The Mystery of the Gospel in Salvation, Sermon 7
Salvation is not solely in a Sinner's own Power. SERMON VII.
ACTS XVI.30.
And said, Sirs, What must I do to be saved?
THESE Words are expressive of the very great Concern of the Iaylor, at Philippi, about what was necessary for him to do, in Order to his being saved: he saw it was necessary that something should be done, or he must perish; and he was very solicitous to know, and do, what was requisite, to obtain the Pardon of his Sins, and the Salvation of his Soul. Herein he acted like a wise Man; and what was his great Concern ought to be ours. The Doctrine, which therefore I have laid down agreeable to the Intendment of these Words, was,
DOC. It is of the highest Concernment to perishing Sinners, to be very solicitous, what they shall do …o be saved; or, to know, and practise, all that is necessary in Order to their Salvation. I have proposed, by Divine Help, to speak to this Text, and Doctrine, under these Four General Heads. viz.
I. To shew you what it is to be saved; or, what is that Salvation which perishing Sinners stand in Need of.
II. That perishing Sinners may be saved; there is a Possibility, notwithstanding their present miserable Condition, that they may be eternally saved.
III. That perishing Sinners must know, and practice, all that is necessary, in Order to their Salvation; 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 have heretofore somewhat distinctly spoken to the First, and Second of these Heads; and shewed you that the Sinner's Salvation consisteth in a Deliverance from Moral, and Penal Evil, and in the Possession of all that is truly Good: and, the last Opportunity, I shewed you the Possibility of it, that perishing Sinners, those who are as yet the capable Subjects of the Divine Mercy, may obtain Salvation. The Sovereignty, and Riches, of the Grace and Mercy of God, the great End of the Incarnation, and Death of Jesus Christ, the whole Tenor of the Gospel Offer, and the many Instances, upon sacred Record, do all most plainly evidence the Possibility of the Sinner's Salvation. I shall now, by Divine Assistance, proceed to the Consideration of the Third Thing proposed. 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. What must I do to be saved? said the Iaylor. It fully speaketh the Necessity that something must be done. Natural Conscience told him that he must do something, or perish; he was sensible he must be himself active, if he would be saved; and therefore is very solicitous to know what he must do, that he might do it. What must I do?
It is true, the infinitely great and good God has done marvellous Things, for the Recovery of poor sinful Man from the deplorable Circumstances he has plunged himself into, and bring him into an happy State. The most tender Compassions of the Deity have been exercised toward him, and God is loth to see Sinners perish; He has, in infinite Wisdom, contrived the intricate, and amazing, Scheme of a guilty Sinner's escaping Punishment, with a proper Salvo to his injured Authority, and Rectitude; His boundless Power has effected the grand Design, in the wondrous Method of sending his own Son, to offer a Sacrifice of Atonement for Sin, and, by his own Arm, to destroy all the mischievous Devices of the evil One, and work out Salvation for them; and by sending his Holy Spirit to apply the Benefits of the Death of Christ unto them.
But, though the whole work is of God, both as to the effectual Impetration, and Application, of our Salvation, yet, there is something for us, to do, in our own Persons, that we may be saved. What must I do, said the Iaylor. There is something requisite to be done, on our Part, as well as on God's Part. The wise God does not mean to deal with us as though we were mere Machines, but he treateth us as we are, rational Agents, (who only are capable of Salvation,) and requireth of us, as such, that we be active, and not merely passive, in the great Work of securing our own Happiness. However passive we may be in the Divine Majesty's conferring of his Grace, and Favour, upon us, that incorruptible Seed, by which we are begotten unto God; (and, indeed, we can be no other than passive in the Divine Gifts, because we cannot give them to ourselves;) yet must we be active, in our seeking it, receiving it, and improving of it, that we may be saved.
Let no Man be so weak, as, from hence, to argue, that the Sinner can save himself, by any Strength, and Power, purely, his own. For as the original Design, so the whole Power, and Efficacy, is all from God, who worketh all our works in us; Isa. xxvi.12. and to whom alone belongeth all the Glory. Nevertheless the Sinner must not think to lie wholly idle, and imagine that there is nothing for him to do, because he cannot do all; but he must besti… himself in the Use of Means, and diligently employ himself, in those various Methods, which the Wisdom of God has seen meet to appoint, as the ordinary Way of obtaining Salvation.
