The Mystery of the Gospel in Salvation, Sermon 11
SERMON XI.
ACTS XVI.30.
And said, Sirs, What must I do to be saved?
THE Doctrine I have noted, from these Words, was,
DOC. It is of the highest Concernment to perishing Sinners, to be very solicitous, what they shall do to be saved; or, to know, and practise, all that is necessary, in order to their Salvation. The Method, I proposed to take, in the prosecuting this Subject, was this.
I. To shew you what it is to be saved; or, what is that Salvation which perishing Sinners stand in Need of.
II. To evidence that perishing Sinners may be saved; or, there is a Possibility, notwithstanding their present miserable Condition, that they may be eternally saved.
III. That perishing Sinners must know, and practise, all that is necessary, in order to their Salvation; or, there is something to be done, by them, that they may be saved.
IV. This is a Matter of the highest Concernment to them, and therefore they ought to be most seriously solicitous about it. I am upon the Third of these Heads; viz.
III. That perishing Sinners must know, and practise, all that is necessary, in order to their Salvation; or, there is something to be done, by them, that they may be saved. Under this Head I have proposed to consider, the Nature, and Necessity, of saving Faith, and the Way to obtain it.
The last Opportunity I shewed you, what it is to believe in Jesus Christ, what that Faith in Christ is, which the Gospel requireth, as necessary to Salvation; namely,
1. A serious, and firm Perswasion of Mind concerning the Truth, and Certainty, of all that is revealed to us, in the Word of God, relating to Jesus Christ, and the Way of Salvation, by him.
2. An entire Satisfaction with the Methods of Salvation, by him, propounded to us in the Word of God.
3. An hearty Acceptance of, and Closure with, the Lord Jesus Christ, as our Saviour, according to the Gospel Offer. Having, under these Three Heads, shewed you what I verily think to be the true Nature of that Gospel Faith, which, if a Man have, he shall be pardoned, justified, and eternally saved; I now proceed in the Second Place,
II. To evidence, that this Faith in Christ, which the Gospel requireth, is absolutely necessary to the Sinner's Salvation. This will be abundantly evident, by considering the Tenor of the Gospel Revelation, and the Nature, and Reason of Things.
1. It is very evident from the whole Tenor of the plain, and positive Declaration of the Gospel, that this Faith in Jesus Christ, is absolutely necessary to the Salvation of the Sinner. The whole Gospel is an utter Stranger to any Way, of a poor guilty Sinner's partaking of the Salvation, he standeth in Need of, without this, of his believing on the Lord Jesus Christ; if you search from one End to the other of it, you will find no Encouragement given, to any Sinner, to hope that he may be saved, without this Faith in Christ, which I have described. The very End, and Design, of the Gospel Revelation, are to make known Jesus Christ, his Person, Nature, Offices, and Benefits, and to shew us the Methods of Salvation, by him; to set before us the wondrous Grace of God, in the Gift of his Son, to be a Saviour for us, guilty Sinners; to acquaint us what Christ has done, and suffered for us, to bring about our Salvation; and to proselyte us to the Faith of the Son of God, that, by him, we might be saved. But to be more particular.
1. The whole Gospel does most positively insist upon our Faith in Christ, in order to our Salvation. Christ himself, personally, and his Apostles, in Commission, and Charge, from him, constantly preached this Doctrine, and urged it upon their Hearers, that they must believe that they might be saved. Thus,
1. Jesus Christ himself, personally, preached the Necessity of this Faith, in order to Salvation. Our blessed Lord upon the Confinement of Iohn in Prison, began his publick Ministry, with preaching the Necessity of Faith, as one of the great Duties of Christianity, upon which the regular Hope of Salvation is built. Mark i.14, 15. Now, after that Iohn was put in Prison, Iesus came into Galilee, prea…ing the Gospel of the Kingdom of God; and saying, the Time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at Hand, repent ye, and believe the Gospel. This is the peculiar Grace, and Demand, of the Gospel, the Word of the Kingdom, that Men should believe in the Messiah, who, in the Fulness of Time, came into the World, for this very Purpose, to set up the Kingdom of God among them, as a Specimen of, and Preparation for, the Kingdom of Glory, in Heaven; which Grace, and Demand, the Law, as contradistinct from the Gospel, was an utter Stranger to. The Law, or Covenant of Works, (that is, that Dispensation wherein the Great God transacted with Man, before the Fall, and shewed him, upon what Conditions, he might enjoy his Favour, or incur his Displeasure,) runneth in these Terms, Do, and Live, Disobey, and Die: by a personal, perfect, and perpetual, Obedience to every Iota of the Divine Commandment, innocent Man might have obtained an Establishment in the Favour of God, and have enjoyed an everlasting Life. But this, we have seen, is impossible unto fallen Man, and would not avail him, to merit Heaven, if he could, now, yield such an Obedience. Whereas the whole Tenor of the Gospel Dispensation, (wherein God transacteth with Man, after the Fall, and which layeth the Foundation of our future Happiness in the perfect Obedience, and expiatory Sufferings, of a Mediator, and Surety, and is therefore stiled a Covenant of Grace,) runneth in these Terms, Believe, and Live; believe