not by their own strength nor such a strength as men of the world stand by but a surpassing and excellent strength which shall carry them bravely through the briars to a place of rest and glory True ye bear about you a weak and mortal body and beside a sinful flesh which grieves you more then the other and ye fear sometimes that ye shall never hold out in the work of God to the end and blessed reward prepared for the Saints But pluck up your hearts and follow on carefully and conscionably in the use of means to attain the Resurrection of the just Herein ye labour and sweat and fear and only faint not and ye find many discouragements on earth and from hell Well your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord and know It is not your own strength that must do it but his as the quarrel and battel is not yours but his thousands shall fall on your right hand and ten thousands on the left but you shall escape as here it is said Even the youths shall faint and be weary but they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength He that believes hath the witness in himself and he hath the fountain of life in himself even the Spirit of grace as living waters which shall refresh his soul in every year of drought Only believe and thou shalt surely be established Remember flesh indeed is an enemy but mortified and God hath given us the Victory through Christ our Lord. More as grace will make it our corruption of nature shall further the work of God in us by making us low in our own eyes and driving us to the means whereby we may be strengthned It makes us earnest in prayer to get a supply from heaven which we cannot find upon earth It preserves an Appetite to the word which is the main Cordial to revive a Christian heart now fainting It sends him often to the Lords Table where he may have a good Meals meat for the strengthning of his faith and comforting of his soul As likewise to the Society of the godly to reading and other props which God in love hath provided to uphold him Object There is a power from hell which opposeth this power of grace and may not this one time or other throw the Christian quite upon his back can Principalities and Powers do nothing think you Answ Nothing so as to foil or vanquish this strong grace of God in the Saints It is a mighty power indeed but created and infinitely inferiour to that Divine Power whereby a true Christian subsisteth The Devil is a chained enemy infatuated vanquished and while Gods people are wâ—lling to resist he will surely uphold them in the fight unto Victory the God of peace will tread Satan under their feet shortly and they may be perswaded as Paul that neither Principalities nor Powers nor any other creatures shall be ever able to separate them from the love of God in Jesus Christ Rom. 8 38 39. More comfort yet in â—hrist that loved them they shall be more then Conquerors the strength which was at any time abated shall be renewed again and God will perfect the work which he once began Psal 138.7 8. See some particulars 1. The Christian is sometimes strong in faith and gives much glory to God and gains much chearfulness to himself even the full assurance of faith By which he rests in the love of God with an holy security much joy many triumphs over hell and Satan these enemies are despised as feeble Philistines not able to hurt him He got so much ground by the last Sacrament and by his course of prayer reading and godly exercises that he cared not if he dyed presently in respect of himself and the safety of his own soul But after awhile comes a cloud over his spirit and he is fain to let go much of his confidence Yet he gets up again in little time his strength is renewed and he grows as confident as before witness those Vicissitudes of joy and sorrow in David Psal 30. the whole 2. Patience is a strong grace such as whereby a Christian can possesse his soul in hard times and distractul occasions Luke 21.19 Sometimes he is not troubled though he be mightily provoked great occasion disquiets him not nor removes him from his principles whereof Job is a notable example Yet afterward as in him great breaches are made and the soul even lost by impatience Yet as in him the end is with submission and quietness Ye have heard of the patience of Job and what end the Lord gave 3. The prayer of faith is omnipotent as Luther called it a godly man sometimes wrestles hard and prevailes much with God and gets much comfort at the Throne of grace a large and almost sensible answer to his prayers a firm assurance of the love of God and a part in Christ Take him at such a time he is the most resolute man living ready to do or suffer any thing prepared for any condition Yet sometimes his hands hang down as much as Moses and with many intercourses of valour and weakness he gets the victory over all the Amalekites in hell 4. In respect of the spiritual warfare a Christian is strong in the Lord and the power of his might having put on the whole Armor of God sometimes he weilds it stoutly and wisely and acquits himself bravely for the honour of his Captain and his own discharge safety glory prosperity inveigles him not adversity affrights him not neither friends