Christ Crucified, Sermon 7
SERMON VII.
ISAIAH LIII.I.
Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
IT's a ſad matter, and much to be lamented, when the carrying of ſuch good News as is the Report of Jeſus Chriſt in the Goſpel, becomes unprofitable to them that hear it, and thereby burdenſome to them that carry it; Folks would think that ſuch glad Tydings as make the Heavenly Hoſt of Angels to ſing, would be very joyful and welcome News to Sinners, and alſo moſt heartſome to them that carry them; and where the former is, there the latter will be alſo; where the Word becomes uſeleſs and unprofitable to Hearers, it is burdenſome as to the concomitant and effect, to honeſt Miniſters that ſpeak it; though Iſaiah brought theſe News in a very plain, powerful, pleaſant and ſweet manner to the People he preached to, and that frequently, yet in the midſt of his ſweet Propheſies, he breaks out with this Complaint, who hath believed our report? he is carrying glad Tydings, yet taking a look of the Unbelief of his Hearers now and then, he complains of it to God in his own name, and in name of all the Miniſters of the Goſpel that ſhould come after him.
We ſhew that it was a very ordinary thing where the Goſpel comes in greateſt Plenty and Power, for the Hearers therof to meet it with much Unbelief, a Truth that was verified in Iſaiah his time, and that he foreſaw would be verified in the Days of the Goſpel; and therefore it's our Report, not only is it the Report of Iſaiah, but it is the Report of Chriſt, and of Paul, who make the ſame Complaint, and Cite the ſame words of Iſaiah, and need we doubt of the truth of it, when Iſaiah in the Old, and Paul in the New Teſtament, thus complain? Not to ſpeak of their, and our Lord and Maſter, who came to his own and his own received him not, and of whom when He came they ſaid, this is the heir come let us kill him; need we, I ſay, doubt of the truth of the Doctrine, or to think it ſtrange to ſee it ſo in our Time, and that we have the ſame Complaint, when the Means (at leaſt the Inſtruments) are incomparably far below what they were then, though it be ſtill the ſame Goſpel?
The Prophet's ſcope is, to give Advertiſement and Warning to the Hearers of the Goſpel for the Time to come, of this riſe Evil, even the abounding of Unbelief in them that hear it. 1. That he may prevent the Scandal of the unfruitfulneſs of the Word where it comes. 2. That he may add a Spur of excitement to the Hearers of the Goſpel to endeavour to make uſe of it, and not to reſt upon Means, how powerful and lively ſoever they be, but to preſs forward to the End they aim and ſhoot at. 3. That he may put Folks to the Tryal, and that they may be brought to look in upon themſelves, whether they be, or be not, in this black Roll of them that receive not the Report; and we think, if any thing put Folks to be ſuſpitious of themſelves, and to commune with their own Hearts about their Souls eſtate, this ſhould do it; eſpecially when they conſider how this Evil agrees to all Times, and yet more eſpecially to the Times of the Goſpel, and how it is an Evil that abounds, not only among the Prophane, but among theſe who are Civil and Zealous too for the Righteouſneſs of the Law, it ſhould make them put themſelves to the Tryal, and not to take every thing to be Faith that they fancy to be Faith; for either this Doctrine is not true, that whereever the Goſpel comes, it meets with Unbelief in moſt part of its Hearers, and cannot be applyed to this Generation, or, that there is much Faith in this Generation that we live in, that will not be counted Saving Faith: If all of you were Believers, there were no ground for this Complaint, and if we will take Folks on their own word, we can hardly get a Perſon but will ſay he Believes, ſo that the generality of Mens Hearts run quite contrary to this Truth; and therefore we ſay, it is the ſcope of this Doctrine and the like, to give Folks the alarm, and to put them to ſuſpect and try themſelves; I do not mean that any ſhould caſt the work of Faith where it is indeed, for that is alſo a part of our Unbelief, and ordinarily when Unbelief falleth on the one ſide, the Devil maketh it up on the other, and makes tender Souls queſtion their Faith when they begin to Believe, as if they could mend Unbelief with Unbelief; but it is to ſuch that we ſpeak, who cannot be brought to ſuſpect their Faith; certainly, ye will wonder one day, that ye ſhould have heard ſuch a plain Truth, and yet would not ſo much as aſk your own Hearts whether there was reaſon to ſuſpect your want of Faith, as it's ſaid that Chriſt marvelled at their Unbelief who heard Him, ſo may we at yours, and who ere long, ye ſhall alſo marvel at your ſelves on this account.
