The Bowels of Tender Mercy Sealed in the Everlasting Covenant, Religious treatise · Part 1 · Chapter 6 · Section 6
SECT. VI.
2. Queſt. NOw I proceed unto the ſecond Queſtion; what is to be done to What is to be done to obtain this faith.obtain this faith (this faith of union) which only brings us into the Covenant.
Sol. To help you in this (ſeeing all our ſoules hopes and enjoyments depend upon it) I would commend this courſe or practice unto you.
1. Conſider the Author of this faith, to whom it doth really appertain to give this faith which unites to Chriſt.
2. Conſider what meanes he doth uſe for the giving and working of it in the hearts of ſinners.
3. Conſider what concernes your ſelves in reference unto God, and thoſe means by which he doth work the faith which doth unite to Chriſt.
1. Conſider the Author of this faith, who it is that can give this faith which Conſider the Author of this faith.unites us to Chriſt: very much lies in this, for if we miſtake the cauſe, it is very probable we ſhall miſſe of the effect; if we go with our veſſels to Ciſterns that hold no water, we ſhall returne empty and aſhamed; therefore remember
1. That no man whoſoever is, or can be the authour of this faith unto himſelf; by No man can be the author of it to himſelf.his natural power he cannot. 1. Come to Hiſtorical Faith, Matth. 16. 17. Fleſh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee. 2ly See his need of Chriſt: the Spirit is ſent to convince of ſin. 3ly Omnipotency is neceſſary. Epheſ. 1. 19, 20. 1 Cor. 1. 21. The World by wiſdome knew not God; and verſe 23. Chriſt to the Jews a ſtumbling block, fooliſhneſſe to the Greeks. If any man had ſuch a power to believe in Chriſt, ſurely it would appear either in the gifted ſinner who hath great parts of knowledge, and underſtanding, and wiſdom; or in the troubled and diſtreſſed ſinner who longs for eaſe and reſt to his poor ſoul, and would put out all the power he hath to enjoy it: But no ſuch power is to be found in them (as from themſelves) to enable their hearts to believe in Chriſt: The knowing and underſtanding ſinners in other matters, may yet be groſly ignorant of Chriſt, and averſe to Chriſt, and the things of Chriſt. And the more ſpiritual knowledge any man hath of Chriſt, or of himſelf, the more inability ſhall he diſcern in himſelf to believe on Chriſt: And the troubled and diſtreſſed ſinner cannot of himſelf believe, or lay hold on Chriſt, though Chriſt be revealed to him, and offered to him, and all arguments uſed to perſwade him, yet he is concluded under unbelief, except the Lord himſelf perſwades and drawes his heart. No perſons can, though they have Eloquence, Piety, Pity, Art, Diligence, Wiſhing, and Deſires.
2. That no Ordinances and meanes whatſoevever can (of themſelves) be the author of this uniting faith. If the Apoſtles of Chriſt did live amongſt you, and No means and Ordinances of themſel…e… can be the Author of it.did preach every day of the week unto you the Goſpel of Chriſt; neither they, nor yet the Goſpel which they preached could (by their own power) make any one ſinner to believe on Chriſt, Matth. 11. 17. We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented. 'Tis true, that theſe are meanes and inſtruments of faith (as you ſhall preſently hear) but the Axe (which is an inſtrument) cuts not of itſelf; and the …ord (which is a means) draws not of itſelf. Neither the convincing Paul, nor eloquent Apollos, nor the affectionate John can prevaile.
3. That no duties whatſoever are the authors of the faith which unites to No duties are the authors of faith.Chriſt: You may pray, and ſhould pray; but Prayer (as a work done by you) is not the cauſe of faith; and you may hear, and read, and meditate, but none of theſe (as your works) can be the author of this faith: All theſe may be done, and yet your hearts remaine ſtill faithleſſe. Rom. 10. 18. Have they not heard? verſe 16 But they have not all obeyed.
