God which he hath sanctified and set apart for their confirmation in grace and in time they shall see all this evil redrest they shall meet with a strength they know not whence but only from God and this shall increase grace and comfort in their souls and fortifie them yet more to the day of their Redemption Esa 25.9 It shall be said in that day Lo this is our God we have waited for him and he will save us this is the Lord we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation and chap. 26.8 and 30.18 and Dan. 12.12 Blessed is he that waiteth Certainly God will not be wanting to his own wayes nor fail of his promises made to Believers and where is faith to call for them they shall surely be fulfilled Psal 9.18 The needy shall not alway be forgotten the expectation of the poor shall not perish for ever and Psal 10.17 Lord thou hast heard the desire of the humble thou wilt prepare their heart thou wilt cause thine ear to hear It is not for his glory to fail his people or if he should their hearts would fail them they would fall quite away their souls would be lost and their holy profession greatly disparaged Here it may be objected that many who waited upon God sometime are grown faint and weary and have utterly lost all their strength in the matters of Religion Answ No doubt but hypocrites may quite fall away it may be turn to be enemies they never waited on God in the way of faith and obedience and therefore might well let fall their hopeful beginnings and plausible forms of religiousness 1 John 2.19 They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us Such are all our Apostates whether they be become Papists or Hereticks or Mockers of Zeal or Worldlings or Persecutors of their godly Brethren or profane in the course of their lives But whether may not a true Believer lose his strength and faint and be weary Answ Though it be a priviledge of the New Covenant that the grace of Christ in his people shall not fail and be extinguished yet they have no such priviledge as to flourish and remain still in the same vigor Their strength may be weakned though not annulled As in Nature a strong man may become weak by a Disease or by long fasting or by much travelling or the like so in matters of grace a tall and lusty Christian may become weak even as another who is but a Novice and beginner in the School of Christ I mean for a while and in some particular thing not wholly nor to the end A Brother may be overtaken in a fault and another may be tempted in like manner Gal. 6.1 And he that thinketh he standeth must take heed lest he fall Now in two respects may the strength of a true Christian be much abated both for his grace and for his comforts 1. His graces and gracious behaviour may be much weakned Ephesus left her first love that is the measure of love to the Gospel which she shewed at first receiving it Rev. 2.4 She loved it still and loved it heartily as appears by the second Verse I know thy works and thy labour and thy patience and how thou canst not bear with them that are evil and thou hast tryed them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them lyars And hast born and hast patience and for my Name sake hast laboured and hast not fainted But she loved it not so earnestly and heartily as she did at the beginning She had need to quicken up her self and do the first works So in chap 3.2 fainting Sardis must be watchful and strengthen the things which remain that are ready to dye for her works were not found perfect before God they wede not done in that entire manner as formerly they were So of other graces we feel too often and too much how our faith or hope or patience or humility and the rest do meet with knocks and cracks We make too many breaches in them Sometimes it is too too bad Our lives are nothing so profitable as they were The care and watch is broken up in comparison of the former diligence The tongue is even tyed and good speech is very rare over it was heretofore that if we should be still on the losing hand as we are now and then we should in time prove very Bankrupts in grace and be nothing worth toward God and toward the salvation of our souls 2. The comforts of a true Christian may be much weakned that he needs to pray with David Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Psal 51.8 12. And often in the Psalms we read an alternation of joy and sorrow So unto this day Gods Children find great alteration in their comforts they have not the old feelings they miss the refreshings of the night which formerly they found they want the joys of the Spirit in the ancient liveliness their assurances are much decayed the head now hangs down like a Bull-rush which even was lifted up chearfully in looking for the day of Redemption the voice of joy is gone from their dwellings All is amort and in a dump and the man wonders what is come to him to make him so heavy He hath worldly comforts as he had before yea and he performs the same duties as he did before yet he hath not the same comfort either by failing in those duties or committing some presumptuous sin whereof hitherto he hath not repented as he sees at last and so recovers his hold of God but for the present he is very weak as wanting the joy of the Lord which should be his strength Neh. 8.10 But some will ask How far may the strength of a true Christian be abated Answ 1. With Caution the question is not of the being of a Christian but of his strength He that is once truly regenerate is ever regenerate and ever in the state of grace Only his grace is not alike strong at all times 2. Of them that faint all have not their strength in like manner or measure taken from them nor the same Christian every time of fainting Some are grievous falls some less some are lighter fears and sorrows some heavy Accordingly there needs more ado to recover some then other On some we must have compassion others we must save with fear plucking them out of the fire still putting a difference as the Apostle speaks Jude 22 2â— 3. It is lamentable to say how far the strength of a true Christian may be abated For graces not only the exercise and manifestation of them may be suspended but even the habits themselves much wasted and things
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
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