SERMON ONE
Salvation By Faith
Preached
at St. Mary's Oxford, before the university, on June 18, 1738
"By
Grace are ye saved through faith." Ephesians 2.8
1.. All the blessings which God hath bestowed upon man are
of his mere grace, bounty, or favour; his free, undeserved favour;
favour altogether undeserved; man having no claim to the least
of his mercies. It was free grace that "formed man of the
dust of the ground, and breathed into him a living soul,"
and stamped on that soul the image of God, and "put all
things under his feet." The same free grace continues to
us, at this day, life, and breath, and all things. For there
is nothing we are, or have, or do, which can deserve the least
thing at God's hand. "All our works, Thou, O God, hast
wrought in us." These, therefore, are so many more instances
of free mercy: and whatever righteousness may be found in man,
this is also the gift of God.
2. Wherewithal then shall a sinful man atone for any the least
of his sins? With his own works? No. Were they ever so many
or holy, they are not his own, but God's. But indeed they are
all unholy and sinful themselves, so that every one of them
needs a fresh atonement. Only corrupt fruit grows on a corrupt
tree. And his heart is altogether corrupt and abominable; being
"come short of the glory of God," the glorious righteousness
at first impressed on his soul, after the image of his great
Creator. Therefore, having nothing, neither righteousness nor
works, to plead, his mouth is utterly stopped before God.
3. If then sinful men find favour with God, it is "grace
upon grace!" If God vouchsafe still to pour fresh blessings
upon us, yea, the greatest of all blessings, salvation; what
can we say to these things, but, "Thanks be unto God for
his unspeakable gift!" And thus it is. herein "God
commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died" to save us "By grace" then "are
ye saved through faith." Grace is the source, faith the
condition, of salvation.
Now, that we fall not short of the grace of God, it concerns
us carefully to inquire, --
I. What faith it is through which we are saved.
II. What is the salvation which is through faith.
III. How we may answer some objections.
I. What faith it is through which we are saved.
1. And, first, it is not barely the faith of a heathen.
Now, God requireth of a heathen to believe, "that God
is; that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him;"
and that he is to be sought by glorifying him as God, by giving
him thanks for all things, and by a careful practice of moral
virtue, of justice, mercy, and truth, toward their fellow creatures.
A Greek or Roman, therefore, yea, a Scythian or Indian, was
without excuse if he did not believe thus much: the being and
attributes of God, a future state of reward and punishment,
and the obligatory nature of moral virtue. For this is barely
the faith of a heathen.
2. Nor, secondly, is it the faith of a devil, though this goes
much farther than that of a heathen. For the devil believes,
not only that there is a wise and powerful God, gracious to
reward, and just to punish; but also, that Jesus is the Son
of God, the Christ, the Saviour of the world. So we find him
declaring, in express terms, "I know Thee who Thou art;
the Holy One of God" (Luke 4:34). Nor can we doubt but
that unhappy spirit believes all those words which came out
of the mouth of the Holy One, yea, and whatsoever else was written
by those holy men of old, of two of whom he was compelled to
give that glorious testimony, "These men are the servants
of the most high God, who show unto you the way of salvation."
Thus much, then, the great enemy of God and man believes, and
trembles in believing, --that God was made manifest in the flesh;
that he will "tread all enemies under his feet;" and
that "all Scripture was given by inspiration of God."
Thus far goeth the faith of a devil.
3. Thirdly. The faith through which we are saved, in that sense
of the word which will hereafter be explained, is not barely
that which the Apostles themselves had while Christ was yet
upon earth; though they so believed on him as to "leave
all and follow him;" although they had then power to work
miracles, to "heal all manner of sickness, and all manner
of disease;" yea, they had then "power and authority
over all devils;" and, which is beyond all this, were sent
by their Master to "preach the kingdom of God."
4. What faith is it then through which we are saved? It may
be answered, first, in general, it is a faith in Christ: Christ,
and God through Christ, are the proper objects of it. herein,
therefore, it is sufficiently, absolutely distinguished from
the faith either of ancient or modern heathens. And from the
faith of a devil it is fully distinguished by this: it is not
barely a speculative, rational thing, a cold, lifeless assent,
a train of ideas in the head; but also a disposition of the
heart. For thus saith the Scripture, "With the heart man
believeth unto righteousness;" and, "If thou shalt
confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in
thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt
be saved."
5. And herein does it differ from that faith which the Apostles
themselves had while our Lord was on earth, that it acknowledges
the necessity and merit of his death, and the power of his resurrection.
It acknowledges his death as the only sufficient means of redeeming
man from death eternal, and his resurrection as the restoration
of us all to life and immortality; inasmuch as he "was
delivered for our sins, and rose again for our justification."
