The Mystery of the Gospel in Salvation, Sermon 12
SERMON XII.
ACTS XVI.30.
And said, Sirs, What must I do to be saved?
HAVING formerly shewed you what is that Faith in Christ which is required of us, I endeavoured, in the Morning, to evidence the absolute Necessity of this Faith to a Sinner's being saved, both from the plain Declarations of the Gospel, and the Reason of Things: and then proposed to consider what the Sinner must do to obtain this precious Faith; which I now proceed to specify in several Particulars. As,
1. The Sinner must seriously affect himself, with the Consideration of his miserable, undone State, and, in himself, helpless Condition, out of Christ. This the Sinner can do, his rational Mind capacitateth herefor; and this he must do, as ever he would have the Divine Gift conferred upon him. No Man will seek a Remedy until he is sensible of his Want of it. And there is no Man, I suppose, so far gone, and sunk, under the Power of Sin, and Lust, but what can, whilst he has the Use of his Reason, and is capable of thinking at all, by seriously attending to the Dictates of natural Conscience, and comparing himself with the Word of God, be sensible that he is a very great Sinner, that he has, in many Things transgressed the Divine Law, and, thereby, has highly offended the Divine Majesty. Natural Conscience will inform him, that all Sin is most contrary to the very Nature of an infinitely Holy God, and cannot but be hateful to him; and, if he look into the sacred Oracles, he may plainly see all Sin condemned, and that the Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven, against all Ungodliness, and Unrighteousness, of Men: Rom. i.18. That the Holy God has denounced his Curse upon all Sorts of Sinners, and therefore upon himself, because he has lived in such Sins, as Impiety, Profaneness, Intemperance, Lewdness, Unrighteousness, Falsehood, Malice, Envy, Pride, or some other Violation of the Divine Commands, which his own Conscience is privy to, and which are most clearly condemned in the Word of God. It is in the Sinner's Power to have some Sight of his own Sinfulness, because he is a Judge of his own Actions, and the Obliquity of them, in their Departure from the Rule; for his Conscience not only beareth Witness to what he does, but his Thoughts in the mean while accuse him. Rom. ii.15. 'Tis in his Power, by serious Consideration, which he is capable of, in some suitable Degree, to affect himself with a View of the Baseness of his Sin, as it is contrary unto all Right, and Equity, of the Injuriousness of it to himself, in all his Interests, and of the Heinousness of it, as it is a Contempt of the Authority of the God that made him, and bestoweth all his Enjoyments upon him. And can he not, in like Manner, affect himself with the awful Thoughts, the fearful Apprehensions, of that tremendous Wrath, and Vengeance, of the Almighty God, which his Sin exposeth him unto? And can he not, from the common Light which he receiveth from the Scriptures, upon this View of Things, reason the Case with himself, and see what a deplorable Condition he is in, as a lost Son, that has foolishly wandered from his Father's House, and is now famishing, and dying, in the Want of all that is necessary to his Support, and Comfort?
Yea, farther, it is in the Sinner's Power to affect himself with the Thoughts how utterly unable he is to help himself; that he can make no Amends to God for his many past Transgressions, nor repair the Injury he has offered unto the Divine Majesty by his many Rebellions against him. Though he may have some Thoughts rising in his Mind, that he will go and humble himself before God, and confess his Iniquity to the Lord, and now put away his Sins, and live, for the future, more according to the Laws of God, yet little close Thinking will shew him, that all of this is but a present Duty, and no Satisfaction for past Offences, and that nothing he can do will avail to divert the Divine Anger from him; and that unless a gracious God, from the boundless Goodness of his Nature, and for the Sake of the Merits of his Son, has Mercy on him, pardon, and save him, he must unavoidably die in his Sin, and perish forever. There is no Sinner that readeth the Gospel, or has it preached to him, but what may plainly see, that Sin has forfeited Heaven, and deserved Hell, and that Pardon, and eternal Life, are to be obtained in, and by, Jesus Christ, and by him alone.
