Sarah's Faith

_VERSE 11._By faith, even Sarah also received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child, when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

Next to Abraham, who is called the father of our faith, or of faithful men, follows Sarah, who was also mystically the mother of believers: next to the husband follows the wife: nay Abraham's faith is commended, both before her, and after her; and hers enclosed in the midst.

By the way, here observe how God honors holy marriage, and observes the decorum, and dignity of it: He not only allows, or commends the faith of Abel, who it may be was unmarried; but as we see, of married men also. And it is worthy our observation, that of all these whom the Holy Ghost here records for their faith and holiness, they were all married, except Abel; of whom, it is not certain whether he was, or no.

It appears therefore, that God, as he ordained holy marriage; so he always honored it, both with his grace on earth, and his glory in heaven; as well, if not better, than any other state of life. They therefore do spit in the face of God himself, who any way disgrace it; and they especially, who allow fornication, or adultery, in any sort of men, rather than it, as some Papists do. But here we may observe further, how God maintains the dignity & decorum of it: he places Abraham and Sarah together, and puts none between them, to show the inseparable unity, that is to be between them; so far, as that even in story, they are to be set together: and how heinous their presumption is, that dare any way attempt to separate or part that unity.

He places Abraham first, to show the dignity and preeminence of the man, whom, for her sin, God has set over her; not only for her head, but for her guide & governor: and to teach the man, that he, and his example should be first, and should be a light unto her; to shame them who come behind their wives in faith and holiness. He places Abraham both before and after her, and her in the midst; to teach her, that her glory and honor, every way, is in the virtue and worthiness of her husband; her head under God: who is to go before her, to give her good example, and to come after, to oversee her courses; and on all sides, to be a shelter and defense unto her.

These things may not unfitly be noted in this connection: Now let us come to the words, wherein are these points; 1. Who believed: Even Sarah. 2. What she believed: God's promise to bear Isaac. 3. The impediments of that faith: which were two. 1. Her age. 2. Her barrenness. 4. The effects of this her faith: which were three. 1. Thereby she conceived seed. 2. Brought forth Isaac. 3. Had a great issue and posterity by him. 5. The ground of her faith: she judged him faithful who had promised.

All these are laid down in this verse, or the next.

The first point is, the person, of whom this story is: Sarah, a woman; even she believed. We have heard some examples of notable men: but behold here, a woman chronicled for her faith, and holy obedience, as well as men.

Where we learn, that saving faith, and consequently salvation itself, is not proper to one sex but to both; man & woman. The woman indeed was the first that brought in sin; and being deceived herself by the devil, she deceived man. In which sense the Apostle says, 1 Timothy 2:14, The man was not deceived, but the woman; and she was in the transgression. And for that cause, grievous calamities, and much bitterness, was laid upon that sex, in bearing, and bringing up children, and in subjection. In which regards, they might think themselves forsaken of God, for their fault. For the preventing whereof, the Apostle here, or rather the Holy Ghost by him teaches us, that true faith and salvation by the Messiah, belongs to Sarah, as well as Abraham; to women as well as to men. And Saint Peter also most plainly (1 Peter 3:7) teaches us, that they are heirs together with their husbands, of the grace of life.

The use whereof, as it discovers the monstrous and unnatural madness of some men, who have called into question the possibility of their salvation; yea some, whether they have souls, or no: so it gives encouragement to women, to serve that God in zeal and sincerity, who has been so merciful unto their sin; and who, though he has subjected them in body unto their husbands, yet has made their souls partakers with them, of the same hope of immortal life.

Yet withal, we may observe, how few the Holy Ghost here records; namely, but one or two women, amongst many men. For so it has been in all ages, those that have been good, were excellent; but they were few in comparison of men: which, as it is the more commendation to them that are good, so it must stir up all women professing religion, to labor in the imitation of the faith of their grandmother Sarah; that so they may be some of those few.

But let us enter into further, and more particular consideration, who this Sarah was; especially seeing she is the only woman of the Jews' nation, whose faith is here remembered.

She was the wife of Abraham, the grand Patriarch of the Age between the Flood, and the giving of the Law. And of her we read this story, amongst others, Genesis 18:13; God by his Angel appearing to her husband and her, made a promise, that within the year they should have a son; both heard it, and both laughed to hear it: Abraham in joy and admiration, and therefore was not reproved; she in doubtfulness, and a conceit of almost impossibility, and was for it sharply reproved of the Angel. Yet behold, this Sarah, that even now laughed to hear such a promise, as being a fond conceit, and mere impossible; yet afterward believes, and in so good a measure, as her faith is here registered to all posterities.

In her example, we may learn a good lesson. It was a bad thing in Sarah, to laugh at God's word, though it seemed never so high above her conceit: But it was good & commendable, that she corrects her fault, and testifies her amendment, by believing. We all follow Sarah's fault; but few, her repentance. Many in our Church are mockers of our religion, and of the Ministers, and professors thereof: and all religion that stands not with their humors, is no more regarded of them, than toys, or devices; and they are counted fools, or hypocrites that think otherwise. But alas, these men know not how vile a sin they commit, while they laugh at God's word. For, if her fault was such, who laughed at that, that seemed to her almost impossible, and yet without any profaneness; what shall become of them, that out of their carnality, and fleshly profaneness do make but a sport at all God's ordinances, promises, and commandments; and at all religion, more than serves their own turn? Let such men be warned, to cease mocking, and lay aside reviling of others, and begin in soberly and seriously to believe: else they will find it sharp kicking against the pricks, and dangerous playing with edge-tools.

Furthermore, Sarah that laughed in doubting, yet (withal) believes. This teaches us, that true faith is joined always with doubting in all God's children. If any object, that follows not here: for, she first doubted, and then believed; when she doubted, she believed not, and when she believed, she doubted not;

I answer: It is not so, but the contrary, as I will prove. For, Sarah was no Infidel, utterly to deny and gainsay God's word, when she heard it: but only finding it in all reason, impossible, she therefore presently yielded not to it, but laughed at it as a matter past ordinary course, yet withal she regarded who spoke it: namely God, and therefore forthwith, judged it possible with God, though impossible in reason, and so at last constantly believed it, yet still her reason gainsaying it: so that she never doubted so, but that she in some part believed it. And when she believed it most steadfastly, yet she something doubted of it: reason said it could not be, faith said it might be. Therefore as when reason overruling, yet she had some sparks of faith: So, when her faith was predominant, there remained some relics of doubting: for, as reason cannot overthrow true faith; so the best faith in this world, cannot fully vanquish reason.

This is the doctrine of God's word, Mark 9:24. Jesus bidding the father of the child possessed, to believe, and then his child should be dispossessed: he answered, crying with tears, Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief. There is faith and unbelief in one soul at one time, in one action, upon one object: and what is unbelief, but doubting or worse?

And Christ often reproves his Disciples, for their doubting, and calls them O you of little faith; and yet all know that that they then had true faith: yea, Saint Peter himself, most famous for his faith, is reproved in the same words: O you of little faith, wherefore did you doubt? He had a little faith, therefore some faith: a little faith, therefore much doubting, therefore it is apparent, a man may have in his soul at once, both faith and doubting: yea, commonly we have a grain of mustard seed or a mite of faith, and a mountain of doubting.

The use of this doctrine: First, discovers the nakedness of many professing themselves Christians, who care not how they live, yet say they believe in Christ, and look to be saved by him. Ask how they know it: they answer, they know no other: Ask when they began: they say, they did ever so. Ask if they doubt; they answer, they would be ashamed so to do. But alas, here is nothing but ignorance and presumption. Our religion can never be disgraced by such men; for they have it not, they know it not: for, if they did, they would shame to answer so. These men have no faith at all: for, where it is, doubting does always show itself. And he that knows he believes, knows also he doubts: and the more he believes, the more he knows and feels his doubting: for, where these two are, they are always opposite, and show their contrary natures: the one is the spirit, the other is flesh and corruption. And these, says the Apostle, do lust one against another, Galatians 5:17. He therefore that thinks he is wholly spirit, and has no flesh or corruption in him, is nothing but corruption: and he that imagines, he has perfect faith, and no doubting, has no faith at all in him, but carnal presumption.

Secondly, here is comfort to all such as have faith & grace, and yet are daily troubled with temptations: let not such be dismayed, though they find in themselves much doubting and diffidence. For Sarah believed, and yet she doubted: yea, notwithstanding all her doubting, she believed so excellently, as her faith is here made a pattern, to all holy Matrons for ever. He therefore that is even buffeted by Satan, with temptations of doubting, let not him be dismayed, as though he had no faith: but let him be assured, his doubting does not betray itself, but that faith makes the opposition; and therefore let him strive with tears and prayers to God, and say, Lord I believe, help thou my unbelief.

Thus we see the person who: Sarah: but what is the action which she did? It is implied in these words: Through faith Sarah, etc.

Her action is, she believed. This virtue of faith, and this action of believing, is the matter of all this chapter. These holy men and women had other holy virtues: but their faith is that alone, which is here commended.

Now particularly for Sarah's faith, here is one notable thing to be observed: the very same word of God, which she believed, and for believing whereof she is here registered, at the same she also laughed: but behold, her faith is recorded, her laughing is not: her faith is commended, her fault silenced. In which holy & merciful practice of God, we learn:

First, that God accepts true faith, though it be attended with many infirmities. As a King is content to give a beggar an alms, though he receive it with a hand shaking with the palsy: So, God is well pleased with our faith, though diseased with infirmities, and bestows grace on a believing soul, though shaken with many temptations.

In a word, God accepts soundness of faith, though it be but small, and more looks at (in his mercy) a man's little faith, than his many faults. He will not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax, Isaiah 42:3. When a man is broken in heart, and dejected in soul, in sight of his many sins and little grace, God will not break this bruised reed, but will comfort and strengthen him. And when any life of grace appears in a man (as flax that smokes, but will not burn out) God will not quench it, but will rather kindle it, and give life unto it.

Let this teach us to take in good part, the holy and honest endeavors of our brethren; though they cannot do so well as they would, or should. Let us not exact too much, and too hastily upon them, but expect in meekness the working of God's grace: and in the mean time, think well of Sarah's faith, though it be with laughing.

Secondly, here we may learn, that God rather observes and regards good things in his children, than their faults and imperfections: he writes up Sarah's faith, he names not her laughing. This is from the goodness of his nature, being goodness itself, and therefore most easily apprehends, and takes notice of the least goodness, wherever he finds it.

Thus should we deal one with another: what good thing we see in any man, we should observe and commend it: his faults we should not see, but cover and omit them. But the course is contrary: the common table talk of the world, is nothing but of men's faults, and to rip up their imperfections: but if they have never so many good properties, we can bury them all, or pass them over in silence. This argues the malice and the naughtiness of our nature; which being evil, does delight in nothing but evil; and being corrupt, feeds, as does the filthy horse-fly, on nothing but corruption. But let us remember the practice of God, and learn to conceal faults, and use our tongues to talk of the good things and virtues in our brethren: So shall we resemble the Lord, who though Sarah laughed (not in a holy admiration, but in unbelief) yet, forasmuch as afterward she believed, God has matched her with the notablest believers, and holiest men that have been in the world.

Thus much for the first point: the person; and her action, she believed. Now the second is, what she believed? included and necessarily implied in the last words of the verse: she judged him faithful which had promised:

The thing she believed, was the word or promise of God; Particularly his promise that she should bear Isaac in her old age: of which promise, and the circumstances of it, we may read, Genesis 18:13, etc.

Here the only question is, By what faith she believed this?

And the answer is, by true saving faith: and it is proved thus. Abraham believed this promise by the faith that justified him, Romans 4:10-11. But Abraham and Sarah believed it both by one faith: therefore Sarah believed that promise by the faith that also justified her. Where we learn, that saving faith apprehends not only the great promise of redemption by Christ, but all other inferior promises that depend upon it. For, here we see Abraham and Sarah take hold of the promise of a temporal blessing, by the same faith, whereby formerly they had laid hold on the promise of eternal salvation by the Messiah: so that the object of true faith is, 1. Principal: the promise of salvation by Christ. 2. Secondary: all inferior promises annexed thereunto.

The main promise is: So God loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, to the end, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have eternal life, John 3:16. Now true faith, first of all, directly and plainly fastens itself on this: but after and with this, on all other promises that concern soul or body. In the Lord's prayer, we are bid to pray for temporal blessings, health, peace, competency of wealth, and all other, under the name of daily bread: and we are bound to believe, that God will give them, if we ask in faith. Neither is this faith constrained, but free and voluntary, and on a good foundation. For, being persuaded that God accepts us in Christ for salvation, we cannot but withal be persuaded, that God will give us all things else needful for us.

This we here note again, because we are wrongfully charged by the Papists, to hold, that faith apprehends the promise of salvation alone. But we pass it over, for that we have already spoken something of it.

Now follows the third point: namely, the impediments of her faith, in these words: When she was past age.

The promise was to have a child: She believed it. Now against child-bearing, there are two impediments: 1. Barrenness: 2. Age.

If one be aged, or past the ordinary time, it is hard and unlikely: but if one be very aged, and far past it, it is impossible she should conceive and bear a child: thus it stands in reason. Besides, though one be not past age, yet if she be barren (as some by secret reasons in nature are) it is not to be expected, she should conceive. Now, both these lay in Sarah's way; for, here it is said, she was past age: and another place (namely, Genesis 16:1-2) says, she was barren.

But it may be objected against Sarah's age, that in the old time they had children, till they were of great age. Eve had her son Seth at 130 years old (Genesis 5:3). For, Adam and Eve must needs be both of one age: and after that, Eve bore many sons and daughters. Therefore, it may seem, that Sarah was not past age at 90 years old. But we are to know, that they who began to bear at that age, lived eight or nine hundred years: but Sarah lived after the flood, when ages were brought down to 200 and for the most part to 100 years. Abraham lived but 175 years, and Sarah but 127. She therefore who lived 127 years, and died an old woman, must needs be past age of child-bearing, at 90 years old.

And besides her age, she was also barren, by her natural constitution (as many are and have been) and brought Abraham no children. Yet unto this woman comes a word from God, Sarah shall bear a son. And behold, this aged and barren woman, does not object desperately these her two hindrances (the one whereof in reason is sufficient against child-bearing) but beyond all impediments, and above reason believes it shall be so, resting and relying only and wholly on God's word for it.

The use of which notable and faithful practice (so wonderful in a woman) must teach us to rest on God's word and promise, though we have no reason so to do: for example,

When we see our friends, or children's bodies, cast into the earth to feed worms, burnt by fire, or eaten by fishes, reason says, they are gone, they can never be again. We have God's word and assured promise, The dead shall rise: with their bodies shall they rise, Isaiah. We must therefore believe it, if we will be of the faith of Sarah. God said to her; Age and barrenness shall have a child: she believed it. He says to us, Dust and rottenness shall live again: nay, he has often said it; and shall not our faith acknowledge the voice of our God, and believe it as she did?

But let us come to personal promises, as hers was (for this is general): God has promised grace and pardon to every penitent and believing soul; yet no man is partaker of the sweetness hereof, without the bitterness of many temptations to the contrary, giving him occasions of doubting, and often even of despairing of God's favor. What must a man do in this case? even believe, though he feel no reason why to believe; and hope above hope. Such was Abraham's and Sarah's faith. And for it, as they were registered in the Story of Genesis: so both here and in the Romans, Chapter 4, remembered again, and commended for it. Now, suppose that you, after your coming to God by faith and repentance, fall into temptations of desertion, wherein to your feeling, God's heavy hand and wrath has seized on you, and the devil lays your sins to your charge, and tells you you are a damned wretch, for you were ever an hypocrite, and never had faith, and that therefore God is your enemy; In this case, wherein, in reason or in feeling, there is not the least hope of salvation: what must you do, despair? God forbid. For, that is the downfall into hell. No, but hope when there is no hope, keep faith when there is no feeling.

And to strengthen us herein, remember the faith of Job (tried and sifted, so as few have been) who though the arrows of the almighty stuck in him, and the venom thereof drunk up his spirits, Job 6:4. Yet even then he believed: and would not give over, nor let go his hold, and said, Though thou bring me to dust, yet will I not forsake thee: no, though thou kill me, yet will I trust in thee. So, in the fury of temptations, when the venom of God's wrath seems to drink up our spirits, then must we believe: and in the pangs of death, when God seems ready to kill us, then must we trust in him. In such cases is the life of faith to be showed: when reason and feeling say, God is a terrible Judge, faith must say, he is a merciful Father.

In our health, and welfare, and feeling of God's favor, this exhortation may seem tedious: but if we belong to GOD; if it be not past already, the time is sure to come, when this doctrine will be needful for the best of us all.

Thus we see the excellence of this woman's faith: which is the more commended, by reason of these two so great hindrances. Now follow the effects of her faith, which are diverse: some laid down in this verse, and some in the next.

Received strength to conceive seed, And was delivered of a child.

In these words are two effects:

First, by power of her faith she was enabled to conceive: which before she did not, though there were the same reasons in nature why she should.

Secondly, she was delivered of a child in her old age, and that child was Isaac: who is therefore called the promised seed, and the child of the promise.

Out of the consideration of these two, we may learn diverse good instructions: for, seeing they are so near akin in their natures, we will speak of them both jointly together.

First, here we may see, that nothing is so hard or difficult which God has promised, but faith can compass it, and bring it to performance. Christ bade the blind see, the lame to go: he spoke, they believed, and they were healed. So, here God promises a barren old woman a child, she believes, and lo, she conceives and brings forth a Son.

The use of this doctrine is for two sorts of people:

First, many in our Church, being ignorant, when they are moved to learn religion, answer: Alas, they are simple, or not book-learned, or they are dull and heavy-witted, or they be old and weak; and therefore they can learn nothing; or if they do, they cannot remember it. But here is nothing but vain excuses: For, they want not wit to learn religion, if they have wit to buy and sell, to know a fair day from a foul, good meat from ill, dear from cheap, Winter from Summer. If they have wit to practice the civil actions of the world, they have wit enough to conceive the grounds of religion, and to get so much knowledge as may suffice for a ground of that faith, which will save their souls: So that they want nothing, but grace and diligence to use the means. To them therefore here is matter of good advice. Let such a man learn but one promise of God out of the holy Scripture, as this; Seek first the Kingdom of God, and all things else shall be given unto you, Matthew 6:33: or this; Cast all your care on him, for he careth for you, 1 Peter 5:7: or this; He that cometh unto me, I cast him not away, John 6:37; or but this: Ask and ye shall have, seek and ye shall find, Matthew 7. Let him learn but one of these, and when they have learned it, believe it, and let their souls daily feed on that faith; And they shall see what will follow: even a wonderful blessing upon that poor beginning. This their faith, will so content and please their hearts, that it will urge them forward to get more, and will make them both desirous, and capable of more knowledge and grace; and will make them even hunger and thirst after knowledge and grace: (whereas, he that knoweth no promise, nor believes it, contents himself in ignorance and error). And this shall every one find, that will carefully use the means that God appoints, and will begin to learn but one lesson at the first. For, as old barren Sarah, believing God's promise, conceives and brings forth: So, old, simple, plain, dull Country-men, believing but one promise of God's word, shall conceive and bring forth daily more and more blessed fruits of knowledge and grace.

Secondly, others who have made better proceedings in religion, do see their sins, and do much bewail them, but they cannot overcome their corruptions: yea, many there are, to whom their sins and inward corruptions are more grievous and burdensome than all bodily wants or miseries in the world; yet see they not how to conquer their corruptions: but (alas) are oftentimes foiled by them, to their great discomfort.

Let these men know, the want of faith is the cause hereof; for, that they do not sufficiently ruminate, and consider the promises of God made in that behalf, nor use the means God hath appointed: to the use whereof, he hath annexed his promises of help against sin. Let them therefore lay God's word and promises unto their consciences in holy and frequent meditations. Let them carefully use the means God hath appointed, hearing and reading his word, receiving the holy Communion, earnest and frequent Prayer, craving also the prayers of others: and let them sharpen these holy exercises, by fasting, watching, holy conferences with others, visitations of others afflicted like themselves, oft revealing their estate to their godly Pastors. Let them continue thus doing, and rest confidently on the word and promise of God, with the steadfast foot of faith, and they shall see, that old Sarah shall have strength to conceive: that is, that their poor souls shall receive strength to tread upon Satan, to conquer their corruptions, and to conceive and bring forth many worthy fruits of holiness, to their joy and comfort in their later experience; as Isaac was to Sarah, in her elder age.

The next doctrine, we may here learn, is; That whereas Sarah, by her faith in God's promise, conceives and brings forth: therefore, children are the immediate blessing of the Lord: for, Sarah bare Isaac, not by any ordinary strength or power of nature, but through faith she received strength to conceive, etc. Neither is this so in her only (wherein there was a miraculous work of God's power) but in all. Some are indeed barren by constitution, and these cannot conceive, unless by God's power as Sarah did. But some have no children, who in all natural reason might conceive. For, as God gave the Law, and thereby a gift and power to increase and multiply, Genesis 1:22. So, he reserved the execution of it to himself, and power to alter or dispense, to add, or diminish as it pleaseth him. Therefore saith the Psalmist, Psalm 127:3. Lo, children are the inheritance of the Lord, and the fruit of the womb is his reward: And speaking of them, Psalm 128:4, he saith, Lo, thus shall he be blessed that feareth the Lord.

The use is, to teach Parents, therefore to bring them up as God's blessings, and not only to give them corporal necessities (for so they do their beasts) but to nurture them in holy Discipline, by sowing the seeds of Religion in their hearts. If this they want, they have nothing, though you leave them Earldoms. And herein is the saying true, Better unborn than untaught. The Law and power to increase and multiply, is given to beasts in their kind, as well as to us, Genesis 1 verse 22. Therefore unless we do more than provide for their bodies, we differ little from them: but, make them know GOD, and so we make them fellows with the Angels. If Parents did thus, it cannot be expressed what blessings would come thereby to Church and Commonwealth.

Thirdly and lastly, let us here know and learn, that this holy Matron, Sarah, figureth unto us mystically the spiritual Jerusalem, the Church of GOD. Allegories are charily and sparingly to be taught; else much unsound Doctrine may cumber men's consciences: but this is sound and sure; for it is the Apostle's, Galatians 4:23, etc. By Agar and Sarah, other things are meant: for, these two mothers are two Testaments: Agar, she which gendereth unto bondage. Sarah, Jerusalem, which is free, and from above, and is the mother of us all. Now, the resemblance betwixt natural Sarah, the wife of Abraham, and mystical Sarah the spouse of Christ the Church of God, stands in this; that as she not by power in herself, but by God's power, and faith in his promise bare Isaac: So, the Church our mother, bringeth forth children to God, only by the power of God's word and spirit. And therefore as Isaac is called the child of Promise, and said, to be born by promise, Galatians 4:23. So, men regenerate and born to the Church, are said, not to be born of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God, John 1:13. And Saint James saith, 1:18. God, of his own will, begat us with the word of truth. Thus the word of God and the will, that is, the spirit of God, these two together beget children to the Church.

The use is, to teach us all to honor the Church as our mother; but to worship God alone, who is the father of our soul. The Church cannot make herself our mother, nor us her children, when she will: but it is God that must speak the word, and then we are made, he must beget us by the power of his spirit, and ministry of his word. And further, let us learn here what account we are to make of God's holy word, which is the immortal seed of our regeneration, whereby we are made God's children, and heirs of immortality.

Thus much of the two first effects of her faith.

The third is laid down in the next verse: which because it is much stood upon by the holy Ghost, we will put it off till then, being therefore worthy our deeper consideration.

And now followeth in the end of this verse, the fifth and last point, which is, the Ground of her faith: Because she judged him faithful which had promised.

The foundation, whereon she built this her faith, that she should have a son, being barren and past age, was not the bare promise of God, so much, as the conceit or opinion she had of him that promised. For, promises are not of value, so much by the things promised, though never so great or excellent (for they may promise much, who can perform nothing: or though they can, yet will recall their word in lightness and inconstancy) as by the worthiness of the party promising. We say in this world, we had rather have some men's word, than other men's bond: and rather have a little promised of some, than much of others. Now, such was the Judgment that Sarah held of him that promised: namely, GOD: She judged him faithful which had promised.

Faithful: that is, she judged him Able and willing to accomplish whatever he promised to her. So that the Grounds of our faith in God, and all his promises, must be a sure apprehension and knowledge of these two things in God; 1. His ability, to make good whatever passeth him in word. 2. His carefulness to do it, when he hath said it.

Some will promise any thing, though their abilities stretch not to perform: others are able enough, but have no care of their word. But both these are in God; all-sufficient ability, and most careful willingness: So Sarah judged of God, and therefore she believed against reason: and so must we do, if we will believe God's word aright. We may read, and hear, and know God's word, and have the points therein swimming in our heads: but if we will constantly believe, with our hearts, his blessed promises, and in our consciences fear his threatenings, we must be fully persuaded of these two, to be in him.

So are we taught by Christ (the wisdom of God) in the Lord's Prayer (before we pray for any thing) to be resolved of God's power and will to hear and help us. He is our Father, therefore careful and willing: he is in heaven, and therefore able to hear us, and to give us all things, Matthew 6:9.

And the same commendation here given to Sarah, is also given to Abraham, Romans 4:21. He doubted not, but believed above hope, etc. being fully assured, that he which had promised, was also able to do it.

The use hereof unto us is double.

First, to advise and guide us for our promises: not to be too reckless, as some are, what we promise: but to consider beforehand, and if it be beyond our power, not to speak the word (for Christian men's words must not be vain) and if we have promised any thing lawful and in our power, to be careful to perform it. Thus to do is to be a faithful man, and is a good sign of a holy man and God's child: provided this be so,

First of all towards God, that we make conscience of performing the great vow we made in our baptism, and all other serious and holy purposes of our heart made to God. For, otherwise, he that breaks his vow to God carelessly, by living profanely, he may in worldly policy keep his word, but he cannot do it in conscience.

The Church of Rome is foully faulty in this point, making no conscience of breaking promise and faith with us, or any of our religion; their nakedness herein is discovered in the face of all Christendom: let them that are wise be warned of it. They make great ostentation of their vows, and of their care to perform them, above any other religion: but it appears hereby to be vile hypocrisy. For, if they were conscionably, and not politically and formally careful of their vows of chastity, poverty, and others, made to God, they could not but be likewise careful of their promises made to men: for the one of these is the fountain and root of the other. But the neglect of the one, shows the formality and hypocrisy of the other.

Let all that fear God, learn to make conscience of both these, in their religion and service of God, and in all their dealings with men in the world: that so the world may judge us faithful men, when we have promised.

