thee by little and little and not all at once c. Deut. 7.22 and the Lord did order and over-rule it there for Israels good Thus it is in our Spiritual Warfare tho' God's promise is to tread down Satan under our Feet shortly Rom. 16.20 yet God will not make his promises good too soon It was for their own good as in that fore-named Scripture lest the Beasts of the Field increase upon thee for he is a God of Judgment and waiteth to give us his Mercies when they may do us most good and therefore blessed are they that wait for him Isa 30.18 He gives his Mercy in the best Season tho' not so soon as we do desire we long to conquer our Corruptions those cursed Canaanites in one day which our Lord hath ordered and ordained to be the work of our whole Lives our Corruptions as the Canaanites are left yet unsubdued only to prove us in our owning God c. Judg. 2.21,22 and Judg. 3.4 This mortifying of sin as well as fortifying of grace is pensum Diurnum Perpeâ—uum both a daily and a perpetual Task God will keep a Tedder at our Foot to keep us humble Paul must have a Thorn in the Flesh a Messenger of Satan to buffet him lest he should be exalted above measure with his late Rapture into Paradise 2 Cor. 12.2,3,4,7 There will be work enough for the exercise of Grace till it be turned into Glory Notwithstanding the Canaanites with their Iron Chariots were so strong that Israel could not drive them out Josh 17.16 yet the faithful God as he is called Deut. 7.9 and who will not be slack ver 10. did promise that they should drive them out tho' they had Iron Chariots and tho' they were strong Josh 17.18 the Lord of Hosts was too mighty for them Thus we complain concerning our Corruptions that they fall not fast enough by mortifying Grace but we must know for our Comfort our Faithful God will not be slack as before for killing our cursed Canaanites He indeed may seem to be slow in our thoughts yet he is never slack but will be ever sure he will not suffer his faithfulness to fail nor alter the thing that is gone out of his Lips Psal 89.33 what he speaks with his Mouth he fulfils with his Hand 1 Kings 8.24 he will do what he hath said 2 Sam. 7.25 whether ancient promises Tit. 1.1,2 which never failed in any Age no nor his Menaces neither Zeph. 3.5 nor will he fail in this of treading Satan under our Feet shortly Prov. 16.20 In the mean time let us enquire Do we gain ground of our Spiritual Enemies doth the House of Saul in us wax weaker and weaker and the House of David in us grow stronger and stronger as 2 Sam. 3.1 can we feel our Lord a destroying the works of the Devil in us Heb. 2.14 1 John 3.8 tho' as yet they be not altogether destroyed Are we daily dying to sin tho' not as yet wholly dead to it even this may ensure us of Victory at last let us compare time with time may we but experience how heretofore the fleshly law in thee had thy Sabbaths thy Time thy Strength yea thy very Heart and Affections but now by the power of Renewing Grace the Law of the Spirit in thee hath rescued at laest a little of all the aforesaid and subjected that little under the Law of the Spirit so that thou finds those two contrary Laws now in thee to wit the Law of the Members and the Law of the Mind warring against each other c. Rom. 7.15 to 23. which makes thee cry out as the betrothed Damself did in the field when she was assaulted by a man too strong for her Deut. 22.27 as Amnon was too strong for Tamar 2 Sam. 13.14 so dost thou cry out with Paul Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of Death and thank God with him that Jesus Christ our Lord is thy Deliverer saying likewise as he did so then with the Mind I my self do serve the Law of God but with the Flesh the Law of Sin Rom. 7.24,25 If we find our selves in no worse a condition than that of the Holy Apostle himself this cannot be uncomfortable and discouraging to us the same conflict betwixt two contrary Laws is common to all Christians For as Paul had informed the believing Romans of it as above So he affirms yea and Confirms the same Truth to the believing Galatians saying walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts thereof for the Flesh lusteth against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh and these are contrary the one to the other so that ye cannot do the things that ye would c. Gal. 5.16,17 The meaning whereof is that as we cannot do the good which we would do because the Flesh doth hinder us so we cannot do the evil which we would by the unrenewed part of our wills do because the Spirit hinders us Now may we but find by sound experience that the Law of the Spirit gains ground of the Law of the Flesh in us this is a comfortable Character that we shall be Conquerors in this Spiritual Conflict Thus Satan's Assaults now are feebler than heretofore against us like that of the old Gauls of whom it is said prior impetus est plusquam Virorum posterior minus quam faeminarum more than Men at first but less than Women at last The Third Comfortable Character of a Conqueror is that he is able to break the Ranks of the Van-guard or Fore-front of his Enemies and so force them to draw back 'T is a great encouragement to a General to set his Feet and the Feet of his Army upon the same ground where his Adversaries pitched their Battalia's against him he knows if once they begin to flinch they will soon also begin to flee especially if he can gain their most advantagious ground from which as from an higher standing they did mostly annoy him but much more if he can shatter and disorder their Front where the men of greatest Gallantry are ever most politickly placed if once they come into confusion and be as we say hand over head then he doth more easily break in upon them and so rout them out of the field It was once a notable stratagem of an English General that when he came up close to the face of his Foes he ordered his Army to make a loud and universal outcry they run in the Rear they run they run this Cry did so daunt the Front who feared it to be true that thereby both the Van and the Rear did run away indeed Thus is it with us in our Spiritual Warfare our Spiritual Enemies do not war against us as is done in a Duel but one to one but here is many against one those fleshly lusts that fight against our Souls are not one only but many in the plural number 1 Pet. 2.11 And
