Sect. 3. — The warrant to believe in Christ.
Sect. 3. — The warrant to believe in Christ.
Neo. But, sir, does one such as me have any warrant to believe in Christ?
Evan. I beseech you, consider that God the Father, as he is in his Son Jesus Christ, moved with nothing but his free love to lost mankind, has made a deed of gift and grant to them all, that whoever will believe in his Son, shall not perish, but have eternal life (Joh 3.15). And hence it was, that Jesus Christ himself said to his disciples in Mark 16.15, “Go and preach the gospel to every creature under heaven:” that is, Go and tell every man without exception, that here is good news for him: Christ is dead for him. And if he will take him, and accept his righteousness, he shall have him.
Therefore, says a godly writer, “Because the holy Scripture speaks to all in general, none of us ought to distrust himself, but believe that it belongs particularly to himself.
To better understand this point, in which lies and consists the whole mystery of our holy faith, let us propose that some good and holy king caused a proclamation to be made throughout his whole kingdom by the sound of a trumpet. It proclaimed that all rebels and banished men may safely return home to their houses, because at the suit and deservedness of some dear friend of theirs, it has pleased the king to pardon them. Certainly, none of these rebels ought to doubt that he will obtain true pardon for his rebellion; and so they return home, and live under the shadow of that gracious king. Even so, our good King, the Lord of heaven and earth, because of the obedience and deservedness of our good brother Jesus Christ, has pardoned all our sins, and made a proclamation throughout the whole world, that every one of us may safely return to God in Jesus Christ. Therefore I beseech you, do not doubt it, but “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,” Heb. 10.22.
Neo. Oh, but sir, in this similitude the case is not alike. For when the earthly king sends forth such a proclamation, it may be thought that he indeed intends to pardon all; but it cannot be thought that the King of heaven does so: for do the Scriptures not say that “some men are ordained beforehand to condemnation?” Jude 1.4. And does Christ himself not say that “many are called, but few are chosen?” Mat. 22.14. And therefore, it may be that I am one of those who are ordained to condemnation. Therefore, even though I am called, I will never be chosen, and so I will not be saved.
Evan. I beseech you to consider, that although some men are ordained to condemnation, yet so long as the Lord has concealed their names, and has not set a mark of reprobation on any man in particular, but offers the pardon generally to all, without any respect either to election or reprobation, surely it is great folly for any man to say, ‘It may be that I am not elected; therefore I will not benefit by it; and therefore I will not accept it or come in.’ It should insteaad move every man to be diligent “to make his calling and election sure,” 2Pet. 1.10, by believing it for fear we may come short of it. This is according to what the apostle says, “let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left to us of entering into his rest, any of us would seem to come short of it,” Heb. 4.1. Therefore, I beseech you, do not say, ‘It may be that I am not elected, and therefore I will not believe in Christ;’ rather say, ‘I do believe in Christ, and therefore I am sure I am elected.’ Check your own heart for meddling with God’s secrets, and prying into his hidden counsel, and do not go anymore beyond your bounds, as you have done in this point. For election and reprobation are a secret; and the Scripture tells us “that secret things belong to God, but those things that are revealed belong to us,” Deu. 29.29. Now this is God’s revealed will, for indeed, it is his express command, “That you should believe on the name of his Son,” 1John 3.23; and it is his promise, “That if you believe, you shall not perish, but have everlasting life,” John 3.16. Therefore, having so good a warrant as God’s command, and so great an encouragement as his promise, do your duty; and by doing it you may put it out of question, and be sure that you are also one of God’s elect. I beseech you, say then with a firm faith, The righteousness of Jesus Christ belongs to all that believe; but I believe, and therefore it belongs to me.
Yes, say with Paul, “I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me, and gave himself for me,” Gal. 2.20. “He saw in me (says Luther on the text) nothing but wickedness going astray, and fleeing from him. Yet this good Lord had mercy on me, and of his mere mercy he loved me; indeed, he so loved me, that he gave himself for me. Who is this me? Even I, wretched and damnable sinner, was so dearly beloved by the Son of-God, that he gave himself for me.”
Oh! print this word “me” in your heart, and apply it to your own self, not doubting that you are one of those to whom this “me” belongs.
