Sermon 57

Isaiah 53:11 Verse 11. — By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; For he shall bear their iniquities.

If anything should be studied with diligence, surely this should be, even to be clear how we may come to be at peace with God; how we may be absolved and justified, when we come to reckon before Him; It is no curiosity, singly and diligently to make inquiry here; although the unfaithfulness, and pride of some unhappy men, have made the study of it unpleasant by corrupting, and making crooked God's plain, and straight way of making of our peace with Him, and of our being justified before Him.

We entered to speak of the great means, or mean by which this righteousness, that justifies a sinner before God is derived, or, by which we come to have a title to, and an interest in it: And as we have great need to be clear in that righteousness, which will be a relevant defense before the tribunal of God's justice, that we propose not one that will be cast, and rejected; So we have as great need to be clear in the way, how that righteousness may be made ours, seeing many are, and will be condemned, notwithstanding of Christ's righteousness, because there is no application of it made by them to themselves.

We show you that by knowledge here is meant faith, as the Scriptures in the New Testament (which hold out justification to be by faith) make clear: It being evident, that no merely speculative knowledge can entitle to this justification; yet it's called knowledge. 1. Because faith necessarily presupposes knowledge; If it be not a part of it, yet certainly it's a necessary antecedent of it. 2. Because, though there be not an evidence to reason in all the things which we believe; yet there is a certainty; and faith gets this name, because it makes men certain of these things which it takes up, as if it were a science or knowledge. 3. To distinguish it from all other sorts of knowledge, and to bound and include it, mostly, at least within this object, Christ, to speak so; Therefore it's said, by his knowledge, or as the word is better rendered, by the knowledge of him shall my righteous servant justify many; Which shows, that it's not knowledge taken largely, that he means of, but knowledge with respect to Christ, the great object of it; as it is (1 Corinthians 2:2), I determined to know nothing among you, but Jesus Christ, and him crucified: And says Paul (Philippians 3:8), I count all things to be but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord. You will ask men, how does knowledge and faith differ, seeing, wherever there is faith, there is knowledge, though not contrary ways, wherever there is knowledge there is faith? We shall not stand upon this; but shortly we conceive, that knowledge discovers the object, and faith takes hold of the object and rests upon it; knowledge is the eye of the new creature, discovering such a thing; and faith is the hand that catches hold of, and grips that thing that is discovered; Or thus, knowledge is like to the head, that takes up such a thing in a notion, and faith is as the heart that closes with it; Therefore (Romans 10), it's said, With the heart man believes to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation: I know many take knowledge for faith, which at the best, is but historical faith; and it's as if a man who is drowning, should see another casting in a rope to him; and he sees, and knows such a thing, but takes no hold of it, and therefore perishes; or, as a seaman's discovering good ground, to cast anchor on, but not casting forth his anchor thereon, is exposed to the violence of the storm, and so shipwrecked; knowledge discovers the ground, but faith casts the anchor on it: It's much to get you brought up to know, but much more to get you brought to know the difference that is between faith and knowledge; Hence it is, that many say, that they believed ever since they knew good by ill; because they never looked on faith but as the knowing, professing, and declaring such a thing to be true; But it's one thing to know a physician, and another thing to employ him, and to make use of his physic.

We spoke of this general doctrine, that knowledge is a necessary thing, as being presupposed to faith, and particularly the knowledge of Jesus Christ; Therefore it's called, The knowledge of him; Because it's Christ Jesus which is the object of faith; Therefore our study of knowledge would especially be with reference to Him: There are two sorts of persons, who are not utterly ignorant, and yet are defective here. 1. There are some that love and study to be scholars, but Christ is not the object of their knowledge; it's not the knowledge spoken of here, to be well skilled in philosophy, in tongues, in mathematics, etc. which we discommend not; nor is it to be able, speculatively to dispute and discourse of divinity, but it's the knowledge of Christ's righteousness; and to study experimentally, and practically to make use of it, and to be clothed with it; as one says well; If we know him we know all, and if we know not him though we know all, we know nothing; Therefore, though Paul was a very learned man, and a great scholar, yet says he (1 Corinthians 2:2), I determined to know nothing among you, but Christ Jesus and him crucified. A second sort, are such as want not affection to truth; nor love to piety, yet to them the studying of this doctrine, that concerns Christ, and His offices, is somewhat tasteless, and wearisome; they would be at hearing of duties, cases and questions spoken of; though we may, in some respects say, that none of these are objects of faith, properly, at least as it is justifying; but means and means to guide you to make use of, and to carry suitably to the privileges, that are in the covenant; Hence many have good affection, that are very shallow in their knowledge of Christ, and think but little of preaching, and books that hold out the doctrine concerning Christ, because they come not in so close to practical things, and cases, whereas, If they were better settled in the knowledge of Christ, it would answer all their cases, and loosen all their questions and doubts, let therefore these be well looked to, and this by no means be nauseated or slighted; Though knowledge of the truths of God be necessary; yet it's especially the knowledge of Christ that is necessary.

