Two Books, Treatise 1 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Uſe 2. Put forth this act of Faith. 1. Neglect not this for any other act of Faith whatſoever. 2. Put it upon receiving much. Jhon. 1.16. opened. 3. Let nothing hinder this act of Faith. I. Not your ſins. II. Let nothing diſcourage you. Neither 1. Gods delaies. Nor 2. The ſmalneſs of your receits. Nor, 3. The greatneſs of your wants. Nor, 4. The greatneſs of your receits. III. Epecially take heed of refuſing what is offered.
USE II.
IN the ſecond place. If Faith be a receiving, then put out this Act. Excerciſe your Faith thus. As our Lord ſaith, John 16.24. Ask and receive. That is, not only deſire and pray, but take what you deſire and pray for from God: So I ſay, Believe and Receive. Beleeve not only that Faith is a receiving, but actually receive, and be ever getting. Every Grace is to have its perfect work, as the Apoſtle James ſpeaks concerning patience, Let patience have its perfect work James 1.4. A Grace doth its perfect work when it ſerves all the turns for which it is given, when as it doth all the acts to which it hath power. Faith (as you heard in the explication) hath many other acts beſides receiving. Receiving is an act and work which Faith is as good at, and as good for as any other, the perfect and compleat work of Faith is to receive Chriſt. Set it therefore about it. Set it to reap al the Fruit of Jeſus Chriſt and of the promiſes. Set it as your Atturney (as I may ſo ſpeak) to cal in the debts you have and the good you hope for. Make Faith to be not only the evidence of what is promiſed (as Moſes did the Mountain that he ſtood upon to behold Canaan) but make it the ſubſtance of things hoped for, Heb. 11.1. That is, poſſeſſe your ſelves of the things beleeved and hoped for. Therefore as out of the Ark the Dove was ſent, and when ſhe returned ſhe was ſent out again untill ſhe brought an Olive branch in her mouth. So ſend out your Faith again and again, and never reſt till it hath received and gotten more from Chriſt than it had before, yea received according to the large gifts that are made through the promiſes. Plainly thus. As a man is to enquire of his Faith whether it be opeative or not, whatit doth, What work and fruit his Faith hath. So he is to enquire what his Faith receives what receipts it makes. It's not a good Faith which works not, and it's not a true Faith which receives not. Ask what the Lord hath done for thy Soul? What promiſes are come in? What they have yeilded unto thee? What word is made good? What thou haſt gotten every day more than other? What thou haſt gotten by prayer or any other duty. And if thou doſt find that there is no coming in, blame thy Faith, and ſend it out to its work, ſend it out to receive from Jeſus Chriſt. That I may a little ſet you on upon this, or that you may underſtand what you are to do.
1. Neglect not this for any other Act of Faith whatſoever. As our Lord ſaid in another caſe, Theſe things you ought to have done, but not to have left the other undone, Matth. 23.25. So I ſay, you ought by Faith to aſſent to the truth of what is promiſed, And you ought by Faith to keep your hold and union unto Jeſus Chriſt, but you ought as well to receive, and to get in what you have not yet. Intend this act of Faith more than al other acts, as that end to which all other acts of Faith ſerves, and which maintains all other Acts of Faith. Know that you are therefore to truſt and are to be united to Chriſt that you may receive from him, and be filled with his fulneſs. Be contented with no other kind of receiving through Faith than what may be able to maintain all other acts of faith. For as the Stomack in the body muſt be looked unto, becauſe it maintains the blood and ſpirits, if the ſtomack takes not in and receives, all the reſt of the parts of the body will decay. Or as the fountain and water head muſt be kept continually cleer; becauſe it ſils the ſtream and the pipe. Or that I may ſet it out more familiarly; As a man that hath a great family and many mouths to feed, he takes care that he hath receipts coming in proportionably. If we get not in from Chriſt continually, nothing that is required wil go on well, and be well performed: Out of the receipts of faith, you are to purifie your hearts, and to mortifie corruptions; The receipts of faith muſt ſtrengthen comfort and incourage your hearts in God, and put you on upon prayer and all other things. Every duty you perform muſt be done in the ſtrength which you receive from Jeſus Chriſt, and therefore you need receive much. We are troubled if the earth yields not forth its increaſe, If by our Trade, comings in are not according to our expences: We are juſtly troubled if we find diſtance and ſtrangeneſs of heart between us and Jeſus Chriſt, If our Souls cloſe not by faith with Jeſus Chriſt and his righteouſneſs, but ſtands off, and ſtands out with him: We are as well to be troubled if we receive not of his fulneſs. Thou oughteſt as much to put thy faith upon receiving, as upon adhering unto Jeſus Chriſt. That thou majeſt adhere and cleave unto Chriſt by faith, thou ſaieſt that Chriſt is thy life, and thou art undone if thou reſt not thy ſelf upon him: Thou art undone alſo if thou doſt not receive of his fulneſs. Union with Jeſus Chriſt is done by faith at once, Receiving from Chriſt is to be done daily. You will cleave unto Chriſt ſo much the faſter as you find you have received from him. Whether ſhall we go from thee, ſay they, thou haſt the words of eternall life, John 6.68. When they had once found life in Jeſus Chriſt, they could not tel how to leave him. Like fooliſh Children that play with the breaſt, but ſuck not, Such folly is in our hearts. We muſt have promiſes ſuitable to al our conditions, but we let them lie by us, and we improve them not. Though we have a right in Chriſt, yet we draw not from him Grace for Grace. Like perſons that lay up Gold, but it is for ſome ſpeciall uſe, Or like Cordials that are taken only in extraordinary fits, but not continually; So do we make uſe of faith. But as a worldly man counts there is ſo much loſs as there is no laying out of the money that lies by him, If his money lies by him any time, he counts there is ſo much loſs to him, becauſe it might have brought him in ſomthing. So count ſo much loſs of your faith, as you want uſe of it in receiving from Jeſus Chriſt.
