A Sort of Believers Never Saved

DOCTRINE. There is a Believing, or a Faith which many that Sit under the Hearing of the Word Preached, may attain unto, that is not Sound and Effectually Saving; or notwithstanding which, Persons may fall away and Miscarry in Point of Salvation.

There is a believing or a Faith which many attain unto, thro' a Delight in Hearing the Word Preached; who yet miscarry in Point of Salvation: So it was with the Stony Ground, they Heard the Word with Delight; they Received it with joy; which Produced a Faith [the Genuine Fruit of Hearing the Word, For Faith comes by Hearing, Rom. 1.16.] And when Faith Springs from Delight in Hearing the Word; Such persons are ready to think themselves in a sure and safe Estate; and that their Faith is well bottomed, they bid fair for Heaven: But even such may be Deceived and miscarry in the great Point of Salvation, for want of laying a good Foundation; there being nothing of the Work of Humiliation: they never went to the Bottom, to break the Rock at the Heart: Saving Faith hath Humiliation laid for its Foundation, When Faith ariseth only from a Flash of Delight in Hearing the Word, it is but a Counterfeit and not Lasting. Many Apostates have had many meltings & much Suddain strong joy: So had those Stony Ground Hearers; but it amounted not to Saving Faith. They had some flight Knowledge of Christ, their affections were stirred; their understandings were gilded over with a Common kind of Supernatural Light, ( Heb. 6.4.) but not to a Transmentation. They were Elevated in Hearing the Word; and had some Ascensions upwards, in their Affections; but were like Meteors hanging a while in the air, not having strength enough to ascend to the upper Region: Hence they soon vanish: their Faith fails and comes to nothing.

The Word [ The Seed of Faith ] in the Parable, falls upon four Sorts of Ground; but it takes Rooting in but One. The Good Seed, if not cast into the Good Ground, it yields no Harvest. The Word [ The Seed of Faith ] it miscarry's in most: It is trampled upon by the High Way Hearers; and the Devil Cashiers it: the Devil comes and picks the Word out of their Hearts; lest they should Believe & be Saved, v. 12. The Seed of Faith in others soon withered and scorched up; as in the Stony Ground: Faith in others is chocked & stifled; as in the Thorny Ground; Eminently with those three Chokers, the Cares, & Riches & Pleasures of the World.

The Seed of Faith Prospers only in the Good Ground: there, though' small and as a Grain of Mustard-feed, it grows and flourisheth to Life Eternal.

It had some fair Beginnings in the Stony Ground and Thorny Ground; there were some motions, some meltings & some Good Affections, some Breathings in Prayer; and Delight in Ordinances; as in Hearing the Word, &c. Here were fair Beginnings! So it is with many. Oh! see how far a man may go; and yet be never the near after all. The Stony and the Thorny Ground were nearer to the nature of the Good Ground, than that of the High Way; and yet no Fruit of Faith: they fell Short of Heaven. They had some sproutings of Faith, a sort of Faith; but yet far short of Saving: they attained to a Faith but yet (our Text tells us,) They fell away, and missed of Salvation.

It is not Every Faith, that is Saving: there are many that attain to a Faith; but yet never obtain the End of their Faith. It is a most certain Truth, That there are many Believers that shall never be Saved; for all Faith in the Name of Christ is not sound & saving. It is true, it is granted, that Faith or Believing is the Gospel Condition of Salvation, Joh. 3.16.36. Act. 16.31. Mark. 16.16. He that Believeth shall be Saved, but he that Believeth not shall be Damned. Faith & Salvation are inseparably Connected; and without Faith there is no Salvation. This is the Hinge of our Salvation: Here is the Condition of Life under the new Covenant: The Covenant of Grace is, Believe & Live; Believe & be Saved. Faith is the Condition; but then you had need look to your Faith, that it be of the Right Stamp: a Faith of the Operation of God; for Every Believing is not Saving: there are many that Believe & are Damned; as well as others that Believe and are Saved. Great Numbers Pretend to Faith; & Hold up a Head of Profession; but there are many Professors that are no Believers; and many Believers, that have not Faith; and many, that have Faith, that miss of Heaven.

Many there are of Great Profession, that Live and Dye in strong Delusion; & miss of Heaven in the Height of their Hopes; being mistaken, as to the Foundation of their Faith. There are many in Hell, that have had a Presumptuous Confidence that they should get to Heaven: Praesumendo Sperant & Sperando Pereunt : Many Damned, that have been Perswaded, they should be Saved: there are many, that go believing to Hell; their Eyes never opened till shot into the other World.

Many grow bold in an Ignorant Sottish Conceit of their good Estate, because of some good affections; & because they have some slighter Experiences, though' unsound: some taste of the good Word of God and a Faith, that hath sprung from a Delight in Hearing the Word: they have Received the Word with joy; as the stony Ground; which for a while Believe; and yet miscarry at last and miss of Heaven; their Faith being not the Faith of God's Elect; as wanting its true Object, and a Good Foundation, having no Root; and therefore cannot stand in the Day of Trial, against the Burning Tempest & Floods of the Wrath of God to come: those scorchings will wither up their shallow Roots.

But for a more methodical Proceeding, in the management of the Truth in Hand briefly.

I. We shall Confirm the Truth from Scripture, by Proving, That there is a Believing that is not Saving.

II. Discover what Sorts of Believers those are, that miscarry in Point of Salvation; or that do not Effectually Believe.

III. What Sorts of Faith, such attain unto.

IV. What be the Flaws & Defects in their Faith; whence it Proves ineffectual.

V. I shall briefly lay down, The Signs of an unsound; and the Nature of a Sound and Saving Faith: which may lead on to some suitable Application.

I. For Confirmation ; The Scriptures of Truth tell us, that there are many Believers, That shall never be Saved : Our Text produceth an instance in the stony Ground Hearers, they were called Believers : they had a Faith, yet that their Faith was not Sound and Saving; as appears from the last Clause of the verse, [ In time of Temptation they fell away. ] There is a Believing, that doth not put the Subjects into a state of Salvation: many may be Believers on the Name of Christ; and yet not true and effectual Believers; as many Believed, when they saw the Miracles which he did; and yet were short of Saving Faith, Joh. 2.23: Men may believe on Christ with some kind of Faith; & yet never be Accepted and Entertained by Christ with his Peculiar Love; and Consequently never Saved.

All Faith in the Name of Christ is not sound and saving: this truth is confirmed also from other Scriptures: We read, Joh. 12.42, 43. Among the chief rulers many Believed on him; but because of the Pharisees, they did not confess him; for they loved the praise of men, more than the praise of God ; and therefore Christ tells them, Joh. 5.44 That such a Believing could be no true Faith. [ How can ye Believe, that receive honor, one of another▪ ] See, Acts 4.4, 32. We read there of a great Multitude, that are called Believers, to the number of about five Thousand; but yet there were in that crowd of Believers, sundry that were unsound; as appears by the special instance of Ananias & Sapphira, Chap. 5. So, Act. 8.13. Its said (of that Sorcerer) That Simon himself Believed; and was Baptized; but yet he had no true Faith; for ( v. 21.23.) his heart was not right in the sight of God ; we find him in the Gall of Bitterness; and in the Bond of Iniquity. See, 1 Tim. 1.19. Holding Faith and a good Conscience, which some having put away, concerning Faith have made shipwreck ; and therefore they were Bottoms, laden with some kind of Faith: they had of that ware in their vessels; how else could they make shipwreck of it: So, 2 Tim. 1.5. The Apostle speaks of an Unfeigned, therefore there is a feigned Faith, Jam. 2.14, 17. There is a Dead Faith there mentioned, which Saves not. But thus the Scripture is frequent in the mentioning of a Faith that is not Saving, Psal. 78.34, 37. Isai. 48.1, 2.

II. We may Enquire, What Sorts of Believers those are that miscarry in Point of Salvation ; that do Believe, but not Effectually.

Omitting needless distributious.

A. They may be reduced to two Sorts.

1. Those that do only Outwardly Profess before men to Believe ; that do conform their outward man, to the ways of God; and take up a general formal Profession. There are swarms of these especially, in all places, where Religion is in Credit, men run with the crowd and do as orders do; they put on a visard of Religion, a common show of it, without any Impression; or any Considerable Impression upon their Hearts at all.

Indeed those in the Text went farther than thus; for they did not only seem, Pretend and Counterfeit a Believing; but had some real Common work upon them: But yet those others are in a large sense called Believers, that do make an Outward Profession, as many do for fashions sake; out of Custom; Example of others; to please men; to be well spoken of, to gain Credit, &c. though' they have no Love to God, nor his ways, in their Souls. So. Act. 8.13. So men go in the crowd (as they from Egypt) these, in a large sense, are called Believers, who seem before men to Believe, when all this while, there is no truth of Grace in their Hearts. There is a great deal of seemingness in the World; and Every Grace hath its Counterfeit; and those that have no Grace, can for a while Look and Live like Saints.

