Christ Crucified, Sermon 4
SERMON IV.
ISAIAH LIII.I.
Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
THE Goſpel is a ſweet Meſſage, and ought to be glad News when it comes to a People; and therefore, when this Report of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt is made to Sinners, O! but it's a ſad Complaint that follows on the refuſal and not welcoming of it; there is no better News a Miniſter can carry, then theſe brought to the Shepherds by the Angels, Luke 2.10, 11. Fear not, behold we bring you glad tydings of great joy to all people; unto you is born in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Chriſt the Lord; but were it an Iſaiah, it will weight him when he looks on a fruitleſs Miniſtry and deſpiſed Goſpel, and will make him complain, Who hath believed our report? O! that we may experimentally know the cheerfulneſs and gladneſs that follows the Goſpel where it is embraced, and that we may not know the ſorrow and ſadneſs that will follow the challenge for diſpiſing of it; one of theſe two the preached Goſpel will be, either it will be joyful News to you, or a ſad ground of complaint to God againſt you.
We entred to ſpeak of the great Duty of a People that hears the Goſpel, and the great mean whereby theſe News become delightſome, and that is, by Faith to receive the Report of the Goſpel, or to Believe on Chriſt reported of in it; This is clearly implyed, for the regrate which holds out the ſin, is, Who hath believed our report? and therefore the great Duty muſt be, to Believe, and by Faith to receive the Report. We come now to ſpeak of the Uſe, and becauſe it's the great deſign of the whole Goſpel, yea, it's the deſign of the Law alſo, both of which level at this End and Scope, even Faith in Chriſt. It will be expedient, and no ways impertinent, that we inſiſt a little on this, eſpecially when ſo many thouſands are utterly ignorant of Faith, being Strangers to what Believing in Chriſt is, and ſo great Strangers to the native End of the Goſpel, and out of the way of getting good by the Preaching of it, ſo that to this day, they have not learned this one Leſſon, to wit, concerning Faith in Chriſt, and other Leſſons will be to little or no purpoſe till this be learned.
We ſhall not inſiſt to ſpeak at large of the Doctrine of Faith, but only in a plain way, glance at what this great Duty is, that is required of the Hearers of the Goſpel; it's Believing in Chriſt ſavingly, or Saving Faith, for no other thing will hold off the Complaint againſt you; ye will be complained of, though ye would believe with all other Faith, therefore it's this Faith that is here meaned.
That we may come the ſooner to that which we would be at, we ſhall premit two or three words. Firſt, When we ſpeak of Believing here, we preſuppoſe theſe things that are neceſſary for clearing the Object of Faith and capacitating us to Believe, though they be not Saving Faith; As namely, 1. That the Offer of the Goſpel muſt come to People, that the Object of Faith be held out to them, that it be told them, that there is a way for a Sinner's Juſtification through Chriſt Jeſus, and that Sinners may be accepted before God on His account, or through Him. There muſt alſo, 2. Be an underſtanding of this, a conceiving in the Judgment what it is; Folks cannot Believe except they Hear, and Underſtand what they Hear, in ſo far as diſtinctly to fix their Faith on the thing known; they muſt know and underſtand the Mediator's fulneſs, the Covenants freeneſs, and the efficacy of Faith to make Chriſt theirs. Yea, 3. It's neceſſary there be ſome acquaintance with our own condition, as that we are naturally under Sin, that we are loſt, and under the Curſe, ſick, and utterly unable, and even deſperate to get our ſelves recovered, by any thing that is in, or by any thing that we can do of our ſelves, that we are for ever undone if we get not a Saviour, that our mouth may be ſtoped. 4. Not only muſt we know this, but it's neceſſary there be an Hiſtorical Faith of it, to Believe that there is Fulneſs and Sufficiency in Ch…iſt, that He is able to cure, and take away the guilt of Sin in all that reſt on Him; theſe muſt be believed in general, ere ever Sinners can reſt on Him for their own Salvation; which ſuppoſes that there may be an Hiſtorical, where there is not a Saving Faith. Now when all this length is gone, Saving Fai…h is that which the Goſpel calleth for, and it is the Hearts acting according to what ſound light and conviction it hath, on Jeſus Chriſt as holden out in the Promiſe, for obtaining of Life and Salvation through Him; ſo that when the Soul is lying ſtill under its conviction, and knows it cannot have Life but by reſting on Chriſt, and hears that there is a Sufficiency in Him for up making of all its wants, then the work of the Spirit prevails with the Soul, to caſt it ſelf over on Him for obtaining of Life, and of every other thing needful; it brings the Soul to embrace and lay hold on Him, not only as one able to ſave Sinners, but to ſave it ſelf in particular; and this is the native work of Faith that waits the Soul to Chriſt, and pu…s it over the bound-road, or march of all Deluſion; it's like a ſinking Man's leaping to catch hold of a Rock or Rope; it's the b…inging of a loſt Sinner from the ſerious apprehenſion of his own naughtineſs and undone Eſtate, to caſt himſe…f over on Jeſus Chriſt for the obtaining of Life through Him.
