Marshall - BT765 M37 1788

Direa. YI. OfSanC1Xcation. 793 whereby theyare to enter. Now, I confers, that God only is able to guide us effeaually in the right way of believing. And we have this great confo- lation, when we fee our own folly and pronenefs to miftake our way, that if we heartily defire and en- deavour to believe on Chrift aright, we may con& dently truft on him to guide us. Cod hath promifed, that the way- faring men, though fools, than not err in the way of holinefs; and that he will teach fin- ners in the way; " The meek will he guide in judge- ment, and the meek will he teach his way," Pfal. xxv. 8, 9. and he commandeth them that lack wif- dom " to afk it of God in faith, nothingdoubting," James i. 5, 6. But, however, we are to know, that God guideth us only according to the rule of his word ; and we muff endeavour to learn the right way of believing out of the word, or elfe we are not able fo much as to truft rightly on God for guidance and direetion in this great work. To help you there- in, I have given you before, in this treatife, a defcrip. Lion of faving faith ; and have Chewed, that it con- taineth two acts in it ; the one is, believing the truth of the gofpel ; the other is, believing on Chrift as revealed and freely promifed to us in the gofpel, for all his falvation. Now, your great endeavour muff be, to perform both thefe aas in a right man- ner ; as I than thew concerning each of them in par- ticular. In thefirfi place, You are highly concerned to en- deavour for a right belief of the truth of the gofpel of Chirff ; that fo you may be well furnithed, dif- pofed, and encouraged to believe on him, as reveal- ed and promifed in the gofpel. Hereby you are to remove all difcomfortable thoughts and objections of Satan and your own confcience, and to overcome all corrupt inclinations, that hinder a chearful em- bracing of Chrift and his falvation. It is found, by experience, that when any fail in the fecond as of faith, the realmofthe faiilinng is commonly force de-

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