Looking Unto Jesus, Book 5 · Chapter 5 · Section 5
SECT. V. Of Believing in Jeſus in that reſpect.
5. LEt us believe in Jeſus carrying on the great work of our Salvation in his Life. Many Souls ſtand aloof, not daring to make a particular application of Chriſt, and his Life to themſelves; but herein is the property of Faith, it brings all home, and makes uſe of whatſoever Chriſt is or does, for himſelf. To ponder Chriſt's actions during his Life, and the influence of his actions to all that are his, what is this to me, unleſs I believe my own part in all this? Oh I dare not believe (cries many a poor ſoul) is it credible that Jeſus Chriſt the Son of God, the brightneſs of his Fathers Glory, the expreſs Image of his Fathers Perſon, ſhould be incarnate for me, and lead ſuch a life upon Earth for my ſoul? What! to be baptized, to be tempted, to manifeſt himſelf in the form of man, to whip the Buyers and Sellers out of his Temple, to preach up and down the Goſpel of the Kingdom, to work miracles among men, to ſend abroad his Apoſtles with a commiſſion to preach, to invite ſinners, to eaſe the burden of duties, and in a word, to publiſh the righteouſneſs of his Nature and Life; and all this, and a thouſand times more than all this, for my ſoul? O what am I, or what is my Fathers Houſe? If God ſhould let me live one year in Heaven, it were infinite mercy; but that the God of Heaven ſhould live ſo many years on Earth, and that all that while he ſhould empty himſelf, in watching, faſting, praying, preaching for my ſake; Oh the depth! Oh the depth! I cannot believe.
Sweet Soul, be not faithleſs, but believing; I know it is an hard and difficult thing; but to help on a trembling ſoul, I ſhall firſt direct, and then encourage.
Firſt for direction, let ſouls be acquainted how to act their Faith on Chriſt in reſpect of his Life. The manner of its proceedings I ſuppoſe is thus:—
1. Faith muſt directly go to Chriſt. Many poor ſouls humbled for ſin, and taken off from their own bottom, they run immediately to the promiſe of pardon, and cloſe with it, and reſt on it, not ſeeking for, or cloſing with Chriſt in the promiſe; this is a common error among thouſands; but we ſhould obſerve, that the firſt promiſe that was given, was not a bare word ſimply promiſing pardon, peace, or any other benefit, which God would beſtow; but it was a promiſe of Chriſt's Perſon, as overcoming Satan,Gen. 3.15. and purchaſing thoſe benefits, The Seed of the Woman ſhall bruiſe the Serpents head. So, when the Promiſe was renewed to Abraham, it was not a bare promiſe of bleſſedneſs and forgivneſs, but of that Seed, that is, Chriſt, Gal. 3.6. in whom that bleſſedneſs was conveyed;Gen. 22.18. In thy Seed ſhall all the Nations of the Earth be bleſſed. So that Abraham's Faith firſt cloſed with Chriſt in the Promiſe, and therefore he is ſaid to ſee Chriſt's day, and to rejoyce in embracing him. Chriſt in the firſt place, and more immediately, is every where made the thing which Faith embraceth to ſalvation, and whom it looks unto and reſpects,John 3.16. John 11.25. as it makes us righteous in the ſight of God. God ſo loved the World, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoſoever believeth in him ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life.—I am the reſurrection and the life, he that believeth in me, Acts 13.39. Acts 16.31. Acts 10.43.though he were dead, yet ſhall he live.— And by him all that believe are juſtified from all things, from which ye could not be juſtified by the Law of Moſes.—and, Believe on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and thou ſhalt be ſaved.—And, To him give all the Prophets witneſs, that through his name, whoſoever believeth in him, ſhall receive remiſſion of ſins. And hence it is that Faith is called the Faith of Chriſt, Gal. 2.16. Phil. 3.9. Becauſe Chriſt is it whom Faith apprehends immediately; and as for the other promiſes they depend all on this,John 3.36. John 6.47. Whoſoever believeth on him ſhall receive remiſſion of ſins: and he that believeth on the Son of God ſhall have life everlaſting; verily, verily I ſay unto you, he that believeth on me hath everlaſting life. O remember this in the firſt place, Faith muſt go unto Chriſt; and yet I mean not to Chriſt, as abſtractly and nakedly conſidered; but to Chriſt as compaſs'd with all his Promiſes, Priviledges, Benefits.
