The Christians Charter, Chapter 20

The Christians Charter · Chapter 20

p. 227CHAP. XX. A serious Scrutiny about the Believers Charter.

I Hear, me thinks, a Christian say▪ Use 2. Tryal.Great are the Priviledges of a Beleever, but I fear I have no p. 228title to this glorious Charter: All depends upon an interest. Were there a dispute about our Estate, whether such an Inheritance did belong to us, we would desire that there should be a triall in Law to decide it. Here is a large Inheritance, things present, and things to come; but the question is, whether we are the true Heirs to whom it belongs? now for the deciding this, we must seriously examine what right we have to Christ; for all this Estate is made over to us through Christ: so we finde it in the text; All things are yours, and ye are Christs: There comes in the Title. Jesus Christ is the great Magazine and store-house of a Christian, he hath purchased Heaven in his blood; now if we can say, we are Christs, then we may say, All things are ours.

Quest. But how shall we know that we are Christs?Quest.

p. 229Answ. Those that are Christs,Answ. Christ is in them, 2 Cor. 13.5. Know ye not that Christ is in you?

Quest. Quest.But how shall we know that?

Answ. If we are in the faith;Answ. It is observable, before the Apostle had said, Know you not that Christ is in you, first he puts this query Examine whether ye are in the faith? Christ is in you, if you are in the faith: Here lies the question, Have you faith? Now for the deciding this, I shall do two things: shew you first the essentials of faith, then the consequentials. 1. The essentials 1of faith. Faith ere it be wrought must have some preparatories: there must be some legall bruisings in the soul, some sense of unworthinesse. Now to this blessed Grace of Faith, there are three things especially requisite.

p. 230§. I. Shewing that Knowledge is requisite to faith.

The first is Knowledge. Faith is an 1intelligent grace; though there may be knowledge without faith, yet there can be no faith without knowledge: They that know thy Name will put their trust in thee, Psal. 9.10. Philo calls it, fides oculata, quick-sighted faith. Knowledge must carry the Torch before faith: 2 Tim. 1.12. For I know whom I have believed. As faith without works is dead, so faith without knowledge is blind. Devout ignorance damnes: which condemns the Church of Rome, that think it a piece of their religion to be kept in ignorance; these set up an Altar to an unknown God: they say, Ignorance is the mother of devotion; but sure, where the Sun is set in the understanding, there must needs be p. 231night in the affections. So necessary is knowledge to the being of faith, that the Scripture doth sometimes baptize faith with the Name of knowledge; Isa. 53.11. By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justifie many; knowledge is put there for faith. Now this knowledge of Christ which goes before faith, or rather is the embrio and first matter of which faith is formed, consists in four things: The soul through this optick glasse of knowledge, sees

1. A preciousnesse in Christ, he is 1the chief of ten thousand, the pearl of price. Christ was never poor but when he had on our rags: there is nothing in Christ but what is precious; he is precious in his Name, in his Nature, in his Influences; he is called a precious stone **Isa. 28.16Isa 28:16; he must needs be a precious stone, who hath made us living stones.

2. A fulnesse in Christ; the fulness 2of the Godhead, Col. 2.9. all fulnesse, p. 232Col. 1.19. a fulnesse of merit; his blood able to satisfie his Fathers wrath: a fullnesse of Spirit; his grace able to supply our wants; by the one he doth absolve us, by the other he doth adorn us.

33. A suitablenesse in Christ; that which is good, if it be not adaequatum, suitable, it is not satisfactory: If a man be hungry, bring him fine flowers, this is not suitable, he desires food: if he be sick, bring him musick, this is not suitable, he desires Physick: in this sense there is a suitablenesse in Christ to the soule; he is quicquid appetibile, as Origen speaks, whatever we can desire. If we hunger and thirst, he is pabulum animae, the food of the soul; therefore he is called the bread of life. If we are sick unto death, his blood is a sacred balm: he may be compared to the trees of the Sanctuary **Ezek. 47 12.Ezek 47:12, which were both for meat, and for medicine.

