Objection of a Disconsolate Christian, Answered!.. Continued

2. Ask thy soul whether thou hast been thankful for that little strength thou hast.  Though thou art not of that strength in grace to run with the foremost and hold pace with the tallest of thy brethren, yet thou art thankful that thou hast any strength at all, though it be but to cry after them whom thou seest outstrip thee in grace, this is worth thy thanks.  All in David's army attained not to be equal with his few worthies in prowess and honor, and yet did not cashier themselves: thou hast reason to be thankful for the meanest place in the army of saints, the least communications of gospel-mercy and grace must not be overlooked.  As soon as ever Moses with his army was through the sea, they strike up before they stir from the bank side, and acknowledge the wonderful appearance of God's power and mercy for them, though this was but one step in their way; [for] a howling wilderness presented itself to them, and [though] they [were] not able to subsist a few days with all their provision, for all their great victory, yet Moses will praise God for this handsel of mercy. This holy man knew the only way to keep credit with God, so as to have more, was to keep touch, and pay down his praise for what was received.  If thou wouldst have fuller communications of divine strength, own God in what he hath done.  Art thou weak?  Bless God thou hast life.  Dost thou through feebleness often fail in duty, and fall into temptation?  Mourn in the sense of these; yet bless God in that thou dost not live in a total neglect of duty, out of a profane contempt thereof, and instead of falling through weakness, thou dost not lie in the mire of sin through the wickedness of thy heart.  The unthankful soul may thank itself it thrives no better.
3. Art thou humble under the assistance and strength God hath given thee?  Pride stops the con­duit.  If the heart begin to swell, it is time for God to hold his hand, and turn the cock, for all that is poured on such a soul runs over into self-applauding, and so it is as water spilt, in regard of any good it doth the creature, or any glory it brings to God.  A proud heart and a lofty mountain are never fruitful. Now beside the common ways that pride discovers itself, as by undervaluing others, and overvaluing itself, and such like, you shall observe two other symptoms of it.  (1.) It appears in bold adventures, when a person runs into the mouth of temptation, bearing himself up on the confidence of his grace re­ceived.  This was Peter's sin, by which he was drawn to engage further than became an humble faith, running into devil's quarters, and so became his prisoner for a while.  The good man, when in his right temper, had thoughts low enough of himself, as when he asked his Master, Is it I?  But he that feared at one time lest he might be the traitor, at another cannot think so ill of himself, as to suspect he should be the denier of his Master.  What, he?  No, though all the rest should forsake him, yet he would stand to his colors.  Is this thy case, Christian?  Possibly God hath given thee much of his mind; art thou skilful in the Word of life, and therefore thou darest venture to breathe in corrupt air, as if only the weak spirits of less knowing Christians exposed them to be infected with the contagion of error and heresy.  Thou hast a large portion of grace, or at least thou thinkest so, and venturest to go where an humble-minded Christian would fear his heels should slip under him.  Truly, now thou temptest God to suffer thy lock to be cut, when thou art so bold to lay thy head in the lap of a temptation.  (2.) Pride appears in the neglect of those means whereby the saints' graces and comforts are to be fed when strongest.  Maybe, Christian, when thou art under fears and doubts, then God hath thy company, thou art oft with thy pitcher at his door; but when thou hast got any measure of peace, there grows presently some strangeness between God and thee; thy pitcher walks not as it was wont to these wells of salvation.  No wonder if thou, though rich in grace and comfort, goest behind-hand, seeing thou spendest on the old stock, and drivest no trade at present to bring in more.  Or if thou dost not thus neglect duty, yet maybe thou dost not perform with that humility which formerly beautified the same: then thou prayed in the sense of thy weakness to get strength, now thou prayest to show thy strength, that others may admire thee.  And if once, like Hezekiah, we call in spectators to see our treasure, and applaud us for our gifts and comfort, then it is high time for God, if he indeed love us, to send some messengers, to carry these away from us, which carry our hearts from him.

