《金钥匙》：什么是得救的信心？The Golden Key — What Is Saving Faith?

The Golden Key to Open Hidden Treasures

By Thomas Brooks, 1675

The second question or case is this—What
is that FAITH which gives a man a saving interest in Christ, and in all
those blessed benefits and favors which come by Christ? or
whether that person who experiences the following particulars, may not
safely, groundedly, and comfortably conclude that his faith is a true,
justifying, saving faith, the faith of God's elect, and such a faith as
clearly evidences a gracious estate, and will certainly bring the soul to
heaven? Now, in answer to this important question, we may suppose the poor
believer is ready to express himself thus—

[1.] First, Upon
search and sad experience, I find myself a poor, lost, miserable, and undone
creature—as the Scriptures everywhere do evidence, Eph. 2:1-2, 5, 12; Col.
2:13; Romans 8:7; Luke 19:10.

[2.] Secondly, I am
convinced that it is not in myself to deliver myself out of this lost,
miserable, and forlorn estate. Could I make as many prayers as might be
piled up between heaven and earth, and weep as much blood as there is water
in the sea—yet all this could not procure the pardon of one sin, nor one
smile from God, etc.

[3.] Thirdly, I am
convinced that it is not in angels or men to deliver me out of my lost,
miserable, and undone condition. I know provoked justice must be satisfied,
divine wrath pacified, my sins pardoned, my heart renewed, my state changed,
etc., or my soul can never be saved; and I know it is not in angels or men
to do any of these things for me.

[4.] Fourthly, I find
that I stand in absolute need of a Savior to save me from wrath to come, 1
Thes. 1:10, "to save me from the curse of the law," Gal. 10, 13, "and to
save me from infernal flames," Isaiah 33:14; so that I may well cry out with
those in Acts 2:37, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" and with the
jailer, Acts 16:36, "Sirs, what shall I do to be saved?"

[5.] Fifthly, I see
and know that there is an utter impossibility of obtaining salvation by
anything, or by any person—but by Christ alone. Acts 4:12, "Neither is there
salvation in any other, for there is no other name" that is, no other
person, "under heaven, given among men, by which we must be saved." I know
there is no Savior who can deliver me from eternal death, and bring me to
eternal life and glory—but only Jesus, of whom it is said, "that he shall
save his people from their sins," Luke 1:21; and therefore I must conclude
that there is an utter impossibility of obtaining salvation by any other
person or thing, etc. But,

[6.] Sixthly, I see
and know that Jesus Christ is an all-sufficient Savior, that he is a mighty,
yes, an almighty Savior, a Savior who is able to save to the utmost, all
those who come to him—as the Scripture speaks, Psalm 89:19, "I have laid
help upon one who is mighty." Isaiah 63:1, "Mighty to save." Heb. 7:25,
"Therefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost, those who come to
God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them." I know that
the Lord Jesus is mighty to save me from that wrath, and from that curse,
and from that hell, and from that damnation, which is due to me, by reason
of my sins; and that he is mighty to justify me, and mighty to pardon me,
and mighty to reconcile me to God the Father, and mighty to bring me to
glory—as the Scripture does everywhere testify. But,

[7.] Seventhly, I
know, through grace, that Jesus Christ is the only person anointed,
appointed, fitted, and furnished by the Father, for that great and blessed
work or office, of saving sinners' souls; as these scriptures, among others,
do clearly testify, Isaiah 61:1-4; Luke 4:18-21; Mat. 1:20-21; John 6:27.
Certainly were Jesus Christ never so able and mighty to save—yet if he were
not anointed, appointed, fitted, and furnished by the Father for that great
office of saving poor lost sinners, I know no reason why I should expect
salvation by him. But,

[8.] Eighthly, I know
through grace that the Lord Jesus Christ has sufficiently satisfied, as
mediator, the justice of God, and pacified his wrath, and fulfilled all
righteousness, and procured the favor of God and the pardon of sin, etc.,
for all those who close with him, that accept of him, as he is offered in
the gospel of grace, Gal. 3:19-20; 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 8:6; Heb. 9:14-15, and
12:24; Heb. 10:12, 14; Mat. 3:15; Romans 8:1-4, 33-34, and 5:8-10; Acts
13:39.

[9.] Ninthly, I find
that Jesus Christ is freely offered in the gospel to poor, lost, undone
sinners, such as I am. I find that the ministers of the gospel are commanded
by Christ to proclaim in his name a general pardon, and to make a general
offer of him to all to whom they preach the everlasting gospel, without
excluding any: Mark 16:15, "And he said unto them, Go you into all the
world, and preach the gospel unto every creature." And what is it to preach
the gospel unto every creature—but to say unto them, as the angels did to
the shepherds, Luke 2:11, "I bring you good tidings of great joy, which
shall be to all people; for unto you is born this day, in the city of David,
a Savior, which is Christ the Lord"? etc.

