Saints Saved with Difficulty; and 2
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2. To mention those things in the CHARACTER and CONDITION of the righteous, which render his salvation so promising and seemingly easy; and then show, that if with all those hopeful circumstances he shall not be saved but with great difficulty, that they, whose character is directly opposite, and has nothing encouraging in it—cannot possibly be saved at all. And this head I shall cast into such a form as to exemplify the text.
1. If those who abstain from immorality and vice are but scarcely saved—then what will become of the ungodly and the sinner? It is the habitual character of a righteous man to be temperate and sober, chaste, just, and charitable; to revere the name of God, and everything sacred, and religiously observe the holy hours devoted to the service of God. This is always an essential part of his character, though not the whole of it. Now such a man looks promising; he evidently appears so far prepared for the heavenly state, because he is so far conformed to the law of God, and free from those enormities which are never found in the region of happiness.
And if such shall scarcely be saved—then what will become of those of the opposite character? The brute drunkard, the audacious swearer, the scoffer at religion, the unclean, lecherous wretch, the liar, the defrauder, the thief, the extortioner, the revealer—what shall become of them? Are these likely to stand in the congregation of the righteous, or to appear in the presence of God with joy? Is there the least likelihood that such shall be saved? If you will regard the authority of an inspired apostle in the case, I can direct you to those places where you may find his express determination:
"Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God!" 1 Corinthians 6:9-10
"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God!" Galatians 5:19-21.
"But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—their place will be in the fiery lake of burning soulful!" Revelation 21:8
You see, my brethren, the declarations of the Scripture are express enough and repeated on this point. And are there not some of you here who indulge yourselves in one or another of these vices—and yet hope to be saved in that course? That is—you hope your Bible and your religion too are false; for it is only on that supposition that your hope of salvation can be accomplished! Alas! will you venture your eternal all upon the truth of such a blasphemous supposition as this? But,
2. If those who conscientiously perform the duties of religion be scarcely saved—then what will become of the ungodly and the sinner—who neglect these holy duties?
The righteous are characterized as people that honestly endeavour to perform all the duties they owe to God. They devoutly read and hear his Word, and make divine things their study; they are no strangers to the throne of of grace; they live a life of prayer in their retirements, and in a social capacity. They make their families little churches, in which divine worship is solemnly performed. Let others do as they will; as for them and their houses, like Joshua, they will serve the Lord! Joshua 24:15. They gratefully commemorate the sufferings of Christ, and give themselves up to him at his table; and seriously improve all the ordinances of the gospel. In short, like Zacharias and Elizabeth, they walk in all the commandments and ordinances of God, blameless. Luke 1:6. This is their prevailing and habitual character. And there is something in this character that gives reason to presume they will be saved; for they have now a relish for the service of God, in which the happiness of heaven consists; they are training up in the humble forms of devotion in the church below—for the more exalted employments of the church triumphant on high.
Now if people of this character are but scarcely saved—what will become of the ungodly and the sinner, who persist in the wilful neglect of these known duties of religion? Can they be saved—who do not so much as use the means of salvation? Can those who do not study their Bible, the only directory to eternal life, expect to find the way there? Can prayer-less souls receive answers to prayer? Will all the bliss of heaven be thrown away upon such as do not think it worth their while importunately to ask it? Are they likely to be admitted into the general assembly and church of the First-born in heaven, who do not endeavour to make their families little circles of religion here upon earth?
In a word, are they likely to join forever in the devotions of the heavenly state, who do not accustom themselves to these sacred exercises in this preparatory earthly state? Will you venture your souls upon it that you shall be saved, notwithstanding these improbabilities, or rather impossibilities? Alas! are there any of you who have no better hopes of heaven than these? And if it is hard for the righteous to be saved—what will become of you?
3. If those who are more than externally moral and religious in their conduct, who have been born again, created in Christ Jesus to good works, as every man who is truly righteous has been; if such, I say, be but scarcely saved—then what will become of the ungodly and the sinner—who rest in their mere outward morality, their proud self-righteous virtue, and their religious formalities, and have never been made new creatures, never had the inward principles of action changed by the power of God, and the inbred disorders of the heart rectified? What will become of those who have nothing but a self-sprung religion, the genuine offspring of degenerate nature, and never had a supernatural principle of grace implanted in their souls?
Has that solemn asseveration of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, lost all its force, and become falsehood in our age and country? "Truly, truly, I say unto you, unless a man is born again—he cannot see the kingdom of God!" John 3:3. Is there no weight in such apostolic declarations as these? "If any man be in Christ he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17. "Neither circumcision avails anything nor uncircumcision," that is to say, a conformity to the rituals of the Jewish or Christian religion avails nothing—"but the new creature." Galatians 6:15.
