Two Books, Treatise 1 · Chapter 23
CHAP. XXIII.
The Nature of true Faith in a willingneſs to believe, appears in theſe particulars. 1. In loving to hear the Doctrine of Faith. 2. In a deſire and longing after Chriſt. 3. In a high eſteem of Jeſus Chriſt. 4. In ſuffering it ſelf to be wrought up by God to Jeſus Chriſt. 5. In gladly parting with its confidence in any thing but Jeſus Chriſt. 6. In that its joy is full, when it comes to know that it hath by Faith received Jeſus Chriſt.
FOr the further diſcovery therefore of this joy and Faith wherein this willingneſs to beleeve, and love of Chriſt appears, I ſhall name theſe ſix particulars.
Firſt: Wherever there is true Faith in any meaſure, the Soul doth love to hear the Doctrine of faith & of Jeſus Chriſt. Of al truths, that is moſt pleaſing: And moſt pleaſing not only becauſe it's moſt profitable but becauſe it's moſt ſelf-denying. If ſo be the Soul would make its choice, or call for any thing out of the Book of God before another, it ſhould be for ſomthing that laies open Chriſt, and preſſeth beleeving on him. How beautifull are the Feet of them that bring glad tidings? Rom. 10.15. How beautifull? that is. they are as lovely as can be, Nay ſo lovely as no words are able to expreſs: How beautifull? The Apoſtle Paul did deſire to know nothing among the Corinthians, but Jeſus Chriſt and him crucified; 1 Cor. 2.2. that is, he deſired to make nothing elſe known. And look what it was in him preaching, ſo in every Beleever. In Phil. 3.10. That I may know him, and the power of his Death, and the vertue of his Reſurrection. Theſe things a man loves, and he loves to hear ſpoken of, and diſcourſed of. Evil men therefore do love corrupt words and unſavory language. Beleevers they love to hear of Jeſus Chriſt; His name is ſweet and precious: Not only to hear of him as a ſtory, but as a perſon whereof there is need, and of whom there is uſe, and abſolute neceſſity unto ſalvation. Firſt I ſay the heart loves to hear of Jeſus Chriſt. Acts 13.42. When the Apoſtle had preached in the name of Chriſt, all that were good came to him, and prayed him to preach that over the next Sabbath day, or as it is in ſome tranſlations between this and the next Sabbath day, as the word may well be rendred. And he did as you may read there. As in John 6. they cryed out ever more give us this bread, ſo the poor Soul deſires to hear of that again and again. When Lidia heard Paul preach Jeſus Chriſt, ſhe attended as one that would not loſe a fillable, nor a word of what was ſpoken concerning jeſus Chriſt, Acts 16.14. How heautifull (as I ſaid before) are the feet of them that bring glad tidings of peace. It is good to love the Law of God which teacheth a man his duty, like one that is carefull to do his maſters will, Pſal. 1.2. He meditates therein day and night: But it's a better ſign for a man to love the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, & the glad tidings of him: As I ſhal ſhew you if I come to it, that there is not only as great honor given unto God thereby, but thereby a man if more humbled and abaſed in himſelf and made nothing, than by all that obedience which the Law requires, or by all that ſenſe of miſery that the Law works in us becauſe we have not done our duty. A man hath meaner thoughts of himſelf when he thinks he muſt beleeve or he cannot be ſaved, than he hath when he thinks if he be called to an account he muſt needs periſh becauſe he hath tranſgreſſed Gods Law. The ſoul loves that law, which ſhews its own face in a glaſs with al its ſpots upon it: But it loves that glaſs better, in which it beholds the face of God, For thereby it is tranſformed from Glory to Glory, 2 Cor. 3. laſt. Out of a ſpirit of indignation and wrath againſt a mans ſelfe and ſin, a man is glad to heare any thing that can be againſt himſelf and his ſin: But out of a love of Chriſt, and out of the love of greater excellencies in Chriſt then is in a mans ſelf, a man is glad to heare rather of Chriſt, then of himſelf, his name is as ointment powred forth. Cant. 1.3, There is nothing in the ſcripture but what is ſweet, and as hony; But the Goſpel is as the hony-comb. The whole ſcripture is as a ſugared cup, But the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt is as the bottom of that cup.
