The Mystery of the Gospel in Salvation, Sermon 10
SERMON X.
ACTS XVI.30.
And said, Sirs, What must I do to be saved?
I Told you, that it is necessary that the Sinner reduce his Knowledge into Practice; which includeth in it Faith, and Repentance. Under the Head of Faith, I shewed you, in the Morning, that Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ comprehends in it, a serious and firm Perswasion of Mind of the Truth of all that is revealed concerning Christ, and the Way of Salvation by him; where I considered the general Nature of Faith, and the more special Nature of that Faith required in the Gospel.
3. I am now to consider the more special Object of this Faith, namely, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Way of Salvation by him. The general Object of our Christian Faith is, indeed, the whole Word of God, even all that the Lord our God hath spoken to us, or all the Revelations which he hath made to us of his Mind, and Will, concerning us, and our Duty; whether Predictions, Prophecies, Doctrines, Precepts, Promises, or Threatenings, to which I may add Histories, which are contained in the Canon of the Holy Scriptures, which have been spoken, and written, by holy Men of God, moved thereunto by the Holy Ghost: for all Scripture is given by Inspiration of God; 2 Tim. iii.16. and therefore all of it is to be believed: but the more special Object of our Faith, (and which I am more particularly concerned with in my Discourse on the Subject before me,) as necessary unto Salvation, and which rendereth it a justifying, saving, Faith, is, the Lord Jesus Christ.
There are two Things respecting Christ, considered as the special Object of this Faith, the Perswasion of the Mind, that fall under Consideration, namely, that he is a Person sent from God, and the ancient promised Messiah, and that all that he hath spoken is true.
First, Thus Christ is the special Object of our Faith, as a Person sent from God, upon which very much depends the Authority he assumed, and the Truth of what he affirmed, and taught; and therefore this was what he often insisted upon, and proved to his Hearers, that he was sent from God▪ Joh. v.36, 37. The Works, which the Father hath given me to finish, the same Works that I do, bear Witness of me, that the Father hath sent me: the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath born Witness of me. And this Christ not only endeavoured to convince the World of, but it is what he earnestly desired, and prayed for, Joh. xvii.21. that the Worl… might believe that thou hast sent me.
Besides, Christ is the Object of our Faith, as that very Person who was promised, of old, to come into the World, under the Character of the Messiah, and Deliverer; and if the Marks, and Characters, of that very Person, given in the Writings of the ancient Prophecies, had not exactly agreed in him, and in him only, the Jews would not have been to blame for their rejecting him, and refusing to own him to have been the antient promised Messiah of God: but inasmuch as all the evident Characters of the Messiah met in him, and in no other, therefore their Unbelief was justly chargeable upon them, and our Lord said to them, Joh. viii.24. if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your Sins. He, that is o erchomenos, He that was to come. Matth. xi.3. So that this is what we are to believe, and be perswaded of in our Minds, that that very Person, promised firstly to Adam, and then to Abraham, and afterwards to the People of God, in his ancient Records, under the Character of the Messiah, and Deliverer, has already come into the World, and Christ was he, and we look for no other. But then,
Secondly; We are to believe all that Jesus Christ hath told us, concerning himself, and that the Doctrines which he has taught us are true. Thus we are to credit what he has … us concerning himself, especially, that he is the Son of God, and the Saviour of the World. For thus Christ asserted, concerning himself, that he was the Son of God; and that not only, by Implication, in stiling God his Father, but in express Terms, Matth. xxvii.43. He said I am the Son of God: and this we are to believe concerning him; one great Intention of the Gospel being to lead us into the Faith hereof. Joh. xx.31. These Things are written, that ye might believe, that Iesus is the Christ, (the promised Messiah,) the Son of God, and that believing ye might have Life through his Name.
And so are we to believe that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of Sinners. For this is couched in the very first Promise concerning him, and is often spoken of, in the Old Testament; and at his Birth the Angel proclaimed, Luk. ii.11. Unto you is born a Saviour, which is Christ, the Lord: and he himself hath told us, Matth. xviii.11. The Son of Man, (by which Stile Christ was well known,) is come to save that which was lost; that is, to save lost Sinners. And his Enemies flung it at him, in the Way of Scoff, Matth. xxvii.42. He saved others; that is, He assumed this Character to himself, to be the Saviour of others. This then is what we are to believe concerning him, that he is, indeed, the Christ, the Saviour of the World; otherwise we shall never look to, and depend upon him, for Salvation.
