The Truly Blessed Man, Part 8 · Section 4
Faith the foundation of true Obedience.
DOCTRINE III.
FAith in God is the foundation of all true Obedience unto him. Doubtleſs the Pſalmiſt here oppoſeth the Wicked and the Godly: Now the Godly man is one that fears God and keeps his Commandments; but is in our Text called one that …ſteth in the Lord; and thereby we are pointed to the root from whence his Godlineſs doth proceed, viz. That truſt which the Scriptures call, faith. The word ſignifieth to hope, and to rely upon one with confidence. And the Object of this is Jehovah, which is an incommunicable name of God, and ſhews that he alone is thus to be confided in. Here two enquiries may be made.
1. What is that faith, or truſt in God, which is the foundation of all true Obedience?
A. Let us here obſerve that there was a faith or truſt in God required of man in his Integrity, by vertue of the firſt Command; which faith was to have been placed upon God according to all that he revealed of himſelf to man in the firſt Covenant; and was to be the ſpring of his obedience. He was to believe him to be ſuch an one as he manifeſted himſelf to be in all his declared perfections to believe the truth of his commands, of his promiſes and threatnings. And it was a wound in this faith at which the Apoſtaſy began, which if our firſt Parents had preſerved in its vigour, they had never yielded to the temptation, but man hath loſt that. There is then a Faith in God which is required in the Covenant of Grace, of all thoſe that entertain it, and hope to receive the benefits of it; and this faith is to be placed in God through Chriſt; and though God, or the Divine nature, be the Ultimate object of it, yet Chriſt is the next and immediate object, through whom we are to come to and believe in God; whence it is moſt frequently in the New Teſtament called believing in Chriſt. And, as there is no performing acceptable Service to God without it, Heb. 11. 6. So it is the root from which all ſincere Obedience flows, Gal. 5. 6. And whatſoever pretences men may make, there is no truth in any thing that is not done by the influence of it. Concerning this faith let theſe things be obſerved:
1. That the Faith it ſelf is a truſting in God for life. Life and death in the Scriptures are uſed to expreſs the happineſs and miſery of the Creature; and hence as all miſeries are ſummed up in death, ſo all felicities are contained in life; there are the inchoations of it here in Grace, and the conſummation of it is reſerved for Glory. Now there is in all men a natural deſire of well being; but mans Sin hath deprived his natural apprehenſion of true felicity, and perverted him in ſeeking after it: but where God beſtows this faith upon men, he both diſcovers himſelf to them as the only object of it, & draws forth the affiance of their Souls on him for it: and therefore mans bleſſedneſs is declared to flow from this truſt, Pſal. 2. 12.
2. That which directs us to make choiſe of this object alone, is,
1. A diſcovery of that in him which is ſufficient for this Life. Man acts his deliberation in making choiſe of his object; and that which comes under debate, is whether it will anſwer the end of it for which it is choſen; & ſo far as he apprehends this, ſo far is he guided to his Election. This makes wicked men to chuſe the world, becauſe they are deceived by it: and when God draws men to believe in him, he makes himſelf known to them in his glorious perfections, Pſal. 9. 10. He therefore gives the reaſon of his truſt, Pſal. 62. 5, 6, 7.
2. A conviction that it is no where elſe to be had. Fallen man is diverted to other objects, and hath faſtened the hold of his choiſe on them, and muſt have his hands knockt off, before he will chuſe God for his portion: and this is done by letting him ſee how vain all other things are, that they cannot give him the ſatisfaction he craves after, and without which he muſt be empty & miſerable: hence the vanity of the Creature is no little part of the deſign of the Spirit to diſplay in the word of God.
3. That which encourageth us to truſt in this Object, is,
1. The communicableneſs of this life to us. It is not enough to have an object in our eye, which enjoys a fulneſs of ſufficiency in it ſelf for it ſelf; for unleſs he hath a fulneſs communicable for the Creature, he may be happy himſelf, but that will never make us happy. Herein therefore God hath manifeſted his Alſufficiency to us, in that he hath enough for himſelf, and more than enough to ſpare for us. He is compared in his word to ſuch things which have a fulneſs whereof they are communicative; to a fountain of living waters, Jer. 2. 13. To the Sun, Pſal. 84. 11. And he is commended to us in his works of Efficiency in which his Sufficiency is imparted to the Creature, for the encouragement of our faith, Pſal. 89. 11, 12.
