by v.liich ' we know the things that ;>ro IVeoly given us of God,' 1 Cor. ii. 12. Now the Spirit sits in the ordinances, as a minister of state in his ofiice, whither we nuist resort, if we will have the trutli of our graces, that are om* evidences for heaven, sealed to our consciences. Thitlier go, therefore, yea, there wait, for thou knowest not, as the wise man saith of sowing seed, Eccles. xi. G, whether thy waiting on this or that, now or then, sliall prosper and be successful to thee for this end. It is enough to coniirm, yea, quiet and comfort thee in thy attendance, that thou art at the right door, and though thou knockcst long, and hearest no news of his coming, yet thou canst not stay so long, like Eglon's ser- vants, Judg. iii. 25, that thou needest be ashamed. They, indeed, waited on a dead man, and might have stood long enough before he had heard them ; but thou on a living (Jod, that hears every knock thou givest at heaven-gate with thy prayers and tears; yea, a loving God, that all this while he acts the part of a stranger, like Joseph to his bi'ethren, yet is so big with mercy that he will at last fall on thy neck, and ease his heart, by owning of thee, and his grace in thee. Lift up thy head, then, poor drooping soul, and go with expectation of the thing, but remember thou settest not God the time. The sun riseth at its own hour, whatever time we set it. And when God shall meet thee in an ordinance, as sometimes, no doubt, Christian, thou flndest a heavenly light irradiating, and influence quickening thy sold while hearing the word, or may l)e on thy knees wrestling with God, this is a sweet advantage and season thou shouldst improve for tliesatisfying thy soul ; as when the sun breaks out, tlien we run to the dial to know how the day goes ; or when, as we are sitting in the dark, one brings a candle into the room, then we bestir oiu'selves to look for tlie tiling we miss, and soon find what we in vain groped for in the dark ; so mayest thou, poor soul, as many of thy dear brethren and sisters before thee have done, know more of thy spiritual state in a few moments at such a time, than in many a day when God withdraws. Carefully, therefore, watch for such sea- sons, and improve them ; but if God will hide thy treasure from thy sight, comfort thyself with this, God knows thy uprightness, tliough wrapped up from thine own eye ; say as David, Psa. cxlii. 3 : ' When my spirit was over- whelmed within me, then thou knewest my path.' And (iod will deal with thee, not by the false accusations thou bringest in against thyself, as it is to be feared some have suffered at men's hands, but by the testimony which his all-seeing eye can give to thy grace.
CHAPTER XVI.
WUEREIN THE SECOND REASON OF THE METAPHOR IS OPENED; WHY SINCERITY IS SET OUT BY THE SOLDIEr's BELT, VIZ., FROM THE ESTABLISHING AND STRENGTHENING NATURE OF THIS GRACE, PARTICULARLY OF A PRESERVING STRENGTH IT HATH ; WITH SOME SPECIAL SEASONS WHEREIN THE HYPO- CRITE FALLS OFF.
Having despatched the first reason why sincerity is compared to the soldier's girdle or belt, and discoursed of this grace under that notion, we proceed to the second ground or reason of the nieta])hor, taken from the other use of the soldier's girdle, which is to strengthen his loins, and fasten his armour, over which it goes, close to him, wliereby he is more able to march, and strong to fight. Girding, in Scripture phrase, im])orts strength, Psa. xviii. .'}!) : ' Thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle.' Job. xii. 21 : ' He weakeneth the strength of the mighty;' in the Hebrew it is, 'He looseth their girdle;' to which use of the girdle sincerity doth bear a fit analogy. It is a grace that establisheth and strengthens the Christian in his whole course ; as, on the con- trary, hypocrisy weakens and unsettles the heart : ' a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.' As it is in bodies, so in souls. Earthly bodies, be- cause mixed, are corruptible ; whereas the heavenly bodies, being simple and unmixed, they are not subject to corruption. So much a soul hath of heaven's purity aiul incorruptibleness, as it hath of sincerity. ' Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sinceiity,' with incorruption, Eph. vi. 24. The strength of every grace lies in the sincerity of it ; so that without any more ado, tlie point which offers itself to our consideration, from this second notion of tlie girdle, is this :
278 HAVING YOUR LOINS