Secondly, let us here learn how to help and strengthen our weak faith in the great promises of God. We have a promise of salvation, Whosoever believeth in Christ, shall not perish, but have life everlasting. Of our resurrection, Daniel 12. They that sleep in the dust, shall rise again. Of our glorification. Philippians 3:21: The Lord Jesus shall change our vile bodies, and make them like to his own glorious body. Of a new world, 2 Peter 3:13. We look for new heavens and a new earth, according to his promise.

These be, as Saint Peter calls them, great and precious promises, 2 Peter 1:4. And surely it must be a great and precious faith, that can constantly believe these. No better helps of our faith can there be, than often and seriously to consider of the mercy and power of him that made them: if he be willing, and able, what can let the performance of them? Let us therefore often say with holy Paul, Faithful is he who has promised, who will also do it, 1 Thessalonians 5: and with Sarah here, We judge him faithful who has promised.

Now follows the last effect, in the next verse.

And therefore sprang there of one, even of one which was as dead, as many as the stars of the sky, in multitude, and as the sands of the seashore, which are innumerable.

The third and last effect of Sarah's effect, is, that by this son Isaac, whom she conceived, and brought forth by faith, she had a wonderful great issue, and a posterity almost without number. This effect consists not of itself, but depends upon the former. Her faith gave her strength to conceive Isaac, though she were barren: and to bring him forth, though she were old and weak; and so her faith brought him out, by whom she was made the mother of many millions of men.

The matter of this third effect, is the multitude of men, that came of Abraham, and Sarah, by Isaac.

This posterity or multitude, is described by two arguments: 1. By the beginning or root of it; One that was as dead. 2. The quantity or greatness, laid down; 1. Generally to be a multitude and innumerable. 2. Particularly, by two comparisons: 1. As many as the stars in the sky. 2. As the sands by the seashore.

The first point, is the root and beginning of this multitude, in these words: And therefore sprang there of one, even one that was as dead.

One; that is, one woman Sarah: or at the most, one couple, Abraham, and Sarah. And this one was no better than dead. Not dead properly and fully: for, none are so dead, whose souls and bodies are not separate: but, as dead, that is, as good as dead, or half dead; meaning, that they were altogether unfit for generation of children, the strength of nature being decayed in them; Abraham being 100 and Sarah 90 years old. And if this be true of Abraham, who was past age, how much more is it of Sarah, who was both past age, and was also barren in her best age?

Here we are to note and learn many things:

First, Multitudes came of one. See here the powerful, and yet the ordinary works of God, to rear up goodly and huge buildings, upon small and weak foundations. So did he in the beginning, and ever since. Indeed, he made, at the first, thousands of stars, because they must be no more than at the first they were; and millions of angels, intending they shall not multiply; he could also have made millions of men in a moment: he would not, but only one couple, Adam and Eve. And of them came the infinite race of mankind: When sin had made an end of that world, he founded not the second that yet continues, upon a thousand couples; but by three men and their wives, he multiplied the whole race of mankind, which since have grown from three, to millions of millions. And so here of one old man, and a barren old woman, spring innumerable multitudes.

This, God doth to magnify his own power, in the eyes of the sons of men: and so he did also in matters heavenly. The number of Christians since Christ, that have grown to millions, began in a poor number at the first. For, when Christ himself was ascended, the number of known believers, was but 120, Acts 1:15.

The consideration hereof should teach us all these duties;

First, not to measure God by our lengths: nor to tie him to our rules, but to esteem of his power and might, as we see it deserves: and to entertain high and honourable thoughts of him and his Majesty, who can rear up so great works, upon so poor foundations.

Secondly, not to despair of ourselves or our estates, though we think ourselves never so weak, so poor, so sick, either in soul or body: but to remember him, that of one made multitudes to spring out. Therefore when you are brought never so low, either in soul or body, by any miseries either inward or outward; faint not, but go forward in the strength of the Lord your God. Particularly: If God has afflicted you with poverty, that you have almost nothing to begin withal: or for your soul, is your knowledge in religion small, your means poor, your feeling of God's favour but weak? yet faint not, but lay fast hold on God's power and promise, use carefully the holy means God has ordained, remembering and relying on him, who made millions grow out of one: and assure yourself, that as Job says, Though your beginnings be small, yet your later ends shall greatly increase.

Secondly, observe here how old persons are called half dead, or as good as dead; and that is true of them many ways.

First, their years and days, limited them, are as good as gone. For, suppose a man should be as sure to live 100 years; as the sun is to run all the day long his course, and at night to go down: Yet as when the sun is past the height, and drawing downward, we say it goes fast down, and the day hastes away; So, when a man is past his middle age, when the sun of his life is past the noonstead, he declines daily, and draws fast away, and the night of his life approaches, with haste and much horror, unless he prevent it.

Secondly, their strength and vital powers, by which their life is continued, and their souls and bodies kept together, are so much weakened, that they are almost extinguished: whereby it comes to pass, an old man may feel a manifest defect in all powers of mind and body.

Thirdly, sicknesses or diseases grow upon them in old age: and as their strength fails, so the force of diseases is redoubled on them: and look what diseases have lurked in their bodies, which either naturally were bred in them, or accidentally taken, they now show themselves more sensibly; and the weaker a man is, the stronger is his sickness. In these three respects, an old man or woman is as good as dead.

The use hereof is profitable.

First, they must therefore be advised to prepare themselves for death. Every man is to prepare, I confess: then if every man, especially they that be old: The young man may die, the old man must die: the youngest cannot live always, the old man cannot live long; the aged man's grave is as it were made already, and his one foot is in it. And this is not man's conceit alone, but God's own judgment, who as we see here, calls an old man as good as dead: and that not so much in regard, that he is sure to die, as that he is near it: Therefore as every man, young or old, is to make ready, because his time is unknown, and no man is sure, that he shall live to be old, and as the Psalmist sings, Every man in his best estate is altogether vanity, Psalm 39:6: So, especially he to whom God has been so gracious, as to let him see old age, he should think of nothing but his end, and prepare every day to die in the Lord. His gray hairs, his wrinkled skin, his withered face, his ill stomach, his weak memory, his crooked body, and the manifest and most sensible alteration and decay of his whole state of mind and body, should hourly all cry in his ears, I am half dead, I will therefore prepare to die in the Lord.

It is therefore a miserable sight to see, that those who of all men should be most willing to die, are for the most part most desirous to live. And those who should be most ready to die, are generally, most ignorant, most covetous, and their hearts most of all wedded to the earth, and earthly things.

Secondly old persons must here learn Saint Paul's lesson: 2 Corinthians 4. That as the outward man perishes, so the inward man may be renewed daily. The outward man is the body: the inward man is the soul and the grace of God in it. They must therefore labour, that as the strength of their bodies decay, so the grace of GOD in their souls may quicken and revive. But alas, the common practice is contrary. For old men have generally so misspent their youths, and in their old age are partly so backward, partly so unfit to learn religion, that when they come to their deathbeds, they are then to be Catechised in the very principles of religion: so that when as the body is half dead, religion has no being in them; and when the body is a dying, religion and grace scarce begins to live in them: such men cast all upon a desperate point. But let them that desire a joyful departure, think of these things beforehand: and as years draw on, and so draw life to his end, and the body to the grave; so let them wean their hearts from the world, and lift them up to GOD, and so spend their last days in getting knowledge, and in serving God: that when their bodies are weakest and fittest for the earth, their souls may be the holiest, and ripest for heaven. To such men shall it never be discomfort to see their bodies half dead, when for recompence thereof, they find their souls half in heaven. Thus we see the root or foundation of this posterity, how poor and weak it was. Now let us come to the greatness of it.

Thereof sprang as many in number, et cetera.

This one, old couple, Abraham and Sarah, are made by God's power, the father and mother of many nations: and he and she, of whom the world would have pronounced, they should not have left a name upon the earth, have now millions of children that sprang out of them. Here we may learn, That though GOD work ordinarily, according to the course of Nature, which himself has established; yet that he is not bound to it, nor will be: he bound it, therefore there is no reason it should bind him. Here we may see the power and prerogative of God's Majesty.

As in the beginning he made to be, those things which were not: so still he calls things that are not as though they were, Romans 4:17: and turns and alters the state and nature of his creatures as pleases him. He can take life from the living man, and leave him dead, he can give life to the dead man, and make him live again. So has he dealt for the body, and for the soul he has been no less wonderful.

Saul, of a bloody persecutor, he can make a zealous Preacher, Acts 9, even a glorious instrument, and a chosen vessel to carry his name unto the Gentiles, even he who thought to have blotted out the name of Christ, and all that call on that name from under heaven, Acts 9:14.

Rahab, a harlot, and a common woman, yet by God's work so far altered, that her faith is here registered in the 31st verse amongst the most excellent believers that have been in the world. Let this teach us, when we see our own sins, how hideous and monstrous they be, yet not to despair. And when we see other men live in extreme dissoluteness, yet not to judge of them before the time: but even then, with hope and comfort, remember that God who quickeneth the dead, and calleth things that are not as though they were.

And in that hope let us persuade ourselves, that he may quicken our dead hearts, and revive us by his grace. And therefore in that hope, let us raise up ourselves, to use all holy means, of God's Word, Sacraments, and Prayer: which if we carefully and continually do, we shall see wonders wrought in us; that as they said of Paul, This man preaches the faith which afore he destroyed, and therefore glorified God for him, Galatians 1:22-23: So shall men say of us, This man hates the profaneness that afore he lived in, and loves the religion that afore he mocked. Such miracles will the Lord work in us, if with faith and diligence we use the holy means; that so all that see us, shall Glorify GOD for us.

Thus we see generally how great the issue and posterity of Sarah was.

But it is more particularly enlarged by two comparisons: As many as the stars, in the sky, or as the sands by the seashore, which are innumerable.

His comparisons are two: One taken from the heavens, as many as the stars in the sky. The other, from the earth, as the sands in the Sea. And these two are used by the Holy Ghost, being things of incredible number, to express the multitude of the Israelites, that came all from Sarah.

Not but that other things also are of as great number; as, the drops of water, dust of the earth, and hairs of men's heads, etc.: but these two are most common, and proverbial phrases, whereby to express a multitude. And again, the stars of the sky are rather named than any other, because God himself in the beginning pleased to use it to Abraham, when he had never a child, Genesis 15:8. God carried Abraham forth in the night, and bade him count the stars if he could, and said, so shall thy seed be. And Moses afterwards uses the same comparison, Deuteronomy 10:22. Our Fathers went down into Egypt 70 persons, and now the Lord hath made us as the stars of the sky in multitude.

Now because all men are not Astronomers, as Abraham and Moses were, and that ignorant men might say, they can perceive no such matter in the stars: Therefore he uses another comparison, which every countryman may discern how innumerable they be; namely, the sands of the Sea-shore: And lest any should say, I dwell in the mid-land Country, and never saw the sea sand, and am ignorant, and so cannot judge of the stars: therefore to put him out of doubt, the Holy Ghost assures him in the end of the verse, that they are both innumerable; that is not in themselves, or to God, but in regard of man, and man's skill unable to be counted.

Concerning these two comparisons, let us observe the manner or the phrase of speech in them used:

Secondly, the matter in them intended.

For the first, we are to know, that the speech is not proper, but figurative: For properly, they were not as many as the stars, or as the sands: neither are the stars or sands innumerable: but it is a figure called by the Rhetoricians [Hyperbole], which is an excess of fineness of speech, or an excessive elegance. And as it is ordinary in all Writers, and even in common speech: so it is not refused by the Holy Ghost, but used both here, and in the two forenamed places: and the like also of the same nature (but in other phrases) in other places, as Saint John 21:25. I suppose, says he, if all the sayings and doings of Christ were written, the world could not contain the books that would be written. Meaning, they would be exceeding many, and more than would be needful for salvation. And Deuteronomy 9 verse 1. Moses says, That the Cities of the Canaanites were great, and walled up to heaven. Meaning, that they were very high, and so high as was possible for Cities' walls to be, and as was impossible to have been scaled in all men's reason, had not God fought for them.

These and such like are common in the Scripture: and seeing we allow that liberty to all Writers, and to ourselves in common speech, no reason to deny it to the Scripture, which was written for all men's understanding, and therefore in such phrases as are usual and ordinary with all men.

And the like liberty is here taken also in another figure, as many as the sands by the shore of the sea: the word properly signifies, and sounds, the lip of the Sea. Now the sea has no lip, but it is a speech taken or borrowed from man or beast who have lips, and the sea shore resembles a lip. For, look what a lip is to them, the shores are to the sea: as the two lips do enclose the mouth: so the two shores on both sides do enclose the Sea, which lies as in a mouth between them. From hence we may learn profitable instructions:

First, that therefore Rhetoric is a warrantable, good, and lawful Art; and it arises thus: That which the Holy Ghost practices, must needs be not only not evil, but good and warrantable. But the Holy Ghost uses and practices Rhetoric, here and in many places else of the Scripture. Therefore it is a good and lawful Art. The proposition is undoubted, the assumption is clear both by these places, and almost the whole body of the Scripture: many of Saint Paul's Epistles, many of Christ's own Sermons, Saint John's Gospel, many of the Prophets, especially Isaiah have as much and as elegant Rhetoric in them, as any Writers in the world; and, beside all other virtue and Divine power in them, do even for figures and ornaments of Art, match any Orators, that have written in the Greeks or Latins. Nor would it be any hard task to undertake to prove, and illustrate every approved rule of Rhetoric, out of some part of Scripture. Now if it be lawful to practice the rules of Rhetoric, then is it lawful also to collect those rules together, to pen them, and to make an Art of them. They therefore that holding the contrary, do say, or teach, or write, it is unlawful, go against the stream, and common practice of the Scripture, and rules of common reason.

Secondly, here it is apparent, that in preaching God's word, it is lawful, and warrantable for a Minister to use Rhetoric and eloquence. And the reason is good: for that which the Holy Ghost uses in penning of the Scripture, the same may God's Ministers use also in preaching the same. They therefore that deny that liberty to Ministers, are too rough and rugged, and pull out of the hand of the Ministers, one of his weapons, and out of the wings of the Scripture one of her feathers.

Yet we must know, that all, or any kind of eloquence is not permitted to a Christian Minister: For, Saint Paul says, 1 Corinthians 2:13. We speak the words of God, not in the words which man's wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things: So that there is a holy, a sanctified, a spiritual eloquence, an eloquence fit for spiritual things, and that eloquence must be used. As the Israelites might marry the Midianite women, whom they had taken in war, but not till they had purified them, Numbers 31:18-19. And more plainly and particularly, Deuteronomy 21:11-13. Moses explains what that purifying is: And thou shalt bring her home into thine house, and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails, and put off the garment she was taken in, and then thou mayest marry her: So, human eloquence must be brought home to divinity, and be pared and shaved with spiritual wisdom, and then may lawfully and profitably be used.

For our more special direction herein, these cautions may be observed.

First, the more natural it is, and the less affected, the more commendable is it in the doer, and more profitable to the hearer.

Secondly, it must be grave, sober, and modest; remembering the height and holiness of the place a man stands in, and of the work he does. Therefore it must not consist in telling strange tales, or using such gestures or words, manner, or matter, as may move laughing, and smiling in the Auditors. There may be wit in such doing: but it can hardly be the sanctified and spiritual eloquence, which Saint Paul there speaks of.

Thirdly, it must be such as may be a help, and not a hindrance to the understanding of God's word: for, it is a damsel to Divinity, but not her Mistress. God's word therefore must not bow and bend to her; much less be wrung and wrested to her, but she to God's word.

It must in a word be such, as may most lively, purely, plainly, and significantly express the meaning of God's word. Therefore a man must endeavor that all his speech be in one language, at least in such as his hearers understand: for else if he speak the body of his speech in one, and piece out the members in other, which the people understand not; he may indeed in his own spirit speak mysteries, but to the hearer he speaks parables. And to his own understanding, he may preach well, but the hearer is not edified: as the Apostle says, 1 Corinthians 14:2, 17. Therefore let not eloquence, be a hindrance to the understanding of the hearers, which GOD hath ordained to be a help and furtherance. And with these or such like qualifications, eloquence may be used, with good warrant, and much profit. And for cautions or qualifications herein, hardly can any man set down better rules, than every man's conscience will unto himself.

Thirdly, inasmuch as the Holy Ghost here and elsewhere uses so much Rhetoric, Divines may learn where the fountain of Christian eloquence is; namely, in the Scriptures of the old and new Testament. Which being compiled by the wisdom of God, we are to assure ourselves, they contain in them true wisdom of all sorts. Precepts of Rhetoric, I confess, are to be learned out of other books, which purposely do teach them; but the practice of those rules in examples, can be nowhere better, than in Moses, the Prophets, and the Evangelists. And this must needs follow upon that, that has already been granted. For if we yield, that Rhetoric is good, and lawful, and practiced in the scripture; then it must needs follow, that it is there practiced in the best manner: for shall the Divinity there taught be the soundest? the History there reported, the truest? the conclusions of Philosophy, Astronomy, Geometry, Arithmetic, Cosmography, and Physic, there delivered, the surest? the Music there practiced, the exactest? the Logic there practiced, the sharpest? the Laws there enacted, the justest? and shall not the Rhetoric there practiced, be the purest? Surely, if Moses had written a book of his own, as he was a mere man, and as he was Moses brought up in Egypt: or Paul writ a book, as he was a Pharisee, and Doctor of the Law; they would both have been full of all excellent learning: for Paul was brought up, at the foot of Gamaliel, Acts 22:3. And Moses was exceedingly learned in all the learning of the Egyptians, and mighty in word and deed, Acts 7:22.

Shall they then be the Secretaries of the most high God, the fountain of wisdom, and learning; and shall not their books be filled with the most excellent learning in all kinds? Doubtless, whoever searches it, shall find it to be so.

Seeing therefore, Eloquence is lawful, and that Preachers may lawfully use it; let them also know, where to have it: let them study God's Books, and there they shall find not only Divinity, but knowledge and learning of all sorts, and that most exquisite: and as excellent patterns and precedents of Eloquence, as are to be found in any Authors in the world. And let them, if they would preach with spiritual power, and eloquence; look how Moses, the Prophets, our Savior Christ, and his Apostles preached: for, to follow them is the true way.

Thus we see the manner here used by the Holy Ghost, in these two comparisons, to describe the greatness of this her posterity.

Now, the matter in them contained is, that here is the performance of one of the greatest promises made to Abraham. The promise is, Genesis 22:17, I will surely bless thee, and greatly multiply thy seed, as the stars in the heaven, and as the sands by the sea shore. There is the promise; and behold here the performance, in the very same words, and that most true and effectual: For, at the time when the Holy Ghost wrote these words, the Israelites were multiplied to many millions; yea to a number past number.

So that here we learn, God is true in all his promises, be they never so great or wonderful. If he speak the word, if the promise pass him, it is sure: Heaven and earth shall rather pass away, than any one piece of his promise shall fail.

The use is to teach us, first, to believe God when he promises, whatever it be: for, he is worthy to be believed, who never failed to perform what he promised. He promised these Millions to Abraham, when he had but one child; nay when he had never a one: Genesis 15:8: And Abraham believed. Such a faith was excellent indeed, and deserves eternal commendation (as here it has). Let us be children of this faithful Abraham, and the rather, seeing we see the performance; which he saw not. We think it a disgrace, if we be not believed; especially, if we do use to keep our word: Let us then know thereby, what dishonour it is to the Lord, not to believe him, which never failed in the performance to any creature.

Secondly, we must here learn of God to be true and faithful in our words and promises. God spoke plainly, and deceived not Abraham: and after at the time performed it; So must we deal plainly and simply in our words and bargains, and think that to deceive and overreach by crafty words, and double meanings, and equivocal phrases are not beseeming Christianity. And we must make conscience of a lie, else we are like the devil and not God. Also a Christian man must take heed what, how, and to whom he promises: but having promised, he must perform, though it be loss or harm to himself: if it be not wrong to God, or to the Church, or State. Wrong to himself must not hinder him from performance. Christian men's words must not be vain, they should be as good as bonds; though I know it is lawful, and very convenient in regard of mortality, to take such kind of assurances.

Lastly, Abraham had the promise his seed should be so, Genesis 15:8. And here we see it is so, but he himself saw it not: so that Abraham had the promise, and we the performance. So Adam had the promise of the Messiah, but we see it performed: The Patriarchs, and Prophets, the promise of the calling of the Gentiles, but we see it performed.

See here the glory of the Church under the New Testament above the old. This must teach us to be so much better than they, as God is better to us, than he was to them: and to excel them in faith, and all other virtues of holiness; or else their faith, and their holy obedience shall turn to our greater condemnation, which have had so far greater cause, to believe and obey God, and so far better means than they. Which, if it be so; then alas what will become of them, who come behind them; nay have no care to follow them in their faith, nor holiness, nor any duties of holy obedience.

Thus much for the Example of this holy woman's faith: and of the commendation thereof.

Now before he comes to any more particular examples of faith, the Holy Ghost gives a general commendation of the faith of all those jointly which are spoken of already.

VERSE 13. All these died in faith, and received not the promises, but saw them afar off, and believed them; and received them thankfully, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

Hitherto the Holy Ghost has particularly commended the faith of diverse holy believers. Now from this verse to the 17th he does generally commend the faith of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob together; yet not so much their faith, as the endurance and constancy of their faith. Particularly the points are two.

- 1. Is laid down their constancy and continuance; All these died in faith. - 2. That constancy is set forth by four effects: 1. They received not the promises, but saw them afar off. 2. They believed them. 3. Received them thankfully. 4. Professed themselves strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

The first point touching these believers is; that as they began, so they held on: as they lived, so they died in faith.

All these died in faith.

The truth of the matter, in the words, may be referred to all aforegoing, saving Enoch; who died not; yet he continued also constant in his faith, and in that faith was taken up: but as for Abel and Noah, they died in faith. Yet I take it, that principally and directly the Holy Ghost intended no more than these four I named: and my reason is, because the particular effects in this verse, and the points whereby this their constancy is amplified in the three verses following, do all agree, especially with these four; and not so properly with Abel, or Noah: so that I take, he means by all these, all these men that lived in the second world, since the flood. All these died in faith; that is, in assurance that the promises, made unto them, should be performed in God's good time.

These promises were principally these two; 1. Salvation by the Messiah. 2. The possession of the Land of Canaan.

In this faith they died; that is, they held it (through all assaults and temptations to the contrary) even to the last gasp, and died therein.

In this their practice, is commended unto us a most worthy lesson of Christianity; namely, that we must so live, that we may die in faith. Many say they live in faith: and it is well if they do so; but the main point is, to die in faith. There is none so ill, but howsoever he lives, yet he would die well: If he would die well, he must die in faith. For miserable is the death, that is without faith. And herein faith and hope differ from other graces of God; Love, joy, zeal, holiness, and all other graces are imperfect here, and are perfected in heaven: but faith and hope are perfected at our deaths; they are not in the other world, for there is nothing then to be believed, nor hoped for, seeing we then do enjoy all things: but as they are begun in our life, at our regeneration, so they be made perfect when we die; and they shine most gloriously in the last and greatest combat of all, which is, at the hour of death. So that the death of a Christian, which is the gate to glory, is to die in faith.

Besides, as life leaves us, death finds us; and as death leaves us, the last judgment finds us: and as it leaves us, so we continue for ever and ever without recovery or alteration.

Now to die in faith, is to die in an assured estate of glory and happiness; which is that, that every man desires: therefore, as we all desire it, so let us die in faith, and we shall attain unto it.

Saint Paul tells us, 1 Corinthians 15:55, Death is a terrible serpent, for he has a poisoned sting: Now when we die, we are to encounter with this hideous and fearful serpent. He is fearful every way, but especially for his sting; that sting is our sin: and this sting is not taken away, nor the force of it quenched, but by true faith, which quenches all the fiery darts of the devil, Ephesians 6. If therefore we would be able to encounter with this great enemy (in the conquering of whom who stands our happiness; and by whom, to be conquered, is our eternal misery) we must then so arm ourselves with faith, that we may die in faith; for he that dies in faith, that faith of his kills his sins, and conquers death: but he that dies without faith, death and sin seize on him, and his sins live for ever, and his misery by them.

Now, if we would die in faith, we must live in faith; else it is not to be expected: For, so these holy Patriarchs lived long in this faith, wherein they died. For, their holy lives showed plainly, that they lived in that faith, which (the Apostle says) does purify our hearts, Acts 15:9. Now, if we would live in true faith, the means to attain it, set down by God's word, are these;

First, we must labor to get knowledge of the fundamental points of religion; of God, of the Creation, the Fall, the immortality of the Soul, the two Covenants, of works by the Law, of Grace by the Mediator; and such other substantial points, touching God, his Word, Sacraments, Law, Gospel, Prayer, good Works, etc. as the Scriptures, and the Creeds, and Catechisms, out of the scripture do yield unto us. Herein, the case of the common people of all nations, is miserable. In Popery, their Clergy is so fat and full, they will not: In our Churches, the Ministry (a great part of it) so poor, and ill provided for, they cannot teach. Betwixt both, the people of the world do perish for lack of knowledge; for how can they but perish, that die not in faith? How can they die so, that live not in faith? And how can they ever have faith, that have no knowledge, seeing knowledge is the foundation of faith? Therefore, it needs the help of those that may, and the prayers of all; that our Church may have Teachers and our people Catechizers: for without learning the Catechism, it is impossible to learn religion.

Secondly, when we have got knowledge, and so laid the foundation; then must we learn the promises of God for salvation, and we must hide them in our hearts, as the Jewels of life and salvation. We must believe them to be true and effectual, to all that will take hold of them: and we ourselves, must therefore take hold of them, and apply them to our souls.

Thirdly, after both these, we must conform ourselves throughout (heart, and life) unto the holy laws of God: we must leave all bad ways, and ungodly courses, though they be never so dear unto us, or so common in the world; and must make conscience of all sin, and endeavor to do all duties to God and man.

The first of these, is the ground of faith: the second, is faith itself: the last, the fruit and effect of it, and an assured testimony of it to God, to his Church, and to a man's own conscience. And to do these three things, is to walk in the old and holy way consecrated by Christ's blood, and trodden in by all the holy Fathers: and Popery, nor any other religion can appoint so safe, so sure, nor so direct a way. Thus lived Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob; and after this course they died in faith, and now live in glory: and so shall we with them, if we will live in faith, as they did; but else, we may long look for heaven, before we come there. Indeed, God can make a man that lived not in faith, die in faith: but, the matter is not what he can do, but what is his ordinary course; and that is this: They that live in faith, die in faith. Therefore, let us take the ordinary course, and repent, and turn betimes, and live the life of faith; and leave late repentance to them that think it but a sport to venture a soul: that course may speed; but this course is sure to speed: he that lives in sin, may happen to die in faith; but he that lives in faith, is sure to die in faith, and to live in glory for ever.

