Twenty Sermons, Sermon 1
MANS PETITION, AND GODS COMPASSION.
A SERMON Preach'd Septemb. 6. 1657.
Pſalm CXXXVIII. 3.
In the day when I cryed, thou anſweredſt me; and ſtrengthened me with ſtrength in my ſoul.
THis Pſalm, for the kind of it, is Euchariſtical, a Thanksgiving-Pſalm. The occaſion of penning this Pſalm in the judgment of Interpreters was this, Davids eſtabliſhment in the Kingdom, after that he had been hunted like a Partridg upon the Mountains, driven from his own Country, and baniſhed into a Wilderneſs, and purſued like a Traitor; when after all theſe dangers, and fears, and ſnares, and oppoſition that he met with from Saul, and from his bloody and implacable enemies, God had now ſetled him in the Kingdom, & brought his hope into his hand, and had lifted up his head above his adverſaries, and had trodden his enemies under his feet: now what he had won by prayer, he wears with thankfulneſs, I will praiſe thee (ſays he in the foregoing verſes) with my whole heart: I will worſhip towards thy holy Temple, and praiſe thy name for thy loving-kindneſs, and for thy truth: (for thy loving-kindneſs in promiſing, and for thy truth in performing) for thou haſt magnified thy word above all thy name. In the 2d verſe, it is a dark ſentence at the firſt view; but as a judicious Expoſitor upon the place well obſerves, the words may be thus read, and will better agree with the Hebrew, Thou haſt magnified thy name above all things in thy word: that is, in fulfilling thy word: thou haſt magnified thy name above all things, in that thou haſt fulfilled thy word; what thou freely promiſedſt, thou haſt faithfully performed; what thou haſt ſpoken with thy mouth, thou haſt fulfilled with thy hand; for which thy name is wonderfully to be magnified. The name of God is that whereby God is known: thy name is wonderfully magnified in fulfilling thy word; nay, thy name is magnified above all things, that is the meaning of the phraſe. For the proof and evidence of this truth, That God is wonderfully to be magnified for fulfilling his promiſe, for making good his word to his Servant: for the proof of this, David brings in his own experience to ſet ſeal thereto in the words of the Text, for, ſays he, In the day when I cryed to thee, thou anſweredſt me, and ſtrengthenedſt me with ſtrength in my ſoul. So then in this verſe you may take notice of theſe two particulars:
Firſt, You have Gods free favour and gracious dealing with David in the day of his fears, and of his ſtraits, in theſe words, In the day when I cryed, thou anſweredſt me.
Secondly, You have the evidence or proof of this free favour of God towards him, in an experience that he had of it; for ſays he, Thou ſtrengthenedſt me with ſtrength in my ſoul: and accordingly there are theſe two points of doctrine that may be fairly deduced from this Text.
Doct. 1. That the Lord is ready to anſwer the Prayers of his poor ſervants when they cry unto him.
Doct. 2. It is one gracious way of anſwering our Prayers, when God does ſtrengthen us with ſpiritual ſtrength, when he gives us ſtrength in our ſouls. I begin with the firſt.
The Lord is very ready to hear and anſwer the prayers of his poor ſervants when they cry unto him. For the proof of this point, I could bring you a whole cloud of witneſſes out of the book of God: but I will content my ſelf with three or four: That in the 107 Pſalm, Then they cryed unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their diſtreſſes: and it is four times repeated in that one Pſalm, for the confirmation of our faith, becauſe we are ſo backward to believe the truth of it: and he gives four inſtances of men that were brought into great ſtraits, and ſtill when they cryed unto the Lord, the Lord delivered them out of their diſtreſſes: and remarkable is that Scripture, Iſa. 30.19, For the people ſhall dwell in Zion, at Jeruſalem thou ſhalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry: when he ſhall hear it he ſhall anſwer thee: Mark, he will be very gracious to thee at the voice of thy cry: you ſhall ſee the experience of it in two of Gods Saints and Servants, that had taſted of Gods goodneſs in this particular, and have ſet it down for our encouragement: one was the Prophet Jeremy in the Dungeon, Lam. 3.55, 56, I called upon thy name, O Lord: out of the low Dungeon thou haſt heard my voice: hide not thine ear at my breathing, at my cry: God had an ear for his very breathing. The other example is that of the Prophet Jonah in the Whales belly, in that remarkable place, Jonah 2.2, Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fiſhes belly, and ſaid, I cryed by reaſon of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me: out of the belly of hell cryed I, and thou heardſt my voice. If you would know a reaſon why God is thus ready to hear and anſwer the prayers of his Servants when they cry, take theſe three or four reaſons briefly.
Firſt, Becauſe of Gods faithfulneſs: He is very faithful that hath promiſed: Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will hear and anſwer, and thou ſhalt glorifie me, Pſal. 50.15. So in Iſa. 65.24, And it ſhall come to paſs, that before they call, I will anſwer: and whiles they are yet ſpeaking, I will hear. God is faithful to his promiſes, All his promiſes in Jeſus Chriſt are yea, and in him they are amen. Our unfaithfulneſs cannot make him unfaithful: if we believe not, he remains faithful, he cannot deny himſelf.