But farther, we are to believe all that Christ hath told us, and all that is related in the Gospel, concerning him, to be infallibly true; that there was such a Person, as Jesus Christ, who lived, and died, as Ierusalem, in the Time, and after the Manner, recorded of him; that he taught such Doctrines, and wrought such Miracles, as we have an Account of in the Gospel; that he died for our Offences, lay under the Power of Death for a Time, and then rose again for our Justification; that he ascended up into Heaven, and ever liveth to make Intercession for us; and that he will come again to Judge the Quick and the Dead. These, and all that is contained in the Word of God, concerning Christ, and the Way of Salvation by him, we are to yield the Assent of our Understandings to, being firmly perswaded in our Minds of the Truth of them all: and this Use, and Import, of the Word, Faith, is the first, and lowest Degree, or perhaps Kind, of Faith in Christ, that is required of us in the Gospel.
There are many who do not get thus far; tho' they have read, and heard, the Gospel, and have had the Evidences, of it's being a Divine Revelation, plainly laid before them, yet they do not credit the Report, or assent to the Truth of is, as a Revelation from God, but, instead thereof, openly reject, and oppose it, and even strain their feeble Powers to nullify it. So did the unbelieving Iews of Old, with whom the Scepticks of the present Age, join, in their Opposition to the Truth of the Gospel: though this is the first necessary Ingredient of our Faith in Christ, to credit what the Word of God has told us concerning him, and the Truth of the Doctrines he has taught us.
Though this is the general Notion of Faith in Christ, yet, this, alone, is not all that the Gospel intendeth by that Faith in Christ which will save us, that Faith which, if a Man have, will entitle him to the Pardon of his Sins, and his final Acceptance with God, according to the true Meaning of the Phrase, He that believeth shall be saved. For not only the Devils thus believe and tremble, Jam. ii.19. and could say, Luk. iv.34. I know thee, who thou art; the holy one of God; but we find many, who live under the Gospel, and have their Minds, in some Measure, perswaded of the Truth of the Divine Revelation, yet are far from being true Believers in Christ: their vicious, and immoral Lives plainly declare, that they are not Believers, in the Gospel Sense of the Word. They, therefore, who think this is all that the Gospel intendeth, by Faith in Jesus Christ, that the Understanding be convinced, in some Measure, of the Truth of the Things, concerning Christ, reported to them, and stop here, will certainly find this Faith will not save them; because, with all this Faith in their Heads, they may remain, in their Hearts, and Lives, but as very Devils, and at a great Distance from Christ, and Salvation by him. Wherefore I proceed to say,
2. Faith in Jesus Christ includeth in it, an entire Satisfaction with the Methods of Salvation, by him, propounded to us in the Word of God. A Man may be convinced of the Truth of what is told him, by such strong Arguments as shall silence all Cavilling, and take off the Force of every reasonable Objection, while yet he is far from being satisfied with the Report, and from approving what he is even compelled to credit. Thus, a Man may have an historical Faith in Christ, he may be forced by the Strength, and Clearness, of the Evidence set before him, to own the Truth of the Gospel History, in the General, and to credit, in particular, what it affirmeth concerning Christ, his Person, Miracles, Doctrines, Actions, and Sufferings; and yet, at the same Time, be no Ways satisfied with, or acquiesce in, the Methods of Divine Grace, which the infinitely wise, and good, God has fixed upon, as the only honorary, and effectual, Way, to bring about the eternal Salvation of guilty Sinners, by this Jesus; but rather be fond of some Methods, and Schemes, of his own devising, which, he is ready to think, lay out a much nearer, and more agreeable, and ratitional, and safe, Way of Salvation, than that which is proposed to him in the Gospel. And because he has a very great Fondness for his own Thoughts of Things, how different so ever from what is revealed, here he fixeth himself, this alone he approveth of, and all his Hopes, and Expectation, of Salvation, are founded upon this; and so he believeth, not according to what God hath revealed to him in his Word, but, according to the Reasonings, and Sentiments, of his own Mind. This, now, is not to be a Believer in Christ, according to the Scripture Use of the Phrase, but to be a Believer in self, in his own Reason, and Understanding.
