A Pearl in an Oyster Shell, Sermon 3
SERMON III.
HEB. 11. 4.
And by it he, being dead, yet ſpeaketh.
IN the former Chapter the Apoſtle preſſeth the Hebrews to perſeverance in the Faith; and here in this, by a Digreſſion, he demonſtrates the nature of this Grace, from the Effects.
1. You have the Myſteries that it contains.
2. The Hiſtories that hold it forth.
1. The effects that declare the Properties of Faith are three.
1. It begets a ſure and certain Hope of the accompliſhment of Gods Promiſes.v. 1.
1. In the ſubſtance of them: though the thing promiſed have no preſent exiſtence or being, yet Faith makes them obvious and evident to the Believer; for it is the foreign, the ground or confidence by putting that which is hoped for, as if we had it in hand, and things inviſible for ſuch as are conceived by ſenſe.
2. The Effect of Faith is drawn from a demonſtration of the Elders, that by it received an excellent Teſtimonial that they pleaſed God▪ and were bleſſed partakers of the benefits of thev. 2. Meſſias only by believing.
3. A third Fruit of Faith is, that by it we underſtand things incredible to Reaſon as the Creation of the World, whichv. 3. was formed and faſhioned by the Word of God, without appearance of a preexiſting matter; yet hereby having reſpect to Gods Omnipotency, we believe it that ſo it was.
And this is inſtanced and exemplified in the following Cloud of Witneſſes.
1. Of ſuch as lived before. 2. In ſuch as were after the Floud.
The firſt ſort of Witneſſes were, Enoch, Noah, and Abel here in my Text; v. 5.7.who was the Proto-Martyr of the world, as Cain was the firſt Murtherer. Adam indeed ſlew all his Poſterity, in a ſpiritual ſenſe; but Cain his Brother bodily and bloodily: And as Adam the common Parent of mankind, was deceived in the Fruit of Paradiſe: So here he, and eſpecially Eve was in the Fruit of Gen. 4. 1. c. 3. 15.the Promiſe.
For though the name Cain ſignifieth a Poſſeſſion, and notwithſtanding he built a City; yet was he of the wicked One, and was no Heir of that City, whoſe Builder and Maker was God: And his Mother ſenſible of the deception in Gen. 4. 2.the Firſt-born when ſhe brought forth the ſecond Son, gave him a name ſuitable hereunto; for the Word Abel written with the Letter Aleph, imports mourning; but with He, Vanity, one Joſephus Antiq. b. 1. c. 2.humbled in mind, and holding ſuch Poſſeſſions Vanity.
Here then you have two Men the only Heirs of the World offering Sacrifice to God with different Succeſs: For,
1. Abel's Offering was more acceptable than Cain's.
2. The Cauſe of this; not in reſpect of Sacrifice it ſelf or the matter of it; for the Fruit of the ground might have pleaſed God, as well as the Firſtlings of the Flock; but it was Faith that made the difference.
1. God had reſpect to Abels perſon juſtified by Faith, and ſo to his performance Gen. 4. 4.and to his Sacrifice as a Fruit of his Faith; teſtifying of his Gifts, by Levit. 9. 24.ſome token of his favour and confirmation in his Faith, probably by Fire falling Judg. 6. 21.upon the Sacrifice; but he had not ſo to Cains, which was all the ground 1 King. 18. 3.of the grudge he had againſt him.
This Faith of Abels is further illuſtrated:
1. By the Evidence of it; he obtained witneſs that he was righteous.
2. By the recompence of it; he was rewarded and regarded of God by his Faith; the Lord took care of him, avenged Calvin upon the Text.his Death, reputed him among his Saints, whoſe death is precious in his ſight; His Blood cried to God, and Pſal. 72. 14 Gen. 4. 10.the ground that received it, uttered a Voice, and was clamorous againſt the Murderer; foreign, by it he, being dead, yet ſpeaketh; or rather, as the Learned Criticks tranſlate it, is yet ſpoken of, Nempe in Scriptura, ſaith Beza. Where-ever Abels Faith is ſpoken of, whether in the Scripture, or preached of and publiſhed to the world, though ſince he were dead; yet ſtill there ſhall be a memorial of him, as if he were yet alive, as was ſaid of that Woman in the Goſpel by our Lord and Saviour, Where-ever this Goſpel ſhall be preached in the whole world, Mat. 26.13there ſhall alſo this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.
