ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS. 109 continued in, for a long season. For he cannot walk in darkness, without any ray of light, as the words signify, who iûpersuaded of the love of God in the pardon of his sins. And yet the faith of such an one, and his obe- dience springing from it, have this gracious promise of acceptance with God. And innumerable testimonies to this purpose might be produced. I shall only confirm it, in one observation concerning the nature of faith, and one more, about the proposal of the thing to be be- lieved, or forgiveness. Faith is called a " cleaving unto the Lord." Deut. 4 : 4. It is also expressed by trusting in the Lord, rolling our burden or casting our care upon him, by commit- ting ourselves or our ways to him. Now, all this goes no further than the soul's resignation of itself to God, to be dealt with by him according to the tenor of the covenant of grace, ratified in the blood of Christ. This a soul cannot do without a discovery of forgiveness in God; but this a soul may do without a special assur- ance of his own interest therein. This faith will lead men to conclude that it is their duty and their wis- dom to give up the disposal of their souls to God, and to cleave to him as revealed in Christ, waiting the pleasure of his will. It enables them to make Christ their choice; and will carry men to heaven safely, though it may be, at some seasons, not very comfortably. The revelation of forgiveness, made in the Gospel, evidences the same truth. The first proposal of it, or concerning it, is not to any man, that his sins are for- given. No ; but it is only that there is redemption, and forgiveness of sins in Christ. So the apostle Acts, 13 : 38, 39. " Be it known to you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins, and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses." All this may be be-
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