lieving, or crediting act of faith, has a respect to its object as true; but the receiving act of that grace, regards its object as good. The believing act of faith, views its object as revealed; but faith's receiving act considers the object as given. That the exercise of faith upon God and Christ, is in Scripture called a receiving, is evident from the words of Christ: "He that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me;"* and the words of John,-"But asmany as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name." The Christian, by believing, takes the object of faith to himself, embraces, and takes possession of it. Christ is received and taken hold of by faith, as the only Mediator between God and the person, as the alone and all-sufficient Savior of the soul, as the Christian's husband, prophet, priest, and king. The Christian, in the exercise of this grace, receives or embraces Christ in his sufferings, in which he was made a curse, as the procuring cause of the pardon of his sin, and deliverance from Divine wrath; and the obedience of Christ, as the meritorious cause of his title to, and enjoyment of, eternal life. He also, by this grace, takes hold of, and embraces the fulness of grace and spirit which is in him, that his spiritual comfort, sanctification, and perseverance, may be promoted. Faith acts likewise by receiving God in Christ, as the Christian's God and Father in Christ Jesus, and as his everlasting portion. The believer, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, acquiesces in, closes with, and embraces God in Christ, as he is revealed in these characters, saying,-This God is our God-Doubtless thou art our Father-The Lord is

my portion. The Scripture account of the exercise of faith, warrants us to affirm, that this grace acts upon its object by trusting in it. In very many portions of Holy Scripture, the acting of faith is thus represented; and therefore, it is needful to mention the two following only:-"He that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall 99** him about." compass That person, who, by saving faith, trusts in the great Jehovah, shall have an interest in the Divine mercy, and shall be forever encompassed about with its effects. The acts of faith upon Christ, are stated in the same manner by the apostle, when he says, of believers, "That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ."+ Faith, having received its object, does not let it go; but continues ever to rest and depend upon it. Faith's trusting in this object, includes the person's dependence upon God and the Mediator, that they will both be unto him, and do all those things for him, which Divine revelation warrants him to expect. The believer trusts in Christ, that he will be his Savior and Redeemer; and in God, that he will be his God and portion, and that he will obtain from them salvation, with eternal glory.

OBS. VIII. The warrant that sinners have to exercise faith upon this object, is the command of God, or call of the Gospel. When the Lord gives unto the children of men a revelation of his grace, it is made known unto all nations for the obedience of faith. The royal order and sovereign command of Jehovah accompanying the Gospel, require the hear ers of it every where, and in whatever condition, to

entertain it by faith unto their salvation. The law of the King eternal, is in this particular, made subservient unto the Gospel. When he makes a discovery of his will of grace, and proclaims the good tidings of great joy unto all people concerning a Savior, the law of God, which only declares duty unto the moral creature, follows the display of grace, and enjoins men to receive it with the hearing of faith. All these portions of Scripture, which require faith of the children of men, are their Divine warrants to believe. I shall only mention two of them :-"This is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ.' * The manner in which this commandment is expressed is very remarkable. The Lord has given many commandments to the children of men; but, as if he had never given forth any other precept, it is here said, This is his commandment. This is the chief and principal commandment, without the obeying of which, no precept of his law can be obeyed, and by compliance with it, the soul is infallibly led to yield obedience to the whole law. "Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent." Many good works does the Lord require of his people, and by his grace they are enabled to perform them zealously. But the work of believing in Christ is declared to be, by way of eminence, "The work of God." These portions of Scripture which contain the call of the Gospel, are nothing else than this command of God, requiring, by his law, that the declarations of his Gospel be suitably entertained. "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; Come un

to me all ye that labor; If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink; Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." These, and many other calls of God, are his sovereign, holy, and royal law, applied unto the consciences of the creatures, with reference to the revelation of the object of faith to them by the Gospel. The holy commandment of the Lord of heaven and earth, is the only warrant that sinners have to believe in Christ to their salvation. The children of men cannot have a warrant to do any thing in their natural, moral, civil, or religious concerns, but what immediately arises from the law and commandment of Jehovah. Their warrant to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, that they may be saved, must come from the same source. I know not of any other warrant that sinners have to believe in, receive, and rest upon God in Christ by the Gospel, but what flows from the holy commandment. Numerous encouragements and motives to believe, they may have from other things, but their legal warrant for the exercise of this grace can spring only from the command of God. In all their actions, whether mental or corporeal, it is necessary that Christians have some precept of the law before them, as their warrant for doing them; and having this, they have no reason to be afraid of rebellion. This is true also with respect to the exercise of faith. Let a Christian be asked, why he acts faith in Christ for salvation? He will be ready to answer, because his God hath said unto him, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."*

OBS. IX. The rule, according to which faith acts

Acts 16: 31.

upon its object, is the revelation and offer that is made of it unto men in the Gospel. As the command of God, or the call of the Gospel, is the Christian's warrant to believe; so the manner in which the object of faith is revealed and offered to him in the word of grace, is the rule, according to which his acts of faith upon it are to be regulated. The different properties which belong unto the revelation, and offer of God in Christ to the hearers of the Word, must be found in their acts of faith upon him. The children of men are not allowed to receive the object of faith any way they please; but they are bound to embrace it exactly in the way wherein it is revealed and offered. The believer's acts of faith upon God in Christ by the Gospel, must have a correspondence unto the revelation and offer, which are the regulating standard of the exercise of this grace, in the following particulars :-In the Gospel, the object of faith is revealed and offered to the children of men freely; and, agreeable to this, the person must, in the exercise of faith, freely receive it. Says God to the children of men, "I will give unto him that is athirst, of the fountain of the water of life freely."* same manner do they receive it: "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely." These words, "without money, and without price," do express the terms upon which the object of faith is both given and received. Legal obedience, personal merit, purity of heart or life, are not required by God, nor should they be considered by men, as qualifications which entitle them to receive the Redeemer for their salvation. The Lord reveals and offers a Savior unto sinners, as they are in their lost and ruined con

In the

*Rev. 21: 6.

+ Rev. 22: 17.

Isaiah 55: 1.