death there is a sin which may stand with Grace and there is a sin which cannot stand with Grace there is the spot of the Godly and there is the spot of the Wicked there is a gross sin a reigning sin and there is a sin of infirmity there is a sin for which God wil leave and cast off the sinner witness Judas's sin the sin of the false Disciple and there is a sin for which God wil not cast one off witness the sin of these true Disciples O! then what cause have we to make it out to our own souls whether our sins be sins of infirmity or not Quest But it seems that all the sins of the Godly are not sins of Infirmity and God will not cast off a Godly man for any sin What advantage therefore hath this sin of Infirmity above other sins or what disadvantage do the other sins of the Godly labor under which this sin of infirmity doth not Answ 1 Much very much For though my sin be great yet if it be a sin of Infirmity it shal not hinder the present acceptance of my Duty Hezekiah and the People were not prepared according to the preparation of the Sanctuary that was his and their weakness but he prayed and the Lord heard his prayer So David said in his hast I am cast out of thy sight this was his infirmity yet he prayed withal and saith he Nâ—vertheless thou heard'st the voyce of my supplication But if a man a good man do fall into a foul gross and scandalous sin though the Lord pardon it to him afterward yet it wil suspend his present communion with God Answ 2 Although my sin be great yet if it be but an Infirmity it shall not hinder the sence of my Justification A foul and scandalous breach upon our Sanctification wil make a breach upon the sence of our Justification but though the sin be great yet if it be but an Infirmity it shal not make a breach upon the sence of our Justification Answ 3 Though my sin be great yet if it be but an Infirmity there is a pardon that lies in course for it and though it be good to repent of every sin with a distinct and particular Repentance yet it is not necessary that there should be a particular Repentance for every sin of Infirmity If a man though a good man do commit a grosâ— foul and scandalous sin there must be a particular Repentance for it and without that there wil be no peace no true peace in his soul but if the sin be only a sin of infirmity a general Repentance may and wil serve for that Who knows the errors of his Life saith David Lord clense thou me from my secret faults Answ 4 Though a mans sin be great yet if it be but an Infirmity it shal never bring a scourge upon his Family It is a great misery to a good Parent to see his Family scourged for his sin Possibly the sins of a Godly man may bring a rod on his Family Because of this saith the Lord to David the Sword shall never depart from thine house But now if the sin be only a sin of Infirmity my Family shal never be scourged for that Answ 5 And though my sin be great yet if it be but a sin of Infirmity it shal never spoil my Gifts nor make them unprofitable If a man have great Gifts praying exercising Gifts and his Life be scandalous what saith the World I this man hath exceeding good Gifts indeed but do ye see how he lives A scandalous Life soils and spoils his Gifts and doth make them unuseful But now if my sin be only a Sin of infirmity it shal never soil my Gifts so as to make them unuseful and unprofitable unto others Surely then there is a great and a vast difference between this Sin of Infirmity and another Sin and therefore why should we not labor to make it out with cleerness to our own souls what kind of sins our sins are Every man almost thinks that his Sin is a Sin of Infirmity Come to the Drunkard Swearer Adulterer Opposer and these wil tel you that their Sins are but Sins of Infirmity they wil rail at and oppose the People of God and yet their sins are but Sins of Infirmity Swear and swear dayly yet their sins are but Sins of Infirmity go to the Tap-house Play-house Whore-house and yet their Sins but Sins of Infirmity the vilest of men think their Sins are only Infirmities But is there such a great difference between Sins and Sins this and the other Sins Then why should we not look wishly into our condition consider our waies and labor to make it out with cleerness to our own souls whether our Sins be Sins of Infirmity or not Quest But suppose that upon due search and examination I find that my Sin is no other than a sin of Infirmity which will not cast me off although through my weakness I do fall into it again and again what then Answ Then several Duties follow and accordingly you are to take up these and the like gracious Resolutions If my Sin be a Sin of Infirmity and no other then through Grace Deletur iniquitaâ— manet infirmitas August Sed Quare Deus talia peccata sinit fieri à suis cur sic impingere eos permittit respondetur ex effectis ideo ita permittit Deus ut occasionem accipiat multarum bonarum rerum non enim labantur sancti ut pereunt sed ut copiose eis Deus benefaciat ut lapsus principio operetur humilitatem deinde invocationem ut nos excitet ut nobis ipsis irascamur et nos damnemus ut majori studio caveamus Luth. in Gen. cap. 20. wil I observe what Gods design is in suffering and leaving such Infirmities in me and wil labor what I can and may to promote and advance that design God could have freed me from all Sin these Infirmities as wel as the greater but God hath some great designs in leaving of these Infirmities as that I may be alwaies humbled that I may be alwaies upon the work of mortification that Jesus Christ may be the more sweet and precious to me that I may live in continual dependance on him that I may not gather up the assurance of my Salvation only from my Sanctification but from the free Grace of God and his absolute Promise that I may be weary of my present state and groan after Heaven where no imperfections are and that I may learn to pity others and therefore through Grace I wil do what I can to help on these Designs If my Sin be but a Sin of Infirmity and God will not cast me off for it then through the Grace of God wil I never beleeve these false reports of Christ and those misrepresentations of him which Satan would put upon him whereby he would perswade me and others that our Lord Christ is an hard Master as Satan doth labor
who heard them Preached raised them from that Death Mine own Notes were not legible enough for the Press In answer therefore to their desires I have corrected these some things I have altered some things added and some Repetitions fit enough for the Pulpit I have filed off what is wanting let thy goodness supply I have also joyned with them some other Sermons of more doctrinal concernment these being mostly practical that so thy mind and Heart may be at once exercised wherein I have rather applyed my self to the Jnstructive part of Preaching than to Scholastical disputation For I know the Universities have able and faithful Men more fit for that work Neither have I undertaken any English Adversary and if I have troaden upon any Mans Toes I hope he wil excuse me for I can say truly Sir I saw you not And if any Man shal say to me as Davids Brother Eliab spake to him 1 Sam. 17.29 I know thy pride and Malice of thine heart that thou art come down to see the battle I might answer as David did Is there not a Cause When strange Opinions and Errors are dayly Published is there not a Cause that every man who loves the truth should bear his Testimony for it In performance therefore of mine own Duty and for thine Establishment I have spoaken somthing to many truths which are now questioned Hold fast what thou hast lest another take thy Crown And the Lord Jesus Christ and our God even the Father which hath loved us and hath given us everlasting Consolation and good Hope through Grace Comfort thine heart and Stablish thee in every word and good work Thine in the Service of the Gospel WILLIAM BRIDGE The Names of several Books Printed by Peter Cole in Leaden-Hall London and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Printing-press in Corn-hil neer the Exchange Nineteen several Books of Mr. William Bridge Collected into two Volumns Viz. 1 The Great Gospel Mystery of the Saints Comfort and Holiness opened and applied from Christs Priestly Office 2 Satans Power to Tempt and Christs Love to and Care of His People under Temptation 3 Thankfulness required in every Condition 4 Grace for Grace or the Overflowing of Christs Fulness received by all Saints 5 The Spiritual Actings of Faith through Natural Impossibilities 6 Evangelical Repentance 7 The Spiritual Life and In-being of Christ in all Beleevers 8 The Woman of Canaan 9 The Saints Hiding-place in time of Gods Anger 10 Christs Coming is at our Midnight 11 A Vindication of Gospel Ordinances 12 Grace and Love beyond Gifts 13 Scripture Light the most sure Light compared with 1. Revelations and Visions 2. Natural and Supernatural Dreams 3. Impressions with and without Word 4. Light and Law within 5. Divine Providence 6. Christian Experience 7 Humane Reason 8. Judicial Astrology Delivered in Sermons on 2 Pet. 1.19 14 Christ in Travel Wherein 1 The Travel of his soul 2. The first and after effects of his Death 3. His Assurance of Issue 4. And His satisfaction therein Are opened and cleered in three Sermons on Esay 53.11 15 A Lifting up for the Cast-down in case of 1. Great sin 2. Weakness of Grace 3. Miscarriage of Duties 4. Want of Assurance 5. Affliction 6. Temptation 7. Dissertion Unserviceableness 9. Discouragements from the Condition it self Delivered in thirteen Sermons on Psalm 42.11 His Four Sermons concerning 16 Sin against the Holy Ghost 17 Sins of Infirmities 18 The False Apostle tried and Discovered 19 The Good and means of Establishment Eleven Books of Mr. Jeremiah Burroughs lately published also the Texts of Scripture upon which they are grounded 1 The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment on Phil. 4.11 Wherein is shewed 1 What Contentment is 2 It is an Holy Art and Mystery 3 The Excellencies of it 4 The Evil of the contrary sin of Murmuring and the Aggravations of it 2 Gospel Worship on Levit. 