that is but little they may take away my life but I make no account of it saith he if other men made as little account of these things as I do they would be as bold as I. Therefore I say now it is a time for a man to stir up his strength to be willing to part with these things when actions come that have hazzard accompanying them and opposition and persecution and resistance from this temptation and from that Now be strong in the Lord Ephes. 6. When there comes temptations if any thing be to be suffered be strong to endure it If any thing be to be done be strong to go through with it if be any special duty be strong wrestle with the Lord as Iacob did in distresse there was his course stir up thy strength at that time and wrestle with all thy strength So if â—he businesse be to contend for the common truth and faith a man must be strong what though it be accompanied with hazzard this is a time for a man to stir up his strength that is one case A second is in all great changes of estate for that is a time when a man should stir up his strength because then a man is most apt to be weak That is if a man â—alâ— into great crosses and afflictions and adversities and again if he be raised to prosperity more then ordinary now 〈◊〉 him be strong that is let him look to himself and take heed now that his heart be not broken by the one nor puffed up with the other now is the time for a man to be strong upon these great changes As the body of a man when he comes into a strange Countrey to change of diet and air he is affected with it it works upon him so the soul of a man in all great changes of estate that it falls into cannot but be affected with them Therefore the Scripture calls it drunkennesse A man may be drunk with prosperity and adversity and a man is apt to be so that is when a man is drunk his brain is weak and the beer or wine is strong so when the heart of a man is weak and the operation is strong the estate that falls on him is strong it makes him drunk both wayes A man is drunk with prosperity one while another while with adversities this is a time to be strong As the Apostle expresseth it Phil. 4. I am able to want and to abound to pass through good report and evil report That is now in this great change if you talk of strength I am able to do all things through strength from Christ. A man in an even condition it is nothing for him to keep his minde in an even temper but in the unevenness of a mans condition now to keep his minde equally disposed that is the difficulty And it is not onely difficult in that which riseth from the unevenness of a mans estate but the suddenness of the change When a sudden change comes look to thy self be strong As we say of the body it is a rule of Physicians it indures not sudden changes no more can the minde but it is apt to be disquieted and put out of temper As when a man hath had a great heat and sudden cold comes when a man is in one condition and suddenly comes into another now is the time to stir up strength That is the second Thirdly and lastly there are certain seasons and opportunities wherein a man is called to exercise such and such a grace now is the time when we must be strong to put that grace in practice Sometimes there is a season of using the grace of patience sometimes of love sometimes of temperance sometimes one grace sometimes another whensoever these seasons and opportunities come now put forth these graces and let them have their perfect work every grace in his season That is the time now when a man is to stir up his strength in those opportunities and turnings of a mans life Such things fall out every day now one grace is to be used and then another now be careful to stir them up as we see 2 Pet. 1. 5. when a man hath one grace saith the Apostle let him add one to another Therefore give all diligence thereto join vertue with faith and with faith knowledge and with knowledge temperance with temperance patience with patience godliness with godliness brotherly kindness with brotherly kindness love That is suppose saith the Apostle thou hast faith perhaps there iâ— need of more then that there comes seasons when thou art to do good works to add works to thy faith therefore remember in such a case to join vertue to it for vertue is taken here for action a readiness in a man to perform to bring that faith into use But when you are set on work perhaps it may be a difficult case to know what a man in discretion should do in this ambiguous case therefore add knowledge and prudence to guide and direct you in that you do but when you have gotten prudence and know what is to be done then add to knowledge temperance It may be a man may know well enough what to do but he is drawn aside with some pleasure and lust for it is usual for a man to know but because he is byassed the wrong way with some inordinate affection he performs not that 〈◊〉 knows therefore saith the Apostle now is the season to add temperance to knowledge to abstain from those things And besides as pleasures are a means on the one side to keep him from the practise of what he knows so there are likewise some dangers and difficulties somewhat that a man is to suffer When a good action is to be done a men shall find many crosses and oppositions somewhat he must part with therefore add not temperance onely but patience that is a time for patience or else he cannot do any thing to purpose When both these are done joyn with patience godliness A man may do much and join temperance and patience but these are moral vertues a man may do them for other ends he may be a good servant but he may serve a wrong Master therefore saith he eye God in all you do join to these godliness do it out of sincerity advance him and his glory and do it not for your own ends and with godliness brotherly kindness that is that the work and business you do though it must be done to the Lord for his sake and so you must do it in a godly manner yet your business is with men for the most part therefore you must join with godliness brotherly kindness that you do it out of love to men as well as out of sincere respect to God I but there are other men in the world besides godly men and we have to do with them and there are many businesses to do for their sake and advantage therefore saith the Apostle
