The Continuation of Christs Alarm to Drowsy Saints, Treatises · Treatise 1 · Part 2

The Continuation of Christs Alarm to Drowsy Saints · Treatises · Treatise 1 · Part 2

p. 51REV. 3. 2.

Watch therefore and ſtrengthen the things that remain, that are ready to die, &c.

WE told you this Epiſtle contained three things. Firſt, a Reproof of the moſt of them in that Church for their grievous ſins. Secondly, Remedy to cure them of thoſe ſins. Thirdly, A Commendation of certain vertues in thoſe perſons that were not carried away with the iniquities of thoſe times. The Reproof we have ſpoken of already; and now we are come to the ſecond part, and that is the Remedy; for when Chriſt doth reprove them, he doth it not for ill will, but for their good and therefore he gives them good directions. The Remedies he gives this Church are five.

The firſt is, Be w…full, as who ſhould ſay, This is the reaſon you goeFive Remedies given the Church. down the wind, and want life, and are dead and dull in Religion, becauſe you are not watchful.

The ſecond Direction is, Strengthen the things that remain: as who ſhould ſay, if you would be careful to fortifie thoſe good things that are in you, you may ſtand out againſt theſe temptations; a little grace will go a great way if it be well managed. Now he doth urge this direction three wayes. Firſt becauſe theſe things they have are but remainders; they had a great deal more once Strengthen the things that do remain; as who ſhould ſay, all is even almoſt quite gone; you had a great deal more zeal and forwardneſſe; but what you have now, is but the remainders and the leavings; therefore it is high time to look about you.

Secondly, Becauſe even thoſe remainders were almoſt gone too, Stengthen th… thing… that remain, that are ready to die: as who ſhould ſay, they will be gone too, if you beſtir not your ſelves, and look well to your eſtates and conditions,

Thirdly, Becauſe thy works are not perfect; they are nothing elſe almoſt but hypocriticall and unſound, I have not found thy works perfect before God.

The third Remedy is, Remember how thou haſt received and heard, &c. Verſe 3.as who ſhould ſay, conſider how thou haſt been formerly; conſider how the Word hath been delivered, and how thou haſt received it.

The fourth Remedy is, Hold faſt; as who ſhould ſay, labour to get up again, and hold faſt, that the Devil, and the world, and the temptations to ſin, may not get away the good things that are in thee, that they may not ſpoil thee of the good things of God, and of the hope of eternal life.

The fifth Remedy is, Repent; that is, bewail thy ſelfe, and lament thy unfruitfulneſſe, and unwatchfulneſſe, and careleſneſſe this way, and humble thy ſelfe before Almighty God; thou mayſt yet have mercy; when a man doth confeſ…s ſins, God is juſt to forgive them, and is ready to vouchſafe mercy1 John 1. 9.1 John 1:9 and quickning, and comfort; therefore repent, ſaith he.

Well then, the firſt remedy is to be watchful; to watch, is to be attentive, to be conſiderative, to look what may doe a man good and what may doe p. 52a man hurt, that he may thereafter carry himſelfe; it is for a man to have his eyes in his head, to have his wits about him for ſpiritual things: This is the ſubject of it, it is properly in the minde and in the heart; it is a Metaphor taken from the body; for the body when it is aſleep, the ſenſes are lockt up; the eye cannot ſee, the eare cannot hear, they are all wrapt up, they are not lively and operative; but when the body is awake, the ſenſes are all open, the eye can ſee, and the eare hear, and the ſenſes are ready for every Object; from hence it is derived to the ſoules of men, they may be ſaid to ſleep or watch; for when the ſoul is careleſs and negligent towards a thing, may be dangers are towards a man, and he doth not fear them, nor ſtudy to prevent them; may be there is a great deal of good coming towards the ſoule, and he goes drowſily about it the ſoule now is ſaid to be aſleep; but when the ſoule lo…ks ſeriouſly and conſideratively about things, then it is ſaid to watch; ſo that there is a ſleep of the ſoule, and a watch of the ſoule, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 1 Th…ſ. 5 6. So that this watchfulneſſe is nothing elſe but the active prudence of the ſoule, whereby it ſtirs up all the faculties to look about, that if any good be towards it, it may get it; if any danger be towards it, it may abhor it; this is the watchfulneſs here ſpoken of; for this drowſineſſe and ſleepineſſe is a part of the corruption of our natures, whereby we are marvellous careleſs of God and eternal life, that though we be in the gall of bitterneſs, and by nature the children of wrath, yet this is the corruption of our nature▪ to look ſleepily upon this, that danger may be upon us, and we never obſerve it; and though there be eternal life to be had, yet we are as it were aſleep; we doe not ſtudy how to attain it; though there be miſery inſupportable, and unſpeakable, and ſure and certain to fall upon us, unleſſe we be delivered; yet we doe not think of theſe things, we have no fear at all, or elſe our hearts are drowſie, and are content to make any thing ſerve the turn. Now when the ſoule is rowzed up, and made to have a due conſideration of theſe things, now is is awakened, now it is watchful.

The Point we obſerve from hence it this, That it is an excellent & ſoveraignObſervation. thing for a Chriſtian to watch; and therefore Chriſt commends it to his diſciples, and commends it to all people to the end of the world, Mark 13. 37. …at which I ſay unto you, I ſay unto all, watch. Now it is good to watch in five reſpects.

Firſt, In regard of our ſelves; for our own ſelves are falſe unto our ſelves;1. Reaſon. if we be godly men and women, we are two ſelves; we have a bad ſelfe, whereby we are apt to be proud, and carnal, and ungodly in all our wayes, and to forget God; and we have a good ſelfe, that is better minded. Now it is an excellent thing, when this good ſelfe ſhall watch over this bad ſel…e, and have an eye to it; as if a man had a pilfering ſervant in his family, would he not watch him, and eye him? would he not watch him what money he had in his houſe, and obſerve what is in his houſe from day to day? So we having ſuch a deceitful ſelfe about us, we had need to watch continually, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 2 John 8. Look to theſe, that we loſe not thoſe things, &c. As who ſhould ſay, you will loſe the benefit of all the good things that are in you, if you doe not look to them? there is a thief in thy boſome, a deceiver that will ſteale and coſen thee of all, if thou look not to it.

And here firſt we ſhould watch our own hearts; for our own hearts are deceitful, as the Prophet ſpeaks, The heart is deceitful above all things, Jerem. 17. 9. It is very ſly; and how eaſily doth it deceive us, and carry us aſide? therefore we had need watch over it, as the wiſe man ſaith, Prov. 4. 23. Keep thy heart with all diligence. If a man were to ride upon a wilde horſe, would he not have a care to keep the bridle? would he let the bridle goe? then p. 53he would run away and he ſhould hardly catch him again: his buſineſs will be hindered and his time ſpent; ſo it is here, a mans heart is like a wild Colt, like an untamed Hei…er, if a man let it go; a man had need alwayes to have the bridle in his hand; if a man do not watch it and obſerve it, and hold it in, it will r…n away and a man cannot catch it again; as a man that is ringing a bell, if he let the rope go, he cannot readily get hold of it again; ſo a mans heart is ſlippery, therefore a man had need ever to be watching of it.

Secondly, We had need watch our thoughts? what ſlippery things are our thoughts if they be upon that which is good? will they be long there? they are now there, now gone again; therefore how careful ſhould we be to hold our thoughts to that which is good? the thoughts are ſo looſe and fickle, and unconſtant, and uncertain, that though they be on good things for a minute of an hour, they will be ten times as long upon vain things; there is no truſting of our thoughts, we need not ſay as David of the men of Keilah, will they deliver me to Saul? will the luſts of my heart1 Sam. 23. 11:1 Sam 23:11 deliver me to Satan? nay, they will deliver us, if we watch not over our ſelves.

Thirdly, We ſhould watch over our affections; they are admirable things, if we ſet them upon the things that are above, and be watchful to keep them there; what admirable advantages are they? they are the wings of the ſoul to help us in prayer and any good duty we go about; they will wipe away the difficulties of the wayes of God; but they are marvelous uncertain things, that if we be not alwayes looking to our ſelves, though our joys and delights, &c. be upon heaven and heavenly things, they will run upon the world again and loſe themſelves there, ſo that our affections had need to be looked unto.

Fourthly, The Conſcience had need to be looked unto; for though the Conſcience be the beſt part of a man, yet it will …latter us and ſpeak peace to us if we look not to it, where is no peace, and will check us very careleſſy, and will not hold forth our du…ies nakedly, if we do not watch over it.

Fifthly, So again, We ſhould ſet a watch over our tongues, over our very words that we ſpeak; as David ſaith, I will ſet a watch before the door of my lips, Pſa. 41. 3. when a man ſpeaks his words, it is as if he ſhould bend his bow to ſhoot; now when … man bends his bow to ſhoot, he had need level well, or elſe he will not hit the mark; ſo if we be not watchful over the words we ſpeak, we ſhall ſpeak vainly, and to Gods diſhonour; therefore ſaith Solomon, he that keeps his mouth, keeps his own ſoul▪ he that watchethProv. 13. 3.Prov 13:3 over his lips that he may not offend, watcheth over his own ſoul.

Secondly, It is good to watch in regard of the world, for the world will2 Reaſon. get in and undo u… if we take not heed, when we are about our callings, when as we let our eyes look upon our wares and commodities, upon our barns or our Cattel, or the like; whatſoever comes into our eye is apt to po…ſon us, and whatſoever we ſee or touch, or handle is apt to do us miſchief; how many thouſands are carried away by their eyes, by what comes into their ſenſes? as Am…ziah cryed out, 2 Chron. 25. 9. What ſhall do for the hundred talents? he could not loſe an hundred talents, but his eyes were marvellous eager after them, they were a ſtumbling block to him, he could not go ſo freely about the commandments of God for fear he ſhould loſe them: Demetrius having commings in by his calling, when the word of God ſhewed what an unwarrantable calling he had, he had rather put off the word of God then his calling; O ſaith he, by this calling we have our Acts 19. 25.Acts 19:25gain: So powerful is the world over men, that it can keep men in unwarrantable courſes; the world windes into men and makes their affections earthly; how many thouſands are there that can hardly find any competent p. 54time to ſerve God? they are ſo taken up with the world when they come to the Ordinances of God; their hearts are ſo ſpent upon the world, that the Ordinances cannot work upon them; therefore had not a man n…e… to watch over himſelf? as a man that eats fiſh may choak himſelf if he take not heed; ſo our Saviour tells us, that the cares of this world are ch…aking things; a manMark 4. 19.Mark 4:19 had need be careful how he ſpeaks of the world, and thinks of the world, for fear he be made liſtleſs and hear…leſs to the things of God; this is the reaſon why people have no more heart for heaven, becauſe they do not watch againſt the world, the world poyſons and choaks them; let a man have never ſo ſweet diſpoſitions, and be never ſo awakened and ſtar…ed▪ yet if he give way to the world, and the things of the world, his heart will be taken off again from theſe things.

Thirdly, It is good to watch in regard of the Divel, in regard of Satan; Reaſ. 3 it is the Apoſtles own exhortation, 1 Pet. 5. 8 be vigilant and ſober; for your adverſary the Divel goeth up and down like a roaring Lyon, ſeeking whom he may devour.