We may illustrate this by a familiar Instance in the natural Life. It is the Lord alone that is the God of our Life, and the Length of our Days: Deut. xxx.20. He first giveth Life, and Being, to us, and then lengtheneth out our Life to what Duration he pleaseth, so that no Man can pass one Moment beyond the Bounds which are set to him; and it is the Blessing of God, concurring to, and with, all Means, that maketh them any Ways instrumental, either to produce us into Being, or support us in Life, without which we should never have drawn one Breath, nor could we subsist one Moment. And yet the Man must not be wholly unconcerned, and inactive, about his own Preservation, but he must do his Part to feed, and nourish, and defend himself; and unless he will be at Pains, about these, he can, upon no solid Principles, Physical, or Moral, expect to have his Life continued. For, though God can support the humane Body, in a miraculous Way, for what Length he pleaseth, without Food; as he did Moses, who was forty Days, and forty Nights, in the Mount with God, and did neither eat Bread, nor drink Water; Exod. xxxiv.28. yet we have no Reason, either from the View of our Nature, or from any Encouragement that he has given us, to expect that God will take any extraordinary Methods to preserve us, when ordinary Ones are at Hand, and we are so foolish as not to improve them.
So is the Case here: It is God only who, by his Almighty Power, can make a dead Soul to live; it is his Energy, and Blessing, upon the Means, which maketh them efficacious, and quickening, to beget us again unto himself, and to a lively Hope of eternal Life; and no Power, separate from God, will be effectual to make us spiritually alive, or to maintain the Divine Life in us, unto Salvation. But yet the Sinner, as a rational Agent, must put his Hand unto the Work, and diligently attend to the ordinary Means of Conversion, and Salvation, and carefully perform the Duties required, on his Part, or he may not expect to partake of the Divine Life, or have Right to the Salvation of God. For God wil… save no Man against his Will, and consequently not without his Labour, and Pains; for he that is not willing to be at the Pains to take the Methods, appointed, leading unto Salvation, (though there should be no such necessary Connection between them, as that he that useth the Means could not possibly miss of the End, but only a fair Probability that in this Way he might be saved;) he evidently manifesteth, that he had rather go without Salvation, than give himself the Trouble of doing what is proper to obtain it; and therefore sheweth that he is not heartily willing to be saved.
Upon the true stating of this Point, I suppose▪ the Gospel Methods of Salvation very much turn▪ and the want of a due Observation hereof, is, perhaps, the great Reason, why some, on the one Hand, ascribe all to the Power of Man, and so rob God of his true Glory; and others, on the other Hand, so ascribe all unto God, as to leave Man no Power to do any Thing in working out his own Salvation: both of which sett of Principles, if acted upon, in Contradistinction to each other, are equally dishonourable to God, and destructive to the Souls of Men; whereas, while they go Hand in Hand, by allowing unto God, the Things that are God's, and unto Man, the Things that are Man's, they sweetly conspire to shew forth the Divine Glory, and secure our own real Happiness. I shall therefore,
[I.] Shew you, That the Sinner cannot save himself, merely by the Virtue, Power, and Efficacy, of all that he can do. And yet,
[II.] That it is absolutely necessary that the Sinner do something, in order to his own Salvation.
[I.] The Sinner cannot save himself, merely by the Virtue, Power, and Efficacy, of all that he can do. After all that the Sinner can possibly do, towards his own Salvation, yet, as the original Design is from the Grace of God, so the Efficacy is all from the Power of God, and not from the Man himself. For we are born not of Blood, nor of the Will of the Flesh, nor of the Will of M…n, but of God, Joh. i.13.
It was possible, indeed, unto Man, in his State of Innocency, to have secured his own Happiness, by his own Power; that is, by the common Concurrence of the Providence of God with his natural Powers, or those Powers which God had furnished him with as such a Creature; because his Strength was proportioned to that State he was in, and was every Way sufficient to perform that Duty which his Maker required of him. For it may not be supposed that an infinitely wise, and righteous, and good God should require more of his Creature, which he had just made, and which had not yet, in any Thing, offended him, than it was capable of performing; and yet, for want of performing what was absolutely out of it's Power to do, turn it out of his Favour, and make it a miserable Creature, by a positive Act of his own sentencing of him thereto. The Perfections of God, as well as Divine Revelation, assure us, that all the Works of God, as they first came out of his Hands, were very good; and consequently, that Man was made perfect in his Kind, not only in his Body, but in the Purity, and Vigour, of his Mind, which was the Divine Image upon him.