p. 2334. A Propensenesse and readinesse in 4Christ to give out his fulnesse: Isa. 55.1. Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters; and he that hath no mony, buy and not, &c. Behold here, at what a low price doth God set his heavenly blessings! it is but thirsting, bring but desires. Behold the Propensenesse in Christ to …spense and give out his fulnesse: buy without money; a strange kind of buying! there's bounty in Christ as well as beauty. As he is all fulnesse, so he is all sweetnesse, of a noble and generous disposition; he doth not only invite us, but charge us upon pain of death to come in and believe: he threatens us if we will not lay hold of mercy: he waits to be gracious **Isa. 30.18Isa 30:18: This is the lenocinium, and enticer of the affections: this draws the eyes and heart of a sinner after him: what are the blessed Promises but Christs golden Scepter held forth? what are the p. 234motions of the Spirit, but Jesus Christ coming a wooing? and such a knowledge and sight of Christ is necessary to usher in faith: now the soul begins to move towards him; he sees all this variety of excellency in Christ, and withall sees a possibility, nay, a probability of mercy: there is nothing that hinders him, God doth not exclude him unlesse he exclude himself: Then he thinks thus, What is it keeps me off from Christ? is it my unworthinesse? behold, there is merit in Christ: is it my wants? there is enough in the fountain, and Jesus Christ doth not expect that I should carry any thing to him, but rather that I should bring something from him: he doth not expect that I should carry water to the well, only an empty vessel: why then should not this fulnesse in Christ be for me as well as others? While he is thus parlying with himself, the Spirit works a kind of perswasion, p. 235that Christ is willing that he in particular should taste of this mercy; then follows the second act which faith puts forth, and that is consent; Well, I will have Christ whatever it cost me.

§. II. That Consent is requisite to faith.

Though Knowledge be a necessary antecedent to Faith, yet it is not 2enough, there must be secondly Consent: Faith is seated as well in the heart and will, as in the understanding: as well in the affection, as in the apprehension. With the heart man believes **Rom. 10 10.Rom 10:10. Scepticks in religion, may have a faith in the head, but not in the heart; they are more Notion, then Motion: the soul consents to have Christ, and to have him upon his own terms.

1. As an Head; the head hath a 1double office: it is the fountaine of p. 236spirits, and the seat of government: the head is as it were the Pilot of the body, it rules and steers it in its motion. The believer consents to have Christ not only as an Head to send forth spirits, that is comfort; but as an head to rule: A sinner would take Christs Promises, but not his Laws: he would be under Christs benediction, but not under his jurisdiction. A believer consents to have whole Christ; non eligit objectum, he doth not pick and choose; but as he expects to sit down with Christ upon the throne, so he makes his heart Christs Throne.

22. The believer consents to have Christ for better for worse, a naked Christ, a persecuted Christ: faith sees a beauty and glory in the reproaches of Christ **1 Pet. 4.14.1 Pet 4:14, and will have Christ not only in purple but when with Iohn Baptist he is cloathed in Camels haire. Faith can embrace the fire, if Christ be in it. Faith looks p. 237upon the Crosse as Iacobs ladder, to carry him up to Heaven: Faith saith, Blessed be that affliction, welcome that Crosse which carries Christ upon it.

3. The Believer consents to have Christ purely for love; if the 3wife should give her consent only for her husbands riches, she should marry his estate rather then his person; **Seneca.non est amicitia, sed mercatura; it were not properly to make a marriage with him, but rather to make a merchandise of him: the believer consents for love, **August.amat Christum propter Christum, he loves Christ for Christ: Heaven without Christ is not a sufficient dowry for a believer: there's nothing adulterate in his consent, it is not sinister; there's nothing forced, it is not for feare; that were rather constraint then consent: a consent forced will not hold in Law, it is voluntary. The beauty of Christs person, and the sweetness p. 238of his disposition, draws the will, which as the Primum mobile or master-wheel, carries the whole soul with it.

44. The believer consents to have Christ pro termino interminabili, never to part more; he desires an uninterrupted communion with him, he will part with life, but not with Christ: indeed, death when it slips the knot between the soul and the body, it ties it faster between the soul and Christ.