Conſider firſt what a ſubtle enemy he is; if a man were to deal with a ſubtle enemy, he would watch and have a care of himſelf, leſt he ſhould have advantage againſt him; he would think with himſelf, There is ſome miſchief intended towards me; he would look to all his wayes, leſt a ſnare ſhould be laid for him; when David knew that Saul dealt ſubtilly with him, you ſee how he looked to himſelf, he ſcouted everywhere, that Saul could come nowhere but David looked to himſelf; he was very careful of himſelf, ſo that Saul ſaith, I hear he deals ſubtilly: So it were good that the Divel heard1 Sam. 23. 22.1 Sam 23:22 that we dealt ſubtilly; for he deals ſubtilly with us, and collogues, and colours, and varniſheth; in matters of evil, he ſets the beſt ſide outward; and in matters of good, the worſt ſide outwards; if any good be to be done, he labours to make a man dead in the doing of it; if any thing be ſinful he hides the danger of it, and ſhews a man nothing but the pleaſure and delight and profit of it, and a man ſhall ſee nothing elſe almoſt; the Divel is ſo ſubtle that he knows what we delight in▪ and where he may have us; he knows what ſins we are prone to, and where he may get us; he knows what will hit our humour beſt, he knows what will like us beſt; there was but one paſſage wherein Peter was naked, and the Divel caught him there; if he had taken any other courſe, a hundred to one but he had withſtood him; he ſeeth where the water is low, and there he leaps over; therefore how careful ſhould we be when he is ſo ſubtle?

Secondly, Conſider how diligent he is; he is ever trudging up and down from place to place; as Saul hunted David up and down Town and Coun…, ſo the Divel hunts up and down; all places are full of him, the ſtreets, the market, the houſe, the fields, our beds and cloſ…ts, our Pulpits; whereſoever we are, he will be ſure to be there too; he is diligent to follow us everywhere; now if we do not watch we ſhall be caught by him; we may ſay o… Satan in ſome ſenſe, as David of the ſpirit of God, whether ſhall I go from thy ſpirit, and whether ſhall I flee from thy preſence? &c. ſo, whether ſhall we go from Satan? we can go nowhere but he will follow us; he is as buſie as a fly about a bald head; though they be beaten off again and again, yet they will come again; though our Saviour Chriſt beat him off, yet he comes again and again, and hath more and more flings at him; nay, he ſet Peter to tempt Chriſt: He rangeth over all the earth, therefore we had need watch.

Thirdly, Conſider his ſtrength; he is a ſtrong enemy, he is the ſtrong man, Mat. 12. 29. 'tis true, notwithſtanding all his ſtrength, he cannot force us to ſin, he can but ſay as he did to Chriſt, caſt thy ſelf down; he can but ſay lye, and covet, &c. he cannot force a man; nay, whatſoever he puts into us, it is not a ſin if we give not way to it; a man may put it out again if p. 55he will; he did but provoke David to number the people, he might have reſiſted it; he cannot force a man; but yet he is a ſtrong enemy, and comes with fiery darts; and he is ſtrong in regard of our luſts and corruptions thatEpheſ. 6.Eph 6 are ſo ſtrong; there lies the Divels ſtrength; he hath that in our own boſomes that is ſo mightily on his ſide; therefore we had need to watch.

Fourthly, Again, Conſider the malice of this enemy; he is the enemy that doth it, as the Apoſtle Peter ſaith, your adverſary the Divel; he is an adverſary foreign, his temptations may be overthrown, but his malice can never be overthrown; a man can never make his peace with him, ſo long as he lives in this world; he is like a frenzy man, as 'tis ſaid, he is full of Rev. 12. 12.Rev 12:12wrath, knowing his time is ſhort.

Fifthly, Again, Conſider the Divel hath nothing elſe to do; if the enemy had ſomething elſe to do, a man might be the leſs careful; as it was a comfort to David that Saul had ſomething elſe to do; when Saul was on one ſide of the mountain, David on the other, becauſe he had ſomething elſe to do, the Phil…mes invaded his land, this took him away; but the Divel hath nothing to employ his time about but only to watch to do miſchief; therefore we had need be wondrous watchful over our ſelves.

Fourthly, It is good to watch in regard of the wicked, the Divels inſtruments; Reaſ. 4 and where ſhall we not meet with them? we muſt go out of the world, if we will go where the are not▪ they are everywhere: Now if we do not watch, it is impoſſible for us to walk up and down in the world, but we ſhall be ſurprized and learn their works▪ how many thouſands are poyſoned with the errours of the wicked for want of watchfulneſs? the Galathians, if they had watched, they had never been drawn from the truth; ſo for practical errours, how many curſed principles get into mens heart… …nd appear in their lives? that ſuch kind of Religion is good Religion; that ſuch kind of faith is good faith; they have abundandance of curſed principles: Now if we look not to our ſelves, how ſhall we be carried away, as the Apoſtle ſaith, 2 Pet. 3. 17. …o may be thou art in a wicked family, as Lot in Sodom; now I ſay it is impoſſible for thee to ſtand in ſuch a place… but thou ſhalt be hooked in, in an horrible manner; the Apoſtle pure a chiefly upon the Saints in Caeſars houſe, Phil. 4 12 chiefly thoſe that are of C…ſars houſhold; it is a wonder of wonders there ſhould be Saints in Caeſars houſe; it is impoſſible for a man to be among the wicked, to have wicked neighbours and companions, but he ſhall be drawn away by them, if he be not watchful over his own ſoul.

Fifthly, It is good to watch in regard of good things. I ſpeak to the Reaſ. 5 Saints of God.

Firſt, It is good to watch in regard of our graces; look what grace a man hath, it is as a precious jewel, and thou mayſt loſe it if thou be not watchful; thou mayſt loſ… a great deal of faith, and quickning, and heavenly mindedneſs, or anygood that is in thee, thou mayſt loſe a great deal of it, if thou look not well to it: As a ſheep that hath a great deal of wool, if ſhe go among briars and thorns, how ſoon may a great deal of it be torn off? ſo a poor creature that walks in the world among ſo many briars and thorns, among ſo many temptations, he may have all good things rent away if he look not to it; if a man had a great deal of money in his purſe, and were among cut …urſes & cheaters, would not a man have an eye about him? it is ſaid of a godly one, 1 John 5 18. he keeps himſelf, &c. he looks what he hath and carries about him, that he may not loſe it.

Again, We ſhould watch our graces, to encreaſe our graces, and ſtrengthen them; watchfulneſs is an excellent thing to ſtrengthen grace; as it is in the Text, watch, and ſtrengthen the things that remain; whereas if a p. 56man do not watch, his graces will dye and decay, every temptation will overcome him; now we have need of more grace, though we be mortified, and lively, and fear God, and regard his name, and are humble, &c. yet we had need be more humble, and more vile in our own eyes; now, how can we have this unleſs we be watchful? the Apoſtle therefore when he had called upon Chriſtians to be watchful, in the next words ſaith he, grow in grace, 2 Pet. 3. 18. for if a man be watchful, it is the way to grow.

Thirdly, We ſhould watch our graces that we may work with them, and exerciſe them, and improve them upon all occaſions, we ſhould watch all opportunities to occupie with our talents; it is ſaid that God will have his people to ſeek good, Amos 5. 14. to ſeek how to do good from day to day; ſo we ſhould watch all opportunities to do good, and to ſtand for God, and glorifie his name, and adorn the Goſpel that we profeſſe; opportunities do not come ſo often, we had need take them when they come, they are precious things; now if we do not watch, God will many times tender us theſe things, and we ſhall have no heart to them.

Secondly, It is good to watch all good duties; What is the reaſon that people pray no better, hear no better, draw neer to Gods table and partake of the Sacrament no better, they get no power againſt ſin, no power againſt corruption? it is becauſe they do theſe things without watchfulneſs, Mat. 26. 41. Chriſt ſaith, watch unto prayer; we muſt be watchful if we will get good by the Ordinances of God.

Firſt, We ſhould watch before the duty; when we are going to prayer, and going to Gods courts, we ſhould be watchful; a prudent man looks well to his going, Prov. 14. 15. whereſoever he goeth he looks well about him, that he may obſerve all circumſtances; how many thouſand lets and impediments are there? which if a man take not off aforehand he cannot perform the duty aright; if we had been watchful we might have done the duty better a great deal.

Secondly, We ſhould be watchful in the duty; when we call upon God, we ſhould take heed how we come into his preſence; when we hear the Word, we ſhould be careful that we be not carried away with vile thoughts, nor ſuffer any thing to attempt us when we are about any good duty; the Divel will be about us to interrupt us, therefore we had need be watchful againſt him.

Again, We ſhould watch after the duty, that we may not loſe the fruit and benefit of it; moſt people when they have been at the Ordinances of God; are as if they had not been there; when they have been at prayer, as far from power againſt ſin, and drawing mercy down from heaven, as ifSee more of this in the Sermons upon 2 Tim. 4. 5.2 Tim 4:5 they had never been down upon their knees.

Thirdly, It is good to watch in regard of God.

Firſt, Sometimes God comes with motions, and draws nearer to us then he doth at other times; therefore now we had need take hold of them, Iſa. 55. 6. call ye upon him while he is neer; as who ſhould ſay, ſometimes God is neerer then at other times; O now have your eyes in your heads, and let not God go, but make uſe of this; if ever God ſpeaks to our ſouls, or open our eyes, let us make uſe of theſe things, and be up and a doing, leſt they ſlip away from us.

Secondly, Sometimes God doth extraordinarily help us, and give us extraordinary favours; let us watch thoſe favours, for then the Divel is moſt buſie; when God doth any notable thing for us, when he gives us peace, or joy, or comforts or power againſt ſin, or whatſoever it be, then Satan is moſt buſie; ſo ſoon as Chriſt had that extraordinary favour from his Father, to be owned from heaven before all the ſtanders by, This is my beloved ſon &c. p. 57Matth. 3. 17.Matt 3:17The next newes we hear of, he had a terrible aſſault by Satan; when God had ſhewed great favour to Saint Paul, in wraping him up into the third Heaven, the next thing he met with, was Satan to buffet him.

Thirdly, Sometime God doth puniſh us and afflict us: now how ſhould we watch to get good by our afflictions? This is the reaſon that afflictions, and croſſes, and diſtreſſes are ſo often among us, and do no good; it is for …ant of watchfulneſs.

Is it ſo, that it is good to watch? Then how may we lament the horrible Ʋſe 1 neglect of this duty? I ſpeak not to drunkards and prophane perſons; no wonder though they doe not watch; neither doe I ſpeak to the common ſort of Chriſtians, that content themſelves with civility and fair carriage; but I ſpeak to thoſe that are of the better ſort; how horribly is this duty laid aſide? this is the reaſon of the want of grace, and that people go down the wind, and that there are ſo many Apoſtates and Decliners; and this is the reaſon that ſo many become very unſavoury and unfruitful in their lives; the reaſon is becauſe they do not watch; what drowſie thoughts have we to be delivered from the wrath of God? what lumpiſh, heartleſſe care have we to doe good duties? This is the reaſon of the vanity of our minds, and the hardneſs of our hearts, and that ſo little good is done by preaching among us, becauſe people doe not watch. When you ſow your corn, you ſet hullers to drive away the fowls: ſo why doe you not ſet up hullers, a watch over your own hearts, that ſo if temptations come to pick away the Word, and the benefit of it, you may reſiſt them? how ſhould we labour to hide the Word in our hearts, that it may do us good?

The ſecond Uſe is to exhort us all to take up this duty of watchfulneſſe, Ʋſe 2 nay, to watch in all things, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 2 Tim. 4 5. to watch in our eating and drinking, that we may not eat and drink our bane; to watch in company, that if they be good, we may get good by them; if evill, we may get no hurt from them; we ſhould watch in good duties, for we ſhall meet with the Devil there too; every one that hath the fear of God before his eyes, whatſoever grace he hath, he ſhould watch over it; whatſoever good work he hath to doe, he ſhould watch, that he may goe on in it; for watchfulneſſe is an helpfull duty; watch and pray; it is helpful to prayer, and ſo for all other duties; it is a duty deſtinated to another duty, ſo that we can doe no other duty without watchfulneſſe; therefore we had need to watch.

Firſt, Conſid…r the miſery of them that doe not watch, they muſt needs decline, and wax worſe and worſe; you ſee the Church of Sardis here for want of watchfulneſs grew dead, nay the very good things in her were ready to die.