kindest Candour to them seeing I find willingness of Spirit so far as you are renewed in the Inner-man by the Law of the Mind I will either strengthen you against the weakness of the Flesh or I will pardon it and not only so but I will accept of your willingness to Watch and Pray wherein your unrenewed part by the Law of your Members doth discover so much weakness Thus our Lord excuseth their frailties of Flesh whereof he minds them lest they should presume yet he most graciously owns and acknowledges the Bent of their Spirits lest they should despair The purpose of our Hearts must be to cleave unto the Lord Acts 11.23 and because we cannot duly perform it for we cannot serve the Lord without Distraction 1 Cor. 7.35 Therefore we ought to pray with David Lord unite my heart to serve thee Psal 86.11 For a loose Heart that is not tied fast to God can never abide at the Mark but will start aside like a deceitful Bow Psal 78.57 and Hos 7.16 Alas never did the unruly Bullock stand in more need to be bound fast with Cords to the Horns of the Altar Psal 118.27 than our Hearts do to be bound fast to God with the golden Cords of Christ's Love in our Communion with him And thus our Lord speaketh With everlasting kindness have I drawn thee Jer. 31.3 And I drew them with the Cords of a or suitable to a Man even with Bands of Love Hos 11.4 Whereas God had complained of his People a little before this that their hearts were divided Hos 10.2 because Anima dispersa fit minor saith the Philosopher when the Soul is dispersed among various Objects it is thereby much weakened in its Actings Whereas on the other hand Vis unita est fortior an Heart united and firmly fixed to God as David's Phrase is is thereby so strengthened as to cleave close to the Lord for he is our Life and the Length of our Days Deut. 30.20 Oh! happy are such Souls that can carry on their Communion with God be able to say My heart is fixed as David saith three several times Psal 57.7 and 108.1 and 112.7 Yea and can drive away wandring Thoughts in the Worship of God as Abraham drove away the Fowls which did disturb him in his sacrificing Work Gen. 15.11 And likewise can answer distracting Fancies as Nehemiah did his Adversaries I am about a great Work and cannot attend you why should God's Work cease whilst I leave it and come down to you Neh. 6.3 'T is observable that Honey while it is boiling hot will not be blown upon by any filthy Flies nor would our Hearts be fly-blown by Beelzebub the Prince of Flies as the Name signifies If we could but keep them in a fervent Frame enditing good Matter as David did his heart Psal 45.1 Hebr. Margent God commands us to be fervent in Spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12.11 or we cannot keep in Communion with God but neither this Work nor any other can we do by any strength of our own yet may we be able to do all the Works of a Christian through Christ the stronger Man that strengthens us Phil. 4.13 The Seventh and last Case of Difficulty in which the Redeemer strengthens his Redeemed with a conquering Power is in making their Passage forward and their Progress perfect through the wayless and waterless Wilderness of this present evil World so called Gal. 1.4 even into the Heavenly Canaan yea and home to their Father's House 'T was God's Command say to the Children of Israel that they go forward c. Exod. 14.15,16 Though there be a Red-Sea before and an Enemy behind and mighty Mountains round about yet was there no cause of fear because Christ in the Cloudy-Pillar went along with them and was present both in the Van and in the Rear The same Office of Love doth the strengthening Presence of Christ do still unto all the true Israel of God This is shewed in Hosea 11.1,2,3,4 where Ephraim the Child the Lord taught him to go or as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Septuagint word there signifies to pace leaving his natural Trot in ways of Sin intimating how God put him as it were into the Traces as Horse-Masters do young Colts to teach them to Pace c. So God doth here taking the Child Ephraim by the Arms c. Where beside that notable Notion of teaching to Pace or Amble from the Greek Version the Hebrew Text represents Christ as a Nurse bearing the Nursling by the Arms whereby she supports the weight of his Body then she teaches him how to move his Legs forward step by step Thus our Lord is said to guide our feet in the way of Peace Luke 1.79 He doth strengthen our feeble Knees drawing us fortiter tamen suaviter strongly yet sweetly through the Quagmires of Crosses by the Cords of a Man Hos 11.4 that is he Drags us not along like Beasts but he draws us gently endways by Means and Motives suitable to the rational Nature of Man even with Bands of Love irresistibly by the effectual workings of his Holy Spirit which he hath promised to bestow upon us John 6.44 and 12.32 and which the Spouse prayed for when she found some Back-biasses that made her hang backward in her Progress toward Heaven Cant. 1.4 Oh blessed are they whose