The Mystery of Faith Opened Up, Part 1 · Sermon 5
SERMON V.
JOHN 3.23.
This is his Commandment, that ye ſhould believe on the Name of his Son Jeſus Chriſt, &c.
THere are two great rocks upon which a Chriſtian doth ordinarily daſh in his way and motion toward his reſt. 1. The rock of preſumption and carnal confidence, ſo that when Chriſt dangleth them upon his knees, and ſatisfieth them with the breaſts of his conſolations, and maketh their cup to over-flow, then they cry out, My mountain ſtandeth ſtrong, I ſhall never be moved. And 2. the rock of misbelief and diſcouragement, ſo that when he hideth his face, and turneth back the face of his Throne, then they cry out; Our hope and ſtrength is periſhed from the Lord. We know not what it is to bear our enjoyments by humility, nor out croſſes hy patience and ſubmiſſion. O! but misbelief and jealouſie are bad interpreters of dark diſpenſations: they know not what it is to read theſe myſterious characters of divine providence, except they be written in the legible characters of ſenſe: misbelief is big with child of twins, and is travelling till it bring forth apoſtaſie and ſecurity: and no doubt, he is a bleſſed Chriſtian that hath overcome that woful idol of misbelief, and doth walk by that Royal law of the Word, and not by that changeable rule of diſpenſations. We conceive that there are three great Idols and Dagons of a Chriſtian, that hindereth him from putting a blan… in Chriſts hand, concerning his guiding to Heaven; there is pride, ſelf-indulgence, and ſecurity. Do we not covet to be more excellent then our neighbors? Do we not love to travel to heaven through a valley of roſes? And do we not ambitiouſly deſire to walk toward Sion ſleeping, rather then weeping, as we go? Are there not ſome words that we would have taken out of the Bible? That is ſad Divinity to fleſh and blood: Through many tribulations we must enter into the Kingdom of Heaven, we love not to be changed form veſſel, to veſsel, that ſo our ſcent may be taken from us.
There are three great enemies of Chriſt, miſbelief, hypocriſie, and prophanity. Misbelief is a bloody ſin, hypocriſie is a ſilent ſin, profanity is a crying ſin, thoſe are mother evils. And I ſhall give you theſe differences betwixt them: Miſbelief crucifieth Chriſt under the vail of humility, hypocriſie crucifieth Chriſt under the vail of love, and profanity putteth him to open ſhame. Misbelief denieth the love and power of God, hypocriſie denieth the omniſcience of God; and profanity denieth the juſtice of God: misbelief is a ſin that looketh after inherent righteouſneſſe, hypocriſie is a ſin that looketh after external holineſſe only, and profanity is a ſin that looketh after heaven without holineſſe, making a connexion between thoſe things that God hath alwayes ſeparat, and ſeparating thoſe things which he hath alwayes put together, ſo that their faith ſhal once prove a deluſion, and flee away as a …ream in the night: but let us ſtudy this excel…ent grace of true and ſaving faith, which ſhall be … precious remedy againſt all thoſe Chriſt-detroying and ſoul-deſtroying evils.
