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holy felicity proposed in Scripture, mercy, and to submit to the authoand of that humbling salvation from rity and commandment of God our merited wrath and from all sin which Saviour. the gospel proclaims, is widely dif ferent. Yet no willingness to be

SECTION III.

saved, which leaves a man wholly Some Reasons for insisting on this

Position "That the Word of God is the Sinner's only and sufficient Warrant for believing in Christ."

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 As a disposition to believe is equally and destruction. They who perish necessary to salvation, with a warfrom under the means of grace, rant to believe, it may perhaps be have the same warrant to believe thought by some readers that it is in Christ, as they who are saved: not very important to insist so fully but the gospel is to most men "a and strenuously upon this point; price put into the hands of a fool for, after all, the warrant will be of to get wisdom, while he has no no use to those who have no heart heart to it." to avail themselves of it. In conThe brazen serpent, lifted up in sidering this part of our subject, it the centre of Israel's camp, with may be observed: the public declaration of its use, I. That it is extremely futile to was a sufficient warrant to every suppose the case of a man believing man, when bitten by a fiery ser- without a disposition to believe; and pent, to look unto it. But if any then gravely to make provision for were so deprived of sensation as it. Whatever warrant or encounot to feel the fatal bite, or so stupid ragement may be given, unless we as not to fear approaching death; if leave matters unexplained or misany foolishly preferred other me- stated, so that men think they bethods of seeking a cure, or were so lieve when they do not, the inproud, rebellious, and unbelieving, disposed will utterly disregard our as to shut their eyes, or look ano- words. To lay the blame therefore ther way; or if any looked without on the want of a disposition to beat all expecting a cure according to lieve, can discourage none but such the word of the Lord, they must as are consciously unwilling; and have perished; not for want of a these certainly are not entitled to warrant to believe; but because encouragement: but if the sinner they did not submit to the wisdom had no warrant to believe, those and authority of God, or rely on his would be discouraged who were faithfulness and mercy in this ap-most earnestly desirous of salvapointed way of preservation. Every tion; while the proud and careless man of reflection will see how these would be furnished with an excuse things apply to the case before us: for their unbelief.

and it is obvious thence to infer, Should we even say, "A sincere that all sinners to whom the gospel willingness to be saved in the Lord's is sent, have an equal warrant to way is the sinner's warrant to bebelieve in Christ, and to expect sal-lieve in Christ; and without this vation from him, according to the it is presumption to apply to him;" holy scriptures; and that men pe- the consequence would be, that a rish for want of a disposition of heart newly awakened person, defective to comply with the invitations of in knowledge and judgment, desti

tute of experience, and agitated by | spised, and would gladly embrace tumultuous fears and conflicting the gracious invitation. Lord, help passions, must solve to himself va me to believe, and teach me to rious difficult questions concerning come aright; for I dread nothing so the nature of a sincere willingness, much as coming short of thy salvaand the necessary measure of it, be- tion!" Nay, those very persons, fore he could think himself allowed who, previous to deep convictions, to come to the Saviour. Whereas, have systematically perplexed their if the nature of salvation and of faith minds with nice distinctions and is clearly explained; and all men doubtful disputations, are often conwithout exception are invited, ex-strained, by urgent fears and desires, horted, besought, and commanded to act in direct opposition to their in the name and by the authority of former scheme, and to apply to God, to believe in his only begotten Christ in the manner above desSon; the willing come without cribed! hesitation; others feel their reluc- If any thing be considered as a tancy to be criminal, perilous, and warrant for a sinner to believe in fatal if not overcome; convictions Christ, except the word of the gosare frequently excited, and prayers pel, it must be something of a holy for a willing mind presented; and nature; so that if his convictions and God blesses his own word to break desires be not holy, he is not warthe stout heart, and bind up the ranted to believe. But this would broken heart, while the obstinate fully justify that total unbelief, are left without excuse. which the scriptures decidedly con

