Looking Unto Jesus, Book 7 · Chapter 2 · Section 5
SECT. V. Of believing in Jeſus in that reſpect.
5. LEt us believe in Jeſus as carrying on the great work of our Salvation for us in his reſurrection. This is one main article of our faith, the third day he roſe again from the dead, and this now I propound as the object of our faith; O let us believe it, let us believe our part and intereſt in it. And to that purpoſe let us look on Jeſus as a common Perſon; whatever conſideration he paſſed under, it was in our ſtead, and in that reſpect we are to reckon our ſelves as ſharers with him. Scrupulous ſouls may object, is it poſſible that Chriſt ſhould riſe, and that I ſhould riſe with him, and in him? is it poſſible that Chriſt ſhould dye as a common Perſon for my ſins? and that Chriſt ſhould riſe, and by his reſurrection ſhould be juſtified as a common perſon in my room? O the Myſtery of this redemption! without Controverſie great is the Myſtery of Godlineſs, which is God manifeſted in the fleſh, 1 Tim. 3.16.juſtified in the Spirit: it is a myſtery beyond my fathoming, that Chriſt, who is God in the fleſh, ſhould be juſtified in the Spirit for my juſtication; that Chriſt ſhould dye in my ſtead as a condemned man, and when he had finiſhed his work, that he ſhould riſe again in my ſtead as a righteous Perſon. Theſe paſſages are paſt fathoming, and beyond believing; O what ſhall I do? I find it hard, very hard to believe this poynt.
Luke 24.26.Scrupulous ſouls! throw not away your confidence; ought not Chriſt to have ſuffered theſe things and to enter into his Glory? was not ſatisfaction and juſtification, payment of debt, and diſcharge of bonds required of him, and of neceſſity for us? O believe, and that I may perſwade to purpoſe, I ſhall lay down, 1. Some directions; and, 2. Some encouragements of faith.
1. For directions of faith in reference to Chriſt's reſurrection, obſerve theſe particulars.—
1. Faith muſt directly go to Chriſt.
2. Faith muſt go to Chriſt, as God in the fleſh.
3. Faith muſt go to Chriſt, as God in the fleſh made under the Law.
4. Faith muſt go to Chriſt, not only as made under the directive part of the Law by his life, but under the penal part by his death; of all theſe before.
5. Faith muſt go to Chriſt as God in the fleſh, made under the directive and penal part of the Law, and as quickened by the Spirit. He was put to death in the fleſh (ſaith Peter) and quickened by the Spirit. 1 Pet. 3.18.And accordingly muſt be the method, and order of our faith; after we have looked on Chriſt as dead in the fleſh, we muſt go on to ſee him as quickened by the Spirit;1 Cor. 15.17. if Chriſt was not raiſed, or quickened (ſaith the Apoſtle) your faith were in vain; q. d. to believe in Chriſt as only in reſpect of his birth, life, death, and to go no further, were but a vain faith; and therefore ſhore up your faith to this pitch, that Chriſt who dyed, is riſen from the dead; to this purpoſe all the Sermons of the Apoſtles repreſented Chriſt, not only as crucified, but as raiſed; In that firſt Sermon after the miſſion of the holy Ghoſt, ye have crucified Chriſt (ſaid Peter to the Jews) and then it follows, whom God hath raiſed up, having looſed the pains, or chains of death, Acts 2.23, 24.becauſe it was not poſſible that he ſhould be holden of it. In that next Sermon Peter tells them again, ye have killed the Prince of life; and then it follows, whom God hath raiſed from the dead, whereof we are witneſſes. In the next Sermon after this, be it known unto you all (ſaid Peter) and to all the people of Iſrael, Acts 3.15.that by the Name of Jeſus Chriſt of Nazzareth, whom ye crucified, and whom God raiſed from the dead,— is this man whole. And in the next Sermon after this, the God of our Fathers raiſed up Jeſus, whom ye ſlew and hanged on a tree. Acts 4.10.And as thus he preached to the Jews, ſo in his firſt Sermon to the Gentiles, he tells them, we are witneſſes of all things which Jeſus did, both in the land of the Jews, Acts 5.30and in Jeruſalem, whom they ſlew, and hanged on a tree; him God raiſed up the third day, and ſhewed him openly. And as thus Peter preached, ſo in that firſt Sermon of Paul at Antioch, Acts 10.39, 40. Acts 13.30.he tells them of the Jews crucifying Jeſus, and then it follows, but God raiſed him from the dead.