of qualifications for Christ； he knows nothing of them； if of sincere
obedience； his answer is native and ready： ' Obedience is the work of a
living man； and sincerity is only in a renewed soul。' Sincere obedience
is therefore as impossible to a dead； unrenewed sinner； as perfect
obedience is。 Why should not the right answer be given to the awakened
sinner： ' Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ； and you shall be saved'？
Tell him what Christ is； what He hath done and suffered to obtain
eternal redemption for sinners； and that according to the will of God
and his Father。 Give him a plain downright narrative of the gospel
salvation wrought out by the Son of God； tell him the history and
mystery of the gospel plainly。 It may be the Holy Ghost will work faith
thereby； as He did in those first…fruits of the Gentiles。 （Acts 10：44）。
〃If he ask； What warrant he hath to believe on Jesus Christ？ tell him；
that he hath utter； indispensable necessity for it； for without
believing on Him； he must perish eternally。 Tell him that he hath God's
gracious offer of Christ and all His redemption； with a promise that
upon accepting the offer by faith； Christ； and salvation with Him； is
his。 Tell him that he hath God's express mandment （1 John 3：23）； to
believe on Christ's name； and that he should make conscience of obeying
it； as well as any mand in the moral law。 Tell him of Christ's
ability and goodwill to save； that no man was ever rejected by Him that
cast himself upon Him； that desperate cases are the glorious triumphs
of His art of saving。 Tell him； that there is no midst （or medium）
between faith and unbelief； that there is no excuse for neglecting the
one； and continuing in the other； that believing on the Lord Jesus for
salvation is more pleasing to God than all obedience to His law； and
that unbelief is the most provoking to God； and the most damning to
man； of all sins。 Against the greatness of his sins； the curse of the
law； and the severity of God as Judge； there is no relief to be held
forth to him； but the free and boundless grace of God in the merit of
Christ's satisfaction by the sacrifice of Himself。
〃If he should say； What is it to believe on Jesus Christ？ as to this； I
find no such question in the Word： but that all did some way understand
the notion of it； the Jews that did not believe on Him （John 6：28…30）；
the chief priests and Pharisees （John 7：48）； the blind man （John 9：35）。
When Christ asked him； Believest thou on the Son of God？ he answered；
Who is he； Lord； that I may believe on Him？ Immediately； when Christ
had told him （John 9：37）； he saith not； What is it to believe on Him？
but； Lord； I believe； and worshipped Him： and so both professed and
acted faith in Him。 So the father of the lunatic （Mark 9：23…24）； and
the eunuch （Acts 8：37）。 They all； both Christ's enemies and His
disciples； knew that faith in Him was a believing that the man Jesus of
Nazareth was the Son of God； the Messiah； and Saviour of the world； so
as to receive and look for salvation in His name （Acts 9：12）。 This was
the mon report； published by Christ and His Apostles and disciples；
and known by all that heard it。
〃If he yet ask； What he is to believe？ you tell him； that he is not
called to believe that he is in Christ； and that his sins are pardoned；
and he a justified man； but that he is to believe God's record
concerning Christ （1 John 5：10…12）。 And this record is； that God giveth
（that is； offereth） to us eternal life in His Son Jesus Christ； and
that all that with the heart believe this report； and rest their souls
on these glad tidings； shall be saved （Rom。 10：9…11）。 And thus he is to
believe； that he may be justified （Gal。 2：16）。
〃If he still say that this believing is hard； this is a good doubt； but
easily resolved。 It bespeaks a man deeply humbled。 Anybody may see his
own impotence to obey the law of God fully； but few find the difficulty
of believing。 For his relief and resolution ask him； What it is he
finds makes believing difficult to him？ Is it unwillingness to be
justified and saved？ Is it unwillingness to be so saved by Jesus
Christ； to the praise of God's grace in Him； and to the voiding of all
boasting in himself？ This he will surely deny。 Is it a distrust of the
truth of the gospel record？ This he dare not own。 Is it a doubt of
Christ's ability or goodwill to save？ This is to contradict the
testimony of God in the gospel。 Is it because he doubts of an interest
in Christ and his redemption？ You tell him that believing on Christ
makes up the interest in Him。
〃If he say that he cannot believe on Jesus Christ because of the
difficulty of the acting this faith； and that a Divine power is needful
to draw it forth； which he finds not； you must tell him that believing
in Jesus Christ is no work； but a resting on Jesus Christ。 You must
tell him that this pretence is as unreasonable as if a man； wearied
with a journey and not able to go one step further； should argue； ' I
am so tired； that I am not able to lie down；' when indeed he can
neither stand nor go。 The poor wearied sinner can never believe on
Jesus Christ till he finds he can do nothing for himself； and in his
first believing doth always apply himself to Christ for salvation； as a
man hopeless and helpless in himself。 And by such reasonings with him
from the gospel； the Lord will （as He hath often done） convey faith and
joy and peace by believing。〃 Robert Tralli's Works； 1696。 Vol。 i。
266…269。
__________________________________________________________________
＇7＇ The substance of great part of this paper was preached； as a
sermon； under the dome of St。 Paul's Cathedral； London； and in the nave
of Chester Cathedral； in the year 1878。
__________________________________________________________________
CHAPTER VIII
1 John 5：4…5。
VICTORY
＇8＇
〃For whatsoever is born of God overeth the world： and this is the
victory that overeth the world； even our faith。 Who is he that
overeth the world； but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of
God I〃 1 John 5：4…5。
IT ought to be our practice； if we have any religion； to examine the
state of our souls from time to time； and to find out whether we are
〃right in the sight of God〃 （Acts 8：21）。
Are we true Christians？ Are we likely to go to heaven when we die？ Are
we born again；born of the Spirit；born of God？ These are searching
questions； which imperatively demand an answer； and the text which
heads this paper will help us to give that answer。 If we are born of
God； we shall have one great mark of character； we shall〃 overe the
world。〃
In opening up this subject； there are three points to which I propose
to invite attention in this paper。
I。 In the first place； let us consider the name by which St。 John
describes a true Christian。 He calls him six times over； in his First
Epistle； a man 〃born of God；〃 and once； 〃begotten of God。〃
II。 In the second place； let us consider the special mark which St。
John supplies of a man born of God。 He says that he 〃overes the
world。〃
III。 In the last place； let us consider the secret of the true
Christian's victory over the world。 He says； 〃This is the victory that
overeth the world； even our faith。〃
Let me clear the way by expressing an earnest hope that no reader will
turn away from the subject before us； under the idea that it is a
controversial one。 I doubt whether any doctrine of the Bible has
suffered so much from impatient dislike of controversy as that which is
contained in the phrase； 〃Born of God。〃 Yet that phrase contains a
great foundation verity of Christianity； which can never be neglected
without damage。 Deep down； below strifes and contentions about the
effect of baptism； and the meaning of liturgical services； there lies
in those three words one of the primary rocks of the everlasting
gospel； even