as to be ashamed or confounded but one way or other shall receive satisfaction at the hands of God according to their expectation Either he will give them the thing desired or what shall be better either here or hereafter Esa 49.23 They shall not be ashamed that wait for me They that wait upon great men in the world do find infinite disappointments shame sorrow and sometimes heart-breaking but so shall not they that wait on the Lord. 4. Such shall have their Prayers heard and their Petitions granted Psal 40.1 I waited patiently for the Lord and he inclined unto me and heard my cry This waiting makes that a Christian passeth over a delay and construeth it not for a denial and holds up his head to the time wherein God will be seen for him The like of the prayers that other Believers make in our behalf wait and we shall reap the benefit of them Psal 25.3 Let none that wait on thee be ashamed A very comfortable matter in this life of necessities urging us on every side 5. These Waiters have many secrets revealed to them and many experiments of the love of God which others shall not have they are still in the way of preferment and shall certaily have it one time or other Zech. 11.11 The poor of the flock that waited upon me knew that it was the word of the Lord. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him He will manifest himself to the faithful observers of his will and not to others It is an excellent posture to abide with Christ in temptation To be faithful to the death is the ready way to the Crown of Life 6. It will be great joy on the Death-bed so to have waited on the Lord as dying Jacob found who amidst the blessing of his Children brake out into this Extasie I have waited for thy salvation O Lord Gen. 49.18 And when Hezekiah had received the sentence of death he could say in faith Remember how I have walked before thee in uprightness of my heart And so may other Believers say in all oppositions of the wicked Psal 25.21 Let integrity and uprightness preserve me for I wait on thee 7. Unspeakable happiness is prepated for these our Waiters Esa 64.4 From the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear neither hath the eye seen O God beside thee what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him Now at last it appears how blessed they are and what it is to have the Lord waiting to do them good Now they have the reward of all their patience and constancy Now they see they took the wiser and safer course Evil men had the start of them in the world and triumphed over them even those that wait not for the counsel of God Psal 106.13 nor the promises of God 2 King 6.33 Should I wait for the Lord any longer They despised the godly for being so strict and mopish and observant waiting upon God at an inch They cast out their name as evil and watched to do them a mischief themselves being in the mean time the only men of note But now when the parting place comes and the day of distribution of rewards appeareth now it appears how good it was to wait upon the Lord at every turn and with constancy The conscionable hearing and repeating and obeying of good Sermons the reverent frequenting of the Lords Table the joyful and careful spending of Sabbaths the diligent maintaining and holding up of holy Discipline in the Family all the good words that have been spoken all the good actions that have been done shall now be rewarded liberally and plentifully And now they shall wait upon the Lord in another manner then ever in this life only to behold and partake of his glory for their full happiness and contentment USE III. AFter all those comforts that accrew by waiting on God and so renewing our strength for hastning toward heaven it behoves us to think on some duties to be performed that so we may be answerable to the great loving kindnesse of our God who first promised and now hath performed this mercy and truth 1. The godly should take notice of this mighty strength whereby they stand and acknowledge it so to become truly and unfainedly thankful not droop in themselves but be hearty and cheary nor disgrace their holy profession to others as if it were a profession all made of dumps and melancholy nor which is the special thing to defraud and deprive God of his due honour It becomes the just to be thankful Praise is comely for the upright Therefore go to thy house and tell what great things the Lord hath done for thee confess that mighty power whereby thou standest let it appear both in the chearfulness and uprightness of thy life It is a singular malice of the Devil and also weakness in corrupt nature not to acknowledge the work of God in the soul doing more mischief then we are aware Therefore herein watch both thine own weakness and the Devils wickedness As it is dangerous to presume of a strong faith and grace where none is so it is a sullen and unthankful sheepishness not to take notice of it where it is God loseth his glory and the Christian his portion and comfort And it is expedient for us to know where our strength lieth that so we may walk in it for the end it was given us as is said of the Primitive Churches That walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost