him that overcometh, will I give power over the nations.
Sometimes they get a little anointing of the oil of
gladness wherewith Chrift is anointed above his fel-
lows, and then the joy of the Lord is their strength;
and a little shower of the fanctifying and comforting
influences of the spirit of Chrift, for watering their
graces, and drowning their corruptions. Sometimes
they get a little look and blink of the kind and
compaffionate eye of Chrift, even after a denial, as
he gave to Peter; and when they find him thus
graciously looking to them, and kindly rebuking
them, they go out and weep bitterly; and while
they are fhedding the tears of faith, they are fhed-
ding the blood of their enemies. Sometimes they
get a little back look upon an old experience of the
Lord's putting the enemy to flight before them,
faying, I will remember thee from the Land of Jordan
and of the Hermonites, &c. Or a little back-look

upon an old promise that the Lord gave them with
power: And when they are helped to plead it,
faying, Lord, remember the word on which thou haft
caufed me to hope; the enemy gets a new defeat.
Sometimes they get a little opening of the door of
hope in the valley of Achor, the lively hope of the
heavenly Canaan through the refurrection of Chrift:
And this hope is the finews of the holy war; for, as
Hope makes not ashamed, so he that hath this hope,
purifies himself; and, according to the measure of
this hope, is the measure of victory. Sometimes
they get a little pull of the cord of love, fo as to ge
the love of God fhed abroad upon their heart, and
then the love of Chrift conftrains them; the love of
the captain draws them to the field, where lo
the fignal for war, Chrift's love, I mean: Hi
ner over me was love, fays the church.

HIS

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both leads the van, and fences the rear; and when 'the flame of his love to them kindles a flame of love in their hearts to him, then a flaming fword is drawn in the face of the enemy, the banner of love beats down the nations. Again, they fometimes get a little fpiritual fenfe to carry on the fpiritual war: For inftance, fometimes a little hearing of the voice of Chrift, fo as to know the fweet and powerful found of it among a thousand voices ; and then their heart leaps within them, faying, It is the voice of my beloved; behold, he cometh skipping on the mountains, &c. Sometimes they get a little fight of God in Chrift, and then they can endure hardship, as good foldiers of Chrift; thus they endure, as feeing him that is invifible, counting the reproach of Christ greater riches than all the treafures of Egypt. Sometimes they get a little touch of the hem of Chrift's garment by faith, a little touch of his name, his offices, his blood, his righteousness, or whatever hem it be; virtue comes from him to stop the bloody iffue; and ftop the enemies motion. Sometimes they get a little taste that the Lord is gracious, and it is like the taste of Jonathan's honey-comb, the more they tafte of the honey of free-grace, the greater is the flaughter they make among the Philifines. Sometimes they get a little fmell of the rofe of Sharon, and the lillie of the valley, and it reftores their fainting foul: All Christ's garments are faid to smell of Alloes, Myrrhe and Caffia; and the believer may be faid to get a fmell of the raiment, a fmell of the rofe, when Chrift is precious to him above all things: And when all these fpiritual fenfes are exercised, then they may be faid to be exercifing their arms, and

1

making havock among their enemies, and gaining ground upon them. In a word, he gives them fometimes a little breathing in the air of spiritual meditation; My meditation of him fhall be fweet: And when Chrift is sweet, fin is bitter, and the battle against it a bitter battle. He gives them here a little, and there a little; and by little and little, puts out the nations before them.

I have mentioned many particulars; but yet there is no fpeaking of all the littles that believers will experience during the time of their warfare: Only, thus you fee, how by little and little their captain brings them to the field of battle, and how by little and little, he carries on the conquest in their hand; it is the Lord their God alone that does it; it is he that conquered their enemies; it is he that helps them to chase the conquered, for it is he that bought their armour; he bought their shield, and fword and breaft-plate, and helmet: and it is he that as he bought them with his blood, fo he puts on their weapons, and girds them with ftrength for war. It is he that rubs off the ruft from their arms, when at any time they are out of use by blowing up their graces, and giving them ftrength to exercife grace: And it is he that carries on the victory to perfection, by giving power to the faint; and to bim that hath no might, be increaseth Strength, from time to time, till in death he end the warfare, by driving out all the nations, fo as never to be feen again. The Lord thy God will put out these nations before thee by little and little.

SIXTH HEAD.

The fixth thing propofed, was, to give the Reafons of the doctrine. It might here be asked, 1. Why

the

the Lord their God, and he alone, does put out the nations before them? Why, he alone can do it, for he is the Lord; they would never be put cut, if he did it not; and he alone will do it, because he is their God, and thus ftands engaged by promise and covenant to do fo. The Lord thy God will put out thefe nations before thee. But, 2. Why will he do it fo gradually by little and little? Why does he let enemies without and within live to annoy his people? Seeing it is eafy for him to destroy them all inftantly, why will he deftroy them gradually, by little and little? There is much of infinite wifdom to be observed in this difpofure; and therefore I would offer fome particulars for representing the beauty of this method.

It, It is by little and little he put them out, without deftroying them all at once, that by them he may prove his people, Judges ii. 22. Some Canaanites were ftill left remaining, to prove whether they will keep the way of the Lord: These Canaanites were enemies to their peace, enemies to their profeffion, that fought their bodies overthrow, and their foul's ruin; and they are left to prove whether they will cleave ftill to God's command, or whether they will follow the abominations of the wicked. Obferve it then, firs, we must expect to find enemies; outward enemies to the peace of the church, and to the truth of the gofpel; inward enemies to the graces and comforts of the foul: And this combat thus continued in Ifrael, ferves to prove whether our graces be counterfeit or not; for they only are true Ifraelites, that are ftill taking up arms against the devil, the world, and the flesh, and all the nations of the Canaanites. By this then it is evidenced who are true Ifraelites, and who not.

2dly, It

2dly It is by little and little that he will put out the nations before Ifrael, that thus they may be still learning to exercise their arms: I mean, that their graces may be exercised, and particularly their militant graces. There are fome graces would be for little or no use, if no Canaanites and corruptions were left: The fpecial use of faith, hope and patience, is for helping the believer to furmount the difficulties that are now in his way. Many other graces there are, that there would be no ufe for, if all our enemies and corruptions were deftroyed at once. Triumphant graces, fuch as love and joy in their perfection, would make a perfect heaven; but there are militant graces, that must be exercised alfo, while we are on earth, and which there will be no ufe for in heaven: For example, if all wants were fupplied fully, there would be no need of poverty of fpirit; if all fins were wholly deftroyed, there would be no more need of godly forrow; if death were already fwallowed up of victory, there would be no need of the defire of death, nor of longing for heaven; if vifion were already come, there would be no need of faith, as it is a militant grace, fighting its way many times thro' doubts and fears, and want of fight and fenfe; if fruition were come, there would be no need of hope; if all trouble were at an end, there would be no need of patience But this fhield of faith, and helmet of hope, and other parts of the chriftian armour, must be exercifed; therefore the nations are not wholly deftroyed, but by little and little. Again,

:

3dly, It is by little and little they are put out, for the advantage of the militant faints in many respects: As it is fit they should fight, before they triumph; and that they war as foldiers on earth, before they