(4.) Fourthly, So for disgraces. Commit we our credits to him as our lives — he cares for both — remembering what Peter speaks, ' If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye ; for the Spirit of glory
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and of God resteth upon jou : on their part ho is evil spoken of, hut on your part ho is r;loriliod,' 1 Peter iv. 14. He means such a Spirit shall rest on us, which shall make us glorious. So Heh. xii. 2, ' Wc arc there- fore in sulleriiigs pointed unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the glory which was set hefore him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.' This suffering hiuders our happiness ; look to him, he is now set in glory, so shall we he. It is not in man's power to alter men's conceits. God hath this in his power, when he will heap honour, or pour disgrace upon any man. Therefore let us look up and desire no more good name thau God will afford us. If dogs bark, no matter ; at length God will clear our name, and our righteousness shall break forth as the noonday. Thus much tho church assures herself of, Micah vii. 8, ' Rejoice not against me, 0 mine enemy : though I fall, I shall rise again.' As tliough she should say, God's servants are never finally forsaken. A time will come when God will do me good for all this, when I am humbled and have made a right use of it. That we may do this, think God in Christ hath given me the pardon of sin ; what matter then of all other things which cannot hurt me, and shall all work together for my good '? David, we know, Ps. vi. 8, began to com- plain gi-ievously in this kind ; but afterwards, ver. 8, when the Lord had spoken peace to his soul in the life of faith in justification and sanctifica- tion, then he says, ' Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity, for the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping.' Then he despises the shame.
(5.) Fifthly, In our j'tarticular places and r/races. Thus must we here live by faith also ; for a Christian knows that he stands as in a circle set there by Christ to work. Therefore faith concludes, Here look I for under- standing, wisdom, success, blessing, and ability to go through-stitch (a) with the business I am set about. He that set me here will enable me, and if I have ill sucess, then I will go to Christ, and I shall speed well with his assistance, as Peter did, who, though he had toiled all night and catched nothing, yet at length, at Christ's command, casting forth his net, catched abundantly, Luke v. 5. So there may be many who take much care and toil for heaven, to subdue and overcome corruptions, and yet catch nothing ; find no answerable success. Oh let them go to Christ, and trust him as Peter did, and they shall overcome so at length, as all shall be well. So if magistrates, ministers, and people would trust God for strength more than they do, things would be better than they are with them, as we see the instance in Moses, who being commanded to go to Pharaoh, complained for want of utterance. But what saith God to him ? ' "Who hath made man's mouth ? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind ? have not I the Lord ?' Exod. iv. 11. Therefore in all such wants, faith goes unto him for it. The like, we read, was Christ's encouragement to his disciples, Luke xxi. 15, ' Settle it thei-efore in your hearts, not to meditate before what you shall answer, for I will give thee a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.' This was made good also in the bypast troubles of the church, when poor silly women put to silence with their answers great learned men.
Now faith sees what Moses did, Heb. xi. 24. It looks up to Christ, to him who is invisible. It is with faith in this case, as it was with Micaiah, 1 Kings xxii. 19, when he had seen the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand. Then Ahab, a king on earth, was nothing unto him when he had seen the King of heaven in his glory. So we by faith seeing Christ, heaven and glory over our head,
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caring for his cliurch, standing at the right hand of God, by assistance of his Spirit, this will put invincible courage in us.
(6.) Sixthly, For provision and jjroiection. Faith goes to Christ, hangs and depends upon him for all these things. Faith knows that it hath encouragements, promises, and examples enough to strengthen our de- pendence on him, as to name one : Luke xii. 32, ' Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's will to give you a kingdom.' Hence the believing Boul argues from the lesser to the greater. What ! will God deny me daily bread, that will give me heaven, and raise me up to life everlasting ? and so it cites and revolves the promises often, that a little which the righteous hath is better than the abundance of the wicked ; for he adds no sorrow with it ; that a little with love is better than a stalled ox with con- tention, Prov. XV. 17. Yea, and in this case by faith we know that the saints, in extremity, shall be extraordinarily provided for. Sometimes he will bless a little, as the seven loaves and live fishes multiplied suddenly to feed five thousand people. They were in great want before, and were suddenly supplied. So it shall be with us. Sometimes we know the woman's oil increased ; the ravens also in distress shall feed Elias ; Lazarus shall have the dogs to lick his sores. In the use of the means we need not fear, and wanting means God will create means when all doth fail ; for then faith lives best, knowing that God commands all means, and can suddenly do what he will.