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BY W. ROMAINE, M. A.
Lecturer of St. Dunstan's in the west, London.

The Just shall live by his Faith.-Hab. ii. 4.

PHILADELPHIA:

PUBLISHED BY THOMAS T. STILES,
No. 12, WALNUT-STREET.

*******

1810.

5849

1782

PREFACE.

THE design of this little treatise, is to dis play the glory and all-sufficiency of the Lord Jesus Christ, and to encourage weak believers to glorify him more, by depending and living more upon his all-sufficiency. Whatever he has promised in his word, he is almighty to bestow, and they may receive it freely by the hand of faith..his is its use jand office, as an land or instrument, having first received Christ, to be continually receiving out of Christ's fullness. The apostle calls this "living by faith," a life received and continued, with all the strength, comforts, and blessings belonging to it, by faith in the Son of God, and he also mentions the work of faith its working effectually in the hearts of believers, through Christ strengthening them, and its growing in them; yea, growing exceedingly from faith to faith, by the power of him who loveth them. This is the subject; and it properly belongs to those only who have obtained the true faith, given them of God, and wrought in their hearts by his word and Spirit. Such persons meet with many difficulties, every day, to try their faith, and to hinder them from depending continually upon the Lord Christ for all things belonging to life and godliness. By what means these difficulties are overcome, is plainly taught in Scripture, is clearly promised, and is attained by faith, which

becomes daily more victorious, as it increases in

strength. The strengthening of it I have had all along in view, hoping to be the means, under God, of leading the weak believer by the hand, and of removing hinderances out of his way, until he be thoroughly settled and established in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

But I must admonish the reader, that I do not expect this merely from what I have written. It is too high and great a work for any mere man. Faith is the gift of God. And he alone who gives can increase it. The author of this faith is also the finisher of it: and we do not use the means to set the Lord of all means aside. No; we use them that we may find him in them. It is his presence, which makes the use of them effectual. By this, and this only can any reader of this little book be rendered stronger in faith. Being well assured of this, I have therefore looked up to him myself, and it will be for thy profit also, reader, to look up to him in prayer, for his blessing. Entreat him of his grace to countenance this feeble attempt to promote his glory and his people's good. Beg of him to make thy reading of it the means of thy growth in faith, and to accompany it with the supply of his Spirit to every believer,into whose hands it may fall. And forget not in thy prayers, thy well-wisher and servant for Jesus's sake.

W. R.

A Treatise, &c.

THE persons, for whose use this little tract is drawn up, are supposed to be practically acquainted with these following truths: they have been convinced of sin, and convinced of righteousness.

The

word of God has been made effectual by the application of the holy Spirit to teach them the nature of the divine law, and upon comparing their hearts and their lives with it, they have been brought in guilty. They found themselves fallen creatures, and they felt the sad consequences of the fall, namely, total ignorance in the understanding of God and his ways, an open rebellion against him in the will, and an entire enmity in the heart, a life spent in the service of the world, the flesh and the devil; and on all these accounts guilty before God, and by nature children of wrath. When they were convinced of those truths in their judgments, and the

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