Chapter
Twelve
Make
diligent use of your most holy faith for the immediate performance of the
duties of the law, by walking no longer according to your old natural state,
or any principles or means of practice that belong unto it; but only according
to that new state which you receive by faith, and the principles and means of
practice that properly belong thereunto; and strive to continue and increase
in such manner of practice. This is the only way to attain to an acceptable
performance of those holy and righteous duties, as far as it is possible in
this present life.
Here I am guiding you to the manner of practice, wherein you are to make
use of faith, and of all other effectual means of holiness before treated of,
which faith lays hold on, for the immediate performance of the law, which is
the great end aimed at in this whole treatise. And therefore this deserves to
be diligently considered, as the principal direction, to which all the
foregoing and following are subservient. As for the meaning of it, I have
already showed that our old natural state is that which we derived from the
first Adam by natural generation, and it is called in the Scripture 'the old
man'; and while we be in it, we are said to be 'in the flesh'. And our new
state is that which we receive from the second Adam, Jesus Christ, by being
new-born in union and fellowship with Him through faith; and it is called in
Scripture 'the new man' and, when we are in it, we are said to be 'in the
Spirit'. The principles and means of practice belonging to a natural state are
such as persons do or may attain and make use of before they are in Christ by
faith. Such as belong properly to the new state are the manifold holy
endowments, privileges and enjoyments which we partake of in Christ by faith,
such as have already appeared to be the only effectual means of a holy life.
We are said to walk according to either of these states, or to the
principles and means that belong to either of them, when we are moved and
guided by virtue of them to such actings as are agreeable to them. Thus kings
act according to their state in commanding authoritatively, and in magnificent
bounty; poor men, in a way of service and obedience, and children,
indiscriminately (Esther 1:7; Prov.
18:23; 1 Cor. 13:11). So the manner of practice here directed to
consists in moving and guiding ourselves in the performance of the works of
the law by gospel principles and means. This is the rare and excellent art of
godliness, in which every Christian should strive to be skilful and expert.
The reason why many come off with shame and confusion after they have a long
time laboured with much zeal and industry for the attainment of true
godliness, is because they were never acquainted with this holy art, and never
endeavoured to practice it in a right gospel way. Some worldly arts are called
mysteries, but above all this spiritual art of godliness is, without
controversy, a great mystery (1 Tim. 3:16), because the means that are to be
made use of in it are deeply mysterious, as has been shown; and you are not a
skilful artist till you know them and can reduce them to practice. It is a manner of practice far above the sphere
of natural ability, such as would never have entered into the hearts of the
wisest in the world, if it had not been revealed to us in the Scriptures and,
when it is there most plainly revealed, continues a dark riddle to those that
are not inwardly enlightened and taught by the Holy Spirit; such as many godly
persons guided by the Spirit do in some measure walk in, yet do but obscurely
discern: they can hardly perceive their own knowledge of it and can hardly
give any account to others of the way wherein they walk; as the disciples that
walked in Christ, the way to the Father, and yet perceived not that knowledge
in themselves: 'Lord, we know not whither You go, and how can we know the
way?' (John 14:5). This is the reason why many poor believers are so weak in
Christ and attain so small a degree of holiness and righteousness. Therefore,
that you may the better be acquainted with a mystery of so high concernment, I
shall show, in the first place, that the Holy Scriptures do direct you to this
manner of practice, as only effectual for the performance of holy duties; and
then I shall lay before you some necessary instructions, that you may
understand how to walk aright in it, and continue and go forward therein,
until you be made perfect in Christ.
For the first of these, the Holy Scriptures are very large and clear in
directing us to this manner of practice, and to continuance and growth
therein. And here it is useful for us to observe the great variety of peculiar
words and phrases whereby the Holy Ghost teaches this mystery, which many that
frequently read the Scriptures, yea, that pretend to be preachers of the
gospel, do little understand or regard - showing thereby that the things of
the Spirit of God are foolishness to them, and that they are not yet
acquainted with the form of sound words, and are strangers to the very
language of the gospel which they profess and pretend to teach.
I shall, therefore, present to your view several of these peculiar words
and phrases, whereby this mysterious manner of practice is expressed in the
Holy Scriptures and commended to you as the only way for the sure attainment
of all holiness in heart and life. I shall rank such of them together as agree
in sense, that the multitude of them may not breed confusion in your thoughts.
1. This is the
manner of practice in Scripture, which is expressed by 'living by faith' (Hab.
2:4; Gal. 2:20; Heb. 10: 38); 'walking by faith' (2 Cor. 5:7); 'faith working
by love' (Gal. 5:6); 'overcoming the world by faith' (1 John 5:4); 'quenching
all the fiery darts of the wicked, by the shield of faith' (Eph. 6:16). Some
make no more of living and walking by faith than merely a stirring up and
encouraging ourselves to our duty by such principles as we believe. Thus the
Jews might account that they lived by faith, because they professed and
assented unto the doctrine of Moses and the prophets, and were moved thereby
to a zeal of God, though they sought righteousness not by faith, but as it
were by the words of the law (Rom. 9:32). Thus Paul might think he lived by
faith while he was a zealous Pharisee, but afterwards he knew that the life of
faith consisted in dying to the law and living to God, and that not himself,
but Christ lived in him (Gal.
2:19, 20). As it is one and the same thing to be justified by faith, and by Christ
believed on (Rom. 5:1), so to live, walk and work by faith, is all one with
living, walking, working by means of Christ and His saving endowments, which
we receive and make use of by faith, to guide and move ourselves to the
practice of holiness.
2. The same thing is
commended to us by the terms of 'walking, rooted and built up in Christ' (Col.
2:6, 7); 'living to God, and not to ourselves but to have Christ living in us'
(Gal. 2:19, 20); 'good conversation in Christ' (1 Peter 3:16); 'putting on the
Lord Jesus Christ, that we may walk honestly, as in the day' (Rom. 13:13, 14);
'being strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might' (Eph. 6:10); 'doing
all things in the name of Christ' (Col. 3:17); 'walking up and down in the
name of the Lord' (Zech. 10:12); 'going in the strength of the Lord; making
mention of His righteousness, even of His only' (Ps. 71:16). These phrases are
frequent and do sufficiently explain one another, and do show that we are to
practice holiness, not only by virtue of Christ's authority, but also of His
strengthening endowments moving us and encouraging us thereunto.
