Front matter (continued, part 34)
objections, and take off all Satan's accusations, that may be cast in to disturb the peace and quiet of your soul. Therefore, whether your graces or gracious evidences do shine or are clouded—yet still have your recourse to the free grace of God, as to your first royal fort, your first city of refuge; and still cry out, Grace, grace! When your gracious evidences are clearest and fullest, then it concerns you to look upon free grace as your choicest and safest city of refuge. But,
2. The second royal fort that Christians should have their eyes, their hearts fixed upon, whether their graces or gracious evidences sparkle and shine, or are clouded and obscured—is the mediatorial righteousness of Christ. [Imputed righteousness seems to be prefigured by the skins with which the Lord after the fall clothed our first parents. The bodies of the beasts were for sacrifice; and the skins put them in mind that their own righteousness was, like the fig-leaves, imperfect, and that therefore they must be justified another way.]
Beloved, there is a twofold righteousness in Christ. First, there is his essential and personal righteousness as God. Now, this essential personal righteousness cannot be imputed to us. But then there is, secondly, his mediatorial righteousness, that is, that righteousness which he wrought for us as mediator, whereby he did subject himself to the precepts, to the penalties, commands, and curses, answering both God's vindictive and rewarding justice. This is communicated to us and made ours—by virtue of which, we stand justified in God's sight. The mediatorial righteousness of Christ is the matter of our justification.
Now, this mediatorial righteousness of Christ includes, first, the habitual holiness of his person in the absence of all sin, and in the rich and plentiful presence of all holy and requisite qualities; secondly, the actual holiness of his life and death by obedience. By his active obedience he perfectly fulfilled the commands of the law, and by his passive obedience, his voluntary sufferings, he satisfied the penalty of the law for transgressions.
Mark, that perfect satisfaction to divine justice in whatever it requires, either in way of punishing for sin, or obedience to the law, made by the Lord Jesus Christ, God and man, the mediator of the new covenant, as a
common head representing all those whom the Father has given to him, and made over unto those who believe in him: this is that righteousness which is imputed to us in justification. No other righteousness can justify us before the throne of God. Look! as Christ was made sin for us only by imputation, so we are made righteous only by the imputation of his righteousness to us, as the Scripture clearly evidences: 2 Cor. 5:21, "He has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." Jer. 23:6, "The Lord our righteousness." A soul truly sensible of his own unrighteousness, would not have this sentence, "The Lord our righteousness," blotted out of the Bible for ten thousand thousand worlds. 1 Cor. 1:30, "Christ Jesus is made unto us of God, wisdom, righteousness," etc.
How is Christ made righteousness to the believer? Not by way of infusion —but imputation; not by putting righteousness into him—but by putting a righteousness upon him, even his own righteousness; by the imputing his merit, his satisfaction, his obedience unto them, through which they are accepted as righteous unto eternal life: Romans 5:19, "As by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous." Christ's righteousness is his in respect of inherence—but it is ours in respect of imputation; his righteousness is his personally—but ours meritoriously. Look! as there is a true and real union between us and Christ, so there is a real imputation of Christ's righteousness to us. And a gracious soul triumphs more in the righteousness of Christ imputed—than he would have done if he could have stood in the righteousness in which he was created. This is the crowning comfort to a sensible and understanding soul—that he stands righteous before a judgment-seat in that full, exact, perfect, complete, matchless, spotless, peerless, and most acceptable righteousness of Christ, which is imputed to him.
The righteousness of Christ is therefore called "the righteousness of God," Romans 3:21-22; 10:3; Philip. 3:9, because it is that which God has designed, and which God does accept for us in our justification, and for and in which he does acquit and pronounce us righteous before his seat of justice. That we are freely justified by the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, is the very basis and foundation of the Christian religion, whereby it
is distinguished from all other religions whatever. Jews, Turks, pagans, and papists explode this imputed righteousness; yes, papists jeer it, calling it a putative righteousness. [Luther's great fear was, that when he was dead this glorious doctrine of free justification by the righteousness of Christ, would be sent packing out of the world.]
Well, sirs, remember this once for all, namely, that the mediatorial righteousness of Christ is the life of your souls, and will afford you these most admirable comforts—
[1.] First, In this mediatorial righteousness, there is enough to satisfy the justice of God to the utmost farthing. The mediatorial righteousness of Christ is so perfect, so full, so exact, so complete, and so fully satisfactory to the justice of God—that divine justice cries out, "I have enough, and I require no more; I have found a ransom, and I am fully pacified towards you!" Ezek. 16:62-63. But,
[2.] Secondly, This mediatorial righteousness of Christ takes away all our unrighteousness; it cancels every bond, it takes away all iniquity, and answers for all our sins, Isaiah 53; Col. 2:12-15. Lord, here are my sins of omission, and here are my sins of commission; but the righteousness of Christ has answered for them all. Here are my sins against the law, and here are my sins against the gospel, and here are my sins against the offers of grace, the strivings of grace, the affections of grace; but the righteousness of Christ has answered for them all. When a cordial was offered to one who was sick, "Oh," said he, "the cordial of cordials which I daily take is this: 'The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all our sins!'" 1 John 1:7.
O sirs! it would be high blasphemy for any to imagine that there should be more demerit in sin, in any sin, in all sin, to condemn a believer—than there is merit in Christ's righteousness to absolve him, to justify him, Romans 8:1, 33-35. But,
[3.] Thirdly, This mediatorial righteousness of Christ presents us perfectly righteous in the sight of God. It is that pure, fine, white linen garment whereby our nakedness is covered before the face of God: "And to her was granted" (that is, to the Lamb's wife) "that she should be
arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints," Rev. 19:8; or the righteousnesses or justifications of saints, for the Greek is plural. Some by righteousnesses understand the righteousness of Christ imputed, and the righteousness of Christ imparted; but I rather agree with those who say it is an Hebraism; the plural righteousnesses noting that most perfect, complete, absolute righteousness which Christ is pleased to put upon his people, Eph. 5:27. Upon the account of this righteousness of Christ, the church is said to be without spot or wrinkle, and to be all lovely: "You are all beautiful, my love; there is no spot in you," Cant. 4:7; and to be complete: "And you are complete in him," Col. 2:10; and to be without fault: "They are without fault before the throne of God," Rev. 14:5. And so Col. 1:21, "And to present us holy, and unblamably, and unreproveable, in the sight of God." But,
[4.] Fourthly, This mediatorial righteousness of Christ will answer to all the fears, doubts, and objections of your souls. How shall I look up to God? The answer is—In the righteousness of Christ. How shall I have any communion with a holy God in this world? The answer is—In the righteousness of Christ. How shall I find acceptance with God? The answer is—In the righteousness of Christ. How shall I die? The answer is —In the righteousness of Christ. How shall I stand before the judgment seat? The answer is—"In the righteousness of Christ." Your sure and only way under all temptations, fears, conflicts, doubts, and disputes, is by faith to remember Christ, and the sufferings of Christ, as your mediator and surety, and say, "O Christ! you are my sin—in being made sin for me; and you are my curse—in being made a curse for me. Or rather, I am your sin—and you are my righteousness; I am your curse—and you are my blessing; I am your death—and you are my life; I am the wrath of God to you—and you are the love of God to me; I am your hell—and you are my heaven."
