cannot suppose (upon the hypothesis of the Reformed churches) that he intends the internal and real sanctification of which we have spoken. We must understand him to mean external sanctification, such as belongs to those who profess their adherence to the church and a belief of the doctrines of the gospel, and who enjoy its ordinances, especially baptism, by which they are sanctified, or set apart from the world, by the sprinkling of water which represents the blood of the covenant, and who renounce it by denying Christ and apostatizing from his gospel. In this manner, those who eat and drink unworthily, at the sacrament of the supper, are said to be guilty of the body and blood of Christ.* Besides, the apostle speaks hypothetically, not absolutely. He points out the connection between an antecedent and consequent. He shows those, who thus transgress, what they are to expect. He asserts nothing more respecting those who are really redeemed and true believers, than what is elsewhere. asserted respecting himself and angels from heaven.t "Though we or an angel from heaven preach any other doctrine, let him be accursed." But no one will infer from this, that the apostle, or an angel from heaven will be accursed.

What every one is bound to believe absolutely and simply, directly and immediately, without any thing previously. supposed, we grant is true. But the case is different in relation to those things which one is bound to believe mediately, and in consequence of some acts supposed to be previously done. It is false, however, that all men are bound to believe that Christ died for them simply and absolutely. In the first place, those to whom Christ has never been preached, to whom he has never been made known, are not surely bound to believe that Christ died for them. This can be affirmed of those only who are called in the gospel. "How can they believe in him of whom they have not heard, and how can they hear without a preacher?"+ Secondly, even all those who hear the gospel are not bound to believe directly

* 1 Cor. xi. 27. 29.

† Gal. i. 8.

Rom. x. 14.

and immediately, that Christ died for them, but mediately. The acts of faith and repentance are presupposed; they must precede a belief that Christ died for one's self; for Christ's death belongs to those only who believe and repent. So far is it from being true that unbelievers are bound to believe that Christ died for them, that he who persuades them so to believe, mocks them in a solemn manner, while the wrath of God abides on them, and they are bound to believe them. selves condemned already.* Nor if they are bound to be lieve that Christ will be found to have died for them, provided they will believe, does it follow that this is simply and absolutely true whether they believe or not. Hence those who are bound to believe that Christ died for them, are not simply and absolutely all men; it is all those only who are weary and heavy laden with their sins;t all who thirst and sensibly feel their need of drink;‡ or those who are penitent and feel their misery.

It will not avail here to object, "that faith in Christ is demanded of all who hear the gospel, and that not an undefined faith, but a faith true and justifying, and that it cannot be true and justifying unless it terminates on Christ as dy. ing for them." For although faith in Christ is so demanded, and that true and justifying faith, yet we may not infer that it is required that all its acts are immediately and at the same time to be exercised; and especially its ultimate and special act, that of believing in Christ as having died for me. For although this is included in the acts of justifying faith; yet it is not its first act which is immediately and in the first instance demanded of the person called in the gospel; it is its last, and presupposes others preceding it. That this remark may be well understood, I shall proceed to distinguish various acts of faith. First, one act of faith is direct, which has for its object the offer of the gospel. By this act of faith I embrace his promises. Again another act of faith is reflex, and has for its object the direct act of faith. By this act I discover that I have indeed believed, and that the promises of the gospel belong to me. The direct act † Matt. xi. 28. + Isai. Ixi. 1.

* John iii. 36.

of faith is twofold. One of its operations consists in the assent which it gives to the word of God and the promises of the gospel, as true in relation to the giving of salvation to all who repent, and by a living faith fly to Christ and em brace him. Another operation of saving faith is its taking refuge and trusting in Christ, acknowledging him as the only sufficient saviour. It is by this we fly to him, rest in him, and from him obtain pardon of our sins and salvation, Now that faith which is commanded in the gospel is commanded as to the first and second acts which are direct, before it is commanded as to the third act which is the reflex, and which necessarily supposes the two former; as the latter cannot exist unless as preceded by the former. Hence we are enabled clearly to detect the fallacy of the above objection. When the objection speaks of the faith commanded, it refers to that act by which the sinner lays hold of Christ; but when it speaks of the thing believed, then it refers to the last, by which we believe from the evidence of the direct act in our souls, that Christ died for us. Christ is not revealed in the gospel as having died for me in particular; but only in general, as having died for those who believe and repent. Hence I reason, from that faith and repentance which I find actually to exist in my heart, that Christ has, indeed, died for me in particular. I know that he died for all who fly to him; I find that I have fled to him; hence I can and should infer, that he died for me. That the faith commanded in the gospel is not a direct and immediate belief that Christ died for me, appears from this consideration: that when it is enjoined, either by Christ or his apostles, no mention is made of its being applied to this or that man, in particular. Mention is made only of a general relation to duty, or to blessings promised to those who believe; as in Matt. xvi. 16. Peter, in that celebrated declaration of his faith, professes no more than this: "that he believes Jesus to be the Christ, the Son of the living God." John vi. 69. “We believe and are sure, that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." Paul demands* no more of those who believe