in that Mediator, and Surety, that you may obtain Life through him. This is what the Lord Jesus Christ, when he tabernacled among Men, in Flesh, constantly preached, saying, Joh. iii.16, 18. God so loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting Life: — He that believeth on him is not condemned. And so you find him saying to Martha, Joh. xi.25, 26. He that believeth on me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: whosoever liueth, and believeth on me, shall never die. Hence Christ said to the Man, whom he had cured of his Blindness from his Birth, Joh. ix.35. Doest thou believe on the Son of God? And when the Iews came to our Lord, seemingly very solicitous to know what they must do to be saved; what (say they,) Joh. vi.28, 29. shall we do, th…t we might Work the Work of God? That is, that Work which God requireth of us, which is peculiarly pleasing to God, and by which we may hope to obtain the Divine Favour: our Lord, in Answer to their Enquiry, telleth them, This is the Work of God, what God specially insisteth upon, that ye believe on him, whom he hath sent. Hence Christ said, to his Disciples, Joh. xvi.1. Ye believe in God, believe also in me. Our blessed Lord wrought his miraculous Works on Purpose that the People might believe on him; therefore he said to the Iews, Joh. xii.36. While ye have Light, believe in the Light, which specially referreth to the Light of Conviction, which the Miracles of Christ carried with them, that he was sent from God, the promised Messiah, and the Saviour of the World; as is evident from what followeth v. 37. But tho' he had done so many Miracles before them, yet they believed not on him. And,
2. Jesus Christ gave it in strict Charge to his Apostles, (and so to his Ministers after them,) to preach this great Gospel Duty, the Faith of Christ, to the World; and this is one of the great Things they have insisted upon, in all their Writings. After our Lord was risen from the Dead, and was about to ascend up into Heaven, he gave his plenary Commission to his Apostles, and in it strongly enjoined it upon them to preach to the World the absolute Necessity of believing in him; for this was the Intent of what he said, Mark xvi.15, 16. Go ye into all the World, and prea…h the Gospel to every Creature; he that believeth, and is baptised, shall be saved. And accordingly they made it their great Business, from which no Threatenings, nor Sufferings, could ever discourage them, faithfully to preach Christ, and the Necessity of Faith in him, wherever they went. How often do we find this inculcated in the Acts of the Apostles. Acts x.42, 43. He, that is, Christ, commanded us to preach unto the People; — to him give all the Prophets Witness, that through his Name, whosoever believeth in him, shall receive Remission of Sins. Acts xiii.38, 39. Be it known unto you, Men, and Brethren, that▪ through this Man. (Christ,) is preached unto you, the Forgiveness of Sins; and, by him, all that believe are justified from all Things, from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses. And the Word of God encreased, and the Number of the Disciples multiplied, and a great Company of the Priests were …bedient to the Faith. Acts vi.7. And as many, as were ordained to eternal Life, believed. Acts xiii.48. Thus they testif…ed both to Iews, and also to the Greeks, Faith towards our Lord Iesus Christ. Acts xx.20. And this is mentioned as the direct, and plain, Answer of the Apostle, to the Iaylor's Enquiry; Acts xvi.31. And they said, believe on the Lord Iesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. This Doctrine of Salv…tion by Faith in Jesus Christ, they constan…ly asserted, and preached, notwithstanding all the Opposition they met withal; and when the Iewi…h Council forbad them to teach any more in the Name of Jesus, they boldly say to them, Acts v.29 We ought to obey God rather than Men; and when they departed from the Presence of the Council, — they daily, in the Temple, and in every House, ceased not to teach, and preach▪ Iesus Christ: v. 41, 42. and Believers were the more added to the Lord, Multitudes both of Men▪ and Women. v. 14. And you may observe the same Strain running through all the Apostolical Epistles. Rom. i.16, 17. The Gospel of Christ is the Power of God, to the Salvation of every one that believeth, to the Iew first, and also to the Greek: — for the just shall live by Faith. Rom. iii.26. That he might be just, and the Iustifier of him which believeth in Iesus. 1 Cor. i.21, 23. It pleased God, by the Foolishness of preaching, to save them that believe; — we preach Christ crucified, &c. Gal. vi.16. and iii.22. We ha…e believed in Iesus Christ, that we might be justif…d by the Faith of Christ: that the Promise, by Faith of Iesus Christ, might be given to them that believe. Eph. i.12, 14. Who first trusted in Christ, — in whom, also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise, which is the Earnest of our Inheritance. So I might go on, through all the Epistles, to quote to you such Passages as shew the Necessity of Faith in Christ; but I shall content myself with turning you to one Text more, which sheweth us, that this Faith in Christ is so strongly, and peremptorily, insisted on, as if all the other Commands of the Gospel was summed up, and contained, in this, and this were the whole of what God required of us; The Place I refer to is in the first Epistle of Iohn, iii.23. where the Apostle observeth the very great Stress laid upon this Duty, and saith, This is his Commandment, that we should believe on the Name of his Son, Iesus Christ.
