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
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
them not now wil I remember their iniquity Mâ—â—k the word Now Now when Now when they do come to prayer now wil I remember your iniquity saith the Lord. I know saith the Lord al your carriage in such and such a pâ—â—ce I know your uncleanness and your adulteries when you wâ—â—e in the dark when the curtains were drawn about you and the candle out I know your carriage at such a Tavern and upon such an Ale bench how you sate there and scâ—rned and reviâ—â—d my children I know your opposing scoffing and jeering at tho e that are Godly I know al this and now thou comest to prayer now Swearer now Adulterer now Drunkard now thou comest to duty now wil I remember thine iniquity Is it not a sad thing that the Lord should remember a mans sin at the time when he comes to prayer yet thus the Lord deales with the wicked But as for the Godly and Gracious man it is not so with him when he comes to prayer though he have many failings in duty yet the Lord remembers his mercy then the Lord remembers his loving kindness then the Lord remembers his Covenant for he is ever mindful of his Covenant O! what incouragement is here then for every man to become Godly to get into Christ and what incouragement is here for the Saints and people of God to come to duty O! you that have but a little faith have you any reason to be discouraged wil you not at last say to your soul why art thou cast down O my soul and why are thou thus discouraged Quest But suppose that I have done foolishly and have sinned in being discouraged upon al occasions suppose I have many failings in duty and the Lord doth not answer my prayer presently what shal I do that I may bear up my heart against this discouragement either in regard of my own failing in duty or in regard of Gods not answering Answ 1 First Take heed that you do not lay the stress and weight of al your comfort upon duty cither the gift of duty or the Grace of duty or the present answer of it So much as ye lay the stress and weight of your comfort upon duty so much wil you be discouraged in case you do either want duty or an answer to it When Paul was tempted and buffetted he prayed thrice For this saith he I besought the Lord thrice thâ—t is often and the Lord gave him no other answer than this 2 Cor. 12.8 9. Paul My Grace is sufficient for thee for my strength shal be made perfect in thy weakness Whereupon Paul saith Now therefore wil I Glory in mine infirmities that the pâ—wer of the Lord may rest upon me Hast thou therefore been at prayer and hast thou prayed thrice or often and hast thou no answer but this My Grace is sufficient for thee know that thou hast a Pauls answer and therefore rather Glory in this that the Lord should find thee faithful for to wait upon him than be discouraged knowing that the Lords strength shal be perfected in thy weakness Answ 2 Secondly Consider seriously and frequently of this rule That difficulty doth commend duty the more difficulties your duties do press through to God the more acceptable they are to him The less there is to sweeten your duty to you the more sweet is your duty to God It is in our performing of duty as in the offering of the Jewish Sacrifice in the offering of their Sacrifice there was two things The Sacrifice and the Obedience in offering the Sacrifice and the more difficult it was for any poor Jew by reason of poverty or the like to offer this Sacrifice the more and greater was his Obedience in offering it the more difficulty in offering the greater the Obedience offered So also it is in our Gospel Sacrifices and in al our duties there are two things in them There is the Sacrifice the duty and there is the Obedience in bringing the duty and the more difficulty in performing the duty the greater is the Obedience to God in the performing of it Now is is not an hard thing and very difficult for a man to pray and continue praying when his heart is hardned and his spirit streightned especially if he be sensible thereof then he is ready to despond and say I can pray no more and is it not a very hard thing for a man to pray and persevere in prayer when he thinks that God doth not regard his prayer then he is apt to say why should I pray any longer for God regards me not yet now if you do pray and perform your duty your obedience is the more obediential the more acceptable and if you would but think of this rule Difficulty doth commend duty and the less you have to sweeten your action the more sweet it is to God I say if you would but remember this it would both incourage you to duty and keep you from discouragement in it And lastly We must al learn to leave the event and success of our spiritual things unto God himself so shal we never be discouraged in any duty For the word of the Lord is sure and God hath spoken it Psal 55. Cast thy Gift upon the Lord Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chaldee Par. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuag 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hierom. projice super Dominum charitatem tuam Rab. Salv. Jar. abbreviate dictus Rashi vel Rasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod etiam pro dono usurpatur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Sam. 11.8 Bibl. Bomb. and he wil sustain thee he wil not suffer the righteous to be moved for ever You read it thus Cast thy Burden upon the Lord but in the Hebrew it is thy Gift Cast thy Gift upon the Lord. That is saith Shindler quicquid tibi dari donarive expetis Whatsoever thou dost desire that God should give thee cast that upon the. Lord thou comest to prayer and thou prayest for such a mercy or such a Gift cast that on God and leave it wholly to him O! but the mercy I pray for is a necessary mercy Be it so yet it is to be cast on God But it is a spiritual Gift I pray for pardon of sin the sence of Gods love growth in Grace consolation to my poor drooping soul Be it so yet thou must cast this on God Many there are that can leave the event and and success of these outward things unto God but to leave the event and success of prayer and their spiritual things unto God this they cannot understand and this they are utterly unacquainted with but whatever thy Gift be cast it upon the Lord leave the success and the event of al your spiritual things upon God what then And he wil sustain thee and thou shalt not be moved for ever Thou are moved for the present and thy heart is moved and thou art much discouraged yet do but try this way leave the
that you may be humbled yet that the Lord should keep you from this Sin this unpardonable Sin for which there is no Sacrifice nor no remission O! what Mercy and what Grace is this Object 1 But I am afraid I have sinned this Sin and the truth is I have often feared it and my reason was and is Because my sins are so great so exceeding great Answ Great say ye How great man I have sinned against my Light I have sinned against my Knowledg I have sinned against my Conviction and therefore I fear I have sinned the unpardonable Sin But I pray for Answer did not Adam sin against Light when he eat the forbidden Fruit Did he not sin against his Knowledg against Conscience yet he sin'd not against the Holy Ghost though he brought al the World under Condemnation by his Sin for the Lord himself came and preached mercy to him The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents head And I pray did not Jonah when he run away from God sin against his Light and did he not sin against his Conviction and against his Knowledg yet he did not sin against the Holy Ghost for the Lord pardoned him and wonderfully delivered him Possibly this therefore may be and yet not a Sin against the Holy Ghost It is true indeed that those who sin against the Holy Ghost do sin against their Light Knowledg and Conscience but whoever sins against Light and Knowledg though he sins greatly doth not sin against the Holy Ghost Object 2 O! But I fear that I have sinned this Sin for I have fallen foully into gross sins Answ That is ill But I pray did not David sin so were they not great gross and foul sins that David fel into such as one of your civil moral men would abhor yet he did not sin against the Holy Ghost for the Lord pardoned him and Nathan said from the Lord The Lord hath forgiven thee Object 3 O! But yet I fear that I have sinned this great Sin for I am much declined I have lost my former acquaintance and communion with God I have lost my former heat and affections to good and in Duty and I fear upon this account that I have sinned this great Sin Answ Be it so yet did not the Church of Ephesus lose her first Love yet this Church of Ephesus did not sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost Why For the Lord saith unto her Repent and do thy first Works she could not have repented thus if she had sinned this Sin Object 4 O! but yet I fear that I have sinned this great Sin because that I have sinned directly against the Spirit I have quenched I have grieved I have resisted the Spirit the Spirit of the Lord hath come and fallen upon my heart in preaching and I resisted and grieved it the Spirit of the Lord hath fallen upon my heart in Prayer and I have grieved that therefore I fear I have sinned this great Sin that shall never be pardoned Answ This is ill too But those that you read of in Acts 7. resisted the Holy Ghost yet they did not sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost for then Stephen would not have prayed for