             Answer Fourth.  If thy heart doth not smite thee from what hath been said, but thou hast sincerely waited on God, and yet hast not received the strength thou desirest, yet let it be thy resolution to live and die waiting on him.  God doth not tell us his time of coming, and it were boldness to set on of our own heads.  Go, saith Christ, to his disciples, ‘tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high,’ Luke 24:49.  Thus he saith to thee, Stay at Jerusalem, wait on him in the means he hath appointed, till thou beest endued with further power to mortify thy corruptions, &c.  And for thy comfort know,

1. Thy thus persevering to wait on God will be an evidence of strong grace in thee.  The less encouragement thou hast to duty, the more [is] thy faith and obedience to bear thee up in duty.  He that can trade when times are so dead, that all his ware lies upon his hand, and yet draws not in his hand, but rather trades more and more, sure his stock is great.  What! no comfort in hearing, no ease to thy spirit in praying, and yet more greedy to hear, and more frequent in prayer.  O soul, great is thy faith and patience!
2. Assure thyself when thou art at the greatest pinch [that] strength shall come.  They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength: when the last handful of meal was dressing, then is the prophet sent to keep the widow’s house.  When temptation is strong, thy little strength is even spent, and thou ready to yield into the hands of thine enemies, then expect succors from heaven, to enable thee to hold out under the temptation.  Thus with Paul, ‘My grace is sufficient for thee,’ i.e. there is power from heaven to raise the siege, and drive away the tempter.  Thus with Job, when Satan had him at an advantage, then God takes him off, like a wise moderator [who], when the respondent is hard put to it by a subtle opponent, takes him off, when he would else run him down.  ‘Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.  James 5:11.

Objection of a Disconsolate Christian, Answered!

               

Answer Second.  Christian, candidly interpret God's dealings with thee.  Suppose it be as thou say­est; thou hast pleaded the promise, and waited on the means, and yet findest no strength from all these receipts, either in thy grace or comfort.  Now take heed of charging God foolishly, as if God were not what he promiseth; this were to give that to Satan which he is all this while gaping for.  It is more becoming the dutiful disposition of a child, when he hath not presently what he writes for to his father, to say, My father is wiser than I.  His wisdom will prompt him what and when to send to me, and his fatherly affections to me his child will neither suffer him to deny anything that is good, or slip the time that is seasonable.  Christian, thy heavenly Father hath gracious ends that hold his hand at present, or else thou hadst ere this heard from him.

1. God may deny further degrees of strength to put thee on the exercise of that thou hast more carefully.  As a mother doth by her child that is learning to go, she sets it down, and stands some distance from it, and bids it come to her.  The child feels its legs weak and cries for the mother's help, but the mother steps back on purpose that the child should put forth all its little strength in making after her.  When a poor soul comes and prays against such a sin, God seems to step back and stand at a distance, the temptation increaseth, and no visible succour appears, on purpose that the Christian, though weak, should exercise that strength he hath.  Indeed, we shall find the sense of a soul’s weakness, is an especial means to excite into a further care and diligence.  One that knows his weakness, how prone he is in company to forget himself, in passion how apt he is to fly out; if there be a principle of true grace, this will excite him to be more fearful and watchful, than another that hath obtained greater strength against such great temptations.  As a child that writes for money to his father.  None comes presently.  This makes him husband that little that he hath the better, not a penny now shall be laid out idly.  Thus, when a Christian hath prayed against such a sin again and again, and yet finds himself weak, prone to be worsted, O how careful will this, should this make such a one of every company, of every occasion!  Such a one had not need give his enemy any advantage.
2. God may deny the Christian such assisting strength in duty, or mortifying the strength of corruption, as he desires, purely on a gracious design that he may thereby have an advantage of expressing his love in such a way, as shall most kindly work upon the ingenuity of the soul to love God again.  Perhaps, Christian, thou prayest for a mercy thou wantest, or for deliverance out of some great affliction, and in the duty thou findest not more assistance than ordinary, yea, many distractions of spirit in it, and misgiving thoughts with unbelieving fears after it.  Well, notwithstanding those defects in thy duty, yet God hears thy prayer, and sends in the mercy on purpose that he may greaten his love in thine eye, and make it more luscious and sweet to thy taste, from his accepting thy weak services, and passing by the distempers of thy spirit.  Here is less strength for the duty, that thou mayest have more love in the mercy; nothing will affect a gracious heart more than such a consideration.  See it in David, ‘I said in my haste, All men are liars.  What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?’  Ps. 116:11, 12.  As if David had said, Notwithstanding all the comfortable messages I had from God by his prophets concerning this matter, my own prayers, and those remarkable providences, which carried in them a partial answer to them, and performance of what was promised, yet I betrayed much unbelief, questioning the truth of the one, and the return of the other; and hath God, notwithstanding all my infirmities, fulfilled my desire, and performed his promise?  O what shall I render unto the Lord?  Thus David reads God's mercy through the spectacles of his own weakness and infirmity, and it appears great; whereas if a mercy should come in, as an answer to a duty managed with such strength of faith, and height of other graces, as might free him and his duty from usual infirmities, this might prove a snare, and occasion some self-applauding, rather than mercy-admiring thoughts in the creature.