strength is in the Lord they pass on from strength to strength Psal 84.5,7 and grow stronger and stronger Job 17.9 Such do pass from Mithcah to Cashnonah Numb 33.29 that is from Sweetness unto Swiftness as those two Hebrew names do signify They lift up their feet and walk lustily towards Canaan as Jacob did after his refreshing Bait of the Ladder at Bethel Gen. 28.12 c. with 29.1 Margent Oh! happy is that Man whose right hand the Lord upholdeth in his whole Work as he did for Cyrus Isa 45.1 though Abraham knew not whither he went Hebr. 11.8 yet he well knew with whom he went for he walked with God as a Child in a Fathers hand who hath promised to save to the utmost Heb. 7.25 The Second Enquiry is What Conditions doth our strong Redeemer require of his Redeemed that he may cause them to become Conquerors c. Answer The Conditions are Twofold 1 st We must keep constantly in God's Arms c. And 2 dly We must wholly put on God's Armour First On the 1 st of these briefly we must keep constantly in God's Arms for the Eternal God is our Refuge and his Everlasting Arms must be underneath us Deut. 33.27 God tells us that our Hearts are weak Ezek. 16.30 And David from his sense hereof crieth Have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak Psalm 6.2 And hereupon it is the Churches Prayer Lord be thou our Arm every Morning Isa 33.2 otherwise we shall do nothing but stumble and fall like weak Children that love not to keep constantly in their Fathers Arms but will presumptuously be venturing to go alone and
saying Slack not thy Hand from thy Servants who are now entred into Covenant with thee but come â—o us quickly and save us for all the Kings of â—he Amorites that dwell in the Mountains are gathered together against us Josh 10.6 c. Upon this earnest and affectionate Message and Outcry General Joshuah immediately comes from Gilgal the place of rolling away Reproach as the word signifies and falls upon the cursed Kings and Canaanites unexpectedly and surprizes â—hem all suddenly Yea and the Lord himself likewise threw down great Hail-stones out of Heaven upon them and â—hereby all those formidable Adversaries were quite destroyed accordingly this is very often our own case Alas how weak â—re our Hearts Ezek. 16.30 when this Strong Man armed maketh his furious Assaults upon us David did acknowledge himself as unable to resist his strong Adversaries when he cried have mercy upon me O Lord for I am weak c. 〈◊〉 Psal 6.2,3,4 as the Gibeonites did tâ— withstand the Forces of the Kings of thâ— Mountains c. much more may we bâ— sensible of our own insufficiency to stand before the violent shoks of this Strong Maâ— Satan no meer mortal man is sufficient oâ— himself for that withstanding work 〈◊〉 not the Innocentest Man Adam nor the Strongest Man Samson no nor the Wisest Man Solomon as elsewhere but trulâ— all our sufficiency is of God 2 Cor. 3.5 and therefore must we send our winged Messengers of fervent Prayers to him and make out our strong Cries unto Christ Jesus as the Gibeonites did unto that great General Joshuah saying oh our dear Lord Jesus slack not thy Hand from thy Servants who are through thy Grace brought into the bonds of the Covenant of Grace with thy blessed self oh make no delay let our extremity be thy opportunity not only the Philistines are faln upon us as upon Samson but even the Kings of the Mountains even Spiritual Wickednesses in high Places called Principalities and Powers do make their furious Assaults upon us We have put our selves oh Lord under thy blessed Protection Therefore hasten to succour us and make no long tarrying oh our good God Psal 40.17 then may we hope to hear the sound of God's goings upon the Tops of the Mulberry-Trees 2 Sam. 5.24 and we may have cause to sing with the Spouse saying 't is the Voice of our Beloved behold he cometh leaping over Mountains and skipping over Hills Cant. 2.8 He is coming he is coming to bring the supplies of the Spirit of Christ to relieve our Souls Phil. 1.19 and he will pour down great Hail Stones out of Heaven upon the Heads of our Spiritual Enemies and discomfit them tho' Satan and a whole Kingdom of Devils be engaged against us This 7 th piece of Armour is called Armatura Armaturae the Armour of Armour named last because it buckles all the rest on and helps to a right improvement of all both for Defence and Offence c. Thus David had such Outcries as these saying This poor Man cried and the Lord heard him and saved him c. Psal 34.6 And thus Paul had such Outcries also saying Oh wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me and then thanketh he his Lord Christ for delivering him c. Rom. 7.24,25 And thus the Betrothed Damsel cried out when she was assaulted by one too strong for her and tho' she found no Deliverer yet is she assured that she shall not die because she crieâ— out Deut. 22.27 But the Virgin Daughter of Sion fared better for she had heâ— Saviour to come and succour her at heâ— Outcries after Him who put a Bridle upon that unruly Beast her Adversary and so comforted her heart as to make her able even to laugh him to scorn c. Isa 37.22,28,29 In short all these premises do abundantly demonstrate the excellency of this last part of the Christian Armour namely Darts of Prayer which drives the Devil out of the Field in our warring this good Warfare and constrains him to flee from us as one conquered by us NB. When our own Prayers prevail not Note well the Prayer of Christ saved Peter from Satan's Snare Luke 22.31,32 more especially if we join Fasting to Praying tho' Homer tellâ— us how Nestor in the Wars of Troy musâ— take his Breakfast in the Morning to animate himself the more for his fighting-work