2. I add further ; either God will give them without any conditions, or he will give those benefits upon certain terms and conditions which he liketh to impose upon the creature. Now, to grant as much as may be granted, there are certain benefits indeed which God gives without asking our consent, or imposing any condition upon us on our part ;
VeR. 29.] SERBIONS UPON HEBRE-WS XT. 9
as the giving of a redeemer to take onr nature and fulfil the law, and satisfy his provoked justice on our behalf, and to merit grace sufficient for our deliverance from sin, and death, and hell, and the devil ; this he did without our knowledge and consent, for he considered us as creatures in misery, and in more inextricable straits than the Israelites were when they were shut up between mountains and enkmgled in the land, as Pharaoh saith. But having laid this foundation, God having given a redeemer, then he doth enact and propound a cove- nant, without asking our consent, or treating with us in the making of it, that we may bring it down, and model it according to our humour. No ; the matter is not left free for us to debate ; the covenant is formed to our hands, and we are thankfully to accept of it, and submit to it, not to mould it to our turn ; for we must take it as we find it ; and so the saints are described, Isa. Ivi. 4, ' Those that choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant.' The ques- tion now is, Whether there be any terms or no terms in this covenant? Surely there are ; for these blessings are not given to all, as experience manifests, for some die in their sins. How shall poor creatures make out their interest, unless God hath declared upon what conditions we shall be possessed of these privileges r* Well, now, if God hath once declared the conditions, if we would have the benefit, we must consent to them ; as the Israelites, if they would be safe, they must take God's direction, and pass through the Ked Sea, though it seem to threaten apparent death. If we would have justification and adoption into God's family, we must believe in Christ : John i. 12, ' For to as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them which believe on his name.' If we would look for ever- lasting life, ' we must by a patient continuing in well-doing seek for honour, and glory, and immortality,' Eom. ii. 7. To expect a benefit without terms is to lay the foundation of a great building upon a shadow, and to deceive ourselves with a covenant of our own making, or to presume of that which was never given to us by God. Indeed, whence we have the grace to perform the condition, whether from God or ourselves, that is another question ; but a condition there is ; we are only proving the way and order of being instated into the benefits promised, and the necessity that true faith should submit to it. It is true we have the first grace from God ; the conversion of the heart is from God as a free lord ; it is his resolved gift to the elect. But we are speaking now, not of what God does as a free lord, but of a condition stated by our proper and I'ightful sovereign — the giving of the grace whereby we fulfil the condition that belongs wholly to his free dominion ; but appointing the condition, that belongs not wholly to his free dominion, but his being the supreme ruler and governor of the world. Now w-e must take the promise with the terms and con- ditions annexed.
Secondly, That the conditions which God requireth are, partly a belief of the promise, and partly obedience to the command annexed ; as the Israelites were to believe that God would carry them safe and sound to the next shore through the Red Sea as upon firm land ; and therefore, believing this, they were, upon the authority of God's word, to resolve to go down into the great deep, and try what God would do
10 SEEMONS UPON HEBREWS XL [SeR. LXIII.
for them. Their faith was seen in trusting him with the event, with- out any anxiety and trouble of mind ; and their obedience was seen in taking the course and way they were prescribed by God, even through the deep water ; though it was so unlikely a way for their preservation, yet they ventured themselves. So we, that believe in Christ for eternal life, must first believe God's promise, that he will bring us to that blissful estate through the way appointed ; and so we must resolve to take this way, and follow God whithersoever he leads us by his word and Spirit, that we may obtain this happiness. It is a great point, and a part of faith, to believe the promise ; there is very much in that; for though we all desire to be happy, yet this happiness being promised by an invisible God, and lying in an invisible world, it is not easily assented unto ; it is not received with that trust and strength of faith by us while we dwell in flesh, and have a corrupt nature within us, which is importunate to be pleased with present things or carnal vanities, which are nigh at hand, and therefore ready to be enjoyed. Therefore it is a great work of the Lord's grace ' to open our eyes, that we may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,' Eph. i. 18 ; to look to things unseen, which are eternal, and to overlook those that are seen, that are temporal : 2 Cor. iv. 18, ' While we look not at the things which are seen, which are but temporal, but at the things which are not seen, which are eternal.' This is a mighty act of faith. Most men mind earthly things, cannot take heaven for their whole happiness, or the word of God for their great security, for that is only done by a soul that sincerely believes: Ps. cxix. Ill, ' Thy testimonies I have taken as an heritage forever, they are the rejoicing of my soul.' The next part is to resolve to seek this happiness in God's way, to follow it close whatever it cost us, to hold on in our journey, be our way safe or dangerous, rough or pleasant: Phil. iii. 11, ' If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.' A christian must come to this ; whatever way it is that God leads me into by his word and Spirit, so I may attain happiness at last, I will hold on my course. And so it may fall out that we must ' hate our own lives, and forsake all we have,' Luke xiv. 26, 33 ; not as casting it away needlessly and unprofitably, but venturing it for God's sake, running the hazard of life, and leaving all we have, rather than miss of eternal life, and being unfaithful to Christ.