The Humbled Sinner, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. The preaching and hearing of the Goſpel of ſingular uſe.
THe firſt Uſe ſhall be for Information, which conſiſts in many profitable conſectaries or inferences, which will flow from this truth. If beleeving in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt be the only way to be ſaved. Then firſt, hence it will follow; That the preaching of the Goſpel is worthy the while, it is of neceſſary and ſingular conſequence. Peruſe that place, Rom. 1. 16. I am not aſhamed of the Goſpel of Chrict, for it is the power of God unto ſalvation to every one that beleeveth, verſe 17. for there is the righteouſneſſe of God revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, the juſt ſhall live by faith. The Apoſtle preſents two arguments of his honourable eſtimation, and confident preaching of the Goſpel.
1. One is, that it is the power of God to ſalvation (that is) it is the inſtrument which God uſeth, and into which he doth imprint a power to ſave men: It is called the power of God to ſalvation, not only in reſpect of revelation, becauſe it doth manifeſt and declare the ſole means of reconciliation 'twixt God and man, but alſo in reſpect of operation and efficacy, becauſe it doth communicate and produce that faith in Ieſus Chriſt by which we are ſaved.
2. Another is, that it comprehends the righteouſneſſe of God, which faith only doth take: By the righteouſneſſe of God, he underſtands that righteouſneſſe whereby a man is juſtified in the ſight of God, and it is called the righteouſneſſe of God, becauſe God is the Authour and giver of it, it is wrought and given by God in Jeſus Chriſt; and alſo becauſe it is approved and of force with God at his Tribunal and judgement-ſeat. See another place, Epheſ. 1. 13. In whom ye alſo trusted after that ye heard the word of truth, the Goſpel of your ſalvation; He in the precedent verſes doth enumerate many ſingular and heavenly bleſſings, amongſt which Chriſt was one, and he doth in this verſe expreſſe the order and manner how they come to be intereſſed in him, viz. by truſting, or believing and they come to that truſting and beleeving by the Goſpel, which he ſtiles a word of truth, and a meſſage of ſalvation.
Tell me ſeriouſly, is not ſalvation the great ſcope and aime of your moſt choiſe and ſober thoughts? and can any attaine that but by Chriſt? and can you have Chriſt without faith?
How preciouſly deare (then) unto you ſhould the Miniſtry of the Goſpel be, which is the inſtrument of God, to produce that faith, which layes hold on that Chriſt, by whom only we are ſaved! Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God, ſo the Apoſtle, Rom. 10 17. and John 6. 45. Every man that hath heard and learned of the Father, cometh to me.
He is an enemy to his own ſalvation, who ſlights the preaching of the Goſpel; and he is an enemy to the ſalvation of others, who labours to oppreſſe and extinguiſh it: for if ſalvation be by faith in Chriſt, and that faith depends on the Goſpel, Then,
For our parts, let us bleſſe God for his Goſpel. Let us for ever honour and reſpect the meſſage of the Goſpel, yea, let us heartily embrace the Doctrine, and power of the Goſpel: Let the feet of them which bring the glad tydings of ſalvation, be acceptable unto us, for as much as ſalvation, and Chriſt, and faith are all of them annexed unto the Goſpel.
2. Then hence it will follow, that a meer hearing of Chriſt and his doctrine will not ſave, if beleeving be the only way.
There are divers ſorts of hearing.
One with incogitancy, when perhaps the Ear is open, but the Three ſorts of hearing.minde is aſleep, and heeds not that precious object revealed.
Another with Reluctancy, when the eare is open, and the mind attentive, but the heart striving againſt the truth and goodneſſe of the word.
Another with Conformity: when the ear heares, and the underſtanding yields, and the heart embraceth. Now it is this latter kinde of hearing, which brings to ſalvation. That hearing which conſiſts only in the delivery of the meſſage, which brings ſomething from God to us, this will not ſave; but ſuch an hearing as brings back ſomething from us to God, which is accompanied with beleeving, which turnes home the ſoul to the acceptance and embracing of Ieſus Chriſt, this is the only hearing to ſave our ſoules. A motion made and tendred doth not conclude a match, but a motion conſented unto and embraced.
3. If beleeving in Jeſus Chriſt be the only way of life, then Ieſus Chriſt ſhould be the main ſcope and mark of all our preaching and ſtudying, 1 Cor. 2. 2. I determined not to know any thing among you, ſave Ieſus Chriſt and him crucified. It was the maine theame and ſubject upon which that bleſſed Apoſtle did ſpend himſelf: Look as it is with a Phyſician, that though he doth ſometimes lance, and ſometimes make very ſick, and ſometimes reſtraine to ſtrictneſſe of diet, and ſometime binde and trouble the patient, and ſometimes relieve him with precious cordials; though theſe actions are different among themſelves, yet they do concenter in one end, which is health and life. So whether Miniſters preach the knowledge of ſinne, or whether they ſtrive to make men ſenſible of ſinne, or whether they let flie the arrows of Gods threatnings upon the conſcience of ſinners, or whether they touch on the mercy Seat; all the end and ſcope is, or ſhould be, to bring men to Chriſt, to make Chriſt more glorious in the eyes of ſinners, and to incline their hearts to accept and embrace him.
Chriſt may be preached two ways.
Either Explicitly, when he in his perſon, or offices, or benefits, Chriſt preached two wayes.is the only matter which is handled and publiſhed.
Or Virtually, when he is the end of that matter, which is delivered. One of theſe wayes, Chriſt ſtill to be preached; Do I meet with a broken and afflicted ſpirit, groaning under the load of ſinful Nature and life, panting after the Prince of life and peace, willing to yield up it ſelf to all the conditions of God in Chriſt? Here now I am to lift up Chriſt on his Croſſe to ſpread his armes, to ſhew unto that broken Spirit, the very heart blood of Jeſus Chriſt poured out for the remiſſion of ſinnes, to be a propitiatory Sacrifice for his ſoule. Do I meet with an obſtinate and proud ſpirit, which dares to defie juſtice, and preſumtuouſly to areign mercy. Here I open the indignation of God againſt ſinne, of purpoſe to awaken the conſcience, to caſt down the high and lofty imaginations, and for no other end but this, That ſuch a perſon being now come to the ſenſe of his miſery, may fitly be directed, and ſeaſonably encouraged to the ſight and fruition of his remedy in Chriſt.