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THE

GREAT CONCERN

SALVATION.

BY THE

REV. THOMAS HALYBURTON.

IN TWO PARTS.

PHILADELPHIA *.
PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1838, by
A. W. Mitchell, M. D., in the Office of the Clerk of the District
Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

3 &1 * $

STEREOTYPED BY L. JOHNSON, PHILA.

ADVERTISEMENT.

The Great Concern of Salvation was not
prepared for the press by its lamented author.
It was originally prepared as a series of dis-
courses to the people of Ceres parish, of which
he was then minister. The former editions of
the work are in the form in which it was first
written, and in which it was left by the author
at his decease. The present edition is re- written
and abridged, for the Presbyterian Board of
Publication. It is also divided into sections
and chapters, and freed from many of the nu-
merical subdivisions of former editions. The
Scotticisms and obsolete words of the original
are none of them retained ; and some paragraphs
which were either of a local nature or not im-
portant to the main design of the work, and
many repetitions which, though important in
delivering a series of discourses, are unnecessary

3

ADVERTISEMENT.

in a printed book, are wholly omitted. It has
been the design to give the principal thoughts
and reasonings of the original, in as concise a
form as the nature and object of the work would
permit. Of the character of the author, and
the excellence of his writings, it is not import-
ant here to speak ; they have long been known
to the Christian public. The writer will only
add, that, however imperfectly he may have
abridged the " Great Concern of Salvation,"
the advantages derived from it are a rich re-
ward for all his labour. To no book, except
the Bible, has he been more indebted than to

this

Charles C. Corss.

CONTENTS.

PART I.

A DISCOVERY OF MA^'s NATURAL STATE ; OR, THE GUILTY
SINNER CONVICTED.

CHAPTER I.

Page

Explication of the subject 7

Sect. I. — Preliminary Remarks 7

Sect. II.— Nature, Extent, &c, of Sin 12

Sect. III. — Import of the phrase, " Come short of

the glory of God " 15

CHAPTER II.

The subject discussed and applied 19

Sect. I. — The charge read and opened 19

Great evils implied in sin 25

Aggravations of sin 31

Sect. II. — Witnesses against the sinner 34

Sect. III. — Address to different classes of persons 39

Sect. IV. — Satisfaction required of the sinner. ... 55

Sect. V. — Reasonableness of this satisfaction 59

Sect. VI.— The misery of sinners 66

PART II.

MAN'S RECOVERY BY FAITH IN CHRIST, OR THE CON-
VICTED SINNER'S CASE AND CURE.

CHAPTER I.

The jailer's question considered 70

Conviction for sin characterized 71

1* 5

t) CONTENTS.

Page

The nature of salvation for which the sinner

is anxious 74

The nature of the sinner's concern 76

CHAPTER II.

Practical improvement of the subject 82

Sect. I. — The reader put upon trial . . 82

Sect. II. — Address to the unconvinced 87

Sect. III. — Address to those who are awakened.. . 99

CHAPTER III.

The apostle's answer to the jailer considered 100

Sect. I. — The answer explained 100

Sect. II. — The convictions and feelings of the sin-
ner immediately before believing .... 102

Sect. III. — Character and work of Christ 104

Sect. IV. & V.— Nature of faith 116-123

Sect. VI. — Import of salvation 128

Sect. VII. — Certainty of salvation to true believers 133

CHAPTER IV.

Improvement of the subject 138

Sect. I. — Several sorts of unbelievers described. . 138

Sect. II.— What are no true marks of faith 144

Sect. III. — Some of the marks of saving faith. ... 154

Sect. IV. — Address to unbelievers 163

Sect. V. — Address to those who are in doubt 170

Sect. VI. — Address to those who have reason to

say they believe 1 74

PART I.

A DISCOVERY OF MAN'S NATURAL STATE; OR,
THE GUILTY SINNER CONVICTED.

Rev. iii. 22.— All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.

CHAPTER I.

EXPLICATION OF THE SUBJECT.

Section I. Preliminary Remarks, — The great
concern of man is suggested by three important
inquiries ; What have I done ? What shall I do to
be saved? What shall I render to the Lord ? To
the question, What have we done ? the Bible
answers, "All have sinned, and come short of the
glory of God." If it be asked, What shall we do
to be saved ? the answer is, " Believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." And if it
be asked, " What shall we render to the Lord for
all his mercies ?" we may reply in the words of
the Psalmist, "I will take the cup of salvation,
and call upon the name of the Lord ;" or in the
language of the prophet, " He hath showed thee,

7

8 THE GREAT CONCERN

O rn/in, what is good, and what doth the Lord
require of thee, but to do justly, and to love
mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God ?"

Ministers of the Gospel are principally con-
cerned with the second inquiry. They are to
persuade men to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
But as they come not to call the righteous, but
sinners to repentance, the foundation must be
laid in a correct view of man's natural state.
Before we offer Christ, we must show your need
of him; before we present the offers of mercy,
we must describe your misery ; before we call
you to repentance, we must show your guilt.
On this account your attention is now invited to
the words of the apostle, " all have sinned, and
come short of the glory of God." This pas-
sage contains a general assertion, in which all
stand convicted of sin. All, rich and poor, high
and low, Jew and Gentile, have sinned, and
come short of the glory of God. It is not as-
serted, that they may sin ; and if tempted, may
fall ; but that they are already involved in guilt.
The original word rendered come short, is em-
phatical ; it properly signifies to fall short of the
mark aimed at, or to fall behind in a race, so as
to lose the prize. Man, in his first state, had a
fair prospect for glory. He had power to run

OF SALVATION. 9

the race ; and the enemy had no ability to pre-
vent his winning the prize. But though man
had originally no encumbrances to retard his
progress, yet he fell short of the glory of God.
He lost the peculiar enjoyment of the Divine
favour, of which he had so fair a prospect ; and
the image of God, which was his glory, together
with the advantages by which it was to be
attended.

The text of Scripture, " All have sinned, and
come short of the glory of God," expresses the
sentiment, That all, tvho have descended from
Adam in the ordinary way, have sinned, and
thereby come short of the glory of God. A few
propositions will prepare the way for a con-
sideration of this momentous truth.

First. God is the absolute and independent
sovereign of the world. " The Lord Most High
is terrible ; he is a great king over all the earth,"
and he alone is able to manage the affairs of so
great a province ; for there is none like him,
neither are there any works like his works.
The excellence of his nature gives him alone a
claim to absolute sovereignty, " Forasmuch as
there is none like unto thee, O Lord ; thou art
great, and thy name is great in might. Who
would not fear thee, O King of nations ? For

10 THE GREAT CONCERN

to thee doth it appertain, forasmuch as there is
none like unto thee." His right to rule is also
founded upon his being the Creator of all things,
" The Lord is a great King above all gods. The
sea is his own, he made it." " O Jacob and
Israel, thou art my servant ; I have formed thee,
thou art my servant, O Israel." In short, his
preserving all things, and his manifold mercies
to his creatures, give him the best of all claims
to absolute dominion. And his infinite wisdom,
power, holiness, and justice, not only render
him a perfect ruler, but make entire obedience
to his authority desirable to all who know their
best interests.

Second. God has given laws to all his crea-
tures, by which he governs them. Not to men-
tion those for the control of the inanimate crea-
tion ; he has prescribed to men their work.
" There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save
and to destroy." " For the Lord is our Judge,
the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King."
We are not in any thing left to our own arbitrary
choice. He who has said to the sea, " Hitherto
shalt thou come, and no farther," has likewise
so dealt with man. But the holy laws by which
on every hand he has limited man, are not like
those set to the waves of the sea ; for God deals

OF SALVATION. 11

with us in a manner suited to our nature. Reason
is given to man; and his limits he cannot pass,
without abandoning his highest interest.

Third. The great Lawgiver has annexed re-
wards and punishments to his laws. The
authority of God cannot be disregarded with
impunity. His glory he will not give to an-
other ; and therefore his laws are guarded with
suitable rewards and punishments. He was
under no obligation to give any reward for obe-
dience, beyond that which flows from obedience.
And this is sufficient ; for in keeping his com-
mandments " there is great reward." But such
was his goodness, that he promised to reward
obedience with eternal life. Now this reward
is greater than obedience deserved, and suited
only to the bounty of the giver. On the other
hand, a dreadful penalty is annexed to disobe-
dience. God has not made it impossible for us
to break his laws, if we choose to do it ;■ but if
we do, the curse is inevitable, " Cursed is every
one that continueth not in all things written in
the book of the law to do them."

Fourth. These laws have a fourfold pro-
perty. " Wherefore the law is holy, and the
commandment holy, just, and good." "We
know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal,

12 THE GREAT CONCERN

sold under sin." The law is holy. It is an
exact transcript of the holy will of God. There
is nothing in it unworthy of Him, who is of
purer eyes than to behold iniquity. The law
is just. It is given as the rule of justice among
men. It renders to God his due, as well as to
man. Man has no title to any thing, but from
this law. Beyond what this grants, nothing can
be justly claimed. The law is good. It was
made with regard to the welfare of those who
live under it ; and not to gratify the lusts of the
wicked. And with this regard to our good in
time and eternity, our duty and interest are
made inseparable ; and disobedience and pu-
nishment are alike inseparable. The law is spi-
ritual. It is not like human laws, which extend
only to outward actions ; but it is spiritual,
reaching to all the thoughts and intents of the
heart. This made the Psalmist exclaim, "I
have seen an end of all perfection, but thy com-
mandment is exceeding broad."

Section II. Nature, Extent, fyc, of Sin.^—
First. Sin is a want of conformity to the law,
of which we have already spoken. This law
regards not only actions, but the principle from
which they proceed. It not only enjoins holy

OF SALVATION. 13

thoughts, words, and actions ; but it moreover
requires that the habitual temper of our hearts
be holy. If we come short of this, we sin.
The tree must be good, or the fruit cannot be
good. And our services must be performed
with all the strength and heart and mind.

Second. Sin imports also a transgression of
the law. " For sin is the transgression of the
law." Indeed, transgression, in its widest
sense, comprehends all sin ; but it is frequently-
restricted to actual sins, as the former branch
of this description is restricted to sins of omis-
sion. Sin is opposition to the law of God. God
commands us to arise and work, but man re-
fuses and sits still : God forbids specified sin-
ful actions ; but man disregards the prohibition
and performs them.

Third. Hence, sin in its nature implies con-
tempt of God ; for it flows from a secret enmity
against him. Men may be so blinded as not to
view it in this light ; but God makes breaking
and contemning the law to be the same thing.
" Thus saith the Lord, for three transgressions
of Judah, and for four, I will not turn away the
punishment thereof, because they have despised
the law of the Lord, and have not kept his com-
mandments, and their lies caused them to err,
2

14 THE GREAT CONCERN

after the which their fathers have walked." In
the view of most men, sin is a harmless thing ;
but when seen in its true nature, it is far other-
wise ; since it is nothing less than trampling on
the authority and goodness of God, and endea-
vouring, as it were, to dethrone him.

Fourth. But for the further elucidation of
this subject, notice a twofold inseparable pro-
perty or adjunct of sin. First, sin is the defile-
ment of the soul. The beauty and glory of
man consists in his conformity to the holy law
of God ; and so far as he deviates from this
standard, he is polluted and denied. God has
said of sin, " Oh, do not this abominable thing
that I hate." Secondly, sin is also attended
with a liability to punishment. " The wages
of sin is death." " Cursed is every one tha<.
continueth not in all things written in the book
of the law to do them."

II. But the word all, in the phrase " all have
sinned," has a very extensive import.

First. It implies that persons of all ages are
involved in the same common misery; the
child, as well as the old man who is stooping
into the grave. If children have not sinned
" after the similitude of Adam's transgression,"
they have derived sin enough from Adam to

OF SALVATION. 15

defile them. The aged need not envy even the
infant of days ; for the youngest has sin enough
to render it depraved, vicious, and guilty.

Second. Persons of all professions and all
ranks are sinners. The apostle speaks of all
mankind in two classes, Jew and Gentile, and
proves them all to be sinners. Even those very
men who have so far forgot themselves as to
fancy that they are above all law, are, like others,
liable to punishment, for violating the law of
God.

Section III. Import of the phrase, " Come
short of the glory of God" — First. Man has
fallen short of the glory he had by the con-
formity of his nature to God. In his first
estate he was indeed " the image and glory of
God." How wonderfully did the mind of in-
nocent Adam, full of light, represent that God
is light, and that in him is no darkness at all !
Other creatures had some fainter representations
of the divine glory, wisdom, and power, but man
alone, in this lower world, was capable of re-
presenting the holiness, righteousness, purity,
and other moral perfections of his Maker ; and
on this account man was "the glory of God."
God, as it were, gloried in him as the master-

16 THE GREAT CONCERN

piece of this visible creation, in whom more of
himself was to be seen than in all the rest
besides. But this peculiar excellence man has
now lost ; he has fallen short of that which
made him the glory of God.

Second. Man has lost the glory he had as
God's deputy in the world. He was made lord
of God's works on earth. Animals came to him
to pay homage, and receive names from him in
paradise. But now the " crown is fallen from
his head ;" he has come short of this glory :
the creatures refuse subjection to him.

Third. Man has come short of the glory he
had in the enjoyment of God in paradise. He
had the honour and happiness of conversing
freely in Eden with his Maker. And what more
could he want, while this blessed intimacy was
kept up with the all-sufficient God? But of
this he has now come short.

Fourth. Man has come short of the glory he
had in prospect. He was originally well fur-
nished for a journey to glory. But the ex-
pression, "falling short," contains more than
this. Though at first we may suppose it to point
only at the negative, yet it certainly includes
the positive ; and therefore it implies, not only
that man has lost his original beauty and con-

OF SALVATION. 17

formity to the image of God, but that he is
fallen and denied by sin.

Fifth. Not only has man lost the dominion he
had, but he is become a slave to sin. He who
once was so exalted, is now debased to the
image of Satan. He is now exposed to insult,
and his life is in jeopardy, even from the mean-
est of the creatures that once yielded to him as
their sovereign. He is now, as it were, scarcely
capable of looking towards God, with whom he
once enjoyed delightful and soul-refreshing
communion. The sight of God, which once
was his life, is now to him as death.

Sixth. Not only has man forfeited his title to
future happiness, but by sin he has merited end-
less and inconceivable wo. From how high a
hope, into what an abyss of misery, has man
fallen by sin ! Where now is the glory ?

But this subject directs us to the source of all
this misery. It flows from the guilt of Adam's
first sin. By the wise, just, and holy appoint-
ment of God, Adam represented all his pos-
terity. Had he stood, in him we all had stood;
we should then have retained our innocence,
and with it the love and the smiles of heaven.
But by the disobedience of this one man we
were all made sinners. " Therefore, as by one
2*

18 THE GREAT CONCERN

man sin entered into the world, and death by
sin ; and so death passed upon all men, for that
all have sinned."

It flows also from the natural depravity of
man transmitted to us. We are shapen in ini-
quity. We cannot bring a clean thing out of
an unclean. Our natures have an inclination to
evil, "only evil continually." And it flows
from abounding temptations. As our hearts
are prone to evil, so every thing in this present
disorder on account of sin, is suited to carry on
the infection. The creatures, by reason of sin,
are made subject to vanity. They are made
subservient to the lust of men ; and the devil
and our corrupt hearts daily abuse them to this
end. Thus all men have sinned and come
short of the glory of God.

OF SALVATION. If

CHAPTER II.

THE SUBJECT DISCUSSED AND APPLIED,

Section I. Tlie charge read and opened. —
The charge brought against you, reader, is not
a slight misdemeanor, that may be atoned for
by a bare acknowledgment, or a heartless cry
for mercy. It is one of awful magnitude, for it
is that of sin against the great Sovereign of the
world. Sin is an ordinary word, and most men
conclude that but little is comprehended in it.
But in reality there is more in it than men or
angels can ever fully unfold. Do not consider
this a groundless allegation ; but consider well
the reasons upon which it is founded.

I. Your serious attention is first invited to
some views of sin.

First. View it in the glass of God's law. The
Most High and Holy God has exhibited his will
in two tables, containing rules that are holy, just,
and every way advantageous for the govern-
ment of man. Here, you may see sin dashing
in pieces these two tables, in a much worse sense
than Moses did. Every sin throws them to the
ground; for, "Whosoever shall keep the whole
law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of

2C THE GREAT CONCERN

all." Is it a small thing to trample under foot
the holy and righteous law of God, that law
which is the image of perfect holiness and spot-
less purity?

Second. Take a view of sin in the nature of
God, the fountain of all glory, excellency, and
majesty, and how hateful will it appear ! No-
thing in all the world, but sin, is opposed to God.
The meanest creature, the crawling insect, has
nothing in its nature really opposed to the nature
of God. Sin, and sin alone, is opposed. With
this he cannot dwell. " Evil shall not dwell
with him, nor sinners stand in his sight." "O,
do not this abominable thing that I hate."

Third. View sin in the threatening of God's
law, and see how it is there estimated. All the
power of heaven, and the wrath of God, are ar-
rayed against sin. Take one instance in the
seventh chapter of the book of Joshua. There,
a people accustomed to victory retreat before
the enemy, and fall a prey to a people devoted
to destruction ; and, more than this, God calls
all the people accursed, and says, " Neither will
I be wTith you any more, except ye destroy the
accursed from among you." But why ? what
means this vengeance ? There was a sin com-
mitted ; Achan had taken some of the spoil,
contrary to the Divine permission. Here a sin-

OF SALVATION. 21

gle sin brought down the threatening^ of God
against a whole nation. In short, look through
the Bible, and you will see one threatening
full of temporal, and another full of eternal
plagues ; one full of external, and another
of internal and spiritual woes ; and all directed
against sin.

Fourth. View sin in the judgments of God.
In one nation, thousands are falling before the
avenging enemy ; the sword is glutted with
blood. In another, as many are swept off by
pestilence ; and all are wearing out by time.
Go to the churchyards, and see the rubbish of
many generations. Find you nothing of sin in
all this ? As Jehu exclaimed, when he saw the
dead sons of Ahab, " Who slew all these ?" Who
brought down these sons of pride, that had just
been exulting in warlike glory ? Who filled
your churchyards with fathers and mothers,
sons and daughters, high and low, rich and poor?
Surely sin has done it ; for " as by one man sin
entered into the world, and death by sin ; and
so death passed upon all men, for that all have
sinned."

Fifth. Listen to one under conviction of sin ;
read the eighty-eighth Psalm ; andthere'witness
the trouble of a soul filled with the terrors of the
wrath of God. Now, when you see one thus

22 THE GREAT CONCERN

crying out in anguish of spirit, and tossed by
the billows of divine wrath, were you to ask the
occasion of all his distress, he would tell you,
sin has caused it all.

Sixth. View sin in the hateful and enormous
crimes that are committed. They bring infamy
and disgrace even in the eyes of men. Human
nature, corrupt as it is, shrinks at their enormity.
There are sins which " are not so much as
named among the Gentiles." Now, if a man be
guilty of these, he becomes odious, even in the
eyes of the world. But why 1 what is there so
odious in these crimes, that men flee from the
persons guilty of them ? There is sin in them ;
and hence they are so hateful ; and the only
thing that distinguishes these from others, is
their circumstantial aggravations ; for in their
nature all sins agree. The least of them, as
well as the greatest, is a violation of the holy
law of God, and a contempt of the great Law-
giver. And if sin appears so odious in these
crying enormities, in reality it is as much so
when less perceptible in sins more familiar to
our corrupt natures.

Seventh. View sin in the case of the finally
lost. O ! could you look into the pit of wo, and
see the damned in chains of darkness, you might
then have some sense of the evil of sin. It is sin

OF SALVATION. 23

which has kindled the flames of everlasting- fire.
It is sin which thrusts the damned down to hell ;
it is sin which holds them there, and will hold
them there forever. Could you have a just
impression of these things, how hateful would
sin appear !

Eighth. View sin in the sufferings of Christ.
Here, 0 sinner, as in a glass, behold your own
heart. You think it a little matter that you have
sinned ; you "roll sin as a sweet morsel under
your tongue." But come, now, and see it hold-
ing the sword ; or rather thrusting it into the
Saviour's side ! Here is a sight which made
the earth tremble, and the sun hide his f ice.
Here you see how God looks upon sin. All
the affection he bore to the Son of his eternal
love, could not stay the hand of justice from in-
flicting death upon him, for the sin of the world.
Here you may see more of the evil of sin than
anywhere else. Deep indeed must the pollu-
tion be, if nothing but the blood of the Son of
God could wash it away. Never did we have
more dreadful evidence of the power of sin
than when it blinded the eyes of men, so that
they could not discern " the glory of the only
begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth ;"
though his Divine nature daily beamed through
his human, in words which none but God could

24 THE GREAT CONCERN

speak, and works which none but God could
do. Yet such was the power of sin, that it hur-
ried men to the awful crime of imbruing their
hands in the blood of the Son of God.

But perhaps some may ask, what have we to
do with this ? We have never put to death the
Son of God, and hence we cannot here see any
crime of our own. But suppose we grant what
you say as to your innocence in this matter, yet
here we see much of the nature of sin ; since all
sin partakes of the same common nature, and is
every way equal to, if not the very same, against
which God in so awful a manner manifested his
displeasure, when he " spared not his own Son,"
but "laid on him the iniquity of us all." But
does not that very sin lie at your door? Dare
you raise your eyes to Heaven, and say, that
you received Christ the first time an offer of him
was made to you ? If not, then you do as much
as to say that putting him to death was no crime.
By your conduct you justify the Jews, and thus
in their crimes you may see your own. There
can be no neutral ground here. All to whom
the Gospel comes, must be either for or against
the Jews in their rejecting and crucifying Christ ;
and in no other way can we give testimony
against them, than by believing the Gospel re-
port, that he was the Son of God, the Saviour of

OF SALVATION. 25

the world. So far as we lack this belief, we are
guilty of the death of Christ ; for unbelief sub-
scribes to the charge of the Jews against him,
and declares him an impostor. You are either
a believer or an unbeliever. If a believer, then
it was for your very sins that Christ was cruci-
fied. For " he was wounded for our transgres-
sions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the
chastisement of our peace was upon him, and
with his stripes we are healed. All we, like
sheep, have gone astray ; we have turned every
one to his own way ; and the Lord hath laid on
him the iniquity of us all." If you are an unbe-
liever, then you reject the witness Christ gave
of himself; and therefore you practically declare
him an impo-stor, and worthy of death ; and you
virtually give your consent to the cruelty of the
Jews in the sentence of his condemnation.