2. The Invitation given us to come to him for it. He hath commended himſelf to us as ſuch an one for this very end; he hath told us what he is in himſelf, and what he hath to beſtow upon us, if we come to him for it; & uſeth arguments to perſwade us ſo to do: he offers it, and invites men to accept of it, Iſa. 55 1. Rev. 22. 17 Iſa 45. 22. Complains of mens wilfulneſs in refuſing to come, Matth 23. 37. Luk. 19. 41. And expoſtulates with men, as if he would break their hearts with kindneſs, and take no denial of them, Ezek. 33. 11.
4. The way in which we come to place this trust in God is by Chriſt. This is the only Evangelical way of believing, nor can fallen man in any other way rightly place his truſt on God: for,
1. We are made to ſee that God out of Chriſt is a conſuming fire. Man in the firſt Covenant had to do with God immediately, but he can no more come at him according to the tenure of that Covenant; for mans Apoſtaſy hath armed the Juſtice of God againſt him with Vengeance: and now God appears to the convinced ſinner to be a devouring …re, and everlaſting burnings, and he dares not approach him leſt he be Conſumed.
2. We are alſo convinced that we cannot atone him to us by any Righteouſneſs of our own. There is a fond opinion which vain men are ready to take up about themſelves, as if they might ſatisfy God, and obtain his favour by their own works; ſo that when Conſcience is awakened, they take up a courſe of legal duties, and lay out much coſt and pains about them: but when God comes to bring us to the faith of the Goſpel, he makes us to reject all this, and acknowledge the raggedneſs & filthineſs of it, Iſa. 64. 6. Phil. 3. 8, 9. The proud ſinner would make money of this, but he now ſees it is but droſs.
3. He lets us ſee the fulneſs of ſufficiency in Chriſt, to make us partakers in this life. This fulneſs is originally in God, but Chriſt is the Mediator between God and man, and the diſpenſation of the fulneſs of God to men is put into his hand, ſo to be imparted to us, Col. 1. 19. Joh. 1. 16. So that by coming to have a title to Chriſt, we have a ſure title to that life; 1. Joh. 5. 12.
4. He acquaints us that all this is for thoſe that come to God by him. God herein exhibits his Son as an Object of worſhip, to whom we are to pay Divine honour, Joh. 5. 22, 23. And for this reaſon he hath given us the aſſurance, that if we come to, and believe in him for it, we ſhall not miſs of it, Joh. 7. 37, 38, When therefore God invites men to come, he backs it with a promiſe, Iſa. 55. 3. Hearken and your Souls-ſhall live.
5. The hold which faith takes on God is by the promiſe. The Goſpel is filled with great and precious promiſes, amde to all that believe in Chriſt; they beſpangle it as ſo many orient diamonds: and theſe are exhibited with the invitation, Mat. 11. 28. Now theſe are handles which we are to faſten our faith upon; and all theſe are in Christ, 2 Cor. 1. 20. And they are ſure and unfailing. When we thus entertain the promiſe, we receive him & with it; he comes by it into the Soul, and were it not for this, there would be no faſtning upon him; it would be an over daring for a Sinner to truſt in him.
6. That which mainly diſtinguiſheth faith from preſumption in this matter, is that it receives the promiſ… according to the tenour of the New Covenant. There are many that pretend to believe, who indeed but preſume; and the reaſon is, becauſe they hear of gracious promiſes, and run away, and ſay they believe them; whereas all the Goſpel promiſe… are Covenant promiſes, and ſo there is a Covenant to be conſidered to which they belong, and according to which they are made over to be a portion to the true believer; there is then ſomething that muſt accompany that faith which embraceth the promiſe; and if we cannot ſhew that, we canno… prove the legitimacy of our faith. We muſt for ſake ſin, ſelf, world, renounce all, take Chriſt in al… his Offices, &c. Separate theſe from our truſt, and it will deceive us; but ſuch a truſt as this will be our ſafety.
2. What is the influence this faith hath into the Obedience to produce it?
A. We may take an account of it in the following particulars.
1. Faith it ſelf is one piece of Goſpel Obedience. It is indeed the great Goſpel duty. The habit is wrought in us without our co-operation, we are meerly paſſive in it; but the acts of it are exerted by us, though not without Divine Co operation: and they are required of us in the Goſpel: there is a Command for it, 1 Joh. 3. 23.