This, I am very much perswaded, from what I have seen of their Writings, is the Condition of the Generality of the Infidels, and Deists, of the present Age. They are so prejudiced against the Methods of Salvation, by Jesus Christ, revealed in the Gospel, the Humility, and Self Denial, that is requisite to be beholden to Christ, and receive all, they would hope for, in a Way of Grace, and Favour; and the Holiness, and Purity of his Doctrines, that they cannot bring themselves to approve, and acquiesce in, what seemeth to pour such Contempt upon themselves, and abridge them of their gratifying their most prevailing Appetites. They imagine they have found out a much nearer, and easier, Way to be happy; 'tis but to comply with the Dictates of Nature, uncorrected as it is, which they suppose to be the most rational Method that can be taken, and make no doubt but the Supream Being will be favourable to them. From these Prejudices, and their Fondness for their own Sentiments, and high Opinion of their own Performances, mean as they are, they are put upon finding Fault with the Gospel Revelation, and lay hold on every little Objection, though ever so frivolous, and search out Difficulties where there really are none, that, if possible, they may invalidate the Credibility of it; and all, not so much, because they do not see sufficient Reason to credit the Gospel, as, because they can by no Means approve what is so disagreeable to the Haughtiness of their Minds, and the Dissoluteness of their Manners, Howeve…,
This, I conceive, was the Case of the Iews, when Christ was amongst them; and therefore the Apostle said of them, Rom. ix.31, 32. They attained not unto the Law of Righteousness; (they were not accepted of God as righteous, and so justified, and saved,) wherefore? (said the Apostle, and he gave this Reason for it,) Because they sought it not by Faith, but as it were by the Works of the Law; for they stumbled at that stumbling Stone. They did not believe in Christ, because they were offended at him. They missed of Salvation, not so much for want of an historical Faith, but because they did not approve of the Way of Salvation by Jesus Christ, they were prejudiced against him, and the Way of Salvation by him, and they thought it more reasonable, and safe, for them to seek for Salvation, by the Law of Moses, than by the Gospel of Christ. So that it was their Prejudice against the Person, and Doctrines, of Christ, and Want of approving the Grace of the Gospel, that put them upon rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ, and not their Want of sufficient Evidence, and Conviction, that he was truly sent from God, and the ancient promised Messiah. Therefore our Lord upbraided them, saying, Joh. v.43. I am come, in my Father's Name, and ye receive me not; if another shall come, in his own Name, him ye will receive. So when Theudas, and Iudas, Acts v.36, 37. came, in their own Names, pretending to be the Saviours of that People, to deliver them from the Oppressions of their temporal Enemies, many of them, readily received them; but when Christ came, with full Credentials from his Father, to save them out of the Hands of their spiritual Enemies, they received him not, because they were prejudiced against his Person, and Doctrine.
The Evidences of Christ's Mission from the Father, and consequently the Truth of what he taught them, shone in so full, and strong, a Light upon them, that, though they did all they could to close their Eyes, and shut out the Light from them, yet they could not help seeing something of it, and acknowledging his Credentials; and therefore, when the chief Priests, and Pharisees, who were most inveterately set against him, were assembled together, to vent their Spite, and Rage, at him, and took Counsel together to put him to Death, the Force of Truth compelled them to own his Divine Mission, and say, Joh. xi.47. What do we; for this Man doth many Miracles. And when the same Principles of Malice, and Rage, against our Lord, put them upon severely threatening of his Apostles, and straitly charging them, that they, hence forth, speak to no Man in the Name of Christ, the Evidences of a Divine Power, accompanying their Ministry, forced them to say, Acts iv.16. What shall we do to these Men! For that, indeed, a notable Miracle hath been done by them, is manifest unto all them that dwell in Ierusalem, and we cannot deny it.