Can men flatter themselves they shall be saved by the Christian religion, in opposition to these plain, strong, and repeated declarations of the Christian revelation? And yet, are there not many here who are entirely ignorant of this renovation of the temper of their mind, of this inward, heaven-born religion?
4. If those who are striving to enter in at the strait gate and pressing into the kingdom of heaven, do but just obtain admission; if those who forget the things that are behind, and reach after those that are before them, and press with all their might towards the goal, do scarcely obtain the prize—then what shall become of those lukewarm, careless, formal, presumptuous professors of Christianity, who are so numerous among us? What will become of those who who but a form of godliness without the power, 2 Timothy 3:5; and have no spiritual life in their religion—but only a name to live? Revelation 3:1.
If those whose hearts are habitually solicitous about their eternal state, who labour in earnest for the immortal bread, who pray with unutterable groans, Romans 8:26; who, in short, make the care of their souls the principal business of their life, and in some measure proportion their industry and earnestness to the importance and difficulty of the work; if such are but scarcely saved, with all their labour and pains—then what will become of those who are at ease in Zion, Amos 6:1, whose religion is but a mere indifference, a thing by-and-by with them? If we cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven unless our righteousness exceeds that of the Scribes and Pharisees, Matthew 5:20—then what will become of those whose righteousness is far short of theirs? And are there not many such in this assembly? Alas! my friends—what will become of you?
5. If those who have believed in Jesus Christ, which is the grand condition of salvation, are but scarcely saved—then what will become of the unbeliever? Faith in Christ is an essential ingredient in the character of a righteous man; and faith cannot be implanted in our hearts until we have been made deeply sensible of our sins, of our condemnation by the law of God, and our utter inability to procure pardon and salvation by the merit of our repentance, reformation, or anything we can do. And when we are reduced to this extremity, then we shall listen with eager ears to the proposal of a Saviour. And when we see his glory and sufficiency, and cast our guilty souls upon him; when we submit to his commands, depend entirely upon his atonement, and give up ourselves to God through him—then we believe.
Now, if those who thus believe, to whom salvation is so often ensured, are not saved but with great difficulty—then what shall become of those who have never have experienced those exercises which are the antecedents or constituents of saving faith? who have never seen their own guilt and helplessness in an affecting light; who have never seen the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ; who have never submitted to him as their Prophet, Priest, and King, and who not live by faith in the Son of God? Alas! are they likely to be saved who are destitute of the grand pre-requisite of salvation?
And yet, is not this the melancholy case of some of you? You may not be avowed atheists; you may believe there is one God, and that Jesus is the true Messiah: in this you do well—but still it is no mighty attainment, for the devils also believe and tremble! And you may have this speculative faith—and yet be wholly destitute of the faith of the operation of God, the precious faith of God's elect; that faith which purifies the heart, produces good works, and unites the soul to Jesus Christ! Certainly the having or not having of such a faith, must make a great difference in a man's character, and must be followed by a proportionally different doom. And if those who have it are but scarcely saved; I appeal to yourselves, can those be saved—who have no saving faith at all?
6. If true penitents are scarcely saved—then what shall become of the wholly impenitent? It is the character of the righteous man—that he is deeply affected with sorrow for his sins in heart and practice; that he hates them without exception with an implacable enmity; that he strives against them, and would resist them even unto blood; that his repentance is attended with reformation, and that he forsakes those things for the commission of which, his heart is broken with sorrows. Now, repentance appears evidently to the common reason of mankind a hopeful preparative for acceptance with God and eternal happiness; and therefore if those who repent are saved with great difficulty—then what shall become of those who persist impenitent in sin; who have hard, unbroken hearts in their breasts, who are insensible of the evil of sin, who indulge themselves in it, and cannot be persuaded to forsake it?
Can you be at any loss to know the doom of such, after Christ has told us with his own lips, which never pronounced a harsh censure? "Unless you repent—you shall all likewise perish!" Luke 13:3, 5. And are there not some of this character in this assembly? Alas! there is not the least likelihood, or even possibility of your salvation in such a condition!
7. The righteous man has the love of God shed abroad in his heart, and it produces the usual sentiments and conduct of love towards him. God is dearer to him than all other things in heaven and earth: God is the strength of his heart, and his portion forever. Psalm 73:25, 26. His affectionate thoughts fix upon him, Psalm 63:6; he rejoices in the light of his countenance, Psalm 4:7; and longs and languishes for him in his absence, Psalm 42:1, 2, and 83:1; Canticles 3:1.
