The Works of William Bridge Volume 2, Volume 2 · Part 2 · Sermon 2
Rom. 4. verſ. 19.
And being not weak in faith, he conſidered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadneſſe of Sarahs wombe.
THe words (as ye heard the laſt day) are ſpoken concerning Abraham: Preached-at Margarets New fiſhſtreet. March. 2. 1645.And they hold forth three great Truths unto us.
The Firſt is this: That when God intends to fulfill his promiſe, by giving any ſpeciall bleſſing to the children of Abraham: he does firſt put the ſentence of death upon the bleſſing, and upon all the meanes that do lead unto it: Abrahams body is dead, and Sarahs wombe is dead; when God had promiſed him a great ſeed.
The Second is this: When God is thus pleaſed to put the ſentence of death upon a bleſſing, or the meanes that do lead thereto: Then, and then eſpecially, 'tis the duty and commendation of all the children of Abraham to beleeve in God, and not to ſtand poring upon the meanes, and the deadneſſe thereof. He conſidered not his own body being dead, nor the deadneſſe of Sarahs wombe.
The Third is this: That no difficulty can ſtand before Faith: true ſaving, juſtifying Faith, carries the Soule through all difficulties, diſcouragements, and naturall impoſſibilities to Jeſus Chriſt. Thus it was here with Abraham: he being not weak in Faith, he had an eye unto Jeſus Chriſt.
I have done with the Firſt; and my deſire is now at this time, to diſpatch the Second.
When God is pleaſed thus to put the ſentence of death upon a bleſſing; Doctr. or the meanes that do lead unto it: it is the duty of the children of Abraham then to truſt in God; not to ſtand poring upon, or conſidering of the meanes, and the deadneſſe thereof.
Thus it was here with Abraham: God made Abraham a promiſe that his ſeed ſhould be like the ſand, and like the ſtarres for multitude: But Abrahams body is dead, and his wives body is dead: Notwithſtanding, Abraham conſidered not the deadneſſe of the meanes. And in all this he is held forth for our Example, as you heard the laſt day. As he did therefore ſo muſt we do.
The Doctrine is ſomewhat large. I ſhall break it aſunder into three parts, and endeavour to cleare up theſe three Propoſitions unto you, for the proof of the whole.
Firſt, That a meere rationall conſidering of the meanes, and the deadneſſe thereof: is a great, and a ſpeciall enemy to the work of beleeving.
Secondly, That when all means faile, 'tis the duty, and commendation of the children of Abraham, then to beleeve.
Thirdly, That ſo to do, is exceeding pleaſing to God, and moſt acceptable.
Firſt, That a meere rationall conſidering of the meanes: the ſtraitneſſe, or ſcantineſſe; narrowneſſe, or deadneſſe of the meanes, is a great, and a ſpeciall enemy to the work of beleeving.
Abraham being not weak in Faith, conſidered not his own body being dead. If he had conſidered, he might have been hindered in his Faith.
Ye reade of Zacharias (that good man, Father of John the Baptiſt) that when the Angell brought him tidings of a child, in way of his ſpeciall Mercy; he would not beleeve it. And in the 1. of Luke, and the 20. verſe: ye reade how he was puniſhed for it: Behold, thou ſhalt be dumbe, and not able to ſpeak, untill the day that theſe things ſhall be performed, becauſe thou beleeveſt not my words. But what hindred him? what kept him off from this work of beleeving? you ſhall find at the 18. verſe; too much attendance unto, and conſidering of the meanes, and the deadneſſe thereof. Zachary ſaid unto the Angell, Whereby ſhall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well ſtricken in years. He look't too much upon, and conſidered, he ſtood poring too much upon the meanes; and this was the enemy unto his Faith. You know Beloved, that the Scripture hath laid a flat oppoſition between Faith, and ſence. We live by Faith, ſayes the Apoſtle, and not by ſight, or by ſence. The reaſons drawn from ſence, are ſence: and when a man does live by reaſon drawn from ſence, and beares up his heart therewithall, he does live by ſence. If you live by Faith, you don't live by ſence: if you do live by ſence, you don't live by Faith. They are as two buckets, the life of Faith, and the life of ſence; when one goes up, the other goes down: the higher Faith riſeth, the lower ſence and reaſon: and the higher ſence and reaſon, the lower Faith. That is true of the ſchooles, Reaſon going before Faith, weakens, and diminiſheth it: But Reaſon following upon Faith, increaſes and ſtrengthens it. Beſides, you know Paul ſayes; Not many wiſe &c. Why not many wiſe called? Thoſe that are wiſe, they conſider the things of God, and of the Goſpel in a meere rationall way, and therefore not many wiſe are called: it hinders them from the worke of beleeving: Luther ſayes well: If you would beleeve (ſayes he) you muſt crucify that Queſtion, why? God would not have us ſo full of wherefores. And if you would beleeve, you muſt go blindfold into Gods command: Abraham ſubſcribes to a blank, when the Lord called him out of his own Countrey.
