1
Having treated, in the preceding lectures, of the ideas of the
character, perfections and attributes of God, we next proceed to
treat of the knowledge which persons must have, that the course of
life which they pursue is according to the will of God, in order that
they may be enabled to exercise faith in him unto life and salvation.
2
This knowledge supplies an important place in revealed religion; for
it was by reason of it that the ancients were enabled to endure as
seeing him who is invisible. An actual knowledge to any person that
the course of life which he pursues is according to the will of God,
is essentially necessary to enable him to have that confidence in
God, without which no person can obtain eternal life. It was this
that enabled the ancient saints to endure all their afflictions and
persecutions, and to take joyfully the spoiling of their goods,
knowing, (not believing merely,) that they had a more enduring
substance (Hebrews 10:34).
3
Having the assurance that they were pursuing a course which was
agreeable to the will of God, they were enabled to take, not only the
spoiling of their goods, and the wasting of their substance,
joyfully, but also to suffer death in its most horrid forms; knowing,
(not merely believing,) that when this earthly house of their
tabernacle was dissolved, they had a building of God, a house not
made with hands, eternal in the heavens (2 Corinthians 5:1).
4
Such was and always will be the situation of the saints of God, that
unless they have an actual knowledge that the course that they are
pursuing is according to the will of God, they will grow weary in
their minds and faint; for such has been and always will be the
opposition in the hearts of unbelievers and those that know not God,
against the pure and unadulterated religion of heaven, (the only
thing which ensures eternal life,) that they will persecute, to the
uttermost, all that worship God according to his revelations, receive
the truth in the love of it, and submit themselves to be guided and
directed by his will, and drive them to such extremities that nothing
short of an actual knowledge of their being the favorites of heaven,
and of their having embraced that order of things which God has
established for the redemption of man, will enable them to exercise
that confidence in him necessary for them to overcome the world, and
obtain that crown of glory which is laid up for them that fear God.
5
For a man to lay down his all, his character and reputation, his
honor and applause, his good name among men, his houses, his lands,
his brothers and sisters, his wife and children, and even his own
life also, counting all things but filth and dross for the excellency
of the knowledge of Jesus Christ, requires more than mere belief, or
supposition that he is doing the will of God, but actual knowledge:
realizing, that when these sufferings are ended he will enter into
eternal rest; and be a partaker of the glory of God.
6
For unless a person does know that he is walking according to the
will of God, it would be offering an insult to the dignity of the
Creator, were he to say that he would be a partaker of his glory when
he should be done with the things of this life. But when he has this
knowledge, and most assuredly knows that he is doing the will of God,
his confidence can be equally strong that he will be a partaker of
the glory of God.
7
Let us here observe, that a religion that does not require the
sacrifice of all things, never has power sufficient to produce the
faith necessary unto life and salvation; for from the first existence
of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation
never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things:
it was through this sacrifice, and this only, that God has ordained
that men should enjoy eternal life; and it is through the medium of
the sacrifice of all earthly things, that men do actually know that
they are doing the things that are well pleasing in the sight of God.
When a man has offered in sacrifice all that he has, for the truth's
sake, not even withholding his life, and believing before God that he
has been called to make this sacrifice, because he seeks to do his
will, he does know most assuredly, that God does and will accept his
sacrifice and offering, and that he has not nor will not seek his
face in vain. Under these circumstances, then, he can obtain the
faith necessary for him to lay hold on eternal life.
8
It is in vain for persons to fancy to themselves that they are heirs
with those, or can be heirs with them, who have offered their all in
sacrifice, and by this means obtained faith in God and favor with him
so as to obtain eternal life, unless they in like manner offer unto
him the same sacrifice, and through that offering obtain the
knowledge that they are accepted of him.
9
It was in offering sacrifices that Abel, the first martyr, obtained
knowledge that he was accepted of God. And from the days of righteous
Abel to the present time, the knowledge that men have that they are
accepted in the sight of God, is obtained by offering sacrifice: and
in the last days, before the Lord comes, he is to gather together his
saints who have made a covenant with him by sacrifice. Psalms 50:3-5:
Our God shall clime, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour
before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. He
shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may
judge his people. Gather my saints together unto me; those that have
made a covenant unto me by sacrifice.
10
Those, then, who make the sacrifice will have the testimony that
their course is pleasing in the sight of God, and those who have this
testimony will have faith to lay hold on eternal life, and will be
enabled, through faith, to endure unto the end, and receive the crown
that is laid up for them that love the appearing of our Lord Jesus
Christ. But those who do not make the sacrifice cannot enjoy this
faith, because men are dependent upon this sacrifice in order to
obtain this faith; therefore, they cannot lay hold upon eternal life,
because the revelations of God do not guarantee unto them the
authority so to do; and without this guarantee faith could not exist.
11
All the saints of whom we have account in all the revelations of God
which are extant, obtained the knowledge which they had of their
acceptance in his sight, through the sacrifice which they offered
unto him: and through the knowledge thus obtained, their faith became
sufficiently strong to lay hold upon the promise of eternal life, and
to endure us seeing him who is invisible; and were enabled, through
faith, to combat the powers of darkness, contend against the wiles of
the adversary, overcome the world, and obtain the end of their faith,
even the salvation of their souls.
12
But those who have not made this sacrifice to God, do not know that
the course which they pursue is well pleasing in his sight; for
whatever may be their belief or their opinion, it is a matter of
doubt and uncertainty in their mind; and where doubt and uncertainty
is, there faith is not, nor can it be. For doubt and faith do not
exist in the same person at the same time. So that persons whose
minds are under doubts and fears cannot have unshaken confidence, and
where unshaken confidence is not, there faith is weak, and where
faith is weak, the persons will not be able to contend against all
the opposition, tribulations and afflictions which they will have to
encounter in order to be heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ
Jesus; and they will grow weary in their minds, and the adversary
will have power over them and destroy them.
