or trust in, the benefit offered. All which are, by holy men of God,
words used on purpose to show that the mercy of God, the forgiveness of
sins, and eternal life, are not to be had by doing, or by the law; but
by receiving, embracing, accepting, or trusting to the mercy of God
through Christ: ‘We believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ we shall be saved, even as they’ (Acts 15:11; John 1:12; 2 Cor
4:1, 11:4; Col 2:6; Heb 11:13; 1 Tim 1:15; Eph 1:12-13). Thus you see
what the gospel is, and what faith doth do in the salvation of the
soul. Now, that faith might be helped in this work, for great are they
that oppose it, therefore the Scriptures, the Word of truth, hath
presented us with the invitation in most plain and suitable sentences:
as, ‘That Christ came into the world to save sinners—Christ died for
our sins—Christ gave himself for our sins—Christ bare our sins in his
body on the tree—and that God, for Christ’s sake, hath forgiven you.’
Further, as the invitations are plain and easy, so the threatenings to
the opposers are sore and astonishing: ‘He that believeth not shall be
damned—Because they received not the love of the truth, that they might
be saved, God gave them up to strong delusions, that they all might be
damned’ (Mark 16:16; 2 Thess 2:10-12).
Object. But faith is said to be an act of obedience.
Answ. And well it may, for it is the most submitting act that a man can
do; it throweth out all our righteousness; it makes the soul poor in
itself; it liveth upon God and Christ, as the almsman doth upon his
lord; it consenteth to the gospel that it is true; it giveth God and
Christ the glory of their mercy and merit; it loveth God for his mercy,
and Jesus Christ for his service; whatever good it doth, it still
crieth, Hereby am I not justified, but he that justifieth me is the
Lord. Well, but is there in truth such a thing as the obedience of
faith? Then let Christians labour to understand it, and distinguish it
aright, and to separate it from the law and all man’s righteousness;
and remember that it is a receiving of mercy, an embracing of
forgiveness, an accepting of the righteousness of Christ, and a
trusting to these for life. Remember, again, that it putteth the soul
upon coming to Christ as a sinner, and to receive forgiveness as a
sinner, as such. We now treat of justification.
But a little to insert at large a few more of the excellencies of it,
and so draw towards a conclusion. The more thou believest for remission
of sins, the more of the light of the glorious gospel of Christ thou
receivest into thy soul—‘For therein is the righteousness of God
revealed from faith to faith’ (Rom 1:17). That is, according to the
degree of faith. Little faith seeth but little but great faith seeth
much; and therefore he saith again, that by faith we have ‘access into
the grace of God’ (Rom 5:2). The reason is,
1. Because faith, having laid hold upon Christ, hath found him ‘in whom
are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge’ (Col 2:3). In him
therefore it finds and sees those heights and depths of gospel
mysteries that are nowhere else to be found; nay, let a man be
destitute of faith, and it is not possible he should once think of some
of them.
2. By this means the Holy Spirit is plentifully received (Gal 3:1-3).
Now the Spirit of God is a spirit of wisdom and revelation; but yet so
as in the knowledge of Christ; otherwise the Spirit will show to man
not any mighty thing, its great delight being to open Christ and to
reveal him unto faith (Eph 1:17). Faith indeed can see him, for that is
the eye of the soul; and the Spirit alone can reveal him, that being
the searcher of the deep things of God; by these therefore the
mysteries of heaven are revealed and received. And hence it is that the
mystery of the gospel is called the ‘mystery of faith,’ or the mystery
with which faith only hath to do (1 Tim 3:9).
Wouldst thou, then, know the greatest things of God? Accustom thyself
to the obedience of faith,[34] live upon thy justifying righteousness,
and never think that to live always on Christ for justification is a
low and beggarly thing, and as it were a staying at the foundation; for
let me tell you, depart from a sense of the meritorious means of your
justification with God, and you will quickly grow light, and frothy,
and vain. Besides, you will always be subject to errors and delusions;
for this is not to hold the head from or through which nourishment is
administered (Col 2:19). Further, no man that buildeth forsakes the
good foundation; that is the ground of his encouragement to work, for
upon that is laid the stress of all; and without it nothing that is
framed can be supported, but must inevitably fall to the ground.
