But doth not the apostle contradict scripture in ascribing faith to Sarah ? You shall see. In the original story, to which this place alludeth, Sarah is taxed for laughing, and when she was charged with it, denied it. Gen. xviii. 12-15. That laughing certainly wiis a sign of unbelief. It is true, Abraham laughed : Gen. xvii. 17, 18, ' Then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed, and said in his heart. Shall a child be born unto liim that is a hundred years old ? and shall Sarah that is ninety years old bear ? And Abraham said unto God, 0 that Islimael might live before thee ! ' Yet there was a difference between Abraham's laughing and Sarah's. Abraham laughed out of faith and holy joy, probably respecting the Messiah that should in process of time come out of his loins : John viii. 56. ' Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day and he saw it, and was glad.' Yet there is a suspicion upon Abraham's laughter because of his reply — ' Shall a child be born unto him that is a hundred years old ? and shall Sarah that is ninety years old bear ? ' and because of his prayer for Ishmael, — ' 0 that Ishmael might live before thee ! ' But the apostle acquits him : Rom, iv. 19. 20, ' Being, not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead when he was about an hundred years old, neither the deadness of Sarah's womb. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God.' Abraham admireth, but staggereth not, and out of a natural affection he prayeth for Ishmael ; God reproveth him not as he did Sarah. But now Sarah laughed out of unbelief, anddenieth it when charged, because it is said, she laughed within herself, not openly and outwardly. Both laughed to justify the name of Isaac, but Sarah laughs out of distrust, out of the impossibility of the thing ; this weakness is manifested to show the honour is not put upon her by her merits. But after the Lord had chidden her, and she began to see the promise came from God, she believed ; and because the laughing came from mere weakness, not from scorn, God layeth no judgment on her, as he struck Zacharias dumb for his unbelief in the like case, Luke i. 20, and still an honourable mention is made of Sarah's carriage in this business, not only here, but also 1 Peter iii. 9, 'Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord.' Observe hence —
VOL. siv. s
274 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XL [ScR. XLIV.
1. Many times the word doth not work presently : Sarah laugheth at first, but afterwards beheveth. Some that belong to the purposes of gi'ace may stand out for a while against the ways of God till they are fully convinced . as Sarah laughed till she knew it to be a word not spoken in jest, but a promise made in earnest. Little did Paul think that those whom he persecuted were so dear to Christ that he counted them himself — ' Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ? ' Acts ix. 4. Therefore he says, 1 Tim. i. 13, 'I was before a blasphemer, a per- secutor, and injurious ; but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly, in unbelief.' Many serious men, that walk according to the present light of conscience, may slight those ways which afterwards they find to be of God ; and tlierefore we should be gentle to one another and wait till God reveal the same thing.
2. Usually before the settling of faith there is a conflict — 'Shall I have a cliild who am old : my lord being old also/ Reason opposeth against the promise. So it is usual, when we come to settle the heart in the belief of any promise. Look, as when the fire beginneth to be kindled we see smoke first before flame, so it is here before our comforts be established, we are full of doubts ; so that doubtiugs are an hopeful prognostic, it is a sign men mind their condition.
3. With great indulgence God liideth the defects of his children and taketh notice of their graces. There is nothing spoken of Raliab's lie, ver. 31, of Job's impatience, James v. 11, and here Sarah's laughing is not remembered. Weak faith is accepted ; a spark shall not be lost, but blown up into a flame and greater increase. We give a beggar an alms though he receive it with a trembling palsy-hand ; and if he lets it fall, we let him stoop for it. Man overlooketh the good of others, and taketh notice of their ill, as flies pitch upon the sore place ; but God pardoneth the evil and remembereth the good. We upbraid men with the sins of childhood and of youth, committed before conversion ; as the papists did Beza with his lascivious poems that he wrote ere he had a taste of grace ; therefore he saith, Hi homines invident mihi gratiam divinam ; these men envy me the grace of God. The elder brother upbraided the younger brother with riotous living, when his father liad received him to mercy : Luke xv. 30. ' As soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlot.s, thou hasi killed for him the fatted calf Buthow contrary is this to God ! If faitli breaketh out at length, he accepteth it, and commendeth it in his word. Who would not serve such a gracious master, that wiuketh at our fail- ings and taketh in good part our weak services and our weak graces ? This for the ]ierson believing.