Secondly, When we ſpeak of Faith, we would premit this, That even this true and Saving Faith, which is not only in kind true, that is, ſuch as hath a real Being, but is Saving, may be conſidered in its different acts or actings for its different needs or neceſſities: Though the Covenant be one, yet the acts of Faith are many, we having to do with Pardon of Sin, with Sanctification in its parts, Vivification, and Mortification, with Peace, &c. Faith differently acts on Chriſt and the Promiſe for obtaining of theſe. Now, the Faith that we would inſiſt on, is, the F…ith that reſts on Chriſt for Pardon of Sin, on which all the reſt of the acts of Faith depend; it's that Faith whereby a Sinner receives Chriſt, and caſts himſelf over on Him; that Faith whereby Union with Chriſt is made up.
Thirdly, We would premit, That there is a great difference betwixt Faith, and the Effects of it, as Peace, Joy, Aſſurance of God's Love, and theſe other Spiritual Priviledges that follow Believing: It's one thing actually to Believe, another thing to have the Peace and Joy that follows upon, and flows from Believing; the one being as the putting out of the Hand to receive the Meat, and the other as the feeding on it: It's the firſt of theſe we mean, and intend to ſpeak of, even that Faith whereby we grip Jeſus Chriſt Himſelf, and get a Right to all theſe Priviledges in and through Him.
Fourthly, We premit, That even this Saving Faith hath its degrees, as all other Faith hath; ſome have more weak Faith, ſome ſtronger; ſome have that full Aſſurance ſpoken of Heb. 10. or a Plerophory, not only as to the Object that it's ſufficient, but as to the apprehending and obtaining of Life through that Object; ſo that they are able to ſay, neither height nor depth, nor any thing elſe, ſhall be able to ſeparate them from the Love of God in Chriſt Jeſus; we ſay then, that Saving Faith hath its degrees, though the degree be not that which we ſpeak of; but it's the kind of this Faith, whether weaker or more ſtrong, whereby a loſt Sinner rolls it ſelf over on Chriſt; the Faith which puts the Sinner off the Ground it ſtood on, ever on Him; the Faith which brings the Soul from the Covenant of Works to a new holding of Life by Chriſt and His Righteouſneſs. We ſhall then ſpeak a little, 1. To what we conceive this act of Saving Faith is not for precaveating of miſtakes. 2. What way the Scripture expreſſes it; when then we ſay that ſuch a thing is not Saving Faith, ye would know that thing is not it that ye muſt lippen to; and when we ſay ſuch a thing is Saving Faith, ye would labour to act and exerciſe Faith according to it.