3. God may communicate the less of his assis­ting strength, that he may show the more of his sup­porting strength, in upholding weak grace.  We do not wonder to see a man of strong constitution that eats his bread heartily and sleep soundly, live.  But for a crazy body, full of ails and infirmities, to be so patched and shored up by the physician's art that he stands to old age, this begets some wonder in the beholders.  It may be thou art a poor trembling soul, thy faith is weak, and thy assaults from Satan strong, thy corruptions stirring and active, and thy mortifying strength little, so that in thy opinion they rather gain ground on thy grace, than give ground to it.  Ever and anon thou art ready to think thou shalt be cast as a wreck upon the devil's shore; and yet to this day thy grace lives, though full of leaks.  Now is it not worth the stepping aside to see this strange sight?  A broken ship with masts and hull rent and torn, thus towed along by almighty power through an angry sea, and armadas of sins and devils, safely into its harbor.  To see a poor dilling or rush-candle in the face of the boisterous wind, and not blown out!  In a word, to see a weak stripling in grace held up in God’s arms till he beats the devil craven!  This God is doing in up­holding thee.  Thou art one of those babes, out of whose mouth God is perfecting his praise, by ordaining such strength for thee, that thou, a babe in grace, shalt yet foil a giant in wrath and power.

 Answer Third.  If after long waiting for strength from God, it be as thou complainest, inquire whether, that which hinders, be not found in thyself.  The head is the seat of animal spirits, yet there may be such obstructions in the body as the other members may for a time be deprived of them; till the passage be free between Christ thy head and thee, thy strength will not come, and therefore be willing to inquire,

1. Hast thou come indeed to God for strength to perform duty, to mortify corruption and the like?  Perhaps thou wilt say, Yes, I have waited on those ordinances which are the way in which he hath promised to give out strength.  But is this all?  Thou mayest come to them, and not wait on God in them.  Hast thou not carnally expected strength from them, and so put the ordinances in God's stead?  Hath not the frame of thy spirit some affinity with theirs, 'We will go into such a city, and buy and sell, and get gain?’ James 4:13.  Hath not thy heart said, I will go and hear such a man, and get comfort, and strength? And dost thou wonder thou art weak, barren and un­fruitful?  Are ordinances God, that they should make you strong or comfortable?  Thou mayest hear them answer thee, poor soul, as the king to the woman in the siege of Samaria.  Help, O prayer, sayest thou, or, O minister; how can they help except the Lord help? These are but Christ's servants.  Christ keeps the key of his wine cellar; they cannot so much as make you drink when you come to their master's house; and therefore, poor soul, stay not short of Christ, but press through all the crowd of ordinances, and ask to speak with Jesus, to see Jesus, and touch him, and virtue will come forth.

Objection From The Disconsolate Christian

                                                      

   Objection Answered

[A grand objection that some disconsolate souls may raise against

the former discourse, answered.]