4. God, and God only is the Author of the faith which unites us to Chriſt. No God and God only is the Author of faith.man (ſaith Chriſt himſelf, Joh. 6. 44.) can come to me, except the Father draw him. and verſe 45. They ſhall be all taught of God; every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. God himſelf muſt teach the heart: And therefore Chriſt ſaith in verſe 29. This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath ſent. Epheſ. 2. 8. By grace ye are ſaved through faith, and that not of your ſelves, it is the gift of God. Untill the Lord himſelf gives you faith you cannot believe: untill the Lord ſay, Come, you cannot come; untill the Almighty God ſay to your hearts, Be willing, and be able to take Chriſt, to receive him, to give conſent to be his, you will never be able, and never be willing to cloſe with him, &c. Therefore remember this, every one of you who deſire this faith of union, I ſay, remember. That it is God only, none but God who can give you Chriſt, and none but God can give you faith which unites you to Chriſt, it is his work, and his alone: Never look for it from any power in your ſelves, or in any other creature, but look only to God for it.
2. Conſider what means God doth uſe for the giving and working of faith: Though Conſider the means of working this faith.the meanes of themſelves give not faith, yet God doth give faith by the meanes; although the Conduit (of itſelf) gives not water, yet the fountain ſends it unto your houſes by the Conduit.
Now that meanes is the Goſpel; this is clear in Epheſ. 1. 13. In whom you alſo truſted after, that ye heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your ſalvation. So Rom. The Goſpel is the means of faith.10. 17. Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. The Goſpel is therefore called the door of Faith, Acts 14. 27. and the word of faith, Rom. 10. 8. and the power of God, Rom. 1. 16. and the word of Reconciliation, 2 Cor. 5. 19.
The Goſpel is the meanes of faith in three reſpects.
1. In that it is ſet apart and ordained by God himſelf for that end and purpoſe, to call ſinners to Chriſt.It is ſet apart for that end. As it is bleſſed of God with the preſence of his Spirit.
2. In that it is bleſſed of God with the preſence of his Spirit to work and implant faith: There God reveales his arm and puts forth his power: Some men do fancy wayes of their own to get faith; And why not another way, as well as by the Goſpel? I will tell you why? Becauſe God hath not ordained and ſanctified any other way but this: When the Lord commanded the braſen Serpent to be ſet up for the healing of the people, and that they ſhould look on it and be healed, they might as well demand, and why a Braſen Serpent? and why not another braſen Serpent, as well as this to heal us? No, none but this, for this only was ordained of God, and ſanctified for that purpoſe: So the Goſpel, that, and that only is the means ordained and ſanctified by God, and which hath his promiſe of preſence and bleſſing to go along with it, to beget faith in our hearts.
3. In that it is the moſt apt of all miniſtrations whatſoever, to raiſe and perſwade It is the moſt apt of all miniſtrations for this end.the heart to believe. For there only is the relation of the grace of God, and love of God, and kindneſs of God, and of the mercy of God in Chriſt: and therein is Chriſt made known, and the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, and a ſinners ſalvation in and by Chriſt: and therein are held forth all the encouragements to winne the heart to Chriſt; and all the anſwers and reſolves to whatſoever may breed fears, and doubts, and diſcouragements in the heart from coming to Chriſt, and all promiſes by which this faith is raiſed.
3. Conſider what concerns your ſelves in reference unto God who only gives faith, C…nſider what concerns us in re…erence to God and the Goſpel.and in reference to the Goſpel which is the only meanes by which this faith is wrought: Suppoſing only three things (already) formed in you. viz. 1. An apprehenſion that you are loſt, and ſeparated from God by ſin. 2. A conviction that you ſtand in extream need of Chriſt. 3. An earneſt deſire at leaſt to enjoy Chriſt; I would propound four things for you to do, that ſo at length you may Four things to be done.attain unto this uniting faith.
1. Diligent application of your ſelves to the hearing of the Goſpel; joyning Diligent application of our ſelves to the hearing of the Goſpel for this end.thereunto a ſerious and reverent attention; come and hear, and come and hear for this very end, if peradventure God will give you this faith, if peradventure his Spirit will accompany the Goſpel with power unto your hearts, that ſo you may be able to believe. Come as the impotent man came to the poole to be healed: Lydia took this courſe, and her heart was opened to believe, Acts 16. 14. So did they in Acts 2. 37. 41. Act. 13. 48. When the Gentiles heard this, they glorified the word of the Lord: And as many as were ordained to eternal life believed.
