The Glory of Christ Set Forth in Sermons on John 3:34-36, Sermon 8
SERMON VIII.
Hebrews XI. 6.
But without Faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe him.
Doct. IT is impoſſible for any Soul to pleaſe God without Faith.
This is the Subject we have been about, and ſhall now, through the Lords aſſiſtance, proceed in. The laſt time I gave you ſome Directions how we ſhould exerciſe Faith in Prayer, ſo as we may pleaſe God; I ſhall now, through the Lords aſſiſtance, proceed, and come to lay down ſome directions, how we may come to exerciſe Faith in hearing the Word of God, that ſo we may pleaſe God: For though we ſhould hear the Word of the Lord never ſo often, yet if we do not exerciſe Faith in our hearing, we do not pleaſe God in it. It is not enough that a man or woman have Faith in the habit, the Grace of Faith in his heart, whileſt he is hearing the Word, but it is requiſite unto our pleaſing of God in hearing his Word, that we act and exerciſe Faith. Says the Apoſtle, in Heb. 4.2. For unto us was the Goſpel preached, as well as unto them; but the word preached did not profit them. Why not? why did not the Word Preached profit them? He gives this as the Reaſon of it, not being mixed with faith, ſays he, in them that heard it. They did not exerciſe Faith in hearing the Word, therefore they did not profit by hearing, for want of mixing Faith with it: The word that is tranſlated mixed, it ſignifies an incorporation, or a Compoſition, as it were, as there is in putting ingredients into a Potion. As now, ſuppoſe in a Potion, if there want ſome ſpecial ingredient that is requiſite to it, the Potion will do little good, nay, poſſibly it may do a great deal of hurt, it may not only not profit, but it may prejudice, it may be very hurtful. Truly, ſo this Faith is a ſpecial ingredient to our hearing the Word of God; now, if this be wanting, this acting and exerciſing of Faith in hearing the Word, we may be much prejudiced; it is of great concernment for people to be acting and exerciſing of Faith in hearing the Word. I do not deny, but God may ſometimes, and doth ordinarily by the Word work Faith in thoſe that were not Believers before; for Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God, Rom. 10.17. Yet notwithſtanding we cannot ſay, though God may pleaſe to work Faith in thoſe that have no Faith, by hearing the Word, yet we cannot ſay that their hearing the Word that have no Faith, is pleaſing unto God, or that they do pleaſe God in their hearing; no, the Text ſeems to ſpeak the contrary; the Text ſays, that without faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God. And truly this may be the great wound, the great ſore upon people, the great impediment and hindrance, and reaſon why people hear much, and profit ſo little, for want of exerciſing Faith in hearing.
Queſt. You will ſay then, How ſhall we ſo act and exerciſe faith in our hearing the word, that our hearing may be pleaſing unto God, and profitable unto us?
Anſw. In anſwer to this, I ſhall come directly to lay down ſome Directions about hearing the Word of the Lord in a way of Faith, that ſo our hearing the Word may be pleaſing unto God:
And firſt of all, we muſt be ſure of this, to be perſwaded upon good grounds, that thoſe that we do hear diſpenſing the Word be called and ſent by Chriſt to Preach, or elſe we cannot hear them in Faith; ſome may Preach, and yet were never ſent, as the Lord ſaith in Jer. 23.21. I have not ſent theſe Prophets, yet they ran; I have not ſpoken to them, yet they Propheſied. A man may come that hath good parts, and Preach the Word, and yet may not be ſent by the Lord; and if he be not ſent by the Lord, truly then we cannot hear in Faith; and if we be not perſwaded that he is ſent by Chriſt, and called by Chriſt to Preach and diſpenſe the Goſpel, we cannot depend upon it as an Ordinance of God, we cannot expect the preſence of Chriſt, we cannot expect the bleſſing of Chriſt upon his Preaching. There are Two things therefore that we are to attend to here:
1. That thoſe that we hear Preach the Goſpel, be ſent and called by Chriſt to Preach. And
2. We muſt be perſwaded that they are ſent and called by Chriſt to Preach, or elſe we cannot hear them in Faith; if we be not perſwaded that they are called and ſent by Chriſt. What the Apoſtle ſpeaks concerning eating of meats, in Rom. 14.23. he would have people perſwaded in their minds; for ſays he, He that doubteth, or he that queſtions whether it be lawful or no, he is damned if he eat. That is, he ventures upon a ſin that does deſerve damnation. So, in this caſe, for hearing, if we be not perſwaded that ſuch a one that we hear, be ſent by Chriſt, we cannot hear the Word in Faith. And to this purpoſe, I pray conſider that place in Rom. 10.14, 15. How then ſhall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how ſhall they believe on him of whom they have not heard? and how ſhall they hear without a Preacher? and how ſhall they Preach except they be ſent? Sent by whom? by Chriſt, they muſt be called and ſent by Chriſt. How can we hear them except they be ſent? Why, cannot we hear a man except he be ſent? No, not lawfully; we cannot hear him in Faith, if we be not perſwaded that he is ſent by Chriſt.
