Chapter I: HAVE chosen at this time to handle these words among you, and that (27)

Answ. Faith importeth as much as to say, Receive, embrace, accept of, or trust in, the benefit offered. All which are, by holy men of God, words used on purpose to show that the mercy of God, the forgiveness of sins, and eternal life, are not to be had by doing, or by the law; but by receiving, embracing, accepting, or trusting to the mercy of God through Christ: ‘We believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they’ (Acts 15:11; John 1:12; 2 Cor 4:1, 11:4; Col 2:6; Heb 11:13; 1 Tim 1:15; Eph 1:12-13). Thus you see what the gospel is, and what faith doth do in the salvation of the soul. Now, that faith might be helped in this work, for great are they that oppose it, therefore the Scriptures, the Word of truth, hath presented us with the invitation in most plain and suitable sentences: as, ‘That Christ came into the world to save sinners—Christ died for our sins—Christ gave himself for our sins—Christ bare our sins in his body on the tree—and that God, for Christ’s sake, hath forgiven you.’ Further, as the invitations are plain and easy, so the threatenings to the opposers are sore and astonishing: ‘He that believeth not shall be damned—Because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved, God gave them up to strong delusions, that they all might be damned’ (Mark 16:16; 2 Thess 2:10-12).

Object. But faith is said to be an act of obedience.

Answ. And well it may, for it is the most submitting act that a man can do; it throweth out all our righteousness; it makes the soul poor in itself; it liveth upon God and Christ, as the almsman doth upon his lord; it consenteth to the gospel that it is true; it giveth God and Christ the glory of their mercy and merit; it loveth God for his mercy, and Jesus Christ for his service; whatever good it doth, it still crieth, Hereby am I not justified, but he that justifieth me is the Lord. Well, but is there in truth such a thing as the obedience of faith? Then let Christians labour to understand it, and distinguish it aright, and to separate it from the law and all man’s righteousness; and remember that it is a receiving of mercy, an embracing of forgiveness, an accepting of the righteousness of Christ, and a trusting to these for life. Remember, again, that it putteth the soul upon coming to Christ as a sinner, and to receive forgiveness as a sinner, as such. We now treat of justification.

But a little to insert at large a few more of the excellencies of it, and so draw towards a conclusion. The more thou believest for remission of sins, the more of the light of the glorious gospel of Christ thou receivest into thy soul—‘For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith’ (Rom 1:17). That is, according to the degree of faith. Little faith seeth but little but great faith seeth much; and therefore he saith again, that by faith we have ‘access into the grace of God’ (Rom 5:2). The reason is,

1. Because faith, having laid hold upon Christ, hath found him ‘in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge’ (Col 2:3). In him therefore it finds and sees those heights and depths of gospel mysteries that are nowhere else to be found; nay, let a man be destitute of faith, and it is not possible he should once think of some of them.

2. By this means the Holy Spirit is plentifully received (Gal 3:1-3). Now the Spirit of God is a spirit of wisdom and revelation; but yet so as in the knowledge of Christ; otherwise the Spirit will show to man not any mighty thing, its great delight being to open Christ and to reveal him unto faith (Eph 1:17). Faith indeed can see him, for that is the eye of the soul; and the Spirit alone can reveal him, that being the searcher of the deep things of God; by these therefore the mysteries of heaven are revealed and received. And hence it is that the mystery of the gospel is called the ‘mystery of faith,’ or the mystery with which faith only hath to do (1 Tim 3:9).

Wouldst thou, then, know the greatest things of God? Accustom thyself to the obedience of faith,[34] live upon thy justifying righteousness, and never think that to live always on Christ for justification is a low and beggarly thing, and as it were a staying at the foundation; for let me tell you, depart from a sense of the meritorious means of your justification with God, and you will quickly grow light, and frothy, and vain. Besides, you will always be subject to errors and delusions; for this is not to hold the head from or through which nourishment is administered (Col 2:19). Further, no man that buildeth forsakes the good foundation; that is the ground of his encouragement to work, for upon that is laid the stress of all; and without it nothing that is framed can be supported, but must inevitably fall to the ground.

Again; why not live upon Christ alway? and especially as he standeth the mediator between God, and the soul, defending thee with the merit of his blood, and covering thee with his infinite righteousness from the wrath of God and curse of the law. Can there be any greater comfort ministered to thee than to know thy person stands just before God? Just and justified from all things that would otherwise swallow thee up? Is peace with God and assurance of heaven of so little respect with thee that thou slightest the very foundation thereof, even faith in the blood and righteousness of Christ? and are notions and whimsies of such credit with thee that thou must leave the foundation to follow them? But again; what mystery is desirable to be known that is not to be found in Jesus Christ, as Priest, Prophet, or King of saints? In him are hid all the treasures of them, and he alone hath the key of David to open them (Col 2:1,2; Rev 3:7). Paul was so taken with Jesus Christ, and the knowledge of this, that he was crucified for us, that he desired, nay, determined not to know any thing else among the Corinthians, that itched after other wisdom (1 Cor 2:2).

