Selected quad for the lemma: prayer_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
prayer_n	pray_v	spirit_n	supplication_n	6,826	5	11.2274	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A89411	Several works of Mr. Iohn Murcot, that eminent and godly preacher of the Word, lately of a Church of Christ at Dublin in Ireland. Containing, I. Circumspect walking, on Eph. 5.15,16. II. The parable of the ten virgins, on Mat. 25. from ver. 1. to ver. 14. III. The sun of righteousness hath healing in his wings for sinners, on Mal. 4.2. IV. Christs willingness to receive humble sinners, on John 6.37. Together with his life and death. Published by Mr. Winter, Mr. Chambers, Mr. Eaton, Mr. Carryl, and Mr. Manton. With alphabetical tables, and a table of the Scriptures explained throughout the whole.	Murcot, John, 1625-1654.; Winter, Samuel, 1596?-1665.; Chambers, Robert, minister in Dublin.; Eaton, Samuel, 1506?-1665.; Manton, Thomas, 1620-1677.; Caryl, Joseph, 1602-1673.; J. G.	1657 (1657)	Wing M3083; Thomason E911_1; ESTC R202939	754,107	852

that is up and doing thou findest thy Faith is weak it may be thou canst scarce call it any thing but unbelief labour to act it put it forth often the nature of it lies in the souls sincere willingness to take Jesus Christ to have him for a Saviour and Lord to save from iniquites as well as from the condemnation of sin now though weakly put forth the acts of willing Jesus Christ as he hath offered himself and thou shalt find it will grow often be rowling thy self and thy burthen poor burthened soul upon the Lord Jesus cast thy self upon him and thou shalt find as much rest in it for the present so also an increase of faith and a feeling also that thou dost believe after a time And so for other things alas is there a day that goeth over our heads but there is use for Faith it is the very life of a Christian The life I now live I live by the Faith of the Son of God and therefore as much need of the exercise of it daily as of any vital acts whatsoever and you shall find you have occasions for it either some temptations from your own hearts some corruptions stirring and disquieting your peace or some scourgings from without some buffetings of Satan some deadness and security growing upon you daily O there is daily need of acting Faith as there is to eat and drink therefore Israel their Manna was their daily food and if they were daily stung they must daily look up to the Serpent and which of us is not though you have a Lamp lighted Brethren There was enery morning daily a triming of the Lamps of the Sanctuary and pouring oyl into them afresh you know they will not continue but go out in obscure darkness except there be a feeding of them with oyl this we may do and this we ought to do and indeed a man that exerciseth not his Grace is as if he had none neither hath the strength nor the comfort of his Grace for Habits are for Acts and then Acts strengthen the Habits again The Learned Aristotle said A wise man differed nothing from a fool if he exercised not his wisdom and saith the Wiseman Even a fool when he holds his peace is counted wise the Act is that chiefly commanded and that chiefly rewarded of God the exercising of Grace and that whereby it groweth which is the main thing here I mind Hath not every day its evil sufficient to it now if faith ●e not upon the wing what a condition is that soul in therefore exercise it use legs and have legs And so for love put it forth exercise it toward the Lord Jesus daily and toward his people that is the way to grow Brethren how do benummed limbs that have no feeling nor strength gather strength but by rubbing and chasing and exercising of them though a mans legs be so benummed falling for a step or two he can scarce set them to the ground yet use them a little and they will come to themselves again If Merchants money lie still it is a dead thing it increaseth not but they must turn it up and down and return it use it and exercise their trade with it and it groweth And truly I am perswaded it is the great reason we are many of us so weak as we are we lie complaining and making sad moan before the Lord of our weakness and yet are careless in the exercise of the Grace wherein we pretend we would grow The desire of the slothful killeth him for his hands refuse to labour we may mourn our selves away off our legs and spend our days in lamentable complainings and shall never be the better except we put forth into act what we have already received if we be not faithful in trading with a little will he give us more action and motion increase heat if you see a poor creature lie starving ready to perish for want of fire his legs are stiff cannot hardly move them is that the way to help him no up to the fire up and exercise your limbs rub them chafe them if you would get heat and agility into them Secondly See to it that we exercise one as well as another for there is such a sweet harmony and dependency of the Graces one upon another that they do one strengthen another the acts of our Graces do as I may say co-operate and sweetly conspire to the promoting one of another that is to say of the acts and these acts then strengthen the habits As for instance you see in an Arch one stone strengthens another take away one of them and all the rest are ready to fall upon your head and therefore the Apostle exhorts so earnestly That they should add to Faith Temperance c. not as if they could add one habit to another for they are infused together but the acts are to be added one to another For if ye do these things saith the Apostle then ye shall not be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ yea you shall never fall yea you shall have an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom The strength of a building you know lies not in the strength of one piece but in the due compacting of it and joyning part to his part if there be never so strong beams if the other parts be weak the rafters the wall-plates or such considerable pieces and not well joyned together the building is weak and will easily fall therefore if you would be strong and grow indeed look that we exercise all the Graces of the Spirit we have already received not only Faith nor only Love nor only Humility nor only Self-denial but all labour to act them all and Temperance and Heavenly-mindedness c. and you shall find that as each Grace doth grow by the exercising of it self so by the exercising of them all they will have a mutual influence each upon the other to strengthen one another the act of Faith will strengthen the acting of love and that will strengthen faith again and so for the rest Thirdly If you would grow in Grace You must be much in prayer for a man of much Prayer is a man of much Grace and therefore the Prophet puts them both together He will pour out the Spirit of Grace and Supplication And so the Apostle Jude But you Beloved building up your selves in your most holy Faith praying in the Holy Ghost and there is the like reason for building up our selves in any other Grace praying by the Spirit of God is the way you see to grow in Grace there is very great reason that Prayer should be a great means of increasing Grace First Because in Prayer there is the greatest exercising of Grace of all Grace usually of any other service we do to God there our repentance is exercised for you alwaies find the Saints in drawing nigh to God David and Ezra and