[10.] Tenthly, I
know, through grace, that all sorts of sinners are invited to come to
Christ, to receive Christ, to accept of Christ, and to close with Christ,
Isaiah 55:1-2; Mat. 11:28-29; John 7:37; Rev. 3:20, and 22:17, etc. But,

[11.] Eleventhly,
Through grace, I do in my understanding really assent to that blessed record
and report that God the Father, in the blessed Scriptures, has given
concerning Christ, 1 John 5:10-12. The report that God the Father has made
concerning the person of Christ, and concerning the offices of Christ, and
concerning the work of redemption by Christ, I do really and cordially
assent unto, as most true and certain, upon the authority of God's
testimony, who is truth itself, and cannot lie. Now, though this assent
alone is not enough to make a saving reception of Christ—yet it is in saving
faith, and that without which it is impossible that there should be any
saving faith. But,

[12.] Twelfthly, I
can say, through grace, that in my judgment I do approve of the Lord Jesus
Christ, not only as a good—but as the greatest good, as a universal good, as
a matchless good, as an incomparable good, as an infinite good, as an
eternal good, and as the most suitable good in heaven and earth to my poor
soul; as these scriptures do evidence, Psalm 73:25-26; Cant. 5:10, 45; Psalm
1:2; Phil. 3:7-10; 1 Tim. 1:15. I know there is everything in Christ that
may suit the state, case, necessities, and needs of my poor soul. There is
mercy in him to pardon me, and power in him to save me, and wisdom in him to
counsel me, and grace in him to enrich me, and righteousness in him to
clothe me, etc., and therefore I cannot but approve of the Lord Jesus, as
such a good as exceeds all the good that is to be found in angels and men.
The good that I see in Christ does not only counterbalance—but also excel
all that real or imaginary good that ever I have met with in anything below
Christ.

Christ must come into the will, he must be received
there, else he is never savingly received. Now before the will will receive
him, the will must be certainly informed that he is good, yes, the best and
greatest good, or else he shall never be admitted there. Let the
understanding assent ever so much to all propositions concerning Christ as
true, if the judgment does not approve of them as good, yes, as the best
good, Christ will never be truly received. God in his working maintains the
faculties of the soul in their actings, as he made them.

[13.] Thirteenthly,
So far as I know my own heart, I am sincerely willing to receive the Lord
Jesus Christ in a matrimonial covenant; according to these scriptures, Hos.
2:19-20; 2 Cor. 11:2; Isaiah 54:5; Isaiah 61:10; Isaiah 62:5; Cant. 3:11,
etc. Through grace I am,

FIRST, Through grace I am sincerely willing to take the
Lord Jesus Christ for my Savior and sovereign Lord. Just so far as I know my
own heart, I do through mercy give my hearty consent—that Christ, and Christ
alone, shall be my Savior and Redeemer. It is true, I perform duties—but the
desire of my soul is to do them out of love to Christ, and in obedience to
his royal law and pleasure. I know my best righteousnesses are but "as
filthy rags," Isaiah 64:6. And woe would be to me, had I no other shelter,
or savior, or resting-place for my poor soul—than rags, than filthy rags.
And so far as I know my own heart, I am sincerely willing to give up myself
to the guidance and government of Jesus Christ, as my sovereign Lord and
king, desiring nothing more in this world, than to live and die under the
guidance and government of his Spirit, his word, and his grace. But,

SECONDLY, Through grace I am willing, through grace, to
give a bill of divorce to all other lovers, without exception or
reservation. Just so far as I know my own heart, I desire nothing more in
this world, than that God would pull out right-eye sins, and cut off
right-hand sins. I am very desirous, through grace, to have all sins brought
under control, by the power, Spirit, and grace of Christ—but especially my
special sins, my besetting corruptions. I would have Christ alone to rule
and reign in my heart, without any competitor. But,

THIRDLY, Through grace I am sincerely willing, through
grace, to take the Lord Jesus Christ for better, for worse, for richer, for
poorer, in sickness and in health; and in his strength I would go with him
through fire and water, resolving, through his grace, that nothing shall
divide between Christ and my soul. Just so far as I know my own heart, I
would have Christ, though I beg with him, though I go to prison with him,
though I go in agonies in the garden with him, though I go to the cross with
him. But,

FOURTHLY, So far as I know my own heart, through grace I
am sincerely willing,

First, to receive the Lord Jesus Christ presently, John
1:12.

Secondly, to receive him in all his offices, as king,
prophet and priest, Col. 2:6; Acts 5:31.

Thirdly, To receive him into every room of my soul—to
receive him into my understanding, mind, will, affections. etc.

Fourthly, To receive him upon his own terms, of denying
myself, taking up his cross and following of him wherever he goes, Mat.
16:21; Rev. 14:4, etc.

FIFTHLY and lastly, So far as I know my own heart, I do
freely consent, through grace:

1. To be really Christ's;

2. To be presently Christ's;

3. To be wholly Christ's;

4. To be only Christ's;

5. To be eminently Christ's;

6. To be forever Christ's, etc.

Certainly that Christian who has and does experience the
particulars last mentioned under the second question, that Christian may
safely, groundedly, boldly, and comfortably conclude—that his faith is a
true, justifying, saving faith, the faith of God's elect, and such a faith
as clearly evidences a gracious estate, and will never leave his soul short
of heaven.

Now how many thousand Christians are there, that have
this faith which is here described, which is doubtless a true, justifying,
saving faith, which gives a man an interest in the person of Christ, and in
all the blessings and benefits that comes by Christ—who yet question whether
they have true faith or not; partly from weakness, partly from temptations,
and partly from the various definitions which are given of faith by some,
both in their preachings and writings. It is and must be for a lamentation,
that in a point of so great moment the trumpet should give such an uncertain
sound.