Vital Godliness: A Treatise on
Experimental and Practical Piety
CHAPTER 10
Faith
Everywhere in the Scriptures great stress is laid on faith.
In scores of passages its absolute necessity is explicitly declared. With the
word of God, Christian experience well agrees. The young convert had neither
hope nor joy until he believed. His faith being weak, he manifests great
instability. But as it increases, he grows stronger until he is undaunted, and
cries, “Though he slays me, yet will I trust in him.” Old Christians speak much
of faith, and always love to have the truth concerning it clearly explained. But
what is that faith on which the Scriptures so much insist? This is a matter of
chief importance. An error here will affect our whole religious life. Faith is
either human or divine.
In
Human
faith we rely upon what men say. This we do by the constitution of our minds.
Thus children rest upon what their parents tell them. Human faith is properly
confined to things on which God has not spoken. Its basis is human testimony.
Divine
faith rests on the testimony of God. It concerns things which are revealed from
heaven.
A
Historical
faith is an intellectual assent to the truth of anything recorded in history,
sacred or secular. Thus we believe that Caesar conquered Gaul, and that William
of Normandy conquered
The faith of
Miracles
was a belief that God could and would work a miracle. This faith has long since
ceased to exist. Yet in the days of Christ and his apostles it was quite common.
It had no saving power. Many thus believed and perished, (Matthew 7:22, 23; 1
Cor. 13:2).
The faith of
Demons
is mentioned by James 2:19: “The devils also believe and tremble.” This is a
reluctant belief. It is forced upon them. It is not confined to fallen angels.
Men often have a belief of divine things which makes them very apprehensive.
Thus Felix trembled under the terrors of conscience produced by Paul’s
preaching. Thus sinners often die in despair, choked with divine terrors. This
faith has no love, no real penitence, no submission, no humility in it. It works
wrath, terror, and alienation from God.
A
Temporary
faith is a transient persuasion that the things of revelation are true,
important, and interesting. It seizes upon the temporal benefits of the gospel,
and fills the imagination with very vivid conceptions of the benefits of
godliness, at least for this life. But it never truly engages the affections to
divine things. A little tribulation or persecution kills it outright, (Luke
8:13). It never changes the heart. It is not in its nature saving.
The faith of God’s people, relates to things past, present,
and to come. It believes that God made the world. There is the past. It believes
that God is. There is the present. It believes that there will be a day of
judgment. There is the future. Nor are these and other revealed truths believed
by different kinds of faith, but all by one and the same faith. As with the same
visual organ we look to the east, to the west, to the north, and to the south—at
objects far from us or near to us, so with the same eye of faith we look at
things thousands of years past, or thousands of years to come, or things now
existing in the unseen world. Of old for thousands of years the pious believed
in a Savior to come. In the days of his flesh, his disciples believed in a
Savior then come. For nearly two thousand years God’s people have believed in a
Savior that has come. In all these cases the faith was the same in principle and
in its effects also. The Westminster Confession says, “The grace of faith,
whereby the elect are enabled to believe to the saving of their souls, is the
work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts, and is ordinarily wrought by the
ministry of the word, by which also, and by the administration of the
sacraments, and prayer, it is increased and strengthened. By this faith a
Christian believes to be true whatever is revealed in the word for the authority
of God himself speaking therein, and acts differently upon that which each
particular passage thereof contains; yielding obedience to the commands,
trembling at the threatenings, and embracing the promises of God for this life
and that which is to come. But the principal acts of saving faith are accepting,
receiving, and resting upon Christ for justification, sanctification, and
eternal life, by virtue of the covenant of grace. This faith is different in
degrees, weak or strong; may be often and many ways assailed and weakened, but
gets the victory; growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance
through Christ, who is both the author and finisher of our faith.”
A little consideration of this account of faith will show how
full, complete, and scriptural it is. The first thing asserted is that saving
faith is not of earthly, but of heavenly origin; that it is not of man, but of
God. Faith is the gift of God. It is expressly called a “faith of the operation
of God.” “Unto you it is given on the behalf of Christ to believe on him.” “God
has dealt to every man the measure of faith.” When Peter said, “You are Christ,
the Son of the living God,” Jesus answered and said unto him, ‘Blessed are you,
Simon Barjona; for flesh and blood has not revealed it unto you, but my Father
who is in heaven.” This faith is particularly ascribed to the Holy Spirit as its
author. He produces it in the heart. So say the Scriptures. “The fruit of the
Spirit is faith.” “To another is given faith by the same Spirit.” “We having the
same Spirit of faith, also believe.” The reason why saving faith endures, is
because it is the incorruptible seed of God.