Firſt, For what Saving Faith is not. 1. It is not the knowing that Chriſt is God and Man, that He was Born, was Crucified, Dead, and Buried, and Roſe again; Aſk ſome, what true Saving Faith is? they will ſay it's a true Knowledge; Aſk them again, how long is it ſince they Believed? they will ſay ſince ever they knew Good by Ill; ye would know that apprehenſive or literal and ſpeculative Knowledge is needful, but it will not be taken for Saving Faith. 2. It's not a touch of warmneſs or liberty in the Affections in a natural way, which may be in unregenerate Men, yea poſſibly in Pagans, as in a Felix, who in the mean time, have not ſo much as Temporary Faith, becauſe it riſes not from the Word, but from diſpenſations of Providence, or from Temporary things; and if it riſe from the Promiſes of the Word, if there be no more, it's but temporary Faith. 3. It is not Convictions, which many take for Faith, and take it for granted if they be convinced of Sin, they Believe, and will ſay, whom ſhould they Believe on but Chriſt, and yet they never follow the Conviction, to put in practice what they are convinced of. 4. It's not ſimply a Reſolution to Believe, as others take Saving Faith to be, who being convinced that their own Righteouſneſs will not do their turn, reſolve to Believe on Chriſt for Righteouſneſs, but they will take a convenient time to do it; and many maintain their Peace with this, though it be no true Peace; but a bare reſolution to Believe is not Faith; ye uſe to ſay, there are many good Wiſhers in Hell. I remember the words of a dying Man in this Place, who thought he believed before, and being aſked what difference he conceived to be betwixt the Faith he had before, and the Faith he now had attain'd to? he anſwered, before, I thought or reſolved to Believe, but never practiſed it, now I practiſe Believing: There is ſuch a ſubtilty and deceit in the Heart, that if it reſolve to Believe, and if it obſervably thwart not with Faith, it will ſit down on that as if all were done, therefore the Word is, To day if ye will hear his voice, that is, to day if ye will Believe, harden not your heart: This reſolving to Believe, is like a Man ſinking in the Water, and having a Rope caſt out to him, he reſolves to grip it, but does it not; So, many think they have the Promiſe beſide them, and reſolve to make uſe of it, but do not preſently make uſe of it, and the Ship ſinks down, and they periſh, while the Promiſe abides and ſwims above. 5. It is not Prayer; There are many who think they Believe when they ſome way Repent, Pray, and put their Hand to other Duties, and they know no more for Believing but ſomething of that kind; it is true indeed, Prayer may help to Believe, yet it's not always with Faith, it's not every one that ſaith, Lord, Lord, that believeth; many will ſeek to enter that ſhall not be able: Folks very often have theſe two miſerable miſtakes about Prayer, either they put it in the room of Chriſt, or in the room and place of Faith, not conſidering that they are different things; for Faith exerciſeth it ſelf on Chriſt as Mediator, and Prayer taketh Him up as God, the true Object of Divine Worſhip; though if it be not founded on Chriſt as Mediator, it hath no acceſs; the acting of Saving Faith is properly on Chriſt held forth in the Word, and Prayer is a putting up of Suits according to the Word: There are many that know no more what uſe to make of Chriſt, then if He had never been incarnate, nor had come under that relation of a Mediator, and make their Prayers ſerve to make up all; whereas Faith, not only reſpects Chriſt as God, but His Merits as Mediator and His Offices. 6. Nor is Faith only a believing this Word of God to be true, though we could wiſh many were come that length; it would make a Man tremble to hear the blaſphemous words that ſome will have, when they are aſked concerning their believing the truth of the Bible; but though ye were that length, it were not enough, the Devils believe and tremble; the Faith that we call you to, is more then Hiſtorical, it's to reſting on Chriſt, to cordial receiving of the Meſſage which He ſends to you; as, ſuppoſe a King ſhould ſend an embaſſage to a Perſon to woo her to be his Wife, it's one thing to know that there is ſuch a King, another thing to believe that he is real in his offer, and that the Woman by conſenting to marry him, may be, and will be happy, and (which is yet more) actually to receive the Meſſage, and to conſent to go and marry him; It's here as when Abraham's ſervant is ſent to Rebekah, Gen. 24. She and her Friends believe all the report that the Servant made of his Maſter and of his Son, that it was true, and then it's given to her option if ſhe will go with the Man, and ſhe conſents to go, and actually goeth; this is it we preſs you to, to go with us and cloſe the Bargain, and to accept of Him, and of Life through Him; by the ſame ſimilitude ye may know what Saving Faith is, and what is the difference betwixt it and Temporary Faith; when the great, rich, and brave offer comes to be made to Rebekah, by a Man with many Camels, Gold, and Bracelets, when ſhe believes that it's true, and that it's made to her, ſhe is fain, and it may be over fain, if not ſomewhat vain alſo, that is like Temporary Faith; but when it comes to the articles of the Contract, it's ſaid to Sinners, ye muſt ſubject to Chriſt, and follow His Will and not your own, this, this caſts the Bargain; thus many when they hear there is a poſſibility of Life to be had in Chriſt, and much more when they hear it's to be had on good, eaſie, and free terms, it will make them ſmile, but when it comes to that, Pſal. 45.10. Hearken, O daughter, and conſider, forſake thy fathers houſe, or the faſhions of thy Fathers Houſe, it halts there, and they ſuſpend and demur to cloſe the Bargain, but Saving Faith goes further on, and with Rebekah, finally cloſes the Bargain.