Object. But you will ſay, Suppoſe now that one that hath parts and abilities come and Preach the Truth, that which is ſound Doctrine, may we not hear him? is it not lawful to hear him? Is it not ſufficient if he be a man of abilities, and do Preach ſound Doctrine? what ſhall we need to ſcruple to hear him?
Anſw. For anſwer, Suppoſe now that an Idolatrous Maſs-Prieſt ſhould come and Preach ſound Doctrine, Orthodox Truths to a people, do you think now that ſuch a one is ſent by Chriſt? do you think that you may ſtand lawfully, and attend upon his miniſtry as an ordinance of Chriſt, not being ſent by Chriſt? Nay, I will ſay further, The Devil himſelf may Preach the Truth, and yet notwithſtanding, not being ſent by Chriſt, we are not to hear him. In Luke 4.33, 34. the Devil there he would be Preaching of Chriſt, what he ſaid was Truth, I know thee who thou art, the Holy one of God. But Chriſt would not ſuffer him, in verſ. 35. And Jeſus rebuked him, ſaying, hold thy Peace. He would ſilence him, this is that which poſſibly very few have minded in former times, but have gone on in hearing one and other without making any Queſtion whether they were ſent by Chriſt or no; but I ſay, we cannot act in Faith if we ſhould go on thus, if we be not perſwaded that they are called and ſent by Chriſt.
Queſt. But you will ſay further, How can poor weak People, that are weak in underſtanding, how can they diſcern and underſtand whether Miniſters be called and ſent by Chriſt or no? Alas! this is a hard thing for us to diſcern, and therefore it is ſomewhat too hard to impoſe upon us, that we muſt be perſwaded that they are ſent by Chriſt, or elſe we cannot lawfully hear them?
Anſw. Brethren, I ſuppoſe it is not ſo hard and difficult a thing to know whether a Miniſter be ſent by Chriſt or no; briefly thus, Chriſt he ordinarily ſends one of theſe two ways, thoſe whom he would have to Preach in his name, either
1. In a way of inſtitution or appointment in the way of his Ordinance; namely thus, when a Church of Chriſt following the Rules and Directions that Chriſt doth give in his Word, doth chuſe and call ſuch a one that is ſo and ſo qualified, and in ſuch a way, according to thoſe Rules ſet him a-part for the work of Chriſt; this is now according to Chriſts inſtitution and Ordinance, here is one that is called by Chriſt to Preach and diſpenſe the Goſpel.
2. There is another way whereby Chriſt may alſo call, namely, a providential way, in the way of his Providence, when as a people finding and diſcerning a perſon qualified and gifted for ſuch a work, do thereupon call him and deſire him to Preach to them; here is now a providential call, and Chriſt by this Providence doth call him, and ſend him, as we read in Acts 13.15. Paul, there, went into the ſynagogue on the ſabbath-day, and ſet down, and after the reading of the Law and of the Prophets, the Rulers of the Synagogue ſent unto them, ſaying, Ye men and brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, ſay on. Here was now a providential call, being deſired by the people. So, ſays the Apoſtle, in Acts 16. when he was doubtful which way to go to Preach, at verſ. 6.7. they would have gone to this place, and the other, but the ſpirit hindred them. At laſt, at v. 9.10. A viſion appeared to Paul in the night, and there ſtood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, ſaying, Come over into Macedonia and help us. And after he had ſeen the viſion, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, aſſuredly gathering, that the Lord had called us to preach the Goſpel unto them. Why, here was a beck of providence, and here was a call by the people, and God did diſcover it in a Viſion; ſo that one of theſe two ways God doth ordinarily now adays call Miniſters to Preach the Goſpel. Now, this is eaſie to be diſcerned, and therefore we are to be fully perſwaded in our minds, that ſuch as we go to hear, are called and ſent by Chriſt to Preach the Goſpel, or elſe we cannot attend upon it as an Ordinance of Chriſt, nor expect the bleſſing of Chriſt upon it.
Object. But you will ſay further, But have not good Chriſtians heretofore, godly people, been wont to attend upon ſuch as did Preach ſound Doctrine without queſtioning their call? They never douhted whether they were ſent by Chriſt or no; but heard them, and the Lord was pleaſed alſo to bleſs their hearing, that they profited by their hearing; therefore why ſhould we need to ſcruple and queſtion whether we may not hear one as well as another?
