[2.] The gospel requires such a kind of faith, and therefore we must exercise it. All that will enter into life should hate father and mother, &c., so tar as they may stand in competition with Christ : Luke xiv. 25, * If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife and children, and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple ; ' and ver. 33, ' Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.' He that had found the pearl of great price sold all to buy it. Mat. xiii. 45, 46. He did not only cheapen it, but he did go through with the bargain. Let all go that is inconsistent with your trust and love.
[3.] This is that faith which honours God and Christ in the world, and assures us of salvation : 2 Thes. i. 11, 12, ' We pray that God would fulfil the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him.' Would you honour Christ, and have Christ glorified in you, then you must mind the work of faith. He speaks not of the illicit, but imperative acts of faith. Self-denying obedience is the imperative act of faith : then the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is glorified in you, then you are glorified in him, and then you have the assurance of salvation. A faith that rests in the heart only, and is discovered by no self-denying act, brings Christ no glory in the world, and will bring us little comfort and peace ; but faith which shows itself in acts of love to God and his people, and that with self-denial, is more evident, and doth much honour God in the eyes of the world. When we are willing to do and suffer so much for him, this brings ns comfort, and doth show this faith is real, that we are true to God, whom we own and acknowledge.
Use. The use is to press you to see whether you live by this ancient faith.
1. It is not a bare assent to the report of God's love in Christ. Many may think it true that Christ died and rose again, that yet feel no force of it upon their souls. Surely a dead opinion is not that lively faith that enableth the people of God to do such great things for him. The devil knows there is a God and Christ, — will you put your salvation
40 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeR. LXV.
upon this ? No ; ' Faith without works is dead,' James ii. 20. If you do not feel the force of it upon your hearts, to make you deny your- selves, and give up all your interest for God, and run all hazards for him and his people, you do not truly believe.
2. It is not a bare confession, nor a loose owning the name of Christ. Kahab made a confession, but rests not there. So, many own him as the God of the country, and cry up his name, but neglect his office ; as the Jews made much ado with the names of Abraham and Moses, but they were of a quite different spirit ; they did neither do the works of Abraham: John viii. 39, 'If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham ; ' nor hearken to the words of Moses : John v. 46, ' Had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me.' So you believe there is a Christ, and own him ; but if you be christians, you would do w^orks becoming christians.
3. It is not a confidence in God's mercy ; that is not enough, if we will do nothing for him. For faith is such a trusting in God, through Christ, for eternal life, that we are willing to forsake all rather than be unfaithful to him ; and we care not what we lose, and what hazard we run, so that we may have a portion among God's people, and ob- tain the heavenly inheritance. When the apostle distinguisheth the true believers from the false, what saith he ? Heb. x. 39, 'We are not of them that draw back to perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.' There are some that believe, yet will save the flesh ; but others that wall save the soul, though their interests in the flesh be hazarded. Now, the apostle shows there that there are some will purchase the saving of their soul with the loss of other things. God tries us in some necessary part of confession, which may expose us to loss, shame, and hazard in the world ; now, if we will not spare the flesh, but save the soul, this is to cleave to him.
4. Nothing then remains to justify our faith but such an acknow- ledging of the true God as causes us to confess his name and to pre- fer his interest before our own, and so to be willing to endure anything for his sake, and be ready upon this faith to show all self-denying acts of obedience ; to part with what we have for the relief of others and the advancement of religion, when we cannot keep it without betray- ing religion. Alas! that religion which costs nothing is worth no- thing ; it is idle, empty, and foolish ; that, when you come to die, will bring terror, and never yield solid peace.