Post by Admin on Oct 19, 2023 9:42:11 GMT -5
'Diligently labor in that part of the life of faith which consisted in the constant use of Christ as the means of the soul's access to God, acceptance with him, and comfort from him: and think not of coming to the Father, but by him.'
To talk and boast of Christ is easy, and to use him for the increase of our carnal security, and boldness in sinning: but to live in the daily use of Christ to those ends of his office, to which he is by us to be made use of, is a matter of greater skill and diligence than many self esteeming professors are aware of. What Christ himself hath done, or will do, for our salvation, is not directly the thing that we are now considering of; but what use he requires us to make of him in the life of faith. He hath told us, that his flesh is meat indeed, and his blood is drink; indeed, and that except we eat his flesh and drink his blood, we have no life in us. Here is our use of Christ, expressed by eating and drinking his flesh and blood, which is by faith. The general parts of the work of redemption, Christ hath himself performed for us, without asking our consent, or imposing upon us any condition on our parts, without which he would not do that work: as the sun doth illustrate and warm the earth whether it will or not, and as the rain falls on the grass without asking whether it consent or will be thankful; so Christ, without our consent or knowledge, did take our nature, and fulfil the law, and satisfy the offended Law-giver, and merit grace, and conquer Satan, death, and hell, and became the glorified Lord of all: but for the exercise of his graces in us, and our advancement to communion with God, and our living in the strength and joys of faith, he is himself the object of our duty, even of that faith which we must daily and diligently exercise upon him: and thus Christ will profit us no further than we make use of him by faith. It is not a forgotten Christ that objectively comforted
or encourages the soul; but a Christ believed in, and skillfully and faithfully used to that end. It is objectively (principally) that Christ is called our wisdom, 1 Cor. 1:30. The knowledge of him, and the mysteries of grace in him, is the Christian or Divine philosophy or wisdom, in opposition to the vain philosophy which the learned heathen boasted of. And therefore Paul determined to know nothing but Christ crucified, that is, to make ostentation of no other knowledge, and to glory in nothing but the cross of Christ, and so to preach Christ as if he knew nothing else but Christ. And it is objectively that Christ is said to dwell in our hearts by faith. Faith keeps him still upon the heart by continual cogitation, application, and improvement: as a friend is said to dwell in our hearts whom we continually love and think of.
Christ himself teaches us to distinguish between faith in God (as God), and faith in himself (as Mediator): "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God:" (or, believe ye in God?) "believe also in me." These set together are the sufficient cure of a troubled heart. It is not 'Faith in God, as God,' but 'Faith in Christ as Mediator,' that I am now to speak of: and that not as it is inherent in the understanding, but as it is operative on the heart and in the life: and this is not the smallest part of the life of faith, by which the just are said to live. Every true Christian must in his measure be able to say with Paul, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I,
but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." The pure Godhead is the beginning and the end of all. But Christ is "the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature; and by him all things were created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, or principalities or powers, all things were created by him and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things do consist. And he is the head of the body, the church; who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence." "In him it is that we who were sometime afar off are made nigh, even by his blood. For he is our peace, who hath reconciled both Jew and Gentile unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: and came and preached peace to them that were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have an access by one Spirit unto the Father: so that now we are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God," "In him" it is "that we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in him; he is the way, the truth, and the life: and no man cometh to the Father, but by him." It is "by the blood of Jesus that we have boldness" (and liberty) "to enter into the holiest: by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail, that is to say, his flesh."
Because "we have so great a Priest over the house of God, we may draw near, with a true heart, in full assurance of faith." "By him it is that we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and boast in hope of the glory of God." So that we must have "all our communion with God through him." Supposing what I have said of this subject in my "Directions for a sound Conversion,"
Direct. 5., (which I hope the reader will peruse,)
I shall here briefly name the uses which we must make of Christ by faith, in order to our holy converse with God. But I must tell you, that it is a doctrine which requireth a prepared heart, that hath life within to enable it to relish holy truth, and to dispose it to diligence, delight, and constancy in practice. A senseless reader will feel but little savor in it, and a sluggish reader, that suffered it to die as soon as it hath touched his ears or fantasy, will fall short of the practice and the pleasure of this life. He must have faith that will live by faith: and he must have the heart and nature of a child, that will take pleasure in loving, reverent, and obedient converse with a father.
1. The darkness of ignorance and unbelief is the great impediment of the soul that desires to draw near to God. When it knows not God, or knows not man's capacity of enjoying him, and how much he regarded the heart of man; or knows not by what way he must be sought and found: or when he doubted of the certainty of the word which declares the duty of the hopes of man; all this, or any of this, will suppress the ascending desires of the soul, and clip its wings, and break the heart of its holy aspiring after God, by killing or weakening the hopes of its success.