There is another thing supposed here, that serves to clear the doctrine of justification, which we shall observe, before we speak of faith itself particularly, because it's antecedent to it, and it's this: That the Gospel is a necessary external mean, for promoting of our justification; for faith, as we have showed, presupposes knowledge, and knowledge presupposes the revelation of God's mind in the Gospel; and if knowledge be necessary to faith, then the Gospel must be necessary; for it's said (Romans 11:17) that by it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. There is great need to observe all the steps of this doctrine well, and this among the rest: The Gospel is not a thing that bred in nature's breast; or a thing that man by nature has the knowledge of; indeed, it's foolishness to the wise men of the world, as we may see (1 Corinthians 1) — we, (says the Apostle) preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness. Faith comes by hearing, as it is (Romans 10:17) and hearing by the word of God; and in the same chapter, verses 14-15: How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach except they be sent? Where the Apostle clearly, and convincingly [reconstructed: asserts] the necessity of a lawfully called ministry for preaching of the Gospel, and for carrying on the work of justifying and [reconstructed: saving] faith. The reason is, because, if there be a necessity of faith, and if no faith can be without knowledge, then there must necessarily be something to reveal it. I speak here of the ordinary way of God's revealing himself; what He may do extraordinarily towards mute and deaf persons, to idiots and young children, I meddle not with that, but leave it to himself as a secret, which He thinks not fit to impart to us. I call the Gospel the external mean of promoting our justification, in four respects. 1. Because it lays before us the object of our faith, for in it (as it is, Romans 1:17) is the righteousness of God revealed, etc. and (Romans 11:21-22) it's said, Now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, etc. We would never know the way how a sinner comes to be at peace with God, and to be justified without the Gospel. 2. Because, it not only reveals the object of faith, but it makes offer of it; and hereby a sinner that hears the Gospel, has warrant to embrace and make use of Jesus Christ's righteousness, and to rest upon it; and therefore, if temptation should say to the sinner, though Christ died, what is that for you; faith has this to reply: The Gospel calls me, and that warrants me to come to him, and to make use of his death. The promise, as it is (Acts 2) is to as many as the Lord our God shall call; and in this respect, the promise is our right and evidence, whereby we come to have a claim to Christ. 3. Because God makes use of the word preached, for engaging of sinners to Christ, and for making them to take hold of him; it's true, that it is not powerful of itself, and without the Spirit; yet it's the ordinary mean that God makes use of. Therefore, says the Apostle (2 Corinthians 10:4): The weapons of our warfare are not carnal; though they be weak in themselves, yet they are mighty through God, to the pulling down of strongholds. And in this respect, the Gospel not only offers life, but through God's blessing, as a mean begets life; and by the Spirit accompanying it, sinners are engaged to take hold of Christ, and to rest on him for salvation. 4. Because this word being taken hold of, and closed with, contains the pronouncing of the sinner's absolution, of his absolving sentence, when it says: If you believe, you shall be justified and saved; upon supposition of believing, the sentence stands good to the believer, you are past from death to life; there being no condemnation to them who are in Christ Jesus.

The first use serves to clear that which we hinted at before; in naming this for a cause of justification; though it be the external instrumental cause, yet it is a cause.

