Comfort for Believers About their Sins and Troubles, Observation 2 – Observation 3
SECOND OBSERVATION.Obſer. 2. As we muſt beleeve in Chriſt, So we muſt cō tinue faith in the Father alſo.
That allthough, ſince Chriſt is come, we ſhould not onelyonly beleeve in God the Father, but in Chriſt; Yet, we ſhould not ceaſe beleeving in the Father, and doe it in the Sonne onelyonly, as it was formerly done, onelyonly in the Father; But we ſhould continue our faith in the Father alſo.
For he ſaith not, ceaſe your beleeving in the Father, and place it onelyonly on me; But as ye doe beleeve in him, doe it alſo in me, but ceaſe not to doe it in him; Therefore, in diverſe Scriptures, Faith is given to God the Father: Rom. 4. 24. Heb. 2. 13. He proves Chriſt a Brother verſe. 11. becauſe he truſts in God; that muſt be God the Father: So, 1. Pet. 1. 21. & 1. John. 3. 21. Confidence towards God the Father; as the 22. 23. ver. ſhew.
REASON. Reaſon.Bec. though God put the Promiſes into Chriſt, Yet he reſerved them alſo in his owne hāds.
The Reaſon is; Becauſe, though God put the Promiſes into Chriſt, and gave him them, yet he reſerved them alſo in his owne hands & power; For God the Father did not onelyonly promiſe Chriſt, and that Chriſt ſhould doe every thing; But He promiſed Chriſt, and promiſed that He by, & through Chriſt, & for Chriſt, would doe ſuch, and ſuch things: As that he would juſtifie them that beleeve; Rom. 3. 26. It is the Father that is juſt, in taking ſatisfaction from Chriſt; and yet is the juſtifier of them that beleeve in Jeſus; So Rom. 4, 5. Our Faith now, ſince Chriſt, is made, (in this reſpect) the ſame with Abrahams, even as he, to beleeve on him, who Juſtifies the ungodly, not materially meritoriouſly, as Chriſt doth; but judicially, to acquit in judgment; which is the Fathers worke: For it was on the Father promiſing this, in Iſaac: That Abraham beleeved: Verſe. 3. And this is the ſame Perſon who is ment Verſe. 5. for that, it is a continued ſpeech; which is more plaine, Tit. 3. 6. 7. He that ſhed Mercy on us, through Chriſt; juſtifies us by his Grace, through Chriſt; and this muſt be the Father; Alſo the Father promiſed by Chriſt, to give the Spirit, who is therefore called the promiſe of the Father: Acts. 1. 4. and the progreſſe, yea, & whole worke of Sanctificatiō, is given to the Father: John. 15. 1. 2. & Jude. 1. Not becauſe he works it immediately (for it is more ſpecially appropriated to the holy Gbost) but becauſe he hath purpoſed and promiſed it: as Eph. 1. 3.
Nor by this beleeving in the Father; doe I onelyonly meane, in general to Beleeving in the Father mu…t not onelyonly be in generall, But mo…t ſpecia…lbeleeve in him: For ſo, Beleeving being a duty of the firſt Commād, and a natural Worſhip, it is a due of all the Three perſons in common, as God; and we are to beleeve in the Father, Sonne, & holy Ghoſt: But, the Three Perſons have pleaſed to ſelect, and more eſpecially, to appropriate to each of them (yet in the name, and for the honour of all three) ſome perticular Workes about Man; even ſuch as more ſpecially ſuites with, their diſtinct & Perſonall opperations:
Thus the Holy Ghoſt; hath more ſpecially appropriated to him, the Worke of Revelation, Sanctification, Inhabitation, & Comfort: In as much, as theſe Workes are loweſt in Order, and neareſt to the Creature; as He is loweſt in Order of the Perſons Divine, and ſo neareſt to the Creature: Though yet, as He is one God, equall with the other; So, thoſe his Workes, are as infinite, & glorious, as any of the other.
