is in a town, at some sudden alarm in the dead of the niglit, the enemy at the gates, and they asleep within. O what a cry is there heard ! one wants his clothes, another his sword, a third knows not what to do for powder ; thus in a fright they run up and down, which would not be if the enemy did find them upon their guard, orderly waiting for his approach. Such a hubbub there is in a soul that keeps not his armour on, this piece and that will be to seek when he should use it.
Fourthly, We must' keep grace in exercise in respect of others, our fellow- soldiers. Paul had this in his eye, when he was exercising himself to keep a good conscience, that he might not be a scandal to others. The cowardice of one may make others run ; the ignorance of one soldier that hath not skill to handle his arms may do mischief to his fellow soldiers about him ; some have shot their friends for their enemies; the unwise walking of one professor makes many others fare the worse. But say, thou dost not fall so far as to become a scandal, yet thou canst not be so helpful to thy fellow-brethren as thou shouldst. God commanded the Reubenites and Gadites to go before their brethren ready armed, until the land was conquered. Thus, Christian, thou art to be helpful to thy fellow-brethren, who have not, it may be, that settlement of peace in their spirit as thyself, not that measure of grace or comfort : thou art to help such weak ones, and go before them, as it were, armed for their defence : now if thy grace be not exercised, thou art so far unserviceable to thy weak bi'other. Perhaps thou art a master or parent who hast a family under thy wing, they fare as thou thrivest ; if thy heart be in a holy frame, they fare the better in the duties thou performest ; it thy heart be dead and down, they are losers by the hand. So that as the nurse eats the more for the babe's sake she suckles, so shouldst thou for their sake, who are under thy tuition, be more careful to exercise thy own grace and cherish it.
Section II. — Object. O but, may some say, this is a hard work indeed, our armour never off, our grace always in exercise. Did God ever mean religion should be such a toilsome business as this would make it?
Ans. Thou speakest like one of the foolish world, and shewest thyself a mere stranger to the Cliristian's life that speakest thus. A burden to exercise grace ! why, it is no burden to exercise the acts of nature, to eat, to drink, to walk, — all delightful to us in our right temper ; if any of these be otherwise, nature is op- pressed ; if stuffed, then difficult t6 breathe ; if sick, then the meat offensive we eat: so take a saint in his i-ight temper, it is his joy to be employed in the exer- cise of his grace in this or that duty, Psa. cxxii. 1 : ' I was glad when they said unto me. Let us go unto the house of the Lord,' his heart leaped at the motion. When any occasion diverts him from communion with God, though he likes it never so well, yet it is unwelcome and impleasing to him ; as you who are used to be in your shops from morning to night, how tedious is it for you to be abroad some days, though among good friends, because you are not where your work and calling lies ? A Christian in duty is one in his calling, as it were in his shop where he should be, yea, where he would be, and therefore far from being tedious. Religion is so burdensome to none, as to those Avho are in- frequent in the exercise of it. Use makes heavy things light ; we hardly feel the weight of our clothes, because fitted to us and worn daily by us ; whereas the same weight on our shoulder would trouble us. Thus the grievousness of religious duties to carnal ones, is taken away in the saints, partly by the fitness of them to the saints' principles, as also by their daily exercise in them. The disciples, when newly entered into the ways of Christ, could not pray much, or fast long ; the bottles were new, and that wine too strong ; but by that they had walked a few years, they grew mighty in both. Dost thou complain that heaven's way is rugged ? Be the more frequently walking in it, and that will make it smooth.
But Secondly, Were this constant exercise of grace more troublesome to the flesh, (which is the only complainer,) the sweet advantage that accrues by this to the Christian will abundantly recompense all his labour and pains.
First, The exercise of thy grace will increase thy grace ; ' The diligent hand makes rich.' A provident man coimts that lost which might have been got, not only when his money is stole out of his chest, but when it lies there unimproved.
PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD. ^