Object. But I see not that in Christ now, that I have seen in him in former days. Besides, I find the Spirit lead me forth to study other things.

Answ. To the first part of this objection I would answer several things.—The cause why thou seest not that in Christ now, which thou hast seen in him in former days, is not in Christ, but in thy faith; he is the same, as fresh, and as good, and as full of blessedness, as when thou didst most rejoice in him (Heb 1:11,12). And why not now, as well as formerly? God is never weary of being delighted with Jesus Christ; his blood is always precious with God; his merits being those in which justice hath everlasting rest, why shouldst thou wander or go about to change thy way? (Prov 8:30; Jer 2:36). Sin is the same as ever, and so is the curse of the law. The devil is as busy as ever; and beware of the law in thy members. Return, therefore, to thy rest, O soul! for he is thy life, and the length of thy days. Guilt is to be taken off now, as it was years ago; and whether thou seest it or no, thou sinnest in all thy works. How, then, canst thou stand clear from guilt in thy soul who neglectest to act faith in the blood of the Lamb? There thou must wash thy robes, and there thou must make them white (Rev 7:14,15). I conclude, then, thou art a polluted, surfeited, corrupted, hardened creature, whosoever thou art, that thus objectest.

But I find, sayest thou, as if the Spirit led me forth to study other matters.

Answ.—First. What other matters? What matters besides, above, or beyond the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, and of our acceptance with God through him? What spirit, or doctrine, or wisdom soever it be that centres not in, that cometh not from, and that terminates not within, the bonds of the gospel of Jesus Christ, is not worthy the study of the sons of God; neither is it food for the faith of Jesus Christ, for that is the flesh of Christ, and that is eternal life (John 6:5). Whither will you go? Beware of the spirit of Antichrist; for ‘many false spirits are gone out into the world.’ I told you before, that the Spirit of God is ‘the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ,’ and that without and besides the Lord Jesus it discovereth nothing (Eph 1:17). It is sent to testify of him; it is sent to bring his words to our remembrance; it is sent to take of his things and show them unto us (John 14,15,16). Wherefore, never call that the Spirit of Jesus which leads you away from the blood and righteousness of Christ; that is but the spirit of delusion and of the devil, whose teachings end in perdition and destruction. Tempt not Christ as they of old did. But how did they tempt him? Why, in loathing the manna, which was the type of his flesh and blood, which we are to eat of by believing. I say, tempt him not, lest you be destroyed by the serpents, by the gnawing guilt of sin; for, take away Christ, and sin remains, and there is no more sacrifice for sin: if so, thou wilt be destroyed by the destroyer (Num 21:5-7; 1 Cor 10:10). But again—

Second. Living by faith begets in the heart a son-like boldness and confidence to God-ward in all our gospel duties, under all our weaknesses, and under all our temptations. It is a blessed thing to be privileged with a holy boldness and confidence God-ward, that he is on our side, that he taketh part with us and that he will plead our cause ‘with them that rise up against us’ (2 Cor 2:14, 4:17,18; Gal 2:20). But this boldness faith helpeth us to do, and also manageth in our heart. This is that which made Paul always triumph and rejoice in God and the Lord Jesus (Phil 3:3; Rom 5:11). He lived the life of faith; for faith sets a man in the favour of God by Christ, and makes a man see that what befals him in this life, it shall, through the wisdom and mercy of God, not only prove for his forwarding to heaven, but to augment his glory when he comes there. This man now stands on high, he lives, he is rid of slavish fears and carking cares, and in all his straits he hath a God to go to! Thus David, when all things looked awry upon him, ‘encouraged himself in the Lord his God’ (1 Sam 30:6). Daniel also believed in his God, and knew that all his trouble, losses, and crosses, would be abundantly made up in his God (Dan 6:23). And David said, ‘I had fainted unless I had believed’ (Psa 27:13). Believing, therefore, is a great preservative against all such impediments, and makes us confident in our God, and with boldness to come into his presence, claiming privilege in what he is and hath (Jonah 3:4,5). For by faith, I say, he seeth his acceptance through the Beloved, and himself interested in the mercy of God, and riches of Christ, and glory in the world to come (Heb 10:22,23; Eph 1:4-7). This man can look upon all the dangers in hell and earth without paleness of countenance; he shall meditate terror with comfort, ‘because he beholds the King in his beauty’ (Isa 33:17,18). Again—

Third. Living by faith makes a man exercise patience and quietness under all his afflictions; for faith shows him that his best part is safe, that his soul is in God’s special care and protection, purged from sin in the blood of Christ. Faith also shows him that after a little while he shall be in the full enjoyment of that which now he believes is coming: ‘We, through the Spirit, wait for the hope of righteousness by faith’ (Gal 5:5). Wherefore, upon this ground it is that James exhorteth the saints to whom he wrote, to patience, because they knew the harvest would in due time come (James 5:7-11). Faith lodgeth the soul with Christ: ‘I know,’ saith Paul, ‘on whom I have believed,’ and to whom I have committed my soul, ‘and am persuaded,’ I believe it, ‘that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day’; therefore it were no shame to him to wear a chain for his name and sake (2 Tim 1:12). O! it is a blessed thing to see, I say, by the faith of the Lord Jesus, that we are embarked in the same ship with him; this will help us greatly ‘both to hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord’ (Psa 46:1-6; Lam 3:26). Further—

