Christian Directions, Chapter 30
CHAP. XXX.
Of resting upon Christ alone for Life and for Salvation.
HAving in the foregoing Chapters given you several practical Directions for your Christian Conversation in the world, shewing you how to walk with God all the day long, in your several Callings, Conditions, and Relations; I shall close this Treatise with one general Caution, namely, That when you have in some measure put in practice the foremetioned Rules and Directions, you would beware of resting therein, and of looking for life and for salvation in and thorow them. And truly, there is good reason for this Caution, because it is natural for men out of Christ to seek for salvation by their own works, and to rest on them, which is one of the most dangerous things in the world; For so long as a man doth so, hee is uncapable of Christ, as seeing no need hee hath of a Saviour.Rom. 9. 32. It is said of the Iews, that they lost salvation, because they sought it not by Faith, i. e. by Faith in Christs Righteousness, in what he had done and suffered, but sought it by the own Righteousness, i. e. by resting in their own works, which indeed is the high-way to hell and destruction, as well as the way of sin, though it be somewhat a cleaner way. For there is a double way to hell, The way of Sin, and the way of Duty. The way of Sin is a filthy, dirty way, whereas the way of Duty is a fairer, cleaner way; I mean Duties rested in are the ready way to hell and destruction. Whereupon it was the counsel of Luther, To take heed not onelyonly of our sins, but also of our duties, i. e. of resting in them, and building our hope of salvation upon them. Therefore to take you off from that, I shall commend to your serious consideration two fundamental Principles, necessary to be known of all that will be saved.
1 That Iesus Christ is the onelyonly way and means of salvation.
2 That beleeving in Christ is the onelyonly means of partaking of him, and of salvation by him. As there is no salvation but by Christ, so there is no having Christ and salvation but by Faith.
1 The former is clear from many places of Scripture; as first from that known place,Act. 4. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other, &c. Here the Apostle plainly shews, that there is no salvation but by Christ, for which hee gives a sufficient reason in the next words; For there is no name under Heaven given among men whereby wee must be saved; implying thereby, that if through Gods free Grace we be saved, it must necessarily be in and by Jesus Christ. For it is not the name of a mans own duties or righteousness whereby hee can be saved, they are full of infirmities and imperfections, whereupon the Church crieth out,lsa. 64. 6. All our righteousnesses are as filthy raggs, i e. the best works of the best men, performed after the best manner that they can, are as a menstruous cloath, full of spots and stains, full of weaknesses and imperfections. Neither is it the name of a mans graces, whereby hee can bee saved, for they likewise are weak and imperfect, there being a mixture of sin, as in our best duties, so in our best graces; a mixture of pride with our humility, of hypocrisie with our sincerity, of unbeleef with our faith, &c. I grant indeed that Christians may look to their graces as evidences of their part and interest in Jesus Christ, and of salvation by him, but not as causes of their salvation. They may likewise make use of duties as means to bring them unto Christ, but not to bee saved by them. Christ, and Christ alone, is the only cause and Author of their salvation, and therefore hee stiles himself the way, the truth, and the life, saying,Joh. 14, 6. foreign, Via illa certissima, as B…za in loc. I am the way, the truth, and the life, i. e. the true way to eternal life, the onelyonly way by which wee may certainly, and out of which it is impossible wee should ever attain unto eternal life and salvation. In which respect hee is often stiled A SAVIOUR. foreign. Luk. 2. 11. 2 Pet. 3. 18. foreign.Yea hee is termed the Author of eternal salvation, Heb. 5. 9. The word in the Greek properly signifieth a cause, even the efficient cause of of our salvation; and that hee is both by purchase from his Father, and by conquest over Satan, whose slaves and vassals all mankind were.Heb. 2. 10. In this respect hee is likewise called the Captain of our Salvation. Luk. 2. 29.Yea hee is stiled Salvation it self. foreign.And on this ground was the name Iesus given him,Mat. 1. 21. Because it was hee who should save his people from their sins. Mat. 7. 24.And therefore as hee is the wise builder, who built his house upon the Rock: So he is the wise Christian, who builds his hope of salvation only upon this Rock, the Lord Jesus Christ. And the truth is, all other things besides Jesus Christ, will prove but rotten and sandy foundations to all those who shall build their hope of salvation upon them. And yet how many foolish Christians be there who build their hope of salvation upon other things besides Jesus Christ. As
1 Some upon their freedome from scandalous sins, they are not so bad as other men, and thereupon flatter themselves with a conceit of their good estate, yea and hope of salvation; which was the deceit of the proud Pharisee, Luk. 18. 11.who thought himself a good man, because hee was not so bad as others. Whereas in truth it is not hee who is not so bad as others, that hath a well-grounded hope of salvation, but he who goeth wholly out of himself unto Christ, that with a disclaiming of all Righteousness of his own, doth place his whole confidence upon the Righteousness of Jesus Christ, and the merits of his death and passion, for life, and for salvation.
