UNDER REPROACHES AND PERSECUTIONS. 503
they looked on the fiery furnace on the one hand, and the fiery coun- tenance of terrible majesty on the other. " Know, that God," say they, " whom we serve, is able to deliver us out of thy hand; but if not, — if God will not give us this present deliverance, be it known unto thee, 0 king, we will not serve thy gods, nor worship thy golden image/' verses 17, 18. Faith will give us the same composure ot spirit, and the same resolution; and with these things should we relieve ourselves under the worst that can befall us.
(3.) Faith, in such a case and condition, will bring to mind, and make effectual upon our souls, the examples of them that have gone before us in giving the same testimony that we do, and in the suffer- ings that they underwent upon that account. When the apostle had told the believing Hebrews, that through all their trials, tribulations, and sufferings, they must live by faith, Heb. x., " What encourage- ment," might they say, " shall we receive by faith?" Why, saith he, " Faith will bring to mind all the examples of them that have gone before you, that have suffered, and been afflicted, and distressed as you now are ;" — which account takes up the whole 1 1th chapter, and a good part of the beginning of the 1 2th. It is a great thing when faith revives an example. Let us, then, by faith, carry in our minds the examples that are recorded in the Scripture. There is the example of Moses, the apostle gives it us; and it is an eminent instance: "He chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season ; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt." He, by the dark promise he had to live upon, endured the reproach of Christ. My brethren, take the prophets for an example of them that have suffered ; and consider how the apostles have gone before us: but do not stop at them', for there is a greater than Moses, and the prophets, and apostles, — greater than even a cloud of witnesses; and that is no less a person than the Lord Jesus Christ. Heb. xii. 2, " Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame." He underwent the contradiction of sinners against himself, " and is now set down at the right hand of God." Faith, calling to mind these great examples, would give us great support under all the trials we may be brought unto, and con- flict with. Whither are we going? what do we hope for? We would be where Moses is, and where the prophets are ; but how got they thither? They did not get thither through the increase of riches, and multiplying to themselves lordships in the world; but by suffer- ings and the cross. Through many tribulations they entered into the kingdom of heaven.
(4.) Faith will receive in the supplies that Christ hath laid up for his people, in such a season. Christ hath made peculiar provi-
50 4 THE USE OF FAITH, ETC.
sion for suffering saints. And it consists in two things: — First, In his special presence with them. He will be with them in the fire, and in the water. Secondly, In the communication of the sense of God's love unto them. Their " tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope ; and then the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given to us/' Rom. v. 3-5. Faith will bring all these things into the soul. But your minds must be spiritual, or you cannot put forth one act of faith for the bringing in this special provision that is laid up for suffering saints ; — and very few attain this spiritual frame, where faith fetches in these spiritual consolations Christ hath prepared for such souls. This is one way whereby we may live by faith in such a season. Search, therefore, and make inquiry in your entrance into troubles, what sense faith gives you of the love of God, to carry you through these difficulties.
(5.) It is faith alone that can relieve us with respect unto the re- compense of reward. Moses " suffered affliction with the people of God; for he had respect to the recompense of reward," Heb. xi. 25, 26. The light and momentary affliction which we undergo in this world, " worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory," 2 Cor. iv. 17. Who knows, but in a few days some of us may be taken into that incomprehensible glory, where we shall eternally ad- mire that ever we did put any manner of weight on things here below? Faith will fix your eye on the eternal recompense of reward. We have, indeed, a faith now at work, that fixes the minds of men upon this and that way of deliverance, and this and that strange accident; but we shall find that true faith will burn up all this as stubble.
(6.) And lastly, faith will ivork by patience. The apostle tells us " we have need of patience, that, after we have done the will of God, we might receive the promise;" and we are to be " followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises," Heb. x. 36, vi. 12.