[2.] As to our progress, continuance, and perseverance ; for this is not the work of a day, but of our whole lives. This is our walking in the narrow way, and evidenceth our sincerity in making covenant, and our pursuit showeth it is a true consent. As to this progress and perseverance, three things are required —
(1.) As to the enemies of God and our souls, there must be a for- saking as well as a renouncing. The devil must be forsaken, we must be no more of his party and confederacy ; we must resist, stand out against all his batteries and assaults : 1 Peter v. 8, 9, ' Be sober, be vigilant ; because your adversaiy the devil, as a roaring lion, walketli about, seeking whom he may devour : whom resist, steadfast in the faith.' The world must be overcome : 1 John v. 45, ' For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world ; and this is the victory that over- cometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth Jesus is the Son of God ? ' The flesh must be subdued and crucified : Gal. v. 24, ' They that are Christ's liave crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts ; ' that we be no more governed by the desires of it. If we be sometimes foiled, we must not go back again, but the drift of our lives must be for God and heaven.
(2.) As to God, to whom wc have devoted ourselves, we must love, and please, and serve him all our days : Luke i. 75, ' In holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.' We must make it our work to love him, and our happiness to be beloved of him, and carefully apply ourselves to seek his favour, and cherish a fresh sense of it upon our hearts, and continue with all patience in well-doing, Rom. ii. 7, till you come to the complete sight and love of him : 1 John iii. 2, 'We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.'
(3.) You must always live in the hope of the coming of Christ and everlasting glory : Titus ii. 13, 'Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Cinist ; ' Jude 21, ' Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.' As we die at first, thankfully^accept of our recovery by Christ, and at first consent to renounce the devil, the world, and tlie flesh, and resolve to follow God's counsel and direction, we must still persevere in
' Qii. ' did at fiiKt thankfully ' ?— Ed.
284 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SeR. VI.
tills mind, and use his appointed means in order to our final happiness. The sura then of our Christianity is this, that we should by true repent- ance and faith forsake the flesh, world, and devil, and give up ourselves to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, that he may take us as his reconciled children, and adopt us into his family, and for Christ's sake pardon all our sins, and by his Spirit give us grace to persevere in these resolutions, till our glory and final happiness come in hand.
7. This covenant, consisting of such duties and privileges, God hath confirmed by certain visible ordinances, commonly called sacraments. These are baptism and the Lord's supper ; both which, but in a differ- ent manner, respect the whole tenor of the covenant ; for as the covenant bindeth mutually on God's part and ours, so these duties have a mutual aspect or respect to what God doth and what we must do. On God's pai't they are a sign and seal ; on our part they are a badge and a bond.
[1.] On God's part they are sealing signs. As circumcision is called a ' sign and seal of the righteousness which is by faith,' Rom. iv. 11 ; that is, of the grace offered to us in Christ ; so is baptism, which came in the room of circumcision : Col. ii. 11, 12, ' In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ ; buried with him in baptism.' Surely the gospel ordinances sign as much grace as the ordinances of the Jews or legal covenant ; as circumcision was a sign and seal of the righteousness which is by faith, or a pledge of God's good-will in Christ, so is baptism, and so is the Lord's supper, to signify they are signs, and to confirm they are seals, to represent the grace, and confirm the grant of pardon and life by the use of these duties. As, for instance, baptism signifies pardon and life, so doth the Lord's supper : Mat. xxvi. 28, 29, ' For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many, for the remission of sins. I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.' That for our growth and nourishment, this for our initiation. Baptism is under our con- sideration at present. That this hath respect to remission of sins, the text is clear for it ; and so are many other scriptures. It was Ananias' advice to Paul, Acts xxii. 16, 'Arise and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.' His sins were solemnly washed away by baptism : Eph. v. 26, ' That he might sanctify and cleanse it by the washing of water through the word.' This washing represents the washing away of the guilt and filth of sin. And it signifieth also our resurrection to a blessed and eternal life : 1 Peter iii. 21, 'Even baptism doth now save us; not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.' Well, then, it is a sealing sign : 2 Kings xx. 8, ' What shall be the sign that the Lord will heal me?' It is a witness between us and God: Gen. xxxi. 48, 'This heap is a witness between me and thee this day.' So baptism is a witness that God will pardon our sins, and upon pardon give us eternal blessedness.