The Breastplate of Faith and Love, Part 1 · Sermon 3
OF FAITH. The third Sermon.
ROM. 1.17.
For by it the righteousnesse of God is reuealed from Faith to Faith: As it is written, The iust shall liue by Faith.
THe last point that wee deliuered out of these words, was this, that
Faith is that whereby we are made partakers of the righteousnesse of Christ.
Wee come now to the Vses of it.
And first of all,Vse 1. Not to be discouraged to come to God. if it be by faith onelyonly by which we are made partakers of that righteousnesse that saueth vsus, the first consectary that we will draw from hence is this, That wee should learne to come to CHRIST with an empty hand, and not to bee discouraged for any want that wee finde in our selues, nor for the greatnesse of our sinnes; wee should not bee discouraged for the want of a perfect degree of repentance and godly sorrow, or for the want of whatsoeuer good worke you thinke is requisite to saluation, for, my beloued, you must know that this is the nature of faith, that it doth its worke best alone; and faith is so farre from requiring any thing in the partie that shall hauehave CHRIST, that necessarily he must let goe all things else, otherwise hee cannot beleeue: and this is a point necessarily to be considered: for eueryevery man is apt to conceiue and thinke that it is impossible that GOD should accept him, vnlesse there bee something in him why GOD should regard him: If he finde himselfe to be exceeding vngodly, he thinkes that CHRIST will neuer looke after him.
And againe, if hee hauehave nothing at all to giuegive, if he hauehave nothing to bring with him in his hand, hee thinkes that hee shall hauehave no pardon: But you see that faith requires nothing in the first apprehension of CHRIST, if a man bee neuer so vngodly, it is all one, the promise notwithstanding is made vntounto him.
Againe, Why should you looke for righteousnesse in your selues? The worke of faith (and it hath nothing else to doe) is to take that righteousnesse of Christ, that is none of your owne: so that there is nothing else at all required; for all that faith hath to doe, is onelyonly to take from Christ that righteousnesse that we want our selues: so that I say there is no reason why any man should bee discouraged in his first comming, for any want that he findes in himselfe, or for any condition that he is in, because faith onelyonly is that that makes vsus partakers of a righteousnesse to iustifie vsus, because we our selues hauehave it not. I say, faith is so farre from requiring any thing to be added to it, to helpe it in the act of iustifying, that of necessity it excludes all things else: for faith hath this double quality, not onelyonly to lay hold of Christ offered, but to empty a man of all things else whatsoeuer. As for example, Faith is not onelyonly the beleeuing of a truth which is deliuered, from the authority of him that doth deliuer it; but it is a resting vponupon Christ, a casting of our selues vponupon him. Now when a man leanes vponupon any other thing, hee stands not vponupon his owne legges, hee stands not vponupon his owne bottome; for if hee did, hee could not properly be said to leane. If a man trust and depend vponupon another, he prouides not for himselfe, but he that so lookes to himselfe, that he prouide so as to make him selfe safe if another should faile him, so farre he trusts himselfe; so that, beloued, if you trust CHRIST, it is of necessity required that you must bee vnbottomed of your selues, you must altogether leane vponupon him, you must cast your selues wholly vponupon him: For faith hath such an attracting vertue in it, that it fils the heart with CHRIST. Now it cannot fill the heart with CHRIST, vnlesse the heart be emptyed first. Therefore I say, faith hath a double quality,A double quality in faith. not onelyonly to take, but to empty; and they are reciprocall, the one cannot be without the other.
Hence it is that we say, faith ingrafts a man, a man cannot be ingraft into a new stocke vnlesse hee bee quite cut off from the former roote; therefore faith driues a man out of himselfe, and makes him nothing in himselfe, so that when he comes to lay hold on the promise of GOD, he lookes at no quality or excellencie of his owne, he lookes at no fitnesse nor worthinesse in himselfe, but he comes with a hand and a heart altogether empty: So that when a man comes to beseech GOD to receiue him to merciemercy, and to grant him a Pardon of his sinnes, when he comes to take hold of the righteousnesse of CHRIST for his iustification, if he thinke that there is any little worthinesse in him, or that there be no fault in him at all, and from thence shall thinke that GOD will receiue him, this man is not fit to come to Christ, he must be wholly emptied of himselfe, and then God will speake peace vntounto him.
Quest.But you will aske, What is that that faith doth empty a man of?
Faith emptieth a man of two things:Ans.
First,Faith emptieth a man of two things. of all opinion of righteousnesse in himselfe.
Secondly, of all opinion of strength and ability to helpe himselfe: for if either of these remaine in the heart, a man cannot receiue CHRIST.
First, I say, a man must be emptied of all opinion of worthinesse in himselfe, of all conceipt that he hath the least righteousnesse in himselfe; therefore when the yong man came to CHRIST, and CHRIST told him that he must keepe the Law, and he said hee had done all those things from his youth, CHRIST knew that he was not yet fit, therefore, saith he, Goe and sell all that thou hast: Christs end was nothing else but to discouer to him his owne vnworthinesse. If thou wilt be perfect, (saith CHRIST) take this tryall, Canst thou be content to let thy wealth goe, to follow me? Canst thou be content to suffer persecution? This shewed that hee was not perfect, but that hee was still a sinfull man; this was the way to prepare him for Christ, this course we see CHRIST alwaies tooke: we see it expressed in the Parable of the Publican and of the Pharise, the Publican went away iustified, because he was wholly emptyed of all conceipt and opinion of worth in himselfe.