55. The Believer doth so consent to have Christ as he makes a deed of gift **Amor non nisi donum amantis. Guil. Paris., resigning up all the interest in himself to Christ; he is willing to lose his own Name, and sirname himselfe by the Name of Christ: to lose his own will, and be wholly at Christs dispose: Ye are not your own **1 Cor. 6.19.1 Cor 6:19; he resigns up his love to Christ. In this sense the Spouse is said to be a spring **Cant. 4.12.Song 4:12shut up. She hath love for Relations, but p. 239the best of her love is kept for Christ: The world hath the Milke of her love, but Christ hath the Cream of it: the choisest and purest of her love is a Spring shut up, it is broached onelyonly for Christ to drink. This is the second Act of faith.

§. III. Opening the nature of Recumbency.

The third thing is Recumbency. The soul having given its consent that the match should be made up, and done it out of choice, now it casts it selfe upon Christ as a man that casts himselfe upon the stream to swim, it makes an holy adventure, it clasps about Christ, and saith, My Lord, my Jesus, which is as it were the joyning of hands. This Act of Recumbency is sometimes in Scripture call'd a coming to Christ **Joh. 6, 37John 6:37, sometimes a leaning p. 240upon Christ **Cant. 8.5Song 8:5. This is that faith which justifies.

Now concerning this faith, I shall lay down two Rules. 1. That faith justifies not as a formal cause, but purely as an instrument, viz. as it lays hold on Christ the blessed object, and fetcheth in his fulnesse: and in this sense it is call'd a precious faith **2 Pet. 1.12 Pet 1:1: the worth lies not in faith, but in Christ, on which it doth centre and terminate; Faith in it selfe considered, is not more excellent than other graces. Take a piece of Wax, and a piece of Gold, of the same Magnitude, the Wax is not valuable with the Gold; but as this Wax hangs at the lavell of some Will, by vertue of which a great Estate is confirmed, and conveighed, so it may be worth many hundred pounds. So faith considered purely in it self, doth challenge nothing more than other graces, nay, in some sense, it is inferiour, it p. 241being an empty hand: But as this hand receives the precious Almes of Christs Merits, and is an instrument or channell thorow which the blessed streams of life flow to us from him; so it doth challenge a superiority above other graces.

Indeed, some affirme, that the foreign, the very Act of believing, without reference to the Merits of Christ, justifies. To which I shall say but this; 1. Faith cannot justifie as it is an Act, for it must have 1an object: we cannot (if we make good sense) separate between the Act and the Object. What is faith, if it do not fix upon Christ, but fancy? It was not the people of Israels looking up that cured them, but the fixing their eye upon the Brazen Serpent. 2. Faith doth not justifie as it is a Grace. This were to 2substitute faith in Christs roome, it were to make a Christ of Faith. Faith is a good Grace, but a bad p. 2423Christ. 3. Not as a Work: which must needs be, if (as some affirme) it be in lieu of obedience to the Moral Law. Then we should be justified by Works, contrary to that, Ephes. 2.9. where the Apostle speaks expresly, Not of works. So that it is clear, faith's excellency lies in the apprehending and applying the object Christ: therefore in Scripture we are said to be justified, foreign, through faith as an Instrument deputed **Eph. 2.8.Eph 2:8; not foreign, for faith as a formall cause.

The second Rule is, that Faith 2doth not justifie, as it doth exercise grace. It cannot be denied but faith hath an influence upon the graces; it is like a silver thred that runnes thorow a Chain of Pearl: it puts strength and vivacity into all the vertues; but it doth not justifie under this Notion. Faith begets obedience: By faith **Heb. 11.Heb 11Abraham obeyed: But Abraham was not justified p. 243as he obeyed, but as he beleeved **Rom. 4.3Rom 4:3. Faith works by love, but it doth not justifie as it works by love. For as the Sun shines by its brightnesse, not by its heat; though both are inseparably joyned: so faith and love are tyed together by an indissoluble knot, yet faith doth not justifie as it works by love, but as it layes hold on Christ. Though faith be accompanied with all the graces, yet in point of justification, it is alone and hath nothing to do with any of the graces. Hence that speech of Luther; in the justification of a sinner, Christ and faith are alone, Tanquam sponsus & spomsa in thalamo; As the Bridegroom and Bride in the Bed-chamber. Faith is never separated from the graces, yet sometimes it is alone. And thus I have shewn you the Essentials of faith.

p. 244§. IV. Shewing what are the fruits and products of faith.