But now to come to that which we did pro…oſe thirdly, to be ſpoken of from the words, which was the ſweetneſs of this grace of faith; no …oubt it is a pleaſant command, and it maketh all …ommands pleaſant: it is that which caſteth a …ivine luſtre upon the moſt hard ſayings of Chriſt …nd maketh the Chriſtian to cry forth, God hath …oken in his Holineſſe, I will rejoice. We need …ot ſtand long to clear that faith is a ſweet, and …efreſhing command; for it is oftentimes recor…ed in Scripture to the advantage of this grace, …hat unſpeakable joy and heavenly delight, are …e hand-maids that wait upon it. But more …articularly to make it out, we ſhall ſpeak to theſe …hings. The firſt is, that this grace giveth a Chriſtian a broad and comprehenſive ſight of Chriſt, and maketh to behold not only the beau…y of his actings, but the beauty of his perſon? And there are theſe three precious ſights that Faith giveth to a Chriſtian of Chriſt. Firſt, …t letteth the chriſtian ſee Chriſt in his abſolute …nd perſonal excellency, taking him up as the eter…all Son of God, as the Ancient of dayes, as the …ather of Eternity, as the expreſſe Image of his Fathers perſon, and the brightneſs of his glory, and …his filleth the ſoul with divine fear and admira…ion. Hence is that word, Heb. 11.28. That we ſee by Faith, him that is inviſible. As if he h… ſaid, faith is that grace that maketh things th… are inviſible, viſible unto us. It letteth the ſo… ſee Chriſt in his relative excellencies, that is what he is to us. Faith taketh up Chriſt as husband, and from thence we are provoked … much boldneſſe and divine confidence, and with all to ſee thoſe rich poſſeſſions that are provide… for us by our elder brother, who was born for a… verſity. Faith taketh up Chriſt as a bleſſe… days man that did lay his hands on us both. And fro… thence it is conſtrained to wonder at the condeſcendency of Chriſt: It taketh him up as dying and as redeeming us from the power of the grave and from the hands of our enemies; and th… provoketh Chriſtians to make a total and abſolu… reſignation of themſelves over unto Chriſt, I ſerve him all the dayes of their life in righteouſne… and holineſs. And thirdly, Faith maketh the ſo… behold thoſe myſterious draughts of ſpotleſs lov… thoſe divine emanations of love that hath flowe… from his ancient and everlaſting love, ſince th… world began. Would you know the great grou… why we are ſo ignorant of him, who is the ſtudy … Angels, and ſo all that are about the Throne? … is this, we are not much in the exerciſe of fait…. And if we would ask that queſtion, What is th… way to attain the ſaving knowledge of God … Chriſt? We could give no anſwer to it but thi… Believe, and again believe, and again believe Faith openeth thoſe myſterious ſeals of h… boundleſs perfections, and in ſome way teache… …he Chriſtian to anſwer to that unanſwerable queſtion, What is his Name? And what is his …ons Name? There is this ſecondly, that poin…eth out the ſweetneſſe of Faith, that it giveth an …xcellent reliſh unto the promiſes, and maketh them food to our ſouls. What are all the promi…s without faith (as to our uſe) but as a dead let…er hath no life? But faith exerciſed upon the promiſes, maketh a Chriſtian cry out, The …ords of his mouth are ſweeter unto me then the ho…ey and the honey comb: as is clear from Heb. 11.12.13. It is by faith that we embrace the promi…es, and do receive them.
Thirdly, the ſweetneſs of faith may appear by …his, that it enableth a Chriſtian to rejoyce under the moſt anxious and afflicting diſpenſations …hat he meeteth with whilſt he is here below; as … clear from Rom. 5.1.3. where his being juſti…ed by faith hath this fruit attending it, to joy in …ibulation, and likewiſe from Heb. 10.34.35. …oth, not faith hold the crown in its right hand, …nd letteth a Chriſtian behold theſe infinite dig…ities that are provided unto them, after they …ave as a ſtrong man run their race? And when … Chriſtian is put into a furnace hotter ſeven …imes more then ordinary, it bringeth down the …on of man Jeſus Chriſt, to walk with them in …he furnace, ſo that they walk ſafely, and with joy through fire and water, and (in a manner) they …an have no croſs in his company. For would …e know what is the deſcription of a Croſs? It … want Chriſt in any eſtat. And would you know what is the deſcription of proſperity? It is to have Chriſt in any condition or eſtate of life. What can ye want that have him? And what can you have that want him? He is that all, ſo that all things beſide him are but vanity. But beſides this, faith doth diſcover unto a Chriſtian that there is a ſweet period of all his trials and afflictions that he can be expoſed unto; ſo that he can never ſay that of faith which Ahab ſpoke of Micajah, He never propheſieth good things to me; but rather he may ſay alwayes the contrary, faith never propheſieth evil unto me, it being a grace that propheſieth excellent things in the darke… night, and ſweetly declareth, that though weeping do endure for the evening, yet joy commeth in the morning. And that though now they go forth weeping, bearing precious ſeed, yet at laſt they ſhal return reioycing, having ſheaves in their boſome.