others that still they begin with bewailing their iniquities expressing their sorrow for them because no man was to appear before God but with pure hands and pure feet and therefore since we gather soil continually there is need of acknowledging our iniquities and then he is faithful and just to forgive them there is the exercise of Faith if any where else that is it whereby we wrestle with God in Prayer Prayer is indeed a wrestling with God as Jacob it was his faith whereby he overcame and got the blessing a man must pray in Faith else it is nothing worth at all God accepteth no service but where there is Faith mixed there is Love exercised toward God and to his people we go to him it is an acting of our desire toward him our delight in his presence and love to his Saints when we can pray feelingly for them And so Humility O saith Abraham Who am I dust and ashes And Jacob I am less then the least of thy mercies In a word all the Graces are set awork in prayer that is a working prayer indeed our thankfulness and all our supplications in all things are to be made known c. Every wheel is set a going in the soul if it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an effectual prayer and therefore by the exercises of the Graces they are increased do you think that by acting Faith upon the Promises pleading them as Jacob did Thou saidst thou wouldst do me good c. and so in many other places Remember thy Word to thy Servant whereupon thou hast caused me to hope saith the Psalmist That this doth not increase Faith and so the acting of Love increase it therefore Luther a man of much Prayer was a man of much Grace of much Courage and Zeal and Faith and Diligence in the Service of God And that famous Servant of God Mr. Bolton It is said of him that six times a day he prayed and so others observe it when you will where you see a growing Christian indeed follow him to his Closet you shall find that man a man of much prayer So David and Daniel c. But Secondly There is another reason for it Because Prayer doth carry the soul to a nearer communion with God O it is the gaining acquaintance with God acquaint thy self with God that thou mayst have peace with him and thou shalt have prosperity and therefore when Job discovered such weakness in his impatiency saith that friend of his Surely thou restrainect prayer from the Almighty if thou didst maintain communion with God it would not be thus with thee Now whither should we go with empty vessels but to the fountain whither should poor weak wounded lame feeble creatures go but to him that hath all power to heal and strengthen them God hath treasures of grace it is true and he is not streight-hearted he giveth liberally but the treasury is lockt and prayer is the key and faith the hand that turns it we must to the treasury if we would be rich in grace rich in faith and heirs of the Kingdom which of us would be poor if we had a warrant to go to the Treasury to fetch what we please O what pains would there be the Treasurer should have imployment enough if God would but perswade us it is so in this case we should visit him more the great Treasurer of heaven the Lord Jesus in whom all treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hid yea and of faith and all grace for of his fulness we receive grace for grace O how would we ply him give him no rest he would have much more of our company but that we have slight perswasions of these things and make use of prayer as a duty and a task many of us and not a singular means of improving our graces Brethren were we but as much in Communion with God as David we might have the strength of David it is but ask and have knock and it shall be opened the Spirit which works all this will not be denyed if you ask and ask not amiss as you heard lately God will expend willingly his treasures of grace upon us and pour out the fulness of his Spirit upon us but he will be enquired of for these things Well then if we would grow in grace we must be much in prayer I do believe some of us can speak it but too experimentally that when we have found corruptions prevail and our selves foyled and brought under this hath been the reason we have restrained prayer from the Almighty either we have neglected this duty or else we have been slight and slubbering shuffled it if not out of doors yet to the very door and generally observe it we can more easily find time for any thing then for prayer every other business hath its hours to attend upon but if any thing be neglected it must be prayer or else posted over Whereas alas it would no more hinder our business then our meal-times do which must be had and I know Brethren that some of us are able to say it that we have seen when the prospering presence of the Lord hath been with us we have come on more and done more in a short time then at another time in many times as long a time and yet so wretched hearts we have that we content our selves with any thing in this duty if we appear before the Lord we think it is enough we do not strive unto prayer and watch unto prayer and labour by blowing the green wood that will hardly kindle to get it on a flame before we go out of his presence O Jacob would not let him go without a blessing Brethren in what a sad manner do we many times rise off our knees with our hearts further off from God then we came is this to obtain a blessing no no we must take pains in this work if we would grow the Lord perswade our hearts Alas you will say you have prayed and prayed and yet for ought you can perceive you grow not To this I might answer many things First Dost thou find that hereby thou never gettest thy heart in a better frame art thou never wrought up to some sweet frame of heart in respect of faith and love and humility Why here is an improving this is the main thing in prayer when we can find our hearts wrought up to such a frame it is the very growth it self in a great part therefore thou art mistaken Secondly If thou do not find it may be sometimes such warnings and notwithstanding all the pains thon hast sometimes been blowing at the coal until thy arm ake with holding the bellows and thy heart akes and yet thou canst not get thy faith and thy affections into a frame but thou art as dead and dull as before Now in such a case observe it dost thou not gain thus much by it to have viler