Christian faith is then, not only an assent to the whole gospel
of Christ, but also a full reliance on the blood of Christ;
a trust in the merits of his life, death, and resurrection;
a recumbency upon him as our atonement and our life, as given
for us, and living in us; and, in consequence hereof, a closing
with him, and cleaving to him, as our "wisdom, righteousness,
sanctification, and redemption," or, in one word, our salvation.
II. What salvation it is, which is through this faith, is the
Second thing to be considered.
1. And, First, whatsoever else it imply, it is a present salvation.
It is something attainable, yea, actually attained, on earth,
by those who are partakers of this faith. For thus saith the
Apostle to the believers at Ephesus, and in them to the believers
of all ages, not, Ye shall be (though that also is true), but,
"Ye are saved through faith."
2. Ye are saved (to comprise all in one word) from sin. This
is the salvation which is through faith. This is that great
salvation foretold by the angel, before God brought his First-begotten
into the world: "Thou shalt call his name Jesus; for he
shall save his people from their sins." And neither here,
nor in other parts of holy writ, is there any limitation or
restriction. All his people, or, as it is elsewhere expressed,
"all that believe in him," he will save from all their
sins; from original and actual, past and present sin, "of
the flesh and of the spirit." Through faith that is in
him, they are saved both from the guilt and from the power of
it.
3. First. From the guilt of all past sin: for, whereas all
the world is guilty before God, insomuch that should he "be
extreme to mark what is done amiss, there is none that could
abide it;" and whereas, "by the law is" only
"the knowledge of sin," but no deliverance from it,
so that, "by" fulfilling "the deeds of the law,
no flesh can be justified in his sight": now, "the
righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, is
manifested unto all that believe." Now, "they are
justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is
in Jesus Christ." "Him God hath set forth to be a
propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness
for (or by) the remission of the sins that are past." Now
hath Christ taken away "the curse of the law, being made
a curse for us." he hath "blotted out the handwriting
that was against us, taking it out of the way, nailing it to
his cross." "There is therefore no condemnation now
to them which" believe "in Christ Jesus."
4. And being saved from guilt, they are saved from fear. Not
indeed from a filial fear of offending; but from all servile
fear; from that fear which hath torment; from fear of punishment;
from fear of the wrath of God, whom they now no longer regard
as a severe Master, but as an indulgent Father. "They have
not received again the spirit of bondage, but the Spirit of
adoption, whereby they cry, Abba, Father: the Spirit itself
also bearing witness with their spirits, that they are the children
of God." They are also saved from the fear, though not
from the possibility, of falling away from the grace of God,
and coming short of the great and precious promises. Thus have
they "peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. They
rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And the love of God is
shed abroad in their hearts, through the Holy Ghost, which is
given unto them." And hereby they are persuaded (though
perhaps not at all times, nor with the same fullness of persuasion),
that "neither death, nor life, nor things present, nor
things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature,
shall be able to separate them from the love of God, which is
in Christ Jesus our Lord."
5. Again: through this faith they are saved from the power
of sin, as well as from the guilt of it. So the Apostle declares,
"Ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins;
and in him is no sin. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not"
(1 John 3:5ff.). Again, "Little children, let no man deceive
you. he that committeth sin is of the devil. Whosoever believeth
is born of God. And whosoever is born of God doth not commit
sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because
he is born of God." Once more: "We know that whosoever
is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth
himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not" (1 John
5:18).
6. he that is, by faith, born of God sinneth not (1.) by any
habitual sin; for all habitual sin is sin reigning: But sin
cannot reign in any that believeth. Nor (2.) by any wilful sin:
for his will, while he abideth in the faith, is utterly set
against all sin, and abhorreth it as deadly poison. Nor (3.)
By any sinful desire; for he continually desireth the holy and
perfect will of God. and any tendency to an unholy desire, he
by the grace of God, stifleth in the birth. Nor (4.) Doth he
sin by infirmities, whether in act, word, or thought; for his
infirmities have no concurrence of his will; and without this
they are not properly sins. Thus, "he that is born of God
doth not commit sin": and though he cannot say he hath
not sinned, yet now "he sinneth not."
7. This then is the salvation which is through faith, even
in the present world: a salvation from sin, and the consequences
of sin, both often expressed in the word justification; which,
taken in the largest sense, implies a deliverance from guilt
and punishment, by the atonement of Christ actually applied
to the soul of the sinner now believing on him, and a deliverance
from the power of sin, through Christ formed in his heart. So
that he who is thus justified, or saved by faith, is indeed
born again. he is born again of the Spirit unto a new life,
which "is hid with Christ in God." And as a new-born
babe he gladly receives the adolon, "sincere milk of the
word, and grows thereby;" going on in the might of the
Lord his God, from faith to faith, from grace to grace, until
at length, he come unto "a perfect man, unto the measure
of the stature of the fullness of Christ."
