Sermon 58
Isaiah 53:11 — By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities.
Some further, and more serious apprehensions of our sin, and hazard, would make the reading of these words to be refreshing, and welcome to us; the fixed thoughts of an arrest laid upon us, to appear before God's tribunal, and to reckon for our debt, would make us think much of a guarantor; the want of which makes the glad tidings of the Gospel to be tasteless, and without relish. This is the great scope of these words, to show how a summoned sinner arraigned at God's bar, may be justified, and freed from the charge that he is liable to; for, says the Prophet, By his knowledge, who is the surety of the covenant, shall many be justified. That which we last left at, was this: That faith in Christ, receiving, and resting on Him, is necessary for the attaining of justification; so that in God's way, these are so linked and knit together, that never one shall be justified, but a believer; though there be a righteousness in Christ, yet it shall be derived, and communicated to none come to age, but to these, who by faith turn to Christ. How the Lord deals with infants, elect infants, I mean, is not that which the Prophet aims to speak of; though it be Christ's righteousness, that is communicated to them, as well as it is to them who are at age; yet as to the manner of communicating it, God has His own way which we know not.
Now that we may learn in speaking to these truths, not only to get some light for informing of our judgment; but also some help for our practice; take two or three uses, before we proceed any further.
The 1. Use then is, to let you see the absolute necessity of believing in Christ Jesus, and that it is as necessary for the attaining of our justification, as Christ's dying is. For our justification is an effect flowing from several causes, and the want of any of them will mar it; there must necessarily be a concurrence of them all, to bring it about. And therefore, though there be an excellent worth in Christ's righteousness, yet there is a necessity of faith, to lay hold upon it, and to make it ours. God's order in the covenant bears this out; wherein he has knit the promise of pardon of sin, and of justification to faith, and resting on Christ; and there is good reason for it. As, 1. The Lord will have a sinner to know what he is obliged to Christ, which faith contributes much to; for faith stands not in the way of the freedom of justification, but rather commends it. For the Lord would have us know, that we hold our life of Him; and not to receive Him by faith, is an evidence of highest presumption. Therefore it's said, (Romans 4:16), It is by faith that it might be of grace; God has chosen this way, that the freeness of His grace, in pardoning of sin may be seen. 2. The Lord by this, lets the unbeliever know, that the reason of his own ruin is of himself; there shall not be one unbeliever found, that shall have it to say, that the blame lay on God, or on Christ. Because the offer was made to them on condition of receiving it by faith, and they not performing the condition, their guilt is aggravated by their slighting of the offer. It's true, that we are not now dealing with them, who downright deny the truth of this doctrine; but, alas, what better are they, who do in their practice deny it, and live senselessly and securely under the gospel? We conceive that there are three sorts of persons, that have need of a word to be spoken to them here. 1. Such as live carelessly, and securely (as we just now said) as if God required nothing of them at all; as they were born, they know not how, so they live, they know not how. And when they are pressed to a change of their state, and way, they make excuses, partly from the sinfulness of their nature, that they can do nothing, partly from the abundant grace of God, that He must do all. But it will never excuse you, that you wanted grace, and had a sinful nature, for whom I pray, can you blame for it? You that [reconstructed: make a mockery of] His mercy, if you continue to do so, shall never get good of it. For He has said, that He will justify, and save none but the believer; there is none other that has the promise of pardon, it is not made to anything that is to be brought forth, or done by your own strength, or by the strength of nature, or of free-will. But God has laid down this order and method, and made it known that you should believe, and receive the offer of Christ in the gospel; renounce your own righteousness, and betake you to Christ's righteousness, otherwise you cannot, on good ground, expect to be justified. 2. Others will set about many things that are good; but the work of believing they can never be brought to mind, or own. They will make a sort of conscience of prayer, of keeping the church, of reading the Scriptures, etc. But to give obedience to the command of believing they mind it not; they can live, and die without it. This was the woeful, and soul-ruining practice of the Jews of old, as we are told, (Romans 9). They took much pains to come by righteousness, but they attained it not, because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law, for they stumbled at that stumbling stone. When they had gone part of the way, as it were, and come to the stone of believing, there they fell and broke their necks. Hence there are many who promise heaven to themselves, and think that they have done something for it, who yet never laid hold on Christ for their justification. But let me tell you, that though you could go the greatest length in holiness that ever any did since Adam's fall, it will not avail you, if you neglect faith in Christ. I say not this to dissuade you from the duties of holiness, God forbid; but to divert you from seeking justification by them. Study the duties of holiness, but seek always, by any means to be found in Christ, and in His righteousness, and not in the righteousness of your duties, as to your justification. It is true none that have any tolerable measure of knowledge, will profess downright, that they lean to holy duties. Yet many are so ignorant, that they cannot distinguish between faith and works; and there are not a few, who have a hope of heaven, such as it is, who never knew anything of the exercise of believing. A 3rd sort are these who because of some common favors that they have received, as evidences of God's care and kindness, conclude their justification. It may be some have had now and then deep convictions, or have come to tears in prayer, or at a sermon. Others it may be, have had some joy now and then, at hearing the Word. Others will, it may be dream of such and such heavenly things, and have, as they suppose, a vision of them in their sleep, and some joy will follow on it, when they are awaked. Others may have met with many deliveries by sea and land, and God has dealt well with them, and their children, in external things. But, alas, these things may befall unbelievers; not one of them, nor all of them together, if there be no more, will justify. You would rather try these things whether they be sound, and evidences of special love or not, by your believing. If they have faith in Christ carried along with them, it's well. If you can say, that after you believed, you were sealed with the holy spirit of promise, and that your joy followed upon your closing with, and resting upon Christ, you have no reason to question it. But where such tastes go before, and are without believing, it's suspicious; there are many of you that have multitudes of things, that you lean to, beside Christ; and never seriously put yourselves to the trial, whether you be indeed fled to Him.