Secondly, Conſider the good of watchfulneſſe; if we watch we ſhall be ſatisfied with grace; if we have grace, we ſhall increaſe it, Prov. 20. 13. Slothfulneſs keeps a man in poverty, but he that openeth his eye ſhall be ſatisfied with bread. It is true, as in outward things, ſo in ſpiritual things; let a man be drowſie and ſlothful, he ſhall be a poor man and a beggar, and ſhall have nothing to ſhew for eternal life; but if thou wilt open thine e…es and look about thee, thou ſhalt be ſatisfied with bread, with the bread of life, with the image of God, with righteouſneſs and holineſs; the more thou watcheſt, the more abundantly will God bleſs thee.

Thirdly, Conſider that men in their outward callings are watchful; the ſhepherds watch their flocks, and the husbandman his ſeaſons, when to ſow, and when to reap his corne; when to ſell it, and when to buy it, how much more ſhould we for the good of our ſouls?

Fourthly, We ſhould conſider the examples of Gods Saints; David hePſal. 119. 92.Ps 119:92 watched, at midnight I will ariſe and praiſe thee; he would riſe out of his p. 58bed in the night, and pour out his heart before God, and bleſs God for his goodneſs; he would not doe it in his bed, but he would goe out of his bed and doe it by his bedſide upon his knees; how ſhould this ſtir us up to watchfulneſſe?

Now I come to the ſecond Remedy, and that is to ſtrengthen the things that 2. Remedy.remain, and the rather, becauſe they are but remainders, and ready to die, and their deeds are not perfect before God. Theſe words are diverſly interpreted by Divines; ſome underſtand them perſonally, Strengthen thoſe perſons that remain; as if he ſhould ſay to the Angel of the Church, Thy people are generally cold and dead, and drowſie, there is hardly any life in them; now thoſe that do remain, ſtrengthen them, that they may be awakened, they are ready to die; there are hardly any of thy hearers that are upright and ſincere before God, therefore ſtrengthen them; thus Pareus, and many others interpret it; and this is a very good ſenſe; for a Miniſter is bound to ſtrengthen all his people, if any be drowſie, to awaken them; if any be dead, to quicken them; and the Lord complains againſt Miniſters when they doe not doe thus, Ezek. 3. 4. The diſeaſed have they not ſtrengthened, &c.

But then there is another Expoſition of theſe words given by Divines, that underſtand it of things, and not of perſons; and ſo it is in the Original, Strengthen the things that remain; that both Miniſter and people would ſtrengthen the good things that were in them; for the Miniſter was grown weak and remiſs, and the people, weak in all good things: Now the Spirit calls upon the Angel of this Church, and in him upon all the Congregation, to ſtrengthen the good things that were in them.

So that the point of Doctrine is this, that it is every Chriſtians duty toObſervation. labour that he might be ſtrengthened, ſpecially if he hath had more grace formerly then now he hath; it is every Chriſtians duty to ſtrengthen the good things that are in him.

For the opening of this word ſtrengthen, it hath an oppoſition to weakneſs. Now there is a double weakneſs.

Firſt, Of thoſe people that are unconverted, that are weak to the reſiſting of ſin, and doing any that is good; they have ſome principles in them to reſiſt ſin, and doe good, but they are weak, as common illuminations, and natural conſcience, and fear of wrath, and hope of Heaven, and ſhame of others, and the good example of others, and living under the means, and reſtraining grace, and the like; theſe things may do a great deal of good, but they are weak, and cannot make them reſiſt ſinne, and doe good ſoundly; thus unconverted people are weak. This is not properly the weakneſs that is oppoſed to ſtrength, that he would have them get out of the weakneſs of unconverted people.

Therefore ſecondly, There is another weakneſs, and that is of the children of God themſelves; they have weakneſs to reſiſt ſinne, and doe good; and this is twofold.

Firſt, There is a weakneſs of Beginning. Secondly, of Declining.

Firſt, In beginning; when a childe of God is a beginner in grace, and is but a babe, Heb. 5. 12. When for the time ye ought to be, &c. Such as are babes have need of milk, they cannot digeſt ſtrong meat, they are too weak for that; as may be a new beginner hath gotten faith, but it is weak, he is not able to apprehend the promiſes of ſalvation, and the aſſurance of Gods goodneſs and mercy towards him; he hath much ado to apprehend Chriſt himſelf, and uphold his heart; ſo a man may have ſome knowledge, but it is weak; and ſome reſolutions and endeavours, but they are weak; corruptions bear him down, and his mortification is weak; he cannot maſter many of his heady and mighty luſts. Now ſuch people as theſe are to be exhorted to ſtrengthen theſe good things that God hath begun in them: Hath God begun any good things in thee? any lively fear of p. 59his name, any hatred of evil, any love to goodneſs, any longing and thirſting after righteouſneſs, any endeavour after eternal life, any faith? thou ſhouldſt labour to ſtrengthen theſe things, that they may abound in thee, and that they may be confirmed and eſtabliſhed in thee, that thou mayſt be made unblameable againſt the coming of the Lord Jeſus; but …s is not the meaning neither.

Secondly therefore, There is a weakneſs of declining, when a man hath been ſtronger, and now hath abated of his ſtrength, and is grown weaker; a ſtrong man may grow into a conſumption, which may ſpend him away till he comes to be an Anatomy, and ſo is grown weak; ſo many Chriſtians that have been ſtronger, they are now grown weak, they are grown into a conſumption o… graces, they are grown to be an Anatomy, to be nothing but even skin and bone; they were wont to have more faith to apprehend a promiſe, but now they have more doubting; they could pray ſtrongly, but now they are faint and weak; they were powerfull in every good duty, but now they are down the wind; they are like a Jack that wants wanding up, they had need be wound up again; they are grown more cholerick, and peeviſh, and pettiſh, and have leſs ſtrength over their corruptions, and are made more ready to be drawn away. Now ſuch perſons are exhorted to ſtrengthen theſe things; and the rather, becauſe they are but remainders; you have had more grace, and have let it die and decay; therefore ſtrengthen that which remains, and is ready to die; ſo that there are two parts of this Doctrine.

Firſt, That every man ſhould be earneſt, and uſe all manner of holyPart 1. meanes to ſtrengthen himſelfe. 'Tis true, Firſt it is every Miniſters duty to labour to get ſtrength into his people, to ſtrengthen their underſtanding, and knowledge, and judgement, to ſtrengthen them in the promiſes, to hold forth Jeſus Chriſt nakedly unto them, to expound the free grace of God, that they may be ſtrong in faith: So if a Miniſter ſees they are weak to bear afflictions, he ſhould labour to ſupport and bear them up, and poure ſome ſpirit into them, and enable them to bear: So if he finde they are unable to bear temptations, he ſhould uſe all arguments to piece them up that they may ſtand againſt the wiles of the Devill; a Miniſter hath his own ſtrength given him of purpoſe to ſtrengthen his brethren, Iſa. 35. 3. the Lord ſaith, Strengthen the weak hands, &c. He would have Miniſters call upon people to get ſtrength, and to uſe all means by preaching, and teaching, and exhortations, to get ſome ſtrength into his people; it is a Miniſters duty, not only to gather Saints, but to perfect the Saints; whither ſhould the people come but to the Miniſter to get ſtrength in grace?

Secondly, It is every neighbours duty to ſtrengthen his neighbour; Chriſtians ſhould ſtrengthen one another in all manner of good duties▪ as coals of fire doe warm and heat one another when they are together; but if they are ſevered, they will be dead; ſo Chriſtians, when they meet together, ſhould labour to warm, and heat, and quicken one another. Saint Paul writes to the Theſſalonians to mark all the weak and feeble people among them, and to ſtrengthen the feeble-minded, 1 Theſ. 5. 14.

But then thirdly, Every man ſhould doe this duty to himſelf, to ſtrengthen the good things that are in him; we ſee all the world labours to be ſtrong in outward things, ſome to be ſtrong in riches and wealth, ſome to be ſtrong at the Court, and others to ſtrengthen themſelves in their friends and alliance; as Abner laboured to be ſtrong for the houſe of Saul, for he knew he ſhould be no body if that went down; if a man have a caſe to defend, he will make himſelfe as ſtrong as he can to deſend himſelfe; if a man be to fight a battel, he will make himſelfe as ſtrong as he can; nay, people will ſtrengthen themſelves in their wickedneſs. Now if it be ſo, then how much p. 60more ſhould we labour to be ſtrong in the grace of God? If we have any good things given us of God, we ſhould ſtrengthen them; as Paul ſaith to the Corinthians, when he ſaw they were babes ſtill and were weak, and never came to ſtrength, he calls upon them at laſt to ſtrengthen themſelves, 1 Cor. 16▪ 5.

Becauſe we can have no comfortable argument to our ſouls that we are true1. Reaſ. Chriſtians except we get ſtrength; every true Chriſtian is a very able man as Paul ſaith, Phil. 4. 13. I can doe all things through Chriſt that ſtrengthneth me. He was a ſtrong man, and able to doe great things; what man of a thouſand can be rich, and not be proud and vain, and let his heart follow after pleaſures and the things of the world? yet a true Chriſtian can be rich, and yet not be thus; ſo what man almoſt can be poor, and not be diſcontented, and repine againſt God, and take unlawfull courſes? yet a true Chriſtian is able to be poor, and yet not deny God, nor diſtruſt God nor fall a carking and caring; ſo likewiſe a true Chriſtian can have a peeviſh nature, and yet not be peeviſh; he can have as crabbed a diſpoſition as any body elſe, and yet not be crabbed; he can have as vile a curſed nature as any man under heaven, and yet have a good diſpoſition; he is able to doe all things, as Job ſaith, Job 9. 19. If you talk of ſtrength, God is ſtrong. So it is with a childe of God that hath the image of God in him; if you talk of ſtrength, he is ſtrong; a man cannot have any true argument to his ſoul that he is a true Chriſtian, unleſs he be ſtrengthened to doe the things of God, unleſs he be lifted up of God to doe ſupernaturall things; a true Chriſtian is no weakling; a man ſaith, I cannot doe thus and thus, it is my weakneſs; then thou canſt not ſay thou art a true Chriſtian; for a true Chriſtian is an able man, a mighty man; nay all the graces of Gods ſpirit are ſtrong, that if a man hath any degree of them, he may doe wonders with them, 1 John 5. 4. This is our victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. He doth not ſay great faith, but our faith; a little faith, though but as a grain of muſtardſeed, is able to overcome the world; a true Chriſtian can overcome ſin, and the world, and the Devil, and whatſoever is contray to him; a natural man may believe in ſome ſenſe, but he can nothing with his faith, it is not of the right ſtamp; but a true Chriſtian he can doe wonders with his faith; he can draw neer to God, and cry Abba Father; he is able to purifie his own heart; all things are poſſible to him that believeth, it is a powerful thing; Jacob had power with God, ſaith the Text; he is able to fitGen. 32. 28.Gen 32:28 himſelf againſt every luſt, and goe about every duty, and pleaſe God in all his wayes in ſome meaſure; a little faith is ſtrong; ſo love is a ſtrong grace, it is as ſtrong as death, Cant. 8. If a man hath but a little true love to God, it will enable him to doe ſtrange things, it will make him ſuffer any thing, doe any thing, leave any thing for God. Now natural people they ſay they love God, but it is a weak love, it cannot make them leave a luſt for God, it cannot make them doe any thing for God, it cannot carry a man beyond nature; but all the graces of Gods ſpirit are marvellous ſtrong things; therefore as ever we deſire to have a ſign and token that we are true Chriſtians, and have the grace of God in truth in any meaſure in us, we ſhould labour to ſtrengthen all the good things that are in us; for if we doe not ſtrengthen them, they are not of the right ſtamp.

