KenH
Well-Known Member
The Life of Faith
The people for whose use this little tract is drawn up, are supposed to be practically acquainted with these following truths. They have been convinced of sin, and convinced of righteousness. The word of God has been made effectual, by the application of the Holy Spirit, to teach them the nature of the divine law; and upon comparing their hearts and their lives with it, they have been brought in guilty. They found themselves fallen creatures, and they felt the sad consequences of the fall; namely:
total ignorance in the understanding of God and his ways,
an open rebellion against him in the will,
an entire enmity in the heart,
a life spent in the service of the world, the flesh, and the devil.
On all these accounts, they see themselves guilty before God, and by nature children of wrath.
When they were convinced of those truths in their judgments, and the awakened conscience sought for ease and deliverance, then they found they were helpless and without strength; they could take no step, nor do anything which could in the least save them from their sins. Whatever method they thought of, it failed them upon trial, and left conscience more uneasy than before.
Did they purpose to REPENT? They found such a repentance as God would be pleased with, was the gift of Christ. He was exalted to be a Prince and a Savior to give repentance. Suppose they thought of reforming their lives, yet what is to become of their old sins? Will present obedience, if it could be perfectly paid, make any atonement for past disobedience? Will the broken law take part of our duty for the whole? No! It has determined, that whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. And let him be ever so careful in doing what the law requires, or in avoiding what the law forbids; let him fast, and pray, and give alms; hear and read the word; be early and late at ordinances—yet the enlightened conscience cannot be herewith satisfied. Because, by these duties, he cannot undo the sin committed, and because he will find so many failings in them, that they will be still adding to his guilt, and increasing his misery.
What method then shall he take? The more he strives to make himself better, the worse he finds himself! He sees the pollution of sin greater! He discovers more of his guilt! He finds in himself a lack of all good, and an inclination to all evil! He is now convinced that the law is holy, just, and good, but when he would keep it, evil is present with him.
This makes him deeply sensible of his guilty, helpless state, and shows him, that by the works of the law, he cannot be saved. His heart, like a fountain, is continually sending forth evil thoughts. Yes, the very imaginations of it are only and altogether evil, and words and works partake of the nature of that evil fountain from whence they flow; so that after all his efforts, he cannot quiet his conscience, nor obtain peace with God.
The law having done its office as a schoolmaster, by convincing him of these truths, stops his mouth, that he has not a word to say, why a guilty sentence should not be passed upon him. And there it leaves him—guilty and helpless. It can do nothing more for him, than show him that he is a child of wrath, and that he deserves to have the wrath of God abiding upon him forever; for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
The gospel finds him in this condition, as the good Samaritan did the wounded traveler, and brings him good news. It reveals to him the way of salvation, contrived in the covenant of grace, and manifests to him what the ever-blessed Trinity had therein purposed, and what in the fullness of time was accomplished.
That all the perfections of the Godhead might be infinitely and everlastingly glorified, the Father covenanted to gain honor and dignity to his law and justice, to his faithfulness and holiness, by insisting upon man's appearing at his judgment bar in the perfect righteousness of the law. But man having no such righteousness of his own, all having sinned, and there being none righteous, no, not one! how then can he be saved?
The Lord Christ, a person in the Godhead, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father, undertook to be his Savior; he covenanted to stand up as the head and surety of his people, in their nature and in their stead, to obey for them, that by his infinitely precious obedience many might be made righteous. He also undertook to suffer for them, that by his everlasting meritorious stripes, they might be forgiven of their sins.
Accordingly, in the fullness of time, he came into the world, and was made flesh; and God and man being as truly united in one person— this adorable person lived, and suffered, and died, as the representative of his chosen people. The righteousness of his life was to be their right and title to life. The righteousness of his sufferings and death was to save them from all the sufferings due to their sins.
