the year, there you shall find them in
the end of the year, as profane, as worldly, as loose in their
conversations, as formal in duty as ever. And is this faith? Oh! faith
would work other matters, and provoke a soul to other passages than
these.

But you will say, may not a man have faith, and not that fruit you
speak of? May not a man have a good heart to Godward, altho he can not
find that ability in matter of fruitfulness?

My brethren, be not deceived; such an opinion is a mere delusion of
Satan; wherever faith is it bringeth Christ into the soul; mark that,
"Whosoever believeth, Christ dwelleth in his heart by faith. And if
Christ be in you," saith the apostle, "the body is dead, because of
sin, but the spirit is life, because of righteousness." If Christ be
in you, that is, whosoever believeth in the Lord Jesus, Christ dwells
in such a man by faith; now if Christ be in the soul, the body can not
be dead; but a man is alive, and quick, and active to holy duties,
ready, and willing, and cheerful in the performance of whatsoever God
requireth. Christ is not a dear Savior, nor the Spirit a dead Spirit:
the second Adam is made a quickening spirit. And wherever the Spirit
is, it works effects suitable to itself. The Spirit is a spirit of
purity, a spirit of zeal, and where it is it maketh pure and zealous.
When a man will say he hath faith, and in the mean time can be content
to be idle and unfruitful in the work of the Lord, can be content
to be a dead Christian, let him know that his case is marvelously
fearful: for if faith were in him indeed it would appear; ye can not
keep your good hearts to yourselves; wherever fire is it will burn,
and wherever faith is it can not be kept secret. The heart will be
enlarged, the soul quickened, and there will be a change in the whole
life and conversation, if ever faith takes place in a man. I will say
no more of this, but proceed to the second point arising out of the
affirmative part.

You will say, what fruit is it then? Or how shall a man know what
is the true fruit of faith, indeed, whereby he may discern his own
estate? I answer, the text will tell you: "He that walketh in the
footsteps of that faith of Abraham." By footsteps are meant the works
the actions, the holy endeavors of Abraham; and where those footsteps
are there is the faith of Abraham. So that the point of instruction
hence is thus much (which indeed is the main drift of the apostle).

That, Every faith