Christ Set Forth, Book V: Encouragements for Weak Believers
The use of all: containing some encouragements for weak believers, from Christ’s Intercession, out of Ileb. ?ii. 25.
Now for a conclusion of this discourse I will add a brief use of encouragement; and this suited to the lowest faith of the weakest believer, who cannot put forth any act of assurance, and is likewise discouraged from coming in unto Christ. And I shall confine myself only unto what those most comfortable words (as any in the book of God) do hold forth, which the Apostle hath uttered concerning Christ’s Intercession (the point in hand); Wherefore lie is able to .save to the utmost, all those that come to God by him: seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them, words which I have had the most recourse unto in this doctrinal part, of any other, as most tending to the clearing of many things about Intercession: and which I would also commend to, and leave with poor believers to have recourse unto for their comfort, as a sufficient abundance of consolation unto their souls, and as a Catholicon or universal cordial against all faintings and misgivings of spirits whatsoever. In the words observe,
I. A definition of faith by the lowest acts of it, for the comfort of weak Christians.
II. Encouragements unto such a faith, opposite to all misgivings and discouragements whatsoever.
1. A definition of faith; and such, as will suit the weakest believer: It is a coming unto God by Christ for salvation.
First, it is a coming to be saved. Let not the want of assurance that God will save thee, or that Christ is thine, discourage thee, if thpu hast but a heart to come to God by Christ to be saved; though thou knowest not whether he will yet save thee, or no. Remember that the believers of the New Testament are here described to be comers to God by Christ: such as go out of themselves, and rest in nothino- in
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themselves, do come unto God through Christ for salvation, though with trembling.
Secondly, it is a coming unto God. For he is the ultimate object of our faith, and the person with whom we have to do in believing, and from whom we are to receive salvation, if ever we obtain it.
Thirdly, it is a coming unto God by Christ; which phrase is used in this epistle in an allusion to the worshippers of the Old Testament; who when they had sinned, were directed to go to God by a Priest, who with a sacrifice made an atonement for them. Now Christ is the great and true High Priest, by whom we have access to the Father Eph. ii. 18. The word is prosagogen, a leading by the hand. Dost thou not know how to appear before God or to come to him? come first to Christ, and he will take thee by the hand, and go along with thee, and lead thee to his Father.
Fourthly, it is a coming unto God by Christ/or salvation. Many a poor soul is apt to think that in coming to God by faith it must not aim at itself, or its own salvation: yes, it may, for that is here made the errand or business which faith hath with
God in coming to him; or which it comes for, and this is secretly couched in these words: for the Apostle speaking of the very aim of the heart in coming, he therefore on purpose mentions Christ’s ability to save — He is able to save.
IF. Here arc many encouragements to such a faith as is not yet grown up unto assurance of Salvation
First, here is the most suitable object propounded unto it, namely, Christ as interceding; which work of Intercession because it remains for Christ as yet to do for a soul that is to be saved, and which he is every day doing for us; therefore it is more peculiarly fitted unto a Recumbent’s faith. For when such a soul comes and casts itself upon Christ, that thing in Christ, which must needs most suit that kind of act, is that which is yet to be done, by Christ, for that soul. Now for that soul to come to Christ to die for it, and offer up himself a sacrifice, (as sinners did use to come to the High Priest to sacrifice for them) this were bootless, for (as it is verse 27) he hath once done that already. And as for what is already past and done, such a believer’s faith is often times exceedingly puzzled, what manner of act to put forth towards Christ about it: as, for example, when it is about to come unto God, and it hears of an election of some unto salvation from all eternity made by him; because this is an act already passed by God, the soul knows it to be in vain to cast itself upon God for election, or to come unto him to elect and choose itself. And so in like manner when the soul looks upon Christ’s death; because it is done and past, it knows not how to take it in in believing, when it wanteth assurance that Christ died for it, (though it should come to Christ to be saved by virtue of his death.) But there is this one work that remains still to be done by him for us, and which he is daily doing; and that is, interceding: for lie ever livcth to intercede, or to pray for us in the strength and merit of that his sacrifice once offered up. This therefore is more directly and peculiarly fitted unto a faith of recumbency, or of coming unto Christ: the proper act of such a faith, (as it is distinguished from faith of assurance) being a casting ones self upon Christ for something it would have done or wrought for one. Hence Intercession becomes a fit object for the aim and errand of such a faith, in this its coming to Christ, as also to be saved is, it being a thing yet to be wrought and accomplished for me by Christ, is there fore a fit mark for such a faith to level at in its coming to Christ. Those acts of God and Christ which are passed, faith of assurance doth more easily comply with: such a faith takes in with comfort that Christ hath died for me, and risen again for me, and doth now intercede for me, and so I shall certainly be saved; but so cannot this weak faith do. Come* thou therefore unto Christ, as to save thee through his death past, and by the merit of it, so for the present, and for the time to come, to take thy cause in hand, and to intercede for thee: it is a great relief unto such a faith (as cannot put forth acts of assurance, that what hath been done by Christ, hath been done for it) that God hath left Christ this work yet to do for us. So as the Inter cession of Christ may afford matter to such a faith to throw itself upon Christ, to perform it for us, and it may set him to work to do it.