Yet our Lord doth better tell us thaâ— there be some Devils of such a malignanâ—… Nature that they cannot be cast out buâ— by Fasting and Prayer Matt. 17.21 How well therefore doth the Apostle command us to be praying always with alâ— Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit Eph. 6.18 that is all sorts of Prayer yea the best sort of Prayer both that which is edged and animated with Fasting and more especially that of praying in the Holy Ghost Jude ver 20. for fervent Prayer is a clear Stream that flows solely from the pure Spring of the Spirit of Grace c. and that this Praying-work may be the more effectually performed the Apostle subjoins the Duty of watching thereunto with all perseverance c. ver 18. that we may not be surprized at unawares because the Devil watcheth us and walketh his Round Night and Day uncessantly to take us napping 1 Pet. 5.8 seeking whom he may devour as before therefore is watching so necessary that it is so often recorded in Scripture as an universal Duty as above and most needful in praying work Hereupon our Lord joins them both together Watch and Pray lest ye enter into Temptation Matth. 26.41 as the Apostle doth here for if we be not upon our Guard continually and even Watch while we do Pray both over Satan's Temptations without and over our own Corruptions within Satan will be interrupting us as the Pythoness his Instrument did interrupt Paul in his Praying-work Acts 16.16 and as the Fowls of the Air which is the Devil's Territories Ephes 1.2,3 did interrupt Father Abraham in his Sacrificing-work Gen. 15.11 Yea and as the Adversaries Sanballat c. did molest good Nehemiah in his Building-work Neh. 41.3 'T is a certain observation that amongst all Actions Satan will be busiest in the best of Actions and mostly most busie in the best part of that best Action as towards the closure of Prayer when the Heart should be closing it self up with the sweetest comforts c. therefore are we bid to Watch and Pray and to Pray and Watch that Satan may not draw us out of our Trenches as Joshuah did the Men of Ai Josh 8.6 therefore our Lord exhorteth us to abide in the Vine Joh. 15.4,7 and his beloved Disciple saith little Children abide in him 1 Joh. 2.28 that is keep Home keep close under the shadow of your Father's Wing Psal 91.1 Our Lord saith O Jerusalem Jerusalem how oft would I have gathered my Children together even as a Hen gathers her Chickens under her Wings c. Matth. 23.37 which intimateth that those are fond Chickens that
us c. It followeth then that the Duty of Resisting must likewise be done as an additional Duty unto Watching and Praying and we must spend our whole lives in the work of watching praying and resisting to our dying day c. Upon those few following Considerations over and above the Arguments before-mentioned As 1 st Consider well that the Devil is like the Crocodile of whom Pliny relateth that if men pursue him he will flee from them but if men flee from him he will then pursue after them c. 2 ly Consider there is indeed a playing upon the hole of the Asp and a putting the hand upon the Cockatrice Den which Christ hath promised he will secure little Children from the danger thereof Isa 11.8 when he comes to create the new Heavens and the new earth wherein shall dwell all righteousness 2 Pet. 3.13 But we may not do so now for if we dally with the Devil in leading our selves into Places and Companies of Temptation whereas we pray that the Lord may not lead us into Temptation in the Lord's Prayer this is foolish presumption and a plain tempting of the Tempter 3 ly Consider what is required of us â—n this Resisting Duty 't is only a strong â—egative resolving in Christ's strength to â—nswer the Tempter with an holy and peâ—emptory No No I may not I cannot I â—are not do it to give Satan a flat deâ—ial is no difficult Duty and 't is not resisting unto blood Heb. 12.4 4 ly Consider if we resist not but â—ield contrary to that Apostolical command yield not your Members as weapons of wickedness unto sin as the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies Rom. 6.13,14,19 â—hen are we taken Captives by Satan and â—ed about by him as his Slaves at his will 2 Tim. 2.26 and not taken to be preserved alive as before but to be destroyed c. 2 Pet. 2.12 Oh woful condition c. 5 ly Consider that he who now tempts us to sin will accuse us afterward for that sin as elsewhere yea and those very Snares of Sin wherewith Satan at present doth entangle us will at the last become Chains of Darkness in Hell c. 6 ly Consider this striving against sin Heb. 12.4 must be constant and last so long as life doth last we should resist wholly with this whole Armour of God because when we have overcome the prophane Devil a worldly Devil may prevail against us Or if we have been madâ— able to master a Swearing Devil then 〈◊〉 Lying Devil may prove too hard for us and if we can conquer all those and manâ— more Devils c. After the subduing oâ— all these then may the Devil of Pridâ— rise up and prevail over us for that olâ— saying of Bernard's Tot Daemonia quâ— Crimina so many sins as do reign over us so many Devils do rule in us seeing every such sin hath a Devil in it Now this siâ— of Pride as it is the first that is learnâ— so it is the last that is lest for there is something of Pride even in the besâ— Hearts even good Hezekiah's was lifted up in pride 2 Chron. 