Here, then, make use of Jesus Christ, the great revealer of God and his will to the blind world, and the great confirmer of the Divine authority of his word. Life and immortality are brought more fully to light by the Gospel, than ever they were by any other means. Moses and the prophets did bring with their doctrine sufficient evidence of its credibility. But Christ hath brought both a fuller revelation, and a fuller evidence to help belief. An inspired prophet which proves his inspiration to us, is a credible messenger; but when God himself shall come down into flesh, and converse with man, and teach him the knowledge of God, and the way to life, and tell him the mysteries of the world to come, and seal his testimony with unquestionable proofs, who will not learn of such a teacher? and who will deny belief to such a messenger, except absurd, unreasonable men? Remember then, when ignorance or unbelief would hinder your access to God, that you have the ablest teacher and the surest witness to acquaint you with God in all the world. If God had sent an angel from heaven, to tell you what he is, and what he requires of you, and what he will do for you, would it not be very acceptable to you? But he hath done much more; he hath sent his Son: the Deity itself hath appeared in flesh: he that hath seen God, and he that is God, hath come among men to acquaint them with God: his testimony is more sure and credible than any angel's: "God who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake in times past to the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken to us by his Sont. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father,
he hath declared him." We have "neither heard the voice of God, nor seen his shape. No man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God; he hath seen the Father. No man knows the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him." What more can we desire, that is short of the sight of the glory of God, than to have him revealed to us by a messenger from heaven, and such a messenger as himself hath seen him, and is God himself? Plato and Plotinus may describe God to us according to their dark conjectures:
something we may discern of him by observing his works: but Christ hath declared what he saw, and what he knew beyond all possibility of mistake. And lest his own testimony should seem questionable to us, he hath confirmed it by a life of miracles, and by rising from the dead himself, and ascending visibly to heaven, and by the Holy Ghost, and his miraculous gifts which he gave to the messengers of his Gospel. Had it been no more than his resurrection from the dead, it had been enough to prove the utter unreasonableness of unbelief.
2. It is also a great impediment to the soul in its approach to God, that infinite distance disableth us to conceive of him aright. We say as Elihu, "Behold, God is great, and we know him not." And indeed it is impossible that mortal man should have any adequate apprehensions of his essence. But in his Son he hath come down to us, and shewed himself in the clearest glass that ever did reveal him. Think of him, therefore, as he appeared in our flesh: as he shewed himself in his holiness and goodness to the world. You may have positive thoughts of Jesus Christ: though you may not think that the Godhead was flesh, yet you may think of it as it appeared in flesh. It may quiet the understanding to conceive of God as incarnate, and to know that we cannot yet "know him as he is," or have any adequate conceptions of him: these may delight us till we reach to more.
3. It hindered the soul's approach to God, when the infinite distance makes us think that God will not regard or take notice of such contemptible worms as we; we are ready to think that he is too high for our converse or delight. In this case the soul hath no such remedy, as to look to Christ; and we see how the Father hath regarded us, and set his heart upon us, and sent his Son to seek and save us. O wonderful, astonishing condescension of eternal love! Believe that God assumed flesh to make himself familiar with man; and you can never question whether he regard us, or will hold communion with us.
4. It hinders our comfortable access to God, when we are deterred by the glory of his infiniteness and majesty. As the eye is not able to gaze upon the sun unless it be overshadowed; so the soul is afraid of the majesty of God, and overwhelmed by it when it should be delighted in it. Against this there is no such remedy, as to behold God appearing to us in his Son, where his majesty is veiled, and where he approaches us familiarly in our nature, to invite us to him with holy confidence and reverent boldness. Christ did not appear in a terrible form: women durst discourse with him: beggars, and cripples, and diseased people durst ask his help: sinners durst eat with him. The proud contemned him, but the lowly were not frighted from him. He took upon him the "form of a servant," and made himself of no reputation, that he might converse familiarly with the meanest and those of no reputation. Though we may not debase the Godhead, to imagine that it is humbled in glory, as it was on earth, in the flesh of Christ; yet this condescension is unspeakable encouragement to the soul to come with boldness unto God, that was frighted from him.
5. When the guilt of sin affrighteth us from God, and we are thinking that God will not accept such great offenders as we have been, then Christ is our remedy, who hath paid our debt, and borne our stripes, and procured and sealed us a pardon by his blood. Shall pardoned sins drive us from him that pardoned them? He hath justified us by his righteousness. The curse and condemnation are terrible indeed; but he hath taken them away, and given us a free discharge.
6. The infirmities also of our souls, in duty, are oftentimes a great discouragement to us, in our approaches to the most holy, jealous God. To find so little knowledge of God, so little love to him, such cold desires, such wandering and distracted thoughts, such dull requests: it is hard to have lively and thankful apprehensions of God's acceptance of such defective, lame meditations or prayers; but we are apt to think that he will abhor both them and us, and that he can take no pleasure in them, yea, that it is as good not to pray at all.
Here faith hath full relief in Christ: two things it can say from him to encourage the fearful soul:
(1.) That our acceptance with the Father is through the merits of his Son: and he is worthy, though we are unworthy. If we have but the worthiness of faith, and repentance, and sincere desire, Christ hath the worthiness of perfect holiness and obedience for us. We go not to the Father in our own names, but in his: and whatever we ask the Father in the name of Christ according to his will, he will give it us.
(2.) That all the infirmities of our souls and services are forgiven us through Christ: he hath undertaken to answer for them all, and to justify us from all such accusations. By faith thou mayst, as it were, hear Christ thus speaking for thine encouragement: 'Go boldly, poor sinner, into my Father's presence: fear not the guilt of thy sins, nor the imperfection of thy prayers; as long as thou truly repents of them, and desires to be delivered from them, and trusts in me, I am thy worthiness; my righteousness is perfect without spot; I have taken all thy faults and failings upon me: I have undertaken to answer for all the imperfections of thy holy things: sincerity is thy endowment; perfection is mine: trust me in the performance of the trust which I have undertaken.'
