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his Son."

"He that believeth not is condemned already; because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."-" This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." 1 John v. 10-12. John iii. 18-20. It is not only certain in fact, that he who believeth not shall be damned;" but unbelief is the special ground of his condemnation: because it springs from hatred of the truth of God, through determined love of sin. This our Lord elsewhere illustrates. Having said to the Jews, "Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life :" he adds, “How can ye believe, who receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?" John v. 39-47. Disregard to God, and inordinate love of worldly honour, were the reasons, why these men did not, and could not, believe in Christ." Why do ye not understand my speech? Even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the works of your father ye will do. He was a murderer ;— he is a liar and the father of it: and because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not." John viii. 43-47. A disposition like that of the devil, rendered the persons in question incapable of believing Christ's words, or of coming to him for salvation" When He" (the Comforter) "is come, he shall convince the world of sin ;-because they believe not in me." The sin of disbelieving and crucifying the Messiah seems to have been immediately presented to the consciences of the Jews, on the day of Pentecost, when they were so pricked in their hearts as to cry out, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" And indeed, according to the degree of previous information, or means of information, or means of instruction, convinced sinners are almost always peculiarly distressed in conscience, by recollecting their former proud and carnal neglect and contempt of the gospel. Nay they frequently imagine it to be even the unpardonable sin: and this sometimes opens the way to powerful and durable temptations to despair, of which several instances have fallen under the writer's observation. The criminality of unbelief is indeed a species of guilt, of which the world at large has no conception, and which never troubles the consciences of mere moralists or formal Pharisees: but what real Christian can deny, that rejection of Christ implies a high degree of enmity against God and his authority and glory; a contempt of his wisdom as foolishness, of his infinite mercy as needless, or of his authenticated truth as falsehood? The unbeliever says in his heart unto God, "Depart from me, desire not the knowledge of thy ways:" or, "I shall have peace, in the way of my own heart," though I reject the way of "peace revealed in the gospel."

St. Paul mentions some," that are contentious, and will not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness;" and of men, "to whom God sends strong delusion to believe a lie; that they all might be damned, who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." So that the love of sin, and taking pleasure in it, effectually prevent men from "receiving the love of the truth that they might be saved:" and this throws light upon another most alarming declaration of the apostle, "The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaventaking vengeance on them that know not God, and obey not the gospel-who shall be punished with everlasting destruction." Rom. ii. 8 .2 Thess. i. 7—10; ii. 10-12.

"Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God." "To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts." "Ye do always in your hearts." It is therefore evident, that the scriptures represent unbelief and rejection of Christ, as springing from the corrupt state of the heart. "How then shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation ?"" See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For, if they escaped not, who refused him that spake on earth; much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven." Heb. ii. 3; iii; xii. 25. We should therefore consider unbelief, not merely

as an occasional circumstance in the sinner's condemnation, in that it leaves him without remedy under the curse of the law; but as the direct cause of his condemnation; the most provoking disobedience to God's express command, connected with a contemptuous refusal of his unspeakable mercy, resulting from reigning pride, rooted enmity, and determined love of sin in one form or other.

But if this be the case, it must certainly be the duty of all, who hear or may hear the gospel, to believe in Christ: and then it must follow, that no man wants any further warrant for his faith, except the Lord's own word, his testimony, invitation, and command, and his promise" in no wise to cast out any one who comes to him."

