our own salvation, would be still sweeter to us, if we had a probable hope of sharing it with you. And shall earth and heaven expect and desire it in vain? and will you, as it were, grieve both; that hell may rejoice in your ruin, and that devils may insult over you, and upbraid you, as having with your own hands thrust away that salvation, of which all their malice and their rage might in vain have attempted to deprive you? You will then, alas, Find no place for repentance, though, like Esau, you seek it carefully with tears*. Alas, my friends, what more shall I say? Could I find out any more weighty arguments, any more plain, serious, and affecting, forms of address, I would go on, though the discourse should swell beyond its due bounds; though my own strength were impaired by the earnestness of it; and though a vain, wretched, unbelieving world should deride at that earnestness as enthusiasm and madness. Nay, who that knows the importance of immortal souls, would not go on to plead in such a cause, though minutes and hours were to be struck off from his life for every word that he utters in it, could even such an expensive service be sure of success? But that depends upon God, and to him we would look for it. In the mean time, I dismiss you with this one word: Whether you will hear, or whether you will forbear, he in whose name I speak, is witness, that the embassy is delivered; and such words as these remain recorded in the book of his remembrance, and will sooner or later be brought to yours. 5. "Let such as are desirous of coming to God by Christ, take encouragement from the declaration of the text." We are not altogether Ignorant of satan's devices+: We know, by frequent observation and experience, how soon he can turn the syren's song, into the roaring of a lion; what efforts he makes, to drive the awakened soul into the agonies of despair, and to persuade him that he has thrown himself beyond the reach of mercy. But, if he be practising such cruel artifices on any soul in this assembly, I do, in the name of our Lord and Master, charge the lie on the father of falsehoods. You have perhaps a great many things to plead against yourselves; such as, the number, the enormity, and aggravation of your sins: You will say, they have been committed against the clearest light, against the tenderest love, against admonitions, more serious resolutions, most solemn covenant engagements: But all these pleas, and a thousand more, are answered in this one word, He is able to save to the uttermost, them that come unto God by him. Is it still matter of doubt? Turn aside then, and more attentively view the trophies of his grace and power, erected in his word, erected on purpose for our encouragement, on whom the ends of the world are come. Behold Paul in his unconverted state, A blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious*. He appears to have divested himself, not only of that gentleness of manners, which might reasonably have been expected from a man of so liberal an education, but even of the sentiments of common humanity; furiously breathing out threatnings and slaughters against the saints+, without the least regard to innocence of life, or to tenderness of age or sex. Yet at the appearance of an Almighty Saviour, this furious barbarian was melted and subdued: In the full career of his blind and cruel rage, he falls down at the feet of that Jesus whom he persecuted, and cries out the very next moment, with the lowest submission, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ‡? By the power of Christ, the fiend was transformed into an angel; He preached the faith, which just before he endeavoured to destroy§; and quickly learnt such language as this, Neither bonds nor imprisonments move me; nor do I count my life dear unto me, so that I may finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God . The Corinthians were debauched and abandoned to a proverb, the scandal of their country, and the reproach of their nature. For when the apostle had been reckoning up a catalogue of the most infamous sinners; such, as fornicators, and idolaters, and adulterers, and effeminate, and abusers of themselves with mankind, and thieves, and covetous, and drunkards, and revilers, and extortioners; he adds surprising words, and oh what surprising grace do they imply! Such were some of you; such, that one would almost have expected, that lightning from heaven should have blasted them, or that the earth should have opened a passage into hell: But instead of this, says the apostle to these very men, ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. The blessed Jesus did not upbraid them with their former crimes, but poured forth his Spirit upon them in 1 Tim. i. 13. Gal. i, 23. + Acts ix. 1. Acts ix. 5, 6. ¶ 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10, 11. so abundant a degree, that their faith was every where celebrated, and They came behind in no gift*. If yet we can imagine any crime more notorious than some of those, which are charged on the Corinthian converts in their natural state, it must surely be that, which the sun could not behold without horror, nor the earth sustain without trembling; the murder of our Lord Jesus Christ, that innocent, that holy, that divine