2I proceede to the Consequentials of faith. There are many rare and supernatural fruits of faith.

1. Faith is an heart-quickning 1grace, it is the vitall Artery of the soul: The just shall live by his faith, Hab. 2.4. When we begin to believe we begin to live. Faith grafts the soule into Christ, as the cion into the stock, and fetcheth all its sap and juyce from that blessed Vine. Faith is the great quickner; it quickens our graces, and our duties.

1. Faith quickens our graces; 1the Spirit of God infuseth all the seeds and habits, but faith is the fountain of all the acts of grace; it is as the Spring in the Watch that moves the Wheels: not a grace p. 245stirs till faith set it a work. How doth love work? By faith! When I apprehend Christs love, this doth pullize and draw up my love to him again. How doth humility work? By faith! Faith humbles the soul; it hath a double aspect, it looks upon sin, and a sight of sin humbles: it looks upon Free-grace, and a sight of mercy humbles. How doth patience work? By faith **Jam. 1.3.Jas 1:3! If I believe God is a wise God, who knowes what is best for me, and can deliver not onelyonly from affliction, but by affliction: This spins out patience. Thus faith is not only viva, but vivifica: it puts forth a divine Energy and operation into all the graces.

2. Faith animates and quickens 2our duties. What was the blood of Bulls and Goats to take away sin **Heb. 10.4Heb 10:4? It was their faith in the Messiah, that made their dead Sacrifices become living Services. What are p. 246Ordinances, but a dumb shew, without the breathings of faith in them? therefore in Scripture it is called, the prayer of faith **Jam. 5.7.Jas 5:7, the hearing of faith **Heb. 4.2.Heb 4:2, and the obedience of faith **Rom. 16.26.Rom 16:26, dead things have no beauty in them, it is faith that quickens and beautifies.

22. Faith is an heart-purifying grace: Having purified their hearts by faith, Acts 15.9. Faith is a Virgin-grace, of a pure and heavenly nature. Faith is in the soule as lightning in the Air, which purgeth; as fire in the Metals, which refines; as Physick in the Body, which works out the disease. Faith works out pride, self-love, hypocrisie: it consecrates the heart: That which was before the Devils Thorow-fare, is now made Gods Enclosure, 1 Tim. 3.9. Holding the mystery of faith in a pure conscience. Faith is an heavenly plant, which will not grow in an impure soile. p. 247Faith doth not only justifie, but sanctifie: as it hath one work in heaven, so it hath another work in the heart: He that before was under the power of some hereditary corruption, as soone as faith is wrought there is a sacred vertue coming from Christ for the enervating, and weakening that sin: the waters are abated. The woman that did but touch the hemme of Christs Garment felt vertue coming out of him **Mark. 5.27.Mark 5:27. The touch of faith hath an healing power: Faith casts the Devil out of the Castle of the heart, though still he keeps the Out-works. Satan hath a party in a Beleever, but there's a Duel fought every day: and faith will never give over, till, as a Prince, it prevails. This is the faith of Gods Elect **Tit. 1.1.Titus 1:1. Thou that say'st thou believest, hath thy faith removed the Mountain of sin, and cast it into the Sea? What, a beleever, and a drunkard! a beleever, and a swearer! a p. 248beleever, and an Apostate! for shame, either leave thy sins, or leave thy profession: Faith and the love of sin can no more stand together, then two contraries in the same part of the Subject gradu intensivo; as light and darknesse;