32.25,31 7 ly Consider for our Comfort that ouâ— constant conflict against Sin and Satan is a better evidence of true sanctifying and saving grace than any perfection of Holiness that can be found in the most sanctified souls Paul himself who tho' he had been rap'd up into the Third Heavens and into Paradice it self 2 Cor. 12.2,4 yet he after this complaineth of a Thorn in the Flesh a Messenger of Satan to buffet him c. ver 7 8 9. and he saith of himself not as tho' I had already attained or were already perfect but I press after it c. Phil. 3.11,12,13,14 and crys Oh wretched man c. Rom. 7.24 8 ly and lastly Let us consider and better consider for our comfort if we can but know that Christ is in us 2 Cor. 13.5 then Christ in us is stronger for us than this Strong Man Satan can be against us Luke 11.21,22 If our Lord be for us 't is no matter who or what is against us Rom. 8.31 Stronger is he in us than he that is in the World 1 John 4.4 As our Lord hath conquered Satan as before in his own Person so he hath promis'd to do the same in all his sincere Members he will not lose so much as one of them John 6.39 and 17.12 Oh pray pray pray that Christ may strengthen us Phil. 4.13 that we may shake this Viper the Old Serpent from off our Hearts as Paul did the Viper from off his Hands into the fire of Hell Acts 28. ver 4 5 6 c. CHAP. IV. Shewing the way to Compleat a Conquest in God's Armour Advice to Young and Old c. THere be Two Grand Duties that concern all Mankind Male and Female Rich and Poor Young and Old c. which are coupled together in that one Verse 1 Tim. 6.19 to wit 1 st A laying up in store for our selves a good foundation against the time to come And 2 dly A laying hold on Eternal Life First of the 1 st Lay a good Foundation c. This is always look'd upon by Wise Men as a Work of great weight we ought all to be Builders of the Tower of Godliness Luke 14.28 'T is compared to a Tower upon manifold accounts As 1. 'T is an high Building 2. Stately 3. Difficult 4. Exposed to Storms which plain Ground is not obvious unto 5. Costly far beyond Hutts or Cottages c. 6. Godliness hath all the parts of an Aedifice as Foundation Corners and the Roof or Top c. Now this Good Foundation is not either Good Meanings or General Mercy or an External Profession these are all Sandy Matth. 7.24,26 but 't is the Rock Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 Acts 4.12 Col. 1.15,17 1 Pet. 1.20 Rev. 13.8 c. Now if we fail in the Foundation which is the first of those two great Duties we can never obtain any solid ground of Hope for the Second of laying hold on Eternal Life which is the Top of that Mystical Tower of which it may be truy said even without any Hyperbole what is said of the Tower of Babel that the Top of it reacheth up into Heaven Gen. 11.4 An Antient Popish Limner or Painter drew Solomon's Picture in this Posture of his being one half in Heaven and the other half in Hell c. Thus the Man that sets one of his Feet upon a Rock but his other Foot upon a Quagmire contiguous to the Rock whereby he Sinketh down with his whole Body into the Dirt c. Thus likewise will it befal us if we make not Christ our All and in All Col. 3.11 but lean partly upon God and partly upon the World if we halt betwixt the Flesh and the Spirit alas we then seem to hang as it were equally poiz'd betwixt our fear of Hell and our hope of Heaven with Sâ—lomon's
Earth Reason the Third The very Name and Nature of Saintship or Christianity is to be found in this Duty of Watching for Saints are called the Children not of the Night which is the proper time of sleeping but of the light and of the day which is the appointed season for Watching Walking and Working 1 Thes 5.5,6,7 Such as are quickned by the Grace of Christ Ephes 2.1 and are awaked out of the sleep and State of sin Ephes 5.14 never after this can sleep the sleep of Death Psal 13.3 The Spouse of Christ did indeed sleep when she should have been upon her watch but her heart was then awake so that she could tell all those Titles of Love verbatim word for word that her beloved Lord had saluted her with even while she was in her half-sleep she aggravates the foulness of her fault for her refusing such sweet embraces offered them to her Cant. 5.2,4,5 And the five wise Virgins indeed nodded and napped a little they slumbred but they did not sleep as the five foolish Virgins did for it was only by Candle-light their Lamps were still burning and they had Oil in their Vessels as well as in their Lamps Matth. 25.4,5 c. The conclusion of that Parable is Watch therefore for ye know not when the Lord will come ver 13. Thus the choicest and chiefest Saints may sometimes be taken napping yet the hidden man of the heart as the phrase is 1 Pet. 3.4 is still kept awake in them as it was with the Spouse above The Fourth Reason for our Watching is drawn from several Emblems of this Duty c. First the Hare and the Lion are given by the learned Criticks as the two Hieoroglificks or Representations and Resemblances of true Christians because Naturalists do observe that those two Animals always sleep with their Eyes wide open c. Thus likewise Secondly The Modern Jews use to sacrifice a white Cock upon New Years Day whose intrails they ordain a Raven to fly away with into the Fields and then to devour them c. This is another Emblem of Christian Vigilancy and in this History there is this Mystery the Cock is known to be the most watchful creature and therefore the Cock crowing gives a denomination to the third part of the Night in Sacred Scripture Evening Midnight Cock-crow and Morning Mar. 13.35 and so is a fit Resemblance of the watchful Christian and yet the more fit insomuch as the Sacrifice must be a white Cock to represent how Christians are washed white in the Blood of Christ Rev. 7.14 And there is congruity in the parallel of the Raven flying away with the white Cock's Intrails likewise for one of the Spouses commendable Characters of her Beloved is His locks are