Sermon 3

Isaiah 53:1. Who has believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

The most part of men and women think not much of the preached gospel, yet if it were considered what is the Lord's end in it, it would be the most refreshing news that ever people heard, to hear the report of a Savior; that is, and should be, great and glad tidings of great joy to all nations; and we should be so composed to hear such news from God, and concerning His will and our own well, as to be suitably affected with them. It's a wonder that God has sent such a report to people, and in it has laid Christ so near them, that He puts Him home to them, and lays Him before them, even at their feet as it were; and as great a wonder, that when the Lord has condescended to give such a Savior, and brought Him so near, that all He calls for is faith, to believe the report, or rather faith in Him of whom the report is, which is the second thing in the words.

The second thing then, is, the duty that lies on people to whom the Lord sends the gospel, or this report concerning Christ, and you may take it in this general; that it lies on all that hear the gospel to believe the report that it brings concerning Christ, and by faith to receive Him who is held out to them in it; this is clearly implied, Isaiah and all ministers are sent to report concerning Him, and to bear witness of Him, and it's the duty of all hearers to believe it, and this is the ground of his and their complaint when people do not believe it. By comparing this text with (Romans 10:16) and (John 12:38) we show that it is saving faith that is here to be understood.

I shall take up this doctrine in three branches, which we will find in the words, and which will make way for the use. 1. That a people to whom Christ is offered in the gospel, may warrantably accept of Christ, or, the offering of Christ in the gospel is warrant enough to believe on Him; otherwise there had been no just ground of expostulation and complaint for not believing; for though the complaint will not infer that they had ability to believe, yet it will infer they had a warrant to believe; for the complaint is for the neglect of the duty they were called to. 2. That they to whom Christ is offered in the gospel are called to believe, it's their duty to do it, thus, believing, in all that hear this gospel, is necessary, by necessity of command, even as holiness, repentance, etc. are. 3. That saving faith is the way and means by which these that have Christ offered to them in the gospel, come to get a right to Him, and to obtain the benefits that are reported of to be had from Him; thus believing is necessary as a means to the end of getting Christ, and all that is in Him: This is also here implied in the complaint made of the want of faith, which prejudices men of Christ, and of the benefits of the gospel.

We shall shortly put by the first of these, which is, that all that hear the gospel preached, have warrant to believe and receive Christ for their eternal peace, and for making up of the breach between God and them; this preached gospel gives you all warrant to accept of Jesus Christ, and you would not seek after, nor call for another. I shall first premise two distinctions to clear this, and then secondly confirm it. As for the first of the two distinctions that serve to clear it, we may take up the gospel more largely and complexly, in a covenant-form, holding out Christ and His benefits on condition of believing; or we may take it up as it holds out a promise, without particular mentioning of a condition: Now, when we say that the gospel commands and warrants all that hear it to accept the offer, we do not mean the last, that all that hear the gospel have warrant to accept the promise without a condition; but the first, that is, that all the hearers of the gospel are commanded to accept of Christ offered; there is by the preaching of it, a warrant to close with the report, and then to meddle with, and take hold of the promises, and the things promised; so that it's the gospel conditionally proposed that gives warrant to believe, as believing rests on Christ for obtaining life in Him. The second distinction is, that we would consider faith, as it rests on Christ for obtaining union with Him, and right to the promises; or, as it applies and makes use of the benefits to be gotten in and by Christ; the offer of the gospel gives not to all a warrant to apply the benefits to be gotten by Christ instantly, but it warrants them to close with Him first, and then to apply His benefits.

