Sermon V (continued, part 2)
us: He will never come lower, nor make them easier than they are, for any man's fake in the world; we must either receive him upon these, or part with him for ever as thousands do, who could be content to agree to some articles, but rather choose to be damned for ever, than submit to all: This is the great controversy betwixt Christ and sinners; upon this, many thousands break off the treaty, and part with Christ, because he will not come to their terms ; but every true believer receives him upon his own, (i. e.) their acceptanceofhim by faith, is in all things confentaneous to the overtures made of him in the written word. So he tenders himself, and so they receive him; as will be evident in the following particulars.
First, The gospel offers Christ to usfincerely and really, and fo the true believer receives and accepts him ; even with a faith unfeigned : 1 Tim. i. 5. If ever the soul be serious and in earneftin any thing, it is so in this: Can we suppose the heart of him that flies for his life to the refuge-city, to be serious and in carneft, to escape by flight the avenger of blood who pursues him ?
Then is the heart of a convinced sinner serious in this matter ; for under that notion is the work of faith presented to us,Heb. vi. 18.
Secondly, Christ is offered to us in the gospel entirely and undividedly, as cloathed with all his offices,priestly, prophetical, and regal ; as Christ Jesus the Lord, Acts xvi. 31. and so the true believer receives him : The hypocrite, like the harlot, is for divid. ing,but the sincere believer finds the need he hath of every office of Christ, and knows not how to want any thing that is in him.
† Rom. iv. 17. υπηκέσατε δε εκ καρδίας εις ον παρεδυθητε τυπον διδαχης. The will like melted metal, is delivered into the gospel. mould, where it receives the same form and figure that the mould gives.
SERM. VI, 211 The Method of Grace. His ignorance makes him necessary anddefireable to him as a prophet : His guilt makes him necessary as a priest : His strong and powerfullufts and corruptions make him necessary as a king, and in truth he sees not anything in Christ that he can spare ; he needs all that is in Christ, and admires infinite wisdom in nothing more, than the investing Christ with all these offices, which are fo suited to the poor sinner's wants and miseries. Look, as the three offices are undivided in Christ, so they are in the believer's acceptance; and before this trial no hypocrite can stand; for all hypocrites reject and quarrel with something in Christ; they like his pardon better than his government. Theycallhim, indeed, Lord and Master, but it is but an empty title they bestow upon him ; for let them ask their own hearts, if Christ be Lord over their thoughts, as well as words : over theirfecret, as well as open actions ; over their darling lusts, as well as others ; let them ask, who will appear to be Lord and Master over them, when Christ and the world come in competition ? When the pleasures of fin shallstanduponone side, and sufferings to death, and deepest points of self-denial,upon the other side ? Surely it is the greatest affront, that can be offered to the divine Wisdom and Goodness, to separate in our acceptance, what is so united in Christ, for our salvation and happiness. As without anyone of these offices, the work of our salvation could not be completed, fo without acceptance of Christ in them all, our union with them by faith cannot be completed.
The gospel-offer of Christ includes all his offices, and gospel faith just so receives him ; to submit to him, as well as to be redeemed by him; to imitate him in the holiness of his life, as well as to reap the purchases and fruits of his death. Itmult be an entire receiving of the Lord Jesus Christ || .
Thirdly, Christ is offered to us in the gospel exclusively, as the alone and only Saviour of sinners ; with whose blood and intercession nothing is to be mixed; but the soul of afinner is
to rely and depend on him, and no other, Acts iv. 2. 1 Cor. iii. 11. and fo faith receives him, Psal. Ixxi. 16. " I will make mention ofthyrighteousness, even of thine only." Phil. iii. 9. And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of
Ee 2
as lawfully join saints or angels in his mediation with Christ, as graces . It is gross idolatry to make the works of God a God, and it is but a more subtle idolatry to make the works of Christ, a Christ. Burgess de Lage.
212 The Method of Grace. SERM. VI.
" Christ:" To depend partly upon Christ's righteousness, and partly upon our own, is to set one foot upon a rock, and the other in a quick-sand; either Christ will be to us all in all, or nothing at all, in point of righteousness and salvation; he affects not social honour; as he did the whole work, so he expects the sole praise; if he be not able to fave to the uttermoft, why do we depend upon him at all? and if he be, why do we lean upon any beside him ?
Fourthly, The gospel offers Christ freely to sinners as the gift, not the sale of God, John iv. 10. Ifa. Iv. 1. Rev. xxii. 17 .
and even fo faith receives him . The believer comes to Christ with an empty hand, not only as an undeserving, but as an hell-deserving sinner; he comes to Christ as to one that justifies the ungodly, Rom. iv. 5. " Unto him that worketh not, but " believeth in him thatjustifieth the ungodly, his faith is count- " ed for righteousness:" Whereby him that worketh not, he means a convinced, humbled sinner, who finds himself utterly unable to do the task the law sets him, (i. e.) perfectly to obey it; and ,therefore in a law sense is faidnot to work ; for it is all one as to the intent and purpose of the law, not to work, and not to work perfectly : This he is convinced of, and therefore comes to Christ as one that is in himself ungodly, acknowledging the righteousness, by which alone he can stand before God, is in Christ, and not in himself, in whole, or in part; and by the way, let this encourage poor souls that are scared and daunted for want of due qualifications, from closing with and embracing Christ : There is nothing qualifies any man for Christ morethana sense of his unworthiness of him, and the want of allexcellencies or ornaments, that may commend him to divine acceptance.
Fifthly, The gospel offers Christ orderly to sinners, first his person, then his privileges . God first gives his Son, and then with him, or as aconsequent of that gift, he gives us all things, Rom. viii . 32. In the same order must our faith receive him. The believer doth not marry the portion first, and then the person,but to be found in him is the first and great care of a believer.
I deny not but it is lawful for any to have an eye to the benefits of Christ. Salvation from wrath is, and lawfully may be intended and aimed at : " Look unto me, and be saved all ye " ends of the earth," Ifa. xlv. 22. Nor do I deny but there are many poor souls, who being in deep distress and fear, may, and aften do, look mostly to their own safety at first ; and that there is much confusion, as well in the actings of their faith, as
SERM. VI . The Method of Grace. 213 in their condition; but sure I am, it is the proper order in believing, first to accept the person of the Lord Jesus : Heaven is no doubt very defireable, but Christ is more : "Whom have I in " heaven but thee ?" Pial. Ixxiii. 25. Union with Christ is, in order of nature, antecedent to the communication of his privileges, therefore so it ought to be in the order and method of believing.
Sixthly, Christ is advisedly offered in the gospel to sinners, as the result of God's eternal counsel, a project ofgraceuponwhich his heart and thoughts have been much set, Zech. vi . 13. The couniel of peace was betwixt the Father and Son. Andfo the believer receives him, mostdeliberatelyweighing the matter in his most deep and serious thoughts; for this is a time of much foli, citude and thoughtfulness. The soul's espousals are acts of judgment, Hos. ii. 19. on our part, as well as on God's : We are therefore bid to fit down and count the cost, Luke xiv. 28. Faith, or the actual receiving of Christ, is the result of many previousdebatesinthe foul : The matter hath been pondered over and over : The objections and discouragements, both from the self-denying terms of the gospel, and our own vileness and deep guilt, have been ruminated, and lain upon our hearts day and night, and after all things have been balanced in the most deep consideration, the soul is determined to this conclusion, I must have Christ, be the terms never so hard, be my fins never so great and many, I will yetgo to him, and venture my soul upon him ; if I perith, I perish. I have thought out all my thoughts, and this is the result, union with Christ here, or separation from God for ever must be my lot.
