The Glory of Christ Set Forth in Sermons on John 3:34-36, Sermon 6
SERMON VI.
Hebrews XI. 6.
But without Faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe Him.
THe words as you have heard, are an intire Propoſition.
Doct. That without Faith it is impoſſible for any Man or Woman, by all that ever they can do, to pleaſe God. You have heard it opened at large, we came the laſt day to touch upon a word of Application, and that was to ſhew what a ſad and uncomfortable condition every unbelieving perſon was in; that nothing that ever he hath done, or can do, or ſhall do whilſt he is in this ſtate, can be pleaſing unto God; For Without Faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe Him. Whatever Duties we perform, whatever Ordinances we partake in, if all be not done in Faith, it cannot be pleaſing unto God.
Queſt. You will ſay unto me then, How ſhall we ſo act in Faith in the performance of all Duties, and in the partaking of all Ordinances, that ſo we may pleaſe God in what we do.
This is a great Queſtion, and I ſhall deſire through the Lords aſſiſtance to ſpeak ſomething to this at this time. And, O Brethren, this is a matter of very great concernment, to do all that we do in Faith, to pray every Prayer in Faith, and every time we hear the Word, to hear it in Faith; and if we partake of the Lords-Table, every time to partake in Faith; or elſe we do not pleaſe God in any of theſe Duties. Let me therefore a little ſtir you up to it, that you may be provoked, if poſſible, to do all that you do in Faith.
Briefly, Let me hint three or four words that way, to ſhew you, that it is of very great concernment, for every one of us to perform every Duty, and to partake of every Ordinance, in a way of Faith. For firſt of all, elſe all that ever we do, all our labour, all our endeavours, all our pains in our duties and performances, will be all in vain. And would a wiſe man be willing to do any thing in vain? to take pains and all in vain? Have ye ſuffered ſo many things (ſaies the Apoſtle, Gal. 3, 4.) in vain? Truly, ſo may we ſay to thoſe that do not exerciſe Faith in their duties and performances, have you done ſo many things in vain? Would any of you take pains in your Callings willingly in vain, and looſe all your labour? Are you willing that all your labour, and travel, and pains from day to day ſhould be loſt, and all in vain? You would count it a very grievous and uncomfortable thing, if any of you ſhould take any great Voyage by Sea, and all your Voyage and Hazard ſhould be in vain? or if you ſhould take any great Journey by Land, in heat and cold, in wet and dry, through thick and thin, and all your Journey ſhould be in vain, and nothing at all come of it, what a grief and vexation would it be to your hearts? Now Brethren, I pray Conſider of it, if we perform duties, take pains in duties day by day, perform Duties in our Families, and in our Cloſets every day, preſenting our Prayers and Supplications before the Lord, and frequently in ſeaſon and out of ſeaſon atrending upon the Word of God Preached, and go on thus week after week, month after month, and year after year, labouring and taking pains in your duties, and yet when all comes to all it is all in vain; Truly, thus it will be, if it be not done in Faith; you have prayed ſo many times in a Week, and ſo many times in a year, poſſibly a thouſand times in your Life, yet all is in vain; for you ſee you cannot pleaſe God, and therefore it is in vain. You deſire to pleaſe God in your Duties, and in your attendances upon the Lord, but all is in vain; What a ſad and uncomfortable thing is this? Therefore certainly it is of great concernment to look to that, that we do not perform Duties in vain, that we do not Pray, and Read, and Hear without Faith, for then all will be in vain.
Secondly, Conſider a little further, What an uncomfortable thing is it for a man to meet with a diſappointment in his great expectation? When a man hath great expectations of a buſineſs, and meets with a diſappointment in the concluſion, that his expectation is fruſtrated; you know what Solomon ſaith, in Prov. 13.12. Hope deferred makes the heart ſick. If a man have hopes of a thing, and his hopes be only put off and deferred, though it may be accompliſhed at laſt, yet if it be deferred beyond the time, it makes his heart ſick. Ay, but when a mans expectations be not only deferred, but altogether fruſtrated, that he meets with nothing but diſappointments, What an uncomfortable thing is this? and the greater the expectation of a man is, or the greater the thing is his expectation is about the greater, and ſadder will his diſappointment be. You know how it fared with Haman, in Eſth. 6. When the King propounded that Queſtion to him, What ſhall be done unto the man whom the King delighteth to honour? Why, thought he, whom the King delights to honour, is none but my ſelf; Surely I am the man: here was his hope and expectation; but now to be fruſtrated of this great expectation of being honoured and advanced, and for the King to ſay, Go take the Kings Horſe, and the Royal apparrel, and go and ſet Mordecai thereon (his great Enemy) go and proclaim before him, thus it ſhall be done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour; thus was his expectation fruſtrated, and it came to nothing. And how did it make his heart ſick? He went home to his Wife and company, and he was even ſick at the very heart. Truly, Brethren, when a mans expectations are raiſed from his Duties and Performances, that he hath gone on in a way of Prayer all his Life-long, and attending upon God in the way of his Ordinances all his Life-long, and his expectation is great, he thinks he hath been pleaſing God all his life-long; and when all comes to all, at laſt he ſhall ſee that he wanted Faith, and ſo never pleaſed God in all his Life, by all the Duties and Services that ever he performed. Here now will his expectations be fruſtrated; and when he comes to lie upon his Death-bed, he thinks he hath been pleaſing God in performing Duties, and attending upon God in his way, he ſhall meet with nothing but Diſappointments; He hath not pleaſed God by all that he hath done all his life-long.