Secondly, God hears his Servants prayers, Becauſe of that compaſſion that is in him towards them; as he is very faithful, ſo he is very pitiful: as he hath beams of Majeſty, ſo hath he alſo bowels of mercy; and his bowels yearn towards his poor children when they cry to him: Can a mother forget her ſucking-child, that ſhe ſhould not have compaſſion on the ſon of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, Iſa. 49.15. A tender-hearted mother, if ſhe hear her little child whimper in the cradle, that does not move her; but if the child cry to purpoſe, then her bowels yearn towards it: ſhe can ſtay no longer from it, but runs in all haſte to it: ſo here, when we do but whimper, pray coldly, God may be, is not ready to hear; but if we cry in prayer, if we follow God with our ſupplications, then his bowels cannot but yearn towards us.
Third reaſon, Becauſe Gods ſervants have Jeſus Chriſt to pray for them: We have an advocate with the Father, Jeſus Chriſt the righteous: he is pleading our cauſe, 1 John 2.1. And he ever lives to make interceſſion for us, Heb. 7.25. Nay, his very preſence with the Father, is our interceſſion: he appears in the preſence of God for us: he appears as our advocate, in our ſtead, for our good, Heb. 9.24. For Chriſt is not entred into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true: but into heaven it ſelf, now to appear in the preſence of God for us.
The fourth reaſon is this, Becauſe the ſervants of God have not only Chriſt to pray for them, but they have the Spirit of Chriſt to pray in them, Rom. 8.26. Likewiſe the Spirit alſo helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we ſhould pray for as we ought: but the ſpirit it ſelf maketh interceſſion for us, with groans which cannot be uttered. If you ask me, But how does the ſpirit of God help our infirmities? I anſwer, Theſe four or five ways.
Firſt, The ſpirit of God helps our infirmities, by affecting us with them, with our wants and weakneſſes; that being humbled and lying low at the feet of God, we may be veſſels more capable of mercy. God will not pour in the oyl of his mercy, but into the veſſels of a broken heart; now the ſpirit of God by a ſight and ſenſe of our manifold infirmities, doth empty us, and work in us ſome kind of brokenneſs of heart, and ſo fits us for mercy.
Secondly, Again, the ſpirit of God helps our infirmities likewiſe, by acting his own graces in us, by acting thoſe beginnings of faith, and love, and humility, and ſelf-denial, which he himſelf hath wrought in us.
Thirdly, By ſtirring up in us holy motions, holy deſires, and pantings, and breathings after our heavenly Father, even ſuch breathings as theſe, Pſal. 42.1, 2. As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, ſo panteth my ſoul after thee, O God: my ſoul thirſteth for God, for the living God: when ſhall I come and appear before God? when wilt thou come to me? when ſhall I come to thee? And, my ſoul followeth hard after God.
Fourthly, The ſpirit of God helps our infirmimities, by working in us a childlike-boldneſs, enabling us to cry Abba Father: we can come to God as a child to a Father; Father, I want this, I want that: God is delighted to hear the moan-makings of his poor children.
Fifthly, By reſtraining Satan, that he may not interrupt us and diſtract us in holy ſervices; for this is certain, we ſeldom go to duty, but Satan ſtill ſtands at our right-hand: When Joſhua the high Prieſt ſtood before the Angel of the Lord, Satan ſtood at his right-hand to reſiſt him, Zach. 3.2. But now, Jeſus Chriſt he is ſtronger than Satan, and he by his ſpirit does rebuke him. But there is one great objection I know will be ready to ariſe in every one of your hearts: You ſay, God is ready to hear and anſwer the prayers of his poor ſervants when they cry to him; but ſome will ſay, Experience ſeems to deny this: Gods own ſervants pray oft, and yet they have no anſwer; nay, God is ſometimes angry with the prayers of his ſervants, Pſal. 80.4, O Lord God of Hoſts, how long wilt thou be angry againſt the prayer of thy people? the prophet Jeremy he profeſſes he cryed to God and ſhouted, and yet God ſhut out his prayers, and wrapt himſelf in a cloud, that his prayers ſhould not paſs through, Lam. 3.44, Thou haſt covered thy ſelf with a cloud, that our prayers ſhould not paſs through. It may be ſome will ſay, I have been praying for ſuch a grace twenty, thirty years together, and yet have not got it; for ſtrength againſt ſuch a corruption, and yet have not got it. For anſwer to this objection you muſt know,
Firſt, Gods people ſometimes pray not when they ſeem to pray.
Secondly, God hears his people, when ſometimes he ſeems not to hear.
Firſt, Gods people pray not when they ſeem to pray, as when they pray coldly and careleſly, this is as no prayer; as the Apoſtle ſaid in the like caſe, When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lords Supper, 1 Cor. 11.20. as if he ſhould ſay, irregular, unprepared receiving, is not receiving at all: as good never a whit, as never the better; ſo here, cold, careleſs, formal, cuſtomary prayer, is as no prayer, Dan. 9.13. All this evil is come upon us, yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God, that me might turn from our iniquities, and underſtand thy truth; for theſe ſeventy years hath thine hand been heavy upon us, yet we have not made our prayers before the Lord our God: we made a ſhew of praying, but our careleſs praying may be ſaid to be no praying.