And thus doth the Lord open the hearts of his elect, and win the consent of their wills to receive Jesus Christ upon the deepest consideration, and debate of the matter in their own most solemn thoughts : They understand and know, that they must deeply deny themselves, take up his cross and follow him, Matth. xvi. 24. renounce not onlyfinful, but religious self; these are hard and difficult things, but yet the necessity and excellency of Christ make them appear eligible, and rational ; by all which you fee faith is another thing than what the found of that word(as it is generally understood) signifies to the under-
This is that fiducialreceiving of Christ hereto be opened.
Secondly, Our next work will be to evince this receiving of Christ as hath been opened, to be that special saving faith of God's elect : This is that faith of which such great and glorious things are spoken in the gospel, which, whosoever hath shall
214 The Method of Grace. SERM. VI. be saved, and be that hath it not shall be damned: and this I
evidently prove by the following arguments or reasons .
Arg. 1. First, That faith which gives the soul right and title to spiritual adoption, with all the privileges and benefits thereof, is true and saving faith.
But such a receiving of Christ as hath been described, gives the soul right and title to spiritual adoption, with all the privileges and benefits thereof.
Therefore such a receiving of Christ as hath been described, is true and saving faith .
The major proposition is undeniable, for our right and title to spiritual adoption, and the privileges thereof arise from our union with Jesus Christ ; we being united to the Son of God, are, by virtue of that union, reckoned or accounted sons,Gal.
iii. 26. " You are all the children of Godbyfaith in JesusChrift :" The effect of saving faith is union with Christ's person, the consequent of that union is adoption, or right to the inheritance.
The minor is most plain in the text : "To as many as re- " ceived him, to them gave he power or right to become the
" sons of God:" A false faith hath no such privilege annexed to it; no unbeliever is thus dignified: No stranger entitled to this inheritance.
Arg. 2. Secondly, That only is saving and justifying faith, which is in all true believers, in none but true believers ; and in all true believers at all times .
But such a receiving of Christ as hath been described, is in all true believers, in none but true believers, and in all true believers at all times.
Therefore such a receiving of Christ as hath been described, is the onlyfaving and justifying faith.
The major is undeniable, that must needs contain the essence of saving faith, which is proper to every true believer, at all times, and to no other.
The minor will be as clear, for there is no other act of faith, but this offiducial receiving Christ as he is offered, that doth agree to all true believers, to none but true believers, and to all true be livers at all times.
There be three acts of faith, * affent, acceptance, and assurance: The Papifts generally give the essence of saving faith to
The act of faith con fits in affent, by which one afsents to any proposition revealed by God on the authority of the revealer. Be can. Theol. Schol. Tom. 3. cap. 3. 2. 4.
SERM . VI. The Method of Grace. 215 the first, viz affent. The Lutherans, and some of our own, give it to the lait, viz. afsfurance : But it can be neither way fo.
Affentdothnot agree only to true believers, or justified persons. Alfurance agrees tojustifiedpersons, and them only, but not to alljüftified persons, and that at all times.
Affent is too low to contain the essence of saving faith ; it is found in the unregenerate as well as the regenerate : Yea, in devils as well as men, James ii. 19. it is supposed and included injullifying faith, but it isnotthejustifying or saving act. Assurance is as much too high, being found only in some eminent believers : and in them too but at some times : There is many a true believer, to whom the joy and comfortofafsurance are denied : They may say of their union with Christ, as Paul said of his vision; whether in the body or out of the body, I cannot tell ; so they, whether in Christ or out of Christ, they cannot tell†.
A true believer may " walk in darkness, and fee no light," Ifa. 1. 10. Nay a man must be a believer, before he know himself to be fo; the direct act of faith is before the reflex act; fo that the justifying act of faith lies neither in affent, nor in assurance. Affent faith, I believe that Christ is, and that he is the Saviour of the elect. Affsurance faith, I believe, and am sure that Christ died for me, and that I shall be saved through him. So that affent widens the nature of faith too much, and affuranceupon theotherhandtraitens it too much ; but acceptance, which faith, I take Christ in all his offices to be mine, this fits it exactly, and belongs to all true believers, and to none but true believers ; and to all true believers at all times: This therefore must be the justifying and saving act of faith. Arg. 3. Thirdly, That, and no other, is the justifying and saving act of faith, to which the properties and effects of saving faith do belong, or in which they are only found.
But in the fiducial receiving of Christ, are the properties and effects of saving faith only found.
This therefore must be the justifying and saving act of faith . First, By saving faith, Christ is said to " dwell in our hearts," Eph. iii. 17. but it is neither by affent, nor assurance, but by acceptance; and receiving him that he dwells in our hearts; not by affent, for then he would dwell in the unregenerate ;
Many new born Christians live like the new born babe, Vivit et eft vitae nescius ipfefuae: The whole stock of many a believer consists in the bare direct acts of faith,
216 The Method of Grace. SERM . VI.
nor by assurance, for he must dwell in our hearts before we can be assured of it: Therefore it is by acceptance.
Secondly, By faith we are justified, Rom. v. 1. But neither affent nor assurance, for the reasons above, do justify ; therefore it must be by the receiving act, and no other.
Thirdly, The scripture ascribes great difficulties to that faith by which we are saved, as being most cross and opposite to the corrupt nature of man; but of all the acts of faith, none is clogged with like difficulties, or conflicts with greater oppositions than the receiving act doth: this act is attended with the greatest difficulties, fears, and deepest self-denial. In affent, a man's reason is convinced, and yields to the evidence of truth, fothathe can do no other but assent to the truth. In assurance there is nothing against a man's will or comfort, but much for it; every one desires it: but it is not so in the acceptance of Christ, upon the self-denying terms of the gospel, as will hereafter be evinced. We conclude therefore, that in this consists the nature and essence of saving faith.
Thirdly, Having seen what the receiving of Jesus Christ is, and that it is the faith by which we are justified and saved: [ next come to open the dignity and excellency of this faith, whose praises and encomiums are in all the scriptures : there you find it renowned by the title of precious faith, 2 Pet. i. 7. en . riching faith, Jam. ii. 5. The work of God, John vi. 29. The great mystery of Godliness, 1 Tim. iii. 16. With many more rich epithets throughout the scriptures bestowed upon it.
Now faith maybe considered two ways, viz. either qualitatively, or relatively.
Considered qualitatively, as a saving grace, it hath the fame excellency that all other precious saving graces have: as it is the fruit of the Spirit, it is more precious than gold, Prov. viii. 11 ,
19. And so are all other graces as well as faith : in this sense they all thine with equal glory, and that a glory, transcending all the glory of this world: but then confider faith relatively, as the instrument by which the righteousness of Christ is apprehended and made ours, and in that consideration it excels all other graces.
This is the grace that is singled out from among all other graces, to receive Christ, by which office it is dignified above all its fellows : as Moses was honoured above the many thousands of Israel, when God took him up into the mount, admitted him nearer to himself, than any other of all the tribes might come ; for they stood without the rail, while Moses was received into the special presence of God, and was admitted to such views as
SERM.VI. The Method of Grace. 219 others must not have: fo faith is honoured above all its fellow graces, inbeing singled out, and solemnly anointed to this high office in our justification: this is that precious eye that looks unto Christ as the stung Ifraelites did to the brazen serpent, and deriveshealingvirtue from him to the soul. It is the grace which instrumentally saves us, Eph. ii. 8. As it is Christ's glory to be the door of salvation, so it is faith's glory to be the golden key that opens that door.
