364 SERMONS UrON HEBREWS XI, [SeR, Lll,
unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy,' &c. Nay, Abraham was to deny his reason : he might doubt whether the revelation were from God, or a delusion of Satan, or whether he were absolutely obliged ; no, but he simply resigneth up himself to God's wisdom and will. We are apt to distinguish and wriggle ourselves out of a sense of our duty ; but liere was no such matter, no disputing, no debating, but a ready compliance. Nay, consider the Lord's love to us in Christ ; for in all this Abraham was a lively type of God's love to us in Christ, who gave his Isaac for us, his only-begotten and dearly-beloved Son, better than all the world, who was made a burnt-offering for us, nud was slain indeed. We can never deny ourselves so far as to answer what God hath done for us.
3. Because this is not every day's trial, this sensible self-denial ; therefore we are tried in oui- Isaac in mortification, in renouncing our bosom lust. This is a daily trial, and this is a sure trial, for lusts stick closer to us than interests. It is easier to part with rams and rivers of oil than to part with one sin ; they are as a joint and member of tJie body, therefore called members, Col. iii. 5 ; and the ' right hand,' rind the 'right eye,' Mat. v. 29, 30. Now in mortifying those corrup- tions which are so contrary to the spiritual life, and yet so rooted in our nature, here we are tried, whether we will give up our Isaac. Some corruptions stick closer to us than others, and in renouncing those, the sincerity of our love is tried : Ps. xviii. 23, ' I was upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.' What lust did j^ou ever leave for God ? Can you ever remember the ])lucking out the right eye and the cutting off the right hand ? or the withstanding your natural inclinations ? or the renouncing j'our lusts and corruptions ior the Lord's sake ? Can you remember his love prevailed with you to part with that which was so near and dear to the soul, that was so close as a joint to the body ?
Use. Do not measure your uprightness by a lower trial, that doth but demolish the outworks of sin, and weaken some petty interest It is tio warrant to a captain to give up the town, as soon as the great guns come, or when the enemy hath taken the outworks. If you give up at the first assault, it is a very bad sign. As Julian the Apostate once said, If you cannot endure our scoffs, how will you endure the darts of the Persians ? Jer. xii. 5, * If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied tliee, then how canst thou contend with horses ? ' So H you cannot endure a frown, a little hazard of your interest, a little l)row-beating from those that are in power and place, how will you be able ' to resist to blood' ? Heb. xii. 4. So to quit a lesser sin, and it may be a sin that will bring inconvenience upon you, that is no trial ; it is no trial to submit to a lesser stroke of providence — it may be you were not affected with it — but to part with your Isaac, there is the trial ; when God takes away your nearest comforts and relations, then to keep your hearts upriglit, this is a trial to purpose.
2 Again, it shames us that we stick at a trifle ; a little ease and sloth, and every slight temptation, causeth us to make bold with God, or to neglect the worship of God, or disobey the command of God ; and overy lesser excuse is enough to cause you to omit duty. When you '-tick at anj'thing in the ways of the Lord, because it is irksome to flesh
Vers. 17-19.] sermons upon Hebrews xi. 365
and blood, and seems tedious, will you reason with yourselves— How- can I look for Abraham's blessing when I am so far from Abraham s temper? he was willing to offer up Isaac. If you had Abraham's trial, if you were to conflict with natural affections and reason, if you were to reconcile the command and promise, what should you do ? Bn* a small thing, a little difficulty and inconvenience, is enough to turn li.s out of the way, and discourages us.
Obs. Faith maketh us go through such trials with honour to God, and acceptation with him.
Here I shall show the influence of faith, what power and operation it hath upon the heart to carry on the soul in such trials.
1. Faith teacheth us how to value and esteem invisible and s})irituni things : it judgeth of all things aright. Faith is a spiritual prudence : it is opposed not only to ignorance, but also to folly. So much unbe- lief as we have, so much folly we have ; and so much faith as we have, so much tlje wiser are we in spiritual things — ' 0 fools, and slow of heart to believe ! ' Luke xxiv, 25. But now faith is a spiritual wisdom , it teacheth us how to value the favour of God and the comforts of tin? other world, and the smiles of his countenance ; it shows us that al} outward things are nothing in comparison of inward comfort. Reason will teach us how to value the interests and concernments of the present life, and the worth of riches and honour ; and sense will teach us the worth of pleasures ; but now it is faith that teacheth us how to value the favour of God, even above life itself : Ps. Ixiii. 3, ' Thy loving-kind- ness is better than life.' Therefore because faith makes us wise in this kind, it makes us part with things never so near and dear to us, because they are base and vile ui respect of the favour of God. It is faith makes us judge that the greatest suffering is better than the least sin, because the least sin makes us hazard the favour of God : Heb. xi. 26, ' Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasui-es of Egypt.' Tiie greatest suffering may occasion a greater sense of his favour, and that brings us nearer to God. The worst and most afflic- tive part of Christianity with the lowest enjoyment of God is better than the highest enjoyment of all things that are in the world. Faith shows us that the wratli of man is nothing to the wrath of God : Heb. xi. 27, ' By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king ; for he endured, as seeing him that is invisible.'