10.3 Wherein is shewed 1 The right manner of the Worship of God in general and particularly In Hearing the Word Receiving the Lords Supper and Prayer 3 Gospel Conversation on Phil. 1.17 Wherein is shewed 1 That the Conversations of Beleevers must be above what could be by the Light of Nature 2 Beyond those that lived under the Law 3 And sutable to what Truths the Gospel holds forth To which is added The Misery of those men that have their Portion in this Life only on Psal 17.14 4 A Treatise of Earthly Mindedness Wherein is shewed 1 What Earthly mindedness is 2 The great Evil thereof on Phil. 3. part of the 19. Verse Also to the same Book is joyned A Treatise of Heavenly Mindedness and Walking with God on Gen. 5.24 and on Phil. 3.20 5 An Exposition on the fourth fifth sixth and seventh Chapters of the Prophesie of Hosea 6 An Exposition on the eighth ninth and tenth Chapters of Hosea 7 An Exposition on the eleventh twelfth and thirteenth Chapters of Hosea being now compleat 8 The Evil of Evils or the exceeding Sinfulness of Sin on Job 36.21 9 Precious Faith on 2 Pet. 1.1 10 Of Hope on 1 John 3.3 11 Of Walking by Faith on 2 Cor. 5.7 Ten several Books by Nich. Culpeper Gent. Student in Physick and Astrology 1 The Practice of Physick containing seventeen several Books Wherein is plainly set forth The Nature Cause Differences and Several Sorts of Signs Together wtth the Cure of all Diseases in the Body of Man Being chiefly a Translation of The Works of that Learned and Renowned Doctor Lazarus Riverius Now living Councellor and Physitian to the present King of France Above fifteen thousand of the said Books in Latin have been Sold in a very few Yeers having been eight times printed though all the former Impressions wanted the Nature Causes Signs and Differences of the Diseases and had only the Medicines for the Cure of them as plainly appears by the Authors Epistle 2 The Anatomy of the Body of Man Wherein is exactly described the several parts of the Body of Man illustrated with very many larger Brass Plates than ever was in English before 3 A Translation of the New Dispensatory made by the Colledg of Physitians of London Whereunto is added The Key to Galen 's Method of Physick 4 The English Physitian Enlarged being an Astrologo-Physical Discourse of the vulgar Herbs of this Nation wherein is shewed how to cure a mans self of most Diseases incident to Mans Body with such things as grow in England and for three pence charge Also in the same Book is shewed 1 The time of gathering all Herbs both Vulgarly and Astrologically 2 The way of drying and keeping them and their Juyces 3 The way of making and keeping al manner of useful Compounds made of those Herbs The way of mixing the Medicines according to the Cause and Mixture of the Disease and the part of the Body afflicted 5 A Directory for Midwives or a Guide for Women Newly enlarged by the Author in every sheet and Illustrated with
〈…〉 â—nointed by Samuel yet a darkness presently rose upon him buâ— it was the darkness of a cloud only and not of the 〈◊〉 Why Because it was such a darkness as arose immediately aâ—ter he â—hinings forth of a Promise And I pray you shew me any â—cripture where you find that ever any darkness arose presently aâ—ter the breaking shining forth of a Promise which was more than the darkness of a cloud which vanished away Or whe e do you find in all the Scripture that ever any poor soul came into the dark immediately after the giving out of a Promise but that soul did come to the light again Now as for the darkness that covers the Saints it is usually a darkness that comes after the giving and shining out of a Promise and therefore that darkness is but the darkness of a cloud and they may say a cloud a cloud and it will pass away Answ 2 Secondly If a man be so in the dark as yet he can see to work and dig up pits it argues that the darkness is but the darkness of a cloud a man cannot see to work artificially in the night but though there be much darkness by reason of a cloud yet he may see to work and to dig up pits because it is day Now in Psalm 84. the Psalmist faith at verse 5. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee and in whose hearts are the waies of them who passing through the Valley of Baca dig up pits the rain also filleth the pits they go from strength to strength till they appear before God in Zion It is an alluâ—ion to the practice of the Jews when some of them went up to Jerusalem their way lay through the Valley of Baca which was a very dry Valley where no houses were where no Water was for their relief and refreshment whereupon they digged up pits and to the rain fell and they were refreshed got strength and went on to Jerusalem where they saw the Lord in his Ordinances So saith the Psalmist Blessed are they in whose heart the Law of God is There are a Generation of men in the world that have the Law of God in their hearts though they cannot act and work towards God as they would these somtimes are in a dry and barren condition where no Water or Comfort is yet if in this condition they dig up pits go to prayer wait upon God in Duty though they find no Comfort springing up in their Duty for the present yet in due time the rain of Gods Blessing will fill those dry pits and empty duties whereby their Life shall be like unto a Pool of Water and they shall go from strength of Grace to strength of Grace till they see the Lord. Know ye therefore any man that is in this Valley of Baca where no Water is yet if he can find in his heart to dig up pits to pray read hear meditate confer and perform Duties though those duties be empty of Comfort for the present yet the rain of Grace and Mercy shall fall upon those Pits and he shall go from strength to strength till he appears before the Lord in Glory Now thus it is with the Saints though darkness and a great darkness be upon them yet in that dark condition they are still digging up pits and therefore this darkness is not the darkness of the night but the darkness of a cloud and they may say this is a cloudy darkness and it wil over ere long Answ 3 Thirdly If the darkness which a man is under be such as there are some openings of Light withal then it is the darkness of a cloud and not of the night though the cloud may cause much darkness yet ever and anon it opens and there are some interims of light withal but the night opens not there are no interims of light then Now interims and intermissions of Light are sure and certain pledges of a greater light which is yet to come You know that when David fled from Absolon he was in a dark condition for the Text saith He went and he wept and he went bare-foot his own son persecutes him drives him from his Throne a great consederacy was raised against him by wicked men with the child of his own bowels here was darkness upon darkness matter of great discouragement but it was a cloud and no more You wil say How should David have known that it was but the darkness of a cloud David prayed The Lord turn the Counsels of Ahithophel into folly and before David had overcome Absolon and was restored to his Kingdom Ahithophel did hang himself David singled out Ahithophel to pray against and the Lord heard his prayer that Judgment of Ahithophel was the return of Davids Prayer here the cloud opened and this Answer of his Prayer in the interim was a Seal to David of the full deliverance that came afterwards Deus uno Sigillo Sigillat diversas materias for God seals divers matters with the same Seal So when a man is in the dark by reason of some temptation affliction or desertion which he cannot see the end of if in this interim before the full deliverance comes he hath some lesser deliverance that lesser deliverance in the interim is a Seal unto him of the future deliverance and he may say here is a pledg of my full deliverance for here is the opening of the cloud Now thus it is alwaies with the People of God they never are in any affliction temptation or desertion but before their great deliverance comes they have some special Providence some reviving in the midst of their trouble some interim of light some openings of the cloud and therefore in the midst of all they may say surely this my darkness is not the darkness of a night but of a cloud I say there is no discouragement doth befall the Saints but the matter thereof is a cloud and they may say it is but a cloud it will pass over and therefore why should they be discouraged Surely there is no reason for their discouragements whatever their condition be If these things be so Applic. How heavily doth this Doctrine fall in reproof upon some I wish I might not say some of the Servants and People of God A godly man hath no true reason for his discouragements whatever his condition is although it be never so sad and some are alwaies discouraged whatever their condition be although it be never so good whatever falls out the Saints should not be discouraged no not at any thing and yet many are discouraged at every thing and upon every occasion O! what unworthy walking is this how contrary do you walk to God And do you know what it is to walk contrary to him Hath he not said If you walk contrary to me I will walk contrary to you Object But I have reason to be discouraged for I have no sence and feeling of Gods Love Answ 1 We do not live