them And indeed Beloved if every resisting of the breathings of the Spirit and grieving of the Holy Ghost were the unpardonable Sin what godly man would be free A godly man is more properly said to grieve the Spirit than a wicked man If an Enemy strike you you are angry if your Friend strike you ye are grieved If a wicked man strike at God he is angry with him if a godly man strike at God God is angry and his Spirit is grieved because he is a Friend Grieve not the Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed unto the day of Redemption So that thus far possibly a man may go and yet not sin this Unpardonable Sin Object 5 But I am afraid that I have sinned this great Sin the Sin against the Holy Ghost because I have not owned but denied the Truth the Work of the Spirit is to enlighten and to lead into Truth and I have not owned but denied the Truth rather therfore I fear that I have sinned this great Sin against the Holy Ghost Answ This is evil very evil I remember a Speech of Godteschalchus worthy to be written in Letters of Gold Timeo veritatem negare quia metuo à veritate negari I am afraid said he to deny the Truth lest I should be for ever denied by the Truth that is Christ But I pray did not Peter deny the Truth when he denied Christ and did he not do it again and again and did he not do it openly with Scandal and did he not do it after Admonition and did he not do it with Cursing and Swearing and yet he did not sin against the Holy Ghost for the Lord pardoned and took him into his bosom and made him a blessed Instrument in the Church Thus far yet a man may go possibly and yet not sin this Sin Object 6 O! But I am afraid yet that I have sinned it for I have been an Opposer of Goodness I have been an Opposer of the People of God and I have been a blasphemer therefore I fear I have sinned this Sin Answ This is ill indeed But I pray tel me Was not Paul an Opposer and Blasphemer of the Saints and Waies of God and yet he did not sin against the Holy Ghost for I did it ignorantly saith he I was a Blasphemer and a Persecutor but I obtained mercy for I did it ignorantly Object 7 O! But I have sinned and I have done it maliciously and therefore I fear I have sinned this same dreadful Sin Answ This is yet worser But what mean you by that word Maliciously Peccatum ex malitia quandoque dicitur peccatum ex habitu puta quando ex malo habitu quis est intemperatus vel gulosus et sic non loquimur in proposito alio modo dicitur quod procedit ex passione tamen deliberate et scienter puta si quis invideat c. nec sic loquimu◠in proposito sed vocatur peccatum ex malitia proprie quando movetur quis non ex habitu nec passione nec ignorantia sed ex mera libertate voluntatis Sc. quod sic placet et hoc modo dicitur peccatum in spiritum sanctum Aureol in Lib. 2. Sent. Dist 43. Art 1. A man may be said to sin ex malitia or maliciously three waies saith Aureolus Either because he sins from some evil habit and so al wicked men sin yet they do not al sin against the Holy Ghost Or because a man sins out of anger passion or evil wil against another so Paul sin'd when he persecuted the Church of God he was carried out with a malicious spirit against the Saints and People of God yet he did not sin against the Holy Ghost Or else because a man is moved to sin 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
the Lord doth not onely give forth encouragement in time of discouragement and proportion his encouragements unto our discouragements but he doth make your discouragements occasional rises and bottoms unto your incouragements and comforts The Lord caused a deep sleep to come upon Adam and then he took a Rib from his side wherewith he made a help for him so doth God cause a deep sleep to come upon you in your discouragements out of which he taks a Rib and â—uilds up a help for you making the discouragements of the Saints to contribute to their very incouragements Hosea 2.14 Behold saith the Lord I wil allure her that is the Church his people and bring her into the wilderness and speak comfortably to her and I wil give her her vineyards from thence and the valley of Achor for a door of hope But a wildernessed condition is a lost condition and what comfort can one have in a lost condition True saith God ye cannot in and by your selves but there I wil speak friendly and comfortably to her and of al the times that I chuse to preach Gospel to a poor soul I chuse to do it in a wildernessed and lost condition But though the Lord do speak comfortably to us if we be in a wilderness a dry barren place where no food nor comfort is how can we be but discouraged Nay saith the Lord but I wil give her her vinyards from thence But if we sin murmur in the wilderness as the Israelites did the Lord wil cut us off as he