What shall I say of faith ? It is the bond of union ; the in Arument ofjuftification ; the spring of spiritual peace and joy ; the means of spiritual life and subsistence: and therefore the great scope and drift of the gospel ; which aims at, and preffethnothing more,than to bringmenandwomentobelieve.
First, This is the bond of our union with Christ : that union is begun in our vivification, and completed in our actual receiv ing of Christ : the first is a bond of union on the Spirit's part, the second a bond of union on our part. " Christ dwelleth in
" our hearts by faith," Eph. iii. 17. And therein it is a door opened to let in many rich blessings to the soul : for by uniting us to Christ, it brings us into special favour and acceptationwith God, Eph. i. 6. Makes us the special objects of Christ's conjugal love and delight, Eph. v. 29. Draws from his heart sympathy, and a tender sense of all our miseries and burdens, Heb .
iv. 15.
Secondly, It is the instrument of our justification, Rom. v. 1. Till Christ be received (thus received by us) we are in our fins; under guilt and condemnation; but when faith comes, then comes freedom: " By him all that believe are justified from all things, " * Acts xiii. 38 Rom. viii. 1. For it apprehends or receives the pure and perfect righteousness of the Lord Jesus, wherein the soul, how guilty and sinful soever it be in itself,
, and spotless, before the presence of God: all obligations to punishment, are, upon believing, immediately dissolved: a full and final pardon sealed. Oprecious faith ! Who can sufficiently value it.
What respect, reader, wouldst thou have to that hand that should bring thee a pardon when on the ladder, or block ! Why,
being found in Christ has a tacit reference to the judgment of God; to us there is no condemnation, because he finds uscloath. edwith a righteousness, such ashe requires, i. e. compleatlyperfect, eventherighteousness of Christ, by faith, imputed to us. Bern on the place.
VOL. II. Ff
218 The Method of Grace. SERM. VI .
such a pardon, which thou canst not read without tears of joy, is brought thee by the hand of faith. O inestimable grace ! This cloaths the pure righteousness of Jesus upon our defiled fouls, and so causes us to become the " righteousness of God in
" him ; " or as it is 1 John iii. 7. " Righteous as he is righte66 ous : " Non formal i & intrinsic a juftitia, fed relativa : Not with a formal inherent righteousness of our own, but with a relative imputed righteousness from another.
I know this most excellent and most comfortable doctrine of imputed righteousness, is not only denied, but derided by Papifts. Staple ton calls it spectrum cerebri Luther an i : The monstrous birth of Luther's brain ! But, blessed be God, this comfortable truthiswell secured against all attempts of its adversaries. Let their blasphemous mouths call it in derision, as they doputative righteousness, (i. e.) a mere fancied or conceited righteousness : Yet we know assuredly, Christ's righteousness is imputed to us, and that in the way of faith. If A dam's finbecame ours by imputation, then so doth Christ's righteousness also become ours by imputation, Rom. v. 17. If Christ were made a sinner by the imputation of our fins to him, who had no fin of his own, then we are made righteous by the imputation of Christ's righteousness to us, who have no righteousness of our own, according to 1 Cor. v. 21. This was the way in which Abraham, the Father of them that believe, was justified, and therefore this is the way in which all believers, the children of Abraham, must, in the like manner, be juttified, Rom. iv. 22, 23, 2.4. Who can express the worth of faith in this one respect, were this all it did for our souls ?
But, Thirdly, It is the spring of our spiritual peace and joy ; and that as it is the instrument ofourjuftification. If it be an instrument ofourjuftification, it cannot but be the spring of our consolation, Rom. v. 1. " Being justified by faith, we have peace with God:" In uniting us with Christ, and apprehending and applying his righteousness to us, it becomes the feed, or root of all the peace and joy of a Christian's life. Joy, the child of faith, therefore bears its name, Phil. i. 25. " The joy of " faith," So 1 Pet. i. 8 , 9. Believing we rejoice with joy " unspeakable: " We cannot forbear rejoicing when, by faith, we are brought to the fight, and knowledge offuch a privileged slate: when faith hath first given, and then cleared our title to Christ , joy is no more under the soul's command : we cannot but rejoice, and that with joy unspeakable.
Fourthly, It is the means of our spiritual livelihood and subfifience: all other graces, like birds in the nest, depend upon
SERM . VI . 219 The Method of Grace. what faith brings in to them: take away faith, and all the graces languish and die: joy, peace, hope, patience, and all the rest, depend upon faith, as the members of the natural body do upon the vessels by which blood and spirits are conveyed to them.
" The life which I now live (faith the apostle) is by the faith of the Son of God," Gal. ii. 20. It provides our ordinary food, and extraordinary cordials, Psal. xxvii. 13 . " had fainted unless I had believed." And seeing it is all this to our souls,
Fifthly, In the last place, it is no wonder that it is the main scope and drift of the gospel, to press and bring fouls to believing: it is the gospel's grand design to bring up the hearts of men and women to faith. The urgent commands of the gospel aim at this, I John iii. 23. Mark i. 14, 15. John xii . 36. Hither also look the great promises and encouragements of the gospel, John vi. 35, and 37. So Mark xvi. 16. And the opposite sin of unbelief is every where fearfully aggravated, and threatned, John xvi. 3, 9. John iii. 18, 35. And this was the third thing promised, namely, a discovery of the transcendent worth and excellency of saving faith .
Fourthly, But lest we commit a mistake here, to the prejudice of Christ's honour and glory, which must not be given to another, no not to faith itself; I promised you in the fourth place, to shew you upon what account faith is thus dignified and honoured : that so we may give unto faith, the things that are faith's ; and to Christ the things that are Christ's .
And I find four opinions about the interest of faith in our justification : some will have it to justify us formally, not relatively; i. e. upon the account of its own intrinsical value and worth; and this is the popish sense of justification by faith. Some affirm, that though faith be not our perfect legal righteousness, considered as a work of ours, yet the act of believing is imputed to us for righteousness, i. e. God graciously accepts it instead of perfect legal righteousness, and so, in his esteem, it is our evangelical righteousness. And this is the Arminian sense of Justification by faith.
Some there are also, even among our reformed divines, that contend that faith justifies and saves us, as it is the condition of the new covenant. And lastly, others will have it to justify us as an instrument apprehending or receiving the righteousness of Christ : with which opinion I must join: when Iconfider my text calls it a receiving of Christ : most certain it is, Ff2
220 SERM. VI. The Method of Grace. That, First, it doth not justify in the popish sense, upon the account of its own proper worth and dignity: for then,
First, Justification should be of debt, not of grace ; contrary to Rom. iii. 23, 24.
Secondly, This would frustrate the very scope and end of the death of Christ ; for if righteousness come by the law, i. e by the way of works and desert, then is Christ dead in vain, Gal. ii. 21 .
Thirdly, Then the way of our justification by faithwouldbe fo far from excluding, that it would establish boasting, expreflycontrary to the apostle, Rom. iii, 26, 27 .