Doct. That the renowned fame of the Saints, who lived by, and died in the Faith, ſhall be recorded as well as recompenced and rewarded after their death.
The righteous ſhall be had in everlaſting Pſal. 112.6remembrance; their good name and renown ſhall not only be laſting when they ſhall be laid aſleep in the duſt, but it ſhall be for an everlaſting remembrance. Wiſe Solomon makes out the proof of this, by Contraries; Contraria juxta ſe poſita magis eluceſcunt: The memory of the juſt is bleſſed, and the Name of the wicked ſhall not.Prov. 10.7.
Abels Sacrifice ſhall have a ſavour of acceptance Maries Ointment ſhall ſmell ſweet in the Noſtrils of God and good Men, and Demetrius ſhall have a John 3.good report of all, and even of the Truth it ſelf. When Cains Murder▪ Judas his monſtrous Treaſon, and Abſoloms Rebellion ſhall be an everlaſting abomination. See for the further opening of the Point.
1. What it is to live by the Faith of Jeſus Chriſt?
2. Who they are that do ſo?
3. How a Believer is ſaid to ſpeak not only living but dead?
4. Why a Saint is ſaid ſo to do?
1. The juſt man is ſaid to live by his Faith.Hab. 2. 4.
Thus the holy Apoſtle Paul, dead by the Law, revived by the Goſpel; from the time of his Converſion to the time of his Diſſolution; whilſt he abode in the body of Fleſh, he lived by the Faith of the Son of God; and being dead, yet Gal. 2. 2.ſpeaketh in the lively Oracles of the Word of Life.
In alluſion to this ſpeech of the Apoſtle; Behold! (ſaith Reverend Dr. Rivet, upon his Death bed) I am dead, I am riſen again; I live no more in my ſelf, but I live in the life of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himſelf for me.
2. To live by Faith is to ſeed upon a Hab. 3. 17.Promiſe, in the failure of outward proviſion, and to draw out from thence ſupports and ſupplies to bear up the ſpirit Heb. 10. 38. 11. 38.of life in a Believer. When there is no viſible appearance in the Creature, no bloſſom on the Fig-tree, nor fruit in the Vine, then Chriſt muſt be the Chriſtians life, breath and bread; he will intereſt himſelf in a Promiſe of the Word, as his preſent portion and proviſion, Heb. 11.39though he have not yet received the things promiſed in hand, but only hath it in hope.
And were we to paſs ſentence who is a rich Man, we would not ſo much look into his Purſe to ſee how much Gold he hath, but into his Cheſt to ſee what Deeds and Indentures, what Bonds and Evidences he hath: So if you would ſee whether you are Rich and Righteous towards God, be ſure ſearch what Promiſes you have treaſured up in your hearts; For as he is a rich Man who is rich in Bonds; ſo the Believer that can plead the Promiſe in prayer and put theſe Bonds in ſute.
3. As the true Believer lives to God, ſo he hath laid up for him a goodly heritage; and though for the preſent he be but as the Heir under age, yet he is Pſal. 16.6. Gal. 4. 1.ſealed with the holy Spirit of Promiſe, which is the Earneſt of the Inheritance Epheſ. 1. 14.until the Redemption of the purchaſed Poſſeſſion. Every Believer is an Heir of God, and a joint-heir with Chriſt, and Rom. 8. 17hath an aſſurance of the heavenly Inheritance here: 1. By Purchaſe. 2. By Promiſe. 3. And in the firſt-fruits of the Spirit, which is a part of the whole, as an Earneſt is a part of payment for the Purchaſe.
