Second. Have they that shall be saved, faith? Why, they that shall not be saved may also have faith; faith in many things, like the faith that saves, can hardly be distinguished, though they differ in root and branch. To come to particulars.
1. Saving faith had Christ for its object, and so may the faith have that is not saving. Those very Jews of whom it is said they believed in Christ, Christ tells them, and that after their believing, “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.” (John 8:30-44) 2. Saving faith is wrought by the Word of God, so may the faith be that is not saving. (Luke 8:13) 3. Saving faith looks for justification without works, and so may a faith that is not saving. (James 2:18) 4. Saving faith will sanctify and purify the heart; the faith not saving may work a man off from the world’s pollutions, as it did Judas, Demas, and others. (2 Peter 2) 5. Saving faith will give a man taste of the world to come and joy from those tastes, and so will the faith that is not saving. (Heb 6:4,5, Luke 8:13) 6. Saving faith will help a man, if called to it, to give his body to be burned for his religion, and so will the faith that is not saving. (1 Cor 13:1-5) 7. Saving faith will help a man look for an inheritance in the world to come, and that may be the faith that does not save.
All those virgins “took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.” (Matt 25:1) 8. Saving faith will not only make a man look for but prepare to meet the bridegroom, and so may the faith do that is not saving. “Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.” (Matt 25:7) 9. Saving faith will make a man look for an interest in the kingdom of heaven with confidence, and faith that is not saving will even demand the entrance of the Lord. “Lord, Lord, open to us.” (Matt 25:11) 10. Saving faith will have good works follow it into heaven, and the faith that is not saving may have great works follow it as far as heaven’s gates. “Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?” (Matt 7:22)
Now, then, if the faith that is not saving may have Christ for its object, be wrought by the Word, look for justification without works, workmen off from the pollutions of the world, and give men tastes of, and joy in the things of another world—I say again if it helps a man to burn for his judgment, and to look for an inheritance in another world; yea, if it will help a man to prepare for it, claim an interest in it; and if it can carry great works, many great and glorious works, as far as heaven gates, then no marvel if abundance of people take this faith for the saving faith, and so fall short of heaven thereby. Alas, friends! Few can produce such [works] for repentance, and such faith, as yet you see I have proved even reprobates have had in several ages of the church. But,
Third. They that go to heaven are praying, but a man may pray that they shall not be saved. Pray! He may pray, pray daily; yea, he may ask of God the ordinances of justice, and may take delight in approaching God; nay, such souls may, as it were, cover the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping and crying out. (Isa 28:2, Mal 2:13)
Fourth. Do God’s people keep holy fasts? They who are not his people may also keep fasts often, even twice a week. “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself: God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice weekly; I give tithes of all I possess.” (Luke 18:11,12) I might enlarge upon things, but I intend but a little book. I do not question, but many Balaamites will appear before the judgment seat to condemnation; men that have had visions of God, and that knew the knowledge of the Most High; men that have had the Spirit of God come upon them, and that have by that been made other men; yet these shall go to the generations of their fathers, they shall never see light. (Num 24:2,4,16, 1 Sam 10:6,10, Psa 49:19) I read of some men whose excellency in religion mounts up to the heavens, and their heads reach unto the clouds, who yet shall perish forever like their own dung; and he that in this world hath seen them, shall say at the judgment, Where are they? (Job 20:5-7)
There will be many who were gallant professors in this world, wanting among the saved on the day of Christ’s coming; yea, many whose damnation was never dreamed of. Which of the twelve ever thought that Judas would have proved a devil? Nay, when Christ suggested that one among them was naught, they were more afraid of themselves than of him. (Matt 26:21-23) Who questioned the salvation of the foolish virgins? The wise ones did not; they gave them the privilege of communion with themselves. (Matt 25) The discerning of the heart and the infallible proof of the truth of saving grace is reserved for the judgment of Jesus Christ at his coming.
The church and best of saints sometimes hit and sometimes miss in their decisions about this matter, and the cause of our missing in our judgment is 1. Partly because we cannot always distinguish grace that saves from that which doth but appear to do so. 2. Partly also because some men have the art to correctly name wrong things. 3. And partly because we are commanded to receive him that is weak, we are afraid to exclude the most diminutive Christian. By a hidden means, hypocrites creep into the churches. But what saith the Scripture? “I, the Lord, search the heart; I try the reins.” And again, “All the churches shall know that I am he which searched the reins and hearts, and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.” (Jer 11:20, 17:10, Rev 2:23) To this Searcher of hearts is the time of infallible discerning reserved, and then you shall see how far grace that is not saving hath gone; and also how few will be saved indeed. The Lord awaken poor sinners by my little book.
No comments:
Post a Comment