The Humbled Sinner, Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV. Singular comfort for all true Beleevers.
IF to beleeve in Jeſus Chriſt be the only Ʋſe 3 way to be ſaved, then here is ſingular comfort to all true beleevers. What Solomon ſpake of wiſdome, that I ſay of faith, her Prov. 3. 17, 18.wayes are wayes of pleaſantneſſe; and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy is every one that reteineth her. If this be a happy thing to have the Lord to be our God, (and David judged it to be a ſuperlative happineſſe) If this be a bleſſed thing not to be offended at Chriſt, O how ſweetly and greatly bleſſed is the condition of a beleeving ſoul, which hath God to be its God, Chriſt to be its huſband, and heaven to be its portion. Faith and Chriſt! why! they are the ring, and the diamond; they are the way and the life; the ſoul cannot have ſuch a prize as Christ, nor ſuch a hand as faith; ſuch a match as Chriſt, nor ſuch a grace to contract it as faith. Now letteſt thou thy ſervant depart in peace, for mine eyes have ſeene thy ſalvation, ſaid Simeon: He may cheerfully lay down his body in the duſt, who hath by faith given up his ſoule to Chriſt.
But to deſcend to ſome di…inct particulars of comfort to the ſoule which beleeves truly in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, obſerve.
SECT. I.
FIrſt, this is one comfort in the Text, that they are in the way to heaven. Naturally we are out of our way as ſoone as we enter into the world, as ſoone as they be borne they go aſide, ſaid David, and, the way of peace they have not known; and nothing ſets us in the right way but faith, for Chriſt is the way, and it is faith which find…s a Chriſt: It was not Philips natural eye, but his ſpiritual faith, which ſpied the Meſſias: Chriſt is the wa… to heaven, and ſaith is the way to Chriſt Salvation, it is the great object of …he greateſt deſire, and indeed I know no more excellently deſi…able thing then God, in a glorious union with whom is the perfection of our ſalvation. Now if thou be a true beleever, thou art in the way to ſalvation.
1. Not in a by way, in a falſe way, but in a true and direct way: If God doth skill the way to heaven, if he hath laid out to ſinners the right way, then believing is it, Eph. 2. 8. By grace you are ſaved through faith, Heb. 10. 39. We are not of them who draw back unto perdition, but of them that beleeve to the ſaving of the ſoul.
2. Not in an uncertaine, but firme way; It's an infallible way of ſalvation: Heaven is the aſſured manſion for thy ſoul, if thy heart be the true lodging of ſaith. 1 Pet. 1. 4. To an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reſerved in beaven for you.
Object. True, that may not fade away, but we may fall away; that may remain, but we ma… be loſt?
Sol. No ſaith the Apoſtle, but as that is reſerved for you, ſo you ſhall be preſerved unto that; as mercy and truth, will keep your portion ſure, ſo truth and power ſhall keep your perſons ſure. Ver. 5. Who are kept b… the power of God through faith unto ſalvation, therefore he addes a word more, ver. 9. Receiving the end of your faith, even the ſalvation of your ſouls. Now is not this a comfort to a man, that he is in the true and ſure way to heaven? Every man is in a journey, in a way; wicked men have their wayes, but the end of them is bitterneſſe, and hell after all their jollities and pleaſures, yet their wayes are the pathes of death. But the beleeving ſoul is in the way of life, and therefore he is ſaid already to have eternal life, John 3.and to be ſaved. O what is this, I am going to my God, to my Father, to my inheritance.
SECT. II.
SEcondly, here is another comfort to true beleevers, there 2. Simile.is a real and bleſſed exchange 'twixt them and Chriſt. As upon the conjugal knot, there is a mutual reſultancy of communion: The wife partakes of the eſtate of her husband, and the husband (interchangably) of the eſtate of his wife: for the perſonal union draws with it the real union; If thou be mine, thine eſtate is mine; So is it in the ſpiritual eſpouſing of the ſoul and Chriſt by faith, Chriſt partakes of our eſtate, and we ſhall partake of his eſtate: He is ours, and all his are ours, we are his, and therefore ours are his.
This exchange conſiſts in theſe things.