Beſides, You know the great field that Faith hath to work in; the large and vaſt Orbe, and Sphear that it hath to move in.
Faith can go into the Old Teſtament, and run up as high as Adam, and come back again to the Soul, and tel the Soul: I have ſeene a man whom God hath pardoned that damn'd all the World; and why may he not pardon thee? Faith can runne up to Heaven, and come home againe to the Soule; and ſay, I have ſeene the Glory there: be of good comfort, ther's enough in Heaven to pay for all. Faith can runne unto Gods All-ſufficiency, to Gods Omnipotency; and having viewed that well, it returnes to the Soule home againe; and ſayes, be quiet, ther's enough in God alone: and Faith having placed, and ſeated it ſelfe upon this high Tower and Mountaine; Gods Omnipotency and All-ſufficiency; it hath a great proſpect, it can look over all the World, and look into another World too: but now Reaſon, it gets upon ſome little Mole-hill of Creature-ability; and if it can ſee over two or three hedges, 'tis well And therefore; Oh! what a paine is it to Faith, to be tied to Reaſon. I ſuppoſe you will all ſay, that if a man were able to go a journey of two or three hundred miles a foote, he were a very good footman: yet if you will tie him to carry a child of foure or five years old with him; you will ſay, it would be a great luggage to him; and the man would ſay, pray let this child be left at home: for though he may runne along in my hand half a mile, or go a mile with me; yet notwithſtanding I muſt carry him the reſt of the way: and when I come at any great water, or to go over any hill, I muſt take him upon my backe; and that will be a great burden to me. And thus 'tis betweene Faith and Reaſon: Reaſon (at the beſt) is but a child to Faith: Faith can foot it over Mountaines and Difficulties, and wade through Afflictions, though they be very wide: but when Reaſon comes to any Affliction, to wade through that, and to go over ſome great Difficulties; then it cries out and ſayes, Oh! Faith, good Faith go backe againe, good Faith go backe againe: No (ſayes Faith) but i'le take thee upon my backe Reaſon: and ſo Faith is fain to do indeed; take Reaſon upon its backe: but, Oh! what a luggage is Reaſon to Faith? Oh! what a burden is Reaſon to Faith? Faith never works better, then when it works moſt alone. The meere rationall conſidering of the means, and the deadneſſe thereof, is a great and ſpeciall enemy to the worke of beleeving. That is the Firſt.
The Second Propoſition is this; That when all meanes faile, and ſeem to lye dead before us; then it is the duty, and commendation of all the children of Abraham, to beleeve: That is, to beleeve the thing may be, and ſo to reſt, and relye on God in Chriſt. Thus it was here with Abraham.
And hath not the Lord commanded by the Apoſtle, ſaying; Let them that ſuffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their Soules to the hand of God, as into the hand of a Faithfull Creator? the 1 of Peter 4.19. When ye are ſcrupled about your Election or Reprobation, you look upon God, as a Potter, that hath power over the clay, to make it either a Veſſel of honour or diſhonour: But when you are to beleeve, then you are not to look upon God as a Potter, that workes out of clay, or out of materials; but as a Creator, that workes out of nothing; yea as a faithfull Creator, that will be ſure to worke out of nothing, whom you ſhall be ſure of. Thus then you are to look upon him. You know the place in the third of Habakuk, and the 17. verſe: Although the Fig-tree ſhall not bloſſome, neither ſhall fruit be in the Vines, the labour of the Olive ſhall faile, and the Fields ſhall yeeld no meate, the flocke ſhall be cutt off from the fold, and there ſhall be no herd in the ſtals; yet I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my ſalvation; the Lord God is my ſtrength &c. Thus Habakuk beleeved. Beloved, we are ſo to beleeve as the promiſe runnes; Gods promiſe is the rule of our Faith: look how that ſpeakes, ſo may we beleeve. The promiſe and Faith is the buckle and claſpe fit for one another. Now the Lord does not onelyonly promiſe to helpe the children of Abraham, Iſai. 41 17.but he promiſes to helpe when all meanes faile: When the poor and needy ſeeke for water, and there's none. I pray look into that third of Jeremy, and the 8. verſe: Behold, (ſayes the Lord) I will bring them from the north Country: his people ſcattered here into the Land of the North. And gather them from the coaſts of the Earth, and with them the blinde and the lame, the woman with childe, and her that travaileth with child together, a great company ſhall returne hither. The Lord promiſes to bring them backe to their owne Country from the Land of the North.