Fourthly, Then there should be no defects or imperfections in faith, for a defective and imperfect thing can never be the matter ofourjuftification before God: ifitjustifyupon the account ofitsownworth, and proper dignity, it can have noflaw nor imperfection in it, contrary to the common sense of all believers. Nay, Fifthly, Then it is the fame thing to be justified by faith, and to be justified by works, which the apostle so carefully diftinguisheth and oppofeth, Phil. iii. 9. and Rom. iv. 6. So that we conclude it doth not justify in the Popish sense, for any worth or proper excellency that is in itself.
Secondly, And it is as evident, itdothnotjustify us in the Arminian sense, viz, as the to credere, the act of believing is imputed, or accepted by God, as our evangelical righteousness, instead of perfect legal righteousness. In the former opinion you have the dregs of Popery, and here you have refined Popery. Let all Arminians know, we have as high esteem for faith, as any men in the world, but yet we will not rob Christ tocloath faith. We cannot embrace their opinion, because,
First, We must then dethrone Christ to exalt faith : we are willing to give it all that is due to it, but we dare not defpoil
of his glory, for faith's fake : " He is the Lord our " righteousness," Jer. xxiii . We dare not set the fervantabove the master. We acknowledge no righteousness but what the obedience and satisfaction of Christ yields us . His blood, not our faith ; his satisfaction, not our believing it, is the matter ofourjuftification before God.
Secondly, We dare not yield this point, lest we undermine all the comfort of Christians, by setting their pardon and peace upon a weak, imperfect work of their own. Oh how tottering and unstable must their station be, that stand upon such a bottom as this ! What alterations are there in our faith, whatmixtures of unbelief at all times, and prevalency of unbelief at
SERM. VI. 221 The Method of Grace. some times; and is this a foundation to build our justification and hope upon? Debilefundamentum fall it opus : If we lay the stress here, we build upon verylooseground, and must be at a continual loss, both as to safety and comfort.
Thirdly, We dare not wrong the justice and truth of God at that rate, as to affirm that he esteems and imputes our poor weak faith for perfect legal righteousness *. We know that the judgment of God is always according to truth : if the justice of God requires full payment, sure it will not say, it is fully satisfied by any acts of ours, when all that we can do, amounts pottoone mite of the vast sum we owe to God. So that we deservedly reject this opinion also.
Thirdly, And for the third opinion, That it justifies as the condition of the new covenant, though some of great name and worth among our Protestant divines seem to go that way, yet
I cannot fee, according to this opinion, any reason why repentance may not as properly be said to justify us as faith, for it is a condition of the new covenant as much as faith ; and if faith justify as a condition, then every other grace that is a condition, must justify as well as faith. I acknowledge faith to be a condition of the covenant, but cannot allow that it justifies as a condition. And therefore must profess myself best satisfied in the last opinion, which speaks itaninftrument in our justification: it is the hand which receives the righteousness of Christ that justifies us, and that gives it its value above all other graces : as when we say a diamond ring is worth one hundred pounds, we mean not the gold that receives, but the stone that is set ia it, is worth so much. Faith considered as an habit, is no more precious than other gracious habits are, but considered as an in-
to receive Christ and his righteousness, so it excels them all ; and his instrumentality of faith is noted in these phrases, επι τη πισει, Rom. iii. 28. and δια της πισεως, Rom. iii. 22. By faith, andthroughfaith. And thus much of the nature and excellency of saving faith,
faith receives Christ our righteousness, and ascribes all to the grace of God in him, therefore we are said to be justified by it, only on account of Christ, and not as it is our work. Confef. Helv,
222 SERM . VII. The Method of Grace. SERMON VII.
JOHN i. 12. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God ; even to them that believe on his name. THE nature and excellency of saving faith, together with its relation to justification, as an instrument in receiving Christ and his righteousness, having beendiscoursed doctrinally already, I now come to make application of it, according to the nature of this weighty and fruitful point. And the uses I shall make of it, will be for our,
1. Information, 2. Examination, 3. Exhortation, And 4. Direction. First Use of Information. Use 1. And in the first, this point yields us many, and great, and useful truths, for our information : As,
Infer. 1. Is the receiving of Christ, the vital and saving act of faith, which gives the soul right to the person and privileges of Christ ? Then it follows, That the rejecting of Christ by unbe-- lief, must needs be the damning and foul-destroyingfin, which cuts am an off from Christ, and all the benefits purchased by his blood. If there be life in receiving,there must needs be death in rejecting Christ.
There is no grace more excellent than faith ; no fin more execrable, and abominable, than unbelief. Faith is the saving grace, and unbelief the damning fin, Mark xvi. 16. " He that
" believeth not, shall be damned." See John iii. 18, 36. and John viii. 24.
And the reason why this fin ofunbeliefis the damning fin is this, Because, in the justification ofa sinner, there must be a cooperation of all the con-causes that have a joint-influence on that blessed effect: As there must be free-grace for an impulsive cause, the blood of Christ as the meritorious cause, so, of necessity, there must be faith, the instrumental cause, to receive and apply what the free-grace of God designed, and the blood of Christ purchased for us. For where there are many social causes or con-causes, to produce one effect, there the ef sect is not produced till the last cause be in act. " To him give all the prophets witness, that through his " name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of
Acts x. 43. Faith in its place, is as necessary as the blood of Christ in its place: " It is Christ in you the hope of
SERM . VII. 223 The Method of Grace. 66 glory," Col. i . 27. Not Christ in the womb, not Christ in the grave, nor Christ in heaven, except he be also Christ in you .
Though Christ be come in the flesh; though he died and rose again from the dead; yet if you believe not, you must for all that die in your fins, John viii. 24. And what a dreadful thing is this ! better die any death whatever, than die in your sins. If you die in your fins, you will also rife in your fins, and stand at the bar of Christ in your fins : you can never receive remission, till first you have received Christ. O cursed unbelief, which damns the soul : dishonours God, I John v. 10.flights Jesus Christ, the wisdom of God, as if that glorious design of redemption by his blood, the triumph and master-piece ofdivinewisdom, were mere foolishness, 1 Cor. i. 23, 24. frustrates thegreatdesign of the gospel, Gal. iv. 11. and consequently it must be the fin of fins ; the worst and most dangerous of all sias; leaving am an under the guilt of all his other fins.
Infer. 2. Iffuch a receiving of Christ, as hath been described, be saving and justifying faith, then faith is a work of greater difficulty than most men understand it to be, and there are but few found believers in the world.
Before Christ can be received, the heart must be emptied, and opened: but most mens hearts are full of self-righteousness and vain-confidence: this was the case of the Jews, Rom.x. 3. " Being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to esta- " blish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves
" to the righteousness of God."
Man's righteousness was once in himself, and what liquor is first put into the vessel, it ever afterwards savours of it: It is with Adam's posterity as with bees, which have been accustomed togo to their own hive, and carry all thither ; if the hivebe removed to another place, they will still Ay to the old place, hover up and down about it, and rather die there, than go to a new place. So it is with most men. God hath removed their righteousness from doing, to believing ; from themselves to Christ ; but who shall prevail with them to forsake self? Nature will venture to be damned rather than do it : there is much fubmif fion in believing, and great self-denial : a proud self-conceited heart, will never stoop to live upon the stock of another's righteousness .
Besides, it is no easythingtoperfuademen to receive Christ as their Lord in all things, and submit their necks to his strict and holy precepts, though itbeagreat truth that " * Christ's yoke
Fugum Chrifti non deteritfed honeftat colla. Bern.