Neo. But may such a vile and sinful wretch as I am, be persuaded that God commands me to believe, and that he has made a promise to me?
Evan. Why do you make a question where there is none to be made? “Go,” says Christ, “and preach the gospel to every creature under heaven;” that is, says Christ, —go tell every man without exception, whatever his sins are, whatever his rebellions are, go and tell him these glad tidings: that if he will come in, then I will accept him; his sins shall be forgiven, and he shall be saved. If he will come in and take me, and receive me, then I will be his loving husband, and he shall be my own dear spouse — Let me therefore say to you, in the words of the apostle, “Now then, as an ambassador for Christ, as though God beseeched you by me, I beg you in Christ’s stead, be reconciled to God; for he has made him to be sin for you, who knew no sin, that you might be made the righteousness of God in him,” 2Cor. 5.20, 21.
Neo. But do you say, sir, that if I believe I shall be espoused to Christ?
Evan. Yes, indeed you shall: for faith couples the soul with Christ, even as the spouse is coupled with her husband. By this means, Christ and the soul are made one. For as in corporal marriage, man and wife are made one flesh, even so in this spiritual and mystical marriage, Christ and his spouse are made one spirit. And this marriage, above all others, is most perfect and absolutely accomplished between them. For marriage between man and wife is but a slender figure of this union. Therefore, I beseech you to believe it, and then you will be sure to enjoy it.
Neo. But, sir, if David said, “Does it seem to you a light thing to be an earthly king’s son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man and lightly esteemed?” 1Sam. 18.23; then surely I have much more cause to say, Does it seem a light thing to be a heavenly King’s daughter-in-law, seeing that I am such a poor sinful wretch? Surely, sir, I cannot be persuaded to believe it.
Evan. Alas! man, how much you are mistaken! For you look at God, and at yourself, with the eye of reason; and so you see it as standing in relation to each other according to the tenor of the Covenant of Works. Whereas, now being in the state of justification and reconciliation, you are to look at both God and yourself with the eye of faith; and so you are standing in relation to each other according to the tenor of the Covenant of Grace. For the apostle says, “God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their sins to them,” 2Cor. 5.19. It is as if he had said, Because God stands in relation to man according to the tenor of the Covenant of Works, and so is apart from Christ, he could not, without prejudice to his justice, be reconciled to them, nor have any thing to do with them, other than in wrath and indignation. Therefore, with the intent that Justice and Mercy might meet together, and Righteousness and Peace might embrace each other — so that God would stand in relation to man according to the tenor of the Covenant of Grace — he put himself into his Son Jesus Christ, and shrouded himself there, so that he might speak peace to his people, Psalm 85.8-10 — sweetly, says Luther. “Because the nature of God was otherwise higher than we are able to attain, he therefore humbled himself for us, and took our nature upon himself, and so put himself into Christ. Here he looks for us; here he will receive us; and the one that seeks him here, shall find him.” “This,” says God the Father, “is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” Mat. 3.17. Whereupon Luther says in another place, “We must not think and persuade ourselves that this voice came from heaven for Christ’s own sake, but for our sakes, even as Christ himself says in John 12.30, ‘This voice did not come because of me, but for your sakes.’ The truth is, Christ had no need for this to be said to him, ‘This is my beloved Son.’ He knew that from all eternity, and he would still remain so, even if these words had not been spoken from heaven. Therefore by these words, God the Father in Christ his Son, cheers the hearts of poor sinners, and greatly delights them with singular comfort and heavenly sweetness, assuring them that whoever is married to Christ, and so is in him by faith, is as acceptable to God the Father as Christ himself. This is in accord with what the apostle says, “He has made us acceptable in his beloved,” Eph. 1.6. Therefore, if you would be acceptable to God, and be made his dear child, then cling to his beloved Son Christ by faith, and hang around his neck, yes, and creep into his bosom. And so the love and favour of God shall be as deeply insinuated into you as it is into Christ himself; and so shall God the Father, together with his beloved Son, wholly possess you, and be possessed by you; and so God, and Christ, and you, shall become one entire thing, according to Christ’s prayer, “that they may be one in us, as you and I are one,” John 17.21.