From all which is appeareth, that even the wicked Iews themselves had an historical Faith in Christ, for they could not but inwardly credit his Mission, when they thus owned his Miracles, because herein they had the same Sort of Proof, and as strong, for the Belief, that Jesus Christ was sent from God, as they had for Moses. But their Prejudices against Christ, as a mean, and obscure, Person, who did not head their Nation in all the Grandure of of a temporal Prince, as Moses had done, nor work that Deliverance for them, from their outward Enemies, which they vainly expected from the Messiah, made them refuse to own, and submit to him. So that they were wilfully blind, even when they could not help seeing; they obstinately rebelled against the Light, which shone forceably upon them; which occasioned our Lord's charging their Sin, in not believing on him, upon their Obstinacy, and Wilfulness; Joh. ix.41. Iesus said unto them, if ye were blind, ye should have no Sin, (that is, in not believing on him,) but now ye say, we see, therefore your Sin remaineth: for ye will not come unto me, that ye may have Life. Joh. v.40.
True Faith in Jesus Christ, therefore, necessarily includeth in it, a full Satisfaction of Mind in the whole Method, which God has seen meet, in his infinite W…sdom, and Goodness, to fix upon, to bring a poor guilty, condemned, Sinner, to Life, and Happiness, by the Incarnation, and Death, of his only begotten, and dearly beloved, Son. The great God has proposed to gratify his own free, and rich Grace, in the Salvation of the guilty Sinner, not for the Sake of any Worthiness in the Sinner, or of any Thing he can do to obtain it, but, in and by the Merits of his own Son, appearing, on our Behalf, to offer himself, in our Nature, a Sacrifice of Atonement, to appease the Divine Anger, and reconcile us unto God. Therefore God is said, Rom. iii.25. to set him forth to be a Propitiation, through Faith in his Blood, for the Remission of … that are past. What is our Faith in his Blood? But, as, the Assent of the Mind to the Truth of it, that Christ has actually shed his Blood for us, so, the Soul's entire Acquiescence in this wonderful Method of Divine Grace, and Satisfaction … the glorious Designs of Mercy, in God, to the Sinner, and Honour to himself, and Son, in the Way of saving him by the Sufferings, and Death, of Jesus Christ.
Until all the Prejudices of the Soul against Jesus Christ, and the Way of Salvation by him, are removed, and the Man acquiesces in this, as the Way of God's Appointment, let the Mind be ever so truly perswaded of the Credibility of the Gospel Revelation, the Sinner will never look to Christ, to be saved by him. Any other Way, that has not our Prejudices to struggle with, though ever so false, will be acceptable to us; while that which is the only true Way of Salvation, and, perhaps, we cannot help thinking so, shall be rejected by us, while our Prejudices remain upon us. Th… the Cry of old was, Joh. xviii.40. Not this M… but Barrabas.
In this Sense, as denoting the Soul's Acquiescence in the Divine Methods of Salvation, by Jesus Christ his Meriting all for us by his Death, and not expecting of it from the Merits of any Works of our own, (I take it,) it is that Faith … opposed unto Works, (though it is never to be seperated from them,) in the Justification of a Sinner in the Sight of God. For, all the Works of moral Obedience that can be thought of, without the Understanding's Assent to the Truth of the Gospel Revelation, and the Mind's approving the Way of Salvation which God hath, therein, marked out for us, will leave the Man at as great a Distance from Christ, and Salvation by him, as if there never had been any such Person; whereas the Soul's Approbation of the Methods of Grace, revealed in the Gospel, leads it to Christ, the Saviour, and is productive of good Works.
And yet, even this Aquiescence, and Satisfaction, of Soul, in the Method of Salvation by Jesus Christ, may go no farther than the Affections approving of it, and so is not comprehensive of the whole of that Faith which the Gospel requireth, as necessary to Salvation. Wherefore I go on to add,
3. Gospel Faith includeth in it, an hearty Acceptance of, and Closure with, the Lord Jesus Christ, as our Saviour, according to the Gospel Offer. That is, the Soul becometh willing that Jesus Christ, and he alone, should be it's Saviour, and accordingly maketh Choice of him, as such, and heartily, and thankfully, receiveth him, seriously dedicateth itself to him, to be redeemed by him, and to become his Servant forever, depending upon him for Righteousness, and Salvation.