But the Pharise was not iustified, (not because he was not a iuster man then the Publican, for he was in outward performances better then he; but) because he had an opinion of his owne righteousnesse, he was conceited of a worthinesse in himselfe, therefore he went home not iustified.
What was it that excluded the Iewes? was it not an opinion of something they had of their owne?
The Laodiceans, they thought they were rich and increased, and wanted nothing, therefore they neuer came to buy of CHRIST. That which a man thinkes he hath already of his owne, hee will neuer bee at the cost to buy; therefore that is the first thing that a man must doe, hee must thinke himselfe of no worth at all, he must be empty of all opinion and conceit of his owne excellency.
But this is not all, although a man be perswaded of this, that he hath no worthinesse in himselfe, yet if he thinke hee is able to helpe himselfe, and can stand alone without GOD, he will not come to take CHRIST; and therfore this further is required, that a man see that he hath no ability to helpe himselfe, that all his redemption must come from CHRIST: for if you aske many men whether they hauehave any opinion of worth in themselues, they will be ready to answer, No. What then is the reason that they come not to CHRIST? It is because they are in health and prosperity, and they can doe it soone enough hereafter, they can yet for the present subsist without Christ; but when GOD shall shew a mans heart to himselfe, when GOD shewes a man his danger, and shewes it him as a present, and how vnable he is to helpe himselfe out of danger, then a man will hauehave no rest till he hauehave Christ. Therefore you shall see both these required, 1 Cor. 1.30.1 Cor. 1.30. CHRIST must be to vsus wisdome, righteousnesse, sanctification, and redemption too. First, if a man thinke that there is any thing in him, either wisdome, righteousnesse, or sanctification, that excludes him, for he will reioyce in himselfe: and that concernes the first condition required, to be empty of all opinion of worth.
But yet if a man thinke that hee is able to stand safe and secure for a time, that hee is able to be a Buckler to himselfe, that hee hath somewhat wherevnto he may leane, and doth not see that CHRIST must be his redemption also, he will not come at CHRIST.
That which kept the Prodigall sonne away, it was not an opinion of any worth in himselfe, but because he thought hee could liue without his father, hee had his portion in his owne hands, and at his owne disposing; and he would not come home to his Father, till he could liue of himselfe no longer: so that, though wee hauehave an opinion of no worth in our selues, yet if wee conceiue or thinke that we can liue without CHRIST, wee will not care for him.
This was the fault of those that were inuited to the marriage, they refused to come, not because they thought that themselues were of worth, but they were perswaded that they needed not those things to which they were inuited. Therefore, I say, these two things must be done, a man must be emptied of all opinion of worth in himselfe.
And secondly, of all ability in himselfe to helpe himselfe, and when faith hath done both these, then it brings a man to CHRIST, when a man seeth that there is nothing in him why GOD should regard him, and that he cannot stand longer, nor be in safety longer then CHRIST helps him, and speakes peace to him, now a man is fit to take hold vponupon CHRIST: and therefore we must learne to come to CHRIST with an empty heart.
Many men complaine that they would beleeue, but they want that sorrow that they should hauehave, they want that repentance that they would hauehave, they thinke they are not yet fit, therefore they dare not apply the promises.
Double complaint in sense of want.To these we say now, that there is a double kinde of complaint.
One is, when a man lookes vponupon these things, as vponupon things that make him fit, which if he hauehave, he thinkes GOD will respect him; and if he hauehave not, he thinkes that GOD will not looke after him. If thy complaint be thus, it is sinfull; for in this thou seekest something in thy selfe.
But if a mans complaint be this, that he is not yet awaked enough, that he is not yet sensible enough of his sinnes, the doctrine of the remission of his sinnes, and free Justification doth not affect him as it should. Indeed, here is iust cause of complaint; for these things are necessary before you can come to take CHRIST. Therefore that place in Mat. 10.11. will explaine this, and answer an objection that may be made against it, when the Apostles were sent out to preach the Gospell, when they came to any house, they were bidden to Enquire who were worthy; If any man be worthy (saith CHRIST) your peace shall come vponupon him: but if he be not worthy, shake off the dust, &c. A man would thinke by this that there were some worthinesse required in the partie that comes to CHRIST, and that before hee can apply the first promise of Justification.