Fourth. I might add, that living by faith is the way to receive fresh strength from heaven, thereby to manage thine every day’s work with life and vigour; yea, every look by faith upon Jesus Christ, as thine, doth this great work. It is said, when Paul saw the brethren that came to meet him, ‘he thanked God, and took courage’ (Acts 28:15). O! how much more, then, shall the Christian be blessed with fresh strength and courage even at the beholding of Christ; whom ‘beholding as in a glass,’ we ‘are changed,’ even by beholding of him by faith in the word, ‘into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord’ (2 Cor 3:18). But to be brief.

Fifth. Make conscience of the duty of believing, and be as afraid of falling short here as in any other command of God. ‘This is his commandment, that you believe’ (1 John 3:23). Believe, therefore, in the name of the Lord Jesus. This is the will of God, that you believe. Believe, therefore, to the saving of the soul (John 6:46). Unbelief is a fine-spun thread, not so easily discerned as grosser sins; and therefore that is truly ‘The sin that doth so easily beset us’ (Heb 12:1). The light of nature will show those sins that are against the law of nature; but the law of faith is a command beyond what flesh or nature teacheth; therefore to live by faith is so much the harder work; yet it must be done, otherwise thine other duties profit thee nothing. For if a man give way to unbelief, though he be most frequent in all other duties besides, so often as he worshippeth God in these, he yet saith, God is a liar in the other, even because he hath not believed: ‘He that believeth not God, hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son’ (1 John 5:10,11). So then, when thou givest way to unbelief; when thou dost not venture the salvation of thy soul upon the justifying life that is in Christ—that is, in his blood, &c.,—at once, thou givest the lie to the whole testament of God; yea, thou tramplest upon the promise of grace, and countest this precious blood an unholy and unworthy thing (Heb 10:29). Now how, thou doing thus, the Lord should accept of thy other duties, of prayer, alms, thanksgiving, self-denial, or any other, will be hard for thee to prove. In the meantime remember, that faith pleaseth God; and that without faith it is impossible to please him. Remember also, that for this cause it was that the offering of Cain was not accepted: ‘By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain’; for by faith Abel first justified the promise of the Messias, by whom a conquest should be obtained over the devil, and all the combination of hell against us: then he honoured Christ by believing that he was able to save him; and in token that he believed these things indeed, he presented the Lord with the firstlings of his flock, as a remembrance before God that he believed in his Christ (Heb 11:4). And therefore it is said, ‘By faith he offered’; by which means the offering was accepted of God; for no man’s offering can be accepted with God but his that stands righteous before him first. But unbelief holdeth men under their guilt, because they have not believed in Christ, and by that means put on his righteousness. Again; he that believeth not, hath made invalid—what in him lies—the promise of God and merits of Christ, of whom the Father hath spoken so worthily; therefore what duties or acts of obedience soever he performeth, God by no means can be pleased with him.

By this, therefore, you see the miserable state of the people that have not faith—‘Whatever they do, they sin’; if they break the law, they sin; if they endeavour to keep it, they sin. They sin, I say, upon a double account: first, because they do it but imperfectly; and, secondly, because they yet stay upon that, resisting that which is perfect, even that which God hath appointed. It mattereth not, as to justification from the curse, therefore; men wanting faith, whether they be civil or profane, they are such as stand accursed of the law, because they have not believed, and because they have given the lie to the truth, and to the God of truth. Let all men, therefore, that would please God make conscience of believing; on pain, I say, of displeasing him; on pain of being, with Cain, rejected, and on pain of being damned in hell. ‘He that believeth not shall be damned’ (Mark 16:16). Faith is the very quintessence of all gospel obedience, it being that which must go before other duties, and that which also must accompany whatever I do in the worship of God, if it be accepted of him.[35] Here you may see a reason why the force and power of hell is so bent against believing. Satan hateth all the parts of our Christian obedience, but the best and chiefest most. And hence the apostle saith to the Thessalonians, that he sent to know their faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted them, and so his labour had been in vain (1 Thess 3:5). Indeed, where faith is wanting, or hath been destroyed, all the labour is in vain, nothing can profit any man, neither as to peace with God, nor the acceptance of any religious duty; and this, I say, Satan knows, which makes him so bend his force against us.