Secondly, observe how it is said, All these died in faith: not some, but all; Abraham, the father, and the root, and with him, the wife, the child, and the grandchild: behold a true noble blood, a holy kindred, a blessed generation: worthy is Abraham of all the honor he has, who was the root of such a noble and blessed brood. And worthy are Isaac and Jacob of so good a father, who stained not their blood, by forsaking their faith; but held it, as they received it, and lived and died in it. Let this teach us, first, if we be fathers, to shine before our children, in a holy religion, true faith, and good life; and it is great hope that our wives and children will follow us in the same.

Secondly, if we be sons, to look which of our forefathers and ancestors embraced the most holy religion; and to choose, and live, and die in their faith. Most of our young Papists can say no more for their religion, but this; my father and grandfather were of that religion. But they must look to all their forefathers: Isaac and Jacob would not be of their great-grandfathers' (Nahor's or Terah's) religion, but of their father Abraham's: and Abraham himself, would not be of his father Terah's, or his grandfather Nahor's religion; but he went up a great deal higher, to his forefathers to the tenth generation, Noah and Shem, and embraced their religion. So that we see, it is nothing to say, I am of my father's, or grandfather's religion; unless first I prove that theirs was of God: and then he is a Noble Christian man, which knowing that, will not forsake it, but will live and die in it.

Thirdly, see here, true honor and gentry, is to live and die in the true faith, and holy religion of our ancestors: here is the fountain of honor, to do as these did. Abraham perceives he is wrong, and erred with his fathers; he therefore leaves his father's and grandfather's religion, and goes up higher, and takes a better. Isaac his son, makes himself heir, not of his land alone; but of his father's religion also: Jacob the grandchild, follows both, and dies in faith with them. Behold here Jacob, a true gentleman in blood; his holiness and religion is in the third descent: Let us all learn to adorn our gentility and nobility with these ensigns of true honor.

And let all them, that shame to stain their blood by treasons, or misdemeanors; shame also, to let their forefathers' religion, holiness, or virtues, fail in them: but let them all so live in them, that with Jacob they may die in their fathers' faith.

Lastly, observe how it is said, they died in faith: they afore lived in it; but now their principal commendation is, they died in it.

Let us learn here, to hold on in a good course, when we have entered into it; for constancy and continuance is the true commendation: he that dieth in faith, is he that receives the crown. To this end, let us stir up ourselves, with the Apostle's exhortation, Galatians 6.9, Let us not be weary of well doing, for in due time we shall reap, if we faint not.

And further, let this teach us all to choose that faith to live in (with these holy Patriarchs) that we may boldly die in. It is a true observation, that Popery is a good religion to live in, but ours to die in. The Papists usurp this saying, and turn it the contrary way; but they have as much right to it, as the thief to the true man's purse. The liberty, the pardons, dispensations, sanctuaries, the pomp and outward glory of their Church; and their fasting and outward austerities, being foul and feigned hypocrisies, and indeed, open licentiousness: these and many things more, may allure any natural man in the world, to live in their religion; but when they come to die, then they all know, and some confess, it is surest and safest to die in our religion. Let us therefore, cheerfully, and comfortably, live in that religion, and faith, wherein we may so boldly die, that even our adversaries confess it to be safest.

Now follow the four effects, and fruits of their faith.

The first is this: that They received not the promises, but saw them afar off.

By Promises, we understand, first the promises of the Land of Canaan. Secondly, the spiritual promises of the kingdom of Christ. These they did not receive; that is, fully; though in part they did: for, true faith doth always receive, apprehend, and apply unto itself truly, though not fully, the thing promised. God said, he would give them the Land of Canaan: but they did not fully enjoy and possess it: So likewise, the Messiah was promised unto them; but they never saw his coming in the flesh, and yet they believed God's promise, and died in that faith.

Where we may see, the invincible force of their faith, that cleaved fast unto the promise of God, even unto death; though they never enjoyed the things promised in this life: which plainly condemns our age of unbelief, for we have more accomplished unto us, than ever they had. Abraham never saw Christ, but afar off; yet we have him exhibited in the flesh: we see and know he lived and died, rose again, and ascended, and now makes continual intercession for us and we have the true sacraments, which shall last for ever pledges of him, and of life everlasting by him. And for temporal promises, we have far more accomplished unto us, than ever he had. But though we go before Abraham in the fruition of God's promises, yet we come far behind him in belief; for faith worketh by love, and love is seen in true obedience: but generally, this is too true, men make no conscience of obedience; which shows undoubtedly, that there is little sound faith among us. And it may be feared, that these notable men, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, shall stand in judgment against us, to our further condemnation; for they never received the accomplishing of God's promises, and yet they believed: but we do see the same fulfilled and exhibited unto us, and yet we will not believe.

But saw them afar off.

Here is the property of their faith, and the power of it; the promises were afar off, and yet they saw them. The phrase here used, is borrowed from Mariners: who being far on the sea cannot descry towns, and coasts afar off, but only by help of some tower or high place, which their eye will sooner discern, though it be afar off: And so Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob, being long before the day of Christ's incarnation, could not other ways see Christ, but afar off, by the eye of faith, in the promises of the Messiah: for, this is the property of faith, to make a thing absent, to be present, after a sort; Faith being the ground of things hoped for, and the evidence of things which are not seen.

Here then we may learn a difference between the Church in the old Testament, and in the new. We in the new Testament, have greater measure of knowledge, more lively discerning of the Messiah, and a clearer light of understanding, in the mystery of our salvation by Christ; than the Church had, under the old Testament: howsoever they excelled in faith, yet in the knowledge, and discerning of Christ, they were inferior unto us. And therefore, the Lord made this promise to the time of the Gospel, long before; that the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters that cover the sea. And Saint Paul proves this performed, when he affirmeth of the Church of the new Testament, 2 Corinthians 3.18. But all we as in a mirror behold the glory of the Lord, with open face. And Christ, John 6.45. They shall be all taught of God.

If this be true, that knowledge should so abound in the time of the Gospel; then all ignorant persons of this latter age of the world must know, that they have much to answer for at the day of judgment: for, God in the new testament hath made his Church to abound in knowledge, so that their ignorance (for which they think God will hold them excused) shall be a bill of indictment against them at the last day, to their further condemnation: because the light of the Gospel is so clearly, and plentifully revealed in these days; that whereas the most excellent Patriarchs of all, could then but see Christ afar off, the most simple may now see him near unto them.

Again, where is more knowledge, there should be more obedience: therefore it concerneth all those that profess themselves to be Christians, and submit themselves to hear and learn the word of God taught unto them; not content themselves with bare knowledge, though it be never so much: But withall, to bring forth the fruits of obedience in their lives and conversations. For, though Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in regard of faith did go far before us: yet seeing we have more knowledge than they had in the Messiah, we must labour to become like unto them in the obedience of our lives: Their faith was stronger than ours: but our obedience should be greater than theirs, because we have more cause to believe than they. Saint Paul saith, We all behold as in a mirror, the glory of the Lord with open face: And the end thereof is this, that we may be transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as by the spirit of the Lord. So that the more knowledge we have, the more sanctification we ought to have, and the more hatred of sin, and more obedience to God's commandments. But, the more is the pity, the case goeth far otherwise with the world: for even many among us that are no Students by profession, have great and commendable knowledge in religion. But where is the fruit hereof in holy obedience to the Laws of God? God by calling hath made us a pleasant vine: but the sour Grapes of sin, are our ordinary fruit, they be the Grapes of gall (as Moses saith). For Atheism, blasphemy, contempt of God's word and worship, with open profaning of God's Sabbath, do every where abound; to omit the heinous crimes against the second table, as oppression, adultery, and blood touching blood: for all which, we may justly fear, that the Lord will either remove his Candlestick from us, and so of a Church and people of God make us no Church; or else sweep us away by some fearful judgment, as with the besom of destruction, because we withhold the truth in unrighteousness, Romans 1.18: For better it were not to have known the way of righteousness, than to turn from the holy commandment given unto us: let us therefore join with our knowledge obedience, that so we may show forth our faith in doing the duties of piety unto God, and of brotherly love, and Christianity, unto our brethren. Thus much of the first fruit of their faith.

The second fruit of their faith is noted in these words; And believed them: where, by believing, we must understand not so much the act of faith, for that was noted before, as the growth and increase of their faith; for the word imports a confirmation of their hearts, and a resolution in assurance of the promises made unto them: which is not unusual in Scripture: for Paul prayeth for the Churches who had true knowledge, faith, and love, that they might increase and abound therein more and more, Ephesians 3.16, 17; Philippians, 1.9, 11; Colossians 1.9, 11.

Here then we may observe in the example of these Patriarchs, that it is the duty and property of every true believer, to go forward and increase in faith, till he come to a full persuasion and assurance in God's promises. All the gifts of GOD (and therefore faith) are the Lord's talents, and every true believer is the Lord's servant, called to occupy therewith. Now GOD, having put his talent into any man's hand, doth require the increase thereof, as the Parable shows, Luke 19.13. And this Paul teacheth: for, praying for the Ephesians, that they may go on, and be strengthened by the spirit in the inner man, Ephesians 3.16, he signifieth, that he that doth truly believe in Christ, must go on from grace to grace, till he be a tall man in Christ: as a child groweth from year to year, till he come to be a strong man. The nature of faith is like unto fire, which will not go out, so long as wood, or other fuel is put unto it, but will take hold thereof, and grow unto a greater flame: and so will faith grow up to a full persuasion in all those that conscionably apply themselves to the Word and Prayer.

But goes the case thus with us in the matter of faith? Nay verily, generally it is far otherwise: for many among us have no regard of faith at all, but think they may live as they lust, their good meaning will serve the turn: others, and those not a few, are so far from going forward in faith, that they are every day worse and worse, and still go backward more and more. A third sort we have, that will hear the word, and receive the Sacraments; but yet their growth in grace is very slender, they stand at a stay, and profit little.

Now, howsoever it may be thought but a small fault, not to profit in Religion: yet undoubtedly it is a fearful Judgment of GOD, when the hearers of the word in any congregation are daily taught, and do not profit thereby: and therefore the holy Ghost noteth those women to be laden with sin, which are ever learning, and yet never are able to come to the knowledge of the truth, 2 Timothy 3.7. If a child lately born, like not well, nor grow, when it hath good keeping: the common saying is, that it is a Changeling. So, if a man hear the word of God, and do not increase in knowledge, faith, and obedience, we may most truly say of him, that he is a spiritual Changeling: and therefore to avoid this fearful judgment of God, we must first labour for faith; and having faith, increase therein, and in other graces of God, till we come to be strong men in Christ.

It is here said, that those Patriarchs increased in faith: But it may be demanded how, and by what means they did attain hereto? Answer. In the book of Genesis, we may find three ways, whereby they were confirmed in the faith, and did grow up in grace. The first means was from God himself; for, when he had made his covenant with Abraham, mercifully renewing the same, during his life as occasion served sundry times, he stayed not there, suffering it to die with Abraham: but when Abraham was dead, God renewed his covenant with Isaac and Rebecca: and with Jacob also after them. Now the tongue of man cannot utter, what a wonderful furtherance it was unto their faith, to have the Lord himself to renew his gracious promises unto them. The second means of increasing their faith was, their holy conversing one with another: for, the manner of the Patriarchs, was to teach and instruct their children, and to nurture them up in the true worship and fear of God; by which means they did not only implant God's promises in the hearts of their children, but were themselves confirmed in the same: for, he that teaches another from a feeling heart, greatly strengthens his own soul. Now God himself does testify this thing of Abraham, saying: I know him, that he will command his sons and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and judgment. Now look what Abraham herein did to Isaac, that no doubt did Isaac unto Jacob. The third means to increase their faith was, from each one to himself: for they gave themselves often times in their own persons to muse & meditate upon the promises of God: so it is said of Isaac, that he went out to pray or to meditate in the field towards evening: and we may persuade ourselves it was concerning this and other promises of God, and the accomplishment thereof. And we need not to doubt, but that Abraham and Jacob did the like.

These are the means, by which these godly Patriarchs were strengthened in their faith. All which, must be marked of us diligently, and put in practice: for, the cause why we hear the word often, and yet profit little by it, is chiefly this; because the means by which men should grow up in faith, are so slenderly used among us. For, the first means, which is on God's behalf to man; is through his great and unspeakable mercy, plentifully afforded in many parts of the Land, in the holy Ministry of the gospel: wherein, God's gracious promises of mercy, are opened and applied to men's hearts, and his judgments against sin, are sharply denounced, to drive men to lay hold on God's mercy in Christ. But, if we regard the second means; which is, mutual instruction, of father to child, of master to servant, and of one neighbour to another; together with mutual conference, about that we are taught: Or else, if we regard the third means; which is, private meditation upon God's word and promises taught unto us (which meditation, is to a Christian soul, like the chewing of the cud unto a beast; for, as chewing the cud turns that which was eaten, into true feeding; so does holy meditation, make God's word, and promises, spiritual refreshing, by digesting them in the heart): If (I say) we take a view of these two latter, we shall find them seldom used of very many, or not at all. Blessed be God, we need not to doubt, but there be some, who use these means, with care, and reverence: but alas, these some, are very few. And because this duty is so slackly performed; hence it is, that though the covenant of mercy in Christ, be oft repeated, yet men reap little profit by it. So that we must learn to follow this notable practice of these godly Patriarchs, and look what means they used for the increase of their faith; the same also, must we use, and that diligently: so shall we grow, and increase, and wax strong in faith, as they did.

The third fruit of their faith, is this; And received them thankfully.

[〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], the word in the original signifies, to salute; and that not only by speech, but any way else: as by embracing, etc. and therefore in this place, is not unfitly translated, And received them thankfully; that is, they took them kindly at God's hands.

This is a notable fruit of faith, whereby they are commended; that seeing the promises of God afar off, did yet take them most kindly at God's hands. But, here we must consider, how they took them kindly: namely, by doing 2 things. 1. By an action of their heart. 2. By an action of their life. The action of their heart was this, that howsoever the promise was not accomplished in their days; yet they were wonderfully glad thereof: for, our Saviour Christ said to the Jews, Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, & he saw it & was glad. It did Abraham's heart good to see Christ afar off: and so we may safely think of Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob, that their hearts were also ravished with joy, to hear the wonderful promise of God, concerning the Messiah; and to think of the most joyful performance, which they knew should follow in due time.

Secondly, they took this promise kindly, by the practice of their life; for, when they came to any strange place (as we may often read in the story) there they built up altars, & offered sacrifice unto God, and called on his name. All which they did, to testify their inward joy, & thankful acceptance of God's promises in Christ, and of the promised Land; though neither were accomplished in their days.

Now, as touching ourselves, the same main promises of God, that were made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, has the Lord made and continued unto us: nay, we have the same already accomplished; & we see the same verified more evidently and plainly, than any of the Patriarchs did. Which being true, our duty is, to take the same much more thankfully, and kindly, at God's hands, than they did or could do; because we have more light and knowledge in the promises of God, than ever the Patriarchs had.

But we have just cause to bewail the days and times wherein we live: for, whereas we should take the promises of God most joyfully, and kindly; the case is far otherwise. For generally, it may be said of our nation and people that in regard of the mercies and promises of God, we are an unkind people. And that this is true (for the most part) in all of us, if we will but a little examine the matter, we shall find too apparent, by many evidences: for first, let any of us be brought to a place, where we may behold some vain Interlude, or Show; a man would not think how wonderfully we are ravished therewithal, so as we could find in our hearts to spend whole days in beholding them. But let us be brought to hear the Gospel of Christ, his holy word preached, and taught; as it was unto Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob (wherein they much rejoiced) and there we sit heavy and drowsy, so as the Word seems loathsome unto us, & one hour is so tedious, as we hardly hold it out without sleeping: and if it pass the hour a little, O how impatiently our nature takes it! All which show plainly, that we have no such joy to hear of Christ, and his merciful promises, as these godly Patriarchs had: so that we are both hard hearted, & unkind; & altogether insensible of so great favors of our God towards us.

Secondly, consider men's behavior in God's worship: It is evident, that the greatest part of people, worship God but in formal show, for fashion's sake. These godly Patriarchs, Abraham, etc. built altars in every place where they came, and offered sacrifice unto God, to signify their kindness, & willing heart, towards God for his promises. But now men worship God formally, not in way of thankfulness; but either because the Law compels them to it, or else because it is a custom, and order, which must be kept. For proof thereof, take some one of the common sort, & ask him why he comes into the congregation? he will say, he comes to do as other men do; but what they do, he knows not; or what he himself ought to do, he cannot tell, nor cares much to know. Others also come to worship God: but ask them how they do it? they will say, by saying over the ten Commandments, the Lord's prayer, and the belief. But, if the word be either preached, or read, they regard it not; thinking that all God's worship stands in the repeating of those three things. Which shows, that they worship God but for fashion sake, and with little more, than a plain lip-labor.

Another sort there are, which come near to God with their lips, but their hearts are far from him; for though their bodies be present in the congregation, yet their hearts are wandering about their worldly business, or the works of sin: so that we may truly say, God is not worshipped with faith, in the heart. And therefore we are an unkind people, and quite degenerate from the faith of our forefathers, these holy Patriarchs, who received God's promises so kindly, and thankfully.

Thirdly, we have the word of God daily preached and taught unto us: but how many be there that make conscience of obeying the same in their lives and callings? Men do come and hear, and should learn: but when they come home, they do flat contrary to that which is taught. Now there can be no greater unthankfulness nor unkindness towards God than this, that men should hear and not obey; for disobedience is as the sin of witchcraft: nay, the Lord himself says, that he that makes no conscience of obedience in his life, is in his actions of God's worship, no more acceptable unto God, than a murderer is when he kills a man.

Wherefore, seeing obedience is so rare to be found among us, and disobedience abounds every where, it is a plain argument, that we take not the promises of God kindly nor thankfully at his hands: for if we did, we would at least endeavor ourselves, to do what God commands in his Law, and desires in his Gospel, and so be thankful unto GOD for his mercies, showing forth our thankfulness by our obedience. So that it stands us in hand every man to look unto himself for his own part, seeing God has given us his Gospel the means of our salvation, that therefore we receive and embrace the same, lest God do either take the same from us, or us from it: for, we may be sure that the one of these two will follow, if we do daily hear and make no conscience to obey. And thus much of the third fruit of the Patriarchs' faith.

The fourth fruit of their faith follows: And confessed, that they were strangers and Pilgrims on the earth.

Herein we are to consider divers points: 1. The Text says, They confessed; that is, they professed openly, what they were, and what their religion was, and that not only amongst themselves, but before the face of God's enemies, and heathen men. Genesis 23:4: Abraham told the people of the Land of Canaan, that he was a stranger and a foreigner among them. And when Jacob came before Pharaoh, he confessed, that both his days & the days of his Fathers, were days of Pilgrimage: Genesis 47:9. Now, affirming so openly that they were strangers in those Countries, they intimated a plain denial and dislike of the religion and idolatry of those heathen Countries, and proclaimed themselves to be of another religion: so that this is true which here is said of them; that they made confession and profession of their estate and their faith, and that to the enemies of God.

Hence we learn, that we are not to be ashamed of that holy profession of Christian religion to which we are called. Our calling is to profess the Gospel and religion of Christ; now to many it is a reproach and ignominy: but we must learn this special lesson by the example of these men; that howsoever the world judge of Christ and his religion, yet we having entered into this holy profession, and being called hereunto, must never be ashamed of it; much less deny or forsake the same. In the primitive Church it was a contemptible thing both among the Jews and Grecians to be a Christian: to the one, the Gospel was a stumbling block, to the other a laughing-stock, 1 Corinthians 1.23. And yet Paul professed openly, that he was not ashamed of that holy Gospel: Romans 1.16. And so it ought to be with us: we profess Christ's religion, and therefore we must not be ashamed of it. Some there be that know but little, and yet have a good mind to religion; but when they see some do nothing else, but make a mock and a jest of religion, they are thereby daunted and held back from the open profession, and embracing of it.

But if we look to be saved by faith, as these men were, we must learn by their example, not to be ashamed of the profession of Christianity, whereto we are called: but must follow this notable example of Abraham and the Patriarchs, who were not ashamed, nor afraid to testify their profession among the Heathen, whensoever any occasion was offered: for, whosoever is ashamed of Christ in this world, Christ will be ashamed of him at the day of Judgment, before his Father in the world to come, Luke 9.26.

To go further: These Patriarchs profess two things: 1. That they were strangers: 2. That they were Pilgrims. A stranger, is one that has his abode not in his own, but in a strange Country, though he travel not.

And a Pilgrim is one that is going through a foreign Country to his own home. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were strangers, because they dwelt as strangers in Tents, not in their own Countries where they were born; but in that strange Country, whither God had called them: and they were Pilgrims, because they were always ready to go thence, whithersoever GOD would call them: and in all places wheresoever they were, still they waited on God, and sought to him for the kingdom of heaven.

Now this was not proper to these Patriarchs, but is also common to all Christians, that look to be saved by the same faith: for David, long after them, confesseth unto God, Psalm 39.12: that he is a Stranger and a Pilgrim, or sojourner with him, as all his Fathers were. And even we also must follow their faith in the practice of this profession: dwelling here on the earth, we must testify and profess ourselves to be both Strangers and Pilgrims.

But how (will some say) shall we be answerable to this profession? Answer. For the practice hereof, we must do these three things: 1. We must use this world and the things thereof, as though we used them not; 1 Corinthians 7.31: The temporal blessings we here enjoy, we must so use, as though they were not ours; but as strangers do, only for the present occasion: but we must not set our hearts thereon. And the rather to persuade us hereunto, let us consider the practice of these godly Patriarchs. They had the promise of the Land of Canaan distinctly and absolutely: so as no man in the world has more right to any thing that he possesseth, than they had to this Land; yet when they came into it, they enjoyed it, and all things therein as strangers; and possessed nothing, but did even buy ground to bury their dead in. And so must we use the things that we have in this world: for our houses, we must use them as Strangers do an Inn: and for our goods, we must use them as Pilgrims do other men's goods, where they stay for a night: we must so use them always, as being ready and willing to leave them the next morning, or at any time when God shall call us away.

Secondly, we must cast off all things in this world, that may any whit hinder us in our journey to the kingdom of heaven; like unto good travelers, who will carry nothing with them in the way, but that which may further them to their journey's end; and if any thing hinder them in the way, they will cast it from them, and rather lose it than be hindered from their home. But what is that which is burdensome unto us in this our journey to heaven? This Saint Paul showeth, when he saith, 2 Timothy 3.6, that certain simple women are laden with sin. Behold, sin is that that ladeth us: and the Author to the Hebrews, calleth sin the thing that hangeth on so fast, and presseth us down: (Hebrews 12.1). Therefore if we will be good travelers, and pilgrims towards the kingdom of heaven; we must take heed of all sin; for that will hold us down, that we cannot go one step forward, but will draw us backward unto hell: for, the way is strait that leadeth unto life, and the gate narrow, and few there be that can enter into it: Matthew 7.13. He that would come hither, must come with an humble, and pure heart: for the gate will not suffer any that is laden with sin, to enter therein. The proud man, whose heart is puffed up with pride: and the covetous man, whose heart is enlarged with desire of gain: the ambitious man, who is with child with worldly pomp and state: and the luxurious and voluptuous man, who fats himself with earthly and carnal pleasures: all these are grown too big to enter into this strait gate; But the meek in spirit, who lead an humble and innocent life, these shall tread this path though it be narrow, and enter in at this door, though it be strait. And therefore, we must cast off every sin by the practice of true repentance; and so make ourselves fit pilgrims for the way to heaven.

Thirdly, we must learn contentment of heart, in every estate of life, which God shall send upon us: we must be contented as well in sickness as in health, in poverty, as in plenty; in trouble, as in peace: and in good report, and ill report; and in all estates of life and death. A pilgrim in his way taketh all things patiently, that befall him; and if he be injured any way, he puts it up quietly, without seeking revenge, or making complaint till he come home; where he knows he shall have audience, and redress. Even so must we behave ourselves in this our pilgrimage to heaven: in hope of that redress and rest we shall have, we must bear all things patiently, that befall us in this life, which is the way: and doing these three things, we shall become good pilgrims and strangers in this world.

Here two questions offer themselves to be considered. First, if every man, both in profession and practice, must show himself to be a pilgrim and stranger in this world: Whether then, is it not a good estate of life, for a man to contemn the world, and all things in it, and to betake himself to perpetual beggary, and voluntary poverty? Answer. The world in Scripture is taken diverse ways: first, for the corruptions and sins in the world; and these must be contemned by all means possible: yea, that is the best religion which teacheth best how to contemn these; and he the best man, who most forsakes them, in what calling soever he lives.

Secondly, for temporal blessings, as money, lands, wealth, sustenance, and such like outward things, as concern the necessary or convenient maintenance of this natural life. And in this sense, the world is not to be contemned, for in themselves, these earthly things are the good gifts of God, which no man can simply contemn, without injury to God's disposing hand and providence, who has ordained them for natural life.

The Papists esteem it an Angelical state of perfection, approaching near to the state of glory, when a man forsaketh all, and betakes himself to voluntary poverty; as begging Friars do: But indeed it is a mere device of man's brain, and has no warrant in God's word, which decreeth thus; that he that will not labor (in some lawful calling) shall not eat. Objection. But here they will say, that our Savior Christ, speaking to the young rich man, bade him go and sell all that he had, and give to the poor, and he should have treasure in heaven. (Mark 10). Answer. That commandment was not ordinary, but special, belonging to that young man: It was a commandment of trial, given to him only; as this was to Abraham, when God said, Abraham kill thy son, Genesis 22.2. And the reason of that commandment, was peculiar to him; namely, to show him his corruption, and to discover his hypocrisy. Again, howsoever the young man was commanded to sell all, yet he is not commanded to give all; but only thus, Sell all, and give to the poor. 2. Objection. Again they object, that Christ himself was a beggar, and his Disciples also, and had nothing of their own, but went up and down the world, as beggars; and lived of that which others ministered unto them. Answer. This is a mere forgery, and cannot be proved out of the word of God. The bag which Judas carried, doth prove the contrary; for, he was (as it were) the steward in Christ's family, who looked to their provision, and to their contribution to the poor: as may be seen, John 13.27, 28, 29. Yea Christ's Disciples, though they left the present use of their houses, and places; yet they gave not over their title and possession in them: for, Christ went to Peter's house, where he healed his wife's mother, Matthew 8.14. And after the time of Christ's passion, Peter, and the other Disciples, returned to their ships again, and became fishers for a time. For Christ (John 21) after his resurrection, appeared to them while they were fishing.