Again, Gods people in praying may be ſaid not to pray at all, when they exerciſe only gifts in prayer, and have not the grace of prayer: for you muſt know, the power and prevalency of prayer doth not conſiſt in the neatneſs of the phraſe, nor in the redundancy of rhetorick, nor in curious oratory; it conſiſts not in outward expreſſions; but it conſiſts in the humility of a ſpirit wounded, and looking up to God; it conſiſts in this, God looks at this, the frame of the ſpirit, not at the outward expreſſions in prayer: a man may by the ſtrength of parts have an excellent gift in prayer, and yet not the grace thereof: If you ask me, How may a man know the difference between the gift of prayer, and the grace of prayer? I anſwer (briefly), you may know it by theſe particulars.
Firſt, The gift of prayer vents it ſelf in publick more than in private; but now the grace of prayer vents it ſelf more in private than in publick: it will enable a man in his private cloſet, to pour out his ſoul before God, when there is no witneſs but his heavenly Father and his own conſcience.
Secondly, You ſhall obſerve the gift of prayer puffs a man up with pride; but now the grace of prayer makes a man very lowly and baſe in his own eyes; the more grace a man hath in his heart, the more baſe he will be in his own account, even in his greateſt enlargements.
Thirdly, The gift of prayer makes a man pray in the ſtrength of his parts; but now the grace of prayer makes a man pray in the ſtrength of Jeſus Chriſt.
Fourthly, The gift of prayer expects an eccho of commendation from men; but now the grace of prayer that expects only an approbation from God.
Fifthly, The gift of prayer vents it ſelf in outward expreſſions: but the grace of prayer conſiſts in the inward impreſſions upon the heart, not the outward expreſſions of the mouth.
Sixthly, The gift of prayer will quiet the heart for the preſent, but it doth not purifie the heart: it will quiet the heart, it will ſtop the mouth of a chiding conſcience, which otherwiſe would be rating at us: if a man neglect prayer as a gift, his conſcience will be unquiet; but now the grace of prayer will not only quiet, but purifie the conſcience.
The ſecond part of the anſwer to the objection is this: The objection was this: Experience ſeems to deny this truth, that God is ready to hear and anſwer the prayers of his people. I have a ſecond anſwer, and that is this: God may be ſaid to hear and anſwer the prayers of his people when he ſeems not to hear: as we may ſeem to pray, when we do not pray; ſo God may be ſaid to hear, when he ſeems not to hear: for example,
Firſt, God ſeems not to hear when he hears, when he puts our prayers into his book, and our tears into his bottle; when he hath a book of remembrance for our prayers, when our prayers are upon the file, though for the preſent we do not ſee them anſwered, Acts 10.4. God ſpeaks to Cornelius there, Thy prayers and alms are come up for a memorial before me: Cornelius was ready to think, I have prayed thus long, I have loſt all my labour, I ſee no fruit, no benefit of them; but ſaith God to him, Thy prayers are in remembrance, they are upon the file for all that.
Secondly, God hears when he ſeems not to hear; namely, when he is fitting us for the mercy he intends to beſtow upon us: God makes his people wait for a mercy, as appears out of thoſe words, Iſa. 8.17, I will wait upon the Lord that hideth away his face from the houſe of Jacob, and will look up: And God ſays, that he will wait that he may be gracious, Iſa. 30.18. God waits opportunities to beſtow mercies when they are moſt ſeaſonable, when his people are fitted for mercy. A man that is about to pour in ſome precious oyl into a glaſs, if he ſee ſome dirt at the bottom of the glaſs, he ſtops his hand for the preſent, ſays he, Let the glaſs be waſht firſt, then I will pour in the oyl: ſo if our hearts be once waſht and fit ro receive the mercy we beg, then God will beſtow it, Jer. 4.14, Oh Jeruſalem, waſh thy heart from wickedneſs, that thou mayſt be ſaved: when we waſh away our ſins by repentance, and are fit for mercy, then God beſtows it on us; in the mean time he hears, though he ſeems not to hear.