allure him from God and duty nor enemies terrifie him his watchfulness and jealousie over his heart makes him invincible you would think ye saw some Alexander conquering the world or some Joshua driving down Kingdoms and Cities before him Yet sometimes Satan gets an advantage against him as over the Incestuous person and the other Corinthians 2 Cor. 2.11 The man either lay snorting in his great sin or was ready to be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow and they either neglected holy Discipline altogether or else held him too long under that terrible censure of Excommunication Yet both he and they came into right order again chap. 7.7 8 9 10 11. And so other of the Lords Warriors they forsake the field sometimes but soon get courage and soon return to the field afresh 5. In respect of active obedience sometimes the life is very press and strict and unblameable and profitable the ways very fair a very good mixture of zeal and discretion good Husbandry and heavenly-mindedness are well matcht together that the man is even a Mirror in his place many may take example by him many bless God for him and few can do better then he doth And if he could keep at this stay he should live like an Angel upon earth But after a while the doating fit comes and all is off the hooks he is either scandalous with David or secure with the Spouse in the Canticles A great flaw and
courage of mind with assistance of Arts and Parts and alliance of Friends and all encouragements that are to be had yet in the Event all prevailes not to attain the desired end Even the youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall The race is not to the swift nor the battel to the strong neither yet bread to the wise nor yet riches to men of understanding nor yet favour to men of skill Eccl. 9.11 It is true by those accomplishments nature may attain to live long in the world to rise high in the world to get a great Estate to have great Victories over enemies with other great matters which Weaklings may not once think to attain But beside the sad disappointments which these sometimes meet withall even amidst all their bravery they commit foul errours they shorten their dayes by Intemperance they fall into Consumptions or at best the longer they live the nearer they draw to their end and it is seen ordinarily that the Bell rings out and the Grave opens for young ones as well as for the old few now-a-days come to the Age set in Moses time of threescore and ten or fourscore The reason is by the fall sin hath disabled our nature both in powers of the body and mind and so ministers occasion to the great God of heaven to cut us short of our hope and possibilities Our sins withhold good things from us Jer. 5.25 And the Lord will have the finest Naturalists see that not by might or power but by his spirit great things are to be accomplished He takes the wise in their craftiness he turns their counsel into foolishness he shews strength with his arm he scatters the proud in the imagination of their hearts he puts down the mighty from their seats and exalteth men of low degree he filleth the hungry with good things and the rich he sends empty away Application make thus 1. See what a poor happiness the happiness of worldlings is When they are at their height and in the best estate they can be in here below or desire to be in with a real and regular desire so that their Neighbours take them to be happy creatures and they think no less of themselves yet indeed they fall much short of the true happiness and godly men shall not change Estates with them though poor and miserable as to the world Why because the best and most complete attainments they have are but fading Commodities the one stroke of Death cuts the thred of their whole happyness there comes a Fever or other mischievous Disease and so an end of the man and all his braveries So that neither himself hath cause to vaunt or please himself in his fine condition nor others to envy his prosperity while it holds most together It is but as the green Bay-tree flourishing in present but soon blasted or cut down and the place of it shall know it no more 2. Let godly Christians bless the Lord who hath laid their happiness in things of another nature and endurance namely spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus that though they be poor or weak or otherwise low in the world yet in the best matters through rich mercy they are highly exalted none so happy as they indeed none but they Therefore not only be contented with your short pittance but thankful that your lines are fallen unto you in pleasant places and ye have a goodly heritage Psal 16.6 Had your lot fallen otherwise to you you had been of all men most miserable Think of Dives tormented in those flames and of the rich Churl whose soul in a night was taken from him and so an end of all his plenty and jollity Think how David blessed himself from faring as worldly-minded men shall fare Let me not eat of their dainties Psal 141.4 and again Deliver my soul from the wicked from men which are thy hand O Lord from men of the world who have their portion in this life and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure they are full of Children and leave the rest of their substance to their Babes Then refer all to the happiness that shall be revealed at the last day as the Prophet there concludes As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness Psal 17.14 15 16 17. 