Anſw. Brethren, for this, I may ſay as the Apoſtle ſaid in another caſe, Acts 17.30. The times of this ignorance God winked at, when he ſuffered them to go on in their erroneus ways: in times of ignorance God winketh at: But now, ſays he, he commandeth all men every where to repent and reform. So now, there being a further light, though God might wink at former ignorance, yet now he calls upon all to conſider and underſtand whom they hear, and what they hear, and upon what grounds thoſe that come to Preach the Goſpel to us, come; we know that in point of worſhip there are many things that were heretofore practiced by the people of God; and yet notwithſtanding their former practiſes, do not make thoſe things to be lawful to us now; as there were many things about the Government and Order of the Church that formerly Chriſtians have yielded too, and yet we cannot ſo freely and ſo ſafely with a good Conſcience yield to them; and though good Chriſtians have formerly yielded to them, yet that doth not make it to be warrantable and lawful for us. But in a word, do we believe? are we perſwaded that whatſoever is not of Faith is ſin? If we be not fully perſwaded of the lawfulneſs of a thing, and yet do it, it is ſin? And do we believe what the Text ſaith here, That without faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God? Then if ſo be that we have not Faith to perſwade us, that ſuch as do Preach are ſent by Chriſt, then I think we cannot act Faith in hearing the Word from them. This is the firſt Direction about hearing in Faith, namely, that we be perſwaded that thoſe that we do hear be called and ſent by Chriſt.
2. A ſecond Direction how to act Faith in hearing the Word, is this, namely, we ſhould be careful to remove all impediments that may hinder us in our hearing, from enjoying the preſence of Chriſt, and our profiting by the Word; for this is the work of Faith, to put us upon the uſe of all lawful means to attain an end; Faith will not expect the end but upon the uſe of means. And ſo on the other ſide, as it is the work of Faith to put us upon the uſe of means for the attaining of the end, ſo to avoid all the impediments and hindrances that lye in the way to the attaining of the end; when the Lord called Jacob to go to Bethel, Gen. 35.1, 2, 3. that he might worſhip God there; now, Jacob, that he might enjoy the Preſence of God, and Communion with God in Bethel, in his drawing near to God there, Jacob he removes impediments; now he calls upon his houſhold and all that were with him to put away the ſtrange gods from among them, and be clean, ſays he, and change your garments; and let us ariſe and go up to Bethel, and I will make an Alter unto God, &c. And ſo at Mount Sinai, God gave order to Moſes, that the people ſhould be ſanctified and purified when they ſhould come to draw near to God, and God ſhould draw near to them, Exod. 19.10, 11. And ſo now, when we are to draw near to God in the hearing of his Word, we are to be careful to remove all impediments that may hinder our profiting by our hearing; and this is the work of Faith, Faith doth ſet a Soul a work to endeavour to remove all impediments. Now there are divers impediments to be removed, which will certainly hinder our profiting by the Word, I ſhall name ſome few ſpecial ones which the Scripture hints to us: As,
Firſt, This is one, Malice in the heart; to have the heart poſſeſſed with Malice towards one or another, this will hinder us from profiting by the Word. The Apoſtle Peter therefore expreſly calleth upon us, in 1 Pet. 2.1, 2. Wherefore laying aſide all malice, &c. As new born babes, deſire the ſincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. As if he ſhould ſay, if you harbor malice in your hearts when you come to hear the Word, you will not grow and profit by it; if you entertain and allow malice in your hearts towards one another, this malice may break out in the envy of the good, and welfare of another; and ſo the Apoſtle brings in that branch of malice, envy, and ſometimes it breaks out in reviling and evil-ſpeaking, and therefore ſays the Apoſtle, Lay aſide all malice, and envy, and evil-ſpeaking, and ſo receive the ſincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. As in Prayer, if I regard iniquity in my heart God will not hear my Prayer; ſo in this caſe, if we allow any ſin in our hearts, any malice towards one or another, when we come to hear the Word, God will not liſten to us, and we ſhall not profit by the Word: this may be one cauſe why people hear ſo much, and profit ſo little. If ſo be they do allow malice and envy in their hearts, and allow themſelves to ſpeak evil of others, they cannot hear the Word to grow and profit by it; no, we are to exerciſe love in our drawing near to God, love to God, and love to the Word, and love to the Saints, and love to one another; for if ſo be that we do not love them that we have ſeen or do ſee, ſays the Apoſtle, how can we be truly ſaid to love God whom we have not ſeen? 1 John 4.20. Therefore this is one thing, Let us be careful to lay aſide all malice, and envy, and evil-ſpeaking, if we do deſire ſo to draw near to God in the hearing of the Word, as to profit by it.