These Things the Sinner can weigh in his own Mind, and somewhat affect himself with the serious Consideration of them; and thus put himself into the Way of the Divine Spirit his effectual enlightening, and convincing of him, in order to a thorow Conversion; and this he must do, that he may be led hereby unto Jesus Christ, the only Saviour from Sin, and Wrath. And,
2. The Sinner must bring home to his reasonable Mind, the Evidence, which is laid before him, of the Truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This also lieth within the Reach of the Sinner's natural Power. The Reason, and Understanding, which God has furnished him withal, as a Man, fitteth him to judge of the Evidence of the Truth of Things. The Sinner can as well seriously, and impartially, search into the Evidences of the Truth of the Christian Religion, as he can into the Truth of any Matter of Fact that is reported to him; and he can weigh in his Mind, the Nature, and Strength, of those Evidences, and see whether they carry so much Clearness, and Force, in them, as would move him, upon the like Evidence, to credit any History of China, or ancient Rome; or would influence him to engage in any Business, of Consequence to him, relating to those Countries, which he never saw; and accordingly Act upon the Evidence which he shall receive of the Truth of the Gospel History, as he findeth the Matters, contained therein, are of importance to him.
Thus he can see the full, and abundant, Testimony given to the sacre… History of the Gospel, by the Evangelists, who all concur in their Testimony to the Matters of Fact, related by them, which they had the fair Opportunity to be perfectly well acquainted with, being Eye, and Ear, Witnesses thereto, and the Truth of which Testimony they sealed with their Blood; who all of them appear to be honest, upright, Men, and Men of Truth, who abhorred lying; and who had no worldly Interest in View, to bias them to what they report, but much the contrary. Thus, he can see the Force of the Evidence of the Truth of it, That Iesus Christ is the Son of God, and Saviour of the World, arising from the many plain Passages of the Scripture History that assert it, from the many open, clear, and incontestible, Miracles wrought by our Lord, and his Apostles, in Confirmation of it, and the exact Agreement of the many ancient Prophecies in him, and in no other Person whatever.
So that the Sinner can reason himself into … historical Faith, or Crediting, of the various Facts related in the Gospel, and other Writings of the Apostles, which are left to us; and therefore into an historical Faith of Jesus Christ his being the only, all-sufficient, and willing, Saviour of Sinners, as the Gospel reporteth him to be. His Invitat…on to Sinners to come to him, and live; the Pains he is at in sending his Ministers to …oo them to accept of him; and, above all, his own dying for Sinners, are clear Convictions, how ready, and willing, he is to receive all that come to him, for Salvation; and his Divinity, as the Son of God, the Authority, and Power, he is invested with, as Mediator, together with his prevailing Intercession at the Right Hand of the Majesty on high, which the Scripture record of him, are a full Proof that he is able to save, … the uttermost, all that come unto God by him.
And as every Man can thus be at some Pains with himself, to reason himself into the Belief of the Christian Religion, whence God said to his ancient People, Isa. xlvi.8. Remember this, and sho… yourselves Men; bring it again to Mind; and our Saviour said, Luk. xii 57. Why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? so something of this he must do, that he may be found in the Way of his Duty which is God's Way; as did Cornelius, when he sent for Peter, to tell him Words whereby he might be saved: and without this, if, at last, the Sinner be found in his Unbelief, it will be justly articled against him, that he walked not in the Light while he enjoyed it, and therefore it is a righteous Thing with God that he should be cast into outer Darkness.