2. Another sort of Persons, who pretend to Faith; but fall short, are those, That have some Impressions upon their Minds & Hearts, and do really believe (and not only seem to do so) with some kind of Faith, which yet is not Saving and Effectual : there is something, that looks like true Faith: they have some kind of work wrought upon them; it is not a mere outward Seeming ; they have some kind of actings in their Minds and Hearts towards Christ; some stirrings of Affections. Now how far this goeth & discovereth itself; take up in these following particulars.

1. Men may take up a Profession of the Truth; and not only seemingly, but Really : they may do as others do; be carried in the stream and crowd of Professors, in the Place, where they are; attend Ordinances; take up the Name of God & Christ, into their Mouths; seem to be Religious, Jam. 1.26. Say, Lord, Lord ; give an outward Honor to the ways of Christ; & yet fall short.

2. They may Believe the Truth of the Scriptures, at least in a general Way ; both know the Heads and Truths of Religion; and also Believe them; Believe that Christ is the Son of God & Savior of the World. Men may believe the great Truths concerning his Person, Natures, Offices, Benefits; The Mystery of his Incarnation, His Birth, Crucifixion, Death, Burial, Resurrection, Ascension, Session at the Right Hand of God, & Intercession there, His coming to Judgment; the Resurrection of the Body, & the Life Everlasting. In a word ; a man may know all the Heads & Points & Principles of Religion; and Believe all the Articles of the Christian Creed; and yet miscarry in Point of Salvation, for want of Effectual Saving Faith.

A man may believe, that Christ is the Savior; and yet fall short of Saving Faith; not having a distinct understanding of the way of closing with Christ in his Offices, as the object of Faith: So they, Joh. 6.12. When they had seen the Miracles, that Jesus did, Said, this is of a truth, that Prophet, that should come into the world : they believed what was Prophesied concerning him; and that he was the Great Prophet & Teacher sent of God; and so his Doctrine to be true, and that he was indeed the Messiah, that was to come; and therefore they believed on his Name: though' they did not take up his Name aright. There was a common work of Grace upon their Hearts: there was a general work of Conversion wrought in them; but not Saving Faith: But hence they cry out; This is of a Truth the Prophet that should come ; and so; Joh 7.31. And many of the People Believed on him, & said, when Christ cometh will he do more Miracles than these which this Man hath done. These you see, had a Faith; and what they did understand of Christ & of his Doctrine, they did believe it to be true. And thus there are many, that do Assent to the Fundamental Truths of the Gospel: they believe what the Scriptures say concerning Christ, & the way of Salvation by Faith in him; but yet fall short of Saving Faith▪

Man may be much Affected with and toward Christ, Receive his word with Joy ; They may extol, applaud hint; they may behold his Works & Miracles with wonderment and joy in his word; as the Stony Ground, and cry out as they, Joh. 7.46. Never Man spake as this Man▪ The word may rap them into a great esteem of it, and an high Perswasion concerning the Glorious Truths delivered.

Never Sermon had such an Impression; never Preacher spake like this Man! But yet after such Raptures of Affection, such may fall away with the Stony Ground; and believe but for a while.

4. They may be Forward & Earnest for a Time, in attending upon Christ, & Seeking after him▪ As those, in the Text, Who for a while Believe : they may be forwardest with the first, as the Seed in the Stony Ground; sprang up quickly & forwardly. And there may be a great Zeal for the Name of Christ, as they shown, Joh. 6.15, 24. They would come and take him by force, to make him a King ; and they followed him, whithersoever he went: they took Shipping and came to Capernaum, Seeking for Jesus, v. 24.

Many others are zealously Affected, for the Name of Christ; and therefore have a strong Faith and Confidence, that they shall be be accepted at that Day; as appears by there Plea, Matt. 7.22. Many will say unto me in that Day, Lord, Lord, have we not Prophesied in thy Name, and in thy Name have cast out Devils, & in thy Name have done many wonderful Works. And yet notwithstanding their forwardness & zeal, they fell short of Saving Faith; and missed of Heaven in the Height of their Hopes; for Christ saith to them, v. 23. I never knew you: Depart from me ye workers of Iniquity. And thus we have discovered what sorts of Believers they are, that miscarry in Point of Salvation; that do Believe, but not Effectually.

III. We may Enquire, What Sorts of Faith such attain unto ?

This may be easily gathered from the sorts of Believers, that pretend to a Faith; but it is not Sound and Saving. There are two Sorts of Faith, that are not Saving, viz. an Historical, & a Temporary Faith.

1. An Historical Faith. Many, yea most, that live under the Sound of the Gospel, may attain to this; and do content & quiet their Hearts with a bare, Notional Knowledge & Assent to the Doctrine of the Gospel: On this Sandy Bottom most Professors Build their Hopes for Heaven; and claim their Privileges among the best of Saints on Earth; even to Eat and Drink in Christ's Presence. Indeed without knowledge the Mind cannot be good; and the History and Knowledge of Gospel Truths is necessary and leading on to a Saving Faith. See, Rom. 10.14. How shall they Believe on him, of whom they have not Heard ? Yet a bare Historical Faith will Scarce Distinguish the Faith of Men from the Faith of Devils, Jam. 2.19. Thou Believest there is One God; Thou doest well; The Devils also Believe and Tremble. They Believe there is a God and they Tremble at his Wrath: their Hearts ache and Tremble within them. They Believe, that Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of Men: See the Confession of their Faith, in the Possessed Gergesene, Matt. 8.29. What have we to do with thee, Jesus, Thou Son of God: art thou come to Torment us before our Time? The Devils Believe and Tremble; but how many among us, worse than Devils in this Respect, that Believe, but never Tremble at the Wrath of God; and at the Wrath of the Lamb; a Generation of God's Wrath; who are warned, but never awakened to flee from the Wrath to come, Matt, 3.7. They Believe the Judgment, and Know the Terror of the Lord; they have an Historical Faith, but more Regardless than Devils; They Believe the History of Gospel Truths revealed; but are Strangers to the Mystery of Godliness: The History of the Great Truths of the Gospel, Relating to the object of Saving Faith, may be attained by Reading, Instruction, by acquaintance with the Holy Scriptures opened and applied in the ordinary Dispensations of the Ministry; but the Mysteries of those Gospel Truths can never be discerned, without Supernatural and Saving Illuminations of the Spirit working Faith in the Soul. A man may have his natural understanding informed in the Doctrinal Truths, necessary to Salvation; but his Mind blinded by Satan, least the Light of the Glorious Gospel of Christ, which is the Image of God, should shine into him, 2 Cor. 4.4. A bare Historical Faith is, when the Mind only gives assent to the Truth, without any work upon the Heart; this is a Sort of Faith, but far from Saving.

2. There is a Temporary (or rather an Ineffectual) Faith. When there is some work on the Heart; but not thorough and solid: So the Stony Ground in our Text, and others that we read of, that were Christ's Followers; they not only Believed the Doctrine of Christ, so far as they knew of it, but also their Hearts were Affected: they Heard the word with joy: they did not merely dissemble; but they had their Hearts awed and affected with the Majesty and Power of Christ's Doctrine and Miracles: So that for a while, they Believed: they had a Temporary Faith, now this Temporary Faith, where there is some kind of lighter work upon the Heart, which is not thorough, it may Express itself sundry Ways, (as we find in the Scriptures) viz. From hence, from this Temporary Faith, there may be,

1. A Forwardness in men to give up their Names to Christ, to become his Followers and Professed Disciples; to Enrol their Names in that little Flock and Company, that are for Heaven, Matt. 8.19. Master (said that Scribe) I will follow thee, whithersoever thou goest, Luk. 9.61, 62.

2. There may be a taste of the Sweetness of the Things of Christ, of his Word, Grace, Benefits and Heavenly Privileges, Heb. 6.4—6. Having a taste of the Gift of Faith; they may also have a Transitory and Lighter Participation of the Sweetness of the Word and Joys of Heaven, by some Hopes and Pangs of Transporting Affection: as Balaam had, Numb. 23.10 Who can Count the Dust of Jacob and the Number of the fourth Part of Israel? Let me die the Death of the Righteous, and let my last End be like his. So the Stony Ground, in the Text, Joy in Hearing the Word and the affecting things therein.

And so, on the other side, there may be Tears and Terrors in the apprehensions of Wrath; as in Felix and Ahab and Judas : The Affections may be stirred; and yet the Rock, the stone in the Heart never broken; the Will and Affection never thoroughly broken and transformed; the Conscience never purged; and the Heart never took off from all other things to cleave to Christ alone.

