Christ Set Forth, Section 5 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
The uſe of all: Containing ſome Encouragements for weake Beleevers, from Chriſts Interceſſion, out of HEB. 7. 25.
NOw for a Concluſion of this Diſcourſe I will adde a briefe Uſe of Encouragement; and this, ſuited to the loweſt Faith of the weakeſt Beleever, who cannot put forth any act of Aſſurance, and is likewiſe diſcouraged from comming in unto Chriſt. And I ſhall confine my ſelfe onelyonly unto what thoſe moſt comfortable words (as any in the booke of God) doe hold forth, which the Apoſtle hath uttered concerning Chriſts Interceſſion (the Point in hand;) [Wherefore he is able to ſave to the utmoſt, thoſe that come to God by him: ſeeing he ever liveth to make Interceſsion for them,] words which I have had the moſt recourſe unto in this Doctrinall part, of any other, as moſt tending to the clearing of many things about Interceſsion: And which I would alſo commend to, and leave with poore Beleevers to have recourſe unto for their comfort, as a ſufficient Abundary of Conſolation unto their Soules, and as a Catholicon or univerſall Cordiall againſt all faintings and miſgivings of ſpirit whatſoever.
In the words obſerve,
1. A Definition of Faith by the loweſt acts of it, for the comfort of weake Chriſtians:
2. Encouragements unto ſuch a Faith, oppoſite to all miſgivings and diſcouragements whatſoever.
1. A Definition of Faith; and ſuch, as will ſuit the weakeſt Beleever. It is a comming unto God by Chriſt for Salvation.
1. It is [a comming] to be ſaved. Let not the want of Aſſurance that God will ſave thee, or that Chriſt is thine, diſcourage thee, if thou haſt but a heart to Come to God by Chriſt to be ſaved, though thou knoweſt not whether he will yet ſave thee, or no. Remember that the Beleevers of the New Teſtament are here deſcribed to be [commers] to God by Chriſt; Such as goe out of themſelves, and reſt in nothing in themſelves, do come unto God through Chriſt for Salvation, though with trembling.
2. It is a Comming [unto God.] For he is the ultimate object of our Faith, and the perſon with whom we have to do in believing, & from whom we are to receive Salvation, if ever we obtaine it.
3. It is a Comming unto God [by Chriſt:] which Phraſe is uſed in this Epiſtle in an alluſion to the worſhipers of the Old Teſtament; who when they had ſinned, were directed to go to God by a Prieſt, who with a Sacrifice made an Atonement for them. Now Chriſt is the great and true High-Prieſt, by whom we have acceſſe to the Father; 2. Epheſ. 18. The word is foreign, a leading by the hand. Doeſt thou not know how to appeare before God or to come to him? come firſt to Chriſt, and he will take thee by the hand, and go along with thee, and leade thee to His Father.
4. It is a comming unto God by Chriſt [for Salvation.] Many a poore ſoule is apt to thinke that in comming to God by Faith it muſt not aime at it ſelfe, or its own Salvation: yes, it may, for that is here made the errand or buſineſſe which faith hath with God in comming to him; or which it comes for, and this is ſecretly couched in theſe words: for the Apoſtle ſpeaking of the very aime of the heart in comming, he therefore on purpoſe mentions Chriſts ability to ſave; [He is able to ſave.]
Secondly, Here are many encouragements to ſuch a Faith as is not yet grown up unto aſſurance of Salvation.