II. Notice also some of the great evils im-
plied in sin.

First. The least sin has atheism in it. An
Atheist, or one who denies the existence of a
God, is a creature so degenerate, that some have
doubted whether there ever was a human being
who disbelieved the existence of God. But
there are many practical Atheists, who "profess
that they know God, but in works they deny
him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto
3

26 THE GREAT CONCERN

every good work reprobate." The Psalmist
thus describes the natural man : " The fool hath
said in his heart, There is no God." From this
state of the heart flows a train of practical im-
pieties ; " Corrupt are they, and have done
abominable iniquity ; there is none that doeth
good." Now the Psalmist here speaks of the
whole race of Adam ; and the Apostle to the
Romans employs the passage above quoted to
prove that " all have sinned, and come short of
the glory of God." And, indeed, do we not all
deny his sovereignty when we violate his laws ?
When we commit sin, do we not deny and dis-
honour his holiness ? Do we not disparage his
wisdom, when we set up our own will as the
guide of our actions ? And do we not deny his
all-sufficiency when we find more in sin or in
the creature than in him ? In short, sin, one
way or another, is a denial of all God's attributes,
and therefore every sin has Atheism in it ; and
they who are most ready to question this truth
are probably the most guilty.

Second. Every sin has idolatry in it. But
you say you have never bowed down to an idol ;
you were better taught. But do you think that
Pagan rites alone have idolatry in them ? The
pr©phet Ezekiel speaks of those who were as
punctual as you are in attending upon the ex-

OF SALVATIOX. 27

ternal duties of religion ; they were externally
in covenant with God as well as you. Nor is it
at all improbable that they abjured external
idolatry ; for the Jews after the Babylonish cap-
tivity, when Ezekiel lived, never followed idols
as before. Yet hear the message of the Prophet
to them : " Son of man, these men have set up
their idols in their heart, and have put the
stumbling-block of their iniquity before their
face." Every one is an idolater who gives to
any thing but God that place in his heart which
belongs to God alone. Who is not guilty of this
when he serves sin ? For by serving sin, he
substitutes either himself or Satan in God's
room.

Third. Sin has blasphemy in it. It reproaches
God. They who " set their mouth against the
heavens" are not the only blasphemers, but
those also who reproach God in their actions.
" But the soul that doeth ought presumptuously,
whether he be born in the land or a stranger,
the same reproacheth the Lord ; and that soul
shall be cut off from among his people. Because
he hath despised the word of the Lord and
hath broken his commandment, that soul shall
be utterly cut off; his iniquity shall be upon
him." God in his laws designed to manifest
his wisdom as the Supreme Governor of the

28 THE GREAT CONCERN

world. But the sinner's conduct charges God
with folly, inasmuch as he prefers his own will
to the divine commands. Sin also reproaches
God's goodness ; for in refusing subjection to
his laws, the sinner practically declares that
these laws have not sufficient goodness in them
to claim his obedience ; that God by them has
deprived him of that good which ought to have
been conceded. And sin likewise reproaches
the righteousness and holiness of God ; for these
attributes are stamped upon that law, wThich
sinners reject and trample on. " He that be-
lieveth not God hath made him a liar," and to
disbelieve God is to accuse him either of un-
righteousness or folly. Now this part of the
charge goes even beyond Atheism ; for the
Atheist entirely disowns God, and so entertains
no such unsuitable thoughts of him as he who
owns him, and yet by his practice accuses him
of ignorance, unrighteousness or folly.

Fourth. Every sin has robbery in it. One
part of God's glory, which he has said he will
not give to another, is his absolute dominion.
Now every sinner, so far as he disobeys God,
endeavours to take from him the command and
exercise it himself, or give it to another, than
which there can be no greater robbery. He
who obeys the command, gives God the glory

OF SALVATION. 29

of his authority and owns him Governor of the
world. And this is a part of God's property ;
it is the revenue he requires of the world ; but
the sinner, by every sin he commits, endeavours
to rob him of this glory. " Will a man rob
God? yet ye have robbed me. But ye say,
Wherein have we robbed thee ? In tithes and
offerings ! Ye are cursed with a curse, for ye
have robbed me, even this whole nation." So
sinners now may ask, Wherein have we robbed
God ? We may reply, You have robbed him
of that which is far more valuable than tithes
and offerings. In every sin you rob him of
that which is better to him than sacrifice. " Hath
the Lord as great delight in burnt-offerings and
sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord ?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to
hearken than the fat of rams."

Fifth. Every sin has rebellion in it. The in-
famy of rebellion has often been put upon men
for disobeying the unlawful and impious com-
mands of their fellow-men, while disobedience
to God has received a more mild and favourable
name. But if we call things by their right
names, sin alone is rebellion, and of this crime
every sinner is guilty. "If ye will not obey
the voice of the Lord, but rebel against the
commandments of the Lord, then shall the
3*

30 THE GREAT CONCERN

hand of the Lord be against you." Thus you
see that God has declared disobedience and
rebellion to be the same thing, and hence every ,
sin is rebellion against God.

Sixth. Every sin has murder in it. If he
that "hateth his brother is a murderer," cer-
tainly he who sins against his own soul is no
less so. It is sin that destroys the soul ; and
he who practises sin does that which murders
not the body only, but body and soul. The
sinner is therefore a self-murderer. But again,
if he who "hateth his brother is a murderer,"
and if "the carnal mind is enmity against
God," is the latter offence deserving of a milder
name than the former 1 Not that every one
who hates his brother intends to murder him ;
but that hatred to a brother, so far as it goes,
tends that way ; nor that every sinner intends
to dethrone and destroy his Maker ; bat that
sin, so far as it goes, tends that way. If enmity
to God were acted out without limit, it would
take away the divine sovereignty, and with it,
the divine will and glory; and without these,
God, as God, could not exist.

We have now seen, that in sinning you are
guilty of atheism, idolatry, blasphemy, robbery,
rebellion, and murder. But,

III. These offences, in themselves considered,

OF SALVATION. 31

are not all ; they are attended with many fear-
ful aggravations, which, as it were, are so many
ciphers put after the figures, that, though in
themselves nothing, when put after, swell the
number to a prodigious amount.

First. You have sinned in the face of all the
Divine threatenings. When the torments of hell
have been before you, you have still dared to
provoke the Most High ; thus despising these
evidences of his anger. Who, in some remark-
able instance or other, has not seen the judg-
ments of God against sinners ? And yet you go
on in sin. You sin against glorious Gospel or-
dinances, all of which are designed to prevent
or destroy sin. You have sinned against the
strivings of the Holy Spirit, which are given in
mercy to lead you to repentance. And you
have sinned against Jesus Christ, who has died
for the sins of men. The God who has pro-
vided all these helps against sin, is the God
against whom you have rebelled in all these
fearful violations of his law.

Second. You have sinned against God, not-
withstanding all the favours with which he has
loaded you. Sad requital for all his loving-
kindness ; " Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O
earth, for the Lord hath spoken: I have nou-

32 THE GREAT CONCERN

rished and brought up children, and they have
rebelled against me."

Thousands of the Divine favours are shown
you every day. God loads you with his bene-
fits, while you load yourselves with sins against
him. You make these very mercies, as it were,
weapons of unrighteousness to fight against him.
"Whatever good you see around you, whatever
you enjoy, you have from him. In him you
live, and move, and have your being. There-
fore your sins are all acts of great ingratitude ;
and in this respect man is worse than the beasts
of the field. "The ox knoweth his owner, and
the ass his master's crib." The dullest beast
knows who treats him kindly, and gives indica-
tions of gratitude for the kindness ; but sinners
rebel against the God of their mercies, and thus
are guilty of the grossest ingratitude. Reader,
will you continue thus to requite the Lord ?

Third. All this wickedness is without any
provocation. When subjects rebel against their
rulers, they will plead some excuse for their
rebellion. But wrhat can you say to justify
rebellion against God ? What fault have you
found in him that you should forsake his ways ?
" Produce your cause, saith the Lord ; bring
forth your strong reasons, saith the king of
Jacob." He made the universe, and placed

OF SALVATION. 33

you upon the earth. He sustains you by his
power, and every hour gives you the tokens of
his kindness. By his wisdom he guides the
affairs of earth and heaven, and provides for
your every want, and there is none like him to
be his competitor. Who then can dispute his
claim to the sovereignty of the world ? Who
can say that any of his laws are unjust ? " Shall
not the Judge of all the earth do right ?" Who
will dare to plead that any of the Divine laws
are too strict in their demands ? For who can-
not see that society is prosperous and happy,
just in proportion as men yield to the wisdom
of the Divine laws 1 And thus you sin without
the least prospect of advantage. You " spend
your money for that which is not bread, and
your labour for that which satisfieth not."
Could you plead the possibility of advantage,
or were you overcome by temptation which
there were no means of avoiding or resisting,
your case would be otherwise ; but this you
dare not plead, you can plead nothing but that
you are guilty.

This is the charge against you ; what have
you to answer to it ? You must say with Job ;
" If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall con-
demn me ; if I say I am perfect, it shall also
prove me perverse." If you acknowledge your

34 THE GREAT CONCERN

guilt, as certainly you must, what means your
indifference ? Why are you not alarmed for
your soul? Do you not believe that "it is a
fearful thing- to fall into the hands of the living"
God ?" Is the punishment of iniquity nothing
to be dreaded? Plead not, reader, that your
conscience has never accused you of the sins
which have now been charged upon you. You
may have laboured to keep the eyes of your
conscience closed, lest it should reprove you,
and give you pain; or your sins may have
lulled it to sleep, so that, if it speak at all, its
voice is too feeble to rouse you from your in-
difference. And if the frequency of your sins
has rendered you insensible to their malignity,
you cannot plead that you are the less guilty.
If God has declared your sins to be what
they have now been represented, beware that
you be not found disputing and fighting against
God.

Section II. Witnesses produced to prove the
charge. — First. God is witness against you, as
he was against his people of old. " Even I
know, and am a witness, saith the Lord."
"And if we say that we have not sinned, we
make him a liar, and his word is not in us."
Such are the words of the just Judge of all the

OF SALVATION. 35

earth ; and therefore there canbe no malice or in-
justice in your condemnation. "As 1 live,
saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death
of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from
his way and live." Certainly it could be no
pleasure to him to ruin the work of his own
hands. You cannot then question the validity
of this witness.

Second. Jesus Christ, the Amen and Faithful
Witness, gives evidence against you. He came
to bear witness of the truth. "He that be-
lieveth on him is not condemned, but he that
believeth not is condemned already, because
he hath not believed in the name of the only
begotten Son of God." The very name of
Christ is a witness. He is called Jesus, be-
cause " he shall save his people from their
sins." This implies that they are all sinners.

Third. The Holy Spirit is a witness. It is
one of the offices of the Spirit to convince of
sin. "And when he is come, he will reprove
the world of sin." And if this witness should
speak to your heart and conscience, as he
sometimes speaks, you would need no more
witnesses. Thus, the Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit bear record, and set their seal to this
truth. Now the testimony of two men of vera-
city is sufficient to prove a man guilty, however

36 THE GREAT CONCERN

great the crime alleged against him ; but " if we
receive the witness of men, the witness of God
is greater."

Fourth. Your own conscience is witness
against you. I appeal to this. You do indeed
bear witness against yourselves. Those who
are baptized do it in baptism ; for, as "the whole
need not a physician, but they that are sick,"
so the clean need not washing, but the defiled ;
and he who washes admits his need of cleans-
ing. Your attendance on Gospel ordinances
is a witness against you, that you are defiled
with sin ; for all these ordinances aim at the
salvation of sinners. The very name Christian
is a witness ; for if you are a Christian, you be-
long to Christ, and Christ's people are those
whom he saves from their sins. He came to
'* save his people from their sins."

Fifth. The Sacred Scriptures are a witness.
They are full of the sad truth, that you are a
guilty sinner. " As it is written, there is none
righteous, no, not one ; there is none that under-
standeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
They are all gone out of the way, they are to-
gether become unprofitable, there is none that
doeth good, no, not one." The Scriptures do
not make one exception among all the sons of
men.

OF SALVATION'. 37

Sixth. The preachers of the Gospel are wit-
nesses against you, that you have sinned. This
testimony is implied in the very design of their
office. The apostle Paul, in his epistle to Ti-
mothy, states that the object of preachers of the
Gospel should be to save themselves and others.
When they preach Christ to you, they proclaim
your need of him, because of your sins. When
they offer you a Saviour, they in effect assert
that you are lost ; for none but the lost have
need of a Saviour to save them. When they
preach repentance, they affirm that all have
sins which render repentance necessary.- When
they entreat you to be reconciled to God, their
words imply that you are his enemy. And
when they preach Christ to you, you must
either receive or reject him. If you receive
him, it is testimony that you were a sinner, and
in need of him. If you reject him, you stand
charged with unbelief, one of the greatest sins.
u He that believeth not God, hath made him a
liar, because he believeth not the record that
God gave of his Son; and this is the record, that
God hath given to us eternal life, and this life
is in his Son."

Seventh. The whole creation asserts that all
have sinned, and come short of the glory of
God. " The whole creation groaneth, and tra-
4

38 THE GREAT CONCERN

vaileth in pain together until now." And it is
" the bondage of corruption," sin, which causes
the groans. The sin of man has caused it all.
The beasts which you wear out with toil, to ad-
minister to your wants, or abuse to administer
to your pleasures, or torment when you are
angry; and the animals which you slaughter
for your daily meat, all groan for your sin.
And were your ears not deafened by sin, you
would hear the groans of the very ground upon
which you tread, the food which you eat, and
the clothes which you wear. It is not the use,
it is the perversion of the creation, which makes
the groaning. The sun that shines upon the
sinner seems to groan, that it must give light to
one who uses that light as an occasion of sin-
ning against God. The earth groans in thunders,
and lightnings, and whirlwinds, and volcanoes,
and earthquakes, and pestilence, and famine, and
war, that its surface must bear the oppressive
load of man's sin. And the food that we eat
complains, that it must be perverted to serve
man's lust, and give him that strength which he
spends in sinning against God. "The stone
shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of
the timber shall answer it."

Eighth. Finally, the judgments of God are
witnesses. What has filled the earth with mi-

OF SALVA.TION. 39

sery and death ? Can there be an instance of
suffering that is not a witness of sin ? " Re-
member, I pray thee, who ever perished being
innocent ?" " Affliction cometh not forth of the
dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the
ground." And above all, the unparalleled suf-
ferings of Christ bear the most incontestible
witness to the sins of man ; "for he was wound-
ed for our transgressions." And death bears
fearful testimony that man has sinned ; for " the
wages of sin is death." None then can plead
freedom from guilt till they can plead exemp-
tion from death. But as no man will pretend
exemption from death, all evasions in this mat-
ter must be vain. Reader, you may deceive
yourself, if you choose, up to the hour of death.
But death will strip off every mask, and make
you honest. It will convince you that you have
sinned, and for your sins, your soul is lost.

Section III. Address to different classes
of persons. — The apostle John, in the second
chapter of his first Epistle, includes all sorts and
ages of persons in three classes, " little child-
ren," " young men," and " fathers ;" or the
young, the middle aged, and the aged. Before
addressing these three classes separately, a few
preliminary remarks are necessary. Our ob-

40 THE GREAT CONCERN

ject should be to be useful here, and happy
hereafter. God has appointed us our work ;
and whether he has given us much or little, we
are to employ it all to promote his glory in the
world ; and thoughts, words, and actions, not
subservient to our usefulness, or our ultimate
happiness, are sinful. We were not made for
ourselves alone, but for the world ; and, there-
fore, we are to labour for the temporal and
eternal good of others, as well as ourselves.
And it is obvious that much of our fitness or
unfitness for this end must depend upon the
right or wrong management of childhood and
youth. Childhood and youth are, as it were, a
mould in which men are cast. Every one
knows the permanence of early impressions.
The Sacred Scriptures recognise the same :
" Train up a child in the way he should go,
and when he is old he will not depart from it."
It is equally important for all to remember
that the Divine " commandment is exceeding
broad." It is more than a law of external ac-
tions. We may avoid wicked external actions,
and still come short of obeying the Divine com-
mands. Not only will God " bring every work
into judgment, with every secret thing, whether
it be good, or whether it be evil ;" but " every
idle word that men shall speak, they shall give

OF SALVATION. 41

an account thereof in the day of judgment ;"
and thoughts also are to be taken into the ac-
count ; for " the thought of foolishness is sin."
" How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within
thee?" was Jeremiah's reproof to Jerusalem.
Indeed, it is obvious that all is wrong, while the
thoughts are wronsf. For as a man " thinketh
in his heart, so is he." If the thoughts of the
heart are right, the actions will also be right ;
but if the thoughts be evil, whatever the actions
may be, they do not proceed from right motives,
and therefore they are sinful. Even the
"ploughing of the wicked," is said to be "sin."
Not that the wicked should cease from plough-
ing, but that they can do nothing acceptable to
God, while their hearts are not right in his
sight. And the Scriptures teach that we came
into the world with wicked, depraved hearts ;
and thus the broadness of the command reaches
to every period of life. The Psalmist exclaims,
"Behold, I was shapen in iniquity." "The
wicked are estranged from the womb ; they go
astray as soon as they are born." Augustine
bitterly lamented the sins of his childhood.
"Was it not ill and sin," said he, "to seek
with tears what would have proved hurtful if it
had been given ? to be angry with those who
were nowise obliged to be under my command,
4*

42 THE GREAT CONCERN

because they would not obey me ? Was it not
ill, that I endeavoured to strike even those who
were every way my superiors, because they
would not obey me in those things wherein they
could not obey, without hurt either to me or
some others ?"

In prosecuting this subject, three things must
be kept in mind. First, all the thoughts, words,
and deeds of one who has not been "born
again," are sinful ; for a good tree cannot bring
forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring
forth good fruit." Secondly, whatever has not
respect to the glory of God, as its end, is sin.
" Whether, therefore, ye eat or drink, or what-
soever ye do, do all to the glory of God."
Thirdly, whatever is not done in the name of
Christ, as the one through whom our persons
and performances are to be accepted, is sin ;
"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all
in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to
God and the Father by him."

I. Children and young persons, I have a
message to you from God. All of you, even
the youngest, " have sinned, and come short of
the glory of God ;" that is, you have done that
for which you will be cast, soul and body, into
hell, if you are not reconciled to God through
Jesus Christ.

OF SALVATION. 43

If you reatl lie fifty-first Psalm, you will see
that you were born sinners. And every day
brings you intelligence of the death of some
person, once as young, as healthy, and appa-
rently as likely to live as you. And if God
should now take you away by death, what
would become of you, if you are not reconciled
to him ?

Perhaps you wish to know what some of the
sins are of which you are guilty. Did you
never disobey your parents? If you did, you
disobeyed God ; for God commands children to
obey and honour their parents. And when
your parents or teachers have corrected you for
your faults, were you never angry at them?
If so, it was sinful. It is sinful to be angry at
them ; and sinful not to do better when cor-
rected. " Correction is grievous unto him that
forsaketh the way ; and he that hateth reproof
shall die." Tell me, when you had thoughts
that you were ill-treated by some of your com-
panions, did you never desire to be avenged ?
"Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but
rather give place unto wrath." Do you not
sometimes become angry with your companions,
and call them by opprobrious or reproachful
names ? This then is another sin. Whoever
calls his brother a " fool, shall be in danger of

44 THE GREAT CONCERN

hell-fire." Do you not sometimes wish to be
out of sight of your parents, or teachers, so as
to do what you would fear to do in their pre-
sence ? If so, surely you must have forgotten
that God is everywhere, or you would never
presume to do before him, what you dare not
do before your parents. Have you not been
glad when the Sabbath day was over, or at
least when divine service was closed ? Has it
not been a burden to you to sit so long in the
house of worship 1 And during divine wor-
ship, are you not thinking of your sports and
your pastime ? or what is worse, talking to one
another, instead of listening to the preacher ?
This is also sinful; for God regards those as
mockers, who draw nigh to him with their lips,
or with forms of worship, while their hearts are
far from him. Do you pray to God morning
and evening ? I fear that many of you are so
wicked as to forget or neglect to pray morning
and evening. If you have never been guilty
of stealing, have you not sometimes been guilty
of telling lies, or of profane swearing? Now
the Bible tells us, that such persons " shall have
their part in the lake that burns with fire and
brimstone." Did you never go to your play
when you should have gone to your prayers ?
And what will become of children, who think

OF SALVATION. 45

more of their sports than of God and their
souls ? I will ask you but one question more,
and that is, if possible, to awaken you to a
concern for your soul. Do you ever think of
death ? If you look into a grave when it is
opened, instead of one who has life, who can
speak and walk, you see nothing but lifeless
remains, fast returning to dust. But in a little
while you will be thus mouldering in the grave.
You must certainly die, and you know not how
soon. And if the sins of which I have told
you, and probably very many other sins of
which I know nothing, be not forgiven, you
cannot be saved. Will you not then repent of
sin immediately?

But perhaps you wish to be told what you
must do in order to be saved. First of all, give
your heart to the Lord. Repent and turn to
him. Pray like the distressed publican ; " Lord,
be merciful to me a sinner," say, " Lord, thou
hast promised a new heart to sinners like me,
and I have need of it, for my heart is very
wicked. Save me from my sins, for Christ's
sake." Who knows but that the Lord, who
hears the lions and the ravens when they cry
for food, may hear you. Read your Bible and
your Catechism ; but first pray to God to bless
them to you, and make you understand what

46 THE GREAT CONCERN

you read. Do not lie, nor swear, nor break the
Sabbath, nor commit any of the sins of which I
have told you ; and, in short, strive to avoid
every sin whatever. Avoid the company of
those who lie, swear, and break the Sabbath ;
for they will try to make you as bad as them-
selves. "A companion of fools shall be de-
stroyed," but "he that walketh with wise men
shall be wise." Never forget to pray to God
as soon as you rise in the morning, and before
you lie down to sleep at night.