SOmtimes the discouragements of the Saints and people of God are drawn From their Duties the failings and successlessness of their Duties For they reason thus Through the Lords Grace and Mercy I have been kept from great and gross sins yet if the Lord loved me indeed he would draw my heart neer unto himself but when I come to prayer or duty I find so much deadness dulness and awkness of heart and spirit that I fear the Lord wil never accept such a one as I am nor such duties as mine are when I go to prayer either prayer is altogether absent from me or I have no life therein if I go to hear the word I am not attentive but filled with distractions and whatever duty I perform I want life and love in it O! my heart is like a rock or stone and therefore I fear the Lord wil not accept my duty and the rather because I find that I have been long at prayer and I am never the better the Lord hears me not the Lord regards me not and have I not just Reason and Cause to be discouraged now Answ No Here is reason indeed why you should be afflicted but no reason yet why you should be discouraged I confess indeed here is cause and reason of grief and of affliction for take Prayer to instance only in that and it is That act and work of the soul whereby a man doth converse with God God conversing with man and man with God And is it not a sore affliction for a poor creature to be shut out of Gods door such a freind as God is O! saith Chrisostome it is more bitter than death to be spoiled of Prayer and hereupon as he observes Daniel chose rather to run the hazard of his life than to lose his Prayer Prayer is the souls Weapon and is it not a grief to want a Weapon in our spiritual warfare Prayer is the souls Ornament the excellent Garment of a Christian and is it not an affliction to be without this Garment and to be found naked Prayer is the Christians Element And as the fish lives in the water as in its Element and dyes when it is out so a Christian lives in prayer as in his Element and his heart dies when he is out of it Prayer is the souls Provisioner fetcheth in Provision for the soul and for al its Graces The old bird the Dam goes abroad and fetcheth in meat for the young ones and they lye in the nest gaping to receive the meat upon its return and if the old one be kild abroad the young ones wil die presently at home So here Prayer goes abroad and fetcheth in provision for al our Graces and they al lye gaping to receive this provision from the mouth of Prayer if this be killed how can those other Graces live The truth is The more sweetness a Christian finds in any work the greater is his affliction if he want that work now what abundance of sweetness doth a Gracious soul find in Prayer therefore when a man is narrowed or shut up in Prayer it cannot but be a great affliction to him But though it be a matter of great affliction yet a good man hath no reason to be quite discouraged yea though he meet with many failings therein and cannot pray as he would nor perform duty as he should Quest How may that appear Thus. Answ First Every Godly Gracious man is in Covenant with God by Jesus Christ and that Covenant is a Covenant of Grace which is the great Charter the Magna-Charta of al his spiritual Privilidges and Immunities Now in this great Charter the Lord doth proclaim this That sincerity shal go for perfection That a little done for God in the time of temptation shal be counted much In this great Charter the Lord doth proclaim unto al his people That he doth rather regard the bent of the heart than the inlargment of the heart That he dorh rather regard the wil to do than the doing In this great Charter the Covenant of free Grace the Lord proclaims unto al his people That if they do fail in prayer and other duties for I speak not of prayer only though I instance in that He wil not cast them off but he wil rather be moved to pity them for the Covenant that the Lord makes with his people is as the Covenant that a man makes with his wife I wil betroth thee unto me for ever saith the Lord. Hos 2 Now a man wil not put away his wife for every failing neither wil the Lord put a way his people nor cast them off because he is betrothed to them though they do fail in duties Again in this great Charter and Covenant of Grace the Lord doth proclaim unto al his Children That what they want in performance he wil make up in indulgence He proclaims this unto them That he wil require no more than he gives he wil give what he requires and he wil accept what he gives Now therefore am I in that Covenant of Grace and are there many failings in al my duties yet if this be true That the Lord is more moved by my failings to pity me than to cast me off then I have no reason for to be discouraged And thus it is with every child of God he is in this Covenant of Grace and so the Priviledges and Immunities of al this great Charter belongs unto him Secondly Though there be many failings in a Godly mans duty yet so long as it is a duty there is som-what of Christ therein there is som-what of God therein Now God wil not cast away his own becauâ—e it is mixt with ours but he wil rather pardon ours and accept ours because it is mixt with his The Husband-man doth not cast away his wheat because it is mixt with chaff he brings it into his barn and there is a time when he wil seperate the chaff from the wheat but he doth not cast away the corn because it is mixt with chaff yet this grain of wheat hath nothing of the Image of the Husband-man upon it but there is never a duty of a Godly man but hath somwhat of the Image of Christ upon it and therefore I say he wil not cast away His because it is mixt with Ours but he wil rather pardon and accept of ours quamvis odibilis detestabilis et execrabilis sit causa mea in ore meo nihilominus in ore tuo benedicto in ore tuo sacratissimo et in labiis tuis quibus tanta gratia diffusa est est favorabilis Parisiens de Rhetor. Div. cap. 21. Est et alia firmitas et confirmatio meae partis quod tu ipse advocatus es et propitiatio qui es et Judex meus et propter hâ—c non est possibile ut patiaris causam meam periclitari in manibus meis Apud homines enim non est possibile ut advocatus fidelis et justus permittat
of Gold or Silver in his hand and saith the Father if you can get this out of my hand you shall have it so the Child strives and pulls and works and then the Father opens his hand by degrees first one finger then another and then another and at last his whol hand and the child thinks he hath got the money by his own strength and labor whereas the Father intended to give it him but in that way So here God intends to give us a mercy in the way of Prayer and he sets us a praying for it and we think we obtain it by the strength of our own prayer as if we did move and change the will of God by our Duty but all the enlargements in the world make no alteration in the will of God he is immovable unchangable and the same for ever But he will give out his blessings in a way of prayer therefore it is our Duty to pray yet we must not be discouraged though we cannot pray as we would Fourthly It is usual with the Lord to restrain Prayer before he doth give enlargement and to make a man speechless before he openeth his Mouâ—h Luke 1. we read so of Zacharias a gracious and holy man at the 67. verse it is said of him that He was filled with the Holy Ghost and he prophesied Yet if you look into the former part of the Chapter you shall find that before he was thus filled with the Holy Ghost and Prophesied he was dumb and stricken with dumbness verse 20. saith the Angel to him And behold thou shalt be dumb and not able to speak So he continued dumb before he was filled with the Holy Ghost and prophesied It may be here is a further Mystery in this quando oramus non ideo oramus ut per hoc Divinam dispositionem immutemus sed ut impetremus id quod deus disposuit sanctorum oratio nobis impetrandum Tostat Mat. 6. for Zachary was a Levitical and a Legal Priest and our Lord and Savior Christ being to come into the world immediately who knows but that Zachary was thus stricken with dumbness to shew that the Lord will silence all our Legal Performances before he wil enlarge us with the enlargements of Christ and of the Gospel This is Gods usual way with his People it may be thou hast gone on in Duty in a Legal manner and now thou art stricken with dumbness yet if God have a design to discover more of Christ to thy soul and to enlarge thee with the Enlargements of the Holy Ghost have you any cause to complain Fifthly As for the dulness of your Heart in Duty and Prayer though dulness be an ill-sin yet the sence thereof is a good sign As the Tâ—â—stle is a good sign of a fat ground though it be an ill Weed so the sence of your dulness is a good sign though it be an ill sin for it argues that you are used to private Duties for dulness in private and pride in publick Duties is the Temptation Only here remember Three things 1. That you do not measure or judg of your everlasting Condition by your present Affection 2. That you do not forbear Duty because of your dulness in it because Duty is a great remedy against it and whither should a dead soul go but to the living God 3. That one great cause of your dulness is your doubting and discouragement and therefore no reason that you should be discouraged because of it lest you augment the same Sixtly What is Prayer and the Nature of it Prayer is the powring out of the soul to God not the powring out of words not the powring out of expressions but the powring out of the soul to God Words many times and expressions are a great way off from the soul but sighs and groans are next the soul and have more of the soul in them than words and expressions many times have now thou complainest that thy heart is straightened and dead and dull but when you are so straightened in Prayer do ye not at that time powr out sighs and groans after Prayer saying O! what freedom once I had O! Lord that I might have the like freedom again And whereas you say now that your heart is hardened in Duty consider whether there be not a great mistake about hardness and softness of heart Durum est quod tactui non cedit molle cedit A hard thing doth not yield to the touch but a soft thing doth Wax yields when it is touched because it is soft and Wool yields when it is touched because it is soft but an hard thing yields not And upon this account it is said of Pharaoh That his heart was hard why Because he did not yield to God he had not a yielding disposition Now there is many a poor soul complains that his heart is hard and yet notwithstanding he hath a yielding disposition to every Truth a yielding disposition to every Affliction and Dispensation of God Wherefore doest thou complain and say O! my heare is very hard yet if at this time thou hast a yielding disposition to yield to every Truth of God and to yield to every touch of the Lords hand know from the Lord that here is a soft heart be not mistaken but many are mistaken and because they are mistaken herein and it is bâ—t a mistake therefore they have no reason for to be discouraged Object But I do not only want enlargement and softenings of heart in Duty but I am oppressed and filled with distractions my heart is not only dull and dead and straightened but I feel many positive evils As the Leaves of a Tree are eaten up with Catterpillars so I may say my Duties are eaten up â—â—th distractions I never go to Duty but the Lord knows a world of distractions come in upon me and have I not just cause and reason to be discouraged now Answ Surely this is a great evil for as one saith well Tantum temporis oras quantum attendis so much time you pray as you do attend in prayer and upon this account if the Lord should abstract all the out-goings of our souls in Duty and all our distractions from our prayers O! how little of prayer would be left many times It were an incivility you wil say when a Petitioner hath gotten the Kings Ear for the poor Petitioner then to turn his back upon the King and what an evil must it needs be when a poor soul hath gotten the Ear of God then to turn the back by way of distractions upon the Lord who comes down to hear his Prayer We use to say When the Candle burns the Mouse bites not or the Mouse nibbles not when the Candle doth not burn then the Mouse eats the Candle but when the Candle burns the Mâ—use doth not bite the same And so long as a mans heart is warm and inflamed in prayer he is freed from distractions but when a mans heart is
