acquaint us _with the foundation of divine forgiveness_, nor shew _us
any merit sufficient to procure it_; and in this sense we are left at a
loss in all other religions, _upon what ground we could expect pardon
from God_: For they knew nothing of an atonement equal to our guilt,
nothing of a satisfaction great as our offences, and that could answer
the high demands of infinite and offended justice. Mankind found out by
reason, and by the stings and disquietudes of a guilty conscience, that
there was an offended God in heaven; and in several countries they
followed the dictates of a wild and uneasy imagination, inventing an
endless variety of methods to appease the angry Deity. What multitudes
of rams, and goats, and thousands of larger cattle, were cut to pieces,
and burnt, to atone for the sins of men? What deluges of blood have
overflowed their altars? What fanciful sprinklings, and vast effusions
of wine and oil? The first-born son for the transgression of the father,
and the fruit of the body for the sin of the soul? What cruel practices
on their own flesh? What cuttings and burnings to procure pardon? And
yet, after all, no true peace, nor reasonable hope.
The Jewish religion indeed was invented by God himself, and it contained
in it the way of obtaining pardon, but it was veiled and darkened by
many types and shadows; though it was not defective as to real pardon,
yet it was very defective as to solid peace; therefore the apostle tells
us, Heb. x. 1, 2, &c. _The law having a shadow of good things to come,
and not the very image of the things, can never, with those sacrifices
which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto
perfect, &c._ The sense of which, compared with the following verses, is
plainly this, _Those sacrifices, that were so often repeated, could
never perfectly take away the conscience of guilt_: there still remained
some trembling fears, some uneasy doubts, some painful concern of mind,
whether their iniquities should be entirely cancelled or no: because
they were convinced that the blood of bulls and goats could not do it,
and they could not fully and plainly see the blood of Jesus, the Son of
God, the Saviour. Dark hints, and obscure notices of such a Messiah, and
such a sacrifice, they had; but such a one as could not generally free
their consciences from all sense of defilement and guilt, and fears,
though it cleansed their souls in the sight of God.
The Socinians, in our age, can have but very little solid comfort, if
they are truly awakened to a spiritual sight of the law of God; for when
they have nothing to plead with God, and nothing to trust in but his
mere absolute mercy, while they deny the proper satisfaction of Christ
Jesus, how weak must their hope be, how feeble is the foundation of it!
but when a poor, convinced, awakened soul, that now believes the
doctrine of Christ, has been long before tormented in his conscience
about atonement for sin, and found no hope; the christian religion, the
gospel, with its pardoning grace, and the satisfaction that Christ has
made, gives the soul peace, and leads the troubled conscience to rest
and quiet; he trusts this gospel, he receives this salvation, and hath
the witness in himself that it is divine.
II. The happiness of eternal life consists also in the _special favour_
of God, which is distinct from the _pardon of sin_; for it is very
possible for a criminal to be pardoned, and not to be made a favourite
of the king. The favour of God, and a sense of this favour, is a great
part of heaven. This is called seeing of God, often in scripture. When
souls are fully possessed of the love of God, when they have it shed
abroad in their hearts in perfection; when they know that the infinite
and eternal Maker and Governor of all things loves them, and will for
ever love them, this is eternal life; and this is enjoyed in some
measure here on earth by true believers, this is a part of eternal life
begun in the heart of every christian; for when God pardons, he receives
into his peculiar favour.
This the christian religion teaches us, but the light of nature could
never tell us so: for if the light of nature and reason could have
proceeded so far as to acquaint us with pardoning grace in all the
extent of it, yet it could never have presumed to assure us _that he
should make the rebels he had pardoned his favourites for ever_. We
might have been forgiven, and then annihilated. But the scripture
teaches us, whom God forgives he makes favourites too. And Christ Jesus
has laid the foundation of this double blessing; for he has not only
made an _end of sin_, but _brought in an everlasting righteousness_;
Dan. ix. 24. He has fulfilled the law in all the commands of it, as well
as borne the penalty; he has purchased all the blessings of divine love,
as well as bought a freedom from divine vengeance. _If when we were
enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son; much more
being reconciled we shall be saved by his life_, Rom. v. 10. And in ver.
