indulgence, when he said, ' Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy commandments,' Psa. cxix. 6, when my eye is to all thy command- ments. The traveller hath his eye on or towards the place he is going to, though he he but yet short of it ; there he would be, and is putting on all he can to reach it : so stands the saint's heart to all the commands of God ; he presseth on to come nearer and nearer to full obedience ; such a soul shall never be put to shame. But woe to those that cover their sloth with the name of infirmity, yea, that spend their zeal and strength in the pursuit of the world or their lusts, and then think to make all up when charged therewith, that it is their infirmity, and they can serve God no better. These do by God as those two by their prince, (Francis I. of France,) who cut off their right hand one for another, and then made it an excuse they were lame, and so could not serve in his galleys ; for which they were sent to the gallows. Thus many will be found at last to have disabled themselves, by refusing that help the Spirit hath offered to them ; yea, wasted what they had given them, and so shall be rewarded for hypocrites as they are. God knows how to distinguish between the sincerity of a saint, in the midst of his infirmities, and the shifts of a false heart. But we will wave these, and briefly speak to four points, which lie clear in the words.
First, Here is the necessity of perseverance : ' Having done all.'
Secondly, Here is the necessity of Divine armour, to persevere till we have done all. Wherefore else bids he them take this armour for this end, if they could do it without ?
Thirdly, Here is the certainty of persevering and overcoming at last, if clad with this armour, else it were small encouragement to bid them take that armour which would not surely defend them.
Fourthly, Here is the blessed result of the saints' perseverance propounded, as that which will abundantly recompense all their pain and patience in the war; having done all, ' to stand.' From these follow four distinct points.
First, He that will be Christ's soldier, must persevere.
Secondly, There can be no perseverance without true grace in the heart.
Thirdly, Where true grace is, that soul shall persevere.
Fourthly, To stand at the end of this war, will abundantly recompense all our hazard and hardship endured in the war.
Section HI. — Doct. 1. He that will be Christ's soldier, must persevere to the end of his life in this war against Satan. This ' having done all,' comes in after our conflict with death : ' That ye may be able to withstand in the evil day.' Then follows, 'And having done all.' We have not done all till that pitched battle be fought. ' The last enemy is death.' The word Katergazestai imports as much as to finish a business, and bring a matter to a full issue ; so Phil. ii. 12, where we translate it well, 'work out your salvation;' that is, perfect it, be not Christians by halves, but go through with it ; the thorough Christian is the true Christian. Not he that takes the field, but he that keeps the field ; not he that sets out, but he that holds out in this holy war; deserves the name of a saint. There is not such a thing in this sense belonging to Chris- tianity, as an honourable retreat ; not such a word of command, in all Christ's military discipline, as. Fall back, and lay down your arms : no, you must fall on, and stand to your arms, till called off by death.
First, We are under a covenant and oath to do this. Formerly soldiers used to take an oath not to flinch from their colours, but faithfully to cleave to their leaders ; this they called sacramentmn militare, a military oath ; such an oath lies upon every Christian. It is so essential to the being of a saint, that they are described by this, Psa. 1. 5 : ' Gather my saints together, those that have made a covenant with me.' We are not Christians till we have subscribed this covenant, and that without any reservation. When we take upon us the pro- fession of Christ's name, we enlist ourselves in his muster-roll, and by it do promise, that we will live and die with him in opposition to all his enemies. ' Every nation will walk in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of ouv God.' And what is it to walk in the name of our God, but to fight under the banner of his gospel, wherein his name is displayed, by giving an eternal defiance to sin and Satan ? If a captain had not such a tie on his soldiers, he might have them to seek when the day of battle comes. Therefore Christ tells xis upon what terms he will enrol us among his discijiles : ' If any man will be
AND iiAviNu do:;e all, to stand. ]g5
my disciple, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.' He will not entertain us, till we resign up ourselves freely to his disposal, that there may be no disputing with his commands afterwards, but, as one under his authority, go and come at his word.