             Objection.  O but, saith some disconsolate Christian, I have prayed again and again for strength against such a corruption, and to this day my hands are weak, and these sons of Zeruiah are so strong, that I am ready to say, All the preachers do but flatter me, that do pour their oil of comfort upon my head, and tell me I shall at last get the conquest of these mine enemies, and see that joyful day wherein with David, I shall sing to the Lord, for delivering me out of the hands of all mine enemies.  I have prayed for strength for such a duty, and find it come off as weakly and dead-heartedly as before.  If God be with me by his mighty power to help me, why then is all this befallen me?

             Answer First.  Look once again, poor heart, into thy own bosom, and see whether thou findest not some strength sent unto thee, which thou didst overlook before; this may be, yea, is very ordinary in this case, when God answers our prayer no in the letter, or when the thing itself is sent, but it comes in at the back-door, while we are expecting it at the fore; and truly thus the friend thou art looking for may be in thine house and thou not know it.  Is not this thy case, poor soul?  Thou hast been praying for strength against such a lust, and now thou wouldst have God presently put forth his power to knock it on the head and lay it for dead, that it should never stir more in thy bosom.  Is not this the door thou hast stood looking for God to come in at?  And [yet there is] no sight or news of thy God's coming that way.  Thy corruption yet stirs, it may be is now more troublesome than before.  Now thou askest where is the strength promised to thy relief?  Let me entreat thee before thou layest down this sad conclusion against thy God or self, [to] see whether he hath not con­veyed in some strength by another door.  Perhaps thou hast not strength to conquer it so soon as thou desirest; but hath he not given further praying strength against it?  Thou prayest before, but now more earnestly, all the powers of thy soul are up to plead with God.  Before, thou wast more favorable and moderate in thy request, now thou hast a zeal, thou canst take no denial, yea, [will] welcome anything in the room of corruption.  Would God but take thy sin and send a cross, thou wouldst bless him.  Now, poor soul, is this nothing?  [Is this] no strength?  Had not thy God reinforced thee, thy sin would have weakened thy spirit of prayer, and not increased it.  David began to recover himself when he began to recover his spirit of prayer.  The stronger the cry, the stronger the child, I warrant you.  Jacob wrestled, and this is called his strength, Hos. 12:3.  It appeared, there was much of God in him when he could take such hold of the Almighty as to keep it, though God seemed to shake him off.  If thus thou art enabled, soul, to deal with the God of heaven, no fear but thou shalt be much more able to deal with sin and Satan.  If God hath given thee so much strength to wrestle with him above and against denials, thou hast prevailed with the stronger of the two. Overcome God, and he will overcome the other for thee.  Again, perhaps thou hast been praying for further strength to be communicated to thee in duty, that thou might be more spiritual, vigorous, united, sincere, and the like, therein, and yet thou findest thy old distempers hanging about thee, as if thou hadst never acquainted God with thy ail.  Well, soul, look once again into thy bosom with an unprejudiced eye, though thou dost not find the assisting strength thou prayed for, yet hast thou no more self-abasing strength? perhaps the annoyance thou hast from these remaining distempers in duty, occasion thee to have a meaner opinion of all thy duties than ever, yea, they make thee abhor thyself in the sense of these, as if thou hadst so many loathsome vermin around thee.  Job's condition on the dunghill, with all his botches and running sores on his body, appears desirable to thee, in comparison of thine, whose soul, thou complainest, is worse than his body.  O this af­flicts my soul deeply, that thou shouldst appear before the Lord with such a dead divided heart, and do his work worst that deserves best at thy hands. And is all this nothing?  Surely, Christian, thine eyes are held as much as Hagar's, or else thou wouldst see the streamings forth of divine grace in this frame of thy heart; surely others will think God hath done a mighty work in thy soul.  What harder and more against the hair than to bring our proud hearts to take shame for that whereof they naturally boast and glory?  And is it nothing for thee to tread on the very neck of thy duties, and count them matter of thy humiliation and abasing, which others make the matter of their confidence and self-rejoicing?  Good store of virtue hath gone from Christ to dry this issue of pride in thy heart, which sometimes in gracious ones [so] runs through and through their duties, that it is seen, or may be, by those that have less grace than themselves.