7. Sometimes, the soul that would draw near to God, is overwhelmed with grief and terror, so that the sense of sin, and danger, and misery, do even distract men, and cast them into an agony; so that they say with David, "My soul refused to be comforted: I remembered God and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Thou holds mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak." Yea, they think they feel God thrust them from him, and tell them that he hath utterly forsaken them. In this case, faith must look to Christ, and remember that he was in an agony when he prayed, and in a greater agony than ever you were, so that he sweat even drops of blood: and yet in that agony he prayed more
earnestly. He himself once cried out upon the cross, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me:" and yet he was the beloved of the Father, and is now at his right hand in glory: and all this he did that we might not be forsaken. He hath removed the enmity: he hath reconciled us to God: by grief he passed himself to joy, and he will wipe away his servants' tears, and cause their griefs to end in joy.
8. Sometimes, the soul that would draw near to God, is molested with a storm of hideous temptations, and even confounded with a swarm of disordered, perplexed thoughts. Satan assaulted it with temptations to despair, temptations to horrid blasphemous thoughts; temptations to entangle, intermit, corrupt, or pervert the duty which they are about; so that the soul is discouraged, overwhelmed, and broken with the inward assaults, and troubles, and distractions which it undergoes. In this case, faith hath a Saviour suitable to our relief. It can look to him that was tempted in all points like as we are, without sin, and is now such an High Priest as can be touched with
the feeling of our infirmities; and, therefore, we may come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. "In all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest, in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people: for he himself having suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted." He submitted not only to be tempted by Satan, but tempted in a Wilderness, where he had no man to comfort him; and to be tempted to the most horrid blasphemy and wickedness, even to fall down and worship the devil himself: and he suffered the tempter violently to carry him to the pinnacle of the temple, Matt. 4. What should we think of ourselves, if we had been used thus? Should we not think that God had utterly forsaken us? He suffered himself to be tempted also by men: by the abuses and reproaches of his enemies; by the desertion of his followers; by the carnal counsel of Peter, persuading him to put by the death which he was to undergo. And he that made all temptations serve to the triumph of his patience, and conquering power, will give the victory also to his grace, in the weakest soul.
9. It would be the greatest attractive to us to draw near to God, and make the thoughts of him pleasant to us, if we could but believe that he dearly loveth us, that he is reconciled to us, and taketh us for his children, and that he taketh pleasure in us, and that he resolved for ever to glorify us with his Son, and that the dearest friend that we have in the world, doth not love us the thousandth part so much as he. And all this in Christ, is clearly represented to the eye of faith. All this is procured for believers, by him: and all this is given to believers in him. In him God is reconciled to us. He is our Father, and dwelleth among us, and in us, and walketh in us, and is our God. Light and heat are not more abundant in the sun, than love is in Jesus Christ.
To look on Christ, and not perceive the love of God, is as to look on the sun, and not to see and acknowledge its light. Therefore, whenever you find your hearts averse to God, and to have no pleasure in him, look then to Jesus, and observe in him the unmeasurable love of God: that you may be able to comprehend with all the saints, "what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fulness of God." Love and goodness are that to the will, which delicious sweetness is to the sensitive appetite. Draw near then, and taste the feast of love which God hath prepared and proposed by his Son. Dost thou not see or feel the love of God? Come near, and look upon God incarnate; upon a crucified Christ; upon the Covenant sealed in his blood; upon all the benefits of his Redemption; upon all the privileges of the saints; and upon the glory purchased, possessed, and promised by him. Put thy hand into his wounded side, and be not faithless, but believing: and then thou wilt cry out, "My Lord, and my God."
10. So also, when the soul would fain perceive in itself the flames of love to God, it is the beholding of Christ by faith, which is the striking of fire, and the effectual means of kindling love. And this is the true approach to God, and the true communion and converse with him: so far as we love him, so far do we draw near him, and so far have we true communion with him. O what would the soul of a believer give, that it could but burn in love to God, as oft as in prayer, or meditation, or conference, his name and attributes are mentioned or remembered! For this, there is no such powerful means, as believingly to look on Christ, in whom such glorious love appeared, as will draw forth the love of all, that by a lively faith discern it.
Behold the love that God hath manifested by his Son, and thou canst not but love him, who is the spring of this transcendent love. In the law, God shews his frowning wrath: and therefore it breeds the "spirit of bondage unto fear:" but in Christ God appeared to us, not only as loving us, but as love itself; and therefore as most lovely to us, giving us the spirit of adoption, or of filial love, by which we fly, and cry to him as our Father.
11. The actual undisposedness and disability of the soul to prayer, meditation, and all holy converse with the blessed God, is the great impediment of our walking with him: and against this, our relief is all in Christ. He is filled with the Spirit, to communicate to his members: he can quicken us when we are dull: he can give us faith when we are unbelieving: he can give us boldness when we are discouraged: he can pour out upon us the Spirit of supplication, which shall help our infirmities, when we know not what to pray for as we ought. Beg of him then, the spirit of prayer: and look to his example, who prayed with strong cries and tears, and continued all the night in prayer, and spake a parable to this end, that we should always pray, and not wax faint. Call to him, and he that is with the Father will reach the hand of his Spirit to you, and will quicken your desires, and lift you up.