O sirs! if you think of your sins—and of God's wrath; if you think of your guiltiness—and of God's justice, your hearts will fail you, and sink into despair, if you don't think of Christ, if you don't rest and stay your souls upon the mediatorial righteousness of Christ. [That was a rare speech of Luther: Let him see to it where my soul shall rest, who took so much care
for it as that he laid down his life for it.] But,
[5.] Fifthly and lastly, The mediatorial righteousness of Christ is the best title that you have to show for that kingdom which cannot be destroyed, for those incorruptable riches, for that everlasting inheritance, and for that eternal house not made with hands. [Heb. 12:28; 1 Peter 1:36; 2 Cor. 5:1-4.] The righteousness of Christ is your life, your joy, your comfort, your crown, your confidence, your heaven—your all. And therefore whether your graces or gracious evidences do sparkle and shine, or are clouded or blotted—yet still keep a fixed eye and an awakened heart upon the mediatorial righteousness of Jesus Christ; for that is the righteousness by which you may happily live, comfortably die, and boldly appear before the judgment-seat. But,
3. The third royal fort, that Christians should have their eyes, their hearts fixed upon, whether their graces or gracious evidences sparkle and shine, or are obscured and clouded, is the covenant of grace. [Deut. 4:25; Isaiah 55:3, and 54:7-10; Jer. 31:31; Psalm 50:5, etc.; Hosea 14:4; Tit. 3:6; Eph. 1:5-7, chapter 2:6-8; Romans 9:18, 23; Jer. 32:38-41; Ezek. 36:2527.] The covenant of grace is a new compact or agreement which God has made with sinful man out of his own free mercy and grace, wherein he undertakes both for himself and for fallen man, and wherein he engages himself to make fallen man everlastingly happy.
All mankind would have been eternally lost, and God had lost all the glory of his mercy forever—had he not of his own free grace and mercy made such an agreement with sinful man. This covenant is called a covenant of grace, because it flows from the mere grace and mercy of God. There was nothing outside of God, nor anything in God—but his free mercy and grace—which moved him to enter into covenant with poor sinners.
In the covenant of grace there are two things considerable:
First, The covenant which God makes for himself to us, which consists of these branches:
(1.) that he will be our God;
(2.) that he will give us a new heart, a new spirit;
(3.) that he will not turn away his face from us from doing of us good;
(4.) that he will put his fear into our hearts;
(5.) that he will cleanse us from all our filthiness, and from all our idols;
(6.) that he will rejoice over us to do us good.
Secondly, Here is the covenant which God does make for us to himself, which consists in these things:
(1.) that we shall be his people;
(2.) that we shall fear him forever;
(3.) that we shall walk in his statutes, keep his judgments and do them;
(4.) that we shall not depart from him.
Upon many accounts I may not enlarge on these things; but by these short hints it is evident that the covenant of grace is an entire covenant made by God, both for himself and for us. O sirs! in the covenant of grace, God stands engaged to give whatever he requires.
[1.] First, He requires us to know him—and he has engaged himself that we shall know him: 1 Chron. 28:9, Jer. 24:7, "I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord;" and Jer. 31:34, They shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them," Heb. 8:11. But,
[2.] Secondly, The Lord frequently requires his people to trust in him, Psalm 62:8; Isaiah 26:4; 2 Chron. 20:20. And he has engaged himself that his people shall trust in him: Zeph. 3:12, "I will leave in the midst of you an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord." But,
[3.] Thirdly, The Lord frequently commands his people to fear him, Deut. 6:13, chapter 8:6. And he has engaged himself that they shall fear
him: Jer. 32:40, "I will put my fear into their hearts, that they shall not depart from me." Hosea 3:5, "They shall fear the Lord and his goodness." But,
[4.] Fourthly, The Lord frequently commands his people to love him: Deut. 11:1, Psalm 31:23, "O love the Lord, all you his saints!" And he has promised and engaged himself that his people shall love him: Deut. 30:6, "The Lord your God will cleanse your heart and the hearts of all your descendants so that you will love him with all your heart and soul, and so you may live!." But,
[5.] Fifthly, The Lord frequently commands his people to call upon him, and to pray unto him, Psalm 50:15, 1 Thes. 5:17, etc.; and he has promised and engaged himself to pour upon them a spirit of prayer: Zech. 12:10, "I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and supplications." But,
[6.] Sixthly, The Lord frequently commands his people to repent and to turn from their evil ways, Hosea 14:1, Ezek. 14:6, 18:30, Acts 17:30, 26:20; and he has promised and engaged himself that they shall repent and turn from their evil ways, Acts 5:30, 11:18, 2 Tim. 2:25, Isaiah 30:22, Jer. 24:7. But,
[7.] Seventhly, The Lord has commanded his people to obey him, and to walk in his statutes, Jer. 24:7; and he has promised and engaged himself that his people shall obey him and walk in his statutes: Ezek. 36:27, "And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you shall keep my commandments and do them." Likewise, Ezek. 11:1920; 37:23-24. But,
[8.] Eighthly, The Lord commands his people to mourn for their sins, Isaiah 22:12, Joel 2:12, James 4:10; and he has promised and engaged himself to give them a mourning frame: Zech. 12:10, "They shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him as one that mourns for an only son;" Ezek. 7:16, "The few who survive and escape to the mountains will moan like doves, weeping for their sins." But,
[9.] Ninthly, The Lord commands his people to grow in grace, 2 Peter 3:18, etc.; and he has promised and engaged himself that they shall grow in grace: Psalm 92:12-14, "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree" (which is always green and flourishing); "he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon." The cedar of all trees is most durable, and shoots up highest. "Those that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God; they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing." See Hosea 14:5-7; Mal. 4:2, etc. But,
[10.] Tenthly, The Lord commands his people not to allow sin to reign in them: Romans 6:12, "Let not sin reign in your mortal body;" and he has promised and engaged himself that sin shall not reign in them: Romans 6:14, "Sin shall not have dominion over you;" Jer. 33:8, "And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity;" Ezek. 36:25, "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your filthiness; and from all your idols will I cleanse you;" Micah 7:19, "He will subdue our iniquities." But,
[11.] Eleventhly, He has commanded his people to loathe their sins, and to loathe themselves for their sins: Psalm 97:10, "You who love the Lord hate evil; Romans 12:9, "Abhor that which is evil." And the Lord has promised and engaged himself to give them such a frame of spirit: Ezek. 36:13, "Then shall you remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities, and for your abominations." Ezek. 6:9, "They will loathe themselves for the evil they have done and for all their detestable practices." Ezek. 20:43, "And there shall you remember your ways and all your doings wherein you have been defiled, and you shall loathe yourselves in your own sight, for all your evils that you have committed." But,
[12.] Twelfthly and lastly, for enough is as good as a feast, God has commanded us to hold out, to persevere to the end, 1 Cor. 15:58, Rev. 2:10, Luke 18:1; and the Lord has promised and engaged himself that they shall persevere: Job 17:9, "The righteous shall hold on his way, and he who has clean hands shall be stronger and stronger;" Isaiah 40:31, "Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they
shall walk and not faint."
