IN this chapter you have a short chronicle of the worthies of God; and in this constellation Moses shines forth as a star of the first magnitude. The apostle had spoken first of that faith by which he was saved by his parents; and now he comes to speak of that faith by which he saved himself; and here is one instance of it - 'By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.' He is commended here for his principle and his carriage.
1. For his principle - By faith.
2. For his carriage - When he was come to years, &c. His carriage is set forth.
[1.] By the season - When. he was come to years.
[2.] By the act of self-denial - He refused to be called.
[3.] By the greatness of the temptation - The son of Pharaoh's daughter.
I shall give you - (1.) The explication of the words.
(2.) The vindication of the act.
(3.) The commendation of it.
1. For the explication of the words.
[1.] His principle - 'By faith.' His faith was fixed; partly upon the eternal recompenses: he had never left the delights of the court, if he had not looked for greater blessings. And partly on the particular promises made to God's people, for he believed that the seed of Abraham should be blessed; though now they were very miserable and oppressed with hard servitude and bondage, yet he knew the promises of God to Abraham, and this faith urged him hereunto.
[2.] Here is his carriage. Where observe - (1.) The season of it - 'When he was come to years;' megas genomenos, when he was grown great. The same is observed, Exod. ii. 11, 'When Moses was grown, he went out to his brethren, and he was then forty years old;' and Acts vii. 23, 'When he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.' He had visited his brethren before, for his original was not unknown to him; but now he comes to visit them - that is, to take share and lot with them, to visit them as their guide, that he might lead them out of Egypt; and this he did when he was full forty years of age. Some say, when he was a child, he cast the crown that was put upon his head to the ground. Josephus reports of him that he trampled upon it, which was looked upon by the Egyptians as an ill omen. But if that be fabulous, the Holy Ghost takes no notice of his childish actions, but what he did 'when he came to years.' Now this circumstance is put down to show that Moses was of discretion to judge; it was not out of childish ignorance, he knew what he did, for he had forty years experience of this course of life. And partly to excuse the errors of his childhood; those errors are not reckoned upon, if afterwards amended; as Paul said, 'When I was a child I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child,' 1 Cor. xiii. 11. Partly to show that as soon as he was ripe for business he did delay no longer, when he was of full age and strength. And partly to show that he grew in the gifts and graces of the Spirit, as well as in years; as Christ 'increased in wisdom and stature,' Luke ii. 42. Moses, when he was come of years, was another manner of person than Moses a child.
(2.) The act of self-denial - èrnèsato legesthai, 'He refused to be called.' He would not so mush as be called so, a pert and open profession: and this not by compulsion; he was not cast out or disowned, but he refused. He might have held the honour of this adoption still, if it had so liked him; but he would rather be called an Hebrew than Pharaoh's grandchild. This was the language of his heart, not so much of his words. We do not read he made a formal renunciation of his kindred; but indeed he left the court, and joined himself to God's people.
(3.) Here is the greatness of the temptation; what would he not be called? - 'The son of Pharaoh's daughter.' Pharaoh bore full sway at that time in Egypt; and the condition of the worst Egyptian was better than of the best Israelite; yet even then he would not be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; he would not yield to an honour so high, so great. His daughter was Thermutis, Josephus tells us; that Pharaoh had no other child, and she no other heir; so probably he might have succeeded in the throne; and that when he was gone to the Israelites, that Pharaoh should say, I intended to make this child partaker of the kingdom. If this be uncertain, there is enough in what the Holy Ghost sets down, to make it a glorious instance of faith. Thus I have opened the words.
2. For the vindication of the act. You will say, Why would Moses do this? Or what great business was there in this? Joseph had faith as well as Moses, and he did not leave the court, but lived there till he died. I answer, Their conditions were not alike, nor their occasions alike. God raised up Joseph to feed his people in Egypt, therefore his abode in the court was necessary under kings that favoured them; but Moses was called, not to feed his people in Egypt, but to lead them out of Egypt; and the king of Egypt was now become their enemy, and kept them under bitter bondage. To remain in an idolatrous court of a pagan prince is one thing; but to remain in a persecuting court, where he must be accessary to their persecutions, is another thing. However, this is notable too, that Joseph, though he retained his honour to his death, yet he was willing that his family should take his lot with the people of God.
