What therefore has been said of Zaccheus,
may serve as a rule, whereby all may judge whether they have faith or not. You
say you have faith; but how do you prove it? Did you ever hear the Lord Jesus
call you by name? Were you ever made to obey the call? Did you ever, like
Zaccheus, receive Jesus Christ joyfully into your hearts? Are you influenced by
the faith you say you have, to stand up and confess the Lord Jesus before men?
Were you ever made willing to own, and humble yourselves for, your past offenses?
Does your faith work by love, so that you conscientiously lay up, according as
God has prospered you, for the support of the poor? Do you give alms of all
things that you possess? And have you made due restitution to those you have
wronged? If so, happy are ye; salvation is come to your souls, you are sons,
you are daughters of, you shall shortly be everlastingly blessed with, faithful
Abraham. But, if you are not thus minded, do not deceive your own souls. Though
you may talk of justification by faith, like angels, it will do you no good; it
will only increase your damnation. You hold the truth, but it is in
unrighteousness: your faith being without works, is dead: you have the devil,
not Abraham, for your father. Unless you get a faith of the heart, a faith
working by love, with devils and damned spirits shall you dwell for evermore.
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