It may be useful to illustrate this important subject by an apposite similitude. Suppose a Physician should give the most public notice that he will bestow advice, medicines, and every other requisite, on all the sick persons in a certain district, who come and put themselves under his care. This notice would be a sufficient warrant ; and no sick person, within that district, could want any other for applying to the physician, and expecting him to do all in his power for his recovery. But some might deem themselves so little indisposed as not to need assistance; and others, being wealthy or proud, might disdain a gratuitous cure. Some might be too busy or slothful, or self-indulgent, to pay due regard to their health; while others would place no confidence in the physician's skill, or the sincerity of his proposal. Nay, it is possible, there might be persons, who pretend to expect a cure from him, while they neglected to take his medicines or follow his directions.-Certainly none of these would derive any benefit from him: yet this would not arise from the want of a further warrant; but from their not considering his public notice, as " a faithful saying, and worthy of their acceptation." He who felt himself diseased, who desired a cure, confided in the physician's skill and faithfulness, and applied to him and observed his directions, might reasonably expect a cure. But should any man, professing to regard the public notice, as a sufficient warrant to rely on the physician for the recovery of his health, confidently imagine himself well, or in the way to be cured, though he never had consulted him; he would be thought insane or delirious. Should another apply, and yet refuse to follow the prescriptions and directions given him; he would be deemed insincere, or trifling with his own health and life ; and if he seriously expected a cure in this way, he too must be deemed a madman. Should a third contend, that he ought not to apply to the physician, till he had made himself better and a more proper and deserving object of his attention; every one would perceive the absurdity of his conduct. Finally, should any one imagine that he was recovered; while his languor, want of appetite, inability for work, and other symptoms, proved him to be as diseased as ever; it must be concluded, either that he had not applied to the physician, or not taken his medicines, or that the physician could not or would not do any thing effectual in his case. The reader requires no help, in accommodating the circumstances of this illustration: in natural things men exercise common sense; while too many speculate on religious subjects in a manner which contradicts its most obvious suggestions.

The same things are implied in a general invitation to a feast; which is the illustration repeatedly employed by the Holy Spirit. Without an appetite, a relish for the provisions, and some confidence in him who gives us the invitation, men will make light of it: yet they, who go their way, have the same warrant to come to the feast, as those who actually partake of it.

The sincere beggar feels his poverty, desires relief, submits to the humiliating circumstances of his condition, and supplicates his more affluent neighbour in the best manner he can: yet these are not his warrant for applying and expecting help; but he takes his encouragement from the wealth or bounty of him, of whom he solicits relief; and if he has bidden him come, and promised in that case to help him, this constitutes his warrant for coming. All the Jews had the same warrant to return and rebuild Jerusalem, after

Cyrus had issued his proclamation: but their settlements at Babylon, or in other places, with the perils and hardships of the attempt, would have overcome their almost expiring attachment to the holy city, if the Lord had not "stirred up the spirit" of some among them. Ez. i. 1-5. The rest had the same warrant but not the same willingness to return: and this illustration is peculiarly apposite; because the reluctancy of the Jews arose from unbelief, and the carnal state of their hearts: and their disregard to this typical redemption aptly represents the sin and folly of those, who neglect the great salvation of the gospel.

A willingness to be saved from eternal misery, and to be made eternally happy, according to men's several notions of happiness, is natural to all: but a desire of that holy felicity proposed in Scripture, and of that humbling salvation from merited wrath and from all sin which the gospel proclaims, is widely different. Yet no willingness to be saved, which leaves a man wholly unwilling to be saved in the way, and with the salvation of the gospel, can be of any use or value. The want of this willingness is the sole reason of the sinner's unbelief and destruction. They who perish from under the means of grace, have the same warrant to believe in Christ, as they who are saved : but the gospel is to most men "a price put into the hands of a fool to get wisdom, while he has no heart to it."

The brazen serpent, lifted up in the centre of Israel's camp, with the public declaration of its use, was a sufficient warrant to every man, when bitten by a fiery serpent, to look unto it. But if any were so deprived of sensation as not to feel the fatal bite, or so stupid as not to fear approaching death; if any foolishly preferred other methods of seeking a cure, or were so proud, rebellious, and unbelieving, as to shut their eyes, or look another way; or if any looked without at all expecting a cure according to the word of the Lord, they must have perished; not for want of a warrant to believe; but because they did not submit to the wisdom and authority of God, or rely on his faithfulness and mercy in this appointed way of preservation.-Every man of reflection will see how these things apply to the case before us and it is obvious thence to infer, that all sinners to whom the gospel is sent, have an equal warrant to believe in Christ, and to expect salvation from him, according to the holy scriptures; and that men perish for want of a disposition of heart to comply with the invitations of mercy, and to submit to the authority and commandment of God our Saviour.