Now there are many things to encourage you
to follow the advice now given. A promise
is made to those who seek God early in life.
" I love them that love me, and those that seek
me early shall find me." Samuel, Abijah,
Josiah, and Timothy, are highly commended in
the Bible for their early piety. Our Saviour
received little children with the most tender
affection. He says of them, " Suffer little
children to come unto me, and forbid them
not." "And he took them up in his arms,
put his hands upon them, and blessed them."
O, if you knew how good he is, you would not
rest till you should know how he is to be
found, and then you would immediately go to
him. If you seek God early, God will bless
you ; and his people will bless you ; and all

OF SALVATION. 47

generations will call you blessed. O, then,
make glad the hearts of your parents, and the
people of God ; make glad your own heart, by
seeking the Lord and saving your soul.

II. I have a few words to persons in middle
life. It has already been shown that all are
defiled with sin ; but a few particulars in refer-
ence to this class of persons will be needful.

First. What, then, is your conduct in the
house of God, if you are ever found there ?
When you go to the place of worship, what
induces you to go ? Is it mere custom ? Is it
fear of being less respected by staying away?
Do you go to stop the mouth of conscience by
a form of worship, without the spirit of it ? Do
you go to see and be seen, to gratify curiosity?
What is your conduct in the house of worship ?
Do you listen to the preaching of the Gospel as
an idle tale ? Do you apply the truth to others,
and not to yourselves ? Do you observe the
manner in which the truth is spoken, more than
the truth itself? Do you listen to the word at
all, or are your thoughts wandering upon other
matters ? Once more I ask, what good do you
obtain by going to the house of God ? Do you
get convictions and then cast them off? Do
you hear calls to repentance, and disregard
them ? reproofs, and hate them ? instructions,

48 THE GREAT CONCERN

and forget them ? Who of you can candidly
answer these questions, without confessing that
he has committed very aggravated sins even in
the place and hour of Avorship ?

Second. If we follow you to your daily em-
ployments, how shall we find you conducting
there ? If you have no regular and lawful em-
ployment, then this is a sin ; but if you have,
did you ask God to direct you in your choice
among the various occupations of life ? " In
all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall
direct thy paths." Did you then acknowledge
God in the choice of your occupation ? Do you
endeavour to ascertain how you can glorify God
in your daily employments ? Are there not
many of you who never had one thought of
glorifying God in your employments ? And do
you look to God for a blessing on the works of
your hands ? To whom do you attribute the
success of your efforts ? Do you ever bless
God for that success ? And when successful,
what use do you make of your success ? Does
it make you humble, or lift you up ? Do you
spend the gifts of God in the service of sin, or
as the Gospel requires?

Third. If you were to be examined in your
intercourse with the world, how would you
stand the test ? Do you love communications

OF SALVATION. 49

that are made in the fear of God, or those which
are not ? " Evil communications corrupt good
manners." " He that walketh with wise men
shall be wise ; but a companion of fools shall
be destroyed." What company do you most
delight in ? " Blessed is the man that walketh
not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth
in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of
the scornful." And if you are pleased with
the company of religious persons, is it their af-
fability, their discretion, their learning, or some
other good quality, if they possess any of these
things ; or is it their religion which most pleases
you ? Let me entreat you to inquire every night
of your soul, how you have conducted through
the day ; what has been your conversation ;
whether you have bridled your tongue, or em-
ployed it in speaking vain and idle words. " If
any man among you seemeth to be religious,
and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his
own heart, this man's religion is vain." Have
you spoken evil of any one? "Put them in

mind to speak evil of no man." Hott

grossly do men violate these precepts every day.
All of you stand, in some way or other, re-
lated to others, either as masters or servants,
parents or children, husbands or wives. These
relations demand peculiar duties. Have you

50 THE GREAT CONCERN

fulfilled or even thought of half these duties ?
In engaging persons in your employment, did
you ask for direction from God? It is to be
feared, that even in a matter so important as the
choice of husbands and wives, few go to God in
prayer for his direction. Again, how do you
conduct in these relations ? And do you ask
God to teach you your duty in them all ? And
especially I would ask, do you seek the spiritual
good of all connected with you in these rela-
tions? Masters, servants, parents, children,
husbands, wives, do you pray for one another ?
Can there be husbands and wives, who never
pray for each other ? Parents for children, and
children for parents, will toil with long patience
for the body ; when perhaps they have never
prayed for each other's salvation.

Fourth. In your seasons of secret worship,
how are you occupied? Do you take more
time in the morning for adorning your bodies
than your souls ? Nay, do not some of you go
to your daily employment without praying to
God at all ? If you pray in secret, what leads
you to it, a conscientious regard to duty, or cus-
tom, or some other wrong motive ? And is the
duty a burden, or is it pleasant to you ? Can
you say that you perform it in such a manner
as to receive the promised blessing in return ?

OF SALVATION. 51

And in your hours of worship, and also at other
times, what thoughts most readily come into
- your minds, those about your body, or your
soul ; those about God or those about the world?
What thoughts do you most delight in ? If the
thoughts be earthly, so must be your mind, and
11 to be carnally minded is death." And now,
if these general views now given discover so
many sins, what would be the amount, were we
to reckon every vain and wicked act, and word,
and thought, as will be done in the day of judg-
ment ? And if every sin deserves the wrath of
God, what must be the desert of those who step
into eternity laden with the guilt of innumera-
ble transgressions? Think, O think on these
things before it be too late.

III. I have also a message to the aged. Your
faces speak your age, and tell that there is but
a step betwixt you and eternity. And are not
these very faces proof of sin ? Why are those
once smooth, now covered with the wrinkles of
age and the paleness of approaching death ?
Has not sin, or God on account of sin, done it
all ? " Thou hast filled me with wrinkles," said
Job, " which is a witness against me, and my
leanness rising up in me beareth witness to my
face." If you are not sinners, why that trem-
bling of the hands, that dimness of the eyes, and

52 THE GREAT CONCERN

that tottering step ? And have you not the sins
of a whole life to account for ? Of the wicked
it is said, " His bones are full of the sins of his
youth, which shall lie down with him in the
dust." You have lived to old age, and there-
fore have had much time given you ; but how
has it been improved ? What have you done
for God ? You were made to glorify him ; but
are there not many of you who never had one
serious thought of advancing the glory of God ?
If so, then your whole life has been one con-
tinued course of sin. As many as have been
your thoughts, words, and actions, so many are
your sins. And what have you done for your
souls during a long life ? We have a work to
perform in regard to our salvation; God has
given us a day for it, which is to be followed by
a night wherein no man can work. Your day
is almost spent. Is it not twilight with many
of you already ? Are not the shadows of even-
ing falling upon you, and your work is not yet
begun ? Awful condition ! Your work not
begun ! A work sufficient for many years not
yet begun, when your sun is setting to leave
you in eternal night !

Have you been suitably affected with the
sins of others when you have observed them?
Have you done your duty in bearing testimony

OF SALVATION. 53

to the truth of God, when you have seen it
despised and rejected ? Have you beheld the
transgressors without grief? Have you prayed
that the sins you have seen in others might be
forgiven ? " If any man see his brother sin a
sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and
he shall give him life for them that sin not unto
death." Has it been your endeavour, in all
suitable ways and times, to reprove sin, and to
prevent it in yourself and others ?

You have witnessed many providences, per-
haps many judgments of God ; and what effect
have these had upon you? Have they made
you better, or have you become hardened under
them? Have your experiences brought you
nearer to God, or driven you farther from him ?
And how have his mercies affected you ? Do
you know the God of your mercies ? Has the
goodness of God led you to repentance ? When
food and raiment and every earthly good has
been granted you, have you lifted up your
heart and voice in thankfulness to the Giver of
mercy? When delivered from sickness, pain,
and peril, did you thank the Lord for deliver-
ance ? When he has thus dealt mercifully and
bountifully with you, have you loved him more
and more, or has it all served only to fix your

54 THE GREAT CONCERN

heart more firmly upon the world ? Let con-
science speak, and will it not tell you of un-.
numbered sins? The bloom of youth has
withered on your brow ; your silver locks bear
witness that nature is hastening to decay. You
know that the silver cord with you must soon
be loosed, and the golden bowl be broken. Are
you then prepared to lay your bodies down
in the grave in the hope of the resurrection
of the just?

Finally. You have lived long, and death is
at your door. Are you prepared and willing
to die, when the time of your departure shall
arrive ? Some desire to die because they are
disappointed and vexed with the world ; but
none are prepared to die but those who are pre-
pared to " die in the Lord." Have you pro-
vided your lodgings? When our houses are
falling, it is time to look for new lodgings.
This tabernacle is ready to be dissolved ; have
you secured a building of God, a house not
made with hands ? You have had good oppor-
tunity for doing all this, and great are your sins
if the work is not yet begun. The warnings
which you read in these pages, if you give
no heed to them, will aggravate your guilt.
Consider your case before it be too late. You

OF SALVATION. 55

have waited till the eleventh hour and have
done nothing, one hour more of delay will seal
your doom.

Section IV. Satisfaction required of the
sinner. — It is not consistent with the wisdom of
our great Lawgiver, that sin should be unpu-
nished. His providence and his word agree, that
"though hand join in hand, the wicked shall
not be unpunished." No power of men or
angels can prevent it ; and nothing can conceal
us from the omniscient eye. "Whither shall I
go from thy Spirit, and whither shall I flee from
thy presence ? If I ascend up into heaven, thou
art there ; if I make my bed in hell, behold thou
art there. If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy
right hand shall hold me. If I say, surely the
darkness shall cover me ; even the night shall
be light about me, yea, the darkness hideth not
from thee ; but the night shineth as the day;
the darkness and the light are both alike to
thee." " There is no darkness nor shadow of
death, where the workers of iniquity may hide
themselves," either from the knowledge or the
justice of the Almighty.

First. There will be the forfeiture of your

56 THE GREAT CONCERN

estates. You invaded God's possessions ; he
will cast you out of yours. This is the usual
punishment of rebellion. In primeval inno-
cence, man was in possession of a fair estate.
He had a paradise furnished with the riches of
uncorrupted nature ; a body free from pain ; a
soul happy in communion with God ; deli-
cious fruits in spontaneous abundance ; and all
crowned with the blessing of Heaven. To this
we may add the expectation of everlasting hap-
piness in the paradise above. But all this has
been forfeited by sin. Nor is it of any avail to
say that, as you have houses, lands, food, rai-
ment, and other things, you have therefore lost
nothing ; for a rebel sentenced to die is allowed
food and raiment, and other things necessary
for the support of life, till the time of his execu-
tion arrive. Thus God allows man the means
of subsistence till he sees fit to put the sentence
of death in execution. The grant by which
innocent man held his possessions was the cove-
nant of works. This, too, was the ground upon
which he looked for the rewards of the future.
But by the breach of that covenant was lost all
right to any enjoyment. And with the title,
you have lost the sweetness of the things you
are yet permitted to use. What profit is there
of all your labour under the sun? you labour,

OF SALVATION'. 57

but are never satisfied, and the day of your
execution draws nigh.

Second. But there will not only be this forfeit-
ure, satisfaction will also be had in the death of
the offenders. " In the day that thou eatest there-
of, thou shalt surely die." " The soul that sinneth,
it shall die." " The wages of sin is death." Nor
is this limited to natural death ; it includes endless
pain in a future state. Innocent man had a natural
life, which consisted in a most delightful and har-
monious union of soul and body. He had a spi-
ritual life, which consisted in the union of his soul
to God, in a manner suited to the happiness of his
condition ; and he had a fair prospect of eter-
nal life, in uninterrupted communion with his
Maker. But these bright hopes were blasted by
sin. The sinner is already condemned to die.
"He that believeth not is condemned already."
Nay, more ; the execution is already begun.
Those who are not savingly changed by the
Holy Spirit are spiritually dead ; " dead in tres-
passes and sins." As a dead body cannot per-
form the actions of a living one, so you cannot per-
form any of the actions of spiritual life. Na-
tural death, which consists in the separation of
the soul and body, is also begun in you. Every
disease that invades the body is like the posts
that run to meet one another, " to show the

58 THE GREAT CONCERN

king* of Babylon that his city is taken at one
end." Every pain you feel makes a breach in
your walls, and forebodes their speedy ruin.
Your life is nothing but a succession of dying.
Every day and hour is wearing it away. Every
fresh attack on your bodies is routing their
guards, battering the ramparts of your flesh,
and threatening the very citadel of life. You
are the mark at which justice is aiming its
arrows. Do you not see that the arrow some-
times flies above your head, and slays one above
you? Sometimes it lights at your feet, and
slays a child; sometimes it flies on your left,
and kills an enemy, at whose death you may,
perhaps, wickedly rejoice ; sometimes it pierces
the friend on your right hand ; and who has
assured you that the next one may not strike
you dead, and hurry you into hell ? ;

Third. This is not all ; rebels are commonly
shorn of their honour ; and so with the sinner.
Innocent man enjoyed a high dignity; he was
the friend, as well as the subject of God. But
now hear his sentence ; " Thus saith the Lord
God, remove the diadem, and take ofT the
crown !" Tell me, reader, do you not already
feel the direful effects of this part of the punish-
ment? The beasts, once subject to man, are
now his enemies, because he is the enemy of

OF SALVATION. .59

God. Even those that are most serviceable and
obedient often rebel. The horse throws his
rider ; the ox gores his owner ; wild beasts
make inroads upon the flocks, fields, and fruits,
and fill men with terror ; and even insects often
insult and vex you, and sometimes inflict a
wound which destroys life. Nor is the disgrace
confined to the individual. It is handed down
to posterity. And not only inborn corruption,
but the contagion of your evil example must pro-
duce its desolating effects upon those who come
after you. God has declared himself " a jea-
lous God, visiting the iniquities of the fathers
upon the children." Nothing which sinners
have used can be spared. The very ground upon
which they tread must undergo the fires of the
last day, before it can be freed from the bond-
age of corruption. " This is thy lot, the por-
tion of thy measure from me, saith the Lord,
because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in
falsehood." Such is the satisfaction required
of sinners.

Section V. Reasonableness of this Satisfac-
tion.— That the satisfaction demanded of sin-
ners, or the punishment inflicted, is reasonable,
will be evident, if we consider,

I. The demerit of sin. Consider against

60 THE GREAT CONCERN

whom sin is committed. We measure offences,
in some degree, by the character of the persons
against whom they are done ; and so it is in the
laws of God. For some offences, the daughter
of the high-priest was to be burned without
mercy; which was not the punishment of others
for the same offences. He that cursed his
father or mother was to be put to death ; but no
such punishment was inflicted upon any one
for cursing his equals. On the other hand,
God is the " high and lofty One, that inhabiteth
eternity;" before him all nations " are as nothing ;
and they are counted to him less than nothing,
and vanity." What punishment, then, does
reason show to be just for the sins of man against
God ? True, we cannot injure our Maker, as a
rebel may injure his prince. "If thou sinnest,
what dost thou against Him? or if thy trans-
gression be multiplied, what dost thou unto
him?" We cannot scale the walls of heaven,
and force our way to the Almighty's throne ;
yet men are said to " rob God." The depth of
the guilt of sin is, that it is committed against a
holy God. Every sin reflects upon God's holi-
ness, tramples on his authority, brands his wis-
dom with folly, denies his goodness, and bids
defiance to his power. Can endless punish-
ment be too much for such crimes ? Consider,

OF SALVATION. 61

also, the obligations that sin tramples on. The
obligations of children to parents, of subjects
to their rulers, and of husbands and wives to
each other, are such as to render the violation
of them exceedingly sinful. But what are all
these compared with our obligations to God ;
who is not a finite earthly ruler or parent, but
the infinite Father of mercies, and Supreme
Ruler of the universe.

Observe further, that sin deserves such a
punishment in the judgment of God; and
surely his judgment must be according to
truth. We have this judgment not only in
express declarations of Scripture, not only in
the penal sanction of the law, but eminently
in the death of Christ. If an infinite person
must be laid under the wrath of God, stand
in the sinner's room, and die for sins, what
less does the sinner himself deserve than eter-
nal wrath ? No wonder, then, that the finally
impenitent are to be forever tormented for
their sins. For, if God, without reproach to
his goodness, could permit his sinless, divine,
and dearly beloved Son to suffer for others'
sins, much more could he justly permit sinful,
impenitent man, to suffer endless punishment.
And not only in the judgment of God, but in
the judgment of men also, does sin deserve
6

62 THE GREAT CONCERN

such a punishment. Notwithstanding the wild
fancies of the heathen about a future state,
they all admit the doctrine of endless punish-
ment. Hence their poets represented Tanta-
lus as doomed forever to be parched with
thirst, standing in a river, of whose water he
could never taste one drop ; Prometheus was
to have a vulture forever tearing his liver ;
Sisyphus was to be perpetually labouring to roll
a huge stone, and Ixion, his wheel. And all
the codes of human law prescribe perpetual
imprisonment for some crimes, and death for
others ; which is a deprivation of life and all
its advantages forever ; and a deprivation of
all opportunity of preparing for heaven. We
might to this testimony add the acknowledg-
ment of those who are punished. Whatever
stupid sinners may think, when the Lord deals
with men, and visits them with the terrors of
an awakened conscience, convincing them of
sin, they will subscribe to the justice of God,
when he threatens eternal pain. It is not
meant that they will be willing to be damned,
but they will acknowledge that God would be
just in thus punishing them. Even those who
are given up to the horrors of despair give
the same testimony. Listen to the words of
Spira: "I am sealed up to eternal wrath. I

OF SALVATION. 63

tell you I deserve it ; my own conscience con-
demns me ; what need is there of any other
judge ? Though there were not another damned,
yet God is just in making me an example to
others ; and I cannot justly complain. There
is no punishment so great, but I have justly de-
served it."

II. Consider, again, that God, in promul-
gating his laws, did clearly declare that he
would thus punish transgressors. Sin and end-
less pain were then linked together. When it
was required of Adam to keep the divine com-
mands, it was also said to him, In the day that
thou breakest them, " thou shalt surely die."
To suppose that death here means annihilation,
is contrary both to Scripture and reason. And
if only temporal death were intended, it would
be equivalent to saying, If thou disobey, thou
shalt surely be rewarded with eternal life ;
which would be absurd. Spiritual, everlasting
death, then, must be intended. But if this
penalty is annexed to the violation of the di-
vine law, there is great reason why it should
be executed. For to what purpose would the
penalty be threatened, if it were not designed
to be enforced ? To suppose the contrary
would be to cast reproach both upon the wis-
dom and veracity of God. Divine honour,

64 THE GREAT CONCERN

then, demands the execution of this law. In-
deed, what is the business of an officer of jus-
tice, but to execute the laws ?

Justice requires the punishment of sinners.
Justice to the law requires it. For if the law
may be neglected in one part, why not in
another? And if the threatenings of the di-
vine law are not enforced, where is our assu-
rance that the divine promises will be fulfilled ?
Justice to the subjects of a law requires the
same. If in sin offenders go unpunished, we
view it as a temptation to the obedient to trans-
gress ; it inclines us to view transgression as a
light matter, and to call in question the compe-
tency of the Lawgiver. Justice to the divine
faithfulness demands the same. For, if God
does not faithfully perform all he has declared,
eternal truth itself must lie open to suspicion.
Indeed, all the divine attributes are engaged
to see the laws executed, inasmuch as they are
all attributes of the same all-wise and eternal
Being.

III. We may show, further, that the con-
nection of sin and punishment is most just and
equal. If we admit that God is just, we must
admit, also, that all his words and works are
just. God has made the sanction ; therefore it
is just. "Is God unrighteous who taketh ven-

OF SALVATION. 65

geance ? (I speak as a man) God forbid ; for
then how shall God judge the world ?" More-
over this punishment is just, because it was one
of the terms of a contract ; the substance of
which was, do and live, sin and die. And all
ground of complaint is removed by the fact, that
man has had timely warning of the punishment.
Suppose the lord of a manor to have made a
precipice in some part of his land ; and to have
warned his servant that if he ventured to this
precipice, it would surely prove his death.
Now, if the servant should voluntarily go to this
dangerous spot, and fall, and be dashed in
pieces, after having been faithfully warned to
keep away, would the owner of the land be
guilty of his death? With as little justice can
God be charged with the death of sinners, since
they neglect his warnings, and thus destroy
themselves.

Consider, too, the influence this threatening
of punishment must have upon those who are
saved. It moves ministers to preach. "Know-
ing the terrors of the Lord we persuade men."
And it moves men to accept of salvation. Hence
the frequency with which our Lord mentioned
it in all his preaching. And, finally, consider
the necessity of this punishment in order to the
government of the world. For if men are so
6*

66 THE GREAT CONCERN

bold in sin, notwithstanding the terrible penalty-
annexed, what might we expect were this
penalty lessened or removed.

Section VI. The misery of sinners. — I. If
a vast loss can make you miserable, then is your
misery unspeakably great. Those alone can
estimate it, who are in the enjoyment of the ad-
vantages you lose, or who are writhing in the
torment to which you are doomed.

You now cleave so fast to the world, that
neither the promises nor the threatenings of the
Gospel are sufficient to make you quit your
hold. And yet death will strip you of every
thing you have most delight in. Your property,
your friends, your carnal mirth, all will be left
on this side of the grave. The Gospel, too, you
will lose, when God punishes you. The Gos-
pel has in it treasures for the poor, eyes for the
blind, feet for the lame, xmderstanding for the
simple, peace for rebels, pardon for condemned
malefactors, a title to heaven for the heirs of
hell, life for the dead, and happiness for the
miserable. What loss can be compared with
this ? It may appear small to you now, but
death will open your eyes to see its value. And
heaven, too, you will lose forever. Who can
measure the greatness of such a loss ? Who

OF SALVATION. 67

can weigh that " far more exceeding and eternal
weight of glory ? Who can take the dimen-
sions of the vast " inheritance of the saints in
light ?" Who can count the treasures of the
paradise of God? Who can fathom the rivers
of pleasure that are at God's right hand for
evermore ? Who can conceive of that blissful
sight, where the eye is not obscured by inter-
vening clouds ? All this you must lose forever.
You lose God, you lose your own souls; and
what will it profit you to gain the whole world
and lose your souls ? In a word, you lose all
the treasures of this world and of that which is
to come.