2. Faith muſt go to Chriſt, as God in the fleſh. Some make this the difference of Faiths acting betwixt Believers of the New and Old Teſtament: Under the Old Teſtament, when Chriſt was but in the Promiſe, and not as then come in the fleſh, their Faith had a more uſual recourſe unto God himſelf; as for Chriſt (God-man, man-God) they had not ſo diſtinct, but only a confuſed knowledge of him; and therefore we read not ſo frequently and uſually of their recourſe unto him, but only unto God.2 Chron. 20.12, 20. Pſal. 78.21, 22 O our God, wilt thou not judge them? we know not what to do, but our eyes are upon thee— and, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jeruſalem, believe in the Lord your God, ſo ſhall ye be eſtabliſhed.—and, The Lord heard this, and was wrath—becauſe they believed not in God, and truſted not in his ſalvation. But now under the New Teſtament, becauſe Chriſt as Mediator, who was promiſed, is come, our Faith more uſually and immediately addreſſeth it ſelf unto Chriſt, as God in the fleſh, God dwelling in our nature is made more familiar to our Faith, than the perſon of the Father, who is meerly God: God in the fleſh is more diſtinctly ſet forth in the New Teſtament, and ſo he is more diſtinctly to be apprehended by the Faith of all Believers: Ye believe in God (ſayes Chriſt to his Diſciples, whoſe faith and opinion of the Meſſiah was till Chriſt's Reſurrection of the ſame Elevation with that of the Old-Teſtament-Believers) Ye believe in God; but he reſts not there, believe alſo in me, John 14.1.make me the object of your truſt and ſalvation, as well as the Father, believe alſo in me, not only ſo, but believe in the firſt place on me. One ſweetly obſerves, that when Faith and Repentance came more narrowly to be diſtinguiſhed by their more immediate objects, it is laid down thus, Repentance towards God, and Faith towards our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; Acts 20.21.not but that God and Chriſt are objects of both; but that Chriſt is more immediately the object of Faith, and God i… more immediately the object of Repentance; ſo that we believe in God through believing in Chriſt firſt; and we turn to Chriſt by turning to God firſt. O remember this! Le… our Faith in the more direct and immediate exerciſe of it be pitch upon Chriſt as God … the fleſh.
3. Faith muſt go to Chriſt as God in the fleſh, made under the Law:Gal. 4.4. and hence it is that the Apoſtle joynes theſe together, God ſent his Son made of a woman, made under the Law: If Chriſt had been out of the compaſs of the Law, his being incarnate, and made of a woman, had done us no good. Suppoſe one in debt, and danger of the Law, to have a Brother of the ſame fleſh and blood, of the ſame Father and Mother; what will this avail, if that ſame Brother will not come under the Law (i.e.) become his Surety, and undertake for him? It is our caſe; we are debtors to God,Col. 2.14. and there is an hand-writing againſt us, and contrary to us: here is a Bond of the Law which we have forfeited; now what would Chriſt avail, if he had not come under the Law, if he had not been our Surety, and undertook for us? Our Faith therefore muſt go to Chriſt as made under the Law, not only taking our nature upon him, but our debt alſo;2 Cor. 5.21. our nature as men, and our debt as ſinful men: He hath made himſelf to become ſin for us who knew no ſin, (i.e.) he made him to be handled as a ſinner for us under the Law, though he knew no ſin on his part, but continued in all things written in the Book of the Law to do them. If Faith be inquiſitive, when was Chriſt made under the Law? I anſwer,Gal. 5.3. even then when he was circumciſed: Thus Paul proteſts, I teſtifie to every man that he that is circumciſed, is a debtor to do the whole Law. Chriſt at his Circumciſion entred into bond with us, and undertook for us; and therefore then, and not till then,Luke 2.21. he had his Name given him, Jeſus a Saviour: and from that time he was a debtor to do the whole Law. Not only to ſuffer, but alſo to do; for he both ſatisfied the Curſe, and fulfilled the Commandments. O remember this! as Chriſt, and as Chriſt in the fleſh, ſo Chriſt in the fleſh made under the Law, is principally to be in the eye of of our Faith. If we put all together, our firſt view of Faith is to look on Chriſt God in the fleſh, made under the Law.
4. Faith going to Chriſt as God in the fleſh, and as made under the Law, it is principally to look to the end and meaning of Chriſt, as being God in the fleſh, and as fulfilling the Law.
Now if we would know the meaning of Chriſt in all this, the Apoſtle tells us of a remote, and of a more immediate end.