3. It is also
signified by the phrases of 'being strong in the grace that is in Christ
Jesus' (2 Tim. 2:1); 'having our conversation in the world, not with fleshly
wisdom, but by the grace of God' (2 Cor. 1:12); 'having or holding fast grace,
that we may serve God acceptably, labouring abundantly,' in such manner as
that the whole work is not performed by us, but 'by the grace of God that is
with us' (1 Cor. 15:10). By 'grace', therefore, we may well understand the
privileges of our new state given to us in Christ, whereby we ought to be
influenced and guided in the performance of holy duties.
4. It is also
signified when we are to 'put off the old' and 'put on the new man'; yea, to
continue in so doing, though we have done it in a measure already; and that we
avoid our 'former sinful conversation' (Eph. 4:21, 22, 24); and to avoid sin,
because we have 'put off the old', and 'put on the new man' (Col. 3:9, 10). I
have already showed that by this twofold man is not meant merely sin and
holiness; but by the former is meant our natural state, with all its
endowments, whereby we are furnished only to the practice of sin; and by the
latter, our new state in Christ, that whereby we are furnished with all means
necessary for the practice of holiness.
5. We are to
understand the same thing when we are taught not 'to walk after the flesh, but
after the Spirit', that we may be 'free from the law of sin', and 'that the
righteousness of the law may be fulfilled in us' (Rom. 8:1, 2, 3); and,
'through the Spirit, to mortify the deeds of the body'; and 'to be led by the
Spirit', because we 'live by the Spirit', and have 'crucified the flesh, with
the affections and lusts' (Gal. 5:24). The apostle shows by these expressions
not only that we are to practice holiness, but also by what means we may do it
effectually. By 'flesh' is meant our old nature, derived from the first Adam;
and by 'Spirit' is meant the Spirit of Christ and that new nature which we
have by Him dwelling in us. We are said to walk after either of these natures,
when we make the properties or qualifications of either of them to be the
principles of our practice. So, 'that we may bring forth fruit unto God', the
meaning is that we must endeavour to bring forth the fruits of holiness, not
by virtue of the law, that killing letter, to which the flesh is married, and
by which the motions of sin are in us; but by virtue of the Spirit and His
manifold riches, which we partake of in our new state by a mystical marriage
with Christ (Rom. 7:4, 5, 6); and by virtue of such principles as belong to
the new state declared in the gospel, whereby the Holy Spirit is ministered to
us.
6. This is the
manner of walking which the apostle Paul directs us to, when he teaches us, by
his own example, that the continual work of our lives should be 'to know
Christ, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His
sufferings, being made conformable to His death; if by any means we may attain
unto the resurrection of the dead,' and to increase and press forward in this
kind of knowledge (Phil. 3:10-12, 14). Certainly, he means such an
experimental knowledge of Christ, and His death and resurrection, as
effectually makes us conformable thereunto in dying unto sin and living unto
God. And he would hereby guide us to make use of Christ and His death and
resurrection by faith, as the powerful means of holiness in heart and life,
and to increase in this manner of walking until we attain unto perfection in
Christ.
The second thing
proposed was to lay before you some necessary instructions, that your steps
may be guided aright to continue and go forward in this way of holiness, until
you be made perfect in Christ. And, seeing we are naturally prone to mistake
this way, and are utterly unable to find it out, or discern it, by our own
reason and understanding, we should the more diligently attend to these
instructions taken out of the Holy Scriptures. And we should earnestly pray
that God would give us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, that we may
discern the way of holiness thereby and walk aright in it, according to that
gracious promise: 'The wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein' (Isa.
35:8).
1. Let us observe,
and consider diligently, in our whole conversation that though we are
partakers of a new holy state by faith in Christ, yet our natural state
remains in a measure with all its corrupt principles and properties. As long
as we live in this present world, our apprehension of Christ and His
perfections in this life is only by faith; whereas by sense and reason we may
apprehend much in ourselves contrary to Christ, and this faith is imperfect,
so that true believers have cause to pray to God to help their unbelief (Mark
9:24). Therefore, though we receive a perfect Christ by faith, yet the measure
and degree of enjoying Him is imperfect; and we hope still, so long as we are
in this world, to enjoy Him in a higher degree of perfection than we have
done. We are yet but weak in Christ (2 Cor. 13:4); children in comparison to
the perfection we expect in another world (1 Cor. 13:10, 11); and we must grow
still, till we come to the perfect man (Eph. 4:13); and some are weaker babes
than others, and have received Christ in so small a measure that they may be
accounted carnal, rather than spiritual (1 Cor. 3:1). And because all the
blessings and perfections in our new state - as justification, the gift of the
Spirit, and of the holy nature, and the adoption of children - are seated and
treasured up in Christ and joined with Him inseparably, we can receive them no
further than we receive Christ Himself by faith, which we only do in an
imperfect measure and degree in this life.
The apostle Paul
proposes himself as a pattern for all those that are perfect in truth of grace
to imitate, and yet he professes that he was not yet made so perfect in the
degree and measure of saving endowments but that he did still 'press forward
towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus',
labouring still to 'apprehend and win Christ more perfectly, and to be found
in Him, not having his own righteousness, but that which is of God by faith',
and to gain more experimental 'knowledge of Christ, and of the fellowship of
His sufferings, and power of His resurrection, being made conformable
thereunto' (Phil. 3:8, 10, 14). Believers are justified already, yet 'wait for
the hope of righteousness, by faith', that is, for the full enjoyment of the
righteousness of Christ (Gal. 5:5). They have received but the 'first fruits
of the Spirit', and must wait for a more full enjoyment of it. The Spirit
witnesses now to them that 'they are the children of God', and yet they groan
within themselves, waiting for more full enjoyment of adoption (Rom.
8:23
).
Now, seeing the
degree and measure of our reception and enjoyment of Christ, with all the
blessings of our new state in Him, in this life is imperfect, it follows
clearly that our contrary natural state, with its properties, remains still in
us in some degree and is not perfectly abolished; so that all believers in
this world do in some degree partake of these two contrary states. Believers
have, indeed, put off the old man, and put on the new, where Christ is all and
in all (Col. 3:10, 11); yet they are to put the old man off and the new man on
more and more, because the old man remains still in a measure. They are said
to be, 'not in the flesh', but 'in the Spirit', because their being in the
Spirit is their best and lasting state; as denominations are usually taken
from the better part; but yet the flesh is in them, and they find work enough
to mortify the deeds of it (Rom. 8:9, 13).