did them a wilderness is a place of trouble wherein we are apt to murmur be discouraged Nay saith the Lord but I wil give her her vinyards from thence and the vally of Achor for a door of hope The valley of Achor was the valley of Perturbation trouble and of great discouragement when the men of Israel sled and fel before the men of Ai for the sin of Achan Joshua 7. vers the last yet it was an in-let to the Land of Canaan to the Land of rest Now saith the Lord look as it was with them though the Valley of Achor was a Valley of Trouble and Perturbation yet it was the door by which the Israelites came into the Land of Rest So shall it be with you I will make your Troubles and Discouragements the very door of your Hope the Valley of your Discouragements shall be the door and an in-let unto all your Rest and Comfort God takes the same way with the Members as he went with the Head Christs Cross an in-let of Glory his suffering time was the Valley of Achor to his Disciples and was it not a door of Hope unto them and unto all the Saints This is Gods way Discouragements bring Encouragements and the more Discouragements the Saints have the more Encouragements they shall have yea their Discouragements shall contribute to their Encouragements and be a door of Hope to them Now if the Valley of Achor shall by Promise be a door of Hope why should we be discouraged whatsoever the Valley of Achor be whatever our condition be Answ 5 A praying man can never be very miserable whatever his condition be for he hath the Ear of God the Spirit within to indite a friend in Heaven to present and God himself to receive his desires as a Father 't is a mercy to pray though I never have the mercy prayed for thereby God doth come down to us and we go up to God It is the souls Converse with God on Earth and a great ease to a burdened troubled Spirit for thereby he may go and empty all his heart into the bosom of his best friend Now every godly gracious man is a praying man more or less he prayeth It 's spoken as an Argument of Pauls â—onverâ—ion Behold he prayeth as Speech is common unto all men so Prayer unto all Christians God hath none of his Children born dumb as soon as one of your children is born it cries and it sucks and it â—lâ—eps So with every man that is born of God as sooâ—â—s â—e is both he cries unto God in Prayer he sucks the breast of â—he Promi e and he sleeps in the bosom of God by Divine Contentmentâ— beiâ—g dead unto all the world it may be he cannot pray as 〈◊〉 would but though he cannot pray as he would not hear as hâ—â—â—uld nor perform any duty as he would yet he prayeth it may be said of him behold he prayeth turn him where you will and behold he prayeth sick yet behold he prayeth tempâ—ed yet behold he prayeth at home or abroad yet behold he prayetâ— and can he be miserable while he prayeth Surely no why then should he be discouraged whatever his condition be Answ 6 If the matter of the Saints discouragements be but a cloud that wil blow over and melt away then no reason for their Discouragements whatsoever their condition be Now thus it is with the People of God though they be in a dark and very dark condition yet their darkness is but the darkness oâ— a cloud and as he said Nichecula est cito transibit it is but a cloud it wil soon over So may they say concerning every matter of their discouragement it is dark indeed but this darkness will over there is a storm comes down upon us but we shall see Land again the Shore again it is but a cloud but a cloud And upon this account David comforted his own heart here and checkt his soul for his immoderate dejection Why aâ—t thou cast down c. Hope in God For I shall yet praise him I shal be delivered this cloud will oveâ— it will not last it is but the darkness of a cloud Quest But how shall it appear that it is â—ut a cloud and the darkness of a cloud I think it is night and dark night with my soul yea such a night as shall never know morning indeed if I did know that the matter of my discouragement were but a cloudy darkness then I would conclude and say there is no reason for this discouragement but how shall I know whether this darkness be the darkness of a cloud or of the night Answ 1 First If the darkness be such as comes immediately after the rising and shining forth of the Promise then it is but the darkness of a cloud not of the night the Sun doth not rise to set immediately and therefore if darkness comes immediately after Sun-rising it is certainly the darkness of an Eclipse or of a Cloud not of the night There was a fair Promise rose and shined upon Joseph when the Lord said That his Sheaf should be higher than all the Sheaves of his Bâ—â—thren yet presently after that there arose a darkness upon him but iâ— was the darkness of a cloud and not of the â—igh 〈◊〉 why so Because he had a Promise first which did shâ—◠〈◊〉 â—â—m So David had a fair Promise of the Kingdom whâ—â—