Thus you see by an induction of twelve particulars that whatever God requires of his people, he stands engaged by the covenant of grace to give to his people, to do for his people.
Now mark, the covenant of grace is confirmed to us in the surest and most glorious way that can be imagined, Gen. 17:7; Heb. 13:20; Psalm 89:28; 2 Sam. 23:5. The covenant of grace is so strongly ratified that there can be no nulling of it. For,
[1.] First, It is confirmed to us by his word. "I will be your God, and you shall be my people," Jer. 33:38. "Now, all the promises of God in Christ are yes, and in him amen, unto the glory of God by us," 2 Cor. 1:20; that is, they are stable and firm, as the Hebrew word signifies. They will eat their way over all Alps of opposition. In the new covenant God neither makes nor fulfils any promises of salvation—but in Christ and by Christ.
[2.] Secondly, God has ratified the covenant of grace by his oath, Gen. 22:16, Heb. 6:19. His promise is enough—but surely his oath must put all out of question. There is no room for unbelief now that God has sworn to it. Had there been a greater God, he would have sworn by him. But,
[3.] Thirdly, God has ratified it by the death of his Son, Gal. 3:15, Heb. 9:15-16. A man's last will and testament, as soon as he is dead, is in force, and cannot then be disannulled. The covenant of grace is a testamentary covenant, which, by the death of the testator, is so settled that there is no altering of it. But,
[4.] Fourthly and lastly, The covenant of grace is ratified by the seals which God has annexed to it. What was sealed by the king's ring could not be altered, Esther 8. God has set his seals to the covenant of grace, his broad seal in the sacraments, and his secret seal in the witness of his Spirit, and therefore it is sure, and cannot be reversed, etc.
Now, whenever you look upon your graces or gracious evidences with one eye—be sure you look upon the covenant of grace, your last royal fort, with the other eye. The whole hinge of a man's eternal comfort and
happiness hangs upon the covenant of grace. The covenant of grace is the saint's original title to heaven; it is a saint's best and brightest evidence for life and salvation. There was an eternal design, an eternal plot, if I may so speak, between God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ; a bargain, a covenant made between the Father and the Son, for the salvation of his chosen ones; and by covenant of grace all saints have title to heaven, etc.
Dear Christians, many times your gracious evidences are so blotted and blurred that you cannot read them. Oh then, turn to the covenant of grace! When other evidences fail you, the covenant of grace will be a glorious standing evidence to you. It is upon the score of the covenant, that you must challenge an interest in all the glory of the heavenly world. The covenant of grace is the great charter, the magna charta, of all your spiritual privileges and blessings. Luke 1:5-6.
In this great charter the Lord has declared that he judges his people by their sincerity and the general bent and frame of their hearts—and not by what they are under some pangs of passion, or in an hour of temptation, Acts 13:22. In this great charter the Lord declares that his eye is more upon his people's inward disposition, than it is upon their outward actions, 2 Chron. 30:18-20; and that his eye is more upon their will than it is upon their work, 2 Cor. 8:12, Philip. 2:13. In this great charter, the covenant of grace, the Lord has declared that he will not forsake his people, nor cast off his people, because of those failings and weaknesses that may, and do, attend them: 1 Sam. 12:22, "For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it has pleased the Lord to make you his people." Ponder much upon Jer. 31:3138. He chose you for his love, and he still loves you for his choice. God will rather pity his people under their weakness, than he will reject them for their weakness.
The covenant of grace that God has made with his people is as the covenant that a man makes with his wife. "I will take you to be My wife forever. I will take you to be My wife in righteousness, justice, love, and compassion. I will take you to be My wife in faithfulness, and you will know the Lord." Hosea 2:19-20. Jer. 3:13. Now, a man will never reject his wife; he will never cast off his wife for those common weaknesses and
infirmities that daily attends her; no more will the Lord cast off his people because of the infirmities that daily hang upon them. In this great charter —the covenant of grace—the Lord declares that he will require no more than he gives, and that he will give what he requires, and that he will accept what he gives; and what can a God say more? and what can a gracious soul desire more?
O sirs! when all is cloudy overhead, and all dark within the heart; when a Christian's graces are not transparent, when his evidences for heaven are soiled and blotted, and when neither heart nor life are as they should be— it is good then to turn to the covenant of grace, and to dwell upon the covenant of grace. Thus David did: 2 Sam. 23:5, "Although my house is not right with God; yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow." Let me give a little light into the words.
"Although my house is not right with God." Though David in the main had a good heart—yet he had but a wicked house. Absalom had slain his brother, rebelled against his father, and lay with his father's concubines; and Amnon had deflowered his sister, etc. Now David, under a deep sense of all this wickedness, and of his own personal unworthiness, sadly sighs it out, "Although my house is not right with God," etc.; though I have not walked so exactly and perfectly as I should have done, though neither I nor my house have walked answerable to those great mercies and singular kindnesses of God that have been extended to us—"Yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant."
The word everlasting has two acceptations. It does denote, (1.) Sometimes a long duration, in which respect the old covenant, clothed with figures and ceremonies, is called everlasting, because it was to endure, and did endure a long time. (2.) Sometimes it denotes a perpetual duration, a duration which shall last forever. In this respect the covenant of grace is everlasting. It shall never cease, never be broken, nor never be altered. [Isaiah 55:3; Gen. 17:7; Psalm 105:9-10; Isaiah 61:8; Heb. 3:20.] Now, the covenant of grace is an everlasting covenant in a twofold respect:
First, In respect of God, who will never break covenant with his people;
but is their God, and will be their God forever and ever: Psalm 48:14, "For this God is our God forever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death." Ay, and after death too; for this is not to be taken exclusive. He will never leave his people, nor forsake his people, Heb. 13:5-6. "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."
Secondly, In respect of the people of God, who are brought into covenant, and shall continue in covenant forever and ever. You have both these expressed in that excellent scripture, "And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me." Jeremiah 32:40. Seriously dwell upon this. It shows that the covenant is everlasting on God's part, and also on our part. On God's part, "I will never stop doing good to them;" and on our part, "they shall never depart from me." How so? "I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me" (even that fear spoken of in verse 39, "that they may fear me forever").