1, and 2, he saith, _Being justified by faith, we have peace with God,
through our Lord Jesus Christ, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God_.
Thus you see there is not only _reconciliation_ but _full salvation_;
not only _peace with God_, but the _hope of glory_ to be obtained by
believing on the Son of God. Many are the instances of saints here
dwelling in flesh in a day of grace, that have been raised to a good
degree of eternal life in this respect, that have had a joyful sense of
the love of God shed abroad in their souls, and upon solid grounds have
hoped for glory, such as no other religion could pretend to furnish them
with; and this is a witness to the truth of christianity.
No mere human religion can pretend to tell how this special love of God
may be attained, no human religion can ever tell us how long this love
of God shall continue; but the word of God gives us full evidence and
assurance that the worst of sinners who apply to Jesus Christ the
Saviour, in the way of humble faith and hearty repentance, shall not
only be forgiven and released from the guilt of sin and punishment, but
also shall be beloved of God for the sake of Christ, and that this
divine love is everlasting. Read Acts iii. 19. _Repent and be converted,
that your sins may be blotted out._ Acts xvi. 31. _Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved._ And when persons are interested
in these promises, who shall lay any thing to their charge? Who shall
condemn them when God justifies? Who shall separate them from the love
of Christ? Shall tribulation or distress, famine or sword? No, by no
means; _for in all these things we are more than conquerors through him
that has loved us_; and we are _persuaded, that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor
things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be
able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our
Lord_; Rom. viii. 38, &c.
When a rational mind is awakened to see the emptiness of all creatures,
and their insufficiency to make him happy, and finds nothing but the
eternal love of God capable to make a creature truly blessed; how
miserably must that soul be tormented, that knows not whether God will
love him or no, nor how this love may be attained; nor, when once
attained, how long this love will continue? But he finds an answer to
all these painful questions in the gospel of Christ: For the Father
loves the Son infinitely, and loves all those that believe on him for
his sake; they are for ever accepted; in him who is first and for ever
accepted: and they are beloved in him who is first and for ever beloved;
Eph. i. 6.
III. The happiness of eternal life consists in the pleasure that arises
from the regular operation of all our powers and passions. This was a
great part of the happiness of the innocent man; his reason was the
guide to all the meaner faculties, and his appetites, and his affections
in a sweet harmony followed the conduct of his reason: And as his
understanding and judgment put forth their regular dictates, so the
meaner powers paid a constant obedience, and pursued their proper
objects. There was no irregular anger to set his blood on fire; no
intemperate and corrupt wishes to vitiate his nature, to pollute his
pleasures, and disturb his peace; none of those tumults and hurricanes
in his soul, which we so often feel in our fallen state, and lament them
much oftener than we can suppress them. And as the fancy and appetites
of innocent Adam submitted to his reason, so, doubtless, if his Maker
were pleased to reveal any sublimer truth to him, which his reason could
not comprehend, then reason itself submitted to that revelation,
believed the word of a speaking God, and resigned the throne to faith.
His natural powers had no uneasy contest, there was no civil war nor
rebellion amongst them to interrupt his happiness.
And thus shall it be again, but in a more glorious manner, when we are
raised from all the ruins of our fallen state, and eternal life is made
complete in heaven.
But before we arrive at that final glory, the same sort of happiness is
begun in every believer in a state of grace. These are the beginnings of
eternal life, the earnests and the pledges of the perfect blessedness
which we hope for; and this arises from our faith in the Son of God. For
when we have attained a good hope of forgiving grace through the blood
of Christ, and believe that we are beloved of God our Maker, what have
we then to do but to abide in his love? We learn to despise those
tempting objects that would awaken our intemperate passions, and walk
onward in peace and pleasure towards our complete felicity. For since
God is become our God through the mediation of his Son, we have no need
to seek the meaner delights of sense and appetite, because we possess
the supreme. We have the Son of God himself for our leader and example,
and he that believes on the Son of God, walks as he also walked.