The second use serves to teach you to put a price on the Gospel; it's the bane both of profane secure sinners, and of a sort of vain and giddy people among us, that they prize not the preaching of the Gospel, as the external instrumental cause, that concurs in the justification of sinners; but if ever you be absolved, you will be beholden to this preached Gospel. I will not say always to the preaching, but sure to the Gospel that is preached. This on the one hand reproves these who will be ready to say, that they have faith, who yet never knew the Gospel to do them good; and such also who seldom come to hear, and who never care for preaching. And upon the other hand, it reproves these, who, when they fall a tottering, reeling, and wavering, and begin to incline to error; cast at the preaching of the Gospel, having, it may be slighted it before in their hearts; where, when Satan once gets them, he tosses them in a great measure, as he pleases, and makes them so giddy, by frequent turning about, that they scarcely leave to themselves a foot-broad of Scripture-ground to stand upon. But as you respect the glory of Christ, the good of your souls, and your absolution before God, esteem much of the Gospel; for it's the power of God to salvation; and if ever you come to heaven, it will be by this Gospel, as the external mean. These nations that never heard it will think you to be most desperately wicked, and miserable, who have had it, and yet so unworthily slighted it.

For pressing of this use a little, take two or three directions in reference to it. 1. Walk under the convictions of the necessity of the gospel; for there is no absolution without it; it is true, God might have taken another way, but on the supposition that He has appointed faith to be a [reconstructed: means] to justification, and that faith supposes knowledge, then certainly knowledge does suppose a necessity of hearing the gospel; you will never value preaching, nor any other ordinances of Christ, if you see not a necessity of them, and know them not to be for your good. 2. Study to know what is the main end and design of, and what is the advantage that is to be had by the ordinances; many come to the preaching of the gospel, to hear and learn some lesson, for informing their judgment, some come to get directions, in reference to some particular duty, some to get a doubt resolved, none of which are to be disallowed in themselves — but rather in so far to be commended, but how few come to it, as to a means to carry on, and bring about their justification; and to bring them out of black [reconstructed: nature] into a state of grace? It is the sum of Paul's preaching, and the end of it, as the divine historian shows (Acts 26:18): To open blind eyes, to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith that is in him. 3. Aim in your practice to carry on this design, even to put a close to the treaty regarding justification between God and you; when you come to the preaching, and hear us declare in the name of the Lord, that a believing sinner has access to have his sin taken away, and to be justified through the imputation of Christ's righteousness; you would step to, hearing this proclamation made of the pardon of sin — by one of Christ's ambassadors in His name, and accept of, embrace, and cordially close with it, if it were just now, at this very occasion. 4. This would be the great design, both of preachers and hearers; of preachers to follow that way of preaching most, that lays open the mystery of faith in Christ; and of hearers to love that way of preaching best; not so much that which fills the head with notions, as that which serves to help to close a bargain between God and you; this was Paul's great design in preaching, as we see (1 Corinthians 2:2) and (1 Corinthians 1:23-24). He no doubt taught other things; but he summarized all in this, or leveled all at this, as the scope, and this was his main design in his preaching and pressing of other things.

The third use serves, to make a sad discovery of many of you; is this gospel the external means of justification; then see if you ever knew any benefit you got by it; you will perhaps say, that you are in friendship with God? But, how, I pray you, came you by it? There is little change, to the better in your knowledge, and as little difference in your practice, you are as much given to covetousness, tippling, lying, swearing, pride, vanity, etc. as ever; and are these, think you, the fruits of justification? Do you think that to be justification, which is neither from the Word, nor in accord with it? If God would commend this to your hearts, I think it might alarm you to more serious thoughts of your condition; I put it to your conscience, if you can conceive any difference between you, and these that never heard the gospel? You are baptized, and hear preachings, etc. But, alas, it is none of these that justifies; they are only useful as they lead you forward to the use making of Jesus Christ: Again, let me ask you, what effect has preaching upon you? Has it convinced you of sin? So, how then can it convince you of righteousness? Therefore, if you would make sure justification indeed, try it by the Word. 1. What was it that put you to seek after righteousness, and justification? Was you ever convinced of the need of it? And if you have been convinced; was it by preaching of the Word? 2. If you have been convinced of your sin and misery; where sought you for a remedy? Was you led in through the Word, to seek a plaster to heal that wound of conviction? 3. What was it that warranted you to take hold of that Word, or that gave you right to it? I know that you will say, that it was Christ held out in the Word, that you did betake yourselves to; but what weight laid you on God's call in the gospel warranting you to lay hold on the promise of righteousness, and pardon of sin through Christ? I know there are many, who, though there had not been a call from God, would have confidently stepped forward to the promise; but were you ever like to Peter's hearers, pricked in your hearts, and made to say, men and brethren what shall we do? Or, being some way pricked, was it God's call holding out the promise to be to you, and your children, and to as many as our God shall call, that brought you to rest on the promise? God has designed preaching for this end; and you would try, if ever you was put to it, to look to God's call, that gave you warrant to believe; for there is nothing more certain than this; that wherever faith is sure and well built, it is grounded on God's call, and does take His faithfulness for its backing (to say so) and warrant.

