Fourthly, To do this we have means in the eye of sense very weak, whatever they are in the eye of faith. Our means are to appearance weak ; like those in the text, they carried about the ark of the cove- nant, and made a blast with rams' horns. The preaching of the gospel, the prayers of the church, the faith and holy conversation of believers, and the patience of the saints, these are the means — by these and such like is the kingdom of sin, Satan, and antichrist demolished, and Christ's kingdom is set up in the world. These means are proper to the Mediator's dispensation, whose kingdom 'comes not with observa- tion,' Luke xvii. 10. But his kingdom is not carried on in a way of external pomp, but by internal power and virtue. The word ])reached is one means, as the apostle tells us that by the preaching of the cross he was the great solicitor to proselyte, gain, and recover the world :
24 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. LXIV.
1 Cor. i. 18, ' The preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolish- ness, hut unto us which are saved it is the power of God.' Use this means, and see what it will do. So the prayers of the church ; for Christ taught us to pray, ' Thy kingdom come.' Acts iv. 24, ' And when they heard that, they lift up their voice with one accord ; ' ver. 31, ' And when they had prayed, the place was shaken, where they were assembled together, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.' So also the holy conversation of believers : Mat. v. 16, ' Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father that is in heaven ; ' 1 Peter ii. 12, ' Having your conversation honest among the gentiles ; that whereas they spake against you as evil-doers, they may, by your good works which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visita- tion;' 1 Peter iii. 1, ' If any obey not the word, they may without the word be won by the conversation of their wives.' This overcomes prejudice, and endeareth and reconciles religion, and represents the goodness of it to the consciences of men. Another means is by meek and humble sufferings: Rev. xii. 11, ' And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony : and they loved not their lives unto the death.' These were the means by which they got the victory over the pagan world. Thus is the opposition made by the kingdom of darkness against the kingdom of Christ borne down and demolished, and these strongholds brought to nought.
Fifthly, Though the means be weak, yet our faith must be strong ; for there are mighty props to bear us up, — viz., the decree and de- signation of God, seconded with his mighty power, the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and the promise and power of the Holy Ghost.
1. The decree and designation of God, seconded with his mighty power. The decree of God : Ps. ii. 6, ' Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Sion ; ' that is, appointed Christ to rule over the nations ; and they that set themselves against God's decree, they do but imagine a vain thing, ver. 1. Now this is a mighty encouragement to all those that seek in their place to remove the corruptions whereby Christ's interest is obstructed and interrupted in the world, that they act with God, and seek to advance that which his decree hath established and his heart is set upon. The other branch is, that this purpose of God is backed with his almighty power, which can easily remove all im- pediments ; and wlien he will take to himself and put forth his great power, opposition gives way of itself. So the scripture speaks : Ps. cxiv. 3, ' The sea saw it, and fled ; Jordan was driven back.' He alludes to the drying up of the sea and the water of Jordan to give his people passage ; and when God puts forth his power, no opposition can hinder nor impediment stand in the way. Acts xii. 7, Peter's chains fell off from his hands when the angel bid him arise, and the iron gate opened on its own accord ; so here the walls of Jericho fell down. We expect not miracles, yet still there are acts of wonderful power for the preserving and advancing of Cln-ist's interest in the world, and when the season is come, opposition shall give way of itself.
2. You have the merit and intercession of Christ, the merit of his humiliation here upon earth, and the power of his intercession in
VeR. 30.] SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. 25.
heaven. His merit on earth, for one end for which the blood of Christ was shed was to promote the interest of his kingdom, and to fetch men off from their inveterate prejudices and superstitions ; and therefore the apostle saith, 1 Peter i. I'S, 19, ' You are redeemed not with cor- ruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of the Son of God,' &c. How shall we bring men off from their opposition which is confirmed in them, and hath been the religion of their fathers and grandfathers for many generations ? Oh ! see what the blood of Christ can do ; it hath a mighty virtue in it to take off this opposition. And so his intercession in heaven : Ps. ex. 1, ' The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.' Christ is at the right hand of God, and there he is to sit till all opposition be destroyed, which is a mighty encouragement to all that are factors and agents for his kingdom here below. He is at God's right hand, pleading for them before God the Father : John xvii. 10, ' All mine are thine, and thine are mine, and I am glorified in them.' They are those that take his part in the world ; and he is their advocate and intercessor at God's right hand, to prosper their endeavours, to pardon their failings, to remove impediments that lie in their way, — there he is pleading with God.