—And as concerning that he raiſed him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he ſaid on this wiſe, I will give you the ſure Mercies of David, Ver. 34, 35.and thou ſhalt not ſuffer thine holy one to ſee corruption. And after this, Paul, as his manner was, went into the Synagogue at Theſalonica, and three Sabbath days reaſoned with them out of the Scriptures, opening and alledging that Chriſt muſt needs ſuffer and riſe from the dead. This was the way of the Apoſtles preaching; they told them an hiſtory (I ſpeak it with reverence) of one Jeſus Chriſt, that was the word of God, and that was become man, Acts 17.2, 3.and how he was crucified at Jeruſalem, and how he was raiſed from the dead; and all this in a plain, ſimple, ſpiritual way and manner; and while they were telling thoſe bleſſed truths, the Spirit fell upon the people, and they believed, and had faith wrought in them. Faith is not wrought ſo much in the way of ratiocination, as by the Spirit of God, coming upon the ſouls of people by the Relation or repreſentation of Jeſus Chriſt to the ſoul. And this our Lord himſelf hints, as Moſes lifted up the Serpent in the wilderneſs, even ſo muſt the Son of man be lifted up, John 3.14.that whoſoever believeth in him ſhould not periſh but have everlaſting life. When the people were ſtung, God ſo ordered, that the very beholding of the brazen Serpent ſhould bring help (though we know not how) to thoſe that were wounded and ſtung by thoſe fiery Serpents; ſo God hath ordained in his bleſſed wiſdom that the diſcovery of Jeſus Chriſt, as crucified and raiſed, as humbled and exalted, ſhould be a means of faith; come then, ſet we before us, Chriſt raiſed; not only Chriſt crucified, but Chriſt raiſed, is the object of faith; and in that reſpect we muſt look up to Jeſus.
6. Faith in going to Chriſt is raiſed from the dead, or as quickned by the Spirit, it is principally, and mainly to look to the end, purpoſe, intent, and deſign of Chriſt in his reſurrection; very devils may believe the hiſtory of Chriſt's reſurrection,Jam. 2.19. they believe and tremble; but the Saints and people of God are to look at the meaning of Chriſt, why he roſe from the dead; now the ends are either ſupream, or ſubordinate. 1. The ſupream end was God's Glory, and that was the meaning of Chriſt's prayer, Father, John 17.1. Rom. 6.4.the hour is come, glorifie thy Son, that thy Son alſo may glorifie thee; with which agrees the Apoſtle, he roſe again from the dead to the glory of the Father. 2. The ſubordinate ends were many; As, 1. That he might tread on the Serpents head. 2. That he might deſtroy the works of the Devil. 3. That he might be the firſt fruits of them that ſleep. 4. That he might aſſure our faith that he is the word, and that he is able to keep that which we have committed to him againſt that day. 5. That he might be juſtified in the Spirit; as he was begotten in the womb by the Spirit; led up and down in the Spirit, offered up by the eternal Spirit, ſo he was raiſed from the dead by the Spirit, and juſtified in the Spirit at his reſurrection. Chriſt was under the greateſt attainder that ever man was, he ſtood publickly charged with the guilt of a world of ſins, and if he had not been juſtified by the Spirit, he had ſtill lyen under the blame of all, and had been liable to the execution of all; and therefore he was raiſed up from the power of death, that he might be declared as a righteous perſon. 6. That he might juſtifie us in his juſtificaon; when he was juſtified, all the elect were vertually and really juſtified in him; that act of God which paſt on him, was drawn up in the name of all his Saints: as whatever benefit or priviledge God meant for us, he firſt of all beſtowed it on Chriſt; thus God meaning to ſanctifie us, he ſanctified Chriſt firſt, and God meaning to juſtifie us, he juſtifies Chriſt firſt; ſo whatever benefit or priviledg he beſtowed on Chriſt, he beſtowed it not on him for himſelf, but as he was a common Perſon, and one re-reſenting us. Thus Chriſt was ſanctified inſtead of us, for their ſakes I ſanctifie my ſelf, that they alſo might be ſanctified through thy truth: and thus Chriſt was juſtified in ſtead of us, for as by the offence of one, judgment came upon all for condemnation, even ſo by the righteouſneſs of one, the free gift came on all men unto juſtification.
