THE SURE AND ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN

The following article is an sermonic extract (on Matthew 27:51) from the renowned Scottish divine, Ralph Erskine (1685-1752). After studying at Edinburgh University, Ralph Erksine was ordained to the pastoral office in Stirling, where he ministered till his death at the age of 67. He sympathized with his brother, Ebenezer (chief founder of the Secession church in Scotland), in his views of Christian doctrine and church discipline, and played a major role in the renowned “Marrow Controversy.” When Ebenezer and three other ministers formed the “Associate Presbytery” in 1733, Ralph Erskine was present, but not as a member. Subsequently, he joined them in 1737, and was deposed with them by the General Assembly in 1740. The bulk of his parishioners left the established church with him. A large building capable of seating 2,000 was speedily erected and there Rev. Erskine ministered to large gatherings — particularly during Scottish “communion seasons.” When an additional division among the Seceders transpired over the burgess oath, both Ralph and Ebenezer Erskine took the “burgher side.”

Ralph Erskine’s sermons have been highly esteemed by true believers in Scotland, England, North America, and the Netherlands throughout the past centuries. His writings were published posthumously in two folio volumes, containing 140 sermonic expositions and his widely circulated “Gospel Sonnets.” Subsequently, a seven volume set was printed at Aberdeen, and is currently ripe for a new printing. In 1836 Samuel M’Millan edited a two volume set of Erskinian quotations, entitled, The Beauties of the Rev. Ralph Erskine, and other seceding ministers were noted for interweaving profound experiential truth and urgent gospel invitations throughout their sermons, as this extract readily reveals.

If by the death of Christ the vail be rent, that interposed between God and us, hence we may see what is the way to heaven, and what access we have to this way; why “we have boldness to come to the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by that new and living way that he hath consecrated through the vail.” We may come boldly to the throne of grace, for the vail is rent: by the blood of Jesus the way is open. How shall the unholiest of sinners venture to come into the holiest of all, or to God’s presence? Yea, says the Holy Ghost, by the blood of Jesus, by the rent vail. There are many mistakes about the way to the holy place; it is a dreadful thing to think, that many who have heard the gospel, it may be ten, twenty, thirty years, if they be asked of the way to heaven, they will say, Why, if we do justly, live honestly, and civilly, and do as we would be done to, we shall surely be saved. But I tell you, you shall surely be damned if no more be done. O sad, that after all the light that hath shined about the way of salvation by the slain Son of God, that civility that is to be found among heathens is all the title that a great many have to eternal life. Others hope to get to heaven by a better righteousness, but it is a righteousness of their own: they say they will do as well as they can: they must read, and pray, and hear, and the like, and so they find out a way to heaven for themselves. Some cannot endure to hear anything spoken against self-righteousness, as if no person were in danger to be ruined by it; whereas this is a great part of the strong man’s armour, whereby he keeps possession of souls.

I tell you, your false righteousness is so far from being the way to heaven, that true holiness itself is but the business that people have to do who are in the way; there will never be another way to heaven but Christ. Holiness is the walk, Christ is the way in which we walk, Col. 2:6. “As ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.” This is the new and living way, consecrated through the vail, and the way to the holiest lies through the rent vail. Every person thinks that it is very hard to get to heaven, and that it will cost a great deal of time, and pains, and struggling; but, says one, Here is the mischief of it, people do not know that it is hard to know the way to heaven, and flesh and blood cannot reveal it, till God himself send in a beam of light upon the heart, and give the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, in the knowledge of Christ, who is the way, having by his death rent the vail. O this way is little known, and yet we assure you, that there is free access for you all this way; and nothing to hinder your access to God and heaven this way, if it be not your own ignorant and unbelieving heart; nothing to hinder your entering into the holiest, for the vail is rent, the law is fulfilled, justice is satisfied, holiness vindicated, and sin expiated. Will you go to heaven this way? For the door is open, the vail is rent; to you is the word of this salvation sent, to you, man, woman, young or old; whosoever hears me, to you is the way to the holiest made open; and whosoever will, let him come and enter in, and him that cometh, he will in nowise cast out.

What in all the world is to hinder you from coming in? The law, however holy, needs not hinder you, here is a righteousness; justice, however awful, needs not hinder you, here is a satisfaction; your sins however great, need not hinder you, here is a sacrifice: all these vails are rent, what should hinder?

Are there any other vails to be rent? O, say you, the vail of darkness, ignorance, enmity, and unbelief, that is upon my heart. Well, let me tell you, that need not hinder you either, to come to Christ and employ him to rend these vails on your part; that is but little for him to do, who could rend such great vails as were on God’s part. O he is mighty in rending vails; but give him work, and the work is done. Did he not rend a greater vail, when he satisfied infinite justice, and stopped up the floodgates of divine wrath? And if he hath done the greater, O will you not employ him to do the lesser? Why, say you, if I knew that he rent that great vail for me, I would not fear but he would rend the lesser. Why, man, the vail was rent for sinners, and why not for you? Christ came to save sinners. But, say you, All shall not be saved and brought within the vail, and perhaps not I. I answer, some shall be saved, and why not you? Wherefore are not all who hear the gospel saved, but because they will not give employment unto Christ to save them? — Through unbelief they think he meant no favour towards them, when he rent the vail, and so stand aloof from him, saying, It was not for me; but I declare in his name, it was for whoever will have the benefit of it. The gospel notifies in general, that the vail is rent for you all, so far as that God calls and commands you all to come into the holiest by this way, and if you do not you shall be damned for your neglect of it. But as for your particular, personal knowledge of your actual interest in the benefit of this rent vail, it is impossible for you to have it, till you come to Christ and sue for it. Therefore, let nothing hinder you to enter, since the vail is rent and the way open.

You have nothing to do yourself, for you cannot rend any vail; all that you have to do is to consent that Christ should rend all vails between God and you; for he will be a complete Saviour: he will leave none of the vail for you to rend — with his own hand he will rend it in twain from top to bottom. O say amen to it, that he may have all the work and all the praise.

God loved the world of mankind so,
He sent his only Son
To save them all from sin and wo,
Who trust in him alone.

Not to condemn the sons of men,
The son of God was sent;
No weapons in his hands were seen,
No warlike instrument.

But by his word of grace he wins
Their hearts, who hear him tell
He’s sent to take away their sins,
And save their souls from hell.

His lips have grace into them poured;
His hands the blessing give:
If sinners then embrace his word,
They shall for ever live.

Believers happy are proclaimed,
Whom gospel tidings draw;
But unbelievers are condemned
Already by the law:

Yea, double vengeance on them hes
Who ‘gainst the light rebel;
Who God’s eternal Son despise,
Shall have the hottest hell.

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