Secondly, We can never doe any act of new obedience unleſs we be ſtrengthened,2. Reaſ. as the Lord ſaith to Joſhua, Joſh. 17. OnelyOnly be then ſtrong, and doe my commandements, &c. He would have him ſtrong, that he might obſerve all the Law of God; as who ſhould ſay, Joſhua, thou canſt never be able to obſerve my Law, there be mighty performances, things that fleſh and blood can never reach unto; therefore unleſs thou haſt ſtrength, and divine ſtrength, thou canſt never be able to doe this; therefore be ſtrong, ſtrengthen thy ſ…lf, p. 61labour to have all the courage and might that may be. God bids us do nothing but he requires all the ſtrength of the whole man; Thou ſhalt love the Mar. 12. 30.Mark 12:30Lord thy God with all thy heart, and all thy ſtrength; it muſt be thus; if the water-man be to rowe with the tyde and the wind he puts forth no ſtrength, the ſtream will carry the veſſel; but if he be to rowe againſt wind and …yde, now he muſt put forth all his ſtrength; elſe the bo…t cannot …o; nay, it will go the contrary way; ſo if we would pleaſe God, and work the works of God, and attain to his heavenly Kingdom, we muſt rowe againſt wind and tyde, and without tugging and hailing, and putting forth a great deal of ſtrength, we ſhall never do it; as ſuppoſe a man be wronged and offered an injury, he cannot be quiet an hour together, but he is abuſed and miſuſed, and mocked, and oppoſed; now he cannot be patient unleſs; he be ſtrong, and have great ſtrength to deny himſelf; as Col. 1. 11. Be ſtrengthned with all might according to h… …lorious power, to all patience and long ſuffering with joyfulneſs: As who ſhould ſay, if you would have patience, you muſt be ſtrengthned with all might, ſpecially if you would be patient with joy; may be a man may be patient, but then he is ſurly and lumpiſh, and all amort… may be he bears, but he is like a block or ſtock, he cannot joy in trib…lation, he had need have a great deal of ſtrength to do this; ſo if a man would pray, can he pray without a great deal of ſtrength? it is not a little heave will lift up a mans heart to God; I lift my heart to thee; he gave aPſa. 25. 1.Ps 25:1 great lift to his heart; and Heb. 5. 7. it is ſaid that Chriſt prayed with ſtrong cries; we cannot pray aright unleſſe we come with ſtrong cries and ſtrong deſires; ſo if a man hear the word, if it awaken him and quicken him, he will loſe all again, and be as blockiſh as he was before, unleſs he be ſtrong;1 John 2. 14.1 John 2:14 we can do no good duty without ſtrength, and therefore we had need to labour for ſtrength.

Thirdly, We can never overcome temptations, nor make our part good3. Reaſ. againſt temptations without ſtrength; nay, we cannot reſiſt them, or combate with them, or ſtand in the field againſt them, but we ſhall be beaten out, and be overwhelmed if we have not ſtrength; if we would go to heaven we ſhall be ſure to meet with abundance of temptations; and if temptations will put us out of the way, we ſhall have enough of them; if they can ſway us, and make us do this and that, we ſhall not want temptations; if a bowl hath bias, the ſtrength of the arm will take away that, though the bias be never ſo ſtrong; as long as the ſtrength of the arm laſts, the bias goeth according to the ſtrength of the arm; when the ſtrength of the arm is gone, then the bias begins to ſway it: So if a man have ſtrength, it will ſwallow up the bias of temptations; but when a man hath no ſtrength, then the bias of temptations carries him away, then the world bows him, then pleaſure and his natural inclination ſways him this way and that way, whereas if a man had ſtrength he might reſiſt temptations. 1 Cor. 15. 58. be ſtedfaſt, and unmoveable, abounding in the work of the Lord; that is, if you were ſtrong, you would be unmoveable, and abound in the work of the Lord; all the world could not withdraw you from the work of the Lord; for all temptations, you would abound in good things; what in…inite need have we to reſiſt temptations? none of us can arrive at heaven, unleſs we be able to go through thick and thin, and a world of temptations; bleſſed is the man that endures temptations, he ſhall have enough of them; and happy is the man that can endure them, and overcome them; if we be not ſtrong, if we have not this ſpiritual might, what ſhall become of us? if we have not ſtrong love to the truth, we ſhall be hooked away from it; if we have not ſtrong love to obedience, we ſhall be diſobedient; if we have not ſtrong love to the wayes of God, we ſhall be pulled away from them by force of temptations.

p. 62Fourthly, Without ſtrength, if we ſhould chance to fall, we cannot get4. Reaſ. James 3. 2.Jas 3:2 up again; what man is there that falls not? in many things we offend all; how often doth the godly man fall into ſin, through weakneſs and infirmity, and ignorance, and ſometimes in a worſe manner? now if he have ſpiritual ſtrength in him, then he may riſe up again; if he hath a ſtrong relation to God in Jeſus Chriſt that cannot be broken, then he may get up again; as the body, if it hath abundance of ſores, and blains, and divers diſeaſes and diſtempers upon it, yet as long as the ſtrength of nature laſts it may work them out again; if you give this man Phyſick, as long as the ſtrength of nature laſts, Phyſick may do him good, but if the ſtrength of nature be gone, the diſeaſe will overcome him, it will be his death; ſo it is with a Chriſtian, as long as there is any ſpiritual ſtrength in him, it will work out corruption; if a man have ſtrong relation to God, ſtrong intereſt in Chriſt, ſtrong apprehenſion of the evil of ſin, and of the goodneſs of Gods wayes, ſtrong fear of God, and a ſtrong judgement, theſe will work out any ſin and corruption; but if he hath not theſe, he can never get up again, as the Apoſtle ſaith, Heb. 12. 12, 13. lift up the hands that hang down, and the feeble knees; and make ſtrait paths for your feet, &c. as who ſhould ſay, if you will ſtrengthen your feeble knees, then though they be lame, they will rather be healed then turned out of the way; but if you let your feeble knees be weak ſtill, then if you have any lameneſs or any diſtemper, you will be turned out of the way; but if you ſtrengthen your feeble knees, when you have been lame, and have any diſtemper, you will rather be healed then turned out of the way: You ſhall ſee when Iſrael were without the true God, and were diſtempered, they were Idolators, and all manner of wickedneſs was grown upon them; now when God would have Aſa purge out theſe abuſes, ſee how he calls upon him, 2 Chron. 15. 7. be ſtrong, &c. now in the words following we may ſee Aſa did ſtrengthen himſelf, and reformed all the abuſes, and ſet up the worſhip of God, and went on admirably in that work, now he had gotten ſtrength.

Laſtly, If we have not ſtrength, we can never do any thing God bids us5. Reaſ. with eaſe; but if we have ſtrength, we may not only do what God bids us, but do it with eaſe; as when a man hath a ſtrong memory, he can get two or three leafes by heart with eaſe, he hath it preſently; another that hath a weak memory, will be conning and conning it I know not how long, and as faſt as he remembers one thing, he forgets another; he hath much ado to get it; ſo if a man have a ſtrong judgement and underſtanding, though he meet with an hard word or paſſage, he will underſtand it, and pick out the meaning; whereas one of a weak underſtanding may be ſtudying all the dayes of his life, and yet never apprehend it; ſo when a man hath got ſpiritual ſtrength, he can do what God bids him do; and leave what God bids him leave with eaſe; he may pray, and humble and deny himſelf with eaſe, and lay thoſe luſts aſide, which before he had as live have parted with his blood as parted with them; when a man is ſtrong in his love to God, and ſtrong in the conſideration of Gods goodneſs and mercy, he can do theſe things with eaſe; my yoak is eaſie (ſaith Chriſt) and my burthen is Matth. 11. 30.Matt 11:30light; whereas to a natural man it is the heavieſt yoak and burthen in the world for a man to be tied to abſtain from all vanity, from all vile paſſions, and inordinate affections, from all ſinful pleaſures, and covetous deſires; it is a burthen intollerable for a natural man, it is becauſe of his weakneſs; but now a gracious heart that hath gotten ſpiritual ſtrength, can do it, and do it with eaſe.

The firſt Uſe is to condemn thoſe that have no ſtrength at all, that are Ʋſe. 1 not capable of this Exhortation, we cannot ſay ſtrengthen the good things that are in you, becauſe they have no good things in them at all, they have p. 63nothing of ſaving grace and of the covenant of life wrought in them… they have nothing but the common graces, that may be in a reprobate; as Paul ſaith, Rom. 8. 7. of the carnal mind, it is not ſubject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be; it cannot be ſubject; there is no ſtrength of grace; there is ſtrength enough, but it is let out upon the world; may be they have ſtrong parts and gifts, but there is no ſtrength to this duty; to be ſubject to the Law of God, he is not able to do it; as Chriſt ſaith of the corrupt Matth. 7. 18.Matt 7:18tree it cannot bring forth good fruit; it hath as much ſtrength to ſuck from the earth, and to bud and bloſſome, and bring forth fruit, and as much fruit as a good tree▪ but it cannot bring forth good fruit; ſo a natural man thinks as much, and ſpeaks as much, and eats and drinks, and ſleeps as much as a godly man doth, and goes about the buſineſs of his calling, and hearts the word of God may be, and prayes as often as a godly man doth, but he is not able to bring them to a good end, to do them well, he hath no ſtrength at all: as Chriſt ſaith to the Scribes and Phariſees, how can ye eſcape the wrath to come? they had great parts and ſtrength in other matters, but to eſcape hell, and ſhun the wrath to come, they had no ſtrength to do that, they were as weak as water there; what a woful thing is this, when a man hath no ſtrength to overcome his ſins, and deny himſelf? when men have eyes full of Adultery, and cannot ceaſe from ſin, 2 Pet. 2. 14. this is a miſerable condition for a man to be in.

Secondly, This may condemn thoſe, that though they have ſome good things in them, yet they do not ſtrengthen them that are of the ſtrain of the Church of Sardis, that let their graces dye and decay, and go down the wind, and periſh and conſume; they ſuffer a conſumption in their graces, rather then watch and ſtrengthen the things that are in them; what a lamentable thing is this? though our faith be never ſo weak, we are hardly able to lay hold upon one promiſe; and when we ſtudy to find ſign of converſion in us, we can hardly find any; and yet notwithſtanding people will not ſtrengthen their faith, and other graces. Let us not deceive our ſelves if we be Chriſtians let us ſhew it by the ſtrength that is in us; for if we be true Chriſtians, we muſt be able Chriſtians to do all the works of God, able to fight againſt our corruptions, able to do good duties, able to obey the Goſpel; he hath the leaſt ſtrength of true ſaving grace is able to be upright in all his wayes, he is able to obſerve all the commandements of God in ſome meaſure, he is able to carry himſelf uprightly againſt every evil way; in one word, he is able to keep all the word of God in ſome meaſure; he that hath but the leaſt ſtrength of grace is able to do this as the Lord ſaith, Rev. 3. 8. of the Church of Philadelphia, though ſhe had but a little ſtrength, yet ſhe kept the very word of God; a little ſtrength of ſaving grace; will make a man do more then the whole world can do; it is able to make a man reach above all the reach of nature, and all na…ral parts, and morality and civility, and all the fair carriages that ever were; it is able to go beyond all; there is more wiſedom in the leaſt degree of ſaving grace, then in all the Politicians in the world; and more knowledge in the leaſt fool in Chriſts ſchool, then in all the wiſe men under heaven; I mean true ſaving knowledge; therefore let us not deceive our ſelves, but as we deſire to be able to ſay that we are true Chriſtians, let us labour to ſtrengthen all the good things that are in us, that our faith we think we have to ſhew for heaven may be a ſtrong faith, and that our hope may be a ſtrong hope, that we may purifie our ſelves by it, and that the fear of God may be a ſtrong fear, to make us depart from hell beneath, & ſo that our deſires may be ſtrong to the throne of grace, and our endeavours ſtrong againſt our corruptions, and our care & conſcience ſtrong from day to day to do the works of God. Ʋſe 2

