Two Books, Treatise 1 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIIII.
Further Application of the Point. This ſhews a neceſſity of Faith. An Objection from 2 Tim. 2.13. Anſwered. An Objection from the difficulty of Beleeving anſwered. Incourage your ſelves to Beleeve. And to that end. 1. Conſider the many and glorious things that are to be Received. 2. Be convinced that you cannot live without theſe things which Faith helps to. 3. Conſider theſe things are to be bad only by Beleeving. 4. Lay the command of God upon your Souls. Severall Objections anſwered.
USE
NOw I goe to another Uſe. If Faith be a Receiving, then if you would have Chriſt or any thing of his, you muſt beleeve, If you would have Chriſt or any thing of his, I ſay, you muſt beleeve. The Uſe lies upon this, that Faith is not only a Receiver, but the only Receiver which God hath appointed and ſubſtituted. There are other Graces which God gives beſides Faith, but he gives this vertue (to none) of laying hold and Receiving, but only unto Faith. Love that doth joyn the Soul to Chriſt and unites it, but Faith receives and takes of the fulneſs that is in Jeſus Chriſt. In Jam. 1.7. ſaith James, Let not ſuch a man think (that is, ſuch a one who asks not in faith, but wavers) that he ſhall receive any thing at the hand of the Lord. This wavering the Apoſtle doth oppoſe unto Faith. And yet he that hath this true Faith may have this wavering in ſome particular acts, though not in the frame of his ſpirit. As in Matth. 14.31. Chriſt ſpeaks unto Peter, and tels him he was one of little Faith, and asks him why he doubted? And the word that he doth uſe there foreign, ſignifies a being between two opinions, a halting as it were, or an uncertainty of mind not knowing what to do, whether to receive Chriſt, or not to receive him, or whether not to receive Chriſt, or to receive him. In particular acts there may be (I ſay) wavering in a man that hath true Faith: But while he is ſo, let him not think that he ſhal receive any thing at the hands of God. We are wont to ſet other things beſides Faith to be our Receiver. As the Papiſts, ſo do we put good works unto the work of Faith: They think, by good words we do apply Jeſus Chriſt and his benefits. Mark it. Though there be much due unto thee from the Promiſe, though thou haſt God ingaged to thee deeply, yet wil not God give thee any thing by the hand of any other Grace but only Faith. God wil pay what he ows, but he wil pay it through beleeving. Therefore the Text runs expreſly, He that beleeves not ſhall be damned, Mark 16.16. that is all he muſt look for at the hand of God. He could not do any great work (ſaith the Text) among them, becauſe of their unbelief, Math. 13.58. No great works. The meaning of the place is this, that God doth do unto men according to their Faith. According to thy Faith, be it unto thee, Math. 9.29. As mens Faith is, ſo ſhall their receiving be. If their Faith be mingled with unbelief, their receipt ſhall be but ſmall. Where there is a totall unbelief, their receipt ſhall be nothing from God.
OBJECT.
But you wil ſay unto me, as it is ſaid in 2 Tim. 2.13. If we beleeve not, yet he remains faithful, and he cannot deny himſelf.
Anſw. To that I anſwer, If we beleeve not, that is, if we beleeve not ſome particular Promiſe, and at ſome particular time, God will abide faithfull: for if you obſerve the place, it ſpeaks concerning ſuffering times, and this Promiſe, viz That if we ſuffer with him, we ſhall alſo raign with him. A man may come to the ſtake, and to his Grave, and yet notwithſtanding want a perſwaſion of this. A man may dy by his act of affiance, and yet have no perſwaſion of what aſſiſtance he ſhall have in his ſufferings: But if a man beleeve not, that is, not at al, then nothing is due unto him. Mark the Text again. God ſaith he is faithfull. Therefore his faithfulneſs ſuppoſeth his Promiſe. And his Promiſe ſuppoſeth our Faith: for he is ingaged to none but to them that beleeve. Therefore though God abides faithfull, yet the meaning is, though we queſtion this and that at this and that time, yet if our hearts remain faithfull to God and his name, we ſhall receive the things that are promiſed. Therefore let me ſpeak unto you, and unto you eſpecially that can ſettle upon any work, but the work of beleeving, that are eaſily perſwaded that the Promiſes belong not to you, nor the mercies which are ſaving, with a ſmall hint and inſinuation you are diſcouraged and diſheartned: Let me ſpeak unto you that are ready to deprive your ſelves of every ſweet morſell which the hand of the Lord reaches out to you, who ſay within your ſelves, when I am thus, and can do thus, then I will beleeve and go unto Jeſus Chriſt. You muſt come unto this (if you wil have any thing from the hand of Jeſus Chriſt) to beleeve. You muſt lay down your reaſon and your ſenſe, and you muſt put your ſelves to this queſtion.