Now, that all of this Faith, and Believing, in Jesus Christ; which was preached, and urged, as necessary to Salvation, by Christ, and his Apostles, meaneth no other than that Faith which I have described, is very evident from the Account which the holy Scriptures give us of the Faith of Abraham, the Father of the Faithful. For, when God first called Abraham out of Ur of the Cha…dees, to go unto a Land which he would shew him, and promised to make of him a great Nation, and to bless him, Abraham believed God; That is, he was firmly perswaded of the Truth of all that God had said to him; nextly, he was reconciled to, and acquiesced in, what God proposed to him, laying aside all his Prejudices against leaving his Country, and Kindred, and travelling to a strange Place; and, then, he also closed with the Proposal, by yielding a ready Obedience to the heavenly Voice, and departed, as the Lord had spoken to him. Gen. xii.1 — 4. When, after that Abraham had gone Childless, until he, and Sarah, his Wife were well stricken in Years, God renewed his Covenant with him, and promised him a Son, by Sarah; Gen. xvii.16. Abraham believed God, being fully perswaded of the Truth of what God had said to him. And when their Son Isaac was grown up to be a young Man, God, to try Abraham, commanded him to offer him up a Sacrifice upon Mount Moriah; here was the Test of Abraham's Faith; his Faith still held out, he credited what God had said, and was firmly perswaded that the Promise should be made good to him, even in this very Isaac; and he overcame all the Prejudices, that might arise in his Breast, against the offering of him up, even with his own fatherly Hand; and he yielded a ready Compliance with the Divine Command, and so heartily closed with what God demanded of him; he took his Son, the Wood, the Fire, and the Knife, and went up to the Mount, built an Altar, laid the Wood in Order, bound his Son, and laid him upon the Pile, and, with the Knife in his outstretched Hand, was going to execute the Divine Command, in the utmost Extent of it, when, lo, a counter Order stayed his Arm, and God provided a Ram, for a Sacrifice, in the Room of his Son. This is that Faith which Abraham is so famous for; Rom. iv.20, 21, 22. He staggered not at the Promise of God, through Unbelief, but was strong in Faith, giving Glory to God; and being fully perswaded, that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform; and therefore it was imputed to him for Righteousness. Thus was Abraham, our Father, justified by Works, when he had offered Isaac, his Son, upon the Altar; seest thou how Faith wrought with his Works, and by Works was Faith made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for Righteousness. Jam. ii.71, 22, 23. But, besides all this,
2. The Gospel does most plainly assure us, that there can be no Salvation for us, without Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Gospel not only positively insisteth upon our Faith in Christ, that we may be saved, but it does also, in very full, and strong Terms, assure us, that the Condition of those who believe not will be very contrary to that of being saved. So said our Lord, Joh. iii.18. He that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God. and Iohn says, v. 36. He that believeth not the Son, shall not see Life; but the Wrath of God abideth on him. Hence also Christ told the unbelieving Iews, Joh. viii.24. If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your Sins; and he acquainted them, Joh. xvi.9. that w…n the Spirit is come, he will reprove, or convince, the World of Sin, because they believe not on me. And when he sent forth his Disciples, with a Fulness of Power, to preach his Gospel to every Creature, not to Iews only, but to the Gentiles also, he commissioned them to declare it, to all the World, what are the Terms of a Sinner's Salvation, and that he insisteth upon it, that they believe in him, and that, without coming up to these Terms, all their Hopes of Salvation would be vain: Mar. xvi.16. He that believeth not shall be damned. And we are told, 2 Thess. ii.12. that they all might be damned, who believe not the Truth; and are assured, Luk. xii.46. that the Portion of Unbelievers will be very miserable; and that the unbelieving shall have their Part in the Lake which burneth with Fire, and Brimstone. Rev. xxi.8.
