f 1 Cor. xi. 28. e ver. 20, 21.
In fact, this view of Christ is never duly appre- ciated, unless it be regarded,
III. As a title to all Christian blessings —
[Nothing but faith in Christ is necessary for salvation. (Of course, I speak not of it as a speculative assent, but as an operative and influential principle, such as we have represented it under our first head.) So it was declared to be by St. Paul, and by our Lord Jesus Christ himself11. Such it was declared to be in the commission given by him to his Apostles1. Such it was proclaimed to be in the answer given to the inquiring Jailer, " Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved k." By this are we made children of the Living God1. By this we obtain peace to our own souls m. By this are we sanctified from the power of sin n. And by this are we made partakers of the kingdom of heaven0. Without this operative faith, nothing under heaven will prevail for any man's salvation. Not Paul himself, in his unconverted state, could have been saved without it p. On the other hand, no man, whatever he may have been or done, can perish, not even Manasseh himself, if he come to God with a simple faith in the Lord Jesus : for we are assured, that " the blood of Jesus Christ will cleanse from all sinq," and that "all who believe in him shall be justified from all things1."]
Now, then, permit me to inquire, brethren,
1. What is the state of your souls in relation to this all-important matter ?
[Can you, in the very way that the Eunuch did, declare, " T believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?" I ask not, Whether you approve of that as an article of your creed ? but whether it forms the one ground of all your hopes, the one source of all your happiness? Dear brethren, be not satisfied with repeating it in your creed ; but get it fixed as a
rooted and influential principle in your hearts You
must acquire it, even as the Eunuch did, by a diligent study of the Holy Scriptures, and by the teaching of the Spirit of God ]
2. What effect does it produce on your hearts and
lives ?
[You see what effects this faith produced on the Eunuch, how he desired baptism, and devoted himself to the Lord, with-
11 Gal. v. 6. John iii. 14— 1G, 18, 36. i Mark xvi. 16.
k Acts xvi. 31. I John i. 12. Gal. iii. 26. m Rom. v. 1.
» Acts xv. 9. ° Rev. i. 5. ? 1 Cor. iii. 11. <i 1 John i. 7. r Acts xiii. 39.