His love to God is a powerful principle of willing obedience, and carries him to keep his commandments. 1 John 5:3. He delights in the law and service of God, and in communion with him in his ordinances.
Now, such a principle of love is a very hopeful preparative for heaven—that region of love, and for the enjoyment of God. Such a one would take pleasure in him and in his service, and therefore he certainly shall never be excluded. But if even such are but scarcely saved—then what shall become of those who are wholly destitute of love to God?
There are a few who pretend to be lovers of God—but their love has not the inseparable properties of that sacred passion. Their pretence to it is an absurdity, and if put into language, would be such jargon as this, "Lord, I love you above all things, though I hardly ever affectionately think of you! I love you above all, though I am not careful to please you! I love you above all, though my conduct towards you is quite the reverse of what it is towards one I love." Will such an inconsistency as this—pass for genuine supreme love to God, when it will not pass for common friendship among men? No! such have not the least spark of that heavenly fire in their breasts, for their carnal mind is enmity against God.
And are these likely to be saved? Are these likely to be admitted into the region of love, where there is not one cold or disloyal heart? Are these likely to be happy in the presence and service of that God to whom they are disaffected? Alas! no! What will become of the ungodly and the sinner—who have no sincere love for God?
I shall now conclude with a few PRACTICAL REFLECTIONS:
1. You may hence see, that the work of salvation is not that easy trifling thing which many take it to be. They seem mighty cautious of laying out too much pains upon it; and they cannot bear that people should make so much ado, and keep such a stir and noise about it. For their part, they hope to go to heaven as well as the best of them, without all this preciseness and upon these principles they act! They think they can never be too much in earnest, or too laborious in the pursuit of earthly things; but piety is an insignificant matter with them; only the business of an hour once a week. But have these learned their religion from Christ the founder of it, or from his apostles whom he appointed teachers of it? No! they have formed some easy system from their own vain imaginations suited to their depraved taste, indulgent to their sloth and carnality, and favourable to their lusts—and this they call 'Christianity'! But you have seen this is not the religion of the Bible; this is not the way to life laid out by God—but it is the smooth downward road to destruction! Therefore,
2. Examine yourselves, to which class you belong, whether to that of the righteous, who shall be saved, though with difficulty; or to that of the ungodly and the sinner. To determine this important inquiry, recollect the sundry parts of the righteous man's character which I have briefly described, and see whether they belong to you. Do you carefully abstain from vice and immorality? Do you make conscience of every duty of religion. Have you ever been born again of God, and made more than externallyreligious? Are you sensible of the difficulties in your way from Satan, the world, and the flesh? And do you exert yourselves, as in a field of battle or in a race? Do you work out your salvation with fear and trembling, and press into the kingdom of God? Are you true believers, penitents, and lovers of God? Are these or the contrary the constituents of your habitual character? I beg you, make an impartial trial, for much depends upon it.
3. If this is your habitual character, be of good cheer—for you shall be saved, though with difficulty. Be not discouraged when you fall into fiery trials, for they are no strange things in the present state. All that have walked in the same narrow road before you, have met with them—but now they are safe arrived in their eternal home. Let your dependence be upon the aids of divine grace to bear you through—and you will overcome at last. But,
4. If your character is that of the ungodly and the sinner, pause and think—what shall become of you at last? When, like our deceased friend, you leave this mortal state, and launch into regions unknown, where will you then appear? Must it not be in theregion of sin—which is your element now? Must it not be in the society of the devils—whom you resemble in temper, and imitate in conduct? Must it not be among the trembling criminals at the left hand of the Judge, where the ungodly and sinners shall all be crowded? If you continue such as you now are, have you any reason at all to hope for a more favourable doom?
I shall conclude with a reflection to exemplify the context in another view, that is, If judgement begins with the family of God—then what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? If the righteous, the favourites of heaven, suffer so much in this world—then what shall sinners, with whom God is angry every day, and who are vessels of wrath fitted for destruction, what shall they suffer in the eternal world, the proper place for rewards and punishments, and where an equitable Providence deals with every man according to his works?
If the children are chastised with various calamities, and even die in common with the rest of mankind—then what shall be the doom of enemies and rebels! If believers meet with so many difficulties in the pursuit of salvation—then what shall the ungodly suffer in enduring damnation! If the diabolical demons are permitted to worry Christ's sheep—how will they rend and tear the wicked as their proper prey! Oh that you may in this your day know the things that belong to your peace, before they are forever hidden from your eyes! Luke 19:42.
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