〈…〉 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
in altero Where Nature is deficient in one thing it is abundant in another thing If a man wants his Eyes he hears the better and the less he sees the more he remembers where Nature is wanting in one thing it is exceeding in another And as Nature so the God of Nature and the God of Grace too It may be you do want a Head-memory but hath not the Lord given you a Heart-memory to remember thâ— Sermon as you have occasion to use it Some have Parts and Gifts and they want plainness and openness of heart for God some again have a plain heart and they want Gifts and Parts It is said Jacob That he prevailed with God in Prayer and he was a plain man Mark how the Holy Ghost doth put these two together That that man should be the prevailing man with God in Prayer who was the plain man and that man that was the plain man should be the prevailing man in Prayer a plain man but prâ—vailing with God Well then though thou beest but a plain person and hast no Parts or Gifts as others have yet thou maiest prevail with God and thy Name may be called Israel prevailing with the Lord When God denies one he gives another Mercy Thus it is with all the Saints and People of God and a godly gracious man may say thus Well though I have not great Parts and Gifts yet blessed be the Lord I have a plain and an open heart for God and if the Lord hath done thus much for you and recompenced you in another way have you any reason then to be discouraged for want of Parts and Gifts in Duties Certainly you have not Object O! but yet this is not the matter of my Discouragement I am not discouraged for want of Parts or Gifts in Duty but I want the Grace and the Holiness of Duty I want the Grace and the Holiness of Prayer I go to Prayer and Duty but the Lord knows wiâ—h a dull dead and a straightened heart I think verily that there is not a more rockie stony flinty heart in the world than mine I offer my self to God somtimes in Prayer but when I come at it I am not able to speak a word my heart is so shut up and straightened and have I not cause and reason now to be discouraged is not this matter of just discouragement Answ No. For Pearls somâ—imes grow upon Rocks and possibly there may be some Pearl of Grace growing upon that rocky heart of thine Yet further First You say That you are straightened in Duty but are you satisfied and contented with that condition or if you had enlargeâ—ent in Duty would you be satisfied therein No I am not satisfied with my straightened condition and the truth is though I had never so much enlargement enlargement alone would never satisfie my soul but if I had more affection I would give it up to God yea if I had a Sea of Affection I would powr it out before the Lord and if I had Prayers and Tears and Enlargements like the Sands upon the Seâ—shore I would offer them all up to God Well and is not this to be enlarged towards God A poor man that hath never a penny in his Purse sees another or many others in want but he hath nothing to relieve them with yet saith he if I had wherewithal I would relieve all these men I would cloath them all or I would feed them all is not this mans heart enlarged now towards the poor though he hath not a penny to help them with So in your case for the present thy Affection is poor and thou aâ—â— straightened but thou sayest if I had a Sea of Affection I would give it all to God and if I had Prayers like the Sand upon the Sea-shore I would give them all to God is not this to be enlarged towards God God doth give by denying somtimes and thus he hath dealt by you Secoâ—dly If your Condition herein be no other than the condition of the Saints and People of God then you have no just cause and reason to be discouraged in this respect Now Psalm 77.3 4. saith the Plalmist there I remembred God and was troubled I complained and my spirit was over-whelmed Lord saith he at verse 4. Thou holdest mine Eyes watching I am so troubled that I cannot speak I cannot pray I am so troubled I cannot speak A Mother hears her child cry and saith she now doth this Child cry for the Breast yet the Child speaks not a word but the Mother knows the meaning of the childs crying and the language of it And doth a Mother know the language of her Childs crying and doth not God our Father know the Language of his Childs cry that cannot speak unto him The Beggar that follows you for an Alms is a Beggar though he be dumb and cannot speak and you say send him away with some gift for he follows us So here though your heart be shut up in Duty yet if you can follow God he looks upon you as a Beggar at the Throne of