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this is Faith. We may be persuaded of the truth of religious things in both these ways; but it is the latter only that is the persuasion of faith. For instance, a person may be persuaded that he hath an interest in the love of God, from his discerning the power of God's grace, and the working of his Spirit on his soul: this is not the persuasion of faith: it is a persuasion which arises from spiritual sense, and religious experience. The same person may be persuaded of the truth of the same thing, that God loves him with an everlasting love, because God declares this to him in his word, and hath enabled him to exercise faith on the Divine veracity in the promise, with application unto himself. This is the persuasion of faith, and is rested alone upon the faithful testimony of God.

This assent or persuasion is opposed to doubting and uncertainty. This is true of faith, whether we consider it as human or Divine-rested on a human, or built on a Divine testimony. Assent or persuasion, and doubting or uncertainty, are contrary the one to the other. They may be in the same person, but they are not of the same nature. In so far as persons believe, they do not doubt; and in so far as they are persuaded, they are not uncertain. In so far as they doubt, they do not believe; and in so far as they are uncertain, they are not persuaded. Faith and doubting, persuasion and uncertainty, stand in direct opposition to one another. Faith, therefore, is an assent unto, or persuasion of, the truth of things which rests upon a testimony, and is opposed to doubting and uncertainty.

OBS. II. The Scripture mentions different kinds of faith. The kinds of faith which the Scriptures speak of are two-the faith which has a reference to

miracles, and that faith which has a respect to the salvation of the soul. The faith of miracles may be considered in a two-fold point of view-that faith that was necessary unto a person, in order to his having a miracle performed upon himself, and that faith that was necessary unto him who was to perform a miracle upon another. The former of these seems to include the person's believing that Divine power would be exerted, for accomplishing a miracle on him, either by the personal act of Christ, or of his apostles, acting in his name. This faith Jesus required of the blind man. "And when he was come unto the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord."* The same thing is evident from the words of Christ to the father of the child, whom he cured by a miracle. "Jesus saith unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief." This was not the case with those only who were healed by Christ, but was true also of those who were cured by his apostles. This is evident from the miracle which was performed by Paul upon the lame man at Lystra. "Paul stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet: and he leaped and walked." The faith of miracles that was necessary unto the worker of the miracle, seems to import the person's persuasion, that God would exert his Almighty power for working a miracle, through his instrumentality. Of this

And

* Matt. 9: 28.

Mark 9: 23, 24.

Acts 14: 9, 10.

faith our Saviour speaks, when he answers the question of the disciples, in reference to their not succeeding in the cure of a child that was brought to them. "Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus saith unto them, Because of your unbelief; for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard-seed, ye shall say to this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you."* Paul mentions the same faith, when he says, "Though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.†

The other kind of faith that is mentioned in Scripture, is that which hath a respect to salvation. This may be considered also as two-fold-that which is a false, and that which is a true faith. The false faith of the children of men in reference to salvation, is their general belief of the truths of the Gospel, which they attain by the exercise of their rational powers, and the common operations of the Spirit; notwithstanding of which they fall short of salvation, and deceive their own souls. It is sometimes represented as a temporary faith. "They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for awhile believe, and in time of temptation fall away." This faith is said to be dead. "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." And this faith is merely historical or notional. "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe and tremble." The other kind of faith which has a respect to salva

*Matt. 17: 19, 20.
James 2: 26.

1 Cor. 13: 2.

Luke 8: 13.

|| James 2: 19.

sinner.

tion, is that which we may call a true faith. The Scripture represents it as that which justifies the "Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ."* This faith justifies, not because there is any merit in the act of faith to procure our justification, but as it receives and applies to the soul the justifying righteousness of Christ, which removes the guilt of sin, and procures our acceptance before God. This true faith is also saving in its nature. "He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved."t Faith does not save the children of men, as it is the procuring cause of their salvation; for in this sense no act or spiritual attainment of theirs can save them. It is, however, saving in its nature, as it lays hold upon the grace of God reigning through the righteousness of Christ, by which we are saved;--is itself a part of our salvation, and will bring all those who are the subjects of it, to the enjoyment of eternal salvation. This is the faith with which we are at this time principally concerned; and to the opening of its nature our following observations shall be directed.

OBS. III. The children of men are not naturally possessed of saving faith, neither is it in their power to acquire it for themselves. This observation consists of two parts: the former is, that men possess not the grace of faith in their natural state; the latter, that they cannot work it in themselves. That the children of men are not, in their natural state, possessed of saving faith, will be evident, if we consider the Scriptural account of them in this condition. Of man in his natural state, it is said,"That every imagination of the thoughts of his heart

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was only evil continually."* It is not a few, or even many, of human imaginations that are evil, but every imagination of his is so. They are not evil only in part, but they are only evil, and no spiritual good is found in them. Nor are they said to be evil for a time only, but they are continually so. Since this is the state of mankind by nature, it is not possible that they can possess, while in that state, the grace of saving faith. The same truths are confirmed by David's representation of man's natural state, when speaking of his own condition: "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." The children of men, in their very formation and conception in the womb, are constituted sinners. The principles of sin pervade all the faculties of their souls; and there is no such thing as any spiritual grace found in them.-Having seen what they are before and at their birth, let us now view what they continue to be in their lives. David's son describes this in the following words:-"Yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil; and madness is in their heart while they live; and after that they go to the dead." The treasure which is naturally contained in the heart of man is here set before our view; and surely it is an evil treasure. Nothing like saving faith is included in it. Nothing but moral evil and spiritual madness prevail in their hearts, and are manifested in their lives. The New Testament Scriptures ratify the same truth. There we are told, that "they that are in the flesh cannot please God;"S and if they cannot please God, they do not possess saving faith; because, with them that have it, the Lord is well pleased. Sinners are there represented

* Gen. 6: 5. † Psalm 51: 5.

Eccl. 9: 3.

Rom. 8: 8.

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