There are three things in the act of believing which make this grace displeasing to the wicked one—

1. Faith discovereth the truth of things to the soul; the truth of things as they are, whether they be things that are of this world, or of that which is to come; the things and pleasures above, and also those beneath. Faith discovereth to the soul the blessedness, and goodness, and durableness of the one; the vanity, foolishness, and transitoriness of the other. Faith giveth credit to all things that are written in the law and in the prophets (Acts 24:14), both as to the being, nature, and attributes of God; the blessed undertaking of the Lord Jesus Christ; the glory of heaven and torments of hell; the sweetness of the promise and terror of the threatenings and curses of the Word; by which means Satan is greatly frustrated in his assaults when he tempteth either to love this world or slight that which is to come, for he can do no great matter in these things to any but those who want the faith. ‘In vain is the snare laid in the sight of any bird’ (Prov 1:17); therefore he must first blind, and hold blind, the minds of men, ‘that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should not shine unto them,’ else he can do no harm to the soul (2 Cor 4:4). Now, faith is the eye of the godly man, and that sees the truth of things, whatever Satan suggests, either about the glory of this world, the sweetness of sin, the uncertainty of another world, or the like (1 John 5:4,5; Heb. 11:27).

2. Faith wraps the soul up in the bundle of life with God; it encloseth it in the righteousness of Jesus, and presents it so perfect in that, that whatever he can do, with all his cunning, cannot render the soul spotted or wrinkled before the justice of the law; yea, though the man, as to his own person and acts, be full of sin from top to toe, Jesus Christ covereth all; faith sees it, and holds the soul in the godly sense and comfort of it. The man, therefore, standing here, stands shrouded under that goodly robe that makes him glisten in the eye of justice. Yea, all the answer that Satan can get from God against such a soul is, that he ‘doth not see iniquity in Jacob, nor behold perverseness in Israel’; for here ‘Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the Lord of hosts, though,’ as to their own persons, ‘their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel’ (Num 23:21-23; Jer 51:5; Rom 6:14; Deut 33:12). Thus, therefore, the soul believing, is hid from all the power of the enemy, and dwells safely under the dominion of grace.

3. Faith keeps the soul from giving credit to any of his insinuations; for whatever Satan saith, either about the acceptance of my person or performances, so long as I believe that both are accepted of God for Christ’s sake, he suggesteth to the wind; wherefore faith doth the same against the devil that unbelief doth to God. Doth unbelief count God a liar? Faith counts the devil a liar. Doth unbelief hold the soul from the mercy of God? Faith holds the soul from the malice of the devil. Doth unbelief quench thy graces? Faith kindleth them even into a flame. Doth unbelief fill the soul full of sorrow? Faith fills it full of the joy of the Holy Ghost. In a word, doth unbelief bind down thy sins upon thee? Why, faith in Jesus Christ releaseth thee of them all.

4. As faith keeps the soul from giving credit to the insinuations of Satan, so, when he makes his assaults, it over-masters him, and makes him retreat; ‘Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.—Whom resist steadfast in the faith’ (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:9). Believe, as I have already said, that God loveth you, that the blood of Christ was shed for you, that your person is presented complete before him, through the righteousness of Christ, and Satan must give place; thy crediting of the gospel makes him fly before thee; but thou must do it steadfast in the faith; every waverer giveth him advantage. And, indeed, this is the reason that the godly are so foiled with his assaults, they do not resist him steadfast in the faith; they often stagger through unbelief. Now, at every stagger he recovereth lost ground again, and giveth battle another time. Besides, by this and the other stagger he taketh heart to attempt by other means, and so doubleth the affliction with manifold temptations. This is, I say, for want of being steadfast. ‘Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked’ (Eph 6:16). To quench them, though they come from him as kindled with the very fire of hell. None knows, save him that feels it, how burning hot the fiery darts of Satan are; and how, when darted, they kindle upon our flesh and unbelief; neither can any know the power and worth of faith to quench them but he that hath it, and hath power to act it.

5. Lastly, if justifying righteousness be alone to be found in the person of Jesus Christ, then this shows us the sad condition of two sorts of men—1. Of those that hang in doubt betwixt Christ and the law. 2. Of those that do professedly make denial of the sufficiency of this most blessed righteousness.

First. The first sort, though they may seek life, yet, thus continuing, are never like to find it. Wherefore? Because they seek it not by faith, but, as it were, by the works of the law. Indeed, they will not be merit-mongers; they will not wholly trust to the law; they will partly venture on Christ, and partly trust to the law. Well, but therefore they shall be damned, because they trust to Christ but in part, and in part, as it were, to the works of the law; for such sinners make Christ but a Saviour in part—why, then, should he be their Saviour in whole? No; because they halt between Christ and the law, therefore they shall fall between Christ and the law; yea, because they will trust to their works in part, they shall be but almost saved by Christ. Let not that man think that he shall obtain any thing from the Lord. What man? Why, he that doubteth or wavereth in his mind about the truth of the mercy of God in Christ. Therefore the exhortation is, ‘But let him ask in faith.—For he that wavereth,’ or, that halteth between the law and Christ for life, ‘is like a wave of the sea, driven of the wind and tossed’ (James 1:6). In conclusion, he resteth nowhere—‘a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways’ (v 8). This man, therefore, must miscarry; he must not see the good land that flows with milk and honey; no, let him not have a thought of life in his heart; let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.[36]

