by a suitable dispensation and to remember us when we forget him 3. Sometimes God supplies the want of a good memory by a mighty and efficacious blessing of his Holy Spirit so that there is much conveyed into the heart to better that little that is retained in the head A good work may be wrought upon the heart when very few words that are delivered by the Preacher are remembred The word sometimes passes through the soul and leaves a sweet savour behind it although it stayeth not It may be a poor soul goeth to hear a Sermon and upon his return would think he had lost all his pains were it not for this that he hath felt the power and efficacy of the Spirit of God upon his heart to do him good and for this he blesseth God He finds his heart quickned or melted or established in the faith and this is better to him than if he had it all by heart without such gratious effects 'T is good to remember what you hear but 't is better to be what you hear when it may be said of you as our Saviour of his Disciples Now are ye clean through the word which I have spoken to you John 15.3 As a sieve will not hold the water that is put into it yet is washed and cleansed by it even thus it is with some hearers though they can retain nothing of the expression of the word yet they are cleansed by the lively and efficacious impression thereof Beloved I speak not this to incourage any one in careless hearing and wilful neglect of retaining what they hear but for the comfort of those who when they have given all diligence in their attention yet their memory fails them in retaining what they have heard And I desire that all would take notice of this one thing that though it be the duty of all to treasure up the word in their heads yet the desire of their souls should be chiefly carried out after an impression thereof upon their hearts Head knowledge is good but heart knowledge is better To be able to repeat a Sermon is good but to live a Sermon is better And thou mayst be sure that God will inable thee to live truth in some measure although thou art not able to express the words thereof as they are delivered to thee And this shall be thy Relief in this case Thus much shall serve to shew you how Divine Relief flows in to the soul when the natural faculties thereof fail 2. Divine Relief flows in from God to the Soul of a good man when his infused habits fail and in the opening of this I must hold to my propounded method 1. I shall shew you that they may fail and how far they may fail 2. How relief flows into the Soul in this case First The infused habits of Grace and Virtue may fail There is not a Grace in a Christian but may fail at one time or other Though the state of Grace abideth alwaies yet every mans grace if any mans doth not alwaies abide in the same state A true frame of Grace shall never be destroyed but the heart of a gracious man doth not alwaies continue in the same frame The stream may not be cut off and yet there may be ebbings as well as flowings It may be low water with a Christian at some time in point of inherent grace as well as spiritual comfort He that hath the most grace may seem like him that hath the least and that in three things 1. In respect of the strength of Grace 2. In respect of the vigour and activity of Grace 3. In respect of the beauty and lustre of Grace First in respect of the strength of Grace Grace is not alwaies in the same strength Abraham was strong in Faith yet his Faith was not alwaies alike We find his Fear too strong for his Faith Abraham's Faith had ebbings and declinings Job's Patience at the first was mighty to bear and undergo his afflictions yet at some time it flagg'd Secondly Grace may fail in point of life and vigour The spiritual life of a Christian may not be alwaies lively and active Faith and love may not die and yet they may stir very little the fire of holy affections not be extinct and yet not flame The Church of Ephesus had left her first Love but she had not left off to love she loved Christ I but not as she did at first So it may be with others there may be an abatement of their love although not an extinguishment of it Thirdly Grace may fail in respect of its beauty and loveliness the beauty thereof may fade much 'T is with a Christian as 't is with a fruit-bearing tree the beauty of the tree is its leaves and fruit Now when the fruit is pluckt and the leaves fallen the beauty is gone Even so the holy fruit of a Christian is the beauty of a Christian that which renders him and his grace very lovely in the eyes of good men but when the fruit is off the tree when you see not the fruit of holiness and of spirituality growig upon him in his season the beauty of a Christian is departed from him And thus it may be with a good man for a time He that formerly acted very humbly may upon some temptation act very proudly He that once acted very self-denyingly may at another time act very self-seekingly He that formerly walked like a Saint and truly acted the part of a Saint may act not only below a Saint but below a man Such changes and varieties are found upon the most gratious frames of Spirit which the best of Saints have in this world The strength of grace may so far abate as that the strength of sin may increase The vigour and life of grace may so far abate as that little or nothing may appear but the deformity of sin Secondly What relief flows into the heart of a good man in this case God is still the strength of his heart 1. By preserving the root and principle of grace alive that would die if it were not preserved by a divine power Every Christian would cease to be gracious as well as fail in the exercise of grace if he were wholly left to himself I but Christians are kept in a state of grace by the power of God 1 Pet. 1.5 Grace in a Christian is the root of a Christian and therefore Believers are said to be rooted and grounded in love Eph. 3.17 and as the root may live when the fruit falls off nay when the trunk of the tree withers and decays that there is little life in it so it may be with a Christian I but how is this Root kept alive Why it is kept by an Almighty power Though a Christian doth not alwaies take care of his graces that they may be liuely and strong yet God doth alwaies take care that the root of grace may live he will keep that alive Divine power
