One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 109
SERMON CIX. Of Justifying Faith.
JOHN 17.20.
But for them alſo who ſhall believe in me through their word.
WE are treating upon the Doctrine of Juſtifying Faith; and certainly, we may ſay, It's good to be on this Mount of Transfiguration, and having declared that method Gods Spirit leads an humbled ſoul into, when it's enabled to believe.
We proceed to further particulars inſtructive in this buſineſs. The ultimate and laſt act of juſtifying faith, was a fiducial reſting upon Chriſt for all ſpiritual benefits.
But to underſtand this further, Conſider that the Scripture expreſſion of it, I. Of faith under the notion of receiving Chriſt.is very emphatical, and denoteth ſeveral notions in it, as when it expreſſeth it by receiving foreign, is a word often applied to faith in this act, it receiveth Chriſt, Joh. 1.12. it receiveth the promiſe, it receiveth forgiveneſſe of ſins, Act. 26.18. ſo that in this juſtifying act of faith, we are to conceive a precious treaſure offered by the grace of God, even Chriſt himſelf and faith, as the hand receiving of it;The receiving of Chriſt implyeth, and this expreſſion is full of excellent matter, for it teacheth,
1. That we in this act of Juſtification, or laying hold on Chriſt, have nothing of our own. All our righteouſneſs is without us, we are to receive it offered,1. That we have nothing of our own. we have nothing inherent. This Paul knew experimentally, Phil. 3. when he would be found not in his own righteouſneſs, but that which is by faith. His own, mark that, Any thing we may call our own, we muſt not be found in, and that is our own, which is not only ſo effectivé, by our own procuring and labour, or merit, but ſubjectivé, which is inherent in us, though it be wrought by the grace of God, as the Juſt is ſaid to live by his faith, Hab. 2.4. It's his faith ſubjectively, though Gods effectively. This word then receiving doth carry every man humbled Evangelically, wholly out of himſelf; and as was ſaid to the woman looking into the Sepulchre, Why look you for him, he is not here, he is riſen? So it may be ſaid, Why art thou ſearching and digging into thine own heart? Thy works or graces, theſe are not the object of faith; It's above thee; It's without thee, though by faith applied to thee: Even as the poor cripple that deſired to be healed, looked upon Chriſt, expecting help from him, he knew he had nothing in himſelf; or as the indigent beggar looks without him, and ſtretcheth out his hand to receive food or money: So is it with the humbled ſinner: Oh then be directed here, why doth God make thy own heart, thy own wayes ſo bitter to thee? Is it not becauſe thou ſhouldſt ſeek out for a Chriſt, and look for a righteouſneſſe without thee?
2. This word receiving implieth, That we are wholly paſſive in our Juſtification. 2. That we are wholly paſſive in juſtificationThat we are not juſtified by doing any thing, or offering any thing to God, but receiving from him: Even as ſome Philoſophers ſay, Intelligere and ſentire are paſſions: Though we expreſs them actively, yet the ſoul therein is paſſive: So when by believing a man is juſtified, we are not to conſider what he brings to God, or doth for God, but what he receiveth from him. This is a fundamental principle to be grounded in, it's a mercy of mercies to be directed in the agonies of thy ſoul to the right way of believing, to know the way to this City of refuge; If a manſlayer purſued by the avenger, had not known the way to the City of refuge, what danger had he been in? It's like the childe not coming the right way in it's birth; now naturally we all think by doing to partake of Chriſt, not receiving, which made the Apoſtle ſo induſtriouſly aſſert this, That it's not to him that worketh, but to him that believeth, that grace is vouchſafed: So then be inſtructed in this, Is thy heart groaning under ſin, all thy deſires and inclinations are to Chriſt? Know this is done intra recipiendo, not extra mittendo; This is done by receiving grace from God, not doing any work for or to him; yet how apt are we all to cry out with thoſe, What ſhall we do I till Chriſt inform us, that the great work God approveth of, is beleeving or receiving. It's the looking upon this brazen Serpent that healeth thee.
3. That faith doth not juſtifie for any intrinſecal worth in it.3. This therefore implieth, That believing on Chriſt doth not juſtifie for any dignity or intrinſecal worth it hath. Not becauſe it's a more excellent and noble grace, but meerly becauſe that alone is receiving and applicative of Christ. We receive only by faith, as we do corporally only by the hands, yet the hands are not more noble then the eyes or the head. Hence the Scripture never ſaith foreign, but foreign, not for faith, but through faith; and it's never ſaid actively, ſaith juſtifieth, but by faith we are juſtified paſſively; So that as it would be abſurd to ſay, That the beggars hand hath made him rich, in receiving large alms: ſo it would be as abſurd to attribute it to the dignity of faith, when by it we are juſtified.
