Proposition II: Every Man Is Bound Cordially to Receive and Approve Whatever God Reveals
It may be presumed, that, if God reveal any thing to men, it will be accompanied with such evidence of its being what it is, that no upright man can continue to doubt of it: He that is of God, heareth God’s words.
It will be allowed, by those with whom I am now reasoning, that no man is justifiable in disbelieving the truth of the Gospel, or in positively rejecting it; but then it is supposed that a belief of the Gospel is not saving faith, and that, though a positive rejection of divine truth is sinful, yet a spiritual reception of it is not a duty. I hope it has been made to appear, in the former part of this piece, that a real belief of the doctrine of Christ 7s saving faith, and includes such a cordial acquiescence in the way of salvation as has the promise of eternal life. But, be this as it may, whether the belief of the Gospel be allowed to include a cordial acquiescence in God’s way of salvation or not, such an acquiescence will be allowed to include saving faith. If, therefore, it can be proved that a cordial approbation of God’s way of saving sinners is the duty of every one, it will amount to proving the same thing of saving faith.
I allow there is a difficulty in this part of the work; but it is that which attends the proof of a truth which is nearly self-evident. Ought we not, if we think of Christ at all, to think suztably of him? and are we justifiable in entertaining low and unsuitable thoughts of him?. Is it not a matter of complaint that the ungodly Jews saw no form nor comeliness in him, nor beauty, that they should desire him? And with respect to a hearty choice of him, as God’s appointed way of salvation, if it be not the duty of sinners to choose him, it is their duty to refuse him; or to desire to be accepted of God by the works of their hands, in preference to him. But how can we complain of sinners for their not choosing Christ, if they be under no obligation to do so? Is there no sin in the invention of the various false schemes of religion with which the Christian world abounds, to the exclusion of Christ? Why, then, are heresies reckoned among the works of the flesh? Gal. v.20. If we are not obliged to think suitably of Christ, and to choose him whom the Lord and all good men have chosen, there can be no evil in these things; for where no law is, there is no transgression.
A hearty choice of God’s appointed way of salvation, is the same thing as falling in with its grand designs. Now, the grand designs of the salvation of Christ are, the glory of God, the abasement of the sinner, and the destruction of his sins. It is God’s manifest purpose, in saving sinners, to save them in this way; and can any sinner be excused from cordially acquiescing in it? If any man properly regard the character of God, he must be willing that he should be glorified: if he knew his own unworthiness as he ought to know it, he must also be willing to occupy that place which the Gospel way of salvation assigns him: and if he be not wickedly wedded to his lusts, he must be willing to sacrifice them at the foot of the cross. He may be averse from each of these, and, while an unbelever, is so; but he will not be able to acquit himself of guilt; and it is to be lamented that any who sustain the character of Christian ministers should be employed in laboring to acquit him.
If a way of salvation were provided which did not provide for the glory of God, which did not abase, but flatter the sinner, and which did not require him to sacrifice his lusts, he would feel no want of power to embrace it. Nominal Christians, and mere professors, in all ages, have shown themselves able to believe any thing but the truth. Thus it was with the carnal Jews, and thus our Lord plainly told them: I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: If another shall come in his own name, him ye will recetve. — Because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? fe that is of God, heareth God’s words: ye, therefore, hear them not, because ye are not of God. John v. 43: vii. 45 — 47. This is the true source of the innumerable false schemes of religion in the world, and the true reason why the Gospel is not universally embraced.
Unbelievers are described as disallowing him who is chosen of God, and precious. 1 Peter ii. 4 — 7. Now, either to allow or disallow supposes a claim. Christ claims to be the whole founda- — tion of a sinner’s hope; and God claims, on his behalf, that he be treated as the head of the corner. But the heart of unbelievers cannot allow the claim. The Jewish builders set him at nought; and every self-righteous heart follows .. their example. God, to express his displeasure at this conduct, assures them that their utibelief. shall affect none but themselves.. It shall not; ~.
deprive the Savior of his honors; for the stone which they refuse, notwithstanding their opposition, shall become the head of the corner. What can be made of all this, but that they ought to have allowed him the place which he so justly claimed, and to have chosen him whom the Lord had chosen? On no other ground could the Scripture censure them as it does, and on no other principle could they be characterized as disobedient; for all disobedience consists in a breach of duty.
Believers, on the other hand, are described as thinking highly of Christ; reckoning themselves unworthy to unloose the latchet of his shoes, or that he should come under their roof; treating his Gospel as worthy of all acceptation, and counting all things but loss for the excellency of the know!- edge of him. They are of the same mind with the blessed above, who sing his praise, saying with a loud voice, Wortuy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. In fine, they are of the same mind with God himself. Him whom God has chosen, they choose; and he that is precious in his sight, is precious in theirs. Mark i. 7. 1 Tim. 1. 15. Phil. iii. 8. Rev. v. 12. 1 Peter ii. 4 — 7. And do they over-estimate his character? Is he not worthy of all the honor they ascribe to him; of all the affection they exercise towards him; and that, whether they actually receive it or not? If all the angels had been of the mind of Satan, and all the saints of the spirit of the unbelieving Israelites who were not gathered, yet would he have been glorious in me eyes of the Lord. The belief or unbelief of creatures, makes no difference as to his worthiness, or their obligation to ascribe it to him.
It is allowed by all, except the grossest Antinomians, that every man is obliged to love God with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength; and this, notwithstanding the depravity of his nature.