Besides these moral or persuasive helps that belong to the christian
life, we have also the Spirit of God given to reform our natures, to put
all our misplaced and disjointed powers into their proper order again,
and to maintain this divine harmony and peace. It is the blessed Spirit
that inclines reason to submit to faith, and makes the lower faculties
submit to reason, and obey the will of our Maker, and then gives us the
pleasure of it. And if at any time, through the power of temptation, the
violence of appetite, and the imperfection of grace, this blessed
harmony and order be disturbed, and this pleasure interrupted; the soul
of the christian is never easy till it rise again by repentance, and
recur to the Son of God, to fetch new and vigorous supplies of the
Spirit, and of this eternal life from him, and thereby it regains its
peace and pleasure.
But these thoughts naturally lead me on to the second part of this
subject, _viz._ holiness.
Thus much shall suffice therefore concerning the first part of eternal
life, which consists in happiness, _viz._ pardon of sin, peace of
conscience, the favour of God, the sense of his love, and the
pleasurable harmony of our natural powers. These are found in true
believers, and this is a noble witness to christianity to prove it
divine.
SERMON II.
_The Inward Witness to Christianity._
1 JOHN v. 10.—He that believeth on the Son of God, hath the Witness in
himself.
THE SECOND PART.
When such a text as this is named for the foundation of discourse, some
nicer hearers begin to grow jealous, that the preacher is entering into
mystery and inward light, and they expect to hear no clear and solid
reasoning, nor any justness of thought. Thus blinded by their own
prejudices, they prevent their improvement by the ministry of the word;
and because they have heard the experiences of christians wittily
ridiculed, they resolve to believe that nothing of experimental religion
can be justified to strict reason, or have any thing to do with
argument.
But how impious, and how unreasonable a fancy this is, will sufficiently
appear, if it can be proved that every true christian has a most
rational and incontestable evidence of the truth of his religion, drawn
from the change that is hereby made in his own heart. If it can once be
made evident, that eternal life is begun in every soul that believes in
Jesus Christ, this will confirm christianity with a high hand, and
confute the wicked scandal for ever.
I have begun this attempt in the first discourse, and have shewn that
eternal life is composed of two parts, _viz._ holiness and happiness.
The happiness of it consists in a just and comfortable sense of the
forgiveness of sin, and a lively hope and persuasion of the special love
of God, and the delightful harmony of all the natural powers, _viz._
reason, conscience, the will and the passions. Where these are found,
heaven is begun; eternal life has taken possession of the soul; and this
evidently proves the doctrine that effected it to be divine.
Now, if an atheist, a heathen, or a Jew, should cavil and say, “Are not
all your hopes mere presumption? Are not your sense and persuasion of
the love of God mere delusions of fancy, and raptures of warm
imagination, without any ground, or solid foundation of reason?” The
christian may boldly refute such suspicions. These are no vain
transports, no foolish visions of hope and joy, because as high and
glorious as my comforts and my expectations are, they are built on a due
apprehension of the justice of God, as well as his mercy; I have no
hopes of pardon by Jesus Christ, but what are supposed by the
righteousness and truth of God, as well as his goodness; for in this way
of salvation, offended justice is satisfied to the full, and mercy can
exert itself in full glory, without the least dishonour or reflection on
the strict righteousness of God. God is just in the justification of a
sinner this way; _He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from all unrighteousness_; 1 John i. 9.
Besides, says the christian, the change wrought in me is real, and not
imaginary; I am quite another creature than once I was: the several
powers of my nature, that were wont to be in perpetual war, now enjoy a
peaceful harmony, and my soul feels the pleasure, and the divine peace.