This was the case of many in the primitive times, for whose sake this caution was written; for the devout and religious Jew and proselyte, when they fell away from the word of the gospel, they did not fall to those gross and abominable pollutions in which the open profane, like sows and swine, do wallow, but they fell from the grace of God to the law; or, at least, did rest betwixt them both, doubting of the sufficiency of either; and thus, being fearful, they distrust; wherefore, being found at length unbelieving, they are reputed of God abominable, as murderers, whoremongers, sorcerers, idolators, and liars, and so must have their portion in the lake, with them, that burns with fire and brimstone (Rev 21:8). The reason is, because where Christ is rejected sin remaineth, and so the wrath of God for sin. Neither will he be a Saviour in part; he must be all thy salvation, or none. ‘Let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord’ (James 1:7; John 3:36). Not any thing. There is no promise for him, no pardon for him, no heaven for him, no salvation for him, no escaping of his fire! What condition is this man in? Yet he is a religious man, for he prays; he is a seeking man, a desiring man, for he prays; but he halts between two, he leaneth to his righteousness, and committeth iniquity. He is afraid to venture all upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Let not that man think of receiving any thing from the Lord!

Yet the words suggest that he is apt to think he shall receive something, because God is merciful, because his promise is great; but this expectation is by this word cut off, and this sinner is cast away. Let not that man think, let him forbear to think, of having anything at the hand of God. The Israelites thought to go up to the land the day after they had despised it. Agag thought the bitterness of death was past even that day in which he was hewn to pieces. Rechab and Baanah his brother thought to have received reward of David that day they were hanged over the pool in Hebron. Let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord’ (Num 14:40-45; 1 Sam 15:32,33; 2 Sam 4:12).

Second. As for those that do professedly make denial of the sufficiency of this most blessed righteousness, the whole book is conviction to them, and shall assuredly, if it comes to their hands, rise up in judgment against them. They have rejected the wisdom and mercy of God; they have rejected the means of their salvation; they have trampled upon the blood of the Son of God; wherefore judgment waiteth for them, and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

[A word to neglecters of Christ.]

To conclude. One word also to you that are neglecters of Jesus Christ: ‘How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?’ Here then, we may see how we ought to judge of all such persons as neglect the Lord Jesus, under what guise, name, or notion soever they be. We ought, I say, to judge of such, that they are at present in a state of condemnation; of condemnation, ‘because they have not believed in the only-begotten Son of God’ (John 3:18). It is true, there is no man more at ease in his mind, with such ease as it is, than the man that hath not closed with the Lord Jesus, but is shut up in unbelief. O! but that is the man that stands convict before God, and that is bound over to the great assize; that is the man whose sins are still his own, and upon whom the wrath of God abideth (v 36); for the ease and peace of such, though it keep them far from fear, is but like to that of the secure thief, that is ignorant that the constable standeth at the door; the first sight of an officer makes his peace to give up the ghost (1 John 5:12). Ah, how many thousands that can now glory that they never were troubled for sin against God; I say, how many be there that God will trouble worse than he troubled cursed Achan, because their peace, though false, and of the devil, was rather chosen by them than peace by Jesus Christ, than ‘peace with God by the blood of his cross’ (Col 1:20). Awake, careless sinners, awake! and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give you light. Content not yourselves either with sin or righteousness, if you be destitute of Jesus Christ, but cry, cry, O cry to God for light to see your condition by; for light in the Word of God, for therein is the righteousness of God revealed (Eph 5:14). Cry, therefore, for light to see this righteousness by; it is a righteousness of Christ’s finishing, of God’s accepting, and that which alone can save the soul from the stroke of eternal justice! (Rom 1:17).

There are six things that on man’s part are the cause he receiveth not the gospel of Christ, and so life by him—1. They see not their state by nature, how polluted they are with original sin (Eph 2:2). 2. They see not the justice of God against sin; they know not him that hath said, ‘Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense’ (Heb 10:30). 3. They cannot see the beauty of Jesus Christ (2 Cor 4:4). 4. Unbelief being mighty in them, they dare not venture their souls with Jesus Christ. They dare not trust to his righteousness, and to that only (Rev 21:8). For, 5. Their carnal reason also sets itself against the word of faith, and cannot stoop to the grace of Jesus Christ (1 Cor 2:14). 6. They love to have honour one of another, they love to be commended for their own vain-glorious righteousness; and the fools think that because they are commended of men, they shall be commended of God also: ‘How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?’ (John 5:44). This last thing—to wit, desire of vain-glory, is the bane of thousands; it is the legalist’s bane, it is the civilian’s[37] bane, it is the formalist’s bane, yea, which yet is stranger, it is the bane of the vicious and debauched also;[38] for though there be a generation that, to one’s thinking, have not regard to righteousness, yet watch them narrowly, and they have their times of doing something that looks like good, and though possibly it be but seldom, yet this wretch counteth that, for the sake of that, God accepteth him, and counteth his, glorious righteousness. I might add a seventh cause, which is, want of serious meditation upon eternal judgment, and what shall follow. This consideration, did it take a deep place in the heart, would doubtless produce these workings of spirit after Jesus Christ for justification that now are wanting in the most of men. This made Felix, yea, it makes the devils, tremble; and would, I say, couldst thou deeply meditate, make thee start and turn thy wanton thoughts into heavy sighs after God’s mercy in Jesus Christ, lest thou also come into their place of torment.

