THE next thing conducing to our actual readiness for Sufferings, is the improvement of Faith to some considerable degree of strength. This is the Grace that must do the main service in such an hour, and hath the principal hand in supporting the Christian under every burden. This is the Grace that crowns our heads with Victory in the day of battle, Ephes. 6.16. Above all taking the Shield of Faith. Its true every Grace is of use, and contributes assistance: suffering Saints have heen beholding to them all. But of this we may say, as Solomon of the Virtuous Woman; Though many Graces have done excellently, yet this excels them all. In this Grace ready Paul was eminent. It was the life he daily lived, Gal. 2.20. Oh it is a precious grace, 2 Pet. 1.1. so precious that Christ, who seldom admired at any thing, yet wondered at this, Mat. 8.10. A victorious Grace it is that overcomes all difficulties, ⟨p. 70⟩Mark 9.23. By this Sword it was that all those famous Heroes, Heb. 11. achieved all those glorious Conquests: and in every distress it may say to the Soul, as Christ to the Disciples, John. 15.5. Without me ye can do nothing. This is that Sword that hath obtained so many Victories over the World, 1 John 5.4. and that trusty Shield that hath quenched so many deadly Darts of temptation, as have been levelled at the very heart of the Christian in the day of battle. By it a Christian lives, when all outward sensible comforts die, Hab. 2.4. Its the ground upon which the Christian fixes his foot, and never fails under him, 2 Cor. 1.24. The necessity of it will more clearly appear, by considering how many ways it relieves the soul in trouble, and disburdens the heart of all its sinking loads and pressures: there are two things that sink a mans Spirit when under sufferings; viz. The greatness of the troubles, and the weakness of the soul to bear them; against both which Faith relieves the soul; viz. by making a weak soul strong, and heavy troubles light.
THE next thing conducing to our actual readiness for Sufferings, is the improvement of Faith to some considerable degree of strength. This is the Grace that must do the main service in such an hour, and hath the principal hand in supporting the Christian under every burden. This is the Grace that crowns our heads with Victory in the day of battel, Ephes. 6.16. Above all taking the Shield of Faith. Its true every Grace is of use, and contributes assistance: suffering Saints have heen beholding to them all. But of this we may say, as Solomon of the Vertuous Woman; Though many Graces have done excellently, yet this excels them all. In this Grace ready Paul was eminent. It was the life he daily lived, Gal. 2.20. Oh it is a precious grace, 2 Pet. 1.1. so precious that Christ, who seldom admired at any thing, yet wondred at this, Mat. 8.10. A victorious Grace it is that overcomes all difficulties, ⟨p. 70⟩Mark 9.23. By this Sword it was that all those famous Heroes, Heb. 11. atchieved all those glorious Conquests: and in every distress it may say to the Soul, as Christ to the Disciples, John. 15.5. Without me ye can do nothing. This is that Sword that hath obtained so many Victories over the World, 1 John 5.4. and that trusty Shield that hath quenched so many deadly Darts of temptation, as have been levelled at the very heart of the Christian in the day of battel. By it a Christian lives, when all outward sensible comforts die, Hab. 2.4. Its the ground upon which the Christian fixes his foot, and never fails under him, 2 Cor. 1.24. The necessity of it will more clearly appear, by considering how many ways it relieves the soul in trouble, and disburthens the heart of all its sinking loads and pressures: there are two things that sink a mans Spirit when under sufferings; viz. The greatness of the troubles, and the weakness of the soul to bear them; against both which Faith relieves the soul; viz. by making a weak soul strong, and heavy troubles light.