224 The Method of Grace. SERM. VII. "doth not gall, but grace and adorn the neck that bears it;" that the truest and sweetest liberty is in our freedom from our lasts, not in our fulfilling them; 'yet who can persuade the car. nal heart to believe this ? And much less will men ever be prevailed withal, to forsake father, mother, wife, children, in her i. tance, and life itself, to follow Christ : and all this upon the account of spiritual and invisible things: and yet this must be done by all that receive the Lord Jesus Christ upon gospel-terms; yea, and before the soul hath any encouraging experience of its own, to balance the manifold discouragements of sense, and carnal reason, improved by the utmost craft of Satan to dismay it; for experience is the fruit and confequentofbelieving. So that it may well be placed among the great mysteries ofgodliness, that Christ is believed on in the world, I Tim, iii.
16. Infer. 3. Hence it will follow,That there may be more true andfoundbelievers in the world, than know, or dare conclude themselves tobefuch.
For, as many run their own fouls by placing the essence of saving faith in naked affent, so some rob themselves of their own comfort, by placing it in full assurance. Faith, and sense of faith, are two distinct and separable mercies : you may have truly received Christ, and not receive the knowledge or assurance of it, Ifa. 1. 10. Some there be that fay, Thou art our God, of whom God never said, You are my people: these have noau thority to be called the sons of God: others there are, of whom God taith, These are my people, yet dare not call God their God : these have authority to be called the sons of God, but know it not. They have received Christ, that is theirfafety ; but they have not yet received the knowledge and assurance of it; that is their trouble : the Father owns his child in the cradle, who yet knows him not to be his father.
Now there are two reasons why many believers, who might argue themselves into peace,do yet live without the comforts of their faith: andthismaycome to pass, either from,
First, The in evidence of the premises. Secondly, Or the weighty importance of the conclusion. First, Itmaycome to pass from the in evidence of the premises. Assurance is a practical fyllogifm, and it proceeds thus :
All that truly have received ChriftJesus, they are the children of God.
I have truly received Jesus Christ, Therefore I am the child of God. The major proposition is found in the scripture, and there can
SERM. VII. The Method of Grace. 225 be no doubt of that. The affumptiondepends upon experience, or internal sense ; I have truly received Jesus Christ : Here usually is the stumble; many great objections lie against it, which they cannot clearly answer : As,
Obj. 1. Light and knowledge are necessarily required to the right receiving of Christ, but I am dark and ignorant, many carnal unregenerate persons know more than I do, and are more able todifcourse of the mysteries of religion than I am.
Sol. But you ought to distinguish of the kinds and degrees of knowledge, and then you would fee that your bewailed ignorance is no bar to your interest in Christ. There are two kinds of knowledge :
1. Natural . 1 2. Spiritual. There is a natural knowledge, even of spiritual objects, a spark of nature blown up by an advantageous education ; and though the objects of this knowledge be spiritual things,yet the light in which they are discerned, is but a mere natural light.
And there is a spiritual knowledge of spiritual things, the teaching of the anointing, as it is called, I John ii. 27. (i. e.) the effect and fruit of the Spirit's fanctifying work upon our souls, when the experience of a man's own heart informs, and teacheth his understanding, when by feeling the workings of grace in our own souls, we come to understand its nature : this is spiritual knowledge. Now, a little of this knowledge is a better evidence of a man's interest in Christ, than the most raised and excellent degree of natural knowledge : As the philosopher truly observes ; Praeftat paucula de meliori fcientia degustasse, quam de ignobiliori multa : One dram of knowledge of the best and most excellent things, is better than much knowledge of Jesus Christ, that hath life and favour in it, is more than all the common things. So it is here, a little spiritual knowledge of natural, fapless knowledge of the unregenerate,which leaves the heart dead, carnal, and barren : it is not the quantity, but the kind, not the measure, but thefavour : If you know so much of the eviloffin, as renders it the most bitter and burdensome thing in the world to you, and so much of the necessity and excellency of Christ, as renders him the most sweet and desirable thing in the world to you, though you maybe defective in many degrees of knowledge, yet this is enough to prove yours to be the fruit of the Spirit : you may have afanctified heart, though you have an irregular or weak head : many that knew more than you, are in hell; and some that once knew as little as you, are now in heaven : In abfoluto etfacili stat aeternitas : God hath not
VOL. II. Gg
226 The Method of Crace. SERM. VII, prepared heaven only for clear and subtle heads. A little fanc tified, and effectual knowledge of Christ's person, offices, fui tableness, and necessity, may bring thee thither, when others with all their curious fpeculationsandnotions,may perish for ever
Ohj. 2. But you tell me, that affent to the truths of the gospel is necessarily included in saving faith, which, though it be not the juflifying and saving act, yet it is pre-supposed and required to it. Now I have many staggerings and doubtings a. bout the certainty and reality of these things; many horrid atheistical thoughts,which snake the affenting act of faith in the very foundation, and hence I doubt Ido not believe.
Sol. There may be, and often is, a true and sincere affent found in the soul, that is assaulted with violent atheistical suggestions from Satan; and thereupon questions the truth of it. And this is a very clear evidence of the reality of our affent, that whatever doubts, or contrary suggestions there be, yet we dare not in our practice, contradict or flight those truths or duties which we are tempted to disbelieve, ex. gr. We are assaulted with atheistical thoughts, and tempted to flight and cast off all fears of fin, and practice of religious duties, yet when it comes to the point of practice, we dare not commit a known fin, the awe of God is upon us ; we dare notomita known duty, the tie of conscience is found strong enough to hold us close to it: in this case, it is plain we do really affent, when we think we do not. Am an thinks he doth not love his child, yet carefully provides for him in health, and is full of grief and fears about him in sickness : why now, fo long as I fee all fatherly duties performed, and affections to his child's welfare manifested, let him faywhat he will as to the want of love to him, whilst I fee this, he must excuse me if Ido not believe him, when he faith he hath no love for him. Just so is it in this case, am an faith Ido not affent to the being, necessity, or excellency of Jet us Christ; yet, in the mean time, his soul is filled with cares and fears about fecuringhis interest in him, he is found panting and thirsting for him with vehement desires, there is nothing in all the world would give him such joy, as to be well assured of an interest in him ; while it is thus with anyman, let him fay or think what he will of his affent, it is manifest by this he doth truly, and heartily affent, and there can be no better proof of it than these real effects produced by it.
Secondly, But if these, and other objections were never fo fullyantwered for the clearing of the assumption, yet it often falls out, that believers are afraid to draw the conclusion, and that fear partly arises from,
SERM. VII. 227 The Method of Grace.
First, The weighty importance of this matter. Secondly, The sense of the deceitfulness of their own hearts. First, The conclusion is of infinite importance to them, it is the everlasting happiness of their souls, than which nothing is, or can be, of greater weight upon their spirits : things in which we are most deeply concerned, are not lightly and hastily received by us: it seems so great and so good, that we are 1tillapt (if there be any room for it) to suspect the truth and certainty thereof, as never being sure enough.
Thus when the women that were the first messengers and witnesses of Christ's resurrection, Luke xxiv. 10, 11. came and told the disciples those wonderful and comfortable tidings, it is said, " That their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they " believed them not :" They thought it was too good to be true; too great to be hastily received; so it is in this case.
