A Complete Body of Divinity, Sermons · 219 (Question 86 cont.)
SERMON CCXIX.
We have conſidered the general Nature of Faith.
[2.] WE are now to paſs over to take an Account of the ſpecial Nature of it, expreſt in thoſe Words, Whereby we receive, and rest upon Him alone for Salvation, as He is offered to us in the Goſpel.
TOUCHING the Object of this Faith, viz. CHRIST, enough hath been already ſaid, in laying open the Terms of the Queſtion; where we conſidered, how, or in what reſpect He is to be lo…k'd upon as the Object of a ſaving Faith. The things therefore that now remain particularly to be ſpoken to, are reduced to Three Heads,
1. The Acts, wherein the Nature of it is diſcovered.
2. The End or Deſign which it ….
3. The inſeparable Qualities of it.
And under theſe Three we may be acquainted with the diſtinguiſhing Notes of a true Faith, by which it is differenced from that which is falſe.
1 THE Acts wherein the Nature of it is diſcovered; and theſe are Two; It Receives, and Reſts upon Chriſt: Our way of reaſoning uſually leads us to judge of the Nature of Principles by the genuine Acts of them, becauſe we know the Acts cannot exceed the Principle they derive from; for the Principle is an inherent Power in the Subject, empowering and diſpoſing it to ſuch Acts. Now thoſe which diſcover the true Nature of Faith to us, are principally,
(1.) OUR Receiving of Chriſt. Hence Faith is expreſt by ſuch a word, Joh. 1.12. As many as received him. It is true, there are other Acts in which Faith exerts it ſelf, and that thro' the whole Life of Chriſtian; for it exerts it ſelf in all their Duties of New Obedience, all which are done by the Influence of Faith, which renders them Evangelical: Hence that, Gal. 5.6. Faith which worketh by love. But theſe are the firſt and moſt proper Acts of it, as it brings us under the Promiſe of the New-Covenant; and by it we do embrace the Promiſe, and Chriſt in it. Now we are then truely and properly ſaid to receive a thing, when it is offered to us, and we do not reject it, but embrace it: So that in this receiving of Chriſt, there are ſuppoſed,
1. A … of Him made to us. And this is by …; for except we hear of Chriſt we … accept of Him: Hence that in, Rom. 1….1…. How ſhall they believe in … of where they have not heard… And we are tol… in, Ver. 17 Faith cometh by hearing. Nor i… this diſcovery only a general Intimation that there is one ſo called; but a diſcovery of Him in His Perſon, Nature: and Off…s, and that in repreſenting Him to us as an Object ſuitable for us to put our Truſt in: for there is ſomething that we receive Him for, as will be conſidered …; and we are to receive Him, as we are Cauſes by Counſel: He muſt therefore be ſo recommended to us for ever rational Conſent.
2. A free Aſſent to the Reports that are made of Him unto us. For if we do not Believe Him to be the ſ…me, as He is revealed to be, we are far from, embracing Him as ſuch an one: This is frequently called a K…ng of Him; and we are told in, Pſal. 9.10. They that … thy name will put their truſt in thee. And in Joh. 17.3. And this is life eternal, that they might know that the only true God, and Jeſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent. And … …ould ſay of Him, 2. Tim. 1.12. I know whom I have believed. Chriſt therefore pl…ply tells them, Joh 8 24. If ye believe not that I am he, ye ſhall die in your ſins. i. e. He who is ſent of the Father, and came to work out the Redemption of ſinful Men.
3. AN Offer of Chriſt made. This is that gives the Encouragement to the Sinner to Accept Him: And were there not ſuch an Offer made, the convinced Sinner would not dure to lay hold on Him: And tho' there is Encouragement to hear that He is thee, yet this will not remove Doubes & Fears. Now tho' the Invitation given in the Goſpel is general, Iſa. 55.1. He, every one that thirſteth, come ye to the waters, &c. Matth. 11.28. Come unto me all ye that labour, and are heavy laden, and I will give you reſt. Yet the Spirit of God is wont to apply this particularly with the Offer; and he apprehends that he hears Him calling him in particular, and ſaying as, Rev. 3.2…. Behold, I ſtand at the door and knock: If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will … with him, and he with me.