Ask thy own heart whether thou wouldeſt have Jeſus Chriſt or not? If it would have him and the things that are his, then tell it, that it muſt beleeve, for there is no way to receive, but by beleeving. Therefore let me give this counſell to thee, Spend that time in drawing and urging thy Soul to go to Jeſus Chriſt, which thou doſt in diſputing thy right and title, and in anſwering objections and doubts. In ſtead of making out a reflect act of Faith or aſſurance, go directly unto the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. And mark the reaſon of it. Faith it gives a title and the poſſeſſion of the inheritance. It's a receiving. Now mark. Be ſure thar thou haſt a right: If thou haſt a Faith that is alwaies having and craving and longing and hankering after the things of Jeſus Chriſt, it is right.
And again, Though that every Commandment of God be to be obeyed, and none ought to be more carefull of holineſs than he that is juſtified by the righteouſneſs of another and by the Faith of Jeſus, I ſay none ought to be more carefull of a holy life than a Beleever, yet ſpend thy time (mark what I ſay) and thy ſpirits firſt in receiving and getting Jeſus Chriſt. Go not this way to work, when thou findeſt thy ſelf to be ſo and ſo, then thou wilt beleeve; becauſe thou art holy, therefore thou goeſt to Jeſus Chriſt, But go to Jeſus Chriſt that thou maieſt receive holineſs from him, for Faith is a receiving. As eating a mans meat, takes up a great deal of time, yet there is no time loſt, becauſe it fits a man for his work afterwards. So the fitter thou wilt be to all the works of ſanctification, the more time thou ſpendeſt in receiving and eating of the things of Jeſus Chriſt. It is wiſdom firſt for a man to get in a fulneſs, & afterwards to live anſwerable unto it. Why doſt thou think of thy ſanctification when thou haſt not received him that muſt make thee holy? Aſſure thy ſelf, it cannot be but al the things thou goeſt about will grow dead becauſe thou haſt not wherewith to maintain them. Al thy motions are but like a Wheel, which is hurried by a violent motion, but having no ſpring in its ſelf, in a little while it wil grow dead. And aſſure thy ſelf that thou ſhalt not lay a ground of Faith by doings. Doings may lay a ground of aſſurance, but not a ground of receiving, or going unto Jeſus Chriſt. It is true, Many things are to be done, as well as beleeving when a man would receive. A man muſt ask, that he may receive, John 16.24. And a man muſt be mortified that he may receive. Ye ask and receive not, becauſe you ask to ſpend upon your luſts, Jam. 4.3. And a man muſt be humble, Jam. 4.6. God giveth Grace to the humble. And the Ordinances muſt be attended, even every of them, for it oft times fals out, that that Ordinance which is neglected, is that by which God will convey himſelf. But the Ordinances are but the Veſſels in the hand of Faith, they are but Buckets which Faith doth let down, or but Breaſts which Faith doth ſuck. The Receiving, is ſtill by Faith. Heb. 4.2. And therefore the word profited not, becauſe it was not mixed with Faith, And the Text ſaith, If they praied and beleev…d, they ſhould then receive. It's true, there are a great many Graces that muſt be in the man that receives any thing from Gods hands, but they are all but the attendants of Faith: They are neceſſary unto Faith, Not for reception, but by way of preſence: As the Eye alone ſees, though it cannot ſee unleſs it be joyned to the other members of the body. So Faith receives, though it never receives, but when it is joyned with other Graces. Whatever Graces are required unto Faith▪ Faith will help us unto. To pray acceptably. If we are to pray with humility and ſubmiſſion, Faith will help us to it. When once Faith is infuſed it doth diſpoſe and inable the heart to every thing that God requires.
Beſides you know how a man that is touched with covetouſneſs and the love of the world wil bow down himſelf and deny himſelf much, and become baſe that he may heap up riches together. So wil a man when he hath once gotten Faith. He wil pray earneſtly, and go from ordinance to ordinance, and ſubmit to any condition that the ordinances of Jeſus Chriſt require at his hands that he may ſerve God and be ſaved. And therefore again and again I ſay, If you wil receive any thing you muſt beleeve, elſe there is no way for it. If you wil ſtand reaſoning and diſputing and debating, and if you wil have things cleare to you that you are a child of God, before you beleeve, you wil have the matter put to ſuch an iſſue as God brings a man never into. God never gives his love to a man, but by beleeving, becauſe beleeving is a receiving.