Thirdly, God hears when he ſeems not to hear: when he hears according to our wants though not according to our wills: when he beſtows upon us that which is better than that we pray for, Pſalm 34.10, The greedy Lions ſhall lack and ſuffer hunger: but they that ſeek the Lord, ſhall not want any good thing: if it be good for them, they ſhall not want it: if peace and plenty, and proſperity were good for them, they ſhall not want it, but God would beſtow it upon them: but if they would abuſe their peace, and plenty, and proſperity, to pride and preſumption, then the denial of them would be a great mercy: God ſometimes denies that in mercy to his children, which he grants in anger to wicked and ungodly men: it is better a thouſand times to be under the frowns of Gods favour, than under the ſmiles of his vengeance; it is better to weep with Chriſt, than ſport with Satan; its better to be a corrected child, than a cockered baſtard; If we want chaſtiſement, whereof all are partakers, then are we baſtards and not ſons, Heb. 12.8. its better to be chaſtiſed of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world, than ſpared with the world and condemned to all eternity. A man at the firſt view would wonder at Gods dealing with Paul, and his dealing with Satan; Satan begged that he might have liberty to tempt Job: God anſwered Satan, and gives him leave, Job 1, Go thy way and tempt him. Paul on the other ſide, he earneſtly begged to be free from the buffetings of Satan, he begged thrice that God would remove the thorn in the fleſh: and this was all the anſwer he could have for the preſent, 2 Cor. 12, My grace is ſufficient for thee: Why, may ſome ſay, doth God anſwer Satan in his requeſt about Jobs ſufferings, and not Paul in his requeſt about the Devils buffeting him? why was God more ready to gratify Satan in his requeſt, than Paul in his, who was a choſen veſſel? A man would wonder at this; but if you obſerve it well, Paul was heard in that he was not heard, and the Devil was not heard in that he was heard,
Firſt, Paul was heard in that he was not heard: for he was heard to his advantage, though he was not heard in the letter of his requeſt: he beg'd that the thorn in the fleſh might be removed: Gods anſwer was, My grace is ſufficient for thee: God in giving him ſupporting grace under the temptation, gave a fitter mercy for Paul than the removal of the temptation; becauſe God ſaw that Paul by reaſon of the multitude of his Revelations, had need to be kept humble; therefore my ſuppoting-grace is better for thee, than the deliverance thou beggeſt. Paul was heard in that he was not heard: though he was not heard in the letter of his requeſt, yet he was heard for the better, for his advantage.
On the contrary; The Devil was not heard in that he was heard: he beg'd liberty to tempt Job, God gave him leave, Job 1, Lo, he is in thy hand, all he hath is in thy power; but what did the Devil get by it? he was baffled, and fool'd, and prov'd a lyar to his face; for Job, notwithſtanding all the loſſes upon his eſtate, kept his integrity, and ſinned not; but ſaith the Devil, Put forth thine hand and touch his bone and his fleſh, and he will curſe thee to thy face: and the Lord ſaid, Lo, he is in thy hand, but ſave his life: then the Devil uſed all his art he could to make him blaſpheme God, but he could not prevail; ſo the Devil was proved a lyar to his face.
Now the uſe I ſhall make is this, This doctrine may be like Aaron and Hur to hold up Moſes hands: it is a great encouragement to every one of us to pray ſtill, to ſeek the face of God ſtill; though he ſeem to delay us, or deny our importunities, or to turn from us; yet follow God ſtill: though he ſeem to deny our prayers, yet give not over praying: for you ſee God will at one time or other, in one kind or other, anſwer all the prayers that are put up to him: In the day when I cryed, thou anſweredſt me. Let me tell you, We ſhall never have cauſe to repent of our praying: could we pray an hundred times more than we do, we ſhould never have cauſe to repent of our praying, except it be for this, That we have prayed no more frequently and fervently. And ſo much for the firſt point of doctrine.
The ſecond point of doctrine is this, It is one gracious way of anſwering our prayers, when God doth beſtow upon us ſome ſpiritual ſtrength: When he beſtows ſtrength in our ſouls, that is one way of Gods anſwering our prayers graciouſly; if he do not give the thing we deſire, yet if he gives us ſtrength in our ſouls, he graciouſly anſwers our prayers. For the better clearing of this point it may be demanded, What is this ſpiritual ſtrength? I anſwer, it is a work of the ſpirit of God, enabling a man to do and ſuffer what God would have him, without fainting or backſliding.
I call it a work of the ſpirit of God, becauſe indeed it is the ſpirit of God that does corroborate and ſtrengthen the ſoul: Eph. 3.16, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be ſtrengthened with might by his ſpirit in the inner man. Alas, we of our ſelves, if we have not the ſpirit of God to help us, are as weak as water; we are no more able to ſtand in a day of trial, or withſtand any temptation, than a little child is able to withſtand a giant; but now when Sampſon was cloathed with the ſpirit, then he could grapple with a Lion; ſo when once we are cloathed with the ſpirit of God, we ſhall be able to encounter with Lion-like corruptions and temptations.
Secondly, Whereby a man is able to do and ſuffer what God would have him to do and ſuffer: there is ſtrength, conſiderable ſtrength required in doing the will of God, Joſhua 1.7, Only be thou ſtrong and very couragious, that thou mayeſt obſerve to do according to all the Law which Moſes my ſervant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right-hand, or the left, that thou mayeſt proſper whither ſoever thou goeſt; but there is a great deal more ſtrength required in ſuffering. Paul had attained a great deal of ſtrength, when he ſaid, For the Lord Chriſt his ſake I have ſuffered the loſs of all things, Phil. 3.8.
Thirdly, I ſay, whereby a man is enabled to do and ſuffer what God requires without fainting, and backſliding: there is ſtrength required in doing the will of God, but there is much ſtrength required in ſuffering; I, but yet more ſtrength is required in perſeverance; for if we faint in the day of adverſity, our ſtrength is but ſmall, Prov. 24.10. and therefore ſays the Apoſtle, We muſt often look upon Jeſus Chriſt the author and finiſher of our faith; and conſider him who endured ſuch contradiction of ſinners againſt himſelf, leſt we be weary & faint in our minds, Heb. 12.3.
