252 FAITH TIIE "WAY TO SALVATIOE. I shall treat of each of these particularly: First, Sincethe gospel is the power of God to the salvation of them that believe, let us enquire, what place or influence has our faith in this concernment ? To answer this, we may consider faith in its various acts or degrees of exercise as it begins in assent, as it proceeds to affi- ance, andas it is completed in assurance ; and showwhat influ- ence eachof themhath in the work of salvation. 1. An assent to the truths of the gospel must begin the work of salvation in us : There must be abelief and inward conviction of our sinful and dangerous state, which is more clearly revealed under the gospel, and that there is 'an atonement made for sin by the blood of Christ : We must believe, that there is forgiveness to be found with God, for the sake of this atonement ; and that there is orace enough in our LordJesus Christ, to renew our sinful natures,- and to fit us for heaven. This usually begets in the sinner, who is truly awakened, some desire toward this sal- vation, and some distant hope of obtaining it. When the poor perishing creature believes and beholds the glorious influence of the death and righteousness of Christ to justify a sinner in the sightof God ; when he surveys the love, the wisdom, the grace, and the power of Christ, answerable to all his wants, he then comes to determine thuswith himself, " This salvation is glorious and desirable ; the methods proposed, even for my own attain- ment of it are practicable and sufficient, and why should not I apply myself to this Saviour, and seek this unspeakable hap- piness?" 2. Affiance or trust in Jesus Christ the Saviour is the next degree of faith. When we are willing to be delivered from the condemning guilt of sin, and from the defiling power of it, and have seen an all-sufficiency of atonement, grace, and power in Christ, then we commit our souls into the hands of Jesus, the Mediator for this blessed purpose, and make a solemn surrender of our whole selves into his charge and care, that we may be pardoned for the sake of his death, that we may be accepted of God through his righteousness, that we may be sanctified and made holy by his grace and Spirit, and that we maybe fitted for and preserved to hiskingdom. We reflect upon our past iniqui- ties, and mourn to think that we have been rebels so long ; we are ashamed and grieved for. our rebellions, and we nowmost earnestly desire to be made willing subjects to his holy govern- ment; and therefore we entrust our souls With him, and beg that he would take us under his care foe this end, and bringus into the Father's presencewith comfort and joy. This is the soul's coming to God by Jesus Christ, Now such an Set of faith as this is, has some sensible ten-
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