4. Faith is excluded as it is a work.Therefore fourthly, In that believing is expreſſed by receiving of Chriſt, is implyed, That faith it ſelf is excluded as it's a work: So that not onelyonly all other graces, but faith, if conſidered as it's a work, doth not juſtifie us. The eye in looking on the brazen Serpent did not heal as it was a work, but from the vertue of the Serpent exalted by Gods appointment; When the woman touched Chriſts hem of his garment, and healing was thereby conveyed. It was not the touching, as it was a labour and work, but the vertue of Chriſt. Thus it is in this caſe.
5. And why faith and no other grace doth juſtifie.And hence laſtly, we ſee, Why faith and no other grace doth thus juſtifie, becauſe this alone doth receive. Other graces are active, this is receptive: Not that faith is ſeparated from other graces, they are exiſtent together, though they retain their diſtinct properties, He that believeth on Chriſt is cleanſed and ſanctified, he loveth God, and is patient in tribulation, but yet not by this is he juſtified: As the Sun-beams have heat as well as light, but it ſhineth by the light only, not the heat, ſo the earth hath drineſs as well as gravity, but it fals downward, not becauſe dry, but becauſe heavy.
II. This receiving is not a bare receiving, but an imbracing alſo.Secondly, This receiving is not a bare receiving, but ſuch as is with imbracement: As Heb. 11.2. Theſe imbraced the promiſes; Even as Simeon took Chriſt with joy in his arms: So that there is great delight and cordial joy in laying hold on Chriſt: Even as the Church ſaid after ſhe had loſt her Beloved, yet finding him at laſt, ſhe would lay hold on him, and not let him go, as Ruth to Naomi, thus ſhe cleaveth to Chriſt: So that as a man receiveth with deareſt imbracements ſome choice and precious friend he longed to ſee: Thus it is with the humbled ſinner: Oh this is the beloved of many thouſands, whom my ſoul hath long prayed for, long ſought for? What have I found thee, Oh thou chiefeſt of many thouſands? Hence it is that Chriſt compareth himſelf to a Bridegroom, and Huſband, and his Church to a wife, to ſhew what real affections are in the heart of an humbled ſinner, for to lay hold on him: Hence it's called, Believing with the whole heart, and with joy unſpeakable, 1 Pet. 1.8. There was great feaſting and joy for the finding of a loſt ſon: But oh the unſpeakable joy, for diſcovering a Chriſt, that we thought was for ever loſt, as to us! What meltings? what raviſhments are there at the meeting of him? Oh how often, ſaith the humbled ſoul, did I think, I ſhould never finde thee? How many times did I conclude, that I ſhould periſh in my luſts and fears? but Chriſt at laſt appeareth, as he did to thoſe women after his death, who thought there was no hope.
Thirdly, In this act of faith, there is contained reſting, relying, or fiducial repoſing of the ſoul upon Christ. You heard the foreign, did enforce this,III. In this act of faith there is a fiducial repoſing of the ſoul upon Chriſt. ſo that the ſoul before it believeth is to be conceived as a ſtone falling downwards, which cannot ſtay till it meet with its center, and then it enclineth no further. In the Old Teſtament it's called, truſting in the Lord, which in other ſynonymous expreſſions is ſometimes called ſtaying and leaning, and ſo is a metaphor taken from thoſe, who have ſome great and heavy burden upon their back, and thereby are cruſhed to the ground, unleſs they have ſomething to reſt upon. Thus it is with the afflicted penitent, he cryeth out, I finde ſuch a load of ſins, that my back would break, and heart would break, yea every thing would fail within me, had not I Chriſt to throw my ſelf upon: hence Chriſt is called the Foundation ſtone, becauſe all the building is eſtabliſhed upon that. Now that which in the Old Teſtament is called truſting in God, in the New is called believing. Illyricus thinketh this is the reaſon of the different expreſſion, becauſe the God of Iſrael was known to the Jews, therefore there was required only a fiducial adheſion unto him; but in the New Teſtament, Chriſt as Mediator was not known, therefore another word is uſed, viz. to believe, which comprehends both an aſſenting knowledge, and alſo a fiducial application: So then by this act of beleeving, the ſoul which was ready to ſink under it's burden, doth lean upon Chriſt, and as a drowning man doth catch hold on the next branch to ſave him, ſo doth a humbled ſinner finding himſelf even falling into hell, catch hold on Chriſt, and therefore it's called laying hold on him·
Fourthly, In this act of believing, IV. An application of Chriſt.there is an appropriation or application of Chriſt to be my Chriſt. That whereas the promiſe runneth in the general, Whoſoever ſhall believe, to him Chriſt is a Saviour. This juſtifying faith doth in particular reſt on Chriſt, as a Saviour to him. Thus Paul, Gal. 2. Who loved me, and gave himſelf for me; and Thomas, My God, my Lord, Joh 20. So that as when any threatning is denounced againſt a ſinner, the true convert will apply it to himſelf, when guilty of ſuch a ſin, I am the ſinner this threatning meaneth: So Chriſt being offered as a Saviour to every humbled ſinner, from this general he concludeth his particular. Thus Paul, Chriſt came to ſave ſinners, of whom I am chief. Hence it is that our Divines againſt Papiſts do well maintain, That the object of juſtifying faith, is the ſpecial mercy of God. It's not enough to believe that Chriſt is a Saviour, but to reſt on him to be my Saviour. Hence faith is called eating and drinking, Joh. 6. which is more then the meer ſeeing meat upon the Table, only when we ſay, ſpecial mercy is the object of juſtifying faith, it's not meant antecedenter, but conſequenter; Not as if we were to look for a ſpecial or particular promiſe made either to Thomas or Peter, as ſometimes Chriſt did to thoſe who were then alive, as when he ſpoke to that woman, Be of good comfort thy ſins are forgiven thee; here was a ſpecial promiſe to her in particular, but it's not ſo now the promiſe is general, but it's made ſpecial by beleeving; and indeed without this ſpecial applying act, our faith brings no peace, no comfort, no more then for a Lazarus to hear there was plentifull food in Dives his houſe,V. This recumbent act of faith may not only thus receive Chriſt, but we may be aſſured that Chriſt is ours. but he had not ſo much as the crums thereof. Thus you ſee how comprehenſive, this act of beleeving is.