And the Father, & Sonne, have more ſpecially appropriated to them; The promiſing the good things which the holy Ghoſt reveales, & works: Becauſe in Free-Grace; a Purpoſe & Promiſe, muſt goe before the revelation, & exhibition of them; As the Fathers Perſon, & the Sonnes, are in Order of Subſiſtance, though not in Time, before the Perſon of the holy Ghoſt: Therefore, I ſay, Promiſing is more ſpecially appropriated in Scripture, to the Father & Sonne; And as Promiſing, on their parts; So Beleeving, on our part; is more ſpecially appropriated in Scripture to them Two: To the Father; becauſe, the Promiſes, are but expreſſions, and obligations of himſelfe, to performe, his Purpoſes: In as much therefore, as He, who is the Firſt Perſon of the Three; aſſumes to himſelfe, the Purpoſing or Decreeing of all; which is the Firſt roote and riſe of every thing; there is a fittnes, that He alſo ſhould aſſume to Himſelfe; the promiſing of them; in as much, as they are his owne; the iſſue & of ſpringe of his owne good will.
And the Sonne, being Heire to all his Fathers; Is alſo Heire to His purpoſes & promiſes, and had them all firſt made over to him (as ye heard before) and was appointed to purchaſe them for us; and ſo they alſo are his owne; and He, with the Father, appropriate more ſpecially to themſelves our beleeving in them, unto the performances of the Promiſes: And the Father, though he made over all Promiſes to the Sonne, & appointed him alſo, to purchaſe them; Yet he put not him ſelfe, out of poſſeſſion, though he put his Sonne alſo in, with Himſelfe, and gave his Sonne another proper title, by purchaſe; Yet the Father kept his owne title to the Promiſes, and ſo to our beleeving in Him, as well as in the Sonne: Which, is intimated in this; that he retaines in his owne hands that Promiſe of making Chriſts ennimyes his footeſtoole; Pſal. 110. 1 Which conteines in it alſo, the conſummation of all Promiſes to Beleevers, both of Juſtification, & Sanstification, & Reſurrection from Death: 1. Cor. 15. 25. 26. which God the Father aſſumes to Himſelfe though yet he executes, & performes it, by Chriſt, (as ye heard before) Therefore Chriſt himſelfe (though he is at Gods right hand) truſts in God: Heb. 10. 12. 13. and ſo muſt all Beleevers.
Queſtion: What is the difference twixt beleeving, in the Father and the Sonne.But it may be askt; What difference is there, twixt our beleeving in the Father, & in the Sonne? I anſwer in Foure Things.
Anſwer. 1. Beleeving in the Father, is as in the orriginal Author of our goodFirſt, our Beleeving is in the Father, as in the original Author, and undertaker, for our good, who ſent, and gave Chriſt for us; & raiſed him up from the dead; and therefore Rom. 4. 24. our Faith is ſo placed on him; But our beleeving is on the Sonne as the Perſon appointed by the Father, to convey all good to us; John. 6. 27. 29. ſo Math. 12. 18. to 22. He is beleeved in. as Gods Servant, fitted to the worke; as the meritorious and working Meanes, of all our good; as the bread of Life, John. 6. 35. therefore the proving him to be the Chriſt, helpt them to beleeve; Acts. 18. 27. 28. becauſe they beleeved in him, as the Meanes or Inſtrument anointed, & fitted by God, to Save: Hence it followes.
