9. He obeyed, and went forth ; there was not only a consent of heart, but he readily performed. Observe —
Doct. We must not only give God good words, and make vows at our efi'ectual calling, but we must be sensible of the vows of God.
Many are apt to speak good words, as Christ hath a parable of the formal professor : Mat. xxi. 2S-30, * A certain man had two sons, and he came to the first, and said. Son, go into llie vineyard and woi-k. And he saith, I will, and did not. And he came to the other, and he said, I will not; and after he repented, and went ; ' which is the better son ? It is easier to talk of leaving friends, lands, and our father's house, and take upon ourselves a voluntary exile for a good conscience, than to do it. It is easy to talk of these things in the serene times of the gospel, but this is like him in the parable, ' I go, sir, and went not.' It is said
VeR. 8.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XL 231
of the cliildrea of God, Eer. xii. 11, that ' they loved not their lives to death ; ' that is, they did not only in prodigality and presumption give up their lives to God, but when it came to performance, when death was at hand, either they must die or renounce Christ, then they loved not their lives. So when God puts us to deny every near comfort, to quit country, parents, every dearest thing — when we ctmnot keep these things with a good conscience, then faith submits to it.
10. Consider, in the history there was some kind of halting, though it be said in the general that he obeyed, for he stayed at Charran about five years. When Terah went out of Ur, he was two hundred years old ; when he died in Charran, he was two hundred and five years old. He stays there when he should have gone into Canaan, as may be gathered out of Gen. xi. 25, but there he stays till he had buried his father ; and truly I do believe that then he was revived by some new call, andagain admonished, when he was somewhat slack and negli- gent. Some deny a second call, but it is clear to me by what is said : Acts vii. 4, ' Then came he out of the land ot the Chaldeans, and dwelt in Charran ; and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell ; ' that is, by a new persua- sion and excitation God awakened him again, and bid him to go into Canaan. And so. Gen. xii. 4, it is said that ' Abraham departed as the Lord had spoken to him.' Hence observe —
Dod. Faith may sometimes make a halt, and grow w^ary, but it rouseth itself up again.
So it is with us in our spiritual course ; when we begin to look after God, we are apt to halt and linger, therefore we had need be roused again. A ship that is bound for such a harbour, yet by the violence of the storm may be driven back, but it makes way towards its port again ; so by temptation we may be driven back for a time, but we must make way to our port and haven again. Oh, it is well if we can but make advantage of our falls, as a ball beaten down to the ground rebounds the higher.
11. I observe again, ' He obeyed.' That hath respect to the encourage- ment the promise gave, and yet how long was it ere the promise was accomplished. Hence observe —
Dod. True faith doth constantly adhere to God, though it presently finds not what it believes and expects from God.
Abraham left Ur, then Charran, and though he had not a foot in the land of Canaan, yet still he waits upon God. The famine drove him out of Canaan into Egypt, Gen. xii. 10 ; afterwards he had wars and con- flicts with the kings of Canaan, they would not allow him a safe abode ; he was burdened with envy, without children, yet still he waits for the accomplishment of the promise, and believes in hope against hope. WeU then, we must trust God, though we have nothing of present feeling. Oh, it is an excellent thing when we can say as the people of God, Isa. xlv. 24, ' In the Lord my God I shall have righteousness and strength.' Well, I will wait upon God, though nothing comes to hand ; though there be nothing in feeling, yet we must wait upon God. We read, Heb. iii. 6, of Kav^jxa rr\<; eX7riSo9, ' The rejoicing, or glory- ing of hope.' It is excellent when we can glory in our hopes, and in what we do expect. There is more of duty in waiting, though there
232 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. XL.
is less of comfort ; and wlien we have notliing in feeling and fruition, yet then to depend upon God ; this is like an Abraham that built an altar, and oflered a sacrifice of thanksgiving, Gen. xii. 8. Oh, that we could give thanks, and bless God for our hopes ; and in the midst of difficulties, yet wait upon God for what we shall have.