bushy and black as a Raven Cant. 5.11 Thus Christ is the mystical Raven that flies away with the infirmities and sins of every watchful white-washed Christian c. Christ is the true Antitype of that Typical Scape-goat that did carry away all the Iniquities Transgressions and Sins of Israel into the Land of everlasting forgetfulness Lev. 16.21 They shall all be blotted out Isa 43.25 and none of them remembred any more Heb. 8.12 Now having answered the first inquiry in shewing the Reasons why we ought all to be watchful ones The Second Inquiry is what is this kind of Watching which our Lord doth command us to be found in Answer There be three Kinds or Sorts of Watching The 1 st is that which is Corporeal Watching or that of the Body which is in some cases highly commendable as in those Shepherds that brought tidings of Christ's Birth Luk. 2.8,9,10 c. They were not only Vigilantes but also were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they abode in the field keeping watch over their Flock by Night Tho' they had but sorry Lodging there yet had they a most Curious Canopy over their Heads to wit the Heavens or stately Firmament most richly bespangled with glittering and glorious Stars nor was this all the blessing that those Bodily Watchers had but they were near a better Blessing even that Glorious Angel Gabriel appeared to them only and not to any of the great men of Jerusalem c. no nor to either of those good men Zechary or Simeon c. with these glad Tidings of the Birth of the Worlds Redeemer c. Therefore these Pastors or Shepherds of whom it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 custodiebant custodias they watched their Flocks Luke 2.8 may be a blessed Pattern for all good Pastors or Gospel Ministers to take heed of their Ministry which they have received in the Lord that they fulfil it Col. 4.17 The Angel Gabriel may the sooner appear to them as this Corporeal or Bodily Watching was thus richly rewarded in those watchful Shepherds so the want of this first kind of watching was sharply rebuked by our Lord Jesus saying to his sleepy and slippery Disciples What cannot ye watch with me so much as one hour Matt. 26.40 The Second Sort of Watching is Diabolical as the Wicked watcheth the Righteous Psal 37.32 of this David often complaineth how they every day wrested his words Psal 56.5 And thus they watched our dear Lord of whom David was both Father and Figure as we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 3.2 These wicked ones lay catching and carping at his words as the Greek word signifies and that other Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used in Luke 14.1 intimates that they pryed as narrowly into Christ's Actions as ever Laban did into Jacob's Stuff for his Teraphims Gen. 31.33,34 Thus Saul sent his Spies to watch David 1 Sam. 19.11 to kill him Thus was it the sad complaint of the Prophet Jeremy all my Familiars watched for my Halting c. Jer. 20.10 This is a watching that hath the Devil for its Father as John 8.44 begotten upon a depraved Spirit which lusteth to envy Jam. 4.5 as upon the Mother of it God bless us from this c. But the Third kind of Watching is that which is truly Divine and Spiritual and which is not born of the Flesh but of the Spirit John 3.6 and therefore this third sort is not Carnal much less Diabolical or Devilish but it is born from Heaven and is an effectual means to help us to Heaven if we live out our Lives in a careful and conscientious obedience to this great Command of our Lord Christ saying watch Matth. 24.42 and 26.41 Mark 13. last and Luke 12.37,38,43 c. The Third Inquiry is What is this true Christian Vigilancy or Spiritual Watching Christ requireth here Answer It is in short Christian Prudence vigorously actuated or the actual and lively exercise of that Divine Wisdom which the Lord graciously grants to such as are made wise to Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 In those and those only is found a cautelous care and a very wary watchful attention to heed and observe all such matters as our Lord and Maker biddeth to be well
to wit Gospel Ordinances will cry come and be like a Roe for swiftness Cant. 8. last Upon such Christ comes not as a Thief in the night 1 Thes 5.3 for they love his appearing 2 Tim. 4.8 and they are blessed Rev. 16.15 Such as fear to live and see that day shall not see it to live c. The Third great Friend we must watch is the Holy Ghost for 't is a Divine Precept He that hath Ears to hear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches Rev. 2.7 And this is said again and again both in the 2 d and in the 3 d Chapter to all the Seven Golden Candlesticks seven times over the sense whereof is we must watch and hearken what God the Holy Spirit will speak Psal 85.8 not so much with the Gristle on the Head but more by the Ear of the Heart for God may speak once and twice and man perceive it not Job 33.14 until God bore our Ears as he did David's Psal 40.6 and open our Hearts as he did Lydias Acts 16.14 and until our Lord put his Finger into the Hole of our Ear and looking up to Heaven he cry Ephphatha that is be opened as he did to the Man that was possessed with a deaf Devil Mark 7.34 We must pray with the Spouse for this purpose saying Lord thy Companions hearken to thy Voice cause me to hear it also Cant. 8.13 when this Quickning Spirit as he is called Joh. 6.63 even this Spirit of Truth cometh he guideth us into all Truth Joh. 16.13 and blessed is that Soul which watcheth the Motions of this Holy Spirit in a Sanctified Conscience and can discern a difference of such persuasions as come not from him that calleth us Gal. 5.8 The Steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord Psal 37.23 Blessed are they that hear the joyful sound of this breathing Spirit they shall walk O Lord in the light of thy Countenance Psal 89.15 they follow the footsteps of his Anointed ver 51. and David must then bestir himself when he heard the sound of God's goings upon the Tops of the Mulberry Trees 2 Sam. 5.24 This Holy Spirit is a delicate thing Psal 143.10 as Junius reads it and therefore must not be vexed Isa 63.10 nor grieved Ephes 4.30 much less quenched in its motions 1 Thes 5.19 they that are led by the Spirit are the Sons of God Rom. 8.14 as Paul was Acts 16.6,7 and Simeon was led by the Spirit into the Temple Luke 2.27 Yea and our Lord Jesus himself was led up by the Spirit into the Wilderness to conquer the Tempter in a Duel upon the Devil 's own ground Matth. 