woman hath all from the man and she should seek to imitate him because she is the glory of the man she is to have no power of her own Therefore that is to be observed which is said ver 3. that the head of every man is Christ and the head of the woman is the man That is Christ is the head of every man as the man is the head of the woman Now because the man is the head of the woman the woman is to have no power upon her head that is no ensign of power this is to be subject to the man After the same manner Christ is every mans head that is no man is to have any power of his own he is to do nothing of himself or for himself but to do all for Christ to be perfectly subject to him even as the creature to the creature even as the clay to the Potter for Christ is the head of the man and God saith he is Christs head That is Christ as he was the Son of God and the Mediator he looked to God and was altogether subject to him Therefore I say it is that the Lord looks at nothing but godliness because godliness giveth him glory all the rest giveth glory to the creature but not to the Lord. So much shall serve for the reasons We will come to make some use of it You see now what godliness is and the reasons why the Lord accepts nothing but godliness why nothing is pleasing to him but godliness First Then let us make this use of it let us not content our selves then with any thing that nature hath wrought in us let us not content our selves with moral vertues let us not content our selves with common care of worshiping of God nor with all the outward actions and shewes of Religion onely for all this is not acceptable to God as you see but let us labour for this which is called true Godliness this is all in all Therefore you shall find that the Apostle Saint Peter 2 Pet. 1. he exhorts you to this that we are now about Saith he add to your faith vertue to your vertue knowledge to your knowledge temperance to your temperance patience and to your patience godliness Mark what is his meaning in this surely this As if he should say when you here me speak to you of patience and temperance c. and that all these are goodly vertues you must add godliness to all or else they are nothing worth the Lord will not regard them that is you must look to God in them all there must be more then nature in you you must reach at an higher end then nature can and therefore content not your selves with any of these But you will say what do you cast away nature and civility are these nothing worth these moral vertues No my brethren this is not my meaning they are of very much worth as we said before Jesus Christ looked upon the young man and loved him There was that in him which was truly aimable within its compass and sphear But it is one thing to be lovely to salvation and another thing to be aimable in its own degree and kind Therefore we do not say we cast away these they are very necessary God hath placed them there himself but as we have said heretofore Godliness doth make use of all these these are like the stream and the wind that must carry along the ship If it were not for these natural powers and vertues we should not be able to do the duties of godliness Onely this we say there must be some what superadded to it that godliness must sit at the stern and turn the rudder and rule the compass and guide the scope of the ship to the right haven So that I say godliness doth not take away nature but addeth to it As you know your riders of horses when a rider comes to a horse full of mettle he doth not take away that mettle he doth not extinguish it but he endeavours to improve it in a right way he fashons it and brings it under and makes it of use for the rider Even so Godliness when it cometh to a man if it find much mettle in a man many excellent vertues which nature hath planted in him many moral vertues which customs and education hath edded to it Godliness it casts not away these but orders them and breakes them and subdues them and makes them serviceable to God and man So doth the Physician when he comes to his patient he doth not overthrow all the humours in the body and extinguish them but onely he corrects them onely he adds to those that are defective and takes down those that are excessive and composeth and helps them into a right frame Even so doth godliness with nature it composeth and ordereth and addeth to nature it elevates nature it puts a higher end upon it it adds a spiritualness to it As for example nature hath made a man to love himself to love his Children It is natural affection that hath taught a man to grieve for that which is evil and obnoxious to himself when it is upon a man Godliness now doth but make a right use of this When nature hath digged a fountain of tears godliness doth but turn the stream the right way When nature hath put such a principle in us as love godlinesse comes and teacheth us to love this and that for God and from God Therefore our exhortation is that you would but add godliness to all these You will say what is that That is learn to be emptied of your selves to cast away all these as St. Paul did to reckon them as dross and dung that you may be found in Christ. As you must do this for justification so you must do it in matter of sanctification for you must know this that when Christ comes to dwell in a man that man must no longer live to himself and for himself but to the Lord and for the Lord. Now every man the less he lives to himself and in himself the more he will live to Christ and in Christ. Therefore I say the thing we would exhort you to is this that you would contend with your selves and reason the matter seriously why a man should no more look to himself but to God altogether For a man is a reasonable creature and it is certain that till a man see reason why he should not look to himself he will do it but let him be perswaded it is best for me to look no more to my self to stand no more upon my own bottom but it is safest for me to seek the Lord. I say this reasoning with our selves so as to be convinced of it will bring us to serve God altogether For when you are come to this once to see that it is onely God in whom all your happiness is you will no longer look to your selves Therefore you must learn to
