SERMON XXVII. ROM. X. 10. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness: and with the mouth confession is made unto sal vation. A CONSIDERABLE part of professed Christians go through the world without forming to themselves any fixed rules of action at all: but in some things follow their own inclination and fancy, how often soever it varies; in others, general custom or particular examples, with much indifference, whether they be good or bad: and so they patch up a most inconsistent life; many of them scarce ever reflecting enough to see their inconsistencies; and not a few absurdly imagining, that human conduct was not intended to be of a piece with itself. Others, who do preserve uniformity of behaviour, have yet no inward principle from whence it flows, beyond reputation or private convenience. Even they who profess a high regard to morals, and in some instances appear to feel it, have too commonly no feeling at all of the strongest moral tie which can be, that which binds us to our Maker; perhaps have never asked themselves in earnest, whether they believe in him: or, if they think they do, have no serious impressions of gratitude to the Author of all good, of duty to the governor of the universe: will acknowledge, it may be, when pressed by argument, that all possible reverence is owing to him; yet absolutely never worship him in private, and very seldom condescend even to seem to worship him in public. Whatever the hasty reasonings of a partial heart suggest to them, they will esteem a law of God and nature. But if any thing unwelcome either to their vanity or their sensuality be offered to their belief, they will reject it instantly, as bigotry and folly, without examination. And if their way of thinking and living be but such, upon the whole, as recommends them to the indulgence of those who need the same indulgence; as to any thing further, concerning the regulation of their tempers or behaviour, the means of pardon when they have sinned, or of help to do better, there is little occasion, they apprehend, to trouble themselves. This view of things cannot but raise compassionate and melancholy reflections in every pious breast. But what completes the unhappiness is, that while such numbers openly despise religion, great numbers more, who have no doubt of its truth, nor, when they consider of its importance, are yet so far from being zealous for it, that they seem ashamed of it: either omitting those public evidences of their Christianity, which they know they are commanded to give; or meanly excusing their observance of religious duties as weakness or compliance with custom: and seldom shewing in their common conversation near so much concern for that faith, from which they pretend to promise themselves eternal felicity, as they do for their slightest worldly interests, not to say their most trifling amusements. The Spirit of God therefore, who clearly foresaw, that this, however strange, would be the turn of mankind, that some would think it needless to believe, and others to profess their belief, hath warned men separately against each of these errors in many places of the New Testament, and jointly against both in the text: which plainly declares, that faith in the Gospel is the ground of our acceptance with God at present; and that an open acknowledgment of the Gospel, in consequence of that faith, is one of the things necessary to our happiness hereafter. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness: and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. From these words therefore I shall endeavour to explain the obligation and importance, I. Of Christian faith. II. Of a public avowal of it. I. The obligation and importance of Christian faith. God, having made us reasonable creatures, may both as justly and as wisely require from us that we conduct our understandings aright, as our affections, appetites or outward actions; the conduct of all which depends on our understandings in a great degree. If then religion be attended with appearance of evidence, inquiring into it must be our duty: and if the evidence deserves belief, unbelief must be a sin; a greater or smaller indeed, according as it arises from neglects or prejudices more or less criminal; but a sin it must be, wherever the proofs are within reach. And we may not only well presume that God would make them sufficiently obvious, but on trial may perceive that he hath: adapting a great variety of them to every degree both of natural capacity and acquired knowledge, in such a manner, that no one needs be destitute, where Christianity is freely taught, of light enough to convince and direct him. Doubtless we ought to judge of unbelievers with the utmost reasonable charity. But, at the same time, both we and they should consider well our Saviour's declaration, that If any man will do God's will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God *. For thence it follows, that they who fail of knowing his doctrine, where it is taught as the truth is in Jesus †, fail of it for want of doing his will. Either vicious pleasure, or worldly interests, or indolence, or resentment misleads them, which are visibly the common cases; or, let them be ever so clear of guilt in these particulars, they are influenced by the vanity of being superior to vulgar ways of thinking; the pride of not being convinced, but by just such evidence as they please to require; or the presumptuousness of opposing their own imaginations concerning the probabilities of things, (notwithstanding daily experience of their mistakes) to the express declarations of an all-knowing God. In vain do men plead their morals in other respects, while such immoralities as these have dominion over them; or their obedience to the commands of the Almighty, while they reject the great commandment of faith in his word. But the duty of faith doth not consist merely in giving our assent to the truths of religion: a principal part of it is, to recollect them frequently, and strengthen their influence by repeated and voluntary acts of the mind. There are perhaps few in proportion, who had not a sort of belief, when they thought of the matter last. But their faith hath lain asleep and forgotten, till not only their lives have been filled with such behaviour, but their minds with such notions and maxims, that it is hard to say, which pre+ Eph. iv. 21. * John xii. 17. vails most in them, the Christian or the infidel. Or if they remain ever so much persuaded, that religion is true; they come to look upon it, as a truth upon which they are not to act, and scarce to think of, till they have almost done acting. And by that time, some have neglected it so long, that they go on, with great tranquillity, neglecting it to the end; while some again awake from this dream only to fall into another, that being sorry for having omitted their duty, when it is become too late to do it, is doing it sufficiently. They, whose faith lies in this manner dead in them, have in effect none at all; none of the right sort, none to any valuable purpose. And therefore the great thing incumbent on us is, to revive and exert our persuasions of divine truths; oppose them to the temptations which assault us in this bad world; and believe, not with a languid acquiescence in certain articles and precepts, when at distant times we happened to recollect them; but with a vigorous effort of all our faculties to feel their force on every occasion. For it is not with the understanding alone, but with the whole heart, that man believeth unto righteousness. Nor do we become of the number of the faithful indeed, till we are determined effectually to bear faith and true allegiance to our heavenly king, as well as are convinced of his title to our obedience: till we resolve to live to him, who we believe, hath died for us; and bring forth the fruits of the Spirit *, who hath planted the seeds of them in our hearts. By this rule then let us examine ourselves, (for it much concerns us) whether we be really in the faith †, or only seem so to be, deceiving our own souls. I now proceed to shew the importance of this |