2. Serious meditation upon, firſt the relation of the Goſpel. 2ly. The offers Serious meditation.of the Goſpel. 3ly. The terms of the Goſpel. 4ly. The promiſes of the Goſpel. 5ly. The inſtances or examples in the Goſpel.
1. The Goſpel Revelations of Jeſus Chriſt; given, ſent, ſealed, ſet forth by God Of the revelations of the Goſpel.to be a Redeemer, a Saviour, a Mediatour, a Peace, a Propitiation, a Reconciliation, a life for ſinners: Now ſeriouſly meditate on all this you whoſe hearts are broken with the ſenſe of your ſins: The Goſpel in the Word of truth, what it reveals and declares unto us, that ſame is certain and infallib…e and the Goſpel is the Word of Salvation; whatſoever concerns our ſalvation, that ſame is manifeſted unto us by the Goſpel; And this Goſpel doth reveal and declare unto us the exceeding love of God the Father, in that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoſoever believes on him, ſhould not periſh but have everlaſting life: It doth alſo declare unto us hi… Son Jeſus Chriſt who was God, and in time was made man, that ſo he might reconcile and unite man to God. And it doth declare him in the union of his Natures, and excellencies of his Perſon, and in the glories of his Offices, and in the accompliſhment of all the work of Redemption and ſalvation for ſinners, and willingneſſe to ſave them: So that from the very Goſpel-revelation of Jeſus Chriſt, a diſtreſſed ſinner may gain thus much. 1. As not to deſpaire. 2. As to have ſome hope. 3. As to have ſome deſires: O here is a Chriſt for ſinners! A Chriſt given by God the Father to ſave ſinne…s! why ſhould I then deſpaire? and here is a Chriſt, ſuch a Chriſt, of ſuch infinite worth and merit, given to make ſatisfaction, and peace, and why ſhould not I hope? Am I excluded? At leaſt his Perſon, and Offices, and Works may ſerve thus far to beget hope, and to work a deſire that I may enjoy him, in whom alone ſalvation is to be found, and who came into the world to ſave ſinners.
2. The Goſpel offers this Chriſt to diſtreſſed and poor ſinners, Acts 13. 26. Ʋnto Of the offers of the Goſpel.you is the Word of this Salvation ſent. verſe 38. Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveneſs of your ſins.
This Evangelical offer of Chriſt, it isThe Evangelical offer is A good offer.
1. A good Offer: It is an offer of a Saviour, of Mercy, Peace, Life, and of Salvation itſelf: This day is Salvation come to thy houſe.
2. It is a ſerious Offer, Heb 12. 25. See that ye refuſe not him that ſpeak th. A ſe…ous offer.2 3. How ſhall we eſcape, if we neglect ſo great ſalvation! Hearken unto me, and your ſoules ſhall live, Iſa. 55. 3. Believe and thou ſhalt be ſaved, Acts 16. 31. Theſe are ſerious offers and commands.
3. It is a perſonal Offer; the Lord Jeſus means you in particular: You I ſay A perſonal offer.who are heavy-laden, you who are poor, you who hunger and thirſt, unto you is the word of this ſalvation offered and ſent.
4. It is a very tender Offer. 2 Cor. 5. 20. As though God did beſeech you by us: A tender offer.We pray you in Chriſts ſtead be ye reconciled to God: why? If a ſinner did ſeriouſly meditate on this offer of Chriſt by the Goſpel, me thinks it might much conduce towards a bringing in of his heart to Chriſt by faith.
