Instructions About Right Believing, Sermon · Part 2
THE SECOND THING, in the TEXT, Is The ſecōd Thing in the text.the Meanes by which this Chriſt, This Remedy of our Miſery, may be had: That is by Comming to Chriſt: He that comes to Me ſhall never hunger:
This, is farther expreſt in the Text, by an other word, Viz: Beleeving in him: So that comming to him, and beleeving on him, is all one and the ſame, and he that comes to Chriſt, or beleeves in Chriſt, ſhall obtaine Chriſt, and get him, for elſe he could not be kept from hungring & thriſting, as the Text ſaith he ſhall be; And in other Scriptures, This (which is the Meanes by which Chriſt may be had) is expreſt in other words; As Iohn. 1. 12. A receiving Chriſt; for there, receiving Chriſt & beleeving on him, is made all one, and receiving Chriſt, is the meanes of geting Chriſt; (or elſe, he that receives him could not have prerogative to be Gods Sonne; as that Verſe affirmes of him) And elſe where; it is called a takeing, Reve. 22. 17.
So that, the Meanes by which Chriſt (this Remedy of Mans miſery) may be had, is Comming to Him, Beleeving on Him, Taking or Receiving of Him: Hence obſerve.
DOCTRINE. Doctrine.
The all & onelyonly MEANES of, and that GOD requires for, the Obtaining of CHRIST, and Salvation by CHRIST; Is the Comming to HIM, Taking, Receiving of HIM, or Beleeving on HIM.
This is expreſſe in the Texts, whence we now raiſe it, there is no more to be done, and Chriſt is injoyed, If God required more, or more muſt be done; Then this Verſe of my Text, doth not fully direct how to get the Bread of Life, But that it doth; Therefore, let a Man come to Chriſt, and he ſhall have Chriſt; This is all that God requires for the obtaining Chriſt; and therefore our Saviour, expreſſeth Chriſt by a Feaſt, ready prepared, and to be pertaked by all that come; Pro. 9. 1. 2. 3. Wiſdome hath builded her Houſe, She hath killed her Beaſts: She hath mingled her Wine: She hath furnished her Table, She hath ſent forth her Maydens, She cryeth: Who ſo is ſimple, let him turne in hither, She ſaith come eate of my Bread, and drinke of my Wine which I have mingled. Luke. 14. 17. He ſent his ſervant at ſupper time to ſay to them that were bidden; come, for all things are now ready; And they that eate not of it, miſte it becauſe they came not, Verſe 24. And however there was One that came, and yet was not permitted to eate at the Feaſt; Math. 22. 11. 12. 13. yet it followes not, that there is ſome what more required then Comming; for he miſcarried becauſe he came not, had he come indeed; he had obtained; but he did but ſeeme to come, though it is called a Comming, for the want of the wedding garment, was onelyonly a want of Comming, (as ye ſhall ſee heerafter, when we ſhew what Right comming is) This allſo is farther proved by theſe Scriptures, Iohn. 5. 40. Chap. 6. 37. Chap. 7. 37. & Math. 11. 28.
And as the Scripture is expreſſe for the proofe of this; under the expreſſion of Comming; So alſo, is it as expreſſe; under the Phraſe of Beleeving; Math. 21. 31. The Publicans & Harlots goe into the Kingdome of God before you: Why? For Verſe. 32. Yee beleeved not, but they did; Therefore Faith is the Way: Therefore when the People askt Chriſt; What they ſhould doe to worke the Worke of God, that is to get Salvation, He preſcribes them this onelyonly, Iohn. 6. 39. This is the Worke of God, that ye Beleeve: Hence; that, Marke. 16. 16. He that beleeveth ſhall be ſaved.
This is taught by our Saviours making Faith the Inſtrument & onelyonly Meanes of Curing, & Helping all them He cured in the Goſpel; and where He found not Faith, He did no great Cure; Math. 13 58.
Alſo, hence it is that Unbeleefe is made the onelyonly Ground & Reaſon of Mens Damnation; Iohn. 3. 18. 36. & Chap. 8. 24. Though Men ſhall be puniſhed for all other Sinnes, Yet not Beleeving is the Ground & Reaſon why they perish by their Sinnes; Becauſe Beleeving is the onelyonly Meanes of Salvation:
And this was typified by the Iſralites not entering Canaan, becauſe of their Unbeleefe, Heb. 3. & laſt.
And hence alſo it is, that Beleeving, is in Scripture made the Fruite, Signe & Pledge, of Gods ordaining People to Eternall Life, Acts. 13. 48. And not beleeving is made the Fruite, & Signe of Gods not purpoſing to Save People Iohn. 12, 39, 40. Becauſe, Beleeving is the onelyonly Meanes of obtaining Salvation.
Laſtly, It is hence alſo, that all the Requiſites to Salvation, are made in Scripture the Conſequents & Workes of Faith: Namely: The Righteouſnes of Chriſt for our Iuſtification, Rom: 3. 22. And the Spirit of Chriſt for our Sanctification: Gall. 3. 14.
Thus ye ſee, how the All and OnelyOnly Meanes of, and all that God requires for, Our obtaining Chriſt and Salvation by Him is to Come to Him, Or Beleeve on Him.
And this was typified by the Braſen Serpent; as it is expounded & applyed by Christ Iohn. 3. 14. as All that God required, and was the Meanes for obtaining Cure from the Braſen Serpent, was the Looking on it: as you may reade, Num: 21. 8. 9.
