Secondly, This forsaking cannot be without faith ; because the flesh is importunate to be pleased with present satisfactions, and loth to jiart wqth things which we see and love for that God and glory which we never saw, to quit what is present for what is future, and with patience to be expected. The flesh is for jileasing the body, but faith is for saving the soul : Heb. x. ;-)9, e'/c Trto-reo)? et? ireptTroLTjaLv '^v-)(ri<i : purchasing the soul with the loss of other things. So that this is faith, nothing but faith, and other faith is not true and sound.
(2.) It maketh us to give up ourselves to the conduct of the word and Spirit for obtaining this happiness. I add this, because the word is our rule. Gal. vi. 16 ; and the Spirit our guide, Kom. viii. 14. And faith is not only an apprehension of privileges, but a consent of sub- jection. And the sound believei devoteth himself to the love, fear, service, and obedience of God^ 2 Cor. viii. 5 : ' They first gave up themselves to the Lord, and to as by the will of God ;' that is, to the
IGO THE EXCELLENCY OF SAVING FAITH. [1 PeT. I. 9.
apostles as Christ's messengers, to be directed in tlic way to heaven : Ps. cxix. 38, ' Stablisli thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.' This now is saving faith.
The use is, to exhort you to believe to the saving of the soul.
To this end : —
1. Because faith is the gift of God, beg ' the spirit of wisdom and revelation, that your eyes may be opened, that you may see what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his in- heritance in the saints,' &c., Eph. i. 17, 18. That you may be con- vinced of the truth and worth of the blessedness promised, and know and see it, not by a traditional report, but in the lively light of the Spirit, such as may affect and engage your hearts. Naturally wc are purblind, 2 Peter i. 9 ; have no acute discerning, but in back and belly concernments. We know what is noxious or comfortable to the present life, pleasing or displeasing to the flesh ; but are little affected with the danger of perishing for ever, the need of Christ, or the worth of salvation. And till God make a change, how slight and sensual are we !
2. Think often and seriously how much the saving of the soul is better than the saving, or getting, or keeping all the world : Mat. xvi. 26, ' What will it profit a man if he should gain the whole world and lose his own soul ? ' So much as God is to be preferred before the creature, heaven before the world, eternity before time, the soul before the body ; so much must tliis business of saving the soul have the pre- eminence, and be preferred before the interests of the body and the bodily life. But, alas ! what poor things divert us from this happiness ; the satisfying of the flesh, the pleasures of sin for a season ; a little ease, or profit, or vainglory — this is all for which we slight heaven and our own salvation.
3. Put yourselves into the way of salvation, by seeking reconciliation with God by Christ. You are invited in the universal conditional offer, John iii. 16. It is offered to all that will repent and believe, and there is no exception put in against you to exclude you ; why then will you exclude yourself? Therefore, come forward in the way of faith, and God will help you.
4. ]\Iind often the genuine effect of tlie true faith. It makes you for- sake all, that you may be obedient to Christ, and resolved upon it.
Therefore consider — (1.) The necessity of it. You can neither trust God nor be true to him till your heart be loosened from the pleasures and profits and honours in the world, and you can venture all upon the security of his promise. Other hopes and hapi)iness will divert us from the true ha})pincss, and the good seed will be choked by the cares of this world and voluptuous living, that you can Ijring nothing to per- fection. Eitlier you will turn aside by oi)en defection or apostasy, or else be a dwarf and cripple in religion all your days. Either in mortifi- cation, in denying the sinful pleasures of the senses, you will slight the fulness of joy at God's right hand for a little vain pleasure, which, when it is gone, it as is a thing of nought — (it is the ])ilgrim abstaincth from fleshly lusts — he that runnethnot as uncertain, that keepeth down his body, 1 Cor. ix. 26, 27) — or in a way of self-denial, run few hazards for Christ. It may be they may make some petty losses, but do not
1 Pet. I. 9.] the excellency of saving faith. 161
sell all for the pearl of great price ; or, in a way of charity. How else can you lend to the Lord upon his bond, or the security of his promise ? Prov. xix. 17, 'He that hath pity on the poor lendeth unto tlie Lord, and that which he hath given will he pay him again.'