2dly. It is unchangeable. It is a state wherein there is no altera- tion, and though all alterations should prove for the worse, yet it is in the nature of man to hope good from them ; but here is no more alteration left: the soul enters into an unchangeable state. And, —
[2.] The second reason is, — because the total sum of a man's life is now cast up, and he sees what it will come to. While men are trad- ing in the world, though they meet with some straits and difficulties, yet they have that going on which will bring in something, this way or that way ; — but when it comes to this, that they can go no farther, then see how things stand with a departing soul; the whole sum is cast up, there is no more venture to be made, no more advantage to be gained, — he must stand as he is. And when a man takes a view of what he is to come to, he needs faith to obtain a comfortable passage out of it. And, —
[3.] Even death itself brings a terror with it, that nothing can conquer but faith; I mean, conquer duly. He is not crowned, that doth not overcome by faith. It is only to be done through the death of Christ. " He delivered them who through fear of death were all
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their lifetime subject to bondage." There is no deliverance that is true and real, from a bondage-frame of spirit [with reference] to death, but by faith in Christ.
I touch on this by the way, to manifest the glorious success the faith of Christ had ; who, in his dying moments, cried out, " Father, into thy hands I commend my sjDirit/' And this is that we are to call over in the remembering of his death. It is a very great argu- ment the apostle uses to confirm our faith, when, speaking of the patriarchs of old, he says, "These all died in faith." But that "all" is nothing to this argument, that Jesus Christ, our head and repre- sentative, who went before us, " He died in faith." And this is the principal inlet into life, immortality, and glory, — the consideration of the death of Christ, dying m that faith that he gave up his soul into the hands of God, and was persuaded " God would not leave his soul in hell, nor suffer his Holy One to see corruption;" but that he would show him the " path of life," and bring him to his " right hand, where there are pleasures for evermore."
(2.) Christ had a faith for the cause wherein he was engaged. He was engaged in a glorious cause, a great undertaking; — to deliver all the elect of God from death, hell, Satan, and sin ; to answer the law, to undergo the curse, and to bring his many children unto glory. And dreadful oppositions lay against him in this his undertaking. See what faith he had for his cause, Isa. 1. 7-9, " The Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? who is mine ad- versary ? let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me?" — "Who is mine adversary?" or (as in the Hebrew), " Who is the master of my cause? I have a cause to plead, who is the master of it?" " I am engaged in a great cause," saith he, " and I am greatly opposed ; they seek to make me ashamed, to confound me, to condemn me." But here is faith for his cause : " The Lord God will justify me," saith he. It was with Christ as it would have been with us under the covenant of works: man ought to have believed he should be justified of God, though not by Jesus Christ ; so here, he had faith that he should be justified. " God will justify me ; I shall not be condemned in this cause that I have undertaken." It is matter of great comfort and support, to consider that when the Lord Jesus Christ had in his eye all the sins of all the elect upon the one hand, and the whole curse of the law and the wrath of God on the other, yet he cried, " I shall not be confounded;" — " I shall go through it, I shall see an end of this business, and make an end of sin, and bring in everlasting righteousness ; and God will justify me in it." We are in an especial manner to call to remembrance the
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faith that Christ had for his cause ; and we ought to have the same faith for it now, for this great conquest of overcoming the devil, sin, death, hell, and the saving of our souls. He hath given us an example for it.
There is one objection lies against all this, and that is this: " But did not Christ despond in his great agony in the garden, when he cried three times, ' Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me?' and in that dreadful outcry upon the cross, which he took from the 2 2d Psalm, a prophecy of him, ' My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me V Doth not Christ seem to repent here, and to despond?"