they were multiplyed Act 9. And Never shall the Christian demean himself more bravely and generously then when he considers and remembers he hath received a power whereby he can over match all the adversary powers both of hell and earth They are all very weaklings in comparison of him and he can safely bid defiance to them all Who shall accuse or condemn or separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ yet still he will be humble and modest because he knows it is a borrowed strength We are strong in the Lord and the power of his might 2. This may be an encouragement to the godly to go on with their pains and diligence in holy exercises forasmuch as they know they shall get strength by them and such strength as infinitely surmounts all strength of nature both Humane and Angelical They seem weak Ordinances and not able to produce any worthy effects viz. Reading Hearing Praying Fasting Talking together Worldly-wise men deride such courses and many think there is no good to be got by them else why do they neglect them as they do But indeed they are mighty through God to the casting down of high holds and the setting up of high fortresses of grace and comfort in stead thereof There shall be Bread to the Sower and good success to him that laboureth Other labour is not so sure to speed and take effect even when they have
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
courage of mind with assistance of Arts and Parts and alliance of Friends and all encouragements that are to be had yet in the Event all prevailes not to attain the desired end Even the youths shall faint and be weary and the young men shall utterly fall The race is not to the swift nor the battel to the strong neither yet bread to the wise nor yet riches to men of understanding nor yet favour to men of skill Eccl. 9.11 It is true by those accomplishments nature may attain to live long in the world to rise high in the world to get a great Estate to have great Victories over enemies with other great matters which Weaklings may not once think to attain But beside the sad disappointments which these sometimes meet withall even amidst all their bravery they commit foul errours they shorten their dayes by Intemperance they fall into Consumptions or at best the longer they live the nearer they draw to their end and it is seen ordinarily that the Bell rings out and the Grave opens for young ones as well as for the old few now-a-days come to the Age set in Moses time of threescore and ten or fourscore The reason is by the fall sin hath disabled our nature both in powers of the body and mind and so ministers occasion to the great God of heaven to cut us short of our hope and possibilities Our sins withhold good things from us Jer. 5.25 And the Lord will have the finest Naturalists see that not by might or power but by his spirit great things are to be accomplished He takes the wise in their craftiness he turns their counsel into foolishness he shews strength with his arm he scatters the proud in the imagination of their hearts he puts down the mighty from their seats and exalteth men of low degree he filleth the hungry with good things and the rich he sends empty away Application make thus 1. See what a poor happiness the happiness of worldlings is When they are at their height and in the best estate they can be in here below or desire to be in with a real and regular desire so that their Neighbours take them to be happy creatures and they think no less of themselves yet indeed they fall much short of the true happiness and godly men shall not change Estates with them though poor and miserable as to the world Why because the best and most complete attainments they have are but fading Commodities the one stroke of Death cuts the thred of their whole happyness there comes a Fever or other mischievous Disease and so an end of the man and all his braveries So that neither himself hath cause to vaunt or please himself in his fine condition nor others to envy his prosperity while it holds most together It is but as the green Bay-tree flourishing in present but soon blasted or cut down and the place of it shall know it no more 2. Let godly Christians bless the Lord who hath laid their happiness in things of another nature and endurance namely spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus that though they be poor or weak or otherwise low in the world yet in the best matters through rich mercy they are highly exalted none so happy as they indeed none but they Therefore not only be contented with your short pittance but thankful that your lines are fallen unto you in pleasant places and ye have a goodly heritage Psal 16.6 Had your lot fallen otherwise to you you had been of all men most miserable Think of Dives tormented in those flames and of the rich Churl whose soul in a night was taken from him and so an end of all his plenty and jollity Think how David blessed himself from faring as worldly-minded men shall fare Let me not eat of their dainties Psal 141.4 and again Deliver my soul from the wicked from men which are thy hand O Lord from men of the world who have their portion in this life and whose belly thou fillest with thy hid treasure they are full of Children and leave the rest of their substance to their Babes Then refer all to the happiness that shall be revealed at the last day as the Prophet there concludes As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness Psal 17.14 15 16 17. 