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is not a more easy way of salvation than what was known from the beginning. They who imagine that the Gospel is a new law, and an easy law, to be obeyed in order to obtain life before God, must, in order to be consistent with themselves, maintain that the law is not so strict now as it was formerly; which idea is not very honourable either to the law or to the Lawgiver. In opposition to this absurd idea, it must be maintained, that the law is the same in all ages; for, saith the great Lawgiver, "One jot or one tittle shall not pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." By all that would be saved, it must be fulfilled in the person of the surety of sinners; and he knew experimentally that the law will not depart from any of its demands, however small. Never, indeed, could it possibly do so, seeing it is the law of Him who is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.

3. Faith and repentance, and the diligent use of the means of salvation, are not the procuring cause of our escaping the wrath and curse of God. To suppose this to be the case, would be to make a saviour of our duties. It would be a renouncing of the satisfaction of Christ; which, doubtless, is a most dangerous and foolish imagination.-See Rom. iii. 20. If deliverance can be obtained in any other way than by the obedience and satisfaction of Christ, then Christ hath died in vain-man is his own saviour--and no thanks to Christ for salvation, at least, for a whole salvation. Such an opinion betrays consummate ignorance of the covenant of grace, and of the Scriptures where this covenant is revealed; and it is accompanied with the utmost danger.

Obs. 281.-Faith in Jesus Christ, and repentance unto life, are necessary in order to escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin.

1. Faith in Jesus Christ is necessary for the following reasons :-(1.) Because, until we believe, we are dead in trespasses and sins.-Eph. ii. (2.) Because "without faith it is impossible to please God."-Heb. xi. 6. (3.) Because faith is the hinge upon which salvation and misery turn.-Mark xvi. 16; John iii. 16, 36. (4.) Because without faith there can be no union with Christ.-2 Cor. v. 17; John xv. 4, &c. (5.) Because, by way of eminence, " to believe" is the command of God.-1 John iii. 23; John vi. 29.

2. Repentance unto life is necessary for the following reasons :-(1.) Because the Scriptures enjoin it.-Acts xvii. 30;

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Ezek. xviii. 30, &c., and xxxiii. 11; Acts ii. 38. (2.) Be cause it is not only enjoined, but enjoined with certification, that whosoever doth not repent shall assuredly perish.— Luke xiii. 3, 5; Rev. ii. 5. (3.) Because there is no unrepented guilt in heaven; and, consequently, without repentance we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven. (4.) Because Christ is exalted to bestow repentance.-Acts v. 31. (5.) Repentance is necessary as a concomitant of faith. For without faith there can be no repentance, and without repentance there can be no faith.-Zech xii. 10. Faith gives a view of what Christ is, and what he hath done, that iniquity might not be our ruin; and repentance is the suitable exercise of a soul convinced of this work of Christ in its lawroom and place.

But here it may be asked, Are not faith and repentance represented in Scripture as gifts of God? How, then, can they be required of us? Are we to conclude that we can believe and repent of ourselves? Or how can God require of us what is not in our power to perform? To this we answer, that God requires of us what it is beyond our power to perform, to show us the necessity of that grace which is promised, and which Christ, as our exalted Saviour, is empowered and commissioned to bestow.-Phil. i. 29; Eph. i. 19; Acts v. 31, and xi. 18; John vi. 44, and xv. 5; Jer. xiii. 23.

The connection of faith with salvation consists in this, that it is the hand which receives Christ with all the benefits of the redemption which he hath purchased for sinners. --Psal. lxviii. 31; John i. 12.

The connection of repentance with salvation consists in this, that it is the exercise which natively flows from faith in Jesus Christ; discovering that sorrow for sin, without which there can be no salvation for sinners, and which is habitual in all those who shall see the kingdom of heaven; and reminding them of him who was made a sin-offering for them, that they might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Obs. 282.—The diligent use of all the outward means, by which Christ communicates to sinners the benefits of redemption, is necessary in order to escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin.

The diligent use of the means of salvation is necessary for the following reasons:-1. The appointment of them shows their necessity. 2. They are necessary, because by reject

ing them we ascribe folly to God, and pour contempt upon him. 3. They are necessary, because we cannot expect salvation without the due use of them. And this is an idea which is uniformly insisted on in Scripture.-Prov. viii. 33, 34; Rom x. 17. 4. The use of them is most necessary, because we are commanded by God to make use of them. Every thing which he hath commanded is most necessary, both with respect to himself and with respect to us ;-with respect to himself, to show his authority and his love; and with respect to us, to show our love to him, and our regard for his word and authority.

By a diligent use of all the outward means of grace we are to understand, an embracing of every opportunity offered in the course of divine providence for waiting upon God in the way of commanded duty; and a looking up to him for his blessing upon them, by which alone they can be profitable to us, or advance our spiritual concerns.—1 Cor. iii. 6, &c.