I but may ſome ſay, Object. I am a poore blind man, and I ſhall never find the way home againe.
Sayes he, Anſw. I will gather them from the coaſts of the earth, and with them the blind.
Oh! Object. but I am a poore lame man, and I ſhall never be able to go ſo far.
And with them (ſayes he) the blind and the lame. Anſw.
Oh! Object. but I am a woman with child, ſurely, I ſhall never be able to returne to my own Country.
Yes, Anſw. (ſayes he) the woman with child.
I, Object. but I am a woman like to be in travaile about that time: ſurely I ſhall be left behind, I ſhall never return to my own Country.
Marke, Anſw. the woman with child, and her that traivaileth with child, and a company ſhall return. God does not only promiſe help, but he promiſes to help the children of Abraham when all meanes faile.
And if you look into the New Teſtament you will find, that ſeverall promiſes which are given out in the Old-Teſtament, upon ſpeciall and extraordinary occaſions, aſſuring helpe beyond meanes; are brought down into the New-Teſtament for us to apply there. When the Devil came to tempt our Lord and Saviour, to turne ſtones into bread: ſayes our Saviour, Man lives not by bread alone, but every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God. Math. 4.4Now if you look into the eighth of Deuteronomy, and the third verſe, you will find, that thoſe words were ſpoken upon an extraordinary occaſion, help beyond meanes: He humbled thee, and ſuffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with Manna, which thou kneweſt not, neither did thy fathers know: that hee might make thee know that man doth not live by bread onelyonly, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord.
And ſo here in this fourth of the Romans, Abraham beleeved, when all meanes failed, he beleeved the promiſe, and he is brought down for our example, that we ſhould beleeve the promiſe alſo when meanes faile. And if you look into, and conſider the eleventh of the Hebrewes, where you have a catalogue of many beleevers, ye ſhall find, that many of them, beleeved when the means failed, beyond meanes, and yet they are all brought downe, and made mention of for our example.
Surely, therefore tis the duty of the children of Abraham to beleeve when all meanes faile, and ſeeme to be dead before us: Meanes for the Soule, Meanes for the Body, Means for the Family: Meanes for the Churches.
Take this for the reaſon: Reaſ. Such a Faith is to be exerciſed unto God, as is ſutable unto that God in whom we do beleeve. If the God in whom we do beleeve were a God that did helpe onelyonly by meanes, then we were to truſt ſo unto him: but being he is ſuch a God as workes beyond meanes, we are to exerciſe a faith towards him, ſutable to this God in whom we do beleeve. So in regard of our Love; We muſt love God with a love worthy of God. Now if a man ſhould onelyonly love God, for benefits and bleſſings that he receives from him: and not for the holineſſe, and excellency that is in God himſelfe; this love were not worthy of God. So in regard of our faith: if we ſhould onelyonly beleeve God in regard of the reaſon, and experiences, and means; this faith were no way worthy of God. I will beleeve a man, I will beleeve the worſt of men, the vileſt man, ſo farre as I can ſee him, and ſhall I beleeve God no further? We muſt beleeve with a faith worthy of God; faith is not worthy of God, unleſſe we beleeve beyond meanes; this is the faith that is worthy of God; this is the faith required, and commended. Take but one Scripture for it more. In the ſeventeenth of Luke, there were ten Lepers came unto Chriſt, deſiring cure, ſaying, Jeſus, Maſter have mercy on us (at the thirteenth verſe) When he ſaw them, he ſaid to them go ſhew your ſelves unto the Prieſts. And it came to paſſe as they went they were cleanſed. It ſeems they were not cleanſed then as he ſpake, they were not cleanſed when Chriſt ſayes, Go and ſhew your ſelves to the Prieſts: for it is ſaid, as they went they were cleanſed. Why then ſhould they ſhew themſelves to the Prieſts? They were to ſhew themſelves to the Prieſts, to bring an offering for their cleanſing: yet, ſayes our Saviour, go ſhew your ſelves to the Prieſts: They were to beleeve that they ſhould be cleanſed, although they ſaw themſelves full of Leproſie.
So, although a ſoule ſees himſelfe to be full of Leproſy, yet notwithſtanding it is to rely upon Jeſus Chriſt, and to beleeve as if he were fully cleanſed: This is the ſecond Propoſition.