In the next place, This recumbent act of Faith may not only thus receive Chriſt, but we may alſo be aſſured and know that we do believe, and that Christ is ours. Indeed former Divines from an oppoſition to Popery, which teacheth doubting in our Juſtification and uncertainty, did define juſtifying faith, to be a full perſwaſion of the heart, whereby we beleeve our ſins are pardoned, and that Chriſt died for us, but to beleeve that Chriſt is mine, or that I am juſtified, cannot be juſtifying faith, but it ſuppoſeth it, for Chriſt muſt be mine before I know he is mine, The object muſt be before the act: Faith hath two acts, a direct and a reflex.Therefore faith hath two acts, a Direct Act, whereby it layeth hold on Chriſt, and a Reflex Act, whereby I know that I do lay hold on him, or that I am ſuch an one to whom the promiſes do belong. Now this beleeving on Chriſt, which juſtifieth is in the former act, out of the ſenſe of my ſins and deep unworthineſs to lay hold on Chriſt. The latter which we call Aſſurance, Though the people of God may and ought to attain unto, yet is not to be confounded with the former; nay it may be, and is often ſeparated from it; and this is much to be heeded by practical Chriſtians, you would have aſſurance firſt, and then you would beleeve in Chriſt, you would know whether your graces are true, whether you are ſo and ſo qualified, and then you would beleeve: This is, as if a woman would be aſſured ſuch a man were her husband, and then ſhe would marry him, whereas it is marriage makes the husband: It's beleeving makes Chriſt thine, and when he is thine, then thou mayeſt be aſſured he is thine. The cripple, and the woman, labouring under a bloody iſſue, felt themſelves whole after Chriſt had healed them, they could not before: So when faith hath made Chriſt thine, that thou canſt ſay with Thomas, My God, my Lord, then you may come to be aſſured, he is thine. Chriſt had not that ſenſe of Gods favour, when yet he had that fiducial confidence, crying out, My God, my God, &c. The promiſe is made to him that beleeveth, not to him that knoweth he doth beleeve: It's not ſaid, If you have aſſurance, but if you beleeve you ſhall be ſaved.
3. Though faith doth thus repoſe it ſelf fiducially upon Chriſt, yet you must know this is not done without oppoſition of unbelief and diffidence. 1 Joh. 3.19. The Apoſtle ſaith, We aſſure our hearts, foreign, perſwade; This implyeth, that the heart of a man is full of objections, and hath many cavils: There is much ado ere the heart be perſwaded to reſt on Chriſt only, many Lions and mountains are in the way. That man ſpake the ſenſe of all beleevers, who prayed, Lord, I beleeve, help my unbelief, Mark 9.24. Oh how often is thy heart ready to be caſt down, and to have no hope! You may ſee theſe ebbings and flowings in Davids heart, faith and diffidence were like two twins ſtrugling in the womb; do not therefore expect ſuch a quiet reſting upon Chriſt, as ſhall have no oppoſition: No, ſometimes thy heart may even rage with unbelief, like that poor demoniack, the Evangeliſt ſpeaks of, Mar. 5.4. that tore chains aſunder, and no man could tame him; Such an unruly thing may thy heart be. Now there are two great oppoſites to this recumbency, viz. The terrible things of thy heart, the guilt of ſin, the temptations of Satan, the ſad fears that moleſt thee, and then the ſweet pleaſing things of thy ſoul, which are ſelf-righteouſneſs, truſting in thy own heart, in thy own works; Oh this ſelf-fulneſſe, this mountain muſt be levelled, as well as this valley be exalted, elſe the way is not prepared for Chriſt!