It is next said that in working this faith in us, God puts
honor upon his word as the ordinary instrument. With this also the Scriptures
well agree. “How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how
shall they hear without a preacher? So then, faith comes by hearing, and hearing
by the word of God.” “It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save
those who believe.” This is the foundation of all our encouragement in
proclaiming the gospel. That which is sown in the weakness of man is raised in
the mighty energy of the Holy Spirit. No wonder that such happy results flow
from proclaiming the gospel—whenever God’s Spirit attends it. It is thus the
power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes. “God’s gracious biddings
are effectual enablings.”
In like manner this faith is chiefly nourished by the
ministry of the word and other ordinances, and by prayer. “Lord, increase our
faith.” The baptism of water is effectual—when accompanied by the baptism of the
Holy Spirit. The breaking of bread and drinking of wine are means of nourishment
to all those who drink spiritually of the Rock which follows them, even Christ,
and who by faith eat the true bread which comes down from heaven, even the Son
of God. All the saints desire the sincere milk of the word, that they may grow
thereby.
True faith respects all God’s word. It receives narratives,
promises, threatenings, doctrines, precepts, warnings, encouragements, all as
they were designed for its use. It obeys God’s commands. They were given for
that purpose. It is afraid of his threatenings. It trembles at his word. It
relies upon the promises, both as they respect this life and the next. It takes
warning from many parts of Scripture. It rejoices in solid scriptural
encouragement. It relies upon God’s word as testimony that is infallible.
Whatever God speaks, faith believes. It receives all he has said. The word of
God lives and abides forever. So faith receives it as his word, and not as the
word of man. His authority is perfect.
But saving faith has special reference to Christ. So the
Scriptures often teach. “Who is he that overcomes the world, but he that
believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” “If we accept the testimony of men,
God’s testimony is greater, because it is God’s testimony that He has given
about His Son. The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in
himself. The one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has
not believed in the testimony that God has given about His Son. And this is the
testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. The one
who has the Son has life. The one who doesn’t have the Son of God does not have
life,” (1 John 5:9-12). “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be
saved.” “He who believes on the Son has everlasting life.” “He that believes on
him is not condemned.”
The great theme of God’s word is Christ Jesus. “To him give
all the prophets witness.” “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
If to deny the Father is fatal, so is it also to deny the Son. If to do despite
to the Spirit of grace involves the loss of the soul, to reject Christ as the
Savior makes destruction inevitable. But to receive Christ, to rest upon him, to
look to him, to come to him, to flee to him for refuge, to take him as our
Sacrifice, as our Prophet, Priest, and King, and to do this heartily, is the
great office of saving faith.
This faith is not of equal strength in all believers, nor in
the same believer at all times. We read of “him who is weak in faith,” of
“little faith,” and of “great faith.” Faith grows by the divine blessing. The
faith of some grows “exceedingly.” Every true disciple says, “Lord, I believe;
help my unbelief.” It finally gains every needful victory. In some cases it is
matured into full assurance. This is all through Christ, who begins, carries on,
and perfects the work of faith in us by his Spirit and grace. This whole view of
faith is consistent with itself and with all the Scriptures. It explains many
things which otherwise would seem to us enigmatical [unknown; ed.]. First, we
see why faith always was and always will be necessary. “By faith Abel offered
unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain.” This was the religion of those
early times. “When the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth?” This
will be the religion of the last times. The reason why no man was ever able or
shall ever be able to please God without faith, is, that unbelief at every step
sets aside all that God has said and done for man’s salvation. He who would be
saved in unbelief, would put perpetual contempt on all the arrangements of
heaven for the recovery of lost men. We also see how reasonable it is that faith
should be required of us. “Have faith in God.” “Believe in the Lord your God, so
shall you be established.” “This is the work of God, that you believe on him
whom he has sent.” “Be not faithless, but believing.”
