VeR. 21.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 395
JSERMON LV.
By faith Jacob, when he loas a-di/mg, Messed both the sons of Josejjh; and ivorshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff. — Heb. xi. 21.
We are come to tlie third patriarch, which is Jacob ; his faith is set forth—
1. By the time — When he icas a-dying.
2. By the actions wherein his faith was exercised ; they were two — The Messing the sojis of Joseph, and — The luorshipping on the top of his staff ; for I look upon both these actions as distinct.
First, For the time — ' Jacob, when he was a-dying,' in a weak body he shows a strong faith. He could hardly turn in his bed, yet in the failing of all his strength he discovereth his respect to God and his faith in the promises ; he would be worshipping, and commending the promises and the covenant. AVe may learn hence —
Doct. That faith is a grace that steads us, and honoureth God both in life and death.
I have spoken of the exercise of faith at death in the 13th verse, and therefore shall but touch of it now.
1. Faith steadeth us at death. True grace doth best at last. Car- nal wisdom doth best for a while ; none seem to live such lives as car- nal men for a while ; but when death comes, there is the great trial — ' What hope hath the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God takes away his soul ? ' Job xxvii. 8. Wicked men are foi'ced to die, whether they will or no, — God takes away their souls. They would fain keep them. That is the meanest part of wisdom, to provide for our being in the world ; but to die well, to go out of the world com- fortably, that is true wisdom. Carnal wisdom will stead you well enough for the present life, though many times it is blasted and frus- trated. Therefore Job speaks by way of supposition — ' Though he hath gained.' Usually he doth well enough ; but when God comes to take away his soul, we see a failure in all these things. Natural cour- age will bear us out in lesser brunts. Security and ignorance will help us to die sottishly ; but to die comfortably, to die worshipping and glorifying God for the promises, that is the privilege and work of faith.
2. Faith honours God, not only in life, but in death ; for it doth not only yield comfort to ourselves, but enables us to confirm others. A carnal man cannot speak well of the world when he comes to die ; oh, he dares not commend his worldly life to others ! But a godly man can speak well of God, and commend the covenant and promise to others : Gen. xlviii. 1,5, 16, ' The God Avhicli fed me all my life long to this day, the angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads.' As if he had said, I have had much experience of the angel of the covenant, who hath been with me, and kept me in all my ways. I do not commend you to Pharaoh, nor desire him to be kind to you, nor advance you as he hath done your father ; no, but the angel of the covenant bless you ; no blessing like that.
Use 1. Well then, get such a faith as this is. Nothing Avill hold out in death but this. The world fails ; riches have done their office,
396 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XT. [SeR. LV.
and their work is at an end when death comes, for they are only sup- plies for the present life. And courage fails ; for then we have not to do with men, but with God, and ' Can your heart endure or your hands be strong in the day that I shall deal with you ? ' Ezek. xxii. 14. Security fails : that is the devil's policy while we live, to keep us secure ; but when we come to die, he hath another engine to destroy us, and that is despair. And presumption or false faith, that fails, for now men begin to be serious ; as they come nearer to eternity, they grow wiser, and then a false faith will not serve the turn,* that will not keep up that confidence it kept up before. Therefore nothing will stead you but true faith in such an hour. If christians did oftener think of death, they would not be contented with such a slight provision for eternity as they usually make. Oh ! could I die comfortably, would I venture my eternal condition in this estate ?
Use 2. Act faith after this manner when you come to die, that it may yield comfort to you and glory to God. Comfort to you : a chris- tian is not to be passive in his death, to die as a beast. Think of the covenant which yieldeth comfort for soul, and for body, and for children. Jacob worsliipped when Joseph had sworn to bury his bones in Canaan with his father, their society in the grave was a type of their com- munion in heaven ; then he w'orshipped upon the top of his rod, I am going to God and Christ, to Abraham and Isaac, to dwell with them in the presence of God ; this was his comfort. Get such a faith, I say, that you may have comfort for your bodies, and souls, and children ; for here Jacob blesseth his children, and comforts himself that he should go to the state of the blessed ; for that was figured in carrying the bones thither. So also such a faith will honour and glorify God. This is the last time you can do anything for God. Now it is a great honour to God when you can give him a good testimony as the fruit of all your experience, as Joshua doth : Joshua xxiii. 14, ' I am going the way of all the earth : and ye know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing hath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spake concerning you ; all are come to pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof.' So Jacob here commends the God of the covenant, the angel of the covenant, and the blessings of the covenant, and gives it out as the result of all his experiences.