3. A Believer is ſaid to ſpeak not only living but dead; 1. By his Blood. 2. By his Example. 3. By his Precept.
1. By his Blood; And in this ſenſe the Blood of Chriſt is ſaid to ſpeak better things than the blood of Abel: it Heb. 12. 24ſpeaks peace, pardon, remiſſion and reconciliation with God; but the Blood Gen. 4. 10.of Abel cries and calleth for puniſhment, revenge and vengeance.
The glorified Saints cannot be ſaid Rev. 6. 10. Rom. 12. 19.thus to ſpeak properly; they ſeek not revenge, but leave it to God, whoſe Prerogative it is; it is meant only of the provocation of their ſuffering.
2. Believers may be ſaid to ſpeak by th…ir Example for the worlds imitation and admonition; not only living but 1 Cor. 10. 6, 11. Jam. 5.10.dead. So the Apoſtle, Take my Brethren the Prophets for an enſample in ſuffering, who have ſpoken to you in the Name of the Lord. The Prophets were now dead. yet they had left ſuch renowned Preſidents and Examples of Patience behind them, that they even ſpeak yet to us by their heroick and impregnable Faith and Fortitude, in bearing injuries, and forbearing enemies, in taking patiently the ſpoiling of their Goods, knowing this, that they had in Heaven a more induring ſubſtance.
3. Believers may be ſaid to ſpeak, not only living and dying, but even when dead, by the lively Precepts they left behind, after they went off the ſtage of this world, and were buried with their Fathers. thus they are ſaid to ſpeak with us at this very day.
Faith hath this mighty force and efficacy in it, that it works wonders Iſa. 26. 19.in Heaven and Earth, and in the Grave; by virtue of it many received Heb. 11. 35.their dead to life again; as the Widow of Sarepta, the Sbunamite, and the Friends of Lazarus. Faith hath a force to remove Mountains, and true juſtifying Faith is not beneath Miracles. Jeſus Chriſt is the Prince and Principle of Life, and his People are the only Heirs together of the Grace of Life, and all 1 Pet. 3. 7.ſuch as believe in him, though they were dead, yet ſhall they live; nay, John 11. 25, 26.they ſhall never die; and if they ſhall never die, they ſhall ever ſpeak; for Life is the Principle of Speech. I ſhall not need to tell you how great things have been done this way by Art, if we might believe what is ſaid in Hiſtory of Mnemons Statue, recorded by Mnemonis Saxea Effigies vocalem ſonum reddit.Tacitus. It is ſufficient what we receive here from the Divine Oracles of the Word. Abel here, though dead ſo many hundred years ago, yet his Faith makes him a ſpeaking Doctor to the Church, even to this day. Learn by his Example how to make all your Perſons, Duties and Services acceptable to God, even by mixing them with Faith in the Blood of Chriſt.
1. Your Prayers will never prevail at the Throne of Grace, if you do Mat. 21. 22.not ask in Faith.
2. You cannot profit by the Word preached, except you mix it with Heb. 4.2.Faith in your hearts.
3. The Sacramen is received without 2 Cor. 13. 5.Faith are unfruitful. Cyprian was uſed to call upon thoſe that went to the Lords Table, Non parare fauces ſed fidem; Not to ſharpen their Teeth, but to quicken their Faith.