Grace and in due time he will serve you and send you away with Comfort Thirdly You would fain have enlargements and workings of the heart in Prayer but what would you do with those enlargements Would you shew your Enlargements your Excellencies your Graces to God when you come to Duty A Beggar you know if he have any excellent thing as Gold or Silver he hides that and he shews his wounds he shews his sores if you mean to give him a penny and ask him if he have any money I have two-pence or threepence Sir saith he or a penny but he hides his excellency and he laies open his wounds and if he can but open his sores before you he thinks he doth beg effectually Beloved we all go to God in Prayer in forma Pauperis every man sues in this Court in the form of a Beggar If thy heart then be straightened if thy heart be hard and if thy Spirit be dull in duty you may go to God and open your sores and wounds before him you may go and say Lord what an hard heart have I and what a dull and straighâ—ened Spirit have I This father becomes a Begger and you must come as a Begger when you come before him yet you must know Etsi non sit possib le per ea moveri immobilem et per omniaque immutabilem Deum potentia enim mihi videatur esse ad movendum ipsum recitantem vel meditantem ipsa ad moveadum inquam et preparandum ad gratiam devotionis etâ— gratitudinis et largitatis et beneficentiae incogitabibis Dei Parisiens Cap. 22. de Rhetor Div. That neither your Poverty nor your Riches neither your straightenings in Duty nor your enlargements do make any alteration in the Mind and Will of God Indeed God seems to deal by us somtimes as a Father doth by his little Child he holds a piece
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
go to Heaven and be saved for ever What then though thou hast stayed long and hast long wanted Assurance yet God hath not led thee so far as he hath led some and thy condition is no other than that which may befal the dear servants and children of God Answ 3 But Thirdly Though for the present you do want Assurance of Gods love and of your own Salvation yet if you may conclude by Scripture Arguments that you shal have it before you die then have you no reason to be discouraged Now though this or that particular Christian in a case not ordinary do die under a cloud and with much fear and doubting about his everlasting condition yet there are Arguments in scripture whereby a man may ordinarily know and conclude that he shal have peace and Assurance before he dies For example Arg. 1 First He that is content to stay and go without a mercy if God wil have it so shal not want it for ever For the Patient abiding of the meek shal noâ— be forgotten for ever Psal 9. As the way to have affliction continued is to be discontented under it so the way to have it removed is to be contented with it There is a Faith of Expectance a Faith of Relyance and the Faith of Assurance The Faith of Expectance wil rise up into a Faith of Reliance and the Faith of Reliance to the Faith of Assurance there is seldom a may-be Faith but hath a shal-be and it is at the bottom if God would make it float Arg. 2 Secondly If the Lord hath wrought wonders for thy soul when thou wert in the wilderness and in a desert then certainly he wil bring thee into the land of rest So he dealt by David so he dealt by Israel so he wil deal by thee Arg. 3 Thirdly If thy heart be upright in the matter of thine Assurance God will certainly give Assurance unto thee Psal 84.11 for ye know what the Psalmist saith The Losd wil give Grace and Glory and no good thing wil he withold from them that walk uprightly If therefore I say thy heart hath been upright in the matter of thine assurance the Lord wil give thee assurance though for the present thou want'st it Now I pray when is a mans heart upright in the matter of his Assurance but when he doth desire Assurance of Gods love and of his own Salvation rather that he may praise and serve God the more than for his own comfort For this look in Psal 9. and see how David reasons to this purpose vers 13. 