OBJECT.
You wil ſay unto me, This is hard quarter, and hard termes, that we can have nothing but only upon truſt and upon beleeving.
To this I anſwer the commandment of faith is nothing ſo hard as the commandements of ſin are. They that ſow to the fleſh, ſhal (ſaith the Apoſtle) in Gal. 6.8. of the fleſh reape Corruption. They ſhal never have any thing in hand or to receive after this life, but tribulation, ſorrow, and anguiſh. Thy faith aſſures thee, Or thou mayeſt be aſſured that faith wil give thee a good title, & ſomthing while thou liveſt, and be ſure to give thee honor and glory and immortality hereafter. Thou art ſaved by faith, ſaith he, It is the gift of God. This is true indeed, It is a hard matter to beleeve. But the hardneſs doth not ariſe from it ſelf, but from us. As it is hard for a ſick man to get down either meat or medicine. But it is not becauſe there is neither a paſſage open and free, or not becauſe the meat is not good, but becauſe he is ſick. So thou ſhalt find the reaſon of all this difficulty to be in thy pride: Thou advanceſt thy reaſon and ſence againſt the commandment and law of the Goſpel. And therefore it is hard unto thee. It is hard, but it is but ſo in the beginning, Like meat, when it is firſt eaten, doth bring a kind of dulineſs, & heavineſs but afterwards breeds ſpirits and ſtrength. It is certain my beloved it is the ſmalleſt thing that can be required for the receiving any thing at the hand of God: for you are paſſive in it, you are made to receive. As a bal that is thrown againſt the ground is made to rebound upwards. There cannot be leſs required then faith to the receiving of any thing. For,
Take it as it is in the underſtanding: The receiving a teſtimony doth not ſo much require the uſe of reaſon, as a good report and eſteem of him that ſpeaks. I ſay, the receiving a teſtimony is an artificial argument, and requires not ſo much the knowledg of the things, as of the perſon ſpeaking.
And Take it as it is in the Wil: and it is a leaning: and that rather imports weakneſs, then ſtrength, rather debility, then ability.
And laſtly, Whereas thou complaineſt it is hard to beleeve, yet if faith be a hard thing, yet it is a receiving. Though it be a toyl and a difficulty, It is but in taking of things that are precious and good which wil inrich thee. What man ever complained of the hardneſs of telling Gold, and receiving Jewels and things of worth which were given him out of the treaſure of him that is rich. Men take great toyl, and run great hazards into far countrys to receive. Thy receiving is better and more certaine. Thou ſhalt receive ſtrength by the receiving of Chriſt, to receive more. Faith doth not only give a man the things promiſed, But as walking makes a man able to walk, ſo beleeving makes a man more able to beleeve. Having once received ſomthing from the hand of God, thou haſt thereby ſecurity given to thee that thou haſt nothing behind but what ſhal be accompliſhed. As he that hath received but part of a Sum, hath an evidence there by that the reſt is due. And therefore I beſeech thee, becauſe that faith is a receiving, incourage thy ſelf unto beleeving: Incourage your ſelves unto it. And that you may do ſo,
1. Lay open and keep before the eye of your Soul the many and glorious things which are to be received. Meditate upon the excellencyes of Chriſt & the portion that he brings: His portion: Both in regard of relation, ye ſhal be the ſons of God: And his portion in regard of eſtate or inheritance, for al things are yours. The preſence (you know) of an object doth ſtirr up the faculty and the power in it, which lay (as it were) before dead and ſtirred not. Joſhua. 7.21. I ſaw (ſaid Achan) the Babiloniſh garment, and I luſted after it, and took it. As Sin prevails by its preſence: So the way for Jeſus Chriſt to prevaile, is to ſtand continually before thee. When thou haſt therefore looked unto the promiſes, and looked into the ſtory of what is ſaid concerning Jeſus Chriſt, and what he wil do for thoſe that are united to him, Then come and aske thy own foul, whether it wil have none of theſe Then come and tel it that al theſe are to be had, and it may take of them freely, though it can do nothing for them, nor returne ſuitably to them. The Apoſtle (to get men unto faith) ſpreads abroad the Goſpel and the things of Jeſus Chriſt. Thou muſt preach unto thy ſelf the ſelf ſame doctrine if ever thou wilt beleeve. Thy ſins be before thee, and death is before thee, and hel is before thee: And thou ſeeſt by experience that that takes up thy thoughts and thou canſt do nothing elſe but only lament and bemone thy condition. If thou ſet'ſt Jeſus Chriſt before thee alſo, thou wilt be as much taken with him. For certainly there is more Taking in his excellencies, then there is cauſe of terrour in the other.