2. And as you ought to put your faith thus upon the act of receiving. So put it upon receiving much. The receipt of a little from Chriſt, is as much as nothing to him, John 16.24. Hitherto you have asked nothing in my name: They had asked, but he counts it nothing, becauſe it was not anſwerable unto the intereſt that Chriſt had in his Father nor ſuitable to what he had purchaſed for them, nor unto the power that Chriſt had to give. You have asked nothing in my name. In my name, that is, as having my right made over to you, and as having as much to do with the things you need, as I have that am Lord over all. I ſay, Chriſt counts every thing leſs than this, nothing. If you ask leſs than this, you ask nothing, and if you receive leſs than this you receive nothing. Faith may have what it wil. Matth. 9.29. Be it to thee according to thy Faith. If faith opens its mouth wide, it ſhall be filled. As it was in the gathering of Mannah, Every one had as much as his has ket was, although it was never ſo great that he brought to gather it in. If thy faith be great, thou ſhalt have great things, If thy faith be ſmall thou ſhalt have precious things. As there ought not to be the leaſt doubt or queſtion in a Beleever, becauſe God is ſo able to perform his promiſes, and ſo faithfull and true, So there ought not to be any queſtion or exceptions of any thing to be received that is in Jeſus Chriſt, becauſe al is yours. Obſerve it. Faith is indefinitly called a receiving, becauſe it receives this and that, that which is eſſentiall, and that which is conſequentiall. That which is for the inward and for the outward man, for mortification, and vivification, for faith and for holineſs. Faith is a receiving without any limitation. As none may ſay that he is rejected, becauſe the promiſe runs indefinitly, Mark 16.16. Who ever beleeves ſhall be ſaved. So none may ſay that this and that cannot be had by faith which is promiſed, becauſe faith is indefinitly called a receiving. In Joh. 1.16. Of his fulneſs we have received Grace for Grace. Mark the Text. We have received of his fulneſs. You are to go unto the Well head, to fetch water out of the Sea, Gold out of the Mine, you are to take from fulneſs, and therefore you ſhould not take a little. You are to receive Grace for Grace. The meaning of it lies thus.
1. One Grace is to be unto you a pawn and a pledg of another, One kindneſs, of another. For as God loves, becauſe he loves, So God gives Grace becauſe he hath given Grace. When you go to receive any thing from him, you are not ſo much to look at his Act in giving, nor at your own act in uſing of his Grace, as you are to look at this, that he hath given Grace: He gives Grace for Grace.
2. Or thus, Grace for Grace. That is, as face anſwers to face in a glaſs, that there may be a proportion and ſim…litude between us and Chriſt. That as what impreſſion is upon the Seal is left in the wax, ſo what Grace and favor God hath ſhewed unto Jeſus Chriſt in aboundance, we ſhould receive in aboundance. You are to receive Grace according to the Grace that is in Chriſt. So that by faith you may boldly ſay unto God that Chriſt hath this Grace and he hath it in abundance, although I may not have it in his abundance, yet in the abundance that I am capable of, beſtow it on me, and ſend me not away without it. And as we are thus to put our faith upon this act of receiving, and receiving much, So
USE III.