Secondly, Another impediment that the Apoſtle hath in the ſame place of Peter, is hypocriſy and guile; this alſo muſt be laid aſide, or elſe we ſhall not receive the Word, ſo as to grow and profit by it; if we come to the hearing of the Word, and do maintain guile and hypocriſy in our hearts, and allow of it, then we cannot profit or grow by the Word. The Apoſtle Peter doth plainly hold forth, that all guile and hypocriſy muſt be laid aſide, and ſo receive the Word, as new born babes, that ye may grow thereby. Guile and hypocriſy doth hinder our profiting by the Word; for this is now a kind of ſtumbling-block, we draw near to God, and have a ſtumbling-block in our hearts; and ſays the Lord, in Ezek. 14.7. If any man ſetteth up Idols in his heart, and putteth the ſtumbling-block of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me, I, the Lord, will anſwer that man by my ſelf. Some do expound that place, the word ſtumbling-block, for the ſeparating and withdrawing the heart from God. Now there are two kinds of hypocriſy or guile that are to be laid aſide in hearing the Word, one is in reſpect of God, the other is towards man; the guile and hypocriſy towards God is this, namely, when as a man or woman doth ſeem to draw near to God in his worſhip, attending upon his Word, and yet notwithſtanding the heart is not near God, but afar off from him, here is hypocriſy and diſſimulation towards God; This people, ſays God, draw near to me with their mouth and lips, but their heart is far from me, Iſa. 29.13. And ſo Chriſt tells the Scribes and Phariſees, in Matt. 15.8. when as a man doth pretend to draw near to God, as if he would know the Mind of God, that he may do the Will of God, and have no ſuch intendment in his heart, he comes to hear the Word, what doth this hold forth, but that he intends to do the word which he hears? Now, when the heart is not ſet to do the Will of God, here is hypocriſy. I remember Jeremiah ſpeaks to that purpoſe, in Jer. 52.20. For ye diſſembled in your hearts, ſays he, when ye ſent me unto the Lord your God, ſaying, pray for us unto the Lord our God, and according to all that the Lord our God ſhall ſay to us, we will do it. Your heart was not right, ſays he, ye pretended, and ſaid, whatever the Lord our God ſhall ſay, we will do, but ye did diſſemble. This is one kind of hypocriſy and guile, when a Soul doth diſſemble with God, and ſeem to worſhip God, and yet the heart is far from God; pretend to come to know the Mind of God, and yet have not a full purpoſe and reſolution of heart to do what God ſhall reveal and make known to be his Will. And then there is another kind of hypocriſy and guile, which is towards men; when as a man doth pretend love to his Neighbour, and kindneſs and friendſhip in Word and Lip, and yet there is no reality at all in the heart. The Apoſtle John ſpeaks of this very thing, ſays he, 1 Joh. 3.8. My little Children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth. It is not a love in deed and in truth, when as our Brother or Neighbour ſtand in need of ſupply and help, and we ſhut up our bowels towards him; here is diſſembling, we pretend love, and there is no reality. Now, ſays the Apoſtle, if you will hear the Word ſo as to profit by it, you muſt lay aſide all guile and hypocriſy; this may be another great cauſe and reaſon why people do come and hear much, and profit little, becauſe they harbour guile and hypocriſy in their hearts; therefore this you muſt be careful alſo to lay aſide.
Thirdly, Another impediment which the Holy-Ghoſt alſo points at in Scripture, which doth hinder us from profiting by the Word, is this, when we come to hear with our hearts royled with paſſion, and anger, and wrath; when we come to hear, and have our ſpirits in a ſtorm as it were with paſſion, then we may hear and hear, but ſhall not profit by our hearing; for now the heart and ſpirit is like a joynt or bone out of the Socket, now it hath no ability to act its part, to do what lay upon ſuch a Member to do. So 'tis in this caſe, when the heart and ſpirit is in a royle, it is put out of joynt and frame by paſſion; and being diſturbed, now 'tis unfit to attend upon God, to hear what God ſhall ſpeak. Now a mans paſſion may be diſturbed one of theſe two ways, ſo as to be put out of frame to attend upon God, to hear the Voice of God in his Word.
1. Sometimes by ſome pinching Providence of God, ſome afflicting Hand of God upon him, which doth pinch and diſturb the ſpirit, and put it into a royle; now a man or woman being thus diſturbed in his ſpirit, is unfit to hear what God ſpeaks, though he ſpeak to him in a way of mercy and grace; you have an inſtance for this, in Exod. 6.9. And Moſes ſpake ſo unto the Children of Iſrael, but they hearkned not unto Moſes. How did he ſpeak to the Children of Iſrael? See verſ. 6.7, 8. Wherefore ſay unto the Children of Iſrael, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burden of the Egyptians, and will rid you out of their bondage, and I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God; and ye ſhall know that I am the Lord your God, which brought you out from under the burden of the Egyptians, and I will bring you in unto the land which I did ſware to give it to Abraham, to Iſaac, and to Jacob, and I will give it you for an heritage; I am the Lord. And Moſes ſpake ſo unto the Children of Iſrael: but they hearkned not unto Moſes, for anguiſh of ſpirit, and for cruel bondage. Through the Providence of God it came to paſs, that they were oppreſſed under Egyptian power; and when Moſes came to ſpeak of inlargement and deliverance, they were oppreſſed, and their ſpirits were filled with anguiſh and trouble; and now let the Lord ſpeak in never ſuch a gracious manner by his Prophet, they could not attend to him for anguiſh of ſpirit.