Secondly, It may be demanded, how doth God ſtrengthen a man with ſtrength in his ſoul? I anſwer, theſe three ways:
Firſt, God ſtrengthens a Chriſtian with ſpiritual ſtrengths, when he doth comfort him in the aſſurance of his love ſhed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghoſt; Oh, this will enable a man to bear any burthen! Smite Lord (will ſuch a one ſay) I will bear any thing willingly; becauſe my ſins are forgiven.
Secondly, God ſtrengthens us with ſtrength in our ſouls, by encouraging us in our ſufferings, by cheering up our hearts with ſome inward cordial. Look how God cheer'd up Saint Paul when he was in danger, when forty men ſwore his death, in Acts 23.11, And the night following the Lord ſtood by him, and ſaid, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou haſt teſtified for me in Hieruſalem, ſo muſt thou bear witneſs alſo at Rome. So when God comes and cheers up the heart, and brings ſome of his beſt cordials in our worſt fainting fits: when in our ſtrongeſt afflictions he brings in his ſweeteſt conſolations: when we are able to ſay with David, Pſal. 94.19, In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy Comforts delight my ſoul: when God brings in his divine comforts, then he ſtrengthens us with ſtrength in our ſouls. As I remember when Philip Landſgrave, being long priſoner under Charles the fifth, being demanded what cheered him up in that condition; made this anſwer, I feel, ſays he, the divine comforts of the martyrs. God hath divine comforts for his people in their fainting fits: as their afflictions abound: ſo he makes his comforts to abound.
Thirdly, God ſtrengthens with ſtrength in the ſoul, when he does ſupport and keep up the ſpirit from ſinking: ſays David in Pſalm 94.17, 18, Ʋnleſs the Lord had been my helper, my ſoul had almoſt dwelt in ſilence: but when I ſaid, my foot ſlipped, thy mercy, O Lord, held me up. That is an excellent Scripture, Iſa. 41.10, Fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not diſmayed for I am thy God, I will ſtrengthen thee, yea I will help thee, yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteouſneſs. And obſerve, when God does ſupport a man, though the affliction be never ſo heavy; yet it ſhall not ſink him, but he ſhall be able to ſtand under it: ſee it in David, 1 Sam. 30.4, when he was at Ziglag, when there was ſuch a load of afflictions upon him, he wept that he could weep no longer: his own ſoldiers mutinied, his wives were taken and carried captive, yet God ſupported him in that great diſtreſs. On the contrary, under leſs temptations and troubles, if God do not ſupport a man, he will fall; ſee it in Ahitophel; becauſe his counſel was not accepted, God not ſupporting him under this light trouble, he goes and hangs himſelf.
For the uſe of this: If this be one way of Gods hearing our prayers, when he ſtrengthens us with ſtrength in our ſouls; Then call your ſelves to an account, whether God hath ſtrengthned your ſouls yea or no: here is divers of you that have been made partakers of a ſtrengthening Ordinance this day, namely, the Lords Supper, which the Lord Jeſus hath appointed for your ſpiritual confirmation and corroboration. Now will it not nearly concern you to ask your own ſouls this queſtion, Hath God ſtrengthened you with ſtrength in your ſouls? It may be you will ſay to me, how ſhall we do to know it? Anſwer me but theſe four or five queſtions, and you may know it.
Firſt, tell me, What are you in the time of troubles and temptations? for what a man is in tryals, that is the man: Can you live in a time of ſtraits, fears, doubts and dangers? as the ſtrength of a ſhip is tryed in the time of a ſtorm; if ſhe can live in a ſtorm, then you may ſay ſhe is a ſtrong ſhip: the ſtrength of a Caſtle, is tryed in the time of battel; if it can endure the roaring Cannon, then its a ſtrong Caſtle: now if you can keep your ſtanding in a time of danger, this argues you have received ſpiritual ſtrength in your ſouls.
Secondly, Can you bear variety of conditions without fainting? can you paſs through good report and ill report, through honour and diſhonour, through a proſperous eſtate and decayed eſtate? can you paſs through theſe with an equal temper and frame of ſpirit? as you are not puft up with proſperity, ſo you are not too much caſt down with adverſity. Saint Paul had this ſtrength, I have learnt, ſaith he, in what eſtate ſoever I am, therewith to be content.
Thirdly, Can you cleave cloſe to Jeſus Chriſt without wearineſs conſtantly? if you be off and on, if your way be uneven, it's a token you have little ſtrength.
Fourthly, Are you able to do duties in a ſpiritual manner? the ſpiritual performance of holy duties, argues the receiving of ſome ſpiritual ſtrength. By theſe and the like queſtions you may know, whether you have received ſome of this ſpiritual ſtrength, yea or no.
