Him. Nor was this the first, or the only occasion, in which He stated and maintained the same Truth. In fact, it was but a repetition and confirmation of the Doctrine which he had uniformly taught. He had always represented belief in Himself as an indispensable qualification in those who would be saved by Him. To Nicodemus He had said, "God so loved the world, that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.” “He that believeth on Him is not condemned; but he that believeth not, is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God." To Martha He had said, "I am the Resurrection and the Life: he that believeth on me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and he that liveth, and believeth on me, shall never die." To the Jews He had said, "This is the will of Him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him, shall have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day." And after his resurrection from the dead, He still held the same language; and in the commission which He gave to His Apostles, strongly asserted this fundamental principle of His religion : "Go ye, into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature; He

that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.” -What in fact is the universal language of Scripture on this subject, but a repetition of the same truths. Let us hearken to the testimony of John the Baptist, "who came for a witness, to bear witness of the light, that all men through Him might believe." "He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on Him." Let us listen to the declaration of St. Paul, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved :” and to that of St. John," This is His commandment, that we should believe on the Name of his Son Jesus Christ."-And the same language, which is thus used in respect to salvation in general, is equally used in respect to the particular and separate branches of it. Every individual blessing of the Gospel, every single fruit of Christ's Intercession, is uniformly represented as a consequence inseparably united with the act of believing on Him. Is it pardon of sin? “To Him give all the Prophets witness, that through His name, whosoever believeth on Him, shall receive remission of sins." it Justification? "By Him, all that believe are justified from all things." And again, "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth."

Is

Is

it Adoption?" As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name." Is it Sanctification? Those that are sanctified are said to be "sanctified in Christ Jesus." Their hearts are "purified by faith" they are "sanctified by faith, that is in Christ Jesus." Is it spiritual support and strength?" He that believeth on Him, shall not be confounded." Is it spiritual light and knowledge? "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me, should not abide in darkness." Is it spiritual peace and joy? "Now the God of hope fill you with all peace and joy in believing." But there is no occasion to multiply texts on a subject, on which they might be multiplied without end. Those already produced are sufficient for our present purpose. With one voice they confirm the proposition under review. With one voice they bear witness to the inseparable union between Faith and Salvation, between a belief in Christ and an interest in His mediation. With one voice they proclaim that the benefits of His intercession are limited to those who believe on Him. I proceed, then,

II. To the other Proposition deduced from the text; namely, that the Scriptures

are the Medium through which this belief is produced.

The same consideration which showed the first proposition to be true, proves the truth of this second also: for if our Lord Jesus Christ, in stating the extent of his intercession, has restricted the benefits of it to those who should believe on Him, and who should believe through the word of his Apostles, it is plain, from the explanation already given of the text, that the Scriptures are the Medium, through which a saving belief in Him is produced. By this restriction He has in fact assigned to them this office. And is not this the office which St. Paul assigns to them, when He says, that "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God?" And does not St. John ascribe to them the same office, when he says, that "these things were written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name?" - But how do they perform this office? How do the Scriptures produce faith? They produce it in two ways. 1st. Inasmuch as they are the Foundation on which it is built.

*

"Faith," according to the Apostle,

Romans, x. 17. John, xx. 31.

"is

the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. In other words, that belief, of which we are speaking as necessary to salvation, is such a firm persuasion in the mind of the reality and excellence of things, which have not been submitted to the outward senses, as convinces the judgement, and engages and influences the heart. But from this description it is evident, that such a belief supposes a certain degree of previous information and knowledge; for without some information respecting the things in question, how can there be any persuasion of their reality and excellence? To believe then in Jesus Christ, and in the efficacy of his Mediation, implies that we have a certain degree of previous knowledge on these subjects. And where is this knowledge to be obtained; where is the previous information respecting Christ and His salvation to be procured, but from the Scriptures? The Scriptures are the only source of divine information and knowledge. Here only are we taught the way of salvation. Here only are we instructed in the knowledge of those things, "which pertain to life and godliness." Here only is Jesus Christ set forth evidently crucified before our eyes. Here only is He exhibited to us as the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin Hebrews, xi. 1.