SERMON III.

ROM. 1:17.

For by it the righteousness of God is revealed from Faith to Faith: As it is written, The just shall live by Faith.

The last point that we delivered out of these words, was this, that Faith is that whereby we are made partakers of the righteousness of Christ.

We come now to the Uses of it.

And first of all, if it be by faith only by which we are made partakers of that righteousness that saveth us, the first consectary that we will draw from hence is this, That we should learn to come to Christ with an empty hand, and not to be discouraged for any want that we find in ourselves, nor for the greatness of our sins; we should not be discouraged for the want of a perfect degree of repentance and godly sorrow, or for the want of whatsoever good work you think is requisite to salvation, for, my beloved, you must know that this is the nature of faith, that it doth its work best alone; and faith is so far from requiring anything in the party that shall have Christ, that necessarily he must let go all things else, otherwise he cannot believe: and this is a point necessarily to be considered: for every man is apt to conceive and think that it is impossible that God should accept him, unless there be something in him why God should regard him: If he find himself to be exceeding ungodly, he thinks that Christ will never look after him.

And again, if he have nothing at all to give, if he have nothing to bring with him in his hand, he thinks that he shall have no pardon: But you see that faith requires nothing in the first apprehension of Christ, if a man be never so ungodly, it is all one, the promise notwithstanding is made unto him.

Again, Why should you look for righteousness in yourselves? The work of faith (and it hath nothing else to do) is to take that righteousness of Christ, that is none of your own: so that there is nothing else at all required; for all that faith hath to do, is only to take from Christ that righteousness that we want our selves: so that I say there is no reason why any man should be discouraged in his first coming, for any want that he finds in himself, or for any condition that he is in, because faith only is that that makes us partakers of a righteousness to justify us, because we ourselves have it not. I say, faith is so far from requiring anything to be added to it, to help it in the act of justifying, that of necessity it excludes all things else: for faith hath this double quality, not only to lay hold of Christ offered, but to empty a man of all things else whatsoever. As for example, Faith is not only the believing of a truth which is delivered, from the authority of him that doth deliver it; but it is a resting upon Christ, a casting of our selves upon him. Now when a man leans upon any other thing, he stands not upon his own legs, he stands not upon his own bottom; for if he did, he could not properly be said to lean. If a man trust and depend upon another, he provides not for himself, but he that so looks to himself, that he provide so as to make himself safe if another should fail him, so far he trusts himself; so that, beloved, if you trust Christ, it is of necessity required that you must be unbottomed of yourselves, you must altogether lean upon him, you must cast yourselves wholly upon him: For faith hath such an attracting virtue in it, that it fills the heart with Christ. Now it cannot fill the heart with Christ, unless the heart be emptied first. Therefore I say, faith hath a double quality, not only to take, but to empty; and they are reciprocal, the one cannot be without the other.

Hence it is that we say, faith ingrafts a man, a man cannot be ingraft into a new stock unless he be quite cut off from the former root; therefore faith drives a man out of himself, and makes him nothing in himself, so that when he comes to lay hold on the promise of God, he looks at no quality or excellency of his own, he looks at no fitness nor worthiness in himself, but he comes with a hand and a heart altogether empty: So that when a man comes to beseech God to receive him to mercy, and to grant him a Pardon of his sins, when he comes to take hold of the righteousness of Christ for his justification, if he think that there is any little worthiness in him, or that there be no fault in him at all, and from thence shall think that God will receive him, this man is not fit to come to Christ, he must be wholly emptied of himself, and then God will speak peace unto him.

But you will ask, What is that that faith doth empty a man of?

Faith emptieth a man of two things:

First, of all opinion of righteousness in himself.

Secondly, of all opinion of strength and ability to help himself: for if either of these remain in the heart, a man cannot receive Christ.

First, I say, a man must be emptied of all opinion of worthiness in himself, of all conceit that he hath the least righteousness in himself; therefore when the young man came to Christ, and Christ told him that he must keep the Law, and he said he had done all those things from his youth, Christ knew that he was not yet fit, therefore, saith he, Go and sell all that thou hast: Christ's end was nothing else but to discover to him his own unworthiness. If thou wilt be perfect, (saith Christ) take this trial, Canst thou be content to let thy wealth go, to follow me? Canst thou be content to suffer persecution? This showed that he was not perfect, but that he was still a sinful man; this was the way to prepare him for Christ, this course we see Christ always took: we see it expressed in the Parable of the Publican and of the Pharisee, the Publican went away justified, because he was wholly emptied of all conceit and opinion of worth in himself.