4. THE Heart is hereupon opened to Entertain and Embrace Him in the Promiſe. He takes Chriſt upon His word, opens his Heart to receive Him; he offers himſelf to be His, & he takes Him to be ſo: Hence that, Pſal. 27.8. When thou ſaidſt, Seek ye my face; my heart ſaid unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I ſeek. It is true, the Spirit of God firſt imprints the Power on him, which is the Grace of Faith; and then draws forth this Power into Act, cauſing him to cloſe with Him; and now this is an Act of Faith.
(2.) HENCE the other Act is, He Reſts upon Him. This alſo is a Metaphorical Expreſſion, and uſed in the Word of God to expreſs the Nature of Faith. And theſe Two do not ſo properly denote Two Acts of Faith, but are both of them comprehended in One, only this latter diſcovers the way & manner of receiving Him; and hath theſe things more ſpecially belonging to it,
1. AN apprehenſion of the abſolute Need that we ſtand in of Him. The Natural Man is carnally ſecure, and doth not know his Neceſſity; but the Spirit of God convinceth him of his woful undone Eſtate, his utter inſufficiency to relieve himſelf, the impoſſibility of all other Objects of truſt to help him, & that without a CHRIST he muſt needs periſh, without hope; and perſwading him of the fulneſs of ſufficiency there is in Him, and the great readineſs there is in Him to do that for him which he needs; He creates in him an inſatiable deſire after Him; not can he take up any where ſhort of Him; and cries as, Pſal. 73.25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I deſire beſides thee. And in theſe longing deſires are the firſt buddings of this new Principle of Faith in the Soul.
2. A free and abſolute Choice that is made of Him. Faith tho' it be grounded on the diſcovery made of the fulneſs of Chriſt, and compleat ability He hath to anſwer our deſires, and ſupply all our wants; yet it terminates on the Will, and iſſues in a free Election of Him. Hence the Scripture ſo frequently expreſſeth it by Chuſing, which determines the Man to this Object. There are many things that offer themſelves to Him, and ſay, Turn into me? but he turns away from them all, and refuſeth them all for Him, and Chuſeth Him without any reſerve. Hence that, Pſal. 20.7. Some truſt in chariots, and ſome in horſes: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God. Iſai. 26.13. O Lord our God, other lords beſides thee have had dominion over us; but by thee onelyonly will we make mention of thy name. Pſal. 142.5. I cried unto thee, O Lord, I ſaid, Thou art my refuge, and my portion in the land of the living. And this alſo is produced in him by the Operation of the Spirit, which determines him to this.
3. AN Adventuring of our ſelves upon Him, for all that which He hath made offer to us of in the Promiſe. This is the recumbence of Faith, when the Soul caſts its whole burden, and leans all its weight upon Him: We are told what God makes Him to us, 1 Cor. 1.30. Who of God is made unto us wiſdom, righteouſneſs, and ſanctification, and redemption. Now Faith placeth its Reliance upon Him for all this, and accordingly it betruſts it ſelf with Him; and for that reaſon it is ſo frequently called, a Truſting in Him, Pſal. 2 12. Bleſſed are all they that put their truſt in him. And elſe where. He reſolves that there is enough in Him to anſwer all his wants: And He hath invited him to come to Him for it, and ſaid, Joh. 6.37. Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wiſe caſt out. And he takes Him at His word, and ſaith, Behold I come. And whatſoever fears he hath, yet he reſolves that here he will lye, and go no whither elſe; ſaying, Joh. 6.68. Lord, to whom ſhall we go? thou haſt the words of eternal life.
