Section I. — First, Look carefully to the ground of thy active obedience, that it be sound and sincere. The same right principles whereby the sincere soul acts for Christ, will carry him to suffer for Christ, when a call from God comes with such an errand. ' The children of Ephraim being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle,' Psa. Ixxviii. 9. Why? what is the matter? so well armed, and yet so cowardly ? This seems strange : read the preceding verse, and you will cease wondering; they are called there, 'a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God.' Let the armour be what it will, yea, if soldiers were in a castle, whose foimdations were rock, and walls brass ; yet if their hearts be not right to their prince, an easy storm will drive them from the walls, and a little scare open their gate, which hath not this bolt of sincerity on it to hold it fast. In our late wars we have seen, that honest hearts within thin and weak works have held the town, when no walls could defend treachery from betraying trust. O labour for sincerity in the engaging at first for God and his gospel. Be oft asking thy own sold for whom thou prayest, hearest, reformest this practice and that. If thou canst get a satisfactoiy answer from thy soul here, thou mayest hope well : if faith's working hand be sincere, then its fighting hand will be valiant. That place is observable, Heb. xi. 33 : ' Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire;' and with other great things that faith enabled them to endure, as you may read in the 34th, 35th, and 36th verses ; where I pray note, how the power of faith enabling the Christian to work righteousness (that is, live holily and righteously) is reckoned among the wonders of suffer- ings, which it strengthened them to endure. Indeed, had it not done this, it would never have endured these.
Section II. — Secondly, Pray for a suffering spirit. This is not a common gift, which every carnal gospeller and slighty professor hath. No ; it is a peculiar gift, and bestowed but on a few sincere souls ; 'unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake,' Phil. i. 20. All the parts and common gifts that a man hath will never enable him to drink deep of this cup for Christ ; such is the pride of man's heart, he had rather suffer any way than this; rather from himself, and for himself, than from Christ, or for Christ. You would wonder to see sometimes how much a child will endure at his play, and never cry for it : this fall, and that knock, and no great matter is made of it by him, because got in a way that is pleasing to him"; but let his father whip him, though it puts him not to half the smart, yet he roars and takes on, that there is no quieting of him. Thus men can bring trouble on themselves, and bite in their complaints. They can, one play away his estate at cards and dice, and another whore away his health, or cut off" many years from his life by beastly drunkenness, and all is endured patiently ; yea, if they had their money and strength again, they would go the same way : they do not repent of what their lusts have cost them, but mourn they have no more to bestow upon them ; their lusts shall have all they have to a morsel of bread in their cupboard, and drop of blood in their veins ; yea, they are not afraid of burning in hell, as their sins' martyrs. But come and ask these, that are so free of their purse, flesh, soul, and all, in lust's service, to lay their estate or life for a few moments at a stake in Christ's cause and his truth's, and you shall see that God is not so much beholden to them. And therefore pray and pray again for a suffering spirit in Christ's cause ; yea, saints themselves need earnestly plead with God for this. Alas ! they do not find suffering work follow their hand so easily. The flesh loves to be indulged, not crucified ; many a groan it costs the Christian, before he can learn to love this work. Now prayer, if any means, will be helpful to thee in this particular. He that can wrestle with God, need not fear the face of death and danger. Prayer engageth God's strength and wisdom for our help ; and what is too hai'd for the creature, that hath God at his back for his help to do or suffer ? We are bid to 'count it all joy when we fall into divers temptations,' James i. 2. Not temptations to sin, but for righteousness ; he means troubles for Christ and his gospel. Ah ! but might the poor Christian say, it were cause of more joy to be able to stand under these temptations, than to fall into them. Little joy woidd it be to have the temptation, and not the grace to
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