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than a hearty and sincere crediting of the truth of this declaration ; and a humble, penitent reliance upon the promise connected with it, as the word of the eternal God, from a sense of the need of his grace, and with a view to the obtaining it. It is, as our Lord himself represents it in the context, just the same thing, as the sung Israelites looking to the brazen serpent for a cure. Though wounded ever so deeply, if they cast an eye upon this medium, with a faith in the divine appointment and promises, they were as assuredly healed, as if they had received only the slightest injury ; and that this was the case of all who so looked, without exception. Under convictions of our lost condition, and desire after deliverance, the first thing is believing, or looking by faith to Jesus, and trusting in his atonement, righteousness, and power. This is the foundation of all prayer, and every approach to God. For he that cometh unto God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of all that diligently seek him. He that would find light, and life, and peace with God, must first believe there are such blessings, and the way in which they are to be obtained, viz. through Jesus Christ. Without some sort of credit to the divine testimony, some trust in the divine promises, it would be impossible to have any real hope towards God, and without hope there can be nothing done in religion. Instead, therefore, of these inquiries and reasonings about matters not immediately pertaining to the exercise of faith, our business is to apply ourselves directly to that exercise, assuring ourselves of the truth of the promises, and relying upon them in humble confidenee that they shall be made good to us.