Before we proſecute this Uſe, and the reſt any further, we ſhall ſpeak to another Doctrine, and it is the laſt that follows from theſe words, tending to the ſame ſcope to make us ſcar at Unbelief, which the Prophet makes ſuch a heavy ground of Complaint. The Doctrine then is, That if there were never ſo many under Unbelief, and never ſo many who refuſe to receive Jeſus Chriſt, yet Unbelief is a Sin, and a moſt ſinful Sin, which, though Folks had no more, will ſeclude them from Heaven; there were no ground for this Complaint if it were not ſo, even as the Prophet would have had no ground to complain of the Peoples Unbelief if there were not many Unbelievers; ſo Unbelief is a very great Sin in whomſoever it is, and makes them exceeding ſinful: Or take the Doctrine thus, It is a very great Sin for a People to whom Chriſt is offered in this Goſpel, not to receive Him, and reſt upon Him for Salvation, as He is offered to them therein; and it ariſeth from this ground, That where Chriſt is not received, there the Miniſters of the Goſpel have ground of Complaint, for it ſuppoſes a great defect in their Duty, ſeing it is their Duty to Believe, yea the great Goſpel duty on which all other Duties hang, and which is called for by many tyes and obligations, This is his commandment, ſaith John in his firſt Epiſtle, chap. 3.23. that ye believe on the Name of his Son Jeſus Chriſt, therefore it muſt be a great Sin not to Believe.
There are ſhortly three things comprehended in this Doctrine, (ſpeaking now of Unbelief, not only as oppoſite to Hiſtorical Faith, which we commonly call Infidelity, but as it's oppoſite to Saving Faith, which we ſhew is that which is called for here:) 1. That Unbelief, or not receiving of Chriſt, is a Sin, or a thing in its own nature ſinful: It's a Sin as well as Adultery, Murther, Stealing, Lying, Sabbath-breaking, &c. are; yea, and in the Aggravations of it, a Sin beyond theſe; it is as contrary to the Word and Will of God, and is as contrary to the Divine Majeſty, as Drunkenneſs, Murther, Adultery, or any other Sin is, the poſitive command of Believing being as peremptory, plain, and particular, as theſe negative ones are, the breach of it muſt be as ſinful. 2. That there is ſuch a kind of Sin as Unbelief, beſide other Sins, and ſuch a diſtinct Duty as Believing, that if Folks could do all other Duties, if this Duty of Believing be wanting, they will be ſtill ſinful, and there will be ſtill ground of Complaint; and if Faith be a particular Duty required, and diſtinct from other Duties and Graces, as it's clear it is, Gal. 5.21. then Unbelief muſt be a particular Sin, diſtinct from other Sins, though it hath influence on other Sins, as Faith hath on other Duties; ſo Rev. 21.8. it's ranked among the moſt abominable Sins, the reaſon why we mark this, is, becauſe there may be ſome in whom ſome groſs Sins, as Adultery, Blood-ſhed, and the like, do reign, and they get that name to be called Adulterers, Murtherers, &c. others may poſſibly be free of theſe, who yet have Unbelief reigning in them, and therefore they get that name to be called Unbelieving, and are ranked with the groſſeſt of Evil-doers. 3. That even many in the Times wherein the Scriptures were written, and in every Age ſince, are found guilty of this Sin, and condemned for it, who are as to ſeveral other things commended; hence it's ſaid Rom. 10.3. of the Jews, that they had a zeal of God, which in it ſelf is good, though not according to knowledge, yet it was their main lett and obſtruction in the way to Life, that being ignorant of God's righteouſneſs, they went about to eſtabliſh their own; for as much zeal as they had for the Law of Moſes, ſeing they did not receive Jeſus Chriſt, and His Righteouſneſs by Faith, it made any other good thing they had unacceptable, and the reaſon why we mark this, is, that Folks may ſee that it is not only for groſs Sins, and with groſs Sinners that the Goſpel complains and expoſtulats, but it's alſo for not ſubmitting unto, and not receiving the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, and therefore ye are far miſtaken that think your ſelves free from juſt grounds of Challenge, becauſe forſooth, ye are free of Murther, Adultery, Drunk…nneſs and the like; do ye not conſider that Unbelievers ar… in the ſame Rank and Roll with abominable Whoremongers, Sorcerers, Idolaters, and Dogs? and is not Unbelief contrary to the Command of God, as well as Murth…r, Adultery, and theſe other groſs Sins? and therefore becauſe Folks think little of Unbelief, though it be very rife, if they be free of other groſs Sins. 4. We ſhall add a fourth thing which the Doctrine implyes. That Unbelief though there were no other Sin, is exceeding ſinful, and is first. The great ground that makes God expoſtulate with the Hearers of the Goſpel, and that makes them come under the Complaint, John 5 40. Ye will not come to me that ye may have life, and Matth. 