12. Sometimes, the soul is hearkening to temptations of unbelief, and doubting whether God observe our prayers, or whether there is so much to be got by prayer as we are told. In such a case faith must look to Christ, who hath not only commanded it, and encouraged us by his example; but also made us such plentiful promises of acceptance with God, and the grant of our desires. Recourse to these promises will animate us to draw nigh to God.
13. Sometimes the present sense of our vileness, who are but dust and despicable worms, doth discourage us, and weaken our expectations from God. Against this, what a wonderful relief is it to the soul, to think of our union with Christ, and of the dignity and glory of our Head! Can God despise the members of his Son? Can he trample upon them that are as his flesh and bone? Will he cut off, or forsake, or cast away the weakest parts of his body?
14. Sometimes, the guilt of renewed infirmities or decays doth renew distrust, and make us shrink; and we are like the child in the mother's arms, that feared when he loses his hold, as if his safety were more in his hold of her, than in her hold of him. Weak duties have weak expectations of success. In this case, what an excellent remedy hath faith, in looking to the perpetual intercession of Christ. Is he praying for us in the heavens, and shall we not be bold to pray, and expect an answer? O remember that he is not weak, when we are weak; and that it concerns us, that he prayed for us: and that we have now an unchangeable priest, who is able to save them to the uttermost, or to perpetuity, "that come (sincerely) to God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them." If you heard Christ pray for you, would it not encourage you to pray, and persuade you that God would not reject you? Undoubtedly it would.
15. Sometimes, weak Christians, that have not the gifts of memory or utterance, are apt to think that ministers indeed and able men, are accepted of God, but that he little values such as them. It is here a great encouragement to the soul, to think that Jesus our great High Priest, doth make all his children priests to God. They are "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that they should shew forth the praises of him that hath called them out of darkness into his marvelous light: an holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." Even their "broken hearts and contrite spirits, are a sacrifice which God will not despise." He knows the meaning of the Spirit's groan.
16. The strength of corruptions which molest the soul, and are too often struggling with it, and too much prevail, doth greatly discourage us in our approach to that God that hates all the workers of iniquity. And here faith may find relief in Christ, not only as he pardoneth us, but as he hath conquered the devil and the world himself, and bid us be of good cheer, because he hath conquered, and hath all the power given him in heaven and earth, and can give us victorious grace, in the season and measure which he seeth meetest for us. We can do all things through Christ that strengthened us. Go to him then by faith and prayer, and you shall find that his grace is sufficient for you.
17. The thoughts of God are the less delightful to the soul, because that death and the grave do interpose, and we must pass through them before we can enjoy him: and it is unpleasing to nature, to think of a separation of soul and body, and to think that our flesh must rot in darkness. But against this, faith hath wonderful relief in Jesus Christ. "Forasmuch as we were partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage." What an encouragement it is to faith, to observe
that Christ once died himself, and that he rose from the dead, and reigns with the Father: it being impossible that death should hold him. And having conquered that which seemed to conquer him, it no more hath dominion over him, but he hath the keys of death and hell. We may now entertain death as a disarmed enemy, and say, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory?" Yea, it is sanctified by him to be our friend, even an entrance into our Master's joy: it being best for us to depart and be with Christ. And, therefore, death, is become our gain. O what abundance of strength and sweetness may faith perceive from that promise of Christ, "If any man serve me, let him follow me, and where I am, there shall also my servant be." As he was dead, but now lives for evermore, so hath
he promised, that "because he lives, therefore shall we live also." But of this, I have written two treatises of death already.
18. The terror of the day of judgment, and of our particular doom at death, doth make the thoughts of God less pleasing and delectable to us. And here, what a relief is it for faith to apprehend that Jesus Christ must be our Judge. And will he condemn the members of his body? Shall we be afraid to be judged by our dearest friend?—by him that hath justified us himself already, even at the price of his own blood?
19. The very strangeness of the soul to the world unseen, and to the inhabitants and employments there, doth greatly stop the soul in its desires, and in its delightful approaches unto God. Had we seen the world where God must be enjoyed, the thoughts of it would be more familiar and sweet. But faith can look to Christ, and say, 'My Head is there: he sees it for me: he knows what he possesses, prepares, and promises to me: and I will quietly rest in his acquaintance with it.'
20. Nay, the Godhead itself is so infinitely above us, that, in itself, it is inaccessible; and it is ready to amaze and overwhelm us, to think of coming to the incomprehensible Majesty: but it emboldened the soul, to think of our glorified nature in Christ, and that, even in heaven, God will everlastingly condescend to us in the Mediator. For the mediation of redemption and acquisition shall be ended, (and thus he shall deliver up the kingdom to the Father,) yet it seems that a mediation of fruition shall continue: for Christ said to his Father, "I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory." We shall "rejoice," when the "marriage of the Lamb is comes." "They are blessed that are called to his marriage supper." "The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple and the light of the new Jerusalem." Heaven would not be so familiar, or so sweet to my thoughts, if it were not that our glorified Lord is there, in whose love and glory we must live for ever. O Christian! as ever thou wouldst walk with God, in comfortable communion with him, study and exercise this life of faith, in the daily use and improvement of Christ, who is our life, and hope, and all.