The third will make out this the more full: Thus to beleeve when all meanes faile, is exceeding pleaſing to God, and moſt acceptable.
This kind of faith Chriſt commends in Thomas: Joh. 20.29Thomas (ſayes Chriſt) thou haſt beleeved becauſe thou haſt ſeene; but bleſſed are thoſe that do beleeve and have not ſeen. Bleſſed is any man that does beleeve, though his hands may be full of ſence: but of all beleevers, bleſſed is that beleever, that beleeves beyond ſence, that beleeves and hath not ſeene.
There are two eſpecially that Jeſus Chriſt does commend for beleeving:Mat 15.28 Mat. 8 10 the Canaanitiſh woman; and the Centurion. To the one, ſayes he, O woman great is thy faith. Concerning the other: I have not ſeene ſuch faith, no not in Jſrael. And both of theſe beleeved above hope, and under hope, when the meanes in view, ſeemed to chide them off from beleeving. In that eleventh of the Hebrewes, many of the Saints are commended for their Faith: They had other graces, wherein they did excell: Moſes was a Meeke man, he is not recorded there, and commended for his meekneſſe, but for his Faith. Sampſon was a ſtout, and a reſolute man: he is not commended there for that, but for his Faith. They had other excellent graces, but this grace of Faith is ſingled out to weare the Crown:Heb. 11.39 They all obtain'd a good report through Faith. That weares the Crowne of all other graces. And you ſhall find that that Faith was mingled with many weakneſſes: Rahab, one of thoſe beleevers, what a deale of weakneſſe paſſed from her, in her beleeving. Yet notwithſtanding, though their Faith was clogged with many weakneſſes, yet their Faith is commended, and moſt of them beleeving beyond means, and when all meanes failed: plainly ſpeaking out this truth to us: The great acceptation that ſuch a Faith hath with God. Beloved! this faith, beleeving when all meanes faile, and lye dead before us, turnes God about; (as we may ſpeak with reverence) and make God, of an enemy, a ſeeming enemy; to become our friend. If you truſt unto your friend, for a kindneſſe; he will do it becauſe you reſt on him: if you reſt upon an enemy, he failes you: but if you reſt on God, he will therefore do it becauſe you reſt on him, and he will become your friend by your reſting on him. Oh! I have been a great and a wretched ſinner: Yet notwithſtanding, I know there is infinite riches of grace in Chriſt, and therefore ſayes the ſoule, I will reſt on him: yea Lord, though thou kill me, yet will I reſt upon thee. I, (ſaies the Lord) wilt thou now reſt upon mee, now I frown, now I chide, now I have a rod in my hand, now I have a ſword in my hand to kill thee (as it were) wilt thou now reſt upon mee? Well, be of good comfort, thou art mine for ever: Man, or woman, go in peace, good is thy faith. This reſting thus upon God, when all meanes faile, it melts Gods anger into love.
And beſides, it is that faith that is moſt ſucceſſefull, the moſt ſpeeding in prayer. You may look into the ſecond of Chronicles the thirteenth Chapter, and you ſhall find there, that Abijah going to warre with Jeroboam, had not more then halfe ſo many as Jeroboam had. Abijah ſet the battaile in array with an Army of valiant men of warre, even foure hundred thouſand choſen men: A great Army. But Jeroboam had as many againe. And Jeroboam alſo ſet the battale in array againſt him with eight hundred thouſand choſen men, being mighty men of valour. I pray now let us conſider, how went the day? Reade the ſeventeenth verſe. Abijah and his people ſlew them with a great ſlaughter: ſo there fell down of Iſrael five hundred thouſand choſen men: Five hundred thouſand choſen men ſlaine. How came this about? Reade the eighteenth verſe. Thus the children of Iſrael were brought under at that time, and the children of Judah prevailed, becauſe they relyed upon the Lord God of their Fathers. Or as ſome books have it, becauſe they ſtayed upon the Lord God of their father. The meanes was too ſcanty, it was ſhort; they reſted upon God beyond the meanes, and ſee what great ſucceſſe they had upon this: they were but foure hundred thouſand, againſt either hundred thouſand; and they ſlew five hundred thouſand men. So ſucceſſefull is this worke, and this way of beleeving.