"Ordered in all things." Oh what head can conceive, or what tongue can express that infinite counsel, wisdom, love, care and tenderness, that the blessed God has expressed in ordering the covenant of grace, so as it may most and best suit to all the needs, and straits, and necessities, and miseries, and desires, and longings of poor sinners' souls. The covenant of grace is so well ordered by the unsearchable wisdom of God, that you may find in it remedies to cure all your diseases, and cordials to comfort you against all your faintings, and a spiritual armory to arm you against all your enemies, namely, the world, the flesh, and the devil, Isaiah 40:28, and Psalm 147:5. Do you, O distressed sinner, need a loving God, a compassionate God, a reconciled God, a sin-pardoning God? Here you may find him, in the covenant of grace. Do you need a Christ to counsel you by his wisdom, and to clothe you with his righteousness, and to adorn you with his grace? Here you may find him in a covenant of grace. Do you need the Spirit to enlighten you, to teach you, to convince you, to awaken you, to lead you, to cleanse you, to cheer you, and to seal you up to the day of redemption? Eph. 1:13. Here you may find him in a covenant of grace. Do you need grace, or peace, or rest, or quiet, or contentment, or comfort, or satisfaction? Here you may find it in a covenant of grace. God
has laid into the covenant of grace, as into a common store, all those things that sinners or saints can either beg or need.
Look! as that is a well-ordered commonwealth where there are no wholesome laws lacking to govern a people, and where there are no wholesome remedies lacking to relieve a people; so that must needs be a well-ordered covenant, where there is nothing lacking to govern poor souls, or to relieve poor souls, or to save poor souls—and such a covenant is the covenant of grace.
And surely the covenant of grace is a sure covenant: Deut. 7:9, "The Lord your God he is God, the faithful God—who keeps covenant with those who love him." Psalm 89:33-34, "But I will not withdraw My faithful love from him or betray My faithfulness. I will not violate My covenant or change what My lips have said." [Jer. 31:31, 33, 35-37; Psalm 19:7; Rev. 3:14; Isaiah 54:10.] All God's precepts, all God's predictions, all God's menaces, and all God's promises, are the issue of a most just, faithful, and righteous will. God can neither die nor lie: Titus 1:2, "In hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the world began." There are three things that God cannot do:
(1.) He cannot die;
(2.) he cannot lie;
(3.) he cannot deny himself.
Joshua 23:14, "And behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth; and you know in all your hearts, and in all your souls, that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing has failed thereof." O sirs! the covenant of grace is founded upon God's everlasting love, upon God's unchangeable love, upon God's free love. John 13:1, "Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end." Whom God loves once—he loves forever: "I have loved you with an everlasting love," Jer. 31:3. God can as well cease to be, as he can cease to love those whom he has taken into covenant with himself.
And as the covenant of grace is founded upon God's everlasting love, so it is founded upon God's immutable counsel: "God willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath," Heb. 6:17. And as the covenant of grace is founded upon the immutable counsel of God, so it is founded upon the free purpose of God: 2 Tim. 2:19, "The foundation of God stands sure;" that is, the decree and purpose of God's election stands firm and sure. Now the purpose of God's election is compared to a foundation, because it is that upon which all our happiness and blessedness is built and founded, and because, as a foundation, it abides firm and sure.
And as the covenant of grace is founded upon the free purpose of God, so it is founded upon the glorious power of God, Isaiah 33:11, 41:2; Mal. 4:1; 1 Cor. 1:25. The power of God is an infinite power, it is a supreme power, a power which overtops the power of all mortals. What is the stubble compared to the flames, the chaff compared to the whirlwind? No more is all created power to the power of God. The weakness of God is stronger than men; and did not Pharaoh find it so? and Haman find it so? and Sennacherib find it so? and Nebuchadnezzar find it so? and Belshazzar find it so? and Herod find it so? In all the ages of the world the power of God has trampled down all before it. The power of God is an independent power, a matchless power, an incomparable power, an enduring power, an eternal power.
And as the covenant of grace is founded upon the power of God, so it is founded upon the oath of God: Luke 1:72, "To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant." Verse 73, "The oath which he swore to our father Abraham." Heb. 6:17-18; Psalm 89:34-35. To think that God will break his oath, or be perjured, is an intolerable blasphemy.
Once more give me permission to say, the covenant of grace is founded not only upon the oath of God—but also upon the precious blood of Christ. The blood of Christ is called "the blood of the everlasting covenant," Heb. 13:20, Mat. 26:28. "This is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins," Heb. 9:15. "For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance—now that he has
died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant." Verse 17, "A testament is valid only when people die, since it is never in force while the testator is living." It is called a covenant and a testament. (1.) A covenant in respect of God, and a testament in respect of Christ. (2.) A covenant in respect of the manner of agreement, and a testament in respect of the manner of confirming. Jesus Christ died as a testator, and by his death confirmed the testamentary gift before made of life and salvation. Now, the covenant of grace being thus gloriously founded as you see, it must roundly and undeniably follow, that the covenant of grace is a sure covenant.
"For this is all my salvation and all my desire;" that is this is the great ground of all my hope concerning my salvation, and of all the happiness and blessedness which I look for in another world. This everlasting covenant, this sure covenant, is the great charter of charters that I have to show for eternal bliss. David was drawing near to his eternal home, and whether his graces and gracious evidences for heaven's happiness were bright and shining, or blotted and clouded, I shall not at this time stand to inquire. It is enough that he stays his soul upon the covenant of grace, and that he comforts and solaces his soul in the covenant of grace. And oh that all Christians, when their graces and gracious evidences are either clouded or blotted, or else sparkling and shining, that they would frequently eye these three royal forts, namely,
(1.) the free grace and favor of God;
(2.) the mediatorial righteousness of Christ;
(3.) the covenant of grace.
Now, that I may the more effectually prevail with you to look upon these royal forts, and to delight in these royal forts, and to prize these royal forts, and to improve these royal forts—give me permission to offer these three things briefly to your consideration:
First, Our best graces and performances are not commensurate and square payment in the eyes of pure justice. All of them as inherent in us, and acted by us—are but imperfect excellencies. No man has so much
grace and holiness as is required, nor does he do so much as he is obliged to do. Every particular grace, though it be of a heavenly and divine original—yet it is like the stars twinkling, though placed in the heavens; so that if God should enter into judgment with the most righteous person, even the righteousness that is in him would not be safety and defense unto him, Psalm 143:2, Job 14:3-4, Romans 3:20.
There is pride mixed with all our humility! There is passion mixed with all our meekness! There is hypocrisy mixed with all our sincerity! There is earthly-mindedness mixed with all our heavenly-mindedness! There is unbelief mixed with all our faith!