But the Case is greatly altered with fallen Man; for beside the Guilt which he has contracted by the Fall, (which I have formerly observed is justly chargeable upon all his Posterity,) the Moment the first Man sinned he lost his original Rectitude, and his Nature then became polluted, and impure; and, I think, there is no Room to question the Communication of this Impurity unto all his natural Descendants, (as I have shewed,) because he could communicate no other Nature, to them, than that which he had. And because the humane Nature, as lapsed, is become tainted, and defiled, therefore, of Consequence, it has lost it's original Strength, and Vigour, and there is a moral Weakness, and Impotency, upon it; partly, from the Darkness upon the Mind, and partly, from the Prejudices upon the Will, and Affections, a…ising from the Depravation which Sin has brought upon them; and from hence, the Man is, now, whatever he was at first, incapable of yeilding an Obedience, as extensive, and perfect, as the Law of God requireth; and yet if he fail, in the least Tittle, of living up to the whole of his Duty, he will lose his End, and miss of Happiness; unless a Dispensation of Grace relieve him. Nor is there any Injury done to Man, or any Injustice in God, in the Demands of an Obedience which Man is not, now, able, of himself, to perform; because the Rights of the Divine Authority, and the Demands of the Law, remain unalterably the same; that is to say, God always was, and always will be, our Sovereign Lord, while we have any Being, and it is always due to him, and to his Law, to be obeyed perfectly, without any Defect. The Relief which God hath graciously provided for lapsed Man, that his Condition might not be altogether hopeless, and what rendereth it a Dispensation of Grace, is, that he is ready to receive us to his Favour, and bestow the Blessing upon us, upon the Consideration of what a Surety has done, and suffered, to merit the Divine Favour for us, (whose Merits became ours by our Compliance with such and such proposed Terms,) and his providing, and offering, supernatural Strength, to enable us to come up to the Terms proposed. This is all the Grace that is needed by a fallen Creature, who has greatly weakened, tho' not left, the Powers of Reason; and leaveth him to act the rational Part, in the diligent Use of Means, to secure his own Happiness, at the same Time that it shews him, a Sufficiency herefor is not of himself.
To him that now, since the Fall, expecteth to be saved by his own Performances, Two Things are requisite, namely, That there be something of Merit, in his good Deeds, to make Amends for his former Offences; and that he has sufficient Power, within himself, to live up to the whole Law, in the utmost Perfection of Obedience, for the future: both of which are wanting to the Sinner, which makes it impossible for him to be saved, by any Virtue, Power, and Efficacy, purely his own. For
1. There can be nothing of Merit in all that a Sinner can possibly do, by which to make Amends for any past Offences. He that has trespassed upon the Divine Law, but in any one Instance, has, by so doing, made a Forfeiture of all that Happiness he was a Candidate for, and incurred the Displeasure of his Sovereign; and therefore, in Order to his escaping Punishment, and having any just Claim to his forfeited Happiness, it is absolutely necessary that there be something, either his own, or another's made his, that shall be meritorious; that is, shall be of sufficient Worth, and Value, in Consideration whereof it will be an Act of Justice, as well as Mercy, in God, to overlook his Guilt, and be reconciled to him; otherwise the Penalty of the violated Law will unavoidably take Place upon him, and render his Condition miserable. No… ▪ this is most certainly the Case of every individual Child of Adam, naturally descending from him, that he is become guilty before God, for so the whole World is; Rom. iii.19.
Let us then suppose that this guilty Creature should yield the most perfect Obedience to the Divine Law, even to the least Tittle, for the Time to come, and this accompanied with his deepest Sorrow for his past Offences, yet, it is evident, that it is utterly impossible there should be any Thing of Merit in all this; and that for this plain Reason; because, in the utmost Perfection of such his Obedience, he would but do what the Divine Law ever requireth of him, and so only perform a present Duty; and because the greatest Exactness of Obedience is but a present Duty, therefore there can be nothing meritorious in it, to expiate, and wipe off, a former Crime. Hence our Saviour taught his Disciples, Luk. xvii.10. When ye have done all these Things which are commanded you, say, we are unprofitable Servants, … done that which was our Duty to do. He that p…y… for a present Purchase, cannot discharge a former Bond by it: nor he that doth a present Duty, by it, make Amends for a former Transgression. Therefore the most critical, and exact, Obedience will not attone for our past Offences. Hence … is that the sacred Scripture assureth us, Rom. iii.20. By the Deeds of the Law, there shall no Flesh be justified in his Sight; for by the Law is the Knowledge of Sin. And as for his deepest Sorrow, this is no more than is agreeable to his rational …, to be so affected at the Sight of having done a wrong Thing, but is no Amends to his Sovereign for his having violated his Commands.
So that no Man can be saved by the Efficacy of his own Deeds, as to any Thing meritorious i… them. All the Merit of a Sinner's being justifyed, accepted, and saved, is from the incarnate Son of God alone, who hath given his Life a Ransom for many, that by his once offering himself to his eternal Father, he might purchase the Forgiveness of Sins, and our final Acceptance with God: for, we are made accepted in the Beloved; in whom we have Redemption, through his Blood, even the Forgiveness of Sins. Eph. i.6, 7. So that the meritorio… Cause of the Sinner's Salvation, is, not from himself, but from God, who hath provided the Sacrifice of his Son for us, and graciously accepteth the penitent Believer to Favour, and Life, upon the alone Account thereof. And this being such a wondrous Act of Grace in God, towards a rebel Creature, as is to the just Admiration of Men, and Angels, gives the Denomination of a Covenant of Grace, to the Transactions between God, and Man, considered in the Mediator so graciously provided for us, and ascribeth the whole Glory of our Salvation to the infinitely free, and rich, Grace of our God.
2. The Sinner hath not sufficient Strength, and Power, of his own, to perform the whole Will of God. Upon Supposition, that a Man's living up to the whole Law, with the greatest Exactness, were truly meritorious, and were sufficient to make Atonement for a former Transgression, (which I have shewed it is not,) yet, still it would not be possible for any Sinner to be saved by all that he can do; because he has not Strength and Power enough, of his own, to perform the Will of God, and observe the Divine Law, in the full Extent of it, and without all Defect, and Interruption.
For, do but consider what it is that the Law of God requireth of us, even a sinless Perfection in our Obedience, and that to every Iota; that we carefully perform every Duty to God, and to our Neighbour, and ourselves; that our Actions, and Words, and Thoughts, and all of them, be kept under the strictest Government of the Divine Commands; that our Hearts and Souls, be engaged in our Obedience, as well as our Bodies; and that we act, in all, from a conscientious Regard to the Authority of God; that we constantly intend the Glory of God, as the ultimate End of all we do; and that we patiently submit to all the Disposals of Divine Providence, though ever so Cross to our worldly Interest, and Views, and our present Ease, without the least Murmuring, or Heart-rising against what we meet withal; and that we do all of this always, as long as we live, and that without the least Failure, or Interruption, in any Part of our Duty: And consider also, how much of Darkness we evidently perceive to be upon our Minds; how many Errors, and Mistakes, we are liable to, through the Ignorance that is in us; and what a strong Bias, and Propensity of Inclination, there are upon us, to please, and gratify Self, in innumerable Instances, which are contrary unto the holy Laws of God; and how much this Bias is improved, and strengthened, by the many Temptations that surround us; I say, do but consider, how extensive the Law is, and what Weakness is brought upon the Humane Nature, by the Fall, besides what the Man bringeth upon himself, by his early contracting the Habits of Vice, before he begins seriously to think of saving his Soul, and say now, Who is sufficient for these Things? Where is the Man that is capable of performing the whole Will of God? What Strength, what Power is there left in the fallen Creature to obey the Divine Law, universally, constantly, uninterruptedly? Whatever Man might have done, in his State of Innocency, it is certain, the Principles of Rebellion contracted by his Apostacy from God, have stripped him of his Power, for a Life of compleat Obedience, have blinded his Mind, biassed his Will, and Affections, and defiled his Conscience, and so rendered him carnally minded, at Enmity against God, and not subject unto his Law, nor indeed can he be, Rom. viii.7. until there is a Change wrought in him.