2. Question. Whether may a man lawfully seek to be rich, seeing we must profess ourselves to be pilgrims and strangers in this life? Answer. Riches are taken two ways: 1. for things sufficient. 2. for abundance. For the first, by things sufficient, I mean things necessary and meet for a man's estate, to maintain him and his family; and thus a man may seek to be rich: for, so we are taught to pray, in the fourth petition, Give us this day our daily bread; that is, things meet and needful for the day. From whence I reason thus: That which we may lawfully ask at God's hands, we may lawfully seek for: But we may lawfully ask of God all things necessary to this life; Therefore we may lawfully use the means to attain unto them. And this, Agur's prayer showeth also, Give me not poverty nor riches, feed me with food convenient for me. Where we see, it is requisite a man should labor for things necessary to this life. Now, because man's corrupt nature is so greedy, that he would not be contented with the whole world, though it were all his; therefore we must learn this rule of contentment, for worldly things: namely, to follow the counsel and example of wise and godly men, who are neither covetous, nor riotous; but rest contented with that which is sufficient. As for the wearing of apparel, we have no special rule, nor precept in God's word: and therefore our direction, must be the example and fashion of the most grave and godly, in that calling whereof we are; whose precedent must be our direction in all cases, whereof we have no precept nor rule in God's word.

But if riches be taken in the second sense, for abundance, above that which is competent and sufficient; then it is not lawful for a man to seek to be rich: for proof hereof, we have the plain testimony of the word of God; Paul says, 1 Timothy 6:8, 9. When we have food and raiment, we must therewith be contented: for they that will be rich, fall into temptation and snares, and into many foolish and noisome lusts, which drown men in perdition and destruction. Where, the Apostle does not simply condemn a rich estate, but rather the desire to be rich, that is, a desire to have more than is necessary for the maintaining of a man's estate. Yet this is the common sin of the world, men are so covetous that they will not be contented with that which is enough, but still toil and moil for more; till they have gotten so much under their hands, as would honestly and sufficiently maintain ten men of their estate and calling. But all such are condemned, by the testimony of the Holy Ghost, in the place afore named.

Quest. What if God give abundance to a man, by lawful means; what must such a man do? Answ. When God sends riches in abundance to any man, he must think himself to be appointed of God, as a steward over them, for the good disposing of them to the glory of God, and the good of his Church; always remembering this rule of the Prophet David, Psalm 62:10, If riches increase, set not thy heart on them. He says not, If riches increase, refuse them; but, set not thy heart on them: and thus much of these Questions.

Now this practice of the Patriarchs is as necessary for us in these days as ever it was; for the cause why we profit little after much hearing of God's word, is this: we have not behaved ourselves like Pilgrims and strangers in this world, but the cares of the things of this life have choked it up, Matthew 13:22, that it could take no ground, nor root in our hearts: when we have heard the word we remember it not, because our hearts and the affections thereof, are set on the pleasures and commodities of the world. We therefore must shake off this filthy sin, and learn to behave ourselves like Pilgrims and strangers, not entangling ourselves with the things of this life, but using them as though we used them not, so as they be no hindrance to the growth of God's graces in us.

For they that say such things, declare plainly that they seek a Country.

In the former verse, was set down the constancy of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob, in the faith. Now in the 14, 15, and 16 verses, the Holy Ghost proceeds to amplify and enlarge the commendation of their perseverance in the faith: for the scope of all these verses, is to prove, that all these particularly were constant in the faith unto the end. The proof is made by one substantial reason; the sum whereof is this: Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob, sought for their Country, which was heaven, and therefore they were constant in the true faith.

But some may think that this reason is not substantial, for men may seek for heaven that never had true saving faith. As, Balaam desired that his end might be like the end of the righteous, Numbers 23:10: wherewith no doubt he desired the state of the righteous after this life.

I answer, that this desire of Balaam's was not grounded upon any constant persuasion, nor settled resolution, but upon some sudden motion: Secondly, though he desired to die the death of the righteous, yet he would not live the life of the righteous: he had no delight to walk in the way to come to that end which they walked in; without which, no man ordinarily can come to it.

Yet further some will say, Many shall seek (as our Savior Christ says) to enter in at the strait gate of the kingdom of heaven, and shall not be able, Luke 13:24. Therefore to seek for heaven is no sufficient argument of true faith.

Answer. True indeed, many shall seek to come to heaven, and shall not be able to enter; because they seek when the door of mercy is shut, and when the day of grace is past: for there is a time of grace wherein the Lord will be found. Now if men seek him not in this time, though they seek him never so long after, yet they shall not find him. But the seeking of these Patriarchs was a sound and constant seeking, and so a notable fruit of their true faith. For 1. they sought a heavenly Country: 2. they sought it in due time; not for a brunt, but through the whole course of their lives: 3. they went the right way; denying themselves and their estate in this life, as being strangers upon earth: and they were willing to forsake all things in this world to attain heaven, esteeming it as their true dwelling place, and their eternal rest.

Now more particularly, the Holy Ghost divides this reason into two parts, & handles the same severally: 1. he proves that they sought a Country, in this verse; and 2. that this Country which they sought, was heaven itself, verse 15, 16. For the first part; that they sought a Country, is thus proved: They which say they are Pilgrims and strangers, they show plainly that they seek a Country. But Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob said of themselves, that they were Pilgrims and Strangers. Therefore they show plainly that they seek a Country.

The first part of this reason is evident in itself: for he that says he is a Pilgrim and a stranger in any place, shows plainly that he is forth from his own Country, and therefore seeks one. The second part of the reason is assumed from their confession, in the end of the former verse; and confessed, that they were Pilgrims and strangers on the earth: from whence, the conclusion is laid down in this 14 verse, that therefore these Patriarchs sought a Country.

In this reason observe, first, that the Author of this Epistle had diligently read the History of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob, penned by Moses in the book of Genesis: and in reading, had observed that which they particularly confessed of themselves in many places of that book; namely, that they were Pilgrims and strangers: yea, also he gathered from their confession, this most heavenly meditation, that therefore they were not in their own Country, but sought another. These three things then the Author of this Epistle used about the holy Scriptures: Reading, meditation, and observation.

Whence we learn, that all God's Ministers, and those which prepare themselves to the work of the Ministry, are diligently to read and study the holy Scriptures, and to meditate therein. No doubt, the Author of this Epistle was an Apostle, and had most notable gifts by virtue of his calling, and yet he bestowed pains in viewing the particular words of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, recorded by Moses in the book of Genesis. Daniel also was an extraordinary Prophet: yet (as we may read) Daniel 9:2, he studied with admirable diligence the prophecies of Jeremiah and Ezekiel. And Timothy, though he were a Disciple (Acts 16:1) and well learned: yet Paul charges him to give attendance to reading, to exhortation, and to doctrine, 1 Timothy 4:13. And Ezekiel is commanded to eat the roll, and to fill his belly with it, Ezekiel 3:3: And Saint John likewise is commanded to eat up the little book, Revelations 10:9, 10: which thing he did: all which strongly enforce the former duty, showing that God's servant in the Ministry, must as it were eat up God's book; that in judgment and understanding, he may digest as far as is possible the deep things of God, and the hardest places of the Scripture: here must he lay his foundation, and hither have recourse from all other writing whatsoever, in any matter of doubt.

This direction is most necessary for the Schools of the Prophets, and for all God's Ministers: and yet notwithstanding, the contrary practice bears sway in the world. For, in the Popish Universities, most of their divines apply themselves to study the books of certain Schoolmen, and the Expositors or Commenters thereupon. These are applied day and night, though they be both many and large, and full of needless quiddities, and oftentimes they be also publicly expounded, whereas in the mean time the Bible lies neglected, or little regarded: wherein we may see the notable work of the Devil and his malice, toward the Church of God; for the Schools of the Prophets are the fountains of learning. Now, when as Satan by this means, does steal away from them the study of the Bible, and in stead thereof foists in corrupt humane writings; hereby he poisons the fountains, to the danger of infecting the whole Church. And as this is common in the places of Popery; so likewise some fault is this way committed among us that be Protestants; for, many in their private studies take little pains in the book of God, but apply themselves wholly to the writings of men; as Councils, Fathers, Schoolmen, and other Expositors: and in the handling of the Scripture, they glory more to prove a point of doctrine by multiplicity of humane testimonies, than by the written word. But the truth is, thus to do, is to prefer the handmaid before the Mistress: and as for the opening & expounding of Scripture by other Writers, it is no such point of deep learning: a man of ordinary capacity and diligence, may easily deliver what others have done before him. But to open the Scripture soundly and purely; as it ought to be, is of another nature than these men take it: and hereto the sound study of the Text itself, will prove the best help, as they will confess who have tried most of all. And though the best men's works be but base stuff to the pure word of God, yet the writings of holy men must not be contemned; but must be read and regarded in their place, for our furnishing and enabling to the study of the Scriptures, and for the helping of our knowledge and judgment in the word of God: they that hold or practice the contrary, know not what helps they be; and what light they yield to many dark places of Scripture: But still above and beyond, before and after all, the word of God must be eaten up of us, and studied with all diligence.

Secondly, in that the Author of this Epistle notes their particular sentence, and by consequence gathers this meditation out of it; that they sought a Country; Hereby all men are taught to exercise themselves in hearing and reading all the places of the Bible: even the Histories of men therein; and out of the words to gather godly meditations. So Paul says to the Colossians, Let the word of God dwell plenteously in you, Colossians 3:16. The Prophet David also notes it for the property of a good man, to meditate in the Law of God day and night: And the practice of the blessed virgin Mary, is registered as an example for us to follow; that she kept all the sayings of Christ in her heart. But pity it is to see, how reading in the word of God is laid aside; for it is so little practiced, that men now-a-days will not be at charge to buy a Bible: for books of Statutes, men will not only have them in their houses, but at their fingers ends; but Bible they have none: and if they have, it lies on the desk, or table, and they read it not; and if sometime they read, yet they never meditate thereon, as we are taught in this place.

Further, whereas the Holy Ghost reasons thus upon these examples, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were strangers and Pilgrims, therefore they sought a Country: Herein he teaches us this special point, to wit; that a doctrine, though it be not expressed in plain words in the Bible; yet being gathered thence by right and just consequence, is no less to be believed and received, than that which is plainly expressed: and therefore they are far to blame which mislike these terms in Divinity, person, nature, sacrament, consubstantial, Trinity, etc. because they are not expressed in the word. But, they may with good conscience and much profit be retained; because, though not literally, yet in sense and meaning they are contained in the Scripture, and may by just consequence be gathered thence. And, we deny not transubstantiation, because the word is not in the Scripture; but because the matter is not there: nor can by necessary consequence be derived from it, but rather the contrary.

Again, many refuse these doctrines, the proceeding of the holy Ghost from the sonne; and the baptizing of children, because they are not expressed in the Scripture. But hence we answer, that though they be not expressly set down in so many words, yet by just consequence they may be soundly gathered out of Scripture, and therefore are true doctrines no less to be believed, than that which is plainly expressed. And thus much of the first part of the reason, And if they had been mindful of that Country, whence they came, they had leisure to have returned. But now they desire a better, that is an heavenly: Wherefore God is not ashamed of them to be called their God. For he has prepared for them a City.

Here the holy Ghost proves the second part of the former argument, by 2 reasons: the first, is contained in the 15th verse, and the beginning of the 16th. It is taken from the distinction of Countries, and may be framed thus; They either sought an earthly Country or an heavenly Country.

But not an earthly: Therefore they sought an heavenly Country. The first part of this reason is clear of itself. The second part is in the 15th verse: from whence follows the conclusion in the beginning of the 16th verse.

To come to the first part, in these words: And if they had been mindful of the country, etc. That is, if they had regarded, or thought upon Mesopotamia, or Chaldea, from whence they came, and where they were born; with any desire to have enjoyed the profits, or pleasure thereof; they had leisure enough to have returned back thither, by reason of the length of their days which they lived, in the Land whither God called them.

Here observe two points: First, that they are not mindful of (or, as the word imports) they remember not the country from whence they came: but when God gave them commandment to depart thence, and not to return to Mesopotamia again; after this commandment given, they came forth, and did forget their own country.

Whence we learn, that howsoever usually, Forgetfulness be a vice; yet some kind of forgetfulness, is a notable virtue: namely, to forget the things that displease God, and which he would not have us to think upon. Psalm 45:9. The Church is commanded to forget her own people, and her fathers house: That is, her own will and desires; she must never think thereof (nor of any other thing whereby God is displeased) unless it be with dislike.

This condemns the practice of many aged persons, in these days, who delight themselves among the younger sort, to tell of the bad practices of their youth; in wantonness, contentions, and breaking God's commandments: But, in so doing, they sin grievously; for, a man must not remember his sins, but with dislike, and detestation; being grieved with them, and angry with himself for them; or else to teach others how to avoid them.

And as this kind of Forgetfulness, is a good virtue; so there is also a virtuous and good Remembrance: namely, to be mindful of that which may please God: as of God's Judgments, to be humbled thereby: and of his Mercies, to be thankful unto Almighty God for them: and of his Commandments, to become obedient to his will. These things therefore, we ought to imprint by diligence, in our memories.

Secondly, here observe, God calls them out of their own country, and bids them live in the land of Canaan, as strangers and pilgrims; and so they do, abiding there, without any purpose to return; nay, they are not mindful of their former home.

Hence we are taught, to be constant in that calling whereunto God has called us. It is a fearful sin, for a man to go back from that calling, in which God has placed him. When the Israelites abode not patiently, and constantly, with God in the wilderness, but desired to shake off the calling of God, and to return to Egypt, there to sit by the flesh-pots again; they had God's hand upon them grievously: as we may read at large, Psalm 78. Lot's wife, for looking back, when she was commanded to the contrary; was fearfully, and strangely punished, being turned into a pillar of salt, Genesis 19:26. And our Saviour Christ says, Luke 9:62, No man that puts his hand to the Lord's plough, and looks back again, is apt to the kingdom of God. As though he had said, He that starts from the plough, is not fit for the field: no more is he that shifts from his calling, fit for God's service.

To apply this to our selves: God has called us to profess Christian religion: whence we are called Protestants. We therefore must profess the same constantly, and hold it fast, without wavering, or doubting (even without being mindful of that spiritual Egypt of darkness and superstition, whence we are delivered) much more, without turning to any other; this being the true religion, which is grounded on God's word.

Again, in this our calling of Christianity, we have vowed unto God for our selves, to renounce the flesh, the world, and the devil. Now, this being our calling; as we have promised, and undertaken it: so we must obey it in our lives, fighting manfully every day, against the world, the flesh, and the devil. For, if we profess religion in word, and do not obey it in deed; we make our selves unfit for the kingdom of heaven. But alas, men are like to the Swine that returns to the puddle, though he be washed never so clean; and to the Dog, that returns to his vomit: for, most men do but serve the flesh, and the world, and the lusts thereof; therein is their joy, and their hearts ease: take away these things from them, and take away their lives: so far are they from seeking the kingdom of heaven, as these Patriarchs did.

Thus much for the first part of the reason.

Now follows the second part, which is this; But they sought not a place in earth: and therefore the conclusion follows, That they desire a country, which is heaven; in these words: But now they desire a better.

But some will say, the Patriarchs were dead many hundred years, before this was written; How then can they be now said, to desire a country? Answer. The Author of this Epistle, here observes, and follows the manner of them that write Histories; who speak of things past long ago, as though they were now present.

Now, it is said, they desired a better country. These Patriarchs had laid before them two countries, the Land of Canaan, and the kingdom of Heaven; and of these two, they might choose whether they would, to be their portion, and inheritance, upon which they would bestow their hearts: Now, they esteemed heaven (though it was to come) better than Canaan, though present; and therefore made choice of heaven, and longed for it.

Where we learn, that as we must be thankful to God, for all his blessings; so among them all, we should choose the best. This, David does: for being put to choose, whether he had rather live in safe-guard, and in solace, with the wicked and ungodly; than in base estate, and in great danger, near to God's sanctuary: He says, Psalm 84:10, He had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of his God, than to dwell in the Tabernacles of wickedness. And Solomon is highly commended by the holy Ghost, 1 Kings 3:10-11, for choosing a wise and understanding heart, before riches and honour. Moses also (as we shall see afterward) had his choice, whether he would live gloriously, and at ease, in Pharaoh's court; or with the Church of God in adversity: now, Moses having the gift of discerning, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, and chose rather to suffer adversity with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. Which holy examples, do all teach us; that when God sets before us diverse sorts of his blessings, we in spiritual wisdom, must make choice of the best. On the contrary, Esau had this choice set before him; his brother's red broth, and his birth-right; but he chose the worse: and therefore, in the new Testament, the holy Ghost notes him with this mark, to be profane Esau, for his labour. And the Gadarenes also are branded with a note of infamy to all ages, for choosing their hogs before Christ, and his salvation. And the like choice is set before us every day; for God of his mercy, in the preaching of the word, for his part, does set forth unto us, Christ Jesus crucified; and in him, remission of sins, and salvation. Now, on the other side, comes the devil, and sets before us, all sorts of vain pleasures, and delights; showing to every man those sins, to which he is given; and with them, all the profits or pleasures, that usually accompany such sins. Now, most men having this choice set before them, do leave the true and substantial blessings of God, and come to Satan's painted Pageants, and there make choice of sin, with those base companions that do attend her. This is too apparent to be denied: for, howsoever the word of God be preached unto us, and we do hear the same, yet we prefer the vanities and pleasures of the sinful world, before Christ crucified; making no account of him, nor of our own salvation by him, in comparison of the present profits and pleasures of sin. But we must pray to God to give us spiritual wisdom, and the gift of discerning, that now when God sets before us things so far differing, we may have grace to discern between them; and withal, to prefer and make choice of the best, and to refuse the worst. But as for them that are so mad in their choice, that they now prefer sin before the blessings of God in Christ, they shall see the day when they would wish themselves to be Dogs, Toads, or Serpents, rather than men and women: and yet (though they would be glad of that exchange of state) they shall never compass it, but shall remain woeful men and women for evermore, because that once they made so profane a choice: when the path of life was set before them, they chose the way of death rather than of life; and therefore when they would desire death, they shall not have it, but shall live a life more bitter for ever than any death in the greatest pangs.

Thus we see in general their choice was of the better. Particularly the Text adds; That is, an heavenly.

In which words is laid down the last and chief point in this reason, to wit, that the Patriarchs desired a better Country than the Land of Canaan, and that was an heavenly Country, even heaven itself: the proof whereof is principally intended in this place.

Now whereas the Patriarchs, being our forefathers in faith, and patterns whom we must follow, did desire heaven: by their example every one of us is taught the same duty, to aim at another and a better Country, than that in which we live, even at the kingdom of heaven; and not to think that this world is the Country we are born for. This better Country we must all seek for, whatsoever we be, high and low, young and old, learned and unlearned, if we will follow these godly Patriarchs. And this we must do not at death only, seeking this world all our life long, for that is to despise heaven; but even in the time of our youth, and strength of our days, must we set our hearts on heaven; endeavouring so to use this world, and the things thereof, that when we die, we may come to heaven, that blessed country, which we desired, and sought for in our lives.

And to persuade us hereunto, consider the reasons following. First, worldly wisdom teaches this: If a man dwell on his own land, and in his own house, he is careless; But if in another man's house, whereof he has no lease, but contrariwise, is certain to be put out, he knows not when: this man will in time provide himself of another that so he may remove into it, and not be destitute; and if it be within his power, he will provide a better, that so he may not remove for the worse. Behold, while we live in this world, our bodies are tents and tabernacles wherein our souls do dwell, for a time: and besides; this time is uncertain; for there is no man that can say certainly, he shall live to the next hour: Therefore, we must every one of us, provide for himself a dwelling place in heaven, where we may abide for ever, in all blessedness.

Again, consider the state of all sorts of men in the world: for, sin, Atheism, and profaneness, abound every where, the blaspheming of God's holy name, and the breaking of his Sabbath; besides daily sins against the second table. Now, all these cry continually for vengeance, and for God's judgments to be inflicted upon us, and we know not how God will deal with us for own sins; whether he will take from us our goods, and good name, our health, friends, or life itself. And therefore it stands us in hand to provide for ourselves, a resting place, wherein we may abide for ever, after this frail life full of misery is ended.

Thirdly, if we shall not do this, mark what follows: this, and no other, is our estate; By nature, we are the children of wrath, and of the devil; and by our manifold sins, we have made our case far worse. Now, what is due unto us, for this corruption, and for these transgressions? Surely, not heaven, but another place; even the contrary, the place of eternal woe, and destruction, the bottomless pit of hell. Now, if this be our due by nature, then let not sin, nor Satan, deceive us; persuading us, that we may come to heaven, and still continue in the state of our corrupt nature: but let us labor by all means, to eschew this place, which is due unto us by nature; that through the gift of faith in Christ, we may come to the heavenly city, which these godly Patriarchs so seriously sought for. But if we remain in our sins, and so die, we are sure to go to the place of destruction, and there to remain in woe and torments, with the devil, and his angels for evermore: so that it stands us in hand, to use all good means to come to heaven, or else our case will be the most miserable of all creatures; for, perdition and destruction will be our portion world without end.

This must awake and stir up our dead and drowsy hearts, that are so besotted with sin, that though we hear, yet we neither learn, nor practice. In worldly things, we can take care and pains: but if we will do any thing for our own everlasting good, let us labor by all means to come to heaven; for if we miss of that city, it had been good for us, we had never been born: or that we had been the vilest creatures in the world, rather than men. For, when the unreasonable creatures die, there is an end of all their misery; but, if we die, and be not prepared for that place, our death will be unto us the beginning of all woe and misery.

Wherefore God is not ashamed of them to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a city.

In these words is laid down a second reason, whereby is proved, that these Patriarchs died in the faith, seeking their country in heaven. The reason is drawn from the testimony of God himself, recorded by Moses in the book of Exodus, where God saith, He is the God of their Fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Exodus 3.16.

The exposition. Wherefore] that is, that this might appear and be evident, that these Patriarchs died in the faith, and sought this Country of heaven, God was content to vouchsafe and grant unto them this favor, to be called their God.

Was not ashamed] To be, or not to be ashamed of one, properly belongs to men; and it cannot be affirmed properly of God, that he is ashamed or blushes (as the word signifies) but the meaning is, that God vouchsafed unto them this favor, and showed them this honor and dignity. Quest. What was this honor and dignity which he showed unto them? Answer. To be called their God. By which is meant thus much, that God accepted them in his mercy, to be such, with whom he would make his covenant of salvation, and not with them alone, but with their seed after them. Secondly, that he chose them, to make the covenant in their names for all the rest. Thirdly, he vouchsafed them a special and extraordinary favor, even that himself would bear their names, and they should bear his, making his glorious name renowned to the world's end, by this title, The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Hereupon the reason is framed thus; God would not be called in special manner the God of unfaithful men, but rather would bestow such a special favor upon Believers: but that favor did God vouchsafe to these three Patriarchs; therefore doubtless they lived and died in that holy faith.

In that it is said, God was not ashamed to be called their God; Here first we learn, that God doth not vouchsafe his mercy equally to all men, but some men have more prerogative in his favors and mercies than others. Kings make choice among all their subjects, of some men, whom they will prefer to be of their council or guard, and to whom they will give special countenance, and dispense their favors more liberally than to all: Even so God among all Abraham's kindred maketh choice of these three persons, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to bestow on them such special honor, as he vouchsafed not to any of their forefathers afore them, nor posterity after them. No marvel therefore though he bestow not his special mercy upon all, seeing he dispenseth not his inferior favors unto all alike. And yet for all this, he is no accepter of persons: for, he only is properly said, to be an accepter of persons, that preferreth one before another, in regard of some quality in the person: but God vouchsafed this honor unto these three, only of mere mercy and good will, and not for any thing he respected in them.

This confutes the conceit and error of many men broached abroad in this age, that God doth equally love all men as they are men, and hath chosen all men to salvation as they are men, and hath rejected none: for (say they) it stands with equity and good reason, that the Creator should love all his creatures equally: and this opinion they would build upon the general promise made to Abraham: because that in him God said all the nations of the earth should be blessed, Genesis 22.18. But we must understand that (All) is not always taken generally, but sometimes indefinitely for many: and so Paul speaking of this covenant of grace in Christ, saith; The Lord made Abraham a father of many nations, Romans 4.17: where repeating the covenant recorded by Moses, he putteth many for all. Again, grant that Abraham were the father of all nations, and that in him All the kindreds of the earth were blessed: Yet it follows not, that therefore God should love all men equally and alike; for he may love the faithful of all nations, and yet not love all men in all nations: for, in his bountiful mercy in Christ, he preferreth some before others. And this answer seems the better, because we may have some reason to think that God will save of every nation some, but no ground to imagine he will save all of any nation: much less all of every nation.

2. Here we may see, that God honoreth those his servants that honor him, as he saith to Eli the Priest, 1 Samuel 2.30. Which is a point to be marked diligently; for, this God is the glorious king of heaven and earth: yet he abaseth himself, and is content to be named by his Creature, advancing them by abasing himself to be called their God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Where we may apparently see, rather than God will not have them honored that honor him, he will abase himself, that they thereby may be honored.

Hence we may learn many things. First, that all that profess religion truly, must inure themselves to go through good report and ill report, and in all estates to be content, for God's honor's sake: as Paul saith; I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content: I can be abased and I can abound; every where in all things I am instructed, both to be full and to be hungry, to abound and to have want. Thus spake that holy man of God: and so must we all endeavor to say, and accordingly to practice. And the reason is good: because if a man honor God, howsoever he be contemned, or not regarded in the world, yet God will honor him, and esteem highly of him: that will prove the way to all true honor, as it hath done, even in this world to all that tried it.

Secondly, hence we learn which is the true way to get sound honor amongst men; namely, to honor God. Good estimation in the world is not to be contemned, for the Lord commandeth all inferiors to honor their superiors, whereby he also bindeth every man to preserve his own dignity. Now God honoreth them that honor him; therefore the surest way to get true honor among men is this: Let a man first lay his foundation well, and begin with God, and set all the affections of his heart and thoughts on this, To honor God. Quest. How may a man honor God? Answ. By forsaking the rebellious ways of sin and ungodliness, and walking in the way of righteousness through the course of his life. This doth God take to be an honor unto his high Majesty. And when a man doth this unfeignedly, then God will honor him, even among men, so far forth as shall be for his good; for God hath all men's hearts in his hand, and will make them to honor those that honor him: so Saint Paul saith, If any man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor; not only in glory eternal after death, but also in grace and favor with God's Church. This confutes the opinion, and condemns the practice of many, who would fain have good report in the world, and be spoken well of by all men: but what course (I pray you) take they to come by this good name? They do not begin with God, and lay their foundation by honoring him; but they strive to please men, whether it be by doing well or ill, they care not; their only care is to please all: for, that is their rule and resolution, all must be pleased. And because most men are ill, they rather choose oftentimes to do ill, than they will not please the greater sort. But he that beginneth to get honor by pleasing men, beginneth at a wrong end; for, by the testimony of the holy Ghost in this place, the way to get sound approbation before men, is first to begin with God, and to honor him.