2. Use, We would commend this to you, as a ground of trial of yourselves, if you be justified; if you have seriously taken with your sin, and embraced God's offer of the Righteousness of Christ, and rested on it; make this once sure, that you have been sensible of sin, that you have been beaten from your own righteousness, and that you have fled to Jesus Christ, and closed with His Righteousness offered in the Gospel; then this will naturally follow, that by His knowledge you are justified; His Word speaks it out plain to you: It may be that some think this to be a broad mark, and that others will think it narrow; yet it's a solid mark, and no other thing is or can be a mark, but as it implies this; though some may presumptuously gather from it a broad conclusion, yet it will be found to be as searching a mark, when well considered, as other marks and evidences are, that we cannot at first so easily lay hold upon; and therefore we would say, that it's not every one that thinks he believes, but it's such as really believe, who have this evidence; and for preventing of mistakes, we shall follow this evidence of justification, to wit, faith, to the very rise of it. 1. It supposes a charge, and summons as it were given to the persons, to appear before God. 2. There is a sentence discovered, standing against them, and over their heads, by the Covenant of Works, now what can you say to these two? Where I desire you not so much to speak your light, as your practice, and experience; what a charge, or summons was put in your hands? Have you read the libel of your sins? And have you seen the breaches of the Law, and your liability to the curse of God for the same? If so, then what means the good opinion that many of you have of yourselves? This is even the thing that the Apostle says of himself before his conversion (Romans 7:9): Before the law came, I was alive, but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died; That is before the charge was put in my hand, and I summoned to appear before God's bar, I had a good opinion of myself, and I thought that all was well; but when I came to take up the Law in the spiritual meaning, and broad extent of it, I saw myself lost and gone, and that conceit fell. These three then usually precede faith. 1. That a person has had a good opinion of himself. 2. That this person is summoned or charged to answer at God's bar. 3. That the person is made to pass sentence on himself, as lost and undone, by reason of the Law's sentence, and curse standing over his head unrepealed. Now, how has it been with you, as to these? The most part are quite of another disposition than Paul was; they think they are well enough, because they never discovered their rotten condition; but try well how it is with you; go in and see if ever you discovered in yourselves: 1. An inclination to establish your own righteousness. 2. Were you ever under a work of the Law humbling you? And 3. Were you ever, in your own apprehension, lost? If so, then you are such as Christ came to call. Secondly, in the next room consider what you betook yourselves to, for answering that charge, and for a remedy of that lost condition; there is no remedy, but the offer of Christ's Righteousness in the Gospel; some being charged with guilt, betake themselves to prayer, and that is well done in so far; but if you hold there, and go no further, it's not right; it's here, as it was with these, who lived under the Law, who, when they had sinned, made use of sacrifices; and the greatest part held there, and went no further; whereas the believer looked through the sacrifices to Christ; so, if you hold at prayer, and other duties, and go no further, these will not profit you; but know you what it is to go to prayer, and in prayer to go to Christ, and rest on His sacrifice for your acceptance? I fear there be great ignorance here; the most part know not what they have done, when they were charged; or, if they did anything, they prayed; or, if they went any further on, they looked to the promise of God's mercy; but that is not far enough gone. How many such are there, who have made their prayer their only intercessor, and have presumed to step in on God's mercy, without a Mediator. 3. Suppose that you have betaken yourselves to Christ, as to the remedy; come on, and try how your union has been made up with him; where did you seek and find him? Christ Jesus is to be found in the Gospel, in the ministry of the Word; therefore that is put in on good reason in the definition of faith given to us in the Catechism, that it's a resting on him, as he is offered in the Gospel; but I fear and suppose that many have another Christ (to speak so) whom they have gotten without knowing, or making any use of the Word, or offer of the Gospel, which is the power of God for salvation to them that believe. 