Acting Our Faith On The Almighty Power of God - Application of Faith and Obedience Continued...

Acting Our Faith On The Almighty Power of God - Application of Faith and Obedience Continued...

1. In agonies of conscience that arise from the greatness of thy sins, fly for refuge into the almighty power of God.  Truly, sirs, when a man's sins are displayed in all their bloody colors, and spread forth in all their killing aggravations, and the eye of conscience awakened to behold them through the multiplying or magnifying glass of a temptation, they must needs surprise the creature with horror and amazement, till the soul can say with the prophet, For all this huge host, there is yet more with me than against me.  One Almighty is more than many mighties.  All these mighty sins and devils, make not one almighty sin, or an almighty devil.  Oppose to all the hideous charges brought against thee by them this only attri­bute.  As the French ambassador once silenced the Spaniard's pride in repeating his master many titles, with one that drowned them all, God himself, when he had aggravated his people's sins to the height, then to show what a God can do, breaks out into a sweet promise: ‘I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger;’ and why not? 'I am God, and not man,’ Hosea 11:9.  I will show the almightiness of my mercy. Something like our usual phrase when a child or a woman strikes us, I am a man, and not a child or a woman, therefore I will not strike again.  The very considering God to be God, supposeth him almighty to pardon as well as to avenge.  And this is some relief.  But then to consider it is almighty power in bond and covenant to pardon, this is more.  As none can bind God but himself, so none can break the bond himself makes: and are they not his own words, that ‘he will abundantly pardon?’ Isa. 55:7.  He will multiply to pardon, as if he had said, ‘I will drop mercy with your sin, and spend all I have, rather than let it be said my good is overcome of your evil.’  It fares with the gracious soul in this case as with a captain, that yields his castle upon gracious terms of having his life spared, and he safely conveyed to his house, there to be settles peaceably in his estate and possessions, for all which he hath the general's hand and seal, on which he marches forth; but the rude soldiers assaulting him, and putting him in fear of his life, he appeals to the general, whose honor is now engaged for him, and is presently relieved, and his enemies punished.  Thou mayest, poor soul, when accused by Satan, molested by his terrors, say, It is God that justifies; I have his hand to it, that I should have my life given me as soon as I laid down my arms and submitted to him, which I desire to do.  Behold, the gates of my heart are open to let the Prince of peace in, and is not the Almighty able to perform his promise?  I commit myself to him as unto a faithful Creator.

             

Acting Our Faith On The Almighty Power of God - Application of Faith and Obedience Continued..

[Use or Application.] Continued....

 Use Second.  This shows the dismal, deplorable condition of all you who are yet in a Christless state.  You have seen a rich mine opened, but not a penny of this treasure comes to your share; a truth laden with incomparable comfort, but it is bound for another coast, it belongs to the saints, into whose bosom this truth unlades all her comfort.  See God shutting the door upon you, when he sets his children to feast themselves with such dainties.  ‘Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty,’ Isa. 65:13.  God hath set his number which he provides for.  He knows how many he hath in his family: these and no more shall sit down.  One chief dish at the saints' board is the almighty power of God.  This was set be­fore Abraham, and stands before all his saints, that they may eat to fullness of comfort on it; but thou shalt be hungry.  He is almighty to pardon, but he will not use it for thee, an impenitent sinner.  Thou hast not a friend on the bench, not an attribute in all God's name, will speak for thee: mercy itself will sit and vote with the rest of its fellow-attributes for thy damnation.  God is able to save and help in a time of need; but upon what acquaintance is it that thou art so bold with God, as to expect his saving arm to be stretched forth for thee?  Though a man will rise at midnight to let in a child that cries and knocks at his door, yet he will not take so much pains for a dog that lies howling there.  This presents thy condition, sinner, sad enough, yet this is to tell thy story fairest; for that almighty power of God which is engaged for the believer's salvation, is as deeply obliged to bring thee to thy execution and damnation.  What greater tie than an oath?  God himself is under an oath to be the destruction of every impenitent soul. 

