do it how much more when he saith Believe and ye shall be saved and He that believeth in him shall not be confounded To the other Proposition The strength whereby true Christians stand in the favor of God and the expectation of heaven is greater and better then all the strength of nature even taken at the best and strongest When the likeliest faint and are weary yet they shall renew their strength mount up with wings run and not be weary walk and not faint Where we have both a plain affirmation of renewing their strength and a borrowed speech of Eagles who cast their Bill when they be old and so get to be lively again when their crooked Bill is put away they take in their meat as before and grow as strong as ever All noting the perpetuity of the estate of grace wherein when the Elect fail at any time through mercy they recover all and hold out to the end of their course They are strong in the Lord and the power of his might On him they wait in the use of means and of him the receive strength a new to be constant He strengthneth they with strength in their soul Psal 138.3 Amidst many occasiom of fainting their inward man is renewed day by day 2 Cor. 4.16 They call in fresh supplies by prayer and so are strengthned with might by the Spirit in the inner man Eph. 3.16 And the prayer of other Believers sends in those fresh supplies Col. 1.11 That ye may be strengthned with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness Certain it is that the Lord hath undertaken to be the strength of his people The rock of their salvation the strength of their salvation the horn of salvation which he raised up in the house of his servant David and as much as the Creator is mighty above the creatures so is a godly man above himself and all his natural abilities In and of God he receives such puissant vertue and so may grow confident Esa 26.4 Trust ye in the Lord for ever for in the Lord Jehova is everlasting strength In special Christ himself is the strength of his chosen ones He gives them his flesh which is meat indeed and his bloud which is drink indeed He makes then a banquet at his own cost and with his own merits to feed them unto eternal life that though the old Israelites in the wilderness did eat Manna and dye after it yet so shall not they And as his merit is so efficacious so his Spirit abides with them for ever guides leads into all truth brings all things to their remembrance and establisheth their hearts in this their gracious and blessed estate There is a vertue in his death that they can dye no more in their sins and a vertue in his resurrection which makes them living members of his body and living branches of the true Vine to draw sap and juice from him and be still pruned that they may bear more fruit Further proofs of this unvanquishable strength of Believers One Scripture saith of the godly The righteous is an everlasting foundation Prov. 10.25 He in Scripture is called righteous who is justified and sanctified and he is called a foundation to note his firm and stable condition and as a foundation he bears up the pillaâ—s of the eâ—rth both Church and State Another Scripture saith God who hath begun a good work in his people will finish or perform it untill the day of Jesus Christ Phil. 1.6 When the work of conversion unto God is once well done it is done for ever it is as he said of his History 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an everlasting possession for God who is the Alpha is also the Omega Another Scripture saith Christ having loved his own which were in the world did love them unto the end John 13.1 and he saith himself chap. 10.28 I give unto my sheep eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand no nor Devil but in him that loved them they are more then Conquerors Other Scriptures sound forth priviledges The righteous shall hold on his way and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger Job 17.9 They that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God and still bring forth fruit in old age Psal 92.14 They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion which cannot be removed but abideth for ever Psal 125.1 The fear of the Lord is so put into their hearts that they shall not depart from him Jer. 32.40 Their house is built upon a rock so as it shall not fall though the winds blow strong and the waters flow a main Mat. 7.25 with other firm and undeniable grounds of persevering in grace which follow afterward all proving that true Believers shall still renew their strength and not faint nor be weary Here it may be asked How doth the Lord renew strength to his people The answer is He renews their strength in the use of holy means appointed thereunto namely those sacred Ordinances which he hath set apart first and last to carry on the work of grace in the hearts of his Chosen which that they may indeed obtain he puts them into a frame of waiting on his Majesty in his own way wherein he will meet them and bestow a blessing on them as he hath promised 2 Cor. 5.5 Now he that hath wrought us for the self same end thing is God who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit So at the Text it stands as a Description of the godly They are such as wait upon the Lord they must know they are Servants and need dependance on the heavenly Master and as Servants must wait till they receive mercy at his hands and so they shall be sure to speed of their suit Lam. 3.25 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him to the soul that seeketh him A Princes good Servant ever stands in the way of preferment and so for Christianity To speed of strength and every comfortable supply we must be careful to be found in the way of faith and obedience Here note these phrases of Scripture 1. Wait at the Posts of his doors Prov. 8.34 Blessed is the man that heareth me saith Christ the wisdom of God watching daily at my gates waiting at the posts of my doors Thriving Christians must diligently attend when a good Sermon is to be heard or a Sacrament to be received or a Fast to be kept or else a day of Thanksgiving They must come both preparedly and forwardly neither be absent nor yet backward but come upon the wing as Doves to their houses when pursued by a bird of prey Esa 60.8 swift to hear Jam. 1.19 Cornelius and his Company when Peter was coming to preach were ready beforehand to hear what he should say Act. 10.33 We are all here present before