23.37. How often would I have gathered you, and ye would not; and for ſubſtance, it's the Lord's great complaint of moſt of His profeſſing People, Pſal. 81.11. I am the Lord thy God, open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it, but my people would not hearken to my voice, and Iſrael would none of me, and then follows, O that my people had hearkened unto my voice; there is no Sin the Lord complains more of than of this, and it's the great complaint of all His Servants. Secondly, B…hold how the Lord threatens this Sin, and puniſhes for it, ſee Pſal. 95.7. and Heb. 3.7. and Heb. 4.8. where He ſwears in His Wrath againſt Unbelievers, that they ſhall not enter into His Reſt; Adultery and Murther do not more certainly keep Men from Heaven than this Sin of Unbelief doth, yea, they are claſſed together, Rev. 21.8. ſee alſo Luk. 12.46. where the ſevereſt Judgment that is executed, is upon Unbelievers; and in the Man that had the offer of Chriſt, and did not receive it, and put on the Wedding Garment, Mat. 22.12, 13. ſee it alſo in the words that are pronounced againſt Chorazin, Bethſaida and Capernaum, Matth. 11. and our bleſſed Lord Jeſus loves not (to ſpeak ſo) to pronounce woes, but to bleſs His People, yet when they have the offer of Life through Him, and will not receive it, He pronounces woe after woe upon them, and of what ſort were they? even beyond theſe that came upon Tyrus and Sidon, upon Sodom and Gomorrah; we think ſuch Threatnings as theſe, ſhould make Folks not to think Unbelief a light, or little Sin, and that there is no ground of quietneſs, ſo long as they are in a Self-righteous-condition, and have not their Peace made with God through Chriſt. Thirdly, Look further, to the greatneſs of this Sin, in the ſtrange names that the Lord puts upon it, 1 John 5.11. He that believes not, hath made God a liar; and is there any Sin that hath a groſſer name or effect than this? for it receives not the Report which He hath given of His Son; He tells Folk that Happineſs is to be gotten in Him only, and they think to be Happy though they take another way; they believe not the Report, for if they believed it, they would receive Chriſt as their Life: See further what names are given to it, Heb. 6.6. and Heb. 10.20. which though they be there given, with other Aggravations of ſinning wilfully, with deſpite, &c. with reſpect to the unpardonable Sin, yet who are they that live under the Goſpel and Believe not, but in a great meaſure they will be found capable of moſt of them at leaſt? It's called a crucifying of the Son of God afreſh, a putting Him to an open ſhame, &c. and who are they that do this, and on what ground? it's Unbelievers through their Unbelief, they think not Chriſt worth the having, and reject all that is ſpoken of Him, and cry away with Him, as the Jews did; and as to their particular Guilt, they crucifie Him, for they cannot refuſe Him, without affronting Him, and can there be ſuch an affronting of Him as when He condeſcends ſo very low, to think ſo little of Him? Fourthly, Conſider the Expreſſions under which He ſets out His being affected, (to ſay ſo,) with this Sin; He was ſo affected with it, Mark 3.5. that it's ſaid, He was grieved for their unbelief, He had many Sorrows and Griefs, and ſuffered many things, but this grieved Him ſomeway more than they all did; and it's ſaid, Mark 6.6. that He marvelled becauſe of their unbelief, it's not ſaid that He marvelled at their Adulteries, and their groſs Sins, but that when He was taking ſuch a convincing way to demonſtrate to them His God-Head, yet they would not Believe on Him, He marvelled at that; ſo Luk. 19.41. it's ſaid, that when He came near to Jeruſalem, He weeped over it, and why? the following words tell us, O that thou had known in this thy day, the things that belong to thy peace, that is, O that thou hadſt believed, and received the Goſpel, at leaſt in this thy day, (though thou did it not before,) when thou wert, and art ſo plainly and powerfully called to this Duty; and ye may know that it behoved to be ſome great thing that made Him to weep, when all that the Devil and Pontius Pilate, and the Jews could do, made Him not to weep: It's ſaid Mat. 11. that He upbraided theſe Cities that He had preached much in, on this ground; ſure, when He that gives liberally and upbraids none, does upbraid for this Sin, it ſhews how much He was preſſed with it; and Luke 14.21. it's ſaid of this Sin, that it angered Him, and He is not eaſily angered; Sinners need not fear to anger Him by coming to Him, but when they come not, He is angry; it's ſaid Matth. 22.7. He was wroth at this Sin, and it's on this ground, that Pſal. 2.12. we are bidden kiſs the Son, lest He be angry, that is, to exerciſe Faith in Him, for if we do it not, He will be angry, and we will periſh. There are other Aggravations of this Sin, which we leave till we come to the Application.