And this may bring in the fourth conſideration, to point out the ſweetneſs of Faith, that … giveth a refreſhing ſight of that land which is afar off, and maketh him to behold that inheritance that is provided for the Saints in light: It goeth forth to the brook Eſhcol, and there doth pluck down thoſe grapes that grow in Emmanucls land, to bring up a good report upon that noble Countrey we are ſojourning towards, and the city, the ſtreets whereof are paved with tranſparent gold. And howbeit it may be a perplexing debate between many and their own ſouls, whether or not theſe eyes that have been the windows through which ſo much uncleanneſs hath entered, and thoſe ſpecies of luſt have been conveyed into the heart, ſhal once be eyes of a dove waſhed with milk, and fitly ſet, and be admitted to ſee that glorious object, the Lamb that ſitteth upon the Throne? Or whether ever theſe tongues that have been ſet on fire of hell, and theſe polluted lips that have ſpoke ſo much againſt God and heaven, and all his people, and intereſts ſhall ever be admitted to ſing, theſe heavenly Halelujahs amongſt thoſe ſpotleſs quire of Angels, and that aſſembly of the firſt-born? Or if theſe hands or feet that have been ſo active to commit iniquity, and ſo ſwift to run after vanity, ſhal ever be admitted hereafter to carry thoſe Palm branches, and follow the Lamb where ever he goeth? Or whether ever theſe hearts that have been indeed a Bethaven, a houſe for Idols, may yet notwithſtanding be a dwelling for the Holy Ghoſt? Though theſe things, we ſay, and ſuch like, may be the ſubject of many ſad debates to ſome weary ſouls, and cauſe many toffings to and fro till the morning; yet faith can bring all theſe myſteries to light, and looking within the vail, can let us ſee thouſands of thouſands, who were once as ugly as our ſelves, yet now having waſhed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, admitted to ſtand before the Throne of God, and ſerve him day and night.
Now there is that fourthly, which we promiſed to ſpeake of, concerning this grace of Faith, from theſe words, and it is the abſolute neceſſity that is of the exerciſe of this grace, which is holden forth in that word, His Commandment which doth import theſe three things. 1. Th… all the commands that we can obey without th… commandment of Faith, it is but a polluting … our ſelves, and a plunging of our ſelves in th… ditch till our own cloaths abhor us. 2. Th… God taketh greater delight in the exerciſe of th… grace of Faith, then in the exerciſe of any other. And laſtly, that as to the many imperfections which we have in our obedience, there is a ſweet act of oblivion paſt of them all, if we make conſcience ſeriouſly to obey this command of Faith which is indeed the ſweet compend of the Goſpel: all theſe things doth moſt clearly appear, i… that believing here is called, His Commandment by way of excellency, as if this were his only commandment.
But that we may yet a little more particularly point out the abſolute neceſſity of Faith, there are theſe things that ſpeaketh it forth to the full 1. That though rivers of tears ſhould run down our eyes, becauſe we keep not his Law; though we ſhould never riſe off our knees from prayer… and ſhould all our lifetime ſpeak to God with the tongue of Angels; and though we ſhould conſtantly obey his commands, yet without faith we ſhould never eſcape that eternal ſentence of excommunication from the preſence of the Lord, there being no action that doth proceed from … which can pleaſe the Majeſty of the Lord, unleſs it hath its riſe from this principle of faith; as i… clear from Heb. 11.6. Without Faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God. And though we ſhould offer …nto him ten thouſand rivers of oyl, and thouſands of rams, and ſhould offer up in a burnt ſacrifice all the beaſts that are upon the mountains, and the trees that are upon many hills, this ſhould …e the anſwer that God ſhould return to us: Who …th required theſe things at your hands? I take no cleaſure in theſe ſolemn ſacrifices; becauſe there is no way of attaining peace with God, but through …he exerciſe of faith, making uſe of the ſpotleſs …ighteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt. 2. Let us do our …tmoſt by all the inventions we can, to bring …own our body, and let us ſeparate our ſelves from …ll the pleaſures of the fleſh; yet all our Idols ſhal …eign without much contradiction, except we do …nce attain unto this grace of faith, which is that …ictory, whereby we muſt overcome the world, and the hand that maketh uſe of infinite ſtrength, for …bduing of coruptions, making the Chriſtian …weetly to take up that ſong, Stronger is he that is with us, then he that is in the world.