from his sense as well as from faith This you have in the Text My flesh and my heart faileth me but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever q. d. I now find it to be true by mine own experience I can give a particular demonstration thereof God was good to me I was in a languishing sinking condition my strength gone and my life almost gone the pains of death and the sorrows of hell took hold on me that I was giving up all my hopes for lost And then God appeared to me and revived and strengthened my heart My case was very sad and now 't is as comfortable My hell is turned into an heaven of joy and comfort So that in the words you have a two fold experiment brought in to demonstrate one precious truth That God is good to Israel that is the truth 1. The first experiment is the Prophets malady 2. The latter is the Prophets relief The first is brought in to grandize and heighten the other Had not the Prophets malady been so desperate his relief had not appeared so glorious The worse the Prophets state was the more was Gods goodness seen in his relief and help Let us therefore take a further Surveigh of both First of the malady and therein consider 1. The nature or kind of it failing 2. The Subject wherein it was seated both in the flesh and in the heart Failing of the flesh notes out a consumption of the outward man or a loss of external supports So we find flesh taken in Scripture both properly for the outward man or the body of man when the strength thereof abates and departs the bulk or quantity thereof lessens or the beauty and glory thereof fades and also Metaphorically for the loss of external priviledges So Phil. 3 4 Flesh is taken for all external advantages These may fail Failing of the Heart notes out a sinking or dying When 1. The faculties of the soul sink and cannot perform their due offices either by way of apprehension election or retention 2. When the infused or acquired habits of the heart are indisposed to act or are weakened not only our moral but our Spiritual habits much abate 3. When the Animal spirits are expiring and even breathing forth This seems to be the Prophets disease and malady he was brought very low even to the very pit ready to die soul and body failed all his powers weakened When the body is smitten it flies for succour to the heart the spirit of a man will sustein his infirmities but when the heart is smitten also and that fails him too the man is done then he can afford himself no relief Die he must and will if God comes not in When communicated strength fails 't is time for the man to look abroad and seek for strength in God or else he sinks and never riseth more Secondly This is the Prophets relief God comes in and fetcheth life again reinsouls him communicates a new supply of strength to him sets him upon his feet again this makes him to say as you have it in the Text But is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rock of my heart In which words we may take notice of five things 1. The order inverted When he mentions his malady he begins with the failing of the flesh and then of the heart but when he reports the relief he begins with that of the heart From hence Observe That when God works a cure in man out of love he begins with the heart he cures that first And there may be these reasons for it 1. Because the sin of the heart is often the procuring cause of the malady of body and soul 2. The body ever fares the better for the soul but not the soul for the body 3. The cure of the soul is the principal cure 2. The suitableness of the remedy to the malady Strength of heart for failing of heart and a blessed portion for the failing of the flesh Obs That there is a proportionate remedy and relief in God for all maladies and afflictions whatsoever both within and without If your hearts fail you God is strength if your flesh fails you or comforts fail you God is a portion 3. The Prophets interest he calls God his strength and his portion Obs That true Israelites have an undoubted interest in God He is theirs 4. The Prophet's experience in the worst time He finds this to be true that when communicated strength fails there is a never failing strength in God Obs That Christians experiences of Gods all-sufficiency are then fullest and highest when created comforts fail them 5. Here is the Prophet's emprovement of his experience for support and comfort against future trials and temptations Obs That a Saints consideration of his experience of Gods all sufficiency in times of Exigency is enough to bear up and to fortifie his spirit against all trials and temptations for the time to come Thus you may emprove the Text by way of Observation But there are two principal Doctrines to be insisted on First That God is the Rock of a Saints heart his strength and his portion for ever Secondly That Divine influence and relief passeth from God to his people when they stand in most need thereof First God is the rock of a Saints heart strength and portion for ever Here are two members or branches in this Doctrine 1. That God is the rock of a Saints heart strength 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. That God is the portion of a Saint Branch 1. God is the rock of a Saints heart strength He is not only strength and the strength of their hearts but the rock of their strength so Esay 17.10 Psal 62.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same word that is used in the Text from hence comes our English word sure Explic. God is the rock of our strength both in respect of our naturals and also of spirituals he is the strength of nature and of grace Psal 27.1 the strength of my life natural and spiritual God is the strength of thy natural faculties of reason and understanding of wisdom and prudence of will and affections He is the strength of all thy graces faith patience meekness temperance hope and charity both as to their being and exercise He is the strength of all thy comfort and courage peace and happiness salvation and glory Psal 140.7 O God the rock of my Salvation In three respects First he is the Author and giver of all strength Psal 18.2 It is God that girdeth me with strength Psal 29.11 he will give strength to his people Psal 138.3 Psal 68.35 Secondly He is the increaser and perfecter of a Saints strength it is God that makes a Saint strong and mighty both to do and suffer to bear and forbear to believe and to hope to the end so Heb. 11.34 Out of weakness they were made strong so 1 Joh. 2.14 And