1. Here is the moſt ſuitable object propounded unto it, namely, Chriſt as Interceding; which work of Interceſſion becauſe it remains for Chriſt as yet to doe for a ſoule that is to be ſaved, and which he is every day a doing for us; therefore it is more peculiarly fitted unto a Recumbents Faith. For when ſuch a ſoule comes and caſts it ſelfe upon Chriſt, That thing in Chriſt, which muſt needs moſt ſuit that kind of Act, is that which is yet to be done by Chriſt for that ſoule. Now for that ſoule to come to Chriſt to die for it, and offer up himſelfe a Sacrifice, (as Sinners did uſe to come to the High-Prieſt to ſacrifice for them) this were bootleſſe, for (as it is ver. 27.) he hath at once done that already. And as for what is already paſt and done, ſuch a beleevers faith is oftentimes exceedingly puzled, what manner of act to put forth towards Chriſt about it: as (for example) when it is about to come unto God, & it heares of an Election of ſome unto ſalvation from all eternity made by him; becauſe this is an act already paſt by God, the ſoule knows it to be in vain to caſt it ſelfe upon God for Election, or to come unto him to elect & chooſe it ſelfe. And ſo in like manner, when the ſoule lookes upon Chriſts Death; becauſe it is done and paſt, it knowes not how to take it in in beleeving, when it wanteth aſſurance that Chriſt dyed for it, (though it ſhould come to Chriſt to bee ſaved by vertue of his death.) But there is this one worke that remaines ſtill to be done by him for us, and which he is daily a doing; and that is, Interceding, for he lives ever to Intercede, or to pray for us in the ſtrength and merit of that his Sacrifice once offered up. This therefore is more directly & peculiarly fitted unto a Faith of Recumbency, or, of Comming unto Chriſt: the proper act of ſuch a Faith (as it is diſtinguiſhed from Faith of Aſſurance) being a caſting ones ſelfe upon Chriſt for ſome thing it would have done or wrought for one. Hence Interceſſion becomes a fit object for the aime and errand of ſuch a Faith, in this its comming to Chriſt, as alſo [to be ſaved] is, it being a thing yet to bee wrought and accompliſht for me by Chriſt, is therefore a fit marke for ſuch a Faith to levell at in its comming to Chriſt. Thoſe Acts of God and Chriſt which are paſt, Faith of Aſſurance doth more eaſily comply with: ſuch a Faith takes in with comfort that Chriſt hath dyed for me, and riſen again, and doth now Intercede for me, and ſo I ſhall certainly be ſaved: but ſo cannot this weake faith doe. Come thou therefore unto Chriſt, as to ſave thee through his Death paſt, and by the merit of it, ſo for the preſent, and for the time to come, to take thy Cauſe in hand, and to Intercede for thee: it is a great reliefe unto ſuch a Faith (as cannot put forth Acts of Aſſurance, that what hath beene done by Chriſt hath been done for it) that God hath left Chriſt this work yet to doe for us. So as the Interceſſion of Chriſt may afford matter to ſuch a Faith to throw it ſelfe upon Chriſt, to performe it for us, and it may ſet him aworke to doe it.
2. Now if ſuch a ſoule aske, But will Chriſt upon my comming to him for ſalvation, be ſet avvork to intercede for mee, and undertake my cauſe?
I anſvver it out of thoſe vvords, [He lives to intercede for them who come to God by him.] He lives on purpoſe to performe this vvork; it is the end of his living, the buſineſſe of his life. And as he received a commandment to dye, and it was the end of his life on earth; ſo he hath received a command to intercede, and to be a common High-Prieſt for all that come to God by him. God hath appointed him to this work by an oath, He ſware, and would not repent, Thou ſhalt be a Prieſt for ever, after the order of Melchiſedech; and this is the end of his life in heaven. That as in the Old Law the High-prieſt (Chriſts type in this) ought to offer up the ſacrifice of every one that came unto God by him, (as HEB. 5. 5.) in like manner Chriſt; for it is his calling, (as you have it, ver. 6.) Otherwiſe, as that woman ſaid to Philip, when ſhe came to him for juſtice, and he put her off, Then ceaſe (ſayes ſhe) to be a King: So if Chriſt ſhould deny any ſuch ſoule to take its cauſe in hand, he muſt then ceaſe to be a Prieſt. He lives to intercede: He is a Prieſt called by God, as was Aaron, ver. 6. Wherefore he ought to doe it, in that it is his office.
