2. You may discern it by your carriage in any trial and temptation. When heaven and the world come in competition, can you deny present carnal advantages upon the hopes of eternity ? do you forsake all as knowing you shall have a thousand times better in another world ? So did Moses, Heb. xi. 24, 25 ; the reason is rendered — ' For he had respect to the recompense of reward ; ' then is the best time to judge of your spirit; then God puts you to it; therefore they are called temptations and trials. Certainly it is of much profit to observe the issue and result of these deliberate debates and conflicts that are in the conscience. Now where faith is the substance of things hoped for, there will be a denial of present carnal advantages; heaven will be as present as the temptation,
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and you will see Jesus Christ outbidding the world ; naj', that momen- tary suffei-ings are not meet to be named the same day with your hopes. If the world should come in competition with glory, to violate con- science for a present satisfaction, faith comes away from the contest with an holy disdain and indignation at such a comparison. In vain is the snare laid before the bird that is of so high and so noble a flight. The servants of the Lord were tortured, Heb. xi. 35 ; in the original it is iTviJ,(}}avbadr)(Tav, they were stretched out as a drum, yet they would not accept of deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Will you be taken off the rack ? No. The world offered them a release, but faith offered them a resui-rection, the raising of the body out of the grave to the glory of God. The world suggests earthly enjoyments, present advantages, You may have such and such prefer- ments for the violating of conscience ; then faith comes with the treasures of the covenant. We are put to our choice many times either to wrong conscience, or accept of the world's profits ; outward conveniences are put into one scale, faith puts your hopes into the other ; one is present, the other is absent. Now observe the workings of your spirits in such cases. I confess there may be a resistance sometimes out of stubbornness, but if there be faith, it will work thus, by presenting your hopes, and casting the balance by an exceeding weight of glory. We can lose nothing, saitli faith, but we shall have better in heaven ; we can gain nothing, but Christ will be more advantage to us. Upon this a believer sells all to purchase the pearl of price.
3. If faith do substantiate your hopes, though you do not receive pre- sent satisfaction, you may discern it by this, you will entertain the promises with much respect and delight. Are they dear and precious to you? You would embrace the promises if you looked upon them as the root of the blessing. It is said of the patriarchs, Heb. xi. 13, that 'they saw the promises afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them.' When they were to go out of the world, they took their leave of the promises with embraces ; though they came not to possession, they were persuaded of the possession ; though they lived many years before the promises concerning the Messiah took effect, yet they embraced them. Such ceremonies and compliments pass between friends; we hug them and commend them to the Lord ; so faith hugs the promises, and commends them to God's power. Oh ! these are sweet promises ; these one day will bring a Messiah, and yield a saviour to the world. Old Jacob, when he took leave of his sons, he blessed them ; he saith to one — ' His bow shall abide in strength,' Gen. xlix. 24 ; this shall be a victorious warrior ; to another, so and so. Or, as we do, when we part with children of great hopes, just so did these holy patriarchs deal with the promises when God had given them but an obscure significa- tion of heaven and a Christ ; they were embracing these sayings as the comfort and strength of their souls; when they went down to the grave ; they could not with Simeon hold Christ in their arms, yet they held the promises in the arms of their faith. So it will be with you ; you will rejoice in God because of his word, Ps. Ivi. 4. When you take hold of the promise, you have the blessing by the root, and this should fill you with holy joy, oh, these are great and precious promises ! 2 Peter i. 4. Here is a promise that will yield me heaven ; this complete holiness.
VeR. 1.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 341
this the fruition of God. By this promise I can expect to meet the faithful of God in heaven ; by this promise I can expect to sit down Avith Abraham, Isaac and Jacob ; by this promise I can look for the abolition of sin ; by this for the bruising of Satan under my feet ; by this for a freedom from all temptations, desertion and trouble. And they will cherish a little spark of grace ; here is a bud of glory ; here are some morning glances, some forerunning beams of the light that shall shine upon us in heaven.