his hellish temptations God will bring him out with an holy triumph Hence is that of Psal 5.11 12. But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice let them ever shout for joy because thou defendest them let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee For thou Lord wilt bless the righteous with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield The Hebrew word signifies thou wilt crown him with a shield Some think that the Prophet alludes to a custome of the Athenians who were wont if a Soldier brought his Shield with him out of the battel safe and whole although he lost his Sword to lay his Shield upon his head and with that as with a Diadem to crown him He that holds fast the shield of Faith in an hour of temptation shall wear it on his head as his crown The trial of a Christians faith which is much more precious then of gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire shall be found unto praise honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1.7 And hence is that of the Apostle I have fought the good fight I have kept the faith and from henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness 2 Tim. 4.7 8. Thus I have opened the Doctrine and shewed you what relief flows from God to his people both when their flesh fails and when their heart fails 1. When the natural faculties of the Soul fail 2. When the infused habits of the Soul fail and 3. When the animal Spirits fail Now I will give you the grounds and Reasons thereof Reas 1. Taken from that near relation that is between God and good men He is their Father and they his Children he is their Husband and they his Wife Now this double relation speaks forth that infinite love that God bears to them and special care that God hath of them God bears a love to his people not only like to the love of a Father but infinitely beyond the love of a Father the love of a Father to his Child is but a dark resemblance of the love of God to his Children and therefore as God out-loves all Parents so he out-does all Parents His love is the love of an infinite Father and therefore knows no bounds either of time or measure and his relief is proportionable to his love Relief wrought by an Almighty arm See this clearly held forth Jer. 31.9 I will cause them to walk by the rivers of water in straaight way wherein they shall not stumble And why for I am a father unto Israel and Ephraim is my first-born Divine Paternity is one main ground of a Saints relief This is the reason why he will cause them to walk by the rivers of water in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble because he is their Father You know what dear and tender affection a good Father beareth to his Children especially to his first-born All the Childs wants weakness and grief are a trouble and grief to the Father Much more is God affected with the faintings and failings of his Children So Es 63.8 9. He said surely they are my people so he was their Saviour In all their afflictions he was afflicted and the Angel of his presence saved them in his love and in his pity he redeemed them and he bare them and carried them all the dayes of old The Prophet alludes to the Song of Moses Deut. 32.11 As an Eagle stirreth up her nest fluttereth over her young spreadeth abroad her wings taketh them beareth them on her wings so the Lord alone did lead him How doth this silly creature bestir her self when her young ones are in danger She stirs up her nest she fluttereth over her young and spreadeth abroad her wings And if all this will not secure them she takes them up and bears them upon her wings But how much more will God who is the fountain of such a disposition in his creature bestir himself and put forth his Almighty arm for the relief of his dear ones He will bear them upon the wing of his providence and carry them out of all danger Satan shall not make a prey of them If any thing will draw forth the bowels of a creature the same will draw forth the bowels of God yea much more Luke 11.13 If ye being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your heavenly father give the Spirit Alas the love of the Creature is but a drop in comparison of the love of God and therefore there must needs be more life and vigour in the love of God then in the love of all creatures As there is more heat in the body of the Sun then in all its raies were they all contracted into one ray so it is here And therefore if an earthly creature be so apt to tender the good and welfare of those that belong to it what propensity is there in the heart of God to relieve his people when they are in any straights Many an Orphan sits down and weeps over himself in his calamity and thus bemoans his condition If my Father were alive he would not see me want he would pity and relieve me in my sad condition Why Beloved there is never a child of God that needs put finger in the eye in this respect for your Father is alive he lives for ever he is an everlasting Father and as our Text saith A portion for ever And as he is a tender Father so he is a kind Husband So Es 54.5 For thy maker is thine Husband Though he will not relieve and help men because he is their maker yet he will relieve and help all those to whom he is an Husband As long as marriage Covenant holds God will take the care of his Spouse in sickness as well as in health in poverty as in riches in weakness as in strength Nay as a good Husband is most tender over his Wife in the time of her weakness and sickness even so is God to his Spouse she shall want nothing that an Almighty hand can provide for her Reas 2. Taken from Gods design in all his peoples straights and necessities God lets them fall into straights that he may have the glory of their relief Whatever hand brings them in it is a divine hand that must bring them out We may say of all a Christians troubles and failings both of Flesh and Spirit as our Saviour said of Lazarus his death John 11.4 This sickness is not unto death but for the glory of God that the Son of God might be glorified thereby Lazarus must die yea and be buried also that Christ might have the glory of his resurrection and that after he had been dead four daies His sickness was unto death but not to death eternal for he had a speedy resurrection that made his death but a trance or a long sleep Happy Lazarus as one saith though sick and