221. FAITH IN ITS LOWEST DEGREES.. DISC. vxr. most limits of the camp, might, as it were from the borders of the wilderness, look up. to the brazen remedy, and find health and life : From the ends of the land they looked and were saved. Physicians were useless in that day, and all medicines insignificant. The swift and fiery poison wrought pow- erfully in them that were bitten, and they were quickly brought to the borders of the grave. But before their eyes were closed in death, if they could but cast a look towards the appointed signal, the divine medium of sal- vation, behold they are miraculously healed, and live ! And which of all the sons or daughters of Israel could boast of any thing of his own in this wondrous deliver- ance, when on the very confines of life and the brink of the grave they were healed by a look to the brazen image of a serpent ? Such is the perishing sinner casting an eye toward Christ for salvation ! But some poor trembling sinner will be ready to say, Surely this is so little and so low an act of faith, that I " am ready to question whether this can save me or no : " How shall I know whether my looking to Christ is of " that kind as shall be effectual to my salvation ?" Now in answer to such an inquiry, let the fearful soul remember what I have said before under the second par- ticular, concerning the several acts of the soul, that are secretly included in this looking to Jesus ; and ask it-: self whether it has put forth these acts or no ? Besides this, I would mention also these two properties of saving faith, as it is described by looking. 1. It must be such a look as immediately affects the heart with love and sorrów ; sorrow for our own sins, aid love to Christ our Saviour. If we have ever seen himwith sincere delight as a Saviour from sin, we shall mourn heartily that ever we were sinners. We cannot but repent for sin, while we believe or hope for the for- giveness of it through such condescending grace. And we cannot but love so compassionate and almighty a Friend, that has delivered us from eternal destruction. Having seen Christ we are weaned from sin, andwe love the Lord. Mary Magdalene : that remarkable sinner, lying at the foot of Christ; wept much and ".loved much ;" Luke vii. 3:3, 47. You have never seen Christ, as your Saviour, if your sins are not the objects of your
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