4 THIS Choiſe & Reſignation is Immutabl… A Man is then ſaid to Reſt, when he hath obtained the Object of his deſire, and is fully ſatisfied in it. Faith ſo carries the Man to, an… builds him upon Him, as an Unmoveable Foundation, as an Everlaſting Rock. God i… Chriſt is called a Reſting Place; and Faith take Him as ſuch, and ſaith of Him as the Church Pſal 48 ult. For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even unto death. And as Chriſt is called a ſure Foundation, … the Soul that is built upon Him, is built ſurely, and cannot be moved, Pſal. 125.1. They that truſt in the Lord ſhall be as mount Zion… which cannot be removed, but abideth for ever. And it is certain, that this Faith being a ſaving Benefit, is abiding, & when once wrought in the Man, can never be loſt; and that becauſe it is under His Care; and therefore it is ſaid, 1 Pet. 1.5. Who are kept by the power of God thro' faith unto ſalvation.
II. THE next thing to be conſidered, is The End or Deſign for which this Faith receives and reſts upon Chriſt; and that is our Salvation. It is true, our Faith goes to, and is acted upon Chriſt, for every thing we ask of him; nor can any Prayer be acceptable without it, Jam. 1.6. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. So that if we ask our daily Bread, or Pray for a Bleſſing upon, and Succeſs in our Temporal Affairs, Faith is to be employed in it; and in a large & comprehenſive ſenſe, Salvation engroſſeth all freedom from evil, and participation in good: but in a more reſtrained ſenſe, Salvation & Damnation are put in Oppoſition, Mark 16.16. And this is that which is nextly & peculiarly aimed at in this place, and is the great thing about which Faith is employed. This is ſometimes called Life, Joh. 5.40. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. 1 Joh. 5.12. He that hath the Son, hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not life. And that is by a Synechdoche, for there is ſomething more comprehended in Salvation than Life: Life was the thing promiſed in the first Covenant; Salvation in the Name Life, deſigned a ſtate of happineſs, in which Man was to have continued upon his Obedience, and never to have known Miſery; but Salvation ſuppoſeth Men to be fallen into Miſery, & held faſt by it; and Salvation contains in it, a relieving him from that Miſery, and reſtoring him to true Felicity This then is the Salvation, which Faith receives & reſts on Christ for. And here let us briefly obſerve,
1. AVOIDANCE of Miſery, and reaching after Happineſs, is an inextinguiſhable Principle, rooted in Humane Nature. We are told, Pſal. 4.6. There by many that ſay, Who will ſhew us any good? And theſe many are all Men beſides thoſe that have found it, who are but few in compariſon. Man is a reaſonable Creature, and hath the reſentment of good and evil, and chuſeth the one, and refuſeth the other. Hence that, Iſai. 7.16. Before the child ſhall know to refuſe the evil, and chooſe the good. i. e. Come to the uſe of his reaſon. And tho' Sin hath wofully miſled Man in the Choice of the Media, yet he hath a general Notion of the En…; and his natural Affections carry him from the one, and after the other: No Man would be Miſerable, but earneſtly deſires that it may be Well with him.
2. THE awakened Sinner is Convinced of his Miſery by reaſon of Sin, and put upon enquiry how it may be remedied. Carnal Security is one of the unhappy Fruits of the Apoſtacy, which as long as it poſſeſſeth the Man, makes him regardleſs of Salvation, and careleſs about ſeeking after it: The Spirit therefore ſhews him his Eſtate in it's true Colours, and lets him ſee the Curſe that he lies under, and realizeth to him the Danger he is in of Suffering it in it's whole weight, the Terrors whereof make hi… afraid: And he uſeth theſe Terrors to put him out of his ſenſeleſs Stupidity, and rouze him up to enquire whether there be no hope that He may be reſcued from this forlorn State; and he asks, Is there not Salvation to be had, and what ſhall I do to obtain it? So it was with the Jaylor, Acts 16.32. Sirs, What muſt I do to be ſaved? Hence his Requeſt Pſal. 83.16. Fill their faces with ſhame: that they may ſeek thy name, O Lord.