SECTION III.

Some reasons for insisting on this position-" that the word of God is the sinner's only and sufficient warrant for believing in Christ."

As a disposition to believe is equally necessary to salvation, with a warrant to believe, it may perhaps be thought by some readers that it is not very important to insist so fully and strenuously upon this point; for after all the warrant will be of no use to those who have no heart to avail themselves of it. In considering this part of our subject, it may be observed:

I. That it is extremely futile to suppose the case of a man believing without a disposition to believe; and then gravely to make provision for it. Whatever warrant or encouragement may be given, unless we leave matters unexplained or mis-stated, so that men think they believe when they do not, the indisposed will utterly disregard our words. To lay the blame therefore on the want of a disposition to believe, can discourage none but such as are consciously unwilling; and these certainly are not entitled to encouragement: but if the sinner had no warrant to believe, those would be discouraged who were most

earnestly desirous of salvation; while the proud and careless would be furnished with an excuse for their unbelief.

Should we even say, "A sincere willingness to be saved in the Lord's way is the sinner's warrant to believe in Christ; and without this it is presumption to apply to him;" the consequence would be, that a newly awakened person, defective in knowledge and judgement, destitute of experience, and agitated by tumultuous fears and conflicting passions, must solve to himself various difficult questions, concerning the nature of a sincere willingness, and the necessary measure of it, before he could think himself allowed to come to the Saviour. Whereas, if the nature of salvation and of faith is clearly explained; and all men without exception are invited, exhorted, besought, and commanded in the name and by the authority of God, to believe in his only begotten Son; the willing come without hesitation; others feel their reluctancy to be criminal, perilous, and fatal if not overcome; convictions are frequently excited, and prayers for a willing mind presented; and God blesses his own word to break the stout heart, and bind up the broken heart, while the obstinate are left without excuse.

It is a fact, capable of the fullest proof, that in those places, where nice speculations on these subjects are avoided, men find scarcely any difficulty respecting them: but when deeply impressed with a sense of guilt and danger, and earnestly desirous of the salvation of the gospel: they apply to Christ for it, as the sick do for admission into an hospital. They seldom are troubled about a warrant to believe, though finding much difficulty in actually believing, they are led to pray with him of old, "Lord, I believe, help thou mine unbelief;" and are often distressed with anxious fears, lest they should not believe aright, or with a true and living faith. The language of their hearts seems to be this: "Every sinner, however vile, is invited and commanded to believe in Christ, and to come to him for salvation: therefore I may and ought to come. I now feel very desirous of these blessings, which heretofore I despised, and would gladly embrace the gracious invitation. Lord help me to believe, and teach me to come aright; for I dread nothing so much as coming short of thy salvation!" Nay, those very persons, who, previous to deep convictions, have systematically perplexed their minds with nice distinctions and doubtful disputations, are often constrained, by urgent fears and desires, to act in direct opposition to their former scheme, and to apply to Christ in the manner above described !