But the Pharisee was not justified, (not because he was not a juster man then the Publican, for he was in outward performances better then he; but) because he had an opinion of his own righteousness, he was conceited of a worthiness in himself, therefore he went home not justified.

What was it that excluded the Jews? Was it not an opinion of something they had of their own?

The Laodiceans, they thought they were rich and increased, and wanted nothing, therefore they never came to buy of Christ. That which a man thinks he hath already of his own, he will never be at the cost to buy; therefore that is the first thing that a man must do, he must think himself of no worth at all, he must be empty of all opinion and conceit of his own excellency.

But this is not all, although a man be persuaded of this, that he hath no worthiness in himself, yet if he think he is able to help himself, and can stand alone without God, he will not come to take Christ; and therefore this further is required, that a man see that he hath no ability to help himself, that all his redemption must come from Christ: for if you ask many men whether they have any opinion of worth in themselves, they will be ready to answer, No. What then is the reason that they come not to Christ? It is because they are in health and prosperity, and they can do it soon enough hereafter, they can yet for the present subsist without Christ; but when God shall show a man's heart to himself, when God shows a man his danger, and shows it him as a present, and how unable he is to help himself out of danger, then a man will have no rest till he have Christ. Therefore you shall see both these required, 1 Cor. 1:30. Christ must be to us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption too. First, if a man think that there is anything in him, either wisdom, righteousness, or sanctification, that excludes him, for he will rejoice in himself: and that concerns the first condition required, to be empty of all opinion of worth.

But yet if a man think that he is able to stand safe and secure for a time, that he is able to be a Buckler to himself, that he hath somewhat whereunto he may lean, and doth not see that Christ must be his redemption also, he will not come at Christ.

That which kept the Prodigal son away, it was not an opinion of any worth in himself, but because he thought he could live without his father, he had his portion in his own hands, and at his own disposing; and he would not come home to his Father, till he could live of himself no longer: so that, though we have an opinion of no worth in ourselves, yet if we conceive or think that we can live without Christ, we will not care for him.

This was the fault of those that were invited to the marriage, they refused to come, not because they thought that themselves were of worth, but they were persuaded that they needed not those things to which they were invited. Therefore, I say, these two things must be done, a man must be emptied of all opinion of worth in himself.

And secondly, of all ability in himself to help himself, and when faith hath done both these, then it brings a man to Christ, when a man seeth that there is nothing in him why God should regard him, and that he cannot stand longer, nor be in safety longer then Christ helps him, and speaks peace to him, now a man is fit to take hold upon Christ: and therefore we must learn to come to Christ with an empty heart.

Many men complain that they would believe, but they want that sorrow that they should have, they want that repentance that they would have, they think they are not yet fit, therefore they dare not apply the promises.

To these we say now, that there is a double kind of complaint.

One is, when a man looks upon these things, as upon things that make him fit, which if he have, he thinks God will respect him; and if he have not, he thinks that God will not look after him. If thy complaint be thus, it is sinful; for in this thou seekest something in thyself.

But if a man's complaint be this, that he is not yet awaked enough, that he is not yet sensible enough of his sins, the doctrine of the remission of his sins, and free Justification doth not affect him as it should. Indeed, here is just cause of complaint; for these things are necessary before you can come to take Christ. Therefore that place in Matth. 10:11, will explain this, and answer an objection that may be made against it, when the Apostles were sent out to preach the Gospel, when they came to any house, they were bidden to Enquire who were worthy; If any man be worthy (saith Christ) your peace shall come upon him: but if he be not worthy, shake off the dust, &c. A man would think by this that there were some worthiness required in the party that comes to Christ, and that before he can apply the first promise of Justification.

To this we answer, the worthiness that is required here is nothing else but an ability to prize Christ, to set him at a high rate, to long after him, to hunger and thirst after his righteousness, your peace shall come upon such a man. That is, if there be a broken-hearted man that looks after Christ, whose heart yearns after him, that he is able to prize him aright, he shall be accepted: but if they be such men as will not receive you, such as will not set meat before you, such as will give you no respect, shake off the dust of your feet, &c. So that I say, such a complaint we may make, If we find a want of desire after Christ; for that is required; but if we look upon anything as a qualification in ourselves, such a worthiness is not required, we must be driven out of all conceit of it, or else we cannot take Christ. So much for that Use, that seeing it is only faith whereby we lay hold of Christ's righteousness, that then we have no reason to be discouraged, in respect of any want; nay, we must find a want of all things, before we can be made partakers of this righteousness.