Secondly, for confirmation of this truth, that the general preaching of the Gospel is a warrant for believing and exercising faith on Jesus Christ, for making our peace with God: it's clear from these [reconstructed: Grounds]. 1. From the nature of the Gospel, it's the Word of God, as really inviting to do that which it calls for, as if God were speaking from Heaven; it's the Word of God, and not the word of man, and has as real authority to call for obedience, as if God spoke it immediately from Heaven; and the word of promise is as really His Word, as the word of command, and therefore to be rested on and improved, as well as we are to endeavor obedience to the command; and if we think that God's testimony is true, and if we lay any just weight on these three witnesses testifying from Heaven, and on these other three testifying from earth (1 John 5:7), then we may rest on Jesus Christ offered in this Gospel, and believe, that those who rest on Him shall have life; for it is, as we said, as really God's Word, as if He were speaking it audibly from Heaven. 2. It may be confirmed from these solemn things, the Word and oath of God, whereby He has mightily confirmed the external offer of the Gospel, even the two immutable things in which it is impossible for Him to lie, that those who are fled for refuge, to lay hold on the hope set before them, may have strong consolation, as it is (Hebrews 6:18). And God having thus said and sworn concerning this external covenant, for this very end, that the hearers of the Gospel may know, that they who receive Christ offered in it shall have life, it is warrant sufficient to believe on Him for life: it's also for this end that He has put seals to the covenant, Circumcision and the Passover in the Old, and Baptism and the Lord's Supper in the New Testament; which are extended, not only to the elect, but to professors in the visible church, that every one who is baptized and admitted to the communion, may have confirmation of this, that the offer that God makes of life through Christ, is a true and real offer, and will be made good to the persons that shall receive it, and so perform the condition. 3. It may be confirmed from the end for which God has appointed the Word and ministry in His church, even to make the offer of Christ and life through Him (John 20:31): these things are written, that you might believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that believing, you might have life through His name; the Word is both written and preached for this very end. 4. And lastly, it's confirmed from the experience of all the saints, and from the ground on which they believed, which was the same that we have; they had no other ground but the same Gospel and Word that we have; it was not the secret operation or instinct of the Spirit — it's that indeed which works faith — but it was the Word which was the ground of their faith, for there is no warrant for faith but in the Word; and as many believers as have gone before us, are as so many instances and experiences to confirm this truth to us.

Use. It serves for good use to such as may fall to doubt and dispute what warrant they have to believe: we say, you have as good warrant as Abraham, David, Paul, or any of the godly that lived before you had; you have the same Gospel covenant and promises, it was always God's Word preached which was the ground of faith; and there needs not be much disputing what is God's purpose, for we are not called to look to that in the matter of believing any more than in the matter of our duty; and as it were evil reasoning to dispute what may be God's purpose in the matter of duty when we are called to it, it's as bad reasoning to dispute His purpose in the matter of faith. And therefore we leave this use with a word of [reconstructed: admonition], that this Gospel as it lays Christ before you, it gives you warrant to receive Him, and rest upon Him, and we may say as Paul did (Acts 13:38-39): Be it known to you therefore, men and brethren, that through this name is preached to you forgiveness of sins, and by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses. There is the way held out for obtaining pardon of sin, and peace, the Lord has made the offer, and laid a fair bridge over the gulf of distance between God and sinners, though you should never get good of it, and though you should never set a foot on the bridge; none needs to fear to step forward, behold our Lord Jesus has held out the golden scepter, His call may be warrant enough to come; the preaching of this Gospel stops all disputing, and banishes debating of the business; it calls all the hearers of it, and gives them warrant to come forward; and it's such a warrant as they will be found slighters of the great salvation offered, who had this door opened to them and did not step forward. For as the Apostle says (2 Corinthians 6): Behold now is the day of salvation, behold now is the accepted time; and (Hebrews 2:2): If the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, etc. It's the same Gospel that from the beginning has been preached to sinners, and this is the reason why the Gospel is called grace, in that (2 Corinthians 6:1): We beseech you that you receive not this grace of God in vain; and (Galatians 2), at the close: I do not frustrate the grace of God. For many get the warrant and pass to come and receive Christ, who put it up in their pocket as it were, and make no use of it, as the man that hid the talent in his napkin; the bonds of marriage are proclaimed, and the warrant given forth, and yet they halt and come not to the wedding.

We shall add the second branch, which is, that this gospel, where it comes and offers Jesus Christ to sinners, men and women are not only warranted to come, but required and commanded to come. The great duty that the gospel calls for is believing; it leaves it not indifferent to believe or not, but peremptorily lays it on as a command. You hear many preachings, and Christ often spoken of — now this is the great thing called for from you, even believing in Christ, and while it is not performed, there is no obedience given to the gospel.