There are two Propoſitions, of neceſſity to be knowne by all that would be ſaved: One is, that Chriſt is the All & onelyonly Remedy of our Salvation; The other is, that Comming to Chriſt, or Beleeving on Him, is the All & onelyonly Meanes, whereby Chriſt ſaues us: There is no Salvation but by Chriſt onelyonly; and there is no having Chriſt & Salvation but by Faith onelyonly: As God conveyes Salvation onelyonly by Chriſt; So Chriſt & Salvation are had onelyonly by Comming to, or Beleeving in Chriſt: The former of theſe, hath been taught you in the former Point; and now, the latter is as clearely taught.
For the better underſtanding, and making uſe of this Doctrine; It is fit to open & ſhew; What this Comming to Chriſt, Receiving, Taking, and Beleeving on Him; is. They are (as ye heard before) ſeverall Words expreſſing one and the ſame Thing: And that is this.
The Act of the whole Man (that is of every part and faculty of Man) entertaining Chriſt offered in the What comming to, and beleeving on Chriſt, is.Goſpel, and reſigning up himſelfe to Chriſt, in all the Offices of Chriſt, as a King, Preiſt, & Prophet, to be ſaved by Him through thoſe Offices. To Beleeve in Chriſt; is not in Generall to phanſy & conceite that I ſhall be ſaved by Chriſt and he dyed for me; as the Worlds Faith is.
Ye ſhall find Divines giving other deſcriptions of Faith. As namely, a perſwaſion of the forgivenes of my Sinnes & Salvation of my Soule by Chriſt: Or a Confidence, & Truſt in Chriſt for Salvation; which (with all other deſcriptions of Faith) I conceive to be Venire ad Chriſtū eſt cum ſervatorem recipere; & ſe illi conſecrare totum. Bucer in hunc locum. And ſee Bucer on Rom: 4. 3. in Malorets Comment.the expreſſions of ſome higher Degrees, Effects Conſequents of Faith; and not to be the firſt act of Faith; But, as for this; which I have now given, ſo farr as I can find by Scripture, it is the firſt act of Faith, and that which truely gives title to, & intereſt in, the Lord Ieſus and Salvation by Him; And being the firſt act; it may be, where other & farther acts & degrees of Faith, cannot preſently be found; This is it; which Bucer explaines the Comming to Chriſt, to be; To Come to Chriſt (ſaith he) is to receive him for a Saviour, and to reſigne & give up his whole ſelfe to him; The eateing this Bread, is by Faith to receive him, Calvin.And therefore, I thinke, Beleeving is expreſt by the phraſes of comming to Him, taking receiving of Him; becauſe it is a ſo doing as is before deſcribed; For then (as any one in reaſon knowes) is Chriſt come to, tooke, and received, when he is entertained as He is, and as He is offered by God A King, Preiſt, & Prophet; for the Ends for which God tenders Him; Viz: To be ſaved by Him.
And whereas it may be objected; that the Word, Beleeving, in or on Chriſt; implyes a Confidence or Truſt in him; a relying on him; I Anſwer it is moſt true; and therefore, the phraſe is extreordinary, not to be found (as ſome have obſerved) in any Writers, but the Scriptures, (and Such as take it from them) Others uſing onelyonly this phraſe, to beleeve a thing; and not to beleeve in it, or on it; So that the phraſe implyes relying on it with a Confidence & Expectation of the Thing. And ſo I thinke, that there never is, nor can be, a Comming to Chriſt, or Receiving him, without a Truſt, Confidence, or Relying on him: And the Comming to Him, or Receiving of Him, is the Effect of this; (for therefore, they Come to Him & Entertaine Him, becauſe they Truſt to be Helped by Him) but this may not allwayes be Evident, as the Cauſe is oft more obſcure then the Effect, And ſo, a Man may Entertaine Chriſt, when he thinks he cannot Relye on Him & Truſt in Him:
But yet there is a double Truſting or Relying on Chriſt; The one is, at a Venture, without a Perſwaſion of an Intereſt in Him; grounded on Gods free offer of Him to all Sorts of People; this is the Ground of comming to him, and entertaining of him, (for if this were not, People would never receive Him) this ſeemes to be no more then a confidēce in his ability & willingnes to ſave all that come unto Him, and in the truth of Him, gives record of Him:
The other is, a more Certaine Thing, grounded on the Knowledge of an Intereſt in Chriſt; Becauſe a Soule knowes it hath Chriſt for Its owne; Therefore it reſts on Him confidently for Salvation: This followes the Knowledge of our Beleeving, and is a farther act and degree of Faith, and comes after our Comming to Him and Receiving of Him. The former may not appeare, though it ever is, where Chriſt is beleeved on; and is weaker according as the the act of Faith is weaker; And that makes ſome Divines make Faith to be a reſting on Gods Authority, or a truſt in the Truth of God that ſpeakes; for this ever is, where Faith is:
Thus, all Things conſidered, wee ſee, Faith, may be ſo defined, as I have done; Viz: The act of the whole Man &c. It is an Entertayning Chriſt, and Reſigning himſelfe to Chriſt; Therefore, it is called an acknowledging Chriſt, 2. Pet. 1. 3. as it is in the Greeke foreign. And therefore, expreſt by a Womans marrying a Man, Rom. 7. 4. which is an entertaining by covenāt of a man, reſigning up hir ſelfe to him; And it is expreſt by Ingrafting, Rom. the 11. whereby the Science embraceth the Stock for its Roote & Meanes of Life & Fruite, and is given up to the Stock to be preſerved & furniſhed with Sap, and made fruitefull by it.
