predicted concerning him in the prophecies, or sha- dowed forth in the Mosaic ritual. He shews us, that by that one offering of himself upon the cross, he has made an ample satisfaction " for the sins of the whole world x," and effected a perfect reconciliation between God and many, so that now God can be "just, and yet a Saviour2;" yea, he may be "just, and yet a jus- tifier of them that believe in Christ a." He shews us, that, " if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, much more shall the blood of Christ, who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot to God, purge our con- science from dead works to serve the living GodV Convincing us, I say, of these things, he assures us, that, if only we " live by faith on this Saviour," and "receive out of his fulness" our daily "supplies of his Spirit" and grace, we have nothing to fear ; for that work that is now begun in us, shall assuredly be carried on and perfected "until the day of Christ0." From this time the sinner builds on " Christ as the only true foundation d," and glories in him as "all his salvation and all his desire6." Even a full assurance of faith he is now enabled to exercise, under a full conviction that " there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus f ;" and that "all who believe in him are justified from all things8."
A full assurance of hope, indeed, a true believer may want ; but a full assurance of faith he must have, and should never lose. Faith, being founded simply on the truth of God, should never vary, under any circumstances whatever ; but hope is founded partly on the promises of God, and partly on a conscious- ness that we are in that state to which the promises are made, and, therefore, it may vary, yea, and should vary, according to the progress we have made in the divine life, and the meetness we have attained for the
x 1 John ii. 2.
y Col. i. 20.
z Isai. xlv. 21.
a Rom. iii. 26.
" Heb. ix. 13, 14.
c Phil. i. 6.
d 1 Cor. iii. 11.
e 2 Sam. xxiii. 5.
f Rom. viii. 1.
b Acts xiii. 39.
it 2