By this means you may have sufficient ground and warrant to say in the matter of reconciliation with God at any time (whenever you are arguing with yourself how God is to be found, who justifies and saves sinners), I know no other God, nor will I know any other God besides this God, who came down from heaven and clothed himself with my flesh, to “whom all power is given, both in heaven and in earth,” who is my judge;
“for the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment to the Son,” John 5.22. Thus Christ may do with me whatever he likes, and determine about me according to his own mind. I am sure he has said, “he did not come to judge the world, but to save the world,” John 12.47. And therefore I believe that he will save me.
Neo. Indeed, sir, if I were so holy and so righteous as some men are, and had such power over my sins and corruptions as some men have, then I could easily believe it, But, alas I am so sinful and so unworthy a wretch, that I dare not presume to believe that Christ will accept me, so as to justify and save me.
Evan. Alas! man. In saying this you seem to contradict and question both the apostle Paul, and our Lord Jesus Christ himself; and that is against your own soul. For though the apostle Paul says that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners,” 1Tim. 1.15 and justifies the ungodly, Rom. 4.5, why you seem to hold, and in effect say, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save the righteous, and to justify the godly. And though our Saviour says the healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do; and says that he did not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance, Mat. 9.12; why you seem to hold, and in effect say, that the sick do not need a physician, but the healthy; and that he came, not to call sinners, but the righteous to repentance. And indeed, in saying so, you seem to conceive that Christ’s spouse must be purified, washed, and cleansed from all her filthiness, and adorned with a rich robe of righteousness, before he will accept her. Whereas he himself said to her in Ezek. 16.4-8, “As for your nativity, in the day that you were born, your navel was not cut, nor were you washed with water to supple you; you were not swaddled at all, nor salted at all. No eye pitied you enough to do any of these things to you; but when I passed by you, and looked at you, behold your time was a time of love. And I spread my skirt over you, and covered your nakedness; yes, and I swore to you, and entered into a covenant with you, and you became mine.” — Hos. 2.19, “And I will marry you to me forever; yes, I will marry you to me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in mercy, and compassion.”
Therefore, I beseech you, revoke your erroneous opinion, and contradict the word of truth no longer; rather, conclude with certainty that it is not the righteous and godly man, but the sinful and ungodly man, that Christ came to call, justify, and save. So that if you were a righteous and godly man, you would not be capable of being called, justified, or saved by Christ; but being a sinful and ungodly man, I will be bold to say to you, as the people said to blind Bartimeus in Mark 10.49, “Be of good comfort; arise, he calls you,” and he will justify and save you. Go to him then, I beseech you. And if he comes and meets you (as is his manner), then do not unadvisedly say with Peter, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, Lord!” Luke 5.8. But say, in plain terms, O come to me; for I am a sinful man, Lord! Yes, go on further and say as Luther bids you, Most gracious Jesus and sweet Christ, I am a miserable, poor sinner, and therefore judge myself unworthy of your grace; yet, having learned from your word that your salvation belongs to such a one as me. I therefore come to you to claim that right which, through your gracious promise, belongs to me. Assure yourself man, that Jesus Christ requires no portion from his spouse; no, truly, he requires nothing from her but mere poverty: “the rich he sends away empty,” Luke 1.53; but the poor are enriched by him. Indeed, says Luther, “the more miserable, sinful, and distressed a man feels and judges himself to be, the more willing Christ is to receive him and relieve him.” So that, he says, in judging yourself unworthy, you thereby become truly worthy; and so indeed, you have a greater occasion to come to him. Therefore, in the words of the apostle, I exhort and beseech you to “come boldly to the throne of grace, that you may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need,” Heb. 4.16.
Neo. But, truly, sir, my heart, as it were, trembles within me, to think of coming to Christ in such a bold manner. Surely, sir, if I were to so come to him, it would argue that there is much pride and presumption in me.
Evan. Indeed, if you were encouraged to come to Christ and speak to him this way because of any godliness, righteousness, or worthiness that you conceive are in you — that, I confess, would be proud presumption in you. But to come to Christ by believing that he will accept you, justify and save you freely by his grace, according to his gracious promise, is neither pride nor presumption. For Christ having tendered and offered it to you freely, you may believe it: it is true humility of heart to take what Christ offers you.