Secondly, Where ever there is true faith, there is a deſire and longing after Faith and Jeſus Chriſt. As new borne babes, as the Text ſaith in 1. Pet. 2.3. A deſire formally. O Lord ſaid the Diſciples unto Jeſus Chriſt, increaſe our faith. O Lord that we may receive our ſight. For its faith alone that makes us ſee the things freely given us of God, and to know the treaſury of grace and mercy which doth and hath lain hid from eternity. And ſo there is alſo a vertual deſire after Chriſt in al beleevers, They long after the meanes whereby faith is wrought. If you have raſted how good the Lord is, As new borne babes, you wil deſire the ſincere milk of the word that you may grow thereby. Though that a Child cannot diſtinguiſh rationally between the Milk of the breaſt, and that which is ſugared, It cannot tel that this is the one and this is the other, But it hath a taſt by which it can, and nothing pleaſeth but the mothers breaſt. The Child cannot ask for it, nor deſcribe it, but you may know it loves it becauſe it is ſtilled with it, and quieted with it. So may be the caſe of many a Chriſtian: He may not be able by reaſon, or by diſcourſe, or argument to make out the deſirableneſs of Jeſus Chriſt above al other things, the excellencies of Jeſus Chriſt above al other waies: There may be Rhetorick put upon al other things, beyond al that which he can ſee through, or put upon the things of Jeſus Chriſt, But you wil find his heart quieted with nothing but Jeſus Chriſt. Let him pray with never ſo much in largedneſs and affections, & let him hear with never ſo much underſtanding, and live with never ſo much unblameableneſs in the world, yet al this is nothing, his heart is unquiet, becauſe it is not according to what the law requires: And if he ſees no fault in it, yet there is fault which the pure eyes of God behold when he comes to look it through and through: And he hath no peace but when he comes to beleeve in Jeſus Chriſt, and receive peace from him. What is there in al the meanes of ſalvation which thou longeſt after? What is it which thou wouldeſt carry home with thee? Is it ſomthing that may draw Jeſus Chriſt nearer to thee and make him more lovely to thee? So much thou mayeſt conceive of hope of thy ſtate of Salvation. The Love of Jeſus Chrſt is deſcribed by this, that nothing gives the heart ſo much quiet, and in nothing is the heart ſo much taken up and contented, as it is with this, that Jeſus Chriſt is the Mediator, and undertaker, and is the ſurety, and doth al with the father: And that It doth do al with the father by him. The heart being pleaſed and contented, argues the deſire to be after him.
Thirdly, Where ever there is faith there is love even a high eſteeme of Jeſus Chriſt, and God the father in him, and a high valuation of him as one that is good, and true, and able, and liberal. Not only an acknowledgment of theſe vertues to be in him, but an eſtimation of him for them. And the reaſon is this. There is no one (you know) can beleeve or truſt another, whom (though he doth know to be able to diſcharge his promiſe, yet) he doth not eſteem of. No wiſe man (you know) wil truſt him whom he judges to be vain and careleſs of his word, that wil ſpeak any thing. If ſo be any one makes a promiſe, and be not known to be rich, and beſides that to be powerful, ſo as none can hinder him from the fulfilling of it: If he be not eſteemed good, and liberal, that wil not think much of what he parts withal, We wil not truſt him. In faith therefore there is a love of the Glory of God. And ſo you have it deſcribed in Rom. 4.21. That Abraham did beleeve, and give Glory unto God. While he was meditating on the promiſe, and the difficulty of receiving, and it came into his mind, yet he ſaid again, though that I be weak, yet he is able, & though that I be dead yet he lives for ever: & though that unto me, there belongs no ſuch mercy, yet he is liberal. Such indeed our faith in God is, as our eſteem is of God. As our eſteem is of God, ſuch is our love. Where we ſee little of excellency, there is little love: & where we ſee much, there is much love. It is a peece of love, A duty & an act of love wch the ſoul ſhews unto God that it wil ſuffer no blame to light upon him, that it wil have nothing, I ſay nothing imputed or charged upon his account, but he muſt ſtand fair and cleer, and without blemiſh and ſpot in al that ever he ſaith and doth, what ever becomes of the ſoul. Nay ſaith a beleever in this caſe, The fault is not in God but in me, the reaſon lyes not in any want of love in him, but in the folly and careleſsneſs of my own ſpirit. The reaſon why I want any thing is not becauſe I deſire any thing of God which he is not ready prepared to the doing of, but it is only becauſe I have a withdrawing heart. That is the third thing.
