SOS IwAITH THE WAY TO aALVATIOP. CSERhi. XV/TI; faith of the Son of God, who bath lovedme, and gave hintse f fóß me, Gal. ii. 20. How is it possible that I should hope to be made like Christ in glory, with a full assurance of arriving thither, and not purify myself as he is pure, 1 John hi. z:, 3. While I Believe and ai» persuaded, that the promise of the joys of heaven shall be fulfilled to Ine, I would awaken myself hourly to the joyful `próspectand be ever preparing for the possession of that blessedness." Thus when faith rises to a sublime and eminent degree in this world, the believer may be said to rejoice with joy :truspeakable, and full of glory, and: to - receive the end of his- faith, even the salvation of his soul; t Pet. i. 8, Before I' pass-to the second head, I desire leave to make these few remarks. RrMARK I. Though the first degree of faith or assent to the gospel be necessary to salvation, yet it is. not of itself sufficient; and though the last degree of faith or assurance be gloriously useful in this work, yet it is not absolutely necessary. A rÑi tè assent to the truths of the gospel is not suffici- ent to have ; for there are many who by the force of education, or by the force of argument, yield their as- sent tothe doctrine, and believe it to be true, yet it is a cold, feeble, languid assent; it begins and ends in the head, and never reaches the heart ;. it does not awaken them thoroughly, nor make them long.after the pardon and the grace promised,: They seemto sit still contented with the forms of their catechism, and a general belief of the christianreligion, so far as. they know it;. but are under no painful solicitude, or;concern of soul, about the forgiveness of their sins, the sanctification of their hatureS, their interest in the favour of trod and eternal happiness; and therefore they proceed no farther, they never heartily apply themselves to Jesus Christ the only Saviour, and they--fall short of the. blessing. The devils believe as much as they do, but are...in a stateof damna tiers still. Again, considerthat a full assurance of our own in terest in the favour of God through Jesus Christ, is the highest degree of attainment on earth; but it is not ne- cessaty to tbe-being 9f cliristianity, nor doth it belong
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