3. Nay, Let me add Thirdly, If our Duties be not done in Faith, truly, then inſtead of being the better for them, we ſhall certainly be the worſe for all the Duties that ever we performed. Now, what an uncomfortable thing is it for a man to labour and take pains, and all for loſs? You that trade in the World, that take a great deal of pains, are up early and down late; why, if ſo be that you go backward in your eſtates, for all your pains-taking, and labour, and toyl: and travel, this will be very uncomfortable to you; to labour and toyl night and day, as it were, and all for loſs. Suppoſe now a great Merchant, he trades and trafficks abroad at Sea, and trades at home by Land; and when he comes to caſt up his accounts, he hath done all for loſs, he is not the richer, but a great deal the poorer, What an uncomfortable thing will this be to him, that he hath been labouring, and travelling, and toyling, and ſpending his ſtrength, and his time, and his pains, and all for loſs? He is the worſe, and not the better, as 'tis ſaid of the woman that had the bloody Iſſue, ſhe went to the Phyſicians and uſed the means, and ſtill ſhe was not the better, but the worſe. You would count this a very uncomfortable thing, if any of your Children or Relations ſhould be ſick, and you call for the help of the Phyſitian, and he applies means, and ſtill all the Phyſick that is taken tends to the hurt of the Party, he is never the better, but the worſe for all the means that is uſed, truly it would make your hearts ake: Truely thus it is when a man hath been taking pains all his life-long, exerciſing of himſelf in holy Duties and Ordinances, worſhipping and ſerving God, and endeavouring to pleaſe God, as he thinks; but now inſtead of pleaſing God by what he hath done, he hath rather diſpleaſed God. For certainly, we are either the better or the worſe for every Ordinance that we partake in; when we come to hear a Sermon, if we do not go away better, we go away worſe; for the Word will work one way or other: And ſo far Prayer, if we be not the better, we are the worſe; when our Duties and Services have not been done in Faith, they have not been pleaſing to the Lord. And when a man comes to caſt up his accounts, he will find himſelf the worſe for all the Services that ever he performed; becauſe they have not been done in Faith.
4. And let me add one word more, If our Duties and Services be not done in Faith, then I pray what have we been doing of all this time, but cheating and deceiving our own Souls; going on and taking pains, and all to delude and deceive our own Souls? We have been ſteering a wrong couſe; inſtead of making Chriſt our Righteouſneſs, we have been making a Chriſt of our Duties and Services, and ſo deceive our own Souls; if we do not act Faith in the performance of Duties, then we make a Chriſt of them, and ſo deceive our own Souls: for if we do not lean upon Chriſt, we lean upon them. A man or woman that doth not act Faith in their Duties and Services, they do but ſteer a wrong Courſe all their life-long. Suppoſe now a man ſhould ſteer his courſe at Sea by a Compaſs that is falſe, he may go on and ſail amain Night and Day before the Wind, he may go on in his Courſe; but all the way that he makes he doth but deceive himſelf, he will never come to the Haven he aims at, and deſires to come to: He doth but deceive and delude himſelf. Why? Becauſe he ſails by a falſe Compaſs, and ſo ſteers his Courſe wrong. Truly thus it is with many Profeſſors, they perform Duties, they go on with full ſail in Duties, they perform Duties every day, and they attend upon the Lord, as they have opportunity, to hear the Word, and read the Word daily, they go on amain. Ay, but ſtill they ſteer a wrong Courſe, they ſail by a falſe Compaſs, and certainly they will never come to the Haven of Reſt, but will run upon their own ruine at laſt. Therefore obſerve it, the Devil will allow a Profeſſor to go on in a courſe of Duties, to pray every day in his Family and Cloſet; he will allow him to go on in a courſe of Ordinances, attending upon God daily, ſo long as his Duties and Services are not touched with the Loadſtone, if they be not done in Faith, he knows what will be the Iſſue of them; he lets him alone, becauſe he knows he doth but deceive himſelf and delude his own Soul: he looks to come to ſuch a Haven, but he will periſh and miſcarry for ever. Therefore, Brethren, I pray conſider, whether it be not a matter of very great concernment for every one of us to look to it, and be careful that all our Duties and Services be done in Faith, or elſe we can never pleaſe God.