Therefore several
things which are contrary to each other are frequently attributed to believers
in the Scripture with respect to these two contrary states, wherein one place
seems to contradict another, and yet both are true in divers respects. Thus
holy Paul says truly of himself, 'I live, yet not I' (Gal.
2:20
); because he did live to God by Christ living in him, and yet in another
respect, according to his natural state, he did not live to God. Again, he
professes that he was 'carnal, sold under sin', and yet, on the contrary, that
he 'allowed not sin', but 'hated' it. He shows how both these were true
concerning himself in divers respects. He says, 'In me (that is in my flesh)
dwells no good thing', and 'I delight to do the will of God according to the
inward man', 'With the mind I myself serve the law of God; but, with the
flesh, the law of sin' (Rom. 7:14, 15, 18, 22, 25). John says, 'He that says
he has no sin, deceives himself, and is a liar' (1 John 1:8); and also that it
is true that 'Whatever is born of God, does not commit sin; for his seed,
[that is Christ, the new spiritual nature] remains in him: and he cannot sin,
because he is born of God' (1 John 3:9). It is true that we are weak and can
do nothing, and yet strong and able to do all things (2 :Cor. 12:10, 11; Phil.
4:13). It is true that believers are dead, because of sin, but alive, because
of righteousness (Rom.
8:10); and that, when they die a natural death, they shall never die (John
11:25
, 26). They are sons, that have the inheritance by their birthright, and yet
in some respects may differ nothing from servants; and so they may be under
the law in a sense, and yet under grace and heirs, according to the free
promise at the same time (Gal. 4:1, 2). They are redeemed from the curse of
the law, and have forgiveness of sins, and a promise, that God will never be
wrath with them, nor rebuke them any more (Gal. 3:13; Eph. 1:7; Isa. 54:9);
and yet, on the contrary, the curse written in the law is sometimes poured out
upon them (Dan. 9:11); and they have need still to pray that God would deliver
them from their guiltiness, and forgive their debts (Ps. 51:14; Matt. 6:12);
and they may expect that God will punish them for all their iniquities (Amos
3:2).
These contrary
things asserted concerning believers in Scriptures do sufficiently manifest
that they partake of two contrary states in this life. And this is a plain,
easy and ready way to reconcile these seeming contradictions, whatever other
ways may be used to reconcile some of them. And what reason is there to
question that the old state remains in believers in some degrees, seeing all
sound Protestants acknowledge that the sinful depravation and pollution of our
natures, commonly called 'original sin', which is one principal part of this
old state, does remain in all as long as they live in the world? Now, though
some penal evils may be said to remain in us, yet we cannot suppose that this
original pollution is continued in us as considered in Christ, but as
considered in our old state, derived from the first Adam.
Therefore, the first
sin of Adam is imputed in some respect even to those that are justified by
faith; and they remain in some measure, as aforesaid, under the punishment and
curse denounced: 'In the day you eat thereof, you surely will die' (Gen.
2:17). And, on this account, the same original guilt and pollution is
propagated to the children of believing parents, as well as other, by natural
generation. And, if such a great and fundamental part of our natural state
continues in believers as subjection to the guilt of the first sin and
corruption, which is one great part of the punishment and death threatened,
and by which we are prone and inclined to all actual sins, why should we not
judge that other parts of the same state do likewise continue in them, as the
guilt of their own actual sins, and subjection to the wrath of God, and the
curses and punishments denounced against them in the law? And why should we
not judge that all the miseries of this life, and death itself, are inflicted
upon believers at least in some respect as punishments of sin?
It may be objected
that this doctrine of a twofold state of believers in this life derogates much
from the perfection of our justification by Christ, and from the fullness of
all the grace and spiritual blessings of Christ, and from the merits of His
death, and the power of His Spirit, and that it greatly diminishes the
consolation of believers in Christ. But it may be easily vindicated from this
objection if we understand it rightly, for, notwithstanding this twofold
state, it still holds true that believers while they are on earth have all
perfections of spiritual blessings, justification, adoption, the gift of the
Spirit, holiness, eternal life and glory, in and with Christ (Eph. 1:3). In
the person of Christ, who is now in heaven, the old man is perfectly
crucified; they are dead to sin and to the law and its curse, and they are
quickened together with Him, and raised up with Him, and made to sit in
heavenly places in Christ Jesus (E h. 2:6). And believers do in their own
persons receive and enjoy by faith all these perfect spiritual blessings of
Christ, as far as they receive and enjoy Christ Himself dwelling in them, and
no farther.
Thus far they are in
a new state, free from guilt, pollution and punishment of sin, and so from the
wrath of God, all miseries and death itself, while they are in this world;
yea, all the guilt, pollution and punishments of sin, and all evils whatever,
which they are subject to according to their natural state, do them no harm
according to this new state but work for their good, and are no evils, but
rather advantages to them, tending to the destruction only of the flesh, and
to the perfection of the new man in Christ. Yet it holds true also that our
reception and enjoyment of Christ Himself and all His perfections is but in an
imperfect measure and degree, until faith be turned into heavenly vision and
fruition of Christ and therefore, our old sinful state, with the evils thereof
is not perfectly abolished during this life. The kingdom of heaven, or the
grace of Christ within us is like leaven in meal, which does not unite itself
perfectly to the meal in an instant, but by degrees until the whole be
leavened (Matt. 13:33); or, like the morning light that expels darkness,
shining more and more unto the perfect day (Prov. 4:18).
This cannot be
justly accounted any derogation from the merits of Christ's death or from the
power of His Spirit, seeing Christ never intended to bring to pass by His
death, or by the power of His Spirit, that we should enjoy His spiritual
blessings any farther than we are in Him, and enjoy Him by faith; or that we
should be made holy or happy according to the flesh, by a reformation of our
natural state, as has been shown. Neither does this diminish the consolation
of believers in Christ, for thereby they may know that they have the
perfection of grace and happiness in Christ, and that they enjoy it in this
world, as far as they enjoy Christ Himself by faith; and that they shall enjoy
it in a perfect measure, and be fully freed from their sinful and miserable
state, when that frame of nature, which they received from the first Adam, is
dissolved by death.
