THE SCRIPTURE WAY OF SALVATION. EPH. ii. 8.
_Ye are saved through faith._
1. NOTHING can be more intricate, complex, and hard to be understood, than religion as it has been often described. And this is not only true concerning the religion of the Heathens, even many of the wisest of them, but concerning the religion of those also, who were, in some sense, Christians: yea, and men of great name in the Christian world, men _who seemed to be pillars_ thereof. Yet how easy to be understood, how plain and simple a thing is the genuine religion of Jesus Christ! Provided only, that we take it in its native form, just as it is described in the oracles of God. It is exactly suited by the wise Creator and Governor of the world, to the weak understanding, and narrow capacity, of man in his present state. How observable is this, both with regard to the end it proposes, and the means to attain that end! The end is, in one word salvation: the means to attain it faith.
2. It is easily discerned, that these two little words, I mean faith and salvation, include the substance of all the bible, the marrow, as it were, of the whole scripture. So much the more should we take all possible care, to avoid all mistake concerning them, and to form a true and accurate judgment concerning both the one and the other.
3. Let us then seriously enquire
I. What is salvation? II. What is that faith whereby we are saved, and III. How we are saved by it?
I. 1. And, first, let us enquire, What is _salvation_? The salvation which is here spoken of, is not what is frequently understood by that word, the going to heaven, eternal happiness. It is not the soul’s going to paradise, termed by our Lord, _Abraham’s bosom_. It is not a blessing which lies on the other side death, or (as we usually speak) in the other world. The very words of the text itself, put this beyond all question. _Ye_ are _saved_. It is not something at a distance: it is a present thing; a blessing, which through the free mercy of God, ye are now in possession of. Nay, the words may be rendered, and that with equal propriety, _Ye_ have been _saved_. So that the salvation which is here spoken of, might be extended to the entire work of God, from the first dawning of grace in the soul, ’till it is consummated in glory.
2. If we take this in its utmost extent, it will include all that is wrought in the soul, by what is frequently termed, _natural conscience_, but more properly, _preventing grace_: all the _drawings of the Father_: the desires after God, which, if we yield to them, increase more and more: all that _light_, wherewith the Son of God _inlighteneth every one that cometh into the world, shewing_ every man, _to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with_ his _God_: all the _convictions_ which his Spirit, from time to time, works in every child of man. Although, it is true, the generality of men stifle them as soon as possible; and after awhile forget, or at least deny, that ever they had them at all.
3. But we are at present concerned only with that salvation, which the apostle is directly speaking of. And this consists of two general parts, justification and sanctification.
Justification is another word for pardon. It is the forgiveness of all our sins, and (what is necessarily implied therein) our acceptance with God. The price whereby this hath been procured for us, (commonly termed the _meritorious cause_ of our justification) is the blood and righteousness of Christ, or (to express it a little more clearly) all that Christ hath done and suffered for us, ’till _he poured out his soul for the transgressors_. The immediate effects of justification are, the peace of God, a _peace that passeth all understanding_, and a _rejoicing in_ hope _of the glory of God_, with joy _unspeakable and full of glory_.
4. And at the same time that we are justified, yea in that very moment, _sanctification_ begins. In that instant, we are _born again, born from above, born of the Spirit_. There is a _real_ as well as a _relative_ change. We are inwardly renewed by the power of God. We feel the _love of God shed abroad in our heart, by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us_, producing love to all mankind, and more especially to the children of God: expelling the love of the world, the love of pleasure, of ease, of honour, of money: together with pride, anger, self-will, and every other evil temper: in a word, changing the _earthly, sensual, devilish mind_, into _the mind which was in Christ Jesus_.
5. How naturally do those who experience such a change, imagine that all sin is gone? That it is utterly rooted out of their heart, and has no more any place therein? How easily do they draw that inference, “I _feel_ no sin: therefore I _have_ none.” It does not _stir_; therefore it does not _exist_: it has no _motion_; therefore it has no _being_.