1. Of a remote end: God ſent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the Law, Gal. 4.4, 5.to redeem them that were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption of Sons. This was Chriſt's meaning, or the remote end of Chriſt. Alas! we were ſtrangers from the Adoption, and we lay under the Law as men whom ſentence had paſſed on: Now from this latter we are redeemed; he was under the Law, that we might be redeemed from under the Law; nor is that all; but as we are redeemed, ſo are we adopted the Children of God: And this end I rather attribute to the Life of Chriſt, that we might receive the Adoption (i.e.) from the eſtate of Priſoners condemned, that we might be tranſlated into the eſtate of children adopted. O the mercy of God! who ever heard of a condemned man to be afterwards adopted? would not a condemned Priſoner think himſelf happy to eſcape with Life? But the zeal of the Lord of Hoſts hath performed this; we are in Chriſt both pardoned and adopted; and by this means the joy and glory of Gods heavenly inheritance is eſtated upon us: O let our Faith look mainly to this deſign and plot of Chriſt! he was made under the Law, yea, and under the directive part of the Law by his life; he fulfilled every jot and title of the Law by his active obedience, that we might be entitled to glory; that we might be adopted to the inheritance of the Saints in glory.
2. For the more immediate end of Chriſt: the Apoſtle tells us Chriſt was made under the Law,Rom. 8.4. or fulfilled all Righteouſneſs, that the Law might be fulfilled in us. In Chriſt's life were we repreſented, and ſo this fulfilling of all righteouſneſs is accounted ours; that the Law might be fulfilled in us. O my ſoul, look to this! Herein lies the pith and the marrow of thy Juſtification: of thy ſelf thou canſt do nothing that good is; but Chriſt fulfilled the Law in thy ſtead; and if now thou wilt but act, and exerciſe thy Faith, thou mayſt thereby find and feel the vertue and efficacy of Chriſt's righteouſneſs and actual obedience, flowing into thy own ſoul. But here is the queſtion, how ſhould I manage my Faith? or how ſhould I act it to feel Chriſt's righteouſneſs my righteouſneſs? I anſwer, 1. Thy way is to diſcover and diſcern this righteouſneſs of Chriſt, this holy and perfect life of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt in the whole, and in all the parts of it, as it is laid down in the written Word; Much hath been ſaid of it in thoſe four years of Chriſt's Miniſtry, but eſpecially in the laſt year; I ſhall ſay more anon in our conformity unto Chriſt, whither alſo thou mayſt have recourſe. 2. Thy way is to believe and to receive this diſcovery as ſacred and unqeſtionable in reference to thy own ſoul, as intended for thee, for thy uſe and benefit. 3. Thy way is to apprehend, apply, and to improve this diſcovery according to that judgment and propoſal, to thoſe uſes, ends, and benefits to which thou believeſt they were deſigned. Yea, but there lies the queſtion, how may that be done? I anſwer,—
1. Setting before thee that diſcovery (that perfect life of Chriſt in the whole, and all the parts of it) thou muſt firſt endeavour to be deeply humbled for thy great inconformity thereto in whole and in part.
1. Still keeping thy Spirit intent on the Pattern, thou muſt quicken, provoke and encreaſe thy ſluggiſh and drowſie ſoul with renewed, redoubled vigilancy, and induſtry to come up higher towards it, and (if it were poſſible) compleatly to it.
3. Yet having the ſame diſcovery, rule and copy before thee, thou muſt exerciſe faith thereupon, as that which was performed, and is accepted on thy behalf. And ſo go to God, and there repreſent, offer, and tender Chriſt's holy life and active obedience unto him. And that firſt to fill up the defects of thy utmoſt endeavour: Secondly, to put a righteouſneſs, price, value, and worth upon what thou doſt and attaineſt to. Thirdly, to make Chriſt's righteouſneſs thy own, that thou may'ſt ſay with the Pſalmiſt in way of aſſurance, O God my righteouſneſs. O my ſoul, if thou would'ſt thus live by Faith, or thus act thy Faith on Chriſt's Life, Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, Chriſt's active obedience; what a bleſſed life would'ſt thou live? then mightſt thou find and feel Chriſt's righteouſneſs thy righteouſneſs; I ſay thy Righteouſneſs in reſpect of its efficacy, but not in reſpect of its formality; for ſo ſinners would be their own Mediators. But of ſome of theſe Particulars I ſhall ſpeak more largely in our conformity to Chriſt's holy Life.