This instruction is
very useful to frame our souls aright for the practicing holiness only by
those gospel principles and means that belong to our new state, which we are
partakers of by faith in Christ. And thus it is easily vindicated from another
great objection, wherein the Papists and Quakers do much triumph. They appeal
to men's consciences to answer this question: 'Which doctrine is most likely
to bring people to the practice of true godliness?' Theirs, which teaches that
perfect holiness may be attained in this life; or ours, which teaches that it
is impossible for us to keep the law perfectly, and to purge ourselves from
all sin, as long as we live in this world, though we use our best endeavours?
They think that
common reason will make the verdict pass for them against this doctrine, as
that which discourages all endeavours to perfection and hardens the hearts of
people to allow themselves in sin, because they cannot avoid it. But, on the
contrary, the doctrine of the perfectionists hardens people to allow
themselves in sin, and to call evil good: as the Papists account that the
concupiscence of the flesh against the spirit is no sin, but rather good
matter for the exercise of their virtues, because the most perfect in this
life are not without it. It also discourages those that labour to get holiness
in the right way, by faith in Christ, and makes them to think that they labour
in vain because they find themselves still sinful and far from perfection,
when they have done their best to attain it. It hinders our diligence in
seeking holiness by those principles and means by which only it can be found;
for who will be diligent and watchful to avoid walking according to his own
carnal principles, if he thinks that his own carnal state, with its
principles, is quite abolished and is out of him, so that at present he is in
no danger of walking according to them? Whatever good works the doctrine of
the perfectionists may serve to promote, I am sure it hinders a great part of
that work which Christ would have us to be employed in as long as we live in
this world. We must know that our old state, with its evil principles,
continues still in a measure, or else we shall not be fit for the great duties
of confessing our sins, loathing ourselves for them, praying earnestly for the
pardon of them, a just sorrowing for them with a godly sorrow, accepting the
punishment of our sins and giving God the glory of His justice, and offering
to Him the sacrifice of a glory and contrite spirit, being poor in spirit,
working out our salvation with fear and trembling.
Some have doubted
how it can consist with our justification by Christ that we should be still
liable to be punished for our sins, and obliged to pray for the pardon of
them, because they have not well considered the twofold state of believers in
this life. And, except we know this, and keep it in mind, we shall never be
fit to practice continually the great duties that tend to the putting off the
old man, and putting on the new man, and mortifying the deeds of the body by
the Spirit, praying continually that God would renew a right spirit in us, and
sanctify us throughout, pressing forward unto perfection, desiring the sincere
milk of the Word, and the enjoyment of other ordinances. Christ has appointed
that His church on earth should be employed in such works, and perfectionists
either do, or feign would account them needless for them, and that they have
no longer need of Christ Himself to be their spiritual Physician and Advocate
with the Father, and propitiation for their sins; therefore, they are not fit
to be members of the church on earth, and are never likely to be members of
the church in heaven, except they can make a ladder and climb up thither
before their time.
2. Despair of
purging the flesh, or natural man of its sinful lusts and inclinations, and of
practicing holiness by your willing and resolving to do the best that lies in
your own power, and trusting on the grace of God and Christ to help you in
such resolutions and endeavours: rather resolve to trust on Christ, 'to work
in you to will and do, by His own power, according to His own good pleasure'.
They that are convinced of their own sin and misery do commonly first think to
tame the flesh, and to subdue and root out its lusts, and to make their
corrupt nature to be better natured and inclined to holiness by their
struggling and wrestling with it. And if they can but bring their hearts to a
full purpose and resolution to do the best that lies in them, they hope that,
by such a resolution, they shall be able to achieve great enterprises in the
conquest of their lusts and the performance of the most difficult duties. It
is the great work of some zealous divines, in their preaching and writings, to
stir up people to this resolution, wherein they place the chiefest
turning-point from sin to godliness. And they think that this is not contrary
to the life of faith, because they trust on the grace of God, through Christ,
to help them in all such resolutions and endeavours. Thus they endeavour to
reform their old state and to be made perfect in the flesh, instead of putting
it off and walking according to the new state in Christ. They trust on low
carnal things for holiness, and upon the acts of their own will, their
purposes, resolutions and endeavours, instead of Christ; and they trust on
Christ to help them in this carnal way; whereas true faith would teach them
that they are nothing, and that they do but labour in vain. They may as well
wash the blackamoor white as purge the flesh, or natural man, from its evil
lusts and make it pure and holy. It is desperately wicked, past all cure. It
will unavoidably lust against the Spirit of God, even in the best saints on
earth (Gal.
5:17). Its mind is enmity to the law of God and neither is, nor can be subject to
it (Rom.
8:7). They that would cure it and make it holy by their own resolutions and
endeavours do act quite contrary to the design of Christ's death, for He died,
not that the flesh, or old natural man, might be made holy, but that it might
be crucified, and destroyed out of us (Rom. 6:6), and that we might live to
God, not to ourselves, or by any natural power of our own resolutions and
endeavours, but by Christ living in us, and by His Spirit bringing forth the
fruits of righteousness in us (Gal. 2:20; 5:24, 25). Therefore, we must be
content to leave the natural man vile and wicked as we found it, until it be
utterly abolished by death; though we must not allow its wickedness, but
rather groan to be delivered from the body of this death, thanking God that
there is a deliverance through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Our way to mortify
sinful affections and lusts must be, not by purging them out of the flesh, but
by putting off the flesh itself and getting above into Christ by faith, and
walking in that new nature that is by Him. Thus 'the way of life is above to
the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath' (Prov.
15:24
). Our willing, resolving and endeavouring must be to do the best, not that
lies in ourselves, or in our own power, but that Christ and the power of His
Spirit shall be pleased to work in us; for in us (that is, in our flesh) there
dwells no good thing (Rom. 7:18). We have great ground to trust in God and
Christ for help in such resolutions and endeavours after holiness, as in
things that are agreeable to the design of Christ in our redemption, and to
the way of acting and living by faith. It is likely that Peter sincerely
resolved to die with Christ, rather than to deny Him, and to do all that he
could by his own power for that end; but Christ made him quickly to see the
weakness and vanity of such resolutions. And we see by experience what many
resolutions made in sickness and other dangers mostly come to. It is not
enough for us to trust on Christ to help us to act and endeavour so far only
as creatures; for so the worst of men are helped: He is the JEHOVAH in whom we
live, move and have our being (Acts
17:28). And it is likely the Pharisee would trust on God to help him in duty, as he
would thank God for the performance of duty (Luke 18:11). And this is all the faith that many make use of in order to a holy
practice.