3. If all present comforts be so weak and fickle Let not the strong man glory in his strength nor the rich man in his riches nor the wise man in his wisdom Jer. 9.23 Fine accommodations these are and conduce much to make ones life comfortable and he that is a wise Master of them may do much good in his place and Generation and greatly further his accounts in the day of accounting with God But alass they are but moth-eaten and poor comforts in themselves very like to Jonahs Gourd which came up in a night and perished in a night When we think we have them safest and take most pleasure in them they dye in our hands as flowers which we gathered â—rewhile and we our selves pass away with them we know not how soon And the wise Salomon hath said Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not for riches certainly make themselves wings they fly away as an Eagle toward heaven Prov. 23.5 and Paul said by the wisdom given unto him Rejoyce as not rejoycing and in all your enjoyments be as if ye had them not 1 Cor. 7.30 Remember Christians and not over-joy in a lusty Child a setled estate of health tallness comeliness or properness of the body the increase of a wealthy estate a great inheritance either by descent or purchase There is death in the pot a secret worm lies at the root and bites shrewdly and all the joy may quickly be mar'd and then the more joy was the greater will be the grief at parting and shame for the former boasting to see things turned to the quite conâ—rary 4. If natural comforts be turned upon such a wheel then trust not in an arm flesh Put not your trust in Princes nor in the son of man in whom there is no help His breath goeth forth he returneth to his earth in that day all his thoughts perish Psal 146.3 4. Nor may Princes trust in mighty and puissant armies horses warlike provisions multitude of an hoste or the best counsel they can take all these have failed some that relied on them and may fail others who rest on them as able to save Nor may we rest upon potent friends who are able to do much themselves and use their interest in others for raising a party Nor upon health and strength of body nimbleness or other natural perfections Nor upon a strong wit a deep reach a firm and retentive memory eloquence in discoursing fitness of expressions with other gifts of the mind All compared to a staff of reed whereon if a man lean he may get a fall
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
not by their own strength nor such a strength as men of the world stand by but a surpassing and excellent strength which shall carry them bravely through the briars to a place of rest and glory True ye bear about you a weak and mortal body and beside a sinful flesh which grieves you more then the other and ye fear sometimes that ye shall never hold out in the work of God to the end and blessed reward prepared for the Saints But pluck up your hearts and follow on carefully and conscionably in the use of means to attain the Resurrection of the just Herein ye labour and sweat and fear and only faint not and ye find many discouragements on earth and from hell Well your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord and know It is not your own strength that must do it but his as the quarrel and battel is not yours but his thousands shall fall on your right hand and ten thousands on the left but you shall escape as here it is said Even the youths shall faint and be weary but they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength He that believes hath the witness in himself and he hath the fountain of life in himself even the Spirit of grace as living waters which shall refresh his soul in every year of drought Only believe and thou shalt surely be established Remember flesh indeed is an enemy but mortified and God hath given us the Victory through Christ our Lord. More as grace will make it our corruption of nature shall further the work of God in us by making us low in our own eyes and driving us to the means whereby we may be strengthned It makes us earnest in prayer to get a supply from heaven which we cannot find upon earth It preserves an Appetite to the word which is the main Cordial to revive a Christian heart now fainting It sends him often to the Lords Table where he may have a good Meals meat for the strengthning of his faith and comforting of his soul As likewise to the Society of the godly to reading and other props which God in love hath provided to uphold him Object There is a power from hell which opposeth this power of grace and may not this one time or other throw the Christian quite upon his back can Principalities and Powers do nothing think you Answ Nothing so as to foil or vanquish this strong grace of God in the Saints It is a mighty power indeed but created and infinitely inferiour to that Divine