that he adapts to himself the language of Ephraim, Jer. xxxi. 19.

Surely after that I was turned I repented, and "after I was inftructed I fmote upon my thigh, I "was afhamed, yea even confounded, because I did. "bear the reproach of my youth."

It will not be improper in this place juft to remark, that if the finner altogether defponds of ob taining help by any exertion of his own powers, in a condition fo deplorable, it is to the end, that thereby he may be prepared;

B. To behold the Lord Jefus, as the mighty Redeemer and Saviour, an object that to the wounded fpirit, and to the foul that feels itself deftitute of all help, is of all others the most precious and delightful; for the Spirit difcovers to him,

a. That Jefus, in order to become a Redeemer, received an ordination and appointment to his work from his Father, not in time, but before the commencement of all worlds.

b. That he is perfectly qualified to rescue finners from ruin, and become their deliverer, because such is his all-fufficiency, that he can fupply every want. It pleafed the Father, that in him all fulness fhould dwell, Col. i. 13.

c. That he is alfo willing to beflow all that he is, and all that he has, on fouls oppreffed beneath an accumulated load of guilt, and filled with fore distress at a view of the dread picture which fin prefents; for the Scriptures abundantly teftify, that he fuftains the mediatorial natures, names, offices, and flates, not fo much on his own, as on account of finners who feel the wretchednefs of their cafe. Yes: fuch he invites, fuch he intreats, and fuch he most preffingly calls to come unto him.

B

These views cannot but produce the highest efteer for the Lord Jefus, and the most ardent defires after him, which are accompanied with a folicitous look to him for an intereft in his merits; by all which the foul is exercifing faith; for this twofold difcovery produces a twofold act. Does one contemplate himself to be in condition fo miferable? he begins. then to reason thus: "If I continue in my prefent

ftate, I have nothing to expect but certain death, "and everlasting deftruction; but if I may only be "found in Jefus, then I am fecure of eternal fe'licity."

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What next follows? He runs, he flees from himfelf, he renounces all dependence on his own rightcoufnefs. He no longer feeks to obtain life by the energy of his own ftrength, but immediately betakes himself to the Lord Jefus, and to his complete righteoufnefs, declaring that his foul defires to be found in him, as its only refuge, hiding-place, and fafe afylum.

To exprefs this act of faith, the word of God ufes a great variety of phrafes, each of which reprefents the frame in which the foul is, that makes application to him.

1. Sometimes the term to feek is employed for this purpose ;

Pfalm lxix. 32. And your heart fhall live that feek God. In this cafe the foul is confidered as having discovered itself to be loft, but at the fame time, knowing that there is a way of recovery provided, as earneftly engaged in the use of every mean to find it out.

2. Sometimes the Spirit ufes the phrafe to enquire after Chrift, Ifai. xi. 10. And in that day there fhall be a root of Jeffe, which shall ftand for an enfign of

the people; to it fhall the Gentiles feek, i. e. apply for information: and thus expreffes that frame of mind, whereby a perfon concludes that falvation is not in himself, but yet believing that his cafe is not altogether hopeless, enquires with anxious folicitude after that good way which the gofpel reveals, that he may walk therein.

3. Sometimes the expreffion to hearken occurs, Pfalm xlv. 10. Hearken, O Daughter, and incline thine car. And then it intimates to us, that the perfon acting faith, duly confiders every propofition which the Gospel makes, and liftens with attention to all that the Eternal fpeaks in his word: yes, he inclines his ear, and like one whom pain and ficknefs confines to his bed, he is inquifitive to learn from his Physician, if any, what profpects appear, indicating a refloration from the difeafe under which he labours.

4. Sometimes the perfon is faid to lay hold of Chrift, Ifai. xxvii. 5. Or let him lay hold of my ftrength. As one in danger of being drowned or burnt, will immediately feize the means of prefervation which are at hand, fo the foul, convinced of its being in the most imminent danger of everlasting deftruction, that he may be rescued, cleaves faft hold of Jefus, the only Saviour of finners, embraces him, and will not let him go, without receiving the promifed bleffing.

5. Sometimes it is fet forth by the terms to be willing, Psalm cx. 3. Thy people fhall be willing in the day of thy power; and thus reprefents the foul acting faith, as leaving the fervice of fin, cordially approving the propofals of the Gofpel, and choofing to be faved in the way of his appointment.

6. Again, faith is reprefented by a coming to Chrift,

fai. lv. 3. Come unto me; and thus it implies, that whilft the Lord Jefus on his part makes an offer of himself, together with all his fulness, the foul on its part no fooner hears it than it comes to him, and renouncing felf, and all that was its confidence before, feeks life in his name.

7. It is also called, a putting of one's trust in Chrift, Pfal. ii. 12. Bleffed are all they that put their truft in him; and thus we are taught, that as the manflayer, who would efcape from the avenger of blood, flies with all poflible hafte to the city of refuge, or like one whom an enemy purfues, runs to the nearest place of fafety, fo the foul finding the name of the Lord to be a ftrong tower, runs into it, and is safe.

8. It is likewife ftyled feeing the Son and looking unto Jefus, John vi. 40. And this is the will of him that fent me, that every one that feeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life. Heb. xii. Looking unto Jefus, the author and finisher of our faith. Thefe expreffions are taken from the hiftorical fact which Scripture records, of the brazen ferpent on which the children of Ifrael, when bitten by the fiery ferpents, might look, although it were with the eye of one who by reafon of his wounds would excite the compaffion of every beholder, and be healed: and thus is emblematical of that weaker act of faving faith, by which the foul, though ready to perifh, addreffes itself to Jefus, in humble confidence that he has mercy and compaffion ftill in store.

9. Again it is denominated chocfing the Lord. Jofhua xxiv. 15, Choofe ye this day, whom ye will ferve and it may be viewed as that act of the foul whereby, after the utmost deliberation, and frequently counting up the coft, it concludes to come out for

the Lord, boldly to engage in his fervice, and no longer to halt between two opinions.

10. Once more, it receives the appellation of kiffing the Son, Pfalm ii. 12. Kifs the Son. As by this kind of falutation in former times, particularly in the countries of the eaft, the fubject expreffed his allegiance to his fovereign, his fubmiffion to his authority, and full purpose of heart to obey his mandates, the foul that believes will own Jefus to be its king and Lord, his fervice will be its highest pleasure, and to obey the precepts of his law and gofpel will always be its predominant defire, its fupreme delight.

11. But again, this act of faith is especially exhi bited to us, by the phrafe to hunger and thirst, Matt. v. 6. Bleffed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness. For it expreffes the fincerity, the firmness, the vigour and perfeverance, with which the believer is exercifed, and denotes his determination to continue in the ufe of all the appointed means, until he may enjoy Chrift, and receive out of his fulness, those bleffings which alone can prove the fatisfying portion of his foul.

12. Lastly, it is called a receiving Chrift, John i. 12. As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the fons of God, even to them that believe on his name. To the end more fully to exprefs the holy fatisfaction, love and joy, which is experienced by the foul, on its becoming interested in Chrift.

All thefe different modes of expreffion which the word of God records, do indeed exhibit the fame effential act of faith, but at the fame time they point out the different frames in which a perfon may be, when in the exercife of it. But if faith be acted acceptably to God, it must be done in fuch a manner