Thirdly, if God will honor them that honor him; then by the contrary, consider what a miserable case many a man is in: For, those that dishonor God, God will dishonor them again; as we may see at large, and very plainly, in the example of Eli, and his two sons: for, them that honor me (saith the Lord unto him) I will honor, and they that despise me shall be despised, 1 Samuel 2.30. And in Zechariah we may read, that the man that by blasphemy, theft, or perjury, dishonoreth God, the flying curse of the Lord shall enter into his house, and remain in the midst thereof, and consume it with the timber thereof, and the stones thereof: Zechariah 5.4. And because Eli did more honor his children than God, 1 Samuel 2.31, therefore the Lord threateneth the destruction both of him, and his family: and according as the Lord had threatened, so it came to pass. For, when the Israelites fought with the Philistines (Chapter 4.11.) his two sons were slain; and he at the hearing of the news, fell down and brake his neck.

Now, if this be so, what shall we say of our own nation and people, amongst whom it is as common to dishonour God, as ever it was amongst the Papists, or Pagans; partly, by light using of his holy titles, and taking his name in vain: and partly, by swearing, and open blasphemy: and sometimes, even by abominable perjury. Nay, it is many men's rule, that they may swear, dissemble, lie, and forswear for advantage. These sins are some of them rife in all sorts of people, and hardly shall you talk with a man, that does not by vain oaths dishonour God. Yea, it is so common, that children, so soon as they can crawl, or lisp out a word; the first thing they can speak, is to curse, or swear, and take God's name in vain, whereby God is dishonoured every way: so as it is a wonder that the earth does not open and swallow up many men alive, for their swearing and blasphemy. And whereas God's Judgments are often grievously inflicted upon us, in many places of the Land; we may persuade ourselves, that among other sins, it is for our blasphemy, and taking God's name in vain. And if it be not speedily redressed, it is to be feared lest God will rain down his judgments upon us, and in his wrath sweep us all away; and take away the father with the child, the good with the bad, because there is no reformation of so vile, and yet so needless a sin.

To be called their God.

Observe here further, that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, could all of them say, God is my God. Now that which these worthy Patriarchs could say of themselves, we must every one of us in our own persons labor for; for, their example is and must be a rule for us to follow. We therefore must labor for this assurance, by God's grace to say, as these holy Patriarchs did say, The true Jehovah is my God: and of this I am resolved, and undoubtedly assured in mine own conscience.

Question. How shall we be able to say unfeignedly, God is my God? Answer. By becoming his servants and people, in deed and truth; for, to him who is one of God's people, God is always his God. But how shall we become God's true servants? Answer. By setting our hearts upon the true God, and giving them wholly unto him, and to his service; and restraining ourselves from all occasions of sin, because sin displeases him. Question. But how shall a man set his heart wholly on God? Answer. This he does, when he loves him above all, and fears him above all, and above all things is zealous for God's glory; when he has full confidence in God's word and promises, and is more grieved for displeasing God, than for all things in the world besides. Or, more plainly thus: then a man does set his heart on God, when his heart is so affected, that when God commands, he is always ready to obey: So the Lord says, Hosea 2:23, I will say to them that were not my people, You are my people; and they shall say, Thou art my God. And in the Psalms, the Lord says, Psalm 27:8, Seek you my face: Then the holy man's heart, as an Echo gives answer, I seek thy face, O God. And such a one is the heart of him, that is indeed the servant and child of God, and one of God's people.

For he has prepared for them a city.

These words are a reason of the former, proving that God was not ashamed to be called their God, because he prepared a city for them. And indeed, this shows evidently, that God was greatly delighted with them, rather than ashamed of them; for, had he been ashamed of them, he would have shut them out of his presence. Herein therefore he declared his love and favor, that by preparing this city, he procured that they should live in his sight for evermore.

Hence we learn, that he which has God for his God, has all things with him; according to the common proverb, Have God and have all. And on the contrary, Lack God and lack all. And therefore David says, Psalm 145:15, Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. Other things, which here might be added, have been handled before.

Verse 11. By faith even Sarah herself received ability to conceive, even beyond the proper time of life, since she considered Him faithful who had promised.

After Abraham, who is called the father of the faithful, comes Sarah — who was in a spiritual sense the mother of believers. After the husband comes the wife. In fact, Abraham's faith is commended both before and after hers, with hers enclosed in the middle.

This is worth noting: God honors holy marriage and maintains its dignity and order. He commends not only the faith of Abel, who may have been unmarried, but also of married people. It is worth observing that of all those the Holy Spirit records here for their faith and holiness, they were all married — except Abel, of whom it is not certain whether he was or not.

It appears therefore that as God ordained holy marriage, so He has always honored it — with His grace in this life and His glory in heaven — as well as or better than any other way of living. Those who in any way dishonor marriage spit in the face of God Himself. This is especially true of those who, like some Roman Catholics, excuse fornication or adultery for certain classes of people rather than uphold the dignity of marriage. We should also observe how God maintains the dignity and proper order of marriage here: He places Abraham and Sarah together and puts no one between them, showing the inseparable unity that is to exist between husband and wife — so binding that even in sacred history they are set side by side. This reveals how serious is the presumption of anyone who attempts in any way to break that unity.

He places Abraham first, to show the dignity and headship of the man, whom God — on account of Eve's sin — has set over the woman, not only as her head but as her guide and leader. And it teaches the man that his example should come first and serve as a light to his wife — putting to shame those men who fall behind their wives in faith and holiness. He places Abraham both before and after Sarah, with her in the middle, to teach her that her glory and honor rest on every side in the virtue and godliness of her husband — her head under God. He is to go before her to give her good example, come after her to watch over her conduct, and on all sides to be a shelter and defense to her.

These observations are fitting to make in this context. Now let us turn to the text itself, which contains five points: 1. Who believed: even Sarah. 2. What she believed: God's promise that she would bear Isaac. 3. The obstacles to that faith, which were two: (1) her age, and (2) her barrenness. 4. The effects of her faith, which were three: (1) she conceived, (2) she gave birth to Isaac, and (3) she had a great offspring and posterity through him. 5. The ground of her faith: she considered Him faithful who had promised.

All of these points are laid out in this verse or the next.

The first point is the person this account is about: Sarah — a woman — she also believed. We have heard examples of notable men; but here is a woman recorded for her faith and holy obedience, just as men were.

We learn from this that saving faith — and therefore salvation itself — is not limited to one sex but belongs to both: men and women alike. It was the woman who first brought sin into the world; deceived by the devil, she in turn deceived man. In this sense the apostle says in 1 Timothy 2:14: 'And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.' Because of this, grievous trials and much difficulty were placed on women — in bearing and raising children, and in living under authority. In this they might have thought themselves abandoned by God because of their fault. To prevent such despair, the apostle — or rather the Holy Spirit through him — teaches us here that true faith and salvation through the Messiah belongs to Sarah as much as to Abraham, to women as much as to men. Peter makes this equally plain in 1 Peter 3:7, teaching that women 'are fellow heirs of the grace of life.'

The practical force of this is two-fold. On one side, it exposes the monstrous and unnatural madness of those men who have questioned whether women could be saved — or even whether they have souls. On the other side, it gives women every reason to serve the God who has been so merciful toward their sex — the God who, though He has placed them under the authority of their husbands in bodily matters, has made their souls equal partners with men in the same hope of eternal life.

At the same time, we may observe how few women the Holy Spirit records here — only one or two among many men. This has been true in every age: those women who were genuinely godly were excellent — but few in comparison to men. This makes their goodness all the more praiseworthy, and it should stir all women who profess faith to labor in following the example of their foremother Sarah, so that they may be numbered among those few.

But let us consider more closely who this Sarah was — all the more since she is the only woman of the Jewish nation whose faith is remembered here.

She was the wife of Abraham, the great patriarch of the age between the flood and the giving of the law. Of her we read this account, among others, in Genesis 18:13: God appeared by His angel to her and her husband and promised that within a year they would have a son. Both heard it and both laughed — Abraham out of joy and wonder, for which he was not rebuked, but Sarah out of doubt and a sense of near-impossibility, for which the angel sharply rebuked her. Yet observe: this same Sarah, who had just laughed at the promise as absurd and impossible, afterward believed — and believed so genuinely that her faith is here recorded for all generations to come.

In her example, there is an important lesson. It was wrong of Sarah to laugh at God's word, however far beyond her expectations it seemed. But it was good and praiseworthy that she corrected her fault and showed her change of heart by believing. We all tend to follow Sarah in her fault — but few follow her in her repentance. Many in the church today mock religion, mock ministers, and mock those who take their faith seriously. Any religion that doesn't suit their tastes is dismissed as foolishness or pretense, and those who hold it are written off as hypocrites or fools. But these people have no idea how serious a sin it is to mock God's word. If Sarah's fault was serious — laughing at something that seemed nearly impossible to her, and yet without malice — what will become of those who, out of worldly and fleshly disregard, treat all of God's commands, promises, and ordinances as a joke, along with everything else in religion that doesn't serve their own purposes? Let such people be warned: stop mocking, put aside contempt for others, and begin in soberness and sincerity to believe. Otherwise they will find it is a painful thing to kick against the sharp spur, and dangerous to play with a sword.

Furthermore, Sarah — who laughed in doubt — also believed. This teaches us that true faith is always accompanied by doubt in all of God's children. If someone objects: that doesn't follow here — for she first doubted and then believed; when she doubted she didn't believe, and when she believed she didn't doubt —

My answer is: that is not how it was. The opposite is true, and I will show it. Sarah was not an unbeliever who flatly denied and rejected God's word when she heard it. She simply found it, by every natural measure, impossible — and so she did not immediately yield to it but laughed at it as something beyond all ordinary experience. Yet at the same time she considered who had spoken it, namely God, and so she immediately judged it possible with God though impossible by reason — and in the end she believed it firmly, even while her reason continued to argue against it. So she never doubted in such a way that she did not, to some degree, also believe. And even when her faith was most steadfast, some doubt still remained. Reason said it could not be; faith said it could. Therefore, just as even when reason was stronger, some sparks of faith remained — so when faith was dominant, some remnant of doubt remained. For just as reason cannot overthrow true faith, so the best faith in this world cannot completely silence reason.

This is the teaching of God's word in Mark 9:24. When Jesus told the father of the possessed child to believe and his son would be set free, the father cried out with tears: 'I do believe; help my unbelief.' Here is both faith and unbelief in one soul at the same moment, in the same action, toward the same object. And what is unbelief but doubt, or something worse?

Christ repeatedly reproves His disciples for their doubting and calls them 'you of little faith' — and yet it is well known that they had genuine faith at the time. Even Peter himself, renowned above others for his faith, is rebuked in the same words: 'You of little faith, why did you doubt?' He had a little faith — therefore some faith. But little faith means much doubt. It is therefore plain that a person can have both faith and doubt in his soul at the same time. Indeed, we commonly have a mustard seed or a mite of faith and a mountain of doubt.

The practical force of this teaching is twofold. First, it exposes the poverty of many who call themselves Christians, who care nothing about how they live and yet say they believe in Christ and expect to be saved by Him. Ask how they know it — they answer that they've never thought otherwise. Ask when they began believing — they say they always have. Ask if they ever doubt — they answer that they would be ashamed to admit it. But this is nothing but ignorance and presumption. Our faith is never disgraced by such people, because they do not have it and do not understand it. If they did, they would be ashamed to answer that way. These people have no faith at all. Where genuine faith exists, doubt always makes itself felt. The person who knows he believes also knows he doubts — and the more he believes, the more clearly he feels his doubt. When both are present, they are always in opposition, showing their contrary natures: one is spirit, the other is flesh and corruption. 'For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh' (Galatians 5:17). Therefore the person who thinks he is entirely spiritual and has no flesh or corruption in him is nothing but corruption. And the person who imagines he has perfect faith with no doubt whatsoever has no faith at all — only carnal presumption.

Second, here is comfort for all who have genuine faith and grace and yet are daily troubled by temptations and doubt. Let such people not be discouraged when they find much doubt and uncertainty within themselves. For Sarah believed — and yet she doubted. And despite all her doubting, she believed so genuinely that her faith is here set as a model for all godly women forever. Therefore anyone who is even beaten down by Satan with temptations of doubt need not be alarmed, as though he had no faith. He may be assured that it is his doubt making its presence felt, and faith rising up in opposition. So let him strive with tears and prayers, and say: 'Lord, I believe; help my unbelief.'

So we have seen who the person was — Sarah. But what was the action she performed? It is implied in the words that follow: 'By faith, Sarah...'

Her action was that she believed. Faith, and the act of believing, is the theme of this entire chapter. These holy men and women had many other virtues — but it is their faith alone that is commended here.

Regarding Sarah's faith specifically, there is something remarkable to observe: the very same word of God that she believed — and for believing which she is here recorded — she had also laughed at. Yet note what is written: her faith is recorded, her laughing is not. Her faith is commended; her fault is passed over in silence. In this holy and merciful practice of God, we learn:

First, God accepts genuine faith even when it is accompanied by many weaknesses. Just as a king is willing to give a gift to a beggar who receives it with a hand trembling from illness, so God is pleased with our faith even when it is weak and unsteady — and He bestows grace on a believing soul, however shaken by many temptations.

In short, God accepts sincerity of faith even when it is small, and in His mercy He looks more at a person's little faith than at his many faults. 'He will not break a bruised reed, nor extinguish a smoldering wick' (Isaiah 42:3). When a person is broken in heart and downcast in soul at the sight of his many sins and little grace, God will not break this bruised reed but will comfort and strengthen him. And when any spark of grace appears in a person — like a wick that smolders but does not yet burn brightly — God will not put it out but will kindle it and give it life.

This should teach us to respond generously to the sincere and honest efforts of our fellow believers, even when they fall short of what they should do or could do. Let us not demand too much too quickly, but wait with patience for God's grace to do its work. And in the meantime, think well of a faith like Sarah's, even when it comes with some laughing.

Second, we learn here that God notices and values the good things in His children more than their faults and failures. He records Sarah's faith; He does not mention her laughing. This flows from the goodness of His nature — He is goodness itself, and therefore most readily perceives and takes note of even the smallest goodness wherever He finds it.

This is how we should treat one another. Whatever good we see in someone, we should notice and commend it. Their faults we should overlook, cover, and leave unmentioned. But we do the opposite. The common talk of the world is nothing but other people's faults and failures; whatever good qualities they have, we bury or ignore. This reveals the malice and corruption of our nature — being evil, it delights in nothing but evil; being corrupt, it feeds, like a fly on a wound, on nothing but others' corruption. Let us remember what God does, and train our tongues to speak of the good things and virtues in our fellow believers. In doing so we will resemble the Lord, who — though Sarah laughed not in holy wonder but in unbelief — because she afterward believed, has placed her among the most notable believers and holiest people who have ever lived.

So much for the first point: the person — Sarah — and her action — she believed. Now the second point: what did she believe? This is contained and implied in the last words of the verse: 'she considered Him faithful who had promised.'

What she believed was the word and promise of God — specifically His promise that she would bear Isaac in her old age. We may read about that promise and its circumstances in Genesis 18:13 and following.

The only question here is: by what kind of faith did she believe this?

The answer is: by true saving faith. This is proved as follows. Abraham believed this same promise by the faith that justified him (Romans 4:10-11). But Abraham and Sarah believed it together, by the same faith. Therefore Sarah believed that promise by the faith that also justified her. From this we learn that saving faith grasps not only the great promise of redemption through Christ, but all other lesser promises that depend on it. Here we see Abraham and Sarah laying hold of the promise of a temporal blessing by the same faith they had previously used to grasp the promise of eternal salvation through the Messiah. The object of true faith therefore has two dimensions: 1. Primary: the promise of salvation through Christ. 2. Secondary: all the lesser promises attached to it.

The primary promise is: 'For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life' (John 3:16). True faith first of all fastens directly and plainly on this. Then, together with this, it lays hold of all other promises concerning soul or body. In the Lord's Prayer, we are directed to pray for temporal blessings — health, peace, adequate provision, and everything else — under the name 'daily bread.' And we are bound to believe that God will grant these things when we ask in faith. This faith is not forced or strained — it is free and willing, and it rests on a solid foundation. For once we are persuaded that God accepts us in Christ for salvation, we cannot help but be equally persuaded that He will supply everything else we need.

We note this point again because we are wrongly accused by Roman Catholics of holding that faith grasps the promise of salvation alone. But we pass over this objection, as we have already addressed it elsewhere.

Now follows the third point: the obstacles to her faith, expressed in the words 'when she was past the proper age.'

The promise was that she would have a child. She believed it. Now there are two natural obstacles to childbearing: 1. Barrenness. 2. Age.

If a woman is past the ordinary age of childbearing, it is unlikely. If she is well past it, it is by all natural reckoning impossible. Furthermore, even if a woman is not past that age, if she is barren — as some naturally are — there is no expectation of conception. Both of these obstacles stood in Sarah's way. The text here says she was 'past the proper age,' and another passage — Genesis 16:1-2 — says 'she was barren.'

One might object about Sarah's age: in ancient times, people had children at a very advanced age. Eve bore her son Seth when she was 130 years old (based on Genesis 5:3 — since Adam and Eve must have been roughly the same age, and he was 130 at Seth's birth). After that, Eve bore many more sons and daughters. So perhaps Sarah was not actually past the age of childbearing at 90. But we should understand that those who bore children at such ages in ancient times lived eight or nine hundred years. Sarah, by contrast, lived after the flood, when human lifespans had dropped to around 200 years and often to roughly 100. Abraham lived only 175 years, and Sarah only 127. A woman who lived only 127 years and died as an old woman was certainly past childbearing age at 90.

Besides her age, she was also naturally barren — as many women are — and had given Abraham no children. Yet to this woman came a word from God: 'Sarah shall bear a son.' And this aged and barren woman did not throw these two obstacles at God in despair — either one of which was, by all reasonable reckoning, enough to prevent childbearing. Instead, beyond all natural obstacles and above all human reasoning, she believed it would be so, resting and relying wholly and only on God's word.

The practical lesson of this remarkable and faith-filled example — so striking in a woman — is that we must rest on God's word and promise even when we have no natural reason to do so. For instance:

When we see the bodies of our friends or children placed in the earth to decay, or burned by fire, or consumed by the sea, human reason says they are gone and can never return. But we have God's word and sure promise: 'The dead shall rise; with their bodies they shall rise' (Isaiah 26:19). We must therefore believe it, if we would share in Sarah's faith. God said to her: 'Age and barrenness shall give way to a child.' She believed it. He says to us: 'Dust and corruption shall live again.' He has said it many times. Should our faith not hear our God's voice and believe it as she did?

But let us consider personal promises, as hers was — for the resurrection promise is general. God has promised grace and pardon to every repentant and believing soul. Yet no one tastes the sweetness of this promise without first passing through the bitterness of many temptations to the contrary — temptations that produce doubt and sometimes even near-despair of God's favor. What must a person do in that situation? Simply believe — even when he feels no reason to believe — and 'hope against hope.' This was the faith of both Abraham and Sarah. For it, they were recorded in the story of Genesis, and are remembered and commended again both here and in Romans 4. Now suppose that you, after coming to God through faith and repentance, fall into a season of spiritual desolation — where it feels as though God's heavy hand and anger have seized you, and the devil charges you with your sins and tells you that you are condemned, that you were always a hypocrite, that you never had real faith, and that God is therefore your enemy. In this situation, where by every natural feeling and reason there is not the slightest hope of salvation — what should you do? Despair? God forbid. That is the road that leads to hell. Instead: hope when there is no hope; hold on to faith when there is no feeling.

To strengthen us for this, remember the faith of Job — tried and tested more severely than almost anyone — who, though 'the arrows of the Almighty were within him and their poison drank up his spirit' (Job 6:4), yet even then he believed. He refused to let go, saying: 'Though You bring me to dust, I will not forsake You. Though You slay me, yet I will trust in You.' So in the violence of temptations, when the poisonous weight of God's apparent wrath seems to drink up our spirits, we must still believe. And in the pains of death, when God seems ready to destroy us, we must still trust Him. In such moments is the life of faith displayed: when reason and feeling say that God is a terrible judge, faith must say He is a merciful Father.

In our times of health, prosperity, and felt nearness to God, this counsel may seem unnecessary. But if we belong to God, the time is certain to come — if it has not already — when this teaching will be the most vital thing any of us knows.

So we see the excellence of this woman's faith, which is made all the more remarkable by these two great obstacles she overcame. Now follow the effects of her faith, which are several — some described in this verse and some in the next.

She received strength to conceive, and she bore a child.

In these words are two effects of her faith.

First, through the power of her faith she was enabled to conceive — something she had previously not been able to do, even though the same natural conditions that prevent conception had been present all along.

Second, she gave birth to a child in her old age — and that child was Isaac, who is therefore called the promised offspring and the child of the promise.

From considering these two effects together, several useful lessons may be drawn. Since they are closely related, we will treat them jointly.

First, we see here that nothing God has promised is so difficult that faith cannot accomplish it and bring it about. Christ told the blind to see and the lame to walk. He spoke; they believed; they were healed. Here God promises a barren, aged woman a child. She believes — and she conceives and gives birth to a son.

This teaching applies to two groups of people.

First, many in the church, when urged to learn the faith, respond: they are simple, or uneducated, or slow and dull, or old and weak — and therefore they cannot learn anything, or if they do, they cannot retain it. But these are nothing but empty excuses. They are not lacking the intelligence to learn religion when they have enough intelligence to buy and sell, to tell fair weather from foul, good food from bad, expensive from cheap, summer from winter. If they have the intelligence to manage the ordinary affairs of daily life, they have intelligence enough to grasp the foundations of religion and to gain the knowledge needed as a basis for the faith that will save their souls. What they lack is not ability — it is willingness and diligence to use the means available. Here, then, is sound advice for such people. Let such a person learn even just one promise from holy Scripture — such as this: 'But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you' (Matthew 6:33). Or this: 'Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you' (1 Peter 5:7). Or this: 'All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out' (John 6:37). Or simply this: 'Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find' (Matthew 7:7). Let a person learn even just one of these, and once learned, let him believe it and let his soul feed on it daily. He will see what follows — a wonderful blessing on that small beginning. That faith will so satisfy and encourage his heart that it will drive him to seek more. It will make him both eager and capable of more knowledge and grace, and will make him hungry and thirsty for more — whereas the person who knows no promise and believes none stays content with ignorance and error. Everyone who carefully uses the means God provides, and begins by learning even one lesson, will find this to be true. For just as aged and barren Sarah, by believing God's promise, conceived and gave birth — so old, simple, plain, and slow country people, by believing even one promise from God's word, will conceive and daily bring forth more and more fruitful knowledge and grace.

Second, there are others who have made better progress in the faith — they see their sins and grieve deeply over them, but they cannot overcome their sinful impulses. For many, their inward sins and corruptions are more painful and burdensome than any physical hardship in the world. Yet they see no way to conquer those corruptions, and are often defeated by them, to their great distress.

Such people should know that the root cause is a lack of faith. They are not sufficiently meditating on and taking hold of God's promises regarding this struggle, and they are not using the means God has appointed — to which He has attached His promises of help against sin. Let them therefore lay God's word and promises before their consciences through holy and frequent meditation. Let them carefully use the means God has provided: hearing and reading His word, receiving the Lord's Supper, earnest and regular prayer, and seeking the prayers of others. Let them sharpen these holy practices with fasting, watchful self-discipline, godly conversation with other believers, visiting those who are similarly afflicted, and often opening their condition to their faithful pastors. Let them continue in this course and rest confidently on God's word and promises, with the firm footing of faith — and they will see that 'old Sarah will receive strength to conceive.' That is, their poor souls will receive strength to tread on Satan, to conquer their corruptions, and to conceive and bring forth many worthy fruits of holiness, to their joy and comfort in later years — as Isaac was to Sarah in her old age.

The next lesson we learn here is this: since Sarah conceived and gave birth through faith in God's promise, children are directly a blessing from the Lord. Sarah bore Isaac not by any ordinary power of nature, but 'through faith she received strength to conceive.' And this is not limited to her case — where there was an extraordinary miracle. It is true of all. Some women are barren by nature and cannot conceive unless by God's power, as Sarah did. Others, who could by every natural measure conceive, remain without children. For just as God gave the command and power to 'be fruitful and multiply' (Genesis 1:22), so He reserved the execution of that power in His own hand, to give or withhold, to increase or limit, as He pleases. Therefore the psalmist says: 'Behold, children are a gift from the Lord, the fruit of the womb is a reward from Him' (Psalm 127:3). And speaking of them in Psalm 128:4: 'Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord.'

The practical application is for parents: since children are God's blessings, raise them as such. Provide not only for their physical needs — for animals do as much for their young — but nurture them in godly discipline, sowing the seeds of faith in their hearts. If this is lacking, they have nothing — even if you leave them great estates. The saying is true: better never to have been born than to have been born and never taught. The law and power to 'increase and multiply' was given to animals just as to us (Genesis 1:22). Therefore, unless we do more than provide for our children's bodies, we are little different from animals. But lead them to know God, and we make them companions with the angels. If parents did this faithfully, the blessing it would bring to both the church and the nation cannot be measured.

Third and finally, let us recognize that this holy matron Sarah represents mystically the spiritual Jerusalem — the church of God. Allegories should be taught with care and restraint, or much unsound doctrine may burden people's consciences. But this one is both sound and certain, for it comes from the apostle himself in Galatians 4:23 and following: 'By Hagar and Sarah, something else is meant — for these two mothers represent two covenants. Hagar gives birth to children for slavery.' 'Sarah represents the Jerusalem that is above — free — and she is the mother of us all.' The resemblance between natural Sarah, the wife of Abraham, and mystical Sarah — the bride of Christ, the church of God — is this: just as Sarah gave birth not through her own natural strength but through God's power and faith in His promise, so the church our mother brings forth children for God only through the power of God's word and Spirit. That is why Isaac is called 'the child of promise,' said to have been 'born according to the Spirit' (Galatians 4:23, 29). So also those who are born again into the church are said to be born 'not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God' (John 1:13). James says: 'In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth' (James 1:18). Thus God's word and God's Spirit — His will — together beget children for the church.

The application is to teach us all to honor the church as our mother, while worshiping God alone as the Father of our souls. The church cannot make herself our mother, nor make us her children, whenever she pleases. It is God who must speak the word — then we are made. He must beget us through the power of His Spirit and the ministry of His word. We should also understand from this what value to place on God's holy word, which is the immortal seed of our new birth — the means by which we are made God's children and heirs of eternal life.