Well, This is the Queſtion, How ſhall we ſo perform our Duties and Services in Faith, as they may be pleaſing unto God?
Anſw. In anſwer to it, there are ſome Directions that I ſhall lay down, that may be of general Concernment, and reach all the Duties that we are to perform, and ſhew you how we ſhall perform them in Faith, that they may be pleaſing unto God. And then afterward we ſhall come to lay down more particular Directions, how we may perform every Duty; as Prayer in Faith, and hearing the Word in Faith, and partaking of the Lords-Supper in Faith; how we may perform every Duty in Faith, that ſo we may pleaſe God in what we do.
Firſt, Then for the General Rules that we may make uſe of in all Duties, for the performing of them in Faith, that ſo they may be pleaſing unto God.
1. Firſt then, take this for a general Rule that may be of concernment for every Duty, Let us look eſpecially that we be Believers, that we have a Faith in Chriſt; for if we be not Believers, we can never perform any Duty in Faith; we muſt firſt believe in Chriſt, before we can perform any duty in Faith: Therefore I ſay, Let us be ſure of that, that the work of Faith be wrought effectually in our hearts, that we do really and truely believe on Chriſt; be ſure of that, lay that for a foundation, and the more clear that is, the more ſure we are of that, that there is a real work of Faith wrought in our hearts, we may be the more eaſily perſwaded that what we do, we do in Faith; though that alone is not enough neither: But without that, it is impoſſible for us to do any thing in Faith, ſo as to pleaſe God; it is by Faith that our perſons come to be accepted, without Faith our perſons are not pleaſing unto God: No; It is through the beloved, that we muſt be accepted in our perſons, Epheſ. 1.6. And if our perſons be not accepted, nothing that we do can be accepted; No, we may pray day by day, and cry aloud, and we may perform extraordinary Duties too, and none of theſe accepted, if our perſons be not accepted through Faith in Chriſt; there muſt be the foundation of all: For, Brethren, it is by Faith that our hearts are purified and made holy; now if ſo be that we be not holy, we cannot pleaſe God by any thing that we can do; for he is a holy God, and whatſoever is pleaſing to God, muſt be holy. Now it is by Faith that our hearts come to be purified, Act. 15.9. By Faith we come to have an habitual Holineſs wrought in us, though there may be, and there is ſtill a body of ſin; but ſtill there is a Principle of Holineſs, by Faith, wrought in the heart, whereby we come to be made holy in Gods account. For if ſo be that we be not made holy through Faith, then all that ever we do is unclean, all that comes from us is unclean; look as the Fountain or Spring is, ſo is all that iſſues from it; every drop of water that comes from it, is accordingly. Can you bring forth a clean thing out of an unclean? None can do it. Does a bitter fountain ſend forth ſweet water? No it cannot be: The fountain muſt firſt be made clean and ſweet, or elſe all the ſtreams will be according as the fountain is. A corrupt Tree cannot bring forth good fruit; make the Tree good, or the fruit cannot be good. All that comes from a man or woman that is in a ſtate of unbelief, is unclean; and whatever Duties or Ordinances he touches, is unclean and polluted, and therefore cannot pleaſe God. Look, as it was under the Law, if one that was Legally or Ceremonially unclean, touched any thing, it was unclean, Hag. 2.12, 13. If one bear holy fleſh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oyl, or any meat, ſhall it be holy? And the Prieſts anſwered and ſaid, no, it ſhall be unclean. So now, whatever Duties be performed under the New-Teſtament, if we be not Believers, if our hearts be not purified by Faith, truly then all that we touch is impure and unclean to us, as the Apoſtle ſaith, Tit. 1.15. Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled (Who are thoſe? he explains it in the very next words) and unbelieving, is nothing pure: They can do nothing that the Infinite, Holy and Pure God can be pleaſed with. Now there is no way for a Soul to be made clean, to lave an habitual Holineſs, but through Faith wrought by the Spirit of Chriſt, and the application and ſprinkling of the Vertue of the Blood of Chriſt upon the Conſcience; So a man or woman comes to be made clean: In Heb. 9.13. ſaies the Apoſtle there, For if the blood of bulls, and goats, and the Aſhes of an heifer ſprinkling the unclean, ſanctifie to the purifying of the fleſh; that is, The Holy Water under the Law, that being ſprinkled upon the unclean did purifie him, and make him clean: and if the ſprinkling of that water did purifie from Ceremonial Uncleanneſs, How much more ſhall the blood of Chriſt, verſe. 14. Who through the eternal Spirit offered up himſelf to God, purge your Conſeiences from dead works, to ſerve the living God? Two things the Apoſtle doth plainly hint to us in this Scripture;