So that this is the Term, Condition, Proposal, Demand, (call it what you will,) of the Gospel, upon which God will accept the Sinner to Mercy, freely pardon all his Sins, and receive him unto eternal Life, and without which he will have no Favour for him: we can therefore assure you, from our great Lord, and Master, that if you will comply with this Demand, and thus believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, you shall be saved; but and if you will not you shall be damned. There will be no Possibility of your being saved from Sin, and Wrath, according to the whole Scope of the Gospel Revelation, without Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And then,
2. It is farther evident, from the Reason, and Nature, of Things, that this Faith in Jesus Christ, is absolutely necessary to a Sinner's being saved. I only now suppose there was such a Person as Jesus Christ, who lived a certain Time in this World, and then offered up himself a Sacrifice unto God, for this very End to save …oor perishing Sinners, and that there is Salvation in no other Name. Upon these Suppositions, which are plain and evident Truths of the Gospel, and which therefore I need not now labour in the Proof of, we may very well argue, and justly conclude, that no Person, that liveth under the Gospel, can possibly be saved, without the Faith in Christ I am speaking of.
For, How is it possible that any Man shall finally obtain Favour with God, who maketh God a Lyar? 1 Joh. v.10. He that believeth not God▪ hath made hi… a Lyar, because he believeth not the Record that God gave of his Son. Will God put up such an Indignity, and cherish, in the Arms of his Love, him, that not only has offered him the greatest …, but continueth thus to spit in his Face? Or can any Man be the better, as to his eternal Interest, for the Incarnation, and Death, of the Son of God, who, though he has the Opportunity of receiving the clearest Conviction of the Truth of the Gospel History, yet, does not so much credit it, as to believe that there ever was any such Person as Jesus Christ, who taught such Doctrines, wrought such Miracles, suffered such Indignities, and was crucified at Ierusalem, as are recorded of him; and much less believeth him to be the Son of God, and Saviour of the World? No, most certainly: because all that Christ is, and all that he hath done, and suffered, are, to such, a perfect Nullity; His very Person has no Being, in their Esteem, nor ever had, because they do not believe the Truth of it, that there ever was such a Person. Or, if they grant so much, that possibly there has been a Person in the World of that Name, at the Time, and Place, specified, and that he lived, and died after the manner as is affirmed; yet, inasmuch as his Character, the Son of God, and Saviour of Sinners, and so the grand Intention of his Life, and Death, is utterly disbelieved, and looked upon, by them, as a mere Chimaera, and the vain Whims of a deluded Fancy; therefore they can never look to him for Salvation, nor ever be willing to accept any he should make the Offer of to them; nay, they would despise it all, as an idle Dream. So that from the Reason, and Nature, of Things, a crediting the Reports of the Gospel is absolutely necessary to Salvation.
And so is our unprejudiced affecting of, and acquiescing in, the Methods of Salvation by Jesus Christ. For, suppose a Man should so far credit the History of the Gospel, as to put it upon the same footing with the Works of Socrates, or Caesar, as to his believing, upon probable Evidence, that there was such a Person, who said, and did, such Things, as are reported concerning Jesus Christ; yet, can it be imagined, that God will dispense with the Glory of his Wisdom, and Power, and ineffable Love, of his Holiness, and Rectitude, manifested in the Salvation of a Sinner, by the Incarnation, and Death, of his own Son, and be willing to look upon this amazing Effect of his infinite Understanding, and boundless Goodness, as nothing, and less than nothing, only that, after all, he might save a poor, guilty, perishing Creature, whom he could make forever miserable by a Word's speaking, who can, by no Means, be prevailed with to acquiesce in, and approve of, the Method of Salvation, which God himself has laid out, and acquainted him with, in his holy Word; but designs, and hopes, to get to Heaven in some other Way, which, perhaps, he likes better, as being more agreeable to his present Conception of Things, and suited to his corrupt viciated Inclination? That is to say, Is it fitting that God should lay aside his own admirable Contrivance, every Way adjusted to the Rights of his Nature, and Dominion, and to the Condition, and Circumstances, of the Creature, to gratify the peevish Humour of the Sinner, and save him in that Way, only, which his weak Reason, or raging Lusts, think to be best? Verily, a Man, of but low Understanding, would be put to no difficulty to determine, how unfitting, how unreasonable this would be. And we may be sure of it, that God will have the Sinner to know, that he shall be saved in a Way of the Divine Appointment, or not at all. If God's Way will not please him, he may be sure that his own Way will not be pleasing to God. It is the highest Reason, that our finite Understandings should give Place to the infinite Understanding of God; and that he, who must be entirely beholden to the boundless Goodness of God, to rescue him from Misery, and bring him to Happiness, if ever he partake of his Salvation, should be entirely satisfied with the Wisdom of the Divine Contrivance, without which he may not, he cannot, upon any reasonable Foundations, expect to reap the Benefit of it.