A Man may not only acknowledge the Truth, and Reality of a Thing, but see something of it's Excellency, and be satisfied in the Goodness of it, in it's Place, and yet not look upon it as good, for him, and therefore never close with it, or be at any Pains to secure it for his own. But when once the Soul is thorowly convinced of the Truth of a Thing, and that it is not only good in itself, but good for him, and is sensible that he cannot do well without it, that the Enjoyment of it is necessary to constitute his own Happiness, then the Soul, not only is carried out in it's earnest Desires, and Labours, after it, but, upon the first Opportunity, willingly parts with all lesser Interests for the Sake of it, readily lays hold upon it, closes with it, and secureth a special Propriety in it. This is the natural Acting of the reasonable Mind, with Relation unto all that it apprehendeth to be good for it.
Thus it is here; When the Mind is thorowly convinced of the Truth of the Christian Religion, and approves of the Methods of Divine Grace, revealed in the Gospel, and seeth that this is a most excellent, and the only sure, Way of Salvation, because what the infinite Wisdom, and Goodness, of God hath chosen, and laid out for us, then the next Act of the Soul is to close in with this Way, and, accordingly, to receive Jesus Christ, as freely offered to us in the Gospel: and because the Soul is sensible that her everlasting Well-being is dependent upon her Interest in this Salvation, therefore she will begrutch no Labour, and Pains, nor count any of the little Interest of Flesh, and Sense, and this World, too much to part with to obtain it. Hence it is said, Rom. x.10. With the Heart, Man believeth unto Righteousness. That is with the active governing Power of the Soul, the Will. The Faith that justifieth, and saveth us, is not seated only in the Head, much less in the Feet only, but in the Heart; which implieth the Consent of the Will, concurring with the Assent of the Understanding, and the Approbation of the Affections, in accepting the gracious Offers of the Gospel. And when this governing Power of the Soul, the Will, thus closeth with the Way of Salvation, set before us in the Word of God, and sincerely receiveth, and heartily submitteth, to Jesus Christ, as our alone Saviour, then is the Man a true Believer, … the Gospel Sense, and has that Faith, like our Father Abraham, which is imputed to him for Righteousness. Rom. iv.22.
But it must be … that this Closing with the Lord Jesus Christ, …s our Saviour, must be in the Way, and upon the Terms, of the Gospel, that is to say, in that Way, and upon those Terms, which God hath appointed; for it cannot be supposed, that the great God, who is Sovereign of his own Favours, will save any Man, but in his own Way, and upon his own Terms. And because the Condition of the Sinner is, that of a guilty, ignorant, impotent, Creature, alienated from the Life of God, a Stranger to the Way of Peace, and without Strength, either to overcome his Enemies, perform his Duties, or to lay hold on eternal Life, therefore it hath pleased God, in great Wisdom, and Condescention to furnish the Lord Jesus Christ, as our great Redeemer, with all those Qualifications which are adapted to our Condition, that he might effectually accomplish the whole of our Salvation: and, consequently, our Faith must necessarily have it's Respect to Christ, under the Consideration of those special Qualifications, in order to our partaking of his Salvation.
Since, therefore, God hath sent his Son, under the Character, and with the Qualification, of the great high Priest of our Profession, by the offering of himself a Sacrifice for our Sin, and pleading our Cause, to make up the Breach between God and Man, and reconcile us to God, and God unto us, our Faith in Christ must include in it, our Closure with him in the Character of a Priest; that is, the hearty Consent of our Souls that Christ should be all that unto us, that any Priest can be, and our Reliance upon the Merits of his Atonement, and the Prevalency of his Intercession, to slay the Enmity, and reconcile us, in one Body, unto God. Thus he is the Propitiation for our Sin, through Faith in his Blood; Rom. v.9, 10. that, being justified, through his Blood, we may be saved from Wrath, through him; for, if when we were Enemies, we were reconciled to God, by the Death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his Life.