Again; why not live upon Christ alway? and especially as he standeth
the mediator between God, and the soul, defending thee with the merit
of his blood, and covering thee with his infinite righteousness from
the wrath of God and curse of the law. Can there be any greater comfort
ministered to thee than to know thy person stands just before God? Just
and justified from all things that would otherwise swallow thee up? Is
peace with God and assurance of heaven of so little respect with thee
that thou slightest the very foundation thereof, even faith in the
blood and righteousness of Christ? and are notions and whimsies of such
credit with thee that thou must leave the foundation to follow them?
But again; what mystery is desirable to be known that is not to be
found in Jesus Christ, as Priest, Prophet, or King of saints? In him
are hid all the treasures of them, and he alone hath the key of David
to open them (Col 2:1,2; Rev 3:7). Paul was so taken with Jesus Christ,
and the knowledge of this, that he was crucified for us, that he
desired, nay, determined not to know any thing else among the
Corinthians, that itched after other wisdom (1 Cor 2:2).
Object. But I see not that in Christ now, that I have seen in him in
former days. Besides, I find the Spirit lead me forth to study other
things.
Answ. To the first part of this objection I would answer several
things.—The cause why thou seest not that in Christ now, which thou
hast seen in him in former days, is not in Christ, but in thy faith; he
is the same, as fresh, and as good, and as full of blessedness, as when
thou didst most rejoice in him (Heb 1:11,12). And why not now, as well
as formerly? God is never weary of being delighted with Jesus Christ;
his blood is always precious with God; his merits being those in which
justice hath everlasting rest, why shouldst thou wander or go about to
change thy way? (Prov 8:30; Jer 2:36). Sin is the same as ever, and so
is the curse of the law. The devil is as busy as ever; and beware of
the law in thy members. Return, therefore, to thy rest, O soul! for he
is thy life, and the length of thy days. Guilt is to be taken off now,
as it was years ago; and whether thou seest it or no, thou sinnest in
all thy works. How, then, canst thou stand clear from guilt in thy soul
who neglectest to act faith in the blood of the Lamb? There thou must
wash thy robes, and there thou must make them white (Rev 7:14,15). I
conclude, then, thou art a polluted, surfeited, corrupted, hardened
creature, whosoever thou art, that thus objectest.
But I find, sayest thou, as if the Spirit led me forth to study other
matters.
Answ.—First. What other matters? What matters besides, above, or beyond
the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, and of our acceptance with God
through him? What spirit, or doctrine, or wisdom soever it be that
centres not in, that cometh not from, and that terminates not within,
the bonds of the gospel of Jesus Christ, is not worthy the study of the
sons of God; neither is it food for the faith of Jesus Christ, for that
is the flesh of Christ, and that is eternal life (John 6:5). Whither
will you go? Beware of the spirit of Antichrist; for ‘many false
spirits are gone out into the world.’ I told you before, that the
Spirit of God is ‘the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge
of Christ,’ and that without and besides the Lord Jesus it discovereth
nothing (Eph 1:17). It is sent to testify of him; it is sent to bring
his words to our remembrance; it is sent to take of his things and show
them unto us (John 14,15,16). Wherefore, never call that the Spirit of
Jesus which leads you away from the blood and righteousness of Christ;
that is but the spirit of delusion and of the devil, whose teachings
end in perdition and destruction. Tempt not Christ as they of old did.
But how did they tempt him? Why, in loathing the manna, which was the
type of his flesh and blood, which we are to eat of by believing. I
say, tempt him not, lest you be destroyed by the serpents, by the
gnawing guilt of sin; for, take away Christ, and sin remains, and there
is no more sacrifice for sin: if so, thou wilt be destroyed by the
destroyer (Num 21:5-7; 1 Cor 10:10). But again—
Second. Living by faith begets in the heart a son-like boldness and
confidence to God-ward in all our gospel duties, under all our
weaknesses, and under all our temptations. It is a blessed thing to be
privileged with a holy boldness and confidence God-ward, that he is on
our side, that he taketh part with us and that he will plead our cause
‘with them that rise up against us’ (2 Cor 2:14, 4:17,18; Gal 2:20).