To this we answer, the worthinesse that is required here is nothing else but an ability to prize CHRIST, to set him at a high rate, to long after him, to hunger and thirst after his righteousnesse, your peace shall come vponupon such a man. That is, if there bee a broken-hearted man that lookes after CHRIST, whose heart yeranes after him, that he is able to prize him aright, he shall be accepted: but if they bee such men as will not receiue you, such as will not set meat before you, such as will giuegive you no respect, shake off the dust of your feete, &c. So that I say, such a complaint we may make, If we finde a want of desire after CHRIST; for that is required; but if we looke vponupon any thing as a qualification in our selues, such a worthinesse is not required, we must be driuen out of all conceit of it, or else we cannot take Christ. So much for the Vse, that seeing it is onelyonly faith whereby wee lay hold of Christs righteousnesse, that then we hauehave no reason to be discouraged, in respect of any want; nay, we must finde a want of all things, before wee can be made partakers of this righteousnesse.
Vse. 2. To reioyce in God.Againe, secondly, if it bee by faith onelyonly, by which we are made partakers of this righteousnesse, and by which we are saued, then we should learne hence to reioyce onelyonly in GOD, and not to reioyce in our selues; for this is the very end why GOD hath appointed this way of saluation: Eph. 1.6.Eph. 1.6. For he hath chosen vsus to the praise of the glory of his grace, in his Beloued. That is, that he might hauehave the praise of the glory of his grace, as it is in Ephes. 2. Therefore it is of faith,Eph. 2. and not by workes, that no man should boast of himselfe: 1 Cor. 1.30.2 Cor. 1.30. Therefore CHRIST is made to vsus wisdome, righteousnesse, sanctification, and redemption, that no flesh should reioyce in it selfe. Now if that be GODS end, if that be his aime, why he will hauehave vsus saued by faith, let not vsus disappoint him of his aime, let vsus not take from him the glory of his grace; but let vsus glory in the Lord.
This point we should especially looke to, not to reioyce in our selues, but in GOD: For, my beloued, wee are all naturally exceeding apt to reioyce in our selues, wee would faine finde some excellencie in our selues, eueryevery man is apt to reflect vponupon himselfe, and hee would faine see some worth there that hee might reioyce in; and if he be no body at all there, it is contrary to his nature to thinke that he shall be accepted: there is nothing in the world that we are so backward to as this. It was Adams fault in Paradise, whereas hee should hauehave trusted GOD, and hauehave beene wholly dependant vponupon him for all, he would needes know good and euill, he would hauehave something of his owne; and this was it that lost him all, and brought the curse vponupon him, because hee would not bee dependant.
Now in the Gospell, GOD comes by a second meanes of sauing men, and in this the LORD would hauehave the creature to hauehave nothing in himselfe to glory in, but man is hardly brought to this, but exalts and lifts vp himselfe, and would faine hauehave some worth and excellencie of his owne; but as long as wee doe thus, wee cannot bee saued: that is the argument that is vsed Rom. 6.4.Rom. 6.4. why Abraham was iustified by faith; if there had beene any other way, Abraham had had wherein to reioyce in himselfe: but faith excludes this reioycing, and onelyonly faith, wee should, I say, learne to do this in good earnest, to see that there is no worth in our selues, to hauehave CHRIST to be to vsus all in all: Col. 3.11. is an excellent place to this purpose, saith the Apostle there, (in the matter of saluation) There is neither Iew nor Gentile, bond nor free, but Christ is all in all. That is, when we come to be iustified before GOD, when wee come to the matter of saluation, God lookes at nothing in a man, he lookes at no difference betweene man and man; one man is vertuous, another man is wicked; one man is a Iew, and hath all those priuiledges; another man is a Gentile, an alien from the Common-wealth of Israel; one man is circumcised, another man is vncircumcised; but all this is nothing: Why? For CHRIST is all in all. Marke it: First, he is all; that is, there is nothing else required to iustifie: Indeede, if wee were something, and he were not all, we might then looke at something besides; but he is all.
Againe, he is all in all: that is, goe thorow all things that you may thinke will helpe you to saluation, in all those things CHRIST is onelyonly to be respected, and nothing but Christ, whatsoeuer is done without Christ, GOD regards it not; If you will doe any worke of your owne to helpe your selues in saluation, if you will rest vponupon any priuiledges, Christ is not all in all; but Christ must be all in all in eueryevery thing: and if onelyonly Christ be all, then we must come onelyonly with faith; for it is faith onelyonly that layes hold vponupon Christ.