Jesus knoweth it and he will acknowledge it O he is strict to mark what is good if but a little spark in much smoak or under much ashes when to all mens thinking the life is gone he seeth there is somewhat alive and awake within a Seed of God within and he will take notice of it for the comfort of his poor people If ever in any example we would have thought men had slept will and all we would have thought so of the Disciples that notable example that being so often shakt with such sharp and shameful rebukes yet they should forth with be asleep again as if they had not 〈…〉 heeded Jesus Christ at all yet at last when they came to themselves and could sleep no longer for the enemies were upon them Now sleep if you can lest this should too sorely assail them that they had slept so soundly under such awaking means as they had and be swallowed up of to much grief O saith our Saviour the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak he knew their Consciences would be ready to load them and Satan would help forward their overwhelming grief they wist not what to say to him nor for themselves and therefore our Saviour himself letteth them know that there was some willingness within them the spirit was willing but the flesh was weak and that he took notice of it and accepted according to what they had and not according to what they had not where there is a willing mind O here is comfort indeed to have to do with such a Master such a father such a Bridegroom as both knoweth and that little willingness that is in sincerity in his peoples hearts not to sleep though they themselves could not say so he puts an answer into their mouths to Satans accusing and the smitings of their own hearts and a plea in their mouths to himself to prevail with him for pity and sparing of them Remember this that though sleep and slumber and many woful interruptions are in thy service of God yet remember Jesus Christ he hath served without any such slumbrings and such imperfections and this is thine he will render unto man if he do acknowledge to God he hath sinned that is to say freely feelingly faithfully acknowledge it Ah brethren it was a time of prayer and a duty for the Disciples to pray when our Saviour prayed but they were all asleep if now their righteousness peace and salvation had depended upon themselves where had it been or if Jesus Christ had slept as well as they where had it been but he was wrestling and praying for himself and for them in himself at that time he never was heavy in his prayers he never fell asleep nor slumbred neither with this spiritual slumber he fulfilled all righteousness to a tittle O then remember this brethren this must be the ground of our grace and comfort you must have it in another and not in your selves And magnifie this rich grace of God in Jesus Christ that hath laid up for such poor sleeping sinners such a watchful Ordinance 6. Another word may be this though it be true in thy sleep thou art in great danger as you heard before which indeed is enough to alarm us continually yet if we do strive and stir up our selves a●d yet are overcome though sore against our wills and so are in danger of some deadly blow are weak and feeble and the least temptation may smite us to the ground much more then dreadful temptations and without all question Satan never lulls us asleep but he hath a design upon us to take away our life our God our Christ our peace our comfort our strength from us Yea to smite us to the ground at once and smite us no more As Abishai said to David and as he begged he might have leave so doth the Devil even beg O how fain he would have leave to smite us then as he moved the Lord against Job so continually this accuser and enemy whose work it is to devour O when he findeth such a prey how edged is his appetite but remember this for thy comfort and say not surely Satan will smite me to the heart at one time or another poor trembling soul the Lord that keepeth Israel and watcheth them he never slumbreth nor sleepeth Indeed if the Lord had slept as we are apt to think he doth when he with-holds from us his quickening or comforting presence for a time and were apt to cry out as I may say to awake him yet he never sleepeth he watcheth and wards many a secret thrust and blow that when we are asleep poor creatures we cannot be aware of and though thou mayest grieve him by a sloathful spirit and he may make thee smart other ways for it yet surely he wi●l not give up the life of dear Saints the price of this life of his dear dear Son to the will of Satan No they were bought at too dear a rate 7. Again O what a comfort it is to a child of God that he hath to do with such a Christ such a Bridegroom the wise Virgins belong to are espoused to as when they do sleep is willing to take so much pains to awaken them This indeed it should grieve us so much the more that we should put him to it yet it is a comfort and no weak one neither that he is willing to be at suh pains with us to awake us How long doth he stand at the door and knock before they will open they lye asleep still he cals them with the sweetest compellations My love my dove my undefiled O thou dear and precious soul it is I thy dear Saviour It is I whom thy soul loveth wilt thou rise and open to me I am wet with the dew of the night canst thou finde in thy heart to put me to stand without and indu●e the cold and the injuries of the night and weather and keep me out of thy heart the place which I have chosen for my habitation and wherein is all my delight O what workings of his bowels are here one would think this were enough to awaken No yet she shifts and maketh excuses and very frivolous ones as people will when they are not very willing of a thing Well now a man would have thought the Lord Jesus might have been justly grieved so as to depart and leave her sleeping No saith the Text He came nearer and put his hand in at the hole of the door Poor souls he s 〈…〉 eth that the spirit is willing the flesh is weak that is to say So far as carnal we are weak the strength of the flesh maketh us weak and nothing else will do therefore he is fain to come and take her by the heart to touch her heart to begin to unbolt the door himself he cometh in some nearer sweeter powerful breathings of his spirit within that now she is overcome and