Fourthly: The Soul that doth willingly beleeve, doth even ſuffer it ſelf to be wrought upon by God if he pleaſe unto Jeſus Chriſt, It leaves it ſelf in the hand of God to be wrought upon even as he pleaſeth. That whereas before it was wont to murmur, and repine, and think much; and hardly that God would take nothing but ſatisfaction, and be pacified by no means but by the blood of his Son: Now it ſaith, Let the Lord do with me even what he pleaſeth, ſo he will but unite me to, and make me one with Jeſus Chriſt. He puts himſelf like Clay into the hands of him, that He may frame and faſhion the Spirit according to his own mind. You have the expreſſion concerning John Baptiſt, in Math. 3. When Chriſt came to him to be baptized, ſaid John, Do you come unto me? Suffer it to be ſo, ſaith Chriſt, for ſo it becomes us to fulfill all righteouſneſs, and then he ſuffered him. So the Soul is brought by God unto this, to let, or ſuffer God to confute what reaſoning he pleaſeth in him, to ſuggeſt ſuch apprehenſions as are contrary to his own ſenſe and imagination. In John 6.53. Chriſt told them that if they did not eat his Fleſh, and drink his blood, they had no ſhare in him: and the Text ſaith that many did murmur at the Doctrine. And ſuch is the temper of the heart of man when Chriſt comes to deal with him about ſalvation, that he is offended at him, at the Call he gives; and is offended that he will not allow him any confidence, or comfort in any thing or for any thing that he hath done. Muſt there be ſo much ſupernaturall vertue required to obtain eternall life, or it muſt not be had? As a Patient is told by the Phyſitian ſomtimes, You muſt ſo many daies take this courſe, forbear this diet, and take theſe bitter Pils: He begins to think he is injuriouſly dealt withall: But the Phyſitian tels him, if you will not take this courſe, you will die. Then he lets him do what he will. So the Soul ſaith unto Jeſus Chriſt, Lord take any courſe in the world with me: If thou wilt have me to lie down in ſorrow, If thou wilt have me be without thoſe means and refreſhings that I have had heretofore: If it be thy pleaſure that I ſhall lie upon thorns, in compariſon of what I have done before, do what thou wilt, Only ſave me in the day of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. As a man ſaith to a Phyſitian whom he hath a long time refuſed to be directed by the Counſel of, ſaith he, I do even ſubmit my ſelf to you, preſcribe what you pleaſe, uſe your own method, take what courſe your wiſdom thinks good, Let the things you give be bitter, and let the things you with-hold from me be never ſo good, as Air, or food: So the Soul leaves it ſelf to Jeſus Chriſt, and lets him do with it what he will, which was the caſe of Paul in Acts 9.6, Lord what would'ſt that I do? Lord what wouldſt thou that I do? do thou have care of me, for I have none of my ſelf, I give up my ſelf to thee.