It is this faith that now I am ſpeaking of; beleeving when all means faile, and lye dead before us: that does honour God eſpecially; which doth juſtify the ſoule: It is the ſoule-ſaving faith of all. Pray looke into the ſeventh of Luke, and conſider it well. It is ſaid at the laſt verſe. Jeſus ſaid to the woman, they Faith hath ſaved thee, go in peace: but here's no mention at all before of her Faith: There's mention of her love, in the fourty ſeventh verſe, I ſay unto thee, her ſins, which are many, are forgiven, for ſhe loved much. There's mention before of her teares, at the eight and thirty verſe. A woman in the City; which was a ſinner, brought an Alabaſter box of ointment, and ſtood at his feete behind him weeping, and began to waſh his feete with teares, and did wipe them with the haires of her head, and kiſſed his feete, and annointed them with the ointment. Here's mention of her teares, here's mention of her Liberality, and Bounty, and Love to Jeſus Chriſt: and yet our Lord and Saviour Chriſt, does not ſay thus: woman, thy teares hath ſaved thee, go in peace: Woman thy Repentance, and thy Humiliation hath ſaved thee, go in peace, he doth not ſay, thy Love to me, and thy Bounty to me hath ſaved thee, go in peace, woman: No, but our Lord and Saviour, he ſaw a ſecret worke of reliance upon himſelfe in this woman, for ſhe was a great ſinner, and he ſayes unto her, woman, Thy Faith hath ſaved thee, goe in Peace. This is the ſoule-ſaving faith, thus to beleeve when all meanes faile, and ſeeme to lye dead before you. Surely therefore, to do thus, muſt needs be exceeding pleaſing to God, and moſt acceptable.
And ſo I have done with thoſe three Propoſitions:Applic. and now come to the Application.
If theſe things be ſo: Oh! what manner of Faith ſhould we have? Will ye only beleeve when meanes are ſtrong, and have life in them? Ye have read of the unbeliefe of the people of Iſrael when they were in the wilderneſſe: being in the wilderneſſe, they wanted much outward proviſion, ordinary proviſion; and by occaſion thereof they murmured, full of unbelief, in ſo much as the Lord was angry with them, and ſlew them, ſo that they never came into the Land of promiſe. But I pray, what was their unbelief, for which God did ſlay them? Was it this that they did not beleeve when they had meanes? No, but that they did not beleeve when all means failed, when all outward meanes failed; that is their unbeliefe.
Beloved, we have their promiſes, we have their Example, we have more meanes of faith then they; and ſhall not our Faith riſe higher then theirs? Shall not we beleeve an inch beyond the meanes? You have heard the Doctrine: Tis the duty of all the children of Abraham to beleeve when meanes faile, 'tis exceeding pleaſing to God, and 'tis moſt acceptable. Oh! What an incouragement is here, to beleeve above hope, and under hope, and when death ſits upon the lips of the ſecond cauſe, and ſpeakes nothing but terror! Some there are, that ſay, they can beleeve for their bodies, but they cannot truſt God for their Soules when meanes faile: Some ſay, they can truſt God for their Soules when meanes faile, but they cannot truſt God for their Bodies: ſome ſay, they can truſt God for Themſelves but they cannot truſt God for their Families; what ſhall become of my wife and children? Some ſay, they can truſt God for their Families; but they cannot truſt God for the Church; when a ſtrome riſes, they cry out and ſay, Lord, careſt thou not that we periſh? though Jeſus Chriſt be in the ſhip with them.
We are very ready, and apt to hunt after the meanes when we want them: and to reſt upon them when we have them. And there is a great propenſneſſe in us to doing, rather then unto beleeving; before converſion: and in the point of converſion.
Before converſion: ſayes the young man,Mat. 1916. What ſhall I do that I may inherite eternall life? And in the point of Converſion, in the ſecond of the Acts, What ſhall we do to be ſaved? And Paul himſelfe,Act. 9.6. Act. 6.30. Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? The Jaylor too, What ſhall I do to be ſaved; What ſhall I do? But I pray marke the Apoſtles anſwer to the Jaylor, when he cryed out and ſaid, Oh! What ſhall I do? The Apoſtle does not ſay, go faſt, and pray, though he had need to do that: but the firſt worke that the Apoſtle does put him upon, is, Beleeve and thou ſhalt be ſaved, This is the worke.
And therefore,Iohn 6.28, 29. when ſome came to Chriſt, and ask't him this queſtion, Maſter, what ſhall we do that we may work the works of God? ſayes Chriſt, This is the work of God, that ye beleeve in him whom he hath ſent. And of all workings of Faith, this ſame beleeving when all means do faile, and ſeeme to lie dead before us, is that which is moſt pleaſing to God. Oh! that we could learne, Oh! that we could learne this point, to beleeve when the ſentence of death is paſt upon a buſineſſe, and upon all the meanes that do lead unto it.
