as thou hopeft to live when vifible comforts die, that thou be diligent in the improvement and preparation of this excellent grace of faith; if it fail, thou faileft with it; and as thy faith is, fo art thou. Confult all the cloud of witneffes, and fee if thou canst find a man amongst them that did not atchieve the victory by his faith. Had they not all been run down by the furious affaults of temptation, and inftead of a cloud of witnesses, been so many pillars of falt, and monuments of reproach and fhame to religion, if their faith had failed in its trial.

CHAP. IX.

Wherein the neceffity and usefulness of Chriftian fortitude in order to fufferings is evinced, with a brief account of its nature and the means of attaining it.

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HE next grace which concurs to the completing of our actual readiness for fufferings, is Chriftian fortitude, or holy courage; which must say in thy heart in a time of danger, as Elijah once did, "As the Lord lives I will fhew myself." This alfo is a choice part your preparation-work. In this grace our apoftle was eminent: when he was told, "Bonds and afflictions waited for him ;" he could fay, That" none of these things moved him," Acts xx. 24. Yea, when he was to appear before the lion Nero, and not a man would own or stand by him, yet he stands his ground, refolving rather to die on the place, than difhonourably to recede from his principles and profeffion, 2 Tim. iv. 16, 17. He fet the world, with all its threats and terrors lower than it fet him. O how confpicuous was this grace in all thofe heroes that have past on before us! And if ever you hope to ftand in the evil day, and be fetched off the field with honour, you must rouze up and awaken your courage for God: And the neceffity thereof will appear upon thefe four confiderations.

1. Because the fuccefs and prevalence of Satan's temptations in the hour of perfecution depends upon the fainting and overthrow of this grace. Wherefore, doth he raise perfecutions in the world, but because such terrible things are fitted to work upon the paffion of carnal tear, which rifes with those dangers, and makes the foul as a tumultuous fea. This is it he aims at, Neh. vi. 13. This is a multiplying paffion that reprefents dangers more and greater than they are, and fo drives the foul into the very net and fnare laid by the devil to take it. Prov. xxix. 25. "The fear of man brings a fnare;" which was fadly exemplified in Abraham, Gen. xii. 12. and divers others of the faints. If he can but fubdue this grace, he will quickly bring you to capitulate for life and liberty, upon the bafest and most dishonourable terms; therefore the preparation of this grace is fo exceedingly neceffary.

2. Because this is the grace that honours Jefus Chrift abundantly, when you are brought upon the ftage for him.

There is a great folemnity at the fuffering and trial of a faint heaven, earth, and hell, are fpectators, obferving the iffue, and how the faints will acquit themfelves in that hour. We are made a spectacle, faith the apoftle. The word is Orator syndnuts, we are fet as upon a theatre in public view, 1 Cor. iv. 9. God, angels, and faints wait to fee the glorious triumphs of their faith and courage, reflecting ho nour upon the name and caufe of Chrift. Devils and wicked men gape for an advantage by their cowardife. Certainly very much lies now upon the Chriftian's hands. Should he faint and give ground, how will it furnifh the triumphs of hell, and make Chrift's enemies vaunt over him, as if his love ran fo low in the hearts of his people, that they durft not adventure any thing for him? Or, as it, notwithfranding their brave words and glorious profeffion, they durft not truft their own principles when it comes to the trial: But if now they play the men, and difcover an holy gallantry of fpirit and refolution for Chrift, how will it daunt the enemies, and make them fay as Marcus, bishop of Aretheufa made one of Julian's nobles, prefent at his torments, to fay concerning him, We are afbamed, O emperor, the Chriftians laugh at thy cruelty! And how will God himself rejoice and glory over them, as he once did over Job when he fetched him with honour off that firft field! Job ii. 3. "Still he holdeth faft his "integrity."

3. Your own peace is wrapt up in it, as well as God's glory. Is it nothing, think you, to be freed from those vultures and harpies that feed upon the hearts of men at fuch times? Surely God reckons, that he promiseth a very great mercy to his people when he promi feth it, Prov. i. ult Pfal. cxii. 7. When Borromæus was told of fome that lay in wait to take away his life, it troubled him not, but he faid, An Deus eft in mundo pro nihilo? What, is God in the world for nought? And like to this was the anfwer of Silentiarius in the like cafe; Si Deus mei curam non habet, quid vivo ? If God take not care for me, how do I live? Oh this is it that brings you to an holy quietude of fpirit in times of confufion and diftraction, which is a choice mercy.