2 Others build their hope of salvation upon some good desires in their hearts now and then by fits. But alas! they are much mistaken and deceived, who think with a few good desires to break open the gates of Heaven. I grant indeed that good desires in the soul, I mean, desires of grace and holiness, are a good sign of some beginnings of grace, for it is grace to desire grace. But if you rest contented with your desires after grace and goodness, and not go unto Jesus Christ the fountain of all grace and goodness, you may lye down in sorrow, and fall short of eternal life and salvation.
3 Others build their hope of salvation upon their bare outward profession of Religion, they have been baptized, and profess the true Christian Faith, and thereupon think themselves as good Christians as the best.Mat. 21. 19. But as Christ cursed the Fig-tree which had leaves only, and no fruit; so will hee curse them who bear the leaves of Profession, but want the fruits of a godly life and conversation. And it is like to fare with them, as it did with the five foolish Virgins, who had their Lamps of Profession, as well as the wise Virgins, but for want of oyl in their Lamps, i. e. of grace in their hearts, were shut out of the Bride-chamber, i. e. out of Heaven, which is the Bride-chamber of Jesus Christ.
4 Others build and bottome their hope of salvation upon their civil Righteousness, and moral honesty, their just and upright dealing with men, and the like, when as many Heathen who had no knowledge of Jesus Christ, and so fell short of Heaven, have gone further in Morality and Civil Righteousness than these men.
5 Others build their hope of salvation upon their Religious Righteousness, their frequent performance of holy and religious duties; they are frequent in hearing, praying, reading, partaking of the Lords Supper, &c. and hereupon flatter themselves with an hope of salvation: whereas their best services, should they bee weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary, would be found too light, and insufficient to salvation, being full of weaknesses, infirmities, and imperfections, for which the Lord might justly condemn them, should hee deal with them according to the rigour of his justice.
6 Others build their hope of salvation upon their sorrow and humiliation; finding their hearts in some measure affected with grief and sorrow for their sins, especially if they do but drop a few tears; oh then they flatter themselves with an hope both of the pardon and forgiveness of their sins, and of eternal life and salvation, which they ground upon that promise of our Saviour. Come unto mee all yee that labour, Mat 11. 28.and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Conceiving that Christ had promised rest and peace, yea life and salvation unto all that found their hearts affected with grief and sorrow for their sins, without any more adoe▪ whereas I conceive it is not so much a promise of rest and salvation unto humbled souls, as an invitation unto such (because they are most apt to be discouraged) to come unto Christ, from whom alone peace and comfort, rest and salvation is to bee had. Such therefore as having found their hearts affected with grief and sorrow for their sins, do rest satisfied therewith, and seek not out for Jesus Christ, they are like to sit down without Christ, and so fall short both of true peace here, and of salvation hereafter.
7 Others bottome their hope of salvation upon their partial repentance; I mean their leaving and forsaking some sins, when in the mean time they wittingly live in the practice of other sins, which in truth is but a seigned and hypocritical repentance, like that of Herods, who upon Iohn Baptists preaching is said to leave many sins, but yet would by no means part with his Herodias, his darling and beloved sin. Nay, though your repentance bee true and full, yet if you stay there, and not look beyond it unto Jesus Christ, you will fall short of salvation.