We shall first confirm, and then make use of this branch of the doctrine.

1. For confirmation, take these grounds. 1. From the manner how the gospel proposes faith, it is by way of command in the imperative mood — Believe, Come you that are weary, etc., Come to the Wedding, open, etc. — wherein somewhat of the nature of faith is held out, all these being the same with believing. 2. It is not only commanded as other things are, but peculiarly commanded, and there is a greater weight laid on the obedience of this command than on the doing of many other commanded duties; it is the sum of all Christ's preaching (Mark 1): Repent and believe the gospel; it is the only command which Paul proposes to the jailer (Acts 16): Believe in the Lord Jesus, etc. 3. It is as it were the peculiar command that Jesus Christ has left to His people (1 John 3:22): This is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ; and this command of believing on Him is the peculiar command left to, and laid on ministers to press. 4. It will be clear, if we consider, that the great disobedience that He quarrels for is when there is not believing, when sinners will not come to Him. This is His quarrel (John 5:40): You will not come to me that you may have life — and here, Who has believed our report? So (Matthew 23): I would have gathered you and you would not; and (John 12:37): Though he did many mighty works among them, yet they believed not on him. 5. Look to the nature of the offer made by Christ, and to the end of it, and you will find that the great thing called for is the receiving of it, which is nothing else but believing; and all our preachings of Christ, and of His benefits, are useless without it. Without this he lacks the satisfaction he calls for, for the travail of his soul; and without it the hearers of this gospel profit not (1 Peter 1:9): Receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls — the subordinate end of preaching, namely, the salvation of our souls, cannot be attained without faith.

The uses are three. 1. It serves to be a ground for us to propose the main gospel duty to you, and to teach you what is the great and main thing you are called to; it is even to believe in Jesus Christ, to exercise faith on Him. It is not only that your life should be civil and formal; that you should read, pray, frequent ordinances, learn the catechism, and such like; but this is it — to believe on Jesus Christ for the obtaining of life, and remission of sins through Him. And it is not a thing indifferent to you, but commanded, and with this certification, that if you believe not, you shall never get life nor pardon of sin. And therefore, as we tell you that remission of sins is preached to you through Christ, so we command and charge you to believe on Him, and receive this gospel, wherein He is offered, for the remission of sins.

For clearing of this use, and that we may have the more ready access to application, we shall speak a word to these three. First, to several kinds of true faith, three of which are [reconstructed: not] saving; or to the ordinary distinctions of faith. Secondly, to the Scripture expressions that hold out the nature of saving faith. Thirdly, to some differences between this saving faith, and false and counterfeit faith, or these acts of true faith more generally taken, which yet are not saving.

