134 SERMONS UPON 2 THESSALONIANS I. :{.
docst et suppeditat omnia quce necessaria sunt, tarn ad hanc viiam, tarn ad futuram — I indented with the Lord my God that he would never send me dreams and visions ; I am well contented with the gift of the scriptures.
2. When the word is matter of joy and firm confidence to us before there is any appearance of performance. This in two cases —
[1.] In case of delay, when it is long ere God appeareth, and faith doth not require the existence and pre-essence of the thing believed, only the promise of it. Therefore though the promise be delayed, it eyeth the blessing at a distance : Heb. xi. 13, ' These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, were persuaded of them, and embraced them.' Abraham was one of them : John viii. 56, ' Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad.' And we, if we would be strong believers, must do likewise : Heb. vi. 12, ' Be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.' A christian is not to be valued by his enjoyments, but his hopes ; heaven is all performance. Here he dealeth with us by promises, but you will find his payment sure, and that God in effect is better than all his promises ; for they cannot signify and convey the full sense of all that God meaueth to bestow. Therefore we must wait, whether the promise be to be ful- filled in this life or the life to come ; let us dig the pit, and tarry till God fill it with rain from heaven.
[2.] In case of difficulties, wants, distresses, the naked promise must be ground of hope and comfort to you ; though it seem to be contra- dicted in the course of God's providence, when it is neither performed nor likely to be performed, you are to go by his word whatever his dispensation be : Eom. iv. 18, ' Abraham against hope believed in hope ; ' and David saith, Ps. Ivi. 4, ' In God will I praise his word, in God I have put my trust ; I will not fear what man can do unto me.' So ver. 10, ' In God will I praise his word, in the Lord will I praise his word.' The best holdfast faith can have on God is to take him by his word ; though he withholdeth comfort and deliverance from us, yet we may praise him as long as we have his word. His dispensation giveth no satisfaction, yet the soul can find rest and contentment in his word. Well, then, if the word be an impregnable bulwark against all fears and dangers, and comfort against all wants and distresses, your faith is grown ; for the more simply our dependence is upon the word of God, without sensible encouragements, the stronger is our faith.
3. When all the trust we have in God concerning the comforts we expect by the way is still referred to the great blessing of eternal life. AVe are to trust God by the way for our protection and defence, as well as for the reward at the end of the journey ; by swimming in the shallow brooks we learn to venture in the great ocean, but still in sub- ordination to the main blessing. This is the great comfort : Luke xii. 32, ' Fear not, little flock ; it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.' And our faith in the word tendeth to this : Kom. XY. 4, ' Whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.' Therefore strength of faith is hereby determined.
SERMONS UPON 2 THESSALONIANS I. 3. 135
4. Because the word is not only our charter, but our rule. The strength of faith is known by this. If we value the word of God as it maketh us wise unto salvation, therefore we delight in the plain word without the ornaments of wit, as painting in glass windows hindereth the light. Everything communicateth to its own nature ; heat causeth heat, cold causeth cold. Ministers speak as the oracles of God, and so the people receive.
SERMON V.
Your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every 07ie of you all toiuards each other aboundeth. — 2 Thes. i. 3.
We come to the fifth property of faith, which is an high value and esteem of Jesus Christ. I mention this —
1. Because faith in the new covenant mainly and distinctly respects Christ: Acts xx. 21, 'Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the gentiles, repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ.' Why repent<ince respects God I showed you lately, because from God we fell, and to God we return. We fell from him as we withdrew our allegiance and sought our happiness elsewhere ; we return to him as to our rightful Lord and proper happiness. But faith respects the Mediator, who is the only remedy of our misery, and the means of eternal blessedness. He opened the way to God by his merit and satisfaction, and actually bringeth us into this way by his renewing and reconciling grace, that we may be in a capacity to please and enjoy God, and that is the reason why faith in Christis so much insisted on, as it begets a title to the blessings of the new covenant. It hath a special aptitude and fitness for this work of our recovery from sin to, God, partly because a guilty conscience is not easily settled, and brought to look for all kind of happiness from one whom we have so much wronged. Adam, when once a sinner, was shy of God, Gen. iii. 10. Guilt is suspicious, and maketh us hang off from God, Ps. xxxii. 13 ; and if we have not one to lead us by the hand, and bring us to God, we cannot abide his presence.