4.1 Thus Abraham that Father of the faithful went out he knew not whether nor when he should return nor how he should subsist c. yet he well knew with whom he went Heb. 11.8 for he put himself as a Child into his Father's hand who called him and the conduct of the Holy Spirit carried him dry-shod to the last Thus likewise if we be the Sons and Daughters of Abraham the Holy Spirit will teach us all things John 14.26 that blessed Anointing is our best Instructer 1 John 2.20.27 We should lay our selves as Instruments open to the Touchings of this Holy Spirit and submit to his Discipline which requires much self-denial then shall we bring forth the fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22,23 which is in all Goodness and Righteousness and Truth Ephes 5.9 And could we but watch its whisperings more and better so as to obey them we should not so oft be found in Fundo Diaboli upon the Devil's ground in places of Temptation but as the Spirit suffered not Paul c. to go unto such and such Places Acts 16.6,7 even so would it be with us could we but put our Souls wholly under the conduct of this Holy Spirit If once we dare presume to break this Divine Hedge that Old Serpent will surely bite us Eccles 10.8 We may not live at Random and without a Rule but we must mind and watch the Teachings of this Divine Unction which never teacheth us any thing but what is consonant to the Holy Scripture endited by it 2 Pet. 1.19,20,21 Now come we to the Second Trinity or three sorts of Foes or Enemies to be duly and daily watched The first Foe is the World which is a woful Witch and must be burned for a Witch at the Last Day 2 Pet. 3.7,10 and therefore ought we to watch this Witch well that we may not be bewitched by it It is well known that such persons as are bewitched do not only lose their Likeness and Beauty but also do suffer many sad Paroxysms and Fits of strange Distempers c. As all this holds true literally to bewitched Bodies c. so no less is it true mystically to bewitched Souls which are captivated by the two fair Breasts or rather Botches this Witch the World exposeth to their view namely Pleasure and Profit Such have horrible Fits of Madness as Saul had when the Evil Spirit came upon him 1 Sam. 16.14,23 c. and such have Leanness sent into their Souls Psal 106.15 Besides the World must be well watched because it is such an Enemy as continually besiegeth us and we cannot flee from it while we live in it therefore we must be sure to have a Lid or Covering for our Hearts Those Vessels that wanted Coverings the Law doomed them Unclean Numb 19.15 and so are our Hearts without a Covering of the Spirit Isa 30.1 The Dirt of a dirty World will unavoidably be often falling into an open uncovered Heart whereby both Mind and Conscience are defiled Tit. 1.15 We should keep the World under our Feet where God placed it Psal 8.6 and not set it in our Hearts Eccles 3.11 The Second Foe to be watched is Satan who is called the God of this World 2 Cor. 4.4 and dealeth with Worldlings as unlucky Boys do with silly Horses they first catch them with a little Provender and then backs them whips and spurs them into an High Gallop and rides them till they be tired and at last lodges them in the Stable at night c. We are told how Satan considered Job and better considered him Job 1.8 and 2.3 that is he watched all Advantages to Tempt that none-such Saint and Servant of God c. Oh then how much more ought such weak worms as we are to consider him who so much consiâ—ers us and watches us to take all advantages against us for we are not ignorant of his Devices 2 Cor. 2.11 We read of Rizpah how she watched her Royal Seed upon the Rock c. and suffered neither the Birds of the Air to rest on them by day nor the Beasts of the Field by night 2 Sam. 21.10 Thus every Believer ought to do as Rizpah did in watching the Royal Seed even the Seed of God in them that it be not wronged either by night or day by Satan who is called
c. and the Spouse was sensible of this danger when she so earnestly prayed Awake O North-wind and come thou South blow upon my Garden that the Spices thereof may flow forth Cant. 4.16 Never did the ground stand in more need of the sweet Influences of the Pleiades Joh 38.31 or Garden of April showers to bring forth May flowers c. than our Hearts and our Habits of Grace do of the Spirit 's Influence to come down upon us like Dew upon the mown Grass and like Showers that water the Earth Psal 72.6 'T is said the Spirit of God did move upon the face of the first deformed Chaos and Gen. 1.2 and thereby brought forth gradually a Beautiful World So no better are our Hearts and Habits until the Spirit descends as a Dove upon us and give more grace James 4.6 Thirdly Our Lord stengthens us for bearing Affliction which every good Soldier of Jesus Christ ought to do 2 Tim. 2.