3. If all present comforts be so weak and fickle Let not the strong man glory in his strength nor the rich man in his riches nor the wise man in his wisdom Jer. 9.23 Fine accommodations these are and conduce much to make ones life comfortable and he that is a wise Master of them may do much good in his place and Generation and greatly further his accounts in the day of accounting with God But alass they are but moth-eaten and poor comforts in themselves very like to Jonahs Gourd which came up in a night and perished in a night When we think we have them safest and take most pleasure in them they dye in our hands as flowers which we gathered â—rewhile and we our selves pass away with them we know not how soon And the wise Salomon hath said Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not for riches certainly make themselves wings they fly away as an Eagle toward heaven Prov. 23.5 and Paul said by the wisdom given unto him Rejoyce as not rejoycing and in all your enjoyments be as if ye had them not 1 Cor. 7.30 Remember Christians and not over-joy in a lusty Child a setled estate of health tallness comeliness or properness of the body the increase of a wealthy estate a great inheritance either by descent or purchase There is death in the pot a secret worm lies at the root and bites shrewdly and all the joy may quickly be mar'd and then the more joy was the greater will be the grief at parting and shame for the former boasting to see things turned to the quite conâ—rary 4. If natural comforts be turned upon such a wheel then trust not in an arm flesh Put not your trust in Princes nor in the son of man in whom there is no help His breath goeth forth he returneth to his earth in that day all his thoughts perish Psal 146.3 4. Nor may Princes trust in mighty and puissant armies horses warlike provisions multitude of an hoste or the best counsel they can take all these have failed some that relied on them and may fail others who rest on them as able to save Nor may we rest upon potent friends who are able to do much themselves and use their interest in others for raising a party Nor upon health and strength of body nimbleness or other natural perfections Nor upon a strong wit a deep reach a firm and retentive memory eloquence in discoursing fitness of expressions with other gifts of the mind All compared to a staff of reed whereon if a man lean he may get a fall
run to the Indies and round about the world Therefore labour on as thou hast begun and digest all the pains that are to be taken in fortifying for heaven as for example Follow on still to enjoy the Preaching of the Word though Painful Hateful Chargeable It is the power of God to salvation to every one that believeth It is the savour of life unto life and useful divers ways 2 Tim. 3.16 Then go to the Prophets though an Husband say there is no cause or a Wife or a Father or Mother or Friend or Master Fast still in a Religious manner be not wearied with the uncouthness of the exercise it is powerful to do marvels sturdy Devils have been cast out by Fasting and Prayer and so may stout corruptions which seem untameable So for the Sacrament it is an effectal Ordinance of God to Seal up his love to the soul more throughly to strengthen faith to quicken an holy heart to enable us unto holy duties and holy conversation as it were with a new addition of strength It is another Seal of the Righteousness of faith We may be well assured and cheared by it Therefore take pains more then ordinary be not so formal and slight in preparation examine thy estate more fully and particularly lament thy imperfections more deeply discern the Lords body more carefully and reverently provide better then ever heretofore to be a welcome Guest at the Lords Table It is true to do this as it ought to be done will require some time and some retiredness and some thought-taking with sorrows and fears and it may be some anguish of mind But be contented for all that the Harvest will pay for all the labour of the Seed-time thou shalt see in little time how good it was for thee to be so reverent and devoutly affected when Gods face shall shine upon thee more then before and thy Conscience more cheared and cleared and thy weaknesses helped and thy life in all points rectified thou shalt bless the time that ever thou settest to do the work of the Lord so exactly and substantially 3. There be three duties that lie couched in the Similitude here used whereby the perpetuity of the Saints in grace is described They shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary aad they shall walk and not faint It is reported of the Eagle that she is very long-lived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if the Eagle had always a year to live being old she becomes young again and not once but often and when she dyes it is rather that she cannot eat for the length and crookedness of her Beak then for want of vigor and