O sirs! in the great business of your access to God, and of your acceptance with God, and of your reconciliation to God, and of your justification before God—it is infinitely best, safest, and noblest to found your faith, hope, and expectation rather upon Christ's imputed righteousness, than your inherent righteousness; upon what Christ has done for you—than upon what he has done in you, Romans 3:20-27, Philip. 3:8-10. Our inherent righteousness is stained, imperfect, impure; but Christ's imputed righteousness is pure and perfect. If there were any stain or any imperfection in that, it could not justify us, it could not save us, it could not secure us from wrath to come.
Such evidences as are not fetched from anything in us, nor from any things done by us—but are fetched by faith from our free justification, and from Christ's full satisfaction which he has wrought for us—will be found the most full, the most sweet, the most refreshing, the most comforting, and the most satisfying evidences. Christ is all lovely, all perfect, all pure; therefore let him be most in your eye and most upon your hearts.
But here take heed that you do not look upon your graces, or your gracious evidences—as poor, low, weak, contemptible things, as too many do; for the least of them is more worth than heaven and earth, and they may yield you much comfort, much support, much refreshing, and much satisfaction; though they cannot yield you that full comfort nor that full satisfaction as Christ himself can yield, as Christ's satisfaction can yield, as free justification can yield. Though children and friends cannot yield to
a wife that full comfort, contentment, delight, and satisfaction as her husband does—yet they may yield her much comfort, much contentment, much delight, much satisfaction. The application is easy. But,
Secondly, Consider, that Christian who has free grace, who has free justification, who has the mediatorial righteousness of Christ, who has the satisfaction of Christ, who has the covenant of grace most constantly in his sight, and most frequently warm upon his heart—that Christian, of all Christians in the world, is most free from a world of fears, and doubts, and scruples—which do sadden, sink, perplex, and press down a world of other Christians, who daily eye more what Christ is a-doing in them, and what they are a-doing for Christ—than they do eye either his active or passive obedience. Christ has done great things for his people, and he has suffered great things for his people, and he has purchased great things for his people, and he has prepared great things for his people; yet many of his own dear people are so taken up with their own hearts, and with their own duties and graces, that Christ is little eyed by them or minded by them! What is this, but to be more pleased with the streams—than with the fountain? with the leaves—than with the tree itself? with the bracelets, ear-rings, and gold chains—than with the husband himself? with the nobles who wait—than with the king who is waited on? And this is the great reason why so many Christians, who will certainly go to heaven—do walk in darkness, and lie down in sorrow. But,
Thirdly, Trusting in our own duties, and resting on our own righteousness, and not on Christ's solely—is a close, secret, spiritual, dangerous, and unperceivable sin, which the nature of man is exceedingly prone unto, Isaiah 7-3; Zech. 7:5-6. The pharisees were greatly given up to trust in their own righteousness, to rest on their own righteousness, and to boast and glory in their own righteousness, Mat. 23, Luke 18; and this proved their mortal disease, their damning sin. Trusting in their own righteousness had so besotted and benumbed them, that they had no mind, no heart to open the gates of their souls, that the King of glory might enter in. And this was that which undid the Jews, Romans 10:3, "For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves to the righteousness of God."
Look! as there is nothing more pleasing to Christ than the renouncing of all confidence in our own duties and righteousness; so there is nothing more provoking to Christ, than the setting up of our own duties and righteousness. This is a sin which kills thousands. It was the saying of a precious saint, that "he was more afraid of his duties than of his sins, for his duties often made him proud--but his sins always made him humble." It was good counsel Luther gave, "We must take heed not only of our sins--but of our good works." Duties can never have too much diligence used about them--nor too little confidence placed in them. They are good helps--but bad saviors. It is necessary we do them--but it is dangerous to rely upon them. If the devil cannot dissuade us from performing pious duties, then his next work will be to persuade us to rely upon them, to make saviors of them, because this will as certainly ruin our souls, as if we had wholly neglected them.
O man! your own righteousness rested in, will as certainly and eternally undo you—as the greatest and foulest atrocities! This soul-sickness is that spiritual idolatry that will undo you, for you make yourself a Savior, and your duties a Savior, and say of your duties as they did of the golden calf, "These are the gods that brought you out of the land of Egypt." Open wickedness, open idolatry, slays her thousands—but secret idolatry, a secret resting upon duties, slays her ten thousands! Multitudes bleed inward by this disease, and die forever. Open profaneness is the broad dirty way that leads to hell; but trusting in pious duties is as sure a way, though a cleaner way to hell. Ungodly people and formal professors shall meet at last in the same hell.
Ah, Christians! don't make religious duties your money, lest you and your money perish together. The phoenix gathers sweet odoriferous sticks in Arabia together, and then blows them with her wings and burns with them; so do many shining professors burn themselves with their own duties and services. You know in Noah's flood, all that were not in the ark, though they climbed up the tallest trees, and the highest mountains and hills—yet were drowned: so let men climb up to the highest duties— yet if they be not housed in Christ, and in his righteousness, they will be as certainly damned, as the men in the old world were certainly drowned.
Adam and all his posterity were to be saved by doing; "Do this and live."
And hence it is natural to all the sons and daughters of Adam to rest on duties, and to look for life and happiness in a way of doing; but if salvation were to be had by doing, what need of a Savior? Well, remember this once for all, such as rest on duties, such as rest on their own righteousness, or on anything on this side Christ—such shall find them to be useless. They cannot heal them, they cannot cure them of their wounds. When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb—yet could they not heal him, nor cure him of his wound, Hosea 5:13. Duties are to Satan as the ark of God was to the Philistines; he trembles to see a soul diligent in the use of them, and yet not daring to rely on them but on Christ; but when he can draw poor souls to confide in their duties, and to rest on their duties, then he has his design, then he claps his hands for joy, then he cries out, "Ah! ah! so would I have it!"
There is no sin that does so formally and immediately oppose Christ, and reject Christ, and provoke Christ, as this of resting upon selfrighteousness; and therefore above all, pray against this, and watch against this, and weep over this. There is no Christian in his wits, who will dare to adventure the everlasting safety of his soul upon the leaking vessels of his own holiness or services. O sirs! your duties cannot satisfy the justice of God; they cannot satisfy the law of God; your present duties cannot satisfy for your former sins. A man who pays his rent honestly every year, does not thereby satisfy for the old rent not paid in ten or twenty years before. Your new obedience, O Christian, is too weak to satisfy for old debts, and therefore roll yourself on Christ, and Christ alone, for life and for salvation. Bellarmine could say, after all his works, "The safest way is to rely on Jesus Christ."
Now, let all these things work you to renounce your own righteousness, and to take sanctuary alone in the pure, perfect, and most glorious righteousness of Jesus Christ, and in the free grace of God. Paul is called by Augustine, "the best child of grace in the world; for whatever he was, or had, or did, he ascribes all to free grace," Eph. 3:8. He was the chief of the apostles—and yet less than the least of all saints; he was very eminent in grace—and yet what he was, he was by grace. "By the grace of God I am what I am," 1 Cor. 15:10. He lived, "yet not he—but Christ lived in him,"
Gal. 2:20. He "labored more abundantly than they all—yet not he—but the grace of God which was with him," 1 Cor. 15:10. He was able to do all things—but still "through Christ who strengthened him," Philip. 4:13. Oh that these three last things might work you to be more in love with free grace than ever, and to be more in love with the righteousness of Christ than ever, and to be more in love with the covenant of grace than ever. But,
[14.] The fourteenth proposition is this—The more grace, the more holiness, the more any man has of the Spirit of sanctification—the more clear, the more fair, the more full, the more sweet will his evidences be for heaven, for salvation; and the more comfort, and the more assurance, and the more settlement, and the more of the witness of the spirit of adoption, such a person will certainly attain unto. That Spirit who is the pledge of our inheritance, and which seals us up to a holy assurance, is a Holy Spirit, Eph. 1:13-14; he is frequently called the Holy Spirit. "Cast me not away from your presence; and take not your Holy Spirit from me," Psalm 51:11. "But they rebelled and vexed his Holy Spirit," Isaiah 63:10. "And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption," Eph. 4:30. "He therefore who despises, despises not man—but God, who has also given unto us his Holy Spirit," 1 Thes. 4:8. To make a man holy, is more than to create a world; it is a work too high and too hard for angels or men; it can be done by none, but by the Holy Spirit.
Sanctification is the Spirit's personal operation; it is the great work of the Spirit to shape, form, and fashion the new-creature holiness in all the vessels of glory, 2 Thes. 2:13, 1 Peter 1:2. The Spirit is the root of all holiness; and therefore the several parts of holiness are called the fruits of the Spirit. Holiness is the very picture of God; and certainly no hand can carve that excellent picture but the Spirit of God. Holiness is the divine nature, and none can impart that to man but the Spirit; the Spirit is the great principle of holiness. Now, the more grace, the more holiness any man has, the more he is the delight of the Spirit; and the more the Spirit will delight to witness his sonship, his saintship, and his heirship unto him.
Scripture and experience will tell you—that commonly men of greatest holiness have been men of greatest assurance. This is certain—the more holiness the more assurance; for so the precious promises runs, Isaiah 32:17. "The work of righteousness shall be peace," that is—peace of conscience, Romans 5:1; "and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever." Inherent righteousness, for of that he speaks, as is evident by the 15th and 16th verses of the same chapter, is the highway to assurance and peace.
Likewise, Psalm 50:23, "To him who orders his life aright, will I show the salvation of God;" that is, "declare myself to be his Savior," say some. Say others, "I will give him a prospect of heaven here, and a full fruition of heaven hereafter," Say others, "I will cause him to see and know that he shall be saved."
Likewise, John 14:21, "He who has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me; and he who loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and manifest myself unto him." Verse 23, "If any man loves me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him and make our abode with him." Holy Christians shall have most of the spiritual presence of Christ, and of the singular manifestations of the love of Christ to their souls. The great reason of reasons, why the springs of comfort, of joy, of inward peace, and of assurance, rise no higher in many Christians' souls—is because the springs of grace and holiness rise no higher in their souls. Had Christians more grace, and more holiness in their hearts and lives—God would quickly bring down more of heaven and assurance into their souls.
There is a blessed assurance, which arises from the discovery of grace in the soul. Now, the more ample, large and full our graces are—the more ample, large and full must our assurance be. The connection of these four verses in Titus 2:11-14, shows this; when "grace that appears to us, teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts," etc. See what follows; then we are most likely to "look for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." And that prayer of the apostle for his Ephesians speaks as loudly in the case, Eph. 16-18, that God would grant them to be strengthened by the Spirit, etc., to be rooted and grounded in love. And what then? That "you may comprehend with
all saints, the length and breadth of the love of God."
Suppose in health or sickness, living or dying—a man should labor to support, comfort and cheer up his spirit—in the thoughts or meditations of his eternal election and free justification; and suppose that at that very time the Spirit of God, his own conscience, a faithful minister, or an experienced Christian should tell him, that if he is really justified, he will be really sanctified, 2 Thes. 2:13-14. Now, if this man should say, "What do you tell me of sanctification? I don't know whether I am sanctified or not. I look not to sanctification, I mind not holiness, I regard not the fruits of the Spirit." Will not the Holy Spirit, will not an enlightened conscience, will not a faithful minister, will not an experienced Christian reply, "Then certainly you are not elected, you are not justified, for it is a truth as clear as the sun, a truth which will admit of no dispute, namely— that none are eternally elected and freely justified—but those who are sanctified, Romans 8:1, 13, 19, 30. And that those who are not sanctified —are not justified."
Mark, there is a close connection of sanctification with justification in the promises of the covenant. Sanctification and justification go hand in hand; they come forth like twins out of the womb of free grace, as you may see in these remarkable Scriptures: Jer. 33:8, "I will cleanse them from all their iniquity whereby they have sinned against me, and I will pardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me." Here you see them both expressed together in the same deed, "I will cleanse them from all their iniquity;" there is our sanctification promised. "And I will pardon all their iniquities;" there is justification promised.
Likewise, Micah 7:19, "He will subdue our iniquities, and will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea." Here you find justification and sanctification again in the promise. "He will subdue our iniquities;" this is sanctification. "He will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea;" this is justification.
Hebrews 8:10, "I will put my laws into their minds, and write them in their hearts;" there is the promise of sanctification. Verse 12. "And I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins, and their iniquities
will I remember no more;" there is the promise of justification.
1 John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins;" there is our justification promised; "and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness;" there is the promise of sanctification.
Ezekiel 36:25, "From all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse you;" there is the promise of sanctification. Verse 29, "I will also save you from all your uncleannesses;" there is the promise of justification.
1 Cor. 6:11, "But you are washed—but you are sanctified—but you are justified." Justification and sanctification are inseparable companions. Distinguished they must be—but divided they can never be. Wherever sin is pardoned—the gift of sanctity is still conferred. It is weakness, it is wickedness, for a man to conclude that he is in an elected and justified estate—when he has nothing, when he has not the least thing to evidence himself to be in a sanctified estate!
Both justification and sanctification have a necessary respect to the salvation of all those who shall go to heaven. He who will go to heaven must be justified; and he who will go to heaven must be sanctified. No man can go to heaven without both. No man can go to heaven unless he is justified: Romans 8:30, "Whom he called, them also he justified; and whom he justified, them he also glorified." None are justified but such as are called, and none are glorified but such as are justified. And as no man can go to heaven but he who is justified—so no man can go to heaven but he who is sanctified: John 3:5, "Jesus answered and said unto him, Truly, truly, I say unto you, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Verse 5, "Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say unto you, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God;" Heb. 12:14, "Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord."
By these scriptures, it is evident that there is an absolute necessity both of sanctification and justification in reference to salvation. Now as sanctification and justification are linked together; so the more clear, the more full, the more evident, and the more eminent a man's sanctification
is—the more clear, the more full, the more evident, and the more eminent —will the evidences of his justification be. The greatest evidences of our sanctification carries with them the greatest assurance of our justification and of our salvation. But,
[15.] The fifteenth proposition is this—When your graces are strongest, and your evidences for heaven are clearest, and your comforts rise highest upon the sight of your graces or gracious evidences—then in a special manner it concerns you to make it your great business and work to act faith afresh, to act faith with a greater strength, upon the free, rich, and glorious grace of God, and upon the Lord Jesus Christ. It is reported of the crystal, that it has such a virtue in it, that the very touching of it quickens other stones, and puts a luster and beauty upon them. This is most true of faith. Faith is a grace which gives strength and efficacy to all other graces; it is like a silver thread that runs through a chain of pearl; it has an influence upon all other graces which are in the soul. Faith is as the spring in the watch—which moves the wheels; not a grace stirs until faith sets it at work. What is said of Solomon's virtuous woman, namely, that she sets all her maidens to work, Proverbs 31:15, 27, is most true of faith: faith sets all the graces in the soul at work. We love as we believe, and we obey as we believe, and we hope as we believe, and we joy as we believe, and we mourn as we believe, and we repent as we believe. All graces keep time and pace with faith, [Heb. 11; Romans 4:3, and 8:24; Zech. 12:10.] etc.
Now when your graces are most shining, and your evidences for heaven are most sparkling, oh then give faith elbow-room, give faith full scope to exercise itself upon the Lord Jesus. Adam's obedience in innocency was not more pleasing and delightful to God, than the exercise of your faith on the Lord Jesus will be at such a time pleasing and delightful to him. You are to look upon all your graces and gracious evidences as your highest encouragement to a lively, cheerful, and resolute acting of faith upon the person of Christ, the righteousness of Christ, 1 John 5:13; Romans 1:17, etc. All a Christian's graces, and all his gracious evidences, should be but as a golden bridge, or as Joseph's waggons, Gen. 45:19, 21, 27, a means to pass his soul over to Christ afresh by a renewed exercise of
faith. When your graces and gracious evidences are most splendent, then be sure that Christ be found lying as a bundle of myrrh between your breasts—and all is well, and will be well, Cant. 1:12.
Dear Christians, when your eyes are fixed upon inherent righteousness, and upon your gracious evidences—then let your hearts be firmly fixed upon the Lord Jesus Christ and his imputed righteousness.
Plutarch tells us of a certain noble woman of Ionia, who showed another woman all the rich jewels and precious stones she had. She answered her back, "All my riches and jewels are my husband." This is more applicable to Christ, etc. The precious stone opalum is said to have the virtue of all stones—the brightness of the diamond, the purple color of the amethyst, the lovely greenness of the emerald; but what are all these to Christ?
Paul's eye was fixed upon his grace, upon his better part: Romans 7:22, "I delight in the law of God after the inward man;" verse 25, "And with my mind I serve the law of God." And yet at the very same time his heart was set upon Christ, and taken up with Christ. Verse 26, "I thank God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Though Paul had an eye to his noble part, his better part, his regenerate part—yet at the same time his heart was taken up with the Lord Jesus Christ, as freeing of him from the curse of the law, the dominion of sin, the damnatory power of sin, and as translating of him into the glorious liberty of the sons of God. "I thank God through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Likewise, in Col. 2:2-3, you have their eyes fixed upon grace, and at the same time their hearts fixed upon Christ. "That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father and of Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Their eyes were upon grace—but their hearts were taken up with Christ.
Likewise, in Philip. 3:8, the apostle had his eye upon the excellent knowledge of Christ. But, verse 9, his heart is taken up with the righteousness of Christ. "That I might be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is of the law—but that which is through faith in
Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." Though Paul had his eye upon grace, upon inherent righteousness; yet in the very presence of his grace—his heart was taken up with Christ, and with his imputed righteousness, as is evident in the text. This is your glory, Christians, in the presence and sight of all your graces and gracious evidences—to see the free grace of Christ, and his infinite, spotless, matchless, and glorious righteousness to be your surest, sweetest, highest, and choicest comfort and refuge.
Look! as Rebekah was more pleased with the person of Isaac than she was with his ear-rings, bracelets, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, Gen. 24:30, 52, 64-67: so it befits a Christian, in the presence of his graces and gracious evidences, which are Christ's ear-rings, bracelets, and jewels—to be more taken up with Christ than with them. Christ, and his mediatorial righteousness, should be more in a Christian's eye, and always lie nearer to a Christian's heart, than inherent righteousness. Grace is a ring of gold—and Christ is the sparkling diamond in that ring. Now, what is the ring, compared to the sparkling diamond? It is not safe to pore more upon inherent righteousness than upon imputed righteousness. [He who holds not wholly with Christ, does very shamefully neglect Christ.—Gregory Nazian.]
It is not wisdom to have our thoughts and hearts more taken up with our gracious dispositions and gracious actings—than with the person of Christ, the righteousness of Christ, the life of Christ, the death of Christ, the satisfaction of Christ, etc. Dear Christians—was it Christ—or was it your graces, or your gracious evidences, or your gracious dispositions, or your gracious actings—that trod the wine-press of your Father's wrath, that satisfied divine justice, that pacified divine anger, that bore the curse, that fulfilled the law, that brought in an everlasting righteousness, that discharged your debts, that procured your pardon, that made your peace, and that brought you into a state of favor and friendship with God? If you answer, as you must, "None but Christ! None but Christ!" oh then, let your thoughts and hearts be firstly, mostly, chiefly, and lastly—taken up with the Lord Jesus!
Though inherent grace be a glorious creature—yet it is but a creature. Now, when your thoughts and hearts are more taken up with inherent
grace, than they are with Christ, the spring and fountain of all grace; you make an idol of inherent grace, and reflect dishonor upon the Lord Jesus, John 1:16; Col. 2:2-3. A Christian may lawfully look upon his graces and his gracious evidences—and a Christian ought to be much in blessing and praising of God for his graces and gracious evidences; and a Christian may safely take comfort in his graces and gracious evidences, as they are the fruits of God's eternal and unchangeable love—but still his work should be to live upon Christ, and to lift up Christ above all, Isaiah 38:3, 2 Cor. 1:12. It is Christ, it is his mediatorial righteousness, it is free grace— which a Christian ought to make the chief and only ground and bottom of his hope and comforts.