2. And ſo ſometimes the ſpirit may be put into a royle and paſſion for ſome ſmall petty croſs, ſome kind of vexation which others do occaſion, when they croſs them and vex them, and thereby their ſpirits are put out of order; and now they are unfit to attend upon God: You have an inſtance for this, in 1 Sam. 1.6, 7. concerning Hannah, it is ſaid there, that her adverſary provoked her ſore, for to make her fret, becauſe the Lord had ſhut up her womb; and ſhe went up to the Houſe of the Lord, and ſhe wept and did not eat, ſhe could not tell how to keep the Feaſt, to wait upon God in his Ordinances; Why? becauſe her ſpirit was vexed and did fret. So you may obſerve it, if your ſpirits be put out of order, as ſometimes they are upon a ſmall occaſion, obſerve it, the Devil is wont to take ſuch opportunities, when you are about to draw near to God in any Ordinance, then to miniſter ſome occaſion or other to put you into a fret; poſſibly a little thing out of the way will do it, ſometimes the miſplacing of a Pin will diſturb the ſpirit, and ſometimes the Husband may take ſome offence againſt the Wife, and the Wife againſt the Husband, or againſt the Servants or Children, and the Spirit is royled, and now you come to hear, you ſhall not profit, becauſe now your ſpirits are royled with paſſion; and this is another impediment, and here may be alſo one great reaſon why people come and hear, and hear, and profit little, becauſe many times their ſpirits are royled with paſſion, and this alſo muſt be removed.
Fourthly, Another Impediment that muſt be removed, if you will hear the Word to profit, then take heed that your hearts do not go after covetouſneſs, be not inordinately ſet upon the riches of this world, bent and reſolved to be rich in the world, truly this will be an impediment, and will hinder you from waiting upon God in his Word; this will be like Thorns to choke the Word; for now the Word is that which doth croſs and thwart us in our reaches after the riches of the world. The Word tells us of other riches that are more true Riches; now, when a mans heart is ſet upon the riches of the world, he cannot then yield to what is ſpoken; juſt like the rich man we read of in Matt. 19. The rich man comes to Chriſt to know what good thing he ſhall do to inherit eternal life; Go, ſays Chriſt, in ver. 21.22. ſell that thou haſt, and give to the poor, and thou ſhalt have treaſure in Heaven: And it is ſaid, he went away ſorrowful, becauſe this was contrary to his grain; his mind and heart was ſet upon riches, and he could not yield to this Word of Chriſt. And our hearts are ready to ſcorn, and ſlight, and deſpiſe what is ſpoken, if our hearts be ſet upon the riches of the world; as you may read in Luke 16.14. 'tis ſaid there, when Chriſt was warning them to take heed of the world, Ye cannot ſerve God and Mammon. The Phariſees who were covetous, heard all theſe things, and they derided him, this was againſt the grain, their hearts were covetous, and ſet upon the riches of the world; and now whatever Chriſt ſpeaks, they deſpiſe and ſet at nought. This is that which the Holy-Ghoſt doth warn us againſt, and doth ſhew us that this is the great ground and cauſe why people hear the Word and profit not, becauſe their hearts go after their covetouſneſs. Ezek. 33.31, 32. ſays the Lord there, This people cometh unto thee as the people cometh, and ſit before thee as my people, and they hear my words, and they ſeem to be pleaſing to them, and they take delight in them, and thou art unto them as a very lovely ſong of one that hath a pleaſant voice, and they hear thy words, and do them not; why ſo? for with their mouth they ſhew much love, but their hearts goeth after their covetouſneſs. Their hearts goeth after the world, and therefore whatever is ſpoken will do them no good; and therefore Chriſt doth admoniſh us and adviſe us to take heed and beware of covetouſneſs, Luke 12.15. Well, this is another impediment; if we do deſire to hear the Word to profit and edification, let us get our hearts off from the riches of the world.