OnelyOnly in this, there is this difference; The Fruite followes the Science & Impe, and not the Stock: But the Beleevers Fruite is Chriſts, the Stocks, and not Its owne: And this ſeemes to be Paules beleeving; For, Acts. 9. 6. when he perceived that Ieſus was God in Heaven, and ſo raiſed from the dead &c. (as appeared by that Viſion & Voice) then Paule, entertaines him, and reſignes up himſelfe to him, in thoſe Words: Lord what wilt thou have me to doe? as if he had ſaid Lord, ſave me, and rule thee, I become thine &c. And this ſeemes to be Faith; for the Fruite of Faith is found in him Verſ. 11, He prayeth (ſaith the Lord of him) and Verſe. 17. Ananias calls him Brother; and together with this ſight, he was to receive the Holy-Ghoſt, which was a ſigne of his beleeving; And in the 22. Chapter. where the Story is repeated, Verſe. 16. Ananias haſtneth him to be baptized: therefore, he tooke it for granted that He beleeved, or elſe he would have ſaid as Phillip Acts. 8. 37. to the Eunuch, If thou beleeveſt with all thy Heart, thou mayſt be baptized: And thus it is a Perticuler application of Christ, to a Mans ſelfe; for one cannot entertaine him and reſigne up ones ſelfe to him; but we doe perticuletly apply him; as the marrying a Man, or ingrafting an Impe, is, a perticuler application of them: So there is a perticuler application of Chriſt, that is not ever with the firſt act of Faith: and that is an aſſurance that Chriſt is mine (for this followes the reflect act; whereby I knowe that I beleeve) There is another, and that is a taking Chriſt for mine, and giving up my ſelfe to Him; and this is ever, where there is Faith.
Againe, as it is an entertaining Chriſt, and reſigning up ones ſelfe to him; So it is an entertaining and reſigning up to Him in all his Offices: whole Chriſt, not ſome part of Chriſt: Therefore, Iohn 1. 12. a receiving him, not ſome part of him, Pſal 2. 12. a kiſſing Chriſt. As the Woman in marriage takes the whole Man; as Exodus. 12. the whole Lambe was to be roaſted & eaten.
This is the difference twixt falce Faith & true, And the reaſon of ſo many Peoples miſcarriage: They rereceive & apply Chriſt, in ſome one Office, as to be a Preiſt, But not in all his Offices, to be a King & Prophet; whereas God hath joyned them alltogether, & they cannot be parted: God conveyed Helpe to Iſraell, by all thoſe three Offices, Kings, Preiſts, & Prophets. So doth he Salvation to Soules: Therefore, that Iſay. 33. 22. Chriſt muſt be entertained & reſigned up to; As to our King, to be wholly ruled by his Lawes: As to our Prophet, to be onelyonly taught by his Directions; Aſwell as to our Preiſt, to be onelyonly reconciled to God, and inabled for performance with acceptance in all Services, by Him: This was it that he wanted, who is ſaid to want the wedding garment: Indeed, none can be actually, & perfectly ſubject to Him as King & Prophet, but this muſt they be willing, & covenant, & indeavor to doe; and ſo to expect Salvation by Chriſt through his execution of all thoſe Offices; when he ſhall be in us aſwell as for us, a King, Preiſt, & Prophet: This is to Beleeve.
Now the Ground of thus doing, and ſo of Faith, is Gods free offer of Chriſt, on theſe Tearmes, thus to be had, with his promiſe of Salvation by Him to all that ſo entertaine Him; therefore, the doing this, is called the ſetting to a Seale that God is true; and the not doing it, is called the Making God a lyer
THE REASONS of this DOCTRINE.Reaſons of the Doct.
Why thus to doe, as hath been explained, is, All that God requires, and the onelyonly Meanes of obtaining Chriſt, and Salvation by Chriſt: Are.
Firſt, Becauſe Chriſt & Salvation, are Gifts of God, Iohn. 4. 10. Rom. 6. laſt. (for in them God ſeekes the praiſes of his Grace; Eph 1. 6. and ſo they muſt be Gifts & free Things) Now a Gift, muſt not be deſerved, for then it is a Debt, Nor, have any thing done for it, but the receiving it; for elſe, it is an Exchange, no Gift: And indeed this is one maine reaſon, why God ſo magnifies Faith, as to make it the onelyonly Meanes of obtaining Christ & Salvation; Becauſe Faith onelyonly magnifies Gods free Grace; For if any thing were done; then Chriſt & Heaven could not be Gifts; And this alſo ſhewes that Faith onelyonly as it is a receiving Chriſt (and no other way, not as it is an Obedience, or Deed done) is the Meanes of obtaining Chriſt & Salvation by him: Becauſe elſe, they could not be Gifts, nor of Grace, Rom. 4. 16. Therefore it is of Faith, that it might be by Grace.
Secondly, Becauſe Man ſhould be abaſed, and ſtript of all boaſting; for whilſt that nothing is required of him for having Chriſt & Salvation, but receiving and taking it, he can attribute nothing to himſelfe; Rom. 3. 27. Where is Boaſting then? It is excluded, by what Law: of Workes? nay: but by the Law of Faith
Thirdly, Becauſe this makes Salvation ſure to us; Rom. 4. 16. It is of Faith, to the end the Promiſe might be ſure; for that it is grounded on God his Truth & Faithfullnes, and not on us, as it was in Adam.