My strictest and severest reason approves the change, and owns it to be
divine.
And thus I am led onward to speak of the other part of eternal life, and
that is holiness. This also is found in believing souls, and becomes an
evidence of the truth of the gospel.
Holiness may be described by these five necessary ingredients of it.
1. An aversion to and hatred of all sin.—2. A contempt of the present
world, in comparison of the future.—3. A delight in the worship and
society of God.—4. Zeal and activity in his service.—5. A hearty love to
fellow-creatures, and more especially to fellow-saints.
I shall discourse of each of these particularly, and shew that eternal
life consists in them, and this eternal life is found in believers.
Holiness consists in an aversion to, and hatred of all sin. This is
complete in heaven, and without this, heaven cannot be complete. Into
heaven _there entereth nothing that defileth_; Rev. xxi. 27. Every
inhabitant there is completely averse to all iniquity, and hates every
thing that displeases God; for nothing but perfect obedience is found
there; the spirits of the just are there made perfect; Heb. xii. 23. Now
this in a measure and degree is found in believers here, for _he that
abideth in Christ sinneth not_; 1 John iii. 6. He cannot sin with a full
purpose of heart; _he that is born of God cannot sin with constancy_ and
greediness, as others do that are only born of flesh and blood; he
cannot sin without an inward sincere reluctancy, without the combat of
the spirit against the flesh; he doth not make a trade of sin, sinning
is not his business, his delight and pleasure.—This is a blessed
testimony of the truth of the gospel, that faith in the Son of God
purifies the heart; Acts xv. 9.
Every christian has an aversion to all sin: If he chuses some sins, to
continue in them, and hates other iniquities, he can never be said to be
a true believer in Christ, and to have the work of faith in sincerity
wrought in his heart.
Other religions have professed an aversion to some sins, but indulged
others. Some make cruelty a part of their duty, and require the
sacrificing of mankind to appease the anger of their gods; a bloody and
impious practice, as well as a vain and fruitless one! Some forbid
murder, but allow and encourage variety of uncleanness, and make that a
part of their worship. Other professions have forbid wanton practices,
and commended chastity; but they indulge resentment and revenge, as a
necessary part of the character of a warrior, or a great man. Carnal and
sensual lusts have been opposed and hated by some of the old
philosophers, but spiritual iniquities have hereby been promoted. Pride
has hereby been wonderfully increased, and none of them can excuse
themselves from those sins which make men very like Satan, although they
are freed from the brutality of sensual lusts. But the business of the
gospel of Christ is to keep men from committing any kind of sins
whatsoever.
Other religions have changed one lust for another; but the religion of
Christ forbids all manner of iniquity, and changes the whole nature into
holiness. Christianity refines the soul in all the powers of it, and
inclines us to the duties both of the first and second table; it writes
the law of God in the heart, and brings the soul to a sweet compliance
therewith. All the affections are renewed; all old things are done away,
and all things are become new; he that is in Christ is a new creature;
he has crucified the flesh, with its affections and lusts; 2 Cor. v. 17.
Gal. v. 24.
Surely there is a spirit and power that accompanies the religion of our
Lord Jesus, such as other religions know not; and this was manifest
abundantly in the primitive christians, when those wretches were
converted, whose names were once written in that black catalogue that
the apostle speaks of; 1 Cor. vi. 9. when they by the light of the
gospel, were purified, were purged from their defilements, and were made
new creatures. The apostle could appeal to the Corinthian church, and
say, so vile and filthy were some of you, but ye are washed, but ye are
sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by
the Spirit of our God; 1 Cor. vi. 11. Not in the names of other Gods,
and other religions, but in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the
Spirit of our God. Philosophy was raised to a great height in the city
of Corinth; it was almost enough for a man to be accounted learned, to
have been in that city, and to have known a little of the customs of it;
yet all their learning was not sufficient to reform them, for they were
a profligate and lewd people still. But the religion of our Lord Jesus
Christ breaking in upon their souls, purified, refined them, and made
such an alteration in them, that the world beheld, and were amazed at
the surprising change. They thought it strange that the christians would
not run to the same excess of riot; 1 Pet. iv. 4. They were astonished
to see a drunkard at once turn sober and temperate; a lewd unclean
wretch, by hearing the gospel, become a professor and an example of
chastity; a cruel and passionate temper made calm, and kind, and
forgiving; a swine forsake the mire, and put on the nature of a cleanly
animal; a dog or a lion changed into a lamb. This wrought conviction
with power: This was miracle and demonstration; this witnessed the truth
and divinity of the gospel of Christ beyond all contradictions or
doubts.