time of great need of waking for the Saint is the hour of temptation when that cometh upon them If ever Soldiers had need to be awake it is when the enemy is upon them when they are besieged when they are ready to swallow them up What need had Sampson to have been awake when the Philistins were upon him and he had experience of it again and again and yet you see how securely he slept And so the Disciples it was the hour and power of darkness that now was come upon them and if ever they would be awake now was the time Our Saviour also warns them of their danger O watch and pray lest ye enter into temptation you never were in such danger as now you are beset with temptations will you be in danger of reproach for my names sake even by and by your enemies are ev●n upon you already re●dy to apprehend me and yet notwithstanding all this danger they slept most securely surely no man will deny but the hour of temptation is one of the dreadfullest times to watch or be awake have we not found it by sad experience have we not had exercises of faith in such an hour for all the strength of our Patience and submission to his will exercise for all our love and all our graces and is not this a needful time then to have them ready at hand to us and if we had not how sadly should we have been foyled and God dishonoured yea hath it not been so with many of us in such an hour we have fallen been wounded wounded his Name and our own names and our own souls and all because we were asleep sure if any other this is a needful time and yet truly this is so ordinary that when doth an hour of temptation come upon the people of God that it findeth them waking standing with loins girt with strength ready to receive it we are usually most sleepy at such a time 5. After we have fallen by our former sleeping then there is great need of being awake for alas brethren the deceitfulness of sin is such that except it be presently repented of and confessed it hardens the heart and so long we continue in a grieving condition to the Lord Therefore there is need to be awake and yet usually after falling we are apt to sleep and how long we should sleep if we were left to this sleeping evil we know not Peter had his fall O what need had he quickly to have repented but poor soul he was asleep and therefore instead of repenting he acts the same sin over and over again and in a more fearful manner If he had been awake at first he had not committed that sin likely if he had been then awake he had not then repeated it but he goeth on being in a sleep Ah it was high time to awake him for who knoweth what he would have done if the Lord Jesus had not lookt upon him And so David O what need had he to have been awaked after his adultery that his hard heart might not have been more hardened and his soul exposed to more thrusts and wounds and Gods Name more dishonoured but alas he is fast asleep And so the case of Jonah he had avoided that sad distemper of madness and passion if he had been awake but it seemeth though he had been in the belly of hell he was not throughly awaked from his former sleep in his former rebellion and therefore he rebels yet more and more now I say after sin we are apt to be asleep when we had most need to be awake It is sad brethren to consider what a frame the hearts of Gods own people will be in sometimes and what guil there is as in David that they will not confess their sin when God hath discovered their folly in part but will cloak and shift and excuse and nestle themselves to sleep again when they are a little awaked O when had they more need to repent to rouse themselves for when are they more exposed to the rage of Satan and yet then they sleep 6. Another time when we had greatest need to be awake we are apt to sleep and that is when we should be a comfort and refreshing to others in their troubles and sorrows Surely our Saviour took his Disciples up into the garden that they might pray with him and for themselves and to have been with them praying would have been a little comfort to him therefore he came still after he had been strongly wrestling a while striving in prayer even to an agony to them he came as I may say to have refreshed himself as it was the Apostles joy and comfort to see his Children in the Gospel to walk stedfastly with God and keep the faith now we live if ye stand fast so it would have been a comfort to Christ at this time but alas all comfort forsakes him he cometh again and again and findeth them sleeping he sweat that bloody sweat and instead of wiping it away they laid more load upon him to increase it O miserable Companions in affliction were they miserable Comforters were they they were asleep Truly so it is with us brethren when we should comfort one another with the comforts we have had of God we have them to seek we have nothing to say Or when by our lively conversation and standing fast and being established ●n the present truth in these backsliding days to the comfort and joy of them that Christ hath set over us we are sleeping and our foot sliding into this and that false way and this is another great time of need But I hope enough hath been said many more particulars might be produced I doubt not to shew that it is a like in other cases of greatest need we are apt to fall asleep The Reasons are from the desperate deceitfulness of sin and our hearts and the cunning and malice of Satan to do us most hurt c. First Application Then sure there is no such thing as perfection in this life as some would have it if we be thus prone to sleep and when we had most need to be awake yea rather it argues great imperfection even in the best of the Saints that have a heart so untoward and apt to be in the worst frame when it should be in the best To be out of frame at any time to be sleeping at any time argues imperfection and weakness and weariness and therefore the Angels are called Watchers wherein they approach nearer to the glorious perfection of God who never slumbreth nor sleepeth but to be out of frame then when of all other times we had most need to be in ●rame sheweth we are far from perfection that Corruption is strong and cunning and the Devil without knoweth how to improve it to our great disadvantage either unbefitting us for doing good when opportunity is offered or for receiving Good when the

