The Life of Faith, Part 3 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. How Faith muſt be exerciſed on Gods Threatnings and Judgments.
THE exerciſe of Faith upon Gods Threatnings and Judgments, muſt be guided by ſuch rules and helps as theſe.
Direct. 1. Think not either that Chriſt hath no Threatning penal Laws, or that there are none which are made for the uſe of Believers.
If there were no penalties, or penal Laws, there were no diſtinguiſhing Government of the world. This Antinomian fancy deſtroyeth Religion. And if there be threats, or penal Laws, none can be expected to make ſo much uſe of them as true Believers. 1. Becauſe he that moſt believeth them, muſt needs be moſt affected with them. 2. Becauſe all things are for them, and for their benefit; and it is they that muſt be moved by them to the fear of God, and an eſcaping of the puniſhment.
And therefore they that object, that Believers are paſſed already from death to life; and there is no condemnation to them; and they are already juſtified, and therefore have no uſe of threats or fears] do contrad…ct themſelves: For it w…ll rather follow Therefore they and they only do and will faithfully uſe the threatnings in godly fears.] For 1. Though they are juſtified, and paſſed from death to life, they have ever faith, in order of nature before their Juſtification; and he that believeth not Gods threatnings with fear, hath no true Faith. And 2. They have ever inherent Righteouſneſs or Sanctification, with their Juſtification: And this Faith is part of that holineſs, and of the life of grace which they are paſſed into. For this is life eternal, to know the only true God, and Jeſus Chriſt, John 17.3. And he knoweth not God, who knoweth him not to be true. And this is part of our knowledge of Chriſt alſo, to know him as the infallible Author of our Faith, that is, of the Goſpel, which ſaith not only, He that believeth and is baptiz'd, ſhall be ſaved; but alſo, He that believeth not ſhall be damned, Mark 16.16. And this is the record which God gave of his Son, which he that believeth not, maketh him a lyar; that God hath given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son: He that hath the Son, hath life; and he that hath not the Son, hath not life, 1 John 5.12. Yea as he that believeth on the Son, hath everlaſting life; ſo he that believeth not the Son, ſhall not ſee life, but the wrath of God abideth on him, John 3.36. And therefore 3. The reaſon why there is no condemnation to us, is becauſe believing, not part only, but all this Word of Chriſt, we fly from ſin and wrath, and are in Chriſt Jeſus, as giving up our ſelves to him, and walk not after the fleſh, but after the Spirit; being moved ſo to do both by the promiſes and threats of God. This is plain Engliſh, and plain and neceſſary truth, the greater is the pitty, that many honeſt, well-meaning Antinomians ſhould fight againſt it, on an ignorant conceit of vindicating Free Grace: If the plain Word of God were not through partiality over-lookt by them, they might ſee enough to end the controverſie in many and full expreſſions of Scripture. I will cite but three more, Matth. 10.28. and Luke 12.5. But fear him who is able to deſtroy both ſoul and body in Hell; or when he hath killed, hath power to caſt into Hell; yea I ſay unto you, fear him. Doth Chriſt thus iterate that it is he that ſaith it, and ſaith it to his Diſciples; and yet ſhall a Chriſtian ſay, it muſt not be preached to Diſciples as the Word of Chriſt to them?
H…b. 4.1. Let us therefore fear, leſt a promiſe being left us of entering into his reſt, any of you ſhould ſeem to come ſhort of it.
Heb. 11.7. By Faith Noah being warned of God, of things not ſeen as yet (that is, of the deluge) moved with fear, prepared an Ark, to the ſaving of his houſe; by the which be condemned the world▪ and became heir of the righteouſneſs which is by faith.
Note here how much the belief of Gods threatnings doth to the conſtitution of that faith which is juſtifying and ſaving.
Direct. 2. Judge not of Gods threatnings by the evil which is threatned, but by the obedience to which the threatnings ſhould drive us, and the evil from which they would preſerve us, and the order of the world which they preſerve, and the wiſdom, and holineſs, and juſtice of God; which they demonſtrate.