2. And again, Since faith is a receiving, convince thy ſoul that it cannot live, nor be, unleſs it hath theſe things which faith helps unto. Pardon muſt be had. Juſtice wil not be ſatisfyed though thou ſhouldeſt fulſil al the commandments of God to the utmoſt, and never breakeſt them in the leaſt. Al that is due for the preſent, and there ſtil remains an old ſcore for the time paſt that God wil reckon with thee for. Thou art not able to make God amends of thy ſelf. Live of thy ſelf, thou canſt not, therefore thou muſt receive. Acts, 4.12. There is no other name given under heaven whereby a man can be ſaved, but only the name of Jeſus Chriſt. And if a man (peradventure.) wil be loth to take of others as long as he hath wherewith in his own hands, or his friends hands, But when he ſees he muſt either take of alms, or ſtarve; and go on begging, or die, Then he wil go. That is thy caſe. Thou muſt receive from Jeſus Chriſt, or Starve. And thou canſt not receive the things of Jeſus Chriſt but by beleeving. As a Parent ſaith to a Child that is peeviſh, and untoward, and that will not eat his meat; Faſt, ſaith he. So there is nothing to be looked for from Jeſus Chriſt if thou beleeveſt not, but fiery Indignation. And if thy heart would go to take contentment in the things in the World, Say to it, Now take Jeſus Chriſt, or nothing. What good will they do thee unleſs thou takeſt Jeſus Chriſt? For they will not abide in the latter end, but then thou wilt have ſorrow.
Thirdly, Conſider that nothing is required of you, but meerly beleeving. I reaſon thus:
If Faith receives al, then you muſt not look to have Grace without Faith: but to have Grace, by Faith. In order of nature, Faith is before them, and your eye muſt be moſt upon that, and your care of that. As the Text ſaith in Math. 6.33. that if a man ſeeks the Kingdom of God all other things ſhall be added together with it. So I ſay, if you look after Faith, your heart will be humble, and ſtoop to the condition which Faith reveals to you, and you will part from all ſins which have ſo great a place and intereſt in your affections.
And Laſtly: Lay the Commandment of God upon thy ſelf. This is the Commandment of God that you beleeve, 1 John 3.23. This is the charge of God that you take and receive, and drink of the Water of life freely. Be thou what thou wilt be: Thou art under his Commandment. If thou art not, what needeſt thou fear his threatnings? He wil do nothing unjuſtly, He will puniſh none but his Subjects. If thou art his Subject, then thou art bound to obey.
Object. Thou wilt ſay thou art ſinfull and vile above meaſure.
Anſw. But will thy ſinfulneſs exempt thee from Obedience? This is his Commandment, that you Beleeve, 1 John 3.23. Therefore come in the authority of the great God, and ſpeak unto thy Conſcience, and ſay, Conſcience, I charge thee in the name of the great God, whoſe wrath thou trembleſt at, I charge thee in his name to go to Jeſus Chriſt and beleeve. What wicked hearts have we, which needs ſo much perſwaſion to receive, when we die if we do not receive? How much ado is there with our hearts? How much are men encouraged by their hopes to receive? Saith Chriſt unto his Diſciples and Apoſtles, Go and ſtay at Jeruſalem, and you ſhall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghoſt, Acts 1.4. And yet for them to go to Jeruſalem, was to go into the Lyons Mouth, and into the fire as it were, where their greateſt Adverſaries were: But they will go that they may receive. That was but the Gift of the Holy Ghoſt: And this is the Grace and fellowſhip of the Holy Ghoſt. Know, when thou art once a Beleever, thou art put into the Paradice of God, wherein all the Trees of God are full of Fruit, and thou maiſt pluck where thou wilt. Faith is a Receiving. Know, that when thou beleeveſt, God turns thee looſe into his Treaſury, and bids thee take where and what thou wilt. Take the Covering or Righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt to cover thee. Take his Spirit for guiding and directing thee. The Lords Supper runs by way of Commandment, Take, and Eat. As if he ſhould have ſaid, If there be any thing in Jeſus Chriſt better than another: As a man ſaith at a Feaſt, If there be any thing you have a mind unto, you have leave to take; forbear it not: So the Lord commands you to take and eat. This is your Condition. A man encourageth himſelf in the World with this, That though he ſpends many hours, and much time, yet he ſhall get that with which he ſhall do good at laſt. Many a man is drawn by this, That when he hath gotten this, then he may attend, and do good. Let the ſame argument perſwade you to beleeve: That if you beleeve, you ſhall receive.