loi●●r nor stay in what he had received but pressed hard forward toward the mark of the pri●e of the high calling he that aimeth short even at so much as will serve his turn and compass his design when he hath done that there is an end But I a●m at perfection saith the Apostle and so should we if we would keep our Lamps alive never rest 8. Be much in prayer pray hard for the supplies of his Spirit he hath promised them if we ask importunity will prevail if we be Strangers much more if Children it is the spirit that keepeth all alive and therefore pray for more and more of this Spirit of Jesus Christ See how Moses followeth the Lord with request upon request when he had been in the Mount and seen him face to face one would think this was enough to have stopped his mouth for a great while no sooner was he come down but he is praying for the guidance of that good Spirit O Lord shew me the way where in thou wouldst have us to go well God grants him this this satisfieth him not but he must have Gods presence with him an Angel would not serve his turn but his presence he must have and when this was granted this would not serve his turn neither but then O Lord shew me thy glory Prayer is the richest trading for heaven Build up your selves praying in the holy Ghost Ah it is the prayer of faith that fetche●h in rich supplies from the Lord continually 9. Take heed of grieving this good Spirit then when we have his presence by any willing transgression this grieveth him our unthankfulness and slighting of him minding the world grieve him not for if he depart be sure our Lamps will be but in a sad taking 10. Then every day we must be trimming the Lamps of the Sanctuary were drest or trimmed every day he made them well as the Original word signifieth they were disordered burning every night there was somewhat wanting oyl and raising the week likely and removal of dross from them which they might contract he drest them and made them ready every morning the morality implied in this Type surely is this that we should daily dress up our Lamps they will need it every day renew our repentance renew our resolutions our walking clos 〈…〉 r with God to love him c. daily endeavour to draw nearer to him neglect your Lamps but a week or so and see what fearful work there will be Again such then as can say with Moses they have lived thus long and their sight fails not nor their strength c. They have great cause to bless the Lord. But though a Child of God is thus apt to decline his profession thus apt to grow dim his Lamp to want trimming yet it never goeth altogether out And what use should we make of this 1. It reproveth that opinion of falling away utterly from justifying and renewing grace the condition of all believers is here set down by the state of the wise virgins their Lamps indeed did decay and suffer an impairing but not altogether dye No this spring of grace once sprung in the heart springs up to eternal life though some interruptions there may be did he pray that Peters faith should not fail him and did he not pray for all believers indeed his faith did as near fail him as ever mans did but yet it revived again and so David and others 2. Yet do not abuse this Doctrine of grace as our hearts are exceeding apt to do If we cannot fall away utterly then if once Be sure we have the root of the matter in us if once we have Oyl in our vessels it will never be altogether spent our Lamps will never be blown out This is dangerous and next to desperate and therefore the Apostle in a like case with a kind of abhorrency at the thought of such a thing speaks thus shall we continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid because he hath made us partakers of the sure mercies of David that will never fail shall we therefore neglect our worthy walking of them it argues a very ungodly frame of heart where this is to be found We should the rather be encouraged our hands strengthened to work out our salvation with so much the more earnestness were it not a very unchild-like and wretched frame of heart for a child to say Well I know my fathers heart towards me let me do what I will he will not cast me out of doors his inheritance is sure he may haply be mistaken and prove himself a Bastard and not a Son And so it is here Gods Children have all of them such child-like dispositions in them as they will hardly dare to make such an use of such a rich treasury of grace Or if they do they are like to smart for it 3. A word of strong Consolation to many a poor drooping soul If once thou have but grace in thy heart the oyl in thy Vessel it is never lost again though in its own nature it be loseable Thou art afraid some temptation or another from Satan the world or thy own heart will blow it out some blast or other will wither thee O thou shalt never be able to keep thy Lamp burning in the midst of so many contrary winds of lust and corruption but though thou canst not keep it alive the Lord can do it and he will do it Indeed while the Virgins slept for any care they took of their Lamp it might have gone out but the Lord kept it burning though it were but low and needed dressing Be of good courage then poor drooping foul and he shall strengthen thy heart didst thou ever know of any that had this oyl in their vessels that had the real work of grace upon them that did quite extinguish and dye surely thou didst not If the Lord do but seal it up to thee that thou art one of the wise Virgins believe it for thy everlasting comfort thy Lamp shall never be put out in obscure darkness 4. What shall we render to the Lord for this unspeakable grace towards us how hath he lifted up our condition above innocency it self in Adam he was made liable to fall away and the Lord did not engage himself to keep him we are made now in the second Adam in a surer Condition we have a better tenure in Jesus Christ which is the root of our stedfastness and standing because he liveth we shall live If Jesus Christ could die any more then might the Saints that are in him dye again altogether when once they are implanted into him O he liveth for ever and that Spirit of Christ which liveth and dwelleth in his people it never dyeth and faileth and he hath made it the very tenure of his Covenant he will put his fear into their hearts that they shall never depart from him We it may be that