For the first of these, when we speak of Faith, we shall draw it to these four kinds ordinarily spoken of, and shall not alter nor add to the common distinctions of Faith, though there may be more given. The first is Historical Faith, which may be called true, being that whereby we assent to the truth of a thing, because of his supposed fidelity that tells it; as when an Author writes a History, we give it credit upon report that he was an honest man that wrote it: so Historical Faith is, when people hearing the Word preached or read, they assent to the truth of it all; and do not question but that Christ came to the world, that He was God and Man in one Person, that He died and rose the third day, and ascended to Heaven, that they that believe on Him shall be saved, etc. And taking the Word to be God's Word, they may give to it a higher assent than they give to any man's word, because God is worthy, infinitely worthy of more credit than any man, indeed than all men, and angels too. There may be, I say, in this Historical Faith of divine truths, a higher or greater assent than there is in believing of any human history, which may be the reason why many mistake Historical Faith, and yet it is but of the same kind, and a thing which many reprobates have, as John 2 at the close, it is said, many believed on him when they saw the miracles which he did, but Jesus did not commit himself to them; they were brought to believe from the signs which they saw, that He was more than a mere Man, and that it was the Word of God which He spoke, and yet it was but a Historical Faith. Indeed, this Faith may be, and is in devils, who are said (James 2:9) to believe and tremble. There are many, who, if they believe Christ to be God and Man, and the Word to be true, think it enough; yet James having to do with such, tells them, that the devils believe as much as that, and more thoroughly than many that have that Historical Faith. He knows God to be true, and One that cannot lie, and he finds it to his cost; he knows that such as believe cannot perish, for he cannot get one of them to Hell; he knows that there is a time set when Christ will come to judge the world, and himself among the rest, and therefore he says often to Him, torment me not before the time. And as the devil has this Faith, so there are many in Hell that have it too, the rich glutton had it, therefore he bids go tell his brothers that they come not to that place of torment, and it is told him, they have Moses and the Prophets, etc., which says that he then felt the truth of many things he would not believe before. This I speak, that you may know, that this Historical Faith is the first step of Faith, but it may be in Hell, and so in many in whom saving Faith is not. It is really a wonder that folks that are called Christians should own this to be saving Faith, and think they are well come too, when they are only come the devil's length in believing; indeed, there are many that never came his length, else they would tremble more. The second sort of Faith is the Faith of Miracles, which is often spoken of in the New Testament, as when the Lord says, if you had faith as a grain of mustard-seed, you should say to this mountain, be removed and cast into the sea, and it should be done. There was an active Faith to work miracles, and a passive Faith to receive the particular effect the miracle did produce; some had the Faith of Miracles to heal, and others to be healed. This is an extraordinary thing, and folks may go to Heaven without it, and go to Hell with it, though they cannot go to Heaven without Historical Faith. Hence it is said, many shall come to me in that day, and shall say, we have cast out devils in your name, to whom he will say, depart from me you workers of iniquity. And the Apostle says (1 Corinthians 13:2), if I had all faith, and could remove mountains, if I lack charity, it avails me nothing. This Faith of Miracles avails not alone to salvation, because it acts not on Christ held out in the promises, as a Savior to save from sin, but on Christ, as having power and ability to produce such an effect; which may be where there is no quitting of a man's own righteousness, and if there be not grace in the person that has it, it is an occasion of pride. We call you then to Historical Faith, as necessary, though not sufficient, but not to this Faith of Miracles, it being neither necessary nor sufficient. A third sort of Faith is Temporary Faith, spoken of in Matthew 13, and set out under the parable of the seed sown on stony ground, which soon springs up, but withers; so some hearers of the Gospel receive the Word with joy, and are affected with it, but endure not. The difference between this and Historical Faith is that Historical Faith as such consists in the judgment, and reaches not the affections; at best it reaches not the affection of joy, for though the devils tremble, yet they are never glad. Temporary Faith reaches the affections, and will make a man, as to tremble at the threats, as Felix did; so, some way to delight himself in the promises of the Gospel, and to savor them as it were from the apprehension of the sweet taste and relish he finds in them. It is even here (as it were) told a whole man, that a physician is come to town, he is neither up nor down with it, but tell it to a sick man, and he is glad, from an apprehended possibility of a cure, yet the apprehended possibility of the cure never sends him to the physician, nor puts him to apply the cure. The fourth sort is Saving Faith, which goes beyond all the rest, and brings the sick man to the physician, and to make use of the cure. There may be some measure of true Saving Faith, where there is not much Temporary Faith, or moving of the affections, and there may be a considerable measure of Temporary Faith, where there is no Saving Faith at all, even as a fallen star may seem to glance more than a fixed one that is over-clouded, yet it has no solid light. Know then, that Faith is called for, but take not every sort of Faith for Saving Faith. It would make tender hearts bleed to see so many mistake in the matter of their Faith. There are some who say, they had Faith all their days; O that you were convinced of the lamentable deceit and delusion that you are under, and that you could distinguish between Faith and Presumption, between Historical and Temporary Faith, and true Saving Faith, though the two former are not delusions, but in so far as you rest on the same, and take them for Saving Faith, you are deluded, for Saving Faith puts you out of yourselves to rest on Jesus Christ.