Ʋſe 1. It ſerves to ſhew forth the miſerable ſtate of all ſuch who live after the fleſh, and not by the Faith of the Son of God; ſuch indeed are dead whilſt they live, and are deteſtable when dead: they live undeſired, and die unlamented; and as their ſenſual Gen. 16.4.lives did beſpeak them bruitiſh; ſo their death ſhall be abominable, and their Pſal. 9. 6.memorial periſh with them, as that of the Beaſts: and as their life was not worth a prayer, ſo their death ſhall not be worthy of a tear: As was ſaid of Jehoiakim, None ſhall take up a lamentation for them, ſaying, Ah, my Brother, or ah, Jer. 22. 18, 19.my Siſter; ah, Lord, or ah, his Glory; but they ſhall be buried with the burial of an Aſs; and if there be any mention at all made of them, it is in contempt and deteſtation. Lo, this is the man, now the Monſter to be pointed at; once ſo Pſal. 52.4.mighty, now ſo miſerable; that made not God his ſtrength, but truſted in thev. 7. abundance of his riches, and ſtrengthened himſelf in his wickedneſs.
Oh! that ſuch would conſider this, who are ſenſual in their lives, and who feaſt themſelves without fear, and make it their main care to cater for their carkaſſes, or to lay up for themſelves treaſures upon the Earth, and to build ſtately Tombs to be a memorial of them when they are dead. Alas, theſe Sepulchres will be opened, and your rottenneſs will be diſcovered before God, Angels and Men; not ſo much by the ſhew of your Countenances, as by the light of your Conſciences: the guilt of which you will be no more able to abide or avoid, than Cain was the Cry of his brothers Gen. 4.10, 14.blood.
2. As you deſire to leave a renowned Fame behind you in the places where you live, and a ſweet perfume to your Names when you die; live much by Faith in this life. The Lord reckoneth of our life, by our belief; and ſo much we are ſaid to live to God, as we believe in Chriſt, and no more, when we relie upon him in the uſe of lawful means, or in the want of Creature-comforts.Hab. 3.17.
Oh! that the blind and bruitiſh world were convinced once of the truth of this, who are apt to think that they live by their Lands, and by their Labours in their lawful Callings, and will truſt God no further than they have his preſent pawn.
Oh! that the profane and unclean crew who live as they liſt, after their own wills, and ways and works, in the luſts of the fleſh, and in the pleaſures of ſin, would but be perſwaded that they are dead even whiles they live; as the prodigal and her that lived in pleaſure, Luke 15. 24.are ſaid to be.
The debauched Adulterer and your ſwiniſh ſwiller are deceived by Satan, to believe they have the fineſt life of it, becauſe they know no better. Were you but once brought over to Jeſus Chriſt by believing, you would never deſire to turn again to your former vomit. Ah, How could you be without theſe bitter ſweets, that have a ſting in the tail of them!
You that live by your wits, and make no conſcience of cozening and deceit in your Calling, in your buying and ſelling, lending or borrowing; alas, if you were once acquainted what it is to live by Faith, how contentedly would you acquieſce under Gods providential diſpenſations, without murmuring or ſeeking after unlawful means!
A Believer will live upon God when he hath nothing elſe to ſubſiſt by; and believe him upon his bare word of promiſe, without ſight of preſent proviſion. If there be but a little Meal in the Barrel, and a little Oyl in the Cruiſe, when he hath only the gleaning of the Vintage, here and there a Cluſter upon the upeprmoſt boughs or branches; nay▪ when the Figtree bloſſometh not, nor the Vine doth not yield her fruit, and the labour of the Olive fail, &c.
For this Abraham was honoured with God and Man; he for this cauſe was called, The Father of the Faithful. The Gen. 23.Hittites counted him a Prince of God and Jacob likewiſe was one that had princely power with God; and our Saviour Mat. 8. 10.not only admires and wonders at, but even commends the Faith of the Centurion, and that of the Woman o… Canaan; Mat. 15. 28.Oh woman, Great is thy Faith Theſe and many more that's mentioned in the Goſpel, and in particular in thi… Chapter, whence I take my Text, leſ… a good report behind them in that they lived by Faith.
