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therefore, are rather the effects and consequence of this grant, atonement, and faith, and not preliminaries to believing, or preparatories to faith. It is true, there must, in the nature of things, be some sense of the evil of sin and desire of deliverance, without which little regard will be paid to the gospel mercy and way ; but these, his very uneasiness and distress shew that he has already ; and by the very terms of the promise, he that is ' weary and heavy-laden may trust in Christ for rest.' If he thirst for them, he may come ' and take of the water of life freely.' And, indeed, what qualifications can a guilty, polluted, impotent creature bring to his Saviour, beyond a sight and feeling of his misery and a desire of deliverance ? Holiness in principle, and the fruits of it in practice, are necessary to the final enjoyment of eternal life ; but not necessary to our believing the Gospel promises ; because that belief itself is necessary to our holiness ; for the heart is said to be purified by faith. The proper answer to every one that says, what shall I do to be saved ?' is that of the apostle, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Believe what God has testified concerning his Son, as the great propitiation for sin, and you will find that the experience of the efficacy of his blood, to purge the conscience from dead works, and his power to save us from our spiritual blindness and depravity, and every evil, will follow. It is for want of entering thoroughly into this distinction, and mistaking the nature of faith, and the order and place appointed for it; in the great affair of salvation, that so many sincere Christians live so great strangers to the solid and lasting consolations of Christ.