II. A contempt of this world, is another part of holiness, and of
heaven; a sacred disregard of temporal things raised by the sight of
things eternal.
If we look upwards to heaven, we shall behold there all the inhabitants
looking down with a sacred contempt upon the trifles, amusements,
businesses, and cares of this present life, that engross our affections,
awaken our desires, fill our hearts with pleasure or pain, and our flesh
with constant labour. With what holy scorn do you think those souls, who
are dismissed from flesh, look down upon the hurries and bustles of this
present state, in which we are engaged? They dwell in the full sight of
those glories which they hoped for here on earth, and their intimate
acquaintance with the pleasures of that upper world, and the divine
sensations that are raised in them there, make them condemn all the
pleasures of this state, and every thing below heaven. This is a part of
eternal life, this belongs in some degree to every believer; for he is
not a believer that is not got above this world in a good measure; he is
not a christian, who is not weaned, in some degree, from this world: For
this is our victory, whereby we overcome the world, even our faith. He
that is born of God overcomes the world; he that believes in Jesus, is
born of God; 1 John v. 1, 4. Whence the argument is plain, he that
believes in Jesus the Son of God, overcomes this present world. And
where christianity is raised to a good degree of life and power in the
soul, there we see the christian got near to heaven: he is, as it were,
a fellow for angels, a fit companion for the spirits of the just made
perfect. The affairs of this life are beneath his best desires and his
hopes; he engages his hand in them so far, as God his Father appoints
his duty; but he longs for the upper world, where his hopes are gone
before: “When shall I be entirely dismissed from this labour and toil?
The gaudy pleasures this world entertains me with, are no entertainments
to me; I am weaned from them, I am born from above.” This is the
language of that faith that overcomes the world: And faith, where it is
wrought in truth in the soul, hath, in some measure, this effect; and
where it shines in its brightness, it hath, in a great degree, this
sublime grace accompanying it; or rather, (shall I say?) this piece of
heavenly glory.
Pain and sickness, poverty and reproach, sorrow and death itself, have
been contemned by those that have believed in Christ Jesus, with much
more honour to christianity, than ever was brought to other religions by
the same profession, and the same practice.
Other religions have in some degree, promised a contempt of the world, a
contempt of sickness, and pain, and death; but then it hath been only
here and there a person of a hardier mould of body; here and there one
in an age, or one in a nation, who by a firmness of natural spirits, an
obstinate resolution, attained by much labour of meditation, and toil of
thought, hath got above the world, and above death. But our religion
boasts of its hundreds and thousands, and that not only those who had
firmer natural spirits, or have been skilled in thought and meditation,
and absent from sensual things by philosophy, and intellectual
exercises; but the feeblest of mankind, the weak things of this world,
the foolish and the young, the infant (as it were) in years, and the
feeble sex, have been made to contemn this world, and the pleasures of
it, the hopes, and the sorrows, pain and death. They have learnt to live
above all the enticing joys and affrighting terrors of this present
state, that is, to live near to heaven: So that whatsoever religion
pretends to a competition with ours, it falls vastly short in this
respect, in raising the affections above the world, above the joys and
fears of the present life.
Again if we consider what motives have argued the minds of men to the
contempt of the world, we shall find the religion of Christ Jesus is far
superior to all in this respect.