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Secondly, Now if such a soul ask, But will Christ upon my coming to him for salvation, be set to work to intercede forme, and undertake my cause?
I answer it out of those words, — He lives to intercede for them who come to God by him. He lives on purpose to perform this work; it is the end of his living, the business of his life. And as he received a commandment to die, and it was the end of his life on earth; so he hath received a command to intercede, and to be a common High Priest for all that come to God by him. God hath appointed him to this work by an oath, He swore, and will not repent, Thou, art a P riest for ever after the order of Melchisedec; and this is the end of his life in heaven. That as in the Old Law the High Priest, (Christ’s type in this) ought to offer up the sacrifice of every one that came unto God by him (Heb. v. 6) in like manner Christ; for it is his calling, as you have it, verse 6. Other wise, as that woman said to Philip, when she came to him for justice, and he put her off, “Then cease,” says she, “to be a King”: so if Christ should deny any such soul to take its cause in hand, he must then cease to be a Priest. He lives to intercede. He is a Priest called of God, as was Aaron. Wherefore he ought to do it, in that it is his office.
Thirdly, and if thy soul yet feareth the difficulty of its own particular case, in respect of the greatness of thy sins, and the circumstances thereof, or any consideration whatsoever, which to thy view doth make thy salvation an hard suit to obtain: the Apostle therefore further adds, he is able to save to the utmost, — whatever thy case be — and this, through this his Intercession. That same word, to the ut most, is a good word, and well put in for our corn-, ;rt. Consider it therefore, for it is a reaching word, and extends itself so far, that thou canst not look beyond it. Let thy soul be set upon the highest mount that ever any creature was yet set upon, and that is enlarged to take in and view the most spacious prospect of sin and misery, and difficulties of being saved, that ever yet any poor humbled soul did cast within itself, yea join to these all the objections and hinderances of thy salvation that the heart of man can suppose or invent against itself; lift up thy eyes and look to the utmost thou canst see, and Christ by his Intercession is able to save thee beyond the horizon and furthest compass of thy thoughts, even to the utmost and worst case the heart of man can suppose. It is not thy having lain long in sin, long under terrors and despairs, or having sinned often after many enlightnings, that can hinder thee from being saved by Christ. Do but remember this same word, to the utmost, and then put in what exceptions thou wilt or canst, lay all the bars in thy way that are imaginable; yet know thou that the gates of Hell shall not prevail against thee.
Fourthly, again, consider but what it is that Christ, who hath by his death done enough to save thee, doth yet further for thee in heaven. If thou thoughtest thou hadst all the saints in heaven and earth jointly concurring in promoting thy salvation, and competitors unto God in instant and incessant requests and prayers to save thee; how would st thou be encouraged? Shall I tell thee, one word out of Christ’s mouth, who is the King of Saints, will do more than all in heaven and earth can do? And what is there then which we may not hope to obtain through Christ’s Intercession?
And wouldst thou know whether he halh undertaken thy cause, and begun to intercede for thee? la a word, hath he put his spirit into thy heart, and set thy own heaVt on work to make incessant intercessions for thyself with groans unutterable? (as the Apostle hath it, Rom. viii.) This is the echo of Christ’s Intel-cession for thee in heaven.
Fifthly, and lastly, if such a soul shall further object, But will he not give over suing for me? may 1 not be cast out of his prayers through my unbelief? Let it here be considered, that he lives ever to intercede; and therefore if he once undertake thy cause, and getteth thee into his prayers, he will never leave thee out night nor day. He intercedeth ever, till he hath accomplished and finished thy salvation. Men have been cast out of good and holy men’s prayers, as Saul out of Samuel’s, and the people of Israel out of Jeremiah’s; but never out of Christ’s prayers; the smoke of his incense ascends jor ever, and he will intercede to the utmost, till he hath saved thee to the utmost. He will never give over, but will lie in 4he dust for thee, or he will perfect and procure thy salvation.
Only whilst I am thus raising up your faith to him upon the work of his Intercession for us; let me speak a word to you for him, so to stir up your love to him, upon the consideration of this his Intercession also. You see you have the whole life of Christ first and last, both here and in heaven Jaid out for you: -he had not come to earth but for you: he had no other business here ; — unto us a son is born. And, to be sure he had not died but for you: — -for us a son was given, and when he arose, it was for your justification: and now he is gone to heaven, he lives but to intercede for you. He makes your salvation his constant calling. O therefore let us live wholly unto him; for he hath, and doth live wholly unto us. You have his whole time among you; and if he were your servant you could desire no more. There was much of your time lost before you began to live to him: but there hath been no moment of his time which he hath not lived to and improved for you. Nor are you ever able to live for him, but only in this life, for hereafter we shall live with him, and be glorified of him. I conclude all with that of the Apostle, The love of Christ should constrain us, because we cannot but judge this to be the most equal, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Jtim that died for them, and rose again: and (out of the text 1 also add) sits at God’s right hand, yea, and there live* for ever to make inter cession for us.
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