Faith is an heart-pacifying grace; 3Peace is the daughter of faith, Rom. 5.1. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, Faith is the Dove that brings an Olive-branch of peace in its mouth; Faith presents God reconciled, and that gives peace. What is it makes Heaven, but the smile of God? Faith puts the soul into Christ, and there's peace; Iohn 16. ult. That in me ye may have peace. When the Conscience is in a Fever, and burns as hell, faith opens the Orifice in Christs sides, and sucks in his blood, which hath a cooling and pacifying vertue in it. Faith gives us peace in 1Trouble, nay, out of Trouble. 1. It p. 249gives Peace in Trouble: Faith is an heart-pacifying, because an heart-securing grace. When Noah was in the Ark, he did not fear the Deluge: he could sing in the Ark. Faith shuts a beleever into the Ark Christ: Lead me to the Rock which is higher than I, was Davids prayer **Ps. 61.1.Ps 61:1. Faith plants the soul upon this Rock. The West-Indians built their Palaces upon the tops of hills: in the Flood the waters covered the hills; but a beleever is built higher: Isa. 33.16. His place of defence shall be the munition of Rocks: but a man may starve upon a Rock; therefore it follows, Bread shall be given him, &c. Faith builds a Christian upon the power, wisdome, faithfulnesse of God: This is the munition of Rocks: and it feeds him with the hidden Manna of Gods love: here is bread given him. The way to be safe in evil times, is to get faith; this ushers in peace, and it is such a p. 250peace as doth garrison the heart, Phil. 4.7. The peace of God shall keep your heart, foreign: It shall keep it as in a Tower or Garrison. 2. Faith 2gathers peace out of trouble: joy out of sorrow **Joh. 16.20John 16:20, glory out of reproach **1 Pet. 4.14.1 Pet 4:14. This is the key to Samsons Riddle, Out of the eater came meat; this explaines that Paradox, **Mat. 7.16Matt 7:16Can a man gather Grapes of Thorns, or Figs of Thistles? Yes, of Trials and Persecutions faith gathers joy and peace: here are Figs of Thistles. How were the Martyrs ravished in the Flames? The Apostles were whipt in prison, but it was with Sweet Briar. O how sweet is that peace which faith Breeds? it is a Plant of the Heavenly Paradise; it is a Christians Festival; it is his Musick: it is foreign, as Chrysostome speaks, the anticipation of Heaven.

44. Faith is an heart-strengthening grace: a beleever is heart of p. 251oke, he is strong to resist tentations, to bear afflictions, to foil Corruptions; he gives check to them, though not full mate. An unbeliever is like Reuben, unstable as water, he shall not excell. A state of infidelity, is a state of impotency. A Beleever is as Ioseph, who though the Archers shot at him, his bowe abode in strength. If a Christian be to do any thing, he consults with faith; this is the sinew, which if it be cut, all his strength goes from him. When he is call'd out to suffering, he harnesseth himself with Faith, he puts on this coat of maile; Faith layes in suffering strength, furnisheth the soul with suffering Promises, musters together suffering graces, propounds suffering rewards.

But how comes Faith to be so strong? Answ. 1. Because it is a 1piece of Gods Armour; it is a shield he puts into our hand: Eph. 6.16. p. 252Above all, taking the shield of Faith: a shield will serve for a brest-plate, a sword, if need be, an helmet; it defends the head, it guards the vitals; 2such a shield is Faith. 2. Faith brings the strength of Christ into the soul; Phil. 4.13. I can do all things, foreign, through Christ that strengthens me. The strength of faith lies out of it self, it grafts upon another stock. When it would have wisdome, it consults with Christ, whose Name is wonderful, Counsellour; when it would have strength, it goes to Christ, who is call'd the Lion of the Tribe of Iudah. Christ is a Christians Armory, Faith is the key that unlocks it. Faith hangs upon the lock of Christ, all its strength lyes here; cut it off from this lock, and it is weaker then any other grace. Christ may be compared to that tower of David **Cant. 4.4Song 4:4, on which there hang a thousand bucklers, all shields of mighty p. 253men. The faith of all the Elect, these shields hang upon Christ. Faith is an Heroicall grace; the Crown of Martyrdom is set upon the head of faith. By faith they quenched the violence of the fire **Heb. 11.34.Heb 11:34; the fire overcame their bodies, but their faith overcamr the flame.