Secondly, The next thing is, What is Saving Faith, or what is it to Believe in Chriſt? and would to God ye were ready to Believe, and as ready to receive the Invitation as to aſk the Queſtion, and that in aſking the Queſtion ye were in earneſt; for by the way, many have aſked the Queſtion, What ſhall we do to be ſaved? where if they had been in earneſt, they might have been ſoon reſolved; The Anſwer is at hand, Believe in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt and thou ſhalt be ſaved: But to them that deſire further clearneſs or confirmation in this concerning Buſineſs, we ſhall ſpeak a little, yet ye muſt know, that it's ſuch a thing as is impoſſible to be made plain to a proud humoured or unhumbled Sinner, it's the poor humbled Soul that will take it up, and to ſuch a Soul, half a word will help to take it up.
The plaineſt way to ſet it out, as we conceive, is, to name ſome Scripture Expreſſions, and Similitudes, that hold it forth, The firſt whereof is in that of Mat. 11.28. Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy loaden; and John 6.35. He that cometh to me ſhall never hunger, and he that believeth in me ſhall never thirſt; readily theſe Expreſſions hold out theſe three. Firſt, An Evil which Men cleave to. Secondly, A Good that is offered to them. Thirdly, A paſſing from the Evil to the Good, and ſo, come to me implyes. 1. A hazard that Folks are in by being at a diſtance from Chriſt. 2. That there is acceſs to Jeſus Chriſt for remeiding that evil, and removing of that hazard. 3. A paſſing from the one to the other, a paſſing from our own Righteouſneſs to Chriſt's Righteouſneſs, a paſſing from our natural condition to Jeſus Chriſt, a real paſſing from Death in our ſelves, to Life in Him: Moſt part, think Faith to be a conceit, a humour, or a gueſſing, that they think they may have and never know how; but it's a real thing, a coming from our own Righteouſneſs, as I ſaid, to His, from a Covenant of Works, to reſt on Chriſt and His Righteouſneſs, held forth in the Covenant of Grace; this is ſomewhat explained, Rom. 7. where two Huſbands are ſpoken of, a Woman cannot marry another Man till her firſt Huſband be dead, ſo, till a Sinner be dead to the Law, he cannot marry Chriſt, there muſt be a divorcing from the Law and Covenant of Works ere ye can cloſe with Chriſt.
The ſecond Expreſſion is, John 1.12. Where Faith is held forth as a receiving of Chriſt, To as many as received him, he gave them power to become the ſons of God, even to as many as believed on his Name; and it's well expreſs'd in the Catechiſm, to be a receiving of Chriſt as He is offered in the Goſpel; this ſuppoſes that Chriſt is offered to us, and that we are naturally without Him; The Goſpel comes and ſays, Why will ye die, O houſe of Iſrael? come and receive a Saviour; And the act of Faith is a gripping to that Offer, a receiving and imbracing of it, a being well content to take a free Diſcharge through His Blood.
A third Expreſſion is, Phil. 3.12. Where Faith is ſet out as an apprehending of Chriſt, and Heb. 6.18. It's called a laying hold on the Hope ſet before us, and Iſa. 56.4. a taking hold of the Covenant; all which ſuppoſe Folk to have a choice, as it were, laid to them, and Chriſt to be holden out as a City of Refuge, and a Shelter from that which we are in hazard of; Chriſt is held out in the Goſpel as the City of Refuge, and the exerciſe of Faith is to run from the hazard to Him, as a Child that is chaſed by an unknown and uncouth Body, flees unto the Mothers Arms, or as the Man-ſlayer fled from the Avenger of Blood to the City of Refuge; and Faith having run to Him, caſts it ſelf on Him, or thruſts it ſelf (as it were) into Him.
A fourth Expreſſion is, rolling or casting of our ſelves over upon the Lord, as Pſal. 55.22. Caſt thy burden on the Lord, and Pſal. 37.5. Commit thy way to the Lord, it's on the Margent, roll thy ſelf on the Lord, or reſt, as it's verſ. 7. and eaſe thy ſelf on the Lord; the Goſpel lays Chriſt, as it were, at Folks feet, and Faith rolls them over on Him; it's even the Souls finding it ſelf through the work of the Spirit, unable to ſtand under the Burthen; rolling it ſelf on Chriſt, as a crafie and weak Body caſts it ſelf on a Doun-Bed for eaſe; This is a very emphatick, ſignificant, and active Expreſſion of Faith, ſetting out a Man quiting his own Legs or Feet, as unable to ſtand on them, and laying himſelf over on Chriſt; This is it that we call you to, even to quite your own Feet, and to roll your ſelves over on Chriſt.