cold in prayer then comes these ill distractions So that certainly there is a great deal of evil indeed in these distractions Yet there is no reason for Discouragement For First What Rock is there so firm or fast but hath some seams of dirt upon it and what foul is there so firm and fast and immovable in Duty but hath some seams or dirt or distractions growing upon it Abraham the Father of the Faithful had Birds coming down upon his Sacrifice and what Child of Abraham is therâ— but hath these foul Birds unclean Birds of distraction one time or other coming down upon his Sacrifice Secondly If that these distractions shall not hurt the Servants of God nor their Sacrifices neither them nor their Duties then they have no reason be discouraged under them though to be humbled for them Now it is a true Rule non nocet quod non placet that which doth not please doth not hurt These distractions in Duty do not please the Saints they lie under them as a heavy burden they do not please them therefore they shall not hurt them You know what the Psalmist saith If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my Prayer Psal 66.18 Distraction in Prayer is a great iniquity if I regard this iniquity in my prayer the Lord wil not hear my Prayer But when may a man be said to regard iniquity You know that if you regard a man thae comes to your house you run and meet him at the door you bid him welcom have him in and set a stool for him and you give him entertainment but if you bid the man be gone saying I will have nothing to do with you you are my burden I pray be gone then you do not regard this man Thus it is with the Saints and People of the Lord distractions press in upon their prayer and Duty but doest thou fetch a stool doest thou give entertainment and doest thou bid welcome to these distractions No the Lord knows I bid them be gone the Lord knows they are my burden then certainly as that is true If I regard Iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear my Prayer so on the contrary if I do not regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will hear my prayer A man doth somtimes open a door for one of worth and others press and croud in with him and if the Master say to his Servant why did you let all these men in he answers Sir I did not open the door for these but for another and these did press and troud in upon me and I could not hinder then is the Master satisfied and the Servant excused So in this case it is and that often with the People of God Christ stands at their door and knocks they run to meet with him in Prayer and by Prayer they open the door of their heart to him but then distractions press and croud in upon them yet they can say in truth Lord I never opened my door for these but do desire that these and al these may be put out again What then do you not think that God wil be satisfied with this answer of uprightness Surely he will and therefore though these distractions do croud in upon you here is matter of affliction but not of Discouragement Thirdly If these destractions in Duties do move the Lord to pity then thou hast no reason to be quite discouraged though humbled under these distractions Ye know how it is with a loving Father a Father hath a Son whom he loves dearly this Child of his is crazy-brained but be hath his Lucida intervalla and he will speak very good reason somtimes his Father loves to hear this Child speak when he speaks reason but all on a sudden the Child is out What then doth his Father hate him for that No but the bowels of the man yerns O! now my Child is out then the Fathers heart doth ake over this Child whom he takes pleasure in Thus it is between God and a poor soul God loves his Children dearly Cant. 2.14 he loves to hear them pray Let me hear thy voyce and see thy face saith Christ for thy voyce is sweet and thy countenance is comely God loves to hear his Children pray but every foot they are out in and then out again out and then in again But what then is the Lord moved hereby to destroy his Children No but now the heart of your Father akes and now his bowels yern Shall there be bowels in the heart of an Earthly Father this way and shal there not be bowels in the heart of God our Heavenly Father this way Surely there is Well therefore though in regard of thy distractions thou hast cause for ever to be humbled yee certainly thou hast no cause to be quite discouraged Object O! but This is not my case For though I am troubled with many distractions for which I have cause to be humbled and though my heart be dead and dull and hard in duty and though I have no Parts and Gifts in Duty yet this is not the matter of my discouragement especially but that which discourageth me concerning Duty is this I pray and pray and am never the nearer I have been praying thus long thus many yeers and am never the neerer I have an undutiful disobedient child and I have been praying thus long and he is never the better I have been praying for the sence of Gods Love thus long and am never the neerer I have been praying for such and such a spiriâ—ual mercy thus and thus lâ—ng and am never the holier God regards me not for he answeâ—s me not and have I not just cause and reason for my discouragements now Answ No For First Though God doth not answer you presently yet he doth hear you presently Cito semper audit tardus aliquando respondet He heard Moses when he prayed though he did not gâ—ant his prayer and it is a great mercy that God will receive my prayer though I never do receive the thing that I pray for and I may yet say Father I thank thee that thou hearest me alwaies But Secondly It is usual with Gods own People and dearest Children to say and think somtimes that the Lord doth not answer their prayer when the Lord doth There is a Two-fold return or Answer of Prayer There is a Visible Return of Prayer and there is an Invisible Return of Prayer As it is with the Vapors that are drawn upward by the heat of the Sun some there are that do fall again in great Rain and Hail and ye hear and sâ—e the returns of those vapors in the day but somtimes the Vapors fall in a dew in the night and you do not see the return thereof but you go abroad in the morning and you find the dew upon the ground although you did not see when the dew fell So here your Prayers are drawn up by the heat of
Gods Love in Christ some return upon you again in the day visibly some return in the night invisibly when you see them not there is a visible and there is an invisible return of Prayer What more usual with Gods People than to say and think thaâ— the Lord doth not hear their Prayer nor make return to them when indeed he doth and that visibly unto others also Luke 1. you read of Zacharias and Elizabeth that they were very righteous verse 6. They were both righteous before God And Zacharias and Elizabeth had no Children but Zacharias prayed for Children for at verse 13. the Angel said unto him Fear not Zacharias for thy prayer is heard and thy Wife Elizabeth shall bear a Son and thou shalt call his name John The Lord heard his Prayer and sent an Angel to tel him his prayer was heaâ—d but Zachaâ—ias doubted thereof verse 18. Zacharias said unto the Angel Whereby shall I know this for I am an old man and my Wife well stricken in yeers Here he doubts and it was his sin thus to doubt as you may see by verse 20. Behold thou shalt be dumb and not able to speak until the day that these things shall be performed because thou beleevest not my words Here plainly now was a return of prayer yea here was a visible return of Prayer and yet Zacharias though a Godly and a Holy man doubâ—ed whether the Lord had heard his Prayer or no. So that I say this is no new thing with Gods own People and dearest Children to say and think somtimes That the Lord doth not answer their Pâ—ayer when the Lord indeed doth anâ—wer and thaâ— visibly too But Thirdly If the Lords not hearing granting and answering your Prayers presently be â—omtimes matter of great encouragement then it is not alwaies a matter of discouragement Now the Lords not hearing and granting your prayer preâ—eâ—tly is somtimes matter of great encouragement You have divers â—hildren at your Table some yonger and some elder some Babes and little ones some grown whâ—n you come to carve out your meat unto them you carve first to the little ones and you do noâ— carve first to the greater for say you these little ones will cry and they have not Patience to stay and thereâ—ore they shâ—â—l be first â—erved but those greater have more wiâ— and more patience and they will stay Beloved thus now it is between God and us The Lord hath two sorts of Children that come to him in Prayer and hâ— intends to serve them both but he looks upon those that are weak and serves them first as for thâ—â—â— that are strongâ—â— and have more faith and patience saith the Lord you are able to stay I see your faith and patience and therefore I wil serve the little ones first but as for you I wil serve you last Thus it was with Abraham after the Lord had made Abraham a Promise of a Seed he made him stay a great while Why Because he saw he had faith to stay So now thou hast not presently a return or answer to thy prayer Why Because the Lord it may be sees thou hast strength faith and patience to stay And is not this rather matter of encouragement than discouragement But Fourthly Who ever stayed and waited long upon God but he had more than he prayed for Either God answers your prayers presently or if he do not he will not only