Salvation by Grace Through Faith, Sermon 5
SERMON V. Faith the GIFT of GOD.
EPHESIANS II. 8.
—And that not of yourſelves: IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD.
WHEN the Poſterity of Jacob were reſcued from the Bondage of Egypt; it was a Type, of the more important Deliverance which God grants to His People from the Hands of their ſpiritual Enemies:— When the Tribes of Iſrael, departed in Triumph, from the Land of their Oppreſſors; It was not in Conſequence of the Battles they fought or the Victories they obtained: The LORD OF HOSTS marched at the Head of their Armies; an inviſible Hand deſtroyed the Power of their Enemies:—When they paſſed through the Red Sea, they had neither Boats or Bridges to convey them to the oppoſite Shore; but God opened to them a Paſſage through the Boſom of the Deep; the fluid Element contrary to the eſtabliſhed Laws of Nature, was a Defence to them, and proved the Deſtruction of their Aſſailants:—When they travelled for forty Years in an unhoſpitable Deſart, they did not cultivate the Earth, or gather in a Harveſt; they were fed with the Bread of Angels; Manna deſcended daily around their Camp, and the Rock poured out Water for their Refreſhment:—When to puniſh their Murmuring, God ſent fiery Serpents among them, their deadly Wounds were healed, not by the Skill of Phyſicians, or the Virtue of Antidotes; a brazen Serpent was erected by divine Command; they look to the appointed Signal, and the Camp was reſtored to Health and Vigor: —When they croſſed the River Jordan, they had no Conveniencies to ſecure their Paſſage; the myſterious Ark, the Symbol of the Divine Preſence, arreſted the Waters in their Courſe, the numerous Hoſt paſſed over on dry Ground, and entered the Borders of the promiſed Canaan.—When they obtained the peaceable Poſſeſſion of that happy Land, it was not by their own Swords and Bows; but the Captain of the Lord's Hoſt fought their Battles for them, inſpired them with Conduct and Courage, and crowned them with Victory and Succeſs.
THIS is a lively Repreſentation of the Conduct of Heaven towards his ſpiritual Iſrael, in all Ages of the Church.—As God's ancient People could not aſcribe their Triumphs to the Number of their Armies, the Greatneſs of their Exploits, or their own Policy and Power: but to an Almighty Arm, which cauſed all Oppoſition to fall before them:—So the Redemption of the New-Teſtament Saints from the Slavery of Satan, cannot be attributed to the Powers of Nature, the Succeſs of their own Endeavors; but to the Aids of ſupernatural Grace, which ſubdues the Strength of their ghoſtly Adverſaries, and leads them on from conquering to conquer.
THEREFORE, the Apoſtle having aſſerted, that by Grace we are ſaved through Faith, to remove all Ground of Boaſting tells us in the Words now read—that this Faith is not of ourſelves, it is the Gift of God. I am ſenſible theſe Words are referred by ſome to Salvation in general; which they acknowledge is not of ourſelves but the Gift of God: But I think it is plainly the Deſign of the Apoſtle to apply theſe Words particularly to Faith. He had before eſtabliſhed the Honor of divine Grace, in giving Salvation to Mankind, and declared that Faith was the Means of obtaining an Intereſt in it.—Now, to deſtroy all Pretentions to Pride, he teaches us, that this Faith is not a Grace that grows in the Garden of Nature, but is the Production of God.—This is evidently the Doctrine of Religion.—A Divine Power opened the Heart of Lydia, to believe the Preaching of St. Paul. When St. Peter acknowledges Jeſus to be the SON OF GOD, our Lord immediately replies, Bleſſed art thou, Simon Bar-jona, for Fleſh and Blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in Heaven. Theſe Texts, with many others which might be mentioned, eſtabliſh beyond Diſpute the Doctrine I am conſidering—That Faith is the Gift of God.
IN my following Diſcourſe I ſhall ſhow— in what Senſe Faith is the Gift of God—and then mention a few Particulars which illuſtrate and confirm this important Truth.
FIRST, I AM to ſhow in what Senſe Faith is the Gift of God.
MANY profeſs their Aſſent to this Propoſition—that Faith is the Gift of God—but mean no more, than that God gives a general and ſufficient Grace to all Mankind, by virtue of which they may believe if they pleaſe, but are equally free to remain in Unbelief and Rebellion. According to this Scheme, Ability to believe comes from God, but actual Faith is properly to be aſcribed to Man. After all the Influences with which he is favored, he determines himſelf with a ſovereign and independent Freedom. This deſtroys the Divinity of St. Paul, and ſupports the Fabric of human Pride: It makes Man, after all the Compliments paid to Grace, the final Architect of his own Happineſs.—But thoſe who are taught in the School of Chriſt are inſpired with different Sentiments. They are convinced that not only the Ability, but the inclination to believe, is one of thoſe good Gifts which deſcend from the Father of Lights.