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 endure all evils Now this cannot be done but by vertue of having fellowship with Christ in his sufferings Phil. 3.10 and where there is not first an Union there cannot be any Communion or fellowship we must first be united to Christ as to our Head and then he communicates ability to his Members even to trust in a killing God as Job did c. 13.15 because Christ bears up the heavier end of the Cross as is shewed in that Resemblance of Simon 's bearing the Cross after Jesus Luke 23.26 The heavier end of the Cross lay upon Christ's own shoulders So Simon in his fellowship with his Saviour in his sufferings did but carry the small lighter end of the Cross after him Thus our Lord doth more than line our Crosses for us to make them softer and less galling to our tender Tempers but he hath taken away the Curse of every Cross and hath made them more Medicinal than Paenal so that we may now read Divine Faithfulness in them as David did Psal 119.71,75 'T is a filling up Christ's Afflictions Col. 1.24 A Chip of Christ's Cross doth dulcifie the bitter Waters as that Tree did Marah Exod. 15.25,26 That Glukuzar or Liquorice Tree might be a Type of the Cross whereon Christ was Crucified And we find upon Record how the sweet presence of Christ with the Three Nobles of Israel's Captives in Babylon did even sweeten to them those Bitter Flames in the Furnace of Fire as before Dan. 3.25,28 Fourthly Christ the strong Redeemer causeth his Redeemed Ones to be Conquerours also in Resisting Temptations for he having before hand broken the Serpent's Head Gen. 3.15 doth only leave Tail-Temptations for the exercise of their Graces and not for the destruction of their Souls He hath engaged his own Holiness and Fidelity for assuring us of this great Truth in that truly Golden Promise 1 Cor. 10.13 where he saith That we shall not be tempted above what we are able for he is faithful and he will make a way to escape tho' we cannot make any such way for our own Deliverance and that none such Tryals shall come upon us but what are common and incident to God's dearest Children He will not lead us into any untrodden paths but only into such ways wherein the great Friends and Favourites of Heaven have gone before us whose footsteps we are commanded to follow Cant. 1.8 and Heb. 6.12 Yea and he hath assured praying Souls that his Grace shall be sufficient for us 2 Cor. 12.7,8 and that he will Rebuke Satan that Resists us Zech. 3.1,2,3 c. which he can easily do as having him in a Chain and 't is but taking up a Link or two thereof then our Souls are safe c. Fifthly He makes them Conquerours in mortifying Corruptions from which none even those of the highest Form are not exempted Elijah Paul and Barnabas were subject to the like passions with others Acts 14.15 and James 5.17 The best of Men are but Men at the best Therefore it is as great an act of miraculous Power to keep our little spark of Grace alive in the midst of such a vast Sea of Corruption as it would be to keep a Coal-fire burning upon the surface of the Main Ocean Our Graces like the Army of Israel are very small when our corruptions like the Syrians are so numerous as to fill the whole Country of the Isle of Man 1 Kings 20.27 therefore is it said that the Righteous are scarcely saved 1 Pet. 4.18 that is they have much ado and meet with many difficulties before they can reach to Heaven and Solomon saith He that trusts his own heart is a fool Prov. 28.26 Notwithstanding all this tho' our corruptions have Iron Charets and be too strong for us yet are they not too strong for this stronger Man Josh 17.16,18 and Judg. 1.19 We must say with John Baptist He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mighty or stronger than I Mat. 3.11 And what Anakims or Gyant-like corruptions were ever able to stand before his Mortifying Spirit Rom. 8.13 his Promise he will subdue our Iniquities Mich. 7.19 where the Hebrew word Chabash doth not signifie simply to subdue but vi violentia subjugabit conculcabit that is Jikbosh Gnavonthenu Hebr. he will tread our Corruptions down by force and violence and will perform with his hand what his mouth hath spoken He will do what he hath said 2 Sam. 7.25 1 Kings 8.15 And which is more than all this God sometimes doth give pardoning Mercy where he hath denyed prevailing Grace as this latter hath been withdrawn to humble the Saints so the former is granted to comfort them as in that double case of David and Peter but then there must be some proportion betwixt sinning and sorrowing Manasseh had greatly sinned and was as greatly humbled Oh! let all bless the Lord for this that sin hath not Dominion over us Rom. 6.14 It may play the Tyrant but never Rex or chosen King it may come as a Traveller as 2 Sam. 12.4 but it cannot be an Home-dweller or Master of the House in any truly gracious Heart c. Sixthly The next Case of Difficulty wherein the Redeemer assists the Redeemed to become Conquerors also is in maintaining their Communion with God Alas how heavy are our Hearts Leve sursum grave deorsum heavy things hang downward as light things press upward which our Hearts cannot do having the Stone in them the Spouse was sensible hereof when she prayed draw me and we shall run after thee Cant. 1.3 Anselm's Bird with a Stone tied to its foot is a lively Representation of this Case no sooner did the Bird essay to mount up toward Heaven but the Stone at her foot did presently pluck her down to the Earth It may well be said Oh how weak are our Hearts Ezek. 16.30 Christ saith to his Disciples Can ye not watch with me one Hour the Spirit indeed is willing but the Flesh is weak Matth. 26.41 As if our Lord had said with the