3. There may be a Doing of several Eminent Services for Christ ; for which they may have much applause from men and be lifted up in the Mouths of others, Matt. 7.22. They may be Ministers admired in their Preaching, Preach well, and they may be Instrumental in their Places, and by their Gifts, to do much Good: God may so Sanctify a man's Gifts, as to make them Profitable to others; and yet not unto the Salvation of his own Soul.

4. There may be an Affectionate Acknowledgment for the Present; and Conviction of the Excellency of Christ; and that none is like to Christ: Joh. 7.46. The Officers answered, never Man Spake like this Man. Yet we have not Grounds to think, that they were Savingly wrought upon; for they go their ways and return to the Tents of his Enemies. They were but for the Present overpowered and astonished by the Majesty, appearing in Christ, and in his Word: So Matt. 7.28, 29. And it came to Pass, when Jesus had Ended these Sayings, the People were astonishd at his Doctrine; for he taught them, as one having Authority and not as the Scribes. They were strangely transported and rap'd with an Extasy of admiration and amazement, at his Doctrine; for he taught them, as having authority: but how many Heard Christ at that Time, who in Hearing did not Hear: yet all this that we have been speaking of falls short, because the whole Heart is not Divorced from all things else, & turned to God in Christ Jesus. There is no Effectual Change in the Soul; but the Rock is unbroken the thorn unstubbed up: Men Sow among Thorns; and hence the Fruit is choked. And thus we have Discovered, what Sorts of Faith are not Saving and Effectual.

IV. We may Enquire into the Flaws and Defects of Faith: whence it Proves Ineffectual and Unsound ?

1. When the Object of Faith is not Rightly understood and discerned. This Defect is such a Flaw, as Renders the Faith of such of none Effect: and here many miss it in Point of Salvation: thus it was with many in the Gospel, that followed Christ and did indeed Believe, that he was the Messiah; they wanted a right understanding of Christ the Object of Faith, whom they were to close withal: So they, Joh. 6.14.15. They dreamed of a Temporal Kingdom and a Temporal Advantage and Pomp, to come by the Messiah, which was the Common Error of the Jews at that Time: They Embraced him, as a Worker of Miracles, by whom his Followers might have Glory and Honor, &c. But they did not understand the Spiritual Office of Christ; nor did they look at the Spiritual Blessings to be had by him: They Mistook the Person, they Believed on; or at least were not duly Informed concerning him out of the Word; and so were not well Grounded either in the Knowledge of the Object, or the Word of Faith. These Defects and Flaws Spoil'd all: Their Faith was not rightly set upon the True Object.

2. A Second Flaw and Defect in Faith, that makes it unsound and ineffectual, is The want of an Inward Spiritual Work of Humiliation and Regeneration. When Persons are strangers to Inward Regenerating Grace and change of Heart; then they are strangers to Saving Faith. Whatever other Qualifications and Excellencies they may Pretend to, Relating to the Knowledge of the Object of Faith, Eminency of Gifts, Parts, Place or whatever; yet without Inward Regenerating Grace, wrought by the Spirit, causing a Change of Heart; no Saving Faith. We have an Instance of this in Nicodemus, Joh. 3.1—10. He was a man in Place, a Pharisee, a Ruler of the Jews, One that was a Follower of Christ, an admirer of him: Rabbi (saith he) We know that thou art a Teacher, Sent from God. v. 2. He had a Respect for Christ; and hence Christ falls upon him with that, in the first Place, v. 3. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God, i. e. Thou art taken with the Miracles; and givest me Honorable Titles; and hast some Good general Affections; yea but thou wantest still a Work of Regeneration, a new Birth, a Change of Heart and State, a Spiritual Work of Grace Soaking into the whole Heart, and making the Frame thereof new: without this thou canst never come to Heaven. Do not think, that a General Historical Faith or some general Good Affections will serve without Regeneration: And hence also such want the Preparatory work of Sound Humiliation, in order to Saving Faith. Such have not the Fallow Ground broken up; nor are they Broken off from their Sins and Selves: they yet remain like the Stony Ground: the rock at the Bottom remains still.

3. A Third Flaw and Defect, rendering Faith Ineffectual, is, Not coming up to the Gospel Terms of Effectual Faith. Not complying with the Gospel Conditions of closing with Christ; Renouncing and Forsaking all other things, and Following Christ with the Cross on our Backs; not getting over the Stumbling-Blocks of the World, viz. Worldly Honors, Pleasures, Profits; So as to part with all for Christ.

This was the fault Christ found with many Followers of him, and seeming Believers on him: Thus Nicodemus came by night, for fear of the Jews, and as ashamed to be Known to Own Christ: He was not got over the Blocks of Carnal Fear and Worldly Honor: So they, Joh. 12.42, 43. Among the Chief Rulers, many Believed on him; but did not confess him, least they should be Put out of the Synagogue: for they loved the Praise of men more than the Praise of God.

The Terms of Saving Faith propounded are to forsake All to Follow Christ, to Renounce Sin, Self, & World, Matt. 14.26, 27, 33. The Stony Ground in the Text, fell away in Time of Temptation. The Faith of most can hardly comply with Gospel Proposals: the Terms Proposed are not agreeable to their Dispositions and Affections: Hence▪ their Faith fails them: In the Hour of Temptation they fall away.

4. A Fourth Defect and Flaw in Faith ariseth from the Falseness and Hypocrisy of the Heart. Men Believe; but not with the whole Heart. This God calls for, The Heart : and this is a mark of true Faith, Rom. 10.10. For with the Heart man Believeth unto Righteousness : Upon this Flaw and Defect we may ground the main Reason for the confirmation of the Doctrine, viz. Why there is a Believing that is not Saving; and so, Why there are many Believers that shall never be Saved.

Because God accepts of no Faith as Saving, but only that, which is with all the Heart. That which carries the whole Soul with it; that whereby a Man doth embrace whole Christ, according to the Terms of the Gospel, with an whole Heart; that, that infers a change of Heart, that carries with it a New Heart, and a New Spirit. But now there may be some kind of Believing, and yet not come thus far.

1. Because of the Deceitfulness of the Heart. There is such cunning and guile in the Heart, that it will seem to Do some things; seem to Believe, and yet not believe indeed; act a part upon the Stage of Profession; and yet hide and keep its Sin: yea not only deceiving others, but a Man's Self, by its fair pretences and partial comings off.

2. Because of the strong and deep-rooted Enmity of the Heart against God and Christ, which is not over-come and subdued by lighter Impressions : Nor when there is some Temporary good Affection towards Christ. The heart may yield a little, and yet not be changed from its enmity and opposition to all that is Holy.

3. Because of the Inability of Nature to put forth the Supernatural act of Faith, without the Mighty Power of the Spirit, to cause it so to do. It is above the Power of Nature, (yea though' assisted with the common workings, lighter impressions, strivings and motions of the Spirit) to put forth such an act as Saving Faith is: Joh. 6.65. No man can come unto me, Except it were given unto him of my Father.

V. We now Proceed to lay down the Signs of an Unsound, and the Nature of Sound and Saving Faith.

1. An Unsound Faith may be Discovered by these Signs; which may have some reference to what hath been Premised.

1. That Faith is Unfound, that is without Previous Humiliation. A sudden Faith and Joy, without Humiliation, without breaking of the heart for, and from Sin: Such was the Faith of the Stony Ground in our Text; it had no depth: the Rock at the bottom was never broken and dissolved. Consider, if thy Faith hath been but a sudden pang of Affection in Hearing the Word, without Conviction, sight and sense of Sin and Wrath, &c. Such slight Faith is not to be rested in. When a Man on the sudden, hearing of the Riches and Glory of Christ, is taken therewith; but never was Convinced of Sin; never saw himself in a perishing condition; never stung with the fiery Serpent; never lost, poor, miserable, blind, naked in thine own feeling, &c. Why this is a shallow Faith, which a little heat of the Sun will wither away. Till a Man see Sin, as the greatest Evil; he will never prize Christ, as the greatest good.

2. That Faith is Unsound, that doth not bring a Man to an absolute, present, preremptory consent to take Christ, and give up himself wholly to Christ upon his own Terms. So it is with many; Christ makes his Motion, requires their Hearts, bids them renounce all other Lovers, and embrace Him alone forever; but when the Heart gives him good Words, and yet puts him off, and saith, I will hereafter, at such a Time, I will consider of it ; and so continues Parlying & Bartering with Christ; but comes not to an absolute Marriage consent, to part with all, and close with him; this is a discovery of an Unsound Heart. Why if there be not such a Faith as reacheth the proper Work of Faith, i. e. The absolute Taking and Receiving Christ on his own Terms; then truly is here no effectual Faith, Luke 9.61. The Unsound heart hath still some-what to do, before it will Follow Christ: it never comes to a present closing with him.