III. The first usual objection to this is,
1. That to preach salvation or justification, by faith only,
is to preach against holiness and good works. To which a short
answer might be given: "It would be so, if we spake, as
some do, of a faith which was separate from these; but we speak
of a faith which is not so, but productive of all good works,
and all holiness."
2. But it may be of use to consider it more at large; especially
since it is no new objection, but as old as St. Paul's time.
For even then it was asked, "Do we not make void the law
through faith?" We answer, First, all who preach not faith
do manifestly make void the law; either directly and grossly,
by limitations and comments that eat out all the spirit of the
text; or indirectly, by not pointing out the only means whereby
it is possible to perform it. Whereas, Secondly, "we establish
the law," both by showing its full extent and spiritual
meaning; and by calling all to that living way, whereby "the
righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in them." These,
while they trust in the blood of Christ alone, use all the ordinances
which he hath appointed, do all the "good works which he
had before prepared that they should walk therein," and
enjoy and manifest all holy and heavenly tempers, even the same
mind that was in Christ Jesus.
3. But does not preaching this faith lead men into pride? We
answer, Accidentally it may: therefore ought every believer
to be earnestly cautioned, in the words of the great Apostle
"Because of unbelief," the first branches "were
broken off: and thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded,
but fear. If God spared not the natural branches, take heed
lest he spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity
of God! On them which fell, severity; but towards thee, goodness,
if thou continue in his goodness; otherwise thou also shalt
be cut off." And while he continues therein, he will remember
those words of St. Paul, foreseeing and answering this very
objection (Rom. 3:27), "Where is boasting then? It is excluded.
By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith." If
a man were justified by his works, he would have whereof to
glory. But there is no glorying for him "that worketh not,
but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly" (Rom.
4:5). To the same effect are the words both preceding and following
the text (Eph. 2:4ff.): "God, who is rich in mercy, even
when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ
(by grace ye are saved), that he might show the exceeding riches
of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves."
Of yourselves cometh neither your faith nor your salvation:
"it is the gift of God;" the free, undeserved gift;
the faith through which ye are saved, as well as the salvation
which he of his own good pleasure, his mere favour, annexes
thereto. That ye believe, is one instance of his grace; that
believing ye are saved, another. "Not of works, lest any
man should boast." For all our works, all our righteousness,
which were before our believing, merited nothing of God but
condemnation; so far were they from deserving faith, which therefore,
whenever given, is not of works. Neither is salvation of the
works we do when we believe, for it is then God that worketh
in us: and, therefore, that he giveth us a reward for what he
himself worketh, only commendeth the riches of his mercy, but
leaveth us nothing whereof to glory.
4. "However, may not the speaking thus of the mercy of
God, as saving or justifying freely by faith only, encourage
men in sin?" Indeed, it may and will: Many will "continue
in sin that grace may abound:" But their blood is upon
their own head. The goodness of God ought to lead them to repentance;
and so it will those who are sincere of heart. When they know
there is yet forgiveness with him, they will cry aloud that
he would blot out their sins also, through faith which is in
Jesus. And if they earnestly cry, and faint not, it they seek
him in all the means he hath appointed; if they refuse to be
comforted till he come; "he will come, and will not tarry."
And he can do much work in a short time. Many are the examples,
in the Acts of the Apostles, of God's working this faith in
men's hearts, even like lightning falling from heaven. So in
the same hour that Paul and Silas began to preach, the jailer
repented, believed, and was baptized; as were three thousand,
by St. Peter, on the day of Pentecost, who all repented and
believed at his first preaching And, blessed be God, there are
now many living proofs that he is still "mighty to save."
5. Yet to the same truth, placed in another view, a quite contrary
objection is made: "If a man cannot be saved by all that
he can do, this will drive men to despair." True, to despair
of being saved by their own works, their own merits, or righteousness.
And so it ought; for none can trust in the merits of Christ,
till he has utterly renounced his own. he that "goeth about
to stablish his own righteousness" cannot receive the righteousness
of God. The righteousness which is of faith cannot be given
him while he trusteth in that which is of the law.
6. But this, it is said, is an uncomfortable doctrine. The
devil spoke like himself, that is, without either truth or shame,
when he dared to suggest to men that it is such. It is the only
comfortable one, it is "very full of comfort," to
all self-destroyed, self-condemned sinners. That "whosoever
believeth on him shall not be ashamed that the same Lord over
all is rich unto all that call upon him": here is comfort,
high as heaven, stronger than death! What! Mercy for all? For
Zacchaeus, a public robber? For Mary Magdalene, a common harlot?