3. THE Spirit of God diſcovers to him, the New and Living Way by which he may be recovered and reſtored. The Spirit of God treats with Men as with Men, and therefore applies himſelf to them in a rational Way, laying before them Arguments, which may carry Motive in them to win their Compliance with His Offers: Having therefore raiſed in them a ſenſe of Miſery to awaken them to enquire after Help, they are now prepared for the good Reports of it, that they may gladly and thankfully entertain it; but for which the former ſenſe would readily drive them to Deſpair; whereas this opens a door of Hope to them, and encourageth them to Attend the Means in order thereunto: Hence theſe Two are put together, Hoſ. 13.9. O Iſrael, thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelf, but in me is thine help. And if they may be perſwaded to Believe this Report, that there is Help to be had in one that is mighty to Save, it will put Life into their Fear, to excite them to ſeek after the Remedy, and ſo obtain the End of the Conviction.
4. HENCE, together with his Offer to Chriſt as the Object of his truſt, He promiſeth him Salvation on his Compliance. And this is accommodated both to the State of the Sinner, and the Cravings that are raiſed in him by the former Conviction: Now, in the opening of the New-Covenant, as there are the Terms required, ſo there is the Encouragement offered; and that is nothing leſs than a Promiſe of Salvation to all ſuch as ſhall cordially comply with it: Hence that, Iſa. 45.22. Look unto me, and be ye ſaved all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none elſe. And a greater Promiſe cannot be opened to ſinful and undone Man, than that he ſhall be Saved on his accepting of Chriſt: And thus the Goſpel Terms run, Mark 16.16. He that believeth and is baptized, ſhall be ſaved; but he that believeth not, ſhall be damned.
5. THIS therefore becomes a powerful … tive to perſwade him to come to Chriſt. This is a mighty attractive; and the former Conviction helps to make it ſo, in that it ſhews him the abſolute Neceſſity that he ſtands in of it; for the reaſon why ſo many that have the Goſpel Invitation ſent to them, … ſo light of it, is becauſe they do not apprehend nor Believe their own miſerable Neceſſity of Salvation, and that it is no where to be obtained but in and by Chriſt. But when Men are perſwaded that Guilt and Miſery is upon them, and except delivered from it, they muſt needs Periſh; and now they are invited to come to Chriſt, and give themſelves up to Him, on the Aſſiſtance, that if they ſo do He will become their Saviour, this is good News, and acceptable; 1 Tim. 1.15. This is a faithful ſaying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Chriſt Jeſus came into the world to ſave ſinners. It is therefore as ſuch an one, that Faith embraceth Him, and for this it adventures upon Him, becauſe as ſuch an one He is exhibited.
III. IN the laſt place, We are to conſider the inſeparable Qualities of this Faith, whereby the Truth of it is manifeſted; and it is differenced from a fa…ſe and preſumptions Faith. And there are Two Properties of it mentioned in the Anſwer.
1. IT is Chriſt alone whom he thus Receives and Reſts upon for Salvation.
AND here two things are to be obſerved,
(1.) THAT we are not by this to underſtand that God the Father, and God the Holy Ghost, are hereby excluded from being of the Object of this Reliance. It is certain that GOD, and no other, can be the proper Object of a Divine Faith; nor can any other but He, beſtow Salvation upon fallen Man; the Deity therefore muſt needs be the Ultimate Object on which a ſaving Faith muſt terminate: And the Three Perſons in this God-head, are but One and the ſame God; and every Perſon equally ſhares in all the Divine Perfections; and each according to his Manner of being and working, contributes to the ſaving of the Sinner: Hence we are told, Pſal. 3.8. Salvation belongeth unto the Lord. Tho' Chriſt, God-Men be the next and Immediate Object of our Faith, thro' whom we come to the Father.