Power whereby a true Christian subsisteth The Devil is a chained enemy infatuated vanquished and while Gods people are wâ—lling to resist he will surely uphold them in the fight unto Victory the God of peace will tread Satan under their feet shortly and they may be perswaded as Paul that neither Principalities nor Powers nor any other creatures shall be ever able to separate them from the love of God in Jesus Christ Rom. 8 38 39. More comfort yet in â—hrist that loved them they shall be more then Conquerors the strength which was at any time abated shall be renewed again and God will perfect the work which he once began Psal 138.7 8. See some particulars 1. The Christian is sometimes strong in faith and gives much glory to God and gains much chearfulness to himself even the full assurance of faith By which he rests in the love of God with an holy security much joy many triumphs over hell and Satan these enemies are despised as feeble Philistines not able to hurt him He got so much ground by the last Sacrament and by his course of prayer reading and godly exercises that he cared not if he dyed presently in respect of himself and the safety of his own soul But after awhile comes a cloud over his spirit and he is fain to let go much of his confidence Yet he gets up again in little time his strength is renewed and he grows as confident as before witness those Vicissitudes of joy and sorrow in David Psal 30. the whole 2. Patience is a strong grace such as whereby a Christian can possesse his soul in hard times and distractul occasions Luke 21.19 Sometimes he is not troubled though he be mightily provoked great occasion disquiets him not nor removes him from his principles whereof Job is a notable example Yet afterward as in him great breaches are made and the soul even lost by impatience Yet as in him the end is with submission and quietness Ye have heard of the patience of Job and what end the Lord gave 3. The prayer of faith is omnipotent as Luther called it a godly man sometimes wrestles hard and prevailes much with God and gets much comfort at the Throne of grace a large and almost sensible answer to his prayers a firm assurance of the love of God and a part in Christ Take him at such a time he is the most resolute man living ready to do or suffer any thing prepared for any condition Yet sometimes his hands hang down as much as Moses and with many intercourses of valour and weakness he gets the victory over all the Amalekites in hell 4. In respect of the spiritual warfare a Christian is strong in the Lord and the power of his might having put on the whole Armor of God sometimes he weilds it stoutly and wisely and acquits himself bravely for the honour of his Captain and his own discharge safety glory prosperity inveigles him not adversity affrights him not neither friends allure him from God and duty nor enemies terrifie him his watchfulness and jealousie over his heart makes him invincible you would think ye saw some Alexander conquering the world or some Joshua driving down Kingdoms and Cities before him Yet sometimes Satan gets an advantage against him as over the Incestuous person and the other Corinthians 2 Cor. 2.11 The man either lay snorting in his great sin or was ready to be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow and they either neglected holy Discipline altogether or else held him too long under that terrible censure of Excommunication Yet both he and they came into right order again chap. 7.7 8 9 10 11. And so other of the Lords Warriors they forsake the field sometimes but soon get courage and soon return to the field afresh 5. In respect of active obedience sometimes the life is very press and strict and unblameable and profitable the ways very fair a very good mixture of zeal and discretion good Husbandry and heavenly-mindedness are well matcht together that the man is even a Mirror in his place many may take example by him many bless God for him and few can do better then he doth And if he could keep at this stay he should live like an Angel upon earth But after a while the doating fit comes and all is off the hooks he is either scandalous with David or secure with the Spouse in the Canticles A great flaw and
gap is made till all be ashamed of him and he weary of himself A woful pickle and damnable but that he recovers all as Peter for a while a Turn-Coat but by and by a Penitent and at last a Martyr 6. The joy of the Lord is our strength Neh. 8.10 Sometimes we take much comfort in God go about his work very chearfully and pass not for small rubs that lie in our way no nor great ones it sufficeth that God is gracious and we shall have joy and glory enough in heaven But this bright-shining day suffers obscurity by a cloud when the Lord withdraweth a little Yet toward Evening it waxeth as bright as ever it was as the Martyrs at the stake after Recantations In every thing with a true Christian there is a recovery of losses to be made it is like the dead root of Jesse yet budding or as a Wheat-Corn dead in Winter but putting forth much strength in the Summer against the Harvest And this power of renewing his strength comes chiefly from God who