4. With what did you take hold on him? Or how did you act on him? Was it by faith or not? There are many, who act on him as they think by prayer, not as the meritorious cause, but as the efficient cause of justification, praying for pity and pardon from Him; but this is not to take hold of Christ's Righteousness by faith. Others think, that if they can love and serve Him, and please Him with duties, they will engage Him to give them pardon; and in this they have (to speak so) an underhand Covenant of Works; they will do something to please the Mediator, and wherein they come short, they expect that He will make it up; and this is very ordinary in practice. If you ask some, what hope have you of justification? They will answer, through Christ's Righteousness, and that is good, in so far; but ask them again, how they will get it? They will answer, that they will do what they can or may, and they hope that He will pity them; you would look in upon your own hearts, and see whether it be not secretly making something of this kind the ground of your title to Christ, and of your justification. And yet all this may be, and often is in them that will not stoop to the way of grace, nor submit themselves to the Righteousness of God: they will speak of Christ's Righteousness, and yet they will needs give Him some compensation; and so come never really to renounce their own righteousness, and to flee to His, and to hold it up as their defense before God. Take but an impartial view of these steps, and many of you, who suppose that you are believers, will not be found to be so, nor justified before God; because you lay no claim to it by faith, but as it were by the works of the Law.
Use 3. There is here ground for all that neglect Christ, and do not by faith take hold of Him, to look for a most dreadful sentence; and ground for others, who seek righteousness through faith, to look for a most comfortable sentence. 1. Then is this a truth, that justification is through faith in Christ? Then many of you are not justified; and if the Lord prevent it not, you will never be justified. If so, then it must be a most dreadful thing not to believe. If you would know what is your condition, you may read it (John 3:18, 36): He that believes not is condemned already, and he shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him; and (Galatians 3:10): As many as are of the works of the law, are under the curse; For it is written, cursed is every one that continues not in all things written in the book of the law to do them. If you really believed this, many of you would be under horror, to hear what a sad condition you are in, even condemned already, and having the wrath and curse of God abiding on you; because the Word curses and condemns all that are not in Christ by faith. This, I fear belongs to very many, who are altogether secure and careless, and yet are in reputation among us. And is it not very sad to be professing fair, to have the offer of life and to be treating with God about your peace, and yet to be still in the state of enmity with Him; so that if death were within twenty four hours march to you; you could have nothing to expect, but the ratifying of this sentence of God's curse upon you. We are sure there is as much in this, as might in reason put you by all means to study. 1. To be believers, for without faith you are never over the borders of God's curse; which may lay a chase to you, and put you to the necessity of fleeing to Christ for refuge. 2. To take some pains to try whether you be in the faith, as the Apostle exhorts (2 Corinthians 13:5): Examine yourselves whether you be in the faith, prove yourselves, know you not your own selves, how that Christ is in you, except you be reprobates? His meaning is, know you not, that this is a truth, that you are in a reprobate, or unapproved condition, except Christ be in you; and Christ is in none, but in the believer. If so, ought you not to try yourselves, if you be in the faith, if you be believers. There is no ordinary way to come to the sure and comfortable knowledge of it but by trial; and if you be not believers, is there not reason, and is it not of your concern, to endeavor by trial to come to the knowledge of it. As this is ground of terror to the unbeliever; so it's ground of notable consolation to the believer, who, if he were even put to the reckoning with Paul, I was a blasphemer, a persecutor, injurious, yet here is hope for him, that he shall be found in Christ, not having his own righteousness, but Christ's. Believing in Christ will obtain justification to such a person. His righteousness taken hold of, and put on by faith, is as pleasing, and acceptable to God, as the unrighteousness of the sinner is displeasing to him. This was it that made David to sing sweetly (Psalm 32): Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered, blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputes no iniquity; to wit, through the imputation of Christ's righteousness; as the Apostle makes clear (Romans 4). As the first branch of the use showed the necessity of faith, for chasing sinners to Christ; so this branch is a sweet motive to draw them to Him. And if there were more sensible sinners among us, whose own righteousness misgives them, and who are brought to that pass, that the jailer and Peter's hearers were in, crying out, what shall we do to be saved? This word believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, would make them come in cheerful, as he did, from the brink, not only of temporal, but of eternal death. It's this faith, by which we have access to stand before God; you would therefore be earnestly entreated to betake yourselves to it, and to Jesus Christ by it, for your pardon, and peace, even for your justification before God.