The ſecond Uſe is an Uſe of direction, what we are to do to ſtrengthen p. 64the good things that are in us. A… fi…ſ… ▪ Let …s labour to have all the powers of our …ouls ſtrengthened by the ſtrengthening the powers of the ſoul; I mean this; you know that divine operations are above nature, above the reach of the powers of our ſouls naturally. Now if we would be ſtrong to doe the works of God, and divine things, we muſt get our hearts to be raiſed and lif…ed up to an higher ſtrain, to a ſubli…er pitch; as it is ſaid of Jehoſap…at, 2 Chr…n. 17… His heart was lif…ed up in the ways of God. That is, his heart was ſtrengthened to walk in the wayes of God; and now his heart was lifted up; the Text ſhewes …e did great matters; he could reſtore the worſhip of God, and make the Prieſts and Levites doe their duties; he could doe admirable things for the glory of God. Now his heart was lifted up above the reach of nature; ſo we ſhould labour to have all the powers of our ſouls lifted up to God; we are not converted to God; unleſs God hath raiſed up our minds, and wills, and affections; as it is ſaid, God raiſed up Judges to deliver Iſrael from their enemies: TheJudg. 2. 16.Judg 2:16 meaning is, they were no more able to deliver them then other people; but God raiſed up their ſpirits, and li…ted them up, that they were able to goe about the function God had ſet them in: So Jer. 51. 11. before God had raiſed up the ſpirits of the Medes, they were a weak people, they durſt not meddle with Babylon…; but when God had raiſed up their ſpirits and lifted them up to an higher pitch of courage and ſtrength, they were not only able to goe againſt them, but to overcome them; ſo before God raiſe up our minds to an higher pitch, we are not able to know God aright; we are not able to doe good, and mortifie ſin, and be crucified to the world, we are not not able to goe about theſe things; but when God hath raiſed up our hearts, and the powers of our ſouls, we can then goe about them; as the water is not able to boil the meat of it ſelf; but let the fire come and raiſe the water to an higher pitch, to a ſeething quality, now it is able to …oil the meat; ſo it is with a mans heart; therefore we ſhould labour earneſtly with God in the uſe of all good means, that we may get the powers of our ſouls raiſed and lifted up on high, that they may be able to reach the works of God, and attain unto them.

And firſt labour to have ſtrong minds and underſtandings; I do not mean ſtrong literal knowledge; for with a little of that a man may have ſtrong love to God; and zeal to his glory, as we may ſee in the book of Martyrs. Elizabeth Sackwell, and Katharine H…rſt, and others, they were marvellous ignorant; when they were asked what a Sacrament was, and how many there were, they could not tell, and yet were admirable Martyrs, and ſealed to Gods truth according to that knowledge they had, and laid down their lives for the Goſpel, though they had not this knowledge▪ therefore I mean not that, though that be very good; and without ſome literal knowledge the mind cannot be good; a man may have literal knowledge without ſpiritual, but not ſpiritual without literal; therefore it is good, but that is not it; therefore we muſt labour to have ſtr…ng ſpiritual underſtandings, that we may underſtand ſpiritually the things of God, as David: ſaith, Pſal. 119. 34. Give me underſtanding, and I ſhall keep thy Law; as who ſhould ſay, if ever any man doth ſ…n againſt thy Law, it is becauſe he doth not underſtand himſelfe, therefore … ſee how eager he is that God would give him underſtanding, that he mi…ht underſtand his wayes, and underſtand what his will is, that ſo …e …ht do it, that he might underſtand it ſavingly, powerfully, and deliver his Law into his heart; God delivers his Law into every man… heart; but ſaith he, grant me thy Law graciouſly; he prays thatPſal. 119. 29.Ps 119:29 God would not only deliver his Law to his underſtanding, but in a gracious manner …a man nev… ſins againſt God, but his underſtanding is deceived; when we are proud, we are deceived; for we think too well of p. 65of our ſelves; when we are worldly, we are deceived; for we think the world is better then it is; ſo when we are dead to good duties, we are deceived; for we look upon Gods wayes and ordinances, as if they were not ſuch admirable things; it is through the deceitfulneſs of our underſtandings that we give way to ſin. Now if our underſtandings were ſtrengthened, we ſhould be fenced againſt the deceivableneſs of ſin, that when the Devil comes with his deluſions, and the temptations of the fleſh with falſe colours to put us upon ſin, the underſtanding would be ſtrong, and ſee the weakneſs of all ſuch reaſons; every man follows reaſon; reaſon is a ſtrong thing, and leads all the world; no man doth any thing, but he hath ſome reaſon for it; the worldly man hath ſome, though not true reaſon why he is ſo carnal, he is afraid he ſhall not know how to live; therefore we ſhould be earneſt with God to ſtrengthen our underſtandings, that we may ſee the baſeneſs, and beggery, and folly of all ſuch vile reaſons as theſe; if the underſtanding were ſound, it were a marvellous ſtrong thing; A wiſe man is ſtrong, yea a man of knowledge encreaſeth ſtrongly, Prov. 24. 5. Therefore I ſay we ſhould labour to have ſound underſtandings, that God would give us to know his Word as it is, and to look upon things as they are, that the world may not ſeem to be otherwiſe then it is, and our names, and credit, or any thing in the world may not ſeem to be more beautiful then they are, that we may look upon things in their own colours, that we may have light; if we had the light that comes from above, we ſhould be marvellous ſtrong; as Paul ſaith, Let us put on the Armour of light. So Heb. 10. 32. ſaith he, After Rom. 13. 12.Rom 13:12you were enlightned, you endured a great fight of affliction. When they had true light come into their hearts, that they durſt not be impatient, then, though they had mighty afflictions upon them, they endured them, they had light come in, they could not riſe up againſt God; if our knowledge were ſtrong, our corruptions would be weak, our carnal hearts would be weak, we ſhould not be ſo able to goe againſt God and his commandements; I can doe nothnig againſt the truth, ſaith Paul; why? he had a ſtrong light, he ſaw ſo clearly that it was the truth of God, and it2 Cor. 13. 8.2 Cor 13:8 was the way to be damned for ever to goe againſt it, and he ſaw ſo clearly what an admirable thing the truth was, that he could do nothing againſt it; as Joſeph ſaith, How can I commit this great wickedneſs, &c? He had ſuch a light, and ſo ſaw the nature of the evil, that he durſt not do it for aGen. 39. 9.Gen 39:9 world; the underſtanding is a very ſtrong thing, ſee it in that which is in wicked wretches; what a deal of ſtrength hath that little knowledge of God that is in their hearts? when a wicked man knowes that his courſes are of the Devil, and he is informed and reads it in the Word of God, he knows his wayes are condemned of God. I tell you this knowledge keeps a great deal of ſtir in his heart, and makes his conſcience afraid, and ſometimes qualms come over his heart, and ſometimes makes him reſolve I will be a drunkard and adulterer no more; it makes him that he cannot goe ſo freely about his wicked courſes, Mark 6. 20. When Herod knew John Baptiſt was a godly man, this made him fear him. So when Saul knew aſſuredly that David ſhould be King, though he went out to deſtroy him, he let him goe; nay, a very perſecutor, if he knows they be the people of God he perſecutes, it will make his very heart ake, and will make him give over his perſecution, except he be marvellous ſtrong, Iſa. 11. 9. Why? how will God bridle perſecutors? The earth ſhall be full of the knowledge of the Lord. There ſhall be ſuch a deal of knowledge, that they ſhall not be able to hurt in my holy mountain; nay this knowledge may make wicked men mightily to deny themſelves. Balaam, though he was greedy after riches and preferment, yet when he knew that it was Gods mind that he he ſhould not curſe Iſrael, he ſhould provoke God; ſaith he, If Balak would give me his houſe full of p. 66ſilver and gold, I cannot goe beyond the word of the Lord, &c. Nay, knowledge may work Reformation, After they eſcaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of Jeſus Chriſt, 2 Pet. 2. 20. Now if knowledge be ſuch a thing where it is not rooted ſoundly in the mind, then how ſtrong would it be if we did get our underſtandings ſoundly informed? if we would get knowledge rooted in us, the very knowledge that God hath commanded us, to ſerve him, and fear him, that, he hath revealed his wrath from Heaven upon all diſobedience; that Chriſt is the Saviour of the world, it would ſtrengthen us againſt ſin, and to doe good; therefore let us labour to have ſtrong minds.

Secondly, Let us labour to have a ſtrong will, as David had, Pſalm 119. 15, 16. I will meditate in thy precepts, I will delight my ſelfe in thy ſtatutes, I will not forget thy word. You ſee how abſolutely he is ſet upon it, I will do thus and thus, and I will not do the contrary; this is a ſtrong Will; and therefore you ſee what admirable things he could do, becauſe his Will was ſtrong; what is the reaſon people are ſo weak? they cannot reſiſt ſin, they cannot give over ſuch a luſt, they cannot get life and quickning in prayer and other duties; if an Enemy come, they cannot put it up; if affliction come, they cannot bear it patiently; if they are called to ſtand for God, they cannot put off carnal fears; this is the weakneſs of our Wills; if our Wills were abſolutely ſet that way, we ſhould be marvellous ſtrong, and break through all oppoſitions; all the ſtrength of a man lies in the Will of a man; if a mans Will be ſet upon a thing, he will go through fire and water, he will do it; therefore we ſhould labour that our Wills may be ſtrong in the works of God, to the pleaſing of God, and hatred of evill, and oppoſing of all the wayes of the fleſh; as David ſaith, Pſalm 119. 10. I have ſought thee with my whole heart. We ſhould doe thus; you may ſee this in wicked men, when their hearts are abſolutely ſet to do evil, how doe they goe through difficulties? nothing ſhall hinder them; how wonderfully did Saul perſecute David, over hills and dales, and caves of the earth, over rocks and craggy places? if he had not been furious and mad, he could not have followed him in ſuch places; nay, he ſpurned againſt conſcience; God met with him oftentimes, and infatuated his counſels, which could not but be as hedges in his way; but he broke over all: Whence was this? his Will was abſolutely ſet, 1 Sam. 23. 23. he was reſolved, if David were to be found under the copes of heaven, he would have him; ſo if our hearts, our wills were abſolutely ſet to finde God and his grace; if we would ſay, if Chriſt be to be found, we will have him; if he be in Heaven or Earth we will have him; we will run over all ordinances and duties; what ſin will we not leave? what courſe will we not take? if he be to be found, we will have him. A man might go through any difficulty, if his Will were abſolute; the Will is a ſtrong faculty, it hath the command over the whole man; the mind thinks, and the heart intends, and the affections ſtir, and the tongue ſpeaks, and the foot walks, and the hand works, but the Will ſways all; nay if a mans appetite be to a thing, yet if he will not doe it, he may refrain it; the Will is the ſtrongeſt faculty in a man; as ſoon as we heare the Prodigal had a Will to goe to his Father, the next newes we hear, he did goe; I will ariſe and goe to my Father, and now nothing could ſtay him; if our Wills were ſet earneſtly towards God, that we would ſerve him, and obey him, and would not be carried away with our luſts, what a deal of ſtrength would this help us with? we ſhould be ſtrong to trample Satan under our feet, and mortifie our luſts; and this is the reaſon God accepts the Will above all, if there be a willing mind, God accepts it, nay not only accepts it, but rewards it alſo, 1 Cor. 9. 19. If I doe it willingly, I have my reward. The Will is the ſtrongeſt faculty God knows; if p. 67he hath a mans will, he hath all that ever a man can do, he hath all his power, nay, he hath more then his power; the will is able to go beyond a mans power; as it is ſaid of the Macedonians, 2 Cor. 8. 3. they did to their power, and beyond their power; the will is a mighty ſtrong thing; therefore if we will be ſtrong in the Lord, let us labour for ſtrong wills.