Object. But you will ſay unto me, I have beleeved, and yet not received, but I am barren and empty.
Anſw. 1. Thou ſaiſt thou haſt not received. God ſaith otherwiſe: Every one that asks, receives, Matth. 5.42. And Faith will not ſpare for asking. For in the Scripture, in one place it is ſaid, He that beleeveth, ſhall not be confounded, 1 Pet. 2.6. And in another place it is ſaid, He that calls on the Name of the Lord, ſhall not be confounded, Rom. 10.13. Becauſe Faith will be crying and asking. As ſoon as it is in the heart, it will cry as a new born Babe, in 1 Pet. 2.2. Every one that asks, receives, ſaith God; and thou wilt be judged by thy own heart and mouth. As he ſaid to his Diſciples; You have been with me ſo long, and have you wanted any thing? No, ſay they. So let me ask thee this queſtion; When didſt thou ever beleeve, and hadſt not hope in him? When didſt thou ever truſt in him for any thing, and that he did not make it good? Did he ever diſappoint thee? But
Secondly, There are divers waies of Receiving. A man may receive an Eſtate by receiving Security of that Eſtate, when he hath good Bond, and Perſons bound unto him for it. Hath not God given thee his Son? And hath not God ſpoken unto thee through a promiſe, and paſt his word that thy Heart hath been inlightned, inlivened, and cheered in the Meditations of it?
A man may receive you know by way of equivalency. As for example. If a man doth not receive ſo much in ſpecies, in money, yet he may in worth, in Jewels or other things that wil amount there unto. Do but look over all thy ſmal Sums, all the many mercies which thou haſt received, And ſee if they amount not to what thou hopedſt for? It may be thou haſt asked comfort, and God hath given thee Grace. This was but a bill of exchange. Thou haſt asked that God will fill thee with joy, and God fills thee with humbleneſs. Here is but an Exchange. Thou haſt received all this while. It may be thou wouldſt fain have Gloried in him, and it may be God gloried concerning thee. As God ſaid concerning Job. There is not ſuch a man in the whole Earth. God may ſay of ſuch a one, though he hath nothing but Tears to Eat, and nothing but Bitterneſs and Anguiſh and Sorrows, Yet he loves my waies. Here is a receiving. Know that Faith is ſuch a receiving, as a man that receives an infection, which he doth not feel for the preſent, but it may be he feels afterwards. And the Reaſon is this. Becauſe that Faith principally receives as it is an act of the will. And if it did receive principally as it is an act of the underſtanding, then a man could not have any thing, but he ſhould know it, or be near the knowledg of it. But ſince that receiving is by the will, he muſt have the ſpirit of God to make known to him the things that are freely given him of God. As the Apoſtle ſpeaks in, 1 Cor. 2.12.
Now having anſwered this, I beſeech you, Lay both hands (underſtanding and will) upon the Lord Jeſus Chriſt. Gather in with both faculties. Reſt not til your underſtanding be filled, and your will be ſatisfied. What ever it is which you want, Chriſt hath. What ever you would have from him, you muſt either have from him upon price or merit, And you have none: Or you muſt have it upon gift. Either you muſt receive it as an almes, or as a debt. A debt it is not to you, but only as you beleeve. When you do receive it as an almes by Faith, it is ſweeteſt, and you ſhal receive moſt. The caſe ſtands thus. Either you muſt yield to God, or God to you. It is fit you ſhould yield to him. Why ſhould not the Ciſtern receive from the Fountain? The Creature from the Creator? It cannot ſtand with his honor to yield to you, that is, upon any other tearms to give you any thing, but barely as an almes. If you will not part with your honor, (as you muſt, if you do beleeve) know, God will not part with his honor, as he muſt, if he gives any other way then by beleeving, for Faith is a receiving. And it is fit he ſhould uphold his glory as the Fountain of all that good which the Creature hopes for,