8 Others bottom their hope of Salvation upon their Works of Charity, thinking to purchase Heaven by their good Works, and so wholly exclude Christs merits, which they ground upon that sentence of Absolution pronounced by our Saviour at the Day of Judgement unto his Elect,Mat. 25. 34 wherein hee giveth Heaven to them who have expressed their charity to his poor members, in feeding, cloathing them, and the like; whereas our Saviour instanceth in these Works of Charity, as the fruites of their faith, whereby they did evidence their faith to be a true and lively faith, which manifested its life by those works of charity; so that works of charity in themselves can be no good ground to bottom your salvation upon, but only faith in Jesus Christ, which is ever accompanied with works of charity, if true and sound.
9 Others bottom their hope of Salvation upon the Mercy of God. They will confess themselves to be poor, wretched, sinful Creatures, but they hope the mercy of God will pardon their sins, and accept their poor services. Thus many make the Mercy of God to eik out their own righteousness, and so both put together they think will be a means of attonement and reconciliation with God, yea and of obtaining eternal life and salvation. But such doe wonderfully mistake the proper work of Gods Mercy, which is not to eik out our righteousness, but to shew us our unrighteousness and misery, and then to shew us Jesus Christ, the perfection of his righteousness, the all-sufficiency of his Sacrifice, with his willingness to receive all poor Sinners that will come unto him, and then to stirre up our hearts to receive Jesus Christ as our Priest, Prophet, and King, and to rest upon him for life and for salvation. And thus might I goe on, shewing you the many false and rotten foundations upon which the greatest part of men doe build their hopes of Salvation; whereas in truth Christ is the only true solid foundation, whereon we can safely build the hope of our Salvation.1 Cor. 3. 11 And therefore saith the Apostle, Other foundation can no man lay, th… that is laid, the Lord Iesus Christ; intimating Christ to be the only true foundation. So that he is the wise Christian that builds his hope of salvation only upon that rock the Lord Jesus Christ. And so I pass from the first fundamental Principle to the second, namely,
II. That beleeving in Christ is the only means, as of partaking of Christ, so of salvation by him. This was typified by the means of the Israelites cure of the sting of the fiery Serpents, and that was by looking upon the brazen Serpent; for as the Israelites by looking upon the brazen Serpent were perfectly cured of the sting of the fiery Serpents: In like manner all poor Sinners, sensible of the sting of Sin, by looking with the eye of faith upon Jesus Christ lifted up upon the Cross, shall be perfectly cured of the sting of their sins. This application of that Type our Saviour himself maketh,Joh. 3. 14, 15 for saith he, As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. So that beleeving in Jesus Christ is the only means of partaking of Christ and of salvation by him,
What this faith is which maketh us partakers of Christ, and of Salvation by him, I have formerly shewed, in the Directions for the worthy receiving of the Lords Supper.
How should the consideration hereof stirre you up, to labour above all things to beleeve in Jesus Christ? that is, to goe wholly out of your selves unto Jesus Christ, and to receive him as he is offered in the Gospel. Mind this work most of all, for it is the All in all to your Salvation; and yet how doe the greatest part of you minde your pleasures, and your profits more than this? Can they give you an interest in Christ, or a right to Salvation? Why then should your pleasures and your profits be so minded, and sought after by you? even more than faith, which only can give you an interest in Christ, and a right unto salvation in and thorow him. Surely it is a thing to be lamented, that men should so much mind worldly things, and in the mean time forget spiritual things; That they should be so politick for their bodies, and so foolish for their souls; That they should with Martha, be so much troubled about earthly things, and not with Mary, mind this one thing necessary; but resolve hence forward to give no rest to your souls till you have attained to this saving grace of faith.
The means God hath sanctified thereunto may be brought to three Heads.
1 The removing of some lets and impediments.
2 The embracing of some truths.
3 The practising of some Duties.
The lets and impediments are of two sorts.
1 Such as keep Natural men and women from beleeving in Jesus Christ.
2 Such as keep off many a sincere broken-hearted Sinner.
I. The lets and impediments that keep off Natural men and women from beleeving in Jesus Christ, are these, and such like.