Form all this that we have ſaid, both of the ſweetneſs of Faith, and the neceſſity thereof, we would propoſe theſe few conſiderations, to two or three ſorts of perſons.
1. There are ſome who live in that vain imaginary deluſion of attaining to heaven through a …ovenant of works, and do neglect to ſeek ſalvation by Faith in the righteouſneſs of Chriſt; and …o thoſe who build upon this ſandy foundation, I …hal ſay but theſe two words. Firſt, how long ſhal …e labor in the fire for very vanity? Do ye ever think to put on the cap-ſtone? Know you … that the day is approching, when your houſe ſhal fall about your ears, your confidence ſhal be rejected, and your hope ſhal evaniſh as a dream and flee away as a viſion in the night? Secondly, what a monſtruous blindneſs, and what an unſpeakable act of folly muſt it be, to ſay that Chriſt was crucified in vain? which yet ye do practically aſſert, when ye go about to purchaſe a righteouſneſs through the works of the Law.
2. There are ſome who are ſecure in their own thoughts concerning their faith; they never queſtioned the reality of it, they never examined it. O ye whoſe faith is as old as your ſelves, ye ſay y… never knew what it was to diſpute; and I may ſay, ye never knew what it was to believe. Thou profane hypocrite, let me tell thee, a ſtrong faith, and yet ſtrong idols, muſt needs be a ſtrong deluſion: Thou wilt not obey the Lord: Thou wilt no… pray: thou wilt not believe a threatning in all the word: Thou wilt count all Religion madneſs and fooliſhneſs, and yet thou wilt perſwade thy ſelf thou believeſt in Chriſt. Oh! be not deceived: God is not mocked; and why will ye mock your ſelves … Shal I tell you that reprobats have a ſad Religion? One day they muſt believe, and obey, and pray, and give a teſtimony to godlineſs; but, alace too late, and little to their advantage, Shal no… he whom all the Miniſters on earth could ſcarce ever perſwade to believe ſo much as a Heaven o… Hell, or one threatning in all the Book of God, at laſt be forced to believe their own ſenſe, when they ſhal ſee the Ancient of dayes upon the Throne, and ſhal hear the cryes of ſo many thou…and living witneſſes come out both from Heaven and Hell, bearing teſtimony to the truth, of threatnings and promiſes, that not one jot of them …s fallen to the ground, and he would never be …erſwaded to bow a knee to God in earneſt all his …fe? Shal he not then pray with greateſt ferven…y, That hills and mountains might fall upon him, …o cover him from the face of the Lamb? And he that would never ſubmit to a command of God, muſt he not at laſt obey that dreadful command, Depart from me, ye curſed, into everlaſting torments? &c. Yea, he who was the greateſt mocker …n the world, ſhal then confeſs, that they are bleſt who put their truſt in the Lord; as they are excellently brought in, though in an Apocryphal …ook, Wiſd. chap. 5.4. crying out with great ter…or while they behold that unexpected ſight of …he glorious condition of the godly: O here is the men, ſay they, whom we mocked, whoſe life we accounted madneſs, and their end diſhonorable. Be wiſe therefore in time, and do that willingly which ye muſt do by conſtraint; and do that with ſweetneſs and advantage, that ye muſt do at laſt with loſs and ſorrow.