It is a fact, capable of the fullest demn: for certainly a man ought not proof, that in those places, where to do what he is not warranted to nice speculations on these subjects do. It likewise sets a newly awak are avoided, men find scarcely any ened person to resolve one of the difficulty respecting them: but when most difficult questions in divinity. deeply impressed with a sense of For he must so accurately underguilt and danger, and earnestly stand the nature of true holiness, desirous of the salvation of the gos-as to be able, in his own concern, pel, they apply to Christ for it, as under great discomposure of mind, the sick do for admission into an to distinguish the minutest portion hospital. They seldom are trou- of it from all counterfeits; and bled about a warrant to believe, clearly to ascertain its actual existthough finding much difficulty in ence in his heart, amidst all the actually believing, they are led to immense alloy of selfish and sinful pray with him of old, "Lord, I passions! It would probably be believe, help thou mine unbelief;" found impossible for the ablest theoand are often distressed with anxi-logian in Christendom certainly to ous fears, lest they should not be-determine such a question, in reslieve aright, or with a true and pect of many peculiar exercises of living faith. The language of their his own mind: how then can it be hearts seems to be this: " Every expected, that embryo converts, so sinner, however vile, is invited and to speak, should be able, during an commanded to believe in Christ, overwhelming tempest to make such and to come to him for salvation: accurate observations and nice distherefore I may and ought to come. tinctions? The general proposal I now feel very desirous of these of the truth, and the Scriptural exblessings, which heretofore I de- hortation and assurance, Believe

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on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou pure water of life proceeding shalt be saved," exactly suit the out of the throne of God and of case of such persons; while the the Lamb," will be encouraged to event will show the nature of their approach and take of it freely; and convictions. Whatever better in- others will either go back into the formed and more experienced per-ways of open ungodliness, or be sons may determine concerning the found among the stony-ground nature of saving faith, whether it hearers, resting in a false peace, be or be not a holy exercise of the without "sanctification of the Spirit heart; the convinced sinner can unto obedience, and sprinkling of decide nothing of the kind in respect the blood of Jesus."

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of his own experiences; nor can When the subject is considered others determine the question for in an abstract manner, the differhim: since many are alarmed, and ence between a warrant to believe, convinced, and, as far as we can see, and a disposition to believe, may at appear even to be humbled, who first glance appear trivial; but, never believe to the saving of the viewed in its relation to experience soul. and practice, it is immensely great Two very small seeds may be and important. It can never disessentially distinct in species, yet courage a trembling sinner, who the best eyes, assisted by the finest honestly inquires, What he must glasses, can scarcely know one from do to be saved, to describe the the other: how then could a person, nature of faith, and explain the way with very weak eyes and with a of salvation; and then to invite, very dim light, certainly distinguish exhort, and persuade him to believe between them? But when they are in the Lord Jesus Christ, not doubtsown and grow up, the plants that ing but in so doing he will certainly spring from them will be easily and be saved. But should we enter infallibly distinguishable. Thus it into a discussion concerning the is with men's convictions: some nature of genuine convictions, graciare essentially different from others; ous thirstings, and spiritual desires; but all our endeavours exactly to maintaining that it would be unwarknow such as are spiritual from such ranted presumption for him to beas are merely natural, except by lieve, unless conscious that his exthe event, will answer little pur-periences were of this nature; we pose. We must judge as well as should exceedingly embarrass his we can, and act accordingly; but mind; take off his thoughts from the we shall frequently find ourselves love of Christ, and the freeness and mistaken. How impossible then sufficiency of his mercy and grace; must it be for the alarmed inquirer and give Satan an opportunity of after salvation to find a warrant tempting him to despondency, or of from any holiness in himself, to otherwise" taking the seed out of encourage his application to Christ? his heart, lest he should believe And how wise and gracious the and be saved.". Indeed, most de general language of Scripture, viations from scriptural simplicity "Let him that is athirst come, and may be traced back to this abstract whosoever will, let him take of way of discussing doctrines: and the the water of life freely!" While subjects which chiefly perplex spewe proceed on the scriptural plan, culating men, and furnish the most the Lord will distinguish what we materials for controversy, appear cannot. They that thirst for the very easy and plain when applied

to practical purposes, according to a discovery of the hatefulness of the state of mind they were in- sin, and a disposition to abhor it in tended to meet. So that the wisdom all its forms; so that self-loathing and goodness of God, in not arrang- becomes a predominant part of the ing revealed truths according to the new convert's experience. The stone supposed exactness and consistency is become flesh; and exquisite sensiof human systems, are most illus bility, in feeling and hating every triously displayed, when these truths sinful emotion, is united to a quickare applied to the several cases to ness of discernment in discovering which they are suited, for convic sin where not before suspected; tion, instruction, warning, encou- and its odious nature and numerous ragement, or exhortation. 09.200 aggravations, which before were ex-15 Whatever be the nature of divine cused and palliated. Every thing, illumination, or whatever may have therefore, concurs to discourage, as been a man's previous thoughts well as to humble, a person in this about it, he cannot in general, when situation, except the glad tidings first divinely illuminated, very rea- of the blessed gospel; and should a dily perceive any holiness in the self-complacent thought intrude itchange of which he is conscious. self, while he reflected on these new He now discovers, as it were intui- and more just views of his own chatively, that he is a guilty polluted racter, he would reject it with alarm creature ; that his supposed virtues and detestation.