That oath which God sware in his wrath against the unbelieving Israelites, that they should not enter his rest, concerns every unbeliever to the end of the world.  In the name of God consider, were it but the oath of a man, or a company of men, that like those in the Acts, should swear to be the death of such a one, and thou wert the man, would it not fill thee with fear and trembling night and day, and take away the quiet of thy life, till they were made friends?  What then are their pillows stuffed with, who can sleep so soundly without any horror or amazement, though they be told that the Almighty God is under an oath of damning them, body and soul, without timely repen­tance?  O bethink yourselves, sinners, is it wisdom or valor to refuse terms of mercy from God's hands, whose almighty power, if rejected, will soon bring you into the hands of justice?  And how fearful a thing that is, to fall into the hands of Almighty God, no tongue can express, no, not they who feel the weight of it.

             Use Third.  This speaks to you, who are saints indeed.  Be strong in the faith of this truth, make it an article of your creed; with the same faith you believe that there is a God, believe also this God's almighty power is thy sure friend, and then improve it to thy best and advantage.  As,

              

Acting Our Faith On The Almighty Power of God - Application of Faith and Obedience

[Use or Application.]

             Use First.  Is the almighty power of God engaged for the saints' defence? surely then they will have a hard pull, the saints’ enemies, who meddle with them who are so far above their match.  The devil was so cunning, he would have Job out of his trench, his hedge down before he could fall on.  But so desperate are men, they will try the field with the saints, though encircled with the almighty power of God.  What folly were it to attempt or sit down be­fore such a city, which cannot be blocked up so as no relief can get in? the way to heaven cannot.  In the church's straitest siege, ‘there is a river which shall make glad this city of God,’ with seasonable succours from heaven.  The saints' fresh-springs are all from God, and it is as feasible for sorry man to stop the water-courses of the clouds, as to dam up those streams, which invisibly glide like veins of water in the earth, from the fountain-head of his mercy into the bosom of his people.  The Egyptians thought they had Israel in a trap, when they saw them march into such a nook by the sea-side.  ‘They are entangled, they are entangled;’ and truly so they had been irrecoverably, had not that almighty power which led them on, engaged to bring them off with honor and safety.  

Well, when they are out of this danger; behold they are in a wilderness where nothing is to be had for back and belly, and yet here they shall live for forty years, without trade or tillage, without begging or robbing of any of the neighbor nations; they shall not be beholden to them for a penny in their way. What cannot almighty power do to provide for his people? what can it not do to protect them against the power and wrath of their enemies?  Almighty power stood between the Israelites and the Egyptians, so that, poor creatures, they could not so much as come to see their enemies.  God sets up a dark cloud as a blind before their eyes, and all the while his eye through the cloud is looking them into disorder and confusion.  And is the Almighty grown weaker now-a-days, or his enemies stronger, that they promise themselves better success?  No, neither; but men are blinder than the saints' enemies of old, who sometimes have fled at the appearances of God among his people, crying out, ‘Let us flee, for the Lord fighteth for them.’  Whereas there be many now-a-days will rather give the honor of their discomfitures to Satan himself, than acknowledge God in the business; more ready to say that the devil fought against them, than God.  O you that have not yet worn off the impressions which the almighty power of God hath at any time made upon your spirits, beware of having anything to do with that generation of men, whoever they are.  Come not near their tabernacle, cast not thy lot in amongst them, who are enemies to the saints' of the most High; for they are men devoted to destruction.  He ripped open the very womb of Egypt, to save the life of Israel his child, Isa. 43:3.

Acting Our Faith On The Almighty Power of God - Faith and Obedience Continued...

