One-Hundred Forty-Five Sermons Upon John 17, Sermon 38
SERMON XXXVIII. Of the Excellency and Neceſſity of Beleeving in Chriſt as a Mediatour; That it is acceptable to God as well as Obedience to a Command; Yet withall ſheweth the difficulty of it, and whence it comes to paſſe that the Children of God, ſenſible of their ſinnes. are ſo hardly brought to beleeve; As alſo why ungodly men think it ſo eaſie a thing.
JOH. 17.8.
And they have known ſurely that I came out from thee, and they have beleeved that thou didſt ſend me.
OUR Saviour commended their Obedience in the former part of this Verſe; Now he doth the like for their Faith; For Obedience without faith is but a maimed and lame Sacrifice; yea, there cannot be any acceptation of our Obedience becauſe of the imperfection of it, unleſſe Faith cover it in Chriſt, and this our Saviour now undertakes, that the Diſciples were not as the Phariſees and Jews who truſted in the righteouſneſſe of their Obedience, but when they had done all looked out for a Mediatour to ſtand between Gods perfection, the Laws perfection, and thine Imperfection: Their Faith is commended by our Saviour,
1. In the Acts.
2. The quality.
3. The object of it.
The Acts are one of them large and comprehenſive, They have beleeved.
2. More narrow and particular, They have known; Here you ſee that Faith is not a blinde ignorant aſſent, but accompanied with a true and ſure knowledge of that we beleeve.
Secondly, There is the quality of their Faith, They have known ſurely, foreign, which may be oppoſed either to hypocriſie or falſe ends; They did unfeignedly upon true grounds beleeve, not like thoſe that are ſaid to beleeve, yet our Saviour would not commit himſelf to them becauſe they ſought the glory of men more then of God, Joh. 2. or elſe it may be oppoſed to doubting and ſtaggering, as our Tranſlators ſeem to go; They did ſurely, overcoming all unbelief, and doubts that might oppoſe them.
Laſtly, Here is the object of their Faith, viz. That Chriſt came from the Father, as ſent to be a Mediatour, working ſalvation for thoſe that did receive him; They looked upon him, not only in reſpect of his perſon, God and man, but alſo in relation to his office, that he was the Jeſus, and the anointed one to ſave his people from their ſinnes; Whereas then we ſee our Saviour in many words commending this faith of theirs as a moſt ſpecial conſideration in them, and which would be very acceptable to God, we may obſerve,
That Faith in Chriſt as a Mediatour is acceptable and well pleaſing as well as Obedience to a command; It's not Gods will that a childe of his ſhould be alwaies either thinking of ſinne or obedience, but alſo of beleeving or reſting the ſoul upon Chriſt, as in whom all fulneſſe is,Doct. Faith in Chriſt as Mediatour is acceptable to God. and though when God only becomes well-pleaſed with us, Joh. 6.29. when the people asked, What they ſhould do that they might do the works of God; Chriſt anſwers, This is the work of God that ye beleeve in him; Faith is here called the work of God,
1. Becauſe it's wrought by him; We are not able of our ſelves to beleeve, but in this ſence it's not meant here.
2. By work of God is meant that which in a moſt eminent manner is acceptable to him, that which he ſeemeth to delight in more then any other, and that is faith, and indeed the people of God they are hardly perſwaded of this; They doubt rather whether it be a duty at all; Oh how long are they kept in the uncertain wilderneſs of tears and dejections, ere they come to know the way of beleeving; They ſtill hope by ſomething they do to be accepted, ſo that to the humbled ſinner there ſeemeth nothing more paradoxal and difficult▪ Whereas we would think thus to beleeve in Chriſt and receive him as a Mediatour would be very eaſie for all; None would keep off; For it is to come and take comfort and eaſe, and who will refuſe this? But it's certain that the Children of God ſenſible of their ſinnes are a long while ere they are fully directed into this way of beleeving; They do not preſently underſtand how well-pleaſing it is to God that they ſhould caſt off their burthen on Chriſt; That they ſhould cover themſelves with his robes, and ſo come and appear before God.
