t6 e ofpet My/tery 1Direet. Rom. it. Yr, ï2. And this promife is confirmed by the blood of Chrift, who was given for the world, and lifted up upon the crofs for this very end, that 4' whofoever beiieveth on him, fhould not perifh, 4' but have everlafting life," John iii. 14, 15, 16. His invitation is free to any, " Ifany man thirft, let " him come to me, and drink;" and this drink is .. promifed to every one that believed', John vii; 37, 39 The command of believing is propounded, not only in general, but in particular; and the promife of faivation upon believing, is alfo applied perforíally, and that to fúch as have been hitherto in a mate of fin and wrath ; as to the wicked, perfecuting, felf- murdering jailor, A&ts xvi. 3 t. " Believe on the " Lord Jefus, and thou ¡halt be fared, and thine " houfe " _ God commanded them that walked alto- gether in fin hitherto, to call him their own Father, in their very firft returning, Jerò iii. 4. So, Hof. ii. 25. God faith, he will fay, " Thou art my people; and it they than fay, Thou art my God," confidently a- verring their perfonal intereft in him. . God bath joined confidence and falvation infeparably together: "' In returning and reft thall ye be faxed; in quiet- "' nefs and in confidence fhall be your ttrength," Ifaö xxx. 15. What a poor. (lender ufe and improvement do many make of thefe difcoveries of the rich grace of God towards fanners, who fay, that, if we fee that we have performed the condition of believing, then we may take Chrift confidently as our own? They fkip over the firft principal ufe they ought to make of them. The very performance of the condition is, to take Chrift as our own immediately, and to eat him and drink him, by believing confidently on him for our falvation. If an honeft rich man fay toa poor woman, " I promife to be thy hufband if thou wilt "' have me; fay but the word, and I am thine;" may not fhe prefently anfwer confidently, "Thou art my hufband, and I claim thee for my hufband ?" And Mould the not rather fay fo, than fay) ''° I believ.
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