And farther, should a Man, in the General, approve the Methods of the Grace of God revealed in the Gospel, but yet not look upon them as suitable to him, in Particular, and therefore not accept of Jesus Christ, as he is offered to him in the Gospel, nor acknowledge him, as he ought, for his Saviour; can it reasonably be imagined that Jesus Christ would be a Saviour to such an one? Will he save any Man against his Will? Will he convey Light, and Understanding to the Simple, who are so exceeding foolish as to refuse to hearken to his Instruction? Will he give the Mastery over their Lusts, and Passions, lead in the Paths of Righteousness, and conduct to Glory, those obstinate Creatures that refuse to submit to his Government, and say of him, we will not that this Man should reign over us? Will his Atonement, and Intercession, be of any Avail unto such as will not own him for their Surety, and depend upon what he does for them? Nay; can the Lord Jesus Christ be a Saviour to such as refuse to accept of him, in that Capacity, and will neither hearken to his Instruction, submit to his Authority, nor have any Dependance upon his Atonement, and Intercession? Verily, it is utterly impossible, in the Reason of Things, that they, who slight, and reject, the Saviour, should be saved by him. They cannot be his Disciples, who will not put themselves under his Tuition; they cannot be his Servant, who will not take him for their Lord; they can receive no Benefit by his Death, who will not place their Trust in the Merits thereof. Psal. lxxxi.11, 12. Israel would none of me; so I gave them up unto their own Heart's Lusts.
Salvation dependeth upon our Union with Christ, the second Adam, as Condemnation is brought upon us by our Union with the first. 1 Cor. xv.22. As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. We cannot be naturally, and corporally, in Christ, as we were in Adam; all our Union to him is spiritual, and mystical, hidden from our Senses, and the View of the World, and yet it is real, and effect … by the same Spirit, that was in him, possessing, and dwelling, in us; and by our being considered as foederally one with him, in the Covenant of Grace. I in them, said Christ; Joh. xvii.23. Thine they were, and thou gavest them me, said he; v. 6. and again, abide in me, and I in you. Joh. xv.4. Hence we are said to be the Body of Christ; 1 Cor. xii.27. each one, as Members in particular, being incorporated into him, being, by one Spirit, baptised into one Body; v 13. and by our own Consent, espoused to him, and become Members of his Body, of his Flesh, and of his Bones. Eph. v.23, 30. So that Christ and Believers are one, by the Father's Donation, by the Inhabitation of the same Spirit, and by their own Consent: but how is it possible that the Spirit that is in Jesus Christ should be in them, or that they should be considered foederally as one, who withhold their own Consent, and believe not on him? The Apostle says, Eph. iii.17. That Christ may dwell in your Hearts, by Faith. Christ his dwelling in the Heart speaks a very close, and intimate, Union; and the Apostle informs us how their Union is brought about, and maintained, and that both on Christ's Part, and our own: on Christ's Part this Union is accomplished by his Spirit, possessing, and influencing of us, v. 16. being strengthened with Might, by his Spirit, in the inner Man; that Christ may dwell in your Hearts: on our Part, this Union resulteth from our Faith; that Christ may dwell in your Hearts by Faith. So that it is our Faith in him, that uniteth the Soul to Christ, and maketh it to become foederally one with him. But then, what Portion can they have in God, or what Inheritance in the Son of God, who believe not? As well may the Body be united to the Soul without the Vinculum, or necessary Bond of Union, as a Soul be united to Christ without Faith.
