XI.

SERM.not by the Observation of the Rites They laid fuch ftrefs upon; but by the Practice of the very fame Virtues which the GoSpel now requires; infomuch that the Scripture expressly affirms, that the GoSpel was before preached unto Abraham, Gal. iii. 8. And this Argument is at large urged in Rom. iv. 3. the prefent chapter, whereof my Text is a part. Abraham's Faith, faith the Apoftle, was reckoned unto him for righteousness; and it was fo reckoned unto him, not only after, but before his circumcision, ver. 10. The acceptableness of his Faith therefore did not depend upon the covenant of circumcifion, as the Jews imagined; but upon that right and worthy Notion of God from which his Faith proceeded; and upon that confequent Obedience, of which his Faith was the caufe; ver. 20. He ftaggered not at the promise of God through Unbelief; but gave Glory to God; being fully perfuaded, that what he had promifed, be was able alfo to perform; and therefore it was imputed to him for Righte oufnefs. And the Application is; that it was not written for his fake alone, but for Us alfo, to whom it shall likewife be impu

ted,

XI.

ted, if we believe on Him that raised up SER M. Jefus our Lord from the Dead; who was delivered for our offences and rofe again for our Juftification. Which laft words, are added to fet forth the True Nature of Faith in Christ. For if the End of Christ's Death, was to deliver us from Sin; and the End of his Refurrection, to bring us unto Righteoufnefs; 'tis evident that Faith in Chrift is no otherwife of Benefit to us, than as it tends to destroy Sin, and establish Virtue. Which shows the extreme Folly and most dangerous Error of Thofe, who fet up Faith in oppofition to Moral Virtue; and make the Gospel of Chrift a Form of Words only, and an imaginary Speculation, instead of being (what the Scripture always reprefents it) the way of Righteousness and the Holy Commandment.

HAVING thus briefly explained the nature and ground of the Apoftle's Argument in general; we may now eafily understand the meaning of the words of the Text in particular : Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteoufnefs. Abraham was the great Example of Righteoufnefs, fo as to be styled

16.

SER M. in Scripture (by way of eminence) the XI. Friend of God, and the Father of the FaithRom. iv. ful. Ecclus. xliv. 19. He was a great Father of many people; in glory was there none like unto him, who kept the law of the moft High, and was in covenant with him. Now This Righteousness, which the Son of Sirach calls keeping the Law of the maft High, the Apostle calls the righte oufnefs of Faith, in oppofition to that of Works. By the Works therefore which he difparages, 'tis plain he means Rights and Ceremonies, not the Practice of Virtue; And by Believing in God, which he fo highly commends, he means True Religion. By adhering to this true Religion, Abraham made proof of his believing in God, which was counted to him for righteousness; and We, if we so believe in God, fhall have it imputed for righteousness unto Us likewise.

IN order therefore to make this Obfervation of the Apostle useful to us in Practice, it may be proper to confider diftinctly, ft, wherein confifted that Faith of Abraham, which the Text fays was counted to him for righteoufnefs; and. 2dly, What it is, that is particularly re

quired

in

XI.

quired of Us, when we likewife are in SREM. Scripture commanded to believe God.

I. Now the Account which the Scripture gives us of the cafe of Abraham, is this:

Ift, IT confifted in his believing the true God, the Maker and Governour of the Universe, the Lord of Heaven and Earth. The Nations among whom he fojourned, were all Idolaters; Worshippers of dead men, worshippers of the Kings who had reigned over them in their life-time for That was the Original of all the Heathen-Idolatry. Every City or Territory had its own Prince, and the World was divided into small Kingdoms. These Kings were honoured by their Flatterers, with Honours during. their Lives too nearly divine: and after their Deaths, they were by the ignorant people worshipped as Gods. The Worship paid to fuch Gods of their own making, was accordingly fuperftitious; and the corruption of their manners was anfwerable to the abfurdity of their religion. From thefe Abraham feparated himfelf, and believed in the true God the Maker

R 3

SERM. Maker of all things; and for the fake of XI. that Belief, forfook his native country.

Heb. xi. 8. By Faith Abraham went out, not knowing whither he went, and fojourned in the land of Promife as in a strange country; for he looked for a City which bath foundations, whofe Builder and Maker is God. He believed that the God of the whole World, whom alone he worshipped, was able to preferve him in the prefent Life, or reward him in another that should come; and This Faith was counted unto him for righteousness. Some have difputed, whether the Patriarchs under the old Teftament had any exprefs Knowledge of the Life to come. But that they had, the Apoftle's Argument is a plain demonftration, Heb. xi. 13. They who having feen the promifes afar off, confelfed themfelves to be Strangers and Pilgrims in the Earth, declare plainly that they Seek a better country, ver. 16.

2dly, As Abrakam's Faith confifted in general in believing the True God, fo in particular it manifefted itself in fuch Acts of Dependence upon him, as became a pérfon who had just and worthy Notions of the True God whom he ferved; And for This,

2.