Nom. But, by your favour, sir, allow me to say something by the way. I know my neighbour Neophytus perhaps better than you do. Yet I do not intend to charge him with any sin other than by way of supposing this: suppose he has been guilty of committing gross and grievous sins. Will Christ accept him, and justify and save him despite all that?
Evan. Yes, indeed; for there is no limitation of God’s grace in Jesus Christ, except the sin against the Holy Ghost.
Christ “stands at the door and knocks,” Rev. 3.20. And if any murdering Manasseh, or any persecuting and blaspheming Saul, 1Tim. 1.13, or any adulterous Mary Magdalene, “will open to him, he will come in,” and bring comfort with him, “and will sup with him.” “Seek from the one end of the heavens to the other,” says Hooker; “turn all the Bible over, and see if the words of Christ are not true, ‘He that comes to me, I will in no way cast out,’” John 6.37.
Nom. Why, then, sir, it seems you hold that the vilest sinner in the world should not be discouraged from coming to Christ, and believing in him, by reason of his sins.
Evan. Surely, if “Christ came into the world to seek, and call, and save sinners, and to justify the ungodly,” as you have heard — and if the more sinful, miserable, and distressed a man judges himself to be, the more willing Christ is to receive him and relieve him — then I see no reason why the vilest sinner should be discouraged from believing on the name of Jesus Christ by reason of his sins. Indeed, let me say more; the greater any man’s sins are, either in number or nature, the more haste he should make to come to Christ, and to say with David, “For your name’s sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity, for it is great!” Psalm 25.11.
Ant. Surely, sir, if my friend Neophytus rightly considered these things, and he were assuredly persuaded of their truth, I think he would not be so hesitant as he is to come to Christ by believing on his name. For if the greatness of his sins was so far from hindering his coming to Christ, that they should further his coming to him, then I do not know what would hinder him.
Evan. You speak very truly indeed. And therefore I beseech you, neighbour Neophytus, to consider it seriously; and let neither your own accusing conscience, nor Satan the accuser of the brethren, keep you any longer from Christ. For what if they were to accuse you of pride, infidelity, covetousness, lust, anger, envy, and hypocrisy? Yes, what if they were to accuse you of whoredom, theft, drunkenness, and the like? Indeed, do what they can, they can make no worse a man of you than a sinner, or chief of sinners, or an ungodly person — and so consequently, such a one as Christ came to justify and save. So that, indeed, if you rightly consider it, they do you more good than hurt by their accusations.” And therefore, I beseech you, in all such cases or conflicts, take the counsel of Luther, who on the Galatians (p. 20) says, “When your conscience is thoroughly afraid with the remembrance of your past sins — and the devil assails you with great violence, seeking to overwhelm you with heaps, floods, and whole seas of sins to terrify you, and draw you away from Christ — then arm yourself with sentences such as these: Christ the Son of God was given, not for the holy, righteous, worthy, and such as were his friends; but for the wicked sinners, for the unworthy, and for his enemies. Therefore, if the devil says you are a sinner, and must therefore be damned; then answer and say, Because you say I am a sinner, therefore I will be righteous and saved. And if he replies, No, but sinners must be damned; then you answer, and say. No, for I flee to Christ, who has given himself for my sins. And therefore, Satan, in saying that I am a sinner, you give me armour and weapons against yourself, that with your own sword I may cut your throat and tread you under my feet.” And thus you see it is the counsel of Luther that your sins should drive you to Christ, rather than keep you from him.
Nom. But, sir, suppose he has not yet truly repented for his many and great sins; does he have any warrant to come to Christ by believing, till he has done so?
Evan. I tell you truly, that whatever a man is, or whatever he has done or not done, he has warrant enough to come to Christ by believing, if he can. For Christ makes a general proclamation, saying,Isa 55.1 “Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat; yes, come, buy wine and milk without money, and without price.” This, you see, is the condition: “buy wine and milk;” that is, obtain grace and salvation “without money,” that is, without any sufficiency of your own; only “incline your ear and hear, and your souls shall live;” yes, live by hearing that “Christ will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.”Isa 55.3