But we must trust on
Christ to enable us above the strength of our own natural power, by virtue of
the new nature which we have in Christ and by His Spirit dwelling and working
in us; or else our best endeavours will be altogether sinful, and mere
hypocrisy, notwithstanding all the help for which we trust upon Him. We must
also take heed of depending for holiness upon any resolution to walk in
Christ, or any written covenants, or any holiness that we have already
received; for we must know that the virtue of these things continues no longer
than we continue walking in Christ, and Christ in us. They must be kept up by
the continual presence of Christ in us; as light is maintained by the presence
of the sun, and cannot subsist without it.
2. You must not seek
to procure forgiveness of sins, the favour of God, a new holy nature, life and
happiness, by any works of the moral law, or by any rites and ceremonies
whatever; but rather you must work as those that have all these things
already, according to your new state in Christ; as such who are only to
receive them more and more by faith, as they are ready prepared and treasured
up for you, and freely given to you, in your spiritual Head, the Lord Jesus
Christ. If we walk as those that are yet wholly to seek for the procurements
of such enjoyments as these, it is a manifest sign that at present we judge
ourselves to be without them, and without Christ Himself, in whose fullness
they are all contained; and therefore we walk according to our old natural
state, as those that are yet in the flesh, and that would get salvation in it,
and by our carnal works and observances, instead of living altogether on
Christ by faith.
This practice is
according to the tenor of the covenant of works, as I have before showed. And
we have no ground to trust on Christ and His Spirit to work holiness in us
this way, for we are dead to the legal covenant by the body of Christ (Rom.
7:4). and, if we be led by the Spirit, we are not under the law (Gal. 5:18). When the Galatians were seduced by false teachers to seek the procurement
of justification and life by circumcision and other works of the Mosaical law,
the apostle Paul rebuked them for seeking to be made perfect in the flesh,
directly contrary to their good beginning in the Spirit, for rendering Christ
of none effect to them, and for falling from grace (Gal. 3:3; 5:4). And when
some of the Colossians sought perfection in like manner by observation of
circumcision, holy meats, holy times and other rudiments of the world, the
same apostle blamed them for not holding the head Jesus Christ, and as such as
were not dead and risen with Christ, but living merely in the world (Col.
2:19, 20; 3:1). He clearly shows that those who seek any saving enjoyments in
such a way do walk according to their old natural state; and that the true
manner of living by faith in Christ is to walk as those that have all fullness
in Christ by faith and need not seek for them any other way to procure them
for themselves.
In this sense it is
a true saying that believers should not act for life, but from
life. They must act as those that are not procuring life by their works, but
as such who have already received and derived life from Christ, and act from
the power and virtue received from Him. And hereby it appears that the Papists
and all others that think to justify, purify, sanctify and save themselves by
any of their own works, rites or ceremonies whatever, do walk in a carnal way,
as those that are without any present interest in Christ and shall never
attain unto holiness or happiness until they learn a better way of religion.
4. Think not that
you can effectually incline your heart to the immediate practice of holiness
by any such practical principles as do only serve to bind, press and urge you
to the performance of holy duties; but rather let such principles stir you up
to go to Christ first by faith, that you may be effectually inclined to the
immediate practice of holiness in Him by gospel principles that strengthen and
enable you, as well as oblige you thereunto. There are some practical
principles that do only bind, press and urge us to holy duties, by showing the
reasonableness, equity and necessity of our obedience, without showing at all
how we that are by nature dead in sin, under the wrath of God, may have any
strength and ability for the performance of them: as, for instance, the
authority of God the lawgiver, our absolute dependence on Him as our Creator,
Preserver, Governor, in whose hand is our life, breath and all our happiness
here, and for ever; His all-seeing eye, that searches our heart, discerns our
very thoughts and secret purposes; His exact justice, in rendering to all
according to their works; His almighty and eternal power, to reward those that
obey Him, and to punish transgressors for ever; the unspeakable joy of heaven,
and terrible damnation of hell.
Such principles as
these do bind our consciences very strictly, and work very strongly upon the
prevalent affections of hope and fear, to press and urge our hearts to the
performance of holy duties, if we believe them assuredly, and work them
earnestly upon our hearts, by frequent, serious, lively meditation. And
therefore, some account them the most forcible and effectual means to form any
virtue in the soul, and to bring it to immediate performance of any duty,
though never so difficult; and that the life of faith consists principally in
our living to God in holiness, by a constant belief and meditation on them.
And they account those things that serve to mind them of such principles very
effectual for holiness - as looking on the picture of death, or on a
death's-head, keeping a coffin by them ready made, walking about among the
graves, etc. But this is not that manner of living to God of which the apostle
speaks when he says, 'I live, yet not 1, but Christ lives in me; and the life
which I live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved
me, and gave Himself for me' (Gal. 2:20).
If a man make use of
these obliging principles to stir him to go to Christ for strength to act
holily, he walks like one that has received Christ as his only life by faith;
otherwise he walks like other natural men. For the natural man may be brought
to act by these principles, partly by natural light, and more fully by
Scripture light, without any true knowledge of the way of salvation by Christ,
as if Christ had never come into the world. And he may be strictly bound by
them, and vehemently urged and pressed to holy duties; and yet, all this
while, is left to his own natural strength, or rather weakness, being not
assured by any of these principles that God would give him strength to help
him in the performance of these duties; and can do noting aright until he get
new life and strength by Christ, by a more precious saving faith. There would
be no need of a new life and strength by Christ, if these principles were
sufficient to bring us to a holy conversation. Therefore, this manner of
practice is no better than walking after the flesh, according to our corrupt
state, and seeking to be made perfect in the flesh. No question but Paul was
very diligent in it while he was a blinded Pharisee. Yea, the heathen
philosophers might attain to it, in some measure by the light of common
reason. The devils have such principles, as they do believe assuredly, yet
they are never the better for them. It is a part of the natural wisdom,
whereby the world knew not God, not that wisdom of God in a mystery,
discovered in the gospel, which is the only sanctifying wisdom and power of
God unto salvation.