saith such shall renew their strength and secondarily from themselves who being acted by grace will be willing all along to help themselves and so the Lord gets the honor of renewing their strength and themselves get much comfort by it Do ye yet want any more comfort Then see a little how this waiting on God and renewing of strength may stand you in stead against all those fears and cares and troubles which at times ye are subject unto No Prince when a Battel hath gone against him is so sure to recruit his forces and joyn issue again with the enemy as the Believer is sure by waiting on his God to renew his strength and recover all he hath lost and if he fear it is more then his good estate alloweth as for instance 1. Some good souls are afraid they shall never hold on to the end they have gone a good way in Religion but are so wearyish in themselves and find the world run so strong against them that they doubt they shall not overcome and then they must lose their Crown To whom I reply This and other places assure us of sufficient grounds for perseverance in the state of grace We stand by the everlasting love and compassion and covenant of our God We stand by the grace of a Mediator and so are better able to hold on then was Adam in innocency We stand by the strength and conduct of the Almighty Spirit of God who will never forsake us but abide with us for ever We stand by the invincible power of faith which through the mercy of God is able to keep us unto salvation We stand by vertue of the word that Immortal and Incorruptible seed which endureth for ever And the seed of God so abideth in us that we shall not fall away neither totally nor finally If so what ground for these fears or faintings 2. Some old Disciples are much troubled with the infirmities of old age in mind or body or both and are even weary of themselves and perform Religious duties but wearishly they are willing still to wait upon their God but cannot tell whether they shall be accepted or no or enabled to go on to Victory Answ Yet shall such be holpen with a little help Dan. 11 34. Little in their sense and apprehension but not in it self it is the power of God whereby they are kept to salvation and we know that the weakness of God is stronger then men We know also that God hath enlarged his power and all his excellencies for the good of his Chosen 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 I will carry you I have made and I will bear and I will carry and will deliver you Good comfort to them whose understanding and memory fails them with legs and senses and all that is of nature and weather offends them whether hot or cold and much ado they have to hold out with cheariness a little longer Yet in their God they shall find a supply both of strength and comfort to carry them to their journies end Only let them pray and it shall be done for them Plead as David Psal 71 9 12 17 18. Cast me not off in the time of old age forsake me not when my strength faileth O God 〈◊〉 not far from me I will go in the strength of the Lord God O God thou hast taught me from my youth and hitherto I have declared thy wondrous works Now also when I am old and gray-headed O Lord forsake me not untill I have shewed thy strength unto this generation and thy power to every one that is to come Where note by the way what is the proper and chief end of desiring long life or the assistance of God in our way It is that we may the better advance the glory of God and serve our generation according to his counsel 3. Another is even tyred out with Satanical temptations and accusations and doubts that one time or other he shall fall by the hand of this hellish enemy Oh how black and cunning and incessant his fiery darts are and himself in the mean time very weak and simple and easie to be over-reached Can there be any hope of carrying the Victory Answ Yes because thy Captain hath said Resist the Devil and he shall fly from you and ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one and the God of peace shall tread Satan under your feet shortly and the head of the old Serpent is so bruised by the seed of the Woman and his Victory that he can never recover full strength against the remnant of her seed We know too that greater is he that is in us then he that is in the world We read of the weapons which we are to weild and overcome that they are of Gods framing and appointment the Armour of God and The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to cast down strong holds which are raised against God and against our comfort and Not only the weapons are mighty but we by them Strong in the Lord and the power of his might so that a song of triumph may be sung by fainty Believers Who shall accuse or condemn or separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ Certainly all the gates of hell shall never prevail against the Church of God nor any faithful Member of it 4. Other Believers fear because of many troubles of the family or of the world there are fightings without and terrors within they even faint and are weary and shall be tyred out one time or other what shall they do Answ Let them remember that Christ hath overcome the world and therefore though in the world they have
