[2.] Here is another circumstance which commends faith likewise : this faith was weak at first, and mingled with unbelief ; for first they murmured, as you may see : Exod. xiv. 11, 12, ' And they said to Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness ? Wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt ? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying. Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians ? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness ; ' words of impatience and distrust, and very near to a plain revolt from God ; and yet at length these murmurers, through faith they passed through the Red Sea, as if it had been firm land. There was a great mixture of unbelief, but where faith prevails, it is accepted with God. Though first they murmured, yet afterwards they believed. Now, when after such great faults God takes it so kindly, we will believe the promise, we should address ourselves to believe in him.
[8.] There is yet another circumstance in this instance ; all of them were not true believers, but the faith of some made others partakers of the benefits. The ungodly receive many temporal benefits by the faith of others : Acts xxvii. 24, * God hath given thee all them that sail with thee •/ while yet many of them were infidels. The faith of some may save a community ; ' through faith/ that is, the faith of Moses, and some of the eminent godly Israelites. We must not think all this multitude had faith ; but it was so pleasing to God, that for their sakes the community passed safe, and did arrive at the opposite shore. Now this showeth how much God esteemeth the faith of his children.
[4.] It is commended to us again by the distinction God makes be- tween believers and unbelievers ; the one pass through the sea as on dry land, and the other sink as lead, and are drowned. We see our privileges in their destruction. Salvation is not a common favour: John iii. 36, ' He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life ; and he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.' There is salvation for believers, and nothing but destruction for unbelievers. Presumption ruins, as faith saves. Oh I who would not then be of the number of those that believe in Christ
8 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XL [SeR. LXIII.
to salvation, since God makes such a distinction between them and others ?
Havino^ laid this foundation, the doctrine is this —
Doct. That they who, upon the belief of Grod's promises, do resolve to run all hazards with Christ in the performance of their duty to him, are only capable of salvation by him.
This is the end why the apostle produces this instance, to encourage the New Testament believers to constancy in the many sufferings they were exposed to for owning Christ ; and to continue faithful to Christ, and depend upon the promises still, though they were butchered and slaughtered everyday. To evidence this, take these five considerations —
First, That true faith receives the promise of God, with the terms and conditions which it requireth. This proposition, I suppose, will not be questioned. If the Israelites in the text hoped to see the salva- tion of God, they must do what God directed them to do. And of all others the like is required ; if they will believe, and expect any benefit from God, certainly they must do what God hath required in order to that benefit. All that can reasonably be supposed to invalidate the truth of this proposition is this : either that the gospel is no benefit, but a due debt from God, which we may expect from his natural good- ness, and so that God hath not power to give it upon condition ; or that he will give it without condition. One of these must be supposed. Now, if all these be false, then the proposition stands firmly.
1. The first supposition, that the gospel is no benefit, but a due debt from God, which we may expect from his natural goodness, do we whatever we will to the contrary, is an absurd conceit ; for the privileges of the gospel are always represented as a benefit. 1 Tim. vi. 2, the apostle shows that christian masters should not be despised by their christian servants, ' but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved partakers of the benefit ; ' that is, of the pri- vileges of the gospel : it is always represented as a benefit. And it is such a benefit as is called grace, and this oppositely to debt : Rom. iv. 4, ' Now to him which worketh is the reward reckoned, not of grace, but of debt ; ' for God is not bound by any merit to give this grace to any. Well, then, if it be God's free gift, then he hath a power to impose conditions ; it is at the liberty of the donor to give it upon what terms he pleases, for who but the Almighty can prescribe con- ditions and laws of commerce betwixt him and his creatures ? It belongs to every donor and free benefactor to make his own terms, and to dispose of his own gifts and donations according to his will. If it be a right which belongs to every ordinary person who is an owner to do with his own as pleaseth him, Mat. xx. 15, much more the great God may determine of his own gifts, and how a right to them may be conveyed to us. Well, then, thus far we go on clearly that the privileges of the gospel are a grace, and a grace to be disposed of by him according to the pleasure of his own will. But then —