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strength be fortified against the prevalency of corruption, that has proved destructive to multitudes.

But the principal object of faith is God in Christ, our great Mediator: (a) thus our Saviour says, Ye believe in God, believe also in me, John xiv. 1. This is sometimes styled coming to the Father by him; as it is elsewhere said, No man cometh unto the Father but by me: or else, coming to him as Mediator immediately, that in him we may obtain whatever he has purchased for us, and thereby may have access to God, as to our reconciled God and Father; and in so doing, obtain eternal life, as he expresses it; He that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst, chap. vi. 35. Which leads us to consider,

2. Those particular acts of saving faith, in which we have to do with Christ as Mediator, whereby we have access to God, through him: there are several expressions in scripture, by

(a) Truth in the abstract is not the object of faith, but that which is true. The word of God when represented as the object of faith is not to be understood of words and letters, nor even of axioms and propositions, nor is the Divine veracity, though certainly confided in, the object of faith, or that which is assented unto. The promises which the old testament-believers had, and reposed in, were not the objects of faith, but the things which they saw afar off, and which were the ground of their rejoicing. When we are required to believe on Jesus Christ, it is not his human, not his Divine nature, not his person, nor even his mediatorial character which is the object of our faith; for any of these alone could be no ground of confidence of salvation, or hope, much less produce joy in the believer. Every thing essential to our salvation must be considered, as the object of our faith; the mercy of God, the love of Christ, the purpose and the act of offering, and accepting the sacrifice to Justice of our sins, and the warrant to us to fix our hope and trust in this atonement; the firm conviction of the truth of these things may be denominated faith.

Yet this conviction, or free assent of the understanding is not the faith, which accompanies salvation; if we can suppose it possible, that there should not be a corresponding impression made upon the will and affections. With the heart man believeth unto salvation. In this expression the heart is not put for the intellectual, but moral powers, and must not be understood as if the will assumed the office, peculiar to the understanding, of judging of evidence; but only that the assent of the understanding must be of such a kind, and to such a degree, as to produce a decisive co-operation of all the powers of the man, both of soul and body, to be saved in the way, and by the means discovered.

Such an effort for salvation supposes the bent, or bias of the mind to be inclined towards God, and his glory. And certain it is, that the work, or act of believing, depends so much upon the moral state of the man, that although he may assent to every article of faith, and desire an interest in the advantages of religion, he never believes with the heart in the sense above mentioned, until this charge has been wrought in him. On this account faith may well be denominated the work or gift of God, for he only, according to the scriptures can effect. this change.

Yet it is not because there is any defect in the evidence of these important truths; nor because of any natural, that is physical, defect of the intellectual powers of man, that he does not believe the Divine revelation; but because his affections are pre-occupied, and his inclinations directed into another channel, whereby he is unwilling to apply himself unto these truths, and is prejudiced against the holiness, which is required, and the self denial that is necessary to attain the blessings of salvation.

which these acts of saving faith are set forth, some of which are metaphorical; more particularly it is called a looking to him; thus he is represented, by the prophet, as saying, Look unto me, and be ye saved all the ends of the earth, Isa. xlv. 22. Sometimes by coming to him, pursuant to the invitation he gives, Come unto me all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest, Mat. xi. 25. which coming is elsewhere explained, as in the scripture before-mentioned, by believing in him, John vi. 35. And as we hope for refreshment and comfort in so doing, it is set forth by that, metaphorical expression, of coming to the waters and buying wine and milk without money and without price, Isa. lv. 1. that is, receiving from him those blessings which tend to satisfy and exhilirate the soul, which are given to such as have nothing to offer for them; and sometimes it is represented by flying to him; or, as the apostle expresses it, flying for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us, Heb. vi. 18. as alluding to that eminent type thereof, contained in the man-slayer's flying to the city of refuge, from the avenger of blood, and therein finding protection and safety: this is a description more especially of faith as justifying; in which respect it is elsewhere described, as a putting on the Lord Jesus Christ, Rom, xiii. 14. or the glori ous robe of his righteousness, on which account we are said to be clothed with the garments of salvation, and covered with the robe of righteousness, Isa. Ixi. 10. And when we are enabled to apprehend our interest in him by faith, together with the blessings that are the result hereof, we are said to rejoice in Christ Jesus. There are many other expressions by which this grace is set forth in scripture; but those acts thereof, which we shall more especially consider, are our receiving Christ, giving up ourselves to him, and trusting in, or relying

on him.

