The Christians Apparelling, Part 3 · Section 24
Section. 24.
Now this power ſhewes itPar. 3. §. 24 ſelfe in them in regard both of good and euill.It ſhewes it ſelfe ſtrong in regard 1 Of good which is.
1. In regard of good: which is either ſpirituall or temporall: the former whereof it makes them vndertake, how hard or difficult ſoeuer it bee to fleſh and blood; the latter it makes them contemne and deſpiſe in compariſon of the other, how pleaſing and fauning ſoeuer it ſhew it ſelfe, or contentfull to fleſh and blood.
As they are not idle,firſt ſpirituall. ſo they are not diſcouraged, but beeing ſtrengthned in the might of the Lord, they ſet vponupon the hardeſt duties,It makes a man vndertake the hardeſt taskes in Chriſtianitie. and nothing can be ſo impoſsible or hard to fleſh & blood, and to corrupt nature, which they dare not ſtrongly aſſault and ſet vponupon, and ſo, at leaſt attempt and indeauour to do what they ſhould to the vtmoſt of their ſtrength, though in the doing of it, they often much come ſhort; like a true bred Maſtiue, which though young and as yet but weake, will yet ſhew courage in aduenturing vponupon the ſtrongeſt Bull or Beare, though it be foyled thus they quit themſelues like men, being ſtrong and couragious. As they ſit not ſtill but will be vp and be doing, ſo what they doe, they doe with diligence and courage, euen as God requires it at their hands. Thus if God bid Abraham ſacrifice his Iſaac, Deut. 31 6 Ioſh. 1.5.6.7.the Sonne of promiſe, Abraham will not diſpute the caſe with God or caſt doubts, but ſtrong in faith will denie himſelfe and obey Gods command; and ſo doe others in ſome acceptable meaſure, the like. They find in them much weakeneſſe, but they ſtirre vp Gods ſpirit and grace in them to aſſiſt them, and to ſubdue their infirmities. As, they find themſelues vnapt to pray; yet they deſiſt not from the duty, but ſtirre vp and awaken the ſpirit in them, which helpeth their infirmities. They find it difficult to learne, yet they will doe their indeauour, in the vſe of all good meanes: worldly mindedneſſe in part keeps them from giuing Almes, but yet they ſtirre vp their charity and proue bountifull. And ſo in other things, where at leaſt they ſhew their indeauour, and ſtriue to imploy the grace they hauehave receiued to the vtmoſt: though they be conſcious of their owne weakeneſſe and can in regard thereof ſay,2 Cor. 3.5. we are not ſufficient of our ſelues to thinke any thing; (and this is the leaſt of many other things required to the finiſhing and perfecting of that which is good) yet they can, each of them,Phil. 4.14. with the ſame Paul ſay, I am able to doe all thinges through Chriſt who ſtrengthneth mee.
It is otherwiſe with a formall Chriſtian; hee ſhewes forth no ſuch power: if he hauehave any meaſure of common grace afforded him, hee vſeth it not, hee puts it not out to the vtmoſt, not ſo much as in his indeauour;Whereas the vnſoūd Chriſtian is ſloathful hee euer pretends weakeneſſe of grace and the impoſſibilitie of doing his duty as he ought, and therefore hee doth nothing at all; the true cauſe is, he will not doe it, Nolle in cauſa eſt non poſſe pretenditur.he hath no heart to it, whereas he pretends want of power; he will not doe ſo much as he can doe, and as God hath inabled him to doe. Our nice ones alſo, whiles ſo they continue, muſt be content to heate, they are none of Chriſts, as not being indued with his ſpirit of power; they can take no paines in Gods ſeruice or in their callings, they cannot watch, pray, reade, giuegive to the poore, viſit the poore, or tie themſelues to any taskes in Chriſtianitie, at the beſt contenting themſelues with ſome generall and ſluggiſh deſires, and thoſe only of the end; or more of the end and of their owne ſaluation then of the meanes leading and bringing thereunto.
Now, trie thy ſelfe, whoſoeuer thou art, whether it bee not thus with thee, and whether being called to any good duty, thou makeſt it not more difficult, through thy ſloth and diſaffectednes to it, then it is, or need be, if thou wouldeſt ſtir vp Gods graces in thee; whether thou pretendeſt not difficultie in the things, weakneſſe & inability in thy ſelfe, when yet thou mayſt doe more then thou doſt, if thou wouldſt ſet carnall or worldly occaſiōs aſide: whether thou projecteſt and frameſt not to thy ſelf many needleſſe feares, many dangers and inconueniences, many Lyons in the way, and ſo omitteſt ordinarily the good thou oughteſt to doe: whether feare of man, and of the reproach of men, though vniuſt, cauſe thee not to forbeare ordinarily from good words and works. As thou, vnpartially iudging, doſt find it to be with thee, ſo thou haſt cauſe either to be cōforted, or to ſeeke pardon, & amend.