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were specious vices, and his religi-Thus at the very time when the ous duties formal, selfish, and hy-sinner is made completely willing pocritical; and that his heart is to welcome Christ and his whole deceitful and desperately wicked; salvation, so far from perceiving any and in proportion to the degree warrant in his own holy dispositions, of his illumination, is his convic- to authorize his believing application of these humiliating truths.tion to the Saviour and reliance on These recent discoveries (or these him, he commonly thinks himself new perceptions of what perhaps worse than ever, and viler than any he before assented to as a notion) other sinner; and is often tempted Occupy his thoughts: he can hardly to conclude that he has sinned beconceives that the hearts and lives yond the reach of mercy, and that of other men are so bad as his Christ will except him from the geown; still less can he think that neral rule of casting out none real and eminent saints feel those that come to him." What then evils of which he is conscious; nay, can meet this case but the scriptuhe can scarcely be convinced that ral assurances," Ask, and it shall his own heart was formerly so be given you seek, and ye shall sinful as he now finds it to be. find; knock, and it shall be opened Without the law sin was dead:" unto your for every one that asketh and the spirituality of the precept receiveth?"And what can be not only detects, but irritates, the more improper than to embarrass depravity of nature, excites all him with nice distinctions; inadimanner of concupiscence, and some rect opposition to the apostolical times even stirs up the dormant en direction, Him that is weak in mity of the heart into direct exer- the faith received ye, butnots to cises of opposition to the holy cha doubtful disputations?"in proporracter and righteous government of tion as the gospel is understood, it God.- This is also connected with gives encouragement, and suggests

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pleas, to that man who is most vile ings of his own mind which constiin his own estimation. He cannot tute a disposition to believe. Nor indeed say, "God, I thank thee I has he the least occasion for it; as am not as other men:" but he may the word of the gospel gives him a smite on his breast, and say, "God sufficient warrant and a most abunbe merciful to me, a sinner." "For dant encouragement "to come to thy name sake, O Lord, pardon Christ that he may have life." mine iniquity, for it is great." "I II. Even such persons as have do not present my supplications been long accustomed "to live by before thee for my own righteous-faith in the Son of God," who have ness, but for thy great mercies." frequently known "peace and joy The infinite and everlasting mercy in believing, and have abounded in of God; the all-sufficient merits, hope by the power of the Holy atonement, and intercession of the Ghost," are sometimes overcome incarnate Son: the unencumbered by temptation, or called to pass invitations of the gospel, and its through sharp conflicts, and great exhortations and injunctions, with darkness and distress of soul. In the promises connected with them, these circumstances they are often fully warrant the vilest sinner that led to question whether all their ever lived to apply for salvation past experiences have not been a without delay, and without any rea- delusion; whether they were ever son to fear a repulse. For they" called with an holy calling;" whewho have committed the unpardon- ther they ever truly loved the Lord able sin, "cannot be renewed to re- or not. Should they then keep pentance," and will never thus come away from the throne of grace, and to Christ for his humbling holy sal- stand at an awful distance from the vation. compassionate Physician of their Trembling and almost despond-souls, till they have determined ing sinners seldom consider their these questions? Alas, they can convictions, as the effect of a super- determine nothing in this dark and natural influence: nor indeed do doleful state! Every thing in themthey in general reflect at all on the selves appears polluted and vile: cause or nature of the change of the recollection of their past profeswhich they are conscious. And sion, advantages, and comforts, agwhen they have leisure from the gravates their distress, and adds tumult of their thoughts, to make weight to the burden of their guilt; inquiries of this kind; they com- so that they are often tempted to monly ascribe the whole to means draw the most desperate concluand instruments; and frequently sions concerning their state, and the imagine, that if others had heard Lord's intentions respecting them. the same sermon, or read the same But in this manner they commonly book, they must have been equally begin to emerge from their distress. convinced. And having a far worse" If all," say they, "has hitherto opinion of themselves, it is very been self-deception, still the Lord difficult to make them sensible, even is infinitely merciful; all things are by the clearest evidence, that their ready; the invitations except none; temper of mind is really better in and the Saviour says, 'Him that the sight of God, than it was before. cometh unto me, I will in no wise It must therefore be impossible for cast out." Encouraged by such a sinner in this condition to find a thoughts, “Out of the depths they warrant for his faith in those feel-cry earnestly unto the Lord:" they

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