Namely, (1.) That all our Works that we perform before we be cleanſed by the Blood of Chriſt, they are all but dead works, unholy and unclean. And then (2.) it implies thus much, That we come to be cleanſed from our dead works, by the ſprinkling of the Blood of Chriſt upon us, and that by the Eternal Spirit, the Spirit of God. This is the way, and the only way whereby a man or woman comes to be habitually clean and holy, by Faith in Chriſt, whereby the Soul is not only juſtified from the Guilt of ſin; but there is the Spirit of Chriſt conveyed and communicated to the ſoul, whereby there is a principle of Holineſs, of Habitual Holineſs put upon the Soul. Well, this is now the firſt general Rule, and therefore I ſay, Brethren and Friends, it is of great concernment to us to look to that; if we would act Faith in our Duties, ſo as to pleaſe God, we muſt firſt of all look that there be a work of Faith wrought in our hearts, that we do truly believe on Chriſt; and to that end we ſhould be venturing to lean the weight of our Souls upon Chriſt, and upon his Blood and Righteouſneſs, as it is tendred and held forth to us in the Goſpel: and to this end alſo, let us wraſtle with the Lord, and beg for the Spirit of Faith to be given out to us. Chriſt hath promiſed that our Heavenly Father will give the Holy Ghoſt to them that ask him: This is the firſt Rule, to look that we be true Believers.
(2.) Secondly, As Faith does poſſeſs the Soul with Habitual Holineſs; ſo it is by Faith alſo that a Soul comes to be cleanſed from actual Guilt; Therefore the Second Rule, to act in Faith, in our Duties and Performances, is to put away all Guilt, all ſinful Uncleanneſs from us, when we come to perform any Service, or offer up any Sacrifice to the Lord; If a Man or Woman come before the Lord in the guilt of any known ſin that he lives in, if he do not put that away, it makes all his Duties unclean, and not pleaſing to God. A man cannot act in Faith, ſo long as he comes knowingly with any guilt upon his Conſcience, living in the neglect of any known Duty, or living in the commiſſion of any known ſin; if he live in it, he cannot act in Faith: Faith will purge and cleanſe the Soul from ſin, that he will put away all guilt when he comes to draw near to God. See what is ſaid in Job 11.13, 14, 15. If thou prepare thine heart, and ſtretch out thine hands towards him: If Iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedneſs dwell in thy tabernacle, for then ſhalt thou lift up thy face without ſpot, &c. When you come to ſtretch out your hands towards God in Prayer, or when you come to draw near to him in any Duty, Then, ſaies he, if there be Iniquity in your hand, put it far away; Do not come to God in Prayer, or in any Ordinance, in any known Sin that you do allow your ſelves in; for if you do, you cannot perform thoſe Duties in Faith, and ſo they cannot be pleaſing unto God: Therefore be ſure that you put away all evil from you. As now for Example, (to ſhew you the Application of this Rule, that you may know how to make uſe of it for every Duty) ſuppoſe now you go to prayer, if you would pray in Faith, ſo as to pleaſe God, you muſt not allow your ſelves in any known ſin; No, ſays David, in Pſal. 66.18. If I regard Iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: I cannot make a Prayer in Faith; If you have made a thouſand Prayers, though you be a Believer in the main, yet all thoſe Prayers that you have put up in ſuch a way, with the guilt of any known ſin upon you, that you allow your ſelf in, and go on in, your Prayers have not been put up in Faith, and ſo God will not regard them: Therefore be ſure of that, when you come to pray, ſee that you do not allow your ſelf in any known ſin. So if you come to hear the Word, if you would hear in Faith, ſo as to pleaſe God in it, you muſt put away all evil out of your hands; In Jam 1.21. ſays the Apoſtle there, Lay aſide all filthineſs, and ſuperfluity of naughtineſs, and receive with meekneſs the ingrafted word, which is able to ſave your ſouls. Do you deſire to hear the Word in Faith, ſo as it may be a ſaving Word to your Souls? Then Lay aſide all Filthineſs and Superfluity of naughtineſs; Allow your ſelf in no known ſin, when you come to draw near to God in any Ordinance. So the Apoſtle Peter, 1 Pet. 2, 1, 2. ſaies the Apoſtle there, Laying aſide all malice, and guile, and hypocriſie, and envy, and evil-ſpeaking, as new-born babes, deſire the ſincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. Do you deſire to hear the Word, ſo as you may pleaſe God in your hearing? Then let there be no Envy, nor Malice, nor Hypocriſie allowed in your hearts; for elſe you cannot receive the Word, ſo as to be milk to your Souls, ſo as to grow and profit by it. And ſo alſo, if you come to any other Ordinance, as to the Lords-Supper, you muſt come in Faith to it, and partake in Faith, or elſe we cannot pleaſe God by it. Now this is one way whereby we come to partake in Faith, namely, by cleanſing our ſelves: Saies the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 5.7, 8. ſpeaking by way of Alluſion to the Paſſover, Chriſt our Paſſover is ſacrificed for us, let us therefore keep the Feaſt, not with the old leaven of malice and wickedneſs, but with the unleavened bread of ſincerity and truth. If we draw near to God in this Ordinance, we muſt cleanſe our ſelves, in Jam. 4.8. Draw near to God, and God will draw near to you. And how ſhall we draw near to God, ſo as God may draw near to us? Mark what follows, Cleanſe your hands, ye ſinners; and purifie your hearts, ye double-minded. Here is the way for us to draw near to God in a way of Faith; for it is properly the work of Faith to purge the Heart, and to purge the Hands: That is the ſecond Direction, that may ſerve as a General Direction, to help us to draw near to God, in any Duty or Ordinance, ſo as to pleaſe God.
3. The Third way to perform Duties, ſo as to pleaſe God, is this; It is the proper work of Faith to empty the Soul of it ſelf. Now if you will draw near to God in any Duty or Ordinance, ſo as to pleaſe God, then come with Self-emptyings; for Faith is a ſelf-emptying Grace; that is the proper work of Faith, to empty the Soul of it ſelf. Now there are two things that Faith does empty the Soul of in the performance of holy Duties; The one is, It empties the Soul of the ſenſe of its own Sufficiency and Ability to perform holy Duties; and alſo it empties the Soul of the ſenſe of its own worthineſs, to receive any Mercy from the Lord, in any Duty or Ordinance: Theſe two things Faith doth empty the Soul of, and ſo you ſhall find it, that where Faith hath been acted and exerciſed, there hath been Self-emptyings. The Apoſtle Paul was a man that did live much in the excerciſe of Faith, and he profeſſes it, Gal. 2.20. That he Lived by the Faith of the Son of God; and you may obſerve how the Apoſtle emptied himſelf of Self-ſufficiency and Self-worthineſs; for Self-ſufficiency, ſays he, in Rom. 8.26. We know not how to pray, nor what to pray for as we ought. The Apoſtle Paul that was ſuch a great proficient in the School of Chriſt, ſuch an eminent perſon, yet ſaies he, We know not how to pray, he was empty of Self-ſufficiency, and, ſaies he, in 2 Cor. 3.5. Not that we are ſufficient of our ſelves to think any thing as of our ſelves; but our ſufficiency is of God. Saies he, I am ſo inſufficient that I cannot ſo much as think a good thought. What was he ſufficient for then? And, ſaies he in another place, I cannot ſo much as will or deſire any thing that is good. It is God, ſaies he, that worketh in us both to will and to do, of his own good pleaſure. And, ſaies he in 2 Cor. 12.11. though I be nothing; What a word is this? The Apoſtle Paul, that was one of the eminenteſt Saints that lived upon the face of the earth in his days, yet ſays he, I am nothing! Paul living by Faith, was emptied of the ſenſe of his own ſufficiency; and truly ſo alſo he was emptied of Self-worthineſs of receiving any Mercy from God: For all his Duties and Services, ſaies he, I am leſs than the leaſt of all Saints; and Epheſ. 3.8. To me, who am leſs than the leaſt of all Saints, is this Grace given, &c. And in 1 Cor. 15.9. ſaies he, I am the leaſt of the Apoſtles, that am not worthy to be called an Apoſtle. So, if you obſerve it, you may find it in all thoſe that lived in the exerciſe of Faith, how they have been emptied of the ſenſe of their own worthineſs; Abraham the Father of the Faithful, ſee how he lay low, and even crept in the duſt before the Lord, and acknowledged himſelf not worthy to ſpeak to the Lord in Prayer for Sodom, that he was fain to Apologize for himſelf at every turn, Let not the Lord be angry, that I who am but duſt and aſhes have undertaken to ſpeak unto the Lord, Gen. 18.27, 30, 32. I am unworthy, ſaies he, to ſpeak unto the Lord for any Mercy either for my ſelf or Sodom. And ſo Jacob, Lord, ſaies he, I am leſs than the leaſt of all thy Mercies, Gen. 32.10. I am not worthy of the leaſt Mercy from thee. Thus Faith does empty the Soul, both of ſelf-ſufficiency, and alſo of ſelf-worthineſs. Now then, to ſhew you how you ſhould make uſe of this Rule, It