person, with all the circumstances of the most inhuman cruelty. They had known his exemplary conversation, they had heard his heavenly discourses, they had seen his di vine miracles; yet in spite of all these, the outrageous Jews seize him as a pest of human society, drag him before a heathen tribunal, extort a sentence of condemnation against him, and at length, after a thousand indignities and barbarities, nail him to the cross by the hands of the Romans. Yet would he shew, that even these rebels were not beyond the reach of his power and grace: For no sooner was the dispensation of the spirit opened, but Three thousand of them were converted in one day; they gladly received the word, and were baptized in token of it†; and notwithstanding all the efforts which the subtilty, or fury of the enemies could use to draw them away from it, They continued stedfast in the doctrine and fellowship of the apostles, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers‡: And they are now in heaven, rejoicing in the presence of that Jesus whom they murdered, and ascribing their eternal salvation to that blood which themselves shed. And now, methinks, I am at a loss to imagine, what unbelief can find to object against such instances and examples as these, especially when backed with so many encouraging promises. Can you say worse of yourselves, than that you are the chief of sinners? But Paul will tell you, that he was so; and that For this cause, he obtained mercy, that in him, as chief, Jesus Christ might shew forth all long-suffering for a pattern to those that shall hereafter believe§. And all the other examples are no doubt recorded for the very same purpose, that you Through comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Therefore, when your hearts are overwhelmed within you, look unto the rock which is higher than you. Look unto Jesus, and you will be lightened; and your faces will not be ashamed**. When Satan is plying you with his fiery darts, wield them off by The shield of faith++, and, as it were, hurl them back into the face of the temp 1 Cor. i. 7. Rom. xv. 4. + Acts ii. 41. Acts ii. 42. § 1 Tim. i. 16. tt Eph. vi. 16. ter. Let all his endeavours to deter you from it, engage you to adhere so much the more stedfastly to your resolution, of throwing yourselves at the feet of Christ: And let no one fear, that he should be the first sinner that ever perished there; for it cannot be, unless almighty power be weakened, and infinite compassions be exhausted. 6. Let those who have been enabled "to come unto God by Christ, be thankful and courageous, in the views of the promised salvation." My brethren, let me urge you to abound in the blessed work of praise, for which none on earth have so much reason as you. It is matter of thankfulness, but to hear of this salvation; how much more then, to have it brought home to our house, to our heart, so as to be able through grace to say, "This salvation is mine!" Oh remember, it was the same grace which first sent it, that has rendered it effectual. Reflect, I intreat you, Sirs, on your own hearts: Had you not once your prejudice against the gospel, as well as others? How unwilling were you to understand the method of salvation it taught? And when you did understand it, how much more unwilling were you to submit to it? Yet now, those very parts of the scheme, which were once your peculiar aversion, are become your peculiar joy. Adore the work of divine grace, and take encouragement from it. Remember the connection, which there is, between Coming to God by Christ, and being saved by him even to the uttermost. Your deliverance from the curse of the law, from the tyranny of Satan, and from the power of sin, is but the beginning of this salvation: But it will at length be accomplished; and you should triumph in the expectation of it. "Various enemies surround me," may the christian say, "and they sometimes seem even ready to swallow me up: The world besets me with innumerable snares; Satan is daily seeking by his crafty wiles to get advantage over me; the flesh is ever ready to betray me; and death is threatening to destroy me with its sting: But yet In all these things I am more than a conqueror, through him that hath loved me*. Vain world, I shall quickly leave thee! Wily infernal serpent, The God of peace shall shortly bruise thee under my feet+! Corrupt deceitful flesh, I shall be happily delivered from thee! And death, thou king of terrors, I am assured, thou shalt be Swallowed up in victory! Though thou mayest kill me, yet thou canst not hurt me; for I know, + Rom. xvi. 20. +1 Cor. xv. 54. *Rom. viii. 37. that my Redeemer liveth*; and because he liveth, I shall live alsot." These are sentiments and views, worthy our character, as christians, worthy of those who are the saved of the Lord. Let us Take for our helmet this hope of salvation, and it will guard our head in every danger of life and death; till at length we exchange that helmet for the celestial Crown, which the Lord shall give us in that day§, when in the completest sense he shall save all his people to the uttermost, and they shall all appear with him in the brightest glories of this great and perfect salvation. *Job xix. 25. † John xiv. 19. ‡ Eph. vi. 17. § 2 Tim. iv. 8. |