Obj. But Moses' act might seem ingratitude or folly. It was not ingratitude to his foster-mother, it was not any silly discontent or unworthy incivility to her, who had compassion on him, to save him when he was ready to perish, and had manifested singular love to him, and special care of him in his education and advancement. But it was a free and noble act of his divine and sanctified soul, whereby he being illuminated from heaven, did by faith see the baseness, uncertainty, and danger of a great estate, of honour, wealth, and power; and upon this account alone he was willing to part with them for better delights and greater good and that he might be faithful to God and his people. All relations must give way to the conscience of our duty to God. God's right is the first, and our greatest relation is to him, therefore: Luke xiv. 26, 'If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife and children, and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life also he cannot be my disciple.' God hath done more for us than any other hath done, therefore our obligation is the greater. Our Lord Christ when they taxed him for want of respect to his earthly parents said, Luke ii 19, 'Wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business? There is a higher authority, and a higher relation which must take place, and all other relations must give way to it
But then would not this seem folly for to do as Moses did who had an opportunity of saving himself and his own stake, or of soliciting the good of the people of Israel at the court of Pharaoh? I answer, An opportunity to do good is to be valued; yet when it cannot be lawfully enjoyed, we must prefer God's command even before not only our safety, but those seeming opportunities we have of doing good to others, and expect a supply from his providence; for God is not tied to means. Now this was the case here. Moses would continue no longer there without sin; for it is said, ver. 25, 'Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin.' The contentments of that estate he now had was called 'the pleasures of sin;' either because those delights began to be snares, to besot his mind, and so keep him from a sense of his brethren's afflictions; or by the contagion of example he might be ready to be entangled in them; or God would no longer dispense with his living without ordinances, or out of the communion of his people; or from the impulse that was upon his heart, which was very great, he being now fit for business, and to tarry longer were to delay his obedience to the divine calling; or else, as the court was then constituted, Moses could no longer live there without being used as an instrument to oppress his own countrymen. Whether this or that were the reason the Holy Ghost calleth the advantages of his former life 'the pleasures of sin;' and then it was high time for him to remove.
3. Having explained the words, and also vindicated this act from exception, let me now restore it to its true glory, commendation, and honour. Certainly this was a very great instance of self-denial, and highly conduceable to check the affectation of natural greatness.
[1.] The more advisedly a good work is done, the more commendable. He knew what he did; it was not a rash and childish act, for he was grown up, megas genomenos. For a child to prefer an apple before a pearl, it is according to his childish judgment; but the Holy Ghost says he was come to years. An advised obedience is acceptable to God, not headstrong resolutions; therefore when he was grown, when he had maturity of judgment, and could weigh things in his mind, then 'he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.'
[2.] The greater the temptation, the more self-denial. To bear a frown is nothing, to bear a scoff is nothing, to be kept low and bare is nothing; but here is a principality despised, that he might join himself to a contemptible oppressed people. And here all temptations came abreast, and assault him at once; there was a complication of them, honours, pleasures, and treasures. Here are honours, 'to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.' In the next verse we read of pleasures, which are called 'the pleasures of sin,' for the reasons before-mentioned; and then for treasures, ver. 26, 'He esteemed the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.' Now these things, honours, treasures, and pleasures, usually besot or corrupt the judgment, so that we cannot see what is good in theory, cannot discern true good from false; they obstruct our resolution, withdraw our minds, and charm us that we cannot follow God's call, nor obey him in the things he hath given us to do. But Moses had all these at once; the honour of being called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, a great office that brought him in great plenty - the treasures of Egypt were in a great measure at his dispose - and here were the pleasures of sin. How hard is it for us to part with a small estate! We find it a hard matter to suffer a little disgrace, and to leave a petty interest for Christ's sake. As Mat. xix. 27, the apostles spoke to Christ, 'We have left all, and followed thee.' What did they forsake? A great all! a net, a fisher-boat; but yet they speak magnificently of it; but Moses refused the honours, pleasures, and treasures of Egypt.
