By promises are meant things promised. They must receive the promise, or else there were no room for faith. Some take iira^p/ekia^ for the spiritual promises ; these they saw but in figure, or afar off. Temporal promises they had of a numerous posterity, the calling of the gentiles ; an heir, Christ ; an inheritance, Canaan ; but this would cross the apostle's scope. Understand it therefore of things promised. But what were the things promised which they received not ? Ans. The possession of the land of Canaan, a kingdom, a city, a temple, which was made good to their posterity, the coming of the Messias out of their loins ; these ' they saw afar oftV that is, by the eye of faith ; and were certainly ' persuaded ' of the accomplishment of them, though not in their time, and therefore 'embraced them,' shouted for joy, as mariners when they see land at a distance. Italiam Iceio socii clamore salutant ; ' professed themselves strangers and pilgrims,' eVl t?}? 77}? ' in the earth,' sojourners in the hind, as expecting a greater happiness by the Messiah than they did yet enjoy. Yea, ' they died in frdlh ' — Kara iriaTiv — 'according to faith, 'for kv irlaTet; as Bom. viii., /cara adpKci for kv aapKL. All these died by or according to faith. The meaning is, they remained stable and firm to the end of their lives in this assurance, notwithstanding the variety of conditions which they passed through.
From the first words, ' These all died in faith,' the points are two —
(1.) It is not enough that we must live by faith, but we must also die by faith. (2.) They that would die in faith must live in faith.
Doct. It is not enough that we must live by faith, but we must also die by faith. So it is said of these patriarchs, 'All these died in faith.' Faith is always of use on this side the grave ; at death it doth us the last office. In the other world there is no need of it ; when we come to enjoyment faith ceaseth.
The reasons of the doctrine are these —
1. Because faith is not sound unless we persevere therein to the end. The patriai-chs had man}^ afflictions, they were tossed up and down, yet they died in faith ; that was their commendation : so unless we hold out to the end, all is lost. The Nazarite under the law, if he did defile himself before the days of his purification were accompli sheil, was to begin all anew again : Num. vi. 12, ' The days which were before shall be lost, because his separation was defiled.' So we lose what we have wrought, if we do not remain stable till we come to ' receive the end of our faith, the salvation of our souls,' 1 Peter i. 9 ; Ezek. xviii. 24, ' When the righteous turneth away from his righteous- ness and committeth iniquity, and doth according to all the abomina- tions that the wicked man doth, shall he live ? All his righteousness-
282 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. XLV.
tliat he bath done shall not be remembered.' All that i.s past is nothing unless we persevere to the end. Faith is not for a fit, we must hold on in it : Heb. iii. 6, ' Whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence, and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end ; ' so ver. 14, ' We are made partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto Ibe end.' This was the commendation of these holy men, still their hearts were kept close to God, tliey died in faith : Prov. xvi. 31, ' The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.' A Mnason, an old disciple, is a great honour. As Jacob wrestled with the angel till daylight : Gen. xxxii. 26, ' And he said, Let me go, for the day breaketh ; ' so we must constantly keep up the exercise of faith till tlie day break, and the sbadows flee awa}'. Elisha would not leave his master till he was taken from him into heaven ; so faith will not leave us till we are taken to heaven. To be constant to the last is the crown and glory of faith ; let the world know you have no cause to leave Christ. We read, Mat. XX., some were called into the vineyard sooner, some later; some were called early in the morning, some at the third, some at the sixth, some at the ninth, and some at the eleventh hour ; bvit all tarried to the end of the day. So must we carry faith and religion with us to the grave ; patient abiding is a sign of true faith. Many have outlived their religion and former profession.
2. Because the hour of death is a special season Avherein faith Cometh to be exercised, and the strength of it is tried. There is no notion doth so much express the nature of faith as this, the committing of the soul to God's keeping : 2 Tim. i. 12, ' I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day ; ' and 1 Peter iv. 18, ' Commit the keeping of your souls to him in well-doing, as unto a faithful creator.' The great work of fciith is to put the soul into safe hands ; it is our jewel, and it should be in safe hands ; it is sensible of danger, and it is never safe till it is put into the hands of God through Christ, and therefore we must commit it to him. l^ow this never comes so much to the trial as at the hour of death ; then to trust God with our souls, upon a confidence that he will keep them for us, that we may enjoy them in another world, this is a sensible discovery of faith, as appears by Christ's surrender when he was to die : Luke xxiii 46, ' Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit ;' and Ste])hen : Acts vii. 59, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' AVhile we live we must put the soul into God's care ; it is fit our jewel, our darling, should be in safe hands. But can you trust God with your souls when you are ready to die ? And then is the time to put the promises in suit, and to express our confidence in them : Ps. xvi. 9, ' Therefore my heart is ^lad, and. my glory rejoiceth; my -flesh also shall rest in hope,' &c. The heart is filled with joy, and the tongue runneth over, when we can send our souls to God and our bodies to the grave in hope of a blessed resur- rection. During life faith is most exercised in waiting for present supplies, but in death it is put to trial about future recompenses. While we have health and streno^th we do not mind the dans^er and hazard of the everlasting state ; and that is the reason why we find it harder to trust God for present mercies, temporal supplies, strength