If ever, therefore, the Sinner be saved, it must be by the Virtue, and Efficacy, of a Power superiour to his own, assisting, and strengthening of him, to overcome his natural corrupt Inclinations, and surrounding Temptations, and to yield such an Obedience unto God, as will be pleasing, and acceptable unto him. God will not save any who will not be obedient to him, (as I shall shew hereafter,) but then, That he hath pleased to make any Abatements of the rigorous Demands of the Law, and to furnish the Sinner with sufficient Power, to yield that Obedience which he, now, insisteth upon, all turneth upon a Covenant of Grace; wherein there is full Provision, by the Influences of the Death of Christ, and special Operation of the Holy Spirit, to enable the Man to perform an Evangelical, that is to say, a sincere, and hearty Obedience unto God; which is what the Divine Majesty, under the Gospel Dispensation, requireth of him, instead of an universally perfect Obedience, which is the strict Demand of the Law. Hence the Apostle says, Rom. v.6. When we were without Strength, Christ died for the ungodly: and, we are not, of ourselves, sufficient to think any Thing as of ourselves, but our Sufficiency is of God. 2 Cor. iii.5. Hence the Prophet Isaiah, speaking of Gospel Times, and the gathering of the Gentiles into the Church, says, Isa. xl.29. He giveth Power to the faint; and to them that have no Might, he increaseth Strength. Hence also, you find, in the sacred Scriptures, the great Works of Conversion, and Salvation, ascribed to the mighty Power of God alone, even to that Power which created the World, and can raise the Dead. Therefore the preaching of the Gospel is said to be, Rom. i.16. The Power of God unto the Salvation of every one that believeth; and we are said to be, Eph. ii.10. The Workmanship of God, created, in Christ Iesus, unto good Works; and we read, of the exceeding Greatness of his Power, to us ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty Power, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the Dead. Eph. i.19, 20.
Since therefore the Sinner, when he has done his best, cannot merit any Thing at the Hands of God, and has not sufficient Strength, of his own, to perform the whole Divine Law, it followeth, that it is impossible he should be saved by the Virtue, Efficacy, and Power, of his own Performances: his Salvation doth not result from himself, but from the sovereign and rich, Grace, and the mighty, and efficacious, Power, of God. Rom. ix.16. It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God, who sheweth Mercy.
Before I proceed any farther, let us make a few Reflections on what has been observed, under this Head.
USE. 1. This teacheth us the very great Danger there is in depending upon our own Works, … meriting any Thing at the Hands of God. Since there can be nothing of Merit in all that M…n can do, therefore for any to place their Trust in any Works of their own, as meritorious, will be but to lean upon a bruised Reed, which will certainly deceive them; and to build their House, their Hope of Salvation, upon a sandy Foundation, which will not endure the Trial. Besides, for a Man to depend upon his own Works, as meriting any Thing for him, will be to disclaim the crucified Jesus, and shut his Merits out from having their proper Influence into his Salvation; th… which, what can be more contrary to the whole Strain of the Gospel, as well as dishonorable to Christ? The great Design of the Gospel is, to shew us how infinitely we are beholden to Jesus Christ, for his purchasing Pardon, and Grace, and Life, for us, at the Expence of his own most precious Blood. And needs then must it be exceeding dangerous for any, thus to frustrate the Grace of God, and render the Death of Christ, as to them, in vain, by their fond Imagination of their being saved by Works of their own. So, Israel hath not attained to the Law of Righteousness; wherefore? because they sought it, not by Faith, … as it were by the Works of the Law. Rom. ix.31, 32. For they being ignorant of God's Righteousness, and going about to establish their own Righteousness, … not submitted themselves … the Righteousness of God. Ch. x.3. For if Righteousness come by the Law, then Christ is dead in vain. Gal. ii.21.
2. This also teacheth us the great Folly, and Arrogancy, of those who dream of Works of Supererogation. It is one of the remarkable Instances of the Folly, and Pride, of the Church of Rome, that she teaches her Votaries, that they may lay up a Stock of good Works, over and above what is necessary for themselves, to supply the Defects of their Neighbours, who may be less exact in their Obedience; and upon this Foundation, very many of their superstitious Practices, are built; as their praying to dead Saints, their Indulgences, and Pardons, and praying Souls out of Purgatory; &c. But how amazing is the Folly, even to Stupidity! How excessive is the Pride! Nor can I see it to be reconcileable to any Principles but these Dregs of the Romish Apostacy, for any pretended Protestant to affirm, that every true Believer may be called the Lord our Righteousness. Our Blessed Lord hath taught us, that the wise Virgins answer the Foolish, who beg it of them to give them of their Oil, Matth. xxv.9. Not so, lest there be not enough for us, and you. Can a Man have Oil to spare? Can he have Grace enough for himself, and others? Who cannot possibly live up to that Perfection, which the Law requireth of him; and if he could, would merit nothing thereby, for himself, much less for another.