Thirdly, Let us labour for ſound affections, that our affections may be converſant about God and all his holy laws and commandments; which way a mans affections run, ſo they run mightily; that way a mans ſtrength runs, as the Prophet ſaith, Iſa. 63. 15. look down from heaven; where is thy zeal and thy …rength? that is, when God is zealous for his peoples good, he puts forth his ſtrength for their defence; therefore the Prophet cries, Lord, where is thy zeal and thy ſtrength? ſo we may ſay, where is our zeal to God, and againſt ſin, where is our zeal for good duties, for heavenly-mindedneſs, and the ſpreading of the Goſpel, and doing good in our places? if we were but zealous and earneſt in our affections, we ſhould not go ſo dully and faintly in the wayes of God as we do: it would make us ſtrong; we ſee how ſtrongly men follow after the world, when they are zealous for the world; ſo if we were earneſt after God, we ſhould be ſtrongly carried after him.

Secondly, If we would get ſtrength, let us labour to believe; for when a man hath once gotten faith, now, though he be never ſo weak, he may ſay, God is my ſtrength, Pſal. 73. 26. A man that hath gotten this faith, may ſay as David, Pſal. 71. 16, I will go in the ſtrength of the Lord; I will go to prayer, to the word, to the Sacrament, I will go about my calling, when I am put upon my buſineſs, I will go in the ſtrength of the Lord to do it; if this man wants ſtrength, he goes and even borrows ſtrength from heaven, Heb. 11. 34. by faith, of weak they became ſtrong; as the rivers that watered Paradiſe, their heads and ſprings were out of Paradiſe; ſo though there be ſtreams of mercy and grace, and power, and love communicated to us, yet the heads of theſe are out of us; Chriſt is the head from which we muſt fetch all; I can do all things (ſaith Paul) through Chriſt that ſtrengthneth me, Phil. 4. 13. I can do all things; you will ſay, this is to brag and boaſt; alas no, I can do nothing, it is Chriſt that ſtrengthneth me; like the Ivy that creeps up by the wall, ſo a Chriſtian creeps up by Chriſt; there lies all our ſtrength; therefore all our care ſhould be to believe, to get off from our own bottoms; a true Chriſtian is never ſo weak as when he will be himſelf, when he goes about actions himſelf; if he would let Chriſt do all, and he only take that courſe Chriſt bids him, and never go his own way to work, he were a ſtrong man, Iſa. 30. 7. It is your ſtrength to ſit ſ…ill; the children of Iſrael were ſo buſie to help themſelves, they would to Egypt, and they ſhould help them; ſaith God, you ſhall never have help this way; your ſtrength is to ſit ſtill and wait upon God, and truſt in him; ſo I ſay, then is a true Chriſtian weak, when he departs from Chriſt, and doth not keep cloſe to him; ſuppoſe a man ſhould be in miſery, there be but two wayes to help him, the one is by himſelf, the other is by Chriſt; now, ſuppoſe a man were in ſuch a ſtraight, that he muſt be delivered in a quarter of an hour, or elſe he is undone; ſhall a man go to prayer now, or to his own ſtrength? to prayer if it were for a mans life; now when a man goes to his own ſtrength and parts, this weakens him; we ſhould do every thing better if we would go to Chriſt, and ſet our hearts upon him, if we would uſe the means, but hang upon God, this were our ſtrength.

Thirdly, We ſhould fly all occaſions of evil; may be a child can contain it ſelf from the dug (when it is newly weaned) ſo long as it comes not near it; but when the child ſeeth the dug, now the fancy runs upon the dug again, and now it cries for the dug again; it is becauſe it is not perfectly weaned; if it were perfectly weaned, though it ſaw the dug, it would not p. 68look after it; ſo we are not perfectly weaned from ſin; therefore though when we reſiſt occaſions and temptations of ſin, we are able to abſtain and contain our ſelves, yet becauſe we are not perfectly weaned, if we give way to occaſions we loſe all; when we will raſhly venture upon the occaſions of evil, we loſe our ſtrength; therefore ſaith David, Pſal. 101. 3. I will ſet no evil thing before mine eyes; as he would not do it, ſo he would not have it in his ſight; every man is privy to himſelf, and may know what thoughts, what deſires, what appearances, what cuſtoms, what ſpeeches are occaſions of evil to him; he might know what doth occaſion him to ſin; may be he had not committed ſin but for this or that; now when a man ſhall give way to theſe occaſions, and not ſtand upon his guard, this loſeth all a mans ſtrength; as Saul he was privy to himſelf how teſty and furious he was, and if he had any inſtrument of fury in his hand, he had no power over himſelf; yet he would ever be with his javelin in his hand, when he was in the field, or in the houſe, ſtill he had his javelin in his hand; now you may ſee what miſchief he expoſed himſelf unto, he flung it twice at David, and a third time at his own ſon Jonathan; if he had been careful not to have given way to the occaſions of ſin, knowing how weak he was, and that he had not command over himſelf, he might have eſcaped this; a man that is furious had not need alwayes to have a ſword about him; a man had need ſhun all the occaſions of evil; Joſeph was a ſtrong man, how can I do this wickedneſs? &c. all the temptations of his Miſtriſs could not allure him; what was the cauſe of this? he would not hearken to his Miſtris, nor be with her, Gen. 39. What made Achan to be ſo weak? he muſt needs take the Babyloniſh garment, and the wedge of gold; he gave way to the occaſion, I looked upon it, ſaith he; he being privy to his own covetous heart, ſhould have been ſhy of giving any occaſion to the fleſh; but he giving way to theJoſh. 7. 21.Josh 7:21 occaſion was weak and not able to ſtand.

Fourthly, We ſhould never go up and down without a conſtant continual purpoſe to pleaſe God; when we firſt riſe in the morning, we ſhould think with our ſelves, well, I purpoſe to take heed of ſin this day; ſo when I am at dinner, I will take heed that I let not the remembrance of God go out of my mind; I will have freſh thoughts of him while I am at board; as it is ſaid of Daniel, he purpoſed not to defile himſelf with the Kings meat: So when we go into the fields, we ſhould think with our ſelves, I purpoſe GodDan. 1. 8.Dan 1:8 willing, to beware that I may not come home with a guilty conſcience, & do things that may be to my ſhame and wounding another day; when we are to come among wicked people, we ſhould reſolve before we come, I will let fall nothing to diſhonour God; thus if we would go armed up and down, we ſhould go ſtrongly; if we would make ſerious reſolutions to cleave to God, and not to do evil, this would ſtrengthen us; now when temptations meet us unreſolved, we are not able to put them off.

Fifthly, We ſhould frequent the Ordinances of God. Firſt, We ſhould be careful of hearing the word of God in a godly manner. Strength and beauty are in his Sanctuary, Pſal. 96. 6. there is ſtrength to be had in Gods houſe, in Gods courts; his Word and Ordinances are the food of the ſoul, that as bread ſtrengthens a mans body, ſo this ſpiritual bread of life ſtrengthens a mans ſoul. So again, For prayer, to go to God in prayer, that would ſtrengthen us, Prov. 18. 10. So the Sacraments, they are a means to ſtrengthen us; to go to the Lords Table with hunger and thirſt, and ſerious conſideration of our own unworthineſs, and of our need, and with true faith unto it; the Lords Supper is a means to ſtrengthen, as it is noted in the primitive Church, Acts 2. 42. ſo again for meditations, if we would meditate of the things we hear, of Gods word, and his bleſſings, and judgement, and warning we have from day to day; if we would digeſt theſe p. 69things, and chew them from day to day, they would yield a great deal of nouriſhment unto us; as David ſaith, Bleſſed is the man whoſe meditations are in Gods Law, he ſhall be like a tree planted by the rivers ſide; and his leafe ſhall not wither, Pſal. 1. 2, 3. that man ſhall flouriſh like a green bay tree: So for holy conference, that is a great means to ſtrengthen all good things; as thoſe good people, when the times were bad, mark how they ſtrengthned themſelves, that they might not be infected with evil; they that feared the Lord ſpake often one to another, Mal. 3. 16.

Sixthly, We ſhould put forth our ſelves to the utmoſt in good duties; it is our lazineſſe and idleneſs that we are not more able to do good, and that we are ſo frail and infirm to do any thing that is of God; if we would take pains and put forth our ſelves, we ſhould be ſtrong; and indeed what is ſtrength but taking of pains when a man puts forth himſelf? as Eccleſ. 10. 10. that is, a man muſt take the more pains; the more pains a man takes, the more ſtrength he puts forth; there is no creature that God hath made beſides man, but doth act to its utmoſt ſtrength; the fire burns as much as ever it can; and the light ſhines as much as ever it can; and the ſtone goes down as low as ever it can; every creature works as far as it can; but now man he can limit his ſtrength, becauſe he hath reaſon and will, and according as he ſees a thing more or leſs neceſſary, according as he ſees it eaſier or harder to be attained, accordingly he leſſens or puts forth his ſtrength; and it is great reaſon that God ſhould give man power to limit his ſtrength, for he is to deal with the creature as well as with the Creator; and if he ſhould love and ſeek the creature as much as ever he can, this were Idolatry; therefore the Lord hath given a man power to limit his ſtrength, not to let out all his love or fear upon any thing here below; but yet God doth not give a man that power to limit his ſtrength, and the exerciſe of it towards his Maker, but he ſhould let out all towards God; as David ſaith, let all that is within wee praiſe the Lord; he opens his floodgates wide, and lets out all towardsPſal. 103.Ps 103 God.

Seventhly, Conſider that all received ſtrength is worth nothing unleſſe God give us new ſupply; wherefore are true Chriſtians weak at any time, but becauſe they think thus? I had true grace in the morning, and an hour ago I had the fear of God and the hatred of ſin; and the conſideration of this makes him that he is not ſo careful to keep cloſe to Chriſt, and to take heed of falling; he thinks, I had power the other day, and I was able to reſiſt temptations then; this makes a man weak; he thinks he had grace a while a go, and ſo truſts to that; for if a man do not ſtill look up to Chriſt, and cleave unto him, as if he had no ſtrength, the man is preſently a weak man, as weak as another man, and cannot ſtand; a man cannot be ſtrong in the grace that is in himſelf, but in the grace that is in God, Eph. 6. 10. Brethren, be ſtrong in the Lord, and in the power of his might: And as Paul ſpeaks to Timothy, though Timothy were a man that was as ſtrong as any man upon the face of the earth almoſt, yet he bids him not count himſelf ſtrong in the grace that was in him, but in the grace that is in Chriſt Jeſus, 2 Tim. 2. 1. As it is with the air, which is not ſtrong with the light that is in it ſelf, but with the light that is in the Sun; therefore we are careful not to ſhut the windows; for if we ſhut the light of the Sun out, the air though it be light now, will be dark again in a moment; therefore though the room be light, yet we keep the windows open, for the light of the air is ſtrong in the light of the Sun; ſo a Chriſtian ſhould keep his windows ever open towards Chriſt; if a man ever turn his back again upon Chriſt, and neglect Chriſt, if he do not cleave to Chriſt, and take heed he do not provoke Chriſt againſt him, he is gone, he is as weak as can be; as Ezra ſpeaks, Ezr. 7. 28. I was ſtrengthned as the hand of the Lord was upon me; p. 70no otherwiſe, if the Lord ſhould take away his hand, he were gone though he had never ſo much ſtrength, wiſedom and parts; he were no body without God.

Eighthly, Laſtly, Take heed of ſtriving againſt knowledge, or willingly; that weakens us horribly; and in particular take heed of pride; no man ſo weak as a proud man, nor ſo ſtrong as an humble man, as a Divine ſpeaks; a man that is ſenſible of his own weakneſs, of his own being no body, of his own folly, and that he is able to do nothing of himſelf, he that is ſenſible of this is ſtrong; as Paul ſaith, 2 Cor. 12. 10. when we are weak then are we ſtrong; that is, when we are humble and weak in our own apprehenſion and conſideration, when we lay this to heart, that we are weak, then are we ſtrong; for this makes a man lay about him, to cleave unto God.