Again, secondly, if it be by faith only, by which we are made partakers of this righteousness, and by which we are saved, then we should learn hence to rejoice only in God, and not to rejoice in our selves; for this is the very end why God hath appointed this way of salvation: Eph. 1:6. For he hath chosen us to the praise of the glory of his grace, in his Beloved. That is, that he might have the praise of the glory of his grace, as it is in Eph. 2. Therefore it is of faith, and not by works, that no man should boast of himself: 1 Cor. 1:30. Therefore Christ is made to us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, that no flesh should rejoice in itself. Now if that be God’s end, if that be his aim, why he will have us saved by faith, let not us disappoint him of his aim, let us not take from him the glory of his grace; but let us glory in the Lord.

This point we should especially look to, not to rejoice in ourselves, but in God: For, my beloved, we are all naturally exceeding apt to rejoice in ourselves, we would fain find some excellency in ourselves, every man is apt to reflect upon himself, and he would fain see some worth there that he might rejoice in; and if he be nobody at all there, it is contrary to his nature to think that he shall be accepted: there is nothing in the world that we are so backward to as this. It was Adams fault in Paradise, whereas he should have trusted God, and have been wholly dependent upon him for all, he would needs know good and evil, he would have something of his own; and this was it that lost him all, and brought the curse upon him, because he would not be dependent.

Now in the Gospel, God comes by a second means of saving men, and in this the Lord would have the creature to have nothing in himself to glory in, but man is hardly brought to this, but exalts and lifts up himself, and would fain have some worth and excellency of his own; but as long as we do thus, we cannot be saved: that is the argument that is used Rom. 6:4, why Abraham was justified by faith; if there had been any other way, Abraham had had wherein to rejoice in himself: but faith excludes this rejoicing, and only faith, we should, I say, learn to do this in good earnest, to see that there is no worth in ourselves, to have Christ to be to us all in all: Col. 3:11, is an excellent place to this purpose, saith the Apostle there, (in the matter of salvation) There is neither Jew nor Gentile, bond nor free, but Christ is all in all. That is, when we come to be justified before God, when we come to the matter of salvation, God looks at nothing in a man, he looks at no difference between man and man; one man is virtuous, another man is wicked; one man is a Jew, and hath all those privileges; another man is a Gentile, an alien from the Common-wealth of Israel; one man is circumcised, another man is uncircumcised; but all this is nothing: Why? For Christ is all in all. Mark it: First, he is all; that is, there is nothing else required to justify: Indeed, if we were something, and he were not all, we might then look at something besides; but he is all.

Again, he is all in all: that is, go through all things that you may think will help you to salvation, in all those things Christ is only to be respected, and nothing but Christ, whatsoever is done without Christ, God regards it not; If you will do any work of your own to help yourselves in salvation, if you will rest upon any privileges, Christ is not all in all; but Christ must be all in all in everything: and if only Christ be all, then we must come only with faith; for it is faith only that lays hold upon Christ.

Now a natural man, he will not have Christ to be all, but himself will be something; or if Christ be all in some things, he will not have Christ to be all in everything, to have Christ to be his wisdom, his righteousness, his sanctification; to do nothing but by Christ; to have Christ to be his redemption, not to be able to help himself without Christ, but that Christ must help him out of every trouble, and bestow upon him every comfort, this, I say, is contrary to the nature of man: therefore we must be thoroughly emptied of ourselves in this matter of rejoicing, as well as in the matter of taking: for in what measure any man sets any price upon himself, so far as he hath any opinion of himself that he is something, just so far he detracts from Christ: but when a man boasts not of himself at all, such a man rejoiceth in God altogether, such a man will stand amazed at the height, and breadth, and length, and depth of the love of God; such a man will be able to see that there are unsearchable riches in Christ; such a man will be able to say with Paul, that he cares for nothing, he reckons all things dung, Phil. 3. I have all the privileges (saith he) that other men have; I am a Jew, I am a Pharisee; but I reckon all these things as dung; that is, I care for none of them, if I had an hundred more: It is true, I have been as strict as any man; yea, I went beyond others: for I was zealous in that course wherein I was, yet I have been taught thus much, that all these things are nothing, for God regards them not, he regards nothing but Christ and his righteousness, therefore I look not after these things, but that I may be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, but that righteousness that God accepteth, which is through faith in him. Therefore, my brethren, learn thus to rejoice in Christ, and in God, and not in yourselves; this is the most excellent work that we can perform, it is the work of the Saints and Angels in Heaven, we should learn to come as near them now as we can: In Reu. 7:11, they cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation cometh by our God, that sitteth upon the Throne, and by the Lamb; and therefore, praise, and wisdom, and glory be given to God for evermore; because salvation is from the Lord, and from the Lamb, and not from our selves at all: hence it is that they fell down, and worshipped him; and for this cause they all cry, wisdom, and glory, and praise be to our God for evermore.