A ſecond uſe I ſhall make, it is by way of Exhortation: Oh labour to read this Text experimentally: read it, I ſay, ſo as your own hearts may make a commentary on it: Oh Lord, thou haſt anſwered me; Lord, I can ſpeak by experience: I was as weak as water, but thou haſt ſtrengthened me with ſtrength in my ſoul: Whatever was written aforetime, was written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope. This inſtance of David was written for your imitation and conſolation. O labour for this ſpiritual ſtrength. To preſs you to attain it, I ſhall uſe but this one motive:
Conſider the great need you have of this ſpiritual ſtrength at all times, but eſpecially in times of general fears and dangers, then you have ſpecial need of it: In what regard, may be you will ſay, do we need ſo much ſtrength in our ſouls? I will tell you in theſe four reſpects eſpecially, or on this fourfold account:
Firſt, In regard of Duties that are to be performed.
Secondly, In regard of Afflictions that are to be endured.
Thirdly, In regard of the Enemies that are to be encountered.
Fourthly, In regard of the danger of Apoſtacy that is to be prevented.
Firſt, You have great need of this ſpiritual ſtrength in regard of the Duties that are to be performed: Oh, a Chriſtian hath much work lying upon his hands in reference to eternity! a great work it is to provide oyl in your Lamps, grace in your hearts; a great work it is to get the hazzard of eternity over, to get an intereſt in Jeſus Chriſt, and to get an aſſurance of that intereſt. A great work it is for you to make your calling and election ſure, ſure to your own ſouls; to be working out your ſalvation with fear and trembling; a great work it is for you to be pondering the paths of your feet, to keep your hearts above all keepings; to be building up your ſelves in your moſt holy faith: Theſe are very great works. It is the language of the Apoſtle Saint Jude, verſe 20 of his Epiſtle: But ye beloved, building up your ſelves in your moſt holy faith, praying in the holy Ghoſt; and to be preſſing forward towards the mark, for the price of the high calling of God in Chriſt Jeſus, Phil. 3.14. Nay, a Chriſtian hath yet a harder work than this to do: for a Chriſtian is to do that work that croſſes his own carnal and corrupt will. There are ſome difficult duties of Chriſtianity that are to be performed, as denying of our ſelves, a hard duty; the croſſing of our carnal and corrupt Affections, a hard duty; the mortifying of a beloved Luſt, a very hard duty; the plucking out of a right eye: the cutting off of a right hand: a parting with a ſin that is as dear as our right hand, and our right eye, a difficult duty; ſo for a man to be crucifying the fleſh with the Affections and Luſts thereof, to be contemning the world: to trample upon the pleaſures, the flatteries, the blandiſhments of it; for a man to love his enemies, to pray for them that perſecute him, to do good to them that deſpitefully uſe him; How is it poſſible for a man to do all this work, a difficult work, this work which ſo much croſſes his own carnal and corrupt frame, if he have not a conſiderable portion of ſpiritual ſtrength? A weak Chriſtian, alas, is offended with every thing, he is ready to ſtumble at every ſtraw: every duty is a burthen to him, every command of Chriſt ſeems grievous to him, every yoke of Chriſt he is not able to take upon his neck: it may be he may have ſome flaſhes of good deſires now and then, as Baalam had, Oh that I might die the death of the righteous: It may be he may have ſome good purpoſes and reſolutions, as Saul had, 1 Sam. 26.21, Return my ſon David, for I will no more do thee harm, becauſe my ſoul was precious in thine eyes this days But all his purpoſes came to nothing. Nay, may be ſometimes he may have ſome endeavours, faint feeble endeavours, in the way of grace, juſt like the third ground in the Parable which wanted root; it brought forth indeed a blade, but it brought forth (the Text ſays) nothing to perfection. If a man be a weak Chriſtian, alas, it is very little that he can do in the buſineſs of Eternity. You have great need of ſtrength therefore in this regard.
Secondly, You have great need of ſtrength in regard of the Afflictions, Temptations, Troubles, and Tryals that are to be endured. You have often heard, (and you will know it at one time or other; you will not believe us, but you will believe one day your own experience) That through many Afflictions you muſt enter into the kingdom of God. And 2 Tim. 3.12, Yea, and all that will live godly in Chriſt Jeſus, ſhall ſuffer perſecution. They muſt look for perſecution in one kind or other: And in the world you ſhall have tribulation, ſaith our Saviour: You muſt look for it, ſays he, if you be my diſciples, John 16.33. And ſays Luther, If thou beeſt not a Croſs-bearing Chriſtian, thou art no Chriſtian indeed: How is it poſſible now for a man to climb this rocky way, if he hath not ſtrength? for the way to Heaven, is like the way that Jonathan and his Armour-bearer had, in climbing up a great Rock: a ſharp rock was on the one ſide, and a ſharp rock was on the other ſide, 1 Sam. 14.4. How is it poſſible for a man to climb up this rocky way, if he have not ſome conſiderable ſtrength? If Stephen, for example, had not had a great meaſure of ſtrength, how could he have lookt upon his perſecutors ſo chearfully in the midſt of all their threatnings, when they were ready to ſtone him? yet then they beheld his face, as if it had been the face of an Angel, Acts 6.15. And if Saint Paul had not had conſiderable ſtrength, how could he have have ſaid, True, the holy Ghoſt witneſſeth that bonds and afflictions wait for me in every place, in every City where ever I go: but none of theſe things move me: neither count I my life dear unto my ſelf, ſo that I might finiſh my courſe with joy, and the Miniſtry which I have received of the Lord Jeſus, to teſtifie the Goſpel of the grace of God, Acts 20.23, 24. What a gallant anſwer was that which one made to Valentinian the Arrian Emperour, that threatned him with Bonds, Impriſonment, Baniſhment, and death? Tuſh, ſays he, Let him ſcare children with ſuch Bug-bears as theſe, he cannot ſcare me with them: he may take away my life, but he cannot take away my love to the truth; Here was a ſtrong Chriſtian. Now, I ſay, if a man have not a conſiderable ſtrength, how can he be able to bear all the afflictions that he may meet with? Can you drink of the cup (ſays our Saviour) that I ſhall drink of? and be baptized with the baptiſm that I am baptized with? Matth. 20.22. He ſpeaks there of the baptiſm of blood: Can you be baptized with this bloody baptiſm? can you be content to ſuffer for my ſake?