There are two Things by which ſome abuſe this Doctrine; which muſt be removed.
1. Some be ready to thinke; If all that God requires to Salvation be the Beleeving in Chriſt, then may we live in Sinne as we liſt; and yet come to Chriſt, beleeve in Him, and ſo be ſaved.
I Anſwer, but this is prevented by the deſcription of Comming to Chriſt, receiving of Him, or beleeving on Him; It is (as ye heard) the entertaining and reſigning up one ſelfe to Chriſt in all things, to be taught & ruled by him, aſwell as to be ſaved by him; and they that doe not this; doe not come to Chriſt, nor receive, nor beleeve in him; So that the very nature of Beleeving, and a carnall Heart, & Life, are incompactible. Faith unites to Chriſt, and ſo from Chriſt there is communicated, Death to Sinne, Reſurrection to newnes of Life. Faith affords many holy reaſonings, whereby the Heart is ſtirred againſt Sinne, and to Obedience, Rom. 6. 10. 11. Likewiſe reckon ye alſo your Selves to be dead indeed unto Sinne, but alive unto God through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord. 1. Peter. 4. 1. For as much thē as Chriſt hath ſuffered for us in the flesh, arme your ſelves likewiſe with the ſame mind &c. They that beleeve, are married to Chriſt, and therefore bring forth fruite by Him to God, Rom. 7. 4. Chriſt Lives in them that beleeve, Gall. 2. 20. And dwelles in their hearts, Eph. 3. 17. Faith works by Love, Gall. 5. 6. And Love makes us keepe (that is, Evangelically; in deſire & indeavor) all the Commands.
2. Some be ready to thinke; If all that be required to gett Chriſt & Salvation, be to come to Chriſt, receive & beleeve in Him, then it is not ſo hard a worke to be ſaved, as it is made to be, for that it is an eaſy & ſhort worke, to doe this.
I Anſwer but this is a groſſe miſtake, for that there is nothing in the World harder then to Come to, Receive, or Beleeve in Chriſt; therefore Chriſt ſaith; No Man can come to me except the Father draw him Ioh. 6. 44. he muſt be drawne, and that by an Allmighty Hand; or he cannot come: Therefore when ſo many were invited, None came, Luke the. 14. they all made excuſe; and they that came, were compelled, Verſe. 23. and therefore the Perfecting of Faith is attributed to Power, 2. Theſ. 1. 11. and the Diſciples pray for the Increaſe of Faith: There is nothing that conduceth to Beleeving, but it is all aboue the Power of Nature, and contrary to Mans inclination; As to goe wholy out of ones ſelfe, and reſt on an other for all good; To apprehend Sinne & its miſery; Therefore the Spirit muſt come from Heaven to Convince of Sinne, Iohn. 16 8. And then to apprehēd a way of being Iuſtified from Sinne; the Spirit muſt likewiſe come from Heaven to Convince of Righteouſnes: which needed not, if any thing but God could doe it; And ſo for a Man to renounce his owne will & wayes, and give up himſelfe to Chriſt, whoſe Lawes be ſo contrary to Mans will; this is above Nature: Alſo the Devill is moſt ſtrongly againſt this; hence ſo many diſcouragements & ſubtill tentations are put on them that indeavor to beleeve; for Satan knowes that this onelyonly gives Chriſt the Kingdome and turnes him out. To conclude, therefore is it ſo hard to be ſaved, and ſo few are ſaved; becauſe it is ſo hard to beleeve, and ſo few doe beleeve.
But it is farther objected againſt this Doctrine; thus, The Scripture calls for many Things beſides Faith of them that be ſaved; as legall Humiliation, Mortificacion, Holynes, Obedience &c. Therefore it ſeemes that Beleeving or Comming to Chriſt is not all that God requires.
I Anſwer, The Legall Humiliations, and all woundings of Spirit, with the ſight of Sinne, are required, not as Meanes by which we pertake of Chriſt & Salvation; (for many have them that never obtaine Chriſt or Salvation) but as Preparations whereby People are fitted, & inclined, and drawne, to Come to Chriſt, to Receive, & Beleeve on Him; and they be one Meanes by which the Father drawes and the Miniſters compell People to come; And Mortification, Holynes, Obedience &c, are onelyonly the Fruites & Effects of our Beleeving; that, which Chriſt doth in them, he meanes to ſave, after they have beleeved in Him; Theſe are the beginings of Salvation & Glory which Chriſt begines and perfects in them that come to Him for Salvation; So that allthough theſe muſt be in all that be ſaved; Yet there is no other Meanes required of God for Obtaining Chriſt and Salvation, but onelyonly Beleeving.
USES.
Vſe. 1 Firſt Vſe, may ſerve for Inſtruction, in Three Perticulers.Inſtructiō.
1. To ſhew us in the Generall what to obſerve in Mans Salvation, Viz: Free Grace, Certainty, and that God is All in All, in Itt; Theſe (as ye heard in the Reaſons of the Point) are manifeſted aboundantly in Gods requiring no other Meanes of getting Chriſt, and Salvation by Chriſt, but onelyonly Beleeving: Therefore let us ſee theſe in God his ſaving of People; This is indeed the ſweetnes of the Goſpel, and that which makes it ſo much glorifie God & incourage miſerable Man; that it aſſures us, all Happynes is to be had in Chriſt, for receiving it.