These are but specimens of the authoritative tones in which
God speaks to us on this subject. He could not say less if he sought our good.
To permit us to live in unbelief would be to license all sin. We can also now
understand why the minds of truly pious people are so ready to take up with
God’s offers of grace and mercy. Believing all God says, they of course receive
as true all that he has alleged concerning their fallen and depraved condition.
In other words, they find out that they are sinners—lost, guilty, vile, and
helpless. To such the gospel is always good news. It is indeed life from the
dead to a poor convinced sinner, to see the door of mercy wide open, and Christ
standing ready to receive all that come to him. It is also clear that our
friends can do for us nothing more kind than earnestly to pray that our faith
may abound. As Paul says, “We pray always for you that our God would count you
worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and
the work of faith with power.” Nor should we cease to implore the same blessing
for ourselves. He who has right views in this matter will never lean on himself,
nor trust in his own goodness, or wisdom, or power.
Thomas Boston well says, “Faith goes out of itself for all
its needs.” Its trust in Another is at war with all self-reliance. Thus saving
faith always begets humility. It brings down the haughty to a sense of
dependence. It takes away vain-glorious notions and boastings. Henry Venn says,
“Faith, though it be weak and imperfect, instead of exalting itself against the
justice of God, and standing before him in the confidence of a lie—puts all from
itself, and gives the whole glory of our salvation where it is due.” So that as
faith goes abroad in quest of supplies, so it goes forth of itself to bestow its
honors. Its unceasing language is, “Not unto us, not unto us, but to your name
give glory.”
We can also see the difference between
implicit and explicit faith. Implicit faith takes God at his word, obeys, and is
at peace. Explicit faith would have everything explained, and all difficulties
removed, before it would trust the promise or obey the command. Implicit faith
first relies, then proves. Explicit faith would first prove, then trust. This
made Bishop Hall say, “With men it is a good rule to try first, and then to
trust; but with respect to God it is otherwise. I will first trust him as most
wise, omnipotent, and merciful, and try him afterwards. It is as impossible for
him to deceive me as not to be.” “The
The same is strongly expressed in other words by Thomas
Goodwin: “Of all acts of faith, this of pure trust does honor God most, and has
indeed more of faith in it: the purer the trust is, the greater the trust is;
and the greater the trust is, the greater the faith is; and the greater the
faith, the more honor comes to God.” Mason also says, “Men would first see, and
then believe; but they must first believe, and then see.” Our Savior said,
“Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed: blessed are those who have
not seen, and yet have believed.”
Of course, implicit faith in man, or in any system of
doctrines taught by men, is great folly. There we have a right to demand
explanation, reasons, proof. But when God says a thing is so, the more simply,
promptly, and firmly we believe what he says the better. It is the height of
wisdom to receive every word of God as pure and true, asking no questions
expressive of doubt or distrust. And yet faith, even the simplest and strongest,
is not irrational, nor foolish. No man acts so wisely as he who implicitly
believes God. Abraham never showed that his faculties were so well regulated and
orderly as when he went straight forward at God’s bidding to sacrifice Isaac. He
asked no reasons, he stated no difficulties; he simply did as he had been
commanded, and staggered not through unbelief. The reason why faith is so wise
is, because it reposes confidence in God—who cannot lie, cannot change, cannot
fail, cannot be deceived, thwarted, or even perplexed; who sees the end from the
beginning, who loves beyond all names of love known to mortals, or even to
angels; a God and Savior who never trampled on a broken heart, who never
despised the cry of the humble, who never left the penitent to perish in their
sins, and who will infallibly bring to eternal glory all who take refuge in
atoning blood. Implicit faith in each God and in all His teachings in Scripture,
is the height of wisdom and virtue; though implicit faith in any other, even in
an angel from heaven, would be folly, (Jer. 17:5; Gal. 1:8).