Before I conclude this use, I would lay down a few motives, if so be thou mayest be prevailed with to look after thine own everlasting state.

1. Consider, God hath put man above all the creatures in this visible world, into a state of abiding for ever; they cannot be annihilated, they shall never again be turned into nothing, but must live with God or the devil for ever and ever. And though the scripture saith, ‘Man hath not pre-eminence over a beast in his death,’ yet the beast hath pre-eminence above many men, for he shall not rise again to come into judgment as man must, nor receive that dismal sentence for sin and transgression as man shall; this, therefore, is worthy to be considered with seriousness of all that have souls to be saved or damned—‘They must one day come to judgment,’ there to stand before that Judge of all the earth whose eyes are like a flame of fire, from the sight of which thou canst not hide one of thy words, or thoughts, or actions, because thou wantest the righteousness of God. The fire of his justice shall burn up all thy rags of righteousness wherewith by the law thou hast clothed thyself, and will leave thee nothing but a soul full of sin to bemoan, and eternal burnings to grapple with. O the burnings that will then beset sinners on every side, and that will eat their flesh and torment their spirit with far more terror than if they were stricken with scorpions! And observe it, the torment will there be higher than other where there is the guilt of neglecting Jesus Christ, he being indeed the Saviour, and him that was sent on purpose to deliver men from the wrath to come.

2. Consider, once past grace, and ever past grace. When the door is shut against thee, it will open no more, and then repentings, desires, wishings, and wouldings, come all too late (Luke 13). Good may be done to others, but to thee, none; and this shall be because, even because thou hast withstood the time of thy visitation, and not received grace when offered: ‘My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him’ (Luke 19:41-43; Hosea 9:17). Cain was driven out from the presence of God, for aught I know, some hundreds of years before his death; Ishmael was cast away after seventeen years of age; Esau lived thirty or forty years after he had sold his birthright. O! many, very many are in this condition! for though God be gracious, yet he will not be slighted nor abused always; there are plenty of sinners in the world—if one will not, another will. Christ was soon repulsed by and sent away from the country of the Gadarenes; but on the other side of the sea there were many ready with joy to receive him (Luke 8:37,40). So, when the Jews contradicted and blasphemed, ‘the Gentiles gladly received the word’ (Acts 13:46-48). Look to it, sinner, here is life and death set before thee; life, if it be not too late to receive it; but if it be, it is not too late for death to swallow thee up. And tell me, will it not be dreadful to be carried from under the gospel to the damned, there to lie in endless torment, because thou wouldst not be delivered therefrom?[39] Will it be comfort to thee to see the Saviour turn Judge? to see him that wept and died for the sin of the world now ease his mind on Christ-abhorring sinners by rendering to them the just judgment of God? For all their abominable filthiness, had they closed with Christ, they had been shrouded from the justice of the law, and should not have come into condemnation. ‘But had been passed from death to life’; but they would not take shelter there; they would venture to meet the justice of God in its fury, wherefore now it shall swallow them up for ever and ever. And let me ask further, is not he a madman who, being loaded with combustible matter, will run headlong into the fire upon a bravado? or that, being guilty of felony or murder, will desperately run himself into the hand of the officer, as if the law, the judge, the sentence, execution, were but a jest, or a thing to be played withal? And yet thus mad are poor, wretched, miserable sinners, who, flying from Christ as if he were a viper, they are overcome, and cast off for ever by the just judgment of the law. But ah! how poorly will these be able to plead the virtues of the law to which they have cleaved, when God shall answer them, ‘Whom dost thou pass in beauty? go down, and be thou laid with the uncircumcised’ (Eze 32:19). Go down to hell, and there be laid with those that refused the grace of God.

Sinners, take my advice, with which I shall conclude this use—Call often to remembrance that thou hast a precious soul within thee; that thou art in the way to thine end, at which thy precious soul will be in special concerned, it being then time to delay no longer, the time of reward being come. I say again, bring thy end home; put thyself in thy thoughts into the last day thou must live in this world, seriously arguing thus—How if this day were my last? How if I never see the sun rise more? How if the first voice that rings to-morrow morning in my heavy ears be, ‘Arise, ye dead, and come to judgment?’ Or how, if the next sight I see with mine eyes be the Lord in the clouds, with all his angels, raining floods of fire and brimstone upon the world? Am I in a case to be thus near mine end? to hear this trump of God? or to see this great appearance of this great God, and the Lord Jesus Christ? Will my profession, or the faith I think I have, carry me through all the trials of God’s tribunal? Cannot his eyes, which are as a flame of fire, see in my words, thoughts, and actions enough to make me culpable of the wrath of God? O how serious should sinners be in this work of remembering things to come, of laying to their heart the greatness and terror of that notable day of God Almighty, and in examining themselves, how it is like to go with their souls when they shall stand before the Judge indeed! To this end, God make this word effectual. Amen.[40]

FOOTNOTES:

1. These are most important distinctions, upon which depends a right understanding of this doctrine. God sees the soul either in Christ or in sin. He may see apparently good works arising from the foulest motives. Uriah doubtless thought himself highly honoured as a confidential messenger of great king David; God saw the murder and adultery in David’s heart. He was justified in the sight of man for the very act that condemned him in the sight of God; and for which he was sorely punished in this world, although saved by the blood of atonement.—Ed.