When men think how dreadful a miſery Hell is, they are ready to think hardly of God, both for his threatning and execution; as if it were long of him, and not of themſelves, that they are miſerable. And as it is a very hard thing to think of the puniſhment it ſelf with approbation; ſo is it alſo to think of the threatning, or Law which binds men over to it; or of the Judgement which will paſs the ſentence on them. But think of the true nature, uſe and benefits of theſe threats or pena… Laws, and true reaſon, and faith will not only be reconciled to them; but ſee that they are to be loved and honoured, as well as feared. 1. They are of great uſe to drive us to obedience. And it is eaſier to ſee the amiableneſs of Gods commands, than of his threats: And obedience to theſe commands, is the holy rectitude, health and beauty of the ſoul. And therefore that which is a ſuitable and needful means, to promote obedience, is amiable and beneficial to us. Though Love muſt be the principle or chief ſpring of our obedience; yet he that knoweth not that Fear muſt drive, as Love muſt draw, and is neceſſary in its place to joyn with Love, or to do that which the weakneſſes of Love leave undone, doth neither know what a man is, nor what Gods Word is, nor what his Government is, nor what either Magiſtracy, or any civil, or domeſtical Government is▪ and therefore ſhould ſpend many years at School before he turneth a diſputer.
2. They are of uſe to keep up order in the world; which could not be expected if it were not for Gods threatnings. If the world be ſo full of wickedneſs, rapine and oppreſſions, notwithſtanding all the threatnings of Hell, what could we expect it ſhould be, if there were none ſuch, but even as the ſuburbs of Hell it ſelf. When Princes, and Lords, and Rich men, and all thoſe thieves and rebels that can but get ſtrength enough to defend themſelves, and all that can but hide their faults, would be under no reſtraints conſiderable, but would do all the evil that they have a mind to do: Men would be worſe to one another, than Bears and Tygers.
3. Gods threatnings in their primary intention or uſe, are made to keep us from the puniſhment threatned. Puniſhment is naturally due to evil doers: And God declareth it, to give us warning, that we may take heed, avoid it and eſcape.
4. That which doth ſo clearly demonſtrate the Holineſs of God, in his righteous Government, his Wiſdom and his Juſtice is certainly good and amiable in it ſelf. But we muſt not expect that the ſame thing ſhould be good and amiable to the wicked, who run themſelves into it; which is good to the world, or to the juſt about them, or to the honour of God. Aſſizes, Priſons and Gallows are good to the Country, and to all the innocent, to preſerve their peace, and to the honour of the King and his Government; but not to murderers, thieves or rebels, Iſa. 26.7, 8, 9. Pſal. 48.11. & 9.16. & 89.14. & 97.2. & 149.9. & 146.7. & 37.6, 28. Jude 6. & 15. Rev. 4.7. & 15.4. & 16.7. & 19.2. Eccleſ. 12.14.
Direct. 3. Judge of the ſeverity of Gods threatnings, partly by the greatneſs of himſelf whom we offend, and partly by the neceſſity of them for the Government of the world.
1. Remember that ſinning wilfully againſt the infinite Majeſty of Heaven, and refuſing his healing mercy to the laſt, deſerveth worſe than any thing againſt a man can do, 1 Sam. 2.25.
2. And remember that even the threatning of Hell doth not ſerve turn with moſt of the world, to keep them from ſinning and deſpiſing God: and therefore you cannot ſay that they are too great. For that plaiſter draweth not too ſtrongly, which will not draw out the thorn. If Hell be not terrible enough to perſwade you from ſin, it is not too terrible to be threatned and executed: He that ſhould ſay, Why will God make ſo terrible a Law? and withall ſhould ſay, As terrible as it is I will venture on it, rather than leave my pleaſures, and rather than live a holy life; doth contradict himſelf, and telleth us, that the Law is not terrible enough to attain its chief and primary end, with ſuch as he, that will not be moved by it, from the moſt ſordid, baſe or bruitiſh pleaſure.
