First, Because grace is subject to decays, and it ever needs completing ; as in an army, especially, which often engageth in battle, their aimis are baltei-ed and broken ;' one man hath his helmet bent, another his sword gapped, a third his pistol unfixed ; and therefore recruits are ever necessary. In one temptation, the Christian hath his helmet of hope beaten oil' his head, in another liis patience hard put to it. The Christian had need have an armour-shop at hand to make up his loss, and that speedily, for Satan is most like to fall on, when the Christian is least prepared to receive his charge. ' Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to sift you;' he knew they were at that time weakly provided, Christ their captain now to be taken from the head of their troop, discontents among tliemselves, striving who should be greatest, and their recruits of stronger grace, which the Spirit was to bring, not yet come. Now he hath a design to surprise them, and therefore Christ, carefully to prevent him, proniiseth speedy to de- spatch his Spirit for their su;i])ly. Acts i. 4, and in the mean tnne sends them to Jerusalem, to stand as it were in a body in their joint supplications, upon their guard, while he comes to their relief; shewing us in the weakness of our graces what to do, and whither to go for supplv.
Secondly, Because Satan is completing his skill and wrath. It is not for nought that he is called the old serpent, subtle by nature, but more by experi- ence ; wrathful by nature, yet every day more and more enraged ; like a bull, the longer he is baited, the more fiiry he shews. And therefore we who are to grapple with him, now his time is so short, had need come well appointed into the field.
Thirdly, It is the end of all God's dispensations, to complete his saints in their graces and comforts. Wherefore doth he lop and prune by afflictions, but to ' purge, that they may bring forth more fruit?' John xv. 2, (that is, fuller and fairer.) ' Tribulation works patience,' Rom. v. 3. It is God's ap])ointment for that end. ' It works,' that is, it increaseth the saint's patience; it enrageth indeed the wicked, but meekens the saints. It is his design in the gospel preached, to carry on his sain s ' from faith to faith,' Rom. i. 17. And accordingly he hath furnished the church with instruments, and those with gifts, ' for the perfecting of the saints, and for the edifying of the body of Christ,' Eph. iv. 14. Wherefore doth the scaffold stand, and the workman on it, if the buildings go not up ? For us not to advance under such means, is to make void the counsel of God. Therefore the Apostle blames the Christian Jews, Heb. v. 12, for their non-proficiency in the school of Christ : ' When for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teat^h vou again which be the first principles of the oracles of God.'
Use. O, how few are there who endeavour thus to improve in their spiritual state, and labour to jierfect what is yet lacking in their knowledge, patience, and the rest! First, Tell some of adding faith to faith, one degree of grace to another, and you shall find they have more mind to join house to house, and lay field to field; their souls are athirst, ever gaping for nu)re, but of what? not of Christ, or heaven: it is earth; earth they never think they have enough of, till death comes and stops their mouth with a shovelful digged out of their own grave ! What a tormenting life must they needs have, who are always crying for more weight, and ye cannot press their covetous desires to "death? O sirs, the only way (if men woidd believe it) to quench this thirst to the creature, were to enkindle another after Christ and heaven. Get but a large heart vehemently thirsting after these, and the other will die alone; as the feverish thirst doth when nature comes to her temper. Secondly, Others labour not thus to perfect grace, because they have a conceit they are perfect already, and upon this fancy throw away praying, hearing, and all other ordinances, as strings for those babes in grace to be carried by, who are not arrived to their high attainments. O what fools does pride make men! Truly heaven were no such desirable place, if we should be no more ]>erfect tlian thus ; a sort of ])eoi)le that are too high for this world, and too low for another. The way by which (jod cures this frenzy of pride, we have in these days seen to be something
40 PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD.