of our own existence. We must be thoroughly established in these great and fundamental truths. To question either the one or the other of them in any degree, were little better than to renounce Christianity altogether.
We must receive it also as suitable, yea, as exactly suited to our necessities. We must feel that we need precisely such an atonement as he offered for us ; and that we also need a living Saviour, who shall make continual intercession for us with the Father, and communicate to us, out of his own inexhaustible fulness, all those supplies of grace and strength as our necessi- ties require. It is this view of the correspondence between the offices of Christ and our necessities, and a consequent affiance in him for the supply of our wants, that constitutes the very essence of saving faith.
We must receive it also as sitfficient for us. This great mystery of godliness is absolutely perfect. Nothing can be added to it. And of this we should be fully convinced. We should see that there is in his death a sufficient " propitiation for the sins of the whole world :" and that there is in him such a fulness of all spiritual gifts, that " he is able to save to the uttei'most all who come unto God by him."
In this way is his Gospel to be received, and thus it is that " with the heart man believe th unto righteousness."]
2. We must "stand fast in it" even to the end —
[Nothing must be suffered to turn us away from this faith. We must brave all 'persecutions, and rather lay down our life than deny the Saviour in any manner. " It is he only who will lose his life for Christ's sake, that shall find it unto life eternal." Nor must we yield to the influence of tempta- tions of any kind, so as to be drawn aside by them. " The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life," if en- joyed in ever so great a degree, will but ill repay us for the loss which we shall sustain by suffering them to choke the good seed of Gospel truth : for " if any man draw back, my soul," says God, " shall have no pleasure in him." Neither must Satan, that subtle adversary, prevail against us by his devices. In ten thousand ways will he endeavour to " turn us from the simplicity that is in Christ:" but with " the sword of the Spirit, and the shield of faith " we must resist him till we are crowned with victory, and see him " bruised under our feet." We shall then, and then only, " be partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the endV]
In the Coiinthians themselves we see,
f Ilcb. iii. M.