knowledge the more strength for the spirit of Divine truth is the strength of the soul for as the soul is unto the body so is the word unto the Inward man the body is dead without the soul not able to do any thing so the Inward man without the spiritual strength which is wrought in the soul by the saving knowledge of the word is nothing but weakness Therefore the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 2. 2. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow by it That is knowledge in the word will make you grow strong in Christ The contrary to this we see the Apostle upbraids the Corinthians with 1 Cor. 3. 1. And in the Heb. 5. 13. because they were weak in knowledge he calls them babes for saith he He that is not expert in the Word of Righteousness he is a Babe Therefore labour to abound in spiritual knowledge that you may be strong in the Inward man I presse this the more because I fear many of you are weak because you are ignorant That is you want this spiritual knowledge you know in our ordinary talk we count ignorance folly That is when a man doth any thing that he should not do or would not do if he did but understand himself we say that man is weak in judgement or it is folly surely this weakness in the Inward man is folly indeed and a man cannot shew his weakness more then to be weak in spiritual knowledge And yet you must know that a man may have much knowledge that is worldly knowledge and the notional or speculative knowledge of Divine truthes and yet be but weak in the inward man for there is an artificial knowledge which fills the brain but the spirit goes no further and descends no lower That is it doth not sanctifie that knowledge in the heart and the inward man Again there is a knowledge of the spirit or experimental which is an operative knowledge and goes along with this other knowledge and bends it to Sanctification and is practical but yet you must know I say before you can be strong there must be some proportion between the spiritual knowledge and the spiritual strength as for example one man eates and is fat and lusty another man eates and is still lean so some have as much as others have and yet are not so strong as others And yet we say not but as the lean man is strengthened by the meat he eates so he that hath weaker knowledge is strengthened by it but where the Lord works by his spirit the greatest knowledge accordingly strength is increased Therefore I beseech you labour for a full measure of saving knowledge that is for a working purging operative and powerful knowledge And this I do not onely speak unto you that are weak but also unto you that are strong that you be careful to adde unto your knowledge for what is the reason that you do not grow in grace but because you are not careful to adde more knowledge unto that which you have It may be you pick some good thing from some Sermons or from some good book but presently you forget them you do not make it your own by Meditation it slips out of your memory again and so doth you no good but if you would be careful to adde unto it you would grow stronger in the inward man then you do And here is the misery of us that are spiritual Builders other Builders when they have built a house the owner lookes to it himself and keepes it in reparations but when we have done what we can to build up in the inward man and think that you will put to your hands your selves when we are to further the work of grace you begin to pull down your buildings again your selves by your ignorant and loose lives That is by following your pleasure your sporting and gaming and prophaning the Lords day Therefore you must labour to grow in knowledge if you will grow strong in the inward man The second means to be used if you would grow strong in the inward man is this you must be diligent in the use of all means as the wise man saith The hand of the diligent maketh rich so where there is much diligence in the use of the means of grace there is much strength in the inward man no men get spiritual strength but they that are diligent And therefore this is the reason that men are not strong in the spiritual strength because like the sluggard you are not diligent in the use of the means That is you take no pains for grace and therefore it is that you get no increase for according to the proportion of your pains so is the inward man strengthened And as you use them more diligently so you find the strength of them more operative and powerful for it is in the soul as it is with the body If you be not diligent and careful to feed the body it will wither and consume away and grow weak so if you feed not the soul diligently and use the means constantly you will breed weakness in the soul and the more remisse and secure you are in the performance of holy duties the weaker you are It may be you think it will not weaken you to omit private prayer but omit it once and it will make you careless and the more you neglect it the more unfit and undisposed will you find your selves when you would and your strength will abate Or you think you may prophane one Sabbath or you may take your pleasure immoderatly sometimes but beloved it will make you secure That is the more a man doth in this kinde the more he may do For this is true in every act every act inclines a habit and a habit brings custom so it is as true in good things the beginning of good things brings many particular good things And therefore if you can but get your hearts in a frame of grace you shall find a supply of grace because Christ saith unto whom soever hath unto him shall be given That is he that hath grace is careful in the use of the means by Gods appointment he shall thrive in holiness for if you once get but the beginnings of saving grace and be industrious and careful to imploy them then you will in time grow strong you know what Christ said unto the servant that had used his Talent well he had more given him So if you be diligent in the use of the means the inward man will grow strong but for the using of the means observe these Rules The first Rule that I would have you observe if you would have the means effectual is this you must use all the means If you use but part of the means you will not grow strong for as it is with the body so it is with the inward man for the health and growth of the body a man will use all
