(3.) This joy i^ manifested by a weanedness from worldly pleasures. There cannot be such an affectation of worldly gi-eatness, because by embracing the promises the affections are diverted and prepossessed. The affections are the most active faculties of the soul, and they cannot remain idle ; as water in the pipe must needs run, so must our affec- tions have some vent and oblectation. Now when the promises have taken up our delight, when we have chosen them for our heritage, then the relish of other things is marred and spoiled : Ps. cxix. 3, ' Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever, for they are the rejoice- ing of my heart.' Our choice is a tie upon our hearts. Till we are acquainted with better things we take up with the world, but when we are once acquainted witli the sweetness of the promises, we look no further ; when a man hath embraced the promises, and taken them for his portion, and resolved to adhere and stick to them, that ties up his heart from other things. Garlic and onions may be pleasing to him that hath tasted no better food, but who can relish aloes that hath tasted honey ? so when the heart is acquainted with better things, with the delights of another world, with the sweetness of God in Christ, it is withdrawn from outward comforts and carnal pleasures. As the woman
VeR. 13.] SERMONS UrON HEBREWS XI. 3U5
of Samaria left her water-pot when she was acquainted with Clnist : John iv. 28, ' The woman then left her water-pot, and went her way into the city,' &c. And Zaccheiis, when he came to Christ, then saith he, ' Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor ; and if I have taken anything from any man hy any false accusation, I restore him fourfold,' Luke xix. 8.
SERMON XLYII.
TJiese all died in faith, not having received the loromises, hut having seen them afar of and were persuadMl of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrirns on the earth. — Heb. xi. 13.
Use 1. Of information in two things.
1. If these he the actings of faith, it sliows what need there is of tlie power of the Spirit of God in the whole husiness of faith, to accomplish all these things. It is the apostle's expression, 2 Thes. i 11, ' Where- fore we pray always for yon, tliat our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power.' It will never be done without power from above. We can neither see, nor be persuaded of, nor embrace these things, except the grace of God come in upon the heart mightily to enable it. We cannot see afar off, nature is short sighted ; so the apostle prays. Eph. i. 17, 18, * That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. The eyes of your understandings being enlight- ened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.' A man cannot look into the other world without the li^lit of the Spirit. All things must be seen with a proper light, — spiritual things with a spiritual light. Now till God ojien our eyes we can never look through tlio curtain of the clouds and see the riclies of the glory of our inheritance in Christ. A fond conjecture there may be of happiness to come, but no certain, steady sight. Then for persuasion ; nothing is so natural to guilty creatures as doubts and jealousies. Man's heart is prone to imbelief above all things, and therefore the heart cannot be persuaded wnthout the Spirit : 1 Cor. ii. 10, 11, ' But God hath revealed them to ns by the Spirit ; for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him ? even so the things of God knoweth no man save the Spirit of God.' It is God must persuade the heart to believe, embrace, and take hold of the covenant : Gen. ix. 27, ' God shall per- suade Japhet, and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem.' And then for embracing, God hath reserved this power in his own hands to bring our hearts and the promise together. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit as well as an effect of faith.
2. It informeth us of the difference between faith and other things, as between faith and presumption. Presumption hath no bottom to
VOL. XIV. u
306 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI, [SeR. XLVII.
work upon, but only some general persuasion that God will be merciful and gracious ; but faith hath the word of Grod, though it hath nothing- else. Presumption is a rash bastard confidence, it never looketh to the grounds of it ; but faith, though it may be without things promised, yet it cannot be without the promise ; it must have some solid grounds to work upon, and not fallible conjectures : 2 Tim. i. 12, ' 1 know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him.' It proceeds from know- ledge and clear grounds, and is not a trust that is taken hand over head. Again we learn hence the difference between faith and sense ; sense must have something in hand, but it is enough to faith to have a promise. Sense cannot see, nor be persuaded of, nor embrace things till they are present; faith, though it receive not the blessings, yet it sees them afar off, and is contented with a ground of hope. Again, we learn the difference hence between faith and reason ; reason looketh to outward probabilities, it observeth the clouds ; but faith is contented with God's word, how improbable soever things be. Keason sees things in their causes; but faith sees things in the promises, and rests upon the authority of God's word. Keason sees more than sense, but faith sees much more than reason, let the case be never so desperate, and things never so far off ; to sense a star is but as a spark or sjiangle, but reason considereth the distance, and knows them to be vast and great bodies. Faith corrects reason, and though there be no causes, no probabilities, no appearances, faith can see things to come. Again, we see the dif- ference between faith and conjecture ; conjecture is but a blind guess, it may be so, or it may not be so ; but faith is a certain persuasion, it shall be so, as the Lord hath spoken. Again, it shows the difference between faith and opinion, which is somewhat more than conjecture ; a man verily thinks it is so, but there is formido oppositi, a fear of the contrary; but faith falls embracing and hugging the mercy, is per- suaded of it, and rejoice tli and triumpheth as if the blessing were already enjoyed.