Secondly, consider these words, as they hold out the object of justifying faith, which is the great thing in them, even to describe justifying faith, as to its object, and effect, and in its concurring to produce this effect. And here there are mistakes, and errors, both in the doctrinal and practical part of all these. 1. The object of it then is Him, Jesus Christ, the knowledge of Him, or the faith of Him, or faith in Him, as other Scriptures have it. Or, looking more nearly to the words, it's faith in Him, as suffering, as satisfying for sin, as in soul-travail, bearing our iniquities. Hence observe, That Christ Jesus, His righteousness holden forth in God's promise of free grace, is the native and proper object, that saving and justifying faith takes hold of, and rests upon; or to the same purpose, the saving grace of faith, that justifies, is that faith that does peculiarly apply and rest upon Christ Jesus holden forth in God's promise in the gospel, as the righteousness of a sinner that believes on Him. Hence the Prophet calls it here, not knowledge more generally taken, but the knowledge of Him, and that, as He is holden out in this chapter, to wit, as surety for sinners; and suffering for their debt. This will be clear, if we consider all these Scriptures, that make offer of the pardon of sin; for it's offered not in the condition of faith, in a more general notion of it, but on condition of faith, in Him. So (Romans 5:22, 24, 25): The righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, to all, and upon all them that believe: being justified freely by His grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ; whom God has set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood. (Romans 5:1): Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. (John 1:12): To as many as received Him, He gave power to become the sons of God, even to as many as believe in His name; where the faith that has the promise of justification, and the privilege of adoption annexed to it, is called the receiving of Christ, and believing on His name.
It may also be cleared, and confirmed by good reason. 1. Faith does not justify as it's considered in itself as an act, but as it relates to, and unites with Christ, as the meritorious cause of justification. 2. Neither does Faith justify as it looks to every object which the Word holds forth; but as it respects Christ, offered in the Gospel, whom it receives; because there is no other thing that can bear the soul's weight and burden; therefore he, as offered in the Gospel, must be the object of Faith, as it's saving and justifying. 3. The terms of the covenant, and God's offer clears it also; for God's offer of justification is not on these terms, that a sinner shall believe His Word in the general, but that he believe on His Son whom He has sent, and receive Him as these Scriptures cited before, to wit, John 3:16, 18 and Mark 16:16, show where the terms are set down, on which God offers life to sinners. 4. If we could imagine a man to have all knowledge, and all faith, if Faith acts not on Christ as Redeemer, Cautioner, and Surety for such as come to Him, it will not avail us, nor be counted to us for righteousness; which may also confirm this truth.
The uses of this doctrine are such as serve both to clear the nature of Faith, and to direct us in our practice.
The first use then serves to clear the truth; as the Papists corrupt many truths, so they corrupt this truth concerning the nature of justifying and saving faith, in these three things: 1. In the object. 2. In the subject. 3. In the act of it. As for the object of this faith, they make it to be everything that God reveals; and sometimes they take in their own traditions: the reason is, because they give not faith a causality in justification, nor the capacity and place of a thing, acting on Christ particularly; but take it in as a common grace, or at the best, as a grace that is radical; and gives life to other graces; but never as taking hold of Christ's Righteousness; which quite overturns the way of justification through faith in Him. For faith that lays not hold on His Righteousness cannot justify; and their making the object of faith to be so broad does enervate both the immediate merit of Christ's Righteousness, and the exercise of faith on it. 1. Then we grant that there is a historical faith requisite, as to the whole Word of God; yet we say that the faith that justifies, is properly that faith that singles out the Righteousness of Christ, and takes hold of it; so that it's not our believing that the world was made, that there will be a day of judgment; nor our believing that a Savior of sinners is come into the world, and has suffered, etc., that justifies; but it's a closing with, a receiving of, and a resting on that Savior, a singling out of the promise that makes offer of Him; (as for instance, where it's said, If you believe on the Lord Jesus you shall be saved) and pitching on that, and resting on Him held out in the promise; faith gives the soul footing here, whereas before its case was very desperate. 