But this boldness faith helpeth us to do, and also manageth in our
heart. This is that which made Paul always triumph and rejoice in God
and the Lord Jesus (Phil 3:3; Rom 5:11). He lived the life of faith;
for faith sets a man in the favour of God by Christ, and makes a man
see that what befals him in this life, it shall, through the wisdom and
mercy of God, not only prove for his forwarding to heaven, but to
augment his glory when he comes there. This man now stands on high, he
lives, he is rid of slavish fears and carking cares, and in all his
straits he hath a God to go to! Thus David, when all things looked awry
upon him, ‘encouraged himself in the Lord his God’ (1 Sam 30:6). Daniel
also believed in his God, and knew that all his trouble, losses, and
crosses, would be abundantly made up in his God (Dan 6:23). And David
said, ‘I had fainted unless I had believed’ (Psa 27:13). Believing,
therefore, is a great preservative against all such impediments, and
makes us confident in our God, and with boldness to come into his
presence, claiming privilege in what he is and hath (Jonah 3:4,5). For
by faith, I say, he seeth his acceptance through the Beloved, and
himself interested in the mercy of God, and riches of Christ, and glory
in the world to come (Heb 10:22,23; Eph 1:4-7). This man can look upon
all the dangers in hell and earth without paleness of countenance; he
shall meditate terror with comfort, ‘because he beholds the King in his
beauty’ (Isa 33:17,18). Again—
Third. Living by faith makes a man exercise patience and quietness
under all his afflictions; for faith shows him that his best part is
safe, that his soul is in God’s special care and protection, purged
from sin in the blood of Christ. Faith also shows him that after a
little while he shall be in the full enjoyment of that which now he
believes is coming: ‘We, through the Spirit, wait for the hope of
righteousness by faith’ (Gal 5:5). Wherefore, upon this ground it is
that James exhorteth the saints to whom he wrote, to patience, because
they knew the harvest would in due time come (James 5:7-11). Faith
lodgeth the soul with Christ: ‘I know,’ saith Paul, ‘on whom I have
believed,’ and to whom I have committed my soul, ‘and am persuaded,’ I
believe it, ‘that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto
him against that day’; therefore it were no shame to him to wear a
chain for his name and sake (2 Tim 1:12). O! it is a blessed thing to
see, I say, by the faith of the Lord Jesus, that we are embarked in the
same ship with him; this will help us greatly ‘both to hope and quietly
wait for the salvation of the Lord’ (Psa 46:1-6; Lam 3:26). Further—
Fourth. I might add, that living by faith is the way to receive fresh
strength from heaven, thereby to manage thine every day’s work with
life and vigour; yea, every look by faith upon Jesus Christ, as thine,
doth this great work. It is said, when Paul saw the brethren that came
to meet him, ‘he thanked God, and took courage’ (Acts 28:15). O! how
much more, then, shall the Christian be blessed with fresh strength and
courage even at the beholding of Christ; whom ‘beholding as in a
glass,’ we ‘are changed,’ even by beholding of him by faith in the
word, ‘into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit
of the Lord’ (2 Cor 3:18). But to be brief.
Fifth. Make conscience of the duty of believing, and be as afraid of
falling short here as in any other command of God. ‘This is his
commandment, that you believe’ (1 John 3:23). Believe, therefore, in
the name of the Lord Jesus. This is the will of God, that you believe.
Believe, therefore, to the saving of the soul (John 6:46). Unbelief is
a fine-spun thread, not so easily discerned as grosser sins; and
therefore that is truly ‘The sin that doth so easily beset us’ (Heb
12:1). The light of nature will show those sins that are against the
law of nature; but the law of faith is a command beyond what flesh or
nature teacheth; therefore to live by faith is so much the harder work;
yet it must be done, otherwise thine other duties profit thee nothing.
For if a man give way to unbelief, though he be most frequent in all
other duties besides, so often as he worshippeth God in these, he yet
saith, God is a liar in the other, even because he hath not believed:
‘He that believeth not God, hath made him a liar; because he believeth
not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that
God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son’ (1 John
5:10,11). So then, when thou givest way to unbelief; when thou dost not
venture the salvation of thy soul upon the justifying life that is in
Christ—that is, in his blood, &c.,—at once, thou givest the lie to the
whole testament of God; yea, thou tramplest upon the promise of grace,
and countest this precious blood an unholy and unworthy thing (Heb
10:29). Now how, thou doing thus, the Lord should accept of thy other
duties, of prayer, alms, thanksgiving, self-denial, or any other, will
be hard for thee to prove. In the meantime remember, that faith
pleaseth God; and that without faith it is impossible to please him.