Methinks I hear one say "Then I, even I, may hope for mercy!"
And so thou mayest, thou afflicted one, whom none hath comforted!
God will not cast out thy prayer. Nay, perhaps he may say the
next hour, "Be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee;"
so forgiven, that they shall reign over thee no more; yea, and
that "the Holy Spirit shall bear witness with thy spirit
that thou art a child of God." O glad tidings! tidings
of great joy, which are sent unto all people! "Ho, every
one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters: Come ye, and buy,
without money and without price." Whatsoever your sins
be, "though red like crimson," though more than the
hairs of your head, "return ye unto the Lord, and he will
have mercy upon you, and to our God, for he will abundantly
pardon."
7. When no more objections occur, then we are simply told that
salvation by faith only ought not to be preached as the first
doctrine, or, at least, not to be preached at all. But what
saith the Holy Ghost? "Other foundation can no man lay
than that which is laid, even Jesus Christ." So then, that
"whosoever believeth on him shall be saved," is, and
must be, the foundation of all our preaching; that is, must
be preached first. "Well, but not to all." To whom,
then are we not to preach it? Whom shall we except? The poor?
Nay; they have a peculiar right to have the gospel preached
unto them. The unlearned? No. God hath revealed these things
unto unlearned and ignorant men from the beginning. The young?
By no means. "Suffer these," in any wise, "to
come unto Christ, and forbid them not." The sinners? Least
of all. "He came not to call the righteous, but sinners
to repentance." Why then, if any, we are to except the
rich, the learned, the reputable, the moral men. And, it is
true, they too often except themselves from hearing; yet we
must speak the words of our Lord. For thus the tenor of our
commission runs, "Go and preach the gospel to every creature."
If any man wrest it, or any part of it, to his destruction,
he must bear his own burden. But still, "as the Lord liveth,
whatsoever the Lord saith unto us, that we will speak."
8. At this time, more especially, will we speak, that "by
grace are ye saved through faith": because, never was the
maintaining this doctrine more seasonable than it is at this
day. Nothing but this can effectually prevent the increase of
the Romish delusion among us. It is endless to attack, one by
one, all the errors of that Church. But salvation by faith strikes
at the root, and all fall at once where this is established.
It was this doctrine, which our Church justly calls the strong
rock and foundation of the Christian religion, that first drove
Popery out of these kingdoms; and it is this alone can keep
it out. Nothing but this can give a check to that immorality
which hath "overspread the land as a flood." Can you
empty the great deep, drop by drop? Then you may reform us by
dissuasives from particular vices. But let the "righteousness
which is of God by faith be brought in, and so shall its proud
waves be stayed. Nothing but this can stop the mouths of those
who "glory in their shame, and openly deny the Lord that
bought them." They can talk as sublimely of the law, as
he that hath it written by God in his heart To hear them speak
on this head might incline one to think they were not far from
the kingdom of God: but take them out of the law into the gospel;
begin with the righteousness of faith; with Christ, "the
end of the law to every one that believeth;" and those
who but now appeared almost, if not altogether, Christians,
stand confessed the sons of perdition; as far from life and
salvation (God be merciful unto them!) as the depth of hell
from the height of heaven.
9. For this reason the adversary so rages whenever "salvation
by faith" is declared to the world: for this reason did
he stir up earth and hell, to destroy those who first preached
it. And for the same reason, knowing that faith alone could
overturn the foundations of his kingdom, did he call forth all
his forces, and employ all his arts of lies and calumny, to
affright Martin Luther from reviving it. Nor can we wonder thereat;
for, as that man of God observes, "How would it enrage
a proud, strong man armed, to be stopped and set at nought by
a little child coming against him with a reed in his hand!"
especially when he knew that little child would surely overthrow
him, and tread him under foot. Even so, Lord Jesus! Thus hath
Thy strength been ever "made perfect in weakness!"
Go forth then, thou little child that believest in him, and
his "right hand shall teach thee terrible things!"
Though thou art helpless and weak as an infant of days, the
strong man shall not be able to stand before thee. Thou shalt
prevail over him, and subdue him, and overthrow him and trample
him under thy feet. Thou shalt march on, under the great Captain
of thy salvation, "conquering and to conquer," until
all thine enemies are destroyed, and "death is swallowed
up in victory."
Now, thanks be to God,
which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ; to
whom, with the Father and the Holy Ghost, be blessing, and glory,
and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might,
for ever and ever. Amen
Edited
anonymously at the Memorial University of Newfoundland with
corrections and other modifications by Ryan Danker and George
Lyons of Northwest Nazarene University.
Copyright
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