3. The Sinner must stir up himself to take hold on Christ, and receive him for his Saviour. That is, the Sinner must try to believe. For there is no one Duty that God requireth of us, how utterly impossible soever it be to Flesh, and Blood, and the Powers of Nature, but what it is our Part to use our best Endeavours to perform that Duty, and look to God to help us, to do what we have no Strength to do of ourselves. The Grace, and help, of God is to be looked for in Conjunction with our own Endeavours, not in a Separation from them. Hos. vi.3. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord. Thus, impotent as Man i…, he must take hold on the Strength of God, that he may be at Peace with him. Isa. xxvii.5. This the Sinner must do; and this he can do. 'Tis a vain Thing for him to say, he cannot try what he can do. Jesus Christ is freely offered in the Gospel unto every Sinner, without Exception; and since there is no Man but what can, by a due Improvement of his rational Powers, come to some Conviction of his own Sinfulness, and what a wretched miserable Condition Sin has brought him into, what imminent Danger he is in of perishing forever, and that Jesus Christ the incarnate Son of God, and he only, is able to help him; how naturally does this Conviction lead the Sinner, as a rational Agent, (and who readily does so, in all other Cases,) to take Pains with himself, to make out after Christ, that, if possible, he may lay hold on, and receive the Remedy provided for him, and freely offered to him in the Gospel? And, at least, so much he can do, namely, to rouse, and stir up, himself, by a serious Consideration of the Necessity of his being saved; as the Lepers, in Israel, argued, if we enter into the City, we sh…ll die there; if we sit still here, we die also; come let us fall into the Host of the Syrians, if they save us alive, we shall live, if they kill us, we should but d…e; so may the Sinner say to himself, if I continue in my present Condition, I perish; if I attempt to go to Christ, I can but perish; I will therefore arise, and try what I can do: He can seriously bear it in Mind, that there is nothing of equal Importance to him, nothing which so nearly concerneth him; that this is the one Thing needful to him; and that, if he be not saved, he must perish forever under the Wrath of God; and that yet it is possible for him to obtain Mercy with God, through the Mediation of the great Redeemer; I say, he can awaken, and stir up, his Soul, by such Considerations as these, to make out after an Interest in Jesus Christ, and try what he can do to open his Heart, at the Call, and Invitation, of Christ, that he may receive him, who offers to come in, and sup, with him, that, receiving him, he may obtain the Blessing through him, even Life forevermo… Though he be very sensible, that the utmost Strength of his own Powers is insufficient to make a true Believer of him, yet he has sufficient Encouragement to exert what little Power he has, and try to believe, because a compassionate God has said, Matth. xxv.29. Unto every o…e that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance; that is, God is graciously ready to assist, and strengthen, the willing, though feeble, and enrich the diligent, though poor, Soul, with all the Blessings he needeth, while the slothful shall be sent empty away, and can rationally expect no Help and Assistance from him. So, the Man, with a withered Hand, had evidently no Power, within himself, to stretch it out; and had he replyed to the Command of Christ, stretch forth thine Hand, Alas! Master; It is withered; and how then shall I stretch it out? doubtless, his helpless Condition would have remained upon him: but, when, in Obedience to the Command of Christ, he stirred up himself, and but attempted the Difficulty, which was surely too hard for him alone, then he received a Fulness of Virtue, and Power, from Christ, and be stretched it forth, and it was restored whole, like as the other. Matth. xii.10,—13.