3. That Faith is not sound, which is not see upon the Person of Christ, upon Christ Himself. To run away with the Word and Promise, and to miss of Christ himself, is a broken Faith, which will deceive. Saving Faith doth not only close with a Truth or Proposition, but with a Person. Many, when they hear of the Word, the Promise, (viz. He that confesseth & forsaketh, shall find Mercy. He that hungers and thirsts after Righteousness, shall be filled. He that Mourns is Blessed, &c.) Why they apply the Promise to themselves, and believe the Truth of it, and so have Peace: Here they rest, and here is all their Faith but to believe on Christ, and Match and Close with the Person of Christ, this they are great Strangers to.

4. That Believing that a Man has found Easy, which he could do and attain of himself, by his own Strength, that is Unsound. Right Faith is not of ourselves, Eph. 2.4. The Lord makes the Soul, on whom he works effectually, to feel that it is not of Himself, it is not in his own Power to Believe; it is a Supernatural Work (as we have heard.) If a Mans Faith be bred by Flesh and Blood; by his own Will and Strength, &c. it is a base, bastard Faith, and not begotten of the right Father, and therefore shall never possess the Inheritance. If there hath not been a Supernatural Hand and Power on thy Heart, thou art in a State of Nature to this day.

5. That Faith that doth not Separate and Divide a Man from every known Sin, and set him upon a Warfare againct all Sin whatsoever; that Faith is not Sound. Faith so separate, I mean, as to make a Man willing to part with Sin, & desirous to improve all means against it.

6. That Faith that is Barren & Unfruitful, is an Unsound Faith ; that brings not forth Fruits of Grace and New Obedience in the Life, and Conversation. When a Man hath a Faith, that does him no good, that he is never the better for; the Faith that brings no Life into the heart, no quickening Spirit into the Soul; but a Man is the very same after he has believed, as he was before; Dead to all good Works; when there is no Working by Love. That is a false Faith that is without Works, Jam. 2.14. 2 Pet. 1.8, 9. And know for a certainty, that the Faith that never Sanctifies thee, will never Save thee in the Day of Jesus.

2. The next Branch to be Enquired into▪ is, The Nature of Sound & Saving Faith. And I intend here, only some brief hints, both Negatively and Affirmatively; to show both what it is not, and what it is.

1. Negatively : Which may lead us to a right understanding of it, and the Premises may be helpful herein.

1. Saving Faith is not a bare Knowledge of, or Assent to the Truth of the Scriptures ; to believe the things that are written in the Law and Gospel: though' this must be, but this is not Saving Faith, James 2.19. Neither is it the Truth of the Scripture only in general, but Christ Jesus, the Person of Christ, that is the Object of Saving, Justifying Faith.

2. Neither is it the bare Believing of Christ, or of the Truth about the Doctrine of the Gospel. Tho' this is necessary; Rom. 10.14. How shall they call on him, in whom they have not Believed? And how shall they Believe in him of whom they have not heard? &c. There cannot be believing on Christ, without Believing of Him, without Knowledge and Assent to the Truth concerning his Person, Offices, Offers and Benefits. There must be in all Adult Believers a competent Understanding of these Things, and Assent to them; this is absolutely necessary. True Faith is an Affiance grounded upon Knowledge: An unknown Christ cannot be Believed on, as, Act. 17.23. Paul found an Altar at Athens with this Superscription: [ To the Unknown God, ] whom therefore (saith he) ye ignorantly Worship. But this is not enough; to believe Christ and to believe on Christ are several things; the former is but the act of the Mind, the latter of the Will also, Joh. 5.40.

3. Nor is it an Assurance or Settled persuasion of a Mans Interest in Christ, and of the Lord's Everlasting Love to him in Christ. Tho' this being rightly grounded is a Precious, sweet and comfortable thing; and true Faith ought to grow up to this. It is fearful Security for any to be at rest without Assurance; but yet this Assurance is not the proper act of Saving, Justifying Faith; but follows it, as presupposing it: for there must be Interest in Christ, in order of Nature, before there can be Assurance of it; and there must be Saving Faith, before Interest, 1 Job. 5.13. Rom. 5.1. Therefore, being justified by Faith, we have Peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ.

But,

2. Affirmatively. To speak Positively, What this sound and effectual Faith is, that is the condition, upon which Salvation is Promised in the Gospel. Not to enter into any large or full Discourse. In Sum, you may take up this Description of it.

Descirp. Saving Faith is a Saving Grace of the Spirit, whereby we Receive and Rest upon Christ Jesus, for Righteousness and Life.

Or more fully.

Effectual Faith or Believing, Is when a Soul, feeling its Sinful and Perishing condition, receiveth Christ, as he is freely offered in the Gospel, resteth on him, as an All-sufficient Savior for Righteousness and Life.

This sets forth the Nature of Saving Faith, whereby an humbled Sinner, being persuaded of, and assenting to the Truth of the Gospel, and Christ revealed therein; he doth heartily embrace and rest on Him for Righteousness and Salvation. But the Nature of Saving Faith may be more familiarly set forth, by the essential requisites comprised in the Description.

There are four essential requisites, that go to the constitution of Saving Faith. There must be, (1) An humbling sight and sense of Sin, and Misery by Sin. (2) A sight of Jesus Christ, revealed and freely offered in the Gospel. (3) An embracing and receiving Christ thus offered. (4) A resting and relying upon him for Righteousness and Life.

1. There must be an Humbling sight & sense of Sin. This Humiliation (or sensibleness of Sin) whether you call it a part of Faith, taken largely; or a preparation for Faith, taken strictly: to be sure it is a necessary requisite unto Believing. It is the humble Publican that comes to Christ for Mercy in earnest, Luk. 18.13, 14. Faith & flying to Christ, the City of Refuge, is but a Notion to the secure and unhumbled. In believing there is, A flying for Refuge and Help to Christ ; and implies sense of evil and danger. There is an hearty embracing of a Remedy, that presupposeth hearty sense of a disease. It was the bitten Israelite that looked to the brazen Serpent. It is the stung and wounded Sinner, that will look in earnest to Christ Jesus, Mat. 9.12, 13. Isai. 61.1, 2, 3. There must be a closing with a Savior from Sin, as Precious, 1 Pet. 2.7. That implies, that Sin is apprehended to be bitter: The Soul must be apprehensive, that it is Perishing; thy Perishing condition must be felt: there must be a sense and feeling thereof; as the famishing man feels what it is to be hungry: the man that is in danger of his Life, feels what it is to cry out for help: the sick man feels what it is to need and prize the Physician. Oh! was thy heart ever wounded for Sin and made sick of it? Did the Lord ever awaken thee by his Word, not only to Dream of a Natural Estate; but to see it; to see thyself a dead man, under the Power and Guilt of Sin, under the strength of the curse, Rom. 7.9. Has the Spirit convinced thee of Sin? That is the first step in order to the Working of Saving Faith, Job. 16.9.

2. A Second requisite of Saving Faith, is, The sight of the Object, a sight of Jesus Christ revealed and freely offered and held forth in the Gospel. And this revelation and offer, it must be entertained with an understanding & assenting to the Truths revealed. There is in Faith (or goes to the making up of Faith) Knowledge, Assent, and Affiance ; the former of these cannot be without the revelation of the object; and the two latter cannot be without the former. There must be a revelation of a Christ, and a sight of Christ in the understanding, in order to the closing with him by the Will: Joh. 6.40. This is the Will of him that sent me. Everyone that seeth the Son and believeth on him, may have everlasting Life : — and this sight is both by Knowledge and Understanding of the doctrine of Christ, and by assent thereunto, or being persuaded of the truth thereof, which precedes embracing, Heb. 11.13. Joh. 20.31.

Make not a light matter of the revelation and offer of Christ in the Gospel: it is essentially requisite to Saving Faith. In the day of Grace when the Spirit, by its powerful operations, works Saving Faith in the Soul; it doth it by opening the eyes of the understanding, to see Christ revealed and freely offered in the Gospel, and letting in the sweetness and savor of it to the Heart and Will; Rom. 10.17. & 1.16, 17. 2 Cor. 3.18. It is possible indeed that a man may have the revelation of Christ in the Gospel, and some real sight of the things of Christ; and yet not savingly embrace them; as in those that are enlightened, and yet fall away, Heb. 6.4. & 10.26. And those, in our text, Who for a while Believe. There is some revelation, some light, some knowledge; but ordinarily and usually men that live in unbelief, they are Defective in knowledge of what is revealed in the Gospel, concerning the object of Faith; or at least in assent to what is revealed; especially this latter; but Christ, as an All-sufficient Savior, with his Redemption, Righteousness, Benefits, &c. revealed in the Gospel and freely offered and held forth; is the ground of our Believing or closing with him by Faith.