14. Have mercy upon me O Lord consider my trouble which I suffer of them that hate me thou that liftest me up from the gates of death That I may shew forth al thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion I wil rejoyce in thy Salvation Here are three things observable First he was in a very low condition at the gates of death From the gates of death saith he Gates of death that is the power of death The gates of Hel shal not prevail that is the powers of Hel shal not prevail so here the gates of death that is the powers of death David was under the power of death at the gates of death and now in this condition he prayes unto the Lord for mercy that the Lord would lift him up but why doth he pray so mark his end At vers 14. Have mercy upon me O Lord consider my trouble why That I may shew forth thy praise in the gates of the daughter of Zion O Loâ—d bring me from the gates of death that I may praise thee in the gates of the daughter of Zion not for my own comfort Lord but that I may praisâ— thee Wel but what inference doth he make of this see what followes in the latter end of vers 14. I wil or shal rejoyce in thy Salvation O Lord my heart hath been upright in this petition and now I know thou wilt grant my prayer I wil I shal rejoyce in thy Salvation Arg. 4 Fourthly When a man can praise God for what he hath although his condition be very sad God wil give him more and give him a better condition If God shew mercy saith one or give a blessing and I praise God I pay my debt but if my case be low and sad and I praise God then then God is pleased to be called my debtor and he wil certainly pay his debt Arg. 5 Fiftly If the Lord be the health of your countenance you shal have the assurance of your Salvation in due time though now you want it Thus the Psalmist reasons in the text Wait on God or hope in God for I shal yet praise him why for he is the health of my countenance but when is God said to be the health of our countenance when his smiles make us look cheerly and his frowns make us look sadly if I look wel when God smiles though al relations frown and do look il when God frowns though al my relations smile then is God the health of my countenance Now I appeal to you beloved you that do want Assurance hath it not been thus with you Do ye not earnestly desire Assurance yet are content to stay wait and go without it if God wil have it so Hath not the Lord shewn wonders for thy soul when thou hast been in a wildered condition in preserving and keeping thee from doing evil to thy self and have not you been upright in the matter of your Assurance saying thus O Lord give me Assurance of thy love not that I may have comfort only but that I may be more fit to serve thee And have ye not praised the Lord in your sad condition for what you have And hath not the Lord been the health of your countenance so that when the Lord hath smiled upon you then you have looked wel and when the Lord hath frowned upon you then you have looked il surely you cannot but say I must not deny these things I cannot be faithful to mine own soul if I should deny them yea Lord thou knowest and my soul knowes it That thou hast done wonders for me when I have been in a low desert and wildered condition And O Lord thou knowest I desire Assurance of thy love not for my own comfort onely but that I may be more sit to praise and serve thee And Lord thou knowest I have praised thee in some measure for what I have Yea Lord thou art the health of my countenance when thou smilest upon me then I look wel and when thou frownest upon me then I look ill I may say in truth the Lord is the health of my countenance wel then I say unto thee from the Lord go in peace and be of good comfort though thou doest for the present want comfort and Assurance of thy Salvation thou shalt have it in due time And if al these things be true O! you that are the people of the
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
event to God Go to prayer go and perform thy duty leaving the event of that unto God and the Lord that hath promised wil certainly fulfil it thou shalt be sustained and though thou art moved for the present thou shalt not be moved forever And thus I have done with the Third Instance A LIFTING UP IN THE Want of Assurance Sermon VII PSALM 42.11 Why art thou cast down O my Soul Stepney May 21. 1648. and why art thou disquieted within me c. Instance 4 SOmetimes the discouragements of Gods people are drawn From the want of their Evidence for Heaven And thus they reason or argue I am a poor creature who do want Assurance oâ— the love of God and of mine own Salvation therefore I am thus discouraged indeed if I had any evidence of an interest in Christ I should never be discouraged whatever my condition were but alas I want the Assurance of Gods love and of eternal life should I now die I do not know whether I should go to Heaven or Hell and what would become of my soul to al eternity O! I want Assurance of my Salvation and therefore I am thus discouraged have I not just cause and reason for my discouragements now Answ No no reason yet It is indeed a great evil and a sore affliction to want the Assurance of Gods love and of ones own Salvation yet notwithstanding the want of this Assurance is no sufficient ground or bottom for your discouragement I confess it is a great evil and a sore affliction for a man to want Assurance for sin and affliction are twisted together in the want of Assurance As of al blessings those are