4. The Sinner must earnestly ask it of God, to bestow this Faith, in Jesus Christ, upon him. Though the Sinner may, by the Strength of his own rational Powers, credit the Report of the Gospel, as an History, yet, can he not, thereby, be brought to close with Christ, and work a true Evangelical Faith in himself; he cannot overcome all the Prejudices, that he labours under, against Christ, and the Way of Salvation by him, because he has a natural Love to the Ways of Sin, and high Opinion of self; neither can he truly submit to Christ as his Lord, because his carnal Mind is at Enmity to the Divine Law. But, however, he can ask it of God to renew his Heart, and Mind, and put a new Bias upon him, and make him willing, and enable him, to accept Christ as offered to him in the Gospel. If ever he believeth to the saving of his Soul, it must be from an Act of Favour in God, accomplishing this great Work in him, by the supernatural Assistances, and Operation, of his Holy Spirit. For this Faith is the Gift of God. Eph. ii.8. By Grace ye are saved, through Faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the Gift of God. It is true that, the Grace of the Gospel, and the Way of Salvation, by Jesus Christ, is not a Method found out by the Strength of the humane Powers, but is the Gift of God, who hath revealed it unto us; but then, this is not what is chiefly, if at all, the Intendment of the Apostle, in this Place, as some, who seem to take a great deal of Pains to set aside the special Divine …nfluences, in the Conversion of a Sinner, would perswade us. It is very evident that the Apostle speaketh, here, of that Faith by which we are saved; by Grace ye are saved, it is an Act of Grace, and Favour, in God, to save any of you, through Faith, as the appointed Means of an Union to Christ, and Salvation by him; and this Faith doth not flow from the Strength of Nature, not of yourselves, but is the special Work of God, it is the Gift of God: and the Reason which the Apostle giveth, in the following Words, confirmeth this; For, says he, We are his Workmanship, created, in Christ Iesus, unto good Works. From whence it is apparent that the Apostle intends, not an outward Act of Favour shown to us, as the Doctrine of Faith, contained in the Gospel; but a special Work of Favour wrought within us: as if he had said, It is the Work of God to make true Believers of you, to … you to Christ, so that, (as he goes on,) ye are not, now, without Christ, and Strangers to the Covenant of Promise, but are in Christ Iesus, made nigh by the Blood of Christ, &c.
Now, though the Sinner cannot give Faith unto himself, yet he knoweth where to go for it, even unto that God whose Gift it is; and he knows what he must do to obtain it, even to ask it of that God, who is graciously ready to bestow it upon them that sincerely pray to him therefor. God is wont to dispense his Gifts, and Favours, is the Way of Prayer, as what ascribeth to him the Glory of his Sufficiency, Dominion, and Goodness, and owneth our entire Dependence upon him, and so much the more endeareth the Mercy to us, when we receive it in Answer to our Prayers. And this is what the Sinner can do. The same natural Powers, that enable him to ask a Favour of any of his Neighbours, capacitate him to po… out a Prayer to his God; so that he can, if he will, beg this Mercy from God, to Work his own Work in him, even a Work of Faith with Power. And this he must do, by his constant, daily, sincere, importunate Prayers to God, to create him in Christ Jesus unto goo… Works; and if the Sinner will but be diligent, and serious, to do his Part, to obtain this Gift of God, he may depend upon it, that God will not be wanting to confer of his Grace upon him; for he has given him all imaginable Encouragement to wait upon him, in this Way, saying, Matth. vii.7, 8. Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh, receiveth &c.
In this Way, then, let every Sinner do what he can, that he may obtain like precious Faith, to the saving of his Soul; and the Lord be with him. Before I proceed to consider the second Thing the Sinner must do to be saved, I shall conclude this first Head, with making some Improvement of what has been said upon it.
USE. 1. Hence we may see the Reason, why Faith in Jesus Christ is so strongly insisted upon in the Gospel, and so frequently urged by his faithful Ministers; viz. because Faith is absolutely necessary to the Salvation of Men. As the Belief of the Being of a God is the grand Principle upon which all Religion is built, so Faith in Christ is the fundamental Principle of Christianity; and therefore the Gospel, which aims at making Men to be Christians, and in this Way to bring them to Heaven, and Happiness, preacheth nothing more than this Faith in Christ. All our Christianity is denominated from our Faith, because this Faith is the very Point upon which all our Christianity turns. It is the Principle in us, that gives us a Right to the Christian Name, that is productive of Love, and good Works, the Christian Life, and ensureth to us a Title to the pardoning Mercy of God, and the Glory of Heaven, the Christian Hope; and without this Faith, we can neither serve God, so as to please him, nor finally find Acceptance with him; we can neither be Christians; nor get to Heaven. Hence it is that so great a Stress is laid upon Faith, in the Gospel, and hence we so frequently, and earnestly, press it upon