The view already given of faith harmonizes well with the
definitions given of it by all sound writers. The following is a good
definition: “Justifying faith is a saving grace wrought in the heart of a sinner
by the Spirit and word of God, whereby he, being convinced of his sin and
misery, and of the disability in himself and all other creatures to recover him
out of his lost condition, not only assents to the truth of the promise of the
gospel, but receives and rests upon Christ and his righteousness therein held
forth for the pardon of sin, and for the accepting and accounting his person
righteous in the sight of God for salvation.” Haldane says, “Justifying faith is
the belief of the testimony of Christ, and trust in him who is the subject of
that testimony. It is believing with the heart.” Mason says, “Reliance is the
essence of faith. Christ is the object, the word is the food, and obedience the
proof; so that true faith is a depending on Christ for salvation, in a way of
obedience, as he is offered in the gospel.” Archibald Alexander says, “A full
persuasion of the truth revealed is faith in every case; but when the truth
believed is a divine promise, this persuasion is of the nature of trust or
confidence.” Dwight says, “The faith of the gospel is that emotion of the mind
which is called trust or confidence, exercised towards the moral character of
God, and particularly of the Savior.” Charnock says, “Faith is a receiving the
testimony of Christ in the certainty of it and in the extent of it—the testimony
of God’s promises to encourage us, of his precepts to direct us, of his
threatenings to awe us and make us adhere faster to him—a resting in this
testimony as certain, as the center of our souls, the only foundation of our
hopes. God is the ultimate object of faith, Christ the immediate object of
faith. Christ gives the testimony; God is the subject of that testimony. When
the witness Christ gives of the things he has seen and heard, is received to be
rested in as the ground of our hope and the rule of our walk, this is faith.”
Hodge says, “Faith is not the mere assent of the mind to the truth of certain
propositions. It is a cordial persuasion of the truth, founded on the experience
of its power, or the spiritual perception of its nature, and on the divine
testimony. Faith is therefore a moral exercise. Men believe with the heart in
the ordinary scriptural meaning of that word; and no faith which does not
proceed from the heart is connected with justification.”
John Owen, speaking of the way of life by Christ Jesus, says,
“That faith which works in the soul a gracious persuasion of the excellency of
this way, by a sight of the glory, wisdom, power, grace, love, and goodness of
God in it, so as to be satisfied with it as the best, the only way of coming
unto God, with a renunciation of all other ways and means unto that end, will at
all times evidence its nature and sincerity.”
Without further comparing formal definitions on this subject,
it may be said that sound writers fully agree with the Scriptures in
representing faith as a simple act of the mind, in which both the understanding
and will are united; that the light of knowledge goes before it so far as to
reveal the mind of God, and so it is not blind and credulous, but sober,
watchful, and intelligent; and that it is the fruit of warm affections, and so
is not cold, speculative, and without practical effect. Archibald Alexander
says, “Faith is one simple exercise of the mind, including, however, both the
understanding and will.” John Calvin says, “The seat of faith is not in the
brain, but in the heart; not that I wish to enter into any dispute concerning
the part of the body which is the seat of faith, but since the word heart
generally means a serious, sincere, ardent affection, I am desirous to show
faith to be a firm, efficacious, and operative principle in all the emotions and
feelings of the soul—not a mere naked notion of the head.” Nearly all sound and
lucid writers are careful to express in so many words their view of faith, as
being more than mere assent of the mind to the truth proposed. “With the heart
man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto
salvation,” (Rom. 10:10). Mason says, “Assurance sets the notion of faith too
high, assent too low.” John Newton says, “Assent may be the act of our natural
reason; faith is the effect of immediate almighty power. Assent is often given
where it has little or no influence upon the conduct. Faith is always
efficacious.”
The effects of saving faith are many and of great value.
Indeed they are so important, that without them salvation in any of its benefits
is impossible.
1. True faith is the instrument of a
sinner’s
Justification before God. So the Scriptures
abundantly teach. “The just shall live by faith.” “Abraham believed God, and it
was counted to him for righteousness.” “Being justified by faith, we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” “Therefore we conclude that a man is
justified by faith without the deeds of the law.” “If righteousness comes by the
law, then Christ died in vain.” Here is a grand result. Sin is forgiven and the
sinner is accepted simply by believing on Him who is the end of the law for
righteousness to everyone who believes.
This is indeed a mystery and an offence
to many. “Justification by sanctification is man’s way to heaven, and he will
make a little serve the turn. Sanctification by justification is God’s method of
salvation. God’s way is as mighty as it is wise. There is great historical
verity in the statement of James Mackintosh, that “the Calvinistic people of
2.