NOW and EVER SHEWING Where the Work of Conversion is throughly done it is done for ever ESA. 46.3 4. Hearken unto me O house of Jacob and all the remnant of the house of Israel which are born by me from the belly which are carryed from the womb And even to your old age I am he and even to hoar haires will I carry you I have made and I will bear even I will carry and will deliver you PSAL. 48.14 This God is our God for ever and ever he will be our guide even unto death By William Jemmat Preacher of the Gospel in Reading LONDON Printed by L. Miller for John Chandler Bookseller in Reading 1666. To the Serious Reader THere be two weighty truths about the grace of Conversion in a soul that shall be saved One that of necessity it must be done in this present life according to that of Salomon Eccl. 9.10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might for there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest Now or Never The other that when this work is once done well in some good manner as it ought to be done it is done for ever and shall never fail the Christian here or hereafter The former is a matter of serious diligence and carefulness The latter of strong and full consolation Happy is the soul that suffers it self to be perswaded and over-ruled in present to do this great business of coming home to his God and joyning it self to him in a perpetual Covenant that shall never be forgotten Hereby it hath done a work which shall last to Eternity and â—â—ver be undone any more Now and Ever And it is such a work as shall stand it in stead whatever sad occasions shall meet it in this evil and troublesome world Believers amidst all bodily infirmities and temptations and afflictions of this life yet in their God to whom through rich mercy they are come at conversion have a sure and strong stay to rest upon and may say as David Psal 73.26 My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever O precious portion for a soul to find setling and contentment A portion is that wich falls to a man upon division of Land or Goods Now the Lord in his most wise dâ—spensation allots to some a portion in temporals They have their portion in this life Psal 17.14 To others he reserves himself for a portion who is infinitely better then the multitude of Riches Pleasures Honours and all the finest accommodations And because God is the portion of Believers therefore it is the good part or portion Luke 10.42 It is a blisfull portion and makes those for ever happy who share in it Psal 144.15 It is an all-sufficient portion and in every respect able to serve our turns and give complete contentment Gen. 17.1 And it is an everlasting portion my portion for ever saith David And thâ— us the Lord becomes the portion of a believing soul partly by his own free and voluntary giving himself to it both in his eternal Decree and purpose as also by actual application partly by the souls voluntary accepting owning and chusing the Lord for a portion with which it will rest satisfied Lam. 3.24 The Lord is my portion saith my soul The Lord himself perswade strengthen and establish our hearts by believing that we may rest contented with this our portion and be in some measure thankful for it that seeing he hath vouchsafed to be our portion we may ever think it fitting and necessary to be a peculiar people and portion unto him Deut. 32 9. The Lords portion is his people Jacob is the lot of his Inheritance W. J. Now and Ever ISAIAH 40.30 31. Even the youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint IN the beginning of this Chapter the Lord by his Prophet had promised great and glorious things to his poor Church as return out of the Babylonish Captivity with wonderful mercies procuring and accompanying the same and such as reach to the times of the Gospel ver 3. Christ comes to do it and the Baptist makes way for him therefore Believers may expect performance Which that they may do the Prophet doth lively set forth the Power and Wisdom of God which are the main helps to accomplish his Decrees he knows how to do it and he is able to do it and a Believer may easily collect that if the Lord be so powerful and careful in the Government of the world how much more will he so be for the good of his Church and Chosen Then it might be objected Yea but the Church seems to be of all other most neglected and is most troubled in the world and this makes us even faint and cast hope away ver 27. For this they are blamed in the Verses following and told that God is sufficient for his Church against all her enemies and in all her faintness and they shall see Great Ones of the world fail and come to nothing when his people shall survive and be triumphant This last is the mind of the Holy Ghost in these two last Verses which have an amplification of the Churches strength by opposition to the strength of nature and of the world Even the youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as Eagles they shall run and not be weary they shall walk and not faint As if he had said None have the strength that Gods people have no not the stoutest and choycest men that are whom Generals and Commanders of War do pick out from the rest and most trust in and brag of their puissance yet faintness comes upon such by Hunger Cold Watching Travelling Fighting rumors that they hear of the enemies might fear which the Lord sends upon their spirits a thousand wayes to cool their courage But my people go upon better and higher Principles namely of my favour and of my special grace in them whereby through believing they shall become strong out of weakness and hold out to a full and glorious victory over all enemies both from hell and in the world Now this opposition of strength and strength leads us to these two Propositions One That all created strength is of a fainting and failing nature The other That the strength whereby true Christians stand in the favour of God and the expectation of heaven is greater and better then all the strength of nature even taken at the best and strongest Briefly of the former All created strength is of a fainting and failing nature Though there be not only a firm and healthy body but much