The means of grace are commonly distinguished into external and internal. The external, or outward means, are mentioned above as those by which the benefits of redemption are communicated; and the internal means, which are produced by the use of the outward means, are faith and repentance, and the other graces of the Spirit which accom pany or flow from them.

The connection of all the outward means with salvation consists in this, that "by them Christ communicates to us the benefits of redemption."

We may here observe, that if we regard only the mere observance of ordinances, it is in man's own power to observe them, without any supernatural grace; but to observe them with profit, man of himself is utterly unable. Thus, to hear with profit, the Word must be mixed with faith; but we are. told in Scripture that "faith is the gift of God." A man may read the Scriptures, may attend the house of God, may call upon his name, may converse about the concerns of his soul, may reprove sin, &c., without any special grace from on high. But there is a great difference between the observance of these means in the strength of nature, and the observance of them in the strength of new-covenant grace.

INFERENCES.

From this subject we learn,-1. The importance of right wiews of a sinner's acceptance in the sight of God; that the

ground of it is not duties, but Christ's righteousness received by faith, without which we must perish. 2. The necessity of true repentance. 3. The value of the means of salvation. 4. The necessity of seeking a blessing upon these means.

SECT. I.- Of Faith in Jesus Christ.

Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the Gospel.

ANALYSIS AND PROOFS.

We are here taught,—

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1. That faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace. John xx. 31. That believing ye might have life through his name.' See also Heb. x. 39.

2. That Jesus Christ is received as a Saviour by faith. John i. 12.—“ As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name."

3. That by faith we depend on Christ for salvation. Acts xv. 11.--"We believe that, through the grace of the Lord Jesus, we shall be saved."

4. That by faith we depend on Christ alone for salvation. Gal. ii. 16.—“ We have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law."

5. That by faith we receive Christ as offered in the Gospel. Eph. i. 13.-"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the Word of truth, the Gospel (or glad tidings) of your salvation."

EXPLANATION.

Obs. 283.-Faith is neither more nor less than belief; and saving faith is a belief of the Gospel, or of God's testimony concerning his

Son.

It has been supposed by many that there are several kinds of faith mentioned in the sacred writings; such as historical faith, temporary faith, the faith of miracles, and saving faith. But a careful examination of the subject would convince

such, that whatever be the thing believed, there can be no difference with respect to the manner of believing; and that the only distinction that can take place, is with respect to the object or thing believed. "The inspired writers never give the least hint that they had any uncommon idea annexed to the term (pistis) faith or belief; nor did they give any directions how to believe or to act faith, though they insist much on what men are to believe, and upon the divine evidence of its truth. It is also remarkable, that we do not find any of the first converts inquiring what faith is, or in what manner they were to believe. Hence we may reasonably infer, that the apostles used the word faith in its ordinary meaning, which required no explanation, and that their hearers did in fact so understand them."

"In the Epistle to the Hebrews (chap. xi. 1), faith is thus defined by the apostle: 'Now faith is the confidence of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.' Faith is here expressed by the two words confidence and conviction; and its objects are things hoped for-things not seen.* Things hoped for must be future good things revealed and promised; and confidence in relation to such things must be a confidence of persuasion, founded on God's faithfulness and power, that what he hath promised he will undoubtedly perform; for it is thus explained: a being persuaded of the promises,--Heb. xi. 15; a judging him faithful who hath promised,--Heb. xi. 11; a being fully persuaded that what God hath promised he is able also to perform,-Rom. iv. 21. This confidence of faith in the divine promises is inseparable from hope; for it is the confidence of things hoped for, and it is said to be a believing in hope (Rom. iv. 18), viz., of obtaining the good things promised. Again, faith is here defined more generally the conriction of things not seen. Things not seen include not only

Although the word substance comes nearer to the etymology of the original word, yet its use in Scripture must chiefly be consulted. The LXX. frequently use it to express confidence or confidence of expectation.--Ruth i, 12; Psal. xxxix. 7; Ezek. xix. 5. In the New Testament it occurs five times; in three of which it is translated confidence, viz., 2 Cor. ix. 4, and xi. 17; Heb. iii. 14; and even in this place the translators have so rendered it in the margin. The word translated evidence occurs only twice in the New Testament, viz., in this place and in 2 Tim. iii. 16, where it is translated reproof, but without any necessity. The word conviction agrees best with the original verb, which is generally translated convince, as in John viii 9; Acts xviii. 28; 1 Cor. xiv. 24; Tit. i. 9; James ii. 9; Jude 15, as it should also be in John xvi. 8; 2 Tim. iv. 2. Although the original word sometimes signifies the evidence, proof, or demonstration which produces conviction; yet, when expressive of faith, it must necessarily mean conviction itself, which is the effect of evidence upon the mind.

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