1 253 FAITH THE WAY TO SALVATION. gospel was preached to them as well as unto us ; Heb. iv. 2. though it was indarker hints, and typesand figures. And in this waywere Abraham and Davidjustified as the apostleteaches ; Rom. iv. 3, 4, 5, 6. Though the Jews' enjoyment of the land of Canaan depend- ed on their good works and obedience to the law of Moses, yet their hope and enjoyment of heaven dependedon their faith or trust in the mercyy, of God, which was to be farther revealed in the days of the M ssiah. And it is the same gospel by which we are to obtain salvation, since Christ is come in the flesh ; but with this difference, that we are now more expressly required to makeJesus Christ the object of our faith, and we have a thou- sand clearer discoveries of his righteousness and grace than ever the Jews were favoured with. Happy mankind ! though fallen and ruined in Adam, yet recovered andraid to righteousness, grace, and gloryby Jesus Christ. How dreadful is that law which pronounces a curse and death upon every transgressor ! Tribulation and wrath, indigna- tion andanguish upon every soul that doth evil, to the Jew first and also to the Gentile; Rom. ii. 9: But how sweet and revi- ving is the grace of that gospel, whichbecomesthe power of God to the salvation of every onethat believeth, tó the Jew first, and also to the Greek ! The great and blessed God saw the frailty of his creature, man, how ready he was to ruin himself under a law of works ; therefore he appointed his recovery by the law of faith. And what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the infir- mity offlesh, that he has sent his own Son. Jesus Christ in the likeness of sinful flesh, to do for us, to fulfil all the demands of the law, both in the penalty and the precept, to finish trans- gression, to made an end of sin, by his own sufferings, and to bring in an everlasting righteousness, that whosoever believes on him shall be saved. Blessed God ! How kind and condescending are thy ways to the children of men ! How' full of compassion to rebels, who had destroyed themselves ! Howgentle are the methods of thy recovering mercy ! If we will but confess our sins, mourn over our own follies, return to the Lord our God by humble repentance, and put our trust in an almighty Sa- viour, there is peace,and pardon, there is grace, and life, and glory provided for us, and laid up in the hands of Jesus Christ our Lord. III. Though the gospel offers us salvation by faith and not by 'works, yet it effectually secures the practice of holiness since holiness is apart of that salvation. We are saved from sin as well as fromhell by this gospel ; and we must haveour souls prepared for heaven, as well as brought to the possession of it. He that pretends to trust in Christ, for a deliverance from hell
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