Direct. 4. Remember how Chriſt himſelf, even when he came to deliver us from Gods Law, did yet come to verifie his threatning in the matter of it, and to be a ſacrifice for ſin, and publick demonſtration of Gods Juſtice.
For this end was Chriſt manifeſted, to deſtroy the works of the Devil, 1 John 3.5, 8. And the firſt and great work of the Devil was, to repreſent God as a lyar, and to perſwade Eve not to believe his threatnings, and to tell her, that though ſhe ſinned, ſhe ſhould not die. And though God ſo far diſpenſed with it, as to forgive man the greateſt part of the penalty, it was by laying it on his Redeemer; and making him a ſacrifice to his Juſtice: that his Croſs might openly confute the Tempter, and aſſure the world, that God is juſt, and that the wages of ſin is death, Rom. 6.23. though eternal life be the gift of God through Jeſus Chriſt.
And he that well conſidereth this, that the Son of God would rather ſtoop to ſufferings and death, than the D…vils reproach of Gods threatnings ſhould be made true, and than the Juſtice of God againſt ſin ſhould not be manifeſted, will ſure never think, that this Juſtice is any diſhonour to the Almighty.
Direct. 5. Let this be your uſe of the threatnings of God, to drive you from ſin to more careful obedience, and to help you againſt the defects of love, and to ſet them againſt every temptation when you are aſſaulted by it.
When a tempting bait is ſet before you, ſet Hell againſt it, as well as Heaven; and ſay, Can I take this cup, this whore, this preferment, this gain of Judas, with Hell, for my part inſtead of Heaven? If men threaten death, impriſonment, or any other penalty; or if loſſes or reproaches be like by men to be made your reward, remember that God threatneth Hell, and ask whether this be not the moſt intollerable ſuffering.
And if any Antinomian revile you for thus doing, and ſay [You ſhould ſet only Free Grace before you, to keep you from ſinning, and not hell and damnation] Tell him that it is Chriſt the Mediatour of Free Grace, which hath ſet Hell before you in the Scripture, and not you: And that you do but conſider of that which Chriſt hath ſet there before you to be conſidered of. Ask them whether it be not God that prepared hell for the Devil and his Angels, and Chriſt himſelf that will adjudge all impenitent ſinners to it, Matth. 25. And ask them why Chriſt doth ſo often talk of it in the Goſpel, Matth. 13. of the worm that never dyeth, and the fire that never ſhall be quenched, Luke 19.27. Mark 16.16. John 3.36. 2 Theſ. 1.8▪ 9. &c. And whether they know why Fear was given to man; and whether Chriſt miſtook in all ſuch commands, Luke 12.4. Heb. 11.7. Heb. 4.1. And whether God hath made any part of his Laws in vain.
If they ſay, that the Law was not made for a righteous man, 1 Tim. 1.9. Tell them that the words are expounded, Gal. 5.23. Againſt ſuch there is no Law. The Law was not made to condemn and puniſh a righteous man; becauſe he feared the threatning of it, and ſo fell not under the condemnation. If you ſpeak of the Law of Chriſt, or any Law which ſuppoſeth the ſubject righteous: There is no Law can be pleaded againſt ſuch to their damnation. That there is no Law againſt them is but as Rom. 8.1. There is no condemnation to them. And we grant alſo, that in that meaſure as mens ſouls are habituated with love to God, and duty, and hatred of ſin, they need no Law to urge and threaten them; no more than a loving wife need to have a Law to forbid her murdernig her husband, or abuſing him. But withall we know, that no man on earth is perfect in the degrees of Love; and therefore all need Laws and fear.
Uſe all Gods penal Laws to the ends that he appointed them, to quicken you in your obedience, and reſtrain you from yielding to temptations, and from ſinning, and then your own benefit will reconcile you to the Wiſdom, Holineſs, and Juſtice of the Laws.
Direct. 6. Remember that all Chriſtians have ſolemnly profeſſed their own conſent, to the threats and puniſhments of the Goſpel.