4. Your magnanimity is of fpecial ufe to other faints, who are fol lowing you in the fame path of fufferings. If you faint, it is like the fainting of a ftandard-bearer in an army: you bring thereby an evil report upon the crofs of Chrift, as the firft fpies did upon the land of Canaan. And a like influence with that it is like to have on your brethren; fo that there is a neceffity of improving this grace alfo before you can fay with Paul you are ready.

2. But what is this Christian fortitude, and wherein doth it confift. I answer briefly, It is an holy boldness in the performance of difficult duties, flowing from faith in the call of Ğod, and his promise to us in the difcharge of them.

And fo you have the nature of it in these four particulars.

1. It is an boly boldness, not a natural or finful boldness, arifing either from the natural conftitution, or evil difpofition of the mind. 2. It is expreffed about duties for truth, not error, Jer. ix. 3. for the intereft of Chrift, not of the flesh.

3. The season in which it appears is, when duties are furrounded and befet with difficulties and dangers, Dan. iii. 16. vi. 10.

4. The fountain whence it flows is faith, and that as it refpects the command and call of God to duty, Acts xvi. 10. And his promise to us in the discharge thereof, Jofh. i. 5, 6.

And this grace ftands opposed both to the fear of man in the cause of God, Heb. xi. 27. and to apostasy from the truth for fear of fuf- ^ fering. Thus briefly of the nature of it.

3. In the last place I fhall lay down fome rules for the promoting and improvement of it, and fo finish this chapter.

Now there are ten rules heedfully to be obferved for the breeding of holy courage in the breaft of a faint in evil times.

1. Rule. And the first rule is this, Get a weaned heart from all earthly enjoyments. If the heart be inordinately fixed upon any one thing that you poffefs in the world, that inordinate estimation of, and affection for it, will strangely effeminate, foften, and cowardize your fpirit when your trial comes, 2 Tim. ii. 4. You meet not with a man of courage for God, but had his heart dead to earthly things; fo it was with Paul, Phil. iii. 8. Since the apoftles, we scarce meet with a greater example of magnanimity than Luther; and if you read his story, you will find few men ever fet a lower rate on the world than he. All the Turkish empire in his eye was but a crumb caft to the dogs. Germana eft haec beftia pecuniam non curat. Money could not tempt him.

2. Rule. Suffer not guilt to lie upon your confciences: it is a fountain of fears, and you can never attain boldness for God till it be removed, Rom. v. 1, 2, 3. The Spirit of a found mind is oppofed to the fpirit of fear, 2 Tim. i. 7. Now that found mind is a mind or fpirit that is not wounded, and made fick and infirm by guilt. O what black fogs and mifts arife out of guilt, which becloud our evidences, and fill us with fear and difcouragements! Gen. xlii. 21, 22.

3. Rule. Clear your call to difficult fervices, be well fatisfied that you are in that way and posture God expects to find you in. O what courage this will give! Joth. i. 9. Then a man may promife himself God's prefence and protection, 2 Chron. xv. 2. But whilft a man is dubious here, and cannot tell whether it be his duty or not, that he is engaging in, how can he have courage to hazard any thing for it? For thinks he, I may fuffer much from men, and yet have no thanks of God for it, I Pet. ii. 9. And further, till a man be clear in this, he cannot commit his caufe to God. And it is a fad thing to be cut off from fo choice a relief as that is, 1 Pet. iv. 19.

4. Rule. Get right notions and apprehenfions of your enemies. VOL. VI.

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We are apt to magnify the creature, as if he could do more than he can, and thereby difable ourselves from doing what we should. Poffefs your fouls with the belief of thefe five things concerning them. (1.) That they are poor weak enemies, Ifa. xl. 15, 17, 22. But as a

fwarm of gnats in the air. See how God defcribes them, Ifa. li. 13, 14.

(2.) That little power they have is limited by your God who hath the bounding and ordering of it, John xix. 11. Pfal. lxxiv. 10. (3.) They carry guilt upon them, which makes them more timorous than you, Ifa. viii. 12. Their fear is a strange fear. (4.) They only use carnal weapons against you, which cannot touch your fouls. If they were praying enemies that could engage God against you, they would be formidable enemies indeed; but this they cannot do. The largeft commiffion that any of them ever had from God, extended but to the bodies and bodily concernments of the faints, Luke xi. 4, 5. They cannot thunder with an arm like God, nor blot your name out of the book of life, nor take your part out of the New Jerufalem; therefore fear not man. (5.) Your enemies are God's enemies; and God hath efpoufed your caufe and quarrel. The more cruel they are, the kinder he will be to you, John ix. 34, 35.