You will ſay, Object. I am affraid to beleeve when meanes faile, for God hath commanded us to uſe meanes: and as in angling of fiſh, a man is to have his eye upon the cork, ſo he is to have his eye upon the meanes; God hath commanded us to uſe the meanes:
True, Anſw. in your fiſhing and angling, you have an eye unto the cork; but in Chriſts fiſhing there is another corke that you are to have an eye unto; Chriſt commands to beleeve. Maſter (ſay they) We have fiſh't all night, and caught nothing; nevertheleſſe at thy command we will caſt in againe. Luke 5.5.The ſame God that hath commanded you to keepe the ten Commandements, commands you to beleeve when all meanes faile.
And whereas ye ſay, ye are affraid to beleeve when you have no meanes, becauſe God hath commanded you to uſe the meanes, and now meanes are wanting.
I ſhall deſire you to conſider with me but theſe foure things.
Firſt of all, Thou ſayeſt, meanes faile, and ſeeme to lie dead before thee, and thou art affraid now to beleeve; but it may be, that this is the time that God does take away the meanes on purpoſe to try thy Faith.
Beloved, there is a time when God does purpoſely take away the meanes to try a mans Faith. God does firſt try our Faith, before he does feed our ſence. When our Lord and Saviour Chriſt, was to worke that great miracle, feeding ſo many thouſand with five barley loaves, and two ſmall fiſhes, we reade in the ſixth Chapter of John, and the 5. verſe thus, Jeſus lift up his eyes, and ſaw a great company, and ſaid to Philip, whence ſhall we buy bread, that theſe may eate? Why did our Saviour Chriſt thus put Philip upon it? reade what followes. And this he ſaid to prove him: He took away the meanes; and this he ſaid to prove him. There is a time when the Lord does ſometimes take away the meanes on purpoſe to prove thy Faith; how doeſt thou know, (man or woman) whether this be not the day and the time? Thou ſayeſt, thou canſt not beleeve, becauſe meanes faile; it may be 'tis the time of thy triall, God ſending this time of purpoſe to try thee.
Again ſecondly, Conſider this; God does never give to ſupply our luſts, but to ſupply our wants. Poſſibly there may be meanes to ſupply thy want, though not meanes to ſupply thy luſt. When our Lord and Saviour Chriſt fed ſo many thouſand, what did he feed them with? Five barley loaves and two fiſhes; not with Turkey, not with Partridges, Iohn 6.9.not with Quailes, not with Chickens; but with barley loaves.
It may be thou haſt a barley loafe-meanes, but thou haſt not Chicken-meanes; and becauſe thou haſt not meanes to ſupply thine appetite, and to ſupply thy luſt, thou ſayeſt thou haſt no meanes, and all meanes faile: Oh! this is very ordinary among ſome people; becauſe they have not meanes to ſatisfy their mind and their luſt, therefore they ſay, that all meanes faile. I beſeech you Beloved, conſider whether there be not this great miſtake, when you ſay, that all meanes faile; onelyonly a failing of meanes to ſupply your appetite and your luſt, but not a failing of barley loave-meanes; whether there be not alwayes that meanes left by God.
In the third place, But ſuppoſe that all meanes faile indeed, and lie dead before you; now Faith is a meanes to a meanes: (marke) now Faith is a meanes to Faith, Faith hath a commiſſion from God to put life into that meanes that lies dead before you; Faith hath a power from God to make that a meanes which was none before. Poor Soule, thou ſtand'ſt quaking and ſhaking at a diſtance & ſayeſt, Oh! there's no meanes but contrary meanes: Come up to that contrary meanes, come up to it in a way of beleeving, and thy very coming up to that which thou look'ſt upon as contrary, through thy faith will be made a meanes to thee. When the Apoſtle Peter was in priſon, the Angel comes to him, ſtrikes off his chaines, and bids him go out preſently; Peter does not ſay thus, what ſhould I ſtirre for? Lord, Sir, there is an iron gate to go through, there are ſo many guardes of Souldiers to paſſe through; Peter does not ſay ſo, but riſes in a way of beleeving, comes to the iron gate in Faith, and when he comes at it, the iron gate doth open: And ſo it will be with you; indeed if you come unto that which ſeemes a contrary means, in a naturall way, the iron gate ſtill continues ſhut; but Oh! if you would uſe your Faith, come up unto that which you look upon as the moſt contrary, in the way of beleeving, faith hath ſuch a power from God, to put life into that meanes that lies dead before you.