BY the ſecret Illuminations of His Spirit, He diſcovers to us the Excellency and Beauty of a Savior, the Value and Importance of the Bleſſings He propoſes to our Choice; by a gentle but effectual Influence He diſpoſes us to accept the condeſcending Offer — If this were not the Caſe, with what Propriety could the Apoſtle propoſe that Queſtion, who maketh thee to differ from another? What haſt thou that that thou didſt not receive?—The Believer might anſwer, with the ſtricteſt Propriety;— I have made the Difference; the good Improvement I have made of my Free Will, hath diſtinguiſhed me from the perverſe and incredulous Part of Mankind.—"I adore the Moſt High God as the Father of my Spirit; I render Him my devout Acknowledgments that He made me a free Intelligence; I give Thanks to his Name▪ that He has favored me with the Light of the Goſpel, and the kind Aſſiſtances of his Spirit —But theſe are common Favors, equally enjoyed by all the Profeſſors of the Goſpel; they do not diſtinguiſh me from the hardned Sinner —That I believe—while others reject the Word of Life, is not the Gift of God, but muſt be aſcribed to the Wiſdom of my Choice, the good Diſpoſition of my Heart."
WHOSE Heart would not tremble! What Tongue would not faulter to utter this preſumptuous Language! I freely acknowledge thoſe who remain in Unbelief, muſt impute it entirely to their Pride and Perverſeneſs; their Love of this World and Attachment to their criminal Pleaſures▪ But thoſe who Believe muſt aſcribe their Faith, to the effectual Operations of divine Grace.
TO illuſtrate and confirm this Truth is what I propoſed in the
SECOND Part of my Diſcourſe.—To this End, let us conſider—Our natural Inability to that which is Good—The Reſiſtance Men generally make to the Operations of the Spirit —The Stratagems which Satan employs to keep them from Believing to the ſaving of their Souls.
I. LET us conſider our natural Inability, to that which is ſpiritually Good.
THIS is declared in Scripture in the moſt expreſſive Terms, in a Variety of Forms. The God of Truth declares, that the Thoughts and Imaginations of the Heart of Man, are Evil, only Evil, and that continually. An inſpired Pen informs us, that the carnal (i. e.) the unrenewed Mind, is not ſubject to the Law of God, nor can be: That the natural Man receiveth not the Things of the Spirit of God; for they are Foolliſhneſs unto him; neither can he know them, becauſe they are ſpiritually diſcerned.
THE ſame mortifying Truth is taught by Metaphors, that it may be the more deeply engraven on our Minds:—Not to diſcourage, but humble us, with a View of our Wretchedneſs:—Not to fill us with imaginary Terrors, but alarm us ſollicitouſly to ſeek a Cure.— We are repreſented as blind to divine Truths, till a celeſtial Ray ſhines upon our benighted Minds, and diſcovers to us their Excellency and Importance.—We are deaf to the Voice of incarnate Love, till a mighty Power remove the Obſtructions, and incline our Ears to attend to the inviting Sound:—Our Hearts are like obdurate Rocks, impenetrable to every religious Impreſſion, till victorious Grace ſoftens them into Fleſh, and makes them receptive of ſalutary Impreſſions.—We are dead in Treſpaſſes and Sins, till that irreſiſtible Command, which muſt ſhortly awake the Inhabitants of the Grave, cauſes us to ariſe and live.
THESE metaphorical Expreſſions are not the Flights of Fancy, but they convey a ſolemn Truth. No Language can be contrived, better adapted to repreſent our Inability, by any inherent Power of our own, to do any Thing which is ſpiritually Good.—I am ſenſible that Metaphors ought not to be preſſed into a Service, for which they were not originally deſigned;— at the ſame Time, I am ſure they ought not to be explained away, till all their Senſe, Propriety and Beauty is loſt. If this Variety of Metaphors, ſo often repeated, does not teach us our ſpiritual Impotence to the Acts and Exerciſes of the divine Life, they ſignify Nothing,— They can be eſteemed no better than extravagant Hyperboles—which I am perſwaded no ſerious Mind will impute to an inſpired Author▪
But I proceed to ſhow,
II. THAT in our State of unregenerate Nature, we are not only deſtitute of all Good, but reſiſt the Influences of divine Grace.