Adoption
is also by faith. “To as many as
received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to as
many as believed on his name.” “You
are all the sons of God by faith in Jesus Christ.” What an amazing change is
this! A child of the devil becomes a child of God, an heir of perdition is
changed into an heir of glory—and all by reliance on the word of God, and by
confidence in the person and merits of Jesus Christ. No wonder believers have
ever celebrated the wonders of faith.
3. Besides obtaining justification and adoption, we also by
faith are made partakers of the Holy Spirit to all the ends of illumination,
sanctification, and encouragement in the Lord. Christ says, “He who believes on
me, out of him shall flow rivers of living water. This he spoke of the Spirit,
which those who believe on him would receive.” There is no success, progress, or
comfort in piety, but through this blessed Spirit. To receive him in his
fullness of grace, is to secure the pledge of all good things, the pledge of
heaven itself. “If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to
him.” But if a man have the Spirit of Christ, nothing can prove him a castaway,
a reprobate, an enemy.
4. Saving faith is an infallible sign of regeneration. None
ever thus believed but those who “were born, not of blood, nor of the will of
the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” “Whoever believes that Jesus is
the Christ, is born of God.” Genuine faith being ours, our regeneration is no
longer doubtful. Charnock says, “Faith is of absolute necessity to regeneration.
Faith is a radical, vital grace; as blood in the veins is to the body, so is
faith to the soul. No regeneration without the Spirit; and faith is the first
grace the Spirit infuses.”
5. The powerful effect of true faith in purifying the heart
is among its transcendent blessings. This chiefly makes the difference between
saving faith and the faith of devils. Saving faith awakens intense hatred of
sin, eager longings after holiness, blessed hopes of attaining complete
conformity to God, and a purpose to do right, whatever may be the result. There
is no effectual purifying of the heart but by faith—by faith laying hold of
Christ, and obeying the truth. Hooker well says, “To make a wicked and sinful
man most holy through his believing—is more than to create a world of nothing.”
6. Another effect of true faith is to enkindle the
affections. “Faith works by love.” It draws out the heart intensely after
Christ. “To you who believe he is precious;” or, as it might be rendered,
“preciousness.” Saving faith indeed causes a wholesome fear of God; but its
reigning power is not that of terror, but of love. This sways everything, counts
no sacrifice for Christ too great, and gladly yields all to him. “The love of
Christ constrains us.”
7. Another effect of faith is, that it
overcomes the world, and so is unlike every kind of dead faith, (1 John 5:4). To
gain a victory over the world is more than philosophy ever did; more than
unaided nature ever made a tolerable show of doing; more than ever was done but
by one who had the faith of Jesus. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye,
and the pride of life are too strong for any—except for the power of God working
by the Spirit in the hearts of believers. Therefore, God saves no man but by
working this faith which overcomes the world, in him. Thus we read, “As
many as were ordained to eternal life
believed.” If God designs any saving good to you, the first infallible evidence
of it will be, that he will work faith in you.
8. Faith is the great foster-parent of all that belongs to
scriptural piety. It begets true worship, godly fear, devout thanksgiving,
genuine humility, Christian boldness, holy joy, evangelical repentance, enlarged
liberality, fervent love, a pure conscience, a holy life, victory over the
world, and eternal glory. Arrowsmith says, “Faith can support when nature
shrinks; faith can call God Father when he frowns, and make some discovery of a
sun through the darkest cloud.” I had rather be able to walk in darkness, and
have no light, and yet trust in the Lord, than to work miracles and subdue
kingdoms.
There are no offerings like those of
faith. It makes no conditions. It makes no reserves. It cavils not. It falters
not. Faith gazes upon the cross until the course of the new nature is set on
fire with heavenly love! It best of all promotes its own interest by utterly
forgetting itself, and so realizes what a class of writers have asserted, that
“true greatness is unconscious.” The believer rises by throwing over all that
could weigh him down to earth. And as faith is self-renouncing, so it goes forth
to glorify God. John Owen says, “It is the proper nature of faith to concentrate
on the admiration of that which is infinite.” It consents to be as nothing, that
God may be all and in all. It excludes boasting, (Rom. 3:27). It is as jealous
for God’s honor as it is for personal salvation. Like the sun in nature, so
faith in the new nature serves and warms all around it and under its influence.