Secondly, The sense they have of the deceitfulness of their own hearts, and the daily workings of hypocrisy there, makes them afraid to conclude in so great a point as this is .
They know that very many daily cozen and cheat themselves in this matter ; they know also that their own hearts are full of falsenessanddeceit; they find them so in their daily observations of them; and what if they should prove so in this ? Why then they are loft for ever ! They also know there is not the like danger in their fears and jealoufies, that would be in their vain confidences and prefumptions: by the one, they are only deprived of their present comfort, but by the other, they would be ruined for ever: and therefore chuse rather to dwell with their own fears (though they be uncomfortable companions) than run the danger of fo great a mistake, which would be infinitely more fatal. And this being the common case of most Christians, it follows that there must be many more believers in the world than do think, or dare conclude, themselves to be such.
Infer. 4. If the right receiving of Jesus Christ, be true, saving,and justifying faith, then those that have the least, andlowestdegree and measure ofsavingfaith, have cause for ever to admire the bounty and riches of the grace of God to them therein.
If you have received never solittleofhisbountyby the hand of providence, in the good things of this life, yet if he have given you any measure of true saving faith, he hath dealtbountifully indeed with you : this mercy alone is enough to balance all other wants and inconveniencies of this life, poor in the " Gg2
228 The Method of Grace. SERM. VII.
" world, rich in faith," James ii. 5. O let your hearts take in the full sense of this bounty of God to you ; say with the apo-
Eph . i. 3. " Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Je- " sus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in " heavenly places in Christ Jesus :" and you will in this one mercy, find matter enoughofpraise and thanksgiving, wonder and admiration to your dying day, yea, to all eternity : for, do but confider,
First, The smallest measure of saving faith which is found in any of the people of God, receives Jesus Christ : and in receiving him, what mercy is there which the believing foul doth not receive in him, and with him ? Rom. viii. 32. Obeliever, though the arms of thy faith be small and weak, yet they embrace a great Christ, and receive the richest gift that ever God bestowed upon the world: no sooner art thou become a believer, but Christ is in thee the hope of glory ; and thou hast authority to become a son or daughter of God ? thou haft the broad seal of heaven to confirm thy title and claim to the privileges of adoption, for " to as many as received him, to them " gave he power to become the sons of God. " [To as many,] be they strong, or be they weak, provided they really receive Christ by faith; there is authority or power given, so that it is no act of presumption in them to say, God is our Father, heaven is our inheritance. O precious faith! the treasures of ten thousand worlds cannot purchase such privileges as these : all the crowns and scepters of the earth, fold at their full value, are no price for such mercies.
Secondly, The least degree of saving faith, brings the soul into a state of perfect and full justification. For if it receives Jesus Christ, it must therefore needs in him, and with him, receive a free, full, and final pardon of fin : the least measure of faith receives remission for the greatest sins. "By him all that " believe are justified from all things," Acts xiii. 39. it unites thy soul with Christ, and then as the necessary consequent of that union, there is no condemnation, Rom. viii. 1. 8δεν καλακριμα, no tone condemnation, how many soever our finshave been.
Thirdly, The least measure, or degree of saving faith, is a greater mercy than God hath bestowed, or ever will bestow upon many that are far above you in outward respects : All men have not faith : nay, it is but a remnant amongmen that believe. Few of the nobles andpotentates of the world, have such a gift as this: they have houses and lands, yea, crowns and fceptres, but no faith, no Christ, no pardon ; they have autho
SERM. VII. 229 The Method of Grace.
rity to rule over men, but no authority to become the sons of God, 1Cor. i. 26, 27.
Say therefore in thy most debased, straitned, afflicted condition, " Return to thy rest, O my foul, for the Lord hath dealt
" bountifully with thee."
Fourthly, The least degree of saving faith is more than all the power of nature can produce: There must be a special revelation of the arm of the Lord in that work, Ifa. lii. 1. Believers are not " born of the fleth, nor of blood, nor of the " will of man, but of God," John i. 12, 13. all believing motions towards Christ, are the effects of the Father's drawing,
John vi. 44. a glorious and irresistable power goes forth from God to produce it, whence it is called" the faith of the opera-
" tion of God," Col. ii. 12 .
So then, let not believers despise the day of small things, or overlook that great and infinite mercy which is wrapt up in the leaftdegree of saving faith.
Infer. 5. Learn hence the impossibility of theirfalvation, who neither know the nature, nor enjoy the means of saving faith.
My foul pities and mourns over the infidel world. Ah ! what will become of the millions of poor unbelievers ! there is but one door of salvation, viz. Christ ; and but one key of faith to openthatdoor : and as that keywasnevergiven to the Heathen world; so it is laid aside, or taken away from the people by their cruel guides, all over the Popish world; were you among them, you should hear nothing else pressed as necessary to your salvation but a blind, implicit faith, to believe as the church believes ; that is, to believe they know not what.
To believe as thepopebelieves ; that is, as an infidel believes, for so they confess he may be, * and though there be such a thing, as an explicit faith sometimes spokenofamongthem, yet it is very sparingly discoursed, very falsely described, and exceedingly flightedbythem, as the meerest trifle in the world.
First, It is but sparinglydiscoursed of: they love not to accustom the peoples ears to such a doctrine; one of themselves confesses that there is so deep a silence of explicit, particular faith in the Romish church, that you may find many everywhere, that believe no more of these things than Heathen philosophers t.
Secondly, When it is preached or written of, it is falfelyde-
For the Pope's internal faith is not necessary to the church. Can us in loc. Theol.p. 344.
† Navarr, cap. 11, P. 142.
230 The Method of Grace. SERM . VII.
for theyplacethewhole nature and essence of justifying and saving faith in a naked assent: which the devils have as well as men, James ii. 19. no more than this is pressed upon the peo ple at any time, as necessary to their salvation.
Thirdly, And even this particular explicit faith,when it is spoken or written of, is exceedingly slighted. I think if the devil himself were in the pulpit, he could hardly tell how to bring men to a more low and flight esteem of faith; to represent it more as a very trifle, or a quite needless thing, than these his agents have done. Some ‡ say, if a man believe with a particular explicit faith,(i. e.) if he actually affent to the scripture truths once in a year, it is enough. Yea, and others|| think it too much to oblige people to believe once in twelve months; and, for their ease, tell them, if they believe once in twelve years it is sufficient: and, left this should be too great a talk, others * affirm, that if it be donebutonce in their whole life, and that at the pointofdeath too, it is enough, especially for the rude and common people. Good God! what a doctrine is here ! It was a saying long ago of Gregory (as I remember) Malusminister eft nifus diaboli : A wicked minister is the devil's goofshawk, that goes abirdingfor hell; and O what game have these hawks ofhellamong such numerous flocks of peo ple ! O bless God, while you live, for your deliverance from Popery; and fee that you prize the gospel, and means of grace, you enjoy at an higher rate, lest God bring you once more under that yoke, which neither you nor your fathers could bear.
Second use for examination. Doth saving faith consist inadueandright receiving of the Lord Jesus Christ? then let me perfuadeyou to examine yourfelves in this great point of faith. Reflect solemnly upon the transactions that have been betwixt Christ and your souls : think close on this subject of meditation.