I have laid down divers directions for the ſtrengthning of thoſe good things that are in us, and I will now adde one more, becauſe it is ſeaſonable for the time.Direct.

Make conſcience of uſing and improving the Sacraments, for they are excellent Ordinances to ſtrengthen a man.

Firſt, The Sacrament of Baptiſm; I do not mean the meer receiving outward baptiſm, that is a weak thing; but when a man hath a care to improve his baptiſm. It is noted of Abraham, that he had faith before his circumciſion; but he received circumciſion, the ſeal of the righteouſneſs of faith, for this, that he might be the father of the faithful, Rom. 4. 19. Now he could believe incredible wonderful ſtrange things, that would have ſtaggered him before: So when David was to fight againſt Goliah, he was a great warrier, and a mighty ſouldier, and David a weak ſtripling; now ſee how he ſtrengthned himſelf againſt Goliah; he uſeth three argument, and one is taken from the Sacrament of Gods covenant; he was an uncircumciſed man, but David was circumciſed, and within the covenant; What is this1 Sam. 17.1 Sam 17 uncircumciſed Philiſtin, to one that is circumciſed and in covenant with God? and he hath given me the Sacrament of it, that he will help me and be with me, and ſtand by me in all eſtates and conditions. So it was with the Gaoler; before when the Magiſtrates bid him put Paul and his fellows in the worſt priſon, he durſt do no other; and when he ſaw the priſon doorsActs 16.Acts 16 open, he would have killed himſelf, he was not able to have any power over himſelf; but when he had faith and was baptized, now he was able to take them out of the priſon, and carry them to his own houſe, and give them the beſt entertainment; though the Magiſtrates counted them Roagues and vagabonds, he had gotten ſtrength now.

Secondly, The Sacrament of the Lords Supper is of great force, being uſed with faith and due preparation according to Gods Ordinance; it is a Sacrament for the very nonce to help a mans faith, and ſtrengthen him in every good thing.

Firſt, Becauſe this is the very nature of the Sacrament; it is the Sacrament of growth and increaſing in grace; the other Sacrament puts a man into the eſtate of grace, and this ſtrengthens a man in the eſtate of grace; therefore when Chriſt adminiſtred the Sacrament, he tells us, we may receiveMatth 26.Matt 26 it as our very bread; now Pſal. 104. 15. bread ſtrengthens a mans heart: He tells us if we come to the Sacrament aright, as our bodies receive bread and it ſtrengthens them, ſo we may receive that which will nouriſh our ſouls; take, eat, this is my body; will not this bread nouriſh you? directly my body is ſuch a thing, that do but take it by faith, it ſhall ſtrengthen you, juſt as this bread ſtrengthens the body; as Eliah went in the ſtrength of that1 Kings 19.1 Kgs 19 meat he eat forty dayes and forty nights; ſo if we come to this Sacrament underſtandingly and preparedly, it is moſt certain we ſhall have ſtrength; may be not that we would have our ſelves; may be we would have more p. 71grace, and more aſſiſtance, but we ſhall have that ſtrength whereby we ſhall be able to go on in the ſervice of God, doing good, and ſhunning evil from day to day; My fleſh is meat indeed, &c. And indeed it will nouriſh a man; as it is ſaid of Jonathan, he was weak and faint, and his eyes grewJohn 6. 55. 1 Sam. 14.John 6:551 Sam 14 dim; but when he taſted a little honey, his ſtrength came to him again: So the Sacrament received by a true Communicant, that ſets himſelf to prepare his ſoule to partake of it, he ſhall have his eyes enlightned, and his heart quickened, he ſhall have ſome ſuccour and relief from it to goe about every good word and work.

Secondly, It is a ſeal of Gods Covenant, and therefore muſt needs ſtrengthen a man that is in Covenant with God, if he come to it as it ought to become unto; for what is the Covenant a true believer is in? I will make an everlaſting Covenant, never to turn away from them to doe them good; and I will put my fear into their hearts, &c. Jer. 32. 40. It is an everlaſting Covenant, I will never let them goe, I will put a ſtrong fear into their hearts, that they ſhall not doe as the wicked doe, they ſhall ſtand in awe of God; it is a ſtrong light; others ſhall be deluded; they ſhall not be deluded; it is a ſtrong apprehenſion of the Word and Will of God; this is the Covenant of God. Now when a man ſhall come to have this ſealed, when God ſhall give this Sacrament to make this good, and he takes the Sacrament upon it, that he will walk according to this Covenant, according to the grace that God hath given him; this man hath all the witneſſes in heaven and earth; why ſhould he be weak in faith then? There be but three witneſſes in 1 John 5.1 John 5heaven; he hath theſe that hath faith; there be but three on earth, the ſpirit, water, and blood; by ſpirit, is meant the ſame ſpirit that works true faith and obedience in the hearts of his people; then water, that is the water of Baptiſm; and blood, that is the blood of the Lords Supper; the Lord doth witneſſe eternal life to this mans heart; therefore what can this man want?

Thirdly, This Sacrament is Communion with Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Cor. 10. 16. The cup of bleſſing which we bleſs, is it not the Communion of the blood of Chriſt? &c. So that when a man comes to the Sacrament aright, he hath communion with Jeſus Chriſt; therefore he muſt needs be ſtrengthened, though he were never ſo weak before; as Solomon ſaith of the Contes, they are a feeble folke, and yet they make their houſes in the Rocks, Prov. 30. 26. So true Chriſtians are a feeble folk, yet they make their houſes in the Rock, where they eat this ſpiritual meat, and drink this ſpiritual drink; they drink of that Rock Jeſus Chriſt; when they draw neer to this Table, they draw neer to Chriſt, and therefore muſt needs gather ſtrength; they come to this Rock to be rooted and eſtabliſhed in this Rock; and therefore muſt needs get ſtrength.

Fourthly, Becauſe this Sacrament is a Sacrament of communion with the members of Chriſt; a man that rightly receives it, doth increaſe the Communion of Saints over all the world; though he never ſaw them, yet he is loved more and more of all the Saints; therefore he muſt needs grow ſtronger: Take a man that is woven into every man, there is hardly any man of any power but loves him, he hath friends everywhere; this man is a ſtrong man, as it is ſaid of Abſolom, he grew ſtrong, for the people increas'd continually with him, 2 Sam. 21. 15. So a Chriſtian muſt needs grow ſtrong, that truly hears the Word, and receives the Sacrament; for people ſtill come flocking more and more unto him; for ſtill as the Church comes to grow, or any ſoul comes to believe in Chriſt, he ſtrengthens himſelfe; as Paul was ſtrong in every Town where he went, in regard of the Communion of Saints; ſuch a man is ſtrong in regard of his infirmities, he hath many to help him to bear them; he is ſtrong alſo in regard of advice and p. 72counſel, he ſhall have the counſel of the Saints, Job 4. 3. If a man be doubtful what courſe to take when inſtruction comes, it ſtrengthens a man much: Now when a man hath communion with all the Saints, what abundance of counſel hath he? you may ſee how weak David was, he was not able to1 Sam. 25.1 Sam 25 beat down his wrath and impatience: Now when Abigail came with her good counſel, he bleſſed God for it.

Let us have a care to come ſo to the Sacrament, that we may be ſtrengthened in all good things, that we may be more quickned up to every good word Ʋſe 1 and work; for it is a ſtrengthening Ordinance; it is appointed of God for the very nonce to ſtrengthen Gods people in all buſineſs and employments they have to doe from day to day. When Moſes, and all Iſrael received the Paſſeover, God ſmote the firſt borne of all Egypt, Pſal. 105. 30. This was a ſeal that God ſmote all the ſtrength of the Egyptians, but there was not one weak perſon among the Iſraelites: So if we did receive the Sacrament aright, there ſhould not be a weak Chriſtian among us, God would ſmite the Egyptians, and weaken the ſtrength of all their luſts and corruptions; is therefore any among us weak, and he cannot do this and that? his luſts are like the ſons of Zerviah to David, too hard for him; Though I be anointed King, I am weak, &c. 2 Sam. 3. 39. So doſt thou ſay, I am very weak this day, and though God hath anointed me King over my luſts, and I am a Chriſtian that ſhould have power over my luſts, yet theſe baſe luſts and curſed corruptions are too hard for me; I ſay, if we did but wiſely and carefully, as we ought to do, goe to the Word and Sacrament, and the reſt of Gods Ordinances, we ſhould have marvellous ſupply and help to carry us on in our Chriſtian Combate: It is a very remarkable thing, that when God would have Joſhua and all Iſrael goe about that ſame hard work, to goe and encounter with 31 Kings of Canaan at one clap, and they were now newly come into the Land of Canaan, and were hemmed in, the waters of Jordan came back, and they could not goe back again, it is to be noted that before God would have them ſtrike a blow, he would have them take the Sacrament of Circumciſion; you know the Canaanites might have come and cut their throats when they were ſore; nay when they were circumciſed, God would notJoſh. 5.Josh 5 have them goe fight yet, but they muſt take the Sacrament of the Paſſeover, which would coſt them ſeven dayes; one would think this was not the way to be ſtrong; but this was indeed the way to be ſtrong, to go in the ſtrength of heaven; this made the ſpirits of their enemies melt, for they were now within the Covenant of God; therefore how ſhould we help our own ſouls, if we would but go in the ſtrength of Gods Covenant to prayer and every buſineſs we have to do, and if we would but rightly partake of this Sacrament as a ſeal of the Covenant? nothing would make it ſo ſtrong as this.

This may ſeem to condemn the moſt of us all generally. How do Chriſtians miſſe of the partaking of the Sacrament? what a deal of weakneſs is Ʋſe 2 there among us? where is there a ſtrong Chriſtian? they can hardly doe any thing, or ſuffer any thing; whence is all this? this comes from not receiving the Sacrament as they ought to doe; as the Apoſtle ſaith of bodily weakneſs, 1 Cor. 11. 30. For this cauſe many are weak and ſickly among you, and many ſleep. He ſpeaks there of their unworthy receiving the Sacrament; this is the cauſe that your bodies are weak: So this is as true of the weakneſs of the ſoule; for this cauſe many are weak among you, and many have ſuch ſick ſouls; nay, many are even dead to all manner of good, even for this cauſe, the not receiving the Lords Supper in a right manner; for if the Sacrament were duely come unto as it doth require, it is to ſtrengthen us in grace, and againſt Satan; but when people come hand over head, when they pr…pare themſelves ſlightly, pray ſlightly before they come, and come careleſle and negligently, and take not pains to come in due faſhion, they p. 73rather ſtrengthen themſelves in ſinne and Satan againſt them; as it is ſaid of Judas, after he had received the ſop, the Devil entred into him, John 13. 27. you ſee he went away with more hardneſs of heart from the Lords Supper, then he came to it; he went away with more wrath and diſcontent againſt Chriſt and his bleſſed company then before; the Devil had more ſtrength then he had before: A true Chriſtian that comes to the Sacrament as he ought, gets more ſtrength to his faith, more ſtrength to his lively hope, more patience and meekneſs; he ſtrengthens all the graces of Gods ſpirit, and ſtrengthens himſelfe againſt Satan and his own fleſh, and againſt his l…ſts and corruptions; but when a man comes otherwiſe, he doth not only not get ſtrength againſt corruption, but corruption gets ſtrength rather; he goes away with more corruption of heart, and more guiltineſs of ſinne then before, and is more heartleſs to prayer and good duties: The Devil deals with men, as the Monk did with Henry the 7th. Emperour▪ it is reported that he was poyſoned by coming to the Sacrament; for he had poyſoned it; ſo the Devil poyſons the Sacrament to moſt men, they eat and drink their own damnation, when they goe away from the Lords Supper they are worſe then when they came, more weak and unable to put off Satan, and more expoſed to his fiery darts; whereas if the Sacrament were approached unto according to the due order that God hath ſet down in his Word, we ſhould gather, ſtrength from it.

This may ſerve to ſhew the reaſon why people get no more good by the Ʋſe 3 Sacrament, and doe not meet with this ſtrength that the Sacrament adminiſters to every worthy Communicant in general, becauſe they doe not come in … right manner to the partaking of it; and when they doe not regard the manner, God doth not regard the matter; when they doe not come faithfully, and readily, and preparedly to the Table of the Lord, the Lord regards not their coming, and they ſhall get no good by it; as Solomon ſaith, When a man is not ready to heare, he offers the ſacrifice of f…ls, Eccleſ. 5. 1. So when a man receives the Sacrament, and is not ready to receive, he receives the Sacrament of fools; he doth not conſider what a ſacred thing it is, and what great matters are required of him, and what care and conſcience is requiſite thereunto; we ſhould examine our ſelves, as the Apoſtle ſaith, 1 Cor. 11. 28. We muſt not only eat of that bread, and drink of that cup, for ſo even wretches and carnal people do, and never partake of any ſtrength; but we muſt partake of it after a right manner, as Chriſt ſaith, Luke. 12. 47. He that knew his Lords will, and prepared not himſelfe to doe it, ſhall be beaten with many ſtripes; ſo when we know it is Gods will we ſhould come preparedly, and we will not prepare our ſelves; God will not ſtrengthen us and help us againſt our luſts, but our luſts ſhal get head againſt us. This is in general. Now I come to ſpeak of ſome particular reaſons that hinder men from partaking aright of the Sacrament.

Firſt, Becauſe people come not to the Sacrament with a ſenſe and feeling of their own wants; if we would partake of ſtrength by the Sacrament, before we come we muſt feel our wants, how we want hope, and patience, and faith, and ſtrength, we want ſpiritual underſtanding in the wayes of God; we ſhould not only ſee this▪ but feel it; people, may be, ſee this, that they want this or that; but there is no ſound feeling of their wants; they are without faith, and do not feel it; without hope and patience, and doe not feel it; they do not find the want of theſe things. Now Prov. 9. 4, 5. Wiſedome ſaith to him that wanteth underſtanding, Come eat of my bread, &c. When a man doth want underſtanding, is not onelyonly without it, but feels the want of it; he is not only without ſtrength and faith, but feels the want of it; he ſees the want of wiſedom and diſcretion, and Gods helping of him more and more; if it be ſo, eat of my bread, &c.

p. 74Secondly, Becauſe people come without true repentance to the Lords Table, they do not repent of their ſins, they do not break the league between them and their own wayes, they come to the Sacrament, and mean to think as they have done, and ſpeak as they have done, and keep company as they have done, and behave themſelves in their places and callings as they have done, and no otherwiſe then they have done; and though they cry God mercy, and make ſome prayers, yet the covenant between them and their wicked courſes was never broken; and therefore it can do them no good: People come to the Sacrament as Judas did, he came freſh from the Phariſees conſpiring the betraying his Maſter, and as ſoon as he had done, he meant to go to them again, and ſo got no good by it; whereas if we would get good by the Sacrament, that it may build us up in knowledge and believing, in having a care to pleaſe God, and making conſcience of all our wayes, we ought to root out our ſins and corruptions, and fling away our luſts and vile affections; we ſhould throw ſin out of doors, as the Iſraelites were to throw leaven out of doors, and not to have any in their houſes; nay we ſhould deal with ſin, as Ammon did with Thamar; he hated her now more then he loved her before; nay he put her out, and bolted the doore after her; ſo though we loved vanity, and worldlineſs, and paſſion before, yet now we ſhould hate them, and put them out of doors, yea bolt the door after them, that they may come in no more. This is the way to come to the Sacrament, ſo as to get ſtrength thereby; and the want of this is the cauſe that people go away ſo weak.

Thirdly, Becauſe they come without faith; they come doubting to the Sacrament, Rom. 14. 23. He that doubteth, is damned if he eat. I may apply it to this; he that doubts is damned if he receive the Sacrament, his own conſcience will reprove him, his own ſoul will ſay, I have not done well, I have not pleaſed God in comming; his own conſcience will condemn him, and damn him; when he looks upon the Covenant of grace, he cannot apply it, conſcience puts him off: This is for want of true faith; if people would come to the Lords Table with faith, they would receive ſtrength, as it is ſaid of Moſes, Heb. 11. 28. By faith he received the Paſſeover; ſo if by faith we would receive the Lords Supper, and beat down all doubts and fears of fleſh and blood, and reſolve to caſt our ſelves upon Chriſt and his promiſes, and let him have the diſpoſing of us; if we would truly caſt our ſelves upon Chriſt, and believe in his name, and ſo come to the Sacrament, we ſhould have ſtrength; how can we get ſtrength without this? Eph. 3. 17. When we come to the Sacrament, we come to partake of Chriſt, and receive Chriſt, that we may dwell in Chriſt, and he in us. Now he will not doe thus without faith; faith is the wedding garment; if we come without it, we ſhall be bound hand and foot and caſt into utter darkneſs; may be thou wert fettered before, but now thou ſhalt be more bound, even bound hand and foot, that thou canſt not ſtir, as the Apoſtle ſaith, Above all things take the ſhield of faith; ſo I may ſay, if you will come to the Sacrament to yourEph. 6.Eph 6 own peace and comfort, above all things take the ſhield of faith. When men come to the Sacrament only with bodily eyes, and bodily hands, what do they get? nothing but a piece of bread, and a drop of wine; but if they had faith, they ſhould have the evidence of things not ſeen; Chriſt, and heaven, and the covenant of grace, are not ſeen with bodily eyes; faith would help them to the evidence of theſe things not ſeen; as St. Auſtin ſpeaks of a worthy Martyr, when he was to ſuffer Martyrdome, he took the Sacrament to ſtrengthen him to ſuffer Martyrdom; and the Martyrs in the Primitive Church, every day expecting Martyrdom, they every day received the Sacrament to help them with ſtrength; but when we come to the Sacrament without faith, we deprive our ſelves of this benefit. Now as long as we p. 75give way to our ſins, doubting will reign, and faith cannot be in our ſoules.

Fourthly, Becauſe they do not ſeek earneſtly to God to bleſſe the Sacrament to them they do not make themſelves ſtrong in heaven before they come; they do not go with ſtrong cries and groans to the Throne of grace, that God would quicken them that they may get the good they ought to do at it. If we would come to the Sacrament of Lords Supper as we ought to do, we ſhould be earneſt with God and wreſtle with him, that he would make us ſenſible of our wants, and that he would pluck up our hearts to come with faith, that he would ſtrengthen us, that we may behave our ſelves well when we are there, and when we come away; every Ordinance of God is ſanctified by the word and prayer, 1 Tim. 4. 5. Now becauſe either people do not pray at all, or if they do, they are not earneſt with God, therefore it is that they return home little the better.

Fifthly, Becauſe they do not behave themſelves …ell when they are at it, they are not well occupied when they ſit at the Lords Table, they know not how to employ themſelves as the duty requires; this is that would help us to true ſtrength by the Sacrament, if we were well employed when we were at it. Cant. 1. 12. While the King ſitteth at his table, &c. ſaith the Church, that is, while the King was enjoying communion with me and I with him, I was juſt at the ſame time very well employed; I laboured in ſome meaſure to ſtir up all the graces that were in me, that my Spikenard might ſend up a ſweet perfume into his noſtrils, that my faith might work, and my love might work; ſo while we are ſitting at the Lords Table, and the King ſitteth down to bid us welcome; we ſhould labour to be well employed, to keep vanities out of our minds, and employ them well, that we may have a good meal before we go.

Sixthly, Becauſe people when they have been at the Sacrament, they do not examine themſelves diligently, whither they have got any good by the Sacrament; I have received the Sacrament, have I got any good by it? is my faith ſtrengthned? am I yet backward to Gods will, untoward in his worſhip, dead in his ſervice, am I ſtill hovering and doubting in my conſcience, have I no care of God, have I got no good by the Sacrament? if people would but call themſelves to account, whither they have got any good by the Sacrament, this would do them a great deal of good; it would make them bewail and lament, and cry out if they got no good; people let things r…n on at ſix and ſevens; if they get good, ſo it is; if they get none, ſo it is, but lay it not to heart; whereas a godly heart when he hath been at an Ordinance, calls himſelf to account, and takes it marvellous heavily if he ſee he hath got no good; as the Church when ſhe prayed, and ſaw her prayers did not prevail, it was a bitter thing to her; Thou haſt covered thy ſelf with a cloud, that our prayer ſhould not paſs thorow, Lam. 3. 44. when ſhe ſaw ſhe prayed, and ſtrived, and tugged with God, and there was no comfort, O how ſhe took it to heart, ſhe made it the burthen of her complaint; ſo if Chriſtians would do thus, The Sacrament doth not take, the Lord covers himſelf with clouds, and hides himſelf from me, he will not own me; we ſhould go crying and yelling up and down to ſee that we do not get good by the Sacrament; if we would do thus, we might get good by it.

Seventhly, If people do get good by the Sacrament afterwards, yet they do not interpret this to be by the goodneſs of God in the Sacrament; may be they meet with ſome comfort and aſſiſtance now and then which might do them a world of good, and ſtrengthen their hearts wonderfully if they did look to it; when they have gotten many good bleſſings, now they do not conſtrue this to be by reaſon of Gods Sacrament and Covenant; if they p. 76did look upon it, O this came by vertue of Gods Covenant, and the ſeal of his Covenant to my ſoul, this would make them ſtrong in Gods Covenant, and help them exceedingly; thus David did, if he got any mercy at any time, ſtill he laid it upon going to Gods Ordinances; this I had becauſe I kept thy precepts; This I had becauſe I prayed unto thee, and ſought theePſal. 119.Ps 119 earneſtly; I followed God earneſtly, and now I ſee his infinite goodneſſe and mercy towards me, how he hath rewarded me; I confeſs it was a poor thing I did, God might even have ſlung it as dung in my face, but ſee how he hath rewarded me: So if Chriſtians would ſay, this I had becauſe I was careful, though I had formerly neglected Gods Ordinances; yet at laſt I came to ſeek him earneſtly with my whole heart, and to come more preparedly and diligently to the Lords Supper, and now this I find I had by it; how hath God bleſſed me ſince? how hath he aſſiſted me, and lifted me over many rubs and temptations? I will have a care of this therefore afterwards; this would ſtrengthen a man wonderfully, but for want of this people get little good.

Eighthly, Becauſe Chriſtians do not rowſe and ſtir up the Sacraments that they have partaked of formerly, they do not provoke their ſouls to extort the efficacy and fruit of former Sacraments; when Moſes had perceived that all Iſrael had entered into Covenant with God, he rowſeth up their hearts to look upon this Covenant, Deut. 26. 17, 18, 19. Then haſt avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, &c. As who ſhould ſay, you have entered into covenant with God this very day; now rowſe up your ſelves and and conſider what God hath done; this very God hath promiſed you to ſet you up above all Nations; then ſtir up your ſelves and believe God, and ſay, Why ſhould I diſtruſt God? certainly he will bleſſe me, and do good to me; and this day thou haſt vowed thy ſelf to God, therefore rowſe up thy ſelf and think there is no going back; I have made a covenant, and taken the Sacrament upon it, and now there is no going back; as Luther ſpeaks of a good Virgin, ſhe was marvellouſly tempted by her luſts and corruptions; ſhe helped herſelf by the covenant; I am a Chriſtian, and am baptized, I have taken the Sacrament upon it, and will not yield; and this did marvellouſly help her; but when Chriſtians neglect this, no marvel though they continue weak ſtill; nay, moſt people though they have been at the Sacrament make no conſcience of their vows to God, they break covenant with God, therefore no marvel they get no good by the Sacrament.