spoken of? What have we experienced of a spiritual redemp- tion? What are we yet daily experiencing of a life of faith uj)on the Son of God ? and how far does the prospect of eter- nal glory animate us to do and suffer all things for the attain- ment of it? I pray you, brethren, put these questions to yourselves, and satisfy not yourselves with a superficial or evasive answer. Bring forth the benefits which you have received : examine them : see how far they are of a saving nature, and bear the stamp and character of a work of grace upon the soul ! — If such inquiries be unnecessary, trouble not yourselves about them : but, if they will be made at the last day by the Judge of quick and dead, and will form the ground of your salvation or condemnation to all eternity, then let them be duly weighed, and impartially answered by every one of us: for, if we be not profited by the Gospel now, sure I am that we shall not be profited in the eternal world ; yea, rather, that very " word which ought to have been to us a savour of life unto life, will be to us a savour of death unto death"." You all remember how greatly the guilt of Bethsaida and Chorazin was aggravated by their misimprovement of the pri- vileges which they enjoyed under the ministry of our Lord : being exalted to heaven in their privileges, they were cast down the deeper into hell for their abuse of them". The Jews in general too would not have had sin, comparatively , it they had not enjoyed the ministry of our blessed Lord : but that left them without excuse p. And even they will be innocent in comparison of you, if you, with the yet fuller light that is shining round you, neglect to improve the day of your visi- tation^'.]
2. In a way of affectionate remonstrance —
[It is clear and manifest, that the great mass of Christians do not mix faith with what they hear : for, if they did, they would obey it. Faith has the same respect to the proper ob- jects of faith, as reason has to the proper objects of reason. From reason, we know that some things will be beneficial to the body, and other things injurious : and in accordance with its dictates we act, unless we are violently impelled in opposi- tion to them, by some more operative principle in our minds. So will faith act. If we be blinded and overpowered by sense, we are then under the influence of unbelief. And if this be the predominant principle in our minds, O ! think how awful will be our state ! Verily, if this be of all sins the least cri- minal in appearance, it is of all sins the most fatal in its ten- dency : for whilst other sins render us obnoxious to God's
n 2 Cor. ii. 10. ° Luke x. 13 — 15.
r John XV. 22. i Matt. xii. 32.
2283.1 THE REST THAT REMAINS FOR GOD's PEOPLE. 201
displeasure, this binds them all upon us, and precludes, as long- as it is in exercise, all hope and possibility of obtaining mercy. See its operation as marked in our text. Metliinks we have here the veil of the invisible world di'awn aside. We are in the habit of sending all to heaven ; but here we see how few in comparison do really attain the promised rest. Of all the six hundred thousand Israelites that were advanced to man- hood, two only were suffered to enter into Canaan. All the rest (with the exception of the Levites) fell short through unbelief. And this is recorded as a warning to us, that we buoy not up ourselves with delusive expectations, in reference to our final state"^. We can never alter that word, " He that believeth shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be damned." I entreat you therefore to " mix faith with what you hear" from the infallible records of God's word. Mix faith with it, I say, in the same intimate and influential manner as you mix reason j with the deductions of reason. Your reason soon makes you I flee from a house that is on fire, and to run to a place of safety ' from one that seeks your life : let your faith operate in like manner, without delay ; stimulating you to flee to Christ for safety, and to lay hold upon the hope that is set before you in the Gospel.]