3. A third essential requisite of Saving Faith, is, The Souls embracing and receiving Christ, thus revealed and offered, even the Person of Christ, Christ himself. God holds forth his Son, and the Soul takes him; that is Faith, Rom. 5.17. Faith it is the Souls embracing,— receiving, resting relying on, trusting in Christ, as revealed and offered in the Gospel. This expresseth that Fiducia or Affiance, which is the main or most formal act and nature of Saving Faith. These terms express the formal and fiducial act of Faith, resting on Christ or trusting in him; this is the formal nature of Faith: hence it is not only to believe Christ; but to believe on Christ: hence believing is oft expounded by trusting (as, Eph. 1.12. Matt. 12.21.) and that imports these three actings of Faith.

1. A rolling and casting ourselves upon Christ, having no other bottom to stand on, and seeing with him a Rock able to bear us, and Arms open to receive us. Now we throw ourselves & our whole weight upon him, and fall into his Arms, Psal. 37.7. & 55.22 Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee.

2. A staying, hanging, leaning, depending upon him, Isai. 50.10. Who is among you, that walketh in darkness and hath no light; let him trust in the Name of the Lord, & stay upon his God.

3. An Acquiescence in Christ ; a resting of the heart in him (as well as on him) as believing that he is also able (as well as faithful) to be and do that which we depend upon him for. And now being come to the Rock of Ages & built upon it; having committed ourselves to Christ, embracing him, and relying on him; now we rest there, as in One, in whom there is good enough to satisfy us, and power enough to help us and save us; and who is faithful to fulfill what he hath promised. The soul seeth him able enough to sustain him, a rock and bottom strong enough to bear him: he sees his arms long enough to reach, strong enough to hold him; ready enough to embrace him: hence he casts and throws himself thereinto, and seeing no help nor hope in himself; no ability at all to save & deliver; and seeing Christ able, mighty, faithful, willing to help, every way All-sufficient: hence the Soul finds in him an everlasting foundation; a rock fit to stay on; hence it lets all other hopes and stays go; and rests and trusts here forever.

4. Faith is a resting and relying on Christ for righteousness and life ; for righteousness unto justification, Rom, 5.17. Isai. 45.24. In the Lord have I righteousness and strength. We do not only want power from Christ to help us; but righteousness to be the matter of our Justification; the foundation and ground of our whole Salvation; for that is the inlet of Life eternal. In acting of Faith the Soul comes in special to Christ for Righteousness: Rom. 10.4, 10. For Christ is the End of the Law for righteousness, to everyone that believeth. And Faith looks to Christ, as for imputed Righteousness unto Justification; so also for inherent Righteousness and Life in Sanctification: And hence Faith is a relying on Christ for Life; Spiritual Life began in the Grace of Sanctification here, and completed in the perfection of Glory hereafter.

Thus you have the essential requisites of Saving Faith, setting forth the formal Nature of it, which few attain unto. The truth is, Most Professors content themselves with a false Ineffectual Faith, like the Temporaries in the Text, Who for a while believe, and in Time of Temptation fall away : Or as others, who at last miss of Heaven in the height of their hopes, being mistaken as to the grounds of their Faith not well rooted. It is not every Faith, that is Saving; nor every Believer that shall be Saved; nor everyone that Crys, Lord, Lord, that shall enter into the Kingdom. The Way through Faith to Salvation is a difficult Way to hit, and dangerous to miss; and Multitudes miscarry, even many of those that are Believers, who shall never be Saved.

The APPLICATION.

USE I. This Doctrine may shake loose and unsound Professors out of their carnal Security, and false Peace, by means of their Resting in their Faith. A false Faith breeds unto many a false Peace. Many there are that use their Faith still to shelter them from all Convictions and Terrors of the Lord: they have bad hearts, and many corruptions, and are full of wants and failings, &c. yea, but they believe, and that Salves all: they have Faith in the Name of Christ. Indeed if your Faith be of the right stamp, you may rejoice: True and Sound Faith in Jesus Christ is that, whereby we have our Righteousness; and may have our Peace in the midst of many failings and imperfections. So Paul had, and so the Saints in Scripture had. If you have but Paul's faith, i. e. A Sin-lamenting faith, as, Rom. 7.24. A Groaning faith, Rom. 8.23, 26. A Labouring faith, Col. 1.29. A Sanctifying faith, Rom. 6. A Growing faith, Phil. 3.10—13. And if you have Johns faith, A faith that works by love ; then indeed you may triumph over relicts of Sin, and Imperfections of Grace. But the false and counterfeit faith will be the Ape of the true; that also will cry Peace, and then it doth but deceive.

Men will cover all their noisome and running Sores, with the Fig-leaves of a false and ineffectual Faith, which will be but as a Spiders webb at last, Mic. 3.11. Oh! Remember there is a faith that will not do; a believing that will never Save; and search and see if thine be not such. An Awakening thing it is to consider, That a Man may be a Believer and yet fall short: he may have a faith, and yet perish and be damned for all that. Now (I say) seeing there is a faith that will not evidence the Subjects thereof to be in a safe Estate; therefore rest not presently because you have some kind of faith; but search and see whether it be not Unsound or no: And to find out this, I may refer you to the Premises, and what may be spoken in the following Use.

USE, II. Of EXAMINATION.

Examine and Try whether you have that Faith, that Believing that is Sound and Saving and Effectual. We see there is a faith that is not sound; and there is much of that kind of Ware in the World. There is a Stony-ground, and there is a Thorny-ground-believing that never reaches home. There are many Believers that fall short: why then we should never rest, till we have attained sound and saving Faith: Why, as, 2 Cor. 13.5. Examine yourselves whether you be in the faith: prove yourselves, &c. Sirs, see what metal you are made of, whether true Gold, or Copper; be not put off with every Varnish, with every glittering: All is not Gold that glitters ; is a true Proverb. There are Multitudes of Professors, with their high Privileges, that make a glittering show among men; that pass for currant Coin here, that will not pass at that Day of Trial, when God shall Kindle his fire in Zion, and set up his furnance in Jerusalem, Isai 31. There are many that pass Examination and Trial among men, that crowd among Believers unto the Church on Earth, that shall never have a Seat among Saints in Heaven. Multitudes of Counterfeits among us, whose faith upon a due Trial will not amount to the value of a brass Farthing. We are often deceived with Counterfeit Pieces for Currant Money; and our want of discerning makes the same passable: So we cannot discriminate between Professors and Professors, between Formalists and true Believers. We know not what offerings Persons present before the Lord; but be sure there is a World of false Coin cast into the Lord's Treasury. Many sit down at the Table of the Lord, who have no right to the Children's Bread: they feed without Faith, or Fear, or Examination of their Fitness; but such should tremble at the Damnation threatened, and remember the caution given, 1 Cor. 11.28, 29. But let a man Examine himself and so let him Eat, &c. for he that Eateth and Drinketh unworthily, Eateth and Drinketh Damnation to himself. And so doth he that hath not Sound and Saving Faith, whereby to discern the Lord's Body; this being an essential requisite to that heavenly Participation. Many for want of this Effectual, Saving Faith may deceive their own Souls, and so miss of Heaven in the heights of their Hopes; as they, Luk. 13.26. and, Matt. 7.22. Lord, Lord, Open to us: we have eat and drank in thy Presence, &c. But Christ will disown them, and send them packing away, with that Curse, Depart from me ye workers of Iniquity.

Oh Sirs! Examine yourselves, be much upon this work of Self-Examination: Be not deceived, as to Trust in every working, thou findest and feelest in thy own Heart; every pang of sweet Affection; every stirring of Joy and Delight in Hearing the Word; though' be thankful for any such thing. There are many Hearers, that hear Sermon after Sermon, the most ravishing Truths of the Gospel displayed in the most Affecting & Charming manner, in the highest strains of Divine Rhetoric to gain their Affections; and yet to this day never come up to that with the Stony-ground Hearers (in the Text) to Receive the Word with Joy. It may be thou never heardest a Sermon in thy Life-time with any Affection of Joy or Rejoicing in Hearing the Word; but rather that hath been thy inward Thought and working of Heart, Mal. 1.13. Behold! what a weariness is it, &c. and thou art restless till the Tiresome Glass be run out, and the Tedious Sermon be ended. Alas! many (if not most) that sit in our Assemblies, are mere Highway Hearers, that are so trodden, beaten, hardened with the commonness of Preaching, that they are not Affected with anything. The wild fowl of roving Thoughts & carnal Affections devour all.