liveliness This her Beak a long time she casteth say Pliny and Aristotle as other creatures do their horns and then she can feed afresh and be as lively as ever So it is a fit Similitude to express the vivacity of Believers whose life Christ is they shall renew their strength by waiting on the Lord as before Ps 103.8 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things so that thy youth is renewed as the Eagles But to follow that Similitude which is more express in the Text Of mounting up with wings as Eagles It is but a fable of Zaadias the Jew that every tenth year the Eagle flies to the sphear of the Sun and there burns off her feathers with the heat of the Sun-beams and so grows young again for an hundred years This is confest on all hands that the Eagle flies higher then any other Bird and thence the Proverb is risen Aquila in nubibus spoken of one that soars aloft in remote and abstruse matters which the common sort of men can never reach into And here applyed to Believers may note their heavenly-mindedness they set their affections on things above and not on things which are upon earth It notes also their agility and chearfulness in fulfilling their course though sin as a weight press them down yet they force up their hearts again and still affect the way to heaven as the only way they can take for happiness Then for the other words They shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint As in the word of running saith Musculus is noted fervor and alacrity of spirit so in the word of walking the Prophet sets forth the continuance of proceeding So that in this Similitude we have three things which agree to the godly partly as duties partly as priviledges Heavenly-mindedness Chearfulness and Constancy in their holy course We will speak of them severally that the Uses may be more plain and distinct Doctr. 1. It is the nature of true Believers to lift up their hearts toward spiritual and heavenly things and so they must remember to do as of duty Col 3.1 2. If ye be risen with Christ seek those things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God set your affections on things above and not on things on the earth And the Psalmist calls them a brood of Travellers in seeking the face of God Psal 24.6 For why they are born of an heavenly Principle which is the Spirit of God and their treasure as they profess is in heaven therefore there also must their hearts be And in the world they find a great deal of sin opposition to good distraction and hindrance from better things vanity and vexation of spirit no contentment in any thing no certainty therefore why should they stay below why should they not mount upward where they are sure to be safe and satisfied and that for ever and ever the Bird is safest when she keeps highest on earth there are snares and enemies everywhere and that continually Use To reprove earthly-minded people who are altogether set upon things below Profits Lands Houses Honors Easie living Voluptuousness so that they would care for no other heaven if they might always live where they do They plainly shew themselves to be but Crows and Buzzards who never get higher then the lowest Region therefore one day they are likely to come to a fearful end Phil. 3.19 They mind earthly things and their end is destruction It must also check and condemn the earthly-mindedness of the godly themselves who mount not up as they ought to do but too much rest in these vanities below as if of Eagles they would turn some vile and base Birds whom any Carrion will content well enough It is too lamentable to see how some good men are rivetted into the earth and inordinately seek after profit till grace wither and they begin to fall into a Consumption in respect of their souls The time and thoughts and cares and affections which should be bent and spent upon heaven and the things thereof are now turned for earth and earthly advantages The heart is straightned and almost shut up for any charges toward good uses All is for the Wife and Children and their own contentment
gap is made till all be ashamed of him and he weary of himself A woful pickle and damnable but that he recovers all as Peter for a while a Turn-Coat but by and by a Penitent and at last a Martyr 6. The joy of the Lord is our strength Neh. 8.10 Sometimes we take much comfort in God go about his work very chearfully and pass not for small rubs that lie in our way no nor great ones it sufficeth that God is gracious and we shall have joy and glory enough in heaven But this bright-shining day suffers obscurity by a cloud when the Lord withdraweth a little Yet toward Evening it waxeth as bright as ever it was as the Martyrs at the stake after Recantations In every thing with a true Christian there is a recovery of losses to be made it is like the dead root of Jesse yet budding or as a Wheat-Corn dead in Winter but putting forth much strength in the Summer against the Harvest And this power of renewing his strength comes chiefly from God who saith such shall renew their strength and secondarily from themselves who being acted by grace will be willing all along to help themselves and so the Lord gets the honor of renewing their