Thirdly, there are ſome who certainly have ſome hope of eternal life, but content themſelves with a ſmal meaſure of aſſurance; & theſe I would befeech, that ye would be more endeavoring to make your calling and election ſure, and would be endeavoring to ſee your names written in the ancient Records of heaven. And this we ſhal preſs upon you by ſeveral arguments. 1. Thoſe ſtrong and ſubtil…; and ſoul-deſtroying deluſions that are amongſt many, who conceive they do believe (as we were ſaying) and are pure in their own eyes, who yet are not purged from their iniquities. O, are there not many of us that are in a golden dream, that ſuppoſe we are eating; but when we awake, our ſoul is empty; whoſe faith is a Metaphyſick notion, that hath no foundation, but mans apprehenſion? And this ſhall never beare us through the gates of death, nor convey us in unto eternity of joy. 2. May not this preſs you to follow after aſſurance, that it is the compendious way to ſweeten all your croſſes, as is clear from Hab. 3.17.18. where the conviction of this made Habakkuk to rejoyice in the God of his ſalvation though the fig tree did not bear fruit, and the labor of the olive did fail, and there were no ſweetneſs to be found in the vine. And from Heb. 10.34. when they take joyfully the ſpoiling of their goods knowing within themſelves that they had a better and an enduring ſubſtance. This is indeed that tree, which if we caſt into the waters of Mar…h, they will preſently become ſweet: for is it not below the child of hope to be much anxious about theſe things that he meets with here, when he ſincerely knoweth that commandment ſhal come forth: Lift up your heads, for the day of your eternal redemption draweth near; even the day when all the rivers of his ſorrows ſhal ſweetly run into the Ocean of everlaſting delight? 3. A Chriſtian that is much in aſſurance, he is much in communion and fellowſhip with God; as is clear from the Song 1.13.14. and Song 2.3. where when once ſhe cometh to that, to be perſwaded that Chriſt was her beloved, then ſhe ſate down under his ſhadow, and his fruit was pleaſant unto here taſte; for the aſſured Chriſtian doth taſte of theſe crums that fall from that higher Table; and no doubt, thoſe that have taſted of that old wine, will not ſtraightway deſire the new, becauſe the old is better. And then, fourthly, it is the way to keep you from apoſtaſie, and making defection from God: Faith is that grace that will make you continue with Chriſt in all his temptations; as is clear from 2. Pet. 1 10. where this is ſet down as a fruit of making our calling and election ſure, that if we do theſe things, we ſhall never fail. Faith maketh a Chriſtian to live a dependent life: For would you know the Motto of a Chriſtian? It is this ſelf diffidence, and Chriſt-dependence; as is clear from that word in the Song 8.5. that while we are walking through this wilderneſs, we are leaning upon our well-beloved. 5. This aſſurance will help a Chriſtian to overcome many temptations. There are four ſorts of temptations that aſſault the Chriſtian: There are temptations of deſire, temptations of love, temptations of hope, and temptations of anxiety, all which a Chriſtian through this noble grace of aſſurance, may ſweetly overcome. He that hath once made Chriſt his own, what can he deſire but him? As Pſal. 17.4. One thing have I deſired of the Lord. What can he love more then Chriſt, or love beſides Chriſt, all his love being drowned, as it were, in that Ocean of his excellencies, and a ſweet complacency found in the enjoyment of him. And as to hope, will not aſſurance make a Chriſtian cry forth, Now, Lord, what wait I for … mine hope is in thee. And when the heart is anxious, doth not aſſurance make the Chriſtian to hear the indignation of the Lord, and partiently ſubmit unto the croſs, ſince there is a ſweet connexion between his croſs and his Crown? Rom. 8.35.36. If he ſuffer with him, he ſhal alſo reign with him. And laſtly, there is this argument to preſs you to aſſurance, that it ſweetneth the thoughts of death. It maketh death unto a Chriſtian, not the King of terrors, but the King of deſires: And it is upon theſe grounds that aſſurance maketh death refreſhful unto a Chriſtian. 1. He knoweth that it is the funeral of all his miſeries, and the birth-day of all his bleſſed and eternal enjoyments. 2. That it is the coronation day of a Chriſtian, and the day when he ſhall have that marriage betwixt Chriſt and him ſweetly ſolemnized: and that when he is to ſtep that laſt ſtep, he knoweth that death will make him change his place, but not his company. And O that we could once win unto this, to ſeal that concluſion without preſumption, My Beloved is mine, and I am his; We might without preſumption, ſing one of the Songs of Sion, even while we are in this ſtrange land! And taking Chriſt in our arms, might ſweetly cry forth: Now letteſt …hou thy ſervant depart in peace, for mine eyes have ſeen thy ſalvation. Comfort your ſelves in this' that all your clouds ſhall once paſs away, and that that truth ſhal once come to paſs which was confirmed by the oath of an Angel, with his hand lifted up towards heaven, that time ſhal be no more. Time ſhal once ſweetly die out in eternitie, and ye may be looking after new heavens, and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteouſneſs. O! long to be with him, for Chriſt longeth to have you with him.