faith of our father
Abraham, which he had, being yet uncircumcized_.--Romans iv., 12.

I proceed now to show who those are, that may, and do indeed, receive
benefit as Abraham did. The text saith, "They that walk in the steps
of that faith of Abraham:" that man that not only enjoyeth the
privileges of the Church, but yieldeth the obedience of faith,
according to the Word of God revealed, and walketh in obedience,
_that_ man alone shall be blest with faithful Abraham.

Two points may be here raised, but I shall hardly handle them both;
therefore I will pass over the first only with a touch, and that lieth
closely couched in the text.

That faith causeth fruitfulness in the hearts and lives of those in
whom it is.

Mark what I say: a faithful man is a fruitful man; faith enableth
a man to be doing. Ask the question, by what power was it whereby
Abraham was enabled to yield obedience to the Lord? The text answereth
you, "They that walk in the footsteps" not of Abraham, but "in the
footsteps of the faith of Abraham." A man would have thought the text
should have run thus: They that walk in the footsteps of Abraham. That
is true, too, but the apostle had another end; therefore he saith,
"They that walk in the footsteps of the faith of Abraham," implying
that it was the grace of faith that God bestowed on Abraham, that
quickened and enabled him to perform every duty that God required of
him, and called him to the performance of. So that I say, the question
being, whence came it that Abraham was so fruitful a Christian, what
enabled him to do and to suffer what he did? surely it was faith that
was the cause that produced such effects, that helped him to perform
such actions. The point then you see is evident, faith it is that
causeth fruit.

Hence it is, that of almost all the actions that a Christian hath to
do, faith is still said to be the worker. If a man pray as he should,
it is "the prayer of faith." If a man obey as he should, it is the
obedience of faith. If a man war in the Church militant, it is "the
fight of faith." If a man live as a Christian and holy man, he "liveth
by faith." Nay, shall I say yet more, if he died as he ought, "he
dieth by faith." "These all died in faith." What is that? The power
of faith that directed and ordered them in the cause of their death,
furnished them with grounds and principles of assurance of the love of
God, made them carry themselves patiently in death. I can say no
more