WHEN our Lord performed His miraculous Works, it was with uncontroulable Power; without the Aid of Means or Inſtruments.— In the firſt Creation, He iſſued out his authoritative Fiat, this harmonious Syſtem immediately exiſted; nothing oppoſed the Execution of His Will.—When the Dead are raiſed, tho' they can contribute nothing to their own Reſurrection, yet they form no Reſiſtance to the all-quickning Power of the Son of God.— But when apoſtate Man is created anew; when the ſpiritually Dead are animated with a divine Life, they are not only deſtitute of all previous Diſpoſition to Faith and Holineſs, but diſaffected to the Sanctity of God, the Methods of His Grace, the Laws of His Government: They perverſly reject the generous Hand, which is ſtretched out to recover them from their Guilt and Miſery: They oppoſe the Operations of the ſacred Spirit, which are deſigned to reſtore them, to the Favor and Image of God; to preſent Rectitude and future Happineſs.—Surely nothing ſhort of a divine Power, can ſubdue the native Enmity of our Hearts, change the Bias of our depraved Inclinations, and reduce us to a Compliance with the appointed Way of Salvation. A Heart to renounce our former Prejudices and Prepoſſeſſions; to ſubmit to the Grace and Government of the BLESSED JESUS, muſt be the Gift of God. This will be further Evident—
III. WHEN we take a View, of the innumerable Stratagems which Satan employs, to keep us from believing to the ſaving of our Souls.
THIS ſubtile Spirit is deſcribed in the Goſpel under the Character of a ſtrong Man, who having entered into an Houſe, guards it againſt every Aſſault, and uſes all Manner of Arts to maintain the Poſſeſſion: Our victorious Redeemer muſt therefore bind this ſtrong Man, before He can eſtabliſh his Empire in the human Heart: It muſt be the Work of the omnipotent: God, and not of frail and feeble Man, to triumph over this terrible Enemy, to expel him from the Dominion he has impiouſly uſurped, and as obſtinately defends: He muſt be caſt out with Violence, before the ſanctifying Spirit can regain the peaceable Poſſeſſion of His Temple.
THE Iſraelites, were delivered from the Tyranny of Pharoah, with an high Hand and out-ſtretched Arm: But this Prince, in all the Pride and Plenitude of Power, was an infirm Mortal. It is therefore, a more illuſtrious Conqueſt, to reſcue Mankind from the Captivity▪ in which they are detained by the infernal Tyrant of Hell. He is great in Strength, and has Legions of mighty and malicious Auxiliaries; who fight under his Standard, and aſſiduouſly promote the Deſigns of his accurſed Empire. It is the ſole Prerogative of the moſt high God, to diſpoſſeſs the Prince of Darkneſs, and eſtabliſh the Kingdom of Truth and Righteouſneſs, in a revolted World. From what we have heard we muſt neceſſarily conclude,
IMPROVEMENT.
I. THE deepeſt Humility becomes the Character of fallen Creatures.
IN every View, we have the higheſt Reaſon to abhor ourſelves, to deplore the univerſal Depravity of our Natures, and to place our entire Dependance on ſovereign Mercy for every Bleſſing.—Conſider,—attentively conſider— into what a fatal Abyſs of Miſery, the Apoſtacy has plunged the Race of Men! What Miracles of Power and Goodneſs are employed for our Recovery! How deſirable was the Primitive State of Man!—An enlightned underſtanding taught him the Knowledge of God and his Duty; an uncorrupted Heart inclined him to pay a perfect Obedience to the Mandates of his Heavenly Father; the Way to unfailing Felicity was open to his View; every delightful Enjoyment was in his Poſſeſſion.
BUT alas! he rebell'd againſt God; a melancholy Change immediately enſued: His Glory departed from him; the Privileges of his innocent Nature were forfeited forever: Darkneſs veiled his Mind; Pride and Perverſeneſs took Poſſeſſion of his Heart; the Love of God was baniſhed from his Breaſt, and Self-Love advanced to the Throne. Man, the Lord of this viſible Creation, became an infamous Slave; the Favorite of his Maker a Captive of Hell: The Heavens were armed with Thunder, the Earth expoſed to a laſting Curſe: Every Thing conſpired to make the ungrateful Rebel mortal and miſerable.
WHAT Prodigies of Love prepared the Way for our Reſtitution to our former Happineſs! A God became incarnate—the Lord of Nature took upon Him the Form of a Servant—the Prince of Life ſuffered and died:—Salvation is purchaſed at an infinite Price, and freely offered to a lapſed World.