tribulation yet in him they shall have peace and ought to be of good chear and Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivereth them out of all And if deliverance be delayed yet by the assistance of Christ and his Spirit the afflictions are sweetned and the heart supported and all the suffering sanctified that in time the Christian shall say It was good for me to be afflicted that I might learn thy statutes And remember that when the troubles last longest yet all the while the Christian Traveller is getting nearer and nearer to his Fathers house so that Yet a little while and he that shall come will come and his reward is with him In the Mount it will be seen 5. Other Believers who complain not of troubles in things of nature or the world yet trouble themselves much about the welfare of the Church which they see endangered by enemies some undermining others infected with errors and heresies and scattering their poison far and near Oh what will become of poor Sion which is so hated or defaced many enemies and but few real friends Answ Bear up chearfully it is a good sign in thee that thou art so tender of the Churches well-doing thou hast a promise They shall prosper that love Sion and all they that mourn for her shall be glad and rejoyce with her Esa 66.10 And as for the Church it self remember though lovest it well yet God loves it better and knows better how to provide for its safety and chiefest welfare Psal 87.2 The Lord loveth the gates of Sion more then all the dwellings of Jacob. As for the enemies secret or open let the King of Sion alone to deal with them for their conversion or confusion or to raise up friends as need shall require and he sees expedient that the Captivity may be turned and great gifts bestowed for the beautifying of Sion 6. Others know not what they shall do if persecution should arise for the Gospels sake they are fainty enough under the persecution of the tongue or in smaller tryals and they doubt they shall fall utterly if fire and faggot should come in use again But remember here who brought the Martyrs through the flames to give testimony to the truths of the Gospel They were flesh and bloud as we are and yet were strengthned to pass through the fire after Jesus Christ and they had relations and advantages to leave for the truth as near and dear as we have and yet by grace were enabled to part with all yea rejoyced that they were accounted worthy to suffer for the Name of Christ And ye may observe in reading the Histories of the Martyrs how they that were very timorous for a while yet coming in sight of the stake they have waxed joyful and confident as Mr. Glover to his friend who knew his fears O Austine He is come he is come meaning the Spirit of strength and comfort Remember too that the Lord hath continued his Church and brought it through persecuting times as well as times of prosperity yea the Primitive Church was planted and watered and thrived best in the persecution of the first three hundred years The bloud of the Martyrs proved the seed of the Church to propagate and make glorious the Kingdom of Christ Therefore faint not nor be weary for any persecution felt or feared 7. A Believer may say Death is the King of terrors and I fear I shall not dye with any patience or comfort I know not what kind of death I shall dye or where or with what Company it may be by the Pestilence or by the Sword or by some tormenting Disease or a lingring Disease I know not what but I doubt I shall faint at the last and then where is all my hope and reward Answ Remember what hath been said This God is our God for ever and ever he will be our guide even unto death Psal 48.14 And not only unto death but in dying Jesus Christ will be gain unto us Phil. 1.21 And not only Angels are ours with other good creatures but even death is a Friend though he come in a Mourning Gown 1 Cor. 3 22. And ye know how death is out-braved from doing us a mischief chap. 15.55 O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory the sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law But thanks be to God who hath given us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. As for the sad Harbingers and Messengers of death the Lord is able and hath promised to give a proportion of strength and comfort that when we faint and the outward man decays yet the inward man shall be renewed day by day and by rich mercy ye may come to fear nothing even when ye walk in the midst of the valley of the shadow of death And for the kind of Death Company Place Time and all circumstances it is best for the Child of God to submit to the will of his heavenly Father who hath said and would have us to rest in what he hath said My grace is sufficient for thee Only continue in a waiting condition as Job all the days of thy appointed time till that great change shall come thou shalt find it worth while to have so waited But because this waiting may be long and there go many things to waiting as the good servant who made all ready against the coming of his Lord I shall produce certain Motives as so many encouragements to the faithful servants of God who do so chearfully and constantly attend their God in those duties and those his Ordinances Many are the benefits of a due waiting 1. This at the Text they shall be enabled and blessed by this their waiting To renew their strength and hold out in the good ways of God unto glory Though there be divers weaknesses in themselves and discouragements in the world yet through rich mercy they shall run and not be weary walk and not faint A singular priviledge above all Apostates who have fallen away and come to nothing 2. They have hereby a note of true grace upon them that they are the Children and Servants of God in sincerity and not only in a general and common profession Our Text useth this Periphrasis or Description of the godly They that wait upon the Lord shall do thus and thus And it is a Description of the Gentiles conversion Esa 42.4 The Isles shall wait for his law with chap. 51.5 They shall wait upon me and on thy Name shall they trust and 60.9 Surely the Isles shall wait for me It is an ordinary Inquiry among tender spirits Whether am I indeed converted and brought home unto God or no The solution may hence be taken If ye wait on the Lord in the way and manner before described ye are indeed converted and need not trouble your selves any more 3. Another benefit is that these Waiters shall not in any thing be utterly disappointed so