tion of the departing," &c., ver. 22, . 406
„ LVII. '-By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid
three months of his parents," ver. 23, . 419
„ LVIII. " By faith Moses, when he was come to years,"
&c., ver. 24, .... 427
„ LIX. " By faith Moses, when he was come to years,"
&c., ver. 24, .... 437
„ LX. " Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the
people of God," &c., ver. 25, , . 449
„ LXI, '"'Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater
riches than the treasures of Egypt," ver. 26, 459
„ LXII, " Through faith he kept the passover and the
sprinkling of blood," &c., ver. 28, . . 473
SERMONS
ELEVENTH CHAPTEE OF THE HEBREWS.
VOL. XIV.
SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XL
SEKMON XVIII.
By faitli Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he ivas righteous, God testifying of his gifts : and by it he, being dead, yet speaheth. — Heb. xi. 4.
Secondly, The second general means is to apply yourselves to the righteousness of Christ. There are many steps and progresses of the soul in this work — desire it, seek it, wait for it, take Christ upon any special offer, then upon the act of faith consider your privileges and make your claim ; and that your ckiim may be warranted, there must be a care of holiness.
1. Desire it earnestly. Grace is wrought by knowledge, but it is first known by desire and spiritual esteem. Appetite follows life ; so when God begins to infuse life in the soul, it is first discerned by desire : Mat. v. 5, ' Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness.' How passionately doth Paul speak, Phil. iii. 9, ' That I might be found in him, not having mine own righteousness.' All things else he accounted dung, dog's-meat, loss rather than gain.
2. You must seek it. Lazy wishes are only the fi'uits of conviction. Men could wish they were interested in so great comfort. But now serious desires will put you upon endeavours : Mat. vi. 33, ' Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and the righteousness thereof.' The great design and work of christians should be to get a part in Christ, in God's kingdom, and God's righteousness, as the way to it ; seek it first, above all things, and above all pursuits. Men make it not their work, but their by-work, and regard it now and then in some pang of conscience. Oh, then for a garment to cover them, then for a righteousness to shelter them from wrath ! but this should be the first thing ; it is a worthy pursuit, and it will make amends for all the pains you are at in seeking it.
3. Wait for it. Grace is not at the creature's beck. Before ever God will show mercy, he will first declare his sovereignty : Isa. xxvi, 8, ' In the way of thy judgments have we waited for thee.' Though they meet Avith nothing but rough answers — though God seems to hide himself, yet in the midst of his judicial dispensations you should con- tinue waiting. Nothing declares the creature's subjection to God so much as tarrying of his leisure ; alas ! otherwise it is a sign we ascribe
4 ^ SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. XVIII.
to ourselves, when we prescribe to God, wlien we would have him come in at our time and pleasure. Kemember the righteousness of Christ is a great blessing, and God doth not owe it you ; God may give it to whom he will, and when he will. Impatience always shows there is some confi- dence in your own righteousness. You should say as the church doth : Lam. i. IG, ' My comforter that should relieve my soul is far from me;' 'but I have rebelled against him,' ver. 18. God suspends comfort, but it is not my due ; but I have rather merited the contrary. Thoughts of merit beget murmuring. Wiien the soul is possessed of its own guilt, it will tarry the Lord's leisure. Consider, God hath waited long ere you came to this, to look up to him for the righteousness of Christ ; there- fore you have good cause to wait upon him for his good pleasure.
4, When there is any special offer in the word, do not delay, but take Christ ; do not draw back the hand of faith, I know a guilty creature will be full of suspicions ; and the truth is, the grace of the gospel is so rich that we know not how to credit it. But when there is a fair offer, do not let suspicion take in the hand of faith, but receive Christ when he is tendered in the promises of the word. Sometimes God doth, as it were, call you by name : John x. 3, ' He calleth his own sheep by name ; ' he doth, as it were, point to you when he speaks to men in your case and condition. Oh ! consider, these are fair seasons of grace, and you must not let them slip : 2 Cor. vi. 1,2,' We beseech you that you receive not the grace of God in vain ; ' ' for I have heard thee in an acceptable time. Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation.' There are certain beautiful seasons wherein God will be found, when you see yourselves to be as it were pointed at. Look, as wicked men neglect seasons of conviction, so do believers many times disjoute away seasons of grace, those that are in the way of faith. Poor lost creatures are apt to be suspicious ; but when the offer of grace is full and express to your case, do not neglect it ; as Benhadad's servants watched for the word 'brother,' so should jou be asking for these gospel seasons. Jesus Christ will sometimes give a glimpse of his counten- ance, and look through the lattice.