If salvation had been from ourselves, if we had done anything to help ourselves therein, there had not been ground of giving all praise and glory to God; and if this be the work of the Saints and Angels, we should labor to perform it as abundantly as we can now: and let us do it in good earnest: for if men could be brought to this, to rejoice in God alone, their mouths would be filled with praise exceedingly, they would regard nothing else, and in the course of their lives they would make it evident to the world, that they were such as made no account of the World, so they might have Christ, they would be content with any condition: for Christ is all in all to them.

Thirdly, if it be by faith only by which we are made partakers of the righteousness by which we are saved, then it should teach us to let other things go, and principally to mind this matter, to labor to get faith, whatsoever become of other things; for it is that by which we have salvation.

The Papists, they teach that works are the main, and many things they prescribe that men must do: our Doctrine is, you see, that faith only is required: Indeed, many things follow upon faith, but faith is that you must only labor for, and then the rest will follow upon it.

This Doctrine of ours, you shall find that it is delivered clearly in Gal. 5:5,6. We wait, through the Spirit, for the hope of righteousness, which is through faith. That is, we look for nothing from the Law, we regard no works at all in the matter of justification; that which we look for, is only that righteousness which is taken by faith: and why do we so? For, saith he, in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision is anything, nor uncircumcision, but faith, &c. As if he should say, there is good reason why we should expect salvation only by faith, because nothing else will help us in that work, circumcision is nothing, nor uncircumcision is nothing: by those two he means all other things, that is, the having of all the privileges in the world, the doing of all the works that can be done, faith is all in all; but it must be such a faith as works by love; though it be by faith only, yet it is not an idle faith: therefore you are especially to labor for faith.

There are many other excellencies that we are capable of, many moral virtues, such as Aristotle and Socrates have described; but without faith, God regards none of these: take one that is a wicked man, and take another, let him be never so virtuous, as Socrates, and Seneca, that were the strictest in morality of all the Heathen; nay, take any man that lives in the Church, that lives the most strict and exact life, and yet is not justified by faith, God makes no difference between these men, the one is as near to heaven as the other, God looks upon them both with the same eye; for he regards nothing without faith. He that is the most profane and ungodly, if he come with faith, he shall obtain Christ; the other that hath all other moral Virtues in the most exact manner, without faith, they shall do him no good: therefore we are to seek for nothing in the matter of justification, but how we may be enabled to believe, we are principally to study this matter of faith.

Take such a one as Socrates, and such a one as Saint Paul, it may be Socrates might be outwardly as temperate, and as patient, and be endued with as many excellencies, he might appear in his carriage as strict as Saint Paul; but here is the great difference, The one doth what he doth of himself, and through himself, and for himself; the other doth what he doth of Christ, and through Christ, and for Christ: therefore faith mainly is requisite.

If we had all other excellencies, yet we shall find this in them, that they do always give something to the creature.

Again, if you go never so far in them, yet you shall find that there is some imperfection in them.

But faith it emptieth the creature of all things, it leaveth nothing in a man, it makes him lean and rest only upon Christ, and upon his righteousness for salvation.

Again, faith worketh in us a love to God: for, we having nothing in ourselves, but all that we have being from him, we cannot but love him again.

