Application. — To press you to exercise faith in all your duties of religion. James ii. 23, it is said, 'Abraham's faith wrought with his works.' Let us consider God and duty. Here arise some cases —
1. Concei-ning the discerning work of faith. How shall we do to see him that is invisible ? or to conceive of God in prayer, so as to find an awe of him upon our spirits ?
2. Concerning the receiving part of faith. How shall we do to in- terest ourselves in the assistance of Jesus Christ, and borrow help from heaven, when we are employed in duties of worship?
3. Concerning the reasoning work of faith, how far is assurance necessary ? How shall we set faith on arguing when our evidences are dark ?
Case 1. Concerning the discerning work of faith. How we shall do to see him that is invisible, and rightly to conceive of God in prayer
472 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XL [SeU. XVI.
SO far as to find an awe upon our spirits. It is a great trouble to Grod's children, that they are not able to form proper apprehensions and conceits of God in their approaches to him. Moses' curiosity did in part arise from this ground : Exod. xxxiii. 18, 'Lord, show me thy glory,' And the disciples were troubled that they were not able to conceive distinctly of the Father : John xiv. 8, ' Show us the Father, and it suflficeth us.' I know they intended a corporal sight ; however, it argues a weakness in the soul that they know not how to conceive of Grod as they ought to do.
I shall answer this case in several directions —
1. You must renew and revive the act of your faith in God's essence and presence.
2. You must conceive of him aright, according as he hath revealed himself.
3. There must be such a representation of God as to make the spirit aweful, not servile.
4. Y'^ou must in prayer form proper notions of God, according to those requests that we put up to him.
5. Frame fit notions concerning the trinity.
See these heads fully handled, ver. 6.
SERMON XVI.
By faith Ahel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, hy which he obtained tvitness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he, being dead, yet speaketh — Heb. xi. 4.
Case. 2. For the receiving part of faith, How shall we do to interest ourselves in the assistance of Jesus Christ ?
1. We must lie at God's feet in a sense of our own weakness ; as Jehoshaphat said in another case, 2 Chron. xx. 12, ' Lord, we have no might.' So, when you come to engage upon any duties, acknowledge your weakness : 2 Cor. iii. 5, ' Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves ; but our sufficiency is of God,' — he speaks of the management of the work of the ministry.
2. You must plead God's promises, wherein he hatli engaged to help you in holy duties. You must come and throw him his handwriting, show him his promises ; as Tamar dealt with Judah, when she showed him the ring and staff" — ' Whose are these ? ' Gen. xxxviii. 25. Urge God with his promises in a humble plea of faith : Ps. cxix. 49, ' Remember thy word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope ; ' Lord, is not this thine own promise ? and didst thou not by tliis draw out and invite my hope ? Not as if God needed the mementoes of his creatures ; but it is the only rational way to make our confidence arise. Look, as by wrestling we gain a heat to ourselves ; so we, wrestling with God by prayer, revive the grounds of our hope, — show him his own institution, that there may be greater confidence in our own souls.
VeR. 4.] SKRMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 473
3. Cast yourselves upon the performance of duty in the expectation of his help. It is true God is not bound to give the arbitrary assistances of his Spirit ; he doth all things according to his pleasure. But though God be not bound, you are bound ; you nnist engage in duty vrhatso- ever the success be. Say then, I will do what God hath commanded, let God do what he please. There is much of faith in this. The work of faith is to bring us to a cheerful engagement. By this means God's power is glorified, that he is able to lielp you ; and God's mercy is glorified, you leave the business with him, and trust to his mercy. And his sovereignty is much glorified when you can lie at his foot, and leave him to the working of his own grace ; as David : Ps. Ixxi. 16. ' I will go in the strength of the Lord God ; ' that is, to the duty of praise ; Eph. vi. 10, ' Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.' The Lord chides his children for this, because they would neglect duty out of their own discouragement. Thus, Jer. i. 7, when God sent him in a message — ' Say not, I am a child ; for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatever I command thee thou shalt speak ; ' and Exod. iv. 10-12, when Moses would excuse himself — ' I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue. The Lord said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? . . . Have not I tlie Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and will teach thee what thou shalt say.' Weakness must never be urged to exclude duty; when there is a clear command, we should cast ourselves upon the duty, and refer the help to God's good pleasure.