the greatest where Grace and comfort are joyned together so where sin and affliction are twisted together of al afflictions they are the most afflictive and thus it is in the want of Assurance for as in Assurance there is somthing of Grace and somthing of comfort or reward so in the want of Assurance there is somwhat of sin or unbelief and somwhat of affliction too sin and affliction affliction and sin are both twisted together in the want of Assurance The truth is a man that wants the Assurance of Gods love and of his interest in Christ is neither fit to receive mercy from God nor to make return of love and praise to God as he should Not fit to receive mercy as he should for though he would have Christ come in yet by unbelief he shuts the door against him and he makes an evil interpretation of mercies offered unto him if a mercy or blessing be tendered unto him he saith this comes in judgment to me it is a blessing indeed in it self but I fear it is a judgment to me Thus he makes an il interpretation of blessings and so unfit to receive And he is not fit to make returns of love to God again Assurance returns praise And therefore saith the text here O! my soul wait on God hope in God for I shal yet praise him why for he is my God praise grows upon assurance and upon this account I say he is neither fit to receive mercy nor to make return of praise as he should Yea further He that wants Assurance of Gods love converseth too much with Satan as he that hath the Assurance of Gods love doth converse with Christ the spirit bearing witness to him that he is the Child of God So he that doth want Assurance converseth with Satan and Sacan though falsly is stil bearing witness to his spirit that he is not the child of God and is it not a misery to be in these converses with Satan to be under his hellish droppings David felt one pang of unbelief and he cryed out and said It is too painful for me O! what a pain is it then to lie bed-rid of an unbeleeving heart you know a chast and a loving wife counts it an affliction to her to be followed with the solicitations of an unworthy person to suspect and be jealous of her husbands love for saith she he doth therefore follow me with these solicitations makeing me to suspect my husbands love that so he may attain his own filthy desires So saith a gracious soul the Devil is alwaies following and tempting me to suspect the Love of Christ and he doth therefore do it that he may attain his mind upon me for the Devil knows wel enough that the more I suspect Christs Love the more I shal embrace Satans love The truth is Beloved this want of Assurance of Gods Love or Interest in Christ is an in-let to many sins and miseries for first a man doubts of his own Salvation and after he hath continued doubting then he riseth up unto a full conclusion saying now know I that Christ doth not love me I did but doubt before but now I know he doth not love me And after he is risen to this conclusion then shortly he riseth higher and he goes further thus If Christ doth not love me now he will never love me and if I have not interest in Christ now after all the Preaching I have heard and Ordinances enjoyed if I have not an Interest in Christ now I shal never have it and so the longer I live the more I aggravate my condemnation therefore as good in Hel at first as at the last and therefore now I wil even make a way my self O! what a black Chain is here and the first link is the want of Assurance If you should see a Child â— pretty Child lie in the open streets and none own it would it not make your Bowels yern within you Come to the little one and say Child where 's thy Father I know not saith the Child Where 's thy Mother Child I know not Who is thy Father what 's thy Fathers name Child I know not Would it not make your heart ake to see such a little one in the streets But for a poor soul to lie in the street as it were and not know his Father whether God be his Father or the Devil be his Father for a soul to say I do not know my Father whether God in Christ be my Father yea or no this is pitiful indeed The word Father is a sweet word for it sweetens all our Duties take the word Father out of Prayer and how sour is it Surely therefore it is a sad and sore affliction to want the Assurance of Gods Love in Christ But now although it be a great evil and a sore Affliction for to want this Assurance yet I say the Saints and People of God have no reason to be cast down or discouraged although they do want the same Quest How may that appear Answ 1 First thus If the want of Assurance be not the damning unbelief then a man hath no reason to be quite discouraged although he do want Assurance Now though there may be much unbelief bound up in the want of Assurance yet I say the bare want of