Again, faith presenteth to God a perfect righteousness, and therefore God only accepts it: for God must be just, and nothing can satisfy the Justice of God, but a righteousness that is perfect, nothing can attain a righteousness that is perfect, but only faith, labor therefore to believe this, and to turn all your study and care how to get faith. My beloved, this is a thing that we are bound to preach to you; this is the sum of that Doctrine that Christ so often preached when he was upon the Earth, Believe, for the Kingdom of God is at hand: this is the sum of all the Doctrine of the Apostles, it was all they had to do, to persuade men to believe: What was the sum of all Paul's Doctrine? We go up and down, saith he, from place to place, witnessing both to Jews and Gentiles, &c. So it is our part, when we come to preach to you, when we come to dispense to you that which is for the nourishment of your souls, we must do as those Stewards that set bread and salt upon the Table, whatsoever other dish there is; so we should always preach Christ, and persuade you to believe in him, and stir you up to turn the stream of your endeavors after the obtaining of that faith that taketh this righteousness; the principal thing we are to look unto, is, to see from what Fountain that that we have comes; if a man have never so many virtues in him, if they arise not from this fountain, if they spring not from this root, they are nothing, God looks upon them without acceptance or delight.

Again, this is that that you are to do in hearing, that which you are chiefly to look after, is, how to get faith; and therefore if men will employ their strength and their endeavors, and busy themselves to attain such and such virtues, it is but as the watering of the branches, and to let the root alone; faith is the root; that is, it is that that makes all acceptable to God: for what is the difference between Christianity and Morality, and without this, what is our preaching? We may gather well near as good instructions to resist vice, out of Plutarch, and out of Seneca, as out of Paul's Epistles, but this differenceth it, that we preach Christ, and from Christ we derive ability and strength to do all things else, and that makes all else to be acceptable; so that this is it that you must look after, to have Christ, to receive all from him, to do all for him; for these are reciprocal, unless you think you have all from Christ, you will never do all for him; when we think Christ is all-sufficient, we will be perfect with him again.

But, by the way, in this you see not only the difference between moral virtues, and those in a true Christian, which is godliness, that they come from different fountains, and look to different ends; but you see also the difference between those shows of strictness that are among the Papists, and that sincerity of life that we preach unto you, which is an effect of this faith: for, if you mark it, you shall find that all that they do, either is without Christ, or adds to Christ; they think they shall be saved for doing such and such things, which prepare and fit them for salvation, they look mainly to the works of humbling the body, and doing many actions of mortification, but still Christ only is not sought after in all this. But now look to the Doctrine that we have delivered, it is Christ that we preach, it is faith that we preach unto you. It is true, we preach those things too, we lay the same necessity upon you of doing good works, we stir you up to holiness of life, and mortification; but here is the difference, we derive it all from Christ by faith, we say that faith doth all.

Indeed when you have faith, if that faith be right, it will work by love: here then you see the difference, we do the same things, but we derive all from a justifying faith, laying hold upon Christ; and so love to him, and all other graces do arise from this.

Again, a fourth Use of this point is this, If salvation be only by faith, then we should learn hence to go with boldness to God, to take the promises, and to reckon them sure to us. If something else had been required on our part, we should then have gone with a great deal of doubting to God; but now, seeing there is nothing required, but only to go and take it, this should make us to go with boldness to the Throne of Grace, to come with assurance that we shall speed.

And therefore in the business of seeking to God for the remission of our sins, (which indeed is the greatest business that we have to do) what greater comfort can there be, then to have this assurance, that if we come to God for it, we shall not fail nor be deceived of it?

For the present occasion of receiving the Sacrament: What is the end of the Sacrament, but to preach faith? The Sacrament preacheth that to your outward senses, that we do to your understandings; it presenteth to the eye, that which we now preach to the ear: for what is the Covenant of God in the Gospel, but only this? God offers Christ unto you freely, as the Bread and Wine is given unto you. To us a Son is given, &c.

Again, we take him, and bind ourselves to obey him, and to love him, to be to him alone, to marry him, to make him our Lord and our Husband. Now in the Sacrament both these are done: when the Bread and Wine are offered, they are but a resemblance of the offer of Christ. Indeed there is a blessing in it: for it is God's Ordinance, it increaseth this grace of faith. And again, there is a bond on our part, wherein we tie ourselves to obey Christ.

Now if any of you will offer to come, and yet have not given up yourselves to God in good earnest, you receive your own condemnation, you are divorced from Christ, and married to the World; and this is to receive the Sacrament unworthily. The main end of the Sacrament, is to increase faith, and salvation is ours by faith; therefore we should come with boldness, and lay hold upon the promises of it.

