The Lord permits this in his holy and righteous providence, that the godly may be stirred up more to embrace truth upon evidence with more affection, that they may more encourage and strengthen them- selves and resolve for God ; for when all people will walk every one in the name of his god, 'we will walk in the name of our God forever,' Micah iv, 5. And the Lord doth it that he may manifest the sin- cere, that when Christ calls. Who is on my side ? who are willing to stick to him whatever hazards and losses they may incur : 1 Cor. xi. 19, ' There must be heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.' Ay ! and that there may be a ready plague of strong delusion and lies for them that receive not the truth in the love of it, 2 Thes. ii. 11, 12 ; for damnable errors are the dungeons in wdiich God holds carnal souls that play the wanton, and trifle with his truth, and never admit the love and power of it to come into their hearts,
Pi^op. 2, True religion is but one, and all other ways false, noxious, and pestilent : Eph. iv. o, ' One Lord, one faith, one baptism,' There are many ways in the world, but there is but one good and certain way that leads to salvation. So much the apostle intimates when he saith, ' He will have all men to be saved.^ How would he have them saved ? 1 Tim, ii. 4, ' For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus ; ' which text implies that salva- tion is by the knowledge of the truth, or knowledge of the true way; others tend to destruction. And so God promiseth, Jer. xxxii. 39, that he \\;\\\ give all the elect ' one heart and one way.' Tiiough there be differences even in the church of God about lesser truths, yet there is but one true religion in the essence and substance of it ; I mean, as to those truths which are absolutely necessary to salvation. To make many doors to heaven is to set wide open the gates of hell. Many men think that men of all religions shall be saved, provided they be of a f>ood life, and walk according to their light.
In these later times divers unsober questionists are grown weary of the Christian religion, and by an excess of charity would betray their faith ; and while they plead for the salvation of Turks and heathens, scarce show themselves good Christians. The Christian religion is not only the most compendious way to true happiness, but it is the
292 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. [SeR. XXXL
only wa}'' : John xvii. 3, ' This is life eternal, to know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.' There is the sum of what is necessary to life eternal ; that there is one God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, to be known, loved, obeyed, worshipped, and enjoyed; and the Lord Jesus Christ to be owned as our Redeemer and Saviour, to bring us home to God, and to procure for us the gifts of pardon and life ; and this life to be begun here by the Spirit, and to be perfected in heaven. This is the sum of all that can be said that is necessary to salvation. Certainly none can be saved without Christ ; ' for there is no other name under heaven whereby we can be saved but by Jesus Christ,' Acts iv. 12, and none can be saved by Christ but they that know him and believe in him.
If God hath extraordinary ways to reveal Christ to men, we know not. This is our rule ; no adults, no grown persons can be saved but they that know him and believe in him. And now Christ hath been so long owned in the world, and his knowledge so far propagated, why should we dream of any other way of salvation ? To us there is but one God and one faith. The good-fellow gods of the heathen could brook company and partnership, but the true God will be alone acknowledged. As the sun drowns the light of all the stars, so God will shine alone. No man can be saved without these two things — without a fixed intention of God as his last end, and a choice of Jesus Christ as the only way and means of attaining thereunto.
These things are set down in scripture as of infallible necessity to salvation ; and therefore, though there be several apprehensions and contentions about ways of salvation and righteousness, yet there is but one true religion, and all other ways are false.
Prop. 3. As soon as any begin to be serious, they begin to have a conscience about the finding out this one only true way wherein they may be saved. Alas ! before men take up that religion which the chance of their education offers, without examination or any serious reason of their choice, they walk, in the language of the prophet, ' according to the trade of Israel ; ' they live as they are born and bred, and take up truth and error as theu* faction leads them ; or else pass from one religion to another, as a man changeth his room or bed, and make a slight thing of opinions, and float up and down like light chaft', in a various uncertainty, according as their company or the posture of their interest is changed. But a serious and awakened conscience will be careful to lay the groundwork of religion sure ; they build for eternity, therefore the foundation needs to be well laid. The woman of Samaria, as soon as she was touched at heart and began to have a conscience, she began also to have doubtful thoughts about her estate and religion. Christ had convinced her of living in adultery, by that means to bring her to God ; but now she would fain know the true way of worship : John iv, 20, ' Our flithers worshipped in this mountain, and ye say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.' They that have a sense of eternity upon them will be diligent to know the right way. The same errand brought Nicodemus to Christ : John iii. 2, ' Master, we know that thou art a teacher come from God.' He would fain know how he might come to God. So the young nobleman in the gospel: Mat. xix. 16, 'Good master, what