pay you the principal but he wil pay you forbearance money and you shal have good Security and a pledg for the principal too The desire is a pledg of the thing desired Prayer is a pledg of the thing prayed for a waiting heart is a pledg of the thing waited for and the longer you stay the more your hearts shal be weaned from the thing prayed for and the more you shal be taught to wait upon God and somtimes a waiting frame of heart is a greater mercy than the thing waited for By this means also you shal be weaned from your prayer so as not to rest on it A Child may so love the Nuâ—se as to forget the Mother and one may possibly so love Duty as to forget Christ but by Gods delaying to answer you are weaned from this Nurse and kept from resting on it Or it may be you came to Duty with too high esteem of your own performance and too low esteem of the Duty it self Hereby God teachech you to come to the Duty with high esteem of it and with low esteem of your own doing it Yea the longer you stay the more you shal be humbled and your self-despising thoughts because you cannot pray may please God more than your best prayer You see that when a man angles he throws his line into the Water and there is the hook and the bait those are heavy then there is the Cork and that is light and when the Fisher or the Angler sees that the light cork is drawn under water now the Fish bites saith he now there is hope now there is somthing coming So you go to prayer and there is somwhat heavy and weighty in your spirit but there is somthing that is of a corky and light Nature in your spirit the longer you stay the more your Cork shall be drawn under water that lightness of Spirit shal be drawn under water and so the more you shall be humble and humbled Thereby you are caught to fan your prayers There is much Chaff amongst the good Wheat of our Duties and Gods delaying time is our fanning time when the Fish doth not bite the Fisher mends his bait it may be saith he my hook is not well baited So should you do when you take nothing by prayer Gods delay cals for your amending Yea by this means you may remember how you delayed the Lord he spake often to you and it was long ere you heard him shal we think it long ere he hear us when it was so long ere we heard him it may be you have forgotten your delayes of God but by this forbearance he doth Graciously mind you thereof Yea by Gods forbearance to answer you the Lord teacheth you to forbear Gods forbearance doth teach us forbearance and is that nothing let al this be considered and you wil say indeed here is more matter of incouragement than discouragement Fiftly If you would be discouraged in case God should alwaies answer your prayer presently then you have no reason to be discouraged because he doth not answer you presently But now if the Lord should alwaies answer thy duty and prayer presently you would be discouraged why because you would say thus I look into the scripture and there I find that God doth not alwayes answer his children presently his children have prayed and then they have waited and this hath been the way that God hath taken with his children now God doth not take this way with me and therefore I fear I am none of Gods children and so you would
be discouraged Now I say if you would be discouraged in case the Lord should alwaies answer your prayer presently then you have no reason to be discouraged because he doth not hear you presently but you would be discouraged in case the Lord should alwaies hear you presently you would say then God doth go the same way with me that he goes and hath gone with his children Surely therefore you that are the Saints and people of God have no reason for your discouragement in this respect Object 1 O! but I fear that God doth not only delay his answer but that he denyes my prayer Answ 1 It may be so for God doth somtimes deny his own people the thing they pray for Ye ask and have not saith James because ye ask amiss Yet they were the people of God Abulensis observes that God doth somtimes grant a wicked man his petition and deny a Godly man his petition that he may encourage wicked men to pray and teach good men not to rest on their prayers Answ 2 Yet Secondly quicquid placet tibi ut petatur a te procul-dubio placâ—t et tibi ut et id â—rgiaris petâ—â—ti prâ—sertimâ—â— iâ—sum largiri tâ—â—i câ—lat ad gloraim peâ— aâ—â— vâ—ro expediat ad sâ—â—â—tem Paristâ—ns 346. If the thing you ask of God be pleasing to him he doth stil beare up your heart in praying and depending on him it argues rather that he delayes than denies For Psal 10.17 The preparing of your heart and the inclining of his eare go together and 1. John 3. vers 22. The Apostle saith And whatever wee ask we receive of him because as a sign thereof we keep his Commandements and do the things that are pleasing in his sight Object 2 O! but there lyes my grief for I have not kept his Commandements and God I fear is displeased and angry with me Answ Be it so did Jonah keep his Commandements when he ran to Tarshish and was not God angry with him when he threw him into the Sea yet even then he prayed the Lord heard his prayer And did not Christ seem to be displeased and angry with the poor Canaanitish woman when he said unto her It is not meet to take the childrens bread and call it before doggs Object 3 O! but she did beleeve but I fear God wil never hear my prayer at al because there is so much unbelief in my prayer as there was not in hers Answ But was it not so with Dâ—vid I said in my hast I am cast out of thy sight Psal 31. nevertheless the Lord heard my prayer What unbeleif was here I said in mâ— hast I am cast out of thy sight Nevertheless the Lord heard his prayer Object 4 O! but I am affraâ—â— yet that the Lord wil never hear my prayer or regard my duty because I am so Selfish in it I come unto God in mine affliction and my affliction makes me go to prayer my affliction doth make me pray I cry by reason of my affliction and this is selfish Answ And did not those seek themselves at first who came unto Christ for cure Omnis amor incipit a seipso al true love begins in self-love the sweetest flower grows on a dirty stalk And I pray what think you yet of Jonah The Lord heard me saith he out of hell and yet I cryed saith he by reason of mine affliction Object 5 O! but I fear the Lord wil never hear my prayer because I was no better prepared yea not at al prepared thereunto Answ Do you not know how the Lord dealt by Hezekiah Hezekiah prayed 2 Chron. 30.18 19 20. The Lord shew mercy to every one that is not prepared according to the preparation of the Sanctuary and saith the text the Lord hearkened and hea ed the people Yea God can rain without clouds without preparations Object 6 O! but yet I am affraid the Lord wil not hear my prayer or regard my duty for I am a man or a wâ—man of great distempers many passions and frowardnesses in my life and conversation Answ But what thiâ—k ye of Elijah Elijah prayed that there might be no rain and there was no rain â—or three yeers and a half and he prayed for rain and there was rain and yee saith the Apostle He was a mâ—n â—f like passions as we are Jam. 5.17 Object 7 O! but I fear I am affraid the Lord wil not regard my prayer or du y for I am such a one or such a one or such a one Answ What an one what an one art thou Art thou such a one as beginnest to look towards Christ but yet not fully come off you know what was said concerning Cornelius Acts 10.31 Cornelius thy prayer is come up before me Yet he did but begin to look towards Christ Are thou such a one as the Publican was the Publican stood and smote himself upon the breast and he said O Lord be merciful unto me a sinner And our Savior saith Luke 18.13 14. He went away justified rather than his fellow Or art thou such an one as the poor Prodigal he said to his Father I am not worthy to be called â—hy Son make me as one of thine hired servants and the Father heard him and over-granted his petition And if al these things be true what is there that can justly discourage any poor drooping doubting soul in regard of duty shal his want of Parts Gifts or his abundance of distractions c. No for though a Godly man have but weak Parts or Gifts Though his spirit and his heart be dul dead and streightened Though he labor under many distractions in duty Though the Lord hide his face and deser an answer to his prayer Though the Lord seem to be angry Though there be much unbeleif in his duty Though there be a great deal of selfishness Though his heart be not prepared according to the preparation of the Sanctuary Though he be a man of many passions and great distempers yet notwithstanding al this he hath no just cause or warrant to be discouraged cause there is to be humbled under al these things but no just cause to be discouraged and cast down Applic. 1 And if so then by way of Application 〈…〉 incouragement is here to every poor droopiâ—g 〈…〉 uâ—â—o God in duty though dead though dul 〈…〉 yet to come unto God in duty Applic. 2 And what a mighty difference is heâ—â— bâ—tween a 〈…〉 wicked man a wicked man goes to pâ—ayer and 〈…〉 abominâ—tion to the Lord. And if you look 〈…〉 8 you shal find at Vers 13. That the 〈…〉 men thus That when they do come to prayer and to offer a sacrifice to him that then he wil remember their iniquity At vers 12. I have written to you the great things of my law but they are accounted as a strange thing they Saâ—â—â—fice flâ—sh fâ—r the Sacrifices of my offering but the Lord accepâ—eth