2. Let not a scoffer say, ‘See how Christians cast away the law of God!’ They are under the law to Christ; bound by the most sacred obligations to obey all its requirements; not to merit pardon, but to prove, to the comfort of their souls, that they have received pardon, and are living under a sense of the unmerited grace of God in Christ.—Ed.

3. This is a clear statement of a most important truth. The sins of believers were laid upon Christ, or imputed to him, and he bore them away, but was undefiled. His righteousness covers us, and we are justified, but it is still HIS. Not unto us, but unto his name, be all the glory.—Ed.

4. By ‘common,’ is here meant that Christ is the federal head of all his saints; they have an equal or common right equally to participate in his merits.—Ed.

5. How full of consolation is this voice from the tomb! Lowth’s translation is very striking—‘Thy dead shall live, my deceased; they SHALL arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust; for thy dew is as the dew of the dawn! But the earth shall cast forth, as an abortion, thy deceased tyrants.’ Antichrist shall ‘cease from troubling,’ and be only seen afar off in torments.—Ed.

6. Christ (amazing love!) ‘was made a curse for us,’ and thereby redeemed us from the curse of the law. He subjected himself to the law in active as well as passive obedience, and his obedience even to death was for our justification.—Mason.

7. Those whom God justifies, he also glorifies; and because Christ lives, blessed be God! we shall live also. Nevertheless, the strongest believer has as much need to come to Christ every day for fresh strength, as if he had never believed before; and if he were to depend on his own faithfulness, and not on the faithfulness of the Son of God, he would soon desert the Lord Jesus Christ.—Mason.

8. The symbol of regeneration, or water baptism. Although the regenerate believer feels an assurance that he forms part of Christ’s mystical body, and is saved by grace, and loves God because God first loved him, this does not prevent, but approves, his following the example of his Redeemer, in a symbolical or water baptism. Thus he publicly puts on Christ; he is buried with him in baptism, and rises to newness of life. Colossians 2:12, 13.—Ed.

9. Believer, if thou art rejoicing in this great and finished salvation, never forget that thine only evidence is—sorrow for thy sins, which caused the shedding of this precious blood, and a love of holiness. If sin be deplored, not only art thou redeemed from its curse, but also delivered from its power. The grace that justifies quickens us to good works, that we may walk therein.—Ed.

10. Because it is tainted by sin.—Ed.

11. The best righteousness that can be produced by fallen man is impressively designated by Isaiah, ‘A bed shorter than a man can stretch himself on, and a covering narrower than he can wrap himself in.’—Ed.

12. The way of salvation by works was blasted by the curse upon Adam’s sin, so that it cannot work life in us, or holiness, but only death.—Ed.

13. To divert or turn aside from an intended course; not to divert or amuse.—Ed.

14. Bunyan, in his Creation Spiritualized, or Exposition on Genesis, has shown that the fig-leaf aprons are a type of man’s attempt to cover his sins by his own good works, which soon fade, become dung, or are burned up. But the righteousness that God provides endureth for ever. See vol. i., p. 440.—Ed.

15. The marginal notes to the Bible are exceedingly valuable, especially to the unlearned. There we find that Jedidiah means ‘beloved of the Lord.’—Ed.

16. The birth of a babe is a period of excitement. Parents should hope that the new comer is a Jedidiah. On such occasions, it is a delightful service when the father, mother, and family specially attend public worship, to bless God for his mercies, and to beseech grace that they may train up the child for heaven. Such is the practice among the Baptists. But even in this, watchfulness is requisite, lest it degenerate into mere parade.—Ed.

17. The non-imputation of sin, and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, always go together. David knew this; while he describes the blessedness of the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin, he, at the same time, describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputeth Christ’s righteousness.—Mason.

18. However excellent the conduct of Zaccheus, still he was a sinner, and under the curse. His curiosity leads him to climb a tree to see Jesus, and most unexpectedly salvation is brought to one who sought it not. Christ called, and he instantly obeyed. O may our hearts be so inclined to receive the invitations of his gospel!.—Ed.

19. We are all, by nature and practice, in a spiritual sense, robbers, idolaters, and murderers. God make us to know and feel it! We may adopt the language of the poet, and say—

‘Sinful soul, what hast thou done?
Murder’d God’s eternal Son!’—Mason.

20. Works justify us from such accusations of men as will deny us to have justification by faith—not as being our righteousness, or conditions of our having Christ’s righteousness, or as qualifying us for it.—Mason.