[3.] The more thorough the self-denial the better. He left the court of Pharaoh, and all his honours there, and openly professed himself to be a Hebrew. There was not only an inward dislike of the Egyptian idolatry and practices, and an inward approbation of the worship of God, that was kept up among his people, and of spiritual privileges; but here was an open profession, 'He refused to be called,' &c.
[4.] The purer the principle, the better the action. It was not discontent, or any sullen and vexing humour that put him upon this resolution, but faith. The principle much varies the action: Prov. xvi. 2, it is said, 'God weighs the spirits.' God doth not look to the bulk and matter of the action only but to the spirit, with what heart, upon what principle, with what aim it is done. Now, here was a pure spirit. Possibly others may have done somewhat like. We read in ecclesiastical story of Dioclesian, a bitter persecutor, that left his empire, but it was out of discontent. He had set himself against Christ, and his discontent chiefly rose from this - he was resolved to root out the christians, but they grew upon his hand; and though the persecution was very bitter and grievous at that time, yet he could not root them out, and therefore through very discontent at the disappointment he left his empire. But Moses did all this pio animo, upon a holy and gracious consideration; it was from the influence of his faith, because he was convinced of the good estate of God's people, though afflicted; be could see glory and happiness at the end, therefore it is said, 'By faith he refused,' &c. Affectation of privacy and quiet, or natural stoutness, or a politic retreat, differ from self-denial.
The doctrine I shall insist upon is this -
Doct. That faith is a grace that will teach a man openly to renounce all worldly honours, and advancements, and preferments, with the advantages annexed thereto, when God calls us from them, or we cannot enjoy them with a good conscience.
For here is honour, 'to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;' here are the appendages of that honour, 'the pleasures of sin, and the treasures of Egypt;' and these are not only disesteemed, but actually quitted and forsaken; and all this upon God's call, and upon reasons of conscience; and the main turning circumstance, and that which inclined him so to do, was his faith. Here I shall show you -
1. How far the honours and glories of the world are to be renounced and forsaken.
2. What influence faith hath to induce us to do this.
First, How far honours and worldly advantages are to be renounced and forsaken. There are two rocks that we must avoid; on the one side the rock of Popish and superstitious mortification, or a sluggish retreat from business, to live an idle life, sequestered from other christians, as we find in their monkery; on the other side carnal compliance, or an affectation of worldly greatness.
1. It is not simply evil to enjoy worldly honour; good men have lived sometimes in bad courts - Obadiah in Ahab's court, Joseph in Pharaoh's; and we read, Phil. iv. 22, of saints that were in Nero's household, under the very noise, and in the sight of that grievous persecutor and monster of mankind; Mordecai in Ahasuerus' court, and Daniel in Nebuchadnezzar's. And Acts xiii. 1, we read of Manaen, a prophet or teacher, who had been brought up with Herod the Tetrarch; in that wicked court he was godly; and so we read, Acts viii. 22, 'There was a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority, under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was a pagan, and had the charge of all her treasures;' and we read of an Ebedmelech in Zedekiah's court. God, to show the freedom of his mercy, and the power of his truth, and that christianity is no enemy to civil relations, and that his people may have occasion more eminently to show forth his grace, and to express, their self-denial, that they have something of value to esteem as nothing for Christ; God, I say, doth so order it that even in the courts of pagan princes have been found those who have been very sincere with God; therefore these honours are not unlawful, nor to be renounced but upon just and convenient reasons.