And in the fourth place: conſider this for your further incouragement: that look what way God is uſed to walk in towards you, the ſame way you may boldly expect him in Does the Lord uſe to walke towards thee in a way of preventing mercy? You may boldly expect him in that way. Does the Lord walke towards you in an extraordinary way? (as in theſe times he hath towards us, though an unworthy people:) I ſay, does the Lord walke towards you in an extraordinary way? Hath he done ſo heretofore? You may expect him in that way. Now I appeale to you, you that are the people of God; hath not the Lord walked towards your Soules in an extraordinary way? Hath not the Lord ſaid concerning Chriſt, His name ſhall be called wonderfull? Iſa. 9.6.As you are known by your name, Richard, or Thomas, or John; ſo Jeſus Chriſt ſhall be known by this name among his people, Wonderfull: working wonders.
Hath not the Lord ſaid, His way is in the deepe? Beloved, Pſa 77.19the Lords way is in the deepe, towards his people, and towards the wicked: towards his people, his way is in the deep when he walks towards them. Behold (ſaith he by the prophet Jeremy, ſpeaking concerning the times of the Goſpel) a new thing will I worke, I will do a new thing, a woman ſhall compaſſe a man; you reade it; but as Calv in reads it,Ier. 31.22. A woman ſhall lay Siege to a man. That is, the weaker ſhall take the ſtronger. And, ſayes the Lord, never tell me 'tis a new thing; and ſuch a thing as was never done before, I'le never ſtand upon that, I le doe things never done before, I'le doe a new thing (ſaith the Lord) I will lead you in a way that was never went, never troden before; I'le doe a new thing. And when the Lord walkes in an extraordinary way towards you, now his way is in the deepe. His way is in the whirle-wind (ſayes the Prophet) Oh! beloved,Nah 1.3. ſhall we tye God to meanes then? True, God hath commanded you to uſe the meanes when you have them: But where hath God forbidden you to truſt in him when you have no meanes? Thus Abraham did, he conſidered not his own body being dead, nor Sarahs wombe being dead; for this his faith is commended; So ſhall you be. Oh! that our faith were right: Oh! that we could learn to live by faith, at a higher rate then ever yet we have done. Time yet may come, for ought we know, that you may find more uſe of this point.
But you will ſay unto me, I am afraid I ſhall preſume: Obj. truſt in God when all meanes faile, meanes for my ſoule, and meanes for my body, and meanes for my family! truſt in God now! I am afraid I ſhall preſume: preſumption is a great ſinne.
Marke. I ſhall onelyonly tell you what 'tis to preſume, Anſw. (in anſwer to this) praeſumo; is to take a thing before 'tis given, or offered: Mercy 'tis alwayes offred to a poore ſinner: Jeſus Chriſt came to ſave ſinners, and die for ſinners; thou canſt not take mercy before 'tis offred. For a man to thinke that he ſhall fly in the ayre with wings like a bird, this is to preſume for a man to put God upon proviſion for his luſt, this is to preſume: for a man to put God upon extraordinary, where ordinary may be had, this is to preſume.
But for a man to relie upon God for neceſſities in extraordinary caſes, when ordinary cannot be had; this is no preſumption, but Faith. Mark, I ſay, to put God upon extraordinary, when ordinary may be had; this is preſumption: But to rely upon God for neceſſities in an extraordinary caſe, when it cannot be had in an ordinary; this is no preſumption at all. Beloved, 'tis preſumption in the higheſt degree for you and mee, (poore creatures) to tye up the hands of God, to labour to do it is dangerous.
As for example: one poore Subject to go to his Prince, and tye up his hands and feet, or to go to his Pallace, and nayle up all his doores, and leave him but one little wicket to come out at; this is preſumption. And ſo, for a man to tye God to meanes, to tye God to a time, to tye God to this or that meanes, to tye God to meanes in generall: this is preſumption. (Marke) Some there are that tye God to a Time: Oh! if mercy does not come by ſuch a day, or ſuch a time, I am undone for ever. Others they won't tye God to a Time, but they will tye God to this or that particular meanes: Oh! if mercy come not that way, or by that meanes, I am gone, I am loſt for ever. Others, they won't tye God to time, nor to particular meanes; but they will tye God to meanes in generall, they won't beleeve God a whit beyond meanes, and ſo tye God to meanes in generall: Ah, what is this but ranke preſumption? for a poore creature, to tye up the hands of his Creator! the fin that you ſeeke, and thinke to avoid, you fall into: This is preſumption.