II. And not only will you suffer the absence
of pleasure, but you must endure positive, un-
speakable pain forever, both of soul and body.
44 Fear not them which kill the body, but are
not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him
which is able to destroy both soul and body in
hell." Who can " dwell with the devouring
fire ?" Who can " dwell with everlasting burn-
ings ?" You cannot now bear the pain of a
speck of dust in your eye ; how can you bear to
44 drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which
is poured out without mixture into the cup of
his indignation?" when you 44 shall be tormented
with fire and brimstone in the presence of the

68 THE GREAT CONCERN

holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb V*
It is God with his own hand who will inflict the
punishment. " It is a fearful thing to fall into
the hand of the living God." For such " shall
be punished with everlasting destruction from
the presence of the Lord, and from the glory
of his power." " God is jealous, and the Lord
revengeth ; the Lord revengeth and is furious ;
the Lord will take vengeance on his adversa-
ries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies.
The Lord is slow to anger and great in power,
and will not at all acquit the wicked ; the Lord
hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm,
and the clouds are the dust of his feet. Who
can stand before his indignation? and who can
abide in the fierceness of his anger ? his fury
is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown
down by him." Such is that being from whose
hand the sinner is to receive his final destiny.

And this punishment will come suddenly
and unexpectedly. The same breath which
pronounces the sinner's separation from all
his carnal delights, sends him away into ever-
lasting burning. " Depart from me, ye cursed,
into everlasting fire." Sudden, indeed, then,
will be your destruction. " For when they
shall say, peace and safety, then sudden destruc-
tion cometh upon them." When the man, who

OF SALVATION. 69

had resolved to pull down his barns and build
greater, was singing a requiem to his soul, then
on that very night his glory departed and his
misery came. Christ wrill come suddenly, " in
flaming fire taking vengeance on them that
know not God, and obey not the Gospel of our
Lord Jesus Christ." The word has already
gone forth, " So I sware in my wrath, they
shall not enter into my rest."

And now, reader, art thou still asleep ? O,
awake then, without delay. We cannot tell
but your stupidity may provoke God to leave
you, and never give you another warning. We
know not but he may soon say, Let no fruit
grow on this barren sinner any more. How
will your spirit fail within you, when you hear
the dreadful sentence pronounced ? Now, if
you awake in time and flee to Christ, you may
avoid this fearful doom. O, then, hasten your
escape, before the decree bring forth, before
the day pass as the chaff, before the day of the
fierce anger of the Lord come upon you.

PART II.

MAN5S RECOVERY BY FAITH IN CHRIST, OR, THE
CONVICTED SINNER'S CASE AND CURE

Acts xvi. 29—31. — "Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and
came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas : and brought
them out and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved 1 And they
said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved,
and thy house."

CHAPTER I.

THE JAILER'S QUESTION CONSIDERED.

In the former part of this treatise, it was re-
marked, that there are three questions in which
man is principally concerned, namely : " What
have I done ?" " What must I do to be saved ?"
" What shall I render to the Lord ?" The first
of these questions has already been considered;
Ave now come to the second, which was the
question taken by the terrified jailer of Philippi.

From this question of the jailer we may lay

down the proposition : That a sinner, really

convinced of sin and its consequences, will,

with serious concern, put the question, What

70

THE GREAT CONCERN OF SALVATION. 71

must I do to be saved? This was the first
effect of conviction with the jailer; and so it
was with those awakened on the day of pen-
tecost.

I. But before discussing this proposition, a
few things may be premised to prepare the
way.

First.* Conviction of sin is that clear view
which the Holy Spirit gives to sinners of sin
and its consequences, in their nature and neces-
sary connection. Unconvinced sinners discover
sin only in the twilight of reason, education, or
the external dispensation of the word ; and
therefore they are not affected by it ; nor do
they see any peculiar deformity in it. But
when the Holy Spirit pours sufficient light upon
the soul, sin appears in its exceeding sinfulness ;
and misery, its deserved and necessary conse-
quence, is awfully aggravated by the dread of
avensfinor wrath. The convicted sinner sees
that God has linked sin and hell inseparably
together. The Holy Spirit not only shows him
the impossibility of separating guilt and its
punishment, not only tells him, as Nathan in
the parable did David, that a certain man has
sinned, but applies the parable, and says,
"Thou art the man."

Second. Convictions are various in degree,

72 THE GREAT CONCERN

continuance, and results. Upon some they
come like the faint rays of twilight ; upon
others, like the full beams of the noonday sun,
shining in its strength. Some discover a few
sins ; others, many. Light seems to break in
upon some like a flash of lightning ; and is
almost as soon gone. Not, however, that any
particular degree of conviction is necessary to
conversion, or that conviction is always followed
by faith ; for those who seem to have faint con-
victions are sometimes converted, while persons
who suffer those that are most frequent, often
return to a state of indifference. Some wear
off their convictions, whether they are more or
less deep, and others do not ; some lose therii
in despair ; and some in the opiate of a false
remedy. Nor do we maintain that all must be
a long time under conviction, before they can
believe. The jailer believed immediately, and
so may others. If convictions continue a long
time, as is often the case before conversion, it is
not because a long time in the nature of the
case is necessary, but because the rebellious
heart refuses, till after a long struggle, to com-
ply with the terms of the Gospel.

Convictions are followed by various conse-
quences. Faint discoveries of sin, whether
occasioned by awakening providences, or other

OF SALVATION. 73

means, usually cause some faint desires for
safety in Christ. If they proceed farther than
this, it is only to produce a few good reso-
lutions, which are soon forgotten. Brilliant
flashes of light often dart into the minds of
men, and suddenly disappear without effect.
It is with them as with a man suddenly
awakened from sleep hy a peal of thunder ; he
starts up before he is fully awake ; the light,
unexpectedly enabling him only for an instant
to see the things about him, fills his mind
with great confusion ; but soon the light is
gone, and the sound has ceased ; his agitation
subsides, and the softness of his bed invites
him to fresh repose. And so men hear the
thunderings of the law in the preaching of the
word ; this often occasions a transient terror,
or a half-felt cry for mercy; but before you
are aware of it, they are again asleep. It has
happened unto them according to the true
proverb : " The dog is turned to his own vomit
again, and the sow that was washed to her wal-
lowing in the mire." Thus ends the religion
of many who are at times a little concerned
for their souls. No degree of conviction can
change the heart. We naturally seek relief
from pain ; and if convictions are not too deep
7

74 THE GREAT CONCERN

and clear, we are not wanting in means to
banish them from the mind.

II, Let us now inquire what that salvation
is, about which the awakened sinner is so
anxious. Salvation, as every one knows, is
deliverance from danger or evil. But as used
in the Scriptures, it means more than this ; it
signifies deliverance from sin and hell, and the
final enjoyment of God in a future state,
through the mediation of Christ. In other
words, salvation includes freedom from sin,
and a title to life. Hence the redeemed of
the Lord are called " heirs of salvation." The
question of the jailer, then, includes two others.

First. It includes the question, " What shall
I do to obtain freedom from sin ?" The sinner
sees that sin threatens his destruction, and
must be pardoned, or there can be no salva-
tion. Pardon and salvation are plainly linked
together in the Scriptures. " Wherewith shall
I come before the Lord, and bow myself before
the high God ? Shall I come before him with
burnt-offerings, with calves of a year old ?
Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of
rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil ?
Shall I give my first-born for my transgression,
the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?"

OF SALVATION. 75

This is the genuine language of conviction of
sin. The sinner is willing to have pardon on
any terms.

Second. The other question alluded to is,
"What shall I do that I may inherit eternal
life ? Pardon of sin, or freedom from wrath,
first occurs to the awakened sinner, as the
object of desire ; but he wishes more than
this. A rebel might be pardoned, and never
made a favourite. Salvation would be incom-
plete without eternal life. God not only par-
dons sinners, but gives them gracious accept-
ance with him, and adoption into his family.
"Take with you words, and turn to the Lord;
say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and
receive us graciously." Awakened sinners
always seek for some righteousness, with which
they may appear before God, sensible that
mere pardon of sin cannot alone do it. This
was the case with the Jews ; for, " being igno-
rant of God's righteousness," they went about
" to establish their own righteousness ;" they
felt their need, but were mistaken as to the
means of supplying it. A man convicted of
sin, in a word, is one who is persuaded of a
future state, and that the things of this world
cannot insure happiness ; therefore the ques-
tion, " What must I do to be saved ?" is equiva-

76 THE GREAT CONCERN

lent to asking, What must I do to be happy ?
Now his distress arises from an apprehension
of the inconsistency between happiness and
unpardoned sin. But mere pardon gives no
man a title to happiness. Innocence in Adam
did not give him a title to heaven. Eternal
life was to be the reward of a course of obe-
dience. Besides, mere pardon of sin does not
make a man meet for " the inheritance of the
saints in light ;" or communion and intercourse
with God. Truly there can be no commu-
nion between the holy nature of God and the
sinful nature of man, and pardon does not
change the nature of the person pardoned.
Three things, then, are included in the in-
quiry after salvation; How shall I obtain
the pardon of sin? How shall I secure a
title to heaven? and, How shall I be made
meet for " the inheritance of the saints in
light?" The inquiring soul must have these
inquiries answered, or there cannot be security
or happiness.

III. But what is the nature of that concern,
which results from conviction of sin ?

First. To be concerned about salvation im-
plies dissatisfaction with all other enjoyments,
so long as the soul is in the dark about
this. The accomplishment of earthly wishes

OF SALVATION. 77

can never calm the fears of an awakened con-
science. In the words of Haman, we may-
say of riches, honours, and pleasures, "yet
all this availeth me nothing," so long as I
am in uncertainty about salvation. What are
the riches, and honours, and pleasures of this
world to a dying man? So it was with the
jailer. A moment before he wras so anxious
about the prisoners, as to be on the point of
committing suicide, for fear of. their escape ;
but suddenly this concern all left him ; though
the prison doors were open, he appears to have
made no provision for securing them ; nor does
he seem to have received any satisfaction from
hearing that they were safe.

Second. This concern implies also an earnest
desire after salvation. When the thoughts are
arrested by sin and misery, the mind refuses
application to any thing but the means of
escape. Whatever importance other things
claim, this demands immediate attention. Like
one in a besieged city, into whose walls the
enemy has already made a breach, the man
regards his present exigence ; for if the enemy
once enter, and sack, and destroy the city,
all endeavours to save it will then come too
late. It would be madness to attend to other
matters ; the breach must first be stopped, or
7*

78 THE GREAT CONCERN

the enemy pacified, or the city is soon lost.
So the awakened sinner knows, that if the
wrath of God overtake him, ruin is inevita-
ble. This posture of the mind keeps appre-
hension awake, and as the alarm increases,
so does the desire for deliverance without
delay. The possibility of escape excites hope
of finding the way of safety. And as ap-
prehensions of coming wrath fill the soul
with terror, and a sense of sin with grief and
shame, the bare possibility of deliverance is
enough to awaken the most intense anxiety to
obtain it.

Third. This inward frame of mind, just de-
scribed, will manifest itself. It will show itself
in words. Words are indications of thought ;
and when the mind is deeply concerned, es-
pecially for any thing so important as salva-
tion, the thoughts naturally seek vent in words.
"Out of the abundance of the heart the
mouth speaketh." So it was with the jailer;
that which lay nearest his heart was the first
to be expressed in words. But especially will
there be the use of means to escape what
is feared and secure what \s desired. Per-
haps the inward feeling will manifest itself
more by this than by words. The jailer im-
mediately went to the Apostles, and sought

OF SALVATION. 79

direction from them. Probably he had learned
what the possessed damsel cried out, that
they were "the servants of the Most High
God." who made it their business to show
men the way of salvation ; and this made
him hasten to them as the most suitable per-
sons to show him what to do to be saved.
And when, as in this case, the anxiety be-
comes intense, it will produce intense appli-
cation to the use of means. True, men may
cry for mercy with their lips, while the heart
continues unaffected as before; but if the
heart be really moved, and the man really
feel his danger, he will bestir himself to find
a way of escape. The half-awakened man
may say, " There is a lion in the way, and
I shall be slain in the streets ;" he may have
a thousand trifling difficulties to prevent his
acting ; but one who lays salvation seriously
to heart will use means and surmount ob-
stacles to obtain relief. The jailer did not
hesitate, though he had much reason to fear
as to the success of his attempt. What ! he
might have said within himself, will these
men, whom a few hours ago I bound in
chains, and rudely thrust into the inner prison,
be so kind and forgiving as to help me, when
they have a fair opportunity to take ven-

80 THE GREAT CONCERN

geance on me, and make their escape from
confinement besides ! But wrath pursued him
so closely that he durst not delay; he hazards
an experiment, whatever might be the result.
Sinners truly awakened will exclaim, like the
lepers, "Why sit we here until we die?" To
sit still would be inevitable death ; and an un-
successful attempt to find safety could be no
more than death.

Fourth. Again, t,his concern will put the
soul in an active and waiting posture, ready
to comply with any injunction without delay.
There is no hesitating to dispute about the
terms of salvation, but any possible terms are
readily accepted. The jailer applied to Paul
and Silas, not to make terms, but to accept
them, as soon as stated. As if he had said, I
have no scruples as to any thing you enjoin
upon me ; speak what you will in the name of
the Lord, and I readily comply.

IV. The next inquiry is, Why does an
awakened sinner thus lay salvation seriously to
heart ? So strong a desire of self-preservation
is implanted in the mind of man, that he can
as easily cease to be as cease to desire it.
" For no man ever yet hated his own flesh, but
nourisheth and cherisheth it." And the neces-
sary consequence of this desire, is to fill us

OF SALVATION. 81

with dread of that which appears hurtful to
nature. That which threatens our ruin we
view with abhorrence. Hence death is called
the king of terrors, because it threatens nature,
not with alterations more or less important, as
the case may be, but with entire dissolution.
Any thing is more or less terrible, according as
it has more or less of death in it. And by the
light which is let into the soul of the awakened
sinner, he sees the death of deaths, eternal
wrath, ready to ruin him forever. It is this
sight of impending ruin which fills the awaken-
ed sinner with anguish ; and, while the whole
man, soul and body, is seen to be in the great-
est of all possible danger, all the powers will
not fail to be exercised for deliverance.

82 THE GREAT CONCERN

CHAPTER II.

PRACTICAL IMPROVEMENT OF THE SUBJECT.

Section I. The reader put upon trial to
ascertain whether he is convinced of sin or not.—
I. Unless you know whether you have been
convinced of sin or not, you cannot know
whether or not you have been profited by the
foregoing considerations. You are made either
better or worse by the perusal ; for, " As the
rain ct)meth down, and the snow from heaven,
and returneth not thither, but watereth the
earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that
it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the
eater, so shall my word be that goeth out of my
mouth ; it shall not return unto me void, but it
shall accomplish that which I please, and it
shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."
It is a matter of vast importance, then, that you
know your own case. Nor is it enough to have
those general notions of sin which persons
entertain from custom or education ; there must
be a work of the heart, a personal work, or it
is insufficient.

We may set aside all profane persons, pro-
fane swearers, drunkards, liars, whoremongers,

OF SALVATION. bJ

and thieves, and the like, as not concerned in
this trial ; for such persons are doubtless with-
out genuine convictions of sin. So far from
being concerned to obtain salvation, they do all
in their power to make damnation sure. As
their "judgment now of a long time lingereth
not, and their damnation slumbereth not," so
their condemnation will be just, for they run
with open eyes into manifest ruin. While they
know "that they which commit such things
are worthy of death," they themselves "not
only do the same things, but have pleasure in
them that do them."

But besides these notorious sinners, there are
others who are no less strangers to sound con-
viction, but the proof in their case is more
difficult. Some of these profess to be convicted
of sin. Have you, then, reader, felt more anx-
iety about salvation than any thing else ? Can
you be satisfied with other things while in utter
uncertainty about your soul ? You say you are
convinced of sin ; but could we know all your
thoughts, what would these testify that you are
most concerned about? What thoughts do
you choose ? those about the body or the soul?
Are you more concerned to make a figure in the
world, or to prepare for heaven ? Do you not
spend days and weeks together, without con-

84 THE GREAT CONCERN

cern for the soul ? If you ordinarily choose to
think of other things, it shows that other things
are your principal concern. You cannot but
have the thoughts most occupied with that
which lies nearest the heart.

Again, I ask, what are your desires ? Man
is sensible that he is needy, and is ever longing
either for fancied or real good. Now, what is
your desire? Is it salvation? Is it Christ?
Perhaps you never have such desires, except
in sickness and the fear of death; and even
then it is principally a desire to be free from
death, and to live a little longer. Is your
heart ever affected in view of salvation ? Have
you any fears of falling short of it ? Concern
never fails to set the heart at work. Do you
ever taste God's anger in the threatenings of
the law ? Do you ever feel any shame for sin
in your heart ? If you have nothing of all this,
you can have no true conviction of sin.

Upon what topics are you most ready to con-
verse ? Do you ever speak on the subject of
salvation, unless it be to object, or cavil at the
terms or doctrines of it ? Talk not of accom-
modating yourself to the company you are in ;
for if this were necessary, you can easily find
the company of those who would willingly talk
of heaven. Are you never in company where

OF SALVATION. 85

you may lead the conversation? Do you or
not ever grow weary of the company that con-
verses upon heavenly and divine things ? If
you were really concerned, it would be a
restraint upon you to be kept from talking
upon these things.

But do you use the means of salvation ? A
drowning man will surely struggle to save him-
self; and so will a convinced sinner. Is there
not, then, a lie in the mouth of him who says
he is anxious for his soul, and yet makes no
effort to secure its salvation ?

II. But let us descend to a few particulars.
The means of salvation are of three sorts, se-
cret, private, and public. Attend to a few
questions in reference to each.

First. Secret. — I shall name only secret
reading of the Scriptures and prayer. Do you
neglect prayer in secret ? Can you rise in the
morning, and go to your work without bowing
the knee to God ? If so, you cannot have anx-
iety for your soul. Are you anxious to ascer-
tain the success of your prayers, if indeed you
do pray ? Saints mentioned in the Bible were
anxious to know the success and acceptance of
their prayers. Are your secret prayers con-
fined to stated times, as morning and evening,
or do you often breathe out your desires to God
8

86 THE GREAT CONCERN

in ejaculations ? These are the genuine effect
of concern for the soul. Not, however, the
forms frequently employed, such as " God save
us," The Lord deliver us," &c; these neither
manifest much concern for the soul, nor due
reverence to God. As these expressions are
often used, they are rather violations of the
third command than expressions of reverence
to God. By ejaculations are meant affection-
ate and reverent desires sent up to God for his
grace; and very few who love the Lord can
be strangers to them. Do you neglect to read
the word of God, or have it read to you, if you
cannot read yourself? You cannot be very
desirous to know the way of life, if you do not
read the only book which can teach you that
way. Do you give heedi to the word of God
when you read it ? Are you affected by it ? Is
it your endeavour to do what is commanded in
the Scriptures ? If not, then you are deceiv-
ing yourself, your pretensions are vain.

Second. Private duties, or means of salva-
tion. This concern about salvation will make
those who have families faithful in family reli-
gion, and careful to have all the household pre-
sent at family worship and instruction. It will
make them anxious, also, to know the success
of these duties. But if you are indifferent in

OF SALVATION. 87

these matters, you are, to say the least, in a
dangerous condition. Take warning, there-
fore, from the words of the prophet: "Pour
out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee
not, and upon the families that call not upon
thy name."

Third. Public means of grace. — Anxiety
for the soul will manifest itself in these. A
man in great danger will seize upon any thing
which gives him the hope of safety. He will
rejoice if he find that his case is not hopeless.
Now, is this the case with you ? Do you with
satisfaction embrace opportunities for enjoying
ordinances ? If not, you are deceiving your-
self. I ask once more, will trifling difficulties
make you lay aside the thoughts and the
means of salvation? One who knows his sin
and misery is not easily disheartened ; for he
sees nothing so terrible as the displeasure of
God, and hears of no enjoyment so much to be
desired as that of salvation.

Section II. Address to the Unconvinced. —
If you are not yet convinced of sin, it must
be because you have not heeded what has
been said, or because you have not believed
it, or because you have fled to some false
refuge.

88 THE GREAT CONCERN

First. I speak first to those who have not
paid attention to what has been said. If you
give no heed to the truth, if you will not even
listen to it, it is no wonder that you are not
affected by it. But do you thus requite the
Lord ? Has he condescended to send his ser-
vants to tell you the way of life, and will you
not give them a hearing ? How would an
earthly ruler bear such treatment ? You have
reason to wonder that you have not before this
been cast into helk God has commanded you
to " take heed what ye hear," and " how ye
hear ;" and he will not suffer his commands
to be slighted with impunity. It may be with
you as with the people in the time of Ezekiel ;
they heard the word from the prophet, but
would not regard it. They came indeed to him
under the pretence of inquiring for the word of
the Lord, but came with wicked and rebellious
hearts, and therefore regarded it not. God
threatens to answer them, not by the prophet,
but by himself. " For every one of the house
of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in
Israel, which separateth himself from me, and
setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the
stumbling-block of his iniquity before his face,
and cometh to a prophet to inquire concerning
me ; I the Lord will answer him by myself;

OF SALVATION. 89

and I will set my face against that man, and
will make him a sign and a proverb, and
I will cut him off from the midst of my
people ;" as if he had said, I will answer
them no more in words ; I will answer them
by deeds, and those not of mercy, but of judg-
ment.

Second. To those who, through unbelief of
what has been said, are not convinced. Un-
belief is represented in the Bible as an awful
sin ; indeed it is the sin of sins, including every
thing hateful to God and destructive to the souls
of men. Now, in your unbelief you have not
refused the testimony of man, but the testimony
of God, who cannot lie ; and he who believes
not the testimony of God makes him a liar.
Your sin and misery have been set before you
in the light of God's word, and therefore you
close your eyes against the clear light of the
divine declarations. Beware of shutting your
eyes against the light ; beware of trifling with
God's truth; beware of disliking to retain God
in your knowledge, lest you be given up " to
do those things which are not convenient ;"
beware of not receiving the love of the truth,
lest God send you strong delusion, and you be
left to believe a lie ; and be damned for not
believing the truth, but having pleasure in
8*

90 THE GREAT CONCERN

unrighteousness. 2 Thess. ii. 11, 12. Be-
ware lest you be given up to Satan, the god
of this world, to be led captive at his will.
In the former part of this treatise, testimony-
was brought from heaven, earth, and hell, to
prove that man has " sinned, and come short of
the glory of God." I know of but one witness
more, and that is sense ; and beware that
sense, even woful experience, of misery, do not
convince you of the truth, when too late to save
you. If you never believe in this life, in the
next you will be stripped of every delusion,
and be left no more room for doubt.