2. To ſhew their Error, that labour moſt for Pleaſure, Wealth, Honour, Content &c. Whereas theſe neither are Meanes, nor are required by God, for our getting Christ & Salvation: Therefore folly it is to labour for them more, then to Beleeve.
3. To ſhew the Errors, both, Of Papiſts, who ſeeke Salvation by Workes alſo, and not by Faith onelyonly; and ſo make it neither Free Grace & Gift, nor ſure; nor ſhutt Man out from all beaſting. And alſo, the Error of many among us (even that have ſome good thing in them) who, to the end they may get Chriſt & Salvation, labour moſt for Humiliation, or for Holynes, and leaſt of all, to Come to Chriſt, & beleeve on Him; wheras onelyonly Faith is the Meanes, and All that God requires for our obtaining Chriſt & Salvation.
There are Two Snares, which the Devill ſets for People.
One is, when they hope to be ſaved by Chriſt, and duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page never looke to be humbled, nor to be ſanctified; (thus the Profane are caught) which is a moſt ſilly thing, to thinke that any can be Saved, that be not regenerated & ſanctified; or to thinke that one can beleeve, & not hate all Sinne, & ſtudy all Holynes, or that any one can be brought to Heaven by Chriſt, and not to Holynes firſt; It was a good ſpeech of Francis Spira, lying in the diſtreſſe of Spirit; I will not (ſaith he) detract from the Goſpel, it is moſt true, that by Faith in Chriſt, we be onelyonly ſaved, but yet, take heede of reſting on Faith, and neglecting the Workes of Faith, Faith requires not that we be Chriſtians in word onelyonly; Beleeve me (qouth he) who have fully tryed the matter; and therefore he much commended to them, the Epiſtles of Peter, which preſſe Sanctity & Chaſtity &c. This was good Counſell, and very uſefull againſt this Snare, by which Satan intangles the moſt of People, who reſt in a Conceite that they beleeve, and never care for the Workes of Faith; but the Error of this hath been opened before.
There is an other Error, which is a ſecond Snare of Satan; Viz: To labour for Humiliation, Mortification, Holynes & Obedience, and not to labour to Beleeve; this is the Snare in which many well diſpoſed People are caught: And the Error of it appeares by this Doctrine; Becauſe there is no other Meanes required by God for our obtaining Chriſt & Salvation, but onelyonly Faith: Indeed ſome meaſure of Humiliation muſt be had, before we can beleeve (as ye have heard before) Viz: So much as may make one hunger after Chriſt, and be willing to receive Him on any Conditions; But when thus much is obtayned; (which is, when there is a ſerious labour after Mortification, and all Obedience) Yet then to labour for more Humiliation, or Holynes, and not firſt & cheifly to labour to beleeve in Chriſt; this is a great error; for there is noe other meanes to get Chriſt & Salvation but Faith; So that all the other Labour is in vaine, and for that, which never can bring Chriſt or Salvation; (as if a Man that deſires to bring his dead Freind to Life, ſhould onelyonly labour to bring him to the acts of Life (as to ſpeake walke &c.) and not to the onelyonly Meanes of Life: to have his Soule joyned againe to his Body) and that Satan knowes, and therefore putts them on it, to make them ſpend time & paynes to noe purpoſe; To ſuch therefore, I may ſay, as Elisha in an other caſe, to the Syrians; 2. Kings. 6 19. This is not the Way; Ye ſeeke Salvation and Chriſt, but by farther meaſure of Humiliation, (having enough allready to make you willing) or by Holynes, you can not get them; there is but one Way, one Thing that God requires, and that is, to Beleeve; Therefore as Chriſt ſaid to Martha in an other caſe; Luke. 10. 41. 42. Ye are carefull about many things, but one thing is neceſſary Viz: to Come to Chriſt, and Beleeve in him; to Entertaine him, and Give up your Selves to Him in all his Offices; doe this and you ſhall be ſaved; When this is done, then ſhall ye be able to attaine Mortification and Victory over your Luſts Sanctification & Ability to Duty, and not before, Theſe be the Fruites & Effects of Beleeving; and you muſt Beleeve, before you can have theſe; As the Woman muſt be marryed to the Man, before ſhee can have lawfull Children by him; And the Science muſt be ingrafted into the Tree, before it can beare Fruite: Were it not a ſimple thing, for a Woman to expect Children Legitimate by a Man and then ſhee would marry him; Or to expect that a Science ſhould firſt beare Fruite by the Sap of a Stock, and then ye would ingraft it to it; Or to expect that a Roome ſhould be firſt inlightned, and warmed in the cold Winter, and thē ye would bring in a Candle & Fire; As abſurd is it, to expect firſt to be Sanctified and then to Beleeve in Chriſt; For Faith in Chriſt, is the Cauſe, of all Mortification & Holynes; It is Chriſt that ſanctifies People, Heb. 2. 11. And of His Grace conveyes to us, Iohn. 1. 16. and he never doth it, but by our Faith in Him; (for it is by Faith that He lives in us & dwells in us, as ye have heard) Holynes is the Meanes by which Chriſt after he is beleeved in, brings them that beleeve in Him, to Salvation:
It is therefore, a moſt prepoſterous, and wholy unprofitable way, for People to labour for Holynes, or Heaven, or Chriſt; and not firſt & cheifly to labor to Beleeve in Chriſt; The Right and onelyonly Way is: being ſoe farr humbled, (as I ſaid before) as to hunger after Chriſt, and be willing to have him on any Tearmes, thē to labour to Beleeve, and after that is done, to labour for Mortificatiō & Holynes, By, & From Chriſt to get it, Whome thou haſt made Thine owne by Faith: Wherefore, I beſeech you ſee your Error, who will not beleeve, till firſt you have the Spirit quickning you, Grace ſtrengthing you to Duty, and ſubduing Sinne in you, if you could thus find it in you, then you could beleeve and not elſe; This is the inverting Gods Order, and a way, that will never bring you to Chriſt, or Heaven.