A fifth Expreſſion is, Rom. 10.3. Where it's call'd a ſubmitting to the righteouſneſs of God; which is held out in the Goſpel, thus, as if a King were proclaiming a Pardon to Rebels, and ſaying to them, for as many hainous Crimes as ye have committed, and are guilty of, if ye will take with them, and betake your ſelves to my grace and mercy, ſincerely reſolving to be henceforth faithful and dutiful Subjects to me, I will freely pardon you; which gracious offer they moſt gladly accept of, and ſubmit themſelves to it: Submitting, is an acquieſcing in the terms of the Goſpel, as it is propoſed; It's even as if ye ſhould ſay, we hold the Bargain, and are well-content and ſatisfied with it; In a word, Faith carves not to God the way of Salvation, but ſweetly ſubmitteth to the way He hath carved out.
A ſixth Expreſſion is, Hiding of our ſelves in God, or in Christ, ſo the word trust in God, ſignifies, to hide our ſelves in Him as in a place of Refuge, according to that Prov. 18. The Name of the Lord is a strong Tower, the righetous run unto it and are preſerved, or hid, or, they flee to it as Doves do to their Windows; and this is it the Apoſtle hath, Phil. 3.9. That I may be found in him not having my own righteouſneſs, &c. ſo that if ye aſk, What is Faith? It's a Man's betaking himſelf to Chriſt, that when he ſhall be called for, it may be anſwered, Lord, I am in Chriſt not having mine own Righteouſneſs, &c. it is not to be lippenning to the Man's good Hopes, to his good Prayers, or to his good Meaning, but to Chriſt's Satisfaction, and God's Promiſe; By Faith, when rightly exerciſed, the Sinner holls and hydes himſelf in Chriſt, till (to ſpeak ſo) a bit of the Man cannot be ſeen; and this is well ſet out by the Lord, when He ſays, Iſa. 23.26. Come my people, enter into your chambers, ſhut the doors about you, hide your ſelves for a little while, &c. come in under the Mediator's Wings, lock in your ſelves by Faith there, and ſo make all ſure.
A ſeventh Expreſſion is, 2 Chron. 30.8. Where, when Hezekiah is writing to the degenerate Tribes to come home again, he bids them, yield themſelves to the Lord, in the Original it is, give the hand to the Lord, even as two Men who have been at odds and variance, or have broken the tyes that were betwixt them, come to renew the Friendſhip, they chop Hands: Now God is brought in ſtretching out His Hands to you, Iſa. 65.2. therefore come and cloſe with Him, yield to Him, give Him the Hand, or chop Hands with Him, and make the Bargain and Engagement ſicker for the time to come; all theſe Similitudes borrowed from Men, are partly to make the Nature of Faith obvious and clear, partly to ſtrengthen and confirm Believers Faith.
An eighth Expreſſion is that of opening to Chriſt, Cant. 5.2. Open to me my dove, &c. Rev. 3.20. Behold I ſtand at the door and knock, if any man open the door to me, &c. Acts. 16. it's ſaid, the Lord opened the heart of Lydia: When the Word comes, Sinners Hearts are locked on God, Chriſt comes by His Word, and knocks hard to be in, bids open and take in the Saviour, and Faith diſcerns His Voice, and gives Him entry; it's the letting of the Word ſink, the making of Him welcome; it's not only the crediting of the Word as true, but the receiving of Him whom the Word offers, for the End for which He is offered; and this is, when the work of the Spirit with the Word, wakens up a ſtichilling, or flightering (to ſay ſo) within, and makes the Heart to open to take in Chriſt; as one worded it well and ſignificantly, my Heart clecked as a Lintſeed-Boll to Chriſt; and wherever Chriſt hath a deſign of Grace on the Soul, and comes with Powet, He continues knocking, rapping and calling hard and aloud, till Doors and Gates be caſt open to Him.