1. Chriſt doth take our ſins and debts upon himſelf. Look as the man who marries the woman, if he take her perſon he muſt take her debts, and ſatisfaction too: So doth Chriſt, when he takes us to be his, he takes our ſinnes alſo to be his; How to be his? not by way of infuſion and infection, as if our ſinful qualities were tranſmitted from our perſons into his nature, (O no he never takes upon him our ſinnes to make his nature ſin…u…) …ut by way of imputation, and of ſatisfaction. The guilt of our ſinnes is imputed unto him as to a willing ſurety, who doth preſent himſelf in our ſtead, to make payment and ſatisfaction. As Paul ſaid to Philemon concerning his ſervant Oneſimus, If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that upon mine account. So ſaith Chriſt to the penitent and beleeving Philem. 18.ſoul, if thou haſt any guilt and debt to be anſwered for unto God, put them all upon my account, if …hou haſt wronged my Father, I will make the ſatisfaction to the utmoſt, for I was made ſinne for thee, 2 Cor. 5. 19, 20. I poured out my ſoul for thy tranſgreſſion; It coſt me my heart blood to reconcile thee to my Father, and to ſlay enmity. And as Rebekah ſaid to Jacob in another caſe, upon me, my ſonne, be the curſe, ſo ſaith Chriſt to the beleeving ſoul. Why, thy ſinnes did expoſe thee unto the curſe of the Law; but I was made a curſe for thee, I did bear that burden my ſelf upon the croſſe, and upon my ſhoulders were all thy griefs, and ſorrows borne; I was wounded for thy tranſgreſſions, and I was bruiſed for thy iniquities: And therefore we are ſaid to have redemption and remiſſion of ſins in his blood, Eph. 1. 7.
Now what a comfort is this to a Beleever, that Chriſt hath eaſed him of his great debts, that he hath laid down the price for him, he is his ſurety, and hath di…charged and hath cancelled the Law of Ordinances, and hath blotted out the hand writing. God was in Chriſt (ſaith the Apoſtle) reconciling the world to himſelf, not imputing their ſinne unto them, mark it, not imputing 2 Cor. 5. 19.their tre…paſſes unto them; what is the not imputing of ſinne, but the not charging of it, the not reckoning for it: And what is it which he ſaith (unto them) treſpaſſes were not imputed unto them, as if God ſhould ſay let them go I have nothing to ſay unto them, my Sonne hath ſatisfied my juſtice fully for them. Now, ſaith Paul (out of David) Bleſſed is the man unto whom the Lord will not impute ſinne. Yea, he is bleſſed Rom. 4. 8.indeed, for if the Lord ſhould ſingle out the moſt able tranſgreſſour for the leaſt moity and ſcruple of guilt, and arreigne his conſcience with a judicial and ſtraight ſeverity; O how the ſinews of the ſoul would flie aſſunder, and eternal deſpaire of ever ſatisfying ſo great, and pure, and infinite a juſtice, would ſwallow up the thought and imaginations? Till a man knows where to lay down his ſinful burden, his ſoul will be miſerably afflicted; but now, if a man beleeves in Jeſus Chriſt, Chriſt will take off his burdens; I will anſwer for thee ſaith Chriſt, I will ſatisfie for thee. As David ſpake in another caſe, when Goliah preſented himſelf againſt the Host of Iſrael. Let no mans heart faile becauſe of him, thy ſervant will go and fight with this Phyleſtian. So ſaith Chriſt to the beleeving ſoul, be not dejected, do not deſpaire, though thy ſins 1 Sam. 17. 32.be many and great, yet I have overcome them, I have diſcharged them, my Sacrifice was preſented, it was ſufficient, it was effectual, it was accepted for thee.
Secondly, Chriſt doth beſtow his righteouſneſſe upon us. This is a great comfort to a ſenſible and underſtanding ſoul, that there is a righteouſneſſe for it, which it may ſafely and confidently preſent unto Gods juſtice.
Theſe things are moſt true.
Firſt, that we are by nature all of us wretched ſinners, the whole Rom. 3. 19.world is guilty before God.
Secondly, Divine juſtice hath a quarrel againſt every guilty ſoul, and will have compleat, and full, and perfect ſatisfaction.