The Grounds of ſuch diſcouragements in Gods Children are,Why Gods Children are ſo hardly brought to beleeve.
1. The real and bitter ſence of their ſinnes in the nature, frequency, and all aggravations of them; So that while they are thus broken in heart nothing but ſin, ſin doth preſent it ſelf in the guilt thereof; See it in David, Pſa. 51. His ſinnes were alwaies before him; His murder, his adultery, theſe were ever in his eyes, and what a work is it to bring him to a joyful ſpirit in the mercies of God; The godly therefore being many times attent to their ſins, they are carefull that their repentance be reall, bitter, and deep enough, and withall ſeeing ſinnes riſing up in their hearts after one another, as one wave after another; They grow wholly deſpondent, and all their thoughts and Meditations are as if there were nothing but ſinne to be thought upon, Nothing but ſin to be meditated on, and this extremity of ſorrow makes the ear deaf to Chriſt, ſo that it refuſeth like Rachel to be comforted; Thus the Inceſtuous perſon when he did feel the bitterneſſe of his ſin, was in danger of being ſwallowed up with too much ſorrow; He thinketh not only the Prieſt and the Levite, but even the good Samaritan will alſo paſſe him by and powr no Oyle in his wounds; When one eye is intent downwards, the other cannot look upwards; When the heart is greatly grieved from one object, it can hardly be prepared to receive comfort from another.
2. There is an innate inbred principle of a Legal Juſtification or acceptation by works that we doe, and this makes Faith in the Mediatour as a ſtranger, as an abſurd thing; and indeed this is the main reaſon why all the godly finde it ſo hard to beleeve, why they are ſo loth to be beholding to grace onelyonly to reſign every thing, and to be ſaved by Chriſt meerly; Even that inbred principle of being juſtified by what we do; See how all they that come to Chriſt propound this, What ſhall we do that we may be ſaved? They look upon doing not beleeving, Thus the Jews generally, they ſought to eſtabliſh the righteouſneſſe of the Law, and, would not ſubmit to the Righteouſneſſe of faith, Rom. 10.3. Oh it is a great matter to humble and empty the heart of a man ſo as that he will ſubmit to a Righteouſneſſe of Faith; yea, we ſee many of the Chriſtian Teachers and diſciples were led away in this, as appeareth by the Epiſtle to the Romans and Galatians; What a great task hath the Apoſtle, to take all off from works and the obedience to the Law, and to give all to Chriſt? They would give part to Chriſt and part to their works, but not all to Chriſt, ſo that it's a very hard thing to pull this weed out of our breaſt; We ſee all Popery and Socinianiſme goeth this way alſo; To doe ſomething that they may be juſtified thereby.
3. Thus they cannot think that it's ſo acceptable to beleeve in a Mediatour, becauſe it's chiefly their comfort and their good thereby; ſo that they look upon it as ſelf-ſeeking and immoderately deſiring their own good and peace, not as any waies tending to the glory of God: But we ſhall ſhew you that Faith in the Mediatour doth not only bring comfort and joy to us, but admirable glory to God, even more then Martyrdom, or the higheſt expreſſions of Obedience; Do not therefore tempt thy ſelf, and be a Satan to thy own peace; What though thy comfort, thy ſalvation bound up in beleeving, yet if God will be honoured and glorified this way; Thou art rather joyfully to receive his grace then frowardly to diſpute againſt it, ſo that if this beleeving be a ſelf-ſeeking, it's ſuch as God would have thee to do, and as he that will not eat or drink is guilty of bodily murder, ſo he that will not beleeve on Chriſt which is called eating and drinking, is guilty of ſoul-murder.