A ninth Expreſſion or Similitude under which Faith is held forth, is that which is ordinary, of a Marriage, or of covenanting or conſenting, whether in Marriage or otherwiſe, but more eſpecially in Marriage: When Chriſt taketh on Him the place of an Wooer, Miniſters are His Embaſſadours, the Word is their Inſtructions, wherein He bids them go tell Sinners, that all things are ready, and to pray them to come to the Marriage, or to marry and match with Him; and Faith is a coming-away to this Huſb…nd, a receiving of the word of Invitation, a conſenting to the Marriage: It's not ſo much a local, as a qualitative change or mutation, we change Faſhions, we ſubſcribe the Contract on the terms it is laid out to us: In the Bargain of Grace, ſomething is offered by God, and that is Chriſt and His Fulneſs, and there is ſomething done on our ſide, and that is, acccepting of Him by Faith; and this is not ſo much a ſaying with the Tongue, as it is a believing with the Heart, as it is Rom. 10.10. With the heart man believes unto righteouſneſs; it's the Hearts preſent ſubſcribing the Marriage-Contract, and going away with Chriſt, to live and cohabit with Him, though Confeſſion will be readily with the Mouth alſo, as He calls for it.
A tenth Expreſſion or Similitude, is that of buying, Ho every one (cryeth the Prophet Iſa. 55.1.) that thirſts, come to the waters, and he that hath no money, come buy, &c. ſo Rev. 3.18. Buy of me eye ſalve, &c. It ſayes this much, that God in the Goſpel ſets forth as in a Mercat, to Sinners, rich and rare Wares, and good cheap, or at very low and eaſie Rates; and that Believing is like buying up of the Wares; Life Eternal is holden out on condition of believing on Chriſt, and the poor Sinner thinks that a good Bargain, for it takes no Money from him: Rev. 22.17. This is called willing, whoſoever will, let him come and take of the water of life freely; the Soul hath a good will to the thing. It is held forth by ſeveral other Expreſſions in the Scripture, it is called a cleaving to the Lord, or ſticking to him, Joſh. 23.8. and Acts 11.23. it is called hearing, hearkening, and enclining of the ear, Iſa. 55, 2, 3. an attentive concerned, and holily greedy liſtening to, and taking hold of this Offer; it's a cleaving to the Lord, as Woodben or Ivy cleaves to an Oak, becauſe its life depends on it: And Deut. 30. and Joſh. 24. it's called a chooſing of the Lord, and that upon deliberation, as knowing that we have need of Him, that He is a Saviour ſuited compleatly to all the neceſſities of our Souls, and that we are warranded to Believe on Him; it's the native act and exerciſe of Faith to choice Chriſt among all the Wooers that are courting the Soul: So likewiſe it's ſet out under trusting and committing, Pſal. 37. Commit thy way to the Lord, trust in Him; I know ſaith Paul, 2 Tim. 1.12. He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him; it's to give Chriſt the credit of your Salvation; it's one thing to give a Man the credit that He is true, and another thing to concredit Him with our greateſt concerns; we will credit many whom we will not thus concredit our ſelves to, nor commit our concerns to; the former (when theſe are applyed to God) is Hiſtorical Faith, but this latter is Saving Faith, when we dare truſt and lippen our ſelves to Him, and to His Word, and we think this Expreſſion holds forth as much of the nature of Saving Faith as any of the former, if we could take it up, when we dare concredit our ſelves to Him becauſe He hath ſaid the word: Thus alſo to act and exerciſe Faith on Him, for Temporal, or for Spiritual things, it's to expect the event from God, but ſo, as we expect and look for it on this ground, that Chriſt hath purchaſed it, and we have accepted Him on His Offer, which gives us a right to theſe things needful for us, and purchaſed by Him: It's ſaid Matth. 22.5. when the Invitation comes, that ſome made light of it, but Faith, on the contrary, is a laying weight on it, and a concrediting of our ſelves to God on that ground: It's called Rom. 6. a delivering up of our ſelves to the word, and to Him in it; it's even to put a Blank in Chriſt's Hand, to be filled up as He pleaſes,
Ye ſee then what ye are called to, it is to open to Chriſt, to come to Him, to marry Him, to roll your ſelves on Him, to commit your ſelves to Him, to give Him credit, &c. and is there any of theſe unreaſonable or prejudicial to you? and if they be very reaſonable and advantageous, (as indeed they are,) we would exhort you to come to Him, to receive Him, to apprehend Him, to flee to Him, to take hold of Him, to marry Him, &c. Believe on Him, and by believing, be united to Him, and get a right to Him, and to all His Purchaſe; give Him the credit of ſaving your Souls: This we call for from you, and if ye do it not, the complaint in the Text will ſtand againſt you, Who hath believed our report?