Thirdly, You have need of a great deal of ſtrength in your ſouls, in regard of the enemies that are to be encountred with: ſpiritual enemies, dangerous enemies, deadly implacable enemies. For example now: One of the greateſt Enemies you have to encounter with, is an inviſible enemy, namely, that Judas which you and I have in our hearts, the curſed corruption in our Natures, that works us more miſchief than either the World or the Devil: nay, then all the Devils in Hell can do. You ſee the whole world in a manner is ſubdued by this curſed enemy called Sin: the whole World almoſt is brought into bondage to it: and it is an enemy that you and I can never be rid of, until our bodies drop down into the duſt.
Then you have a flattering and bewitching World, and the luſts and pleaſures of it are its baits: thoſe baits and allurements of it do ſo Lime-twigg the ſoul, it is not able to mount up: oh, how many are bewitched by it to their own deſtruction! Demas hath forſaken me, having loved this preſent World: and he loves it, becauſe it is preſent What is the reaſon of all the Apoſtacy, and Back-ſliding, and falling from the Profeſſion, and Principles, and Practice of Godlineſs, but only the love of this preſent world: Men love the world becauſe it is preſent: they prefer a preſent poſſeſſion, before a future expectation: Chriſts promiſe is for the future, You ſhall be happy hereafter: but ſay they, the world pays down upon the nail: You ſhall have it in hand, not in hope, ſays the world; If you can but lye, ſwear, and cog, and flatter, and temporize, and turn with every wind, ſaith the world, you ſhall have this preſerment. Now this is that which takes with many men: the World is ſuch an enemy, while it kiſſes, it kills: the World, like Dalilah, while it dandles you upon its lap, it betrays you to Satan. How many are there at this day, that will ſacrifice the peace of a good conſcience? they will forſake, and loſe God and Chriſt, and heaven, and happineſs, and all, rather than they will part with their preſent enjoyments? Oh, that ſuch would conſider the pleaſures of ſin are but for a ſeaſon, but the puniſhments for ſin are for ever.
Again, You have Satan to encounter with, who is an implacable enemy, a roaring Lion, that walks about ſeeking whom he may devour: and the dint of all his malice is againſt thoſe that deſire to walk moſt ſtrictly, moſt uprightly before God: for the greater part of the world, I mean them that are unregenerate, thoſe that are rockt aſleep in the Cradle of ſecurity, he never troubles them. When the ſtrong man armed keeps his Palace, all his goods are in peace. Satan never moleſts them: theſe are his own houſhold, under his own power: but the dint of all his malice is againſt thoſe that have given up their names to Jeſus Chriſt; and the more holy and heavenly-minded, and unblameable you deſire to be in your Converſations, the greater will be his rage and enmity againſt you.
Fourthly, Another Enemy you have to encounter with, and that is Death, the laſt enemy that ſhall be deſtroyed, which is called the King of fears, and the fear of Kings: of all terribles the moſt terrible, as the Philoſopher calls it. Now you have all theſe enemies to conquer: and how can you look the King of terrors in the face, if you have not this ſpiritual ſtrength?
Fifthly, You have need of a great deal of ſtrength, in regard of the danger of Apoſtacy that muſt be prevented: Oh great, exceeding great, greater than I am able to tell you, is the danger of Apoſtacy! Oh that I could ſpeak it with all earneſtneſs, that if it might be, you might take heed of it; Thoſe that turn aſide to their crooked ways, the Lord ſhall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity. Oh, they are loſt and undone for ever! Pſalm 125.5, And if any man draws back (ſaith God) my ſoul ſhall have no pleaſure in him. A dreadful Scripture! which may make Apoſtates quake and tremble. God takes no pleaſure in ſuch as draw back; and it had been better for a man never to have known the ways of God, than having known them, to turn aſide from the holy commandment. Its better to be an Atheiſt, a Pagan, a Turk, an Inſidel, any thing, rather than an Apoſtate? and they that ſhall put their hands to the Plow, and look back, are not fit for the Kingdom of God. Oh great is the danger of Apoſtacy! but now without ſome conſiderable ſtrength, you will not be kept from failing: and thoſe failings will turn to fallings: and thoſe fallings to fallings away, and at laſt falling into everlaſting deſtruction. Now theſe fallings, and fallings away, do uſually follow this want of ſpiritual ſtrength; not being ſtrengthened with ſtrength in our ſouls.