2. It is more med are.Secondly, Our beleeving in God the Father, is more mediate, & remote; it is through & becauſe of Chriſt: 1. Pet. 1. 21. By Chriſt we beleeve in God: That is not onelyonly by Chriſt, as the Efficient working Faith: But as the Meanes through whome, we come to beleeve in the Father: For ſo, the greeke word foreign as well ſignifies the Inſtrument by which, as the Efficient; The Efficient 1. Cor. 1. 9. And the Inſtrument Acts 2. 22. ſo 1. Cor. 8. 6. Eph. 2. 18. For, when God (that is the Father) is oppoſed to him; He then is taken as the Inſtrument of God: For as God choſe us in Chriſt; and adopts us by Chriſt Eph. 1. 4. 5. So he brings us to beleeve in Him through Chriſt: The diſtance is ſo great twixt God & us, that we cannot immediately truſt in God; but now our Faith in Chriſt, is immediately in Him: And therefore our cloſſing is cloſſer, & more immediate with Chriſts Perſon by Faith, then it is with the Fathers Perſon: We by Faith, cloſe with the Fathers Perſon as with a Father by marriage: But with the Sonnes Perſon, as with an huſbād with whome we joyne immediately; and therefore we beleeve in the Sonne, as in a Gift given to us able to helpe us; John. 4. 10. and in the Father as the giver of it: In the Sonne, as in the Mediator twixt God & us 1. Tim. 2. 5. And in the Father, as he that is made one with us, through the Sonne; Therefore the Sonne is called Emmanuell Math. 1. 23. not in reſpect of the Ʋnion of his Natures: But becauſe, God the Father, in him, is at one with us, & on our ſide, who elſe is not one with us; Neither, as we once were Righteous by the Couenant of Workes, in that He is to much above us in Holynes, nor much leſſe, now we are ſinnfull; & as a Ground of this.
Thirdly, We beleeve in the Father onelyonly, as a Divine Perſon; But in the Sonne; as the Sonne of God & Man: Therefore Faith in Chriſt, is given to 3. Its in the Father, as a Divine Perſon.him, as Gods Sonne, John. 3. 18. And as Man, to his Blood: Rom. 3. 25. And thus is Faith on him to be pitcht as God-Man, for thus onelyonly he doth the Workes we truſt in Him for, to Merrit, Mediate &c. Hence.
Fourthly, He being beleeved in, as leſſer then God, being God-Man; 4. It reſts not in Chr…t. But riſeth up to the Father.Faith reſts not in him, but riſeth up to the Father, as its utmoſt propp: John. 12. 44. Not in Me; that is Not onelyonly in Me; but riſeth up to My Father alſo: That ſo, as the Father is the Original of all Good promiſed; So He ſhould be the bottom of our Faith; in which it is terminated; And to Whoſe Glory, it ſhall laſtly Worke: Eph. 1. 12. & 1. Pet. 1. 21.
USE. Ʋſe.Exhortation. To ſhun an Error.
For Exhortation to ſhun an Error in the Object of your faith: one Error we have before diſcovered: Namely, the not taking in the Perſon of Chriſt, but pitching onelyonly on God & his Promiſes: Now I ſhew you another to ſhun: Namely, when ye pitch your faith onelyonly on Chriſt; and not alſo with him, on God the Father: Many are ſo ignorant in this that they thinke, God the Father is not the Object of our Faith now: But ye ſee it is otherwiſe: Wherefore give the Father alſo, with the The difference twixt the Jew…s, & Us in beleeving.Sonne his due of Beleeving in him: The difference twixt Jewes and Ʋs, lyes not in this that they had the Father, and we have the Sonne Incarnate, to truſt in; But in this, that they had onelyonly the Father; and the Sonne but in a Promiſe; whereas we, have the Sonne actually come, and the Father alſo, to beleeve in: So that we have a double propp for our We have a duble prop to our faith, Therefore ſhould have a do…ble ſtrength.Faith, and therefore ſhould have a double ſtrength in beleeving: It is true; that implicitly, we beleeve in the Father whilſt we doe it in the Sonne as he that ſees the Sonne, ſees the Father, though he know it not; becauſe They are one: John. 14. 