But to love God with all the heart, is to love him °
in every character in which he has made himself known, and more especially in those wherein his moral excellences appear with the brightest lustre. The same law that obliged Adam, in innocence, to love God in all his perfections, as displayed in the works of creation, obliged Moses and Israel to love him in all the glorious displays of himself in his wonderful works of providence of which they were witnesses. And the same law that obliged them to love him in those discoveries of himself, obliges us to love him in other discoveries, by which he has since more gloriously appeared, as saving sinners through the death of his Son. To suppose that we are obliged to love God as manifesting himself in the works of creation and providence, but not in the work of redemption, is to suppose that, in the highest and most glorious display of himself, he deserves no regard. The same perfections which appear in’ his other works, and render him lovely, appear in this with a tenfold lustre. To be obliged to love him on account of the one, andy not of “other, is not a little extraordinary.
As these things cannot be separated in point
of obligation, so neither can they in fact. He —
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+ that loves God for any excellency, as manifested in one form, must, of necessity, love him for that excellency, let it be manifested in what form it may; and the brighter the display, the stronger will be his love. This remark is verified in the holy angels. At first, they loved their Maker, for what they saw in his works of creation. They saw him lay the foundation of the earth, and they sHourEeD For joy. In process of time,
they witnessed the glorious displays of his moral character in the government of the world which
he had made; and now their love increases. On every new occasion, they cry, Hoty, noLy, HoLy 1s THE Lord or Hosts: THE WHOLE EARTH IS FULL OF HIS GLory. At length, they beheld an event,, to the accomplishment of which all former events ‘were subservient; they saw the Messiah born in Bethlehem, And now their love rises still higher. As though heaven could not contain. them on such an occasion, they resort to the place, and contemplate the good that should arise to the moral system, bursting forth into a song: Guiory To God IN THE HIGHEST, AND ON EARTH PEACE, GOOD WILL TOWARDS MEN. Ail this was but the natural operation of love to God; and, from the same principle, they took delight in attending the Redeemer through his life, strengthening him in his sufferings, watching at his tomb, conducting him to glory, and looking into the mysteries of redemption. With a heart like theirs, is it possible to conceive, that we should continue impenitent or unbelieving? If, in our circumstances, we possessed that love to God by which they were influenced, it would melt us into holy lamentation for having sinned against him. If the gospel-invitation to partake of the water of life once sounded in our ears, we should instantly imbibe it. Instead of making light of a, and preferring our farms and our merchandise before it, we should embrace it with our whole heart. Let any creature be affected towards God as the holy angels are, and if he had a thousand souls to be saved, and the invitation extended to every one that is willing, he would not hesitate a. moment, whether he should rely on his salvation. — It is owing to a want of love to God, that any man continues impenitent or unbelieving. This was plainly intimated, by our Lord, to the Jews: I know you, that ye have not the love of God-in you. Lam come in my Father’s name, and. ye receive me not. It is impossible to love’God, and not to embrace the greatest friend of God that ever existed; or to love his law, and not approve of a system. which, above all things, tends» to magnify and make it honorable.
“The affections included in divine love,” says an able writer, ‘‘ are founded on those truths for which there is the greatest evidence in the world.. Every thing in the world, that proves the being of God, proves that his creatures should love him with all their hearts. The evidence for these things is, in itself, very strong, and level to every capacity. Where it does not beget conviction, it is not owing to the weakness of men’s capacities, but the strength of their prejudices and prepossessions. Whatever proves that rea~ sonable creatures are obliged to love God and his” / law, proves that sinners are obliged to suitable
4a ata hatred of sin, and abasement for it. A sinner cannot have due prevalent love to God, and hatred of sin, without prevalent desire of obtaining deliverance from sin, and the enjoyment of God. A suitable desire of ends so important cannot be without proportionable desire of the necessary means. If a sinner, therefore, who hears the Gospel, has these suitable affections, of love to God, and hatred of sin, to which he is obliged by ‘the laws of natural religion, these things cannot be separated from a real complacency in that redemption and grace which are proposed in revealed religion. ‘This does not suppose that natural religion can discover, or prove the peculiar things of the Gospel to be true; but, when they are discovered, it proves them to be infinitely desirable. A book of laws that are enforced with awful sanctions, cannot prove that the sovereign has passed an act of grace, or indemnity, im favor of transgressors; but it proves, that such favor is, to them, the most desirable and the most necessary thing in the world. It proves, that the way of saving us from sin, which the Gospel reveals, is infinitely suitable to the honor of God, to the dignity of his law, and to the exigences of the consciences of sinners.” *
“If any man has a taste for moral excellence,” says another, ‘a heart to account God glorious for being what he is, he cannot but see the moral excellency of the Jaw, and love it, and conform to it, because it is the image of God;
* M’Laurin’s Essay on Grace, p. 342.
and so he cannot but see the moral excellency of the Gospel, and believe it, and love it, and comply with it; for it is also the image of God: he that can see the moral beauty in the original, cannot but see the moral beauty of the image drawn to life. He, therefore, that despises the Gospel, and is an enemy to the law, even he is at enmity against God himself. Rom. vui. 7. Ignorance of the glory of God, and enmity against him, make men ignorant of the glory of the law and of the Gospel, and enemies to both. Did men know and love him that begat, they would love that which is begotten of him. 1 Johbnv.1. He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. John vill. 47.” *