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DISC.
IN.]
FAITH BUILT
ON
KNOWLEDGE.
253
his
eye be
directed
to this able and all- sufficient Sa-
viour, by
so
long a
train of
witnesses,
and the
Holy
Spirit
with them,
and
he
can
no
longer
doubt
whither
to apply
himself,
or
to whose
hands
he
should
betrust
his
eternal
concerns.
II.
The:.
knowledge
that a
believer has
of
Christ's
ability
to save,
arises.not
only from
the witness
of
others,
but
from
his own
inward
and
sensible
experience.
The
Apostle
speaks
here
not
as
a
young believer,
but
as one
that
ha.d
known
Christ
long,
had long
trusted
him,
and
gained
dáily
::confirmations
of
his
faith,
as was
hinted be-
fore.
Though a sinner
at
first
is
drawn
to
Christ
by
the
report
that
is
made.
of
him
by
others,
either
by
his
edu-
cation,
by
reading or hearing
the word,
or
by
holy
con
,
ference
yet afterwards
he grows
up
to an establishment
and assurance
of
faith
by
the
sweet
experience he
has
had
of
what
Christ
has
done
for him
;
and
he
saith
to
the
minister, and
to his
fellow
-
christian,
and
to the
apostles,
and
the...prophets, as
all
the
neighbours
said to the wo-
man
of
Samaria
;
John
iv. 4Q.
Now
we
believe,
not
merely. because
of
this
saying
;
for
we
have
heard
him
oùrselves,
and
know indeed
that
this
is
the
Christ,
the
Saviour
of
the
world.
I
am
well
satisfied
that it
is
from
this
sort
of
know-
ledge, as
well as
the former,
it
is
from
experience
as well
as
faith,
that
so
many saints have been able
to
assume
the words
of
my
text,
and
to
triumph
in
the approaches
of
c1eath
For
though they
may
have
learned
the know-
ledge.
of
Christ,
and
his
ability
to
save,
and
that.
from
their earliest youth,
by
the
pious instructions of
their
parents,
by
the ministry
of
their
teachers, and much
converse
with
the
.holy
scriptures, yet they have,
a more
large
and confirmed knowledge
of
Christ,
from the many
sensible
effects
of
his love
and
power upon
.their. souls,
and
from
their constant converse
with him
by
meditation
and
prayer, both
in
their secret retirement, and
in
their
daily
walk with
God. They
cane
say
from
a
sweet and
rich
experience,
perhaps
from
their
youngest
years,
and
dowwards,
to
maturer
age,
I
know whom
I
have be-
lieved.
"
I
,know my
conscience
was
burdened
with
guilt,
;and
I
could
find no
relief
till
I saw
the cross
of
Christ,
and
carried
my
guilty
conscience
thither;
the man
that