To talk and boast of Christ is easy, and to use him for the increase of our carnal security, and boldness in sinning: but to live in the daily use of Christ to those ends of his office, to which he is by us to be made use of, is a matter of greater skill and diligence than many self esteeming professors are aware of. What Christ himself hath done, or will do, for our salvation, is not directly the thing that we are now considering of; but what use he requires us to make of him in the life of faith. He hath told us, that his flesh is meat indeed, and his blood is drink; indeed, and that except we eat his flesh and drink his blood, we have no life in us. Here is our use of Christ, expressed by eating and drinking his flesh and blood, which is by faith. The general parts of the work of redemption, Christ hath himself performed for us, without asking our consent, or imposing upon us any condition on our parts, without which he would not do that work: as the sun doth illustrate and warm the earth whether it will or not, and as the rain falls on the grass without asking whether it consent or will be thankful; so Christ, without our consent or knowledge, did take our nature, and fulfil the law, and satisfy the offended Law-giver, and merit grace, and conquer Satan, death, and hell, and became the glorified Lord of all: but for the exercise of his graces in us, and our advancement to communion with God, and our living in the strength and joys of faith, he is himself the object of our duty, even of that faith which we must daily and diligently exercise upon him: and thus Christ will profit us no further than we make use of him by faith. It is not a forgotten Christ that objectively comforted
or encourages the soul; but a Christ believed in, and skillfully and faithfully used to that end. It is objectively (principally) that Christ is called our wisdom, 1 Cor. 1:30. The knowledge of him, and the mysteries of grace in him, is the Christian or Divine philosophy or wisdom, in opposition to the vain philosophy which the learned heathen boasted of. And therefore Paul determined to know nothing but Christ crucified, that is, to make ostentation of no other knowledge, and to glory in nothing but the cross of Christ, and so to preach Christ as if he knew nothing else but Christ. And it is objectively that Christ is said to dwell in our hearts by faith. Faith keeps him still upon the heart by continual cogitation, application, and improvement: as a friend is said to dwell in our hearts whom we continually love and think of.
Christ himself teaches us to distinguish between faith in God (as God), and faith in himself (as Mediator): "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God:" (or, believe ye in God?) "believe also in me." These set together are the sufficient cure of a troubled heart. It is not 'Faith in God, as God,' but 'Faith in Christ as Mediator,' that I am now to speak of: and that not as it is inherent in the understanding, but as it is operative on the heart and in the life: and this is not the smallest part of the life of faith, by which the just are said to live. Every true Christian must in his measure be able to say with Paul, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I,
but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." The pure Godhead is the beginning and the end of all. But Christ is "the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature; and by him all things were created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, or principalities or powers, all things were created by him and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things do consist. And he is the head of the body, the church; who is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; that in all things he might have the pre-eminence." "In him it is that we who were sometime afar off are made nigh, even by his blood. For he is our peace, who hath reconciled both Jew and Gentile unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: and came and preached peace to them that were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have an access by one Spirit unto the Father: so that now we are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God," "In him" it is "that we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in him; he is the way, the truth, and the life: and no man cometh to the Father, but by him." It is "by the blood of Jesus that we have boldness" (and liberty) "to enter into the holiest: by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail, that is to say, his flesh."
Because "we have so great a Priest over the house of God, we may draw near, with a true heart, in full assurance of faith." "By him it is that we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and boast in hope of the glory of God." So that we must have "all our communion with God through him." Supposing what I have said of this subject in my "Directions for a sound Conversion,"
Direct. 5., (which I hope the reader will peruse,)
I shall here briefly name the uses which we must make of Christ by faith, in order to our holy converse with God. But I must tell you, that it is a doctrine which requireth a prepared heart, that hath life within to enable it to relish holy truth, and to dispose it to diligence, delight, and constancy in practice. A senseless reader will feel but little savor in it, and a sluggish reader, that suffered it to die as soon as it hath touched his ears or fantasy, will fall short of the practice and the pleasure of this life. He must have faith that will live by faith: and he must have the heart and nature of a child, that will take pleasure in loving, reverent, and obedient converse with a father.
1. The darkness of ignorance and unbelief is the great impediment of the soul that desires to draw near to God. When it knows not God, or knows not man's capacity of enjoying him, and how much he regarded the heart of man; or knows not by what way he must be sought and found: or when he doubted of the certainty of the word which declares the duty of the hopes of man; all this, or any of this, will suppress the ascending desires of the soul, and clip its wings, and break the heart of its holy aspiring after God, by killing or weakening the hopes of its success.
