“There are three things simply necessary into any man’s having a true religion and godliness; sound principles of divine truth, the savour of that knowledge in the heart, and the power of that savour in a man’s worship and walk. There are no sound principles of saving faith, but in God’s written word. There is no right savour of those principles, but in and by faith and love, which is in Christ Jesus, 2 Tim. 1:17 and 3:15. It is called this savour of the knowledge of Christ, as it is called, 2 Cor. 2:14 that the power of godliness is impressed upon the heart, and expressed in the life of a believer. If the principles of truth be not from God’s word, there can be no true religion if the truth confessed be consonant to God’s word, and faith and love be wanting, it may be man’s notion and opinion, but it is not the man’s religion; and if the power of the known truth be not his walk and conversation, neither should he himself, nor ought any other to think, that such a man hath any religion at all.”
Robert Traill, Sixteen Sermons on the Lord’s Prayer in John 17:24. First printed in 1705. (Glasgow: Printed and Sold by John Bryce, at his shop opposite Gibsons’s-wynd, Salt-market, 1776), Preface.
Standard Sacred Text.com 