1 A love of their lusts; For this men generally know, that as Dagon fell down before the Ark: so their lusts must fall down before Jesus Christ; they know that when Christ is received into the heart by faith, their lusts must be cast out, for Christ will not be received into that heart which is full of base and sinful lusts. Now mens lusts are dear unto them, and very unwilling they are to part with them, they had as lieve part with Christ as part with their lusts.Joh. 3. 19 This our Saviour intimateth, where he saith, Light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light; where by Light is meant principally Iesus Christ with his Gospel, and by darkness mens lusts, which they prefer before Jesus Christ, and will not part with them for the gaining of Christ, with all the benefits of his Death and Passion. Oh that any man should bee so sottish, as to prefer a base sinful lust before Jesus Christ! Surely that man hath a low mean esteem of Christ, who thinks him not able to recompence the loss of a base lust.
2 An over-much love of the world and worldly things. The truth is, that soul that is not in some measure divorsed from the world, cannot by faith embrace the Lord Jesus Christ as her Husband. O therefore let it be your daily Prayer, and earnest endeavour, to wean your hearts more and more from the love of these earthly things, that yee may not love them so much, as thereby to be kept from loving and embracing of Jesus Christ.
3 Spiritual Pride, grounded upon a mans over-valuing conceit of himself, and of his own estate. How many are apt to think with the Church of Laodicea, that they are rich and full, and have need of nothing; when in truth they are poor, and blind, and naked, wretched, and miserable, being empty of all grace and goodness? yea they are the more wretched and miserable, because they know not their misery, and so see no need, no necessity they have of Jesus Christ; which is the saddest condition in the world: for such are furthest off from going unto Christ, and beleeving in him. Hee therefore that would imbrace Jesus Christ as his Saviour, must come with an empty hand and heart, receiving him with an empty hand of Faith, into an empty heart, emptied of all self, as self righteousness, self-worthiness, self-goodness, &c.
II. The Lets and Impediments that keep off many a sincere, broken-hearted sinner from clozing with Jesus Christ, and beleeving in him, are these, and such like,
1 A deep apprehension of the number and heinousness of their sins; For the removal of this, let such consider,
1 That the more and greater their sins are, the greater need they have to go unto Iesus Christ, and to cast themselves, and the burthen of their sins upon him. For as the more sick any are in body, the more need they have of a Physician: So the more sinful any souls are, the more sick of sin, the more need they have to go unto Jesus Christ, who is the onelyonly Physician of the soul, who both can and will heal all their sins, which are the spiritual diseases of their souls, as readily as he healed bodily diseases, when he was upon the earth, if they will go unto him.
2 Let such know and consider, that the apprehension of the number and heinousness of their sins, should be so far from keeping them from going to Christ, and receiving him, that it should be a forcible Argument to drive them unto Christ, Mat. 9. 13.seeing Christ professeth▪ hee came into the world to save sinners; where by sinners are meant, such as are truly sensible of their sins. And thereupon all such sinners are invited to come un…o him;Mat. 11. 28. Come unto mee all yee that labour and are heavy laden, viz. with the weight and burden of your sins. And therefore the Apostle Paul averreth this truth with a gloriovs preface;1 Tim. 1. 15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, viz. That Iesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, and that without exception of sins or persons; yea that hee came to save the chief of sinners. Why then should the apprehension of thy sins keep thee off from going unto Christ, and resting upon him for salvation? when as hee came to save such sinners as thou art, nay worser, even the chief of sinners.
2 A second Let and Impediment is, A doubting of Christs willingness to receive them, if they should go unto him. For the better convincing such of Christs willingness to receive and imbrace all poor sinners, that will but go unto him, and imbrace him with the arms of their Faith, I shall lay down three grounds thereof
1 The first is the several gracious invitations of Christ to poor sinners to come unto him, as Isa. 55. 1. Mat. 11. 28. Ioh. 7. 37.
2 Christs willingness appears, in that hee hath instituted and appointed his Ministers, hee hath dispatched Embassadors in his name to wooe, instruct, and beseech men to come in unto him, and to accept of that Reconciliation which hee hath purchased by his blood.2 Cor. 5. 20.