7. That he might regenerate us, and beget us anew by his reſurrection;Joh. 17.19. bleſſed be the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again—by the reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt from the dead. And this he doth,Rom. 15.18. two wayes. 1. As our pattern, platform, Idea, or exemplar; like as Chriſt was raiſed from the dead,—even ſo we alſo ſhould walk in newneſs of life: 1 Pet. 1.3.and likewiſe reckon ye alſo your ſelves to be alive unto God through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord. 2. As the efficient thereof, for when we were dead in ſin, he hath quickened us together with Chriſt; Rom. 6.13,and ye are riſen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raiſed him from the dead. Ver. 11.O the power of Chriſt's reſurrection in this reſpect! if we ſaw a man raiſed from the dead, how ſhould we admire at ſuch a wondrous power? but the raiſing of one dead ſoul is a greater work than to raiſe a Church-yard of dead bodies.Eph. 2.5. Col. 2.12.
8. That he might ſanctifie us, which immediatly follows after the other, — but yield your ſelves unto God as thoſe that are alive from the dead, Rom. 6.13.and your members as inſtruments of righteouſneſs unto God. In our regeneration we are riſen with Chriſt, and it is the Apoſtles argument,Col 3.1, 2. if ye then be riſen with Christ, ſeek thoſe things which are above,—ſet your affections on things above, and not on things on the earth. We uſually reckon two parts of Sanctification, viz. Mortification, and Vivification; now as the Death of Chriſt hath the ſpecial influence upon our Mortification, ſo the Reſurrection of Chriſt hath the ſpecial influence on our Vivification;Eph. 2.5, 6. he hath quickened us together with Chriſt, and hath raiſed us up together with Chriſt.
O my Soul, Look to this main deſign of Chriſt in his riſing again; and if thou haſt any faith, O ſet thy Faith on work to draw this down into thy Soul. But here is a queſtion, how ſhould I manage my Faith? or how ſhould I act my Faith to draw down the vertue of Chriſt's reſurrection for my Vivification; I anſwer.
1. Go to the Well-head, look into the reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt. This one act contains in it theſe particulars; As, 1. That I muſt go out of my ſelf to ſomething elſe; this is that check that lyes upon that work of Grace, to keep out pride, that Faith ſees the whole good of the ſoul in a Principle extraneous, even the ſprings of Jeſus Chriſt. Alas! if this Vivification were in me, or in my power, what ſwellings and excreſcencies of pride ſhould I quickly nouriſh? God therefore hath placed it in another, that I may be kept low; and that I may go out of my ſelf to ſeek it where it is. 2. That I muſt attribute wholly,Gal. 2.20. freely, joyfully, all that I am, to Jeſus Chriſt, and to the effectual working of his Grace.1 Cor. 15.10. I live, yet not I, but Chriſt liveth in me. And by the Grace of God I am what I am; and, I laboured more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. The life of grace ſprings only from the life and reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt, and therefore as I muſt deny my ſelf, ſo I muſt attribute all to him from whom it comes. 3. I muſt lye at his feet with an humble expectation of, and dependency upon him, and him alone for the ſupplies of grace; this was the Apoſtles practice: O that I may be found in him! O that I may know him, and the power of his reſurrection! O that by any meanes I might obtain unto the reſurrection of the dead! he lay at Chriſts feet with an humble expectation to feel the Power of Chriſt's reſurrection, in raiſing him firſt from the death of ſin to the life of grace, & after from death of nature to the life of glory.
