Use 3. For comfort against the reproaches of the world. They may condemn you in word, but you condemn them in life. When a man is running a race, no matter for the judgment of standers-by, or those that contend with us, all depends upon the master of the sports and the umpire of the race. So wicked men may scoff at you, standers-by may mock and slander your godly conversation ; it is no matter, if God acquit you, and if you have praise with him. As a man that outruns another is said to cast his adversary ; so you that outrun the wicked, and outshine them in godliness, you condemn them really, and the judge of the race will determine of your side. And therefore if the world reproach you, this is the revenge you should take upon them, to
216 SERMONS UPOX HEBREWS XL [SeR. XXXIX.
be the more strict, to give out the greater kistre of 4iohness, so you will be revenged upon wicked men in an innocent way ; if you be more strict, this will stop their mouths.
Some things might be observed from that expression, 'the world,' viz. —
1. Observe, that we must obey God, and walk in innocency and strictness, though we be alone. As here most of the woi-ld were naught ; there were but a few good, but eight persons, saved in the ark, and among them a Ham. Sometimes it is safer to go against the stream than witli it.
2. Observe also, that multitudes cannot keep off the strokes of God's vengeance, God can dissolve all confederacies and combinations against himself: Prov. xi. 21, 'Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not go unpunished.'
3. Observe also, compliance with the multitude doth not lessen the sin, but rather increase it. When we see men fall into the gulf, it is more foolish if we will follow after them.
I might clear a doubt which some move, whether all the world that were drowned in the flood were eternally lost ? Certain we are the scripture rather doth carry it that they were all eternally lost, for they are called 'the world of the ungodly,' 2 Peter ii. 5, and the 'spirits that are now in prison, who sometimes were disobedient,' 1 Peter iii. 19, 20 ; and yet by probable conjectures some exception may be made, for it is probable that some might have time to call upon God for mercy, and some of them that perished came of the hol}^ race, and possibly some might be moved with the approach of the judg- ment.
I come to the last words — ' And became,' &c. To make way for the points, I shall first open the words—
' He became ; ' that is, he was then discovered to be so. Noah was righteous before, and had ' found grace in the eyes of God,' Gen. vi. 8 ; and verse 9, ' Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generation ; and Noah walked witli God.' Yet it is said after he built the ark, then ' he became ; ' that is, then he was discovered to be what he was. It is the fashion of scripture to say that things are done Mdien they are clearly manifested and discovered. There is a parallel instance : James ii. 23, ' And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness ; ' then it was fulfilled when he offered up Isaac, yet the saying was used of Abraham long before he offered up his son : Gen. xv. 6, ' And he believed in the Lord, and he counted it to him for righteousness ; ' but the meaning is, then it appeared how ti'uly it was said of him. God giving him again a solemn testimony : Gen. xxii. 12, ' Now I know that thou fearest God, seeing then tliou hast not withheld thy son, thy only son, from me.' So it is here ; Noah, after he had prepared an ark, ' became,' that is, then he was visibly declared to be, an heir of the covenant of grace ; God dealing with Noah just as he dealt with Abraham, confirming his faith by a solemn testimony: Gen. vii. ], ' God said to Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark ; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation ; ' now I have found thou ai-t righteous before me, that is, by a righteousness of faith ;
VeR. 7.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 217
for by the works of the hiw none can be righteous in his sight : Rom. iii. 20, ' By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight.' And to that testimony the apostle alludeth here.
'An heir.' The word ' lieir ' is sometimes put for 'possessor,' especially if we have a firm right, and if it be such a possession upon which there depends a further heritage. So Jesus Christ, who is lord and possessor of all things, is said to be 'the heir of all things,' Heb. i. 2. All firm and perpetual possession among the Hebrews is expressed by the term ' heritage ; ' so that to be an heir is nothing else but to obtain, to be a possessor, to be interested in this righteousness of faith. Though possibly the apostle might intend that he succeeded as imme- diate heir in the line of the church, or head of that race among whom the righteousness of faith is p)rofessed.