strength and themselves get much comfort by it Do ye yet want any more comfort Then see a little how this waiting on God and renewing of strength may stand you in stead against all those fears and cares and troubles which at times ye are subject unto No Prince when a Battel hath gone against him is so sure to recruit his forces and joyn issue again with the enemy as the Believer is sure by waiting on his God to renew his strength and recover all he hath lost and if he fear it is more then his good estate alloweth as for instance 1. Some good souls are afraid they shall never hold on to the end they have gone a good way in Religion but are so wearyish in themselves and find the world run so strong against them that they doubt they shall not overcome and then they must lose their Crown To whom I reply This and other places assure us of sufficient grounds for perseverance in the state of grace We stand by the everlasting love and compassion and covenant of our God We stand by the grace of a Mediator and so are better able to hold on then was Adam in innocency We stand by the strength and conduct of the Almighty Spirit of God who will never forsake us but abide with us for ever We stand by the invincible power of faith which through the mercy of God is able to keep us unto salvation We stand by vertue of the word that Immortal and Incorruptible seed which endureth for ever And the seed of God so abideth in us that we shall not fall away neither totally nor finally If so what ground for these fears or faintings 2. Some old Disciples are much troubled with the infirmities of old age in mind or body or both and are even weary of themselves and perform Religious duties but wearishly they are willing still to wait upon their God but cannot tell whether they shall be accepted or no or enabled to go on to Victory Answ Yet shall such be holpen with a little help Dan. 11 34. Little in their sense and apprehension but not in it self it is the power of God whereby they are kept to salvation and we know that the weakness of God is stronger then men We know also that God hath enlarged his power and all his excellencies for the good of his Chosen Esa 46.3 4. Hearken unto me O house of Jacob and all the remnant of the house of Israel which are born by me from the belly which are carryed from the womb And even to your old age I am he and even to hoar haires I will carry you I have made and I will bear and I will carry and will deliver you Good comfort to them whose understanding and memory fails them with legs and senses and all that is of nature and weather offends them whether hot or cold and much ado they have to hold out with cheariness a little longer Yet in their God they shall find a supply both of strength and comfort to carry them to their journies end Only let them pray and it shall be done for them Plead as David Psal 71 9 12 17 18. Cast me not off in the time of old age forsake me not when my strength faileth O God 〈◊〉 not far from me I will go in the strength of the Lord God O God thou hast taught me from my youth and hitherto I have declared thy wondrous works Now also when I am old and gray-headed O Lord forsake me not untill I have shewed thy strength unto this generation and thy power to every one that is to come Where note by the way what is the proper and chief end of desiring long life or the assistance of God in our way It is that we may the better advance the glory of God and serve our generation according to his counsel 3. Another is even tyred out with Satanical temptations and accusations and doubts that one time or other he shall fall by the hand of this hellish enemy Oh how black and cunning and incessant his fiery darts are and himself in the mean time very weak and simple and easie to be over-reached Can there be any hope of carrying the Victory Answ Yes because thy Captain hath said Resist the Devil and he shall fly from you and ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one and the God of peace shall tread Satan under your feet shortly and the head of the old Serpent is so bruised by the seed of the Woman and his Victory that he can never recover full strength against the remnant of her seed We know too that greater is he that is in us then he that is in the world We read of the weapons which we are to weild and overcome that they are of Gods framing and appointment the Armour of God and The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to cast down strong holds which are raised against God and against our comfort and Not only the weapons are mighty but we by them Strong in the Lord and the power of his might so that a song of triumph may be sung by fainty Believers Who shall accuse or condemn or separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ Certainly all the gates of hell shall never prevail against the Church of God nor any faithful Member of it 4. Other Believers fear because of many troubles of the family or of the world there are fightings without and terrors within they even faint and are weary and shall be tyred out one time or other what shall they do Answ Let them remember that Christ hath overcome the world and therefore though in the world they have