2. Though honours must not be renounced, yet when we enjoy them, they are to be entertained with a holy jealousy and watchfulness. And though honours be not simply renounced, yet we must consider how we come by them; if we be advanced by the fair providence of God, and God sets us there, we may enjoy them with a good conscience, and may the better venture upon the ordinary temptations that attend them. He that ventures upon slippery places had need have a good warrant, and that his calling be clear. David refused not a crown when God put it upon his head; yet he says, Ps. cxxxiii. 1, 'Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty; neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me.' He did not aspire after great things, nor seek to wrest the kingdom out of the hands of Saul; but though he had God's promise that he should enjoy it at length - and though he was incited by the bitter persecutions of Saul, yet he contains himself within the bounds of his duty and calling. But ambition is restless, it hurries on men, and is like a whirlwind that tears down all, that is in our way, and breaks down whatever may seem to oppose our greatness; a good conscience, and all, must go to the ground that they may rise. Moses would not keep that when there was sin attending it, which came in fairly and by God's providence. Therefore if it be got by ill means, if men renounce, deny, dissemble truth, stretch conscience to the humours of men, and all that they may be great, and enjoy something here in the world that is honourable and glorious, then we must abandon it. Nay, though it be not so, yet ambition and affectation of worldly greatness is not only seen when means are apparently evil, but when men make much ado to get honours, and their hearts are set upon them, and they do not tarry for a fair invitation of God's providence, but put themselves forward; this is exercising ourselves in great things, and in matters too high for us; therefore it is said, Prov. xxv. 27, 'For men to search their own glory is not glory;' that is, to be so earnest and so greedy upon such a thing. If men were worthy of honour, their worth would be attractive; as a violet shrouded by its leaves is found out by its smell. Where the matter is combustible, we need not blow the fire so hard; but when men are so vehement and earnest to thrust themselves into slippery places, this is that which must be checked by such an instance as Moses. Again, though we come by it by never so holy means, by a fair course of God's providence, yet it must be entertained with a holy jealousy and watchfulness, that the heart may not be puffed up, but still kept humble, as a spire that is least in the top: Prov. xvi. 19, 'Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.' Better to be left out of the account and tale with men, than to be called to divide the spoil, and to be puffed up. But this is not all, negatively, that our hearts be not corrupted by it; therefore, positively, see it be improved for God. Whatever honour, greatness, and outward advantage you enjoy, reckon that you must some way or other be a gainer by it, and this must be improved for God's glory. Has God that honour that he expecteth? What a shame is it that you should enjoy so much, and God should have so little glory! When David was advanced to a crown, he was thinking what to do for God, 2 Sam. vii. 2, 'I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.' God hath provided for me, he hath advanced me to great empire and sovereignty, but what have I done for God? So Neh, i. 11, he says there, 'The Lord prosper thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man (for I was the king's cup-bearer).' That parenthesis hath great significancy, - 'I was the king's cup-bearer.' When the Lord ordered it so that one of the captivity was advanced to such a high ministry and service about that great king, he was considering, What do I for that God? and how ought I to improve it for the glory of God? So must a christian consider with himself, How have I entered upon this honour? how have I carried myself? It is a slippery place, and therefore we had need be the more watchful.
3. Honours must be actually renounced when they are sinful in themselves, or cannot be kept and enjoyed without sin.
[1.] When they are sinful in themselves; as an office that is unlawful, a calling that is superstitious, idolatrous and antichristian, whatever honour, pleasure, and treasure is annexed to it. Thus Paul was employed as an officer by the high priests to vex the saints. Better be low and despicable than high and not in God's way. Rev. xvii. 4, the whore of Babylon is said to propine her abominations in a golden cup. Preferment is usually the bait of that carnal and political religion that lords it over God's heritage. Popery is a pseudo-christianity, a christianity calculated for this world, and not for the next; and there all goes by greatness, honour, and preferment; it is nothing but a faction and combination of men; they have debauched the law of Christ to serve a carnal turn and worldly purpose; and therefore all that honour which depends upon that, though it hath pleasure and profit annexed to it, this must certainly be denied. Or,
[2.] When honour cannot be enjoyed with a good conscience, or kept without sin. One that was brought up in a great court said, 'I had rather be Christ's exile than a companion of a great king.' Manaen would rather be a poor teacher at Antioch than a glorious courtier at Jerusalem. A great man - yet he did not disdain to take upon him the ministry, which is usually held so mean a calling. So it is said of Galeacius Caracciohus, that he left his honours in the world, and became an elder at Geneva. Therefore if the thing be sinful, or cannot be kept but by sin, it ought to be renounced. This sin may be either of omission or of commission.