Though God will puniſh ſinners whether they conſent or not; and though none conſent to the execution upon themſelves, when it comes to it; yet all that profeſs Chriſtianity do profeſs their conſent to the condemning, as well as to the juſtifying part of Gods Word. For every Chriſtian profeſſeth his conſent to be governed by Chriſt; and therefore he profeſſeth his conſent to be governed by Chriſts Laws: For if Chriſt be a King, he muſt have Laws: and if he govern us at all, he governeth us by Laws. And this is Chriſts Law; He that believeth, and is baptized, ſhall be ſaved; and he that believeth not ſhall be damned, Mark 16.16. He that profeſſeth to be governed by Chriſt, profeſſeth his conſent to be governed by this very Law: and therefore he profeſſeth his conſent to be damned if he believe not. Chriſt told you that you muſt conſent to both parts, or to neither: and will you grudge at the ſeverity of that Law which you have profeſſed your conſent to? The curſes of the Covenant (Deut. 29.21.) were to be repeated to the people of Iſrael; and they were expreſly to ſay Amen to each of them. For life and death were ſet before them; bleſſings and curſings, Deut. 30.1, 19. and not life and bleſſings alone. And ſo the Goſpel which we are to believe, containeth though principally and eminently the Promiſes; yet ſecondarily alſo the threatnings of Hell to impenitent unbelievers. And our conſent doth ſpeak our approbation.
Direct. 7. Obſerve that the belief of Chriſts threatnings of damnation to impenitent unbelievers, is a real part of the Chriſtian ſaving Faith, and that when ever it is joyned with a true love and deſire after holineſs, it certainly proveth that the Promiſes alſo are believed, though the party think that he doth not believe them.
Note here 1. That I do not ſay, that all belief or fear of Gods threatnings is ſaving Faith. But 2. That all ſaving Faith containeth ſuch a belief of the threatnings. 3. And that many times poor Chriſtians, who believe and tremble at the threatnings, do truly believe the Promiſes, and yet miſtake, and verily think that they do not believe them. 4. But their miſtake may certainly be manifeſted, if their Faith do but work by a love and deſire after holineſs, and the fruition of God.
For 1. It is evident that the ſame Goſpel which ſaith, He that believeth ſhall be ſaved; doth ſay, He that believeth not ſhall be damned. Therefore the ſame faith believeth both, 2. It is plain that the ſame formal object of faith, which is Gods Veracity, will bring a man to believe one as well as the other, if he equally know it to be a divine revelation: He that believeth that All that God ſaith is true: and then believeth that God ſaith that All true Believers ſhall be ſaved; muſt needs believe that this Promiſe is true. And he that underſtandeth that Chriſt ſaith, Ʋnbelievers ſhall be damned; cannot but find alſo that he ſaith, True Believers ſhall be ſaved. And if he believe the one, becauſe it is the word of Chriſt; he doth ſure believe the other, becauſe it is the word of Chriſt. 3. Yea it is in many reſpects harder to believe Gods threatnings, than his promiſes; partly becauſe ſinners are more unwilling that they ſhould be true; and they have more enmity to the threatning, than to the promiſe; and partly becauſe they commonly feign God to be ſuch as they would have him be, Pſal. 50. Thou thoughteſt I was ſuch a one as thy ſelf, &c. And partly becauſe Gods Goodneſs being known to be his very eſſence, and all men being apt to judge of Goodneſs, by the meaſure of their own intereſt, it is far more obvious and facil to mans underſtanding, to conclude that ſome are ſaved, than that ſome are damned; and that the penitent believers are ſaved, than that the impenitent unbelievers are damned: We hear daily how eaſily almoſt all men are brought to believe that God is merciful; and how hard it is to perſwade them of his damning Juſtice and ſeverity. Therefore he that can do the harder, is not unlike to do the eaſier.