And because God hath, in these last Days, spoken to us by his Son, a Prophet mighty in Word, and Deed, whom he hath sent to teach, and instruct, Sinners in their Duty, and the Way of Peace, and Life, by his holy Doctrines, and most exemplary Walk, therefore our Faith in Christ necessarily includeth in it, our Closure with him under the Character of a Prophet, who hath faithfully revealed to us the Will of the Father; that is, our hea… Consent to be taught, and instructed by him, and sincere resigning of ourselves up to the Directi… of his Word, and Conduct of his Spirit; and to that we call no Man Master, for one is our Master, even Christ. Matth. xxiii.10.
Farther, since God hath given him to be Head over all Things, to his Church, and set … as King upon his holy Hill of Zion, to rule in the midst of his Enemies, to give Law to his People, to communicate all divine Influences to them, and confer the promised Blessedness upon them; therefore our Faith in Christ necessarily includeth in … our hearty Closure with him under the Character of a King, whose Kingdom is, not of this World, but, spiritual, and heavenly, intending the subduing of our Lust, the Mastery over our Appetites, the preparing of us, by a Life of Holiness, for, and at last bringing of us to, a Life of consummate Happiness, in the heavenly World; that is, that we yield the hearty Consent of our Souls that Christ should set up his Kingdom in us, and rule over us, and that we pay that Homage, and Subjection, which is due to him as our Lord, by our ready hearkening to his Voice, obeying his Commands, and following of him, and by our depending upon him, and seeking to him, for all Divine Influences, to enable us to resist Temptations, perform Duties, and to persevere in the Way of Well-doing, and to confer the Crown of Glory upon us. Thus, Acts ii.36. We are to know, assuredly, that God hath made this same Iesus both Lord, and Christ.
This is what, I suppose, is intended by that Expression, in the Writings of many Divines, a Closure with a whole Christ.
I must observe farther, that the Gospel proposes no other Saviour to us but Christ alone; it acquainteth us with no other, but the Incarnate Son of God, as equal to the great Work of saving a Soul from Sin, and Satan, from Death, and Hell, and bringing of it to God, and Happiness; so that Christ will admit of no Competitor, nor suffer any of this Glory, which belongeth to him alone, to be given to another; and therefore in our Closing with Christ, we must sincerely renounce, all Dependance upon any other, whether Saint, or Angel, and all Ability, and Self-sufficiency, of our own, either to merit Pardon, and Life, or to deliver ourselves from the Tyranny of our spiritual Enemies, the Hands of Divine Justice, and the condemning Power of the Law, or to confer those gracious Qualifications upon ourselves which make us meet for the heavenly Inheritance; and must make Mention of his Name, and his Righteousness, even of his only, knowing there is Salvation in no other, for there is none other Name, under Heaven, given among Men, whereby we must be saved. Acts iv.12.
Thus, there must be a Closing with Christ, a whole Christ, and none but Christ.
And now, after all the Disputes, that have greatly divided the Christian World into Parties, about a justifying, saving Faith, the particular Act, and the critical Mode of the Acting, of Faith; and whether Faith is an Instrument, or a Condition, of our Justification; and under what particular Considerations Christ is the Object of a justifying Faith; or about whatever other Nicety, concerning Faith, it's Object, and Operation, learned Men may employ their Thoughts, and puzzle the Minds of others; I am verily perswaded, that I have given a just, and plain, Account of that true saving, justifying Faith in Christ, which is so much spoken of in the New-Testament, and is ever intended, when we are there told, He that believeth shall be saved, and that a Man is justified by Faith, and the like Expressions: which do not mean a particular Act of any one distinct Power of the Soul, only; but intend the Acting of the whole Soul, and all it's Powers; the Understanding, in crediting the Truth of the Gospel Revelation, relating to Jesus Christ; the Affections, in their Approbation of the Methods of the Grace of God by him; and the Will in it's Choice of, and Closure with, Jesus Christ, as our alone Saviour, in all his mediatorial Offices: and in whom soever this Faith is found, I doubt not but that Person will be finally justified, and saved.