Such as these are far from Faith: they have scarce so much as any kind of Faith or degree of Believing: they are not got so far as the Stony-ground, Who receive the Word with Joy, and for a while Believe : but neither is this a faith that reacheth home. Oh! it highly concerns all to see whether they have that Faith that accompanies Salvation. Fall upon the work of Examination, grounded upon the Premises & the Nature of Saving Faith; If you pretend to faith,

1. Examine which way you came by your faith. Consider how faith was wrought in thee; or whether thou hast a kindly work of faith wrought in thy Soul. Hast thou been made to see thy Perishing condition, by reason of Sin and Wrath lying upon thee? Canst remember how the Lord has made thee bemoan thyself to him with Ephraim, Jer. 3.18, 19. To renounce all false Props and Confidences With Paul, Phil. 3. To confess the iniquity of thy Sin with David, Psal. 51.32. To cry out with them, What shall we do? Act. 2.37. Hast thou seen the wonderful, glorious, rich Grace of God in the free offer of Christ in the Gospel? Didst thou ever see the fight of Christ in the Gospel, as a most glorious sight? Didst thou ever relish that glorious object offered, as exceeding sweet and precious?

Has it broke thy heart, that yet, after all thy backslidings, He should lift up a cry of Grace in thine Ears? Jer. 3.1. Hast thou been made to hear the Voice of Christ's call in the Gospel, and been thereby drawn to come to him, and to receive him, and close with him? Was it thy special end in coming to Christ, to get Possessed of himself, and by him deliverance from Sin and Spiritual Life? and has that been the voice of thy Soul in coming to him, Hos. 14.2, 3. Take away all iniquity.

He, that hath had Faith wrought in his heart, hath been made to know what these things mean: such Breathings and Workings as these, are the Footsteps of the Spirit of Grace, and Expressions of that Faith, which is of the operation of God. Thus (I say) Examine which way you did come by your Faith: How saith was wrought in you.

2. Examine whether you have changed the Rest of your Souls. Where there is true faith, the Rest of the Soul is changed; there is a resting upon Christ or in him; and indeed that is the formal Nature of faith; a resting and relying on Christ for Righteousness and Life. Naturally all men Rest somewhere else, viz. in Themselves, in the World, in their carnal Contentments and Hopes, in their own Righteousness: therefore the Believer hath changed his Rest: his Rest is now upon God in Christ Jesus, Heb. 4.3. For we, which have Believed do enter into Rest. The Soul casts itself upon Christ, as the whole foundation of its Hope, Rock of its Refuge, stay of its Soul, and the All of its Expectations and Desires. Oh! Examine, is Christ the Rock, you build your Rest on; the strong Hold you shelter in; the help you Trust to; the Portion you Live upon; the Hill of Salvation your Eyes are to; the Hope & Good, that gives Quiet and Contentment, and Rest unto Souls.

3. Examine, Dost thou Live by Faith, Whence is the Spring of thy Life ? Is Christ the Feeder & Maintainer of thy Life by Faith? as, Gal. 2.20. Faith is the Believers daily work: He is often putting it forth and acting it upon Christ. Is Faith thy Practice, thy Trade? Are thy Prayers the voice of Faith? Oh! are we Knit to an higher Principle? Have we a Pipe laid to a higher fountain than this World?

Oh Consider of such things, and make clear this grand Tenure and Title to Salvation (to that glorious Inheritance of the Saints in Light & Glory) Faith in Christ Jesus, Sound and Saving Faith: And would you by Examination have further Knowledge of it, what it is? For your further help here, take these three Characters of a sound & effectual Faith.

1. That Faith is sound, that is accompanied with a forsaking of all for Christ ; Sin, Self, & World, and all the Lusts and Vanities thereof. When there is an absolute Divorce from all others, then there is a Marriage to Christ; for there is no intermediate state.

2. That Faith is sound, that is accompanied with esteem of and love to Christ ; and that produceth a Conjugal Affection to him. He hath the Wedding Garment on, that hath a Marriage Affection to Christ Jesus. Where there is such peculiar Love to Christ, there the Heart is indeed set upon him; for Love carries the whole Soul with it. Ibi anima ubi amat, et amor figit Oculum : Love it is a knitting Affection▪ This knits the Soul to Christ. Where there is Love out of a pure Heart, there is Faith Unfeigned, 1 Tim. 1.5.

3. That Faith is sound and effectual, that Purifies the Heart, and is fruitful in the course of ones Life. A Purifying and a working Faith, such a Faith as is accompanied with Repentance, and followed with new Obedience, Act. 15.9. Jam. 2.18. Gal. 5.6. That Faith is effectual that is accompanied with a change of Heart and Life. True Faith & Repentance ever go together.

USE III.

From the Premises be Instructed, that nothing short of Effectual Saving Faith, can give a man any grounded Hopes that he shall be Saved: Or what ever any person hath or may pretend unto, that is short of and separated from sound and effectual Faith; can give him no title to Heaven and Happiness. We see it is not every Faith that is Saving; much less anything short of Faith: and yet many such things persons place their Trust and Confidence in, and build their Hopes of Salvation upon. Many things there are that persons are apt to lean upon and comfort themselves with, which yet will give them no Title to Salvation; because short of saving Faith: As Paul in the days of his Pharisaism, he thought he had many things that could stand him instead, which after he saw were Vain; and nothing would do, but Faith in Christ whereby he might be found in him, Phil. 3.4, — 8. Take a short view of what persons build their Hopes of Salvation upon, which yet fall short of saving Faith.

1. Some would gather up hopes for Heaven, because of their Happiness here on Earth. Their Outward Prosperity wherein God Blesseth them, from whence they gather that God loves them; and it shall be forever well with them: and here they bottom their hopes for Salvation. If any should be so stupid and foolish as to rest in worldly Wealth, Riches & Honors and Comforts of Outward Estate; why remember these are not Faith, nor akin to it. The Lord hath nowhere said in all the Scripture, That he that is a Rich man, or a Great man, shall go to Heaven. Riches do not carry Faith along with them, nor help to it; but often much hinder it, Matt. 19.23. The Young man in the Gospel went away sorrowful, for he had great Possessions : whereupon, saith Christ, A rich man can hardly enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. 1 Cor. 1.26. For you see your Calling Brethren, how that not many Wise men, after the Flesh, not many Mighty, not many Noble are called. The Poorest Man on Earth may get to Heaven, as soon as the Richest, you often sooner. It is he that is Rich in Faith, that is the Heir to the Kingdom, Jam. 2.5.

2. Some build up their Hopes and Confidence, upon their Gifts and Parts. Natural and Acquired Wit, Memory, Learning, Activity, Knowledge of Arts, or Skill therein, &c. Why these are good and commendable in themselves, and very useful, and make men famous, but these are not Faith: these alone will not Save. Had one the Parts and Abilities of an Achitophel, yet these alone would not render one any Better, than he who, with Judas, went and hanged himself. Knowledge is good and excellent, yet may be separated from Faith and Love; and then it is nothing in Point of Salvation, 1 Cor. 13.1, 2. Yea Ministerial Gifts themselves may be separated from Faith, as in Judas, and others, Mat. 7.22. And if so, they Save not. Oh! thou mayest know many things, and yet not Know Christ and him Crucified, with a believing application to thy Own Soul; and then thou knowest nothing, that will stand thee instead for Salvation.

3. Some Build their Hopes of future Happiness and Salvation upon good Nature and Disposition. The Temper of some is not so inclined to some Vices; and more apt to gain Love and Esteem, than others are: but this is not Faith, no nor Sanctification. The Young Man in the Gospel was of an Amiable Lovely Disposition and Demeanour: Mark 10.21. Jesus beholding him, Loved him ; and yet missing of Christ, he misses of Heaven. An Absalom can so pleasingly carry it, as to Steal the Hearts of the men of Israel; and yet a Graceless Wretch. Be it, thy Disposition and Carriage is such, as everyone is taken with thee; yet take heed of Resting in that, that will not suffice. A lovely Young Man (you see) may go down to Hell, not following Christ with a Self, and World-renouncing Faith; when a Rude rugged Jailor, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, may go to Heaven.

4 Some Build their Hopes of Salvation upon a comparative Goodness, that they are not so Bad as others. Many do, Pharisee-like, bear themselves upon this, Luk. 18.11. But be it so; yet to have less Sin, than some others; that is not to have Faith. Thou art not so bad as many others; but it may be it is also True, thou art not so good as many others, who yet never shall be Saved. It may be thou art not so good as the Young Man in the Gospel, or the Scribes and Pharisees; and yet they are gone to their own Place. Oh! thy Righteousness must exceed theirs, if ever Saved, Matt. 5.20. Oh! you must exceed those, whom happily thou hast not yet equallized. If thou art not so bad as others, yet art thou as good, as the Rule of the Gospel requires unto Salvation? Hast thou sound Faith in Christ? It is not what others are, but what the Rule, the Word of God, the Terms of the Gospel require, by which thou shalt be judged another day.