Now a naturall man, hee will not hauehave Christ to bee all, but himselfe will bee something; or if Christ be all in some things, he will not hauehave Christ to be all in eueryevery thing, to hauehave Christ to be his wisdome, his righteousnesse, his sanctification; to doe nothing but by Christ; to hauehave Christ to be his redemption, not to be able to helpe himselfe without Christ, but that Christ must helpe him out of eueryevery trouble, and bestowe vponupon him eueryevery comfort, this, I say, is contrary to the nature of man: therefore we must bee thorowly emptyed of our selues in this matter of reioycing, aswell as in the matter of taking: for in what measure any man sets any price vponupon himselfe, so farre as he hath any opinion of himselfe that he is something, iust so farre he detracts from Christ: but when a man boasts not of himselfe at all, such a man reioyceth in GOD altogether, such a man will stand amazed at the height, and breadth, and length, and depth of the louelove of GOD; such a man will be able to see that there are vnsearchable riches in Christ; such a man will be able to say with Paul, that he cares for nothing, he reckons all things dung, Phil. 3.Phil 3. I hauehave all the priuiledges (saith he) that other men hauehave; I am a Jew, I am a Pharise; but I reckon all these things as dung; that is, I care for none of them, if I had an hundred more: It is true, I hauehave beene as strict as any man; yea, I went beyond others: for I was zealous in that course wherein I was, yet I hauehave beene taught thus much, that all these things are nothing, for GOD regards them not, he regards nothing but Christ and his righteousnes, therefore I looke not after these things, but that I may be found in him, not hauing mine own righteousnesse, but that righteousnesse that GOD accepteth, which is through faith in him. Therefore, my brethren, learne thus to reioyce in CHRIST, and in GOD, and not in your selues; this is the most excellent worke that we can performe, it is the worke of the Saints and Angels in Heauen, wee should learne to come as neere them now as we can: In Reu. 7.11.Reu. 7.11. they cryed with a loud voyce, saying, Saluation commeth by our God, that sitteth vponupon the Throne, and by the Lambe; and therefore, praise, and wisdome, and glory be giuen to God for euermore; because saluation is from the Lord, and from the Lambe, and not from our selues at all: hence it is that they fell downe, and worshipped him; and for this cause they all cry, wisdome, and glory, and praise be to our GOD for euermore.
If saluation had beene from our selues, if wee had done any thing to helpe our selues therein, there had not been ground of giuing all praise and glory to GOD; and if this bee the worke of the Saints & Angels, we should labour to performe it as abundantly as we can now: and let vsus doe it in good earnest: for if men could be brought to this, to reioyce in GOD alone, their mouthes would bee filled with praise exceedingly, they would regard nothing else, and in the course of their liues they would make it euident to the world, that they were such as made no account of the World, so they might hauehave CHRIST, they would be content with any condition: for Christ is all in all to them.
Thirdly,Vse. 3. To labour for faith aboue all if it be by faith onelyonly by which we are made partakers of the righteousnesse by which we are saued, then it should teach vsus to let other things goe, and principally to minde this matter, to labour to get faith, whatsoeuer become of other things; for it is that by which we hauehave saluation.
The Papists, they teach that workes are the maine, and many things they prescribe that men must doe: our Doctrine is, you see, that faith onelyonly is required: Indeede, many things follow vponupon faith, but faith is that you must onelyonly labour for, and then the rest will follow vponupon it.
This Doctrine of ours, you shall finde that it is deliuered cleerely in Gal. 5.5, 6.Gal. 5.5.6. We waite, through the Spirit, for the hope of righteousnesse, which is through faith. That is, we looke for nothing from the Law, we regard no workes at all in the matter of iustification; that which we looke for, is onelyonly that righteousnes which is taken by faith: and why doe wee so? For, saith he, in Christ Iesus, neither circumcision is any thing, nor vncircumcision, but faith, &c. As if he should say, there is good reason why we should expect saluation onelyonly by faith, because nothing else will helpe vsus in that worke, circumcision is nothing, nor vncircumcision is nothing: by those two hee meanes all other things, that is, the hauing of all the priuiledges in the world, the doing of all the workes that can be done, faith is all in all; but it must be such a faith as workes by louelove; though it be by faith onelyonly, yet it is not an idle faith: therefore you are especially to labour for faith.
Without faith God regards not morall vertues.There are many other excellencies that we are capable of, many morall vertues, such as Aristotle and Socrates hauehave described; but without faith, GOD regards none of these: take one that is a wicked man, and take another, let him be neuer so vertuous, as Socrates, and Seneca, that were the strictest in morality of all the Heathen; nay, take any man that liues in the Church, that liues the most strict and exact life, and yet is not iustified by faith, God makes no difference betweene these men, the one is as neere to heauen as the other, GOD lookes vponupon them both with the same eye; for he regards nothing without faith. He that is the most prophane and vngodly, if he come with faith, he shall obtaine Christ; the other that hath all other morall Vertues in the most exact manner, without faith, they shall doe him no good: therefore we are to seeke for nothing in the matter of iustification, but how we may be enabled to beleeue, we are principally to study this matter of faith.
Take such a one as Socrates, Difference betweene faith and morall vertues.and such a one as Saint Paul, it may be Socrates might bee outwardly as temperate, and as patient, and be indued with as many excellencies, hee might appeare in his carriage as strict as Saint Paul; but here is the great difference, The one doth what hee doth of himselfe, and through himselfe, and for himselfe; the other doth what hee doth of CHRIST, and through CHRIST, and for CHRIST: therefore faith mainely is requisite.
If we had all other excellencies, yet we shall finde this in them, that they doe alway giuegive something to the creature.
Againe, if you goe neuer so farre in them, yet you shall finde that there is some imperfection in them.
But faith it emptieth the creature of all things, it leaueth nothing in a man, it makes him leane and rest only vponupon CHRIST, and vponupon his righteousnesse for saluation.
Againe, faith worketh in vsus a louelove to GOD: for, we hauing nothing in our selues, but all that we hauehave being from him, we cannot but louelove him againe.