We should do in this case as Joab did, lay hold upon the horns of the Altar; that is, take hold upon Christ, and remember that sure word of promise, To us a Son is given, to us a Child is borne. And, Let whosoever will, come and take of the waters of life freely. Go through the whole Book of God, all the promises therein are as so many grounds for faith to build upon; it is impossible that God should slay you, if you come and lay hold of the horns of the Altar. If you will take Christ, and receive these promises, and rest on them, it is impossible but that God should perform them, he hath bound himself to perform what he hath said, in 1 John. 1:9. If we acknowledge our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive them: As if he were unjust and unfaithful if he should not do it. His Oath is passed, he hath added an Oath to his promise, that by two immutable witnesses it should stand firm.

We should do in this case as Jacob did, after he had once a promise from God, when he meets his brother Esau, Lord, (saith he) Thou hast promised to do me good, therefore deliver me from the hand of my brother. So, when we have a promise, and God hath said, He that will take Christ shall be saved, and Christ is freely given, and the pardon is general, therefore what should hinder us? Urge God upon his promise, wrestle with God, as Jacob did, and let him not go without a blessing; wrestling implies resisting, it is a sign God resisted him for a time: so, it may be, God will deny thee a great while, yet continue thou to seek him, let him not go, he cannot deny thee in the end, thou shalt have the blessing at the last: we should learn thus to importune God; tell him, Lord, I have a sure promise, and thou hast made the pardon general, and I am sure I come within the number of that Commission: Go and preach the Gospel to every creature, go and tell every man under heaven, that Christ is offered to him, he is freely given to him by God the Father, and there is nothing required of you, but that you marry him, nothing but to accept of him; here is a word sure enough, if there were nothing else but this. Therefore learn to do in this as the Woman of Canaan did, though Christ denied her, yet she would not give over: for she had this ground to build upon, that he was Jesus, he was the Son of David, he was merciful, and she had exceeding great need of him, and therefore she would not give over; so, I say, having this ground for your faith, go to God with boldness, and never give over; it is impossible (if you seek him in good earnest, with all your heart) but that he should receive you.

It is true indeed, he gives to some sooner then he doth to others; with some he deals as he did with the Woman of Canan; to some he gives an answer quickly, some again he defers longer, and he will put us to the trial. Christ dealeth differently with his children, he doth with us sometimes as the unjust Judge, he turns the deaf ear to us, or like the man that was in bed with his children, and was unwilling to rise; but what saith the Text? Luk. 11:6, though he would not do it for him as a friend, yet his importunity makes him rise and lend him: so thou thinkest (it may be) God is not thy friend, yet by thy importunity he will rise at the last; therefore, though thou find God to be as an enemy, though he be never so backward to rise, yet give not over, I can assure thee, as certainly as there is any truth in the Book of God, thou shalt be heard in the end, Heaven and Earth shall pass away before this sure Word shall perish. It is God's manner to put men to the trial, and it is his wisdom so to do, otherwise, he would have many that would be forward at the first, that would fall off in the end.

It was Naomi’s wisdom to bid her Daughter Ruth go back to her kindred, but she would not, she stood it out: I will go (saith she) where thou goest, and nothing but death shall part between me and thee. When Naomi saw that she was steadfastly minded, she took her along with her. So, if God should receive men at the first, many men would come in, and take hold upon Christ, and make a profession of his Name, but they would not hold out to the end with him: But when Christ shall tell them, I have not so much as a place to lay my head in, if thou wilt have me, thou must deny thyself, and take up thy Cross, and thou shalt find a great deal of trouble, and suffer persecution; If a man now, notwithstanding this, will not be beaten off from Christ, but, though Christ turn the deaf ear to him for the present, and present to him all manner of difficulties, yet if he will, notwithstanding all this, be constant still in importuning God to have Christ, when God shall see that his mind is thus set, he will take him along with him, he will be thine, and thou shalt be his, his people shall be thy people: this is it that knits the knot between you: My Beloved is mine, and I am his; his Word is passed for it, he hath promised his consent, now if we will give ours, the match is made.

If it were doubtful whether we should have his consent, it were another case; but we have a sure Word for it, we should learn therefore to importune him.