If all you were worth in the world lay in one precious stone, and that stone were to be tried by the skilful Lapidary, whether it were true or false, whether it would fly, or endure under the smart stroke of his hammer, sure your thoughts couldnotbeunconcerned about the issue : Why all that you are worth in both worlds depends upon the truth of your faith, which is now to be tried,
Otherefore read not these lines with a running careless eye,
Petr . a S. Joseph. sum. Art. 1. p. 6. Bonacina. Tom. 2. in i precept.
1 *Jo. San. Difp. 41. D. 324
SERM. VII. 231 The Method of Grace. butferiouslyponder the matter before you : You would be loth to put to lea, though it were but to cross the channel, in a rottenleaky bottom : And will you dare to venture into the ocean of eternity in a false rotten faith! God forbid : You know the Lord is coming to try every man's faith as by fire, and that we must stand or fall for ever with the sincerity orhypocrify of our faith. Surely, you can never be too exact and careful about. that, on which your whole estate depends, and that for ever.
Now there are three thingsuponwhich we thouldhave a very tender and watchful eye, for the discovery of the sincerity of our faith, and they are,
Antecedents The Concoinitants Confequents } of Faith .
As these are, so we must judge and reckon our faith to be. And, accordingly, they furnithus with three general marks or = trials of faith.
First, If you woulddifcern the sincerity of your faith, examine whether those antecedents, and preparative works of the spirit, were ever found in your souls, which use to introduce and uther it into the souls of God's elect : Such are illumination, conviction, self-despair, and earnest cries to God.
Illumination is a necessary antecedent to faith : You cannot believe till God hath opened your eyes to see your fin, your misery by fin, and your remedy in Jesus Christ alone: You find this act of the Spirit to be the first, in order both of nature and time, and introductive to all the rest, Acts xxvi. 18. " Το " turn them from darkness to light, and from the power ofSa- " tan to God." As faith without works (which must be a consequent to it) is dead, so faith without light, which must be an antecedent to it, is blind : Faith is the hand by which Christ is received, but knowledge is the eye by which that hand is directed.
Well then, hath God opened your eyes to see fin, and mifety in another manner than ever you saw them before ? For certainly, if God have opened your eyes by saving illumination, you will find as great a difference betwixt your former and present apprehenfions of fin and danger, as betwixt the painted lion upon the wall or sign-post, and the real living lion that meets you roaring in the way.
Secondly, Conviction is an antecedent to believing : Where this goes not before, no faith can follow after : The Spirit first convinces of fin, then of righteousness,John xvi. 8. So Mark i. 15. "Repentye, and believe the gospel :" Believe it, Oman,
232 The Method of Grace. SERM . VII. that breast of thine must be wounded, that vain and frothy heart ofthinemust be pierced and stung with conviction, sense, and sorrow for fin : Thou must have some sick days, and restless nights for fin, i fever thou rightly close with Christ by faith.
It is true, there is much difference found in the strength, depth, and continuance of conviction, and spiritual troubles in converts ; for sure it is, the child of faith is not ordinarily born without some pangs. Conviction is the application of that light which God makes to shine in our minds, to our particular case and condition, by the conscience ; and sure, when men come to see their miserable, and sad estate by a true light, it cannot but wound them, and that to the very heart.
Thirdly, Self-despair, or a total and absolute loss in our selves about deliverance, and the way of escape, either by our selves, or any other mere creature, doth, and mustgo before faith.
So it was with those believers, Acts ii. 37. "Men and bre- " thren what shall we do ?" They are the words of men at a total loss: It is the voice of poor distressed souls, that saw themselves in misery, but knew not, saw not, nor could devise any way of escape from it, by any thing they could do for themselves, or any other creature for them: And hence the apostle uses that emphatical word, Gal. iii. 23. συγκεκλεισμενοι, (i. e.) Shut up to the faith, (i. e.) as men besieged, and distressed in a garrifonintime of a storm, when the enemy pours in upon them through the breaches, and over-powers them : There is but onefally-port or gate, at which they can escape, and to that they all throng, as despairing of life, if they take any other course. Just so do mens convictions besiege them, distress them, beat them off from all their holds andintrenchments, and bring them to a pinching distress in themselves, shutting them up to Christ as the only way to escape. Duties cannot save me, reformation cannot fave me, nor angels, normencan save me; there is no way but one, Christ, or co lemnation for ever.
I thought once, that a little repentance, reformation, restitution, and a stricter life, might be a way to escape wrath to come, but I find the bed is too short, and the covering too narrow : All is but loss, dung, dross, in comparison with Jesus Christ ; If I trust to those Egyptian reeds, they will not only fail me, but pierce and wound me too, I fee no hope within the whole Horizon of sense.
Fourthly, Hence come vehement and earnest cries to God for faith, for Christ, for help from heaven, to transport the soul out of this dangerous condition, to that strong rock of salvation; to bring it out of this furious, stormy sea of trouble,
SERM . VII. 233 The Method of Grace.
: where it is ready to wreck every moment, into that safe and quiet harbour, Christ,
Owhen a man shall see his misery and danger, and no way of escape but Christ, and that he hath no ability in himself to come to Christ, to open his heart thus to receive him, but that this work of faith is wholly supernatural, the operation of God ; ' how will the soul return again, and again upon God, with such cries as in Mark ix. 24. " Lord, help my unbelief?" " Lord " enable me to come to Christ ; give me Christ or I perish for 66 ever ; What profit is there in my blood ? Why should I die " in the fight and presence of a Saviour ? O Lord, it is thine
" own work, a most glorious work : Reveal thine Arm in this " work upon my soul, I pray thee ; give me Christ, if thou deny me bread; give me faith, if thou deny me breath. " It is more necessary that I believe, than that I live."
O Reader, reflect upon days and nights that are past, the places where thou hast been conversant : Where are the bedfides, or the secret corners where thou haft besieged heaven with such cries ? If God have thus enlightened, convinced, diftreffedthy foul, and thus set thee a mourning after Christ, it will be one good sign that faith is come into thy soul ; for here are certainly the harbingers and fore-runners of it, that ordinarily make way for faith into the souls of men .
Secondly, If you would be satisfied of the sincerity and truth of your faith, then examine what concomitants it is attended with in your souls. I mean, what frames and tempers your souls were in, at that time when you think you received Christ . For certainly, in those that receive Christ, (excepting those into whose hearts, God hath in a more still and insensible way infused faith be time, by his blessing uponpious education) such concomitant frames ofspiritmaybe remarked, as these following.
First, The heart is deeplyferious, and as much in earnest in this matter, as ever it was, or can be, about any thing in the world. This you fee in that example of the Jaylor, Acts xvi.: 29." He came in trembling and astonished :" It is the most solemn and important matter that ever the soul had before it, in this world, or ever shall, or can have : How much are the hearts of men affected in their outward straits and distresses, about the concernments of the body ? Their hearts are not a little concerned in such questions as these, " What shall I eat ? " what shall I drink ?" wherewithal mall I and mine be fed and cloathed? but certainly the straits that fouls are in about salvaVOL. II. Hh
234 The Method of Grace. SERM. VII.
tion, must be allowed to be greater than these; and such question as that of the Jaylor's, " Sirs ! What must Ido to be " saved?" make deeper impressions upon the heart, than what shall I eat, or drink ? Some, indeed, have their thoughts finking deeper into these things than others: These thoughts lie with different degrees of weight upon men; but all are most solemnly and awfully concerned about their condition : All frothi ness and frolics are gone, and the heartfettles itself in the deepest earnest about its eternal slate.
