Required reading
Twenty-One Sermons on Hebrews 10:20-24 in Volume III of the Works of Robert Traill (Available from Reformation Heritage Books or free here) - Read Sermon VIII.
My summary
This week Traill continues to show what is inferred if the believer's faith answers God's faithfulness.
Last week Traill taught us that if the believer's faith answers God's faithfulness then faith:
(i) is a trusting of God's word for his own faithfulness in speaking it, a trusting God's promise for the faithfulness of the speaker;
(ii) is reasonable;
(iii) gives glory to God;
(iv) can be said to have the soul;
(v) is easy.
This week Traill firstly elaborates on his fifth point from last week: faith is easy. He clarifies that what he meant was that faith is 'easy in the acting'.
Then Traill gives us three more inferences. Thus if the believer's faith answers God's faithfulness then:
(vi) faith is sensible;
(vii) unbelief is a great sin;
(viii) God's wisdom is wonderful.
What grabbed me
I liked how Traill demonstrated that even a child knows how to believe: 'A poor child can tell you plainly, as soon as it is able to speak, whom it trusts for its daily bread and raiment. It is careless and thoughtless about the things of this life; and the ground the child can give, is this; My parents take care of me. Shall a child, as soon as come to the use of reason, argue so plainly as this? and shall not a child of God be able to do so too? cannot you tell where you have lodged your great salvation? where you have lodged your darling. It is marvellous if people cannot do this...'
If a child knows how to trust a parent, then it is all the more shameful that we so often do not trust our heavenly parent.
Next week's reading
Read Sermon IX.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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