2. This faith alſo prompts us to our Obedience, it is a Grace that ſtirs us up to the faithful Service of God; and that it doth;
1. By ſhewing us that it is the only way to obtain the promiſe. Faith en…ertains the promiſe as laid down in the New Covenant; and ſo it tells us that if we hope to inherit the promiſes, we muſt comply with the terms of the Covenant; and it dares no otherwiſe to ſecure them to us, 1 King. 2. begin. 1 Chron. 28. 9. Faith improves the promiſes, not to nouriſh negligence, but to animate our diligence, 2 Cor. 7. 1.
2. By diſplaying to us the obligations that are laid on … to Obedience. It is by faith that we diſcover the infinite love of God to us, in chuſing us from Eternity to be partakers in his mercy, and thereby put…ing a vaſt difference between us and others; the wonderful love of Chriſt in engaging in, and going through the work of Redemption, ſo ſatisfying the Juſtice of God for us, purchaſing us out of the hands of the Law, and ranſoming us from deſtruction, and …aying in for us a glorious inheritance, and all that …e might have a ſeed to ſerve him; hence that, 1 Cor. …6. 20. Ye are bought with a price, therefore glorify God, &c. And the great kindneſs of the Holy Spirit in planting the Grace of God in us, ſo reſtoring us to a new principle of Spiritual life; which faith makes us to ſay, what ſhall I render, &c Pſal. 116. 12.
3. By aſſuring us of the great advantage there is in our Obedience Faith, by entertaining the promiſes, and ſetling us upon them, infers what a glorious recompenſe there is in Obedience, Pſal. 19. 11. It reads over the Inventory of bleſſings that are laid up in them, and ſaith, I ſhall be no loſer, but a great gainer, which puts life into us, and makes us very willing and chearful in our work, Gal. 6. 8. We conclude that our labour will not be loſt, but ſuperabundantly recompenſed, which oyls ou… wheels, and helps us to run.
4. By ſetting before us the danger of diſobedience. Faith hath an eye alſo on the threatnings; why elſe doth God lay them before his people, but to enliven his fear in them, Rom. 8. 13. Heb. 12. 14. This as wakens us to our work, and makes us to rouſe up when we grow dull; 2 Cor. 5. 11. He believes that God would accompliſh his word of threatning as well as his promiſe; he looks upon him as a jealous God, & counts it a fearful thing to fall into his hands. Heb. 10. 31. Jobs fear excited him, Chap. 31. 23. And faith animated that fear.
3. This faith alſo ſtrengthens us to and in our Obedience. The Spirit by aſſiſting our Faith, helps us in our whole Service of God: and this;
1. By overcoming the Temptations that would hinder us in it. The people of God meet with a great deal from the world, and from Satan, that offers to ſtop them in, or divert them from their work, and when faith is down and out of exerciſe, it is too hard for them; but when the Spirit of God ſtirs that up, it bears all down before it. The world is …nquiſhed, 1 Joh 5 4 And Satan is withſtood, 1 Pet. 5. 9. What great temptations did thoſe worthies recorded, Heb. 11. encounter? but by faith they vanquiſhed them all.
2. By fetching in of ſtrength from Chriſt to obey. Gods Children are ſenſible of their own infirmity, and inſufficiency ſo much as for a thought, which would diſcourage them, but that by faith they go to Chriſt, and acting faith on the promiſe, depend on him for ſuccour, and this carries them through hardeſt duties, Phil. 4. 13. And as Chriſt hath bidden us to look to him for help, and ſaid, that he will not fail nor for ſake us; ſo faith entertains his word, and will not ſuffer us to ſet about any thing in our own, but in his ſtrength, and ſo we are helped.
3. By witneſſing to our ſincerity. It is Gods pleaſure that our Obedience ſhall not be perfect in this life; a Paul cannot do good as he would, Rom. 7. And this many times diſheartens us, and we think we had better do nothing, than ſo ſpoil all: but faith puts new vigour into us, and makes us chearful in our work, by evidencing to us that we are upright, cordial, true to God in what we do: thus we have Paul expreſſing of himſelf, 2 Cor. 1. 12. And makes him ſay as David; Pſal. 130. 3, 4.
4. By enabling us to reſolve our hope for acceptance into Christ. A Child of God, upon reflexion on his duties, and finding of ſo many ſhort comings in them, is ready to ſay, ſurely an holy God canno… take delight in ſuch ſervices as theſe; whereas faith now revives his hope, by looking on the Mediator that High Prieſt, through whoſe hands all go, and whoſe Incenſe perfumes all our duties, Rev. 8. 2. And remembers that his Service is not Meritorious but Euchariſtical; he believes that Chriſt will cover the follies, and preſent the uprightneſs, and he ſhall be accepted in the beloved.