4 This is ſtrange and difficult to the godly a long while, becauſe our juſtification and acceptation by him is wholly of ſupernatural Revelation; It's like the doctrine of the Trinity or of Chriſts Incarnation; As humane reaſon would never aſſent to ſuch a Truth were it not for divine Revelation that overpowers all, ſo that all our ſins are pardoned through Faith in Chriſts bloud, is likewiſe of meer divine manifeſtation; For ſee what nature doth incline us unto in all the heathens when they had ſinned, ſo as their Conſcience condemned them, they went to ſome ſolemn ſacrifice, or other extraordinary work, thinking thereby to pacifie the wrath of God: Adam was created in a ſtate of Righteouſneſſe, and ſo by his Obedience of works he was to be juſtified; And upon his fall it became impoſſible that any ſhould be juſtified by what he did, unleſſe ſinne could juſtifie a man; Therefore when God diſcovered a Chriſt, and Juſtification by faith in him, This is new doctrine from heaven; Neither Men or Angels could have found out ſuch a way, ſo that it's no wonder if man be thus averſe to this Faith in the Promiſe, becauſe it's a way that neither the ſtate of Integrity or of man fallen was acquainted with, inſomuch that a godly man in the ſence of his ſins, muſt bring ſuch a faith in the Mediatour as he doth in other myſterious ſupernatural objects of Faith, and his heart ſaith, It's unlikely ſuch a ſinner, ſuch an offender ſhould finde mercy, ſay, O my Soul, Are not the other ſupernaturall Points of Religion that I beleeve very unlikely alſo and incredible to fleſh and bloud?
Laſtly, Therefore this ſeemeth hard to the godly broken hearted ſinner, becauſe though Faith in a Mediatour be a duty, yet it's not to every one that live, that wallow in their ſins; Chriſt is not a Mediator whether men repent or not repent; You are not to think that it is all one, godlineſſe or no godlineſſe; If then ſuch only may beleeve in a Mediatour as do truly and ſincerely repent of ſinne; This will be hard to finde out, for there are Ahabs tears and Judas's tears for ſinne, and indeed upon this depends all; In this the godly are ſo much plunged, Chriſt indeed bids thoſe Come that are heavy laden, that hunger and thirſt after him, But I have great cauſe to queſtion my ſelf whether I doe thus or not.
In the ſecond place,Why prophane men think it ſo eaſie to beleeve in Chriſt Why is it ſo that Prophane and ungodly men think it ſo eaſie to beleeve in Chriſt? And they ſay they do it with all their heart, when it's plain by the Scripture they are not ſuch to whom thoſe glorious things of the Goſpel do belong.
And 1. They think it ſo eaſie becauſe they take preſumption for faith; They think they beleeve when they preſume; Now to preſume is eaſie, becauſe it's a work of the fleſh, it's ſutable to our corruptions that the Jews though they committed all lewdneſſe, yet the Prophet complaineth they would come and lean themſelves upon the Lord, and truſt in lying words, ſaying, The Temple of the Lord, &c. That is not faith which moſt of the world have; It's preſumption, it's carnal-confidence, ſuch as thoſe had who ſaid, Lord, have not we propheſied in thy Name, Such as the fooliſh Virgins had, Mat. 25. Such as Paul had before his Converſion, when he ſaid, He was alive, Rom. 7. Oh then tremble at that ſecurity and confidence thou haſt, Thou maiſt be ſure it's a ſinne, and of the devil, it's ſo eaſie, whereas Faith is very difficult.
2. They look upon Faith in Chriſt as eaſie, becauſe they divide the Object, they take ſome things of Chriſt not whole Chriſt; They think it's only beleeving on him as a Saviour for pardon of ſinne; They do not chooſe him as a Lord to whom in all obedience they reſign themſelves; This is indeed the rock that ſplits many, tell them of beleeving in Chriſt, and they think that is only to reſt for ſalvation, They attend not that it's the receiving of Chriſt for all the ends and purpoſes God ſent him into the world; Now one main end beſides our juſtification and ſalvation is our Sanctification; To redeem to himſelf a people zealous of good works, Tit. 2.14. To communicate his Spirit for to make holy as well as his merit to make happy.