2. Lay to theſe ſprings thy mouth of Faith; it is not enough to have all the treaſuries of grace, all the actings of Chriſt for thee, layd before thee, but thou muſt act thy faith upon that object; O then go to Chriſt's reſurrection and believe, make a particular application of thoſe glorious effects of Chriſt's reſurrection upon thy ſoul. Say, Lord thou dyedſt that I might dye to ſin, and thou waſt raiſed from the death that I might be raiſed to newneſs of life. Come Lord, and quicken my dying ſparks, give me to lay hold on Christ's reſurrection, give me to adhere to it, and to reſt upon it, and to cloſe with it; I ſee without faith I am nere a whit the better for Chriſts reſurrection; and thy commands are upon me; open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it: why Lord, I believe, help thou my unbeliefe. This faith is neceſſary to our vivification as well as Chriſt.Pſal 81.10. Chriſt is the fountain of life, but faith is the meanes of life;Mark. 9.24. the power and original of life is intirely reſerved to Jeſus Chriſt, but faith is the radical band on our part, whereby we are tyed unto Chriſt, and live in Chriſt; and thus ſaith Chriſt himſelf, I am the reſurrection and the life. Is that all? no, he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet he ſhall live. And I am the bread of life. Is that all?Joh. 11.25. no; he that cometh to me ſhall never hunger, and he that believeth on me ſhall never thirſt.John 6.35.
Iſa. 66.11.3. Suck and be ſatisfied, milk out and be delighted. Chriſt's reſurrection is a breſt of conſolation; there is in it abundance of life and glory, and therefore we ſhould not believe a little, but much; the word ſuck, is as much as to exact on Chriſt; draw hard from Chriſt; the more we exerciſe faith, the more we have of Jeſus Chriſt and of Vivification; there is a depth in Chriſts reſurrection that can never be fadomed; when the ſoul hath as much as its narrow hand can graſp, whole Chriſt is too big to be incloſed in mortal arms; onelyonly the longer our arm of faith is, the more we ſhall graſp of him; and therfore ſuck, and pull, and draw harde. And to this purpoſe—
1. Pray for an increaſe of faith, complain to Chriſt of the ſhortneſs of thy arm, tell him thou canſt not believe as thou wouldſt, thou canſt not get in ſo much of Chriſt into thy ſoul as thou deſireſt, thy Vivification is very poor and ſmall; Oh when Chriſt hears a ſoul complain of drawfiſhneſs in faith and grace, then is he ready to let out of his fulneſs even grace for grace.
2. Act thy faith vigorouſly on Chriſt's reſurrection for a further degree of quickning, activity, and lively abillity of grace. Chriſt is an ever-flowing fountain, and he would have believers to partake abundantly of what is in him; he cannot abide that any ſhould content themſelves with a preſent ſtock of grace; Chriſt is not as a ſtream that fails, or as a channel that runs dry; Chriſt is not as water in a ditch, which hath no living ſpring to feed it; no, no; Chriſt is the fountain of life, he is the chief ordinance of life that ever God ſet up. I know there are other means of Chriſts appointment, but if thou wilt live at the ſpring, and dri… in there, yea drink abundantly according to the overflowings of this fountain, O the life, and growth of life that would come in! Oh the vertue of Chriſt's reſurrection that (Chriſt's Spirit meeting and aſſiſting) would flow into thy ſoul for thy vivification.
Thus for directions; now for the encouragements of our faith to believe in Chriſt's reſurrection.
