2. That which, in order of nature, seems to have the precedency, is the assent of the mind unto that which the psalmist betakes himself unto in the first place for reUef, under a sense of sin and trouble, Ps. cxxx. 3, 4, " If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?" The sentence of the law and judgment of con- science lie against him as unto any acceptation with God. There- fore, he despairs in himself of standing in judgment, or being ac- quitted before him. In this state, that which the soul first fixeth on, as unto its relief, is, that " there is forgiveness with God." This, as declared in the gospel, is, that God in his love and grace will pardon and justify guilty sinners through the blood and mediation of Christ. So it is proposed, Rom. iii. 23, 24. The assent of the mind hereunto, as proposed in the promise of the gospel, is the root of faith, the foundation of all that the soul doth in believing; nor is there any evangelical faith without it. But yet, consider it abstractedly, as a mere act of the mind, the essence and nature of justifying faith doth not consist solely therein, though it cannot be without it. But, —
3. This is accompanied, in sincere believing, with an approbation of the way of deliverance and salvation proposed, as an effect of divine grace, wisdom, and love ; whereon the heart doth rest in it, and apply itself unto it, according to the mind of God. This is that faith whereby we are justified ; which I shall farther evince, by show- ing what is included in it, and inseparable from it : —
(1.) It includeth in it a sincere renunciation of all other ways and means for the attaining of righteousness, life, and salvation. This is essential unto faith, Acts iv. 12; Hos. xiv. 2, 3; Jer. iii. 23; Ps. Ixxi. 16, "I will make mention of thy righteousness, of thine only." When a person is in the condition before described (and such alone are called immediately to believe. Matt. ix. 1 3, xi. 28 ; 1 Tim. i. 15), many things will present themselves unto him for his relief, particularly his own righteousness. Bom. x. 3. A renunciation of them all, as unto any hope or expectation of relief from them, be- longs unto sincere believing, Isa. 1. 10, 11.
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(2.) There is in it the will's consent, whereby the soul betakes it- self cordially and sincerely, as unto all its expectation of pardon of sin and righteousness before God, unto the way of salvation proposed in the gospel. This is that which is called " coming unto Christ," and " receiving of him," whereby true justifying faith is so often ex- pressed in the Scripture ; or, as it is peculiarly called, " believing in him," or " believing on his name." The whole is expressed, John xiv. 6, "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
(3.) An acquiescency of the heart in God, as the author and prin- cipal cause of the way of salvation prepared, as acting in a way of sovereign grace and mercy towards sinners : " Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God," 1 Pet. i. 21. The heart of a sinner doth herein give unto God the glory of all those holy proper- ties of his nature which he designed to manifest in and by Jesus Christ. See Isa. xlii. 1, xlix. 8. And this acquiescency of the heart in God is that which is the immediate root of that waiting, patience, long-suffering, and hope, which are the proper acts and effects of jus- tifying faith, Heb. vi. 12, 15, 18, 19.
(4.) Ti'ust in God, or the grace and mercy of God in and through the Lord Christ, as set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, doth belong hereunto, or necessarily ensue hereon ; for the per- son called unto believing is, — first. Convinced of sin, and exposed unto wrath ; secondly, Hath nothing else to trust unto for help and relief; thirdly. Doth actually renounce all other things that tender themselves unto that end : and therefore, without some act of trust, the soul must lie under actual despair; which is utterly inconsistent Avith faith, or the choice and approbation of the way of salvation be- fore described.
(5.) The most frequent declaration of the nature of faith in the Scripture, especially in the Old Testament, is by this trust; and that because it is that act of it which composeth the soul, and brings it unto all the rest it can attain. For all our rest in this world is from trust in God; and the especial object of this trust, so far as it belongs imto the nature of that faith whereby we are justified, is " God in Christ reconciling the world unto himself" For this is respected where his goodness, his mercy, his grace, his name, his faithfulness, his power, are expressed, or any of them, as that which it doth im- mediately rely upon ; for they are no way the object of our trust, nor can be, but on the account of the covenant which is confirmed and ratified in and by the blood of Christ alone.