It begets repentance, (Jonah 3:5). It kindles love to an unseen Savior, (1 Pet.
1:8). It brings forth forgiveness to enemies, (Luke 17:3-5). It is the great
means by which the God of hope fills his people with all joy and peace, (Rom.
15:13). It gives all the stability we have. It nourishes other graces, as did
Joseph his brethren in
Faith welcomes, and does not pervert, the doctrine of a
gratuitous salvation. It says of the Savior, “You are the Christ, the Son of the
living God.” It cries, “God forbid that I should boast, except in the cross of
our Lord Jesus Christ.” Yes, it counts all things but loss for the excellency of
the knowledge of God’s dear Son! No marvel that inspired writers so much
celebrate a grace that brings such good to man, and such glory to God. They call
it “precious faith.” They say it is common to all the people of God. They
declare a man blessed who has even the least saving faith. They say, “Faith is
the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen.” That
is, “it gives the object hoped for at some future period, a present reality in
the soul, as if already possessed.” “Faith is also the evidence, the internal
conviction, the demonstration of all unseen things.” A believer acts as really
upon the existence of things invisible, future, eternal, and hoped for—as he
does upon his past experience or his intuitive perceptions.
Even “the trial of your faith” is said to be “much more
precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire;” and shall
“be found unto praise, and honor, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”
When inspiration would hold up God’s sovereignty to the admiration of all
right-minded men, it says, “Hearken, my beloved brethren, has not God chosen the
poor of this world, to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he has
promised to them that love him?” In short, a scheme of religion without faith
would be as futile and powerless as a scheme of mercy without a Savior.
It is indeed true that faith shall not, like love, last and
flourish forever; but like hope, it shall give place to a new state. Faith shall
be changed into sight, and hope into enjoyment. In this sense, love is greater
than either of these graces, (1 Cor. 13:13). But this is not to their discredit.
In this life, they do what no other graces can accomplish. In particular, faith
unites to Christ, lays hold of salvation, conquers every foe, brings every
blessing into the soul, pronounces death abolished, crying, “Death is swallowed
up in victory. O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory? The
sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law; but thanks be to God,
who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Oh it is worth a lifetime of toil, suffering, and
self-denial, to be able in the end to say with Paul, “I know whom I have
believed; and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed
to him against that day;” or, “I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my
departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I
have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of
righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day;
and not to me only, but also unto all those who love his appearing.”
One of Halyburton’s dying sayings was,
“The little acquaintance I have had with God within these two days, has more
than ten thousand times repaid the pains I have in all my life taken with
religion. It is good to have God to go to, when we are turning our face to the
wall. He is known for a refuge in the palaces of
In
Applying
this discussion of saving faith to practical use, observe,
1. The life of a Christian is one of
war. The powers of darkness and the powers of light make his soul the arena of
deadly strife, the battlefield where their legions contend for victory. There is
nothing good, but it has its opposite. Arrayed against God, is Satan. If God has
given his law, Satan also issues his precepts. Many, very wicked, and false are
the great principles, the common maxims of Satan’s kingdom—which are endorsed by
the lives of wicked men, and pleasing to the natural heart. Who can resist their
power? No one who is left to his own strength. Without living faith in God,
every man will fully serve the wicked one. Without faith in Christ, the love of
sin cannot be overcome. In this war we shall utterly fail—without faith in
God—without the help that comes from God by faith in Christ Jesus.
2. See the wisdom of submitting all our sentiments and
practices to God’s word in the spirit of humble teachableness. “Do not teach the
Bible, but let the Bible teach you.” Come not to the study of God’s word as a
judge or a critic, but as a child and humble learner. The world is full of
mournful cases of people who believed what was agreeable to their natural bias,
and rejected everything else. The result has always been sad. Many examples
might be given. An authoress somewhat celebrated, who had declared her
preference for the god of ‘Thomson’s Seasons’ or of ‘Hutchinson’s Ethics’ over
the God revealed in the Scriptures, in her old age thus wrote: “What does life
offer past eighty? For my own part, I only find that many things I knew, I have
forgotten; many things I thought I knew, I find I knew nothing about; some
things I know, I have found not worth knowing; and some things I would give—Oh,
what would I not give?—to know what is beyond the reach of human thought. The
powers of man strive—how vainly!—to penetrate the veil, to pierce the thick
darkness which covers the future. Life seems of no value but for what lies
beyond; and yet our views of the future are perhaps cheerful or gloomy,
according to the weather or our nerves.” Lo, this is the woman who preferred the
God of nature to the God of grace; whose imagination ruled her creed; whose
fancy governed her faith.