(1.) Faith is that grace whereby we receive Christ. Thus it is said, as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name, John i. 12. This contains in it the application of an overture made by him; not barely of something that he has to bestow, which might contribute to our happiness, but of himself. Christ has many things to bestow upon his people; but he first gives himself; that is, he expresses a willingness to be their Prince and Saviour, their Prophet, Priest, and King; that being thus related, and adhering to him, they may be made partakers of his benefits, which are the result thereof; and accordingly the soul, by faith applies itself to him, and embraces the overture. Hereupon he is said to be ours; and, as the consequence thereof, we lay claim to those benefits which he has purchased for us, as our Redeemer. Christ is considered as the first pro

mised blessing in the covenant of grace; and with him God freely gives his people all things that they stand in need of, which respect their everlasting salvation, Rom. viii. 32.

This supposes the person receiving him to be indigent and destitute of every thing that may tend to make him happy, brought into the greatest straits and difficulties, and standing in need of one who is able to afford relief to him. He has heard in the gospel, that Christ is able to supply his wants; and that he is willing to come and take up his abode with him; accordingly the heart is open to embrace him, esteeming him to be altogether lovely and desirable, beholding that excellency and glory in his person, that renders him the object of his delight, as he is said to be precious to them that believe, 1 Pet. ii. 7. looking upon him as God-man Mediator, he concludes, that he is able to save, to the uttermost, all that come unto God by him; and that all the treasures of grace and glory are purchased by him, and given into his hand to apply to those who have an interest in him: he expects to find them all in Christ, as the result of his being made partaker of him; and accordingly he adheres to him by this which is called an appropriating act of faith; whereby he that was before represented in the gospel, as the Saviour and Redeemer of his people, the fountain of all they enjoy or hope for, and by whom they have access to God, as their reconciled God and Father, is applied by the soul, to itself, as the spring of all its present and future comfort and happiness. (a)

(a) Faith, according to the beloved disciple John, and the great St. Paul, is the belief of the truth; the believing that Jesus is the Christ; or a giving credit to the record that God gave of his Son. These definitions are all of the same import, and are all divine. Being dictated by the Spirit of God, they cannot be contradicted by any, although some have glossed upon them, till they have brought in a sense diverse from the inspired writers. This faith, when it is real, as distinguished from that uninfluential assent to the gospel, which crowds, who hear it, profess to have, is an effect of the divine influence in us; hence it is said to be of the operation of God; and that it is with the heart man believeth unto righteousness. As the righteousness by which the sinner is justified, is the sole work of Christ for him, so this is the work of the Holy Ghost in him, and no less necessary in its proper place; it being that, without which a sinner cannot apprehend, receive, and rest upon Christ for eternal life. By faith, as before observed, he becomes acquainted with the glories of the character of Jesus, the fulness of grace in him, and the suitableness and perfection of his righteousness; in consequence of this faith, he admires the Saviour's personal excellencies, flies to him, ventures all upon him, and rejoices in him. These, to speak plainly, are all so many effects of faith. The sinner must have a view of the Saviour's excellency, before he will admire it. He must be persuaded, that Christ is the only safe refuge, before he will fly to him. He must know that there is in Christ sufficient matter of consolation, before he will rejoice in him. Of all these he is entirely satisfied by faith in the testimony of God: subsequent to which is his coming, or flying to him, trusting in, or venturing all upon him, rejoicing in him, &c. e. g. Joseph's brethren heard that there was corn enough in Egypt; they believed the report: this was faith; upon this they went down for a sup. ply. Doubtless this was an effect of their faith; for had they not believed the

(2.) Another act of faith is giving up ourselves to Christ. As, in the covenant of grace, God says, I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people, faith builds on this foundation; it first apprehends that he is able and willing to do them good, and make them happy in the enjoyment of himself; and with this encouragement the soul receives him, as has been but now observed; and pursuant hereunto devotes itself to him, as desiring to be amongst the number of his faith

tidings, they would never have gone. So a sinner must believe that Christ is a full and complete Saviour, before he will run or fly to him. Sense of misery, and faith in his sufficiency, are the main stimulus. Or, I am sick, I hear of an able physician, I believe him to be so, upon which I apply to him: my application to him, and my belief of his character, are as distinct as any two things can be: my trusting my life in his hands, is an effect of my believing him to be an able physician. This distinction is obvious in the sacred writings, as well as in the nature of things. He that cometh to God, must believe that he is. Here is a manifest distinction between coming and believing.