3. This teacheth us where to place our whole Dependance, and to whom we should go, for Salvation, and where to ascribe all the Glory of it. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name be all the Glory. Not to ourselves, or an Arm of Flesh, but to the rich Grace of God, and the Merits of Jesus Christ. It is all from the infinite Grace of God, designing, and laying out the Scheme, and perfecting of it, in the Methods of boundless Wisdom, and Love; and the Merits of Jesus Christ, who hath loved us, and washed away our Sins, in his own Blood; and the Efficacy of the Divine Omnipotent Spirit, the Fruit of the Grace of God, and Purchase of Christ, who quickeneth whom he will, and divideth to every Man severally as he will; that any are converted, and pardoned, and saved. And this should put us upon going to this one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for the Manifestation of his Grace to us, in the Workmanship of the Holy Spirit in us, and Application of the Merits of his Son to us, that we might be the Heirs of the Hope of Life. For whither shall we go, but unto him, with whom are the Words of eternal Life? This also should direct us to ascribe unto God the Glory of his Grace, manifested towards us in JESUS CHRIST our Lord; saying with the Apostle, Eph. ii.4—8. God, who is rich in Mercy, for his great Love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in Trespasses, and Sins, hath quickened us, together with Christ; — that, in Ages to come, He might shew the exceeding Riches of his Grace, in his Kindness towards us, through Christ Iesus: for, by Grace ye are saved, through Faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the Gift of God.
Having said these Things, to prevent Mistakes, I now go on, to maintain the Assertion; viz.
[II.] That it is absolutely necessary that the Sinner do something, in order to his own Salvation. Though the Sinner cannot be saved, mer… ly by the Virtue, Power, and Efficacy, of his own Performances, yet God never designed to encourage him in his Sin, by leaving him under the Dominion of Sloth, and Idleness, and an inactive Unconcernedness, about his Soul, and his eternal Interest; as if there were nothing for him to do, but to lie still, contented in his Sin, and Rebellion, against his Maker, until it should please God, by his own almighty Power, and sovereign Grace, to convert, and save him. I know of nothing but a positive Divine Command, that could more embolden any Man in his evil Ways, and vindicate, and truly excuse, him, in his leading a Life of Irreligion, and Debauchery. But is it possible for the Holy God, who is of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity, thus to Countenance Sin, and abet the Sinner, in all his vicious Courses of Ungodlyness, and Unrighteousness? No verily: Nothing is more contradictory to his Nature, and declared Will. And therefore the infinitely wise God, who is perfectly well acquainted with the humane Weakness, has, nevertheless, assigned to him, as a rational Agent, a Work to do; and peremptorily demanded it of him, to be active, and diligent, in his Attendance upon it, that he may not finally perish, through his own Sloth, and Negligence. Thus, He has commanded us, Phil. ii.12. to work out our own Salvation, with Fear, and Trembling: Eccl. ix.10. to do with our Might, whatsoever our Hands findeth to do: Joh. ix.4. to work while it is called to Day, e'er the Night come, wherein no Man can work: and, 2 Pet. i.10. to give all Diligence to make our Calling, and Electio… sure. Hither, also, look all those Texts, that require it of us, to run, to wrestle, to strive, to fight; that is, they enjoin upon us to use utmost Diligence, and begrutch no Pains, to obtain the incorruptible, and heavenly Crown. And he reproveth the Sinner's Sloth, and Negligence, saying, Matth. xx.6. Why stand ye, here, all the Day idle? and pronounces a most heavy Doom upon the slothful, as a wicked Servant, saying, Matth. xxv.26, 30. Thou wicked, and slothful Servant; cast ye the unprofitable Servant into outer Darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of Teeth. All of which plainly speaketh the absolute Necessity of the Sinner's being active, in doing something, in order to his own Salvation. Though he cannot save himself, by his own Power, or merit Heaven by his own Performances, yet there is something that lieth within his Power, weak as he is; and this he must do, as ever he would hope to be saved.
And this leads us into the grand Inquiry, What is it that the Sinner must do? What is necessarily incumbent, on his Part, that he may obtain Salvation?
Now, there are two Things, which comprehend in them all that is required of the Sinner, both of which are plainly included in the Language of the Iayler, What must I do to be saved? It speaks his hearty Desire to know the Way of Salvation, his Willingness to be acquainted with his Duty, and his Readiness to take proper Pains to inform himself; and it shews also his Resolution to reduce his Knowledge into Practice, and do whatsoever he should know to be his Duty to do, in order to the obtaining the Salvation of his Soul. And accordingly the Answer to the Enquiry, Wh… must the Sinner do to be saved? lieth in these two Words, Knowledge, and Practice: The first of which I shall particularly consider in the latter Part of the Day.