And indeed it is meer ignorance of the true nature of faith, which maketh thoſe whom I am now deſcribing, to think that they do not believe Gods Promiſes, when they believe his Threatnings. They think that becauſe they believe not that they themſelves are pardoned, juſtified, and ſhall be ſaved, that therefore they believe not the promiſe of God: But this is not the reaſon; but it is becauſe you find not the condition of the promiſe yet in your ſelves, and therefore think that you have no part in the benefits: But its one thing to doubt of your own ſincerity, and another thing to doubt whether the promiſe of God be true. Suppoſe that the Law do pardon a fellon if he can read as a Clerk; and one that is a fellon be in doubt whether his reading will ſerve or not; this is not to deny belief to the pardoning act of the Law. Suppoſe one promiſe a yearly ſtipend to all that are of full one and twenty years of age, in the Town or Country: To doubt of my age, is not to doubt of the truth of the promiſe.
Object. But do not Proteſtant Divines conclude againſt the Papiſts, that ſaving Faith muſt be a particular application of Chriſt and the Promiſe to ourſelves, and not only a general aſſent?
Anſw. It is very true; and the cloſer that application is the better. But the application which all ſound Divines (in this point) require as neceſſary in ſaving Faith, is neither an aſſurance, nor perſwaſion that your own ſins are already pardoned, or that they ever will be: But it is 1. A belief that the Promiſe of pardon to all believers, is ſo univerſal, as that it includeth you as well as others, and promiſeth and offereth you pardon, and life, if you will believe in Chriſt. 2. And it is a conſent or willingneſs of heart that Christ be yours, and you be his, to the ends propoſed in the Goſpel. 3. And it is a practical Truſt in his ſufficiency, as chuſing him for the only Mediatour, reſolving to venture your ſouls, and all your hopes upon him: Though yet through your ignorance of your ſelves, you may think that you do not this thing in ſincerity, which indeed you do, yea and much fear (through melancholy or temptation) that you never ſhall do it, and conſequently never ſhall be ſaved.
He that doubteth of his own ſalvation, not becauſe he doubteth of the truth of the Goſpel; but becauſe he doubteth of the ſincerity of his own heart, may be miſtaken in himſelf, but is not therefore an unbeliever (as is ſaid before.)
If you would know whether you believe the Promiſes truly, anſwer me theſe particular queſtions: 1. Do you believe that God hath promiſed that all true Believers ſhall be ſaved? 2. Do you believe that if you are or ſhall be a true Believer, you ſhall be ſaved? 3. Do you chuſe or deſire God as your only happineſs and end, to be enjoyed in Heaven, and Chriſt as the only Mediatour to procure it; and his holy Spirit as his Agent in your ſouls, to ſanctifie you fully to the Image of God? Are you truly willing that thus it ſhould be? And if God be willing, will not you refuſe it? 4. Do you turn away from all other waies of felicity, and chuſe this alone, to venture all your hopes upon, and reſolve to ſeek for none but this; and to venture all on God and Chriſt, though yet you are uncertain of your ſincerity and ſalvation? why this makes up true ſaving faith.
5. And I would further ask you; Do you fear damnation, and Gods wrath, or not? If not, what troubleth you? and why complain you? If you do, tell me then whether you do believe Gods threatning, that he that believeth not ſhall be damned, or not? If you do not, what maketh you fear damnation? Do you fear it, and not believe that there is any ſuch thing? If you do believe it, how can you chuſe but believe alſo, that every true Believer ſhall be ſaved? Is God true in his Threatnings, and not in his Promiſes? This muſt force you plainly to confeſs, that you do believe Gods Promiſes, but only doubt of your own ſincerity, and conſequently of your ſalvation; which is more a weakneſs in your hope, than in your faith, or rather chiefly in your acquaintance with your ſelf.
Direct. 8. Yet ſtill dwell moſt upon Gods Promiſes in the exerciſe of love, deſire and thankfulneſs; and uſe all your fear about the threatnings, but in a ſecond place, to further and not to hinder the work of love.
Direct. 9. Let faith interpret all Gods Judgements, meerly by the light of the threatnings of his Word; and do not gather any concluſions from them, which the Word affordeth not, or alloweth not. Gods Judgements may be dangerouſly miſunderſtood.