3. This keeps us likewise from soul-devouring sim. Less infirmities in us
« Qu. 'for us'?— Ed.
474 THE EUIN OF MYSTICAL JEBICHO.
keep us from pride and security. God hath many ends ; but to cut oflf other things, because the point is large, I only give a taste.
Let this comfort us, that the walls of Jericho, that is to say, whatsoever opposeth us in our coming out of the state of nature, and our entrance into the state of heaven, whatsoever opposition is between, shall fall. Therefore let us strengthen our faith in the use of means.
Quest. How shall we strenf/thm our faith this tray?
Ans. Faith is strengthened bij the knowledge of the attributes of him, whom we lay hold upon, whose power iloth all. The more we know him, the more we shall trust him. Let us labour to know God in covenant to be our Father, and to know Christ as he is, in his nature and offices, what he is to us : to know his wisdom, and power, and truth, that there may be a bottom for faith to build on. The more we grow in spiritual knowledge the more we shall grow in faith ; and the more we grow in faith, the more we shall gi'ow in other graces, whereby we overcome all our enemies that set against us.
Again, Let ns mahe use of all former experience to strengthen faith. Hath God begun the work ? Do the walls of Jericho begin to fall ? ' He that hath begun a good work will finish it to the day of the Lord,' Philip, i. 6. Let us take in trust the time to come, by experience of God's truth for the time past ; for the work of the Spirit is a continued work. The Spirit of God, in subduing our corruptions, he would not have begun if he had meant to have left otf and interrupted the work. The Spirit suffers us to fall sometimes, but it is to teach us to stand better afterward. He turns our very falls and slips to our good. Let us strengthen faith, therefore, from former experience, as David did. We have overcome the bear and the lion ; therefore let us set on the Philistine, 1 Sam. xvii. 37. And as Joshua set his foot on the necks of the ten kings, and said, ' Thus shall the Lord thy God destroy all thine enemies,' Joshua x. 24, seq., so hath the Spirit of God set his foot as it were upon some corruptions. Thus shall God deal with all corruptions and temptations at length, and never leave the blessed government of us till he have subdued all. Let us rise from one experiment* to another, to strengthen faith. God is alike in all truths. You know in Judges v. 31, saith the holy woman Deborah, * So let all thine enemies perish.' The heart of that blessed woman was, as it were, enlarged prophetically. When one falls, they shall all fall, there is like reason. See how gloriously Hannah in her song enlargeth her faith, by God's power and goodness, because she had experience in herself. So experience in ourselves or others will enlarge our faith to look for greater matters still from our gracious, powerful God. Thus we ought to labour to strengthen our faith.
And the third thing to help faith in all spiritual oppositions that we meet with, is daily exercise in using it, to make it brighter continually every day, by working ivith it ^qjon our enemies. And in the estate of grace to live by it, both for this present life, to depend upon God for all things, and likewise for necessary grace ; as the disciples when they were enjoined a hard duty, * Lord, increase our faith,' say they, Luke xvii. 5, they go to exercise their faith upon it. If that be increased, all is increased. And so in our calUngs, exercise it by depending upon God for strength and success. Saith Peter to Christ, ' Lord, at thy word I will cast out the net,' Luke V. 5, though it were very unlikely it should do any good. They had fished all day, and catched nothing, but yet he would wait, and go on still : * That is, ' experience.' — G.
THE RUIN OF MYSTICAL JEEICHO. 475
' At thy word I will cast out the net.' He did it, and the net brake with the multitude of fish. Let us exercise our faith in daily obedience to God, depend upon him in the use of means.
And learn this, to wait in the exercise of our faith ; as they that went about the walls of Jericho, they did it seven days. Put case they had done it six, and no more, the walls had stood still. He that hath ten miles to go, and goes but nine, he shall never come to his journey's end. When God hath set down such a time, so long thou shalt wait, and use the means, and depend upon me by faith, in the use of the means ; if we be short-spirited, and lengthen and strengthen not our faith in the use of the means, we shall never attain our desire, therefore let us labour to wait. Here is the difference between Christians and others. There is no man but he would be happy if so be it were not for this waiting. If a wicked man should see hell open, would he commit sin if he should see it present ? If he should see heaven open, and Chi'ist coming with his reward with him, he would be godly. There is not the vilest wretch in the world but he would be so if these things were present. But because it is only discovered in the word of God, and faith must believe, and wait for the reward, and faith must wait all the time of our life, here is the trial. So that a Christian differs nothing from a worldly man, but in a spirit of faith and waiting, and con- tinuance of that faith in the mean time before a man come to enjoy and receive what he looks for. Faith gives God the glory of all his attributes. The glory of his truth ; he hath spoken, and therefore he will make it good. 'The glory of his wisdom ; that he hath found out such a course for us to walk in. The glory of his mercy ; that he hath made such promises to such wretches. So all other attributes faith gives glory to. Therefore God glorifies faith, and the special act of faith is waiting: ' If I tarry long, wait thou,' Hab. ii. 3. And we have need of patience. Faith stirs up patience to help and assist it, as we see here, these waited seven days. Remember therefore to exercise faith in continual dependence upon God. Take heed of being short-spirited. Though God defer the rewarding of the righteous, and the punishment of the wicked, yet hold out still. He that hath promised will come in time, and make good that that he hath said in due time. Give God the glory of appointing the fittest time. He is the best discerner of opportunities : ' Our times are in his hand,' Ps. xxxi. 15, all kind of times ; therefore let us depend upon him for that ; only labour to have a strong spirit of faith, that we may wait his good leisure.