Remember also, that for this cause it was that the offering of Cain was
not accepted: ‘By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent
sacrifice than Cain’; for by faith Abel first justified the promise of
the Messias, by whom a conquest should be obtained over the devil, and
all the combination of hell against us: then he honoured Christ by
believing that he was able to save him; and in token that he believed
these things indeed, he presented the Lord with the firstlings of his
flock, as a remembrance before God that he believed in his Christ (Heb
11:4). And therefore it is said, ‘By faith he offered’; by which means
the offering was accepted of God; for no man’s offering can be accepted
with God but his that stands righteous before him first. But unbelief
holdeth men under their guilt, because they have not believed in
Christ, and by that means put on his righteousness. Again; he that
believeth not, hath made invalid—what in him lies—the promise of God
and merits of Christ, of whom the Father hath spoken so worthily;
therefore what duties or acts of obedience soever he performeth, God by
no means can be pleased with him.
By this, therefore, you see the miserable state of the people that have
not faith—‘Whatever they do, they sin’; if they break the law, they
sin; if they endeavour to keep it, they sin. They sin, I say, upon a
double account: first, because they do it but imperfectly; and,
secondly, because they yet stay upon that, resisting that which is
perfect, even that which God hath appointed. It mattereth not, as to
justification from the curse, therefore; men wanting faith, whether
they be civil or profane, they are such as stand accursed of the law,
because they have not believed, and because they have given the lie to
the truth, and to the God of truth. Let all men, therefore, that would
please God make conscience of believing; on pain, I say, of displeasing
him; on pain of being, with Cain, rejected, and on pain of being damned
in hell. ‘He that believeth not shall be damned’ (Mark 16:16). Faith is
the very quintessence of all gospel obedience, it being that which must
go before other duties, and that which also must accompany whatever I
do in the worship of God, if it be accepted of him.[35] Here you may
see a reason why the force and power of hell is so bent against
believing. Satan hateth all the parts of our Christian obedience, but
the best and chiefest most. And hence the apostle saith to the
Thessalonians, that he sent to know their faith, lest by some means the
tempter have tempted them, and so his labour had been in vain (1 Thess
3:5). Indeed, where faith is wanting, or hath been destroyed, all the
labour is in vain, nothing can profit any man, neither as to peace with
God, nor the acceptance of any religious duty; and this, I say, Satan
knows, which makes him so bend his force against us.
There are three things in the act of believing which make this grace
displeasing to the wicked one—
1. Faith discovereth the truth of things to the soul; the truth of
things as they are, whether they be things that are of this world, or
of that which is to come; the things and pleasures above, and also
those beneath. Faith discovereth to the soul the blessedness, and
goodness, and durableness of the one; the vanity, foolishness, and
transitoriness of the other. Faith giveth credit to all things that are
written in the law and in the prophets (Acts 24:14), both as to the
being, nature, and attributes of God; the blessed undertaking of the
Lord Jesus Christ; the glory of heaven and torments of hell; the
sweetness of the promise and terror of the threatenings and curses of
the Word; by which means Satan is greatly frustrated in his assaults
when he tempteth either to love this world or slight that which is to
come, for he can do no great matter in these things to any but those
who want the faith. ‘In vain is the snare laid in the sight of any
bird’ (Prov 1:17); therefore he must first blind, and hold blind, the
minds of men, ‘that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is
the image of God, should not shine unto them,’ else he can do no harm
to the soul (2 Cor 4:4). Now, faith is the eye of the godly man, and
that sees the truth of things, whatever Satan suggests, either about
the glory of this world, the sweetness of sin, the uncertainty of
another world, or the like (1 John 5:4,5; Heb. 11:27).