Indeed (and I pray obſerve it) there is an Act of Faith; which cannot be had till this be had, and that Divines calls a reflect Act; where by a Soule beleeves that it doth beleeve: Before this can be, there muſt be Repentance, Holynes &c. This is a knowing that we have Faith; this is not the neceſſary Meanes to Salvation but to Aſſurance & Comfort; But there is an other Act of Faith, Viz. the direct Act; which is Beleeving; not a Beleeving that I doe Beleeve; but a Beleeving, and this muſt be, before we can repent, or have, or doe any good; this is the Meanes and onelyonly Meanes to be ſaved.
Now conſider the abſurdity of your Error; before you labor to Beleeve, you labor to knowe you doe Beleeve; you will be ſure you doe Beleeve, before you will Beleeve, you labor for the Evidence of Faith, before you labor to have Faith it Selfe; you more and firſt, care for the Meanes of Aſſurance & Comfort, of your Salvation, then the Meanes of being Saved; And one maine Ground of your doing thus, is partly Pride, that ye will not have all groūd of Hope & Mercy to be in God, and none in your Selfe; For obſerve it, you will not goe that way, which makes you ground your Salvatiō onelyonly on Chriſt, and not at all in your Selfe, but you muſt ſee ſomewhat in your Selfe, before you will beleeve; And partly it is not daring to venter your Soules on Gods bare Word, but you muſt ſee ſomewhat done by him in you, before you will credit him; For though He ſaith, that Whoever comes to Chriſt, and beleeves in Him, ſhall be Saved & Sanctified; yet you will not beleeve, till you find he hath ſanctified you; and ſo dare not truſt his Word; and therefore it is that the Scripture makes every Vnbeleever, to make God a Lyar; Conſider that 1. Ioh. 5. 10of Thomas Iohn. 20. 25. The Diſciples ſaid we have ſeene the Lord; But he ſaid, except I ſhall ſee the print of the nayles, and put in my fingers I will not beleeve; then Verſe. 29. Ieſus ſaid becauſe thou haſt ſeene me thou haſt beleeved, bleſſed are they that have not ſeene me and yet have beleeved.
Yea farther: By this meanes: you hinder the ſhining forth of Gods free Grace; For whilſt that you will not Firſt beleeve; but firſt will be able to doe ſomewhat, you make not Chriſt & Heaven a free Gift; nor can it be free Grace in God; and ſo not ſeeing Gods free Grace, ye doe not ſo magnifie Him as elſe you would; nor find ſuch ſweetenes in the Goſpel, nor be ſo incouraged as ye might be; but ſinke, perplexe, & wound your Soules by feares & diſcouragemēts, which indeede be groūdles, Alſo, you hinder your owne Certainty & Aſſurāce; For whilſt you ground your Beleeving on ſomewhat in your Selfe, and not onelyonly on Gods free Promiſe & Word of Truth: It being grounded, (partly at the leaſt) on your Selfe who change; it is uncertaine & chāgeable. By all this I beſeech you ſee your Error, who being ſo much humbled as is requiſite; labour for Humiliation, Holynes &c. and doe not firſt & cheifly labour to Beleeve.
Objection. It may be Objected by ſome; But I have indeavored this Way as you teach, and have beleeved, and yet I find not Chriſt & Holynes follow after.
Anſwer. 1 I Anſwer, Firſt it is not poſſible to Beleeve, in the leaſt meaſure or degree, but Christ & Salvation muſt be had, becauſe God hath abſolutely promiſed it to Beleeving. And the Spirit & Sanctification muſt be had, for theſe be as inſeperable as Light from the Sunne; but theſe things be not ever ſenſible to them that Beleeve.
1. Becauſe, they doe not knowe & conſider the firſt, leaſt & weakeſt workes of Chriſt, in the beleeving Soule, but onelyonly judge themſelves by the more full & ſtrong workings of Chriſt in the Soule; In trying the truth of Faith, take the weakeſt Evidences ſo they be ſure, (though reſt not there, for that, true Grace will never doe) as if a Man judgeth Life, onelyonly by walking, & eating, he may thinke a Man that ſleepes is dead.
2. Becauſe the Act of Faith is not ſtrong enough to put forth it Selfe very ſenſibly, as the Acts of the Soule in a Swound; inaſmuch as there is not a frequēt accuſtomed acting and exerciſing Faith, till by practiſe the Heart is ſetled in it.