Faith is as a ſweet ſavour that refreſheth the Soul in which it is ſeated, more than Musk or Civet do the ſenſes, amidſt the ſtench of evil courſes and companies: It is as a ſweet ſmell to ſuch as live by it in the midſt of walking dunghils; it chears up the mind in the midſt of diſcouragements, and clears the Conſcience and comforts it; and makes men as merry as the Martyrs were under their Bonds; it even fatteneth the bones: Upon this account Demetrius had a good report of all men, and of the Prov. 15. 30. 3 Joh. 12.Truth it ſelf.
Fabrianus the Martyr ſaid, firſt bitter and then ſweet; firſt battel and then victory; every drop of my blood ſhall preach Chriſt and ſet forth his praiſe.
I know (ſaith Mr. Bilny) by Senſe, and Philoſophy, That Fire is hot and burning, is painful; but by Faith, that it ſhall only waſte the ſtubble of my body, and purge my Spirit of its corruption.
One ſeeing a weak woman go chearfully to priſon, ſaid; Oh you have never taſted the bitterneſs of death: No, (ſaith ſhe) nor never ſhall; For Chriſt bath promiſed, that they that keep his ſayings ſhall never ſee death. A Believer may feel the ſtroke, but not the ſting of death.
Ignatius going to ſuffer Martyrdom, triumphed in this, that his blood ſhould be found among the mighty Worthies; and that the Lord when he maketh inquiſition for blood, will recount from the blood of righteous Abel; not only to the blood of Zacharias, but alſo to the blood of mean Ignatius.
It was a ſweet ſaying of holy Mr. Hall in time of his health; That the ſweet reſcent of a well-ſpent life, would be matter of ſingular comfort, at a dying day.
He would have his Hearers, learn to know, and know to do; do to die, and die to live.
In his ſickneſs, he ſaid, I am now going where I ſhall have reſt from Sin, Satan, and from all fear, wearineſs, watching, and from all the evils and errours of a wicked world; for I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he ſhall ſtand at Job 19. 26.the laſt day upon the earth, &c.
Oh let my life be nothing but prayer and praiſes, ſince God had dealt bountifully with me! and even whiles he was breathing out his laſt breath, he ſpake thus; All the joys of this life are nothing; nothing to the joys that are in Jeſus Chriſt, Come Lord Jeſus.
And though he be now dead, yet he ſpeaks to you, not by his Words, but by his Works; by Precept and by Preſident. Oh labour to lead his life, that you may die his death; for if you tread in the footſteps of his Faith, though death bring your body to Corruption, yet ſhall it never bring your ſouls to Condemnation.
I am now cloſing up the ſecond year of my Miniſtry among you; And Lord, what have I been doing here all this while, that ſo few of this Congregation have been brought from death to life, to embrace Chriſt by Faith, and to lead a holy life, and to live to him? Shall I ſay with the Prophet, I have ſpent my ſtrength in vain, and laboured for a thing of nought? I hope better things of you; and I am perſwaded better of ſome of you, and that I may the better prevail with you to live by Faith, Remember who it is that ſpeaketh to you, viz. one that is eſteemed as dead, And will you not credit ſuch a Witneſs?
It was the requeſt of Dives to Abraham, Luk. 16. 30, 31.that dead Lazarus might be ſent unto his five Brethren; he thought that if one came to them from the dead, they would believe and repent.
Such a ſight or report indeed might work upon the fancy; but it is the Goſpel preached that muſt work upon the affections: For my own part, I do believe the Truth of the Goſpel upon ſurer Grounds and upon better Authority, than if I had received it from one raiſed from the dead.
For ſuch a Teſtimony, if it be only Humane, can beget but a humane Faith; and ſhould it be more than this, we might ſee cauſe to queſtion whether it were Divine or Diabolical; for even Satan can transform himſelf into an Angel of Light. Therefore be building up your ſelves daily in your holy Faith, by Arguments drawn from the Doctrine of your Salvation, that more ſure Word of Propheſie; and ſo your Faith will ſtand not on the Wiſdom of Men, but on the Power of GOD.1 Cor. 2. 5