On Mark xi. 24. Mr. Bellamy puts the following gloss: "Whensoever the disciples of Christ were cal"led to perform any miraculous works and were look❝ing up to God to do them, they must firmly believe "that he would do the thing." This observation is nothing against, but rather serves to strengthen Mr. Marshal's argument: for, though the faith of miracles differed from saving faith in respect of its aim or end; that of the one being the accomplishment of an external miraculous work, that of the other being the salvation of the soul; yet they agreed in two respects: for both proceeded upon a word of promise; and both were means of obtaining the thing promised. Hence, as Mr. Marshal justly observes," the faith of miracles gives "us some light as to the nature of saving faith. Christ "assured them on whom they were wrought, and who

had the commission for working them, that the “miracles should be wrought, if they believed without " doubting of the event. There is a reason for this re"semblance; because the end of working miracles was "to confirm the doctrine of the gospel of salvation by "faith in Christ's name, as the scriptures clearly shew: "and indeed the salvation of a sinner is itself a very "great miracle." But the truth is, Mr. Bellamy had no sufficient reason to limit the faith spoken of in v. 24th to the faith of miracles. Our Lord, indeed, speaks of the faith of miracles in the foregoing verse: but in. this verse he goes on to speak of that faith which is common to all his people. It is usual with our Lord to take occasion from things of a more peculiar nature to discourse of the common duty of Christians. for example, from the case of one doing a miracle in his name he takes occasion to speak of the ordinary duty of doing offices of kindness to Christians for his sake, Mark ix. 39, 40, 41. That, in this 24th verse,

Thus,

he speaks of that believing which is common to all true Christians, appears from the expression, when ye pray. Wherever praying is mentioned absolutely, as here, it is to be understood of the common duty of prayer. This is still more evident from the following verse, which shews that the prayer here meant, is that in which we are to exercise the duty of foregiving others their trespasses against us. Now, if the praying, in which this faith is exercised, be the common duty of Christians; then the faith itself is so, too. It is plainly the import of our Lord's words, that the former ought never to be without the latter. This place of scripture, says Mr. Calvin, serves excellently to set "forth the nature and efficacy of faith, shewing "that it is an assured resting upon the goodness of "God, which admits not of doubting. They only be"lieve, in Christ's account, who view God as propitious แ or reconciled to them; and who doubt not but that " he will give them what they ask. Hence we see "what a diabolical delusion or fascination the papists .66 are under, who contend for a doubting faith and "charge us with presumption, if we dare come into <his presence, in the persuasion of his paternal favour

towards us. Paul represents it as a principal benefit "which we have by Christ, that in him we have bold"ness and access with confidence by the faith of him."

Before we conclude this letter, it may be proper to take notice of Mr. Bellamy's remarks on some passages of the XVI. Dialogue of Mr. Hervey's Theron and Aspasio.

Mr. Hervey observes, that " this appropriating persuasion is comprehended in all the figurative descrip<tions of faith which occur in Holy Writ. Faith, is

styled a looking unto Jesus. But if we do not look

"unto Jesus as the propitiation for our sins, what "comfort or what benefit can we derive from the "sight? When the Israelites looked unto the brazen serpent, they certainly regarded it as a remedy, each "particular person for himself. Faith is styled a rest"ing upon Christ, or a receiving of him. But when I "rest upon an object, I use it as my support. When "I receive a gift, I take it as my own property. "Faith is a casting ourselves upon Christ. This may "receive some elucidation from an incident recorded "in the Acts. When those who sailed with Paul saw "their vessel shattered; saw the waves prevailing; "saw no hope of safety from continuing in the ship, "they cast themselves upon the floating planks. They "cast themselves upon the planks without any scruple; "not questioning their right to make use of them; and "they clave to these supporters with a chearful confi"dence; not doubting but, according to the apostle's "promise, they should escape safe to land. So we are "to cast ourselves upon the Lord Jesus Christ, without "indulging a doubt concerning our right to make use "of him, or the impossibility of his failing us. Faith "is characterized by eating the bread of life. And "can this be done without a personal application? "Faith is expressed by putting on Christ as a commo"dious and beautiful garment. And can any idea or any expression more strongly denote an actual ap"propriation?"

The unprejudiced will allow these observations to be much to Mr. Hervey's purpose; that is, they clearly prove that there is, in the nature of saving faith an application of Christ to ourselves in particular.

And what does Mr. Bellamy reply? Why, says he, "Christ is to be acknowledged, received and

honoured, according to his character, as the pro"mised Messiah.-Is he compared to the brazen ser"pent? We are not to believe that we are healed; but "to look to him for healing. Is he compared to a city "of refuge? We are not to believe ourselves safe; "but to fly to him for safety. Is he compared to bread “and water? We are not to believe, that our hunger " and thirst are assuaged; but to eat the living bread, ❝ and to drink the living water that they may be so.”

In this reply we observe, first, that Mr. Bellamy misrepresents the sentiments of his opponents. For they are so far from saying, that faith is a belief, that we are healed; or that we are already in a safe state, or that our hunger and thirst are assuaged; that they will not allow, that faith, properly speaking, believes any thing concerning the state we are already in, excepting that we are miserable sinners of Adam's family to whom the gospel is preached. And while they tell sinners, that the gospel is directed to them, in such a manner as to warrant their immediate reception of Christ as therein exhibited; they at the same time, declare, that the gospel, without that reception of Christ, will be unprofitable to them. In the next place, it is to be observed, that, in Mr. Bellamy's remark, there is no notice taken of Mr. Hervey's argument; the force of which lies in two things. One is, that it is only true and saving faith which is meant by these metaphorical expressions. The other thing is, that each of them includes the notion of a person's application of something to his own use or for the benefit of himself in particular. If these two things hold true, (and Mr. Bellamy says nothing against either of them,) it will necessarily follow, that there is such an application of Christ to ourselves in the nature of saving faith.

Another argument which Mr. Hervey offers in support of this doctrine, is, that our Saviour calls the act of Thomas which he expressed by saying, My Lord and my God, believing, John xx. 28, 29. To this Mr. Bellamy answers in the following words, "The thing, that Thomas was so faithless about, was "not his particular interest in Christ; nor was this "the thing he believed, that Christ died for him in "particular. But the resurrection of Christ was the "thing, the only thing in question with him. Over"joyed to see him, feel him, hear him, know him; "in the language of fervent love, he cries out, My "Lord and my God. Thus then stands the argument "because Thomas believed, that Christ was risen "from the dead on the clearest evidence; therefore "justifying faith consists in believing, that pardon is “mine, grace is mine, Christ and all his spiritual bles"sings are mine without any evidence at all from scrip*ture, sense or reason."

Here it is necessary to observe, as before, that the force of Mr. Hervey's argument lies in two things. The first is, that what Thomas expressed on this occasion was true and saving faith. That it was so, is evident from our Lord's declaration of the blessedness of those who should believe, as Thomas had done, without having the opportunity, which he had, of seeing Christ with the bodily eye. The other thing on which Mr. Hervey's argument stands is, that what our Lord calls Thomas's faith or believing included the appropriating persuasion, that Jesus Christ was his own Lord and God. This, indeed, Mr. Bellamy seems to deny, because, says he, the resurrection of Christ was the thing, the only thing in question with him; and therefore the only thing that our Lord represented Thomas as believ