How strong is the contrast between such faith and such dark
views of life and those of that eminent servant of God, Mrs. Hannah More, who at
eighty says, “I have nothing to do but to trust in Him who governs all worlds. I
bless God I enjoy great tranquility of mind, and am willing to depart and be
with Christ when it is his will; but I leave it in His hands who does all things
well.” Still later in life she exclaimed, “God of life and light, whom have I in
heaven but you? Happy, happy are those who are expecting to meet in a better
world. The thought of that world lifts the mind above itself. O glorious grace!
It is a glorious thing to die.”
If you desire a useful life, a pleasant old age, a
comfortable death, or a blissful immortality—believe God, trust to his grace,
rely on his Son. Mingle not human and divine helps and hopes. Rely on God alone
as your Father, on Christ alone as your Redeemer, on the Holy Spirit alone as
your Comforter.
Charnock says, “He who has many things to trust to, is in
suspense which he should take hold of; but when there is but one left, with what
greediness will he clasp about that. God cuts down worldly props—that we might
make him our stay.”
John Newton says, “Grace and faith can make the lowest state
of life supportable—and make a dismissal from the highest desirable.”
Yield your understanding to be taught of God; yield your
heart to be purified and educated for God; yield your life a sacrifice to God.
All this is your reasonable service. To do less is to rob God. Remember that
nothing will stand the test of experience, but that which will endure the trial
of a fair comparison with Scripture. Always believe just what God has revealed
for your salvation. If some things are not pleasant at first, they may still be
useful through life, and in the end become a fountain of joy.
3. It may be proper here to say that
Assurance,
or freedom from all doubt, is not of the essence of faith. “There is as much
difference between faith and assurance, as there is between the root and the
fruit,” says Mason. He who says that one without assurance has no faith, might
as well say that an infant is not a human being. The greatest source of
unhappiness to the pious, is the weakness of their faith. It was sad to hear
Jacob crying out, “All these things are against me!” They were in fact all for
him and for his family.
Assurance may be lost. Genuine faith cannot be lost. David
lost his assurance, but he did not cease to be a believer. Assurance is a flower
that opens with the sun, and shuts at night. But faith grows and flourishes in
cloudy weather, in the shade, and even in total darkness. Assurance indeed is
the faith which has matured, full-grown, perfected. Assurance is every way
desirable and vastly consolatory, and certainly attainable. We should all seek
it, pray and labor for it; and if we attain it, take good heed that we lose it
not. We should never forget that assurance is as purely the gift of God, as the
least degree of faith. It is greatly to be lamented that the faith of so many
seems sickly. Strong faith is one of the best gifts. Yet let none forget that
little faith, when genuine, is pleasing to God, and eternally unites to Christ.
“Assuredly the least exercise of true faith in Christ constitutes a man his
disciple,” says Dr. Scott. To be able to come trembling and touch the hem of
Christ’s garment, as surely proves us in the covenant, as to have a faith that
will remove mountains.
This view is the more important, as true believers are always
modest, and have a low opinion of their own attainments in all respects. There
is many a man who cannot deny that he has some faith, who yet regards himself as
the least of all saints, the most faltering of all the true friends of God. This
may be the case with the most eminent saints. Let us never teach nor embrace a
doctrine which would fill such with sadness.
4. The great guilt and misery of the unconverted are found in
their utter lack of true faith. Unbelief is their great sin. “This is the
condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men have loved darkness
rather than light.” The Spirit convinces the world of sin chiefly in this—that
they do not believe in Christ.
The unhappiness of a state of unbelief is also fearful. It
leaves the soul without any resource in difficulties—without God in this
troublesome world.