5. Rule. Labour to engage the prefence of God with you in all places and conditions. Whilft you enjoy this, your fpirits will be invincible and undaunted, Joth. i. 9. Pfal_cxviii. 6. A weak creature affifted and encouraged by the prefence of a great God will be able to do and fuffer great things. Poor flesh in the hand of an almighty Spirit acts above itfelf. A little dog, if his mafter be by, and animates him, will feize upon a greater beaft than himself, though he would run from him were his master abfent. Our courage ebbs and flows as the manifeftations of the divine prefence do. Oh get thyself once within the line of that promife, Ifa. xliii. 1, 2. and thou art invincible.

6. Rule. Getan high estination of Jefus Chrift, and all his concernments. They that valuehim highest, will adventure for him farthest. Magnanimous Luther, how inestimable a value did he fet upon the truths of Chrift! Ruat cœlum, &c Let heaven rush rather than a crumb of truth fhould perish. Thou wilt never be a man of zeal and courage for Chrift's intereft, until that intereft of Chrift have fwallowed up all thine own interefts. No fooner is the foul acquainted with, and interested in Chrift, but he heartily wifhes well to all his affairs and concernments, Pfal. xlv. 3, 4. This is that which puts metal and refolution for Chrift into the foul.

7. Rule. Beware you be not cheated with maxims of carnal policy, miftaken for Chriftian prudence. Many are fo: and they prove deftructive to all true zeal and courage for Chrift. Never was religion profeffed with greater plainnefs and fimplicity, than by the primitive Chriftians: and never was there an higher fpring-tide of courage and zeal for God, than in those days. We are apt to call it prodigality, and are grown wifer to husband our lives and comforts, better than

than they did. But indeed our prudentials have even swallowad up our religion. It is true, there is fuch a thing as Chriftian prudence; but this doth not teach men to fhun all coftly and difficult duties, and proftitute confcience to fave the skin, "A man of understanding walketh uprightly," Prov. xv. 21.

8. Rule. Look upon the infide of troubles for Christ, as well as upon the outfide of them. If f you view them by an eye of fenfe, there appeareth nothing but matter of difcouragement. To look on the outfide of a prison, banishment, or death, is affrighting and horrible: but then, if you look into the infide of thefe things by faith, and fee what God hath made them to his people, and how joyful and comfortable they have been in thefe conditions; what honey they have found in the carcafe of a lion, what fongs in the ftocks and dungeons, what glorying in tribulation, an hundred-fold reward even in their fufferings: O then! that which looked like a ferpent at a distance, wili appear but as a rod in hand. How many have found themselves quite mistaken in their apprehenfions of sufferings; and been more loth to come out of a prifon, than they were to go in! If you did but fee your supports, and the comforts that fouls ordinarily meet with in their troubles for Chrift, you would not look on them as fuch formidable things.

9. Rule. View the iffue and reward of fufferings by an eye of faith: this alfo will strongly abate the horror and dread of them, Heb. x. 34. Upon this account it is the faints have fo flighted and contemned them, Rom. viii. 18. 2 Cor. iv. 16, 17. But then fee that you act your faith, (1.) Upon the certainty of it: look at it as a moft real and fubftantial thing, Heb. xi. 1. (2.) View it as a great and glorious reward; And, (3.) As near at hand: And then fay to thy foul, come on my foul, come on; feeft thou the joy fet before thee! the crown of glory ready to be fet on thy head by the hand of a righteous God. Oh, what comparison is there betwixt those sufferings, and that glory!

10. Rule. Propound to yourfelves the best patterns and examples. Keep your eye upon the cloud of witneffes; thefe are of special ufe to beget holy courage, Heb. xii.. I. James v. 10. Who would be afraid to enter the lifts, and grapple with that enemy that he hath feen fo often foiled, and that by a poor weak Chriftian? See how the enemy, with whom you are to grapple, hath been beaten hand to hand, and triumphed over by poor women and children;, they had as great infirmities, and you have as gracious affiftances as those that are gone before you.