you, to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Sin of Unlief, under the Gospel, is therefore the great damning Sin; all other Sins may be forgive…, upon a sincere, and hearty, Believing in Christ, but if Men continue in their Unbelief, how shall they escape the Damnation of Hell? Heb. x.26. There remaineth no more Sacrifice for Sins; if the only atoning Sacrifice, which Christ has offered, unto God, once for all, be rejected. Whatever be the Fulness, and Sufficiency, of Christ's Merits, or his Willingness to save all that come to him, yet, without Faith in him, no Man can receive any saving Benefit from his Appearing, and Death, he can neither be enriched with the Virtues, and Graces, of the Christian Life, which slow from him, nor enjoy the happy Lot, and Portion, of Christians, in the upper World; he can neither be a good Man, nor be saved. And, if so, then of Necessity such must fall under the Displeasure of the Almighty, and there will be no possible Way for them to escape his righteous Judgments; there remaineth a certain fearful looking for of Iudgment, and fiery Indignation, which shall devour the Adversaries. v. 27. It is not Men's being in such or such an exalted Station, and making a Figure, in this World; 'tis not their great natural Parts, or rich acquired Endowments of humane Learning, and Knowledge; 'tis not their accumulated Wealth, and Abundance, that will carry them safe to Heaven; nor is it their moral Honesty, and civil, and courteous Behaviour, among Men, that will avail to their Acceptance with God; no; they may possess the World in the greatest Fulness, and be very inoffensive in their Lives, and yet be banished from Heaven, after all. But the great Thing that will open the Gates of Heaven, to the departing Soul, is, a true Gospel Faith in Jesus Christ. Hence our Lord said to his Disciples, Joh. xiv.1, 3. Ye believe in God, believe also in me; — I go, and prepare a Place for you, and I will come again, and receive you to my self, that where I am, there ye may be also. And since this Faith in Christ is so absolutely necessary to Salvation, is it to be wondered at that the Gospel so largely insisteth upon it? Or can the Ministers of the Gospel bear to see their People go down to the Place of everlasting Darkness, and Misery, and not urge, and press, it upon them, to believe in Christ, that they may be saved?
2. From hence we may see the Reason, why so many, in the Christian World, perish in their Sins; even because they do not truly believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. It was the Complaint of the Prophet, of old, Isa. liii.1. Who hath believed our Report? and the Apostle maketh the like Complaint, Heb. iv.2. The Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with Faith, in them that heard it. And thus it is also in our Days; many who hear the Word of God preached, in great Plainness, and with great Fervency, yet do not mix it with Faith, nor believe our Report, a vain Philosophy, with an Affectation of being wise, above what is written, have conspired, with the Lusts of Men, almost to banish Faith even from the professing World. Our Saviour hath told us, Matth. xx.16. Many be called, but few chosen. Alass! It is a most sad, and melancholy Thought, that so very many perish from under the Gospel, the best Means of their being saved: though they are lifted up to Heaven, in their near Approaches to the Confines of that happy Country, yet they, at last, perish in their Unbelief, and are brought down to Hell. And how can it be otherwise, when we see the Lives of Men are so generally spent in the Service of Sin; in Impiety, and profane Cursing, and Swearing, and Neglect of the Worship, and Contempt of the Ordinances of God, in Unrighteousness, Fraud, Oppression, Falshood, Uncleanness, Intemperance, Malice, Slander, ungovernable Anger, and the like? And that, so far as we are capable of discerning, as they live, so they die, without any visible Change in them, or any great Concern what will become of them? Yet these are numbered amongst Christians, they openly profess themselves to be Believers, and because they say, they believe in Christ, and it may be do so, with something of an historical Faith, therefore they pacify their Consciences, and doubt not but that all shall be well with them, hereafter; till, anon, they die, and drop down into Hell; and then they find, to their Cost, that their Faith, such as it was, cannot possibly save them, because, after all their Pretentions, they really had not that true Faith in Jesus Christ, which the Gospel requireth. There are two great Defects in most Men's Faith; The one is, that it is defective as an historical Faith; there is somewhat of the Nature of that Kind of Faith in them, but it is not built upon the only sure Foundation; they believe the Scripture History, and so believe in Christ, but, upon no other Foundation than this, that it is Part of the Religion of their Country, and not because they have, upon due Search, received full Conviction, in their own Minds, arising from the Testimony, and Seal of God himself, of the Truth of what they believe; and thus the Faith which they have, is rather an Opinion, than the Evidence of Things not seen, and so their Faith, as Dr. Bates expresses it, *Fol. p. 590.may be absolutely true, but relatively false: and no wonder, if the House be thus built upon the Sand, that the Storm quickly overthroweth it.