Againe, faith presenteth to God a perfect righteousnes, and therfore God only accepts it: for God must be iust, and nothing can satisfie the Justice of GOD, but a righteousnes that is perfect, nothing can attaine a righteousnesse that is perfect, but onelyonly faith, labour therefore to beleeue this, and to turne all your study and care how to get faith. My beloued, this is a thing that we are bound to preach to you; this is the summe of that Doctrine that CHRIST so often preached when he was vponupon the Earth, Beleeue, for the Kingdome of God is at hand: this is the summe of all the Doctrine of the Apostles, it was all they had to doe, to perswade men to beleeue: What was the summe of all Pauls Doctrine? We goe vp and downe, saith he, from place to place, witnessing both to Iewes and Gentiles, &c. So it is our part, when we come to preach to you, when we come to dispense to you that which is for the nourishment of your soules, we must doe as those Stewards that set bread and salt vponupon the Table, whatsoeuer other dish there is; so we should alway preach Christ, and perswade you to beleeue in him, and stir you vp to turne the streame of your endeuours after the obtaining of that faith that taketh this righteousnesse; the principall thing we are to look vntounto, is, to see from what Fountaine that that we hauehave comes; if a man hauehave neuer so many vertues in him, if they arise not from this fountaine, if they spring not from this roote, they are nothing, GOD lookes vponupon them without acceptance or delight.
Againe, this is that that you are to doe in hearing, that which you are chiefly to looke after, is, how to get faith; and therfore if men will employ their strength and their endeuours, and busie themselues to attaine such and such vertues, it is but as the watering of the branches, and to let the roote alone; faith is the roote; that is, it is that that makes all acceptable to GOD: for what is the difference betweene Christianity and Morality, and without this, what is our preaching? Wee may gather welneere as good instructions to resist vice, ouf of Plutarch, and out of Seneca, as out of Pauls Epistles, but this differenceth it, that we preach CHRIST, and from Christ wee deriue ability and strength to doe all things else, and that makes all else to be acceptable; so that this is it that you must looke after, to hauehave CHRIST, to receiue all from him, to doe all for him; for these are reciprocall, vnlesse you thinke you hauehave all from CHRIST, you will neuer doe all for him; when wee thinke CHRIST is alsufficient, we will be perfect with him againe.
But,Difference betweene faith and shewes of holinesse. by the way, in this you see not onelyonly the difference betweene morall vertues, and those in a true Christian, which is godlinesse, that they come from different fountaines, and looke to different ends; but you see also the difference betweene those shewes of strictnesse that are among the Papists, and that sincerity of life that wee preach vntounto you, which is an effect of this faith: for, if you marke it, you shall find that all that they doe, either is without Christ, or addes to Christ; they thinke they shall bee saued for doing such and such things, which prepare and fit them for saluation, they looke mainely to the workes of humbling the body, and doing many actions of mortification, but still Christ onelyonly is not sought after in all this. But now looke to the Doctrine that we hauehave deliuered, it is CHRIST that we preach, it is faith that we preach vntounto you. It is true, wee preach those things too, we lay the same necessity vponupon you of doing good workes, we stirre you vp to holinesse of life, and mortification; but here is the difference, wee deriue it all from Christ by faith, we say that faith doth all.
Indeed when you hauehave faith, if that faith be right, it will worke by louelove: here then you see the difference, we doe the same things, but we deriue all from a iustifying faith, laying hold vponupon CHRIST; and so louelove to him, and all other graces doe arise from this.
Vse 4. To apply the promises with boldnesse.Againe, a fourth Vse of this point is this, If saluation be onelyonly by faith, then we should learne hence to goe with boldnesse to GOD, to take the promises, and to reckon them sure to vsus. If something else had beene required on our part, wee should then hauehave gone with a great deale of doubting to GOD; but now, seeing there is nothing required, but only to goe and take it, this should make vsus to goe with boldnesse to the Throne of Grace, to come with assurance that we shall speed.
And therefore in the businesse of seeking to GOD for the remission of our sinnes, (which indeed is the greatest businesse that wee hauehave to doe) what greater comfort can there bee, then to hauehave this assurance, that if wee come to GOD for it, we shall not faile nor be deceiued of it?
For the present occasion of receiuing the Sacrament: What is the end of the Sacrament, but to preach faith? The Sacrament preacheth that to your outward senses, that we doe to your vnderstandings; it presenteth to the eye, that which wee now preach to the eare: for what is the Couenant of GOD in the Gospell, but onelyonly this? GOD offers Christ vntounto you freely, as the Bread and Wine is giuen vntounto you. To vsus a Sonne is giuen, &c.
Againe, we take him, and binde our selues to obey him, and to louelove him, to be to him alone, to marry him, to make him our Lord and our Husband. Now in the Sacrament both these are done: when the Bread and Wine are offered, they are but a resemblance of the offer of CHRIST. Indeed there is a blessing in it: for it is Gods Ordinance, it increaseth this grace of faith. And againe, there is a bond on our part, wherein wee tye our selues to obey CHRIST.