2. Faith wraps the soul up in the bundle of life with God; it encloseth
it in the righteousness of Jesus, and presents it so perfect in that,
that whatever he can do, with all his cunning, cannot render the soul
spotted or wrinkled before the justice of the law; yea, though the man,
as to his own person and acts, be full of sin from top to toe, Jesus
Christ covereth all; faith sees it, and holds the soul in the godly
sense and comfort of it. The man, therefore, standing here, stands
shrouded under that goodly robe that makes him glisten in the eye of
justice. Yea, all the answer that Satan can get from God against such a
soul is, that he ‘doth not see iniquity in Jacob, nor behold
perverseness in Israel’; for here ‘Israel hath not been forsaken, nor
Judah of his God, of the Lord of hosts, though,’ as to their own
persons, ‘their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of
Israel’ (Num 23:21-23; Jer 51:5; Rom 6:14; Deut 33:12). Thus,
therefore, the soul believing, is hid from all the power of the enemy,
and dwells safely under the dominion of grace.
3. Faith keeps the soul from giving credit to any of his insinuations;
for whatever Satan saith, either about the acceptance of my person or
performances, so long as I believe that both are accepted of God for
Christ’s sake, he suggesteth to the wind; wherefore faith doth the same
against the devil that unbelief doth to God. Doth unbelief count God a
liar? Faith counts the devil a liar. Doth unbelief hold the soul from
the mercy of God? Faith holds the soul from the malice of the devil.
Doth unbelief quench thy graces? Faith kindleth them even into a flame.
Doth unbelief fill the soul full of sorrow? Faith fills it full of the
joy of the Holy Ghost. In a word, doth unbelief bind down thy sins upon
thee? Why, faith in Jesus Christ releaseth thee of them all.
4. As faith keeps the soul from giving credit to the insinuations of
Satan, so, when he makes his assaults, it over-masters him, and makes
him retreat; ‘Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.—Whom resist
steadfast in the faith’ (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:9). Believe, as I have
already said, that God loveth you, that the blood of Christ was shed
for you, that your person is presented complete before him, through the
righteousness of Christ, and Satan must give place; thy crediting of
the gospel makes him fly before thee; but thou must do it steadfast in
the faith; every waverer giveth him advantage. And, indeed, this is the
reason that the godly are so foiled with his assaults, they do not
resist him steadfast in the faith; they often stagger through unbelief.
Now, at every stagger he recovereth lost ground again, and giveth
battle another time. Besides, by this and the other stagger he taketh
heart to attempt by other means, and so doubleth the affliction with
manifold temptations. This is, I say, for want of being steadfast.
‘Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to
quench all the fiery darts of the wicked’ (Eph 6:16). To quench them,
though they come from him as kindled with the very fire of hell. None
knows, save him that feels it, how burning hot the fiery darts of Satan
are; and how, when darted, they kindle upon our flesh and unbelief;
neither can any know the power and worth of faith to quench them but he
that hath it, and hath power to act it.
5. Lastly, if justifying righteousness be alone to be found in the
person of Jesus Christ, then this shows us the sad condition of two
sorts of men—1. Of those that hang in doubt betwixt Christ and the law.
2. Of those that do professedly make denial of the sufficiency of this
most blessed righteousness.
First. The first sort, though they may seek life, yet, thus continuing,
are never like to find it. Wherefore? Because they seek it not by
faith, but, as it were, by the works of the law. Indeed, they will not
be merit-mongers; they will not wholly trust to the law; they will
partly venture on Christ, and partly trust to the law. Well, but
therefore they shall be damned, because they trust to Christ but in
part, and in part, as it were, to the works of the law; for such
sinners make Christ but a Saviour in part—why, then, should he be their
Saviour in whole? No; because they halt between Christ and the law,
therefore they shall fall between Christ and the law; yea, because they
will trust to their works in part, they shall be but almost saved by
Christ. Let not that man think that he shall obtain any thing from the
Lord. What man? Why, he that doubteth or wavereth in his mind about the
truth of the mercy of God in Christ. Therefore the exhortation is, ‘But
let him ask in faith.—For he that wavereth,’ or, that halteth between
the law and Christ for life, ‘is like a wave of the sea, driven of the
wind and tossed’ (James 1:6). In conclusion, he resteth nowhere—‘a
double-minded man is unstable in all his ways’ (v 8). This man,
therefore, must miscarry; he must not see the good land that flows with
milk and honey; no, let him not have a thought of life in his heart;
let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.[36]