Unbelief is the great parent
and supporter of other forms of wickedness. It fills the mind with wicked and
violent prejudices against truth—as in the case of the unbelieving Jews in the
time of our Savior, as in the case of unbelievers in our own day. It begets and
nourishes a strong voluntary preference for the things of time—above those of
eternity; for the riches of earth—above the unsearchable riches of Christ; for
the honor which comes from man—-above the honor which comes from God; for the
pleasures of sin for a season—above the pleasures for evermore at God’s right
hand. It nourishes above all other things,
Pride—pride
of intellect, of family, of learning, of ability, of manliness, of personal
virtue. It begets sloth, dullness of understanding, lack of sincere inquiry. It
generates stubborn perversity. It makes men walk contrary to their convictions,
and their avowed principles. It mars or renounces all the duties of spiritual
religion. It is revengeful, and will not forgive injuries. It is self-willed,
and refuses to bow to the authority of God. It begets feelings of disloyalty to
God. It prevents all true spiritual worship. It annihilates the promises and
abrogates the covenant of God in the case of all in whose hearts it has sway. It
makes the death of Christ of no effect. It scornfully rejects the remedy
provided for us, in our ruined condition. It is no wonder that God has said, “He
who believes not—shall be damned!”
For men to profess to be “educated” when they say that they
believe what they see and no more, is very absurd. Apply this rule to the things
of this world, and who can properly believe that there is or ever was any man,
city, island, or country, except those which he has seen? When God testifies in
His word, unbelief is as uneducated as it is wicked. How absurd for a creature
to make an argument with the Creator; for a worm of the dust to revise the
decisions of infinite wisdom; for a sinner to reject the Savior because there
are in the plan of salvation some things too deep to be sounded by the line of
human intellect. There can be nothing blacker than unbelief. It impeaches God’s
wisdom, power, goodness, justice, mercy, truth, and faithfulness. It holds up
the God of truth as unworthy of believing. It makes him a liar. It charges him
with perjury. It derides all his goodness and despises all his mercy. It makes
light of the bloody sweat and dying agonies of his dear Son. It is a sin against
the law, against the gospel, against the divine attributes, against every Person
in the Godhead, against the highest testimonies, against our own best interests,
against the only way of life and salvation. Without faith it is impossible to
please God.
5. Let all labor for an increase of faith. Resort to all
lawful endeavors for the growth of this vital principle of faith. Venn says,
“Solitude is a great nourisher of faith; were we more alone to pray and look
back upon ourselves, not to find any good, but to observe more of the amazing
blindness of heart, unbelief, selfishness, and vile idolatry, which so benumb
our feelings of the love of Christ; were we to be more alone for these purposes,
we would enjoy more of the presence and joy of God.” The reading of good pious
biography, and in particular of the sufferings of the martyrs, does, with the
divine blessing, mightily strengthen the faith of God’s people. For the same
reason we should rejoice in all tribulation, because under God it strengthens
the faith of all his people. Blessed is the man who by faith lays up a good
foundation against the time to come.
6. We should especially so live and labor that we may die in
faith. How blessed is he who is permitted to close his earthly existence in the
confidence of that holy belief which disarms death of all stings and terrors.
But this is not to be expected after a life of carelessness. Good old Willison
gives “these advices” to all who would be so happy as to die in faith:
Be careful to get faith beforehand; for death is a time
to use faith, not to get it. They were foolish virgins, who had their oil to
buy when the bridegroom was close at hand.
Study to live every day in the exercise of faith, and be
still improving, and making use of Christ in all his offices, and for all
those ends and uses for which God has given them to believers.
Frequently clear up your evidences for heaven, and beware
of letting sin blot them.
Record and lay up the experiences of God’s dealings with
you, and be often reflecting upon them, that you may have them ready at hand
in the hour of death.
Lastly, meditate much on those promises which have been
sweet and comfortable to you in the time of trials—and beg that the Lord may
bring them to your remembrance when you come to die.
In short, a life of faith is the only sure pledge of dying in
faith; and a death without faith is a death without hope.
“Faith lights us through the dark to Deity;
Faith builds a bridge across the gulf of death,
To break the shock that nature cannot shun,
And lands thought smoothly on the further shore.”