But may be, you will ſay to me, What courſe muſt we take, that we may get this ſpiritual ſtrength in our ſouls? I anſwer briefly, make uſe of theſe rules and helps:
Firſt, Be very ſenſible of your weakneſs and infirmity: be humble, be baſe in your own eyes: be nothing in your ſelves, that you may be able to ſay, In Jeſus Chriſt have I righteouſneſs and ſtrength, Iſa. 45.24, It was a ſweet Meditation of Saint Auguſtin, Lord, I will be weak in my ſelf, that I may be ſtrong in thee. And the Apoſtle hath ſuch a phraſe: For when I am weak, then am I ſtrong, 2 Cor. 12.10, that is, when I am moſt weak in my ſelf, then am I moſt ſtrong in a Saviour.
Secondly, If you would have this ſtrength in your ſouls: be acting the Grace which you have received already; for action increaſeth ſtrength, and ſtrength will help action forwards: the more you are doing duty, the more will you gather ſtrength to do duty. It was the Motto of an eminent Divine in this Nation, now with God, The way to Holineſs, lyes in the works of Holineſs; ſo the way to get ſpiritual ſtrength, lyes in doing the work you have to do, with that ſtrength you have: uſe ſtrength, and you ſhall have more ſtrength.
Thirdly, If you would have ſtrength in your ſouls, grow eſpecially in corroborating and ſtrengthening Graces. What are thoſe ſtrengthning Graces? 1. Faith, that is a very ſtrengthning Grace: you read of the ſtrength of Faith: Abraham was ſtrong in Faith, and that made him do great things: that he could againſt hope, believe in hope; that is, againſt hope of ſenſe, believe in hope of a promiſe, Rom. 4.18. ſo be ſtrong in Love, Love to Jeſus Chriſt. Love is a very ſtrengthening Grace, Love is ſtrong as death, Cant. 8.6, 7, Death, you know, is ſo ſtrong, that it hath conquered all men that ever were in the World: never was there any Gyant ſo ſtrong, but could be conquered by Death; there is no diſcharge in that War: the meaning is this: never any man encountred with Death that came off: but Love is ſtronger than Death. If thy heart be fired with Love to Jeſus Chriſt, it will carry you with a great deal of ſtrength through all difficulties, and ſufferings, with patience and perſeverance. 3. Again, Get more ſincerity; Job 17.9, The righteous alſo ſhall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands ſhall be ſtronger and ſtronger: Oh, the more ſincere you are, the more ſtrong you are: For example, Wherein conſiſts the ſtrenth of a Pillar? it is in the uprightneſs of it: if it begins to bow and bend, and be crooked, then it falls; but the uprightneſs of it is the ſtrength of it. 4. Joy; Joy, that is another ſtrengthening Grace, Nehem. 8.10, Neither be ye ſorry, for the joy of the Lord ſhall be your ſtrength. Oh, the more inward joy in the Holy Ghoſt you have, the more chearful you are; the more ſtrong you are: grow in theſe ſtrengthening Graces.
Fourthly, Would you have this ſtrength in your ſouls? then take heed of ruſhing into any known ſin: for ſin, as it wounds the conſcience, it weakens the ſoul alſo; ſins againſt conſcience, are like a thief in the Candle, which weakens our ſtrength, and waſts our joy. Nothing weakned Sampſon ſo much, as his ſporting with his Dalilah; Never had he loſt his ſtrength, had it not been for his running into that ſin: take heed therefore of ſins againſt conſcience.
Fifthly, If you would have ſtrength in your ſouls, take heed of evil company, ſhun them as a Peſt-houſe: for many times evil company weakens the ſoul more than any outward temptation, Pſal. 119.115, Depart from me ye wicked, for I will keep the Commandements of my God. It is, as if he ſhould ſay, he could never ſet about the work of Obedience, ſo long as he kept company with the wicked.
Sixthly, If you would have ſtrength in your ſouls, then get more intimate and boſom-communion with Jeſus Chriſt every day: for the truth is, all our ſtrength is from him; I am able to do all things through Chriſt that ſtrengtheneth me, Phil. 4.13. The more you are acquainted with Chriſt, the more will you have of this ſtrength which David here in the Text ſpeaks of.
Laſtly, If you would have this ſtrength, be much in prayer: that is an excellent Scripture, Pſal. 119.28, My ſoul melteth away for heavineſs, ſtrengthen thou me according to thy word. Oh, the more we are in Prayer, and Care, and Watchfulneſs, and Humility, and Self-denial, and in the exerciſe of Grace; the more we ſhall find our ſpiritual ſtrength increaſed: then we ſhall experimentally ſay with David, Thou haſt ſtrengthened me with ſtrength in my ſoul.