Uſe 1. Is there not as much here, though Folks had no more but their Unbelief, as may make them know it's an evil and bitter thing, and as may make them ſkar at it, and flee from it, and to fear leſt they be found under the Guilt of it, when called to a reckoning, eſpecially when Unbelief is ſo rife, that but few ſuſpect themſelves or fear it; there is hardly any ill but ye will ſooner take with it, then with this of Unbelief, and there is no Duty nor Grace that ye more readily think ye perform and have, then this of Faith, and it is come to that height that Folks think they Believe always, and know not what it is to miſbelieve; do ye think that this preſumptuous and fancied Faith will be counted for Faith, or that Chriſt who ſifts Faith narrowly will let it paſs for Saving Faith? no certainly.
Uſe 2. Is there not here ground of Advertiſement, wakening, rouſing, and alaruming to many, that think themſelves free of other Challenges; if the Spirit were coming powerfully to convince of Sin, it would be of this, becauſe they believe not, as it is John 16.9. and we are perſwaded many of you had need of this Conviction, that never once queſtions your having of Faith, or care not whether ye have it or not: Put theſe two Doctrines together, That Unbelief is an abominable Sin, and that it is notwithſtanding, a very rife Sin, and let them ſink deep into your Hearts, and they will put you to other thoughts of Heart, if this plain Truth of God prevail not with you, we know not what will do it; but the time cometh when ye ſhall be undenyably convinced of both, that Unbelief is a great Sin, and that it is a very rife Sin, and of this alſo, that it is an abominable and loathſome thing, and very prejudicial and hurtful to you.
Uſe 3. And therefore, as a third Uſe, If it be ſo, let us aſk this Queſtion, How comes it to paſs, that ſo many in trying their State, and in grounding of it, lay ſo little weight on Faith, and think ſo little of Unbelief? I am ſpeaking to the generality of you, and let not others wrong themſelves, nor miſtake the intent of this Scripture; How is it, I ſay, that the generality of you that hear this Goſpel, come under this common and epidemick Temper, or rather Diſtemper, to maintain your Peace and Confidence, when ye can (in the mean time) give ſo little proof of it? think ye that Faith cannot be a miſſing, nor miſtaken, or that it is ordinary and common, or that it is indifferent whether ye have it or not? we are perſwaded, that many of you think, that if ye have a good Mind, (as ye call it,) and a ſquare civil honeſt Walk, and keep ſtill your good Hope, that all will be well; ye never doubt nor queſtion whether ye have received Chriſt or not, but if Unbelief ly in your Boſom, (I mean not doubting-deſperation, or queſtioning of the God-head, but the not receiving of Chriſt and His Righteouſneſs,) though ye had more than ordinary Hypocrites have, ye will for this Sin of Unbelief find your ſelves under the ſtanding Curſe of God, for our Lord ſays, John 3.18. He that believes not is condemned already, and verſ. 36. the wrath of God abideth on him.