out your skil and strength and hath no design but of Love upon you wil you then be discouraged Thus it is with all the Saints surely therefore they have no reason to be cast down in this respect Object 3 O! but I am not so much troubled about my outward Condition as about the condition of my Soul the Lord knows my Souls Condition is very sad for somtimes I am under the Ordinances and somtimes not somtimes I can stir out to an Ordinance but somtimes oppositions keep me at home I am not under a setled Ordinance and when I am under the Ordinance I get little good thereby I hear and I do not remember my heart is hard and dead and dull and it is little that I profit and therefore I am thus discouraged have I not cause and reason now Answ 1 No not yet For â—iâ—st As for your want of Ordinances if God lead you to the want of an Ordinance he wil make the very want of an Ordinance to â—e an Ordinance to you When the Children of Israel came into the Land of Canaan where there was ordinary food then Manna ceased but when ordinary food could not be had as in the Wilderness then they had Manna Bread that was baked in the Clouds then they had Angels Food immediately from God and immediate Mercies that come immediately out of the hand of God are the sweetest Mercies God doth alwaies give some opportunities of good unto his People either of doing good or receiving good and the less opportunity they have of receiving good usually the more opportunity they have of doing good what though your hand be empty of receiving opportunities yet if your hand be full of doing opportunities have you any cause to be discouraged God knows how to give the comfort of an Ordinance in the want of an Ordinance When Jonah was in the Whales belly he prayed and in his prayer he looked towards the Temple though he was absent from it and the Lord heard his prayer And Beloved if the Lord do remember your carriage labor of Love Longings Groanings Mournings after the Ordinances as much when you want them as he remembers your enlargements under them then you have no reason to be discouraged in this respect Now look into Psal 132. and you shal see how David presseth the Lord to remember him verse 1. Lord remember David and all his afflictions he was in great Afflictions and he desired the Lord to remember him but under what Notion would he have the Lord remember him why saith he remember him How he sware unto the Lord verse 2. and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob surely I will not come into the Tabernacle of my House nor go up into my Bed I will not give sleep to mine eyes or slumber to mine eye-lids until I have found out a place for the Lord an Habitation for the mighty God of Jacob. He wanted the Ordinance and his heart was restless after it and now he desires the Lord to remember him for this So that I say God wil in a special manner remember your carriage labor of Love longings and groanings after Ordinances when you want them O! but though the Lord do remember us in due time yet what shal we do in the mean time Mark what follows at verse 6. Lo we heard of it at Ephrata we found it in the fields of the woods What is that Lo we heard of it at Ephrata we heard of it that is we heard of the Ark which he had spoken of before and the Habitation of the mighty God of Jacob. We heard of it at Ephrata as if he should say it was commonly reported and thought that the Lord would settle his Ark and his House and Habitation at Ephrata at Bethlehem a plentiful place but now we have found it in the fields of the Wood. Now we find that the Lord wil settle his House and his Ark at Jerusalem which is compassed about with Hills full of Woods in the Fields of the Forrest have we found it Beloved our eye is all upon Ephrata upon Bethlebem upon the plentiful place but the Lord doth so order things in his Goodness that when he brings his People into the Woods the Fields the Forrest there they find his Ark his Presence and his Habitation in the midst of it And what godly man is there whom God hath called at any time from the Ordinance but he may say thus Lo we heard of it at Ephrata but we have found it in the Fields of the Woods and if you do not find the Presence of God and the Ark of God and his Habitation at Ephrata yet if ye find him in the Fields of the Woods in the barren Forrests have you any cause to complain No surely you have not O! but I am in a plentiful place for the present I am at Ephrata I am not in the barren Fields I am under plentiful and precious Ordinances but I do not remember I hear and I remember not Answ 2 Secondly Therefore ye must know That as for your want of Memory there is an Head-Memory and there is an Heart-Memory Some have an Head-Memory whereby they are able to give an account presently of all they have heard in their due order but they want an Heart-Memory to suggest the things to them when they should use the same Some again have an Heart-Memory so as they can remember the things when they should use them but they have no Head-Memory Now if you can remember the things as you are to use them though you forget the words and Method have you any cause to complain 〈◊〉 â—â—ugh the words heard do depart from you yet your heart 〈◊〉 â—e kept sweet by the hearing of them Water is often poured into a Vessel and runs out presently yet it keeps the Vessel sweet So now though you hear and hear and hear again and you cannot remember and the things heard do not stay by you as you desire yet your soul may be kept sweet thereby Answ 3 Thirdly As for your Deadness It is some life to feel ones own deadness for there is a Death and a Deadness as I may so speak There is a Life and a Liveliness a man may be alive and yet not lively as a sick person So a man may be under some deadness and yet not be dead unto death There is a deadness that is opposite to liveliness and there is a deadness that is opposite to life Now you complain O! my heart is dead my heart is dead this argues that it is but a deadness that is opposite to liveliness else you could not feel your own deadness A man that is stark dead cannot feel that he is dead I say therefore in that you feel your own deadness it argues that it is but a deadness that is opposite to liveliness and not that deadness that is opposite to Life it self and if you be alive in opposition to death though you have a
do watch for your Souls If you stand fast we live say they and your constancy is our rejoycing You have been constant in seeking â—arthly things which are in their own Nature unconstant Multos annos laborant homines et constantes sunt pro rebus mundi inconstantibus et fugitivis quia inconstantes sumus pro aeterna et constanti gloria and wil ye be constant in seeking unconstant things and not constant in seeking those things that are most constant and durable Riches If you be not constant in good you wil be constant in what is evil if not setled in the Truth you wil be tenacious of Error which is the greatest evil renacity in Error or instability in Truth I say not but seldom any are uâ—stable in good but they are most tenacious in what is evil And the more unsetled you are the more you make the way to Heaven difficult and uneasie you think and say O! Difficile putabis perseverare at difficilius est iterum incipere multo molestius inceptare sepius equi minorem vim faciunt cum continuant iter trahentes currum quam cum repetere volunt postquam steterunt non fugiunt difficultatem qui cessant ab opere nam perseverando facillius â—â—et si potuisti incipere quod difficilius est poteris continuare facilius Euseb Nierem de adorat Lib. 3. Cap. 7. this Work of God is exceeding hard and very difficult and therefore you leave it off then you come to it again and then you leave it off again but by your leaving it off you do make it difficult If an Horse be â—â—dden with an even hand he wil go wel al the day but if somtimes you ride him upon the Spir and then he stand a while and then ride him on the Spir again and then he stand and take cold again he wil sooner tire And what is the reason that many men are so often jaded tire and give in but because they do not keep an even pace in good Now therefore as you do desire that the way to Heaven may be 〈◊〉 easie to you that you may not be tenacious in what is evil that you may not grieve the Ministers of the Gospel Instruments of your Good and Conversion that you may not lie open unto sad and new Temptations and that you may not be a scandal to the good Name of God for what hurt hath the precious Name of God done to you labor to be more setled fixed and established which that you may be think and think much on these Motives And lastly Go to God by Prayer for this Fixation and Establishment of Soul he is apt and ready to pardon your former unevenness and want of Establishment Psal 78.37 it 's said of the Israelites that they were not stedfast in the Covenant Yet God being merciful forgave their Iniquity verse 38. and he it is alone who hangeth weights on the wings of the wind and therefore though your Spirits have been as light as the wind it self yet he wil hang weights upon them therefore go to him For be is the God of all Grace Who having called you to his Eternal Glory after you have suffered a while wil restore strengthen stablish and settle you FINIS TWO SERMONS I. The great Things Faith can Do. II. The great Things Faith can Suffer Preached by VVilliam Bridge somtimes Fellow of Emmanuel Colledg in Cambridg and now Pastor of the Church of Christ in Great Yarmouth in Norfolk 1216. LONDON Printed by Peter Cole in Leaden-Hall and are to be sold at his Shop at the sign of the Printing-Press in Cornhil neer the Royal Exchange 1656. THE EPISTLE TO THE READER Reader ALthough some of the Notions in these two Sermons may be already published in some former Works of this Author yet the Subject being both useful and seasonable for these times which are calling upon the Saints to Do and Suffer great Things and the publishing of them being much desired by many who heard them I have perus'd them and look upon them as conducing much to thy spiritual good And that the blessing of the Lord may go along with and make them very advantagious to thy soul both in doing and suffering for Christ is the prayer of Thy true Friend William Greenhil June 13. 1656. Reader THe Contents of these twenty five Sermons are now collected by the Printer for thy ease and Benefit THE GREAT THINGS Faith can do Hebrews 11.32 Preached at the Charter-House Decemb. 23. 