(2.) THAT it ſtands in Oppoſition to every other Created Being whatſoever: And that whether ſeparately from Him, or in conjunction with Him. We are to place our ſole A…ce on no other inſtead of Him; they are not to be our Saviours: not the World and the things of it; we are therefore every where forbidden to put our truſt in them, becauſe they cannot Save us. Our own Righteouſneſs is alſo here ſecluded, for that is a Reliance on our ſelves, which we are required to renounce. Angels alſo, and Saints muſt not be truſted in, for they cannot Save us. Nor are we to reſt upon any of theſe in Conjunction with Chriſt, or partly on Him, partly on them; for we are aſſured, Acts 4 12. Neither is there ſalvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be ſaved. Nor will He ſhare the Glory of our Salvation with any Second Being: Iſai. 42.8. I am the Lord, that is my name, and my glory will I not give to another.
2. TRUE Faith receives & reſts upon Him, as He is offered to us in the Goſpel. The ground and encouragement of our believing in Him, is the Offer that is made of Him to us in the New-Covenant; and becauſe the Invitation and Offer is made to us in the way of a Covenant, there are conſequently the Conditions, upon which the Promiſes of Salvation depends, and with which they are connected; and if they are not complied withal, we in vain pretend to believe in Him, and our Faith will prove it ſelf to be Preſumption. And there are Three things which are implied in this expreſſion,
1. THAT the Goſpel Offer is the thing that the Soul takes its encouragement from, to adventure it ſelf upon Chriſt. God's deſign in the Goſpel Treaty is to advance the Riches of Grace in the Salvation of ſinful Men; accordingly He laid in proviſion for the bringing about of this Salvation in Chriſt, in the work of Redemption that was wrought out by Him. He therefore exhibits Him as a compleat Saviour, and profers him to Sinners upon their acceptance of Him as ſuch. As then He offers Him freely; ſo He muſt be received as a free gift of God; ſo that tho' they muſt come for Him, yet it muſt be without money or price, Iſai. 55.1. Rev. …2.17. Whoſoever will let him come. If then Men pretend to receive Him, on the account of any thing in themſelves, whereby they think they better deſerve Him than others do, they do therein make their own works the procuring Cauſe of their Salvation, and do thereby derogate from the free Grace of God, and ſo undermine the Goſpel deſign; whereas we are told, Tit. 3.5. Not by works of righteouſneſs which we have done, but according to his mercy he ſaved us. True Faith evermore adventures upon Chriſt under the deepeſt ſenſe of Unworthineſs, that ſo He may have the whole praiſe of our Salvation paid to Him.
2. THAT we receive Him in the Quality which the Goſpel offers Him in; i. e. As a Saviour. And this comprehends under it the whole … of a Mediator between God & Man; which includes the Three great Offices of Prieſt, Prophet and King. True Faith embraceth Him as He is the Lord's Chriſt; one whom his Father hath anointed to Redeem us from the Wrath & Curſe fallen upon us for Sin. We muſt therefore Believe Him to be ſuch, and as ſo, take him to be ours, elſe he cannot be the Object of a true ſaving Faith. We muſt rely upon him as the great high Prieſt who hath made the Atonement, by ſatisfying of the Law, and anſwering the Demands of Juſtice; and reſting on the Vertue and Merit of His Righteouſneſs, and one Sacrifice, for the removing of our Guilt, and conſtituting us Righteous before God. We muſt embrace him as our great Prophet, to Inſtruct us in the way of Peace, teach us how to live and pleaſe God: And as our ſupream Lord and Sovereign, to Guide and Govern us, ſubmitting to his Commands, and following Him whereſoever He leads us. Hence we muſt take him to be all that to us, which he is made of God to thoſe who do truely Believe in him; and what that is, we are told in, 1 Cor. 1.30. But of him are ye in Chriſt Jeſus, who of God is made unto us wiſdom, and righteouſneſs, and ſanctification, and redemption. And if in any of theſe Articles we cannot comply with him, but find fault, and count them hard ſayings, we are ſtrangers to the Faith of God's Elect.