5. By enabling us to wait for the reward, notwithſtanding all the preſent diſcouragements that are in our way. Faith works in patience: faith entertains the promiſes and maketh realities of them, though it ſeeth them afar off, and can live upon them, Heb. 11. 13. It dares to truſt in God, it ſaith the word is true, a God that cannot lye hath given it, who can give being to it, & will not forget. Thus it makes us willing to wait Gods time, and mean while confidently to hold on in our Obedience, nothing doubting of the recompenſe; and thus it ſupplies our Obedience.
USE I. For Information in a few particulars.
1. Learn hence what to judge of thoſe that profeſs faith, and yet live in all diſobedience. Goſpel times and places afford a great many of theſe, who talk big of their faith, and yet declare by their Converſation that they are under the dominion of their luſts; theſe boaſt of a falſe gift, and that may be applied to them, Jam. 2. 18. A dead faith is of the ſame import with no faith, for if there were any, it would be active, and if ſo it would have its operations: and we are certain that the genuine operation of faith is by love, Gal. 5. 6. i. e. Obedience to God, which flows from a ſincere love to him: and though it ſhould ſometimes be ſuppreſt, yet it would recover again, and ſhew it ſelf forth. It is then vain for Drunkards, vain Company keepers, profane Swearers, and ſuch like, to talk of their faith, whoſe lives ſay they have none.
2. Hence alſo learn what to think of thoſe who, on pretence of faith, encourage themſelves without Repentance in their Diſobedience. How many, who have made ſome profeſſion, and do ſomething in duties, do live in groſs neglects, and are drawn into great tranſgreſſions? and though they are convinced of it, and cannot deny but that it is ſin in them, yet make a light matter of it; their faith anſwers all, and they do not repent ſoakingly of it, but wipe off all with an eaſy complement, and the Blood of Chriſt muſt anſwer for it; though it be a truth that it muſt ſo, if ever it be forgiven, yet there is a way that faith directs to, of which they are regardleſs. What is this but to make faith a Cloak for ſin, which, how contrary is it to the nature and end of it? and muſt needs declare that they have it not, or do not exerciſe it aright.
3. Hence then how injuriouſly do our adverſaries charge us for pleading for faith to nouriſh in men a neglect of Obedience? This proceeds from the malignity of the proud hearts of men againſt the Goſpel way of Salvation by Chriſt, Rom. 6. 1. When as it is evident that the Doctrine of Faith, is the ground of our eſtabliſhing Evangelical Obedience; ſince without it none can obey God aright; and there is nothing that ſo obligeth, quickeneth, and helpeth us in our Serving of God, as this faith doth: if any then improve it to nouriſh neglect in them, and embolden them to live in ſin, it is their ignorance of the nature of faith, and theſe being without the experience of the efficacy of it. None love God ſo much, or are ſo convinced of the neceſſity of Circumſpect walking, or take ſuch delight in the Law of God, as thoſe that have large meaſures of faith.
4. See here a reaſon why Gods Children ſo often come ſhort in their Obedience: it is not becauſe of a ſtrong, but of a weak faith. If ever there be a defect in our vigorous Serving of God, there was firſt a languiſhing in our faith; if we are bold at any time to neglect our duty, or to commit ſin, it is becauſe our faith is not lively in the belief that God is Holy, Juſt Omniſcient, that he hates ſin &c. If ever we are diſheartened in duty, and take diſcouragement from the difficulty of it, and do it unevenly, it is becauſe faith is low in its actings; and this may be inſtanced in every other reſpect: if Peter ſinks, he is of little faith, Mat 14. 31.
5. Here alſo is a reaſon why God ſometimes leaves his own to fail in their Obedience. Though they engage in duty with much confidence and reſolution, yet they flag and ſail, and fly off: the reaſon is becauſe they did not ſet about it in faith, denying themſelves, and their own grace, humbly depending on Chriſt, but relied on their own ſtrength; eminent was this in Peter; we ſee his confidence, Mat. 26 33, 35. And how bravely he began, verſ. …1. compare, Joh. 18. 10. And yet ſee what all this came to, verſe 69, &c.