And if we do but seriously attend to the true Scope of the Gospel Account of this Matter, we shall plainly see, that the Word Faith, when referred to Christ as the Object of it, and as denoting the Way unto Salvation by him, is always to be understood in this Sense. Sometimes indeed, we find it denoteth the Act of some particular Power of the Soul, as when our Lord said to the Iews, Joh. x.38. Though ye believe not me, believe the Works, &c. which evidently meaneth their crediting of him, if not for his Word, yet for his Works Sake. Thus also he said, Joh. v.44. How can ye believe which receive Honour one of another, and seek not the Honour which cometh from God only? which plainly referreth to the Prejudice of their Affections, and Fondness for worldly Things, which occasioned their Want of an entire Acquiescence in the Methods of Divine Grace. But when the Scriptures speak of believing in, or on, Christ, in order to Salvation, they always intend the Act of the Will, together with the Understanding, and Affections; and therefore those Phrases are explained by that of our receiving him. Joh. i.12. To as many as received him, — even to them that believe on his Name. Hence Faith in Christ is often, in Scripture, called a Coming to him: Joh. vi.35. He that cometh to me shall never hunger, he that believeth on me shall never thirst; all of which do most strongly imply the Act of the Will in our Choice of, and Closure with, Christ; that we come to him, and receive him, as Disciples to their Master, as Criminals to their Surety, and Advocate, as Subjects to their Lord, and King; that by our thus coming to him, and believing on him, he may of God be made unto us Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption.
Thus I have endeavoured, as clearly as I could, to set before you the Nature of that Faith which is required of us in the Gospel, even that Faith in Jesus Christ, which whosoever has, may upon good Grounds hope, that God, for Christ's Sake, will pardon, and justify, and eternally save him. I should go on to evidence the Necessity of this Faith, but I will conclude at present, by saying,
USE. Take heed, every Soul, of deluding yourselves with a false Faith. Many have done so before you, and you are not out of Danger of being deceived to your utter undoing. I beseech you, therefore, be very careful in this important Affair, upon which all your eternal Salvation turneth. Don't imagine that your Faithfulness, Fidelity, or moral Honesty, in what you do, and say, is a saving Faith; for though these, as the weightier Matters of the Law, are called Faith, Matth. xxiii.23. Iudgment, Mercy, and Faith, yet this is no more than a moral Heathen, who never heard of Christ, may be Owner of. Don't rest in an historical Faith, that you believe the Reports of the Gospel, for though this be a true Faith, yet it is not all the Faith the Gospel requireth, in order to Salvation; this, doubtless, was the Faith of Simon Magus, of whom it is said, Acts viii.13, 23. that he believed, and yet that he was in the Gall of of Bitterness, and Bond of Iniquity. Neither delude yourselves with a temporary Faith, which may somewhat engage the Affections to like and approve what the Gospel maketh known to you; for so the stony Ground Hearers receive the Word with Ioy; Mat. xii.20. and Herod heard Iohn gladly, Mark vi.20. Be not deceived with a particular Faith that your Sins are all pardoned; for though this may be the joyful Portion of him that has heartily accepted, and submitted himself, to, Jesus Christ, yet, without the Evidences of this espousal between Christ, and the Soul, 'tis no better than a vain Presumption, and delusive Self-Confidence. Yea, if you had the Faith of Miracles, so that you could remove Mountains, yet, without closing with Christ, your Condition would be no better than that of Iudas, to whom our Lord gave Commission, as w…ll as to the other Eleven, Matth. x.8. To heal the Sick, cleanse the Lepers, and raise the Dead. See to it therefore that your whole Heart, and Soul sincerely embrace the Lord Jesus Christ, according to the Offer, and upon the Terms of the Gospel, and resign yourselves wholly up to him, to the Government of his Righteous Sceptre; then may you conclude that your Faith is right, and such as God in his Word requireth of you: for he is thy Lord, and if thou thus Worship him, he will greatly delight in thy Beauty, and thou shalt receive the Blessing from the Lord, and Righteousness from the God of thy Salvation. For so hath Christ said, Joh. x.27, 28. My Sheep hear my Voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I will give unto them eternal Life, and they shall never perish; neither shall any Man pluck them out of my Hand.