3 Christs willingness doth appear, in that hee …oth accept of the least and lowest degree of Faith, and will not discourage the weakest soul that cometh unto him.Mat. 12. 20. A bruised reed shall hee not break, and smoaking flax shall hee not quench. As by a bruised need is there meant a weak Christian, so by smoaking flax, such an one as hath corruption mixed with grace. For the flax there mentioned is the weick of a Candle, which if it smoak, giveth but little light, and yeelds a stinking savour. Though true beleevers by reason of the flesh in them may bee such, yet will not Christ quench that little light of Faith that is in them.
3 A third Let and Impediment, is a fear and jealousie that they are not sufficiently humbled under the sense of their sins; and the rather, because they do not finde their hearts so broken, as the hearts of others have been. For the removal of this, I desire such to take notice of these things.
1 That a man may be sufficiently humbled and broken for his sins, though not so deeply as others; for true humiliation admits of degrees, and all Christians have it not in a like measure. And therefore far be it from any to conclude that they are not sufficiently humbled, because they have not attained to such a measure and degree thereof, as some others have.
2 Though▪ thou art not so deeply humbled as some others have been, yet if thou art so sensible of thy sins, and of thy misery thereby, that thou art truly sensible of the need and necessity thou hast of Jesus Christ, it is sufficient, and thou mayest with boldness go unto Jesus Christ, roul thy self into his bosome, and cast thy self into his arms. Though thou never knewest what belongs to the bitter throws, and stinging pangs which others feel in their new birth, yet that work being done, for which deep humiliation is required (namely, to be sensible of the need of Christ, and thereupon to long after him) thou mayest bee incouraged to go unto Jesus Christ, and to rest upon him, as for the pardon of thy sins here, so for eternal life and salvation hereafter.
3 Know, that if thou beest not at present so deeply humbled and broken for thy sins, as thou wouldest be, yet thou mayest bee more humbled after thy beleeving in Christ. For a Christians sorrow and humiliation for sin and misery is not all at first, but often…imes it is more and greater after a clozing with Jesus Christ, and a sensible feeling of Gods love, than it was before. Yea the le…s humiliation before Faith in Jesus Christ, the more many times follows after. And that is true humiliation, and Evangelical Repe…tance, which followeth after Faith.
4 Another Let and Impediment that keeps off many a sincere Christian from going unto Christ, and clozing with him, is a fear and sealousie that their day of grace is past; and th…t it is now too late, having so long stood out against the tenders and offers of Jesus Christ. For the removal of this, I shall propound four things to your serious consideration.
1 It is not for any man to say his day of grace is past, for that is one of those secrets which belong only unto God to know. And we must not meddle with Gods secrets, but check our selves for it.
2 If thou hast stood out against Christ hitherto, thou hast now therefore the more reason to come in, and cloze with the tenders and offers of Jesus Christ.
3 If thou hast an heart desirous to cloze with the tenders and offers of Jesus Christ, it is certain thy day of grace is not yet past, Christ still knocks at the door of thine heart, therefore now resolve to open unto him.
4 Consider, that Christ hath several seasons of bringing men home to himself; some hee brings home to himself in the latter end of the day, who questionless refused him in the former part thereof; and therefore so long as life lasteth, do not say it is too late, but stir up thy self to receive Jesus Christ as hee is offered in the Gospel, and to rest upon him, and his merits alone for life and salvation.
Having thus shewed you the Lets and Impediments to be removed,
II. I proceed now to the truths to be imbraced, which are these,
1 That every man out of Christ is in a wretched miserable cond…tion, liable to the wrath of God, to the curse of the Law, to all judgements and plagues here, and to eternal death and condemnation hereafter, with the Devils and damned in Hell flames. Yea every Christless man and woman hang over the very mouth of Hell, by the rotten thred of their lives, which is ready every moment to crack, and then what can be expected but an irrecoverable downfall into Hell.
2 That no man is able to help himself out of this wretched, miserable condition, 2 Cor. 3. 5for as the Apostle speaketh, We are not sufficient of our selves, so much as to think a good thought, much less can we doe any thing of our selves to free our selves from so great a bondage and slavery as sin hath brought us into.
3 That God himself out of his free grace and rich mercy did send his own Son out of his bosome into the world to take our Nature upon him,Gal. 4. 45 that therein he might redeem us out of our wretched, miserable condition.