More particularly, we come to speak of this Word, as it respects the inward means, or the inward instrumental cause, of justification, which is faith; for there is this order and method. 1. The sinner is convinced, and made sensible of sin, and brought to reckon for it, in his own conscience, before God. 2. There is Christ's being held forth interposing himself to take on the sinner's debt, and satisfying the justice of God for it, which is the meritorious cause. Thirdly, there is God's offer in the gospel, holding out Christ's righteousness to lost sinners, and calling them to make use of it. Fourth, upon this, there is faith's receiving of the offer, and resting upon Christ, and His righteousness for life; which (to speak so) is the inward instrumental cause taking hold of the external, and as I said of Christ in it. Fifth, and lastly follows God's imputing the righteousness of Christ to the sinner, and absolving him, by virtue of that righteousness from the guilt of his sin, as if he had never sinned.

In speaking of this inward instrumental cause, five things would be cleared, which we suppose are implied in the words. 1. The necessity of faith, held out, as the mean, by which justification is come by. 2. The immediate object of justifying faith, and that is Christ's sufferings, or Jesus Christ, as suffering, traveling in soul, and paying our debt. 3. The act of this faith, on this object; which is not a bare speculative knowledge, or a mere historical faith, but something that really acts on Christ with respect to His sufferings. 4. The effect of this faith taking hold on Christ, and His sufferings, and that is justification, which is not the making a sinner to be just, by inherent righteousness, but the actual absolving of him from the guilt of sin, and from God's curse, the changing of his state, and the bringing him from under the curse, into good terms with God. 5. The manner how faith concurs in proceeding, or bringing about this effect; wherein we have this general; that faith has a peculiar influence in the justification of a sinner, that no good work, nor any other grace has; there is none of all these things but it is in this miserably declined generation (wherein the Devil sets himself mightily to obscure [reconstructed: Truth], as the Lord by the Gospel does clear it) contraverted, I shall only endeavor to clear the positive part, and let you see what is truth in these things, whereby you may be brought to discover, and abhor the errors that are contrary thereto.

The 1st doctrine then is this: that before a man can be justified, and absolved from the curse of God due to him for sin, there is a necessity of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. This is clear from the words, and from what has been said in the opening of them up; if it be by his knowledge, or the knowledge of him, that many are justified, then it cannot be that they are justified before they come to the knowledge of Him, or from eternity; only in passing, take two or three words of advertisement, and then we shall confirm the doctrine. 1. When we speak of justification, it is in respect of our being absolved, and freed not from the pollution of sin, but from the guilt of it, as it makes us obnoxious to the curse, the clearing of the effect will clear this more. 2. When we speak of faith, it is not to be understood as it were a declaration, or manifestation of our justification; or, it is not to be understood of faith, in the height of full assurance, and as it is a [reconstructed: plerophory]; but of faith, as it is a laying hold upon Christ. 3. When we speak of the necessity of faith, in order to justification, we mean not, as if there were such an absolute necessity of it, in itself, that God could not do otherwise, or justify without it; but we mean a necessity, in respect of the order which God has laid down, and held forth in the Gospel, which is by the knowledge of His Son to justify many; and from these considerations many arguments of our adversaries are made very little regardable, indeed utterly void.

