eternal life ftreighter than God and Chrift have made it.

Now, that faith in the Son, as the Father's equal, and as the Supreme God, is not made neceffary to the juftification of a finner, will appear from the facred feriptures, wherein the christian covenant is contained, and wherein faith in the Son is required, in order to our juftification and falvation. Matt. xvi. 15----18. Whom Jay ye that I am? And Simon Peter anfwered and faid, thou art Chrift the Son of the living God. And Fefus anfvered and faid unto him, bleffed art thou Simon Barjona, flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I fay unto thee, that upon this rock will I build my church. John xi. 25, 27. Jesus said unto her (Martha) I am the refurrection and the life, he that believeth in me, tho' he were dead, yet shall be live and whefoever liveth, and believeth in me, shall never die. Believeft thou this? She faith unto him, yea, Lord, I believe that thou art the Chrift the Son of God, which should come into the world. Chap. xx. 31. Thefe things are written that ye might believe, that Jesus

Jefus is the Chrift, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life thro3 his name. Acts viii. 37 Philip faid, if thou believeft with all thine heart, thou mayeft (be baptized) he (the eunuch) anfwered and faid, I believe that Jefus Chrift is the Son of God. And Philip baptized him. Rom. x. 8---10. That is the word of faith which we preach, that if thou shalt confefs with thy mouth the Lord Jefus; and fhalt believe in thine heart, that God hath raifed him from the dead, thou shalt be Javed. For with the heart man believeth unto righteoufnefs, and with the mouth confeffion is made unto Salvation. Here we fee, the faith which the christian covenant makes neceffary to our juftification and falvation, is a believing that Perfon whom God approved by miracles, wonders, and figns, which God did by him, in the midst of the Jews, Acts ii. 22. to be Jefus Chrift, the Son of the living God: and that faith in him as the Father's equal, and as the fupreme God, is not made neceffary by the christian covenant to our juftification and falvation from which it will follow, that our mistaking in this, can be no bar to our juftification and falvation. And

Whereas our Lord faith, except ye Lord faith, except ye believe that I am be, ye hall die in your fins. The meaning of thefe words I think is as follows. By the term Ifin] I understand the doing any thing with the body or mind, which the light of reafon or divine revelation makes a crime; or the omitting to do, that which the light of reafon or divine revelation makes a duty. By [dying in fin] I understand the dying under the guilt of fin, and under the fentence of that law which condemned it, without any share or fellowship in the pardoning mercy of God in Chrift Jefus.

By the term [believe] I understand the act of the mind, which affents to the truth of any propo

fition revealed or teftified by another, upon rational grounds. But then, in the prefent cafe, it is not a bare affent or a fruitless faith, but it is fuch a faith as becomes a principle of action in men. Marki. 15. The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand; repent ye and believe the gospel. Luke vi. 46. Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I fay?

By the term [ye] I understand thofe Jews, or fome of them at least, which our Lord was then speaking to; who, tho' they were under the difpenfation of Mofes, and were worshippers of the true God; yet lived wicked lives, and fo juftly expofed themfelves to the difpleasure of their maker.

As to the term [I] in thefe words, except ye believe that [I am he] I understand it to fignify that divine Perfon, which the four Evangelifts have given us the hiftory of, his birth, life, death, refurrection and afcenfion. That divine Perfon which was born in Bethlehem, that was brought up in Galilee, that was baptized of John in Fordan, that went up and down in Judea preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and wrought a multitude of uncontroulable miracles, to confirm the truth of his miffion. This divine Perfon being at Jerufalem, and in the temple, conferring with the Jews, at the time when these words of the text were spoken; he, viz. that human body which was vifible to the fight and feeling of the Jews then, and there prefent; and that intellectual rational fpirit which was united to, and animated that body, and which influenced and moved that tongue, which talked with them; he, and he only was intended by the term [1] I fay this divine Perfon, and he only, and not that God and Father which was with him, and by whofẹ authority and power he did, and taught thefe things. John v. 30. I can of mine own felf do no¬ thing, as I bear I judge, and my judgment is just, be

caufe

caufe I feek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which fent me. Acts ii. 22. Ye men of Ifrael, bear thefe words, Jefus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles, wonders, and figns, which God did by him, in the midst of you, as ye your felves alfo know. Verse 26, Therefore let all the house of Ifrael know affuredly, that God hath made that fame Jefus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Chrift. Chap. x. 38. God anointed Jefus of Nazareth, with the Holy Ghoft, and with power; who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppreffed of the devil, for God was with him., Heb. i. 1, 2. God, who at fundry times, and in divers manners, spake unto the fathers by the prophets, bath in thefe last days Spoken unto us by his Son; whom be bath appointed heir of all things, by whom alfo he made the worlds. I fay, not this God and Father, but that divine Perfon, which this God and Father commiffioned, and fent forth, and enabled as aforefaid, was he, and he only, which is intended by the term [I.]

As to the term [he] except ye believe that I am [he] it is the meaning of this term which is a matter of controverfy; and as the right understanding of it was neceffary to the Jews, to whom those words were spoken (because if they did not understand who he was, they could not give their affent or believe who he was) fo a true anfwer to the Jews question, viz. Who art thou? is neceffary to the prefent enquiry. The Jews were of various opinions, who this Perfon was. Herod faid he was John the Baptift, rifen from the dead. Some faid that he was Elias. Others that he was Jeremias. Others that he was one of the old prophets rifen again. Some faid that he was a good man. Others faid that he had a devil. Some faid that he was a deceiver. Others faid that he was the Chrift. Now, amidst the diverfity of opinions,

con

concerning who this Perfon was, I think we ought to enquire what he hath faid concerning himself in this refpect; becaufe he exprefsly told the Jews, that what he had said of himself, was what he intended by the term [he] as at verfe 25. And therefore what he hath faid of himself, I think ought in reafon to determine this matter. And if we confult the hiftory of our Lord's life, from which alone we can have fatisfaction in the prefent cafe, we fhall there find what he hath faid of himfelf, whom he hath declared himself to be, and what he hath required that others fhould believe concerning him. John iv. 25, 26. The woman faith unto him, I know that Meffias cometh which is called Chrift; when he is come he will fhew us all things. Jefus faith unto her, I that speak unto thee am be. Chap. ix. 35-----38. Jefus heard that they bad caft him out, and when he had found him he faid unto him, doeft thou believe on the Son of God? And he anfwered and faid, who is he, Lord, that I might be lieve on him? And Jesus said unto him, thou hast both feen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. Chap. x. 36. Say ye of him, whom the Father bath fanctified, and fent into the world, thou blafphemeft, because I faid 1 am the Son of God? Matt. xxvi. 63, 64. The high-prieft faid unto him, I adjure thee, by the living God, that thou tell us, whether thou be the Christ the Son of God. Jefus faith unto him, thou haft faid. Or as St. Mark expreffes it, Chap. xiv. 61, 62. The high-priest afked bim, art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? and Jefus faid, I am. Here we fee plainly, what this divine Perfon hath faid of himself, whom he hath declared himself to be, and what he hath required of others to believe concerning him, viz. that he is the Meffiah or Chrift, that he is the only begotten Son of God, that his God and Father hath fanctified, and fent him to be the Lord and Saviour of the world. This then appears evidently to be the meaning of

the