[5.] The work of faith is to ' breed joy ' in the hopes of this blessed- ness, and those tastes that we have of it. The apostle saith^ Heb. iii. 6, we are Christ's, ' if we hold fast the confidence, and the rejoicing of hope firm unto the end.' When we first believe in Christ, Ave do by hope take hold of the promised glory, and find a great deal of comfort and sweet encouragement therein. Now as this delight abateth in you, so doth the spiritual life. As in the outward life taste decayeth and is lost, so the animal life decays, and languishing and death come on. It was a comfortable thing to be working for heaven at first, it should be so still ; therefore keep up the rejoicing of your hope. It should do our hearts good, and make them leap within us for joy, every time we think what God hath provided for us in Christ. If worldly men cannot think of a little pelf, or any petty interest in the world without comfort, shall we think of the promises, and not be affected with them ? Carnal men indeed, who have no spiritual appetite and savour, whose joy is intercepted and prepossessed by the vanities of the world, and delights of the flesh, the promises are as dry chips and withered flowers to them ; but our hearts should leap for joy, because 'great is our reward in heaven,' Luke vi. 23. What ! do we look for such great things, and no more rejoice in the Lord ?
VOL. XV. F
82 tiil; i.iFK OF faith.
[6.] All this tlmt fMitli doth is to be improved, to encourage us iii a way of iioliness, aud to overcome the world.
(1.) To encourage and quicken us in the way of holine^^s. Hope jsets all the wheels a-going: Phil. iii. 14, ' I press towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Jcsus Christ.' We have no reason to begrudge God's service when we consider what wages he giveth. Certainly we do but talk of eternal life, we do not believe it, it we do no more in order thereunto. What labour and hazards do men expose themselves unto to be built one story higher in the world. Now .saith the apostle, 2 Cor.'v. 9, 'Wherefore we labour, '&c. — (pb\oTi[xov[jieda, we have an ambition to, — ' tiiat whether present or al)sent, we may be accepted of him.' Surely did we believe things to come, our industry, and care, and thoughts, would be laid out more upon them. A man that spendeth all his time and care in i-epairing the house where he dwelleth for the ])resent, but speaketh not of another house, nor sendeth any of his furniture thither, will you say such a man hath a mind or a thought to remove ? A man that spendeth the strength of his cares on worldly things, surely he doth not believe eternity ! We work as we believe ; if indeed we are persuaded of such an estate, why <lo we no more prepare for it ?
(2.) To overcome the world. The world is the great let and hind- rance to the keeping of the commandments, and the victory that we have over the world is by faith, 1 John v. 4; even that faith which doth counterbalance things tempoi'al with things eternal.
1. Tins giveth us victory over the afflictions and troubles that we meet with in the world ; these are bitter to sense. Nature and grace teach us to have a feeling of our interests, and to be affected with God's piovidt;nce when he maketli a breach upon them. We must neither slight the hand of God, nor faint under it: Heb. xii. 5, ' My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him.' There are extremes on both hands ; when our Father is angry, we ought to lay it to heart, and to humble ourselves under his mighty hand ; and yet we must not be like men without hope, altogether broken with difficulties. Now what kee))eth us from faint- ing, which is the other extreme ? 2 Cor. iv. 18, ' While we look, not to the things which are seen, but to the things which are not seen ; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not «een are eternal.' This must bear up our hearts against all sorrows : Heb. X. 34, ' Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that you have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.' Our happiness is not gone, and therefore we may bear it, not only patiently, but joyfully against all fears: Luke xii. 32, 'Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's pleasure to give you the kingdom.' We must look for hardships here in the world, but all will be made up when we get home to God. And therefore bear up with a generous confidence ; if God will whip us forward, that we may mend our pace to heaven, in the issue we shall have no cause to comj)lain ; if we have an anchor that 'entereth into that which is within the veil,' Heb, vi. 19, this should keep us from being tossed and shaken, at least from being overwhelmed with the miseries of the present life. Nature will work, and have a feeling of these things, but grace must support us.