will ſerve for every Duty that we perform; when we come to pray, we ſhould draw near to God with this ſenſe of our inſufficiency, to lift up a Prayer unto God; we ſhould come to God with a ſenſe upon our hearts of our inability to perform the work; and alſo with a ſence of our own unworthineſs, that God ſhould hear our Prayers; when we have prayed never ſo well, as others may judge, yet we muſt come with ſelf-abaſing, and ſelf-emptying: So if we go to hear the Word, if we would hear in Faith, we ſhould make uſe of this Rule, Lord I am unworthy to be admitted to hear thy Word; I am unworthy that thou ſhouldſt ſpeak to me; and I am inſufficient to hear thy Word as I ought to hear it: Thus come with ſelf-emptying, and ſelf-abaſement. So when we come to the Lords-Supper, Lord, I have no ſtrength now to partake of this Ordinance, as I ought to do; I cannot prepare my ſelf for it; I have no ſtrength to partake of it; I have no ſufficiency at all to partake of this or any other Ordinance, as I ought to do; and I am unworthy that the Lord ſhould draw near to me, to let me have any Fellowſhip or Communion with himſelf: This is the Third general Rule.
Fourthly, If we would perform all Duties, and partake in all Ordinances in Faith, ſo as we may pleaſe God in what we do, Then let us do all that we do in the Name of Chriſt; for there is all our worthineſs and all our acceptance. You know the Apoſtle gives us this Rule, i… Col. 3.17. Whatever ye do in word or in d…ed, do all in the Name of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. For if, we do not what we do in his Name, it is not accepted. Look as it was under the Law, if a man under the Law were to bring a ſacrifice, he was to bring it to the Prieſt, or elſe it was not accepted, but it was to be an Abomination; in Levit. 17.3, 4. Whatſoever man of the houſe of Iſrael there be that killeth an O…, or Liamb, &c. And bringeth it not unto the door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, unto the Prieſt, that ſoul hath ſhed blood, and ſhall be out off from among his People. Though he brought never ſo good a ſacrifice in it ſelf, yet it muſt be brought unto the Prieſt; And ſo they were to bring their ſacrifices, and have them laid upon the Altar, or elſe they were an Abomination and not acceptable to God. Now, Brethren, Jeſus Chriſt is our great High-Prieſt, and Jeſus Chriſt is our Altar too, by whom, and upon …m all our ſervices and ſacrifices muſt be …ered, or elſe they are not accepted of God; therefore whatever you do, whatever Prayer you make, whatever Ordinance you partake …, do all in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt; or elſe you do not do it in Faith, and it will not be pleaſing unto God.
Queſt. You will ſay, What is it to perform a Duty in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt, ſo as it may be acceptable and pleaſing to God?
Anſw. For anſwer; Brethren, It is not enough for us to make mention of the Name of Chriſt in our Prayers, and to ſay, Through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, as you commonly conclude your Prayers (I do not blame you for this;) But it is not the naming of the Name of Chriſt, that is this doing of it in the Name of Chriſt. What is it then, you will ſay, for me to pray, or hear the Word, or partake of any Ordinance in the Name of Chriſt? Briefly, (for I would not inlarge) there are theſe Three things implied in it.
Firſt, That we do look for our acceſs into the preſence of God through Chriſt, and for his ſake; ſays the Apoſtle, in Epheſ. 2.18. For through him we both have an acceſs by one Spirit unto the Father. Through him we both, that is, both Jews and Gentiles, have acceſs by one Spirit unto the Father; we have acceſs into the preſence of the Father through Chriſt. You know, Brethren, after Adam fell and tranſgreſſed, he was driven out from the preſence of God. Before, indeed, he had communion with God, and acceſs into the preſence of God: but after he had broken the Covenant that God had made with him, he was driven out from the preſence of God; and there was a Flaming Sword that ſtood to keep him from duplicate page duplicate page coming near to God. And ſo all his poſterity are now driven from the preſence of God, and cannot have acceſs into the preſence of God, but through Chriſt; and through him we may have acceſs with boldneſs, as in Heb. 4.16. Let us come therefore boldly unto the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in the time of need. Through him we may come and have acceſs into the preſence of God, with boldneſs and confidence; that is one thing that is implyed by performing any Duty in the Name of Chriſt, to look for our acceſs into the preſence of God through him.
