used, in the New Testament, to express believing. "As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name."-" He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth in me shall never thirst."- "That we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted in Christ." "I know whom I have trusted, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day." John i. 12: vi. 35. Eph. i. 12. 2 Tim. i. 12. Whether these terms, however, strictly speaking, convey the same idea as believing, may admit of a question. They seem, rather, to be the immediate effects of faith, than faith itself. The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews describes the order of these things, in what he says of the faith of Enoch-He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Here are three different exercises of mind: First, believing that God is; second, believing that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him; third, coming to him: and the last is represented as the effect of the former two. The same may be applied to Christ. He that cometh to Christ must believe the Gospel testimony, that he is the Son of God, and the Savior of sinners-the only name given under heaven, and among men, by which we must be saved. He must also believe the Gospel promise, that he will bestow eternal salvation on all them that obey him; and under the influence of this persuasion, he comes to him, commits himself to him, or trusts the salvation of his soul in his hands. This process may be

so quick as not to admit of the mind being conscious of it; and especially as, at such a time, it is otherwise employed than in speculating upon its own operations. So far as it is able to recollect, the whole may appear to be one complex exercise of the soul. In this large sense, also, as comprehending not only the credit of the Gospel testimony, but the soul's dependence on Christ alone for acceptance with God, it is allowed that believing is necessary, not only to salvation, but to justification. We must come to Jesus, that we may have life. Those who attain the blessing of justification, must seek it by faith, and not by the works of the law-submitting themselves to the righteousness of God. This blessing is constantly represented as following our union with Christ: and he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit. John V. 40. Rom. ix. 31, 32: x. 3. 1 Cor. vi. 17.

Let it but be granted that a real belief of the Gospel is not merely a matter presupposed in saving faith, but that it enters into the essence of it, and the writer of these pages will be far from contending for the exclusion of trust or dependence.

The term trust appears to be most appropriate, or best adapted of any, to express the confidence which the soul reposes in Christ for the fulfilment of his promises. We may credit a report of evil tidings as well as one of good; but we cannot be said to trust it. We may also credit a report, the truth or falsehood of which does not at all concern us; but that in which we place trust must be something in which our well-being is involved,

The relinquishment of false confidences which the Gospel requires, and the risk which is made in embracing it, are likewise better expressed by this term than by any other. A true belief of the record which God has given of his Son, is accompanied with all this; but the term belief does not, of itself, necessarily convey it. When Jacob's sons brought the coat of many colors to him, he credited their story; he believed Joseph to be torn in pieces; but he could not be said to trust that he was. When the same persons, on their return from Egypt, declared that Joseph was yet alive, Jacob, at first, believed them not. But, on seeing the wagons, he was satisfied of the truth of their declaration, and trusted in it too-leaving all behind him on the ground of it.

"I

But, whatever difference there may be between credit and trust, they agree in those particulars which affect the point at issue: the one, no less than the other, has relation to revealed truth as its foundation. In some cases, it directly refers to the divine veracity, as in Ps. cxix. 42, trust in thy word." And where the immediate reference is to the power, the wisdom, or the mercy of God, or to the righteousness of Christ, there is a remote relation to veracity; for neither the one nor the other would be objects of trust, were they not revealed in a way of promise. And from hence it will follow, that, trusting in Christ, no less than crediting his testimony, is the duty of every sinner to whom the revelation is made.

If it be asked, What ground could a sinner I who shall, at last, prove to have no interest in

the salvation of Christ, ever possess for trusting in him? let it be considered what it was for which he was warranted or obliged to trust. Was it that Christ would save him, whether he believed in him or not? No-there is no such promise; but an explicit declaration of the contrary. To trust in this, therefore, would be to trust in a falsehood. That for which he ought to have trusted in him was, the obtaining of mercy, in case he applied for it. For this there was a complete warrant in the Gospel declarations. I may add, if any man distrust either the power or willingness of Christ to save those that come to him, and so continue to stand at a distance, relying upon his own righteousness, or some false ground of confidence, to the rejection of him, it is criminal and inexcusable unbelief.

PART II.

CONTAINING ARGUMENTS TO PROVE THAT FAITH IN CHRIST IS THE DUTY OF ALL MEN WHO HEAR, OR HAVE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR, THE GOSPEL.

WHAT has been already advanced on the nature of faith in Christ, may contribute to the deciding of the question, Whether faith be the duty of the ungodly; but, in addition to this, the Scriptures furnish abundance of positive evidence. The principal part of that which has occurred to me, may be comprehended under the following propositions :

I. UNCONVERTED SINNERS ARE COMMANDED, EXHORTED, AND INVITED TO BELIEVE IN CHRIST

FOR SALVATION.

It is here taken for granted, that whatever God commands, exhorts, or invites us to comply with, is the duty of those to whom such language is addressed. If, therefore, saving faith be not the duty of the unconverted, we may expect never to find any addresses of this nature directed to them in the Holy Scriptures. We may expect that God will as soon require them to become angels as Christians, if the one be no more their duty than the other.

There is a phraseology suited to different periods of time. Previously to the coming of