Thirdly: Let nothing hinder or take you off from it. There ſhould be no interruption or hinderance to any obedience, eſpecially not in the obedience of faith: Becauſe faith feeds every Grace in the Soul, and puts every faculty upon its work. In 1 Pet. 1.13. Gird up the Loyns of your mind, and truſt perfectly. Gird up the Loyns of your mind. They were wont in thoſe Eaſtern parts to wear long garments, and to gird them up to their Loyns that they might not hang under their feet when they went to run. The meaning of the Apoſtle is, whatever may hinder faith from perfection, or from doing its perfect work, that put from you. And in 1 Pet. 1.9, 10, 11, 12, 13. the Apoſtle ſpeaks altogether of faith as receiving. Receiving the end of your Faith, the ſalvation of your Souls. For he ſpeaks of the Prophets, of their looking to recoive what they did foretell; And … Angels did look to ſee what was revealed in the Churches, Jam. 1.21. Lay apart all filthineſs, and ſuperfluity of naughti… neſs, and receive with meekneſs the ingrafted word which is able to ſave your Souls. Obſerve that word [Lay aſide and Receive the word that is ingrafted] That a man ſhould lay aſide any thing, that he may receive from Jeſus Chriſt. And if you compare that place with 1 Pet. 2.12. He exhorts them to put away every thing that may hinder their deſires, As James exhorts to put away all things that may hinder from receiving. It comes to this. As nothing ſhould take away your hearts from deſiring much, ſo nothing ſhould hinder you from receiving much.
Firſt: Let not ſin hinder you. Therefore mortifie every corruption, becauſe it keeps good things from you, and takes away your heart, and hinders the application of your ſelves to Chriſt. Sin d…oh incapacitate the Soul that it can receive nothing elſe, And it ſils it as the ſtomack with wind, that it can get nothing down. Guilt infeebles and weakens the hopes of a man, and makes him afraid to draw neer to God. Yea beloved, if you would mourn kindly, and bitterly, and heartily for your ſins, the beſt way is to receive from Jeſus Chriſt. For in Ezek. 36.31. when he had given them a new heart, and purged them from all their Idols, then ſaith the Text they ſhall abhor themſelves in duſt and aſhes for all their doings that are not good. Then: that is, eſpecially then moſt kindly, and moſt abundantly. Againſt ſin we ought to be carried with violence, bitterneſs and indignation, for this very reaſon, becauſe it keeps good things from us. It hinders us of the gain we might make in believing. Eſpecially take heed of the pride of your hearts, for that is immediatly oppoſite to receiving. If any man withdraw himſelf my Soul ſhall have no pleaſure in him. If thou haſt never ſo much yet its nothing to what thou oughteſt to receive. Thou oughteſt to receive not only what may help thee in thy work but what may ſhew forth the riches of Jeſus Chriſt in thee. It muſt be ſeen what he can give, and what he hath to give: and therefore when thou haſt received pray for capacity to receive more. Yea indeed if thou doſt receive, it will inlarge thy deſires and affections after more. Therefore take heed of pride which is oppoſite to faith as it is a receiving. Take heed of that. It ſhews it ſelf divers waies.
Sometimes in this, becauſe a man refuſeth to receive from Chriſt becauſe he is unworthy. Which in plain Engliſh, and in the ſenſe that it hath with God is as much as this, that a man would have nothing from him, nor be beholden to him, for any thing, but what he finds a ſuitableneſs and fitneſs in himſelf for. As the ſpirits of ſome people are ſo ſtout, that they had rather ſtarve, than ask, It's a ſhame to them to receive, and a greater miſery than to endure any thing that can be laid upon them. So it is with our hearts. We can complain and roare out becauſe of our wants, but we have no mind to receive, although it be put to our lips, juſt like men that are ſick, we ſhut our lips againſt it, and cannot take it down. Our hearts would willingly have ſomething from God, but as a reward, and not meerly as a gift, ſomething for doing what he requires, but not as an alms purely. Faith even for this very reaſon is difficult to the Soul of a man, becauſe that it makes him to live dependantly, and to have its good and happineſs out of its ſelf. But if the pride of your hearts would ſuffer you to receive, yet notwithſtanding God will not give to them that are proud. For God reſiſts the proud. and gives Grace to the humble, Jam. 4.6. You ask and receive not becauſe you would ſpend it on your luſts, upon your envy, in Jam. 4.3. whereas God reſiſts the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
Secondly: And as you ought not to be hindred by ſin: So to be diſcouraged by nothing in this act of Faith. If you look in Heb. 12.12. the Apoſtle hath theſe words, Lift up the hand (ſaith he) the hand that hangs down, and the feeble knees. His meaning is this, that it is the method & cunning of Satan to hinder our faith by diſcouragements. If he cannot kil & deſtroy it directly and immediately, then he doth what he can to cauſe the Acts of it to be weak and without ſtrength. Be not diſcouraged in your receiving by any thing.