Fifthly: The Soul is exceeding glad and refreſhed when it can do any thing to take away its confidence, and its ſupport that it hath any where, but only in Jeſus Chriſt. I ſay the Soul is glad that it hath nothing to help it, but Faith, and that Faith hath nothing to lean upon, but only Jeſus Chriſt. When one ſtone is not left upon another of all that which a man hath built to reſt himſelf in: When as the pillows are pluckt from under the head, and a man is left (as it were) dying, and from under the elbow, that a man hath nothing to ſupport him, yet then the Soul takes pleaſure & contentment. There is a pleaſure & contentment to have all ſweet morſels taken from a man that it may feed alone upon the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, when it can convince its ſelf that in ſuch a courſe there wil be no ſafety nor ſalvation found, it rejoyceth exceedingly. We have no confidence in the fleſh, Phil. 3.but rejoyce in Chriſt Jeſus. Rejoyce when we have no confidence in the fleſh. It is ſaid concerning the Saints, that they waſh their feet in the bloud of the ungodly, and when the vengeance overtakes them, they ſay, This is the man that made not God his refuge, but truſted in his riches. As it is in Pſal. 52.6.7. ſaid of Doeg. So doth the Soul Glory and inſult over, all its vain confidences when they are taken from him: You are wel enough ſerved, and this is you that would truſt to praying, and to hearing, and that would put your confidence in externall performances; See what they come unto, and what they wil do: All are nothing, But oaken leaves that ſeemes to be ſilver, they are but appearances, and give no reall ſatiſfaction. You are well enough ſerved (ſaith the Soul unto it ſelf) and it is but juſtice that is done you, and I am glad it is ſo, and take your portion and ſhare. Whereas men are wont to complain in the world, that ſuch a Miniſter hath undone ſuch a perſon, he hath caſt him into the extreameſt anguiſh of heart that can be. They were comforted, but now they cry out they are undone, & undone: They cry out of nothing but this, that they have truſted to this & that & another thing. And in this a Beleever would rejoyce. Bleſſed be God, that I uſe al means, but it is as if I uſed them not, I will truſt to none: Bleſſed be God that I have got my heart to ſee that whatſoever it is which ſeems to be a glorious ſupport, yet I ſee it will fail me: But in Jeſus Chriſt there is ſtrength. What a pleaſure is it to a godly man to think how God hath purſued his Soul, and frited him and made him to run from al the ſhelters wherein he would hide himſelf. When a man comes to make his relation before God in prayer and ſaith, I would have run into this houſe, and have reſted in this Company, and ſetled upon this performance, and yet the Lord followed me again and again: This is a refreſhment to him, and glads him. When another ſaith it would make a man caſt off all care of goodneſs for to tell him, that when he hath done all things, there is not a penny paid, nor one nick cut off from the talley of the Lord, when they ſay this is the way to make a man caſt the Commandments of God behind his back, He ſaith, bleſſed be God that would not let me take common Bail, which would not have ſtood my Soul in ſtead. In 1 Tim. 1.13. Paul ſpeaks home to this purpoſe. I was a Blaſphemer and a Perſecutor, and injurious, but God vouchſafed mercy to me. And how was that? you know in Acts 9. and Acts 22. God beats him down off his Horſe, and a light from Heaven did ſhine about him, and he was caſt upon the ground, and told that he had nothing to do with the Jews that perſecuted Chriſt. But thou perſecuteſt me Paul: The more you ſtrive, the more you wound and deſtroy your own Soul, Now mark what Paul ſaith, in 1 Tim. 1.17. Now unto the King immortall, and inviſible, and only wiſe God, be Glory for ever Amen. As if he ſhould have ſaid, Bleſſed be God that knockt me down, and bleſſed be God that ſpake thoſe words, and for ever praiſed be his name that he would make me to lie with my mouth in the duſt, and to have no hope in the earth: As he ſpeaks in Coloſ. 1.12. Giving thanks unto the Father that hath thought us meet to be brought out of darkneſs into his marvelous light. To be pluckt as it were by the hair of the head out of one condition into another. So Math. 13.44. The man that found the treaſure in the Field, went and ſold all, and did it with joy: As if he ſhould have ſaid, I am glad I have nothing in all the world but this Field, this Chriſt, and nothing but this converſion, and that ſhall ſatisfie me. And therefore in this caſe, becauſe a Beleever is glad to have his confidence in the fleſh thrown down. As it was the ſpeech of Jobs friends in Job 34.36. My deſire is that Job may be tried to the utmoſt: As if they ſhould have ſaid, Lord do not ſpare Job till thou haſt made him to know that it is a righteous thing with thee to do with him as thou wilt, though he hath not been an Hypocrite, Try him to the utmoſt: Juſt ſo in the like caſe, when a Beleever begins to be taken off from confidence in himſelf, he praies, Lord let it be a through work: Lord, go to the root of this pride, and cut it off at the very bottom, and leave nothing but what is of Jeſus Chriſt.