Though good old Jacob did really rejoice in the chariots and wagons which Joseph had sent to bring him down to Egypt—yet he did more abundantly rejoice in this—that Joseph was alive, and that shortly he would see and enjoy Joseph himself, Gen. 45:26-28. Though a Christian may really rejoice in his graces and gracious evidences—yet above all he ought to rejoice in Christ Jesus, to triumph in Christ Jesus, and to take up in Christ Jesus as in his great all, Gal. 6:14, Philip. 3:3, 2 Cor. 2:14, Col. 3:11.
There is a great aptness and proneness in many (may I not say in most?) gracious Christians, to gaze so much and so long upon their graces, upon their gracious dispositions, upon their gracious evidences, and upon their gracious actings—that too often they neglect the exercise of faith upon Christ, upon the promises. They gaze so much and so long upon what is wrought in them, and done by them—that they forget their grand work, which is immediate closing with Christ, immediate embracing of Christ, immediate relying upon Christ, immediate staying, rolling, and resting upon Christ, for justification and salvation.
Now, from these frequent miscarriages of Christians, some have taken the liberty and boldness very hotly and insistently to cry down the total use of all evidences, signs, and marks—the evil of which I have formerly pointed at, and therefore let this touch suffice here.
Grace is excellent, yes, very excellent—but Christ is infinitely more excellent than all your graces, and therefore above all let Christ still have
the pre-eminence, Col. 1:8. Now, though it must be granted that a Christian may lawfully make use of his graces and gracious evidences—in order to his support, comfort, and encouragement—yet it cannot be denied but that the noblest, purest, highest, and most excellent acts and exercises of faith—are when a Christian closes with Christ, embraces Christ, hangs upon Christ, and stays himself upon Christ, and upon free and precious promises—when sense and feeling fails, when joy and comfort fails, and when his gracious evidences for heaven fail. [Cant. 8:5; Job 13:15; Psalm 42:5, 11; Isaiah 50:10; Micah 7:7-10; John 20:27-29.] Oh now—to turn to Christ, and to turn to the breasts of a promise, and to live upon Christ, and to hang upon a promise—is the way of ways to exalt Christ, and to glorify Christ.
There is nothing which pleases Christ, or which delights Christ, or which is such an honor to Christ—as these pure actings of faith are. Signs and evidences are most sweet, comfortable, and pleasing to us; but the pure actings of faith are most eyed and valued by Christ; and therefore many times Christ draws a curtain between him and the soul, and causes a Christian's sun to set at noon, and damps his joy, and mars his peace, and clouds his evidences for heaven—on purpose to train up his children in the pure actings of faith, Cant. 3:1-5, and 5:3-6. It is sad when Christians make such immoderate use of their signs, marks, evidences—as damps and hinders those direct and immediate acts of faith, whereby they should receive Christ, and apply Christ, and rest upon Christ alone for pardon, peace, reconciliation, justification, and salvation. He who pores so long and so much upon his graces or gracious evidences as shall hinder him from the fresh and frequent actings of faith upon Christ—he casts contempt upon Christ. [Christ is an incomparable cordial, he is worthily called the consolation of Israel, Luke 2:25.] Though the sight of a Christian's graces and gracious evidences are very comfortable and delightful to him—yet the sight of Christ should be ten thousand times more comfortable and delightful to him.
O sirs! what are the favorites—compared to the king himself? What are the servants—compared to the Lord they wait on? What are the friends of the bridegroom—compared to the bridegroom himself? What are all the bracelets and jewels—compared to the husband who gives them? No
more are all a Christian's graces or gracious evidences—compared to the Lord Jesus himself. A Christian should say to all his gifts, graces, evidences, and services, "Stand aside—make room for Christ, make room for Christ! Oh, none but Christ! Oh, none to Christ!"
Living by signs is most natural, pleasing and comfortable to us—but living by faith is most honorable to Christ. It is said, "the just shall live by his faith," not by his evidences, Hab. 2:4, Heb. 10:38. When men pride themselves in their evidences; and when men secretly lean upon their evidences instead of leaning upon Christ; and when men found their hopes and comforts upon their signs and evidences—when they should he founding of all their hopes and comforts upon Christ; suddenly Christ withdraws, and the soul is immediately filled with clouds, fears, doubts, darkness; and all a man's graces and gracious evidences are eclipsed, and he can see nothing, nor feel nothing—but deadness, hardness, barrenness, hypocrisy, unbelief, self-love, guilt, etc., which makes him a terror to himself.
Now the design of Christ in all this is to train up his people in a life of faith, and to teach them, in the lack of their signs and evidences—how to live above their signs and evidences, upon himself, who is their life, their hope, their heaven, their happiness, their all, Col. 3:3-4, 1:27. Now, Christians, the best way to prevent these sore soul distresses, is in the moderate use of your signs and evidences, to live much in the fresh and frequent actings of faith upon the Lord Jesus, and in so doing, you will neither grieve Christ, nor provoke Christ—nor wrong your own precious and immortal souls. But,
[16.] The sixteenth and last proposition that I shall lay down is this—Whenever any fresh doubts or fears rise in your hearts upon the stirrings of corruptions, or debility of graces, or failing in duties, etc.—then keep close to these two rules:
First, have recourse to any of the former evidences which are laid down in this book; and while you find any of them shining in your souls, nay, though it were but one, never pass any judgment against the happiness and blessedness of your spiritual or eternal estates.
Secondly, turn yourselves to such particular promises, and plead such particular promises, and rest and stay your trembling souls upon such particular promises, and cling fast to such particular promises—which have been comforts, cordials, and supports to many weak, doubting, trembling Christians, who have been always afraid to say they had grace, or to say that God was their Father, or Christ their Redeemer, or the Spirit their sanctifier, or heaven their inheritance, etc.
I have read of a woman who was much disquieted in conscience, even to despair, endeavoring to be her own executioner—but was comforted by that blessed promise, Isaiah 57:15, "For thus says the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of an humble and contrite spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." And I have read of another man, who being ready to die, "Lord," says he, "I challenge you by that promise—Come unto me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest," and so was comforted. And I have read of some others who were comforted with that promise, John 10:29, "None shall pluck them out of my Father's hand." And I have read of another who, having deeply wounded his conscience by subscribing to popish errors, was much comforted by that blessed scripture: 1 Tim. 1:15, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptance, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." And I have read of Bilney the martyr, who was much comforted under sore distresses by that promise: Isaiah 26:3, "You will keep him in perfect peace" (or as the Hebrew runs, shalom, shalom, peace, peace) whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."
"A broken and a contrite heart, O God, you will not despise." This promise was a cordial to Bernard on his dying bed; he died with this promise in his mouth. And Austin found so much sweetness in the same promise, that he caused it to be written on the wall over against his bed where he lay sick and died. And many have gone to heaven triumphantly by the refreshing and comfort that they have found in these following scriptures: John 6:37, "All who the Father gives me shall come to me; and him who comes to me I will never cast out;" Isaiah 55:1, "Ho everyone who thirsts—come to the waters; and he who has no money—come, buy