3. Becauſe there is not a reflect Act, a Conſidering what it is to Beleeve, and that thou haſt ſo done, and then a drawing the comfortable Concluſions to thy Selfe that flowe thence; and from Faith, a reaſoning to quicken thee up; for Faith produceth its Effects by reaſō ing; As thus, If Christ hath ſuffered in the flesh, then muſt I make the flesh ſuffer in me; If Chriſt roſe againe, then muſt I riſe to newnes of Life. If Chriſt loved me ſo as to give Himſelfe for me. Then ſhall not I love Him ſo as to give my Luſts for Him &c. Let theſe Things be obſerved, and there is none that doe in the leaſt meaſure truly Beleeve, But they ſhall find Chriſt & Salvation made theirs.
Secondly I Anſwer; If thou haſt indeavored to Beleeve, and yet obtaineſt not Chriſt; It is not, becauſe this is not the way, & the onelyonly Way & Meanes to get Him; But becauſe thou haſt not Beleeved, thou haſt not gon this Way, nor uſed this Meanes rightly: Therefore thou muſt not give over this Way, but labour to find it out, If there be many Pathes in a Feild and but one that leades to the Houſe a Man is going to, and he have gon to the end of one Path, and finds not the Houſe, It is a good reaſon why he ſhould thinke that is not the right Path, and ſo ſeeke it out, but no reaſon why he ſhould leave that Feild and betake himſelfe to āother for in that Feild onelyonly is the Path; So it is no reaſon that thou ſhouldſt ceaſe ſtriving to Beleeve, and take to ſome other Courſe; but labour to find out what it is to Beleeve, and then care to doe that.
And as this Doctrine ſhewes their Error who labour to Repent, to be Holy &c. and not firſt to Beleeve. So it alſo ſhewes their Error; who finding a decay in their Soules of Grace; and an increaſe of Sinne; ceaſe their Faith, and lay it aſide and take to ſome other Courſe: Whereas, the onelyonly way & meanes for them to recover themſelves, is to recover, ſtrengthen & increaſe their Faith, for Faith is the onelyonly Meanes to Chriſt & Salvation.
2. USE. Vſe. 2
For Exhortation, To exhort ye all to labour above all things, to Beleeve; that is, To entertaine Chriſt, and reſigne up your Selves to Chriſt in all his Offices to be ſaved through them: Mind this Worke moſt of all, for it is the all in all to your Salvation; Thus did Paul Phill. 3. 8. 9. Yea doubtles I count all things but loſſe for the excelency of the knowledg of Chriſt; and doe count all but Dunge that I may winne Chriſt; And be found in him, not having mine owne Righteouſnes, which is of the Law, but that which is through the Faith of Chriſt: This is a worke I commend to you, and Command you in Gods Name: It is Gods Worke that which he moſt chargeth on you under the Goſpel, Iohn. 6. 29. doe yee make it your cheife worke:
You that take up your Thoughts & Hearts moſt with the World, with the Honours, Pleaſures, or Profits thereof; I might exhort you to beleeve (for till you doe it you cannot be ſaved) but you are to farr off from Faith yet; You are to be exhorted to get Preparations for Faith; your Hearts to be ſo affected by the Law, with a ſight of your Sinnes, and Miſery by it, that ye may be brought to thirſt after Chriſt, and willing to entertaine him on any Conditions; Mind ye this above all, becauſe without this, ye cannot come to Faith, that onelyonly brings Chriſt & Salvatiō: This Worlds Honours, Pleaſures, & Profits, cannot give you Chriſt nor Salvation, and why then ſhall they be prefered & minded & ſought after more then Faith, and that Humiliation which fits for Faith?
But I will not addreſſe my Exhortation to you; But to Such as be humbled & troubled with their Sinnes, & Cry out, What ſhall we doe to be ſaved? To you I ſay, as Luke. 8. 50. Feare not, onelyonly Beleeve: Yee have but one thing to doe, there is but one thing God requires of you, and you ſhall have Chriſt & Salvation: And that is to Beleeve: Oh doe it! this will certainly, bring you all you deſire: Acts. 1…. 3…. What muſt I doe to be ſaved, Ver. 31. And they ſaid beleeve on the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, and thou ſhalt be ſaved; And although Peter preſt them to Repent, as Acts. 2. 38. Yet that is, but as if he had ſaid Beleeve, Which in & by Repentance will ſhew forth it Selfe & worke in you; If ye feare Hell & deſire Salvation, then Beleeve. This is the one & onelyonly way, All other Things that be good, come after this; All other Labour of thine, is in vaine till this be done; Therefore this is ſo called for, and preſt in Scripture; It is charged on People by a Command. 1. Iohn. 3. 23. This is his Commandement: that we ſhould beleeve on the Name of his Sonne Ieſus Chriſt; And ſo is in that Call to Repent, Acts, 17. 30. for till they Beleeve, they cannot Repent; And it is required with the greateſt reward promiſed, & threat annexed, Marke. 16. 16. He that beleeveth & is baptized ſhall be ſaved, but he that beleeveth not ſhall be damned.
To perſwade you to this duty, Conſider the evill of not Beleeving, And the Benifite of Beleeving.
The Evill of not Beleeving is very great; Its very Injurious to God, Chriſt, and your Selves.
To God; It makes him a Lyer, whereas Beleeving, ſetts to your Seale that God is true; therefore it is called a Iuſtifying of God, Luke 7. 29. 30. His truth & faithfullnes, And not Beleeving, is a condemning God, as not true & faithfull; You alſo wrong God in not obeying his Cōmand (which is to Beleeve) and in not regarding his Feaſte: nor valueing his Dainties: which made him ſay they that did ſo ſhould not taſt of them; for he that beleeves not, is expreſt by them that refuſed to come when the Supper was prepared Luke, the 14 And ſo ye wrong him in not receiving his Sonne (for that is Beleeving) when he proffers & ſends him to you.