(1.) Of omission, we ought to be 'valiant for the truth,' Jer. ix. 3. Still Christ's interest must be preferred. But now, when to keep our places we must smother our sense of religion, and cannot explicitly declare ourselves to be for God, then it is sinful, for then you prefer it before Christ. We read of Terentius, an orthodox christian, a captain under Valens, an Arian emperor, when he returned from Armenia with a great victory, the emperor bade him ask what he would, and he should have it; he only presented his supplication for liberty for a church of the orthodox. The emperor tore it in pieces, and bade him ask another, thing. 'No;' said he, 'I will ask nothing for myself where I am denied for my God.' This is that temper which possesses christians where their hearts are sincere with God: Luke ix. 26, 'For whosoever shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.' Look, as he that will not own his poor parents, though he do not renounce or formally deny them, is blameworthy; so he that will not own Christ, though he do not formally deny religion, he that stifles his profession altogether in his bosom (I speak when God calls him to confession), and is forced to smother it for his honour's sake, he is not sincere.
(2.) When the sin is a sin of commission; that either they must renounce Christ or their honour in the world; when both come in competition, that they must part with the one or the other. This is a grievous thing, for a man to part with his religion for a little honour and greatness in the world. Thus Pilate, against his conscience, condemned Christ, when they touched him to the quick, and told him, You are no friend to Caesar unless you condemn him. This is, in short, the case: certainly honour is lawful, and may be improved for God; but we must consider how we come by it; and when we have it, we must possess it with a holy jealousy. But when it cannot be kept without sin - that is, without smothering our profession, or without actual renouncing the truth, then the case is clear.
Secondly, To show the influence that faith has hereupon -
1. It looks for better things that are to come, and so we can the better part with these things. It does exercise the mind about greater things, such as Christ's coming to judgment, and eternal glory and blessedness.
[1.] Faith makes the soul to reflect upon the day of Christ's coming; it is very notable that this is one great principle of, and a great help to, self-denial, to reflect upon the great day, when all things shall be reviewed, and when it shall be clearly discerned what is glorious and what is base. Our Lord tells his disciples, Mat. xvi. 24 - 27, 'If any man will come after me, let him deny himself.' What is that? It is to abridge ourselves of those conveniences that are grateful to the flesh. Now there are three things that we highly prize - life, wealth, and honour; and Christ accordingly propounds three maxims of self-denial to suit this treble interest. Life, which makes us capable of the enjoyment of all other good things; and as to this, our Lord tells us, ver. 25, 'Whosoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake, shall find it.' Then for wealth he tells us. ver. 26, 'For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?' Then for honour, ver. 27, 'For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels.' Why does he mention the glory of the Father? You are dazzled with outward splendour, you stand upon honour and acceptation with men; but the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father, 'and then he will reward every man according to his works;' those that have confessed him before men, he will confess them before his Father in heaven. Oh, what honour will it then be to be one of Christ's train, when he comes in the glory of his Father, and all his mighty angels! it will be greater honour than to have lived in the courts of princes. Christ, in the fulness of his glory, will acknowledge and own such before God and the world, and he shall then be admired in such, 2 Thes. i. 10. When David was crowned in Hebron, those six hundred despicable men which followed him were made captains of hundreds, and captains of thousands. So those that are not ashamed to make profession of his name, when he comes in the glory of his Father, then they will have honour and glory enough. Now this is that which faith pitches upon, and so defeats the present temptation.
