3. For all this is no more than a dead faith. The true, living, Christian faith, which whosoever hath, is _born of_ God, is not only an assent, an act of the understanding, but a disposition which God hath wrought in his heart; “a sure trust and confidence in God, that through the merits of _Christ_, his sins are forgiven, and he reconciled to the favour of God.” This implies, that a man first _renounce himself_; that in order to be _found in_ Christ, to be accepted through him, he totally reject all _confidence in the flesh_; that _having nothing to pay_, having no trust in his own works or righteousness of any kind, he come to God, as a lost, miserable, self-destroyed, self-condemned, undone, helpless sinner; as one whose _mouth_ is utterly _stopped_, and who is altogether _guilty before_ God. Such a sense of sin commonly called _despair_, (by those who speak evil of the things they know not) together with a full conviction, such as no words can express, that of _Christ_ only cometh our salvation, and an earnest desire of that salvation, must precede a living faith: a trust in him, who “for us paid ransom by his death, and fulfilled the law in his life.” This faith then, whereby we are born of God, is “not only a belief of all the articles of our faith, but also a true confidence of the mercy of God, through our _Lord Jesus Christ_.” 4. An immediate and constant fruit of this faith, whereby we are born of God, a fruit which can in no wise be separated from it, no not for an hour, is power over sin: power over outward sin, of every kind; over every evil word and work; for wheresoever the blood of _Christ_ is thus applied, it _purgeth the conscience from dead works_: and over inward sin; for it _purifieth the heart_ from every unholy desire and temper. This fruit of faith, St. _Paul_ has largely described, in the sixth chapter of his epistle to the _Romans. [6]How shall we_ (saith he) _who_ by faith _are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Our old man is crucified with_ Christ, _that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.――Likewise reckon ye yourselves to be dead unto sin, but alive unto_ God, _through_ Jesus Christ _our_ Lord.――_Let not sin therefore reign_, even _in your mortal body, but yield yourselves unto_ God, _as those that are alive from the dead. For sin shall not have dominion over you._――God _be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin――but being made free_――the plain meaning is, God be thanked, that though ye were in time past the servants of sin, yet now _being free from sin, ye are become the servants of righteousness_.