Use 4. To press you to get this faith, which is the evidence of things not seen, that you may believe that which God hath revealed in his word, and that solely upon God's authority and the account of his word ; to quicken you to get this faith, which is of such great use to you.
1. Consider that all the difficulty in assenting to doctrines of scripture was not only in the first age. You are ready to think this faith Avas of use when Christianity was first set up in the world, and when it w^as new and despised, and the powers of the world were against it ; but now it is owned by all, there is no such difficulty ; yes, very much still. I confess, when it was a novel doctrine, hated, oppressed, persecuted, and the generality of its professors were the poor of this w'orld, there were mighty prejudices against the ways of God ; but there were then helps ; there was the sensible evidence of miracles to confirm this faith, and there was an extraordinary zeal and holiness in those that promoted it, which was a special means to strike a reverence into the consciences of men, which sensible evidence now we have not. A}', but the articles of religion are still the same, and men are the same, and every age hath its own prejudices ; so that it is still hard to believe. (1.) Because the same articles of religion that were pro- pounded to them are propounded to us also. A man that only hearkens to his own reason, it is hard for him to believe that there is one God, and yet three that are God ; that by faith a man is united to Christ, yet he on earth, and Christ in heaven ; that God requires faith and conviction of all, and binds men to use the means, and yet in his secret good pleasure determines to give it to a few. These things are expressly revealed in the word, which are hard to be understood by carnal reason ; and we cannot see how they can be. There are many
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370 SERMONS UPON HEBRETTS XI. [SeB. V.
doctrines which must not be chewed, but swallowed ; de re constat, quanivis de modo non constat. (2.) Men are the same that' thej' were before ; still natural men favour not the things that are of the Spirit, therefore are not apt to believe them that they are true. Still we are wedded to sense, and therefore not easil}^ persuaded of things to come ; still men love not holiness, but walk alter their own lusts ; therefore they will not believe God is so unmerciful as to damn all those that are not holy, and that none shall be saved but those that are born again, and walk in such a strict way of communion with God, and in the ways of godliness. (3.) Every age hath its own prejudices. Christianity was a novel doctrine. Ay, i3ut then they had miracles ; but now there is less holiness, but no miracles ; now men are subject to atheism, because of scandals : 2 Peter ii. 2, ' Many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.' And now there are many divisions, and variety of thoughts and opinions about matters of religion, which makes men suspect all. Therefore Christ prays : John xvii. 21, ' Father, let them be one, as we are one, that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.' So that if it were a difficult thing to believe then, so it is now. Therefore it concerns us to be soundly rooted in this faitb.
2. Consider the benefit of a sound conviction. A clear evidence of the mysteries of salvation is a great ground of all reformation of life. What is the reason that men are so backward to practise, that they experience so little of what they believe and have received of the christian faith ? because the evidence is not clear. I do not say their interest, but the evidence and certain belief of these things. Usually christians think it is their only work to clear up their particular interest ; that is a great work — ' We must give all diligence to make our calling and election sure,' 2 Peter i. 10. But that is not the only work ; there is a former work, which is the foundation of all, and that is, to settle the soul in a sound belief of the things to come, and have the hopes of Christianity evidenced to us ; if our belief of this were more steady, there would not be such a deformity in our practice. Our affections are glued to earthly things, because we are not per- suaded of heavenly things : there is a privy atheism, which, like a worm at the root, eats out the strength and vigour of our graces, and causeth them to languish. When the mind is satisfied, and brought to a full assent, there will be a greater awe upon the practice : Heb. xi. 6, ' He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.' This is the first thing that we should be persuaded of, that certainly there is a God : and this God will be good to all that seek after him in Christ. If we had such a persuasion of this, we could not be so cold and careless in duty, and so bold in sin ; but we have a wavering trembling assent, and some imper- fect opinions about the things of God, and not a full persuasion: 1 Cor. XV. 58, ' Therefore be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abound ing in the work of the Lord ; forasmuch as you know that your lal)our is not in vain in the Lord.' If we did once know and were persuaded of this, if we had an evidence of things to come, and things unseen, we would be more steadfast and unmovable in the work of the Lord. If our expectations were greater, our observation of God would be