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
this Banquet and not be the better for it How is it possible Well remember what that is to go rightly and do it indeed it is often shewed in our ministery and you called upon none can say he knows not Then settle to do it He that loves grace indeed and the comforts of grace let him strive to be lively and get as much of it as he can Doctr. 3. It is the nature and duty of good Christians to be constant in their good courses to the end not to be weary when they run nor faint when they walk The duty is in Rev. 2.10 Be thou faithful unto the death The priviledge is in this place They are born of incorruptible seed led by an holy Spirit that abides with them for ever embraced with an everlasting love and Covenant strengthned by a mighty faith which overcomes the world and quencheth the fiery darts of the Devil And this of the Text stands by way of promise They shall mount up They shall run and not be weary They shall walk and not faint Now all the promises of God in Christ are Yea and Amen The Oath and Promise of God are two immutable things wherein it is impossible he should be deceived or deceive Object They are weary oftentimes and faint in their course afflictions dishearten and unsettle them corruption of nature even foils them Satan gets within them Answ At the worst they fall not either totally or finally nor are ever so weary or faint but their strength is renewed again and they may say as the Apostle 2 Cor. 4.8 9 16. We are troubled on every side yet not distressed we are perplexed but not in despair persecuted but not forsaken cast down but not destroyed We faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed day by day Use Let all that wait on the Lord with their hearts both rejoyce in their priviledge and look well to their duty 1. Rejoyce in your priviledge Your endeavours in holy ways shall be Crowned with perseverance and your perseverance with glory Your desires shall be answered and satisfied to the full When many fall you shall stand And in the day when you are shrewdly shaken yet still you shall stand or if you fall you shall surely rise again True you must fear in respect of your selves and your own unstedfastness but in respect of God you have no cause at all to fear or be dismayed Through the mercy and grace of your God who hath promised you are as sure one day to be in heaven as now you are upon earth 2. Look to your duty that is to keep your selves in the love of God as the Apostle Jude adviseth Be not high-minded but fear and Let him that standeth take heed left he fall Holy joy never breeds security nor a neglect of the means as carnal and presumptuous us useth to do And not only work out your salvation with fear and trembling to shun a total and final Apostasie but take heed of partial and temporary backslidings admit as few interruptions in the way of well-doing as possibly you can still shake up your selves out of every weariness and every fainting Beware of the preparative though not to everlasting destruction yet temporary chastisement especially in the soul by the absence of Christ who withdraws a while when security prevailes Cant. 3. and 5. Ever fear to come any whit near that fatal conclusion of hypocrites who one time or other fall away and shew they were never the men and women that they would be taken to be not of us though among us 1 John 2.19 And of such the Lord saith If any man draw back my soul hath no pleasure in him and they draw back to perdition Heb. 10.39 USE IV. Conclusion ALL this so being may encourage all to a godly life and to receive the grace of God when it is offered to them as that which will set them in such a blessed and permanent condition above all the excellency nature is any way able to reach or attain Alass man what art thou by nature in the greatest of thy strength thou art but a fainting dying man In thy youth the flower of thine age thou mayest be soon cropt and defaced and then without grace in thy heart thou goest to hell as surely as Belzebub What is the strength of legs or beauty or nimbleness or healthiness or any natural endowments pretty things in their kind and such as whereof a good use may be made but in respect of Gods favor and heaven very trifles If so then much more honor riches pleasures ease dainty diet and the like these some call the gifts of fortune and Scripture saith they take them wings and profit not them that have been exercised in them Heb. 13.9 Wisdom would that a man look beyond all these to the better and enduring substance It is good that the heart be established with grace and not with meats He that is born anew unto God shall also be strong in God Though his beginning be but small and weak yet his latter end shall increase exceedingly Others of strong shall become weak he of weak shall become strong Let us hear the end of all All flesh is grass and the glory of man as the flower of the field the grass withereth and the flower fadeth away but the word of the Lord endureth for ever and this is the word which by the Gospel we preach unto you 1 Pet. 1.24 25. FINIS