I apprehend that the same distinction should be observed, between believing in Christ, and receiving him. If so, it will follow, that " to receive Christ in all his offices, as a prophet, a priest, and a king," is not properly faith, but an effect of it, and inseparably connected with it. It is certain that a man must believe that Jesus is the Christ, and that he sustains these offices, before he can or will receive him in this light. Christ came unto his own (meaning the Jews) but his own received him not. This refusing to receive him was not unbelief, but an effect of it. Hence should you be asked, why they did not receive him? The answer is ready, because they did not believe him to be the Christ. Nothing is more plain than that unbelief was the grand cause why they rejected him. On the other hand, nothing is more evident, than that receiving Christ, is an effect of believing in him. And should you ask the man who defines faith," a receiv ing Christ in all his offices," why he thus receives him? he himself will be obliged to observe this distinction; for the only just answer he can give you is, "be. cause I believe he sustains them."

Thus we see that faith is entirely distinct from the righteousness which justifies; at the same time it is indispensably necessary, answering great and good purposes. Under its influence the sinner flies to Jesus, the hope set before him, and trusts his iminortal interest in his hands, being perfectly satisfied with his adorable character. Faith is also the medium of peace and consolation. You may with equal propriety attempt to separate light and heat from the sun, as peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost, from the faith of God's elect. The degree of Christian consolation may be greater or less, according to the strength and influence of faith. At one time the believer may have an inward peace and tranquility, which is exceedingly agreeable. At another time he may be favoured with what St. Paul calls joy unspeakable and full of glory. At another, guilt may rob him of his comfort, and separate between him and his God. Such are his exercises in the present state of things. But he is far from making a righteousness of his frames, feelings, or experiences. The distinction between these he well understands. The righteousness by which he expects to be justified, is the work of Christ alone; the faith by which he is enabled to receive it, is of the operation of God; the consolations that he enjoys are from this glorious Christ, in believing, or through faith: all as different as A, B, and C. His dependence for acceptance with God is neither on his faith nor experiences, but on Christ alone. At the same time he cannot conceive it possible, for a poor, wretched, undone sinner to be enabled to believe in Christ for eternal life, and not rejoice. A view of the glories of his person, and the fulness and freeness of his grace, cannot fail of introducing strong consolation.

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STILLMAN'S SERMONS,

ful servants and followers. God sanctifies or separates them to himself as the objects of his discriminating grace and love; and they desire, as the consequence hereof, to give up themselves to him. Two things are supposed in this act of self-dedication.

1st, A firm persuasion and acknowledgment of his right to us; not only as the possessor of all things, which he has an undoubted right to as God, as the potter has a right to his clay, the Creator to the work of his hands; but that he has a right to us by purchase, as Mediator, in which respect faith, and in particular, that which we call saving, of which we are now speaking, has more especially an eye to him; Ye are not your own, says the apostle, for ye are bought with a price, 1 Cor. vi. 20. and therefore this act of faith is an ascribing to him that glory which he lays claim to by right of redemption: and as God has constituted him heir of all things, more especially of those who are called his peculiar treasure: so the believer gives up himself to him. Before this, the matter in dispute was, who is Lord over us? Whether we ought to be at our own disposal or his? Whether it be expedient to serve divers lusts and pleasures, or be subject to him as our supreme Lord and Lawgiver? But the soul is thoroughly convinced, by the internal efficacious work of the Spirit, that our great Mediator is made of God, both Lord and Christ; and that no one has a right to stand in competition with him; and that we owe not only what we can do, but even ourselves unto him; and as the result hereof, devotes itself to him by faith.

2d, This also supposes that we are sensible of the many blessings that he has in store for his people; and therefore we give up ourselves to him in hope of his doing all that for us, and working all that grace in us which is necessary to our salvation; but more of this will be insisted on, when we consider him as the object of trust. All that I shall add at present, under this head, is, that having this view of the person of Christ, as one who demands obedience, love and gratitude from us, we give up ourselves entirely, and without reserve, to him: thus the apostle says, They first gave their own selves to the Lord, 2 Cor. viii. 5. and exhorts the church to yield themselves unto God, as those that were alive from the dead, Rom. vi. 13. and, to present their bodies, that is, themselves, and not barely the lower or meaner part of themselves, a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is their reasonable service, chap. xii. 1. and as the result hereof, we say by faith, Lord, truly I am thy servant, and desire to be so for ever; work in me what thou requirest, and then command what thou pleasest: I am cntirely at thy disposal, do with me as seemeth good in thy

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