1. The premises or principle the apostle worketh upon : seeing loe are compassed, &c.
2. The practical inferences which are deduced from thence, and they are two : —
[1.] One concerning the privative part of our duty : let us lay aside every iceight, &c. There is something external and without, like to clog us in our way to heaven : every iveight ; and something within that will hinder and trouble us within ; therefore he saith, and the sin which doth so easily beset us.
[2.] Here is the positive part : let us run with ^patience the race thcd is set before us. There is motion : run ; the manner : icith patience ; the stage or way : the race that is set before us.
My purpose is to give you some brief thoughts upon this useful and practical inference of tlie apostle from the histories of the faithful before recorded. Therefore I will sum up the whole text in this point : —
Doct. The people of God, that have such a multitude of examples of holy men and women set before them, should prepare themselves to run the spiritual race with more patience and cheerfulness.
There are two things in this doctrine — the encouragement and the dutv. I shall open both with respect to the circumstances of the text.
First, the encouragement : a multitude of examples ; or, as in the text, ' seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses.' Mark, here are witnesses : a great cloud of witnesses ; and these compassing us round about.
First, here are witnesses. By that term we are to understand those
412 FAREWELL SERMON. [HeB. XII. 1.
worthy saints mentioned and reckoned up in the former chapter, Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, &c., all the saints of God that have had experience of the goodness of his providence to them, and the fulfilling of his promises. They are all called witnesses. Why ? Becau.<e they depose a testimony for God, and speak to future genera- tions to be constant, as they were, that they might receive the like reward. This witness was partly in their faith, and partly in the fruit of their faith.
1. They witnessed by their faith : John iii. 33, * He that hath received his testimony, hath set to his seal that God is true.' A man that hath soundly digested the promises, that expresses his faith by cheerfulness and patience under all difficulties, troubles, delays, and those sundry trials that he meets Avith, he gives it under hand and seal, proclaims it to the world tliat he hath to do with the true God.
2. They witnessed in the fruits of their faith, as they give us an instance of God's fidehty towards them that faithfully adhere to and firmly believe in his promises; so it is said, Heb. vi. 12, ' Be nol slothiul, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promise.' Let faith but set patience a-work, do but hold out a little while with God, and you may learn by the example of all those holy men we shall inherit the promises ; they shall be made good to a tittle, and not one thing fail of all that the Lord hath spoken ; as these holy men were exercised and tossed to and fro, but it succeeded well with them at the last. Oh ! then, let us hearken to the deposition of these worthy witnesses that are recorded in the scripture, and with Fuch an invincible resolution as theirs was, let us hold on our course towards true happiness. If we do not, they that are now propounded as witnesses to us, will, at the day of judgment, be [)roduced as witnesses against us. And pray, also, let us remember that we are to continue and keep afoot that testimony to succeeding generations ; for not only the prophets and holy men of God were God's witnesses, but all God's people also are his witnesses, Isa. xliii. 10 ; by their faith, patience, diligence, constancy, and cheerfulness under afflictions, they are to give it under hand and seal to the world that God is a true and faithful God. But now, if we, either l)y our sinful walking or by our drooping discouragements, discredit Christ and his profession, then we are witnesses against him ; we deny tliat religion which we would seem to profess and cry up : Titus i. 16, 'They profess they know God, but in works they deny him ;' and the more dangerous because deeds are more deliberate than words, and so a greater evidence of what we think in our hearts. If we, by drooping dis- couragements and sinful walking, discredit religion, we deny it, and do in effect put the lie upon Christ. Therefore let us remember they were witnesses, and so must we.
Secondly, By a figurative speech they are called a doud — having a cloud of witnesses. Why so ? I might trouble you with many con- ceits interpreters have had of tliis word cloud. Say some, because of the raisedness of their spirits, because clouds fly aloft. Clouds, for the fruitfulness of tlieir doctrine, as clouds send down fruitful showers upon the earth ; and clouds, becau.se they cool and cover us from the heat; so some would gloss for our comfort. Others, with more judg-