What can you produce
but corruption, by pressing with motives to holiness one that has no soundness
in him, from the sole of the foot, even to the head, only wounds and bruises
and putrefying sores? He that is made truly sensible of his own vileness and
deadness by nature will despair of ever bringing himself to holiness by such
principles that afford him no life and strength, but only lay an obligation
upon him to urge and press him to duty.
What are mere
obligations to one that is dead in sin? While the soul is without spiritual
life, sin is the more moved and enraged by pressing and urging upon the soul
the obligations of the law and its command. The motions of sin are by the law;
and sin, taking occasion by the commandment, works in us all manner of
concupiscence (Rom.
7:5, 8). And yet these obliging principles are very good and excellent in this
right gospel use of them; as the apostle says of the law, that it is good, if
it be used lawfully (1 Tim. 1:8). The humbled sinner knows well his
obligations; but it is life and strength that he wants, and despairs of
walking according to such obligations until he get this life and strength by
faith in Christ. Therefore, these obliging principles do move him to go, in
the first place, to Christ, that so he may be enabled to answer their end by
the strengthening and enlivening principles of God's grace in Christ.
Some there are that
make use of gospel principles, only to oblige and urge to duty, without
affording any life and strength for the performance; as they that think 'that
Christ died and rose again to establish a new covenant of works for our
salvation, and to give us a pattern of good works by His own obedience, rather
than to purchase life, obedience and good works for us'. Such as these do not
understand and receive the principles of the gospel rightly, but they pervert
and abuse them, contrary to their true nature and design; and thereby they
render them as ineffectual for their sanctification, as any other natural or
legal principles.
5. Stir up and
strengthen yourself to perform the duties of holiness by a firm persuasion of
your enjoyment of Jesus Christ, and all spiritual and everlasting benefits
through Him. Set not yourselves on the performance of the law with any
prevailing thoughts or apprehensions that you are yet without an interest in
Christ, and the love of God through Him; and the curse of the law, the power
of sin and Satan, having no better portion than this present world; no better
strength, than that which is in the purposes and resolutions of your own free
will. While such thoughts as these prevail and influence your actings, it is
evident that you walk according to the principles and practices of your old
natural state, and you will be moved thereby to yield to the dominion of sin
and Satan, to withdraw yourselves from God and godliness, as Adam was moved,
from the sight of his own nakedness, to hide himself from God (Gen. 3:10).
Therefore, your way to a holy practice is first to conquer and expel such
unbelieving thoughts by trusting confidently on Christ, and persuading
yourselves by faith that His righteousness, Spirit, glory and all His
spiritual benefits are yours, and that He dwells in you, and you in Him. In
the might of this confidence, you shall go forth to the performance of the
law; and you will be strong against sin and Satan, and able to do all things
through Christ that strengthens you. This confident persuasion is of great
necessity to the right framing and disposing our hearts to walk according to
our new state in Christ. The life of faith principally consists in it. And
herein it eminently appears that faith is a hand, not only to receive Christ,
but also to work by Him, and that it cannot be effectual for our
sanctification except it contain in it some assurance of our interest in
Christ, as has been shown.
Thus we act as those
that are above the sphere of nature, advanced to union and fellowship with
Christ. The apostle maintained in his heart a persuasion that Christ had loved
him, and given Him for him; and hereby he was enabled to live to God in
holiness, through Christ living in him by faith. He teaches us also that we
must maintain the like persuasion, if we would walk holily in Christ. We must
know that our old man is crucified with Him, and we must reckon ourselves
'dead indeed to sin, and alive to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord' (Rom.
6:6, 11). This is the means by which we may be 'filled with the Spirit, strong
in the Lord, and in the power of His might', which God would not require of
us, if He had not appointed the means (Eph.
6:20
). Christ Himself walked in a constant persuasion of His excellent state; He
'set the Lord always before Him,' and was persuaded that because 'God was at
His right hand He should not be moved' (Ps. 16:8).
How should it be
rationally expected that a man should act according to his new state, without
assurance that he is in it? It is a rule in common prudence, in worldly
callings and conditions, that every man must know and well consider his own
state, lest he should act proudly above it, or sordidly below it. And it is a
hard thing to bring some to a right estimate of their own worldly condition.
If the same rule were observed in spiritual things, doubtless the knowledge
and persuasion of the glory and excellency of our new state in Christ would
more elevate the hearts of believers above all sordid slavery to their lusts,
and enlarge them to 'run cheerfully in the way of God's commandments'. If
Christians knew their own strength better, they would enterprise greater
things for the glory of God. But this knowledge is difficulty attained: it is
only by faith and spiritual illumination. The best know but in part; and hence
it is, that the conversation of believers falls so much below their holy and
heavenly calling.
6. Consider what
endowments, privileges or properties of your new state are most meet and
forcible to incline and strengthen your heart to love God above all, and to
renounce all sin, and to give up yourself to universal obedience to His
commands; and strive to walk in the persuasion of them, that you may attain to
the practice of these great duties. I may well join these together, because
'to love the Lord with all our heart, might, and soul', is the first and great
commandment, which influences us to all obedience, with a hatred and
detestation of all sin, as it is contrary and hateful to God. The same
effectual means that produces the one will also produce the other; and
holiness chiefly consists in these. So the chief blessings of our holy state
are most meet and forcible to enable us for the immediate performance of them,
and are to be made use of to this end by faith. Particularly, you must believe
steadfastly that all your sins are blotted out, and that you are reconciled to
God, and have access to His favour by the blood of Christ; and that He is your
God and Father, and altogether love to you, and your all sufficient
everlasting portion and happiness through Christ.
Such apprehensions
as these do present God as a very lovely object to our hearts, and do thereby
allure and win our affections, that cannot be forced by commands or
threatenings, but must be sweetly won and drawn by allurements. We must not
harbour any suspicions that God would prove a terrible everlasting enemy to
us, if we would love Him; for 'there is no fear in love; but perfect love
casts out fear; because fear has torment; he that fears is not made perfect in
love. We love Him, because He first loved us' (1 John
4:18
, 19). David loved the Lord, because he was persuaded that He was his
strength, rock, fortress, his God, and the horn of his salvation (Ps. 18:1,
2). Love, that causes obedience to the law, must proceed from faith unfeigned,
whereby we apprehend the remission of our sins, our reconciliation with God by
the merits of the blood of Christ (1 Tim. 1:5; Heb. 9:14).