It alſo is Injurious to Chriſt; Its a ſlighting him, as if he were not worth the taking, It is a refuſing to kiſſe Him, and to let him raigne over you, and a Hating Him, Luke. 19. 14. It is as much as to ſay he is not worth the taking up, he is not ſufficient, or not free to helpe.
It is alſo Injurious to your owne Soules, Luke. 7. 30. againſt themſelves (that is not beleeving they did wrong themſelves, Iohn. 3. 19. It is The Condēnation; many Cōdemnatiōs ye have viz. Oathes, Lying &c. but this is The Cōdemnation; Ye doe keepe your Selves frō Salvation, becauſe this is the onelyonly Meanes, & ye will not uſe it; Ye doe that, Acts, 13. 47. Judge your Selves unworthy, and make the Preachers of Chriſt be turned from you; And for you that by diſcouragmēts are kept frō Beleeving, ye keepe your Soules, from that pertaking of Chriſt, and his Benifites which ye might attaine to; And ſo alſo, ſuch as doe beleeve but weakely, they wrong God, Chriſt, and themſelves very much; as if their food which God provides were not good enough; as if Christ the Second Adam were not as good to helpe them, as the Firſt Adam was to hurt them; and keepe themſelves from that meaſure of Grace from Chriſt, which they might attaine to.
As the Evill of not Beleeving is great; So is the Benifite of Beleeving; Its as effectuall as doing was with Adam, With him it was, doe & live; Now it is Beleeve and Live: Not that God loves a fruitles Faith, but becauſe it is Faith that muſt helpe to doe, and that is better eſteemed with God then doing, Rom. 4. 21. 22. Becauſe Faith brings Chriſts doing, which is Perfect, and Ours is not; Beleeving it is the very Key which opens Chriſt: in whom are unſearchable Riches, and gives enterance into Heaven: It is the Bucket by which we fetch Water from that Well of Life; And all that have this Key & Bucket, may take thence: And therefore it is, that many have noe Grace from Chriſt, becauſe they have no Faith in Chriſt: And others have ſo little Grace, becauſe they have ſo little Faith, for as we Beleeve, ſo is it unto us; Matb. 8. 13. It is the turning the Cock, which ſets all a flowing from God, both Mercy & Grace; It is in the leaſt degree, a ſure Evidence of Heaven, gives Title to Chriſt, and all Promiſes, brings Iuſtification, Sanctification, and Salvation, affords Adoption & Sonnship, Iohn. 1. 12. Now then Conſidering the Evill of not Beleeving, and the Benifite of Faith, What canſt thou doe that is of ſo much Conſequence as to Beleeve.
To helpe thee to Beleeve: Obſerve theſe Directions.Helpes to Beleeve.
Firſt labour to underſtand & be clearely convinced 1. Obſerve theſe Directions.of theſe Perticulers.
1. Chriſts Alſufficiency, to helpe thee to all things, needfull to Salvation.
2. Gods Offer, & tender of Chriſt to all People, where the Goſpel comes, without reſpect, or limitatiō of Perſons but onelyonly of Conditions (which is the next Point to come in our Text.)
3. That God who offers him freely. Is moſt true & able, and moſt ſincere & willing to give. what he offers.
4. That for the fitting us to have Chriſt, or before we doe ſeeke for him, God requires nothing, but ſo farr to ſee our Miſery, as to deſire Chriſt, and be willing to take Him on His owne Conditions, and that then we be fitteſt for obtaining Chriſt, when we ſee in our Selves nothing but emptines of all Good, and fullnes of Sinne & Miſery.
5. That Beleeving brings Chriſt & all Grace, and muſt be the firſt thing we doe, to gett Chriſt or Grace. (which is the Point in hand)
6. That Chriſt readily imbraceth, and ſweetly incourageth all; that attempt, & indeavour to beleeve in Him.
7. That the expreſſe Command of God, is upon All, where the Goſpel comes, That they do beleeve; Theſe are undoubted Truthes expreſſe in the Scripture,2. Practise theſe Things.
Secondly, Practiſe theſe Things.
1. Pray to God for helpe & grace to beleeve, for it is his gift.
2. Attend on the Preaching of the Goſpel, Faith comes by hearing Rom. 10. 17.
3. Strive to it, ſit not ſtill, give not way to Doubtings, and Tentations, and Carnall reaſonings, but reaſon from the above premiſed Propoſitions, and preſſe your owne Heart, with the Concluſions that muſt followe thence; Alſo ponder & conſider of thoſe Propoſitions, & reſiſt all that furthers Doubting, & hinders Beleeving; Thus make it your worke & trade, to worke your Heart to it.
4. Bring your Selfe To venture upon that which the Word ſets before you, even above Reaſon & Hope, and without Sence; ſtudiouſly ſearch out, what it is to Beleeve, in the firſt & leaſt act of it; and then doe that at a Venture, and commit your Soule to it, doing it, what ever riſeth againſt it in your owne reaſon: And thus Faith begines.
Thus much for the Second Thing in the Text: The Meanes by which this Bread of Life: The All ſufficient Remedy of Mans miſery may be obtained.