So much for the first two effects of Sarah's faith.

The third effect is described in the next verse. Because the Holy Spirit dwells on it at length, we will leave it for then, as it deserves deeper attention.

Now follows at the end of this verse the fifth and final point: the ground of her faith — 'because she considered Him faithful who had promised.'

The foundation on which she built her faith — that she would have a son despite being barren and past age — was not simply the bare promise itself, but her settled conviction about the One who made it. For promises carry their weight not primarily from what is promised, however great or excellent, but from the character of the one who promises. A person may promise great things yet be unable to deliver — or able, yet likely to go back on their word out of fickleness. We say in ordinary life that we would rather have some people's word than other people's written bond, and would rather receive a little from some than a great deal promised by others. Such was Sarah's estimate of the one who had made this promise — God Himself. She 'considered Him faithful who had promised.'

Faithful — that is, she judged Him both able and willing to accomplish whatever He had promised her. The ground of our faith in God and all His promises must therefore be a firm grasp of two things about Him: 1. His ability to make good whatever He speaks. 2. His faithfulness to actually do it when He has said it.

Some people promise anything, whether or not they can deliver. Others are perfectly capable but have no regard for their word. But both qualities are present in God: unlimited ability and most faithful willingness. This was Sarah's settled conviction about God — and therefore she believed against all reason. We must do the same if we are to truly believe God's word. We may read and hear and know God's word, and have its contents circling in our heads. But if we are to believe His promises steadfastly with our hearts, and genuinely fear His warnings in our consciences, we must be fully convinced that these two qualities — ability and faithfulness — are perfectly present in Him.

This is what Christ Himself teaches us, in the wisdom of God, through the Lord's Prayer. Before we ask for anything, we are to be settled in our conviction of God's power and willingness to hear and help us. 'Our Father' — therefore He is caring and willing. 'Who is in heaven' — therefore He is able to hear us and to give us everything (Matthew 6:9).

The same praise given here to Sarah is also given to Abraham in Romans 4:21: 'He did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.'

This has two practical applications for us.

First, it teaches us about our own promises. We should not be reckless — as some are — about what we promise. We should think carefully first, and if something is beyond our power, we should not say it — for a Christian's word must not be empty. And if we have promised something that is both lawful and within our power, we must be careful to keep it. To live this way is to be a faithful person, and it is a mark of a holy life and of being a child of God — provided it applies first in this order:

Above all, toward God — we must be conscientious about keeping the great vow we made at our baptism, and all other serious and holy commitments of heart made to God. For the person who carelessly breaks his vows to God by living an ungodly life may keep his word to other people by worldly calculation, but he cannot do so in good conscience.

The Church of Rome is badly at fault on this point, making no conscience of breaking promises and agreements with us or with anyone of our faith. Their failure in this has been laid bare before all of Christendom — let those who are wise take warning from it. They make a great show of their vows and their care in keeping them, claiming to surpass all other religions in this regard. But this proves to be sheer hypocrisy. For if they kept their vows of chastity, poverty, and others made to God with genuine conscience rather than mere outward form, they would by the same principle be equally careful in keeping their promises to other people — for the one flows from the other. The neglect of promises to others reveals that their vows to God are equally formal and hollow.

Let all who fear God train themselves to keep conscience in both: in their worship and service of God, and in all their dealings with others in the world — so that the world may say of us, 'they are people who keep their word.'

Second, let us learn from this how to strengthen our weak faith in God's great promises. We have a promise of salvation: 'Whoever believes in Christ shall not perish, but have eternal life.' Of our resurrection, in Daniel 12: 'Those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake.' Of our glorification in Philippians 3:21: 'The Lord Jesus Christ will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory.' Of a new world in 2 Peter 3:13: 'We are looking for new heavens and a new earth, according to His promise.'

These are what Peter calls 'great and precious promises' (2 Peter 1:4). And surely it takes a great and precious faith to believe them steadfastly. No better help exists for our faith than frequently and seriously meditating on the mercy and power of the One who made them. If He is both willing and able, what can prevent their fulfillment? Let us therefore often say with Paul: 'Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass' (1 Thessalonians 5:24). And with Sarah here: 'We consider Him faithful who promised.'

Now follows the final effect, in the next verse.

Therefore also there was born of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number, and innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore.

The third and final effect of Sarah's faith is that through Isaac — whom she conceived and bore by faith — she had a wonderfully great line of descendants, a posterity almost beyond counting. This effect rests on the previous ones. Her faith gave her strength to conceive Isaac, though she was barren; to give birth to him, though she was old and weak; and so her faith brought forth the one through whom she became the mother of many millions.

The subject of this third effect is the multitude of people who came from Abraham and Sarah through Isaac.

This multitude is described in two ways: 1. By its origin — 'of one who was as good as dead.' 2. By its size, described (1) generally as innumerable, and (2) specifically by two comparisons: as many as the stars in the sky, and as the sand on the seashore.

The first point is the origin of this multitude, expressed in the words: 'of one, even of one who was as good as dead.'

'One' — that is, one woman, Sarah. Or at most, one couple: Abraham and Sarah. And this 'one' was as good as dead. Not literally dead in the full sense — for no one is truly dead while soul and body remain together — but 'as good as dead,' or half-dead: that is, completely unfit for having children, their natural strength having faded. Abraham was a hundred years old and Sarah was ninety. And if this is true of Abraham, who was past the age for fathering children, how much more true was it of Sarah, who was both past age and had been barren even in her prime?

Here there are several important things to note and learn.

First, multitudes came from one. Here we see God's powerful — and yet characteristic — way of raising great and magnificent structures on small and weak foundations. He has done this from the beginning and always since. At first He created thousands of stars, because they were to remain as they were and not multiply; and He made millions of angels, intending them not to increase in number. He could just as easily have created millions of human beings in an instant — but He chose not to. He created one couple, Adam and Eve. From them came the entire human race. When sin brought that first world to an end, He did not re-establish the human race through a thousand couples, but through three men and their wives — and from those three, humankind has grown to millions upon millions. And here too, from one old man and a barren old woman, spring innumerable multitudes.

God does this to magnify His own power in the sight of humanity. And He did the same in spiritual matters. The millions of Christians who have grown since Christ's time began with a tiny number. When Christ ascended, the number of known believers was only 120 (Acts 1:15).

Reflecting on this should teach us several things.

First, we must not measure God by our own scale or confine Him to our own rules. We must think of His power and might as it truly deserves, and hold high and honorable thoughts of Him and His majesty — the One who can raise such great works from such poor foundations.

Second, we must not despair of ourselves or our circumstances, no matter how weak, poor, or sick we may feel — whether in soul or body. We must remember Him who caused multitudes to spring from one. Therefore, however low you have been brought — by inward or outward trials — do not give up. Press forward in the strength of the Lord your God. In particular: if God has allowed you to be so poor that you have almost nothing to begin with — or, for your soul, if your knowledge of the faith is small, your means limited, and your sense of God's favor weak — do not lose heart. Lay firm hold of God's power and promise, use carefully the holy means He has provided, and rely on the One who brought millions from one. Be assured, as Job says, that 'though your beginning was small, your latter end will greatly increase.'

Second, observe here how old persons are called 'as good as dead.' This is true of them in several ways.

First, their allotted years are as good as spent. Consider a man who could be certain of living a hundred years — as certain as the sun is to run its course all day and set at night. Yet just as when the sun passes its highest point and begins to descend, we say it is going down quickly and the day is slipping away — so when a person has passed the midpoint of life, when the sun of his years has passed noon, he declines daily, drawing steadily toward night, and that night approaches with speed and dread — unless he prepares for it.

Second, the strength and vitality that sustain life and hold body and soul together have been so weakened that they are nearly spent. An old person feels a clear and unmistakable decline in every power of mind and body.

Third, illnesses and diseases accumulate in old age. As strength fails, the force of disease increases. Whatever ailments have been lurking in the body — whether natural or acquired — now make themselves more plainly felt. The weaker a person becomes, the stronger his illness becomes. For these three reasons, an old man or woman is 'as good as dead.'

The practical application of this is valuable.

First, older people must therefore prepare themselves for death. Every person should prepare — I grant that. But if every person should, then especially the old. A young person may die; an old person must die. The youngest cannot live forever; the old person cannot live much longer. The aged person's grave is as it were already dug, and one foot is already in it. And this is not merely human opinion — it is God's own assessment, for as we see here He calls an old person 'as good as dead.' And this is not so much because death is certain for them as because it is near. Therefore, just as every person — young or old — must be ready, because no one knows how much time remains and no one is guaranteed to reach old age (and as the psalmist sings, 'every man at his best is altogether vanity,' Psalm 39:6) — so especially the one to whom God has been so gracious as to allow a long life should think of nothing but his end and prepare every day to die in the Lord. Gray hair, wrinkled skin, a faded face, a poor appetite, a failing memory, a bent frame, and the clear and palpable decline of the whole person — in mind and body — should cry out hourly in his ears: 'I am half dead; I will therefore prepare to die in the Lord.'

It is therefore a pitiful sight to see that those who of all people should be most willing to die are usually most desperate to live. And those who should be most ready to die are generally the most ignorant, the most greedy, and the most deeply attached to the earth and earthly things.

Second, older people must here learn Paul's lesson from 2 Corinthians 4: 'Though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.' The outer man is the body; the inner man is the soul and the grace of God within it. They must therefore labor so that as the strength of their bodies fades, the grace of God in their souls may deepen and grow stronger. But the common practice is the opposite. Most old people have so wasted their youth that in old age they are partly too slow and partly too unwilling to learn the faith. When they come to their deathbeds, they must then be taught the very basics of Christianity. Their bodies are half dead while religion has no real place in them — and when the body is dying, the life of grace and faith is barely beginning. Such people are gambling everything on a desperate last hope. But those who want a peaceful departure should think about these things beforehand. As the years mount up and life draws toward its end, and the body toward the grave, let them wean their hearts from the world and lift them toward God — spending their final years gaining knowledge and serving Him. Then when their bodies are at their weakest and most ready for the earth, their souls will be at their holiest and most ready for heaven. It will never be a source of grief to such people to see their bodies half dead — for they will find in exchange that their souls are half in heaven. So we see how poor and weak was the root of this great posterity. Now let us look at its greatness.

From this one, came multitudes beyond number.

This one aged couple — Abraham and Sarah — were made by God's power the father and mother of many nations. Those of whom the world would have said, 'They will not leave a name on the earth,' now have millions of descendants sprung from them. From this we learn that although God ordinarily works according to the course of nature which He Himself established, He is not bound by it and will not be. He set its course — but that gives nature no claim to bind Him. Here we see the power and prerogative of God's majesty.

Just as in the beginning He brought into existence things that were not, so He still 'calls into being things that do not exist' (Romans 4:17), turning and reshaping the nature and condition of His creatures however He pleases. He can take life from a living person and leave him dead; He can give life to the dead and make him live again. He has done this for the body, and for the soul He has been no less wonderful.

Saul, a violent persecutor, He turned into a zealous preacher (Acts 9) — a glorious instrument and 'a chosen vessel to carry His name to the Gentiles' — even the man who had sought to wipe out the name of Christ 'and all who called on that name' from the earth (Acts 9:14).

Rahab, a prostitute and a woman of ill reputation, was so changed by God's work that her faith is recorded here in verse 31 among the greatest believers the world has ever seen. This should teach us, when we see our own sins and how hideous they are, not to despair. And when we see other people living in extreme wickedness, not to pass final judgment on them before the time. Instead, with hope and comfort, remember the God 'who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.'

In that hope, let us believe that He can quicken our dead hearts and revive us by His grace. And in that hope, let us stir ourselves to use all the holy means God provides — His word, the sacraments, and prayer. If we do this carefully and consistently, we will see wonders worked in us, so that as people said of Paul, 'He is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy,' and therefore glorified God for him (Galatians 1:22-23) — so people will say of us: 'He hates the profanity he once lived in and loves the religion he once mocked.' Such miracles the Lord will work in us, if we use the holy means with faith and diligence — so that all who see us will glorify God because of us.

So we see in general how great the offspring and posterity of Sarah was.

But this is described more specifically by two comparisons: as many as the stars in the sky, and as the sands on the seashore — which are innumerable.

The two comparisons are drawn from two realms: one from the sky — 'as many as the stars in the sky' — and one from the earth — 'as the sand on the seashore.' The Holy Spirit uses these two images, representing things of staggering number, to express the multitude of Israelites who all descended from Sarah.

It is not that other things are not equally numerous — drops of water, grains of dust, hairs on people's heads, and so on. But these two comparisons are the most familiar and proverbial expressions for an uncountable multitude. The stars in particular are chosen because God Himself used this image when He first spoke to Abraham — when Abraham had not yet a single child. God took him outside at night and said, 'Count the stars, if you are able to count them... So shall your descendants be' (Genesis 15:5). Moses uses the same comparison in Deuteronomy 10:22: 'Your fathers went down to Egypt seventy persons in all, and now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven.'

But not everyone is an astronomer as Abraham and Moses were, and simple people might say they cannot see such numbers in the stars. Therefore the text adds another comparison that any countryman can readily understand — the sand on the seashore. And lest someone say they live inland and have never seen the sea and cannot judge about sand either, the Holy Spirit removes all uncertainty by adding at the end of the verse that both are 'innumerable' — meaning not impossible to count for God, but beyond the counting of any human being.

Regarding these two comparisons, let us observe first the manner of speaking used in them.

Second, the meaning they are intended to convey.

For the first point, we should know that this language is not literal but figurative. Technically, the Israelites were not as numerous as stars or grains of sand — and neither the stars nor the grains of sand are literally innumerable. What we have here is the figure of speech that rhetoricians call hyperbole — an amplified expression of emphasis or elegance. This device is common among all writers and in everyday speech. The Holy Spirit does not refuse it but uses it here and in the two passages already mentioned, as well as in similar ways elsewhere. John 21:25 offers another example: 'I suppose that if all the things Jesus said and did were written down, even the world itself could not contain all the books that would be written' — meaning there would be an overwhelmingly large number, far more than necessary for salvation. And in Deuteronomy 9:1, Moses says that the Canaanite cities 'are great and fortified up to heaven' — meaning they were extremely tall and, by any natural reckoning, impossible to scale without God fighting for Israel.

Such expressions are common throughout Scripture. And since we allow this liberty to all writers and to ourselves in ordinary speech, there is no reason to deny it to Scripture, which was written for the understanding of all people and therefore in the kinds of expressions all people commonly use.

A similar figure is used in the phrase 'as the sand on the shore of the sea.' The original word literally means 'the lip of the sea.' Of course, the sea has no literal lip — the phrase is borrowed from the image of a person or an animal with lips. The seashore resembles a lip. Just as two lips enclose the mouth, so the shores on both sides enclose the sea — which lies between them as if in a mouth. From this we may draw some useful observations.

First, that rhetoric is therefore a legitimate, good, and lawful art. The reasoning is this: whatever the Holy Spirit practices must be not merely acceptable but genuinely good. But the Holy Spirit uses and practices rhetoric here and in many other places in Scripture. Therefore it is a good and lawful art. The first premise is beyond dispute; the second is clear both from these passages and from the entire body of Scripture. Many of Paul's letters, many of Christ's own sermons, John's Gospel, and many of the prophets — especially Isaiah — contain rhetoric as skilled and elegant as anything produced by any writer in the world. Beyond all their divine power and truth, they match any orator writing in Greek or Latin for the beauty and artistry of their language. It would be no great challenge to illustrate every recognized rule of rhetoric from some portion of Scripture. Now if it is lawful to practice the rules of rhetoric, it is also lawful to gather those rules together, write them down, and systematize them into an art. Those who claim the opposite — that rhetoric is unlawful — go against the clear current and practice of Scripture and the dictates of common sense.

Second, it is therefore plain that in preaching God's word, a minister may lawfully and properly use rhetoric and eloquence. The reason is straightforward: what the Holy Spirit used in writing Scripture, God's ministers may also use in preaching it. Those who deny ministers this freedom are too rigid and restrictive — they are pulling a weapon from the preacher's hand, and plucking one of the feathers from Scripture's wing.

Yet we must understand that not every kind of eloquence is permitted to a Christian minister. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:13: 'We speak the things of the Spirit, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.' There is therefore a holy, sanctified, spiritual eloquence — eloquence suited to spiritual things — and that is the kind that must be used. It is like the Israelite rule regarding foreign women taken as captives in war: an Israelite could marry such a woman, but only after she had been purified (Numbers 31:18-19). Moses describes what that purification involved in Deuteronomy 21:11-13: she was brought into the household, her head was shaved, her nails were trimmed, and she removed her captive garments — only then could she be married. In the same way, human eloquence must be brought home to theology, refined and shaped by spiritual wisdom — and then it may be used lawfully and profitably.

For more specific guidance, the following cautions may be observed.

First, the more natural and unaffected the eloquence, the more commendable it is in the speaker and the more helpful to the listener.

Second, it must be serious, sober, and fitting — keeping in mind the dignity and holiness of the occasion and the work being done. Therefore it must not consist in telling strange stories or using gestures, words, style, or subject matter designed to produce laughter or amusement among the audience. There may be cleverness in such things, but it can hardly be the sanctified and spiritual eloquence Paul speaks of.

Third, it must serve as a help, not a hindrance, to the understanding of God's word. It is the servant of theology, not its master. God's word must not be bent or twisted to fit the demands of rhetoric — it is rhetoric that must bend to God's word.

In short, eloquence must express God's word as vividly, purely, plainly, and precisely as possible. A preacher must therefore take care that all his speech is in a language his hearers understand. If he speaks the body of his sermon in one language or register and fills it out with terms and phrases his audience does not follow, then whatever spiritual understanding he may himself have, he speaks mysteries to himself but parables to his listeners. He may preach well to his own mind, but the listener is not built up — as the apostle says in 1 Corinthians 14:2, 17. Therefore let eloquence never become a barrier to the understanding of those who hear it, since God appointed it as a help and a vehicle for communication. With these and similar guidelines observed, eloquence may be used with full warrant and great benefit. And as for cautions and qualifications in this area, hardly anyone can set better rules for a man than his own informed conscience.

Third, since the Holy Spirit uses so much rhetoric here and elsewhere, theologians may learn where the wellspring of Christian eloquence is to be found: in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. Written by the wisdom of God, we can be sure they contain within them true wisdom of every kind. The rules and precepts of rhetoric, I grant, are better learned from books that specifically teach them. But for examples of those rules put into practice, no source surpasses Moses, the prophets, and the apostles. This follows necessarily from what has already been granted. If rhetoric is good, lawful, and practiced in Scripture, it must be practiced there in the finest possible way. Is the theology taught there not the most sound? The history recorded there not the most accurate? The conclusions drawn there on philosophy, astronomy, geometry, arithmetic, geography, and medicine not the most reliable? The music practiced there not the most excellent? The logic used there not the sharpest? The laws enacted there not the most just? Then surely the rhetoric practiced there must be the purest. If Moses had written a book purely as a man — as Moses educated in Egypt — or if Paul had written as a Pharisee and doctor of the law, both would have produced works filled with outstanding learning. For Paul was educated at the feet of Gamaliel (Acts 22:3), and Moses 'was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds' (Acts 7:22).

If these men were the secretaries of the Most High God — the fountainhead of all wisdom and knowledge — then surely their books would be filled with the finest learning in every category. And anyone who searches the Scriptures will find it to be so.

Since eloquence is lawful and preachers may rightly use it, let them also know where to find it: in God's books. There they will discover not only theology, but knowledge and learning of every kind, in its most refined form — and as excellent patterns and models of eloquence as can be found in any author in the world. And if they desire to preach with spiritual power and eloquence, let them study how Moses, the prophets, our Savior Christ, and His apostles preached — for to follow them is the true way.

So much for the manner the Holy Spirit employs in these two comparisons to describe the greatness of Sarah's posterity.

Now the matter contained in them: here we see the fulfillment of one of the greatest promises made to Abraham. The promise is in Genesis 22:17: 'Indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore.' There is the promise — and here, in the very same words, is its fulfillment, most truly and powerfully kept. For at the time the Holy Spirit wrote these words, the Israelites had multiplied to many millions — to a number beyond numbering.

Here we learn that God is faithful in all His promises, however great or remarkable they may be. When He speaks the word, when the promise passes from Him, it is certain. Heaven and earth will sooner pass away than a single part of His promise will fail.

The practical application is first to teach us to believe God when He promises, whatever the promise may be. He is worthy to be trusted — He has never failed to fulfill what He promised. He promised these millions to Abraham when Abraham had only one child — indeed, when he had not yet even that one (Genesis 15). And Abraham believed. Such faith was extraordinary indeed, and deserves eternal honor — as it here receives. Let us be children of this faithful Abraham — all the more so since we see the fulfillment that Abraham did not live to see. We consider it an offense to our character when we are not believed, especially when we are people who keep our word. Let us then understand how dishonoring it is to the Lord not to believe Him — the One who has never failed in fulfilling a promise to any creature.

Second, we must learn from God to be honest and faithful in our own words and promises. God spoke plainly and did not deceive Abraham — and at the appointed time He fulfilled His word. We must in the same way deal plainly and honestly in our words and agreements, and recognize that deceiving and taking advantage of others through clever words, double meanings, and ambiguous language is not fitting for a Christian. We must also take conscience of lying — otherwise we are like the devil, not like God. A Christian must be careful about what he promises, how he promises, and to whom. But having made a promise, he must keep it, even at personal cost or inconvenience — as long as it does not involve wrong to God, to the church, or to the nation. Personal disadvantage must not prevent him from keeping his word. A Christian's word should not be empty — it should be as good as a written bond. (I grant it is both lawful and prudent, given human frailty, to take formal assurances when needed — but this is in addition to, not a substitute for, a person's word.)

Finally, Abraham had the promise that his offspring would be so great (Genesis 15). We see here that it is so — but he himself did not live to see it. Abraham had the promise; we have the fulfillment. Adam had the promise of the Messiah but we see it fulfilled. The patriarchs and prophets had the promise of the calling of the Gentiles but we see it fulfilled.

Here is the glory of the church under the New Testament compared with the Old. This should lead us to surpass the ancient believers in proportion to the greater blessings God has given us. We should exceed them in faith and every other virtue of holiness — or else their faith and holy obedience will become our greater condemnation, since we have had so much greater reason to believe and obey God, and so much better means to do so. And if this is true of those who come short of the ancient believers, what will become of those who show no desire to follow them in faith, holiness, or any duties of holy obedience?

So much for the example of this holy woman's faith and its commendation.

Before moving on to more particular examples of faith, the Holy Spirit now gives a general commendation of the faith of all those already mentioned, taken together.

Verse 13. All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

So far the Holy Spirit has specifically commended the faith of several holy believers individually. From this verse through verse 17, He commends the faith of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob together — not so much their faith itself as the endurance and constancy of their faith. There are two specific points.

1. Their constancy and perseverance is stated: 'All these died in faith.' 2. That constancy is then described through four effects: (1) They did not receive the promises, but saw them from a distance. (2) They believed them. (3) They welcomed them thankfully. (4) They confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

The first point about these believers is that as they began, so they continued — as they lived, so they died — in faith.

All these died in faith.

The reference covers all those previously mentioned with the exception of Enoch, who did not die — yet he too continued steadfastly in faith, and in that faith was taken up. As for Abel and Noah, they died in faith. I take it, however, that the Holy Spirit chiefly and directly intends no more than the four patriarchs I named — Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob — because the specific effects described in this verse, and the points developed in the three following verses, fit especially these four and not so properly Abel or Noah. The statement 'all these died in faith' means they died with the settled assurance that the promises made to them would be fulfilled in God's good time.

Those promises were principally two: 1. Salvation through the Messiah. 2. Possession of the land of Canaan.

In this faith they died — that is, they held on to it through every assault and temptation to the very end, and died holding it fast.

In this example, a most important lesson of Christianity is commended to us: we must so live that we may die in faith. Many say they live in faith — and that is well if they do. But the central test is to die in faith. There is no one so wicked that he would not want to die well. But if he wants to die well, he must die in faith. Death without faith is a miserable death. In this, faith and hope differ from all other graces — love, joy, zeal, holiness, and all the rest are imperfect in this life and are perfected in heaven. But faith and hope reach their perfection at our deaths. In the world to come they are no longer needed, for there is nothing then left to believe or hope for — we enjoy all things directly. But as they are begun in our regeneration, so they are made perfect when we die. They shine most gloriously in the last and greatest battle of all — the hour of death. The death of a Christian, which is the gateway to glory, is to die in faith.

Moreover, life leaves us as we are; death finds us as life left us. And as death leaves us, the final judgment finds us. As it leaves us, so we remain — forever — without recovery or alteration.

To die in faith is to die in the certain assurance of glory and happiness — and that is what every person ultimately desires. Since we all desire it, let us die in faith, and we will attain it.

Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 15:55-56 that death is a terrible serpent with a venomous sting. When we die, we must face this fearful and dreadful enemy. He is fearful in every way, but especially for his sting — and that sting is our sin. This sting is not removed, nor its power broken, except by true faith, which 'extinguishes all the flaming arrows of the evil one' (Ephesians 6:16). Therefore, if we are to face this great enemy — in whose defeat our happiness lies, and by whom to be defeated is our eternal ruin — we must arm ourselves with faith, so that we may die in faith. The person who dies in faith has that faith destroy his sins and conquer death. But the person who dies without faith is seized by death and sin, and his sins live on forever, and his misery along with them.

Now, if we want to die in faith, we must live in faith — otherwise it cannot be expected. These holy patriarchs lived long in the very same faith in which they died. Their holy lives showed plainly that they lived in the faith which, as the apostle says, 'purifies hearts' (Acts 15:9). If we want to live in true faith, the means God's word sets before us are these:

First, we must work to gain knowledge of the foundational points of religion: God, creation, the fall, the immortality of the soul, the two covenants, righteousness by the law through works, and grace through the Mediator — along with other essential doctrines touching God, His word, the sacraments, the law, the Gospel, prayer, and good works — as Scripture and the creeds and catechisms drawn from Scripture teach us. In this matter, the condition of ordinary people across all nations is deeply troubling. In Roman Catholicism, the clergy are so comfortable and well-supplied that they are unwilling to teach. In our churches, a large portion of the ministry is so poor and inadequately supported that they are unable to teach. Between the two, the common people of the world 'perish for lack of knowledge' — for how can they not perish when they do not die in faith? How can they die in faith if they do not live in faith? And how can they have faith if they have no knowledge — since knowledge is the very foundation of faith? Therefore it requires the efforts of those who are able, and the prayers of all, that our church may have teachers and that our people may be taught the basics of the faith. Without learning the catechism, learning religion is impossible.