For confirmation of the doctrine then, first, consider these Scriptures that expressly limit, confine and bound justification, and pardon of sin to the person that does believe; So, (Romans 1:17) The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, the just shall live by faith. (Romans 3:24-25) Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, etc. (Colossians 3:22) God has concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. (Acts 13:38-39) Through this man is preached to you the 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. Consult the Scriptures, and we will find, that Paul clears both these questions: 1. Who are justified? All that believe. 2. When are they justified? When they believe. Second, consider these Scriptures, that place all men before believing, into a state of wrath, and they will furnish a second ground for this, as (John 3:18) He that believes on him, is not condemned: but he that does not believe, is condemned already. He lies under the covenant of works, and is condemned, as considered in himself, though God may have a purpose to make a change of his state. So, (Ephesians 2:1-3) You has he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins, wherein, in time past you walked, and were children of wrath even as others, etc. And (verse 12-13) We were sometimes without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenant of promise, without hope, and without God in the world; but now in Christ Jesus, you who sometimes were far off, are made near by the blood of Christ. And (verse 8) By grace are you saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast — it's faith that gives the title, which we had not before. 3. Consider, that the Scriptures do expressly make believing to precede justification; and make justification to be an effect, or rather a consequent of faith, to which faith necessarily concurs; as all these places, which say, that we are justified by faith in Christ, do clear. (Romans 5:1) Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ; which place looks on faith's concurring in justification, with a kind of causality. (Romans 3:22-25) The righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ to all, and upon all them that believe, etc. (Ephesians 2:8) By grace are you saved, through faith. See more fully to this purpose, (Galatians 2:16) where the Apostle designedly as it were, sets himself to confirm this truth; for speaking of the way, how sinners come to be justified, and as it were entering in the debate, he says: Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even as we have believed in Jesus Christ that we might be justified by the faith of Christ. In which place we have three things considerable, to make out the point. 1. He compares the concurring of faith, to justification, in the covenant of [reconstructed: Grace], to the concurring of works to justification, or to the obtaining of life, in the covenant of works; as works did justify, in the covenant of works, so does faith in the covenant of grace; now certainly the performing of works, in the covenant of works, behoved to go before justification that way, therefore the want of works made Adam to come short of justification by works. 2. He looks on faith, and speaks of it, as concurring to justification, with a respect to Christ, and never looks on it in this matter, as a grace considered in, and by itself; but as acting on Christ in a peculiar manner. 3. In express words, he says, We have believed in Christ Jesus that we might be justified; which clearly implies, that they could not be justified before they believed, and we may well, and easily gather, that the justification here meant, is that which is real and actual, and not the declaring of a man to be justified to himself; else works might declare a man to be justified to himself, as well as faith; but he contradistinguishes faith and works here, and opposes the one to the other.

The first use serves for clearing of this truth, that there is a necessity of faith's taking hold of, and resting on Christ, before we can be absolved, and justified; and so both these errors of Antinomians fall to the ground. 1. That, by which they assert, that these who are justified, were justified from eternity; and were never under God's curse. And 2. That faith is not necessary to the attaining of justification, but only to a person's knowing that he is justified; and so they say, that faith enters us not in the covenant; which is false, it being the terms, or condition, on which God proposes, and promises pardon in his covenant, as is clear, (John 3:18) Whoever believes shall not be condemned, but shall have everlasting life, and, (Mark 16:16) He that believes, and is baptized, shall be saved, with this opposition, He that does not believe shall be damned. Faith being it which enters us in the covenant; for, either sinners are justified before they can be in covenant with God, which is an absurdity, and inconsistent with God's covenant, or it's by faith that they are entered in the covenant. There is here also a clear discovery, and confutation of a third error of Antinomians, concerning the nature of faith, that it is persons believing, that they are justified; no, not so, for as the Apostle says (Galatians 2:16) We have believed that we might be justified, we believe, in order to justification. And to say, as Antinomians do, would do much to infer universality of justification, as well as of redemption; it's God's mercy, that this error is discovered; and that we have His truth pointing out to us, that justification must have faith going before it, and along with it.

The second use serves to demonstrate the absolute necessity of believing, and taking hold of Christ; if absolution and justification be necessary, faith must be necessary. And therefore, if Christ be preached to you, and if by him, all that believe are justified; take hold then, I beseech you of the offer, receive, embrace, close, with it, and let your very hearts open to it; without which you can never expect to be justified, before the tribunal of God. Now let God Himself bless the same Word to you, through Jesus Christ.