[2.] Faith pitches upon the eternal fruition of God in heaven. God hath greater things for us than we can quit for his sake. What is worldly honour in comparison of that glory, honour, and immortality which Christ hath provided for us? Worldly honour is a poor thing, it must be left on this side the grave; and when you are laid in the dust, you will be no more in remembrance than others that have been before you, as to men. Here we are going to the grave, only some are going the higher and some the lower walk, but there they all meet: Job iii. 19, 'The small and the great are there.' Within a little while small and great, master and servant, must meet in the grave, and the world will think as meanly of you as you have done of others. Within a little while the honourable and base will lie under the ground which all trample upon, but there will be an everlasting distinction between holy and unholy, between clean and unclean, between a believer and an unbeliever, between the carnal and the sanctified. It will not be a pin to choose within a little while, what part we have acted in the world, whether we have been rich or poor, high or low; but much will lie upon this, whether we have kept a good conscience, whether we have been sincere with God, for they shall have 'a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,' 2 Cor. iv. 17. Well then faith pitcheth upon this eternal glory, and compares it with this poor, vanishing happiness which men enjoy here, that shine in the greatest glory. The most shining glory will be soon burnt out into a snuff; and if it be not extinguished by a churly blast, it will at length consume of itself. Now these things are very great in themselves, the glory wherein Christ shall come, and the glory he will put upon his followers, and if we could apprehend them by faith, they would mightily work upon us, for though they be afar off, faith makes things exist in our mind, as if we were possessed of them, and saw the Lord Christ in his glory, distributing glory to his followers. Therefore in the first verse, 'Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen.' The great reason why the glory of the world prevails with us is because it is present, and matter of sense. Now to counterbalance the temptation; faith looks upon these glorious things as sure and near, and so it works upon us. You must take in both, for though a thing be never so great and sure, yet if it be at a distance, it will not work. As a star in the heavens, though it be a vast globe of light that is bigger than this earth, yet it seems to us but a little spangle because of the distance. It is so with the mind as with the eye; an evil at a distance doth not work: Amos vi. 3, 'Ye put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to draw near.' And a good thing at a distance doth not shine with such glory into the soul. But faith shows it is a thing will soon come about; it will not be long ere all this pageantry of the world will be over and taken down, and the Lord Jesus will come in all his glory, to distribute honours and rewards to those that have been faithful to him.
2. Faith gives us right thoughts of things present. It shows us the nothingness of worldly greatness, and the greatness of present spiritual privileges.
[1.] The nothingness of worldly greatness and honours. It is but a vain appearance, a mere pageant, a nothing, a fancy: Acts xxv. 23, 'Agrippa and Bernice appeared with great pomp,' meta pollès fantasias, with great fancy. It is but a vain show, more in appearance than in reality: Ps. xxxix. 5, 6, 'Every man at his best estate is altogether vanity. Surely every man walketh in a vain show;' Prov. xxvi. 5, 'Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not?' They are but poor, gilded nothings. Nature and sense do judge amiss. As faith makes Christ and heaven another thing, so it makes the world another thing: Prov. xxiii. 4, 'Labour not to be rich; cease from thine own wisdom.' How doth the Holy Ghost put these things together! If a man be guided by his natural understanding, and by carnal and present sense, all his business will be to be great, honourable, and rich; but if he hath a spiritual light, and doth cease from his own understanding, if he looks upon these things by an eye of faith, then he sees these poor empty things nothing in comparison of those better things which are offered to us by Christ: Ps. cxix. 96, 'I have seen an end of all perfection;' - it was not only his observation - but experience; a man that hath an eye of faith may look to the end of worldly greatness and see through and through it; - 'but thy commandment is exceeding broad;' that is the benefit we have by obeying the commandment of God, we cannot see through and through it. So that faith helps us to look upon present things, and to discern what a poor, gilded nothing, what a fashion, what a vain appearance all worldly things are!
[2.] On the other side, it shows us the worth of spiritual privileges, that peace of conscience is better than worldly happiness; that communion with God and his people, though they be an afflicted people, is better than the pleasures of the court; that it is better to be a member of God's church than to have a being in the courts of princes; that adoption is better than to be an heir to the greatest kingdom to, - to be a son, of God is much more than to be the son of Pharaoh's daughter. Faith rectifies our judgments about things spiritual. Carnal men cannot value these things, because they have no spiritual discerning, neither of the truth, nor of the worth of these things: 1 Cor. ii. 14, 'For the natural man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.' Mark, the world cannot well be understood without faith, nor spiritual things without faith. They which constantly attend upon God, and depend upon him, have much more a sweeter life than those that wait upon princes. With great observance and expectation: Ps. cxviii. 9, 'It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.' A servant of the Lord is better provided for than the greatest favourites and minions of princes.
Hebrews
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