our selves with a hope-well which we ought not to do we should strive to this of Thomas My Lord my God my beloved is mine and I am his canst thou say so upon good grounds thou mayst be a justified and a sanctified person which is done by the direct act of faith which is acted upon the Word of Promise and Christ in that Promise which the poor soul doth close with taking Christ for better for worse but now this is by the reflect act of faith and is grounded upon experience of our own condition ordinarily I see I feel that I do believe that I have chosen the Lord Jesus for my portion and therefore he is mine and I am his I have many sealings of his love to me many kisses of his lips it is given to me to believe to be upright with him I can approve my soul to him as Peter Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee thus the soul by laying up those experiences that it hath of God and laying them together doth from all come through grace to be able to conclude that the Lord Jesus is his to a full assurance of hope and faith and what an heaven upon earth is this Well labour after it though your conditions may be safe without it yet not so comfortable to your selves nor so honourable to him nor so profitable likely to others all which considerations if well weighed and improved I presume are motives enough to it You have the first thing in this general Exhortation and that is wherein we are to labour to grow and increase Now for the Motives in a few particulars and truly the first shall be that in the very Text we must labour for it because he hath promised it therefore we must pray for it and use all other means for prayer is one as afterward we shall speak God had promised he would bring Israel into Canaan but they must fight for it first to dispossess the Canaanites and so he promiseth health and strength to his people as choice mercies but they must eat and drink and use Physick as often as occasion serveth and it is an encouragement so to do because God hath promised us those things so far as good for us therefore use the means he promiseth fruitfulness to the earth what shall the plough-man therefore cast the plough in the hedge and never strike stroak it is true if God bid them stand still and only see the salvation of God it is somewhat else they must work and serve providence in the use of means so here it is promised O saith the Apostle work out your salvation with fear and trembling for it is he that worketh Labour to be more spiritual in prayer to grow therein for it is his Spirit that beareth the heavier end of the burthen he helpeth our infirmities let this be an encouragement to stir up our souls to it because it is promised think not Brethren it is enough to sit still and wait when this will fall into your mouths or that an idle complaining will do it no no you must be up and doing and labouring to use the means and the more because he hath promised Secondly Every man would grow and come on in other things therefore we should much more labour to grow in the best things you would your selves and have your children come on and thrive in body you think their meat is not well bestowed as we use to say if they should not prosper at all but should devour like Pharaohs lean kine and be never the fatter you would grow in your names and in your estates and every man would be adding bag to bag house to house land to land and here they never think they are come to a full growth O that the Lord would but make you half so dilgent in taking half the pains to grow in grace as they do that grow in the world how should we prosper It is observable that the Apostle saith of Gaius that good man he wisheth he may prosper even as his soul prospereth it seemeth the good man his inward man was renewed though haply his estate or his body might wax old and decay yet his soul prospered and he maketh that a pattern of the prosperity of his outward man may we not say on the other hand O that your souls did prosper even as your bodies prosper You are fat and flourishing and feed your selves without fear much pampering of the flesh but the poor soul O how lean and thin and consumpsit it is what fat purses and lean souls Brethren whatever you profess while it is thus I must tell you there is much preposterousness in your endeavours that all this ado should be made for a lump of clay and the soul the precious soul the price of the blood of Jesus Christ neglected men can rise at midnight and with end● to follow their business set it forward if need so require and other occasions c. O if we could be perswaded to use but the like diligence for the soul upon the like occasion Thirdly Consider if you grow not you decline either you increase or decrease either you ebb or flow wax or wain for it is like a man that rows against the stream if he go not forward he is carried backward So it is here we have a stream of lusts to row against and if we go not forward be sure we go backward and therefore if you observe it the Apostle doth threaten the Hebrews upon this account because they went not forward with Apostacy they were in danger of falling away quite from God that go not forward therefore consider this seriously and surely it will put us on to look to our growth there is not an Ordinance wherein we appear before the Lord but either we soften or harden we get something or lose something by it it returneth not in vain not the Word nor any other appointment of his Fourthly Another shall be this we cannot else withstand enemies bear crosses alas a child is over-born by a touch he cannot withstand a potent enemy therefore we must labour to be strong men whom resist saith the Apostle stedfast in the faith there is no stedfastness but by faith nor any resisting but by this stedfastness if we give ground the Devil will pursue the victory if we turn our backs upon him now we cannot keep our ground except there be some strength It s true every child of God is born with his armour on him as is fabled of the race of those Giants so the Saints have their breast-plate of faith to keep the heart and the shield to preserve the body but as they grow in strength so are they able to weild their shield yea it groweth stronger and more able to bear off a blow Alas our Saviour saw his Disciples were not able to bear a temptation at that time John 18. 8. therefore let them go

