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SLRM.

XVIII.]

FAITH

THE WAY

TO

SALVATION.

07

Can

the thirsty soul

taste

of

the

running

water,

and

not

find

refreshment, since God,

who

created

water, has

ordained it

to

refresh the thirsty

?

Can

weary limbs

lie

down on a

bed,

and

not

find ease,

since á bed

is

made

to

give ease

and

rest

to

the weary? Can

a

fainting crea

-,

ture drink

a

divine

cordial

appointed

to give

life, and

yet

feel

no

revival

?

No

more can

a guilty,

distressed,

and penitent sinner

believe

the

truths

of

the gospel,

and

trust

in

Jesus

the

Saviour, and

yet

find no

relief:

for

this

is

the

will

and settled

law

of

the

God of

heaven,

that

peace and

holiness shall be

obtained

this

way.

3.

When

faith

grows

up

to

assurance,

it approaches

towards complete

salvation.

Then

the

.christian

can

say,

"I

know

I

have believes

on

the

Son

of God,

I know

I

enjoy

his

favour." Then the

holiness

and

the

joy

in-

crease, for the salvation

enters into

the soul

in

fuller

measures: The

nearer

faith arises

to

assurance

of our

own

interest

in

the

grace

of

Christ, the more it

supports

the

soul,

the more

it

comforts,

the more

it

sanctifies,

and the.more evidently doth the gospel

appear

to

be

di-

vinely powerful to save

us

from

sin

and

hell.

"

Can

I

believe

God

has

pardoned

rare,

so

vile

a rebel,

and

forgiven

me

so

many and

aggravated

offences,

and

yet

is

it

possible,

I

should

not

love

him,

and

rejoice

?

Can

i

be

assured

he loves

me,

and not

make him

a re-

turn

of

my

highest and warmest love

?

Can

I

believe

that Christ

the Son`of

God

died for

nie,

and

shall

I

not

consecrate

myself and

all

the powers

of

my

nature

to

him,

that

I

may

live

devoted

to his service

?

He

has

bought

me with

a

price,

a dear and valuable

price,

that

of

his

own blood,

and

I

must

glorify him with

my

body

and

with

my soul, which

are

his,

1

Cor.

vi.

20.

Can

I

believe

that

I

am

redeemed

from hell

and destruction,

and

shall

I

dare to

walk

in the

road that

leads

to

it?

And

not

rather run

with

patience and

joy

the race

that

is

set

before

me,

till

I

arrive

at

the

gates

of

heaven

?

Am

I

not

assured

that Jesus

the

beloved

of

God

suffered

death for

my sins,

and

shall.

I not hate

sin, which

caused

his

suffering

?

Sin,

which

was

the occasion

of

his

ago-

nies,

and

the very sting

of

his

sorrows

!

I

am

crucified

and dead to sin, and to

this

world,

by

my

union

with

a

crucified

Saviour;

yet

Ilive,

saith the

divine

apostle,

and

the life

that

I

now

live in

the

,flesh,

I

live

by

the

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