By the Union of the Soul to Christ, the Salvation of such an one is sure, and certain, though he may not be able to know it, and take the Comfort of it, yea, though he should be exercised with very distressing Doubts, and Fears, concerning his future State; for the Certainty of their Salvation has it's Dependance, not upon their Knowledge of it, but, as upon the Stability of the Promise of God, who is infallibly true to his Word, so upon the Permanency, and Perpetuity, of him, who is their Head, to whom they are united, as Members of his Body; and therefore because he, their Head, is safe, and ever will be so, in the full Possession of the ineffable Delights of the heavenly World; of Consequence all the true Members of his Body shall be safe, as he is, and share with him in the unutterable Felicity he is possessed of. Thus our Lord himself argued, and assured his Disciples, and comforted them under the sorrowful Apprehensions of his Departure from them, Joh. xiv.19. Because I live, ye shall live also. Whereas those that are destitute of true Faith in Christ, which ever includeth a Subjection to him, as well as crediting of him, whatever their Profession may be, and whatever Denomination of Christians they are of, must necessarily die, and perish, even as a Branch that is cast forth, and withereth, that Men gather, and throw into the Fire. Joh. xv.6.
Thus we see, that …aith in Jesus Christ is absolutely necessary to the Salvation of the Sinner, both from the plain, and positive, Declaration of the Gospel, and from the Nature, and Reason of Things: so that this is one Thing the Sinner must do to be saved. But then, Can the Sinner thus believe, and be saved? Wherefore I proceed,
III. To consider what the perishing Sinner must do, to obtain this Faith in Christ, that he may be saved. Since Faith in Christ is absolutely necessary to Salvation, and this is what I must do, to believe in Christ, that I may have everlasting Life, how shall I come at this Faith? Can a poor sinful, weak, Creature do all this of himself? Can he not only credit the Reports of the Gospel, but overcome all his Prejudices, and heartily close with the Offers of the Gospel, and so believe in Jesus Christ, as God requireth in his Word, by the mere Strength of his own Powers? No, verily; We have already seen that he is weak, and impotent, and not able to save himself; not only because he cannot, by any Means, merit the Forgiveness of his past Sins, but also because he cannot, of himself alone, come up to the Terms, which the Gospel demandeth, that he may be forgiven: he has lost the Vigour of his Powers, has contracted a vicious Bias upon them, and is become destitute of a sufficient Strength to believe, according to the true Scripture Account of a saving, justifying Faith. It is the Sinner's own Fault if he believe not; but it does not follow from thence, that, if he believeth, it is from the Strength of his own Powers. This Faith is not the Product of Nature, nor groweth in Nature's Garden, by all the merely humane Art, and Skill, that any Man is Master of; but is a supernatural, and Divine Work, produced in the Soul by the Finger of God, the Workmanship of the Holy Spirit, who is the special Agent herein, and the principal Former of the New-Man, and all the Parts thereof, within us. Hence Faith is said to be the Gift of God; Eph. ii.8. and wrought by the working of his mighty Power. Eph. i.19. Therefore also God is said, Rom. xii.3. to have dealt to every Man the Measure of Faith; which, whether it be understood of the Faith of working Miracles, or that Faith which is a believing in Christ unto Salvation, it cometh to the same Thing, the one being the Workmanship of God, as truly as the other. Hence the Divine Spirit is called the Spirit of Faith: 2 Cor. iv.13. and we find the Apostle praying for the Thessalonians, in that Strain, 2 Thess. i.11. That God would fulfill all the goo… Pleasure of his Goodness, and the Work of Faith with Power.
But then, can the Sinner do nothing? Must he wait till it shall please God to Work all his Work in, and for him, without any Thing of his own Labour, and Pains, to obtain this saving Faith? Doth not God require it of him to Work, and that while it is yet Day with him? Yes, most certainly, there is something the Sinner can do, and must do; and though he must wait upon God to do all for him, effectually, because the sovereign God worketh freely, and powerfully, yet, he must not wait idlely, but in the diligent Use of the Means, which are of Divine Appointment, that he may obtain the Blessing. Though a sovereign God may in various, unexpected, and surprising Ways, excite Persons to improve the Means, yet none may rationally look for the Blessing from him, without them. So that the Question returns upon us, What then must we do to be saved? Or, seeing this Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is so necessary unto Salvation, what shall I do, that I may obtain this precious Faith? What can, and what must, the Sinner do, in order to his being a true Believer in Christ?
In Answer to this I shall mention a few Things, which as they lie within the Compass of humane Power, so they seem to me to be such a direct, and unfailing, Method to obtain the Gift of Faith from God, as never disappointed any that seriously, and diligently improved it. But I must leave the particular Consideration of them to the Afternoon Service.