And thus the law and justice of the Father would be glorified in pardoning them, and his faithfulness and holiness made honorable in saving them—he might be strictly just, and yet the justifier of him who believes in Jesus.
excerpt from William Romaine’s The Life, Walk, and Triumph of Faith
The people for whose use this little tract is drawn up, are supposed to be practically acquainted with these following truths. They have been convinced of sin, and convinced of righteousness. The word of God has been made effectual, by the application of the Holy Spirit, to teach them the nature of the divine law; and upon comparing their hearts and their lives with it, they have been brought in guilty. They found themselves fallen creatures, and they felt the sad consequences of the fall; namely:
total ignorance in the understanding of God and his ways,
an open rebellion against him in the will,
an entire enmity in the heart,
a life spent in the service of the world, the flesh, and the devil.
On all these accounts, they see themselves guilty before God, and by nature children of wrath.
When they were convinced of those truths in their judgments, and the awakened conscience sought for ease and deliverance, then they found they were helpless and without strength; they could take no step, nor do anything which could in the least save them from their sins. Whatever method they thought of, it failed them upon trial, and left conscience more uneasy than before.
Did they purpose to REPENT? They found such a repentance as God would be pleased with, was the gift of Christ. He was exalted to be a Prince and a Savior to give repentance. Suppose they thought of reforming their lives, yet what is to become of their old sins? Will present obedience, if it could be perfectly paid, make any atonement for past disobedience? Will the broken law take part of our duty for the whole? No! It has determined, that whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. And let him be ever so careful in doing what the law requires, or in avoiding what the law forbids; let him fast, and pray, and give alms; hear and read the word; be early and late at ordinances—yet the enlightened conscience cannot be herewith satisfied. Because, by these duties, he cannot undo the sin committed, and because he will find so many failings in them, that they will be still adding to his guilt, and increasing his misery.
What method then shall he take? The more he strives to make himself better, the worse he finds himself! He sees the pollution of sin greater! He discovers more of his guilt! He finds in himself a lack of all good, and an inclination to all evil! He is now convinced that the law is holy, just, and good, but when he would keep it, evil is present with him.
This makes him deeply sensible of his guilty, helpless state, and shows him, that by the works of the law, he cannot be saved. His heart, like a fountain, is continually sending forth evil thoughts. Yes, the very imaginations of it are only and altogether evil, and words and works partake of the nature of that evil fountain from whence they flow; so that after all his efforts, he cannot quiet his conscience, nor obtain peace with God.
The law having done its office as a schoolmaster, by convincing him of these truths, stops his mouth, that he has not a word to say, why a guilty sentence should not be passed upon him. And there it leaves him—guilty and helpless. It can do nothing more for him, than show him that he is a child of wrath, and that he deserves to have the wrath of God abiding upon him forever; for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
The gospel finds him in this condition, as the good Samaritan did the wounded traveler, and brings him good news. It reveals to him the way of salvation, contrived in the covenant of grace, and manifests to him what the ever-blessed Trinity had therein purposed, and what in the fullness of time was accomplished.
That all the perfections of the Godhead might be infinitely and everlastingly glorified, the Father covenanted to gain honor and dignity to his law and justice, to his faithfulness and holiness, by insisting upon man's appearing at his judgment bar in the perfect righteousness of the law. But man having no such righteousness of his own, all having sinned, and there being none righteous, no, not one! how then can he be saved?
The Lord Christ, a person in the Godhead, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father, undertook to be his Savior; he covenanted to stand up as the head and surety of his people, in their nature and in their stead, to obey for them, that by his infinitely precious obedience many might be made righteous. He also undertook to suffer for them, that by his everlasting meritorious stripes, they might be forgiven of their sins.
Accordingly, in the fullness of time, he came into the world, and was made flesh; and God and man being as truly united in one person— this adorable person lived, and suffered, and died, as the representative of his chosen people. The righteousness of his life was to be their right and title to life. The righteousness of his sufferings and death was to save them from all the sufferings due to their sins.
And thus the law and justice of the Father would be glorified in pardoning them, and his faithfulness and holiness made honorable in saving them—he might be strictly just, and yet the justifier of him who believes in Jesus.
excerpt from William Romaine’s The Life, Walk, and Triumph of Faith