4 That Christ is an all-sufficient Saviour, who by his Death hath made full satisfaction to Gods Justice for all our sins,foreign. and therefore is able to save us to the uttermost, to the uttermost of our sins, yea to the uttermost of our fears and doubts.
5 That Iesus Christ is willing to receive and embrace all poor sinners who will but goe unto him,Heb. 7. 25 and cast themselves, and the burthen of their sins upon him;Isa. 55. 1 as appears by his manifold gracious invitations unto poor Sinners, Mat. 11. 28who are but sensible of their sins, Joh. 7. 37to come unto him.Rev. 22. 17
6 That there is no way or means of Salvation, but only by beleeving in Jesus Christ; and beleeving is necessary to salvation in two respects.
1 As it is the Command of God,Necessitate praecepti. that we should beleeve in the name of his Son Jesus Christ; as 1 Ioh. 3. 23. This is his Commandement, that we should beleeve on the name of his Son Iesus Christ.
2 As it is the condition or means that God hath set down for the obtaining of eternal life and salvation;Necessitate …edii. as Ioh. 3. 16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Hence it is that unbelief is made the only ground and reason of mens Damnation.Joh. 3. 18, 36 Though men shall be punished for all other sins, yet not beleeving is the ground and reason why they perish by their sins, because beleeving in Jesus Christ is the only means of Salvation.
These are the Truths to be embraced.
III. Come we now to the Duties to be practised.
1 Upon a serious apprehension of thy miserable condition without Christ, labour to stirre up in thy soul some affectionate, longing, restless desires after the Lord Jesus Christ, that thou maist in truth from thine heart, say, Oh that Christ were mine! oh that upon any terms my Soul might enjoy him. This is the lifting up of the doors and gates of the Soul, that so the King of glory m…y enter in, and dwell there.
2 Being convinced that there is no way or means of Salvation, but only by going out of thy self unto Jesus, and casting thy self upon him; Adventure thy soul upon Christ, cast thy self into his arms, and be sure thou give not way to carnal reasonings, to doubtings and temptations from the number and hainousness of thy sins, or from thine unworthiness, but reason from the entent and freeness of Gods offer of Christ, and from Christs willingness to receive all poor Sinners that will but adventure their souls upon him, saying with Iob, Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him, Est. 4. 16Job 13, 15. and with Ester, I will go; if I perish, I perish; I will perish trusting upon Jesus Christ.
3 Diligently frequent the publick Ministery of the Word,Rom. 10. 14, 17 it being the ordinary means God hath sanctified for the working of faith in our hearts, according to that of the Apostle, Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. And the hearing of the Gospel, is called the hearing of faith, Gal. 3. 2because by hearing the Doctrin of Faith, the Spirit works the grace of faith in our hearts. This is the still Voyce in which he speaks to the hearts of Sinners; and when God by his Spirit doth begin to work upon thine heart in the hearing of the Word, doe thou second the work of Gods Spirit, by oft meditating thereon, and applying it unto thy self more and more. And whensoever any sin is pressed home upon thy Conscience by the Minister, and awakens thee, labour to drive the nayl home to the head, strive to maintain the power of it upon thine heart all the week after.
4 Be earnest with God in Prayer, that whatsoever he denieth thee, he would not deny thee the saving grace of faith;Ephes. 2. 8 Faith is not of our selves, it is the free gift of God, as the Apostle teacheth us. Now the means God hath sanctified for the obtaining of every good gift, is Prayer; As therefore thou desirest faith, earnestly begge it of God, resting assured that he will not deny thee, if thou dost from thy heart ask it in the name of his Son Jesus Christ.Joh. 16. 23 Oh therefore be not wanting to thy self herein, but seeing faith may be had for asking, ask and ask again; and with patience wait upon God for the inclining thine heart to close with the tenders and offers of Jesus Christ. Prescribe him not any time, for as hee worketh on whom hee pleaseth, so hee worketh when hee pleaseth;Hab. 2. 3 and therefore though he tarry, wait; for God never failed any that continued to wait on him, but at length hee satisfied the longing desire of their souls.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Gouge, Christian Directions (1661)