may strengthen and enable us to serve him that so we may please him in all things with fear and reverence so likewise 2 Pet. 3. ult But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ growth is properly of that which is a permanent thing of that which is an inherent thing as when a thing is said to grow whiter and whiter c. so I say grace is an inherent quality which is stamped upon the heart which is begotten in the heart But then I add that it is a supernatural quality that is it is such a quality as elevates and raiseth a man that enableth a man to do more then he is able to do by the strength of nature As for example to illustrate it If you take water of it self you know it is able to make your hands cold or any thing that is put into it but if you will have water do any thing above the nature of it you must put in a higher quality if you will have it heat you must put it to the fire So it is here we are able to do the things agreeable to nature without any special help but when we are to do the duties of new obedience to please God to do things that nature cannot reach unto we must have a higher quality infused into our hearts therefore I say grace is a supernatural quality that raiseth nature that elevates it that helps it to do more then otherwise it is able to do Again I add that it is a supernatural peculiar quality because there are some common supernatural gifts as those gifts of temperance knowledge patience meekness and the like these are the gifts of the Holy Ghost and these are many times wrought in the hearts of those that are not truly sanctified and these are supernatural gifts too but yet they are but common gifts they are such gifts as the Holy Ghost bestows upon those that are not elected to life But now saving grace is a gift peculiar to the Elect peculiar to those that are within the Covenant therefore to make a distinction we put them together in the description and say it is a supernatural peculiar quality Again further I add that it is wrought in us by the Holy Ghost because no creature in heaven or earth is able to work grace in any mans heart for to put grace into the heart is to put life into the heart now to put life into the heart is the property of the Spirit it is he that makes a man to live another life that as it is onely fire that can beget heat so it is onely the Holy Ghost that can beget life It is true other instruments are used the Word is an instrument and holy men are instruments but yet it is the Holy Ghost that works it principally and all instruments can do nothing without the influence of the Holy Ghost I add again to make it yet more full that it is wrought by the Holy Ghost whereby we are enabled to please God All those other common graces and all the effects and fruits of them though the things be good in themselves and supernatural because they come from the holy Spirit yet they do not please God that is the Lord is not so well pleased as to accept the man that is the Subject and the Agent of them to eternall life Onely by faith a man is able to please God and faith you know is the principle and root of all other graces it is onely grace that makes a man able to please him because the Lord delights in that which is like to himself This grace is the stamp and Image of God till a man then have such a quality in him and that all the works that he doth proceeds from this Image he pleaseth not God Lastly I add it enableth him to please God in all things for it is the property of grace that as it hath a general being spread through the whole soul so it hath general effects that is it hath an influence into all a mans life into all his actions so that whatsoever he doth there is some tincture of grace seen in it some leaven as I may say of grace some taste of grace Such a grace as is bestowed upon a man as a common gift it helps a man to do such a particular business it makes him mâ—ek it makes him temperate it makes him to understand his profession it makes him able to rule c. but yet this property it hath not to have a general influence into all that a man doth into all his actions for that is only the property of saving grace it enableth us to please God in all things So we see briefly what grace is Now I say this grace strengtheneth us wheresoever it is it makes a man strong in the inner man it makes him able to do the duties of new obedience he is not onely willing and desirous and purposing to do them but it gives him power and strength and vigor to go through with the work and the reasons are two First because grace changeth the nature of a man when a mans nature is changed that he doth naturally he doth it strongly There is nothing so strong as the course of nature you see it is hard to turn that other things that are not natural their course is easily altered but to make a man another man of a Lion to make him a Lamb this grace can do and nothing else Now take all feigned and counterfeit things they are feigned and return quickly to their own nature again You know guilded things last not long the guilt weareth off colours that are not wadded they will not last because they are but counterfeit and counterfeit things abide not they have no strength in them Now grace changing a mans nature it runs strongly it makes a man able to do the things he is set on work to do that is the first Reason Secondly Grace is the vigour or strength or efficacy of the spirit the very force and power of the holy Ghost As it is said of the Gospel It is the power of God to salvation so you may say grace it is the power of the spirit All other things in a man do but proceed from the flesh that is they have a root in the flesh common graces have a rise in our selves though there is a help of the holy Ghost in them yet there is something of the flesh in them Now whatsoever cometh of the flesh though it be beautiful yet it is as a flower that will fade away There is a weakness in all flesh as there is a strength in spirit which is intimated Isa. 21. 3. Fear not the Egyptians for they are flesh and not spirit As if he had said if there be nothing with them but an arm of flesh they are but weak for weakness is that that follows the flesh as naturally as