Third. There is another sort of persons,
who flee to some false refuge, to evade the
force of truth. We have laid your case before
you, as it is described in the word of God.
We have shown, by incontestible proof, that
" all have sinned and come short of the glory
of God." We have shown that all are equally
concerned in this sad truth. Whence, then,
this security ? Why so little fear of the woes
of the second death? But men have a sin-
gular ingenuity in evading the force of divine
truth, when pressed upon the conscience ; I
shall therefore lay open some of the defences
behind which men take shelter to avoid convic-
tion of sin.

OF SALVATION. 91

There are some hearers of the Gospel who
acknowledge the truth that they are sinners.
Even if we say, as Nathan did to David, Thou
art the man, or thou art the woman who hast
sinned, and art in danger of eternal wrath ; the
sinner answers, All this is very true ; I have
sinned, and, God be merciful to us, we have all
sinned ; I hope God will be merciful to me.
Thus slightly is the wound healed. This is
the false refuge to which you flee. You say
that God is merciful. Very true, he is so
But although he is merciful, he has told us that
" strait is the gate, and narrow is the way,
which leadeth unto life, and few there be that
find it." But you say you hope to be among
the few who will find mercy ; I fear you will
not. Now, which stand on the better ground,
your hopes or my fears ? I can give good
reason for my fears, but I doubt whether you
can of your hopes. The few who are saved
are penitent sinners, who have accepted of
Christ on the terms of the Gospel. Now,
what is the ground of your hopes ? You say
you cannot think that God will be so severe as
to damn you ; but why is it severe in your case
more than in that of others, who, like you, are
not penitent believers ? In a word, is it cruelty
to damn you who have innumerable sins,

92 THE GREAT CONCERN

when God thought it not cruel to send so many
angels to hell for one sin? Is it unjust to
punish you who have neglected the means of
grace, when others have been punished who
never had them ? We have no reason to doubt
that there are multitudes in hell, who have
been ruined by such presumptuous hopes of
mercy.

Others, when driven from this defence, will
say, that they are in no danger, for they believe
in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is true, that those
who really Lbelieve are in no danger. But are
you sure that you believe ? The foolish vir-
gins in the parable thought themselves be-
lievers, and perhaps went farther than you
pretend to go. They had professions, and they
had lamps. But no sooner did they attempt to
trim their lamps on the approach of the bride-
groom, than they were convinced of their want
of oil, and went to obtain a supply ; but were
forever shut out from the presence of the Lord.
Now, how can you pretend to believe, when
you fall behind many who have perished?
There are some who tell us they believe, and
yet they are drunkards, profane swearers, scof-
fers at religion, haters of better persons than
themselves, ridiculing them, and pronouncing
them hypocrites. Belief, or faith, " works by

OF SALVATION. 93

love ;" it is a grace that purifies the heart, and
reforms the life. " Show me thy faith with-
out thy works, and I will show thee my faith
by my works," says the Apostle. Still you
say you believe. But when did you believe ?
You will reply, always. You think, then, you
were born a believer ; and thus you are proof
against yourself that to this day you have never
believed at all.

Others shelter themselves under the fig-leaf
of their own blameless life. They say they
hope all is well ; they never did anybody any
harm ; and therefore they never feared the
wrath of God. You never injured any one !
But you have injured your Maker, and there-
fore you must perish. But you still say you
never injured any man. You know not what
you say. You owe a debt of love to every one
with whom you have any intercourse or con-
nection, to say nothing of the love you owe to
the whole human family. " Love one another,
for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the
law." Now, he who has never shown his love
to others in a serious concern for their salva-
tion, withholds from them what is their un-
questionable due ; and surely he who was
never concerned for his own soul, was never
really concerned for that of others. Say no

94 THE GREAT CONCERN

more, then, that you never injured any one.
Didst thou never see thy brother sin without
reproving- him ? Many persons, like thee, will
see their own children and servants commit
iniquity, and not reprove them. And is not
this a real injury to the persons you ought
to have reproved? "Thou shalt not hate
thy brother in thy heart ; thou shalt in any
wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer
sin upon him." With what confidence can
you say you have injured no man, when
by your impenitent life you have been draw-
ing down the wrath of heaven upon your-
self, and by your example, if not by your
words, have been encouraging others to neglect
their souls ?

Others, when reminded of their sins, take
refuge behind their church-privileges, as if
these could shelter them from the wrath of
God. Thus it was with many in the days of the
prophet Jeremiah. They were guilty of theft,
murder, adultery, perjury, and of burning in-
cense to Baal. And when the prophet was
sent to rebuke them, they cried out, " The
temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the
temple of the Lord are these." Is it not so
with you ? It is not ordinances alone, but im-
proving them, that will save you. To lean

OF SALVATION. 95

upon them, instead of the Saviour, is the worst
misimprovement of them.

Others betake themselves to their works.
Like the Pharisee who thanked God that he
was not as other men, they stop the mouth of
conscience with an enumeration of the per-
formances in which they imagine they excel
others. True, they admit that, in common with
others, they have sinned; but, they say, they
fast and pray, and to do good and to commu-
nicate, they forget not ; and so they think they
are safe. Thus, they prefer their own misera-
ble hiding-place to God's impregnable city of
refuge ; the home-spun rags of their own, to
the heaven-wrought, imperishable robe of a
Saviour's righteousness ! To lean upon duties
in this manner, is to say to the work of your
hands, Ye are our gods.

Another class of persons will take shelter
under their good resolutions, and thus stifle
conviction of sin. Like Felix, they resolve to
attend to their souls at some convenient season;
and for this convenient season, which, alas !
never arrives, they will put off all their con-
cern for salvation. But can there be any bu-
siness so important as to deserve to take the
place of that of the soul ? Is there any hazard
like that of perdition ? and any mercy like that

VO THE GREAT CONCERN

of salvation from deserved wrath ? Who is the
better judge of the most convenient season,
God or you ? God has determined the present
to be the fittest time. " Now is the accepted
time; behold, now is the day of salvation."
Very many who have resolved upon a more
convenient season, have never seen that season
arrive ; and what is your assurance that it
will be otherwise with you? You may be
in hell, soul and body, before that season
arrives.

There is another sort of persons who plead
their ignorance in justification of their conduct.
Though unconcerned, they fancy themselves
safe, because they are ignorant. God, say
they, may deal severely with others who are
better informed ; but I hope for mercy, because
I know no better. O, the carnal and deceitful
heart ! Will God have mercy upon you be-
cause you are willing to be ignorant? Cer-
tainly not. " For it is a people of no under-
standing ; therefore he that made them will not
have mercy on them, and he that formed them
will show no favour." Whose fault is your
ignorance ? Has not the light of the glorious
Gospel shone clearly around you ? Have not
others acquired knowledge with the same means
which you have neglected ? This is an unfor-

OF SALVATION. 97

tunate excuse ; for ignorant people shall not
be saved. " In flaming fire, taking vengeance
on them that know not God, and obey not the
Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." This is the
condemnation of sinners, "that light is come
into the world, and men loved darkness rather
than light, because their deeds were evil." Is
not this the true reason of your ignorance?
You cannot plead your want of time ; for the
earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the
hearts, as well as the property of men, are in his
hands ; and he has told you that if you are
first faithful to him, he will take care of you.
11 Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his
righteousness, and all these things shall be
added unto you." Besides, others, with as
little time as you have, can take good care of
their souls, and acquire knowledge. You
probably waste as much time on trifles, or in
doing nothing, as would be necessary, if well
improved, to furnish you with all the knowledge
you need. Thus you labour under a twofold
evil ; your voluntary ignorance renders you
incapable of fully understanding what we say
to you of your sin and danger ; and you make
that ignorance atone for your other faults. Your
ignorance, therefore, is your sin, and not your
excuse.

9

yo THE GREAT CONCERN

There is still another class of persons, who
seek shelter from conviction, by comparing
themselves with others. When appeals are
made to their consciences, they will say, they
are sure it will be no worse with them than
with others ; if they are lost, many others will
be also ; and surely the Lord will not send us
all to perdition. But what if others do perish
as well as you ? Will the wailings and gnash-
ing of teeth of lost souls be any comfort to you
in hell? Will these not rather enhance your
misery ? Alas ! you know not what you say.
It is as much as to say, I will hazard the result,
be it what it may. Are you willing to hazard
eternal wrath? Can you dwell with "ever-
lasting burnings?" Can you take comfort in
" devouring fire ?" I put the question, is there
any thing whatever, that is worth seeking, and
which you wish to make sure ? If so, then
I put it to your heart and conscience, whether
any thing can be of equal importance with
salvation? If you think there is, then I ask
you, farther, can you carry it with you when
you leave the world? Will any thing make
up the loss, if you lose your soul? Finally,
I ask, have you ever considered what it is to
be a lost sinner in hell ? I shall only refer you
to Matt. xxv. 41. " Depart from me, ye cursed,

OF SALVATION. \)\f

into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and
his angels."

Section III. Address to those who are
awakened. — If the Lord has opened your eyes
to see your sins, then bless his holy name
for it. You were naturally as much inclined
to sleep on as others ; therefore bless the
distinguishing mercy of God. Study to keep
your eyes open ; or rather give your heart
without delay to the Saviour, and then your
eyes will be opened indeed. If you shut them
now, and lose your convictions, your slumbers
may not be broken again, till broken by the
loud wailings of everlasting despair. Endea-
vour to improve the discoveries you have
made of sin; and seek to have your eyes
farther opened. The more you see of sin, the
more welcome will be the offers of mercy.

Would you indeed be saved? Then take
the advice given to the jailer. "Believe on
the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be
saved." To this answer of the Apostle to the
jailer, your serious attention is invited in the
following chapter.

100 THE GREAT CONCERN

CHAPTER III.

THE APOSTLE'S ANSWER TO THE JAILER CON-
SIDERED.

Section I. The answer of the Apostle ex-
plained.— The Gospel proposes its remedy,
not to those who are well in their own eyes,
but to those who see and feel their disease.
Christ is offered to those who are sensible of
their need of him. Hence, ministers of the
Gospel begin their work with conviction of
sin ; for this alone prepares the way to re-
ceive Christ. When John the Baptist was sent
to prepare for the coming of Christ, he began
here: "Repent," said he, "for the kingdom
of heaven is at hand." So it was with Peter's
sermon on the day of Pentecost. Our Lord
employed the same method in the conver-
sion of Paul. The same have I attempted
to do in dealing with you. I have laid sin
before you ; and now we enter upon the plan
of relief, which is suited only to convinced
sinners.

When the awakened man asked Paul and
Silas what he must do, they answered him di-
rectly and plainly. They did not hold him in

OF SALVATION. 101

suspense till they could capitulate with him for
their own escape from prison. They, there-
fore, gave him the simplest direction possible :
" Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ." Have
faith in him ; receive him, and rest upon him,
and thou shalt be saved.

They gave him the highest possible en-
couragement to comply with their direction :
"Thou shalt be saved, and thy house." The
thing offered is the very thing he is seeking.
Believe, and thou shalt be saved. He might
be saved, but he must believe. Belief and
salvation are inseparable. He was not told,
that if he would abide in faith to the end,
he should be saved, for this would have left
him still trembling, lest he might after all be
finally lost. He was told, that real belief
rendered his salvation sure. He was farther
encouraged by the promise that his family
should be saved with him. Not that his faith
would save them ; they must believe for them-
selves, or they could not be saved. But this
promise implied that his family would obtain
some special advantages in order to their
salvation. The promise was a covenant that
they should be saved. The covenanted mer-
cies are indeed many to the children of pious
parents ; and were it not for the criminal
9*

102 THE GREAT CONCERN

neglect of parents to instruct their children
in the fear of God, we should soon see a
brighter day dawn upon the Church and the
world.

Section II. The convictions and feelings of
the sinner immediately before believing. — It is
not to be supposed that the feelings and con-
victions of awakened sinners are the same in
every case. On the contrary, there is a great
diversity. The Spirit of the Lord is not strait-
ened. There are diversities of gifts, and di-
versities of operations. But as the Holy Spirit
is the same in all cases, and as sin is sin, when-
ever and by whomsoever committed, there
must be something common to all cases of
genuine conviction. A general description,
which is applicable to every variety of cases,
may now be given. A description of the jailer's
case is in point.

First. This convinced sinner is an ungodly
man. It is only the ungodly that are to be
saved by fleeing to and believing in Christ.
" To him that worketh not, but believeth on
him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is
counted for righteousness." None but the un-
godly can have need of a Saviour ; and those
who do not see themselves to be such, will

OF SALVATION. 103

never be persuaded to look to him for salva-
tion.

Second. The convinced jailer saw himself
obnoxious to the righteous judgment of God
against sinners. He saw that death — the curse
and penalty of the law — was justly pronounced
against him. When the law proclaims, " The
soul that sinneth, it shall die ;" the sinner hears
in that sentence his own doom, because he
sees in it his own name. It is the doom of sin ;
and of sin he knows he is guilty. He is self-
condemned.

Third. He utters not one murmur; his
mouth is stopped. He knows that the law is
holy, and the commandment holy, just, and
good. He knows " that what things soever the
law saith, it saith to them who are under the
law ; that every mouth may be stopped, and
all the world may become guilty before
God." He has sinned, and it cannot be con-
cealed ; he is guilty, and there is no excuse.
He is "shut up under sin." He is a criminal,
who has such a view of his crimes, that he
dares not attempt either to conceal or extenuate
them; but subscribes to the truth of every
thing charged upon him by the divine law and
by his own conscience. He is an enemy to
God, brought into such a strait that he can

104 THE GREAT CONCERN

neither fight nor flee. If he looks to himself,
he sees an enemy in hopeless rebellion against
heaven. If he looks to his own righteousness,
it is as filthy rags. His former defences are
now as a deceitful bow ; and all the things
upon which he once leaned are now as a
broken reed. In shoxt, in himself, he is poor,
miserable, blind, helpless, and undone.

Section III. Character and work of Christ.

A full account of the character and offices of

Christ cannot here be given. It will be suf-
ficient to glance at a few things which suit our
present purpose.

I. The Lord Jesus Christ, in whom we are
commanded to believe, is "Immanuel," that
is, "God with us." "In the beginning was
the Word, and the Word was with God, and
the Word was God." And in the fulness of
time, this Word " was made flesh and dwelt
among us ;" even among men upon earth, who
" beheld his glory, the glory as of the only-be-
gotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."
Now this discovery of Christ is extremely en-
couraging to a convinced sinner. It affords
him no relief to tell him to believe in God ; for
he sees the holiness, justice, truth, and wisdom
of God, all arrayed against him. Holiness

OF SALVATION. 105

cannot countenance sin. The truth of God
has become surety for the sinner's destruction ;
and justice declares this reasonable. Hence
the sinner's terror. He dare not flee to God.
Like Adam, he would rather attempt to hide
himself from the divine presence. Tell the
sinner to believe in such a Being, and he would
probably reply, Can I believe in him, whose
attributes all conspire, and justly, too, to seal
my destruction ? He has already told me what
I am to expect at his hand. " In the day that
thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die."
" God is a consuming fire," and I am as stubble
before him. On the other hand, tell such a
sinner to go to a man, a mere man, for help,
and he instantly feels that the help of man is
vain. " What," he would say, " are not all
men involved in the same calamity with me ?
Shall I flee to a man like myself, to sustain for
me the weight of deserved wrath, and to shield
me from the dreadful blow of divine justice ?"
It is preposterous. Thus neither God nor man
alone is suited to give the desired relief to a
guilty, awakened sinner. But the union of
God and man in Christ Jesus our Lord is
exactly suited to give the sinner the desired
relief. An awakened sinner will see three
things in the person of Jesus Christ.

106 THE GREAT CONCERN

First. He will see Christ to be one who
may be approached by him. He will feel that
he cannot see God and live. Nay, such is
the weakness of man since the fall, that even
the sight of a created angel has made some of
the most eminently holy men exceedingly fear
and tremble. But there is not this dread of
approaching one who, like ourselves, is clothed
in flesh.

Second. The person of Christ, thus con-
sisting of the divine and human nature united,
appears eminently fitted for undertaking the
work of reconciliation between offended God
and offending man. He is equally interested
in both parties. Being God, he fully knows
what God demands of sinners ; and being man,
he knows what is man's condition and wants.
In Christ, therefore, the sinner finds a " days-
man," to whom he may go with confidence.

Third. He sees also, in Christ Jesus, one
who is touched with the feeling of his infirmi-
mities ; and one who has wisdom and power to
improve to our advantage his sense of our
misery. " Great is the mystery of godliness ;
God was manifest in the flesh ;" this the con-
vinced sinner views with admiration. The
divine seems brought down to the human
nature, and the human elevated to the divine,

OF SALVATION. 107

affording at once the assurance of power to
deliver and of willingness to save, while
justice and mercy, both fully satisfied and
united in delightful harmony, concur in the
sinner's salvation.

II. The Lord Jesus Christ is clothed with a
threefold office, for the benefit of believers.

First. Christ is a Prophet. He was pre-
dicted as such by Moses; "The Lord thy
God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from
the midst of thee, of thy brethren." "I will
raise them up a Prophet from among their
brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words
in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them
all that I shall command him. And it shall
come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken
unto my words which he shall speak in my
name, I will require it of him." That this
Prophet is indeed the Lord Jesus Christ, is
proved by the words of Peter ; Acts iii. 22 ;
where this prophecy of Moses is repeated and
applied to Christ. The passage contains a full
account of Christ's prophetical office. There
is his call to that office ; " I will raise them up
a Prophet :" that is, I will call one, and set him
apart for the work. The passage also describes
his fitness for the work : " I will put my words
in his mouth." It shows what his work is ;

108 THE GREAT CONCERN

" He shall speak unto them all that I shall
command him." We see, also, to whom this
prophet is sent ; they are sinners, who are sen-
sible that they cannot approach God without a
mediator, and live. This circumstance made
them cry out : " Let me not hear again the
roice of the Lord my God, neither let me see
this great fire any more, that I die not." We
may farther see that the design of Christ's pro-
phetical office was, to satisfy the desires and
necessities of convinced sinners. This will be
evident, if we examine Deut. xviii. 15, 16.
The Lord promises Christ to be a Prophet ; and
then adds, that it was according to their desire
in Horeb. We may notice, finally, the qualifi-
cations of this Prophet, who was promised to
Israel. He was to be one of themselves ; and
one who would faithfully declare to them all
that the Lord commanded him.

Second. The Lord Jesus Christ is " a Priest
forever after the order of Melchizedec," God
having made him such by an oath. Not to
discourse at large upon this office, we may
notice two things, which are peculiarly suited
to the sinner's wants ; namely, oblation and
intercession. The first is the foundation of the
second.

The being to whom he offers sacrifice, or

OF SALVATION. 109

oblation, and with whom he intercedes, is God
only, the just God, who has declared that he
" will by no means clear the guilty." Before
sin entered the world, there was no place for
sacrifice. Under the first covenant there was
no sacrifice required ; Adam had whatever was
needful for his happiness without it. But sin
cut him off from expecting* the blessings of the
first covenant, and threatened him with de-
struction from the presence of the Lord, unless
there could be some one to interpose as priest
in his behalf.

The persons for whom he offers sacrifice are
therefore sinners.

This shows us what must be the character
of the interposing priest ; he must be acceptable
to God. " Such an high-priest became us, who
is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sin-
ners." One who was himself a sinner could
answer no purpose as prevailing intercessor
between God and sinners. Again, he must be
capable of being affected with the feeling of our
infirmities, that he might have compassion upon
us. " Wherefore in all things it behoved him
to be made like unto his brethren, that he
might be a merciful and faithful high-priest in
things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation
for the sins of the people : For that he himself
10

110 THE GREAT CONCERN

hath suffered, being tempted, he is able to suc-
cour them that are tempted." " For we have
not an high-priest which cannot be touched
with the feeling of our infirmities ; but was in
all points tempted like as we are, yet without
sin." In fine, he must be called of God, as
was Aaron ; for no man can take to himself
this office. Now in Christ, and him alone, are
found all these qualifications. He is " the
Apostle and High-Priest of our profession."

But what sacrifice does this High-Priest of
our profession offer? Some offering is indis-
pensable. " For every high-priest is ordained
to offer gifts and sacrifices ; wherefore it is
of necessity that this man have somewhat
also to offer." Another passage from the
epistle to the Hebrews will show what this
sacrifice is. "For if the blood of bulls and
of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling
the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the
flesh; how much more shall the blood of Christ,
who through the eternal Spirit offered himself
without spot to God, purge your consciences
from dead works to serve the living God?"
The sacrifice which he offered, then, was the
sacrifice of himself.

What has now been said shows us the con-
dition of man. He has sinned, and by sin

OF SALVATION. Ill

provoked God to wrath. Incensed justice, as
it were, seizes him, binds him, as was Isaac,
and lifts the knife, to strike the blow. In
this situation, no prayers, no tears, nor any-
thing the sinner can do, will avail. " Sacri-
fice and offering thou wouldest not." Christ,
being made a priest, now, by virtue of his
office, pleads for the sinner, and offers, in
his stead, to suffer what divine justice was
about to inflict upon him. Justice accepts of
the Lamb of the Lord's providing — the Lord
Jesus Christ — and sets the sinner free, but
slays the sacrifice. Between God and the
sinner there is now reconciliation. The vic-
tim has suffered, and the charge against the
sinner is removed. This sacrifice, being of
infinitely more value than the sinner, pur-
chases for him many favours, which his High-
Priest takes care to have bestowed upon him ;
that is, he intercedes for him, taking care, if
we may so speak, that he may receive all the
blessings purchased by the sacrifice.

Third. The Lord Jesus Christ is also a king.
He was foretold as such in prophecy. "Yet
have I set my king upon my holy hill of
Zion." The angel that appeared to Mary thus
spoke of him : " He shall be great, and shall
be called the Son of the Highest ; and the Lord

112 THE GREAT CONCERN

God shall give unto him the throne of his
father David ; and he shall reign over the
house of Jacob forever and ever ; and of his
kingdom there shall be no end." He calls
himself a king. " My kingdom," says he, " is
not of this world." And for his adherence to
this, the Jews crucified him.