9. Yet, till it is done explicitly▪ diſtinctly, and knowingly, it is not ſo honourable to the Father, nor ſo comfortable to the Beleever; Its not ſo honourable to the Father, becauſe profeſſedly & knowingly, ye give him not this his due of beleeving in him, which he challengeth: An unwilled reſpect, is not counted an honouring a Man: Nor is it, ſo comfortable to us; for the knowing & uſing Two, muſt needs yeild more Comfort of Faith, then the knowing, & uſing One only; God hath therefore, as by giving Two; His Word, & Oath: Heb. 6. 17. 18. So by giving Two; His Sonne & Himſelfe: aboundantly provided for our ſecuritye, & comfort: And indeed; as in ſome reſpects; we are much helpt in our faith; by Chriſt being its Object (as ye have heard) So in ſome reſpects, are we much helpt, by the Fathers being the Object of our faith: For in Him, we have the Roote of all: our faith goes to the bottome, and in this, the deeper, the ſweeter, & the ſtronger: For we truſt on Electing Love, Free Grace, Everlaſting Mercy; that which, diſpoſeth of Chriſt, and his Riches to whome it will, & in what meaſures it will: Math. 20. 23. And ſo that Objection is prevented, which may ariſe from their being one before Chriſt, who in his Soveraignty orders Chriſt, and his Merrits as he will: But ye have his Promiſes, Him faſt, to truſt in, as well as the Sonne: Yea, and ye ſhould be ſtronger in the Faith in the Father, then the Jewes were (who onelyonly beleeved in him) becauſe by Chriſt, ye have not the Father, more obſcured, but much more revealed then he ever was before.
THIRD OBSERVATION.Obſer- Beleevers are prone to ſinne in thoſe affections, which be lawfull.
That Beleevers are prone to ſinne in thoſe Affections, which be lawfull; and in ſome ſence neceſſary.
As heere; Trouble for Chriſts Death, Judas Sinne, and Their owne Apoſtacy, was ſo neceſſary; that they had ſinned if they had not bine moved with it; and yet they ſinned in being moved with it; as appeares, becauſe Chriſt forbid them the trouble; He forbid it to them: And the Sinne was (as ye have heard in the explication of the Words) both in the Object, fearing to much, even more then was to be feared: And in the Paſſion; to much being moved with what was truly apprehēded.
USE. Ʋſe.Information. Not onelyto care to ſett affect… ons on lawfull things, But to care not to exceede.
For Information to true Beleevers; Not onelyonly to care, that their affections be ſet on right, & lawfull things, but to care that they exceed not in thē; Which, we are the proner to, & more hardly ſenſible of, becauſe the ſubſtance of the thing is lawfull: Ionah was right in his deſire to be foūd true in his ſayings, to Niniveh, becauſe he was a Prophet of God to Iſraell 2. Kings. 14. 25. But this little rightnes in him, in the maine; advantaged the fleſh in him, to much ſinne againſt God, in running away; (thinking Gods Mercy would prevaile againſt that peremptorye Meſſage of Ruine to Niniveh) and againſt Man-kind; in wiſhing rather the Ruine of ſo many Thouſands, then His words ſhall ſeeme to faile.
So Davids error, in his ſtrong affections to Gods houſe, having ſome good in it: As Salomon ſaith of it; 2. Cron. 6. 8. made him err, in attempting a part of Gods worshipe without a warrant, for which God reproves him, 2. Sam. 7. 5. 6. 7. yea, and Nathan alſo the Prophet; not being infallibly aſſiſted, was alſo miſled in jugdment verſ. 3. Wherefore the better the thing is in it ſelfe; the more circumſpect ye muſt be, that ye err not about it: Surely the Diſciples thought they could not err in being troubled about theſe things, Chriſts death, their owne Sinnes, Judas treaſon, &c. The Poet obſerved licitis perimus omnes▪ that in things lawfull, lay our moſt dangerous ſnares; let us therefore looke to our ſelves, that we exceed not, unto ſinne; in ſuch love, greife, feare, pleaſure; as in a degree, and ſome kind, are lawfull & neceſſary.