3. And if thy ſoule yet feareth the difficulty of its owne particular caſe, in reſpect of the greatneſſe of thy ſinnes, and the circumſtances thereof, or any conſideration whatſoever which to thy view doth make thy ſalvation an hard ſuit to obtaine: the Apoſtle therefore further addes, [He is able to ſave to the utmoſt] (what ever thy cauſe be) and this, through this his Interceſſion. That ſame word [to the utmoſt] is a good word, and vvell put in for our comfort. Conſider it therefore, for it is a reaching vvord, and extends it ſelfe ſo farre, that thou canſt not look beyond it. Let thy ſoule be ſet upon the higheſt mount that ever any creature vvas yet ſet upon, and that is enlarged to take in and view the moſt ſpacious proſpect both of ſinne and miſery, and difficulties of being ſaved, that ever yet any poore humbled ſoule did caſt within it ſelfe: yea joyne to theſe all the objections and hinderances of thy Salvation that the heart of man can ſuppoſe or invent againſt it ſelfe: lift up thy eyes and looke to the utmoſt thou canſt ſee, and Chriſt by his Interceſſion is able to ſave thee beyond the Horizon and furtheſt compaſſe of thy thoughts, even to the utmoſt and worſt caſe the heart of Man can ſuppoſe. It is not thy having laine long in Sinne, long under terrours and deſpairs, or having ſinned often after many enlightnings, that can hinder thee from being ſaved by Chriſt. Do but remember this ſame word [to the utmoſt,] and then put in what exceptions thou wilt or canſt, lay all the barrs in thy way that are imaginable; yet know thou that the gates of Hell ſhall not prevail againſt thee.
4. Again, conſider but what it is that Chriſt, who hath by his death done enough to ſave thee, doth yet further for thee in Heaven. If thou thoughteſt thou hadſt all the Saints in Heaven and Earth jointly concurring in promoving thy ſalvation, and competitours unto God in inſtant and inceſſant requeſts and prayers to ſave thee; how wouldeſt thou be encouraged? (ſhall I tell thee?) one word out of Chriſts mouth (who is the King of Saints) will do more then all in heaven and earth can doe: and what is there then which we may not hope to obtain through his Interceſſion?
And wouldſt thou know whether he hath undertaken thy cauſe, and begun to intercede for thee? In a word, Hath he put his ſpirit into thy heart, and ſet thy own heart on work to make inceſſant Interceſſions for thy ſelfe with groans unutterable? (as the Apoſtle hath it, Rom. 8.) This is the Eccho of Chriſts Interceſſion for thee in Heaven.
5. (And laſtly) If ſuch a ſoule ſhall further object, But will he not give over ſuing for me? may I not be caſt out of his prayers through my unbeliefe? Let it here be conſidered, that he lives [ever] to intercede: And therefore if he once undertake thy cauſe, and getteth thee into his prayers, he will never leave thee out night nor day. He Intercedeth ever, till he hath accompliſht and finiſhed thy ſalvation. Men have been caſt out of good and holy mens prayers, as Saul out of Samuels, and the People of Iſrael out of Ieremies; but never out of Chriſts prayers; the ſmoak of his Incenſe aſcends for ever, and he will intercede to the utmoſt, till he hath ſaved thee to the utmoſt. He will never give over, but will lye in the duſt for thee, or he will perfect and procure thy Salvation.
OnelyOnly whilſt I am thus raiſing up your Faith to him upon the worke of his Interceſſion for us; let me ſpeak a word to you for him, ſo to ſtir up your love to him, upon the conſideration of this his Interceſſion alſo. You ſee you have the whole life of Chriſt firſt and laſt, both here and in heaven laid out for you: He had not come to earth but for you: he had no other buſineſſe here; VntoUnto us a Son is born. And (to be ſure) he had not dyed but for you: (for us a Son was given) and when he roſe, it was for your juſtification: And now he is gone to heaven, he lives but to intercede for you. He makes your ſalvation his conſtant calling. O therefore let us live wholly unto him, for he hath, and doth live wholly unto us. You have his whole time among you; and if he were your ſervant, you could deſire no more. There was much of your time loſt before you began to live to him: but there hath beene no moment of his time which he hath not lived to, and improved for you. Nor are you able ever to live for him, but onelyonly in this life, for hereafter you ſhall live with him, and be glorified of him. I conclude all with that of the Apoſtle, The love of Chriſt it ſhould conſtraine us, becauſe we cannot but judge this to be the moſt equall, that they which live ſhould not henceforth live unto themſelves, but unto him who dyed for them, and roſe again; and (out of the Text I alſo adde) ſits at Gods right hand; yea, and there lives for ever to make Interceſsion for us.
FINIS.
THE HEART OF Chriſt in Heaven, Towards SINNERS on Earth. OR, A TREATISE DEMONSTRATING The gracious Diſpoſition and tender Affection of Chriſt in his Humane Nature now in Glory, unto his Members under all ſorts of Infirmities, either of Sin or Miſery.
By THO: GOODWIN, B. D.
LONDON, Printed for R. DAWLMAN. M DC XLII.