Secondly, The heart that receives Jesus Christ, is in a frame of deep humiliation and self-abasement. O, when a man begins to apprehend the first approaches of grace, pardon, and mercy by Jesus Christ to his soul : When a soul is convinced of its utter unworthiness, and desert of hell; and can scarce expect any thing else from the just and holy God, but damnation, how do the first dawnings of mercy melt and humble them ! "0
" Lord, what am I that thou shouldest feed me and preserve " me! that thou shouldest but for a few years spare me, and " forbear me ! but that ever Jesus Christ should love me, and "give himself for me; that such a wretched sinner as 1, should " obtain union with his person, pardon, peace and salvation
" by his blood ! Lord, whence is this to such a worm as I ? " and will Christ indeed bestow himself upon me ? shall fo great " a blessing as Christ ever come within the arms offuch a soul 66 as mine ? will God in very deed be reconciled tome in his " Son ? what, to me ! to such an enemy as I have been ! shall my fins which are so many, fo horrid, so much aggravated, beyond the fins of most men, be forgiven ? O what am I, " vile dust ? base wretch, that ever God thould do this for
" me !" And how is that scripture fulfilled and made good, Ezek. xvi. 63. That thou mayest remember, and be con- " founded, and never open thy mouth anymore,becauseofthy " shame, when I am pacifiedtowards thee for all that thou haft " done, faith the Lord God." Thus, that poor broken-hearted believer stood behind Christ weeping,and washinghisfeet with tears, asonequite melted down,andovercomewiththe sense of mercy to such a vile sinner, Luke vii. 38 .
Thirdly, The foul that receives Jesus Christ is in a weary condition, restless, and full ofdisquietness, neither able to bear the burden of fin, nor knowing how to be discharged from it, except
will give it ease, Mat. xi. 28. " Come unto me," that is, believe in me, you that arewearyandheavyladen:" If they do not look into their own souls, they know there is nofafety, and if they do, there's no comfort.
SERM. VII. The Method of Grace. 235 offinoverweighs them; they are ready to fall, to finkunder it.
Fourthly, The soul that rightly receives Christ, is not only in a weary, but ina longing condition : never did the hart pant more earnestly for the water-brooks: never did the hirelingdefire the shadow : never did a condeinnedperfon long for apardonmore than the foul longs after Jesus Christ. O, taid David, that one would give me of the water of the well of Bethlehem to drink. O, taith the poor humbled sinner, that one would give me of the opened fountain of the blood of Christ to drink ! O for one drop ofthatpreciousblood ! O for one encouragingsmilefrom Christ ! Onow were ten thousand worlds at my command, and Christ to be bought, how freely would I lay them all down to purchase him! but he is the gift of God. O that God would give me
if I should go in rags, and hunger and thirst all my days in this world !
Fifthly, The soul in the time of its closing with, or receiving Christ, is in a state of conflict : It hangs between hopes and fears, encouragements and discouragements,whichoccafions many afad
in the way to Christ; sometimes the number and nature of its finsdiscourage it, then the riches and freeness of the grace of Christ, erects his hopes again; there's little hope, faith unbelief; nay, it is utterly impossible, faith Satan, thatever such a wretch as thou shouldst find mercy ; now the hands hang down. O but then there's a necessity, an absolute necessity ; I have not the choice of two, but am shut up to one way of deliverance : others have found mercy, and the invitation is to all that are weary, and to all that are athift: he faith, he that cometh to him, he will in no wife cast out; now new hopes in-
the soul, and the hands that did hang down are again strengthened.
These are the concomitantframes that accompany faith.
3. Mark. Lastly, Examine the confequents and effects of faith, if you would be satisfied of the truth and sincerity of it: And such are,
First, Evangelical meltings, and ingenuous thawings of the heart under the apprehenfions of grace and mercy : Zech. xii. 10. " They thall look upon me whom they have pierced, and shall " mourn."
Secondly, Love to Christ, bis ways and people,Gal .v. 6 Faith worketh by love, (i. e.) it represents the love of God, and then makes use of the sweetness of it by way of argument, to constrainthe foul to all acts of obedience,whereinitmay testify the reality of its love to God and Christ.
236 The Method of Grace. SERM . VII.
Thirdly, Heart purity, Acts xv. 9. " Purifying their hearts by " faith:" It doth not only cleanse the hands but the heart : No principle in man, besides faith, can do this : Morality may hide corruption, but faith only purifies the heart from it.
Fourthly, Obedience to the commands of Chritt, Rom. xvi. 26. the very name of faith is calleduponobedience; for it accepts Christ as Lord, and urges upon the foul the most powerful arguments in the world to draw it to obedience.
In a word, let the poor doubting believer, that questions his faith, reflect upon those things that are unquestionable in his own experience, which being well considered, will greatly tend to his satisfaction in this point.
It is very doubtful to you whether you believe, but yet in the meanwhile, it may be past doubt, (being a matter ofclearexpe rience) that you have been deeply convinced of fin, struck of from all carnal props and refuges, made willing to accept Jesus Christ upon whattermsfoever you might enjoy him ; you doubt whether Christ be yours, but it is past doubt that you have a most high and precious esteem of Christ, that you heartily long for him, that you prize and love all, whether persons or things, that bear his image, that nothing in the world would please your hearts like a transformation into his likeness ; that you had rather your souls should be filled with his spirit, than your houses with gold and silver. Itisdoubtfulwhether Chriftbe yours, but it is past doubt that one smile from Christ, one token of his love would do you more good than all the honours and smiles of the world ; and nothing so grieves you, as your grieving him by fin doth : You dare not say that you have received him, nor can you deny but that you have had many sick days and nights for him ; that you have gone into many secret places with earn ing bowels after him ; whether he be yours or not, you cannot tell; but that you are resolved to be his, that you can tell; whe ther he will fave you is but a doubt, but that you resolve to lie at his feet, and wait only on him, and never look to another for salvation, is no doubt.
Well, well ; poor pensive foul, if it be so, arise, lift up thy dejected head, take thine own Christ into thy arms. These are undoubted signs ofa real closure with Christ ; thou makestthyfelf poor, and yet haft great riches : Such things as thefeare not found in them that despise and reject Christ by unbelief.
3. Use of exhortation. 3. Use. This point is likewise very improve able by way of exhortation, and that both to
Unbelievers and Believers.
SERM. VII. 237 The Method of Grace. First, To unbelievers,who from hence must be pressed, as ever they expect to fee the face of God in peace, to receive Jesus
Christ, as he is now offered to them in the gospel. This is the very scope of the gospel, I shall therefore press it by three great considerations, viz. A First, What is in Christ whom you are to receive. Secondly, What is in the offer of Christ by the gospel. Thirdly, What is in the rejecting of that offer.
First motive. First, Confider well what is in Christ, whom I persuade you this day to receive : Did you know what is in Christ, you would never neglect or reject him as you do : For,
First,"God is in Christ," 2 Cor. v. 19. the Deity hath chosen to dwell in his flesh ; he is "God manifest in flesh," I Tim iii.
16. a Godhead dwelling in flesh, is the world's wonder : fo that in receiving Christ, you receive God himself.
" Secondly, The authority of God is in Christ, Exod. xxiii. 21 .
My name is in him: Him hath God the Father sealed," John vi. 27. he hath the commission, the great feal of heaven to redeem and save you : All power in heaven and earth is given to