Here, then, make use of Jesus Christ, the great revealer of God and his will to the blind world, and the great confirmer of the Divine authority of his word. Life and immortality are brought more fully to light by the Gospel, than ever they were by any other means. Moses and the prophets did bring with their doctrine sufficient evidence of its credibility. But Christ hath brought both a fuller revelation, and a fuller evidence to help belief. An inspired prophet which proves his inspiration to us, is a credible messenger; but when God himself shall come down into flesh, and converse with man, and teach him the knowledge of God, and the way to life, and tell him the mysteries of the world to come, and seal his testimony with unquestionable proofs, who will not learn of such a teacher? and who will deny belief to such a messenger, except absurd, unreasonable men? Remember then, when ignorance or unbelief would hinder your access to God, that you have the ablest teacher and the surest witness to acquaint you with God in all the world. If God had sent an angel from heaven, to tell you what he is, and what he requires of you, and what he will do for you, would it not be very acceptable to you? But he hath done much more; he hath sent his Son: the Deity itself hath appeared in flesh: he that hath seen God, and he that is God, hath come among men to acquaint them with God: his testimony is more sure and credible than any angel's: "God who at sundry times, and in divers manners, spake in times past to the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken to us by his Sont. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father,
he hath declared him." We have "neither heard the voice of God, nor seen his shape. No man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God; he hath seen the Father. No man knows the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him." What more can we desire, that is short of the sight of the glory of God, than to have him revealed to us by a messenger from heaven, and such a messenger as himself hath seen him, and is God himself? Plato and Plotinus may describe God to us according to their dark conjectures:
something we may discern of him by observing his works: but Christ hath declared what he saw, and what he knew beyond all possibility of mistake. And lest his own testimony should seem questionable to us, he hath confirmed it by a life of miracles, and by rising from the dead himself, and ascending visibly to heaven, and by the Holy Ghost, and his miraculous gifts which he gave to the messengers of his Gospel. Had it been no more than his resurrection from the dead, it had been enough to prove the utter unreasonableness of unbelief.
2. It is also a great impediment to the soul in its approach to God, that infinite distance disableth us to conceive of him aright. We say as Elihu, "Behold, God is great, and we know him not." And indeed it is impossible that mortal man should have any adequate apprehensions of his essence. But in his Son he hath come down to us, and shewed himself in the clearest glass that ever did reveal him. Think of him, therefore, as he appeared in our flesh: as he shewed himself in his holiness and goodness to the world. You may have positive thoughts of Jesus Christ: though you may not think that the Godhead was flesh, yet you may think of it as it appeared in flesh. It may quiet the understanding to conceive of God as incarnate, and to know that we cannot yet "know him as he is," or have any adequate conceptions of him: these may delight us till we reach to more.
3. It hindered the soul's approach to God, when the infinite distance makes us think that God will not regard or take notice of such contemptible worms as we; we are ready to think that he is too high for our converse or delight. In this case the soul hath no such remedy, as to look to Christ; and we see how the Father hath regarded us, and set his heart upon us, and sent his Son to seek and save us. O wonderful, astonishing condescension of eternal love! Believe that God assumed flesh to make himself familiar with man; and you can never question whether he regard us, or will hold communion with us.
4. It hinders our comfortable access to God, when we are deterred by the glory of his infiniteness and majesty. As the eye is not able to gaze upon the sun unless it be overshadowed; so the soul is afraid of the majesty of God, and overwhelmed by it when it should be delighted in it. Against this there is no such remedy, as to behold God appearing to us in his Son, where his majesty is veiled, and where he approaches us familiarly in our nature, to invite us to him with holy confidence and reverent boldness. Christ did not appear in a terrible form: women durst discourse with him: beggars, and cripples, and diseased people durst ask his help: sinners durst eat with him. The proud contemned him, but the lowly were not frighted from him. He took upon him the "form of a servant," and made himself of no reputation, that he might converse familiarly with the meanest and those of no reputation. Though we may not debase the Godhead, to imagine that it is humbled in glory, as it was on earth, in the flesh of Christ; yet this condescension is unspeakable encouragement to the soul to come with boldness unto God, that was frighted from him.
5. When the guilt of sin affrighteth us from God, and we are thinking that God will not accept such great offenders as we have been, then Christ is our remedy, who hath paid our debt, and borne our stripes, and procured and sealed us a pardon by his blood. Shall pardoned sins drive us from him that pardoned them? He hath justified us by his righteousness. The curse and condemnation are terrible indeed; but he hath taken them away, and given us a free discharge.
6. The infirmities also of our souls, in duty, are oftentimes a great discouragement to us, in our approaches to the most holy, jealous God. To find so little knowledge of God, so little love to him, such cold desires, such wandering and distracted thoughts, such dull requests: it is hard to have lively and thankful apprehensions of God's acceptance of such defective, lame meditations or prayers; but we are apt to think that he will abhor both them and us, and that he can take no pleasure in them, yea, that it is as good not to pray at all.
Here faith hath full relief in Christ: two things it can say from him to encourage the fearful soul:
(1.) That our acceptance with the Father is through the merits of his Son: and he is worthy, though we are unworthy. If we have but the worthiness of faith, and repentance, and sincere desire, Christ hath the worthiness of perfect holiness and obedience for us. We go not to the Father in our own names, but in his: and whatever we ask the Father in the name of Christ according to his will, he will give it us.
(2.) That all the infirmities of our souls and services are forgiven us through Christ: he hath undertaken to answer for them all, and to justify us from all such accusations. By faith thou mayst, as it were, hear Christ thus speaking for thine encouragement: 'Go boldly, poor sinner, into my Father's presence: fear not the guilt of thy sins, nor the imperfection of thy prayers; as long as thou truly repents of them, and desires to be delivered from them, and trusts in me, I am thy worthiness; my righteousness is perfect without spot; I have taken all thy faults and failings upon me: I have undertaken to answer for all the imperfections of thy holy things: sincerity is thy endowment; perfection is mine: trust me in the performance of the trust which I have undertaken.'