3. THAT we take him upon his own Terms, which he hath propoſed to us in the Goſpel. For if we do not entirely comply with them, we do not indeed receive, but reject him: for he will be ours in no other way. There are many that would accept of Chriſt, provided they may but make their own Terms; but this may not be, but we muſt cordially accept of His. And theſe are,
1. THAT we utterly and forever Renounce all Affiance or Truſt in every other thing whatſoever. It properly belongs to the Nature of true Faith, that in it there is a Change of Objects of Reliance: The Spirit of God, in working Faith in us, produceth this Change: Every Man hath his Truſt ſomewhere; and the natural Man hath his Truſt placed ſomewhere elſe, and not in Chriſt; but he requires if we would obtain Salvation from him, that we come and put our Truſt under the ſhadow of His Wings, and expect our whole Salvation from him; and this cannot be done, unleſs we reject all other, & with full purpoſe of heart, that we will truſt in them no more: This is that which God directs his People to make a frank and full Profeſſion of in returning to him, Hoſ 14.3 Asſhur ſhall not ſave us, we will not ride upon horſes, neither will we ſay any more to the works of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherleſs findeth mercy. And till we come to this, we are ſtrangers to true Faith: we muſt ſay to our Souls as he did, Pſal. 62 5, 6. My ſoul, … thou only upon God: for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my ſalvation; he is my defence; I ſhall not be moved. For we are told, Jonah 2.8. They that obſerve lying vanities, forſake their own mercy.
2. THAT we cordially Repent of all our Sins, and turn from them to Him with a full purpoſe to ſerve Him in uprightneſs. It is true, Faith and Repentance are two things, the one produceth a Change in our Object, the other in our Life: And what this Repentance is, will come to be conſidered in the next place. I here only obſerve, that ſound Repentance is always an inſeparable Concomitant of true Faith; and we can never aright Believe in Chriſt, unleſs with it, we Turn from all Sin, and utterly forſake it: That Faith therefore, that will have Chriſt and Sin too, is not of the right ſtamp▪ If we accept of him, it muſt be with a purpoſe to be for him and for no other; and this is one thing which he came to do for his Redeemed, Act. 5.31. Him hath God exalted with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Iſrael, and forgiveneſs of ſins. And as ſuch we are to receive him. Hence,
3. THAT we receive Him to ſeve us from Sin, as well as to ſave us from Hell. Sinners that are afraid of dwelling with Everlaſting Burnings, would accept of CHRIST to deliver them from theſe, but they are not willing to part with their Sins: but it is vain to make a ſeparation between theſe; for it is certain, that CHRIST came not only to deliver us from Guilt, but alſo to cleanſe us from Pollution; both are included in that, Joh 1.29. The Lamb of God, which taketh away the ſin of the world. Hence that, 2 Theſ. 2.13. God hath from the beginning choſen you to ſalvation, thro' ſanctification of the Spirit, and belief of the truth. And as ſuch we muſt embrace him, and yield our ſelves up to him for it; yea, put up our earneſt requeſt to him for it, as they in, Hoſ. 14.2. Take with you words, and turn to the Lord, ſay unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciouſly.
USE. WOULD we then know, and not be deceived in our enquiry, Whether we have eſcaped from the wrath to come? let us put our ſelves upon this teſt, Have we truly ſamp; ſincerely Believed in Jeſus Chriſt? Are we built upon Him by a true and a living Faith? And it is a matter of unſpeakable Concernment for us ſo to do; for, unleſs we believe in him, we cannot be ſaved, for there is no other way for it. And it is a fearful thing to think what Multitudes there are, who cheat their Souls into Eternal Perdition, by their Ungrounded Confidence on this account. There is an Undoing as well as a Saving Faith; and how many might have been Saved, if they had not thought themſelves ſure of it, by a Preſumptous Faith. Let us then now put it upon the moſt exact & curious Scrutiny, as thoſe who expect that ere-long, the heart-ſearching God will bring us into a true light; and he cannot be mocked
[MARCH 4. 1707.]