Now if any of you will offer to come, and yet hauehave not giuen vp your selues to GOD in good earnest, you receiue your own condemnation, you are diuorsed from CHRIST, and married to the World; and this is to receiue the Sacrament vnworthily. The maine end of the Sacrament, is to increase faith, and saluation is ours by faith; therefore wee should come with boldnesse, and lay hold vponupon the promises of it.
Gods free promise should incourage vsus to come with boldnesse.We should doe in this case as Ioab did, lay hold vponupon the hornes of the Altar; that is, take hold vponupon CHRIST, and remember that sure word of promise, To vsus a Sonne is giuen, to vsus a Child is borne. And, Let whosoeuer will, come and take of the waters of life freely. Goe thorow the whole Booke of GOD, all the promises therein are as so many grounds for faith to build vponupon; it is impossible that God should slay you, if you come and lay hold of the hornes of the Altar. If you will take Christ, and receiue these promises, and rest on them, it is impossible but that God should performe them, he hath bound himselfe to performe what he hath said, in 1 Ioh. 1.9.1 Ioh 1.9. If we acknowledge our sinnes, he is faithfull and iust to forgiue them: As if he were vniust and vnfaithfull if he should not doe it. His Oath is passed, hee hath added an Oath to his promise, that by 2. immutable witnesses it should stand firme.
We should doe in this case as Iacob did, after he had once a promise from GOD, when he meetes his brother Esau, Lord, (saith hee) Thou hast promised to doe me good, therefore deliuer me from the hand of my brother. So, when we hauehave a promise, and GOD hath said, Hee that will take CHRIST shall be saued, and CHRIST is freely giuen, and the pardon is generall, therefore what should hinder vsus? Vrge GOD vponupon his promise, wrastle with GOD, as Iacob did, and let him not goe without a blessing; wrastling implyes resisting, it is a signe GOD resisted him for a time: so, it may be, GOD will deny thee a great while, yet continue thou to seeke him, let him not goe, he cannot deny thee in the end, thou shalt hauehave the blessing at the last: we should learne thus to importune GOD; tell him, Lord, I hauehave a sure promise, and thou hast made the pardon generall, and I am sure I come within the number of that Comission: Goe and preach the Gospell to eueryevery creature, goe and tell eueryevery man vnderunder heauen, that Christ is offered to him, he is freely giuen to him by GOD the Father, and there is nothing required of you, but that you marry him, nothing but to accept of him; here is a word sure enough, if there were nothing else but this. Therfore learne to doe in this as the Woman of Canaan did, though Christ denyed her, yet she would not giuegive ouer: for she had this ground to build vponupon, that he was Iesus, he was the Sonne of Dauid, he was mercifull, and shee had exceeding great neede of him, and therefore she would not giuegive ouer; so, I say, hauing this ground for your faith, goe to GOD with boldnesse, and neuer giuegive ouer; it is impossible (if you seeke him in good earnest, with all your heart) but that he should receiue you.
It is true indeed, hee giues to some sooner then he doth to others; with some he deales as he did with the Woman of Canan; to some he giues an answer quickly, some againe hee defers longer, and he will put vsus to the tryall. CHRIST dealeth differently with his children, he doth with vsus sometimes as the vniust Iudge, he turnes the deafe eare to vsus, or like the man that was in bed with his children, and was vnwilling to rise; but what saith the Text? Luk. 11.6.Luk. 11.6.8. though he would not doe it for him as a friend, yet his importunity makes him rise and lend him: so thou thinkst (it may be) GOD is not thy friend, yet by thy importunity he will rise at the last; therefore, though thou finde GOD to be as an enemy, though he be neuer so backward to rise, yet giuegive not ouer, I can assure thee, as certainely as there is any truth in the Booke of GOD, thou shalt be heard in the end, Heauen and Earth shall passe away before this sure Word shall perish. It is Gods manner to put men to the tryall, and it is his wisdome so to doe, otherwise, he would hauehave many that would be forward at the first, that would fall off in the end.
It was Naomies wisdome to bid her Daughter Ruth goe backe to her kindred, but shee would not, she stood it out: I will goe (saith she) where thou goest, and nothing but death shall part betweene me and thee. When Naomi saw that she was stedfastly minded, she tooke her along with her. So, if GOD should receiue men at the first, many men would come in, and take hold vponupon Christ, and make a profession of his Name, but they would not hold out to the end with him: But when CHRIST shall tell them, I hauehave not so much as a place to lay my head in, if thou wilt hauehave me, thou must deny thy selfe, and take vp thy Crosse, and thou shalt finde a great deale of trouble, and suffer persecution; If a man now, notwithstanding this, will not be beaten off from Christ, but, though Christ turne the deafe eare to him for the present, and present to him all manner of difficulties, yet if he will, notwithstanding all this, be constant still in importuning God to hauehave CHRIST, when GOD shall see that his mind is thus set, he will take him along with him, hee will be thine, and thou shalt be his, his people shall be thy people: this is it that knits the knot betweene you: My Beloued is mine, and I am his; his Word is passed for it, he hath promised his consent, now if we will giuegive ours, the match is made.