7. Sometimes, the soul that would draw near to God, is overwhelmed with grief and terror, so that the sense of sin, and danger, and misery, do even distract men, and cast them into an agony; so that they say with David, "My soul refused to be comforted: I remembered God and was troubled: I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Thou holds mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak." Yea, they think they feel God thrust them from him, and tell them that he hath utterly forsaken them. In this case, faith must look to Christ, and remember that he was in an agony when he prayed, and in a greater agony than ever you were, so that he sweat even drops of blood: and yet in that agony he prayed more
earnestly. He himself once cried out upon the cross, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me:" and yet he was the beloved of the Father, and is now at his right hand in glory: and all this he did that we might not be forsaken. He hath removed the enmity: he hath reconciled us to God: by grief he passed himself to joy, and he will wipe away his servants' tears, and cause their griefs to end in joy.
8. Sometimes, the soul that would draw near to God, is molested with a storm of hideous temptations, and even confounded with a swarm of disordered, perplexed thoughts. Satan assaulted it with temptations to despair, temptations to horrid blasphemous thoughts; temptations to entangle, intermit, corrupt, or pervert the duty which they are about; so that the soul is discouraged, overwhelmed, and broken with the inward assaults, and troubles, and distractions which it undergoes. In this case, faith hath a Saviour suitable to our relief. It can look to him that was tempted in all points like as we are, without sin, and is now such an High Priest as can be touched with
the feeling of our infirmities; and, therefore, we may come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. "In all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest, in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people: for he himself having suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted." He submitted not only to be tempted by Satan, but tempted in a Wilderness, where he had no man to comfort him; and to be tempted to the most horrid blasphemy and wickedness, even to fall down and worship the devil himself: and he suffered the tempter violently to carry him to the pinnacle of the temple, Matt. 4. What should we think of ourselves, if we had been used thus? Should we not think that God had utterly forsaken us? He suffered himself to be tempted also by men: by the abuses and reproaches of his enemies; by the desertion of his followers; by the carnal counsel of Peter, persuading him to put by the death which he was to undergo. And he that made all temptations serve to the triumph of his patience, and conquering power, will give the victory also to his grace, in the weakest soul.
9. It would be the greatest attractive to us to draw near to God, and make the thoughts of him pleasant to us, if we could but believe that he dearly loveth us, that he is reconciled to us, and taketh us for his children, and that he taketh pleasure in us, and that he resolved for ever to glorify us with his Son, and that the dearest friend that we have in the world, doth not love us the thousandth part so much as he. And all this in Christ, is clearly represented to the eye of faith. All this is procured for believers, by him: and all this is given to believers in him. In him God is reconciled to us. He is our Father, and dwelleth among us, and in us, and walketh in us, and is our God. Light and heat are not more abundant in the sun, than love is in Jesus Christ.
To look on Christ, and not perceive the love of God, is as to look on the sun, and not to see and acknowledge its light. Therefore, whenever you find your hearts averse to God, and to have no pleasure in him, look then to Jesus, and observe in him the unmeasurable love of God: that you may be able to comprehend with all the saints, "what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fulness of God." Love and goodness are that to the will, which delicious sweetness is to the sensitive appetite. Draw near then, and taste the feast of love which God hath prepared and proposed by his Son. Dost thou not see or feel the love of God? Come near, and look upon God incarnate; upon a crucified Christ; upon the Covenant sealed in his blood; upon all the benefits of his Redemption; upon all the privileges of the saints; and upon the glory purchased, possessed, and promised by him. Put thy hand into his wounded side, and be not faithless, but believing: and then thou wilt cry out, "My Lord, and my God."
10. So also, when the soul would fain perceive in itself the flames of love to God, it is the beholding of Christ by faith, which is the striking of fire, and the effectual means of kindling love. And this is the true approach to God, and the true communion and converse with him: so far as we love him, so far do we draw near him, and so far have we true communion with him. O what would the soul of a believer give, that it could but burn in love to God, as oft as in prayer, or meditation, or conference, his name and attributes are mentioned or remembered! For this, there is no such powerful means, as believingly to look on Christ, in whom such glorious love appeared, as will draw forth the love of all, that by a lively faith discern it.
Behold the love that God hath manifested by his Son, and thou canst not but love him, who is the spring of this transcendent love. In the law, God shews his frowning wrath: and therefore it breeds the "spirit of bondage unto fear:" but in Christ God appeared to us, not only as loving us, but as love itself; and therefore as most lovely to us, giving us the spirit of adoption, or of filial love, by which we fly, and cry to him as our Father.
11. The actual undisposedness and disability of the soul to prayer, meditation, and all holy converse with the blessed God, is the great impediment of our walking with him: and against this, our relief is all in Christ. He is filled with the Spirit, to communicate to his members: he can quicken us when we are dull: he can give us faith when we are unbelieving: he can give us boldness when we are discouraged: he can pour out upon us the Spirit of supplication, which shall help our infirmities, when we know not what to pray for as we ought. Beg of him then, the spirit of prayer: and look to his example, who prayed with strong cries and tears, and continued all the night in prayer, and spake a parable to this end, that we should always pray, and not wax faint. Call to him, and he that is with the Father will reach the hand of his Spirit to you, and will quicken your desires, and lift you up.