Thirdly, no▪ not our beſt graces & performances are commenſurate and ſquare payment in the eyes of pure juſtice: all of them as inherent in us, and acted by us, are but imperfect excellencies: No man hath ſo much holineſſe as is required, nor doth he ſo much as he is obliged. Every particular grace, though it be of an heavenly and divine original, yet it is like the ſtarres twinkling, though placed in the heavens; and every duty though it be a motion, yet it is like that of Jacobs thigh, which was touched, and halted to his dying day. So that if God ſhould enter into judgment with the righteous perſon, even the righteouſneſſe that is in him, would not be ſafety and defence unto him. As a man that hath a precious …ding, dares not to adventure it in any crackt and broken veſſel, ſo no Chriſtian may or can dare to adventure the ſafety of his ſoul upon the leaking veſſels, and bottoms of his own holineſſe or ſervices. This very ſmoak of doubtings which ſtill mount up with our flames of faith, and the groſſe affections which cling to the root of our moſt heavenly love, and part of that rock of hardneſſe, is ſeated and complanted with the freſhest ſpring of ſoftneſſe, and mournings, and thoſe infinite and frequent intermiſſions, both of our prayers, and hearings, and readings, and any kinde of dutiful doings, that we are ſo ſhufled away from our devotions, by the invaſions and entertainment of ſtrange thoughts in the times of our devotion: I ſay, thoſe and infinite emaculations or ſpots, do ſo adhere and cling about, and defile our ſelves and that which comes from us, that (in proceeding of pure juſtice) we may caſt down our ſelves on the ground, and beg for mercy, much rather then to ſtand at the barre, and plead for reward: But now here is the great ſtay of a beleeving ſoul, (which hath truly received Chriſt) that Chriſt will finde a full, exact, compleat, moſt acep…able righteouſneſſe for it, in which the ſoul ſhall ſtand boldly before the judgement ſeat.
Rom. 3. 19. By the obedience of one ſhall many be made righteous. 2 Cor. 5. 21. We are made the righteouſneſſe of God in him. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Ye are of him in Chriſt Jeſus, who of God is made unto us wiſdome, and righteouſneſſe, &c. Jer. 23. 6. In his dayes Judah ſhall be ſaved, and Iſrael ſhall dwell ſafely, and this is the name whereby they ſhall call him, The Lord our righteouſneſſe.
The righteouſneſſe of Chriſt is therefore called the righteouſneſſe of God, Rom. 8. 17, becauſe it is it which God hath deſigned, and which God doth accept for us in our juſtification; and for, and in which he doth acquit and pronounce us righteous. Now in this lies our comfort thus, viz.
1. That though our inherent holineſſe be imperfect, yet Chriſts righteouſneſſe is abſolute.
2. That as it is a full righteouſneſſe, and every way anſwerable, ſo it was deſigned by God, to be that which ſhould juſtifie the beleeving ſinner.
3. That God accepts of that righteouſneſſe, and will clear any who hath it.
4. That, if by faith we have taken Chriſt, Chriſt doth aſſuredly beſtow his righteouſneſſe on us, not by putting it into our perſons, but by improving it to our good; It is, though not infuſed into us, yet imputed unto us, and God will through it pronounce us clear.
SECT. III.
THirdly, a third comfort to a beleever in Jeſus Chriſt is this, That he is in ſingular Covenant with God: for the Covenant is with faith in Jeſus Chriſt, it was to Abraham and to his ſeed (that is) to all the faithful.
Obſerve a few things here.
1. The Covenant of grace (in the offer and revelation of it) is the treaty of eternal happineſſe 'twixt God and ſinners; whatſoever good a ſoul can deſire to exempt it from miſery, and to make it truly happy, there it is.
2. The Covenant of Grace, in reſpect of our entrance and admiſſion into it, is a moſt gracious, and ſpiritual, and firme engagement of God to be our God, and to performe all the good which he hath there undertaken. I will be a God unto you, I will ſhew mercy unto you, you ſhall have loving kindneſſe, I will give you grace in all kindes, I will not faile to aſſiſt, and guide, and lead, and uphold you, I will be a father to you, a rock to you, a Sanctuary, an alſufficiency, an exceeding great reward. So that if you need any thing, come to me, I have it for you, and do not fear to come, for I will aſſuredly do you good, I am willing to do it, for I have promiſed it, and be you confident to poſſeſſe, for I have obliged my ſelf by Covenant to performe.