Another Defect in their Faith, supposing it to be true as historical, is, that it is not that Faith which the Gospel requireth unto Salvation; it may be a Part, (though the lowest,) but not the Whole of true saving Evangelical Faith, which forever includeth in it, not only a Belief that there was such a Person as Christ Jesus, who said, and did, what is affirmed of him, in the Scriptures, but a sincere, and hearty, Choice of him, in all his Offices, and with all his Benefits, for our Saviour; that is, that we truly subject ourselves to his Teaching, and Government, as well as hope for Redemption through him; that we sincerely consent, and be willing that he should save us from Sin, as well as from Wrath, that he should make us holy, as well as make us happy. Without this all a Man's historical Faith, should it be strong enough to remove Mountains, will signify just nothing at all to save him.
So that, after all the open Profession, and Pretentions, and Hopes, of the Generality of them that are called Christians, it may be said of them, They have not Faith, they are not true Believers, in the Gospel Sense; and becaus… …hey believe not, therefore it is that they … Rebellion against their Maker, and, at last, perish in their Sins. Hence is that Exprobration of the Apostle Iames, Jam. ii.14. What doth it profit, my Brethren, though a Man say he hath Faith, and have not Works? Can Faith save him? Which is to be understood of a naked crediting the Report of the Gospel, or an historical Faith in Christ, which can save no Man. Possibly, many Pieces of Divinity, whose Writers, in treating of a saving, justifying, Faith, have chose to express themselves in such Terms, That Faith is a firm Perswasion of the Mind of the Truth of the Gospel, (though I readily understand them, as meaning by it, not a naked Credit of the Gospel History, but such a Faith as has it's Influence upon the Heart, and Life, and therefore called a firm Per…wasion; including in it a Reception of Christ, upon Gospel Terms, and that purifyeth the Heart, and worketh by Love▪ yet, I say, possibly such Writings,) may have contributed, not a little, to the deceiving of many, who are ready to catch at every Shadow, to countenance a false Faith.
3. See from hence the exceeding Perversness of the humane Nature that it is so difficultly brought to believe spiritual, and Divine Things, Faith in Christ is absolutely necessary unto Salvation, and there is the surest Foundation laid for this Faith that can be desired, in the Certainty of the Truth of the Gospel, and the Evidences that Christ was sent from God, and that Salvation is to be obtained by him, and by him only; and why is it then, that Men do not believe the Gospel, and believe in Christ? Our Lord himself, has told us, Luk. xxii.67. Ye will not believe. Men more easily believe other Things, of very considerable Importance to them, and Act upon the Faith thereof, though they are often confirmed but by very weak Arguments; but how hard and difficult is it to perswade them to believe in Christ, upon the strongest Arguments, and clearest Evidence? The Pretension, indeed, often is, that they do not see with their bodily Eyes, or they cannot understand all the Mysteries contained in in the Doctrines that are revealed to them. But since there is the fullest Evidence of the Truth of what is reported to them, and such Evidence as would clearly determine them in other Cases, this sheweth, that it proceedeth from the desperate Perversness of their Hearts, that they believe not. Joh. viii.46. Though I tell you the Truth, (said Christ,) Ye believe me not: And why? because, Ye are of your Father the Devil, and the Lusts of your Father ye will do. So the God of this World hath blinded the Minds of them which believe not 2 Cor. iv.4.