And beloved, do you know how prejudiciall this is to your ſelves? As a diſhonour to God; ſo a great hinderance to your ſelves to doe thus: it turnes God out of the way of his mercy; Nay, (ſayes God) ſeeing you will have no mercy but in a roade of meanes, you ſhall have none but in a roade of meanes; ſo mercy comes thinne, and ſcant, and by little drops; whereas otherwiſe mercy would come thick, and full, and large.
Hereby you are put upon indirect meanes to get out of trouble: pray, what is the ground that cauſes men to uſe indirect meanes to get out of trouble? is not this at the bottome? you thinke meanes muſt be uſed; this is at the bottome.
Beloved in the Lord, as you do deſire God may not be diſhonoured, that Mercy may come full and not ſcant unto you, learne to beleeve at another rate then ever you have done; when all meanes faile and ſeeme to lie dead before you, then beleeve: ſo for thy Soule, ſo for thy Body, ſo for thy Eſtate.
You will ſay, How ſhould I do this? Queſt. to beleeve when all meanes faile and lie dead before me? I have a great proſpect in my ſinnes; the guilt of one ſinne comes and that hath a blow at my conſcience: and the guilt of another ſinne that comes and that gives a blow to my conſcience, and my conſcience is all blacke and blue with blowes, and they all cry out and ſay, poor damn'd, damn'd and undone creature, and I ſee no way, no meanes at all left for my ſalvation; Ah! Lord, what ſhall I do to beleeve now when all meanes faile?
I ſhall onelyonly ſpeake a word to it, and ſo winde up all, Anſw. thus;
Know, that thou mayeſt truſt God, that thou mayeſt find Mercy, that thou mayeſt beleeve in ſuch a caſe as this is. Beloved, therefore thou haſt not beleeved in ſuch a caſe heretofore, becauſe thou didſt think thou mightſt not beleeve. But now know from the Lord, 'tis no temptation, 'tis no preſumption, in ſuch a caſe as this thou mayeſt leane thy poor guilty ſoule upon God this day. I am loath to make compariſons between one duty and another; but if there be any compares, this act of beleeving when all meanes ſeeme to lie dead before us, is more then all thy prayers and teares: Thou crieſt out and ſayeſt, Oh! that I had teares in prayer, Oh! that God would inlarge my heart in prayer, Oh! that God would breake this hard heart; and bleſſed be the Lord indeed when ſo it is.
But now, art thou in ſuch a caſe? haſt thou a proſpect of all thy ſins, and all means ſeem to lie dead before thee? and doeſt thou now go unto Jeſus Chriſt, ſaying to him, Ah, Lord, I have been a great and a wretched ſinner; yet now, hearing of thy free and rich grace, I do throw my ſelfe upon thee; Lord, if thou killeſt mee, yet I will truſt in thee; through thy grace, I will never returne againe unto folly; onelyonly Lord, I do leane my Soule upon thee; as for comfort, Lord give me comfort when thou wilt; onelyonly, I leane my Soule upon thee? I tell thee, this act of thy Faith is more pleaſing to God, then thy twenty years teares, then thy twenty years prayers, if there be any compare.
But why then (my Beloved) ſhould you look at this as a matter of preſumption, to truſt upon God and upon Chriſt in this condition? know 'tis your way unto Jeſus Chriſt when all meanes faile; Oh! 'tis the only way for your deliverance, deliverance from your ſinnes, and the feare of your ſinnes; carry this rule home along with you; deliverance is then neareſt when Faith workes higheſt, and Faith then workes higheſt when all means are loweſt. Do not ſtand poring then, (Chriſtian) don't ſtand poring upon the deadneſſe of the meanes, or the deadneſſe of thine owne heart. As the ſight, beholding, and gazing upon beauty, is a ſnare, and a temptation to thoſe that are given to wantonneſſe: and the ſight of much gold and ſilver and fine houſes, a temptation to thoſe that are given to worldlineſſe: So, the ſight, and beholding of the deadneſſe of the meanes, is a great ſnare and temptation to thoſe that are given to doubting and thoſe that are given to unbeliefe. Does the meanes therefore lie dead before thee at any time? Soule, man, or woman, go to the Lord, and ſay thus, Ah! Lord, turne away mine eyes from beholding this ſame dead meanes; away, away to the promiſe, when all meanes faile, now beare thy ſelfe at length upon the promiſe, go unto Jeſus Chriſt, throw thy ſelf now at his feete, and ſay, Lord though thou kill me, yet will I truſt in thee, if I periſh; I will periſh here. Do this and live.
And thus I have done with the Second Propoſition. And ſo much for this time.