4. Though the carnal nature may vex the new nature with those carnal reflections, yet there is a sensible difference still between them and others, because grace hath the strongest influence. And though there be carnal reflections, yet there are not carnal principles : these are but collateral and supervenient glance^, not the main motives and chief reasons of their worship, which are obedience and love to God. It is hypocrisy to act in desigD, but this they do not ; though carnal aims run in their minds too much, yet when they do, they are resisted there. As when Abraham had divided the sacrifices, ' the fowls came down; but Abraham drove them away,' Gen. xv, 11 ; so when we come to pour out our spirits in duties of religion, the fowls may come, carnal thoughts may rush into our minds ; but they do not rest there, the soul drives them away. The constant bent and aim of the spirit is tO' serve God and enjoy communion with God, though these carnal reflec- tions may encumber their souls. Therefore a christian is to try himself by the mainspring of his soul — what is the weight, the poise within to worship ; for a christian hath a double priniciple, flesh and spirit, but not a double heart ; a hypocrite hath a double heart ; he doth but put on a pretence of worship, and useth it in design. It is true, we cannot come into the presence of God without sin, yet a child of God will come without guile. He cannot bring a pure heart abso- lutely clean, but he brings a true heart, Heb. x. 22 ; the desire of his soul is towards God ; and the chief reason that puts him upon worship is to glorify and enjoy God.
Doct 3. This sensible difierence between the duties of the godly and the wicked is occasioned by the influence and efficacy of faith.
Here I shall state — (1.) What this faith of Abel was ; (2,) I shall handle the general case.
First, What this faith of Abel was.
1. There was a faith of his being accepted with God when his service was suited to the institution. He believed that God would by some visible testimony manifest his acceptation. Such a promise was inti- mated to them, as appears by God's expostulation with Cain : Gen. iv. 7, ' If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted ? ' As if God should have said, Did I promise to accept any other service but what was con- formed to my appointments ? There was a behef of God's essence and attributes, and a consequent love to him, willing to give God the best.
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466 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR, XV.
2. It was a faith in the jsfeneral rewards and recompenses of relip^ion. Abel looked to the good things to come, and so his hopes had an influ- ence upon his practice; Cain's heart was altogether chained to earthly things, therefore he looks upon that as lost which was spent in sacrifice. This may also be probably collected out of Gen. iv. 8, 'And Cain talked with (or said to) Abel his brother.' Here is mention of some speech of Cain to Abel, but it is not expressly set down what the discourse was. Indeed in the Hebrew text there is a pause extraordi- nary, implying some further matter to be added. The Septaagint adds, 'And he said to Abel, Let us go out togetlier into the field.' The Targum of Jerusalem reads it thus, ' And Cain said to Abel his brother, Let us go out into the field. And it came to pass when they were in the field, Cain said to his brother. There is no judge, no judgment, no other world, no reward for the just, no vengeance for the wicked; neither did God make the world in mercy, nor in mercy was thy sacrifice accepted.' All which when Abel iiad denied, in the height of that discourse, Cain rose up and killed him. From whence we may collect that the faith that had an influence upon his sacrifice was faith in the general rewards and compensations of religion.
3. It was a faith in ii^e Messiah to come. The first-born of God was typed out in those first-fruits, and thei'efore is Christ called 'the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,' Rev. xiii. 8 ; that is, in those offerings and sacrifices. And this is the apostle's drift in this place ; they had a promise, ' That the seed of the woman should bieak the serpent's head ;' and in those darker times Abel had a faith in this promise, and tliis faith bettered his offerings. All the patriarchs obtained that renown they had in the churches of Christ by faith in the Messiah. Out of that expectation he brought a well-beseeming sacrifice to God. In these times of the gospel all is more clear and open, and therefore God requires more ivvm us ; the persuasions of faith are greater, therefore the operations of faitli must be greater too.
Secondly, For the reasons of thepoint, Why faith makes this difference between worship and worship, that it makes the duties and worship of believers to be so different from that of carnal men?