BUT this is not ſufficient—Though the great Teacher of the Chriſtian Church hath plainly directed us in the Way that leads to the Joys of Paradiſe—yet our Eyes are ſo dazzled with the Glories of this World, our Affections ſo ſtrongly attached to ſenſual Pleaſures, our Minds ſo averſe to every Thing which is Spiritual and Divine; that the ſame Goodneſs which diſcovers to us a Savior, muſt diſpoſe us to accept of Him in His ſacred Offices and Characters: An Omnipotent Arm muſt be revealed to conquer our reluctant Nature, or we ſhall voluntarily perſiſt in the Paths of Perdition.—If this is the Caſe—as it really is—how vain are all our Boaſts of the Dignity and Excellency of our Nature, in its preſent depraved State! How ridiculous are all our Pretences to recommend ourſelves to God, by our own Wiſdom, Power or Goodneſs!
PROSTRATE thyſelf in the Duſt, O fallen Creature! Know that thou art not only deſpicably Mean but inconceivably Vile.—To the all-penetrating Eye of God thou appeareſt, not only deſtitute of all recommending Qualities— but a Maſs of Deformity. Let us then approach the ſupreme Tribunal, not in the preſumptuous Language of the Phariſee—Lord I thank Thee, that I am not as other Men—But with the ſelf-condemning Diſpoſition of the Publican—God be merciful to me a Sinner— to Thee O Lord belongs Righteouſneſs, but to me Shame and Confuſion of Face. I have no Plea, but the Merits of a crucified Savior— No Hope but in the boundleſs Reſources of this Grace.
II. WHILE the Haughtineſs of Man is obliged to ſtoop, the Excellency of Faith is clearly diſcovered.
BY this we are recovered from Miſery, reſtored to the Favor of Heaven, conducted in the Way that leads to unfading Glory—All the Graces which reſide in the Heart, all the Virtues which adorn the Life of a Chriſtian, are the Offspring of Faith:—This ſecures us the final Victory over our ſpiritual Enemies:— By this we are ſupported in the moſt dangerous Trials, and enabled to perſevere, in our Attachment to the Great Redeemer; till we receive the End of our Faith the Salvation of our Souls.
IT is a Maxim of eternal Truth, whatſoever is not of Faith is Sin: We muſt then, inevitably conclude, that without it, the moſt expenſive Charity, the moſt benevolent Diſpoſition, the moſt aſſiduous Pravers, the ſevereſt Mortifications, the moſt amiable Virtues, are eſſentially defective; deſtitute of Life and Spirit: They may eſtabliſh a Reputation among Men; but will be pronounced Vain, at the enlightned Tribunal of God: They may gain the Advantages of Time, but cannot ſecure the Bleſſings of Eternity.—If we are ſaved by Grace through Faith; it neceſſarily follows, that they who are deſtitute of this Faith, are Strangers to that Grace, which forms the diſtinguiſhing Character of the Heirs of Salvation, and conſequently muſt be forever deprived of thoſe Privileges which conſtitute the true Felicity and Glory of human Nature.
III. WITH what Ardor and Importunity ſhould we ſeek to God for this important Gift.
OUR Lord ſays to the Woman of Samaria, If thou knoweſt the Gift of God, thou wouldeſt have aſked of Him, and He would have given thee living Water. Aſk that ye may receive, was the Direction given by the ſame divine Teacher to the Multitude who attended on his Miniſtry.—This is the Voice of Reaſon, as well as the Command of God.—When ſurrounded with diſtreſſing Dangers; when all created Help fails; when human Policy and Power diſcovers no Way of Eſcape; is it not natural?—is it not rational?—to proſtrate ourſelves in the Duſt, lift up our Eyes to Heaven, and implore thoſe Almighty Aids which God takes Pleaſure to communicate to the humble Supplicant. If our Hearts are too haughty— if our Knees are too ſtubborn—to bow at the Footſtool of ſovereign Grace, and aſk the Life of our immortal Souls, ſurely our Damnation is of ourſelves. It is Preſumption to expect that God will vouchſafe to grant his choiceſt Favors to thoſe who proudly neglect to ſeek Him in the Ways of his own Inſtitution. Has He erected a Throne of Grace in our revolted World? Does He command us by Prayer and Supplication to make known our Requeſts? and ſhall we live in the Neglect of ſo plain, poſitive and reaſonable a Duty?—Should not a People ſeek unto their God?—a God who is the ſupreme Diſpenſer of Happineſs and Miſery—upon whoſe Goodwill depends our eternal Deſtiny. Does not the Honor of the Deity require that we look up continually to Him from whom alone our Help muſt come, and ardently implore that Mercy, without which we are the eternal Victims of inexorable Juſtice?
