PART SECOND.

The most remarkable account we have of saving faith, in the book of God, is contained in these words: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." 米 And the most accurate definition of that grace, which is to be found in the writings of men, is the following:-"Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace, whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the Gospel." Guided by this inspired account, and assisted in our views by this high human authority, which is perfectly agreeable to Divine revelation, we shall now proceed in our general observations on faith, which are intended to describe to us the nature of that grace.

OBS. VI. The object of faith may be considered in different points of view. By the object of faith, we must understand that upon which faith acts. It is that particular object, person, or thing, which the Christian by faith believes, or receives, in which he trusts and confides, and upon which he rests and depends. This is the object of faith. Now this object, which the believer embraces in the exercise of his faith, may be considered in different ways. The word of God-Christ the Mediator betwixt God and man-God essentially considered as in Christ. This is the proper and complete object, on which the faith of Christians is acted. The word of God

Heb 11: 1.

Shorter Catechism, Quest. 96.

is the object of faith. This truth is confirmed in that description which we have of the exercise of the Israelites in the wilderness. "Then believed they his word."* If the word of God is not believed, it is impossible for us, in any respect, to exercise faith upon its object. The word of God contains precepts, threatenings, doctrines and promises, all of which are the object of faith. True faith believes the precepts of the law. This was the exercise of the Psalmist, when he said, "I have believed thy commandments." That which the Christian believes concerning the Divine law, is expressed by Paul: "Wherefore the law is holy; and the commandment is holy, and just, and good." While the hearts of men condemn the law as unholy, unjust and severe, saving faith has no place in them. Never shall the children of men be able to discern the glory of the Gospel, till they have obtained a discovery of the excellency of the law, and have their minds enlightened in the knowledge of it, as a display of the infinite holiness, justice and goodness. of its author. Saving faith is exercised upon the threatenings of the law. The Christian, discerning the reality and awful contents of the threatenings, is persuaded in his mind, that in them is revealed the wrath of God from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. The stability of the threatening, as the word of God, and the equity of it, or its infinite righteousness, are firmly believed by those who have obtained precious faith. As the word of God makes an application of the threatening to every individual of Adam's family, the person in whose heart faith is wrought by the power of

*Psalm 106: 12.

Psalm 119: 66.

Rom. 7: 12.

the Spirit, particularly applies the threatening to himself, by acknowledging that he is the man, who, having transgressed the precept of the law, deserves the execution of its curse. The doctrines of the Gospel belong also unto that word, which is the object of faith. This is evident from the command of Such is the con

Christ, "Believe the Gospel."* nection which faith has with these doctrines, that they are called by its name, the faith which is delivered to the saints. The good tidings of great joy, which is to all people, that unto them was born, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, is credited by the believing soul. The promise, in a particular manner, is the object of the Christian's faith. The great and precious promises are said to be given unto us; and it is the work of faith to receive that which is given from Heaven. What is said of one Divine promise, relative to the exercise of faith concerning it, is true of them all. The actings of this grace, concerning the great and comprehensive promise of the Spirit, are clearly pointed out to us in these words of the apostle: "That we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." The promises, therefore, which are contained in the word of God, are faith's object.

It was also observed that the Lord Jesus Christ is the object of saving faith. So soon as faith is exercised upon the word of the Gospel, Christ is set before the view of the soul, and faith immediately acts upon him. The Mediator, who is the author and finisher of faith, is also its glorious object.The word of God is not properly believed, unless Christ, in the word, is discerned by the Christian,

and his faith is fixed on him. It belongs to the exercise of saving faith, that whatever way it views the word, it is still by means of it led unto Christ. These actings of the mind, upon any parts of the word, which do not lead the Christian unto the Lord Jesus, may justly be suspected. The actings of the mind upon the precepts and threatenings of the word, are not the exercise of a saving faith, unless Jesus is seen to be the end of the law, for righteousness, to every one that believeth. And how can the Gospel or the promise be improved by faith, if this grace is not exercised upon the glorious Redeemer? The Scripture clearly represents Jesus as the object of the faith of Christians, when it informs us, in many plathat it is their exercise to receive him, to believe on him, and to trust in him. Jesus is the object of his people's faith in his incarnate person, as he is God and man in his one Divine person; in his glorious office of Mediator between God and man, and is the prophet, the priest, and the king of his church; in his everlasting righteousness which he wrought out for the justification of his people; in his immeasurable fulness, which it pleased the Father should dwell in him; and in his great salvation, of which he is the Author to all them that obey him.

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God, essentially considered, is also the object of saving faith. As the word leads the believer's faith to Christ, so faith, being fixed on him, immediately terminates upon a Three-one-God. "Who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God."* If the person who has seen Christ has seen the Father also, then he who believes in Christ,

* 1 Peter 1: 21.

must exercise the same grace on God the Father. If God is in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, it must follow that those who come to Christ, by faith, fix their souls on God as he is manifesting himself to them in him. The Scripture frequently speaks of believing in God, coming unto God, and trusting in him, all which set him before our view as the object of our faith. The Great Jehovah is the object of the believer's faith in his being; for all who come unto him, believe that he is. He is the objec of their faith in Three Divine persons; for all who possess true faith believe that there are Three which bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these Three are One. He is the object of saving faith in his glorious perfections, all of which are exercised through Christ for the salvation of his people. His sovereignty, wisdom, and holiness, are discerned and improved by faith. His love, grace, and mercy, are objects of the Christian's faith. His faithfulness, justice, and power, are the resting place of faith.-To conclude this particular, it is proper to observe, that God, essentially considered, is the ultimate and supreme object of the believer's faith. But there is no way for the faith of a sinner to act, in a saving and comfortable manner, upon this holy and offended God, but through a Mediator. This glorious Saviour, therefore, who, by his obedience and death, has opened up a way of access for us to God, becomes a necessary and proper object of the faith of those who are saved. As this glorious Mediator, and Jehovah in him, cannot ordinarily be revealed to men but by the word, this word of Divine revelation, which testifies of God in Christ, is a proper and primary object of our faith. The object of faith, then, is the word of God. Christ