Second, once we have gained knowledge and so laid the foundation, we must learn God's promises of salvation — and treasure them in our hearts as jewels of life and eternal life. We must believe them to be true and effective for all who lay hold of them — and we must ourselves lay hold of them and apply them to our own souls.

Third, after both of these, we must conform ourselves throughout — heart and life — to the holy laws of God. We must leave behind all bad ways and ungodly pursuits, however dear to us or however common in the world, and make our conscience sensitive to all sin — doing everything duty requires toward God and toward others.

The first of these three means is the foundation of faith; the second is faith itself; the third is the fruit and evidence of faith, and an assured witness of it to God, to the church, and to one's own conscience. To do these three things is to walk in the ancient and holy path consecrated by Christ's blood and trodden by all the holy fathers. Neither Roman Catholicism nor any other religion can offer a safer, more certain, or more direct road. This is how Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob lived — and after this course they died in faith and now live in glory. And so will we, with them, if we live in faith as they did. But otherwise, we may look for heaven a long time before we find it. Granted, God can cause a person who did not live in faith to die in faith. But the question is not what He can do in exceptional cases, but what His ordinary course is — and that is this: those who live in faith die in faith. Therefore let us take the ordinary course. Repent and turn while there is time; live the life of faith. Leave deathbed repentance to those who think it a small thing to gamble with an immortal soul. That course may work — but this course is certain to work. The person who lives in sin may perhaps die in faith; but the person who lives in faith is sure to die in faith, and to live in glory forever.

Second, observe that it says 'all these' died in faith — not some, but all: Abraham the father and the root, and with him the wife, the son, and the grandson. Here is a truly noble family — a holy kindred, a blessed line. Abraham richly deserves all the honor he has received, being the root of so noble and blessed a heritage. And Isaac and Jacob are worthy of so good a father — they did not taint their inheritance by abandoning his faith, but held it as they received it, and lived and died in it. Let this teach us: if we are parents, let us shine before our children in true religion, genuine faith, and holy living. There is great hope that our wives and children will follow us in the same.

Second, if we are sons, let us look at which of our ancestors embraced the most holy religion — and choose to live and die in their faith. Most young Roman Catholics can say no more for their religion than this: my father and grandfather were of that faith. But they must look further back in their heritage. Isaac and Jacob would not follow the religion of their great-grandfathers Nahor and Terah but their father Abraham's. And Abraham himself would not follow his father Terah's religion or his grandfather's — instead, he went back ten generations to Noah and Shem, and embraced their religion. We see therefore that it means nothing to say 'I am of my father's or grandfather's religion' unless first I prove that theirs was truly from God. And then the person who, knowing that, does not forsake it but lives and dies in it — that person is a noble Christian.

Third, here we see that true honor and nobility consists in living and dying in the true faith and holy religion of one's godly ancestors. This is the wellspring of genuine honor — doing as these patriarchs did. Abraham recognized he was wrong, having followed the errors of his fathers. He therefore left the religion of his father and grandfather and went back further to find a better one. Isaac his son made himself heir not only to his father's estate but to his father's religion as well. Jacob the grandson followed both, and died in faith with them. Behold Jacob — a man of truly noble blood, whose holiness and faith extends through three generations. Let us all adorn whatever standing we have with these marks of true honor.

And let all who would be ashamed to stain their family's name through treason or disgraceful conduct be equally ashamed to let the faith, holiness, and virtue of their godly ancestors die out in them. Let them all so live in that inheritance that they may die, as Jacob did, in their fathers' faith.

Finally, observe that it says they 'died in faith.' They had previously lived in faith — but their chief commendation here is that they died in it.

Let us learn from this to hold on in a good course once we have entered it — for constancy and endurance are the true marks of commendation. It is the person who 'dies in faith' who receives the crown. To this end, let us stir ourselves with the apostle's exhortation in Galatians 6:9: 'Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.'

Furthermore, this teaches us all to choose the faith in which we can boldly die — as these holy patriarchs did. There is a true observation: Roman Catholicism may be a comfortable religion to live in, but ours is the one to die in. Roman Catholics take that saying and reverse it — but they have no more right to it than a thief to an honest person's purse. The freedoms, pardons, exemptions, sanctuaries, the outward pomp and splendor of their church, and their fasting and outward austerities — which are in reality nothing but hollow hypocrisy and open licentiousness — may attract any worldly-minded person to live within their system. But when they come to die, they know — and some confess openly — that it is safest to die in our religion. Let us therefore cheerfully and with full confidence live in that faith in which we may die so boldly that even our adversaries admit it is the safest.

Now follow the four effects and fruits of their faith.

The first is this: they did not receive the promises but saw them from a distance.

By 'promises' we understand, first, the promise of the land of Canaan, and second, the spiritual promises of the kingdom of Christ. These they did not 'receive' in the full sense — though in part they did. For true faith always truly receives, grasps, and applies to itself the thing promised, even if not fully. God said He would give them the land of Canaan, but they did not fully enjoy and possess it. Likewise, the Messiah was promised to them — but they never saw His coming in the flesh. Yet they believed God's promise and died in that faith.

Here we see the unconquerable strength of their faith, which held fast to God's promise even to death — though they never enjoyed the things promised in this life. This plainly condemns our own age of unbelief, for we have more fulfilled before us than they ever had. Abraham never saw Christ except from a great distance — yet we have Him presented to us in the flesh. We see and know that He lived, died, rose again, and ascended, and now makes continual intercession for us. We have the true sacraments as lasting pledges of Him and of eternal life through Him. And for the temporal promises, far more has been fulfilled for us than was ever accomplished for Abraham. Yet though we surpass Abraham in the enjoyment of God's fulfilled promises, we fall far behind him in believing. For faith works through love, and love is shown in true obedience — but generally and plainly, people show no concern for obedience, which unmistakably indicates that there is little genuine faith among us. And it may well be feared that these notable men — Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — will stand as witnesses against us at the judgment, to our greater condemnation. They never received the fulfillment of God's promises, yet they believed. We see those same promises fulfilled and presented to us — yet we will not believe.

But saw them from a distance.

Here is the quality and power of their faith: the promises were far away, and yet they saw them. The language here is borrowed from sailors. When far out at sea, a sailor cannot make out the towns and coastlines in the distance — except by means of a tower or high point that can be spotted from afar. In the same way, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob, living long before the day of Christ's coming in the flesh, could only see Christ from a distance — through the eye of faith, by way of the promises of the Messiah. For this is the nature of faith: to make what is absent present in a real sense, since faith is 'the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.'

Here we may see the difference between the church in the Old Testament and in the New. We in the New Testament have a greater measure of knowledge, a more vivid apprehension of the Messiah, and a clearer light of understanding concerning the mystery of our salvation through Christ — more than the church possessed under the Old Testament. However much those believers excelled in the strength of their faith, in the knowledge and perception of Christ they were behind us. The Lord therefore promised long before: 'The earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.' Paul points to this being fulfilled when he says of the New Testament church in 2 Corinthians 3:18: 'But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory.' And Christ Himself says in John 6:45: 'They shall all be taught of God.'

If it is true that knowledge should so abound in the time of the Gospel, then all who are ignorant in this later age of the world must know they have much to answer for at the day of judgment. For God in the New Testament has made His church to overflow with knowledge, so that their ignorance — for which they imagine God will excuse them — will actually serve as an indictment against them at the last day, making their condemnation all the greater. This is because the light of the Gospel has been so clearly and abundantly poured out in these days that the most ordinary believer now can see Christ more plainly than the greatest patriarchs of old, who could only see Him from afar.

Furthermore, where there is more knowledge, there must be more obedience. Therefore all who call themselves Christians and sit under the preaching of God's word must not be content with bare knowledge, however much they may have. They must bring forth the fruit of obedience in their lives and conduct. Though Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob far surpassed us in the strength of their faith, since we have more knowledge of the Messiah than they did, we must labor to match them in the obedience of our lives. Their faith was stronger than ours — but our obedience should be greater than theirs, because we have more reason to believe. Paul says: 'We all, with unveiled face, behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord' — and the purpose of this is 'that we would be transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.' Therefore the more knowledge we have, the more sanctification we ought to show — the more hatred of sin, and the more obedience to God's commands. All the worse, then, that the world generally goes the opposite direction. Even many among us who are not scholars by training have considerable and commendable knowledge of religion. But where is the fruit of it in holy obedience to God's law? God by His gracious calling has made us like a fruitful vine — but the sour grapes of sin are our ordinary produce. They are 'the grapes of gall,' as Moses says. Atheism, blasphemy, contempt for God's word and worship, open desecration of the Lord's Day — these abound everywhere. To say nothing of the heinous crimes against the second table of the law: oppression, adultery, and bloodshed upon bloodshed. For all of this, we may rightly fear that the Lord will either remove His lampstand from among us — making us no longer a church and a people of God — or sweep us away by some fearful judgment, as with a broom of destruction, because we 'suppress the truth in unrighteousness' (Romans 1:18). It would be better not to have known the way of righteousness at all than to turn from the holy commandment once received. Let us therefore join obedience to our knowledge, and so show our faith by doing the duties of worship toward God and of brotherly love and Christianity toward our fellow believers. So much for the first fruit of their faith.

The second fruit of their faith is noted in these words: 'and welcomed them.' By this we understand not so much the initial act of faith itself — that was noted before — but the growth and strengthening of their faith: a confirmation of heart and settled confidence in the promises made to them. This usage is not unusual in Scripture. Paul prays for churches who already had genuine knowledge, faith, and love — that they might 'increase and abound therein more and more' (Ephesians 3:16-17; Philippians 1:9-11; Colossians 1:9-11).

From the example of these patriarchs, we learn that it is the duty and characteristic of every true believer to press on and grow in faith until he comes to a full persuasion and assurance in God's promises. All of God's gifts — and therefore faith — are the Lord's talents, and every true believer is the Lord's servant, called to put them to work. God, having placed His talent in a person's hand, expects an increase from it, as the parable shows in Luke 19:13. Paul teaches this same truth, praying for the Ephesians that they would press on and 'be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man' (Ephesians 3:16). He implies that the person who truly believes in Christ must move forward 'from grace to grace' until he becomes a mature person in Christ — just as a child grows from year to year until he becomes a strong adult. Faith is like fire: as long as wood or fuel is added, it will not die but will take hold and grow into a greater flame. In the same way, faith will grow to full assurance in all who consistently apply themselves to God's word and prayer.

But is this how things stand with us when it comes to faith? In truth, generally it is far otherwise. Many among us have no concern for faith at all and think they can live as they please — their good intentions will be enough. Others — and they are not few — are so far from moving forward in faith that they grow worse day by day and steadily move backward. A third group will hear the word and receive the sacraments, but their growth in grace is very slight. They seem stuck in place and make little progress.

However small a failing it may seem — not to grow in faith — it is undoubtedly a fearful judgment of God when those who sit under the word in any congregation are taught day after day and do not profit by it. The Holy Spirit therefore notes those described as 'always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth' (2 Timothy 3:7) as a people weighed down by sin. When a newborn baby does not thrive or grow despite good care, the common saying is that something is wrong with it. In the same way, if a person hears God's word and does not increase in knowledge, faith, and obedience, we may truly say he is spiritually stunted. To avoid this fearful condition, we must first labor for faith, and having faith, press on to increase in it and in all other graces of God, until we become mature and strong in Christ.

It is said here that these patriarchs increased in faith. But one may ask: how did they achieve this, and by what means? The answer is found in the book of Genesis, where we can identify three means by which they were confirmed in faith and grew in grace. The first means came from God Himself. Having made His covenant with Abraham, God mercifully renewed it several times during Abraham's life as occasions arose. And He did not let it end with Abraham's death — when Abraham died, God renewed His covenant with Isaac and Rebecca, and with Jacob after them. No words can adequately express what an immense help it was to their faith to have the Lord Himself renewing His gracious promises to them. The second means of strengthening their faith was their godly teaching of one another. The practice of the patriarchs was to teach and instruct their children, nurturing them in the true worship and fear of God. By this means they not only planted God's promises in their children's hearts but confirmed those promises in their own — for whoever teaches another from a heart that has truly felt the truth greatly strengthens his own soul. God Himself testifies this of Abraham, saying: 'I have chosen him, so that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice.' What Abraham did for Isaac, Isaac undoubtedly did for Jacob. The third means of growing in faith was personal. Each patriarch regularly set aside time to meditate on God's promises in private. We read that Isaac 'went out to meditate in the field toward evening' (Genesis 24:63) — and we may be confident it was on God's promises and their fulfillment. And we need not doubt that Abraham and Jacob did the same.

These are the means by which these godly patriarchs were strengthened in their faith. All of this must be carefully noted and put into practice by us. The main reason we hear the word frequently and yet profit little from it is this: the means by which people should grow in faith are so rarely used. The first means — God's side of the work — is through His great and unspoken mercy, richly provided in many parts of the land through the faithful ministry of the Gospel, where God's gracious promises of mercy are opened and applied to people's hearts, and His judgments against sin are declared plainly, to drive people to lay hold of God's mercy in Christ. But as for the second means — mutual instruction of parent to child, master to servant, neighbor to neighbor, along with shared conversation about what we are being taught — and the third means — personal meditation on God's word and promises (which for the Christian soul is like chewing the cud for an animal: as chewing transforms what was eaten into true nourishment, so holy meditation makes God's word and promises into real spiritual refreshment by digesting them in the heart) — if we look honestly at these two, we will find them seldom used by most people, or not at all. Thanks be to God, we need not doubt that there are some who use these means carefully and reverently. But sadly, such people are very few. And because this duty is so poorly carried out, it follows that though the covenant of mercy in Christ is often proclaimed, people reap little benefit from it. We must therefore learn to follow the remarkable practice of these godly patriarchs. Whatever means they used for the growth of their faith, we must use as well — and use them diligently. Then we too will grow and increase and become strong in faith, as they did.

The third fruit of their faith is this: 'and they welcomed them thankfully.'

The original word means 'to greet' or 'salute' — not only in speech but in any warm manner, such as an embrace. In this context it is well translated 'welcomed them thankfully' — that is, they received them gladly and gratefully from God's hand.

This is a notable fruit of faith for which they are commended. Seeing God's promises from a great distance, they still received them with the greatest warmth and thankfulness. But we should consider how they expressed this thankfulness — through two things: 1. An action of the heart. 2. An action of the life. The action of the heart was this: even though the promise was not yet fulfilled in their time, they were filled with joy about it. Our Savior Christ said to the Jews: 'Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day; he saw it and was glad' (John 8:56). The sight of Christ at such a distance filled Abraham's heart with gladness. We may safely assume the same of Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob — that their hearts were also overwhelmed with joy to hear God's wonderful promise concerning the Messiah, and to contemplate the joyful fulfillment they knew would come in due time.

Second, they expressed their thankful reception of the promise through their conduct in life. As we read often in the Genesis account, whenever they came to a new place, they built an altar and offered sacrifice to God and called on His name. They did all of this to testify their inward joy and grateful acceptance of God's promises in Christ, and of the promised land — though neither had yet been fulfilled in their time.

As for us, the very same great promises God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob He has also made and continued toward us. Indeed, we have already seen those promises fulfilled — and we see them confirmed more plainly and clearly than any of the patriarchs ever did. This being so, our duty is to receive them with far more thankfulness and warmth than the patriarchs did or could, since we have far more light and knowledge of God's promises than they ever possessed.

Yet we have just cause to grieve over the age and times we live in. For where we should receive God's promises with the greatest joy and gratitude, the reality is far different. It may fairly be said of our nation and people that, in view of God's mercies and promises, we are an ungrateful people. And if we honestly examine the evidence, we will find this is largely true in most of us. Consider: bring any of us to a place where there is some entertaining performance or spectacle, and how remarkably we are captivated — we could willingly spend whole days watching. But bring us to hear the Gospel of Christ, His holy word preached and taught — the same word that filled Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob with great joy — and we sit heavy and drowsy, so that the word seems tiresome to us. One hour feels so long we can barely stay awake. And if the sermon runs a little past the hour, how impatiently we react! All of this shows plainly that we have no such joy in hearing of Christ and His merciful promises as these godly patriarchs did. We are hard-hearted and ungrateful, entirely unaffected by such great favors from our God toward us.

Second, consider how people behave in God's worship. It is clear that the great majority worship God merely out of outward habit and social expectation. These godly patriarchs — Abraham and the rest — built altars everywhere they went and offered sacrifice to God, to express their warm and willing hearts toward God for His promises. But now people worship God in a purely formal way — not out of thankfulness, but either because the law compels them or because it is the established custom and order that must be maintained. As proof, take an ordinary person and ask him why he comes to the congregation. He will say he comes to do what everyone else does — though what they do he does not know, or what he himself should be doing he cannot say and does not much care to find out. Others come to worship God — but ask them how. They will say, by reciting the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer, and the creed. But if the word is either preached or read, they pay no attention, thinking that all worship consists in repeating those three things. This shows they worship God only for the sake of appearances, with little more than the outward motion of their lips.

There is yet another group who draw near to God with their lips while their hearts are far from Him. Their bodies may be present in the congregation, but their hearts are wandering among their worldly business or sinful concerns. It can truly be said that God is not being worshiped in spirit and in truth. And therefore we are an ungrateful people — wholly fallen away from the faith of our forefathers, these holy patriarchs, who received God's promises with such warmth and thanksgiving.

Third, we have God's word preached and taught to us daily. But how many make it their concern to obey it in their lives and in their calling? People come and hear, and ought to learn — but when they go home, they do exactly the opposite of what was taught. There can be no greater ingratitude or unkindness toward God than this: to hear and not obey. 'Disobedience is as the sin of witchcraft.' Indeed, the Lord Himself says that the person who makes no conscience of obedience in his life, when he comes before God in worship, is no more acceptable to Him than a murderer is when he kills a man.

Therefore, since obedience is so rare among us and disobedience abounds everywhere, it is plain evidence that we are not receiving God's promises with thankfulness and warmth. For if we were, we would at least make the effort to do what God commands in His law and calls for in His Gospel — and so show our gratitude through our obedience. This means every one of us must examine himself personally. God has given us His Gospel as the means of our salvation. We must receive and embrace it — or God will either take it away from us, or take us from it. For we may be sure that one of these two will follow if we go on hearing day after day and making no conscience to obey. And so much for the third fruit of the patriarchs' faith.

The fourth fruit of their faith follows: 'And they confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.'

Several points deserve attention here. First, the text says 'they confessed' — that is, they openly declared what they were and what their religion was. They did this not only among themselves but before the face of God's enemies and people of other nations. In Genesis 23:4, Abraham told the people of the land of Canaan that 'he was a stranger and a sojourner among them.' And when Jacob came before Pharaoh, he confessed that both 'his days and the days of his fathers were years of sojourning' (Genesis 47:9). By openly declaring themselves strangers in those lands, they were also plainly expressing their rejection of the religion and idolatry of those nations and proclaiming themselves to belong to a different faith. This is the truth of what is said of them here: they confessed and professed both their identity and their faith — and they did so before the enemies of God.

From this we learn that we must not be ashamed of the holy profession of the Christian faith to which we are called. Our calling is to profess the Gospel and religion of Christ. To many, this is a source of reproach and disgrace. But we must take this specific lesson from these men's example: however the world judges Christ and His religion, we, having entered into this holy profession and been called to it, must never be ashamed of it — much less deny or abandon it. In the early church it was a mark of contempt among both Jews and Greeks to be a Christian. To the one, the Gospel was a stumbling block; to the other, an absurdity (1 Corinthians 1:23). Yet Paul openly declared: 'I am not ashamed of the gospel' (Romans 1:16). So it must be with us. We profess Christ's religion — and we must not be ashamed of it. Some have little knowledge but a genuine desire for faith. But when they see others doing nothing but mocking and ridiculing religion, they are intimidated and held back from openly professing and embracing it.

But if we wish to be saved by faith as these men were, we must learn from their example not to be ashamed of the profession of Christianity to which we are called. We must follow the remarkable example of Abraham and the patriarchs, who were not ashamed or afraid to declare their faith before pagan nations whenever opportunity arose. 'Whoever is ashamed of Me and My words,' Christ says, 'the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory and the glory of the Father' (Luke 9:26).

Going further: these patriarchs professed two things — 1. That they were strangers. 2. That they were pilgrims. A stranger is someone who lives not in his own country but in a foreign land, even if he is not currently traveling.

A pilgrim is someone who is passing through a foreign land on the way to his own home. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were strangers because they lived as strangers in tents, not in the countries where they were born but in the foreign land to which God had called them. And they were pilgrims because they were always ready to move on from there to wherever God would call them next. In every place they stayed, they waited on God and looked to Him for the kingdom of heaven.

This was not unique to these patriarchs — it is also the common calling of all Christians who hope to be saved by the same faith. David, long after them, confesses to God in Psalm 39:12 that he is 'a stranger and a sojourner with You, as all my fathers were.' We too must follow their faith in the practice of this confession. Living here on earth, we must bear witness and declare ourselves to be both strangers and pilgrims.

But how, some may ask, are we to live up to this profession? The answer is: we must do three things. First, we must 'use this world and the things in it as though we did not fully use them' (1 Corinthians 7:31). The temporal blessings we enjoy here we must use as strangers do — for present need only, without setting our hearts on them. The practice of these godly patriarchs should further persuade us of this. They had the promise of the land of Canaan clearly and unconditionally — no person in the world ever had stronger title to what he possessed than they had to that land. Yet when they came to it, they enjoyed it and everything in it as strangers. They owned nothing outright — they even had to purchase ground to bury their dead. We must use the things we have in this world in the same way. Our houses we must use as a stranger uses an inn. Our goods we must use as a pilgrim uses another person's belongings when stopping for a night — always holding them lightly, ready and willing to leave them the next morning, or at any moment God calls us away.

Second, we must cast off everything in this world that hinders us on our journey to the kingdom of heaven — as good travelers do, who carry with them only what helps them reach their destination. If something hinders them along the way, they will set it aside and rather lose it than be delayed from reaching home. But what is it that burdens us on this journey to heaven? Paul shows us: in 2 Timothy 3:6 he says certain people 'are weighed down with sins.' Sin is what weighs us down. The author of Hebrews calls sin 'the weight that clings so closely' (Hebrews 12:1). Therefore, if we want to be faithful pilgrims on the way to heaven, we must be on guard against all sin. Sin will hold us down so that we cannot take a single step forward — and it will drag us backward toward destruction. For 'the way is narrow that leads to life, and the gate is small, and few there are who find it' (Matthew 7:13-14). Anyone who would enter through that gate must come with a humble and clean heart. The gate will not allow anyone laden with sin to pass through. The proud person whose heart is puffed up with arrogance, the greedy person whose heart is consumed with desire for more, the ambitious person swollen with worldly status and position, the self-indulgent person who fattens himself on earthly and fleshly pleasures — all of these have grown too large to pass through this narrow gate. But the humble in spirit, who live gentle and innocent lives, will walk this path though it is narrow, and enter through this door though it is small. Therefore we must cast off every sin through genuine repentance — and so make ourselves fit pilgrims for the road to heaven.

Third, we must learn contentment of heart in whatever station of life God sends us — contentment equally in sickness and in health, in poverty and in abundance, in trouble and in peace, in good reputation and in ill report, in every condition of life and death. A pilgrim on the road accepts with patience whatever befalls him. If he is wronged in any way, he endures it quietly, without seeking revenge or lodging complaints until he reaches home — where he knows he will have a hearing and receive justice. We must behave the same way on our pilgrimage to heaven. In hope of the rest and restoration awaiting us, we must bear with patience everything that comes to us on this road of life. Practicing these three things, we will become faithful pilgrims and strangers in this world.

Here two questions arise for consideration. First, if every person in both profession and practice must show himself to be a pilgrim and stranger in this world — is it therefore a higher and better way of life for a person to renounce the world and everything in it and embrace a life of deliberate beggary and voluntary poverty? The answer requires us to note that in Scripture, 'the world' is used in more than one way. First, it can refer to the sins and corruptions found in the world — and these absolutely must be rejected. In fact, the best religion is the one that most effectively teaches us to reject these, and the best person is the one who most fully forsakes them, whatever calling he lives in.

Second, 'the world' can refer to temporal blessings — money, land, wealth, provisions, and other outward things that belong to the necessary or reasonable maintenance of this natural life. In this sense, 'the world' is not to be rejected. These earthly things are in themselves good gifts from God. No one can simply reject them without disrespecting God's ordering hand and providence, which has appointed them for the sustaining of natural life.

Roman Catholics regard voluntary poverty — as practiced by begging friars — as an angelic state of near-perfect holiness approaching the glory of heaven. But it is in reality a human invention with no basis in God's word, which decrees: 'If anyone is not willing to work, he shall not eat.' Objection: But they point to Christ's words to the rich young man: 'Go, sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven' (Mark 10). Answer: That command was not a general rule but a particular instruction given to that one man. It was a test specifically for him — just as the command to Abraham, 'Abraham, sacrifice your son' (Genesis 22:2), was unique to Abraham. The reason for that command was specific to his situation: to expose his corruption and reveal his hypocrisy. Furthermore, even if the young man was told to 'sell all,' he was not told to 'give all' but rather to 'sell all and give to the poor.' Second objection: They also argue that Christ Himself was a pauper, and His disciples had nothing of their own and traveled the world as beggars, living on what others provided. Answer: This is a fabrication and cannot be proved from God's word. The money bag that Judas carried is evidence to the contrary. He served as, in effect, the treasurer of Christ's household — overseeing their provisions and their giving to the poor, as John 13:27-29 shows. Christ's disciples, though they set aside the present use of their homes and properties, did not give up their title or ownership. Christ went to Peter's house, where He healed Peter's mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14). And after Christ's passion, Peter and the other disciples returned to their boats and went back to fishing for a time — for Christ appeared to them while they were fishing (John 21).

Second question: May a person lawfully seek to be prosperous, given that we must confess ourselves to be pilgrims and strangers in this life? Answer: Riches may be understood in two ways: 1. As having enough. 2. As having abundance. By 'enough,' I mean the things necessary and fitting for a person's station — enough to maintain himself and his family. In this sense, a person may lawfully seek to be provided for. This is what we are taught to pray for in the fourth petition of the Lord's Prayer: 'Give us this day our daily bread' — that is, things suitable and needful for the day. The reasoning is as follows: what we may lawfully ask of God, we may lawfully work to obtain. We may lawfully ask God for everything necessary to this life — therefore we may lawfully use means to attain those things. Agur's prayer in Proverbs 30 shows the same: 'Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is my portion.' This shows it is right for a person to work for what is necessary for life. But because human nature is so greedy that even the whole world would not satisfy it, we must adopt this rule of contentment for worldly things: follow the counsel and example of wise and godly people who are neither covetous nor wasteful, but content with what is sufficient. As for matters of clothing and similar things for which Scripture gives no specific rule or command, our guide must be the example and practice of the most sober and godly people in our particular station of life — their example should direct us in all cases where God's word provides no specific instruction.

