VeI;. 1.] SEKilONS UPON HEBREWS XL 335
other ; and then the soul triumphs, and says, that our losses are no more to be compared with our gains, than a feather is to be set against a talent of lead. ' I reckon," saitli the apostle, Rom. viii, 18, ' that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us ; ' and the bitterness of the cross is allayed and sweetened by comparing our hopes with it. Thus Moses sets the recompense of reward against the loss of the pleasures, treasures, and honours of Egypt, Heb. xi. 24, 25. And those forty martyrs Basil speaks of that were kept naked in the open air in a cold frosty night, and to be burnt the next day, they cried out, ' iSharp is the cold, but sweet is paradise ; troublesome is the way, pleasant is the end of the journey ; let us endure the cold for the present, and the patri- arch's bosom shall soon warm us," <kc. These passages will truly open the meaning of the apostle, that ' faith is the substance of things hoped for," »i-c., when we can really set one against the other, and bear the hardest lot that can befal us upon expectation of our blessed hopes. And that of the apostle doth notably open it, 2 Cor. iv. 16, ' For this cause we faint not,' &c., why? ver. 18. 'While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen ; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal ; ' that is, when we are supported and fortified by a remem- brance and certain expectation of our blessed hopes. When the Jews were full of fury against Stephen, Act. vii. 56, ' he saw the heavens opened ; ' and so he fortified himself against the anger, and shower of stones fi'om the people. There was somewhat of miracle and ecstasy in that vision, the glory of heaven being represented not only to his soul, but possibly to his senses by some external representation. But as to the substance of the comfort itself, it is that which falls out ordinarily in a way of believing ; faith opens heaven to a believer, and brings him to the company of the blessed ; and when the soul is taken up with the thoughts of another world, it can better digest trouble here. Faith is the perspective of his soid, he seeth heaven opened and glory prepared for him, and then the temptation vanisheth. This is the reason believers can endure plundering ' and spoiling of goods,' Heb. X. 34. ' Faith is the substance of things hoped for.' Let goods go, saith a beUever, so he may keep his interest in the better and more enduring substance. The christians in the primitive times were first exposed to the rapine and malice of the rude people, before actions at law or any legal process was formed against them by the persecuting edicts of the Eoman emperors for their profession. And the Jews were most fierce against christians in that kind ; they would spoil them, and they could have no advantage against them. Now 'they took joy- fully,' they were wilKng to part with them as Joseph with his coat to keep his conscience ; and to quit all worldly possessions, because they had an assurance of a better and a more enduring substance. So that it is of great use to support sufieriug graces, as fortitude and self- denial.
[2.] To do for God. As to the doing part, those graces serve for doing the will of God, which is our constant trial. Look to the several parts of our duty.
(1.) For the destructive part, or the work of mortification. When
336 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. IL
heaven is in the eye and heart of a believer, when it is preoccupied by his faith, sin hath less power npon the heart. When faith gives sub- stance and being to your hopes, it will appear in your lives ; you will mortify corruption, and study holiness, while you can set the pleasures on God's right hand against the pleasures of sin ; and you can reason thus, Kom. viii. 13, 'If I live after the flesh, I shall die; but if I, through the Spirit, mortify the deeds of the body, I shall live.' You will be more able to bear with the difficulties of religion, when you see you do not act upon an uncertain futurity ; you do not fight as those that are uncertain ; as the apostle speaks, Heb. x. 36, ' That after ye have done the will of God ye might receive the promise.' Nay, before we have done the whole will of God, faith receives the promise ; we have the root, though not the blossom. It is true, Christ calls to suffer unpleasing austerities ; aye, but heaven makes amends for them all. Therefore whenever sensitive desires insinuate themselves, faith can see carnal pleasures are base, and but the happiness of beasts ; and they are short, ' pleasures of sin for a season,' Heb. xi. 2.5, and they issue themselves into unspeakable torments ; ' they shall mourn at last,' Prov. V. 11. When the devil would make you faint and lazy in the work of the Lord, faith can represent the short continuance of the present difficulty ; so when the devil would beget irksome thoughts of duty, faith can represent endless delights that will follow ; and then the believer determines, it is better to go to heaven Avith labour, than to hell with pleasure. This is that which made Moses, who had an eagle eye, so victorious: Heb. xi. 26, 'He had respect to the recompense of the reward,' which made him despise the pleasures, and treasures, and honours of Egypt. The looking upon the recompenses makes hope to have such an influence on the life; for those views and foretastes of heaven Avill beget such a strong persuasion in the heart of a believer, that all the reasons in the world shall not alter, or break the force of his spiritual purpose. When the devil tempts to filthiness, unclean- ness, wantonness, faith presents hopes of being consorts and followers of the unspotted and immaculate Lamb. When we are tempted to neglect duty for worldly advantages, faith doth oppose the glory of our inheritance, the riches of the new Jerusalem, and what is the hope of our high calling, and the good treasure God hath opened to us in the new covenant. If we are tempted to hunt after worldly honour, faith proposeth a crown of righteousness which the just and righteous God will give us at that day. If the fear of disgrace make us loosen and slacken our duty, faith proposeth the confusion of face wherewith the wicked shall appear before the throne of the Lamb, and the disgrace that shall fall upon the wicked at the great day. So when we are tempted to murmuring and repining under the cross, faith will assure that though the way be rough, the end of the journey will be sweet. So that the promises are like cordials next the heart, and keep the poison from seizing upon the vital spirits, and preserve the soul in a holy generousness and bravery for God ; they tell us of rivers of pleasure that stream out of the heart of Jesus Christ, and the sweet content we shall enjoy with God for evermore.