5. It is an Offer worthy of all acceptation, 1 Tim. 1. 15. As to the making of a match, when you report unto the party, there is ſuch a perſon every way deſirable An offer worthy of all acceptation.and lovely, there is no exceptions to be taken: He is perfectly beautiful, ſingularly wiſe, affectionately loving, exceedingly rich, every way ſuitable, and you cannot live unleſſe you have him. And beſides all this, he d…res and offers himſelf to match with you! Surely all this conduceth much to the making of a match! So when a poor ſinner hears of Chriſt, and of ſo much good in and by Chriſt, and withall findes Chriſt offering himſelf unto him; I am willing to be yours, I am content to take you as I find you; I know your ſins, and wants, and unworthineſſe; I know what it muſt coſt me to adorn you, &c. yet I offer my ſelf to be yours, and I charge you that you do not neglect and refuſe my offer! Truely this conduceth very much to perſwade the heart, and to draw the heart to cloſe by faith with Chriſt, &c.
3. The Goſpel offers Jeſus Chriſt upon very gracious and reaſonable terms: In …f the terms of the Goſpel.the Goſpel you ſhall finde Jeſus Chriſt propounded unto ſinners under ſeveral notions and expreſſions, and in all of them you may diſcern the admirable condeſcentions of Chriſt; he cannot fall in with you upon lower and eaſier terms, ſo as to become yours, than he doth propound: Sometimes he is propounded as a Gift, and all the terms that he ſtands for that you may be poſſeſſed of him as a Gift, is that you receive him; giving and receiving are correlatives: Sometimes he is propounded as a Match, as a Husband, and all that he ſtands for to make him yours, is only that you be willing, that you give your conſent to be his. Sometimes he is propounded as a Bargain to be bought, and all that he impoſeth on you is this, that you buy without money and without price. Sometimes he is propounded as a Gueſt, and a friend who would come into your houſe and ſup with you, and all that he inſiſts with you for, is only this, that you open the door and let him in.
4. As the Goſpel reveales Chriſt unto you, and offers Chriſt unto you, and The promiſes of the Goſpel.offers him unto you upon moſt gracious terms; ſo likewiſe it holds out unto you abundance of promiſes which are as ſo many Adamants to draw your hearts to Chriſts, and are as ſo many cords of Love: There are promiſes which reſpect you and Chriſt: If you will come and be his, he will certainly be yours, he will not reject you. And there are promiſes which reſpect you and your good eſtate by Chriſt: As that he will marry you to himſelf in righteouſneſs, and in judgement, and in lovingkindneſs, and in mercies, Hoſea 2. 19. And that he will be Wiſdom, and Righteouſneſſe, and Sanctification, and Redemption unto you, 1 Cor. 1. 30. And that there ſhall be no condemnation to you, Rom. 8. …. And that whoſoever believes ſhall not periſh, but have everlaſting life, Joh. 3. 16. And that whoſoever believes in him, ſhall receive remiſſion of ſins, Acts 10. 43.
5. Beſides all this the Goſpel gives you inſtances of the performance of all theſe promiſes, The inſtances and examples i… the Goſpel.and likewiſe of the gracious reception of as great and unworthy ſinners as your ſelf, 1 Tim. 1. 13, 14, 15, 16. 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10, 11. It ſhews how that when ſinners have by faith come to Chriſt, he hath accepted of them, hath rece…ved them graciouſly, hath beſtowed himſelf upon them, hath given righteouſneſſe, and remiſſion of ſins: and his Spirit, and his Peace, and everlaſting life unto them: Every true believer who came to Chriſt did enjoy Chriſt, and all ſaving good with and by Chriſt: Mary Magdalen, Paul, the Corinthians, Epheſians, and all others are witneſſes of it &c. they became Chriſts, and Chriſt became theirs, and he was their Attonement, Redemption, Reconciliation, Righteouſneſſe, Life, &c. why? A ſerious and ſolid conſideration of all theſe Evangelical paſſages, they cannot but work on the hearts of broken ſinners to look towards this Chriſt, at leaſt to pant in humble and earneſt deſires of him, and for faith that they may be united unto him.