* Rom. x. 9.

unto salvation, than "to confess with the mouth the Lord Jesus, and to believe with the heart that God raised him from the dead." Thus when the saints are commanded to believe in the Son of God, they are bound indeed to believe that Christ is the true Messiah, and to fly to him as the sole and only author of salvation, as one, who through faith and repentance, will receive them to himself; and these acts must take place before they are bound to believe that Christ died for them.

Hence it appears, that the command to believe in Christ, embraces many things before we come to the last consolatory act, by which we believe that he died for us. First, we are to believe what the scripture reveals to us, relative to our miserable condition, by nature, and the utter inability to effectuate our own salvation. Whence arise despair of salvation through our own exertions, and a knowledge of the necessity of a remedy. Secondly, those who thus despair of themselves, are commanded to believe, that Christ the only Son of God, is the alone all-sufficient Saviour, given by God to men-that in him alone, they can obtain perfect salvation and remission of sin, and that all who led by right views, fly to him and repent with genuine repentance, will obtain salvation. Thirdly, those who are thus contrite and penitent, and despairing in themselves, are commanded to betake themselves by flight to Christ, as the rock of salvation, to his merits as all-sufficient, to repose in him their confidence, and sweetly rest in it; and through it alone expect to obtain remission of sin, righteousness and salvation. Fourthly, and finally, those who perceive that they have repented, do repent, fly to Christ by faith, and repose in him all their hopes of salvation, are bound to believe that Christ died for them, and that on account of his death their sins are pardoned. From all which, it is abundantly plain, that faith in Christ, presupposes an afflicting sense of misery and a desire of deliverance--and that the command to believe, does not respect all immediately, but only all who feel their misery and desire deliverance from it-all who hunger and thirst-all who labour and are heavy laden—and who are broken in spirit,

and contrite in heart.* Further, it appears, that this gospel command, does not immediately, and in the first instance, demand of us that act of faith, by which we believe that Christ died for us, but that by which we fly to Christ, embrace him, and rest on him, which is nothing else but the motion by which the penitent sinner, dejected under a sense. of his misery, all confidence and hope of remedy in himself being renounced, and awakened by the call of the gospel, flies to Christ as the rock of salvation, and with his whole heart desires and seeks the grace offered in the gospel. That I may express it in one word, the faith which the gospel demands of those who hear it is, the flying of the sinner for refuge to God as the fountain of grace, and to Christ as the ark of safety which is opened in the gospel. If I am conscious to myself that I have done this, which is the formal act of faith, then I can and ought to exercise the act of faith, by which I believe, that for me, who repent, and fly to him, Christ hath died. This is sometimes called the consequent act of faith, because it is consequent upon, or follows the direct act of faith, by which I believe in Christ, and fly to him. as the only and perfect Saviour. It is also called the consolatory act, because it pours into the soul of the believer unspeakable joy and consolation. Since, therefore, no one can have this special reflex act of faith, unless repentance, and the other acts are presupposed as going before it; we infer, that all are not bound to believe that Christ died for them, but believers, penitents only, or all who, through the knowledge of sin, and a sense of the divine wrath, are contrite in heart, and fly to him, and from him seek pardon of sin, and rely on the merits of his intercession and atonement for grace and salvation.

In vain will any one reply, "that the command to believe in Christ calls for a faith embracing all its acts, and among them the last, by which we believe that Christ died for us, for me; and that this is demanded of all who hear the gospel, and are by it required to believe." The nature and de

* Matt. xi. 28. and Isai. lxi. 1.