IV. How shall we bring our hearts into such a frame?
1. Engage in no business but what you have Christ's warrant for, for truth and duty to him : Heb. xii. 4, ' Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.' We must be sure it is sin we strive against, for we cannot expect God's blessing upon our private quarrels, or that he should be the patron of our faction, and lacquey upon our humours. When conscience is clear, we may comfort ourselves in all the opposition we meet wuth. When there is no medium between sin and suffering, then we ought to bear up w^ith courage and cheerfulness^ as the only and best course for us, and that which God calleth us to : 1 Peter iii. 17, ' For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suff'er for well-doing, than for ill-doing;' again, 1 Peter iv. 15, 'Let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evil-doer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.' Conflicts with the world, and suf- ferings, are not to be taken up lightly or rashly. We are accountable to God for our temporal interests and opportunities of service; but when the cause is clear, then cheerfully lay down all at Christ's feet;
120 THE LIFE OF FAITH.
not upon other men's humours and fancies, nor pre-engagemeuts of our own: 1 Peter ii. 19, 20, ' For this is thank- worthj^, if a man for con- science towards God, endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye are buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, Avhen ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.'
2. Consider, he is able to bear you out, and will do so, whilst he hath a mind to use you for his glory. For what cannot the Son of God do? Fears in Christ's company argue little faith. When they embarked with him in the same vessel : Mat. viii. 23, 26, ' Why are ye so fearful, O ye of little faith ? ' So when engaged with Christ in the same cause, Avhy should we per})lex ourselves with vain fears ? It is said, Heb. xi. 27, ' By faith Moses forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible.' Pharaoh was incensed against him, a potentate of mighty power, yet Moses had his call, his supplies and helps, though invisible to others. All the power in the world is nothing to this, and it was by faith, and you see there how his faith wrought. Therefore we should fortify our- selves against the greatest and most enraged adversaries.
3. You can suffer no loss by Christ. Why hath he made such great promises to you ? We think much of our petty interests : Mat. xix. 27, ' Behold we have forsaken all, and followed thee ; what shall we have therefore ? ' A great all : what had Peter to forsake ? — a small cottage, a net, a fishing boat ; and yet, ■' What shall we have ? ' You need not seek another paymaster — kv TraXLvyevecria, in the great regeneration, you shall receive an hundred-fold, Mark x. 29, 30. You shall be recompensed abundantly in kind or in value.
4. Temptations from the world should the less prevail with us, because it is the whole drift of religion to call us off from the world ; so that if we be baptized into the spirit of our religion, we should be quite of another temper, not apt to be wrought upon by temptations of this kind. Do we profess to believe in our crucified Lord ? and what is the great effect his death hath upon us ? Gal i. 4, ' He gave inmself, that he might deliver us from the present evil world.' Who have interest in him? 'They that are Christ's, have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof,' Gal. v. 24. He doth not say they are Christ's that believe he was crucified, or that he died for sinners, but they that feel the power and efficacy of his death in mortifying their sins. What ! a christian, and so worldly ? a christian, and so vain and frothy ? It is a contradiction. You that are carried out after the pomp and vanities of the world, do you believe in Christ, whose kingdom is not of this world ? False christians are branded : 1 John iv. 5, ' They are of the world, and speak of the woi-ld, and the world heareth them ; ' they are engulfed in the world, and they would fain draw others to be as bad as themselves.
5. Consider Christ's example : Heb. xii. 3, ' Consider him that endured such contradictions of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied, and faint in your minds.' Christ himself was exercised, his religion was counted an imposture, his doctrine blasphemy, his miracles questioned as a cheat, and yet he endured this without fainting ; sa should we. Weariness is a less, and fainting an higher degree of defi-
THE LIFE OF FAITH. ]21
ciency. The devil's design is to weavy and tire ns out in God's service ; bat let me persuade you to be dead to the world and the delights of the world. To the world : have 3^ou lost your credit for Christ in the world ? remember that Christ made himself of no reputation. Are you driven from your habitations ? Christ had not a place where to lay his head. Are you reduced to great straits in the world ? Christ was hungry and thirsty. Are you forced to live upon ordinary fare '^ Christ was conteuted,, and blessed God for a few barley loaves, and two fishes. And then, to the delights of the world : whatsoever this world afi'ordetli, must be left on this side the grave ; ]wmp, honour, pleasure, estates, must be left behind us: Job i. 22, 'Xaked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked must I return again.' Here we bustle for rank and greatness, and death endeth the quarrel. Open the grave, and tbou canst not discern between the rich and the ])oor, the king and the peasant. Skulls wear no wreaths and marks of honour in the grave ; all are alike obnoxious to stench and rottenness.