If any thing be considered as a warrant for a sinner to believe in Christ, except the word of the gospel, it must be something of an holy nature: so that if his convictions and desires be not holy, he is not warranted to believe. But this would fully justify that total unbelief, which the scriptures decidedly condemn: for certainly a man ought not to do what he is not warranted to do. It likewise sets a newly awakened person to resolve one of the most difficult questions in divinity. For he must so accurately understand the nature of true holiness, as to be able, in his own concern, under great discomposure of mind, to distinguish the minutest portion of it from all counterfeits; and clearly to ascertain its actual existence in his heart, amidst all the immense alloy of selfish and sinful passions! It would probably be found impossible for the ablest theologian in Christendom certainly to determine such a question, in respect of many peculiar exercises of his own mind: how then can it be expected, that embryo converts, so to speak, should be able, during an overwhelming tempest, to make such accurate obervations and nice distinctions?-The general proposal of the truth, and the scriptural exhortation and assurance," Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved," exactly suit the case of such persons; while the event will show the nature of their convictions. Whatever better informed and more experienced persons may determine concerning the nature of saving faith, whether it be or be not an holy exercise of the heart; the convinced sinner can decide nothing of the kind in respect of his own experiences; nor can others determine the question for him: since many are alarmed, and convinced, and, as far as

we can see, appear even to be humbled, who never believe to the saving of the soul.

Two very small seeds may be essentially distinct in species, yet the best eyes, assisted by the finest glasses, can scarcely know one from the other: how then could a person, with very weak eyes and with a very dim light, certainly distinguish between them? But when they are sown and grow up, the plants that spring from them will be easily and infallibly distinguishable. Thus it is with men's convictions: some are essentially different from others: but all our endeavours exactly to know such as are spiritual from such as are merely natural, except by the event, will answer little purpose. We must judge as well as we can, and act accordingly; but we shall frequently find ourselves mistaken. How impossible then must it be for the alarmed inquirer after salvation to find a warrant from any holiness in himself, to encourage his application to Christ? and how wise and gracious the general language of Scripture, "Let him that is athirst come, and whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely!" While we proceed on the scriptural plan, the Lord will distinguish what we cannot. They that thirst for the pure "water of life-proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb," will be encouraged to approach and take of it freely; and others will either go back into the ways of open ungodliness, or be found among the stony-ground hearers, resting in a false peace, without "sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus."

When the subject is considered in an abstract manner, the difference between a warrant to believe, and a disposition to believe, may at first glance appear trivial; but, viewed in its relation to experience and practice, it is immensely great and important.—It can never discourage a trembling sinner, who honestly inquires, "What he must do to be saved;" to describe the nature of faith, and explain the way of salvation; and then to invite, exhort, and persuade him to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, not doubting but in so doing he will certainly be saved. But should we enter into a discussion concerning the nature of genuine convictions, gracious thirstings, and spiritual desires; maintaining that it would be unwarranted presumption for him to believe, unless conscious that his experiences were of this nature; we should exceedingly embarrass his mind; take off his thoughts from the love of Christ, and the freeness and sufficiency of his mercy and grace; and give Satan an opportunity of tempting him to despondency, or of otherwise "taking the seed out of his heart, lest he should believe and be saved." Indeed, most deviations from scriptural simplicity may be traced back to this abstract way of discussing doctrines: and the subjects which chiefly perplex speculating men, and furnish the most materials for controversy, appear very easy and plain when applied to practical purposes, according to the state of mind they were intended to meet. So that the wisdom and goodness of God, in not arranging revealed truths according to the supposed exactness and consistency of human systems, are most illustriously displayed, when these truths are applied to the several cases to which they are suited, for conviction, instruction, warning, encouragement, or exhortation.

Whatever be the nature of divine illumination, or whatever may have been a man's previous thoughts about it, he cannot in general, when first divinely illuminated, very readily perceive any holiness in the change of which he is conscious. He now discovers, as it were intuitively, that he is a guilty polluted creature; that his supposed virtues were specious vices, and his religious duties formal, selfish, and hypocritical; and that his heart is deceitful and desperately wicked; and in proportion to the degree of his illumination, is his conviction of these humiliating truths.-These recent discoveries (or these new perceptions of what perhaps he before assented to as a notion) occupy his thoughts: he can hardly conceive that the hearts and lives of other men are so bad as his own; still less can he think that real and eminent saints feel those evils of which he is conscious: nay, he can scarcely be convinced that his own heart was formerly so sinful as he now

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