In preſſing of this Uſe, I ſhall ſhew by a few Aggravations of this Sin, why the Lord layeth ſo much weight upon it, and that, not ſo much as it oppoſeth Faith, as as it is a condition of the Covenant of Grace, and a mean to unite us to Chriſt, but mainly as it is … Sin thwarting His Command: And, 1. It thwarteth with both the Law and the Goſpel, it thwarteth with the Commands of the firſt Table, and ſo is a greater Sin than Murther or Adultery, nay than Sodomy, though theſe be great, vile, and abominable Sins; which may be thought ſtrange, yet it's true, it makes the Perſon guilty of it, more vile before God, than a Pagan-Sodomite; the nature of the Sin being more hainous, as being againſt the firſt Table of the Law, in both the firſt and ſecond Commands thereof, it being by Faith in God that we make God our God, and worſhip God in Chriſt acceptably: Next, its not only a Sin againſt the Law, but a Sin againſt the Goſpel, and the prime Flower (to ſpeak ſo) of the Goſpel; it comes in contradiction to the very deſign of the Goſpel, which is to manifeſt the glory of the Grace of God, in bringing Sinners to believe on Chriſt, and to be ſaved through Him; but He can do no great things of this ſort amongſt unbelieving People, becauſe of their Unbelief; it bindeth up His Hands, as it were, (to ſpeak ſo with reverence) that He cannot do them a good turn. 2. It ſtrikes more nearly againſt the Honour of God, and of the Mediator, and doth more prejudice to the Miniſtry of the Goſpel, and cauſeth greater deſtruction of Souls than any other Sin; it's poſſible, notwithſtanding of other Sins, that Chriſt may have ſatisfaction for the travel of His Soul, and there may be a relation bound up betwixt Him and Sinners notwithſtanding of them, but if this Sin of Unbelief were univerſal, He ſhould never get a Soul to Heaven; the ſalvation of Souls is called the pleaſure of the Lord, but this obſtructs it, and cloſeth the Door betwixt Sinners and acceſs to God; it ſtrikes alſo at the main Fruit of the Miniſtry, it makes them complain to God, that the Word is not taken off their Hand, it fruſtrats the very end of the Miniſtry, and it comes neareſt the deſtruction of immortal Souls; we need not ſay, it brings on, but it holds and keeps on the Wrath of God on Sinners for ever, He that believes not, (as we ſhew before from John 3.) is condemned already, and the wrath of God abides on him. 3. More particularly, There is nothing in God, (even that which is moſt excellent in Him, if we may ſpeak ſo, not excepte…,) but it ſtrikes againſt it, It ſtrikes gainſt His Grace, and fruſtrates that; when Chriſt is not received, ſome ſort and degree of deſpite is done to the Spirit of Grace, Unbelievers thwart with Him in the way of His Grace, and will have no ſpiritual Good from Him; it comes in oppoſition to His Goodneſs, for where Unbelief reigns, He hath no acceſs, in a manner, to communicate it; it ſtrikes againſt His Faithfulneſs, there is no weight laid on His Promiſes, it counts Him a Liar; in a word, it ſtrikes againſt all His Attributes. 4. There is no Sin that hath ſuch a train of ſad Conſequents following on It; it's that which keeps all other Sins livly, for none hath victory over any Sin but the Believer, the Unbeliever lyes as a bound Slave to every Sin, and it's impoſſible to come to the acceptable performance of any Duty without Faith, for none can come ſutably to any Duty without a Promiſe, and can any but a Believer comfort himſelf in uſe-making of any Promiſe?
We ſhall cloſe our Diſcourſe, with ſpeaking a word to that which we hinted at before, even to let you ſee, not only the rifeneſs of Unbelief, but the great hazard that flows from it, and the exceeding great evil of it; if we be only convinced of the rifeneſs of it, it will not much trouble us, except we be alſo convinced and believe the hazard of it; but if we were convinced of both, through God's bleſſing it might affect us more and neceſſitate us to make more uſe of Chriſt; ye that ſtand yet a diſtance from Chriſt, can ye endure to ly under this great Guilt and ground of Contraverſie that is betwixt Him and you? do ye think little to hazard on His Upbraidings and Woes, even ſuch Woes as are beyond theſe that came on Sodom, the heavy Curſe and Malediction of God? and yet we ſay to you who are moſt civil, diſcreet, formal, and blameleſs in your Converſation, if there be not a fleeing in earneſt to Chriſt, and an exerciſing of Faith on Him, the Wrath of God not only waits for you, but it abides on you; O tremble at the thoughts of it, it were better to have your Head thruſt in the Fire, than your Souls and Bodies to be under the Wrath and Curſe of God for ever; it's not only the Ignorant, prophane Drunkard, Swearer, Adulterer, Whoremonger, &c. that we have to complain of, and expoſtulate with, but it's the Unbeliever, who, though He be lift up to Heaven, ſhall be caſt down to the Pit of Hell: If ye aſk, what is all this that we would be at? it's only this in a word, we would have you receiving Chriſt, if ye think that Unbelief is an exceeding great Evil, and that it's an horribly hazardous thing to ly under it, then haſte you out of it to Chriſt; O! haſte, haſte you out of it to Chriſt; kiſs the Son leſt He be angry, embrace Him, yield to Him; there is no other poſſible way to be free of the Evil, or to prevent the hazard.