ASK thoſe, who live the Life of Faith—By what Methods were you introduced into this State?—They will anſwer with one Voice—"I was awakened to a ſolemn Concern for my eternal Welfare: I daily waited at Wiſdom's Gates, and watched at the Poſts of her Doors: I was convinced of the deep and univerſal Corruption of my Nature; I found that I was dead in Trepaſſes and Sins, that Nothing ſhort of an Almighty Arm, could ſubdue my reluctant Heart, and induce me to a chearful Compliance with the Preſcriptions of ſovereign Mercy: I proſtrated myſelf at the Feet of the ſupreme Diſpoſer of Life and Death; I acknowledged, I had forfeited every Favor, and that if He frowned me from his Preſence forever, Juſtice muſt approve the Conduct; I had no Ground to complain that He treated me with undeſerved Severity:—But I ardently implored that Grace I had no Right to challenge, and earneſtly deprecated the Execution of that Sentence which was the juſt Puniſhment of my Crimes.—He viewed me with a compaſſionate Eye, He hearkened to the Cries of my Diſtreſs, and ſtretched out his Arm to deliver me from the Depths of Miſery.—He revealed unto me his gracious Nature, which revived my deſponding Heart:—He directed me by his Word and Spirit, to an All ſufficient Savior provided for the greateſt of Sinners:—He captivated me by the Charms of his Love, to reſign myſelf to be his Servant forever."
IT is in this Way the Father of Mercies generally manifeſts Himſelf to the Sinners of human Race.—Thus he turns them from Darkneſs to Light, from the Power of Sin and Satan unto God—Their Succeſs ſhould encourage us to walk in the ſame Way: Their Example ſhould inſpire us with unfainting Diligence to purſue the ſame Methods: Never ſhould we deſiſt, till we experience that Power from on High, which alone can form us into the Character, and entitle us to the Privileges of the Sons of God.
IV. WHAT Gratitude ſhould inſpire the Breaſts of thoſe who are made Partakers of the Gift of Faith.
IT was a pure Favor that brought us into Exiſtence; but it is greater Kindneſs that beſtows upon us Faith. Redeeming Love demands an higher Song of Praiſe than creating Goodneſs.—How ſhould we adore the Greatneſs of that Power, which not only made us at firſt—but deſigns to make us happy forever!— When we look up to JESUS who is the Author and Finiſher of our Faith, our Hearts ſhould overflow with Love, and our Tongues be perpetually employed in thankful Hallelujahs.
WHEN God delivered his People from Egypt, this Inſtance of the Divine Favor was to be commemorated in every ſucceeding Age: A Feſtival was appointed to perpetuate the Remembrance of it to the moſt diſtant Poſterity.
BUT the Believer has a nobler Deliverance to commemorate.—God hath ſaved us not from a temporal Bondage, but an eternal Priſon:—He gives us his Laws, not inſcribed on Tables of Stone, but on the living Tables of our Hearts.—He directed the Marches of his ancient People, through an unhoſpitable Deſart by a Pillar of Fire: He conducts his Saints in the preſent Day, by the Illuminations of his Spirit, who brings them ſafely, not to in earthly, but the celeſtial Canaan.
LET us follow our divine Leader, with undaunted Courage, with chearful Perſeverance. It is God that worketh in us to will and to do ▪ This, inſtead of incouraging Indolence, ſhould animate our Zeal and Diligence.—The Teachings of the divine Spirit ſhew us the Path of Holineſs and incline us to walk in it.—The Allurements of Grace captivate our Hearts, and give us Life and Spirit to run the Way that leads to the Kingdom of God.
TO animate us in this bleſſed Courſe, we are aſſured, that He who has begun a good Work in us, will carry it on to the Day of the Lord: He that hath given us Faith will increaſe and perpetuate it.—He will revive our diſcouraged Hearts, and ſupport our tottering Steps:—Though weak in ourſelves, we ſhall be ſtrong in the Power of his Might:—His Grace will be victorious in the midſt of the fierceſt Oppoſition.
NEITHER preſent Enjoyments nor future Proſpects—Neither the Malice of Men, nor Subtilty of the Principalities and Powers of Darkneſs:—Neither the Charms of Life, nor Fears of Death—ſhall detach us from Him in whom we have believed: We may triumph in the Aſſurance, that He will keep that which is committed unto Him, till Faith ſhall be turned into Viſion, and the Work of Grace completed in the Regions of Glory. To Him be Glory forever and ever. AMEN.