2. Commend it to your cordial acceptance —
[If you sought for nothing but present comfort, methinks you should without hesitation embrace the doctrine of sal- vation by faith. For at what comfort can a man ever arrive, who seeks salvation by his works ? How can he ever get satis- faction on the subjects on which all his happiness depends ? How can he know what is sufficient for his acceptance, and whether he has done what under his circumstances is sufficient? And, if he can never attain the knowledge of these things, in what sad uncertainty must he be held all his days respecting the final salvation of his soul ! And is it not a fearful thing to stand on the brink of eternity, and not to know whether we be going to heaven or to hell? The doctrine of justification by faith presents a clear and definite idea to the mind. Doubt- less, in the lower stages of the divine life, there may be con- siderable suspense even there ; because a person may not be certain that his faith is so simple and entire as it ought to be : but still he has a definite object in view, namely, to cast himself wholly upon the Lord Jesus Christ, and to rely altogether upon him : and, though he may not have an assured confidence of his acceptance in Christ, he knows, that it is as impossible for a man who flees to Christ to perish, as it is for God to lie :
" fitfiaiav. x Jam. ii. 14 — 20. f Rom. ii. 7.
z Lsai. xxxv. 8. a Heb. xii. 14.