21. Every edition of Bunyan’s works calls this a ‘void of words,’ and gives a false reference to Hebrews 12:14.—Ed.

22. The law condemns all sinners, and strikes them dead as with a thunderbolt; adjudging them to shame and misery, instead of glory and happiness. None can fulfil its strict terms, neither Jew nor Gentile. There is no hope, if free grace restore them not. Romans 3:20, 2:6-29; 8:7.—Mason.

23. Hagar, by which is meant the law or covenant of works. This is said to gender unto bondage, because it makes them bondmen who look to be saved and justified thereby. It is called the ‘ministration of death’ (2 Cor 3:6). Whereas the gospel and new covenant is a dispensation of liberty and life.—Mason.

24. We will hold and extol this faith which doubteth not of God, nor of the Divine promises, nor of the forgiveness of sins through Christ; that we may dwell sure and safe in this our object Christ, and may keep still before our eyes the passion and blood of the Mediator and all his benefits.—Luther on Galatians 3:11.

25. Multitudes of professors set up their rest in outward duties, and repose a carnal confidence in ordinances, without endeavouring after any lively communion with Father, Son, or Holy Spirit, in the exercise of faith and love.—Mason.

26. Conscience, if resisted, is little ease, whether rightly or wrongly informed. By little ease, is meant a prison not large enough either to lie down or stand upright in, with spikes in the walls; places of torment well known in former times of persecution for conscience sake.—Ed.

27. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. We must either, as lost sinners, fall into the arms of Divine mercy, and receive pardon as a free gift through the merits of the Saviour, or we must perish. It is a solemn, searching consideration.—Ed.

28. Difficult at any time, and impossible without Divine power; but most difficult when all the faculties of the soul become harrowed by a ‘certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation’ (Heb 10:27).—Ed.

29. If we seek salvation by works, such as sincere obedience or Christian perfection, we thereby bring ourselves under the law, and become debtors to fulfil all its requirements, though we intended to engage ourselves to fulfil it only in part (Gal 5:3). Let this be seriously considered.—Mason.

30. These ‘foolish men’ were a sect which sprung up in Bunyan’s time, and soon became extinct. They believed that the sufferings of Christ, to his death on Calvary, were only typical of what he suffers in the body of every believer. This was as contrary to the express declaration of Holy Writ, ‘He was ONCE offered’ (Heb 9:28), as is the absurd notion of the Papists in the mass, or continual sacrifice of Christ. What impious mortal dares pretend to offer up Christ to his Father.—Ed.

31. As the carnal Adam, having lost his original righteousness, imparts a corrupt nature to all his descendants; so the spiritual Adam, Christ Jesus, by his obedience unto death, conveys spiritual life to us; believers are made ‘the righteousness of God in him.’—Mason.

32. ‘Neck’ is from hniga, to bend or incline. In Bunyan’s time, these ancient words were well understood by the peasantry. To have the neck turned, so as to bend the back of the head towards the back of the body, would be as absurd as for faith to look to its own works for justification. This would indeed be bowing backward, instead of bending before, and looking to Jesus and his finished work for justification.—Ed.

33. Modern editors have altered this to ‘imperfections,’ but Bunyan would have us look to the most perfect of our works, and see how polluted they are.—Ed.

34. Faith looks at things which be not, as though they were. Sense judges from what it sees and feels, faith from what God says; sense looks inward to self, faith looks outward to Christ and his fullness.—Mason.

35. How strangely does the world mistake the source of good works! The common and fatal error is, that if salvation is all of faith, then good works will fail; whereas faith is the prolific fountain, yea, the only source of really good works and holy obedience.—Ed.

36. How universal to fallen nature is that soul-destroying heresy—the attempt to justify ourselves partly by our own good works, and to make up the deficiency by the merits of the Saviour! Ye might as well attempt to serve God and mammon, as to unite our impure works with those of the pure and holy Jesus. We must, as perishing sinners, fall into the arms of Divine mercy, and receive pardon as a free gift, wholly through the merits of the Saviour, or we must for ever perish. It is an awful consideration.—Ed.

37. ‘The civilian’; one who is versed in law and government. See Imperial Dictionary.—Ed.

38. When the pilgrims Christian and Hopeful had wandered in By-path Meadow, one that walked before them said that the way led to the celestial gate. ‘He therefore that went before, Vain-confidence by name, not seeing the way before him, fell into a deep pit, which was on purpose there made by Giant Despair to catch vain-glorious fools withal, and was dashed in pieces with his fall.’ Beware, O legalist, civilian, or formalist!—Ed.

39. How deplorably and inexcusably they will perish, who perish by their own willful unbelief under the gospel! It will be dreadful indeed to be driven, as it were, from the very gate of heaven to the lowermost and hottest hell. Lord, send forth thy light, truth, and power, that sinners may be saved and comforted by coming unto thee for life and peace!—Mason.

40. This is a striking and soul-searching appeal. O that the Holy Spirit may ‘search me and try me, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting,’ before we go hence into the eternal state!—Ed.

SAVED BY GRACE;

OR,

A DISCOURSE OF THE GRACE OF GOD:

SHOWING—