1. No not by Gods delays and denyals of you. In Math. 15.23. to 28. You have to this purpoſe the example of the woman of Canaan, that although Chriſt cals her a dog, and had nothing for her, yet ſhe grows as the more humble to ask a dogs part, ſo the more earneſt to ask and beg and knock. As a party that goes to receive mony, if he cannot find the man, he goes again and again till he finds him. So although you have not at the firſt asking, yet ask again. The reaſon why you have it not at firſt is not becauſe you ſhal not have it, but that you may know you have it gratis, for asking. What though you receive not preſently? know that it is an almes, and therefore you ſhould waite. And though you be importunate and God repreſents himſelf as one that is aſleepe and that hath the door ſhut to him, yet know that he wil ariſe and open to you as he ſpeaks in the Goſpel of Luke. Though he cals you dog (as I inſtanced before) yet his meaning is that he is come for you though not in the firſt place, yet in the ſecond, and if he gives you but crums, yet he wil give you the Childrens Bread.
2. Neither be diſcouraged in this act by the ſmalneſs of your receipt, Although you have gotten but a little in the uſe of many ordinances many yeares. For mark it, If you get never ſo little, you get by that a title to al, & you ſhal have al in Gods own time. That litle is like the bunch of Grapes which intereſts you in al the land of promiſe. There was a bleſſing left in the Berry, though there was but here and there one left upon the Tree. They that make often and quick returns, although they get but little at a time, yet they get much in the whol. Lay therefore al thy gettings together, I ſay al together, & conſider not the returns ſent in, in one praier, or one ſermon, or one ejaculation or caſting your heart into Heaven, but lay al together. Beggars take any thing that is given them, they are not chuſers, they will be contented with the ſmalleſt. That money which is not currant with others will paſs with them. The ſmalleſt piece of ſilver you have, is a kindneſs to them. Such meat as is not of uſe in the family, is dainties and of uſe with them. Herein thou ſhalt ſhew thy ſelf to be a receiver, in that thou art contented to be at Gods allowance. Beloved, you are receivers, and receivers of free Grace. You have it not becauſe you earned it, but becauſe God doth abound and is rich in good works. And therefore although you have never ſo little, you have cauſe to rejoyce. Thou art but a receiver by faith, and therefore thou haſt no cauſe to murmur. Thou haſt al things of Grace, and thou ſhalt have every thing if thou ſubmitteſt unto God in every thing he doth as pleaſing unto thee for him to do what he pleaſeth.
3. And as you have not cauſe to be diſcouraged at the ſmalneſs of your receipt, So neither are you to be diſcouraged in your receiving by the greatneſs of your wants. For the promiſe runs thus, in Matth. 21.22. All things whatever ye ask in my name, beleeving, you ſhall receive. If you want all things, yet if you ſhall have whatever you ſhall ask then believe that there is nothing that the greatneſs of your wants can amount unto, that ſhould make you ſay within your ſelves that this cannot be, nor that cannot be given. The greater things you ask the ſooner you ſhall have. God gives bleſſings like himſelfe. The promiſe is indefinite; And if you ask you ſhall receive.
4. Be not diſcouraged in this act of faith by the greatneſs of your receipts. For although you have received much, yet look for more. He gives liberally, and upbraids not, James 1.5. He doth not ſay I have given you this, and that, and ſo often, and releeved you in ſo many wants, and ſet you up when you have been bankrupts, and ſet you up in the ſtate wherein you were, many a time. There is this reaſon why the greatneſs of your receipts ſhould not diſcourage you, becauſe the more you have received the more there is yet behind to receive. I ſay there is more yet behind to receive. To whomſoever much is given, God looks for much from them Luke 12.48. He gives Grace for Grace, as you heard. John 1.16. If he gives much Grace, he wil give more Grace in a like proportion. We are aſhamed to ask of them again, whom we have received lately from. But here you need not; for God hath much to give, and that which you have received is not in your own name, but in the name of him that is the Lord of all even Jeſus Chriſt, God gives often, that there may be a fruition and Communion between you and him. He gives you but a little at a time that you may come oftner: and he gives you often becauſe you may know that whenever you come, you are welcome to him.
Thirdly: And as you ought not to be diſcouraged: So eſpecially I beſeech you take heed of refuſing what is offered to you. There is nothing more oppoſite to receiving than refufing. In Acts 13.46, 47. ſaith the Text there, They did reject & put away from them the words, & they did judgthe mſelves unworthy of eternall life. Seeing you put it from you, and judg your ſelves unworthy of eternal life. That putting away is directly oppoſite to this receiving. Whoever doth put away the gracethat Gods offers, he doth by that act paſs Judgment upon himſelf, as one that is worthy to have deſtruction for his portion. And they did put it away by contradicting & blaſpheming, and by queſtioning without any kind of reaſoning, but meerly out of the enmity that was in their Spirits unto the Doctrine which the Apoſtle preached concerning free juſtification. So much ſhal ſuffice to have ſpoken of the ſecond Uſe.