Secondly, To do it in the Name of Chriſt, is to look for ſtrength and aſſiſtance to perform our Duties from Chriſt: for as you heard before, we are altogether inſufficient of our ſelves to do any thing, or think any thing that is good; not only as we are in a ſtate of nature before Converſion, or before we be brought to believe in Chriſt; for that is a ſtate and condition that the Apoſtle deſcribes to be without ſtrength, Rom. 5.6. But this is not only the condition of Unbelievers, but even Believers themſelves are inſufficient of themſelves to do any thing that is pleaſing to God; as you may ſee in thoſe Scriptures that I mentioned to you even now. You cannot pray, no nor think a good thought; you cannot will, nor deſire any thing; ſaies the Apoſtle, I am nothing, and I can do nothing; and yet ſaies the Apoſtle in Phil. 4.13. I can do all things through Chriſt that ſtrengtheneth me. Through the help and ſtrength of Chriſt I can pray, and I can hear the Word, and I can partake of the Lords-Supper in a way of Faith through Chriſt, and have communinion with Chriſt in it, when there is Grace and ſtrength communicated from Chriſt. This is the Second thing implied, To do every thing in the Name of Chriſt, is to be looking for all our help from Chriſt and him alone.
Thirdly, There is this further implied in it, when we perform any Duty in the Name of Chriſt, we look for all our acceptance of what we have done and performed only for Chriſt's ſake, and through Chriſt, that the Lord ſhould do this or that for us for Chriſt's ſake, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, in, Pet. 2.5. Ye are, ſaies he, a holy Prieſthood to offer up Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God by Jeſus Chriſt. You come and offer up your Sacrifices, your Prayers to God, your Duties and Services; But how ſhall they be acceptable to God? How? only by Jeſus Chriſt; this is to perform a Duty in the Name of Chriſt; namely, when we look for acceſs into the preſence of God, to ſtand with a holy boldneſs in the preſence of God with our Services through his being pleaſing to the Father, and when we look for all our help and ſtrength to the performance of our Duties from Chriſt, and when we expect all our acceptance of our Duties and Services through Chriſt. Now that you may ſee how to apply this Rule, and make uſe of it; ſuppoſe now you are to pray, you would pray in Faith, ſo as to pleaſe God, come then in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt. How? When I pray, I am to look to have acceſs into the preſence of God with my Prayers through him, and I am to expect aſſiſtance and ſtrength from Jeſus Chriſt to enable me to do it: And I am to look for a…d…ance and acceptance of my Prayers that I have performed, only through Jeſus Chriſt. And ſo I might ſhew you for hearing the Word: 'Tis a general Rule, we are to hear in Faith. How? Namely, to hear the Word in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt: How is that? Thus to come and preſent our ſelves in preſence of God through Chriſt, in Obedience to his Will, that we may have acceſs and ſtand in his preſence in that Duty and Service through Jeſus Chriſt; and to expect Grace and Strength from Chriſt, to inable me to attend unto the Word as I ought to do; without him I cannot hear as I ſhould: but in hearing I ſhall not hear, if I have not ſtrength from Chriſt to enable me; and when we have done, to look for acceptance through Chriſt, of the ſervice that I have done. And ſo for partaking of the Lords-Supper, we ſhould do all in the Name of Chriſt; look for acceſs into the preſence of God in that Ordinance through Chriſt; look to have aſſiſtance to be carried on in the participation of that Ordinance by ſtrength from Chriſt; and ſo look for acceptance of our participation of the Ordinance through Jeſus Chriſt. That is the Forth General Rule.