2. For encouragements to bring on ſouls thus to believe on Chriſt, conſider,—
1. The fulneſs of this Object; Chriſt's life is full, it is very comprehenſive, it contains holineſs, and happineſs, ſanctification, and juſtification: if Chriſt's Garments were healing, how much more ſo main and eſſential a part of Chriſt, even the half of Chriſt as it were? for ſo is Chriſt's Life. It is vehemently to be ſuſpected, that the true reaſon why ſo much is ſaid of his Death, and ſo little in compariſon of his Life, it is either becauſe we underſtand not the fulneſs of his life, or becauſe we are carnal and ſelfiſh, affecting freedom from hell, more than holineſs on earth; ſome benefit by Chriſt, more than conformity to Chriſt. O come! ſee the fulneſs of Chriſt's life: in reference to our ſanctification, was it not an exact model of perfection? a moſt curious exemplification of Gods whole Word? an expreſs Idea, Image, Repreſentation of the whole mind of God? a full preſident for all others to walk by, to work by, to live by? and in reference to juſtification, is not Chriſt's life the object of Faith and juſtifying? nay, is not Chriſt's life the object of juſtifying faith, as well as Chriſt's death, reſurrection, aſcenſion, ſeſſion, interceſſion? The aſſertors of Chriſt's active and paſſive obedience for us, can tell us of two things in the Law intended; one principal, viz. Obedience: and another ſecondary, viz. malediction upon ſuppoſition of diſobedience; ſo that ſin being once committed, there muſt be a double act to juſtification, the ſuffering of the Curſe, and the fulfilling of Righteouſneſs anew, the one is ſatisfaction for the injury we have done unto God as our Judge; and the other is a performance of a ſervice which we owe unto God as our Maker. O then how large, and full, and comprehenſive is this life of Chriſt?
2. Conſider the excellency, the glory of this Object: Chriſt's life is glorious, and hence it is that the righteouſneſs of Chriſt is the moſt glorious garment that ever the Saints of God did wear. It is Marlorat's ſaying,Marlorat. Rev. 12.1. that the Church which puts on Chriſt and his righteouſneſs, is more illuſtrious than the Ayr is by the Sun. John thus ſets her out in his Viſion; And there appeared a great wonder in heaven, a woman cloathed with the Sun, and the Moon under her feet. I take this to be a lofty Poetical deſcription of Chriſt's imputed righteouſneſs: imagine a garment were cut out of the Sun, and put upon us, how glorious ſhould we be? O but the righteouſneſs of Chriſt is much more glorious: No wonder if the Church cloathed with the Sun, tread the Moon under her feet (i.e.) if ſhe trample on all ſublunary things, which are uncertain and changeable as the Moon, I count all things but dung (ſaith Paul) that I may win Chriſt, Phil. 3.8, 9.and be found in him; not having my own righteouſneſs which is of the Law, but that which is through the Faith of Chriſt, the righteouſneſs which is of God by Faith. When Paul compares Chriſt's righteouſneſs with the glory of the world, then is the world but dung. O the glory, O the excellency of the righteouſneſs of Chriſt!
3. Conſider the ſuitableneſs of this object; Chriſt's life, and the virtue of it, is moſt ſuitable to our condition. Thus I might apply Chriſt to every condition; if thou art ſick, he is a Phyſitian; if thou feareſt death, he is the way, the truth, and the life; if thou art hungry, he is the bread of Life; if thou art thirſty, he is the water of Life: But not to inſiſt on theſe words. It is the daily complaint of the beſt of Saints, O my ſins! I had thought theſe ſins had been wholly ſubdued, but now I feel they return upon me again; now I feel the ſprings in the bottom fill up my ſoul again; Oh I am weary of my ſelf, and weary of my life, Oh what will become of me? In this caſe now Chriſt's life is moſt ſutable, his righteouſneſs is a continual righteouſneſs; it is not a Ciſtern,Zech. 13.1. but Fountain open for thee to waſh in; as ſin abounds, ſo grace in this gift of righteouſneſs abounds much more. Chriſt's life in this reſpect, is compared to changes of Garments: Thou crieſt, O what ſhall become of me? Oh I feel new ſins, and old ſins committed afreſh; why but theſe changes of garments will hide all thy ſins:Zech. 3.4. if thou art but cloathed with the robes of Chriſt's righteouſneſs, there ſhall never enter into the Lords heart one hard thought towards thee of caſting thee off, or of taking revenge upon any new occaſion or fall into ſin. Why here is the bleſſedneſs of all thoſe that believe. Oh then believe! Say not, would Chriſt be incarnate for me? would he lead ſuch a life on earth for my ſoul? Why yes, for thy ſoul: never ſpeak of thy ſins, as if they ſhould be any hinderance of thy Faith. If the wicked that apply this righteouſneſs preſumptiouſly, can ſay, Let us ſin that grace may abound, and ſo they make no other uſe of Grace, but to run in debt, and to ſin with a licence; how much rather mayeſt thou ſay on good ground, Oh let me believe! Oh let me own my portion in this righteouſneſs of Chriſt! that as my ſins have abounded, ſo my love may abound; that as my ſins have been exceeding great, ſo the Lord may be exceeding ſweet; that as my ſins continue and encreaſe, ſo my thankfulneſs to Chriſt, and glory in God, and triumph over ſin, death, and the grave, may alſo encreaſe. Why thus be encouraged to believe thy part in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.