In regard to his kingly office, I have room
only for a few hints, such as suit our present
purpose. — First. In virtue of this office he has
power to enact all the laws which are neces-
sary for the good of his subjects.— Second. He
has power to reduce to obedience all who
belong to his kingdom. "The Lord said unto
my Lord — thy people shall be willing in the
day of thy power." If they rebel, he can
bring them into subjection. — Third. He can
protect them against all their enemies. "The
Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver,
the Lord is our king ; he will save us." —
Fourth. He has power to conquer all his
enemies. "He must reign till he hath put
all enemies under his feet." He can subdue
all things unto himself. "According to the
working whereby he is able even to subdue
all things unto himself." "All power is
given unto me in heaven and in earth."
He is "head over all things to the church."

OF SALVATION. 113

And whatever is needful for the church he will
supply.

III. In Christ the convinced sinner may find
relief against a threefold evil. First. He finds
himself extremely ignorant, as to the mind
and will of God. He knows not what to do.
To sit still is ruinous ; and if he move, it may
be in the wrong direction. In this difficulty
he may find relief in Christ's prophetical
office ; for in virtue of this office, the sinner
is translated out of darkness into marvellous
light. Whether there were purposes of mercy
and grace or not, in the divine mind, it could
not have been known, had not Christ revealed
it. " No man hath seen God at any time :
the only-begotten Son, which is in the bosom
of the Father, he hath declared him." Second.
The awakened sinner is burdened with guilt,
against which nothing but Christ's priestly
office can afTord relief. For there is no way
of purging the conscience from dead works,
but by the application of the blood of Christ,
who, " through the eternal Spirit," offered him-
self for this very purpose. Third. In Christ
there is a relief from the power of sin. Sin
insults and enslaves the sinner ; and he cannot
break away from its merciless dominion, but in
the strength of Christ.

10*

114 THE GREAT CONCERN

IV. The Lord Jesus Christ is one in whom
the doubting sinner finds a threefold torment-
ing scruple removed. First. When the sinner
begins to feel the burden of his sins, he asks
where he can find one able to undertake for
him. He sees mountains in his way, which
he cannot remove. He knows no one in
heaven or earth, to whom he may apply for
relief. If man were willing, his strength is
wholly incompetent. In Christ he finds the
needed strength. " I have laid help upon one
that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen
out of the people." He is the Lord in whom
is everlasting strength. Second. When the
sinner hears of one able to relieve him, he
still may doubt whether that ability will be
employed in his behalf. Many, when Christ
was on earth, came to him to be healed of
diseases, without doubting his ability to heal
them, but fearing that he would not be willing.
The leper cried, " If thou wilt, thou canst
make me clean." Now, in the scriptural
view of Christ our King, this difficulty is re-
moved. As he is the Lord, mighty to save,
having all power in heaven and in earth ;
so he is Jesus, willing to save, designing to
employ his power for this end. Third. There
may still be another doubt in the mind of a

OF SALVATION. 115

sinner ; he may fear the Father's unwillingness
to grant the Son a suitable commission for his
work. But his fears on this ground may soon
be removed ; for Christ is one whom the Father
has sealed, anointed, and set apart for that
very work. He is the beloved Son, in whom
the Father is well pleased, and who has power
to save to the uttermost all who come to God
by him.

V. Christ removes a threefold obstruction
to the sinner's salvation, arising from the
character and attributes of God. First. Jus-
tice declared that the sinner was worthy of
death. But he is now able to answer, "In
Christ I have suffered the penalty." Second.
Holiness declares that nothing impure shall
have admittance. But Christ answers, I have
power to purge them by the Spirit. Third.
But it still remains to show this to the sinner.
Christ, therefore, becomes the messenger to
impart the welcome news, that all these obsta-
cles are removed.

VI. Christ furnishes the sinner with a three-
fold defence against his adversaries. First.
Satan charges him with things which he
cannot deny ; but Christ furnishes an answer
to them all. Second. Satan lays deep plots
against him, which he cannot discover ; but

116 THE GREAT CONCERN

Christ gives him wisdom to escape the snares,
and to know the depths of Satan. Third.
These adversaries fall upon him with a force
which he cannot resist ; but he is made more
than a conqueror through Christ strengthening
him.

VII. That there may be nothing wanting,
the Lord Jesus Christ can satisfy the mind, the
conscience, and the heart. He fills the mind
with light ; he pacifies the conscience ; and
presents an object suited to the holiest desires
of a renewed heart. As a prophet, he opens
blind eyes, and pours light upon dark minds.
As a priest, he stops the mouth of an awakened
and accusing conscience. As a king, he
bestows what is sufficient to content the
heart, even himself, and every other needed
blessing.

For all these glorious purposes is Christ
offered in the Gospel to all who need him.
He invites the weary and heavy laden to man-
sions of everlasting rest. He is proposed in
the everlasting Gospel as the object of faith,
on whom the sinner is to believe in order to
salvation.

Section IV. Faith, or believing in the Lord
Jesus Christ, considered. — The duty of belie v-

OF SALVATION. 117

ing, or of exercising faith, is the foundation of
all duties. Hence its nature and evidences are
set forth in the sacred Scriptures in a multitude
of passages, and by a very great variety of
illustrations and forms of expression.

First. Believing in the Lord Jesus Christ is
looking to him. " Look unto me, and be ye
saved, all the ends of the earth ; for I am God
and there is none else." In the Epistle to the
Hebrews is a similar passage : " Let us run
with patience the race that is set before us,
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of
our faith." Perhaps here is an allusion to the
brazen serpent, which Moses erected on a pole
in the wilderness, to which those who were
bitten with the fiery serpents were to look, and
be healed. He who is led to believe, then, is
one who feels the smart of the sting of sin.
And if he wish to be cured of its deadly venom,
he must look to Jesus, the author and finisher
of faith. As it was with those stung by the
fiery serpents, if he will not look he cannot
live. A sense of present pain, and an appre-
hension of future danger, give rise to faith.
The sinner looks to Christ as God, who has
made provision for salvation. He looks to him
as ordained by divine appointment for this
very end. He looks to him, and trusts in him

118 THE GREAT CONCERN

alone, as an all-sufficient remedy for the malady
of sin.

Second. To believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, is to come to him. So faith is expressed
both in the Old and New Testament. Surely
shall one say : " In the Lord have I righteous-
ness and strength; even to him shall men
come." "Return, ye backsliding children,
and I will heal your backslidings." To this
the people answer : " Behold, we come unto
thee; for thou art the Lord our God." And
by the same expression is faith spoken of in
the New Testament. "All that the Father
giveth me shall come to me, and him that
cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." "He
that cometh to me shall never hunger, and
he that believeth on me shall never thirst."
" Ye will not come to me, that ye might have
life." Here are several things to be noticed in
regard to this manner of expressing faith.
First. Persons, before believing, are at a dis-
tance from God. Like the prodigal, they are
away from their father's house in a far country,
hungry, thirsty, and destitute. Second. On
the sinner's part it is a painful conviction of
present want and future wrath, which occasions
his believing. He is hungry, and without food ;

OF SALVATIOX. 119

he is thirsty, and can find no drink. The
starving prodigal would have been glad of the
meanest pittance of food ; but where he then
was, he could not have it. So it is with sin-
ners. When the Lord opens their eyes to see
their condition, they find themselves far away
from Christ ; and then a pressing sense of want
follows, which is the spring of their turning
towards the Lord. On the Lord's part, that
which causes their coming to him, is his calling
and drawing them : " Come unto me, all ye
that labour and are heavy laden, and I will
give you rest." "No man can come to me
except the Father, which hath sent me, draw
him."

" Third. To believe in Christ is, to Jlee, to
run to him. He is " a strong tower ; the
righteous runneth into it, and is safe." Here
we may have " a strong consolation, who have
fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set
before us/' The awakened sinner is like the
manslayer of old ; he was nowhere safe but in
the city of refuge. The avenger of blood had
a commission to slay him, if found out of this
city. So justice has a warrant against sinners,
and pursues them. Death, the officer and
executioner, closely follows the guilty, and
executes his commission, if he overtake them

120 THE GREAT CONCERN

before they reach the city of refuge, the Lord
Jesus.

Fourth. To believe in Christ is to cast our
burden upon the Lord. "Cast thy burden
upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee."
Sin is the heaviest of burdens. The Psalmist
found it so. "Mine iniquities are gone over
mine head ; as an heavy burden, they are too
heavy for me." They were so heavy a bur-
den to the fallen angels, as to press them down
into the bottomless pit. They have always
been so heavy, that " the whole creation groan-
eth and travaileth in pain together until now."
Even those who have the first-fruits of the
Spirit, and so have this burden greatly light-
ened, while " in this tabernacle do groan, being
burdened." Nothing but a Saviour can re-
move this burden.

Fifth. To believe is to put on the Lord
Jesus Christ. " Put ye on the Lord Jesus
Christ." Man by nature, like Adam, is naked.
The fig-leaf garments of his own righteousness
will not shelter him from the storm of deserved
wrath. No robe can cover him, but that of a
Saviour's righteousness. And to believe is to
put on Christ for righteousness. Without
Christ, man has no ornament, no covering.
He needs to go to Christ for white raiment of

OF SALVATION. 121

beauty and glory. This, then, is faith ; to see
in Christ our ornament, and our covering, and
defence. These hide the deformity of sin, and
satisfy the soul.

Sixth. To believe is to receive Christ. " But
as many as received him, to them gave he
power to become the sons of God, even to them
that believe on his name." Sometimes the
same is expressed in the idea of having sin re-
mitted through faith in Christ. " To him give
all the prophets witness, that through his name
whosoever believeth in him shall receive re-
mission of sins." And again: "We also joy
in God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by
whom we have now received the atonement,"
or reconciliation. Here we see, that one who
is to believe is one wTho needs Christ, and
needs righteousness ; one who is condemned
to die, and wants pardon. And in receiving
Christ, he receives all his benefits, for they are
inseparable. Here, too, we see what faith is ;
it is the acceptance of Christ's gifts, for the end
for which they are offered.

Seventh. To believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,
is to lean upon him; to stay ourselves upon
him. " Who is this that cometh up from the
wilderness leaning upon her beloved ?" "Who
is among you that feareth the Lord, that obey-
11

122 THE GREAT CONCERN

eth the voice of his servant, that walketh in
darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in
the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God."
Here, too, as before, we see what the sinner's
state is before believing. He is oppressed with
a burden which he cannot bear ; he is facing a
storm which he cannot endure. He must have
a support, or he will fall ; and if he fall, he will
be dashed in pieces. He is on the brink of the
pit, ready to plunge into its fiery abyss ; and if
his foot once slide, there will be no deliverance.
He sees his peril, and sees that Christ is
able to support and save him. He leans
upon his Saviour, and finds the expected relief.
Eighth. To believe in Christ, is to lay hold
of him ; to take hold of his strength. " Let
him lay hold of my strength, that he may
make peace with me, and he shall make
peace with me." " Thus saith the Lord unto
the eunuchs that keep my Sabbaths, and choose
the things that please me, and take hold of my
covenant." In the New Testament it is called
apprehending Christ. " Not as though I had
already attained, either were already perfect ;
but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that
for which I also am apprehended of Christ
Jesus." In another passage, we are said " to
lay hold upon the hope set before us." Like

OF SALVATION. 123

Peter attempting to walk upon the sea, the sin-
ner is ready to sink and perish ; but he lays
hold on Christ, and thus is saved.

There are many other ways of expressing
faith employed in the Bible, such as cleaving
to the Lord, submitting to the righteousness of
God, and opening the door to Christ ; but those
already given will be sufficient for our present
purpose.

Section V. The nature of Faith continued.
First. If Ave bear in mind what has been of-
fered in the foregoing section, we shall not
find it difficult to understand what is implied
in the duty of believing. We can easily see
that it implies a distinct understanding of sin
and misery. The Israelite, bitten by the fiery
serpents, knew his wound and his danger, be-
fore he looked to the remedy. The prodigal
knew his want, before he thought of returning
to his father's house. The manslayer under-
stood his danger, before he fled to the city of
refuge. The burdened sinner is sensible of the
weight of sin, before the Lord relieves him of
it. The sinner will never flee to Christ till he
well knows the evil of sin.

This sense of sin and misery is also deep,
as well as distinct. Many who live under the

124 THE GREAT CONCERN

Gospel, have the latter without the former.
But in the mind of the believer, it has a
deep root. It moreover affects his heart, and
takes hold of his affections. Fear, grief, hatred,
and revenge, take their turn in the soul ; grief
for the offence done to God ; hatred against
sin ; and self-revenge for the folly of incur-
ring the guilt of sin. Indeed, those who have
never been affected on account of sin, are
strangers to saving faith. Half-awakened sin-
ners hope to have their wound cured, without
applying in earnest to the great Physician.
They stop short of believing, and employ
some remedy less disagreeable to them than
to lay aside their easily besetting sins. If their
eye offend them, they will not pluck it out,
and if their hand or foot offend them, they
will not cut it off. They want salvation on
their own terms. But with a deep and abiding
sense of the guilt of sin, nothing but a saving
work will satisfy. And this feeling must
not only be presupposed to the first actings
of faith, but will continue in some measure
in the soul, during the whole life of faith on
earth.

Second. Saving faith also implies some
knowledge of Jesus Christ. Hence faith is
sometimes called knowledge. "By his know-

OF SALVATION. 125

ledge shall my righteous servant justify many;
for he shall bear their iniquities ;" that is, by
the knowledge of him, or, in other words, by
faith in him, shall my righteous servant jus-
tify many. And three things in particular
must be known of Christ. First. The excel-
lence of his person must be known. The
eye of faith must fix on him; for him we
receive; on him we lean; on him we stay
ourselves ; on him we cast our burdens. In
order to do this, we must know who he is.
We must know that he is God and man in
one person ; " God manifest in the flesh."
Second. His power to save must be known;
for we cannot have faith in him, or rely on
him, without a knowledge of his sufficiency
for his work. Therefore he must be known
as " the only-begotten of the Father, full of
grace and truth ;" as the Word made flesh,
and dwelling among us. Third. His suitable-
ness to the sinner's case must be known.
There may be fulness and sufficiency, without
suitableness. God manifest in the flesh is
indeed sufficient to accomplish the work of
our salvation ; but in order to receive him,
we must know that there is a way of con-
veyance, by which that fulness may become
ours.

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126 THE GREAT CONCERN

Third. Saving faith, or believing on the
Lord Jesus Christ, implies some knowledge
of the Gospel offer of Christ. It must be
known that Christ and his benefits are of-
fered freely. We must also know on what
terms the offer is made. The followers of
Christ are " the circumcision which worship
God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus,
and have no confidence in the flesh." Here
are the terms; we must utterly abandon all
confidence in the flesh; we must know that
our prayers and tears cannot atone for our
sin, or merit salvation ; we are to rejoice in
the Lord; we are to glory in him alone.
We must serve God in the way of his own
appointment, and in the strength of that Spirit,
whose benefits Christ has purchased for the
believer.

Fourth. Faith implies that the heart ac-
cepts of these terms. Strictly speaking, this
is faith, and the things above mentioned are
prerequisites and accompaniments of faith. To
accept of these terms, or to receive Christ,
implies three things. First. It implies a re-
nunciation of all dependence on other things
for salvation. Hence believers are said to
have no confidence in the flesh ; that is, they
expect no relief from things upon which cor-

OF SALVATION. 127

rupt nature is prone to rely. "Assur shall
not save us; we will not ride upon horses*,
neither will we say any more to the work
of our hands, Ye are our gods." "Truly
in vain is salvation looked for from the hills,
and from the multitude of mountains." "We
are all as an unclean thing, and all our
righteousnesses are as filthy rags." To whom
can we go but to the Lord, who has the
words of eternal life ? Second. It includes the
assent of the will to the terms of the Gospel,
as good and desirable. Seek not salvation
from that which cannot save, have no con-
fidence in the flesh, take freely whatever you
need, and freely use what you receive ; these
are the terms ; who that is not blind can
refuse them ? We can conceive nothing more
reasonable, favourable, encouraging, and con-
descending than this. The terms are indeed
worthy of the love, mercy, and wisdom of
God. Third. It implies that the soul rests
on Jesus Christ alone for salvation. Faith
fixes on him alone. It has tried other things,
and found them wanting. With confidence
it rejoices and glories in Jesus Christ. It
points the wounded conscience to a bleeding
Saviour, and the accusing voice is hushed.
In the robe of a Saviour's righteousness, the

128 THE GREAT CONCERN

"believer finds a shelter from the thunders o
Sinai, and his furniture for every good word
and work.

Section VI. Import of Salvation. — I. Sal-
vation implies three things. First. It implies
deliverance from wrath. Sin deserves wrath ;
the jailer felt that it did ; and therefore he fled
for refuge, like one who runs for shelter, when
the thundering clouds portend the near ap-
proach of a tempest. What must I do ? " Be-
lieve on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt
be saved." Second. It implies a title to eter-
nal life. The awakened man desires happi-
ness ; but how to secure it, he does not know.
He fears that he shall never obtain it ; this
makes him quake, and inquire what he must
do. The answer is, as before, " Believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."
He who believes God's record of his Son, as-
sents that God is true. " And this is the record,
that God hath given to us eternal life, and this
life is in his Son. He that hath the Son, hath
life." Third. It implies a full possession of
eternal life. What must I do ? asks the trem-
bling sinner. How can I secure the promised
possession? "Believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, and thou shalt be saved." Thus you

,

OF SALVATION. 129

will be " kept by the power of God, through
faith unto salvation;" "receiving the end of
your faith, even the salvation of your souls."

II. Salvation has many important properties.
A few will be described. First. It is a great
salvation. " How shall we escape, if we neg-
lect so great salvation." It is a great salva-
tion in regard to its contrivance. • There was
much wisdom in contriving the world, but in
the salvation of the church is to be seen " the
manifold wisdom of God." Before the fall,
divine mercy and grace had not been glorified.
On every' feature of creation, infinite wisdom
and power were legible. Moral perfection
was copied out in the nature of angels and the
souls of men. It might then be seen, that God
was transcendently glorious, holy, good, and
bountiful ; but we cannot trace the footsteps of
mercy, till the world had been defaced by sin.
Justice plunged the rebel angels into the pit of
darkness ; but in that transaction, mercy was
not unveiled. Indeed, in reference to man, the
door seemed closed against it by the threaten-
ing, " In the day that thou eatest thereof,
thou shalt surely die." Here, then, both in
the justice which condemns, and the mercy
which spares, we may see that salvation is
great in reference to its plan. What could be

130 THE GREAT CONCERN

more worthy of the Lawgiver, than to show
that his law was suited to the ends of govern-
ment, and to the honour of the Governor ? The
obedience of the Son of God proclaims, that it
is man's honour to obey ; the peace which flows
from obedience, proves it to be for his interest ;
and pain, the consequence of sin, shows that no
charge can be sustained against the laws and
ways of God. What more suitable to him
who had undertaken to protect his subjects,
than to give proof that he could defeat the
crafty plots, and crush the force of enemies ?
All this is conspicuously done in the salvation
of the church. In the plan of salvation, God
completed to us the exhibition of his attributes,
honoured his law, and exposed the folly and
weakness of his great enemy. -And this also
shows that, in reference to its author, salvation
is great. All the persons of the glorious
Trinity have their office in the work. The
first proposal of it is from the love of the Father,
the accomplishment of it is by the Son, and the
application of it is by the Holy Spirit. The
Son takes the " form of a servant," becomes
the obedient and suffering victim, the vicarious
offering for the sins of his people, and pur-
chases redemption and all its blessings, not
with silver and gold, which for such a purpose

OF SALVATION. 131

are worthless, but with his own precious blood.
God himself first announced to Adam that a
Saviour would come; additional revelations
were afterwards made ; fresh beams of light
from time to time were emitted upon the world,
till the Sun of righteousness himself came with
the effulgence of the Gospel.

This is a great salvation in reference to its
provisions for deliverance from wrath, and
admittance to glory. The stain of sin is so
deep that nothing but the blood of Christ can
wash it out. Sin, an inexorable tyrant, rules
with a rod of iron, and binds his vassals in
chains. What this tyranny is, the tragical
history of the world affords melancholy evi-
dence. We see families ruined in estate and
happiness, their reputation blasted and their
hopes blighted ; we see interminable discords
in neighbourhoods and communities ; we see
oppression, violence, and murder; we see king-
doms drenched in blood. From all this does
salvation grant us final deliverance. It does
more than this : it saves us from the wrath to
come. It is salvation from the sting and the
fear of death. It does still more : it not only
frees the believer from the galling chains and
the " filthy rags" of sin, but it places on his
head a crown of life, and clothes him in robes

132 THE GREAT CONCERN

of righteousness and garments of salvation.
"I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul
shall be joyful in my God ; for he hath clothed
me with the garments of salvation; he hath
covered me with the robes of righteousness, as
a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments,
and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels."
Thus it gives to the slaves of Satan the "power
to become the sons of God." It grants to the
children of wrath the privilege to become
"heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ."
It puts believers under the mild dominion of
grace. It gives them the indwelling of the
Spirit, to overcome the power of indwelling
sin. It brings them into a state of favour with
God, sealing them by the Spirit unto the day
of complete redemption. It brings them into
the enjoyment of God's loving-kindness, which
is better than life. It takes the vassals of
Satan, and places them on a throne. "To
him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me
in my throne ; even as I also overcame, and am
set down with my Father in his throne ;" there
to enjoy a life of God, a life of promise in
heaven, a life of happiness, a life of glory,
and such a life forever and ever.

Second. This salvation is great ; it not only
delivers from all evil, and grants blessings of

OF SALVATION. 133

infinite value ; it is not only a complete salva-
tion in every respect, but it is a suitable one.
It is suitable to the sinner, because it is near.
The sinner's case requires a speedy relief.
Its advantages are near, and its offer is near.
On God's part all things are now ready. The
jailer obtained speedy relief, and so may others.
The terms of this salvation are suitable to the
sinner's case. He cannot purchase salvation,
and therefore he must have it as a gift, if he have
it at all. Its nature is suited to the sinner's
wants. Does he need pardon ? he may have
it. Does he need repentance ? he may have it.
Does he need grace and mercy? these, too, he
may freely have. The security it offers is
suited to the sinner's desires. It is security,
and that alone, which can satisfy him. And
what security can be greater than God's cove-
nant promise, confirmed by an oath ? It puts be-
lievers in a sure possession of eternal blessings.