The Christian's comfort increaseth or wanes, as 2- the aspect of his faith is to the power of God.  Let the soul question that, or his interest in it, and his joy gusheth out, even as blood out of a broken vein.  It is true, a soul may scramble to heaven with much ado, by a faith of recumbency, relying on God as able to save, without this persuasion of its interest in God; but such a soul goes with a scant side-wind, or like a ship whose masts are laid by the board, exposed to wind and weather, if others better appointed did not tow it along with them.  Many fears like waves ever and anon [so] cover such a soul, that it is more under water than above; whereas one that sees itself folded in the arms of almighty power, O how such a soul goes mounting afore the wind, with her sails filled with joy and peace!  Let affliction come, storms arise, this blessed soul knows where it shall land and be welcome.  The name of God is his harbor, where he puts in as boldly, as a man steps into his own house, when taken in a shower.  He hears God calling him into this, and other his attributes, as chambers taken up for him.  ‘Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers,’ Isa. 26:20.  God calls them his, and it were foolish modesty not to own what God gives.  ‘Surely, shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength,’ Isa. 45:24; that is, I have righteousness in God’s righteousness, strength in his strength, so that in this respect Christ can no more say that his strength is his own, and not the believer's, than the husband can say, My body is my own and not my wife's.  A soul persuaded of this may sing merrily with the sharpest thorn at his breast; so David, ‘My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise,’ Ps. 57:7.  What makes him so merry in so sad a place as the cave where now he was? he will tell you ver. 1, where you have him nestling himself under the shadow of God's wings, and now well may he sing care and fear away.  A soul thus provided may lie at ease on a hard bed.  Do you not think they sleep as soundly who dwell on London-bridge, as they who live at Whitehall or Cheapside, knowing that the waves that roar under them cannot hurt them? even so may the saints rest quietly over the floods of death itself, and fear no ill.

Acting Our Faith On The Almighty Power of God - Faith and Obedience

 

Acting Our Faith On The Almighty Power of God...continued

 Fifth Tie.  Christ's presence and employment in heaven lays a strong engagement on God to bring his whole force and power into the field upon all occasions for his saints' defence.  One special end of his journey to heaven, and abode there, is that he might, as the saints' solicitor, be ever interceding for such supplies and succours of his Father as their exigencies call for; and the more to assure us of the same before he went, he did, as it were, tell us what heads he meant to go upon his intercession when he should come there; one of which was this, that his Father should keep his children while they were to stay in the world from the evil thereof, John 17:15.  Neither doth Christ take upon him this work of his own head, but hath the same appointment of his Father for what he now prays in heaven, as he did for what he suffered on earth.  

He that ordained him a Priest to die for sinners, did not then strip him of his priestly gar­ments, as Aaron, but appoints him to ascend in them to heaven, where he sits a Priest forever by God's oath.  And this office of intercession was erected purely in mercy to believers, that they might have full content given them for the performance of all that God had promised; so that Jesus Christ lies lieger at court as our ambassador, to see all carried fairly between God and us according to agreement; and if Christ follows his business close, and be faithful in his place to believers, all is well.  And doth it not behove him to be so, who intercedes for such dear relations?  Suppose a king's son should get out of a besieged city, where he hath left his wife and children, whom he loves as his own soul, and these all ready to die by sword or famine; if supply come not sooner, could this prince, when arrived at his father's house, please himself with the delights of the court, and forget the distress of his family?  

Or rather would he not come post to his father, having their cries and groans always in his ears, and before he eat or drink, do his errand to his father, and entreat him if ever he loved him, that he would send all the force of his kingdom to raise the siege, rather than any of his dear relations should perish?  Surely, sirs, though Christ be in the top of his preferment, and out of the storm in regard of his own person, yet his children left behind in the midst of sins, Satan, and the world's batteries, are in his heart, and shall not be forgotten a moment by him.  The care he takes in our business appeared in the speedy despatch he made of his Spirit to his apostles' supply, when he ascended, which as soon almost as he was warm in his seat, at his Father's right hand, he sent, to the incomparable comfort of his apostles and us, that to this day, yea, to the end of the world, do or shall believe on him.

 Second.  [I shall prove why the Christian should strongly act his faith on this almighty power as engaged for his help.] —The second branch of the point follows [namely], that saints should eye this power of God as engaged for them, and press it home upon their souls till they silence all doubts and fears about the matter; which is the importance of this ex­hortation, ‘Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.’  Fortify and entrench your souls within the breastwork of this attribute of God's mighty power made over to you by God himself.