But if riches are taken in the second sense — abundance beyond what is adequate and sufficient — then it is not lawful for a person to seek to be rich. For this we have the plain testimony of God's word. Paul says in 1 Timothy 6:8-9: 'If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.' Here the apostle does not simply condemn a comfortable income, but rather the desire to be rich — that is, the desire to have more than is necessary to maintain one's station. Yet this is the common sin of the world. People are so greedy they will not be content with enough, but toil relentlessly for more — until they have amassed what would honestly and adequately maintain ten men in their position and calling. All such people are condemned by the testimony of the Holy Spirit in the passage just cited.

Question: What if God gives abundance to a man through lawful means — what should such a man do? Answer: When God sends great wealth to anyone, the person must regard himself as appointed by God as a steward over it, to use it rightly for God's glory and the benefit of His church. He must always keep in mind the rule of the prophet David in Psalm 62:10: 'If riches increase, do not set your heart on them.' He does not say, 'If riches increase, refuse them.' He says, 'Do not set your heart on them.' And that is enough on these questions.

This practice of the patriarchs is as necessary for us today as it ever was. The reason we profit so little from so much hearing of God's word is this: we have not lived as pilgrims and strangers in this world. Instead, 'the worries and riches and pleasures of this life' have choked the word (Matthew 13:22), leaving it no room to take root and grow in our hearts. When we have heard the word, we do not remember it — because our hearts and affections are fixed on the pleasures and advantages of this world. We must therefore shake off this corrupting tendency and learn to live as pilgrims and strangers, not entangling ourselves with the things of this life but 'using them as if we do not fully use them' — so that they are no hindrance to the growth of God's grace in us.

For they that say such things declare plainly that they are seeking a homeland.

The previous verse laid out the constancy of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob in the faith. In verses 14 through 16, the Holy Spirit goes on to enlarge and deepen the commendation of their perseverance in faith. The intent of all these verses is to demonstrate that each of these believers remained constant in the faith to the end. The proof is built on one substantial argument, which amounts to this: Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob were seeking their true homeland — which was heaven — and therefore they persevered in the true faith.

But some may object that this argument is not solid — for people may seek heaven who have never possessed true saving faith. Balaam, for instance, 'wished that his end might be like the end of the righteous' (Numbers 23:10) — which presumably included a desire for the state of the righteous after this life.

My answer is that Balaam's desire was not grounded in any settled conviction or firm resolve, but was merely a sudden impulse. Second, though he desired to die the death of the righteous, he had no desire to live the life of the righteous. He had no interest in walking the road that leads to that end — and without walking that road, no one ordinarily can reach it.

Some will press further and say: Christ Himself tells us that 'many will seek to enter through the narrow door of the kingdom of heaven and will not be able' (Luke 13:24). Therefore seeking heaven is no sufficient proof of true faith.

Answer: True — many will seek to enter heaven and will not be able, because they seek when the door of mercy is already shut and the day of grace has passed. For there is a time of grace when the Lord may be found. If people do not seek Him in that season, however long they search afterward, they will not find Him. But the seeking of these patriarchs was genuine and constant — and therefore a clear fruit of true faith. First, they sought a heavenly homeland. Second, they sought it in due season — not in a single burst but consistently throughout the whole course of their lives. Third, they went about it the right way — denying themselves and their standing in this world, living as strangers on earth, and willing to forsake everything in this world to attain heaven, which they regarded as their true dwelling place and their eternal rest.

More specifically, the Holy Spirit divides this reason into two parts and handles each in turn. First, He proves that they sought a homeland — here in verse 14. Second, He proves that this homeland they sought was heaven itself — in verses 15 and 16. The first part — that they sought a homeland — is proved this way: those who say they are pilgrims and strangers plainly show they are seeking a homeland. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob said of themselves that they were pilgrims and strangers. Therefore they plainly showed that they were seeking a homeland.

The first part of this argument is self-evident: anyone who says he is a pilgrim and stranger in a place is plainly showing that he is away from his own homeland and is therefore seeking one. The second part is drawn from their confession at the end of the previous verse — 'and they confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.' From this, the conclusion follows in verse 14: these patriarchs were seeking a homeland.

Notice here that the author of this letter had read the history of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob recorded by Moses in Genesis with great care. In reading, he observed what each of them personally confessed in many passages of that book — namely, that they were pilgrims and strangers. From that confession he also drew this profound insight: that they were therefore not in their own homeland, but were seeking another. The author of this letter practiced three things with the Scriptures: reading, meditation, and observation.

From this we learn that all of God's ministers, and those preparing for ministry, must read and study the Scriptures diligently and meditate on them. Without question, the author of this letter was an apostle with extraordinary gifts, and yet he took pains to examine the specific words of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as recorded by Moses in Genesis. Daniel was also an extraordinary prophet — yet, as we can read in Daniel 9:2, he studied the prophecies of Jeremiah and Ezekiel with remarkable diligence. Timothy, though he was a disciple (Acts 16:1) and well educated, was still charged by Paul to 'devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching' (1 Timothy 4:13). Ezekiel was commanded to 'eat the scroll and fill your stomach with it' (Ezekiel 3:3), and John likewise was commanded to 'eat the little book' (Revelation 10:9-10) — and he did. All of this powerfully reinforces the duty before us: God's servant in ministry must, as it were, consume God's book — digesting in understanding and judgment as deeply as possible the profound things of God and the hardest passages of Scripture. Here he must lay his foundation, and here he must return from all other writings whenever any question of doctrine arises.

This direction is most necessary for seminaries and for all of God's ministers — yet the opposite practice dominates in the world. In Catholic universities, most theologians devote themselves to studying the works of certain scholastic philosophers and the commentaries written on them. These are applied day and night, though they are many and lengthy and filled with needless philosophical distinctions — and often they are publicly taught. Meanwhile the Bible is neglected or given little attention. Here we can see the devil's cunning and his hatred for the church of God, since the schools training ministers are the fountains of learning. When Satan steals from these schools their study of the Bible and replaces it with corrupt human writings, he poisons those fountains to the danger of infecting the whole church. This error is common in Catholic settings, but some degree of it is found among Protestants as well. Many people in their private study spend little time in God's word and give themselves entirely to human writings — councils, the church fathers, scholastic philosophers, and other commentators. When handling Scripture, they take more pride in proving a point of doctrine from many human sources than from the written word itself. But the truth is, to do this is to put the servant above the master. As for explaining Scripture using other writers, that is no great feat of learning — anyone of ordinary ability and diligence can summarize what others have said before him. But to open Scripture soundly and purely, as it ought to be opened, is a different matter altogether from what such men suppose. Thorough study of the text itself proves to be the greatest help, as those who have tried it most consistently will confirm. The works of godly men must not be despised — they should be read and valued in their proper place, as aids for studying Scripture and for sharpening our understanding of God's word. Those who dismiss such works do not know what help they provide or what light they shed on many difficult passages of Scripture. But above and beyond all else, before and after everything, God's word must be consumed by us and studied with all diligence.

Second, the fact that the author of this letter noted their specific words and from them drew the insight that they were seeking a homeland teaches all people to engage seriously with every part of the Bible — including its historical accounts — and to draw godly reflections from the words themselves. Paul told the Colossians, 'Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you' (Colossians 3:16). The prophet David marks it as a characteristic of a good person to 'meditate in the law of God day and night.' And the example of the virgin Mary is recorded for us to follow — she 'treasured all these things in her heart.' It is a sad thing to see how little people read God's word today. People will not only own books of law but have them memorized — yet many have no Bible at all. And if they do have one, it sits on a shelf unread. And if they occasionally read, they never meditate on what they have read, as this passage instructs us to do.

Furthermore, the fact that the Holy Spirit reasons from the examples of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — 'they were pilgrims and strangers, therefore they were seeking a homeland' — teaches us an important point: a doctrine, even if not stated in so many words in the Bible, is no less binding if it can be rightly and soundly concluded from Scripture. Those who object to theological terms like 'person,' 'nature,' 'sacrament,' 'consubstantial,' and 'Trinity' because they do not appear literally in the Bible are therefore greatly mistaken. These terms may be retained with good conscience and great benefit, because even if they are not literally written in Scripture, their meaning and substance are contained there and can be soundly drawn from it by valid reasoning. We do not reject transubstantiation because the word is absent from Scripture — we reject it because the teaching itself is not found there and cannot be derived from it by necessary reasoning. In fact, Scripture points in the opposite direction.

Many people similarly reject the doctrine of the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Son, and the baptism of infants, because these are not stated in those exact words in Scripture. But the answer is that even though they are not expressly stated word for word, they can be soundly drawn from Scripture by valid reasoning — and are therefore true doctrines that must be believed no less than those stated plainly. That is enough on the first part of the argument. 'And if they had been mindful of that country from which they had come, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.'

Here the Holy Spirit proves the second part of the earlier argument with two reasons. The first is contained in verse 15 and the opening of verse 16. It is drawn from the distinction between two kinds of homeland, and can be stated this way: they were either seeking an earthly homeland or a heavenly one.

But not an earthly one — therefore they were seeking a heavenly homeland. The first part of this argument is self-evident. The second part is found in verse 15, from which the conclusion follows at the beginning of verse 16.

The first part of the argument appears in the words: 'And if they had been mindful of that country...' That is, if they had looked back with longing to Mesopotamia or Chaldea — the places where they were born — and desired to enjoy the comforts or pleasures of those lands, they would have had ample time to return there, given how long they lived in the land to which God had called them.

Notice two things here. First, they were not mindful of — that is, they did not remember — the country from which they had come. When God commanded them to leave and not return to Mesopotamia, they obeyed. They came out and left their homeland behind.

From this we learn that although forgetfulness is usually a fault, there is a kind of forgetfulness that is actually a great virtue — namely, forgetting the things that displease God and that He does not want us to dwell on. Psalm 45:9 tells us this. The church is commanded to 'forget your own people and your father's house' — that is, to put aside her own will and desires. She must not dwell on anything that displeases God — unless it is to reject it.

This condemns a practice common among many older people today — sitting among younger people and fondly recounting the sinful behavior of their youth: their wild living, their quarrels, and their breaking of God's commandments. This is a serious sin. A person should not recall his past sins except with grief and disgust — being sorry for them and angry with himself for having committed them — or in order to warn others how to avoid the same mistakes.

And just as this kind of forgetfulness is a true virtue, there is also a virtuous and good form of remembering — being mindful of things that please God. This means remembering His judgments, so that we are humbled by them; remembering His mercies, so that we are grateful to Him; and remembering His commandments, so that we obey His will. These are the things we should work to imprint on our memories.

Second, notice that God called these patriarchs out of their own country and told them to live in Canaan as strangers and pilgrims — and that is exactly what they did. They stayed there with no intention of returning. They did not even look back with longing to their former home.

From this we learn to be constant in the calling to which God has called us. It is a serious sin for a person to abandon the calling in which God has placed him. When the Israelites refused to remain patiently and steadily with God in the wilderness — but wanted to throw off God's calling and return to Egypt to sit by their pots of meat — God's hand came down on them severely, as Psalm 78 describes at length. Lot's wife, for looking back when she had been commanded not to, was punished in a terrifying and extraordinary way — turned into a pillar of salt (Genesis 19:26). Our Savior Christ says in Luke 9:62: 'No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.' He means: the man who walks away from the plow is not fit for the field — and in the same way, the man who abandons his calling is not fit for God's service.

Applying this to ourselves: God has called us to profess the Christian faith, which is why we are called Protestants. We must therefore hold to this faith steadily and without wavering or doubt — not looking back to that spiritual Egypt of darkness and superstition from which we have been delivered, and certainly not turning to any other religion. This is the true religion, grounded on God's word.

Furthermore, in our Christian calling, we have made vows to God to renounce the flesh, the world, and the devil. Since this is our calling — since we have promised it and taken it up — we must live it out in our daily lives, fighting courageously every day against the world, the flesh, and the devil. For if we profess religion in words but do not obey it in action, we make ourselves unfit for the kingdom of heaven. And yet, sadly, people behave like the pig that returns to the mud after being washed clean, and like the dog that returns to its vomit. Most people simply serve the flesh, the world, and its desires — that is where their joy and comfort lie. Take those things from them and you have taken their lives. They are as far from seeking the kingdom of heaven as these patriarchs were near to it.

That is enough on the first part of the argument.

The second part now follows: they were not seeking any place on earth — and therefore the conclusion follows that they desired a country which is heaven, expressed in the words: 'But as it is, they desire a better country.'

But some will ask: the patriarchs had been dead for many hundreds of years before this letter was written — how can they be said to 'desire a country' in the present tense? The answer is that the author of this letter is following the practice of historians, who speak of events from long ago as if they are happening now.

It says they 'desired a better country.' These patriarchs had two countries set before them: the land of Canaan and the kingdom of heaven. They could choose which one to make their portion and inheritance — the one to set their hearts on. They judged heaven, though still to come, to be better than Canaan, though immediately present — and so they chose heaven and longed for it.

From this we learn that while we should be thankful to God for all His blessings, among all of them we should choose the best. David does this. Given the choice between living in safety and comfort among the wicked, or in a humble and dangerous situation near God's sanctuary, he says in Psalm 84:10 that he would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of his God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. Solomon is highly commended by the Holy Spirit in 1 Kings 3:10-11 for choosing a wise and understanding heart over riches and honor. Moses, as we will see later, had the choice of living in glory and ease in Pharaoh's court, or suffering hardship with the people of God. Having the gift of discernment, Moses 'refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.' These holy examples all teach us that when God places different kinds of blessings before us, we must use spiritual wisdom to choose the best. By contrast, Esau had this same kind of choice set before him — his brother's bowl of red stew or his birthright — and he chose the lesser. As a result, the New Testament marks him with this label: 'godless Esau.' The Gadarenes are similarly branded with lasting shame for choosing their pigs over Christ and His salvation. The same choice is set before us every day. God, in His mercy, presents to us in the preaching of the word Christ Jesus crucified — and in Him, forgiveness of sins and salvation. On the other side, the devil comes and sets before us every kind of empty pleasure and delight, dangling before each person the sins he is most drawn to, along with all the profit and pleasure that usually accompanies such sins. Most people, when this choice is placed before them, abandon God's true and lasting blessings and turn to the devil's painted spectacles — choosing sin and the worthless companions that come with it. This is too obvious to deny. However faithfully God's word is preached and however often we hear it, we still prefer the vanities and pleasures of the sinful world over Christ crucified, giving Christ and our own salvation little thought compared to the present profits and pleasures of sin. We must pray that God would give us spiritual wisdom and the gift of discernment — so that when God sets before us things so vastly different, we may have the grace to tell them apart and choose the best, refusing the worst. But as for those who make such a foolish choice that they now prefer sin over God's blessings in Christ — they will see a day when they would wish to be dogs, toads, or serpents rather than men and women. And yet, even though they would gladly make that trade, they will never be able to do so. They will remain wretched men and women forever, because they once made such a godless choice. The path of life was set before them and they chose the way of death — and so when they would desire death, they will not have it, but will live a life more bitter than any death, in the greatest agony, forever.

So we see that in general, their choice was of the better. More specifically, the text adds: 'that is, a heavenly one.'

These words state the final and most important point in this argument: the patriarchs desired a country better than the land of Canaan — they desired a heavenly country, heaven itself. This is the main point being proved here.

The patriarchs are our forefathers in faith and the patterns we are to follow — and they desired heaven. Their example teaches each one of us to aim at a different and better country than the one in which we live: the kingdom of heaven. We must not think that this world is the homeland we were born for. Every one of us must seek this better country — whether high or low, young or old, educated or not — if we are to follow these godly patriarchs. And we must not do this only at death, after spending our whole lives seeking this world — that would be to despise heaven. Even in youth and in the strength of our days we must set our hearts on heaven, using this world and its things in such a way that when we die, we may come to that blessed country we desired and sought throughout our lives.

To persuade us toward this, consider the following reasons. First, worldly wisdom itself teaches this lesson. A man who lives on his own land and in his own house is often careless. But a man living in someone else's house — with no lease, certain to be turned out at an unknown time — will make provision in time for another place to move into, so he is not left without shelter. And if he can manage it, he will secure a better place, so that his move is not a step down. While we live in this world, our bodies are tents in which our souls dwell for a time. And the length of that time is uncertain — no one can say with confidence that he will live to the next hour. Therefore each of us must secure for himself a dwelling place in heaven, where we may live forever in complete blessedness.

Consider also the condition of every kind of person in the world. Sin, atheism, and godlessness are everywhere — the blaspheming of God's holy name, the breaking of His Sabbath, and daily sins against the second table of the law. All of this continually cries out for judgment, calling for God's punishment to fall on us. We do not know how God will deal with us for our own sins — whether He will take from us our goods, our reputation, our health, our friends, or our lives. Therefore it is urgent that we secure for ourselves a resting place where we may dwell forever, after this fragile and misery-filled life comes to an end.

Third, if we fail to do this, consider what follows. This is our actual condition: by nature we are children of wrath and of the devil, and through our many sins we have made our situation far worse. What then do we deserve for this corruption and these transgressions? Certainly not heaven, but its opposite — the place of eternal suffering and destruction, the bottomless pit of hell. If this is what we deserve by nature, then let neither sin nor Satan deceive us into thinking we can arrive at heaven while remaining in our corrupt natural state. Instead, let us labor by every means to escape the place we deserve by nature, so that through the gift of faith in Christ we may come to the heavenly city these godly patriarchs so earnestly sought. But if we remain in our sins and die in them, we are certain to go to that place of destruction and remain there in torment with the devil and his angels forever. The stakes could not be higher — we must use every good means available to reach heaven, or our condition will be the most wretched of all creatures, with ruin and destruction our portion without end.

This should wake up and stir our dead and drowsy hearts — hearts so numbed by sin that though we hear, we neither learn nor put into practice what we hear. We have no trouble taking care and effort over worldly things. But if we will do anything for our own eternal good, let us labor by every means to come to heaven. For if we miss that city, it would have been better for us never to have been born — better to have been the most insignificant creature in the world than to have been a human being. When animals die, all their suffering ends. But if we die unprepared for that place, our death will be the beginning of all suffering and misery.

Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

These words contain a second argument proving that these patriarchs died in faith, seeking their homeland in heaven. The argument is drawn from God's own testimony, recorded by Moses in Exodus, where God says He is 'the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob' (Exodus 3:16).

Explanation of 'therefore': that is, in order that it might be plain and evident that these patriarchs died in faith and sought the heavenly homeland, God was pleased to grant them this honor — to be called their God.

'Was not ashamed' — being or not being ashamed of someone properly applies to people, and it cannot be said of God in the strict sense that He is ashamed or blushes (as the word suggests). Rather, the meaning is that God was pleased to grant them this favor and honor. Question: What was this honor He showed them? Answer: To be called their God. This means that God accepted them in His mercy as those with whom He would make His covenant of salvation — not with them alone, but with their descendants after them. Second, He chose them to represent the covenant on behalf of all the rest. Third, He granted them an extraordinary and special favor — He would bear their names, and they would bear His, making His glorious name known to the end of the world by the title 'the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.' From this the argument follows: God would not be called in any special sense the God of faithless men — He would reserve such a special honor for believers. But God did extend this favor to these three patriarchs. Therefore they without question lived and died in that holy faith.

The statement that 'God was not ashamed to be called their God' teaches us first that God does not extend His mercy equally to all people — some receive a greater measure of His favor than others. Kings choose from among all their subjects certain men to serve on their council or guard, giving them special recognition and dispensing their favors to them more generously than to the rest. In the same way, God chose from among all Abraham's relatives these three — Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob — and bestowed on them an honor He extended to none of their ancestors before them or their descendants after them. It is no surprise, then, that He does not bestow His special mercy on all people, since He does not distribute even His lesser favors equally to all. And yet for all this, He is not a respecter of persons. A respecter of persons is one who favors one person over another because of some quality he sees in that person. But God extended this honor to these three solely out of pure mercy and goodwill — not because of anything He found in them.

This refutes the popular error being spread in this age — that God loves all people equally as human beings, has chosen all to salvation as human beings, and has rejected none. Their argument is that it stands to reason that the Creator should love all His creatures equally. They try to support this view from the general promise made to Abraham: that 'in him all the nations of the earth shall be blessed' (Genesis 22:18). But we must understand that 'all' is not always used as an absolute universal — sometimes it simply means 'many.' Paul, speaking of this covenant of grace in Christ, says 'the Lord made Abraham a father of many nations' (Romans 4:17). There, repeating the covenant recorded by Moses, he uses 'many' in place of 'all.' Furthermore, even granting that Abraham was the father of all nations and that in him all the families of the earth were blessed, it still does not follow that God loves all people equally and alike. He may love the faithful from all nations without loving all people within every nation — for in His generous mercy through Christ, He favors some above others. This answer seems the more sound because we have good reason to believe God will save some from every nation, but no basis at all to imagine He will save all of any nation — still less all of every nation.

Second, we see here that 'God honors those who honor Him,' as He said to the priest Eli in 1 Samuel 2:30. This deserves careful attention. This God is the glorious King of heaven and earth — yet He humbles Himself and is content to be named by His creatures, exalting them by lowering Himself to be called their God: 'the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.' Here we can plainly see that rather than let those who honor Him go without honor, God will humble Himself so that they might be lifted up.

From this we may learn several things. First, all who truly profess religion must accustom themselves to 'go through good report and ill report' and be content in every condition for the sake of God's honor. As Paul says: 'I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.' So said that holy man of God — and so must we all strive to say, and to live accordingly. The reason is sound: if a man honors God, then however he is scorned or ignored by the world, God will honor him and hold him in high regard. That will prove the path to all true honor — as it has in this world for all who have tried it.

Second, from this we learn the true way to gain lasting honor among people — namely, to honor God. A good reputation in the world is not something to despise. The Lord commands all who are under authority to honor those above them, which also means every person has a duty to maintain his own dignity. Since God honors those who honor Him, the surest way to gain true honor among people is this: lay a good foundation first, begin with God, and set all the affections and thoughts of your heart on this one aim — to honor God. Question: How can a person honor God? Answer: By turning away from the rebellious ways of sin and ungodliness, and walking in righteousness throughout the course of his life. This is what God considers an honor to His great Majesty. When a person does this sincerely, God will honor him even among people, to the extent that it is good for him. For God holds all people's hearts in His hand and will incline them to honor those who honor Him. As Paul says, 'If anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor' — not only in eternal glory after death, but in grace and favor with God's church. This refutes the thinking and condemns the practice of many who want a good reputation in the world and to be spoken well of by everyone — but what approach do they take to earn that reputation? They do not begin with God and lay their foundation by honoring Him. Instead they strive to please people, by whatever means necessary, whether good or bad — all they care about is pleasing everyone. Because most people live badly, they often choose to do wrong rather than fail to please the majority. But whoever starts pursuing honor by pleasing people is starting at the wrong end. The testimony of the Holy Spirit in this passage is clear: the way to gain genuine approval among people is to begin with God and honor Him.

Third, if God honors those who honor Him, then consider by contrast how wretched the condition of many people is — 'those who dishonor God, God will dishonor in return.' We see this plainly and at length in the example of Eli and his two sons. 'Those who honor Me I will honor,' says the Lord, 'and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed' (1 Samuel 2:30). In Zechariah we read that the man who dishonors God through blasphemy, theft, or perjury — 'the flying scroll of the Lord's curse will enter his house and remain in the midst of it and consume it, both timber and stones' (Zechariah 5:4). Because Eli 'honored his sons above God' (1 Samuel 2:29), the Lord threatened the destruction of both him and his family — and exactly as the Lord had threatened, it came to pass. When the Israelites fought the Philistines (1 Samuel 4:11), his two sons were killed, and when Eli heard the news, he fell backward and broke his neck.

If this is so, what shall we say about our own nation and people, among whom dishonoring God is as common as it ever was among Roman Catholics or pagans? This happens partly through careless use of His holy titles and taking His name in vain, partly through swearing and open blasphemy, and at times through outright perjury. Indeed, many people operate by the rule that they may swear, deceive, lie, and break their oaths when it is to their advantage. These sins are widespread across all ranks of society — it is rare to have a conversation with someone who does not dishonor God through empty oaths. It has become so common that children, as soon as they can crawl and lisp out words, learn to curse, swear, and take God's name in vain before they can say almost anything else. In this way God is dishonored on every side — so that it is a wonder the earth does not open and swallow many people alive for their swearing and blasphemy. When God's judgments are severely visited upon us in many parts of the land, we may be confident that this blasphemy and taking of God's name in vain is among the causes. And if this is not speedily corrected, there is reason to fear that God will rain down His judgments on us and in His anger sweep us all away — taking the father with the child, the good with the bad — because there is no repentance for so vile and so unnecessary a sin.

To be called their God.

Notice further that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob could each say, 'God is my God.' What these worthy patriarchs could say for themselves, each one of us must personally strive for — for their example is and must be a pattern for us to follow. We must therefore labor, by God's grace, to be able to say as these holy patriarchs said: 'The true God is my God — of this I am settled and without doubt in my own conscience.'

Question: How can we genuinely say that God is our God? Answer: By becoming His servants and people in deed and in truth — for to those who are truly God's people, He is always their God. But how do we become God's true servants? Answer: By setting our hearts on the true God, giving ourselves wholly to Him and to His service, and restraining ourselves from all occasions of sin, because sin displeases Him. Question: But how can a person set his whole heart on God? Answer: He does this when he loves God above all things, fears God above all things, and is above all things zealous for God's glory — when he has full confidence in God's word and promises, and is more grieved over displeasing God than over anything else in the world. Or more plainly: a person sets his heart on God when his heart is so disposed that whenever God commands, he is always ready to obey. As the Lord says in Hosea 2:23: 'I will say to those who were not My people, "You are My people," and they shall say, "You are my God."' And in Psalm 27:8 the Lord says, 'Seek My face.' Then the godly person's heart responds like an echo: 'Your face I shall seek, O Lord.' Such is the heart of the person who is truly a servant and child of God and one of His people.

For He has prepared a city for them.

These words support what came before, proving that God was not ashamed to be called their God — because He prepared a city for them. Indeed, this makes it clear that God was greatly pleased with them rather than ashamed of them. Had He been ashamed of them, He would have shut them out of His presence. By preparing this city, He showed His love and favor — securing for them the privilege of living in His presence forever.

From this we learn that whoever has God for his God has everything — according to the common saying, 'Have God and have all.' And on the contrary: lack God and lack all. Therefore David says in Psalm 145:15: 'Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord.' Other points that could be added here have been addressed in earlier discussion.