For the same end,
that your hearts may be rightly fitted and framed for the performance of these
principal duties, the Holy Scripture directs you to walk in the persuasion of
other principal endowments of your new state - as that you have fellowship
with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ (1 John 1:3); that you are the
temple of the living God (2 Cor. 6:16); that you live by the Spirit (Gal.
5:25); that you are called to holiness, and created in Christ Jesus to good
works; that God would sanctify you wholly, and make you perfect in holiness at
the last (1 Thess. 5:23; Eph. 2:10); that your old man is crucified with
Christ; and through Him you are dead to sin, and alive to God; and, being made
free from sin, you are become the servants of righteousness, and have your
fruit to holiness, and the end everlasting life (Rom. 6:6, 22); 'You are dead,
and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, shall
appear, then shall you also appear with Him in glory' (Col. 3:3, 4).
Such persuasions as
these, when they are deeply rooted, and constantly maintained in our hearts,
do strongly arm and encourage us to practice universal obedience, in
opposition to every sinful lust; because we look on it, not only as our duty,
but our great privilege, to do all things through Christ strengthening us: and
God does certainly work in us both to will and to do by these principles,
because they properly belong to the gospel, or New Testament, which is the
ministration of the Spirit, and the power of God unto salvation (2 Cor. 3:6,
8; Rom. 1:16).
7. For the
performance of other duties of the law, you are to consider not only these
endowments, privileges and properties of your new state, which are meet and
forcible to enable you to the love of God and universal obedience, but also
those that have a peculiar force and aptitude suitable to the special nature
of such duties, and you must endeavour to assure yourselves of them by faith,
that you may be encouraged and strengthened to perform the duties. I shall
give you some instances of this manner of practice in several duties, by which
you may the better understand how to guide yourselves in the rest.
And as to the duties
of the first table, if you would draw near to God in a duty of His worship
with a true heart, you must do it in full assurance of faith, concerning your
enjoyment of Christ and His salvation. And would you perform the great duty of
trusting on the Lord with all your heart, casting your care upon Him and
committing the disposal of yourself to Him in all your concerns? Persuade
yourself through Christ that God, according to His promise, will never fail
you or forsake you; that He takes a fatherly care of you; that He will
withhold no good thing from you, and will make all things to work for your
good. And thus you will be strong and courageous in the practice of this duty,
whereas, if you live in a mere suspense concerning your interest in the
privileges, you will be subject to carnal fears and carking cares, in despite
of your heart; and you will be prone to trust on the arm of flesh, though your
conscience tell you plainly that, in so doing, you incur the heinous guilt of
idolatry.
Would you be
strengthened to submit to the hand of God with a cheerful patience in bearing
any affliction, and death itself? The way to fortify yourselves is to believe
assuredly that your 'afflictions, which are but for a moment, do work for you
a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory'; that Christ is your gain in
death and life; that His grace is sufficient for you, and His strength made
perfect in your weakness; and that He will not suffer you to be tempted above
that you are able: and will, at last make you more than conquerors over all
evil. Until you attain to such persuasions as these, you will be prone to fret
and murmur under the burden of affliction and to use indirect means to deliver
yourselves, notwithstanding the clearest convictions to the contrary.
Would you limit
yourselves to the observation of God's own institutions in His worship?
Believe that you are complete in Christ, and have all perfection of spiritual
blessings in Him, and that God will build you up in Christ by the ordinances
of His own appointment. This will make you account His ordinances sufficient,
and men's traditions and inventions needless in the worship of God, whereas,
if you do not apprehend all fullness in Christ, you will be like the Papists,
prone to catch at every straw and to multiply superstitious observations
without end for the supply of your spiritual wants.
Would you confess
your sins to God, pray to Him and praise Him heartily for His benefits? Would
you praise Him for affliction, as well as prosperity? Believe assuredly that
God is faithful and just to forgive your sin through Christ, and that you are
made a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices of prayer and praises
that are acceptable to God through Christ; and that God hears your prayers,
and will fulfil them so far as they are good for you; and that all God's ways
are mercy and truth towards you, whether He prosper or afflict you in this
life. If you be altogether in doubt, or otherwise persuaded concerning these
privileges, all your confessions, prayers and praises will be but heartless
lip-labours, slavish or pharisaical works.
In like manner you
will be enabled to hear and receive the Word as the Word of God, and to
meditate on it with delight; and you will be willing to know the strictness
and spirituality of the commands of God, and to try and examine your ways
impartially by them, if you believe assuredly that the Word is the power of
God unto salvation; and that Christ is our great Physician, willing and able
to heal you, be the case never so bad; and, where your sin abounds, His grace
towards you does so much the more abound; whereas, without these comfortable
apprehensions, all the works of hearing, meditation, self-examination will be
but uncouth, heartless works; and they will be performed negligently, and by
halves, or hypocritically, and out of slavish fear, with much reluctancy,
without any good will, or readiness of mind. So also, for the right receiving
the sacraments, you will find yourself much strengthened by believing that you
may have communion with God and Christ in them, and that you have a great High
Priest to bear the iniquity of your holy things, and to make you for ever
accepted before the Lord.
In the same way you
are to apply yourselves to all duties towards your neighbour required in the
second table of the law, by acting in a persuasion of such privileges of your
new state as have a peculiar force to encourage and strengthen you for the
performance of them. That you may 'love your neighbour as yourself, and do to
him in all things as you would he should do to you, without partiality and
self-seeking; that you may give him his due honour, and abstain from injuring
him in his life, chastity, worldly estate, good name, or from coveting
anything that is his, according to the several commands in the second table of
the decalogue,' you must walk in a persuasion, not only that these things are
just and equitable towards your fellow creatures, and that you are strictly
bound to the performance of them, but that they are the will of your 'heavenly
Father, who has begotten you according to His own image, in righteousness and
true holiness, and has given you His Spirit, that you may be likeminded in Him
in all things; and that they are the mind of Christ, who dwells in you, and
you in Him'; that God and Christ are kind, tender-hearted, long-suffering,
full of goodness to men, whether good or bad, friends or enemies, poor or
rich; and that Christ came into the world, not to destroy, but to save; and
that you are of the same spirit; that injuries done to you by your neighbour
can do you no harm; and you need not seek any good for yourselves by injuring
them, because you have all desirable happiness in Christ; and all things,
though intended by your enemies for your hurt, certainly work for your good
through Christ.
