Secondly, I come to the nature of this faith. You have seen the thing that is to be believed ; but how is it to be believed ?
1. It must be a firm and certain persuasion. The reward is sure on God's part. Men may be ignorant, forgetful, unthankful, as Pharaoh's butler forgat Joseph, Gen. xl. 23; but the Lord is righteous, and will not forget your labour of love : Prov. xi. 18, ' To him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.' It may be the work you do for God is like ploughing or sowing, difficult and hard work, but we are sure of an excellent crop. When we feel nothing but trouble and inconvenience, sense will make lies of God, and we are apt to say, 'I have cleansed my lieart in vain,' Ps. Ixxiii. 13. But the Lord will not forget this service you do for him. Under the law God would not have the hireling defrauded of his wages because he hath lifted up his soul to it. The man comforted himself with this thought: he should have his recompense at night. So when thou hast lifted up thy soul to look for those great things promised, God looks upon himself as bound ; therefore this must be entertained with a strong faith, and without doubting. We read in scripture of a threefold assurance ; an ' assurance of understanding,' Col. ii. 2 ; an ' assurance of faith,' Heb. X. 22; and an 'assurance of hope,' Heb. vi. 11. All tliis represents the firmness of that assent by which we should receive the promises.
2. It must not be a naked assent, but a lively and operative faith, urging and encouraging us to seek after God upon those hopes. There are many that are able to dispute for the ti'uth of the rewards of religion, but yet do not feel the virtue of them. This is not enough, to have notions and opinions that God is a rewarder, but we must have a lively operative faith : Phil. iii. 14, ' I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Jesus Christ.' That is a due appre- hension of the reward, when we are engaged thereby to the duties which the reward calls for : Heb. xi. 13, ' They were persuaded of them, and embraced them ; ' when it ravishes the affections and en- gageth the heart; when it keeps us from fainting under the cross, 2 Cor. iv. 16 ; when it abates the eagerness of our pursuit after worldly things ; when we are more contented with a little here, because we are persuaded we shall have enough with God. A rich man that
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hath a vast inheritance of his own, to see him among the poor that glean up the ears of corn that were scattered, this were an uncomely thing. Oh ! do we look for so great hlessedness, and are we scraping so much in the world, — ' We that are begotten to a lively hope ' ? 1 Peter i. 3. Such a faith produceth sobriety and moderation to worldly things ; 1 Peter i. 13, ' Be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.' In short, we that look for such things should give diligence to be found of him; and wdiat manner of persons ought we to be ?' 2 Peter iii. 11, If it be not a dead and a naked opinion only, to dispute about the- rewards of religion, but a well-grounded confidence, it will quicken- our endeavours, moderate our desires, allay the bitterness of the crosS). and help us on in the way to heaven.
3. It is an applicative faith. We must believe God is not only a rewarder, but say with Paul, This he will be to me ; for so we have the expression, 2 Tim. iv. 8, ' Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness,' &c. ; this is proposed and made over to me for my comfort and my quickening. Salvation in general hath no such an efficacy : 1 Cor. ix. 26, ' 1 run, not as uncertain.' In the Isthmic games, to which the apostle alludes, held near Corinth, a man might run, but he was not certain whether he should have the goal or no ; but I run not as uncertain, as one that hath the prize in view, and am comfortably assured I shall obtain it. This quickeneth us to a com- fortable, willing industr}'.
Thirdly, The influence that it hath upon our obedience and service to God.
1. To keep the heart free and ingenuous. We are apt to look upon God as a Pharaoh, harsh and austere, as if he had required work where he will not give wages. But think of his mercy and kindness, and readiness to reward the services of his people, that you may come to- him with an ingenuous confidence. Our obligations to God are- absolute ; we are bound to serve him, though nothing should come of it. Ay, but he is pleased to move us by rewards, ' to draw us with the cords of a man, and with the bands of love,' Hos. xi. 4. When he might rule us with a rod of iron, and require duty out of mere power and sovereignty, he will govern us rationally, by precepts and rewards. Men do not use to enter into covenant with a slave, yet God is pleased to indent with us ; he would have us to look upon him as a rewarder. In all our services we are to remember that God is, that we may be aweful ; and ' he is a rewarder,' that we may be ingenuous.