Who can understand all the Mysteries in Nature? and yet we are even compelled to believe the Things which we understand not. And why then will not Men be prevailed with to believe the Truths of the Gospel, sufficiently confirmed, though they contain Mysteries in them? Said the Apostle, Gal. iii.1. O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that you should not obey the Truth; before whose Eyes Iesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? It is a strange Fascination, this, upon the Minds of Men, that they should require stronger Evidence, for their Belief of the Truth of the Gospel, than the Nature of the Things will admit of, or than they require in other Cases. The Doctrines of Faith are not to be proved by Sense, and Experience, nor by Reason, and Demonstration, but by Testimony; and when this Testimony is clear, and full, we have then all the Evidence that the Nature of the Thing does require, or will bear. Upon this Foundation Men Act in all the Affairs of the present Life, wherein Testimony is concerned; and is it not most unreasonable, that they will not Act upon the same Evidence, or rather greater, in Matters wherein their eternal Interests are concerned? This argueth the Fascination of their Minds, that their Hearts are desperately wicked, and therefore 'tis that they will not believe; not for want of sufficient Proof of the Truth, and Reality, of the Things proposed to them, but because they will not.
4. This should put us upon the serious Examination of ourselves, whether we are true Believers in Christ, yea, or no. There are many, doubtless, who delude themselves, with a false Faith, and false Hopes of Heaven, and Happiness, who will, at last, be found to be destitute of the Faith, and miss of eternal Salvation. What Reason, then, have we to be very much concerned, lest we also be mistaken, in a Matter of so great Importance to us, and where there will be no Possibility for us to correct the Error afterwards? Heb. iv.1. Let us therefore fear, lest a Promise being left us of entring into his Rest, any of you should seem to come short thereof. If Faith, in Jesus Christ, be absolutely necessary unto Salvation, then, by this, we may know whether we are in a State of Salvation, whether we have good Grounds to hope that all our Sins shall be pardoned, that God is reconciled to us, and will finally accept us in the Beloved; and surely, it is richly worth our while to have some good Evidences of this, that we may walk in the Light of the Lord, and joy in the God of our Salvation.
I will only, now, briefly say, (agreeable to the Account I have given of a true Gospel Faith in Christ,) are we careful, to our crediting the Reports of the Gospel, to add, our cordial Approbation of the Methods of Divine Grace, in the Way, and Manner, of the Sinner's Salvation, by the Incarnation, and Death, of the Son of God? Are we satisfied in the Wisdom, and Justice, and Goodness, of this Way of Grace, and Favour, admire the Excellency of the Divine Contrivance, love the Holiness, and Purity, of the whole Scheme, and adore the Perfections of God, thus manifested for the Relief of poor perishing Sinners? Is Jesus Christ, the chief Subject of the Divine Revelation, and the great Author of our Salvation, exceeding precious to us, above all the Enjoyments of this World? Have we sincerely, heartily, made Choice of the Lord Jesus Christ for our Saviour, in all his mediatorial Offices, and are we willing, not only to rely upon the Merits of his Sacrifice, but, to put ourselves under his Instruction, as a Teacher sent from God? Have we taken him for o… Head, and resigned ourselves up to his Government, opened our Ears to hear his Voice, and enclined our Hearts to comply with all that we shall know to be his Command? Have we thus closed with him, as our Saviour, that he may, of God, be made unto us, Wisdom, and Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption? Then may we take the Comfort of it, and know that we are in him, and he in us; and that this our Faith, tho' but weak, and as a Grain of Mustard Seed, shall grow up, and bear Fruit, unto eternal Life: for thus we are assured, 1 Joh. v.12, 13. He that hath the Son hath Life; — These Things have I written unto you, that believe, on the Name of the Son of God, that ye may know that ye have eternal Life.
