Page images
PDF
EPUB

6. The glorious issue of the exercise of faith, is in this subject presented to our view. If any are disposed to ask, What shall be the conclusion of the Christian's exercise and life of faith? let the words of the apostle answer the important inquiry: "Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls."* Of all them that believe in Christ, it may be safely affirmed, that their end shall be peace. While all those who reject Christ shall be driven away in their wickedness, those who receive him shall have hope in their death. The Christian, therefore, may be encouraged, while he is fighting the good fight of faith, that, after he has in this conflict suffered awhile, the God of all grace will make him perfect-stablish-strengthen-settle him. The believing followers of the blessed Jesus, enduring temptations of various kinds in their Christian course, shall, when the trial of their faith comes to an end, receive a crown of life and glory that fadeth not away. Those who study the exercise of faith in God, through Christ, by the Gospel, are "the ransomed of the Lord," who "shall return, and come to" the heavenly "Zion, with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."t The promise of God, the purchase of Christ, the inhabitation of the Spirit, the tenure of the covenant of grace, and the nature of that holiness which is in the souls of believers, do all concur in securing this. It is of much importance to the Christian's comfort in this present state, as it is also his indispensable duty, to contemplate the eternal rest and glory, which remain for them that believe. Let all the children of

*1 Peter 1: 9.

Isaiah 35: 10.

the promise, therefore, comfort their own souls, and the souls of one another, with the assured hopes of eternal life.

7. That faith in Jesus Christ is the duty of every hearer of the Gospel, and that they can have no sustainable objection against this exercise, are clearly evident from what has been said. It is the duty of all who hear of Christ, to believe in him. To every one of them, God is saying, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." What reasonable objection can be made against this exercise? Ignorance of the object of faith cannot be our plea; for this is clearly set before us in the revelation of the word, and in the preaching of the gospel. Unacquaintedness with the exercise of faith cannot be the excuse; for this is no less particularly described unto all Christians. The want of a warrant can be no reason, while it is Jehovah's address unto the children of men, "Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is none else."* The want of information concerning the manner of believing, must not be urged; for in this particular also, we are directed to receive and rest upon Christ, as he is offered to us in the Gospel. Neither can any plead ignorance of the end of this exercise; for we are called to believe, that God may be glorified, and that our souls may be saved. Guilt and unworthiness can be no objection; for the stouthearted, and those who are far from righteousness, are called to hearken; and to them a God of grace, in the everlasting Gospel, is bringing near his righteousness and his salvation. A moral inability in the creature to perform this duty cannot be sustained as

*Isaiah 45: 22.

an argument for unbelief; for the Lord's gracious promise, is, "I shall put my Spirit in you, and ye shall live."* Even a reigning unwillingness in the mind of man to believe, will not be a sufficient pretext for neglecting this exercise; because the promises of the covenant make provision for this also: "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power." Where then, is the sinner's excuse for continuing in unbelief, and for refusing to believe in Christ for salvation? It is no where to be found. Come then, gospel hearers, urge no more, and entirely abandon all your objections against believing. Study to affect your souls with a sense of the many obligations you are under, and the encouragements you have to believe. O pray for faith, and strive to exercise it. As faith is the gift of God, and as he giveth unto all men liberally, and upbraideth not, go ye unto his throne of grace, and ask this blessing from him. Let your prayers to him be accompanied with endeavors to believe. In an approbation and improvement of the way of salvation in Christ, strive to fix your souls on the object of faith; so shall you find your mind both delivered from that unbelief, by which you have staggered at the promise, and helped to the exercise of that faith, which gives glory to God.

[blocks in formation]

PART THIRD.

The best methods that Christians can use for obtaining a proper knowledge of saving faith, are the two following:-To attend carefully unto the scriptural account of that grace, and diligently to examine what passes in their own mind when they actually believe. Although the former is an unerring guide, yet the latter is also necessary, and both of them ought to be used. If we attend to the Scriptures, without considering our experience, we will be in danger of obtaining no more than a notional knowledge of faith; and if we consider our experience, without searching the word of God, we will certainly be led into error. The Scriptures will correct these false views of faith, which from our experience we might be apt to form; and our experience will quicken and assist us in learning the nature of faith from the holy oracles. That person is best qualified for examining what passes in his own mind when he believes, who has much acquaintance with the Scriptures; and he will succeed best in deducing the knowledge of faith from the word, who has in his own soul an experience of the exercise of that grace. That knowledge, therefore, of saving faith, is the most complete and pure, which is learned from the word, and illustrated by experience; deduced from experience, and supported by the word.

Having been employed, in the two foregoing parts, in making some general observations on the nature of saving faith, we are now to add a few more observations illustrative of the same doctrine.

OBS. XI. There is a difference betwixt the principle and the exercise of saving faith. The principle of faith is that holy disposition, or moral and spiritual ability to believe, which is implanted in the mind of man on the day of regeneration, and is part of the image of God in the soul, consisting in knowledge, righteousness and true holiness. The exercise of faith is these acts of believing, which are put forth by christians in the whole of their lives in this world, and by which they continue to receive and rest upon the object of faith that is set before them in the Gospel. Having thus described both the principle and the exercise of faith, we shall mention the following differences betwixt them:-The principle of faith is the work of the Holy Spirit; but the exercise of faith is the act of the creature. By the power of the Holy Ghost is this principle implanted in the souls of christians, when they are created again in Christ Jesus unto good works. Although the Spirit's influence is absolutely necessary to produce in believers the exercise of faith; yet all the exercises of it in them, are the acts of the creature. In the implantation of the principle of faith the christian is wholly passive; but, in the exercise of that grace, he becomes active in receiving Christ, and in believing on his name. The principle of faith is permanent; but the exercise of faith is transient. The Christian can never be robbed of the principle of faith; but the exercise of that grace may undergo a temporary suspension. From the day of the christian's regeneration till the day of his death, the principle of faith is an abiding, permanent principle in his soul. The exercise of faith, on the other hand, is a transient frame in the mind. There are seasons when faith is exercised, and there are times when the

« PreviousContinue »