Now when we have done this, when we are come with this boldness, and have laid hold upon Christ, then let us look to the privileges, then let us take the pardon of our sins, adoption, and reconciliation, and all things else, only remember that condition of after-obedience, that though we may come freely, and come with this boldness, and though nothing be required, but that we take this Son of God that is offered, yet, I say, there is a condition of after-obedience, we must resolve to serve him, and to love him with all our heart, we must resolve to do that that Ruth promiseth to Naomi, to live with him, and to be with him, and that his people shall be our people, &c.

But you will say, I am willing to do this, to part from my lusts, and to be to Christ alone, but I am not able, my lusts are strong and prevalent.

To this I answer, If thou be but willing, Christ desires no more: I would but ask thee this, Suppose that thou wert able to overcome those lusts; take a man that is strongly given to good-fellowship, (as they call it) to company-keeping, that is given to fornication, to swearing, or whatsoever the sin be, take any prevalent lust that is in any man that now heareth me, I would ask him this Question; Put the case thou wert able to get the victory over thy lust, wouldst thou be content to part with it, and to take Christ? If thou sayest, No, I had rather enjoy the sweetness of my lusts still, Art thou not now worthy to be condemned? But if thou answer, I would, upon condition I were able to overcome my lusts; I assure thee, God will make thee able, God requires no more but a willingness to come, and take Christ, the other is God's work.

I, but I have tried, and have not found it so.

I answer, it cannot be, thou hast not yet solved to part with thy lusts, thou hast not yet set down this peremptory conclusion in thyself, that thou wilt forsake everything that you may have Christ: If any man say he is willing to take Christ, and to part with the sweetness, and the pleasantness, and the profitableness that his lust brings to him, if he could get the victory, if he were freed from the solicitations of them: Let me tell thee, thou must first resolve to take Christ upon his own conditions, and for the other, God hath promised to do that himself: 1 Cor. 8:9. God will confirm you, and keep you blameless; for he is faithful that hath called you to the fellowship of his Son. As if he should have said, Do you think that God will call men to Christ, that he will beseech men to take his Son, will he call you to the fellowship of his Son, and will he not keep you blameless? He hath promised it, and sworn it, if he should not do it, he should be unfaithful; when God calleth you to come unto Christ, he promiseth that the virtue of Christ's death shall kill sin in you, and that the virtue of Christ's Resurrection shall raise you up to newness of life; God hath promised that he will give the Holy Ghost: for he never gives his Son to any, but he gives them the Spirit of his Son too. Now, He that hath called you is faithful, and he will do it. So that I say, if thou wilt come in, (that is) if thou wilt accept of Christ upon his conditions, it is certain God will receive thee; and if thou find thyself troubled with the violence of any lust, or of any temptation, press upon God, urge him with his Word and promise, that he would assist thee by his own strength, that he would enable thee to overcome, that he would give thee the Spirit of his Son, and resolve as Job, Though he kill me, yet will I trust in him: for I have a sure promise, Heaven and Earth shall pass, but not one tittle of his sure Word shall pass till it be fulfilled.

Now because this is a point of much moment, this laying hold upon the promises, and because it is a thing that is not easily done, therefore I will show you these two things.

The first is this, that the understanding must be rightly informed, what ground a man hath to do it; when a man comes to believe the forgiveness of his sins, let him not think, I have a persuasion that my sins are forgiven, therefore they are forgiven, but a man must labor to see the ground of it: for, a thing is not true because we are persuaded it is so; but the thing is first true, and then we believe it: God hath first offered forgiveness of sins to you, and then you look upon his Word, and so believe it; But, I say, when a man is persuaded in a confused manner, without any just ground, without a clear knowledge of the progress of faith, how it goeth along, this is not right, this keepeth many from assurance, because they are not clearly instructed in it: For, to the end that faith may take hold of the promise, that it may be sure to us, we must conceive of the right method, and that stands in these four things.