5. Take one more; Would we ſo act Faith in our duties and Services, that they may be pleaſing unto God, the Rule is this; namely, to come with a reſting and relying upon Chriſt, with expectation to have that given out unto us by the Ordinance, for which the Ordinance was inſtituted and appointed, and therefore Reſting upon God, and Waiting upon God, are frequently called Faith in Scripture: ſaies David, in Pſal. 62.5. All my expectation is from God; My Soul, wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from Him. Therefore will I reſt upon him for the giving out of what I do expect from him. And ſo in Iſa. 26.4. Truſt ye in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlaſting ſtrength: Truſt in him for ever. Whenever you come to any Duty or Ordinance, ſtill act in Faith, reſting upon God with an expectation to receive that from God, that he hath appointed the Ordinance for: As now, Suppoſe for Prayer; When we come to wait upon God in Prayer, we ſhould come reſting upon God, with an expection to receive that from God which the Duty is appointed for. To pray in Faith, is not for a Man or Woman to believe, and be perſwaded that he ſhall receive the particular thing that he prays for; No, we do but deceive our ſelves, if we think this be to pray in Faith. For we may pray in Faith, and yet not have the particular thing given that we pray for, as I could inſtance in ſeveral examples: But that ſhall not be my buſineſs now. But to pray in Faith, is only this, namely, to rely upon God, he being a God hearing prayer, that he would hear my duplicate page duplicate page Prayer, and grant my Petitions ſo far as they are according to his Will, at his own time and leaſure; O thou that heareſt Prayer, Pſal. 65.2. to thee ſhall all fleſh come. His Faith was built upon that, that God was a God hearing Prayer; and he relied upon God, and expected that God would anſwer his Prayer in his own time. And remember this, for it is a daily Duty that we are to perfom; Though we may be Believers, and have an Habit of Holineſs in us, yet if we do not act Faith in Prayer, our Prayer is not acceptable and pleaſing unto God becauſe it is not done in Faith; it muſt be a Prayer of Faith, as the Apoſtle James calls it, ſo to pray as to be perſwaded to believe and reſt upon God, that ſo far as my Prayer is according to his Will, he will hear and anſwer in his own time, and in his own way. And ſo for hearing of the Word, you may make uſe of this Rule, namely, to reſt and wait upon the Lord, and expect ſomething to be given out from the Lord in that very Ordinance, for which the Ordinance was appointed, namely, to hear ſomething ſpoken from God to me, that I may be further acquainted withal: In Acts. 10.33. ſee what Cornelius ſpeaks to Peter: Peter was ſent from God to ſpeak to him; ſaies he, We are all here preſent before God, to hear what God ſhall ſpeak: We are all here preſent before the Lord, expecting to have ſomething ſpoken from the Lord. It is the Lords Ordinance, and we are to wait upon God in it, with an expectation to have ſomething from God. Alas! we come to hear the Word, and we may go away as we come, if we do not hear in Faith; we ſhould come with an expectation to hear ſomething from God. I will hearken to hear what God the Lord will ſpeak to me; it is his Ordinance, and the way and means which God hath appointed to communicate of himſelf to us: and ſo we muſt reſt and rely upon the Lord by Faith for ſomething to be ſpoken, that may be of concernment to us. And ſo for receiving the Lords-Supper, this general Rule will help you in that; Come to that Ordinance, reſting upon God in a way of Faith, expecting ſomething from the Lord to be given out in that Ordinance, for which the Ordinance eſpecially was appointed. And what is that? To have communion with Chriſt, and a communication and participation of the Bleſſings of Chriſt, of the Grace and Spirit of Chriſt. 1 Cor. 10.16. ſaies the Apoſtle there, The bread which we break, is it not the Communion of the Body of Chriſt? It was procured and purchaſed by Chriſt's Death and Bloodſhed. Now then, I ſay, here is the Rule, When we come to a Duty and Ordinance, come in a way of reſting and expectation to have ſomething communicated to us from the Lord of the Ordinance, ſomething of that which God hath appointed the Ordinance and Duty for. So now, you ſee here are five General Rules that may help us in the performance of Spiritual Duties, in a way of Faith, ſo as we may pleaſe God in them. And, O Brethren and Friends! ſhould any of us be willing to perform Duties and enjoy Ordinances in vain from day to day Why, as you have heard, if we go on not to act Faith in what we do, all will be in vain. And are you willing to be the worſe for the Duties that you perform, and the Ordinances that you enjoy? Truly, if we do not act Faith in them, we ſhall inſtead of being the better be the worſe for them; we cannot pleaſe God, but ſhall diſpleaſe him more and more. And ſo, are we willing to meet with diſappointments at laſt? when we come to lie down upon our Sick-bed and Death-bed, and expect that we have been pleaſing God by what we have done; and we ſhall meet with a Diſappointment, becauſe we have done nothing in Faith, and ſo have not pleaſed God, but diſpleaſed him? And are you willing to deceive your own Souls, as you have heard? We may go on in the performance of Duties and Services, and ſteer a wrong Courſe, miſſing of Chriſt, if our Duties and Services be not touched with the Loadſtone of Faith. Therefore, I ſay, Brethren, it is of concernment to us to conſider theſe general Rules that have been given, to direct us how to perform Duties and enjoy Ordinances in a way of Faith, that ſo they may be pleaſing unto God. There are particular Rules that I ſhall deſire, if the Lord pleaſe, to lay down, How we may ſo pray in Faith that our Prayers may be pleaſing unto God; and then ſhew you, how we may hear the Word in Faith, that thereby we may pleaſe God, and profit our own Souls: And ſo come afterward to ſome other things, as the Lord gives opportunity.
But thus much for this time.