Such apprehensions
as these, wrought in us by the spirit of faith, will certainly beget in us a
right frame of spirit, thoroughly furnished for every good work towards our
neighbour. Likewise your hearts will be purified to unfeigned love of the
brethren in Christ; and you will walk towards them with all lowliness,
meekness, long-suffering, forbearing one another in love, if you maintain a
steadfast belief and persuasion of those manifold bonds of love by which you
are inseparably joined with them through Christ; as particularly, that there
is 'one body, and one Spirit, one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith,
one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and
in you all'. Finally, you will be able to abstain from all fleshly and worldly
lusts that war against the soul, and hinder all godliness, by an assured
persuasion, not merely that gluttony, drunkenness, lechery are filthy swinish
abominations, and that the pleasures, profits and honours of the world are
vain, empty things; but that you are crucified to the flesh and the world, and
quickened, raised, and sit in heavenly places together with Christ; and that
you have pleasures, profits, honours in Christ, to which the best things in
the world are not worthy to be compared; and that you are 'members of Christ,
the temple of His Spirit, citizens of heaven, children of the day, not of the
night, nor of darkness,' so that it is below your state and dignity to
practice deeds of darkness, and mind fleshly worldly things.
Thus I have given
instances enough to stir you up to acquaint yourselves with the manifold
endowments, privileges, properties of your new state in Christ, as they are
discovered in the gospel of your salvation, by which the new nature is fitted
for holy operations, as the common nature of man is furnished with the
endowments necessary for those functions and operations to which it is
designed; and also to stir you up to make use of them by faith, as they serve
to strengthen you either for universal obedience, or for particular duties.
And by this manner of walking, your hearts will be comforted and established
in every good word and work, and you will grow in holiness until you attain
unto perfection in Jesus Christ.
8. If you endeavour
to grow in grace and in all holiness, trust assuredly that God will enable you
by this manner of walking to do everything that is necessary for His glory,
and your own everlasting salvation; and that He will graciously accept of that
obedience through Christ, which you are enabled to perform, according to the
measure of your faith, and pardon your failings, though you offend in many
things and fall short of many others, as to degrees of holiness and high acts
of obedience. And therefore, attempt not the performance of duty in any other
way, though you cannot yet attain to do so much as you would in this way. This
is a necessary instruction to establish us in the life of faith, that the
sense of our manifold failings and defects may not move us either to despair
or to return to the use of carnal principles and means for help against our
corruptions, as accounting this way of living and acting by faith to be
insufficient for our sanctification and salvation. The apostle Paul exhorts
the Galatians to 'walk in the Spirit', though 'the flesh lusts against the
Spirit', so that 'they cannot do the things they would' (Gal. 5:16, 17). We are to know that though the law requires of us the utmost perfection
of holiness, yet the gospel makes an allowance for our weakness, and Christ is
so meek and lowly in heart that He accepts of that which our weak faith can
attain to by His grace, and does not exact or expect any more of us for His
glory and our salvation until we grow stronger in grace. God showed His great
indulgence to His people under the Old Testament, that Moses, the lawgiver,
suffered them, because of the hardness of their hearts, to put away their
wives, though from the beginning it was not so (Matt. 19:8), and also in
tolerating the customary practice of polygamy. Though Christ will not tolerate
the continuance of such practices in His church, since His Spirit is more
plentifully poured forth under the gospel, yet He is as forward as ever to
bear with the failings of His weak saints that desire to obey Him sincerely.
We have another
instance of God's indulgence, more full to our present purpose, in His
commanding that the fearful and faint-hearted should not be forced to enter
into the battle against their enemies, but suffered to return home to their
houses, though fighting in battle against their enemies, without fear and
faint-heartedness, was a duty that God did much exercise His people in at that
time (Deut. 20:3, 8). So under the gospel, though it be an eminent part of
Christ's service to endure the greatest fight of afflictions and death itself
courageously for His name's sake, yet if any be so weak in faith that they
have not sufficient courage to venture into the battle, no doubt but Christ
allows them to make use of an honest means whereby they may escape the hands
of persecutors, with safety to their holy profession. He will accept them in
this weaker kind of service, and will approve of them better than if they
should hazard a denial of His name by venturing themselves upon the trial of
martyrdom when they might have escaped it. Peter came off with sin and shame
by venturing beyond the measure of his faith into the hands of his
persecutors, when he went after Christ to the high priest's hall, whereas he
should rather have made use of that indulgent dismission that Christ gave to
him and the rest of His disciples: 'Let these go their way' (John 18:8).
Christ deals with His people as a good careful shepherd that will not
overdrive His sheep: 'He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them
in His bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young' (Isa. 40:11).
He would not have His disciples urged rigorously upon the duty of fasting when
their spirits were unfit for it, because He knew that imposing duties above
their strength is like putting a piece of new cloth in an old garment, and new
wine into old bottles, which spoils all at last (Matt. 9:14-17).
That
precept of Solomon, 'Be not righteous over much' (Eccles. 7:16)
is very useful and necessary, if rightly understood. We are to beware of being
too rigorous in exacting righteousness of ourselves and others beyond the
measure of faith and grace. Overdoing commonly proves undoing. Children that
venture on their feet beyond their strength have many a fall, and so have
babes in Christ when they venture unnecessarily upon such duties as are beyond
the strength of their faith. We should be content at present to do the best
that we can, according to the measure of the gift of Christ, though we know
that others are enabled to do much better; and we are not to despise the day
of small things, but to praise God that He works in us anything that is
well-pleasing in His sight, hoping that He will sanctify us throughout and
bring us at last to perfection of holiness through Jesus Christ our Lord. And
we should carefully observe in all things that good lesson of the apostle:
'Not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think; but to think
soberly, according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith' (Rom.
12:3).
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