12. Sometimes, the soul is hearkening to temptations of unbelief, and doubting whether God observe our prayers, or whether there is so much to be got by prayer as we are told. In such a case faith must look to Christ, who hath not only commanded it, and encouraged us by his example; but also made us such plentiful promises of acceptance with God, and the grant of our desires. Recourse to these promises will animate us to draw nigh to God.
13. Sometimes the present sense of our vileness, who are but dust and despicable worms, doth discourage us, and weaken our expectations from God. Against this, what a wonderful relief is it to the soul, to think of our union with Christ, and of the dignity and glory of our Head! Can God despise the members of his Son? Can he trample upon them that are as his flesh and bone? Will he cut off, or forsake, or cast away the weakest parts of his body?
14. Sometimes, the guilt of renewed infirmities or decays doth renew distrust, and make us shrink; and we are like the child in the mother's arms, that feared when he loses his hold, as if his safety were more in his hold of her, than in her hold of him. Weak duties have weak expectations of success. In this case, what an excellent remedy hath faith, in looking to the perpetual intercession of Christ. Is he praying for us in the heavens, and shall we not be bold to pray, and expect an answer? O remember that he is not weak, when we are weak; and that it concerns us, that he prayed for us: and that we have now an unchangeable priest, who is able to save them to the uttermost, or to perpetuity, "that come (sincerely) to God by him, seeing he ever lives to make intercession for them." If you heard Christ pray for you, would it not encourage you to pray, and persuade you that God would not reject you? Undoubtedly it would.
15. Sometimes, weak Christians, that have not the gifts of memory or utterance, are apt to think that ministers indeed and able men, are accepted of God, but that he little values such as them. It is here a great encouragement to the soul, to think that Jesus our great High Priest, doth make all his children priests to God. They are "a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that they should shew forth the praises of him that hath called them out of darkness into his marvelous light: an holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." Even their "broken hearts and contrite spirits, are a sacrifice which God will not despise." He knows the meaning of the Spirit's groan.
16. The strength of corruptions which molest the soul, and are too often struggling with it, and too much prevail, doth greatly discourage us in our approach to that God that hates all the workers of iniquity. And here faith may find relief in Christ, not only as he pardoneth us, but as he hath conquered the devil and the world himself, and bid us be of good cheer, because he hath conquered, and hath all the power given him in heaven and earth, and can give us victorious grace, in the season and measure which he seeth meetest for us. We can do all things through Christ that strengthened us. Go to him then by faith and prayer, and you shall find that his grace is sufficient for you.
17. The thoughts of God are the less delightful to the soul, because that death and the grave do interpose, and we must pass through them before we can enjoy him: and it is unpleasing to nature, to think of a separation of soul and body, and to think that our flesh must rot in darkness. But against this, faith hath wonderful relief in Jesus Christ. "Forasmuch as we were partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage." What an encouragement it is to faith, to observe
that Christ once died himself, and that he rose from the dead, and reigns with the Father: it being impossible that death should hold him. And having conquered that which seemed to conquer him, it no more hath dominion over him, but he hath the keys of death and hell. We may now entertain death as a disarmed enemy, and say, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory?" Yea, it is sanctified by him to be our friend, even an entrance into our Master's joy: it being best for us to depart and be with Christ. And, therefore, death, is become our gain. O what abundance of strength and sweetness may faith perceive from that promise of Christ, "If any man serve me, let him follow me, and where I am, there shall also my servant be." As he was dead, but now lives for evermore, so hath
he promised, that "because he lives, therefore shall we live also." But of this, I have written two treatises of death already.
18. The terror of the day of judgment, and of our particular doom at death, doth make the thoughts of God less pleasing and delectable to us. And here, what a relief is it for faith to apprehend that Jesus Christ must be our Judge. And will he condemn the members of his body? Shall we be afraid to be judged by our dearest friend?—by him that hath justified us himself already, even at the price of his own blood?
19. The very strangeness of the soul to the world unseen, and to the inhabitants and employments there, doth greatly stop the soul in its desires, and in its delightful approaches unto God. Had we seen the world where God must be enjoyed, the thoughts of it would be more familiar and sweet. But faith can look to Christ, and say, 'My Head is there: he sees it for me: he knows what he possesses, prepares, and promises to me: and I will quietly rest in his acquaintance with it.'
20. Nay, the Godhead itself is so infinitely above us, that, in itself, it is inaccessible; and it is ready to amaze and overwhelm us, to think of coming to the incomprehensible Majesty: but it emboldened the soul, to think of our glorified nature in Christ, and that, even in heaven, God will everlastingly condescend to us in the Mediator. For the mediation of redemption and acquisition shall be ended, (and thus he shall deliver up the kingdom to the Father,) yet it seems that a mediation of fruition shall continue: for Christ said to his Father, "I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory." We shall "rejoice," when the "marriage of the Lamb is comes." "They are blessed that are called to his marriage supper." "The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple and the light of the new Jerusalem." Heaven would not be so familiar, or so sweet to my thoughts, if it were not that our glorified Lord is there, in whose love and glory we must live for ever. O Christian! as ever thou wouldst walk with God, in comfortable communion with him, study and exercise this life of faith, in the daily use and improvement of Christ, who is our life, and hope, and all.