1. Conſider the excellency of this object. A ſight of Chriſt in his beauty and glory would raviſh ſouls, and draw them to run after him: the wiſe Merchant would not buy the pearl, till he knew it to be of excellent price; great things are eagerly ſought for; Chriſt raiſed, Chriſt glorified, is an excellent object; O who would not ſell all to buy this pearl? who would not believe?
2. Conſider of the power, vertue, and influence of this object into all that golden chain of priviledges; if Chriſt be not raiſed, you are yet in your ſins; 1 Cor. 15.17; 18.then they alſo which are fallen a ſleep in Chriſt are periſhed. From the reſurrection of Chriſt flows all thoſe priviledges, even from juſtification to ſalvation. The firſt is clear, and therefore all the reſt.
3. Conſider that Chriſt's reſurrection and the effects of it are nothing unto us, if we do not believe; it is faith that brings down the particular ſweetneſs and comforts of Chriſt's reſurrection unto our ſouls: it is faith that puts us in the actual poſſeſſion of Chriſt's reſurrection; whatſoever Chriſt is to us before faith, yet really we have no benefit by it until we believe; it is faith that takes hold of all that Chriſt hath done for us; and gives us the actual enjoyment of it, oh let not the work ſtick in us! what, is Chriſt riſen from the dead? and ſhall we not eye this Chriſt, and take him home to our ſelves by faith? the Apoſtle tells us that he that believed not, hath made God a lyar, 1 Joh. 5.10.becauſe be believeth not the record that God hath given of his Son: Unbelief belyes God in all that he hath done for us. O take heed of this, without faith what are we better for Chriſt's reſurrection.
4. Conſider of the tenders, offers, apparitions that Chriſt raiſed makes of himſelf to our ſouls? when firſt he aroſe (to confirm the faith of his Diſciples he offers himſelf, and appears to Mary Magdalen, to the other women, to Peter, Thomas, and all the reſt; and all thoſe apparitions were on this account that they might believe,Joh. 29.31. theſe things are written that ye might believe. In like manner Chriſt at this day offers himſelf in the Goſpel of grace; and by his Spirit he appears to ſouls. Methinks we ſhould not hear a Sermon of Chriſt's reſurrection, but we ſhould imagine as if we ſaw him, whoſe head and haires are white like wool, as white as ſnow, Rev. 1.14, 15.whoſe eyes are as a flame of fire; whoſe feet are like unto fine braſs, as if they burned in a furnace; whoſe voyce is as the ſound of many waters: or if we are dazled with his glory, methinks at leaſt we ſhould hear his voyce, as if he ſaid, fear not, I am the firſt and the laſt, I am he that liveth, and was dead; and behold I am alive for evermore. Amen. q. d. Come,Ver. 17, 18. caſt your ſouls on me; it is I that have conquered ſin, death, and hell for you; it is I that have broke the ſerpents head, that have took away the ſting of death, that have cancelled the bond of the hand-writing againſt you, that have in my hands a general acquittance and pardon of your ſins; come, take it, take me, and take all with me; ſee your names written in the acquittance, that I tender; take out the copy of it in your own hearts; only believe in him who is riſen again for your juſtification.—O my ſoul what ſayſt thou to this ſtill ſweet voyce of Chriſt? ſhall he who is the Saviour of men, and glory of Angels deſire thee to believe, and wilt thou not ſay Amen to it? Oh how ſhould I blame thee for thy unbelief? what aſperſions doth it caſt on Chriſt? he hath done all things well, he hath ſatisfied wrath, fullfilled the Law; and God hath acquitted him, pronounced him juſt; faith is contented, he can deſire no more; but thou ſayſt by unbelief that Chriſt hath done nothing at all, unbelief profeſſeth Chriſt is not dead, or at leaſt not riſen from the dead; unbelief profeſſeth that juſtice is not ſatisfied, that no juſtification is procured, that the wrath of God is now as open to deſtroy us as ever it was. Oh that Chriſt ſhould be crucified again in our hearts by our unbelief; come, take Chriſt upon his tenders and offers, embrace him with both armes.