Direì. XT. Of SanEjj.tcation. 2P3 drew wortbippers to God from the utmoft parts of the earth ; fo the unparalleled excellency of thrift, Which was prefigured by the glory of Solomon and the temple, cloth more powerfully draw believers in thefe gofpel-days. The devil, who is the god of this world, knows how necefiarÿ it is for our falvation, to difcern all the glory and excellency of Chrift ; and therefore where the gofpel is preached, he makela it his great work to eclipfe the glory of Chrift in the miniftry, and to blind the minds of the people, left the light ofhis glorious gofpel fhould thine untbthem, 2 Cor iv 4. One that is convinced of the truth of the gofpel, may be averíe to the embracing of it un- til he fee alfo the good,nefs of it, that Chriilt is alto- gether lovely and excellent. I come now to the " fecond principal a61 of faith r' whereby Chrift, himfelf, and his Spirit, and all his " faving benefits, are a&uallyreceived into theheart, " which is believingon. Chrift, as revealed and freely " promifed to us in the gofpel, for all his falvation." TheSpirit of God doth habituallydifpofe and incline our hearts to a right performance of this ad, by en- abling us to perform the firft ad, according to the former inftrudions, by believing affuredly thafe great thingsof the gofpel wherebywe aredelivered in- to a form of doctrine, Rom. vi. 17. which we are to obey from our hearts, and to follow as our pattern, in the manner of our wing faith in Chrift for our falvation. Therefore I need only exhort you brief- ly toad your faith in Chrift according to that form and pattern, inwhichyou have been already fo large- ly inftruded. You are to believe inChrift as alone fufficient, andall- fufficient for yourhappinefsand faI- vation ; defpairing altogether of any attainment of happinefs by your own wifdom, ftrength, works of righteoufnefs, or `any flefhly, worldly confidences whatfoever. We muff be as dead people to all other confidences, and account them to be lofs for Chrift, according to the ¡xample oftheblared Apostle, Phil. C c 2
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