[2.] Faith shows a better home. Faith values all things according to the presence of God ; it values all states and conditions as we enjoy God in them. Here in the world thei'e is but little enjoyment of God : 2 Cor. V. 6, ' Whilst we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.' A christian is nowhere a stranger but where he is without God. Faith sees God in the world, but it sees that there is another' manner of enjoyment of God without sin, and without sorrow, where there is no absence of God, and no clouding of his presence. A gracious heart is everywhere at home but where it wants God ; we could not be so much strangers here if we were not in a great part strangers to the comforts of his presence. If we could have our whole portion here, we should look no further ; we have, it may be, enough to support us, but not to satisfy us, but there we shall have all at full : Ps. xvii. 15, ' As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness ; I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness.' For the present we may behold God's face while we are engaged in acts of grace, and in the duties and exercises of religion, this is for our support ; but when awake, when we are got into the other world, we shall be satisfied. Here there are many clouds upon the face of God, and we provoke him to withdraw from us ; there we shall see him without a cloud in his face. Here we are weary even of gracious enjoyments : there we shall enjoy him without satiety and weariness.
VeR. 13.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 319
2. Faith gives us a right and title to what it sees : John i. 12, ' But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.' Faith is not only a spy to show us the land of promise, but it giveth us an interest in it ; a man cannot count anything his own till his interest be cleared ; mad- man call all their own that they see. Now faith gives us a joint- interest with Christ. A believer hath the whole privileges of the sons of God ; not only support and maintenance here, as an heir is main- tained by his father in a foreign country, but he hath an interest in the inheritance : Kom. viii. 17, ' If children, th^ heirs, heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ.' Faith does not only see that heaven is, and that it is better than earth, but that it is ours, and expects it as an inheritance. So James ii. 5, " Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom M'hich he hatli promised to them that love him ? ' A believer may be a poor man in the world, but he is a prince in disguise.
8. In regard of the fruit of it ; ' Faith works by love,' Gal. v. 6. Now true love carries the soul thither where the thing beloved is. Love is the poise of the soul, as everything tends to its centre. What is inclination in the creatures, instinct in the beasts, that is love in man. Amor mens pondiis meum.
Use 1. For trial of your faith, dost thou behave thyself as a strangei and pilgrim ? You may know it by these marks.
1. There will be a greater weanedness from the comforts of this life. Men that are altogether for present enjoyments, that labour, strive, contend and gape for earthly things, surely they do not look after heaven as their home. A christian is a stranger at home in his own family, where he hath many comforts about him : 1 Cor. vii. 31, 'And they that use the world, as not abusing it,' using all comforts as expect- ing a greater happiness, using them as a type, and as a motive, and as an help. As a type, that may put you in mind of a better and greater happiness. The enjoyment of temporal blessings should stir us up to a more serious consideration of heavenly things, as the prodigal's .hut^ks, when he was abroad, put him in mind of the bread in his father s house ; so if there be such comfort and sweetness in the world, the place of our trial, what is there in heaven, our father's house ? If the company of our relations be so pleasing and acceptable to us, what is it to be in our father's house for ever in the company of God and Christ ? As Fulgentius said when they showed him the beauty and splendour of Eome, If an earthly city be so glorious, what is the heavenly ? The cities of the Amorites put Abraham in mind of the city that had foundations : Heb. xi. 9, 10, ' By faith he sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange land, for he looked for a city which liad foundations, whose builder and maker is God.' These are but the comforts of a strange place. You abuse the world when you forget home, use these things as typing out better ; it the creature be sweet, heaven is better. Use them as a motive to quicken you to glorify God, 'who hath given you all things richly to enjoy/ 1 Tim. vi. 17. The moon is never eclipsed but when at full. It is naught to kick with the heel, when we wax fat to be the worse for kindness. And then use them as a help, not a hindrance, as instruments of piety and charity, as a viaticum in our journey, and helps to a better life.