Sixtly & Laſtly: When the Soul doth once come to know that it hath by Faith received Chriſt, and is Received of Chriſt, then its joy is full. 1 John 1.4. Our fellowſhip is with the Father and his Son Jeſus Chriſt, and I write this that your joy may be full. It is not every one that hath ful joy, that hath fellowſhip with Chriſt, but he that hath fellowſhip with Chriſt and the Father too; that ſees (if I may ſo expreſs it to you) the Father in Chriſt, and through Chriſt, as in a glaſs ſmiling upon him, then its joy is ful. Ful, that is pure. As we uſe to ſay that is ful Wine which is unmixt, and ſtrong, Then he rejoyceth in nothing elſe but only in God & Jeſus Chriſt. Full, that is, ſtrong, that it makes a man do much in a little: To value no difficulties in ſervice, that it raviſheth a man, that he is dead to all things beſides. Even as the Women that ſaw our Lord Jeſus Chriſt after he roſe from the dead, they fel about his head & held and kiſſed him and would not let him go. Full, that is, his joy is great, unſpeakable, as the Apoſtle ſaith in 1 Pet. 1.8. ſuch as no word can expreſs. It cannot be compared to the joy of him that doth divide the ſpoyl, nor to the joy of him that reaps the harveſt. When men have corn and Wine and Oyl increaſe, then they are glad: But ſaith he, We ſhal have more joy in Pſal. 4. when thou lifteſt up the light of thy countenance. It is joy that is ful of Glory. Glory, that is, Gravity, and Majeſty, ſo as no mean and low thoughts and pleaſures will take with a man. It is full of Glory, that is, it ſatisfies the Soul, As he that is full deſpiſeth the honey combe. So he doth contemptuouſly look upon al thoſe things which other men take pleaſure in beſides. In other duties (I beſeech you mark it beloved) the Soul hath a taſt of Heaven, and a beginning and dawning of Glory. But when a man comes to know that he hath received Chriſt by Faith, then he is full of Glory, that is, he is even as if he were in Heaven it ſelf, as if he were in that compleat happineſs which ſhall abide to eternity. I have enough ſaid the Patriarch Jacob when he heard that Joſeph was a live. So ſaith the Soul I have enough, for Chriſt is mine, and I am Chriſts. The Iſraelites when they came out of captivity, they were like men that dreamed: The things were too good to be be true: They were taken in a rapture as it were. So doth the Soul in this caſe, Sometimes it admires: What is this? (ſaid Elizabeth) that the Mother of my Lord ſhould come unto me? Much more doth the Soul ſay, What is this that Jeſus Chriſt ſhould come to be in my Cottage, in my underſtanding, ſo poor and mean a one as mine is? Prov. 13.12. The accompliſhment of the deſire is as a Tree of life: It was a ſign unto it that it ſhould live. So the Soul ſaith, Evil ſhal depart from me, the ſins that I have been troubled with ſhall be mortified, Weakneſſes ſhall be repaired, I ſhall no more lie down in ſorrow. My beloved, as the man that watcheth for the morning, and as the Child that waits for the full age, and as the Joy of the Bride and Bridegroom: All theſe the Scripture uſeth, and much more is the joy of the Soul, when it ſees, and feels, and finds Jeſus Chriſt. But this I ſay is that which it comes unto. The other five particulars are thoſe which more concerns the Point in hand: But at this laſt, they all drive, and at this they do all arrive, but in their ſeaſon.