5. Others Build their Hopes of Salvation upon Moral Honesty and Virtue and External Blamelesness. To be a just Dealer, a good Neighbor, Civilly Honest, a good Common-Wealths-Man; a good Townsman, a good Housholder, &c. To perform these external civil Duties Well, is more than is found with many; but yet this alone hath not the Promise of Salvation made unto it. Paul a Pharisee was blameless, Phil. 3.6. Alas! it must be another kind of Righteousness, than this, that will stand before God, viz. The righteousness, which is of God by Faith, Phil. 3.9.

6. Others Build their Hopes of being Saved upon their Outward Church-Privileges. They Enjoy Means and Ordinances: they are within the Pale of the Church: they are Jews outwardly by Profession and Privileges; the visible People of God; but manifest it is, that these things are separable from Saving Faith: A visible and an invisible Saint are not of equal latitude: To have Eat and Drank in Christ's presence, will not be a sufficient Plea at that day, Luk. 13.26. The Promise is not that every Church-Member shall be Saved; but every True Believer shall be Saved. Oh! it is not the shadow of Outward Privileges, that will shelter you from the Wrath of God. The Sinners in Zion are under as much cause of fear, as any there, Isa 33.14. It is no new thing to go out of a Church on Earth, into the Chambers of Hell. Many, that walk with Saints now, will be sent to Devils one day. Many, that are Ear-marked among Christ's Sheep here, will be found to be Goats, when Christ's Fold shall be searched at that day. You Build much upon it, that you are within the Bosom of the Church; but Oh! are you within the Bosom of Jesus Christ by Faith. Thou art an Israelite, but art thou an Israelite indeed by effectual Faith in Christ.

7. Others Build their Hopes for Heaven upon the apprehension of a Saving Work of Conversion wrought by the Spirit ; but mistaking Legal Terrors, for Evangelical Convictions, and being deceived by some Common and Remoter preparations.

If Persons have been Convinced, Awakened, Terrifyed, Troubled and Affrighted out of the Lewdness of their former ways, and have Prayed and took up good Resolutions, and here-upon their Hearts have been quieted and calmed, now they think all is well; but even such things as these are separable from Saving Faith: such as these, as some legal Trouble wounds them; so a little legal Reformation heals them. Thou wast Terrified and Troubled; but was it not rather a Pang of fear, than a Spirit of Mourning for Sin? Thou hadst Terrors, so had Judas ; but did they carry thee to Christ Jesus, did they end in Faith unfeigned?

8. Others Build their Hopes for Heaven and Salvation upon their Reformations and Duties Customarily Performed. They have laid aside their Gross Sins; and have took up a course of duties: they come to Meeting, and they Pray in their Families, and it may be do something in Secret too; and here they rest in the work done; and but done formally & carelessly, without delight and constancy; and merely to stop the mouth of Conscience, rather than to attain the end of Duty: and they Cry Peace to themselves and say, All is Well.

Oh! Upon what a slight shady weak Bottom, do men build their Hopes of Salvation? But verily, it is a matter of the greatest Concernment in the world to see what Bottom you build your Hopes upon: Why nothing short of Effectual Saving Faith, can give a man any grounded Hopes of Salvation.

USE IV.

Hence see the Reason why so Few are Saved ; viz. because there are but a very Few that attain to sound and saving Faith. Many are Called, but very few of those many are Chosen & effectually Wrought upon, Mat. 20.16. & 22.1 • Heaven is well compared to a stately Palace, with a narrow Portal: Hence so few enter it. The Gate is strait; the Way is narrow, and Few then be that find it, Mat. 7.14. There are but a very few that shall be Saved. Christ's Flock is called, but a little Flock, Luk. 12.32. Sometimes scarce discernible; as in the Old World, but Eight Persons saved from the Universal Deluge. Noah Condemned a whole World of wicked People, by his contrary courses; and became Heir of the Righteousness which is by Faith, Heb. 11.9. Though Christ hath ever had a Church in the world, yet many times brought to a very low Ebb: Sometimes over run with Idolatry, Paganism, Hae • e •• . Jerome complained in his days, that the whole world was turned Arian ; and Basil Lamenting the obscurity of the Church, cried out, An Ecclesias suas prorsus dereliquit Domin • s? Hath God utterly forsaken his Church? It is the miserable Portion of the greatest part of the world, that they shall be Damned!

Such as have Surveighed the known parts of the world, inform us; that if the known parts of the world were divided into Thirty one parts, the Christians part is but as Five to Thirty One; the Mohammedans as Six; and the Idolaters as Nineteen. And among the Christian part of the world, the greatest part by far over-run with Antichristian Idolatry ; the smallest part Protestants : And among the Protestant Professors, all are not Covenanters in Church-Fellowship; and in some Churches, the most are the worst. Chrysostom solemnly Professed in a Sermon to the People of Antioch, (where he was beloved and did much good) that he could not be well persuaded, that an Hundred among them should be Saved▪ and he doubted of them too; though' there were many Thousands in the place. And thus it may be, of the many Thousands in one City▪ possibly not an Hundred Saved of the many Hundreds in one Town; possibly (as in Abraham's suit for Sodom ) not Ten Righteous in the Place. How many Families passed over, and possibly not one in a Family Saved. Look into the greatest Assemblies, the largest Meeting-places, thronged with multitudes of Hearers, it may be but here and there one pricked at the Heart, by the Word of Faith. Look into Churches, many sit down at the Feast of the Gospel; but it may be but here & there one with his Wedding-garment on. It is not everyone, that Cries Lord, Lord, that shall enter into the Kingdom of God. There are many Professors; but few Sincere Converts: and many Believers who shall never be Saved; and the reason is, because of the difficulty of attaining Saving Faith; therefore so Few are Saved.

USE V. Of AWAKENING.

It is matter of Awful and Awakening Consideration to every Soul; and calls upon us to work out our Salvation with Fear & Trembling. To think how many Run, and obtain not the Prize; but fall short of the Crown of Life. Oh! To think, there are many Believers that shall never be Saved, with what Fear & Care should it fill us? Heb. 4.1. Let us fear therefore, lest a Promise being left us of entering▪ into his Rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. It is not every Running, every Believing, we see, will serve the turn. Oh! How solemn a thing it is to think, there are many Believers that never shall be Saved: Not only many Sinners, many Drunkards, many Whore-mongers, Sabbath-breakers, Thieves, Liars, Swearers; many Profane Persons; but many seeming Believers, many Professors, many Church-members, many that seem fair and go far, never shall be Saved. The Scripture saith, He that Believeth shall be Saved ; i. e. he that indeed, truly and effectually Believeth. But the Scripture also tells us, that there are many that are in a sense Believers, that have some kind of Faith; others think, and themselves think they are Believers; and yet such shall miss of Heaven in the heighth of their Hopes: they shall not be Saved. Oh! What need to throw down thyself before God, and to lie at Him for a thorough Work to be wrought. Run not away with Tastes; rest not in Beginnings, in Pangs, in sudden Stirrings, in Overtures; but follow on in the use of all Means, with Groanings unutterable, Hos. 6.3. Oh! Cry to Heaven for Effectual Faith, Effectual Conviction, Humiliation, Conversion, Believing; a Faith that is well rooted. Put up David's Petition with the greatest Importunity, Psal. 119.80. Let my Heart be sound in thy Statutes. Rest not in Uncertainties relating to the state of thy Soul; that Peradventure thou mayest be Saved, and Peradventure thou mayest be Damned; but use all Diligence to make your Calling and Election sure. Oh! Be Awakened to look to your State & Standing; and to see what Bottom you build your Hopes of Salvation upon, that you may not mistake in that great Point of Saving Faith. Tremble to Live in a state of Unbelief; to sit under the Hearing of the Word Preached, and yet fall short of Saving Faith.

By way of Awakening Consider, (1.) The Misery and Danger of such an Estate. (2.) The Sin and Sinfulness of it.

• . The Misery and Danger of a state of Unbelief. The Gospel Terms run thus; He that Believes shall be Saved; and he that Believes not shall be Damned, Mark 16.16. Oh! Can you be at quiet, in a state of Unbelief? The time hastens, that you shall have no Portion in this world: What will become of you if you have no part in Christ? Oh! Do not sit down Careless and say, All is well; I shall yet have Time enough to get into a state of Salvation, & to obtain Saving Faith. To Awaken out of this Stupidity, remember these four Particulars.

