306 FAITE THE WA,Y TO SALVATION. [SEAM. XVIII. standing rule of the gospel, " He that believeth shall be saved." Mark xvi. 15, 16. All the parts ofsalvation come by faith : Justification, and favour in the sight of God, Rom. v. 1. Beim justi- fied byfaith, we have peace with God. Adoption comes also by faith; Gal. iii. 26. Ye are the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Sanctification is ascribed to the same principle ; Acts xv. 9. The gentiles had their hearts purified from sin by faith. Joy and hope come in this way also ; Rom. xv. 13. The God of hope fill you with all joy andpeace in believing, that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost. And you may read several of these benefits of the gospel, these divine ingredients of our salvation put together, and all attributed to faith : Acts xxvi. 18. I send thee now to the gentiles, saith the Lord Jesus to St. Paul, to open their eyes, to turn themfrom darkness to light, andfrom the power of Satan unto God, that they may receivefor- giveness of sins, and inheritance among them who are sanctified, byfaith that is in me. Faith, or affiance in Jesus Christ, is an acceptance of this salvation; it is a trust in the offered grace, it is a de- pendance on the promises of the gospel confirmed by Christ, it is the surrender of a sinful soul to Jesus the Sa- viour to perform his whole work of grace for him and to_ him ; and thereby the believing sinner, according to the appointment of God in his gospel, partakes ofall the be- nefits that are treasured up in Christ. Faith in the gospel relieves the distressed soul under a sense of the guilt of sin, and the humble weary sinner finds mercy to forgive, and strength to subdue it. Faith appropriates and applies the blood of Christ, that sove- reign medicine, to the wounds of a guilty conscience, and the conscience finds ease and refreshment. It applies the grace of Christ, that powerful antidote, to expel the venom of in-dwelling sin, and the soul is healed in some measure, and the poison is expelled. It lays hold on the power of Christ to assist in the performance of every duty, and it obtains divine assistance. Every true be liever has experienced something of these benefits by a sincere surrender of himself to Christ in such a way of trust and holy dependance,
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