Fifthly, To name no more, Take heed alſo of having the heart filled with the cares and matters of this world; if our hearts be filled with the world, there will be no room for the Word to take place: Juſt as if a Room be filled and taken up, there is no room for others to come in. If the world, and buſineſs, and occaſions of the world come and take up the head and the heart, here will be no room for the Word to take place; it is juſt as it is in a great croud, where there is a great noiſe; if there be a great noiſe in the Street, if one come and ſpeak a word in your ear, you cannot hear him becauſe of the noiſe; ſo if our hearts and ears be filled with the cares and the buſineſs of the world, it makes ſuch a noiſe as we cannot hear; and therefore Chriſt tells us, that theſe cares of the world are like Thorns, in Matt. 13.22. He that receiveth ſeed among thorns, is he that heareth the word, and the care of this world, and the deceitfulneſs of riches choak the Word, and he becometh unfruitful. Though we hear much, and there be much Seed ſown, yet if it ſpring up among Thorns, it will never come to any maturity; and therefore hence it is, that Chriſt by two Parables doth ſhew us how the occaſions and buſineſſes of the world doth hinder people from liſtening to the voice of Chriſt in his Word, in Luke 14. There is one Parable of a great Supper that a great man made, and invited many, but they refuſed to come, and made light of it. And the other Parable you have in Matt. 22.5. concerning a King which made a Marriage Feaſt for his Son, and invited his Gueſts, and when the Feaſt was prepared they made light of it, and would not come; What was the Reaſon? One muſt go to his Farm, and another to his Merchandiſe; one about this buſineſs, and another about that, and they could not attend to the Lords Voice in his Word. Chriſt doth thereby ſhew us, that the matters and cares of this world, when they fill the head and the heart, they do hinder us from attending upon God in his Word: This is now another impediment which is to be removed, if we would ſo attend upon the Word, as to hear it with profit. And truly Brethren, to ſpeak plainly, I am afraid that this is one great cauſe why many do profit ſo little by hearing the Word; they come reeking out of the world, and their hands, and heads, and hearts are full of the world, and by that means the Word comes to be unprofitable to them. Oh! that we could therefore learn to underſtand the Lords Will, to underſtand what are the impediments that hinder us from hearing the Word with profit, and be careful to get them removed: This is the ſecond Direction, how to hear the Word in a way of Faith. Faith doth put us upon the removing thoſe impediments that do hinder us from profiting by the Word.
Thirdly, The Third Direction is this; If we would hear the Word in a way of Faith, ſo as we may profit by it, it is to hear it as the very Word of God, as if God ſhould ſpeak from Heaven to us immediately; How would we hear the Word if God ſhould ſpeak to us immediately from Heaven? with what reverence and attention would you hear? how would you be careful to ſwallow up every Word that God ſhould ſpeak? Brethren, know this, that God out of tenderneſs and reſpect to us, ſpeaks in another manner and way to us now, inſtrumentally by man, more mediately, becauſe we are not able to bear the immediate Voice of God; as they ſaid at Mount Sinai, Let not God ſpeak any more to us, for we cannot bear it. Now, the Lord, out of indulgency to us, becauſe we cannot bear his own immediate voice, the Lord is pleaſed to ſpeak to us by means and inſtruments, by men that are like our ſelves; now, I ſay, it is God that ſpeaks to us by men, it is God that ſpeaks from Heaven to us by men; therefore we are to hear the Word, as if God from Heaven did ſpeak to us, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, in Heb. 12.25. Take heed that ye refuſe not him that ſpeaks from Heaven. This is the way now to profit by the Word, and to hear it in Faith; you ſhall find that Cornelius he heard in this manner, when Peter came to Preach to him, Cornelius attended to him, as if God himſelf ſpoke to him, in Acts 10.33. Now, therefore are we all here preſent before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God; as if we ſhould hear God himſelf ſpeak. And you ſee what the advantage and benefit of it was; it is ſaid in verſ. 44. that while Peter yet ſpake theſe words, the Holy-Ghoſt fell on all them that heard him. By this means the Word was made profitable and effectual to them, the Holy Ghoſt fell on all them that heard it; as if God himſelf had ſpoken to them. And the like you read concerning the Theſſalonians, in 1 Theſſ. 2.13. ſays the Apoſtle, For this cauſe thank we God without ceaſing, becauſe when ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of man, but (as it is in truth) the word of God, which effectually worketh alſo in you that believe. Ye received it not as the word of man, though it was ſpoken by man; but ye heard it as the very Word of God, as if God himſelf ſpake from Heaven to you; and therefore Brethren, mind this, when we come to hear the Word, we ſhould attend upon it, and hear it as the very Word of God, as if God himſelf did ſpeak from Heaven, and ſo receive it.
Object. But you will ſay, What, ſhall we receive every thing that is Preached by Miniſters, as the very Word of God? Indeed if they were infallible, we might; but men are not infallable in their Preaching, as the Apoſtles were; they are but men, and they may err and miſtake ſometimes; now, are we bound to receive every thing from them as if God himſelf did ſpeak it? Miniſters alſo (you will ſay) may differ ſometimes in their teaching, one man is of one opinion, and another man of another opinion, what, are we to receive whatever one and another ſpeak, as the very Word of God? as if God ſpoke to us? how can this be?