3. The third means which I would preſent unto you for the obtaining of this uniting faith, is earneſt ſupplication or prayer: As Chriſt ſpake unto the woman of Samaria, if thou kneweſt the gift of God, and who it is that ſaith unto thee, Earneſt ſupplication.give me drink, thou wouldeſt have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water, Joh. 4. 10. So ſay…, if you did but know the excellency of this faith of union with Chriſt, and what Chriſt is, and what union with Chriſt is, and how far it intereſts you in the Covenant of grace; ſurely you would earneſtly be enlarged in your ſupplications and requeſts unto God for it, and you would not be denied this requeſt, Epheſ. 3. 14. For this cauſe I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, verſe 17. That Chriſt may dwell in your hearts by faith; draw me, and I will run after thee. Well, pray the Lord to give this faith unto you which will unite you to Chriſt, I ſay, pray the Lord to give it you; For▪
1. You cannot give it to your own hearts, it is not in your power to make your hearts to believe.
2. None can give it but God, no created power is ſufficient for this work.
3. God is able to make your hearts to believe: to break all the chains of unbelief: To ſet out Chriſt as moſt deſirable, and to work faith, that ſo you ſhall come to Chriſt; He is able to enlighten your minds, and to convince your judgements, and to overcome your wills, and to perſwade your hearts.
4. He hath promiſed to give this faith: He hath promiſed that the dead ſhall hear the voice of his Son, Joh. 5. 25. He hath promiſed that they ſhall be all taught of God, and he that heareth, and learneth of the Father, ſhall come to Chriſt, Joh. 6. 45. He hath promiſed to allure us unto Chriſt, Hoſea 2. 14. And to perſwade Japhet, Gen. 9. 27. and to make us a willing people in the day of his power, Pſal. 110. 2. and to ſend the rod of his ſtrength out of Zion, verſe 3.
Object. We do hear, and we do pray, and yet we are not able to believe?
Sol. 1. O but pray that God would make the Goſpel which you do hear, to be the ſavour of life unto you, and that his Spirit may accompany the Goſpel which you do hear. To open the Goſpel. 2. Thy ear. 3. Thy heart; for it is by his Spirit that the Goſpel proves to be unto you the word of Faith: Our Goſpel came in power, and in the Holy Ghoſt, 1 Theſ. 1. 5. If the Spirit of God did but reveale his Arm, if he would but breath through the Goſpel, it would certainly be the power of God for faith in you.
2. Again, you muſt pray with all importunity, and diligence, and watchfulneſs, and obſervation what God anſwers, and ſpiritual violence, and reſolution, and never ceaſe wreſtling with God. I tell you it is one of the greateſt requeſts that you can make to God; O Lord unite me to Chriſt; give me that faith by which I may be Chriſts, and Chriſt may be mine And take this for thine encouragement, That if the Lord hath given ſuch a ſpiritual and ſteadfaſt frame of ſpirit as to pray, he Patiently wait upon God in the uſe of meanes.will at length give thee this faith.
4. Patiently wait upon God in the uſe of Evangelical means, untill he doth come in with his Spirit upon your Spirits to enable you by faith to cloſe with Chriſt, lye at the Pool, do not limit God to this Sermon, or to that Prayer; and do not wrangle and murmure againſt God; regard what concerns your ſelf to do, and truſt God with his work, and with his time; never did any ſoule ſeek him or wait on him in vain, nor return aſhamed; there is not one Prayer that you make, nor any one Evangelical Sermon that ye hear, but it is making way in your hearts for this uniting faith: Some more light gets in to diſcover Chriſts fulneſs, and our want: Some more hope is raiſed of a poſſibility at length to enjoy Chriſt: Some more power is given againſt the powers, and workings, and reaſonings, and fears, and doubts of unbelief; they have not that deſpairing dominion: Some more bewailings of thy Chriſtleſſe condition and ſtrong unbelief with a reſiſtance of it: Sometimes more renewed reſolutions and courage; well, whatſoever comes of it, I will not yet give over my ſuite, I will venture a few prayers more; ſomething more is getting in, and winning upon the heart towards Chriſt; But
Why may I not believe on Chriſt? what if I ſhould venture on him upon his offers, upon his entreaties, upon his commands, upon his promiſes? do I not ſin againſt Chriſt, and offend him, thus to fear, thus to diſpute, thus to queſtion, thus to ſtand off? well! I will come and believe on him. O I cannot! Lord help me: Lord work in me both to will and to do: when Lord? how long? yet will I wait on thee till thou ſheweſt this mercy to me.