Laſtly, They think it eaſie becauſe they never think on any qualifications which are required in thoſe who partake of Chriſt; It's true, there are the Antecedent Conditions of merit or worth, Let that Popery be abandoned, but yet the Scripture tels who and what kinde of perſons they are that muſt claim an Intereſt in Chriſt, They are bleſſed that hunger and thirſt, for ſuch ſhall be ſatisfied, Mat. 5. Every one that is athirſt is to Come, Rev. 22.17. Repent that your ſins may be blotted out, Act. 3.19. Now prophane ſecure people they never think of theſe qualifications, They ſay, God is merciful, They ſay Chriſt is a Saviour, but then they never conſider of whom, They think not that many are called but few choſen; They love not thoſe places, The way to heaven is a narrow and ſtraight way, Not all that ſay Lord, Lord, ſhall finde the gate of heaven opened to them; If they thought ſeriouſly of theſe things, it would cauſe an holy trembling in them.
Theſe things premiſed Let us conſider,Why beleeving in Chriſt is ſo acceptable to God. Why it is ſo well-pleaſing to God that we ſhould believe in Chriſt our Mediatour; It's accepted of as well as our Repentance or love, or any other obedience.
And 1. Becauſe hereby God is exalted and magnified in his glory; We cannot glorifie God more otherwiſe; Now then if God aimed at his glory in the Creation of the world, but much more in the redemption of his Children; There is not a way to exalt his glory more then by beleeving; Thus Abraham in that of his concerning a Seed, which did relate to Chriſt, it's ſaid, he ſtaggered not, but gave glory to God, Rom. 4.20. The glory of his power, of his goodneſſe, he regarded not the dead womb, nor any other difficulties; Thus it is here, when thou ſeeſt ſinne againſt thee, the Law againſt thee, Juſtice againſt thee, and that every thing hath a dead womb, yea, a damned womb for thee, to overlook all in Chriſt, is an high degree to glorifie God; Oh then ckeck thy unbeleeving thoughts, Say, Is there any way in the world whereby I can glorifie God like to the relying on Chriſt and leaning upon his grace; So much diſhonour as deſpair caſteth on God, ſo much glory faith attributeth to him, reſiſt then all the buzzing temptations of Satan, and ſay, What, ſhall I not glorifie God? What, ſhall I not give God honour?
2. The acceptableneſſe of it doth appear in the frequent and conſtant commands that Chriſt giveth about it; It's true he commands Repentance, Love, Self-deniall, but above all he requireth faith. The queſtion he propounded to moſt that came to him was, Do ye beleeve? This is ſo great a duty in Chriſtianity, that the Heathens abhorred our Religion as irrational, ſaying, It's only beleeved with them, whereupon they called them in ſcorn Beleevers; But this is the grand and primary duty, Heb. 11.1. There is no coming to God without this, and Eternal life is ſaid to be in this, Above all take the Shield of faith, Eph. 6.16. If then we ſee the Scripture ſo conſtantly enjoyning this above all, yea, and threatning with damnation if we do not beleeve; How is it that the godly ſtand aloof of, and ſtill are not reſolved whether they ſhould beleeve or not; Thou doſt not ſo about Repentance; Thou never queſtioneſt whether thou ſhouldſt grieve or mourn for thy ſins, Thou wouldſt think it high wickedneſs to do ſo; Why then ſhouldſt thou doubt whether being burthened with ſin thou ſhouldſt ſeek eaſe by faith in him, Is not the command as indiſpenſable for one as the other.