1655. And what shall I say more for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and of Barak and of Sampson and of Jeptha of David also and Samuel and of the Prophets who through Faith subdued Kingdoms wrought Righteousness obtained Promises stopped the mouths of Lyons quenched the violence of fire escaped the edg of the Sword out of weakness were made strong waxed valiant in fight turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens women received their dead raised to life again c. IN this Eleventh Chapter to the Hebrews you have a little Book of Chronicles wherein the Beleevers of the old Testament do stand upon Record for their great Work of Faith In the former part of the Chapter the Apostle doth instance in several Beleevers at large In the latter part he is more compendious and draws up the Instances into a narrower Room for saith he The time would fail me to â—â—l of Gideon of Barak and of Sampson and of Jeptha c. Now these Beleevers that he doth instance in in the latter part of the Chapter are of two sorts some famous and of good reports for their actions and some for their sufferings some did great things and some suffered great things and both by their Faith Those that suffered great things are mentioned in the following words Others were tortured not accepting of deliverance Those that did great things by their Faith in these Verses their Persons are mentioned and the fruits and effects of their Faith for which they are mentioned in these Verses Their Persons are mentioned in Verse 32. ye have their Names there their State Condition and their Order their Names Gideon and Barak and Sampson and Jeptha and David their State and Condition some were Kings some were Judges some were Prophets Faith runs through al Conditions and Ranks of Men Faith and true Grace is able to make a Plantation upon every Condition of men And as for their order here Gideon is before Barak and Sampson is before Jeptha yet if you look into the Story in the Judges you shal find Barak is before Gideon and Jeptha before Sampson and here Gideon set first and Sampson first why because they excelled in Faith and those are most excellent in Gods eyes who are most eminent in Faith those are most excellent in Gods Eyes who most excel in Faith But now as for the Fruits and Effects of their Faith they are many here are no less than ten mentioned in
in by way of performance but by way of Christ Page 94 Object I have no parts in Duty therefore I am discouraged ibid. Answ 1 God accepts the desire for Christs sake Page 94 2 Thy parts are â—â—swerable to thy grace Page 95 3 Parts and gifts do not commend our Services unto God ibid. 4 Parts recompenced some other way Page 96 Object I want the grace and holiness of Duty ibid. Answ Pearls may grow on Rocks so may some graces on thy rockie heart Page 97 1 Are you contented with the straightness of your condition Answ Negatively ib. 2 If your condition here be no other than the condition of the Saints you have no cause to be discouraged ibid. 3 You would fain have enlargements represent your condition to God Page 98 4 It is Gods way to restrain prayer before he gives enlargements ibid. 5 Dulness in prayer is an ill sin yet the sence thereof is a good sign Page 99 6 Prayer is not powring out of many words but the powring out of the Soul unto God ibid. Object I am not only dull in duty buâ— full of distraction Page 100 Answ This is a great evil yet no cause of discouragement for three Reasons ibid. 1 All men have some distractions in dâ—ty ibid. 2 Distractions shall not hurt us because they please us not Page 101 3 Our distractions move the Lord to pity us ibid. Object I pray and am never the nearer should not that discourage me Page 102 Answ Negatively 1 It is a great mercy that God wil receive my prayer though I never receive the thing I pray for ibid. 2 Gods Children usually think God hears not their prayers when he doth ibid. 3 The Lord not granting your prayer is not alwaies matter of discouragement but somtimes of encouragement Page 103 4 Whoever waited on God by prayer but be received more than he prayed for Page 104 5 Should God presently answer our prayers alwaies we should be discouraged Page 105 Object 1. I fear God denieth my prayer ibid. 1 Answ Affirmatively It may be so to his own children ibid. 2 If the thing you pray for be good for you and you continue praying it is a sign that God rather delaies than denies you ibid. Object 2. I fear God is angry with me Page 106 Answ Was not God angry with Jonah and the Canaanitish woman Page 106 Object 3. But she beleeved there is much unbelief in my prayer ibid. Answ Was it not so with David ibid. Object 4. I am self-ish and pray only by reason of affliction ibid. Answ So it was with Jonah ibid. Object 5. My prayer is not well prepared ibid. Answ Hezekiah prayed for those that came unprepared ibid. Object 6. I am full of passions ibid. Answ What think you of Elijah ibid. Object 7. My condition is such or such ibid. Answ The condition of distressed men paralel'd in Scripture when they look toward Christ ib. Application 1 What encouragements here are for all poor souls to come unto Christ Page 107 2 What a vast difference there is here between a godly and a wicked man ibid. Quest What must I do against discouragements that come from mine own failing in duty or Gods not answering me Page 108 Answ 1 Lay not the weight of your comfort upon duty ibid. 2 Consider that difficulty commends duty ibid. 3 Leave the success of our spiritual things unto God himself Page 109 Sermon VII INSTANCE IV. Object O! I want assurance of the love of God must I not be then discouraged Page 111 Answ Negatively Yet it is a sore evil Page 112 He that wants the assurance of Gods love is neither fit to receive mercy from God nor to praise God ibid. He that wants the assurance of Gods love converseth too much with Satan ibid. Quest How may it appear we must not be discouraged when we want this assurance Page 113 1 Answ negatively For want of Assurance is not that unbelief that condemneth us ib. 2 Want of Assurance shal turn to the Saints good Page 114 They gain experience by it to see the emptiness of their own righteousness ibid. A man learns thus to comfort others Page 115 3 A good man may have comfort though he want assurance Page 115 Object I have no Promise to bring me comfort Page 116 Answ Negatively 1 That must not discourage a Christian for have you not the word of the Gospel ib. 2 The promise of grace belongeth to you proved by three Reasons 1 You do or have rested on the Promise 2. If the Command belong unto you why not the Promise 3. It is your duty to rest on the Promise Page 117 Object 2. Gods Promise in Scripture runs upon some Condition which I cannot perform ib. Answ 1 A good man may apply the Promise though he hath not performed the Condition ib. 2 The condition of one promise is the thing promised in another promise Page 118 3 The condition of the promise is performed for you better than you can perform it ib. Object Instead of a promise there is a threatening on my Soul Page 119 Answ 1 God hath two Arms to draw his Children to him the Arm of Love and the Arm of Anger ibid. 2 Joshua somtimes lost the sight of the promise and for the threatening you know how it was with David Page 120 3 A Threatening from God may be repealed but a promise shall never be repealed ibid. The Reason is God never repeals in the matter of the Gospel Page 121 Object I have assurance of Gods displeasure must I not then be discouraged Page 122 Answ Negatively 1 It may be you look on the back side of Gods dispensation wherein appears his Anger ibid. 2 There is no such testimony of Reprobation in all the Scripture ibid. Object I have been without assurance these many yeers yet living under Gospel means therefore I look for none Page 123 Answ Negatively 1 Our evidence for Heaven is in Gods keeping ibid. 2 Consider four Propositions 1 A man may have saving Faith who hath no assurance of Gods love ibid. 2 A man may have strong Faith and assurance yet many doubts Page 124 3 A man may have strong faith and assurance yet for a long time be deprived of the feeling of it ib. 4 A godly man may live and die doubting ibid. 3 Though some may die doubting and yet be saved a man may from Scripture fetch Arguments from whence he may ordinarily conclude he shal be saved Page 125 Arg. 1. There is a faith of Reliance from whence we may conclude a faith of Assurance Page 125 Arg. 2. God hath done great things for thy soul in trouble thou maiest conclude he will do more ibid. Arg. 3. If thy heart be upright in the matter of assurance God wil give it thee ibid. Arg. 4. If a man can praise God for what he hath though his condition be very sad Page 126 Arg. 5. If the Lord be the health of your countenance you shall
way of beleeving and then Christ wil give you more Ye know how it was with Nathaniel When Nathaniel beleeved upon what Christ had spoken saies Christ unto him Beleevest thou because I said unto thee I saw thee under the Fig-tree I wil shew thee greater things thou shalt see the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the son of man So wil the Lord Christ say to a poor soul I have spoken a word unto thee and I gave thee a little peace and doest thou beleeve because of the word I have spoken unto thee thou shalt see greater things and I wil give thee abundance of peace Look into Isa 48. vers 18. and there you shal find the Lord speaking thus O that thou hadst hearkened to my Commandements then had thy peace been as a river and thy righteousness as the waves of the Sea When the Lord speaks and cals upon people to beleeve if then they do hearken to him then shal their peace be like a river And when does the Lord cal in a special manner upon people to beleeve When he gives out a word and when he gives them a little peace then he is calling upon them to beleeve now return and now beleeve saies the Lord. Ye know how it was with Eliah when they wanted rain and had wanted rain for a long time Eliah sends his servant towards the Sea to see if he could perceive any rain coming and Eliah fals down upon his face in prayer his servant goes but no sign of rain he goes again and no sign of rain and the seventh time Eliah's servant perceives a cloud of the bigness of an hand and he comes down unto his Master and tells him he had seen a cloud the bigness of a mans hand Whereupon Eliah concludes and saies Come let us up I hear the noise of many waters So say I you have been upon your face and have been much discouraged yet if you have been at prayer and a little refreshment comes though it be but the bigness of an hand yet conclude and say surely there is more rain a coming Come O my soul Why art thou cast down and why art thou disquieted within me hope in God and wait on him I hear abundance of rain a coming When our Savior Christ sometimes speaks peace he doth at the first speak by a smal word and if that be improved then he speaks more Ye know how it was with Mary she was at the Sepulcher and had been enquiring after her Lord and saies she to the Angells they have taken away my Lord and the Angells talked â—o her and could not comfort her But at last comes our savior Christ and he speaks to her and then she was comforted But what does he say to her onely one word Mary so when a man is in trouble the Lord comes sometimes and speaks but a word he takes a promise it may be and sets on a word thereof upon the soul and the heart answers Rabboni my Lord. Doth the Lord therefore speak but one word unto thee yet stir up thy self in beleeving and hearken to him for he wil speak yet more fully and playnly onely when he speaks listen hearken diligently unto him and improve what he sayth so shal your peace be as a River and your righteousnes as the Ocean And thus I have done with the first Argument TRUE PEACE MAY BE INTERRUPTED Sermon II. PSALM 42.11 Why art thou cast down O my Soul Stepney April 23. 