saith he to them that sought for him if ye seek me let these go as yet they were not grown to that stedfastness but now what if the Lord should for holy ends give Satan liberty to sift thee to the very bran and thy faith be weak O what sad work will there be then in thy soul therefore our Saviour prayed that Peters faith should not fail him but yet you see how near it was and what it cost him and so except we be grown in wisdom and understanding we shall be ignorant of his devices and he will take us alive at his pleasure because we know not where he will have us nor what his methods of deceiving are that there we might watch And so for crosses it is not a child can bear the cross specially if great some little affliction they may bear as you see our Saviour did train up his Disciples to it by degrees at first only they threatned them and charged them not to preach in that name of Jesus Christ then afterwards when by that experience of the power of God with them they were somewhat grown then they were scourged and imprisoned and as strength grew so afflictions grew we are not able to suffer much for Christ while our faith is weak our love is small our patience inconsiderable therefore we must labour to grow in every grace of the Spirit Fifthly Because the stronger our graces are the more discernable they will be this was hinted before in the arguments of the point and this will put an end to many sad complaints that a child of God maketh concerning himself when his grace becometh more visible not only to others but to himself by reason of the greatness of it and the Spirit of God shining upon it to discover it O how comfortable may such an one walk Sixthly Consider the end of all the Ministry and Ordinances God hath given it is for our growth as in that place therefore he gave some Apostles some Evangelists same Pastors for the edifying of the body of Christ now hath the Lord been at all this pains rising up early and sending messengers upon messengers one after another and pouring out the gifts of the Spirit to befit them for that work and all to build us up and yet we are children and dwarfs What a shame is this to us and what a grief is this to God and is not this the way to make him repent of the good he hath done unto us and to withdraw them Seventhly A very hypocrite Brethren may grow in some things and therefore we had need look to it to go beyond them in our growth an hypocrite may grow in parts and gifts may learn to pray and preach most plausibly may make long prayers with those hypocrites though they grow not inwardly at all therefore take heed of sticking here or because thou growest more civilly escapest the pollutions of the world and yet alas art the same in disposition a swine in nature yea there may be a growing in assent to the truth such a saith as the Devils have which maketh them tremble and some kind of affection too as Herod had but by how much we see there is danger of being deceived by so much the more narrowly we had need to look to it that we grow there where there is no deceit grow in the spiritualness of service and duty in that of self-denyal humility and saving-faith and love Eighthly Wicked men grow worse and worse and why should not we grow better and better Shall Satans Kingdom so increase and grow strong and shall not the Kingdom of Jesus Christ grow stronger also how much the more need had we to stir up our selves in this respect considering how many grow worse and worse Ninthly The stronger we grow in the habits of grace the more easie will our acting of grace be to us we come off so hard with a duty as with prayer or the like what is the reason but because we are so weak in the Grace of prayer so unacquainted with it O how a man delights to do the things which he is befitted for and habituated to O how quickly are some mens spirits up in duty like tinder to the fire of the Spirit or like the spirits of wine or oyl quickly fired therefore God would have the fat offered up it would quickly take fire and when our services come off with delight and cheerfulness then the Lord is pleased with it so you see They rejoyced they were counted worthy to suffer for the Name of Christ and yet a little before were so weak that they all forsook him what a difference is here and so they rejoiced that God had given them such a willing heart to lay out themselves upon the Temple to build an House to the Name of God when a mans love and mercy is weak what he giveth it cometh hardly from him like drops of blood as we say but afterward he can freely willingly emptie his purse for Christs sake this is one way Brethren to make the Commands of God not so grievous to us as they seem to be until we be thus grown Again We must grow to our pitch before we can enter into the kingdom Mat. 18. 3 c. Therefore upon all these considerations let us be exhorted to make it our business to improve to grow to wax stronger and stronger day by day But thus much for the Motives For Helps that will be the next enquiry what we should do to grow in Grace since it is so necessary a work lying upon us all And I might speak distinctly First To the Grace which is inherent in us wherein our holiness consisteth and Secondly That wherein our comfort consisteth even the knowledge of our relative state to God But the main thing is that holiness those several Graces of the Spirit each whereof shining with its own lustre and yet by the symmetry and conjunction with the rest make up the perfect beauty of Holiness First then in general If thou wouldst grow indeed and art in good earnest in this matter thou must exercise Grace if thou wouldst grow what a rich treasury is that of the Mind above that of a mans Che●t the more he useth of the one the more he hath the more he useth of the other the less he hath How did the Talent increase but with the using that is signified by putting them out to the Changers and so the Talent or Pound gained five Talents or ten therefore it is observed by so me that the Scripture in commanding or requiring any Grace of us doth directly and immediately command the Acts and the Habits obliquely as the Fountain to the Stream So Baxter saith The way to get away our indisposedness to Prayer saith Luther is to pray it away exercise that Grace according to the ability given and thou shalt find it grow it is much to be preferred before an idle complaining a diligent soul