3. He that beleeves in Jeſus Christ is aſſuredly in the Covenant: for Chriſt (on whom he beleeves) is the Meſſenger of the Covenant, and his blood is the blood of the Covenant, and in him all the promiſes of the Covenant are Yea and Amen. If thou haſt given thy conſent to Chriſt, if thou haſt beſtowed thy heart on him, if thou haſt truly received him to be thy Lord and Saviour, undoubtedly God is become thy God, and all thoſe ample and rich, and congruous, and bleſſed undertakings in his Covenant, they are all for thee, thou art the man to whom God ſaith, I will ſurely have mercy on him, and to whom he ſaith, Sin ſhall not have dominion over him, for he is under grace, and to whom he ſaith, I will hear him, and heale him; and guide him, and keep him. Thou mayeſt go to all thoſe treaſures of divine promiſes, as to thy own garden, and take of any flower, lay hold on any promiſe, reſpecting thy particular exigence, and ſay, this is mine. When thou lookeſt down into thy ſelf, thou mayeſt reade many wants with wet and ſad eyes, but then if thou look up to the Covenant, thou mayeſt by faith eſpy all thy ſupplies with a glad heart. Why? God did put thy good into the Covenant, and there thou ſhalt aſſuredly finde it: Doeſt thou read of any altering grace, of any pardoning grace, of any enlarging grace, of any preventing grace, of any aſſiſting grace, of any preſerving and upholding duplicate page duplicate page grace, of any recovering and raiſing grace, of any pacifying and comforting grace? why all this is for thee, and all that God hath there undertaken is thine.
SECT. IV.
FOurthly, if you do beleeve in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, you may then with boldneſſe approach the throne of grace.
Epheſ. 2. 18. For through him we both have acceſſe by one Spirit to the Father. Heb 10. 21. Having an high Priest over the houſe of God. Ver. 2…. Let us draw neer with a true heart in full aſſurance of faith. 1 John 5. 13. Theſe things I write unto you that beleeve in the Name of the Sonne of God. Ver. 14. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us.
Obj. You ſhall finde in your heart many ſinful modeſties; you are afraid to be ſo bold with God, and whether God will do ſuch great matters for you, yea, and there are many unbeleeving fears our broken ſervices ſhall never be accepted, and who are we that the Lord ſhould regard our prayers?
Sol. But if a man doth truly beleeve in Jeſus Chriſt.
1. His way is open to Heaven.
2. He hath a friend, and not an enemy to deal with: It is thy Father to whom thou art bending the knee.
3. He hath a mighty interceſſor; look as Jeſus Chriſt is the mighty Redeemer for the perſons of men, ſo he is the mighty interceſſor for the ſervices of men, and he ever lives to make interceſſion. If thy wants be never ſo great, yet thy God is able to ſupply them, and if thy infirmities be never ſo many, yet thy interceſſor is able to cover and expiate them. Thy ſervices (as thine … carry with them a prejudice, there was iniquity in the holy offering, but then Aaron did bear the iniquity of them: ſo thy Prieſt, thy Chriſt, thy interceſſor, he doth take off by the Application of his merits, whatſoever is amiſſe and offenſive, and he doth ingratiate thy requeſts, and procures audience and acceptance for thee.
Therefore now, if thou be a beleever then in thy prayers come confidently to God; if thou canſt finde a promiſe, and a Chriſt, and a faith, thou mayeſt cheerfully put up thy petitions to heaven. What ſhould hinder us from being confident? Is God unwilling? No, he hath engated himſelf unto thee. Is God unable? Why, He is able to do abundantly above all that we are able to ask or think. Doeſt thou feare thy own diſtance? Why, but thou comeſt to a Father, and thou comeſt by the blood of a gracious, of a beloved, of a powerful Mediator and Interceſſor. Hebrews 4. Having ſuch an High Prieſt, we may come boldly to the throne of grace, See Heb. 10. Doeſt thou feare becauſe of enmity? Chriſt hath! ſlaine that, or becauſe of infirmity? Chriſt will cure that.