1648. and why art thou disquieted within me c. Doct. 2 IT is possible that the Saints and People of God may be much discouraged and cast down Though there be an inward Peace and quietness of Soul which they are ordinarily indued with yet possibly this Peace may be interrupted and themselves much discouraged and cast down Here are two words in the Text speak as much Cast-down Disquieted And three times in this Psalm the Psalmist saith His Soul was cast down within him yet this David was a man of great Peace and Comfort ordinarily And as with David so it was is and will be with other Saints This is so ordinary a case that â—he Holy Ghost hath provided a standing Psalm or Prayer on purpose for such as are in this condiâ—â—on Psalm 102. the Title A Prayer or Psalm of the afflicted when he is over-whelmed and poureth out his complaint before the Lord. In Psal 119.25 he saith My belly cleaves to the dust and that is low indeed And vers 28. My soul melteth for heaviness I am not only sad and heavy but my soul melteth for heaviness Canticles 5. The Spouse saith Her heart was gone or my soul failed within me And if we look into Psalm 143. we find at the 4. vers that the Psalmist saith My Spirit is over-whelmed and my heart within me is desolate What do all these expressions high great and many speak but this Truth that is now before us For the more full cleering and opening of it I shall labor to shew First How far it is possible for a good man to be discouraged or cast down Secondly How it doth come to pass that he is so discouraged Thirdly How those Discouragements can stand with his Grace and goodness Fourthly How they may be healed and cured Quest 1 And First If you ask How far the Discouragements of the Saints may reach For will some say I know it is possible that the most gracious holy man may be much discouraged but not with such discouragments as mine are Answ 1 I Answer What are yours Are you so far disquieted discouraged cast down as to refuse the word promise or consolation that is brought unto you So far may the discouragments of the Saints extend Psal 77. vers 3. I remembred God and was troubled He doth not say I remembred my sin and was troubled but God Yea I was not onely troubled but I did complain and my spirit was overwhelmed within me But when the promise came and mercy came and comfort came did he refuse that too yes vers 2. my soul refuseth to be comforted Answ 2 Secondly Are you so far discouraged disquieted cast down that your very body feeleth the smart of your discouragements that you do not onely refuse the promise and al comfort for your soul but even for your body Then look into Psal 102. and see if your case may not be paralleld vers 4. My heart is smitten and withered like grass so that I forget to eate my bread vers 5. By reason of the voice â—f my groaning my bones cleave to my skin vers 6. I am like a Pelican of the wilderness and I am like an Owl of the desâ—rt vers 9. I have eaten ashes like bread and mingled my drink with weeping vers 10. Because of thine indignation and thy wrath for thou hast lifted me up and cast me down vers 11. My dayes are like a shadow that declineth and I am withered like grass O! but I am not
Ordinance you cannot withstand him wherefore saith the Apostle Take unto you the whol Armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand stand therefore having your loyns girt about with Truth having on the Breast-plate of Righteousness and your feet shod wâ—th the preparation of the Goâ—pel of Peace Above all take the Shield of Faith and take the Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit and pray alwaies with all manner of prayer and supplication and watch thereunto c. Ephes 6.13 14 15 16 17 18. Answ 6 Sixtly The more delight and contentment that you find in the good Waies of God the more your hearts wil be fixed established and staked down to them Comfort and Establishment go together 2 Thes 2.17 A man wil never hold to that work long which he finds no comfort and delight in when the Devil draws a man from Duty he doth not tel him at the first that the Duty is naught or evil but he labors to clog the way of that Duty with many Difficultieâ— for saith he if I can make this man draw heavily and uncomfortably in his Duty he wil soon cast it off And indeed what is the reason that men are so off and on to and fro in the good Waies of God but because they do not find delight and contentment in them Do you therefore desire to be fixed and established labor more and more then to make your way to Heaven easie and comfortable to you Now that the way to Heaven may be made sweet and easie to you 1. Be sure that you do not separate between Gods Commandement and his Promise there is no one thing which God hath commanded us to do but he hath promised strength and Grace to perform it with If I look upon the Command alone then the Work doth seem hard to me but if I take in the Promise then it is most sweet and easie 2. Be sure that you apply your self unto Gods Work according unto Gods Method let that be first which he hath made first and that last which he hath made last A Fâ—gge or â—â—llet is easily drawn from the Stack if you begin aloâ—â— but if you wil take out that first which doth lie below it wil come haâ—dly So in regard of Duties there are some Duties which do lie above and some that lie beneath some are to be performed firâ—t and some after first you must beleeve and then do good Trust in the Lord saith the Psalmist and do good But if you wil do good before you beleeve then it wil come off with difficulty Gods own Method observed makes his way sweet and easie 3. Be sure that you improve and make use of that variety which God hath given you Varietas refocillat variety refresheth and Gods variety is most refreshing But if I wil hold my self only to one Duty when God hath given me many and so neglect Gods variety no wonder that his Work is made hard and tedious Are you therefore weary with praying Apply your self unto Reading Aâ—e you weary in Reading Away then to Conference Possibly youâ— heart may be backward to Prayer but by that time you have been a while Reading and Meditating you shal be fit for Prayer and having been a while at Prayer you shal be more fit for Conference but if you wil keep your self only to one Duty your way to Heaven wil be more difficult Observe therefore Gods variâ—ty and neglect not the same 4. Be sure that you do not stint your self unto any Work or Duty so as to say Thus far wil I go and no further If a man be in a Journey and hath fixed al his Stages he rides in continual pain and fear lest he should not reach his appointed place by his time appointed But if he say I wil go as far as the Providence of God wil carry me then he rides more at ease in his mind al the day long So in our Journey to Heaven if you say thus far I wil go this day and no further then you wil go in continual pain lest you should not reach your appointed Stâ—ge but if you say I wil pray morning evening and as much as I can hear as much as I can read and meditate as much as I can I wil go as far for Hâ—â—ven this day as I can then the Work or God wil come off wâ—th more ease and â—weetness and with less difficulty I speak not this against set tiâ—â— of Pâ—ayer and Duâ—y but against stinting and â—â—nting God â—nd your own hearts O! let us take heed of â—â—aâ— 5. If you would so sweeten the Waies of God as that you may be more fixâ—d and established therein then labor more and moâ—â— to naturâ—â—ze them unto your own souls violent things nevâ—â— hold natuâ—â—â— things do The Sun is constant in rising every 〈◊〉 for it 's natural The Stone if thrown up into the Aâ—r doth descend conâ—tantly for it 's natural So iâ— the Woâ—k of God be Natural to you you wil be constant in it and though you be puâ— by it yet you wil return again and again Labor therâ—fore to naturallize the Work of God to your own soul so shal it be more and more sweet and easie and you wil be more fixed setled and established therein for it is delight that doth give fixation Answ 7 Seventhly If you would be fixed and established in the good Waies of God then consider these ensuing Motives 1. Thereby you shal rid and free your selves from Temptations which wil otherwise press in and return upon you The Jews saw that Pilate was wavering and not fixed for Christ so they came upon him with new volleys of Temptations and carried him at the last but when the Disciples saw that Pauls heart was fixed on his Journey to Jerusalem they gave over their siege and lâ—ft him to his own thoughts and though Naomi did perswade Ruth to return unto her own Country and Kindred yeâ— at the last she left speaking to her for saith the Text She saw that she was stedfastly minded to go with her Ruth 1.18 As an unsetled Spirit doth lie open unto new Temptations and doth invite them so a setled fixed and established heart shal be freed from them This fixation of Soul is a great honor unto your Profession and thereby ye shal walk worthy of the Gospel Phil. 1. he that is unsetled unconstant and uneven in his course doth bring no honor unto his Profession but laies stumbling-blocks before the blind and doth offend the World do you not see say they Qui servat constantiam servat dignitatem what a giddy and unsetled People some of these Professors are but there or there is a man that doth walk closely with God there is a Christian indeed he that keeps his constancy keeps his dignity Thereby you shal rejoyce the hearts of those that are set over you in the Lord who