add to brotherly kindness love that is love to all mankind that when you do any action he means actions of mercy and compassion you must do it out of love to them though they be strangers from the Covenant of grace Now mark these are the times and seasons wherein a man is to stir up the strength of all these graces you see they come in season one after another Put case a man exercise one and leave another unexercised in its season there is a deformity and want when a man useth other graces and not temperance suppose a man will do any thing but when he is to suffer he will baulk the way because of the Cross he is loath to suffer he wants patience here is a thing wherein his weakness is seen therefore be strong that is in every thing in the practice of all the graces we receive that they may have their perfect work Well the use of this in a word is To put us in mind of our duty and to quicken us that we may all remember what person we sustain what we have to do for what end we come into the world and to do it for that which the Apostle saith here to Timothy we have all need to have it repeated to us and to be put in mind of it upon every occasion Now be strong to do this and this for all the actions of a mans life are divided into these two main heads Either they are such actions as are bestowed in gathering strength as when we pray keep the Sabbaoth and read and are occupied in holy duties now our business is to gather strength But now there are other actions that stand in converse in doing the business and works of our calling when we are to grapple with troubles and temptations when we fall upon change of our estate c. these are times of spending and not of gathering these are times to use strength now we must be as carefull to use our strength as to gather it we must be as careful to stir up our strength as the Apostle saith to Timothy Thou my Son be strong in the Lord we must stir up our strength I say we have need to be called upon for you must not think that the Lord doth all It is true he puts life in us but when we have life once then we may move and stir our selves he kindles the sacrifice from heaven at first but when the sacrifice is kindled when you have got fire you must keep it alive and blow it up and put fuel to it Therefore Iude 20. build up Edifie your selves It is true the Lord first layes the foundation he first layes us upon the corner stone he begins the building but when it is begun we must not think that it belongs onely to the Minister to build us up or to the Lord to build us up but we must edifie our selves that is we must still be adding to the building now one stone and then another so we have the building of grace going up in our hearts this should stir us up to use our strength And this is a matter of special moment the rather because all the graces we have otherwise are flitting habits in the soul. Some things we have that are altogether for use as money it is all for use if a man use it not he were as good not to have it And physick if a man have the best receipts and cordials if he use them not he were as good not to have them and so skill in a Trade if a man do not use it he were as good not to have it Of this nature is grace all the end of grace is for use the end of every habit is for action as we know not the Tree but by the fruit Now consider if the end of all the strength and grace we have be but for action that it may be stirred up Then you should not onely busie your selves in gathering strength but let half your thoughts at least be occupied in considering how shall I spend this strength use these graces To be on the thriving hand is good or else thou wilt have no strength to spend yet that is the special thing The rather because it is a general fault among us it is an old complaint we learn more for knowledge and dispute then for living That is when you come to hear you are glad of notions and there is delight in them and perhaps we add to our knowledge and perhaps some habitual strength too we add to that we had before but you must learn to live he that hath knowledge must learn to bring it into practice especially you that are able to do it Some cannot pray but you that can pray converse profitably stir up your own hearts to it when you are in company You neglect this and live as if you had not such grace wrought in you as if you were not regenerate as if you had not tasted of the powers of the world to come I say it is a shame for you therefore your business is now to stir up your selves to this And to help you in that I will briefly name to you some helps You must know that there is an essential power whereby a man is strong and able if he will put his strength to it to do of himself And besides this there is a certain energy an ability present as of body or mind ready at every turn to do holy actions Therefore if you ask how you shall do this how you shall bring this habitual power to this readiness and nimbleness I say exercise your selves to godliness Use makes perfect in other things so in this the more a man accustoms himself the more his soul is ready to do every good action As the hand gets a habit to play on the Lute or in writing or other things that are done with the hand by often applying it self to the work so the soul when it often applies it self to such actions it turns it self into it it gets readiness and nimbleness Therefore be ready to do it upon all occasions with facility and delight upon all sudden opportunities It fashions a man as it is said 2 Tim. 2. 21. as a vessel prepared to every good work The meaning is this that even as you see a vessel is fitted for such a turn as a spoon or a salt or a cup c. as there are variety of vessels so they are fitted for such a turn or use so a Christian should be a vessel fitted for good works Now this vessel is not fitted on the sudden but is moulded every day more and more and is brought to a better and better fashion and as it is fashioned more so it is readier to its proper work Now it is this suiting and applying your selves to good works that makes you ready If a vessel be not fit for the turn it will not do the business