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146 THE EXCELLENCY OF SAVING FAITH. [HeB. X. 39.
will towards tlicm as o-ood and satisfying ; for it notetli a quiet repose of the heart on tlie lidelity and mercy of God in Christ, that he will give this blessedness, if we do in the first place seek after it. The more we cherish this confidence, the more sure we are of our interest, both in Christ and the promise : Heb. iii. 6, ' Whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence, and rejoicing of hope firm unto the end ;' and ver. 14, ' We are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the begin- ning of our confidence steadfast unto the end ; ' and Heb. x. 35, a little before the text, ' Cast not away your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward.' In all which places confidence noteth our resolute engaging in the heavenly life, because we depend upon Christ's rewards in another world. In our passage to heaven we meet with manifold temptations ; we are assaulted both on the right hand and on the left Avith the terrors of sense, which are a discouragement to us, and the delights of sense, which are a snare to us. Confidence or trust fortifieth us against both these temptations, the difficulties, dangers, and sufferings which v.-e meet with in our passage to heaven, yea, though it should be death itself ; for faith seeth the end glorious, and that the salvation of our souls is sure and near if we continue faithful with Christ. On the other side, affiance or trust di'aweth the heart to better things, and we can easily want or miss the content- ments of the flesh, the pomp, and ease, and pleasure of the present life, because our hearts are in heaven, and we have more excellent things in view and pursuit. '.This breedeth a weanedness from the baits of the flesh, and a rejection and contempt of what would take us off from the pursuit of eternal life : 1 Cor, ix. 2G, 27, ' I run not as one that is uncertain;' as if he had said, I am confident, therefore I am mortified to the world.
4, The immediate fruit and effect of it is a forsaking all other hopes and happiness for Christ's sake, and for the blessedness which heofier- eth. That forsaking all belongeth to this affiance and trust is plain, because I can neither trust God nor be true to him till I can venture all my happiness upon this security ; and if God calleth me to it, actually forsake all upon these hopes. This will appear to you by these arguments : —
[1.] By the doctrinal descriptions of the gospel-faith. Our Lord liath told us that tlie kingdom of heaven is like a merchantman : Mat. xiii. 45, 46, ' The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchantman seeking goodly pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.' And certainly he knew the nature of that faith better than we do. Many cheapen the pearl of price, but they do not go through with the bargain, because they do not sell all to purchase it. No ; you must have such a sense of the excellency and truth of salvation by Christ, that you must choose it, and let go all that is inconsistent with this choice and trust. You must be resolved to let go all your sinful pleasures, profit, and reputation, and your life itself, rather than forfeit these hopes. {So Luke xiv. 26, ' If any man come unto me, and hate not father and mother, and wife and children, and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life, he cannot be my disciple.' 8o ver. 33, ' Whosoever he be that forsaketh not all tliat he hath, cannot be my disciple.'
HeB. X. 39.] THE EXCELLENCY OF SAVING FAITH. 147
After such express declarations of the will of Christ, why .should we think of goinj^ to heaven at a cheaper rate, and that the covenant will be modelled and brought down to our humours ? Christ's ser- vice will bring trouble with it. All that is precious in the world must be renounced, or else we shall not be able to hold out. The same is inferred out of the doctrine of self-denial, Mat. xvi. 24. It is the im- mediate fruit, yea, the principal act of our trust ; for if God be trusted as our felicity, he must be loved above all, and all things must give way to God. The same is inferred out of the baptismal covenant, which is a renouncing the devil, the world, and the flesh, and a giving up ourselves to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as our God. This renouncing im- plieth a venturing of all, that we may obtain this blessedness, or eternal life.
[2.] By all the extraordinary calls and trials that are propounded as a pattern to us. Faith was ever a venturing all, and a forsaking all, upon the belief of God's veracity. Let us see Noah's faith: Heb. xi. 7, ' By faith Noah, being warned of God concerning things not seen as yet, prepared an ark for the saving of his house.' That warning that God gave him of the flood was extraordinary, but they were ' of things not seen as yet ; ' whilst these things were in the mind of God, no man or angel could know them; and after God revealed them, there was nothing but his bare word for it. But Noah believed, and what then ? At God's prescription, with vast expense, he prepareth an ark, and that was selling all. He was of a vast estate, or else he could not have prepared such a fabric, so many years in building, and so fur- nished ; but this was the prescribed means to save his household. In the next place, let us consider Abraham's trial, who was the ' father of the faithful.' His first trial was, Heb. xi. 8, ' By faith Abraham, when. he was called to go out to a place which he should afterwards receive for an inheritance, obeyed, not knowing whither he went.' Here was trusting and venturing all upon God's call. He forsook his kindred, and father's house, and all, to seek an abode he knew not where. Therefore we must forsake the world, and all things therein, yea, life itself, having our thoughts and affections fixed on heaven. There must be a total resignation of heart and will to God. We owe God blind obedience. To forsake our country, kindred, friends, inheritanc-e, is a sore trial ; yet this was done by him, and must be done by all that will be saved: we must deny ourselves, take up our cross, and forsake father and mother, wife and children, all relations. All this he did for a land which he neither knew where it was nor the way to it. Our God hath told us, he will bring us into the heavenly Canaan. His second trial you have recorded, ver. 17, ' By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac ; and he that received the promises offered up his only son.' God would try Abraham, that he might be an example of faith to all future generations, whether Abraham loved God or his son Isaac more. But he did not shrink upon trial ; he oftered him up ; that is, in his heart he had parted with him and given him wholly unto God, and made all ready for the offering, being assured of God's fidelity ; even Isaac, upon whom the promises were settled, must be offered. Children, dear children, everything must be given up to God. In the next place, consider we the Israelites in the Eed Sea ;