If it were doubtfull whether wee should hauehave his consent, it were another case; but we hauehave a sure Word for it, wee should learne therefore to importune him.
Now when we hauehave done this, when wee are come with this boldnesse, and hauehave laid hold vponupon CHRIST, then let vsus looke to the priuiledges, then let vsus take the pardon of our sinnes, adoption, and reconciliation, and all things else, only remember that condition of after-obedience, that though wee may come freely, and come with this boldnesse, and though nothing be required, but that we take this Sonne of GOD that is offered, yet, I say, there is a condition of after-obedience, wee must resolue to serue him, and to louelove him with all our heart, we must resolue to doe that that Ruth promiseth to Naomi, to liue with him, and to be with him, and that his people shall be our people, &c.
ObiectBut you will say, I am willing to doe this, to part from my lusts, and to be to CHRIST alone, but I am not able, my lusts are strong and preualent.
Answ.To this I answer, If thou bee but willing, Christ desires no more:Christ requireth but a willingnesse to mortifie our lusts. I would but aske thee this, Suppose that thou wert able to ouercome those lusts; take a man that is strongly giuen to good-fellowship, (as they call it) to company-keeping, that is giuen to fornication, to swearing, or whatsoeuer the sinne bee, take any preualent lust that is in any man that now heareth me, I would aske him this Question; Put the case thou wert able to get the victory ouer thy lust, wouldst thou be content to part with it, and to take CHRIST? If thou sayest, No, I had rather enioy the sweetnesse of my lusts still, Art thou not now worthy to be condemned? But if thou answer, I would, vponupon condition I were able to ouercome my lusts; I assure thee, GOD will make thee able, GOD requires no more but a willingnesse to come, and take CHRIST, the other is Gods worke.
I,Obiect. but I hauehave tryed, and hauehave not found it so.
I answer,Answ. it cannot be, thou hast not yet solued to part with thy lusts, thou hast not yet set downe this peremptory conclusion in thy selfe, that thou wilt forsake eueryevery thing that you may hauehave CHRIST: If any man say he is willing to take CHRIST, and to part with the sweetnesse, and the pleasantnesse, and the profitablenesse that his lust brings to him, if he could get the victory, if hee were freed from the sollicitations of them: Let me tell thee, thou must first resolue to take Christ vponupon his owne conditions, and for the other, GOD hath promised to doe that himselfe: 1. Cor. 8.9.2 Cor. 8.9. God will confirme you, and keepe you blamelesse; for he is faithfull that hath called you to the fellowship of his Sonne. As if hee should hauehave said, Doe you thinke that GOD will call men to CHRIST, that he will beseech men to take his Sonne, will he call you to the fellowship of his Sonne, and will hee not keepe you blameles? he hath promised it, and sworn it, if he should not doe it, hee should be vnfaithfull; when GOD calleth you to come vntounto Christ, he promiseth that the vertue of Christs death shall kill sinne in you, and that the vertue of Christs Resurrection shall raise you vp to newnesse of life; GOD hath promised that he will giuegive the Holy Ghost: for he neuer giues his Sonne to any, but he giues them the Spirit of his Sonne too. Now, Hee that hath called you is faithfull, and he will doe it. So that I say, if thou wilt come in, (that is) if thou wilt accept of CHRIST vponupon his conditions, it is certaine GOD will receiue thee; and if thou find thy selfe troubled with the violence of any lust, or of any temptation, presse vponupon GOD, vrge him with his Word and promise, that he would assist thee by his own strength, that he would enable thee to ouercome, that he would giuegive thee the Spirit of his Sonne, and resolue as Iob, Though he kill me, yet will I trust in him: for I hauehave a sure promise, Heauen and Earth shall passe, but not one tittle of his sure Word shall passe till it be fulfilled.
Now because this is a point of much moment, this laying hold vponupon the promises, and because it is a thing that is not easily done, therefore I will shew you these two things.Two things in laying hold on the promises.
The first is this, that the vnderstanding must be rightly informed, what ground a man hath to doe it; when a man comes to beleeue the forgiuenesse of his sinnes, let him not thinke, I hauehave a perswasion that my sinnes are forgiuen, therefore they are forgiuen, but a man must labour to see the ground of it: for, a thing is not true because wee are perswaded it is so; but the thing is first true, and then we beleeue it: GOD hath first offered forgiuenesse of sinnes to you, and then you looke vponupon his Word, and so beleeue it; But, I say, when a man is perswaded in a confused manner, without any iust ground, without a cleere knowledge of the progresse of faith, how it goeth along, this is not right, this keepeth many from assurance, because they are not cleerely instructed in it: For, to the end that faith may take hold of the promise, that it may be sure to vsus,4. Things in the vnderstanding. we must conceiue of the right method, and that stands in these foure things.
