which he iiseth in winter ; the mariner provides his tackling in tlie harbour, before he ])uts to sea ; and the wise Christian will store himself with promises in health for sickness ; and in peace, for future perils. It is too late for a man to think of running home for his cloak, when on his way he is catched in a storm. 'A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself : but the simple pass on, and are punished,' Prov. xxii. 3.
Section II. — Observe the full latitude of promises. The covenant of grace comprehends the weak Christian as well as the strong ; ' If children, then heirs,' Rom. viii. 17 : not if children grown to this age, or that stature ; but if children. Christ hath in his family children of all sizes ; some little, others tall. If thou art a child, though in the cradle, the promise is thy portion. 'AH the promises of God in him are, Yea, and in him, Amen,' 2 Cor. i. 20. ' There is no condenmation to them which are in Christ Jesus,' Rom. viii. 1. See here it is the state and relation the creature stands in that gives him his title to the promise. Some saints have more grace from Christ than others, and so have more skill to improve these promises than their weaker brethren, whereby their present profits and incomes from the promise are greater : but they have no more interest in Christ than the other; and, consequently, the title of the weak Christian is as true to the promise, as of the strong. Shall the foot say. Because I am the lowest member of the body, therefore the tongue will not speak for me, or the head take care of me? We will grant thee to be of the lowest rank of Christians ; yet thou art in Christ, as the foot is in the body ; and Christ hath made provision in the promise for all that are in him. We disfigure the promises when we make them look asquint, with an eye upon one saint, and not on another, whereas tliey belong to all : ' He thatbelieveth on the Son hath everlasting life,' John iii. 36. Who now is there meant? Only he that believes above doubting ? Certainly not. He that bids us receive the weak in faith, will not himself reject them.
Section III. — Be much in meditation of the promises. Whence is it that the poor Christian is so distressed with the present affliction tliat lies upon him, but because he miiseth more on his trouble, than on the promise? There is that in the promise which would recreate his spirit, if he could but fix his thoughts upon it. When the crying child once fastens on the teat, and begins to draw down the milk, then it leaves wrangling, and falls asleep at the breast. Thus the Christian ceaseth complaining of his affliction, when he gets hold on the promise, and hath the relish of its sweetness upon his heart ; Psa. xciv. 19, ' In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my soul.' When a swarm of bees dislodge themselves, they are all in confusion, flying here and there without any order, till at last they are hived again ; then tlie uproar is at an end, and they fall to work ])eaceably as before — so the Christian will find it with his own heart : God in the promise is the soul's hive ; let the Christian dislodge his thoughts thence, and presently they run riot, and fly up and down as in an attright at the apprehension of the present affliction or temptation that lies u])on him, till he can recollect himself, and settle his heart again upon the promise, and then he recovers his former peace. Hence the Spirit of God sounds a retreat to the troubled thoughts of afflicted saints, and calls them unto God, where alone they can be quiet, and at ease, Psa. xxxvii. 7 : ' Rest in the Lord, and wait jjatiently for him.' And David, finding his soul (like the dove while flying over the waters) without repose, calls it back into the meditation of God and his promise, as the only ark where it could find rest; Psa. cxvi. 7, 'Return unto thy rest, O my soul.' The Christian's heart is of that colour, which his most abiding, constant thoughts dye it into. Transient, fleeting thoughts, be they comfortable or sad, do not much work upon the soul, or alter its temper into joy or sorrow. Neither poison kills, nor food nourisheth that doth not stay in the body ; no, then the affliction soaks into the heart, and embitters the Christian's spirit into perplexing fears and disconsolate dejections, when his thoughts lie steeping in his sorrows from day to day ; when, like her in the gospel, he is bowed down with a spirit of infirmity, that he cannot raise his heart from the thought of his cross and trial, to meditate on anj' promise that should refresh him. Such there are, whom Satan and their own pensive hearts kee|) such close prisoners, that no comfortable meditation is suffered to speak or stay with them. Again, on the other hand, then the pro-
gjg AND THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT.