Fourthly, The last thing, whereby this work of conversion to God is completed, as to the outward means of it, which is the ingenerat- ing and acting of faith in God by Jesus Christ, remains alone to be considered, wherein all possible brevity and plainness shall be con-
CHAP. VI.] IN THE INSTANCE OF AUGUSTINE. S63
suited ; and I shall comprise what I have to offer on this head in the ensuing observations: —
1. This is the proper and ])^cuUar work of the gospel, and ever was so from the first giving of the promise. " The law was given by Moses, but gi'ace and truth came by Jesus Christ," John i. 17; Rom. i. 16; 1 Pet. i. 23; James i. 18; Eph. iii. 8-10.
2. To this purpose it is necessary that the gospel, — that is, the doc- trine of it concerning redemption, righteousness, and salvation, by Jesus Christ, — be declared and made known to convinced sinners. And this also IS an effect of sovereign wisdom and grace, Rom. x. 13-15.
8. The declaration of the gospel is accompanied with a revelation of the will of God with respect unto the faith and obedience of them imto whom it is declared. " This is the work of God," the work which he requires at our hands, " that we believe on him whom he hath sent," John vi. 29. And this command of God imto sinners, to be- lieve in the Lord Jesus Christ for life and salvation, the gospel teacheth us to press from the manifold aggravations which attend the sin of not complying therewith: for it is, as therein declared, — (1.) A rejection of the testimony of God, which he gives unto his wis- dom, love, and gTace, with the excellency and certainty of the way of salvation of sinners by Jesus Christ; which is to make God a liar, 1 John V. 10; John iii. 83. (2.) A contempt of love and gTace, with the way and means of their communication to lost sinners by the Hood of the Son of God ; which is the higliest provocation that can be offered unto the divine Majesty.
4. In the declaration of the gospel, the Lord Christ is in an espe- cial manner proposed as crucified and lifted up for the especial object of our faith, John iii. 14, 1-5; Gal. iii. 1. And this proposition of Christ hath included in it an invitation unto all convinced sinners to come unto him for life and salvation, Isa. Iv. 1-3, Ixv. 1.
5. The Lord Christ being proposed unto sinners in the gospel, and their acceptance or receiving of him being urged on them, it is withal declared for what end he is so proposed; and this is, in general, to " save them from their sins," Matt. i. 21, or " the wrath to come," whereof they are afraid, 1 Thess. i. 10 : for in the evangelical proposi- tion of him there is included, — (1.) That there is a way yet remaining for sinners whereby they may escape the curse of the law and the wrath of God, which they have deserved, Ps. cxxx. 4; Job xxxiii. 24; Acts iv. 12. (2.) That the foundation of these ways lies in an atone- ment made by Jesus Christ unto the justice of God, and satisfaction to his law for sin, Rom. iii. 25; 2 Cor. v. 21; Gal. iii. 13. (3.) That God is well pleased with this atonement, and his- will is that we should accept of it and acquiesce in it, 2 Cor, v. 18-20; Isa. liii. 11, 12; Rom. V. 10, 11.
6. It is proposed and promised that through and upon their be-
364 THE MANNER OF CONVERSION EXPLAINED [BOOK III,
lieving, — that is, on Christ as proposed in the gospel, for the only way of redemption and salvation, — convinced sinners shall be pardoned, justified, and acquitted before God, discharged of the law against them, through the imputation unto them of what the Lord Christ hath done for them and suffered in their stead, Kom. viii. 1, 3, 4, X. 8, 4; 1 Cor. i. SO, 81; 2 Cor. v. 21; Eph. ii. 8-10.
7. To prevail with and win over the souls of men unto a consent to receive Christ on the terms wherein he is proposed, — that is, to believe in him and trust imto him, to what he is, hath done and suffered, and continueth to do, for pardon of sin, life, and salvation, — the gospel is filled with arguments, invitations, encouragements, exhortations, pro- mises, all of them designed to explain and declare the love, grace, faithfulness, and good-will of God herein. In the due management and improvement of these parts of the gospel consists the principal wisdom and skill of the ministers of the New Testament.
8. Among these various ways or means of the declaration of him- self and his will, God frequently causeth some especial word, pro- mise, or passage to fix itself on the mind of a sinner; as we saw it in the instance before insisted on. Hereby the soul is first excited to exert and act the faith wherewith it is endued by the effectual working of the Spirit of God before described; and by this means are men directed unto rest, peace, and consolation, in that variety of degrees wherein God is pleased to communicate them.