. ·gc6 The Faith of our of money lying in a neighbour's hand, fhould, efpe~, . dally by a deed in writing under his own hand, ap– point and ordain that fum a gift to Y,ou, to relieve you out of a certain flrait ; you would make no quef- . . tion, but you may go andclaim it, and make it up: . · if, having the fum in hrs own hand, l~e iliould offer it to you, as a gift; you would make no quefiion,' but you might take it to you: and, in both cafes,. ufe it as your own by your friend~s appointment or offer. And fhall not the Father's ordinance and appointment, and Chrill's offer, be as .efficacious? Why then will ye .11ot believe this its efficacy? Why will ye not believe, . that Chrifl with his righteoufnefs and eternal life are yours ? . .. · . Truly, the believing hereof is the very next flep to the foul's uniting with Chrifl : and therefore it is propofed to the finner, as the nearefi means to bring him clofs unto God in Chrifi, Hof. xiv. 2. 'Return unto the Lord thy God: he's thy God, thou hafi-a :right to' him, return, come even to him, take poifef.. fton ofhim as thine own God. Accordingly, the 'fmner coming unto him by £-tith, comes on this ve– ry grou'nd, Jer. iii . 22. ' ·Behold, we come unto thee, . for' thou art the Lord our God. Ver. 23. Truly, in the Lord our God is the falvation of Ifrael.' As Ha– gar's eyes were feafonably opened, to fee fhe had a well by her, when fhe had given up her fon for dead: fo when the finner lies in his death's wounds from . t4e law, in a work of conviction; the Spirit offaitf? op.ens his eyes, by meaP6 of the glorious gofpel, in 'a.work of faving illumination, fo that he fees he bath ' a Saviour, a righteoufhefs and falvation. · And then ·'he prefently apprehends or grips the fame as his own. Thus the prodigal firfi believed,. that he had yet a father and afather's houfe, where there was enough and to JPare ; a.nd then arifeth and goeth to him, Luke xv. 17, 18. · Objell. ~.. If it be true, that Chrifi is my Saviour, , that
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