lower thoughts of thy self to see the necessity of an high-Priest the more feelingly this humbleth this emptyeth of self more and is not this a growth in grace Yea and no small improvement But thirdly If thou be put to wait for an answer know it is the excellency of faith to wait upon him to hold out as the woman of Canaan And Jacob wrestled all night with God So Daniel his answer cometh not as soon as he began to pray but he must wait a while he must go through with his duty and afterwards the answer cometh if the Lord give thee a heart to wait upon him to hang upon him not to give him over Brethren you are growing and you are not aware of it it is no easie matter to wait upon God Alas a poor sinner in a mood sometimes and in a flash under a stirring Sermon O he will go and pray and if an answer come not presently there is an end it dyeth but a child of God he waiteth upon God he will have no nay if he will not answer at one time he will to it again and again as Paul sought God thrice for the removing the Thorn before he had an answer And so Elias seven times his servant was sent and brought an answer of nothing appearing and at last but a little cloud and his prayer was fervent too as appears by the story Fourthly You must grow upon God knock harder if he come not at the first cry louder cry out so much the more importunity will overcome him at the last yea if by the delay of an answer as thou thinkest thou be kept praying and more and more fervently there is nothing Brethren wherein we more grow then in prayer it self where the Lord exerciseth us with such occasions as put us on to stir up all our strength to wrestle with him Well the Lord perswade our hearts to a diligence in this duty for we are as averse from it as from any O how our hearts do hang back and if the Lord perswade us not and by the invincible bonds of the Spirit bind us close to it we shall see by woful experience how quickly our slippery hearts will either shift themselves out of it or else into a formality in the service Fifthly Observe your answers also take heed of being alway complaining as if we had received nothing or were nothing grown whereby God loseth the glory of what he hath done for us already this is not the way to procure more this is the way indeed to grieve Gods Spirit which is the Spirit of prayer and then if he be grieved we shall find a woful declining in prayer and then our growth will go on but very slowly I beseech you pardon me for standing so much upon this point to press it upon you I know many of you cannot but see the necessity of it and truly observe it since these times of outward prosperity of the people of God mind it in your own cases lookers on may easily observe it and since our hands have been so full of the world if there be not a declining and indeed I think If I am mistaken I should be glad to be mistaken that this is the main thing wherein we are hurt we are so upon hurries and so thronged our hearts and heads and hands so full of the world that we cannot have those times and seasons to work our hearts up in this duty it is sad when our hearts have most need of pains-taking with them as in such cases they have that we should find least time to do it in What can become of this think you Fourthly Another help to this growth in grace will be this Conscientiously and diligently to use the Ordinances all of them as well as that of prayer I speak to that particular because it is of so general concernment running along with all the rest for sanctification of them to us You heard before that knowledge is the great means whereby our grace doth grow it is conveyed through the understanding the consent of the will to close with Christ it is greater or lesser according to the apprehensions which the mind hath of Christ of his goodness his loveliness the necessity of him c. therefore grace and truth came by Jesus Christ and whom beholding as in a glass we are changed into his image this glass what is it but the Ordinances of God O how fat do men grow that fare deliciously every day is there not great difference between feeding upon husks when the kernel is gone and feeding upon the finest of the wheat how quickly will the weakest man grow strong feeding upon the one and the strongest weak when he feedeth upon the other Alas when it came to that the Prodigal was almost beaten off his leggs Why the Ordinances of God they are a feast a feast of fat things marrow and wines upon the less well-refined in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make to all people a feast of fat things a feast of wines on the lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the lees well-refined What are these but the Ordinances of God these are the green pastures and still waters with these he promiseth to satiate the soul of the Priest with fatness and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness saith the Lord And my soul shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house there it is and in the 63. Psalm the Psalmist longs after the enjoyment of God in his Ordinances in his Sanctuary O saith he my soul shall be satisfied with marrow and fatness What can be said more Brethren Is not this the way to grow fat to increase and did not God give therefore Pastors and Teachers to dispence the Ordinances for the edifying of the body in that place to the Ephesians Well but all this will not do except we make use of these Ordinances mind you they are the fat things of the house of God we must have them in the stall in the coop in the fold in the house of God that is to say the Church of God if we would flourish indeed as the Psalmist speaks they that are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts of our God and therefore the Spouse in the Canticles was so earnest Shew me where thou feedest thy flocks where thou makest them rest at noon Alas many poor Believers may be to seek where the Lord Jesus feedeth his flocks specially in these daies wherein there are so many pretences to the way of Christianity which is but one but at least me thinks this will follow from those Scriptures that the house of the Lord the Courts of his house is the Church of God therefore we should inquire where the flocks are fed that we may walk with them and among them it is the way where the Lord Jesus is found