3. It's acceptable Becauſe hereby Chriſt as a Mediator is improved for all theſe glorious ends he was appointed by God, and thereby Chriſt is alſo glorified; What ſhall ſuch unſearchable riches of grace as are bound up in Chriſt be buried? Shall there not be daily acknowledgements of him? Now conſider, that if by Faith thou doſt not receive him, thou declareſt Chriſt lived in vain, and died in vain, by what reaſon thou doſt not beleeve; for one effect thou muſt not for another, and ſo for all; Thus it will be as if there had never been ſuch a perſon as Chriſt; We may in ſome ſence call it thy Antichriſtian unbelief, He that denieth Chriſt to be come in the fleſh is Antichriſt, 2 Joh. 7 Doth not thy unbelief deny him? For the denying of his office is by conſequence the denying of his perſon; Thy unbelief doth that practically which the damnable hereſies of Socinians do doctrinally, make as if Chriſt were not a Mediatour, and ſuch who had ſatisfied the wrath of God for us; Oh then know it's not all thy ſins do ſo immediatly oppoſe Chriſt as a Mediatour as thy unbelief doth, which makes Divines ſay, that in ſome ſence only unbelief damneth, beeauſe that rejecteth the Mediatour, refuſeth the Saviour, ſo that as we ſay, It's not the diſeaſe but the neglect of the medicine that kils.
4. It's very acceptable to God becauſe It's the moſt evacuating grace, It emptieth us wholly of our ſelves, God he delights in humility, now nothing humbleth us and takes us off all our ſeeming worth, like faith in Chriſt, for therefore I wholly truſt in him for righteouſneſſe, becauſe I have none of my own; If I had any rags that could cover my nakedneſſe, I would not be aſhamed, but now being all over impure and unclean, my Faith makes me catch hold on him; Thus Paul he counted all things dung or droſſe Phil. 3. becauſe of the righteouſneſſe which is by Faith in Chriſt: Seeing then Faith gives all to God and Chriſt, makes us miſerable, wretched and hopeleſſe in our ſelves; No wonder if God doe ſo accept of it; Conſider therefore how it debaſeth thee, and carrieth thee off every thing that is thine, and then thou wilt ſay, this is the grace God loveth, this makes me nothing, and God all in all.
5. Faith in Chriſt muſt needs be acceptable, becauſe hereby we bring a righteouſneſſe into Gods preſence which doth beſt pleaſe him, which ſatisfieth him to the utmoſt, for Chriſt is made our Righteouſneſſe; and the end of the Law to us, he became ſin that we might become the Righteouſneſſe of God through him, 2 Cor. 5. ul. Now then if we by Faith can bring the Righteouſneſſe of Chriſt in all our duties and performances, we muſt needs pleaſe him; This is to bring Benjamin with us, Oh what ſatisfying Reaſons doth Faith in the Mediatour bring; O Lord, It is not my Righteouſneſſe, nor the Righteouſneſſe of Adam, nor the Righteouſneſſe of Angels but of Chriſt who is infinite, that I bring before thee; O Lord, doth not Chriſt pleaſe thee better then I can; O Lord is not this obedience better then my Repentance; Oh then that we ſhould not be more ſollicitous to beleeve in every duty, in every approach to God, for that brings Chriſt, that preſents not our perſons or duties but Chriſt; Thus Paul, he would be found in Chriſt not having his own righteouſn…ſſe, Phil. 3.9. Ye know not how righteous God is, nor the Law, nor what God requireth, that do not thus preſs to beleeve. Other grounds of this excellent Evangelical Point, I defer and come to the
Ʋſe, which is of Direction to the people of God, Oh what joyful, comfortable and bleſſed lives might you live if acquainted with this Truth; Art thou dejected, filled with unbelieving thoughts, it's from thy ignorance of this Truth; You would be more filial and Evangelical were you poſſeſſed with this Truth more; The Devil labours to keep you off, as Saul did Jonathan, and the people from eating honey; whereas if they had not forborn it their enemies had been quite vanquiſhed, he keepeth thee from this honey, he knoweth if thou wert beleeving no ſin or temptation could ſtand before thee, Heb. 5.13. The babe Chriſtian is ſaid to be unskilful in the word of Righteouſneſſe, what is that, he knoweth not Chriſt and the righteouſneſſe by him, Therefore the Spirit of God is ſaid to convince the world of Righteouſneſſe, Joh. 16.8. O what Enemies are we to our ſelves becauſe ignorant herein.