Whence is it that the renewing and increase of spiritual strength depend upon our waiting on God? There is not any thing in this world wherein we are more concerned, next to the securing our in terest in Jesus Christ, than this one thing of renewing our strength, our spiritual strength. Especially it is of great concern unto us now when it is a time, as hath been confessed unto God, wherein there are great decays, visible decays, in most professors, and inward decays I fear in all. Therefore it is our duty to consider how we may improve this great duty, for this end, to renew strength, to strengthen the things that are ready to die, that you and I that are weak may be strong, that are dead may be quickened and live, that our graces may be lively and flourishing. Saith the Lord, ' They that wait
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upon me shall renew their strength/ They shall do so upon a double assurance: —
First, Upon a moral assurance, by reason of the faithfulness of God in his covenant. God hath promised it, and we may really be lieve it because of God's promise : ' They that wait upon me shall renew their strength/ If we wait upon God in that way he accepts and approves, he is faithful to do it. And upon this account we may truly say, and do believe it, that no person under heaven waits on God as he ought, but God doth renew spiritual strength unto him, doth revive his graces, strengthen his faith and love, and enable him to obedience, as he hath promised.
Secondly, It is the way that God hath appointed for us to draw supplies of spiritual grace and strength from him. Our judgment and our dignity are not like those of the Chaldeans, that proceeded of them selves, Hab. i. 7 ; but our judgment and dignity are of another, — God in Christ. All is from Christ ; — our strength and honour are all from another. There must be a way, therefore, whereby we may derive strength from another, since it is not from ourselves. Now, this is the way that God hath appointed for us to derive supplies of spiri tual strength from Jesus Christ, in whom are all the springs and stores of it; it is by waiting upon God in the ways before men tioned, — in the way of looking, of patience, of expectation on God in Christ, — that he will perform his promise. God hath made this the way of communicating strength unto us, and deriving strength from Jesus Christ. ' Abide in me/ saith Christ : ' if ye abide not in me, ye can do nothing; but if ye abide in me, ye shall be branches that shall be purged and bring forth fruit/ Our abiding in Christ is by this exercising of faith upon God in Christ, whereby spiritual strength is renewed unto us.
I might speak of those things that are subordinate hereunto, be cause by this way of waiting upon God we mix his promises with faith, which God hath appointed; but I should then transgress my purpose and take up your time.
I have spoken these words to direct you and myself to the true use of this duty, that we have so frequent opportunities for, that none of us may rest in the work done, or satisfy ourselves that we have been at such a duty so often, so long, but improve it to its proper end, which is waiting on God in times of backsliding, that we may renew our strength ; the consequence whereof is in the next words, * We shall then mount up with wings as eagles; we shall run, and not be weary; and we shall walk, and not faint.'
524 HOLINESS URGED FROM THE
SERMON Y.
HOLINESS URGED FROM THE LI ABILITY OF ALL THINGS TO DISSOLUTION.
PREACHED JULY 11, 1673.
" Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness?" — 2 PET. iii. 11.
MY design is only to go over a few texts of Scripture that may give us light into that instruction which is wrapped up in these words, and a little, if it may be, whet it upon us.
It is not certain what is meant by " All these things/' whether all the things of the world, the heavens and the earth, and all that is in them ; or whether it be the " all things/' the heavens and the earth, of an apostatized church, such as was the church of the Jews, at that time drawing nigh to a fiery destruction. I shall not detain you in discussing the difficulties of it. But that which I would leave with you from the words, and which, without all doubt is in them, is this, that all things in and of the world are liable and obnoxious to a destructive dissolution. Our things, and other men's things, the things of the nation, and the things of families, so far as they are in and of this world, are liable to a destructive dissolution.
And then there is this again, I am sure, in the words, that upon the near approach of great, destructive dissolutions, it is highly incum bent upon all professors of the gospel to be signal in holiness and godliness, or assuredly they will not escape the pressure and evil of that destructive dissolution.