Anſw. For Anſwer to this, briefly:
1. I ſay, therefore it doth concern Miniſters of the Goſpel to take very great heed, that whatever they ſpeak, it be according to the Mind and Will of God, to ſpeak nothing of their own heads, but what they have warrant for from the Word; and therefore we ſhould uſually back what we hold forth to the people, for matter of Doctrine to be believed, or for matter to be practiſed from the Word of God; we ſhould be very careful of that, ſo that we may be able to ſay, as the Apoſtle did, 1 Cor. 15.2, 3. For I delivered unto you firſt of all, that which I alſo received, &c. and ſo ſhould we do. And let me tell you, I confeſs it hath been matter of ſome trouble to me, fearing leſt I ſhould ſometimes ſpeak what I have not warrant for from the Lords mouth, to hold forth according to his Will; It hath made me ſometimes (to tell you plainly) to wiſh that I were otherwiſe imployed, and that the Lord might imploy thoſe that might more fully declare, and hold forth his Mind and Counſel to the people, than poſſibly I may be able to do; but this is that that lyes incumbent upon Miniſters, to be very careful to hold forth nothing but what they have warrant for from the Word of God. But,
2. Suppoſe what is held forth and delivered ſometimes by Miniſters be not expreſly backed by the Word, yet notwithſtanding we ſhould be very backward and ſlow to reject and deſpiſe what is held forth, though we do not ſee at preſent what warrant there is for it in the Word; poſſibly it may be according to the Mind of Chriſt in a conſequential way, it may be reduced from the Word. And thus far further we ſhould do, we ſhould be ſearching and inquiring whether thoſe things be ſo or no? like the Bereans, in Acts 17.11. It is ſaid, that they were more noble than thoſe in Theſſalonica, for they received the Word with all readineſs of mind, and ſearched into the Scriptures dayly, to ſee whether thoſe things were ſo or no. The Bereans, when they heard Paul Preach ſomething poſſibly that they did not ſo well apprehend to be grounded upon the Scriptures, they did not thereupon ſlight and deſpiſe what they heard, but here was matter of further inquiry for them, they ſearched the Scriptures to ſee whether it was according to the Scriptures or no; and they were commended for it: ſo ſhould we do, if any thing be held forth that we cannot ſee for the preſent expreſs warrant and ground for in the Scripture, we ſhould not ſlight it and caſt it off, but be ſearching into the Scriptures, to ſee whether there may not be ſome ground and warrant for it; This is the third Direction; if we would hear the Word of God in Faith, we muſt be careful to receive it as the very word of God.
Fourthly, If we would hear the Word in Faith, ſo as it may be to profit and edification, we ſhould ſo hear it, as to make a particular application of it to our ſelves, as ſpoken to us in particular; mark it, I pray, here is the direction, we ſhould not only hear the Word, and receive it as ſpoken by the Lord, as if God himſelf ſhould ſpeak to us, but take it as ſpoken to us particularly from the Lord; every one ſhould take it to himſelf as particularly ſpoken to me, and to me in particular; as they ſaid to Job, in Job 5.27. Lo this, we have ſearched it, ſo it is; hear it, and know it thou for thy good; for thy good in particular. And as Paul ſaid, in Acts 13.26. To you is the word of Salvation ſent. So to you, and to every one in particular is this word ſent, and this is the very proper work of Faith, to make a particular application of the Word that is ſpoken to its ſelf. This, I ſay, is the proper work of Faith; for you know in Scripture, the word of Command and the word of Promiſe lay in general, now it is the very work and act of Faith, to take the word that lies in common and general, and apply it particularly to the Heart; this is the very proper work of Faith; or elſe Brethren, the word will do us no good; It will be juſt like a Table full of Meat; the Meat will do us no good if it be not taken; ſo long as it ſtands upon the Table it will do us no good, if it be not taken and eaten down, and applied particularly to us. So in this Caſe, ſo long as the Word lies only in the Scripture before us, the word of Command, or the word of Promiſe, or whatever word it be, if it lie before us as common and in general, and there be no particular application of it, it doth us no good at all, we ſhall not profit by it; but now when it comes particularly to be applied, that God ſpeaks this as a word of Command to me, that this is my Duty, and I muſt take it as if God did ſpeak it particularly to me, that which I am called to perform; ſo if it be a word of Promiſe, I ſhould take it as ſpoken from the Lord to me, the Lord calls me to accept of it and embrace it; and, Brethren, though the Word of the Lord ſeems to lay in common, yet it hath an eye upon every perſon that hears it, it looks to every one, juſt as a Picture, if it be exactly drawn, if there be a Hundred Perſons in the Room, the eye will be upon every one in the Room; ſo the eye of the Word is upon every particular perſon, that hears it; and know it for your good, that the Lord doth ſpeak to everyone of us in particular, when the Word is Preached, and we ſhould not ſay, Well, here was a word fit for ſuch a one, applying it to others, and ſuch a one was met with in the Word: No, no, Brethren, ſo long as we can apply the Word to others and not to our ſelves, it will do us no good; but this is our work and buſineſs, when the Word is Preached in the Name of the Lord, and according to the Will of God, we muſt take it as ſpoken to our ſelves; and here is now the act of Faith, to make that particular which is ſpoken in general. This is now a Fourth direction.
I ſhall name but one more, and ſo conclude.
Fifthly, If we would hear the Word of God in Faith, ſo as to profit by it, then we ſhould act Faith variouſly, according to the ſeveral kinds or parts of the Word, for you know there are divers parts in the Word; as now, there is a Word of Doctrine, and a Word of Promiſe; ſome are Commands, and ſome are Threatnings; now, I ſay, we ſhould act Faith upon the Word variouſly, according to the ſeveral parts of it; as now for example, if ſo be that we meet with a word of Doctrine, as concerning the Creation of the World that was made out of nothing, or the Reſurrection of the Dead, that every perſon ſhall be raiſed again; or concerning the Trinity of perſons in the Godhead, or the union of two natures in one perſon, or our being juſtified by Faith in the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, &c. Theſe things are Doctrinal; now, Faith is to be acted here, Namely, by giving our aſſent to the truth thereof, by believing of it as faithful and true. He that receiveth his Teſtimony, hath ſet to his ſeal that God is True, John 3.33. And by Faith we believe that the World was created out of nothing; this is acting of Faith upon this part of the Word, by giving our aſſent to it, and believing of it to be true, becauſe the Lord hath ſpoken it; poſſibly we cannot underſtand it, how there ſhould be three perſons in one eſſence, and that the ſame Body ſhall be raiſed again that is mouldered into Duſt; we cannot underſtand the reaſon of it; but becauſe God hath ſpoken it, we ſhould believe it. But then there is another part of the Word that contain Promiſes; now, how ſhould Faith act upon the Promiſes, namely, by leaning and reſting with expectation upon the Lord for the performance of them, being perſwaded that God can do it, and that God will perform what he hath ſpoken; juſt like Abraham, Rom. 4.20, 21. God had made him a promiſe to give him a Son in his old Age, Fleſh and Blood would have diſputed againſt this promiſe, but ſaies the Apoſtle, He was ſtrong in Faith, giving Glory unto God; he believed that God would perform what he had ſpoken; it was againſt Fleſh and Blood, Sarah was Old, and he was a Hundred years old or there-about; he might have ſaid how can theſe things be? and refuſed to believe it; no, but he gave Glory to God by believing; Thus we are to act Faith upon that part of the Word. Another part of the Word is Commands; The word of Command; how is Faith to act there? Namely, in a way of Obedience; we ſhould yeild Obedience to what God Commands, though it may be very hard to us. Juſt as Abraham did, God commanded him to go out of his own Country, and to go into a Land he knew not whither; Abraham, by Faith, obeyed and went out, not knowing whither he went; and ſo God commanded him to offer up his Son Iſaac; Abraham acted Faith in a way of Obedience to the Command. And then another part of the Word is Threatning; and how is Faith to act upon the Threatnings? Namely, thus, in a way of fear, to endeavour to avoid thoſe Judgements that are threatned; in Hebrews 11.7. By Faith, Noah being warned of God of things not ſeen as yet, mo… ed with fear prepared an Ark to the ſaving of his Houſe, &c. Truly, thus I ſay, Faith is to … ſet a work, and to act variouſly according …o the ſeveral parts of the Word of God. There are ſeveral parts of the Word of Go…; now, the whole word of God is the Obje… of Faith; but yet notwithſtanding, Faith do… act variouſly, according to the variety o… the parts of the Word. Now, it is the wiſdom of Chriſtians to exerciſe Faith ſutably according to that part of the Word that Faith is exerciſed about. And thus, Brethren, I have briefly given you four or five Directions how we are to exerciſe Faith in hearing of the Word, that ſo we may not hear without profit, that ſo we may pleaſe God in our hearing; for without Faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God. Brethren and Beloved, I muſt not enlarge; but in a word, It hath been the complaint of moſt Chriſtians, and poſſibly ſome here preſent, their want of profiting by the Word; Oh! I hear, and hear, but the Lord knows I do not profit; this is the matter of your complaint; well, now you may go home, and lay your hand upon the Sore, the Lord hath diſcovered to me this day the great Cauſe why I have profited no more under the Word that I have heard ſo often; I ſee now it is for want of the exerciſe of Faith, I have heard my duty, but the Lord knows I have exerciſed Faith but little; and therefore, I ſay, here is matter of humiliation for us, before the Lord, we ſhould lye low in the preſence of the Lord for our ſo little acting of Faith, in our hearing the Word of God. And, Oh! therefore for the future, as we do deſire that the Lord may be pleaſed with our hearing, ſo let us be careful to exerciſe Faith in our hearing; you have heard the Directions, I ſhall not need to repeat them, but go home and conſider them, and be careful to put them in practice, that you may be acting and exerciſing Faith in hearing the Word, for without Faith it will be impoſſible for you to pleaſe God. Though you ſhould hear Sermons never ſo often, if you neglect to act and exerciſe Faith, you will not profit by them, nor pleaſe God in your hearing. And ſo now I have done with this particular, namely, how we are to exerciſe Faith in hearing the Word; it remains that we ſhould ſpeak about exerciſing Faith in our partaking of the Lords Table.
But thus much ſhall ſuffice for the preſent.