not follow, the performance of any good act what- ever : and, consequently, we must be indebted alto- gether to the sovereign grace of God, which first " gives us to will, and then to do, of his good pleasure."
The truth is, as the first gift of a Saviour sprang altogether from the sovereign grace of God, so must salvation in all its parts ; seeing that " we have not of ourselves a sufficiency even to think a good thought1." It is by faith alone that the good work of salvation must be wrought in us. We must first be- lieve God's record respecting his dear Son : then, in the exercise of the same faith, we must look to his Son for the communication of his purchased benefits. So, throughout our whole continuance on earth, " the life which we live in the flesh, we must live by faith in the Son of God, who has loved us, and given him- self for usu." Let any one reflect, for a moment, What other way is there for any soul of man to par- ticipate the benefits which God has treasured up for us in his dear Son? Is there any other way of our being united to him, " as branches of the living Vine ;" or of our " receiving out of his fulness the grace " that we stand in need of? is there any other way, I say, than by faith ? If we look into the Scriptures, we shall find that faith is continually represented as the means whereby alone we can either receive from God any spiritual blessing x, or perform unto him any acceptable service7.
I grant, that we must repent. But repentance will neither atone for past sin, nor stand in the place of future obedience : and even repentance itself must be given us by the Lord Jesus Christ, " who is ex- alted to the right hand of God, to give repentance, no less than remission of sins2." I grant, also, that when we have believed in Christ, we must walk in his ways, and yield obedience to his commandments. But this obedience cannot supersede the necessity of faith : on the contrary, it can exist only as the fruit
t 2 Cor. iii. 5. u Gal. ii. 20. * John i. 12.
y Heb, xi. 6. z Acts v. 31.
2222. j NATURE AND OFFICE OF THE GOSPEL. 433
of faith : and, instead of purchasing salvation for us, it is itself a part of that very salvation which the Lord Jesus Christ purchased for us upon the cross.
Now these truths have been greatly controverted, in every age of the Church. Persons have raised subtle questions upon every part of this subject, and made them the occasions of acrimonious dispute : whereas there is nothing under heaven more plain and simple than the way of salvation as prescribed for us in the Gospel. I think we may, by one single word, throw such light upon it, as shall supersede, I had almost said, all controversy respecting it. I do not mean to say, that persons who love controversy may not yet find, or make, abundant occasion for it: but I do say, that, by one single word, the whole of salvation may be so plainly declared, that a humble and contrite soul shall be enabled, for all practical purposes, to view it in all its length and breadth. What, then, is that word which will thus exhibit the Gospel in so bright and clear a light ? It is the word, remedy. Let us come back to the state of fallen man : he is in a guilty, polluted, helpless condition. In this state God provides for him a remedy, and both inclines and enables him to apply that remedy. For his guilt he applies to himself the atoning blood of Christ : for his pollution and weakness, he looks to the Holy Spirit to begin and carry on a work of grace within him. By looking to Christ, he obtains peace with God and in his own conscience : and, by yielding himself to the influences of God's Holy Spirit, he becomes renewed and sanctified in all his powers. His renovated health begins immediately to appear. He is enabled to mortify all his former corruptions ; and to " walk holily, justly, and un- blameably," before God and man. Gradually, he becomes transformed into the Divine image, in right- eousness and true holiness. Ask him now, To what he ascribes the change that has taken place within him? and he will tell you, ' It is owing to the remedy which God has prescribed, and enabled him to apply.' To his latest hour he continues applying the same