First, we must see our owne condition, we must be sicke before we can seeke to the Physician, we must see our selues to be condemned men, that there is nothing in vsus to helpe our selues; wee must be broken in heart in some measure, wee must see our selues to bee children of wrath, and then we will come and seeke for a remedy; and that is,
By looking into the Booke of GOD, (and that is the second thing) and there I finde all the promises, CHRIST is there cleerely offered, onelyonly with this condition required, that I must obey him, and serue him, and louelove him; so that that is the second thing, CHRIST is offered in the Scriptures to eueryevery one, and if you hauehave him, you shall hauehave a pardon of your sinnes with him; onelyonly he is offered with condition of obedience: Well, when you see this cleerely, now you come to consider it, you begin to ponder this Word, whether it be so or no, a man begins to thinke, Is this a sure promise? and then he sees, that looke what certainety there is of the Scriptures in generall, there is the same certainety in these particular promises: so that with the same faith that a man is to beleeue the Word of GOD, with the same faith he is to beleeue this offer of CHRIST.
Quest.I, but is it sure to me?
Then a man lookes to the generality of the promise, that it is offered to all, none excepted, and therefore, saith hee, it is offered to me.
But will Christ doe to me as hee hath promised, is he powerfull and willing to doe it? Then a man lookes into the Word, and finds that he is Almighty, that he is able to make him the Sonne of God, that whatsoeuer Christ hath by nature, he shall hauehave it by matching with him: Indeede Christ hath it immediately as he is the Sonne of GOD, but wee hauehave it mediately, as the Wife hath the riches of her Husband. If a Woman marry the Kings Sonne, she hath the same priuiledges, and the same inheritance that he hath: so, whatsoeuer CHRIST hath becomes ours: Paul, and Apollo, and all are CHRIST'S, the World is CHRIST'S, and all things present and to come are CHRIST'S, and they are all made ours. Now when this is well pondered, and we finde that wee hauehave a sure Word to confirme this,
Then, in the third place, we come and take him, and this no man will doe indeed, till he hauehave well considered, as the saying is of marriage, that it is a bestowing of ones selfe vponupon such a one, so it is in this; eueryevery one therefore should consider before-hand, what it is to bestow himselfe vponupon CHRIST, and when this is done, that we hauehave made the match, and bestowed our selues vponupon CHRIST, then,
In the next place, we come to see what we shall hauehave by him, and then we come to make vse of all that CHRIST brings with him, reconciliation, and pardon of sinne, and all things else that he hath, I hauehave with him, I am the sonne of God, and I shall be sanctified; (for together with him I hauehave his Spirit,) all my prayers shall be heard, all the promises in the Booke of GOD are mine; for In him they are all Yea and Amen: as all the World is his, so it is all the wealth of a Christian after he hath taken CHRIST. Now when this is distinctly propounded to vsus, and wee conceiue it aright, it makes the way much more easie to vsus; but when we goe on in a confused manner, because the Gospell is not cleerely vnderstood by vsus, hence it is that wee labour much, and yet the thing is not done: therefore, my beloued, if you hauehave a perswasion of the forgiuenesse of your sinnes, if it bee but a meere perswasion, it will alter exceedingly, it will goe and come in the time of temptation; but when you hauehave a sure Word, when you hauehave built your selues vponupon the Scriptures, it is not dependant vponupon your perswasion, but it is the Word that you rest vponupon: For fancie, and opinion, and perswasion, it will grow sometimes longer, and sometimes shorter, as the shaddow doth, whereas the body of the thing is the same; but when your eye is vponupon the Word, when you rest vponupon that, then your perswasion will continue the same as the Word continues. Indeed, your comfort may be sometimes more, sometimes lesse; but when it is pitched vponupon the sure Word, that is it that will bring you comfort in the working of it, to obserue the method and degrees of it. Indeed, my beloued, it is a point of another nature to beleeue then the world thinks of; therefore examine, and recall, and vnderstand this Doctrine that we hauehave now taught you distinctly, it will be worth all your labour, for the present you shall hauehave a good conscience, and the assurance of Gods fauour, and when death comes, the right vnderstanding of it will be worth all the world besides.
It is said of the second ground, that they fell away, because they had no roote in themselues: they had some root, but their faith was pitched vponupon a generall Doctrine, vponupon a generall perswasion, that hath a kinde of roote, but it hath no roote in it selfe: so many Christians goe farre, and they doe much, but they hauehave no roote in themselues, that is, they doe not vnderstand distinctly, and throughly, the grounds vponupon which their faith is built, they see not a sure ground for it in the Word of GOD, they know not how faith is built vponupon the …ure corner stone; for CHRIST is that sure corner stone, he that is built vponupon him shall neuer be ashamed, wee should learne therefore not to giuegive ouer till wee be rooted and grounded. If a man should aske many peop…e, What is the reason that you are perswaded that your sinnes are forgiuen? (for you ought to build that vponupon an infallible ground) I… it be no more but because you are perswaded, it is nothing; but if you can say, My sinnes are forgiuen, because I hauehave Christ, and he that hath the Sonne hath life, I hauehave the sure Word of God for it, God cannot lye, he is Truth it selfe that hath said it, and he hath offered CHRIST to eueryevery creature vnderunder Heauen; then is the ground good, thou maist take him boldly, being within that number.
So much for this time.
FINIS.