think it shall at last return, and may be with a great overplus : but at present he is put to many straits, and fain to make a hard shift to rub through, so as to live anything like his noble descent and family. Thus it is joyous to the saint to think of heaven, when all his means shall come into his hands ; but truly his imperfect grace, and the many expenses he is at, from afflictions at God's hands, temptations at Satan's mutinies, and intestine broils from remaining lusts within doors, do put him into naany sad straits, that the poor soul is fain often to snap short in his comfort ; yea, much ado he hath to keep his shop windows open with the little stock he hath ; hence the Christian's getting to heaven is set out as a business of so much difficult}'. ' If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?' 1 Pet. iv. 18. The wise virgins had no oil to spare; the Christian shall hold out, and that is even all. Think of this, and let fall thy plume.
Thirdly, Often meditate of thy own personal miscarriages, especially in thy unregenerate state. This kept Paid so humble; how often does his unregenerate, wicked conversation rise, though not in his conscience, to darken his comfort, yet in his mind to qualify the thoughts of his gifts and grace; 1 Cor. xv. 9, 10, where he speaks how he ' laboured more than them all.' O how he waylays his pride, that possibly might follow such his glorying too close at the heels ; and, therefore, before he dares speak a word of his present holiness, he bolts the door upon pride, and first falls upon the story of that black part of his life.
0, how he batters his pride, and speaks himself all to naught! no enemy could have drawn his picture with a blacker coal, ver. 8, he calls himself one ' born out of time ;' ver. 9 : ' For I am the least of the apostles, not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God ; ' and now having sufficiently besmeared and doused himself in the puddle of his former sins, how Inunbly doth tlie holy man speak of his transcendent graces, ver, 10: 'By the grace of God I am what I am, and I laboured moi-e abundantly than they all; yet not
1, but the grace of God.' O, this is the way of killing this weed of pride, to break up our hearts, and turn the inside outward — I mean humble and abase ourselves for our former abominations. Pride will not easily thrive in a soil where this plough often walks. Pride is a worm that bites and gnaws out the heart of grace. Now you know those are bitter things that must break the bag of worms that are gathered in the stomach; all sweet things nourish them; they are bitter that scatter and kill them. O Christians, take some quantity of this aloe often, and with God's blessing thou shalt find ease of that, which if a Christian, thou art troubled withal. And do not think that this worm breeds only in children, weak Christians, and young novices ; I confess it is the most ordinary disease of that age ; but aged and stronger Christians are not out of danger. Old David had this worm of pride at his heart, when he bade Joab number the people; and dost not thou too often take thyself in numbering the duties and good works thou hast done, and the sufferings thou hast en- dured for thy God, with some secret self-applauding thoughts that tickle thee from them ?
Verse 15. And your feet shodtvith the preparation of the gospel of peace. This verse presents us with the third piece of armour in the Christian's panoply — a spiritual shoe, fitted to his foot, and to be worn by him, so long as he keeps the field against sin and Satan. ' And your feet shod,' &c. We shall cast the words into distinct questions or inquiries, from the resolution of which will result the several points to be insisted on.
First, What is meant by the gospel?
Secondly, What by peace, and why attributed to the gospel?
Thirdly^ What the feet here mentioned import, and what grace is intended by the ' preparation of the gospel of peace,' which here is compared to the shoe, and fitted for these feet ?
Quest. AVhat is meant by the gospel ?
Am. Gospel, according to the notation of the original word, signifies any good news, or joyful message ; so Jer. xx. 15, ' Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my fatlier, saying, A man-child is born to thee, to make liim glad.' But usually in Scripture, it is restrained, by way of excellency, to signify the
0*4 THE GOSPEL OF PEACE.
doctrine of Christ, and salvation by him to poor sinners. 'I bring you glad tidings,' saith the angel to the shepherds, ' of great joy,' Lxike ii. 10; and ver. 11, he addeth, ' Unto you is born a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.' Thus it is taken in this place, and generally in the New Testament, and affords this note.
CHAPTER I.