Section VII. Certainty of salvation to true
believers. — First. The first argument for the
certainty of the believer's salvation, is drawn
from the immutability of the divine purposes.
In all the controversies among Christians about
divine decrees, scarcely any have ventured to
allege that God has not determined the salva-
12

134 THE GREAT CONCERN

tion of believers. If all who believe will not
be infallibly saved, it must be either because
God changes his purposes, or because he falls
short of accomplishing them. But the divine
purposes must be unchangeable, because he is
so himself. "I am the Lord, I change not."
"Every good gift and every perfect gift is
from above, and cometh down from the Father
of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither
shadow of turning." And as God cannot
change his purposes, so he cannot fall short of
accomplishing them. And we have the sure
word of God, that those who believe shall be
saved." "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ,
and thou shalt be saved." Now the word and
purpose of God must stand. " The grass with-
ereth, the flower fadeth, but the word of our
God shall stand forever." " The Lord of hosts
hath purposed, and who shall disannul it ? and
his hand is stretched out, and who shall
turn it back ?" " None can stay his hand, or
say unto him, What doest thou ?" We thus
have the purpose and promise of God. We
have more than this : there is a covenant ;
this covenant has seals appended to it for its
ratification ; the Lord Jesus Christ is the surety
of this covenant ; the blessings of this covenant
were purchased by the blood of the Son of

OF SALVATION. 135

God ; the purchase is made over by way of
legacy to believers ; this testament, being con-
firmed by the death of the testator, is unaltera-
ble ; the Holy Spirit is left, if we may so speak,
as executor of this will ; and hence no believer
can fail of salvation.

Second. We have another argument in the
experience of believers. We may here lay
down the proposition, that all believers at death
attain the full possession of this great, com-
plete, suitable, and eternal salvation. But
without insisting on this, we maintain that
believers, even in this life, have some expe-
rience of this salvation. We do not say that
all have the same degree of it, or that all
can give equally distinct accounts of their ex-
perience. But all may understand that sal-
vation comprehends a deliverance from evil,
and a grant of all that is good. All true
believers have experience, that a gracious de-
liverance from wrath is begun. Before they
gave their hearts to the Lord, they were
brought to see destruction as it were before
them, and they beheld it with " a fearful look-
ing for of wrath and fiery indignation." While
trembling on the verge of ruin, they disco-
vered the Lord Jesus Christ. They saw his
sufficiency, and understood the terms of safety.

136 THE GREAT CONCERN

They were pleased with the terms, and laid
hold on Christ. At this stage of the believer's
experience, he begins to find rest, in a greater
or less degree. Deliverance, thus begun, is
a pledge of full freedom. Nor is this all;
the believer now experiences, that salvation
from the dominion of sin is begun. The law
of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, makes
him free from the law of sin and death.
However great the diversity in different per-
sons, every one in whom salvation is begun
has some experience of this kind. And if
there is deliverance from the power, there
will be also from the pollution of sin ; or there
could be no confidence in approaching the
throne of grace. Nor should we here forget
to notice the experience of the freedom of
Christ's subjects. The believer finds freedom
in the service of God ; it becomes easy, and,
as it were, natural to him. He finds a re-
freshment in obedience ; a beginning of that
satisfaction with God's likeness, which is to be
completed in heaven. He finds a beginning of
heaven in his soul. All believers, in a greater
or less degree, experience Christ as the hope
of glory in their hearts. That these expe-
riences are not oftener clearly discovered and
comfortably enjoyed, must be attributed to the

OF SALVATION. 137

unfaithfulness of believers. But whether the
experience be more or less clear and satisfac-
tory, if it exist at all, it is the beginning of
eternal salvation.

We know that the believer does experience
such things, from the testimony of the word
of God. The affrighted jailer soon found rest
and joy. The distressed inquirers on the day
of Pentecost soon began to "eat their meat
with gkdness and singleness of heart, praising
God, and having favour with all the people."
We know this too from the testimony of be-
lievers in every age, even in our own. And
though they should hold their peace in this
matter, we could see the evidence with our
eyes. We could often see the wicked sud-
denly stopped in their career of wickedness;
we might see them filled with alarm for their
souls, and then turning from sin, serving God,
and enjoying sweet peace of conscience.

12*

138 THE GREAT CONCERN

CHAPTER IV.

IMPROVEMENT OF THE SUBJECT.

Section I. Several sorts of unbelievers de-
scribed.— That the reader may be induced to
inquire carefully whether or not he is among
any of the several sorts of unbelievers, let
him bear in mind that faith and the preach-
ing of the word are blessings unspeakably
great, inasmuch as they are necessary in the
plan of salvation ; that the condition of the
believer is unspeakably happy; and that as-
surance of eternal salvation is attainable. " Be-
lieve on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shal*
be saved." Proper care and honesty with
our own hearts would surely enable us tc
know whether we believe or not ; whether or
not we have right views and feelings in refer-
ence to Christ and his salvation. We may
infer, moreover, from what was offered in the
foregoing chapter, that perseverance in faith
is not the condition of salvation, or foundation
of our title to it. He who believes shall be
saved. It is not, believe and you shall be
saved, if you persevere ; but, believe and you
shall be saved. And as belief is salvation, so

OF SALVATION. 139

is unbelief destruction. It is self-murder of
the worst kind, of trie soul. For a man to dis-
believe is, like the Pharisees, to reject the
counsel of God against himself.

Consider then, reader, the momentous im-
portance of the subject ; for upon it your ever-
lasting destiny depends. Consider whether
you have faith; "for all men have not faith,"
and without it, it is impossible to please God.
Indeed, our Saviour declared that there were
few saved. Consider that very many have
been awfully deceived, and that you are in
danger of being deceived, as well as others.
The Laodiceans thought they had need of
nothing, while they were poor, and miserable,
and blind, and naked. "Not every one that
saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into
the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the
will of my Father which is in heaven." The
ten virgins all supposed themselves wise, but
five of them proved to be foolish. Consider
that deception is attended with consequences
awful beyond conception. Consider that it is
for your own interest to make an impartial
trial of yourself. Deception cannot last for-
ever ; death, if nothing else, will show us
what we are prepared for. We may trust
to cunningly devised fables in life, but in

140 THE GREAT CONCERN

death there will be no fables. Let the word
of God prevail with you. "Examine your-
selves whether ye be in the faith ; prove your
own selves ; know ye not your own selves,
how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be
reprobates ?"

First. All who are grossly ignorant of divine
truth are to be classed among unbelievers. Be-
lieving implies a knowledge of the thing be-
lieved. We must have " an heart to know the
Lord." And we must know our need of Christ.
' The whole need not a physician, but they that
are sick." Those who do not know that they
are diseased, will not inquire for the physician.
Indeed, faith is expressed by knowledge. It
is a "translation out of darkness, into God's
marvellous light." It is a coming to the
"knowledge of the truth." Ignorance, then,
is no excuse for disobedience.

Second. All the openly profane, those who
live in the practice of notorious sins, are un-
doubtedly to be classed among unbelievers.
Those who lie, swear, and steal, sometimes call
themselves believers. "They profess that
they know God ; but in works they deny him,
being abominable, and disobedient, and unto
every good work reprobate." " Thou be-
lievest that there is one God ; thou doest well :

OF SALVATION. 141

the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt
thou know, O vain man, that faith without
works is dead ? As the body without the spirit
is dead, so faith without works is dead also."
All profane swearers may lay aside all preten
sions to faith. Upon the flying roll in the
vision of Zechariah, there was written a curse
against swearers. False swearers, (and all
profane swearing is of this kind,) together with
the beams and stones of their houses, were to
be consumed. And profane swearing is not
limited to taking God's name in vain. We are
not to swear by any profane oath ; if we do,
we may lay aside all pretensions to faith.
44 Swear not, neither by heaven, neither by
earth, neither by any other oath." Taking an
oath is an act of religious worship, paid to God ;
and hence, to take an oath, except as pre-
scribed by law, is always to take God's holy
name in vain ; and hence, too, to swear by any
thing but God alone, is always to put some-
thing else in the place of God ; it is idolatry.
Our Saviour charged the Jews with profane
swearing, because they swore by their head,
and by the altar, and by the temple. Those,
then, who swear by faith, or by conscience, or
by any other oath habitually, must be destitute
of faith.

142 THE GREAT CONCERN

The unclean, or those who live in the practice
of lewdness, are undoubtedly unbelievers. And
the apostle expressly classes them with unbeliev-
ers. "Unto them that are defiled and unbeliev-
ing is nothing pure ; but even their mind and
conscience is defiled." The works of the flesh
are all works of unbelief. " Now the works of
the flesh are manifest ; which are these ; adul-
tery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
idolatry, witchcraft, hatred," and such like ; and
then the Apostle adds, " they which do such
things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."
" They that are Christ's have crucified the
flesh with the affections and lusts."

Drunkards must also be classed with unbe-
lievers. Drunkards shall not inherit the king-
dom of God. And among these we may include
those who waste their time in grog-shops, and
among intemperate companions. "Wo unto
them that rise up early in the morning, that
they may follow strong drink ; that continue
until night, till wine inflame them." Some
destroy their reason by drunkenness ; this is
more than beastly ; for the beasts are never
guilty of it. Others glory in their shame. So
it was of old. " Wo unto them that are mighty
to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle
strong drink." Others go farther still ; and

OF SALVATION. 143

not only go to ruin themselves, but carry others
along with them. " Wo unto him that giveth
his neighbour drink, that putteth thy bottle to
him, and makest him drunken. The cup of the
Lord's right hand shall be turned unto thee,
and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory."

All liars are among unbelievers. All such
are called children of the devil, who is " a liar,
and the father of it." And "whosoever loveth
and maketh a lie" are to be shut out from the
" holy city, New Jerusalem." In short, among
the openly profane, all of whom are unbelievers,
must be reckoned all thieves, murderers, evil
speakers, deceivers, and Sabbath-breakers.

Third. Those who habitually neglect secret
duties, particularly prayer, are unbelievers.
Prayer is the very breath of the new creature.
As soon as created, it prays ; and so, where
there is habitual neglect of secret prayer,
there is not the new creature — there is not
faith.

Fourth. All who expect to be saved by the
merit of their own good works are unbelievers.
And what multitudes are there who have no
other foundation of their hopes than this. They
make their own works their Saviour; thus
proving that they have not faith in the Saviour
of sinners.

144 THE GREAT CONCERN

Section II. What are no true marks of
faith. — First. A man's thinking that he has
faith, and confidently affirming that he has,
does not prove it to he so. Where there is the
least faith, there is commonly the most self-
confidence. Faith occasions a holy jealousy,
of which unbelievers know nothing. It dis-
covers to a man the deceitfulness of his heart ;
and this makes him distrustful, rather than
self-confident. But our Lord positively says,
that many who think they believe will be
miserably disappointed. "Many will say to
me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not pro-
phesied in thy name ? and in thy name cast out
devils ? and in thy name done many wonderful
works ? And then will I profess unto them, I
never knew you; depart from me, ye that
work iniquity."

Second. Some think they are believers, be-
cause they never doubted the truth of the
Gospel. You say you never doubted, there-
fore you believe. Might we not rather say,
you never had doubts, therefore you do not
believe ? Freedom from doubt may be nothing
but your indifference. If we should hear it
reported, on good authority, that a man in an-
other quarter of the world has a vast estate, we
should not be inclined to doubt it at all. But,

OF SALVATION. 145

if we were farther told, that our maintenance
depended upon our obtaining a share in that
estate, and that if we would take the necessary-
steps, the owner would give us that share, we
should not so easily credit the report. When
we begin to discover our personal interest in
the matter, we then begin to entertain suspi-
cions that it may not be true. So it is with
many who hear the Gospel report. They do
not regard it as a thing in which they are per-
sonally concerned, and therefore do not take
the trouble to dispute or doubt it. While they
slumber on in carnal security, and see not
their own need of Christ, they are quite sure
that they believe. But when they begin to
feel the convictions of an awakened and accus-
ing conscience, and begin to see how much is
depending, they find their former belief to be
nothing but an easy credulity in that for which
they felt no concern. When concern arises,
then doubts and suspicions arise along with it.
But their freedom from doubt may also arise
from a " profound ignorance of the mystery
of the Gospel ;" or from their ignorance of
God's holiness and their own sinfulness.
They regard sin as a small thing, and recon-
ciliation to God as very easy. But when
awakened to some just impressions of the
13

146 THE GREAT CONCERN

awful guilt of impenitence and unbelief, as set
forth in God's word, and applied to their hearts
by his Holy Spirit, they often find it difficult to
believe that a God of infinite holiness will ever
receive and save them on any terms.

Third. Some conclude that they have faith,
because they live what they call " good moral
lives." This is an exceedingly common delu-
sion. If we weigh this kind of faith in the
balance of God's sanctuary, we find it wanting.
Not that we are to think lightly of a "good
moral life." Not to live such a life would give
evidence of a want of faith. But because the
profane and immoral do not believe, we must
not hence conclude that all who are not profane
and immoral do believe. While a man's ex-
ternal conduct is regular and moral, he may be
plotting the blackest crimes in his heart. Pride,
ambition, envy, malice, worldliness, and " cove-
tousness, which is idolatry," may reign there.
There are lusts of the mind as well as lusts of
the flesh. And if we do not fulfil the lusts of
the flesh, we may still revel in the lusts of the
mind, and thus be " the children of wrath, even
as others." Indeed, the eyes of some are so
dazzled with the fancied goodness of their own
morality, that it becomes to them a barrier be-
tween the Saviour and their souls. O, that

OF SALVATION. 147

this fond conceit were banished from the world !
Good morality is an indispensable part, but it is
not the whole of vital religion.

Fourth. Others conclude that they have
faith, because they have had convictions of sin.
If peace follow these seasons of anxiety, many
conclude at once that it is peace from the Holy
Spirit. But because the work of faith begins
in conviction of sin, it does not follow that all
who have ever had convictions are savingly
converted. Judas, Pilate, Simon Magus, and
many others, have had pungent convictions,
without faith. Indeed it is possible for men to
grow worse, instead of better, by convictions of
sin. Sins against light are greatly aggravated;
and he who sins under the lashes of an awaken-
ed conscience, sins against light. And sin-
ning under such circumstances produces its
effect on the heart. By their convictions some
are driven from the more gross into the more
secret sins, or from profaneness into morality ;
where they stop, without ever arriving at faith.
Some go through their whole life under the
painful vicissitude of sin and conviction. Some
put their convictions in the place of Christ.
They think, because they have been concerned
for their souls, and God's Spirit has dealt with
them, that God loves them, and therefore will

148 THE GREAT CONCERN

save them. Others despise and quench con-
victions, and thus harden their hearts till they
provoke the Lord to give them up to vile affec-
tions, " because that when they knew God they
glorified him not as God." Others give them-
selves up to despair, and plunge headlong into
ruin ; as did Judas.

Fifth. Some conclude that they have faith,
because they have some knowledge of the
things of God. But because knowledge is ne-
cessary to faith, it does not follow that all are
believers who have some knowledge of the let-
ter of the Gospel. Men may have much of
this kind of knowledge, without saving faith.
Knowledge may be obtained without special aid
from the Holy Spirit : but faith cannot. Hence
it is called " the faith of the operation of God ;"
"the work of faith with power;" "the work-
ing of his mighty power," &c. Indeed, many
who have lived in open profaneness have been
eminent for some of the gifts that are of use to
the edification of the Church. Judas was of
this description. The devil probably has more
knowledge of the mystery of the Gospel, as to
the letter of it, than any man on earth: and
more than this, it is said, that " the devils be-
lieve and tremble." So men may have their
minds full of truth, and their hearts destitute

OF SALVATION. 149

of saving power ; like the reptile which is said
to have a precious gem in its head, but its body-
full of deadly poison.

Sixth. There may be delight in the Gospel
without faith. For when the work of faith is
wrought in the heart, it is commonly, if not al-
ways preceded by convictions of sin, which
cause distress in a greater or less degree. And
as this distress, so faith and these transient de-
lights (for they are usually transient) come by
the instrumentality of the word ; and if some
emotions of joy follow a little awakening; if
there be but a little relish of the word : a little
taste of the sweetness of heavenly things, it is
immediately mistaken for faith. Faith also, like
this spurious joy, produces desire to enjoy the
ordinances of religion; and hence the liability
to deception from counterfeit appearances. The
parable of the stony ground hearers shows that
there may be a high degree of joy ; a kind of
delight in approaching to God, when there is
no work of grace in the heart. Christ said to
the Jews of John the Baptist : " He was a burn-
ing and a shining light, and ye were willing for
a season to rejoice in his light." And these
emotions, which so much resemble the joys of
the true believer, may proceed from various
causes. With some it may be the effect of
13*

150 THE GREAT CONCERN

novelty. We are ever fond of something new.
To persons who have had little or no instruc-
tion in religion, or to those who have thought
but little on it, the things of the gospel are
something new ; and they are surprised at the
greatness of the advantages promised to be-
lievers. This, especially till the novelty be
worn off, produces delight. A person may be
under distress of mind ; and in this condition
may be entertained with an account of the gift
and benefits of a Saviour to lost sinners, and of
the joys of heaven. Now, this may not only
occasion a diversion from trouble, but produce
great delight. We may experience worldly
disappointments, and be diverted from them by
the same spurious joy. Young persons parti-
cularly, in the fervour of youthful passion, are
liable to be carried away with false joy, under
the presentation of the glorious promises of the
Gospel. Some preachers have such a fluency
of language and warmth of affection, that they
occasion, even in impenitent hearers, something
of the feelings which glow in their own bosoms ;
or a sudden and agreeable surprise at an in-
genious turn of expression, or the expression
of a novel and striking thought, may awaken
attention, and produce feelings of pleasure,
which many will mistake for gracious affeo

OF SALVATION. 151

tions. Lastly, men who have no faith may-
abound in external duties, and, like the Phari-
sees, call this righteousness ; and if, by the mul-
tiplication of religious or moral duties, or any
other way, we can persuade ourselves that we
are righteous, it must produce a greater or less
degree of joy.

Seventh. Not every change in a man, though
it be for the better, is proof of saving faith.
There may be great changes without faith.
There may be a great change wrought in the
mind of a man without faith. Man is by na-
ture blind; sin has put out the eyes of the soul.
Hence an unregenerate state is called darkness,
a regenerate state light. But without this light,
men may acquire much knowledge of divine
truth. Thus the apostle speaks of those "who
were once enlightened, and had tasted the
good word of God ;" but who might finally be
lost. Judas and Balaam had so much light
as to be able to instruct others, and yet they
never had saving faith. There may be a
great change wrought in the conscience without
faith. There may be carnal security, then pun-
gent convictions, or awakenings, and then a
kind of peace, and yet no faith. There may
be a great change wrought in the affections
without saving faith. There may be sorrow

152 THE GREAT CONCERN

for sin, fear of wrath, and flashes of joy, with-
out true faith. The will may be changed
without saving faith. How many faithless ones
have been ready to say as the children of
Israel said to Moses : " Go thou near, and
hear all that the Lord our God shall say;
and speak thou unto us all that the Lord
our God shall speak unto thee ; and we will
hear it and do it." There may be very great
changes in the conduct, where there is no faith.
The vicious may become moral ; the drunkard
may become a sober man ; and the externally
honest and moral man be turned into a pro-
fessor of religion. There are those who have
once " escaped the pollutions of the world,
through the knowledge of the Lord Jesus
Christ," and have become " again entangled
therein and overcome;" thus showing that they
never had saving faith ; " the latter end is worse
with them than the beginning."

Eighth. And, finally, a man may have some
sort of faith, without saving faith. There is
one form of this faith, which, for the sake of
distinction, we may call cradle-faith, or a faith
wrhich men bring with them from their child-
hood. As far back as they can remember,
they always believed. But this faith is not
" the faith of the operation of God ;" it is a

OF SALVATION. 153

weed that grows of its own accord. It grows,
too, in a bad soil, in corrupt, unsanctified na-
ture. Nor is it kept alive by showers of
heavenly grace, like saving faith. It over-
looks the Mediator, and flees to a false refuge.
This is proved by its fruit. Saving faith brings
forth the fruit of holiness, this does not. There
is another kind of faith, which we may call
rational faith. It goes one step beyond the
former. That is merely the effect of custom
and education ; but this is the assent of the
mind, that the Bible is true ; an assent which
is given after examination of the evidences
of a divine revelation. Persons who have
this kind of faith, pretend to be very candid
and liberal. They think it highly unreason-
able not to be cautious in examining the
grounds of their religious belief. Upon ex-
amining the evidences of Christianity, they
find them conclusive ; and hence they are led
to give a general assent to the Scriptures,
and this is the substance and end of their
faith. This kind of faith is as common among
the learned, as the former is among the igno-
rant. Another kind of faith, which is not
saving, maybe called temporary faith. Such
was the faith of the stony ground hearers. It
has a transient effect upon the soul ; for they

154 THE GREAT CONCERN

heard the word with joy. But it is not a work
of grace in the heart ; and hence it continues
but a short time.

Section III. Some of the marks of saving
faith, — It will of course be admitted on all
hands, that the Christian graces are exercised
in different degrees by different persons, and
in different degrees by the same person at dif-
ferent times. It is here taken for granted
that there are marks, or evidences, by which
saving faith may be known. "These things
have I written unto you that believe on the
name of the Son of God, that ye may know
that ye have eternal life." Indeed much of
the Bible is designed to assist persons in form-
ing a judgment of their own character and
state ; so that if some do not know whether
they believe or not, it is not because the Scrip-
tures do not give the marks by which faith may
be known.

I. One who has saving faith heartily em-
braces and approves the Scripture method of
saving sinners by the mediation of Jesus Christ,
and, renouncing all other ways, relies on this
alone for salvation. This will be clear if we
consider,

First. What the way of salvation proposed
in the Gospel is. The Gospel presupposes

OF SALVATION. 155

that man by sin has become " wretched, and
miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked ;"
that is, that man, in and of himself, can do
nothing to obtain salvation ; that he is blind,
and knows not how to take one step towards
happiness ; and that he has nothing to secure
him from deserved wrath. He has become, as
it were, bankrupt ; he has nothing to pay the
immense debt he has contracted by sin. Now,
in this sinful, weak, and blind condition of
man, the Gospel proposes a remedy for his
disease, a supply for all his wants. He is
wretched, and the Gospel promises him the
true honour; he is miserable, and it offers
everlasting happiness ; he is poor, and it holds
out to him the best of all riches ; he is blind,
and it comes with eye-salve to give him sight ;
he is naked, and it provides him with the
spotless garments of a Saviour's righteous-
ness. Every thing which man, as a sinner,
needs is supplied in Jesus Christ, " in whom
are hid all the treasures of wisdom and know-
ledge." "For it pleased the Father that in
him should all fulness dwell." In him the
sinner may find " durable riches and righteous-
ness." As he says to the Laodiceans, so he
says to all: "I counsel thee to buy of me
gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be

156 THE GREAT CONCERN

rich ; and white raiment, that thou mayest be
clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness
do not appear ; and anoint thine eyes with
eye-salve, that thou mayest see." And there
is not only the supply itself, but there is also
provision for putting the sinner in possession
of it, in such a way as to promote the believer's
highest happiness, and at the same time both
to honour God and his holy law, and exalt his
free grace. If we have faith, we shall see the
truth of all this ; and seeing we must approve
and choose it.

Second. Consider also the nature of the ap-
probation which faith gives to the Gospel.
Approbation always implies knowledge. Be-
fore we approve of the Gospel plan of salva-
tion, we must see it in a supernatural light. It
will never be approved when viewed with a
carnal eye ; to the carnal eye of one, it is a
stumbling-block ; to that of another, foolish-
ness. God must " command the light to shine
out of darkness, and shine in our hearts, to give
the light of the knowledge of the glory of God
in the face of Jesus Christ." The heart of one
who has faith will also be satisfied with God's
design to save his own people, to save them in
such a way that they can have no share in the
glory of their salvation, and to have all the

OF SALVATION. 157

glory ascribed to his own blessed name. No-
thing- but a work of grace in the heart can
make a man stoop so low as that the Lord
above shall be exalted. This approbation,
moreover, includes the satisfaction of the heart
with all the means of divine appointment for
accomplishing the divine purposes. And,
lastly, faith adheres with entire satisfaction to
the Gospel plan of salvation, preferring it above
all other ways ; and this last is the act of faith
which gives a sure title to all the benefits of
Christ.

Third. Consider, too, the manner in which
faith approves of the plan of salvation. Faith
views it as a plan worthy of infinite wisdom.
While justice seems to demand the sinner's
death, mercy demands his life; but in Christ,
justice and mercy are both fully satisfied, the
sinner is saved, and the honour of God and his
law fully maintained. Faith views this plan as
full of love and goodness. " God is love ;"
and in no way is this love so signally manifest-
ed as in the death of Christ for the salvation
of sinners. " Greater love hath no man than
this, that a man lay down his life for his
friends." "But God commendeth his love
towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners,
Christ died for us." Faith views this plan as
14

158 THE GREAT CONCERN

highly honourable to all parts of the divine
law. The obedience of Christ to it was the
highest honour it could receive ; and it was a
glorious testimony of the authority of God, of
his wisdom, goodness, and purity in framing
the law. And if Christ honoured the law by
the obedience of his life, no less did he honour
its sanction by enduring its penalty. Faith
also views this plan as full of peace. The
Gospel is a mission of peace, and so faith
regards it. The law has nothing to demand.
If it require perfect obedience, then Christ has
fulfilled all righteousness, and so is become
the end of the law for righteousness for every
one who believes. If it demand the penalty,
Christ has been obedient unto death ; and in
raising him from the dead, God declared his
satisfaction with the work of his Son. And
when God justifies, conscience is satisfied, and
the soul finds peace. Lastly, faith views this
plan as affording complete security to sinners.
It was devised by infinite wisdom, it has the
promise of him whose word is eternal truth,
that salvation is sure to the penitent and be-
lieving soul, and almighty power is pledged to
carry the plan into execution. Hence there is
security.

Fourth. Faith will discover its approbation

OF SALVATION. 159

of this plan, even in the midst of temptation.
In every difficulty the believing" soul flees to
the Saviour. The burden of guilt, the per-
plexities of temptation, the fears of death and
judgment, are all relieved in the plan of salva-
tion. And if temptation at any time produce
self-reliance, or any false reliance, the soul
soon discovers the mistake, and, dissatisfied
with itself, finds its only satisfaction in Jesus
Christ. In conformity to the Gospel is heart-
felt delight. There is a refreshing sweetness
in it, which is known only to the believing soul.
And if the believer be harassed at all with
doubts and fears, they are not about the suffi-
ciency of the way, but whether he be really in
that way.

II. A second mark of saving faith is, that
wherever it exists, it manifests itself by ap-
proving the whole law of God, as holy, just,
spiritual, and good. An -unbeliever may approve
of some of the commands of God. Any one may
approve of such precepts as are not aimed at his
own besetting sins. But faith alone can say
that none of the commands are grievous. The
spiritual mind can " delight in the law of God ;"
but "the carnal mind is not subject to the law
of God, neither indeed can be." The spiritual
mind contemplates with delight that inward

160 THE GREAT CONCERN

change which produces a desire of conformity
to the whole of the divine law. The believer
is born again, of water and of the Spirit ; he is
" created in Christ Jesus unto good works."
And if every believer be not sure that he has
been created anew in Christ, yet he must be in
some measure conscious of it, or he can have
no evidence of saving faith.

First. The believer manifests his approbation
of the divine law by cherishing the desire to be
conformed to it. By regeneration we are made
" partakers of the divine nature ;" and the
effect of this new nature will be, in a greater
or less degree, to produce inclinations to obe-
dience ; and the inclination itself will be plea-
sant to the soul ; hence it will be cherished.
The effect of obedience is always pleasant to
the believer. " Great peace have all they that
love thy law."

Second. The believer discovers approbation
of the law of God, by his delight in seeing
others conformed to it. He is pleased with
holiness, wherever it is found. If 'he cannot
see himself conformed to the divine law as he
could wish, he is pleased with seeing others so ;
and looks upon them as the excellent of the earth.

Third. The believer never entertains dislike
to God's law, when he is under the greatest

OF SALVATION. 161

temptations to do it. He will be displeased
with himself, but not with the law. He will
not dislike the law, though he should have
occasion to say, with Paul, " the commandment
which was ordained to life, I found to be unto
death ; for sin, taking occasion by the com-
mandment, deceived me, and by it slew me."
With Paul, the believer can still add, " where-
fore the law is holy, and the commandment
holy, just, and good." The believer's lan-
guage is, Whatever becomes of me, the law is
good ; I do not wish one item of it changed.

Fourth. The believer shows his approbation
of the whole revealed will of God concerning
the holiness required of man, by dissatisfaction
with want of full conformity to it. His prayer
is : " O that my ways were directed to keep
thy statutes." However strong his assurance
of an interest in Christ, he is not satisfied with
any want of conformity to the law of God. It
is the likeness of the Saviour which satisfies ;
" I shall be satisfied, when I awake with thy
likeness." Now, unless you can thus approve
of the whole revelation of the will of God con-
cerning duty, you have not saving faith.

III. A third mark of saving faith is, that
Christ appears precious to the soul : " Unto
14*

162 THE GREAT CONCERN

you therefore which helieve, he is precious."
Faith exalts Christ, and places him on the
throne of the mind and affections. Now, reader,
how is it with you ? Is Christ precious to you?
Do you wish him to be precious to others ?
Parents, children, husbands, wives, do you en-
deavour to commend Christ to one another?
Do you prize the means of grace which Christ
has appointed? Can ordinances satisfy you
without a discovery of Christ in them by faith ?
Can you go from the house of God as great
strangers to Christ as you entered it, and be
satisfied with yourself? Do you resolutely and
willingly part with every thing which comes in
competition with Christ ? When brought into
such a condition as to be compelled to offend
Christ or the world, which would you do ? Can
other things satisfy you without Christ? Is
Christ more precious to you than every thing
else ? If not, he is not precious to you ; he is
not yours ; you have not saving faith.

Other marks of faith might be given, but I
omit them, and ask three questions, which I
wish the reader to lay seriously to heart. Let
conscience give the answer, as in presence of
the Searcher of all hearts.

First. Are you satisfied with Christ Jesus

OF SALVATION. 163

himself? Do you see any loveliness in his
person, or is he to you void of form or comeli-
ness ?

Second. Do you renounce your own wis-
dom, righteousness, and strength, and venture
your all upon the wisdom, righteousness, and
strength of Christ ?

Third. Is it your pleasure to take the yoke
of Christ upon you ? Do you think his yoke
easy and his burden light?

Answer these questions in the light of eter-
nity. The day is coming when the secrets of
all hearts will be laid open ; and surely it is the
part of wisdom to know your case before it
shall be too late to apply the offered remedy.
Many have thought themselves believers, and
have afterwards found their mistake. " Do
not think, then, that you have not need " to try
yourselves," and " prove your own selves," and
to "give all diligence to make your calling and
election sure." How awful will be your mis-
take, if you do not find it till your final doom
be fixed in the world of wo.

Section IV. Address to unbelievers. — To
unbelievers belong all the openly vicious, all
profane swearers, all drunkards, liars, all the
unclean, all whoremongers, fornicators, adul-

164 THE GREAT CONCERN

terers, Sabbath-breakers, all grossly ignorant
and self-righteous sinners, all habitual neglect-
ers of duties, secret, private, or public ; and, in
short, all who do not approve of God's plan of
saving sinners, all who do not approve of the
whole law of God, and all to whom Christ is
not precious. I entreat such to listen to a few
things, on their sin, their danger, and their
duty.

First. I begin with the sin of the unbeliever.
I shall notice only a few of the ingredients of
the sin of unbelief. Murder, incest, theft, adul-
tery, and other similar crimes, we view with
abhorrence ; he who is guilty of them we re-
gard as a monster of iniquity. But unbelief
goes a step farther than these crimes ; or rather,
we might call it the prolific fountain of all sin.
It is trampling on the authority of God in that
command, which is given with peculiar em-
phasis, as the first and indispensable command
of the Gospel, to believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ. And this is his commandment, " that
we should believe on the name of his son Jesus
Christ." But unbelief treats this command
with contempt. Unbelief also charges God
with falsehood. " He that believeth on the
Son of God hath the witness in himself; he that
believeth not God hath made him a liar, be-

OF SALVATION. 165

cause he believeth not the record which God
gave of his Son." Surely unbelief cannot be a
small thing. Unbelief imputes folly to the only
wise God, and that in the most signal instance
of his wisdom. All the treasures of infinite
wisdom, of which we have ever had any exhi-
bition, are employed in the plan of salvation.
Here is manifold wisdom — wisdom in a mys-
tery, into which the angels desire to look.
But unbelief rejects it all, thus treating the
riches of redeeming love as a trifle, not worthy
to be attended to, or even believed. Unbelief
goes farther than this ; it charges God with a
defect in goodness, and tramples on his love,
mercy, and grace. " The Lord, the Lord God,
merciful and gracious," is the aspect under
which the Lord appears in the Gospel. The
Gospel is the glass in which the goodness of
God is most strikingly seen ; but unbelief would
dash that glass in pieces, and thus obliterate
the name by which the Lord most delights to
be known. Like faithful Abraham, the believer
gives all glory to God ; the unbeliever takes it
all away. Unbelievers, who hear the Gospel,
" crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh,
and put him to an open shame." The unbe-
liever " hath trodden under foot the Son of
God, and hath counted the blood of the cove-

166 THE GREAT CONCERN

nant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy
thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of
grace."

Second. Now, reader, if you are an unbe-
liever, you are in danger of damnation. You
sit secure, as if you had nothing to fear; you
cry peace, when there is no peace. You say
to your soul, Soul, take thy rest, when you are
hastening on to ruin. " He that believeth, and
is baptized, shall be saved ; but he that believeth
not shall be damned." And your great hazard
in being exposed to this fearful doom is, that of
the wrath of God. " He that believeth not the
Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God
abideth on him." Who knows the power of
God's wrath ? who can endure it ? We greatly
fear the wrath of man when unrestrained ; but
think of the wrath of an offended God ; when
the Lord Jesus shall be " revealed from heaven
with his mighty angels in naming fire, taking
vengeance on them that know not God, and
that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus
Christ ; who shall be punished with everlasting
destruction from the presence of the Lord, and
from the glory of his power." Here you are
told of everlasting destruction, of which you are
in danger; not the annihilation of the body or
the soul, for these must exist forever, " their

OF SALVATION. 167

worm dieth not;" but the utter and everlasting-
destruction of all your enjoyments, and all
your hopes ; the fearful doom of endless pain.
It is a punishment proportioned to the crime ;
and proportioned to that blood which is tram-
pled on. It is great in proportion to the means
enjoyed, by which, had you improved them,
you might have been prepared for an inherit-
ance among the sons of glory. It is great in
proportion to the immeasurable worth of that
salvation which, for a trifle, you would barter
away. " How shall we escape, if we neglect
so great salvation?" "He that despised Mo-
ses' law, died without mercy under two or
three witnesses ; of how much sorer punish-
ment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy,
who hath trodden under foot the Son of God ?"
Such is the danger of unbelief. God threatens
unbelievers with wrath and punishment. On
others he has impartially executed his threat-
enings; as upon the Israelites, whose carcasses
fell in the wilderness for their unbelief. " To
whom sware he that they should not enter into
his rest, but to them that believed not V9 "If
we sin wilfully after that we have received the
knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no
more sacrifice for sins ; but a fearful looking

168 THE GREAT CONCERN

for of judgment and fiery indignation which
shall devour the adversaries."

Third. Your duty is, to "believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ." The bearer of such a
message comes not in his own name to treat
with you on this subject; but as an ambas-
sador of Christ, furnished with a commission
from him. You are required to feel and ac-
knowledge yourself a blind and ignorant sin-
ner, incapable in yourself of attaining to any
measure of the saving knowledge of God.
You are required to believe in, rely on, and
receive the Lord Jesus Christ, for instruction
and wisdom in all things pertaining to godli-
ness. " Trust in the Lord with all thine heart,
and lean not unto thine own understanding."
This wisdom is gained only by trusting entirely
in the Lord Jesus Christ, who is made of God
wisdom to all that believe. Renouncing all
self-dependence, and all merit of your own, you
must be found in Christ, " not having your own
righteousness, which is of the law, but the
righteousness which is of God, through the
faith of Jesus Christ." As you have by your
sins rendered yourself justly obnoxious to the
wrath of your holy Maker, you are never to
offer him your own doings or sufferings, as a
satisfaction to him for your sins, or as a propi-

OF SALVATION.

tiatory offering to turn away his wrath ; but
you are to trust only to the Lamb of God, that
is set forth as the only propitiation for sin.
Through faith, and faith alone in Christ and
him crucified, will God accept sinners. You
are cheerfully to receive Christ as your sove-
reign Lord, and willingly submit to all his com-
mands. You are to receive him as " the author
and finisher of your faith ;" the author, pre-
server, and promoter of spiritual life, and of
sanctification ; for he is " made of God unto
us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctifica-
tion, and redemption." You are to look to
him to strengthen and guide you. " And
whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in
the name of the Lord Jesus." And to sum
up all, you are to yield immediate compliance
with these demands of your Lord and Re-
deemer. We have no instruction to give
the least encouragement to delay. Now is
the accepted time ; to-morrow may be too
late. We are to comply with all our Lord's
commands, for they cannot be separated. Time
is precious, waste it not in delay.

We beseech you, turn to the Lord and live.

" As ambassadors for Christ, as though God did

beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's

stead, be ye reconciled to God." It is no un-

15

170 THE GREAT CONCERN

reasonable demand upon you to believe on
Christ. Believe, and great will be your re-
ward in heaven. "Whether Paul or Apollos,
or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or
things present, or things to come ; all are yours,
and ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's."
Accept of Christ, for he is worthy. He is "the
only begotten of the Father ;" " the image of
the invisible God." Both for his personal ex-
cellence, and on account of what he has done
for sinners, he deserves the obedience and su-
preme love of your heart. All the perfections
of the divine nature, all that is excellent in your
own, all the wounds of the crucified Saviour
of the world, all the tears he shed, all the crim-
son drops of Gethsemane, and the flowing blood
of Calvary, all cry with one voice, Sinners, we
beseech you, believe on the Lord Jesus. Can
you refuse ? All the love of the Father, all the
grace of the Son, and all the blessings of com-
munion with the Holy Spirit, plead with you to
repent and believe on the Lord Jesus. It is
heaven which you are entreated to gain; it is
hell which you are urged to avoid.

Section V. Address to those who are in
doubt whether they believe or not, — Your case
is truly pitiable. A conflict between hope and

OF SALVATION. 171

fear continually torments you. Rest not in
this state. " Give all diligence to make your
calling and election sure." The authority of
God, the claims of the Gospel, your own com-
fort, all call upon you to hasten out of this
state of painful doubt. I will not flatter you
with the belief that you will find no difficulty
in it ; it is often a work of difficulty. There
must be searching, proving, trying. The
candle of the Lord must be lighted in you, and
with that you must search. The touchstone
must be brought, and you must stand the test.
The furnace must be kindled, and you must
abide the trial. You must put yourself in the
balance, which is held by the hand of him who
weighs every action.

First. Do not, however, conclude that you
are destitute of faith, because you have never
experienced all which some others relate of
themselves. Some, before conversion, have
long and severe conflicts with sin, or about the
law; some have much clearness and confi-
dence when first converted, so that they are
able to give a distinct account of the time,
place, means, and manner of their conversion ;
and some have much joy and eminent manifes-
tations afterwards ; others have not. If you

172 THE GREAT CONCERN

come short of some others in these respects,
do not from this conclude that you have no
faith. What is absolutely necessary, is only
such exercises as are sufficient to drive you
from yourself to Christ. In some, these exer-
cises are very long and intense. Others, in
the mist of their own corruptions, and the
temptations of Satan and the world, cannot
discover the divine work upon their souls ; they
cannot reach that joy in believing which some
experience ; they are never permitted to see
Christ upon the mount in high manifestations
of his glory.

Second. Do not conclude that you have
no faith, because you see not all things as they
ought to be with you. Sin sometimes rages
and tyrannizes in the heart even of a believer;
and though it be a blot upon the Christian
character, it does not of itself prove an entire
destitution of faith, at least where the man
mourns over it, and strives against it.

Third. You will remove many difficulties
by studying well the covenant of grace. As-
certain the ground of your acceptance with
God, and your admittance into a covenant
relation. Whatever your sins, you cannot be
ruined, if you are willing to owe salvation en-

OF SALVATIOX. 173

tirely to free grace in Christ according to the
Gospel. The greatest sinner may be saved in
this way.

Fourth. Study the adaptation of the covenant
of grace to the state of believers, who still carry
about with them a body of sin and death. It
accepts of sincere obedience ; it provides in-
fluences to enable believers to perform that
obedience ; and secures pardon for the failings
of those who honestly and heartily endeavour
to live a life of faith and godliness.

Fifth. Study the source of that peace which
believers enjoy in their walk with God. This
is not their own merit, but God's mercy. It is
not their own blamelessness, but the efficacy
of Christ's blood to take away sin; it is not
freedom from occasional irregularities, though
these are inexcusable ; it is the testimony of a
good conscience, that we make it our constant
endeavour to keep that conscience void of
offence towards God and towards man, by entire
dependence on God in Christ, for mercy to
forgive sin, and for grace to help in time of
need.

Sixth. Especially acquaint yourself writh

those marks of grace which are to be found in

the believing soul under all its temptations ; and

which indicate the existence rather than the

15*

174 THE GREAT CONCERN

degree of grace. These marks have before
been mentioned.

Seventh. Pray fervently for the influences
of the Spirit, which searcheth the deep things
of God, and which can send such a beam of
light into your soul as fully to show you your
state.

Eighth. Wait upon the Lord in the use
of all the means of grace. In matters of
Christian assurance God exercises much sove-
reignty. "When he giveth quietness, who
can give trouble ? and when he hideth his
face, who can behold him ?" Trust in him,
that in his own good time he will grant your
requests. "The husbandman waiteth for the
precious fruit of the earth, and hath long pa-
tience for it, until he receive the early and
latter rain." Impatience, frowardness, sloth,
and weariness, are not indications of a good
state of the soul. "It is good that a man
should both hope and quietly wait for the sal-
vation of the Lord."

Section VI. Address to those who have
good reason to say that they believe. — If you
have indeed good evidence of faith, " Take the
cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the
Lord." Bless his holy name. Praise him

OF SALVATION. 175

who remembered you in your low estate, for
his mercy endureth forever. You are by
faith engrafted into Christ ; then bring forth
much fruit. Depend on Christ for strength
and light, that he may be all in all to you.
Above all things regard his honour and glory.
Pity those who are without God, and without
hope in the world. Labour for their sal-
vation. Commend Christ and his religion
to them by your holy walk and godly con
versation. Sympathize with God's people in
all their joys and sorrows, that you may
appear to be members of the same body, of
which Christ is the glorious and exalted Prince
and head. Whatever God has done for you,
ascribe all the glory of it to him alone. Dearly
beloved in the Lord, since we " look for the
Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ," from heaven,
" who shall change our vile bodies, that they
may be fashioned like unto his glorious body,
according to the working whereby he is able
to subdue all things unto himself," stand fast
in the Lord. Prepare for trials. If never
called to meet them, rejoice in the deliver-
ance ; but if you are, think it not strange,
think not that God is against you. They that
will live godly in Christ Jesus, must travel
through difficulties. "In the world ye shall

176 THE GREAT CONCERN OF SALVATION.

have tribulation." The glorified saints are
a people who have come out of great tribula-
tion, and have had their garments washed
white in the blood of the Lamb. Stand fast
in the love and obedience of the truth; and
he who is able shall "present you faultless
before the presence of his glory with exceed-
ing joy." To him be glory in all the churches.
Amen.

:~- . -•■' — /

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