468 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. XV.
may work as cmfJior naturce, the author of nature, though not as fons gratice, the fountain of grace. Therefore it must needs make a differ- ence. What is the vigour of parts to the efficacy of the spirit ? Faith draws Christ into the duty, and his Spirit bears a part of the burden : Rom. viii. 26, ' The Spirit ' — awavrCKaiM^dveTat — ' helpeth our infirmities,' We tug, and the Spirit helpeth also. This then is the work of faith, to receive the supplies of grace. An actual faith hath the promise of an actual assistance ; and when God's power is glorified, then it is exercised : Ps. Ixxxi. 10, * Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.' Look, as little birds open their mouths, and then the great one feeds them ; faith is nothing but an opening of the soul upon God> then Jesus Christ gives in a sup[)ly of grace.
3. As it receives a mighty aid, so it works by a forcible principle, and that is by love ; for ' Faith works by love,' Gal. v. 6. We live by faith, and we work by love. Where faith is, there is love ; and where love is, there is work. Affection follows persuasion, and operation follows affection. First there is a persuasion of the love of God, then thankful returns of aflection to God, and they are manifested by holy operations for the glory of God. Faith filleth the soul with the appre- hensions of God's love, and then maketli use of the sweetness of it, to urge the soul to duty. There is a twofold advantage we have in love : it will be active and self-denying. (1.) Active : it puts the soul upon work ; it is a laborious grace, and the spring of all action ; therefore labour and love are often joined together in scripture : Heb. vi. 10, ' God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love ; ' 1 Thes. i. 3, ' Remembering your work of faith and labour of love.' Love will put us upon work for God. Jacob endured much toil for Rachel, because he loved her. Christ gageth Peter upon this point : John xxi. 15, *' Simon Peter, lovest thou me ? feed my sheep.' The church of Ephesus, when ' she lost her first love,' she ' left her first-fruits,' Rev. ii. 4. If love be not faint and languid, the soul will be kept open and. liberal for God. Love will carry a man through, and poiseth the soul to those holy duties which are tedious and irksome to flesh and blood. (2.) It acteth with self-denial and complacency against carnal ease and present advantage, though it be tedious, and put us upon inconveniences in the world. Inward duties are against carnal aftections, outward duties are against carnal interests ; 5^et love will carry them through with delight and complacency : 1 John v. 3, ' This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are nofe grievous.' It takes off the natural irksomeness which is in the heart. Love makes a great change in the heart. While the heart is naturally corrupt, sin is a delight, and the commandment is a burden ; but when the love of God is let into the heart, corruption is counted the yoke, and duty is counted the delight and pleasure of the soul. The children of God, we hear them complaining, not of the law, but of their own corruption : Rom. vii. 14, ' The law is spiritual ; but I am carnal, sold under sin.' Natural men are always quarrelling with their convictions, their conflict is against the light that shines in their mind; but spiritual men are always conflicting with their lusts ; and their groans arise from another principle — not because the law requires duty, but because they cannot perform it, by reason of those reluctations that
VeK. 4.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 469
ore in their evil natures. Love will carry tliera to duty that is against the hair and bent of nature. It went nuich against the heart of Hamor and Shechem to be circumcised, and that rite was odious among the gentiles ; yet it is said, Gen. xxxiv. 19, ' That the young man deferred not to do it, because he had a delight in Jacob's daughter.' So though duty be never so much against the bent of nature and the course of worldly advantages, yet duty will be sweet to them, for love will carry them through for the delight they have in Christ : 2 Cor. v. 14, ' The love of Christ constraineth us.' Though he draws trouble upon himself, yet love carries the soul away against all reluctations.
4. It discourseth and pleads with the soul with strong reasons and enforcements. Faith is a notable orator to plead for God ; it pleads partly from the mercies, and partly from the promises of God.
[1.] From the mercies of God, both special and common. (1.) God's special love in Jesus Christ, The arguments of faith are dipped in Christ's blood, therefore they have the greater strength and force in the soul : Gal. ii. 20, * I live by the faith of the Son of God ; ' and the argument of faith is there intimated by the apostle, ' who loved me, and gave himself for me.' When the soul is backward, faith will say, He freely gave himself for me, shall I not do something for thee that hast left so much glory for me ? That hast pardoned so many sins, conveyed so many blessed privileges, estated me in such large hopes, shall I think anything too dear for him ? When Christ was to suffer upon the cross, he did not say, This is hard work, and it will cost me dear ; I must endure contempt, bitter agonies, and foul ignominy, and be exercised with the wrath of God. No, but he said, ' I come to do thy will, 0 God ; ' Heb. x. 7 ; Father, I come to satisfy thy justice ; sinners, I come to save your souls: Isa. liii. 11, 'He shall see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied.' That word implies both the cost and the gain ; it would cost him much agony of spirit, and the gain is implied. He shall see that which he hath travailed for ; he shall see a company of children he hath gained to himself. When Christ saw all this, he said, It is enough ; so I may rescue these poor souls, I am contented with the temptations of the wilderness, the sorrows of the garden, the ignominy of the cross, the wrath of my Father, the sus- pension of the comforts of my godhead. Faith comes and represents this to the soul ; then the believer cannot say nay : he is overcome, and brought with cheerfulness into God's presence. There is no oratory like that of faith. (2.) Then it argues from common mercies. As Abel, God had blessed his increase, therefore at the year's end he comes to return the fat and fairest to God. Faith reasons with the soul, Wilt thou not honour the God of thy mercies ? Thou livest in him, and movest in him, and hast thy being from him ; what wilt thou do for God ? Faith gives in a bill of blessings — Lo ! thus God hath done for thee ; he hath given thee life, estate, all kind of comforts ; and what honour and service hath been done to God for all this ? As that king said, Esther vi. 3, ' What honour and dignity hath been done to Mor- decai for this ? ' The apostle urgeth their common enjoyments : 1 Tim. vi. 17, ' Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high- minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.' The Lord hath enlarged his hand of