[2.] What we must do: ver. 9, 'Confess with the mouth, and believe with the heart ; ' that is, be really persuaded of the truth of
244 SERMON UPON ROMANS X. 5-9.
what is done for us, and thankfully own it and acknowledge it to the world, resigning up ourselves to the discipline of his Spirit, whatever it costs us. This is all that is required of us. But though these two only be mentioned, we must understand those things which belong to either of them.
(1.) To begin with that first mentioned : ' If thou wilt confess with thy mouth.' There is a confession both in word and deed ; the one must not contradict the other. The apostle telleth us of some that * profess they know God, but in works they deny him,' Titus i. 16. So it is true of confessing Christ, or holiness of life. Works are a part of profession or confession ; as also invocation is a branch of this confession, as appeareth by the 13th verse, ' For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.' Confession, then, implieth all visible godliness and holiness of life, for the holy, thankful life is a constant hymn to God, or a practical acknowledgment of the benefits we have by Christ ; and so all Christianity is a confession. It is neces- sary also that this confession be made in spite of all persecutions and danger : Heb. iv. 14, * Let us hold fast our profession.' In those days, believing with the heart was not so costly as confession with the mouth. It exposed them to great troubles ; yet a christian must be resolute, and trust Christ with all : Dan. vi. 10, ' Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house, and his window being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.'
(2.) So for the other. ' Believing with the heart ' implieth not a dead faith, but operative: James ii. 20, 'Faith without works is dead.' Not a cold opinion, but such as ' worketh by love,' Gal. v. 6. Not a gene- ral assent, but an applicative faith. : Gal. ii. 20, ' Who loved me, and gave himself for me ; ' 1 Tim. i. 15, ' This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.' Owning him as our Lord and Saviour. Do this, and then you believe with the heart to righteousness, and confess with the mouth to salvation ; that is, you are so pardoned that at length you are saved. They that could thus take Christ, and venture all upon the security of his word, and wholly resign up themselves to God upon these hopes, were in a safe condition, or a state of peace.
Fourthly, The gospel so clearly stating these things, there is no reason of doubtful suspense. All demurring must be upon one of these two reasons — either the difficulty of the thing, or want of certainty; but neither of them is just in this case.
1. Not the difficulty of the conditions ; for believing with the heart and confessing with the mouth are easy to be understood and easy to be observed, by the power of the Spirit ; for ' the gospel is the power of God to salvation,' Kom. i. 16. If God will put this into our heart and mouth, and give what he requireth, why should we snuff at these condi- tions as unreasonable and troublesome ? What more reasonable than to own him with the greatest hazard from whom we expect such benefits as pardon and life, and to consent to follow his direction, who will bring us out of our misery to perfect happiness ? and to venture all for him who, by a condescending act of astonishing love, stooped so low
SERMON UPON B0MAN8 X. 5-9. 245
for us ? It is true, confession may be costly, but it is not an impos- sible thing. We should be willing to suffer the loss of all things for his sake ; especially when God is ready powerfully to assist and help us: Phil. iv. 13, ' I can do all things through Christ, which strength- eneth me.'
2. Want of certainty. We do not know whether this be the way of God, yea or no ? 1 answer —
[1.] There is no doubt that reasonably can be urged. Either this is the way of God, or none. The way of heathenism is sottish and fabu- lous : 1 Cor. viii. 5, * They have lords many and gods many.' And the way of the Jews yieldeth no relief, if the gospel be excluded. The way of the Mahometans is ridiculous and beareth no dispute. There- fore this is the way, or none.
Object But why do you hesitate ? You did not see Christ in the flesh.
Ans. But we may love him for all that, and believe in him, though we never saw him : 1 Peter i. 8, ' Whom, having not seen, ye love, in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice.' He must not be fetched out of heaven again, nor raised from the dead again. It is not necessary to our faith that we should see Christ with bodily eyes, when we have most certain and firm arguments by which his resurrection may be proved.