5. Faith is a life-fructifying 5grace, it is fruitfull. Iulian upbraiding the Christians, said, that their Motto was Only beleeve; and the Papists call us solifidians: Indeed, when faith is alone, and views all the rare beauties in Christ, then faith sets a low value and esteem upon works: but when faith goes abroad in the world, good works are the handmaids that wait on this Queen. Though we place faith in the highest Orb in matter of Justification, yet good works are in conjunction with it in matter of Sanctification. 'Tis no wrong to good works to give faith the upper hand, which p. 254goes hand in hand with Christ. Good works are not separated from faith, only faith challengeth its seniority. Faith believes as if it did not work, and it works as if it did not believe. Faith hath Rachels eye, and Leahs womb:Rom. 7.4.Rom 7:4 Rom. 7.4. That ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that ye should bring forth fruit unto God. Faith is that Spouse-like grace which marries Christ, and good works are the children which faith bears.

Thus having briefly shewn you the Nature of Faith, I now come to the reflexive Act: Have you faith or no? And here let me turne 1my self, first to Unbelievers, such as cannot find that they have this uniting, this espousing grace; what shall I say to you? Go home and mourn; think with your selves, what if you should die this night? what if God should send you a Letter p. 255of summons to surrender, what would become of you? you want that grace which should intitle you to Christ and Heaven: oh, I say, mourn: yet mourn not as them without hope, for in the use of means you may recover a Title. I know it is otherwise in our Law-Courts; if a Title to an Estate be once lost, it can never be recovered: but it is otherwise here; though thou hast no Title to Christ to day, yet thou may'st recover a Title: thou hast not sin'd away the hope of a Title, unless thou hast sinn'd away the sense of sinning. To such as are resolv'd to go on in sinne, I hauehave not a word to say, they are upon the spur to go to hell: but to you that have been prodigall sonnes, but are now taking up serious resolutions to give a bill of divorce to your sins; let me encourage you to come to Christ, and to throw your selves upon his blood; for yet a Title to Heaven is recoverable.

p. 256Object. 1.Object. 1. But saith the sinner, Is there hope of mercy for me? sure this is too good news to be true: I would believe, and repent, but I am a great sinner. Ans. And who else doth Christ come to save **1 Tim. 1.15.1 Tim 1:15? whom doth God justifie but the ungodly **Rom. 4.5Rom 4:5? did Christ take our flesh on him, and not our sins?

22. But my sins are of no ordinary die?

Answ. And is not Christs blood of a deeper purple then thy sins? is there not more vertue in the one, then there can be venom in the other? what if the devil doth magnifie thy sins, canst not thou magnifie thy Physician? cannot God drown one sea in another, thy sinnes in the Ocean of his mercy?

3. But my sins are of a long 3standing?

Answ. As if Christs blood were only for new and fresh wounds? We read that Christ raised not only p. 257the daughter of Iairus, which was newly* dead, and the widows sonne which was carried forth to burying; but Lazarus, that had layn four dayes in the grave, and began to putrefie: and hath Christ lesse vertue now in Heaven then he had upon earth? if thine be an old wound, yet the medicine of Christs blood applied by faith, is able to heale it: therefote sink not in these quick-sands of despair. Iudas his despair, was worse in some sense then his Treason. I would not encourage any to go on in sinne, (God forbid,) 'tis sad to have old age and old sins. It is hard to pull up an old tree that is rooted, it is easier to cut it downe for the fire; but let not such despair: God can give an old sinner a new heart, he can make springs in the desart **Isa. 30.19Isa 30:19: Have not others been set forth as paterns of mercy, who have come in at the twelfth houre? Therefore break off the league with sinne, p. 258throw thy self into Christs arms say, Lord Jesus, thou hast said, **Joh. 6.37John 6:37Those which come to thee, thou wilt in no case cast out

22. Let me turne my self to the people of God, such as upon a serious scrutiny with their own hearts, have ground to beleeve that they have faith, and being in the faith are ingrafted into Christ: read over your Charter, All things are yours: things present, and to come: You are the heirs on which God hath setled all these glorious priviledges Give wine, saith Solomon, to them that are of heavy hearts **Prov. 31.6.Prov 31:6. But while I am going to pour in this wine of consolation, me thinks, I hear the Christian sadly disputing against himself, that he hath no right to this Charter.