5. Lastly; Let us all, then, be perswaded to live by the Faith of the Son of God; to live in the Exercise of a true Evangelical Faith in Christ, now, that we may live with him forever, hereafter, in Glory. Our Salvation turns upon this; and the final Trial, of those that live under the Gospel, will be, whether they have complyed with the great Demand of the Gospel, and have believed on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ; whether they have received him into their Understanding, Affection, and Will, and entirely submitted themselves to him, as their Master, and Lord. For, not every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, but he that doth the Will of my Father, which is in Heaven; said Christ, Matth. vii.21.
As to the Heathen World, who have not had the Gospel of Christ preached to them, they will be judged by the Law of Nature, and be condemned, not for their not believing on Christ, of whom they never heard, but, for their not glorifying of God, when they had such evident Demonstrations of his Being, and glorious Perfections, and their Relation to him, and Dependance upon him, from all the Works of God arou… them. But the Case is otherwise with us, and the final Process, with us, will be, according as we … true Believers in Christ, or no.
Let us, then, now, be perswaded to embrace the Gospel Offer, and open the everlasting Doors of our Souls, and receive Christ, the Lord, into our Hearts, into our whole Hearts, that we may be found of him, in Peace, at the great Day.
And therefore, consider, how highly reasonable it is that you should credit the Reports of the Gospel, concerning Christ, and the Way of Salvation by him, which is so every way confirmed to be the Truths of God, testified to by the Amen, the faithful, and true Witness, and ratified with his Blood.
Think also, how reasonable it is that you should approve of the whole Method of Salvation by Jesus Christ, as most worthy of God, and advantageous to yourselves. In what Way could the Divine Understanding, and Wisdom, more open, and display themselves, than in this admirable Contrivance, wherein the Honour of the Divine Sovereignty, and Dominion, is fully asserted, the Holiness of his Law vindicated, his Justice satisfied, and his Mercy forever magnified, and made glorious? Or, in what Method could God himself have more clearly manifested the Superabundance of his Love, and Good-will, and more strongly allure, and attach us to himself?
And consider, Is not Jesus Christ infinitely worthy of thy highest Affection, and thy most humble Submission? Worthy is the Lamb, that was slain! Rev. v.12. Is not he worthy that thou shouldest come to him for Instruction, who teacheth so as never Man taught? Is he not worthy that thou shouldest own, follow, and obey him, who is Lord of all, the King of Glory? Is he not worthy that thou shouldest put thy Trust in him, look to him, and rely upon him, for Grace, and Glory, and every good Thing, who has died to purchase all, and then again, and everliveth, to see to the Bestowment of all upon thee?
O be perswaded, then, to yield the hearty Consent of your Souls, that this Jesus should be your Saviour, and resign up your whole selves unto him, to be his only, entirely, and forever. And therefore begrutch no Pains to obtain this precious Faith, in a due Improvement of your rational Powers, in searching into the Truth of the sacred Writings; by a serious Reflection upon your unhappy Condition, while seperated from him, in whom all Fullness dwelleth; and by a diligen… Attendance upon the Word Preached, as the appointed Means to beget Faith in you; that by your fervent Supplications to God, to Work this Faith in you; that there may not be found in any of you an evil Heart of Unbelief, departing from the living God, but, that you may be of them who believe, to the saving of your Souls.
And if it hath pleased God, who is never wanting to crown with Success, the sincere, and honest Endeavours of those, who carefully seek the Blessing from him, by the supernatural Operations of his Holy Spirit in you, to convey the Divine Light into your Minds, in the Knowledge of Christ, and to warm your Hearts with the Love of him, and bend your Wills to submit to his Discipline, so that any of you can lay your Hands upon your Hearts, and say, I have sincerely chosen the Lord Jesus Christ for my Saviour, with a fixed Resolution of Soul, to be a diligent, and constant, Follower of him; Thus I believe, Lord help my Unbelief; then mayest thou, O happy Soul! say, 2 Tim. i.12. I know whom I have believed, and am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him: And unto such an one, I may, in the Name of Christ, offer the Word of Comfort, and say, as he did to Mary, Luk. vii.50. Thy Faith hath saved thee; go in Peace.