2. We may clear what we are to look to, as the object of justifying and saving faith, by our putting in these three words, or expressions in the doctrine, to wit, Christ Jesus His Righteousness held forth in the promise of God's free grace in the Gospel; and which are needful to be taken in, though it be not always necessary, that we be explicit in the apprehension of them. 1. There is need of taking in Christ's Righteousness, because it's our defense at the bar of God's Justice; even as a debtor whose debt the guarantor has paid, has that to answer when he is charged for it, that his guarantor has paid it. 2. There is need to take in this, held forth in God's promise in the Gospel; because, though Christ be the object of justifying faith, and His Righteousness be the ground of the soul's defense before God; yet God's promise must be looked on by faith, for the use making of Christ, and His Righteousness, and as a warrant to rest on Him, and to expect justification through Him; and thus faith has Christ's fullness, or His full and complete satisfaction for Righteousness, and God's faithfulness pledged, that the believer shall be accepted through it. And it's on this ground, that faith sometimes looks on God as able, sometimes as faithful; therefore it's said, (Hebrews 7:25) He is able to save to the uttermost; and (Hebrews 11) Sarah judged Him faithful who had promised: whereupon there is a closing with the offer in the promise, and a looking to obtain that which is promised, as if they had a Righteousness of their own. And this the Apostle calls the law of faith (Romans 3:27), because to justification there is beside the payment of the debt, a law declaring the man to be absolved, requisite; and the sinner having God's offer and promise, that upon his accepting of Christ's Righteousness, he shall be justified, instructs that his debt is paid by his guarantor, and that therefore he ought to be, and is accordingly absolved. And though God's promise be not so properly a law, yet the Apostle calls it so; and it is a solid defense to the soul that is fled to Christ; who may thus reason, I have no Righteousness of my own, but Christ's Righteousness by proclamation, is offered to me in the Gospel, and I have heartily received it, and closed with it, and God is faithful to make good His promise to me; and this looks to Christ as He is revealed in the Gospel. 3. There is need to put in this word, the promise of God's free grace; because hereby the sinner is made to see from where the promise came, and of what nature it is, and gives ground to take hold of the promise, and of that which is made offer of in it; the promise is of free grace, therefore it's always called the covenant of grace. So (Romans 4:16) it's of faith, that it might be by grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed: for if it were not of grace, the sinner would never think himself sure, nor would he know if such a sinner might take hold of such a promise; but considering that the promise is of grace and his acceptance is of grace, as is often repeated, (Ephesians 1, 2, and 3): these three are the great warrant that a sinner has to roll himself over on, a complete Mediator; a faithful God promising to answer all grounds of fears, doubts and jealousy; and free grace which answers all challenges that may come in to hinder his closing with, and his resting on the promise. For if it should be said, How dare you lay hold upon the promise? The answer is, it's free, it's not the mount that may not be touched, but it's Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, etc. It's grace that is the rise, the end, and the condition of it: these are the three on which faith yields itself to Christ, and which are the object of it, on which it dare hazard, and on which it does hazard; and these three are revealed in the Gospel of the grace of Him that is faithful, and cannot deny Himself. May we not then say, O sinners, if you will believe that you have a good resting place, a sure foundation, a tried cornerstone? As it is (Isaiah 28), cited (Romans 9), where the Apostle has it, He that believes on Him shall never be ashamed; there is a sufficient surety, a full Mediator; there is a faithful God that will keep His Word; and there is a free covenant, and promise, softer for a bruised soul to roll itself over upon, than any bed of the finest downs is for a weary and sickly body; this is a chariot paved with love for the daughters of Jerusalem. Single out Christ from all that is in the Word without slighting any part of it; and believe in Him, and trust in Him; let Him have another weight, and lift of you than you give to any other thing, He is able to bear it; and God will never quarrel with you for so doing, but will keep His word to you that do betake yourselves, or that have betaken yourselves to Him. He that believes shall never perish, nor come into condemnation; O know what a ground you have to rest upon, it's even the substance and marrow of all the Word of God; you have Christ and His fullness, God and His faithfulness; grace and its freeness: and are there such three things beside? Or is it imaginable, or possible that there can be any deceit, or failure here? Spare not then to lay the weight of your souls upon it; let it be the foundation of your peace, and let it answer all challenges that may be, whether for many, or for great and grievously aggravated sins: only by faith take hold of this Righteousness, and rest upon God's faithfulness, and free promise, to make it forthcoming to you. But upon the other side, O how greatly will it aggravate your guilt, that had such a remedy in your offer; such a tried cornerstone, elect and precious, to rest upon, and yet made no use of it. Let me exhort, beseech, and even implore you, that you receive not this grace in vain; but as Christ is laid for a sure foundation, so come to Him, and build upon Him, that you may not be ashamed in the day of the Lord, when all that believe not, however presumptuously they may hold up their heads now, shall be ashamed and confounded, world without end. O happy, three times happy will they all be found to be then, who have trusted in Him.