1. At present thy state is a state of utmost Misery. The Wrath of God is piled upon thee: the whole Curse of the Law is now abiding on thy Soul, Joh 3.36. Thou art ready to drop into Hell every moment: Devils are Preying upon thy Soul: The Shackles of Sins and Lusts, the Chains of Darkness, the Bolts & Irons of a Blind Mind & Hard Heart are upon them. Thou art sinking in the Seas of the Wrath of God; and at present thou hast no hold of anything, that can Save thee: so that thy Present state is Doleful, and not to be Rested in.

2. Thou knowest not whether thou shalt have much, or any time more to attain Saving Faith in. Thy present state is certainly Miserable; but thy future time to escape it, is Uncertain. Oh! The stopping of time Ears to Day, may be thy Undoing forever. Thou lottest upon more time; but rememember, Luk. 12.20. Thou Fool, this Night shall thy Soul be required of thee. And remember the Advice of our Savior, Ver. 40. Be ye therefore Ready; for the Son of Man cometh at an Hour when ye think not.

3. Remember Faith is not in thine own Power, Eph. 2.8. It must be the Operation of the Mighty God: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost must come into thy Soul, and put forth an Almighty Power there, if ever saving Faith be wrought in thee: And thou that receivest this Grace in vain now; how canst thou expect, that he should do any such thing for thee hereafter?

4. The longer thou Livest and Continuest in Unbelief, the more unlikely it is, that ever thou shouldst be brought to Believe. Thy Heart is still the more Hardened, and God the more Estranged, and Satan hath the more Hold of thee. But thus see the Misery and Danger of a state of Unbelief.

2. See the Sin and Sinfulness of such a state. Unspeakable is the Sin, that the Unbeliever lies under: All Sin lives and reigns, where Unbelief lives and reigns; for now the Curse reigns in its strength, and sin hath dominion, Rom. 6.14. A man is in his sins still, if not in Christ by Faith. Faith flies to a Savior for deliverance from sin; but Unbelief despiseth a Savior, and chooseth to live in sin. Unbelief in its own Nature, is an exceeding great sin: A despising of God, when he tenders the greatest Gift of his Love, his only Begotten Son; when he offers Himself and his Grace upon the sweetest and easiest Terms. Oh! This sin of Unbelief, it is a Damning sin. And if we Enquire, Who they are, that are guilty here; and in a state of Unbelief: For we see all men have not Faith. Briefly to single out such.

1. They that have no Acquaintance with Christ, but are utter Strangers to him; either grossly Ignorant, or utterly Negligent of Him. Where there is Faith, it brings the Soul acquainted with Christ: but there are, that live under the Means and Ministry of the Word, that are utter strangers to Christ, as to any distinct Knowledge of him. Christ is but a general Name, an empty Sound in their Ears: These are in their Unbelief: The god of this world having blinded the minds of them that Believe not, 2 Cor. 4.4.

2. They whose Hearts were never yet Broken & Humbled. Faith grows in a contrite Soul; and not upon a Rock. The stony Ground, where the Heart is an unbroken Stone, and hath no depth of soft Earth, it will not bear the good Grain of effectual saving Faith. And how many Rocks are there, that were never Broken; hearts of Stone, never turned to Flesh: to whom Sin was never bitter, nor Wrath terrible, nor Christ sweet.

3. They that allow themselves in any known Sin, 2 Tim. 2.19. They that have sound & saving Faith, do faithfully maintain a War against Sin, as Sin; and so against All Sin. It is otherwise with the Unbeliever, he knows there is some sweet sin, some secret sin that he spares and loves and will not forsake. To go on boldly, carelessly and impenitently in any Known Sin, is inconsistent with effectual Faith in Christ, and with that Regeneration that the Believer is made Partaker of.

4. They are yet in Unbelief, that are Engaged so to the Things and Contentments of the world; as that they cannot part with them for Christ, Joh. 5.44. Jam. 4.4. 1 Joh. 2.15.

5. They that Establish their own Righteousness, Rom. 10.3. We must remember, that Faith is a going out of ourselves to Christ, and resting on him for Righteousness.

USE VI. Of EXHORTATION.

Labor after Sound Saving and Effectual Faith. There is nothing else without this, that will Entitle you to Salvation, or give you Right to Life Eternal. If you would take the way to attain to Salvation, attain to saving Faith: atttain to the Righteousness which is by Faith, Rom. 9.30. If you would work out your own Salvation, this is the main Work, Joh. 6.27, 29. It is not a few Moral Endeavors, or Religious Devotions, or Reformations will be to any purpose, without this. You say, I will Pray, and I will be Diligent in my Calling, and I will Sanctify the Sabbath, and will Cleave to the Truth : Yea, but nothing will serve; neither can you do any of these things to purpose, unless you attain to sound and saving Faith. Consider, you Perish if you do not Believe: You will be Damned if you have not Faith.

If one should tell you of a thing your Life lay upon; you certainly Dy if you get not such a Receipt; what Pains and Cost would you spare? You would send far and near for it. Oh! The Lord of Heaven and Earth tells you in his Word, that no Faith, no Salvation: You Dy forever, if you get not Faith before you Dy.

But Believe, and you shall Live: You shall have Life Eternal, and all that pertains to it, 1 Joh. 5.12, 13. And this is that, that will be the support of your Life here. When the World withers about you, yet if you have Faith, you have Roots that reach to the Well of Life, Jer. 17.7, 8.

Faith brings in all: Faith goes to the Market where all is to be had, and furnisheth itself to the full. Faith is a discriminating Grace: it is that that makes the difference between Christianity and Morality; and nothing doth so Honor God as the Grace of Faith. Get Faith & you have all; but without it, nothing at all. And, Oh! Labor that your Faith may be sound and effectual. Get good C ••• that may pass current in Heaven; Faith of the right stamp.

And for Direction here;

1. Tremble to rest in Beginnings, in Ineffectual Work; in some Tastes and Stirrings, Enlightnings and Meltings, and Pangs of sudden Joy in Hearing the Word of Faith : as the Stony Ground (in our Text) without making Thorough Work, Heb. 4.1. Do not rest in slight Work, in some little Smatterings, in Tastes of the good Word of God.

2. Cherish the Motions of the Spirit : And Thank God and Bless Him on thy bended Knees, for that Little thou hast; for those Beginnings he hath given thee; though it be but Common, though' it be but Little; yet Bless him for it: It is the way to have more.

3. Attend and Listen to the Word of the Gospel, and the Preaching thereof: Rom. 10.17. So then Faith cometh by Hearing; and Hearing by the Word of God. It is the great End of Hearing to get Faith. Hear the Voice of Christ, speaking in his Word, and say, as, 1 Sam. 3.9. Speak Lord, for thy Servant heareth. And Labor to be a Profitable Hearer of the Word; so mayest thou be a Believing Hearer of the Word.

4. In all Means look to and lie under a Power above and beyond Means to create Faith in thee; even the Power of God in Christ Jesus.

5. Pray and Cry to the Lord for Faith, for sound and saving and effectual Faith ; Jer. 31.18. Faith is the Gift of God : Ask it of him, Eph. 2.8. Oh! The Lord can teach thee to Pray, whilst thou art Praying; and teach thee to Believe, whilst thou art Crying after Faith, and saying, Lord, help my Unbelief, Mark 9.24. And pour out thy Heart to God with Groanings that cannot be uttered; that he would go in with thee; and that he would not leave thee in the Mid-way. Oh! Beg sound and effectual Work, Psal. 119. • .

6. Be often Renewing thy Faith. That is a great means to perfect Faith, and that which is lacking in it. By often Believing, thou shalt come to see and feel, that thou dost effectually Believe.

7. Use Faith much. If you think you have Faith; let it appear by this, Use it. Do not think it enough to say, Thou hopest God hath wrought Faith in thy Heart, and thou art in a 〈…〉 ; and 〈◊〉 • rap up thy Faith, 〈…〉 , & lay it by thee against thou co •• to Dy. Oh! Know it; that will prove a mi+serable, rusty Faith at Death, that was not made use of in the time of Life. No; but if thou hast any Faith; use it: Use it to sanctify thy Heart, Act. 15.9. Use it to overcome the World: Use it to mortify thy strong Lusts and Corruptions, and to maintain a Warfare against them: Use it to carry thee thorough Afflictions, Changes, Troubles, Trials: Use it to the increase of all Grace, and Live by it, Gal. 2.20. And GOD grant, as, 1 Pet. 1.7. That the trial of your Faith being much more Precious than of Gold that Perisheth; though' it be tried with Fire, might be found unto Praise and Honor and Glory, at the Appearing of Jesus Christ.