First, we must see our own condition, we must be sick before we can seek to the Physician, we must see ourselves to be condemned men, that there is nothing in us to help ourselves; we must be broken in heart in some measure, we must see ourselves to be children of wrath, and then we will come and seek for a remedy; and that is,

By looking into the Book of God, (and that is the second thing) and there I find all the promises, Christ is there clearly offered, only with this condition required, that I must obey him, and serve him, and love him; so that that is the second thing, Christ is offered in the Scriptures to everyone, and if you have him, you shall have a pardon of your sins with him; only he is offered with condition of obedience: Well, when you see this clearly, now you come to consider it, you begin to ponder this Word, whether it be so or no, a man begins to think, Is this a sure promise? And then he sees, that look what certainty there is of the Scriptures in general, there is the same certainty in these particular promises: so that with the same faith that a man is to believe the Word of God, with the same faith he is to believe this offer of Christ.

I, but is it sure to me?

Then a man looks to the generality of the promise, that it is offered to all, none excepted, and therefore, saith he, it is offered to me.

But will Christ do to me as he hath promised, is he powerful and willing to do it? Then a man looks into the Word, and finds that he is Almighty, that he is able to make him the Son of God, that whatsoever Christ hath by nature, he shall have it by matching with him: Indeed Christ hath it immediately as he is the Son of God, but we have it mediately, as the Wife hath the riches of her Husband. If a Woman marry the Kings Son, she hath the same privileges, and the same inheritance that he hath: so, whatsoever Christ hath becomes ours: Paul, and Apollo, and all are Christ’s, the World is Christ’s, and all things present and to come are Christ’s, and they are all made ours. Now when this is well pondered, and we find that we have a sure Word to confirm this,

Then, in the third place, we come and take him, and this no man will do indeed, till he have well considered, as the saying is of marriage, that it is a bestowing of one’s self upon such a one, so it is in this; everyone therefore should consider beforehand, what it is to bestow himself upon Christ, and when this is done, that we have made the match, and bestowed ourselves upon Christ, then,

In the next place, we come to see what we shall have by him, and then we come to make use of all that Christ brings with him, reconciliation, and pardon of sin, and all things else that he hath, I have with him, I am the son of God, and I shall be sanctified; (for together with him I have his Spirit,) all my prayers shall be heard, all the promises in the Book of God are mine; for In him they are all Yea and Amen: as all the World is his, so it is all the wealth of a Christian after he hath taken Christ. Now when this is distinctly propounded to us, and we conceive it aright, it makes the way much more easy to us; but when we go on in a confused manner, because the Gospel is not clearly understood by us, hence it is that we labor much, and yet the thing is not done: therefore, my beloved, if you have a persuasion of the forgiveness of your sins, if it be but a mere persuasion, it will alter exceedingly, it will go and come in the time of temptation; but when you have a sure Word, when you have built yourselves upon the Scriptures, it is not dependent upon your persuasion, but it is the Word that you rest upon: For fancy, and opinion, and persuasion, it will grow sometimes longer, and sometimes shorter, as the shadow doth, whereas the body of the thing is the same; but when your eye is upon the Word, when you rest upon that, then your persuasion will continue the same as the Word continues. Indeed, your comfort may be sometimes more, sometimes less; but when it is pitched upon the sure Word, that is it that will bring you comfort in the working of it, to observe the method and degrees of it. Indeed, my beloved, it is a point of another nature to believe then the world thinks of; therefore examine, and recall, and understand this Doctrine that we have now taught you distinctly, it will be worth all your labor, for the present you shall have a good conscience, and the assurance of God's favor, and when death comes, the right understanding of it will be worth all the world besides.

It is said of the second ground, that they fell away, because they had no root in themselves: they had some root, but their faith was pitched upon a general Doctrine, upon a general persuasion, that hath a kind of root, but it hath no root in itself: so many Christians go far, and they do much, but they have no root in themselves, that is, they do not understand distinctly, and thoroughly, the grounds upon which their faith is built, they see not a sure ground for it in the Word of God, they know not how faith is built upon the sure corner stone; for Christ is that sure corner stone, he that is built upon him shall never be ashamed, we should learn therefore not to give over till we be rooted and grounded. If a man should ask many people, What is the reason that you are persuaded that your sins are forgiven? (for you ought to build that upon an infallible ground) If it be no more but because you are persuaded, it is nothing; but if you can say, My sins are forgiven, because I have Christ, and he that hath the Son hath life, I have the sure Word of God for it, God cannot lie, he is Truth it self that hath said it, and he hath offered Christ to every creature under Heaven; then is the ground good, thou mayest take him boldly, being within that number.

So much for this time.

FINIS.

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Source: The Breastplate of Faith and Love, Part 1, Chapter 3  by John Preston