USE II. Let it be for Exhortation! and that,
1. In general to all. As you would ever be able to Serve God aright, ſeek after this faith. This is the firſt thing; and without it all other attempts or endeavours will be vain. Conſider,
1. Without it you can do nothing Evangelically. Under the Firſt Covenant, man had ſtrength in himſelf, yet he needed Divine Influence for the exerting of it, for which there was requiſite a faith in God: but under the Covenant opened to man who hath loſt his ſtrength, both the will and the deed muſt be fetched from Chriſt, in whom all our help is. Till you are believers, you have no ſtrength at all; all you do without faith is legal, and unprofitable, for it will be condemned by the Law under which you are: the Goſpel life is a life of faith, Gal. 2. 20. And till you believe you are dead, Eph 2. 1.
2. Hence you cannot pleaſe God with any thing you do. Heb. 11. 6. If you pleaſe your ſelves, and think you do it very well, and begin to commend your ſelves for it, and are contented in it; and if you pleaſe men in it, who look on the outſide and cannot know the heart, and they applaud you for it, yet this is all your reward. As for God, who is the Judge, and according to whoſe judgment actions are weighed, and will be determined; you have no acceptance with him, he loaths your actions, and will condemn them, becauſe done without faith. Would you not then live in vain, and loſe all your works? Seek to be found in the faith: Waith therefore on him who is the God of all grace, that he would beſtow this grace upon you, whereby you may ſerve him acceptably, and receive the reward of grace at his hand, in the day of recompence.
2. To the Children of God. Would you lead a life of exact and conſtant Obedience? See then to your faith. I know nothing of greater moment for Gods people, ſince faith is to influence the whole of our life, and all will be according as that is. And for help here;
1. Is your Obedience weak? Let it put you upon endeavour to ſtrengthen your faith. If you find duty hard at any time, you ſhall find upon due enquiry, that it is occaſioned by the languiſhing of your faith. What made the Iſraelites that they would not hear Moſes, Exod. 6. 9. but this? What made Abraham ſo readily to go about offering of his Son, Heb. 11. 17. but his faith? the impoſſibility of duty which we at any time conceive, is becauſe faith hath not its full activity; for faith rightly exerciſed will do wonders; this was the reaſon why the Diſciples could not caſt out that Devil, Mark. 9. 23. If when we look on our own impotency we think it vain to attempt, we look off to the Grace of Chriſt, and the firmneſs of the promiſe engaged for our aid, this would make it eaſy, & we ſhould engage chearfully.
2. Are you diſcouraged in your way by Temptations? … ply faith. You would do duty, but you find Satan reſiſting you, you find a body of death withſtanding, there are allurements and frights ſet before you, and you are ready to be maſtered by them, now ſet faith on work; by that diſcover that there are more for you than against you; if the troubles of the way begin to ſink you, look on to the recompence of reward, and believe it to be, and to be as glorious as the Word of God hath repreſented it: this helped Moſes, Heb. 11. 26, 27. This kept Paul from fainting, 2 Cor. 4. 16, 17.
3. Would you do any thing well; be ſure to fetch in faith for your aſſiſtance. Truſt not to your own grace, rely not on your own preſent diſpoſitions, think not to go through in your own ſtrength, when you find your ſelves never ſo much raiſed in your thoughts: but remember you muſt be helped from on high; reject then all reliance upon any but Chriſt, and accordingly let faith ſtir up prayer in you, and drive you with importunity to the Throne of Grace, to fetch aſſiſtance from him; he hath told you, Joh. 15. 5. Without me ye can do nothing. Keep your eye then upon him in every ſtep you take, and take it not off for one moment, ſo ſhall you be aſſiſted without fail.
4. Would you hold on to the end in your Obedience? Keep an eye of faith fixt upon the promiſe, and on God through Chriſt, whoſe the promiſes are, Heb. 12. 2. You are like to be encountred with many trials in this life, and whiles you are ſincerely ſerving of God, the face of Providence may have ſuch an aſpect on it, as looks as if it were rather putting a bar in to prevent the fulfilment of the promiſes; and mean while the difficulties in the way will appear hard to bear; and now nothing can ſupport you in your reſolution and perſeverance, but the expectation of the accompliſhment of the good engaged, and the ſufficiency in it to compenſate all. When God had promiſed, Canaan to Abraham, he adviſed him, Gen. 13. 17. Ariſe, walk through the Land, in the length & breadth of it; ſo do you, and then remember that Chriſt is the Surety for the accompliſhment, and that God himſelf, who hath made the promiſes, cannot fail of his good word, nor can his wiſdom or power be defeated: and whiles your faith holds here, what is there that ſhould ſhake your Obedience?